STRANGE OATHS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 June 1938, Page 5

STRANGE OATHS

PROCEEDINGS IN COURT. An Indian witness at the Old Bailey who asked for water from the Ganges in taking the oath is a reminder of the strange oaths sometimes taken in that and other courts of the country. Hindus take the oath by facing the Sacred River, putting their right hand on their head and swearing by Buddha to tell nothing but the truth. Many Hindus travelling abroad carry a small supply of holy water from the Ganges. Although the Old Bailey was unable to supply the sacred water in this case and the witness had to affirm,'it is equal to most occasions when the cath has to be taken. Besides the Bible, a Douai version of the Scriptures is kept for Catholics, a Koran for Mahommedans, and the Old Testament for Jews. Saucers and candles for Chinese witnesses present no difficulty. Most judges are careful to see that the oath is properly administered. Mi- Justice Swift once reproved a Jew for swearing with his head uncovered. When he ..said he had no hat the judge made him borrow a cap, remarking that some people thought they could take the oath in any slipshod manner, but it must be taken properly. Sir Edward Marshall Hall, K.C., complained that a client had taken the oath in a wrong form. Mr Justice Avory retorted: “Whatever oath he has taken it is binding.” When another man said he did not care how he was sworn, the same judge told the usher: “Do not let him defile the Book, Make his affirm.” Some curious incidents have occurred during “the shattering of the saucer” by Chinese witnesses. The words accompanying it are, “If I do not tell the truth ihay my soul be shattered as this saucer is shattered.” At Liverpool a witness was given a particularly thick saucer. He flung it to the floor, but instead of breaking into fragments it rebounded intact. He tried again, with the same result. He then knelt on the ground and hammered it into little pieces. There was trouble at the Thames Police Court on one occasion when an usher borrowed a saucer from the office keeper’s wife to allow a Chinese seaman to take the oath.

Not knowing the purpose for which it was required, the woman lent one from an old and valued tea service. When she learned what had happened to it she and the usher were not on speaking terms for a long time. Another witness cut his hand at Lewes Assizes in breaking the saucer.

The blowing out of the candle is more simple. With this oath the Chinese say, “As this light is blown out, so may my soul be if I fail to speak, the truth.” Parsecs hold a holy cord when being sworn.

Women, like Jews, are required to cover their heads and remove their right-hand glove while being sworn. Judges have made women without hats borrow one before taking the oath.

Perhaps one of the strangest oaths is that taken by the Deemsters or Judges in the Isle of Man. They swear by the Bible and "the wonderful works that God has miraculously wrought in Heaven above and in the earth beneath,” without respect or favour of friendship, love or gain, envy or malice, to execute the laws of the island, “as the herring backbone doth lie in the midst of the fish.”