260 



Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Immediately following the " Modiis " is a provision for its custody : — 



Et quod in eustodia Archiepisco/ji 

 Casselensis tanquam in medio tenae 

 lioe scriptu7/i populo ejnsde/Ti terrae 

 remaneat enstodiendo.' 



And that in the keeping of the Arch- 

 bishop of Cashel since (it is) in the 

 midst, of the land, this writing for the 

 people of the same land may remain 

 for keeping. 



Then follows the oath to be taken by the Gustos :- 



Constitutas a Eege custos suus 

 ter)-ae HibejTiiae quocunqae nowine 

 sceuciatur taetis sacrosantis evangeliis 

 hoe saeramentuw praestet coram Can- 

 ceUario- consUio et . . . custodiet Deo 

 et populo terrae Hiberuiae leges liber- 

 tates et custumas^ rectas quas antiqui 

 Eeges Angliae praedecessores Regis 

 nunc, et ipse Ees, Deo et populo 

 Anghae et terra* Hibemiae conces- 

 serunt. Et quod obserret (sic) Deo et 

 sanctae Eecleszae clero et populo 

 pacew et eoncord/am in Deo integ- 

 riter* secundum potestatem suam. Et 

 quod i[ieTfj' ... in omnibus judiciis 

 [judicibus] stus aequaw et recta??^ justi- 

 tiam cu?ft discretione miserecordia et 

 veritate. Et quod tenebit et custodiet 

 rectas leges et custumas quas populus 

 terrae elegerint' (sic) sibi [esse] 

 tenendas et ipsas defendere et forti- 

 ficare debet ad honore??i Dei pro posse 

 suo. Et memoraudimi quod hoc 

 jurament?i??j . . . est ajm-amento Regis 

 Augliae. Et accepto juramento in- 

 vestitm- . . .' Justiciarium potestate 

 sibi concessa : [et non antea finitur] . 



He who is appointed by the Eing his 

 custos of the land of Ireland, by what- 

 ever name he may be known, having 

 touched holy books, shall take this 

 oath before the Chancellor, CouneU 

 and ... he will keep for God and the 

 people of the laud of Ireland the laws, 

 liberties, and right customs which 

 ancient Kings of England, predecessors 

 of the present King, and the King 

 himself have granted for God and the 

 people of England and of the land of 

 Ireland. And that he wDl observe for 

 God and holy church, for clergy and 

 people, peace and concord wholly in 

 God according to his power. And 

 that he (will cause) to be done in aU 

 his suits equal and right justice with 

 discretion, mercy, and truth. And 

 that he wiU hold and guard right laws 

 and customs which the people of the 

 land shall have chosen to be kept by 

 him, and that he ought to defend and 

 stabUsh them to the honour of God, 

 for his own power. And note that 

 this oath is (taken) from the oath of 

 the King of England. And having 

 taken the oath, he is invested -Justiciar 

 with power granted to him, and not 

 before is the ceremony finished. 



^ Steele, p. cxoi, "hoc scriptum populo ejusdem terre custodiendum." 



- Ihid., " cancellario " is omitted. 



^ This was written " custumias." 



* Steele, " pacem in Deo iutegram." 



^ In the margin '•fieri faciat." 



^ Steele, p. cxci, " elegerit." "Fcedera," ii, p. 36, "quas valgus elegerit." Brady, 

 ia " Glossary," "have already chosen " ; Prynne, "Sovereign Power of Parliament" 

 shall choose (Stubbs, " Constitutional History," ii, p. 331, note 4]. 



'• lUeg., Steele, " juratus." 



