Chapter 1 #

¹ Five ages passed before the birth of Christ: from Adam to the Flood, from the Flood to Abraham, from Abraham to David, from David to the Babylonian Captivity, and from the Captivity to the birth of Christ. During this time, women lived in oppression and servitude—until the arrival of Adamnán, son of Ronan, son of Tinne, son of Aed, son of Colum, son of Lugaid, son of Setne, son of Fergus, son of Conall, son of Niall.

² Before Adamnán, women were known as cumalath, bound to a life of suffering. A cumalach was a woman subjected to a cruel custom: a pit was dug at the threshold of the house, exposing her nakedness. A heavy roasting spit was then placed upon her until the meal had finished cooking. Once released from the pit, she had to hold a candle, four handbreadths in length, dipped in butter or lard, in her palm—keeping it lit until all food was served, drink distributed, and beds prepared in the houses of kings and chieftains. She was denied any share in food stores or household goods and was forbidden from joining the company of the householder. Instead, she was forced to live in a hut outside the settlement, lest any misfortune from land or sea befall her lord.

³ The duty of the bravest women in those days was to march into battlefields, to engage in warfare and military camps, to fight in combat, to wound and to kill. She carried a provisions bag on one side and her infant on the other. Upon her back, she bore a wooden pole—thirty feet long—with an iron hook at one end. She would thrust this hook into the hair of a woman from the opposing army. Behind her stood her husband, wielding a fence-stake, driving her forward into battle. For in those times, the severed head of a woman, or even her two breasts, were taken as trophies.

⁴ However, after the coming of Adamnán, no woman is to be deprived of her dignity, if she stands firm in righteous deeds. For a mother is a sacred treasure, a noble gift—the mother of saints, bishops, and righteous men, an increase to the Kingdom of Heaven and a blessing upon the earth.

⁵ Adamnán endured great hardship for your sake, O women, so that from his time onward, half of your household belongs to you, and a place is set aside for your chair in the other half. Your contracts and protections are now recognized as your own. The first law ever established in Heaven and on earth for the protection of women is Adamnán’s Law.

⁶ This is how the story begins. One day, Adamnán and his mother were traveling near Ath Drochait in Uaithne, in Ui Aido Odba, in the southern part of Brega. “Come, dear mother, let me carry you on my back,” Adamnán said. “I will not go,” she replied. “Why not? What troubles you?” he asked. “Because you are not a truly dutiful son,” she answered. “But who is more dutiful than I?” he protested. “Have I not carried you from place to place, keeping you safe from filth and wet? I know of no greater duty a son could perform for his mother—except for the lullaby that women sing. Since I cannot sing it for you, I will have a beautiful harp made, one that will play sweet music for you, with a bronze strap crafted especially for it.” “That would be good,” she said, “but it is not the duty I desire. What I ask of you is to free women—from battle, from military camps, from combat, from marching in war, from wounds and killing, and from the slavery of the cauldron.”

⁷ Then she rode on her son’s back until they came upon a battlefield. The carnage was so great that the soles of one woman’s feet would touch the neck of another. As they gazed upon the scene, nothing was more heartrending or pitiful than the sight of a woman’s head in one place and her body in another—her infant still resting on the lifeless breast, with milk running down one of its cheeks and blood down the other.

⁸ “That is a sorrowful and pitiful sight,” said Ronnat, the mother of Adamnán. “What I see beneath your feet, good cleric! Why do you not let me down, so I may nurse the poor child? But my breasts have long since run dry—there is nothing left in them. Why do you not put your priesthood to the test on that wretched body and see whether the Lord will bring her back to life for you?” (Thus came the old saying: “Every pup is beautiful under its mother.”)

⁹ At his mother’s words, Adamnán turned aside, placed the head back upon the neck, and made the sign of the cross with his staff over the woman’s chest. And she rose to life again.

¹⁰ “Alas! O my great Lord of the elements!” she cried. “Why do you say ‘alas’?” asked Adamnán. “Because I was struck down by the sword on the battlefield and cast into the torments of Hell. I know no one, either here or beyond, who would show me kindness or mercy—except for you, Adamnán, with the Virgin Mary herself urging you on behalf of the host of Heaven.”

