The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-02-07
A Code Of Laws Compiled in Erin Before
the Arrival of St. Patrick
Among the People.
The Apostle Examined the Laws in Vogue
and Displayed Great Deal
of Legal Ability.

dinary disputes of their locality. For
example, Valentinian III decreed that
clerics might be tried before a bishop,
with consent of both parties. Under
the Gothic kings, it was not allowed
for cleric to appear before a secular
tribunal. Down to the time of the
reformation in the sixteenth century,
the exclusive right of the church to
dispose of testamentary, matrimonial
and defamatory cases was undisputed.
"This state of affairs caused great
| dissatisfaction and endless contro-
| versy. It was well-night into the
seventeenth century before the secular
courts established secure foothold
upon the jurisprudence of Ireland,
and placed the judiciary Of the coun-
try upon a firm basis
"a single illustration of St. Patrick's
work in Ireland will give the reader an
adequate idea of his labors in the field
of legal study and revision. st. Pa
trick requested the men of Erin to
come to one place to hold conference
with him. When they came to the
conference the Gospel of Christ was
preached to them all. And when they
saw Laeghaire and his Druids over
come by the great science and mir
acles wrought in the presence of the
men of Erin, they bowed down in
obedience to the will of God and Pa
trick, in the presence Of every chief
of Erin. 1t was then that Dubhthach
pronounced Dhoovah) was ordered to
exhibit the judgments and all the
poetry Qiteratures) of Erin, and every
law which prevailed amongst the men
of Erin, through the law of nature. and
the law of seers, and in the judgments
Of the island of Erin, and in the poets.
Now the judgments Of true nature
which the Holy Spirit had spoken
through the mouths of the Brehons and
Just poets of the men of Erin from
the first occupation of the island down
to the reception of the faith were all
exhibited by Dubhthach to Patrick
"Christianity can hardly repay the
debt it owes to st. Patrick. His
| searching and convincing logic dissi-
pated the darkness Of paganism that
had overspread the land, and planted
the seeds Of Christianity never to be
uprooted. Posterity will place his
name as law-giver with that of
Moses, and jurists will rank him with
Theodosius, Justinian and Solon, for
his noble efforts in the arduous field
of legal study and research"
In another article, on Judicial Oaths
in Ancient Ireland" Mr.. Sullivan ad-
mits that "owing to lack of profound
knowledge of the ancient and modern
Gaelic, the translators of the Brehon
Laws furnish the legal antiquary with
no knowledge of the history and
origin of the judicial oath in ancient
Ireland;" but he declares 1--WE are GER
tain that our Irish ancestors did
swear, and were accustomed to the
use Of oaths in judicial proceedings.
We also know that before the intro
luction Of Christianity into Ireland,
he Druids swore on solemn occa-
lions by invoking or calling to witness
he elements Of nature, namely, the
sun, moon, wind, dew, crops, and the
heavenly planets.
"After the introduction Of Chris
ianity into Ireland by St. Patrick, we
ind that oaths were administered on
loly relics, sacred shrines, and on
bishops croziers. Oaths taken on
,oly relics and at religious shrines
we're considered very solemn and
finding. Again, the place where the
'ath was administered, as, for in
stance, an oath taken at the altar or
n the temple, was supposed to give
t additional value.
"There was also triple oath
which was administered in this man.
Ter, namely, the affirmant swore first
standing, then lying, then sitting. I
have been unable to learn at what
ceremonies or state occasions the
above oath was used.