IRELAND'S WRONGS. TREATMENT OF THE IRISH IN OLDEN TIMES. SOME CURIOUS LEGAL ENACTMENTS.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 232, 10 December 1887, Page 8

IRELAND'S WRONGS. TREATMENT OF THE IRISH IN OLDEN TIMES. SOME CURIOUS LEGAL ENACTMENTS.

Mr J. M. O\Mi:\(!kcr, tlic well-known .solicitor, has been at the trouble to copy out a number of old laws enacted in England during the last 440 years, which speaks volumes as to the manner in which the people of Ireland have been treated in the pabt by the English statesmen. Oiinitially, Mr O'Meagher intended to have read these quotations at the meeting in St. James's Hall, which was addressed by Mr \Y. A. McArthur la&t Friday evening, but the lateness of the hour prevented him from giving those present the benefit of his letearches. As some of these Act^> give an in?iyht into the legislatuic of that peiiod, we leproduce them. The first is dated 1447, 26 Henry VI. 4. It is entitled, " An Act that he that will be taken for an Englishman shall nob use a Beard upon his upper lip alone, the Offender shall be taken a-^ an Irish enemy." It rend-? as follows : — " For that, that nofl there is no diversit}' in array betwixt English maichours and the Irish eneinie<, and so by colour of the English marchouife the Irish enemie^do come fiom day to day to other into the English counties as English maichours and do rob and kill by the highway.-, and destroy the common people by lodging upon them in the nights, and also do kill the husbands in the night and do take their goods to the Irish men ; wherefore it if oidained and agreed, that no maner man, that will be taken for an Englishman shall have no beard above his mouth, that is to say, that he have no hairs upon his upper lip, so that the said lip be once at least shaven every fortnight, or of equal growth with the neafcher lip. And if any man be found amongnfc the English contrary hereunto that then it shall be lawful to evcy man to take them and their goods as Irish enemies and to ransom them as Irish enemies." The next is dated 1465, 5 Edward IV. 2. ThU i* entitled, "An Act that it shall be lawful to kill any that is iound robbing by day or night, or going, or coming to rob or steal, having no faithful men of good name or fame in their company in English apparel. " Then follows an Acb passed in the same reign which i& entitled, "An Act that the Irishmen dwelling in the Counties of Dublin, Myeth, Vriel,andKildare shall go apparelled like Englishmen, and wear their Beards after the English manner, Swear allegance and take English Surname." It leads as follows :—": — " At the request of the Commons it is ordyned and established by authority of the said Parliament, That every liishman, that dwells betwixt or amongst Englishmen J in the county of Dublin, Myeth, Vriel, or Kildare shall go like to one Englishman in apparel and shaving of his beard above the mouth and shall be within one year sworn the liege man ot the King in the ! hands of the Lieutenant or deputie or such as he will assign to receive this oath, for the multitude that is to be sworn, and fchall take to him an English surname of one town as Sutton, Chester, Trim, Hkryne, Corke, Kinsale : or colour as white, blacke, browne, or arte or science, as smith or carpenter : or office, as cooke, butler, and that he and his issue shall use this name, under pain of forfeiting of his goods yearley, till the premises be done to be levied two times by the year to the King's warrs, according to the discretion of the Lieutenant of the King or his deputie. " In 1537—28 Henry VIII. 15— we come to an Act for the English Order, Habito, and Language, of which the marginal notes only will be sufficient. The Irish habite and apparel prohibited on pain of forfeiting it. The English tongue to be commonly spoken and taught to children. Householders to live after English ananner. Spiritual promotions to be given only to such as can speak English, unless after four proclamations in the nearest market town feuch cannot be had. Oath to be given to such as take orders that he will endeavour to learn the English language, and that a school shall for that purpose be kept in his parish taking the customary stipend.

