Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
A Statute of the Fortieth Year of King Edward III., enacted in a parliament held in Kilkenny, A.D. 1367, before Lionel Duke of Clarence, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. (Author: [unknown])
article 4
IV. Also, whereas diversity of government and different laws in
the same land cause difference in allegiance, and disputes among the
people; it is agreed and established, that no Englishman, having
disputes with any other Englishman, shall henceforth make caption, or
take pledge, distress or vengeance against any other, whereby the people
may be troubled, but that they shall sue each other at the common law;
and that no Englishman be governed in the termination of their disputes
by March law nor Brehon law, which reasonably ought
p.19
not to,
be called law, being a bad custom; but they shall be governed, as
right is, by the common law of the land, as liege subjects of
our lord the king; and if any do to the contrary, and thereof be
attainted, he shall be taken and imprisoned and adjudged as a
traitor; and that no difference of allegiance shall henceforth be
made between the english born in born in Ireland, and the English
born in England, by calling them English hobbe, or Irish dog,
but that all be called by one, name, the English lieges of our Lord the king;
and he who shall be found doing to the contrary,
shall be punished by imprisonment for a year, and afterwards
fined, at the king's pleasure; and by this ordinance it is not
the intention of our Lord the king but that it shall be lawful
for any one that he may take distress for service and rents due to
them, and for damage feasant as the common law requires.