CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
THE LAWS OF MALFIN
May your souls be enlightened by the Central Light. May all you who assemble between the great pillars at the appointed times be cared for by The Supreme Spirit, as you care for His earthly affairs. May He keep you, as you keep His laws. May you receive the grace of enlightenment from the centre of the Sacred Circle and may an eternal fountain open for you, from which your souls may drink and be refreshed. May you receive the gift of everlasting regeneration.
These are the laws of the outsiders, which you have to obey, and they can be justly added to those you have, for right recognises no origin. They are in two parts: those which are to be wholly yours and those which govern you among the outsiders.
If one whose position requires him to bear witness to a transaction give false evidence concerning it, so that an outsider is at a loss, he is to be bound and given over to the outsiders. If an outsider suffer loss the one causing it is to be deprived of his rights and made to labour in the place of captivity, until the loss is made good and twice the amount has been paid to the council. He must not be re-established in his rights.
Only a man of good repute having no interest in the things being judged, can witness to it with immunity. If he accept a payment his voice is not to be heard.
No one who gambles or lends money, or who buys to sell, or collects payments or taxes may sit in judgement. Neither may a man whose house is in turmoil or who has been condemned in judgement. No one may sit in judgement on a kinsman, a friend or an enemy, unless no other judge can be found. No one may attend upon a judge in the absence of those who oppose him, so that he may gain favour. The words of a lying witness are to be disregarded, unless otherwise proven.
If voices be raised in anger before the seat ofjudgement, or anyone behave unseemingly, the matter is to be left until the morrow. When sitting in judgement a judge must remember that it is more wicked for a rich man to steal than for a poor man. Or for the wellborn to act basely than for the lowly to act likewise. It is more wicked for the strong to strike unjustly than for the weak to do so.
If anyone by boisterous behaviour cause damage within the grounds of a man’s dwelling place, or injure anyone, he shall go to the place of captivity until the damage or injury is made good, and the same amount is to be paid to the council.
Every landowner must have his land hedged in and if it is not hedged, or the hedges are broken, he will have no claim for any damage caused there by strayed animals, but they must be driven out without hurt or harm. If anyone damage a hedge or fence he will be responsible for anything happening through the damage. If anyone damage any property or cause harm to an animal belonging to the outsiders, he will be handed over to them. If a man find a beast straying upon his land, he may secure it and demand a payment in compensation for loss or damage.
If anyone offend against the laws of the outsiders, he will be given over to them for judgement under the laws of the outsiders. No one is to be given over to the outsiders until he has been heard by his own judges. If anyone is to be judged by the outsiders a man from the council is to sit with him.
If a man draw a weapon in an assembly of people he shall surrender the weapon to anyone who ranks above him. If he refuse to do so he shall be seized and brought before the judges for punishment. He may not recover the weapon except by payment of its value. If anyone threaten another with a weapon, it is to be taken from him and may not be recovered without payment of its value to the council.
Men are entitled to the privacy of their wives, men to the privacy of men and women to the privacy of women. A family is entitled to the privacy of a family.
Anyone who commands another in his power to do a deed shall stand as though he did it himself. If in company with a man whom many come to take and slay or injure unlawfully, then draw your weapon in his defence. If anyone use the language of slaves in your presence, it is not sufficient to remain silent. If you do not rebuke him because he is powerful, then depart from his company. To do nothing is wrong, for men are told not to remain passive before the face of evil.
The scandalmonger and scaremonger may both be delivered to the place of captivity to requite the harm done. If no harm is done the liar is still a person without repute and his punishment is that he will not be believed even when he speaks truthfully.
Hypocrites are two-tongued loathsome creatures who, like grass snakes, cannot be grasped in the hands. If any establish themselves as hypocrites, drive them out and let them afflict the outsiders.
There are punishments prescribed for wrongdoing and much advice given to prevent it. Punishment is only acknowledgement of failure. Wrongdoing arises from failure to deal with weaknesses, failure in upbringing, failure in teaching, failure in establishing rules of conduct and failure in discipline, whether imposed by self or others. When a man comes before the judges for punishment they do more than half their duty when they condemn him. They should also enquire within themselves, “Wherein have the people failed with this man? Was he guided rightly or wrongly, and have we no responsibility towards him?” Punishing a wrongdoer without seeking out the cause of his deeds is hypocritical justice. If a man walk in darkness and stumble into a pit, is he to blame? If a light guide falsely or be too feeble to keep men from stumbling, it is of no value. Therefore, if a brother fall into a pit by the wayside the bearers of light cannot be guiltless.
These things are recorded unto you, so that in the day of freedom you may not be without law. That day will come as surely as the sunrise. Never fear because your numbers diminish. One wise man is better than a pack of fools, and a stave of solid oak better than a pillar of reeds.
The man who supplies weapons to another who uses them in a wrongful deed is not guiltless himself. If he knew their use he is no less guilty. Anyone possessing things wrongfully taken is not without guilt, and if taken knowingly is no less guilty. One who is not yet a man in age cannot be equally guilty in robbery or violence. Neither can a simpleton, a madman or a woman.
If anyone bind another unlawfully or cause anyone to lose his freedom, he shall requite the harm done and may be delivered to the place of captivity. Everyone has the right to solitude and privacy, and those who deny him it are not without guilt. If anyone destroy the hair of a woman he must requite the harm to the limit of fullness. If anyone come upon a thief in his deed, or upon someone about an unlawful deed and slay or injure him because of his resistance, no wrong is done. If he submit to capture and is slain or injured unlawfully, those who do the deed must bear the guilt. If a man come upon his wife in adultery and slay both he has done no wrong. If a man come upon another dealing wrongfully with his son or daughter or another child and he slay him, he has done no wrong. If a man slay a thief in the night or one who seeks to injure him, he does no wrong. If a man find another with his wife behind bolted doors and slay the man, he has done no wrong. If he come upon them in a secret place and slay the man, he has done no wrong. If a man commit a deed unlawfully, in lust, so that he may be lawfully slain, he may be castrated instead. If a man lay his hand in any way upon a virgin, without her consent, he is not guiltless.
If two men quarrel and one bear insult with forbearance, the other must requite him for the insult. A brother, a father or a son coming upon his kinswoman in adultery or behind bolted doors, is to stand as though he were her husband.