Penalty 6s 8d first offence, 20s second, benefice void on third offence. Again in the same reign is "An Act for Mavieng with Irishmen. For as raoche as by marriage, aiterage, and fostering of the King's subjectes of this his lande of Irelande with his Graces Irishe rebel great lack of obedience hathe growento His High iiess and his moost noble progenitours of their people within this lande, and by the sairo diverse cnoi mities, myschieves and inconveniences have ensued and comen to 'his loving subjects from tymo to tyme for the more part© during these two hundred yeres, as evidently to every of the King's subjects of his this lande for the tymo being having knowledge plainly ded and doth appear That no person© bo persones" the King's subjects 'within tliis his lando of what estate, degree dignitio or condition, soever he be, or they be, shall mirie or foster themselves ther childer or kinsfolk© within the fourth degree or any of them with any Irishe person or porsones of Irish blood, wich be not the King's true subjects . . . though soche persones be made denizyns, onoless every soche person doo his homage and feaultie beforethoKing and every of them being thereof lawfullie convicted according to the due ordre and process of the King's lawes shall be adjudged a traitourattaynted ofhighe treason, ancUhailhaveandsuftresuche paynes of death, losses, "and forfaictour of landes, tenements, goodes, and cattailes, as in casc-5 of highe treason." Later on, in 1556. 3 and 4 Mary I. 15, we have "An Acte against bringyngo in of Scots, reteyningo of fchem and marrieng \% ith they m. ' Forasmouclie as diverse rebclis, and outher naughtie and ovill disposed persones of the liishric within the realme of Ireland, have oftentymes heretofore bronghto into thi.s realme of Ireland Scotts, and outher estiaungcrs, being men of wairo and have given them wages, bonaght, and outher enterteynementos within this realme, to ssiipporte, aide, and maynteyno tlieym in the tymos of their lebellion and otherwise, soo as by the reason thereof Scottes have of late inhabited in the Northe partes of this lealme in several 1 places, and have onto theieofexpulsedthe\erric inhabitants of the same ; a hyndrance and greate lettee of the King and Queen's Majesties affaires within this realm ; and alsoo the Scotts aforesaid for their better mayntenaunce to remain and abide within this realm, have and doo dailie ailie theymselves by marriage with diverse of the Irishmen in those parted. Be it therefore enacted, ordeyned, and established by our So\erain lord© and layde, the King and Queenes Majesties, the lordes spiritual and temporall, and the comeiis of this present Parliament, assembled and by authoritie of the same, That yf any person or persons at any tymo hereafter doo procure the coni3 T nge ot Scotts being men of warre, or do hereafter at any time give any Scottes, being men of warre, being within tlm realm, eny wages, bonaghts, foiryn, or other entertainment or hirre for the sanice of warre, that then soucho offence and offences shall be adjudged high treason and the offenders therein, their procurer. 6 -, abbottour.s and councillors, and evciy of them being thereof comicted or attaynted decordinge to the laws and stabuits of this realme shall bo adjudged and deemed high trnitours and shall sutler payne of death, and losse and forfeit all their goods, chattels, lands and tenements to the King and Queenes Majesties, Her Grace's heirs and successor^, as in the caces of high treason by the lawes of the realme. " 11. And be it hereby further enacted that yf any person borne within this realme of Ireland doo hereafter, without havinge the lorde deputio of this realme's lycence, scaled -with the great seal of this lealme, concracte matrimonic or marrie any Scottishe man, woman, or may den, that then every souehe offence or offences shall be adjudged fellonye, and the ofTendour or oflendoms ther abbettours, etc., being their of convicted shall be deemed and adjudged fellones, and shall suffer peynes of deathe, fosse and forfaiture of goods, chattels, lands and tenements to the King and Queen's Majesties and Her Grace's heirs and successors, as in oases of fellonye by the la»ves ot the lealme at this day of righte ought to be forfaited. " 111. Provided alwaie that this Acte, nor anything herein conteyned shall not extend or be projudiciall or hurtful to any pcr&oii ( bringing any Scottishe merchants or Scot-ti-he manners into this realme with merchandise or for bargaining with Scottish c merchants or Scottishe marines in waye of merchaundize. "IV. LL J ro\ ided alsoo, that this acte nor anj thing herein conteyne shall not extend to any Scotte made or to be made deny/en. "