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♦ 







teabhoR bReaohNQch qnnso sis. 



THE IRISH TERSION 

HISTORIA BRITONUM OF NENNIUS. 

EDITED. WrTU A TUANSLATION AND NOTES. 

BY JAMES HENTHOKN TODD, D. D, M. E. I. A.. 



N AND ADDITIONAL NOTES 

BK THE HON. ALGERNON HEBBERT. 



DUBLIN: 
PRINTED FOR THE IRISH ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIKIY, 

HDCCCXLVIII. 



'A. OF OXHJUfl ,<?, 



THIS- COPY WAS PRIMTKD FOR 



JAMBS HAMILTON, ESQ. 



MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY, 



DUBLIN : 

PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, 

BT X. R. OII.U 



IRISH ARCH^OLOGICAL SOCIETY, 



FOUNDED MDCCCXL. 



patron : 

T» -^T TA o o rru » Xi^l-^SSU^ A luB E R T 



ERRATA. 

Paob 8, line lit fir internal, read extemaL 
16, note S line 8, >br zi. read ii. 

87, note ^ line 8 of the quotation from Homer, fir Aafiirov, read AA/iWov. 
S3, note ", line 10,/br Denetia, read Demetia. 

88, line 16, fir Ob, read t)0. 
.99, at the end of note \ add -—{H,) 
104, line 6,>&rpac;. ambpopt reacf pac Qmbpor* 
112, note 1, line 16, /ir Gadnui, read Gadain. 
169, line 1, deU comma alter ** inaoUL** 
221, line 8, for Madmmra^ read Maetmnara. 
Ibid, note p, line 4,>br Albannacfa, read Albanach. 
Ibid, line 22, and page 222, note % line b^fir Gaelic reoJ Ibemo-Celtic 

Addit Notes, page zzxix. line 27, fiir bending, read blending. 

page xlvi note \ line 9, fir ao Ur-bndde of his Bndde, read so each Ur-broideof his Broide. 
page liy. note ^,fi>r Galic, read GaeUc 

page IzL note \ last line, /or beantifU, read bealiiled ; and in the oonesponding Welsh line^ 
fir gwynoydig, reoJ gWynvydig. 



I) 



»» 



»» 



Major T. A. Labcom, R. E., V. P. K. 1. A. 

Charles Mac Donheli., Esq., M. R. I. A. 

George Petrie, Esii.. LL.D., R. H. A., V. P. R. I. A. 

Rev. WnxiAM Reeves, M. B., M. R. I. A. 

Very Rev. L. Renehah, D. D., President of St. Patnck s 

College, Maynooth. 
Aqcilla Smith, Esq., M. D., M. R I. A., Treasurer. 
3. Hdbahd Smith, Esq., A. M., M. R. I. A. 
Rev. J. H. Todd, D. D., M. R. I. A., Secretary. 






(j^ - 6 DEC. !U4 § 



■ ■^^Jt 



DUBLIN : 

PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, 

BT M. H. GILL. 



IRISH ARC BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 

FOUNDED MDCCCXL. 



patron : 

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE ALBERT 

y resident: 

His Grace the Duke of Leinster. 

The Most Noble the Marquis of Kjldare, M. P., M. R. I. A. 
The Right Hon. the Earl of Leitrim, M. R. I. A. 
The Right Hon. the Viscount Adare, M. P., M. R. I. A. 

(iDottncil : 

Elected 22nd December, 1847. 

Rev. Samuel Butcher, A. M., M. R. I. A 

Rev. Charles Graves, A. M., M. R. I. A. 

James Hardiman, ICsq., M. R. I. A. 

William Elliot Hudson, Esq., A. M., M. R. I. A. 

Major T. A. Larcom, R. E., V. P. R. I. A. 

Charles Mac Donnell, Esq., M. R. I. A. 

George Petrie, Esq., LL.D., R. H. A., V. P. R. I. A. 

Rev. William Reeves, M. B., M. R. I. A. 

Very Rev. L. Renehan, D. D., President of St. Patrick s 

College, Maynooth. 
Aquilla Smith, Esq., M. D., M. R. I. A., Treasurer, 
J. HuBAND Smith, Esq., A. M., M. R. I. A. 
Rev. J. H. Todd, D. D., M. R. I. A., Secrdary, 



EDITOR'S PREFACE. 



HE Text of the following work is taken principally 
from a collation of three MSS., which are referred 
to in the Notea by the letters D., B., and L. 

1. The first of these, denoted by D., is a miscella- 
neous volume, containing various tracts and frag- 
ments of the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth 
centuries ; it was formerly in the possession of the celebrated anti- 
quaries, Duald Mac Firbis and Edward Lhwyd, whose autographs it 
possesses ; and it is now preserved in the Library of Trinity College, 
Dublin, Class H., Tab. 3. No. 17. 

The volume contains a copy of the celebrated code of Brehon 
I^ws called the Seancbus Moi', with a copious gloss of great value. 
This is followed by several other tracts and fragments of tracts on 
BrehoQ Law, of different dates, and by various scribes, some of whom 
have given their names. 

After 

* For ta ncooant of the Seaochna Mor, nity College, lee Dr. Petiie's Essay on 
with several eztxacts from this Terj MS. TaraHill.intlieTraDsactionsoftlieRoyal 
of it, and from another copy alao in Tri- Irish Academy, vol. xriii. pp. 7 1 -80. 

laiSH AHCH. BOC. 16. b 



VI 

After the Law Tracts follow several miscellaneous pieces on his- 
torical and religious subjects, short anecdotes of Irish saints, poems, 
and historical romantic tales. Of these the most curious are : i . The 
tract called Seanchup na pelec, or the History of the Cemeteries, 
containing an account of the most celebrated burial-places of the 
Pagan Irish ; 2. The History of the plebeian Tribes called Aitheach 
Tuatha, who were subjugated by King Tuathal Teachtmar, in the 
second century of the Christian era ; 3. A List of the ancient Tales or 
historical Romances which were wont to be recited by the Bards at 
Entertainments, in presence of Kings and Chieftains ; 4. A List of 
the celebrated Women of Antiquity ; with many other tales, tracts, 
genealogies, and poems, of the greatest value for the illustration of 
Irish history, language, and topography. 

The copy of the Leabhar Breathnach, or British Book, contained 
in this MS., occurs in p. 806^, and was probably written in the four- 
teenth, or early part of the fifteenth century. 

This is the copy of the Irish version of the Britannia of Nennius, 
which has been made the basis of the text of the following work, 
and is denoted by D. in the notes. Its errors, however, have been 
corrected, as far as the Editor was able to correct them, by collation 
with the other MSS. to which he had access ; and such interpola- 
tions as occurred in the other MSS., when judged of any value, have 
been inserted in their proper places. All these deviations from the 
text of D. have been mentioned in the notes. 

2. The second MS. (denoted by B.) is the copy of the Irish Nen- 
nius, which is contained in the Book of Ballymote, in the Library of 
tlie Royal Irish Academy, written in the fourteenth century. 

The 

^ Or rather column 806. The MS. is paged by Edward Lhwjd, each column, 
written some parts of it in double columns wherever columns occurred, being count- 
and some parts not : the whole has been ed for a page. 



vu 



The order of the sections in this MS. differs considerably from 
that of D., and it also contains several interpolations. The Editor 
has numbered the sections in the printed text of the work, in order 
to enable him with greater facility to refer to them. 

The order of the copy in the Book of Bally mote is as follows : 
It begins with the section Ego Nmnius, marked sect. i. p. 25, infra. 
Then follows the chapter " On the Origin of the Cruithnians," which 
has been given in the Additional Notes, No. XX., p. xci. After 
which follow sections 11., ill, and rv., as in the printed te^t. 

After section iv. this MS. interpolates the prose account, sections 
xxvn. and xxviii., followed by the poem on the Origin and History of 
the Picts or Cruithnians, which has been published section xxx. p. 1 26, 
infra. 

Then follow sections v. to xiv., inclusive, in the same order as 
in the text ; but after section xiv. is interpolated the Legend of 
St Cairnech, which will be found in the Appendix, No. I., p. 178. 

After this we have the history of the Saxon conquest, sect xv. ; 
the miracles of St German, sects, xvi., xvii. ; and the story of 
Ambrose Merlin and the Druids, sects, xvm., xix.; followed by the 
history of the wars of Gortimer (or Gortighern, as he is called in 
this copy), sects, xx. to xxiv., inclusive, in the same order as in the 
text 

At the end of this last section recording the battles of Arthur, 
and briefly noticing the conversion of the Saxons to Christianity, the 
copy of this work in the Book of Ballymote ends ; and its comple- 
tion is notified by the words pmic oo'n bpeacnocap, which are 
literally ^'Finit to the Breathnochas," where the scribe evidently 
wrote Finvt for Finis. It appears also from this note that the title 
then given to this book was " The Breathnochas," which would be 
equivalent to BritanismuSj if we may be permitted to coin such a word. 

b 2 3. The 



Vlll 

3. The next authority which has been employed in the formation 
of the text is the copy of this work in the Book of Lecan, a MS* 
written in the year 1417*. To this copy is prefixed, but in a more 
recent hand, the title Lcabap bpeacnach annf o f ip, which has been 
adopted in the title page of the present volume, and which expresses 
what the Irish understood by the Latin titles, " Eulogium Britannia^,** 
and " Historia Britonum." 

This copy, which is denoted by L. in the notes, begins with sect. 
II., Britannia irwt^fc,&c., p. 27, in/ray omitting the list of British cities. 
Then follows the chapter on the origin of the Picts, which will be 
found in the Additional Notes, No. XX. p. xciii. Section iii. is 
omitted altogether, and then follow sects, rv. to vin., inclusive. 
Sections ix. and x. are omitted in this place. Then comes the 
account of the adventures of the Gaedhil, sects, xi. to xv., inclu8ive^ 
followed by another copy of the history of Roman and Saxon Britain, 
sects, v., VI., viL, vin., which is headed, Oo feancup bpearan 
anof o booeapca, " Of the history of Britain, here follows ;" but 
the title prefixed to sect, viii., in the former copy of this chapter, is 
omitted here. 

Then follow sects, ix., x., with the title Do ^abalaib 6penn 
omail moifcap Ncmiup [sic] annpo, as in the text, p. 42. After 
which comes another copy of the history of the adventures of the 
Gaedhil, sects, xi.-xiv., with the title Do imchcachcaib 3^^'^^°^ 
anof o booff ca ; but a portion of sect. xiv. is wanting after the words 
cugpacap leo lapoam caipechou, p. 72, line 9. 

About 

*' This date may be coUected from the in section x., differs considerably in this 

MS. itself. See also Mr. O'Donovan's note copy from that given above, p. 50. See 

to the Annals of the Four Masters, at the Additional Notes, No. XX., p.xciv., where 

year 1417. the more important variations are no- 

' The account of the sons of Cruithnei tioed. 



IX 



About ten leaves are here wanting in the Book of Lecan, which 
is now preserved in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy, al- 
though it originally belonged to Trinity College% where nine of the 
missing leaves were discovered by Mr, Curry, bound up with other 
MSS., (Class H. Tab. 2. No. 17). One leaf, however, which contained 
the continuation of sect xvi. is lost, and the next page begins with 
the words ip in lomgeaf pn cainij a mgean co h-Gngipc, p. 84, 
1. 1 6, to the end of sect. xvii. 

Then follows the account of Dun Ambrose and of the contest of 
Ambrose Merlin with the Druids, sects, xviii. xix.; then the wars 
of Gortimer or Gortighern, sect. xx. to xxii., with the short account 
of St. Patrick, sect, xxiii., and the remainder of the history of the 
Saxons from the death of Gortighern (sect xxiv.) to their conver- 
sion to Christianity. 

This was also regarded by the scribe who copied the Book of 
Lecan as the conclusion of the work, for he has written the word 
pinic at the end of sect xxiv. But there follow immediately the 
tracts on the wonders of Britain, sect xxv., and on the wonders of 
the isle of Man, sect. xxvi. 

After this begins what seems to have been intended as a new edi- 
tion of the work'. It commences with the chapter Ego Nermius^ 
sect I., followed by the chapter on the origin of the Picts, Avhich has 
been given in the Additional Notes, No. XX., p. xcv. 

Then 



* The Book of Lecan is entered among 
the MSS. of Trinity College in the Cata- 
logus Manuscriptorum Anglice et Hiber- 
nis, published at Oxford, 1697 (No. 117, 
p. 22), and still bears the Library marks, 
D. 19. It was carried off in the reign of 
James U. to Paris, but was restored to 
Ireland at the instance of General Yallan- 



cey, and by him deposited in the Library of 
the Royal Irish Academy. See O'Reilly, 
Trans. Ibemo- Celtic Society, p. cxvii. ; 
Mac Geoghegan, Hist. d'Irlande, tom. i. 

P-39- 

' This new edition appears, from its con- 
tents, to have had special reference to Pict- 
ish history. 



Then follows ^^ Britannia insula," &c., sectii., with the list of cities, 
and sections iii. iv., as far as the words mic lapech, p. 32, line 11. 

Next we have the account of the origin of the Picts (sects, xxvii. 
to XXIX., inclusive), with the title Oo Chpnichnechaib anof eo, t)o 
pei]i na n-eolach^. Section xxix., containing the account of the man- 
ner in which the Picts, after their settlement in North Britain, ob- 
tained their women from the Milesians of Ireland, is peculiar to the 
Book of Lecan. 

Then follows the poetical account of the Picts, sect, xxx., want- 
ing, however, the last two stanzas. 

With this poem the second copy of the Irish Nennius in the Book 
of Lecan concludes. 

' 4. A fragment of this work is also to be found in the remains of the 
Leabhar na h-Uidhri, preserved in the Library of the Royal Irish 
Academy. It begins on the first page of the second leaf now remain- 
ing in that MS., with the words ace ceana ol pe, &c., p. 94, line 15, 
and concludes at the end of sect, xxrv., which in this MS. was also 
the termination of the work. This fragment is referred to in the 
notes, pp. 95-113, by the letter U. The Leabhar na h-Uidhri is d 
MS. of the twelfth century. 

5. Another copy of the Leabhar Breathnach is to be found in the 
Book of Hy-Many, or the Book of the O'Kellys, as it is called by 
O'Reilly, a MS. of the early part of the fifteenth century, transcribed 
by Faelan Mac an Gabhan, whose death is recorded by the Four 
Masters at the year 1423. This MS. is not now accessible to Irish 
scholars in Dublin, and it has not been possible to consult it for the 
present work, although it is believed to be in existence in the pos- 
session of a private collector in England. In O'Reilly's time it be- 
longed to Sir William Betham. 

We 

« Sue p. 1 20, note •• 



I 

We learn from O'Reilly^, that at the commencement of this 
copy of the work there is or was '* a memorandum," stating " that 
Nennius was the author, and that GioUa Caoimhghin translated it 
into Scotic." 

Giolla Caoimhghin died about A. D. 1072, or shortly after, as has 
been inferred from his chronological poem, beginning Qnnalaib anall 
uile, which brings down the series of events to that year. 

If, therefore, he is to be taken as the original translator of Nen- 
nius^ we may probably fix the middle of the eleventh century as the 
earliest period at which the **Hi8toria Britonum" appeared in an 
Irish version. 

In its original form, the work, as we have seen, terminated at the 
end of sect xxrv. ; and all that follows must be regarded as subse- 
quent interpolations, although, probably, added at the same period 
as the translation or edition, put forth by Giolla Caoimhghin. 

The first of these additions contains the section on the Wonders 
of the Island of Britain, and that on the Wonders of the Isle of Man. 
This is also found added to some copies of the Latin of Nennius^, with 
a chapter, omitted in all the Irish copies, on the Wonders of Ireland. 

The tract on the history of the Picts (sects. xxvn.~xxix.), with 
the curious poem (sect, xxx.), now for the first time printed, is also 
to be regarded as an addition made to the original work The Book 
of Ballymote, although it omits the Mirabilia, has preserved these 
sources of Pictish history, of which the prose portion was known to 
Pinkerton, through a very faulty transcript, and still more erro- 
neous 

'^ Transactions of the Ibemo-Celtic So- toria to an earlier author. — See his re- 

cietj, p. cxxii. marks, Introd. p. 21. 

'Mr. Herbert, however, has shown ^ See Mr. Uerbert*8 note ", pp. 113- 

that there is some reason to attribute the 114* 
first attempt at a translation of the His* 



Xll 



neous translation, but the poem appears to have escaped his notice. 
Although the text is corrupt in many places, in both the MSS. that 
have been employed in editing it, yet it is hoped that its publication, 
even in the imperfect state in which we have it, will be regarded as 
a service of some value to the student of Scottish history. 

The next interpolation or addition is an Irish version of the do- 
cument already known to the readers of Innes and Pinkerton, under 
the title of the " Chronicon Pictorum." This curious fragment occurs 
only in the manuscript D. ; but another copy of it has been given in 
the Additional Notes^ from a MS. in the Bodleian Library™ which 
preserves a considerable fragment of the Psalter of Cashel, and evi- 
dently contained formerly a copy of the Leabhar Breathnach, or Irish 
version of Nennius, of which the leaf containing the Pictish Chro- 
nicle is now the only remnant. 

Next follows (sect, xxxiii. p. 168), an abridged translation of the 
beginning of the history of the Venerable Bede. This document occurs 
also immediately after the Pictish Chronicle, in the Bodleian MS. It is 
of very little value, but as it appears to have been connected with the 
work, and to have been regarded as a part of it in the manuscript 
D , which has been principally followed, it was thought right to in- 
clude it in the present volume. 

The Appendix contains some other documents of the same kind, 
not so immediately connected with the Leabhar Breathnach in any 
of the MSS., but tending to illustrate the history to which it relates, 
and the traditions prevalent at the period when it was compiled. 
The first of these documents is the X'Cgend of St. Caimech, which, 

as 

* No. XVIII. p. Ixxv. further remarks on it by Mr. O'Donovan, 

*" See an account of this MS., bj the in his Introduction to the Book of Bights, 

Editor, in the Proceedings of the Royal published by the Celtic Society, p. xxviii. 

Irish Academy, vol. iL p. 33; and some elseq. 



as we have seen, occurs only in the Book of Ballymote, having been 
interpolated in the copy of the Irish Nennius there preserved, imme- 
diately after the account of the final conquest of Britain by the 
Romans. It relates to the history of the sixth century, although it 
is evidently a compilation of a much later period. 

The next document inserted in the Appendix is an account of 
the Wonders of Ireland, chiefly from the Book of Ballymote. This 
tract is not without interest, as a curious collection of ancient fables 
and traditions, not very unlike the celebrated Otia imperialia of Grer- 
vase of Tilbury, and compiled probably about the same period. It 
proves, incidentally, that the stories of Irish wonders told by Giraldus 
Cambrensis, for which Lynch has so severely, and, as it now appears, 
so unjustly censured him, were not his own inventions, but copied, 
with some embellishments of his own, from the genuine traditions of 
the Irish people. 

The poem of Maelmura of Fathain, on the history of the Milesian 
or Gradelian invasion of Ireland, is now published for the first time, 
and it was thought worth while to add to it the contemporaneous 
poem on the history of the Albanian Scots, known under the name 
of the " Duan Albanach," although this latter poem has already been 
published by Pinkerton, by Doctor O'Conor, and more recently by 
Mr. Skene, in the " Collectanea de Kebus Albanicis," edited by the 
lona Club. 

Thus the present work will be found to contain three specimens 
of the bardic sources of British and Irish history, written, one of them 
in the ninth, and the others probably in the eleventh century, con- 
taining the traditions, as they were then cun^ently received, of the 
origin of the Pictish and Milesian tribes, and the succession of the 
early kings of Scotland. Two of these poems are now published 
for the first time ; and the third is presented to the reader in, it is 
IRISH ARCH. 80G. 1 6. c hoped, 



XIV 

hoped, a very much more correct version than those which accom- 
panied the former publications of it. 

In conclusion, the Editor has to acknowledge his very great 
obligations to Mr. O'Donovan and Mr. Curry, for the invaluable 
assistance they have afforded him throughout the following work. 
Without them he could not have executed it ; and to them he is 
indebted for the greater part of the historical and topographical 
information which is collected in the notea For many valuable re- 
ferences to ancient Glossaries, and other MSS., containing philo- 
logical and historical illustrations of obscure or obsolete words and 
phrases, he is specially indebted to Mr. Curry. 

The Editor has preserved the orthography of the original, with- 
out any attempt at correction, or even at uniformity ; and in the 
case of proper names, he has retained, even in the English transla- 
tion, the speUing of the Irish. This seemed necessary, in order 
to give the English reader a fair representation of the age to which 
the original belongs. Thus the Picts are called Cruithnians ; the 
Craels, Gaedhil ; Ireland, Eri ; and Scotland, Alba^ 

The Notes marked {H.) have been contributed by Mr. Herbert 
For those marked {T.) the Editor is responsible. 

James H. Todd. 

Trinity CoLLBaR, 
April %ih, 184S. 

" In some few instances this rule, from inad-vertenoe, has not been adhered to. 

See pp. 41, 43» 47» 53» 59- 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Introduction, 1 

liber BritaimiciiB, • 24 

Of the Kings of the Romans 38 

Of the Conquest of Ireland, as recorded by NenniuSy 42 

Of the Adventures of Gaedal 52 

Of the Conquest of the SazoBS, 74 

Ofthe Miracles of GenoAD. 78 

Of the Fortress of Ambrose [Merlin] and his Contest with the Dndds, 90 

Of the Warfare of Gortimer, 98 

Of the Wonders of Britain, 112 

Of the Wonders of Manann, ^ 118 

Of the Cruithnians.orPicts» 120 

Ancient historical Poem on the Or^ia of the Crmthalans» 126 

Of the Origin of the Cruithnians — the Irish Version of the CftrofncoM PSctonmi, . . 154 
The History of Britain, abridged from Bede, 168 

APPENDIX. 

No. 

I. Of die Miracles of Caimedi, 178 

IL Of the Wonders of Ireland, according to the Book of Glendaloch» 192 

III. The Duan Eireannach ; an ancient historical Poem on the Milesian Invasion of Ire- 

land, by Maelmura of Fathain, 220 

IV. The Duan Albanach; an ancient historical Poem on the History of the Kings of 

Scotland, 270 



XVI 



ADDITIONAL NOTES. 

No. Page. 
I. ComparatiYe View of the Names of the Britiah Cities in the Irish and Latin 

Nennius, iii 

IL Etymology of the Name of Croithnians, ▼ 

IIL The Isle of Man, vi 

IV. The first Colonization of Ireland under Partholan, yiii 

V. The Firholgian and Tuatha de Danann Colonies ix 

VI. The Scots, x 

Vn. Meaning of the Phrase "Seeds of Battle," xi 

VIII. The Legend of King Lucius, xiii 

IX. The Reign ofMaximus, xr 

X. The Limits of Britanny, x?ii 

XI. Leatha or Letavia, xix 

XII. Seyerus the Second, xx 

XIII. The Miracles of St German, xxi 

XIV. Auspication of Cities hy human Sacrifices, xxiv 

XV. Magh Ellite, or Campus Electi in the Region of Glewysing, xxy 

XVI. Gortig^n, son of Guatal, xxviii 

XVII. The History of the Picts xxix 

XVIII. Irish Documents illustrative of the legendary History of the Picts, viz. : 

1. A Tract on the History of the Picts from the Book of Lecan, .... Ixv 

2. The Story of the Wives given to the Picts by the Milesians of Ireland, 

from the Book of Lecan Ixxi 

3. Story of the Battle of Ardleamhnaota, from the Book of Leinster, . Ixxiii 

4. Irish Version of the Chronicon Pictorum, from a MS. in the Bodleian 

Library, Ixxv 

XIX. Macbeth, son of Finl^, Ixxviii 

XX. Variations in the Section " On the Origin of the Cruithnians," as it occurs 

in the Books of Ballymote and Lecan, xci 

XXI. Additional Remarks on the Etymology of the Name Scotia xcv 

XXII. Documents illustrative of the History of the Personages mentioned in the 

Legend of St Caimech ci 

XXIII. Griraldus Cambrensb on the Picts and Scots, czii 

XXIV. Addenda et Corrigenda. cxiv 

Indbx, cxvii 



INTRODUCTION. 



iHE Irish MS. of which a translation is here given 
\ profeBses to be, and after a iashion is, translated 
'. from the Historia Britonum by Nennius. Little is 
i known of that author (if not rather, editor), and, 
i &B usual, the less we know the more we are ob- 
liged to say; for knowledge soon tells its tale. 
That the Historia Britonum sometimes bears the name of Gildas, 
may be sufficiently accoimted for by these circumstances : that the first 
genuine tractate of St Gildas, concerning the Britons, was commonly 
called his Historia ; and that a &bulous history of the Britons was 
formerly extant under that name. But it can be further explained 
by the nature of that title, for name indeed it is not, but an Irish 
title, so liberally bestowed upon the religious and learned, that Dr. 
C. O'Conor said there were not less than looo persons adorned 
with it Script Rerum Hib. i, 198. Therefore, when we have 
shewn its original author to be closely connected with Ireland, we 
shall have removed any wonder at his being entitled Gildas. Its 
total dissimilitude to the works of St. Gildas of Ruiz is apparent; 
iBiBH ABCH. soc. BO. iiS. B and 



and it also differs in its contents*, and in some portion of its spirit, 
from that other fabulous history which is cited with admiration in 
Geoffrey of Monmouth by the name of Gildas. Its printed editions 
are by T. Gale, Oxon, 1691; by C. Bertram, jointly with St. Gildas, 
and a production given by him to the world under the name of Ri- 
cardus Corinaeus, Copenhagen, 1757, in the title, and 1758 in the 
colophon; by the same, with 1758 in the title, and without colophon, 
which edition I have never seen; by W. Gunn, B.D., London, 18 19; 
and by Jos. Stevenson, London, 1838. 

The Historia Britonum** had two or more publishers in succession. 
That is to say, transcribers of it made more or less of change and 
addition ; and sometimes took no pains to inform the world that they 
were mere transcribers, and not the authors. The edition rendered 
into Irish is that by Nennius, styling himself a disciple of St. Elbod or 
Elbodug, and styling the priest Beulan his master. Some copies have 
a long Prologus, which declares that he published his work "in A.D. 
858, being the twenty-fourth year of Mervyn, King of the Britons." 
Mervyn Vrych or the Speckled, King of Man in his own right, 
and of Wales in that of Essyllt his queen, reigned over the latter 
country from 818 to his death in 843. See Powell's Cambria, 

pp. 

* As to its contents, the matters cited Geoffrey, a free translator, or by his ori- 

by Geoffrey were there related satis pro- ginaL In L cap. 1 7, the Welch copy 

lixe; therefore they were no casual para- called Tysilio omits the reference, p. 116. 

graphs, missing out of our MSS, Galfrid. But in ii. cap. 17, it quotes Gildas by 

lib. i. cap. 17, ii. cap. 17. And as to name, p. 139. Neither can we say with 

its spirit, it evidently sought to magnify entire certainty in what language it was; 

the Britons at the expense of the Romans, but probably in Latin, 
from which temper our Historia is nearly ** The Archdeacon of Huntingdon in 

exempt ; iv. cap. 3. It is not cited by one place cites it as quidam author^ and 

name in cap. 4, but the identity of the in another as Gildas Historiographus. 

sources is pretty obvious. I know not Henr. Hunt p. 301-13, in Script, post 

whether the references to Gildas are by Bedam., Franc. 1601. 



pp. 24-8; Warrington, i, pp. 205-10; Brut y Tywysogion, pp. 475-8. 
He alone of that name was Rex Britonum ; though Mervyn, third son 
of Rodri Mawr, held Powj's from 873 to 877^ The year 858 fell fif- 
teen years after his death ; which argument would prove the forgery 
of the Prologus, were it not for the ignorance, then so prevalent, 
of the current year of our Lord. It is, however, a mere swelling out 
and amplification of the shorter prologue, in a bombastic phraseology 
which Nennius did not employ, and it is not credible that both are 
genuine. But the shorter prologue, or Apologia, is to be received as 
genuinei It begins, as in the Irish version, " Ego Nennius Sancti 
Elbodi discipulus aliqua excerpta scribere curavi," &c.; but it is in- 
terpolated from the longer prologue, and otherwise altered, in that 
version. It is to be received, first, from the absence of internal evi- 
dence to its prejudice; secondly, from the absence of internal evi- 
dence. And I wonder that Mr. Stevenson should urge, for such, that 
it occurs not in MSS. anterior to the twelfth century ; when from 
his own shewing we collect, that there exists only one MS. anterior 
to circiter 1150; one, not two, for the MS. of Marcus Anachoreta 
could not contain it, and is not strictly to the purpose The document 
cannot suffer from the silence of MSS. that do not exist. Thirdly, 
there is no motive for the forgery. Great or even well-known names 
have been assumed, in order to give currency to fictions ; such as 
Orpheus, Berosus, Ovid, TuUy, Ossian, and (if you please) Gildas. 
But Nennius was nobody at all, his name does not exist elsewhere, 
and no other works belong to him. What was to be gained by in- 
venting his name ? The fabricator of a work may invent an ideal 
author for it. But here we must suppose, that the genuine work of 
some other man was by forgery ascribed to a Nobody, to an unknown 
person, claiming no rank or distinction, and made to avow his modem 

date. 

* Brut y Tywysog, p. 48 1-2» Others give other years ; but the question is not relevant. 

B2 



date. The rejection of this document would therefore appear to 
me uncritical, and needlessly destructive of fact and document. 
Falsehood is most usually built upon a basis of truth; and the Apolo- 
gia or lesser prologue was the substratum upon which the larger one 
was erected. That fiction was, however, partly founded upon the 
contents of the book itself, which, in cap. xi. Gale, p. 1 4, Stevenson, 
piu'ports to be published in A. D. 437 + 4' 8 + 3 = 858; and in the 
same chapter makes mention, though irrelevantly to that date, of 
King Mervyn, and of the fourth year (not the twenty-fourth) of his 
reign. Such are the sources of the false Prologus. 

The name, which GeoflFrey, Archdeacon of Monmouth, writes 
Nennius, is Nynniaw or Nynyaw in all the Welch copies of the 
chronicles. But it is not a name, whereof the etymon or significancy 
appears. Those chronicles have a legend, that one Nennius was 
brother of Cassivellaunus, fought against Caesar, and took his sword 
from him, slew Labienus, but died himself of his wounds in fifteen 
days after. Galfrid. Monumet. iv. cap. 3-4; Brut Tysilio, &c., p. 
1 73-6. To connect those statements with our historians would have 
exceeded all effrontery, but that of John Bale. That centuriator 
maintains, that Nennius, brother of Cassivellaunus, wrote a beautiful 
history of the origin and progress of the Britons, which another 
Nennius, Abbot of Bangor, translated into Latin and continued. Cent. 
I, fol. 13, fol. 36, 7th ed. 1548. Mr. Gunn's observation, that Nennius 
is described by Geoffrey, i. cap. 1 7, iv., cap. 3 and 4, and by Tysilio, Coll. 
Cambr. pp. 30 and 75, as a British historian, was made inadvertently, 
being at variance with the fact Gunn's Preface, p. 1 9. Geoflfrey's au- 
thor makes no allusion to Nennius the historiographer; though he has 
borrowed things, either from the Historia, or from sources common 
to both. This name (written Ninnius and Ninius in some copies) is 
in all probability the same as that of Ninia, the Apostle of the South 
Picts, and foimder of the Church of Candida Casa, so called by 

William 



William of Malmesbury, and Nynia by Alcuin and Beda. Vide Ussher, 
Brit Eccles. p. i6i, or ed. ii. p. 137. Ninianus has been his com- 
mon appellation among subsequent writers. He had a brother, St. 
Plebeias. Johan. Tinmuth, ap. Ussher addenda, p. 1059, or ed. ii. 
p. 506. Two kings were said in the Welch mythologies to have 
formerly reigned over part of South Wales, and to have been trans- 
formed into oxen for their sins. Their names were Nynniaw and 
Peibiaw. See Mabinogi of Kilhwch, p. 281; note, p. 351. Some 
genealogies of King Arthur include the name of this Nynniaw. From 
Nynniaw and Peibiaw^ John of Tinmouth, or those to whom he was 
indebted, probably derived the idea of the brother saints Nynniaw and 
Pl^iaw, St. Finnian of Maghbile was sent in his youth to a place 
in Britain called Magnum Monasterium, by John of Tinmouth, 
Rosnat, Alba, and Monasterixmi Albium, in Colgan. A. SS. i, pp. 
438-9, and civitas quae dicitur Candida in Colgan, ii. 634. Its ab- 
bot is styled Monennus, Monennius, Nennius, and Nennio. Colg. ib. 
Ussher, p. 954 or 494. But Finnian's instructor at Candida is called 
by his biographer, and in ancient hymns, Mugentius. Colg ib, 634. 
In the life of St. Eugenius he is called Nennio, qui Mancenus dicitur, 
de Rosnatensi monasterio. Colg. ib. p. 430. num. 4. Dr. Lanigan 
concluded that Mo-nennius or Nennio was no other than Ninia, the 
founder of Candida Casa, who was confounded with the existing 
abbot, by reason of its being called his monastery. See Lanigan's 
Eccles. Hist, i, 437, ed. ii The address of Alcuin's epistle was. Ad 
FratresS, Ninianide Candida Casd, Besides the coincidence of Can- 
dida and (dba, it might have been added that the Gaelic name Rosnat, 
promontory of learning, agrees with the Whithem or Whithorn, 
candidum comu, of the Northumbrians. Of the various Irish saints 
named Ninnidh or Nainnidh, and sometimes Latinized into Nennius, 
I take no account, as they belong to another nation ; and it is un- 
certain if it be the same name, the more so as the Graelic appellation 

of 



of St. Ninia is Ringen or Ringan. Ussher, p. 66 1 ; Chalmers's 
Caledonia, i. 135. Nor do the Irish copies of the Historia seem to 
recognize the name of Nennius, as having a known equivalent; for 
they give it, Numnus, Nemnus, Nemnius, Neimnus, Nemonus, and 
Nenamnis. I do not know if the name in question hath any his- 
torical instances, besides those of the Apostle of the Picts and our 
historian. 

His discipleship imto St. Elbod now demands consideration. 
The four chronicles annexed to that of the kings of Britain do not 
clearly define Elbod's date. He is said to have flourished in 755 
and 770. Brut y Tjrwysog. p. 473, p. 391. Warrington fixes his 
appointment to the primacy of North Wales (seated at Bangor) 
about A. D. 762. The Bonedd y Saint, p. 42, says that he was son 
of Cowlwyd, and bishop [of Caergybi** or Holyhead] in 773. He died 
in 800, according to the Brut y Tywysog. p. 392, and John Brechva, 
p. 474; and in 809 according to the Brut y Saeson, p. 474; Brut y 
Tywysog. ibid. The Annals of St. David's, carried down to 1285, 
say, anno 770, Pascha mutatur apud Britones emendante Elbodu homine 
Dei; and A. D. 811, EUodu (sic) episcopus Venedotice obiit. Anglia 
Sacra, 1 1, p. 648. The date of 755 related to North Wales, and this 
of 770 perhaps relates to South Wales; another South- Welchman, 
leuan Brechva, quotes it. Elbodu (whence Elvodugus) is no doubt 
Elbod Ddu, i. e. Elbod the Black, meaning either swarthy or black- 
haired. Godwin, in his book de Praesulibus, has not numbered him 
among the bishops of Bangor, which he might have done. He seems, 
by these accoimts, to have been in activity towards the middle of 
the eighth century, and to have departed this life in the first, or 
ninth, or at latest eleventh year of the ninth century. But the book 

of 

* H. Llwyd, in his Commentariolum, his birthplace, and erroneously described 
p. 85, note, observes that Caergybi was as his see. 



of Nennius exhibits the date of A.D. 858, in its eleventh chapter, as 
being the third year of the existing cycle of nineteen years or forty- 
fifth cycle from the Nativity, and the actually current year. His 
professed acquaintance with the Roman annalists and chronographers, 
and with those of the Angli, which must include Beda himself, and 
his computation of it by the Paschal cycles, give to his statement of 
the annus Domini a credit, which is wanting to quotations of that 
aera by other editors of the Historia Biitonum; and in the same 
sentence he correctly states, that St. Patrick visited Ireland in the 
twenty-third cycle*. Therefore J believe him not to have been far, if 
at all wrong; and to have written in the reign of Rodri Mawr. 
Nennius was also an author not far advanced in years, for his magis- 
ter or teacher, Beulan, was not only living, but still actively influencing 
his conduct. Therefore there appears a disparity of date between 
Elbod and his disciple. 

But I do not deduce from his words, that Nennius did learn un- 
der Elbod or Elbodu, or even that he was born when that person 
died. Mere individuals can have only personal disciples ; but 
founders of a rule, like Benedict, or of a doctrine, like Anus, are 
said to have disciples in those who espouse their systems. Now St. 
Elbod was the author of the greatest revolution known in the 
Welch Church between the fifth and sixteenth centuries. By his in- 
fluence and authority the churches of Wales were first led into con- 
formity with the Latin communion; and the celebrated Paschal 
schism, after 350 years of duration, began to be abandoned But 

this 

* I would not take his words (xxiii. piration of the cycle, but rather as the fact 

cydi decemnovennales U9que ad adventum is. For if he had been as ignorant as the 

S, Pairicii in Hibemiam^ et ipsi anni ef- other British chronologists, he would 

fidunt numerum 437 annorum) so rigidly, probably have missed the true cycle, 
as that Patrick came in 437, at the ex- 



8 

this change (which, contrary to the order of events in Ireland, began 
in the north and was most resisted in the south) was not suddenly 
completed, nor without violent dissensions among the clergy and 
people; to which cause may be ascribed the various years in which 
this affair is said, either generally, or with distinction of north and 
south, to have been decided, viz.: 755, 768, 770, 777. Yet though 
" in A. D. 777, Easter was changed in South Wales" (Brut y Tywys. 
p. 474), that change was not as yet realized there in 802. See 
Ussher, Index ChronoL And the death of Elbod, in 809, is said to 
have been a signal for fresh disputes^ on the subject. Brut y Tywys. 
p. 475. Between*^ 842 and 847, it was still a topic of private discus- 
sion, though perhaps no longer of national contention. The memory 
of their old ritual was long cherished among the Welch; who er- 
roneously imagined that their discipline had been that of St. John 
and the Seven Churches of Asia, and therefore paid a peculiar 
honour to that apostle, and sometimes called their religious peculiari- 
ties the ordinances of John. See Beda, Hist. Eccl. iii. cap. 25; Pro- 
ber t's Triads, p. 79; Triodd Doethineb Beirdd, num. 219, p. 314; 
Llewelyn Vardd, Canu y Gadvan, v. 5, ab ult In the spurious pro- 
logus, Nennius is made to entitle himself Dei gratia, S. Elbodi disci- 
pvlus, and I think its writer understood Nennius as I do ; not 
meaning to thank Grod for giving him, personally, so learned a tutor; 
but to profess, that by God's grace he was reunited to the catholic 
conununion of the west, which the Paschal differences had disturbed 
for several centuries. He was not a disciple of John, but a disciple 
of Elbod. It is observable that Nennius (as distinct from Marcus) 
computes his own date by the decemnovennal or Latin cycle, as that 

established 

^ Vita S. Joban. Chrysostomi, cit Rice eoene of those discusnons, appears from 
Bees on Welch Saints, p. 66, note. That the date. For even lona had then con- 
Britain, not Irehind or Scotland, was the formed 130 years. 



established in his country when he wrote ; and we verify thereby the 
fact, that he was an Elbodian. 

It is commonly said, that Nennius was a monk or even abbot of 
Bangor is y Coed, studied under the celebrated Dunawd Gwr or 
Dionotus, and was one of those who escaped from the massacre of 
the monks by Ethelfrid, King of Northumbria, in 607. There is not 
a single date in any of the various copies of the Historia, which lays 
claim to an earlier century than the ninth. And the chief motive for 
reverting to this obsolete idea is to observe, that the entire notion 
of his belonging to Bangor, and his title of Nennius Bannochorensis, 
was probably a mere delusion, founded upon his being a disciple of 
Elbod, who was styled Archbishop of Gwynedd, and was Bishop of 
Bangor Vawr in Arvon, a place remote from the abbey of Bangor is 
y Coed in Cheshire, or, more correctly speaking, in Flintshire. I 
have detected no indications of his town or province. 

He had for instructor a priest by name Beular, or rather Beulan^, 
of whom a little more has been said than he merits. '* I omitted 
(saith Nennius) the Saxon*" genealogies, cum inutiles magistro meo, 
id est Beulario presbytero, visas sunt." Cap. 6$. Some have called 
him Samuel Beulan ; but others will have it, that Beulan had, by his 
wife Lseta, a son Samuel, who wrote commentaries upon Nennius. 
Gale repeatedly speaks of this Samuel as an interpolator ; Mr. Ber- 
tram of Copenhagen becomes quite impassioned on the subject; while 
the oracles from Mr. Pinkerton's tripod pronounce that both Nen- 
nius and Samuel are equally vile. But neither father nor son have 
any historical existence, other than what the former owes to the 

above 

* Feu Uan, regie ecdesicPj or regio culta. that, being then in existence, the Saxon 

^ That omission is supplied in some genealogies were not received by him into 

MSS. at considerable length. We are pro- his compilation ; at least, thej appear to 

bablj not to understand that thej were me to mention no person subsequent to 

composed subsequently to Nennius ; but the eighth century. 

IRISH ABCH. SOC. 1 6. * C 



lO 

above text of Nennius, and both of them to notes in prose and verse 
appended to one or two of the MSS. The principal record of Sa- 
muel is in the following production, contained in a Cambridge MS. of 
about the beginning of the thirteenth centur}^ marked Ff. i. 2 7, p. 20; 
which Mr. Stephenson (Pref p. xxvi.) has printed in a form meant 
to be explanatory, but rather needing explanation. I believe I have 
restored them to the form in which the document exhibits them. 

*' Versus Nennini ad Samuelem filium magistri sui Beulani presbyteri, viri reli- 
giosi, ad quern historiam suam scripserat. 

** Adjutor benignus caris dcx^tor effabilis fonis', 

.i. Samueli 

'* Gaudium honoris isti katholica lege magni, 
" Nos omnes precamur, qui ros sit tutus utatur. 

.i. Bcalani 

*' Xpiste^ tribuisti patri Samuelem, let& matre. 

.1. mater .L Samuel 

'* Tmnizat haec semper tibi longsvus Ben servus tuL 
" Zona indue salutis istum pluribus annis'*. 

" Versus ejusdem Nennii. 
" Fornifer qui digitis scripsit ex ordine trinis 
Incolumis obtalmis sitque omnibus membris. 
£n Yocatur Ben notis litteris nominis quini." 

Then follows the false statement about the twenty-fourth year of 
Mervyn Vrych, extracted from the spurious Prologus. The initials 
of the words in the first three lines, from adjutor to utatur, go 
through the alphabet to U, and the initials of the last three lines go 
on to Z ; the change occurring at the sacred initial X. How to construe 
them ; vfhsX fornifer can mean ; what Ben^ means, who is so called, 
and why ; and what the nomen quinum is ; are mysteries. The only 
thing plain from them is the origin of Samuel's mother Zop/a, in verse 4; 

Icetd 

' Fonis for the Greek ^vSliq, thought he had closed the preceding one 

^ Sic. The p in Xpiste is the Greek with istum scdu — . Mr. Stevenson has 

Rha erroneously printed A men^ for annis. 
" This verse stands thus in the MS., ^ Gualtherus in his Alexandreis lib. iv. 

Zona indue salutisistum /is pluribus annis. says, *' Successit Ben Num Moisi post 

The tia begins a line, and the writer bella sepulto/' 



1 1 



l(Btd matre, his mother being glad ! In spite of these obscure sayings 

it is not apparent to me, that Samuel, son of Beulan and Lseta, is a 

different person from Nennius himself. For the words added to cap. 3 

in one of Gkde's MSS., wherein Samuel's name occurs (and wherein 

alone it occurs, so far as I am made aware, with the exception of 

those verses) are these: " I, the Samuel, that is to say the child, of my 

master, that is to say of Beulan the priest, wrote it in this page, yet 

this genealogy was not written in any volume of Britain, but was in the 

writing of writer." Gfile, p. 119. Bertram, p. 187: "Samuel, 

id est infans, magistri mei, id est Beulani presbyteri, in istfi. paging 

scripsi," &c. Here we see, that Samuel is only a figurative phrase 

for one dedicated to divine studies from his tender years. " And 

the child Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli." But there is 

• 

an obvious delicacy in not saying " Eli mei" instead of " magistri 
mei," for the priest and kind patron of Samuel was a feeble and im- 
perfect character. The youth of Nennius, and his not having passed 
the inferior orders, may also be inferred from this passage; as well 
as from cap. 65. Therefore the writer of the verses could not 
mean Nennius, but might mean Beulan, by longasvus Ben. If these 
things be so (and I see them no otherwise) we shall be quit"" of Sa- 
muel Beulanus, Samuel Beulani filius, Samuel Britannus, &c. ; and 
Beulan himself remains, only known for his contempt of Saxon 
genealogy. 

But another man besides Nennius, and before him, had published 
the Historia Britonum, Marcus the Anachoret. To him that His- 
toria is ascribed in the famous MS. of the tenth century, published 
by Mr. Gunn. It was penned in A. D. 946, being the fifth and last 
year of Edmund, King of England; pp. 45, 62, 80. The frequent 

repetition 

^ See Bale, Cent. fol. 37, a., 38, a. Med. et. Inf. Latin. vL p. 417, in Samud, 
Leland .de Script. Brit.cap. 48. Fabricii Pitseus cit. ibid, 

C2 



12 



repetition of this date, and some changes in the catalogue of cities, 
shew the writer to have been an Englishman or Anglo-Saxon. Mr. 
Gunn, in his title page, says it was edited by Mark in the tenth cen- 
tury. But Mark flourished early in the ninth; and it is only his 
transcriber, who gives us his own date in the tenth. Marcus was a 
Briton born, and educated in Ireland, where he was for a long time 
a bishop, but he settled in France, where (for aught that appears) he 
ended his days. Heric of Auxerre (in a prose Life* of Germanus, 
which mentions an event of A. D. 873, but was certainly published 
before October, 877) reports, that he and divers other persons had 
formerly heard, from the lips of Marcus, a narrative concerning Ger- 
manus; which Heric retails, with as little variation"' from the same 
narrative in the Historia Britonum (Marcus, pp. 62-5 ; Nennius, 
cap. 30-4), as could be expected in such oral repetitions. Therefore 
the heading of the Petavian MS. derives potent confirmation, from 
the fact that Marcus could repeat the substance of it by heart Mr, 
Stevenson's adverse supposition is not an absurd one, that the tran- 
scriber of A. D. 946, having read Hericus de Miraculis Germani, 
and seen there the substance of this story, thence inferred that Mar- 
cus wrote the Historia, and so asserted it It may be replied that, if 
he did read Hericus he would have seen that he quoted no book, but 
only conversations; and that Marcus himself in those conversations, 

referred 



' Heric also formed, out of the most 
ancient Life of Grermanus, by his cotem- 
porary Constantius Monachus, a poem 
which entitles him to a high rank among 
modern Latin versifiers ; upon the strength 
of which Mr. Stevenson has dubbed him 
Constantius Hericus. Frsef. p. xiiL 

^ Nothing is more natural, than for 
Heric, after many years, to substitute 



natio BriUmum for the phrase, so strange 
to his ears, of r^fio Powysorum. The 
main discrepance is the expulsion of the 
tyrant, instead of the burning him with 
fire from heaven. It is astonishing that 
Gale should annotate *' Vide £ricum in 
yit& Grermani, quem hasc ex Nennio sump- 
sisse constat,'' when the contrary is de- 
clared in such very express terms. 



'3 

referred to no such historical work, but to the original sources of it 
** The aforesaid bishop, whose probity whosoever hath experienced 
will by no means hesitate to believe his words, assured me, with the 
addition of an oath, that these things were contained in Catholicis 
litteris in Britannil" But the words litterce Catholicce do not apply 
to such a compilation as this; but to the dcta or gesta of their saints, 
which were preserved in particular churches 

However, there are broader reasons to be considered, than the 
mere assertion of the MS. The Historia is the work of a Briton. 
None other is likely to have been in possession of so many British 
traditions; and the Irish, in particular, seem to have held" opposite 
traditions. Besides, he plainly signifies himself such, in a phrase 
which the Anglo-Saxon scribe cannot have introduced, where he 
quotes British legends " ex traditione nostrorum veterum!^ Marcus^ 
p. 53. Yet the work of this British man is that of an Irish author, ad- 
dressing himself peculiarly to the Irish people, and exclusively Irish 
in the religious part of his feelings. This appears in his notices of 
Irish history; in his copious notice of St. Patrick; but chiefly and 
most demonstratively in the fifty-third page of Marcus^ There the 
epochs of Patrick, Bridget, and Columkille, the three patrons of all 
Ireland, are commemorated; whereas the whole work does not con- 
tain the name of David, Htutus, Dubricius, or any British saint 
whatsoever. Nothing can be more certain than the author's close 
connexion with Ireland. This truth was appreciated, or perhaps 
was known, by those transcribers'" who assigned the Historia to 
Gildas Hibemicus ; for its author, though not an Irishman, was 
really an Hibernian Gildas, or man of religion and learning. But 

all 

B For they derived the Britons from ° Cap. 11, Gale; 16, StevenaoiL 
Britan Maol, son of Fergus Red-side, son p See Casimir Oudin, Script. £ccL ii. 
of Nemedius. P* 73* 



14 

all the premises are true of Marcus, who was natione Britd^, educatus 
verd in Hibemid^ and had been an Irish bishop. For though Heric's 
words, "ejusdem gentis episcopus" are equivocal, the doubt is solved 
by those of the Ekkehards or Eccards of St. Gallen' : " Marcus Scot- 
tigena episcopus Galium tanquam compatriotam suura Rom& rediens 
visitat." So that if we determine to reject Marcus, the alleged 
author of this production, it will only be to seek for some other man 
precisely corresponding in circumstances. Nennius, on the other 
hand, is neither recorded, nor doth he seem, to have had connexion 
with Ireland; he was not an Irish religionist, but an Elbodi discipulus; 
and he refers to the scripta Scotorum Anglorumque as to things 
equally foreign to himself 

We have now to compare the date of Marcus with that of the 
Historia. After mentioning Britannia insula^ Heric proceeds to 
mention the holy old man Marcus, a bishop of the same nation, who 
was by birth a Briton, but was educated in Ireland, and, after a long 
exercise of episcopal sanctity, imposed upon himself a voluntary 
pilgrimage, and having so parsed into France, and being invited by 
the munificence of the pious King Charles, spent an anachoretic life 
at the convent of Saints Medard and Sebastian; a remarkable philoso- 
pher in our days, and of peculiar sanctity. Eccard Junior explains 
to us that his pilgrimage was to Rome, and that on his return from 
thence he visited the Abbey of St. Gall. His sister's son, Moengal, 
accompanied him, whom they afterwards named Marcellus, as a di- 
minutive from Marcus. At the request of Grimaldus the Abbot of 
St Gallen, and at the persuasion of his nephew, he consented to 

tarry 

^ Hericus de Mirac. Grerm. ap Labbe, nicarum, torn. L p. 12. In Ekkehardi 

Bibl. Manuscr. i, p. ^^f^. Minimi Vita Notkeri, cap. 7, ibid. p. 230, 

^ Ekkehardus Junior de casibus Monast. there are similar words. 
Sangallensis ap. Goldasti Rerum Alaman- 



15 

tarry there, which raised a mutiny among their servants, who desired 
to return home. But they pacified their retinue by distributing 
among them the bishop's money, mules, and horses. The com- 
mencement of this sojourn fell between A. D. 841 and the June of 
872*, such being the limits of Grimald's abbacy. After a time 
Marcellus was made master of the abbey school, and of the boys who 
were training up to the monastic life, including Notkerus, who was 
afterwards called Balbulus, in which situation he distinguished him- 
self in music and other sciences. But Marcus afterwards seceded 
to the abbey of St Medard at Soissons. At the time, between 473 
and 477, when Heric was writing this, Marcus was no more; for 
Labbe's reading, exercehat vitam, though changed by the BoUandists 
to exercet^ is confirmed by " multis coram referre solitus erat" by the 
phrase nostra tempore^ and by the description of him as having then 
been " sanctus senexr But his entire sojourn at St. Gallen succeeded 
his sojourn at Bome. And his journey to Bome was undertaken 
'' post longa pontificalis sanctitatis exercitia;'' the commencement of 
which exercitia could not, canonically, have preceded the completion 
of his thirtieth year; but cannot, according to the laws of probability , 
be fixed to its earliest possible epoch. From all which circumstances, 
it is by no means improbable, that the birth of Marcus ascended into 

the eighth century. 

Such 

^ Ratpertus de Monast S. Grallenei, pp. boy of fifteen when Marcellus took him 

6-9, ibid, Notker the Lisper was placed in hand, the latter was master of the ab- 

under Marcellus, when a boy. But Not- bey school in 847. If Notker died at 85, 

ker died in 912, nimid cetate in^ravescente, 84, 83, &c., we shall draw so much nearer 

and in senectd band plenua dierum beaio to 841, our chronological limit But he 

^ne defieiens^ consoling himself with the could scarcely be appointed, before his 

reflection that " man's days at the most uncle and he had made some considerable 

are an hundred years." — Ecclus. xviii 9. sojourn at the abbey. See £]^kehardi 

Therefore I place his birth at least eighty Minimi Vita Notkeri, cap. 32. 
years before, or in 832 ; and if he was a 



i6 

Such being the chronology of Marcus himself, we require the date 
of the book ascribed to him. Here it must be observed, that during 
and before the first half of the ninth century, the sera of Christ' was 
recently introduced and ill understood, among the British and Irish ; 
whereat we need not complain, seeing how imperfectly it was worked 
out by Beda himself. " The Christian aera (saith Mr. Carte) was 
not then, at its first coming into use, so well understood as it hath 
been since." Their use of the two Christian aeras or years of redemp- 
tion, viz. the Nativity and the Passion, sometimes one, sometimes 
the other, and sometimes both, increased the confusion of their 
Dominical dates. But the plain root of the evil was, that they did 
not know, and could not tell, what year of our Lord the current 
year was. If the Christian sera were now of recent introduction, 
seldom mentioned, and not to be found in one book out of a thousand, 
few of us could tell what year thereof it is. It would be a fact of 
learned and not obvious attainment; and was more so to those 
whose learning was scanty. They knew how many years the reign- 
ing prince had reigned; but they did not know what year of Christ 
that was. So the English transcriber of Marcus gives us his date 
sufficiently, viz., the quintus Eadmundi regis Anglorum, but absurdly 
adds that it was A. D. P. 946 and A. D. N. 976 ; and twice again 
states, that it was 547 years after A. D. P. 447, which makes" A. D. N. 
1024. Yet this imbecility does not aflTect the date, which is con- 
sistently given. Marcus nowhere gives an express date, that we can 
convert into the Annus Domini But we have his assertion that, 

** from 

^ Upon this subject see the learned pre- nexed to Moses Williams's edition of 

face to the Ogygia, and O'Conor in Script. Lhwyd's Commentariolum. 
Rer. Hib. xi. p. 20. And, for specimens " According to his computation, which 

of absu]^ anachronism in that sra, see allows only thirty years between the Na- 

Grale's second appendix to Nennius, p. 118, tivity and Passion, 
and the ^rse Cambro-Britannicte an- 



17 

" from the time when the Saxons came into Britain, imto the fourth 
year of King Mervyn, 428 years are computed;" being in truth about 
fifty-one years too many. Now the fourth year of Mervyn Vrych, or 
822, was no epocha, either in general or local history; and no motive 
can be conjectured for his computation stopping at that year of the 
reign, except that it was the then current year. We must, there- 
fore, dismiss entirely his miserable attempts at Christian chronology, 
and take the plain fact, that he was writing quarto Mermeni [Mervini, 
Nenn.] regis, p. 53. Therefore the book was in progress of composition 
in the year 822, which agrees sufficiently well with what we know 
of Marcus. It equally agrees with the date^ of 820 e^ deinceps, 
assigned to Gildas Hibernicus. The Historia seems to have been 
originally composed, whilst a certain Fernmael, son of Tudor, was 
Lord of Buellt and Guortigerniawn; from which passage and others, 
I conjecture the author to have come from those parts of Wales, and 
to have had some acquaintance or connexion with that descendant of 
Vortigem. All copies agree that Fernmael was eleventh in descent 
from Pascent, youngest son of Vortigem. Therefore if we suppose* 
Pascent's son, Briacat, to be born at the time of Vortigem's death, 
which Owen calls 481, and Blair 484, and we may call 480, then 
Femmaers birth, at thirty years to the generation, will fall upon 780, 
and the forty-second year of his life will coincide with 822. There- 
fore this date, which our ignorance when Fernmael lived and died 
deprives of any direct utility, seems at least to be consistent with the 
quartus Mervini regis, or 822. It is remarkable, that while Nennius 
retains the assertion that Fernmael was actually reigning (regit modd) 
the text of Marcus exhibits regnavit. p. 78. Nennius, cap. 52. But 
that is the handywork of the scribe of 946, who was particularly 
tenacious of his own date, and would not have Fernmael for his 

contemporary. 

' Cave de Scripts Eccles. ii. p. i6, ed, 1745. 

laiSH ARCH. 80C. NO. 1 6. D 



i8 

contemporary. The year 822 is, therefore, the lowest date of the 
original Historia. But it is also the highest, unless we are disposed 
to look for some other nameless Brito-Hibernian, anterior to Marcus, 
as a tortoise for the elephant. That such a one may have existed is, 
of course, possible; but perhaps criticism, having found exactly what 
it wants, will do better to acquiesce. 

It results, that Marcus compiled this credulous book of British 
traditions, for the edification of the Irish, circ. A.D. 822; and one 
Nennius, a Briton of the Latin communion, republished it with addi- 
tions and changes, circ, A.D. 858. We should, however, keep in mind, 
that we have not the text of Marcus upon which Nennius worked, 
but a text which was tampered with about ninety years after Nen- 
nius wrote; and, therefore, the Marcian text of the Petavian MS. is 
not, in every trifling instance where they differ, the oldest of the 
two. 

But another edition or revisal of the Historia succeeded that of 
Nennius; and its author has introduced his own date with precision, 
yet with an utter ignorance of the Christian aera. What more he 
introduced besides the date does not appear, but perhaps nothing of 
moment. It occurs in the enumeration of the six ages of the world, 
that precede the British history. " From the Passion of Christ 800 
years have elapsed, but from his Incarnation 832, down to the thirtieth 
year of Anarawd, King of Mona, who now rules the region of Vene- 
dotia or Gwynedd''." In truth Anarawd or Honoratus, son of Rodri 
MaMnr, reigned over Gwynedd from 876 to 913, and the thirtieth 
year of his reign was the year 906, and the same in which that 
scribe was writing ; being just seventy-four years out of his reckon- 
ing. Brut y Tywys. p. 482-5. And as he republished with an in- 
terpolated 

^ " WenedocisB regionis, id est Guer- bridge manuscript, Ff. i. 27, it is Guer- 
met," apud Gale, male^ In the • Cam- net 



^9 

terpolated date the Nennian edition, so (we have seen) did another 
person, in A. D. 946, send forth again the older Marcian edition. 

It will strike every reader, that this work was peculiarly dealt 
with. It was treated as a sort of common land, upon which any 
goose might graze. Mere transcribers seem to have played the edi- 
tor, if not the author. The dates thrice introduced by the Petavian 
scribe are not annexed in the way of colophon, but are interwoven 
into the solid text, in complicated sentences, and with elaborate mis- 
calculation. Nennius himself no where states, that he was republish- 
ing, with a limited amount of change and addition, the Historia of 
the Brito-Irish compiler. It seems to have been regarded as the 
album or common-place book of Britannia, to which any one might 
laudably add such passages as he knew of; and elucidate or obscure, 
according to his ability, what he found already there. It was no 
rule to expimge what the predecessors had stated, even when stating 
the contrary; from which cause inconsistencies disfigure the text. 
So Marcus having stated that St. Patrick went to Ireland in A. D. 
405, Nennius has faithfully republished it; but almost in the next 
sentence of the same chapter he states, that there were twenty-three 
decemnovennal cycles unto St. Patrick's advent, in a true sense, I 
believe, but certainly in one utterly discordant with the previous 
text. In like manner, Fernmael, son of Tudor, continued to be 
living and reigning in 858, and in the thirtieth of Anarawd, or 906, 
and was not killed off till 946. This common-place book of Britain 
seems rather analogous to the histories about St. Patrick, which 
Tirechan has strung together under the name of Annotatianes. The 
Historia Britonum merits such a title equally well, and the like of it 
is signified by its writers in their phrase of Eay>erimenta^ cap. i , 3, 
and 12, Gale; pp. 48, 53, Gunn. This state of the case tends to ab- 
solve Nennius from the charge of imposture in appropriating the 
labours of another; for the mode of proceeding with this book seems 

D2 to 



20 



to have been understood. In his Apology he speaks of his own 
work or publication, as being one, " quod multi doctores atque libra* 
rii scribere tentaverint," authors and transcribers classed together; 
and complains, that " nescio quo pacto- difficilius reliquerint," each 
transcribing doctor leaving it less intelligible than he found it; which 
misfortune he ascribes to frequent wars and pestilences, instead of 
the more proximate cause, viz.: the accumulated blimders of ill- 
instructed men. He apologizes for presuming " post tantos haec tanta 
scribere," and he can scarcely apply the words '' post tantos" gene- 
rally to the historians of Britain, for he had complained that there were 
next to none; but the " hcec tanta" is to be taken literally for the very 
book in hand. In his concluding chapter he mentions his omission 
(at Beulan's suggestion) to write the Saxon genealogies, seemingly of 
earlier date than his own, " nolui ea scribere," adding, " but I have 
written of the cities and remarkable things of Britain, as other writers 
wrote before me." The same observations apply to this passage. 
Lastly, when he says of a Trojan genealogy', "haec genealogia non 
est scripta in aliquo volumine Britannice^ sed in scriptione .... scrip- 
toris fuit," he clearly means " in any previous copy or edition of this 
book of Britain ;" and in fact it is absent from the text of Marcus. 
The Irish version now published, is actually entitled, in the Books of 
Lecan and Hy-Many, *' Leabhar Breathnach," i. e. Volumen Britanni- 
cum, or Book of Britain. The vast avidity with which Greoflfrey of 
Monmouth was received by the world prevents our wondering that 
transcripts of this book had been multiplied within about thirty-six 
years, as seems to have been the case. 

This condition of aflTairs oflfers a great excuse for our Irish trans- 
lator, if he be found to introduce many things illustrative of British 
history, that were not in any transcript of the Latin book from 

which 

* Cod. Bened. in Gale, Var. Lect. p. 119. 



21 

which he professes to take his own, or as Nennius hath it, "in aliquo 
volumine Britanniee." It were indeed more hard to excuse him, for 
giving expressly " as recorded by Nennius" certain details of Irish 
history which Nennius did not record, but for the great likelihood 
that the same thing happened in Ireland as in Britain, viz. : that the 
successive editorial transcribers of the Irish Nennius inserted words 
of their own. In which case, that false heading may not have been 
the work of any man who knew it to be false. There is some reason 
to think, that the Irish translation was made by a certain Guanach, 
and that the text, as now printed, was revised by a later hand. For 
after a translation of considerable closeness and fidelity from Nennius, 
it is written, " it was in this way that our noble elder Guanach de- 
duced the pedigree of the Britons, from the chronicles of the Romans." 
Infra, p. 37. But a work, actually commencing with the words " Ego 
Nemnius [Nennius] Elvodugi discipulus," could never mean to rob that 
author of his matter, and falsely ascribe it to a certain Guanach. It 
is, therefore, apparent that Guanach was either the Irish translator, 
or an editor of the translation; and that this annotation proceeds 
from an editor of junior date and calling him his elder^ The " chro- 
nicles of the Romans," employed by Guanach, are nothing more than 
the Latin copies of the Historia Britonum ; which is stated by Nen- 
nius himself (in the Irish translation, as well as in the original, of his 
Apologia) to be partly collected from the Annals of the Romans and 
the Chronicles of the Saints. The earliest MS. of the Irish Nennius, 
so far as is known to its editor, is of the twelfth century. But the 

epoch 

» According to O'Reilly {Irish voriterSy lator. This would furnish increased evi- 

p. 120) there is a memorandum prefixed dence to the employment of a plurality 

to the copy of the Leabkar Breatknach^ in and succession of hands. The Book of 

the Book of Hy-Many, which says that Hy-Many has passed into the hands of 

Nennius was the author, and Giolla some private collector, and is no longer 

Caoimhghin (who died in 1072) the trans- accessible. — {T.) 



22 



epoch of the translation does not seem to transpire from any internal 
evidence. 

A.H. 



P. S. — A partial elucidation of the very obscure verses in page lo 
is due to the kindness and ingenuity of the Rev. S. R Maitland, who 
observes that the last line, if we read it " En vocatur Ben notis litteris 
nominis quinis" not quini', will apply to the name Benlanus (though 
not to Beulanus), which spelling is mentioned in Fabricius, and that 
of Benlanius in Pitseus. For Benlanus, understanding (notis, i. e. 
subintellectis) the other five letters, lanus, will leave Ben ; or, by 
changing notis to motis, i. e. removed, the sense becomes more ex- 
plicit. Indeed the MS., which has Beulani plainly written in red 
ink, has another u written above in black ink, and the red u scored 
under with black; which shows that attention had been attracted to 
the first syllable of the name. Benllan signifies Caput Ecclesiae. Mr. 
Maitland thinks that magni in the second line had its origin in magri, 
the contraction of magistri. And also that the inexplicable word 
fomifer should be formiter, i. e. " rect^, secimdum formam vel legem." 
Du Cange. Upon the whole, a more obscure and enigmatical com- 
position will scarcely be met with. 

A. H. 
I 1 

* It 18 written in the MS. qni; and trinis, tnia. 



teabhaR bReadiwach onnso sis. 



CeabhQR 






leabhaR bReachnach qnnso sis. 




foODtWri'jelOVt^ o,rc,p„i„r oi,. 

qua c;rceppca f cpipepe cupauai ^l. po Deichnijef 
50 pa fspibamo apaile do lamapca, -| me Nenam- 
nip oifgibail Gluoaij, oaig jio oepmaio heap ■) aimeasna in 

cencoil 



' Liber Brittanicus. — Ceabap 6pernac, 
*' the British Book;" this title is given to 
the following work in the Books of Lecan 
and Hy-Many. The initial words, G^o 
Hemniup Gloou^i, are a fac-simile from 
the Book of Lecan — {T.) 

** Ego Nennius, j>c. Numnus, D., Neim- 
nus, B., Nemonus, D., a secunda manu. — 
(T.) The following are the true words 
of the Apologia Nennii : '^ I Nennius, a 
disciple of St. Elbod, have taken the 
pains to write certain extracts, which the 
dulness of the British nation had cast 
aside, because the doctors of the island 
Britannia had no skill, and did not place 
any commemoration in books. But I have 
collected all that I could find, as well out 
of the Annals of the Romans, as out of 



the chronicles of the holy Fathers [that 
is, Jerome, £usebius, Isidore, Prosper, in- 
terpol. in some MSS.], and from the wri- 
tings of the Scots and Angles, and from 
the traditions of our own ancestors (ve- 
terum); which thing (quod) many doctors 
and scribes have attempted to write, but 
have left more difficult ; I know not 
wherefore, unless it be on account of the 
frequent mortalities and continual disas- 
ters of war. I beg that every reader, who 
reads this book, will forgive me, that I 
have ventured to write such considerable 
things as these after such considerable per- 
sons, like a chattering bird, or like some 
incompetent judge {invalidus arbiter), I 
defer to him, who may know more in this 
branch of knowledge than I do." That 




LIBER BRITANNICUS*. 




GO Nemnius" Elvodugi*" discipulus, aliqua** excerp- 
ta* scribere curavi, i. e. I have taken pains' to write 
certain fragments, and I am Nenamnis^ a disciple 
of Eludach**, because the folly and ignorance* of 
the nation of Britannia have given to oblivion the 
history and origin of its first people, so that they 



veterum means ancients or ancestors, not 
aged men, appears from cap. 13, Gale and 
Bertram, 1 7 Stevenson. I conceive inva- 
lidus arbiter to mean a judge, acting with- 
out the limits of his jurisdiction. — (JS,) 

* ^wjrfM^'.— Elodugi L. See the In- 
troductory Remarks, p. 6 (T.) 

* Aliqua — alllc^ D., for alia ; Irish 
scribes frequently write Latin words in 
conformity with the rule of Irish ortho- 
graphy called Caol le caol, ajup leacan 
le learon ; of this we have another ex- 
ample here in the word cupauai for 
euram, — (T.) 

^Excerpta. — Oipcepco, L., t)irceppra, 
B.-(r.) 

ISISH ARCH. SOC. NO. 1 6. 



are 

f I have taken paim, — ^Deicibnijiufa, 
B., t)eichecDi^epa, L., from beicme, 
care, diligence. — (T.) 

8 Nenamnis, — Nemnur, B. The Book 
of Lecan does not give the name in this 
place.— <T.) 

^ Eludaeh, or Eludag. Bulobaj, B. 
Oepabul aile pobai^, L. — (T.) 

'^FoUy and ignorance, — 6eap ajup aenec, 
B., where aenec is probably for ainpeich 
or aineolac, ignorance. 6af ayup e^na, 
the habit and knowledge, D. The Latin 
copies read ^' quae hebetude gentis Brit- 
tannise," &c. The reading in the text is 
from L.— (T.) 



£ 



26 



ceneoil bjieacainm feapcapa T bunaoana na cecoame cona pibc 
[i popaicme] a fgpibanoaib nac a lebpaib. TTleffc imoppo, po 
comcinoili pa na pencapa puapapa in analcaib na Roman, ap na 
cponicib na ppuiche noeb .1. Qppuioip i Cipme -| Gapebii, m anal- 
caib Sa;fan -] '^attyil, -] ma pnapap o cionocol ap n-appa pcin. 

II. bpiconia mpola a bpinma pilio Ipocon oicca epc .1. o 
bpiran pacep imp bpecan, no acbepaio apaile gomao o'n n ap 
bpucap no pacea .1. an ceo conpal po bai a Romancaib. Qlbion 
imoppo po b'e ceo ainm mopi bpeacan. Ochc ceo mile cemeno poc 
inopi bpeacan. Da ceo mile cemmo ina lecec. Ochc ppim-cach- 
paca .jcj:. moce, i ace anopo a n-anmanoa [oopeip eolach bpecan]. 

Caep 



J Ccmmemoraied. — Q popaiehmeach, 
L. Omitted in D. '* Neque ullam 00m- 
memorationem in libris posuerunt." — (T.) 

^ Brou^t together. — Comchmiol, L., 
Conncinoiliup, B., " coacervavi." — (T.) 

' Isidore. — The Irish always corrupted 
foreign names. Thus Isidore is GpuiDtp, 
L., 6ppuibip, B. Jerome is Cipene, L., 
Cipme, B. (the C having probably been 
aspirated to represent HieronymtLs). £u8e- 
bius is Gbpeuiuf , L., Gupebiup, B. The 
readings of D are given in the text The 
Latin adds Prosper^ who is not mentioned 
in any of the Irish copies. — (71) 

^ChxeU — It is worthy of note that the La- 
tin word Scoti orScotti, is uniformly trans- 
lated ^aeSil, Gadelii or Graels, throughout 
this work. 3^e6tl is the name by which 
the Irish and Highlanders of Scotland de- 
signate themselves to the present day. 
The Welch also call themselves Gwydhil, 
and their country Tir GwydhiL — (T.) 



° Tradition. — The word cmnocol is 
here evidently used to represent the Latin 
*' ex. traditione veterum nostrorum.^' It 
signifies, conveyance, handing down from 
one to another y tradition ; the verb eK>6- 
nacaim, to deliver, is in use in modem 
Irish. Q h-CDialcaib ^aeiDel p uopup o 
chibnocol h-e lap n-appanoaib, L. Ocup 
ma puapuf o rionacul ap n-appaca, B. 

^ Britonia ineola. — This section is re- 
peated twice in L. first at the beginning, 
and again near the end ; the readings of the 
former of these copies will be denoted by 
L'. those of the second by L*. The second 
alone contains the list of cities. — (T.) 

^ABritinia, — Omitted L^ ; a 6pecone, 
U. ; a 6picone, B. — (T.) 

^ Dicta est. — Oacanca, D., the Irish 
equivalent word put instead of the Latin. 
-iT.) 

' Or some say .... named. — Omitted, 



27 



are not commemorated^ in writings nor in books. But I have 
brought together^ the histories that I found in the Annals of the 
fiomanst out of the chronicles of the learned saints, viz.: Isidore', 
and Jerome, and Eusebius, in the Annals of the Saxons and Gaels"", 
and what I discovered from the tradition" of our own old men. 

11. Britonia insola'' a Britinia^ filio Isocon dicta est"*, i. e. the 
island of Britain is named from Britan, or some say that it was from 
one Brutus it was named', i. e. the first consul* that was of the Ro- 
mans; but Albion^ was the first name of the island of Britain. Eight 
hundred thousand paces is the length" of the island of Britain. Two 
hundred thousand paces is its breadth. Eight and twenty principal 
caers [or cities] are in it; and these following'' are their names, ac- 
cording to the learned of Britain'' : — 

Caer-Gortigem. 



B. hK No abbepaiD opoile ip o 6nicuf 
po h-ainmnij^eab, L^ The name of 
Britain is here derived from Brutus the 
first Boman consul; but in another part 
of this work it is said to have been de- 
rived from Brutus, son of Silvius, son of 
Ascanius, son of iBneas. — (T.) 

' Tkejirst consul, — Firtt is omitted in 
aU the Latin copies, and rightly. For L. 
Junius Brutus is not here alluded to ; and 
constd is said, in a general way, for a per- 
son of power and dignity. See Mr. Gunn's 
note vi p. 94, &o. ; Du Cange in ConatU and 
Cantulahu; Galfrid. Monimiet. i. cap. 13, 
X. cap. 4, &c Marcus Anachoreto, p. 80. 
Tywysawg appears to be the British equi- 
valent; Bruttus Tywysawg o Ruvein; 
Hanes Grufudd ab Cynan, p. 584. The 
fable of Brute the Trojan was not devoid 
of a slight foundation in the Boman tra- 



ditions; for Junius Brutus was descended 
^m a Trojan who accompanied iGneas; 
but the name Junius, rather than the 
surname Brutus, was Trojan. See Dion. 
HaL Ant iv. cap. 68. — (H,) 

' Albion, — This name does not occur in 
any of the Latin editions. It is not of 
Latin origin, and has no reference to the 
Latin word albus; nor is its origin and 
meaning known. It does not appear that 
the Greek geographers gave any explana- 
tion of their word 'AA«v<A>f. — (H,) 

^ Eight hundred the length — 

Omitted, B. L'. Cemenb omitted B. L\ L'. 
-(T.) 

' TheKfiBowmff. — If "a* r® FT' ^ ^• 
{T.) 

"^According to the learned of Britain^ — 
This clause occurs only in L'. B. adds 
here, cccup. — (T.) 



£2 



28 



Caep ^^r^^S^P^^- Caep ^P^^^F* Caep TTlencefc. Caep 
Luill. Caep nieogiiiD. Caep Colun. Caep ^^F^^P^- Caep 
Qbpo5* Caep Capaooj. Caep bpuc. Caep Hlacoo. Caep Lu- 
namo. Caep Oen. Caep Ipan^m. Caep pheup . Caep Don. Caep 
Loninopepuipc. Caep 5P"E^°- Caep Sane. Caep Lejun. Caep 
^nioiuo. Caep bpeacan. Caep Ceipmom. Caep penopa. Caep 
DpuichgolsoD. Caep Luicicoic. Caep Upnochr. Caep Gilimon, 

III. Ipic imoa a cachpaca genmora pin, [oiapmebe a paca 
"1 a caipcelcumacca], Ceichpi ceinela aiccpeabaitr imp bpeacan, 
.1. 5^^^!^ 1 Cpuichni5 -] bpeaunaig i Sajcam. Inopi 5"^^ P'^ 
aneap, Clbonia aniap ecappu -] Gipe .i. Hlanaino, -] inopi Opcc 
pia auuaiD. [Qpcnam Ti-Gpe peac imp bpeacan piap oeap co 

poca. 



* Ccter-Chrtigem, — The names of the 
cities are given in B. thus : C. Goirthir- 
gimd, C. Gutais, C. Lnaill, C. Meguaid, 
0. Colon, C. Gustint, C. Abroc, C. Carar 
toe, C. Graat, C. Machuit, C. Ludain, C. 
Ceisi, C. Griraigon, C. Phens, C. Mindp, 
C. Leoinarphnisc, C Grucon, C. Sent, C. 
Leigion, C. Guent, C. Breatan, C. Lerion, 
C. Pensa, C. Gluteolcoit, C. Luitcoit, C. 
Urtach, C. Celimeno. The names, as 
given in L', are C. Gorthigeamd, C. 
Gutais, C. Luaill, C. Meagnaid, C. Cholon, 
C. Gustaint, C. Abrog, C. Charadoc, C. 
Graad, C. Macaid, C. Lugain, C. Cose, C. 
Girangon, C. Peus, C. Minchip, C. Leo- 
anaird puisc, C. Grugoin, C. Sent, C. 
Legion, C Guhent, C. Bretan, C. Ler- 
gum, C. Pennsa, C. Druithecolooit, Luite- 
oit, C. Urtocht, C. Ceilimon. Most of 
these variations are doubtless attributable 
to error or ignorance in the transcribers, 



but they are worth preserving, as it is 
possible sometimes, even from a blunder, to 
obtain a clue to the true orthography — ( T.) 
The twenty-eight caers do* not occur 
till the close of the Latin Nennius ; 
but, in the corresponding place of the 
MS. of 945, from Marcus, the names 
of thirty-three cities occur, p. 46. As 
Nennius gives one name, Yerulam, which 
is not in that copy, the latter must 
have given six which Nennius did not 
receive; but the confusion of texts pre- 
vents my saying which they were. Caer 
Gurcoc and Caer Teim (Thame?) were 
two of theuL Archbishop Ussher has 
commented upon this catalogue in his 
Primordia, pp. 59, 6$^ or 33-5 of edit 2, 
(Works, voL v. p. 82). The Irish trans- 
lator has, in some cases, left it difficult to 
identify his names ; and, on the other 
hand, many of the explanations by Llwyd, 



29 



Caer-Gortigem*. Caer-Grutus. Caer-Mencest Caer-Luill. Caer- 
Medguid. Caer-Colun. Caer-Gusdirt. Caer-Abrog. Caer-Caradog. 
Caer-Brut Caer-Machod. Caer-Lunaind. Caer-Oen. Caer-Irangin. 
Caer-Plieus. Caer-Loninoperuisc. Caer-Grugan. Caer-Sant. Caer- 
Legun. Caer-Gnidiud. Caer-Breatan. Caer-Leiridoin. Caer-Pendsa. 
Caer-DniithgolgoA Caer-Luiticoit Caer-Urnocht. Caer-Eilimon. 

III. Numerous are^ itscaers [or cities] besides these; innumerable 
its raths [or forts] and its fortified castles'. Four races inhabit 
the island of Britain, viz.: the Gaels, the Cruithnachs' [Picts], the 
Britons, and the Saxons. The island Guta** is to the south of it; 
Abonia*, i. e. Manaind, is on the west between them and Eri [Ireland] ; 
and the islands of Orck are to the north of it. Eri extends beyond 

the 



Camden, Ussher, and earlier authors, are 
light and vague conjectures. — (H.) See 
Additional Notes, No. i. 

' Numerous are, — If »c (or IfaD, B. L*.), 
a synthetic union of the assertive verb. 
If, it Uy and iat> or lac, they. See O'Dono- 
van's Irish Grammar, p. i6i. — (T.) 

* Innumerable castles. — This 

clause is inserted from B. L*. L'. reads 
ocuf po bo oiaipmichi a pacha, &c. The 
Latin reads: *' In ea sunt viginti octo ci- 
vitates et innxmierabilia promontoria, cum 
innumeris castellis ex lapidibus et latere 
fabricatis." It is evident, therefore, that 
the Irish translator understood promon-' 
toria to mean raths or forts; for nothing 
iras more common than to convert a pro- 
montory into a fort, by casting up an in-^ 
trenchment across the narrow neck that 
united it to the main land. The remains 
of many such are still to be seen in Ire- 
land. The word promofUorium^ however, 



is sometimes used to denote a mound or 
hilly and therefore may have signified also 
a fort of the ordinary kind. See Du 
Cange, in voce — {T.) 

* The Cruithnachs. — The well-known 
Irish name for the Picts or ancient in- 
habitants of Scotland. Duald Mac Firbis 
considers the word as synonymous with 
the Latin Fictus, See Additional Notes, 
No. IL— (T.) 

*> Chita — ^guceat), B. Juechpia, L. 
— (r.) Guta is the Isle of Wight, in La- 
tin Vectis or Vecta, in Welch Gwyth, The 
Latin Nennius says, '^Guoid vel Guith, 
quod Latine divortium dici potest.*' How- 
ever Ynys Gwyth is simply the Channel 
Island. ** Three principal islands are 
united to Ynys Prydain, Ore, Manaw, and 
Gwyth." Triads, 3rd series. No. 67. — (H.) 

^ Abonia. — ^ebon TTlania, B. Gbonta, 
L. The Isle of Man — (T.) See Additional 
Notes, No. III. 



30 



poca. 6enaio imoppo imp bpecan p^ac h-6pinn paep-niaio co 
cian]. 

Diaipmice [ono] a locha [ajup a ppora.] Da ppim-ppuch moci 
.1. Uamup 1 Sabpamo; ip poppa-paiDem peolam lon^a t bapca 
mpi bpeacan [co peoaib "| 50 maimb inope bpeacan uile]. 

Ro bnpac bpeacain m n-inpi uile ap c6p Dm clanaib, o muip 
p-lchc CO minp n-Opc [t po allaD t aippoepcop.] 

IV. lap n-oilmo cpa oa panoao in Dotnan a cpi [lOip cpi 

xnaccu 

The real etymology of! the Sabriona or 
Sabrina, Celtice Havren, is, no doubt, from 
hav, (Irish, pain or pain pa) summer; 
part of the adjoining country being 
called the Gwlad yr Hav, or Land of 
the Summer, Anglicd Summersetshire. 
This passage of the Historia is taken 
from the words of Gildas in cap. i, in- 
cluding that melancholy word which is 
omitted in the Irish, ^* per qus dim rates 
vehebantur," &c.— -(iT.) 

« Upon them^^Y poppu-pmein, B. Ip 
popo-paibe, L. ^* It is upon these very 
rivers." The emphatic paibein or pit)ein, 
gives an additional force, ^* upon the m^ 
same rivers." The word is not be to found 
in the common dictionaries, but it is the 
ancient form of peon or pcm. poppa-pioe m 
would be written, in the modem Irish 
language, oppa-pan. — (T.) 

^ With the jeweU Britain. — 

This clause is added from B. L. The word 
uile occurs only in L. The Latin copies 
read *' per qu» olim rates vehebantur ad 
portandas divitias pro causa navigationis.'* 
_(T.) 



^Bta the island northeast. — This 

passage is inserted from B. L. The verb 
benam signifies to draw out, to prolong. 
O'Reilly (Diet. v. beanaim) quotes a pas- 
sage from the Leabhar Mac Partholain, 
in which the word is applied to drawing 
a sword (T.) 

^ And its rivers. — ^Inserted from B. L. 
as is also the expletive particle fino^ vero, 
atitem,^(T.) 

^ iSb^atWr-^Tbe Sabrina or Severn. 
King Locrine (saith the Galfridian Chron- 
icle) deserting his wife Gwenddolen, took 
a concubine, Estrildis, by whom he had 
a daughter, Sabrina. But Gwenddolen, 
levying war against her husband, slew 
him, and fltmg the two ladies into the 
river; the younger of whom bequeath- 
ed to it her jiame. Lib. ii. cap. 5. But 
Havren (the name of Sabrina and of the 
Severn) signifies a harlot; and therefore 
cannot refer to the innocent daughter, 
but relates to Estrildis herself. This 
renders it probable (as Mr. Carte suspect* 
ed) that the fable, in its existing shape, 
wa9 composed in Annorica; where the 
word havren does not seem to be known. 



3« 



the ifiland of Britain far to the south-west. But the island of Britain 
extends beyond Eri far to the north-east**. 

Innumerable are its lochs and its rivers*. Two principal rivers 
arem i% viz.: Tamus and Sabraind^; it is upon them^ that the ships 
and barks of the island of Britain sail, with the jewels and wealth of 
the whole island of Britain'*. 

The Britons at first filled the whole island with their children, 
from the sea of Ichtf to the sea of Orck, both with glory and excel- 

lehcy^ 

IV. Now afiter the deluge the world was divided^ into three 

parts ; 



^ From the aea qflchiy ^^.-^Understand 
from the British channel, or sea of the 
Portus Iccius or Itius, to that of Orkney. 
" Bathi went afterwards, with the men of 
Erin, across Muir n-Icht (sea of Icht) to- 
wards Lea^a (Britannj)," &c.^~^Oene- 
alcffietj Sfc. of Hy-FiachracK, p. 19. So in 
the Dnan Albanach, verse 10, (Pinker- 
ton's Inquiry, ii. 321), ** Brittis tar mhtdr 
n'lcht" Where Adamnan speaks of St. 
Germann's crossing the Sinus Vallicufl 
(Channel of Gaul) to yisit Britain, he 
gives a Latin equivalent. Vita Columb. 
iL cap. 34. The Portus Iccius has been 
eonfbunded with Calais and Boulogne; 
but is now conjectured to be the same as 
Vissent or Witsant, a neighbouring vil" 
lage. Some of the Latin copies have it, 
'* from Totness to Caithness," but others 
have no termini assigned. — (£r.) 

i Wiih glory and exceUeney. — This pa»- 
sage ifl inserted f^om Lr-^T.) 

^ Wa9 divided.r'^Tlo panooo, B. L. In 
the text Da or bo, as it is often spelt, 



is used for po. — (T.) This chapter is 
made up from chapters 13 and 14 of the 
old Latin editions, at pp. 53-4, of the 
Marcian. The three sons of Alanus are, 
Hisidon, Armenon, and Neugio or Neg- 
no. The former is probably Tuiscon, 
father of Mannus, from whom all the 
Germans derived themselves. Tacit. Germ, 
cap. 2. For he is said to be father of 
Ffancus and Alamannus; for which latter 
our translator has improperly put Albanus. 
Armenon relates to Armenia; Negno or 
Neugio (here Negua), from whom he de- 
rives the Saxons, to I know not what. 
It is scarcely worth while to mention the 
RugiL Cibidus or Cebidus (here Cebetus) 
to the Gepidse. Walagothus (here Uile- 
gotus) either to the Balti or Amali (Vi- 
sigoths or Ostrogoths), but nothing indi- 
cates to which. In the genealogy from 
Alanus to Lamech, inclusively, the Latin 
copies give twenty names, and the Irish 
only sixteen ; but it is useless to supply 
such mere gibberish. — (H,) 



3^ 



maccu Nae] .1. Gopaip "] Qpppaic -| Qpp la. Sem an n-Qf m. Cam 
an Qpppaic. lapech an Opaip. Ipe cer peap 00 pil lapech cainic 
[ap cup] m n-6opaip .1. Qlamup co n-a cpi macaib .1. Ipacon "| 
[^ochup no] Qprnion 1 Nejua. Ceichpi meic a^ Ipacon .i. Ppan- 
cup, Romanup, bpicup, Qlbanup. Qpmon [umoppo] .u. meic laip, 
^ocup, Uilejocup, Cebecup, bupjanoup, Congobapoup. Upi 
meic Nejua, Uanoalup, Sa;ro, [boapup. Sapro mac Nejua ip uaoa 
acaiD 8a;rain]. bpirup, imoppo, ip uao bpeacam, mac paioem 
Ipacom, [mic Qlani], mic pechuip, mic Ogamam, mic Uai, mic 
buiob, mic Semoib, mic Qracr, mic Qoch, mic Qbaip, mic Roa, 
mic Qppa, mic lobaich, [mic loban], mic lapech, mic Nae, [mic 
Caimiach] Ip amlam pin ac piaoap a peancapaib bpeacan. 

V. Innipoap imoppo a n-analcaib na Romanach. Qeniap 
mac Qnacip 00 ciachcam lap cogail Cpai co li-6acail, ■] cu^apoaip 

Lauina 



* Between ofNoe — Inserted from 

B. L.— (r.) 

^ At the beginning, — Inserted from L*. 
where the words are in a different order: 
Cet) peap chanic m n-6opaip op cup bo 
pil lapet). In B. the clause ap cup bo pil 
lapeb is omitted. There are two copies 
of this section in L., both very corrupt 
-(T.) 

° Chthue or Armian The words Jo- 

chup no are inserted from L*. CCpmenon, 
B. Qpmen, h\ CCpmeon, L*. — (T.) 

^ Now, — Umoppo, inserted from B. 

P Burgantus — 6up5anbup, B. L^ L*. 
Pungandtm in D. is evidently an error of 
the scribe for Burgandtus. The Latin 
copies of Nennius read Burgoandus. — (T.) 

^ Boarue descended. This 



clause is inserted from B. L*. L*. Its 
omission in D. is an evident error of the 
scribe. — (T.) 

' He is the son of Isaeon 8aibein 

is for pin or 6 pen, which signifies he. 
The insertions between brackets in the 
Irish text are from B. and L. loban, 
son of Japheth, occurs in B. L*. and L*., 
but Jobaith is omitted. In the Latin 
copies Semoib is called Simeon, and Mair 
is inserted between him and Aurthach, 
who is evidently the same as Athact (or 
Ethacht, B. L'. or Echtacht, L') in the 
Irish copies, whose name is written Etha 
in some MSB. of the Latin. Between 
Asra, or Ezra, and lobaath, the Latin 
copies insert Izrau and Baath, which are 
most probably corrupt repetitions of Ezra 
and Jobaath — (T,) 



33 



parts; between the three sons of Noe', viz.: Eoraip, Aflfraic, and 
Asia. Sem was in Asia; Cam in AfFraic; Jafeth in Eoraip. The 
first man of the race of Jafeth that came into Eoraip at the beginning^ 
was Alanius, with his three sons; viz.: Isacon, Gothus or Armion", 
and Negua. Isacon had four sons, Francus, Romanus, Britus, Al- 
banus. Now"" Armion had five sons, Gotas, Uilegotas, Cebetus, 
Bixrgandiis^, Longobardus. Negua had three sons, Vandalus, Saxo, 
Boarus. It is from Saxo, son of Negua, that the Saxons are de- 
scended^ ; but it is from Britus the Britons come. He is the son of 
Isacon', the son of Alanius, the son of Fethuir, the son of Ogaman, 
the son of Tai, son of Boidhbh, son of Semoibh, son of Athacht, son 
of Aoth, son of Abar, son of Raa, son of Asra, son of lobaith, son of 
loban, son of Japeth, son of Noe, son of Laimiach. Thus it is re- 
corded in the histories of Britain*. 

V. Furthermore* it is related in the Annals of the Romans**, that 
Aenias the son of Anacis arrived in Italy after the destruction of 
Troy, and took to wife Lavina the daughter of Ladin, son of Pan, son 

of 



' The histories of Britain, In the Latin, 
'^ Hanc peritiam [al. genealogiam] inveni 
ex traditione veterum, qui incolee in primo 
fuerunt Brittanniae." — (T.) 

^ Furthermore. — Here we revert to the 
third chapter of Nennius, from which 
chaps, v., yi., yii«, above are translated. 
Essarc is Assaracus, and Airic or Airic- 
tonduB is Erichthonius. Britan exosus 
is that same son of Silvius (viz. Brutus), 
who, as the Druid had prophesied, would 
be *^ exosus omnibus hominibus." The 
account in Marcus, pp. 48, 50, is dif- 
ferent, and a more obscure composition — 
(H.) 

IBISH ARCH. SOC. NO. 16. 



" Annals of the Romans. — The whole of 
this and the next two chapters occur twice 
in the Book of Lecan ; the readings of the 
two copies shall be referred to as L^ and 
L'. In B. and L^ the reference to the 
British histories is separated from the 
foregoing chapter, and united to this ; L*. 
reads: Cm qia ache if amlaio peo ac- 
f iat>ap Sencup 6peacan a n-anbalaib na 
Roma. The reading of D., which is fol- 
lowed in the text, agrees with the Latin 
copies, in which the history of i£neas is 
begun thus: **In annalibus autem Ro- 
manorum sic scriptiun est. ^neas post 
Trojanum beUum," &c-(T.) 



34 

Cauina injean Laoin mic Puin mic pic mic Saouipno "|c. lap 
TTiapbab CuipnD -] layi n-e^ Laoin in pij po jab Qeniaf piji 
Laoianoai, -] po cuTnOaigeo in cachpaig Qlbalonja la h-Qpcan 
mac Qeniapa, i cugapoap peicij, i pujapoaip mac Do .1. Siluiup, 
[po cecoip]. 

Siluiup lapoam cujapoaip peicig, t po ba uoppach, i aopec 
DO Qpcan bean a meic [do bcic coppach, 1.] alachca, "] po paiD 
ceachca co [a] mac co po paiDiD a DpuiD Do rabaipu apDmepa 
ap a mnai co peapaD in po ba mac, no'n po ba h-injean po ceachr. 
Do coiD in DpuiD, "1 aDbepc [lap ciacnan] m DpuiD pe h-Qpcan 
conaD mac do bai 'na bpoinD; "] aDbepu comaD cpen, i co muip- 
peaD a achaip t a machaip, i comaD mipgneach la each. Hlapb 
cpa a machaip Dia bpcich. Ro h-ammnijeaD pom .1. bpicip, -] po 
h-aileD lapDam. 

VL bpicup [Din] mac Silui mic Qpcam mic Qeniapa mic 

Qnacip, mic Caipen, mic 6ppapc, mic ti^poip, mic h-Qipic, mic 

iDup, mic DapDam, mic lob, mic SapDam, mic Ceil, mic polloip, 

mic 9^opaprpeip, mic TTleppaim, mic Caim, mic Nae, pilii male- 

Dicci piDenceip pacpem, mic Nae. 

Upop 

^ Sliordy after, — Added from B. ; L*. which is manifestly the true reading. In 

reads (instead of puyafbap mac bo .1. L\ andD., the word used to denote pre^- 

Siluiup), mbipceap cop b'l machaip SeiU nant is alaccxx, which in B. is given as 

biup po cheboip. — (21) an explanation of coppac. — (T,) 

** It was Udd, — B. L*. and L*. read (in- ^ Druid, — Nennius sajrs, cap. 3, ** ut 

stead of obpec) mnipcep. — (T.) mitteret magum suum. — (T.) 

* Wa» pregnant — The words bo bcic ' After his return, — Added from B. L'. 

coppach, .1. are added from B. and L*. L*. — (T.) 

The Latin copies read here '^ nunciatum ^ That it wm a son. — Cop bo mac po 

est ^nece^ quod nurus sua gravida es- bai ma bpomb, L^ L*. Ro boi mac po 

set;" but one of the MSS. collated by Mr. boi m a bpom, B. — {T.) 

Stevenson has Ascanio instead of jEneas^ ^ Hated by all, — Nennius says, *' et erit 

in conformity with the Irish version ; exosus omnibus hominibus." — (T,) 



35 

of Pic, son of Saturn, &c. After having slain Turn, and after the 
death of Ladin the king, Aenias took the kingdom of Ladianda; and 
the city of Alba-longa was founded by Ascan, son of Aenias, and he 
married a wife, and she bare him a son, viz. Silvius, shortly after'. 

Silvius afterwards married a wife, and she became pregnant, and 
it was toW to Ascan that his son^s wife was pregnant' ; and he sent 
a messenger to his son to say that he would send his Druid^ to give 
an opinion on his wife, to know whether it was a son, or whether it 
was a daughter she was about to bring forth. The Druid went, and 
after Im return* the Druid said to Ascan, that it was a son' that was 
in her womb; and said that he would be powerful, and that he 
would kill his father and his mother, and that he would be hated by 
all^ In fact his mother died in giving him birth. He received a 
name, viz. Britus, and afterwards he was nursed*^. 

VL NoV* Britus was the son of Silvius, son of Ascan, son of 

Aenias, son of Anacis, son of Caipen, 'son of Essarc^ son of Tros, 

son of Airic, son of Idus, son of Dardain, son of Jove, son of Sardain, 

son of Ceil, son of Polloir, son of Zororastres, son of Mesraim, son 

of Cam (filii maledicti ridentis patrem), son of Noe^ 

Moreover, 

^ He was nursed, — The Latin is, '* et copies differ from eacH other and from the 

nutritus est filins, et Yocatum est nomen Latin. They agree, however, in tracing 

ejus Bruto." — (T.) the pedigree to Cham or Ham, and not to 

^Now. — ^t)m inserted from L^ t)na, B. Japhet, as in the Latin copies. L^ gives 

t)no, L*. — (T.) the pedigree thus, mic Chpoip, irnc Gp- 

* San of Caipen^ 9on ofEssare, — These echconiup, mic t>apt>ain, mic loib, mic 

two generations, inserted between An- Shat>appn, mic Ceil, mic pulloip, mic 

chises and Tros in all the Irish copies, do ^^r^PP^r^^^n ^^^ TTleppaim, mic 

not occur in the Latin. Essarc, is evi- Caim epcoru) mic Haei (i.e. the accursed 

dently Assarracus, and is written CCpapcc, son of Noe), mic Caimiach. L'. thus: 

B. Qpaipiy, L*. CCpaipj, L'^ — (T.) mic Chpoip, mic epeccomiuf, mic t)ap- 

f San of Noe — In the remainder of the bain, mic loib, mic Shabuipn, mic pheil, 

genealogy from Tros to Noah, the Irish mic phalloip, mic 9^opapoip;peaf, mi 



36 

Cpop [iTno]ipo] mac QipicconDup Da mac laip .1. Ilium 1 

Qfapcup; ip leip po cumoaijeo Ilium .1. Cpoi; ip do po ba mac 

LaimiDom, achaip Ppiaim. Qpapc imoppo achaip Capen,Caipen 

achaip Qnacip, Qnacip arhaip Qeniapa, Qeniap achaip Qp- 

cain pen, achaip bpicain e;ropi .i. bpicain mipgnech. Ip amlaiD 

pin cu^apDaip ap penoip-ne uapal .i. ^uanach, jemilach bpeacan 

a cponicib na Romanac. 

VII. 



meafpaim, Tnic Cairn eofcoinci, po 
chib im a achaip, .1. im Hae mac 6ai- 
miach (i. e. Cam the accursed, who 
laughed at his father, i. e. at Noe, son of 
Lamech.) B. gives it thus, mic Chopip, 
mic 6peccon!, mic Oapbonn, mic loib, 
mtc Sacuipb, mic palloip, mic Sopap- 
cpep, mic TTleppaim, mic Cam epcoinci 
po bich imm [a] achaip, .1. im Noe, 
mic Caimpiach ypl. Where the de- 
scription of Cam is the same as in L*. for 
bich is an evident error of the scribe 
for chib. 

In D., instead of the clause describing 
the curse of Ham, which in the other 
copies is given in Irish, the same thing is 
given in Latin as in the text. The words 
mic Nae are repeated unnecessarily, and 
are therefore omitted in the translation. 
Mr. Stevenson mentions three MSS. of the 
Latin, which have a genealogy of Brutus 
and of Tros in the margin, and in which 
the genealogy of Brutus is made to end 
thus : " filii Jupiter de genere Cain 
[Cam?], filii maledicti videntis et riden- 
tis patrem Noe." 

The Latin copies make Tros the son of 
Dardanus, son of Flise, son of Juvan, son 



of Japhet. It will be seen, however, that 
the Irish version is more nearly authentic, 
for classical authorities make Tros the son 
of Erichthonius, son of Dardanus, son of 
Jupiter, son of Saturn, son of Coelus. It 
would seem probable also that the text 
was corrupted by British transcribers, 
anxious, for the honour of their country, 
to deduce the ancestry of Brutus from the 
race of Japhet rather than from the ac- 
cursed Ham. Pallor, the father of Ceil 
(who is evidently Ccslus) is probably a 
corruption derived from the genitive case 
of Tellus (T.) 

* Moreover. — Imoppo, added from B., 
L'.andL« (T,) 

^ Airic-UmdtL9y \. e. Erichthonius ; mac 
Bpecrami, B.; mac CCipicconiup, L^ L'. 
omits this name. — (71) 

* AsarojLSy i.e. Assaracus; CCpaipic, L. 

Qparc, B. Homer gives Tros three sons ; 

(Iliad. V. 230). 

Tpwa 5' "R^ixQ6vioQ TiKtro Tpwivtriv dvaKra' 
Tpmbg S" av TpiiQ wathg Afiviiovtc iKtyivovrot 
''iXoc t\ 'AfftrapaKog re, jcai avriOtoQ TavvfiiiSfig. 

D. reads corruptly Ilam^ both as the name 
of the son of Tros and of the city. B., 
L\, and L*. read Ilium in both places. 



37 



Moreover*, Tros, son of Airictondus**, had two sons ; viz., Hium 

[Ilns] and Asarcus^; it was by him [i.e. by Hus] was founded 

Hium, i. e. Troy^; he had a son, Laimidoin, the father of Priam. As- 

sarc, moreover, was the father of Capen, Capen was the father of 

Anaois, Anacis the father of Aenias'', Aenias the father of Ascan, the 

grandfather of Britan exosus, i. e. of Britan the abhorred^ It was in 

this way that our noble elder Guanach"* deduced the pedigree of the 

Britons, from the Chronicles of the Romans. 

Vll. 



but L*. instead of if leip po cumoai^eb, 
reads n-il ip e po cumbaij.— (T.) 

j Tray — Cpop , H. Cpoi, B. L*. Qpo- 
chachaip na Cpe, L*. — (T.) 

^ Aenias. — Homer makes Mneas give 
this genealogy thus : 
*IXoc ^ av TtKiB* vibv Afivfiova Aao^Uovra' 
AaofiiStav I'apa TiQiavbv rtKtro, Tlpiafiov rt' 
Xdfiirov re, KXvrtov ff, 'iKtTaovd r, oZov'A- 

priog- 
\K99dpaKOQ H IL&Trvv b ^ Sip* ' Ay x*9tiv tiki 

iraiBa' 
Avrdp ifi *Ayxi<rvC' II- «• 236, iq.— ( T ) 

^ The abhorred. — Seun-acaip 6pici e;r- 
opf I in c-Qpcan pn, .1. 6pican mipcnech, 
B., which may be translated thus : *' the 
grandfather of Britus exosus, i. e. of Bri- 
tain the abhorred, was that Ascan." — (71) 

™ Our noble elder Ouanach. — In B. and L. 
this reference to Guanach, and the Chro- 
nicles of the Romans, is written so as to re- 
late to what follows, not to what precedes ; 
but the words ip amlam pin and the sense 
of the whole passage are inconsistent with 
this supposition, and therefore D. has been 
followed. Guanach is not mentioned in the 
Latin copies of Nennius; and therefore, 9^ 
well as from his being called *^ our noble 



elder," we may perhaps conclude that he 
was an Irish historiographer; but no such 
Irish writer is known, nor is the name 
Irish; unless we suppose it to be the same 
as Cuan or Guana (in the genitive case 
Guanach), which was a conmion name 
among the ancient Irish. An historio- 
grapher of this name is frequently cited in 
the Annals of Ulster ; thus " sic in libro 
Guanach inveni," at A. D. 467, 468, 471, 
475, 552, 600, 602, 628 ; or " sic est in 
libro Guanach," A. D. 610; or "ut Guana 
scripsit," A. D. 482, 489 ; " ut Guana 
docet," A. D. 598 ; " secundum librum 
Guanach," A. D. 543. As no reference to 
Guana occurs in these annals after the year 
628, Ware supposes the writer so named 
to have flourished about that date ; and 
Golgan doubtingly identifies him with 
S. Guanna, Abbot of Lismore; Ware's 
Writers, by Harris, p. 26; Golgan, Acta 
SS. ad 4 Feb., p. 251. All this, however, 
is simple conjecture; for we know no- 
thing of the writer quoted in the Annals 
of Ulster except his name, unless he be 
the same as the Guana, who is called 
"Scriba Treoit," or of Drogheda, and 



38 

VII. lap n-il bliaonaib lapoain, Do peiji papome in opuab, Do 
pala DO 6picup beich 05 paigoeopachr a piaonaipi in pij .1. a 
achaip, CO panij m c-paigeo uaDa a coll apach in pij, -| jop 
mapb m pij po cecoip ainnpm .1. a achaip pem, -| co po h-inoapbao 
pon [o'n] h-Gacail lapcom pop mopib mapa Coppian, -] moapbaio 
5pei5 h-e apnah-inopib a g-cinam Cuipnn Do mapbao Do Qeniap. 
Canij a Ppancaib lapoam, [ocup] po cuTnoaigeo leip Uopinip, [i 
mp puilngeaD anopm h-e], -] canij lapoain a n-inip bpeacan, copo 
jab a pigi, 1 CO po h-amninijeo m imp [ua6], -[ 50 pop lin Dia clamD 
"] Dia cmeo poir. [Qjup conao h-epin] copach a cpebe, Do peip 
na Roman. 

oe Ri5ai5 RomaN [qnoso]. 

Vin. lanup .1. Ian pig na n-6pepDa, ipe ceo pij [po gab] Ro- 
manchu, [ajup] ip uao ainmnigep mi enaip. SaoupnD lapDain. 
loib lapoam. DapDan mac loib lapDain. piccup mac loib [lap- 
t)ain]. punup [mac Piccup] xx. [bliaoan]. Laom a mac .1. 
[bliaban]. Qeniap a. 111. Qpcan a. .xxxiiii. Siluiup xii. cona po 

mapb 

to be, 7 ni po an lap co po mapb, &c., 
*' and he stopped not (was not restrained) 
until be had killed his father."— (T.) 

^ By Aenias, — L^ adds here, ajup 1 
pean-chocac Jjpec ajup Cpoiann pem; 
and L*. adds, ocup ip e cocao ypec ocup 
Cpoianbach co pin anuap. — (T.) 

' Torinis, — Coip-mip, B. Cachaip .1. 
Copmip, L*. The city of Tours is intended. 

^ He WM not wffered to remain there. — 
This clause is added from L*. and L*. — (T.) 

^ Here, — Qnbpo is added from B. and L^ 
— (r.) The first paragraph of this chap- 



whose death is recorded A. D. 738 {An- 
nals of Ulster), 739 {Tighemach) (T.) 

" His father — For .1. a achaip, B. and 
L\ read .1. Stlui. L\ adds after a achaip, 
.1. Siluiup (r.) 

° The temple, — CoUapach, the hollow 
of the temple, in front of the ear. — (T.) 

P Died — his own father, — The reading 
here followed is that of B. D. reads 
ajup ni apaenlop jop mapb in c-achaip 
annpin. L^ reads ajup ni poenlup co po 
mapb a achaip annpin. And L*. ajup 
nip aenlop cop mapb a achaip annpin. 
The meaning of all these readings seems 



39 

VII. After many years subsequently, according to the prophecy 
of the Druid, it happened to Britus to be shooting arrows in pre- 
sence of the king, i. e. his father", and an arrow from him pierced the 
temple"* of the king, and the king died immediately there, i. e. 
his own father**; and afterwards he was driven out of Italy, to the 
islands of the Torrian [Mediterranean] sea, and the Greeks expelled 
him out of the Islands in revenge for Tumn, who had been killed by 
Aenias*". After this he came to France, and Torinis*" was founded 
by him, and he was not suffered to remain there*, but came after- 
wards into the island of Britain, where he took possession of the 
kingdom, and the island was named from him, and became full of his 
children and his descendants. And thus was it first peopled, ac- 
cording to the Romans. 



Of the Kings of the Romans HEB£^ 

VIIL Janus, i. e. Jan, King of Eperda", was the first king that 
took possession of the Roman territory; and it is from him was 
named the month of January^. Saturn after him. Joib [Jove] after 
him, Dardan, son of Joib, after him. Piccus, son of Joib, after him. 
Faunus, son of Piccus, reigned twenty years'^. Latin, his son, fifty 
years. Aenias, three years. Ascan thirty-four years. Silvius twelve, 

until 



ter, down to ** son of Aenias," does not 
appear totidem verbis in any part of the 
originaL The residue is gleaned from the 
fourth, fifth, tenth, and twenty-eighth 
chapters of Nennius. — {H.) 

^ Eperda. — 6f pep&a, L^ Hesperia was 
an ancient name of Italy. Hor. Od. lib. 
iii 6, V. 7 ; lib. iv. 5, v. 38 — (T.) 

^ January. — TTlic lanuaip, L*. ; the 
other copies all read mi enaip. The words 



po ^b, are inserted from B. L*. L*. Q^up 
from L». L«.— (T.) 

^ Twenty years. — ^L*. and L*. read qiica 
bliGRxxn, i e. thirty years. The insertions 
betwe^i brackets in this passage are 
from B., L\, and L*. Instead of Qeniaf 
a. [L e. annos] 111. Qpcan a. ;c;c;tiin. ; the 
other copies read Qeniap 111. bliaoan, 
Qpcan, ;c;c;tii". Other variations in or- 
thography are not worth noting. — {T.) 



40 

mapb a mac, n. bpicup, [aniail po paiopeamap]. Siluiup ainim 
jach pij o foin [ille], co ropachc Romal mac pioein Rea Siluiae 
injeuie Numicaip, mic Ppoic Siluii, mic Quencine Siluii, mic Qp- 
aimulip Siluii, mic Qspaippae Siluii, mic Uibepne Silun mic Ql- 
bani Silun, mic Qpcain Silun, mic pofcaime Silun; bpachaip poe 
'] bpicif oa mac Siluii mic Qpcam mic Qeniapa lar. 

Popcomu[» a piji Roman ffpf^ bpicaf a piji [inoyi] bpeacan 
f-pf, bliaoain. popcomiop a bpachaip a pigi Roman uc Di;rimup. 
beile pagapc ba plaich mac n-lppachel, i ip'na comaip pujao 
mo aipc ipm oaipe, -] cugao po ceooip. 

O jabail bpicaip 50 jabail Cpuichneach a n-mopib Opcc 
D. cccc. [bliaban] ; 1 po sabpacap in cpian cuaipcgeapcach 

inoin 



^ As we have said, — Added from B. 

y Of every kingfiom thai time, — In cec 
P15, B. ; but the other MSS. all read jach 
or cac P15. Ille is added from L*. — (T,) 

^Numitor, sonofProc Sylvius. — ^Neim- 
ruip. NumiciJip, B. L*. L*. Proc^ for 
Procas ; it will be observed that in the 
Irish form of the proper names the termi- 
nations as^ es, us, are uniformly omitted. 
L\ reads pic here, and L*. picc, instead 
of Ppoic, which, however, is evidently 
the true reading. The list of the Silvii 
which follows appears to have been taken 
from the Chronicon of Eusebius, although 
with some variations and inaccuracies. 
The genealogy, as given by Eusebius, is 
as follows : Numitor, son of Procas Syl- 
vius, son of Aventinus Sylvius, son of 
Aremulus S., son of Agrippa S., son of 
Tiberinus S., sou of Carpentus S., son of 



Capis S., son of Athys or Egyptius S., son 
of Alba S., son of ^neas S., son of Pos- 
thumus S., brother of Ascanius and son 
of iBneas. See also Dion. Hal. and Livy. 
Our Irish author has omitted three gene- 
rations between Tiberinus and Alba; and 
it is probable that Ascan Sylvius, whom 
he makes the son of Posthumus, is a mis- 
take of the scribe (although it occurs in 
all the MSS.) for jEneas. He also makes 
Sylvius Posthumus the grandson, instead 
of the brother, of Ascanius, for which 
there is no authority ; although Livy 
makes Posthumus the son, not the bro- 
ther, of Ascanius. — (T.) 

* Thirty-nine years. — Probably a mis- 
take for twenty-nine, which is the number 
of years assigned to the reign of Posthu- 
mus by the Chronicon of Eusebius. L% 
reads epic ha bliooan aile, thirty other 
yearSy but omits the next clause contain- 



41 



xintil his son, viz., Britus, killed him, as we have said*. Silvius was 
the name of every king from that time' until the coming of Romul, 
himself the son of Rea Silvia, daughter of Numitor, son of Proc 
Silvius', son of Aventine Silvius, son of Aramulus Silvius, son of 
Agrippa Silvius, son of Tibern Silvius, son of Alban Silvius, son of 
Ascan Silvius, son of Postam Silvius ; he and Britus were brothers, 
and they were the two sons of Silvius, son of Ascan, son of Aenias. 

Postomus was sovereign of the Romans, thirty-nine years^. Britus 
was sovereign of the island** of Britain thirty years. Postomios his 
brother, was sovereign of the Romans as we have said. Heli, the 
priest, was prince of the children of Israel*^; and it was in his pre- 
sence the ark was taken into captivity**, and was brought back soon 
aften 

From the conquest of Britus to the conquest of the Picts in the 
islands of Ore*, were nine hundred years, and they took the northern' 

third 



ing the length of the reign of Britus, so 
that there is reason to suspect that a line 
may have been overlooked by the scribe, and 
that the thirty other years really belonged 

to the omitted reign of Britus (T.) 

^Idand, — I nop is added from B. — (T.) 

* Children of ItraeL — piaich mac n- 

apo Ippael, R plaich pop macaib h- 

Ippael, L'. lomap pa h-uapal pacapc 

pop macaib Ippael, L*. — (T,) 

^Into captivity. — This clause relating to 
the captivity of the ark is omitted in all 
the MSS. except D., but it occurs in the 
Latin: '^quando regnabat Bruto in Brit- 
tannia, Heli sacerdos judicabat in Israel, 
et tunc archa Testamenti ab alienigenis 
possidebatur ;*' and these words seem taken 
from the Chronicon of Eusebius, where 

IBISH ABCH. see. NO. 1 6. 



the capture of the ark is thus recorded : 
•*Mortuo Heli sacerdote archa testamen- 
ti ab alienigenis possidetur." — (71) 

• Ore. — epcoao, L*. Opcac, L«. Opc- 
cac, B (T.) 

^ Northern.— In the Latin "in sinistrali 
plaga Britanniae." Anciently the north 
was considered to be on the left hand side, 
and the south on the right, looking east, 
as the ancient Christians did in prayer. 
And the same language is still used in 
Irish, for cuaio is properly the left hand, 
as well as the north ; and beap signifies the 
right hand and the south. See Ussher, 
Primordia, pp. 8o, I021 — (T.) Likewise 
in British go-gledd, quasi-sinistralis, the 
north; and deheu-barth, pars dextra,the 
south. — (if.) 



G 



42 

mt)fi bpeacan ap ejin o bpeacnaib, '] aiccpeabair ann cop 
anoiu. 

^cteDil mpDain po jabpac in pano cecna na Cpuirhneach, "] 
Do ponpac aencaig pe Cpuichnib a n-ajaio bpeacan. 

8a;ram po gabpac lapoam imp bpearan a n-aimpip TTlap- 
ciam m pij. ^^P^^S^^P'^^ [ona] ba pij bpeacan ann .i. Luchc cpi 
long canjacap ap in ^eapniain im oa bpachaip .1. Opp "| Qijeapc 
50 po Dicuippeac bpearnu m-imlib na h-inDpi. 

t)e jasaic eRewN amaic iMDisis NemNUS. 

IX. CeiD peap Do jab Gipino .1. pappcalon cum mile hom- 
inibup .1. mile icip pipp "] mna, 1 po popbpicheap a 'n-6ipi na n-il 
mileaoaib, copap mapb a n-aen c-peachcmam Do cam, [a n-Dijail 
na pmjaili 00 poinoi pop a pachaip agup pop a machaip]. 

Nemeao 



s Marcian the king, L e. the emperor 
Marcian, A. D. 450-457. The Latin reads 
''Regnante Gratiano secundo Equantio, 
Saxones a Guorthigimo suscepti sunt;" 
but some MSS. read, '^Kegnante Martiano 
secundo quando Saxones," &c. — (T.) 

** The crew of three ships. — The story is 
thus told in the Latin, '' Interea venerunt 
tres ciulas a Germania expulsse in exilio, 
in quibus erant Hors et Hengist, qui et 
ipsi fratres erant." — (jT.) 

» Island. — Na chpioch, L*. The re- 
petition in the Book of Lecan ends here. 
-(T.) 

i The jirsi man, Sfc. — See Additional 
Notes, No. IV. 

•^ With a thousand men — CCjup mile 
maille ppip, B. L. Keating quotes Nen- 



nius, out of the Psalter of Cashel (which, 
very probably, contained a copy of this 
work), as his authority for the number 
of Partholan's companions. After giving 
the names of Partholan's wife and three 
sons, he says that there came with him 
an army of a thousand men, mile do 
pluaj 1 maille piu, do peip Nenniup, 
aihail leujrop a Ppaltxxip Chaipil, "ac- 
cording to Nennius, as we read in the 
Psalter of Cashel." Mr. Dermot O'Conor, 
in his translation of this passage, has 
tranformed Nennius into Ninus» — {T,) 

^ They multiplied. — Poipbpeapcap, B. 
Poipbpeabap, L (T.) 

^ In ofie week, — This event, as Keating 
tells us, from the Psalter of Cashel, took 
place 300 years after the arrival of Par- 



43 

third part of the island of Britain by force from the Britons, and 
they dwell there unto this day. 

Afterwards the Gaels took the same division occupied by the 
Rets; and they made a treaty with the Picts against the Britains. 

The Saxons afterwards took the island of Britain in the time of 
Marcian the King^. But Gortigeam was then King of Britain, i. e. 
the crew of three ships*" came out of Germany under two brothers, 
viz., Ors and Aigeast, so that they drove the Britons into the 
borders of the island*. 



Of the Conquest of Ebi, as recorded by Nennius. 

IX. The first man^ that took Eri was Parrtalon, with a thou- 
sand men*^, i. e. a thousand between men and women; and they mul- 
tiplied' in Eri, into many thousands, until they died of a plague in 
one week", in judgment for the murder that he committed on his 
father and on his mother". 

Nemed 



tholan ; see also the Annals of the Four 
Masters, who give A. M. 2820 as the date 
of this plague, and 2520 as the date of Par- 
tholan's arriyal. Keating fixes the arriyal 
of Partholan in the twenty-second year 
before the birth of Abraham, on the au- 
thority of an ancient poem, or 300 years 
after the Deluge. It never seems to have 
occurred to these ancient historians to ex- 
plain how all this minute knowledge about 
Partholan and his followers could have 
been preserved, if they had oU perished in 
the plague. O'Flaherty (Ogygia, p. 6^) 
places the birth of Abraham in A.M. 1949, 
and the arrival of Partholan in A. M. 
1969, on the authority of the Annals of 



Clonmacnois, and Giolla Coemhan's poem 
beginning Gpe apb, of which there is a 
copy in the Leabhar Gabhala. — (71) 

" In judgment his mother, — This 

clause is added from L. The double par- 
ricide of Partholan is not mentioned in 
the Latin copies. Keating speaks of it 
thus: Qf 1 cuip umma b-cainiy papcha- 
lon a n-6pinn qie map do mapB pe a 
ODTuip, oyuf a maraip, 05 lappuio pije 
b'a Bpacaip, 50 D-camij ap ceictoo a 
pionjuile, 50 pamij Gipe, yonab aipe 
fin bo cuip t>ia plai^ ap a pliocc, pep 
mapbab naoi mile pe h-aom peaccmain 
Diob, a m-6e]nn Goaip. " The cause 
why Partholan came into Eri was because 



G2 



44 



Nemeao lapDain pop gab [pen in Gipint)]. TTlac paioem apaile 
Qjnomain; po accpeab a pil pe pe cian [in Gipmo], co n-oeacaoap 
CO h-6apbain, pop ceireaD [in cippa] na Uluipioe .1. na pomopac. 

Uipi buUopum .1. pipbolj lapoam "] Uipi QpmopuTn, .1. pip 
^ccileom, 1 Uipi DommiopuTn .1. Ppi Domnann, pil Nemio annpm. 

Ro jab in n-6ipinD lapoain piebep Deopum .1. Cuaca oe Da- 

nann 



he had killed his father and mother, in or- 
der to obtain the kingdom from his bro- 
ther, after which murder he departed, and 
came to Eri ; but on this account God sent 
a plague on his race, by which were killed 
nine thousand men of them in one week, 
at Ben Hedar;" now Howth. The Four 
Masters, ad A. M. 2820, place this event 
''at the old plain of Moynalta, on the 
Hillof Edar," or Howth; — pop pen maij 
6alca Goaip ; and they add, that a 
monument in memory of it was erected 
at Tallaght, near Dublin, thence called 
Camleachc mumcipe papchalan, the 
Tamhleacht, or plague monument of the 
posterity of Partholan. — (jT.) 

" Eri, — The words pen in Gipino are 
added from L. The arrival of Nemed is 
dated by the Four Masters, A. M. 2850; 
and by O'Flaherty (Ogygia, p. 65) A. M. 
2029. 5^b, when followed by a preposi- 
tion, has a neuter signification.^-(jr.) 
P In Eru— Added from B. L.— (T.) 
^ The tribute — Added from B. L. For 
an account of the Irish traditions about 
the Nemedians, their contests with the 
Fomorians or mariners, and the op- 
pressive tribute imposed upon them, see 



Keating's History of Ireland. O'Flaherty 
dates the flight of the Nemedians, A. M. 
2245. The Fomorians were "men of 
the sea," for so the name signifies, i. e. 
they were pirates, Keating says : Qp 
aipe bo 5aipri Poihopaig 610B, .1. o 
na m-beir 05 beunaih po^la ap muip. 
Poihopaij, .1. po ihuipib. " For this 
reason they are called Fomorians, because 
they used to commit robbery on the sea. 
Fomorians^ i. e. on the seas." — {T,) 

^ Viri BuUorum Uipno, in D., is a 

manifest error of the scribe for Uipi. D. 
is the only one of the three MSS. that 
gives the Latin names here. Bullum, in 
the Latinity of the middle ages, signified, 
according to Du Cange, Baculum pas- 
toria ; which suggests a derivation of the 
name Fir-Bolg, that the Editor has not 
seen noticed. Keating derives it from 
bol^, a leathern bag, or pouch ; and others 
think that this colony were Belgss. See 
O'Brien's Diet, in voce bolj, and O'Fla- 
herty (Ogygia, p. 73), who fixes the date 
of the arrival of the Fir-Bolg, A. M. 2657, 
The Four Masters place this event under 
A. M. 3266 — (T.) See Ad. Notes, No.V. 

• Were the race of Nemed, — Viri Ar- 



45 



Nemed afterwards inhabited Eri°. He was the son of one Ag- 
noman; his race dwelt long in Eri*" until they went into Spain, 
flying from the tribute** imposed on them by the Muiridi, i. e. the 
Fomorians. 

The Viri BuUorum', i. e. the Firbolg, afterwards, and the Viri 
Armorum, i. e. the Fir-Gaileoin, and the Viri Dominiorum, i. e. the 
Fir Domnann : these were the race of Nemed*. 

Afterwards the Plebes Deorum, i. e. the Tuatha De Danann\ took 

Ireland ; 



morum is a literal translation of Fir- 
Gaileoin, for ^aillian signifies a dart or 
spear. (See O'Brien in voce). The Fir- 
Domnann are supposed to be the same as 
the Damnonii or Daumonii^ and the fan- 
ciftQ derivation of their name given bj 
Keating, is far less probable than that 
suggested bj our author ; although both 
are, most probably, wrong. Keating's ao- 
count of these tribes of the Fir-Bolg is as 
follows. Af^r noticing the five leaders 
of the Fir-Bolg, he says: Cly bo na 
cnoipocaiB pe 50 na b-poipniB jaipciop 
pip 5ol^, Pip t)hoiiinann, a^up^aileom. 
pip ftolj, imoppo, o na bol^aiB leoccip 
t>o 6106 aca pan n^pei^, a^ lomcop 
uipe. Da cop pop leacaiB loma, ^o n- 
oeunbaoip moi^e mion-pjocaca po blar 
610B. pip Ohofhnann o na Sotfhne bo 
eoclaibip an uip pe na h-iomchop b'pea- 
paiB 5ol^. Jaileoin cpa o na jaiB po 
h-ainmni5ea6 lab, bo Bpij ^upab lab bo 
Biob a n-apm aj copnaiii caic an can 
DO BiDip aj beunam a Bpeabma, ajup o 
na jaiB, no o na pleajaiB pa h-aipm 
601B, po h-ainmni^iob lab. " It was 



these chieftains, with their followers, wjio 
were called the Fir-Bolg, Fir Dhomh- 
nann, and Gaileoin. Fir Bolg, from the 
leathern bags that they had with them in 
Greece, for carrying mould, to lay it on 
the fiat-surfaced rocks, so as to convert 
them into flowery plains. Fir Dhomhnann, 
from the deep pits (doimhne) they used to 
dig to obtain the mould to be carried by 
the Fir-bolgs. And the Gaileoin were 
so called from their spears ; because they 
used to be under arms to protect them 
all when they were performing their 
task ; and it was from the spears (jgaibh), 
or from the lances (deaghaihh) which they 
used as arms, that they were so called.'' 
See also the Poem beginning Gpe apap na 
n-iop^al, by O'Mulconry of Cruachain, 
in the Leabhar Gabhala (O'Clery's copy. 
Royal Irish Academy, p. 34), which was 
most probably Keating's authority — (71) 
' Plebes Deorumy L e. Tuatha De Dan- 
aan. — The name Tuatha De Danann sig- 
nifies "the people of the Gods of Da- 
naan." Danann, daughter of Dalbaoit, 
(whose genealogy, in thirteen descents up 



46 



nann ip oib po baoap na ppim elabnaij. Goon Luchcenup Qp- 
cipe;r. Cpeoenup pigalup. Oianuj' IXIeioicup. Gaoan [ona] pilia 
eiup .1. muiTTii na pilio. 5^'^"^^^ pabep. Lug mac Girhneja 
pabaoap na h-uil-oana. OagDa [mop] (mac Galaoan mic Deal- 
baich) m pij. Ogma bparhaip in pij, ap e a panij licpi na Sjor. 
Ip lao na pip peo po bpipear each mop pop na muipeaoaib .i. 
pop na pomopcaib, "| cop caecpaoap pompa ina cop .i. Dun po 

oain^ean 



to Nemed, is given by Keating), is fabled 
to have bad tbree sons, Brian, luchar, 
and Incbarba, famous for tbeir sorceries 
and necromantic power, wbo were there- 
fore called De Danann, or the Gods of 
Danann ; and from tbem the people wbo 
venerated tbem received tbe name of 
Tuatba De Danann. See Keating. O'Fla- 
berty dates tbe invasion of tbe Tuatba De 
Danann, A. M. 2737. Tbe Four Masters, 

A. M. 3303— (^0 

" Croibnen, foJber. — In B. and L. tbe 

trades or arts practised by tbese " chief 
men of science" of tbe Tuatba De Danann, 
are given in Irish, not in Latin as in tbe 
text ; and tbeir names are also somewhat 
varied. 6uccanb paep. Cpebne ceapb. 
Diancecc liaij. Gcan, ona, a h-m^ein 
pme .1. buime na pileab. Joibnenb 
jobci, B. Cuchpa in paep, ajup Cpeibne 
m ceapb, ayup Oianceachc in liaiy, 
ajupScbanbana a injean pin, .1. muime 
nu pileb, ajup Jo'^^^cc"" ^^ yoba. L. 
L e. " Lucbtan (or Lucbra), tbe carpen- 
ter (or mechanic); Credne, tbe artist; 
Dianceacht, the leech (or physician) ; 
Etan (or Edandana) ww bis daughter, 



viz. tbe nurse of tbe poets; Goibnenn, 
tbe smith." Tbese personages (with tbe 
exception of Etan " tbe nurse of poets") 
are all mentioned by Keating. Etan 
is thus noticed by O'Flaberty, "Eta- 
na poetria, filia Diankecht, filii Asaraci, 
filii Nedii, Lugadii regis amita, et soror 
Armed® medicse, fuit mater Dalboctbii 
regis," &c — Ogygia^ iii. c. 14, p. 179. See 
also theLeabbar Gabbala (O'Clery's copy, 
B. L A.) where she is thus mentioned, p. 
45: ©accan bameccep in^en Oianchecc 
mic Gapaipj 6pic, mic Neicc ; and 
again, p. 49 : Gaoon .1. an bam pile, maeaip 
Coipppi. Qipmeb on Bamliaij bi in^m 
t)iancecbc iaibpi6e. — (T.) 

