Molmutine Laws
Encyclopedia
The Molmutine Laws were established in Britain
by King Dunvallo Molmutius
(Welsh
Dyfnwal Moelmud), according to Geoffrey of Monmouth
. Dyfnwal Moelmud is referred to in Welsh tradition, predating Geoffrey's work, as a lawmaker but there are no native sources for Geoffrey's elaboration of that tradition.
One of the Molmutine Laws, according to Geoffrey's account, declared that the temple
s of the god
s and cities should act as sanctuaries from death. Furthermore, anyone who flees to a temple for being accused of a crime must be pardoned by the accuser upon departure from the temple. This law soon included all road
s leading to temples and all farmers were declared safe from such crimes.
According to Geoffrey's account, King Molmutius borrowed many of his laws from the Trojan
s who settled in Britain before him. One such Trojan/Molmutine law allowed the reign of queens.
claimed to have found a long list of Welsh triads giving the laws. These are now known to be among his many forgeries. They include.
'There are three tests of civil liberty; equality of rights; equality of taxation; freedom to come and go.
'Three things are indispensable to a true union of nations; sameness of laws, rights and language.
'There are three things free to all Briton
s; the forest, the unworked mine, the right of hunting.
'There are three property birthrights of every Briton; five British acres of land for a home, the right of suffrage in the enacting of the laws, the male at twenty-one, the female on her marriage.
'There are three things which every Briton may legally be compelled to attend; the worship of God, military service, the courts of law.
'There are three things free to every man, Briton or foreigner, the refusal of which no law will justify; water from spring, river or well; firing from a decayed tree, a block of stone not in use.
'There are three classes which are exempt from bearing arms; bards, judges, graduates in law or religion. These represent God and His peace, and no weapon must ever be found in their hands.
'There are three persons who have a right of public maintenance; the old, the babe, the foreigner who can not speak the British tongue
.'
'There are three things free to a country and its borders; the roads, the rivers and the places of worship. These are under the protection of God and His peace.' (In this law originated the term 'The King's Highway
.')
British Iron Age
The British Iron Age is a conventional name used in the archaeology of Great Britain, referring to the prehistoric and protohistoric phases of the Iron-Age culture of the main island and the smaller islands, typically excluding prehistoric Ireland, and which had an independent Iron Age culture of...
by King Dunvallo Molmutius
Dunvallo Molmutius
Dunvallo Molmutius was a legendary king of the Britons as accounted by Geoffrey of Monmouth. He was the son of Cloten, the King of Cornwall, and he restored order after the "Civil War of the Five Kings"...
(Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
Dyfnwal Moelmud), according to Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth was a cleric and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography and the popularity of tales of King Arthur...
. Dyfnwal Moelmud is referred to in Welsh tradition, predating Geoffrey's work, as a lawmaker but there are no native sources for Geoffrey's elaboration of that tradition.
One of the Molmutine Laws, according to Geoffrey's account, declared that the temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
s of the god
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
s and cities should act as sanctuaries from death. Furthermore, anyone who flees to a temple for being accused of a crime must be pardoned by the accuser upon departure from the temple. This law soon included all road
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
s leading to temples and all farmers were declared safe from such crimes.
According to Geoffrey's account, King Molmutius borrowed many of his laws from the Trojan
Troy
Troy was a city, both factual and legendary, located in northwest Anatolia in what is now Turkey, southeast of the Dardanelles and beside Mount Ida...
s who settled in Britain before him. One such Trojan/Molmutine law allowed the reign of queens.
Iolo Morganwg's triads
At the end of the 18th century or beginning of the 19th, antiquarian forgerer Iolo MorganwgIolo Morganwg
Edward Williams, better known by his bardic name Iolo Morganwg , was an influential Welsh antiquarian, poet, collector, and literary forger. He was widely considered a leading collector and expert on medieval Welsh literature in his day, but after his death it was revealed that he had forged a...
claimed to have found a long list of Welsh triads giving the laws. These are now known to be among his many forgeries. They include.
'There are three tests of civil liberty; equality of rights; equality of taxation; freedom to come and go.
'Three things are indispensable to a true union of nations; sameness of laws, rights and language.
'There are three things free to all Briton
Brython
The Britons were the Celtic people culturally dominating Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages. They spoke the Insular Celtic language known as British or Brythonic...
s; the forest, the unworked mine, the right of hunting.
'There are three property birthrights of every Briton; five British acres of land for a home, the right of suffrage in the enacting of the laws, the male at twenty-one, the female on her marriage.
'There are three things which every Briton may legally be compelled to attend; the worship of God, military service, the courts of law.
'There are three things free to every man, Briton or foreigner, the refusal of which no law will justify; water from spring, river or well; firing from a decayed tree, a block of stone not in use.
'There are three classes which are exempt from bearing arms; bards, judges, graduates in law or religion. These represent God and His peace, and no weapon must ever be found in their hands.
'There are three persons who have a right of public maintenance; the old, the babe, the foreigner who can not speak the British tongue
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
.'
'There are three things free to a country and its borders; the roads, the rivers and the places of worship. These are under the protection of God and His peace.' (In this law originated the term 'The King's Highway
King's Highway
King's Highway or Kings Highway may refer to:* King's Highway an ancient trade route from Egypt to Syria* Kings Highway , Australia* King's Highway , United States* King's Highway King's Highway or Kings Highway may refer to:* King's Highway (ancient) an ancient trade route from Egypt to Syria*...
.')