e Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the
clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He
hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses?
behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered
and said, He is guilty of death.--_St. Matt, xxvi: 57--66._

* * * * *

_NOTE BY THE ARTIST_

_The outward ceremonial of the hastily convoked and Irregular
tribunal before which Jesus underwent the mockery of a trial was
similar to that of the ancient Sanhedrim. The members sat on a
semi-circular divan, the president in the centre, and a scribe at
each extremity, who recorded the evidence and the decisions of the
court. It may be noted, that while laws had been carefully formulated
for the conduct of such trials, almost every one of them was
flagrantly violated on the present occasion in order to ensure a
pre-arranged condemnation. For example, these rules provided that
witnesses should be summoned, and that an advocate should plead on
behalf of the accused; and they forbade that criminal trials should
be conducted at night, that condemnation should be pronounced on the
day of trial or on a holy day; and, if the crime were capital, that
execution should follow on the day of sentence_.

JESUS IS THRICE DENIED BY PETER

Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him,
saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before
_them_ all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone
out into the porch, another _maid_ saw him, and said unto them that
were there, This _fellow_ was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again
he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came
unto _him_ they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also
art _one_ of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee. Then began he to
curse and to swear, _saying_, I know not the man. And immediately the
cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter
remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the
cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept
bitterly.--_St. Matt, xxvi: 69-74.; St. Luke xxii: 61, 62_.

* * * * *

_NOTE BY THE ARTIST_

_In the East, the houses of the great and official residences usually
consist of a group of separate yet connected buildings, surrounding a
quadrangular paved court plan