cipal always interfering whenever he has leisure ©r
inclination to do so. This general account I shall illustrate
by a particular statement of the mode of administering
justice among the Javanese. Akingdom,
in that island, is an aggregate of villages each of
which has within itself a distinct local jurisdiction,
which may be described as a sort of corporation by
sufferance. This corporation consists of a chief, a second,
a priest, a register, or writer, elders, and the
tenants of the land ; or, which is the same thing, the
tenants of the sovereign. Sometimes the principal
village-officers are elected by their fellow-villagers,
and at other times by a superior. In whatever way
nominated, it happens, that, from the equality of
their fortunes, or, in other words, from the poverty
of all, a great degree of freedom and equality
subsists between the members of these little
societies. Petty disputes are settled by the chief
and elders in public, or written evidence of matters
of greater moment is taken down by them,
to be transmitted to higher authority. Arrangements
are made by the same authority for the protection
of the joint property, and for that of the
goods of strangers or passengers, by the nomination
of nightly watches and patroles. The village
associations are superintended by officers of various
names, who are the delegates or lieutenants
of the governors of provinces. These have their
law assessors and courts, which take cognizance of
matters of higher moment than lie within the jurisdiction
of the village-officers. They are responsible
in their turn to the governors of provinces,
who have their minister or assistant, their
law assessors, writers, and registers, &c. which, in
name and nature, are a literal copy of the supreme
authority at the seat of government, now
to be more particularly described. The supreme
court of justice, at the seat of government, nominally
consists of fhefour following persons, called,
from their importance, “ the nails which fix the
kingdom,” Patoh Nagoro,—the sovereign,—his
minister,—the high-priest,and the judge of common
law. The sovereign never administers justice in person,
but interferes when he thinks proper, as well on
the general principle of his authority as an arbitrary
prince, as because he is the head of the church, Pa-
noto Agomo, law and religion in the East being always
inseparable. His minister is also too much occupied
to devote much time to the administration of
justice, the consequence of which is, that it is left
nearly altogether to the Pangulu, or high-priest,
and to the Jaksa, or native judge. The first is
presumed to be learned in the Mahomedan law,
and takes rank of the second, who is employed in
minor details of mere drudgery, and is presumed to
be familiar with those peculiar customs and usages
which are deviations from the Mahomedan law.
VOL. III. F