The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-26

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In most continental countries the practice Of
kissing tho book IL unknown, .the eremony Of
oath.taking being more akin to the Scottish
than to the English form. A French witness
has q very simple ordeal TO pass through before
unfolding his tale. The Judge, seated beneath
q crucifx, says, "You swear to tell the truth,
tho whole truth, and nothing but the truth"
and tho witness, lifting up his right hand,
answers. II swear It." In Austria q Christian
witness Is sworn before a crucifx between two
lighted candles, and. holding up his right hand,
says: II swear by God the Almighty and All
Wise that 1 will speak the pure and full truth,
and nothing but tho truth, In answer to any.
thing 1 may, DO asked by the court Jewish
their solemnity by placing their hands or, the
page OF q Bible on which is printed the third
be yeracious in these words:,"I viii speak tho
truth, tho whole. truth, and nothing but the
truth, SO help me God and all the saints"
In Italy the form In much the same, but the
use of the Bible imparts a greater degree Of serl.
business to 1t. II will swear to tell the truth,
oxclaims the Italian witness, resting his hand
upon an openn, Bible. The Spanish oath is more
elaborate; The witness. kneeling on his right
being asked BY the Judge, "wii you swear by
Coz, and by these holy Gospels to speak. the
I swear" Thereupon the Judge says. ,,'Then
n thus You do, God Will reward you, and IL not,
c Sadl nsqp tSs It ee Gt sSn;" is 1d aif sS%s p'Fftfs The Of N tho
ness forms a cross by placing the middle of his
thumb on.the middle OF his forefinger, and kiss
-exclaims: '"By this cross / swear.
tered cd IN Norway. fTahlsps Witness SssH r. rai %e@'1 his
These signify The Trinity. while the larger oii
his body. Before the oath Is taken a long ex.
Of Which are as follows :no " VIA %asef pers pariiS Is
30 %ungodly, corrupt, or hostile to himself as to
the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. punish me,
mankind iddi if IN His Image. AND AND ffsSi fsth @S Sn good Cd
ness, grace and mercy, may not profit me, but
sol. and sinner, may BIO punished eternaliy in
hell. . II. swear falsely. then may all
have and own in this world be cursed; cursed
never enjoy any fruit or Yield from them; cursed
be my cattle, my beasts, my sheep, 80 that after
yea, cursed may be and everything / possess"
II the laws. delay Is among the grievances Of
trs siH e TO she good 10 MS onthi Mi 90 o alhs@l ths sG
preeede the real business of their courts.
For real pictgresqueness In oath.taking the
tied. Like the soldier In Jacques's familiar
speech, they are full of strange oaths." The
people who have shown themselves to be most
resourceful in the making of oaths are the Chi
nese. Slicing of q cocks head is one mode Of
impressing a Chinaman with the Importance of
telling the truth; breaking q saucer Is another;
blowing out, q lighted candle Is a third. The
beheading Of the cock Is supposed to represent
| the fate Of the liar; the cracking Of the saucer
and the extinguishing Of the candle indicate
what will happen to the soul of the witness who
does not tell the truth. In ohammed coun-
tries every witness holds the Koran in front of
lin, and bends down until his forehead touches
the sacred volume. The position Of the body is
In none has superstition left the supreme con-
ness in the days Of the Brehons, He took three
separate oaths, the first standing, the second
sitting. and the third lying. as these were the
positions in which his life was spent.
Many Indians are sworn on tigers skins, in
the. belief that II they defile their lips with lies
their bodies will become food for tigers, while
others stand upon q lizards skin, and ask that
their bodies shall be covered with the scales of
the reptiles II they forswear themselves. The
Burmese witness, who requests to be destroyed
In no fewer than five different ways II he ID
guilty Of perjury, Is not content tht. the pun.
includes his relations. Let us be subject ~
he -prays, ito all the calamities that are
within the body and all that are without the
body. May We be seized with madness, dumb
ness, deafness, leprosy, and hydrophobia.. May
we, be struck with thunderbolts and lightning
and come to sudd en- death"