lect03-µÚ4ÕÂ
°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡û »ò ¡ú ¿É¿ìËÙÉÏÏ·ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉ쵀 Enter ¼ü¿É»Øµ½±¾ÊéĿ¼ҳ£¬°´¼üÅÌÉÏ·½Ïò¼ü ¡ü ¿É»Øµ½±¾Ò³¶¥²¿£¡
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªÎ´ÔĶÁÍꣿ¼ÓÈëÊéÇ©ÒѱãÏ´μÌÐøÔĶÁ£¡
of¡¡which¡¡the¡¡population¡¡has¡¡from¡¡time¡¡immemorial¡¡been¡¡far¡¡denser
than¡¡in¡¡the¡¡North£»¡¡bear¡¡many¡¡marks¡¡of¡¡past¡¡contests¡¡between¡¡the
ancient¡¡brotherhood¡¡of¡¡kinsmen¡¡and¡¡a¡¡class¡¡of¡¡dependants¡¡outside
it¡¡struggling¡¡for¡¡a¡¡share¡¡in¡¡the¡¡land£»¡¡or¡¡for¡¡the¡¡right¡¡to¡¡use¡¡it
on¡¡easy¡¡terms¡£¡¡I¡¡am¡¡aware¡¡that¡¡there¡¡is¡¡some¡¡grotesqueness¡¡at
first¡¡sight¡¡in¡¡a¡¡comparison¡¡of¡¡Indian¡¡villagers£»¡¡in¡¡their
obscurity¡¡and¡¡ignorance£»¡¡and¡¡often¡¡in¡¡their¡¡squalid¡¡misery£»¡¡to
the¡¡citizens¡¡of¡¡Athens¡¡or¡¡Rome£»¡¡yet¡¡no¡¡tradition¡¡concerning¡¡the
origin¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Latin¡¡and¡¡Hellenic¡¡states¡¡seems¡¡more¡¡trustworthy
than¡¡that¡¡which¡¡represents¡¡them¡¡as¡¡formed¡¡by¡¡the¡¡coalescence¡¡of
two¡¡or¡¡more¡¡village¡communities£»¡¡and¡¡indeed£»¡¡even¡¡in¡¡their¡¡most
glorious¡¡forms£»¡¡they¡¡appear¡¡to¡¡me¡¡throughout¡¡their¡¡early¡¡history
to¡¡belong¡¡essentially¡¡to¡¡that¡¡type¡£¡¡It¡¡has¡¡often¡¡occurred¡¡to¡¡me
that¡¡Indian¡¡functionaries£»¡¡in¡¡their¡¡vehement¡¡controversies¡¡about
the¡¡respective¡¡rights¡¡of¡¡the¡¡various¡¡classes¡¡which¡¡make¡¡up¡¡the
village¡community£»¡¡are¡¡unconsciously¡¡striving¡¡to¡¡adjust£»¡¡by¡¡a
beneficent¡¡arbitration£»¡¡the¡¡claims¡¡and¡¡counter¡claims¡¡of¡¡the
Eupatrids¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Demos£»¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Populus¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Plebs¡£¡¡There¡¡is
even¡¡reason¡¡to¡¡think¡¡that¡¡one¡¡well¡known¡¡result¡¡of¡¡long¡¡civil
contention¡¡in¡¡the¡¡great¡¡states¡¡of¡¡antiquity¡¡has¡¡shown¡¡itself
every¡¡now¡¡and¡¡then¡¡in¡¡the¡¡village¡communities£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡all
classes¡¡have¡¡had¡¡to¡¡submit¡¡to¡¡that¡¡sort¡¡of¡¡authority¡¡which
assumed¡¡its¡¡most¡¡innocent¡¡shape¡¡in¡¡the¡¡office¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Roman
Dictator£»¡¡its¡¡more¡¡odious¡¡in¡¡the¡¡usurpation¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Greek¡¡Tyrant¡£
The¡¡founders¡¡of¡¡a¡¡part¡¡of¡¡one¡¡modern¡¡European¡¡aristocracy£»¡¡the
Danish£»¡¡are¡¡known¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡originally¡¡peasants¡¡who¡¡fortified
their¡¡houses¡¡during¡¡deadly¡¡village¡¡struggles¡¡and¡¡then¡¡used¡¡their
