By: Norbert Sykes
Re: Brehon Laws

I just wanted to post something that I consider relevant to the movement
in (I believe it was) Tennessee to force the posting of the Decalogue/10
Commandments of the Old Testament in public places, private houses, or
whatever.  To me, if there was to be equal treatment under the law, then
we would have to post the laws of other cultures that contributed to
this country, religious or otherwise.  That way, everyone would know how
to act.  My contribution: the Brehon laws.  They are the laws of what
became the Celts, and some of them are estimated to date to over 3,000
years before the Celts were invaded by the English.  There are very many
of them, and I only have a short list, so here goes:

 Every third year roads must be cleared of brambles, brush, weeds & water
 to make ready for the great assembly, feast/fair [where every three
 years the Brehons assembled to render judgement on matter of great
 import rather than individual cases].

 The creditor who holds your brooch, necklaces & rings as security for
 your pledge must return them back to you to wear at the great assembly
 [or be fined for your humiliation].

 (freedom of) Speech is given to three: the Historian Bard for relating
 tales, the Poet Bard for praise and satire, & the Brehon for rendering
 judgement.

 The time allotted to each Brehon for rendering judgement is long or
 short depending on his dignity [or status].  In determining the length
 of speech he is allowed 18 breathings per minute [early filibuster
 control].

 When a judge deviates from the truth a blotch will appear on his face.

 For the best arable land the price is 24 cows.  The price for dry,
 course land is 12 dry cows.

 How many thing add to the price of a piece of land?  A wood, a mine,
 site of a mill, a highway, a road, a great sea, river, mountain, river
 falling into the sea, a cool pond for cattle.  Add three cows to the
 price if it's near a chieftian's house or monastery.

 For stripping the bark off an oak tree, enough to tan a pair of
 women's shoes, the fine is one cow-hide.  The defendant must cover the
 bruise with a mixture of wet clay, new milk, & cow dung.

 If a man takes a woman off a horse, into the wood or on a boat and if
 the family members are present they must object in writing within 24
 hours or no fine will be paid.

 If a woman makes an assignation with a man to come to her bed or
 behind a bush the man is not guilt of rape even if she screams.  If
 she has not agree to the meeting, however, he is guilty as soon as
 she screams.

 The groom shall pay a bride-price of cattle, land, horses, gold,
 silver, to the Father of the bride.  Husband and wife retain
 individual rights to property, goods and possessions each bring to
 the marriage.

 If a pregnant women craves a morsel of food and her husband
 withholds it through stinginess, meanness or neglect he must pay
 a fine.

 The husband who, though listless, does not go to his wife in her bed
 must pay a fine.

 A fine of 6 cows for breaking a tribesman's two front teeth; 12
 heifers for maiming a homeless man.  For pulling off the hairs of a
 virgin Bishop one yearling for each 20 hairs.

 The doctor shall build his house over a running stream.  His house
 must not be slovenly or smeared with the tracks of snails.  It must
 have four doors that open out so the patient may be seen from every
 side.

 No fools, drunks or female scolds are allowed in the doctor's house
 when a patient is healing there.  No bad news to be brought or
 talking across the bed.  No grunting pigs or barking dogs outside.

 If the doctor heals your wound but breaks it anew because of
 carelessness, neglect or lack of skill the doctor must return his
 fee and pay damages if he has further wounded you.

 Whoever comes to your house you must feed and care for him no
 questions asked.

 It is illegal to give someone food in which a dead weasel or mouse
 has been found.

 The Bard who over charges for his poem shall be stripped of half his
 rank in society.

 If your neighbor does not repay the debt he owes you, you may prevent
 him form going about his daily business.  A withe-tie (for all to
 see) goes around the blacksmith anvil, carpenter's axe or
 tree-fellers hatchet.  He is on his honor to do no work until the
 debt is settled or wrong righted.  If a Bard or physician is the
 debtor immobilize his horse whip for both ride their circuits.  The
 creditor may fast in front of the debtor's house to humiliate him
 until the debt is paid.  [a withe is a flexible strip of willow]

 If a rational adult bring a simpleton into an ale house for
 amusement and the simpleton injures a patron the adult who brought
 him must make compensation.

 The fine for killing a bond servant or slave held as pledge for a
 debt is 21 cows, for a free farmer of Erin 42 cows, for a noble 42
 cows plus an additional amount depending on his status.  Fines are
 doubled for malice aforethought.

 Three days is the stay of your cattle in the pound for a quarrel in
 the ale-house, injury of thy chief, overworking a valuable horse,
 maiming their chained dog, disturbing a fair, great assembly,
 striking or violating thy wife.  Five days for satirizing a man
 after his death.

 A layman may drink 6 pints of ale with his dinner but a monk only
 three so he is sober when prayer time arrives.

 Blush fine are payable for insults or embarrassments to all persons
 of every rank except the ne'er-do-well, squanderer, selfish man who
 thinks only of himself, the buffoon who distorts himself before
 crowds, & the professional satirist.

 The blacksmith must rouse all sleeping customers before he puts the
 iron in the fire to guard against injury from sparks.  Those who
 fall asleep again will receive no compensation.

 If a chip of wood flies from carpenter's axe he is not held liable
 unless he deliberately aimed the chip at the bystander.

 The mill owner is exempt from liability for injury to persons caught
 between the mill-stones.
 . . . There, I think those should be posted on every Church around the
 country myself.  Some of them make an awful lot of sense, IMHO. };)

... "Always Ask the Next Question!" --Theodore Sturgeon
--- Blue Wave/Max v2.12 [NR]
 * Origin: >> Ubik: Another goddamn BBS << (1:203/289.0)