The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1882-05-27
THE EARLY KINGS.
FortniRhtly Review.

rOrtnlRhtly Review. - M
believeanaon good des l4of ssideAce,
that ancient Kings were itinerant, trav-
cling, or ambulatory personages. When
they became stationary they generally
perished. The primitive Kings of COM
mu mites confined within the walls, like
the old Athenian and the old Roman
Kings, soon dropped out of sight. Per-
haps, as Mr.. Grote has suggested, they
lived two much in full veiw of their SUBJ
jects for their humble state to command
much respect when the belief in their
sacredness had been lost. But the more
barbarous King of communities spread
over a wide territory was constantly
moving about it; or, if he did not, he too,
perished, as did the Kings called the
ro!s faineants of the Franks. ....
If | were called upon to furnish the
oldest evidence of these habits of the
ancient King, I should refer to those
Irish records, of which the value is only
beginning to be discerned, for, whatever
may be said by the theorists who explain
all national characteristics by something
in the race or the blsod, the most ancient
Irish laws and institutions are nothing
more than most ancient Germanic laws
and institutions at an earlier stage of
barbarism.
Now, when Enslishmen like Edward
Spencer first began to put their observa-
tions of Ireland into writing--at the end
of the sixteenth century there was one
Irish practice of which they spoke with
the keenest indignation. This was what
they called the cuttings and "cosher-
ings" of the Irish Chiefs--that is, their
periodical circuits among their tenantry
for the purpose of feasting with their
company at the tenants expense. 1t
was, in fact, only late survival of COM
mon incidents in the daily life of the
barbarous Chief or King, who had nc
tax -gatherers to collect his dues, but
went himself to exact them, living as 8
matter of right, while he moved, at the
cost of his subjects. The theory of the
Irish law, though it is impossible to say
how far it correspondent with the facts
that the Chief had earned his right by
stocking the clansman's land with cattl,
or sheep.
We find a highly glori6ed account o
the same practice in ancient records o
the life and state of those Irish Chiefs
who called themselves Kings. eth
King of Munster says the "Book o
Rights" attended by the chief Prince
of his Kingdom, began his visits to tn
King of Connaught, and presented to hin
one hundred steeds, one hundred suits G
military array, one hundred swords, an
one hundred caps, in return for whic
the King was to entertain him for tw
months at his palace at Anachan, an
then escort him to the territories of Tyl
connell. He presented to the King {
Tyrconnell twenty steeds, twenty con
plete armor, and twenty cloaks, for whic
the King supported him and the nobilit
of Munster for one month, and afterwar
escorted him to the Principality of Ty
rome"
The King Of Munster is then describe
Us proceeding through Tyrone, Ulste
Meath, Leinster, and Ossory, everywhel
bestowing gifts on the rulers, and recei'
ing entertainment in return. ! suspe
the entertainment is Of more historic
reality than the royal gifts. The practic
however, described with this splendor
the chronicler or bard is plainly the san
as the cutting and coshering whit
Spencer and others denounce as one
the curses of Ireland.