¹¹ The woman whom Adamnán had brought back to life was Smirgat, daughter of Áed Finn, king of the Bréifne of Connacht, and wife of the king of the Lóegaire of Tara. For the women of the Uí Aido Odba, of southern Brega, and of the Lóegaire of Tara had gathered at the ford—only for none to escape with their lives. They had fallen one upon another, their bodies lying sole to sole.

¹² “Well now, Adamnán,” she said, “to you from this day forward is given the task of freeing the women of the western world. Neither food nor drink will pass your lips until you have accomplished it.” Adamnán replied, “No living creature can survive without food. If my eyes see it, I will reach for it with my hands.” She answered, “But your eyes will not see it, and your hands will not reach it.”

¹³ Then Ronnat turned to Brugach, son of Deda, and obtained a chain from him, which she placed around her son’s neck at the Bridge of the Swilly in Tír Chonaill. There, a covenant had been made between his mother’s kin and his father’s—between the descendants of Enda and those of Lugaid—that whoever broke the covenant would be buried alive, but whoever upheld it would dwell with Adamnán in Heaven.

¹⁴ Then she took a stone, one large enough to fill her hand, a stone used for striking fire. She placed it into her son’s cheek, so that from it he would receive both food and drink.

¹⁵ After eight months, his mother came to see him, and when she looked at the crown of his head, she said: “My dear son over there is like an apple on a wave—his grasp on the earth is weak, and he has no prayer in Heaven. But the salt water has burned him, and the gulls of the sea have defiled his head. I see that women have not yet been freed by him.” He replied, “It is the Lord who should be blamed for this, dear mother. For Christ’s sake, change my torment!”

¹⁶ This is how she changed his suffering—something few mothers would do for their sons. She buried him in a stone chest at Raphoe, in Tír Chonaill, where worms consumed the root of his tongue, and the filth from his head oozed through his ears. After that, she took him to Carrick an Chuilinn, where he remained for another eight months.

¹⁷ 17, At the end of four years, God’s angels came down from Heaven to speak with him. Adamnán was lifted out of his stone chest and brought to the plain of Birr, on the border between the Uí Néill and Munster. “Rise now from your place of hiding,” an angel said to Adamnán. “I will not rise,” Adamnán replied, “until women are freed for me.” Then the angel said: “Omnia quae a Domino rogabis propter laborem tuum habebis.” (All that you ask of the Lord because of your toil, you will have.)

¹⁸ “If it happens, it will not be in my time,” said Loingsech Bregbán, a man of Fánait, from the lineage of Conall. “It will be a cursed time when a man’s rest is disturbed for the sake of women—when women are to live, and men are to die. Strike down the deaf and dumb one who dares claim anything other than that women will remain in bondage until the end of days.”

¹⁹ These are the kings who rose at the command of Loingsech to put Adamnán to the sword:

²⁰ Doelgus, son of Óengus, son of Dondfraech, High King of Munster
Elodach, King of the Déisi
Cú Cherca, King of Ossory
Cellach the Red, King of Leinster
Irgalach, grandson of Conaing, King of Brega
Brugach, son of Deda
Fíngin Eóganach

²¹ These were all the kings of the western world who were present. Adamnán brought no sword with him to battle. Instead, he carried only the Bell of Adamnán’s Wrath—the small bell from his altar. Then Adamnán spoke these words:

²² “I ring this little bell at Lettir with purpose,
That dapper Doelgus may never drink the ale
Once enjoyed by Óengus.

²³ Today I will sing my psalms in the stone cave—
May it not be without renown!
Lest dapper Doelgus drink the dregs of the ale.

²⁴ God’s curse upon Elodach, lord of Femen in the Déisi—
Let no king or heir spring from his line after him!

²⁵ My humble, gentle attendant, O son of the rule, armed in faith,
Strike the bell against Cellach of Carman,
That he may be in the earth before a year’s end.

²⁶ Cellach the Red, King of Leinster,
will leave no descendants—
except for the child in his wife’s womb.

²⁷ But even that child’s lineage will
face decay and ruin unless they remain obedient to me.
As long as they collect my tribute, no other tribe will overpower them.

²⁸ From them will come the most distinguished of nobles,
as well as the mightiest warriors in battle and plunder.
The kingship of the Uí Chellaig will descend from them.

