Page 15 - it was generally committed by low people. A greater distinction was made in the punishment on account of the caste of the criminal than on account of the nature of the crime. A man of fair caste was seldom put to death except for offences against the state. In such cases birth seems to have been no protection,
Page 11 - of procuring it themselves. The advantage of this was specially felt among the lower orders who are most out of reach of their rulers and most apt to be neglected under all governments. By means of the jury they were enabled to effect a tolerable dispensation of
Page 15 - and if suspicions were strong, he was flogged to make him confess. "Witnesses were examined and a summary of their evidence and of the statement of the accused were always taken down in writing. Witnesses were sometimes confronted with the accused in the hope of shaming or perplexing the party whose statement was false; but
Page 122 - in making a joint attack in broad daylight and placed the trenches in great danger. After the siege had lasted about two months a mined bastion blew up and stones bricks and men flew like pigeons into the air. 6 The Moghals rushed to the assault but the
Page 16 - would frequently release Bhil robbers contrary to the established custom, and even allow them to renew their depredations on the payment of a sum of money. It may be averred that no other punishment was ever inflicted on a man who could afford to pay a
Page 482 - principal ornament of the facade. Above this a dwarf colonnade or attic of four columns between pilasters admitted light to the great window, and this again was surmounted by a wooden cornice or ornament of some sort, though we cannot now restore it, since only the mortices remain that attached.
Page 34 - in their primitive state led a roving unsettled life, avoiding the habitations of the more civilised orders of society and engaging in plunder. On the principle of setting a thief to catch a thief they have from earliest times been employed as watchmen and for this
Page 14 - robber without a reference, and those at a distance would exercise their power without scruple, while the highest civil officers, if at Poona, would pay the Peshwa the attention of applying for his sanction in all capital cases. A chief was thought to have authority over his own troops and servants wherever he was.
Page 427 - there were some gardens close to the city, they were not sufficient to interrupt the nakedness of the picture, any more than the few young trees and ornamental shrubs of the cantonment. The most pleasing feature was the small insulated hill of Parvati. The city was far from handsome and of no great apparent size, though it was said to
Page 8 - The proceedings of all were irregular. The model was the able courageous and upright Ram Shastri who was at the head of the Poona court when Nana Fadnavis was minister and regent. Ram Shastri had several deputies, two of whom were almost as famous as himself, and by their aid the business was conducted. On receiving a