The minor law books: The minor law books (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1889)

THE LAW OF DEBT.

329

interest; but the son of a grandson need not pay it
at all.
50. When a debt has been incurred, for the benefit
of the household, by an uncle, brother, son, wife,
slave, pupil, or dependant, it must be paid by the
head of the family.
51. Sons shall not be made to pay (a debt incurred
by their father) for spirituous liquor, for losses at
play, for idle gifts, for promises made under the
influence of love or wrath, or for suretyship, nor the
balance of a fine or toll (liquidated in part by their
father).
52. The liability for the debts devolves on the
successor to the estate, when the son is involved in
calamity; or on the taker of the widow, in default
of a successor to the estate.
53. Debts contracted by the wives of distillers of
spirituous liquor, hunters, washermen, herdsmen,
barbers or the like persons, shall be paid by their
protector ; they were contracted for the affairs of
their husbands.
54. When (a debtor) has acknowledged a debt, it
may be recovered from him by the expedients of
friendly expostulation and the rest, by moral suasion,

50. Ratn. p. 54 ; Col. Dig. I, 5,189; Viv. p. 39.
51. Ratn. p. 57; Col. Dig. I, 5, 201 ; May. p. 113. Regarding
promises made under the influence of love or wrath, see Katyayana
T 53> 54’
52. Ratn. p. 64 ; Col. Dig. I, 5, 174 ; May. p. 114 ; Viv. p. 37.
53. Viram. p. 354 (‘Katyayana’); Col. Dig. I, 5, 217 ; Ratn.
p. 60. ‘Protector’ means husband. Ratn. ‘Barbers,’ napita, are
referred to according to the reading of the Ratnakara. The Virami-
trodaya reads navika, ‘ sailors,’ which reading is mentioned as a
varia lectio in the Ratnakara. Colebrooke has ‘shepherds.’
54. Col. Dig. I, 6, 244; May. p. 109.