Burmah and the BurmeseMackenzie, Kenneth R. H. (Kenneth Robert Henderson)
History
Burmah and the Burmese
Mackenzie, Kenneth R. H. (Kenneth Robert Henderson)
Burma -- Civilization; Burma -- History
The different punishments for offences are these, increasing with the
enormity of the crime:—Fines, the stocks, imprisonment, labour in chains,
flogging, branding, maiming, pagoda slavery, and death. The last, which
seldom occurs but for murder and treason, is inflicted by decapitation,
drowning, or crucifixion. But killing slaves is not criminal, and is
atoned by fines. A libel is punished by the infliction of the punishment
corresponding to the crime unjustly charged upon the plaintiff by the
libeller: however, if the truth of the charge be proven, it is not a
libel. In our country, it is a well-known fact that the truth alone is
a libel, a falsehood needing no refutation. Judgments, as in England,
go by default of appearance, though that is no rule in Burman practice,
whatever it maybe in theory.
The husband has power to chastise his wife for misbehaviour, after
repeated admonitions and remonstrances in the presence of witnesses. In
the event of continued offences, he has the power to divorce her, without
appeal. A woman whose husband has gone away with the army is at liberty
to marry at the expiration of six years; if his object were business, she
must wait seven years; and if he was sent on any religious mission, she
must wait ten years. The slave-laws are very strict, yet favourable on
the whole; but I should imagine that judge’s opinion settled the matter.
Changing a landmark is heavily punished. Betting debts are recoverable
from the loser, but not from any person in any way otherwise responsible.
A person hurt in wrestling, or any other athletic exercise, cannot
recover damages: but if he be mortally hurt, the other must pay the price
of his body. An empty vehicle must give place before a full one; and when
two loaded men meet, he that has the sun at his back must give way. The
following value is set upon men, women, and children:—
£. s. d.
A new-born male infant 4 ticals = 0 10 0
A female infant 3 ” = 0 7 6
A boy 10 ” = 1 5 0
A girl 7 ” = 0 17 6
A young man 30 ” = 3 15 0
A young woman 35 ” = 4 2 6
Rich persons pay in proportion to their wealth and importance. Of course
the high officers of the administration thus become very valuable men, in
one respect at least.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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