b o o k vifai o f their fentence ; or, i f they allow themfelves to be
, V'L J guilty, may implore pardon or a mitigation o f punifhment.
So mild are the penal laws, that feveral offences, which, in
other countries are confidered as capital, are chaftized by
whipping, condemnation to bread and water, imprifonment
and hard labour; more than 120 ftrokes o f the rod are
never inflidted; nor is a criminal fentenced to bread and
water for more than 28 days.
Many flagrant abufes in the courts o f juftice have been
' reformed and corredted by the prefent king. In all cafes of
high treafon, it is enjoined that previous notice muft be fent
to the crown before any court can commence an inquiry :
an ordinance which has put a flop to many frivolous and
vexatious accufations, which ufed to be brought againft the
fubjedt. Before the acceffion o f his prefent majefty, it was
very common for perfons indicted, but not convidted, of
crimes, to fuffer an imprifonment o f feveral years without
being tried; by the abolition o f many tedious forms in the
prefent reign, every criminal is arraigned within a ihort pe
riod after commitment, the good effedts o f which alteration
require no comment. His majefty has increafed the falaries
o f the judges, and configned their fhare o f the fines inflidted
by their decifion to other ufes : by this judicious regulation
he has greatly leffened the corruption and injuftice
which neceffarily prevailed in thofe tribunals; for the Icanty
incomes o f the judges expofed them to bribery; while a
fhare in the fines rendered them interefted in convidting the
criminal. The king has alfo promoted the rights of humanity,
by fuppreffing, in 1 7 7 3 , the cruel And abfurd practice
o f torture, which was employed for the purpofe o f obtaining
a confefiion of guilt from fufpedted perfons.
5 p One
2
P E N A L L A W S . m
One excellent regulation in the courts o f Sweden deferves CHAp.
to be mentioned, and adopted in all countries; it is, that a ■
criminal is tried without the leaft expence to the plaintiff
or defendant. T h e profecutor denounces a perfon fufpedted
o f guilt to the king’s officer o f juftice, who carries on the
procefs. at the puhlick charge.
V o l . If. E e e C II A P. *•