Ancient Laws of Ireland - Volume 1: Senchus Mor

It is clear from the above table that there is a definite principle adhered to—namely, the consideration of the penalties involved—but the investigation of the questions that arise on this point cannot be entered into here. The arrangement is not arbitrary, and the other Heptads Groups of seven laws found elsewhere in the manuscripts could easily be arranged in their proper places in this table, or suitably with reference to it.

As will be seen from the table, one of the great difficulties attendant on this study is the impossibility of a uniform translation for all the terms. The double terminology is very cumbersome, yet the maintenance of one English term throughout, as the conventional representative of the Irish word, is rendered almost impossible by the varying translations that have been given of the words. It would probably aid progress if the original term could be maintained throughout, so as to guard against the probability (or certainty) of confusion from the possible use of one English word to express several different technical terms; see the note in the Glossary, Vol. VI, page 68, under 'apad' (notice).

III. JUDGMENTS ON PLEDGE-INTERESTS.

The meaning is defined in the first gloss on 377, 8: "A judgment that is given about the interests that are given with the pledges, or about the pledges with which the interest is given, after their being neglected [lost]."