MacNeill — Ancient Irish Laiv : Laiv of Status or Franchise. 295 



96. What is the amount of the pledge he gives ? A pledge (to the value 

 of) five chattels of whatever he has, of silver or bronze or yew.' 



IV 318. — 97. What is the fulfilment of his pledge ? A cow for every 

 night that (the pledge) is outstanding (?) on behalf of those on whose behalf 

 it is given, up to the tenth night, is the (/uillem) price of engagement of the 

 pledge, and (there fs) in addition the compensation (for loss) of its function, 

 and his honourprice according to his dignity, if it be his proper pledge that 

 he has given ; and if he give excess of pledge, his honourprice and his pledge 

 sound with its price of engagement are to be repaid in like manner." 



98. Question — When is his pledge forfeited ? At the end of a month. 

 What is its fulfilment accordhigly ? A cow for every night that it is out- 

 standing and that it has been neglected (i.e. that the condition for which it 

 is security has been left unfulfilled) on behalf of a person who has neither 

 given a pledge (on his own behalf) nor submitted to adjudication in its 

 regard, as we have said. Five chattels, then, up to the tenth night, three 

 times, in that case — this is the fulfilment of his pledge. This, then, is tlie 

 engagement-price of his chattels, if he give them in a protecting cover.^ 



99. Nine chattels are his honourprice ; he is bond, surety, witness, suitor, 

 hostage to that extent. Five cimials are his capital from a loi'd. A cow with 

 its accompaniment and a two-year-old steer with its garnishings in winter, 

 along with summer-food, is the custom of his house. A house of tliirty feet 

 with an outhouse of nineteen feet. Five persons are his guest-company. He 

 is entitled to butter, a serccol of condiuient, salt meat on the third, fifth, 

 ninth, and tenth day, and on Sunday. 



100. The honourprice of every grade of these is complete, unless their 

 means fail, that is, provided they fall not in the seven respects in which the 

 honour of everyone falls. What are these? Answer — His defamation, to 

 bring an accusation against him without (giving) a pledge for his honour, 

 false witness, (to give) a false character, evasion of bond, default of suretyship, 

 to forfeit his hostage in a matter for which the hostage has been given, 

 defilement of his honour. 



1 See " Bfetha im Fuilletnu Gell." In this form of security, a person incurring some 

 liability was secured by getting someone of higher rank to deposit a pledge on his 

 behalf. The pledge was usually an article of special value. Besides recovering the 

 pledge, the debtor had to make a payment called fiii/lem for the benefit of it. If the 

 pledge became forfeit by default, heav3' liability was incurred. 



'' " Bretha im Faillenui Gell" states the kinds of pledge proper to be given by 

 persons of various grades of status. 



2 "Five chattels" = the value of three cows. In the next sentence, "chattels" is to 

 be taken in the ordinary sense, with reference to the articles, of whatever kind or value, 

 that are given in pledge. 



Shin, "fulfilment," here seems to mean the total liability incurred by the debtor or 

 defendant towivrds the person who gives a pledge on his behalf. 



