Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/72

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56
VIEW OF THE STATE OF IRELAND.

maund over their kindred, but rather to withdrawe their followers from them asmuch as may bee, and to gather them under the commaund of law, by some better meane then this custom of Kin-cogish. The which word I would bee glad to know what it namely signifieth, for the meaning thereof I seeme to understand reasonably well,

Iren. It is a word mingled of English and Irish together, so as I am partly ledde to thinke, that the custome thereof was first English, and afterwardes made Irish; for such an other law they had heere in England, as I remember, made by King Alured, that every gentleman should bring foorth his kinred and followers to the law. So [o 1] Kin is English, and Congish affinitie in Irish.

Eudox. Sith then wee that have thus reasonably handled the inconveniencies in the lawes, let us now passe unto the second part, which was, I remember, of the abuses of customes; in which, mee seemes, you have a faire champian layde open unto you, in which you may at large stretch out your discourse into many sweete remembrances of antiquities, from whence it seemeth that the customes of that nation proceeded.

  1. Kin is English, and Congish affinitie in Irish.] I conceive the word to be rather altogether Irish. Kin signifying in Irish, the head or chiefe of any septs. Sir James Ware.