advantage¡£
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Such¡¡commencements¡¡of¡¡nobility¡¡as¡¡that¡¡to¡¡which¡¡I¡¡have¡¡just
referred£»¡¡appear£»¡¡however£»¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡exceptional¡¡in¡¡the
Western¡¡world£»¡¡and¡¡other¡¡causes¡¡must¡¡be¡¡assigned¡¡for¡¡that¡¡great
transformation¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Village¡Community¡¡which¡¡has¡¡been¡¡carried
out¡¡everywhere¡¡in¡¡England£»¡¡a¡¡little¡¡less¡¡completely¡¡in¡¡Germany£»
much¡¡less¡¡in¡¡Russia¡¡and¡¡in¡¡all¡¡Eastern¡¡Europe¡£¡¡I¡¡have¡¡attempted
in¡¡another¡¡work¡¡£¨'Village¡Communities¡¡in¡¡the¡¡East¡¡and¡¡West£»'¡¡pp¡£
131¡¡et¡¡seq¡££©¡¡to¡¡give¡¡an¡¡abridged¡¡account¡¡of¡¡all¡¡that¡¡is¡¡known¡¡or
has¡¡been¡¡conjectured¡¡on¡¡the¡¡subject¡¡of¡¡that¡¡'Feudalisation¡¡of
Europe'¡¡which¡¡has¡¡had¡¡the¡¡effect¡¡of¡¡converting¡¡the¡¡Mark¡¡into¡¡the
Manor£»¡¡the¡¡Village¡Community¡¡into¡¡the¡¡Fief£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡shall¡¡presently
say¡¡much¡¡on¡¡the¡¡new¡¡light¡¡which¡¡the¡¡ancient¡¡laws¡¡of¡¡Ireland¡¡have
thrown¡¡on¡¡the¡¡early¡¡stages¡¡of¡¡the¡¡process¡£¡¡At¡¡present¡¡I¡¡will¡¡only
observe¡¡that£»¡¡when¡¡completed£»¡¡its¡¡effect¡¡was¡¡to¡¡make¡¡the¡¡Land¡¡the
exclusive¡¡bond¡¡of¡¡union¡¡between¡¡men¡£¡¡The¡¡Manor¡¡or¡¡Fief¡¡was¡¡a
social¡¡group¡¡wholly¡¡based¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡possession¡¡of¡¡land£»¡¡and¡¡the
vast¡¡body¡¡of¡¡feudal¡¡rules¡¡which¡¡clustered¡¡round¡¡this¡¡central¡¡fact
are¡¡coloured¡¡by¡¡it¡¡throughout¡£¡¡That¡¡the¡¡Land¡¡is¡¡the¡¡foundation¡¡of
the¡¡feudal¡¡system¡¡has£»¡¡of¡¡course£»¡¡been¡¡long¡¡and¡¡fully¡¡recognised£»
but¡¡I¡¡doubt¡¡whether¡¡the¡¡place¡¡of¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡in¡¡history¡¡has¡¡been
sufficiently¡¡understood¡£¡¡It¡¡marks¡¡a¡¡phase¡¡in¡¡a¡¡course¡¡of¡¡change
continued¡¡through¡¡long¡¡ages¡¡and¡¡in¡¡spheres¡¡much¡¡larger¡¡than¡¡that
of¡¡landed¡¡property¡£¡¡At¡¡this¡¡point¡¡the¡¡notion¡¡of¡¡common¡¡kinship
has¡¡been¡¡entirely¡¡lost¡£¡¡The¡¡link¡¡between¡¡Lord¡¡and¡¡Vassal¡¡produced
by¡¡Commendation¡¡is¡¡of¡¡quite¡¡a¡¡different¡¡kind¡¡from¡¡that¡¡produced
by¡¡Consanguinity¡£¡¡When¡¡the¡¡relation¡¡which¡¡it¡¡created¡¡had¡¡lasted
some¡¡time£»¡¡there¡¡would¡¡have¡¡been¡¡no¡¡deadlier¡¡insult¡¡to¡¡the¡¡lord
than¡¡to¡¡attribute¡¡to¡¡him¡¡a¡¡common¡¡origin¡¡with¡¡the¡¡great¡¡bulk¡¡of
his¡¡tenants¡£¡¡Language¡¡still¡¡retains¡¡a¡¡tinge¡¡of¡¡the¡¡hatred¡¡and
contempt¡¡with¡¡which¡¡the¡¡higher¡¡members¡¡of¡¡the¡¡feudal¡¡groups
