149 
« a half, close written in two columns; the former whereof is not 
« quite legible, and. full of abbreviated words. It puts me in mind. 
“« of Hozz Dua’s Laws; several copies whereof (that I have seen) 
“ are in the like condition : but as there is now an accurate edition 
“ of these in the press of London, so Iam willing to hope that I 
« may live to see the like care taken of our Brehon Laws. This I 
« dare promise the antiquaries and historians of this kingdom, that 
“ Gf they fall into the hands of as skilful a publisher as the Welsh 
“ Jaws are in) we shall have a very delightful and instructive view 
“ of many ancient rites and customs of this country, which, as yet, 
“ continue inthe utmost darkness and obscurity.’*—Again, speak- 
ing of the law books of the Irish, he says,—“ Mr. Conroy can 
« furnish out a very large addition to this stock. He has the de- 
« cisions or reports of no fewer than thirty-three of our ancient 
“ Dempsters, the oldest whereof are judgments given in the first 
“ century after our Saviour’s Incarnation, and the youngest in the 
tenth. For some of these he acknowledges himself indebted to 
Mr. P. Mahon, the present. worthy Dean of Elphin.”-++ 
Here we have the authority of Cormac and others to show, that 
the Irish had laws long previous to his day; and we have the au- 
thority of candid and learned English writers to prove, that several 
volumes containing copies of those laws were extant so late as the 
beginning of the last century. The following pages will show, that, 
at the present day, there are in existence several copies of the same 
laws contained in manuscripts of great antiquity, in public and pri- 
vate libraries. .We have also the authority of those liberal and 
learned writers to state, that the ancient laws of Ireland are “ capa- 
“ ble of giving light to the curious as to our national customs ; that 
n 
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* Irish Historical Library, p. p. 133, 134. 
+ Ibid. Appendix p. 245. 
