and each " body" consists of about fifty
members. A "body-meeting" is held every
month at some low public-house following
strictly the Orange precedent—and there the
members interchange complaints and grievances,
and the necessity of " business." If there be
any serious work that requires prompt redress,
the " body-master" reports it specially to
the " parish master," who does the same to the
"county delegate," who thereupon in his
discretion issues "summonses" addressed to a
new class—to a distinct department—namely, to
the "jurymen" of the district, who are enrolled
to the number of some fourteen or so.
This dreadful council of twelve " sit" on the
unfortunate landowner, who has been driven to
take legal remedies for the recovery of his rent.
They decide, as such men may be supposed to
decide, and actually name the person or persons
by whom the plan is to be carried out. In the
case of a murder, it is usual to select some
distant county in Ireland; and the "jurymen"
of that county, on receiving notice, name the
executioner. From this nomination there is no
appeal. The object of this remote selection is, of
course, to lessen the chances of discovery.

The method of procuring members is generally
this. An emissary visits the parish, meets the
young men of the village in an obscure taproom
of the " public" of the place, and reads out
"sensation" details concerning " evictions," " heart-
rending oppression," "widows and orphans
turned out on the roadside," and the like. This
brings their minds into a suitable tone for being
worked on, and very soon, the next meeting of
the society being at hand, a number of postulants
are ready to be enrolled. This is done with a
sort of squalid solemnity in the peaty atmosphere
of the " shebeen." They are introduced one by
one and blindfolded. This is meant to be typical
of that unreasoning obedience which is required
from all members. The new brother is put in
the centre of a circle, the members joining hands
all round; his hands are laid upon a prayer-book;
and he is required to repeat in a loud voice the
following form:

"In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost. Amen.

"I, A. B. do swear in the presence of these my
brotherly members, and on the contents of this holy
book, the cross of Christ, that I will, by every means
in my power, aid and assist the French, or any other
Catholic power that is endeavouring to free us from
the bonds of tyrannical slavery and the oppression
of unjust laws; that I will be ready at a moment's
warning, sickness or death alone preventing me, to
take up the cause of an oppressed brother, knowing
or believing him to be such; and that I will obey,
without murmuring, all orders received from a
county delegate, parish, or body master; and that
I will silently abide by any decision of the jurymen
of my parish, either in a dispute with a brother, or,
if it be necessary, in the destruction of life or
property, or other punishment of transgressors against
honour, law, and justice; that I will allow neither
father, mother, sister, or brother to come between me
and the carrying out of our glorious Ribbon system
into final and immediate execution; that I will spare
neither person nor property of the bloody heretics,
but more especially those who feed upon the tenth
part of our labour. I further swear that I will never
appear before judge or jury to prosecute a brother,
knowing him to be such; and that neither torture,
death, nor execution shall ever make me divulge the
slightest atom of the plans and secrets intrusted to me,
to any magistrate or other person, not within the
pale of this our glorious institution, though I were
to be hung in chains and dried in the sun; and that I
will never write or inscribe upon any paper or parchment,
or other substance or thing, any word, letter,
sign, or token, by which the secrets of our society
could transpire or become known; that I will never
admit, with my knowledge, any person into this
grand design except a Catholic, or some worthy
Protestant who is well known to stick to us, and who
regularly subscribes to the committee. I further
swear, that I will myself subscribe ten pence per
quarter, if not more, according to my circumstances,
to this committee or others, towards the support of
the objects of this our immortal institution. I
further swear, that I will keep a close eye upon all
hypocritical Catholic magistrates, and report to my
county delegate, parish, or body master, their
conduct at Petty Sessions and elsewhere, as may come
within my knowledge. And I take this oath, in all
its parts, without any mental reservation whatever,
and with a full and unwavering determination to
keep the same. So help me God."

The reader will be dismally amused by the
attempt at grand solemnity and "tall" verbiage
in this composition, and especially by the
determined resolution not to betray the secrets of the
society, " though I were to be hung in chains and
dried in the sun."

After all the candidates are admitted, " business"
begins, which consists in furnishing " passwords"
for the quarter; and it becomes characteristic
to remark this special feature of all
Irish illegal organisations, the truly Celtic
hankering after military terms, drilling, and the
mere showman's part of the business; which
masquerading has almost invariably helped to
shipwreck the institution. These passwords
are changed regularly. Every parish master is
bound to pay a fee of half-a-crown to the county
delegate on receipt of the new passwords, and
sixpence on the entrance of every new member.
The new member pays two shillings, one and six-
pence of which goes to form a fund for the defence
of unhappy members who have fallen into the
hands of the law, and to purchase the guns and
ammunition with which their bloody resolves are
carried out. The passwords are generally in the
shape of some unmeaning string of question and
answer, taking, perhaps, the following shape,
which is a true copy.*

Question. God save you.

Answer. And you likewise.

Q. This is a fine day.

A. It is, but there's a better coming.

Q. Where are you going?

A. To Belfast, agra.

Q. What to do there?

A. To receive friendship.

Q. This is a bad road?

A. Yes, but it will soon be repaired.

* Obtained from a police officer of large experience,
given in the Dublin University Magazine.