²⁹ O you, clad in the armor of the Church,
having arrived at the renowned Maistiu,
ring the little bell against Domnall, so that his reign may not be completed.

³⁰ Domnall, son of Murchad, King of Ulster—
except for one son and his father
—will leave no descendants.

³¹ Even so, death will claim one of them,
and decay will take the other.
I take the sovereignty of Ulster away from them.

³² My little bell of true judgments,
by which Irgalach is left without heirs-
I beseech the King of true justice that no ruler may descend from Irgalach.

³³ May God’s vengeance fall upon him,
so that he may never reign over Bregia, the land of true dwellings.
May his line be cut off, his race come to nothing, and may he be left utterly childless!"

³⁴ The bell of the truly miraculous Adomnán has laid waste to many kings. For every ruler against whom it is raised in battle, there is but one fate—it leaves them desolate. It has shattered strongholds, and it has struck down kings—not for conquest, but in the defense of women, leading them to faith, so that their contracts and their protection have remained secure from the time of Adomnán until now. Thus, the Law of Adomnán is the first law made for women, both in Heaven and on earth.

³⁵ Adamnán was not satisfied until guarantees and pledges were secured for the liberation of women. These were the guarantees: the sun, the moon, and all the other elements of God; the apostles Peter, Paul, Andrew, and the rest; Pope Gregory; Saint Patrick and the second Patrick; the two Ciaráns; the two Cronáns; the four Fintáns; Mobí; Mobi; Momzdoc; Munnu; Scothíne; Senán; Féichín; Duilech; Cairnech; Cianán; Cartach; Victor; Bishop Curitan; Bishop Máeldub; Ionán, son of Saman; Foilán, abbot of Imlech Ibair; Cillíne, abbot of Lorrha; Colmán, son of Sechnusach; Eochaid, abbot of Cluain Uama; the two Finnéns; and the son of Labraid Lán.

³⁶ These guarantors pronounced three curses upon any man who would kill a woman—whether with his right hand, left hand, a kick, or even his words—so that his heirs would inherit only suffering, decay, and desolation. Likewise, these same guarantors pronounced three blessings upon any woman who would support the community of Adamnán whenever his relics were brought forth. Every quarter of the year, a horse was to be given for the care of his relics, to be sent to the successor at Raphoe—but this obligation fell upon queens alone, while every other woman was to contribute according to her means.

³⁷ Women declared and vowed to give half of their household to Adamnán in gratitude for delivering them from the bondage and slavery in which they had been held. However, Adamnán accepted only a small portion from them: a white tunic with a black border from every penitent nun, a scruple of gold from every chieftain’s wife, a linen cloth from every gentleman’s wife, seven cakes from every unfree woman, a wether from every flock, and the first lamb born in a household, whether black or white, all offered for God and for Adamnán.

³⁸ In return for this tribute, both great and small, he was granted the power to take two women to Heaven every Monday, three every Tuesday, four every Wednesday, five every Thursday, seven every Friday, twelve every Saturday, and fifty on Sunday. Additionally, it was decreed that any woman who shared the name of his mother, Ronnat, and any woman who chose his burial place for herself would be taken to Heaven without judgment.

³⁹ Adamnán was not satisfied until sureties and pledges were placed in his hands to ensure the fulfillment of both the small and large tribute. For just as a guarantee is taken from an untrustworthy debtor—so that if the debtor fails to pay, the guarantor must do so—so too were pledges given: a householder’s son for his household, a confessor’s soul for his word, every living creature that moves, every noble who walks the earth, and every bell that tolls at the Hours, all held as hostages and pledges in the hands of God and Adamnán for the fulfillment of this Law.

⁴⁰ Then Adamnán spoke these words: “Unless you women of this world do good to my community, the children you bear will wither away, or they will grow up steeped in sin. Scarcity will fill your storehouses, and you will not obtain the Kingdom of Heaven. You will not escape by miserliness or falsehood from Adamnán of Iona. Adamnán of Iona will help you, O women! Give to your prince all the good things that are yours.”

⁴¹ Adamnán of Iona, beloved by all, has read the books of the Gael.

