I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I think Cora Harrison accurately depicts what Jane Austen's childhood would have been like. I loved all of the characters in this book, in particular the main character, Jenny. This book really captured the essence of the 1700's and I now want to read all of Jane A...
I enjoyed this visit to 16th century Ireland and particularly appreciated the comparison between the English system of guilt & punishment and the Irish system of restorative justice, although if you were rich you could probably get through the Irish system as easily as through the English one whe...
The smell from the smoke was beginning to make him feel light-headed. He hurried Sammy along as fast as he could, pushing his way through the foggy lanes until they reached the broad, open space of Trafalgar Square. There were more gas lamps here and they seemed to thin the fog into a misty golde...
Hiberniae. 14 Hen. III. (Blackstone’s Commentaries continued) And yet, even in the reign of queen Elizabeth, the wild natives still kept and preserved their Brehon law; which is described to have been ‘a rule of right, unwritten, but delivered by tradition from one to another, in which oftentimes...
Brigid was delighted to be invited to visit Fanore again. Cormac had announced the decision, not just to her, but to the women and children who were tending the fire and they set up a great cheer, which pleased the housekeeper immensely. While she, Séanín and Mara were riding home through the mou...
It is known as the ‘shared cradle’. The foster mother is known by her foster child as Muimme and the foster father as Datan. Fosterage can be undertaken for affection, perhaps by a relative, in which case no fee is paid. Otherwise fosterage is for a fee. The fee is calculated according to the hon...
She is called the banchomarbae (female heir). If she marries a landless man or a stranger from another kingdom, she makes the decisions and pays his fines and debts. After her death, the property of a banchomarbae reverts to her own kin and does not pass to her husband and sons. Two or three time...
A taoiseach must care for all members of his clan, especially if old, sick or handicapped, and he must be just in all dealings with them and protect them against any threats. ‘I’m just going to use the mare to walk the road between here and Glenslade. I won’t even trot, I promise!’ said Mara apol...
She was flushed and smiling. ‘She says yes – but we must talk to Mrs Pearson first. And we can take what we like from the attic. And most of the food at the supper has to be made from eggs,’ she added, and both girls started to laugh. Hens were their standby. Dozens of them wandered around the be...
He came into the kitchen after dinner and asked all sorts of questions about me.’ Sarah moved a little closer to the coal fire in the cellar. ‘I can’t stop shivering,’ she said, putting her arm around Mutsy who was looking at her anxiously. ‘It’s just the way that man looked at me, as if he was m...
He clenched his teeth and willed courage to come back to him. If Joseph Bishop were guilty of the murder of Mr Elmore, he wanted to see him arrested and convicted. He stayed very still, watching the approach of the man. He strained his ears, but the ground was soft, oozing with filth, and no foot...
He had been waiting outside the Houses of Parliament in the cold for hours. Most of the MPs had already come out, taken cabs or walked away. But not the men Alfie was waiting for. But then, at last, there they were: the three men he had seen in Geor...
The boys were finding it hard to concentrate. It had rained heavily all day on Monday so they had no fresh air and exercise yesterday. It had still been raining this morning so even their midmorning break had to be spent indoors. An hour of Latin, followed by an hour of Greek and then an hour spe...
Alfie sat up a little straighter and assumed a businesslike air. He had been about to deny knowing anything more about the dead man, but then changed his mind. It occurred to him that he had passed some sort of trial in there, in that room where the police kept their dead bodies, and he was anxio...
There were only enough mats for about half the prisoners and Alfie didn’t even try to get one. He just stayed where he was, sitting on the cold bare stone floor, his knees hunched up, his shackled ankles sore from the weight of the iron. He put his head into his hands and tried to sleep, but the ...
When Elaine had retired to bed, Poppy had come into her room and they had spent ages talking.‘What did you think of Charles?’ Daisy had asked, after waiting for what felt like hours to see whether Poppy would bring up the subject, but all Poppy had wanted to talk about was the jazz club and the s...
The union of a woman on a man’s property. The union of a man on a woman’s property. The union of a man visiting with the approval of her kin. The union of a man and a willing woman without the approval of her kin. The union of a man and an abducted woman. The union of a man and a secretly visited...
‘He is chosen,’ said the king, ‘from the goodness of his shape, and the nobility of his family, from his experience and wisdom, from his prudence and magnanimity, from his eloquence and bravery in battle, and from the number of his friends.’ Mara, Brehon of the Burren, abruptly sat up in bed. As ...
The felmacc must be taught board games, such as fidchell, chess, and must be instructed in all aspects of the profession of his master. The master is responsible for the safety of the felmacc. When the party from the law school set out to go to the bog the following morning, only three boys, Domh...
Foremost among these is the steward. He is the man who collects the tribute, arranges the work of the other servants, and who looks after the food and drink and sleeping places in his lord’s household. A steward’s honour price is half the honour price of the taoiseach. WHAT A SHAME THAT Turlo...
This honour price is a measure of status in the kingdom. Women without a trade or a profession take the honour price of their husband or father. Children under the age of seventeen have the honour price of their father. A Brehon has to know the honour prices of all. No judgement can be given, no ...