' Wiik whom, i. e. who bad a knowledge 
of all tbe arts — Occai po babar, B. 
Uaip ip aici po babap, L. This Lugh 
was Lugh Lamb-fbada, or the Long- 
banded, wbo instituted the games at 
Taillten, now Telltown, in East Meatb. 
Keating makes him the son of Cian, son of 
Diancecht, &c. See also Leabbar Gabbala, 
p. 48 ; and O'Flaberty's Ogygia, part iiL 
cb. 13, p. 177.— (T.) 

"^ Son of DeaJhaeth, — This short gene- 



47 



Ireland; it was of them were the chief men of science; as Luchtenus, 
artifex; Credenus, figulns; Dianus, medicus; also Eadon, his daugh- 
ter, viz. the nurse of the poets; Goibnen, faber". Lug, son of Eithne, 
with whom'' were all the arts. Dagda the Great (son of Ealadan, 
son of Dealbaith'') the king. Ogma, brother of the king; it was 
from him came the letters of the Scots*. 

It was these men that defeated in a great battle^ the mariners, 
i. e. the Fomorians, so that they fled* from them into their tower", i. e. 

a 



alogy does not occur in L. or B. TTlop is 
added from L. The genealogy of these 
chieftains is thus given in the Leabhar 
Gabhala (p. 48) : 6ochaiD Ollacap, biap 
bo h-ainm an t>a^ba, mac Balaram, 
mic Dealbaoir, mic Nee, mic 1ont>aoi, 
ceirpe ficic5lia6aa '*£ochaidh011athar, 
who had the name of the Dagda, son of 
Ealathan, son of Dealbaoth, son of Net, 
son of londaoi (reigned) fourscore years." 
Dealbaoir mac O jma 5P<o"0''^ni n^»c 
Galarcnn, micOealbaoic, micNcicc, mic 
lonnbui, beic m-bliaoan. ** Dealbaeth, 
son of Ogma Grianoinn, son of £alathan, 
son of Dealbaet, son of Ned, son of londai, 
(reigned) ten years. See also O'Flaherty, 
Ogyg. iiL c 13, p. 179.— (r.) 

' The letters of the Scots. — The ancient 
occult methods of writing were called 
Ogham, Ogma was sumamed ^piain-ei^ip, 
the resplendent poet, which O'Flaherty 
Latinizes into Ogma Griananus (Ogyg. iii 
c 14, p. 179) — (r.) 

^Defeated in agrecU batde Lit. "broke 

a great battle upon the mariners." In- 
stead of each mop, L. reads each TTlui^i 



CuipeoD, but the Irish traditions re- 
present the battle of Moy Tuireadh as 
having been fought between the Tuatha 
De Danann, and the Firbolg; so that this 
reading is probably an error of some 
scribe.— (T.) 

* Theg fled, — Caecpac, H. Chaec- 
peab, B. Cheichpeaoap, L. — (T.) 

* Into their tower ^ Sf^. — This is stated as 
of the Milesians by Nennius; and the 
tower is said to have been of glass. The 
legends of glass towers, houses, ships, &c., 
are capable of two solutions : the one 
natural, and referring to a time when 
glass windows were a great rarity; and 
the other mystical, and analogous to 
Merlin^s prison of air, whereof the waUs, 
though invisible and transparent, were 
for ever impassable. See Roman de Mer- 
lin, cvwiiL On that principle, every 
magic circle described by a wand of power 
is a tower of glass ; and a circle of triliths 
or of stones, though it be a half-open 
enclosure (a point harped upon in almost 
every combination of British words), is a 
perfect and inviolable structure. From the 



48 



Dainjean pop muip. Co n-oeachaoap pip Gpenn ma n-oajaiD co 
muip, copo cachaijpeac ppiu co pop poppo oo slaepeac in muip 
uile ace luchc aen luinje, jop jabaoap in n-inip lapooin. No co- 
mao laD clann NeimiD im peapjup lei6-oeap5 mac NeimiD oo 
rogailpeac in cop, -|c. 

X. Caimj lapoain odm ochraip, cona och[c] lonjaib, ip co po 
aiccpeabpac a n-Gipinn, "] co po jab pano mop oe. 

pip bolj imoppo po jabpac TTlanaino "| apaile innpi apceana, 
Qpa -] 111 "I Rachpa. 

Clanoa ^ci'^'^o^'^j imoppo, mic Gapcail po jabpac mopi ope .i, 

Ipcopech 



Preiddeu Annwvn (Spoils, or Herds, of the 
Abyss) we may cite this passage: " I 
shall not win the midtitude. [Under] a 
veil [is] the leader of hosts. Through 
the enclosure of glass {c<ier wydyr) they 
discerned not the stature (or length, 
gwrhyd) of Arthur. Threescore bards 
{canwr) stood upon the wall. It was 
difficult to parley with its sentinel." — r. 
29-32. The name of Bangor Wydrin or 
Glaston, belongs to this notion of vitreous 
castles or sanctuaries, whatever be its 
true origin. — (//.) 

** Closed upon them. — Cop apoib popcnb 
in muip, L. Cop pcip pop biuclaino in 
muip, B — (T.) 

« ^Afp._5aipce, L.— (T.) 

* Or according to others — The second 
account of this event is found only in D. 
and is more in accordance with the Irish 
traditions. See Keating, and the Leabhar 
Grabhala. The tower, called Conaing's 
Tower, from Conaing, son of Faobhar, 
Ib said to have been on the island on 



the north coast of Ireland now called 
Copmip, L e. Tower Island, corrupted in- 
to Tory island. After the destruction of 
the Fomorians, another body of pirates 
commanded by More, son of Dela, with 
a fleet of thirty (some copies of Keating 
read sixty) ships from Africa, again oc^ 
cupied the island, and were again attacked 
by the Nemedians; but the tide coming 
upon them unpcrceived during the battle, 
the Nemedians were all drowned, except 
the crew of one boat. Nennius, as has 
been said, attributes this exploit to the 
Milesians. It would seem as if two or 
three different stories had been confound- 
ed together in the accounts of it that 
now remain. See O'Flaherty, Ogygia, iii. 
c. 7, p. 170. — (T.) Fergus Leithdearg 
was one of the four sons of Nemed, and 
father of Britan, from whom the Irish 
deduced the name of Britain and the 
pedigree of St. Patrick. — (if.) 

• A company of eight. — ^t)am ochcaip, 
80 written in D. and L. B. reads Oa- 



49 



a very strong fortress on the sea. The men of Eri went against 
them to the sea, so that they fought with them until the sea closed^ 
upon them all, except the crew of one ship*^; and thus they [the Irish] 
took the island afterwards. Or, according to others^, it was the de- 
scendants of Nemed, with Fergus Leith-dearg \the red sided]^ son 
of Nemed, that destroyed the tower, &c. 

X. Afterwards came a company of eight*, with eight ships, and 
dwelt in Eri, and took possession of a great portion of it 

But the Firbolg seized upon Mann, and certain islands in like 
manner, Ara, Ili, and Rachra^ 

The children of Galeoin^, also, the son of Ercal [Hercides], seized 

the 



ihocrop, a8 if it were intended for Da- 
mochtor, a proper name, as in the Latin 
copies; but the verb can^aoapy which is 
the third person plural, shews that in this 
MS. also the words meant a company of 
eight. L. and B. read only cona lon^eap 
or ^ona lon^ip, with their Mp$, omitting 
ochc Some of the Latin copies read 
CSam Hector^ Clan Hoetor^ and some mere- 
ly Hoetor; a word which in Lrish signifies 
e^ht men.—i^T.) 

^ Ara^ 77i, and Eachra. — Qpa 7 lla 
7 Recca, B. Qpa 7 lie 7 Racca, L. 
The islands of Ara, Ha or Islay, and 
Sachlin or Bathlin, are intended. In 
the Latin we read '^Builc autem cum 
snis teniiit Euboniam insulam, et alias 
drciter." Eubonia is the Isle of Man, 
and Bnilc is most probably a corruption 
of 60I5 or Pip 60I5 — (T.) 

> The children of Qakoin, 4v.— That is 
to say the Fir-Graleoin before mentioned; 
being that tribe of the Firbolg who ob- 

IBI8H ABCH. SOC. 1 6. 



tained Leinster. The original merely 
says, that Istoreth, son of Istorin, occu- 
pied Dalrieda, i.e. Argyle, Lorn, and their 
vicinage; and has nothing about the Ork- 
neys. The translator, in this instance, 
has only heaped confusion. For the name 
of Agathirir, grandfather of Istorin, means 
Agathirsus, L e. Pictus ; yet he is made a 
Ferbolg, and disting^shed from the race 
of Cruithnich or Picts, in which occurs 
another Istoreth. I suppose the name 
Istorinus of Nennius to be the Irish 
name Stam, which occurs in the brother 
of Partholan (Ogygia, part L p. 4) and the 
father of Simon Brec (Keating, p. 37); 
and which has been derived from etair^ 
history. See Wood's Primitive Inhabitants, 
pp. 14, 118. The name Historeth of Nen- 
nius, transferred by our translator to the 
Picts, is quoted as son of Agnamhan^ but 
Stam, father of Simon Brec, was grandson 
of Agnamhan, which has been interpreted 
SoTig^ See Wood, ibid. p. 13.— (IT.) 



H 



50 

Ifcopech mac Ipcoipme mic Qijine mic Qjachipip po fjailpeac 
apij» a h-mopb Opcc .1. 00 cuaio Cpuichne mac Inju mic Luiche 
mic paipce mic Ipcopech mic Qsnamain mic buam mic TTlaip 
mic paicheachc mic lauao mic laperh ; conaD po gab cuapceapc 
mnfi bpeacan, 1 co pomopeac a p ecc macu a peapann a peace 
pannaib, -| ape amm cacha pip Dib aca pop a peapann. 

Seacc meic Cpuichnij .1. pib, piDach, poclaiD, popcpfnn, 
Cac, Ce, Cipij. [Uc oi;:ic Colam cilli 

TTloippeipeap 00 Cpuichne claino 
RoinopeD Qlbam a peachc painD 
Caic, Ce, Cipeach cecach clano, 
pib, piDach, pocla, poipcpeano.] 

Qjup CO po jab Qenbeajan mac Caicc mic Cpuichm apopi je na 
pecc panD. pmacca ba plaic n-6ipenn ip m pe pin, [ajup] po 
jabpac jiall Cpuichneach. 

Oo cuaoap coicpeap imoppo, do Cpuchanruarhib a h-inopib 

opcc 

^ Son of Agathirir. — ^hifcoipenb mac ^ A^in. — Qpipbi, L. Oopioif 1, B.-(7l) 

Tlifcopin, mic Q^oin, mic Q^achipf 1, B. ^ Cruitkne. — Cniithne is here made to 

InifToipeanb mac Ipcoipint, mic Q^- be a man's name ; his genealogy is thus 

numna, mic Q^chaippi, L. The Latin given in L.: Cpuichne mac ^n^e^ mic 

reads, ^^Istorith, Istorini filius, tenuit Cuchiw, mic Papchalon, mic Q^non, 

Dalrieta cum suis." It will be observed mic 6uain, mic TTlaif, mic phachecc, 

that the Fir-Gkdeoin, who a little before mic lauao, mic lochperh, mic }Aae : in 

were supposed to have derived their name B. thus: Cpuichne mac Cin^e, mtc 

from ^alian, a «^ar, and who were there- Cucrai, mic papcai, mic Hipcopech; 

fore called viri armorum^ are here derived and it will be seen that in another part of 

from Galian, the name of a man. These B. the genealogy is given in another form 

inconsistencies at least prove that the more nearly agreeing with L. — {T,) 

present work was compiled from various ^ To his own portion, — ^Literally, ^' and 

ancient sources, which were copied blindly it ia the name of each man of them that 

by the compiler, without any attempt to is on his land." This clause is omitted in 

make them hang together consistently. — this place in R {T.) 

{T.) » Ab ColurnhkiUe said.— This short poem 



SI 

the islands of Ore, i e. Istoreth, son of Istorine, son of Aigin, son of 
Agathirir^, were dispersed again' from the islands of Ore, and then eame 
Cruithne'^, son of Inge, son of Luithe, son of Pairte, son of Istoreth, 
son of Agnaman, son of Bnan, son of Mar, son of Fatheaeht, son of 
Javad, son of Japheth ; so that he seized the northern part of the 
island of Britain, and his seven sons divided his territory into seven 
divisions, and eaeh of them gave his name to his own portion'. 

The seven sons of Cmithne are Fib, Fidaeh, Fotlaid, Fortrean, 
Cat, Ce, Cirig. As Columbeille said". 

Seven of the ehildren of Cmithne 
Divided Alban into seven portions ; 
Cait, Ce, Cireaeh of the hundred children, 
Fib, Fidaeh, Fotla, Foirtreann. 

And Aenbeagan", son of Cat, son of Cmithne, took the sovereignty of 
the seven divisions. Finaeta" was Prinee of Eri at that time, and** 
took hostages of the Cruithnians. 

Now five men' of the northern Cruithnians, i. e. five brothers of 

their 

is inserted from L. and from B. (where it plaich n-6penn, &c., as in the text, with 
occurs in another place). B. in this place only some trivial variation8.^(r.) 
agrees almost exactly with D. Immediately ° Aenbea^an. Onbecan, L. B. — {T,) 
afterthegenealogyof Cruithne, L. adds : If ^ Finada — This must be Finacta, son 
h-e arhaip Cpuichnech ayuf cec blia- of 011am Fodla, who became king of Ire- 
Dam ippij^e. Seachc meic Cpuichne inopo land on the death of his father, A. M. 3276 
. I . piD, ajuppibach, 050^ pocla, ajup according to O'Flaherty; 3923 according 
Popcpeann, Caic, a^up Ce, a^up Cipic, to the Four Masters; and 31 12 according 
uc Di;:ic, &C., as in the text. After Co- to Keating. — {T,) 

lumbkille's verses follows, Co po poino- p And. — Qjup, added from L (T.) 

peac 1 pecc pannaib in peapann, ajup ip ^ Five men. — Coiccap, D. Coijeop, B. 

t ainm each pip bib pil pop a peapunb, Coicpeap, which is the reading of L., 

uc epc pib, Ce, Caic, 7c. ;ciii pi con shews the true etymology of this class of 

^bpab Dib poppo, ayup jabaip Onbe- personal niunerals. See O'Donovan's Irish 

can mac Caicmic Cpuichne aipopiji na Grammar, p. 1 25. — {T.) . 
pecc penn pin. Then follows pmoacca pa 

H2 



52 

opcc .1. cuic bjiachpi achap Cpuicne co Ppancaib 50 po cumocn^- 
peao carhaip ann .i. picccacup no Inpiccup, o na pmncaib ainm- 
nijeap ; -| co can^aoap Dopip oocum na h-mnpi .1. oociim na h-Gpenn, 
CO pabaoap pe cian ann, 50 pap Dicuippeac ^^^^^'l' ^ccp ^nuip Do 
cum a Tn-bpachap. 

Clanna Liacain mic Gapcail po jabpac peapann Dieimcopum -] 
5"^P 1 5"^5^^^^» 5^ P^r lYinapbCohenDa co [a] macaiba bpeacnaib. 

De iTncecbcai6 gaeoeat qnnso sis. 

XL IS amlaiD peo imoppo acpiaoaic na h-eolaio na n-jaeoeal 

imceachca 

" Sons of Liathan. — This is a literal 
version of Nennius : " Filii autem Lie- 
than obtiniienint in regione Demetonim, 
et in aliis regionibns, i.e. Guir et Cet- 
gueli, donee expnlsi sunt a Cuneda, et 
a filiis ejus, ab omnibus Britannicis re- 
gionibus." — (T.) The names, Liathan 
and Ercal, variously disfigured in the 
Latin, are, perhaps, corrected here. On 
the other hand the names of Denetia 
or Dyved, L e. Pembrokeshire, Gwyr or 
Gower, in Glamorgan, and Cydweli or 
ElidweUy, in Caermarthen, as well as that 
of king Cynedda, are further corrupted. 
See Humph. Llwyd Conmientariolum, 
p. IOC. — (H,) 

" Dieimptorum and Over and GuigeUe, — 
t)iemcopum ojup Cuhep ajup Cu^eilli, 
L. DiamcopoD ayup Juep oyup 5"- 
jelli, B.-(r.) 

^ Cohenda Cuannc^ L. Cuanoa, B. 

* Expelled. — Innapb, H. Inbopbopcap, 
B. InnaphpaDop, L. — (r.) 

y As follows, — So much of this Gadelian 



'' Pidatus or Inpictus. — Or perhaps we 
should translate, ^'Pictatus or the Pic- 
tus.^^ L. reads piccabip, and B. picca- 
uif, without the second name. The city 
of Augustoritum, or PoieOers^ capital of 
Pictavia, or Poictou, in France, is evi- 
dently the city meant. The fable is in- 
vented to suit the similitude of names. 
Keating, quoting the authority of the 
Psalter of Cashel, makes the Cruithneans 
a people of Thrace, and supposes them to 
have founded Pktamum in the course of 
their migrations, before their arrival in the 
British isles. See Keating, at the reign 
of Heremon. — (T.) 

• From the pick-axes, — Instead of o na 
pmncaib ainmni^eap, B. and L. read 
simply a h-ainm. — (T,) 

' To their brethren, — The substance of 
this section, with some additional matter 
(the length of the reigns, for example, of 
the sons of Cruithne, and the cities where 
they reigned), is given in another copy, 
near the beginning of this Tract, in both 
B. and L.--(r.) 



53 

their father Cruithne, went from the islands of Ore, to the Franks, 
and founded* a city there, viz., Pictatus or Inpictus', so called, from 
the pick-axes* ; and they came again to this island, i. e. to Eri, where 
they were for a long time, until the Gaedil drove them across the 
sea to their brethren^ 

The sons of Liathan", son of Ercal, seized the country Dieimpto- 
rum, and Guer, and Guigelle^, until Cohenda'' and his sons expelled* 
them out of Britain. 



Of the Adventubes of 
XL The learned of the Gaels* 

or Milesian stoiy, as belongs to Nennins, 
is culled from his ninth and seventh chap- 
ters. The Altars of the Philistines are the 
Are Philsnorum, between Leptis Magna 
and Barce, 

** Qua odebre invicti nomen posnere Philnni," 
two Carthaginian brothers, whose patrio- 
tic self-devotion is recorded in many 
writers, especially in Sallust's Jugurtha, 
p. 126. Delphin. 1674. The Lacus Sa- 
linarmn (here Salmara) must signify the 
salt-marshes near the Syrtis Major, called 
in maps Salins ImmenssB ; and not the 
lake anciently called Salinas Nubonenses 
in the Mauritania Sitifensis ; for other- 
wise the Graels would be retrograding east- 
wards to Rusicada. The city of Kusicada 
(here Buiseagds) was near the modem 
Stora, to the west of Bona, and had a 
Bonatist bishop Victor, and a Catholic 
bishop Faustinian. See Optatus a Dupin, 
p. 14, p. 369. Antwerp. The Montes 
Azarse (here Mount lasdaire) are the 



GaEDEL, AS F0LL0W8^ 

give the following account of the 

adventures 

Mons Aurasius, stretching S. W, of Rusi- 
cada. The River Malva is now the Enza, 
at or near the division of the Algerian 
and Maroquin states. The Mediterranean 
Sea is the Mare Terrenum, or Land Sea, 
of Marcus, pp. 52 and 49, and of Tire- 
chan in his Annot. p. xix. Wherever (as 
in Nennius, cap. is. Galfrid. Monumet. i, 
c 12, and in the Lives of St. Patrick) the 
Tyrrhenum equor is spoken of by writers 
of these islands, it is a corruption of 
Terrenum, and means the Terranean or 
Medi-Terranean. It is worthy of obser- 
vation, that learning, neither inaccurate 
nor very common, has found its way into 
this geography of the Historia Britonum. 
It has been copied, in an ignorant man- 
ner, by the Archdeacon of Monmouth, 
or by the original author whom he ren- 
dered. Gralfrid. Monumet. i, cap. 1 1, 12. — 

*The learned of the OaeU — " Sic mihi 
peritissimi Scottorum nunciaverunt. — 



54 

imccachca a n-appait)e coipeac. Ro ben apcnle peap poceanolach 
pop loinjeap i n-Gijipc, lap na h-mDapba a piji Sjeichia, in n- 
inbait) cangaoap meic Ippachel cpe Tlluip RuaiD, "| po baiDeao 
popano cona pluos. In pluaj cepna ap jan baoao, po h-irmapbpac 
a h-Gigipc m lomjpec [poicenelach] uD, ap ba cliamam pium Do 
popanD t)o baiDeao ann .t. popann Cfncpip. 

Ro apcnaoap lapum m Sjeicheajoai cona clann ip a n-Qpppaij;, 
CO h-alcopaib na peilipoinach co cuicib Salmapa, *] eicip na Ruip- 
eajoaib -| pliab lapoaipe, -| cap ppuch mbailb cpep in pec 
muipiOe CO colamnaib Gpcail cap muncmn ^^^^'^^^^ coh-Gappain; 
-] po aiccpeabaio [in Gppain] lapDain, co canjaoap meic TTlileat) 
Gappame co h-Gipmo co cpichaic cuile, co cpicha lanamain each 
cul, a cmo t)a blmoan ap mile lap m-baoao popamo [im muip 
puaio]. 

Re;c haucem eopum meppup epc .1. po bameao in pij .1. Donn 05 



Quando venerunt per mare Rubnun filii 
Israel," &c. — Nennius, See Additional 
Notes, No. VI. Two copies of this sec- 
tion are to be found in different parts of 
the Book of Lecan. — (T.) 

^ Noble — Soicenelach added from B. 

L». L«.— (r.) 

** t. e. Forann Cincris, — These words 
occur only in D. In the Chromcon of 
£usebiu8 we read, *' Iste est Pharao Chen- 
cres qui contradixit per Mosen Deo, atque 
mari rubro obrutus esf — (T,) 

* The weU» of Salmara, — Salmapum, 
B. L\ Salmapium, U. In the Latin 
" per lacum S^narum, or "Palmarum," 
as some MSS. of Nennius read erro- 
neously. — {T.) 



* The Ruma^dcB. — Ha "Ruprecbu, L*. 
na l^oifcncoa, L?, na l^opcicoOy B. In 
all the Irish copies this word seems given 
in a plural form as the name of a people. 
The Latin reads, " ad Rusicadam."— (Z) 

• Mount lasdaire Slebe Gap caip, L*. 

Slebe CIy*cape, B. L*. The Latin reads, 
*' Montes Azaris ;'' but some copies read 
'^ Syrise," and Gale's edition reads Ararat. 

f The River Mbcdb, — D. reads txxp p liab 
TDbalb t. ppuc, where the words 1. ppuc, 
are manifestly the correction of pliab, and 
introduced by the ignorance of the copyist 
into the text. B. and L*. read ppuch 
mailVe. L^ reads {^uch TTIailb. The 
Latin is " per flumen Malvam." — (T.) 



55 



adventures of their ancient chiefs. There was a certain nobleman in 
exile in Egypt, after he had been banished out of the kingdom of 
Scy thia, at the time when the children of Israel passed through the 
Red Sea, and Forann [Pharoah]^ with his host, was drowned. The 
army that escaped without being drowned, banished out of Egypt 
the aforesaid noble* exile, because he was the son-in-law of the Forann 
that was drowned there ; i. e. Forann Cincris**. 

Afterwards the Scythians went, with their children, into Africa, 
to the altars of the Philistines, to the wells of Salmara^, and between 
the BuiseagdaB'*, and Mount Iasdaire^ and across the River Mbalb^ 
through the Mediterranean Sea' to the pillars of Hercules, beyond 
the sea of Gadidon* to Spain ; and they dwelt in Spain* afterwards, 
until the sons of Miled (MUesifis) of Spain^ came to Eri, with thirty 
boats, with thirty couples in each boat, at the end of a thousand and 
two years after Forann was drowned in the Red SeaV 

Rex autem eorum mersus est, i. e. the king, viz., Donn, was 

drowned 



« The Mediterranean Sea, — 8ec mui- 
pioe, literaUj semita marina, the sea path 
or way, which must here signify the Me- 
diterranean. The Latin is '* transienint 
per maritima.*' — (21) 

^ The sea of Oadidon, — This is not 
mentioned in the Latin. TTIuincinD Qr- 
eoan, B. (the aspirated ^ omitted.) TTIum- 
cino ^aiDiDonoo, L. The word muin- 
cino or muincmn, signifies the top or 
surface ; the level plain (here of the sea). 
In the Leabhar Gabhak (p. 3), it is ex- 
plained in a gloss by uaccap, surface. 
Op muiTKinn [.1. uaccap] mapa maip' 
Coipp ; '^ Over the surface of the Caspian 
Sea." O'ReiUy, in his Dictionary, al- 



though he refers to this passage, has 
entirely misunderstood it — (H) 

i /«/§?aw.— Added from B.L\ U^T.) 
^ Miled of Spain, — This occurs in ano- 
ther part of the Latin copies, " £t poetea 
venerunt tres filii cujusdam militis His- 
panis" (iriileao Cofpame, where the 
proper name, Miled or Mileeius, appears 
to stand for mike), <<cum triginta ciulis 
apud illos, et cum triginta conjugibus in 
unaquaque ciula." The word cuil or 
cul, (cubal, L.) is evidently cognate with 
the Anglo-Saxon ceol, a long boat, the 
root of our present £nglish word keel. 
See Du Cange v, Ceola, Ciida, — (T.) 
^ In the Bed Sea,— Added from L. D. 



5^ 

cig Dumo. Cpi banoe m n-inbaio pin a plaiciup epcnn, polla, -| 
banba, •] Gipe, copo moioeaoap cpi cacha poppo pe macaib 
TTlilcab. Copo jabaoap nneic TTlileat) piji lapoain. 

Concenpio majna pacca epc .1. po pap copnam [mop] ecep t)a 
mac TTlileat) imon pije co po piDipcap a m-bpcicham lac .1. Qmaip- 
jein [jlun jeal mac TTlileD, -]] ba pilio eipioen Ona; •] ip e m 
pib 00 poinoe .1. paino Gpenn a n-Oo, -| po^ab Gbcp [m leach] 
reap, -] Gipemon [pa leach] cuaij ; -| [po] aiccpeabaiD a clanna 
an n-mopi [peo cup anoiu.] 

XII. bpeacain cpa po jabpacap in n-mpi peo ip m cpeap 

aimpeap 



reads icqi m-aoao for icqi fn-baocro, omit- 
ting the eclipsed initial letter, a very com- 
mon omission in that MS. — (jT.) 

°* Ti^h'Duinn. — HeberDonn, one of the 
eight commanders of the Milesians, was 
shipwrecked at Teach Duinn, L e. the 
House of Donn, in Kerry. Ogygia iii 
cap. 16, p. 182. This is the name still 
given by the peasantry of the neighbour- 
hood to one of the three islands commonly 
called the Bull, the Cow, and the Calf, 
off Dursey island, at the south entrance 
of Kenmare Bay. Keating speaks of 
Teach Duinn as being near sand banks, 
Ctf an po bairoib lao a^ na ourhacaiB, 
pe paicciop Ceac Duinn, 1 n-ioprap 
mufhan, ajup ip o t)honn, mac TTlileao, 
DO barab ann, ^aipriop Ueac Ohumn 
be. " The place where they were drowned 
was at the sand banks which is called 
Donnas House, in the west of Munster ; 
and it is from Donn, son of Milesius, who 
was drowned there, that they are called 



Donn*s House.'' He also cites the fol- 
lowing verses from a poem by Eochy 
O'Flynn : 

t)onn, If 6ile, ip &uan a Bean, 
Oil, If Qipeac, mac TTIileab, 
6uaf, &peap, ip &uai^e 50 m-bloi6. 
Do bara6 a^ na Dumacoib. 

" Donn, and Bile, and Boan his wife, 
Dil, and Aireac, ion of Milead, 
Buas and Breas, and Buaighne renowned, 
Were drowned at the land bankB.*'^(T.) 

^ Three goddeMes, — That is to say, three 
princesses of the Tuatha De Danann, for 
that tribe were called the Gods. They 
were the wives of the three grandsons of 
the Daghda.— (fll) 

« FoUay Banba^ and Eire. — porlo, B. 
L\ L'. Her name is commonly spelt 
Po6la. See the story in Keating. — {T,) 

P The kingdom, — Cpi piji pope, L., i. e. 
the three kingdoms of Fodhla, Banba, and 
£rL T^i^e poppo pope, B. The Latin 



57 

drowned at Tigh-Dmim», Three goddesses'* at that time held the 
sovereignty of Eri, namely j Folia, and Banba, and Eire°, until three 
battles were gained over them by the sons of Milead, so that the sons 
of Milead afterwards took the kingdom*^. 

Contentio magna** facta est, i. e. there grew up' a great dispute be* 
tween tbe two sons of Milead, concerning the kingdom, until their 
Brehon* pacified them, viz. Amergin of the white knee, son of Milead ; 
and he was their poet*. And this is the peace which he made", viz., 
to divide Eri into two parts^ and Eber^ took the northern half, He- 
rimon the southern half, and their descendants inhabit this island to 
the present day. 

XII. Now the Britons took possession of this island"" in the third 

age 



words, or abbreviations for them, ef, vero, 
sed^ pottt often occur in Irish MSS., but 
they were always read by their Irish equi- 
valents, just as we read the contraction 
*' &'^ and^ although it is really an abbre- 
viated mode of writing the letters et — (T), 

*> Contentio magnOy S^. — The Latin 
words at the beginning of this paragraph 
appear to intimate that our Irish com- 
piler was copying from some Latin ori- 
g^aL They occur only in D. There is 
nothing corresponding in the Latin copies 
of Nennius. — {T.) 

' Grew «/>.— ^Ro ap, D. B. for po pap, 
omitting the aspirated initial. Cop pap 
cocao mop, L". Copnam mop, B. L*. — 
(T.) 

• Their Brehon. — D. reads co po pmaij- 
peac a m-bpeichimam, *< until their Bre- 
hons pacified them :'' but this, being in- 
consistent with what follows, is an evident 
mistake, and the reading of L*. L*. and B. 

IBISH ABCH. 80C. NO. 1 6. 



has therefore been followed. The words 
inserted between brackets after Amergin's 
name in the Irish text, are added from 
L\ and L^.— (Z) 

* Their poet — The word pile6 implied 
much more than a poet See O'Flaherty, 
Ogyg. iii a i6. p. 183, who says, " Amer- 
ginus sub fratribus suis supremus vates 
fuit Quo nomine (Filedh, quasi Philo- 
sopho) non poets tantum, sed etiam aliis 
sdentiis apprime versati audiebant" — (T.) 

" He made. — Instead of the words a^up 
ip e in pi6 DO pombe (which are inserted 
from L*.) D. reads ip pe in, leaving the 
sense imperfect. B. reads a^up ip e in 
pi6. L\ reads ipe in pich. — (T.) 

' Eber. — Gimbep, D. The insertions 
between brackets in the text are from L*. 
D. reads clann instead of clanno. In 
inopi cup an6iu, B. In inopi peo cup 
aniu, L'. In n-mpi co pi6, L*. — (71) 

^ This idand. — Here our Author, trans- 



58 



aimpeap m oomam. Ifin ceacpamao aimy^eap m Domain imoppo 
po jabpac ^ci^^i^ Gpinn ; if m aimpip cenna po jabp acap Cpu- 
ichnij cuapccapc mop bpeacan ; ip in cp eipeo aimpeap imoppo 
cangaoap Dal-piaoa co po jabpac pamo na Cpuirneach, •] ip an 
ampip pin po jabpac Sajcain a paino a bpcacnaib. 

lap n-il aimpeapaib cpa po jabpac Romain apo plachup m Do- 
mam, -| po paeopeac ceachcaipc co h-inip bpeacan oo cuinjio 
giall -| cicipe, amail cujpac ap jac cip [n-ailc]. Do cuaoap imoppo 
na ceachca [co] Dimoach jan Jiall; po pcapjameao in pij imoppo 
.1. lull Cepaip pe bpcacnu, •] canij; co Ix. cuile co h-mobeap ppo- 
cha Uamaip. beallinop imoppo ba pij; bpeacan m n-inbaiD pin. 
Do cuam imoppo Dolabeallup aip conpul pig bpeacan a com- 
oail lull [Ceapaip], "] po ceapjoa milin m pij ; ipin ampip pin 
po bpip DoninD "| anpao a lonja, "] Do pachcuip m pij gan cop- 

* The Romans. — Here we pass to the 
fourteenth chapter of Nennius, " Romani 
autem dum acceperunt domimiun totius 
mundi, ad Britannos misenmt l^atos," 
&c.— (T.) 

' 0«*«r.— n-aile added from L». L«.— 
{T.) 

^ Displeased — Dimjach, D. Co oim- 
oach, L*. L". 5© Dimoach, B. — {T.) 

* Sixty skips. — Co ;tl ciule, D. l;c. cu- 
baile, L*. I;:, ciuile, B. L\ "Tunc 

Julius Cesar iratus est valde, 

et venit ad Brittaniam^ cum sexaginta 
ciulis, et tenuit in ostium Tamesis,^' &c — 

^ Tantes, — B. reads ^o h-mbep ipora- 
mep, which is evidently a mistake for 
fTioca Camep.— (^.) 

« Proconsul, — Qip conpain, D., an evi- 



lating a British authority, probably Nen- 
nius, uses the words this island^ to sig- 
nify Britain. Nennius (cap. lo,) says, 
"Brittones venerunt in tertia state 
mimdi ad Brittanniam. Scotti autem 
in quarta obtinuerunt Hibemiam.'* The 
six ages of the world are given in the 
various editions of the Historia (and with 
some difference in Taliesin's Divregwawd, 
p. 96), but are omitted by this transla- 
tor. The third age was from Abraham 
to David, the fourth was from David to 
Daniel ; and the sixth is from John Baptist 
to Doomsday. Some anachronisms of Nen- 
nius are corrected in this passage. — {H.) 

« -^^.— Qep, L>. Qip, B. L» (T.) 

^ Sixth age. — In ceipeo aimpp, D, in 
pcpeoD aip, L*. m pepeoo ampp, L\ — 



59 



age of the world. But it was in the fourth age' of the world that 
the Graels seized upon Eri. In the same age the Cruithnians took 
the northern quarter of the island of Britain. But it was in the sixth 
age' that the Dalriada came, and took the district of the Cruithnians, 
and it was at that time also that the Saxons took their portion of the 
island &om the Britons. 

But after many ages the Romans* took the sovereignty of the 
world, and they sent an ambassador to the island of Britain, to de- 
mand hostages and pledges, such as they had taken from every 
other* country. The ambassadors, however, went away displeased^ 
without hostages ; and the king, viz., Julius Caesar, was enraged with 
the Britons, and came with sixty ships^ to the mouth of the river 
Tames''. Now Bellinus was king of the island of Britain at that 
time. And Dolabellus, pro-consul* of the King of Britain, went to 
meet Julius Caesar^ and the soldiers of the king were cut down ; in 
the mean time' tempestuous weather and storm broke his ships, and 

the 



dent mifitake. 6pconpul, B. L^ QpD- 
chofifol, L*. This last reading would 
signify chief consul ; but the Latin calls 
Dolobellus "proconsul r^ Brittanico.'' 
Some take ^^ Dolobellum" in the Latin 
to be the name of a town, an interpreta- 
tion which has the authority of Geoffrey 
of Monmouth ; it will be seen, however, 
that our Lrish author considered it as 
the name of a man — (T,) Nennius has 
contra Dolobelltun, and Marcus, apud 
Dolobellum. Camden quotes it, ad Dole 
bellum, " a battle at Deal ;'' but neither 
states where he found it, nor how the 
rest is to be construed, Li this passage 
of the Historia, Beli Maur ap Manogan 
is represented as still king of Britain; 



though he was clearly dead, being father 
to Cassivellaunus. — Gralfrid. iiL cap. 20. 
But Beli Maur was a sort of patron hero 
to Britannia, which was called his island. 
Taliesin, Dirge of Pendragon, p. 73. Per- 
haps the passage may be restored in this 
manner, which brings into play both the 
apvd and the contra: "pugnabat aptid 
Dolo[n] contra [Ca8si]bell[an]um, qui 
erat proconsul regi Britannico, qui et 
ipse rex Belinus vocabatur, et filius erat 
MinocanL^' — (H.) 

f CcBMr.— Added from L«.— (T.) 

^ In the mean time. — "Ro cepcca mili6 

pij ip ino amup pn^ B. "Ro ceap^oa 

mile, D. "Ro c;ec6a mili^ mo pi^ m 

n-oamup pn L*. Ro cepccRXxn mili3 



I2 



6o 



jup oia np. Camj imoppo apip a cmn cpi m-bbat)an co cpi 
.c, long cop m -inobeap ccona ; po puioijipoap imoppo Dolobel- 
luf beapa lapamo m n-acha na h-abann apa cint) m cacha, co 
copcpaoap na mileat) pomanach rpep in n-cn^nam neamaicpDe 
fin .1. cpep na jpainib cacha. 

Co po cmeoiliD o luil, •] co capDao each ly* m peapann Dia- 
naD ainm dnuanOpum, co pemaio poime in cat pin "| 50 po jab 
piji na h-mopi .uii. m-bliaona. j:l. pe gem Cpipc, ab inicio muinDi 
u. ;:;r;:.iJ. 

XIII. lull Dna m ceD pij Roman po gab imp bpeacan po map- 

bao 



in pij ip a n-inboD pin, L*. Cepcca is 
the old form of the passive participle, 
ra being the termination, which in the 
modem Irish is a6 — (T.) 

** WithoiU victory, — Can ^lall, without 
hostages. L* (T.) 

» Three hundred. — ^Cpichoo, D. Cpi . c. 
L. ccc, B. '' Cum magno ezercitu, tre* 
centisque ciulis." — iVenntW.— {^.) 

i Seeds of batde. — This passage is very 
obscure, and the Irish text in all the MSS. 
corrupt. The Latin (Stevenson's text) is 
as follows : " £t ibi inierunt bellum, et 
multi ceciderunt de equis et militibus 
suis, quia supradictus proconsul posuerat 
sudes ferreas et semen bellicosiun, id est, 
Cetilou, in vada fluminis, quod discrimen 
magnum fuit militibus Romanorum, et 
ars invisibilis." Here it would seem that 
the spocna carha of the Irish is an at- 
tempt to translate semen heUicoeum, which 
was probably a name given to the spikes 
or caltrops cast or town in the river for the 
annoyance of the enemy. See Additional 



Notes, Na VII. Cethilou, Cetilou, Ca- 
thilou, Catheleu, Cechilou, Cethilo, Cethi- 
locium, for in all these forms it is found 
in the MSS* of Nennius, seems to have 
been a British word, identical in signiii- 
tion with semen beBicosum. Cpep in n-ai 
cenaicpioe, L*. "Through invisible know- 
ledge," translating ars invisUnlis^ B. is 
altogether corrupt, crpep in n-a^ ner 
mac piDi. U, reads qii pin n-o^ neam* 
aicpioe. D. has najpioe, where n is 
probably a contraction for neam. — {T.) 

" Seeds of battle" is literally rendered 
from " semen bellicosum." " Dictus pro- 
consul posuerat sudes ferreas et semen 
bellicosum, qu» calcitramenta, id est 
cethilocium [cethilou, cethiloii, cethilon, 
cathilou, cechilou, catheleu] in vada flu- 
minis, etc." The only clue to this mangled 
British is the Latin translation of it, 
which shows that caltrops, or the like 
thereof, were called the seed of battle, 
and consequently that cad or co^ battle,, 
is the beginning of this word, and perhaps 



6i 



the king was driven back without victory* to his country. He came 
again, however, at the end of three years, with three hundred* ships, 
to the same bay ; but Dolobellus put spikes of iron in the ford- 
ing place of the river, in preparation for the battle, so that the 
Roman soldiers fell by this invisible stratagem, i. e., by the seeds of 
battled 

Notwithstanding, a rally was made^ by Julius, and battle was 
given in the land which is called Tinnandrum', so that he broke" 
that battle before him, and took the sovereignty of the island, forty- 
seven years before the birth of Christ, ab initio mundi 5035". 

XIIL Now Julius, the first king of the Romans, who took the 

island 



keuy sowing, its termination. Catheu is 
too short, and gives up the / in which all 
readings agree. Catoi^heu is exactly ^' se- 
men bellioosmn." It is a strange criti- 
cism that, with the Latin actually given, 
passes it over unnoticed, and invents 
things alien to it I See Owen Pughe's 
MS., apud Gunn's Nennius, p. 127. Ro- 
berts' Tysilio, p. 78 — (H.) 

^ A rally was made. — Co n-oeapnao 
a cinol, L».— (r.) 

* TinnandfTitn. — ^Cpinuabann, L*. Cpi- 
nouono, B. ** Grestum est bellum tertio 
juxta locum qui dicitur Trinovantum." 
Nennius. Copo no Upmouonnpum, L^, 
where copo seems a mere mistake — (T.) 

For Tinandrum read Trinovantum (the 
Troynovant of Geoffrey), by which name 
London is denoted. I believe that name 
had its origin in a mistranslation of Oro* 
sius, ^* Trinobantum [gen. pL] firmissima 
civitas .... Cflesari se dedidit'* vi cap. 9. 



Caesar died B. C. 45, not 47, as stated ; 
the statement immediately following in 
cap. xiiL, concerning A. D. 47, has arisen 
out of the former by some unaccountable 
confusion. Li Marcus, forty -seven years 
afler Christ are made the duration of 
Claudius' reign. — (JJ.) 

™ Me brokey i. e. he won the battle. — 
Co po meabaiD, L^ Co po maio, L*. 
^u po aemi6, B. which last reading is 
evidently corrupt — (T.) 

^ Ab initio mundi, ifc. — This date is 
omitted in L". u. m. ;c;c;cu.a chopach Do- 
main CO pm m n-aimpip pm, L\ ll.;i:;r;cu, 
bliaoan o copac oomam, B. ^* Et acce- 
pit Julius imperium Brittanicse gentis 
quadraginta septem annis ante nativita- 
tem Christi, ab initio autem mundi quin- 
que millia ducentorum quindecim." — 
Stevenson^s Nennius. In D. the reading 
is u. ;c;rcii. as in the text, where u. is 
for um.— (T.) 



62 



baD ma h-aipecc h-pem, "| ip na h-amoip po h-ainmnigpcao RoTnam 
mi lull a cmt) .uii. m-bliaona jd. lap n-jem Cpipc. 

.ff. Cluit) m pig canaipoe po jab mi|» bpeacan, [a cmo chcach- 
pacat) bliaoan ajup a ceachaip lap n-jen Cpif c], ") oo pao ap mop 
ap bpeacnaib, "| pamij mif Opcc lap cop dip a munncipe, •] lap 
mop oic a mumncipe lap in coipeach oianao ainm Caipcbeallunup ; 
cpi bliaona oej -| .uff. mfp a pije, co n-epbailc im TTlajnancia h-i 
Conjbapoaib 05 oola 00 Roim [a] h-inip [bpeacan]. 

lap .uff. m-bliaona. ^l. ap ceo o gein Cpipc, po paipeac m pi^ 
"I in papa .1. Galicuhepiup ppuiche uaioib co n-cbiplib co Luciup 
CO pig bpeacan, co po baipoicea m pig, co pijaib bpeacan ap- 
ceana. 

.iff. Suapeip m cpeap pig cainij a m-bpecnaib ; ip leip Do po- 

nao 



® In his own senate. — In a oipechc pein, 
L*. O na aipeaccaiB pen, L"., " by his 
own senators." The word Qipeacc, or 
Oipeacc, signifies an assembly. It was 
the common name given to the assemblies 
of the people in Ireland at which the na- 
tive Brehons administered justice; and 
it would seem that it is in this sense our 
author applies it to the Roman senate. 
In Anglo-Irish documents of the period 
of Hen. III. to Eliz., it was commonly 
anglicised Erwtt, ' and Iraghte : as in the 
letter of J. Alen to the Royal Commis- 
sioners (1537), " And in any wyse some 
ordre to be taken immedyately for the 
buUdeing of the castell hall, where the 
lawe is kept ; for yf the same be not 
buyldeid, the majestie and estimation of 
the lawe shalle perryshe, the justices be- 
ing then enforceid to minister the lawes 



upon hylles, as it were Brehons or 
wylde Irishemen, in ther Eriottes.'^ — Stalte 
Papers, ii. p. 501. See also Battle of 
Magh Rath, p. 92, note ^ — (T.) 

P Forty and /our years, — This clause is 
added from B. L^ L*. The Latin reads 
forty-eigkL *' Secundus post hunc Claudius 
imperator venit, et in Britannia impe- 
ravit, annis quadraginta octo post adven- 
tum Christ!, et stragem et bellum fecit 
magnum," &c. B. L\ and L*. read Cluio 
m piy canaipce cainic, (instead of po 
^abe) L e. *' the second king that came to 
Britain."— (r.) 

*> He brouyht,^~X)o pac, B. L*. Do 
pooao, L» (T.) 

^ His people, — Q mileao, L\ o-mbio- 
boo, his enemies, L*. a maice ajup a 
mileab, his chieftains and his soldiers, 

B^r.) 



63 



island of Britain, was killed in his own senate'' ; and it was in his 
honor that the Romans gave the month of July its name, at the end 
of seven and forty years after the birth of Christ. 

ii. Cluid [Claudius] was the second king that took possession of 
Britain, at the end of forty and four years^ after the birth of Christ, 
and he brought"* a great slaughter upon the Britons, and he pene- 
trated to the islands of Ore, after causing a slaughter of his people, 
and after a great loss of his people' by the chieftain whose name was 
Cassibellaunus. He reigned thirteen years and seven months', when 
he died in Magnantia^ of the Longobards, as he was going to Rome 
from the island of Britain". 

After one hundred and forty-seven years'' from the birth of 
Christ, the Emperor and the Pope, viz., Eleutherius," sent clerks 
from them with letters to Lucius King of Britain, in order that the 
king might be baptized, and the other kings of Britain in Uke manner. 

iii. Severus' was the third king that came to Britain ; and it was 

by 



* Seven months. — ^Cpi blicrona oec oo 
agfUf OCT mif, B. L*. The Latin also 
reads, "r^:iiayit autem annis tredecim, 
mensibiis octa" — (71) 

^ Magnantia — ^For Magnantia it is Ma- 
gantia in Nennius, and in Marcus, Mogun- 
tiii, which are Latin modes of writing 
Mentz. — ^Nennius, cap. 17. This erro- 
neous statement arises from a miscon- 
struction of the words of Eutropius, vii 
cap, 13. " Post hunc Claudius fuit, pa- 
truus Caligule, Drusi qui apud Mogunr 
tiaeum monumentum habet filius." — {H,) 

" .R-toin.— Added from L»- U^T,) 

* ForUf'-teeen years, — The Latin reads 
** Post centum et sexaginta annos. — (T.) 



"^ Eleutherius. — Gulechepiup, B. 6u- 
leqiiuf, L*. 6elecepiuf, L". The Latin 
reads, ^' missa l^atione ab imperatoribus 
Bomanorum, et a papa Bomano Eucha- 
rista" Mr. Stevenson mentions a MS., 
in the margin of which is added by the 
original scribe, " Mentitur, quia primus 
annus Eyaristi fuit A. D. 79, primus 
vero annus Eleutherii, quem debuit no- 
minasse, fuit A. D. 161." The Irish trans- 
lator, therefore, seems to have corrected 
this mistake of the original — {T,) For 
some remarks on the legend of King Lu- 
cius, see Additional Notes, No. VIII. 

* Seoertu, — Sebepiup, L*. Seuepup, 
L\ B.— (T.) 



64 



nao clao 8a;:an a n-agaio na m-bapbapoa .1. Cpuichneachu Da 
.m. fff. ap .c. ceimcnn ina pat), •] ape ainm in claiD \m\ la bpcac-. 
r.achu ^"^"^ ; 1 P^ popconjaip clao aile 00 oenam m n-ojaiD 5^^' 
Deal '\ Cpuichneach .1. Clao na muice, "| 00 pochaippin [lappm] 
la bpeacan co n-a copeachuib. 

•ffff. Capaupiup lapoain canij co cpoou 00 Oigail Seuip ap 
bpeacnaib cocopcaip pij bpeacan Icip, 1 co po jabaeoju pig uime 
cap oiocn in pig .i. m c-impep ; conao po mapb Qlleccup copam 
Romanac, ^ co po jab [pioc] pije mpcain ppia pe [ciana]. 

•u. ConDpancmup mac Conpcancin moip mic Qilina po jab 
imp bpeacan, ■] aobac, -| po acnachc a Caippcjmc .1. niinancia .1. 



y Cruatd, — The wall of Severus, from 
Tinmouth to the Solway, is stated by 
Nennius, after Orosius, to be 132 miles 
long ; but the distance given by Sparti- 
anus, in his Life of Hadrian, who first 
drew that line of defence, viz., 80 miles, 
IS nearer to the truth. Camden, Britt. ii. 
189, Gibson. That which is here men- 
tioned, 2130 paces, is absurd and unao- 
coimtable. In Arabic numbers, we might 
have supposed the translator to have read 
213 passuum, without the miUia (213 
being a transposition of Orosius' 132), 
and to have lengthened that extremely 
minute extent by addition of the cipher. 
But as he employs a mixture of Roman 
numerals and words, ^'two M. xxx. and 
C." we are in a manner cut off from that 
solution. 

The second wall ascribed to Severus by 
the translator, and called by him Cladh 
na Muice, must be the line of Agricola 
and Antonmus Pius, which Severus did 



ainm 

not restore, but Theodosius afterwards 
did. Perhaps he was led into this inter* 
polation by mistaking propterea for prce- 
terea. 

The MSS. of Nennius confound the 
wall of Severus with that of Antoninus, 
both in their original description of it, 
and in their assertion that Carausius re- 
paired it ; for the latter, if true of any 
wall, relates to that of Antonine, cap. xix. 
The fable of the violent death of Severus 
is given at large in Galfrid. Monumet. 5, 
cap. 2. — (H,) 

* Cladh na muice, L e. the pig's ditch, 
or the " swine's dike". It is remarkable 
that a very similar fosse and rampart, in 
the counties of Down and Armagh, which 
formed the ancient boundary between 
the territories of Oriel and Uladh or 
Ulidia, is called by the native Irish, 
'' Gleann na muice duibhe^^^ or the black 
pig's glen ; and by the Anglo-Irish, 
" the Dane's cast" See an account of it 



^5 

by him was made the Saxon ditch against the barbarians, i. e. the 
Cruithnians, 2130 paces long, and the name of that ditch among the 
Britons was Guaul'. And he commanded another ditch to be made 
against the Gaels and the Cruithnians, i. e. Cladh na muice', and he 
was afterwards' killed by the Britons, with his chieftains. 

iv. Caransius afl;erwards came bravely** to avenge Severus on the 
Britons, so that the King of Britain feU by him, and he assumed the 
royal robes in spite of the king, i. e. of the emperor ; so that Alectus, 
the Roman champion, killed him, and he himselT [viz. Alectus^ 
seized the kingdom afterwards** for a long^ time. 

V. Constantinus, son^ of Constantine the Great, son of Helena, 
took the island of Britain, and died, and was buried at Caersegeint, 
i. e. Minantia, another name for that city ; and letters on the grave- 
stone 



in Stuart's Armagh, App. iiL p. 585, and 
Circuit of Muircheartacli, p. 31. There 
is a village called Swine*s Dike^ on the line 
of the Boman wall of Antoninus, which 
runs from the Frith of Clyde to the 
Frith of Forth. Horsley (Britannia fio- 
mana, p. 172), speaking of this wall, says : 
** After it has crossed a brook, it leaves 
the parks and passes by a village called 
LangUm, which stands about three chains 
south from it, and next by another village 
called Swim^s Dike^ where the track of 
the ditch is clearly discernible." — (T.) 
• Afterwards, — ^Added from L\ U. B. 

^ Bravely — Co cppacc, D. Co co- 
poca, L^ ^o cupaca, B. The Latin 
reads, " in Brittaniam venit tyrannide." 

"" He kimsel/.— Added from B (T.) 

IRISH ABCH. SOC. 1 6. 



K 



^ Afterwards. — Qf a paile, B. lappn, 
L\ p. [for postea'], L*.— (21) 

• Long, — Ciana, added from B. — (T.) 
^ Constantinus^ son^ S^ — It should be 
'^ Constantius, father," &a, as in Gale's 
edition. The tomb of Constantius is said 
to have been discovered at Caer Segeint, 
close to the modern Caernarvon, in 1283. 
The discovery of a tomb in that year is 
consistent with there having been a more 
ancient tradition to the same purpose. 
But Constantius did really die at York, 

the *' Caer Ebrauc alio nomine Bri- 

gantum" of GkJe's Nennius, and beyond 
reasonable doubt was buried there ; not 
at Caer Segeint, as in Marcus and the 
translation. " Obiit in Britannia Eboraci," 
Eutrop. 10, cap. L Brigantum is the 
translator's Minantia, and Marcuses Mi- 
manton. — {H.) 



66 



ainm aile t)o cachpaij; f in ; -] pallpijm liqii [i cloich] in aonacail 
a ainm, T poppajaib cpi pila ip m n-paicce op in cacpaij pn, cona 
pil pochc ip m cachpaij; pm. 

.ui. niai;nn! ano peipeao impcp Do jab bpeaccnn. [Ip na aimpip 
pm po] cinDcpnab conpaileachc aj Romancaib, "| mp cojpao Ce- 
papi pop pi5 eile o pin amach. Ip a na aimpip TT]a;:innn po bai an 
c-appcal uap aipmmoeac .1. naem niapcain; [t)o ^a^Uia la Uleicpp 
nobooen]. 

.uii. TT]a;nmain po jab piji bpeacan, ■] pug [ploga] bpeacam a 
Romanacaib co copcaip laip ^pcr^icii^ ^^ c-impep, *] po gab pein 
piji na h-Goppa ; *] [ni] po leij; uat) na pluaij; puj; leip Docum a 
m-ban ■) a mac nach a peapann, ace do paD peapanna imDa Doib 
[o cha in loch pil immullach Sleibe loib] co Canacuic buDcap ") 
piap CO Duma OichiDen aic a puil in chpop apjna, "| ip laD pin 

[bpcacam 

B Point out his name, — poiUp^o liqii 
puippi amm in pi^ p m 1 cloich in oona- 
cuil, B. L^ and L*. omit putppi. The 
Latin reads, " Sepulcrum illius monstra- 
tur juxta urbem quas vooatur Gair Sege- 
int: ut literse, quae sunt in lapide tunmli, 
ostendunt"— (T.) 

^ He left three eeeds, — L^ and D. read 
pop a^ib [for pa^aib] qii piUx. D. adds 
ip in carpal^ pin n-aiDce, and L', ipa 
n-aicce [for n-pairce, the^e^n or open 
space of a village, which is, no doubt, the 
correct reading] op in carpai^. B. reads 
Pop a cleiB rpi pi la ip m n-ai6ci uap in 
cocrpai^ ; and L* reads, popaclib 7 cpi 
pila ip in aiochi uap in cachpaio pT\. 
The Iiatin is " £t ipse seminavit tria se- 
mina, id est, auri, argenti, erisque, in 
pavimento supradictae civitatis, ut nullus 



pauper in ea habitaret unquam : et Toca- 
tur alio nomine Minmanton [oL Miman- 

turn]."— (^0 

^ Maxim. — See Add. Notes, No. IX. 

J He tDOB ofQatdof UUxu, — This clause 

is added from L'., it is not in the Latin. 

In the text (which is from D.), St. Martin 

is called appeal, an apostle, a word which 

in Irish of^ signifies no more than a 

prelate ; in the other MSS. he is merely 

called eappo^, a bishop. 6oDen is the 

old form of the emphatic pronoun pein, 

he himself ; it occurs in ancient MSS. in 

various forms, uooen, booein, paoem, 

pooein, from which, bj aspirating, and 

then omitting the D, comes the modem 

form pein. We find it also in the forms 

paoepin, and buoepin. See O'Donovan's 

Irish Grammar, p. 130. — (T.) The words 



67 



Stone point out his name*, and he left three seeds' in the green of 
that city, so that there is not a poor man in that city. 

vi. Maxim' was the sixth emperor that took Britain. It was at 
that time that the consulship was begun among the Somans, and 
no king was called CsBsar from thenceforth. It was in the time of 
Maxim that the noble venerable prelate St. Martin flourished ; he 
was of Gaul of Ulexis^ 

vii. Maximian took the kingdom of Britain, and he led the armies^ 
of Britain against the Bomans, so that Gratian, the emperor, fell by 
him, and he himself took the empire of Europe ; and he did not 
suffer the armies he had brought with him to go back to their wives 
and their children, nor to their lands, but gave them many lands, 
from the place where there is the lake on the top of Mount Jove\ to 
Canacuic" on the south, and westward to the Mound Ochiden", a 
place where there is a celebrated cross°, and these are the Britons of 

Letha, 

^Gfttd of Ulexis^' are evidently oormpt. 
The name of the river Ligeris upoii which, 
or that of Luguge or Ligugd (Locociagom) 
at which Martin at different times sojourn- 
ed, may be latent. If any one prefers to 
see here the name of Ulysses, he must 
hare recourse to the verses of Claudian, 

** Est locm eztnmom pandit qua Gallia littns 
Oceani pnetentos aqins, nbi fertnr Ulysses 
fg^ngntfiA Kbato populiim movisse nlentem.'* 

In Rufin. 1, 128^^;) 

^ IT^e armies.— Added fromV.U. The 
Latin reads, ^^ £t ipse perrezit cum om- 
nibus militibus Brittonum a Brittannia, 
et occidit Gratianum regem Romanorum, 
et imperium tenuit totius Europe." — (T.) 

' From the place Mount Jove. — 

Added from L'. L*. B. The Latin reads 



" a stagno quod est super verticem men- 
tis Jovis, usque ad civitatem quae vocatur 
Cantguic."— (T.) See additional Notes, 
No.X. 

™ Canaeuie, — ^Carichuic, LV L*. Can- 
cuic, R— (21) 

^ The Mound Ochiden. — " Usque ad Cu- 
mulum occidentalem, id est, Cruc Ochi- 
dient." This passage settles the signifi- 
cation of the word Duiha, which enters 
into the composition of many topogra- 
phical names in Lreland, and which 
O'Brien, and after him O'Beilly, explain, 
** a place of gaming." Its true meaning is 
a moundy a tumulus. The word Cruc is ex- 
plained by Davies, lippuSy tumulus.-^T.) 

o Cross. — D. reads inoeichnop ap^na, 
which is evidently corrupt ; the reading 



K2 



68 



[bpeacam Leca] T capapcaip reap oojpcp, -| ip aipe pn po 
gabapDaip eachcap-cmeaoa cipe bpearan, -] po mapbcha 6pea- 
cam a n-imlib a peapamo. 

^paoian imoppo, cona bpachaip .i. Ualencimen a compigi .ui. 
bliaona ; ip n-ampip po bai m c-eppoc uapal i TTleoolen popceallaiD 
na cachlajDa .1. Qmbpop. 

Ualanencmen "| Ceochap a complacup ochc m-bliaona , ip 
na h-aiTTipip po cmeolaio iti pearao 1 Conpcamn .1. I. ap cpi ccc. 
00 ppucib DO oicup ipip niaicciDom .i. OiulcaD in Spipm naem ; "| 
ip 'na aimpip po bai Cipme uapal pajapr 1 m-6eichil [luoa] m 
r-eiDipceapcaij cachla5t)a. 

5paOian ceana map oubpamap -| Ualencen h-i piji co po pigao 
r]la;nnien o na mileaoaib a n-mip bpeacan, "| co n-oeachaio cap 
rnuip a ppancaib, -| co po popuaplaigio in pij ^P^^^'^^ ^P^ bpach 

magipopeach 



adopted is from L*. L». and B. There 
is no authority in the Latin for this men- 
tion of a cross, unless we suppose the word 
cmc to have been in some way confounded 
with cnix. See Mr. O'Donovan's note, 
Hy Fiachrach, p. 413. — {T.) 

P The Britons of Letha Added from 

L\ L'. B. L*. reads, 6peacain lecan. 
The Latin is " Hi sunt Brittones Armo- 
rici." — (21) See additional Notes, No. XL 

^ Prelate D. reads eofpol, perhaps 

for eappcol, apostle, 6ppoc, bishop, is 
the reading of L'., L'., and B. D. also 
reads Qmpof, omitting the b. The Latin 
is "et AmbrosiusMediolanensisepiscopus 
olarus habebatur in Catholicorum dog- 
mate." — (T.) 

^ Macedon^ Sfc. — The second (Ecumeni- 
cal Council of Constantinople is here cor- 



rectly stated to have had especial refe- 
rence to the opinions of Macedonius, whd 
denied the personality of the Holy Ghost. 
But the Latin copies do not make men- 
tion of that heresiarch. — (IT.) 

* Judith, — Added from L*. Ceachc 
ceapcaij, D. This notice of St Jerome 
is taken almost verbatim from Prosper'e 
Chronicon, ad. A. D. 386 (T,) 

' As we have said. — Do^amap, D., an 
evident error of the scribe. The reading 
followed is that of L»., L»., and B.— ( Jl) 

" Weni, — Neachaoap [for n-oeacha- 
bap], D. The reading of B., L'., L\, has 
been followed. — [T,) 

" Set at liberty, — puoflaijeao, L*. pop- 
baiplijjeo, L*. popuaiplijeao, B. — (T,) 

** Master 0/ the soldiers.-^ AU the Irish 
copies make Parassis the prssnomen of 



69 



Letha^, and they remained in the south ever since, and it was for this 
reason that foreign tribes occupied the lands of the Britons, and that 
the Britons were slaughtered on the borders of their land. 

But Gratian, with his brother Valentinian, reigned conjointly six 
years. It was in his time lived the noble prelate** in Milan, a teacher 
of Catholicity, viz. Ambrose. 

Valentinian and Theothas [TJieodosiics] were in joint sovereignty 
eight years. It was in their time was assembled the synod in Con- 
stantinople of three hundred and fifty clerks, to banish the heresy of 
Macedon', viz., the denying the Holy Ghost. And it was in their 
time the noble priest Cirine [Hiercmymus] flourished at Bethlehem 
Judah*, the catholic interpreter. 

The same Gratian, as we have said^ and Valentinian, reigned 
until Maximen [Alaximua] was made king by the soldiers in the island 
of Britain, and went" across the sea to France ; and the king, Gratian, 
was set at liberty"" by the treacherous counsel of the master"' of the 

soldiers 

this magister militum : the Latin, as 
printed by Bertram, reads Parasius, as 
an agnomen of Gratianus; and Mr. Ste- 
phenson gives it thus : *' Gratianus Parisiis, 
Meroblaudis magistri militum proditione, 
euperatus est, et fugiens Lugduni captus 
atque occisus est." But the Irish makes 
Meroblaudes treacherous towards Maxi- 
mus, not towards Gratian, which appears 
to have been the historical fact — (T,) 
Parassis is a corruption of Parisiis, at 
Paris. Merobaudes magister militum 
was faithful to Gratian, and is said to 
have therefore suffered death at the 
hands of Maximus. ''Qu6d si cui ille 
pro cseteris sceleribus suis minus crudelis 
fuisse videtur, vestrum is, vestrum, Ba- 



lio triumphalis et trabeate Merobaudes, 
recordetur interitum; quorum alter, etc.y 
alteri manibus satellitum Britannorum 
gula domi fracta, et inusta foeminee& mor- 
tis infamia, ut scilicet maluisse vir ferri 
amantissimus videretur laqueo perire, 
quam gladio.^' — Drepanius Pacatus Paneg, 
Theodosii, cap. 28. It seems to have been 
an affair like Pichegru^s and Captain 
Wright's, and may have happened as Paca- 
tus intimates. But the character of Maxi- 
mus was not vile, and cannot be esti- 
mated from the rhetoric of Pacatus. The 
words of Nennius, imputing treachery to 
the faithful Merobaudes, are copied from 
those in the Chronicle of Prosper Aqui- 
tane, page 637, ap. Koncalli Latinorum 



70 



magiropeach na miliD .i. papappip TTleapoblaDip ; co po ceich 
in pij CO Cujgioon, co po ^abao ann, "| co po Tnapbao. 

Tna;:imen "| a mac Uiccop a compiji. Hlapcain a Copinip m 
n-mbaiD pn. TTIa^rimen imoppopo paobai^io leip na conpalu o ec^u 
pigoa .1. la Ualencinen "| la Ueochap ip m cpeap lice on cachaip 
Gigilia, -| po ramnaijeo o cmn ip in lug pn. Do pochaip imoppo 
a mac .i. Uiccop h-i Ppancaib lap m comic DianaD amm Qp^uba. 
O cup Domain u. m. Dc. ;rc., [co pm, Do peip each cpomice pm.] 

XIV. 18 amlaiD pin inDipiD apDpanca na bpeacan .1 na. uff. 
n-aipDpija Do Romancaib pop bpeacan. QcbeapaiD imoppo Ro- 
manaiD ip nonbup uaiDib pop bpeacnaib .1. m c-ochcmaD in Seuep 
canaipi, acbach aj Dul Do Roim a h-inip bpeacan. Conpcancin 
.;:ui. bliaDna 1 pigi innpi bpeacan co n-epbailc. Nai m-bliaona 
cpa ap cecc. Do bpeacnaib pon cip Romanac. Ro h-mnapbpac 

cpa 



Chronica. But that of Prosper Tiro, 
p. 679, correctly gives it, not ^^ Merobatidis 
magistri militum proditione superatus," 
but ^*'Merobaudemagiitro.^'* In his preface, 
p. xvlL, xviiL, Roncalli expresses himself 
sceptically upon the text of Prosper, but 
not upon the fact of Merobaudes^s inno- 
cence. — {H^ 

* Lugdcn, — 6ubon, D. r^ogbon, L*. The 
reading of L'. B. has been followed. — (T). 

y Stone. — ip m cpep bliat>ain luj on 
cachaip, L*. ip in qieap luj on ca- 
chaip, D. The reading of L*. and B. has 
been followed as most in accordance with 
the Latin, which is *^ Post multum inter- 
vallum temporis a Valentiniano et Theo- 
dosio Consulibus, in tertio ab Aquileia 
lapide spoliatus indumentis regalibus sis- 
titur, et capite damnatur.^' This is taken 



word for word from Prosper's Chronicle, 
See note * infra.— (Z) 

■ H%8 head was cut off. — ^Lit *' he was 
separated from his head;" po bicheanooo, 
L*. po bicheanca, L^ po t>icheanna6, 
B., all different spellings of the same 
word, he woB beheaded. — (T.) 

^Arguda. — QpjubupjL'. Qp^obop^L*. 
ap5ubap, B. The Latin reads, "Ab 
Argobaste comite interfectus est." The 
authority is Prosper's Chronicon, where 
the fact is thus recorded, "Maximus 
Tyrannus a Valentiniano et Theodosio 
imperatoribus in tertio ab Aquileia 
lapide spoliatus indumentis regiis sis- 
titur, et capite danmatur. Cujus filiu8 
Victor eodem anno ab Arbogaste est 
interfectus in Grallia." Ad A. D., 389.-* 
(T.) 



71 

soldiers, Parassis Merobladis ; and the king fled to Lugdon', and 
was taken there and put to death. 

Maximen and his son Victor reigned jointly. Martin wds at 
Torinis at that time. But Maximen was stripped of his royal robes 
by the consuls, i. e. by Yalentinen and Theothas, at the third stone^ 
from the city Eigilia [AquUeta]^ and his head was cut off' in that 
place. His son Victor also fell in Prance by the hand of the count 
whose name was Arguba*; from the creation of the world are 5690*^ 
years^ to this event, according to all the chronicles. 

XIV. It is thus the elders of the Britons have recorded their his- 
tory, viz., that there were seven Roman emperors^ who had dominion 
over Britain. But the Romans say that there were nine of them over 
the Britons : that is to say^ thai the eighth was Severus the second^, 
who died as he was going to Rome from the island of Britain. The 
ninth wa>s Constantine, who toas sixteen years in the kingdom of the 
island of Britain when he died. Four hundred and nine years* were 

the 

^ 5690. — niu be. ;c;c., D. u. mile, bccc, had chequered and interrupted, not as 

B. The reading of L^ and L'. has been revolters against a long-established domi- 

followedy as being in accordance with seve- nion. I believe Constans to be the last 

ral MSS. of the Latin. The words in pa- emperor, not depreciated by the epithet of 

rentheses which follow are added from L'. *' t3rrannu8,'' who was in Britannia. — 

-(T.) (H.) 

^ Seven Roman emperors, etc. — It should ^ Severus the second. — See additional 

be observed that this Historia, as weU as notes. No. XII. 

the Galfridian Chronicles, is framed upon * Four hundred and nine years, — B. and 

the plan of dissembling the island's per- L'. read Mree hundred. D. reads Hai 

manent subjection and provincial cha- m-bliat>na cpa ap cpi coco., where the 

racter, and of representing those Boman word qii is a manifest blunder. The 

emperors who visited it as the only ones reading of L\ has been followed, as it 

who ruled it By this means the Britons coincides with the Latin '* Hucusque reg- 

of the fifth century appear as the conti- naverunt Romani apud Brittones quad- 

nuing possessors of an ancient monarchy, ringentis et novem annis." — (71) 
which seven (or nine) Boman intrusions 



7^ 

cpa bpearnaij layioain neapc Romanach i ni capopao cff na cam 
ooib, "I po TYiapbpac na h-uile caipeachu Romancu po baoap a 
n-ini|» bpeacan. 

Qcpachc imoppo po cet)oip ncapc Cpuicneach i 5^^^^^^ ^^P 
bpoino bpeacan i pop mnapbpac cop in n-abamo DianaD [ainm] 
Cm. Do cuaoap lapoam ceachca bpeacan i Romancaib co nouba 
"I CO cop pi moip, CO pocaib pop a ceanoaib -] co peacaiB imoaib 
[leo], na po oiglaoip poppo [na coipij Romanchu po] mapbao ooib. 
Cujpacap leo lapoam coipeachou -] conpaluu Romancu "| caipn- 
jaippfc CO na luga Do geboaip m mam Romanach ciama cpom. 

Do pochaoap lapoam na mileaoa Romancu "| po h^opoaigcea 
coiy^ij -] P15U pop mrp bpeacan, -] 00 coDap na ploij lapoain oia 
cijib. Ro jab peapg -| coppiu bpeacmi ap cpuma m cipa i m 
mama Romanaig leo, co po mapbpac na coipeachu po baoap acu 
a n-mip bpeacan Don Dapa cup. Cu n-epuchc acu neapc Cpuich- 
neach -| ^^^^^^ ^^V t>peacnu oopiDaip cop bo cpuma ma m cam 
Roman, apoaij a n-Oicup [uile] ap a peapann po b'ail Do Cpuic- 
eancuac "i Do ^cieiDilaib. 

Do cuaoap lapDam bpeacnaij co cpuaj "| co Deapnamach [m 
aipeacc na Romanach], ap amlaro ac piacap a n-Dul ["| a] n-opo- 
manna pompu ap imndipe, i camij pochpaiDe mop leo .1. pluag Di- 
aipmiche do Romancaib, ["|] po jabcha cpa piji i coipeac popo 

lapDam. 

^ BtU afierwardB .... Eoman power, — there being a defect of perhaps two leaves 

L*. omits this clause, which leaves the in the MS. — (T.) 

sense imperfect — (T,) ^ Put to death by them, — L\ and B^ 

8 Name, — Added from L'., L*., B. The omit ooiB, and read po mapbrac (adtee) 

name of the river is given Din in L'., and "whom they put to death." — (T.) 

Inci in B. L*. and D. read Cm {T,) * Promised.^V. inselrab.— (T.) 

^ Alon^ with them The word leo is " TAaw.— B. L\ anoa— (T.) 

added from B., L*.—(r.) " Became^^U. and B. Uaip ip e — 

» Chiefs of the Romane, — Added from (T.) 

L^, L'., and B. Here L*. abruptly stops, ® To the Roman Senate. — ^Added from 



73 

the Britons under Boman tribute. But afterwards the Britons drove 
out the Boman powe/, and did not pay them tax or tribute, and they 
killed all the Boman chiefs that were in the island of Britain. 

Immediately, however, the power of the Cruithnians and of the 
Gaels advanced in the heart of Britain, and they drove them to the 
river whose name' is Tin [Tyne]. There went afterwards ambassa- 
dors from the Britons to the Bomans with mourning and great grief, 
with sods on their heads, and with many costly presents along with 
them", to pray them not to take vengeance on them for the chiefs of 
the Bomans^ who were put to death by them*. Afterwards Boman 
chiefs and consuls came back with them, and they promised* that 
they would not the less willingly receive the Boman yoke, however 
heavy it might be. 

Afterwards the Boman knights came, and were appointed princes 
and kings over the island of Britain, and the army then returned 
home. Anger and grief seized the Britons from the weight of the 
Boman yoke and oppression upon them, so that they put to death 
the chieftains that were with them in the island of Britain, the 
second time. Hence the power of the Cruithnians and Gaels in- 
creased again over the Britons, so that it became heavier than" the 
Boman tribute, because" their total expulsion out of their lands was 
the object aimed at by the northern Cruithnians and Gaels. 

Afler this the Britons went in sorrow and in tears to the Boman 
senate**, and thus we are told they went with their backs foremost for 
shame ; and a great multitude returned with them, i. e. an innumerable 
army of Bomans, and sovereignty and chieftainry was assumed^ over 

them 

L'. and B. — {T,) require roipi^ecichc, steay^ not eaipeac, 

^ And Bo^fereignty and chieftainry VHU OB- a ekiejtain; but if we read pij ajup 

nnned oner them, — CC^up added from B. eaipeac, the passage will signify *'a 

!*'• ; PTJ' 7 ®°'n5 ^' 9 P'5 7 caipch, L'.; king and governor was set over them.** — 

PV 7 voipeach, B, R151, kingdom^ would (Z) 

IBI8H ABCH» 80C. l6« L 



i 



74 



lapoain. ba cpom cpa le bpeacnu lapoain m cip Romanac, cop 
mapbpac a pija "| a caipiju m cpeap peachc. 

Cangaoap lapoam plain Roman cap niuip cop pemaiD each 
oiTtiop pompo pop bpeacnu, jop oijailpfc anaip [a n-Dame] poppo, 
1 cop lomaip5pfc imp bpeacan im a h-op -| im ah-aipjeao, co puj- 
pac leo a ppol -| a pipij "| a pioa i a leapoaip oip "| aipjiD, co 
noeachaoap co m-buaio i copcaip Dia cij. 

De 50606016 sacsQH [FODeascQ] qhhso. 

Xy. Do pala cpa lappin each pampaicc i lap mapbao na 
coipeachou Romanoucu ba cpi la bpeacnu lap cocaichim ooib 
pon eip Romanach eccc.^^ quaopajincmouem annop. ^^P^* 
gepno mac ^"^^^^ ^^ jabail aipDpiji bpeacan i co copcpomca 
h-e o uaman Cpuchneaehu "| ^^^^^l* 1 ^ ^^V^ Qmpop pij Ppane 
"I bpeacan leaca. 

Uan^uoap 

^ Gained. — Lit. "broke a very great 
battle before them upon the Britons." L^ 
reads po moib. B. poimio. — (T.) 

^ Of their people. — Added from B. and 

L-.-(r.) 

* Silk. — All the copies here read a pipi5 
ajup a piDO, but these words both sig- 
nify silk, pip 15 or pipic being the corrupt 
Latin, and pit>a the corresponding Irish 
word, added, perhaps, originally as an ex- 
planation of the other (T.) 

* With victory. — L'. reads co m-bua- 
oaib, with victories; and B. omits ''vic- 
tory and triumph," and reads only a^up 
CO n-oeochaDap 01a cai^ " and so they 
returned home." This paragraph is a 
translation of the following in Nennius : 
'' Romani autem ad imperium auxilium- 



que, et ad vindicandum, veniebant, et 
spoliata Brittannia auro argentoque, cum 
sre et omni preciosa veste, et melle, cum 
magno triumpho revertebantur." For 
" ad vindicandum," some MSS. read, '* ad 
vindictam propinquorum," which seems 
to have been the reading adopted by the 
Irish translator. 

Immediately after this section, B. has 
a long interpolation, containing the Le- 
gend of St. Carnech, which will be found 
in the Appendix. — (7*.) 

" Here/oUotPs. — poDeapca, added from 
B. This word is often written buoapca, 
and more commonly, in modem Irish, 
peopoa; it signifies heret^ier^ heneefar- 

'' Three times by the Britans.-^ba cpi. 



IS 

them afterwards. But again the Roman tribute became oppressive 
to the Britons, so that they slew their kings and chieftains the third 
time. 

Afterwards there came Boman chieftains across the sea, and 
gained' a very great victory over the Britons, so that they vindica- 
ted the honour of their people' upon them, and they plundered the 
island of Britain of its gold, and of its silver, and took from it its 
satin, and its silk', and its vessels of gold and silver, so that they 
returned home with victory* and triumph. 

Here follows" of the Conquest of the Saxons. 

XV. Now it came to pass after the aforesaid battle, and after 
the slaughter of the Roman chieftains three times by the Britons'", 
after they had been four hundred and forty-nine years" under the 
Roman tribute, thxit Gortigem, son of Gudal, took the chief sove- 
reignty of Britain, and he was oppressed by the fear of the Cruithnians 
and Gaels, and by the power of Ambrose, King of France^ and Leta- 
vian Britain. 

There 

D. boo chpi, L*. for pa cpi, three times. Vortigem ; but Aurelius is not elsewhere 

B. reads comba pf &pecan, *'that there described as having any sovereignty in 

was a king of Britain.'* — (T.) Gaxd. The Latin has merely ^^ necnon 

* Fwnr hundred andforty-nine yean. — et a timore AmbrosiL" But even those 
t;c blia&an .;vl. ap .cccc. L. B. reads rr words are so inconsistent with what fol- 
m-bliaona .pel. ap .ccc, and the same lows, as to make them suspicious, though 
variation between three hundred and four aU copies are agreed in them. For there 
hundred, is to be found in the Latin co- are two schemes concerning Ambrose, one 
pies of Nennius. — (jT.) identifying him with Merlin, and another 

* Kwg of Framee, etc. — AureHus Am* making them distinct persons. But Nen- 
brosiuB, with his brother, Uthyr Pendra- nius adopts the former (which is the bar- 
gon, are said to have taken refuge in die) scheme, and accordingly introduces 
Britanny, and to have sailed from thence the prophet Ambrose in the form of a 
to Totnesa, when they declared against young boy, at a period subsequent to that 

L2 



76 



Uanjuoap cpi cuile ap m ^^ccp^ccm .1. cpi bapca pop inoapba 
1 pabaoap na 00 bpacaip .i. Opp "| Bnjipc o puiliu 8a;rain ; ipe 
peo imoppa a ngemealac .i. Opp t Bngipc oa mac 5"®c^^^T> 
mic 5"'5^®» ^'^ 5"^^^^^^ ^^^ '5^^^^ ^^^ booen, mic Ppealaib, 
mic ppeooilb, mic pmoe, mic ppeann, mic polcball, mic 5^^^^^* 
mic Uanle, mic 8a;ri, mic Neag. 

bpicap mac Olonn o caic bpcacam m Ceacha, mic 6olomi, 

mic 



in which Vortigem is said to be in dread 
of him as a warrior. Therefore, there is 
interpolation in all the transcripts, unless 
we conclude the author not to have known 
what he was talking about. — (H,) 

y Three ciulce. — The word ehiula^ or 
cytUay seems to be the same as ikeel in 
English, German kid^ Swedish kal, Ice- 
landic kioU or kiolri Anglo-Saxon ccele. 
They were the boats used by the Ger- 
mans. Mr. Turner supposes each to have 
carried one hundred men ; and Layamon 
asserts their number to have been such, 
' ' threo hundred cnihten." History Anglo- 
Sai^ I. 245. Layamon, cit. ibid. Nen- 
nius, however, had previously, in cap. xi. 
(vii. Crale) described a chiula as carry- 
ing but sixty persons. The three boats 
could evidently bring over no force capa- 
ble of influencing the fortunes of Britan- 
nia, whose shores and northern frontiers 
were continually assailed, and of whose 
petty princes, sometimes called kings, 
the number must probably have exceeded 
that. Therefore, we must either under- 
stand that the arrival of the three cyids 
was a mere personal introduction of Hen- 
gist to Vortigem, and so became the basis 



of a more extensive subsidiary treaty, or 
we must discredit the statement. 

In point of fact, the statement has na 
other authority than what it derives from 
an involved sentence of Gildas, which, as 
pointed in the editions (Mr. Stevenson's 
included), has no grammar or meaning ; 
but which reads thus, with a long paren- 
thesis : ** Tum erumpens grex catulorum 
de cubili lesnae barbarise tribus ut lin- 
gua ejus exprimitur epulis nostra lingua 
langis [navibus, interpolated I believe, the 
kiul of the low Dutch being the Uong of 
the British language. If navibus be not 
(as I suppose) a simple interpolation, it 
should have run thus, ' Latind ver6, navi- 
bus'], secundis velis, secundo omine augu- 
riisque (quibus vaticinabatur certo apud 
eum prssagio, quod ter centum annis 
terram, cui proras librabat, insideret, cen- 
tum ver6 quinquaginta, hoc est dimidio 
temporis, sspius quoque vastaret) evectus 
primum in orientali parte insulae, jubente 
infausto tyranno, terribiles infixit ungues, 
quasi pro patrid pugnaturus, sed earn cer- 
tius impugnaturus."*— Cap. 23. If this 
sentence contains the statement in ques- 
tion, that statement exists ; but if it be 



There came three ciul®^ out of Germany (i. e. three barks) into 
exile, in which were the two brothers, Ors and Engist", from whom 
are the Saxons ; this is their genealogy, viz. : Ors and Engist were 
the two sons of Guectilis, the son of Guigte, son of Guecta, son 
of Guta, son of Boden, son of Frealaif, son of Fredolf, son of Finn, 
son of Freann, son of Folcbhall, son of Gueta, son of Vanli, son of 
Saxi, son of Neag*. 

Britas, son of Olon, from whom are the Britons of Leatha^ was 

the 



not expressed in this sentence, it bath no 
real existence, however many may have 
repeated it. The inflated phrase, '* ter- 
ribiles infixit ungues,'' seems to speak of 
some effective force, rather than of a tri- 
fling retinue ; and, therefore, a doubt may 
exist, whether de eubUi is governed by 
^ex, or whether we should not punctuate 
it *' grex catulorum, de cubili lesenas bar- 
hariss iribw^^ (nom. case), a tribe. The 
less elegant arrangement of words is a 
minor objection, in a work of such obscure 
and rugged Latinity, and in a sentence 
which actually appears to have undergone 
some alteration. If this be not so, that 
first arrival of Hengist was merely a 
diplomatic, not a military, affair — {B,) 

* EnffUt^ — ©'5T» I^'« ^- reads ^ijipc 
and Bi^ipc, throughout, which is evi- 
dently a transcriber's blunder. — (T.) 

* Neag. — This genealogy is given in B., 
with no variation except in the spelling of 
some of the names, thus : — Ors and Engist, 
Guechtiles, Guigte, Guecta, Gutta, Uoden, 
Freolap, Freodulb, Finn, Frend, Folc- 
bhall, Getta, Vanli, Saxan, Negua. In 



L^ it is given thus : Hors and Eigis, 
Guectilis, Guiti, Guitechtai, Gutai, Uoden, 
Frelab, Beaulb, Finn, Freann, Bolcall, 
Gota, Uanli, Saxi, Negua. In the Latin 
copies, Frend, Vanli, Saxan, and Negua 
are omitted, and after Geta is added, ^' qui 
fuit ut aiunt filius DeL Non ipse est 
Deus Deorum, Amen, Deus exercituum, 
sed unus est ab idolis eorum, quae ipsi co- 
lebant"— (T.) 

'' BritaSy son of Oloit, from whom are 
the Briions of Leathct, — These words are 
omitted in L^ and B., and the genealogy 
here given to Britas foUows on as a con- 
tinuation of the genealogy of Ors and 
Engist ; the kiames are given thus in B. : 
Alan, Fethur, Ogaman, Tho, Bodhb, Se- 
mobh, Etacht, Aoth, Abir, Raa, Erra, 
Joban, Jonan, Jafeth, Noe. In L^ they 
are given thus : Alan, Fetur, Ogaman, 
Dai, Bodb, Semoth, Etacht, Athacht, 
Abir, Raa, Esra, Joban, Jonan, Jafeth. 
See the genealogy of Britus already given 
sec. rV, supra, where, besides some varia- 
tions of spelling, Isacon is inserted be- 
tween Alawn and Britus. — (T.) Alawn, 



78 

mic peiciuip, mic OjaTnain, mic Cai, no Ceo, mic boib, rrnc Sem- 
boib, mic Qcheacc, mic Qoch, mic Qbaip, mic Raa, mic 6af jxi, 
mic loban, mic lonan, mic lapcch, mic Nac. 

^oijicijeiinn cpa yio gabaf oaip h-i pio [a Roman] neapcCpuich- 
neac, -| Do paD Doib inn imp oianao ainim Uemech, Romn imoppo 
amm bpcacnach. ^P^^^^'^ 1 Clcquic i pije Roman an mbaio pm. 
O gem Cpipc imoppo .1. ccc.;rluii. annop, "| in aimpip in pij pin .1. 
^opcijepno, cainij ^^^P^^" naem 00 ppoicepc a n-inip bpcacan, 
[ajnp 00 pigni Dia peapca agup mipbaile im&a ap in clepec pm 
in imp bpecan], "| po ic pochaioe -| Dop pug po baichip i cpeioim. 



De peaRcai6 seaRmaiw awN so sis. 

XVI. lap ciachcam 00 ^^^P^^^ ^^ n-inip bpeacan Do cuaio 
DO DtinaD m copaD DianaD ainm benli Do ppoceapr do. Uapap- 

Daip 



there written Alaniu8» and here Olon or 
Eolonn, was a famous name among the Ar- 
morican Britons, though less used among 
those of the island. — (IT.) 

° Son of Eolonn. — This is an erroneous 
repetition, Olon and Eolonn are obviously 
the sam& — {T.) 

* Now Oorti^em, etc. — The Latin has 
nothing about Vortigern governing the 
Picta. But the Galfridian chronicle re- 
presents him as indebted to Pictish mer- 
cenaries for his crown, vi. cap. 7. Whence 
Grale conjectured him to have been ge- 
nere Pictus, p. 129. — (H.) The words a 
Roman, are added from B — (T.) 

* Boinn. — Printed also Ruoihin, Rui- 
chun, Ruoichin, Ruithina, etc, etc Mr. 
J. Lewis supposes that Thanet was called 



Liis Ruochim, from the town of Ruoch, 
now Rich, or Richborough. — History of 
Tenet, p. 2 — (H.) K reads, Cenec and 
Rohin. L^ Cenenech and Ropn. The 
Latin (Stevenson's text), is '* et tradidit 
eis insulam, que in lingua eorum vocatur 
Tanet, Brittanico sermone Ruoihin.'^ — 
The verb, pooaim, bears a remarkable 
resemblance to the Latin, trado^ which 
it is here used to translate. But the 
Irish pao, pac, to give^t is a simple root, 
and Irado a compound of trona and do* — 
(T.) 

^ Oradian and AequiL — ^pacion a^p 
Gquic, R ^P^^^*^'" ^S^r G»5«ch, L\ 
Gratianus (the first emperor of the name) 
andEquitius were consuls, A. D. 374. See 
Baron* (m anno) n. i. But the true read- 



79 

the son of Eolonn*, son of Feithiver, son of Ogaman, son of Tai, or 
Teo, son of Bob, son of Sembob, son of Athacht, son of Aoth, son 
of Abar, son of Baa, son of Eassa, son of Joban, son of Jonan, son of 
Jafeth, son of Noe. 

Now Grortigem** held in peace, under the Romans, the govern- 
ment of the Cruithnians, and he gave. up to them [i. e. to the Saxons], 
the island whose name is Teineth [Thanetl, but Roinn* is its British 
name. Gradian and Aequit^ were in the sovereignty of the Romans 
at that time. But it was from the birth of Christ, three hundred and 
forty-seven years ; and it was in the time of that king, viz., of Gor- 
tigem, that Saint German came to preach in the island of Britain, 
and Grod wrought^ miracles and many wonders by this ecclesiastic 
in the island of Britain, and he healed many, and brought them 
under baptism and faith^. 



•Of the Miracles of Gebman here. 

X VL After the arrival of Grerman in the island of Britain, he 
went to the fortress of the warrior whose name was Benli^ to preach 

to 



ing of the Latin is Gratiano Secundo, or 
Gratiano Secundo .^quantio. See GkJe's 
Edit c 28, with the var. Lect., and Addi- 
tional Notes, No. XIL In this manner the 
anachronism is mitigated by 33 years. Li 
the date which follows, L*. reads, feachc 
mbliabna .;^U op. ccc., bat B. reads, pecc 
m-bliODfia .ccl. ap .ccc, where .ccl. is 
an evident mistake for .;cl. Mr. Steven- 
son, in the text of his edition of Nennins, 
reads 447, and mentions in the note that 
the MSS. read varionslj, 337, 448, 400, 
and 347.— (T.) 



8 Chd wrought island of Britain, 

— This clause is added from L*. and B. 
The mission of St. Grerman to Britain 
was undertaken for the purpose of check- 
ing the Pelagian heresy, and is recorded 
by Prosper in his Chronicle, under the 
year 430. — (T.) See Additional Notes, 
No. XIIL 

** Fai^.—rFoT po bairhip ojup cpei- 
t>iin, L^ reads po baichip bcnpoi do 
jpep, where baipDi seems redundant ; 
00 jpep signifies, always, fir ever, — (T.) 

> -Bfen/t— 5embli, D (r.) 



8o 



oaip 5^^P^^^ ^^ ^^ f puichib in n-oopup in Dunai6 ; oo com m 
Doippigi cop iTi pij im camgen m cleipij, po paio m pij co na luigi 
Dia m-bcch na cleipij co ceno m-bliaona m n*Dopap in ounaig ni 
coppiD apoeach. Uainij m Doippcoip cop m ppeogpa pm Do cum 
^eapmam. Uainij ^eapman o'n oopap amach cparh peapcaip, 
-| ni pioip conaip no pa^a. Canig aen oo mogabaib m pij ap in 
caichpij amac, -| po caipbip a piaonmpi ^^^P^^cm, "| pop pujlcip 
DO cum a boichc co cam ogup co pailiD, "i ni poibe aigi oo cpoo ace 
aen bo co na laej, "| po mapb m lacj, "| beapb, "| oo pao oo na 
cleipcib. Ctgup po paio ^^^P^ccn na po bpipoip a cnama ; agup 
ap na maipcach cpa po maip in laej a piaonaipi a machap. 

Do coio 5^P^^^ ^^ oopup na cairpac lap na maipeac oo 
h-capnaioi agallaim in pig. Ip aim pm canij peap i n-a pich, -] pe 
Ian oo allap o cino co bono, i po caipmo oo ^^ccpman ; acbeapc 

^eapman 



i At the door of the/ortres8* — 1 n-bopup 
an oume, B. in nopupin t>unam, D., omit- 
ting the eclipsed D in the word n-oopup. 
Dun, which signifies a fort or fortress^ 
and which occurs in the composition of 
so many topographical names in Ireland, 
is inflected t>uine, and also ounaio or 
Dunai^, in the genitive ; this latter form 
occurs in D. throughout, and has been 
retained in the text B. adopts the form 
Dume. This word seems cognate with 
the English tony or Untn, and with the 
Welsh Din, Dinas.^T,) 

^ The king taid with an oath, — ^B. omits 
the clause, po paio in pi^ cona luij^i 
oia m-bech na cleipi^, to the manifest 
loss of the sense.^— (T.) 

^ To Gcfwion.— Oocum in ^^pmain 
cetma, B. ^' To the same [or the afore- 



said] German."^r.X 

"" Came away — B. reads Cainic pep- 
cup nona pai, ajup nip peopooap ci6 na 
pa^ooaip; which is more dose to the 
Latin, *' Dies declinabat ad vesperum, et 
nox appropinquabat, et nescierunt quo 
irent.'*— (T.) 

° One of the servants, etc. — The word 
mo^, servtis, is generally used to denote 
a labouring man, a slave, a hewer of wood 
and drawer of water, one of the lowest 
class.— (r.) 

o OtU of the /ortress, — Qp in cacpaij; 
amach. The Latin is, *' e medio urbis." 
The Irish word coraip, which is here used 
to translate the Latin urbe, is employed 
in ancient MSS. to denote a atone /ort. It 
afterwards was applied to a walled town, 
as Limerick, Waterford, &c, and is now 



8i 



to him. German stopped with his clerics at the door of the fortress^ 
The porter went to the king with the message of the clergyman ; 
the king said, with an oath*^, that if the clergy were to remain until 
the end of a year at the door of the fort, they should not come in. 
The porter came with this answer to German*. German came away" 
from the door in the evening, and did not know what road he should 
go. But one of the servants' of the king came out of the fortress*", 
and bowed down"* before German, and brought him with him to his 
cabin kindly and cheerfully'. And he had no cattle' but one cow with 
her calf, and he killed the calf, and boiled it, and gave it to the cler- 
gymen. And German ordered that its bones should not be broken ; 
and on the morrow the calf was alive* in the presence of its dam. 

On the next day German repaired to the door of the fortress 
to pray an interview* with the king. And then there came a man 

running 



xised to denote a ciiy, as distinguished 
from baile, a town^ or baile mop, a 
large town, — (71) 

P Bowed down — ^po caipbip in D., and 
po piece in B., to translate the Latin, 
''inclinayit se." The verb caipbip, to 
prostrate, or bow down the body, is now 
obsolete, and is not explained in any of 
the Dictionaries; but piece, to kned, or, 
as now written by the modems, pleacc 
or pleucc, is still in use. — (T.) 

^ Brought him cheer/uUy — Rop 

pu^ in D., and poo puc, in B. are only 
varied spelling of the same words, and 
signify ** he brought" In modem Irish, 
bo ru^. D. reads co cam puipeach. 
B. reads co pailio, which has been sub- 
stituted in the text for puipeach. Co 
foilio (in modem orthography 50 paoi- 

I&ISH ABCH. SOC. 16. M 



Iid) means joyfully, cheerfully. The 
Latin is benignej which is more nearly 
rendered by co cam. — (T.) 

^ He had no cattle. — Ni po bai acca 
01 cpu6, B. The Latin is " Et ille nihil 
habebat de omnibus generibus jumento- 
rum." The word cpu6 or cpo6 here 
used, signifying cattle, is the origin of the 
word Cro, Croo, or Croy, in our old laws, 
denoting a fine, mulct, or satisfaction for 
murder, manslaughter, or other crimes, 
such fines having anciently been paid 
in cattle. See Du Cange in voce Cro; 
Jamieson's Scottish Dictionary in voce; 
and Ware's Irish Antiquities, by Har- 
ris.— (T.) 

• Wcu alive — Ro bai m laej beo, B. 
-(T.) 

* An interview, — Qcallmai, B. — (T.) 



82 



^eapman m cpemi in naeni cpmnoio. CpeiDini opf e ; yion baipo 
^eapman "| oo pac poic Do, -] po paio pip, eipij, anopa acbela, araic 
amjil De 05 c' upnaioe ; i Do [com] p^i^liS ^P^ n-Dun, ^ po mapbaD 
lap in pij ; Daij ba bep leip m pij mapbaD each Dume Dia mumn- 
cip no coirceaD pe copsabail jpcme Dc Dcanani obpe m Duinc. 

Ro caic ^^crpTnccn m la co h-aiDci a n-Dopup m DunaiD, co co- 
pacc an mog ceDna. Qc beapc ^^^P^^in pip, pomna, pomna na 
poib neac dod muinDcip ip m Dun po anochc. UujapDaip po cca- 
Doip m nonbup mac Do [bai occa] pa Dun call, ^ puj m cleipeach 
leip Dia C15 [Dopipi], -| Do ponpac uile ppichaipe. Co canig ceine 
De Do mm po ceDoip ip m n-Dun cop loipc [luce na cacpac] ecep 
mnaib t pipu, mill Dumi ap peipg De "| ^^P^nain ; 1 ip pap cop aniu. 

lap na maipeach imoppo, po baipDiD m mog uc co n-a macaib 
1 CO luchr in cipe apceana, po beanDachc ^^cip^ci^ [^] ^^ ^'^ 
clamD, Caiceal a cnnm, "| baD pij [e], i baDap pi^a a meic cpe 

bpcchip 



" From head to /oot.-^0 h-mb, D. In 
modern Irish the orthography would be, 
o ceann 50 bonn. — (T.) 

^ ir«e&.— Slecc, B. See note ^. D. 
reads caipino, which is perhaps a form 
of the old verb caipbip used before, un- 
less there be some error of the MS. The 
Latin is *' inclinavit," and B. reads po 
fleer in both places. — (T.) 

"^ I believe. — D. reads here Cpeic bo, 
corruptly, and omits in before naem Cpi- 
noic : the text is corrected from B. B. 
reads olpe.— (21) 

* Said unto him — Qcbepc ppif, B. 

y He went into the /ortrees, — D. omits 
the essential word coib. B. reads t)o 
C016 paili6 ip m ounao. D. has ip in nun, 
corruptly for ip in n-bun. — (T.) 



' Was accustomed, — Literally, '* It was a 
custom with the king.** oo'n pi^, B. — (T.) 

* Did not come. — Coipfeab, B. — (Tl) 

^ Before sunrise. — Pe cup^Bail nype- 
ne, B. The Latin is '* ante solis ortum," 
from which it is plain that the preposi- 
tion pe is here used for pia or poim, 
be/ore. CupyaBail jpeine is a phrase 
which is now, as Mr. O^Donovan informs 
me, obsolete in every part of Ireland; but 
it was in use in Keating's time, who in 
his Treatise Gochaip p^iac m Qipppmn, 
has, o cupyaBdil yp^me 50 a pufntb, 
'* from the rising of the sun to its set- 
ting.** Keating also sometimes uses pe 
in the sense of pi(x, as pe n-bilinn, '* be- 
fore *e deluge."— <r.) 

« TUl ni^At— B. reads, Ro caic gep- 



83 



running, and full of sweat from head to foot" ; and he knelt^ to Ger- 
man, and German said, ** Dost thou believe in the Holy Trinity ?" 
and he replied, " I believe"'." And German baptized him and gave 
him a kiss : and he said unto him*, ** Arise, now thou shalt die, and 
the angels of God are awaiting thee." And he went cheerfully into 
the fortress^, and was put to death by the king, for the king was 
accustomed' to put to death every one of his people that did not 
come* before sun-rise^ to do the work of the palace. 

German passed the whole of that day till night* at the door of 
the fortress, until the same [i. e. the first mentioned] servant came ; 
and German said to him, *' Take care, take care** that none of thy 
people be in this fortress this night." He immediately brought out 
with him the nine sons he had in the fortress, and he brought the 
clergyman with him to his house again ; and they all kept watch. 
And the fire of God* immediately came from heaven upon the for- 
tress, so that it burned the people of the fortress, both men and 
women, one thousand persons, through the anger of God and of Ger- 
man; and it remains a ruin to the present day. 

On the following day this servant^, with his sons and the people 
of the district, in like manner were baptized ; and German blessed 
him and his children*. BQs name was Caiteal, and through the 

word 

exactly translates the Latin, *' ignis de 
cobIo." Ceine De, " the fire of God," is 
used to denote lightning^ and is sometimes 
written ceine Diaic, ignis Divinus, — (T,) 

^ This servant — B. reads, po baipcjep- 
main in p^^P P" » ** German baptized 
this man." The Latin is, " In crastino 
die ille yir, qui hospitalis fuit illis, ere- 
didit, et baptizatus est," &c — (T.) 

s Him and his diUdren, — The pronoun 
[e] is here supplied as necessary to the 



mam co h-ai6ci. D. has po caic 3^p- 
main in la con aiche, which is corrupt. 
The text has been corrected from both 

MSS.— (r.) 

* Take care, — pomnai, B., which is not 
repeated. The Latin is " Cave ne unus ho- 
mo maneat de hominibus tuis in ista nocte 
in arce." The words enclosed in brackets 
in the Irish text are all supplied from B. 

-AT.) 

* Fire of Qod. — ^Cene oo mm, B., which 



M2 



84 

bpechip 5^^r^^^^» "I a f il o pn ale, ip m pcapann DianaD ainm 
Pojup ; uc oicicup ip na palmam, [Supcicanp a ceppa mopcm, ec 
oe pcepcope epigenp paupepem.] 

XVn. Saxain imoppo m n-mip Ucinech, ■] ^^P^'S^P^^ ^cca 
m-biachao -| ja n-ciciu6 Sa;:ain co caichaigpec Dap a ccnn pe 
CpuirencuGch. Opo imoaismap [cpa] Sa;(rain, popeimmpeac 6pe- 
cam a m-biachao nac a n-eiOiD, ace po pogaippeac bpeacnai^ 
[ooib] oulap uile. 

Ro ppeagaip [ooib immoppo] Gngipc, peap paije popcje, cuai- 
ceall, poill, ap ac connaipc pe bpeacnu co pann gan milma jan 
apma, ip pea6 po paio ppip in pi^ ^^P'^'S^P"^ ^^ cpunpao : Oe- 
nam De5 comapli, nojap uaino ip in n^eapnioin ap ceano mileao 
CO pabam pochaioaibe a n-a^aio ap namao. Qcbepc ^op'^'* 
jeapnn a n-oola na ceachca ap cenn mileao ; [■] do coap] ; ■] Do 
pochpaDap occ longa Deg [co] miliDaib co^aiDe ap a 5^^pT«c[i^» 
1pm lomgeap pm cami^ a mjean co h-Gnjipc, ip ipiDe ba caime 

DO mnaib Lochlamoe uile. 

lappm 

sense. B. omits e con-a clainb, so that '* O p^imiop Diapma?>a Duinn, 

the meaning will be, in that MS., ** and ITlic Peop^pa, mic Chonuill, 

German blessed the people of that coun- O bp^irip Ruaoain 0*6 roi^, 

try." Instead of Caiceal a amm, B. Hf paiB pig a o-Ceoiiipaij." 

reads, Caicel amm in pip pi, : in what . j^« the idgn of Dennot, the hr^-haired, 

follows [e] IS suppHed after pig from B., son of Fergua, son of Conall, 

and baoap instead of bao, the reading of On aooount of the word [cane] of Rnadui to his 

D. B. omits a meic after baoap pi^, house, 

which is evidently corrupter.) '^«« was no king at Tara." 

** The word. — 6piarap (in the dative or — (^0 

ablative bpeicip) when thus applied may « Pogus paujup, B. In the Latin, 

signify either a blessing or a curse. That it " Regio Povisorum," Powm.— (T.) 

signifies sometimes a curse is evident from * Pauperem. Ps. cxiL 7. The Latin 

the following quatrain which occurs in a words within brackets are supplied from 

MS. in Trinity College, Dublin. (H. 1. 17. B., being omitted in D (T.) 

foL 97. h,) : ' The Saxons. — Occa, from B., is sub- 



85 



word" [i. e. blessing] of German, he became a king, and his sons be- 
came kings, and their seed have ever since been in the land called 
Pogus^; ut dicitur in the psalms, suscitans a terrd. inopem, et de 
stercore erigens pauperem', 

XVn. Now, the Saxons remained in the Isle of Teineth \Thanet\ 
and Gortigem was feeding and clothing the Saxons', that they might 
fight for him against*" Pictland. But" when the Saxons had multi- 
phed, the Britons not only refused to feed or clothe them, but the 
Britons warned them all to go away. 

But Hengist**, who was an experienced, wise, cunning, and subtle 
man, made answer to them (for he saw that the Britons were feeble 
without soldiers, without arms), and he said to the King Gortigem in 
private**: " Let us make good counsel; let us send into Germany for 
soldiers, that we may be numerous'' against our enemies." Gorti- 
gem answered, " Let ambassadors go for soldiers ;" and they went' ; 
and there came eighteen ships with chosen soldiers out of Germany. 
In this fleet' came his daughter to Hengist : she was the fairest of 

the women of all Lochland\ 

After 



stituted for co, D. D. also reads co neoip 
corruptly, for which '5a n-eiciu6, which 
literaUy means, ^* a clothing them,'' is sub- 
stitnted from B. For caichatjj'ec, both 
D. and B. read caichai^eachc. — (T.) 

" Against. — Re, for which D. reads piy, 
a manifest slip of the scribe. Cpuiren- 
wicnc, Pictland, the country of the Cruith- 
nigh. In D. Cpuicneach-cuaic. — (T.) 

B But — The words within brackets in 
this sentence are inserted from B.— (21) 

• Hengist, — ^Bijipc, D. For peap paiye. 
B. reads corruptly, pPT'^® 5 F^'S® would 
be more correctly written pioe. — (T.) 

' In private, — In canpuo, B., '* in par- 



ticular." D. reads bo runpab, for bo 
c-punpab, omitting the eclipsed letter. — 
(T.) 

*> Numerous, — Socpame bun a n-a^io, 
B.— (T.) 

*" They went, — Do coap (generally writ- 
ten cuap) added from B., where we read 
7 bo coop, 7 bo -fmccaoap. Co is also 
added from B. before milioaib.— (T.) 

• In this fleet, — Here the imperfection 
in the Book of Lecan ends. The text 
has been corrected from the three MSS. 
which read, Ip in loiny, D. Ip m loinyip, 
B. Ip anbpa loinj^eap pin, L. — (T.) 

^ Lochland. — This name is here evi* 



86 



lappn imoppa do pijne Gnjifc pleao [mop] Do ^op'trijepnn T 
Dia pluaj ip in C15 [pig] DianaD ainm Cencic Glimc ; ■] ni poibe in 
8a;:j'ain-bepla aj neoch do bpearnaib ace 05 aen peap, Ro gab 
imoppo mgean Gnjipc pop Dail na pleiDi .1. pina "| piccepa a leap- 
cpaib oip ■] aip5iD, comcap mepjDa meaDapcam na pluaig ; do 
cuaiD cpa Demon 1 n^opcijepnn im jpaD ingcme Gngipc, i pola in 
beplaiD Dia paijiD Dia cumgc D'on pij do h-Gngipc, -| po paiD ciDbe 
cungeap 'na cochpa Do beaprap Do. Ro paiD Gnjppc cpi comaplc 
Sa;ran cuccap DumD m peapanD DianaD cnnm Conjaplona 'p^^ 
bepla Sa;:an, Ccinc imoppo ip m bepla bpccnuch. Oo paD Doib 

^opcigepnn 

dently intended for some part of Grermany, 
although generally applied by the Irish 
to Denmark and Norway. See O'Brien^s 
Irish Diet, in v. Lochlannach, — (T,) 

" Great banquet. — F^®'5> ^' F^^'o, B. 
pleao mop, L. ; this last reading has been 
followed. In the next line L. reads f lua- 
jaib uile, for f lua^ : pi^ has been added 
from L. and B. The name here given to 
this royal house is in the Latin Nennius 
given to Gortigem's interpreter: ** Fecit 
convivium Hengistus Guorthigimo regi, 
etmilitibus suis, et interpreti suo qui vo- 
cabatur Cerdicselmet." — Bertram, a 36: 
and the name is variously given Cerdic 
Elmetj Ceretecc, Cerdic, Ceretie; and in 
the Irish copies, Celecielmeb, L. Cepe- 
cicelemec, B. Cencic Glmic, D. The 
reading of B. has been followed in the text, 
and it is very probable that the original 
meaning of the Irish translator was, that 
the banquet was given ^4n the house of the 
king, whose name was Cereticus Elmet, 
Le. Cereticus king of £lmet»'' although, as 



the Irish text now stands, it must be 
translated as above— -(T.) 

All^ this, however, is a mistake. A 
certain Ceretie of Elmet was Hengist's 
interpreter, being acquainted with the 
British and Saxon languages. See Nen- 
nius, cap. 36. Marcus, p. 66. There is an 
Ulmetum or Elmet in Yorkshire, called 
Elmed-setna in Gale's Hids Cis-Hiim- 
bran«, apud xv. Scriptores, p. 748 ; from 
which Leeds was anciently Loidis in El- 
meto, and where Berwick in Elmet now 
remains, a place at or near which the 
Northumbrian kings once had their pa- 
lace. It is the Silva Elmete of Beda, 
Hist. ii. cap. 14. Camden Brit. iL 90, i. 
Thoresby's Ducatus, by Whitaker, p. 232. 
Building on this passage of the Historia 
Britonum, the author of Bertram's Sup- 
plement, p. 142, says, that Edwin, son of 
Ella, ** regnavit annis xvii, et ipse occu- 
pavit Elmet, et expulit Certec regem illius 
regionis." But Edwin's reign was no ear- 
lier than 616-33. There must have been 



87 

After thie Hengist prepared a great banquet" for Gortigem and 
his army in the royal house, which is called Centic Elinit ; and none 
of the Britons knew the Saxon language except one man only. The 
daughter of Hengist proceeded to distribute the feast, viz., wines and 
ales, in vessels of gold and silver^, until the soldiers were inebriated 
and cheerful''; and a demon entered Gortigem, from love of the 
daughter of Hengist', and he sent the linguist to Hengist to ask 
her for the king ; and he said^, that " whatever he would ask for 
her dowry should be given to him." Hengist, by the advice of the 
Saxons, said, '* Let there be given to us the land which is named 
Congarlona' in the Saxon language, and Ceint in the British lan- 
guage, 



elm forests in Britain, besides that in 
Deira, which makes the situation not cer- 
tain. Cerdic being a Saxon name, and 
Ceretic a known way of writing Caredig, 
it is not obvious of which nation the in- 
terpreter was; but the transcribers of 
Nennius take him for a Briton, and in* 
deed his being of a given place implies 
he was a native. — (H.) Hengist's name 
is spelt Si^ipr in L. throughout, and 

aijirc in D.— (r.) 

" Gold and silifer, — No mention of these 
costly vessels is found in the Latin. The 
word comoap is an ancient mode of writing 
A> m-baooqi. It is spelled comoap in B. 

^a L.— (r.) 

^ Cheer/kl. — ^mebpach, L. TDeabpai^e, 

B {T.) 

^ Day^kier nf Hengist. — ^L. adds, cpe 
coitioipli <8a;can, which is a mistake co- 
pied from what follows. In the next 
vords B. has been followed. L. reads 



bo pala in beloio, and D. po pa^ in 
bepla, which is manifestly corrupt. B. 
and L. omit t>\ a iX^i^io, and read, bia 
cuinoij^ pop Gnjipc. B. Dia cuinoi^ pop 
eyipc, L.--(T.) 

' He icud. — This clause, from bo pam 
to beaprap do, is omitted in L. B. reads 
bo paib Bn^ifc, which is an evident mis^ 
take. D. reads bo beapcap bi, ** should 
be given to her,'' but the whole tenor of 
the story shews that do, ** to him," is the 
correct reading. The orthography in B. 
is Cibeb cumocep na cocmapc bo bepap 
bo.— (T.) 

■ Congarlona. — Conjoplon, B., L. — 
(T.) This should be written Cantwar- 
land, or the land of Kent.^ — (H.) Cenb, 
L. Cenc, B. It appears from the Latin 
that Gurangona CSupanjopo, B., Cupaiv 
copo, L.) is the name of the king who 
then ruled over Kent : *' et dedit illis 
Gnoirancgono regnante in Cantia''. — (2^. 



88 

^oprijepTin go paelce plaich ^^pcti^jo^^^ 1 po F^^ ^^V '^ Ti-iT)5ein 
*] pop cap 50 mop. 

a5up paio Gnppc pe ^^P^^S^P"^ ^'^ ^T' ^' achaip -] do 
comapleio "| Dia noeapnoa mo comaple m caempac na cineaDaij 
eilc nf ouic; ■] pajap uampea 1 Lochlamo ap ceano mo mcic "j 
meic pcachup a marup -| carhaigpio a n-aigiona namao Do pochpa- 
Dap CO mup jual. Qcbepc ^^P^^S^P^^^ ^ cocuipeo, "| Do cop ap 
a ceanD, -| Do pochcaDap Ochca mac Gnjipc ■] Gbipa co. ;crl. long; 
1 po aip5peaD inDpi Opcc ic ciachcam a ruaiD; -| po gabpac pea- 
panna imDa cop in muip ppipcagDa, .i. m muip pil a leich ppi 
^aeDealu po cuaiD. No reijDip ceachca 6 Gnjipc ap ceanD 
long pop, ■] no cijDip pluaig nuab cacha bbaDna cucu, co po pop- 
bappeaD, -| 50 po linpac o imp CeneD co Cancapbopg. 

ba bcag la Diabul De ulc Do pomDe ^^P^^B^P"^ ^^ rapD paip 
a ingen pein Do cabaipc, co pu5 mac do. Od cualaiD ^^^P^^'^ 
naem [pin] cainig 1 cleipech Dia mumcip .1. bpearnach, do caipi- 

ujub 



* Loved her much. — "Rop ejap co mop, 
L. The word egar is still in use to ex- 
press endearment, and is often found even 
where the Irish language has entirely 
ceased, and in the lips of those who never 
spoke a word of Irish, in the form "a 
haygur."— (T.) 

^ IwiU send. — CIcc pacaip ucnmfea, 
B. L (T.) 

* The waU, QuaL — TTlup ypaoul, D. 
mup yaulup, B. In L. mup juub, which 
is probably a mere slip for ^ual, which, 
as the Latin proves, is the true reading. 
See pp. 64, 65. — (r.) 

* There arrived Ochta, — "Roccooap 
imoppo mac Ginjipc 7 6bipa, B. Troche 



Ochca mac Gijifc 7 Sijipoa, D. "Roche 
ochc meic Bijipc [the eight sons of En- 
gist] 7 ebipa, B. The Latin is "et 
invitavit Ochta et Ebissa.**— (T.) 

• The Frieeg Sea^ etC' — "Mare Fresicum, 
quod inter nos Scotosque est, usque ad 
confinia Pictorum.'* The author had a 
very indistinct notion of the position of 
Friesland The Gaidheal or Scoti here 
mean Ireland — (jET.) 

f To Cantarborgh. — The whole of this 
passage is very corrupt both in the Latin 
and Irish copies : 7 po cei^ip cecca o 
Bnjipc op cenn lony pop, 7 po ciybip 
pluaij nua6 ^ca bliaona cucu, co pop- 
bpipec, 7 CO po Impac o mip Ceneo co 



89 

guage." Gortigern cheerfully gave them the dominions of Guran- 
gona, and he lay with the daughter and loved her much*. 

And Hengist said to Gortigem : *' I will be thy father and thy 
counsellor, and if thou takest my advice the other tribes will not be 
able in any way to molest thee ; and I will send** to Lochland for my 
son, and for the son of his mother's sister, and they will fight against 
the enemy who have reached as far as the wall Gual.*^" Grortigem said, 
" Let them be invited ;" and they were invited ; and there arrived 
Ochta**, son of Engist, and Ebisa, with forty ships ; and they plun- 
dered the Orkney islands on coming from the north, and they took 
many lands as far as the Friseg sea*, that is the sea which is to the 
north of the Gfiedhal. And ambassadors were further sent by Hen- 
gist for more ships, and a new force used to arrive every year, so 
that they increased, and filled the land from the island of Teneth to 
Cantarborgh'. 

The devil deeming it but little the evil that Gortigern had done, 
induced him to cohabit with his own daughter, so that she bare him 
a son. When German' heard of this, he went, accompanied by a 

clergyman 



Cancapbopy,' B. i no cheijbif ceachca 

Biyepc ap ceano long boup, -y no cic- 
t>ip pluai^ nua cacha bliaona chucu co 
pa poipbpipeao, -y co po linpao o h-6nep 
Cenocch co Ceanoapbpoj, L. No ceij- 
Dip ceachca o Biyipc ap ceano lonj bop, 

1 no n^oip fluai^ nuao cucha bliaona 
cucu, CO po popbappeao, -) 30 po linpac 
imp 6peacan co can^oap bap^, D. 
This latter reading, however, is evidently 
corrupt — (T.) 

( German German took his final 

leave of Britain in 447, and Vortigern is 



said to have died circa 484, which is con- 
sistent with his having a child some years 
old, at that time. But it is evidenjt that 
his unpopularity commenced several years 
later, when he attached himself to the 
Saxons, whose original invitation was sub- 
sequent to St. German's death; and so 
far from being an unpopular act, was not 
even the king's act, but one resolved upon 
by all the consiliarii. — Gildas, cap. 23. 
Therefore these statements are false; and 
the entire charge of incest is open to 
doubt — (B.) 



IRISH ARCH. 80C. 1 6. 



N 



90 

ujuD 1 oo cof5 S^r^'S^P'^^'* 1 V^ cmoiliD laich -| cleipi^ bpea- 
can uile imon caingen ym, i im caingin na Saxan ; -] acbepc imoppo 
gopcijepno pe h-injeiT), Qchc co ci each a n-aen baile cabaippea 
t>o mac a n-uchc ^^cipman, "i abaip copob e a achaip, ■] Do paio 
m n-ingean. Ro gab ^^^P^^^ 1 acbepc pip m mac, 6io mipi 
c'achaip ol pe, ■] po cuinoig^^^P^^'^ alcam, "j oemeap, -| cip, ["] a] 
cabaipr alaim na namen ; i cujab, "] aobcapc ^eapman : Q mic 
cabaip ym a laim c'achap collaioc ; ■] aopachc in naibe "j oo pao 
m cfp •] m Dimcap ■] m n-ailcmi a laim 5^r^'5^r"^» 1 cc^bepc, Q 
mo poba, ol pe, t)ena mo beappa6, dp ip cu m'acaip collame, 
^ccipnian imoppo m'achaip cpeiomi. Ro h-imoeapgao im 5^P^^' 
jepno, 1 po 5ab peapg co h-at>bal, "i po ceich app a n-aipeachc ; i 
po mallacc m popul bpecnach uile, ^ po n-eapcain ^^Qp^^^^ [^^ 
t)uobup]. 

DO DUN ani6Roiss awNso o^us Dia co^Ra p^^s nq 

DRaicha]6. 

XVIII. Ro cocuipipoaip lapoain ^oprigepno cuice Da DpuiD 
Dej, CO peapaD iiachib a nf bo coip do Deanam. Oo paiDpio pip 
na DpuiDi, Sfp imli mnpi bpeacan, ■] po geba Dun Damgean dod 
DiDean ap m cmel n-eachrpann Dia capcaipi do cfp "| Do pije, Daij 
noD muippiD DO namaiD, -| gebaiD Do cfp "j do calam cap c'eip. 
Ro cochleapDaip ^^P'^^S^P^^ ^^ ^'^ r^^aj -| co n-a Dpuioib Deip- 

ceapc 



^A dergyman, — The reading adopted 
is that of L. D. reads caini^ o^uf clei- 
pi^ 6peacan. B. reads cainij in clepec 
6peean uile. The Latin is *^ Tenit cum 
omni clero Brittonum," — (T.) 

i BrtttBk people, — popal na in-6pea- 
can uile, D. pobal Tn-5peacnach, L. B. 
oe buobuf added from B. and L. — (T.) 



i The fortreee of Anibrou. — Do oun 
Qmpoif, D. Do oun Qmbpoipp, B. In 
Welsh, J[>tna«^inrM, the fortress of Emrys 
or Ambrose. — (T.) 

^ The Druids said* — Qcbepoaoap a 
DpaiD ppip imle 6perain do lappaio, B. 
aobepcGDOp ne opuio pip, pip imli cpichi 
6pecan, L. In what follows the ortho- 



9« 

cleigyman^ of his nation, L e. British, to criminate and check Gorti* 
gem; and he assembled all the laity and clergy of Britain for this 
purpose, and also for the purpose of consulting about the Saxons. 
But Gortigern told his daughter, " When they are all assembled 
together, give thou thy child into the breast of German, and say that 
he is his father." And the daughter did so. German received the 
child, and said unto him, " I will be thy father," said he ; and Ger- 
man asked for a razor, scissars, and a comb, and gave them into 
the hands of the infant; and this was done; and German said: *' My 
son, give these into the hand of thy carnal father;" and the infiint 
advanced, and gave the comb, the scissars, and the razor, into the 
hand of Gortigern, and said, " O my master," said he, " do thou 
tonsure me, for thou art my carnal father. German is my father in the 
faith." Gortigern blushed at this, and became much enraged, and 
fled from the assembly ; and he was cursed by all the British people*, 
and excommunicated by German also. 

Op the FOBTRESS of AMBROSB^ AND OF HIS CONTEST WITH THE 

Dbuids. 

X VIIL And afterwards Gortigern invited to him twelve Druids, 
that he might know from them what was proper to be done. The 
Druids said*" to him, " Seek the borders of the island of Britain, 
and thou shalt find a strong fortress to defend thyself against the 
foreigners to whom thou hast given up thy country and thy king- 
dom, for thine enemies will slay thee', and will seize upon thy 
country and lands after thee." Gortigern, with his hosts and with 

his 

graphy of D. is very corrupt; the text * Will tiay thee, — B. and L. read bo- 
has been corrected from B. and L., but it maippeab do namam. For do calam, B. 
will only be necessary in these notes to reads oo ceneotl ; L. oo cheneli, ** thy 
mention the more important various read- race,'' '^ Cum universa gente tua;" — 
ings — (T.) Nenniua,-^T.) 

N2 



92 



ceapc mnff bpeacan uile, co pangaoap 5"^^^^>.1 V^ pppeaD fliab 
hepep uile, "] conao anopin puapaoap in omo op m muip, -] pcap- 
ano oairigean, cop cumoaiseg h-c ; acbcpcaoap a Dputoi pip, Oean- 
opu punoa ou oun, ol piao, op ni caennnasaip nf oo co bpach. 
Uuccha paip lapoam "] no cmolic aobaip in ouin cicip cloich "j 
cpano, 1 pugao ap uile m comaobap a n-aen aiDce, -| po cmolic po 
cpf mopin in comaobup pm "| pugao ap po cpi. Ocup po piappaij 
[cpa] oia opui&cib cio oia Da m c-olc [pa] ap pe; po paiopeac a 
opuibe, cumpD mac na peap a achaip -| mapbcap Icac "| eappam- 
ccp a puil cap m Dun ; ["]] ap amlaiD conn icpiDcap a cumDach. 
Ro laice ceachca uaD po imp bpeacan D'lappaib mic gan achaip, 
1 po pippeac CO mag GiUeice a cip 5''^uip^» T ^^^ V^^ puapaDap 
na macu aj imam, co capla DeabaiD ecip Da macam Dib, con 
n-cbaipc in mac ppia apaile, aoume gan achaip, nf pil maic ojud 
eDip. Ro h-iappai5peac na ceachca cid Dia bo mac m gilla pip a 
n-abpe piuD? Qcbepc luchc na paiche, nf eacamap, ol piaD [ca 

a machaip 

old Glossaries. — (T.) 

P Carried away. — Similar traditions ex- 
ist in connexion with the erection of 
many churches in Ireland, viz., that what 
was built in the course of the daj was 
thrown down at night by some unknown 
power. Mr. O'Donovan found this tra- 
dition told of the church of Banagher, in 
the county of Derry, and has given an 
account of it in a letter preserved among 
the Ordnance Survey papers, Phoenix 
Park, Dublin.— (r.) 

^ Whose father is unknown Nach 

pinbcap a araip, B., L., i.e. "whose father 
is not known." — (T.) 

' Let his Mood be sprinkled. — Bappairi- 
cep, L., has been substituted in the text. 



" Ouined, — B. reads co W eo, corruptly ; 
L. has 7>uneab ; the Latin reads Guoie- 
net (T.) 

^ Herer. — The text is here corrected 
from B., in conformity with the Latin. 
D. omits hepep; and L. corrupts the 
words fliab bepep to palaaipep. Snow- 
don is the mountain meant. — (T.) 

*> A Dinn,— In the Latin arcem» The 
word Dinn, which is found in many names 
of places in Ireland (as Dinn Righ, near 
Leighlin), and in the name of the an- 
cient treatise Dinn-Senchus, (the History 
of Dinns) is synonimous with Dun^ a fort. 
It seems to be here used in its original 
signification of a high or naturally forti- 
fied hilL It is explained cnoc, a hill, in 



93 



his Druids, traversed all the south of the island of Britain, until they 
arrived at Guined", and they searched all the mountain of Herer", 
and there found a Dinn^ over the sea, and a very strong locality fit to 
build on ; and his Druids said to him, " Build here thy fortress," 
said they, " for nothing shall ever prevail against it." Builders 
were then brought thither, and they collected materials for the for- 
tress, both stone and wood, but all these materials were carried 
away"* in one night; and materials were thus gathered thrice, and 
were thrice carried away. And he asked of his Druids, " Whence 
is this evil ?" said he. And the Druids said, " Seek a son whose 
father is unknown*", kill him, and let his blood be sprinkled' upon 
the Dun, for by this means only it can be built" 

Messengers were sent by him throughout the island of Britain to 
seek for a son without a father ; and they searched as far as Magh 
EiUite*, in the territory of Glevisic, where they found boys a hur- 
ling ; and there happened a dispute between two of the boys, so 
that one said to the other, " O man without a father^ thou hast no 
good at all." The messengers asked, " Whose son is the lad to whom 
this is said ?" Those on the hurling green"* said, " We know not," 

said 



for Deipi^ep, D., which signifies, ** let it 
be spread." B. reads eppaicep, *'let 
it be sprinkled." The Latin is asperga- 
tor or Gonspergatur. — (T.) See Addi- 
tional Notes, No. XIV., for some remarks 
on the practice here alluded to. 

