Page 72 - A History of Siam

68 A HISTORY OF SIAM

Suk'ot'ai discouraged slavery. It is not, therefore,
to find in the Law on Abduction a reference
surprising
to the prevalence among slaves of a habit of escaping away
to the dominions of the of Suk'ot'ai.
King
The Law on Offences the
5. Against People (A.D.
1357);
This law deals with offences such as
trespass, assault,
false and so forth. One section
imprisonment, provides
for the of in cases where is
payment damages property
lost an The effect of this still be seen
during affray. may
in Siam : a who is assaulted is to
person very apt allege
that his came or that his rolled out of his
ring off, money
pocket and was lost.
6. The Law Robbers and
Concerning (A.D. 1350 1366).
This law deals with robbery, burglary, arson, murder,
and other serious crimes. It contains several wise
"
Here is one If receive stolen
provisions. : any person
let him the
property, knowing it to be stolen, produce
thief. Should he fail to do so, let him be punished as
though he were himself the thief."
"
Some of the punishments seem curious to-day. If
shall steal fish from a or
any person private pond tank,
11
let him a fine of cowrie shells. Let us
pay 333,333 hope
that the thief was made to count the shells.
The Law on Miscellaneous Matters
7. (A.D. 1359).
This law deals with a of
great variety subjects, such,
for instance, as the theft of growing crops, diversion of
irrigation ditches, cheating, etc. It also provides punish-
ment for various kinds of necromancers
witches, sorcerers,
and harbourers of familiar The methods of these
spirits.
worthies, such as preparing love philtres, and burying
small wax images of those whom they wished to destroy,
seem to have been very similar to those of their confreres
in England at that period.