Page:The kingdom and people of Siam - with a narrative of the mission to that country in 1855 (IA b29352447 0001).pdf/211

 judge, who pronounces the award: there are appeals from the lower to the higher courts, and, in all cases, to the King. The expense of an ordinary suit is from 12 to 30 ticals (30s. to 758.): this is paid by the losing party. Legal reasons for excluding witnesses are so many, that they would appear seriously to interfere with the collection of evidence. Those shut out by moral impediments are :—–Drunkards, opium-smokers, gam- blers, notorious vagabonds, goldsmiths, braziers, blacksmiths, shoemakers, executioners, beggars, pot- ters, dancing women, women who have been thrice married, adulterers, clerks, orphans, players and tumblers, undutiful children, contemners of religion, slaves, intimate friends and inmates of parties con- cerned, quacks, strumpets, liars and sorcerers, per- sonal enemies. Some of these exclusions are the result of ancient prejudices and traditions, especially those which refer to particular trades, as in the instance of potters, who are shut out in consequence of a murder committed on a virtuous man by a potter ages ago. A bad reputation attaches to the other excluded trades. By physical causes:-Virgins and unmarried women, pregnant females, blind and deaf persons, persons above seventy or under seven years of age, persons on their deathbed, hermaphrodites, persons suffering under loathsome and cutaneous diseases. Midwives are excluded, probably because their ser- vices may be suddenly required. By intellectual incapacities:-Persons who can- not read, persons who cannot reckon up to ten, persons ignorant of the law and of the eight cardinal VOL. 1.