• As far as Magh EiUite. — po may 
Gillicoe, D. Co moD 6Ueci, B. Co may 
6iUeice, L. This last reading has been 
adopted. — {T,) See Additional Notes, 
No. XV. 

' man without a father^ — CI Duine 
yen achaifv ni h-uil achaip ayao, D. Q 



Dume can achaip ni puil m achaip occa, 
L., i. e. '* O man without a father, thou 
hast no father." The reading in the text 
is taken from B., as it coincides with the 

Latin (T.) 

** Hurling-green, — paicci, B. paici, L. 
This word, which occurs frequently in 
composition in the names of places in Ire- 
land, signifies a green field; and in the 
county Kilkenny is still used to denote a 
fair- green, or hurling-green ; as paicci 
an aonaiy; Pairci na h-iomanu; 'f^ 
an peap ip peapp ap a* b-fairci i. See 



94 

a machaip piinn, op fiao]. Ro lappampeac Dia macaip ciD oiap 
bo mac an jilla. Ro ppeajaip in marhaip ni eaoap-pa, olpi, araip 
05a, -] ni eaoap cinoap 00 pala im bpomo cicip. Uugapoaip cpa 
na ceachna leo in mac pin co S^P^^S^P^"' 1 P^ Ti-moipoaip amail 
puapaoap e. 

XIX. lap na maipeac po rinolic [m] pliiaij copo mapbcTia m 
mac, T cujao co pm pig in mac, -| aobepc ppip in pig, ciD ap nam 
rujao-pa cucaib, ap pc ? Ro paio m pi^ dod mapbuopa, ap pe, -| 
DOD copcpao, "I 00 copepjuD m Duin pea 000 puil. Qobepc m mac 
cia po h-mcoipc Duit)-piu pin ? TTlo Opai6e, ap in pi. ^^'P^^P ^^1^» 
ol m mac, *] cangaoap na opuiDi. Qcbepc m mac piu. Cm po paiD 
pibpi na cumoaigep m Dun po no co coipeacapca [do m' puil-pea] ap 
cup? "I ni po ppea^paDap. Oo eaDappa, ol pe, m ci Dom paopa 
cucaib Dap bap n-aiceo6 ip e do paD popaib-pi m bpcaj Do canrain. 
Qcc ccana, a pig, ol pe, poillpijpeaD-pa pfpinDe DuiD-piu, ■] piappai- 
51m DUD Dpaicib ap ciip, ciD aca a polac po'n n-upldp po m ap piab- 
naipi. Ro paiDpeaD na DpuiDi noc n-eaDamap ap piaD. Ro eaDap- 
pa ol pe: acd loch uipce ann ; peachap "j claecep. Ro claeDcD 
"1 ppich [in loc ano]. Q pace inD P15, ap m mac, abpafo ciD aca 
im meoon m loca ? Ni peaoemap, ol piaD. Ro peacappa, ol pe, 
acdic Da clap cipDi mopa ann m n-a^aiD a n-agaiD, "| cuccap ap 
[lac ; -| peajcap -| cucaD ap ;] ■] a DpuiDe, ap m mac, abpafo ciD 
aca ecip na clop leapcpaib uo ? ni eaoemap, ap piaD. Ro pea- 

Dappa, 

note *•, p. 66. supra. In Cormac's Glos- « With my blood. — Supplied from B. 

sarj (voce pla), it is employed to trans- and L. Other corrections of the text have 

late the Latin word jjiatea, — (T.) also been made from the same sources, 

^ HU mother is here^ said they, — ^Added jj^t the variations are not worth noticing, 

from L. B. reads ace Qza macaip pun- being, for the most part, mere differences 

oa cecal olpiac— (2*). of orthography. — (T.) 

^ To them Ppip na t>pai jib, D. piu y j'^is He, — ^The meaning seems to be 

in B. and L. — (T.) this : ^^ The person who induced you to 



95 



said they, " his mother is here," said they^. They asked of his 
mother whose son the lad was. The mother answered, " I know 
not," said she, " that he hath a father, and I know not how he hap- 
pened to he conceived in my womb at all." So the messengers took the 
boy with them to Gortigem, and told him how they had found him. 
XIX. On the next day the army was assembled, that the boy 
might be killed. And the boy was brought before the king, and he 
saicito the king, *' Wherefore have they brought me to thee ?" said he. 
AsKx^ the king said, '' To slay thee," said he, '' and to butcher thee, and 
to c^onsecrate this fortress with thy blood." The boy said, " Who in- 
8t;x-ucted thee in this ?" " My Druids," said the king. " Let them be 
c^XX-cd hither," said the boy. And the Druids came. The boy said to 

** Who told you that this fortress could not be built until it 

e first consecrated with my blood?*" And they answered not. " I 

w," said he ; " the person who sent me to you to accuse you, is he 

induced you to tell this lie^ ; howbeit, O king," said he, " I will 

the truth to thee; and I ask of thy Druids, first, what is concealed 

«ath this floor before us ?" The Druids said, " We know not," said 

I know," said he ; " there is a lake of water there ; let it [the 

c] be examined and dug." It was dug, and the lake" was foimd 

^. " Ye prophets of the king," said the boy, " tell what is in the 



tb 



yr 



til- 

^i^i^e of the l^e T " We know not," said they. " I know," said 






u 



there are two large chests of wood face to face, and let them be 
ght out of it." It was examined, and they were brought forth*, 
d O Druids," said the boy, " tell what is between those two 

wooden 



^^^ '•ifc.is lie will be the cause of your die- 
8^^*^^^«" Here begins a fragment of this 
^^^It^ in the Leabhar na h-Uidhri, which 

^^^^ >)€ referred to in the following notes 

W tihe letter U.— (T.) 



* The lake. — The words in loc cuio 
are added from U.^-(T.) 

• Brought forth, — The words within 
brackets are added from B. U. and L. 
read t cucab ap, only* — (T,) 



96 

Dayifa, ap fe, dca p eol bpac [ano ; -| cuccap ap, -| ppir m peol] 
nmmapcne cnp na Da clap cipoi. Qbpafo, a eolcha, ap m mac, 
CIO ana a meaoon ni n-eaoaij uo ? -] ni po ppeajpaoap, [ap ni po 
rhucpacap]. Qcaic 6a cpuim ann, ol pe, .i. cpuim oeapj "j cpuim 
seal ; pcailceap in c-eaoach. Ro pcaileao in peol bpar, [^] po 
baoap na Da cpuim na coolao ann. [Ro pai6 m mac] pcacai6-pe 
a n-oin^naio anopa na biapoa. Qopuchc each oib co apaile co 
paibc ceccap oe ic ppaineao a ceile, "i [co pobarap] ic imleaopao, 
•] ic imiche, ■] no h-mnapbrhao m cpuim Dib apaile co meaDon m 
c-piuil, -] m peachc aile co imell. Oo ponpac pa cpi pon n-inoupm. 
In cpuim puaib cpa ba panD ap rup, "] po h-mnapbcao co h-imeal 
m n-eaoaiO; in cpuim caicneamach imoppo ba pann po Deoij, "j 
po ceich ip in loch, -| po pineapoaip m peol po ceooip. Ro h-iap- 
paio in mac do na DpaiDib ; mnipiD ap pe, ciD paillpijip m c-mjnaD 
pa? Ni eaDamap, ap piao. Oojean-pa [ap in mac] a paiUpiujao 
Do'n pij. Ip e an loch plaichiup m Domam uile, "| ipe m peol do 
plairiupiu a pij. Ipiac na Da cpuim imoppo [na Da neapc] .1. do 
neapc po co m-bpearnaib, -| neapc 8a;cran In cpuim puaD, ip 1 
DO h-mDapbaD ap cup Do'n plaichiup do neapc-po ; neapc Sa;ran 
imoppo in cpuim [jel] po jab in peol uile ace beag, .1. po gab imp 
bpeacan ace beaj, co po h-inDapbpacap neapc bpeacan po oeoig. 
Cupa imoppo, a pij bpeacan, eipig ap m Dun po, ap ni caemaip a 
cumDach, -| pfp imp bpeacan, "| po geba do Dun pem. Ro paiD in 
P15, caiDe DO comammpm a mic, ol pe ; po ppeagaip m jilla, Qm- 

bpop, 

*» Was/ound, — The words within brack- ven to the middle of the sail." But U., 

ets are added from U. and B. In the next B., and L. all read as in the text, which 

lines the clause ap ni po cucpaoap is also agrees with the Latin — (T.) 

added from U. and L.; and l^o pam in ^Kingdom. — D. reads, in plaichemnap; 

mac from U*, L., and B— (T.) U., B., and L. all read pVaiciup, without 

^ AUematdy, — D.reads, m cpuim puaiD the article. The words na t>a neopc^ 

ppiup; L e. *^ the red maggot was first dri- '^ the two powers," in the next line, are 



97 

wooden chests ?" " We know not," said they. *' I know," said he ; 
" there is a sail-cloth there." And it was brought forth, and the sail 
was found^ rolled up between the two wooden chests. '* Tell, O ye 
learned," said the boy, '• what is in the middle of that cloth ?" And 
they answered not, for they understood not. ^' There are two mag- 
gots there," said he, " namely, a red maggot and a white maggot. Let 
the cloth be unfolded." The sail-cloth was unfolded, and there were 
two maggots asleep in it. And the boy said, '* See now what the 
inaggots will do." They advanced towards each other, and com- 
menced to rout, cut, and bite each other, and each maggot drove the 
otfier alternately*^ to the middle of the sail and again to its verge. 
Tiiey did this three times. The red maggot was at first the feeble one, 
was driven to the brink of the cloth ; but the beautiful maggot 
finally the feeble one, and fled into the lake, and the sail imme- 
di^'tely vanished. The boy asked the Druids: "Tell ye," said he, 
'* 'vv-iat doth this wonder reveal ?" " We know not," said they. " I will 
^^'^^^al it to the king," said the boy. " The lake is the kingdom^ of the 
^i^ ole world, and the sail is thy kingdom, O king. And the two mag- 
g<=>'fc^ are the two powers, namely, thy power in conjunction with the 
'^^•^i "fcons, and the power of the Saxons. The red maggot, which was 
fi^^'^^'fc expelled the kingdom, represents thy power; and the white 
^*"^^-^^got, which occupied the whole sail except a little, represents 
tlx^ 3)ower of the Saxons, who have taken the island of Britain, ex- 
c^I> t a small part, until ultimately driven out by the power of the 
^^*^itons. But do thou, O king of Britain, go away from this fortress, 
t^^ tihou hast not power to erect it, and search the island of Britain 
^^^^ thou shalt find thine own fortress." The king said, " What is thy 
Tvam^, O boy," said he. The youth replied, ** Ambrose," said he, 
^' ^s my name." (He was Embros Gleutic*, king of Britain.) •' Tell 

thy 

•^^ed from U. B. and L.— (T). • Em^-os Gleutic — Qmbpoip Jleoac, 

1BI8H ARCH. 80C. 1 6. O 



98 



bpof, ol pe, Tn'amTn-fc (if e pm in Gmbpof 5^'^^^^^ P^5 bpcacan.) 
Can DO cenel ap ip pig. Consul Romanach, ol f c, m'araip-pe, -| bio 
e yeo mo oun. Ro leig cpa ^^pcisepno m Dun do Qmbpop, "j pi^e 
lapcaip bpcacan uile, -| caimc co n-a DpaiDib co ciiaiyK:eapc mpi 
bpeacan, .1. juf an pcapann DianaD ainm 5"^^"'^ 1 V^ cumDaij 
Dun ann, .1. caep ^^P^'B^P'^^ cc h-amm. 

t>o caichighechc soiRchimii?. 

XX. lapcam cpa acpachc 5^P^^^^'P cofcpac, mac 5®P^^" 
jeapnD, co na bpachaip, .1. CaicceapnD, m n-agaiD Snjif c T Opfa, 
[-]] po cachaispeac bpeacnaig mapaen piu co h-amnap, co po 

h-mDapbpacap 



U. Qmpup Jlep icic, L. — {T.) That is 
to say, Emmrjs Wledig, which means 
Ambrosius Sovereign of the Land. But 
Gwledig seems also, for some unknown 
reason, to have been conventionally an 
equivalent for Aurelius; since not only 
Emmrys Wledig is Aurelius Ambrosius, 
but Cynan Wledig is Aurelius Conanus. 
Nennius and Taliesin identify him with 
Merlin, the bard and prophet, called 
Merddin Emmrys. Two structures bore 
his name, viz., the Stonehenge, called the 
Cor Emmrys and Gwaith Emmrys, Circle 
of Ambrose, or Work of Ambrose; and 
the Dinas Emmrys, in Snowdon, here spo- 
ken of. The latter is a roundish mound 
of rock, difficult of access, on the top of 
which are two ramparts of stone, and 
within them the ruins of a stone build- 
ing, ten yards in length. Hard by is a 
place said to have been the cell of Vorti- 
gern^s magicians. — Pennant's Journey to 



Snowdon, p. 174. The mount is said to 
have been called Brith, 

" And from the top of Brith so high and wond*roiu 
steep, 
Where Dinas Emris stood,** kc 

DrayUmy dt ibid. p. 175. 

In Triads 53 and loi, the Dinas 
Emmrys is called Dinas Faraon, that is. 
Enclosure of the Higher Powers or i^iW- 
tiwl Beings. The last of these Triads 
states, that an eagle's pullet, brought 
forth by a sow, was intrusted to the 
keeping of Brynach the Irishman of Di- 
nas Faraon. It was clearly a building 
appropriated to magical uses. — (H.) 

^ Gunnis, — So all the Irish MSS. read. 

The Latin MSS. vary considerably (T.) 

The translator, having begun the story by 
stating that Gwynedd (or North Wales), 
and Mount Eryri (or Snowdon), were in 
the South of Britain, seems to repeat the 



99 



or 



ei 
no 



thy race," said the king. " My father," said he, " was a Roman con- 
sul, and this shall be my fortress." Then Gortigern left the fortress 
to Ambrose, and also the government of all the west of Britain, and 
went with his Druids to the north of the island of Britain, that is, to 
the land which is called Gunnis', and built a fortress there, which 
city is named Caer Gortigern*. 

Of the wabfare"* of Gortimer. 

XX. After this, Gortimer' the victorious, son of Gortigern, with 
brother Catigern', rose up against Hengist and Orsa, and the 
•ns fought fiercely along with them, so that they drove the Saxons 

to 



adopted as being in accordance with the 

Latin. D. reads 5op^'"*5«P'io« The other 
MSS. read Jopmchimepn, L. J^pci- 
jepno, B.— (r.) 

i CaHgem, — This name occurs here 
in D. only. The Latin makes no men* 
tion of the brother, but reads, '^ et cum 
gente illorum." There is much confusion 
in the Irish copies about these names, 
and even in the same copy uniformity is 
not preserved. For Gortimer we find, 
Gortimgemd, Ooirmthigem^ Oormthimem, 
Ooirtimper^ Oortkemir, Spc. For Cati- 
gem, Caitkgeamn, Cantigem^ Cem, &c. It 
has been thought better, however, to pre- 
serve uniformity in the translation. — (7^). 
The Catigern of the Latin copies is Cyn- 
deym in Welsh, to which Kentigern is the 
equivalent, both meaning Chief Prince; 
but Cathigern, Battle Prince, is quite 
a distinct word; which discrepancy is un- 
accounted for — (//.) 
02 



of Gwynedd, in the travestied form 

unnis, and place it in the north. In 

:fir8t place the Latin copies have Gu* 

^t and Guenet, and in the second, 

'^^"^■^nessi, Gueness, and GuenerL Pro- 

^ the same name is meant in both 

ces, for Gwnnessi is said to be in 

sinistral or northern part of Britain. 

it is false that Caer Guortigem was 

in Gwynedd, or any where in the 

And the whole sentence, *' et ipse 

:anagis suis ad sinistralem plagam per- 

" etc., seems to be an ignorant in- 

ion. 

^ C^aer Chrtigem, .i. Caep S^pcijepnn 

^r*^^^ in, B. .1. caep yopchijepnb, U. ,i. 

*^^^^r* S^Jpchijepnn, -y po ba la h-Qm- 

V^r* »n Dun, .1, Dun ampoip, L. — (T.) 

Gfthe warfare. — B. reads Do cacai- 

?r*^^^ ^op^ijcpn anDfo piop, L. reads oo 

c^^^haib ^oipmchi^epn anDfO pT* — (^O 

* Gortimer, — The reading of U. has been 



lOO 



h-inoapbracap Sa;raTia co h-inip Ccincch, •] pojabpar bpearcnn 
po rpi poppo in n-in'p, co ropachr cobaip cucu ap m 5^^r^^"» 1 
po cairhaijpcar ppi bpearnu cac ran ba leo copcap, rem aile ba 
poppo. 

Ocup DO po pan ^^^P^^^^'P ccirhpi caca ooib, .i, each pop bpu 
Deipgbemc -| each pop bpu Rechcnepgabail i ip ann Do pochaip 
Oppa 1 Cacijepnn mac 5^P^5^r"^»1 ^^^^ F^P ^P" ^<^P^ ichc,-] 
caipni^hep Saxam co a lonjaib muliebpicep, [-| each pop bpuai^ 
Gpippopc]. TTlapb imoppo ^^P^'^P^P b^V i^-cii^PP Tn-bic] ocup 
a Dobaipc ppia bpeacnaib gap pc n-eg a aDnacail pop bpu mapa» 
1 ni cicpaicip juill ec p m inDpi lapDoin. Ni DeapnDpac bpea- 
cam m nf pin. Qopacc neapc Sapran lap pin, ap ba capa Doib 5^P" 
cijcpnD ap Daig a nina. 



^ Deirgbeiftt — That this battle of the 
Daren t was distinct from that of Crayford 
(which, in fact, is not on the Darent), ap- 
pears from Henry of Huntingdon, p. 310, 
311. Ailsford, on the Medwaj, is sup- 
posed to be the Saxon Eppisford, and the 
British Set Thergabail, Sathenegabail, or 
Bit Hergabail of Nennius. Being a Ya- 
dum. Bit is clearly right ; and Saisenag- 
aball, dettructian of the SaxonSy is per- 
haps the title of that ford. But Camden, 
unless he had other copies, incorrectly 
states that Nennius hath told us it was 
so called, because of the Saxons being 
vanquished there. — i.p. 26a Gibson. The 
last of these battles was at the ^^ Lapis 
Tittili super ripam Grallici maris," which 
the most probable conjecture places at 
Folk-stone; whereof the name almost im- 
plies that the people had some rights. 



fianctioDS, or usages (some titulus) con- 
nected with a stone. — (/T.) 

' Episfort. — The text of this passage is 
very corrupt in all the MSS., and is here 
given chiefly from U. ; the following are 
the readings: U. reads .1. cur pop bpu 
Deplume, T cac pop bpu Rechene 5a- 
bail, "I If ano pochaip Opp -) Caci^epnb 
mac 5oP^5*P"'^» 1 ccich pop bpu mapa 
ICC, "I capmcip Sa;:ain co a lonjaib, i 
cac pop bpuai^ Gpippopc. D. reads .1. 
each pop bpu Deip^bemc, i each pop 
bpu Raceap^abail, 1 ip ann pm bo poch- 
.aip BijipcT Cacijepnn, mac ^opcijepnn 
1 each pop bpu peicep^a mapa ichc, -| 
caipni^ep Sa;cain co lon^ib mulie- 
bpicip. Here three battles only are men- 
tioned, as in Bertram^s Nennius, cap. 
45. The word muliebriter is inserted from 
the Latin, "et ipsi in fugam usque ad 



lOI 



to the island of Teineth, and the Britons took this island thrice from 
them ; so that forces arrived to their assistance out of Germany, and 
they fought against the Britons, and were one time victorious and 
another time defeated. 

And Gortimer gave them four battles, viz., a battle on the bank 
of the Deirgbeint*" ; a battle on the bank of Rethenergabail, in which 
Orsa and Catigem, son of Gortigem, were slain ; and a battle on 
the shore of the Iccian sea, where they drove the Saxons to their 
ships, muliebriter; and a battle on the banks of Episfort'. Gorti- 
mer died soon after", and he said to the Britons shortly before his 
death, to bury him on the brink of the sea, and that the strangers 
would never afterwards come into the island. The Britons did not 
do this". After this the power of the Saxons increased, for Gorti- 
gem was their friend on account of his wife. 

XXI 



chiulas siias reyersi sunt, in eas mulie- 
briter intrantes." This is the only MS, 
'which makes Hengist, instead of Orsa, 
be killed in one of these battles. .1. Cach 
pop bpu DepcouinD, 1 cac pop bpu 
T2echene Uenj^abail, -j ip onopame do 
pochutp Opp 1 Cepn mac J^ipchijepn, 
1 each pop bpu mapa ichc, -] caipni^- 
cheap Sa;jcain co lon^aib, •] each pop 
bpu Qi^epipopc B. reads. 1. Car pop bpu 
t)ep2;uini>, T car pop bpu Rechepe 5a- 
bail, "I ip anpme 00 pocaip Opp i Canci- 
jepn mac S^prijepnn, •] cac pop bpu- 
01^, 6pipopc, In the Latin, Episford is 
made identical with the second battle- 
field: ^*' super vadum quod dicitur in lin- 
gua eorum Episford, in nostra autem lin- 
gua Sathenegabail.*' — Bertram, '* Rit Her- 
gabail," — SteveruoTL — (T.) 



^ Soon after. — Instead of the words 
within brackets, which are supplied from 
U., B., and L., and are a literal transla- 
tion of the Latin post modicum interval- 
lum^ D. has paulopopc— (T.) 

° The Britons did not do this, etc.— 
Grortimer is the Yortimer of Latin, and 
the Gwrthevyr of Welsh, history; cele- 
brated both as a saint and a warrior, 
and sumamed Bendigaid, or the Blessed. 
What the Britons are here, and in Greof- 
frey, said not to have done, they are else- 
where reported to have done. The bones 
of Gwrthevyr Yendigaid were buried in 
the chief ports of the island, and whilst 
they were concealed, the oppression of the 
island was impossible. But Yortigem of 
the Perverse Mouth revealed his bones, 
out of love for Ronwen, daughter of Hen- 



I02 



XXI. Do pala imoppo, lap n-ej ^^P^^^^^P 1 ^^P V^^ ^ngipc 
1 5^P^'5^P""» ^^ ponpac 8a;cain meabail pop bpearnaib, .i. bpea- 
cam T 8a;cain Do cinol m n-aen baile [amail bit) oo pio .i. 6n5ipc 
"I S^P^S^P"] F^ coTTilin gen apmaib ac cachcap nai[oib], ace 
cugpac 8a;cain pceana ecuppa i am maelana, "| po mapbpac na 
bpeacnaig baoap annf in uili ocr ^^P^'S^^P"^ ^^ aenap, i po 
ccanjlaoap ^opcigcapnn, i oo paD rpian a pcapamo cap ceano a 
anma, .i. ail|Hi;ran -| f ucf a;cain -] rhicilfa;ran. 

No popcanao iinoppo ^^^P^^i" ^^ ^^ ^^P^'S^^P'^^ ^^ P^ leigeo 
a mnai [.i. a mjcn]. Ro ceirh •] po polaig pe n-^^ap^nan ip m 
pcapann Dianao ainm ^o^P^^S^^P'^^ci^^* 1 ^^ cuaio ^^^P^^^^i co 
clepcib bpeacan, "| po bai cecpaca la i aioce am ; -] Do cuaio 
apipi ^opciS^apno pop ccicheo na clcpcach co a oun, i oo cuaoop 
na oiaij, "| po baoap cpi la "] cpi h-aioci annpm in n-aine; -| po loipc 
ceinc Oe oo mm [in oi] ^^^P^'S^^P^^ ^^^ P^ ^^ "'^ h-uile mumn- 

cepi. 

gist the Saxon. — Triad 53, Series 3. The 
history of this person is involved in ob- 
scurity; and his date and age agree but 
ill with the chronology of Vortigern. 
See Rice Rees' Welsh Saints, p. 135. It 
has been doubted if any such man was 
his son. — Carte's History, 1. p. 193. — 
(T.) 

^ In peace — The clause within brackets 
is added from L., B., and U. — (T,) 

^ Sandah — According to the Latin, the 
Saxons were directed by Hengist to bring 
each an artavus, or small pocket-knife, 
** in medio ficonis sui," L e. in his shoe or 
boot. — {H,) 

^ Sparing his life. — " Pro redemptione 
animee sue," Nennius. Oop cenoa mna, 
U. CIp ikhj a mnc^ " On account of 



his life,*' L. For one third (cpion) of his 
land, the translator ought rather to have 
said three parts; "tres provincias." — 
Marcus, In the names of these three 
provinces, which are evidently Essex, and 
Sussex, and Middlesex, the MSS. are 
very corrupt. 6a;ra;cum, i Suqxi;rum, 
T Tnulpq;tum, B. La Scrjcum, •\ Sue 
Sqjcum, T m-puil Sqpcain, L. Qlfcrjcum, 
T puqxixum i nicilpqjcum, U. Qllpcpc- 
an, T fuqxj;Kxn, i nicilfa|tan, D. — (T.) 

' Chrtigem, — Literally, " the person,*' 
or " the man Gortigern ;" m 1, D. in ni, 
U., L. in Di, B. This prefix is not to 
be understood as implying any contempt 
or depreciation of Gortigern, but rather 
the contrary.— {ZT.) 

* His own daughter, — These words are 



I03 



XXL Now it came to pass after the death of Gortimer, and after 
the peace between Hengist and Gortigem, that the Saxons com- 
mitted an act of treachery upon the Britons ; that is, the Britons and 
Saxons were assembled together in equal numbers in one place, as 
if in peace**, viz,, Hengist and Gortigem, neither party having arms ; 
but die Saxons carried knives concealed between them and their san- 
dals'", and they killed all the Britons who were there except Gortigem 
alone, and they fettered Gortigem, and he gave the one-third of his 
land for the sparing of his life**, viz., All-Saxan, and Sut-Saxan, and 
Mitil-Saxan. 

Now German had admonished Gortigem' to put away his wife, 
that is, his own daughter"; but he fled away from German, and 
concealed himself in the land which is named Gortigemmain ; and 
German, with the clergy of Britain, went after him^ and remained 
there for forty days and nights ; and Gortigem fled again^ from the 
clergy to his fortress, and they followed him and tarried there three 
days and three nights fasting. And the fire of God from heaven 
humed Gortigem" there, with all his people. Others assert that 

he 



inserted from U., B., and L. The incest 
of Gortigem is only mentioned in the 
MS. edited by Mr. Gunn, and in the mar- 
gin of the Cottonian MS. Caligula, A. 
▼iii. See Stevenson. — (T.) This whole 
affair is yery doubtful. See p. 89. But 
here the falsehood is manifest; for the 
plot of knives is usually attributed to the 
year 473, and at any rate German died 
one year before Hengist's first arrival in 

449— (-^O 
^ Fled again, — There is a confusion 

here, from its not being clearly expressed 

that Gortigem had two places of refuge. 

First, he went to the district of Guorti- 



gerniawn, where it is not doubted Caer 
Guortigem was situate; and, being pur- 
sued by Germanus and his priests, and 
dreading their power, he removed thence 
to another fort of his called Din Gorti- 
gem, in Dyved or Demetia, on the banks 
of the Tivy. So it is styled in Gale's 
text; but Mr. Gunn's has " Cair Guorthe- 
girn juxta flumen Tebi," which I con- 
ceive to be erroneous. — {H.) 

" Chrtigem Literally, " the person 

Grortigern." See above, note'; in ni, U. 
in bi, omitted in D. L. does not name 
Gortigem here, but reads in ci^apra 
rin.-(r.) 






104 

tepi. Qobepac apailc ip Do Depcafniub aobac pop paenouil a II05 
1II05. Qobepr apaile ip calam Do pluig in a^aiD po loipceo a 
bun. 

XXII. Robaoap imoppo, cpi meic oca .1. ^^r^^'^P^Pj T ^P^^ 
po carhaio ppr 8a;cann; Caicigeapnn ; papcannc, ip Do piDe Do 
pan, Qmbpop pi bpcacan, bocuelc -| ^^P^'S^ctp'^^cii" i^cp ^"^5 ^ 
achap ; paupcup noem, mac a ingene, -| ^^apman po m-baipD i 
po n-ail "1 po popcan ; "| rcachcaiD in cachpaig pop [bpu] ppoca 
Racn. Ncmnup aobcpc po. 

peapmacl pil anopa pop peapann ^oT^iS^P^^^^^^^* P^^^ ^^" 

Dubpc 

(Vide Aub. Mirasum in Gennadium, cap. 
61), though by some condemDed as here* 
ticaL He flourished in the days of Vor- 
tigem, and kept up a correspondence 
with Britannia. See Sidonius Apollinaris, 
Lib. IX. Epist. 9. A fourth son ascribed 
to Yortigem is Grotta, whom his Saxon 
wife, Rowena, is said to have borne to 
him, and to whom Yortigem is said to 
have given (i. e. limited in succession) the 
crown of Britain. — Triad. 21, series 3. 
Lastly, Mr. R. Rees mentions three 
saintly sons of Yortigem, St. Edeym, 
who formed a convent of 300 monks at 
Llanedeym, near the Rumney above- 
mentioned, St. Aerdeym, and St. EU- 
deyrn. — Essay on Welsh Saints, p. 186. 
All these names are formed, like Gwr- 
theyrn's own, upon teyrriy a prince. Pas* 
cent is the most authentic of his imputed 
progeny — (K) 

* Who fought — If e po chachaio pe 
8a;:ain, D. " Qui pugnabat contra bar- 
baros." — Nennius. — (T.) 



^ Died of grief and tears, etc. — But cer- 
tainly far advanced in years. His repu- 
ted tomb, called the Bedd Gwrtheym or 
Grave of Yortigem, is still seen at Llan- 
haiarn in Carnarvonshire, and was found 
to contain the bones of a man of lofty 
stature. See Carte i. 196. The Beddau 
Milwyr, st. 40, says that the tomb in 
Ystyvachau is supposed by all men to be 
that of Gwrtheym or Yortigem. — (ff.) 

^ Three sons. — That is to say, Yorti- 
gem had three legitimate sons, or such 
as the British recognised for princes. 
Nothing is known of this Saint Faustus, 
nor doth there seem to be any church or 
convent of his invocation. The Renis or 
Reins, at which Faustus (not Germanus, 
as here) built a locus magnus, has been 
conjectured to be the Rumney, dividing 
Glamorgan from Monmouth.-Ussh er, Brit. 
EccL Primord. Appx. p. 1002. One manu- 
script calls him S. Faustus Secundus. A 
Briton of the name of Faustus was bishop 
of Riez, in Gaul, and honoured as a saint 



he died of grief and tears'", wandering from place to place. Another 
authority asserts that the earth swallowed him up the night on which 
his fortress was burnt 

XXII. He had three sons'*, viz., Gortimper, who fought' against 
the Saxons ; Catigem ; Pascant, to whom Ambrose the king of Bri- 
tain gave Bocuelt and Gortigernmain, after the death of his father; 
Saint Faustus^, his son by his own daughter, and whom Germain 
baptized, fostered, and instructed, and for whom he built a city on 
the brink of the River Raen*. Nennius* said this. 

FearmaeP, who is now chief over the lands of Gortigern, is the 

son 




Saint Fatutus, — D. reads paupcup 
<:cur: all the other MSS. have paup- 
noem or naem. — (T.) 
" -3%e River Raen. See note '. — pop bpu 
^f^^^^^a, L., B. pop bpo ppoca Roen, D. 

Po r» bpo ppoca Rem, U (T.) 

J^ennius — Henup, B. Nemnep, L. 

- ^=^mnop, D. Nemnup, U.— (H) 

--^^earmad, — Fernmael (Strong-ankles), 

wail, or Fermail, was a petty prince, 

*^ing when the Historia was compiled. 

same name occurs in Femwail, Fer- 

-» or Fermael, son of Idwal, in the 

t Tywys. and Saeson, p. 391, 473, 

^as I conceive) in King Farinmagil, 

at the battle of Deorham. — Henr. 

:ingd. p. 315. Fernmael I take to 

e true form and etymon, according 

e orthography of these days. His 

ogy (which Gale attributes to that 

"^;5SV>«kr, Samuel) is in every copy and 

e^^tlon. Pascentius, son of Vortigem, 

'^^^ permitted (as the Historia has already 

V>Vd Us) to retain Buellt, a district of Rad- 



Fi 

D 

a: 



nor, where stood the ancient Bullsum 
Silurum, and Guorthigerniawn or Gwr- 
theyrniawn, i. e. the Jurisdiction of Vor- 
tigem or Gwrtheyrn, a district adjoining 
the other in the direction of Rhaiadrgwy, 
whereof the name yet survives in the 
ruined castle of Gwrthrenion. 

This patrimony of Pascent ap Gwr- 
theyrn descended from him, through ten 
intermediates, to Fernmael, son of Theo- 
dore or Tudor. All copies exactly agree 
in the pedigree, save that one or two 
have mistaken Vortigem^s opprobrious 
surname, Gwrthenau, Perverse-Mouthed, 
for a separate person. It is not likely 
that such particular accounts should be 
given of the fate of Vortigern's estates in 
Radnorshire, and of the descent of their 
actual owner, save by a person specially 
acquainted with those parts. But that 
impression rises into conviction, when we 
find that every copy of the catalogue of 
the twenty-eight cities of Britannia, in- 
cluding that copied into the Harleian 



io6 

oubpe, mic paipcceann, mic ^^oioicann, mic TTIopur, mic QllcaD, 
mic 6I00C, mic pauil, mic ITleppic, mic bpiacac, mic papccnc, 

mic ^op^^S^opi^^t ^ic 5"^^cii^» ^'c 5"^^"^^^' ^^^ 5^®^- feoi^uf 
"I Paulup "I mupon cpi mcic [01 Ic] 5^^^» T ^P^^ ^o poine in cac- 
paig Caip^lou .1. ^l-^T^r^^r F^P '^P" Sabpainoe. Oo cuaio 5^^P" 
man oia cip. 

XXIIL paopaic cpa in n-inbai6 pin 1 n-oaipe 1 n-6ipino ic 
miliuc, -| [ip ip in aimpip pin] po paioeab pieoiup cum n-Gipcann 
00 ppoicepr ooib. Oo cuaiD paopaic o'poslaim bo oeap, co po 
leig in canom la ^^^P^nan. Ro h-inoapbao pieoiup a h-Gipmn, 
-] ranig co pa pogain 00 Dia 1 popoun ip in Tllaipnc. Canig pa- 
opaic 00 cum n-6ipino lap poglaim, I po baipc pipu Gpcann. O 
Qoam CO bairhip peap n-Gipeann, u.m.ccc.;r;:pr. peapca paopaic 
00 moipm oaib]T a pipu Gpcann, ip upce 00 loch annpin, ["| ip 

liaiccp 



MS. of pedigrees, places Caer Guortigem, 
the capital of Guortigerniawn, first in 
the list of cities, before London, York, 
Caerleon upon Usk and upon Dee, and 
whatever was most famous in the island I 
The place in question was, on the face of 
it, no older than the fifth century ; and, 
from its wild and mountainous site, could 
have been little more than a military fast- 
ness. This is such palpable exaggeration 
and flattery as may best be accounted for 
by supposing Guorthigerniawn to have 
been the author's native land, and Fern- 
mael his lord and patron. — (H,) 

*^ Tedubre^ soti of Paistcenn, — That is to 
say, Theodore or Tudor, son of Pascent. 
The authenticity of this pedigree from 
Vortigern derives some support from the 



recurrence of Pascent's name. At least, 
if it be a fiction, it throws back the inven- 
tion of it to Fernmael's grandfather, or ra- 
ther to that grandfather's sponsors. — (J7.) 
This genealogy is given in the MSS. with 
great variations in the spelling of the names. 
D. is followed in the text U. gives them 
thus: Fearmael, Teudubri, Pascent, Guo- 
dicator, Morut, Eldat, Eldoc, Paul, Me- 
prit, Briacat, Pascent, Gorthigernd, Gui- 
tail, Guitoilin, Glou. L. gives them thus : 
Fearmael, Teudbri, Pasceand, Guodicatur, 
Muiriud, Eltaid, Eltog, Paul, Mepret, 
Bricad, Pascent, Gorthigern, Gutail, Gu- 
tolin, Golu. B. has them thus: Fermad, 
Teudbri, Pascenn, Guodicant, Muriut, 
Eldat, Eldoc, Paul, Meprit, Bricat, Pas- 
cent, Gorthigern, Gutail, Gutolin, Glou. 



I 



107 

son of Tedubre, son of Paistcenn^ son of Guodicann, son of Morut, 

son of AUtad, son of Eldoc, son of Paul, son of Mepric, son of 

Briacat, son of Pascent, son of Gortigern, son of Guatal, son of Gua- 

tulin, son of Glou. Bonus, Paul, and Muron were three other sons of 

Grlou, who built the city of Caer Glou*, i. e. Glusester, on the banks 

of the Severn. German returned home to his oum country*. 

XX TIL At this time Patrick was in captivity in Eri with Miliuc ; 
d it was at this time that Pledius was sent to Eri to preach to 
3m. Patrick went to the south' to study, and he read the canons 
t:h German. Pledius was driven from Eri, and he went and served 
d in Fordun in Maime. Patrick came to Eri after studying, and 
tized the men of Eri. From Adam to the baptizing of the men of 
were five thousand three hundred and thirty years. To de- 
be the miracles of Patrick to you, O men of Eri, were to bring 

water 




six 



frl 



fo 

or 



3^ 



Gloucester we have Gluseghter, B. 
aeicther, L. Glusester, U., D. — (T.) 
some remarks on Grorthigern, son of 
^ftal, see Additional Notes, No. XY I. 
^aer Glou, — This statement is not in 
e Latin oopies, and is deservedly ac- 
ted fabulous. For Caer Gloui or 
"•■^cester is the Glevum of the Itinera- 
Antonini, a work not later than the 
"th century. And the idea of Gloui 
ing cities east of the Severn implies a 
'lire of Celtic independence and so- 
-i^nty which did not exist in the days 
e Itinerary, nor in those of Vorti- 
« grandfather. — (H.) 
'0 his awn country. — Di acallaiih, 
H*. U. omits this clause altogether. 
t^lie Latin it is ^'Sanctus Germanus 



t^'Versus est post mortem illius ad patriam 



suam." — (T.) 

' To the south. — In the Latin, *' Bomam 
usque perrexit ;" but there is no mention 
there of Patrick's studying the canons 
with Grerman. In describing the mission 
of Palladius, the Latin adopts the words 
of Prosper in his Chronicle: *' Missus est 
Palladius episcopus primitus a Celestino 
episcopo et papa Boms ad Scottos in 
Christum convertendos."—(2'.) The trans- 
lator of Nennius deservedly rejects his 
sketch of St. Patrick's life and miracles, 
as a mere drop of water or grain of sea- 
sand. But he is himself much at va- 
riance with the popular hagiography, if 
he conceives Patrick to have been still a 
captive to Miliuc M* Cuboin, the Dalara- 
dian magician, at the time when Palladius 
was sent. The mission of St. Patrick to 



Pa 




io8 

liaicep gamern mapa anD pm, ■] lecpcao oaib ]r>echainD co pe can 
cuTYiaip "I can paip neip inoipin co leicc] 

XXIV. Ro jab cpa ncapc 8a;can pop bpcaranib lap n^g 5^P" 
cijeapnD. Ro jab Ochca mac enjipc, piji poppo. Qp a uioi no 
cachaijiD Qpcup i bpcacam piu co calma, i oo pao Da each oeag 
Doib, .1. in ceo each m n-inobeap '^lem ; in canaipce "| m cpcap -j 

in 



Ireland falls upon the Annus Mundi 4382, 
and not on 5330, according to the Hebrew 
chronology of O'Flaherty (H.) 

^ To a lake, — Upce po chalman, L. 
Ufce bo loch, U., D. Upci po lap -y lirip 
^aneoiii mapa, B. The clause which fol- 
lows, within brackets, in the text, is in- 
serted from L. — (T.) 

^ Arthur and the Britons. — Mr. Ber- 
tram's edition inserts, before the mention 
of Arthur, " hie expliciunt gesta Brito- 
nura a Nennio conscripta ;" from which 
some have thought this history was ori- 
ginally silent as to Arthur. But all MSS. 
agree in containing his legend, and the 
mistake arose thus : — That colophon is 
subjoined to the Acts of St. Patrick ; but 
in some copies, particularly the Marcian 
or Mr. Gunn's, those Acts form the con- 
clusion of the Historia ; and some of the 
editorial copyists, while transferring them 
to the middle, took along with them the 
expliciunt or colophon — (ZT.) In the fol- 
lowing account of Arthur's battles, the 
text of all the MSS. of the Irish is very 
corrupt, particularly D. ; it has been cor- 
rected by the help of the Latin from B., 
L., and U., but it would be a waste of time 



to specify all the variations, most of which 
are the blunders of mere ignorance. The 
names of the several battle-fields are very 
variously given in the Irish MSS. The 
following is a list of them : The first was 
at Inbuip ^leip, U. 1nt>bep ^^ein, L. 
Jlein, B. Inobep Jlain, D. In the place 
of the next four all agree. The sixth at 
6pu 6affa in B. and L. 6afxx, D. 6pu 
6apa, U. The seventh at Caill Cailliooin 
.1. caic coic CleiDuman, D. Caill Cai- 
liboin .1. caic coic Clebeb, U. Chacain 
.1. caic COIC Cleb, L. Caill CaDom .1. 
caic COIC Cloceb, B. The eighth at lep 
^umneain, U. 6eipc Cuinpein, L. t.epc 
^uiniooin, D. (It should be mentioned 
that D. apparently omits the seventh and 
gives the eighth twice; but this is a mere 
slip of the scribe, who wrote a h-occa, 
when he ought to have written in pecc- 
mao). Cep guinpcain, B. After the 
eighth battle D. inserts the clause which 
in the other copies, and in the Latin, fol- 
lows the twelfth,— Ip ann pin oe po iniop- 
coip Qpciup bcccpcl. m aenlo, -| ba leip 
copcap inocib peo uile, — and then goes 
on (as in the text) to speak of his having 
there carried the image of the Virgin. 



log 



Hratcr to a lake', and they are more numerous than the sands of the 
sea, and I shall, therefore, pass them over without giving an abstract 
or narrative of them just now. 

JXXIV. After the death of Gortigem, the power of the Saxons 
pre^^^^ailed over the Britons. Ochta, the son of Hengist, assumed govem- 
men. fc over them. Arthur, however, and the Britons'* fought bravely 
agaLizi.8t them, and gave them twelve battles*, viz., the first battle at 

the 



The x^inth battle was at Cacpaij mo 

teo¥T^«:3nn, U., L., B. Cachpaij inb Ce- 

5oin^ XD., which agrees with the Latin. 

Tlie t>^:nth at Robpoic, U., L., B. Rob- 

puio, XD. The eleventh is omitted in all 

the Ix-x«h MSS., nor do they name the 

'^^^^Ifc. ; in what they say of it they all 

^'^^^ 'v^th the text except D., where the 

*"^"^^ "^nrote a do dcj if ann po mapb, and 

^^^ stopped short without finishing the 

^'U^ve batUes, — This was the favourite 

*^^ ^ixiystic number of the British nations. 

" "«itrick is made (by the author of the 

^y ^rbarous productions bearing his 

^^***^^ to boast of having gone through 

****^*®»ia pericula. It is unknown where 

^^^ battles were fought, and it is mere 

° ^^^--work, from resemblance of sound 

^ther triiles. I. Gleni, or Glein, is a 

^^ consistently given, and therefore not 

^*^ treated ad libitum. The river Glem 

^ ^lemford, in Lincolnshire, is recom- 

^^^^ed by Gale. There is also the Glen 

^^^ndale, in Northumberland, Jiuvius 

^*«»»t, in which Paulinus baptized multi- 

^*^ Bede, Hist, ii., cap. 14.— IL, IIL, 



I V.,V. The river Duglas or Dubhglas may 
be the dark green orblue(for^/(w is either), 
or rather the dark stream, from the Gaelic 
^laise^ a stream. It is said to be the Dow- 
glas in Lancashire, that runs by Wigan. — 
R. Higd. Polychron. p. 225, Gale. But if 
so the regio Linuis, Linnuis, Linnis, or 
Limus, cannot be Lindsey, Lindissiof Bede, 
in Lincolnshire. Indeed, the Archdeacon 
of Huntingdon calls it r^'o/nni«.— Hist.iL 
p. 3 1 3. Mr.Whitaker speaks of a local tra- 
dition that three battles were fought near 
Wigan, but omits to observe, that the tra- 
dition probably came from those very chro- 
nicles, of which it is therefore insufficient 
to determine the sense. — Hist. Manches- 
ter, ii. p. 36, 43. There is also the river 
Douglas, in Clydesdale, more famous for 
the family who took its name, than for 
its own dark waters. VI. Bassas of Nen- 
nius, Lusas of the Marcian manuscript, 
is unascertainable. But a place called 
Eglwysau Bassa, the Churches of Bassa, 
is prominently mentioned in Llywarch's 
Elegy upon Cynddylan. Near that place, 
Cynddylan and Elvan of Powys were slain 
by the Lloegrians, or Britons west of 



no 

in ceachpamao "| m cuiceaD car pop bpu Dubjlaipi ; m peipcab 
car pop bpu bappa ; ocup m peaccma6 cac a Caill CailliDoin .i. 
caic Coic CleiDuman; in cocrrha6 cacim lepc ^^^i^^^^^^ » ^V ^^^ 
pm po imapcop Qpcup oclb ITluipe pop a gualaino, -| po ceiljipcap 
na papain. In noTnao[car] i cachpaij mo Cejoin; m Dechincao 

m 



Severn, and were buried in the Eglwysau, 
of which the plural number indicates some 
great establishment, probably conventual. 
Owen's Llywarch, p. 82-84. Uywarch, 
apud Arch. Myvyr. p. 109, no. How- 
ever, Mr. Carte has imagined the Bassas 
to be the river of Basingstoke and Basing, 
in Hants ; L p. 205. VIL The seventh 
was cad coed Celyddon^ the battle of the 
wood of Forests. Celyddon is a general 
name for any tract of woodlands so exten- 
sive as to furnish shelter and baffle pur- 
suers, of which the ancient orthography 
was expressed in Latin, Caledonia or 
Calidonia. — See Florus, cap. xL This bat- 
tle may have been fought in any celyd- 
don or vast forests; in the sylva Caledonia 
of Csesar in Florus; in Caledonia north 
of Clyde; or where the fortress of Pen- 
savle-coed was built. Geoffrey of Mon- 
mouth, ix. cap. 3, places the battle of 
Nemus Caledonis in Lindsey, near Lin- 
coln ; but as he clearly mistakes the 
position of Caer Loid Coed, his recti- 
fied sense would place it in the Sylva El- 
mete of Leeds. VIU. Castellum Gunnion, * 
Guinion, Guimer. This place is simply 
unknown. The Vinovium of Ptolemy, 
Vinovia of Antoninus, and Vinonia of 



Bavennas, is mentioned in Messrs. Gunn's 
and Stevenson's Notes. It is now called 
Binchester, in Durham. There is also a 
Vennonis (High-Cross), otherwise Vino- 
nium, in Antoninus. Gwyniawn, in mo- 
dern spelling, is probably the word in- 
tended by Nennius, whatever place he may 
have meant. An interpolation (absent 
from Marcus and various other MSS., 
as well as from this translation), adds 
to the portrait of the Holy Virgin an 
account of a wooden cross made at Jeru- 
salem, whereof the reliques were preserved 
at Wedale, near Melrose. IX. Urbs Le- 
gionis or Caer LJeon, was a name com- 
monly applied to two cities, that upon 
the Usk in Gwent or Monmouthshire, 
and that upon the Dee, now called Ches- 
ter. It does not appear which is speci- 
fied, but northern places seem rather to 
be in question. X. Upon the river Trat- 
treuroit, Trath-treviroit, Tribruit, Ri- 
broit, or Arderit, it may be observed 
that the four first readings represent the 
same, and the real appellation ; while the 
intrusion of the celebrated, but not Ar- 
thurian, battle of Arderydd is an imper* 
tinence. A trath or traeth is not properly 
a river, but an inlet of the sea, a tract of 



Ill 



the mouth of the river Glein ; the second, the third, the fourth, 
and the fifth battle, on the brink of the river Dubhglas ; the sixth 
battle on the brink of the Bassa ; the seventh battle in the wood 
of Callidon, that is, Gait Coit Cleiduman ; the eighth battle at 
Lesc Guinidon ; it was here Arthur carried the image of Mary on 
his shoulder, and drove out the Pagans; the ninth battle at the city of 

Legion ; 



marsh, or other shallow and sandy place 
usnallj covered with water ; such as the 
Traeth Mawr, Traeth Bjchan, and Traeth 
Artro in Merioneth, and Traeth Taffe in 
Glamorgan ; and the word traeth-Uyn (ap. 
Camden, ii. 46), a quagmire. " Dicitur 
autem Traeth lingua Cambrica sabulum 
mari influente longius, et se retrahente, 
Qudatum.'^ — Giraldus Camb. Itin, Cawbr, 
il cap. 6. Of Traeth Trev there is no room 
for doubt; but the difficulty is to meet the 
analogies of the ancient Welsh spelling, 
which is preserved in roit and ruit Per- 
haps Traethtrevrhwydd (the frith, or 
marshy channel, of the open or unen- 
closed habitation) is the name. But the 
name is easier found than the place. XL 
The eleventh battle (here omitted) was at 
Agned Cathregenion, Cath-Bregion, or 
Thabregomion; or, as Marcus has it, '*in 
Monte Breguoin .... quern nos Cat Bre« 
gion appellamus." Humfrey Llwyd says, 
** Edenburgum, Scotorum regia, olim ab 
Eboraco Britannorum rege condita, et 
CasteU Mynydd Agned, id est, Castellum 
Montis Agneti, posted vero Castellum 
Virginum, dicta." — Comment p. 62. That 
suffices for the place. As to its additional 



name, we see clearly from Marcus, as well 
as from the reason of the thing, that the 
Cat is added in consequence of the battle ; 
and I believe that Agned Brechion, Ag- 
netum Maculis-distinctorum, was simply 
expressive of the nation to whom that 
fortress is said to have bdonged, Edin- 
burgh of the Picts. XII. The place, which 
is omitted here, was Mons Badonis. *' Ad 
annum obsessionis Montis Badonici, qui 
prope Sabrinum ostium habetur, novis- 
simseque fere de furciferis non minimse 
stragis." — Giidas, Hist cap. 26. Lands- 
downe Hill, above Bath, is supposed to 
be signified ; and no doubt can exist of 
Badon being Bath, or, more strictly, the 
Baths. Mr. Carte's conceit, that Mount 
Badon is Badbury Hill, on the borders of 
Wiltshire, towards Berkshire, is fully con- 
futed by " prop^ Sabrinum ostium." The 
*' novissima fere strages" of Gildas sug- 
gested to the Historia Britonum its duo- 

deeimum bellum, or last battle {H.) 

For the history of Arthur and his twelve 
battles, see '* Assertio incomparabilis Ar- 
thuri autore Joanne Lelando, Antiqua- 
rio." Lond. 1544. Keprinted in Leland's 
Collectanea, vol. v. p. 17, &c. — (T.) 



112 



in RobpuiO; a Do Dcaj if ann po mapbab [la laim Qpciiip ;cl. ap occ 
cecaib i n-aen lo, -| ba leipcopcup mcib peo uile]. NochuinogiDfp 
imoppo Sa;cain na popcacc Doib a ^^P^cc^'^i 1 V^'S^ F^P^» ^^ h-loa 
If eipDc cet> pij po gab uaoaib ipop inobip Onfc .1. ppi Umbpia, 
acuaiD. loa piliup Gabba. Gnpleb pilia Goumnicoipeac piam po 
baipccb 00 Saxanaib m n-mip bpeacan. 

iNcipic DO tviN5aNcai6 iNDsi 6ReacaN qnd so sis. 

XXV. In ceo injnao inoy»i bpeacan Coch Lomnan ; Ijc. imp 
ann; l;r. cappag -] Ijc. ppur mo, 1 aen ppuch ap, .1. Leamam. 

In 



i Eight hundred and forty men^ S^, — So 
all but Gunn's MS., which is represented 
as having DCCCCXL. This statement i# 
less hyperbolical, though it may be more 
mysterious, in its real than in its ap- 
parent sense. Like 7 to the Hebrews, 
12 was to the Britons the absolute 
number, significant of perfection, pleni- 
tude, and completeness. But they had 
also a way of expressing that number by 
various other numbers, of which the 
cyphers added together make 12. So, 
at his great synod of Llan-Ddewi Brevi, 
St. David assembled 7140 saints ; at the 
battle of knives, or of Hengist's ban- 
quet, Eidiol Gradran, with the branch of a 
roan tree, slew 660 Saxons ; and here, 
Arthur, with his own sword, slays 840. 
In some remarkable instances the num- 
bers 147 and 363 were so employed; and 
from each number deductions of seven 
and three were made respectively, the 
object of which affected deductions was to 



shew the principle; for 7 from 147 leaves 
I and 4, i. e. ''5, being the remainder of 
7 from 1 2 ; and in the like manner 3 from 
363 leaves 9. The direct demonstration 
of the fact is found in the statement, where 
twelve years of well-known chronology 
(the reign of one king) are termed teir 
b/ynedd trvgein a thrychant^ 363 years. — 
Cyvoesi Merddin st. 106. The motives for 
such a practice are not obvious. In Triad 
85, the number 21,000, thrice repeated, 
is characteristic of three. The matter is 
also curious, as regards the main principle 
of what we term Arabic numerals — {H,) 
^ Until Ida, — " Usque ad tempus quo 
Ida filius Eobba regnavit, qui fuit primus 
rex in Bernicia, id est, Ibemeich, de gente 
Saxonum." — Nennius, cap. 63. Cambrice 
y Berneich or Bryneich. This is the Inbh- 
er Onic of the Irish translator, which, 
however, he correctly places north of 
Humber. — (H.) This passage is greatly 
corrupted in L. : co h-ioa is transformed 



"3 



Legion ; the tenth battle at Robruid; in the twelfth battle there were 
slain, by the hand of Arthur, eight hundred and forty men^ in one 
day, and he was victorious in all these battles. And the Saxons 
sought assistance from Grermany, and it was from thence they brought 
their kings until the time o/'Ida'^, who was the first king that ruled 
over them at this side of Inbher Onic, that is, to the north of Umbria 
[Humber]. Ida was the son of Ebba. Enfled, the daughter of Edwin*, 
was the first of the Saxons that was baptized in the island of Britain. 

JmTCIPIT concerning the wonders of the island of BRrrAIN* HERE. 

XXV. The first wonder of the island of Britain is Loch Lem- 

non; there are sixty islands and sixty rocks in it, and sixty streams 

/&>^^ into it, and one stream out of it, that is the Leamain". 

The 






xonaD, and uaoaib if of into uceibe 
which is nonsense. For Inber Onic 
MS. reads Inbeneopoo j. abpa a 
^h. D. reads Inobip Onic .1. pop 
"••-■■ 1^ aruaio. U. reads In bene poic .1. 
Fr*» TJmbpia acuaio, and B. has it In 

"^ "^^^ poc .1. ppi Ubpa a cuaic. — (T.) 

--^Snjledy daughter of Edwin Her bap- 

by St. Panlinus is related in Beda, 

K 9. The mention of her occurs in 

^=midst of those '* Saxonum et aliarum 

logis gentiuin'\ which Nennius, 

« suggestion of Beulan the priest, 

^loit scribere;" but which Bertram 

^Ir. Stevenson have printed from 

^X3g copies. The remarks originally 

^^^^^^ on the mode in which the Historia 

^^■^ treated explain the force of wribere. 

iS^Txtxius was dissuaded from including 

^^ixx in his edition. The translator Gua- 

"^^tSH ABCH. 80C. 1 6. Q 




nach must have been in possession of the 
Grenealogift, but imitated Beulan's pupil 
in the rejection of them, only culling dut 
of them this sentence about Eanfled, be- 
cause of the religious interest it possessed. 
— <J7.) The MSS. of the Irish version dif- 
fer here, as in other cases where there are 
proper names: loamac 6uba. Ganplech 
injen Gouin, U. loa piliup Gabba. Gn- 
plei^ pilia Gouini, D. Iba mac Guba. 
Ganpleo in^en Gouin, B. loa mac Goba. 
Gnpleo, no Gene, injeon Qeoain, L. 
Here the copies of this work in the 
Book of Ballymote and in the Leabhar 
na h-Uidhri end ; at the end of the copy 
of the Book of Ballymote are the words 
pinic Do'n 6peacnocap, **.6rttotnMm(i.e. 
the history of Britain) ends.** — (T.) 

" Wondern of the island of Britain — 
The legend of St Patrick seems to be 



114 



In r-mgnao ccmaipce, mobeap f pocha Cpanon ap linab 6 bonn 
ppia aen rumo, •] cpaig amuil [cac] muip eile. 
In cpeap mgnao, na h-uipce cemocc. 
In ceacpamao mgnao, cobap pglaino more. 
In cuiceao [tnjnao], oa builg uamemce mbep Sabpamoe ; oo 

gniD 



scriptum in fill the copies, and there is not 
" aliquod volumen Britaonis" that con- 
tains it not. But it is otherwise with the 
GrenealogisB ; and also with the Mirabilia, 
which various copies, and the two first 
editors in print, have not included. Mr. 
Stevenson has printed them, to the num- 
ber of thirteen, which is also the number 
in the Irish. But the sixth and seventh 
of the Irish translation are made out of 
the seventh of the Latin ; the eleventh 
is the twelfth ; the twelfth and thir- 
teenth do not occur in the Latin ; neither 
do the Latin sixth and thirteenth occur 
in the translation. The Wallise Mirabilia, 
given in verse by Ralph Higden, appear 
to me to be only twelve in number; but 
it is uncertain whether one mirahile at 
Basingwerk is intended, or two, in which 
latter case there are thirteen. There is 
not above one of them that coincides with 
Nennius's; but, however varied in the 
selection of instances, the mirabilia seem 
to have had a fixed and conventional num- 
ber. That number, 13, I conceive to be 
the same sacred number, 1 2, above spoken 
of; the diflference being that of the zodi- 
acal number with or without the sun, 
and the apostolic number with or without 
its Head. The British 13 is not quite 



unlike the Hebrew 8, being the over- 
flowing of fulness. The thirteen natu- 
ral mirahilia of Britain form a counter- 
part to its thirteen tlysau, i. e. jewels, 
toys, or trinkets, being magical talismans 
of the most portentous virtue ; of which 
a catalogue is printed in the Mabinogi 
of Kilhwch, p. 353-5, and another in 
Hynavion Cymreig, p. 67. Caervyrddin, 

1823.— (fO- 
° The Leamain — Lake Lomond in 

Scotland is here greatly shorn of its mar- 
vels. The Latin places an eagle upon 
each rock, cap. 67, Stevenson. But Geof- 
frey adds, that once a year the sixty 
eagles assembled together, and sang aloud 
their prophecies of whatever events were 
about to happen. — Lib. ix. cap. 6. Also 
in Gervas of Tilbury, De Re^o Britonum, 
p. 44. The Leamain here, and Lenin or 
Leun of the Latin, is the river Levin, 
flowing out of Lomond into the Clyde, 
by the famous fortress of Alclyde or Dun- 
barton {H.) L. reads Coch ^.oma. D. 

makes the number of islands, rocks and 
streams ;cl. instead of l;c. ; the transposi- 
tion of the ;c is easy, but the number of 
rocks and streams is written in full, ceach- 
paca. L. reads sixty in each case ; and 
after the sixty rocks, adds, 1 meo apoili 



"5 



etx 



The second wonder is the mouth of the stream Tranon°, which 
is filled from the bottom with one wave, and ebbs like every other 
sea. 

The third wonder^ is the fiery waters. 

The fourth wonder is the fountain of salt which is there. 

The fifth wonder, i. e. two bubbles^ of froth at the mouth of the 

Sabrain 

inbeap fpoca Imaip ppi h-en cuino, -] 
cpa^io amlaib can muip .1. 6ichne. — 

(r.) 

P Third wonder, — This is in regione 
Hutch, The waters were in a paved bath, 
and were either hot or cold, according to 
the bather's wish. The fourth wonder, 
in the same region, is no wonder at all ; 
but the writer imagined there was no salt 
in the earth, only in the sea, — {H.) 

" Two btibdles, — D. reads ba builj hiU 
lam biche, which is plainly corrupt The 
reading of L. has been followed. In the 
Latin, " Duo Rig Habren," which is inter- 
preted, ** duo repes Sabrinae ;" pi^ is a king 
in Irish ; but could duo rig mean the two 
rams, from the Celtic peice, which would 
be easily confounded with pij in sound ? 
The Latin adds : ^^ et bellum faciunt inter 
se in modum arietum." — {T,) The Latin 
says, " When the sea is poured into the 
mouth of the Severn to a full head of water, 
[*' Ad sissam — in unSqulquesissa.^' Si&Ba 
is a known corruption of assisa, and I do 
not clearly know what the assize of water 
is, but I suppose it to be water brought 
to a head, as at mill-dams. Ducange cites, 
from a charter of A. D. 8u, ^' aquas et 
2 



>n oGic^h. Laemhain (in the Latin copies 

•^nxr^ and Leun), the name of the river ' 
fQnrung out of this lake, is also the name 
^f » ariver in the Co. Kerry in Ireland, 
whiciiL runs into the Lake of KiUamey, 
^^ o:£" another in Scotland, from which the 
^t;i-ic*t of Lennox, anciently Leamhain, 
or M^^^h Leamhna, has its name. — (T) 

"* ^l^^anon. — Trans Hannoni, Thrannoni, 
Stra,K^^33Qjji^ Trahannoni, is Traeth Antoni, 
tiie ^^1;uary of the Anton or Southampton 
^^^'^'9, IPtolemy's Mouth of the Trisanton, 
pt«T«i:fc^ ^^PQQ ^oTafiov UfioXai — See Gibson's 
^ttxi<i^ jj9g Britannia, p. 212: Nennius, cit. 
• -txi Italian romance, Bevis of Hamp- 

* ^^ 3uovo d'Antona. The name Tris- 

tit;c>xi comes from tri, three, indicating 
the 

the 

Ho 

^^ ton river and the two channels of 

«nd Yarmouth; as also Claus- 

^ ^, for the same waters, signified the 

^^^>sxire of Anton. The name Anton 

^^^ is simply ^ec Jrom waves or bUlows^ 

^•^l sheltered waters are, to the extent 

degree of their shelter. This foolish 

^^^^er seems only to describe the vio- 

v^Ti^^ of a spring-tide.—(£r). L. reads, 

Q 



^*^i j)le form of the enclosure made by 
of Wight, and consisting of the 



>• / 



n6 



jnio cpoiD, 1 bpipeao each a ceilc ofb, "i cmgaic pop culu oo 
piDipe, ocup conopecaio oopioipe, ip amlaio [pm] bio oo sp^^f- 

In .iii.e& [injnao], Loch heilic cen uipce mo na app, -| ceanel 
pain eipc ann cacha h-aipoe, i ni poich oo oumc ace co jlun; .yp. 
cubac ma pao, -| 'na lecheao ; t bpuacha apoa[iTnc]. 

In .un.mao [ingnao], ubla pop umopmo aj ppuc 5^^T- 

In c-ochcmao mgnao, pochlaio pil i d'p 5"^^^ 1 ga^ch cpi 
bir ap. 

In nomao, alcoip pil h-i Lom^paib, puilngio e m aep comaipo 
cioe pip o calmain puap. 

In oeichmcao [ingnao], cloch pil pop capn in 6ocuilc, t a ceal- 
cao con Qpcuip inocc ; i cio beapap pon ooman po geba pop in 
capno cenoa. 

In 



assisas aquarom.''] two heaps of surf are 
collected on either hand, and make war 
against each other like rams; and each 
goes against the other and they collide to- 
gether, and secede again from each other, 
and advance again at each sissa [meeU ?].*' 
This seems to be meant for a description 
of the phenomenon called the Bore, which 
may be seen in some estuaries, among 
others at Bridge water. — {H.) 

'Lock HeUic — eiec, L.— (T). This 
Loch Heilic is called in the Latin Finnaun 
(or Fountain) of Guur Helic or Guor He- 
lic, and said to be twenty feet (not cubits) 
square. It was in the region of Cinlipluc, 
Cinlipluic, or Cinloipiauc. Near it, and 
forming but one wonder with it in the 
Latin, was the river Guoy (Wye) and the 
apple-bearing ash. Helic means willow- 
trees, and is the ancient name of Ely. 



There is also a place in Herefordshire 
called Rhyd y HeUg.— (£f.) 

• Ash tree, — Mr. O'Donovan informs me 
that uinnpenn is still in use in the north 
of Ireland as the name of the ash tree; 
in the south and west the common word 
is puinnpeoy ; but the old form is pre- 
served in the name of the river puinn- 
pionn, in Cork, and in that of Qch-Pu inn- 
pionn, or Ashford in Limerick.— (T.) 

' Ouent ~ Gwent was chiefly composed 
of the modem Monmouthshire. The 
cave is said to be entitled With Guintj 
that is, Gwyth Gwynt, and to meAVLflatio 
venti. Qwyth is rage or violence; but 
also means a channel or conduit through 
which anything is conveyed, and that is 
perhaps the sense here. — {H.) The word 
pochlaio (poclde, L.), a cave, is now ob- 
solete, but is explained a cave in Cormac^s 



117 



^TX>- 



Sabrain. They encounter and break each other, and move back 
again, and come in collision again, and thus continue perpetually. 

The sixth wonder is Loch HeUic', which has no wsLter Jlomng into 
it or out of it ; and there are different kinds of fishes in it at every 
side ; and.it reaches, in its depth, only to a man's knee ; it is twenty 
cubits in length and in breadth, and has high banks. 

The seventh wonder, apples upon the ash tree* at the stream of 
Goas. 

The eighth wonder, a cave which is in the district of Guent^ 
having wind constantly bhmng out of it 

The ninth wander^ an altar which is in Loingraib**. It is supported 
irk the air, although the height of a man above the earth. 

The tenth wonder, a stone which is upon a cam in Bocuilt, with 
B impression of the paws of Arthur's dog^ in it; and though it should 

carried away to any part of the world, it would be found on the 

ne cam again. 

The 

incredulity by a speedy death ; and ano- 
ther man, who peeped under it, by blind- 
ness — (ZT.) 

^ Arthur*s dog, — The impression upon 
the cam in BueUt is said to have been made 
by Arthur's dog, Cayall or CabaU, during 
the chase of the porcus Troynt, i. e. the 
Twrch Trwyth. That famous boar had been 
a king, but was thus transformed, and one 
Taredd was his father. He was the head 
and summit of that pile of porcine allu- 
sions which are known to form a peculi- 
arity of British superstition. Llywarch 
Hen says, in a proverbial tone, 

" In need, Twreh [hinudf ] will cnck pignuts.*' 

Man/mad Cyndtfylan^ at. «9. 

Cavall did, indeed, hunt the Twrch 





ssary, and the corresponding word in 

Latin is^^^veo. With^ the name given to 

cave in the Latin, and explained ^2(0^ 

U seems cognate with the Irish ^er, 

of wind.— (T.) 

J/nngraib^—Razh, L (T.) The altar 

Iwyngarth in Gower, upon the sea 
The story, as told in the Latin, was 
St. Dtutus beheld a ship approaching, 
contained the body of a saint, and an 
suspended in air over it. He buried 
Tmder the altar, and built a church 
it; but the altar continued suspended 
« air. It was but slightly raised ; for a 
us or local prince, being doubtful, 
^d the fact by passing his rod or 
under it. He was punished for his 



ii8 

In .;n.aD [mgnao], pil aonacul i peapann Qpsingi, ran .uii.rpai^i, 
can .pf., in can .xn., m can a cuic ocag ina paD. 

In oapa [mgnat)] oeag, cloch pop cap i m-bpebic. 

In cpcap [ingnao] ocog, bpo pop bleich Do gpeap im TTlachlinD i 
Cull, ace oia oomnaij, po calmam imoppo Do clumceap. 

Qca cippa m gpain im TTleaDon, .1. cippa o pilcnn jpan can 
anaD. 

[Qca Dno ann cibpa 6 ni-bp6chcaD cnaime en Do jpep 'p^i^ ^I'p 
checna.] 

Qcaic Dna com DiaipmiDc ann m apailc cappaij, 1 laic po'n 
muip amail biD 1 n-aep. 

Qca Dna baippneach pop cappaig mcc, .i. baippneach oc Ceoil 
cpicha mile cemenn on muip. 

Qcd Dno glcnn 1 n-Qcngup, 1 eigim cacha h-aiDchi luam anD, 
-| ^l*^^^ Qilbe a amm, 1 ni peap cm Do jni puir. 

iNsawra TnawaNN qnn so sis. 

XXVI. .1. m ceaDna, cpaij cen muip, 

In 

Trwyth, but he was Sevwlch's dog, not whom Arthur slew and buried at that 
Arthur's. See the Mabinogi of Kolhwch, spot. Llygad Annir, the Eye of Annir, 
p. 291. The Cam Cavall is a mountain is the fountain's name, and Annir L e. 
in Buellt ; and the publishers of the Ma- Lackland, the man's. The lengths given 
binogion have given an engraving of a in the printed Latin are six, nine, and fif- 
stone with a mark like a dog's paw, con- teen feet ; and the author attests the fact 
jectured to be the one in question. — Ibid, on his own experience, *' et ego solus pro- 
p. 360. — {H») bavL" One copy has " Oculus Amirmur,'* 
^ Argingi — In L., Gpjnebi. — (T.) The for which we can read " Oculus Annir 
land of Argingi is Erging or Ergengl, Mawr." — {H.) A superstition exactly si- 
called in English Erchenfield or Archen- milar, connected with the Dwarf at Tara, 
field, a district of Herefordshire. The is mentioned by Mr. Petrie, in his History 
sepulchre in question was beside the foun- and Antiquities of Tara Hill, p. 156. 
tain called Licat Anir, the last word being — ( T.) 
theappellationof one of Arthur's knights, * Br^ic Clo^h ap ap 1 6pebic, L. — 



119 



\ 



The eleventh twnder, a sepulchre which is in the land of Argingi"', 
which one time measures seven feet, another time ten, another time 
twelve, and another time fifteen feet in length. 

The twelfth wonder is a stone in a cataract in Brebic*. 

The thirteenth is a quern' which constantly grinds, except on 
Sunday, in Machlin in CuL It is heard working under ground. 

The well of the grain is in Meadon*, that is, a well from which 
grain flows without ceasing. 

There is in the same district a well from which the bones of birds 
are constantly thrown up. 

There are also innumerable birds there on a certain rock, and 
they dive under the sea as if into the air. 

There are also limpets on the rocks there, viz., limpets at Cecil, 
^Airty thousand paces from the sea. 

There is a valley in Aengus*, in which shouting is heard every 
JVfonday night ; Glen Ailbe is its name, and it is not known who 
mo-kes the noise. 



The wondebs of Manann^ down here. 
XXVI. The first wonder is a strand without a sea. 



SIX. 



a 

or 



s wonder does not occur in the Latin. 
^mnot explain Brebic.^(T.) 

quern, — No notice of this or the 

ing ^'wonders,'' is found in the 

^. Machlin is a town in Ayrshire, 

•strict of Gralloway, in the stewartrj 

.jrle; which latter is here styled Ctd 

CeoiL ^* Eadbertus campum Cjil 

aliis regionibus suo regno addidit." 

Epitome, A. D. 750. It is the 

word as the Irish Cul. — (H.) 

n MeadoUj or " in the middle;" im 



The 



meabon is the reading of L. D. reads 
im me^on^an, " in Megongan ;'* but I 
know not what place is intended. For can 
anab, L. reads do jpep, i. e. always. — (T.) 

* AenguB The county of Angus or 

Forfar in Scotland. The words and clause 
within brackets, and some other correc- 
tions in the text, are from L — (T.) 

** Wonders of Manann; or the Isle of 
Man. — There are five such in Nennius. 
The fourth is thus stated : A stone walks 
by night in the valley of Citheinn, and 



i' 



120 



In canafpoi, ach puil pooa o'n muip, -| linaio m can Knap muip 
"1 cpoijjib m can cpaigif muip. 

In cpcap, cloch imcigeaf a n-aiocib aca i n-^lmo Cmoenn, "| 
cia poceapoap im muip no i n-cap bib pop bpu in glcanoa ceona. 

De cRuichNeachai6 iHcipic. 

XXVII. CX cip Cpaicia cpa cangaoap Cpuicm5,.i.clanoa '^ut- 
leom rhic Gpcoil lao. Q^achippi a n-anmanoa Seipiup bpacap 
can^aoap coipeac, .1. Solen, Ulpa, Neccan, Dpopcan, Clen^up, 
Leceno. paca a ciaccana .1. policopnup, pi Upaigia, 00 pao 
5pa6 oa piuip, co po cpiall a bpec gan cocpa. Looap lap pin 

cap 

once upon a time was thrown into the 
whirlpool Cereuus, which is in the mid- 
dle of the sea called Mene, but the next 
day was undoubtedly found on the shore 
of the aboye-named valley. — (R.) The 
second wonder, "Mons qui gyratur tribus 
vicibus in anno," is omitted in both the 
Irish copies. In the Latin, the third won- 
der (second in the Irish) is nothing mira- 
culous, " Vadus quando innundatur mare 
et ipse innundatur," &c. ; the Irish trans- 
lator perceived this, and therefore adds, 
pooa o'n muip, a ford which is far from 
the secL L. makes the first and second one, 
thus, Cpaij cen mup, .1. ach poca o'n 
muip, Sic The section " De mirabilibus 
Hibemiae" is omitted in the Irish copies. 
{T.) — See Appendix. 

^ Of the Cruiihniaru, L e. of the Picts. 
This section, which occurs only in the 
Books of Leacan and Ballymote, is entitled 
in the former Oo Chpuichnechaib ano- 
peo, 00 peip na n-eolach, "Of theCruith- 



nians here, according to the learned." But 
what follows is no part of the Britannia 
of Nennius, and is not found in any Latin 
copies. The Book of Ballymote is adopted 
as the basis of the text. — (71) For a dis- 
sertation on the origin and history of the 
Picts, see Additional Notes, No. XVIL 

* GueUon^ son ^£rca/.~Gelonus, son 
of Hercules by Echidna, was the ancestor 
of the Geloni, a people of Scythia, who 
painted their bodies, and are, therefore, 
assumed to have been the ancestors of the 

Picts : 

** Eoaitque domos Arabum, pietotque Gelonos.** 

Virg. Georg, ii. 115. 

Some have supposed them to be a peo- 
ple of Thrace, or at least to have settled 
there in one of their migrations, because 
Virgil, in another place {Creorg.iu, 461), 
says of them : 

" Aoerque Gelonus 

Com fugit in Rhodopen, atque in deserta Getarom.** 

This, perhaps, may possibly have been 



121 



The second is a ford which is far from the sea, and which fills 
when the tide flows, and decreases when the tide ebbs. 

The third is a stone which moves at night in Glenn Cindenn, and 
though it should be cast into the sea, or into a cataract, it would 
be found on the margin of the same valley. 



Of the Cruithnians'' incipit. 

XXVII. The Cruithnians came from the land of Thracia ; they 
3re the race of Gueleon, son of Ercal** {Hercules). Agathyrsi* was their 
^ame. Six brothers' of them came at first, viz., Solen,Ulfa, Nechtan, 
^rostan, Aengus, Leithenn. The cause of their coming* was this, 
^^^., Policornus, king of Thrace, fell in love with their sister, and pro- 
posed 






leoi 
B 



A. 



*igin of the tradition that the Picts 

a Scythian people (^* de Scythia, ut 

' says Bede, lib. i c< i.) who 

into Ireland from Thrace, For 5"«- 

k. (which has been adopted from L.), 

^eoin.— (T). 
^athyrsi, B. reads Q^anchipp. The 
yrsi were a Scythian tribe, said to 
cended from Agathyrsus, a son of 
es. See above, p. 49, and note '. 
«re also called picti by Virgil, Mn, 
See the legend of the birth of 
jrrsiis and Geloniis, and the cause of 
V>eing sent away from Scythia to enii- 
gt^t^ in Herodotus, lib. iv. c. 9, 10. The 
^^^^^^^ixit given by Herodotus of the Aga- 
y*^i is that their country abounded in 
^^^^ but that they were themselves effe- 
^^^te, and had their women in common. 
^ftirf. c 104. The story of the Agathyrsi 
^^Tig first to Ireland, and being sent on 

IHISH ABCU. see. j6. K 



from thence to North Britain, is told by 
Polydore Virgil and others. He says, 
^^Quidam hos Agathyrsos esse suspican- 
tur, Pictosque vocitatos, quod sic ora ar- 
tusque pingerent, ut ablui nequirent ; sed 
Pictos undecunque dictos, satis constat 
populos Scythi» fuisse." — (lib. ii. p. 38, 
Edit. Basil. 1555). See also Hector Boe- 
thius (Hist Scotorum, lib.i.fol.4, line 50. 
Edit. Paris, 1 575), and Fordun's Scoti- 
chronicon* — ( T,) 

^ Brothers^ — L. omits the word bparap. 
-<T.). 

« Cause of their coming. — Mr. Pinker- 
ton, who has quoted this account of the 
Picts from the Book of Ballymote, in the 
Appendix, No. 14, to his Enquiry into the 
History of Scotland, makes the words 
paca a ciaccana a proper name, and 
translates this passage ^' Fiacta-atiactana, 
alias Policronus, King of Thrace,^' 4&c, 



122 



cap Romanchu co Ppanjcu, -) cunwcaijic f lac caraip ann .1. pic- 
cauip, a piccip .1. o n-apmcaib. Ocuf do par pi Pparigc gpao oia 
fiaip. Cooap pop muip mp n-oeg m c-peipea6 bparap .i. Leicmo. 
1 cino Da laa lap n-Dul pop muip acbach a pup. ^^^F^^ Cpuic- 
nij mbcp Slame 1 n-Uib CeinDpelaij. CXcbepc piu CpcrhranD 
pciac-bel, pi Laigen, Do bepab pailci Doib ap Dicup Cuaire pibba. 

Qobcpc 



This is only a specimen of the innumera- 
ble ludicrous mistakes whicli Pinkerton 
has committed in his translations from the 
Irish. In the next sentence ^an eocpa, 
signifies not ** without settling a dowry 
im her,'' as Pinkerton renders it, in con- 
formity with modern ideas, but, " without 
giving a dowry/or her,'' tp her father or 
next of kin, according to the practice of 
the ancients. Policomus, the fabulous 
King of Thrace, mentioned in this legend, 
is elsewhere in the Book of Ballymote 
(foU 23, a. a.) called Poliomus, and in the 
Book of Lecan (foL 13, b. ft.), Piliornis. — 
See Addit. Notes, No. XVIII.— (T-) 

^ Without ... a doteer. — L. reads cen 
fochpaioe, without forces.^ (T.) 

* Pictavis, — The Lemonum of A. Hir- 
tius de B. GalL c 26, and Augustoritum 
of Ptolemy, afterwards Pictavia or Picta- 
visB, Pictava or Pictavae, now Poictiers. 
Ammianus has it Pictavi, from the people, 
XV. c. 1 1 ; others Pictavium. Whether the 
Pictones or Pictavi were so called by the 
Romans from any usage of painting, or 
whether it was a native name, is uncertain^ 
Brutus in his voyage from Troy hither 
visited Poictou, where Goffarius Pictus or 



Goffar Ficti, was then reigning. — Galfrid, 
Mon. i. c 12. The derivation of this name 
" from their arms," alludes to the word 
pike in English; pioc, Irish; pig^ Welsh; 
picca^ Italian ; pica (and see also pictare)^ 
apud Du Gauge. — {H.) In the account 
already given, p. 53, supra, the Picts are 
described as having been first in Orkney, 
before they went to France and founded 
Poictiers. The tradition that this city 
owed its origin to the wandering Aga- 
thyrsi was also current in France. Du 
Chesne says: **I1 est certain que Poictiers, 
ville principaleet premiere de toutecette 
contree, est tres antique, mais incertain 
qui en ont este les premiers fondateurs. 
L'opinion de plusieurs Francois est que ce 
peuple est une ancienne Golonie des Scy- 
thes dits Agathirses, lesquels, au dire de 
Pline, Pomponius et Solin, se peignoient 
les cheveux et le visage, afin de se rendre 
plus redoutables, et pour ce estoient ap- 
pellez Picti. Que ces Agathirses peints 
vindrent premierement planter leurs pa- 
vilions en la Grande Bretagne; ou estans 
multipliez je fit encore cette peuplade, 
laquelle vint bastir la ville de Poictiers, 
et I'appella Pictavis en Latin, comme ce 



123 

• 

posed to take her without giving a dower**. They after this passed 
across the Roman territory into France and built a city there, viz., 
Pictavis^ called k pictis, i. e. from their arms. And the king of 
France fell in love with their sister. They put to sea after the death 
of the sixth brother^, viz., Leithinn; and in two days after going on 
the sea their sister died. The Cruithnians landed at Inbher SlaLne, 
in Hy-CeinnselagL Cremhthann Sgiathbhel, King of Leinster, said 
that he would give them welcome on the expulsion of the Tuatha 
Fidhbha'. Drostan, the Druid of the Cruithnians, ordered that 

the 



qui diroit /orce peinte, Ridictile opinion 
pttia que ce penple est avoue barbare par 
toiia les anciens Autheurs, et partant ig* 
iiorazit de la lanque Latine, laquelle mesme 
ii'estoit point alors, ou n'estoit en telle 
'plexideur, que les estrangers en recher- 
chas3^Tit la connaissance.^' — ArUiquiteZy ^c, 
^^ ^iOesde France^ torn. L p. 535. John of 
°alisl>xxry, in liis Polycraticon, sive de Nu- 
S^ OxiTialiam, suggests also a Latin de- 
^^a-tiioii (lib. i. a 13) : " Avis picta urbi 
^^^^^^^orurn Gonttdit nomen, levitatem 
^^^"^"•^ia colore et voce profigurans.'' But 
y^ '•ifcese are manifest fables, derived from 
*^^^^Xul analogies of sound ; for the inha- 
"^ " of Poictou were knovm by the 
of PicUmea in Cssar's time, before 
had any intercourse with the Latins, 
objection, however, does not apply 
3 derivation from piccL for that word 
]]^J_^^:=^d also in the Celtic languages, al- 
it may, perhaps, be as fanciful as 
>*«t.— (T.) 
^ ^iztk Brother. — L. reads m c-pinnpip 
^^^^hap, « the eldest brother." If this 

R 



t; 

to 

ex 




reading be of any authority, it will, there- 
fore follow, that Leithinn, though men- 
tioned last, was the eldest brother. — (21) 
^TuaihaFidAbha. — ^Chuairhi pi^oa. L. 
No mention of this colony has been found 
except in this legend. Yet it is curious 
that the inhabitants of the barony of Forth 
were an English or Welsh colony, although 
they are certainly not in Ireland long 
enough to have given rise to this story, 
which is, however, of great antiquity; 
much less can they be supposed to have 
been here since A. M. 2931, the period 
assigned by O'Fkherty to this Cruithnian 
invasion. See the Additional Notes, No. 
XVIII. Finkerton and his Irish assistants, 
not knowing that Tuatha Fidhbha was a 
proper name, translate this passage thus : 
^'Creamthan Sciathbel, King of Leinster, 
told them they should be welcome, provided 
they would free him of the trtbe-tpidowsJ*^ 
— ^voL L p. 507. But his version of this 
tract is full of similar errors, which it 
would be waste of time to point out indi- 
vidually.— (T.) 



124 

• 

Qobcpc Dpofcan, t)pui Cpuicneac .i. bleo^on un. xx*^. bo pino do 
bopcnj mbaille i ppeappami m each. Do ponnao inof pin, "| oo pon- 
Dai) m cac ooib .i. each Qpoa-lcamnacca m Uib Ceinopelaij. '^ac 
aen no joncfp no lafgeo ip m leamnacc ni cuTnj;a6 a neim ni oo 
neoc Dib. Ro mapbca ona lapcain Cuaca pi6ba. ITlapb eeacpap 
Do Chpuicneacaib lap pin j. Dpopcan, Solen, Neaccain, Ulpa. 
^cibaip '^uh "I a ihae j. Cachluan neapc mop a n-6pinn, gop in- 
oapbpaoap 6pirhoin i 50 capoa mna na peap po baicea immaiUe 
ppi Donp Doib J. mna 6pcppe "| buaippe ipa. 

XXVIII. Qnaip peipep oib op bpeajmaij. IS iiaioib gach 
geipp, 1 gaeh pen, "| gach ppeoD, 1 joca en^ "] gac mana. Cac- 
luan ba h-aipo-pi oppo uili, T ip e ecc pf po ^ab t>ib a n-Qlbam; l;7r. 
pij oib pop Qlbam o Chacluan gu Conpcancin, -| ip e Cpuicneac 
oei6eanac pop jab. Da mae Cachluain .1. Cachmolo&op -j Cacmo- 
lacan ; m oa cupaio, Im mae pipn, i Cmo achaip Cpuichne; Cpiip 
mac Cipij a milib ; Uaipneim a pilib; Cpuicne a ceapo ; Domnall 

mac 

"* Ard'leamnachta, — The hill or height p Dtmn. — See above, pp. SSSl^ *^d ^^^ 

of new milk. This name, which perhaps 1°, p. 56, where the names of the chieftains 

gave origin to the fable, is now lost. The drowned with Donn are given in a stanza 

description here given of the battle, and cited from a poem by Eochy O'Flynn, a 

of the advice of the Druid Drostan, is very celebrated historian and bard of the tenth 

obscure, but it is explained by the more century. — (T.) 

full account of the transaction which will *> Breaghmhagk. — Bregia, the great plain 

be found in Note XVIIL at the end of the of Meath, in which Tara is situatedL — (71) 

volume, from which some explanatory ^ SreodL — For the meaning of this word 

words have been inserted in the transla- see note on the following poem, line 149, 

tion, to render it intelligible. For do pen- p. 144. Pinkerton's version of this passage 

naoincar, L. reads DO pababi near.— (T.) is ludicrously absurd: "They were in 

'^ Solen,— L. reads Polen in this place, want of order and distinction : had neither 

but in enumerating the chiefs of the spears (for hunting), nets (for fowling), 

Cruithnians above, Solen, as in B — (T.) nor women." — (T.) 

^ Gttb.—L. reads ^ib, Keatinge reads ^LagtCruUhnian that reigned, — Not true 

Qud. See Addit. Note XVIIL — {T.) in fact; but the Nomina Begum Pidorum 



125 



the milk of seven score white cows should be spilled [in a pit] 
where the next battle should be fought This was done, and the 
battle was fought by them, viz., the battle of Ard-leamhnachta", in 
Hy-Ceinnselagh. Every one of the Picts whom they wounded used 
to lie down in the new milk, and the poison of the weapons of the 
Ttmtha Fidhbha did not injure any of them. The Tuatha Fidhbha 
were then slain. Four of the. Cruithnians afterwards died ; namely, 
Drostan, Solen", Nechtain, and Ulfa. Bvi Gub*', and his son Cath- 
luan, acquired great power in Eri, until Herimon drove them out, 
and gave them the wives of the men who had been drowned along 
w^ith Donn**, namely, the wife of Bres, the wife of Buas, &c. 

XXVIII. Si^ of them remained cw lords over Breagh-mhagh'*. 

Prom them are derived every spell, every charm, every sreodh', and 

^^^^S^ury by voices of birds, and every omen. Cathluan was monarch 

over- them all, and he was the first king of them that ruled in Alba. 

Se\r^nty kings of them ruled over Alba, from Cathluan to Constantine, 

^ho was the last Cruithnian that reigned* . The two sons of Cathluan 

^^x*^ Catinolodar and Catinolachan^ ; their two champions were Im, 

sori of Pern, and Cind, the father of Cruithne" ; Cras, son of Cirech, 

^««^ their hero; Uaisneimh was their poet; Cruithne their artificer; 

^^^r^rxhnall, son of Ailpin'', was the first Gaddian kina, till he was 

killed. 

'*f^- ^^::i.ne8,App.798), were carried down no 
iiJ^tklx^j. FivePictish princes reigned after 
^*^^t;.^ntine during 22 years. — (H.) See 
Xnnes has said on this Irish account 
5 seventy kings, vol. L p. 102 — (T.) 
^ytitinaUichan, — L. reads t)a mac 
^^^^l.uan po jabpac Cpuichencuach .1. 
^^^^riolooapop i Cacinalachan. *• The 
^^^ Sons of Cathluan took possession of 
^^^Hhen-tuath, viz., Catinolodaror and 
Cacinalachan/' Pinkerton puts a full stop 



of 



at cupaib, and translates m Da cupaiD, 
*♦ in great distress." — {T.) 

" (7r«itt«tf.— Cuichne, B.^r.) 
^ AUpin. — ^Domnall mac Qilpil. ip e 
caipech po 50b 50 po mopb 6pifxup 
mnai Ipacon, L. There is some sad con- 
fusion and omission of words in the. text. 
I have supplied conjecturally in italics in 
the translation what I suppose to have 
been ihe meaning.. For Britus, son of Isa- 
con, see above, p. 27. — {T) 



\ 



126 

mac Qilpm ip e coipec, 50 po mapb. bpicuf imoppo mac Ipicon, 
Clann NeimiD po gabpac mp m-6picuf .i. lap ^I'U^)- Cpuichnij po 
gabpac lap pm, lap cecc ooib a h-6pmTi. 5^^^*^ imoppo po jjab- 
pac lap pm .1. meic 6ipc mic 6ac6ach. 

[XXIX. Do chuaiD o macaib TDileao Cpuichncchan mac 
Locic, mic Ingi la bpeacnu poipcpen do chachujuo ppi Sajcwn, -] 
po chopam cip ooib Cpuichencuaic, -| anaip pen aco. Qchc ni 
baoap mna leo, ap bcbaip banorpochc Qban. Do luio idpum 
Cpuichnechan pop culu do cum mac TTlileD, -| po jjab ncam, 1 
calam, -| gpian, 1 epca, Dpuchc, i Daichi, muip, t cip, [cop] ba 00 
mairhpiu plaich poppo co bpach ; "| do bepc Da mna oec pop- 
cpaiDi baDap oc macaib TTlileaD, apo bare a pip ip m paipp^c ciap 
ap acn pe Donn ; conaD do peapaib h-6pinD plaic pop Cpuirhnib 
o pm oogpep.] 

XXX, CRUlChmSh [ciD] Dop papclam, 
1 n-iac Qlban n-ampa, 

^ CHun* — ^al^if L. — (T.) been ascertained to have been special to 

* Sons of Ere, i. e. Fergus, Loam, and any part of it. It was, I scarcely doubt, the 

Aengus; see Innes, App. p. 801. Fordun. Gwyddyl Fichti name as well as the Irish 

iv. c. 9i — (T.) name ; for the prefix For, which is the 

' Cruithnecharu — This section occurs gor of the Welsh, is prevalent in the corn- 
only in L. — {T.) position of Pictish names of places. — {H.) 

'BritofiB ofFotrtrefL-^ThAt is tosay, the * By heasvm and earth, 4^ — This is the 

Gwyddyl Fichti of North Britain, whose ancient Irish oath, by which the various 

kingdom was called by the Irish Fortren elements and parts of nature were made 

Mor. Fodla Fortren was one of the seven guarantees of the bargain, and enemies to 

fabulous brothers, sons of Cruthne, who the forswearer. The oaths exacted irom 

divided Albany amongst them. But Foir- his subjects by Tuathal Teachtmar, and 

tren, perhaps, amounts to powerful or that given to the Lagenians by King 

mighty. Dr. O'Conor fancifully makes it Loeghaire mac Neill, are memorable in- 

a contraction of Fortraigh Greine, sunrise, stances of it. At an earlier epoch King 

i. e. the east — Script. R. H. iiL p.55. It is Hugony the Great is reported to have se- 

the name of the whole realm ; and has not cured the crovm to his family by the same 



127 



DC» 



killed. FirsU Britus, son of Isacon, possessed Britain, The clan 
Neimhidh obtained it after Britus, that is after Glun"*. The Cruithnians 
possessed it after them, after they had come out of Eri. The Graedhil 
possessed it after that, that is, the sons of Ere', son of Eochaidh. 

XXIX. Cruithnechan' son of Lochit, son of Ingi, went over 

from the sons of Mileadh to the Britons of Foirtren*, to fight against 

the Saxons, and he defended the country of Cruithen-tuath for them, 

and he himself remained with them [i. e. with the Britons']. But they 

had no women, for the women of Alba had died. And Cruithne- 

chan went back to the sons of Mileadh, and he swore by heaven and 

earth*, and the sun and the moon, by the dew and elements, by the 

sea and the land, that the regal succession among them for ever 

should be on the mother's side ; and he took away with him twelve 

-wromen that were superabundant with the sons of Mileadh, for their 

husbands had been drowned in the western sea along with Donn ; 

so that the chiefs of the Cruithnians have been of the men of Eri 

froin that time ever since. 

XXX. The Cruithnians** who propagated 

In the land of noble Alba*", 

With 

Patricii; apud Petrie on Tara, pp. 57-68, 
where that incantation is rather indul- 
gently translated, by inserting ' within 
brackets such words as tend to remove 
the inyocation, otherwise apparent, of the 
rtacreataa omnes^^^H.). 

^ The Cruithnians. — This very ancient 
poem occurs only in L. & B. The text in 
both is very corrupt, and often unintel- 
ligible. B. has been chiefly followed. In 
line I, cm is inserted from L.; in line 3, 
L. reads bel^ for beloa^T.) 

^ Alba, — Alba, genitive Alban, dative 



of oath ; but it is not said whether 

X8t introduced it. — Ogygia, iiL c- 38. 

^fiattle of Magh Rath, p. 2, 3, and the 

ibid. See also the verses of the bard 

^ ^■^^iaura in 0*Con. Proleg. iL p. Ixxix. 

ps, in terming it the oath per res 

^ fomne8,Mr.O'Flahertymaybeem- 

P^^^y'i'^ an important phrase of his own 

ogy, not apparent in that of his Pagan 

rs. The spirit of the adjuration 

f^ ^~eB omnes has infused itself into the 

cftV^tV>x«tcd production, otherwise Chris- 

V^u* called the Feth Fiadha or Lorica 



128 



go n-a m-bpij bil bel6a, 
cm cip Of nac capj;a ? 

Cict poconn poy^ po gluaif , 
o c]iicaib m cogaio? 
pyii pnim rono cap ppcachap, 
cm Ifn long oo looap? 

Cm plonouo ppm cmccam 
Do pmccam na pigc ? 
ap a n-aipm pabcm, — 
ip cm Ti-ainm a cipe? 

Cpaicm mum a cfpe 
50 pfpe a peplca 



10 



Albain (Alban, undeclined^ in Welsh), 
Albany, is a well-known appellation for 
that part of Britain which the Picts oc- 
cupied. See Mr. O'Donovan's Grammar, 
p. 106. Fable refers it to Albanact, bro- 
ther of Locrine and Camber ; and, like the 
names of Lloegyr and Cymmry, it is 
utterly unknown to ancient historians 
and geographers. Nay, indeed, the triple 
division of the island into the Anglo- 
Roman, Gambro-British, and Scoto-Pict- 
ish portions, was a post- Roman circum- 
stance, to which this late nomenclature 
has adapted itelf. The name Braid- Alban, 
Jugum Albanise, Collar of Albany, indi- 
cates the elevation of that district ; while 
the highest ridge or summit of the Braid- 
Alban was styled the Drum- Alban, Dor- 
sum Albanite. It is Adamnan^s Dorsum 
Britannise ; his mention of it is always as 



mp 

the boundary of Pictland towards the 
Scots ; and crossing the Dorsum Britan- 
niae is the conventional phrase for enter- 
ing the former kingdom from the west See 
Adamn. i. 34; ii. 32, 43, 47.; iii. 14. Why 
one of the three parts should thus be 
termed Britannia, L e. the whole, may be 
explained from that part alone having re- 
tained an independence, varying in its 
limits, as the upper or lower wall was 
maintained. And the Irish abbot of lona 
has therein the support of the ancient 
Welsh, by whom Alban was also termed 
Prydyn (an old form) though never Pryr 
dain. See Taliesin, p. 75, L 22. Golyddan, 
p. 156, 1. 14, p. 157, IL 25, 6s* Taliesin 
(or rather some one asstuning his person) 
uses that name triadically, that is, in dis- 
tinction from Lloegyr and Cymmry, which 
makes it the precise equivalent of Alban ; 



129 



th, 

1 
P 

ftS ^ 

of 









With glorious illustrious might, 
From what region did they come ? 

What cause also moved them 
From the countries of war? 
To traverse the waves'* over the floods, 
In what number of ships did they embark ? 

How were they named before they came 
To attain their sovereignty? 
{They were named from their own* weapons) — 
And what was the name of their country? 

Thracia^ was the name of their country, 
(Until they spread their sails, 



lO 



After 



g, of the Serpent of Germany, " she 
conquer IMycgyr and Prydyn^ from 
hore of the German Ocean to the 
, and then shall the Brython . . . 
U their.land, except wUd WcUlia.^^ — 
St. 29-31. The improbable state- 
' in Giraldus and the Brut of Kings, 
^he Humber was the south limit of 
:», arose from the lower, or Picts', 
passing through Northumberland; 
pears from the oldest of the Welsh 
where it is said that Alban lay 
the river Humber to the penrhyn 
adon ;" for Cape Blatum was the 
^m terminus of the Severian wall, 
^tforeits eastern terminus in North um- 
liould have been said for the Humber. 
Tysilio, p. 117. Roberts (interpo- 
the word northwards)^ p. 33 ; Giraldi 
t Cambriae, cap. 7, p. 886. — (JS,) 
^ISH ARCH. 8OC. 16. 



^ The waves. — Lines 7 and 8 are given 
thus in B. : 

Cm Im lonj ap ceajap 
Ppi pnim cono Do loDap ? 

In what namber of ships did they embark, 
And set out to traverse the waves ? 

The reading of L. is preferred, as most in 
conformity with the metre. — (T.) 

' Their own. — For paDem L. reads bo- 
Dene, a form of the same word, now writ- 
ten pein. See O'Donovan's Irish Gram- 
mar, p. 130. — {T.) 

' Thracia. — According to Tzschucke, the 
Agathyrsi did not inhabit Thrace, but the 
Bannat of Temeswar, and part of Transyl- 
vania. Tzsch. in Pomp. Melam, tom. 6, p. 1 2. 
The ancients do, however, impute to the 
lliracians the use of certain blue punc- 
tures, as ornaments of nobility, but not 



130 



lap na raipciul ceacca, 
a n-aipciup na h-Goppa, 

Qjancipf 1 a n-anmann 
am pano Gpcail-icbi 
o ceappcapDi a cucclf 
acbepcap cio picci. 

Piccrinaicme oc paib 
pop cGicne ceacc muip, 
jan jnim n-oeipeoil n-D0Dcai6, 
pil n-5^l^^^i^ "f^ic Gpcoil. 

h-uaoib peipeap bparap, 
ppi lacap jan bun, 
DO pepc blab 50 poab, 
m peaccmab a pi up. 

Solen, Ulpa, Neccain, 

Dpopcan Decrain opecell, 
a n-anmano a n-aeboup, 
Qengup agup Leiceno. 



15 



20 



25 



30 



Can 



any general painting of the body. See 
NoUb ThreidoB^ ap. Ciceronem de Off. ii. 
c. 7. Herod. Terps. cap. 6. Their women 
also wore these marks (some say on the 
hands and face), and they are represented 
by Dion Chrysostom as marks of their 
rank and dignity. Orat xviL cit. Wesse- 
ling in Herod, u. s. But poets repre- 
sent them as a badge of infamy for having 
slain Orpheus: for example Phanocles ap. 
Stobasum, Flor. iL 478. (£d. Gaisford), 



Kvdvta ffrvytpov fitj XtXdOoivro ^ovov. — 

iu.) 

'Ercalrltbi, i. e. perhaps Bpcal in Chebi, 
or Hercules the Theban. This is the 
reading of L., for which B., running both 
words into one, reads 6pccbi. In the 
next line the name Picti is derived 
from tattoeing, although just before (line 
1 1 ), it was derived frompikes. — ( T.) Aga- 
thyrsus and Gelonus were brothers of 



131 



Sc; 
cap. 

m 



After they had resolved to emigrate), 
In the east of Europe. 

Agathyrsi was their name, 
In the portion of Ercal-Itbi* ; 
From their tattoeing their fair skins 
Were they called Picts. 

The Picts, the tribe I speak of, 
Understood travelling over the sea, 
Without mean, unworthy deeds\ 
The seed of Geleon son of Ercal. 

Of them* six brothers 

With alacrity, unflinching, 
For glory's sake set out; 
The seventh vms their sister. 

Solen, XJlpha, Nechtain, 

Drostan the powerful diviner, 
Were their names and their order, 
Aengus and Leithenn. 



15 



20 



30 



The 



and sons of Hercules or Ercuil^ 

in Welsh Ercwlf. Herod. Melp. 

Steph. Bjzant. in ViktavinH The 

to make Grelonus (Greleon) the 

r, and Agathyrsi the name, of one 

same tribe. — {H.) 

y deeds. — L. reads line 23, 



«D ^nim iv6pcail n-occhaib. 
hundred deeds of mighty ErcaL 



And in the next line the same manuscript 
has Golchoin for ^^^^^^^i which seems 
a manifest mistake of transcription. — 
{T.) 

' Of them.— In B. h-Ua oiB, which I 
have supposed to be intended for h-uaoiB, 
and translated accordingly. L. reads 
h-Uaichip, which may perhaps mean, 
" Of their country." In line 26, for liun 
L. reads lino.— (T.) 



S2 



132 



Lar\ pi Upai5ia cpeabta 
DO Decpa a piuip pocla, 
po bo oamna oeaBra, 
gan capba gan cocpa. 

Uangaoap lea m oeijj-pip, 

ripib, o rpeOoiB, 
luce cpi long CO lopmub, 
nonbup ap cpf ceoaib. 

Cmspec f eac cumo cpichi 
Ppangcu, piacu pailgip, 
[gniD] carpaij aipm aiblip 
o'lap ba amm piccabip. 

Piccabip a piccip 
acbepcfp a carpaij, 
ba plonnuo plan pocpaib 
lapum Dap pm par-muip. 

Ri po cap a piuip, 
cpe gliaiD 50 n-jaipge, 

01 poconn a pep^e, 

[a DcochjpunD pop paipge. 



35 



40 



45 



50 



Fop 



i AhaoluU sovereign. — Literally ftUl hing^ 
i. e. ard righ^ or supreme king over the 
reguli or toparchs of Thrace {H.) 

^ Sought — L. reads 00 cheachpa, ad- 
mired or fell in love with. — (T,) 

^Flocks, — The reading of L. is here 
followed. B. has cpeaBonb, " from their 
houses." In the next verse B. has ^oU 



lopmup. B. has also nae lon^, nine shipSy 
instead of qii. — (T.) 

°* TJiree hundred and nine It is curious 

that this number makes 1 2 also, on the prin- 
ciple explained p. 112, suprd, note i. — (71) 

n Sea, — B . reads cm cp icu, " they passed 
through the countries.^"* — (T.) 

° They buHt, — ^5"^^ added from L., as 



^33 

The absolute sovereign^ of populous Thrace 
Sought^ their lovely sister, 

(It was the cause of conflict) 35 

Without gift, without dowry. 

They came away with her, the good men, 
From their lands, from their flocks', 
A company of three ships in good order, 
Three himdred and nine" persons. 40 

They stepped on land from the surroimding sea° 
Of France, — they cut down woods, 
They built° a city with their many weapons. 
Which was named Pictabis. 

Pictabis** a Pictis 45 

They named their city; 
It remained a good and free name 
Afterwards upon the fortress. 

The king sought their sister 

By battle fiercely**, 50 

And in consequence of his anger 
They were driven upon the sea. 

On 

«ary both for the sense and for the contrary to the prose preface, which had 

3. This verse is obscure. The words derived it from pikes; unless the word 

1^ aipm aiblip will admit of being pictis here be taken to mean pikes, and not 

^3ated " a city in a pleasant [or beau- the name of the people.— (iT.) 

situation.^' The events alluded to <J Fiercely^ — B. reads 50 naipje. In line 

Lven above, p. 123 {T.) 52, the first syllable of Dcochpunb, which 

^ictabis Pictabis or Pictavia, Poic- is necessary for the metre, is supplied from 

^^^ is here derived firom the Picts, L. — (7*.) 




^34 

pop cpacc Tnapa meaobaiD 
long lelaij luce lacaip, 
cmaip ap a peipup 
acm f eipeao bpacoip. 

baoap in piccaue, 

[50] n-gpame 01a n-^lenail, 
a n-cnnm po bo ae6a, 
aipm ippaba Glaip. 

Glaio app a cele, 
CO n-oene po oiuD, 
cino Da la ^ac laccu, 
acbac accii a piup. 

Seac bpeacnaib 'na peimim, 
CO h-Gpinn na h-ame, 
po cojpac a cmoperh 
jobpac mbep Slame. 

Slaijpeac pluaj [pea] pojlac, 
Dia pognam 1 nemm, 
cpia jjlunDu sap^a 
1 each QpDa-leamnacc. 



55 



60 



65 



70 



Caic 



«" With her. — acin, the reading of L., 
is a combination of aci, with her, and in, 
the article, B. reads accu in — (T). 

• Renowned. — ^pooo, L., i. e. long, or far- 
famed.— (T.) 

* Ekiir* — " The place where Ehdr was ;" 
that is to say, the see of St. Hilary, bishop 
of Poictiers from A. D. 350 or 355 to 
368 or 369, and one of the most illustri- 



ous fathers of the western church. Ve- 
nantius Fortunatus, one of his successors 
in that see, writes thus in his eulogy 
of the pious Queen Radegund, lib. Tii. 



I. 11: 



" Forttmatufl ego hinc hamili preoe, vooe, saluto, 
(TtaliA genitnm Gallica run tenent) 
PictaTis reddens, qui Sanctas Hilarius olim 
KatiM in urbe fait notus in orbe pater." — (H.) 



^35 

On the shore of the sea was shattered, 
A ship, swift sailing, well manned, 
There remained, as we know, 
With her' the sixth brother. 

They were in Pictavia, 

With success attaching to them; 
Their name was renowned* 
At the place where Elair* was. 

They stole away thence together 
In haste, under sorrow. 
At the end** of two tempestuous days, 
Their sister died with them. 

Passing by Britain in their voyage, 
To Eri the delightful 
They directed their course, 
And reached Inbher Slaine''. 

They cut down the plundering host of Fea' 
Who were aided by poison*, 
By their fierce deeds. 
In the battle of Ard-leamhnacht. 



55 



60 



65 



70 



The 



locKfc 



E 



the end. — L. reads cinca la co 
*' From the fault of a stormy 

(T.) 
Aer Slaine. — The mouth of the 
Slanej at Wexford. See above, 

^' ;i*3 — (r.) 

"^^Bcx, added from L. Fea signifies *' of 

"*' This was the host of the Tuath 

^^**^l>he, or " people of the woods,*' men- 



tioned in the prose narrative, p*i23. — (T.) 
* Poison. — The reading of L. has been 
followed. B. reads t>ia po^noo a noem- 
nacc, and in the next line a n-^lun^nu. 
See the story, p. 125, above, and in Addi- 
tional Notes, No. XVIIL In line 71, B. 
reads opian for cpia, which is given in 
the text from L., as being probably the 
more correct reading. — (T.) 



136 

Laic anjbai&e, aimble, 
pea paiobe puoap, 

5ona oanaib 50 n-oecpaib, 75 

00 bhyieocnaib a bunaD. 

6a mapb nee nocheijoip 
ace ceilgceip a puile, 
50 bom cpu Doenne, 
cib cu no cib oune. 80 

Opui Cpuicnec m capoaip, 
puaip ic amcip amlaiD, 
lemlacc ip innalao 
ppi camab pop calmam. 

Uucra caince cpeab-clann, 35 

la Cperiirano coip cenn-balc, 
CO corhlacc an aicmib, 
pop paicci Qpolemnacc. 

SlaigpeaD pluaij pea paebpach 
jan cpebao ip jan copao, 90 

po 

' Their origin — See above, p. 123. This ing of L., and is adopted in the text in- 
stanza is thus given in L. : stead of no peccip in B. — (T.) 

Caich angbam. paiDbe . ' ^'^'^ awajf.-lhis Une is thus given 

, in L- : 

CO n^aipbe pe puoap 

CO namib co noecpaib ^^^ ^^ ^P" ^^ T^^ *^» 

00 6peacnaib a mbunab. but the meaning is the same.— (T.) 
" Heroes hard cutting ** Of friendship.^ i. e. a friendly druid, a 

With roughness, with hurtfulness, benefactor. In L. incapoaip. — (T.) 
With wonderful weapons; <^ Were washed. — analao, L. The word 

Of the Britons was their origin."— ( r.) inalaim, analaim, or lonnlaim is still in 

^ They struck. — N o ch e 130 1 pis the read- use in Scotland, and in many parts of 



'37 

The heroes valiant and numerous 
Cut down knotty woods, 

With wonderful arts; 75 

From the Britons was their origin^. 

Dead was every one they struck*, 
If but his blood they shed, . 
So that he wasted away* on that account, 
Whether he were a dog, or whether he were a man. 80 

A Cruithnian Druid| of friendship^, 61 

Discovered a cure for those thus woimded, 
New milk in which were washed*" 
Those who lay wounded on the earth. 

The herds of cows of the tribes were brought, 85 

By just Cremhthann the headstrong**, 
Until the herd was milked 
On the green* of Ardleamhnacht. 

They cut down the troops of Fea, of sharp weapons^ 
Leaving them without tillage and without produce, 90 

By 

•^d. If, however, we read in n-cilaio, plied in the English word headstrong: 
of 



^^^h. may possibly be also the reading cenn, a head, is often used as a sort of 






-) the line may be translated *•'' new intensitive in composition. It may mean, 

T'**'^^-! in the wound." The next line is however, a stout head, i. e. chief or leader. 

L., but B. reads an-ur(imu6 pop- For cenn-balc, L. reads cecbalc, and in 

^xil, which (if the words be so di- the next verse, co comlacc a pach nem, 

^^^^^) wiU signify, " in powerful [or which is corrupt — (T.) 

^^^^^ious] bathing." — (T.) • Green* — See above, p. 93, note **. The 

,. --headstrong The word cenn-balc is word paicci is omitted in L. — (T.) 

"^*^^y thus rendered, but does not in- ^ Sharp weapons, — paebpach is the 

"^"^ the idea of perverse obstinacy im- reading of L. In B. this line is given 
Xrish arch. sog. 16. T 



138 



po cobpab Dm n-oich ^liaib, 
Cpemcano paacbel pcopac. 

Sginppc arm m Cpuicni^ 
pop cuipcib cpi mai^e, 
comoap ecla paebaip 

^ap iccp pt) 50 n-apao 
cerpup blacac bpacap, 
Solcn, Neachccm, Dpopcan, 
Qenjup, popDctn pacac. 

T?o pair a n-oeap Ulpa, 
lap n-upcpa a capao, 
in Rachpano 1 Tn-bpcajaib, 
ano po mebaiD malaipc. 

TTlopccqi occa Cacluain, 
nip bo rpua;^ m c-aipe, 



95 



100 



105 



DO 



thus, Sliypeac pluaj pea pebac, where 
pli^peac is an evident mistake for ploi^- 
pear, and pea pebac is probably the 
name of the hostile tribe Fea Fidhbhe. 
See above, line 72. In line 90 the read- 
ing of L. has been followed. B. reads 
jcin cpeib ip jan cobac. — (T.) 

« Their defeat, L e. the defeat of the 
Tuath Fidhbhe: 01a n-Dich has been 
adopted from L. for mac jliaio, which 
is the reading of B — (T,) 

** The three plains, — These words seem 
to denote some place in the County Wex- 



ford. Perhaps cpi mai^e should be taken 
as a proper name, but it is not now known 
as such. It occurs in both copies. In L. 
lines 93 and 94 are transposed, and the 
stanza is read thus : 

Cuipib ano cpi mai^i 

na Cpuichnich co n-^aipi 
cum?Hip eajla paebaip 
na ^aei^il co n-jlame. 

" On the three plains planted 

The Cnuthneans with pTX)8perity, 

Until dread of their arms 

Had seized the noble Qaels.'*— (T.) 



139 

By their defeat in the battle*, 

Cremhthan Sciathbel of horses was protected. 

The Cniithnians settled themselves 
On the lands of the three plains*, 
Until dread of their arms 
Had seized the noble Graels 

Soon after that died* 

Four of the noble brothers, 
Solen, Neachtan, Drostan, 
Aengus, the prophetic pillar. 

From the south was Ulfa sent 
After the decease of his friends ; 
In Rachrann in Bregia^ 
He was utterly destroyed. 

Cathluan was elevated^ by them, 
(No despicable chieftain), 



95 



I GO 



105 



As 



In line 95, B. reads oibil instead of pae- 
baip, which latter reading has been adopt- 
ed in the text. The word cuipciB in line 
94, which is omitted in L., appears to 
signify sods, soil, lands. — {T.) 

* Died. — co-n^boD, L. In line 98 L. 
reads bpachap blabach, and in line 99, 
B. reads Ulpha instead of N^achcun, 
which last name has been substituted in 
the text from L., as being in accordance 
with the prose, especially as B. imme- 
diately after agrees with L. in the account 
given of Ulfa in the next stanza.-^ 7.) 



i Rachrann in Bregia* — Rachrann was 
the ancient name of the rocky island of 
Lambay, near the Hill of Howth, which 
is in the territory of Bregia. Lines 103 
and 104 are from L. B. reads, 

in a cppnn iTn-6pea^iB 
ant> po meaoaip malapc. 

" In hit earn in Bregia 
Did be meditate malediction.'*— (r.) 

^Elevated — L. reads mapBtxip, "is 
killed,'* which is plainly wrong. In line 
106 B. reads bo aqiua^aipe ; the reading 
of L. has been preferred. — (T.) 



T2 



I40 

DO pij popaib uilc 
pia n-Dul a cfp n-aile. 

Qp afbepc ppiu Gpimon 
ap in epmo peccap, 
ap na oeapna oeabaiD 
immon Ceamaip ceccam. 

Upi cec ban do bpeara, 
Doib pop cecha claraij, 
ciDeaD po bo cuacail, 
5ac bean 50 n-a bparaip. 

bacap paca poppo, 
ppiD pennu ppi Dipe, 
comD poipe a mdcap, 
pup jnach ^ab m pi^i. 

RepDaip ap m Gpmn 
ma peiTnim pac-jlino, 
jan mupeip ^an mapc-luaj, 
im Carluan mac CaicmmD. 

Cac-molo6op cnap-cpuaiD 
ip Cacmacan ^luaip. 



no 



i>5 



120 



125 



baoap 



^ Spake, — Q bubpao piu. L. In the next 
line L. reads corruptly pm n-6pinopin n- 
eicaip ; in line 1 1 1 oeapnpao for t>eapna ; 
and in line 1 1 2, ceccaichforceccaio.— (T.) 

" Teamhair, — The royal palace of Tara, 
in the county of Meath. See Mr. Petrie's 
Essay on the History and Antiquities of 
Tara Hill (Trans, of the Royal Irish Aca- 



demy, vol. xviii.) — (T.) 

" Agreeable. — This line is given in B. 
thus: D016 po pcerea claeai^. The read- 
ing of L. has been preferred. The true 
reading was probably ooib pop cecha 
clarai^. — (T.) 

''And her brother — lit. "with her bro- 
ther." The meaning is that the Irish were 



141 

As king over them all, 

Before they set out to another country. 

For to them spake* Erimon 

That out of Eri they should go, no 

Lest they should make battle 
For Teamhair", as a possession. 

Three hundred women were given, 
To them they were agreeable". 

But they were most cunning, 1 1 5 

Each woman and her brother". 

There were oaths imposed on them, 
By the stars, by the earth, 
That from the nobility of the mother 
Should always be the right to the sovereign ty**. 120 

They set out from Eri 

On their oath-bound expedition, 
Without families, without cavalry, 
With Cathluan, son of Caitminn**. 

Catmolodor' the hard-knobbed, 1 25 

And Cathmachan the bright, 

Were 

ing in obtaining conditions from the gations guaranteed by oath or otherwise. 

U before they gave them women.__( T*) — (T.) 

'Sovereignty. — This distich is very cor- ' Caitminn, — Ctucnio. B. — {T») 

\T^^ > for poppo, line 117, B. reads eppu. ^ Catnwlodar, — This name is now Cad- 

^ ^^ text is corrected from L. Line 1 20 waladyr. He appears to be caUed *' hard- 

^ ^*So adopted from L., instead of po jnu- knobbed," in allusion to the deep scars 

^^•15 "PP'5^1 *^® reading of B. L. reads with which his body was tattooed or or- 

O^n^Tiu in line 118, for pennu. In line 1 1 7, namented. Lines 1 25 and 1 26 are given 

^aca signifies not so much ocUhs as obli- thus in L. : 



142 



baoap 51II1 jlopba 

Da mac cpooa Cacluam. 

Q coyiaiD cpuaio coninapc 
ba cpom bale a caipm pcam 
Cin5 coceppnn oia ceppn-pcom 
Im mac peppnn a n-ainm-pcom. 

h-Uaipem ainm a pilib 
no pfpeo in pco-gin,. 
po bo pup oia miliD 
Cpup mac Cipij Ccclim. 

Cpuicne mac coip Cinca 
Doib po chmcha cochmopc, 
CO cue banncpacc blac-jlan 
Dap Qchmaj, Dap Qcgopc. 

Qnaic Dib a n-Galja, 
50 Im cepDa ip cupac, 



130 



135 



140 



naD 



Cat>noloDop clechcif, 

ip Cacatnlocach cnap puaio. 

" Cadnolodor, the chief, 
And Catainlocach the red-knobbod." 

The word clechcip signifies the person 
in a tribe to whom belonged the right of 
final appeal. In line 1 27 L. inserts ^lana 
before ^lopocu — (T.) 

* Their trampling, — This line is from L. 
B. reads ba Dopnn bale a coip-peom. In 
the next line B. gives Cind, not Cing, as 
the name of the first champion, which 
agrees with the prose (see page 125), and 
reads Cmo co cepo t>ia cepo-peom, 



" Cind skilful in their art" [i. e. war]. 
In the next line the scribe has written 
.uii. mc pipe, " the seven sons of Pirt," for 
" Im, son of Pirnn."— (r.) 

* Huasem, or Uasem, for the H is only 
euphonic L. reads h-Uaipieam. This 
name sounds not unlike that of Ossian, 
which, however, is always written Oipn 
in Gaelic. In the next line m pec-^eon, 

L.-(r.) 

^ Cetlim — Che idem. L. I have taken 
this word for a proper name ; cec lim 
might signify, *' I acknowledge," " I al- 
low."— (T.) 



r 



H3 



\ 



Were glorious youths, 
The two valiant sons of Cathluan. 

His hardy, puissant champions. 
Heavy, stem, was their trampling*, 
Cing, victorious in his victory, 
Im, son of Pemn, were their names. 

Huasem* was the name of his poet, 

Who sought out the path of pleasantry. 

Ruddy was his hero, 

Crus, son of Cirigh Cetlim". 

Cruithne, son of just Cing"", 
Attended to their courtship. 
So that he brought a company of fair women. 
Over Athmagh, over Athgort. 

There remained of them behind in Ealga'', 
With many artificers and warriors*, 



130 



^35 



140 



Who 



L 

tert 



^rnig. — Cpuichni^ meic coip ^^nja. 
^^:i the remainder of this stanza the 
L. has been followed. B. reads : 

cinca arcocmop 

rue bannqiacc mblach jlan 

|Kich jopc, 

*-* must be corrupt, for it violates the 

n • ^^ Different duties are assigned to 

*^«iiie here, and in the prose account, 

^^*^ lie is called a ceapo, their artist 

^^ 1^^*^^^' ^^^ P^*^® ^^^ Athmagh 
"L^^^ligort, line 140, are unknown 



• Ealga — B. reads melja, which is 
perhaps a mistake for m Blja. Elga or 
Ealga was one of the poetical names of 
Ireland. Qn cpeap a mm (says Keatinge) 
Imp ealja .1. oilen uopal. Oip ap 
lonann mip -| oilen, -| ap lonann ealj^a -| 
uapol, -| ap pe Imn peap m-6015 pa ynar 
an c-amm pm uippe. " The third name 
(of Ireland) was Inis Ealga, i. e. noble 
island ; for Inis is the same as island, 
and Ealga is the same as noble; and this 
was its usual name from the time of the 
Fir-bolgs."~(r.) 

* Warriors. — B. reads cpuan, for which 



\ 



144 



nao cepeat) pop bpeagmach 
peipeap Demnac opua6. 

OpuiDeacc ip mlacc, inaic, 
m ailc min jlan mup jlan, 
bapc oibeipgi, t>uain 51I, 
ip uaiDib po munab. 

TTlopaD ppeo ip mana, 
pa^a pin, am potia, 
jocha en 00 paipe 
caipi jac ceol cona. 

Cnuic ip coipci apcopa, 
cen cpoga cuach caiUe, 



145 



150 



cupach, the reading of L., has been sub- 
stituted. The next line is also taken from 
L. B. reads na po ceippeoo 6peaj5inac, 
'* they would not leave Breghmagh." The 
Druids are called " demon-like," or " de- 
vilish," as being skilled in demoniacal 
arts.— (r.) 

^ Druidiam, — The word maic is so ex- 
plained in an old glossary in the Library 
of Trinity College, Dublin. The whole 
stanza is thus given in B. : 

Opaioechc 1 lolachc mac mapc 
mm bale mup jlan 5lep 
oibao 3a ouan ^il 
ip uaioib po munao, 

which is so corrupt that it is difficult to 
translate it, and it is also inconsistent 
with the laws of the metre. The text of 
L. has been followed, with one correction 



cuapgaibpec 

of uaoib po in the last line, for uaib pib 

po— (r.) 

^Sredhs, — B. reads pleaj, a word which 
may signify " spears ;" but the reading of 
L. is preferred, as being in accordance with 
the prose. See p. 125. As the meaning 
of the word ppeo or ppeoo is doubtful, it 
has been left untranslated. See the poem 
attributed to St. Golumba, Miscell. Irish 
Arch. Soc., vol. i. p. 2, and note 31, p. 12, 
where Mr. O'Donovan conjectured it to 
be the ancient form of qieao, a flock or 
herd. But he has since found another copy 
of that poem in a parchment MS. in the 
Bodleian Library at Oxford, Laud. 615, 
p. 7, where the word is twice written 
with an aspiration on the O, thus : " nt hdy 
ppeoio Qcd mo cuio; and again, na ha- 
6a I p 00 ^ocaiD jcp^, nd ppeoo, na p^n 
ap bir ce ;" it is also found written in 



H5 



Who settled inBreagh-magh, 
Six demon-like druids. 

Necromancy and idolatry, druidism', 
In a fair and well-walled house, 
Plundering in ships, bright poems, 
By them were taught. 

The honoring of sredhs' and omens, 
Choice of weather*, lucky times, 
The watching the voices of birds, 
They practised without disguise. 

Hills and rocks they prepared for the plough, 
Among their sons were no thieves, 



145 



150 



MSS. indifferently fpco and rP*5> ^o™ 
which we may infer that the final letter 
vras always intended to be pronounced 
with aspiration, therefore the word must 
. ^i ^ be fpeo, fpiao, fpcc, or f*peor, a sneezing, 
a word still in use, which is also frequently 
written ppoc or fpoj^. It is well known 
that sneezing, both among the Greeks and 
fiomans, and also in the middle ages, was 
regarded as ominous, and made use of for 
the purposes of divination. This super- 
stition was prohibited by several enact- 
ments of councils and synods, and formed 
a frequent topic of reprobation from the 
pulpit. As an example we may cite the 
following passage from a sermon preached 
by St. Eligius or Eloy, who became Bishop 
of Noyon about the year 640, *' Similiter 
et auguria, vel stemutationes^ nolite obser- 
vare, nee in itinere positi aliquas aviculas 

IRISH ARCH. SOC. 1 6. U 



They 

cantantes attendatis, sed sive iter, sive 
quodcunque operis arripitis signate vos in 
nomine Christi, &c." — Vit. S. EligiL lib. ii. 
c. 15, apud Dacherii SpiciL p. 97. See also 
the '^Libellus abbatis Pirminii," publish- 
ed by Mabillon, which he supposes to be- 
long to the year 758 : ** Noli adorare idola, 
non ad petras, neque ad arbores, non ad 
angtdos ; neque ad fontes, ad trivios nolite 
adorare, nee vota reddere. Precantatores, 
et sortileges, karagios, aruspices, divines, 
ariolos, magos, maleficos, stemutus, et au- 
guria per aviculas, vel alia ingenia mala 
et diabolica nolite facere et credere."— Vet 
Anal. p. 69. These examples will suffice 
to shew the late continuance of this 
class of superstitions. — See also Grimm's 
Deutsche Mythelogie, p. 647 — {T.) 

* Weather. — This line is from L. B. 
reads 1103a peon ni pona. Line 152 is also 



146 



cuapgaibpec a cinopem 
puno a n-mbep bonni. 

ba heab looap uainOi 
go-n-gluaipe na jpiBe, 
ima rai j co cpene 
1 rip TTiaifeach lie. 



^55 



160 

ir 



from L. B. reads chaipe jan eel cona. 
For F^ipe, line 151, B. reads aipe. — (T.) 

