The Law of Nature

Above: Document of Roman Law Code

" The Law of Nature was with the men of Erin until the coming of the faith in the time of Laoghaire mac Neill. It was in his time Patrick came to Erin. It was after the men of Erin had believed through Patrick that the dual laws were established, namely, the law of nature and the law of the letter."—Seanchus Mor.

In the year 438, memorable for the issue of the Roman Law Code of Theodosius, a collection of the laws then obtaining in Ireland was laid before Saint Patrick, at his own request. As a result, Laoghaire, the high king, summoned a convention to consider the revision of the constitution.
From this assembly were chosen nine persons : three kings, three bishops and three professors of seanchus. The kings were Laoghaire, Daire and Core—of Tara, Ulster and Munster respectively ; the bishops, Patrick, Benen and Cairneach ; the professors of seanchus, Dubhthach, Fearghus and Ros. Three years were occupied by the revision. When completed, the nobles of Ireland directed that the seanchus be kept thenceforward by the prelates, and written in the principal churches of the country. Thus, according to our annals, was the Seanchus Mor instituted and compiled. The Fine was the basis of society in early Ireland. It included several degrees of consanguinity, merging after the seventeenth degree into the duthaigh daoine The fine was made up mainly of ceilidhe, who occupied much the same position as the farmers and peasantry of our day. There were craftsmen, too, but in relatively limited numbers, ■twenty-six grades of people are mentioned as constituting the fine They included kings, nobles, lords, farmers, and so on. The structure of society, then, will be explained est by placing the various grades, from the airdri or high king to the fuidhir or bondsman, in their exact relation td each other.
The Airdri was generally inaugurated on the king’s stone] at Tara. The ceremony was   performed with the consent o| the nobles and the professors before the coming of the faithj with the consent of the Church, the nobles and the professor! thereafter.1 The chroniclers came forward with the BOOM of Instructions for Kings, setting out the rewards and punishments awaiting the king—on the one hand, for doing good,! on the other, for failing to carry out the principles of justice] and equity. He placed in the king’s hand a straight white! wand, straight to indicate that the king would show no biasJ white as a token of truth, the raising of the wand itself to] indicate that equity and justice would prevail instead of force.l In ancient times the men of Ireland chose to rule over the!
territory those who were most accomplished and most idj dustrious in promoting the public weal, like Slainghe and, Ollamh Fodla and Cormac mac Airt. The king’s fostering care, says the Crith Gabhla, must be perfect to all his people! both weak and strong ; he must be fully qualified in every] respect; anxious to preserve knowledge : he must be that seat of equity.