regarded¡¡the¡¡lower£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡words¡¡of¡¡abuse¡¡traceable¡¡to¡¡this
aversion¡¡are¡¡almost¡¡as¡¡strong¡¡as¡¡those¡¡traceable¡¡to¡¡differences
of¡¡religious¡¡belief¡£¡¡There¡¡is£»¡¡in¡¡fact£»¡¡little¡¡to¡¡choose¡¡between
villain£»¡¡churl£»¡¡miscreant£»¡¡and¡¡boor¡£
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡The¡¡break¡up¡¡of¡¡the¡¡feudal¡¡group£»¡¡far¡¡advanced¡¡in¡¡most
European¡¡countries£»¡¡and¡¡complete¡¡in¡¡France¡¡and¡¡England£»¡¡has
brought¡¡us¡¡to¡¡the¡¡state¡¡of¡¡society¡¡in¡¡which¡¡we¡¡live¡£¡¡To¡¡write¡¡its
course¡¡and¡¡causes¡¡would¡¡be¡¡to¡¡re¡write¡¡most¡¡of¡¡modern¡¡history£»
economical¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as¡¡political¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡not£»¡¡however£»¡¡difficult¡¡to
see¡¡that¡¡without¡¡the¡¡ruin¡¡of¡¡the¡¡smaller¡¡social¡¡groups£»¡¡and¡¡the
decay¡¡of¡¡the¡¡authority¡¡which£»¡¡whether¡¡popularly¡¡or¡¡autocratically
governed£»¡¡they¡¡possessed¡¡over¡¡the¡¡men¡¡composing¡¡them£»¡¡we¡¡should
never¡¡have¡¡had¡¡several¡¡great¡¡conceptions¡¡which¡¡lie¡¡at¡¡the¡¡base¡¡of
our¡¡stock¡¡of¡¡thought¡£¡¡Without¡¡this¡¡collapse£»¡¡we¡¡should¡¡never¡¡have
had¡¡the¡¡conception¡¡of¡¡land¡¡as¡¡an¡¡exchangeable¡¡commodity£»
differing¡¡only¡¡from¡¡others¡¡in¡¡the¡¡limitation¡¡of¡¡the¡¡supply£»¡¡and
hence£»¡¡without¡¡it£»¡¡some¡¡famous¡¡chapters¡¡of¡¡the¡¡science¡¡of
Political¡¡economy¡¡would¡¡not¡¡have¡¡been¡¡written¡£¡¡Without¡¡it£»¡¡we
should¡¡not¡¡have¡¡had¡¡the¡¡great¡¡increase¡¡in¡¡modern¡¡times¡¡of¡¡the
authority¡¡of¡¡the¡¡State¡one¡¡of¡¡many¡¡names¡¡for¡¡the¡¡more¡¡extensive
community¡¡held¡¡together¡¡by¡¡common¡¡country¡£¡¡Consequently£»¡¡we
should¡¡not¡¡have¡¡had¡¡those¡¡theories¡¡which¡¡are¡¡the¡¡foundation¡¡of
the¡¡most¡¡recent¡¡systems¡¡of¡¡jurisprudence¡¡¡¡the¡¡theory¡¡of
Sovereignty£»¡¡or¡¡£¨in¡¡other¡¡words£©¡¡of¡¡a¡¡portion¡¡in¡¡each¡¡community
possessing¡¡unlimited¡¡coercive¡¡force¡¡over¡¡the¡¡rest¡¡¡¡and¡¡the
theory¡¡of¡¡Law¡¡as¡¡exclusively¡¡the¡¡command¡¡of¡¡a¡¡sovereign¡¡One¡¡or
Number¡£¡¡We¡¡should£»¡¡again£»¡¡not¡¡have¡¡had¡¡the¡¡fact¡¡which¡¡answers¡¡to
these¡¡theories¡¡¡¡the¡¡ever¡increasing¡¡activity¡¡of¡¡Legislatures£»
and£»¡¡in¡¡all¡¡probability£»¡¡that¡¡famous¡¡test¡¡of¡¡the¡¡value¡¡of
legislation£»¡¡which¡¡its¡¡author¡¡turned¡¡into¡¡a¡¡test¡¡of¡¡the¡¡soundness
of¡¡morals£»¡¡would¡¡never¡¡have¡¡been¡¡devised¡¡¡¡the¡¡greatest
happiness¡¡of¡¡the¡¡greatest¡¡number¡£
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡In¡¡saying¡¡that¡¡the¡¡now¡¡abundant¡¡phenomena¡¡of¡¡primitive
