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woman who had broken through her matrimonial vows; the person 
male or female, who had unnaturally fled from the calls of their pa- 
rents; or the man whohad deserted from his tribe. It is shewn, 
that fornicators, adulterers, and persons convicted of the crime of 
incest, were severely punished, each in proportion to the enormity of 
his offences. It is in like manner shewn, that bearing false witness, 
or the subornation of false witness, fraud of every description, false- 
hood, treachery, robbery, or murder, were crimes which deprived a 
prince of his right to govern, and subjected him to all the penalties, 
which, for similar-crimes, were usually inflicted on persons of the 
lowest rank. And, to secure the impartial administration of justice, 
the law provided, that the judge who should be convicted of having 
pronounced an unjust decision should be stigmatized with a brand 
inflicted on his face. 
On the whole, it is submitted, that there is sufficient evidence 
produced to prove that the ancient Irish Jaws dispensed impartial 
justice to all, that they encouraged genius and talent, punished vice 
and promoted virtue, and that, by the strict observance and impartial 
administration of those laws, the Irish people became so much in 
love with justice, as to compel even Sir John Davis to acknowledge, 
that “ there is no nation of people under the sunne that doth love 
“ equall and indifferent justice, better then the Irish; or will rest 
« better satisfied with the execution thereof, although it bee against 
“ themselves; so as they may have the protection and benefitt of 
“ the lawe, when uppon just cause they do desire it.”* 
VOL. XIV, HH 
* Discovery of the true cause, &c. London 1747, page 283. 
