106 LAWS. another a grievous affront^ such as a hloxc over the face. U a freeman strike a slave, he shall be fined five mas. If a slave strike a freeman, the fine is half his price. If a freeman strike a freeman, and he that is struck stabs the other to death, he is held justified. If a slave give a slave a blow, and the offended person return a mortal stab, the mstaer of the offender sliall pay a fine of half the price of the slave that is killed. If a slave give abusive language to a freeman, he shall be punished by a stroke on the mouth. If a freeman give abusive language to the wife of a slave, and the slave kill him, he shall be deemed to have committed no crime thereby,^or no £oman is to be considered lightly. If any man strike ano- ther a blow, it shall be lawful for such person, for the period of three days, to put the offender to death, but if after this, he shall pay a fine of one kati and five tahils.** The same character is exemplified in the fol- lowing law : " If a man make an attempt to seduce another man's wife, the chief shall cause the offend- er to make an obeisance to the husband in open court. If he refuse to make such obeisance, he shall pay a fine of ten tahils, unless the judge, or some other person of rank, should have compassion upon him, and excuse him." On the same principle, a kind of pillory is a fre- quent punishment with the same people. The ob- 12