ownership¡¡open¡¡to¡¡our¡¡observation¡¡strongly¡¡suggest¡¡that¡¡the
earliest¡¡cultivating¡¡groups¡¡were¡¡formed¡¡of¡¡kinsmen£»¡¡that¡¡these
gradually¡¡became¡¡bodies¡¡of¡¡men¡¡held¡¡together¡¡by¡¡the¡¡land¡¡which
they¡¡cultivated£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡Property¡¡in¡¡Land¡¡£¨as¡¡we¡¡now¡¡understand
it£©¡¡grew¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡dissolution¡¡of¡¡these¡¡latter¡¡assemblages£»¡¡I
would¡¡not¡¡for¡¡a¡¡moment¡¡be¡¡understood¡¡to¡¡assert¡¡that¡¡this¡¡series
of¡¡changes¡¡can¡¡be¡¡divided¡¡into¡¡stages¡¡abruptly¡¡separated¡¡from¡¡one
another¡£¡¡The¡¡utmost¡¡that¡¡can¡¡be¡¡affirmed¡¡is¡¡that¡¡certain¡¡periods
in¡¡this¡¡history¡¡are¡¡distinguished¡¡by¡¡the¡¡predominance£»¡¡though¡¡not
the¡¡exclusive¡¡existence£»¡¡of¡¡ideas¡¡proper¡¡to¡¡them¡£¡¡Here£»¡¡as
elsewhere£»¡¡the¡¡world¡¡is¡¡full¡¡of¡¡'survivals£»'¡¡and¡¡the¡¡view¡¡of
society¡¡as¡¡held¡¡together¡¡by¡¡kinship¡¡still¡¡survives¡¡when¡¡it¡¡is
beginning¡¡to¡¡be¡¡held¡¡together¡¡by¡¡land¡£¡¡Similarly£»¡¡the¡¡feudal
conception¡¡of¡¡social¡¡relations¡¡still¡¡exercises¡£¡¡powerful
influence¡¡when¡¡land¡¡has¡¡become¡¡a¡¡merchantable¡¡commodity¡£¡¡There¡¡is
no¡¡country¡¡in¡¡which¡¡the¡¡theory¡¡of¡¡land¡¡as¡¡a¡¡form¡¡of¡¡property¡¡like
any¡¡other¡¡has¡¡been¡¡more¡¡unreservedly¡¡accepted¡¡than¡¡our¡¡own¡£¡¡Yet
English¡¡lawyers¡¡live¡¡in¡¡faece¡¡feodorum¡£¡¡Our¡¡law¡¡is¡¡saturated¡¡with
feudal¡¡principles£»¡¡and¡¡our¡¡customs¡¡and¡¡opinions¡¡are¡¡largely
shaped¡¡by¡¡them¡£¡¡Indeed£»¡¡within¡¡the¡¡last¡¡few¡¡years¡¡we¡¡have¡¡even
discovered¡¡that¡¡vestiges¡¡of¡¡the¡¡village¡community¡¡have¡¡not¡¡been
wholly¡¡effaced¡¡from¡¡our¡¡law£»¡¡our¡¡usages£»¡¡and¡¡our¡¡methods¡¡of
tillage¡£
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡The¡¡caution¡¡that¡¡the¡¡sequence¡¡of¡¡these¡¡stages¡¡does¡¡not¡¡imply
abrupt¡¡transition¡¡from¡¡any¡¡one¡¡to¡¡the¡¡next¡¡seems¡¡to¡¡me¡¡especially
needed¡¡by¡¡the¡¡student¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Ancient¡¡Laws¡¡of¡¡Ireland¡£¡¡Dr
Sullivan£»¡¡of¡¡whose¡¡Introduction¡¡to¡¡the¡¡lately¡¡published¡¡lectures
of¡¡O'Curry¡¡I¡¡have¡¡already¡¡spoken£»¡¡dwells¡¡with¡¡great¡¡emphasis¡¡on
the¡¡existence¡¡of¡¡private¡¡property¡¡among¡¡the¡¡ancient¡¡Irish£»¡¡and¡¡on
the¡¡jealousy¡¡with¡¡which¡¡it¡¡was¡¡guarded¡£¡¡But¡¡though¡¡it¡¡is¡¡very
natural¡¡that¡¡a¡¡learned¡¡Irishman£»¡¡stung¡¡by¡¡the¡¡levity¡¡which¡¡has
denied¡¡to¡¡his¡¡ancestors¡¡all¡¡civilised¡¡institutions£»¡¡should¡¡attach
great¡¡importance¡¡to¡¡the¡¡indications¡¡of¡¡private¡¡ownership¡¡in¡¡the
