[Gargantua and Pantagruel Book V. by Francois Rabelais]@TWC D-Link bookGargantua and Pantagruel Book V. CHAPTER 5 5/6
His hutch, and that of the warren-cats his collaterals, was a long, spick-and-span new rack, a-top of which (as the mumper told us) some large stately mangers were fixed in the reverse.
Over the chief seat was the picture of an old woman holding the case or scabbard of a sickle in her right hand, a pair of scales in her left, with spectacles on her nose; the cups or scales of the balance were a pair of velvet pouches, the one full of bullion, which overpoised t'other, empty and long, hoisted higher than the middle of the beam.
I'm of opinion it was the true effigies of Justice Gripe-men-all; far different from the institution of the ancient Thebans, who set up the statues of their dicasts without hands, in marble, silver, or gold, according to their merit, even after their death. When we made our personal appearance before him, a sort of I don't know what men, all clothed with I don't know what bags and pouches, with long scrolls in their clutches, made us sit down upon a cricket (such as criminals sit on when tried in France).
Quoth Panurge to 'em, Good my lords, I'm very well as I am; I'd as lief stand, an't please you.
Besides, this same stool is somewhat of the lowest for a man that has new breeches and a short doublet.
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