territory, their accession to power, or when present in
the General Assemblies of the Kingdom. It contains,
besides, a very numerous array of "prohibitions"--acts
which neither the Ard-Righ nor any other Potentate may
lawfully do. Most of these have reference to old local
Pagan ceremonies in which the Kings once bore a leading
part, but which were now strictly prohibited; others are
of inter-Provincial significance, and others, again, are
rules of personal conduct. Among the prohibitions of the
monarch the first is, that the sun must never rise on
him in his bed at Tara; among his prerogatives he was
entitled to banquet on the first of August, on the fish
of the Boyne, fruit from the Isle of Man, cresses from
the Brosna river, venison from Naas, and to drink the
water of the well of Talla: in other words, he was entitled
to eat on that day, of the produce, whether of earth or
water, of the remotest bounds, as well as of the very
heart of his mensal domain. The King of Leinster was
"prohibited" from upholding the Pagan ceremonies within
his province, or to encamp for more than a week in certain
districts; but he was "privileged" to feast on the fruits
of Almain, to drink the ale of Cullen, and to preside
over the games of Carman, (Wexford.) His colleague of
Munster was "prohibited" from encamping a whole week at
Killarney or on the Suir, and from mustering a martial
host on the Leinster border at Gowran; he was "privileged"
to pass the six weeks of Lent at Cashel (in free quarters),
to use fire and force in compelling tribute from north
Leinster; and to obtain a supply of cattle from Connaught,
at the time "of the singing of the cuckoo." The Connaught