MISCHNA

The text of the Jewish Talmud, on which the Grmara, or second part, is a commentary. It consists of traditions and explanations of scripture. The former are supposed by the Jews to have been delivered to Moses on the mount, nnd from him to have pa ed, through the keeping of a succe ion of prophets and sages, to Rabbi Juda of Tiberias, who committed them to writing. Their compilation is supposed by modem commentators to have taken place about A.C. 150 or 190. See Prideaux, Connexion, vol. ii.; and Lardner, Collection of Jewish and Heathen Testimonies, vol. i.) MISDEMEANOR, in Law, is any offence which is the subject of indictment and punishment, not of a felonious character; such are seditious acts, perjury, battery, libels, conspiracies, attempts, and solicitations to commit felonies, . Over these offences the justices of the peace at quar ter se ions have a general Jurisdiction, although they may be removed by certiorari to the King's Bench; and in the trial the defendant has had for a long period of time one remarkable privilege, viz., that his counsel might addre the jury, which was equally the case in trea^in, but not until the year 1837 in any sort of felony. The ordinary punish ment of misdemeanors are by fine and imprisonments; some 759 [s. 773]