^ Inhher Boinne, — The mouth of the 
river Boyne, which runs through the re- 
gion of Bregia, where the Picts, accord- 
ing to the account here given of them, 
had their settlement in Ireland. In line 
153, L. reads coipci, and in line 155, 
cuap^ibpec Dia cinbpum, where B. has 
po cojpac. In line 156, the reading of L. 
is adopted. B. reads jjabpac inbep m- 
6oinDe, but the text in both copies is pro- 
bably very corrupt. — (71) 

^ Away, — L. reads ba hea&ap 00 looap, 
" by Edar [the hill of Howth], they passed 
from us." In lines 159, 160, B. reads: 

imma lac co opene 

I cip lac peach He. — (T,) 

^ lie. — The island of Day or Ila, one 
of the five Ebudas or Hebrides, anciently 
Epidium, and long the capital seat of 
the Lordship of the Isles. It lies out- 
side of the Mull of Cantire or Epidian 
Foreland, to the inside of which lies Boot 
or Bute. And I suppose that King Bruide 
the First, whom I have argued (See Addit. 
Notes, No. XVII.) to be the very first 



king of Gwyddyl Fichti in Britain, was 
called Brudi Bout, from that island. If 
the first descent was on Hay, Bute was a 
snug and likely place to become the royal 
residence. 

This statement is somewhat different 
from that of Nennius, cap. 5, that the 
Picts Jirst occupied the Orkneys, " et 
postea ex affinitimis insulis vastaverunt 
non modicas et multas regiones, occupa- 
veruntque eas in sinistrali parte Britan- 
nias;" though even he admits that they 
did not occupy the mainland from the 
Orkneys immediately, but from the other 
islands. Beda says generally, ^' habitare 
per septentrionaks insul® partes coepe- 
runt ;" and that phrase, which meant no 
more than Alban or the ultra-mural 
Britain in general, may possibly have 
suggested the statement in the Historia 
Britonum. That they stood over from 
Cruthenia in as nearly as may be the same 
course, as in after days their neighbours 
of the Dalriadha pursued, is the probabi- 
lity, as well as the best authority. When 
we read that Muredach, son of Angus, 
was the " primus colonus" of Hay (Ogygia, 
p. 470), of course we merely understand 



M7 



They prepared their expedition 
Here at Inbher Boinne^ 

They passed away*^ from us 

With the splendour of swiftness, 

To dwell by valour 

In the beautiful land of He**. 



. 155 



that he was the first Dalriadhan settler. 
The termini given by this poet exclude 
tlie Orkneys, of which the Irish legend 
seems to say nothing ; and, though Nen- 
nius in cap. 5 mentions the temporary oc- 
cupation of them by the Picts, in his first 
chapter he places them ultra Pictos, which 
the name of the Pightland Firth doth like- 
Mriae imply. Yet it is not to be doubted 
t;Ha.t the Picts did possess those islands 
l>efbre the Norwegians. See Wallace's 
Orlcneys, cap. xL p. 67, Ed. 1693 ; Adam- 
^*", ii. cap. 42. The History of the Picts 
*«c^ibed to H. Maule of Melgund has a 
%ciiici of Leutha, king of the Picts of 
^^^*^Gj^ who subdued and gave his name 
isle of Lewis ; p. 29, £d. Glasg. 
The Diploma of Thomas Bishop 
ney (ap. Orkneyinga Saga, p. 549, 
"^^ ^vers, upon the authority of an- 
ecords, that the Norwegians found 
itions in Orkney, the Peti (Picts) 
3 Paps, but entirely destroyed them 
The former is a known Saxon and 
°^^^ softening of the name Pict. "Scotise 
9CB insularumque quas Australes 
^^ -iVI^ridianas vocant." Saxo Gramm. 
mst^ X)an. ix. p. 171. etc. We must 



to 
of 



two 
and 
botK.. 



ac 



160 

From 



adopt the conclusion, that the Papte were 
the Irish fathers of the rule of St. Co- 
lumkille, who repaired to the Orkneys, 
and obtained possession of Papa Stronsa 
and Papa Westra, as he had done of lona ; 
though, perhaps, with this addition, that 
all the inhabitants of the Papa islands, 
and not alone the religious, came to be 
so called. That opinion, I think, is de- 
cided by the statement of Ari Frod^ 
that, when Ingulf the Norwegian visited 
Iceland, he found some Christians there, 
whom the Northmen call Papas, who, 
not choosing to associate with heathens, 
went away, leaving behind them Irish 
books, bells, and croziers ; and from these 
things it was easily judged they were 
Irish. Arius, cap. ii. p. 10, £d. 1744. 
If Iceland be the Thule Insula of Dicuil, 
who wrote his book De Mensuri Orbis 
in 825, he had thirty years before con- 
versed with some clerici who had so- 
journed upon that island from the ist of 
February to the ist of August, and in the 
summer could see to catch the lice upon 
their shirts at midnight — Cap. viL s. 2, 
n. 6. This was seventy-nine years anterior 
to the voyage of Ingulf. Arngrim Jonas 



Ua 



148 



Ip ap 5abpac Qlbam, 
apo-jlam ailep coipciu, 
cen oich luce la cpebcu 
o cpich Chac co poipcu. 

Rop bpip Cacluan cacu 
jen cacu cen cechcu 



165 



observed that the small island of Papej, 
in East Iceland, was probably a seat of the 
Irish Papse, and expressed the like opinion 
(which Mr. Pinkerton has adopted without 
acknowledgment) of Papa Stronsa and Papa 
Westra. Amgr. Island. Primordia, p. 375, 
£d. H. Steph. St. Cormac the Navigator, 
called O'Liathain, whose daring coracle 
visited the Orkneys under letters of safe 
conduct obtained for him by Columbkille 
from Bruide, king of Picts, sailed about 
with the express object of finding for 
himself an eremus (hermitage) in oceano. 
Adamnan, i. cap. 6, ii., cap. 42. Thus it 
was that the kings and toparchs of the Peti 
received the Papas into the smaller isles. 
The same Dicuil mentions some little is- 
lands, to be reached in two days and the 
intervening night, in a boat of two benches, 
from septentrionalibus Britannite insulis 
(Orkneys?), and which I take to be the 
Feroes, in quibus in centum ferme annis 
(from 825, making 725) eremitse ex nostra 
Scottia navigantes habitaverunt ; but the 
latronesNortmanni had driven them away, 
and the islets were vacues anachoretis, but 

full of sheep and wild fowl Ibid. s. 3. 

— {H.) The word 5piBe, line 158, has 
been supposed to signify swiftness. In the 



mp 

Leabhar Gabhala of the OClerys, p. 96, in 
an historical poem by Eochaidh 0*Flynn, 
we find an apD abaip n-imjpib, where 
the Gloss is lap an uapal ci^epna apD 
ba comluac in-t>eabai6 no in lop^il, 
i. e. " the noble lord who was all swiftness 
in battles and conflicts.'' And in the an- 
cient metrical Glossary called " Poetry is 
the Sister of Wisdom," jpib is explained 
ainm 00 luap, "a name for swiftness^ 
-{T.) 

^ The people, — Lines 163 and 164 are 
from L. B. reads 

cen Dich dace la cpebcu 
o chpicar co ]x>ipciu, 

which is manifestly corrupt {T,) 

*Cat. — The region of Cat is the country 
now called Cathanesia, or Caithness. Its 
derivation from Caith or Cat, one of 
Cruthne's seven sons, is a patronymical 
fable. Whether derived from the wild 
cat, like the Clan Chattan, whose terri- 
tory included Caithness (see Scott's Maid 
of Perth, iii. chap. 4), or from catk, war, 
battle, the sound of it seems to recur 
in the names Cathluan, Catnolodar, Cat- 
nolachan. That province may have owed 
celebrity to its position as a northern 



149 



\ 



From thence they conquered Alba, 
The noble nurse of fruitfulness. 
Without destroying the people* or their houses, 
From the region of Cat^ to Forcu^. 

Cathluan gained battles 

Without flinching or cowardice, 



165 



His 



tennirftiis; as Nennius says, '^aTotenes 
usqne ad Catenes." 

Tli^ Tractatus de Situ Albaniie (00m- 
pose<l 137 an Englishman, at least not bj a 
Soot;, ^^)on after 11 85, and printed by 
Innes, iL, 768-72, with a suspicion that 
Girald-^^^g was its author), divides Albania 
wto t;Fi ^ seven portions of seven brothers, 
o^ ^'lxic3h the seventh was •* Cathanesia 
citra montem et ultra montem, quia mons 
Moiinci di vidit Cathanesiam per medium, " 
^^ ^^i^ons Mound was Mount Ord, and 
the C«.t;hanesia cis montem was the Su- 
^urlu,xx^ (southern land) of the Northmen. 
'^^ ol<i^ Sutherland was called Cattey, 
inhabitants Catteigh, and so like- 
Caithness and Strathnaver; and, 
Irish, Sutherland to this day is 
Catey, and its inhabitants Gatigh ; 
>it Catteyness nihil aliud sit quam 
^ **^^^ntorium Cattse seu Sutherlandiae, 
^ ^^^ promontorium a latere orientali 
^ ^^'•^is Ordi praBtenditur." — Blaew cit 
^ "*^^*^nd'8 Orkney, cap. xL As Caith- 
^^^ lies not at all north, but fairly east, 
^ ^"^therland in its enlarged sense (for 
V^^Het Head in Caithness is only 58" 35'; 
^^^ Cape 'Wrath is 58® 34O, it is evi- 
^^nt that the Sudurland of the North- 



aiifi 



m 



men was only the portion properly so 
called, and that they did not include 
therein the Strathnavem. But as they 
divided those parts into the jarldom of 
Katanes and the Sudurland, we should, 
I think, infer that Strathnavem was in. 
eluded in the jarldom ; while the Sudur- 
land, though infested, and perhaps partly 
inhabited, by Northmen, was not thus 
feudally detached from the crown of the 
Scoto-Picts. Sir Walter Scott mentions, 
that the territory of the Clann Chattan 
comprehended Sutherland and Caithness 
[Cathanesiam citra et ultra], and that the 
Earl of Sutherlandshire was their para- 
mount chief, with the title of Mohr Ar 
Chat ; and, though he includes Inverness, 
and even Perth, within the limits of that 
clan or league of clans, as referrible to 
the fifteenth century, we may safely es- 
teem that the Chattanaich originally de- 
noted the people of Katanes within and 
without OnL— (fi;) 

* Forcu, — Of the place here called Forcu 
I can give no account. It must have been 
on the southern extremity of Fortren Mor. 
FoH is the favourite Pictish prefix, as in 
Fortren, their kingdom, Forteviot, their 
palace, Fordun, Forfar, Forres, &c. Pos- 



150 



nfp bo injapg cuchcii 
CO po mapB bpeacnu. 

6a oe 5ab]^ac Qlbam, 
apo-glain calcain clac-mfn, 
CO n-imao amlaeb 
CO Cinaec mac n-Qlpm 



170 



Qp 



siblj the Glas-cu of the Strathclyde Bri- 
tons was Forcu in their vocabulary. — {H,) 
** Onsets, i. e. the fierceness of his onsets 
was not relaxed or diminished until, &c. 
For cechcti, line 166, B. reads qiebcu, 
and, line 167, cuiciu for cucchu. The 
readings of L. have been followed in the 

text.— (r.) 

» Conquer — L. adds Cpuichnij, "the 
Cruithnians seized on Alba," and gives 
this stanza thus : 

6a be yabjxxb Cpuichnij 
Qlbam cupchi^ dace mm 
ep cloo a n-il ael 
CO cuieao mac Qilpm. 

Thus did the Cruithnians acquire 
Alban, the fruitful, the smooth-surfiiced, 
After defeating their many rocks [?] 
To Cinaedh Mac Ailpin. 

or ael may signify sharp weapons. But 
B. has im for co, in line 172 — (T.) 

i Many an Amlaff. — ^Amlaff, Amlaib, 
Aulaib, &c., for Olaf, was the prominent 
name among those northern vikingar, who 
ravaged, and in part conquered, Ireland 
and Pictland, during the ninth and tenth 
centuries. Si^e Battle of Magh Rath, 



p. 290, and the Editor's note. In 852(3) 
Amlaip, king of Lochlin, came into Ire- 
land and exacted tribute there. — Ann. 
Ult. In the spring of 866 he ravaged 
Pictland. Three years later he was slain 
by Constantine, king of Picts.— Ann. Ult. 
and Chron. Pict. Among the Danes of 
Northumbria and Lothian the name of 
Anlaf was popular, and one of their An- 
lafs fought on the Scottish side at Brunen- 

burg in 937 Chalmers' Caled. i. 337, 338. 

Amlaib M° Dluib, son of Indulf (so Dr. 
O'Conor), king of Albany, was slain by 
Kenneth, son of Malcolm [son of Domh- 
nail, ap. Ann. Ult., but erroneously], in 
976 or 977, — Tig. et Ann. Ult. in annis. It 
would seem as if king Indulfus had married 
some vikingr's daughter, to have an Amlaff 
for his son. The year 979 saw the death of 
the son of Amlaff the younger, grandson 
of Amlaff the elder, at the battle of Te- 
mora. And in 980 Amlaibh M^ Sitriuc, 
last Danish king of Dublin, retired to 
lona. It is evident that this. popular name 
had come to be expressive of the nation 
who used it, as those of John, Patrick, 
and Dand have connected themselves with 
three sections of our island empire; with 



^51 



His onsets'* were not without fierceness, 
Until he had slain the Britons. 

Thus did they conquer* Alba, • 

Noble, gentle-hilled, smooth-surfaced. 
With many an AmlaflP, 
Down to Cinaeth mac Alpin"", 



170 



For 



SIS 



tJ^ 






further resemblance to the two latter, 

; Olaf son of Tryggvi, and St. Olaf, 

e the apostles of religion in Norway. 

Jie main error of our bard, if the 

ing in the text be correct, would con- 

^n the supposition that an intermix- 

i of Northmen with Scots and Picts 

'ft^ from the beginning; and that 

^nj an Amlaff " had combined with 

^Druthnich in their first occupation of 

^ny. If, however, we were at liberty 

ake a transposition of two lines, we 

t thereby restore the truth of history 

r bard. That they *^ seized on Alba, 

many an Amlaff, till Kenneth Mac Al- 

^ ^^"^^ would be enormous error; but that 

iU^y <iid SO "till Kenneth Mac Alpin with 

^^^y an Amlaff," is the truth. For it 

''^^^ in his (the first Scoto-Pictish) reign, 

Vxiat. Danari (the Danes under Amlaiv) 

'vastaYerunt Pictaviam for the first time. 

— Chron. Pict. in num. 77. — (H^ 

Perhaps the word amlaeb in the text 
(if that be the original reading) may not 
be a proper name, but may be used in 
the sense of a champion, a hero, from 
which the proper name is derived; but 
for this we have no authority, and it is, 



therefore, more probable, that the bard 
had no idea of speaking of ^* Amlaffs^' at 
all, and that in line 171 there are mis- 
takes of the scribe. We should read per- 
haps a niomao nil aeb, i. e. '* with their 
many arts" or sciences. Qeb is explained 
ealaoa, arts or sciences, in old glossaries, 
and ml may easily be confounded with 
nil. But as this is only conjecture, no 
alteration has been made in the text. — 

(r.) 

* Cinadh mac Alpin, — Kenneth Mac Al- 
pin was king of Scots, or of the British Dal- 
riada, called Airer-Gaedhal, i. e. territory 
of the Gael ; which name of Gael, Gaithel, 
or Gaedhael was then synonymous to that 
of Scots. The country bearing the n^tbn^i/ 
appellation of Argyle included, besides the 
modern Argyle proper, the territory of 
Loam or Lorn, and those of Knapdale, 
Cowel. and Can tire; being bounded to 
the east by Mount Drum- Al ban, Adam- 
nan's Dorsum Britanniae, and southward 
by the Firth of Clyde. In 843^ he wrested 
the kingdom of Albany out of the hands 
of its last native ruler, Bruide the Seventh, 
and the Scots and Picts were never again 
disunited. This is the usual epoch of the 



152 



dp cpeacab n-apo n-aicni6, 
pop aircib cen uchneim 
nf celloap m coclaij, 
ap DC aobepap Cpuirnij. 

Coeca pi5 cem cpecac, 
TYiap aex) oe pi I Gcoac, 

^ F^ps^r P^ F^P^^ 

CO mac m-bpijac m-bpecach. 

8e piga ap pe Deicib, 

Dib Fpi peinm puil cpech 
cappac piche puiclech, 
jabpac pije Cpuicneac. 



175 



180 



conquest; although three princes of the 
Pictish line, Kenneth, Bruide, and Drus- 
tan, kept up a struggle against the son 
of Alpin tiU 846.— (IT.) 

' Plundering. — L. reads ccchnaD, and 
in the next line aicib for aiccib. But 
cen uchneam is adopted from L. instead 
of cen uch in B. In line 175 L. reads 
na cochlaib. The writer's meaning in 
this stanza seems to be, that the name 
of Cruithnian was derived from cpeucao, 
plundering. But the whole passage is very 
obscure. The word apb, line 173, I have 
taken to signify a place, a point of the 
compass, a sense in which it is still used; 
and uiccib I suppose to be the same as 
paircib, a word that has already been ex- 
plained ; see above, p. 93, note ". Cpecicao, 
in line 173, might also signify wounding, 



Cpuichnig oop popclam. 

[DO 

scarring ; alluding to the tattooing prac- 
tised among the Picts ; but it will be diffi- 
cult to make the remainder of the stanza 
square with this. The translation adopted 
is, therefore, more probably the intended 
meaning, especially as the word cpecac 
appears to be used in the same significa^ 
tion inline 177 ; and see line 182. — {T.) 
^ Fifty kings — That is to say, inclu- 
sive. For Macbeth, king of Scots and 
Picts, is the fiftieth in the enumeration 
of the Scots kings from Loam Mac £rc, 
in the Duan Albanach, a contemporary 
poem ; and apud Ogygia, p. 488, and the 
Tables in Pinkerton, ii. p. 352, 353. In the 
list of the same, ap. Innes App. p. 767, he 
is only the fortieth. But without counting 
the three competitors from 843 to 848, 
he was numbered ninety-second in the 



153 



For plundering* known places, 
And greens, without remorse, 
For not practising inactivity, 
For this are they called Cruithnians. 

Fifty kings" of plundering career, 

Every one of them of the race of Eochaidh**, 

From Fergus, most truly. 

To the vigorous Mac Brethach". 



^IS 



180 



Six kings and six times ten 

Of them who attended to bloody plunder: 

They loved merry forays. 

They possessed the sovereignty of the Cruithnians. 

The Cruithnians who propagated^. 



^^^'tish catalogue from Cniithne, the se- 

▼®»it;jr-ninth from Bnidi Bout, and the 

fi^^^^seventh from Drust Mac Erp.— (^.) 

Sochaidh* — This was Eochaidh Muin- 

^^^**iliair, father of Ere, and grandfather 

o* X.K>am and Fergus ; himself the third 

i^ descent from Cairbre Riada, and the 

fox^tli from Conary II., king of Erin, 

-^ttoin the princes of the Dal Riada affected 

for the founder of their race, the " Clanna 

C^onaire." Duim, ver. 27 — {H,) 

*" Mac Brethach^ or perhaps we should 
r^ Mac Bethach. See Additional Notes, 
1^0. XIX. This stanza and the next oc- 
ciir only in the Book of Ballymote. If 
tbey are a portion of the original poem 
tbe writer must have lived after A. D. 
1040, in which year Macbeth began his 
reign.— (T). 

JBISH ARCH. 80C. 1 6. * 



Herb 

The sixty-six kings mentioned in the 
next stanza are evidently the kings of 
the old Cruithnian race, beginning with 
Cruithne Mac Cinge, and ending with 
Drusken Mac Feredach, according to For- 
dun's list, which contains exactly sixty- 
six kings, including Eeneth Mac Alpin, 
by whom Drusken was overthrown, and 
in whose person the Fergusian and Pictish 
monarchies were united. — (T.) Of these 
kings thirty-three are Pagan and thirty- 
three Christian ; a circumstance which 
looks like contrivance. And we may add 
that sixty-six (like 309, the number of 
the original Agathyrsi, see p. 1 33, line 40), 
is the bardic expression of 12. — (H,) 

p The Cruithnians who propagated, — This 
is a repetition of the first line of the poem, 
a usual custom with Irish scribes, to mark 

X 



154 

[Do 6UNaDai6 NQ cRuichNech QNDso soDeasca.] 

XXXI. Cpuichne mac Cmje pacap piccopum habioann m aca 
mpola .c. annip penebaic ; .un. meic po ceachc ; ace ann po a 
n-anmano .1. pib, pmach, polclaij, popcpeno, Caicc, Ce, Cip- 
cmj. 

Cipcm .1;^. annaip pe^nau. 

pioac .;rl. annip p. 

popcpeno .;cl. annip p. 

polclaio .ffj:* a. p. 

^acc .;cii. a. p. 

Ce .;cu. a. p. 

piobaiiD .fpm. a. p. 

5^106 Olljochach Xfjrp, a. p. 

Oenbegan [c] a. p. 



Ollpmacca .l;c. a. p. 

that the poem they had copied was con- 
cluded, lest the next article to it in their 
MS. might be deemed to be a continua- 
tion of it— (T.) 

•» HerefoUowa, — This title is added from 
the Book of Lecan, which contains two 
copies of sect. xxxi. one at the beginning 
of the work, and the other after the Mira- 
bilia, in what seems to have been intended 
as a new edition or revision of the work. 
They shall be denoted, as before, by L*. 
and L*. In L^ and B. the title prefixed 
is 00 bunao Cpuichnech [ann] po. Pin- 
kerton, in his quotation from the Book of 
Ballymote, has erroneously made this title 
a part of the preceding paragraph; vol. i. 
App. No. xiv. These sevei'al copies of this 
section differ so widely that they will be 



5uit)e6 

given separately in the Additional Notes, 
No. XX. The text of all that follows is 
from D.— (T.) 

' CruUkivty son of Cing — Inje, D. and 
L*. Cmje L*. and B. — (T.) Cing is mighty^ 
a king^ a prince, £. Lluyd*s Irish-English 
Diet. But John of Fordun has it (iv. cap. 
10), " Cruythnefilius kynnejudicis;" and 
in i. cap. 35, he says, " Clementis unius 
judicum filius." This homonomy shews 
him to have understood hynntt kin, or 
kind, in the modem sense of the adjective 
ibttid^ L e. benevolent, a sense which has 
escaped Dr. Jamieson's lexicographical 
researches. — {H,) 

' RegrujibaL — The transcriber was evi- 
dently utterly ignorant of Latin, and has 
absurdly perverted these words ; and the 



^55 



Here follows'' of the origin of the Cruithnians. 

XXXI. Cruithne, son of Cing', pater Pictorum habitantium in 
hac insula, c. annis regnabat*. He had seven sons. These are their 
names, viz., Fib, Fidach, Foltlaig, Fortrend, Caitt, Ce, Ci^cing^ 

Circing Ix. annis regnavit. 

Fidach xl. annis regnavit. 

Fortrend xL annis regnavit. 

Foltlaid XXX. annis regnavit. 

Gratt [{. e. Caitt] xii. annis regnavit 

Ce xii. annis regnavit. 

Fidbaid [i e^ Fib] xxiiii. annis regnavit. 

Geide OUgothach Ixxx. annis regnavit. 

Oenbegan c. annis regnavit. 

Ollfinachta Ix. annis regnavit. 

same may be said of almost every scrap of 
Latin which he had occasion to transcribe ; 
his attempts at Latin are here given, how- 
ever, exactly as they stand in the original 
MS., although they have been, of course, 
corrected in the translation. — (jT.) 

' Circing.— In B. these names are given 
thus : Fib, Fidach, Fonla, Fortreann, 
Cathach, Gait Ce, Cirig. The insertion of 
Cathach renders it necessary either to 
make Caitce one name, not two separate 
names, as the above list, and some other 
transcribers (no doubt rightly) have done, 
or else to make Fodln-Fortrean, (L e. Fodla 
of Fortren) one name, although in the 
above list they are given as two, for Folt* 
laid is the same as Foltlaig and Fodla. 
Cathach is omitted in L^ in the list of the 
sons of Cruithne given above, p. 5I9 and 

X2 



Guidedh 

also in the Chronicon Pictorum, Innes, 
voL ii. p. 773, App. No. ii., and Pinkerton, 
vol. i. App. Nos. X. xi But his name oc- 
curs in the verses attributed to Columkille, 
which immediately follow in this place in 
B., and are the same as those given above, 
p. 5 1, where cecach was understood to sig- 
nify an hundred. The verses might be ren- 
dered. 

Gait, Ce, Cireach, Cetach of children [i. e. the 

fniitaU], 
Fib, Fidach, Fodla of Fortrenn. 

or else, 

Caitoe, Cireach, Cetach of children, 
Fib, Fidach, Fodla, Fortren. 

These seyen fabulous brothers are symbo- 
lical of seven real territorial divisions. 
See above, p. 51. — (T,) 



^5^ 



^uioeD 5^^^^^ bpeacnach .1. a. p. 

^eapcuipcibonc f^jc ano uao, -] bpuige ba h-ainm do 

5ac aen peap; "] penauepunc hibepmam "] Qlboniani pep .cl. an. 
uic inuenicup i leabpaib na Cpuichneach. 

6puioe pance amm ni ceo bpuioe. 

6puioe Uppance. 

bpuije Ceo. 

bpuigi 5^1^^* 

6puioe 5^^^- 

bpuige Upgann. 

6puioe Upgamc. 

bpuigi pec. 

bpuioe Uppepp. 

bpuigi peoip, 

bpuigi Cal. 

bpuigi Upcal. 

bpuigi Cine. 

bpuiji Qpcmc. 

bpuigi pec. 

bpuigi Uppec. 

bpuigi Ru. 

bpuigi 6pu. 

bpuigi 5^r^- 

bpuigi Cinic. 



** GeaacuirUhonL — There is evidently 
some omission or confusion here. The 
Chronicon Pictormn divides Geascnirti- 
bont into two, Gestgurtich and Brude- 
bout, inserting between them Wurgest 
The words are: •* Gestgurtich. xl. Wur- 
gest, XXX. [Innes reads xl.] Brudebout 
(a quo XXX. Brude regnaverunt Hiber- 



bpuigt 

niam et Albaniam, per centum 1. anno- 
rum spatium) xlviij. annis regnavit." 
— Pinkerton, vol. i. p. 492. We ought, 
therefore, to read, in all probability, 
'* Geasguirti xxx. Bout. xxx. — There 
were thirty of them afterwards, and 
Bruide was the name, &c*' If we count 
Bout as one of those who were called 



^57 



Guidedh Gaeth, a Briton, 1. annis regnavit. 

Geascmrtibont" , . . . xxx. of them thenceforward, and Brnide'' 
^was the name of every man of them, et regnaverunt Hiberniam et 
Alboniam per cl. annos, ut invenitur in the books of the Cruithnians : 

Bruide Pante was the name of the first Bruide. 

Bruide Urpante, 

Bruide Leo. 

Bruide Gant. 

Bruide Gund. 

Bruide Urgann. 

Bruide Urgaint. 

Bruide Fet. 

Bruide Urfexir. 

Bruide Feoir. 

Bruide CaL-^ 

Bruide Ureal 

Bruide Cint - 

Bruide Arcint' 

Bruide Fet. 

Bruide Urfet. 

Bruide Ru. 

Bruide Em. - 

Bruide Gart. 

Bruide Cinit. 

^'^lide, there will be thirty-two in all, 

^^» Omitting him, thirty-one. The Chro- 

^icou Pictorum names only twenty-eight 

(^Xclnsive of Bruide Bout), giving in re- 

^ar order a name, and then the same 

^ine with ur [which is perhaps the Gslic 

'QP, after] prefixed: Pant, Urpant ; Leo, 

^rleo; Gant, Urgant, &c.— (T.) 



Bruide 

* Bruide. — It will be observed that in 
many places the Irish transcriber has 
written this word 6pui^e with g instead 
of {2, a circumstance of no importance, 
further than that it proves the d to have 
been aspirated in the pronunciation. Uni- 
formity has been preserved in the trans- 
lation.— (T.) 



bpuigi Cmo. 
bpuigi Uip. 
bpuigi Uipup. 

bpuiji 5p"i^- 
bpuigi Upjpich. 
bpui^i TYlunaic. 
bpuigi Up. 
bpuiji Siojie. 
bpuigi Cpm. 
bpuigi Upcpm. 
bpui5e Upmain. 
pegnauepunc. cl. ann. uc Di;fimmup, -] po bai Qlba cen pig ppm pe 

uile CO h-aimpp 5"^» ^^^ P^S P^ B^^ Qlbain nile cpi comaipli no 
ap eigm. 

XXXIL Qcbepaic apaile comao h-e Cacluan mac Caicmms 
no ^abao pige ap eijin i Cpuicheancuaich "] a n-6ipinD .1. Ij:. blia- 
oam, "1 lapf m po gab 5"^ -i- ^• 

Capam .c. an. pegnauic. 

TYlopleo a. .;ni. a. pe. 

Oeocillimon .;cl. an pegnauic. 

CinioioD mac Qipccoip .un. a. p. 

Oeopc .1. a. p. 

bliebbc .u. a. p. 

Oeococpeic ppacep Cui .jc\. a. p. 

Upconbepc .jcj:. a. p. 

Cpucbolc .uii. a. p. 

Oeopoiuoip 

y Chid. The statement that Albany had Cathluan sixty years, and Gud fifty years, 

no king till Gut, and the mention of Gut it gives Gilgidi loi years. In the list here 

(unlesd' he be the same as Gilgidi), are given Usconbest's reign is reduced from 

absent from the Pict. Ghron. In lieu of thirty to twenty, and that of Crutbolc 



'59 

Bruide Cind. 

Bruide Uip. 

Bruide Uinip. 

Bruide Gruith. 

Bruide Urgrith. 

Bruide Munait. 

Bruide Ur. 

Bruide Gidgie. 

Bruide Crin. 

Bruide, Urcrin. 

Bruide Urmain. 
regnaverunt cl. ann. ut diximus ; and Alba was without a king all 
along until the time of Gud'', the first king that possessed all Alba 
by consent or by force. 

XXXII. Others say" that it was Cathluan, son of Caitming, who 
first possessed the sovereignty by force in Cruithentuath and in Eri, 
for sixty years, and that after him succeeded Gud for fifty years, 

Taraiu c. annis regnavit. 

Morleo xv. annis regnavit. 

Deocillimon xl. annis regnavit. 

Cinioiod, son of Artcois, vii. annis regnavit. 

Deort 1. annis regnavit. 

Blieblith v. annis regnavit. 

Deototreic frater Tui xl. annis regnavit. 

Usconbest xx. annis regnavit. 

Crutbolc vii. annis regnavit. 

Deordivois 

(Belga Pictus) interpolated. In other from the same source as that given by 

respects it agrees very nearly with the Fordun (Scotichron. iv. c ii), except 

Chron. — {H.) that he begins with Cruythne, son of 

' Others say, — The second list of kings Kynne, instead of Cathluan, son of Cait- 

which begins here appears to have come ming — {T.) 



i6o 

Deopoiuoip .fj:, a. jiejn. 

Uipc .1. annop |i. 

T?u .c. an. p. 

^aprnaic .iiii. i;c. a. pe. 

6pec mac buicheo .uii. a. p. 

Uipo ignauic .f-pf. 

Canaculacma .in. annip p. 

Upaoach uecla .11. a. p. 

^cipcnaic Duipeip .1;:. a. p. 

Colopc mac Qichiuip Xf-pw. 

Dpupc mac Gpp .c. pegnauic, -| .c. caca po 5ein. Nonooecimo 
anno peigni eiup pacpiciup panccup epipcopup ao hibepniam pep- 
uemc. 

Colopc mac Qniel .im. a. p. 

Neccan mop 6peac mac Gipip .pfrpmy. a. p. Cepcio anno 

pejni 



* Gartnait. — M. Van Praet's attested 
copy of the Chronicon Pictorum, pub- 
lished by Pinkerton, gives this passage 

thus: 

'' gartmutbloc a quo gartnait .iiii. 
regna. vere ix. a. re^.^ 

Which Mr. Pinkerton interprets thus : 

" 29. Gartnaith loc, a quo Gartnait, iiij. regna. 
30. Vere ix. an. reg." 

Thus making vere the name of a king. 
Innes reads Gartnaithboc, and Hkewise 
makes Vere the thirtieth king. But are 
not the words '* vere ix. an. reg." an evi- 
dent correction of " iiii. regnavit," inti- 
mating that the real length of Gartnaith- 
loc's reign was nine, not four years? The 
Irish transcriber evidently intended to 



adopt this correction, but in doing so 
retained the iiii., expunging the other 
words. Fordun (iv. c. 1 1 ) has *' Garnath- 
bolger annis ix." The reign of Canatu- 
lacma appears to be fixed at three, but 
may be four years, as in the Chron. Pic- 
torum, for 1 1 1, and 111 . are easily confounded, 
and in this case it is not quite certain 
which was intended by the scribe. Ura- 
dach-vetla is assigned two years, which 
agrees with Innes, but differs from M. 
Van Praet's copy, in Pinkerton, which 
has iv.— (r.) • 

'' Gartnait'duipeir. — Fordun has Gamard 
Dives, from which we may presume that 
duipeir signified rich. Perhaps the d is 
an expletive derived from the final t or d 



i6i 



Deordivois xx. annis regnavit. 

Uist L annis regnavit. 

Ru c. annis regnavit. 

Gartnait* iiii. ix. annis regnavit. 

Breth, son of Buithed, vii. annis regnavit. 

Uipo-ignavit xxx. 

Canatulacma iii. annis regnavit. 

Uradach-vetla ii. annis regnavit. 

Gartnait-duipeir^ Ix. annis regnavit. 

Tolorc, son of Aithiur, Ixxv. 

Drust, son of Erp, c. annis regnavit, and gained^ a hundred battles. 
Nonodecimo anno regni eius Patricius sanctus episcopus ad Hiber- 
niam pervenit. 

Tolorc, son of Aniel, iiii. annis regnavit. 

Nectan-mor-breac**, son of Eirip, xxxiiii. annis regnavit. Tertio 

anno 



of Garnard or Gamait, and if so, uipeir is 
not far from the Irish pai6Bip, rich (the 
initial p aspirated), which is pronounced 
very nearly as uiphir. — (T,) 

^ GainecL — The Latin has *' c. bella 
peregit:*' po jein signifies properly, 
Wounded, killed, and hence, won« gained, 
when applied to battles — (T.) 

^ Afor-breac, for Morbet [as in Pict. 
Chron.] bene. The statements which fol- 
low are false and out of chronology. Pict- 
land and Abernethy were not then Chris- 
tian, nor was St. Bridget yet bom, nor 
was Darluchdach yet abbess of Kildare. 
Very long after the death of both these 
ladies, and about 608, Nectan II. founded 

the church of Abernethy Register of 

St Andr. cit. Pink, i 296; ii. 267. — {HJ) 

IRISH ABCH. SOC. 16. 



St. Darluchdach was the immediate suc- 
cessor of St. Bridget, as abbess of Kildare, 
and died on the anniversary of St. Brid- 
get's death, having survived her but one 
year. Colgan. Yit. S. Darlugdache ad i 
Feb. There are different dates assigned for 
St. Bridget's death, varying from 510 to 
548. Colgan has decided in favour of the 
year 523 — Trias. Th. p. 619. Fordun (iv. 
c. 1 1) gives the series after Garnaitduiper 
thus: Hurgust, son of Fergus, twenty- 
seven years; Thalargen, son of Keother, 
twenty-five. Durst " qui alias vocabatur 
Nectane filius Irbii annis xlv. Hie, ut asse- 
ritur, 

* Centum annis visit et centum bella peregit* 

Quo regnante sanctus Palladius [not Pa- 
tricius] episcopus a beato Papa Cceles- 



I 



l62 



pejm eiup Oaplugoach abbacipca Cille oapa oc Qbejiniam a;cu- 
lac p. ;rpo ao bpiciniam ppi anno aouenicup cui immolaueir Nec- 
ronniup anno uno Qpuipni^e Oeo i panccaae bpi^irea ppepence 
Oapluigoeach que cancauic all. pupep ipcam. 

Oapcjuicimor .yrfrp. a. peg. 

^alamapbich .;:u. a. pej. 

Oa Opeppc .1. Opepc pi. buopop .;:u. annip peg ucuc. Ocppc 
pi. 5ipw^ polup .u. a. p. 

^alum cenamlapeh .1111. a. p. 

^apcnaic pi. ^^r^^n .uii. a. p. 

Cailcaine pi. ^ip^^ ccnno p. 

Calop5 p. TTlupcolic .p. a. p. 

Opepc pi. TTlanaic uno a. p. Cum bpiDeno .1. anno. 

bpuioe mac TTlaelcon .jc;r;r. a. p. TTIochraauuo anno pe^ni eic 
baibcijacup epc. Gpancco Columba. 

^ccpcnaic 



tino missus est ad Scotos docendos, longe 
tamen ante in Christo credentes." Then 
follow Talargar, son of Amyle, two years; 
Nectane Thaltamoth, ten years. In the 
next chapter he ascribes the foundation of 
Abernethy to St. Bridget and her seven 
virgins, but places it in the reign of 
Garnard Makdompnach, the successor of 
the Bruide in whose time St. Columba 
preached to the Picts; which is of course 
more probable. Pinkerton and Innes are 
both mistaken in their reading of the 
Chron. Pict in this passage, which is not 
*' abbatissa dllae Daradte, Hibemia exulat 
proxime ad Britanniam," but ** abbatissa 
Cilld-dara de Hibemia exulat pro Christo 
ad Britanniam,'' as may be seen by their 
own edition of M. Van Praet*s attested 



copy. What the contracted word fpi 
stands for in the text I do not know. 
The Chron. Pict. reads "secundo." — (Z) 
• Tivo Drests> — If I am right in consi- 
dering Doopeprc [read t)aDpepc] as two 
words, and translating *' two Drests,'' 
the Irish version has enabled us to cor- 
rect a mistake which Innes and Pinkerton 
have both conmiitted in their interpreta- 
tion of this passage of the Chron. Picto- 
rum, which stands thus in M. Van Praet's 
attested copy: 

dadrest .i. drest fill* 
gyiom .L draet fili> wdrost .v. 
an grego. draet fill* girom soR 
V. an reg* 

From this Innes and Pinkerton have 
given us three kings, viz. : i. Dadrest, who 



163 

anno regni ejus Darlugdach, abbatissa CUle-Dara de Hibemia exu- 
lat pro Christo ad Britiniam; [secundo?] anno adventus sui immola- 
vit Nectonius anno uno Apumighe Deo et sanctae BrigidsB, praesente 
Darlugdach, quse cantavit alleluia super istam [hostiam]. 

Dartguitimoth xxx. annis regnavit. 

Gralamarbith xv. annis regnavit. 

Two Drests*, i. e. Drest, fil. Budros, xv. annis regnaverunt com- 
muniter. Drest, fil. Girum, solus v. annis regnavit. 

Galum-cenamlapeh iiii. annis regnavit. 

Gartnait, fil. Girom, vii. annis regnavit. 

Cailtaine, fil. Girom, anno regnavit. 

Talorg, fil. Murtolic, xi. annis regnavit. 

Drest. fil. Manaith, uno anno regnavit. Cum Brideno^ i. anno. 

Bruide Mac Maelcon xxx. annis regnavit. In octavo* anno regni 

ejus baptizatus est a sancto Columba. 

Gartnait, 



reigned one year; 2. Drest, son of Girom, 
and 3. Drest, son of Udrost. Drest, son 
of Girom, tbey make to have reigned one 
year alone, five years jointly with Drest, 
son of Udrost, and then five years alone. 
I have very little doubt, however, that 
Dadrest, should be read Da Drest, which 
words signify Ihto Drest. If this con- 
jecture be correct it will prove that the 
Cfaron. Pictorum was translated from a 
Gaelic original, more ancient than our 
present Irish transcript, which appears 
from the mistakes with which it abounds, 
to have been taken from a Latin copy. I 
would propose to read the passage thus : 
"Duo Drest, Le. Drest filius Girom et 
[for the .i. here either signifies " i. e." or 
is a mistake for et] Drest filius Wdrost 



V. annos conregnaverimt. Drest filius 
Girom solus v. annos regnavit." Thus 
the Irish and Latin will agree, except in 
the length of the joint reign, which the 
Irish transcriber makes to be fifteen years. 
It is some confirmation of the emenda- 
tion here proposed, that of the five lists of 
Pictish kings quoted by Pinkerton, vol. i. 
p. 242, and tables at the end of vol. i., Dad- 
rest appears only on the authority of the 
Chron. Pictorum, as he and Innes have un- 
derstood it. The contraction ucuc is pro- 
bably intended for " communiter." — {T,) 

' Cum Brideno. — Galumcenamlapeh in 
the Chron. Pictorum is placed after Drest; 
son of Munait, and the words '* cum Bri- 
deno i. anno," apply to him.— ,(71) 

e In acfai;o.^-rThe .transcriber. has here 



Y2 



1 



164 



^aprnaic p. Domnach .p. a. |i. 

Neachcan nepo. Uepp .;r;r. a. p. 

Cmhoinc p. Lnicpiu .pp a. p. 

^apcnaic mac UiuD .u. a. p. 

Colopc ppacep eopum Duooeiciin a. p. 

Colopcan p. 6nppec .iiik 

^apcnaipc p. Oonuel .ui. a. p. -| oeimiDium anni. 

Dpupc ppacep eiup .uii. a. p. 

bpioe p. pie .j:p a. p. 

Capan p. Gn pioaio .nii. 

bpei p. Oeipilei ,p. a. p. 

Nechcan p. Oeipile .;:. a. p. 

Dpcpc "I 6lpen conneganaueinr .u. a. p. 

Onbep p. Upjupc .jcjcj:, a. p. 

bpcice p. Uuguc .;:u. a. p. 

CinioD p. luupeoej .;:u. a. p. 

Qlpin p. Uuoio .111. annif pegnauic "| oiTnioon pegm. 

Dpepc p. Calopcan .i. a. p. 

Ualopcan p. Dpopcan [11] uel .u. oej. 

Calopcen p. Onupc .;ni. "| Oimioom a. p. 

Canul p. Cans "^- ^' P- 
Cuapcancin p. Uupjuipc .;r;r;:u. 



Uionupc 



made sad work, but the text is printed 
without correction. He mistook in for 
m, and by confounding the uo of oc- 
cauo with the no of anno, he has pro- 
duced the compound mocraauuo anno, 
which the Chron* Pictorum enables us to 
decipher. — (T.) 

** Tolorc, — The Chron. Pictorum inserts 
"Breidei fil. Wid ▼. an. reg." between 



Gartnait mac Uiud or Wid, and this To- 
lorc; and that the omission was a mistake 
of the Irish transcriber is evident from 
the word eorttin. — {T.) 

* ConregnaverunL — The scribe has 
strangely blundered this word: he has 
also written a p. at the end, where the 
p is redundant. — (T.) 

^ Dimidium. — The word pe^ni added in 



^^5 



\ 



Gartnait, fil. Domnach, xi. annis regnavit. 

Neachtain nepos Verp. xx. annis regnavit. 

Cinhoint, fil. Lutriu, xix. annis regnavit. 

Gartnait, mac Uiud, v. annis regnavit. 

Tolorc** frater eonim duodecim annis regnavit 

Tolorcan, fil. Enfret, iiii. 

Gartnairt, fil. Donuel, vi. annis regnavit et dimidium anni. 

Druse frater ejus vii. annis regnavit. 

Bride, fil. Flc, xx. annos regnavit. 

Taran, fil. En-fidaid, iiii. 

Brei, fil. Derilei, xi. annis regnavit. 

Nechtan, fil. Derilei, x. annis regnavit. 

Drest et Elpen conregnaverunt* v. annis. 

Onbes, fil. Urgurt, xxx. annis regnavit. 

Breite, fil. Uugut, xv. annis regnavit. 

Cinoid, fil. Juuredeg, xv. annis regnavit 

Alpin, fil. Uuoid, iii. annis regnavit et dimidium^ anni. 

Drest, fil. Talorcan, i. anno regnavit. 

Talorcan*, fil. Drostan, [v.] vel xv. 

Talorcen, fil. Onust, xii. et dimidium annis regnavit. 

Canul™, fil. Tang. v. annis regnavit. 

Cuastantin, fil. Uurguist, xxxv. 

Uidnust, 



the text is an evident mistake for anni ; 
oimiDon is of course a blunder for Dimi- 
oium. — (T.) 

* TcUorcan, — This king is omitted in the 
Chron. Pictorum, but he is given by For- 
duD. The Irish text is corrected from 
Lynch's copy, Cambrensis Eversus, p. 94. 
The scribe omitted u before uel, and 
inrote .u.oej for xv.— (T.) 



"» Cantt^— This king is called fil. Tarla 
in the Chron. Pict The name of his father 
is given above ^fvri^, with a mark of con- 
traction, which has been retained, as I 
know not how to write the word in full. 
It may be Tangar or Tangad. Lynch 
gives it " Canul fiL Tang," without no- 
ticing the contraction. — Cambr. £versus, 

ib.— (r.) 



1 66 

UiDnufc p. Uu]isufc .;ni. an. p. 

Dpopr p. Confacin -] Colopc p. Uuchoil .111. a. p. conpe^naue- 
punr. 

Unen p. Unepc .111. 

UpaD p. bapjoic .in, a. "| bpoo .1°. a. p. 

CmaeD p. Qilpin .;rui. a. p. 

Oomnall p. Qilpin .nil. p. -| Cupcancan p. Cmaeoa .jcj:. a. p. 

Qeo p, Cinaeo .1°. a. p. 

5ipi5 Tnac Oungailc .p. uel .111. a. p. 

Oomnall p. Conpancm .p. a. p. 

Conpcannn p. Qeo .;:lu. a. p. 

niaelcolaim p. Oomnaill .1;:. a. p. 

Cuilem p. llooilb p. Conpcanocm .1111. a. p. 

Cinaeo, uel Oub, p. TTlailcolaiTn .uii. a. p. 

Cuilem .1. DiTnmom p. 

Cmaeo p. Ouib. ochc a. p. 

TTlaelcolaiTn mac CmaeDa .j:}:p a. peg. 

Oonocao ua TTlailcolaim .uii. p. 

TTlacbeachaD mac pm mic Laig .;:ui. a. p. 

Lulach .u. mip. 

TTlaclcolaim mac Colaim mic Oonncaio lap pin. 

XXXIII. 



° BargoL — In the ChroiL Pictormn, 
" Wrad filius Bargoit," where the Graelic 
genitive Bargotif is another proof that 
this document was copied from an Irish 
original. — (T.) 

** Constantino JiLAedh. — The list given 
by Lynch (Cambrensis Evers. p. 94) omits 
the three kings between this Constantin 
and Domhnall fitz Alpin, which is proba- 
bly a mistake of his transcript, or of the 



press. The Chron. Pictorum gives Eocho- 
dins filius Ku, as the successor of Aedh 
fiL Cinaed, instead of Girig mac Dungaile ; 
but adds *' Licet Ciricium fiL [Dimgaile 
is probably omitted] alii dicunt hie reg- 
nasse, eo quod alumpnus ordinatorque 
Eochodio fiebat." Innes, voL ii. p. 785. 
Pinkerton, vol. i. p. 495. — (T.) 

"* Cuileiuy JU, IldoUb^ L e. son of Ildulf ; 
instead of whom the Chron. Pict. makes 



167 



Uidnust, fil. Uurgust, xii- annis regnavit. 

Drost, fil. Constatin, et Tolorc, fil. Uuthoil, hi annis conregnave- 
runt. 

Unen, fil. Unest, iii. 

Urad, fil. Bargot", iii. annis [regnavit], et Brod. i. anno regnavit. 
''Cinaed, fil. Alpin, xvi. annis regnavit. 

Domhnal, fil. Alpin, iiii. [annis] regnavit, et Custantan fil. Cinaeda 
XX. annis regnavit 

Aedh, fil. Cinaed, i^ anno regnavit. 

Girig mac Dungaile xi. vel. iii. annis regnavit. 

Domhnall, fil. Constantini, xi. annis regnavit. 

Constantin, fil. Aedh®, xlv. annis regnavit. 

Maelcolaim, fil. Domhnall, ix. annis regnavit. 

Cuilein, fil. Ildoilb*", fil. Constantini, iiii. annis regnavit. 

Cinaed, vel Dubh"*, fil. Mailcolaim, vii. annis regnavit. 

Cuilein' i. [et] dimidio [anni] regnavit. 

Cinead, fil. Dubh, viiL annis regnavit. 

Maelcolaim Mac Cinaeda xxx. annis regnavit. 

Donnchad Ua Mailcolaim vii. [annis] regnavit 

Macbeathad Mac Fin Mic Laig xvi. annis regnavit 

Lulach V. months. 

Maelcolaim Mac Colaim Mic Donnchaid after him. 

XXXIII. 



Indulphus himself the successor of Mai- 
oolm. See also Ogjgia, p. 486^ — (T.) 

** Vd Dubh, — The words uel oub are 
written over the name Cineao by a later 
hand. This is evidently the same king 
who is called Niger, fil. Maelcolaim, in the 
Pictish Chronicle, with a reign of five 
years. Lynches list assigns to this king a 
reign of 24 years. — (T.) 



^ Cuilein.'— -This king is called Cuilen- 
Rig in the Chron. Pict (ap. Innes) Colen 
Bing (ap. Pinkerton), with a reign of five 
years. Lynch calls him *' Constantin fil. 
Culen uno et dimidio anno." In the No- 
mina fiegum Pictorum (Innes, voL iL 
p. 802) he is called Culin Mac Induff, and 
a reign of four years and a half is assigned 
to him.— (T.) 



1 68 

XXXIIL bpicinia mpola occmni cm pionoam Olbiian nocpac, 
ochc. c. m. ceiTTienn ma paD .cc. ina leicheao, ma cimceall imoppo 
.i.u.TYi. un. mogac po h-ochc cearpaca. Ochc carpaca .;c;[^.l^ 
moci, 1 .u. bcpla, .i. 8a;:am bepla, i bepla bpeacan, "| beplaCpuic- 
neac, -] 5^^^^^5» 1 t^ciioean. 

Qnno .;cl. anre naciuicaccin Chpipci .i. cearpaca bliaoan pia 
n-gem Cpipc, canij S^^^P D^] ^^^T bpeacan co papjaib a lonja 
"I a ploig m ceo peachc, -| co papgaib Labianup cpibpp pucpom 
pooeoij jialla mopi bpeacan. 

Cluiop Ceippip m ceachpamao pig lap n-Iuil canij a n-mip 
bpeacan co h-mip Ope. 

Qb mcapnoacione Dommi clui. TTlapcup Qnconup cona bpa- 
chaip .1. LuiciDo Qupibo Commooo cpeioim mip bpeacan. 

Qib mcapnaciome Dommi .clprjcjc.i;:. Seuepup Qppep Cpipolo- 
canup camg a n-mip bpeacan, Ceipip amm na carpac ip m Qppaic, 

m 



' ^rti^tnta.— This scrap of Latin, strange- 
ly perverted by the ignorance of the scribe, 
is taken from the opening sentence of Bedels 
history : nocpac I suppose to be an igno- 
rant corruption of the contraction no. 
epac, and 1 have rendered it accordingly. 
Bede's words are: ^'Brittani oceani in- 
sula, cui quondam Albion nomen fuit, 

&c qu8B per millia passuum 

octingenta in boream longa, latitudinis 
habet millia ducenta, exceptis dumtaxat 
prolixioribus diversorum promontoriorum 
tractibus, quibus efficitur ut circuitus 
ejus quadragies octies septuaginta quin- 
que millia compleat." See above, sect, ii, 
p. 27, where the same statement nearly 
occurs. — {T.) 



* Eight times forty, — An attempt to ren- 
der literally Bede's "quadragies octies sep- 
tuaginta quinque millia.'' What follows 
about the five languages is also founded 
on a passage in Bede, lib. i. c. i {T.) 

" GaluSy a corruption of Julius, L e. 
Julius Caesar. See above, p. 59. — {T.) 

" The tribune. — The word cpibpp is evi- 
dently for cpibnp, i. a cpibunup. See 
Bede Hist. lib. L c. 2. *' Csesaris equitatu 
primo congressu a Brittannis victus, ibi- 
que Labienus occisus est." — {T,) 

^ Cluids Ceissir, i. a Claudius Csesar. 
He is called fourth king or emperor after 
Julius* evidently from Bede's words : 
"Claudius imperator, ab Augusto quar- 
tus." — c. 3. See above, p. 63. In the MS. 



169 



XXXIII. Britinia* insola, oceani cui quondam Olbiian nomen erat, 
is eight hundred thousand paces in length, two hundred thousand 
in breadth, and in circumference five thousand seventy and eight times 
forty*. There are in it eight score cities, and five languages, viz. the 
Saxon language, and the British language, and the Cruithnian lan- 
guage, and Gaelic, and Latin. 

Anno xl"**- ante nativitatem Christi, i e. forty years before the 
birth of Christ, came Galus" into the island of Britain ; he lost 
his ships and his army on his first expedition, and he lost Labienus 
the tribune^, btU at length he took the hostages of the island of 
Britain. 

Cluids Ceissir*, the fourth king after Juil, came into the island 
of Britain even to the island of Ore 

Ab incamatione Domini clvi. Marcus Antonus* with his brother, 
i. e. Lucidus Aurelius Commodus, devastated the island of Britain. 

Ab incamatione'' Domini clxxxix. Severus Afer Tripolitanus 
came into the island of Britain. Leipis was the name of the city in 
Afirica where he was bom ; he was the seventeenth king after Juil : 

it 



the words " Ab incamatione Domini, clvi" 
are joined to the preceding paragraph, as 
if they were the date of the invasion bj 
Claudius ; but they are the words vrith 
which Bede's fourth chapter begins, and 
evidently belong to the reign of Marcus 
Antoninus. This correction has, therefore, 
been made in the text— (T.) 

^Antontu, — Read Antoninus. Bede used 
no word equivalent to devastated. Cpei- 
6iin is explained in the Leabhar Gkibhala, 
p. 37, to signify the breaking down or 
demolition of ancient boundaries or fast- 
nesses. — {T.) 

IBISH ABCH. 8OC. 16. 



^ Ab mcamaiione. — Here again in the 
MS. the date is erroneously joined to the 
preceding paragraph. The authority here 
is Bede, i. c. 5. *'Anno ab incamatione Do- 
mini clxxxix. Severus genere Afer, Tri- 
politanus, ab oppido Lepti, decimus Sep- 
timus ab Augusto imperium adeptus, &c 
• . . . Itaque Severus magnam fossam, fir- 

missimumque vallum a mari ad 

mare duxit; ibique apudEvoracum oppi- 
dum morbo obiit. BeHquit duos filios 

Bassianum et Gretam Bassianus, 

Antonini nomine assumpto, regno potitus 

est."— (^0 



170 



m ;:uii. pig lap n-luil; if Do 00 ponao clao 8a;:an ; aobach a caip 

Qbpog. Oa mac oca bapanup -| '^ex:a. ba peipio po gab m piji, 
amm do Qncon. 

Qb incapnacioine Domini lap n-lul .cc.l;:;c;:.ui. Oioclipcan in 
rpeap pig ap cpichaD lap n-luil, -| ma;rimin, canig in n-inip bpea- 
can. Ipna h-aimpip po gab Capaupiup pigi bpcacan .uii. m-bliaDna 
conaD po mapb Qleccup, co po gab piDein piji, cpi m-bliaDan, 
conaD po mapb QpclipiDocup, -| ba pij y»iDe pe .pr. m-bliaoan. 
Oioclipcen 1 n-aipcep m Domain ac injpeim na Cpipcaige, -] TTlaip- 
cimen ina h-iapcap. 

Ip in mjpim peo pop Doman Qlbam naem -| Qpon 1 luil aipcm- 
Dcach cacpach Ceijonum ap an ampip pea aobach. 

Conpcanpc pi bpeacan achaip Conpcancin mic 6iline .1. capac 
ban ConpcannDin, po pcpib Gocpobup conaD ann po gab Con- 
pcancin piji ap cup a n-imp bpeacan ; Daig po jab a n-achaip 
placiup Ppanc ■) Gppaine 1 m-beachaiD Oioclipcem. 

Qb incapnanoine .ccc.l;c.iii. ^P^^^^^^F cerpacha pij o luil. 
Ip na h-aimpip piDein po gab apaile TYlaprim piji bpearan. 

Qb 



* Domini — The words lap n-lul are here 
an evident blunder, and are therefore 
omitted in the translation. The date, as 
before, is joined in the MS. to the preced- 
ing paragraph. Bede is the authority, 
c 6; and see above, p. 6^, — (T.) 

^ AUmn, — Bede, vbi eupr. c 7. The 
City Legionum is supposed to be Caer- 
leon, the ancient Isca Silurum, on the 
river Uskt in Monmouthshire. Aaron and 
Julius are here called chiefs (apocinoeac) 
of the dty, although Bede calls them 
simply ^^ cives.*' The word ardcinneach 



or Erenack^ in later times, was applied 
almost always to an ecclesiastical officer, 
although not always one in holy orders; 
but, as appears from this passage, it pro- 
perly signified any chief, superior, or per- 
son in authority. In the Leabhar Breac 
(fol. iiL coL i), SS. Peter and Paul are 
called the airchinneachs or chiefs of the 
Apostles: ipiac pn oipchinni^na n-app- 
eal, .1. pecap -| pol. And again, quoting 
EccL X. 1 6, " VsB tibi terra cujus rex puer 
est, et cujusprincipes mane comedunt,"&c. 
the writer adds: Ipe pocuinn malapoa 



171 



it was for him was made the Saxon ditch; he died at Caer Abrog. 
He had two sons, Basianus and Geta. It was he (the former) that 
succeeded to the kingdom by the name of Anton. 

Ab incamatione Domini" cclxxxiii. Dioclistan, the thirty-third 
king after Juil, and Maximin, came into the island of Britain. It was 
in their time that Caransius held the sovereignty of Britain seven 
yeiirs, until Alectus killed him, and held the sovereignty himself for 
three years, until Asclipidotus killed him, and became king himself 
for ten years. Dioclistan, in the east of the world, was persecuting 
the Christians, and Maiscimen in the west. 

It was in that persecution over the world that Saint Albain" — 
and Aron, and Juil, chiefs of the city Leigionum at that time, — died. 

Constanst^, king of Britain, was the father of Constantine, son of 
Eiline (Hdena)^ the concubine of Constantin. Etrobus wrote that it 
was in the island of Britain that Constantin took sovereignty at first; 
for his father had exercised dominion over France and Spain in the 
life-time of Dioclistan. 

Ab incamatione ccclxvi."" Gradianus wcis the fortieth king from 
Juil. It was in his time that a certain Maxim took the sovereignty 

of Britain. 

Ab 



bona cuoraib i Dona cellaiB ica mbic na 
pij -| na aipcmoi^ acta oilf i do cpaep i 
DO paebaibechc m cpaejail: " This is the 
cause of the destruction of the districts 
[L e. chieftainries], and of the churches, 
whose kings and chiefs [airchinneachs] are 
devoted to gluttony and worldly intempe- 
rance."— (T.) 

*• Canstansi, i e. Constantius, (or Con- 
stantinus, as Bede calls him) father of Con- 
stantine the Great; this paragraph, in- 



cluding the reference to Eutropius, is 
taken from Bede, i. c. 8. At the word Daij 
the transcriber of the MS. began a new 
paragraph with a large capital letter orna- 
mented with colour, as if beginning a new 
subject ; such was his ignorance. — (T.) 

^Ab incamatione ccclxvL-Read ccclxxvii. 
as in Bede, i. c. 9. This date is affixed 
in the MS. to the preceding paragraph. 
The next date is also misplaced in the 
same way (7*.) 



Z2 



172 

ab mcajinacione oomim .cccc.;:c.ini. Qpcacup i piji m DoTnain .1. 
Coecaip m cjieap pig cerpacha lap n-Qujiipcup . pilaciuf 6pic do 
gabail ippp, T 00 cojail na Cpipcaioe. 

Qb incapnoaciome .5. cccc.ui. Cecpi bliaona cccpacao pejpn 
DC bliaonaib o h-6olaip pig na n-^Q^^^^ piS^tD ^pci^'^i^ copaio a 
Tn-bpeacnaib, i mpoain Conpcanncin lappn pi o amain nicopa ina 
aif o mopacup conao po TnapbConpacinupcomaep cpc [pjopconpa 
honopii. Came Conpcanp a mac a mancainoe po jab piji. 

Ro bpip cpa Roim lapoaininmilipimo .c. l;r. iin. m-bliaoano po 
cumraiceao; if e pm cpich plachupa Roman pop imp bpeacan 
lap .ccccXj:}:. bliaoan, o pa gab n-luil imp bpearan, pep oibaoap 
Romanaij imm a milrneach, -] nip [pjapgaibpcar ogboio no aep 
eajnainoce, -] pujpac Romanaij, -| nip lejpeac uaoaib ecip. 

Ip aipipm DO ponpac ^^^^^l* 1 Cpuichmg no Da cmcD compoc- 
paib ipen bpuiD ■] cpeic. 

Oo cuap o bpeacnaib co n-ebaipc lib co Romancu ap Daig 
cobapca, '] Dupuchc milnec calma cuccu Dap in n-mpi puachr 

Cpucneac 

* ArcatuSy L e. Arcadius : for .i, Coe- rendered unintelligible by the gross igno- 

caif we should evidently read pil or mc. ranee of the transcriber ; no sense can 

Ceocaip. Bede, ib. c 10. — (T.) be made of it without extensive conjectu- 

« Forty-four years, — For 5. read t).^le. ral emendations. It is evidently intended 

Domini This is all confusion. On com- to represent the following statement of 

paring it with Bede, ib. c 11, it will be Bede, " Hujus [scil. Gratiani] loco Con- 

seen that the transcriber has given the stantinus ex infima militia, propter solam 

date ccccvi. instead of ccccvii.; that he spem nominis, sine merito virtutis, eli- 

has omitted the name Honorius ; and has gitur." — (71) 

converted Bede's " loco ab Augusto qua- • ' Home, — This paragraph is made up 

dragesimo quarto" into forty-four years ; from the following passages of Bede, L 

the word pe^pin is unintelligible, and cc. 11, 12: **Fracta est autem Roma a 

no attempt has been made to translate it. Grothis anno nulx.iv. sus conditionis, ex 

Nor has any attempt been made to translate quo tempore Romani in Britannia regnare 

what is said about Constantine, which is cessarunt, post annos ferme quadringentos 



173 



Ab incamatione Domini ccccxciv. Arcatus** was sovereign of the 
world [son of] Toetas [Theodositisjy the forty-third king after Augus- 
tus. Pilacius [ Pddffius] a Briton, adopted heresy, and destroyed the 
Christians. 

Ab incarnatione D. ccccv. Forty-four years'^ two years 

before Eolair [Alaric], King of the Gaeth [Goths], Gradian the cham- 
pion is made king of the Britons ; and then Constantine, afterwards 

imtil Constantinus Comes killed him at the 

command of Honorius. Constans, his son, came from being a monk, 
and took the kingdom. 

Now Rome' was destroyed afterwards in the thousandth one 
hundredth and Ixiv/'' year from its foundation. That was the end 
of the Roman dominion over the island of Britain, after cccclxx. years 
from the time when Juil took the island of Britain. The Romans 
extinguished it as to its military power, and there were left in it no 
warriors nor men of learning, and the Romans carried them off, and 
would not suffer them to return. 

It was then that the Gaedhels and the Cruithnians, two border 
tribes, took captives and spoil. 

There went ambassadors from the Britons with presents' along 
with them, to the Romans, to seek relief; and there came to them a 
valiant army across the island, who attacked the Cruithnians and 

Gaedhels; 



septuaginta ex quo Caius Julius Cssar 

eandem insulam adiit^' '* Exin 

Britannia in parte Brittonum omni arma- 
to milite, militaribus copiis universis, tota 
fioridse juventutis alacritate," [this seems 
to be what the Irish translator has sought 
to express by the word milmeach] " spo- 
liata, quae tyrannorum temeritate abducta 
nusquam ultra domum rediit, prsedse tan- 



turn patuit, utpote omnis bellici usus 
prorsus ignara, &c." The Irish is very 
corrupt, but with the Latin before us we 
cannot miss its meaning — (T.) 

* With presents. — The words co n- 
ebaipr lib ought evidently to be co n- 
epipclib, for they represent Bede's " le- 
gatos Romam cum epistolis mittentes, 
i.c 12. — (21) 



?> 



\ 



174 

Cpucneac "| ^Q^^^l*"; 1 ^^ cuaDap Dm D15 lapoain. po ceooip 
canjaoap namaio "| po cumpeacap bpeacain amail jopcabaio. 

Ro paioic na cechcaipe 00 apip -| Do pochc lejon Do cobaip 
bpeacan, "j po cairaijpeac ppia naibDib bpeacan "| po h-amaijic 
m claD leo Do pig [leg. pigTie] m Dala Seucpup ; ba Do claoaib in 
pecc pn .1. uii. cpaigce na leice "| .jcn. ma aipDe o muip co muip ; 
a pocim Da puaip, "| Dam^niu^iD amail na cipDip Dopip Dia cobaip 
■] loDap ap . 

Od cualaDap ^^^^^^^ 1 Cpuichnij amail cona alca po caipDib 
DO cuaDap pucib. 

Qb incapnainone .cccc. ]cj:. in. Ucochap luniop pope honopium 
m ceachpamaD pig .jcl. lap n-Qujupcup. 



^ Mowed down — Bede's words are " et 
quasi matiiram segetem obvia quseque 
metant, calcant, transeunt" — lb. — (T.). 

* Stones. — The text reads claoaib, which 
should evidently be clacaiB, and is trans- 
lated accordingly.^ — (T,) 

^ Wolves. — " Sicut enim ager a feris, 
ita miseri cives discerpuntur ab hosti- 
bus."— JJede, ibid.^(T). 



^ Theoihas. — ^* Theodosius junior post 
Honorium quadragesimus quintus ab Au- 
gusto," &c. — Bede^ i- 13. It is curious 
that the Irish compiler stops short just 
before Bede's account of Palladius being 
sent to the Scots by Pope Celestine, pro- 
bably for the same reason which led to the 
omission of Nennius's section De Mirabi- 
libus Hibernis, because there existed al- 



^75 

Gaedhels; and they returned to their home then. Immediately the 
enemy came, and mowed down** the Britons like a ripe corn field. 

The ambassadors were sent again, and a legion came to the assist- 
ance of the Britons, and fought against the enemies of the Britons, and 
the ditch which the second Severus made was repaired by them ; it 
was of stones* this time, i. e. seven feet broad and twelve high from sea 
to sea ; of sods they found it, and they fortified it so that they might 
not be required to come again to assist them ; and they departed. 

When the Gaedhels and the Cruithnians heard this they came upon 
them (i. e. upon the Britons) as wolves*" upon sheep. 

Ab incamatione cccc.xxii. Theothas' junior post Honorium the 
forty-fourth king after Augustus. 



ready in the Iiish language what the writer 
regarded as the better and fuller acoount 
of these events. The above abstract of 
Bede is of no historical or literary value, 
and would be unworthy of publication 
except as it forms one of the interpola- 
tions introduced into the Irish version 
of the Historia, in the manuscript from 



which the text of this work has been 
principally taken. The many ignorant 
blunders made by the scribe in this por- 
tion of his work, prove that the persons 
employed in making these transcripts 
were often possessed of no literary quali- 
fications for such a task, except the art 
of penmanship.— (T.) 



APPENDIX. 



IRISH ARCH. SOC. l6. 2 A 



178 



I. 



[DO peaRcai6 caiRNich qnn so.] 

QbQS Sap pan pigi m-bpecan lapcain, -| 5abaip neapc 8a;ran 
-| Cpuicncac ; -| cug Do peci^ ingean pij Qlban .1. babona mscan 
Loaipno mic Gipc; "] ni h-f po naipceb 00 ace a piup .i. Gpc injean 
Loaipno gop tpulla la Tfluipebac mac Gojain rhic Neill co h-Gpmo 

1 



* ITie miracles of Caimech, — This legend 
is probably subsequent to A. D. 1092, 
when the primacy of the see of Lyons was 
decreed; perhaps also to the S3mod of 
Cashel in 1172, which established canons 
of affinity; since its author accounts it 
a sin in Muirchertach to marry the widow 
of his maternal aunt's son. Though pos- 
sibly the sin of David, killing and then 
marrying, may be what he complains of. 
-(H.) 

^ After this, — This legend occurs only 
in the Book of Ballymote, where it is in- 
serted between what I have numbered 
sections xiv. and xy., supra p. 75, i. e. 
immediately after the account of the com- 
plete subjection of the Britons to the 
Romans. The words " after this," how- 
ever, must imply some considerable time 
after the Romans had abandoned Britain ; 



for if Sarran had dominion, as the story 
goes on to say, over the Saxons as well as 
over the Picts, his reign must have been 
subsequent to the Saxon invasion, which 
is dated A. D. 449 : and some time sub- 
sequent, for his father-in-law, Loarn, 
king of Scotland, began his reign A. D. 
503- Ogygia, p. 471. The genealogy of 
Sarran or Saran, the father of St. Carnech, 
is thus given by Colgan from the genea- 
logy of the saints in the Book of Lecan : 
Saran, son of Colgan (or Colchuo), son of 
Tuathal, son of Fedhlim, son of Fiachra 
Cassan, son of CoUa-da-Crioch. Acta SS. 
p. 783, n. I, and see also p. 713, c 4. In 
another authority quoted ib. n. 2, Fedh- 
lim is made the son of Fechim, son of 
Fiach, son of Colla-da-Crioch ; but the 
first is more correct ; and as Colla-da- 
Crioch fiourished from the year 297 to 



179 



I. 



Of the Miracles of Cairnech* here. 

Sarran assumed the sovereignty of Britain after this^, and esta- 
blished his power over the Saxons and Cniithnians. And he took 
to wife the daughter of the king of Alban, viz., Babona*", daughter 
of Loam, son of Ere**. And it was not she that was married* to him, 
but her sister, viz., Ere, daughter of Loam, until she eloped with 
Muiredhach, son of Eoghan, son of Niall, to Eri, and she bore him 

four 



about 350, ftccording to O'Flaherty's 
Chronology, we may reasonably suppose 
Saran to have reigned about the year 500, 
or somewhat later. — (T.) 

^ Babana, — Pompa or Babona, daughter 

of Loam Mor Mac £rc, first king of Scots 

in Lorn called after him, circa A. D. 503. 

Ogygia, p. 47i> Colgan, ActaHS. xxviiL 

Martii, p. 782. She bore to Sarran three 

sons: St. Camech, St. Ronan, and St. Bre- 

can or Becan (ibid.), of which names the 

first only occurs in the following list. 

This Sarran was son of Coelchu, and fifth 

in descent from Fiachra Cassan, nephew 

toColla Huas, 130th king of Erin; and 

was one of the chiefs of Orgiellia or Oriel 

in Ulster. Ogygia, ibid, and p. 359, 363. 

2 



^ Ere, or Ercus, as O'Flaherty and 
Colgan caU him for distinction's sake; for 
Ere occurs in this story as the name both 
of a man and of a woman. — (T.) 

• Nat .... married, — This contradiction 
may perhaps be explained by reference to 
the irregidarities prevalent in a much later 
age of Irish Christianity. So late as the 
time of Malachi of Armagh, contractum 

conjugiorum aut ignorabant ant 

negligebant. Bemardi Vita MaL in tom. 
iy. p. 128, MabiUon. But, under his cor- 
rection, '* concubinatus honestat celebri- 
tas nuptiarum," p. 1 3a The meaning of 
this is, probably, well explained by Dr. 
Lanigan as of the system of betrothals or 
sponsalia defuturOy not followed up by the 
carUraetus canjugiiy or actual marriage de 
A2 



r 



180 

T CO puc ceicpi macu do .1. TTluipccapcac mac Gpca "] peapabac 
T Uijeapnac "j TTlaian. 

Clanaip umoppo Sappan babona co po cuipmeab leo .u. meic 
.1. Cuipig -] Caipnech -j Gppcop Dallain "| Caemlac ; -] acbail 
lap copcup 1 lap m-buaiD 1 caij ITlapcain. 

Cuipi5, imoppo, po gab lap pin, 50 n-epecc a neapc pop 8a;rana, 
-| con n-epa cacaip poipecneac 1 uail mainipcpech Caipnic .1. a 
bparaip. TTluipceaprac mac Gpca m ran pm 1 uail pig bpeacan 

15 



prcesenti: Irish Eccl. Hist. iv. pp. 64, 70-72 . 
In the very rude age of Sarran and Babona, 
we may understand how the latter was 
taken to wife, but not married, although 
the mother of three or four sons. — {H,) 

^ Four sons. — Ere, daughter of Loam 
Mac Ere, was married to Muredach, son of 
Eoghan mac Niall Naoighiallach, and bore 
him four sons, Muirchertach, king of Erin ; 
Feradhach, Tighernach, and Maon. And 
after Muredach's death she was remarried 
to Fergus, son of Conall Gulban, another 
grandson of Niall the Great, to whom she 
bore four other sons, Sedna (progenitor 
of the Gulbanian kings of Erin), Fedhlim 
(father of St. Columkille), Brendan, and 
Loam. Ogygia and Colgan, ubi supra. 
—(H.) See Additional Notes, No. XXIL 

* Five sons. — Only four are here men- 
tioned. In the Naemh Seanchus, or Genea- 
logies of the Saints, preserved in the 
Book of Lecan, (in the tract which Colgan 
attributes to Aengus the Culdee, and fre- 
quently quotes, under the title of ** Libel- 
lus de matribus Sanctorum,") only three 
sons of Babona and Sarran are mentioned ; 



perhaps because three only were saints: 
pompa injen 6oaipn maraip Chaipnij, 
1 6pecain, meic Sapain, 1 Ponain pinD 
mic Sapain. *' Pompa, daughter of Loam, 
was the mother of Cairnech and Brecan, 
sons of Saran, and of Ronan Finn, son of 
Saran." — (T.) Saint Cairnech was the son 
of Saran and Pompa, or Babona. But 
of the other three the case is less plain. 
St. Dalian, according to Colgan, was the 
son of Colla (son of Ere, of the line of 
Colla Huais, king of Erin), by a mo- 
ther named Forgail, A. SS. Jan. xxix. 
p. 203. His real name was Eochaidh, 
and he was surnamed Dalian, by reason 
of his blindness. He was lineally descended 
from Colla Huais, and was cousin-german 
to St. Maidoc of Ferns, their fathers, Colla 
Mac Ere and Sedna Mac Ere, being bro- 
thers. See Ogygia, iii. c. 76. Of Caemlach 
I cannot say anything. But the word Lui- 
rig, if it were a name at all, would seem 
only to be a surname, for it is the Latin 
word lorica. Armour was not early worn 
in Ireland. At the battle of Seghais, in 
Leinster, Tighernach, ann. 709, the Britons 



i8i 



four sons^ viz. Muircheartach Mac Erca, and Fearadhach, and Tigh- 
eamach, and Maian. 

And Sarran had issue by Babona ; and there were begotten by 
them five sons*, viz., Luirig, and Cairnech, and Bishop Dallain, 
and Caemlach ; and he [i. e. Sarran] died after victory and after tri- 
iimph in the house of Martin*^. 

Luirig then succeeded to the throne, and he extended his power 
over the Saxons, and he forcibly built a fort within the precincts of 
the monastery of Cairnech his brother. Muircheartach Mac Erca* 

happened 



ivho senred on Ceallach's side were re- 
laa&rked for wearing the luirig. But it 
may be that the appellation is rather ob- 
tained bj changing the orthography of a 
real name than in the way of a surname. 
See below, p. 190, note. — (H.) Lurach 
Occurs as a proper name in Irish history ; 
\^ut who the Luirig was who is described 
in the legend before us as a British or Cor- 
nish king, I do not know.— (T.) 

^ Martin, — The house of Martin is 
Tours in France, which city he appears 
to have conquered, and bestowed the bi- 
shopric on his son, Cairnech. But nei- 
ther of those facts appears otherwise than 
by implication. — {H.) Unless we suppose 
Tech-Martain to be the name of some 
place where there was a monastery dedi- 
cated to St. Martin ; if so, Sarran dying 
with victory and triumph may signify 
that he died a monk. There are two 
places called St. Martin's in Cornwall. 
But at that time, a little before the Be- 
nedictines, all Irish monks were of the 
Martinist foundation, and every monas- 



tery, in a certain sense, a House of Martin. 
-(T.) 

^Muircheartach Mac Erccu — This mo- 
narch, called Mac Erca, from the name 
of his mother. Ere, daughter of Loam, 
was king of Ireland from 509, according 
to Tighemach, but, according to the 
more probable chronology of the Annals 
of Ulster, from 513 to 534. The ac- 
coimt here given of him is not very con- 
sistent with his reputation as the first 
Christian king of Ireland, ** a good and 
pious sovereign." Lanigan, i. p. 435. We 
may, perhaps, suppose that the murders 
for which he was banished from Ireland 
in his youth, and the subsequent parri- 
cide of his grandfather, for which he was 
banished from Scotland, were committed 
before his conversion to Christianity. 
But the same excuse cannot be made for 
other immoralities attributed to him. See 
Petrie's Essay on Tara Hill, Transactions 
Royal Irish Academy, vol. xviii. Antiq. 
p. 118, sq. The whole of this strange 
legend gives a curious picture of the loose 



l82 



15 poglaim gaipcib, lap na oicup a h-Gpino ap na Cpoppana do 
TnapbaD, 1 lap na Oicop mpcain a h-Qlbain ap mapbab a pean- 
arap 1. Coaipno pig Qlban; conap capla 00 coipeapcab a aipm in 
ran pm co Caipnocc co mac oeipbpcarap a marap; co n-ebaipc 
Caipnec pip, boo pig Gpenn "| bperan cu caibci, "| 00 geba nearh 
lapoain acr co n-Oicuipea Luipig do neapc aca pop in n-eclaip. 
QnDpm luij mac Gpca 5a pi j "j acbepc a h-aireapc lap puaccam 
.1. Na cumraig do cacaip 1 uail Caipnic eppcop. Dap mo Debpoc, 
ap Luipic, ap calma popm m peara aij^i allrai pil aicci anoap 
pern "I m Coimoe oia n-a6aip. Ueio mac Gpca ppui culu Caipnec 
lapcain agup plopioip a h-aireapc. 5^t)^T F^^P5 ^^P Caipnec 
oocam -| Di;rir, m'lcci pomcoimDir pom Dia co pop m aobup na 
h-ai5i pin po ^aba bap "| learpu a mic Gpca. h-Gpailip Caip- 
neach annpin ap mac Gpca cecc do Dicup a bparap, "] jabaip 
Dorain ap aeb compac, "| ua luib of h-epail Caipnic do Dicup m 
pij. Co n-oeapna Dia mop mipBuili ap Caipneach anDpm .1. cop 
paeb aj n-allaij ap m c-pleib co h-aepecc mo pi j, gop Deplaip in 

pluaj 



notions of morality entertained by its au- 
thor. It is not merely that Sarran is 
represented as marrying one sister and 
living with another; that St. Cairnech is 
represented as born in incest, and Muir- 
cheartach in adultery, for these things 
may have happened in a state of heathen- 
ism without reproach to the hero of the 
story; but St. Cairnech, a Christian bishop, 
is represented as instigating Muirchear- 
tachto the murder of Luirig; and exult- 
ing over the death of his brother in lan- 
guage very inconsistent with a profession 
of the Gospel ; and all this without any 
apparent consciousness in the writer of 



the legend that he was attributing to his 
hero anything unbecoming the Christian 
character. — ( T.) 

J Crossans, — These were the cross-bear- 
ers in religious processions, who also com- 
bined with that occupation, the profession, 
if we may so call it, of singing satirical 
poems against those who had incurred 
Church censure, or were for any other 
cause obnoxious. In this latter capacity 
they often brought upon themselves the 
vengeance of the lawless chieftains whom 
they lampooned. — (T.) 

^ Judge. — The word Oebpoc is explain- 
ed in the Leabhar Breac, fol. 14, a., by the 



^83 



happened to be at that time with the king of Britain, learning military 
science, after he was expelled from Ireland for having killed the 
Crossans^ and after having been subsequently expelled from Alba, 
for having killed his grandfather, Loam, king of Alba. It happened 
that he was at that time getting his arms consecrated by Caimech, 
the son of his mother's sister ; then Cairnech said to him. Thou shalt 
be king of Eri and of Britain for ever, and shalt go to heaven after, 
provided thou canst but prevent Luirig from exercising his power 
against the Church. Then Mac Erca went to the king, and after he came 
he told his message, viz. : Build not thy city {said he) in the precincts 
of Caimech the bishop. As God is my judge"^, says Luirig, I think more 
of the power of the pet wild fawn he has, than of his own power, or 
of the power of the Lord God whom he adores. Mac Erca returned 
to Caimech, and told him the result'. Great wrath suddenly seized 
Caimech, et dixit. My prayer to my Lord, to my God, is, that that 
very fawn may be the cause of his death, and by thy hand, O Mac 
Erca! Cairnech then commanded Mac Erca to go forth and destroy 
his brother, and he [Mac Erca] immediately took upon himself to 
fight him ; and he went forth at the command of Cairnech to destroy 
the king. And God worked a great miracle there for Cairnech, viz. 
he sent a wild fawn" out of the mountain into the king's assembly, 

and 



paraphrase oap mo t)ia mbpaca, L e. ^* by 
my God of judgment" The meaning is: 
**• I would as soon attribute miraculous 
powers to the pet fawn that follows him 
as to Caimech himself, or the God he 
worships." The word Coimoe, here trans- 
lated " Lord God," is the title generally 

given to Christ (T.) 

^ The resulL — Literally his desire, i. e. 
what he had desired to be done in regard 



to Luirig.— (T.) 

^ A wild fawn Meaning of course the 

wild fawn already spoken of, for other- 
wise the prayer of St. Cairnech would not 
have been fulfilled. Fawns and deer oc- 
cupy a prominent place in Irish hagio- 
graphy, and were the subjects of many 
miracles. St. Berach, of Cluain Coirphthe, 
had a deer which was sent to him mira- 
culously to carry his luggage, when he 



1 84 



pluag na biaib ac m pij gona banoalaiB; "i oipric TTlac Gpca, mar 
cialla chach a cigeapna ppic clepcach oaig buo pulli jach aim- 
nc6 Icne m cumracca ppi Luipij. Qnopin puioip TTlac Gpca m 
lop5 caca i plip in pij cop comcpom ; -] cupcaio 5a clepij -[ ceno 
laip pe comapra, "| oi;nc, ceno 00 bparap ouio a Caipnic ; er 
xyipc Caipneach, leic oampa an cnairh, "| comailpiu in pmip, "| 
popia gac cpeap comapba puno co bpach 1 m Gpmo. 

Uccraip geill "[ neapc m cipi annpin, -] Caipnec, ppi pecc 
Tn-blia6na, im mop piji bpccan, t Cac, -| Ope, "| 8a;ran. 

Co n-oeapna TTlac Gpca puillint) in peccaib .1. bean Cuipic 00 
cabaipu lap caragao 1 lap comlengaib co mop ppi pij Ppangc, a 
copnam a ingenc ppip, co n-oopcaip ic TTlac Gpca po6eoi6 in ingen, 

1 

set out in search of a suitable place for 
the foundation of his monastery. Vit. S. 
Berachi, c. 12. Colg. Acta SS. p. 342. 
Deer, at the prayer of St. Attracta, were 
made to carry timber to build the castle 
of the tyrant king of Connaught. Vit S. 
Attract®, c 13, ib. p. 280. A fawn, toge- 
ther with other wild animals, lived with 
St Kieran of Saigher, " manserunt mitis- 
sime apud eum et obediebant ei secun- 
dum jussionem yiri Dei in omnibus quasi 
MonachL" — ViL c 6, ib. p. 458. A 
wild deer came daily to St Emania to 
be milked. Vit S. Fechini, c. 41, ib. 
p. 138; a miracle which was also vouch- 
safed to St Crumtheris. Vit Trip. S. 
Patr. iii. c. 74. The wild deer also obeyed 
St Molagga of Teghmolagga. Vit c. 19, 
20, ActaSS. p. 147, 148. A deer brought 
St Columbkille his books which he had 
lost O'Donnell, lib. i. c. 3. Trias Thaum. 



p. 407. St. Patrick found a deer suck- 
ling her fawn in the spot where the north- 
ern altar of the cathedral of Armagh now 
stands, and, taking up the fawn, the deer 
followed him " velut mitissima ovis." Jo- 
celin. c. 163. Comp. also Eleran. a 86, 
Colg. Triad. Th. p. 46. And the same thing 
happened at Sabhall or Saul, Trip. iiL c. 
71. On another occasion St. Patrick and 
his companions passed through the hostile 
ambuscade of King Leogaire to Tara, the 
saint and his followers appearing to their 
enemies like eight deer, and the boy Benen, 
like a fawn, carrying a small bundle on 
his shoulder, which contained the sacred 
Bible of the saint. Vit. Trip. i. c 60. To 
commemorate this miracle Saint Patrick 
composed the Lorica or Fedh Fiadhd, first 
published by Mr. Petrie from the Liber 
Hymnorum. Essay on Tara, p. ^6, sq. — 
(T.) 



»85 



\ 



and the host all went in pursuit of it except the king himself and 
his women. Et dixit Mac Erca, If you had been just, my Lord, 
towards your cleric, it is certain that it would give increased happi- 
ness to have the royal robe on Luirig. Then Mac Erca thrust his 
battle stafF into the king's ^de, so that it was balanced" : and he 
returned to his cleric, and the head of the king with him, as a 
token ; et dixit, Zo, here is thy brother's head for thee, O Cair- 
nech. Et' dixit Cairnech, Leave me the bone, and eat thou the 
marrow, and every third coarb** shall be thine for ever, here** and 
in Eri. 

Then he {Mac Erca) took the hostages and the power of the 
district into his own hands^ conjointly with Cairnech, for seven years, 
as also the supreme sovereignty of Britain, and Cat', and Ore, and 
Saxonland. 

And Mac Erca then committed an additional sin, that is, he took 
to himself the wife of Luirig, after many battles and conflicts with 
the king of France, to take his daughter from him, until at last the 

daughter 



° Balanced* — That is, it passed through 
the King's body, so that as much of the 
spear appeared at one side as at the other. 
Or it stood balanced in the wound, with- 
out falling {T.) 

• Coarb, — The comharb or coarb is the 
successor and representative of the original 
founder in any prelacy, episcopal or con- 
ventuaL The word seems here used for 
the benefice itself. That the king was often 
the impropriator or commendatory of the 
coarbs, subject to the maintenance of the 
clergy of the mother church, ap|>ears from 
the Tribes and Customs of Hy-Many, p. 77, 
Dote '; Davis cit. ibid. An extensive se- 



cularization of that sort is here offered by 
Cairnech, as a reward to Muirchertach for 

killing his brother (H.) The word coarb, 

however, was also used to denote a succes- 
sor in a civU office, as a king, chieftain, or 
judge ; and this may possibly be its signi- 
fication here; although the former is more 
probable, as the grant in this case comes 
from the spiritual chief, in return for sup- 
posed services done to the church. — (T.) 

P Here^ L e. in Britain ; for Luirig is 
said to bave been a king of or in Britain, 
and the scene of the legend appears to 
have been placed there — (T.) 

^ Cat Cat is Catauesia or Caithness, 



IRISH ABCH. 80C. 1 6. 



2B 



i86 

"I cu puc ceirpi meic Do j. Conpcancin, "] ^^^^^^^^ picc, o caar 
puipig bpecan "| pig bpeacan Copno ; Nelleno a quo genp Nel- 

lan 



of which mention has already occurred. 
See p. 148, note ^. — (H.) 

' The daughter^ L e. the daughter of the 
king of France. I suppose the meaning 
to be, that Luirig's wife was the daughter 
of the king of France ; that after the 
death of her husband she was taken bj 
Mac £rca; that this led to wars with the 
king of France, and that Mac Erca finally 
succeeded in retaining her. If there be 
any history in this, it is difficult to trace 
it in such records as are accessible to me. 
It is probably a pure fiction, like many 
other things in this fabula perquam fu- 
tills, Sjel joippsech jan bach pipinne, 
as it is truly called in a note in the 
handwriting of old Charles O'Conor on 
the margin of the Book of Ballymote. — 

(r.) 

• Constantine.'-'lt is to be inquired what 
Constantine is here named as the son of 
Mac Erca. The Britons had a great notion 
of some royal saint so called, but distinct 
from Constantine the Great. Out of the 
tyrant Constantinus, who assumed the 
purple in Britain, and wore it in Aries, 
and his son, Constans the Monk, they have 
formed the kings of Britain, Cystennin 
Vendigaid, i e. Saint Constantine, and his 
son. Constant Vanach, or Constans the 
Monk. They figure in the mythus of 
Vortigem, and also in the heroic mythus 
that ensues, Cystennin being father, and 



Constant Vanach brother, to Emmrys 
Wledig and Uthyr Pendragon. Next 
comes Cystennin ap Cadwr, prince of 
Cornwall, who became king of all Bri- 
tain in 542, and to whom Gildas in 543 
or 544 addresses severe reproaches. The 
Brut of Kings affirms that he was slain 
in the third year of his reign, and buried 
in the Cor y Cewri, near Salisbury. It 
is observable that he was nearly the last 
king who could have been there buried, 
for in 552 Cynric, son of Cerdic, gained 
the victory of Searobyrig or Sarum. But 
others make a Saint Constantine out of 
him. Mr. Ritson, in his Cornish Saints, 
annexed to the Life of Arthur, p. 165, 
gives '* Constantine, king, monk, and mar- 
tyr, nth March, 556. Domesday Book." 
Hector Boece asserts that he stole away 
to Ireland secretly, clam suis, received 
the tonsure in an Irish monastery, and 
suffered martyrdom while preaching to 
Pagans in Scotland. — Lib. ix. cit. Ussher, 
Brit. Eccles. p. 281. ed. 2. While John 
of Tinmouth says, that Constantine, king 
of Cornwall, died peaceably in the mo- 
nastery of St David ofMenevia. — Cit ibid, 
p. 282. I regard the whole story of his 
tonsure as a blundering fiction, having its 
origin in the history of Constans Mona- 
chus, son o£Con8tantinus. The son of Cador, 
however, seems to have been the person to 
whom the legend of St. Constantine, king 



It 



187 



daughter' fell into Mac Breads hands, and she bare him four sons, 
viz. Constantine*, and Gaedhal-Ficht (from whom descend the kings 
of Britain, and the kings of Britain-Cornn^) ; Nellenn (a quo gens 

Nellan 



of Britain, and abbot of Hathain Hua Shua- 
naigh in Westmeath, had reference. See 
Petrie on the Round Towers, p. 351, etc. 
Constantinus Rex Britonum regnum ab- 
dicavit et peregrinationis caus& venit Ra- 
theniam tempore S. Mochuddae. Cathal 
Maguire, cit ibid. 353. This tale ob- 
tained such credit, as to have given the 
adjoining lands the name of Muigh Con- 
Stan tin before the period (perhaps not 
very recent) when the legend about the 
bard Rumann which Mr. Petrie quotes, 
was composed. Mochuda died in 637, 
with no reputation of peculiar longevity. 
— Lanigan, voL ii. p. 102. It is, therefore, 
apparent, that Constantine ap Cador could 
not have known him; much less have 
been his coarb, as Maguire pretends. But 
the failure of synchronism will rather 
give fresh impeachment to the story than 
raise doubts as to the person who is meant, 
for the day of commemoration is the same 
(March 1 1 th) at Rathain as it was in Corn- 
wall. We may regard the Irish legend as 
an explanation of what is read in Boece. 
As to the other story, that Constantine of 
Bathen was Constantine Mac Fergus, king 
of Albania or the Crutheni, it is wholly 
absurd and forged. For Constantine 
Map Fergus the Pic t acceded in 788 or 789, 
and died king in 8 1 9. But he is not found 
in the text of the ancient Irish Festilogies. 

2B 



Now of all these persons, it is evident 
that St. Constantine ap Cador, king, mar- 
tyr, and monk, should be the son fabu- 
lously ascribed to king Mac Erca. For 
that son was a Cornubian king ; and the 
date of Muirchertach, who died in 533, 
squares well with that of a son who (after 
a short reign) died in retirement in 556. 
Tighernach, ann. 588, mentions the Con- 
versio ad Dominum (tonsure) of one 
Constantinus, with no further explana- 
tion. 

The name of Gaedhal Ficht is merely 
that of the nation of Gwyddyl Fichti, or 
North Picts of Britain ; and is far from un- 
important, as an Erse recognition of that 
Welsh appellation. The Scotch being also 
of Mac Erca's family, the whole of Bri- 
tain, by means of Constantine, of Gaedhal 
Ficht, and of Loam, is made, in some soti, 
to derive itself from Ere, mother of 
Murchertach and Loarn. But such stuff 
will not bear a narrow examination. — 

* BritiunrCamnj i. e. Cornwall. — (T.) 
The title of the Cornish saint, Iddawg 
Corn Prydain, is usually rendered Horn 
of Britain, in a personal sense, like Post 
Prydain, Pillar of Britain. But this pas- 
sage confirms my suspicion, that Corn 
Prydain simply meant de Cornubi^ or 
Cornubiensis, Corn-Wealh. — (H,) 
2 



i88 



Ian, -| Scanoal in mac ele, a quo genp Scanoail .1. a n-Gpmn 6 cdic 
clanna na oep pn. 

Co n-Depnao mop-anol clepec n-Goppa co Uopinip TTlapcan 
.1. y^ecc n-eppuic .-py:}:. ap .ccc. ma comapba peaoaip, 00 paijib 
Caipnich eppcop Uoipinopi "| bpecan-copno, "| na n-uili bpeacnach, 
t)o oicup caca h-eippi, -| 00 ceapcu^ub jaca cfpi immupc na 
h-ecalpa ; "[ aopopapc conoacc mapcpa in beaca 00 Chaipnech 
ap pob e a roja bcara maprpa ; -| piiaip Caipnech .III. eppcop 00 
rojmap map mailli pe Caipnoech oia n-elerpf, "| 00 coib m Cien 
oa h-eilicpi .1. a oualup TTlic Gpca "| TTluipeaDaij;. 

Oo luib Caipnoech peme 50 bpecnaib Copno no Capnciceon, "] 
po cumoaijeat) caroip po calmain laip ap D015 na paicib pe cip 
na calum na h-eoip ; cop puillepcaip nepr "| piji Tllic Gpca pe 
bliabna, "| co camic co n-Gpmo perhe, conab h-e cec eppcop clainoi 
Neill ■] Uempach, -| gop be ceo maipcfp ~\ ceo manach Gpeno, "| 
cecna bpeceam peap n-Gpeno pop. q 

Coarh of Peter. — The coarb of Peter whom that country was converted. — 



is the Pope. What follows is very ob- 
scure; but it seems to me to imply that 
Cairnech and his clergy, in consideration 
of his relationship to the heads of the Hy 
Niall, were placed in possession of the 
metropolitan see of Lyons, which in the 
Council of Clermont, A. D. 1092, was for- 
mally established as the primacy of all 
France. If so, we have now made him 
primate of France, of Armorica at Tours 
(taking that construction of the House of 
Martin, above, p. 1 80), of Wales and Corn- 
wall, and in effect, of Ireland, of whose 
church he assumes the entire disposal. 

The name Carnticeon, attached to Corn- 
wall, I believe to mean Carentociawn, the 
diocese or jurisdiction of St. Carentoc, by 



There was a council held at Tours, in 
the year 566 or 567, on the 17th of No- 
vember, in the church of St. Martin, in 
which Euphronius, bishop of Tours, pre- 
sided, assisted by eight other prelates. 
The object of the Council was the refor- 
mation of discipline, and its twenty-seven 
canons which remain all relate to that 
subject. They may be found in the printed 
editions of the Councils, and there is an 
abstract of them in Richard, Analyse des 
Conciles, tom. L p. 569, sq. 4®. Paris, 1772. 
From this it would seem that there was 
here possibly some foundation of fact in 
the mind of the writer of this legend. St. 
Cairnech was originally of Cornwall, and 



189 

Nellan), and Scannal, the other son, a quo gens Scannail ; i. e. it is 
in Eri the descendants of the two last are. 

Now a great synod of the clergy of Europe was made at Tours 
of Martin, viz., three hundred and thirty-seven bishops, with the 
coarb of Peter", to meet Cairnech, Bishop of Tours and Britain-Cornn, 
and of all the British, to cast out every heresy, and to reduce every 
coimtry to the discipline of the Church. And the chieftainship of 
the martyrs of the world was given to Cairnech, because martyrdom 
was his own choice. And Cairnech found thrice fifty bishops who 
made it also their choice to accompany Cairnech in pilgrimage, and 
that number went to Lien'' in pilgrimage for the sake of Mac Erca 
and Muiredhach. 

Cairnech then set out to the Britons of Cornn or Camticeon, and 

a city was built by him under ground, in order that he might 

not see the earth, nor the country, nor the sky ; and he increased 

the strength and sovereignty of Mac Erca for a year, and he (i. e. 

Cairnech) came to Eri before him, so that he was the first bishop of 

the Clann-Niall and of Temhar (Tara), and he was the first mBxtjr 

and the first monk of Eri, and the first Brehon*' of the men of Eri 

also. 

Now, 

may have been connected with the Amio- ecclesiastics of Corn wall. — {T.) 
rican Britons, whose affairs appear to have ^ Xtat, probably Lyons. — (T.) 

formed a part of the business of the above- ^ Brehorij Le. judge. The author of 

mentioned Council of Tours, for its ninth the legend was determined to concentrate 

canon prohibits the consecration of a Ro- in the person of his hero every ecclesiasti- 

man or Briton to the episcopal office by cal perfection. This tale was either un- 

an Annorican bishop, without the license known to Colgan, or else he did not con- 

of the metropolitan (of Tours) or the com- sider it worthy of any notice. He makes 

provincial bishops. This woidd seem as no mention of any tradition that Cair- 

if the Armorican bishops were then seek- nech was a martyr, nor of any of the other 

ing to exercise an independent jurisdic- particulars here recorded; — Vit Carnechi, 

tion, perhaps, in conjunction with the ad 28 Mart. p. 782. — (71) 



190 

Cop carampeoap umoppo Ppamjc "j Sajrain Oia eif ppi TTlac 
Gpca, "] 5op coglab a cpich ■) a caraip pe cian o'aimpip, "] gop 
milleaD cpichab "] cumacca na cipi ba iieappa 00 pc mccc a 

curhacca 



' Made war, — The legend speaks only 
of the triumphs of Mac Erca, and con- 
cludes with his elevation to the sove- 
reignty of Ireland. For an account of his 
miserable death see Petrie on Tara Hill, 
pp. 119, 120, and the Four Masters, ad 
ann. 527 ; also Cossgrave in Vit. S. Cuth- 
berti. c i. ap Colgan, ad 20 Mart. p. 679, 
and the notes, p. 690. — (jT.) 

The writer of the legend might have 
gone on to say that St. Cairnech contri- 
buted to the cruel fate of King Mac Erca, 
by his bitter and not inoperative male- 
dictions on him and his house; and was 
to him what Saints Ruadan and Colum- 
kille were to king Diarmid Mac Cear- 
bhoiL — See Cambrensis £ versus, p. 74; 
Petrie on Tara Hill, p. 122. 

It remains to inquire what is meant by 
the legend of Sarran conquering, and his 
son Luirig governing, Britain, England, 
and Pictland? ^ Perhaps nothing. It is, 
however, true that, somewhere about those 
times, an Irish force conquered the island 
of Mona, or Anglesey. That island was 
recovered out of their hands by Cas- 
wallawn Lawhir, or the Longhanded, fa- 
ther to Maelgwn Gwynedd, king of Bri- 
tain, who defeated their leader, Serigi or 
Sirigi, at the place marked by the Cer- 
rig y Wyddyl or Stones of the Irishmen. 
Lhoyd and Powel, Descr. of Wales, p. 15 ; 



Warrington, L p. 40 ; Camden, ii. p. 60; 
Rowland's Mona, p. 147 ; Triads, series i. 
tr. 49 ; ser. ii. tr. 40. But Lhoyd, as well as 
D. Langhorne, Chro. Reg. Angl. p. 75, errs 
in saying that the 6 wyddyl Fichti or Picts 
were in Mona, instead of the Gwyddyl or 
Irish ; which is contrary to the Liber 
Triadum, misquoted by Langhorne. The 
latter makes the further mistake of sup- 
posing Gwyddyl Fichti to mean Cruthe- 
nians from Clanboy. The troops of Gan- 
val the Irishman, says Triad 8, series 3, 
came into N. Wales, and settled there for 
twenty-nine years, until they were driven 
into the sea by Caswallawn ap BelL But 
it is incredible, that the only two Cas- 
wallawns whose acts are recorded should 
both have driven the Irish out of North 
Wales ; or that an Irish inroad of the 
fractional duration of twenty-nine years 
should be referred to Csesar's days ; and 
I doubt not that the Irish settlers for 
twenty-nine years were those whom Cas- 
wallawn Lawhir expelled. They had taken 
strong hold of Mona. For Caswallawo, 
after his victory at the Cerrig, slew Sirigi 
at his town of Llan y Gwyddyl (Irish 
Church), now Holy-Head, which the 
Irish had built Rowlands, ibid. Oval 
and circidar trenches continue to be 
shewn in Mona as the ground plots of 
the Irish habitations, or cyttiau yr Gwyd- 



191 



Now, after this the Franks and the Saxons made war* against 
Mac Erca, and he destroyed their country and their cities after a 
long contest ; and the country and the power of the territories adja- 
cent 



delodd. — Rowlands, p. 27. If the Irish 
population were then expelled (and not, 
as I rather suppose, subjugated), the me- 
mory of its having been firmly seated 
there appears in Golyddan's division of 
the Irish of Vortigern's day, into those of 
Ireland, Mona, and North Britain, 

'* Gwyddyl Iwerddon, Mon, a Phrydyn." — Arch. 
Myvyr. i. 166. 

But Einion, father of Caswallawn, for 
whom his son reconquered Mona, was 
styled Anianus Bex Scotorum, L e. Einion 
Vrenin o Wyddelodd, king of the Irish- 
men. See Yaughan, cit. Camden, iL 69. 
Now this Caswallawn is said to have 
reigned over Gwynedd seventy-four years, 
from 443 to 517. But that chronology is 
tainted with the omission of two gene- 
rations, and the confounding of two dif- 
ferent Einions. His true pedigree is 
Cynedda, Einion Urdd, Owain Dantvyn, 
Einion Vrenin o Wydddodd, Caswallawn 
Lawhir. See Rowlands, p. 155. Cam- 
bro-Briton, L p. 247. The insertion of 
these generations may bring the date of 
Sirigi's death into the life-time of Mur- 
chertach, for he obtained the crown of 
Ireland in 513, and reigned over it 
till 533. Now, it seems possible, that 
the conquest of Mona by the Irish, may 
be the conquest of the British island. 



so largely exaggerated in this piece; and 
that the Luirig subsequently slain in Bri- 
tain may be Sirigi, as most writers spell 
the name. Here we read that Mac Erca 
sinned in taking Luirig's widow for his 
wife ; but in Lynch we read, that he pe- 
rished by the vengeance of Sin or Sheen 
(daughter of Sigh), whose father he had 
put to death. Cambr. Eversus, p. 74. In 
the prophecy of St. Cairneach it is said, 

** Sin in the woman who kills thee, 
O son of Etc, as 1 see;" 

and it enumerates her eleven names, but 
does not give her father^s name. See 
Petrie on Tara, p. 120. Sigh certainly 
approaches to Sirigh. If there be any 
truth at all in Muirchertach's having so- 
journed in Britain, it was probably enough 
among the Irish of Mona, and during the 
five years of anarchy, 508-13, preceding 
his accession, when Ireland had no king. 
That Cairnech may have presided over 
the Irish Church or Llan y Gwyddyl, that 
he may have quarrelled with Sirigi con- 
cerning the fortifications of that place, 
and that both he and Muirchertach were 
considered instrumental to his destruction, 
are all possible circumstances. But whe- 
ther their suggestion throws any glimmer 
of light on this extravagant narration, I 
leave others to judge. — (fT.) 



ig2 

curiiacca -| a nepc ; "| 50 came mp pn a Tno]i loinjcap 00 5abail 
piji na h-Gpeno ; 50 oeipd ic pan na long pop boino, gop loipccc 
laif a longa .1. gonab ua6a pdn[na]lon5, -] jop mapbao coigeb- 
aij na h-6peno lapcam, -] 50 po gaib a piji 00 bilep co bpac 00 
pern "I Oct clomo. ^^P Tnilleab cumacca "] neapc bpccan Dia h-cipi 
inopin. 

II. 

DO iNgaNcaib epeNN awDso t)a Rep teeaiR jcind t)a- 

cacha 

.1. Imp 5^"^ip ^ n-lppup Domnann, ipc a h-aipoi, na cuipp be- 
pap mci ni lobaic icep, ace papaic a n-mgne -| a puilc T-oobep gac 
aen inci aicni ap a achaip T ap a penachaip co cian lap n-egaib, 
"I ni lobann cio in pcoil apcena cen pailliuo mci. 



^ Fan-na-long, i. e. the drawing up of the 
ships. This place is now unknown. (T,) 

* Wonders, — The following account of 
the wonders of Ireland is taken from the 
Book of Ballymote, fol. 140, b. Another 
tract on the same subject, but differing 
both in the number and order of the 
"Wonders" described, is to be found in 
the MS. Library of Trinity College, Dub- 
lin, *H. 3, 17, col. 725, the same volume 
from which the text of the Irish Nennius 
has principally been taken in the present 
work. It shall be referred to in these 
notes by the letter D. as before. 

The Mirabilia HibemiaB are described 
by Nennius, Giraldus Cambrensis, Ralph 
Higden in his Polychronicon, who relies 
entirely on Giraldus ; O'Flaherty's Ogy- 
gia, part iii. c. 50, p. 289. S<?e also Ware's 



.11. 

Antiquities of Ireland, by Harris, chap. 
xxxiy. p. 227 — (T.) 

• Glenr-da-locka.— The Book of Glenda- 
loch is not now known to exist. The book 
which is preserved in the Library of Tri- 
nity College, Dublin, and which was 
quoted by Mr. Petrie, in his Essay on Tara, 
as the Book of Glendaloch, has since been 
ascertained by Mr. Curry to be the Book 
of Leinster. — ( T.) 

^ Inis GluatTf now Inish-glory, an island 
about a mile west off the coast of Erris, 
County Mayo. See O'Flaherty's West 
Connaught, and Mr. Hardiman's note, 
p. 81 ; also O'Donovan's Hy-Fiachrach, 
p. 492. O'Flaherty (Ogygia, p. 290) 
makes this the seventh wonder. In D. it 
is the sixth, and is thus described: Imp 
^luaip 6penaini> a n-1ppop OomnunD a 



J 93 

cent to him were also destroyed by the greatness of his power and of 
his strength ; and after this he came with a large fleet to take the 
sovereignty of Eri He landed at Fan-na-long on the Boyne, where 
he burned his ships, from which circumstance comes the name of 
Fan-na-long' ; and he killed the provincial kings of Ireland after- 
wards, and took their sovereignty by right for ever, for himself and 
for his descendants. And then the power and strength of Britain 
was destroyed after him. 

IL 

Op the Wonders" op Em herb according to the Book of Glen- 

DA-LOCHA*. 

i. Inis-Gluair** in Irrus Domhnann ; this is its property, that the 

corpses that are carried into it do not rot at all, but their nails and hair 

grow, and every one in it recognises his father and grandfather for a 

long period after their death. Neither does the meat unsalted rot 

in it 

n. 

dano, at aiunt, consecrata. In bac ho- 
minum corpora nee humantar, nee putres- 
cunt; sed sub divo posita et exposita 
permanent incormpta. Hie homines avos, 
atavos, et tritavos, longamque stirpis sus 
retro seriem, mirando conspiciunt et cog- 
noscunf — Top. Hib. Dist. ii c. 6. Aran 
was not dedicated to St. Brendan, but to 
St Endeus ; see Cambr. Eversus, pp. 7, 8. 
Inisb-glorj is at present uninhabited ; but 
it contains the ruins of some very ancient 
dwellings; and leeks and other garden 
herbs, introduced hj the Monks of St. 
Brendan, are foimd growing vrild in seve- 
ral places on the island. — (21) 



ConnacoaiG na maipb biD innci noco 
bpenaiD, 1 nocho lobaio, -] pa|xxiD a 
pulcu, -] a n-in^e, -) do beip each 
Qichne pop a muinoap pein inci. '^Inis 
Gluair of St. Brendann, in Irrus Domh- 
nann in Connacht: the corpses that are 
in it do not stink or rot, and their hair 
and nails grow, and every one recognises 
his own relations in it" The island was 
sacred to St Brendan, and still contains 
the ruins of churches dedicated to that 
saint Giraldus mentions this miracle, but 
gives a wrong name to the island: '* Est 
insula quedam in occidentali Conacti» 
solo posita, cui nomen ^ren, a sanctoBren- 



IBISH ABCH. 80G. 1 6. 



2C 



194 



.11. Loc n-Gchach; ipi a aipoi, cyiano cuilmn Do be pap ino ppi 
pecc m-bliaonaib ip cloc a m-bi oe ip m gpian, t ip lapann na m-bi 
ip in uipcc, cpano uTnoppo na m-bc uappu. 

.ni. Cippa loca Con i Connaccaib; ipi a h-aipoi ppi pin loc pil 
na compocup, cuij cpoigio eruppu oo 5p^r» ^^^ popbpio cia pepgaic 
in loc pechiopi he in cac cnpoi oib pin oo jp^F- 

.iu. Cippa 5^^^ ''^"^^ ' n-Qipjiallaib; ipi a aipoi puilc Dap 

arabap h-ic liaca po cecoip. 

.u. 



^ Loch n-Echachy L e. the lake of Eochach 
or Eocbadh, now Loch Neagh. Ogygia, 
p. 292. It is very generally believed that 
this lake possesses the property of petrify- 
ing wood. Harris, in his edit of Ware's 
Antiquit. p. 228, quotes Boetins, Hist. 
Lapidmn et Gemmarum, for a statement 
respecting Lough Neagh exactly the same 
as that of the text, but says that it has 
been found to be certainly false. It is po- 
pularly believed, however, to the present 
day. Nennius describes the miracle thus : 
*' Est aliud stagnum quod facit ligna du- 
resoerein lapides: homines autem fingunt 
ligna, et postquam ibrmaverint projicunt 
in stagno, et manent in eo usque ad caput 
anni, et in capite anni lapis reperitur. 
Et vocatur Loch Echach." Comp. O'Flar 
herty, Ogygia, p. 290, n. 3. In D. this is 
the second wonder, and ia thus described: 
6och n-Gochach, ?io nf 00 cpuno chuiU 
lino a cino .uti. m-bliaona'COTXiD KXpomn 
u m-bi oe n calmain, -| cloc a m-bi a 
n-uifci, 1 cpano a m-bi of uijx^e, ** Loch 
n-£ochach makes a holly tree at the end 
of seven years, so that the part that is in 



the earth becomes iron, and the part that 
is in the water becomes stone, and the 
part that is out of the water remains 
wood." Cambrensis has not mentioned 
this wonder, although he relates a story 
about the origin of this lake, which he 
says was originally a fountain, that was 
permitted to overflow the coimtry, in con- 
sequence of the unnatural crimes of the 
inhabitants. And this too in Christian 
times, for he adds : *•*• Quod piscatores aqus 
illius'turres ecclesiasticas, qu» more pa- 
triflB arete sunt et alts necnon et rotimds, 
sub undis manifeste sereno tempore con- 
spiciunt."— Topogr. d. 2, c. 9. This story 
bears evident marks of a desire to brand 
the Irish with odious imputations ; but 
if we omit the accusation of unnatural 
crimes, and the insinuation that the event 
took place in Christian times, the rest of the 
legend occurs, nearly as it is related by 
Cambrensis, in that curious collection of 
Irish historical and bardic traditions, the 
DinnseanchuB. 

According to this Irish legend Lough 
Neagh is said to have broken forth in the 



195 

ii. Loch n-Echach*^; its property is: a holly tree that is placed in 
it for seven years, the part of it that sinks into earth will be stone, 
the part that remains in the water will be iron, and the part that re- 
mains above water will be wood. 

iii. The well of Loch Con** in Connaught; its property is, with 
regard to the lake that is near it, there are five feet in differerice of 
height between them at all times. Whether the lake swells or shrinks 
the weU imitates it in each change continually. 

iv. The well of Gabhal Liuin* in Oirghialla; its property is, that 
human hair upon which it is poured will become immediately grey. 

V. 



reign of Lugadb Sriabh n-dearg, A. D. 
65-73; Ogyg. p. 289. See also Lynch, 
Cambrensis £ versus, pp. 132, 133 — (21) 
* The weU of Loch Con.— This well is 
now unknown in the yicinity of Loch Con, 
a lake in the barony of Tirawley, County 
Mayo. There is nothing miraculous in 
this wonder, which is the ninth in O'Fla- 
herty's list. — Ogygia, p. 291. 

Difltrictu Mayo fofris, atqne Tiranliie in oris 
Loch Canb ad ripam, spado remeabUiB •quo, 
Exundante lacu, vel subflidente, scatarit 
Proxiinu£ ; acoeaau fhgiena, redjeosqae reoeaau. 

D. describes the seventh wonder Cippa 
locQD [read loca Con, the scribe wrote 
o for 9, the contraction for con] a Con- 
naccaib cto mop a chuile -| cm mop a 
rape bio .u. qiai^ci acappu 00 ^ep. 
" The well of Loch [Con] in Connaught, 
whether there is a great flood or whether 
there is a great drought, there are always 
five feet difference of height between them." 

2C 



* OabhaL Lhan. — ^Now Galloon, a pa- 
rish in the barony of Dartry, inMonaghan, 
which county was a part of the ancient 
Oirghialla, or Oriel Giraldus places a well 
possessing the same wonderful property 
in Munster, and mentions another having 
an opposite efficacy in Ulster : '* Est fons 
in Momonia, cujus aqua si quis abluitur 
statim canus efficitur. Vidi hominem 
cujus pars barbae, limphis istis lota, canis 
incanduerat, altera parte tota in sua natura 
fusca manente. Est e contra fons in Ulto- 
nia, quo si quis abluitur, non canescet 
amplius. Hunc autem fontem feminsB 
frequentant, et viri caniciem vitare volen- 
tes." — Dist 2, c. 7. On which Lynch 
remarks : '^ De his fontibus id universim 
dico cum nee hodie nee memoria majorum 
fontes ejusmodi dotibus imbuti esse de- 
prehenduntur, nullam supetere rationem 
cur affectiones illis a nattira insitie tempo* 
lis diuturnitate evanescerent. Ac insu- 
per addo, cum indefinite fontium loca de- 
2 






196 



.u. Cippa plcibe bla&ma; ifi a h-oifOi oia nop pcga no Dia nop 
caiolea neach ni dn aep 1 colao pleochaio co n-oencup oipppionn 
"I mbapca aicce. 

.ui. Cippa Rara boch 1 dp Conaill; ipi a aipoe ppi gac n- 
oume acop ci, mao poca a paejul cpgio anaipo in a aijio, -| po gni 
connjup mop ppip. TTlao jaipic imoppo a pe pop leci pip Do plmc 

CO 5]iian. 

.un. Cippa uipce pomblaip 1 raeb m Copamn. Ipi aipoe in 

ropaip 



signet, eum in non modicam erroris suspi - 
cionem venire."— Cambr. Evers., p.8, comp. 
also p. 100. It is evident, however, from 
the present tract, that similar tales were 
current among the Irish themselves, and 
therefore that Cambrensis did not, in this 
instance at least, draw wholly on his own 
invention. In D. the well of Galloon is thus 
described, and stands eighth in the list of 
wonders: Cippa ^abpa lutn a n-Oipjial- 
laib liarai^ na fulcu cap a cabaprap 
a h-uipue. *' The well of Gabar [read 
Gabhal] Luin, in Oirghialla, it renders 
grey the hair on which its water is poured." 
O'Flaherty omits this wonder. — {T.) 

^ Sliabh BladhmOj now Slieve Bloom. 
The irritable well here mentioned is the 
source of the River Bearbha, now the Bar- 
row, in the barony of Hy-Regan, now 
Tinnahinch, in the north-west of the 
Queen's County. It floods the lower 
country for miles in the rainy seasons, a 
circumstance which probably gave rise to 
the legend in the text In D. this is the 
ninth wonder, and the story is told thus: 
Uippa fleiBe 6la6ma Din. Do nf pleb- 



chao mop t>ia n-aicrep h-i 6 ouine, n( 
coipceano on pleooao co n-oencap lo- 
baipc cuipp Cpifc aj an cibpaio. " The 
well of Slieve Bladhma then. It makes 
a great flood when it is looked upon by 
a man ; the flood does not cease until the 
offering of the Body of Christ is made at 
the well." Many similar traditions re- 
specting wells still prevail amongst the 
peasantry in every part of Ireland. Mr. 
O' Donovan, in a communication to the 
Editor, says: *'To this day the Irish retain 
the notion that if a pure spring well, 
whether consecrated or not, be defiled by 
throwing any nauseous filth into it, or 
washing soiled clothes in it, it will either 
dry up or migrate to some other locality, 
and many examples of such migrations are 
pointed out in every county in Ireland. 
The well of Slieve Bladhma appears to have 
been more deeply vengeful than any of 
our modern wells, since the glance of a 
human eye, or the touch of a human hand, 
was an offence which threatened inunda- 
tion to the neighbourhood, and could only 
be expiated by the sacrifice of the Mass 



197 



V. The well of Sliabh Bladhma^ its property is, if any one gazes 
on it, or touches it, its sky will not cease to pour down rain until 
mass and sacrifice are made at it. 

vi. The well of Rath Both* in Tir-Conaill ; its property to every 
one who seeks it is, that if his life is to be long it rises up against 
him, and salutes him with a great murmur of waves. If his life is to 
be short it sinks down suddenly to the bottom. 

vii. A well of sweet water in the side of the Corann'* ; the pro- 
perty 



itself.'^ O'Flaherty does not mention this 
well in bis metrical list of wonders; but 
Cambrensis gives the following version of 
it, in which, as usual, he greatly improves 
upon the story : '^ £st fons in Momonia, 
qui si tactus ab homine, vel etiam visus 
fuerit, statim tota Provincia pluviis in- 
undabit : quse non cessabunt donee sacerdos 
ad hoc deputatus, qui et virgo fuerit a 
nativitate, tam mente quam corpore, Missae 
celebratione in Capella (quse non procul 
a fonte ad hoc dignoscitur esse fundata) 
et aquiB benedictee, lactisque vaccs unius 
: coloris aspersione (barbaro satis ritu et 
ratione carente) fontem reconciliaverit." 
Top. dist 2, c. 7 ; Comp. Cambr. Eversus, 
pp. 8, 9.-(r.) 

^ BcUh'Both, now Raphoe, in the county 
of Donegal. This wonder, which is not 
noticed by Giraldus or O'Flaherty, is the 
tenth in £)., and is thus described: Cibpu 
"Racha boch a cpich Conaill mao f^ey- 
lac inci c^m Da pe^ao cibai^ cap a bpu- 
ach umach ; mao qiu imoppo, ni cic 
Dip a hop amach. '* The well of Bath- 
Both, in the Conndl country : if the per- 



son who goes to look at it is long-lived it 
overflows out over its brink; but if he is 
withering it does not go forth over its 
edge." At Acha, or St. John's well, near 
Kilkenny, it was believed that the holy 
well overflowed at midnight on St. John's 
Eve ; but no such property as that ascribed 
to the well in the text seems to be now re- 
membered at Raphue. — (T,) 

^ The Corann, a plain from which rises 
Sliabh Cramh, near Colooney, in the county 
of Sligo; on the side of which mountain 
this well is still pointed out, and the po- 
pular belief still attributes to it the pro- 
perty described in the text. Giraldus 
mentions this well, but he places it erro- 
neously on the top of the mountain ; ** Est 
et in Conactiayb9M didcis aquce in vertice 
mentis exoelsi, et procul a mari^ qui die 
naturali bis undis deliciens, et toties exu- 
berans marinas imitatur instabilitates." — 
Top. Dist 2. c. 7. From the expressions 
marked in italics it would seem that Giral- 
dus had before him a copy of the Irish 
account of these wonders, or a translation 
of it. No marvellous story lost any of 



I 



198 



copaip pni lina6 1 cpagao p^ aipoi mapa, "] ipcian o muip 
cena. 

.uiii. Capn cpacca Socaili; noco luja ic cichep e m can ip Ian 
ap in can ip cpaig, i ceo inuip cap na caip^ib mopaib na muip- 
beac impi pan can. 

jjc. Cloc pil 1 loc na n-Oncon 1 pleib i pail ^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^ca ; ipi 
a aipoe, 01a m-buailccap 1 do plcpc cpi mopaiDi pleochao 1 spian 
mpuTn. 

.;: Ice annpo cpi h-ingancai Cempa .1. mac .uii. m-bliaoan 00 

cupmio 



its wonders by passing through his hands, 
but it is evident that he copied from a na- 
tive original. In D. this is the eleventh 
wonder, and the story is told thus : Cibpa 
puil a euib in Copint) 00 ni cuile-] cpu- 
^6 pa copmaliup in mapu. *' There 
is a well in the side of the Corann, which 
flows and ebbs after the similitude of the 
** A miracle similar to this has been 



sea. 



already given amongst the wonders of 
Man. See above, p. 121. — (T.) 

' The strand of EothaiL — The great cam 
on Trawohelly strand still remains, but 
its miraculous property seems to be no 
more than this, that it is never covered by 
the sea. ** Super fluctus mirabiliter emi- 
nens,^' as O'Flaherty says, Ogygia, p- 174. 
It is recorded in the account of the battle 
of Magh Tuireadh that this cam was 
raised over £ochaidh Mac Eire the last 
king of the Firbolgs who was killed on 
the strand of Trawohelly by the Tuatha- 
de-Dannan, headed by Nuadha of the sil- 
ver hand, A. M. 2737, Ogyg. part iiL a 10. 
Keating in loc. 



The miraculous property of the cam of 
Trawohelly is spoken of in the Libellus 
de Matribus Sanctorum, as Colgan calls it, 
and which he attributes to Aengus the 
Culdee. After enumerating the seven 
daughters of Dallbronach of Dal Con- 
chobhair in the Decies of Bregia, and the 
long list of saints sprung from them, this 
document proceeds (Book of Leinster, fol. 
239, b. ooL 4. MS. Trin. ColL H. 2. 18.) 
Ocup conD pancacap imacallaim uile 
na naim peo 1 €Xipn Cpacca Goraile, -) 
CO pinypcc aencam, -| apbepcacap nech 
conpcepao 1 calam a n-oenraio na pic- 
pab a anim nem, -) na biao a ar^bail 
I calmain. Ocup in capnpa in pa £ofn- 
paicpeni co ci niuip oop poe h. piacpach 
na cicpab caipip. Ocup apbepc eppcop 
Hflane. 

Nee con pcepa oencxiio ap noeb 
pec bm cloen bio mep 
ni aicpeba calam cino. 
ni pia a anim pop nem. 

*' And all these saints met in a synod 



199 



perty of that well is, it fills aud ebbs like the s^a, though it is far 
from the sea too. 

viii. The earn of the strand of Eothail*. It is not the less seen when 
the tide is full than when it is at low ebb, and notwithstanding that 
the tide rises over the large rocks on the beach around it to and fro. 

ix. A stone in Loch na n-Onchon\ in a mountain near Glepn-da- 
Loch; its property is, if it be struck with a wand by way of assault, 
rain will ensue, and sunshine after. 

X. These are the three wonders of Teamhar", viz. : a youth of 

seven 



at the Cam of Tragh £othaile, and they 
made a covenant of union, and they said 
of whosoever should break that union on 
earth, his soul shall not reach heaven, and 
he shall not recover hi8 station on earth. 
And as for this cam at which we have 
met, the sea shall never cover it until it 
overflows the surface of Hy-Fiachrach. 
And Bishop Mane said, 

" Whosoever shall diasolTe the union of our saints, 
Whether he be degeoerate, or whether he be mad, 
Shall not inhabit the firm earth, 
His sGol shall not reach to heaven." 

See also the copy of the same tract pre- 
served in the Book of Lecan, fol. 43, and 
O'Donovan's Hy-Fiachrach, p^ 1 1 7, note ^. 
The earn of Trawohelly is the eighth in 
O'Flaherty's metrical list of wonders; it is 
not mentioned in D. — (T.) 

1 Loch na n-Onehon^ i. e. the Lake of Ot- 
ters. This is the name of a lake in the hills 
near Glandaloch, perhaps the same which 
is now called Loch-na-hanagan. There is 
a stone called the Deer-stone in the Glen 
itself^ on the south side of the lower lake. 



of which some similar tales are told ; but 
the original traditions are now so much 
corrupted by the ignorance of the guides 
and the folly of visitors to the lakes, that 
no dependence can be placed on them, as 
representing ancient thought — ( T.) 

* Teamhar, — The three wonders of Tara 
are given s^arately in D. The first is 
there the nineteenth wonder, and is thus 
described : fTkic .un. m-bliaocm po bai 
a Ceampaij, 1 po cuipini clano pon 
aimpip fin. " A boy of seven years old 
that was at Tara, and begot children at 
that age." 

The grave of the dwarf is the fifteenth 
wonder in D., and is spoken of in these 
words: Cij^e in aBuic a Cempaij, cpi 
qioi^i innci 00 each ecap be^ 1 mop. 
'' The grave of the dwarf at Teamhar ; it is 
three feet long to every one whether great 
or smalL" The meaning is, that every 
one, whether a child or a full-grown man, 
who attempts to measure it, finds it ex- 
actly three of his own feet long. O'Fla- 
herty has thus versified this wonder. 



200 



rufmio cloinne; ■) h^t in abuic .u. cpaipo oo jac ouine ann cia 
beoiy* beca no mopa; i in Ira pail .i. in cloc no 5ep]-^o pa cac pij 
ap paempao placa Cempac. 

.;:i, (/inn muilmo pil i Cluam pepca TTlolua ; ip i a h-oipoe na 
oaine no oop porpaic inci oca bpaigic na Imne Do gnic lumu Dib. 
Nemipcoic ech imoppo, oca pm puap. 

.;:ii. Qonacul TTlic Rupcamj i Ruipcc i Cailli poUomain i 

TTliDi 



which stands first in his list. — Ogygia, 
pp. 290. 

*' TemoriflB nani tamulum lapia obtegit, in quo 
Viff paer aut in&iis tres, et non amplios, aequat 
Quiaque pedes loogo ; nmnemm dkcrimine nullo 
Multiplicat minoitve pedum proportio dispar." 

See also Petrie on Tara Hill, p. i ^6 — (T,) 
Another form of this idea may be 
termed the Procrustean; where a grave 
(Giraldus, Itin. Camb. iL cap. 3, Higden, 
p. 1 89, where read se conformem for decon- 
formem), or a bed (Sir J. Ware, Ant. Hib. 
ed. Harris, p. 63), fits the length of who- 
soever lies down in it. Such was the grave 
upon Crugmawr or Pen Tychryd Mawr, 
in the vale of Aeron, in Cardigan. 

