But what if the magistrate believe such a law as this to be for the public good?

Judges, magistrates and justices' clerks believe they must keep custody as a deterrent against frequent offenders and 'to give society a rest'.

The local magistrate might not believe in the frayed elastic, either, if the McReady family were pillars of the kirk.

But the magistrates didn't believe him.

The magistrate believes the scoundrel ran off to London to fence my jewels.

And the boy could always pledge she'd lied or led him on, and who would the Sire's magistrate believe?

It's hardly my fault if the magistrate didn't believe me.

"The magistrates believe a madman is involved," George announced, with a harrumph.

The magistrates may not believe us.

Did the magistrate really believe that he could do anything to Wulfgar worse than the torments of Errtu?