r informations. The eunuch
was in consequence deprived of his office of treasurer, find all his
effects were confiscated; on which occasion the emperor addressed him as
follows; "Death ought to have been your doom, for giving occasion of
complaint against me to this man, who hath come from Chorassan, which is on
the borders of my empire. He hath been in the country of the, Arabs, whence
he came into the kingdoms of the Indies, and thence into my empire, seeking
his advantage by trade; and you would have occasioned him to return across
all these regions, saying to all the people in his way, that he had been
abused and stripped of his substance in China. In consideration of your
former services, and the rank you have held in my household, I grant your
life; but as you have not discharged your duty in regard to the living, I
will confer upon you the charge of the dead." The eunuch was accordingly
sent to take the custody of the imperial tombs, and to remain there for the
remainder of his life.

Before the late commotions, the good order observed in the administration
of justice, and the majesty of their tribunals, were very admirable. To
fill these, the Chinese chose men who were perfectly versant in the laws;
men of sincerity, and zealous in the cause of justice, who were not to be
biassed by the interference of the great, and who always administered the
laws with impartiality, neither oppressing the poor, nor accepting bribes
from the rich. When any one was to be promoted to the office of principal
judge, he was previously sent to all the chief cities of the empire, to
remain a month or two in each, inquiring minutely into the various customs
and affairs of the people, and informing himself of all such persons as
were worthy of being credited in their testimony, that his judgment might
be regulated in the future discharge of his high office by this preliminary
knowledge. After going through all the cities in this manner, and making
some stay in those which are most considerable, he repaired to the imperial
court, and was invested with the dignity of supreme judge. To him the
nomination of all the other judges was confided, after acquainting the
emperor with the names of all who, in his estimation, were most worthy of
exercising jurisdiction in the various cities and provinces. Every day, the
supreme judge causes proclamation to be made, that of any man has been
wronged by the viceroy or governor, or by any of his relations