Chapter 2: The establishment of the Law of Adamnán of Iona #

¹ At Birr, this law was declared binding on the people of Ireland and Britain as a permanent decree by order of their nobles, clergy, and laity, including their rulers, learned scholars, bishops, sages, and confessors. Among those who affirmed it were:

² Flann Febla, the learned bishop of Armagh
Diblaine
Elnai, abbot of Imlech Ibair (Emly)
Cennfaelad, abbot of Bangor
Failbe Becc, abbot of Clonmacnoise
Conodar, abbot of Lismore
Cillíne, son of Luibneán, abbot of Birr
Colmán, son of Sechnusach, abbot of Lorrha
Eochuid, abbot of Cloyne
Forannán of Kildare
Suadbar of Inis Demle
Diblaine, abbot of Tír Dá Glas
Mochonna of Derry
Oisíne, son of Glas, abbot of Clonfertmulloe
Manchíne of Leithglinn
Moacru
Mobeoc of Ard
Murchu of Balla
Moling of Luachair
Mend Maiche, abbot of Ferns
Colcu, son of Moenach, abbot of Lusk
Bishop Ceti
Bishop Curetan
Bishop Conamail, son of Conan
Colmán, grandson of Orc, abbot of Clonard
Áed, bishop of Sletty
Colmán, son of Findbarr
Cardide of Ross Mór
Togialloc, grandson of Luan the Wise
Bishop Ichtbricht (Egbert)
Feradach, grandson of Arthur
Faelchu, son of Máel Rúbai
Faelán of Clonfert Brénainn
Dibchene, son of Fili
Mosacra
Máel Coisni, son of Conall
Murchu, descendant of Machthéine
Bishop Máel Dub
Ioain the Wise, son of the Smith
Ioain, son of Samuel
Faelán, grandson of Silne
Loingsech, son of Óengus, King of Ireland
Congalach, son of Fergus, King of Tír Chonaill
Flann Finn, son of Máel Túile, King of Tír Eóghain
Conchobhar, son of Máel Dúin, King of the Cenél Coirpri
Eterscél, son of Máel Huma, King of Munster
Cudinaisc, son of Cellach, King of East Munster
Cú Cherca, King of Osraige (Ossory)
Congal, son of Suibne, King of the Déisi
Eóganán, son of Crundmáel, King of the Uí Fidgenti
Andelaith, King of the Northern Déisi
Élodach, son of Dúnlang, King of Desmond
Ailill, son of Cú Cen Mathair, King of Mag Fene
Fiachra Cosalach, King of the Picts
Becc Bairrche, King of Ulster
Niall, son of Cernach, King of Brega
Cellach, son of Gerthide, King of Diaballaigin
Condalach, son of Conang, King of Corco Dubne
Coirpre, son of Cú Choluimb, King of the Uí Cheinnselaig
Congal, grandson of Mrachaide
Conall, son of Doinennach, King of the Uí Fidgenti
Cellach, son of Ragallach, King of Connacht
Dluthach, son of Fidchellach, King of the Uí Maine
Dúnchad, King of the Uí Amalgaid and the Uí Fiachrach Muirsce
Muirges, son of Máel Dúin
Macnia, King of Ard of the Uí Echach
Murchad of Meath
Colmán, son of Rechtabra, King of Ferns
Máelfothartaig, son of Máel Dub
Dub Díberg
Maine, son of Niall
Máel Caích, son of Noíndenach
Erthuile, grandson of Crundmáel
Áed of Odba
Eochuid, son of Dúnchad, King of the Déisi
Áed, son of Dluthach, King of the Fir Chúl
Flaithnia, son of Fergal
Fiannamail, grandson of Dúnchad
Feradach, grandson of Ciarán
Fedlimid, grandson of Fergus
Fallomain, King of the Uí Tuirtri
Fergus Forchraid Fogartach
Garbán, King of Meath
Eochu Lemna, King of the Uí Crimthainn
Eochu, grandson of Domnall, King of the [missing text]
Conall Grant, King of Southern Brega
Tuathal, grandson of Dúnchad, King of the Uí Chonaill Gabra
Toicthech, son of Cennfaelad, King of the Luigni
Bodbchath, King of the Luigni
Irgalach, grandson of Conang, King of Ciannacht
Bruide, son of Derile, King of the Picts
and the intercession of all the men of Ireland, both laymen and clerics.