" Which to the fonn of every 
Viator confonnB itael^ 
Where if armour be left 
Entire at nightfall 
Certainly at daybreak 
You shall find it broken."— Ifi^c/. 

The tychryd mawr, great house of 
shuddering, was the palace of the chief of 
the giants; and it is well if no atrocity 
was connected herewith. See as above 
cited, and Hynavion Cymreig, pp. 1 55, i ^6. 



Compare the Ergengl Wonder, No. xi. 
pp. 1 18, 1 19, above. — (H.) 

The Lia Fail is the seventeenth won- 
der in D., and is thus described: Cloch 
fil a Cempaij .1. lia pail, no Jjejpo po 
copaib cuch nm no ^bao pi^e n-Bpino. 
** There is a stone at Tamhar, i.e. Lia Fail, 
which used to roar under the feet of every 
one that assumed the kingdom of Eri." 
For an acyunt of this stone see Ware's 
Antiquities by Harris, pp. 10, 124 ; and 
Petrie on Tara Hill, p. 138, where the 
question is discussed whether this famous 
stone was ever removed from Tara, and 
whether it is the same which now forms 
the seat of the ancient coronation chair in 
Westminster Abbey, as is generally sup- 
posed (T.) 

' Clttain-fearta Molua, now Clonfertmul- 
loe, an old grave-yard, giving name to a 
parish dedicated to St Molua, at the foot 
of Sliabh Bladhma, in the barony of Upper 
Ossory, Queen's County: *' In confinio 
Lageniensium et Mumoniensium, inter re- 
giones Osraigi et Hele et Laiges," are the 
words in which the situation of the ancient 
Church is described in the life of St. 



20I 



seven years of age begetting children ; and the grave of the dwarfs 
which measured five feet for every one, \vhether small or large; and 
the Lia Fail, i. e. the stone which shouted under every king whom 
it recognised in the sovereignty of Teamhar. 

xi. There is a miltpond at Cluain-fearta Molua' ; its property is, 
the people who bathe in it at the neck" of the pond become lepers: it 
injures not if entered in any other place. 

xii. The grave of Mac Uustaing at Rus-Ech", in Cailli FoUamhain, 

in 



Molna, and tbey apply exactly to the site 
of the present graye-yard. Fleming, Col- 
lect, p. 574. Ussher, Primord. p. 943. 
Lanigan, vol. ii. p. 206. St. Molna's day 
was the 4th of August. No trace of the 
pond, or tradition of its wonderful pro- 
perty, is now to be found in the parish. 
In D. this is the eighteenth miracle, 
and is described thus: Qca linb muilint) 
a Cluam-pheapca IDolua, -] clarhai^ tkx 
Dcime na^ait) innci ace nianai^ aenca- 
6aca niolua. Qca inno aile ipin lint> 

ceona. Da rpai^ oe^ acappu 

oenann put>aip mat) arm pin cia^ip 
mnci. ^^ There is a millpond at Cluain 
Fearta-Molua, and the people that bathe 
in it become lepers, except the monks in 
communion with Molua. There is another 
place in the same pond, twelve feet distant 

and it doth no harm if it is 

at this place it is entered.^' The monks 
evidently put out this story to secure their 
own bathing-place from public intrusion. 
-iT.) 

■* Neck. — The word bpai^ic denotes 
the sluice or narrow canal through which 

IRISH ABCH. 800. 1 6. 2 



the water flows from the Imn or pond 
upon the wheel of the mill. Mr. O^ Dono- 
van informs me that these words are still 
so used in the County Kilkenny, and pro- 
bably in most other parts of Ireland.— (jT.) 
*» RuS'Ech, — The old church of Ros- 
each, now Russagh, is still remaining, 
near tlie village of Street, in the north of 
the county of Westmeath, adjoining the 
County of Longford, but the grave of Mac 
Rustaing is no longer pointed out or re- 
membered. Mac Rustaing was the mater- 
nal brother of St. Coemain Brec, and was 
probably an ecclesiastic, as he is spoken 
of as one of the eight distinguished scho- 
lars of Armagh, about the year 740. See 
Mac Conglinne*8 Vision, Leabhar Breac, 
p. 2 19. St Coeman Brec, Abbot of Ros- 
each, died 14th September, A. D. 615 
(Ussher, Primord. Ind. Chron.), on which 
day he is mentioned in the Felire of 
iEngus. At the end of the month of Sep- 
tember, in the MS. of the Felire preserved 
in the Leabhar Breac, there is the follow- 
ing account of the grave of Mac Rustaing : 
Coeman 6pecc ITlac Nippe .i. o Ropp 



D 



202 



TTlioi nf cuTnainj ben a pejao cen maiom a belma cpci, no apo- 
jaipe m-baer. 

.;;iii. TTlacpaD o Chailli poclao .1. 01 ingin, Cpebpa -] Ceppa a 
n-anmann; po labpaiopec a m-bponnaib a mairpec, -] ipeb apbepc- 
fac, caip a naeb pacpaic '] planaig pin. 

each hi Caille Polamain hi Hlioe aca 
f loe, ocup niac Rupcainy map oen f pip, 
1 cUinD oen machap eac a n-Dip. No hi 
Ropp liac aca Coeman 6pecc, uc Oen- 
j;uy Dicunc [sic], peo nepcio ubi epc 
Roppliacc. Qonocul oin TTlic Rupcainj 
1 Ropp each hi mioe. Ni chumainy 
nach bfn a peayao cen maiom a oeVma 
epci no cen apoyaipe boerh lapum, uc 
oi;cic. 



^/i^e nriic Pupcain^ paioe, 
111 Roppeach cen imnaipe, 
nriac chi cech ben baij^iD, 
6pai2^it> -| ban^ipio. 
Cpican ainm TTlic Rupcainj pain, 
^apboaipe ainm TTlic Samain, 
Qinoiaipp ap niuc Conj^lmoe, 
TTlop DO laiDib 00 pinoe. 

'^ Coeman Brecc Mac Nisse^ i. e. at Ross 
Each in Caille Follamain, in Meath, he is, 
and Mac Bustaing along with him^ and 
they were both the children of one mother. 
Or it is in Bos Liag that Coeman Brecc 
is, ut Oengus dicunt [dicit}, sed nescio 
nbi est Bos Liag. The grave of Mac 
Bustaing is in Ross-Each in Meatk No 
woman can look at it without a sudden ex- 
clamation, or a loud frantic laugh. Ut 
dixit, 



The grave of Mac Rostaing, I say, 
In Bos Each, without disgrace. 
Every woman who sees shouts, 
Shrieks, and loudly laughs. 
Critan was the name of fair Mac Rustaing, 
Garbdaire was the name of Mac Samain, 
Aindiairr was Mac Conglinde, 
Many were the poems he made." 

Mac Bustaing's grave is the twentieth 
wonder in D^ and is thus spoken of: 
Qon.icul mic Rupoamj noco peDann 
bean ape^ao jan ^ipe, no cpopc. 
" The grave of Mac Busdaing; no woman 
can look %t it without a laugh or scream." 

_(r.) 

« Cailli Fochladh, or the wood of Foch- 
ladh. See O'Donovan's Hy-Fiachrach, 
p. 463, where the situation of this cele- 
brated wood is ascertained. The story of 
a voice from the wood of Fochladh is told 
in the Confessio of St. Patrick, the Hymn 
of St Fiech, and all the Lives except that 
attributed to Probus. The Confessio does 
not speak of the voice as coming from 
children, and neither do the second and 
fourth Lives in Colgan. This was, there- 
fore, probably the original story; but 
Fiech and the Tripartite Life speak of chil- 
dren; niacpaiD Caille Pochlao (Fiech, 
n. 8) ; pueri in syl va Fochladensi, (Trip. i. 
c 30); and the other Lives add to this 



ao3 

in Meath, no woman has power to look at without an involuntary 
shriek, or a loud, foolish laugh. 

xiii. The children of Cailli Fochladh°, viz., two daughters, Cre- 
bra and Le^ra were their names; they spoke from the wombs of their 
mothers, and what they said was, Come, O Saint Patrick! and 
save us. 



that thej were children jet unborn ; ''vox 
infantium ex uteris matrum ex region- 
ibos Connaotorum Hack aillUo farttuch 
[which Colgan interprets, hen, accede hue 
fer auxilium], (Vit. 3* c 20); infantiili 
Hibemi maternis uteris inclusi voce clara 
daman tes," (Jocelin, cap. 21). The scho- 
liast on the hymn of Fiech gives us the 
names of these children, telling us more- 
over their number and their sex : he adds, 
that their voices were heard throughout 
all Ireland, and even by Pope Celestin at 
Rome. *^ Ipse Ccelestinus quando ordina* 
batur Patricius audiebat vocem infantium 
eum advocantium. Infantes autem, de 
quibus hio sermo est, vocabantur Crebrea 

et Lessa, due filia Gleranni filii 

Nenii; et hodie coluntur ut sanctas, et ab 
ipso Patricio erant baptizate : et in eccle- 
sia de Foreland juxta Muadium fluvium 
[the Moy] ad ocoidentem, requiescunt. 
Que autem tunc in ventre matris exis- 
tentes dicebant, erant hoec: Hihemienaea 
amnes clamant ad te. £t hssc ssepius 
ab eis decantata audiebantur per Hiber- 
niam totam vel usque ad ipsos Boipanos.'' 
Jocelin (a 59) mentions the baptism of 
the daughters of Gleran, and tells us that 

2D 



XIV. 

they were the same who had called St. 
Patrick out of their mother's womb, and 
that they afterwards became saints ; but 
he does not give their names. The Tri- 
partite Life gives us their names, and al- 
though, in the place already cited, the 
author had called them pueri, and in ano- 
ther place (IL c 77) he speaks of mul- 
t08 infantes in utero matrum existentes, 
yet here (ii. c 86), he says: " Ibi vir sane- 
tus baptizavit, Deoque consecravit duas 
celebrates sanctitatis virgines Crebream et 
Lassaram, Gleranno viro nobili Cuminei 
filio natas. Has sunt qua inclusse in utero 
matemo, in regione de Caille-Fochladh, 
referuntur dudum ante in persona [i. e. 
in the name of, or on behalf of,] infan- 
tium Hiberniffi clamasse ad S. Patricium, 
dum esset in insulis maris Tyrrheni, 
efflagitando ut seposita mora ad Hiber- 
nos convertendos acceleraret: earumque 
sacrae exuvise ut patronarum loci, in 
summa veneratione in ecclesia de Kill- 
fhorclann juxta Muadium versus ocoi- 
dentem asservantur." See Ussher, Prim, 
p. 832. The children of Caille Fochladh 
are not mentioned among the wonders of 

Ireland in D., or by O'Flaherty (T,) 

2 



I 



204 



,pu. Sil in paclcon i n-OrpaiJi^ a^ci- QifOi m^nao acu. 
Delbaic lac i conaib alcaiD, "] ciagaic lac i conpeccaib, q oia 
mapbrap lac "] peoil ina in-belaib ip amlaio biD na cuipp ap a 
cmgac; "] airmc oia muir.cepaib nap pojlnaipcep na cuipp, aip oia 
n-gluaipcep m ricpaopum cucu pempep. 

.;pu. Copann mop oocaioecc \ n-aimpip DonncaiD mic Domnaill 

mic 



* Descendants of ike wclf. — This story is 
given much more fiiUj in D, where it 
stands as the twenty-second wonder: — 
Qcaic apoile oaine a n-Gipino .1. f il 
^^aijne Paelaio a n-Oppai je, riu^aio a 
|iichcaib mac cipe, m can ip ail leo, -| 
mapbaiD na h-int>ile po bep na mac 
'^P** 1 pajhaiD a cuppu pein, m ran 
cia^ait) ap na conpachcuiB aichni^io t>ia 
mumcepaib can a coppu do cumpcu^uS, 
ap Dia cumpcaiDcep nf pecpao ceachc 
capip ap t\QL coppatb ; 1 oia cpechc- 
nai^ep amuich beio na cpecca pm na 
coppaib anopna ci^aib -| bi^ in peoil 
oeap^ cairaio amuich ana piaclaiB. 
" There are certain people in Eri, viz. : 
the race of Laighne Faelaidh, in Ossory, 
they pass into the forms of wolves when- 
ever they please, and kill cattle according 
to the custom of wolves, and they quit 
their own bodies ; when they go forth in 
the wolf-forms, they charge their friends 
not to remove their bodies, for if they are 
moved they will not be able to come 
again into their bodies ; and if they are 
wounded while abroad, the same wounds 
will be on their bodies in their houses ; 
and the raw flesh devoured while abroad 



will be in their teeth." Giraldus Cambren- 
sis tells a story of two wolves who had 
been a man and woman of the Ossorians, 
but were transformed into wolves every 
seven years, in virtue of a curse imposed 
on their race by Saint Naal or Natalis» 
abbot of Cill-na-managh, or Kilmanagh, 
in the Co. Kilkenny, who . flourished in 
the sixth century. They had been ba- 
nished to Meath, where they met a priest 
in a wood, a short time before £arl John 
came to Ireland in the reign of Henry II., 
and retaining, it seems, the use of lan- 
guage, they foretold the conquest of Ire- 
land by the English. The following is a 
part of what the wolf said to the priest : 
*^ De quodam hominum genere sumus 
Ossyriensium ; vnde quolibet septennio 
per iraprecationem sancti cuiusdam Nata- 
lis scilicet Abbatis, duo, videlicet, mas 
et fcemina, tam a formis, quam finibus 
exulare coguntur. Formam enim huma- 
nam prorsus exuentes induunt lupinanu 
Complete vero septennii spacio, si forte 
superstites fuerint, aliis duobus ipsorum 
loco simili conditione subrogatis, ad pris^ 
tinam redeunt tam patriam quam natu- 
ram." — Top. Dist, 2, c. 19. 



205 



xiv. The descendants of the wolP axe in Ossory. They have 
a wonderful property. They transform themselves into wolves, and 
go forth in the form of wolves, and if they happen to be killed with 
flesh in their mouths, it is in the same condition that the bodies out 
of which they have come will be found ; and they command their 
families not to remove their bodies, because if they were moved, 
they could never come into them again. 

XV. Great thimder happened in the time of Donogh', son of 

Donall, 



Cambrensis, whose credulity was un- 
bounded, gave full credit to this strange 
tale. Not so Fjnes Morjson, who holds 
it up to ridicule; but it appears from 
what he says, that the tale was currently 
believed in his time: '* It is redicidous," 
(he says), *^ which some Irish (who will be 
believed as men of credit) report of men 
in these parts [Upper Ossory and Or- 
mond] yeerely turned into wolves, except 
the aboundance of melancholy humour 
transports them to imagine that they are 
so transformed." — Itin, p. iii., c. 5, p. 157. 
— (T.) For the legends and facts con- 
cerning this strange and widely-diffused 
class of demoniacs or melancholies, con- 
sult Herodotus, iv. 105; Pliny, viii. 22; 
Olaus Magnus, de Gent Sep ten tr. lib. xviiL 
cap. 45-7 ; Gervas Tilbur. Otia Imper. L 
c. 15 ; Marie de France, Lai du Bisclaveret, 
L p. 178 ; William and the Werwolf, 
.Lond., 1832; P. Lancre Tableau, etcdes 
Mauvais Anges, pp. 259,309; Hakewill^s 
Apologie, L cap. L s. 6; Boguet Discours 
des Sorciers, cap. liii. ; Verstegan's Resti- 
tution, p. 237; Life of Nathaniel Pearce, 



i. pp. 287 -9 ; iL p. 340 — {H,) 

* Donogh, — Donogh, son of Donall, son 
of Murrough, was king of Ireland from 
A.D. 770 to 797, according to O'Fla- 
herty's chronology, Ogyg., p. 433. The 
Four Masters have placed the great storm, 
here counted as one of the wonders of 
Ireland, under the year 799 ; their words 
are: Capla j^aech anbf oiU, coipneac -\ 
cemocpe.ic ip in lo pia peil paopaicc 
na bliu6n:i po, co po mapBao oeicne- 
bap ap mile hi epic Copcabuipcmo, -] 
CO po pano an muip oilen picae 1 cpi 
panoaib. ^^ A violent wind, thunder, and 
lightning occurred this year on the day 
before the feast of Patrick, so that a 
thousand and ten men were killed in the 
territory of Corco Bhaiscin ; and the sea 
divided the island of Fitae into three 
parts.^' The island of Fithi is a small 
island, now called Mutton Island, on the 
coast of the county of Clare, opposite Kil- 
murry Ibrickin. The two other parts of 
the original island are still to be seen 
near it; they are insignificant islets, or 
rather lofty masses of rock, close to Mut- 



2o6 



mic TTIiipchaiD pig Gpenn, gup mapb .;rup. ap mill i epic Copco 
baipcino -| co po pann wjny] pici i cpi. 

.;rui. Cpi h-in^anca la Cluam mic noip. pep cen ceno ppi pc 
peer m-blia6an. Ince bucuc a ainrn .1. TTIaelcamain. In call no 
reo pon Sinaino co cabpao lep epcunj jac laopa lam ^ cop Do. In 
c-aonacul po clap 1 Cluam beup 1 ni pepp i ni clopp do aonacul 
arm, -| po ppic pep mop-ulcac mo, "| bpaena pola oepje caipip, 
bappac uip-beiri do pcuabaib cenjail ime, Cuij cpaiji oej ma 
poD, "I .;97r. cpoijeo do ralarh uapu. 

.pcun. Coc Caij i epic Umaill la Connacco do eluD piap co 

muip naD bai De ace a lacpach. 

.;:uin. 

Tighernach, ad an. 549, and by Keating 
under the reign of Tuathal Maelgarbh 
(A. D. 533-544), who tells us that this 
headless wonder lived in that state for 
four years among the monks of Clonmac- 
nois, his head having dropped off at the 
fair of Tailten, in consequence of his 
having sworn falsely on the relic called 
the hand of St. Kieran. This story is 
certainly of great antiquity, and was once 
extensively believed; it probably origi- 
nated in a figurative mode of describing 
a loss of memory or reason, or some eccle- 
siastical or spiritual defect. In a note at 
August 4, in the Felire of Aengus, a story 
is told of St Molua, who went into a 
church with St. Comgall, and, to their 
astonishment, every one in the church, 
including Comgall and Molua themselves, 
appeared headless. The following expla- 
nation of this appearance is then given : 
If be aca po ap Comgall .1. m-anmch- 
apapu acbach, i a cupa cen cheano, i 



ton Island. Mr. O'Donovan remarks, in 
a communication to the Editor, that the 
barony of Ibrickin was originally a part 
of Corco-Bhaiscin, before the Ui Bracain, 
or Mac Gormans, settled in that country. 
This fact appears from the position of 
Mutton Island, which is here, and by the 
Four Masters, said to be in Corco-Bhais- 
cin, and also from the Life of St. Senan, 
who was the patron of the Corco-Bhaiscin 
race — (T.) 

"■ Clonmacnois, — The first of these three 
wonders is the twenty- third wonder of 
Ireland in D. : T^o bui oume a Cluain- 
mic-noip, lap ceacc a cino oe cpe 
cpeblaiD, 1 po bai .uii. m-bliubna 'na 
bearai^ lap pin, cpe na iheioe, no cuin- 
jeao bia6 t no caichec^o. *' There was 
a man at Clonmacnois, afler his head 
came off through disease, and he was 
seven years afterwards living; through 
his trunk he called for food and con- 
sumed it.'* The same story is told by 



207 



Donallf son of Murrough, king of Ireland, which killed one thousand 
and ten persons in the territory of Corco Baiscinn, and divided Inis- 
Fithi into three parts. 

xvi. Three wonders at Clonmacnois'. A man without a head 
during the space of seven years. Inte Bucuc* was his name, i. e. 
Maltamain. The blind man who used to dive into the Shannon and 
bring forth an eel in each of the forks of his hands and feet The grave' 
which was dug in Cluain, and it was not known or heard that there 
was an interment there, and there was a great-bearded man found in 
it, covered with drops of red blood, and a covering of green birch 
brooms about him. Fifteen feet long was he, and there were thirty 
feet of earth over him. 

xvii. Loch Laigh**, in the territory of Umaile, in Connaght, ran 
off into the sea, so that nothing of it remained but its place. 

xviii. 

as far as the Editor knows. The legend 
of the giant's grave appears to be con- 
nected with the adyenttire of the poet 
Mac Caisi, which will be found in the 
note, p. 2 ID — (T.) 

" Loch Laigh^ a lake in the territory 
of Umhaile, the ancient country of the 
O'Malleys, anglicised ** the Owles," a dis- 
trict comprising the barony of Murrisk 
(called uiiiall ucicepac, or the upper), and 
the barony of Burrishoole (called umcill 
loccpac, the lower), in thecountyof Mayo. 
See O'Donovan's Hy-Fiachrach, p. 499, 
and the map. The disappearance of Loch 
Laigh is recorded by the Four Masters at 
the year 848 : Lot 6aoi^ hi epic Uihaill 
la Connace 00 eluo. '* Loch Laoigh« in 
the territory of Umhaill, in Connaught, 
ran off," [or was evaporated], — {T.) 



a rachaipi cen chino ; ap ip colanD cen 
chenD ouine cen anmcapaic. *' The 
reason of this," saidComgall, **is the death 
of my spiritual director; and I am with- 
out a head, and ye are without heads, 
because a man without a spiritual direc- 
tor is a man without a head." Comgall 
then appoints Molua his confessor, and 
immediately the congregation appears to 
him with heads as usual.-^T.) 

' InU Bucuc — Keating calls him Aba- 
cue; the word inU signifies *^the man«" 
or " the individual," and is a title used 
much as we now use **Mr.," or t& Domi- 
nus was used to monks and the clergy. 

' TM grave. — This and the foregoing 
wonder are omitted in D. The story of 
the blind fisherman is not told elsewhere, 



2o8 



.;runi. Coc Ceibmo do puuo i puil ppi .i;r. t)e cono pala i paip- 
cib cpo amail pcamu cec bpuin. 

.pf. ppop pola DO peprain i n-aimpip Qeoa mic Neill, co 
ppir a paipre cpo pola popp na muisib iin Cianacc oc Oumu in 
Deppa. 

.^jc. In mac bccc Do labpao i Cpaeb Caippc oia mip lap na 
gein copo cupca pcela imoa. 

.}:p. In apaili lo po bui in pili lilac Coipi ic con bomn como pac- 

caba 



^ Loch Leibhinnj now Loch Leane, about 
a mile from Fore, in the north-east of the 
county of Westmeath. The miraculous 
change of its waters into blood is recorded 
by the Four Masters at the year 864. 
6och Cephino 00 paob hf puil; a capla 
cac com bo pnipce cpo aihail pcuma 
a imeaccaip. " Loch Lephinn was con- 
verted into blood ; so that it appeared as 
sods of gore, like entrails, all round its 
edge." Dermot, son of Aodh Slaine, 
king of Meath, and afterwards (A. D. 658, 
Ogyg. p. 43), in conjunction with Qlath- 
mac, king of Ireland, had his residence in 
an island on this lake, in the time of St* 
Fechin of Fore. Vit. S. Fechini, c. 23. 
Colgan, ad 20 Jan. p. 135 — (T.) 

^ Dumha DessOj i. e. the monumental 
mound or tumulus of Dess, the exact site 
of which has not been ascertained; but 
Mr. O^Donovan thinks it is probably si- 
tuated in Cianachta Breagh, near DuJeek, 
in the county Meath. The bloody shower 
is thus described by the Four Masters at 
the year 875. Jaec mop, ceinceac, -| 
coipneuc 1 n-Gpmo a bliuoan pi, -| po 



peapao ppopa pola lapum, ^un 5o pop* 
peil paipce cpo 1 pola poppna mai^ib 1 
Cianacca oc Dumuinoeppu. ** A great 
wind, lightnings, and thunder, in Ireland 
this year, and there fell a shower of blood 
afterwards, and particles of blood and 
gore were found on the fields in Ciann- 
achta, at Dumhan Dessa." — (T.) 

' CrOi^h Lasrt^ i. e. Arbor Lassane, the 
tree of St Lasair, the name of a monas- 
tery near Clonmacnois, of which St. Air- 
meadhach (Ermedus or Hermetius), who 
died A.D. 681, was the founder and pa- 
tron. O'Clery's Calend. at 1st Jan. Col- 
gan, Trias Thaum., p. 172, n. 45. Four 
Masters, at the years 681 and 882. The 
Annals of Clonmacnois (Mageogb^an^'s 
transL), record the birth of the wonder- 
ful child at the year 870, in these words: 
'^ There was a chield borne at Crewelas- 
ragh, near Clonyicknose, this year, who 
was heard to call upon God by distinct 
words, saying Good Ood in Irish, being 
but of the age of two months." This 
event is also recorded in the Annals of 
Ulster, at the year 883, and by the Four 



209 



xviii. LocH Leibinn' changed into blood during nine days, so 
that it became sods of blood like unto parboiled entrails. 

xix» A shower of blood was shed in the time of Hugh, son of 
Niall, so that sods of blood were found about Cianacht, at Dumha 
Dessa"*. 

XX. The infant boy who spoke at Craebh Lasre* in a month 
after his birth, and who disclosed many tidings. 

xxi. On a certain day the poet Mac Coisi'^ was at the Boyne, 

where 



Masters at 882 : TTTac occ bo la bpaocc 
Cpaoibh taifpe Dia oa ihior lap na jei- 
nem. *' A young boy spoke at Craoibh 
Laisre within two months after his birth.'' 

-(2-0 

^Mac CoisL — This was probably intend- 
ed for the Erard or Urard Mac Coisi, who 
was chief poet to Ferghal O'Rourke, king 
of Connaught, and died at Clonmacnois, in 
the year 983, according to Mageoghegan's 
Annals, or in 990, according to Tigher- 
nach. There was another poet named 
Erard Mac Coisi, who died in 1023, ac- 
cording to the Annals of the Four Mas- 
ters, and was chief poet to king Mael- 
seachlainn (or Malachy) II. See O'Reilly's 
Writers, ad ann. 990 and 1023. This is 
the 24th wonder in D., and is thus given : 
Ro bai in pile ITlap Coif 1 la ann pop 
bpu na 5oinDe, co pacaib na h-^^la pop 
6oino copoibpat^ h-dn ofb, in can do 
pocaib appeao po bai ar\f\ bean ; cop 
I oppai;^ in pilio oi cio pobich ann puo; 
a n-^alap cpom ap pf 00 baoup, -| ba 
d6i^ le muincep 00 cuaoup 6^ copum 
cucpac oemna ipin picrpa. Rue in pilio 

IRISH ABCH. SOG. 1 6. 2 



leip h-i "I chuj oa muinrip pein lap p in. 
'* The poet Mac Coisi was once on the 
bank of the Boyne, when he saw the 
swans on the Boyne; he shot one of them, 
and when he took it up he found that it 
was a woman. The poet asked her where- 
fore she was there. I was in grievous sick- 
ness, said she, and it was supposed by my 
people that I died, but demons put me 
into this shape. The pbet took her 
¥rith him, and restored her to her own 
people afterwards." Stories of this kind, 
in which the agents are supposed to be 
the fairies, are common to this day in 
every part of Ireland. A full and very par- 
ticular account of Mac Coisi*8 adventure is 
to be found in a legend transcribed by Mr. 
Eugene Curry, from a MS. in the posses- 
sion of Mr. John Kennedy, of Dublin. 
The story is too long for insertion here, but 
it differs very much from that given in the 
text, if indeed it be not a different adven- 
ture of the same poet ; it places the event 
in the reign of Congalach, son of Maelmi- 
thigh (see n. *, p. 2 1 1 ). Mac Coisi was on the 
bank of Loch Lebhinn (now Loch Leane, 
E 



2IO 



caba m elcai n-eala co cccplaicc cloic Doib, co po ben oap pceic 
eala Oib; pcchip oia ^abail lafooain, •] Doccp Do copoba ben, *] 
coma poacc pcela uaioi cio Do pala 01, i can imup luoioi; i ao- 
peof 1, DO 1 n-galap ba, olpi, "] do cep do muinncip co n-cpbahip, -) 
ipeD apaiDi ip Deamna pom aipcellpau leo; -] pop caDban m pili 
Dia mumtnp. 

.;r;cii. Da copup pi leo 1 n-Qipcepaib o QpD TTIaca paip; mapb 
po cecoip m cf blaipep m Dala noi. Dia pillcep umoppo po cpi 
pop pin copup n-cnli arpai^ con baiDi m ci na n-Deca, conaD aip nac 
lamaiD Daene a caDall ace mincp cegmaD cpoich. 

.pTcni. Con^alac mac Tllailmichij bai m aenac Coillcen m 
apaili lo, CO paccaiD in loin^iap pan aeop, co caplaic aen Dib 501 
1 n-DiaiD bpaccain; cappapaip in jae 1 piaonaipi m aenoij^, co ccnmc 
Duine ap in luinj ma DiaiD; m can po gab a mn anuap ip ann po^ab 

in 



near Fore, Co. Westmeath), when he saw 
a beautiful woman, of great size, ** beyond 
that of the women of the time," dressed 
in green, sitting alone, and weeping bit- 
terly. He approached her, and she told 
him that her husband had that day been 
killed at Sidh Chodail, and was buried at 
Clonmacnois. Mac CSoisi mentioned this 
to king Congalach, who set out to Clon* 
macnois to test the truth of the story. 
The clergy there could give no account 
of it; but a monk died that night, and on 
digging his grare they found fresh blood 
and leaves, and at length, buried very 
deep, with his face down, the corpse of a 
giant twenty*£ive feet in height. They 
put the body down again, and the next 
day, on opening the grare, which to all ap- 
pearance was as they had left it, the corpse 



was not to be found. This legend bears 
a curious resemblance to some drctmi- 
stances in Sir Walter Scott's beautiful 
fiction of the White Lady of AveneL — (T.) 
' AirthercL — The district now called 
Orior, regio orientalium, containing two 
baronies of the Co. Armagh. The wells 
here spoken of are now forgotten, and 
hare lost their terrors. This is the four- 
teenth wonder in D., and is somewhat 
differently described, thus : Qcaic ou 
ctbpaio a n-Oippceapaib .1. o Qpo XWaca 
foip, m ef ibecq^ uipci in oapa ribpao bi6 
qiu, T bid pae^lach, m ci iBeap apoile, 
-} rii peaf nechcap oib pec a ceile, cona6 
aipe pin na lamap uipce neccaip i>ib 
o*ol. " There are two wells in Oirthear, 
viz., east of Ardmacha; the person that 
drinks the water of one of the wells will 



211 

where he perceived a flock of swans ; whereupon he threw a stone 
at them, and it struck one of the swans on the wing. He quickly 
ran to catch it, and perceived that it was a woman. He inquired 
tidings from her, and what had happened unto her, and what it was 
that sent her thus forth. And she answered him : " In sickness I 
was," said she, " and it appeared to my friends that I died, but really 
it was demons that spirited me away with them." And the poet 
restored her to her people. 

xxii. There are two wells in Airthera', to the eastward of 
Ardmacha- He who tastes of the one of them is immediately dead. 
If the other well is gazed upon three times, it immediately swells, 
and drowns the person who so gazes. Hence it is that people dare 
not touch them, except wretches [i. e. the desperaie] alone. 

xxiii. Congalach*, son of Mailmithigh, was at the fair of Taill- 
ten on a certain day, and he perceived a ship in the air. He saw one 
of them [the crevo] cast a dart at a salmon. The dart fell down 
in the presence of the fair, and a man came out of the ship after it. 
When his head came down it was caught by a man from below. 

Upon 

be poor, and the person that drinks the twenty-fifth wonder in D., and is thus 

other will be rich; and no one knows one related: &ai Con^lach mac ITIailini- 

of them from the other, and therefore no chij oo popmna peap n-6peanD uime la 

person dares drink the water of either of onn a n-aenach, co pacaoap in luin^ 

them." — (T.) opanaep co cxxpplai^ peap aifoe, .i, apT'n 

* Congalach. — He was king of Ireland luinj;, ^ablach a n-oeagai^ bpaoom; 

from A. D. 944 to 956, in which year he co oappla ann pn n-oipeoccup in pij^ 

was killed by the Danes — Ogyg. p. 435. «« Congalach, son of Mailmithigh, with 

The fair, or rather public sports of Taill- the greater part of the men of £ri around 

tenn, now Telltown, near Nayan, in the him there, was at the fair, when they saw 

ooimty of Meath, were celebrated, and con- a ship in the air, and a man out of it, 

tinned to be frequented by all ranks, until L e., out of the ship, cast a fork against a 

the reign of Boderic O'Conor, who died sahnon. There happened to be l^ere an 

A. D. 1 198. This unmeaning story is the assembly of the king." — (T.) 

2E2 



212 

m pep amp, Co n-oebepc in pep anuap, aracap icom baouo ap 
pe. Cec uaic oo ap Congalac, -j lecaip puap ^ ceio uaioib pop 
pnam laprain. 

.jcpu. Qpaili ailicip oo ^aioelaib t)o pala oo Coipimp TTlap- 
cain ic ciaccam o Roim, como pacca a maraip ic pooail loma i 
peola oo boccaib m coimoeo, cocall uaiOi popcle in muioi i m-boi 
in loim, "1 po bai ica lappaio ina piaonaipi; -| ni oecaio in machaip 
innonn ecep ace a Rop ailirip oo pigni a pooail; -| ap onoip TTlap- 
ram oo pijne, "i pi Caincigepn macaip hui Dangail mic baeramnap 
oo pijne in pooail; "| po caippen oia maraip m paipcle lap m-blia- 
oain lap coioecc anall oo, "| cue pi aicni pcnp, i ba cuimpi Oia 
muioi pen, conio oe pm ap pollup jac pooail oo jnicep a n-uaim 
TTlapcain co n-geb jpeim i Coipinip TTlapcam. 

.^u. In lanamam beo ppi Cluam ipaipo anaip. bablu ^ biblu 
a n-anmann. 

.jcjrui. Cloc pil 1 cill 1 n-Ullcaib, ipi a h-aipci, oia cpeccap m 
cell puil oei ceipeppm epci cpi cpac poimi. 

.;:rjruii. Coc Suibi Oopam i pleib ^ucc'P© ^o eluo co n-oechaio ip 
m Pebail. 

^Torinia of Martin, i. e. Tours in France. Cantighem, daughter of Guaire O'Locht- 

The uaimh, or Cave of St. Martin was nain, and wife or mistress to Flann 

probably Desertmartin, in the county of O'Maelsheachlain. Guaire, her father, was 

Londonderry, where the memory of St. a lector in Clonmacnois, and died, ac- 

Martin was held in great veneration. Of cording to the Four Masters, in 1054. 

Uadangal, son of Baethamhnas, mentioned The third was Caintighem, a daughter of 

in this legend, nothing is known. In the Cellach Cualann of Leinster, She died, 

ancient tract on the names of celebrated according to the Four Masters, in 728.-^ 

Irish womeii, preserved in the Book of (T.) 

Lecan (fol. 193-202), three women of the * BMu and Biblu — Nothing is known 

name Cantighem are mentioned. One was of this couple beyond what is here said, 

the wife of Fiachna, son of Baedan, king The meaning probably is that they conti- 

of Ulidia, who was killed, according to the nue still alive, like the tradition about 

Four Masters, A. D. 622. Another was Nero, Arthur in Avallon, &c. — (71) 



213 

Upon which the man from above said, ** I am being drowned," said 
he. '^ Let him go," said Congalach ; and he was allowed to come up, 
and he went away from them, swimming in the air, afterwards. 

xxiv. A certain pilgrim of the Gaedhelians happened to arrive 
at Torinis of Martin, on his way from Rome. There he saiV his 
mother distributing milk and flesh meat to the poor of the Lord. 
He took away from her the cover of the muidh [vessd] which con- 
tained the milk, and she was looking for it in his presence. And 
the mother had not gone thither at all, but it was in Ros Ailither 
she made her distribution at home. And it was in honour of Martin 
she made it. And it was Cantighem, mother of Ua Dangal, son of 
Baethamhnas, that made the distribution. And he shewed the cover 
of the vessel to his mother in a year after his coming home, and 
she recognised it, and it fitted exactly her own muidh. So that 
it is manifest from this that every distribution of alms that is made 
in Martin's Cave is as effectual as if distributed at Toirinis of 
Martin^ 

XXV. The couple \man and wife'] who are alive to the east of 
Clonard. Bablu and Biblu*^ are their names. 

xxvi. There is a stone** in a church in Ulster whose practice 
it is to shed blood three days previous to a plunder of the church. 

xxvii. The lake of Suidhe Odhrain*, in Sliabh Guaire, migrated 

and went into the Fabhal. 

xxviii. 

* A stone* — This is the twenty-seventh dered." — (T.) 

wonder in D, where it is thus given: ' Suidhe Odhrain, i. e., Sessio Odrani, 

Qca cloc ana paile ceall a n-UUcaiby now anglicised Sjoran or Seeoran, is a 

1 C13 pull ap in cloc in can aip^ceap in townland in the parish of Knockbride, 

chill, no pe na n-apjain. ** There is a barony of Clankee, county Cavan. Sliabh 

stone in a certain church in Ulster, and Guaire, now Slieve Grorey, is the name 

blood comes out of the stone when the still given to a mountainous district in 

church is plundered, or before it is plun- the same barony. The Fabhal (read pa- 



214 



.;c;^uiii. Cpo|^ cloici mop bai pop paicci Slame i Tn-bpe^aib do 
cum^abml ip in aeop, "] a combac ip in aeop, jup pancarop a buip 
-] a bloja CaiUcin q Cempaij "] pinoabaip n-aba. 

.;r;ci^. Cippa TTlailgobanniUaijnib; m Dec picpcac a h-cnnm; 
op abainn Cipi aca ; pi a h-aipoi m p^pc uinopent) cupcap inci 
DO ni plcpc cuill Di po ceroip, maDu coll pocepDap inci ip umopi- 
unn DO poai5 cpci. 

.;:jc;:. Cloicccach ceneab Do aicpm ic Rup Oela ppi pe .i;t. 
n-uap, -| com Duba DiaipirhDc ap, "| aen en mop euuppu, ■) no ccjDip 

na 



Ball, for peBal, in the Irish text,) is the 
name of a stream tributarj to the Bojne. 
The emigration of this lake is thus re- 
corded, at the year 1054, by the Four 
Masters: Coch 8uiDe Oopain hi 8lei6 
^uaipe a eluD in beipm oioce peile 
niicil con-beacaiD ip in PeabaiU, jup 
bho hion^noo mop la each. ^* The lake 
of Suidhre Odhrain, in Sleibh Guaire, 
migrated on the latter part of the night 
of St. Michael's eve, until it came into 
the Fabhall, which was a great wonder 
to alL" See also the Annals of Ulster at 
A. D. 1054. There is no lake, or tradi- 
tion of a lake, now in this towuland. — 
(T.) 

^ Slainej now Slane, a village on the 
Boyne, county Meath, in the ancient dis- 
trict of Bregia.— (T.) 

K Finnabhair-abha^ i. e. the Bright Field 
of the River, now Fennor, a townland 
giving name to a parish in the barony of 
Duleek, county Meath. Several places in 
Ireland were called Finnabhair, which 



Jocelin, Vit S. Patr. c 94, translates, 
*' albus campus ;*' the place there spoken 
of, and in the Tripartite Life (part iiL, 
a 4), was in the diocese of Clogher; but 
Finnabhair Abha was evidently in Meath, 
as appears from its being mentioned in the 
text in connexion with Slane, Tell town, and 
Tara; and in the following passage from 
the Calendar of the O'Clerys, it is said to 
be on the River Boyne: 2 MaiL Head- 
cam, oeip^iobaiipabpaic, o CillUinche 
1 5-ConnailliB Hluipreifiine, i o pion- 
na5aip aba pop bpu 6oinne. niac do 
6iaihain piup paopaic e. "J/dtY 2. 
Neachtain, a disciple of St Patrick, of 
Cill Uinche in Conaille Muirtheimhne, 
and of Fionnabhair-abha, on the banks of 
the Boyne. He was the son of Leamhan, 
the sister of Patrick." In a gloss on the 
name of this place in the Felire of Aengus 
(ad 2 Maii), it is said to be 1 in-6pea- 
gaiB, "in Bregia;" so that Finnabhar- 
abha is completely identified with the 
modem Fennor in Meath. See Ordnance 



215 



xxviii A great stone cross which was on the green of Slaine^ 
in Bregia, was taken up into the air, and was shattered in the air, so 
that its shreds and fragments were carried to Tailten, to Tara, and 
to Finnabhair abha^. 

xxix. The well of Maell-Gobhann**, in Leinster. The Deach- 
Fleseach [the wand transformer] is its name. Over the River Liffey 
it is. Its property is : the ash wand that is put into it is immediately 
made into a wand of hazle ; and if it be hazle that is thrown into it, 
it will be ash at coming out of it 

XXX. A belfry of fire^ which was seen at Roes Dela, dxiring 
the space of nine hours, and black birds, without number, coming out 
and going into it. One great bird was among them, and the smaller 

birds 



Map of Meath, sheet 19. — (T.) 

^ Mad'OobhanfL — This well has not 
been identified, and the name is now ob- 
solete. It is the twelfth wonder in D, 
and is thus described: Cibpa pil a fleib 
^^i^en, flaccuiU inoci, flac umopeann 
C1C aifoe; no umnpeann innci *] flac 
chuiU atfDe. "There is a well in a 
mountain in Leinster; a rod of hazle put 
into it, comes out a rod of ash; or ash 
put in, and a rod of hazle amies out of it.^' 

-<T.) 

* A belfry of fire. — Cloicceac oeneao, 
L e. a steeple, or belfry of fire, a column 
of fire: the word cloicceac is the name 
giyen to the round towers in every part 
of Ireland. Ros Dela, the place where 
the miraculous tower of fire was seen, is 
now Ross-dulla, a townland in the parish 
of Durrow, near Kilbeggan, county of 
Westmeath. The phenomenon is thus 



described by the Four Masters, at the 
year 1054: Cloicceach eeneo 00 paipcc- 
pm If in aep uap "Rof oeala oia oomnac 
petle 3"*PSi FP* P^ coiS nuap eoin oubd 
Diaipmi6e ino 1 app, 1 aon en mop ina 
mebon, -| no ceijid na heoin Be^a po 
aeiciB pibe an can ceiccoip ip in cloicc- 
ceach. " A belfry of fire was seen in the 
air, over Ross-deala, on the Sunday of the 
feast of St. Guirgi [George] for five hours; 
blackbirds innumerable passing into and 
out of it, and one large bird in the middle 
of them, and the little birds went under 
his wings when they went into the bel- 
fry." 

In the year 1054, the feast of St 
Greorge was on Saturday; the annalist 
must, therefore, mean the year 1055, u^~ 
less we suppose him to speak of the day 
after as ** the Sunday of the feast of St 
George."— (r.) 



2l6 



na h-eom bega po clumcnb in ran no ce^eo ip in cloicrcac, -] can- 
cacap m aenpecc uile amac -] conup gabpac com leo na n-ingnib 
1 n-aipoe, i no lecpec pip co ralam uaioib, i lac mapb. Cuiopec 
in cnlaic ap lapcam, i m caill pop pa n-oepioap o'ellijpocu co ca- 
larii, "1 m oaipbpi pop pa n-ocpio m c-en mop uc po puc laip cona 
ppcmaib a calmam, "] m pep cio imluaio. ^ 

.;p;c;ri. Imp loca Cpc i epic Gili ; nip lamaic eraioe boinenoa 
no anmannai bomenna oo mil no oo 6uine, "] ni epil pccrac moi, i 
ni cumacap a aonacul mce. 

.;r;rprn. TTluilcnn Cilli Cepp i n-Oppcnjib; ni meilea6 i n-Oom- 
nac ace na n-ocgeb; "] ni meil nac [poca] i n-gaioi, -| ni lamaic mna 
ccacc mo. 

,;p;c;crin. Cacain Imoi Senboco Colmain ; cia oopapcap m im- 

pope 

Cambrensis, who mentions also another 
island in the same lake called, Insula Vi- 
ventium (imp na m-Beo), in which no 
man could die, but in the text both pro- 
perties appear to be attributed to the 
same island: '^£st lacus" (he says) ''in 
Momonia Boreali, duas continens insulas, 
unam majorem et alteram minorem. Major 
ecclesiam habet antiqus religionis. Minor 
vero capellam cui pauci ccelibes quos Cks- 
licolas vel Colideos vocant devote deser- 
viunt. In majorem nunquam foemina vel 
foeminei sexus aliquod animal intrare po- 
tuit, quin statim moriretur. Probatum 
est hoc multoties per canes et catos, alia- 
que sexus illius animalia, que periculi 
causa frequenter advecta statim occubue- 
runt, &C. • • . • In minori vero insula 
nemo unquam mortuus fuit, vel morte 
naturali mori potuit Unde et ViveiUium 



i Loch Crt, — This lake is now dried up, 
but the island remains, surrounded by a 
bog, and contains the ruins of a church, 
which still exhibit a beautiful specimen 
of the architecture of the eleventh cen- 
tury. The bog is now called, from the 
island, ITIoin na h-inpe, " the Bog of the 
Island," and the name is anglicised Mona- 
hinsha or Monainsha. It is situated in a 
townland of the same name, in the parish 
of Corbally, barony of Ikerrin, which was 
formerly a part of the district of Eile, in the 
Co. Tipperary, about two miles S.E. of the 
town of Roscrea. The church is figured in 
Ledwich*6 Antiquities of Ireland, p. 115 
(2nd edit.), and appears to have been de- 
dicated to St Helair, or Hilary; see the 
Calendar of O'Clery, at Sept. 7. The 
story of the island in which no female 
could live is as old as the time of Giraldus 



217 



\ 



birds used to nestle in his feathers when they went into the belfry. 
And they all came out together. And they took up dogs with them 
in their talons, and they let them drop down to earth and they dead. 
The birds flew away from that place' afterwards, and the wood upon 
which they perched bent under them to the ground. And the oak 
upon which the said great bird perched was carried by him by the 
roots out of the earth, and where they went to is not known. 

xxxi. The island of Loch Cre^ in the territory of Eile. No 
female bird, or female animal, whether beast or man, dare enter 
upon it. And no sinner can die on it, and no power can bury him 
on it. 

xxxii. The mill of Cille Cess"^ in Osraighibh. It will not grind 
on the Lord's day, except for guests. And it will not grind even 
a handfull that has been stolen. And women dare not come into it. 

xxxiii. The ducks of the pond of Seanboth of Colman^ Though 

they 



Insula vocator." — Diet. 2. a 4. From the 
mention of Culdees in the above passage, 
Ledwich has taken occasion to connect 
with Monaincha some of the most absurd 
of his speculations. See Lanigan EccL 
Hist. vol. iv., p. 290. — (T,) 

^ cm Ckis. — This place has been iden- 
tified by Mr. O'Donovan, who proves that 
it is the same which is now anglicised 
Kilkeas, and still called in Irish CiU 
C6ipe by the.neighbours. It is a parish in 
the diocese of Ossory, barony of Knock- 
topher, in the county of Kilkenny. The 
well is spoken of by Giraldus, who calls 
it the well of St. Lucherinus: **Apud 
Ossyriam est molendinum Sancti Luche- 
rini abbatis, quod diebus Dominicis nihiU 
de furto vero vel rapina nunquam molit" 



Dist 2, c. 51* But the pecidiarity of 
excluding women is ascribed by Cambren* 
sis to the mill of St. Fechin, at Fore, 
in Westmeath. Ibid. c. 52. The word 
pora inserted between brackets in the 
text, is added by a later hand, and signi- 
fies a handful. This is the twenty-first 
wonder in D, and is thus decribed: 
muiUeanD ChiUe Cei[»c a n-OppaijiB 
nocu meleuno De bomnai^ ace cuie 
na n-ai^ea6, -} nf meleann apbup ^aioe 
bo 35pef. "The mill of Cill Ceise in 
Ossory; it does not grind on the Lord*s 
day except the share of the guests; and it 
will not grind stolen com at any time.'' 

' Seanboth of Cdman, — A church dedi- 
cated to St. Colman, which Mn O'Dono- 



laiSH ARCH. 80C. 1 6. 



2P 



2l8 



pofc aioci mapaen la h-uipce na linoi i caipi pop ceni6 cm no 
loipcDif peoa m caiman pon coipi pin m h-aupcoiuij, t m ccg in 
uipce. 

jcjcpyji- Ni aicpcbaic ono, loipcmo no nocpaca i n-6pinn uili, 
-| cia CO bepcap a h-maoaib eili inci aplaio po cccoip, i ipeb pon 
po t>epbaD, ace luc pad "] pmnac ni bai "] ni bia nac n-anna [n-an- 
manna] aupcoicech inci T ip mepaip ap ccp ^ ap puacc. TTluip 
caipppi .un. m-bliaona pc m-bpach. pinic. Qmen. pmic. 

m. 



van has shewn to be the same which is 
now called Templeshanbo, in the diocese 
of Ferns, situated at the foot of the moun- 
tain called in Irish Sui^he Cai^heon, 
and in English, Mount Leinster. The 
situation of this church, which was un- 
known to Archdall and Lanigan, is thus 
described in the Life of St. Maidhoc, c. 26, 
published by Colgan (Acta SS. p. 211): 
'^ Quodam die venit S. Moedoc ad monas- 
terium quod dicitur Seanbotha, juxta ra- 
dices mentis qui dicitur Scotioe Suighe 
Lagen, id est Sessio Laginensium." The 
monastery was founded by St Colman 
O'Fiachraoh, whose memory was there ce- 
lebrated on the 27th of October. Colgan, 
ibid. p. 217, n. 26, and p. 210, n. 46. The 
story of St Colman's ducks is now for- 
gotten in the neighbourhood, but it is 
told by Cambrensis, Top. Hib. Dist, 2, 
c. 3 1 ; it occurs also in the following note 
on the Felire Aenguis, at the 27 th of 
October: Colman «a piachpach .u hi 
f fnbochaib pola 1 n-Uib Cfnopelaij^. Ip 
na chill creaue na lachain, -) ni lamaip 
eac; op cia pocepcap 1 n*tmpoll aioche 



1 n-upce pop cento cia po loipcchea 
peba in oomain pon coipe nf chfi^ m 
upce CO capcap lacpom app ipm lino 
c(bnai. " Colman O'Fiachrach, L e. at 
Senbotha Fola, in Hy-Cennselaigh; it is 
in his church are the ducks, which are 
not to be touched; for although they are 
cast by a mistake made at night, into 
water on the fire, though the woods of eUl 
the world were burned under the pot, the 
water would not be heated until they are 
taken out of it and put into the same 
pond from which they were taken." — (71) 
" Tested, — The popular belief ascribes 
this peculiarity of Ireland to the prayers 
of St. Patrick ; an opinion which is de- 
fended by Dr. David Hoth, in his Eluci- 
dationes in Jocelinum, published by Mes- 
singham, Floril. p. 127, sq. But it is 
rejected by Colgan, Append. ▼. ad Acta 
S. Patr. c. 20 (Trias, p. 255), and by La- 
nigan (ToL i. p. 252, n. 108}, who main- 
tain that there never were any venomous 
reptiles in Ireland. In D. this freedom 
from venomous creatures is also men- 
tioned last, as the twenty-eighth wonder: 



219 



they were put by mistake of night, with the water of the pond, 
into a pot upon a fire, and although aU the woods of the earth were 
burned under that pot, they would not be injured, nor would the 
water become hot 

xxxiv. There live not then, toads nor serpents in all Eri, and 
even though they be brought froip other places unto it they die im- 
mediately; and this has been tested". Except the mouse, the wolf, 
and the fox, there has not been, and there shall not be, any noxious 
animal in it And it is temperate of heat and cold. The sea** wUl 
come over it seven years before the day o/* Judgment Finit Amen. 

Finite 

III. 



Qp in^nuD mop aile a n-epinD .1. can 
naehaip -| can leoman -] can loifceann 
mnci -] can peifc neihnij ace p innai j i 
mic cipe, T oa chujcap more a rtp aile 
na^aiD^^ pocecoip inoci can puipeach; 
conob lac pn ppim injaniw Bpenn uile 
conui^e fin. ** There is another great 
wonder in Eri, viz., there are no snakes, 
nor lions, nor toads in it; and there are 
no venomous beasts except the fox and 
wolf, and if they are brought into it from 
another country they die in it immedi-* 
ately without delay. These are the prin- 
cipal wonders of all Eri we know." — (T.) 
^ The sea, — Ralph Higden (Polychron. 
lib. 5, c 4) has recorded the tradition 
that St. Patrick obtained for the Irish 
this priyilege, that no Irishman shall be 
alive dttring the reign of Antichrist, This 
serves to explain the expectation that the 
sea shall cover Ireland seven years before 
the day of judgment. In the Leabhar 

2F 



Breac (fol. 14, b.) there is an account of 
St* Patrick's expulsion of the demons 
from Ireland, and of the seven requests 
which he obtained of the Lord. The first 
three of these were: Cipe oo pepaib 
6penn 00 ^e airpiji pe m-bap, cio ppi 
pe en uaipe, na po h-iacca ippepno paip 
I m-bpach ; -] cona po aiccpe bao ecc- 
painD in inopi; -] co ci muip caippi .uii. 
m-bliaona pia m-bpar. ** Whosoever of 
the men of Eri repents before death, even 
the space of one hour, hell shall not be 
shut on him at the judgment; and fo- 
reigners shall not inhabit the island ; and 
the sea shall come over it seven years be- 
fore the judgment." It is evident that 
this last is regarded as a blessing to the 
Irish, because, by that means, Ireland 
shall be saved from the persecution of 
Antichrist — (T.) 

* Finit, — In D. there occur the follow- 
ing wonders, not mentioned in the fore- 
2 



220 



III. 

[DUQH eiReaNNQch.] 

TnaelTnuyia Ocna .cc. 

Canam bunaoaf' na n-gaeoel 
5a I p dor n-glfofiio 



going list; the numbers prefixed denote 
the order in which they stand in the 
twenty-eight wonders of which the list 
given in D. consists. 

I. ([#och ([#ein ; ceachpa chipcilla 
uime .1. cipcall poain, -| chipcall luaij^i, 
I chipcall lapmo, 1 cipcall uma. "Loch 
Lein; four circles are round it; viz., a 
circle of tin, and a circle of lead, and a 
circle of iron, and a circle of copper,** 
This is the first of the Irish wonders men- 
tioned by Nennius: "Est ibi stagnum 
quod vocatur Loch Lein, quatuor circu- 
lis ambitur. Primo circulo gronna stanni 
ambitur, secundo circulo gronna plumbi 
ambitur, tertio circulo gronna ferri, quar- 
to circulo gronna seris ambitur, et in 
eo stagno multee margaritse inveniuntur, 
quas ponunt reges in auribus suis." This 
is the tenth wonder in 0'Flaherty*s me- 
trical list, Ogyg. p. 291. Loch Lein, 
now the upper lake of Killarney, but an- 
ciently both lakes were regarded as one, 
and called Loch Lein. 

3. Loch Riach Dan. Cuopjaib ill 
oara in jac lo. "Loch Biach, [now 
Lough Reagh, near a town of the same 
name in Gal way.] then ; it takes many 
colours every day." This is O'Flaherty's 



Canap 

twelfth wonder. 

4. Dipna m t>a^oa bon .i. cloch do 
bepap ap in muip do caech po ceooip 
CO paib pop bpu in cobaip ceona. " The 

Dima of the Dagda, viz., a stone which is 
taken out of the sea, it returns imme- 
diately, and is found at the brink of the 
same well." This resembles the third 
wonder of Man. See above, p. 12 u The 
word Dima denotes a stone weight* 

5. lubuip mic n-Qin^ip a n-eap 
mai^i a^ cicheap a poach cip ap in 
n-uipci CO pollup -| ni pecoap h-e pein 
pop dp. "The yew tree of the son of 
Aingcb at Eas Maighe; its shadow is 
seen below in the water,, and it is not 
seen itself on the land." Eas Maighi 

^is the cataract of the river Maigue, at 
Cahirass, in the county Limerick. It does 
not appear who the son of Aingcis was. 
This is OTlahexty's eleventh wonder. 

13. Cippa pleibe 3^in; ca Ian inncf 
.1. Ian DO pal ^oipc, -] Ian o'pip uipci. 
" The well of Slieve Gamh; two fulls are 
in it [L e. it is full of two things], viz., 
full of salt sea-water, and full of pure 
water." The well of Slieve Gramh, or the 
Ox Mountains, county Sligo, is still well 
known. OTlaherty describes it as his 



22t 



III. 
DUAN EffiEANNAftH**. 

McBelraura of Othain^ cecinit. 

Let us sing the origin of the Gaedhel» 
Of high renown in stiff battles, 



fourth wonder. 

i6l Copp innpe jem na h-aenup oi o 
cofdch bomam can chuipp aile pcpia. 
*^ The crane of Inis Geidh has been alone 
from the beginning of the world, without 
any other crane with her." Inis Geidhe, 
L e. InsulsB Sanctee Gedhite, now Inishkea, 
or Inishgaj, is an island about three miles 
off the coast of Erris. See O' Donovan's 
Hy Fiachrach, and Map. Very little is 
known of the saint who has given her 
name to the island, but the existence of 
the lone crane of Inishkea is still firmly 
believed in by the peasantry. This is 
0*Flaherty'8 sixth wonder. 

21. Cianaa oaimliajj maipi^ can lo- 
6n6 can bpenao co na ballaib ocaib con 
pap puilr '\ mn^ean. **• Cianan of Daimh- 
liag [Duleek] remains without corrup- 
tion, without stinking, with his members 
perfect, and his hair and his nails grow.'* 
This curious tradition is mentioned in the 
notes to the Felire Aenguis, at the 24th of 
November ; it may, perhaps, be understood 
as communicating to us the fact that the 
whole body of the saint was preserved as 
a relic at Duleek. St. Cianan was one of 
the earliest Irish Christians, to whom St. 
Patrick, according to Tighemach, gave 



Whence 

his own copy of the Gospels: ip do cuy 
pacpaic a poipcela. He died A. D. 489. 
Tigern. in anno. — (21) 

P Duan Eireannach, — I have given the 
name of Duan Eireannach to this poem, 
for convenience sake, as it seems of the 
same nature with the Duan Albannach, 
which is already known by that name to 
the students of Irish and Scottish his- 
tory. Although quoted by O'Flaherty 
(Ogyg. iii. c. 72), and by Keating, this 
ancient poem has never been published, 
and may be said to be unknown to an 
historian. It is here printed from a very 
good copy in the Book of Leinster, in 
the Library of Trin. Coll. (H. 2. 18), com- 
pared with two other copies, one in the 
fragment of the Book of Lecan, which 
remains in the same Library (H. 2. 18), 
and the other in a paper MS. in the hand- 
writing of Tadhg O'Neachtain, also in the 
Library of Trin. ColL (H. i. 15, p. 27), 
which seems to have been copied from the 
Book of Leinster. Mr. O'Eeilly (Trans, 
of Gaelic Society, p. IvL), speaks of ** a 
very fine copy of it", which was in his 
own possession ; but if he alludes to this 
it turns out to be only a transcript in his 
own hand- writing made from the copy in 



222 



canap capla conogup oiirno 
oocum n-fpfno. 

Cicne in pfpano m po rpebpac 

cuippfp pfne 
ci6 DO|* puc 1 cfpce cipe 

oo puiniuo Kpene. 

Ciappo rucair pooop pogluaip 

pcm Do rapciul, 
m oo rcceo, no in oo cfnac, 

no mo' japciuo? 

Ciao e ap oilpiu ooib pop Oomun 

mo a raeom 
Dm n-anmni];uo in a n-acpeb 

Scuiur no 3^^^^^- 



lO 



15 



Ciamoip 



H. I. 15, the worst of the three copies 
from which the text is here printed. This 
traDScript is now in the Library of the 
Royal Irish Academy, but is, of course, 
of no authority. In the following notes 
the readings of the Book of Lecan will be 
distinguished by the letter L., and those 
of O'Naghten's copy by N. — (T,) 

^ Madmura of Othain^ or of Fathain 
(the F being aspirated and omitted), now 
Fahan, near Loch S willy, in Inishowen, 
Co. Donegal. See an account of Maelmura 
in O'Reilly's Irish Writers (Trans. Gaelic 
Soc., p. Ivi.). See also the Four Masters, at 
the year 884, and the Leabhar Gabhala of 
the O'Clerys, in the Library of the Royal 



Irish Academy, p. 207, where, after men- 
tion made of the historical poem written 
by him for Flann Sionna Eang of Ireland, 
his death is thus recorded : Hlaelmupae 
peipm an file poipccce f fpeolacfcaipi6e 
ep^na an bepla ^coiceccoa do ecc ipn 
ochcmaD bl. t>o ploich ploinD c-Sionna 
884. ** The same Maelmura, a learned, 
tnily-intelligent poet, an historian skilled 
in the Scottic language, died in the eighth 
year of the reign of Flann Sionna, A. D. 
884.'' The writer then quotes a poem 
in praise of Maelmura, which is too long 
for insertion here. — (71) 

' Mighty stream — Cono^p, compound- 
ed of cono, a wave, and ^up, jHwerfuL 



I 



223 

Whence did the mighty stream' of ocean 
Waft <Am to Eri ? 

What was the land* in which they originally lived, 

Lordly men, Fenians*? 
What brought them, for want of land, 

To the setting of the sun ? 

What was the cause that sent them forth 

Upon their wanderings ? 
Was it in flight, or for commerce, 

Or from valour"? 

What is the proper name'' for them, 

As a nation, 
By which they were called in their own country ? 

Scuit or Gaedhil ? 



lO 



^5 



Why 



In tbe preceding line, ^leceno is ren- 
dered batdes^ on the authority of O'Clery^s 
Glossary, where ^leoen is explained ^leo 
[battle], and gleo ceonn [stem fight]. 
For ccmof oxplo, line 5, L. reads can Dop 
palcL— (H) 

* What toaa tke^UmcL — Cefpi uppano. 
L. *^what ms the division."— (T.) 

^ Feniant. — Alluding to the story of 
Fenius Farsaidh, King of Soythia, and 
the school of learning established by him 
under the superintendence of Graedhal, 
son of Eathor. See Keating (Haliday's 
TransL p. 225), and O'Donovan's Irish 
Grammar, p. xxviii. sq. Cop is a lord, 
a chief (in the oblique case cuip): vuip- 



pep (which in the plural would be better 
written mippip) will therefore signify 
noble or lord-like men. — (T.) 

** Vcdour, — "Did they leave their former 
habitations in flight from their enemies, 
or for the sake of commerce, or from a 
spirit of adventure and love of conquest?" 
L. reads (ciopi cucaic in po po^luoip), 
pem lap caipcuil? — (T.) 

^ Name, — The language here is very 
rude, and perhaps has been corrupted by 
transcribers. L. reads, 

Ce Diae apa oipliu oaib 

cmoiu caioen 
oia n-ammeDuj; ina n-baipnib 
pcuir no ^aemil. — (T.) 



^24 



Ciamoip pfne acbepcha 

DO anmano ooib 
acuf jaeoel anoop jlem 

can Doppoio. 

bio nup pelpap u oampa 

cop ba cipech, 
caij ic eolach i ppcic pfncap a 

mac TTlilfo. 

TTlao ail oo oia bio inniu ouic 

Tu ba mapach 
opo pfncapa mac TTlileo 

pcib po pelad. 

Rij-mac Noc ndip lapcr 

ip uao ap ciniuo 
Do jpecaib ofin conap m-bunuo 

conap Ti-Dli5tiD. 



20 



25 



30 



Dou 



^ Fene — L. reads, 

Cecif fene apa m-beapoaif 

ppiu mbu ainm ooib 
ocup in ^eioil puf 5^^'5 

can oof poDi^. — (21) 

* Ignorant — ^The word cipech occurs 
again, line 146. In L. the following stanza, 
which does not occur in the other copies, 
is inserted here : 

Cmne pemeno poppa poboap 

piuch pepj^h 
no cia mac do maccaib IDileao 

cuip a m-beappchap. 



" What adventuie were they upon 
In their angry course, 
Or what sons of the sons of Miledh 
Are they to be traced to?" 

And then follows: 

ft 

but> leip not) pela cam uile 

cop bo cicheach 
Qp ba peappoa appeich peancapa 

mac niileaD. 

*^ It is an clear to me, 

And it is Tisible, 
For t am excellent in the strpam of histoiy 

Of the sons of Miledh **—( r.) 

y WUling. — muo coip le Oia, L.: and 



225 



Why was Fene'' said to be 

A name for them ? 
And Gaedhil — which is the better, 

Whence was it derived ? 

Although thou revealest it not to me, 

But leavest me ignorant*, 
For thou art learned in the stream of history 

Of the sons of Miledh, 

Yet if God be willing'^, thou shalt have to-day, 

Not to-morrow, 
The order of the history of tb^ sons of Miledh, 

As it happened. 

The royal son of righteous' Noah, Japheth, 

From him is our descent, 
Of the Greeks* are we, in our origin, 

In our laws. 



20 



25 



30 



Of 



in line 28, peib aopalao — (T.) 
* Righteous. — nai]i, omitted in L. — (T.) 
■ Greeks. — The alleged Grecian origin 
seems to require a descent from Japhet 
through Javan, whose name was anciently 
identified with laon, the open form of 
Ion; iirb 8k *lutvavov 'Iwvia Kai vdi^tc*'J^' 
Xtivic — Josephus, L yi. i. But if Fenius 
Farsaidh was the great-grandson of Japhet 
by Magog, as Mr. O'Flaherty found it 
(Ogyg. p. 9, 10), and as the Scythian 
mythus requires, why are Miledh's sons 
said to be of the Greeks ?— (i?!) The 
author of the life of St Gadroe (Colgan, 

IBISH ABCH. see. 1 6. 2 



Acta SS. p. 494) has given a legend of 
the origin of the Scots, in which they 
are said to have been a colony from a city 
called " Choriscon," situated on the river 
Pactolus, between the regions of Choria 
[Caria] and Lydia. The inhabitants of 
this city having discovered the superior 
fertility of Thrace, set out, " junctis sibi 
Pergamis et LacedssmoHiis,^' with their 
wives and property, to take possession of 
that country, *'ut cupitam terram pos- 
sessuri peterent." They were driven, 
however, by terrific storms, out of their 
course, through the Straits of Gibraltar, 

G 



226 



Don cpeib ip ampu po jabyac 

plan up puilec 
pop bic bpofnac; o cupcbail jpeme 

CO a pumeo. 

piaicem cpoDa pogab in rhbic 

n-glfpac n-glegpac; 
Nembpoc a amm pfp lap nofpnao 

m cop Dfpmap. 

Luio pfmup chuice ap in Sana 

pop pluagao, 
pfp aipegoa ecnaio colac 

bpucmap bagach. 

ba ofn bepla bof ip m Oomun 

in po jabpac, 
od bepla oec ap cpi pichcib 

can po pcappac. 



35 



40 



45 



Scol 



and then up to Ireland (which the author 
represents as being then inhabited by 
Picts — ^gentem Pictaneorum reperiunt). 
They landed under Cruach an eile, now 
Cruach Patrick, in Clew Bay, Co. Mayo. 
They proceeded thence to Clonmacnois, 
then to Armagh, Kildare, Cork, Bangor, and 
even tolona; in short, they obtained pos- 
session of the whole island (particularly of 
its ecclesiastical cities, although so long be* 
fore Christianity), and they called it first 
Choriscia, from the name of their native 
town, and then Scotia, from Scotta, daugh- 
ter of the king of Egypt, and wife of Niul, 



son of ^neas (L e. Fenius), a Lacedemo- 
nian, who was one of their leaders. See 
Colgan's notes, n. 39, 40, ib. 502. The 
author of the Life of St. Cadroe is sup- 
posed by Colgan to have written A. D. 
1040. The common story given by Col- 
gan (note 2, ad Yit S. Abbani, 16 Mart 
p. 621) represents the migrations of the 
Scotic colony to have been from Egypt to 
Greece, thence to Spain, and thence to 
Ireland.— (r.) 

** In this world. — Uap bir bpoinech, L. 

^ Nembrotk, i. e. Nimrod. L. omits pep 
in line 39, and writes the name Hebpoch. 



227 

Of the most illustrious people that ever enjoyed 

A bloody sovereignty 
In this world** of woe ; from the rising of the sun 

To its setting. 

A valiant prince took dominion over the world, 

The wide-spread, noisy world; 
Nembroth*^ his name, a man by whom was built 

The very great tower. 

Fenius came imto him** out of Scythia, 

Upon an expedition, 
A man illustrious, wise, learned. 

Ardent, warlike. 

There was but one language in the world* 

When they met, 
Twelve languages and three score^ 

When they parted. 



iS 



40 



45 



N. has Nempoo — (T.) 

' UrUo him. — Keating, who quotes v. 
41-52 of this poem, omits chuice, which 
occurs in all the other copies : in L. it is 
written chucai. The omission is neces- 
sary to the metre* In line 42, L. reads 
pop pa pluai^eo, and Keating popp an 
plua^o, which is also required by the 
metre. In line 44, for ba^ach, warlike, 
L. and Keating read buat>ac, yictorious ; 
and N. bua^ac, which is wrong, unless 
it be intended for bua^ac. Dr. Lynch, 
in bis unpublished translation of Keating, 
a MS. in the possession of Mr. O'Donoyan, 



renders this stanza thus : 

" Egreasum Scythia Feniui numerosa secuta est^ 
Tarba virdm ; stadiis nimirum addictna, et annis 
Felix ille fuit, necnon vir mente sagacL" — ( 7*.) 

^ In the world. — Keating reads, baoi 
pan ooiiian, and in the next line, map 
DO jabpac. L. reads mo 10 jabpac. Dr. 
Lynch has paraphrased this stanza thus : 

" Ingreasis turrim mortalibiis, unica lingua 
Nota ftiifc, digresfli septnaginta loqnuntar 
£t binaa lingoas." 

In line 43, N. and Keating read picio for 

pichcib (T.) 

^ Twelve and three score^ i.e. 72. The 



2G2 



228 



Scol mop la pafniuf ic Fojlaim 

m cec fpjna, 
pfp apD aoma po bfo co ampa 

m cec bfplu. 

bpfca mac oo pafmup pappaio 

ha Dual CO bpar, 
ap cumcac m cuip la ruairh caiman 

Nel Dapojpao. 

Rancacap pcela co popaino 

la mfc f)-5Tifca, 
Nel mac paeniupa ica pilec 

bepla m becha. 

bpeca Nel pa x>Cj* in 651 pc 
pern n-juipm n-glfpc, 



50 



55 



60 



DO 



number of Noah's sons and their posteri- 
ties, as enumerated in Gen. x. and i Chron. i. 
is 73, from which arose the ntimber of 72 
languages, both among Jews and Chris- 
tians, Philistim being omitted, as having 
been introduced parenthetically (Gen. x. 
14, I Chron. L 12.), not as one of the 
original tribes, but in reference to a later 
subdivision. Peter Comestor, in his Scho- 
lastic History, has said, '* Texuntur ex eis 
72 generationes, 15 de Japhet, 30 de 
Chem, et 27 de Sem." — ^fol. xiv. But Vin- 
cent of Beauvais mentions both reckon- 
ings thus : " Fuerunt ex tribus Noe filiis 
gentes 73 (vel potius ut ratio declarat72), 
scilicet 15 de Japhet, 3 1 de Cham, et 27 de 



Sem, totidemque linguae esse coeperunt." 
— Specul. DoctrinoBj i. c 44. The angels 
whom Jacob beheld ascending and de- 
scending the ladder were 72 in number, 
and they were the angels of the 72 na- 
tions. Simeon ben Jochai, cited Bartolocci 
Bibl. Habbin. i. p. 228-9; Keuchlin de 
Verbo Mirifico, p. 938. This idea is agree- 
able to the Greek version of Deut. xxxiL 
8, "according to the number of the angels 
of God." The Mahometans likewise adopt 
the number 72 as that of the nations di- 
vided at Babel ; and in analogy to that 
division they boast of their religion being 
divided into 72 sects, while they allow 
only 71 to the Christians, and 70 to the 



229 



A great school was founded by Fenius, to instruct^ 

In all knowledge, 
A man deeply learned, who excelled 

In every language. 



50 



A son was born to Faenins Farsaidh, 

Who separated^ /rom him for ever, 
On the building of the tower by the men of the world, 55 

Nel, whom he loved. 



News came to Forann* 

With great eclat, 
Of Nel, son of Fenius, who knew 

AU languages of the world. 



60 



Nel was carried southwards to Egypt, 
Heroes^ of dark blue weapons. 



The 



Jews. See Bycaut's Turkish Empire, 
p. 118. Compare also Keating, Hist of 
Ireland, p. 61, and O'Flaherty, Ogyg. 
part ii. p. 63. — (H.) 

K To instruct — L. reads ac po^laim la 
peniuf, and gives lines 51 and 52 thus : 

Pep apo ampa co mbuam oc each 
ma bepla. 

Keating gives them thus: 

peap aoampaea^nuio eolac [or lulmop] 

in ^c beapla. 

Dr. Lynch paraphrases this stanza thus: 

** 86 caleDtinimtu artis 

Cojusvis FenioB, lingun et cujusvis peritiu 
Evaait, multis in lingna quoqae Magister.^ T.) 



^ Separated. — Dual is now obsolete ; 
but seems to signify separated. In the 
next line L. reads 00 cuaich; grammar 
would seem to require cuaraib, but it 
would be inconsistent with the metre; 
cuaich is the reading of all the copies, and 
is used again in the same sense, 1. 83.^-(2^.) 

' Forann, L e. Pharaoh. This stanza is 
quoted in Haliday's edition of Keating, 
p. 233, and in the manuscript copy by John 
Torna O'Mulconry, but it does not occur 
in Lynch's translation. For la ver. 58, 
Haliday and O'Mulconry read 50. — (T.) 

i Heroes — pein, cognate with pennio, 
a soldier, a hero ; or the word may be the 
same as pine, a tribe, a nation. ^' A people 



230 



DO bpfch mjfn phopaino 
06 Dap e|>e. 

Rue Scocca ycit mac 00 Neol 
ap n-oul in Qcgipc, 

fpp cfc cara 5^®^^!' B^^VT 
pfp plara pfjelc. 

pfni o phafniup ap a m-bepcop, 
clu cfn Oocca, 

Scuicc o Scocca. 

Sfo mop 1 m-bacap la phopamo 

la mfic n-uabaip ; 
popoap ouanaic 1 n-odlaib 

popoap pluojaij. 

Slua^ cuace De Icicfp popaino 

uao ap omun, 
gebfp pop a plicc co opfmun 

CO muip Romup. 



65 



70 



75 



80 



banp 



or heroes of dark blue weapons" is possi- 
bly a description of the Egyptians ; but it 
may perhaps better be taken in apposi- 
tion with Nel, as descriptive of his fol- 
lowers ; his son Gaedhal is by some said 
to have been called ylap, or green, from 
the colour of his armour (Haliday's Keat- 
ing, p. 237); the weapons of the follow- 
ers of Nel may therefore be here called 
^uipm, i. e. dark blue or black, for a similar 



reason. 15^ep denotes weapons, arms; the 
word is thus explained in a glossary jlepe 
.1. ylepa .1. mole no apma. — (^T,) 

^ Daughter. — L. inserts her name Scoca : 
and in line 65 the same MS. reads pu^ 
Scoca in^en do Niul, an error which has 
been corrected by an ancient hand which 
has written no mac over the word m^en. 
-<T.) 

* A hundred JighU.^ L. reads eppie cara, 



231 

The daughter^ of Forann was given 
Unto him afterwards. 

The beauteous Scota bare a son to Nel, 

After his arrival in Egypt, 
A hero of a hundred fights*, Gaedhal Glass, 

Endowed with sovereign righteousness. 

The Feni from Faenius are named, 

Not small their renown". 
The Guedhil from Gaedhuil Glass are called, 

The Scots from Scota. 

In great peace were they with Forann, 

And in great pride ; 
They recited poems in their assemblies, 

They recited battles". 

The hosts of the people of God Forann permitted 

To go forth from him through fear. 
He followed in their track fiercely 

To the sea Romhuir°. 



65 



70 



75 



80 
Forann 



a hero of battles ; and in the next line 
ppi plara pei^elc. — (T.) 

^ Renoum. — L. and Keating (Haliday's 
ed. p. 238,) and O'Flaherty (Ogyg. p. 349,) 
read bpi^ 5°" (or can) oocca, which 
O'Flaherty renders " res manifesta satis." 
Can Docoa is, literally, without difficulty. 
~{T.) 

^ Battles They recited duans (histo- 
rical poems), and tales or histories of bat-. 



ties ; or perhaps we should render lines 75, 
76, thus : " They were poetical [fond of 
poetry] in their assemblies ; They were 
warlike [or numerous]". For popoap, in 
lines 75 and 76, L. reads nibbop, which 
includes a negative ; and in line 73, prh 
map pom baDap la popano. — (21) 

^Romhuir. — muip pomuip, a corruption 
of mare rubrum. L. reads De muip po- 
muip instead of co. Haliday (p. 245) 



232 

bdcip popaino a lin uili 

aobul caipODc, 
cfpna cuac Dc oa cfp, 

ni pop bdio mo paipsge. 

Qcpaigper clanna Niiiil pcpg popamo, 85 

combcap bponaig, 
06115 ^^^ oecacap oon oigail 

lap m copaiD. 

Cio in can na cfpna popaino 

oon piao paenach, 90 

cuaca Sgfpc ecla la claino Neoil 

01a n-oaepao. 

Callpacap libfpna popamo 

a cip cpebpac, 
m aiochi uaip oap be lac 95 

mapa puaio paippec. 

Raipcc pec Inoc pec Qppia, 

ap Oon pfppio, 
oon Scicia, co m-bpfj n-uapail, 

oa cfp pfppm. 100 

pop 

absurdly translates mapa poihuip, ^^the conjectural. The word caipoe, which has 

great sea," and in the same place he also been rendered chariots, is now obsolete, 

makes the stupid blunder of rendering and the meaning assigned to it is very 

cuora De (line 75), *' Dannan's tribe." — doubtful. — (T.) 

(T.) ' Beached.— L. reads pola (T.) 

P Chariots. — This translation is entirely ' People of Egypt, — ^Lines 91 and 92 are 



^33 

Forann was drowned with all his multitude 

Of mighty chariots' ; 
The people of God reached' their own country, 

The sea did not drown them. 



The children of Nel raised Foran's ire, 
So that they were sorrowful, 

Because they joined not in revenge 
Along with the champion. 



85 



But when Forann returned not 

From his onward journey, 90 

The people of Egypt' were dreaded by the sons of Nel 

Lest they should enslave them. 



They seized the ships' of Forann, 
They deserted* their country ; 

And in the night time over the track 
Of the Red Sea they passed". 

They passed by India, by Asia, 

The way they knew* ; 
To Scithia, with noble might, 

Their own country. 



95 



100 
Over 



thus given in L. : abpai^ecap cuaea 
6i^epc, ap Dia n-acpcm, " the people of 
Egypt attempted to enslave them.*' — (T.) 

* Ships, — &ibepna, evidently the Latin 
LUmma naviSj a swift boat, or galley. 
-(21) 

* Deserted. — L. reads huachip peppaD, 

IRISH ARCH. 80C. 1 6. 2 



and in the next line pop for bap. — (T.) 

«* Passed. — peppao, they sailed, L. — (T.) 
' * They knew, — L. reads, 

l^cppoD pech Inoio, pech Qippia, 

crpa pcpm, 
occhum Sceichia, com-bpi^ uapail, 
cia cip pepin. — (T.) 



H 



234 



pop TDuncinD mapa Caif p gabrac 

cernpn Dilip 
papacpac ^''^ff ^" Copomp 

ap muip Cibip. 

LuiD 8pii mac Gppiu mpranaib 

ba cfn mipppi 
ninchell acuaio cpom co oare 

plebe Rippi. 

Ro gab a n-^oljaca jaerac 
comol ^lanoa 



105 



110 



^ /Siur/ooe.— muincmn is explained uac- 
cap by O'Clery.— (T.) 

■ Band.^'L. reads, oaebaip n-oilip, 
*' they took a desirable fortress.'* In the 
next line, for popacpac, L. has po ^^pac 

' Caranis^ L e. they left Glas dead at 
Coronis. In the margin, after the word 
Coponip, the scribe has written n. loci, 
Le. **nomen loci." L. reads Copcuip. 
According to the historical poem of Giolla 
Coemhain, preserved in the Leabhar 
Gabhala, the descendants of Nel or Niul, 
after leaving Egypt, remained in Scythia 
for a considerable time, contending for the 
sovereignty of the country ; but being at 
length ^xpeUed, they formed a settlement 
on the Caspian Sea, where 4^oma9, the 
sevent)i in descent firom Jj^iul (see Ogy- 
gia, page 67), died. After remaining 
there a year they set put again, passed 
through the Lybian Sea, and Gla^ the 



anaip 

son of Agnoman, and brother of Lamhfinn 
and EUoth, died at Coronis. The poet's 
words (Leabhar Grabhala, p. 61) are as 
follow : 

Dan^acap muip Cibip Ictn, 
peola6 pe pamlaice plan, 
^lop mac Q^nomam napoip 
an acbacb 1 Coponip. 

'*Th^ naokttd tiM ftiU Lybian Sea, 
TImj aailed six ftiU sommer days; 
Qlas, son of Agnoman tb« wise. 
Died at Coronis." 

The prose account in the Leabhar Gabh- 
ala (p. 58), states that their settlement 
at the Caspian Sea was in an island: that 
they remained there a year, and on the 
d^ath of Agnoman SQt out through the 
Lybian Sea to an (slandered Coronis, 
where Glas, son of Agnoman, died, after 
they had been there a year. Keating calls 
this island ** Coronia in $he Pontic Sea.^ 



235 



Over the surface' of the Cadpian sea they passed, 

A faithful band*, 
They left Glas in Coropis*, 

On the Sea of Libis. 

Sru, son of E8^u^ went afterwards, 

He was without dejection', 
Round by the gloomy north rapidly 

To Slieve Biffi. 

He settled in fiery Golgatha"*, 
A noble deed* : 



^05 



no 

There 



— Haliday*8 edit. p. 251. The Glas here 
spoken of, therefore, is not Gadhael Glas, 
but Glas, son of Agnoman, the eighth in 
descent from him. Coronia is most pro- 
bably Cyrene on the Lybian Sea. " Ab 
ea parte quae Lybico [mari] adjacet," says 
Pomponius Mela, " proxima est Nilo pro- 
vincia quam Cyrenas vocunt.'' — Dt Situ 
(Mtf, L L a 7. And his annotator, Joh» 
Olivarins, adds, ''nunc dicta Corena.'' 
'"See also Herodotus, L iii and ir.^- 
(T.) 

^ Sru, eon ofEeru. — Sru, son of Asmth, 
was the grandson of Ghidheal Glas, and the 
leader of the descendants of Niiil in the 
expedition from Egypt to Scythia. But if 
the preceding stanza relates to the death of 
Glas or Lamhglas (as Keating calls him), 
who was the sixth in descent from Sru, 
it is evident that there has been some con- 
fusion or transposition. The error, how- 
ever, occurs in all the copies of this poem 



which are accessible to me. — (T.) 

* WUhoui dejection. — N. reads cen mip- 
pi, a mistake for cen mippi or miBpi. 
But L. reads ap in fceici, *' out of Scy- 
thia.»-(r.) 

* Oolgatha — ^goljochain, L. S^^S^^' 
oca, N. O'Fkherty calls it Jaecluije, 
on the authority of the poem of Giolla 
Coemhan already referred to (Leabhar 
Crabhala, p. 60). The prose account, ib. 
p» 59, gives it the same name; cf. v. 117. 
It is very doubtful what place is intended 
by this appellation ; some suggest Gothia 
(Keating, p. 251), others Galatia, but 
O'Flaherty prefers Getulia (Ogyg. pp. 66^ 
67). This stanza is probably a continua- 
tion of the adventures, not of the original 
expedition under Sru, but of that under 
Lamhfinn and EUoth, the brothers of 
Glas, son of Agnoman, who died at Coro- 
nis. According to Keating (p. 247, Hali- 
day), Sru and his followers went no far- 
2 



236 



anaip ano a chlano ccn oijna 
od cec Th-bliabna. 

bparh mac Deagacha oop n-ainich 

pi^oa ifpeca, 
Of in CO h-em ejpaio pochuaiD 

1 cuapcepc m-beacha 

6a oe jabaip lap n-^^^^^^^'^^S'^ 

CO h-mopib 
pi^oa a loinjpn cafcnam mopa 

Cappian cpillpch. 

Do Chpfir DO Shicil pop pfppac 
pop pi rinpfm 



"5 



120 



pec 



ther than Crete, where he left a colony 
and died. But the account given in the 
Leabhar Gabhala makes him pass down 
the Bed Sea, into the Ocean, by the island 
of Taprabana [Ceylon], the Biph»an 
mountains, and so to Scythia. — (T.) 

Slieye Biffi (line 108) is Mount Bhi- 
phseus in Scythia, now called the Ural 
mountains, which the Irish antiquaries 
undoubtedly connected with the name of 
Biphath, grandson of Japhet, Gen. x* 3. 
Josephus, however (L c. 6), says, *Pf^aOf|c 

ik 'Pi^aOaiOvCt rove Ha^Xay6vovc Xc^o/iivovc* 

-iH.) 

• DeecL — L. reads comae n n-^pianoo. 
N. has Da cec ^pianba, which is an evi- 
dent mistake. Authorities differ as to 
the number of years that the posteri^ of 



Lamhfinn remained in Graethluighe. The 
old copies of the poem of Giolla Coemh- 
ain read thirty (see Haliday^s Keating, 
p. 251 ; Ogyg. p. 72), but the O'Clerys, in 
their copy of this poem in the Leabhar 
Gabhala (p. 62), have 300. Keating, 
(loc* cU.)y prefers 150, on the ground that 
Brath, the leader of the expedition from 
Gaethluighe to Spain, was the ninth in 
descent from Lamhfinn, who first settled 
at Gaethluighe. But this would be allow- 
ing less than twenty years to a genera- 
tion. Our author assigns 200 years to 
this interval, — another proof that this 
stanza describes the adventures of Lamh- 
finn, not of Sru son of Esru, and that 
some stanzas are probably lost O'Fla- 
herty adopts the term of 500 years, and 



There dwelt his descendants without disgrace 
Two hundred years. 

Brath', son of Deagath, performed 

A royal journey, 
From thence with great speed northwards, 

To the north of the world 

It was then he passed from Graethligh' 

To the islands; 
Royal his fleet, ploughing the sea 

Of sparkling Tarrian^. 

By Creid*, by Sicil, they sailed 
In their course, 



»i5 



120 



By 



points out the source of the difficulty in 
the legend, that Niul, or Nel, son of 
Fenius Farsaidh, was contemporary with 
Moses, which he could not be without ex- 
treme longevity, as the genealogies make 
him only the fifth in descent from Noah; 
Ogyg. p* 72. O'Flaherty, therefore, places 
the settlement of Lamhfinn at Getulia, 
about the year A.M. 2245 (L e. about 200 
years before Moses), and the expedition 
of Brath from Getulia to Spain about 
A.M. 2767.— Ogyg, p. 82.— (r.) 

f BrcUh. — This stanza and the next are 
added from L. They do not occur in the 
other MSS. Brath, son of Deagath or 
Deagfkth, as Keating calls him (see also 
line 1 25), was the leader of the migra- 
tion from Graethluighe into Spain, about 



the time of the destruction of Troy : Ogyg. 
p, 82. He was the nineteenth in descent 
from Fenius. The course here assigned 
to Brath is northwards, which is scarcely 
consistent with any of the opinions on the 
situation of Graethluighe with respect to 
Spain.— (r.) 

< GaethUgh, — The same place which was 
called Golgotha, line 109. See above, 
p. 235, note *.— (T.) 

•* Tarrian, — Muir Tarrian, or the sea 
Tarrian, is the Mediterranean. — (T.) 

* Creid, i. e., They sailed by Crete and 
Sicily, through the Straits of Gibraltar, to 
Spain. Immediately after this stanza the 
Book of Leinster gives the stanza begin- 
ning 6a mbpenqiacc 00 pala, which it 
repeats again (lines 137-140). N. gives 



238 

pec colomna hfpcuil aobuil 
ohGf pdin inolib. 

Ua Deara puaio oon pi^paio 

pi;SOa in popano 
gebff Grpdin m pfp popoll 

m cf bpfjono. 

bpiganna cnnm na cacpac 
na cec naipech, 



125 



it here, but does not repeat it in the 
second place. It is evidently misplaced 
here, and has therefore been omitted.-^^ 
(2-.) 

J Peninsular. — The word molib is per- 
haps from inoe, a point. And if so, it 
will signify here ^* Spain the pointed," that 
is, running out into a point, peninsular. 
It might signify also herds of cattle, and 
then the meaning would be *' Spain rich 
in cattle," which might perhaps allude to 
the classical fable of Hercules seizing the 
cattle of Geryon. But this latter trans- 
lation is not so probable as the former. — 
(T.) 

^ 2)M^a.— The father of Brath, who 
was mentioned before under the name of 
Deagathy which is only a different spell- 
ing. See line 113, and note. This passage 
is very corrupt in all the copies. L. reads 
hua Deacha om pi^aio. N. has uaoe 
aea puait> ix>n pio;^piiio. The meaning, 
however, is evidently what I have given 
in the translation, although I cannot alto- 



130 

rop 

gether correct the text — (T,) 

^His companions, — popcmois an ancient 
form of puipeno, the crew, attendants, or 
companions. L., however, reads pi]^ 
cpebuno, a royal chief, or tribune ; and 
N. reads pio^oa in poplann, *' royal the 
power or force," — (T.) 

^ The man, — ^For the meamng of in ci, 
see above, p. 207, note '• Broogan, son of 
Breath(see above, p. 237, note % succeeded 
his father, as king of the Spanish posses- 
sions of the tribe, according to O'Flaherty, 
in the year of the world 2767. Ogyg. 
p. 83 ; Keating (Haliday's Edit.), p. 255. 
-(T.) 

° Briganiia, — The Flavium Brigantium 
of antiquity is the port of Betansos in 
Spanish Gallicia; and it would have been 
as completely unknown in Ireland as any 
other port in Spain, but for a passage in 
the first Book of Orosius, copied into- 
the third of those geographical q^itomes, 
which usually bear the name of ^thicus 
later: ^'Seoundus angulus oircium inten- 



239 

By the columns of the mighty Hercules, 
To Espain the peninsular^. 

The grandson of the red Deatha'' of the royal Une, 

Royal his companions*, 
Took Espain, the very great man. 

The man" Bregond. 

Brigantia" wds the name of the city 
Of an hundred chieftains; 



'25 



130 
The 



dit ubi Brigantia CallecisB civitas dta, al- 
tiflsimmn pharom, et inter pauca memo- 
randi operis, ad speculum Britannie erigi- 
tur." — Oros. p. 26, ^thi& p. 61. Ed. Gro- 
noriL The farum, or pharos, light-hovae, 
is the Tower of Breagon (y. 131), and the 
words ** ad speculum" gave rise to the ab- 
surd notion that Ireland was visible from 
Betanzos. T^ey were probably written 
when those who did not wish to be burn- 
ed in their beds kept a sharp look out 
for vessels from Britain* However, the 
stovj hath its foundation in the cited 
passage of Orosius, and in one subse- 
quent, which mentions Ireland, and is as 
foUaws: '^Hibemia insula, |nterBritan- 
niam et Hispaniam sita, longiore, ab 
ASrko is boream, spatio porrigitur. Hu- 
jus partes -gnoKA intents Cantabrico 
oceaao Brigantiam CaUeciae civitatem, ab 
Afrieo sibi in circium occurrentem, spa- 
tieao intervallo procul specUtrU; ab eo pre- 
cxpaA pTomontorio, ubi Scens [Shannon} 
ftnaninifrostiiuB est, et Tebbri Lucemque 



consistunt." — ^p. 28. Havercamp. 

Observe the progress of falsehood. This 
exceUent writer simplj sajs spectant^ the 
shores of south-west Ireland looked or 
faced in that direction ; and states (perhaps 
falsely, but possibly with truth), that the 
tower of Betanzos was erected for the pur- 
pose of watching these islands, '* ad specih 
hrni Britannice**; and hence, we are told 
by Malmura, that *^ Erin was seen from 
the Tower.'* Being discovered on a win- 
ter's evening, it would seem to have been 
peculiarly visible in the dark. 

The Brigantes were, perhaps, the great- 
est of the tribes or nations inhabiting 
Britain; and their country reached ft'om 
shore to shore, fit>m the mouth of the 
Humber or Trent, to that of the Eden. 
Therefore, if the names Breagon and Bri- 
gant could be shewn identical (which they 
cannot), it would be sufficiently apparent 
from whence the former came into Ire- 
land,— (iJ.) 



240 



rop m^bpf^oin apfaioc in pubac 
poppa puioea. 

Saipuuaio ap cup accfpp hGpinn 

DO mc Lumnij; 
pfpcup gfmpio pop puaip Ich 

mac bpfgoin buionij. 

6a m-6pfncpacc do pala, 

CO luce a reglaigt 
cecTia mapb oia cenel congbaiD 

bebla Slemnaib. 

Saipofp bpfcha Ich in Gppdin 

lap na bpfgaib 
cpfn oollocap meic mil TTlile 

oia Di;sail. 



135 



140 



Dono 



^ Tower of Breogan. — See the story in 
Keating (Haliday's edit. p. 261). This 
tower, intended' as a sort of pharos, or 
watch-tower, is said by Keating (p. 255) 
to have been erected in Coninna. See 
Dr. Wilde's communication to the Boyal 
Irish Academy on the remains of the 
Pharos of Coninna. — Proceedings of the 
Academy, May 13, 1844. In L., line 130, 
is cecaib aipeach, and in the next line, 
for appaioe in pubac, we have a fuioe 
pubach^r.) 

p Was seen. — poocep, L. — (T.) 
*> Luimneck — oep h-iap poipino, L. In 
the next line, for pop L. reads pop, and 
omits buionij in line 136. The land of 



Luimnech was the country at the mouth 
of the Shannon, from the present city of 
Limerick to the sea. — (T). 

' BrentraehL — The plain called Magh 
Ithe (or the plain of Ith, son of Breogan), 
throngh which flows the river Fin ; it is 
the district now called the Laggan, Co. 
DonegaL Keating calls it bpenqracc 
mhai^e Ice ^Haliday's edit.), p. 262. See 
also the Book of BaUymote, foL 20, b., 
and the Leabhar Gabhala of O'Clery, 
page 69. There is another place called 
Magh Itha, in Leinster, which, accord- 
ing to another account, was the place at 
which Ith first landed; and the northern 
Magh Itha received its name from being 



241 



The tower of Breogan^ his delightful seat 
On which he sat 

North-east from the tower was seen'' Eri, 

As far as the land of Luimnech'^; 
On a winter's evening was it discovered by Ith, 

Son of Breogan, rider of troops. 

It was at Brentrachtr he landed 

With the people of his household, 
He was the first of his conquering tribe who died, 

He died at Slemnaibh'. 

South-eastwards Ith is carried to Spain, 

His strength being gone*, 
With might the sons of brave Miledh returned 

To revenge him. 



^35 



140 



Donn, 



the place where Ith was interred. Keat- 
ing, p. 267.— (T.) 

* Skmncubh. — Keating says, that some 
historians mention Drmnlighean, (now 
Dmmleen, on the Foyle, near Lifford), as 
the place of lih^s death ; but others assert 
that he died at sea, and that his body was 
carried to Spain to excite his rektives to 
reyeoge. Keating, p. 267. Leabhar Gab- 
hala, p. 70. This latter account appears 
to be adopted by our author. Where 
Slemnaibh is I do not know; but the 
scribe has added, no. loci, i. e. nomen loci 
L. reads pop fa penmuip, and in line 138, 
lim a ee^loich* The following account 
of Itb's death is giyen in the Book of Le- 
can (foL 12): CeWbpaif hie ooib, -| cfie 

IBI8H ABCH. 80G. 1 6. 2 



Docum a luinje. lappn po lapec poplin 
na noicn^ co pon ^onpac a TTIuij Icha. 
Ro piacc oneoach puileepeppnecoo cum 
a lum^e, 1 oobach lapam pop muip. Do 
opracap oemna pep 00 mumcip hlra .1. 
Ollum a amm ipe c^o mapb BpCnn do 
pil ^ciioiU '* Ith took his leave of them 
and went to his ship. After that they sent 
a company after them, and they wounded 
him in Magh Itha. He reached, wounded 
and blood-dropping, his ship, and he died 
afterwards on the sea. Demons killed a 
man of Ith's people, Ollum was his name. 
He was the first dead in Eri, of the seed 
of GaedhaL"— (T.) 

' His strength being gone, L e. being 
killed or mortally wounded. L. reads 
1 



DonD Colpca Qmaip^fn ^lun ^el 

pfp cpfn cfpec 
Ip pceo Gbfp bfpiTnoii 

pe meic ITlilcD. 

TDac Irha Lu;saiO cam cpecac 

copcpach cachac 
Dap Ifp lechan oolluio 

00 Di^ail a arhap. 

&U1 &p(^ain bpurmapa beooa, 

peib pop pfme 
6loo, Copp, Cual^ne, Rijbapo 

Cigfpn mac bpi^e. 

barap ccchpi achij piece 

nip bo uabop 
ic ippaf nappi5 cfn baigiil 

pop pm c-pluojoD, 

Slumopccpa ouib uili a nanmano 

map Dop paepai^ 
lap na n-apim bo( Diap oib 

1 pail cec ofnpip. 



»45 



150 



^55 



160 



Qionc 



lap mbap mbpi^ich, ** after a becom- 
ing death ;" and in the next two lines, 
00 looap meic Hiul mic 6ile, plo^ 
Dia oi^ail ; '* the sons of Niul, the sons 
of Bile, came, a host, to revenge him." 
Bile was the father of Milesins, and a 
descendant of Niul. — (T.) 

' Wide-rfiUi^. — The word cipec has 



here evidently the signification of en- 
dowed with lands, wide-ruling; in which 
sense it is applied as a surname to Aongus 
Tirech, King of Munster, so called because 
he was fabled to have made extensive con- 
quests in Europe. Book of Munster (MS. 
Royal Irish Academy), p. 32.— (T.) 
^ DeBcendarUs. — The MS. reads but. 



243 

Donn, Colptha, Amergin of the white knee, 145 

A hero mighty, wide-ruling^ 
Ir and Eber, Herimon, 

The six sons of Miledh. 

The son of Ith, Lugaid, the fair, the plundering, 

Victorious, warlike, 150 

Over the wide sea passed 
To avenge his father. 

The descendants^ of Breogan, ardent, vigorous, 

As we enumerated them, 
Blod, Corp, Cualgne, Eighbhard, 155 

Tighem, son of Brig. 

There were also four and twenty plebeians*, 

Who were not proud, 
To attend on the chiefs without fail 

In the expedition. 160 

I shall recite omto you all their names. 

As I have^ received them. 

After their enumeration; there were two of them 

In attendance on each chieftain. 

Aidhne 

which is also followed by N., but L. Milesius, was the son of Breogan. Ith 

reads heu. I have ventured to translate was also the son of Breogan. Therefore, 

as if the reading was hui, the descen- Liigaid was grandson, and all the others 

dants, grandsons, posterity, a conjectural mentioned in the text, great-grandsons of 

emendation suggested by Mr. O'Donovan, Breogan. — (T.) 

which seems necessary for the sense. The ' Pldfdans. — This quatrain is omitted 

adjectives bpucmapa and beoba, being in L. — (T.) 

plural, require a plural substantive. For ^ As I have, — L. reads ap p ono po epi^. 

beot>a L. reads pip. Bile, the father of — (T.) 

2I2 



244 



Qione Qile Qfpal TTlicce 

TTlopba TTlioe 
Cuib Cliu Cfpa Saip Sldn Cijc 

Cipc Cine. 

Cijfn Upai^ Dollocap Qipc 

Nai Dfpf Qinc 
pea popuaip mfnlec Th-bpo^ai 

pfmin pfpa. 

pop oailpec clano bpeogcnn buionec 

ba gfn mibail, 
comci'p pognaimche na cpfnpip 

Do na pi;saib. 

Rue Cpuicne mac Cinje a mna uaoib 

poppap n-oipec 
inge Cea bfn bfpimoin, 

mic TTlileo. 

TTlop paechaip cepaic uili 
pop cac rh-buaope 



•65 



170 



^75 



180 



la 



* ObtakiecL — L. reads pea po uaip mm 
;^el m po;;cu The twenty-four names are 
very corruptly giyen in L. They are as 
follows : Qione, Qi, Qpal, Hlemi, TTlop- 
ba, TTI101, Cuip, Cliu, Cepa, Seip, Slan, 
Cije, tipe, Cisjan, Cpai^, Dul, Qpao, 
Qipe, Hoc, Cep, 6ne, Pea, Peimm, 
pepa. Other yariations occur in the list 
given by Keating, p. 307, who makes the 
number of chieftains much more than 
twelve, and says nothing of two servants 



being assigned to each. For^-one names 
are given in the poetical list of the chief- 
tains enumerated in the verses beginning 
Coippgh na lomjpi cap lep, ** The chief- 
tains of the ships over the sea,'' attri- 
buted to £ochy O'Flynn, and preserved 
in the Leabhar Crabhala of the O'Clerys, 
p. 71 ; and O'Flaherty says, ** Duces pns- 
cipui Hibemice expeditionis erant nu- 
mero quadraginti." — Ogyg. iii. c 4, p. 1 82. 

_(r.) 



245 



Aidhne, Aile, Assal, Mitte, 1 65 

Morba, Mide, 
Cuib, Cliu, Cera, Sair, Slan, Lighe, 

Life, Line. 

Ligean, Traig, Dollotar, Aire, 

Nai, Dess, Aine, 1 70 

Fea, who obtained' a fertile territory, 

Femin, Fera. 

The sons of the fruitful Breogan decided. 

It was done without deceit. 
That these stout yeomen^ should be attendants 175 

Upon the kings. 

Cruithne, son of Cing, took their women'' from them. 

It is directly stated, 
Except Tea, wife of Herimon, 

Son of Miledh. 1 80 

Great labour^ did they all undergo 
In every tumult, 



* Tecnnen, — On the word na is the note 
in the margin no in, i. e. " or in." — (T.) 

*" Took their women, — The other accounts 
represent the women as having been 
given to Cruithne with the consent of 
Herimon. Our author seems to intimate 
here that they were taken by force. Comp. 
lines 215-218. Tea, wife of Herimon 
was daughter of Lughadh, son of Ith* 
— (T.) I may snatch occasion to note 
here, what I ought to have said Addit. 
Notes, line 19, page zlL Old Layamon 



With 

represents the King of Britain as settling 
the Scythian Peohtes in Catenes (Caith- 
ness). But the Britons scorned to give them 
wives. So they asked and obtained women 
from Gilla Caor, King of Ireknd. And 

Thnih thaOke wifinm .... 
That fole gan to speUen 
Irlondes speche. v, 10069. 

This assumes as notorious the fact, that 
they dt(i speak that language. — (^.) 
* Oreal labour. — This is very obscure ; 



246 



la mna bpfypc la mna 6af pc 
la Tnna &uai;^ne. 

banba a pleib TTlipp co na plnajaib 

pipiuc cuiplcc 
Pocla in Gblmne apnac 

hGpiu m Uipnpic. 

(loocoppac Cuara Dea 

rpia cfpc clirac, 
o cfp tnoac oap noi connaib 

Don lip lecan. 

Ro gab bcpimon collcic m cpluaij 

lap n-upo col^oai 
cimcell acuait) ba jfn mfpsle 

o'lnbfp Cholpcai. 



185 



190 



»95 



Po 



the meaning seems to be, either that the 
Picts had to sustain great labours and 
contests in order to obtain their wives ; 
or that, after obtaining them, they had to 
endure great labour before they acquired 
a permanent settlement. See Add. Notes, 
p. Ixx., and Keating (Haliday's ed.), 

p. 317.— (^O 

^ Banha, — This quatrain is quoted by 
Keating, p. 288. Banba, Fothla, and Eire, 
were the three queens of the Tuatha De 
Danaan, wives of the sons of Carmad, 
who held the sovereignty of Ireland on 
the arrival of the Milesians. Sliabh Mis, 
which still retains its name, is a moun- 
tain south-west of Tralee, in the county of 
Kerry. Sliabh £bhline, now Sleibhte 



Ebhlinne, is a range of mountains b^in- 
ning in the barony of Owneybeg and Ckx)- 
nagh, .in the county of Limerick, and 
extending in the direction of Nenagh and 
Cashel, in the county of Tipperary. Uis- 
neach,, or Usnagh, is a hill still bearing 
the name, about four miles from Ballymore 
Lough Sewdy, in the county of West- 
meath. In line 184* L. reads pepech 
cuipleao. N. reads pipiuc cuipleac (a 
mistake, probably, for cuipleac) and Keat- 
ing (in Halliday's edit.), peirpeac, cuip- 
leac. These differences are merely dif- 
ferences of spelling.— (T.) 

* Sent them, L e. sent the Milesians away. 
In line 188, L. reads cpe chepc cpechach, 
'* with plundering might," L e. irredsti- 



247 



With the wife of Bress, the wife of Bass, 
And the wife of Buaighne. 

They fought Banba* at Sliebh Mis with her hosts, 

Faint, wearied; 
They fought Fothla at Ebhlinne, murmuring, 

Eire at Uisneach. 

The Tuatha Dea sent them* forth, 

According to the laws of war', 
From the firm land over nine waves 

Of the broad sea. 

Herimon went* forth with half the host 

In proud array, 
Round the north (it was without sorrow), 

To Inbher Colptha\ 



i8s 



190 



^95 



Donn 



ble. In the next line the same MS. has 
chip chuichlech, ** from the pleasant 
land."— (r.) 

f Laws of war. — The story here alluded 
to is given by Keating, p. 291. The Mile- 
sians demanded a settlement in the coun- 
try, or a battle. The Tuatha De Danaan 
offered to leave the decision of this ques- 
tion to the Milesian judge, Amergin, who 
was bound to give judgment according 
to law. He decided against' his own bre- 
thren; but enjoined that the Milesians 
should re-embark, and go to sea, a'dU- 
kmce offline waves j and that then, if th^ 
oould effect a landing against the forces 
of the Tuatha De Danaan, the country 



should be their's. This was agreed to by 
both sides. The words in which Amergin 
is said to have pronounced his judgment 
are preserved in the Leabhar Gabhala of 
the O'Clerys, p. 72, where they are inter- 
preted by a copious gloss, being in an 
ancient and nearly obsolete dialect of 
Irish.-<r). 

f Went — L. reads lu 10 : and in the next 
line top cuino colct>a, ''upon the proud 
waves." In line 193 the same MS. has 
amcheall an cuato bam can mepj^a. — 

^ Inbher Colptha, — The bay of Colpa, son 
of MilesiuSfWho was drowned there: Keat- 
ing, p. 295. This is the name still given 



248 

Ro jab Dono 00 pin leic ailc 

mp n-upo innaif p 
ba mapb ic apcnam cfn comaip 

ofpcfpc h-ippaif . 

Co uuapcbao copn la lia a cfneoil 

ap lip lecac 
f fn cpeb concec coniD cec Dumn 

oe Don sapap. 

6a h-cpm a h-eoacc aobul 

om clainD cecaich 
cucum 00m cic nppaiD uili 

mp bap n-ecaib. 

Ic inbiup Scfne po pauppec 

pc6l cfn Dfinao 
ppuc Dian ofptnap in pop porpaic 

Pml bfn Lujoac. 



200 



205 



210 
Pop 



to the mouth of the river Bojme at 
Drogheda.— (T.) 

> Without strength. — Cen cunj^ip, L, 
For the story of Doim*8 shipwreck see 
Keating, p. 293. — (T.) 

i IrruB, — From this it appears that the 
south-western promontory of Kerry was 
anciently called IrruB^ or the western pro- 
montory, for it was there that the ship- 
wreck, according to all tradition, took 
place.— (21) 

^ Tech Dumn^ or the House of Donn. 
See aboTe, p. s^^ note "• It would be very 



desirable to ascertain whether the islands 
at the mouth of Kenmare river, one of 
which is now identified by tradition with 
Tech Duinn, contain cams, or other traces 
of a pagan burying ground. From their 
inaccessible situation it is not likely that 
any rude monuments they may contain 
have been much disturbed. The words 
** stone of his race" probably allude to a 
custom of later date, when an inscribed 
stone, marking the name, family, or rank 
of the deceased, was placed over his grave. 
For CO cuapcbao, line 199, L. reads ap 



249 

Donn went with the other half 

In progressive order, 
He died as he was sailing, without strengths 

At the south of Irrus^. 

There was raised /or him a cairn with the stone of his race, 
Over the broad sea, 200 

An ancient stormy dwelling; and Tech Duinn'', 
It is called. 



This was^ his great testament 

To his numerous children, 
" To me, to my house, come ye all 

After your deaths." 

At Inbher Scene" they landed, 

The story is not concealed. 
The rapid great stream in which bathed 

Fial", wife of Lughadh. 



205 



210 
They 



cocboD; and in line 200, uaiple ap Uiiin- 
cheach ; also in the next line f oneec, bold, 
claiing, for concec, boisterous, wave-bea- 
ten.— (T.) 

' 2%ii9u^<».—-L. reads Combai cCcachc ao- 
buU From this quatrain it appears that the 
iBland called Tech Duinn was believed to 
be the burial place of Donn's posterity. I 
am not aware that it has ever been exa- 
mined bj any competent antiquary, with 
a view to test this tradition. — (T.) 

™ Inbher Scent, the mouth of the river 
Skean ; so caUed from Scene Dulsaine, wife 

IBISH ARCH. sec. 1 6. 2 



of Amergin, who was there drowned. See 
Keating, p. 296; Duald Mac Firbis, Genea- 
logies (Marquis of Drogheda's copy), 
p. 45. Inbher Skene was the ancient 
name of the mouth of the river Corrane, 
in the Co. Kerry.— (T.) 

^ Fiat, — The foUowing account of the 
death of Fial, who was the daughter of 
Milesius and wife of Lughad, son of Ith, 
is given in the Leabhar Gabhala, p. 74: 
1p in oiDche 1 can^ooap meic TTliVeo 
in 6pinn, comaoim loch Cuijoeach po 
cip in lap ITluihain. Dia mbaoi 6u^od 
K 



250 



Rop Dailpfc po h-6pino opai^ 

map acbfpiD 
jnfpfc copa ppi pipu bolj 

ppi clano NemiD. 

Nip bdcap mnd poipbe pofpc 

cc a noglea 
Qp n-jaic a m-ban jabpac clfmnap 

Cuac Dea. 

Do bpfc Ooib lech cec apba 

CO muip meobap, 
mpp m capDDine coip comofp, 

lapp in clfmnap. 

Ro 5ab hfpiTnon m cuapcfpc 

Du Dia cimuo, 
Co na pfncup, co na poluo, 

CO na n-obguD. 



^«5 



220 



225 



Co 



mac locha "go f oi^pai;^ if in loch, *] Pial 
injCn TDileo a bean ocoa pocpai^ if m 
loch. Do luiD Cupxb ^Uf an ou 1 
fhbaoi an injfn of e nocc -} opo pU paip 
famlaiD acbail oo naipe po cheeoip, -| 
af uaice anmnij^p on aBonn con a 
mBep. ^* It was on the night on which 
the Milesians landed in Eri, that Loch 
Luighdheach [in Kerry] broke out of 
the earth in West Mtznster. Lughaidh, 
son of Ith, was bathing in the lake, and 
Fial, daughter of Miledh, his wife, was 
with him bathing in the river that runs 



out of the lake. Lughaidh came on shore 
where the woman was naked, and she 
thought it was another man, and died of 
shame immediately. And from her the 
river and its mouth have their name.'' 
Then follows, in the Leabhar Grabhala, a 
poem, said to have been composed by 
Lughaidh on the occasion. See Keating 
(HaUday's Edit.) p. 96.— (71) 

^ Tuatka Dea, — According to this ac- 
count, the Milesians formed alliances with 
all the tribes in possession of the country. 
This fact, which, if true, would account for 



25' 

They spread themselves through Eri, to her coasts, 

As is recorded, 
They made an alliance with the Firbolg, 

And with the sons of Nemhedh. 

There were no charming, noble wives 2 1 5 

For their young men; 
Their women having been stolen, they made alliance 

With the Tuatha Dea'. 

Unto them was given*" the half of all the land, 

To the boisterous sea, 220 

After ^Aw just and judicious league. 
And after this allianca 

Herimon took** the north 

As the inheritance of his race, 

With their antiquity, with their prosperity, 225 

With their rights ; 

With 

the difference of race so manifest in the cona cholach, cona oli^eao. After line 

mere Irish population, is not mentioned 234, there is an omission in N. of eighty- 

by Keating or other popular historians, eight lines. All the ancient Irish writers 

L. reads in v. 216, cia po n^lea; and for agree that Herimon possessed the north- 

ap n^aic, in the next line, oapojiapc — em, and Heber the southern parts of 

(7.) Ireland, and yet Giraldus Cambrensis re- 

' Wca gwen, — Dopaca, L. For apba verses this division in his Topographia 

the same MS. reads popba, which is evi- Hiber. D. IIL c. 6. Camd. p. 737: ''Pro- 

dentlj the meaning ; and in the next line, cedente vero tempore duo istorum nomi- 

meblof for meobop. In line 221, tap natissimi Hibernis scilicit et Herjmon 

pn chaipc michaim chombpuf. — (T.) duas in partes squales, regnum inter se 

*> Took. — ^abaip, L. In the next line diviserunt. Herymoni cessit pars Aus- 

L. has cona chineoo, ''with his race;" tralis: Hebero quidem Aquilonaris." To 

and in lines 225, 226, cona peanchop, this day, however, the people of Munster 

2K2 



252 



Co na n-Dfimb, co na cacaib, 

jaipge pfjce, 
CO na n-oebchaijc cpm oibhnc, 

CO na cechpe. 

Ro gab 6bfp ofpcfpc nhGpcnn, 

opo po cmniup, 
CO na ucmaille, cona commup, 

CO na binniup. 

Co na buaoaib, co na h-uile, 

CO na acje, 
CO na ofppaioe cpia oupe, 

CO na chamc, co na Dcnc. 

Do clainD hfpimoin do Lajnib 

luac CO clocoa, 
Lech Cumo, Connacc, Nmll pappe, 

Nial inD pocla. 



230 



235 



240 



are called Slioce GiBip. *' Errat autem 
Giraldus in dimidio Austiali tribuendo 
Heremoniy &c., cum omnes antiqui uno 
ore ei tribuant Borealem, et Hebero Aus- 
tralem.'' Dr. O'Conor, in Ann. 4 Mag. 
p. 10, note I. — (T.) 

^Fortresses. — Here again in the text 
we have cona riounib, " with their for- 
tresses,'' which is inconsistent with the 
context, and ought to be con a ouniB. 
L. reads: 

Con u oiumap, con a chaochcn 

^aipchup ei^ni 
Cona cheipchich cpia opni 

con a eicpi. 



pocapc 

" With its pride, with its wan, 
With its shouts of distress, 
With its fiulnies from its rashness, 
With its wings."— (T.) 

• Power. — The MS. here reads can 
commup, but the context shows that the 
scribe intended to write cona, and I have 
altered it accordingly. L. reads cen cho- 
map, " without power." — (T.) 

^ Harmony. — Alluding, perhaps, to the 
legend, which will be found in Keating, 
p. 306, of Cir, son of Cis, the poet, having 
been allotted to Herimon, and Onee, the 
harper, to Heber. — (T.) 

" Orancfetir.— If reads cona umlo. 



253 

With its fortresses', with its troops, 

Fierce, active; 
With their rash fights, 

With their cattle. 

Eber took the south of Eri, 

The order was so agreed on, 
With its activity, with its power*, 

With its harmony*; 

With its victories, with its grandeur". 

With its hospitality. 
With its vivacity combined with hardiness, 

With its loveliness, with its purity. 

Of the race of Herimon are the Lagenians', 

Of fame renowned^, 
Leth-Cuinn, Conacht, Niall of the south, 

NiaU of the North. 



230 



235 



240 



humility, or submission ; and, in the next 
line, cona pei^i; in line 237, for cpia 
t>upe, L. has ceri Dutpi, '* without harsh- 
ness,'' and in line 238, cona peile, *' with 
its festivity," omitting conachaipe — (T.) 
^ LagmkoM^ L e. the families of Lein- 
ster. Ugaine Mor, king of Ireland, whose 
reign commenced, according to O'Fla- 
herty, A.M. 3619, was a lineal descen- 
dant of Herimon; and to his son, Laeghaire 
Lore, are traced the O'Conors of Offaly, 
O'Tooles, O'Bymes, Mac Murroughs, 
Mac Gillpatricks, and all the great fami- 
lies of Leinster. Ugaine is also the ances- 
tor of Con of the Hundred Battles, and 



The 

of all the septs called Hy Niall, seated in 
Meath and Ulster; also of the families of 
Leath Ctiinn, or the northern half of Ire- 
land, with the exception of the Clanna 
Rudhndghe, and some minor families. 
The great families of Connaught also, as 
the O'Conors, O'Flahertys, O'Dowdas, 
0*Heynes, O'Shaughnessys, &c., who are 
chiefly of the race of Eochaidh Muighmh- 
eadhoin, and therefore belong to the family 
of Ugaine Mor, and the line of Herimon. 
_(T.) 

' Renoumed* — L. reads luao con cloch- 
na. The word pofT^* in the next line, is 
explained in Cormac's Glossary, .1. oeip- 



254 



pocapc, na Dfp, IT] 05 Cdma, 

la cup Cualnje, 
pip Dalpiacai, Copca pinne, 

if Copcu pofoa. 

Rijpaio clamne Gcac uili Domblfn, 

cuip Docelaib, 
Ip pijpao Qipjiall a buicnc, 

CO loch pebail. 



245 



cipc, Le. the south, and has been so 
translated ; but L. reads here, Hiall 
fino paichle. — (T.) 

» The FotharU. — These were the de- 
scendants of Eochaidh Finn Fothart, son of 
Fedhlimidh Rechtmhar, King of Ireland, 
A. D. 164. He was banished from Meath, 
then the seat of the kings, by his nephew. 
Art Aenair, who began his reign, accord- 
ing to O'Flaherty, A.D. 220. — Ogyg. iii. 
c. 64. The posterity of Eochaidh Finn Fo- 
thart settled in yarious parts of Leinster, 
and the baronies of Fothart or Forth, in 
the counties of Carlow and Wexford, still 
retain their name. The Deisi were the 
descendants of Fiacha Suighdhe, son of 
Fedhlimidh Rechtmhar, and were, there- 
fore, of the senior line of Ugaine Mor. 
But they were set aside by Con of the 
Hundred Battles, and afterwards expelled 
from Meath by Cormac O'Cuinn, his grand- 
son, who began his reign A. D. 254 — 
Ogyg. iiL c. 69. They settled in the dis- 
trict now called from them Decies, in the 
County Waterford, and in the barony of 



250 

pip 

Middlethird, County Tipperary. — (T.) 

* Mogh Lamhd's race. — Mogh Lamha 
was the father of Conaire U., King of 
Ireland, A. D. 212, who married Sandd, 
daughter of Con of the Hundred Battles, 
and was the father of the three Cairbres, 
from oneof whom, Cairbre Biada,or Riogh- 
f hada, the Dal-Riada, or race of Riada, 
are descended The district of Dalriada, 
now called the Rovt, in the county Antrim, 
takes its name from the race that inhabit- 
ed it. See Reeves's EccL Antiq. of Down, 
and Connor, and Dromore, note FF. p-3 1 8, 
et seq. The genealogy of Mogh Lamha is 
thus given in the Book of Conquests, p. 147 : 
He was the son of Lughaidh Alladham, 
King of Munster, son of Coirpre Crim- 
chuin, son of Daire Dornmhair, son of 
Cairpre Fionnmhor, King of Munster, son 
of Conaire Mor, King of Ireland. — (T.) 

** Cualgne. — For la cup Cual^e, L. 
reads la cope ^aela. Cuailgne is a 
mountainous district in the north of the 
county of Louth, now Cooley ; the ce- 
lebrated Cuchullin, of the race of Heri- 



^ss 



The Fotharts", the Deisi, Mogh Lamha's' racSj 

With the warrior of Ckialgne**, 
The men of Dalriada, Corco-Rinne*, 

And Corco-Roeda*'. 

The kings of the race of Eochaidh Doimhlen*, 

The pillars of his houses, 
And the kings of ArgialK, from Buichne 

To Loch FebhaiH. 



245 



250 
Fir 



moiif was the champion of Cuailgne, and 
perhaps he is here particularly alluded 
to. Gore Gaela, mentioned in the read- 
ing of L., was king of the country now 
called Eile, or Ely, in Ormond. He was 
married to £le, daughter of Eochaidh 
Mac Luchta, and his descendants were 
the Ck>rco Gkiela. The three Fotharts were 
his chief representatives, through their 
mother Finche — (T.) 

• Carco-Binne, — L. reads copco chu- 
pano ; but I know not who were the 
Corco Rinne, or Corco Churann. There 
is propably some corruption of the text 
in all the copies. — (T.) 

* Corco-Baeda. — These were the de- 
scendants of Fiacha Baide, son of Fiacha 
Suighdhe, already mentioned as the an- 
cestor of the Deisi' The Corcoraidians oc- 
cupied the barony of Corcaree in the coun- 
ty of Westmeath — Ogyg. iii. c 69 — (T.) 

*Eockadh Doimhlen — He was the son of 
Cairbre Liffeachar, King of Ireland, and 

father of CoUa Huais, King of Ireland 

Ogyg. iiL c. 75. L. omits uili in line 247, 



which is evidently redundant: and in the 
next line the same manuscript reads cuip 
Ota chelaib. He is called "a pillar of 
his houses," L e. of the houses or families 
descended from him, because he was the 
common ancestor of the O'Kellys of Hy- 
Many, Maguires, Mac Mahons of Oriel, 
O'Hanlons, Ac.— (T.) 

^ Ktn^s ofArgialL — L. has simply na 
h-Qip^ialla, the Argialla. They were 
the descendants of the three Collas, the 
sons of Eochaidh Doimhlen. — Ogyg. iii 
c 76— (7'.) 

From Buichne to Loch FdfhaiL — L. 
reads ocha 6uaibnich. The meaning is, 
that the authority of the Argialla extend- 
ed over the district, from the River 
Buichne to Loch Febhailor Foyle. In 
St. Patrick's time the Argialla had pos- 
session of all the country about Loch 
Foyle and the now counties of Monaghan, 
Armagh, a great part of Tyrone, and of 
the barony of Slane in Meath. Where 
the Buichne is I do not know, but it ap- 
pears to be the name of a river. — (T,) 



256 

pip Dojial o 5p^'^ ^^ CopaiD 

cfn nac nofmfpp, 
Dcj meic TTlamc bpfpail piacpai^ Dalian, 

acup Domlen oilfp. 

Dubfic oolup cfimcn [pooub] 

pochuo aipjnec, 
Qenoia Cpennia, 

Cofnnia caippOec. 

Copppe QpaD, QpaD Cipc, 

Qpat) Cliacac, 
Lacapn bfnncpaige Inmanai^, 

Dal Pino piacQc. 



255 



260 



^Coraid, — Fer da Ghiall, L e. £ochaidh 
FerdaghiaU, the ancestor of the Hy-Many, 
in Connaught, whose territory extended 
from Grian to Coraidh. See O'Donovan's 
Genealogies, Tribes, &c., of Hy-Many, 
pp. 7, 10, 25, 66, 130, 134. For copaio, 
in line 251, L. reads copaich, and in 
the next line cenoach nimeap. In line 
253 the words oe^ meic are omitted — 
(T.) 

* Greynesa, — The word pooub is in- 
serted from L., and is necessary to com- 
plete the metre; it signifies, literally, half 
UacL'-{T.) 

^ Fothads. — The three Fothads were the 
sons of Lugadh Mac Con, King of Ireland 
A. D. 250, according to O'Flaherty's dates. 
They were called Fothad Airgtheach, Fo- 
thad Cairptheach, and Fothad Canann. — 



poola 

Ogyg. p. 329. The names Aendia, Tren- 
nia, and Coennia, lines 257, 258, are 
other names given to the three Fothads, 
Airgtheach, Cairptheach, and Canann. — 

' Corpre Arad. — In the margin another 
reading is given thus : no Copppe cliac, 
liacam, pit>2;enm, pono mbiacac ; and 
the same reading occurs also in L., both 
readings being inserted together, so as to 
give this stanza the appearance of contain- 
ing six lines : 

Caipbpi each Ciaean, pm^enio, 

pono mbiaixich, 
Caipppi QpaD, QpaD Chipi, 

QpaD Cliach, 
6achaipm, 6eanncpai^i Inmanaich, 

t)al Pino piacach. 



257 

Fir da Ghiall, who dwell from Grian to Coradh'', 

Without contempt, 
The good sons of Mame, Breasail, Fiachra, Dalli 
And Domhlen the faithful. 



Blackness, darkness, dimness, greyness^, 
The Fothads*", the plunderers 

Aendia, Trennia, 
Coennia of chariots. 



^55 



Corpre Arad*, Arad Tire, 

Arad Cliathach, 
Latham"*, Benntraighe, lonmanaich, 

Dal Finn Fiatach". 



260 



The 



Cairbri, Cach [read Cliach], Uathan, Fidhgenidh, 

Of the fertile soil, 
Cairpri, And, Anul Thiri, 

AradCliach, 
Lathairn, Beanntraigfae the beloved, 

Dal Flim Flatach. 

Cairpri Arad, Arad Thire, and Arad 
Cliach or Cliathach, are the tribes set- 
tled in Duharra, and the adjacent terri- 

ritory in Tipperary See O'Donovan's 

Book of Rights, published by the Celtic 
Society, p. 46, n. — (T.) 

^ Latham. — The district of Lame, Co. 
Antrim, in the ancient territory of Dala- 
radia, which derives its name from Lathair, 
one of the sons of Ugaine Mor. The Benn- 
traighe are the descendants of Beann, son 
of Connor Mac Nessa, according to some 
accounts; or of Congancnis, of the Er- 

IBI8H ARCH. SOC. 16 2 



neans of Munster, according to others. 
See M'Firbis, pp. 381, 503. They were 
settled at Bantry Bay in the county Cork, 
and also at Bantry, on the borders of the 
counties of Wicklow and Wexford. The 
lonmanaich were descended from Colla 
Meann in Mughdhome. — Book of Leacan, 
foL 88, b, ft.— (T.) 

