I know nothing in their Statutes nor Puniſhments particular, but this; which is, that if any Perſon be convicted of uttering a ſcandalous Report, and cannot make good the Aſſertion inſtead of being fined or impriſoned, they are ſentenced to ſtand in the Market-Place, on a ſort of a Scaffold erected for that purpoſe, with their Tongue in a Nooſe made of Leather, which they call a Bridle, and having been thus expoſed to the View of the People for ſome time, on the taking off this Machine, they are obliged to ſay three Times, Tongue thou haſt lyed. As whimſical as this Puniſhment may ſeem, I know not but, if introduced in ſome Places that I could name, it might put a greater Stop to Malice than any private Puniſhment whatſoever; becauſe, that tho' a Perſon who has once ſuffered this Shame, ſhould he tempted to commit the ſame Crime a ſecond Time, it would be to little purpoſe, becauſe whatever he ſaid, would be ſure to gain no Credit, after having been once recorded as a Lyar.
And now having given as full a Deſcription as I think can be expected from
me
