Summary of Law of the Couple

This document provides a very specific look at the laws of medieval Ireland, not too different from that of Tacitus' description of the Germanic peoples.


The document starts out by describing the kinds of relationships that existed in this society. It then lists the types of relationships that can exist between men and women, including: 


(1) Union of common contribution 
(2) Union of a woman on a man's contribution 
(3) Union of a man on a woman's contribution with service
(4) Union of a woman who accepts a man's solicitation 
(5) Union of a man who visits the woman, without work, without solicitation, without provision, without material contribution 
(6) Union by abduction
(7) Union of wandering mercenaries 
(8) Union by criminal seduction 
(9) Union by rape 
(10) Union of mockery


The document then proceeds to explain these 10 relationships of "couples of cohabitation and procreation."


The first one describes a couple that share all goods and anything being sold off would have to  be consulted over with the other member of the relationship.


The second one describes a relationship with the man doing most of the work except for that of the housework. This also describes the fair conditions of a divorce.


The third relationship is that of the heiress, or the woman in the relationship, providing for the family. This is almost the exact opposite of the second type of relationship.


The rest of these relationships are considered as "other unions". These are also more self-explanatory than the previous three and are have less detail applied to them.


The fourth union involves splitting the work of the woman with the man and splitting the property of the wife. 


The fifth one involves a woman that works and shares one-fifth of the product of the work with the spouse. 


The sixth and eighth ones are listed combined and involve sharing the offspring of the couple but a fine is in place for the man who abducted her so long as the woman's family wishes that the property be paid for by the man. 


The seventh one does not receive a further explanation in this document.


The ninth union is similar to that of the sixth and eighth ones except only involves paying a fine for the rape of a woman if that woman approves that a fine must be paid. This couple also possesses only offspring together.


The tenth type of relationship almost seems a comedic relief but describes the union of two "a lunatic or madman with a deranged woman or madwoman." The person that brings them to marry must take care of the offspring, if there are any.