‘O grandson of Conn, Cormac,’ said Carpre, ‘what is the true right of a king?’
‘Not hard to tell. The right that rules upon the surface of the earth, I have it, let me make it known to you,’ said Cormac to Carbre.
for those are the duties of a lord towards tribes
- Let him restrain the great,
5] Let him slay evildoers,
Let him exalt the good,
Let him put down robbers,
Let him check theft,
Let him adjust relationship,
10] Let him consolidate peace,
Let him plant law,
Let him check unlawfulness,
Let him enslave criminals,
Let him set the innocent free,
15] Let him protect the just,
Let him bind the unjust,
Let him proclaim robbers,
Full forfeiture for every hand with fines,
Composition (?) with full fines where there was knowledge, with half fines where there was ignorance,
20] With due respect for a king,
With due exactions (?) for a lord,
Let him perfect the proper due of every man, of whatever is his on sea and land,
With just substances to the tribes which are his, for crimes of hand,
25] Walking about of feet,
Looking of eyes, for crimes of mouth,
With hearing of ears,
With tests of conscience,
Let him study the right of every chief,
30] Let him bring each one under law —