80 LAWS. cipal always interfering whenever he has leisure w inclination to do so. This general account I shall il- lustrate by a particular statement of the mode of ad- ministering 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 hy sufferance. This corporation consists of a diiej] a se- condy a yjr/e^/, a register^ or writer, elders^ and the tenants oi 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 po- verty of all, a great degree of freedom and equa- lity subsists between the members of these little societies. Petty disputes are settled by the chief and elders in public, or written evidence of mat- ters of greater moment is taken down by them, to be transmitted to higher authority. Arrange- ments are made by the same authority for the pro- tection of the joint property, and for that of the goods of strangers or passengers, by the nomina- tion of nightly watches and patroles. The village associations are superintended by officers of va- rious names, who are the delegates or lieutenants of the governors of provinces. These have their law assessors and courts, which take cognizance of
