Here some may object, that there were no such _Courts_, or their liberty much infringed in _Samuels time_: for he went from year to year in circuit to _Bethel_, and _Gilgal_, and _Mizpeh_, _and judged Israel in all those places_, _1 Sam. 7. 16._ To which, I take it, we may say, that as the _Emperours_ of _Rome_ had power to ride Circuits, and keep Assises, which was done without any infringement of the liberties of their _Senate_: So the _Kings_ and _Judges_ in _Israel_ had the like power, and yet the authority of their Courts stood firm. This kind of judging by keeping Assises, the _Romans_ termed βουλὴν κυρίαν, the other βουλὴν σύγκλητον.
_Properties required in Judges, and the manner of their election._
The Law of _God_ required these _properties_ in _Judges_: 1. _Wisdom._ 2. _Understanding._ 3. _Integrity._ 4. _Courage._ _Deut. 1. 13._ Others are reckoned, _Exod. 18. 21._ namely, 5. _The fear of God._ 6. _Love of Truth._ 7. _Hating of coveteousness_: to these may be added the eighth, namely, _having no respect of persons_, _Deut. 1. 17._ These two last especially, the _Heathens_ required in their Judges: whence the _Thebans_[548] painted _Justice without hands, and without eyes_, to intimate that Judges should receive no gifts, nor be swayed with sight of persons.
The _Jews_[549] added many more. 1. _That they should be free from all blemish of body._ 2. _That they should be skilled in the seventy Languages, to the intent that they might not need an Interpreter in the hearing of Causes._ 3. _That they should not be far stricken in years; which likewise was required by the Romans in their Judges, as appeareth by that common adage, Sexagenarius de ponte._ 4. _That they should be no Eunuchs, because such commonly were cruel._ 5. _That they should be Fathers of children, which they thought was a special motive to mercy._ 6. _That they should be skilful in Magick, without the knowledge of which, they were not able to judge of Magicians._
That there might be a sufficient supply of able men to succeed in the room of the _Judges_ dying, there sate[550] three benches of others beneath, whom they called[551] _Talmidi Chacamim_, _Scholars of the wise men_: out of these they made their Election, and two of these always accompanied the condemned person to the place of execution.