(4) The eric consisted of two parts—the coirp-dire and the honour-price. The coirp-dire was seven cumhals, one of which was for restitution (aithgin), the other six cumhals being the coirp-dire proper.
(5) As in other laws, there were sometimes additional payments for breach of protection or privilege &c.
II. THE HONOUR-PRICE (ENECLANN).
It is necessary next to direct special attention to the honour-price (eneclann).
The question at once arises, whose honour-price had to be paid?
In the first place, according to a passage in the Book of Aicill, it is the honour-price of the slayer that had to be paid, i.e. the higher the rank of the slayer the greater the payment to the kindred of the person slain.
The honour-price of the slayer.
The passage alluded to occurs almost at the beginning of the Book of Aicill (p. 99). The heading, literally translated, is: ‘Fines are doubled by anger (ferg).’ Then follows a long commentary, in which the point seems to be limited to secret murder, and the doubling seems to be the result of the concealment. This is quite consistent with tribal feeling as shown in other laws, concealment of the slain person on the part of the murderer being considered a grave aggravation. The passage is as follows:—
Fines are doubled by anger (ferg).
The double of his own honour-price is due of each and every person, whether native freeman, stranger, foreigner, daerman, or looker-on, for the crime of secret murder.[70]