Brehon¡¡law£»¡¡I¡¡must¡¡say¡¡that¡¡they¡¡do¡¡not£»¡¡in¡¡my¡¡judgment£»
constitute¡¡its¡¡real¡¡interest¡£¡¡The¡¡instructiveness¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Brehon
tracts£»¡¡at¡¡least¡¡to¡¡the¡¡student¡¡of¡¡legal¡¡history£»¡¡seems¡¡to¡¡me¡¡to
arise¡¡from¡¡their¡¡showing¡¡that¡¡institutions¡¡of¡¡modern¡¡stamp¡¡may¡¡be
in¡¡existence¡¡with¡¡a¡¡number¡¡of¡¡rules¡¡by¡¡their¡¡side¡¡which¡¡savour¡¡of
another¡¡and¡¡a¡¡greatly¡¡older¡¡order¡¡of¡¡ideas¡£¡¡It¡¡cannot¡¡be¡¡doubted£»
I¡¡think£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡primitive¡¡notion¡¡of¡¡kinship£»¡¡as¡¡the¡¡cement
binding¡¡communities¡¡together£»¡¡survived¡¡longer¡¡among¡¡the¡¡Celts¡¡of
Ireland¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Scottish¡¡Highlands¡¡than¡¡in¡¡any¡¡Western¡¡society£»
and¡¡that¡¡it¡¡is¡¡stamped¡¡on¡¡the¡¡Brehon¡¡law¡¡even¡¡more¡¡clearly¡¡than
it¡¡is¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡actual¡¡land¡law¡¡of¡¡India¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡perfectly¡¡true
that¡¡the¡¡form¡¡of¡¡private¡¡ownership¡¡in¡¡land¡¡which¡¡grew¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the
appropriation¡¡of¡¡portions¡¡of¡¡the¡¡tribal¡¡domain¡¡to¡¡individual
households¡¡of¡¡tribesmen¡¡is¡¡plainly¡¡recognised¡¡by¡¡the¡¡Brehon
lawyers£»¡¡yet¡¡the¡¡rights¡¡of¡¡private¡¡owners¡¡are¡¡limited¡¡by¡¡the
controlling¡¡rights¡¡of¡¡a¡¡brotherhood¡¡of¡¡kinsmen£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡control
is¡¡in¡¡some¡¡respects¡¡even¡¡more¡¡stringent¡¡than¡¡that¡¡exercised¡¡over
separate¡¡property¡¡by¡¡an¡¡indian¡¡village¡community¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡also¡¡true
that¡¡another¡¡form¡¡of¡¡ownership¡¡in¡¡land£»¡¡that¡¡which¡¡had¡¡its¡¡origin
in¡¡the¡¡manorial¡¡authority¡¡of¡¡the¡¡lord¡¡over¡¡the¡¡cultivating¡¡group£»
has¡¡also¡¡begun¡¡to¡¡show¡¡itself£»¡¡yet£»¡¡though¡¡the¡¡Chief¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Clan
is¡¡rapidly¡¡climbing¡¡to¡¡a¡¡position¡¡answering¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Lordship¡¡of¡¡a
Manor£»¡¡he¡¡has¡¡not¡¡fully¡¡ascended¡¡to¡¡it£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡most¡¡novel
information¡¡contained¡¡in¡¡the¡¡tracts¡¡is¡¡that¡¡which¡¡they¡¡supply
concerning¡¡the¡¡process¡¡of¡¡ascent¡£
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡The¡¡first¡¡instructive¡¡fact¡¡which¡¡strikes¡¡us¡¡on¡¡the¡¡threshold
of¡¡the¡¡Brehon¡¡law¡¡is£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡same¡¡word£»¡¡'Fine£»'¡¡or¡¡Family£»¡¡is
applied¡¡to¡¡all¡¡the¡¡subdivisions¡¡of¡¡Irish¡¡s