Judge Thumb, or, Patent sticks for family correction, warranted lawful! [graphic].

Judge Buller of King's Bench, is shown walking towards the right in his judicial robes, carrying two bundles of sticks, each terminating in the shape of a thumb. To the rear and on a smaller scale is a man beating his wife with one of the judge's implements. Buller was reputed to have ruled that a wife could legitimately be beaten provided the stick used by her husband was no thicker than his thumb