that one is liberated from the punishment of a secret crime, and
since he has not been accused of such a crime, his punishment
is changed into another. They take special care that no one
should invent slander, and if this should happen they meet the
offence with the punishment of retaliation. Since they always
walk about and work in crowds, five witnesses are required for
the conviction of a transgressor. If the case is otherwise, after
having threatened him, he is released after he has sworn an oath
as the warrant of good conduct. Or if he is accused a second
or third time, his increased punishment rests on the testimony
of three or two witnesses. They have but few laws, and these
short and plain, and written upon a flat table and hanging to
the doors of the temple, that is between the columns. And on
single columns can be seen the essences of things described in
the very terse style of Metaphysic -- viz., the essences of God, of
the angels, of the world, of the stars, of man, of fate, of virtue, all
done with great wisdom. The definitions of all the virtues are
also delineated here, and here is the tribunal, where the judges
of all the virtues have their seat. The definition of a certain
virtue is written under that column where the judges for the
aforesaid virtue sit, and when a judge gives judgment he sits
and speaks thus: O son, thou hast sinned against this sacred
definition of beneficence, or of magnanimity, or of another vir-
tue, as the case may be. And after discussion the judge legally
condemns him to the punishment for the crime of which he is
accused -- viz., for injury, for despondency, for pride, for in-
gratitude, for sloth, etc. But the sentences are certain and true
correctives, savoring more of clemency than of actual punish-
ment.