^ Dal Finn Fiatach, — The descendants 
of Fiatach Finn, who, according to Tigher- 
nach, began to reign in Emania, as King 
of Uladh or Ulidia, in the year A.D. 108, 
and in 116, according to O'Flaherty's 
Chronology, became king of Ireland. — 
Ogyg. p. 142, and p.' 301. He was of the 
race of Herimon, of the family of the 
Emai, or descendants of OilioU Aroun, 
who settled in Ulster. — Ogyg. p. 266. — 
(T.) 
L 






2s8 



poola Copppe fceo Cpacpaije 

ba coipm cfpech, 
pluag bale buaoac, munnp hrpimoin, 

mic niileD. 

TTlaiccnc Gbip Gojanacca, 
uil] apoair, 

Qni, loc Lcin, Capel, ^^^"^^^^'"i 
Ropp n-Qpgaic. 

6ocu Raiclmne cfn opofijao 

cam culao, 
Goganacc cec ou i cdc, 

la bpigu TTluTnap. 

TTlare Dal Chaipf Oal Cein cecaij, 
CO njail ipgnai, 



265 



270 



Dal 



** Corpraighe. — Over the word Copppe 
in the text, the MS. has the correction 
no Copppaijie in a later hand ; and over 
Cpaqiai^e, the correction no Dapcpaije, 
which have been adopted in the trans- 
lation. L. reads pobla Copbpuioi pceo 
Ocqiqiaioi, and in the next line eopno 
Dipeoch. The Corpraighe are the de- 
scendants of Carbre Liffeachar, son of 
Cormac Mac Art, King of Ireland, A. D. 

279 Ogyg. p. 341. The Dartraighe were 

a tribe situated near Loch Gill, in the 
baronj of Carbery, Co. Sligo, descended 
from Lugad Cal, of the family of Itlu 

Ogyg- p* 329— (^0 

P In every place: L e. in every place 



where the Eoghanachts are to be found, 
of which the poet proceeds to enumerate 
the prinoipaL The £<^hanachts were the 
descendants of Eoghan, son of Oilioll 
Olum, KingofMunster, A.D. 237. — Ogyg. 
p. 326. There were various septs of them 
in the south of Ireland, as the Eoghan- 
acht Ani, or O'Ciermeics, at Ani, now 
Knockany, in the CaLimerick; the £ogh- 
anacht Locha Lein, or O'Donohues, at 
Loch Lein, now the Lake of Killamey, 
barony of Magunnihy, Co. Kerry; the 
Eoghanacht Caisil, or Mac Carthys, of 
Cashel; the Eoghanacht Ruis-airgid, near 
the river Nore in Ossory; Eoghanacht 
Rathlenn, or O'Mahonys, in the barony 



^59 

The families of Corpraighe® and of Dartruighe, 

Fertile is their territory, 
A mighty host, victorious, the race of Herimon, 

Son of Miledh. 



265 



The descendants of Eber are the Eoghanachts 

In every place^ 
At Ani, Loch Lein, Caisel, Glendamain, 

And Ros-argaid. 

Eochaidh of Raithlinne', without oppression, 

Magnificent their apparel, 
The Eoghanachts wherever they Bxe found 

In the lands of Mumhan'. 



270 



The nobles of Dal Cais*, Dal Cein the numerous, 
Of illustrious valour, 



^75 
Dal 



of Kinelmbeakj, Co. Cork ; the Eoghan- 
achts of Glendamnach, or O'Eeeffe's coun- 
trj, in the Co. Cork; the Eoghanachts 
of the isknd of Arann, in the bay of Cral- 
waj; and other branches which settled in 

Scotland Ogyg. p. 328. The MS. reads 

cloenoabaip in line 269, for which the 
reading of L. has been adopted in the 
text, as being more correct — (T.) 

*> Eochaidh ofBaithlinne ; L e. the Eog- 
hanachts of Rathlenn, or O'Mahonjs. See 
last note.— (T.) 

' Mutnhan: L e. in the lands, or farms 
(bpi^), L e. settlements of Mnnster. In 
line 271 L. reads Bochu Roichlmo apu 
cen opon^; and in line 273, each chip 

2 



icaic (T.) 

' Ded Caia, — The posterity of Cais, son 
of Conall Eachluadh, King of Munster, in 
the fourth century.— Ogyg. p. 386. The 
title of Dal Cais was giyen to the inhabi- 
tants of Thomond, including the great 
families of O'Brien, MacNamara, Mac 
Mahon, O'Curry, &c. The Dal Cein or 
Cianachts, are the posterity of Cian, son 
of OilioU Olum (Ogyg. p. 328), including 
the families now known by the simames 
of O'CarroU (of Ely), O'Meagher (of Iker- 
rin, Tipperary), O'Conor (of Glengiven, 
Co. Londonderry), O'Hara and O'Gara, 
in the diocese of Achonry, Mac Cormac 
of Bregia, &c For oal cein L. reads cen- 
L2 



26o 



Dal nioja, Dal Cuipc, Dal Ccaca, 
^alenga, DclBna. 

Cpacpaiji cech ou icac, 

Lu^ni im oualaic, 
Lu^am Ld^e, Cu^uipne, 

acup mojo Nuaoair. 

Nuall clainnc Lu^Dac rrnc lea, 
Oil cono pubpa^, 



280 



Gpne 



Dach, and in line 277 oal mancha, oal 
cuipc, Dal cCca cianachca. — (T.) 

^ Dcd Mogha. — The race of Mogh Nnad- 
hat, or Eogan More, father of OilioU Olum. 
The Dal Ceata are unknown, but the Dal 
Core are probably the descendants of Core 
mac Lughach, Prince of Munster, the 
reputed ancestor of the Stewards of Scot- 
land ; of the Eoganacht of Loch Lein ; 
and of the Cuircne, in Westmeath. — 
Mac Firbis, p. 165 (T.) 

" Galengs, — The Gralengs were a branch 
of the Dal Cein (Ogyg. p. 328), compris- 
ing the O'Haras, O'Garas, O'Cathesis, 
and O'Henessys, in Connaught and Meath. 
They were descended from Cormac Galen- 
gach, great-grandson of OilioU Olum, King 
of Munster. The MS. reads in line 278 
^alin^ Delnai» but the reading of L. has 
been substituted as more correct. The 
Delbhna were a branch of the Dal-Cais, 
descended from Lugadh Dealbhaodh, son 
of Cas. To this tribe belong the families 
of Coghlan of Garry castle, King's Comity ; 



Mac Conry (anglicized King) of Conne- 
mara; O'Finnellan ofDelvin, in West- 
meath, &c. From the different branches 
of this tribe seven different districts or 
baronies take the name of Delvin Ogyg. 

p- 327— (^.) 

' Tratra^he. — L. reads Oapepami. The 
Tratraighe were seated in the rural dean- 
ery of Tradry, in the barony of Bunratty, 
Co. Clare. They were of the Firbolg, but 
the territory became the inheritance of 
Lugaidh Dealbaith, who was driven out 
of it by the intrigues of his daughter, 
and forced to fly into Meath. It is also 
stated that Trad was the name of his 
daughter's husband, and hence Trad- 
raighe. — M'Firbis, pp. 59, Sg^ (jT.) 

y The Luighni, — These were a branch of 
the Gailenga (Ogyg. p. 328), and gave 
their name to the barony of Luighne 
(Leyny), in the Co. Sligo, and to the 
barony of Luighne (Lune), in the Ca 
Meath.— ( 71) 

* LugaidLage, — The brother of Oilioll 



26l 



Dal Mogha', Dal Core, Dal Ceata, 
The Galengs", the Delbhna. 

The Tratraighe* wherever they sue found, 
The Luighni^ are of the same race, 

Lugaid-Lage', Liguirne, 
And Mogh-Nuadhait'. 

The fame of the race of Lugaidh son of Iths 
As a great straight rolling wave^, 



280 



The 



Olom, who slew Art, monarch of Ireland, 
after the battle of Magh Mucroimhe, near 
Athenrj, Co. Gal way. A. D. 270. Ligh- 
urn, the grandson of Eochy Finn Fothart, 
was the companion of Lugaid Lage in the 
battle, and joined him in the slaughter of 
King Art— Ogyg. p. 328. 

' Mogh NuadhaL— The father of Oilioll 
Olum, and head of all the race of Heber. 
He compelled Con of the Hundred Battles 
to divide Ireland with him, from which 
the southern half of Ireland was called 
Leath Mogha, or Mogha's half. — Ogyg. 
p.315.— (T.) 

^Lugaid son ofltfu — Our author having 
mentioned the principal septs descended 
from Herimon and Heber, the sons of 
Milesius, now proceeds to celebrate the 
race of Lugaid, son of Ith, who was the 
leader and instigator of the Milesian in- 
vasion. His posterity were settled in the 
diocese of Ross, south-west of the county 
Cork; but the principal family of the race 
now extant is that known by the name of 



O'Hedersceol or O'Driscoll. O'Fhdierty 
says that the family of Mac Cathlin, now 
Campbell, of Argyle, in Scotland, is of 
this race, being descended from Fothadh 
Conann, son of Lughadh Mac Con, King 
of Ireland.— Ogyg. pp.' 329, 330. There 
is a curious historical tract on the history 
of the race of Lughaidh Mac Ith, in the 
Book of Leacan, foL 122, which is well 
worthy of publication, for the valuable 
light it throws on the topography and 
history of a part of Ireland hitherto very 
little known. The word nuall, line 283, 
has been translated /ame ; it signifies lite- 
rally a ahauty and metaphorically may be 
taken to denote fame or celebrity. In the 
Feilire Aenguis (i Feb.), St Bridget is 
called 6pi5io ban bulcc nuallan, " Brid- 
get, a woman of great shouting;" and the 
gloss says : .1. nuuU aim, no nuall on, no 
ua[Ml, no nuall an .1. if mop, •) ip an 
nuall caich ocuinchio ic^e pop 6pi5ic. 
No If mop nuall celebapcha oc 6pi^ic, 
-|c; Le. '* nuall ann, a shout there ; or 



262 



epne Qpbpaije TTlupca bapcan, 
meic Cugoach. 

Ln^aiD Opcre Lugaio 5^^^» 

Dfpja Ofn aible, 
pf Duin Chfpmna beppc, 

LugaiD Laijoe. 

Lan m hGpin Do claino Ip, 

mic TTlfleo, 
TTliDip Ruopaige pf pacrna parac, 

cona ciniuo baioe. 

Ciap a ceichfpn Conmac cona 
mainc muach, 



285 



290 



295 



nuall an, a noble [shout] ; or nuall an, 
L e. great and noble is the shout of the peo- 
ple asking requests of Bridget; or great is 
the shout of celebration with Bridget'' 
[L e. celebration of her festival], &c. — 
(T.) 

* Wave, — L. reads 01U cuino cupaio; 
puopaj means straight, direct— (T.) 

^ Bascan, — The Ernai, Arbhraighe, 
[Orbhraigh or Orrery, Co. Cork], Mus- 
ca (Muscraighe), and Bascan, are tribes 
of the race of Herimon, according to the 
common account But the Book of Lecan 
states that by some they are deduced from 
Ir, son of Ith, foL 112, 5. L. reads in 
the next line na qii lu^aiD. At line 286 
the copy in the book of Leacan ends, but 
a column was left blank for the continua- 
tion, which is now filled with other matter 



copcu 

in a later hand.— (T.) 

* Lugaidh Oircthe. — Lughaid Qircthe, 
from whom descended the Corco Oircthe; 
Lughaid Cal, from whom the inhabitants 
of the district of Calry, of Loch Gill, ba- 
rony of Carbery, Co. Sligo ; and Lugaidh 
Laighde, the grandfather of Lughaid Mac 
Con, King of Ireland (from whom came 
the Corco Laighde, in the west of the Co. 
Cork), were all sons of Daire, of the race 
of Ith._Ogyg. p. 329— (^0 
' Derga. — Not known. — (T.) 

« Oen-Aibhie.— Unknown (T.) 

^ Dun-KermncL — A fortress at the foot 
of the Old Head of Kinsale, called in the 
17 th century, Dun Patrick, from one of 
the De Courcys, to whom the district be- 
longed — Ogyg. p. 205 ; Keating, in the 
reign of Cearmna. It had its old name 



263 



The Ernai, Arbhraighe, Musca, Bascan**, 
Are the sons of Lugaidh. 

Lughaid-Orcthe*, Lughaid Gala, 

Derga', Oen-aibhle* 
The King of Dtm-Kerrana**, Be^^e^ 

Lughaid Laighde. 

Eri is full of the race of Ir, 

Son of Miledh, 
Midir*, Rudhraighe, King Fachtna Fathach, 

With their warlike kinsmen. 

Ciar with his footrsoldiers', Conmac with his ... . 
Of great wealth, 



285 



290 



295 



The 



of Dun Kermna, from Cearmna, king of 
the southern half of Ireland, who began 
to reign conjointly with Sohhairce, both 
of the race of Ir, in the year A. M. 3045, 
according to O'Flaherty. Our author 
differs from the best authorities, if we are 
to understand him as deducing these fami- 
lies from Lughad, son of Ith. For the 
Ernai of nuddle Munster were descended 
from Cathaoir, son of Edirscol, King of 
Ireland ; and the Ernai of Dun- Kermna, 
in South Munster, from Duibhne, son of 
the same Cathaoir, from whom their pos- 
terity were called Corco-Duibhni. They 
were, therefore, of the race of Herimon. 

* Berre. — ^Now Bearhaven, Co. Cork. — 

^ Midh, — There is probably some mis- 



take of transcription in this name, for it 
does not occur in the genealogies of the 
race of Ir. Budhraighe, ancestor of the 
Clanna Rudraighe, of the race of Ir, was 
King of Ireland, according to O'Flaherty, 
A.M. 3845 (Ogyg. p. 265); and Fachtna 
Fathach, or the Provident, son of Cas, 
and grandson of Rudhraighe, succeeded to 
the throne, A.M., 3899 (ib, p. 266). — 
(T.) • 

' Foot-soldiers y or kernes. — For Ciap a 
ceichepn, we should probably read Ciap 
conu ceichepn. The last word of this 
line ought, perhaps, to be cope, for Ciar, 
Core, and Conmac, were the illegitimate 
sons of Fergus Mac Roigh, ex- King of 
Ulster, of the race of Ir, by Meadhbh, 
Queen of Connaught(Ogyg.iii. c 46). Ciar 
was ancestor of all the tribes called Ciar- 



264 



Copcu Oallan, Copcu Goluim 
Copcompuao. 

Dal rhbuain Conpinn comil ffpsfn, 

pfpb fijoppa 
TTI05 Roich pfpfa ciniuD pepjupa 

mic Roppa. 

Rfje o paccnu Ddl nQpaioe 

epcoa Dogaip 
pecc Caijpe La^fn co pebail, 

na pfcc So^am, 



300 



raighe, in Connaught, viz., Ciarraighe Lu- 
achra (comprising the greater part of the 
present county of Eeny), the patrimony 
of O'Conor Kerry ; Ciarriaghe Ai, now 
Clann Eethem in Boscommon ; and Ciar- 
raighe Locha n-Aimeadh, in the county 
Mayo, comprising that portion of the ba- 
rony of Costello belonging to the diocese 
of Txiam. See O'Donovan's Hy Fiachrach, 
p. 484, and map. Conmac was the an- 
cestor of the people called Conmaicne, as 
the Conmaicne of Moyrein, in the coun- 
ties of Lonfffordand Leitrim, of whom the 
O'Farrells and Mac Bannalls are the prin- 
cipal remaining families ; the Conmaicne of 
Kinel Dubhan, or Dunmore, Co. Gal way ; 
Conmacne Mara, now Connemara ; and 
Conmaicne Tola, barony of Kilmaine, Co. 
Mayo. — O'Flaherty's West Connaught, 
pp. 92-94. The third son. Core, was the 
ancestor of the Corco-modhruadh, or Cor- 
cumruaidh, mentioned line 298, in the 
barony of Corcomroe, which was origi- 



305 

Sil 

nally co-extensive with the diocese of Kil- 
fenora, Co. Clare. The O'Loghlins of Bur- 
ren, and the O'Conor Corcomroe, are the 
principal families of this race now remain- 
ing — Ogjg. pp. 275, 276.— (T.) 

" Corca Dalian The posterity of Dal- 
ian, son of Fergus Mac Roigh, ex-King 
of Ulster. The Corca-Eoluim, or Corcar 
Auluim, were the descendants of Aukm, 
or Corb-Aulam, twin brother of Conri, 
son of Fergus Mac Roigh. — Ogyg. p. 274. 

^ Dal m-BuaiUj or Dal m-Buinne, were 
the descendants of Buain, son of Fergus 
Mac Roigh. Their territory comprised 
the barony of Upper Massareene, Co. An- 
trim, with the parishes of Ealwarlin and 
Drumbo. Reeves's EccL Antiq. p. 233, 
note S p. 364 Ogyg. 274 Dal Confinn 
were the descendants of Aongus Finn, son 
of Fergus mac Roigh ; they were the inha- 
bitants of Coolavin, in the county of Sligo. 
Ogyg. p. 275— (T.) 



265 



The Corca-Dallan", the Corca-Eoluim, 
The Corcumruaidh. 

Dal mBuain", Confinn, of powerful deeds, 

Of fierce valour, 300 

Mogh Roith^ the protector, are all of the race of Fergus, 

The son of Ross, 



The kings of the race of Fachtna**, the Dal n- Araidhe, 

Warlike, fierce, 
The seven Laigse"" of Leinster the wealthy, 

The seven Soghans'. 



<* Ifoffh Boith, — ^A celebrated Druid of 
ihe race of the Ciarraighe. His poste- 
rity obtained the territory of Fermoj, 
Ck). Cork; from him were descended the 
families of O'Dubhagain or O'Duggan, and 
O'Coscndgh; also the saints Mochuille 
and Molagga, and Cuanna MacCailchinne, 
chief of Fermoj, celebrated for his hospita- 
lity, who flourished in the seventh century. 
See Keating, in the reign of Conall Caol 
and Cellach; Colgan, in Yit. S. Molaggse, 
ad 20 Jan. All the foregoing tribes and 
personages (mentioned lines 295 to 301) 
are here said to be of the race of Fergus 
Mac Boigh [so called from his mother's 
name], who was the son of Boss Ruadh, 
son of Budhruighe, King of Ireland, A.M. 
384;. — Ogyg. p. 265. Mogh Boith is called 
protector from his having, by his magic, as- 
sisted the Munster men to defeat Cormac 
Mac Art, at the battle of Damhdhaire, in 
the second century. Dudley Mac Firbis 
translates the name of Mogh Both, Magus 

IEI8H ABCH. BOC. l6. 2 



The 

BotcB^ and says that he assisted Simon 
Magus, to make the Both-ramhach, a 
magical wheel, by means of which Simon 
was enabled to ascend into the air, and 
which is to overwhelm all Europe in some 
fatal calamity before the day of judgment. 
See this strange legend in D. Mac Firbis, 
p. 535 (MS. in the Library of the Boyal 
Irish Academy), and Book of Leacan, foL 

^Fiachtna:Le. the race of FachtnaFath- 
ach. King of Ireland. The Dal- Aradians 
were of the race of Fiacha Araidhe, of the 
family of Budhruighe, and race of Ir, King 
of Ulster, A.D. 236. — Tighemach, Annal. 
in an. ; Ogyg. iii. c. 66 ; Beeves's Ecclesias- 
tical Antiq., Appendix G6., p. 334. — (T.) 

* Laighae, or Leix. — Districts inhabited 
by the descendants of Laoighseach Ceann- 
mhor, son uf Conall Ceamach, of the race 
of Ir. See Addit Notes, p. bmii, note *. 

' Soffhttiu. -— The posterity of Sodhan 
M 



266 

8il Conaill 5^^Tr ^'^ ^'^^ 

ba epcoaio o^pa 
Do TTlais pochaiD oo TTlaij Uipnij 

DO TTlai5 TTlojna, 

Do TTIais Suli^e oo pfpnmai;; 

DO 1T)ai5 TTlacc 
o'lnbiup buappe bpuccaic ppoca 

Do lar Qice. 



310 



€oco TTlaipeoa in mairpe miao 

nopoo ninjnao 
Diam bopb a Cinomume laenopec 

uap loc Imoglan. 

Caecpao pfl Rigboipo mic bpi^e 
bai5 cfn ;^ainne 



315 



Salbhuidhe, son of Fiacha Araidhe. Six of 
the seyen districts inliabited bj them 
were in Hy Manj, and one in Meath. See 
O'Donovan's Hy Many, pp. 72, 159, 188. 

* Corud CHas, — This was Conall Anglon- 
nach, son of Feich, and founder of the 
families of Conaille Mnirthemhne, county 
Louth. Magh Uisnich was the phiin round 
the hill of Uisnech, in the Co. Westmeath. 
The other plains here mentioned are un- 
known. — (T.) 

' Magh Sulidhe — The plain about the 
river Swilly, in the Co. Donegal. — (21) 

»* Femmaigh: i. e. the Alder-tree Plain, 
now Famey, a barony in the county of 



320 

Cope 

Monaghan, of which a valuable historical 
and topographical memoir has recently 
been published by Evelyn Philip Shirley, 
Esq. Magh Macha^ mentioned in the next 
line, is the plain round Armagh; it is 
generally called by the Four Masters 
Machaire Arda Machoy or the plain of 
Armagh.— (T.) 

* InhherBuaia* — The mouth of the river 
Buais, now Bush, near the present town 
of Bushmills, in the north of Dalriada, 
Co. Antrim. See Beeves's £ccL Antiq. 
of Down and Connor. What is meant 
by lath Aiche, or the land of Aiche, in 
the next line, I do not know. — (T.) 

^ Eoeho Mahtdhcu — He was drowned 



^6y 

The race of Consll Glas', son of Ech, 
Spread themselves listlessly 

To Magh Fothaid, to Magh Uisnigh, 
To Magh Moghna, 

To Magh SuUdhe*, to Femmaigh'*, 

To Magh Macha, 
To Inbher Buais", of bursting torrents, 

To the land of Aiche. 



310 



Eocho Mairedha^, the rebellious son, 

Of wonderful adventure, 
Who was overwhelmed in lucid Linnmhuine, 

With the clear lake over him. 

The heroes of the race of Righbard, son of Brige", 
Of valour undaunted, 



315 



about A. D. 90, bj the eruption of the 
lake, now called from his name, Loch 
n-Eochadh, or Loch Neagh, which over- 
spread the plain beforecalled Liathmhuine. 
The ancient name of Lough Neagh was 
Linnmhuine. He is called ** the rebel- 
lious son" because he eloped with his 
step-mother. There is some confusion in 
lines 317 and 318; perhaps we should read, 

Dia mbopb a linoihuine linD^lon, 
uap liacmuine laoinopec. 

Who was overwhelmed m dear linmnhaine, 
Ahove the wide LUthmhnhie. 

N. is all confusion, reading the stanza 
thus: 



320 

Core 

6eD ca maipe oa in mairpe mioo 
nopo nm^ao 
. Dia m-bopb a linn muine Cennpec, 
uap loc Imn^lonn. 

For the legend of the eruption of 
Loch Neagh, see the Dinnseanchus, and 
the Leabhar n-Uidhri, foL 36.— (T.) 

' Righbard, son of Brige. — Who this 
was I do not know. The Coro-Oiche were 
the descendants of Dubhthach Daelten- 
gaidh (L e. of the black tongue), and are 
said to have occupied the land now co- 
vered by Lough Neagh, until they were 
dispossessed and dispersed into Meath, 
Munster, &c, by Eochaidh Mac Mairedha, 
a Munster chieftain, in the first century. 



2M 2 



;-^ 



268 

Cope oice cloc cloc cfn nmme 
odl paep f die. 

8e cin(ba nac do munnp bpfsom 

ciapra mosfn, 
^abpaijc Succa, Uf Uhaippj 

^cileoin Cajfn. 

C6ip f o rhuipmirfmap ap cponic 

cm no fi^lfb ? 
Inci meoon acup coppach 

acup oeao. 

Dfpb Ifam cip6 pooop pfme 
o po ^abao h6piu 



3^5 



330 



QOTKX 



who was contemporary with the eruption 
of the lake. — Book of Leacan, foL 134; 
Ogyg. p. 329. The Dal Selle, mentioned 
line 322, were descended from Eochaidh, 
who gave his name to Loch Neagh.-^T.) 
"" Six tribes.— The MSS. read Seomuit 
inouic 00 muincip 6pe50iii; and in line 
325, ^S^bpaije picca [N. pioja]. The 
readings adopted are taken from a quota- 
tion of this stanza which occurs in a short 
account of the death of Finn M'Cuqihal, 
contained in a miscellaneous MS. volume 
of the 15th centuiy, in the possession of 
Henry J. Monck Mason, Esq., LL.D. The 
volume is lettered on the back, ^^ Amradh 
Coluim-Cille sceo scribenn aile.'' [Poem 
on Columbkille and other writings]. The 
whole passage, for which I am indebted to 
Mr. E. Curry, is as follows: Qbbepaio 



apaile, -) if pip pn, comat> 00 i5 raipp- 
f 13 hua pail^i bo, -) 30 mao 00 airec- 
ruachaiB laop i6e. Qmail acbepe fllaeU 
mupa ipm cponic 

8e cinfoa nac 00 muincip 6peo5ain 

jebup mai^in 
^apbpai^e 8hucca, hui Caipppi^ 

^aleon Cai^m. 

'^Others say, and it is true, that he 
[Finn] was of the Ui Tairrsigh of Ui 
Failghe, aod that they were of the Aitk- 
echtuath [or insurgent plebeians], as 
Maelmura says in the Chronicle, Six 
Tribes," &c. 

This passage is worthy of insertion 
here, not only as preserving the true 
reading of the stanza before us, but also 
because we learn from it incidentally 



269 



Corc-Oiche, humblers of the proud, without fear, 
The noble Dal Selle. 

Six tribes^ who, are not of Breoghan's people, 

Who hold lands : 
The Gabraighe Succa, Ui Tairsigh, 

Galeons of Leinster. 

Fully have we made our Chronicle, * 

Who will criticise it ? 
It has its middle, and its beginning, 

And its end. 

It is certain to me that whatsoever I have related, 
Since the^r^^ invasion of Eri, 



3^5 



330 



There 



that the present poem was known by the 
name of Hie Chronide ofMadmura: oomp. 
line 327. It would seem, however, that, 
instead of Se, we should read cpi cinCba, 
** three tribes," &c., in line 323; for three 
only are mentioned, and Keating speaks 
of three only, enumerating the very same 
three that are here given, all of whom he 
says were of the race of the Firbolgs. CI 
beipib Dpon^ pe Seancup ^upab 010b na 
qii hKiicTheaDa po pil a n-6ipinn, nac 00 
^ooi6iolaiB .1. ^abpuioe Shuca a ^- 
ConnacoxiB, Ui Caippi^ a ^cpic o 
bpail^, -) ^aliuni Cai^ion. '^Some an- 
tiquaries say that it is of them [viz. of 
the Firbolgs] are descended the three fa- 
nuHes that are in Ireland who are not of 
the Gradelians, viz., the Gkibraidhe of [the 
river] Suck in Conacht, the Ui Tairsigh, 



in the country of Offaly, and the Gaileons 
of Leinster." — Quoted from Dudley Mac 
Firbis's MS. Comp. Haliday's ed. p. 19; ; 
O'Fkherty, Ogyg. p. 175; O'Donovan's 
Hy-Many, pp. 85, 86, 90. The hint 
thrown out in the passage quoted from 
Mr. Mason's MS., that the three non*Grar 
deUan families were of the Athachtuaidh, 
and therefore joined with the insurgents 
who murdered the nobles of the Gradelian 
race, and set up a new line of popularly 
elected kings, is curious. See Ogyg. iii. 
c. $4, and Keating, at the reign of Tuathal 
Teachtmar. Breoghan being the conunon 
ancestor of all the Gkidelian leaders, to 
say that the tribes enumerated were not 
of the race of Breoghan is equivalent to 
saying that they were not Gadelian. 

-(r.) 



c/o 



cona pai^bc nf ba pfpiu 
na bap Ifpiu. 

Leop leno Icntncnc a panaip ipp 

po pfp culao 
TDuncip bhpf^oin pcib arbfpap 

can a mbunao. C. 



335 



IV. 

[t)uaN atdONacK] 

Dal Pmoa, utnoppo, oap labpamap 50 leg op laD nac ppuil 
arhopup againn ipm m-beajan oa m-bunaoup, i cpaobpgaoileab 
Da larhpam pan leaBappa. Cuipeam pcan Duain Seancapa a pfojj 
ap Qlbam annpo pi op. 

niappo aoep je capbabac f lap pforh na pfoj na pann Depe- 
anac, 1 pop lap pleccaiB ele: 

Q eolcha 



** Their origtTL — ^Mr. Curry has suggest- 
ed that the first line of this poem ought 
to be written Can a mbunoDOf na n^ae- 
oil, " Whence their origin [viz. the otp- 
gm] of the Gadelians?" which would 
make a good sense, and would coincide 
with the last line, as is usual in bardic 
compositions of this nature ; and although 
there is a seeming grammatical irregula- 
rity in repeating the possessive pronoun 
along with the noun to which it refers, 
yet instances are not uncommon in Irish 
of this sort of redundancy. In the last line 
of the poem it is quite impossible to take 
canam as a verb, for it would be the fu- 



ture tense, and would make no sense. But 
0*Flaherty, Lynch, Keating, and others, 
the best scholars of the seventeenth cen- 
tury, have taken it as a verb in the first 
line. Still Mr. Curry's conjecture is very 
ingenious, and may probably be true. — 

® Duan AlbanacL — The author of the 
following poem is unknown, but it appears 
from internal evidence to have been writ- 
ten about A.D. 1057. It is acknowledged 
on all hands to be of the utmost value, as 
the connecting link in the history of the 
Gaels of Ireland and Scotland. Colgansays 
of it, **quo ^0 non legi, nee Scoto-Britaoni 



271 

There will be found to be nothing more true 
Or more plain. 

Sufficiently have we followed their true history, 

Much more do we know. 
The race of Bregon, as it is handed down, 

From whence is their origin^ 



335 



IV. 

DUAN ALBANACH^ 

Of the Dalriadans, of whom we have lately spoken^, we have no 
doubt of the truth of the little we have attempted of their origin and 
genealogy in this book. We set down, however, here an ancient 
poem of the history of the Kings of Scotland. 

Thus it speaks, although it is defective* in counting the kings in 
the last quatrain, and according to other accounts : 

Oall 



producunt, oUtun H^;tun Sootonim ve- 
tOBtiorem Scriptorem." O'Flaherty says 
the same thing, Ogjg. p. 466; and Pin- 
kerton calls it, ** beyond question the most 
ancient monument of Dalriadic history 
extant." See the testimonies coUected 
by Dr. OConor, Rer. Hib. Script., tom. L 
Prol^. p. CTxii. 

It is here edited from the MS. of Dud- 
ley Mac Firbis, in the Library of the Royal 
Irish Academy, copied by Mr. Curry from 
the original in the possession of the Earl 
of Boden. Dr. O'Conor has edited it from 
two MSS. in the Library of the Duke of 
Buckingham, at Stowe. Mr. Pinkerton 



has also printed it, with a yery erroneous 
version, by the elder Charles O'Conor. 
As Dr. O'Conor's version is also fall of 
errors, it has been thought necessary to 
add a more correct translation of so impor- 
tant a document to the present work. — 

(r.) 

^ Lately spoken : ie. Dudley Mac Firbis, in 
his genealogical work, from which this 
poem is taken, had lately spoken of the 
families of Dal-Riada. See Reeves's EccL 
Antiq. of Down and Connor, p. 318. — (57.) 

* Defective, — Hence it appears that the 
defects of this poem are of ancient date. 
They are also noted by OFlaherty, who 



272 



Q eolcha CClban uile, 
a f ttia^ peuca polcbuibe, 
cia ceuo ^abail, an eol DuiB, 
po jabapoaip Qlbanpui^ ? 

Qlbcmup po jab, lia a ploj, 
mac pen oipocpc Ipicon, 
bpacaip ip bpiucup jan bpar, 
6 pdireap Qlba earpac. 

Ro lonnapb a bpataip bpap 

bpiocup cap Tnuip n-lcc n-aihnap, 
po sab bpiocup Olbain din. 
50 pinn pmbnac pocuodm. 

pooa lap m-bpiocup m-bldic, m-bil, 
po jabpao clanna NcrhiD, 



10 



sajs: "Yerum aliquot desideratis disti- 
chis, integrum apographum reperire non 
contigit" — Ogyg. p. 467. The defect, 
our author says, is manifest from the 
number of kings (fiftj-two) mentioned 
in the last stanza, which does not agree 
with the number given in the poem, or 
with that given bj other authorities. — 

(T.) 

' The land of AUba — Qlbanpuij may, 
perhaps, be for Olbonpije, the king- 
dom of Alba. Pinkerton and Dr. O'Conor 
read Qlbanbpui^, the land of Alban, 
which is perhaps correct, or pui^ may be 
the gen. of pu6, a wood or forest. In the 



ep^lan 

first verse Dr. O'Conor takes u ile as agree- 
ing with Qlban, *' vos docti Albanis to- 
tins;'' but he ought to have rendered it, 
" vos docti Albaniie omnes." In verse 3 he is 
also entirely wrong ; he translates it, '' Qui 
primi didicerunt scientiam e vestris;'' but 
jabdil is a substantive, not a verb. Mr» 
Skene,, in his English version of this poem 
(Collectanea de rebus Albanicis, edited by 
the lona Club, p. 70), is still further from 
the original, for he renders ver. 3, '* Leam 
who first"— (T.) 

' Numerous. — Dr. O'Conor reads pia, 
whichmay mean tmi^; andlm, asPinkerton 
and the original MS. read, may be for le. 



^73 

O all ye learned of Alba ! 
Ye well skilled host of yellow hair ! 
What was the first invasion — ^is it known to you ? 
Which took the land of Alba' ? 



Albanus possessed it, numerous' his hosts ; 
He VH18 the illustrious son of Isacon, 
He and Briutus were brothers without deceit, 
From him Alba of ships has its name. 

Briutus banished his active*' brother 
Across the stormy sea of Icht. 
Briutus possessed the noble Alba, 
As far as the conspicuous promontory of Fothudan^ 

Long after Briutus the prosperous, the good, 
The race of Nemhidh took iV, 



lO 



'moithy but it maj also signify numeroiu. 
Sir. Skene renders r^^, race, which is 
^^nrong. Dr. O'Conor might have taught 
liiin the true meaning. In the next line 
Dr. O* Conor renders mac pein " filius 
istitzs,'* which ought to be *' filius ille 
fiait." For ip, in line 7, Dr. O'Conor and 
I^inkerton read 00. For the fancied de- 
scent of Albanus and Brutus or Britus 
iroxQ Isicon or Isacon, and Japheth, see 

Hbove, p. 33-— (^0 

^ Active, — Pinkerton and Dr. O'Conor 
take bfiapas a proper name, and trans- 
late, ''His brother Bras;" but this is 
nonsense, for the expelled brother was 
evidently Albanus ; and we have no ho- 

IBISH ABCH. 80C. 1 6. 



Erglan 

tice in any of the other accounts of a 
brother called Bras. 6pcip means active, 
energetic, restless. For the sea of Icht, 
see p. 31, note \ Dr. O'Conor and Mr. 
Skene haye mistaken the meaning of the 
epithet n-orhnop, not perceiving that the 
n was merely euphonic. — (T,) 

* FothudatL--'l am not able to identify 
this promontory with its modem name. 
It appears to be here spoken of as the ex- 
treme northern point of Scotland. Old 
Charles O'Conor (in Pinkerton) and Dr. 
O'Conor, make Fothudan the name of a 
man ; the former translates this line ** to 
the plains of the hunter Fothudan;" and 
the latter, ** usque ad fines venatoris Fo- 
2N 



274 

epjlan lap cceacc ap a lom^, 1 5 

00 aiclc cojla cuip Conuinj. 

Cpuicnij pop jabpaD lapccam, 
lap cciaccam a h-Gpeann-ihuij, 

-r- P^S ^P^ F^'^ P'5 P^^ 

^abpao 010b an Cpuicean-cldp. 20 . 

Cacluan an ceo pij Diob-poin, 
aipnebpeao oaoib 50 cumaip, 
pob e an pi 5 oejeanac Dib 
an cup calma Cupainrin. 

Clanna Gacac ma n-oiai^, 25 

^abpao Olboin lap n-dipojliaib, 
cl<inna Conaipe an caoimpip, 

cojaibe na cpcun-^^^^^^^'" 

Upi 

thudani" But pinn is certainly a promon- yca^l e^Cnb pop ceicfo a n-jalaip -] 

tory. — (T.) in chipa. ITlapb 6eochach 00 cham 1 

^^ryton.— Dr. O'Conor renders the word n-6pinD. Ct oeich mna oia eif ppi pe 

Gp^lan as an adjective, damanteSf con- qii pichic bliatKxn. 6uio Shoe 1 a mac 

founding it with apo^lopac. Mr. Skene .1. 6aach a cuaipceipc in bomain. 6uit> 

makes it the name of a country. ** The niacan -| Sop^lan, -| lapracc .1. cpi meic 

race of Neimhidh," he says, "acquired 6eoain micSoaipncoOobap, -] co h-1pp- 

Earglan," but he does not tell us where bobap a cuaipceipc Qlbon. " They 

" Earglan" was. Old Charles O'Conor passed under the shadow of £ri, retreat- 

(see Pinkerton, vol. iL p. 107) made it ing from their distempers and tributes, 

the name of a man, one of the leaders Beothach died of a plague in ErL His 

of the Nemedians, and for this he has ten wives survived him three-score years, 

the authority of the Book of Leacan (foL Ebath and his son, L e. Baath, passed 

276, a), where we have the following into the north of the world. Matan and 

account of the Nemedian chieftains who Erglan and larthacht, i. e. the three sons 

survived the battle in which Conaing's of Beoan, son of Sdam, with Dobar and 

tower was destroyed. Do lobap fin pop Irrdobar, to the north of Albain." — (T,) 



■^ 



^75 

Erglan*", after having disembarked from his ships, 1 5 

After the destruction of Conaing^s tower^ 

The Cruithnians seized it afterwards"", 
After they had come from the plain" of Eri, 
Seventy noble kings of them 
Possessed the Cniithnian plain. 20 

Cathluan"" was the first king of them, 
(I tell unto you briefly), ^ 

The last king of them was 
The brave hero Cusaintin. 

The children of Eochadh** after them 25 

Seized upon Alba, after great wars ; 

The children of Conaire, the comely man, 

Chosen men were the mighty Graedhil. 

The 

' C<mamg*8 tower See above, p. 48, in making it plural), instead of O'Conor's 

note ^. This tower is supposed to have been '* Cruthniam t2?tMfrem." — (T,) 

on Tory island, Co. Donegal See O'Dono- ^ CaMuan, — See above, pp. 1 25, 1 39, 

▼an's Four Masters, at A.M. 3066. — (T.) 159. In line 22, ^o cumaip does not sig- 

™ Aftencards. — Mr. Skene translates, nify veracHer^ as Dr. O'Conor renders it, 

*'The Cruithne acquired the western re- nor explicitly^ as Mr. Skene has it. Pin- 

gion.** Dr. O'Conor has rendered it cor- kerton reads 50 beimin, verify. — (T.) 

rectlj — (T.) ^ Eochadk, i. e. Eochadh Muinreamhar, 

° PUUtl — Meaning, perhaps, mo^ 6pej^, of the race of Conaire IL, King of Ireland, 

or Bregia. See above, p. 125. Comp. the ancestor of the Dahiadan kings of Ire- 

also pp. 139, 145. Old Charles O'Conor, land and Scotland. See Reeves's EccAntiq. 

in Finkerton, and Dr. O'Conor, render p. 320. King Conaire was called Caomh, or 

piaiiia in the plural, which is wrong. Mr. the beautiful (as in line 27), to distinguish 

Skene falls into the same error, but he him from Conaire L, who was called Conaire 

has corrected Dr. O'Conor's ** in Hiber- Mor, or the Great. In line 27, O'Conor and 

nis campos." In line 20 he is also right Skene read na caioih pip, which would be 

in rendering clap plains (although wrong plural, and is evidently wrong. — (71) 

2N2 



276 

Upi mec Gpc tnec 6ac6ac aic, 
rpmp puaip beannaccaip pdcpcncc, 30 

jabpat) Qlbain, apo a n-gup, 
Loapn, peapjup ip Qonjup. 

Dec m-bliabna Coapn, lep bla6, 
1 pplaiceap oipip Qlban, 

cap ep Coapn pel 50 n-gup, 35 

peace Tn-blia6na piceac peapjup. 

Dorhanjapc mac o'peapjup apo, 
aipearh C615 Tn-blia6an m-biocjapj, 
a .;^iin. ^an cpoiD, 
00 Comgall, mac Domangoipc. 40 

Da bliaDan Conain^ ^an rdip, 
cap ep Comjaill do ^obpdn, 
cpi bbabna po cuij jan pomn, 
ba pi Conall, mac Comgoill. 

Cerpe 

^ Valiant. — The word aic is rendered prince of Dalaradia], " et voce prophe- 

strenuua bj Colgan, Trias Thaum., p* 1 15, tica dixit ad ilium; Licet hodie videaris 

col. I, where he quotes lines 25-40. In humUis, etdespectusinconspectufratrum 

line 31 he renders apo a n^up, **elato tuorum, eris in brevi princeps illorum 

animo." ^up signifies mind, courage, omnium. De te enim optimi reges egre- 

spirit; see line 35. Dr. O'Conor find Mr. dientur, qui non solum in terra propria, 

Skene read apo n^up, which is evidently sed etiam in regione longinqua et pere- 

a mistake.— (T.) grina principabuntur;'' and see Colgan's 

' Patrick. — See Jocelyn, Vit. S. Patr. note on this passage, Tr. Thaum., p. 1 14« 

c* 137* where this blessing is described as — {T.) 

given to Fergus only; " Sanctus vero Pa- * Bounds. — Colgan {ubi supr.) renders 

tricius prsdictum benedixit Fergusium" this line ** in principatu finium Albanise." 

[scil. Fergus Muinreamhar, son of Ere, The poet wishes to intimate that Loam's 



277 

The three sons of Ere, son of Eochadh the valiantf*, 
Three who obtained the blessing of Patrick', 
Seized upon Alba, exalted was their courage, 
Loam, Feargus, and Aongus. 

Ten years was Loam (it is known to fame) 
In the government of the bounds* of Alba, 
After the generous, courageous^ Loam, 
Seven and twenty years reigned Fergus. 

Domhangart, the son of noble Fergus, 
Numbered for five turbulent years ; 
Twenty-four without a battle 
Are assigned to Comhghall, son of Domhangart 

Two prosperous years without contempt, 
After Comhghall, are assigned to Gabhran, 
Three years five times** without interraption, 
Was Conall, son of Comhghall, king. 



30 



35 



40 



Four 



sovereignty extended to the very extre- 
mities of Alban. Pinkerton reads lap- 
chaip Qlban, *' of western Alban," which 
is a mistake. Dr. O'Conor has the right 
reading, but translates it iUustrums ; and 
Mr. Skene, not satisfied with this, makes 
it a proper name, " Oirir Alban," but 
without explaining what he supposed to 
be meant. For the genealogy of Loam 
see Ogyg. p. 470— (T.) 

* Courageous. — Colgan reads, peil ^u 
njup ; O'Conor, pjel 50 njup, which he 
renders " historia est nota." Pinkerton 



has phel 50 n^up, and translates absurd- 
ly, " a space likewise." Mr. Skene fol- 
lows O'Conor's reading, which he renders, 
not very intelligibly, " keenly the tale." 
See line 31. Fergus was sumamed the 
Great, and was called Mac Mise, from the 
name of his mother. OTlaherty assigns 
only sixteen years to his reign, which he 
says commenced A.D. 513. — Ogyg. p. 472. 
-(T.) 

^ Three years five times: L e. 15. Mr. 
Skene renders this, erroneously, '* three 
years and five;" although Dr. O'Conor's 



I 



27B 



Cecpe blmbna picear call 
ba Ri QoDdn na n-iol-pann, 
Dec m-bliabna po peace, peol n-gle, 
1 pplaiceap Gacac bui6e. 

ConncaD Ceapp pdit&e, pel blobi 
a .pii. 01a mac peapchap 
cap ep peapcaip, pea^aiD painn, 
.;nni. bliaona Oorhnaill. 

Uap 6f DoThnaill bpic na m-bla, 
Conall, Dunjal .pc. m-bliabna, 
.pii. bliabna Dorhnuill Oumn, 
cap ep Oungail ip ChonuilL 

TTlaolDum mac Conaill na ccpeac 
a .pcun. DO 50 Dlijceac, 



45 



50 



55 



peapcaip 



yersion is correct. In line 41 Pinkerton 
reads, chonnail ^an cap; Dr. O'Conor, 
conain^ ^an cap. A note in the margin 
of Mac Firbis's MS. makes Conaing the 
name of a king, who reigned conjointlj 
with Gobhran; but this must be a mis- 
take.— (T.) 

» Provinces : lit. '* of many divisions.'' 
Dr. O'Conor and Mr. Skene translate, 
^* of golden swords," reading na n-oplann. 
But Dr. O'Conor mentions the other 
reading, p. cxxxvii. Pinkerton reads, 
na niolpoFin, " of extended plains." Call, 
in line 45, signifies wkhiny L e. in posses- 
sion, — an ancient brehon law term. — (T.) 



' Ten years seven times: Le. seventy years. 
This has been translated by old Charles 
O'Conor, who furnished Pinkerton with 
his version of this poem, '^ ten years by 
seven," which certainly meant 70, al- 
though Pinkerton understood it 1 7. And 
it has been rendered 17 by Dr. O'Conor 
and Mr. Skene. But let the authority 
of the Duan suffer as it may, Dec m-bliao- 
na po peachc must mean seventy years. 
O'Flaherty assigns to Aidan a reign of 
thirty-two years, and to Eochaidh Buidhe 
twenty-three, following the authority of 
Tighemach. In line 47, peol is literally 
sailing, and signifies his lifetime, career. 



"CT^ 



^s^ 



\^' 



r^^jT" 



, >-X— ^ 



Four years and twenty in possession, 
Was Aodhan, king of many provinces* ; 
Ten years seven times'^, a glorious career, 
Was the sovereignty of Eochadh Buidhe, 

G)nnchad Cearr reigned a quarter, renowned in fame, 
Sixteen years his son Fearchar, 
After Fearchar (inspect the poems*), 
The fourteen years of Domhnall. 

After Domhnall Breac, of the towns*, 
Conall and Dungall, ten years. 
The thirteen years of Domhnall Dunn, 
After Dungall and Conall. 

Maeldun, son of Conall, of forays, 
Reigned seventeen years legitimately. 



45 



50 



55 



Fearchain 



reign. — (jT.) 

■ The poems : i. e. the historical poems, 
which were the bardic historians' autho- 
rities ; or which constituted the title deeds 
of the kings named. See the Brehon law 
tract (H. 3. 18, p. 22) in the Library of 
Trin. Coll. Dublin. Mr. Skene renders 
these words, " by dominion of swords," 
confounding painn with pinn; but Dr. 
O'Conor's version is correct. The reigns 
assigned to Fearchar and Domhnall in this 
stanza are too long. See Ogjg. p. 477 ; 
and Pinkerton, vol. iL p. 117. This was 
the Domhnall who was defeated at the Bat- 
tle of Magh Rath, which gives the date of 



his reign. — ^See Tighemach, ad an. 637, 
and O'Donovan's Battle of Magh Rath, 
pp. 48, 49— <^-) 

^ Of the towns. — Dr. O'Conor renders 
this ''celebrem famfi," confounding bla 
with blao, fame^ a totally different word, 
which occurred a little before, line 49, 
where he renders pel blao, very absurdly, 
'^ regno legitimo inclyto," and Mr. Skene, 
still more strangely, "a shooting star.** 
In the Brehon laws, bla is put for baile, 
a town or townland. The two Domh- 
nalls or Donnells are distinguished by the 
surnames of Breac, speckled, and Donn, 
brown— (T.) 



28o 

peapcaip pooa, pea^a lear, 

DO caic bliadam ap .fj:. 60 

Da bliabain Gac&ac na-n-eac, 
po ba calma an pf pijreac, 
aoin bliabain ba plaic mpccain, 
Ctinccallac maic mac peapcaip. 

Seacc m-bliaona Ounjail 06111, 65 

acup a ccacaip Do Ctilpen, 
cpi blia6na TTluipca6oi5 mair, 
.j:}rp. DO CtoD na dpDplair. 

Ct ceacaip piceac, nip pann, 
DO bliaDnaib do caic Domnall, 70 

Da blia&ain Conaill, ccm n-jle, 
ip a ccaraip Chonaill elc, 

Naoi m-bliabna Cupaincin cam, 
a naoi Qonjupa ap Qlbain, 

ccrpe 

^ Beheld thou, — Dr.O^Conor's copy reads, renders it, perhaps correctly— (T.) 
le^leac, '^readby thyselfl*' The phrase, ^Afterwards, — ^Mr. Skene renders lap 
"look you I" is still in use; see above, ccain, ''of the western r^ons,'' not know- 
line 51. For pooa, long, the appella- ing that Irish scribes write re for d. The 
tion here given to Fearchair, Dr. O'Conor death ofAinchellach is given by Tighemach 
reads po^, which is a mistake. See O'Fla- under the year 719. After Ainchellach 
herty, p. 479 — (T.) the Annals mention two kings : Selbhach, 

^ Mansions. — The word pi^eac seems son ofFerchair, and brother ofAinchellach; 

to be a compound of pi^, a king, and ceac, and Eochadh III., son of Eochadh II., who 

a house ; or ceac may be merely the ad- is mentioned line 61. O'Flaherty assigns 

jective termination, in which case the to these two reigns a period of fourteen 

word will signify royal, as Mr. Skene years, from A. D. 719 to 733, in which 



28l 



Fearchair the Long, behold thou** 
Passed one year over twenty. 

The two years of Eochadh of steeds, 
He was the brave king of royal mansions*; 
For one year was king afterwards* 
Aincheallach the Good, son of Fearchair. 

The seven years of Dungal* the impetuous, 
And four to Alpin, 

The three years of Muireadhach the good, 
Thirty to Aodh, as supreme king. 

Four and a score, not imbecile, 
Of years Domhnall spent ; 
The two years of Conall of glorious career, 
And the four of another Conall. 

The nine years of Cusaintin the fair ; 
The nine of Aongus over Alban ; 



60 



f^S 



70 



The 



last year the death of Eochadh mac Eoch- 
ach is recorded by Tighernach. Pinker- 
ton gives Selbhach a reign of twenty years, 
and to Eochaidh " about ten.'' The Dnan 
is therefore here corrupted. A stanza ap- 
pears to have been omitted, and the two 
lines t^ and ^^^ as Dr. O'Conor suggests, 
were probably transposed to fill up the 
gap; but they contain the wrong names. 
There was probably some confusion made 
by an early copyist in the Eochaidhs, for 
it is remarkable that the defects in the 

IBISH ABCH. SOG. 1 6. 2 O 



Duan all occur in connexion with a king 
of this name. Thus, for Sealbhach and 
Eochaidh III., the Duan substitutes Dun- 
gal and Alpin ; it omits Dungal and 
Eochaidh IV., who ought to come in 
between Muiredach (line 67) and Aodh 
(line 68) ; and it also omits Eochaidh Y. 
and Alpin, who ought to come in between 
Eoganan (line 76) and Cionaeth or Ken- 
neth Mac Alpin (line 77). It is further 
remarkable that these errors are in each 
case double, arising from the original 



282 



cerpe bbabna Qoba din, 
ipa cpi oeu5 Gojanam. 

Upioca blmoain Cionaoic cpucnb, 
a ceacoip Domnall opecpuaio, 
.fjrp. bliabain co na bpfj, 
Don cupaD Do Cupcnncin. 

Dd Bliaoain, ba oaop a oac, 
oa bpacaip Do QoD pionnpcocac, 
Dorhnall, mac Cupaincin cam, 
p6 cair bliabam pa ceacaip. 

Cupamcin ba calma a jleac, 
po caic a pc ip Da piceac, 
TTlaolcoluim cccpc bliabna, 
lonDolb a h-occ aipDpiajla. 



75 



80 



85 



Scacc 



omission of two kings, and the subsequent 
attempt to mend the defect by transposi- 
tion. The list, as given by O'Flaherty, 
with the duration of each reign, is as 
follows: Muiredach, three years; Dun- 
gal II., seven; Eochadh IV., five; Aodh 
Fionn, or AodhL, thirty; Domhnall III., 
twenty-four ; Conall IIL, two ; Conall IV., 
four; Constantine, nine; Aongus, nine; 
Aodh II., four ; Eoganan, thirteen ; 
Eochadh V., part of one ; Alpin, four ; 
Kenneth Mac Alpin, thirty; Domhnal 
Mac Alpin, four; Constantine II., Mac 
Cinaodha (i. e. son of Kenneth), four- 
teen ; Aodh Mac Cionaodha, two. — (7.) 



' Eoghanan, — Here a stanza seems to be 
omitted, of which lines 6^ and 66 proba- 
bly formed part, except that for Dungal, 
in line 65, we should read Eochadh. See 
last note. From the next king, Cionaith 
or Kenneth Mac Alpin, the list of kings 
here given agrees, or originally did agree, 
with the Chronicon Pictorum ; see above, 
p. 167, where a reign of sixteen years 
only is assigned to Cionaith. — (T.) 

' White flowers. — The word p'onnpco- 
rac signifies white or fair flowers. Old 
Charles O'Conor renders it ''the fair 
haired,^' which is only an attempt to ex- 
plain white flowers. Dr. O'Conor and 



283 



The four years of Aodh the noble ; 
And the thirteen of Eoghanan^ 

The thirty years of Cionaoith the hardy, 
Four Domhnall of the ruddy countenance, 
Thirty years, with his vigour, 
To the hero, to Cusaintin. 

Two years (hard was his complexion) 

To his brother, to Aodh, of the white flowers' ; 
Domhnal, son of Cusaintin the fair, 
Keigned a year four times^. 

Cusaintin, brave was his combat^ 
Reigned six and two score years ; 
Maolcoluim four years ; 
Indolph eight, of supreme sovereignty. 



75 



80 



85 



The 



Mr. Skene translate it '^ white shielded," 
taking pcorac for fciocac. Constantine 
(line 80) and this Aodh Fionnscothach 
irere the sons of Kenneth Mac Alpin. 
Girig (or Gregory) Mac Dungail is in- 
serted between Aodh and Domhnall, son 
of Constantine, both in O'Flaherty's list 
snd in the Chron. Pictorum. See above, 
p. 167. But he is omitted by the Duan, 
perhaps designedly.— (T.) 

» A year four times : i. e. four years. 
The reader will observe that this is the 
same form of expression which has been 
already misunderstood by former trans- 
lators ; see lines 43 and 47. Even O'Fla- 

2 



herty was misled by it here, and assigns 
to Domhnal, son of Constantine, a reign 
o^ five years. Dr. O'Conor renders it 
" annum cum quatuor (annis).^' The au- 
thor adopted the unusual mode of saying 
four, only for the sake of his metre. I^o 
cair (line 84) signifies spent or passed 
(on the throne), L e. lived or reigned ; 
see lines 60 and 'jo.—{T.) 

^ Combat: L e., probably, his contest for 
the throne ; ^leac is a fight, a battle, not 
"impetus in prroliis," as Dr. O'Conor 
renders it. This Constantine was the son 
of Aodh, who was the son of Kenneth 
Mac Alpin ; see line 82.^ T.) 
O2 



284 



Seacr m-bliabna OuboDa oen, 
acup accacaip Cuilen, 
a -pc^fun. op jac cloinn, 
DO Cionaoc, mac HlaoilcoluiTn. 

Scacc Tn-blia6na Cupaincin cluin, 
acup a ccaraip TTlacbuib, 
cpiocab bliabain, bpeacaiD pamn, 
ba pf TTloncnb THaolcolaim. 

8c bliabna Donncaio glam gaoic 
.;:un. bliabna mac pionnlaoic, 
cap ep TTlec bearaib 50 m-blaio, 
.uii. mfp 1 Fplaiciop Lujlaij. 

niaolcoluim anopa ap pf, 
mac Donncaib 6aca bpecbi, 
a pe noca n-pioip neac, 
ace an c-c6lac ap eolac. Q colca. 



90 



95 



100 



Dd 



' Dubhoda.*^T!hi9 is the king who is 
called Cinaed, vel Dubb, in the list given 
above, p. 167. He is also called Duffus 
by some writers. See Ogyg. p. 487, 
where O'Flaherty translates his name 
" Odo niger."— <r.) 

^ Mac Duibh^ or Macduff: L e. the son 
of Dubhoda, line 39. O'Flaherty says: 
'*Grimu8, Scoticd Macduibh; hoc est 
Dnffi seu Dubhodonis filius, quern pro- 
prio nomine Kenneth dictum invenio. 

Rex Pictorum octennio Cambr. Ever. 

page 94 Quippe 7 annis ab anno 997 et 



parte octavi ad annum 1004'' — 0^7S* 
p. 488. There is evidently some confu- 
sion in these names in the Irish version 
of the Chronicon Pictorum, which was 
Lynch's authority in the place referred 
to of Cambr. Eversus; but still it is pro- 
bable that " Cinead fil Dubh'* there men- 
tioned (see p. 1 67, supra), was the same who 
is here called Mac Duibh or Macduff.-(T.) 
* Verses mark, — The word bpeacaio 
is not very intelligible; if it were bpeac- 
cam, it would mean as vesses embel- 
lish, celebrate, adorn. Dr. O'Conor's ver- 



285 



The seven years of Dubhoda* the vehement, 
And four of Cuilen, 
Twenty-seven over every clan, 
To Cionoath, son of Maoilcholuim. 



Seven years to Cusaintin, listen ! 
And four to Mac Duibh^, 
Thirty years (as verses mark^) 
Was Maelcolaim king of Monaidh 



90 



95 



m 



The six years of Donnchad the wise. 
Seventeen years the son of Fionnlaoich" ; 
After Mac Beathaidh, the renowned, 
Seven months was Lughlaigh in the sovereignty. 

Maelcoluim is now the king", 

Son of Donnchad the florid, of lively visage, 

His duration knoweth no man 

But the Wise One, the Most Wise. O ye learned^ 



100 



Two 



sion, which Mr. Skene translates, *' of che- 
quered portions,'' can only be regarded as 
a guess — (T,) 

"" Monaidh: Le. Dun Monaidh in Lome, 
in Scotland, the well-known fortress or 
palace of the Dalriadic kings of Scotland : 
now Dunstaffhage. See Battle of Magh 
Rath, p. 46, n. *. Dr. O'Conor makes the 
absurd blunder of translating pi Rlonaio, 
*' rex montium," and in this he is fol- 
lowed by Mr. Skene.— (T.) 

° Son of Fiannlaoich: L e. Mac Bea- 
thaidh, or Macbeth, so called from his 



mothers's name. See above, p. 167. — (T.) 
" Is now the king — Malcolm, son of 
Donnchad, slew his predecessor Lulach, 
on the I St of January, A. D. 1058, accord- 
ing to Tighernach, and was himself killed 
in 1093. This determines the age of the 
poem, and also of the list of kings before 
given, which also terminates with Mal- 
colm, and was therefore, probably, written 
in his reign. See above, p. 167. — (T,) 

^Oye learned, — Q eolca. The first words 
of the poem are written here in the mar- 
gin, according to a custom of ancient Irish 



286 



Dd pfj; pop cao^ao, cluine, 
go mac OonncaiD opfc puipe, 
DO fiol 6pc apoglcnn anoip, 
Sabpao aibain a eolaij. 



105 



seribes, who used to write in the margin 
the initial word of the poem, whenever the 
same word occurred at the end of a line. 
Colgan quotes this stanza, Trias Thaum., 
p. 115, and translates it thus: 

" Malcx>lma8 nunc est Bex, 

FiHaB Donnchadl speciosi et yividi vnltns, 

Ejus annoe non novit ullns 

Pneter Ulnm scientem, qui omnia novit." 



•» Kings, — Only forty-seven kings are 
enumerated in the present text of the 
poem. But O'Flaherty has made up the 
number of fifty-two from the Annals and 
other sources. 

The comparison of his list with the 
poem shews that in the latter two kings 
have been transposed, and five omitted. 
The transposed kings are Dungal, changed 



287 



Two kings^ over fifty, listen ! 

To the son of Donnchadh of royal countenance, 
Of the race of Ere, the noble, in the east', 
Obtained Alba, O ye learned. 



J 05 



from the twenty-second to the nineteenth 
place, and Alpin, changed from the thirty- 
third to the twentieth. The omitted kings 
are No. 19, Selvach; the three Eochaidhs 
(viz. No. 20, £ochaidhMac Eochaidh; 23, 
Eochaidh Angbhuidh; 32, Eochaidh Mac 
Aodha finn); and 38, Gairig, or Gregory 
Mac Dungail — (T.) 



'TAeea«<;i.e. east of Ireland. Scotland 
is frequently called *' the East" by Irish 
writers. This proves that the poem, or at 
least this stanza, was written in Ireland, 
and not in Scotland. For anoip, Dr. O'Co- 
nor and Mr. Skene read an oip, '* of the 
gold," which is wrong, and makes no 
sense. — (T.) 



1 



ADDITIONAL NOTES. 






IRISH ABCH. 80C. 1 6. 



a 



Ill 



ADDITIONAL NOTES. 



No. I. Seepage 29. 

THE following table exhibits a comparative view of the names of the cities in the 
Irish and Latin copies, with the supposed modem names: 

Irish Copies. Latin Copies. Explanations. 

r Gwrthemion in Radnorshire. 
Caer Grortigern Caer Gurthigim •? Caer Gwerthrynjawn ar 

(. Han Gwy. Triad vL s. 2. 
C. Grutus [Gutais. L. B.] C. Graunth. Cambridge or Grantchester. 

n ># ^a r^ nr * '^ nr ' ' f Verulam, at or near St. Al- 

C. Mencest C. Mencipit or Mumcip. . . -J , 

I Dan 8« 

C. Leoill C. Luadiit or Ltdlid. .... Carlisle. 

C. Medguid [Meguaid, L. 1 _ __ . , », . j. « , . 

|j -| •- o \ Q^ Meguid MeivodinMontgomeryshire. 

C. Colin. C. Colun. Colnchester in Essex. 

C. Gu8dirt[Gastint.L.B.] C. Costeint CaemarroiL 

C. Abrog C. Ebrauc or Eborauc. . . . York. 

^ ^ J i^ <n . fOldSarum. Also a fortress 

C. Caradog. C. Caratauc < . ^. , . 

( m Shropshire. 

C. Brut [Graat L. B.] . . C. Britton Bristow? or Dimbarton? 

^ ,, , J At -.r 1 .-. fMancesterinWarwickshire? 

C. Machod. C. Mauchguid \ _, . « 

i or Manchester? 

C. Lunaind [Lugain. L. 1 . _ . ^ , 

-.,.-, -T ° > C. Lunden London. 

Ludain. B.J J 

Ieish 



• I believe I haTO correctlj allotted the eqiiiTa. the traoiUtor had probably an eje to one of the 
lentfl, in the Irish and Brito-Latin lists. Though Manchester! when he wrote Menoest. 

a 2 



Loninoperuisc [Leo an- 1 

lird puisc L. Leoinar- V C. Legion Guarusik Caerleon-upon-Usk. 

)liui8C. B.] J 



IV 

Irish Copies. Latin Copies. Explanations. 

C. Oen [Cose. L. Caisi. B.] C. Gwent Chep8tow^ 

C. Irangin [Girangon, L. y ^^^^^^^ Worcester. 

Giraigon^B.] J 

C. Pheus C. Peris Portchester in Hampshire. 

C. Don [Minchip. L. B.] C. Daun Doncaster. 

C. Loninoperuisc [Leo an- 

aird 

phi 

C. Grugan C. Grorieon or Guorcon. . . Warwick* ? 

C. Sant C. Segeint Silchester in Hampshire. 

J Caerleon-upon-Dee, i. e. 
C. Legun [Legion. L. B.] C. Ligion j Chester. 

C. Guidiud [Guhent L. » ^ ^ . . . f Norwich, or Winchester, or 

Guent B.] : J ^^'"^"^ \ Winwick in Lancashire, 

rBristow; or rather Dun- 

C. Breatan. C. Britton. ^ breatan, Dunbritton, or 

t Dunbarton. 

C. Leiridoin [Lergun. L. 1 _ .. . . _ . 

^ . _ _•- >C. Lirion Leicester. 

Lenon. B.J J 

^ ^ , ^ _. , .^. f Exeter, or Lostwithiel, or 

C. Pendsa. C. Pensavelcoit^* -J tii.\ t> 

I Hchester, or Pevensey. 

C.Druithgolgod [Dniithe- 1 

colcoit. L. Gluteolcoit V C. Droithon Drayton in Shropshire. 

B.] ) 

rVulg^ Lincoln; but rather 

C. Luiticoit. C. Luitcoit ) Leeds Thoresby. Duca- 

t tus, p. 9. 

C. Urnacht [Urtocht L. ) ^ ,^ , ^ . o,^ ,^ . 

- -^ t. j- C. Umach Wroxeter in Shropshire. 

C. Eilimon [Ceilimon. L. | 

^ ... _ T }C. Celemion ; . Camalet in Somersetshire^ 

Ceilimeno. B J j 

The 

^ See Llwjd's Brit. Deacript. CommeDtariolum. ° Caar Gwair, ap. Llwjd. p. 33. 
According to him Chepstow is Caer Went, p. ^ Pen-aavle-coed, statio capitalis in tjUk. 
102 ; and Winchester is Caer Wynt, City of « The conjecture of Camden, i. 178, ed. Gib- 
Wind, p. 21 ; Triad. iT. series 1. son. 



The root of these lists of the twenty-eight cities is in the commencement of the Liber 
Querulns of Gildas, who describes Britannia as being ^^bia dents bisque quatemis civitati- 
bos, ac nonnuUis castellis, &c. decorata;" and seems as if he were quoting part of his 
words from some poet ; cap. i , and Beda, L cap. i . The general tradition is, that they were ■ 
the sees of the twenty-five bishops and three archbishops of the British Church ; as may 
be seen at large in Ussher's Primordia, cap. 5. The three arphbishoprics were London, 
York, and Caerleon-upon-Usk. The allusion to the words of Gildas and Beda in those 
of the Historia is so apparent, that we cannot doubt but the original number in Mar- 
cus was zxviiL; and that the scribe of 946 altered it, by the introduction of other names 
he had collected, and expimged (as false and exaggerated) those remarkable words in 
which the author seems to pay a compliment to Femmael Lordof Guortigemiawn, and 
perhaps to his own native place, *^ prima civitas Britanniie est que vocatur Caer 
Gurthigim." Of his thirty-three cities the copier places York and Canterbury, the 
two palls or archiepiscopates of England, first and second; thereby shewing that his 
repeated dates of '* quintus Eadmundi r^is" correctly point out his nation, and pro- 
bably his subjection to the northern primate; the unknown Caer Gurcoc, third; while 
Caer-Guorthigern has the fourth place. A Welch MS. of Grenealogies of the same 
century, viz. the tenth, gives the list of twenty-eight cities nearly as it is in Nennius, 
ap. Cambrian Quart. Mag. voL iv. 

It is a remarkable fact, that Mr. C. Bertram has printed in his Ricardus Corinsus, 
that of ninety-two British towns thirty-three were chief; viz. : the two free cities or 
municipia of Verulam and York, nine Roman coloni®, ten governed by Latin law 
under the Lex Julia, and twelve inferior and merely tributary. This list is essentially 
different in names from the Nennian twenty-eight and the five others making the 
Petavian thirty- three; and is fundamentally distinct in its basis, being civil, not 
ecclesiasticaL Yet it exhibits that very niunber (thirty- three), which the Petavian 
MS. of 946 has effected by adding five names to the twenty-eight. But Mr. Bertram 
surely never saw that MS. What, then, shall we say? That he found the number 
thirty- three in some other copy, and worked upon it? I regard the enumeration as 
part of his figments, and no ancient fragment; for if it were true that Eboracum was 
also governed eitojure^ Verulam should not have been called Caer Municip, nor would 
his surname of Municeps have explained whence the tyrant Gratianus came. Vide Ric. 
Corin. p. 36, Havnias 1757, p. iii, ap. Johnstone Ant. Celto-Norman. ibid. 1786. (H.) 

No. IL Seepage 29. 

Lliiyd, in his Archaeologia, tit. i, p. 20, coL 3, supposes Cpuicneac to be a corrupt 
tion of 6pirneac, pictuSy variegatus ; see also O'Brien, Diet, in voce. But this is scarcely 

credible ; 



VI 

oredible; Duald Mac Firbis gives the following explanation of this word: Cpuicneach 
(Pictus) neac do jabao cpora no bealEa onmonn, cun, ayup laf^, ap a eineac, .1. 
op a 01516 : ajuf 516 nf uippe amain ace ap a copp uile. ^oipio ^epop Cpuicni^ 
.1. picci, DO bpfcnaiB 00 cuipeao aijib pebil 00 B607 bo baoap oppa lonoapjomoff 
uarihapa ne a naiham. '^ Cruithneach (Pictus), one who paints the cnUh$ (forms) 
of beasts, birds, and fishes on his eineack (face), and not on his face only, but on his 
whole body. Cesar calls the Britons Cruithnigh, L e. Picti, because they used to stain 
their faces with woad, in order that they might appear terrible to their enemies.'' — 
Crenecdogies, Marq. of Drogheda's copy, p. 162. For this quotation I am indebted to 
Mr. O'Donovan. Cesar's words are : *'*' Omnes yero se Britanni vitro inficiunt, quod 
ooeruleum efficit colorem. Atque hoc horridiori sunt in pugna aspectu ; capiUoque 
sunt premisso atque omni parte corporis ras&, prseter caput et labrum superiua." — Dt 
Beilo GalL lib. v. c. 14.— (^0 

No. IIL Seepage 29. 

Abonia, — ^Eubonia or Manaw is the Isle of Man. The Bomans considered it as having 
the same name with Anglesea, viz. Mon ; and probably with reason, for Mon is a cow, and 
that idea is preserved in the islet called theCalf of Man. But synonymes required a mark 
of distinction, which is found in the Mona-oeda of Ptolemy, the Mon-apia of Pliny, the 
£u-bonia of Nennius, and the Eu-monia or Eu-mania of some MSS. of Orosius, as well 
as the Men-avia clearly meant in those which have Mevania. The word united to the 
primary one is probably that very aw, which now forms Manaw, the Welch for Man, 
and which Beda extended to both in his Menavie^ Insule, Hist. L cap. 9. It meants 
to b^ow, both naturally, and in the metaphors of spirit, inspiration, afflatus, &c. This 
would give us Monavia, and Aumonia or Eumonia (all as one, in ancient spelling), and 
with the mutation, Auvonia or Euvonia, for the Mona of Winds. In an ancient MS. 
(Hari. 3859, ap. Cambr. Qu. Mag. iv. p. 23), Man is called Manau Guodotin, and in 
a supplement of Nennius (Nenn. cap. 66^ ex MS. Cotton, ap. Gale, p. 116), "regio 
quae vocatur Manaw Guotadin." Though not the same place, it is perhaps the same 

word 

■ ' So corrected by Mr. Sharon Tomer, Hist tawef, calm, serene ; tawelu, to make or become 

Anglo-Saz. i. 347, ed. !▼. But in his text, as calm. See Edw. Llwjd, Comp. Vocab. Owen 

in Orosius, Meyania. Diet. Ta is wperior, as Dr. Owen shews by 

V It does not exist as a verb like dm ; but as a an instance (a point essential to the legitimate 

root, in ave/, a blast of wind ; awelu, to blow ; citation of his Dictionary) ; and ascendancy oyer 

awen, inspiration, &c. And (with a restrictiye wind, or breath, makes a calm, or silence, 
sense in the prefix ta) taw^ stillness, silence; 



vu 

word as Anenrin^s Gododin. Rejecting the din (meaning an enclosed or defensible 
place) we may possibly obtain from the Guodo or Guota the M«f«-0<}«, or Mona-ceda 
of Ptolemy; for the G disappears in composition. But Mona seems to be the founda- 
tion of all the names. 

While the Romans were still ruling in Britain, Man was an Irish Island, ** leque 
(with Hibemia) a Scotorum gentibus habitata.'^ — ^Orosius, i. cap. 2. But whether this 
had been always so, or became so by the ruin of the Britons, no man now can say. 
The first occupation of Man by the Irish was probably not kUer than A. D. 254, in 
which year there is a tradition that King Cormac M^ Art drove some of the rebellious 
Ultonians into that island.— Tigernach, in anno 254. Nevertheless it may have been 
earlier. 

The earliest accounts of it, however, are much too early, belonging to the fabulous 
epoch and legends of the Tuatha De Danann. The following statement is extracted from 
the ancient MS. Glossary of Cormac M^Cuillenan*'. "Manannan Mac Lir was a 
famous merchant, that lived in the island of Manann. He was the best navigator that 
was in the sea in the west of the world. He used to ascertain by heaven-study, that is, 
observation of the heavens, the duration of calm and storm, and the time when either 
of these two periods would change. ^' Inde Scoti et Britones eum dominum maris vo- 
caverunt, inde filium maris esse dixerunt, L e. Mac Lir; et de nomine Manannain insola 
Manainn dicta est^" But other authorities tell us, if we are to trust O'Flaherty, that 
the name of this merchant was Oirbsion or Orbsen, son of Allad, son of Alathan, 
and nephew of the Daghda; and that he was called Manannan, because of his inter- 
course with the Isle of Mani. Orbsen Manannan was slain in battle by UUinn, son 
of Tadhg, son of Nuada the Silver-handed, at the place therefore called Magh- 
Ullinn or MoycuUin, in Galway. Some say, that Loch Oirbsion or Orbsen broke 
out while his grave was being dug. See the Ogygia, part iiL cap. 14, p. 179; and 
Keating. That the Britons knew this legend of Man, may be supposed from the sur- 
name M'Lljrr, son of the water or of the sea.^ Bran ap Llyr is the fabulous father 

of 

* Thia author died in 908, according to Imp manann a Depap Hlanannan pip. 
0*FUherty. *• Or he was caUed Manannan from the I«lc of 

> Bodleian MS. Laud. 610, foL 83, col. a., K Manann.** — (T.) 

'^' * Cep or teap, theiea, (geniHvt tip) is still 

J In the copy of Cormao*8 Glossary in the Li- ^ u^jng word in Irish ( T.) In H. A. BuUoclc's 

brary of Trin. ColL Dub. (H. 2, 16) there is the History of the Isle of Man, the tradition of Manan- 

following note on the above quoted passage, in oan is thus spoken of: " Mananan Mac Lyr (the 

the hand-writing of Duald MacFirbis: Mo o first man who held Man, was ruler thereof, and af- 



vm 

of the elder Caradoc, and Bran ap Llyr Mariiii that of Caradoc Vreichbras. The 
conversion of Man to Christianity is ascribed to one Grermanus, an emissary of St 
Patrick, who was succeeded by two others named Conidrias and Bomulus. JocelysL 
Vita Patric. cap. 92, 152; Vita Quarta, cap. 81. 

By Orck are denoted the Orcades or Orkneys, Orcania of Nennius. Ore in Graelic 
is a whale or other large fish ; and possibly may have had the same sense in ancient 
Graulish and British; as it had also in Latin, '* orca genus marine belluse mRyiTmnp 
dicitur'' (Pomp. Festus), whence the area of the Italian romantic poets, and in French 
arque. 

" Theo shall this mount 

Of Paradise by might of waves be mored 

Out of his place, push*d bj the horned flood. 

With all his yerdure spoiled and trees adriftr 

Down the great riyer to the opening gulf, 

And there take root, an island salt and bare. 

The haunt of seals and orct and seamews* clang." — Paradise Loat^ zl. 829-^7. 

Orcades, or Ore Ynys, the islands of whales. See Armstrong's Gaelic Dictionary 
in Ore. Other etymologies, from the Teutonic, may be seen in Wallace and Torfsus; 
but they appear to me false and triviaL The O^imk "Ax^ts of Ptolemy was Dunnet 
Head in Caithness, over against the islands. 

The Irish translator has omitted a good passage of Marcus and Nennius : *' So in 
an old proverb it is said, when speaking of judges and kings, He judged Britain ttitk 
the three islands.^— (H.) 

Na IV . See page 42. 

Thefirtt man, — The two first paragraphs of Irish history are borrowed, with cor- 
rections, from Nennius, cap. 6; at p. 50 of Marcus. The Latin has Bartholomsus, 
Partholomffius, Partholomus^ and, as it seems acknowledged that Partholan's name 
means Bartholomew, we must admire the credulity which could believe that apostolic 
name to have been known in Ireland 311 years after the flood. Ogygia, iL p. 6^. 
The same remark applies to Simon Brec. It is very remarkable that Partholan, first 
King of Ireland, and Brutus, first King of Britain, were both abhorred for having 

killed 

ter whom the land was named) reigned many years; p. 3. The natives ** pretend he was son to a 

and was a paynim. He kept land under mists by king of Ulster, and brother to Fergus II. who 

his necromancy. If he dreaded an enemy, he restored the monarohical gOTernment of Soot- 

would of one man cause to seem one hundred ; land, 422." — Ihid, — (JET.) 
and that by art magic." — Old Statute Book, eit 



IX 

killed father and mother. See Keating, p. 25. By " Nemech quidam filius agnominis," 
the copyists probably understood son of his own cognominis or namesake. The tran- 
scriber of Marcus has left it blank, in doubt of its meaning; and he did wisely. For 
the original reading is "filius Agnomain", or Agnamhain. See Ogygia, iL p. 65 ; Wood's 
Primitive Inhabitants of Ireland, p. 13; Keating's Genealogy, p. 30. The same name, 
Agnoman, occurs very early in the voyages of the Gaidhelians. Gildas Coem. ap. 
Ogygia, iL p. 67. Our translator corrects the Historia, which had represented Nemed 
himself as sailing away again; whereas it was his posterity, after a sojourn of 216 
years. — (H.) 

No. V. See page 44. 

Viri BuBorum, S^. — The Firbolg, Firdomnan, and Firgalian, are inserted by 
the translator. The name Firbolg is also a general one, and comprehensive of all the 
three. Mr. O'Flaherty does not doubt but they were colonies from Great Britain, of 
the BelgsB, Damnonii, and another tribe. Ogygia, L pp. 14, 15; Keating, p. 39. The 
account of the Tuatha De Danann is also inserted. They are said to have come from 
the northern parts of Europe, and their name may be rendered The Tribe of Gode from 
Denmark. Danann for Dania, as Manann for Mannia. The first mention of the Dani 

is in Servius, "Dahas undeDani dicti," in ^neid. viiL 728; and the second, 

in Yenantius Fortunatus de Lupo Duce, vi. 7, 49 : 

** Quam tibi sis firmus cum prospentate superna, 
Saxonis et Daoi gens cito victa probat." 

The three tribes of Tuatha De Danann were descended from the three sons of Danann, 
called Gods (and esteemed such) for their skill in magic; whence perhaps the phrase 
Plebes Deorum. They first came (it is fabled) into the north of Britain, where 
they inhabited places called Dobar and Ir-dobar (quere Tir?) and whence they re- 
moved to the north of Ireland; and their title of De has been accounted for by the 
name of the River Dee. O'Flaherty, Ogygia, L p. 1 2. But their story shews, that they 
were a race endowed with such arts and powers, as might obtain them credit for a 
divine origin. And there is no reason for supposing that Dobar was near the River 
Dee. The interpretation of the name of this colony is quite independent of the ques- 
tion of its having ever existed; of which there is neither proof, nor much probability. 
Their legend represents them to have spoken a German, not a British, dialect, which 
is accordant to the notion of their being Danes, but is by no means accordant to the 
catalogue of their names; and so far their story belies itself The letters of which 
the invention is ascribed to the Danannian Ogma, brother of the Daghda, are not that 
modification of the Latin alphabet used in Irish and Anglo-Saxon writings, but the 
IBI8H ABCH. BOG. NO. 1 6. b cyphers 



cyphers called ogham; the superior antiquity of which seems to me to involve this 
difficulty, that they almost imply and presuppose the existence of ordinary alphabetic 
writing. — (H.) 

No. VI. See page 54. 

Out of the kingdom of Scythian S^. — There is no probability, and a want of distinct 
testimony, even legendary, that Ireland ever received any considerable body of set- 
tlers, but direct from Britain. Ireland, in effect, received but three classes of colonists. 
For the Nemedians were Bartholomeans, and the Firbolg and Tuatha De Danann 
were both Nemedians. Besides this class there were the Graidhil or Scoti, into 
which prevalent colony the whole nation resolved itself; and thirdly, the Cruithnich 
or Pictish settlement. But the Firbolg and Danann were both direct from Britain, 
the former manifestly, and the latter avowedly. And the Scots, after various pere- 
grinations, went from Pictland or Albany in North Britain to Spain, and thence 
over to Ireland. The whole mention of Spain in that legend is etymological, and 
was meant to unite the two names, so slightly dissimilar, and sometimes (as Mr. 
O^Flaherty observes) confounded, of Ibenis and Ibemus ; as the mention of Scythia 
is also an etjrmologism for Soot. The three (or rather two) classes of colonists seem 
to have been the South Britons, of Belgic origin; the North Britons, of Celtic origin; 
and certain Britons, who must have belonged either to the one or other division, 
and were distinguished by retaining in Ireland their custom of staining the skin, at a 
time when no others did. 

The name Scoti is identified by Nennius and by Irish bardic antiquaries with 
Scythse, and that verbal resemblance is the sole foundation of their travels from 
Scythia. No Boman, meaning to say Scytha, could express it Scotus; and no savage 
of Hibemia could think of applying to himself the eastern and generic title of Scythian. 
Words are almost a waste on such topics. The name of Scoti is said to be first used 
by Porphyry, about A. D. 277J. But this must be doubtful in the extreme; as 
St Jerome*, quoting Porphyry, would put " ScoticsB gentes" according to his own 
custom and that of his day, where Porphyry had put r* t5» 'l«vf(v«y ftfu. If so, Am- 
mianus will be the earliest who names them, at the close of the fourth century. 
Before these authors no Greek or Roman had heard of a Scot; and the name Scot was 
very probably unknown in Hibemia. If it be the same as scuite^ a wanderer or rover, 
it is unintentionally explained by Ammianus in his " Scoti per diversa vagantes.*' 
Its origin shoidd date from the time when they devoted themselves to piracy ; from 

after 
J That is the year to which Schoell, in his flourishing. 
Table Chronologique, gif es Porphyry's name, as ^ Epist, ad Ctesiphontem. 



XI 

after which time, as Axmnianus is the first ascertained authority, its known origin 
does in point of /ad date. And we may suppose that it was not prevalent, until 
the sea-kings of Erin became troublesome to the neighbouring shores, which was 
scarcely in the third century, or perhaps after the middle of it, when Cormac Mac Art 
obtained celebrity in various ways. Achy Mogmedon, father of Niall the Great, seems 
first to have become formidable in that shape. This supposition squares admirably 
with the observation in Ogygia iii. 72, that although the Irish called their Gaidhelian 
people Scots, no such territorial epithet as Scotia or Scotland was known in their 
language; for they had not that name in regard of their land, but of renouncing the 
land, and making their home upon the deep, and among the creeks and coves of 
every defenceless shore. The ancient word sctid^ a boat or ship, plural, scutd^ hath 
a close agreement with scuitey a wanderer, and SctU^ a Scot ; and it may be doubted, 
whether this obsolete Graelic word did not primarily signify roving in coracles. Sallee 
existed before there were Sallee rovers; and so did Ireland, long before she had her 
scots or rovers. Bardic fable so far says true, that it was the latest denomination 
of the pagan kings of Erin ; and the protracted rovings or wanderings of Eibhear Scot 
and his family through almost all lands and seas seem like a vast romantic gloss upon 
the appellation. For they were, indeed, a race of ErroneSy and that is the charac- 
teristic feature of their story. — (H.) 

No. VIL Seepage 60. 

Seeds of battle. — C»sar speaks of the spikes which Cassibellanus placed in the 
Thames, as large stakes, not caltrops : ** ripa autem erat acutis sudibus pr»fixis mu- 
ni ta, ejusdemque generis sub aqua defixse sudes fiumine t^ebantur," (De Bello 
Gall. V. 18.) ; and Bede says, that these stakes remained to his time, '^ quarum ves- 
tigia sudium ibidem usque hodie risimtur, et videtur inspectantibus quod singular 
earum ad modimi humani femoris grossse, et circumfuste plumbo inmiobiliter erant 
in profundum fluminis infixs.'' — Hist. Eccl. L 2. But we can hardly suppose such 
solid stakes to have been described under the name of '* semen bellicosum." 

I am indebted to Mr. Eugene Curry for the following illustrations of the words 
^pana cacha, which I have translated seeds of hatde. 

In a MS. glossary on paper, written in the seventeenth century, and now preserved 
in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin (H. 2. 15. p. 126,) the words are thus 
explained: 

^pam cara .1. beapa, uc epc, '^pl Grain catha, Le. spikes ; as **Sil 
caca ^oipc cuiprep focepcep ppi bela- catha ooibt [seedsof battle-field] which 

b 2 are 



xu 

ca cpici aca eiflinbe," .1. beapa no ni are put or set in the entrance fords of 
cuipchep amail pi 1 n-jopc i m-belaib an unfortified' country:" Le. spikes or 
uacaib na cpice. Ipe fin uil ann .1. in things that are sown Hke seed in a field, 
5pan caca. in the solitary passes of the country. 

This is what is meant by Gban catha 

[seeds of battle]. 

The words in inverted commas are evidently quoted from some more ancient tract 
or glossary. 

In the Felire Beg, or little Festilogium, an ancient Calendar, preserved in the 
library of the Boyal Irish Academy, in a MS. which is at least as old as the four- 
teenth century, the following is given (p. 23) as the first of three great qualifications 
of a distinguished champion : 

Cpemi apa neamceanarap laech ; Three things that constitute a cham- 

cachclep cu poceapoaib, .1. ^puin ca- pion: Battle skill with subordinate arts, 
cba, cu ceapcaib poiche in ^ae bul^a. viz. Gbain catha, with the skilful set- 
ting the Gab buloa [belly spear]. 

The pae bulgay or belly spear, was a short spear which was used by the combatant 
to strike from beneath, and pierce the belly of his opponent under his shield. In the 
curious ancient romance called Tain bo Cuailgne, or *^ The Plunder of the Cuailgnian 
Cows," the hero Cuchulann, the champion of Ulster, is introduced making use of 
the gae bulga^ in his combat with Ferdiadh, the champion of Connaught, at Ath- 
Firdiadh, the ford of Firdiadh (so called from the name of the hero), now Ardee. It 
appears from this narrative that the weapon was thrown from the foot, and the art 
seems to have consisted in keeping the adversary busy in protecting his head and 
body, whilst the gae btdga was suddenly seized between the toes, and struck under his 
shield into his belly. It is described as a barbed dart, which after entering the body 
threw out thirty blades that sprang loose and inflicted an incurable and deadly wound 
within. 

It is not necessary to our present purpose to enter into any more particular ac- 
count of this probably fabulous weapon, or to collect together the notices of it which 
occur in Irish MSS. It must suffice to observe that both the gae btdga^ or belly-spear, 
and the grain catka^ or battle seed, seem to have been used chiefly, if not always, in 
fords of rivers, the water serving to conceal the weapon, or the caltrops, from the 

enemy. 

' Unfortified — " 6iplin .1. eif innil no eoain^fn. EiMlinu, i. e. unfortified or un-lut." — O'Clery's 
Glossary. 



xm 



enemy. In the case of the battle, or rather the single combat, at the ford of Ardee 
(described in the romance of the Tain bo Cuailgne), the attendant or esquire of Cuchu* 
lann is represented as sending the gae bulga to his master through the water ^ floated 
probably by some contrivance so as to escape the notice of the enemy ; and it ifras then 
caught by Cuchulann between his toes, under the water, and driven instantly into 
the belly of his assailant — (Z) 

No. VIII. Seepage 63. 

The King was baptized. — The famous legend of King Lucius (from Nennius, cap. 1 8) 
has its earliest voucher in Beda; whose accoimts of its date are both erroneous and 
and discrepant*". Annalists have varied from 138 to 199 in assigning its epoch. But 
that would not affect the fact itself, were it otherwise authentic There were 
then in Caledonia and in Cornwall, if not elsewhere, some independent princes or 
chieftains, of whom this Lucius may have been one. But it has much the appear- 
ance of a fable, forming part of the romance of the kings of Britain. Mr. Carte has 
forcibly observed, that Gildas's design led him to speak of it, and yet he doth not 
mention so much as the name of Lucius, i. p. 133. The real question is, whether 
Beda took his brief statement out of Roman or ecclesiastical history, or from a Celtic 
legend. Such a legend might well grow out of a statement, thai Christianity was 
planted in Britain " Marco Aurelio et Liteio regnantibus ;" for the Emperor Lucius 
(as L. Verus" was commonly termed) figures in the inconsistent dates of this trans- 
action ; both of which are in his life, and intended to be in his reign ; and the latter 
is in his reign. ^* M. Antoninus Yerus cum fratre Aur. Lticio Commodo .... quorum 
temporibus .... misit .... Lucius Brittannorum rex," &c. Henr. Himt i, p. 304. 

Nothing can be morie confused than the accounts given of this name. For in British 
it is written Lies (whether in speaking of this man, or of any other Lucius^), meaning 
gain or profit; of which Lucius is no translation, though it may very remotely imitate 

the 



■" ** Anno ab incarn. Domini centesimo quin- 
qua^^mo sexto Marcus Antoninos Yerus, de- 
dmus quartus ab Augusto, regnum cum Aurelio 
Commodo fratre susoepit; quorum temporibus 
cum Eleutherius yir sanotus pontificatui Romanse 
ecdesis pneesset, misit ad eum Lucius Britan- 
norum rex epistolam," &c. — Hist. i. c. 4. Eleu- 
tlieriua was not Pope until 177, when Yerus 
was dead ; and their accession was in 161. 
"Anno ab incarn. D. 167, Eleutherius Rome 



prnsul factua 15 annos eoclesiam gloriosisslm^ 
rexit, cui litteras rex Britannie Lucius mittens," 
&c. — Epitome, p. 278. Here we get into the 
reign of the emperqrs, but are still ten years 
short of the pontificate of Eleutherius. 

° Julius Capitolinus, pp. 179, 183-4; Lugd. 
Bat. 1661 ; Fronto Epist. ad Yerum, lib. ii. ep. 
1 ; Dion Cassius, pp. 1177-8; Aur. Yict. de 
CiBSaribus, cap. 16* 

*" Vide Triad tL series 2; Brut, p. 351, &e. 



XIV 

the sound. But they surname him Lleuver, i. e. bright or luminous, which is evi- 
dently meant to express the etjrmon of Lucius. Thus inconsistent is fiction. Some 
copies of Nennius have these words : *' Lucius agnomine Lever Maur, id est, Magni 
Splendoris, propter fidem quae in ejus tempore venit." The author of the Cambreis^ 
gave the same rationale of the name Lucius, 

« Coilo suocedit Lueita, orto 

Lucifero pralueidior, nam lueet in ejus 
Tempore yera fides." 

It is furthermore pretended that his real name was Lleirwg; Lleuver Mawr (and 
consequently Lucius) being merely a title of honour. Neither in the Liber Land- 
avensis, nor in Mr. J. Williams's Eccles. Antiq. of the Cymry, pp. 66-7, nor 
elsewhere, can I discover any thing that deserves to be called an historical corroborar 
tion of Beda. The Welch hagiography applicable to this name is vain and fictitious. 
The family of Bran ap Llyr is described as one of the holy or saintly families of Bri- 
tain^ ; and it is pretended he was the father of Caractacus, who, being taken prisoner 
with his son, learned Christianity at Rome. But it is well known, that Caractacus 
was one of the sons of Cjmobeline, whose death preceded the war between his children 
and the Romans. Dion Cassius Ix. cap. 20. This Bran ap Llyr was a sorcerer, 
whose whole legend is magic. See the Mabinogi of Branwen. His grandson, son of 
Caractacus, is said to have been St. Cyllin; btit it is tolerably certain, that Caractacus 
had no son whom the Romans took. Cyllin is fancifully supposed (see Taylor's 
Calmet. v. p. 259; Triad xliL series i^ to have been Linus, first Bishop of Rome after 
St. Peter. It is not very likely, that Linus should be written for Cyllinus; which 
must either change the quantity, or reject the accented syllable. Nor is it likely that 
the name Linus, as old as mythology* itself, and common at Rome, where Martial 
ridicules^ at least two persons of that name, shoidd be the mutilated name of a 
British Celt. Whether a converted barbarian, elegantly tattoed with woad, is 
likely to have been elected to the apostolical chair of St. Peter, forms another ques- 
tion, 

P Pseudo-Gildos in Cambreide, ap. Ussher. Linus Brychan of Brecknock." Here the heads 

** Triad zviii. This absard production is fnllof of the three Holj Families (see series 3, Triad 

ignorance, eyen of that little which we do know. zyiii.) each receiye the name Linug, with ita 

Boadicea is confounded with Cartismandua. Latin termination! 

' The general idea was, no doubt, in the mind • Orphei Calliopeia, Lino formosus ApoUo. 

of the writer of this Triad, which runs thus: > Epigr. i. 76, ii. 38, 54, !▼. 66, ?. 12, Tii. 

** Three SainU, Lintu of the Isle of Britain, 94, zi. 26, zii. 49. 

Ltnus Bran ap Lljr, Linus Cjnedda Wledlg, and 



XV 

tion, of which the affirmative decision holds out fair hopes of Lambeth to our New 
Zealand neophytes. But we may infer, that there was never such a man as this 
Cyllin. That name is formed of cy and Uin^ and means " united by a chord or string," 
or else ''being of a common lineage." A/v«f in Greek is flax; and thence, a chord or 
string. Linum in Latin keeps both those meanings; and linea has the further 
meaning of series or lineage. The British and Graelic llin have all the three meanings ; 
which circumstance leaves reasonable inference, that it is one of the words introduced 
from the Latin. Neither does the flax culture belong to the savage state; peltries 
clothe the savage, the nomadic tribes proceed to the use of woollens, and flax and 
hemp come last There probably existed no such name as Cy-llin for Caractacus to 
affix to his son ; and it was invented long after the supremacy of the Romans had been 
established, and perhaps after its subversion. 

Lleirwg Lleuver Mawr was grandson of Cyllin, and son of Coel; whom, however, 
the Chronicle of Kings makes son of Meiric, not of Cyllin. Coel (called a bard in 
Triad xcL) reigned over Britain, paying tribute to Claudius; and his son Lies suc- 
ceeded him, whom others call Lleirwg Lleuver, and the Latin writers Lucius. This 
is all a romance. The house of Cynobeline (if there was any remnant of it) did not 
recover its authority over Britain, as tributaries or otherwise; but the country was 
gradually reduced into a Roman province. As there was no Cyllin, there probably 
was, for similar reasons, no Coel ; and the true Coels are of much later date. For the 
Welch word coel (not in Gaelic), an omen or presage, charm or enchantment, or other 
object of superstitious veneration, seems to be formed from the Latin word coilum or 
ccehan, what is hollow or concave, and, in the second intention, heaven. De ccelo 
servare, is to observe omens and auguries; divinare is to observe things divine. 

It is a reasonable supposition, that the one historical notice of Lucius, Beda's, 
given in a form discreditable to the learning of its venerable author, is not really 
historical ; and that the tale was made up in Britain by somebody, who took the 
imperial brothers Marcus and Lucius to be the Roman emperor and the British 
king_(^.) 

No. IX. Seepage 66. 

Geoflrey of Monmouth only miscalls Maximus by the name of Maximian; but the 
Historia Britonum has made two emperors, Maximus and Maximian, out of that one 
man. 

The remarkable assertion, that Consuls instead of Cssars now began to reign, can 
only be explained as of Tyranni in lieu of more regular emperors. For such were 
Maximus himself, Marcus, Gratianus Municeps, and Constantine III., who all assumed 
the tyrannic purple in Britain. That accounts for the idea of a derogation ; but the 

author 



XVI 

author of the Historia, consistently with his general statement, proceeds to speak of 
Valentinian and Theodosius as oonsids. 

The epoch of Maximus was very famous in the legends of Britain. In them he is 
called Maxen or Maxim Wledig^ L e. the sovereign of the land. Gwledig is litterally ter- 
renus, from gfdad^ terra ; and the title claims him for a native, as well as a Koman, 
sovereign. The Chronicle of the Kings describes him as being nephew to Helen, 
mother of Constantine, and son to her brother Llewelyn, and as being husband to 
another Helen, daughter of Eudav, a potent British chieftain. See Galfrid. v. cap. 8-9; 
Roberts's Tysilio, p. 98. Thus he was a Briton, though a senator of Rome. He is 
indebted for these legends to the important events of his reign. For then it was, 
that the foundations of Armorican Britanny were laid by the Celtic forces who ac* 
companied him, on his expedition to Gaul, under the command (as a general tradition 
saith) of one Conan of Meriadawg in Denbigh. Then also the affair of the ii,ocx3 
virgins occurred; of which the death of some young women, going to join the 
Armorican cdUmy (Colonia), seems to have been the truth. 

There is a curious tale or mabinogi called Breuddwyd Maxen, the Dream of 
Maximus. He was emperor of Rome, the handsomest and wisest that ever reigned. 
Under him were thirty-two crowned kings, with whom he went a hunting. Being 
heated, he fell asleep; while they raised their shields for a fence around him, and a 
golden shield over his head. He dreamt that he visited a country, which he traversed, 
and reached a rough and barren district, beyond which he found a fine city, and in it 
a hall or palace of great splendour ; and in the hall were two bay-haired youths, 
playing chess on a chess-board of silver, with chessmen of gold. They were dressed 
in black, with frontlets of red gold on their hair, and precious stones therein. At the 
foot of the column supporting the hall sat a gray-haired man on an ivory throne, with 
golden bracelets, chain, and frontlet, and with a golden chess-board on his breast, 
and in his hand a golden wand and a steel saw ; and he was carving chessmen. A 
maiden sat opposite to him on a golden chair, arrayed in white silk and jewels. 
Maximus sat down in the chair beside her, and threw his arms roimd her neck; and, 
at that moment of his dream, awoke. He sent ambassadors in all directions in quest 
of her. And, at last, three of them found out the country, which was Britain, and 
the rough district, which was Snowdon, and the city, which was Aber Sain in Arvon ; 
where they foimd the youths playing chess, the old man making chess-men, and the 
maiden in the chair of gold. They opened to her the suit of Maxen, and she said, 
that if the emperor loved her, he must come for her. So he came, and conquered 
the island, and went to Aber Sain, where he found Conan, and Adeon, sons of Eudav, 
playing at chess, and Eudav spn of Caradoc in the ivory throne, making chess-men, 

and 



XVll 

and his daughter Helen seated. And he threw his arms round her neck. And that 
night thej slept together. Next morning he asked her to name her dower, and she 
demanded Britannia from the British to the Irish sea, and the three adjacent islands 
[see above, cap. iiL], to hold under him; and three cities to be built for her, which 
were Caer yn Arvon, Caer Llion, and Caer Vjrddin. Helen caused roads to be made 
across the island from each city, and they were called the Roads of Hden the Armipo- 
tent. Maxen stayed seven years in Britain, and thereby (by Roman law) he forfeited 
the crown imperial; and they chose another emperor in his place. But he went 
and besieged Rome, and took it by the valour of Conan and Adeon and their Britons. 
Then Maxen gave them his army, to conquer territories ; and they conquered and 
ravaged many provinces. But Conan would not return to his native country, and 
remained in Britanny, which is called Llydau Bry taen ; and, since many flocked over 
thither from Britain, the British language yet remains there." — See the Greal sev 
CynnuUiad o Orchestion, &c. pp. 289-297, London, 1805. Maximus is said to have 
had three sons, Cystennin or Constantine, Peblic or Publicus, and Owain or Eugenius, 

sumamed Minddu or the Blacklipped Y Greal, &c. p. 18. This Owain ap Maxen 

Wledig is reported to have been the first of those British kings who, after the resigna- 
tion of the island by Honorius, ruled it independently of the Roman or Csesarean system. 
See Triads, xxL xxxiv. xli. liii. This name and tradition comes out of Bardism ; 
and was not accepted by that other school of authors who framed the Trojan dynasty 
of kings. King Owain, son of Maximus, has been termed ik saint; but he seems to 
have been more of a magician. He buried the head of Bran ap Llyr in the Tower 
Hill of London, for a talisman of defence to this island; but king Arthur indiscreetly 
revealed it. He was himself buried, both his head and his body, at Nanhwjnyn, in 
the Forest of the Faraon (demons or spirits), and the said Owain slew Eurnach 
Gnwr, and in the self-same forest Eurnach slew him. — Greal, p. 18. The mabinogi 
or legend of this obscure business seems not to be extant. — (H) 

No. X. See page 67. 

From the place^ S^c. — This curious sentence on the limits of Britanny has been, in 
the indication of the points of the compass, either taken from a better MS. than the 
printed copies, or more clearly enounced by the translator. The author describes 
Britanny as a triangle with its vertex due W., and the angles of its base N. E. and 
S. £. The Cruc Ochident or Tumulus Occidentalis is beyond doubt (as Bertram had 
surmised) the precipitous rock of Ushant, notoriously the due W. extremity of 
Britanny. Its modem name, Ouessant, though ultimately derived from Uxantus, 
sounds and perhaps is intended to sound like Ouest, West. 

IRISH ARCH. 80G. 16. C The 



J0 



XVIU 

The N. £. angle is the stagnum, or bay of the sea, above (that is, nortli of) the 
Mons Joyis. The super yertioem Montis for super Montem was either a mistake of 
Marcus himself, or of all his transcribers. The Mons Jovis is an extraordinary rock 
in the Avranchin, otherwise called Mons Sancti Michaelis in Pericalo Maris, in French 
le Mont Jou. See Blondel, Notice du Mont St. Michel, p. la Avranches, 1816. 
There are two rocks; the Tumbelenia, or Tombelaine, explained by some Tumba 
Helen®, but more correctly Tumba Beleni, Le. Hill of Belenus, the Celtic sun-god; 
and the loftier one, called simply Tumba, as well as Mons Jovis. The monastery or 
hermitage there was called Monasterium ad Duas Tumbas in Periculo Maris. Blondel, 
ibid. pp. 1 1 -1 19. The Mont Jou received its appellation of Mont Saint Michel, from 
an apparition of St. Michael Archangel, which was seen there in A.D. 708. See Gallia 
Christiana, xL p. 472; Ogee Diet de la Bretagne, L p. 98, Nantes, 1778. In that 
year an inroad of the sea swept away, and changed in arencB mwsfarmam^ the forest in 
which the mount used to stand, and made it an island at high water; and St. Aubert, 
Bishop of Avranches, built a chapel there by command of the Archangel, which was 
dedicated in 709. See Blondel, ibid. p. 14; Gallia Christ, ibid. Apparitio S. Michael 
ap. Mabillon, A. SS. Ben. sa^;. 3. part L p. 86. The Avranchin continued to be a 
part of the County of Britanny until the year 936, in which Alan lY. is said to have 
made over that district to William Long-Sword, Duke of Normandy; and to that 
province it hath ever since appertained. Recherches sur la Bretagne per Felix De- 
laporte, L p. 95-6, Rennes, 18 19. Therefore Dom Mabillon antedates the Apparitio 
Sancti Michaelis, when he states that narrative to have been written " ante seculum 
decimum,'' for its author does not consider the Mount to be in Britanny. 

It remains for us to find the S. E. angle of Britanny at Cantguic". The Armorican 
meaning of the words cantguic is the hundred villages, ceiAum vicu And I have no 
doubt, but the dvitas Cantguic, or Centumvici, is that of Condivicum, properly Con- 
divicnum, of the Namnetes. Whether the ancient Graulish name Condivicnum^ sig- 
nified centum vtci, or did not, that etymology seems to have been attached to it ; and 
may have contributed to introduce the spelling Condivicum. With Ushant for your 
vertex, and Mont St. Michel and Nantes at the base, you have the Britanny of the 
Historia Britonum. K Dom Morice has taken any notice of this passage, or the mat- 
ters to which it relates, in his voluminous work, it has escaped my observation. 

Mr. O^Donovan has justly remarked, that the translator mistakes cru^, a hill or 

mound, 

■ Bect^ ne ap MSS. Petar. et Cotton. Minus grounds, that it referred to a confluence of 
rect^ Tanguic, etc. streaois. — Notitia Galliarum, p. 367. 

▼Adrien Valois supposes, upon uncertain 



XIX 

mound (tumulus of Marcus, and cumulus of NenniusX for crux^ a cross. — ^Notes on 
the Hy Fiachrach, p. 4 13. — (H) 

No. XL See page 68. 

The Britons of Letha^ Sj^e. — Britanny was called, by the Celts of Great Britain, 
Llydaw, and in Irish Letha, or Leatha, which words are expressed in Latin Letavia. 
Its derivation is from the Latin littuSj and is equivalent in sense to the word Armorica ; 
or, with the mutation, Arvorica, whence Procopius took his 'Ap/Sipwj^*!, de Bello Goth. 
1. 12. Zezr, in Armorican, is shore; and Lez ar mor, or or vor, is shore of the sea; some- 
times redundantly expressed lez en ar vor, which arises from making one word of armor, 
or arvor, littus in maritimis. Hence the noble family of Lez'narvor. See Rostrenen, 
Diet Fran9ois-Breton in Bord de la mer; Bidlet Diet. Celtique in Letav and Llydaw. 
Others have improperly derived the word Letavia from the Lseti, a sort of auxiliary 
militia, holding lands under the lower emperors of the West. 

Nennius has a much stranger story, which our translator (if he found it in his 
copies) has done wisely to reject. He says that the British colonists, who married 
Gaulish wives, cut out the tongues of their wives, that the children might not learn 
Latin ; and that, on that account, the people were called Lled-tewig, pi. Lled-tewigion, 
L e. Semi-tacentes. A similar account is given in the Breuddwyd Maxen, but with 
less care in adapting the name to its etymon : *' because of the women and their lan- 
guage being reduced to silence, the people were called the men of Llydaw Brytaen." — 
Y Greal, p. 297. That notion must have obtained some vogue; for we find ^neas of 
Britanny, the father of Emyr Llydaw, called iEneas Lledewig o Llydaw, L e. ^neas 
Semitacens Letaviensis Bonedd y Saint, p. 30, 3 1 . 

Leatha was certainly used two ways in Irish, sometimes for Letavia and sometimes 
for Latium ; from which some doubt and confusion hath arisen. See Mr. O'Donovan 
on the Hy Fiachrach, p. 410. In the Scholia upon the poet Fiech, in Colgan's Trias, 
probably by more scholiasts than one, it is explained both ways. That is the origin 
of the ridiculous fable of king Faradhach Dathi, nephew and successor to Niall of the 
Nine Hostages, having carried his arms into the Alps and been there slain. Like his 
uncle he attacked Leatha ; and like him, met his death there ; and his descents upon 
Letavia, when construed into an invasion of Latium, i. e. Italy, bring him, in due course, 
to the Alps. He was, by some accounts, shot with an arrow ; and " the learned say 
that it was with the same arrow with which Niall of the Nine Hostages was slain.'' — 
Hy Fiaehr.^ p. 23. Strange indeed I if the arrow which slew Niall upon the coast 
of Britanny, had found its way to the Alps. But, if they were killed in the same 
country, it might possibly be the same arrow. There the truth of the matter tran- 

c 2 spires 






XX 

spires ; and it is not a little confirmed by the existence of Dathi's tomb at Rath 
Crogan, in Connaught In the Battle of Magh Rath, or Moira, pp. 4, 5, it is mentioned, 
that Ugaine Mor (King of Erin, anterior to authentic history) took hostages of Erin 
and Albany, and eastwards to Leatha. And if we understand these words as inclusive 
of Great and Little Britain, rather than of Italy, we shall give compactness to the story, 
and mitigate its improbabilities — (H) 

No. XIL Seepage 71. 

Severus the Second, S^c* — All the Latin copies, after briefly introducing Severus the 
Second and Constantinus, say, " now we must resume the history of Maximian the 
tyrant,'^ i. e. Maximus, and so give the upshot of his attempts. But the translator 
has throvni Maximus' history into one piece. The ninth emperor is the tyrant Con- 
stantinus, who reigned at Aries in Provence. But it is less easy to say who is the 
second Severus; for Libius Severus of Lucania, Count Ricimer's puppet in 461, is 
clean out of the question. 

In the enumeration prefixed to Marcus, he is called " alius Severus -^Equantius," 
p. 46 ; and the text of Marcus twice (pp. 62, 80) mentions Gratianus iEquantius as the 
Roman consul at the time when the Saxons came over ; which, any way, is an anachro- 
nism, but must relate to Gratianus Municeps, and not to the elder Gratian. Nennius 
has it Gratiantie (otherwise Martianus*) Secundus^ cap. 28. What can this word 
wgiiantius mean? It is said in the Chronicle of Kings, that Gratianus Municeps, with 
two legions, drove the Scots out of Britain. — Galfrid. 5, cap. 16. The headings of chap- 
ters to Nennius state (cap. 24), that " Severus IL directed another wall, of the custo- 
mary structure, to be built from Tinmouth to Rouvenes against the Picts and Scots." 
Now if Gratianus Municeps caused the Severian or Tinmouth wall to be repaired, he 
might, for that service, be called " ail Severys," which word ail gives the double sense 
of another, or a second, and of being similar or equivalent to the first ; or, in the words 
of the preface to Marcus, '* alius Severus sequantius." Certainly, the application of this 
word both to Gratianus, and to an unknown Severus occupying Gratianus right place 
in a series that omits him, strongly suggests their identity. Greofirey's Latin steers 
clear of this Severus ; but the Welsh copies, marked Tysilio and Basingwerk, introduce 
him upon the death of Gratianus Municeps (not as king or as emperor, but as comman- 
der 
^ There was a Marcianus io the East three (in his cap. 31) Gratiano secundo Equaotio ; 
▼ears later than the date in question, viz., 449; but whether from a text, or by combining toge- 
assigned, however, to that yery year by Beda, i. ther two different texts, does not clearly appear, 
cap. 15, and in his Epitome; but there neyer Gale's readings know nothing at all of ^qoan- 
was a Marcian the Second. Mr. Stevenson prints tins. 



XXI 

der of an auxiliary legion), and set him to work upon the wall ofSeverua, Brut, p. 225 ; 
Roberts, p. 103. The interval between Gratianus and Gallio Ravennas (from thirteen 
to nineteen years), is sufficient to admit of both having laboured upon the wall ; the 
former on the old Severian model, and the latter in solid masonry. I take Gratianus 
Municeps to mean Gratian of Municipium, or Caer Municip, that is, of Verulamium. 
See above, add. notes. No. I., p. v. 

All that follows (briefly here, but more fully in the Latin) concerning the Roman 
expeditions to reconquer Britain, and their depredations, is false; and not easy to 
account for. The auxiliary legion sent by Honorius, and that afterwards led over by 
Grallion of Ravenna, to assist the Britons, form their sole historical basis — (H) 

No. XIII. Seepage 79. 

The miracle of Germanus is thus recorded by Hericus Autisiodorensis from his 
recollection of the oral communications of Marcus Anachoreta, the original compiler 
of these British histories, with whom he had been personally acquainted. . . . . " The 
shores of Graul would be the end of the world, did not the isle of Britain, by its singu- 
lar magnitude almost deserve the name of another world. This island, peculiarly 
devoted to St German, acknowledges herself indebted to his sanctity for many 
benefits ; being illuminated by his teaching ; more than once purified by him from 
the taint of heresies; and, lastly, adorned with the lustre of many miracles which 
need not to be repeated, since they have been committed to writing by the study of 
noble doctors. One of them is especially famous, of which the knowledge hath come 
down to us through the holy old man, Marcus, a bishop of the same nation, who was 
by birth a Briton, but was educated in Ireland, and, after a long exercise of episcopal 
sanctity, imposed upon himself a voluntary pilgrimage; and being invited by the 
munificence of the pious king Charles, spent an anachoretic life at the Convent of 
Saints Medard and Sebastian ; a remarkable philosopher in our days, and of peculiar 
sanctity. He was wont to relate before many, that German, the holy apostle (to use 
his own words) of his nation, when he was traversing the Britannias, entered the 
king's palace with his disciples. It was then severe winter, and very inclement, not 
only to men, but even to cattle. Therefore he sent a message to the king to ask shelter 
for the approaching night The king refused, and, being a barbarian both by nation 
and character, made light of the matter. Meanwhile German, with his disciples, 
remaining in the open air, stoutly endured the inclemency of the weather. And now, 
as the evening had closed in, the king's swineherd, having returned from the pastures, 
was carrying home to his own cottage his daily wages which he had received at the 
palace. When he saw the blessed German and his disciples starved with the wintry 

cold. 



xxu 

cold, he drew near, and humbly asked him to state who he was, and why he staid 
there in the severe frost? Haying collected nothing certain from his answer, but 
being moved by the dignity of his person, he said, I beseech you, my Lord, whoever 
you are, to consider your body, and enter the lodging of your servant, and to accept 
such good offices as my poverty permits, for I see that it is of no small importance to 
mitigate the inclemency of the approaching night even in the meanest dwelling. Not 
despising the quality of the person, he entered the dwelling, and gladly received the 
services offered him by the poor man. He possessed only a cow and a calf; and turning 
to his wife he said, '£h? do you not perceive how great a guest you have received? 
look sharp, then, and kill our only calf, and serve it up for those who are about to 
sup.' She presently obeyed the order, and cooked the calf, and set it on the table. 
The bishop, abstinent as usual, desired the others to eat. Supper being finished, 
German called the woman to collect carefully the bones of the calf, and lay them upon 
its skin, and place them before its mother in the cow-housa This being done (strange 
to say) the calf presently arose, and, standing by its mother, began to feed. Then, 
turning to them both, the prelate said, ' Receive this benefit by way of compensation 
for your hospitality, but without prejudice to the reward of your charity.' All extolled 
the wonderful issue of the event with united praises. Next day the bishop went to 
the palace, and waited for the king's coming forth into public. German received him 
as he came out from the interior, and, as soon as he was accessible to verbal reproof, 
severely asked him why he had denied him hospitality the previous day. The king 
was stupified ; and, being astonished at the man's firmness, refrained from answering. 
Then Germanus with wonderful authority said, ' Go forth, and resign the sceptre of 
the kingdom to a better.' And he hesitated: German immediately thrust him with 
his staff, and said, * Thou shalt go forth, and, as the Lord hath certainly decreed, shalt 
never again abuse the kingly power.' The barbarian, awed by the divine power in the 
prelate, immediately went out of the gates of the palace with his wife and children, 
and made no further attempt to retain it. Then Grerman sent one of his disciples to call 
forth the swineherd and his wife, and to the astonishment of the whole palace, placed 
him on the summit of royalty ; from which time until now kings proceeded from the 
race of the swineherd, God wonderfully regulating human affairs through St German. 
The aforesaid bishop, whose probity whosoever hath experienced, will by no means 
hesitate to believe his words, assured me, with the addition of an oath, that these 
things were contained in catholic letters in Britain." — Herici de MiracuUs S- Germ, i 
cap. §^ ; apud Ph. Labbe Novse Biblioth. MSS. tom. L p. 554-5. Compare Marcus, 
pp. 62-5 ; Nennius, cap. 30. 

It is observable that all proper names of men and places are omitted here, Heric 
being, no doubt, unable to retain them in his memory; consequently Britannia and her 

king 



XXUl 

king are mentioned generallj in lieu of Powys and its local dynasts. Qermanus visited 
Britain in compan j with St. Lupus in 429 ; and again in 447^ accompanied by Severus. 
But ail the accounts of his transactions with Vortigem have the character of fable. 
He died on the 3 1 st of July, 448, being an early period of that ill-fated, but long-lived, 
monarch's career. 

The Belinus of Marcus, and Benli of Nennius, is Benlli, sumamed Gawr, or the 
Giant, lord of lal, a mountainous district of Denbigh. — ^Llwyd Commentariolum, p. 91. 
That Grawr is used properly for giant, and not for a mighty man, seems from Gwilym 
Rhjrel's mention of the gwrhyd (length or stature) of Benlli Gawr. — Englynion y 
Davydd ap Owain, 9. 25. Nothing is known of him besides the fable ih Nennius. But 
the grave of his son, Beli ap Benlli Giawr, a fierce warrior, is mentioned in the Beddau 
Milwyr, or Graves of Warriors, stanza 73 : 

** Whose the gnve upon the Maes Mawr ? 
Proad his hand upon the loog-bladed spear, 
The grave of Beli ap Benlli Gawr." 

And some account of that grave is given in a prose narrative, printed in Y Greal, 
p. 239. The late Dr. Owen Pughe imputed to this son of Benlli a modification of the 
laws of Bardism. — ^Preface to Llywarch Hen., p. Ix. Welsh Diet, in Belu But for this 
he has adduced no authority beyond his own assertions. Ralph Higden, in Polychro- 
nicon (p. 333), says: " In Legenda S. Germani [i. e. in Heric's book] habetur quod 
dum Varti^emus hospitium S. Grermano denegaret," &c^ stating the affair precisely as in 
Heric, except that where Herio names the king generally, he puts in the name of 
Vortigem. Both alike derive the kings of all Britain, not of Powys, from the swine- 
herd. It is remarkable that this Cadell Dwrnluc was the founder of aline of Powysian 
princes, and that Cadell, second son of Rodri Mawr, and father to the law-giver, Howel 
the Good, obtained Powys in the famous division of Wales by Rodri Mawr. Yet this 
doth not arise from any confusion of the two men ; for Cadell ap Rodri Mawr had not 
been dead forty years in 946, when the last edition of the Historia is dated ; nor was 
he yet born, " quarto Mervini regis," when the first was compiled. For a sample of the 
ancient genealogies in the Cambrian Biography, Cadell reigned about the close of the 
fiflh century (p. 31), Vortigem died in 481 (p. 168), yet Cadell was son ofPasgen, son 
of Rheiddwy, son of Rhuddvedel, sonof Cyndeyrn or Catigem, son of Vortigem! The 
age of puberty must have been early in those days. Other genealogies, contained in 
a MS. of the tenth century, make Cadell Dwrnluc father of Categim, and grandfather 
ofPasgen, and son to one Selemiawn. But Categim and Pasgen are now universally 
r^arded as two sons of Vortigem. So little consistency do the boasted Cambrian 
genealogies possess. SeeCambr. Quart Mag. iv. pp. 17, 21. 

The 



XXIV 

The miracle of the calf is one of a class well-known in the hagiography of these 
islands. St. Patrick brcTught to life five cows that were eviscerats. — Jocelyn, cap. 9- 
Having banqueted with his disciples upon Bishop Trian's cow and calf, he brought 
them both to life again, lest the bishop should be in want of milk. — Vita Tertia, cap* 
63. A visitor to St. Columba ate a whole sheep for his dinner; but Columba collected 
the bones and blessed them, and so completely restored the sheep, that a large party 
made a second dinner of it — O'Donnell Vita Columbae, iL cap. 16. A poor woman 
slaughtered and roasted her only calf for St Bridget's supper; but she restored it to 
life* — Cogitosus, cap. 27. St. Finnian of Clonard restored a calf on which he and his 
followers had supped; and St. Abban one which the wolves had devoured. — Colgan, 
A. SS. xxii. Febr. p. 396; xvi. Mart p. 61 1. St Fingar and his 777 companions feasted 
on a poor Cornish woman's cow, and then he resuscitated the skin and bones. — Febr« 
xxiii. p. 389. — (H) 

No. XIV. See page 93. 

Let his blood be sprinkled^ Sfc, — The practice of auspicating the foundation of cities, 
temples, or other solemn structures, by human sacrifice, is not known to me as of any 
remote antiquity. Johannes Malala, a compiler of the ninth century, gives this legend 
of the foundation of Antioch by Seleucus Nicator : *^ In the plain opposite to the Silpian 

mountain he dug the foundations of the wall ; and sacrificed by the hands of 

Amphion, his high-priest and mystagogue (nAtrr*?), a virgin named ^mathe, between 
the city and the river, on the 22nd day of the Artemisian month, which is also May, 
at the first hour of the day, about sunrise; calling iivrif [HER, or IT?] Antiocheia, 
after the name of his own son, Antiochus Soter. Presently he built a temple, which 
he dedicated to Jupiter Bottius, and diligently erected formidable walls, Xenseus being 
his architect. He also erected upon the banks of the river a brazen pedestal and statue 
of the sacrificed virgin, as the Fortune of the city ; and offered sacrifice to her as the 
Fortune." — p. 256. Subsequently the same Nicator laid the foundation of Laodicea 
in Syria. Having slain a wild boar, he dragged its body round a certain space of 
ground, and dug the walls according to the track of its blood; " having also sacrificed 
a pure virgin, by name Agave, and erected to her a brazen statue, as the Fortune of 
the city." — p. 259. Of these statements a certain Pausanias Chronographus appears 
to be the authority; and no reasonable doubt can be entertained, that they were fabu- 
lous, and founded upon the magical doctrines to which that lost and unknown writer 
seems to have been much addicted. From this we collect, that the human victim 
immolated upon such occasions was rewarded with deification and worship, and 
accounted a sort of tutelary deity of the place. Merlin was to have been the Tw;^ of 
Vortigern's edifice. But the narrative in Nennius has this distinction, that repeated 

failures 



XXV 

failures had shewn the necessity of some piacular rite; wherein it more nearly agrees 
with the legend of St Oran of lona. " The chapel of St. Oiran stands in this space, 
which legend attests to have been the first building attempted by St Columba. By the 
working of evil spirits, the walls fell down as soon as they were built up. After some 
consultation it was pronounced, that they never could be permanent till a human victim 
was buried alive. Oran, a companion of the saint, generously offered himself, and was 
interred accordingly. At the end of three days St Columba had the curiosity to take 
a farewell look at his old friend, and caused the earth to be removed. To the surprise 
of all beholders Oran stood up, and began to reveal the secrets of the prison-house ; 
and particularly declared that all that was said of hell was a mere joke. This dan- 
gerous impiety so shocked Columba that, with great policy, he instantly ordered the 
earth to be flung in again. Poor Oran was overwhelmed, and an end for ever put to 
his prating. His grave is near the door, distinguished only by a plain red stone." 
Pennant's Second Tour in Scotland, ap. Pinkerton's Voyages, tom. iii p. 298. We may 
learn how deeply-rooted this idea was in the islands, by finding it in both the nations 
and languages, and ascribed to such different persons. As to St Odhran or Oran, 
that he died naturally or by visitation of God, appears in Colgan's Latin excerpta from 
the unprinted Irish work of Magnus O'Donnell, lib. ii. c. 12. Some account of that 
saint is also known to exist in the Leabhar Breac, foL 1 7 (H.) 

No. XV. See page ^^* 

Magh EUite The Campus Electi in the region of Glewysing ; which region is 

otherwise the hundred of Gwynllwg, in Monmouthshire. In the sixth century one 
Einion was king of Glewysing. See Liber Landavensis, pp. 129, 379. In the reign 
of Alfred it was governed by Hoel ap Rhys, and considered distinct from Gwent 
Asser Vita Alfredi, p. 15. It is supposed to be named after Glywys, the father of St. 
Gwynnllyw the Warrior, and grandfather to St Catwg the Wise, and to St. Glywys 
Cemiw, who founded the church of Coed Cerniw'^ in Glewysing. See Eice Rees on 
the Welsh Saints, p. 170. The place called Bassaleg is said by Mr. Roberts to be 
written in Welsh Maes-aleg, i. e. Plain of Aleg ; which he conjectures to be the Cam- 
pus ElectL His conjecture has the more force, from his seeming quite ignorant where 
C^lewysing was, and that Bassaleg was in the heart of that district Roberts*8 Ant. 
p. 58; and apudGunn's Nennius, p. 166. 

This is very well ; yet I have some misgivings as to the prime source of all this.* 
'X'he Cor Emmrys was immeasurably more famous than the Dinas Emmrys; and it, 

or 

' Vulgarly Coedkerne. 
IRISH ARCH. 80C. KO. 1 6. d 



\ 



XXVI 

or the little bill which it crowns, was called the Mount of Election, possibly from the 
inauguration of kings. As it is said, in the Graves of Warriors, that Merlin Ambrose 
(surnamed Ann ap Lleian) lies buried in the Mjnjdd Dewis, or Mount of Election. 
— Beddau Milwyr, st. 14. But he was notoriously buried in the Cor Emmrys. Now, 
if the mount was that of an election, so also was the plain ; and in that sense the 
Maes Mawr was Maes Elect That plain was not indeed in redone Giewysin^, but it 
was in the re^'o GemMeorum or in Oewissin^, the territory of the West Saxon kings, 
descended from Gewiss. Geoffrey of Monmouth calls Vortigem himself '' the consul 
of the Gewisseans," i. e. the ruler, by prolepsis, of what afterwards was Wessex. — 
Lib. vi. cap. 6. And when Aurelius Ambrosius desired Merlin's aid (for the Chro- 
nicle makes two people of them), upon occasion of erecting the Stonehenge, he sent, 
precisely as Vortigern had done, messengers in all directions to find him, and they 
found him *' in natione Grewisseorum, ad fontem G^labes," viii. cap. la The writer was 
Archdeacon of Monmouth, in which county Glewysing is situate; but has in ndther 
place any allusion to Glewysing. On the other hand the Welsh seem so baffled with 
this Saxon name, that the copy entitled of Tysilio entirely suppresses it ; and the 
other copies translate it in the first instance Erging and Ewias, and in the second 
simply Ewias. — ^Brut Tysilio, pp. 236, 276. Lastly, where Greoffrey saith that Cad- 
wallader's West-Saxon mother was *' ex nobili genere Gewisseorum" (xiL cap. 14), the 
Welsh translators all say, that she was descended from the nobles of Erging and Ewias. 
— Brut p. 384. But Erging and Ewias are in Herefordshire, and have no more to 
do with Glewysing than they have with the Gewisseans. Hence I am inclined to 
attribute the transfer of this conspicuous fable into the obscure district of Gwynllwg 
and village of Bassaleg, to an inability to construe the geography of the Campus Eiecti 
in GewisseiSy the great scene of Merlin's and Ambrose's fame. Indeed, the romance 
of Merlin plainly says, that Vortigern's edifice was upon an eminence in Salisbury 
Plain — Ellis Metrical Rom. iii. p. 213. 