³ All people, both laymen and clergy, have sworn to uphold the entire Law of Adamnán until the end of time. They have dedicated the full protection of their female descendants to Adamnán and to every successor who will hold his position until the last day. However, Adamnán does not take away the fines that rightly belong to chieftains, the Church, or families.

⁴ Furthermore, all the holy churches of Ireland, together with Adamnán, have called upon the unity of the Godhead—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—along with the heavenly hosts and the saints on earth, to bless those who uphold this Law in its claims, enforcement, fulfillment, and compensation. Such people will enjoy a long and prosperous life, be honoured before both God and men, and be exalted in Heaven and on earth.

⁵ The holy churches of Ireland, together with Adamnán, have also called upon God, along with the heavenly orders and the saints of the earth, that whoever violates the Law of Adamnán—whether layman or cleric—whoever refuses to uphold it, does not fulfill it to the best of his ability, and does not enforce it upon all, both chieftain and church, may suffer a short life filled with hardship and dishonour, with none of their descendants attaining either Heaven or earthly success.

⁶ Adamnán has also established a curse upon them, prescribing a psalm for each day over twenty days, with an apostle or a noble saint to be invoked alongside it. These include: Why “Lord, why have they multiplied” with Peter, “My words” with John, “Lord my God” with Philip, “The fool has said” with Bartholomew, “My God, my God, look upon me” with Thomas, “Judge me, O Lord, as one innocent” with James, “The unjust has said” with Simon, “O Lord, rebuke me not in Your wrath” with Thaddeus, “I said, I will keep” with Matthias, “The God of gods” with Mark, “Why do you glory” with Luke, “The fool has said” with Stephen, “Let God arise” with Ambrose, “Save me” with Gregory of Rome, “O God, the nations have come” with Martin, “O God, who is like You?” with the old Paul, “O God, my praise” with George, and “Give ear, O heavens, to what I speak,” “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name,”, and so on.

Chapter 3: The Angel’s Message to Adamnán #

¹ Fourteen years passed before Adamnán received this Law of God, and this is how it happened. On the eve of Pentecost, a holy angel of the Lord appeared to him. A year later, on Pentecost, the angel returned, struck Adamnán on the side with a staff, and said:

² “Go forth into Ireland and establish a law: no woman will be killed by men in any way—whether by slaughter, poison, drowning, fire, wild animals, pits, or dogs. Instead, they will die only in their lawful bed. You must proclaim this law in both Ireland and Britain, for the sake of every mother, because each person was born of a mother. And for the sake of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, through whom all things exist. Mary herself pleaded with her Son on Adamnán’s behalf for the fulfillment of this Law. Whoever kills a woman will face a twofold punishment: first, his right hand and left foot will be cut off, and then he will be put to death. His family must also pay a fine of seven full cumals, along with one-seventh of the required penance.

³ If, instead of execution and amputation, a fine is imposed, the penalty will be fourteen years of penance, along with a payment of fourteen cumals. If an army commits the crime, then for every group of five men—up to three hundred—one will suffer this punishment. If the offenders are few, they will be divided into three groups:

⁴ The first group will be put to death by lot, their hand and foot removed beforehand.
The second group will pay fourteen full cumals as compensation.
The third group will be exiled across the sea, forced to live under harsh conditions.

⁵ For to kill a woman is a grave sin, for she is the mother, the sister, and the likeness of Christ’s own mother—the one who spins the thread and clothes all. From this day forward, whoever kills a woman and refuses to do penance according to this Law will perish for eternity. He will be cursed before God and Adamnán, and cursed also will be all who hear of his crime but do not condemn him and do not ensure that he is punished according to this Law.”

⁶ This ends the Speech of the Angel to Adamnán.

Chapter 4: This is the declaration of Adamnán’s Law in Ireland and Britain #

¹ The protection and exemption of the Church of God, along with its people, symbols, sanctuaries, and all its possessions, both living and material. It also grants protection to law-abiding laypeople, their lawful wives who adhere to the teachings of Adamnán, and those who follow a righteous, wise, and pious confessor.

² The enactment of Adamnán’s Law is a perpetual decree, established for the benefit of clerics, women, and innocent children until they are old enough to take part in warfare, be recognized within their tribe, and participate in their first campaign.

