News
Legal disputes between parents living in different countries on the rise
9th May 2013A BBC report published last week has highlighted that the number of legal disputes between parents residing in different countries has more than doubled in the last two years. [read more]
Should squatting in commercial premises be criminalised?
9th May 2013Until 1st September 2012, squatting in any type of building was a civil offence requiring recourse to the court in order to evict unwanted residents. [read more]
Police must treat 17-year-olds in custody as children
30th April 2013High Court proceedings were brought by a young man, now 18 years of age, who at the age of 17 had been detained in custody for 12 hours and strip searched before being released on police bail. [read more]
Medieval manuscript sells for over half a million pound
11th July 2012
A medieval pocket book written in the Welsh language which formed the country's first uniform legal system in the 14th century has been purchased by the National Library of Wales at auction.
The medieval manuscript which apparently went to the United States of America some time in the 18th century by Welsh settlers has been sold at auction for £541,250.
It has been purchased by the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The manuscript is in fact a 14th century pocket book called “The Laws of Hywel Dda”. For the uninformed Hywel Dda (Hywel the good) was a Welsh ruler in the 10th century. This book created the country’s first uniform legal system.
The following may well be of interest:-
- Marriage was considered an agreement, not a holy sacrament
- Divorce was permitted by common consent.
- There was no punishment for theft – if the sole purpose was to stay alive.
- Illegitimate children received the same rights as legitimate sons and daughters.
- You were allowed to pick up three things if you found them in the road – a horseshoe, a nail and a penny.
A sense of fairness ran through the laws, including how they dealt with the rights of women.
Those of you who speak Welsh, especially medieval Welsh, take a trip to Aberystwyth Wales and no doubt you will be able to look at the book and read and see how far advanced the Welsh were. For those who do not speak Welsh, no doubt there will be a translation!