The red and white dragon of Dinas Emmrys were the hidden fates or talismans of 
Britain, originating with king Lludd, son of Beli Mawr, and his brother the enchanter 
Llevelys. It is scarce likely that a country with such great and central sanctuaries 
should have its fates deposited in so remote and obscure a place. In fact, it was not 
their primary seat. For Lludd, being distressed by horrid shrieks on every May- 
day night, and learning that the battle of the dragons produced them, measured Bri- 
tain, and found Rhydychain or Oxenford to be its centre, and there placed a cask of 
mead, and covered it with a cloth, over which the dragons fought, and fell into the 
cask and were intoxicated ; and then he folded them both in the cloth, and buried 
them deep in Dinas Emmrys in Eryri — Y Tair Gormes; in Y Greal, p. 244; Brut 

TysiUo, 



XXVll 

Tysilio, p. 169; Triad ii. 53. Therefore, the dragons originally belonged to tome 
place accounted central. But this allegory cannot be mistaken. The night of the 
Calan-Mai was that very night on which Hengist and the Saxons slaughtered the 
British convention ; the shrieks of the British dragon were those occasioned by that 
massacre, and the mead-cask over which the dragons fought and got drunk is the 
banquet, amidst the convivial orgies whereof so much blood was shed. But that was 
the twyll Caer-Sallawg, or plot of Sarum, of which the Cor Emmrys, or Stonehenge, 
was notoriously the scene. It is therefore at that place (as I judge) that the hidden 
dragons of Lludd ap Beli were deposited. 

There is another aspect to the prophecy of the dragons, which is perhaps the more 
esoterical and bardic of the two. By that, both the contending dragons are British. 
The white dragon (says the Koman de Merlin) slew the red one, but only survived 
three days. The red dragon was Vortigem, and the white represented his opponents, 
Ambrosius and Pendragon, who wrested the crown from him. — Roman de Merlin, 
foL xxiv., XXV. Here two British parties are the dragons, and the Saxons not directly 
concerned ; here also the colours are interchanged, the white or prevailing one being 
the bardic, and the red being that which the bardic party reviled. This theory seems 
to be in harmony with the eleventh Triad, in which the gormes or oppression of the 
kalenda of May \& distinguished from that oi the Dragon of Britain; and the former 
expreissly said to have been inflicted by foreigners from ov^ sea, but the latter by 
the tyranny of princes and rage of the people. — (H.) 

No. XVL See page loj. 

Gortigemy son of Guatal^ Sfc, — Gortigern, son of Guitaul, son of Guitolin, son of 
Gloui. * It is not known from what parents, family, or province this celebrated per- 
son came, though he reigned so long and so eventfully. A pedigree printed in the 
Cambrian Quart Mag. i. p, 486, departs entirely from this one, and makes him son of 
Rhydeyrn, of Deheuvraint, of Edigent, of Edeym, of Enid, of Ednos, of Enddolaw, 
of Avnllach, of Avloch, of Beli Mawr. The truth has been hidden deep, and does not 
appear to me to transpire in either of these Welsh pedigrees. The Welsh call him 
Gwr-theym, from guoTj a man (and in second intention, a mighty man), and teym, a 
prince. Had this name signified Virilis Rex, the prsedicate preceding the subject 
would have made it Gwrdeyrn, as in Cyndeyrn, Mechdeyrn, Aerdeym, and all com- 
pounds of which the first word does not end in d or t^ like matteyr% from mad or maiy 
good. Therefore Vir Regalis must have been the sense of Gwrthejrrn. 

A curious variation occurs in the spelling of this person's name, of which the 
causes are not clearly apparent. Some, as Gildas, Marcus, and Nennius, put Gurthegirn, 

d 2 Guorthegirn, 



xxviii 

Gaorthegirn, or Gorthegirn, which seems to combine the British spelling of gwr with 
the more ancient and Erse orthography of tigkeariu a prince ; while Greoffrey and most 
of the Anglo-Normans use the now received form of Vortigern, which is hard to come 
at any way. These difficulties are complicated in one of his alleged sons, whom the 
Welsh revered under the name of Gwrthevyr, a word of no facile etymology in their 
tongue. He, in like manner, is Guortimer or Gortimer in the Historia Britonum, and 
Vortimer with the others. This guor, turning into vor, seems to indicate that in his 
name, as in the former, gwr is the first element and not gwrth. But tevi/r and timer 
are not easy to deal with. Again, the other son, whose name Catigern in Latin 
should be represented by Catteyrn (Battle-prince) in Welsh, is Cyndeyrn (Head- 
prince), being the same that they give to St. Kentigern of Strathclyde, and the 
exact equivalent of his. There is an obvious uncertainty in these names, such as 
doth not usually (if indeed elsewhere) occur in British names. This consideration, 
perhaps, weighed with G^le in thinking Vortigern was of a Pictish family. But, 
since he was of Gwynedd, he is most likely to have been born of an Irish mother, 
in the days when that people (under their own Ganval and Sirigi, and the Briton 
Einion Vrenhin) occupied the famous island of Mona. ( Vide infra the notes on the 
Legend of St. Cairnech). He was accused of his friendship with, and support by, 
the Irish, as well as the Saxons ; though the important upshot of the Saxon affairs 
has cast the others into shade. An ancient bard says (alluding to the massacre by 
Hengist, at the feast of the Kalends of May, and boasting that those national 
festivities had not thereby been crushed and abolished), *'the knife-bearer shall 
not stab the sword-bearers of May-day, that is not [effected?] which was desired 
by the foolishly compliant master of the house, and the men of his affection, men of 
blood, Cjrmmry, Angles, Irishmen, and North Britons." — Gwawd Lludd. v. 76. The 
bard Golyddan mentions him to have been confederated with " the Irish of Ireland, 
those of Mona, and those of North-Britain." — Amies Prydain, v. 10. His son Pas- 
cent is said to have contended for the crown at the head of an army of Irish from 
Ireland, and to have lost his life in that conflict — Galfr. Monum, viii. cap. 16. This 
does not agree with the account of Nennius, cap. 52, that the destroyers of his father 
permitted him to reign in duabuB regionibus^ viz., Buellt and Guortigerniawn ; unless 
we suppose, that he first made that compromise, afterwards contended, with Irish aid, 
for the insular crown, and, perishing in the attempt, transmitted those lands to his 
family. For Celtic clanship did not admit of forfeiture, as feodality did. 

Whatsoever Vortigern was, it is evident that he was a Briton of such power and 
influence throughout the island as no other man on record possessed, and maintained 
a struggle of the most protracted duration against the elements of foreign and domes- 
tic 



XXIX 

tic anarchy. Though it never appears in any Latin shape, the epithet gwrfJi-enau^ 
perverse of lips or mouth, became habitually and thoroughly united to his name by 
his countrymen ; owing to his issuing impolitic commands, or (as the Triads say) 
disclosing secrets. — See Beddau Milwyr, st. 40. Triad 45, series i. 10, series ii. 21, 
53, seriea iii. Brut y Saeson, p. 468. iErae Cambro-Brit ap. Llwyd Commenta- 
riolum, p. 141. It deserves to be remarked, that Marcus, the author of the Historia, 
though setting forth the descent of Fernmael from Vortigern, and fondly magnifying 
the fastness of Caer-Guortigem, nevertheless writes with all his country's preposses- 
sions against that ruler, and appears, from the unanimity of the copies, to have 
introduced that nickname into his pedigree. — (H.) 

NOTE XVIL Seepage 120. 

Those who have handled the history of the Picts have not produced a satisfactory 
result. Father Innes, seeing that the name of Picti first appeared to the north of the 
Roman frontier, after the establishment of Roman civility in South Britain had con- 
verted the staining of the skin into a distinctive peculiarity and a conspicuous badge 
of independence, built upon that palpable origin of the name the too hasty conclusion, 
that both the divisions of the Picts were indigenous Britons. Herein he is followed 
by Mr. Chalmers, the meritorious author of Caledonia, Mr. Pinkerton, on the other 
hand, swayed by violent prejudices, has denied not only the British, but the Celtic, 
character of all the Picts. He wrote under a Teutonic mania, so extreme, that in one 
of its paroxysms he maintained the name of Scotland not to be taken from the Scots. 
The same critic framed a wild romance about some Teutonic Peukini, otherwise Piki, 
who travelled from an Isle of Peuke, in the Black Sea, to Norway, where they gave 
the name of Vika to a part of that country (now Aggerhuys), and thence came over 
to Britain as Piks, nut Picts. 

On the strength of this modem mythus, Pinkerton and his followers coolly terra 
the Picts the Piks^ and the language the Pikish; just as if there really were such names 
in the world. It is easy to fly half round Europe with a P and a K ; to change P into 
V in Norway ; and change it back into P when you reach the Orkneys. But it is less 
easy to get rid of the T. For every Teutonic form of ihe name Pict, that he is able 
to cite (Enquiry, etc. i. 367, 369, 370), and every Celtic form but one (the Piccar- 
dach of Tighernach) has a T ; and those Teutonic forms which soften down the name 
at all, only do so by dropping that very C or K, by aid of which the Peukins and 
pretended Piks became Viks. 

But Vik itself is a mare's nest of his finding, and Norway had no such people as 

the 



XXX 

the Viks. The noun vik is sintis^ a bay or inlet of sea ; occurring also in numerous 

compounds. Vikr or Vik, in the oblique cases ^ Vikina and Vikinni, was that bay 

1^ Ju^^i^ ^u.^rAiy between Sweden and Norway, stretching east and west from Sotannes to Otursnes, on 

which the ancient city of Tonsburg stood and stands, and at the head of which the 
Christiania-Fiord runs up to the modern Christiania. It is the Sinus, by way of 
excellence, sometimes distinguished as Eastern, Vik Austr. Schoning's maps to 
the Heimskringla give no such land or province at all, but write Vikina across the 
bay as above described. Though this noun" and its cases be certainly used, on many 
occasions, for the countries lying round the Vik, its true meaning is the bay itself, as 
any one may see, ex. gr., in Olaf Helga's Saga, chapters xlv. IL IxxxiL Nay, so much 
is distinctly signified by Torfseus himself, Mr. Pinkerton's authority ; for his words 
are: " The southern coast sloping towards the Western Ocean, between that extre- 
mity of Danholm island which looks south-east, and Cape Lindisnes which looks south- 
west (forty-one miles distant from east to west), being excavated by a recess of the 
great sea, admits that huge bay called the Oslofiord, which runs up from thence to 
Oslo" [now Christiania], " and was anciently called Vik, and is now called by the 
Dutch sailors the Sack of Norway ; and the great tract of land adjacent to this bay 
was also anciently called Vik, a name derived from it [ab illo sortttus nomen]^ which 
name was subsequently attached to the district of Bahus, which is called Vik or Vik- 
sida."' — Torf. Hist Norweg. ii. cap. L p. 28. Elsewhere he says, that Dal vik was a 
province of three districts, surrounding the inner part of that bay of Oslo, which was 
called Vik, and its neighbours, the Vikenses. —Ibid. cap. ii. p. 31. Mr. Pinkerton but 
once ventured to refer to page or chapter, alledging Torfceus, ii. 18, in vol. i. p. 175, 
which happened to be a perfectly immaterial and safe passage. And no moral con- 
siderations deterred him from saying, " the whole northern writers call this country 
as often Vichia' as Vika, and have never dropt a single hint that this name was from 
vik." — i. p. 179. 

From viky bay, gulph, or creek, comes vikingar, men of inlets, or pirates, " qui in 
eundem sinum vel portum (somu vik) unde primum solverunt populatum redeunt." 
— Lex Antiqua* Gulathingensis cit Gunnlaug's Saga, p. 303. See also Olai Wormii 

Mon. 

»*Ariu8 Froda, in his Islandia, speaks of one ■ This seems to be merely a cavil on the Latin 

KoU as bishop ** i Vik Austr,'* whom the Rristni- orthography of modern authors in that language ; 

Saga calls ** N'ikTeria biskup." — Arius, cap. ii. even if it be a true statement, 

p. 10; Krist. cap xii. p. 108. •The Gulathings-laug, or Code of Guley in 

y Regio Ad- SiniU' Lotus, a name in itself suf- Hordaland, was enacted in the tenth century by 

ficiently convincing. Hako the Good ; and the western part of Nor- 



XXXI 



Mod. Dan. p. 269, and Haldorson's Lexicon in Vikingr. Opposite surmises are con- 
futed by the names of the people from places ending in mk, as from Sandvik the 
Sandvikin^, or from Krossavik the Krossavikingar'*. But a man *' or Vikinni," from 
the great eastern Vik, could not be styled a Vikingr, both because that name was 
general for all pirates, and because he might not be a pirate. And hence their com- 
pound name Vik-veriar, Sinus-accolae. Thus we see that there never were any Viks 
at all, and that Yik-men were only the men*^ who dwelt on that particular bay. 

As Innes made all the Picts of one race, so did he ; and, with that view, he re- 
sorted to such phrases as ^' the Caledonians and Piks were all one,'' disguising in some 
places, what he puts forward in others, that the Caledonians were only one portion of 
the Picti. Mr. Pinkerton also constantly assumed, that the Caledonians were the 
northern, and the Vecturiones the southern division ; upon no better authority than 
the pages printed by Mr. Charles Bertram, under the assumed name* of Ricardus 
Corinseus. The following passage, *^' Dicaledones and Vecturiones, the former cer- 
tainly the Northern Picts bordering on the Deucaledonian sea^"^^ instances his want of 
ingenuousness; for Ptolemy's Deucaledonian commenced as far south as the Chersonese 
of the Novantes, which Solinus calls the Promontory of Caledonia, and we the Mull of 
Galloway. The fact appears to me to have been the converse. Since the Ptolemaic 
limits of the Caledonians were from the Murray Firth down to Loch Lomond, their re- 
lative position in the Theodosian age can never be inferred, either way, from Ptolemy; 
those are the tricks of history-making, subservient to system and self, rather than to 
external and objective truth. 

Another main point with this systematist was to assume, against all historical 
inference, that the Belgse of Gaul and Britain were not Gauls and Britons in lan- 
guage and nation, because the former had come out of a German stock ; and that they 
were not of the Druidic religion, in the teeth of Strabo's clear and ample statements. — 
Geogr. vol. iv. p. 275-6. Whatever had been, or was even conjectured to have been, of 

a German 



waj, in which that law prevailed, was itself 
thence called Gulathingslaug. See Hakonar Goda 
Saga, cap. xt.,and Schooing's Heiinskr. iii. p. 1 93. 

** The case of JomsTikingar is different. That 
is contracted from Jomsborg-Tikingar, and ex- 
presses the pirates, not the people, of Jomsborg ; 
with no analog; to the places that are compounded 
with vik, 

^ In his Modem Geography, grown bolder, 
Mr. Pinkerton gires us Pik, not Vik, for part of 



Norway ! '' This new name/' speaking of Picti, 
** seems to have been native, Piks, or Pehts; 
and to have originated from a country so styled 
in the south of Norway, whence this colony had 
arrived." — vol. i. p. 146. 

<* If any one has yet a lingering faith in this 
forgery, he may divest himself of it by consulting 
the Speculum Historiale de Gestis Regum An- 
glisB per Fratrem Btcardum de Cirencestria, in 
Cambridge library, FF. 1. 26. 



XXX 11 

a German original, is presumed to Lave retained the Grerman tongue and institutes ; 
which, if true, must be equally true of the Irish Belgie. But it is untrue; " Firboli 
enim dicuntur Britannice, et Danannse Germanice locuti ;" the former half of which 
two-fold tradition, relating to an undoubted and never extirpated people, is not 
invalidated by the dubious* character of the latter. — Ogygia, p. lo. 

The Picti or painted folk, beyond the Latin pale, were not all of one sort. Con- 
stantine's panegyrist, who first names the free tribes after that peculiarity, mentions 
the Di-Caledonum (or' Caledonum) " aliorumqtie Pictorum sylvas et paludes." — Eume- 
nius, cap. vii. And Ammianus says that, in the time of Count Theodosius, the Picti 
were in duos Rentes divisi, namely, Dicalidones et Vecturiones. — xxviL cap. 8. The 
Calidones or Caledones were an ancient British tribe (" Quinte Caledonios Ovid! visure 
Britannos") whose language was the British, for their name is such, and signifies in- 
habitants of forests ; whether the great forest of the North be spoken of, or those Cali- 
doniae Sylvse near the Thames, into which Caesar pursued Cassivellaun. — Florus, iiL 
c. xi. Moreover we read, that of the People of Britain the " habitus corporum" were 
'' varii, atque ex eo argumenta, UMnque rutilse Caledoniam habitantium comse, magni 
artus, Germanicam originem asserunt." — Tacitus Agric. cap. xi. But if they were 
then of a different tongue and nation, the argumenta or conjectures from stature 
and colour of hair would be superfluous, nor would the question have been merely 
one of origin. 

When Severus made war, it was against the two greatest British nations then re- 
taining independence, the Maiatenear Hadrian's wall, and the Caledonian farther north. 
Both were naked, with their bodies painted in various devices, and still made use of 
war chariots drawn by small horses. — Herodian, iii. p. 83, ed. H. Steph. Xiphilin, Epit. 
Dionis, Ixxv. p. 1 280-1, 1283. Reimar. These two denominations are probably equi- 
valent to Campestres and Sylvestres ; concerning the latter there is not much doubt, 
and mat, pi. meiau, a plain, furnishes an et3rmon for Maiate. Thus the two names 
express the two modes of living ascribed to them by Dion, in the paragraph where he 
names them, viz., the nomadic and venatic, U vofiriQ xai Bifpagy and their two habitations, 
viz., rugged mountains and uncultivated plains, opti dypia . . . icai vtSia Ipnt^a — Ixxvi. 
cap. 12. In Severus's time two tribes were noticed as being picti; but, until a century 

or 

^ Which, moreover, was denied by Keating ; not regarded as colonies, 
according to whom Scot-bhearia was the Ian- ' Some copies hare ** non Dicaledonum," and 

guage of all the colonies that erer came into Ire- others **non dico Caledonum:" which latter is not 

land till the English conquest. See E. Lluyd in bad in point of context, though extrinsic reasons 

Scotbhearla. The conquests of the Ostmen are give a countenance to the former reading. 



XXXUl 

or. more had. elapsed, no tribe is known to have been named the Picti. At that later 
time the name of the Maiate tribe or Mseatse, living in Galloway and part of Nor- 
thumbria, had disappeared from the list of free and painted tribes. Yet, for all 
that, the South-Pictish territory does not seem to have been curtailed on the south, 
for Candida Casa, the first South-Pictish church, was on Maiate ground, and near the 
Severian wall. Meanwhile the other class of Picti Vecturiones was coming into im- 
portance, and cutting short the northern bounds of the Calidones ; which in Ptolemy's 
day, seventy years before the war of Severus, extended from the Lffilamnonius or 
Lemaanonius Sinus (Lomond) to the Varar estuary or Firth of Moray. 

Now it might be that Di-Calidones and Vecturiones were merely two sections of 
painted Britons, being of one race ; as had been the case of the same Calidones and 
their Maiate allies. For the phrase, '' in duas gentes divisi," readily admits of it. Yet it 
is probable, at first sight, that the Southern and Northern Picts were of different 
kinds. For the Southern Picts embraced Christianity at the preaching of a Briton, 
circa A. D. 412, and just at the expiration of the Roman power. But the contiguous 
nation of Northern Picts did not receive it until after A. D. 563, and then at the hands 
of Irishmen from Tir-Connell. The interval of 150 years between the conversions of 
contiguous states, with the distinct sources of conversion, strongly argues diversity of 
speech and bloodJ But we have a little more than conjecture, as both are known to 
us, in fact, but faintly. 

In the Northumbrian age, or Beda's, we find much of the diocese or province of 
St. Ninia in the hands of those Irish who came afterwards to be termed Galwegians, 
which perplexes the matter. But in Ninia's time, for aught that appears, the North 
Cymmry country (regnum Cambreose and Cumbrense) was extended from Cumbria 
of Carlisle to Cumbria of Dunbreatan or the Strathclyde Wealhas, with no permanent 
interruption; and from its first mother church of Candida Casa or Whithem, to St. 
Kentigem's see of Glascu. We have vestiges of the Calidon Picts, whose country 
bordered upon the Strathclyde principality, sufficient to be recognised, and arising out 
of disputes too hot and violent to be considered fictions. From and after the middle 
of the sixth century, Maelgwn Gwynedd was reigning over the whole Cymmraeg 
tongue and nation, both titularly, and with rather more of authority than most of 
his race were able to exercise. He was engaged in disputes of which the nature is 
obscure and mysterious, and beside our present purpose, with the Caledonians or 
men of the great northern forests, which then (as we know) were called Celyddon. 
These debates, which ended in the war of Arderydd, fatal to the Caledonians, were 
more immediately carried on by Rhydderch Hael, son of Tudwal, son of Cedig, son of 
Dyvnwal, Lord of Alclyde or Dunbreatan, and Prince of the Strathclyde Britons. 

IRISH ARCH. 80C. 1 6. 6 The 



XXXIV 



The people of the Celyddon were under the rule of a certain Gwenddoleu ap Ceidiaw, 
a Cjmmry by name, and himself a bard, of whose poetry a minute fragment survives. 
His principal bard was Merddin son of Morvryn, conmionly called Merlin the Caledo- 
nian, 



C( 



de AlbanU 



SjlTestris Calidonins 
A 87IT& CalidoniL" 

Ranulph. Poliehron. 189. 



MerliDiis, qu«B diidc Sootia, 
Bepertus est binomius, 

Though some people said he was a native of Demetia or Dyved in South Wales. But 
that was merely a confusion between Merlin Ambrose (who was supposed, through 
an etymological error, putting Merddin for Myrddin, to, have been born at Caer- 
marthen, 

'* Ad Kaermerthyn Demeoia 
Sub Vortegirni tempore") 

and the Caledonian Merlin. This confusion of the two men probably originated with 
Greoffrey of Monmouth, whose Vita Merlini is pervaded with it; and who is thereby 
compelled to make his Caledonian vastly aged, having lived under a succession of 
kings, 

" Ergo peragratis sub multis regibus aimis' 
Clarns habebatur Merlinus in orbe Britannus. 
Bex erat et rates, Demetarwnque superbis 
Jura dabat populis, ducibusque futura oanebat." 

There 



* Merlinus, p. 4, tt. 19-22, Londini, 1830, 
for Boxburgh Club; and ap. Gfroerer Pseudo- 
prophetsB, p. 365. The grounds upon which the 
Paris editors, Messrs. Michel and Wright, abju- 
dicate this poem from Geoffrey, as given in 
GfroBrer's preface, entirely fail to persuade me. 
I hare obserred, indeed, that the csssura of the 
short Towel in 

'* laiirea lerta date Gsufrido de Manomett" 

occurs in but one other instance, the word media 
in V. 749. But if this metrical colophon be an 
addition, it still is testimony of A. D. 1285. That 
Bobert Bishop of Lincoln is complimented at the 
expense of his immediate predecessor Alexander, 
whom Geoffrey had extolled when living, and to 
whom he had inscribed his prose prophecy of 
Merlin, may either resoWe itself into the nature 



of worldly gratitude, '* a senae of benefits to 
come," or Alexander may have earned such praise 
by fair promises, and forfeited them by non-per- 
formance. I see nothing more about conquering 
Ireland in 

** Sextus Hibernenies et eomm nomins vertet, 
Qui pitta et prudens popolos renorsblt et urbes," 

(w. 679, 680) 

than had been said in the prose, " sextus Hibernie 
moBnia subvertet, et nemora inplanitiem mutabit, 
diversas portiones in unum reducet, et capite 
leonis coronabitur." Neither can I disooTcr a 
syllable about Henry the Second in either of them. 
Alan, Bishop of Auxerre, writing no later than 
eirea A. D. 1171, tortured this prophecy into an 
allusion to him, by interpreting sextu* to mean 
either Henry's sixth and bastard son, or some 



XXXV 



There are no good reasons for supposing that the son of Morvryn was bom very 
far from the scene of his adventures. His sister Gwendjdd was the wife of Rhydderch 
Hael, against whom he nevertheless fought in the war of Arderydd; and after the 
defeat and death of Gwenddoleu, he fled into the depths of the Caledonian forest, and 
from his wild and woodland life was called Merddyn Wyllt The contest was con- 
nected with the highest points of bardic theosophy, and waged between Gwenddoleu, 
the patron of Merddin, and Rhydderch Hael, the patron of Kentigem and friend of 
Columkille; for these transactions nearly synchronize with the conversion of the 
North Picts by that missionary. Taliesin Ben Beirdd at the court of Maelgwn, and 
others of that order of poets and philosophers, vehemently supported the Caledonians 
against Rhydderch Hael and King Maelgwn. That these Caledonians were a rem- 
nant of the Picts of St. Ninia's mission, and South Picts of Beda's history, appears 
not only from the ancient use of that name in Eumenius and Ammianus, but more 
immediately. For Merddyn Wyllt, in his interpolated Hoianau, says at stanza 19: 

** And I will prophesy, before my ending, 

The Britons over the Saxons by the energy of the Painted-Men, 
Brython dros Saeson Brlthwyr a'i medd." 

His friend Taliesin, in a poem where he speaks of his bardic sanctuary or conven- 
ticle, 



other son yet to be bom, but without the slightest 
allosion to the proceedings of Richard Strongbow, 
just commenced in 1169. Alanus in Merlinum, 
lib. iii. p. 102, ed. 1608. To make Henry him- 
self the sixth Norman king, by counting in both 
Matilda and Stephen, would be less absurd. But 
the prophecy was both composed and translated 
into prose sereral years before his accession. In 
my humble conjecture, it received its present 
form in the Conqueror's reign, he being the sixth 
from Canute the Great inclusively ; and the con- 
quest of Ireland is a false prophecy, as others 
concerning the sixth king are. 

But this poem is mainly from sources in the 
British tongue, and composed by a proficient 
therein. The names of Bodarchus Largns, Ga- 
nieda, and Perednr, the intimacy and fellowship 
of Telgesin with Merlin, the unique and otherwise 
lost records of Merlin's firiend, Maeldin of Ar- 
wystli, and of Arthur's pilot Barinthus (Braint), 



not to say the whole action of the poem, is from 
such sources. Merlin's exordium, Celt Christe 
DeuM ! is in the pure British of his mystical sect, 
Critt, Duw Celt/ or Crist Celt, Dnw I For 'in 
the whole manuscript there is but one instance of 
a diphthong in common use (which in femina it 
neither was nor is) being omitted, vis., lyre for 
lyr€Bf V. 104: and ealum occurs seven times. 
But were there not other fine Latinists in Wales? 
Vel duo, vel nemo. Giraldus could have fur- 
nished the Latin, and perhaps could have got up 
the matter. But this is not the mere case of ano* 
ther Welshman, but of another figuring in eastern 
England, of another at Lincolit, and patronised 
by two suooessiTO bishops of that see. The dedica- 
tions to the two bishops of Lincoln, and the two- 
fold allusions to one of them, which are alleged 
for disproofs are, to my mind, as coupled with the 
rare and peculiar qualifications of the author, a 
cogent proof. 



e2 



XXXVl 

tide, the addvwyn caer, as a ship on the sea preparing to sail away from danger and 
persecution, intimates an intention of removing it to the Picts : 

*' Usual is the rising surge of the bards over their mead vessels ; 
There shall be an impulse unto it in very sudden haste. 

The promise unto them of the green.award of the blue [or woad-painted] Picts. 
Addaw hwjnt j werlas o Glas-Ficbti/' — Mie Dinbyeh^, st. i. 

The gwerlas of the Glas-Fichti is the orchard of Merlin's 147 apple-trees, concealed 
in a deep and sweet glade of the Celyddon. After the restoration of the Celtic monarchy, 
the Briton Picts, or Calidones, again became fellow-subjects of the Britons, and were 
influential by their hatred of the Romans, and attachment to the superstitions they 
had nominally abjured. And these same were, as I lean to think, the Picts to whose 
support Yortigem is said to have been much beholden. However that may be, they 
were those of whom the existence was obscurely recorded in the Arthurian mythus. 
Therein a certain Loth, Lot, or Leo, was King of the Picts of Lothian (Lodoneis), 
husband to Arthur's sister, Anna, and father of Medrawd or Modred. — Ussher, Brit 
Eccl. p. 357; Brut G. ap. Arthur, p. 311. This Leo king of Picts was Llew, son to 
Cynvarch, son of Meirchion, and brother to Urien Reged and Arawn. Arthur gave 
Lothian and other lands thereabouts to Llew ; to Arawn he gave Scotland ; and to Urien 
he gave Reged. This unknown district (absurdly stated by Dr. Owen Pughe* to 
have been in Glamorgan) was certainly in the north. It was (saith Brut G. ap. A.), 
" Mureif the land otherwise named Rheged ;" and so Geoflfrey, sceptro Murefensium 
insignitur, ix. cap. 9 ; which phrases seem to express Mureve, Morave, or Moray. 
But the Brut marked B has it parth a mur yr £i£ft, ^' in the direction of the wall 
of the Egyptians," i. e. of the Gaidheal from Scota and Pharaoh, but vidgarly the 
Pict's Wall ; and the grant of ^ Scotland to Arawn, and still more the proximity of 
Loch Lomond to Mureif, seem to prove that murj wall, and not Moravia, was the 
original idea. Leo, King of Picts, was reputed the maternal grandfather of St Cyn- 
deym OarthtvySy that is St Kentigern of the Region of the VaUum or Rampart^ Bishop 
of Penrhyn Rhionydd (Promontory of the Rhiona, whatever* they may be), otherwise 
called Glas-cu ; which admits of the interpretation Beloved of the BltiCy i. e. of the 
Glas-Fichti. 

The 

** The line quoted in Chalmers's Caledonia, i. ' The Lexicographer Owen Pugbe in his se- 

p. 204, does not exist. cond edition, inserts the gloss, rkion pi. ydd, a sire, 

' Cambr. Biogr. in Urien, but offers no sort of authority, nor explains wliat 

^ For these writers name it, I concetye, in a he means by a sire. I guess the word rhionydd 

more modern way; not as speaking of the true to be a northern form of rAinnecftf, ladies, as in the 

Dalriadha. place called Morya Rhianedd. 



xxxvu 

The requieseence of the North Picts after the final departure of the Roman legions 
("Picti in extreme insulse parte tunc primum et deinceps requieverunt, prsedas et con- 
tritiones nonnunquam facientes") is not attributable to change of character, being still 
savage heathen marauders, nor to decline of their power, which was growing, but to 
the dissolution of their league with the Di-Calidones, and re-union of the latter to 
the other tribes of Britons; by which means the Vecturiones were separated from the 
old Roman frontier, and the territory of their former allies to the south of the Gram- 
pians became the object of their conquest. — See Gildas, Hist. cap. xix. The Caledo- 
nians and Meatians came to an end, having gradually lost their territory. The 
establishment of that other Pictish people, who in the eleventh and twelfth centuries 
were called the Galwegians or Gallovidians, in the heart of Cumbria or the North- 
west Wales, must have been a serious blow to the people of the southern Pictavia. 
The Irish annals mention desultory invasions of St Ninia's country by the Cruithne 
of Ulster in 682 and 702, and their establishment there towards the end of the eighth 

century Cit. Chalmers, i 358. When Maelgwn of Britain, Rhydderch of Strath- 

clyde, and Aidan M'Gabhran, King of the Scots, were fighting against the Calidonians at 
Arderydd, that tribe retained but a remnant of territory between the Clyde and the 
mountains of Argyle to the north of Loch Lomond ; and we may suppose that the war 
of Arderydd was the finishing™ of them. Though Beda speaks of the Grampian hills 
as dividing the country of the Northern from that of the Southern Picts, it is obvious 
that he speaks retrospectively, and in reference to the period when the Calidones, 
driven from the Varar (the ancient Ptolemaic boundary of the vast Sylva Calidonia), 
yet held the Grampian barrier against the Vecturiones ; and that only one kingdom of 
Picts was existing in his time. 

We must pronounce against Father Innes, that the Vecturiones or North Picts 
were another race. His whole argimient, reinforced by Mr. Chalmers' researches, 
from the frequency of British names or roots in North-Pictish topography, is to be 
answered by the ancient reign of the Calidones from the Varar to the upper wall. 
For conquerors never fully obliterate the names of places. But, as the Calidonians 
were certainly indigene within all records of history, their hair and stature alone 
raising the suspicion of diverse origin, so the Picts of the most famous Pictish state 
are pronounced by all with one voice to have been, like the Scoti in Albany, ** trans- 
marina 

" The biographers of St. Fechin of Fore men- moch, the tenor of St Fechin's remarks shews he 

tion, about the close of the year 664, a certain was a Cambrian. Colgan, Jan. 20, p. 139. lean- 

Mochoemoch, '* Cruthnech sive Camber ;" and not say whether this man were from the remnants 

though he bore the Irish saint-title of Mochoe- of the Calidonian tribe. 



XXXVlll 

marina gens." — See Beda, i. 12 ; Nennius, cap. v. ; GralfricL Monum. iv. 17 ; Psalter 
of Cashel, cit. Ogjgia, iii. 18 ; and the iTieh Uft quot, Mr. Pinkerton inconsistently 
maintained that the word Vecturion represented Vikyeriar, i. e. the men of his Yika 
in Norway. While he was describing the Viks of Yika as constituting the entire of 
the Picts, and their name as being his very word Pik, he yet well knew that the 
Vecturiones were only one of the two Pict gentes opposed to Theodosius. But that 
appellation cannot be shewn, to have been other than a Latin one ; and their trans- 
marine origin, and veetura^ or freightage in yessels, as opposed to the indigemB^ is pro- 
bably expressed in it : Britanniam qui mortales initio coluerint, indigence an advecti, 
ut inter barbaros, parum eompertum. — Tacit. Agric. cap. xL If so, their arrival should 
have been so far recent in Theodosius' time, as to keep alive the tradition of their 
eecturoy and also to account for their being unknown or obscure in that of Severus. 
That they came directly from Ireland seems agreed. — Beda, i. cap. L ; Chron. Sax. p. i ; 
Poem in Irish Nennius; Psalter of Cashel, &c. They were a tribe of Irish dialect (or 
language) and nation. That is in the nature of fact, (jwyddel is the Welsh word 
for Irish; and it is an adaptation to Welsh analogies of the name Graidheal, the Gadelic 
or Gathelic. That word means Iriskj and I have not learned that it means anything 
else. But the Picts of the kingdom of Fortren Mor (as was its Irish appellation) were 
the Gwyddyl Fichti, or Graelic Picts. The Brito-Irish legend of St. Caimech adopts 
the name, with confirmation of its meaning, in that of Graidheal Ficht, the fabulous 
son of Murchertach. Mr. Pinkerton and Dr. C. O'Conor were erroneously led to sup- 
pose that the Cruthenians of the Dal n- Araidhe in Ulster were meant by the Gwyddyl 

Fichti Inquiry, &c. L 338; O'C. Proleg. cxxvi. ; H. Lhuid in Anglica sua Wallie 

Descript. pp. 14, I5f cit. ibid. But those were called, both at home and abroad, in 
Latin and in £rse, Cruthenii, not PictL In fact (and fact is what we want) the 
Gwyddyl Fichti were the Picts of Albany or North Britain, by whom Madoc ap Me- 
dron was detained prisoner in that country ; " gan y Gwyddyl Fichti yn yr Alban." — 
Triad. IxL p. 68. They were distinguishable from the Gwyddyl Coch, Red Gael, L e. 
having^ rosy cheeks, not blue tattooed cheeks ; human cheeks, according to my deri- 
vation of &v9iiphnroc or &vOfpwiro£^ animal erubescens or vttltu Jlarido. The Gwyddyl 
Coch o'r Werddon a daethant i'r Alban, " the red Irish from £rin who came to 

Albany," were the Dalriadhans under Loarn and Fergus Triad, ix. They were a 

refuge-seeking, not a conquering tribe; but proved treacherous to those who admitted 

them 

" Nor is the idea confined to the cheeks ; for we read, 

Cum tu Lydia Telephi 
Cenrioem roMun 



XXXIX 

them. — Triad. viL On the contrary, the Gwyddyl Fichti, painted or dark-blue 
Gaidheal, were an invading tribe who came into Britain by force. — Triad, yii. It was 
against the Gwyddyl Fichti that Vortigem was obliged to hire Saxon aid — Triad, 
xiv. 53. That they were Milesians, which is the equivalent of Gaidheal, appears 
in the legend of Mileadh Cruthnechan, Milesius Pictus ; who went over from Ire- 
land to the Britons of Fortren, to fight against the Saxons, and defend Cruithen- 
tuath or Pictland. The Britons of Fortren are the Cruthnich in Britain, as opposed 
to those in Ireland; and, if the former continued to receive succours in emergency 
from the latter, we may the more easily understand that their vectura was fresh 
in remembrance. That both the peoples, that in Ulster and that in Fortren, had in 
Irish but the one common name of Cruthneach, and long after the usage which gave 
the name was abandoned, is a fact most opposite to the theory of their distinct origin. 
All this is old fact, not modem etymologizing. They were Gwyddyl Fichti, of a fabled 
connexion with one Graidheal Ficht; the plain upshot of which is, that they spoke 
the Gwyddeleg, and not either the Cymmraeg or the Saxon. 

Nor is this deficient in verbal harmony with the common legend that they came 
homSeytkia. i.e. from the land of the Scuit, for Scuit Fichti, Mileadh Fichti, and Gwyd- 
dyl Fichti, would all be synonymous ; and the story of the Cruithnich from Scythia 
is just such another frigid etymologism, as that of the Scuit from Scythia. There is 
no good standing place, even for credulity, to set up a primsBval tradition from the 
true Scythia of the East Because the tenor of their legend, that they were Aga- 
thyrsi descended from Geleon son of Hercules, betrays the derivation of the whole 
story from Virgil's lines, 

" Grotesque Drjopesqae fremunt pictique Agathyrsi," 
and 

'* Eoasque domos Arabum pieto$que Gelooos ;** 

mixing ignorance with their learning, and bending two tribes into one. Whatever 
the word pictus meant of the one it meant of the others also, for Greloni and Aga- 
thyrsi were half-tribes (as it were) tracing their origin from two brothers, sons of 
Hercxdes. It was anciently interpreted three ways: wearing painted cloaks, having 
the hair only died blue, or having both the hair and body stained. The second is the 
sentiment of Pliny. It is not a certain fact that these Scythian tribes ever wore a 
stained or stigmatized skin. See Servius in ^neid. iv. 146, and Salmasius in So- 
linum, p. 133. 

When Beda was writing, five tongues were spoken in Britain, English, British, 
Scottish, Pictish, and Latin; therefore the Gwyddeleg or Gaelic, and the Gwyddeleg 
Ficht were not the same. But that is consistent with a modification of dialect from long 

separation. 



xl 

separation, admixture with Britons, and other causes. Without reverting to that remote 
truth, quite unconnected with Beda's thoughts, of the primitive identity of British and 
Scottish, it is otherwise manifest, that Beda included, as languages, such changes of 
dialect as sufficed to impede communication. For if Pictish were Teutonic, then English 
and Pictish were but two dialects ; and if it were Cymmraeg, then British and Pictish; 
so that, qudcungue via datd, two of Beda's tongues were nearly related. In the 
biographies of St Columkille, the converter of the Picts, a solitary allusion is found to 
the diversity of Gaelic and Pictish, where it is said that a certain plebeian family of 

Picts, hearing him through an interpreter, believed. — Adamnan, ii. cap. 32. Vide 

contra^ iiL cap. 14. 

Pinkerton, and his follower. Dr. Jamieson, relied upon the list of kings as a source 
for Teutonic etymologies. — ^Inquiry, &c., i. 287-312; £tym. Diet. L p. 35-41. By 
raking together Teutonic syllables, choosing such various readings of names as suit 
best, and assuming conunon etymologies from either source to be from that of their 
choice, a show of etjrmological history is set up against real and traditional history. 
But quite enough appears in this catalogue of kings to confirm, if not to demonstrate, 
the premised facts. What can we think of one who will contend, that Keniod or 
Cinedh, in the Latin Kenethus ; Elpin, in Latin Alpinus ; Wurgest or Vergust, in 
Latin Fergus and Fergusa; Ungust or Hungus, in Latin Oengus or Aongus; Canul or 
Conal; Uven, Eoganan, Eoghane or Owen; Vered, Ferat, Ferach or Feredech (Phe- 
radach, in the signatures of the Pictish princes to King Ungust's Charter of Kilre- 
mont); Donell, Donnell, Domnal, in Latin Donaldus; Nectan or Neactan, Fidach, 
Fodla, as well as Cruthen or Cruthne, the first name on the list, are not from the 
Irish nomenclature**? The seventy-fourth king of Picts is Uven, alicu Eoganan; but 
Adamnan mentions logenanus presbyter genere Pictus^ iL cap. ix., and afterwards, 
iiL cap. v., Eogenanus nephew to Aidan, king of Scots. Phiachan, from Fiach, and 
Duptaleich, seemingly allied to Dubhtach or Dubhdaleth, and Glunmerath to Glun- 
mar, one of the various names formed upon glun, a knee, occur, togethet with 

Angus, 

o The same author) with 10010 ingennitj, pre- Eogmnan, Alpio, Keooeth, Domhnal, Maoleho- 
tended that Ungutt, loii of Yergiut, when be oyer- Inim, Macdiiibh, Donnchad, and Macbeth 1 Naj, 
ran the petty kingdom of Arregaithel or Scots, Mr. Pinkerton, after deriying Malcolm (the well- 
made an end of the Dalriadha dynasties of Loarn known contraction, if not rather nominatiye forma- 
and Fergus, and set Pictish princes oyer it. But tion, of Maolcholuim) from nutl, speech, and kom, 
he drew down upon himself the absurdity of con- a man, coolly proceeds to spell it upon all occasions 
tending, that the Erse names of all the Scots kings Malcom ; finding Teutonic etymologies for words 
after 743 were those of German Piks and Viks, of his own making. 
ex gr. Aodh, Donal, Fergus, Conal, Angus, 



xli 

Angus, Nectan, and Bolge, among the royal witnesses to the charter of Kilremont. 
About the year 414 the name of Drust or Drost, Drustan or Drostan, came into 
use among the Pictish princes. Under the first of the nine Drusts, Ninia and Patricius 
are said to have converted British Pictland and Ireland. Whatever the name means, 
it is the same as the Cruthnechan Trosdan^ of the Psalter of Cashel. O'Conor^s 
Keating, p. 121. Upon the whole I account it clear, from their names, that they 
were Gwyddyl, or an Erse people. And where we find Feradach changing into Vered, 
Fergus into Wurgest, and Eoghan into Uven, we need not wonder that St. Columkille 
and the other emigrant monks of the Kinel-Conaill, who seem to have met no impe- 
diment of discourse at the Pictish court, should have failed in making themselves under- 
stood to " the plebeians" of some districts without interpretation. The reader need 
only compare the opposite columns of Welsh and Cornish in Lhuyd^s Archseologia, 
pp. 251-3, to appreciate the impediments arising from dialects, even in languages of 
the most undisputed identity. The Gwyddyl Fichti formed the main body of the 
ancient Albannaich, or people of the kingdom of Albany, of whom the Highlanders 
are the remnant ; the whole of that body, except so many clans as lay west of the 
Drumalban hills, in Argyle, Lorn, Knapdale, Cowel, and Cantire. And when those 
hills divided two hostile states (now united locx) years) the difference of dialect was 
more perceptible. 

The following historical fragment, in the form of a bardic prophecy, is now inex- 
plicable; but seems to belong to the ninth century, when the Northmen, or men of 
Norway and Denmark, had obtained a footing in these islands. It is one of the few 
documents of a forgotten dynasty, and is worth placing on record, for the chances of 
futiire illustration : — 

Pump pennaeth dymbi Five chieftains there shall be 

O Wyddyl Fichti, Of the Gwyddelian Picts, 

O bechadur cadeithi. Of the character of evil-doers, 

O genedyl ysgi. Of a murderous generation. 

Pump eraill dymbi Five others there shall be 

O Norddmyn mandy. From the habitation of the Northmen. 

Wheched rhyfeddri The sixth a wonderful prince, 

O heu hyd vedL From the sowing** to the reaping. 

Seithved o heni The seventh [sent] by old age 

I weryd 

p MacfarlaDd's Vocabulary, and Armstrong's port, a prop, a crutch. 
Dictionary, give Trosdan, a pace, a foot ; a sup- ** From his birth to his death. 

IRISH ARCH. SOG. 1 6 f 



xlii 



I weryd dros li. 
Wythved lin o Ddyvi 
Nid Uwydded escori, 
Gynt gwaedd Venni 
Galwawr Eryri, 
Anhawdd y Dy vi. 



To the green-sward beyond' the flood 
The eighth, of the line of Tjrvy*, 
Shall not be estranged from prosperity, 
Till [in] the outcry of Menni 
Snowdon shall be invoked, 
Disaster [unto] Tyrj. — Arch. Myvyr. i. 73. 



Everything here is completely obscure, especially the number five being repeated. 
Whether the sixth, seventh, and eighth join on to the five Gwyddyl Fichti or the 
five Norddmyn, depends on whether or not lines 5 and 6 be parenthetical. Some 
combination of the affairs of three nations, Picts, Northmen, and Welsh, is here indi- 
cated. 

It is extreme fancifulness to dispute the meaning of the plain word Pictus, 
expressive of a notorious fact. That crotchet is as old as Verstegan, who says the Picts 
were not called of painting their skins, as some have supposed, but upon mistaking 
their true name, which was phichtian or fighters. — Restitution, &c p. 1 24. This was 
Teutomania. But Dr. Owen Pughe, under strong Celtomania, invented in his dic- 
tionary the gloss, " Peithi, the Picts," and explained it '* people of the open plain," 
&c. ; and this invention Mr. Chalmers has chosen to adopt. — i. 204. They were, he 
says, " called Peithi^ or PictL Thus a Welsh poet of the seventh century says 
Glas Phichti." They were called one thing ; and thus they are called another I But 
our concern is with genuine, not coined words. The real meaning is shewn directly 
in Taliesin's Glas Fichti; and antithetically in the Gwyddyl Coch. Claudian, the 
courtier of Stilicho, had access to all information concerning the tribes, against whom 
his patron had a frontier to defend. 

But indeed there were few phrases that could be used in that sense, and were not 
so applied. The Calidones were called by Ammian Di-Calidones, and the neighbouring 
ocean by Ptolemy Aovi^caXfi^ovioc, and by Marcianus Heracleota AovraXi/^ovtop, the Du- 
caledonian ; of which the former, Z){, expressed the pronunciation, and the latter the 
spelling, of Z>w^, black. Brith in British, and Brit^ in Irish, spotted, variegated, party- 
coloured 



' To the royal cemetery in the island of Icolm- 
kill? 

' Here (as printed) Djti, but in the concluding 
line TjTi ; as appears from the mutations, Dd 
and D. The Tjyj is the large stream dividing 
Caermarthen from Cardigan. 

* The Finlanders who invaded Ireland were 



called the Fin-gall and Fin-gent, which name 
the Irish interpreted white strangers, or white 
Pagans, from their own word finn, white. Bj 
mere antithesis to those names, and not upon 
real grounds of colour, the Danes and Norwe- 
gians came to be called the Dubhgent, Black 
Pagans, and Dubhlochlonaich, Black Pirates. — 



xliii 

coloured, is the probable etjnnon of Britain^ and hence brith-wr, a spotted man, a 
Pict; to which in the Hoianau is added the other epithet, blacky brithwyr du. Equi- 
valent to this was Brych or Brech in British, Brec and Breac in Erse, speckled, party- 
coloured. I have intimated above (p. 1 1 1, n.), that Agned Bregion, i.e. Brechion, plural 
of Brech, was meant by the Britons for Agnetum Pictorum ; and Brechin, an episcopal 
city of the Picts, civitas Brechne of the Pict. Chron., is from the same root. So also is 
the name of Brychan or Brecanus, the legendary founder of Brechinia, Brecheiniawg, 
or Brecknock, whether in the like sense or not The Manks were not only an Irish 
people, but probably were Crutheni, or Ulster Picts. For the rebellion of the Ulto- 
nians against Cormac Mac Art, in 236, was chiefly of the Cruithniu under Fiach 
Araidhe ; and in 254 he expelled a portion of the Ultonians, and gave their territory 
to his son, Cairbre Riadha, from whom the Dal-Riadan, Dalreudin, or Rout district 
(the cradle of Scotland) took name. From this act he was sumamed Ulfada, or 
Banisher of the Ultonians ; and they settled themselves in Manaud or the Isle of Man. 
Tighem. in annis. That island, of whose early and Celtic history scarce another vestige 
remains (see above, No. III. p. vii.), may be regarded as having been a colony of Cru- 
thenians, driven out of North Ulster by the Riadans. Mervyn, King of Man, whom 
Welsh pedigrees have derived in the female line from the princes of Powys, and who 
married Essyllt", heiress of Conan Tindaethwy, King of Wales, is called in the inter- 
polated Hoianau, st. 36, Mervyn Vrydi o dir Manau, not by reason of freckles on his 
skin, but as claiming a descent from, or reigning over, Picts ; for the Gwasgargerdd, 
equally ascribed to Merlin the Calidonian, speaks of the ** brithwyr du o Manau," 
black' spotted men of the Isle of Man. Man hath scarce any history until the ascen- 
dancy of the northern vikingar. But a great annalist speaks of Picts in that country, 
in 711, more than 100 years before Mervyn Vrych. Strages Pictorum in* campo 
Manand^, ubi Findgaine Mac Deleroith immatura morte jacuit. — Tig. in 711, p. 225, 

O'Con. 

• 

' ^SJSi^ P' 30^' The jears 850, 851, witneased pirates. 

bloody battles in Leinster between the Finn- ** In whose right he ruled Wales, A. D. 818- 

^ gent and Dabhgent, of which the last was con- 843 ; but when, and through what inheritance, 

I tinned for three days and nights — Ann. Ulton. he became l&ing of Man, is not apparent. His 

The Danes who afterwards ravaged Stathclyde pedigree in the male line from Beli Mawr may be 

and North Wales were called by the Britons the a sheer fable. See Powel*s and Lloyd's Cam- 

gwyr duon and paganiaid duon, although their bria, p. 22. 

language has not the word finn. Brut y Saeson, v Campaign or battle, vide Ducange, in campus, 

Tywysogion, &o., A. D. 870-900, pp. 479-484. num. 5, 6, 7. 

But they took the phrase from Ireland, whose * The Ulster Annals, at 781, speak of Drust 

Ostman kings of Dublin probably sent forth these the Eighth as ** rex Pictorum citra Monot,'* 

f 2 



K If 



xliv 

O^Cou. In the Pictish catalogue, (see above, sect xxxi.) we read, '^ Guidid Gaeth 
Breatnaeh,^^ a Briton, but the Pictish Chronicle gives Guidid Gaed Brecah; which 
variations do all resolve themselves, one way or another, into Pictus. Nectan 
the First has several surnames, such as Kellemot and Thalthamoth; but most 
usually, and in the Pictish Chronicle, Morbet. In this Irish document that un- 
known word is altered, and, I believe, corrected, thus, Neactan Mor Brecu^, the 
Great Pict The case of Domhnall styled Breac, Brec, Brie (Dovenald Varius of 
Cron. Reg. Scot. Innes, iL 789), prince of the Dalriads or Scots, and son of Achy, is 
full of obscurity. He bore the surname whilst living; as Adamnan says, ** temporibus 
nostris .... Domnallo Brecco^' &c. iiL cap. v. At his father's death in 622 he was 
adult, and fell in the battle of Strath- Cawn or Ceirinn, fought against Hoan king of 
the [Strathclyde] Britons, in December 642. — Tighem. in anno. Yet Ulster Annals, 
after stating the death of plain Domhnall (not D. Brecc as in Tig.) at A.D. 642, say, at 
A.D. 685, ^* Talorg Mac Aicthaen et Dovahnsill Brecc Mac Eachcuih morttii sunt^' The 
name Talorg is exclusively Pictish ; and the author seems as if he considered D. Brec, son 
of Achy, to be such also. How he recovered the crown of his father (which had passed 
into another family after the overthrow of his brother by the Irish Cruithnich), and 
what connexions, either Pictish or Cruthenian, he may have had in the female line, is 
matter buried in the darkness of those times and countries. But he fought at Moira in 
conjunction with Suibne, prince of the Crutheni, and had fought in 621 conjointly with 
Conall, son of Suibne. If any credit be given to his longevity, and his dying together 
with this Talorg, his crown must have passed into the hands of the extranet of Adam- 
nan (iii. 5), i e. strangers to the lineage of Aidan M'Grabhran, at or about the time of 
his defeat in 642, by abdication and flight into Pictland, not by death^ Broicne, 
broice, broicean, are words of the same sense as breac or brec, and may explain the 
appellation of Broichan, the magus of the Picts. Adamn. ii. 33. The Cruithnich or 
Cruthenii, who occupied the southern' portion of the Daln'araidhe in Ulster, and those 

others 

which obsoare phrase may rignif j ** king of Piot- although myeh may, perhaps, be the true reading 

laod, Man excepted ;" patting Monot for Monoeda, of them, I cannot discover in those extremely 

Sed qiusre. remarkable passages of Anenrin any allusion to 

^ The other form, Morbet, should, perhaps, the battle of Strath-cawn and death of Dovenaldus 

be spelt Morwbret, Mor-breat ; as in the preced- Varius, king of Scots. There also are difficulties 

ing homonymes of Brecah and Breatnach. in supposing the author to have composed them 

y As to the two lines of the Gododin, tt. 743, so late as 641. The connexion of the names Dyvn- 

872, wal and Domhnall is also unascertained. 

** A phen Dymwfti a hrtich brain a*i cnojn. ' Said to have included Down and the southern 

A phen l>yvynwsl vrych brain %'i cnoyn." , p„ts of Antrim See Dr. O'Conor in Tighernach, 






xlv 



\ 



others who were in Meath and Connaught, as well as those of Fortren Mor in Britain, 
are called from* cruth, form, aspect, countenance, colour, complexion; and so the 
phrase would resemble our men of colour^ or may signify men adorned with fyures. 
Among the Dalaradian Cruthnich we hear of king £ochaid Laeb or Laib, which 
Colgan renders Maeulatua; of king Aodh Brec, who was slain in 563, with the seven 
Cruthenian clan-kings, by the Hy-Niall of Ulster, " vii righ Cruithneach im Ard 
mbrecc," Cenfaelad cit. Tigh. ; and of Aodh cognomento Niger ; likewise we read of 
Congal M'Mealeanfaith Brecc FortreUy Ann. Ult 724; which were not improbably 
tribule, rather than personal, appellations, and analogous to Nectan Mor Breac. Of 
these and other such epithets more will be said in treating of this practice, as a super- 
stition cherished in the ages subsequent to its desuetude. 

But above all the name of Bruide or Brudi, borne by so many kings of the 
Gwyddyl Fichti, deserves observation; because it once was official or titular, and 
common to all, like Pharaoh or Augustus. The Pictish Chronicle says, upon the 
name of Brudi the First, *' a quo triginta Brude regnaverunt Hibemiam et Albaniam 
per 150 annorum spatium;" and adds their private or personal names. Now that 
national name, spelt in this and other Irish works Bruide, elsewhere Bruidi, Brudi, 
Bridius, &c., is but the £r8e word, bruid, spina, quodvis cuspidatum ; bruide confodere ; 
hruidt vulnus gladio vel cultro factum. What Isidorus Hispalensis questionably says of 
the name Scoti may be truly said of this name: *^ propria lingu^ nomen habent a picto 
corpore, e6 quod, aculeis ferreis cum atramento, variarum figurarum stigmate anno tan- 
tur." This was expressed in the title Bruide, Acu-punctus, the Pict, a name common 
to a long series of kings, and never wholly disused. If these thirty kings reigned over 
Albania, there will then be a double list of the kings of Fortren ; which absurdity has 
induced me to analyse these statements. Bruide the First is the fifteenth king ; and in 
thirty kings, counted from him, there occurs not one Bruide, But counting again from 

Talorc 



p. 96, n. 7 ; Mr. 0*DonoTan in Magh Rath, p. 39, 
note. 

•See Dr. Todd's note abore. No. II., pp. ▼. vi. 
Yet a modern author has been found to imagine, 
that the name is for eruitineaeh, hump-backed. 
To meet the absurdity of a nation of hump-bacl&B, 
it is supposed that Daln'araidhe was a sort of 
hospital, whither the Picts sent ** the infirm and 
deformed inhabitants of Argyle, to malce room for 
the efficTent Irish troops." — 7. Wood' 9 Primitive 



InhabUantif p. 139. An elegant colony, and a 
probable theory. But unluckily the senders, i. e. 
the Picts of Fortren Mor, were Cruithnigh as 
well as the others, and, therefore, must also have 
been "crump-shoulderedor humpy people!*' The 
essay here cited contains many judicious remarks. 
But its author, like others, has missed the fun- 
damental fact, that the Irish, being a British peo- 
ple, were, as such, a Pict people. 



xlvi 

Talorc III. the forty -sixth king, the third is Bruide ; from him the fifth is Bniide ; from 
him again, the fifth ; from him, the second ; from him, the fourth ; and lastly, from him, 
the eleventh. Thus, when it was merely a man's name, we find it recurring occasionally; 
but when it was titular to all alike, we find it entirely absent. Which evinces that the 
words, " Hiberniam . . . spatium" are superfluous and false, as well as the thirty** pri- 
vate names ; and that these thirty Bruides are simply the kings of Pictland from Bmdi 
Bout to Talorc IIL For it is obvious that men must be enumerated by their names, 
but need not be, and frequently are not, by additions of course; as we must say 
Trajanus, Hadrianus, &c, but need seldom add Augustus. The thirty Bruides end just 
fourteen years before the accession of Bruide IL, that is to say, of the first king by 
name, and not by title, so called; and he was their first Christian king, baptized by St 
Columkille. We may therefore suppose that it ceased to be the regal appellation 
when the increase of civility and approaches of Christianity had caused the actual 
practice upon which it was founded to fall into desuetude ; and may accordingly con- 
jecture, that Cealtraim Bruide, who died in 543, and was the last of the thirty, was 
also in fact the latest rex acu punctus. In almost all moral concerns the real begin- 
nings precede the historical commencement ; and as Palladius himself went ad Scotos 
in Christum credentes^, so must Columkille ad Pictos, For even if he could have 
wrought what he did upon matter unpredisposed, date and situation shew the proba- 
bility that Christian influences must have oozed into Pictland from Caledonia and 
Strathclyde, from Argathelia, and from Dalaradia in Ulster. 

We now come to a brief but important corollary. The record of thirty-six kings 

anterior 

^ These consisted of fifteen names, two of which may hint to as another circumstance, vix., that 

seem to be lost, each followed by a repetition of (in the days of the thirty Bruides, or painted 

the same with Ur prefixed, as Pant, Ur-pant, Leo, Picts) the Ur-bruide, daring the life of his prin- 

Ur-leo. Up in Gaelic and Erse is new, freth, cipal, bore his name, with the Unatstic prefix, 

young, again, a tecond time; allied to lap, after, instead of his own, when he assumed the primary 

tucceeding. "Rij up, a new king Stewart's crown. The fictitious character of these names 

Exodus, cit. Armstrong. It is obyious to con- appears, not only from the external history, but 

jecture that Ur-pant was the Tanist of Pant, and from the two first of them; one of which is the 

so Ur-bruide of his Bruide. As tanitt was used Anglo-Saxon name Penda (see Tighem. in 631, 

without limitation in the sense of second, the 639, 650), and the other is the British name 

tanaistic battle or tanaistic captivity, for the so- Llew. 

cond batUe or captivity (see Tighern. in 495 and *= It was the same in the north of Europe, and 

980), so, conversely, the secondary king was the the accounts of those qui ante religionem lege 

tanist of the primary, his actual coadjutor, and receptam in verum Deum erediderunt, may be read 

successor designate. This curiously formed list in Olaf Tryggvason, cap. cxx. et seq. 



xlvii 

anterior to Drust M'Erp, in 414, is of slender authority, and tinctured with manifest 
fable; and the historical era is there, upon solid grounds, considered to begin. But 
the first king in that series is Cruthne or Cruidne, which is equivalent to Bruide, and 
conveys the idea of tinctus or picttts, as the other oipunctus. Therefore King Cruthne 
and the first titular Bruide are identical ; and if there were thirty-one such Bruides, 
that is thirty after the Bruide called Bout, it is rather identity of proposition than an 
inference to say, that there were thirty-one Cruthnes. Mr. Pinkerton's just reduc- 
tion of the Bardic Pictish reigns to the standard of the Irish, Northumbrian, and 
historical Pictish reigns, yields the dates (approximately correct) of A. D. 28 for 
Cruthne, and A. D. 208 for Brudi Bout. Consequently either Bruide I. must go up 
to Cruthne in A. D. 28, or Cruthne must come down to him in 208; and, as bardic 
mythi exalt antiquity, we shall choose the latter. Therefore it seems, that all the 
kings anterior to Brudi Bout are additions ; that he was the planter of the Gwyddyi 
Fichti or Yecturiones in Albany ; and that Cealtraim, the last ex officio Bruide, was 
only the thirty-first Vecturion king. That places the transit of the Cruithnechan or 
Gwyddyi Ficht colony from Ireland circa A. D. 208, in the reign of Con of the Hun- 
dred Battles, and nearly half a century before Cormac Ulfada drove the Cruthenians 
out of North Ulster in Manniam insvlam et Hebrides, — Ogygia, p. 335. It is sixty- 
seven years (or some trifle less) after Claudius Ptolemy described the Caledonians of 
the Du-Caledon sea as stretching from Lake Lomond to the Firth of Moray; the iden- 
tical year in which the war of Severus against the painted Maeatse and Caledones began ; 
and 159 years before the war of Count Theodosius against the Du-Caledons and Vec- 
turions. By this reckoning, the Cruthnich of the Daln'araidhe will have crossed over to 
North Britain some 290 years before their next neighbours of the Dalriadha, or Routs of 
Antrim and Coleraine (being the Gwyddyi Coch of the Welsh), followed their track 
and planted their settlement of Argathelia (Airer-Gaedhal) or Scots. — See Cambrensis 
Eversus, ix. p. 74. This accords with the order of events, as laid down in the Duan 
Albanach, and in this book " Of the Cruithnigh," by which Britain was first held by 
Britus (i.e. the Britons), then by Clanna Nemidh (the Belgians?), and " the Cruith- 
nigh possessed it after them, having come from Ireland, [and] the Gaedil after that, 
that is, the sons of Eire son of Eochaidh." See above, p. 127. 

The advent and departure of the Cruthnich in the days of Herimon, son of Milesius, 
1 000 years B. C, which is a legend as ancient as Cormac Mac Cuillenan in the ninth 
century, is a pure mythology, and has made improper use of Pictish materials by 
bringing into the remotest origins those names of Drostan and Nectan, which did not 
come up among the Picts before the ara of Ninia and Patrick. The fact, that the 
Picts of Albany came over from Ireland, is about the only one it yields us. But 

their 



xlviii 

their migration was evidently from the opposite and near coast of Ulster, where they 
had their abode. This is not only matter of reason, but of tradition. The text of 
the Colbertine Chronicle of Picts asserts, that the thirty Bruides ruled Hibernia and 
Albania, but that means the kingdom of Ulster, not all Ireland ; and for evidence 
thereof we read, in Lib. Ballimote, that Bruide Cint (who was thirteenth of the 
thirty) was King of Ulster. — Ap. Pinkerton, i. 502-504. Nor are we in the position 
to affirm, that the Cruithne kingdoms of Daln'araidhe and Fortren Mor did not thus 
long continue to be one, after the fashion in which Celtic monarchies had unity. Since 
in 590, at the Synod of Dromceat, we find Aodh, the son of Ainmire, asserting, and 
then waiving at St. Columkille's intercession, the sovereignty of the kings of £rin 
over the Dalriads of Britain. " The Irish authorities," says Mr. Petrie, " make Gede 
also King of the Irish and Scottish [North British] Ficts;^^ and, though they absurdly 
make him son to King Ollamh Fodla, their tradition supposes the two Cruthenias to 
have once been one kingdom. — On Tara Hill, pp. 1 53, 1 54. We read in the present work 
that one Cruithnechan M'Lochit from Erin, meaning of course the chief of the Irish 
Crutheni (seep. 127), flew to the succour of those of Fortren against the Saxons (soec 5 
vel infr^), which (not to mention its agreeing well with their allegiance to one Bruide or 
Cruthne) argues them to be the same people. Subsequent history shews them engaged 
in bloody wars against Argathelia, tmder its kings Eochaidh Buidhe and Kenneth Cear, 
but not against Fortren. It is obscurely intimated that Cormac Mac Art, having in 254 
expelled the Crutheni from the Routs of Antrim into Man and the Hebrides, did in 258 
pursue the war into Albany and exact an acknowledgment of his authority. — Ogy- 
gia iii. cap. Ixix.; Ogygia Vindicated, pp. 162, 163. If this were so it would increase 
the probabilities that the Cruthenian kingdom of Fiach Araidhe, slain by Cormac, and 
the infant colony of Fortren or Pictish Albany, were not reputed nationally distinct. 
One of the paradoxes once accredited was, that the Cruithne or Cruthnich, de- 
scendants'^ of Hir the Milesian through Fiach Araidhe, King of Ulster in A. D. 240% 
were at no time, in fact, any Cruithne at all ; but were so called because the said 
Fiach was remotely descended from Loncada, wife of Conall Kearnach circa B. C. 12, 
and daughter to one Eochaid Eachbheoil a Pict of North Britain or of Man. — 
Ogygia, iii. pp. 190, 278-279. It may be remarked that those Dalaradians, or men 
of Araidhe, who were not Cruthenians (see Tertia Vita P^tricii, cap. 58 ; C. O'Conor 
in Tighern. p. 96; Lanigan, Eccl. Hist. vol. i. p. 218), should seem equally connected 
through Fiach with this Eochaid. But if the historian of the Ogygia could believe that 

8 

* That is, quoad their priDces or chieftains. 

* So O'Flahertjr. Tighernaoh places his death in 236. 



xlix 

a nation could be called Men of Colour, or Men of Figures and Devices (Picts) during 
a matter of 600 years, for no other reason than because the chieftain, said to have 
founded their community, traced his origin, and that at an interval of two centuries 
and a half, from the daughter of a Pictish subject, he must have been a logician 
callous to the non causa pro causa. Were the founders of the Connaught Cruthe- 
nians^, and of divers others, also descended in the eighth generation from a Pictish 
lady ? This is but a sample of that bulk of lies with which Fintan and other bards 
of the sixth century fed the awakened curiosity, rising pride, and iinbounded credulity 
of their countrymen. It is so far germane to the legend of Heremon and the Cruth- 
nich, that it dissembles the condition of the ancient Irish, and assumes that people 
not to have themselves been painted, neither all nor some. But such is neither the 
reason, nor is it the fact of the case. 

Ireland was peopled mainly, if it was not exclusively, from Britain, in the times 
before history. But the woad-staining was general in Britannia; throughout all 
Britain (omnes Britanni) in Caesar's time, and throughout all free Britain in Severn s's 
time. Therefore it is apparent, that Ireland should have been colonized and possessed 
by tribes delighting in such adornment. So that Dr. Lanigan, when he said " how 
any of those Crutheni or Picts came to be settled in Ireland is not easy to discover," 
should rather have set himself to discover how any others but Crutheni could have 
come thither. Ancient writers neither say that the Irish were painted, nor that they 
were not; until we come to the days of Valentinian the First, or rather of Julian, 
where the mention of Scoti et Picti may be thought by some to insinuate that the 
former were not so. But Julius Agricola did report thus much of the Hiberni, that 
" ingenia cultusgue hominum non multum a Brittannia dififerunt." — Tacit Agric cap. 
xxiv. And the usage in question was so far the most conspicuous cuUus, of any that 
the Britons used, as to make these oblique words little different from direct averment. 
But when the dry tale of Ireland's colonization in British coracles was replaced by the 
romantic and manifold impostures of Fintan the immortal, and all that school, its in* 
separable adjuncts of course perished with it. 

Though we must infer the existence of this practice, the chronology of its gradual 
disuse is lost; as indeed are nearly all such real facts, ill compensated with tales of 
Ogygian date and Herculean audacity. Various causes of desuetude may easily be 
imagined: — I. The example of such desuetude, and of civility, offered by all Britain 

south 

' It should be remembered that the pretended real beginnings assignable to the Gaedhil Picts in 
Lonncada, that woad-stained Helen of rape and Alban, Tii., eirciter A. D. 208, and yet longer 
war, flourished some two centuries before the before those of the Manlu Cruithne, Tix., 254. 

IBI8H ARCH. SOG. 16. g 



1 

south of the walls. II. That knowledge of other nations and manners, in which the 
Irish of the piratical age must have exceeded their stationary progenitors. UI. The 
gradual change wrought by the proximity of a fresh moral power, working a doubt 
or disregard of old things before the adoption of the new ones; as we see Brahminism 
shaken, though not abolished, and its suttees dying away. In these ways, or in some 
of them, it came about that the Niallian marauders were distinct in appearance from 
the Ducalidon Cymmry, and Vecturion Gwyddyl; while the self-same cause (via. the 
desuetude elsewhere) which dubbed the Caledonians Ficti^ had dubbed those Dalara- 
dians and some other tribes CruthenL The conquest of Ulster by Cormac O'Cuin, son 
of Art, may be regarded as an epoch in the decline of that custom, as his reign forms 
an epoch in the general civilization of his country. 

Irish history and mythology, when analyzed, are not really in any other story. 
Ireland peopled Fortren with Cruthenians. East Ulster was always in part occupied 
by them ; " the Cruthenians in Uladh and Moy-Cobha." — Ancient Topogr. from 
Books of Glendalough and Lecan, by C. O'Conor, Sen., in Coll. Hib. iiL 672. And 
there were others, less known, in the parts of Connaught near Boyle. *' Conaght, first 

called Olnemacht the Cruthenians, or painted men, in Moy-Hai, extending 

from Loch Ke to Bruiol, and to the Shannon." — Ibid, The royal province of Meath 
also contained a real toparchy of Crutheni, for it is said in Tigh. A.D. 666, *^ £ochaidh 
larllaith ri Cruithne Midhi mortuus est." Again, other Crutheni held a portion of 
the diocese of Derry, where the district of Dun-Cruthninia, since called Ardmagilligan, 
and St.Beoadh's ancient episcopal church of Dun-Cruthen, or Dun- Cruithne, now Dim- 
crun, were situate. See Vita Septima Patricii in Trias Thaum. p. 146 ; O'Donell, Vita 
Colum. i. c. 99; and Colgan in eund. pp. 451, 494; Marty rol. DungalL cit. ibid.; 
S. Beatus in A. SS. Hib. viii. Mart. p. 562. Which makes several^ recorded Pictlands 
in Erin, besides any others of which the record may have perished, and independently 
of the mythus of the Temorian Picts. 

That mythus is of a large import. It professedly belongs to the first origins of 
the existing Irish people. It shews you the Cruthnich powerful in Erin in Herimon's 
own days, winning his battles, and preserving him from his enemies ; and afterwards 
made to evacuate Ireland under an agreement, in order that they might not obtain 
the sovereignty of the island, *' that they might not make battle for Teamhair." 
Yet their six chiefs^, under Drostan or Trosdan the Druid, remained, and received 

grants 

■ Anj of which, perhaps the last-meotioned, TuUch Dubhglas in Tiroonnell. 
may haye giyen birth to Churitanaa, sumained ^ 80 Keating, from Psalter of Cashel. This 

Cruthnechanus, who baptised St. Columba at work says, *' six of them remained.'* Seep. 125. 



li 

grants of land in the Campus Brcgensis*, Moigh Breagha, or Breag-mhuigh, whereon 
Tara was situated. Strange, that they were banished lest they should possess the 
Hill of Tara, and yet were left in possession of the Plain of Tara. It appears through 
clouds of fable, that Tara was once their's, Temora or Teamhair Breagh a seat of 
painted Druids, and Erin a kingdom of Picts. Make battle for Taral Why, the 
Breagh was their own, and Teamhair was the work of their hands; for they taught to 
construct the " fair and well- walled house." Pharmacy and surgery, navigation and 
agriculture, were from them. But for them there was neither idolatry, necromancy, 
nor divination ; and Druidism, it is said, was of the PictL But for them, no composition 

of " bright poems ;" and bardism was of the Picti See p. 144. By another tale the Mur 

Ollamhan of Tara, and all its arts and sciences, were ascribed to Achy Mac Fiach, 
styled the OUave of Ireland, or Ollamh Fodla. And this king, and his six sons and 
grandsons, were called the ** seven Cruithnech kings that ruled over Erin." — See the 
entry in Tigh. A. D. 172. The original Cruthenians of Temora were the authors of 
every art whereof Milesian Erin could boast the rudiments. We read that the first royal 
adultery in Ireland was committed by Tea (daughter of Lughaidh, and wife of Here* 
mon) from whom the name Temora is mythically derived, with Gede Olguthach the 
Pict — Amergin on Tara, cit. Petrie on Tara, p. 130. Thus far the Milesians and Cru* 
thenians are kept distinct. But Heremon and Grede, husbands of one wife, were also 

fathers of the same three children; whence Mr. Petrie infers their identity Ibid, 

p. 153. Now this Gede Olguthach is the second king of Picts, Cruthne^s successor, 
in the Nomina Reg. Pict., Innes, iL 798 ; and also^ in the Pictish Chronicle. Therefore 
Heremon seems to identify himself with the second king of Cruthen-tuath ; and, 
Cruthne's name being taken as merely typical, like Britain, first king of Britain, 
Francis of France, Dan of Denmark, &c, then with the first. These mythical equi- 
valents resolve themselves into natural equivalents, for whatever represents original 
Ireland must (if but a comer of the bardic veil be lifted) disclose to us painted Ire- 
land. The exposure of the Cruthenian mythi may be completed, by adding that the 

Ollamh 



i 



Breagha, son of Breogan, from Brigantiam Twmhair Rrei« whence !■ It, teU Dye learned 



or Betanios in Spain (Tor Breogan of Keating, whTlTiTlepTate from theBruigh f- 

and Bregatea of Cuan OXochain), gave his name . See Petrie's Tara, p. I31. 

to the Moigh Breagha, where Temora stood, k Yot, although there he seems to stand ninth, 

upon Tara Hill This is of a piece with all the intervening seven are the seven brothers from 

the rest. That it was the name of Temora's whom the seven provinces were called ; who could 

original possessors is implied in the question neither in nature all succeed each other, nor could 

which the bard Fintan aslcs, but omits to an- any of them by Pictish law succeed Cruthne, 

swer, being hia sons. 

g2 



lii 



OUamh Fodla and his race were styled the Cruithnech kings, because he was sou to 
that same Lonncada, daughter of Achy Eachbheoil, who also stands godmother to the 
Dalaradiaus, five, if not seven, centuries later! And, that Grede Ollguthach, the father 
of Heremon's children, was the third son of the OUamh, who lived ages after HeremonI 
TuathaU in A. D. 130, is feigned to have been son to Ethne, daughter of Imgheal, king 
of Picts, to have been educated in Pictland, and to have recovered his crown by aid 

of Pictish arms Ogyg. iii. cap. IxvL; Keating, p. 213; Cambrensis Eversus, pp. 67, 

68. Though some pretended that Temora was a seat of monarchy I2cx>, if not 1500 
years before him, he was the earliest founder of Temora* within the purlieus of his- 
tory ; and I suspect he was once known as the builder thereof. It gives colour to that 
suspicion that, in the proverbial names'^ of Erin, ia respect of her principal kings, she 
was called the Teach (House) of TuathaL With deference to Tigernach and others, 
I would prefer to say that historical tradition has its dawn in Tuathal, A. D. 130, 
than in Cimbaoth, B. C. 305. The long previous anarchy of the Plebeians or Rustics, 
Aiteachtuatha, after which the restored Tuathal is said to have consolidated the Pen- 
tarchal Monarchy, may be no other than that savage disunion out of which the first 
king of Temora (a Harald H&rfagr to Erin) called the Gaelic tribes ; a restoration put 
mythically for a foundation, in order to support the superstructure of fabulous chrono- 
logy. Whatever he was, he was of Cruthnechan blood and education. In the Book of 
Lecan, fol. 14, imperfectly cited by Vallancey, Coll. iv. 2. p. 2, after stating how Fin tan 
of portentous longevity had preserved the Irish history, it is added, that Tuan of Ulster 
*^ preserved it till Patrick's time, and Columcille, and Comgall, and Finnen, when it 
was written on their knees, and on their thighs, and on the palms of their hands ; and it 
continues in the hands of sages, of doctors, and historians, and it is on the altars of 
saints and righteous men from that time down." This curious statement exhibits the 
transition of the stigmatical painting from barbarous adornment to other uses'*, before 

its 



> It was a question, as early as the sixth cen- 
tury, when and where Teamhair or Teamhuir ob- 
tained its name. 

'* When was Twmhsir [called] Teamhair ? 
b it with Partholan of batUet ? Or." Ac. ftc. 

It was agreed among the oUares, that the name 
was Milesian or Scot (for other appellations were 
provided for the ages of the Tuatha De Danann 
and their predecessors), and so the fable of He* 
remon and Tea was delivered to the world. 
"' The others mostly express natural objects. 



not works : as fonn, land ; la/A, land ; erioch, 
C9untry ; aehadh, field. Clar Cbormaic, the table 
of Cormac, may allude to the introduction of do- 
mestic and sedentary arts ; while the Cro of Con 

is of an ambiguous signification O'Flaherty, 

Ogygia, part i. p. 19; Hugh O'Donnell, cit. 
ibid. 

° To which the Oghams might be conveniently 
applied. Etruscan figures with inscriptions writ- 
ten upon the thighs may be seen in Montfau- 
con, iii. part 1, p. 72, part 2, p. 268. 



liii 

its final abandonment, and in the persons of the early Christians ; and, even if incor- 
rect as to date and persons, it cannot have proceeded from an author who doubted the 
existence of acupuncture among the ancient Irish. 

There may be another, though an oblique, way of tracing this British costume in the 
colony of Erin. A continual recurrence of surnames of colour, either unnatural, mor- 
bid, and disgusting, like gicu^ liath^uainA, hub, buidhe^ or strange and grotesque ones, may 
be accounted for in tribes that had originally been coloured unnaturally, and prided 
themselves therein ; while rarely used by others. But such a solution is almost necessary 
to account for such squalid epithets, when applied to the great primitive heroes, and even 
the actual founders, of the nations, creatures of a proud fiction, and names not individual, 
but typical. What origins ever boasted of an iEneas Lividus, or Romulus Discolor, 
Cadmus the Dingy, or Inachus the Speckled? But the Gaidheal derive themselves from 
Gaodhal or Gaidheal, son of Nial and Scota. He was constantly called Gaidheal Gla;:, 
l)ecause his fiesh was spotted of that colour (greenish, or blueish, or livid) by a ser- 
pent's sting. — ^Keating, p. 67. See Malmura of Fahan, in App. ; Gilda Coemhain, &c. 
Here, besides the vile epithet, is the very substance of the fact in an altered form, the 
natural man turned to woad-colour by puncture^. Compare the man Gaidheal Glas^ 
with the man Gaidheal Ficht in the Caimech Legend, p. 187. The captain of the Neme- 
dians, of whom came the Firbolg, was Simon Breac, Maculis Distinctus, or, as some have 
it Simon Varius. Britan, the founder of Britain, derives his name (and rightly, I ima- 
gine'') from brit, di versicolor ; and he was son toFeargus Leathdearg, Half-red, son of 
Nemedius, in whom the redness of half his body may have been its natural floridity, 
as we have observed in the Alban Scots, or Gwyddyl Coch. So, again, taking the red 
colour for the natural, we may form an idea of king Lugadh Riabhdearg, or Red-streak, 
who was marked with red circles round his body. A Danannian hero, son to the great 
Daghda himself, was Fraoch Uaine. A primitive Sco to- Scythian chief, Heber Glun- 
finn, or WhUe-knee, was celebrated as grandfather to Faobhar Glas. — Ogygia, ii. p. 67. 
See Keating, p. 132. Some causes had introduced into Irish use the strange name 

Dubhdaleth, 

** That a Druid, officiating mystically, was a t?. 18,49, confirmed by rarious considerations, 

serpent, appears clearly enough in Csssar's ac- And, since desnetude ehewhere was the cause of 

count of the ovum auguiuum, such appellations, that name, Britain or Bri- 

* That the bards had in their Amant, or old than, should hare originated subsequently to 

ritual songs, the name Brithan, Britannia (distinct the cessation of nudity among the Gauls, ex- 

from the fictitious name Prydyn or Prydain, i.e. cepting (probably) the Lemonian Gauls railed 

Pulcheria), and derived it from brith, painted, I Pictones. 
infer from the GwawddLludd y Mawr, t. 20, and 



liv 

Dubhdaleth, Both-halves-black. In days anterior to armour**, I have no notion what a 
white knee is, except in contrast to a coloured one ; nor can I conceive, otherwise, of 
a man with one half dark, which condition the contrary name Dubhdaleth implies. 
Jocelyn of Furness tells us of two places in the Cruthenian Ardes of Ulster, to both 
of which belongs the very strange name of Dundalethglas, namely, Downpatrick, well 
known by that name, and another hill-fort in a marsh not far distant. — Vita Patric. 
c. 38. He interprets the name, two halves of a glas, i. e. a fetter, from the broken bonds 
of some prisoners, whom an angel set free, and conveyed to these two Duns. But, com- 
paring it with analogous names of colour, and espelcially with Leathdearg, and Dubh- 
daleth, I rather interpret Dun Dalethglas, Fort of the Entirely Painted, the Dubhda- 
leths, the Crutheni of Dalaradia ; thus making its sense equivalent in effect to that of 
the Dun-Cruitkne in Derry. Besides those analogies, its occurring twice in ancient 
Cruthenia favours the descriptive sense, rather than any historic allusion. The first 
man, say the verses ascribed to Fintan himself, who cleared Tara Hill of wood, was 
Liath, Glaucus or Pallidus, son of Laigin Leathan-glas. The meaning of the sur- 
name. Broad-stain^, probably denotes belts of colour like those of king Riabhdearg, but 
broad ones. It is easy but unnecessary to multiply examples. The dingy colours ex- 
pressed in those various terms of glas, dubk, naine, &c., were the various tints imparted 
by the woad ; the coeruleus color of Ctesar, the Ethiopian tint of Pliny, and the 
virides Britanni of Ovid. The tinted knee will be best appreciated from the above- 
cited statement in the Book of Lecan, that the Irish, both in and after St. Patrick's 
days, had records of facts "written on their knees." The prevailing idea of such 
names as I have cited is as old as any memorial we have of the Picts. For of those 
Caledonians who fought against Severus, entirely naked, and tattooed with figures of 
animals, &c., the only chieftain whose name has come down to us is Argento-Coxus 
or Silver-hip ; evidently so called by the Komans, because he affected to leave his 
hips unstained. — Dion Cassius, lib. Ixxvi. p. 1285. And the comparison of some ana- 
logous names among the hero- deities of the British bards, will add to their force. 
Some observations are due to the tradition, that the Pictish rule of succession to 

the 

** The modern armorial surnames, Glnndnibh land or Scottish Gaelic, plas is also a sobstan- 

or Genuniger, Glnniarn or Genuferreus, Glun- tive, a green or blue surface), and I know not 

tradhna or Genncorri, &c., are quite beside the if anj objection thus arises, '^liere intensity, 

question. — Vide Oj Conor, in Quat. Mag. A. D. not extent, of colour is to be measured, there 

976. does not ; as in dubhglas and Kathglat, Changing 

' Leathan and plas seem to be both adjectives broad into loHff, the Welsh Hirlas ezactlj cor- 

in the Irish dialect of Gelic, (though, in High- responds. 



Iv 

the crown arose out of a treaty of marriage with ladies of the blood royal of Erin. — 
Beda, L cap. 1., and the Irish documents. See also Polydore Virgil. That rule was, 
that in all cases of doubt they should choose a king in the female line of descent, not 
in the male. It seems to have been acted upon from the beginning till' 783, in the 
latter years of the kingdom, to such an extent that no son stands recorded to have 
succeeded his father, either immediately, or with intermediates. The sixty-ninth cata- 
Jogued king, and the twenty-first Christian, was son to his fifth predecessor. But the 
tradition of such a treaty is not to be received without much hesitation. 

The line male can only be legal, where nuptise patrem demonstrant, and can only 
be real where marriages are held sacred. In Ccesar^s time a British woman had some- 
times ten or a dozen husbands (as she called them), usually men of the same family ; 
and he who had known her as a virgin was accounted father of all her ofispring. — 
De Bello GralL L cap. 14. Strabo had collected from report that it was no better in 
Ireland, or rather that there was no rule at alL — iv. p. 282. St. Jerome, w^ho had 
resided in Gaul, and had a slight knowledge of what he said, affirms it without limita- 
tion: *' Scotorum natio uxores proprias non habet . . . Nulla apud eos conjux propria 
est, sed ut cuique libitum fuerit pecudum more lasciviunt." — Adv. Jovin. lib. ii. 
torn. ii. p. 335. Verona, 1735* He repeats the same thing, with inclusion of those 
Britons who were called Atticotti. '^ Scotorum et Atticottorum ritu, ac de Republica 
Platonis, promiscuas uxores, communes liberos, habent." — Epist. 69, ad Oceanum^ 
torn. L p. 413. The^e reports may be understood as limiting marriage to a possessory 
right, loosely observed and frequently dissolved. But nations, of which even rhe- 
toric could draw such pictures, must have been incapable of transmitting paternal 
inheritances, and must have lived under a pure tanistry, until the improvement of 
manners began to furnish stronger presumptions of parentage. The positive allegations 
of sonship, contained in the dynasties ' of the Antiquaries and Bards, may be lan- 
guage* of Christian adaptation, even after the names have ceased to be sheer in- 
ventions. The mother is the wet nurse ; any other economy belongs to art and 
refinement; and the vehement attachment of the Celtic tribes to their foster-brothers 

was. 



' Mr. Pinkerton lajB till 833, but it does not 
•o appear from the lista. 

'Of such adaptation there seems a flagrant 
iflstance in the two daughters of Tuathal Teacht- 
mar. The king of Leinster married Dairine, 
and afterwards became desirous of the other sister, 
Fither. So he went to Temora and said that 



Dairine was dead, and that nothing could console 
him but marriage with Fither, whom Tuathal be- 
stowed upon him. When this fraud was detected, 
Dairine died of vexation at his misconduct, and 
Fither of shame at the error into which she had 
been deceived. Rare sentimentalitj and tender 
nerves for A. D. 130^160. 



Ivi 

was, in its origiuy simply fraternal affection. The foster-brother was the only brother, 
and the common breast the only sure tie between them. In the Mabinogion we 
remark the paucity" of allusions to marriage, considered in any other view than as 
the fact of occupancy. The Triads of Arthur are very peculiar on this* head ; for 
Triad 109 gives '^ the three wives of Arthur, who were his three chief ladies ^^^ and no 
proceeds to give his three chief concubines ; so that the authors^ of those Triads saw 
reason to explain, and explain away, what a wife meant. See also the preface to 
Davydd ap Gwilym, p. 16. But the most singular passage is that of Solinus on the 
Hebrides. ** As you go from the foreland of Calidonia (the Mull of Gralloway) towards 
Thyle, in two days' sail you reach the islands of Hebudes, five in number, of which 
the inhabitants are unacquainted with grain, and subsist on fish and milk. They all 
have but one king, for they are divided by narrow waters from each other. The king 
has nothing of his own, all things belong to all. Fixed laws compel him to equity ; 
and, lest avarice should pervert him from truth, he learns justice from poverty, as 
having no private possessions. But he is maintained at the public expense. No wife 
is given to him for his own ; but he takes for his use, by turns, whatsoever women 
he is inclined to, by which means he is dd>arred from the wish and hope of having sons" 
— Solinus, cap. 22. This account is most important, as a description, not of barbarism 
merely, but of its polity. To prevent the evils of a disputed male succession, one 
purely and necessarily female was provided. The polity therefrom resulting was 
precisely the Pictish ; there no son could stand in his father's place ; and in Pictland 
(nearly to the last) no son ever did. Of the Hebudes, spoken of here as fvey as well 
as by Ptolemy, Marcianus, and Stephanus in 'Aifiovdat, viz. Ebuda i., Ebuda ii., Khi- 
cina, Maleos, and Epidium, the last two are undoubtedly Mull and Hay. But Hay, 
by Irish tradition, was the first seat of the Picts when they left Erin, and the cradle 
of the kings of Fortren Mor. No man can affirm from internal documents how far the 
Irish of A. D. 208 were proficients in the art of matrimony, and their external repu- 
tation for it was very low. If the ancient laws ascribed to Con and Cormac were satis- 
factory on these points, it would remain to shew them authentic and uninterpolated. 
But the contrary may be inferred from the entire silence of Lynch, when he boasts 
of those legislators, in pp. 157-8, and from his slight and general answer to Giraldus, 

iiL 19. 

" As the beautiful edition of them is from a and greatest series has '* wires ;" but the well- 

b&dj's hands, occasional reference to the original known name of Gwenhwyvar or Guenever, as- 

iext is to be recommended. cribed to all three of them, supplies the want 

* The first series, Tr. 69, merely says, '* the of the word wife ; besides which the next triad, 

three chief ladies of Arthur," where the third as in series 3, gives the three conenSnne*, 



Ivii 

iiL 19, as touching Pagan times, in p. 155 of the C. Eversus. The ill-fated Gynseceum 
of Cormac M^Art was, probably, connected with some desire on the part of that able 
man, to ennoble and purify the female character. Anecdote speaks truer than 
general declamation; therefore let us hear the wife of Argentocoxus, or Silver-hip, 
the Pict The empress Julia Domna reproached her, that they (the Caledonian 
women), after marriage, cohabited promiscuously with men. But she replied : •* We 
satisfy the wants of nature much better than you Romans. For we openly cohabit 
with the bravest of men, and you commit secret adultery with the vilest." While wc 
subscribe to her estimate of the merits of the case, we cannot doubt the facts of it. 
Whosoever would too sanguinely argue from ancient tales of marriages, wives, and 
queens, from Banba and Scota do¥m wards, should bear in mind that Silver-hip had a 
sort of wife. We know that he had a lady so called ; but we also know what sort of wife 
she was, — not by her personal fault, but by avowed usage of her nation; and how far, 
or whether at all, her nuptials demonstrated the father. The same Dion who related 
this had lately said of theMeeatsB and Caledonii collectively, yvvntHlv kwueoivoiQ xf>w/«cvo<. 
When the increasing civility of dress and manners had fixed upon the adherents to old 
fashions of nudity the title of Cruthneans, the latter, no doubt, continued also more 
barbarous in sexual and social rules. Their removal also was into islands where 
those rites which ascertain father and son were systematically excluded from the 
court There is, therefore, no such mystery in the Pictish prosapia fc&minea, or 
uterine tanistry, as should lead us to take up with that bardic romance of the 
Cruthnich husbands, bound by a solemn treaty to the unpetticoated government 
of their Milesian wives. Christian or semi* Christian bardism put on dissimulation 
in dealing with the dark annals of the past; and as it coined fables to dissemble 
the paintedness of previous generations, so did it others to keep out of sight their 

yafiov Aya/iov* 

The colour of ^e Britons, Picts, and Crutheni is not uniformly stated. Ciesar 
terms it coerulean; Ovid speaks of the virides Britanni (Amores iL 16, 39); and Pliny 
says they imitated the colour of Ethiopians, xxiL cap. i. But they used the herb 
isatis or glastum, called woad, which by preparation will yield blue, green, and black. 
The use of more than one tint appears grammatically as well as historically. For 
gkuium in Latin, glaS'lys in British, is woad. But fflas^ in British and in Gelic, 
means indifferently blue and green. It is surprising that even the simplest of men 
should have called the firmament on high and the grass under foot by one name of 
colour. But in truth the phrase is from the dyer's shop, and not from nature, 
meaning gkuticolor, woad-coloured. Of that there is confirmation, in the Gaelic 

IBISH ARCH. 80C. 10 h WOrds 



Iviii 

words' ^orm, guirm^ guirme^ guirmead, meaning alike blue and green, blueness and 
greenness, to stain blue and green, and guirmean^ goirmin^ the herb wood- Whereas the 
words not having such double sense, Uasar^ blue, nevUiWy skj-blue, gwyrdd^ ir^ tiaitkne, 
green (as well as the determining oompounds, like ir-^, green, Uath-gorm^ azure), 
do not signify that herb. All names for woad seem to be indifferent as to the 
two colours, and all words thus indifferent to be names of woad. Therefore tradition 
and etymology combine to recommend the opinion, that Celtic tribes diversified their 
skins with several tints and colours, as in Christian times they have distinguished 
themselves by the colour of their plaids. 

In those districts to which the Roman laws against Druidism did not extend, and 
where the practice had not, as in most parts of Ireland, come to a natural end, Chris- 
tianity was, no doubt, its destroying power. Besides any connexion it may have had 
with Pagan creeds, its very nature and object implied the nudity of the greater part 
of the body, which the Christian decorum has always condemned. But it is probable 
that the formal conversions by Ninia, Palladius, Columkille, i&c., may have found the 
custom fast dying away under the approaches of the dawning light. Pictland, I have 
studied to shew, had recently ceased to be governed by a dynasty of Bruides, when 
Columkille went thither. Yet the memory of that ancient usage, — nay, in some sort, 
the usage itself, — was supers titiously cherished by those who regretted and secretly 
retained Druidism. It was so in Roman Britain at that very time ; and among the 
Northern Picts and their neighbours still later. Beli Mawr, to whom every thing 
British was referred, was son of Manogan, L e. the Spotted-man, a name formed upon 
manog, in modem spelling manawgy spotted or party-coloured. They were joint 
patrons or tutelaries of the island: *' Skilfully will I praise thee, victorious Belil and 
King Manogan I thou shalt uphold the privileges of Beli's isle of honey.*' — Marwnad 
Uihyr^ P< 73' '^^^ same root, manaw, macula, yields the name of another titulary 
hero-god, Manawyd, synonymous with that of Manogan ; he was a perpetual guardian 
of the Cauldron of Britain. — J/etft. Uyr. v. 48. 

The poem called the Praise of Lludd contains that famous and obscure canticle of 
the Britons, said to be quoted o'r anant, ** out of the hymns," invoking one Brith or 
Diversicolor, ** Brith i Brithan' hail" &c, and describing the sacrifice of a cow that is 
vraith (feminine of brith) or party-coloured. — ^pp. 74, 75. Elsewhere it is said: '* They 

the 

« It should be mentioned. howe?er, that ffwm to signify, Brite (sive Picte) in Brltanniam (sire 
is also used for rtd, Pictorum-terram) festinato. 

y Brith % Brithan hai. — These worda seem 



lix 

(the multitude) do not know the ych biych, spotted or variegated ox, with the massive 
head-band." — p. 45. The bard Avaon says, 

» 

" I ha?e been a oat with a spotted* head on the triple tree. 
Bam oath ben-vrith ar driphren.** — p. 44 

And Meigant sajs of his order, the bards, ^* let the spoUed-headed* host from the cow- 
pen of Cadvan be invited on the day of ample allowance, hyddin pen-vrith o 

vuarth Cadvan." — p. 161. In the sorceries of Tintagel tower, when Pendragon put on 
the similitude of Gorlais, his accomplice, Merlin Ambrose, took the form of Brith- 

vad; that is to say, useful or effectual by variegation, picturipotens Brut. G. ap. 

Arthur, p. 292. Geoffrey seems to have read hrych instead of its equivalent hrith^ 
" Merlinus in Bricelem." — viii. 19. Avan Red-Spear, the favourite bard of the 
redoubted king Cadwallon ap Cadvan, praises him in this peculiar phrase : 

Mad ganed, mab brith, cythmor radlawn, 

Well-born is he, •on of the painted oae, gracioun eea-dirider , 

Axle of our priTilege, be went [againtt] the leagued valour of the unjust. 

Silent were the crowd of kings before the harmoniou3 ones. 

Verdure vegetated when the man was born a blessing 

To CjmnirT, when Christ created Cadwallawn. — p. 180 ; vide Evans Spec. p. 49. 

Though mab brith might signify pictua, not Jilius picti^ as mab sant is sanctuSy not JUius 
sancti, the words mad ^anedunply the latter sense. A certain Brith or Manogan seems 
to have been honoured as a person typical of Celtic antiquity; which idea wotdd 
make it ^^son of Brith." This superstition fell under ecclesiastical censure in the 
canons of the Synod of Calcuth, in A. D. 785. Those canons were decreed in Nor- 
thumberland, with the sanction and signature of Aclfward king of Trans-Humbria, 
his bishops, and abbots ; and were adopted and decreed in like manner by the clergy 
of King Offa, at Calcuth in Mercia. But the following canon evidently originated 
in the kingdom of Northumberland, which bordered upon that of the Picts, with 
some intermixture of population. ^' The Pagans, by inspiration of the devil, intro- 
duced most unseemly scars, agreeably to what Prudentius says in his Enchiridion, 

* Tinxit et innocuum maeulis sordentibus Adam.' 

Verily, if any one for God's sake were to undergo this blemish of staining, he would 
therefore receive great reward ; but whoever does it from the superstition of the Gren- 

tiles 

' If these allusions are to painting upon the surname of Maol, Bald, giren to Britan, son of 
shaven crown of the head, thej maj explain the Fergus Bedside, and founder of Britain. 

h2 



Ix 

tiles* it does not avail him to salvation." — ConciL Chalcutenae^ ap. Wilkins, L p. 150. 
This is a full mild censure, which maj, perhaps, imply that the offenders were neither 
few nor unpopular. Rhjdderch Hael,* prince of Strathcljde, the opponent of bardism, 
and more especiallj of Gwenddoleu the Caledonian and Merddin, invited St. Kentigem 
or Mungo to Gksgu to restore the Christian religioni which was almost destroyed 
(pene deleta) in those parts. Kentigem assembled the people, and said: ^' Whoever 
begrudge men their salvation, and oppose God^s word, by virtue of Grod's word I warn 
them to depart, that they may offer no impediment to believers. Quo dicto ingens 
larvatorum multitudo statura et visu horribilis a coetu illo exiens omnibus videntibus 
aufugit" — Jocdyfiy Vita Kentig. cap. 32; Pink, ViicB Sanctorum ScoUor, Though 
this is so retailed by Jocelyn, as to give the idea of demons, not men, yet the very 
word larvaii^ in its ancient sense of Aaunted, larvis exterriti, is contrary to that idea; 
and in its medieval sense of larv& indutus, wearing a hideous mask, it gives what I 
conceive the truth of this affair, that the Du-Calidons, and other '* brithwyr ddu," 
such as Merddin ap Morvryn and his disciples, removed from the congregation those 
ugly masks which they had substituted for human faces. But the most signal evi- 
dence of the systematic character of that superstition, which the Trans-Humbrian 
prelates pronounced ^^ unavailing to salvation,'' is furnished by an ancient bard, who 
thus describes the three Uu^ L e. troops or courses, into which his order, or certain 
functionaries connected with it, distributed themselves: 

[By the] customs of the kingdom Teymas arvereu 

The three troops shall be conducted Dygettawr y trillu 

Before the potent visage of Jesus ; Rhag drech drem lesu; 

The troop pure and innocent, Liu gwirin gwirion 

Of the appearance of angels ; Eiliw engylion ; 

Another troop of men variegated Liu arall brithion 

After the fashion of natives^; Eiliw hrodorion; 

The third troop, [of men] unbaptized, Tridedd llu divedydd. 

Stubborn co-operators in death, Syth llaith cyweithydd, 

Drive the gluttons into the lot of Devils, Hwyliant y glythwyr yn parthred 

Dieivyl, 
United among the good ones, Yn un yndaon 

[Though] with the appearance of the un- Gan dull anghy viawn. — p. 1 84. 

righteous. 

The 
* i. e. Aboriginet. 



Ixi 

The two last lines relate (in my oonjectore) to the Mrd Uu^ and not to their victims, the 
glythwyr; though it is a matter of inference^ not of syntax. 

Now the question arises, were these persons whom the bards applaud, and the 
synod censures, aculds ferreis^ cum atramento, &a, annotati? I cannot quite think 
it; but prefer the supposition, that they were, upon occasions, simply painUd in a 
superficial and removable manner; and not stigmatizedy as the Du-CaUdonian Britons 
were before St. Ninia, and the Gwyddyl Fichti before St. Columba; without prejudice, 
however, to their having certain marks partially, and secretly perhaps, imprinted on 
the body, both for superstition, and as the sign of initiation, and of being a *' mab 
britL'' 

This entire topic was deprived of much of its chances of elucidation by the 
destruction of Irish Ulster in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; for that king- 
dom was both the favourite seat of ancient bardism, and the principal residence of the 
Crutheni or Picts of Erin. But, even as it is, these pages would have contained more 
illustration had they been written ten years hence. 

Podacnpt, — My attention has been directed to a work manifesting much acquain- 
tance with the history of the clans, entitled, ^' The Highlanders of Scotland," &c., by 
W. F. Skene, F. S. A. Scot, Edinb. 1 837. Its coincidence with several of the main argu- 
ments and conclusions above offered obliges me to disclaim the suspicion of having 
purloined any of them from those pages, the existence of which has only now been 
made known to me, many months after the whole of my notes have been at Dublin. 
I specially allude to the doctrine, that the kingdom oS Picts, to which the Pictish 
Chronicle relates, was Graelic, and that its inhabitants were those people whom we call 
Highlanders. It was entirely unknown to me that such an opinion had ever appeared 
in print. That the Grael Picts were the whole body of the Albannaich, those excepted 
who dwelt west of Drumalban, was a conclusion that implied the falsehood of the clan 
pedigrees, exhibited since the fable of the Pictish extirpation became prevalent. But 

it 

^ In the twelfth century Cynddelw inTerted thii ancient order of the three troops, and arranged 
it 2, 3, 1 ; the Inference is supported hy his words r 

'* Three elamotm resort to the one eatddroo, Rygyidiant onpeir telr tiydar. 

The oanoonne of tribes, and BDiyt^rqiaistiaD; Cynnadledd oenedlsodd, a*m psr ; 

The troop of variegated pugnacioui ntUivei ; Uu brithion brodorion brwjfdyrgar ; 

Seoondly, the troop of wiathi blackish* and roaring Bil gwythlu gotddu gorddyar; 

aloud t 
Thirdly, the cheerftil troop, soothing down oppod- Trydydd Un nyw, Uitdd cyrarwar, 

tkm. 
The troop of bloMsd onea, whom the beautifiil loTeth. Liu gwynion, gwynoydig a gsr. "^ 



Canui Dduw. p. 249. 



c Isidorus Hispalensis, 



Ixii 

it was out of my power to work out that portion of the subject ; and I am glad to see 
it is there so effectually done. 

But there are also points which I am unable to concede. In this work is a third 
attempt to unite the Vecturions and Caledons, making them all Gaels, whom Innes 
made all Britons, and Pinkerton all Teutons, and I do not see that it is well sup- 
ported by fact or reasons. Having no space for stating and refuting the arguments 
upon them^ I must go straight to the points. It is not fact, that Ptolemy mentions 
fourteen tribes of Caledonians, or any tribes of them at all ; but the thirteen other 
names are by him clearly distinguished from the Caledonians. This is writing Ptolemy, 
not quoting him. I do not believe the list of Bruides consisted originally but of 28. 
Copies agree in stating they were thirty; and it is as likely, at least, for two names 
to be lost, as that miscalculation committed. The number 1 50 was a multiple of 30, 
not of 28, allotting five years to each king. Nor, if they were 28, could we reduce that 
number to 14, by retaining the Bruides and rejecting the Ur- Bruides. For nothing 
can be surer than that the Ur- Bruides meant something, and what they did mean I 
have already offered a surmise, above, p. xlvi. n. The purpose for which these four- 
teen Bruides are sought, requires them to be all living and reigning at the same 
time. Consequently we are told, vol. i. p. 251, that " Bniide is here stated to have 
thirty sons." Let us hear the statement : *' Brude Bout (a quo xxx. Brude regnaverunt 
per centum quinquaquinta annorum spacium) xlviii. annis regnavit.'* A series of 
kings, succeeding B. Bout during 150 years, are converted into a family of brothers. 
Lastly, I am far from persuaded, that the Situs Albania did by its ^' septem reges . . 
septem regulos sub se habentes," mean to express fourteen persons, not fifty-six persons. 
The latter scheme would extend the type of the Pictish constitution from the king- 
dom of the Ardrigh to each Maormor kingdom. We know that type existed in the 
Cruithne of Daln'araidhe. Cenfaelad, cit. Tigh. in A. D. 563. 

The idea of a subsisting bifarious division of Pictland in the eighth century, 
Cruithne being the northern and Piccardach the southern, seems to me an illusion 
built on verbal trifles. The tbrm Piccardach exhibits the only Irish name, founded 
on Pictus, that Tighernach employs. It is a general term, or used, if with any 
antithesis, in contrast to those of Ireland. Its combination with ard or ardach 
seems to imply Picts of the mountains ; in which case, it is with infelicity restricted 
to the lowlands. Mr. Skene alleges that " whenever Tighernach has the word Pic- 
cardach, the Annals of Ulster use the word Pictores, in Latin, instead of Picti, 
usually applied by them to the Picts." — i. p. 36. In fact, Tighernach has the word 
Piccardach in 728, 729, 734, and 750 ; and Pictones in 669, 750, and 752. Ulster 
Annals have Pictores thrice, in 668, 675, and 727 ; Picti (so far as I observe) not usualljf, 

but 



Ixiii 

but twice, in 697, and 787 ; and the common genitive, Pictorum, eleven times, in 630, 
652, 6^6, 728, 733, 735, 861, 864, 870, 874, and in 877, where they last mention that 
nation bj name, saying afterwards only Fir Albain. The 728 of Tighernach is Pic- 
tores in 727, Ult. His 729 and 734 are the genitive Pictorum in 728, 733, Ult. But 
the Pictones and Piccardach, both applied by Tighernach to the same people in 750, are 
reduced by the Ulster Annals to the one word, Pictores. Tighernach thought fit to 
borrow the name of the Pictones, or Gauls of Pic ta via. So Hermannus Contractus, an 
historian of his age, says at A. D. 446, '' contra Scotos et Pictavos." It is evident that 
his learning was wasted upon the Ultonian annalist, who converted it into Pictores, 
Painters. This phrase of Pictores has no relation whatever to Piccardach, only to Pic- 
tones. If the common genitive is to be fetched from Pictores, that rule must extend to 
all the eleven instances, including five subsequent to the fall of the Pictish dynasty* 
Talorcan M'Congusa was, it is said, a Pict of the north; and, as he delivered<^ up his own 
brother into the hands of the Piccardach, there must be ** a complete distinction" be* 
tween the latter and the Picts. But surely a fugitive and outlawed Pict (see Tigh. 
A.D. 731) can make his peace with thePictd by giving up his brother to them, without 
our using the word Pict in two senses. Uungust, it is said, receives the title of ri na 
Piccardach two years before he became king of Pictland; therefore Piccardach was 
another sovereignty. But rt, a king, does not always mean ardri, the king ; and it is 
a term applied to maormors of Albany, and Irish toparchs, governing provinces under 
the ardrigh. Thus the maormor Finleg is styled Ri Albain, Tigh. 1020; and in Ult. 
1085, Ceannmor reigning, one Domhnall M'Maelcholuim is also Ki Albain. When tlie 
general name is improperly added to rt, instead of the name of the toparchy, it only 
shews the details to be unknown or pretermitted by the writer. I know not whether 
all Pict princes of the royal blood and succession Yfere personcUlif so styled, perhaps 
not; but we read concerning the Irish Picts at 629 Tigh., Dicuil rt cenedyl Cruithne 
cecidit. Any dynastic theory built upon the mere use of the word ri is vain and 
unfounded* Feebler yet is the suggestion that the northern Picts ^' were a distinct 
body under their peculiar appellation of Cruithne." Since the Piccardachs were the 
southern Picts (we are told), " consequently the name of Cruithne, although occasion- 
ally applied to all the Picts, would in its more restricted sense belong to the Dicale- 
dones or North Picts." — pp. 36, 37. Whatever it would do under certain conditions, 
it never did so in fact. Its more restricted sense, that is, its more frequent sense, 
to which its Latin (Crutheni) seems really restricted, was the Picts of Erin. The 

only 

' Mr. Skene adopts the eanoerae Mtatemeni from retaining Me year of Tighernach. Wbjr this is 
Ult., tIa., that his brother surrendered him, while done, I know noW 



Ixiv 

only prop to this manifest fiction is another equally novel, viz., the interpreting 
Crukher^Tuath^ Picts of the North, p. 63, whereas the word ttiath in that, as in 
many analogous combinations, is never rendered the norik, but the people or noHan, 
Cruitentuath is actually applied by the Masters to the Picts inhabiting Ireland. — 
Quat. Mag. p. 29; and see above, pp. 126, 158. 

I have a word to add on the theory that the Cruithnich came from Albany to Erin, 
instead of the reverse. If strong arguments combine to confute the declarations of all 
our earliest authors let them stand confuted, but not otherwise. The system of Mr. 
Skene requires the Cruithnich or Gaelic Picts to have always held their territory, 
even from the earliest Roman records ; and therefore he is led, systematically, to 
maintain the above theory. The argument for it runs thus: ^' In aU the Irish annals 
the name given to the earliest inhabitants of Scotland is Cruithne.'' — p. 209. For 
which read, *' given to eome inhabitants of Scotland, by me regarded as the earliest;^ 
for more than that is incorrect. *' And this appellation is always applied by them to 
the inhabitants of Scotland, in contradistinction to the Scots or inhabitants of Ire- 
land." Of the instances (certainly rare) in which Tighernach carries that name out 
of Ireland, I have only noted three or four, in every one of which it is otherwise. In 
505 and 663 there is no contradistinction to anything ; and in 560 Cruithnechaibh 
is contrasted with Albanchaibh, meaning the Scots of Britain. It is the same in 
731, where Cniithne are opposed to Dalriadhe, unless that whole passage relates 
to Ulster. The inference follows: '* [In the first* place,] therefore, it can be proved 
from Tighernach that the Ultonians or inhabitants of the north of Ireland were 
Cruithne, and therefore must have come from Scotland." It can be proved from him 
and from others, that a very limited portion of the Ultonians were Cruithne. We 
are only carried thus far, that the name Cruithne was applied to a portion of each 
island; and thence we are to deduce, that Ireland received it from Albany. By the 
same process, mutatis nominibuSy and with a like disregard of all tradition, we may 
prove that Ireland was peopled from Argyle and Lorn, and Saxony from England. — 

(^.) 

NOTE 

* What follows, in the seoond place, is a des- of the Cruithne. But even these verbal dia- 

perate allegation that Cruthnia was all Ulster, lectics break down, for the text runs, '* against 

when it is well known to have not even included Cruithnia and against Fiach Arudh." Two 

all Down and Antrim. The plea is, that Fiach againttt^ because two powers, tIs., the tribe 

Araidh reigned at Emania, and that Cormao of which he was ri or chieftain, and the kingdom 

fought *« against Fiach and the Cruithne." Br^ of which be was ardri or pentarcb. See Tigh. 

the kingdom of Emania is identical with that in Sd6. 



Ixv 



No. XVIIL Seepages 122-124. 

The legendary history of the Picts or Cruithnians, aa given in tbe foregoing 
additions to the Historia of Nenniu8» will be found in a somewhat more detailed 
ahape in the following documents, which seem worthy of preservation here, as tending 
to illustrate and complete the subject, 

L The first is a tract on the Hiltory of the Picts, which is preserved in the Book 
of Lecan, fol. 286, &, col. 2, and is evidently compiled from the same traditions which 
formed the basis of the narrative given in the text, and in the historical poem on the 
history of the Cruithnean colony, which has been printed, pp. 126-153: 

lap mopbaS 6bip la h-6pemon in After Eber had been killed by Eremon 

aipjfcpop po 50b pfn piji n-Gpenn co in [the battle of ] Airgeatros, h^ {Eremon) 



cfno CU1C m-blia6an t>ec, ace ni bai 
bliaoam Gbip ip an aipfm pin. Po 
clapa Di pi^ paich lep .1. pairh Qinoino 
t cpich Cualano, t paich 6eochai^ uap 
6eoip. t)o pinoi imoppo coicfoaich ap 
Gpmo lapcain .1. bo pao piji coicio 5°^- 
leoin DO Chpeam chant) Sciachbel do 
Domnannchaib, t do pan piji TTluroan 
DO cheichpi macaib 6bip .1. Gp, Opba, 
Pfpon, Peapjna t)o pab piji coicio 
Chonocicc 00 Un mac Uici, -] bo Gacan 
mac Uici. Oo pao pi^i coicm Ulao do 
Gbep mac Ip a quo UlaiD Gamna. 



Ip pe lino DO pinDeaD no ^nima fo .1. 
each Chuile Caichfp la h-Qimipym n- 
^luin-^el ; 1 cino blia6na lappm Do cheap 
Ctimipjin 1 each 6ile Chineao 1 Culaib 

6pe5 



' Counhy 0/ CmalaHM. — CualMin origioaUyoom- 
priaed a oonaiderable portion of the preseDt ooonty 
of Wicklow ; bat io the latter ages it was con- 
sidered as co-extensire with the half barony of 

IBI8H ABCH. SOC. VO. 1 6. 



reigned over Eri fifteen years ; but Eber's 
year was not in that computation. He 
built two royal forts, viz., Rath Ainninn 
in the country of Cualann^, and Rath 
BeothaighB over the Nore. He then made 
provincial kings of Eri, viz., he gave the 
sovereignty of the Gaileon province to 
Creamthann Sciathbel, of the Domnann 
race ; and he gave the sovereignty of 
Munster to the four sons of Eber, viz., 
Er, Orba, Fearon, Feargna. He gave the 
sovereignty of Connaught province to Un, 
son of Uici, and to Eatan, son of Uici. He 
gave the sovereignty of the province of 
Uladh to Eber, son of Ir a quo the Ulto- 
nians of Emania. 

It was in his time the following deeds 
were done, viz. : the battle of Cuil Caithear 
was fought by Aimergin the White-kneed. 
In a year after Aimergin was slain in the 

battle 

Bathdown, in the north of that oonntj. See In- 
qnisition, 21st April, 1636, and Ussh. Primordta, 
p. 346. 

■ Rath Beathaiffh, now Bathreagh. 

1 



Ixvi 



6pe3 pe h-Gpemon. If in bliaoam checna 
po meabaoap po thip .i;e. m-dpopnocha 
Gle, 1 cpi h-Uinopmoa Ua n-Qililla, -| 
.1;:. R151 Cai^fn. 



Ipin blKxtKnn checria pm oonoaDop 
Cpuichnich a eip Chpaij^ia .1. ckmoa 
^eloin mic Gpcail iat>, Icarippi an- 
anmanoa. Cpuirhni^ mac Inj^e mic 
Cucca mic pappchaloin mic Q^oin 
mic &uain, mic TTlaipy mic Pai^peache 
mic 1ap(b micNaei. Ipeachaip Cpuich- 
neach, 1 cfc bliat>ain do 1 pi^e. Seache 
meic Cpuichmc onopo •!. pibpa, Pioach, 
Pocla, Poipcpenn, Caicche, CCipi^, Ce- 
cach ; -| a peache panbaib do ponopaD 
a peapanna, omail oDpeo in pile: 



TTIoippfpfp mac Cpuichnech ann 
panopoo a]\ peache a peapono 
Caicche, Qipij, Cfcach clarto 
pib pmach Pocla Poipcpfno. 

Qcup ipe amm each pip oib puil pop 
a peapano. 

piby imoppo, bliaoam op pi chic 00 a 

piDoch .;cl. bliaoain. 

poipcpfno 



*^ See above, p. 61-, and note ^ 

* Cetach thefmitjul: lit. Cetaeh of children. 
Cetaoli is here made a proper name ; but in the 
copy of these Terses giyen aboTC, p. 60, cecoch 
clano was giTcn as the cognomen or somame of 



battle of Bile Tineadh, in Guhubli Breagh, 
by Eremon. It was in that same year the 
nine riven Broenacb of £ile broke over 
the cotintry ; and the three riven Uinn-' 
sinn of Ui Aililla ; and the nine rwersBigh 
[£je] of Leinster. 

It ^as in that same year the Cruiih- 
nians came out of the o au n t ry of Thraeiay 
i e. they were the descendants of Gelon, 
son of £rcal: Icathirsi was their name* 
Cruithnigh was the son of Inge, son of 
Lnchta, son of Parrtholon, son of Agnon, 
son of Bnan, son of Mas, son of Faith- 
feacht, son of Jafead, son of Noah\ He 
was the father of the Cruithnians, and he 
reigned an hundred years. The sev^i sons 
of Cruithnigh were these, -viz.: Fibra, 
Fidach, Fotla, Foirtreann, Caitche, Airig^ 
Cetaeh* And it was into seven divisions 
they divided their territories, as the poet 
relates: 

Seven sons that Cruithnech had; 
They divided by seven their territory: 
Caitche, Airig, Cetaeh the fruitful'. 
Fib, Fidach, Fotla, Foirtreann. 

And each of them gave his name to his 
own territoiyJ. 

Fib, therefore, one year and twenty was 

his reign. 
Fidach, zL years. 

Foxrtreannt 

one of the scTen sons; and Instead of Caitche 
and Airig, we had Cait, Ce, and Ciraaeh. See 
p. IbS, n. 

Terriiofy, — See p. 60, note K 



Ixvii 



poipqifiiD •l;c;c blicRKiia 

Uppanncxxie Da bliot>ain op pichie; 

Uploici ba .;e. bliaoain. 

Uileo Cipic X^^ bliaoain. 

^oneaen 6ecai\ imoppo^ bliGRXxm. 

Updone Caic epicha bliaoain. 

^nie pinoechca .l;e. bliaoain. 

^up^nich ^uioie J^bpe, bliaoain. 

prc^fp bliaoain. 

UipF^chcoip^ffc^utpio .;cl. bliaoain. 

Caliiipgfre cpicha bliaoain. 

Upchal 6puioi pone cpioa bliaoain. 
pi^ Ulao oe aobapra 6puioi ppia 
each peap oib i panna na peap. 

6puioi Cino bliaoain. 

Utpchino bliaoain. 

pCc bliaoain. 

Uippeac bliaoain. 

Ruaile. 

Ro ^obfoo caeca ap oa cli^obliaoaii% 
uc epe ilUbpaib na Cpuicnech. 6puioe* 
epo, 6puioe-5apc, 6puioe-ap5apc, 
6puioe-Cino, 6puioe-Upcino, 6puioe- 
Uip, 6puioi - Upuip, 6puioi - 5P'*^N 
6puioi-Up^ir, 6puioi-niuin, 6puioi« 
Upmuin. Do pi^aib Cpuicneac annpin. 

8eipeap caipeach can^acop co h-Cpino 
.1. p(\peap oeopbpaichpi «i. Soilen, Ulpa, 
Neachcain, Cpopcan, Qenyup, CCicino. 

pach a ciachoa a n-6pinn, imoppo, 
polopnup pi Cpaicia oo pao ^ao oia 
piaip CO po cpiall a bpeich can oochpcu 

Cocap 



FcHTtreaan, Izx. years. 

Urpanncait, two years and twenty. 

Urloid, two years and ten. 

Uileo Ciric, Ixxz. years. 

Gantaen Becan, cme year. 

Ui^iant Gait, thirty years. 

Gnith Findecbta, Ix. years. 

Borgnith Guidit Gadbre, one year. 

Fethges, one year. 

Uirfechtair Gest Gurid« xl. years. 

Caluirgset, thirty years. 

Urchal Brtiidi-poat, thirty years, king of 
Uladh^, from him the name of Bmide 
18 given to erery man of them, and to 
. the divisions (territorud) of the men. 

Bmidi Cinn, one year. 

Uirchinn, one year. 

Feat, one year. 

Uirfeat, one year. 

Rtudle. 

They reigned fifty and two hundred 
years, ut est in the books of the Cruith- 
nians. Bruide-£ro, Bruide-Gart, Bruide- 
Argart, Bruide-Cinn, Bniide-Urcinn, 
Bruide-Inp, Bmide-Uriup, Bniidi-Grith, 
Bruidi-Urgpith, Bruidi-Muin, Bruidi-Ur- 
* muin. Of the Cruithnian kings so far. 

Six leaders came to . £ri, viz., six 
brothers, viz., Solen, Ulpa, Neachtain, 
Trostan, Aengus, Leitinn. Now the 
canse of their coming to £ri was, Polor- 
nns, King of Thracia, fell in love with 
their sister, and he attempted to get 

her 



k Uladh, In the words pi^ ulao oe, aoor- correct reading, which in another copy ii given 

rector has marked the letters pi^ with dots, to he ippi^e nlJlaO . If t>e, &c. Booli of Leacan, 

erased, but he, probably, omitted to sobstitnte the fol. 1 3, b., coL 2. 

i 2 



Ixviii 



Cooap Kippn CO po qiiallfao cap Ro- 
fnanchu co Ppan^u, -| po cumoai^feao 
cachaip uno .1. piccaipip a piccup a 
h-ainm .1. o na peanoaib, -| do poo pi^ 
Ppan^c 2ipab oia piaip. Cocap pop 
muip lap n-C^ in chuic(b bparap .i.Cai- 
cfnn. 1 cino oa la lap n-oul ap muip 
aobach a pi up. ^abpao Cpuirhni^ a n- 
inobep claine [read c-Slame] a n-ib 
Cfnopealai^. 

Qcbeapc ppiu Cpemchano Sciachbel 
r*5 Caij^Cn do bepao pailci 001b ap 
oichup Chuaiehi pio^a ooib. Qobeape 
qia Cpopcan opai Cpuiehnech piu, co 
poipi^eao lao ap loj^ o'paj^bail, -| ipe 
Ifi^fp .1. bleo^an .uii. pichic bo mael 
pmn 00 Dopcao 1 pail a peappaioea in 
each 001b .1. each Qpoa Ceamnachca a 
n-lb Cfnopealaich pe cuachaib pi^oa 
,1. cuach DO &peacnaib po bai 1 poch- 
apcaib -| nCm ap a n-apmaib, IDapb 
each aenpfp ap ci n-oeapj^aip -| ni 
^eboip ace lapnaiDi nfmi umpu. Cdch 
aen do ^obra do Cai^ib ipin chach ni 
DfnDaip ace lai^i pn leamnachc -| ni 
cum^iD nCm ni ooib, Ro mapbca lappn * 
Cuach phiD^a 



TTlapb ceachpap lappn Do chpuich- 
neachaib .i. Cpopoan, Solen, Neach- 



cain. 



her without paying a dowry. They then 
6et out and passed through the Romans 
into France, where they built a city, viz., 
Pictairis, a pictis, was its name, L e. 
from the points (pikes). And the King 
of France fell in love with their sister* 
They set out upon the sea, after the death 
of the fifth brother, viz., Laitenn. In two 
days after they had gone to sea their 
sister died. The Cruithneans landed at 
Inbhear Skine in Ui Cennsealaiglu 

Cremthann Sciathbel, the King of 
Leinster, told them that they should have 
welcome from him, on condition that they 
should destroy the Tuath Fidga. Now 
Trostan, the Cruithnean Druid, said to 
them, that he would help them if he were 
rewarded. And this was the cure hegaoe 
themj viz., to spill the milk of seven score 
hornless white cows near the place where 
the battle was to be fought, viz., the 
battle of Ard Leamhnachta in Ui Ceinn* 
sealaigh, against the Tuatha Fidga, viz^ 
a tribe of Britons, who were in the Foth- 
arts*, with poison on their weapons. Any 
man wounded by them died, and they 
carried nothing about them but poisoned 
iron. Every one of the Leinstermen 
who was pierced in the battle had no- 
thing more to do than lie in the new 
milk, and then the poison affected hiTn 
not The Tuath Fidga were all killed 
afterwards. 

Four of the Cruithnians died after, 
viz., Trostan, Solen, Neachtain, Ulptha, 

after 



The FotkarU, now the baronj of Forth, in the Coontj Wexford. See above p. 1 23, note >. 



Ixix 



eairv Ulpca, lap n-Dichop m chaca, 
conai> Doibpin po chan in frnchcno po. 

Qpo leamnachea ip eippea cheap 
pinoao each on each e^fp 
cpaeD Dap lean in c-ainm iplomo 
pop 50b o aimpip Cpimcoino? 



CpimehanD Sciachbel h-e po jf^b; 
DO rapaiD ap car cupaD, 
cen Dfn ap nfmib na n-apm 
na n-achach n-uarmap n-aj^pb. 



Seipfp Cpuichneach po chmo Oia 
can^Dop 1 eip Upa^a. , 

Solen, Ulpa, Nechoain nap, 
Qen^p, CeichcfnD, ip Cpopcan. 

Ho chiolaic Oia ooib, qie clup, 
Dia n-Dil ip Dia n-oucupup, 
Dia n-D(n ap nfmib a n-apm. 
na n-aichech n-ficig n-a^pb. 

Ip e eolup DO puaip ooib 
Dpai na Cpuichnech po ceooip 
qii .1. bo mael oon mui^ 
DO blaegan do a n-aen cuici^. 

Ho cuipeaD in cac co cace 
mon cuin^ a m-bai in lemnacc 
Ro maiD in cac co calma 
pop acacaib apo 6anbcu €(• 

Ip 1 n-aimpip h-6peanion po gobup- 
caip ^uba *] a mac j. Cachluan mac 
^uba .1. pi Cpuichneach neapc mop 

pop 



after the battle had been gained; and it 
was for them the poet sang this: 

Ard Leamhnachta in this southern 

country, — 
Each noble and each poet may ask, 
Why it is called by this distinctive name. 
Which it bears since the time of Crim- 

thann? 

Crimthann Sciathbel it was that en- 
gaged tA«fn; 
To free him of the battle of heroes, 
When defenceless against the poisoned 

arms 
Of the hateful horrid giants. 

Six Cruithnians — so Grod ordained — 
Came out of the country of Thragia. 
Solen, Ulpa, Neachtain the heroic, 
Aengus, Leithcenn, and Trostan. 

God vouchsafed unto them, in muni- 
ficence. 
For their faithfulness — ^for their reward — 
To protect them from the poisoned arms 
Of the repulsive horrid giants. 

The discovery which was made for 
them 
By the Cruithnian Druid was this. 
Thrice fifty cows of the plains 
To be milked by him into one pit. 

The battle was closely fought 
Near the pit in which was the milk. 
The battle was bravely won 
Against the giants of noble Banba. 

It was in Eremon's time that Guba 
and his son, viz., Cathluan mac Guba, 
King of the Cruithnians, acquired great 

power 



pop ^ipim>. Ho eo pup intM]|ib B|»- 
fmon a h-6pinD i co n-oeapnpat) fiD 
lapfui. 

