Liberty, Order and Law Under Native Irish Rule

...his art, like the poet or the smith—Seven grades of nobility measured by the honor-price a person's legal value or status in society, which determined the compensation they received for injuries in each: Half honor-price to the wife—Seven grades for churchmen, according to the ranks of their churches—Seven grades of poets, headed by the Ollam the highest rank of poet and scholar—Order of kings and nobles in respect of honor-price, duties, and privileges—Rules for the entertainment of dignitaries on circuit traveling on official business, and for the proper appointments of their homesteads—Duties and privileges of the non-noble classes, headed by the briugu leitech a wealthy landowner and professional host with his abounding hospitality—At the bottom of the social ladder, the young boys, who had only the use of their muscles to offer, had a small honor-price to encourage self-respect.

Chapter X

THE LAW OF TORTS AS CRIMINAL LAW . . . . . . . 215

¶ The development of Criminal Law arises out of a situation created when one man injures another, who then demands something in return original: quid pro quo—a reprisal for the offense, or compensation for the injury—Reprisals and vendettas were avoided by a wise man’s arbitration, which was voluntarily accepted—The Brehon Law the ancient legal system of Ireland, administered by judges known as Brehons of Torts is the outcome of all such judgments made in Ancient Ireland—Crime was treated as a Tort a civil wrong or injury (other than a breach of contract) for which the law provides a remedy, usually in the form of money, a personal wrong, the best remedy for which is appropriate compensation—Ancient Anglo-Saxon Law (for example, the Laws of Æthelberht) and Welsh Laws are based on the same principle—The editor’s sketch of the procedure: elements in the calculation of compensation due: a list and description of the various fines: the calculation of items in making out the account: a description of various crimes, from intentional murder downwards—Crimes in which several persons have cooperated—The four kinds of fines—Responsibility of the kindred for crimes—“What is it that makes a stranger of a native freeman?”—An outlawed stranger—Over-refinements regarding the responsibility of a host for his guests, such as in the case of theft from a dwelling-house.