Liberty, Order and Law Under Native Irish Rule

Pagan times—A brief account of the introductory contents of the Senchus Mor original: "Senchus Mor"; the "Great Custom," the primary collection of ancient Irish law—Rules for the demotion original: "degradation" of high-ranking officials who have acted unworthily.

Chapter III

CAIN PATRICK original: "Cain Patrick"; the Law of Patrick: THE LAW OF FOSTERAGE . . . . . 37

¶ Fosterage in ancient Ireland as the ancient original: "archaic" equivalent of going to school—Fosterage could be (1) for payment, or (2) out of affection—Rules for clothing, food, subjects of instruction, etc.—The price of fosterage—Regulations regarding payments: regarding the shared responsibility between the father and the foster-father for the son's crimes: regarding the liability of the foster-father for injuries to the son that should have been avoided—The division of responsibility between the foster-father and the biological father in cases where fosterage ends in marriage—"Fosterage must be without blemish"—Duties of the literary foster-father or tutor: Claims of the foster-father on the foster-son in later life—The method of fosterage discipline as training for social life—Solutions for some modern social problems that might be achieved by adapting ancient fosterage ideals.

Chapter IV

CAIN PATRICK: THE LAW OF LORD AND TENANT . . . . . 55

¶ The familial nature of the connection between the lord and his tenant—All land-occupiers are jointly liable for certain tribal obligations—A description of the ideal chief—Rent paid for the use of cattle, rather than land—Free-stock tenure original: "Saer-stock tenure": Base-stock tenure original: "daer-stock tenure"—Returnable seds: items of value, often cattle, used as a unit of exchange in ancient Irish law, and the proportionate stock of food rents in general: the estimate of an equivalent return (1) from the lord's point of view, and (2) from the tenant's point of view—Provisions made in Law to prevent