³ Anyone who harms or kills a young clerical student or an innocent child, as protected under Adamnán’s Law, will owe a penalty of eight cumals for every individual involved, along with eight years of penance, up to a maximum of three hundred cumals. Beyond that number, from three hundred to one thousand or more, the penalty remains at one year of penance per offense, regardless of the total count.

⁴ The same punishment applies to the one who commits the act and to anyone who witnesses it and fails to intervene to the best of their ability. If the failure to act is due to negligence or ignorance, half the penalty will be imposed. However, it must be proven that the failure was indeed due to negligence or ignorance.

⁵ A further provision of this Law: every church that conducts itself properly is entitled to full compensation. If a church preaches outside the designated green, it is entitled to half compensation. Full compensation applies to all levels of offenses against the church, including wounds, theft, and arson. However, for offenses against its sanctuaries, or minor acts such as laying a hand on a cleric without causing injury or theft, only half compensation is required. Any violation of the church’s symbols, no matter where it occurs, warrants full compensation.

⁶ The judges responsible for enforcing Adamnán’s Law in every church and every tribe are the clerics chosen by the community of Adamnán, to whom the enforcement of the Law is entrusted.

⁷ The guarantees under this Law are as follows: one-third of the pledge must be paid in bronze or silver, according to the valuation in each region, drawn from the possessions involved in each case. The pledged payment is to be reclaimed on the third day, judgment is to be rendered on the fifth day, and payment must be made by the tenth day in all standard cases. However, in this particular case, the pledge must be reclaimed immediately, judgment given on the third day, and payment completed by the fifth day.

⁸ A further provision of the Law: In every legal case, a hostage must be provided as surety, both from the ranks of the laity and the church, covering all territories—whether within or beyond the jurisdiction—for both minor and major dues, in obedience to Adamnán or his communities. Legal notice must be given, and property may be seized as collateral. The Law of Adamnán and his communities will not be allowed to fall into disuse.

⁹ A further provision of the Law: If innocent children or clerics are killed, the compensation owed must be delivered to their burial places, while the honor-price (wrradas-dues) is to be given to their chiefs within their own kin-group.

¹⁰ A further provision of the Law: Full compensation must be paid to Adamnán for every woman who has been slain, regardless of whether her death was caused by a man, livestock, a hound, fire, a ditch, or a building. Under this Law, everything that has been created carries liability—including ditches, pits, bridges, fireplaces, doorsteps, pools, kilns, and any other hazards—unless the woman herself is at fault. However, one-third of the payment is to be withheld. If the responsible party is someone lacking reason or understanding, the remaining two-thirds of the payment is forfeited. The final one-third belongs to the person who holds the rightful claim to it.

¹¹ Any violent death suffered by a woman—unless it is by the direct act of God or the result of lawful and rightful cohabitation—must be compensated in full according to Adamnán’s Law. This includes deaths by killing, drowning, burning, poisoning, crushing, sinking into a bog, or being killed by domestic animals such as pigs or cattle. However, if it is the first offense, whether by accident or the action of pigs or hounds, the animals must be killed immediately, and half the compensation due for a human-caused death must be paid. If it is not the first offense, full compensation must be given.

¹² There will be no counterclaims or offsetting of guilt under Adamnán’s Law; each person is responsible for their own actions and must pay the penalty for their own wrongdoing. Every violation of Adamnán’s Law grants the communities of Adamnán the right to a portion of the compensation, aside from that which is due to women. This applies whether the victims are innocents, clerics, or any other protected individuals. The community of Iona is entitled to a cumal forbaich when the total due is seven cumals, and half a cumal from seven half-cumals. The standard fines are six séts for thirty séts and three séts for five séts.

¹³ One-eighth of all compensation, whether from great or small fines, must be given to the community of Adamnán for the killing of clerics or innocent children.

¹⁴ If someone inflicts a grievous wound on a woman, a cleric, or an innocent person, they must pay seven half-cumals in compensation. Additionally, fifteen séts must be paid by both the perpetrator’s immediate and extended family, as they are considered accomplices.

¹⁵ For lesser injuries, the fines are as follows:

¹⁶ Three séts for a non-bloody strike (“white blow”).
Five séts for any wound that draws blood.
Seven séts for a wound that requires bandaging (tenting).
One cumal for any injury that confines the victim to bed, plus payment for the physician’s care.

¹⁷ If the injury is more severe, it is treated as half the fine for manslaughter.

¹⁸ For minor assaults:

¹⁹ A slap or punch incurs a fine of one ounce of silver.
If it leaves a visible green or red mark, or causes swelling, the fine increases to one ounce and six scruples of silver.
Grabbing a woman by the hair carries a fine of five wethers (sheep).
If women engage in a fight involving dishonor or serious offense, the fine is three wethers.

²⁰ Men and women are equally responsible for both major and minor dues, including any disputes involving women—except in cases of outright death. A woman is to be sentenced to death for killing a man or a woman, for administering poison that leads to death, for arson, or for undermining a church. Her punishment is to be cast adrift in the open sea in a boat with a single paddle, left to the mercy of the wind. She is to be provided with only a vessel of meal and water. Her fate is left to God’s judgment.

²¹ If someone gives another person a charm that results in death, they must pay the fines associated with murder and the concealment of the body. As for secret thefts or other unknown offenses that can be traced to one of the four nearest lands, if none of those four lands can attribute the crime to a specific individual, they must swear an oath upon their souls that they have no knowledge of the perpetrator. If they do so, they must pay the fines collectively. However, if they suspect someone and provide proof, the guilty party is held responsible.

²² If suspicion falls upon multiple individuals, their names are to be written on leaves. These leaves are then placed in a lot and drawn from a chalice on the altar. The person whose name is drawn is deemed responsible.

²³ If offenders who violate the Law refuse to pay, their kindred must pay the full fines in proportion to the severity of the crime. After that, the offender is considered outlawed and banished until the legal sentence is fulfilled. A penalty of three and a half cumals (a measure of value) applies to all direct and indirect kindred who aided the crime. If someone provides assistance, shelter, or protection to the offender, they too are subject to the death penalty. The fine for accomplices is equal to that of the principal offender.

²⁴ A further enactment of the Law: those who uphold Adamnán’s Law will be provided with the best food available in their community, regardless of their number. This includes five individuals serving as guarantors, and anyone responsible for collecting the dues of the Law will be fed according to their means, whether they are chieftains, nobles, or common people. If anyone refuses to provide food to these enforcers while they are collecting fines, they will be penalized with a cumal (a unit of value, often a female slave or an equivalent fine). Furthermore, if multiple individuals are responsible for withholding food, they will share the liability equally unless they fulfill their obligation. If the refusal persists, the penalty increases to two cumals.

²⁵ Exemption of guarantors: Any guarantor who comes to collect this tribute is exempt from the legal consequences of their family’s actions, provided they continue to uphold their duties and remain within their legal jurisdiction. However, they are still personally accountable for their own wrongdoing, as well as that of their children and dependents.

²⁶ If a maiden is raped, the fine is seven half-cumals. If a man places his hand on her or inside her girdle, he must pay ten ounces. If he places his hand under her dress with the intent to violate her, the penalty is three ounces and seven cumals. If he causes a visible injury to her head, eyes, face, ears, nose, teeth, tongue, foot, or hand, the fine is seven cumals. For any other bodily injury, the fine is seven half-cumals. If he tears her clothing, the penalty is seven ounces and one cumal.

²⁷ If a man dishonors a noblewoman by falsely accusing her of unchastity or denying her children, he must pay seven cumals, unless she is the wife of an aire désa (a noble of lower rank), in which case the fine is seven half-cumals. For women of lower status, down to a smeurét (a commoner), the penalty is seven ounces.

²⁸ If women take part in a battle, whether in an attack, an army, or a fight, compensation is set at seven cumals per woman, up to a maximum of seven women. Beyond that, their involvement is treated as the crime of a single man. If a woman becomes pregnant through deception—without a marriage contract, legal rights, dowry, or betrothal—a full fine must be paid for the offense.

²⁹ For any kind of hand-produced goods, whether large or small—whether it be dye materials, woad, or beans—proper compensation must be given. If it is red dye for a cloak, the payment is set at one-fourth of the value of the cloak.

³⁰ For every chief church, three guarantors must uphold the Law of Adamnán: the prior, the cook, and the steward. Additionally, there must be one guarantor for the Law from each extended family across all of Ireland, and two guarantors from among the high chieftains. Hostages may be taken as security for payment if proof of offenses against women is found.