Ho If o maccnb TTlileao pfn oo chuam 
Cpuichneachan mac Inji la 6peacnu 
poipqieono oo chachu^oo pe Sa;canchu, 
-[ pop ellao a clann -| a claioeam-chip 
ooib .1. Cpuicheancuach ipeoo ni po b€(- 
oap [mna] accu ap aobach bomocpoche 
CTlban do j^Upoib. Oo luio ono, ap 
a cul DO chum meic TTIilead i po ^abao 
nfm 1 calam jjiion -| epca, muip -| cip 
beich DO maich piu plaich poppo co 
bpach; -| aobepc of mnai oec popcpoio 
DO boDop la copcap Iliac 1T1ilea6 t n- 
Gpmn, uoip po bcnvea a pip ipa n-aipp^i 
c-piap mapaen pe Oonn ; conaDo pCpaib 
GpCnn plaich pop Cpufdiencuaich do 
j^pep lap pofpinD. mna 6p(ipi, imoppo, 
-| &uatDne-i6uaipi -| na coipfc po baicea 
u lie. Ocup anaip pfpfp oib op 6pf5 maij, 
-) ip uaichib each ^fp i each fCn -| each 
ppCb -| ^oca Cn -| each mana -) each obaip 
DO jniceap. 



Cacluan ip e ba pi|^ oppcha uile i ip ^ 
cfc pi^ po ^ob Qlbam Dtb. 6;i;;c pi^ 

pop 



power in £ri; until Eremoa banished 
them out of Eri, after which they made 
peace. 

Or, it waB*" the sons of Mileadh them- 
selves that sent Croithneachan mac Inge 
to assist the Britons of Foirtrenn to war 
against the Saxons ; and they (the Oruith' 
neana) made their children and their 
swordland, L e. Cruithean-Tnaith, sub- 
ject to them. And th^ had not wives, 
because all the women of Alban died of 
diseases. Thej, therefore, came back to 
the sons of Mileadh, who bound them, as 
they expected the heaven and earth, the sun 
and the moon, the sea and the land, to 
be propitioas to ihem, liiat they would 
subrnU to them as kings over them for 
ever. And they took twelve supernu- 
merary women, who bdonged to the Mile- 
sian expedition to £ri, whose husbands 
were drowned in the western sea along 
with Donn. And hence sovereignty over 
Cruithentuath belongeth to the men of 
Eri, according to some avi^horitiee. And 
(^ti;«re the wives of Breas, and of Buaidne, 
and of Buas, and of the </ther leaders^ who 
were all drowned. And six of them re- 
mained in possesion of Breagh-Mhagh ; 
and from them are derived every spell and 
every charm, and every divination hy sneez- 
ing, and hy the voices of birds ; and all 
omens, and all talismans^ that are made. 

Cathluan was then king of them all; 
and he was the first king of them that 

reigned 



■* Or, it wa$, — ^Htre the writer gtvei another 
account, from ■ome otlier authority. 



^ Talitman$* — ^For obaip read upaiD. Soe 
p. 125, mpra, and note % p. 144. 



fop Cllbain 0tb o Chaeluovi co Con- 
fxxnvin; if e C|uiiehnech oeijpnach pop 
gob oib. 

X}a mac Caeluam .i. Covanolocap -) 
Coealachoc. Q do cupoto^ im. pipn 
-} Cinj achaip CpuichmcK. Q &a ppuich 
.1. Cpof -| Cipic. Q oa miUao .i. 
Uofnrm a pili^ -| Cpuichne a cCpo. 
t)oninall mac Qilpm ipe o coifec. 

Ocup fpeao obbepcnb opoile cumoD 
h-6 Cpuicbne mao Coich mio Hijd p(h 
opoo t» ciniiiKisi^ ban pop Gpemon -| 
oomoo o^ oo bepeao6pemon mvio na pCp 
DO baicea moiUe pe Donn* 



reigned over Alba. There were seventy 
kings of them over Alba, frooi Cathhian 
to Conatantme, who was the last of them 
that reigned. 

Cathluan's two sons were Cotanolotar 
and Cata]achach. His two champions . . . 
. . . Pirn, and Cing the father of Cruith- 
nich. His two wise men were Cms and * 
Ciric His two heroes. • . » Uasoeam his 
poet, and Cmkhne his worker in metals". 
Donall mao Ai^nn was their leader. 

And others say, that it was Croithne mac 
Loich mac Inge lumself, that came to ask 
the women from Eremon ; and that it was 
to him Eremon gave the wives of the men 
who were drowned along with Donn. 



IL In another part of the Book of Lecan (fol. 141, a, coL i.), the story of the wives 
given to the Gmithnians is repeated in a somewhat difi^srent form. This document 
mentions the name of ^ place where this remarkable treaty between the two na- 
tions was said to have been agreed on, and contains also a list of the seven Chmithnean 
kings of Ireland: 



T>a n-occ t>4c mtleao do chuachaib 
Cpaicia DO lotxip ap ceario loin^pe 
meic niileaD Bppaine do ^Cpmain, Dop 
bepcaoop leo co m-booop a miliaxchc 
1^1 calcocap mna leo peacim, conao do 
pil meic mileoD appo paecap mna lap- 
pin. t>o bpeich injfna oi^hijCpnna 
Dooib o plaichnia GpinD,-| a|^ n-jlanoD a 
claiDeam-cip ooib allae ictp 6peacnaib 
.1. THay popcpfnn pptmo, t Hlaj Cipgin 
.1. popceo, conaD lap moepa gjabaic 
plaich T each comapbup olcheona lap 
na nCxpcaD poppu o peaparb Gpino .i. 

epi 



Twice eighteen soldiers of the tribes of 
Thracia went to the fleet of the sons of 
Mileadh of Spain, to Grermany; and they 
took them away with them and kept them 
as soldiers. They had bronght no wives 
with them at that time. And it was of the 
Milesian race they took wives afterwarda 
They received the daughters of chieftains 
from the sovereign-champion of Eri, and 
when they had cleared their sword-land 
yonder among the Britons, viz. , Magh Fort- 
renn, prime, and Magh Cirgin, po^^tea; so 
that it is in right of mothers they succeed 

to 



^ There ia ■ome oooliuion in this paaiage, m p. 134. The lorlbe appevt to luife taken the 
the reader will perceive by comparing it with proper name 1m for imoppo. 



Ixxii 



epi chaeca in^eon po ucfob a h-Gpe do 
mairhpib mac, int>e Qle na n-m^Cn a 
cpich Dal n-Qpoioi ipeao oDloeop leo, 



* Cpicha pi^ DO Chputchnib pop Gpino 
-| Qlboin .1. Do Chpuiehnib Qlbon -) do 
Chpuichnib Gpenn .i. Do Dail QpaiDi. 
Oca Din, OUumain Dia ra mup n-olla- 
man i ceamaip coni^e ptocna mac 
6aeDam ; po naipc pDe ^lallu Spenn '] 
aiban. 

Sece pi^ om Do Chpuiehnib GAban 
po pallnupcxiip Gpinn i ceamaip, Ollam 
ainm in checna pi^ po ^ob Spmo a 
Ceamaip ^ a Cpuachnaib, cpica bliaoan 
anD. 1p De aca TTlup n-Ollaman i 
Ceamaip; ip leip cecna Depnao peip 
Ceampach. 

Qilill OUpinDocca cap eip in OUaman 
a pij^i pop 6ipinn uili a Ceamaip cpica 
ano. Ip ina plaich piDe peapaip mpne* 
achca pfna co n-Demecha pep ipm 
jaimpiuch. 

pinDoU Cipipne caipeip in Qililla 
cpica annip a Ceamaip -| i ceanD [read 
ceananDup]. Nach n-aj po jenaip ina 

plaichpiDe 



to sovereignty and all other suoeessions, to 
which they were bound by the menof £ri. 
They took with them from £ri thrice 
fifty maidens, to become mothers of sons, 
whence Alt-na-n-Ingheani", in the terri- 
tory of Dal Araidhe, from which place 
ihey departed with them. 

There were thirty kings of the Cmth- 
nians over £ri and Alba, viz., of the 
Cruithnians of Alba and of the Cmith- 
nians of Eri, i. e. of the Dal Araidhe. 
They were fipm Ollamhan, frcmi whom 
comes the name o/Mur Ollamhan at Tea- 
mhair, to Fiachna mac Beadain, who fet- 
tered the hostages of Eri and Alba. 

There were seven kings of the Cruith- 
nians of Alba that governed Eri in 
Teamhair. OUamh wcu the name of the 
first king that governed Eri at Teamhair, 
and in Cruachan; thirty years were his 
annals'*. It is from him Mur Ollamhan 
at Teamhair is named : by him was the 
feast of Teamhair first instituted. 

Aillill OUfhindachta came after Ollamh 

in sovereignty over all Eri at Teamhair, 

for thirty years. It was in his reign the 

wine snow fell which covered the grass in 

winter. 

Findoll Cisirne succeeded Ailill thirty 
years at Teamhar and at Ceanannus 
[KeUs]. Every cow that was calved in 

his 



1* AU-nO'U'inpkean, — This place U not now 
known. The name tignifiei ** height or mount 
of the maideni." It will be obterred, that thii 
version of the storj represents the women who 
were giTen as maidens, not widows. See Beeyes's 



Ecd. Antiq. of Down and Connor, p. 337. 

*> His auuaU : that is, the length of his reign. 
This was the celebrated Ollamh Fodhla. See 
Petrie on Tara, p. 89, et »eq. ; Keating, p. 329, 
(HaUidaj's edit) ; O'Flahertj. Ogjg. 



Ixxiii 



floichf loe po bochCninDa, ipoe icaCean- 
annuf ina lochce. 

^eioe OU^ochac ma oiaio pioe i 
Ceamaip -} pop pain-laibe a cipib 
niu^oopna, po poUnupcaip cjpica ano. 
Ipna plaich pioe ha bmoichip la each a 
laile email biD chpoc ap meac in cam- 
chompaic bai ma plaich. 

SlanoU capeip n-^eici ip ma plaich 
pioe ni paibe ^alop pop Dume i n-6ipe; 
po poUnupcaip a Ceamaip -| plan pop 
Gipe cpica ann. 

6a^a^ Ollpioca capeip SlanuiU, po 
pollnupcxiip pop 6ipi a Ceamaip cpica 
ann ; ip ina plaich pioe nnopcanca coicci 
m 6ipe. 

beapn^al capeipinba^ai^; po poUnu- 
pcaip pop 6ipi a Ceamaip cpica ano, ip 
ma plaich pioe ap pochuip ich a h-6ipi 
ace miach ap meao in choicche in6pe-| 
apa Im. 

Ipe pin cpa nui .uii. pij po jobpac 
Bpmo oo Chpuichnib Qlban. 

Oo Chpuichnib 6penn om, di t>al 
Qpaioi .1. na peace Caijpi Cai^en ■) .uii. 
So^am, -| cac C[on]ailli pil i nBpino. 



his reign was white-headed : and it is from 
him that the name of Ceanannus is given 
to his places of residence, 

Geide OUgothach after him at Teamhair, 
and over Fain-Laibe, in the country of 
Mughdom [Moume], he ruled for thirty 
years. In his reign the voices of all 
sounded as the music of the harp to each 
other, so great was the peace in his reign. 

Slanoll after Geide. In his reign no 
person in Eri was diseased. He goYemed 
at Teamhair and health was over Eri 
thirty years. 

Bagag OUfhiacha after Slanoll. He 
governed Eri at Teamhair thirty years. 
It was in his reign that wars were first 
begun in Eri. 

Bearngal after Bagag. He governed 
Eri at Teamhair thirty years. It was in 
his reign that all the corn of Eri, except 
one sack, was destroyed, on account of the 
wars in Eri, and for their frequency. 

These, then, are the seven kings that 
ruled over Eri of the Cruithnians of 
Alba. 

Of the Cruithnians of Eri, L e. of Dal 
Araidhe^, are the seven Laighsi* [Leix] 
of Leinster, and the seven Soghains and 
all the Cailli^ that are in ErL 



III. The following brief account of the battle of Ardleamhnachta is taken from 

the 



r Dal'Araidhe, These were Cruithoigh by 
the mother*! side only. See Ogygia, part III. 
e. zTiii. 

' T^e seven Laigkeif i. e. the seven septs of 
Leiz. According to the tradition in the conntry 
these, after the establishment of sornames, were 

IRISH ARCH. 80C. l6. 



the O'Mores, O'Kellys, O'Lalors, O'Devoys or 
DecTys, Macaroys, O'Dorans, and O'Dowlings, 
who are still numerous in the Queen's County. 

* CttUlL This is a mistake for Conailli, as 
appears from Duald Mac Firbis*8 copy of the 
genealogy of Dal Araidhe, in which it is stated 






Ixxiv 



the Book of Leintfter, a MS. of the twelfth 
Dublin. (H. 2. i8. foL 8. a.) 

hippin amf ip fin [.1. amp ip hepimoin] 
cancaixip Cpuchmj conjabpac inbfp 
Sldne mh. Cenopelaij. RopUicCpim- 
ran cuce op in lejfp puaip opul Cpuich- 

nec 06 00 cac ppi Cuaich F'^>5^ (' F^^^" 
apcaib) .1. cuach oe 6prcnatb. Cac ofn 
pop 1 n-bepjcafp ha mapb, t nip jaib- 
ctp ace lapna nfmiDe. Conio ^ in lejfp 
ble^on p^ picec b6 mael pino 00 oop- 
cuo ip na h-eccpij^ib bale ipfppaice in 
car. Unoe each Qpooa lemnacc, Qcup 
00 pocpacap uile Cuac pioba cpiap in 
ceilj pin. 



Co po ^aib Cacluan mac Cin^ 00 
ChpurfncuaiD nfpr mop pop hfpinn. Co 
pop innapb hfpinion. 

Ip anopin came Cpuienecan mac 
Cin^e DO cuin^ib ban pop hfpimon, Co 
eapac hfpimon do mnaa na pfp po 
bacce oc na Oumacaib ,1. 6pfp "| 6pofp 
-| &ua^ne. Qcup pAc ypene -| fpca 
poppa CO n6 baD lu^u po ^abcha pfpano 
6 pCpatb I cpufrfncuaich quam 6 mnaib 
CO bp6r. 



century, in the Library of Trinity Collie, 

It was at that time [the time of Here- 
mon] the Cruithnians came to Eri, and 
landed at Inbher Slaine in Ui Cennselaigh. 
Crimthan allowed them to settle in his 
territory, on account of the remedy which 
the Cruithnian druid discovered for him, 
for making battle ¥rith the Tuaith Fidga, 
in Fothartaibh [Forth], viz., a people of 
the Britons. Because every one whom they 
wounded was sure to die; and they used 
no other than poisoned weapons. And the 
remedy was, to spill the milk of six score 

white hornless cows into the furrows of the 
place on which the battle was to be fought 
Whence it was called the battle of Ard- 
leamhnachta. And the whole of the Tuath 
Fidbha were cut off through that artifice. 

And Catluan, son of Cing, of Cruith- 
entuaidh, acquired great sway over Eri. 
And Heremon banished him. 

After that Cruithnechan, the son of 
Cing, came to beg for wives from Here- 
mon. And Heremon gave him the wives 
of the men that were drowned at the 
Dumachs, viz., Breas, and Broes, and 
Buagne. And they were obliged to give 
the sun and the moon as guarantees that 
not less should territorial succession be de- 
rived from men than from women, forever. 

IV. 



that Irial Qlunmhar, th« ion of Cooall Cearnacb, 
was the first of hit race who was called CnrtVAne, 
and this because he was aata Cruithne, i. e. filins 
sororis Crothnei, — Loinceadha, the daughter of 
Eochaidh Echbheoil, of Alba, being his mother. 



The principal sept in Ireland called ConaiUi 
the Conailli-Muirtheimhne, who inhabited the 
level part of the county of Louth, extending from 
the Cuailgne, or Cooley mountains, to the River 
Bojne. 



Ixxv 

IV. The following fragment contains a portion of the Irish Tersion of the Chro- 
nicon Pictorum, and is here given from a copy made by Mr. O'Donovan from a MS. 
(Laud. 6io, fol. 87, a.) in the Bodleian Library, Oxford : 

&puibe Upmum. 

Re^auepunc .cl. an. ub Di;cimuf, ■) po boe Qlbo ceopij [read cen pig] ppia pe 
huile CO haimpp ^ut> cec pi po ^b Qlbain huile qii chomaipli no ap ecin. 

Qcbepac apaile comao he Cacluan mac Cacmino no ^abao pi^e ap eicin hi 
Cpuchencuaich t m 6tpmo .1. .l;c bliaoam, -; lap fin po jab ^ux> .1. ,1. 

Capam .c. an. pe^auic. 

TDopleo a .;cu. a. pe. 

OeociUimon .;cl. an. pe. 

Cinioioo mac Qpocoif .uiu a. p. 

Oeopc .U a. p. 

blieblich .u. a. p. 

Oeococpeic ppacep Cui .;:l. a. p. 

[Upconbupc .;c;c a p. 

Cpaucpeic .;cl. a. p.]" 

Oeopoiuoip .p^c. a. p. 

Uipc .1. annif p. 

Ru .c. an. p. 

^apcnaic bole .nn. a pe. 

^apcnaicV mi [or perhaps im. for imoppo] .t;c a. p. 

&pech mac 6uchuD jni. a p. 

Uipo ijnauife .;t;c;c. a, p. 

Canuculahina .111. o. p. 

Uupcmech uecla .n. a, p. 

^apcnaic Oiupepp .l;c a. p. 

Colopc mac Qchiuip .l;x;pc u. 

Dpupc mac Gpp .c. a. p. 1 cet> each po2;ni. Hono oecimo an. pejni eiup 
Pacpiciuf fonccuf 6pif ao hibepniom pepufnie inpolam. 

Ualopc mac Qinel .nii. a. p. 

Necoan mop bpfc mac Gipip .p^iiii. ari pe^. Cepcio anno pejni eiup Oap- 

lujoach 

" Theae two . namei are omitted here, but are forty instead of sereD yean, whloli leads to a 

added in the margin by the original hand. The tuspicion of some eonflitioD with I>eot«trel0, 

name of Crotbolc, as it was given p. 159, is here arising from the similarity of temlnatioii. 

changed to Crmitreie, and his reign is made ' See aboTO, p. 160, not* ^ 

k2 



Ixxvi 

lujDoch abbacippa Cille t>apa oe hibepnia ^ulac ppo pcpo ao 6picaniam, f <>. h/ 
anno aouemcup cui [read pui] imniolauic Hecconiup anno uno Qpupni^e Oeo ^ 
panccae 6pi3ce ppecence [«c.] Daplugbach, que cancuuic all. pupep ipcam. 

Opepc ^upchimoc .;c;c;c a p. 

^alancipilich .;cu. a p. 

Oaopepc* .1. Dpepc piL 5'po'^l ^P^r^ F'". 6uopop .pcu. annippejnauuc. Opepc 
Fin.5iponrolup.u.ap. 

gapcnaic* pin. 5'P^^ •"'*• ^* P- 
Cailc apni pm. ^ipom uno anno pe^nauic. 
Calop^ p. niuproloic .;ci. a. p. 
Dpepc p. niunaich uno a. p. 

^alam cfnnaleph .1111. a. p. Cum &pioiuo 1^. anno pf^nauic. 
&puioe mac TTlelcon .;c;c;c a. p. In occauo anno pf^ni eiup 6apci|acup epc a 
pancco Columba. 

Jcqicnaic p. Domfch .pci. a. p. 

Neccan nfpo Uepb .;c;c a. p. 

Ciniach p. 6ucpin .;:i;c a. p. 

^apmaic mac Uum .u. a p. 

Calopc ppacep eopum ouooecim a. p. 

Calopcan p. Gnppfch jin, a. pej. 

^apmaic p. Oonuel .ui. a. p. -| ofmeoium anni. 

Opupc ppacep e)up .uii. annip p. 

6puioe p. pile .;c;ci. a. p. 

Capan p. Gnpmaij .nii. a. p. 

6pei p. Depelei .;ci. a. 

Hechcan p. Depilei .;c. a. p. 

Opepc T Glpin conpfjnauuc .u. a, 

Onuip p. Upjuipc .;cpc;c. p. 

6pece 



(( 



y These cootractloni probably stand for " se* 
cundo autem.*' See above, p. 163, and note. 

* The reading here given strongly confirms the 
conjectural emendation of the passage soggested 
note*, p. 162. The word pin. is an evident 
mistake of the transcriber for pil. or Jilius, 
arising from his not understanding the contraction 
pi, which he has himself sometimes retained. 



It appears also that the contraction uCuc, p- 162, 
which I there supposed to be intended for " com- 
muniter," is really a corruption of the termina- 
tion veruni, of the word '* regnaverunt." 

*Here one of the kings, vis., Galum-cenam- 
lapeh, is omitted, but he is placed after Drest, 
son of Manaith, as in the Chron. Pictorum. See 
p. 163, note K 



Ixxvii 

&peee pi. Uupj^uc .;cu. a. p. 

OimoD p. Uup(be^ .;cii. a. p. 

6lpin p. Uupoio .ui. a. t oimibio peyni*. 

Opefc p. Calopcan i®. a. p. 

Calop^fn p. Opuipcfn .1111. uel .u. a. p. 

CalopcCn p. Omuipc .;icii. -| biTnCoio a. p. 

Canaul p. Cany .u, a. p. 

Caupeoncin p. Uupjuipc .;r;r;c. u. a p. 

Uionuipc p. Uupyuipc .;cii. a. p. 

Dpepc p. Conpcancin -] Cdlofc p. Uuehoil .111. a conpeynauunc. 

Unfn p. Unuipc .111. a. p. 

UupoD p. 6ap3oic .111. a p. -| 5peo i*. a. p. 

CmaeD p. Qlpin .;cui. a. p. 

Oomnall p. Qlpin .1111. a. p. -| Cupcanan p. Cinaet>a .;c;c. a. p. 

Qet> p. Cinaeoa .11. a. p. 

5»p>c mac Ounyaile .;ri. uel .111. a. p. 

OomnuU p. Conpcancin .;ci. a. p. 

Cufconcm p. Cltt>a .;cl. a. p. 

maelcolaim p. OomnaiU .i;c. a. p. 

Culfn p. Ilboilb p. Conpoanan .111. a. p. 

Cinaeo [uel t>ub] * p. TTIaelcolaiin .uii. a p. 

Culfn p. Ilooilb .1111. a. p. 

Cmaeo p. Cot. .;c;e.iin. a, p. 

Cupconcin p. Culeoin i®, -| Dunfoio a. p. 

CinaeD p. t>uib .uiii. a. p. 

TTlaelcoluiTn p. Cinaeba .;e;qpc a. p. 

Donnchao hua mailcolaim .ui. a. p. 

niac 6r€hao mac pin mic 6aiy .;cui. a. p. 

Culach .u. mip. 

niaelcoluim mac t)onnchacha lappCin. 

As the foregoing list of kings is so nearly the same as that printed above, pp. 158 
-167, it has not been thought necessary to add a translation. It ends foL 87, a, &, 
and occupies two columns of the manuscript, which evidently contained a complete 

copy 

^ Bead anni. It ii ounom that the nme * The words ** vel Dub" are writteD over the 

error is committed in the MS. from which the line by a later hand, 
test is printed, see p. 164. 



Ixxviii 

copy of the Irish version of Nennius, although only a single page now remains. It is 
followed, as in the text (see p. i68, auprd), by an abridged translation, in Irish, of the 
beginning of Bedels Church History. 

y. To the foregoing documents, which may be regarded as the principal sources 
of the history, may be added the narrative of Keating, which was compiled from 
them ; but this is so accessible to studenta of Irish history, that it will not be necessary 
to reprint it here. — (T.) 

Nob XIX. Seepage 153. 

The vigarous Mac Brethack. — The number of fifty kings demonstrates that Mac- 

bethach, L e., Macbeth, is the name here signified; the letter r having crept in by 

an error of transcription. Macbeth Mac Finleg succeeded Donnchadh Mac Crinsn in 

the united sovereignty of Fortren Mor and Dalriada. His contemporary and subject, 

the author of the Duan, calk him Macbeatha Mac Finlaoich, vv. 102, 103. In the 

Nomina Begum Pictorum, Innes ii. p. 803, Chron. B^um Scotise, ib. p. 791, and 

Begister of Loch Levin, his father is respectively called Finleg, Findleg, and Finkch. 

The catalogue in Cambrensis Eversus writes Finlaigh. That which is given above, 

p. 166, and p. Ixxvii., absurdly says, Macbeathad, son of Fin« grandspn of Laigl This 

is the ancient Irish name of Finloga, borne by the fathers of Finnian of Clonard and 

Brendan of Clonfert ; and it is the modem Scotch name Finlay. John of Fordun (with 

an ignorance, or contempt of truth, of which the former would be surprising) makes 

it the woman's name, Finele ; of which hereafter. Hector Boeoe, his right worthy 

follower (246 b. 249 b.), has changed her into a man, Synele, yet retains the locality 

of that famous woman in Angus; and he furnished the history to Holinshed and 

Shakspeare, 

** By Sinel'i death, I kDow, I am Thane of Qlamis." 

Among those hereditary lords of provinces, who were called in N(»rth Britain 
maormors or mormaers, and whom the Irish writers often called righ or ri, was a 
certain Budri or Buaidhre. He had two sons, Malbrigid and Finleg* The latter, 
whom Ulster Annals describe simply as l^eing a " ri Alban,*' Was, according to Tigh- 
emachy " the mormaer of the sons of Croeb;'' but I cannot find it stated what terri- 
tory that clan possessed; and he was, in 1020, ^* slain by the sons of his brother 
Malbrigid.'' In 1029, one of his nephews and destroyers, Maelcolaim Mac Maelbrigdi 
Mac Buadri, called by Tighemach a ** ri Alban," died. And, in 1032, another nephew, 
'^ Gilla-Comgan mac Maelbrigdi, Mormaer Murebe (of Moray or Murray), was burnt, 
and fifty others with him." In 1 040, Mac beth Mac Finleg MacBuadri became ardrigh 
of Albany, and was slain in the last days of 1056. In 1057, Lulach, son of Gilcomgan, 

was 



Ixxix 

was reigning, and died ardrigh of Albany. And, in 1085, Maelsnectai, son of Lulach, 
and ri Muireb, died feliciter or in peace. Such, I believe, is the amount of the ex- 
tant notices of the house of RuadhrL 

Finnleikr Jarl the Scot is mentioned at the close of the tenth age, as contending 
against Sigurd Hlodverson, Earl of Orkney (who afterwards fell in the battle of 
Clontarf), with superior forces but inferior fortune, in a battle fought at the 
Skidamyri^ in Caithness. Olafs Tryggvasonar Saga, i. p. 199. 1825. The same page 
mentions a previous victory gained in Caithness by Liot, Sigurd's uncle, over Marg- 
biodr, another Scozkan jarl, or Scottish maormor. Macbeth Mac Finleg was too young 
for the tale to be true of him; yet I think it exhibits a Norse* corruption of some of 
the spellings of his name. The celebrity of Finleg's name among the Northmen may 
be argued from the fabulous romance entitled Samson Fagra's Saga, where Finlaugr 
figures as a Jarl of Brettaland, Britain. See that Saga, c v. p. 6, c vii. p. 10, in 
Biorner's Nordiska Kampa Dater. We know that Moray was h^editary in the house 
of Malbrigid ; and I suspect the mic Croeb were seated in Crombath or Cromarty, or 
more generally in Ross. For in Macbeth's dream of the weird sisters, the first of the 
three salutations, descriptive of his natural and first estate, was, *' Lo 1 yonder the 
Thane of Crwmbawchtyl" — Wyntown^s CrotL vL cap. xviii. Crombath, as now 
limited, is the eastern angle and estuary of the extensive Land of Ross; in which 
territory it is, therefore, probable, that Finleg Mac Ruadri had his estates or domi- 
nions. 

I think that his brother, Malbrigid (whose death is unchronicled, but seems to 
have occurred anterior to 1020), was probably that jarl of the Scots, Melbrigda Tonn, 
or Malbrigid of the Long Tooth, treacherously slain at a parley by Sigurd, the Nor- 
wegian Earl of Orkney, who had overrun Caithness, Sutherland, and Ross, and even 
built a fort in the Australis Moravia. — ^Olaf. Trygg. cap. xcv. p. 194; Torf. Ore L 
cap. iv. But this story is told of Sigurd, son of Eystein ; whereas the date of Mal- 
brigid, as well as the magnitude of this Sigurd's encroachments upon Scotland, would 
rather require it to be understood of Sigurd Hlodverson. We collect elsewhere who 
that Maormor was whom Sigurd Eysteinson had put to death; it was Malduin 
(Meldunus comes e Scoti^) father of Erp, and husband to Mirgiol, daughter of 
Gliomaly an Irish rex.^ — Torf. Ore. i. cap. v. p. 16. 

Macbeth 

d Marsh of Skida. Melbrigda. And he reprcients the defeat of this 

* TorfBDOB had somewhere foand it written maormor as occurring at the same Skidamjri. 

Magbragda* which comes nearer to Mac, in the — Orcades, c. ix. p. 25. 

first syllable, while the residue is borrowed from 



Ixxx 

Macbeth Mac Finleg was certainly married to the lady Gruoch, daughter of Bodhe 
or Boidhe. — Chartulary of Dnnfermlin, cit. Pink. ii. p. 197; Reg. of St. And. cit. 
Chahners Cal. i 397, n.; " Dame Grwok," Wynt. vi p. 18, 35. That Bodhe is sup- 
posed to have been son to Kenneth IIL^ or IV. whom Malcolm II. slew and succeeded 
in 1003. Ulster Annals, at 1033, say, TTlac mic &oeche mic Cineaoa 00 inapbaD 
la maelcolaim TDac Cinaeoa. The son of the son of Boethe, son of Kenneth, was 
slain by Malcolm, son of Kenneth — Dublin MS. This unnamed man, grandson of 
Boethe, nephew of Gruoch, and great grandson of Kenneth lY., was slain in 1033; 
but nothing is known of his grandfather's fate. The violent death of Gilcomgan and 
his friends, in 1032 (and perhaps the death of his brother Malcolm, in 1029), was, 
probably, the penalty of Finleg^s blood, which the young Macbeth would naturally 
desire, and, I think, did not want the power, to revenge. That Gruoch was his 
widow may be conjectured on the following ground: Gilcomgan was maormor or ri 
of Moray ; and that province descended peaceably, through his son Lulach, to his 
posterity. Yet her husband Macbeth, Maormor of Cromarty, was reputed to have 
somehow acquired the government of Moray, inasmuch as the second of the *' werd 

systrys," saluted him as the future thane of Morave ^Wyntown, tom. L p. 216. The 

intimate connexion between Lulach and Macbeth will appear presently. 

The claims of Finleg's son to the united crowns of Dunstaffnage and Scone remain 
unknown and unexplained. Donnchadh, daughter's son and successor to Malcolm II. 
and son to Crinan, Abbot of Dunkeld and Abthane'* of Dull, was, as the Annalists 
write, a suis occisus; or, as the Nomina Regum say, was slain by Macbeth at Beth- 
gowanan (Lochgosnane ap. Fordun) near Elgin ; or, according to the Elgiac Chro- 
nicle, 

" A Finleg natot percusBit earn Macabetoy 
'^Inere lethali rex apud Elgin obit." 

However Marianus, who was about twelve years old when it happened, acquits Mac- 
beth 

f Kenneth Grim Mac Duff, ooutin-german to InTerness, was in ancient Moray ; and that mo- 

Malcolm II. dem salutation is equivalent to the ancient, 

■ In that legend, the existing and apparent fact describing the Moravian Mormaer by one of his 

is elegantly distinguished from the second sight, principal fastnesses, as the Angusian is described 

or vision of things future: I. Lo! yonder Me by that of Glammis. See Rhind's Sketches of 

thane of Crwmbawchty ! II. Of Morave yonder Moray, p. 1. The modern division into counties 

/ $ee the thane. III. / $ee the king. By what is of no use for those times. 

Ijing folly Angus or Glammis was, in later times, *> For the Abthanate of Dull, see Macpherson's 

substituted for Cromarty, will appear in season. notes to Wyntown, and the authorities there 

Galder or Cawdor, now situate in Nairn and cited. 



Ixxxi 

beth of direct agency in tbat bloodshed, saying: " 1040, Donchad king of Scotia is 
slain a duce suo. Mag-Finloech succeeded to his kingdom.*' For here the dtuc and 
the successor seem distinct persons. Duncan had succeeded Malcolm in 1033, and 
therefore, when the blood of the Lady Gruoch's nephew was still fresh ; but nothing, 
unless it be his perishing by her husband's means, points to him as guilty of it. But 
if we may credit an ancient tradition (not to surmise any lost compositions ih prose 
or Terse) which flows through channels rather friendly than neutral, and comes to us 
conjoined with virulent abuse of his destroyer, the son of Crinan had provoked his 
fate by vicious and impolitic behaviour. For Wyntown tells us, that he made the 
miller's daughter^ of Forteviot ** his lemman luwyd," and b^at on her a bastard son 
who afterwards reigned as Malcolm Ceannmor. After Duncan's death (so the story 
runs) she married a boatman or batward, whose piece of land was transmitted to their 
posterity, and called the Batwardis land. Wyntown proceeds to boast that the 
Empress Maud, many kings of England and Scotland, and Pope Clement II., were 
descended from the miller of Forteviot. He certainly knew nothing of what his 
contemporary, John of Fordun, had written, or was just about to write, that Duncan's*^ 
wife, ^* consanguinea Sywardi comitis," bore him Malcolm and Donald, iv. c, 44. 
The early writers assign no sort of domestic or personal motives for Earl Siward*8 
march into Scotland, which was simply made jussu Eadwardi regis. Simeon Dunelm. 
in 1054. Duncan proceeded to load this girl with honour and dignity, 

'* This woman he would hare put til hycht, 
Til great state, and til mekyl mycht ;** 

but that bad policy was put down by the revolt of the son of Finleg, 

" But Macbetb-Fynkk, his lyBter lowne. 
That purpose letted til be downe," 

and the crown was transferred to his head, on the death of Duncan at Elgin. — cap. xiv. 
p. 206. These events happened in 1039 or 1040. Macbeth then reigned for seven- 
teen years in prosperity and affluence, 

*' Rex Macabeta decern Scotie septemque fit annis. 

In cujus regno fertile tempus erat." — Chron. EUg. 

I think 

* Perhaps the fame of it reached the northern brought about. The miller and giantess are de- 
kingdoms. For the Samson Saga mentions, that strojed, but the wicked son surTiTCs. Farther 
Finlog, the Jarl of Brettaland, had among his than as abore, the matters are totally irreleraat. 
subjects a miller Galin, and a giantess living ^ He does not say ** wife," but it is snflldeatly 
under the mill stream ; by whom, and bj their implied. Boece and Buchanan improve consan- 
son, all the distresses of that wild romance are guinea into filia. 
IBI8H ABCH. 80G. 1 6 1 



Ixxxii 

I think the death of Malcolm XL, leaving only grandchildren through his daugh- 
ters, produced a disputed succession ab initio. Simeon of Durham was perhaps bom 
about the time of Macbeth^s death, since he died about seventy- two years later. He 
lived near the Scottish border at the time Duncan's sons were reigning, and ignorance 
on his part is hard to suppose. Yet he takes no notice of any King Duncan, and 
says, '' anno 1034, Malcolm rex Scotorum obiit, cui Machetad successit." — Sim* in 
anno in Twisden. This is the more remarkable, because Marian, of whose work 
Simeon made use, had said, '* 1033-34, Maslcoluim, king of Scotia, died; Donchad, son 
of his daughter, succeeded him for five years." Simeon must have held with some 
persons who counted Duncan as an intrusive pretender; and implies that Finleg's son 
asserted his rights during the whole time. This becomes clearer at the accession of 
Malcolm UL, whom Simeon describes as ^' son of the king of Cumberland," thus 
owning that Duncan had been appointed tanist under his maternal grandfather, and 
entitling him accordingly, but denying that he had ever been king of Soots. Sim. 
Dunelm. et Florent. Wigom. in 1054* It is recorded by the Northmen that, at this 
same epoch of the second Malcolm's death, one Karl Hundason '* took the kingdom^ 
of Scotland," that is to say, assumed the style of ardrigh; and they appeal to°> the 
contemporary and undeniable authority of the Orkney bard. Amor Jarkskald, of whose 
poems the authenticity will hardly be questioned. He appeared as king of Scots in 
Caithness, supported by the forces of an Irishman acting in Caithness, named 
Moddan of Duncansby, and called^ brother (in the sense, I suppose, of brother-in-law) 
to the king of the Scots, whom Karl appointed to be his general, and, on Thorfinn's 
refusal of tribute, to be Jarl of Katanes. He appears to be described as cousin- 
german of EjirL But in various actions Moddan was defeated, and slain, by Thorfinn 
Sigurdson (daughter's son to Malcolm II.), and by his tutor, Thorkell-Fostri; and 
Karl, equally unsuccessful in his own subsequent efforts, disappeared from those 
parts, and his fate was never ascertained. — Orkneyinga Saga, p. 31. Karl's forces, 
besides those from Ireland, were raised both in East and West Scotland,* and especially 
in Cantire^. He was son to Hundi, L e. Canis, otherwise Hvelpr, L e. Catulus. 

Sigurd, 

1 Tok tha riki i SkotUodi Karl Hundason. ther saint or reprobate, — Lanigan ii. 325-6), 

" Pinkerton has the arrogance to saj, " this and that of a Scotch saint* 

fable needs only to be read to be rejected."— ii. « b^^ i^ ^ ModMn pay th«ir nnra; 

p. 1 96. 8<»« to St. Muj of the Lo«rw." 

» SkoU konang's brodur.— Nial's Saga, cap. 86. LaynfLoH Mhutrti, ti. st X7. 

Moddan is the same Irish name, as that of Modan "Called in the Norse tongue Satiria. See 

of Kilmodan Abbey in Longford (.doubtful whe- Orkn. Saga, p. 39, p. 116. 



Ixxxiii 

Sigurd, before marrying that king's daughter, had defeated the two Scottish jarls, 
Hundi and Melsnaddi or Melsnata' (Maelsnectu), not far from Dxmcansby, and slain 
the latter. See Nial's Saga, cc. 86, 87. This Hundi should be Karl's father. Sigurd 
also himself had a son Hvelpr or Hundi, whom Olaf son of Trjggvi took to Norway 
as a hostage, and christened Hlodrer. These events happened from twelve to thirteen 
years after Finleg's death ; and when Karl"^ was quite in his youth, for Amor Jarlas- 
kald. Earl Thorfinn's bard, says of him and the war he carried on, 



tt 



" Ungr oUi' thyi theingill,' 
The youthful king was. the cause thereof.' 



<i 



Therefore Karl coincides with Macbeth in these points: in his probable age, in that 
he was a claimant of the crown on Malcolm's death, that he did not then succeed in 
his claims, and that he is not averred to have perished in the attempt. But he differs 
in the names, Karl Hundason being very different from Macbeth Mac Finleg. The 
difference however is evanescent; for the Norse word Karl is no more of a Scoto- 
Pictish name, than Philadelphus or Soter were Ck>ptic names. And the Norse word 
Hundi was not any name at all, but a nick-name, being given (both to this Celt, and 
to Hlodver Sigurdson) in the alternative, Hvelpr edr Hundi, Hundi etha Hvelpr, 
anglice, '^ either hound or puppy." We chiefly, if not solely, meet with it for a 
name* in Orkney and Caithness; and perhaps it was adopted from the Graelic appella* 
tion by which alone a king of Scots of the tenth century (a vile person, but whether 
so called on th^t account I do not say) is known to us, Culen or Catulus. Vide Olaf. 
Trygg. cap. xcviii tom. L p. 202, ed. 1825 ; et ap. Snorro, cap. zi. p. 145 ; Torfasi Ore. i, 
cap. X. cap. ziiL Considering the synchronism of Simeon Dunelmensis ; that Malcolm IL 
could scarcely have any claimant of his inheritance named Karl^ otherwise than 
through his daughter, Sigurd's wife; that no idea of a Norse claim to the succession, 
through Sigurd, is anywhere hinted; and that the right and might of such a claim, 
had it been raised, would have been with Malcolm's grandson, the valiant Thorfinn 
Sigurdson, Earl of Orkney and Katanes; I am induced to the belief, that Macbeth in 
his youth was known in the northern jarldoms by the Teutonic appellation of E^l, 
man, and that his father, Finnleikr Jarl, who fled before Sigurd Hlodverson at the 

« Skidamyri, 

' Mel is the regular equifalent of the Gaelic ' OlII, in causAftiit, from the rerb Telld, efBeere, 

Maol or Mai. in caus& esee. 

4 Therefore I hare rendered the ambiguous ' I mean standing by itself ; for, added on to 

word systrson, applied to Moddan (Orkn. p. 30), other names, we find Sigurd Hand and Thorer 

by consxn-german, and not nephew. Hund in Norway. 

12 



Ixxxiv 

Skidamyri, was likewise tbe Hiindi Jarl, dog^ wbom the same prince defeated, also in 
Caithness; the son's title standing in favonrable antithesis to the father's. Finleg 
did not &11 by northern hands, neither did this Hundi or Hvelpr; and* Maelsnectai, 
the name of this Hundi's colleague in the war, was a name used in the house of 
Ruadri. 

The most violent domestic occurrence of Macbeth's reign happened in 1045, 
namely, the bloody battle in which Crinan, father of the deceased Duncan, fell, 
prsBlium inter Albanenses invicem, in quo occisus est Crinan Abbas Dunceldensis et 
multi alii cum eo, L e. novies viginta heroes. — Tigh. It is written, that Macbet filius 
Finlach gave lands to the Culdees, i. e. the Chapter, of Lochlevin. — Regr. of LochL 
But very few of his acts have been permitted to survive. In 1054, Siward, Earl of 
Northumberland, was sent into Scotland by the Confessor, and gained a battle over 
Macbeth, whom he put to flight, fugavit.— Sim. Dun. in anna Chron. Sax. ibid.; 
Flor. Wig. ibid. Two Norman nobles who had found refuge at his court in 1052, by 
name Osbem and Hugo, fought on Macbeth's side and were slain. — Roger Hoveden 
in anno. Ulster Annals describe it as a battle between the men of Albany and the 
Saxons, in which 30cx> of the former and I5cx> of the latter fell, and on the Saxon 
side a certain Albanian (to judge from his name) called Dolfinn, son of Finntur. — Ann. 
Ult in 1054. By like order of King Edward, the Earl constituted Malcolm Ceannmor 
king. — Sim. et Flor. ibid. It cannot be said what portion of the country he succeeded 
in conquering. But whatever Siward may have proclaimed after gaining the battle, 
the accession of Malcolm is Universally dated more than two years later. Siward 
died the next year, and Malcolm resumed the war in 1056. On the 5th of De- 
cember 1056 (Fordun) Macbeth was slain in a battle fought against Malcolm, at 
Lumphannan in Aberdeenshire ; and he was buried in the royal cemetery of lona. 
His fame has been both obscured and magnified through a mist of lies, partly fabri- 
cated in honour of the house of Stuart, but now immortalized and enshrined for 
ever. 

After the battle of Lumphannan, Lulach Mac Gilcomgain, son to the burnt Maormor 
of Moray, first cousin once removed from Macbeth, and perhaps his stepson and 
ward, was proclaimed King at Scone by the opponents of Malcolm. In the Nomina 
Regum he is Ltdach Fatuus; in Wyntown, vi 19, Lulawch Fule; in the Chron* 
Regum Scotise, temp. Willelm. filii David, simply Lulach; and in the Chron. Rhyth- 

micum 

> It maj be anawMred, that perhaps Macbeth main Jaft the tjochronism of Simeon, and what- 
did not claim from the Bfalcofans, but from the ever !• Oonformable in the circomBtanoet of Fin- 
competing line of Indulf. If m, there wonld re- leg. 



Ixzxv 

micom (before 1291) it is* absurdly, Lahoulan; MSS. of the Duan have Lulagb and 
Lugaidb". The Mac Gilcomgain of Ulster Annab is nepos filii Boidhe in Chron. Keg. 
Scotonun. Perhaps it should be filiss Boidhe, as Gruoch was termed; and the nepos 
is ambiguous in the Latin of those day& Whatever it means, the traditional filiation 
in Mac is of a greater weight than such a passage can have. But in that passage 
(howsoever we should correct either the copy or the author) we have Lulach's only 
title in blood, that I am aware of, to become tanist of the supreme crown, namely 
his descent, probably maternal, and through the lady Gruoch% from Boidhe, son 
of Kenneth Macduff. His reign was of four months (Nomina Begum), or of four and 
a half (Chron. Reg. Scot., and the prose dates in Chron. Elegiacum); but in the elegy 
itself, 

** Mensibua infelix LulAob tribus eztiterat rex. 

Nevertheless, the old Mr. O'Conor's copy of the Duan Albanach says expressly, 

•< Seftcht mbUadhna i bfUaitheas Lalaigb,*' 

'* Sereo yetm wu tbe reign of Lulagb.*' — t. 104. 

Another copy of that poem has seven months, seacht mis. He was overpowered and 
slain by Malcolm at a place called Essei in Strathbogie (Nom. Reg. Pict.) in 1057. 
Though accounted daft or fatuus, headlong temerity was probably his defect, rather 
than supine imbecility. His want of prudence was fatal to his cause, for Tighemach 
states that he was slain per dolum^ and the Chron. Eleg. runs thus, 

'* Armis ejiudem Maloobmi cecidit, 

F«ta Tiri ftierant in Stratbbolgin apud Eiseg, 

Heu I aio ineaut^ rex miser ocoubuit." 

« 

He was buried along with Macbeth in lona, 

*' Hob in pace Tiroe tenet insula lona, sepnltbs 
In tumulo regnm, Judids nsque diem." 



And the consideration of his case is essential to the reign of Macbeth, the topic of 
this note. 

His reigning seven years can only be true, in case he was associated to the crown 
during the seven last years of Macbeth's reign, and died in or after the seventh year 
of his own kingship, but only in the fourth or fifth month of his own sqnirate reign. 

I would 

■ Tbe latter maXh, for it is a distinct name. onlj does Boeoe cbarge ber witb instigating the 

* This ladj left a sinister reputation. For not usurpation he imputes to Macbeth, but Wyntown 



Ixxxvi 

I would fling it aside as a clerical error, did I not meet with circumstances, indicating 
both that he so reigned, and for that number of years. Ulster Annals say, at 1058, 
*' Lulach Mac Gilcomgain, arch-king of Albany, was slain in battle by Maelcolaim 
Mac Doncha;'^ and Tighemach had said at the same year, '' Lulach, king of Albany, 
was slain by Colum Mac Donchada, by stratagem." Then come other intervening events ; 
after which, in the same year, '^ Macbeth Mac Finnlaich, arch-king of Albany, was slain 
in battle by Maelcholaim Mac Doncha ;" and in Tighemach, '^ Macbetad Mac Finlai 
was slain by Maelcolaim Mac Donchada." These statements declare that, though one 
year killed both kings, Lulach died first. Now Tighemach O'Bndn died at Clon- 
macnois in A. D. 1088 (Ann. Inisfal.), thirty-one years after Macbeth and Lulach. 
And he was not bom later than about 1020, though perhaps earlier, for Marianus 
was bom in 1028, and spoke^ of him as '* Tighemach senior mens." And, therefore, 
the latter is likely to have been Lulach's senior himself. But Tighemach could 
scarce have been ignorant* that Macbeth had ruled the whole of Albany during seven- 
teen years of his own lifetime. Therefore when he represented Lulach (no matter if 
incorrectly) as dying king of Albany before Macbeth, who had been such for so many 
years, he did, in effect^ declare that they had been kings together. He did, in effect, 
deny that Lulach was, in the common sense of it, Macbeth's successor; for had he 
been such, the very phrase, Lulach^ king of Albany^ previously unheard of, must have 
first reached the ears of Tighemach, together with the news of Macbeth's death. Con- 
joint reigns occur among the Picts, num. 43, 48, 63, 73; and of the Scoto-Picts, 
Eochaidh and Grig reigned together for eleven years. Such authors as Boece and 
Buchanan are not to be quoted as evidence per se ; but their unexplained statement, 
that Macbeth reigned for ten years like the best of kings, and for seven years like the 
worst of tyrants, strangely coincides with the premises. — Boetius, xiL fol. 246, b; 

Buchanan, 

eyen imagined she wm Duncan's widow, and mar- historian died at fifty-fiTO, he was twentj-foor at 

ried his sUyer, who the death of Macbeth. 

** Dune Grwok his emys wyf ' It would be captious to reply, that this an- 

Tuk. and led with her hi. lyf." ^.^^ ^ mistaken the year, putting 1068, for 

The truth may be, that she wtu privy to her December, 1056, and April or May, 1057. For 

husband's death and did marry with his destroyer, it is one thing to misdate slightly the occurrences 

in 1032, when Gilcomgan was burned. of a foreign kingdom, and another to ignore a 

• See O* Conor not. in Ann. Ult., p. 327. If long and famous contemporary reign. The priest 

this were understood of some other Tighemach, may now live at Clonmacnois, who will say, *hft 

the case would yet stand well. For sixty-eight Louis Philippe acceded in 1831, for 1830; bat 

years was no long life for an ancient man of re- not he that will say, that he acceded four months 

ligion, and celebrated for learning. But if the ago. 



Ixxxvii 

Buchanan, tIL 85. It divides his reign at the precise point of seven yeara^ and changes 
its temper, with no alleged reason, but in harmony with that of a Fatuus. We 
read in a text of the contemporary Duan, that Lulach did reign seyen years ; we 
collect from his other contemporary, Tighernach, that he must have reigned before the 
death of Macbeth ; and have found in historians the assertion, that Macbeth's last 
seven years strangely differed from the prior ten. It remains to corroborate the latter 
by the testimony of worthier authors. Marianus Scotus (bom in 1028, as he states, 
p. 450, ed.Pi8torii, 161 3, and twenty-nine years old when Macbeth died) says, at the 
year 1050, Kez Scoti» Machetad RomsB argentum seminando pauperibus distribuit. 
Simeon of Durham, who died about half a century later than Marian, at the same 
year says the same, only putting the word spargendo for the words aeminando pauperibus. 
Lulach died in 1057, and 1050 is the year at which his Duan reign commenced, and 
at which the historians date the change in Macbeth's administration. Marianus 
neither avers that he took the money to Rome, nor that he sent it ; but he couples 
the ambiguous word distribuit with the gerund seminando, which graphically ex- 
hibits him casting his largesses among the crowd. Wyntown, a simple and faithful 
writer, so understood the matter: 

*' Quhen Leo the Tend [ninth] was Pape of Rome, 
As pylgryne to the curt be come, 
And in his almus he sew [seminarit] lylrer 
Til aU pure folk that had master [need]."_Ti. p. 226. 

But he was again in Scotland before the end of the year 1052. — Hoveden in anno. 
Certainly the fact of his pilgrimage to Rome (of which Canute the Great had set the 
example some twenty years before) can only be denied by putting a harsh construc- 
tion on the words of Marianus, or by rejecting his testimony, than which we cannot 
look for better, as he had not emigrated to Germany in 1050. But that fact, if ad- 
mitted, remarkably confirms the premises, for it shews him actually quitting for a 
time, and therefore intrusting to another, the helm of government in the year in 
question. And, if he intrusted it to another, then to what other than him, who is 
asserted to have come to the crown at that very date, and who is assimied to have 
been king of Albany before Macbeth's death ? Likewise the reading of the Duan, 
which confines him to months, gives seven months, a number quite different from all 
the other accounts of his sole reign. It may therefore well be credited, that his 
entire reign was seven years, and his sole reign of three or four months. For the 
authority of the Scottish documents in general leads us to suppose, in opposition to 
the Irish annalists, that Lulach did survive Macbeth. 

I am 



Ixxxviii 

I am not only at a loss for MacbetVs claim (hereditary or' tanastic) to tbe crown, 
but am unable to satisfy myself as to his appellation. I do not understand how the 
son of Finleg is called son of Beth ; or how a filiation, even if true, could supply the 
place of a name in the ancient mode of nomenclature. Yet we read of his contemporary, 
Macbeathaidh M'Ainmirech: and in the ninth century St.Macbethu and two other Irish 
pilgrims visited England. — Sax. Chron. in 891. Probably it expresses the mother's 
name, and so resembles the use of Mac Ere, with this difference, that the great fame 
of Erca, the mother of kings, partly superseded Muirchertach's own name, but Macbeth 
had no other. The name Beathaig is said, in Armstrong's Dictionary, to be Graelic 
for Sophia, and the Gaelic Society's Dictionary says that Beathag means Rebecca. As 
wisdom is blessed, and Rebecca was blessed, this curious identity of dissimilar names 
resolves itself into the Latin Beaia, We know not who Macbeth's mother was ; for 
Wyntown's tale, that she was Duncan's sister, and that of Boece, that she was Doada, 
Duncan's maternal aunt, have no firm basis in history. But the name Beathaig, or 
Beata in Latin, is the same with that of Bethoc (as the older Latin documents' term 
her), daughter to Malcolm IL, wife to Crinan of Dunkeld, and mother of Duncan; 
the Beatrix of Fordun, Boece, and Buchanan. That is apparent from the Elegiacal 
Chronicles of Melrose, for I cannot understand them otherwise than by taking Bethoc 
to mean Beata: 

" Abbatis Crini, jam dicti filia regis. 

Uxor erat Bethoc, nomine digna tibi.** 



The name is formed on the types, Beathaidh, Bethad, or Betad, and, by contemporary 
clerical error, Hetad; and Beathaigh, Bethach, or Betac; for theBethu of the Saxon, 
though curious, cannot be relied on. This oscitancy may be referred to its irregular 
and exotic origin. It is singular that the very same alternation shews itself in Daoda 
and Doaca, Macbeth's mother in Boece and in Buchanan ; beings as it were, decapi- 
tations of Bethod and Bethoc, Therefore I take Macbethach, Macbeatbaidh, Mio- 
beatha, Macbeth, Macbethu, <&a, to mean Filius Beatas ; and suspect it to signify, in 
this particular instance, that Bethoc, daughter of Malcolm, gave birth to Finleg's son, 
either before or during her union with Crinan, or after some dissolution thereof. The 
legend that he was son to Duncan's sister, would make him a grandson of Bethoe, 
while Boece makes him her nephew. — Wynt. vL 16, v. 47 ; Boetius, 246, b. But the 

same 

' Since the time of Kenneth HI. or IV., son and the nearer line of Duff, 
of Malcolm, the two principles of succession had * And as other women were called. See Char- 
been conflicting; and the former gaining upon tuL of Jedburg, ap. Pink. ii. 192. 
the latter, to the prejudice of both Indnlf *s line 



Ixxxix 

same fable of his birth sapposes the incontinence* of his mother; for she sauntered 
into a woody where she met 

*• A fajr man • • • 
Of bewt^ plennd, and of hyeht 
Proportiowned well in all meioura, &o. : 
Thar in thar gamyn and ihar plaj 
That penown bj that woman lay. 
And on her that tyme to sowne gat 
This Makbeth."— Ti. 18, yy. 59-74. 

That lover, it is added, was the Devil himself; which accounts for Wyntown always 
calling him Makbeth-Fynlak, not son of Fynlak ; but does not equally agree with his 
Latin quotation, 

** Of this matere are thire wore 
In Latjne wryttene to rehers • • • • 
A Fyplake natus percnssit earn Maoabeda.*' 

But if we substitute Finleg for Satan, and Duncan's mother for his sister, Mac- 
beatach in one word becomes Mac Beatach in two, and the whole affair receives eluci- 
dation. The blood of Malcolm IE. is as good in Macbeth as in his half brother 
Duncan, legitimacy excepted ; and if it was proposed to make the bastard of the 
miller's daughter tanist of all Albany, that argument was abandoned 

In A. D. 994, Kenneth IIL or lY. father of Malcolm IL, grandfather of Bethoc 
and great-grandfather of Dimcan, was asuis occisus, and per dolum — Tigh. and Ann. 
Ult. It is said, the lady Finele or Fenella, daughter of Gruchne or Gruthneth, thane 
of Angus or Forfar, and mother to Gruthlint, chieftain of Meams, instigated her son 
to murder her father, for which he was put to death by Kenneth. To revenge his 
death and to advance the rival interests of the families of Gulen and Duff, she allured 
ELenneth into her house (probably Glammis castle) and there assassinated him. It 

may 

* Who, therefore, could not be " nomine the Scoto-Saxon era, the history of the house of 

digna." Bat it is rery plain, that the Sooto- Buadri in the lines of Finleg and Gilcomgan was 

Saxon successors of Ceannmor, and their writers, obscured, partly by silence and partly by fklse- 

deliTered a different sort of history, both in state* hood, and to us remains the amusement of con- 

ment and in suppression, from the preyious tra- jeoture ; but we may as well judge the ease of 

ditions. Till Fordun had established the manu- Warbeckby Tudor testimony, as that of Macbeth 

£Mture of Scotch history, both modes of thinking and Ceannmor by the language of the Dnncaoites 

continued alire, and between them Wyntown's of that era. 
honest mind was bewildered, and so are onr's. In 

IBISH ABCH. 80C. NO. l6. m 



xc 

may be suppoeed, from their names, that this family (otherwise unknown) were Pict8^ 
In 1033-4 a similar fate befell his son Malcolm IL, who was treacherously slain at 
Glammis by the same Angusian family. See Fordun, iv. 32, 41, 44; Boetius, 233, 
234, 246; Buchanan, vL pp. 105, no. John of Fordun, aTailing himself of that lady's 
name and of its resemblance to Finleg, has published this account of Duncan's death: 
'^ He was slain by the crime of that family who had killed both his grandfather and 
hb great-grandfather, of whom the chief was Machabeus, son of Finele®." — ^iy. cap. 44. 
By transforming Mac Finleg into Mac Finele, Son of Fenella, he sought to load Mac- 
beth with odium as an hereditary murderer of kings. And in this knavery of Fordun 
originated the whole notion of his being thane of Angus, or, as it is sometimes styled, 
thane of Glammis, a residence of the lords^ of Angus, yeiy near Forfar. Boece, who 
could not stomach the fiction of Mac Finele, reverted to the traditions which made 
him the near connexion of Malcolm and Duncan, but disguised his paternal origin 
under the fictitious name of S3mele, and, with Fordun, placed him in the thanedom of 
Angus. In this manner the old, and probably true, traditions of Cromarty were 
upset. Thane of Angus or Glammis merely signifies son of Fenella. But Finleg, 
Malbrigid, and Macbeth were mormaers of the North, or country above the Grampians. 
See above, p. Ixxx, note s. 

However, without detracting from the infamy of these liars, I would ofkr this 
remark. All parties seem agreed to regard Macbeth^ considered as an aspirant to the 
crown, as the son of a wamafit and to find in her blood, either his daim to the crown, 
or his hostility to it. And if in fact it were not so, I do not clearly see how that 
idea should have established itself. Though Finleg M^Ruadri, mormaer of Crombath 
and the Groeb, was a powerful toparch, nothing indicates him, and no one considered 
him, as contributing to the fulfilment of the third salutation. — ( H.) 

No. XX. 

*> Thoie who record them hsving no mioh know- Fordun, who nerer montionB Finlegfa, bat ealli 

ledge or intention. But, on the other hand, the his mother filia Cruchne, comUU de Anffug, cni 

father is called Conechat in the Nom. Regam. nomen Finele. — c. 32. 

^ Mr. Chalmers asserts (Caled. i. 406), that ^ Shakspeare, from topographical ignorance, 

Fordun calls him son of Finlegh, and that he men- has introduced (in Act ▼. scene 2) a thaoe of 

tions nothing of him or his father being OMormor Angus bearing arms against the tliane of Glammis. 
or thane of Angus. It seems that he liad not read 



XCl 



No. XX. Seepage 153. 

The section *' on the origin of the Cruithnians," occurs in the Book of Balljmot«, 
immediately after the opening section, b^inning, 650 Nenniuf, which I have num- 
bered sec. L (see above, p. 26). It is as follows : 

t)e bunoD Cputrneach ano pec. 

Cpuichne mac Cinje, mic 6uccai, 
mic pappcalan, mic Qjnom, mic &uain, 
micTTlaip, mic pachecc, mic lapech, mic 
Noe. 

Ipe achaip Cpuirneach 1 c^cblta6an 
DO ippije. 8ecc meic Cpuirhneac annpo 
,1. Pib, PiDQch, Poola, Popqieno, Ca- 
chach, Ccncce, Cipij, t pecc panoaiB po 
poinopec in peapano, uc Dijjcic Colum 
cilli : 



TDoippeipep do Cpuichne cUxinn, 
PamDpec Qlbcnn 1 pecc pamD, 
Caicce, Cipi^, Cechac clann, 
pib, PiDQc, pocla, Popcpeann. 

Ocup ip 6 ainm ^ac pip Dib pil pop 
a pcapanD, uc epc pib T Ce t Caic, i 
peliqua. 

pib;c;ciiii.bliaDna ippije. piDac.;cl. 
blia^an. 6puiDe pone PopcpeonD .Ipcpc 
Popcpeann .Ijxpc. 5. Up pone Caic Da 
bliaoan ap .;j9c Uleo. Cipij .It^;^. b. 
6. 55°"^* ^® v^"- hliaSan. 5. Uleo. 
Qenbeccon, im. 6. Upj^anc Coic .;^^ 

bliooon 



Of the origin of the Cruithnians here. 

Gruithne, son of Cing, son of Luchta, 
son of Partholan, son of Buan, son of Mas, 
son of Fathecht, son of Japheth, son of 
Noe*. 

He was the father of the Cruithnians, 
and reigned an hundred years. These are 
the seven sons of Cruithne, viz. : Fib, Fi- 
dach, Fodla, Fortrenn, Cathach, Caitce, 
Cirig; and they divided the land into 
seven divisions, ut dixit ColumKdlle: 

Seven of the children of Cruithne 
Divided Alba into seven portions ; 
Caitce, Cirig, Cetach of children^ 
Fib, Fidach, Fotla, Fortreann. 

And it is a name of each man of them 
that is given to their respective portions, 
ut est, Fib, and Ce, and Cait, et reliqua. 

Fib reigned zxiv. years. Fidach zl, 
years. Bruide Pont. Fortreann Izx. 
Fortreann Ixx. B. Urpont. Cait two 
years and zx. Uleo. Cirig Ixxx. years. 
B. Gant. Ce xii. years. B. Uleo. Aen- 
beccan, im>. B. Urpont. Cait xxx. years. 

B. GnitL 



' See aboTo, p. 61, where the genealogj of ' Atnbeeean im, — The scribe appeanto have 

Cmithne ia aomewhat differeatly giYen. taken Che Bomeral denoting the jear of the reign, 

' See above, p. IM, note K for iffi. the naoal eontraotion for imoppo. In the 

m 2 



xcu 

bliaoan. 6. ^nfch. Pinecoc •l;ic bltaoan. B. GnitL Finecta Ix. years. B. Urgnith. 

6.Up^ich. ^uti>t6. ^oobpe. &.pech.i. Guididlu Gadbre. B.FethL GeisLyear. 

^etp .1. b. 6. Uppeidip. Sepej^uio .;cl. B. Urfeiohir. Gestgmid xL B. Cab. 
xL 6. Cab. 

The remainder of the list is so corrupt that it would be useless to attempt a trans- 
lation. It is thus given in the manuscript: 

Upyef .;t;pi^. b. .5. Upcal. &puibe pone .;9:;c. b. Cnfc pt Ulao .li. Upcine oe 
oDbeprea p* b. per ^ac pip Dib. -| b. Uppec panoa na peap b. "Ruaile po ^b- 
pooap .!• ue epc illeabpaiB rKi Cpuirneac 6puibe Gpo b. ^ape b. Qp^apc b. cinD 
b. Upcino. b. Uip. b. Uputp. b.^pich. b. Up^ich. b. ITIuin. b. Upmuin. 

The gross inaccuracies of the list of kings can only be accounted for on the suppo- 
sition that the transcriber (not perhaps the transcriber of the Book of BaUymote, but 
some former copyist) found the names written in double columns (a thing very com* 
mon in ancient Irish manuscripts), and, not perceiving that the columns were distinct, 
he copied them in one continuous line. On this supposition the list may be corrected 
as follows: 

pib .;x:;ciin. bliaona ippige. 

Pibac .;cl. bliaona 6. Ponc. 

Popceano .1;^. 6. UpponcL 

Caiu oa bliooan ap ,pi^ 6. Ceo. 

Cipi5 .l;c;c^ bl. 6. ^cvnz. 

And so on, where the reader will observe that the intermixture of the Bruides 
with the other names will be fully explained until we come to the paragraph whieh 
has been given above without a translation ; in it the corruption is much greater: 
but it is also explained by supposing the manuscript from which the transcriber 
copied to have been written thus: 

Upyep .pipcpc bliaoan. 6. Upcal* 

&puioe ponc .;c;i;pc. bli. 6. Cine. 

pi Ulao [bp^O &• Upcinc. 

oe aobeprea p^ [L e. ppi] 6. pec. 
jac pip oib 1 6. Uppec. 

Ranba 

former oopy of this list of kings Oenbfgan is as« But the present eopy is so ftill of errors end cor- 
signed a reign of 100 jears ; see ahove, p. 165. mptions that it is of no Tilne. 



XCUl 

panoa na peap 6. Ruaile. 

po jabpcnxxp .1. uc epc 

illeabpatb via Cputcneac 6. 6po. 

6. apjapc 
5. Cino, 

And 80 on. The transcriber ought to have written down the first column, until he 
came to the words lUeabpaib na Cputcneac, and then to have begun the second 
column, 6. ponu; 6. Upponc, Sec If this conjecture be well founded, it will follow 
that Bruide Pont was the last of the first series, and the first of the kings who took 
the common title of Bruide. The words pi Ulao would seem to imply that B. Pont 
was King of Uladh, or of the Dalaradian Picts ; but it is more probable that for pi ulao 
we should read ano uor>. (See above, p. 156.) 

The Book of Lecan contains three different copies of this section. In fact, as I 
have already remarked (see p. 154, supra, note *>), the Book of Lecan contained two 
copies of the Irish Nennius. In the first of these the chapter which I have marked 
sect. L p. 25, gupra, is omitted, and the work begins with sect. IL, " Britonia insola," 
&C., down to the word '' Saxons*' (sect. IIL p. 29, supra), omitting, however, the 
list of British cities. Then follows: 



t>o bunao Cpuicnec po. 

Cpuichne mac Cinje, mic Cucco, 
mic popralon, mic Q^non, mic 6uain, 
miclDaip, mic pachechc, mic 1auat>, mic 
lachpeo, mic Hae, mic Caimiach. 

Iphe achaip Cpuichnech *] ceo bliaoain 
DO ippi^ amail a oeapap peamaino. 
8eache meic Cpuichnech inpo .1. P10, i 
Pibach, polcla, Popcpeno, Caic, Ce, 
Cipij; 1 1 .un.peanoaib panopaca peap- 
anD, amail at)bepc in e-eolach : 

THoippeipep 00 Cpuichne claino 
'Rainn CH^bain ippcachc paino; 

Caic, 



Of the origin of the Cruithni this : 

Gruithne toas the son of Cinge, son of 
Luchta, son of Parthalon, son of Ag^on, 
son of Buan, son of Mas, son of Fathecht, 
son of Jadud, son of Jathfed, son of Nea, 
son of Lamech. 

He was the father of the Cruithnians, 
and he reigned an hundred years, as was 
said before. The seven sons of Gruithne 
ar€ these: Fid, and Fidach, Foltla, For- 
trenn, Gait, Ge, Girig ; and they divided 
his land into seven parts, as the learned 
man said: 

Seven of the children of Gruithne 
Divided Alban into seven portions; 

Gait, 



XCIV 



Caic, Ce, Ctpi^ cecach clamn 
pib, PiDoch, Polcla, Poipqieanb. 

Ocup ipe amm each pip Dib pil pop a 
peapano, ucpib, i Ce,-| Caic, ipr. .pu. 
pioec oo ^obpob bib. 

&puoa Pone .;k;c;>c°. pi5uao,-| bpuioe 
(zobepce ppi each peap bib, -) panna na 
peap aili ; po ^bpooap qie .1. ap. cue 
epc illebpaib na Cpuichneeh. 



Cait, Ce, Cirigh of the hundred chil- 
dren. 
Fib, Fidach, Foltla, Foirtrann. 

And each gave his name to his own land; 
as Fib, and Ce, and Cait, &c. Thirteen 
kings of them possessed [i. e. reigned]. 

Bruda Pont, thirty kings afterwards, 
and Bruide was the name of each man of 
them; and they took the portions of the 
other men [L e. of the former kings] for 
one hundred and fifty years, as it is in the 
books of the Cruithnians. 



The second form of this ancient fragment of history occurs in the same oonneadon, 
and is, for substance, the same as that given above, pp. 50, 5 1. After the same account 
of the children of Graleoin, son of Hercules, who seized upon the islands of Orkney, 
there follows the genealogy of Cruithne, as quoted already, note \ p. 50, and then 
we have: 



Iphe achaip Cpuichneeh,-) eecblia- 
bain ippi^e. Seaehc meie Cpuichne 
inbpo .1. PiD, 1 Pibaeh, -j Pocla, t popc- 
pecmn, Caic, t Ce, i Cipic ; uc oipcic 
Colam cilli. 



He was the father of the Cniithnians, 
and reigned an hundred years. These 
are the seven sons of Cruithne, Fid, 
and Fidach, and Fotla, and Fortreann, 
Cait, and Ce, and Ciric, as Columbcille 
said* 



Then follow the verses, as given, p. 50, after which we read : 



Co po poinopeac 1 .un. pannaib in 
peopann, 1 ip e amm each pip bib pil pop 
a peapano, uc epc Pib, Ce, Caic, ^pc 
^111. pi con jobpoD bib poppo; i sabaip 
Onbecan mac Caic mie Cpuichne aipo- 
piji na pecc pann pin. 



So that they divided the land into 
seven portions; and each man gave his 
name to his own territory: as Fib, Ce, 
Cait, &c. Thirteen kings of them pos- 
sessed [L e. reigned] ; and Onbecan, son 
of Cait, son of Cruithne, seized upon the 
supreme sovereignty of those seven divi- 
sions. 



Then follows, as in the text (p. 50, «^a), Pinoacca pa plaich n-Gpenn, &a 
The third copy of the same document occurs in the beginning of what I suppose 

to 



xcv 

to hxve been a second transcript'' of the Irish Nennius, which begins as in the Book 
of Ballymote, and the mannscript from which the text of the present work is taken, 
with the section. Ego Nenmus, &c. 

After that section we have the following: 

Do bunobaib na Cpuichneach anDpo bobeofoa. 

Cpuichne mac In^e mic lucra mic pappchalon Tnic &uain mic THaip mic 
pochechc mic lachper mic Haei. 1p h-e achaip Cpuichnech i ceD bt. do i pi^e. 
Sechc meic Cpuichne anopo .1, pib T ce i Cipich, pi. i 1 peachc panoaib po 
ponnpoD a peapanb, 1 ipe amm each pip Dib pil pop a peapann aniu^. pib imoppo 
ceachpa bliooana pichic do 1 piji. piDach .;kI. bl. &puiD puinc. Poipcpenn .l;x;^. b. 
Upponncaic .;c;cii. Upleoce .;ci. Upleocipich .l;c;9C. b, ^ancaenbeccan .m. b. 
Updone caic .;x;c;x. b, ^^iirh pmoacca .1;:. bpuynich j^uioiD j^abbpe, b. pech .1. 
^ep.ub.b. Uppechcaip jepcjuipio .1. ;cl. b. Claup^apc cpicha b .b, Uppcal 6puioi 
pone cpicha .b. pi^uloo oe aobeprhea ppi each peap Dib 1 panoa na peap. 6. 
Cine. 6. Upchinoc. 6. peac 5. Uppeao. 6. Ruale po ^bpooap. 6. ap bt .uc 
oicicup a lebpaib na Cpuichneach. 6puio 6po. 6. ^opr. 6. Qp^apc 6. Cinn. 
6. UpchmD. 6.Uip. 6.Upuip. 6.3po<^h* 6.Up3poch. 6. TDuin. 6. Upumain. 6. 1p 
amlaio pin po ppir. 

This is also very corrupt; and as it adds nothing to what we have learned from 
the former copies, it is not worth our while to attempt a translation or a correction of 
it. The scribe appears to have been sensible of its incorrectness when he adds the 
apology, Ip amlaiD pin po ppic, '* Thus it was found.'' It is followed by the section 
beginning, 6picania inopolo, Sec^ as given above, p. 37. — (T.) 

No. XXI. Seepage 154. 

Since the note vi p. z. was printed, I have learned that the gloss scuite, wanderer, 
is not found to exist elsewhere, and that suspicion therefore arises of dictionaries 
having been interpolated, with a view to that very purpose to which I have applied 
them. This has induced me to expend some further observations on the subject. 

The first point in it is, that an indigenous etjrmology produced the word Scoti, 
having one T, and the O long by nature. Though Isidore's direct assertion, that 
Sootus was a word in their otm^ Icmguagty may lose weight from his making it equi- 
valent to Pictus, and explaining it to mean punctured with the painting needle, 

yet 

^ This second transcript begins immediately which the first copj seems to have oonoluded. 
after the Wonders of Britain and Man, with See abore, p. 180. 



XCVl 

yet it shows tliat he knew of no origin for it out ofiheir own language. Idd Htsp. 
EtymoL ix. torn. iiL p. 414. Ed. ArevalL It is not a Latin word; it is not British, nor 
did it even become such by adoption; nor is it fetched from the Teutonic tribes, in 
any form that I can esteem specious. But the name came up under Julian at latest, 
when those tribes were scarce beginning to move upon the empire^s western shores 
and ocean: to which date other weighty considerations may be joined. Firstly, it is 
absurd, and out of nature, that the Roman authors should exchange a name handed 
down by Py theas, Eratosthenes, Cssar, Strabo, Pliny, Tacitus, Ptolemy, &c^ to adopt 
one freshly introduced by Saxons, Franks, and Alans, supposing their dialects had 
furnished it. Secondly, the Irish historians restrict the use of it to one of their races, 
while foreigners employ it generally; which exhibits the usual difference between the 
native and foreign, proper and improper, use of a term. Let us therefore pronounce, 
with Isidorus, that whosoever were caUed Scoti were so called propriiL linguL 

It remains doubtful who they were that were so styled, and when, and why. That 
Porphyry, an Asiatic sophist of the third century, had used the word Sjcitfruca or 
Scwrwv, where Jerome put Scotic» gentes, seems to me very unlikely. The third of 
the fragments of geography* by different authors, but ascribed to one ^thicus, is a 
mere extract from the first book of Orosius; and Hegesippus is a composition of the 
twelfth century. Therefore Ammianus, circa 390, is our first written authority; but 
we cannot otherwise understand him, than that those marauders were known by that 
name in the year 0/* which, as well as that in which, he wrote, viz., in A. D. 35a That 
Constans in 343 had been oppoded to Scoti may be conjectured; but it cannot be in- 
ferred from the expressions of Ammian. When the name in question began to be used 
in Ireland is unknown, and how it was there used is important. If it were an ancient 
name of the Irish for themselves, unknown to foreigners until they had improved their 
acquaintance with Ireland, but then adopted by them generally (as foreigners know 
the names Crerman or AUemand, but have to learn the name Deutsch), it follows that 
the name is vernacular among the Irish people. But such (I believe) it neither is, nor 
ever was. Unwritten discourse does not so style them, nor does that of the Celts of 
Britain. Then as to writers, their date is late in Ireland, and their manner of using 
the word perhaps unsatisfactory. They almost all possessed some Latin learning; 
and a GraeHcized adoption of the Latin word Scotus may prove no more than is proved 
by Tighemach's plain Latin ^'monumenta Scotorum." It is not evident what word 
we are to accept for it in Irish. The poem ascribed to St. Fiech of Sletty, st. 18, em- 
ploys the dative plural Scotuibh, than which an earlier instance may (perhaps) not 

readily 

* Ad Caleem Pomp. Mebe, p. 62. Ed. OroooTii, 1772. 



XCVll 

readily be foundL That is Sootus with an £r8e inflexion. But others have Cineadh 
Scnit. And a chronicle cited by Dr. O'Conor yaries in the name, speaking of Bifath 
Scut or Soot, from whom proceeded the Scuit. — Proleg. 1 1, IxxxvL But this name 
is taken from Mount Biphseus ; the Scythian mythus, garnished with a scrap of Scy- 
thian geography. That either the Irish nation, or that major portion of it with which 
their mythologists connect the Scythian mythus, ever called or knew themselves by 
such a name, either generally, or vernacularly, or otherwise, than as some aborigines 
of America have learned to call themselves Indians, is opposed to the evidences of 
fact 

The derivation from Scythe is strictly impossible, for no nation so styled itself, 
though the Greeks did so call a large body of tribes or nations. — Herod, iv. c. 6. 
Dr. O* Conor observing this, and that their true name was Scoloti (Herod, ibid.), tried 
to deduce Scoti from Scoloti; thus obstinately maintaining the historical derivation 
of the mythologists, but upon a different verbal etymology, and with the disadvan- 
tage of the additional and immutable consonant L. But it is the wildest excess of 
credulity, and the lowest prostration of the critical faculty, to believe that the eques- 
trian nomades of the £ast galloped away to the shores of Graul, and there dismounted, 
and took boats, to go and tramp the forests and bogs of Erin, — ^for no other reason 
than because semi-barbarous writers, of a class well-known throughout all Europe, 
have played some tricks with the letters S, C, and T, and (what is more) with the wrong 
S, C, T. The Scytho-Scolotian theory must rest on the basis of Scot having been the 
national and vernacular name, without interruption, from the first beginning down- 
wards, than which nothing can appear more untrue. That very portion of the fable 
which insinuates truth, by making the Scot colony t^€ latest of the Irish denominations, 
proves it to be a fable, because the recency of the Firbolgian name, which preceded 
d, is proveable, as I shall show ; but will not waste more words on such a topic as 
this. 

I have observed that Scoti was the name of the Scoti in their own language; and 
I have also observed, that it neither is, nor ever was (to our knowledge) the name of 
the Gaoidhil, or Irish nation, in their own discourse; and can scarce be said to have 
established itself in their writings, always excepting such as treat of the Scythian 
mythus. Here is something to explain, if not to reconcile. 

Since the name is Irish, and the Irish nation did not call themselves so, who did? 
Those to whom the Bomans first applied it But who were they? The armaments 
of marauders who came over from Ireland to ravage the province of Britannia. Such 
is our original date and application of the word. The question is, whether it was an 
exclusive application. And the affirmative may be supposed, from its not being any- 

IBI8H ARCH. 80G. i6. n where 



XCVUl 

where found earlier, and not being found national in £rin. Thus it would seem as if 
Irishmen were not Scoti, but expeditions of Irish warriors and pirates were. It may 
be here well to remind the reader, that many names more or less famous in history 
were not the names of nations or countries, but those of belligerent associations of 
men. Such were the BagaudsB, the Vargi, the Aiteach-Tuatha, the Maroons, the 
Chouans, and the Pindarrees; but none more to our purpose than the Vikingar, and 
the Buccaneers, names terrible in the ears of foreigners, yet belonging to no natioik 
The first instance I know of the territorial phrase, Scotia, is in Isidore of Seville, 
whom David Eothe of Ossory cites at the year 630. — Tractatus, sect iv. ap. Messing- 
ham, Flor. Insul® SS.; Isidori Orig. sdv. cap. 6, tom. iv. p. 171. ArevalL 

The same Isidorus has fiatly affirmed, that Scoti signfied men stained by acupunc- 
ture. And it were wrong, in our state of ignorance, to reject with flippancy a positive 
assertion, which may have been derived from the lost books of Ammian, or some other 
gprave authority. Nor is the statement absurd, either in word or in matter. For 
sooth and sgoth are genuine Irish glosses for a Jhwery which will either apply to a 
people painted^, with flowers, as the Britons opposed to Severus were with animals, 
ypafaiQ voiKiXuv Z^uv, or generally, to ornament by diversity of colour; dvSiZt^, varie- 
tate distinguo. — E. Lluyd; O'Reilly; Scapul» Lex. This laxer sense shews itself in 
sooth, morbus (Lluyd), and sg6t, '* common speech" for spot or blemish, macula (ap. 
GaeL Soc. Diet ; and Madeod and Dewar's), seemingly in allusion to exanthematous 
or efflorescent maladies. And as regards the matter, it would not be improbable, but 
the reverse, that those Irish marauders, who first came over in fleets of coracles to 
support the Gwyddyl Fichti in their depredations, were of the Crutheni ; and this 
being probable in itself^ it is possible that the name thus originating may have inured 
to subsequent expeditions of the red Irish. 

But the same gloss hath other idioms, flowing (I believe) out of the idea oi flower. 
Scoth, chosen, selected (O'Beilly and O'Brien); scoth, choice or best of any thing; 
fcoch na Bpeotp, best part of the army (G. Soc Diet). To the same idea belongs scoth, 
a youth, a young lad, a son, a yoimg shoot of a plant ; and, perhaps, also scotha and 
scuite, said by Mr. O'BeiUy to mean '^ brambles used for fences." Now it is certainly 
no violent supposition, that the bands, who sallied forth from Erin in her piratical era, 
both were, and called themselves, her fx:orh na bpeop, the flower of her warriors. 

Besides this masculine noun, we have the same word in the feminine, seothy sgotk, 
a boat, or small vessel; 9COthrhmg (boat-ship), a yacht — ^O'Beilly; GaeL Soc; Arm- 
strong. 

^ Seotha mbernis idem fonat qaod>Iaref sen — Colgan in Vit a SevtSai vel Sootbini, 1 1 Jan., 
jhrwm variegatiot et 9coiadh Idem quod eeleriiiu, p. 10. 



•Ml Vl< 



XCIX 

strong. This will scarcely arise out of the first intention of flower. But if the *^ flower 
of warriors'' had so adopted that description as to make a very name of it, then the 
vessels in which they plied their lawless business would, in the usual idiom of sailors, 
receive the same appellation, together with the gender commonly ascribed to ships. 
What is yon vessel? She is a pirate. What is her captain? He is a pirate. And so 
forth. Should any one say, that Isidore had lightly assumed Scati to be an Erse 
synonyme for the Latin Pictij that the general use of the name (so rapidly diffused 
through the West) agrees but ill with a narrow derivation from the Crutheni ; and that 
the desperate adventures of the Flower of Erin, in their pirate or flower boats, intro- 
duced this late but famous name, he would (as the case now stands) carry my humble 
approbation. When people get a new name, we may also suppose new circumstances. 
TheHibemidid greatly change, viz., from mere landsmen to a race of pirates under sea- 
kings. No light reasoning in the abstract; and reinforced by the fact, that those 
belligerents were the first (within our knowledge) that obtained the appellation. In 
considering Irish words with a view to the elucidation of ancient history, it will be 
right to bear in mind, that letters, as well as signs of aspiration, were always introduced 
into the writing of words for the purpose of being pronounced ; and that any eclipsing 
or obliterated pronunciation of a letter is necessarily an idiom of speech, subsequent 
in date not only to the word, but to the act of writing it. 

I have withheld, in No. V. p. ix., my own firm belief concerning the Tuatha De, 
because the argumentation of it is long, and incapable of compression ; but, upon 
second thought, I will here briefly state my persuasion that they were the great order 
or college of British Druids, flying before the face of the Bomans into Ireland ; and 
will, with equal brevity, set forth my general notion of Irish origins. 

Hibemi of the ancienta. Emigrations from Great Britain, made at dates unknown, 
but old enough for the two dialects to have diverged from their common type, of 
course fed from time to time by the arrival of other adventurers or refugees, and 
forming a population of the eztremest ferity. 

FkMg, A colony of Graulish tribes planted along South Britain, and retaining 
the same names they had borne in Belgium. Ctesar speaks of it as a known and his- 
torical fact, which remote facts in those countries were not. — ^B. 6. v. 12. Within 
living memory Divitiacus, king of the Suessones and other Belgians, had reigned 
also over a great part of Britain. — ^B. G. iL 4. That is to say, British and Gaulish 
Belgium were remembered as forming one sovereignt)r. Within eighty-seven years of 
their planting in Britain, the Fergusian Scots denied the superiority of the kings of 
Tara. And we shall make liberal allowance, if we say the Belgs had held South 
Britain 1 50 years before Cssar assailed it; a century would, perhaps, satisfy the truth. 

n 2 The 



The Firbolg invaded Ireland from Britain, not from Soissons or any otber part of 
Belgium. Becanse the Dumnonii of Solinus and Ptolemy (popularly misspelt Dsm- 
nonii), were the Domhnon or Domhnan of the Irish Firbolg. But they had their name 
from the dyvnon^ L e. deeps, little valleys among steep hills, — ^from which their country 
is still called Devon, — and in Welsh Dytmaint ; the permutation of the V, otherwise 
single F, with the M, being of perpetual occurrence, and the two consonants used 
indifferently in manuscripts of no vast age. See Lhuyd^s Archseologia, pp. 221, 228. 
So the Irish MH sounds V. The same word is Doumn, Douvn, and Doun, in the 
Armorican ; and Dom Lepelletier found, in three lives of St. Gwenole, pars Domnonica, 
pagos Domnonicos, and rura Domnoniensia, from which he coUects that there was 
also a Domnonia among the hills and vales of the Armorican Cornwall. — Diet. Bret, in 
Doun. The name of the Firdomhnan described the surface of a particular district in 
the greater island ; while the Firbolgian tribe Firbolg, or Belg® by excellence, were, 
I suppose, from the royal demesnes of Belgica, near the Venta Belgarum. 

But a people do not thus indelibly receive a name from the face of their country, 
till they have been long and fully settled there. Therefore the Firbolgian conquest 
was not much older than Caesar's time, if it were not a good bit later. And it 
was the first influx of a civilization, rude indeed, but much superior to that of the 
Hibemi; the first emerging of a gens effera towards the higher rank of the gentes 
barbarse. 

Tuatha De. The people of (rods, or the people of the [i. e. dear and sacred to the] 
Gods. When the druidic college could no longer maintain in Britain its vast power 
and mysterious rites, it removed them to Erin, their only sure asylum. They ob- 
tained superiority in that island more by their treasures, arts, and learning, and the 
engines of religious awe, and as gods or divine men, a tribe sacer interpresque Deorum, 
than as men, by arms and numbers. At this date, the dmidical magic was systema- 
tically organized in Ireland. They have been called Danann, either wisely, from the 
more modem Dani, or ancient Danai; but rather from dan, art, poem, song (see Keat- 
ing, p. 48, O'Connor's ed.), which derivation, if it do not express the Druids, sufficiently 
expresses the Bards. 

The time of the removal of the hierarchy was after the unsuccessful wars of Cyno- 
beline's sons against the Romans; of which events the capture of Caractacus, in A. D. 
50, was the cardinal point. I have already said that the argument vastly exce^ the 
space now at my disposal, and I must, therefore, be excused for speaking meo pericula 
But Firbolg, saith Gilda Coeman, ruled during thirty-seven* years. Therefore, with 

their 

* A poem, cited bj Keating, p. 39, bat of no eompwable authority, nys fifty-iix yean. 



CI 

their ftdcmm in A. D. 50, our compasses will sweep through A. D. 13 for the advent 
of theFirbolg; and I suppose it was thereabouts. The magical dynasty prevailed, 
according to the Psalter of Cashel, during 197 years, when the era of the Gaoidhil*" 
arises. That is to say, the Hibemi, or general population, quasi-indigenous, of Ire- 
land, resumed that superiority which the Brito-Belgic and Druidical migrations of 
Britons had wrested from them, changed and improved in its social energies by the 
iofiision of those more advanced races. This falls, as it were, upon the year 247, 
according to the Irish chronologers, combined with my date of the transfer of Druid- 
ism. But the emancipation of the Graoidhil from the yoke of the Tuatha De is myth- 
historically identified with the rise and establishment of the ScotL And the year 247 
is only seven years before the accession of Cormac M'Art, to whom I have (by a curious 
coincidence, for I had not made this computation) conjecturally assigned the begin- 
ning^ of the Scoti, as being the first recorded sea-king. But the year 50 was only 
named as the cardinal year in the misfortunes of Cynobeline's house, and not with any 
idea of its being the actual year of that great transaction. Therefore there is not 
really any discrepancy at alL I cannot refrain from thinking, that the durations as- 
signed by the seannachies to these fabulous dynasties (durations as short and modest as 
the dates are remote and extravagant) were based in truth, and may serve us for 
clues to its investigation. — (H.) 

Na XXn. Seepage 180. 

The following documents seem worthy of preservation, and will give the reader 
some of the principal authorities for the history of the parties mentioned in the legend 
of St. Caimech : 

L The first is a legend preserved in the book of Dubhaltach, or Dudley Mac Firbis, 
in the possession of the Earl of Boden, p. 1 12. It relates to the history of Muredhach 
Mac Eoghan, and his wife, Ere, the maternal aunt of St. Garnech. 

TTluipea6ac mac 6o^ain cerpe mec Muireadhach, son of Eoghan, had four 

laif, -) aon liiaraip leo; muipcfpcac, sons, who had one mother : Muircheartach, 

moen, prpa6ac, -| Ci^Cpnaa Gape m- Moen, Fearadach, and Tigheamach. Earc, 

ptan daughter 



■ NomeD qao HiberneoMS ae ab immemorabili ginal Irish (and their colonial in North Britain), 

diftiDgunnt. O'Con. Prolog, i). IzzzTiii. as distinct from the Belgians and Dananns ; and 

But its history, meaning, and affinities, seem its etymological affinitj to Galli and Galata ap- 

qnlte unascertained ; it belongs only to the ori- pears to me devoid of solid foundation. 



cu 



^ean 66aipn pi^ CClban maraip cm 
cfrpaip fin, uc oi;cie; 

Cerpe mec la muip(^c 
Ppia h-6pc pa poop p^un, 
muipceapcGC, Ci^fpnac, 
pfpaooc ajup ITloeun. 

lap n-eu^ mec Go^ain, cuy F^5"r» 
mac ConuiU ^ulban, Gape m^ean 
C6aipn, ^o pu^ pi cerpe mec ele t)6 .1. 
peolim, Coapn, 6pennamn, 1 Seubno, 
amail appeape, 

Cecpe mec aj p^PS^P FP'^ h-6pc 
Chubuio ceuDna, 
Peolimio ajup Coapn, 
6pennainn a^up Seuona, 

Cami^ 6apc pCmpace ^o Caipnfc po 
airpi^e, ajup 00b 6 meuo a h-aicpi;§e, 
j^o pleucca6 ^aca oapa h-iomaipe 6 
Ch6pai;§ 50 h-aipin 1 m-baoi Caipnfc 
naom 1 ccpic l^oip O1I15 (no CI1I15), 
maile pe opucc pola aj pntje qi6 
bdip ^ac mfoip 61 aj; poccain Chaipni^ 
m© cfn Duic ap Caipnfc, a Gape, t poo- 
pia nfih, ajup yac oapa Hi bup 6ipmfc 
jeubup Gpinn 50 bpac ^upob oob piol, 
-| buai6 mn6, ■) clepi;§6iB, •) buaio caca 

T comlomn 



daughter of Loam, King of Alba, was the 
mother of those four, ut dixit [i^oeto]. 

Four sons had Muireadhach 
By Earc, of noble worthiness, 
Muircheartach, Tigearnach, 
Fearadhacb, and Moen. 

After the death of the son of Eoghan, 
Fergus, son of Conal Gulban, espoused 
Earc, the daughter of Loam; and she bore 
four sons more for him, viz., Fedhlim, 
Loam, Brennainn, and Seudna, as was said. 

Four sons had Fergus by Ere, 
The same were worthy: 
Fedlhimidh, and Loam, 
Brennainn, and Seudna. 

The aforesaid Earc came to Caimeach 
in penitence; and such was the greatness 
of her penitence that she knelt at every 
second ridge from Tory idand to where 
Saint Caimeach was, in the district of 
Boss Oiligh (or Ailigh^), at the same 
time that a dew of blood was issuiog 
from the top of every one of her fingers 
as she approached Caimeach. I hail thee, 
said Caimeach, O Earc, and thou shalt go 
to heaven; and one of every two^ worthy 

kings 



" Ro9$ OUigh or AiligK — ^This WM the cele- 
brated paUbce of Aileaoh, near LoDdonderry, for a 
fall aoeount of which lee the Ordnance Memoir of 
the parish of Templemore, p. 27, f^. The whole 
district was anciently called Tir-Ailigh (ibid., 
p. 207); and probably Boss Aillgh was the 
place now called the Bosses, on the Foyle, near 
Derry. Ero is said to ha^e passed in peniten- 



tial pilgrimage firom Tory island to Boss Ailigh, 
i. e. from one extremity to the other of the dis- 
trict belonging to her race. 

^ Every two. — Colgan says : " ffi octo Erce filii 
in adeo magnam temporis snccessn crevere gen- 
tem et potentiam, at ex els, Tiginti sex oniTerss 
Hibemias monarchn, et omnes llr-eoganis (Tolgo 
T^ronie) et TirconaUias Principes, hi ex Sedna, 



ClU 



1 ooihloinn poppa ; -) lap pptoeailfth eag- 
lufoacca o Caipnfc 6i lopuih, paoiQi^ 
a ppiopcn> Docum na j^loipe popui6e. 



6eanbacup CdipnCc an mai^mpn, 
cona oe ammm^rp .i« Ceall Gapco, 
aic lonbopcaip 6apc, -} pAjbaio Cmp- 
nCc coimeuo ince .i. CpioDan Sppcop. 

Q moicleaBop Cecon TTlhec phipbi- 
P5fin. 

Gape, umoppo, op uaire ploinncfp a 
mac TnuipcCpcac mac 6pca. 

TTIuipcQicrac mac TTIuipC&oi^ t 6ap- 
ca, C015 mec Up .1. FO^S^F* t)omnall, 
6aoDan, Mellin, -) S^onoal, aihuil ap- 
peapc, 

Coi^ mec niuipcrpcai;^ ^o m-blai6 
THec muipfoai^ mic 603am. 
TDomnall, Nellm jap^ 50 n-jup 
6aoDan) S^nbal ip pCp^up (nopeop- 

Qoep 



kings who shall ever reign over Erin shall 
be of thy seed; and the best women, and 
the best clerics, shall be theirs, and suc- 
cess in battle and combat shall be upon 
them. And after ecclesiastical ministra- 
tions from Caimeach, her spirit passed 
into eternal glory. 

Caimeach blessed that spot, and hence 
its name, viz., Ceall Earca [Earc's cell], 
where Earc died ; and Caimeach left a 
person in charge of the place, viz., Crio- 
dan^ the Bishop. 

This is from the copy of the Book of 
Lecan Meic Firbisigh. 

Earc then, from her is her son Moir- 
cheartach Mac Earca named. 

Muircheartach, thesonofMuireadhach 
and of Earc, had five sons, viz., Fearghns, 
Domhnall, Baodan, Nellin, and Scannal, 
as was said. 

The five sons of famous Muircheartach, 
The son of Muireadhach, son of Eoghan. 
Domhnall, Nellin^the fierce and puis- 

sant) 
Baodan^ Sgannal, and Fearghus (or 

Feorghus). 

It 



illi ex Mnrchertacho prodieniDt. — Tit S. Car- 
neoh, 2 Mart. p. 782, 0. 4. And in a note 
he adds ; '* H»o eolligontar ex Eetenno, lib. 2, 
ex Qnatuor MagiBtris in Annalibiu, Gilda Mo- 
dnda in Catalogo Begam HiberniaB, et aliis paa- 
aim acriptoribiu qni de eisdem Begibus agunt. 
Omnes enim nmnerant 16 Reges ex Eugenii et 
dfloem ex Gonalli posteris orinndoB, quorum ge- 
nealogiam refenmt ad Murohertaohom ex Mura- 



dacio, et ad Sednam ex Ferguano Erca filios.*' 

^ Criodan, — ^Perhaps this is the same whom 
Colgan mentions as a disciple of St. Petroc, or 
Pereuse, abbot of Padstow (i. e. Petrocstowe), in 
Cornwall, who died about A. D. 664. Of Crio- 
dan Colgan says : " Cridanus colitur in 

Lagenia in eoelesia de Acadh Binnich, die 11 
Mali."— Acte Sanctorum, p. 686. n. 11, 12, 13. 



CIV 



Qoep pliocc fenleabaip cianao[t>a 
(nac airne a u^bap) clann ele t>o ber a^ 
muipcfpcac mac 6cqica; map po abep ; 
Ice onnpo na 6prcain azho ap plioce 
cumn ceuDcacai^ .1. Dia ccu^ muipceap- 
cac mac [Gopca] bean Cuipi^ ^o puj^ 
cerpe maca 00 .i. Conpaicm *) ^aibil- 
Pichr, o (xa puipij 1 pt^ 6pearan Copn, 
-) Hellm a quo ui H^llm. 



Hi abaip an penlebap aip ace pm. 
^ibeab ^ibe lenab ail lappmopacc ap 
pio^aio 6prcon-Copn f eucaio an ponn 
I 8a;caib od n-^oipit> 1 Saipc Cornwall^ 
uaip o^ptn 6prcaincopn. 



It is said in a vety ancient book (the 
author of which is not known) that Muir* 
cheartach Mac Earca had other children. 
Thus does it say: " These are the Britons 
who descended from Conn of the Hundred 
Battles, viz^ Muircheartach Mac (Earca) 
haying espoused the wife of Luirig, she 
bore him four sons, viz., Consaitin, and 
Gaidil-Ficht, from whom descended the 
chiefs and kings of Britain-Corn; Neillin 
a quo Ui Neillin."' 

The old book says no more about him 
than this. But whosoever wishes to in- 
quire about the kings of Britain-Corn, let 
him search the country in Saxonland, and 
which in Saxon is called Cornwall, for 
that is Britain-Com. 



There can be yqtj little doubt that " the old book," whose author was unknown, 
which is spoken of and quoted in the foregoing passage, is the identical legend of St. 
Camech, which is for the first time printed above, p. 172, seq.\ but whether Mac 
Firbis quoted it from the book of Ballymote, or from an older copy, which contained 
also other similar matter, we have now no means of ascertaining. 

II. The following curious verses will also throw light on the history of Muredach 
and Ere, the daughtier of Loam. They are taken from a poem beginning 8nna 
oalea Chaipbpe cpuaid, ^'Enna, the pupil of hardy Cairbre;" of which there is a 
very good copy in p. 163 of a manuscript volume of bardic poetry, of great interest 
and historical value, the property of the late O'Conor Don, by whose kindness it was 
deposited in trust with the Royal Irish Academy, that its contents might be exa- 
mined and transcribed by Irish scholars. 



6apc in^ean 6oaipn ^n I6n 

moroip na n-occap mac moip-rp6n 



ipa 



Earc, the daughter of unsubdued Loam, 
The mother of the eight great brave 
sons, 

Whose 



^ Only three of the sons are here mentioiied ; ii given aboTO, pp. IS?, 189, where the 
but the fonrth, ** Scannall, a quo gens Scannail,'* here quoted oocuri. 



^ 



x^ 



cv 



ipa f lol ip cpeopac call 
loep 6o^an ip Conall. 

Cf^pnac ba qi6n a pt 
ip Peapaoac ^o 6plaicpf 
TTIuipceapcac, moan mea6ac 
CUmn Gipce pe THuipeadac. 

Clann djjeapnai;^ an oaoiB re 
pil Ci^eapnai^ ihic 6ipce 
Peapa6a6 p6in pUiir abai6 
6 c6io Cenel Peopooai^ 

[Cenel THoain co meaoaib 
o THoon mac THuipeaoai^ 
TTluipceopcac co meaoaip mfn 
ip ua6 aipopi^pat) Oili^.] 

Sil pn na ^-ceirpe mac mfn 
00 pdj 8apc a n-Bojan ctp 
ploinnpioo oaoiB anoip jon paill 
pil mac n-6ipc a ccpic Conaill. 



dn Gopca ipa clonna pm 
in^ean 6oaipn a h-Qlbain 
cu^ pcop^up mac Conaill cam 
I ap cpao capeip muipeaoai^ 

Seaona, peiDlimi6 po peap 
6peanamn ip Coapn lanhoeap 

clann 



, Whose seed has been powerful within', 
Between Eoghan and Conall*. 

Tigemach, who ruled with brareiy, 
And Fearadhach of kingly power, 
Muircheartach, and Moan, rich in mead, 
Were the sons of £arc by Muireadach. 

The race of Tigheamach of rich domains, 
Are the Siol Tighemaigh Mic Eirce, 
Fearadhach too, a full ripe chief, 
From whom are the Cenel Fearadhaigh. 

[Cenel Moain^ of the mead. 

From Moan, son of Muireadhach, 
Muircheartach, the gentle and merry, — 
Fromhim descend the kings of Aileach.] 

Those are the descendants of the four 

gentle sons 
Whom Earc left in Tir-Eoghain; 
Now I shall name for you without fail 
The descendants of Earc^s sons in Tir 

ChonailL 

The Earc, whose sons these were, 
Was the daughter of Loam of Alba; 
WhomFearghus, the son of Conall, took 
To wife, for dowry", after Muireadhach. 

Seadna, Feidhlimidh, well do I know, 
Breanainn and Loam, the right-handed, 

Were 



' Call if a BrehoD law term, rignifjiog within 
the tribe or territory. 

■ Eoghan andConall: i. e. Eoghan son of Nlall, 
of the Nine Hostages, the father of Mnireadaoh, 
her first husband, and Conall Golban, the fiither 
of Fergus, her second husband. 

IBISH ABCH. 80C. 1 6. 



* Centl Moain, — The four lines enclosed in 
brackets are supplied by Mr. Curry fh>m another 
copy of this poem in the Book of Fenagh. 

*> For dowry : i. e. he ga^e her a dowry ; which, 
according to ancient custom, was the proof of an 
honourable marriage. 



CVl 



clann Gipce oelb^opa an Dputn^^ 
aj;up peop^uif mic ConuiU. 



Hip pa^iB Peilim oo clomn 
dec Go^cm beo^ ip Coluiin» 
nip pd^ 6penainn, peim j^o par 
ace mao 6aoirin ppicbeapcac (no 
ppiecfpcdc). 

6oapn ba laioip a ^lac 
pob uapul ppim;^ine a mac 
Donan acaip na mac meann 
Colman Seijiinn ip Caippeonn. 

Na epi mic pin o'pd^aib 6apc 

yan c-pl ace naoim 50 naoimneapc, 
SeaDna aice p6 piola6 
mac caoipeac cp^n pi03pa&. 



SeaDna mac Peap^upa P61I 
o puil piol 8eat>na paopndip 

Cinel 



Were the sons of Earc, valoFons the 

band. 
And of Fearghusy the son of ConalL 

Feilim left no children. 

Except Eoghan the little, and Colum^. 
Breanainn of happy career left not, 
But only Baoithin^ of the goodly deeds. 

Loam, whose hand was strong, 

ninstrious was the first-bom of his 

sons, 
Ronan, the father of the powerlxil sons', 
Ck>lman, Seighinn, and Laisreann. 

These three sons which Earc left» 

Were without issued, except saints of 

saintly power. 
Seadna was her's for the propagation 
Of people, chiefs, and brave kings. 

Seadna, the son of Fearghus of Fail*, 
From whom descended the Siol Seadna 
noble and brave, 

Cenel 



* Colvm, — This wm the celebrated 8U Co- 
Imnba. or Columb-Kille. See Colgui, Trias Th., 
p. 477. Eoghao, his yonnger brother, was the 
fktfaer of St. Email, abbot of Drniiii-thwna in 
Tirconnell Colgan, Acta SB. in 1 Jsn. p. 7. 

* JSaoitkin, — This was the successor of St. Co- 
himba in the goremment of the moiiBstery of 
lona, and fonnder of the church of Tigh-baoitiiin 
in TiroomielL^Colgan, Trias Thanm.. p. 460, 
n. 4. 

« Powerful 9oni : i. e, saints. For St. Cohnan, 
wlio is also called Columbamis, see Colgan, 



Tr. Th., p. 480, n. 8. For St. Seighin, or Se- 
gineus, ibid. p. 482, n. 38. It is doubtful whe- 
ther this was the Segineus who was abbot of 
Bangor, and died A.D. €64, according to the 
Four Masters ; or the Segineus who was Aieb- 
bishop of Armagh, and died A. D. 687. For St. 
Latsreaan, see Colgan, ib. p. 481, n. 26. 

7 Without wme .* i. e. Fedlim, Brenainn, and 
Loam, left no posterity except saints ; but 
Seadna was the ancestor of lungs and people. 

* FaU : i. e. of Ireland. 



- ^r- ' -- 



cvu 



Cinel 6u^;Dac coip 'pa buf 
plua^ p6nao 50 pfop pollup. 

CUxnn Ciopdin, cUxnn Cponnmaoil 
c6in 
ip clann ^oinjpij; 50 pioj;ai5 
ip laopin 50 n-jniom n-yupa 
piol Seobna mic Pecqijupcu 



810I mic n-6ipce pin jan ail 
a cip ConuiU ip Go^in 
olc p^on a ccaipoip bof la 
DO piol cCopmaic ihic Gnno. 



Do cumni^ 6apc coThaio c6i6 
ap a h-occop mac mop blair 
peaponn puiee nac ppir poill 
pol mic n-6ipc a ccpic Conaill. 



Cu^nrcxc; mic Peop^upa 61 
t>puim Ci^ean ap a uaiple 



op 



Cenel Lnghdach in the East* and here, 
And the hoets of Fanad^, 'tis clearly 
true. 

The Clann Ciandn, and the fair Clann 

Cronnmaoil, 
And the kingly Clann Loingdgh, 
They, — the distingoished for valiant 

deeds, — 
Are the descendants of Seadna, the son 

of Fearghus. 

These are the descendants of Fare's sons 
without reproadi. 
In the countries of Conall and of £0- 

ghanS 
HI did their friendship work 
To the descendants of Cormac, son of 
■ Enna. 

Earc besought a noble gift 
From her eight sons of great renown, 
A territory, free of all daim^ to de- 
pend. 
From the descendants of Earc's sons in 
TirConailL 

The sons of Fearghus gave unto her 
Druim Lighean% because of its noble- 
ness. 

For 



* In tht East: i. e. in SootUnd ; and ken, in 
Ireland. 

^ F€mati.-^A territory in the north of Tiroon- 
nell, extending from Lough SwiUy to Molroy 
Lough, and from the lea to Bathmelton. It eon^ 
priied the perish of Cloondawadoge ; and Batb- 
muUen wai its chief reiidenoe. 

« Eoghan : i. e. Tir Connell and Tir Eoghain 



(Tyrone). 

^ Frte tf ali claiau— ppie pall^ a Brebon 
law term nearly eqniTalent to our/kt dmpU, 

' Drmim LigUam, or Crnaehan Ligheaii, now 
Dmmleene, on the weitem bank of Loo^ Foyle, 
near Liflord, ia atill the name of a towalaad in 
the barony of Baphoe, pariih of Clonleigh, or 
Clonlaodh, county DonegaL A mooaatery waa 

2 



CVIU 



ap a coimoeifi op cip call 
iDep Go jan ip ConalU 

t)o pijne a ciomna pe n-65 
Gape aluinn, nt h-ioinapbp6j^ 
a cpfoc 00 Caipneac miao n-^al 
DO t>eaj;ihac a t)epbpea?xip« 

Q h-eic, a h-6p, a h-6at>ac, 
a eioDlaca6 qioimc^aoac, 
a ppeapbal p6p aj plea^iB 
uaice ap ihacaib TTluipeaoai^. 

Q h-eappa6 ^aca bliaona 
map DO 5ia6 beo p^im pia^la 
ap c6d Da j^ac cjim lappm 
00 Chaipneac 6 piol Go jam. 

Cuypac piol Go^ain an cfop 
ppl p6 Caipnij jan arp^ip, 
a^p DO paDpac, mioo n-^ol^ 
'na 6iai j p6 picioD bliaoan* 



niapp6n ip Capp6n lappm, 
d6 comapba D'eip Caipnij 



cucpac 



For its conyement situation within the 

laady 
Between Tir Eoghain and Tir ConailL 

She made her will before her death — 
Earc, the beautiful, it is no falsehood — 
She bequeathed her territory to the ve- 
nerated, powerful Caimeach, 
The goodly son of her sister. 

Her horses, her gold, her apparel. 

Her presents of many heavy hundreds, 
And that he be entertained at ban- 
quets. 
For her, by the sons of Muireadhach. 

Her suit of apparel every year. 
As if she were alive, by strict injunction. 
And an hundred of every kind of cattle, 
To Caimeach, from the seed of Eoghan. 

The seed of Eoghan paid the tribute 
During Cairneach's life without mur- 

mur^ 
And they paid it, — ^noble deed, — 
After him for the term of twenty years. 

Massan and Cassan^ then 

Were the two coarbs after Cairneach ; 

They 



fouDded by St. Columba at Clonleigh (Colgan, 
Trias Thanxn. p. 435, n. 68), o^er which St. 
Cameeh perhaps afterwards presided. Colgan, 
Acta SS. p. 782. See aboTe, p. 241, n. * ; and 
0*DononuD's Four Masters, at the year 1522 
(p. 1357) ; 1524 (p. 1371 ); and 1538 fp. 1813). 
^ Ma$$em emd CoMsam^^^CoigBn says ; '* Forte 
liie Cassanns foit onus ex quatuor Sanctis Ca»» 
sanls, de quibns egimus supra hao die [28 Martii] 



in Tita S. Cassani Episcopi, eC fortaase qnartns qui 
20 Jonii oolitnr. Item enm qui hie Massanosap- 
pellatur, ezistimo esse, qui ab aliis Amommm too^ 
tur ; et oolitur 27 April, secundum Marianum et 
alios. Solent enim nostratesprefigerepartioulam 
Mo, Tel solum AT nominibus Sanctorum a Tocali 
incipientibus, ut antea ssepe monui." — Acta S8., 
p. 783, n. 8. 



CIX 



cucfor Dpuim li^an ^an c6in 
ap €(of Caipni^ oo conj^riidil. 



Cucpac clanna H61U co par 
jon cfof jan peace jan c-pluai^* 

ea6, 
ciD cia po conj^baiS jon r-pal 
cfop Caipni^ a buBpaoap. 

peap];up mac TTIuipceapcai; ihoip 
cona cloinn uapailopoihoip 
^abpac an Opuim pa cfop oe 
pip Dpoma iat> Da 6ipe. 



Thej gave away Droim Lighean freely. 
Upon condition of receiving Caimeach*s 
tribute. 

The prosperous Clann Neill gave. 
Free of expeditions or of hostings^, 
Although they might have kept it 

without reproach, 
Caimeach's tribute as they asked. 

Fearghus, the son of great Muircheartach, 
With his noble, illustrious, great sons, 
Took the Druim'' subject to this tri- 
bute. 
And hence they were caUed Fir Droma*. 



Although the foregoing curious poem was never before published, yet it was not 
unknown to the indefatigable Colgan*^ ; and it evidently forms the authority for the 
following historical narrative, which he has given in his Life of St. Carnech : '' Mortuo 
deinde secundo conjuge Fergussio, Erca a quatuor filiis, quos eidem genuerat, in suae 
viduitatis solatium et sustentationem donatur supramemorato prsedio nunc Drum- 
Ugean nunc Cruchan-ligean appellari soli to: quod et ipsa sub mortem condito testa- 
mento 8. Camecho sobrino, de filiorum consensu perpetuolegavit; relic t&que Murcher- 
tacho cteterisque filiis ex priori thoro susceptis sui regia suppellectile, eosdem, ultro 
ad hoc se oflferentes, obligavit ad centum capita ex quolibet armentorum genere eidem 
S. Camecho ejusve successor! quotannis in perpetuum numeranda. Hssc autem 
pia et perampla devots Principis legata, toto tempore, quo S. Carnechus supervixit, 

et 



' Hottingt. — The sueeeuora of St. Ganiech» 
it appears, preferred the tribute to the land, 
which was at that time burdened with the 
cliarges of expeditions and hostlngs, the main- 
tenaooe of troops, and also the obligation of 
serving personallj in the wars, from which the 
eoclesiastiGal character of the owners did not 
protect them. 

^ The DruiM : i. e. Druim Lighean. 

* Fir Droma.^Tb»j were called Ui Ethach 



Droma Lighean, the descendants of Eochaidh of 
Druim Lighean, or Feara Droma Lighean, the 
men of Drum-Lighean. See the genealogy of the 
O'Donnellys, who were the chiefs of the Fir 
Droma, in the Appendix to 0'Dono¥an*s Fom- 
Masters, p. 2426. 

k Colgan speaks of the author of this poem 
onljr under the general terms of *' author qoidam 
aoonymus, qui ridetur ante octingentos ^el am- 
plins annos Tizii 



ex 

et annis insaper viginti ab ejus morte, rata et firma mansenmt, et fidditer sohreban- 
tur. Verum postea Cassanns et Massanus qui S. Camecho in monasterii regimine suo- 
cesserant, negligentiam aliquam in annu& ill& armentorum pensione solvendi, vel jam 
oommissam videntes, vel ne in posterum committeretur metuentes, consenserunt ad 
dominium prsedicti prcedii in filios posterosve Muredacii ea conditione transferendum, 
quod dudum statuta pensio, quotannis, ut olim consuevit, integre solveretur. Hac 
ergo transactione peracta, Fergussius supra memoratoMurchertacho natus, ejusquefiUi 
predictum prsedium possidendum Busceperunt, et annis ploribus retinuemnt, usque 
scilicet ad tempora Domnaldi filii Aidi Hibemise Monarclue, qui ex supra memorati 
Conalli semine oriundus, ab anno Domini 623 ad 639 regnavit." — Acta SS., p. 782. 

From the foregoing documents it would seem that, at the time when Ere became 
St. Gamech's penitent, he was at Ross-Ailigh. That after the liberal endowments 
bequeathed to him by £rc, he established a monastery at Drium Lighean, or perhaps 
enlarged and enriched that which had been founded by St Columba at Cluain Laodh, 
now Clonleigh^ 

There are also some data furnished in the poem for determining the year of St. Car- 
nech's death. The bard tells us that the successors of St. Camech, twenty years after 
his death, consented to give up the manor of Druim-Lighean, and that Fergus, the son 
of Muircheartach, was the sovereign who accepted this surrender, and resumed posses- 
sion of the Druim, from which his posterity were termed Fir-Droma. 

But Fergus, according to O'Flaherty's Chronology, reigned conjointly with his 
brother Domhnall for one year only, viz., A. D. ^6^-6. The Four Masters place the 
commencement of the reign of Domhnall and Fergus in 559, and their death in 561. 
But the Annals of Ulster favour O'Flaherty's date. It is probable, however, that Fer- 
gus entered into possession of Druim-Lighean when he was chief of Tyrone, and before 
he became king of Ireland. Therefore St Camech must have died before the year 545, 
if we adopt the dates of O'Flaherty; or before the year 539, if we adopt, with Colgan, 
the chronology of the Four Masters. 

There is another St Camech mentioned in Irish history, who is said to hare been 
bishop of Tuilen, now Dulane, near Kells, in the county of Meath; biit his memory is 
now altogether forgotten there. Colgan is of opinion that this is not the same as the 
Camech who is the subject of the foregoing remarks. For his day is not the 28th of 

March, 

' Colgan nys: '* Undt onm diUD ecdasle, mia leptentrionem, satis ricine ; in altflmtra ipnim 

DomknaC'mor, de Magh-Ith, appellata ; altera Abbatis, et per oonsequeu Epiicopi rnqnoa ez- 

Chiain Laodh diota, tint iUi prasdio [aciL de erouisse eiittimo." — Aota 88., p. 782* e. 2. 
Dmim-Ugean'], una ad ooeidentem, altera ad 



CXI 

March, but the i6thof May, tinder which date his death is thus recorded in the 
Feiliire of Aenghns: 

6a8 cait) chai^Nis p^i^ftccf-c. 

*' The illustrious death of Carnech the truly powerful." 

And the gloss adds: 

.1. Caipnech o Cuilen i fxxil Che- L e. Gamech of Tuileo, in the neigh- 
nannfo, -| do 6peacnaib Copn bo. bourhood of Cenannas [Eells], and he is of 

the Britons of Com [Cornwall]. 

By this it appears that St. Carnech of Tuilen was not a native of Ireland, but of 
Cornwall, and therefore Colgan supposes him to be the same as St. Cernach or Caran- 
tach, whose day in the Calendar of the British Church is the i6th of May, and who 
dourished about a century before the other St. Carnech, baring been, as it is said, a 
contemporary of St Patrick. — Trias. Thaum., p- 231. (Acta SS., p. 783, c. 8). It is pro- 
bable that his memory was introduced into Ireland, and a church dedicated to him at 
Tuilen, by the three tuatha or septs of the British, L e. Welshmen, who settled there, 
according to the topographical poem of O'Dugan, and who were called Coihcionol 
Choipnijj;, or Cairnech's Congregation. 

It is of this Carnech, or Carantoch of Tuilen, that Dudley Mac Firbis probably 
speaks when he says (p. 749, MS. Boyal Irish Academy): 

Caipnecc, 00 6pecnuib Copn oo, ap Cairnech, he was of the Britons of 

uime fin a ofpap Caipnec pip .1, Caip- Corn, and hence he is called Cairnech 

nee mac Cuirfic, mic &ui^6, mic Cha- [Cornish]; viz., Cairnech, son of Luitech, 

luim, mic locacaip, mic Qlra. CLi" son of Luighidh, son of Talum, son of 

amluiD pin inipiop Jiolla Caomoin 1 Jothacar, son of Alt This is what Giolla 

SoaipiB na m-6prcon. Caomhain relates in the Histories of the 

Britons. 

The History of the Britons by Giolla Caomhain, who died about A. D. 1072, 
is a work which is not now known to exist, imless it be the same as the Leabhar 
Breathnach, or Irish version of Nennius, here published: for O'Reilly states (Trans. 
Ibemo- Gaelic Society, p. cxxii.), that in the Book of Hy-Many there was a copy of 
the Leabhar Breathnach, at the head of which was a memorandum stating that Nen- 
nius was the author, but that Giolla Caomhain had translated it into Irish* The 
genealogy of St Cairnech, however, as quoted by Dudley Mac Firbis, does not now 
occur in any of the copies of this work which exist in Dublin.— -(T.) 

No. XXIIL 



cxu 



No. XXIII. Giraldus CambrmsU on the PiOs and Soots. 

In the course of the year 1846, the Second and Third Distinctions of the work 
of Giraldus Cambrensis, de Instractione Principis, have been printed, wilJi only ex- 
cerpta from the First Distinction. The editors excuse this mode of publication, by 
alleging that the first portion is chiefly ethical ; but the words of the following cu- 
rious extract shew that some historical notices haye been omitted. 

JExcerptum vL p. 1 88* 

*' But since the Picti and Scoti haye here been mentioned, I haye thought it lele- 
yant to explain who these nations were, and whence, and why, they were brought into 
Britannia, as I haye gathered it from divers histories. 

" Histories relate that the Picti, whom Yirgil also calls Agatirsi"', had their dwell- 
lings near the Scitic marshes. And Seryius, conmientingupon Virgil, and expounding 
that place" * Picti Agatirsi,' says: ' We call the same people Picti whom we call Aga- 
tirsi, and they are called Picti as being stigmatized, since they are wont to be stigma- 
tized and cauterized for the abundance of phlegm. And these people are the same as 
theGrothL Since, then, the continual punctures superinduce scars, their bodies become, 
as it were, painted, and they are called Picti from these cauteries oyergrown* with 
scars.' 

*' So, when that tyrant Maximus went over from Britannia to Franda, with all the 
men and forces and arms of the island, to assume the empire, Gratian and Valentinian, 
brothers and partners in the empire, transported' this Grothic nation, brave and strong 
in war, either allied or subject to themselves, and [won]*> by imperial benefits, from 
the boundaries of Scitia to the northern parts of Britannia, to infest the Britons, and 

call 

" CoDtrariwiie, he gi?es to the Agathyrsi the 
epithet of Picti. 

* Neither there oor elsewhere hath the extant 
SerTius (Edit. Masricii) one syllable of this; nor 
has he anywhere any mention of the Grothi. 

** This disfiguring of the features by cicatriza- 
tion was an entirely distinct practice, and limited 
to the face. The Hunnish tribes were those who 
delighted in such deformity. Ammianua says 
they cicatrized their new-bom infants. — ^zxzi. 
cap. 2. Others relate that they inflicted these 
scars on occasion of grief and mooniing. But 



the statements are not incompatible. The poet 
Sidooiiw only means bloody when inJUettd by 
red, — 



''▼ultiMiiMniiaagl 

Rubra dalricmn vestigia ^ido^me.'*—JdJmtmH, 939. 

^ Manifestly false ; for Eumenius of AotUD, 
in the year 297, spoke of the Picti in Britannia. 
Paneg. Constantio. c^. xi. 

^ Imperialibtts ...... tam beneficiis; tarn 

being the last syllable of some passlTe pHti- 
clple. 



cxm 

call home the tyrant with all the youth of the island, which he had taken away never 
destined to return. 

** But they, being strong in the warlike yalour natural to Goths, neyertheless finding 
the island stript (as I haye said) of men and forces, occupied no small part of its north- 
em provinces, never meaning to revisit their own country, and of pirates becoming 
settlers. 

'* In process of time (having married wives from the neighbouring Hybemia since 
they could have none from the Britons) they took into alliance the Hybemic nation, 
also called Scotian ; and gave them the maritime part of the land they had occupied, 
and the nearest to their own country, where the sea is narrow, which is called' Ghil- 
weidia, where they afterwards became unanimous in infesting the Britons, and 
advancing their own frontiers. And it is of them that Gildas, in his treatise de Ex- 
cidio Britonum, says: * Then Britannia, destitute of armed soldiers, and deprived of 
the vigorous yoimg men of the country, who, having followed the above-mentioned 
tyrant, never returned home, being now entirely ignorant of the use of war, b^an 
first to be oppressed and trampled by two very fierce nations, the Picti from the 
north, and the Scoti from the north-west.' &c., &c*. And now I will briefly relate 
how the mighty nation of Picti, after so many victories, has come to nothing. 

*' When the Saxons had occupied the island, as I have said, and concluded a stable 
peace with the Picti, the Scoti (who had been joined to the Picti, and invited by them 
to inhabit their country) seeing that the Picti (although now fewer', because of the 
affinity of Hibemia) were yet much their superiors in arms and courage, had recourse 
to their wonted and, as it were, innate treacheries" [^prcedictiona], in which they sur- 
pass other nations. They invited^ all the magnates of the Picti to a banquet, and 
when an excess and provision of meat and drink had been taken, and they perceived 
their opportunity, they removed the p^ which supported the planks, whereby they 

all 

' OaUowaj. Here Oiraldut eTinces hia com- twice, and is not intelligible to me, I suppoae we 

plete ignorance of the history and geography of ought to read proditiones. 

the Scots colony. * This tale, howsoeyer fabulous, and borrowed 

* The Eiditor has omitted much of the quota- from the story of Hengist, puts on its true foot- 

tiooe from Gildas. ing the pretended total extirpation of the Picts 

' If the text is sound, it probably means that by Kenneth M* Alpin. It was an extirpation of 

the Piotiah wpenority ofnumberu waa diminiabed the rights or royal Picta, in whom the crown waa 

by the auccoura which the Scota obtained from heritable, of the whole taniatry (if I may ao term 

their mother country. it) of the realm. 

■ For this word, prmdietitmet, which occurs 

IRISH ARCH. SOG. 1 6. P 



CXIV 

all fdl, by a wonderful stratagem, up to their hams into the hollow of the boiches 
whereon they were sitting, so that they could by no means rise; and then straight- 
way they slaughtered them all, taken by surprise, and fearing no such treatment from 
their kinsfolk and confederates, whom they had joined in fealty to their own enfeoff- 
ment^, and who were their allies in war. In this manner the more warlike and pow- 
erful of the two nations entirely disappeared; but the other, in all respects far inferior, 
having gained the advantage in the monient of so great a treachery [^prcedtcUon]^ 
obtained even unto this day the whole of that country, from sea to sea, which after 
their 'own name they called Scotia.*' — (H,) 

No. XXIY. Addenda et Corrigenda^ 

Page 26, note *, " The Wdsh also call ihemsdves OwydhU^ and their coumtry 2Vr 
OwydhiL*^ This is a mistake. A part of Anglesea (or the whole) was in the posses- 
sion of the Irish in the fifth and sixth centuries ; and certain monuments there are called 
Carrig y Wyddyl^ " Stones of the Gael;" some rude old houses are called freV Wydde- 
lodd, *' Houses of the Gael ;'' and a prince of Mona living in those times was styled 
the JBrenin Wyddelodd, If there ever was a Tir y Crwyddyl, out of Albany, it was 
probably that colony in Mona. But that places the name in opposition to Cymmry, 
and not in S3monyme with it The statement that the Welsh call ihemsdvea Gwyddyl, 
or their country Tir y Gwyddyl, is altogether a mistake. 

P. 30, note ^, line 18. It is, however, possible that the discreditable sense of the 
word havren may be a secondary and modem one, its older meaning having been 
void of reproach. During the long time since I penned this note, I have concluded 
this much, that Geoffrey's original was neither brought from, nor written in, Armo- 
rica- — (-ff). 

P. 103, note *, col. I, line 8, for '^w usually attribuUd to the year 473," read, ''is 
variously dated from 456 to 473." 

P. Ill, line 6, " his ahoulder,^^ That ysgtvyd, a shield, was mistaken for ysgwydd^ 
a shoidder, is the convincing remark of Mr. Price in his Hanes Cymru. — See the 
notes to Schulz on Welsh tradition, p. 10. This easy mistake was probably fur- 
ther facilitated by the use of both words. Geoffrey says : '' adaptat humeris quoque suis 
dypeum,"*^ Two of his Welsh translators have tarian ar ysgwydd; but we find poets 
affecting the gingle of ysgwyd ar ysgwydd. — (H). 

P. 130, line (of the poem) 18, am pan© GpcaiUicbi. This is very obscure and 
corrupt; am pano is not properly '* in the portion," although it has been so conjec- 

turally 
* Sao benefioio confeodatis. 



cxv 



jecturally rendered: to be so it ought to be ippoinb, or ippant>. Mr. Curry proposes 
to read am pant> epcalicbi, for am pon epcaileao ambir, *' wben^rjt their existence 
was discovered.'' Gpcaileao is an old word which is thus explained in a Glossary in 
the Library of Trinity College: .1. eipneab, uc epc, m bi-bpeceaih no. hi epcailcec 
-|C. ofi ip cpe epcaileao paiUpi^eap amceap nt beaca6 .1. opip cpia pm epneao 
puppamai^ceap, no paiUpi^cep amceap m beara. '* Ercaileadh, L e. eimeadh (solu- 
tion), 9S m the saying^ ' There will be no judge who will not be able to solve {ercaU- 
tech)^ &c. ;' andt ' For it is by solution (ercctUeadh) that all the difficult questions of 
life are made clear,' L e. through emeadh (solution), all the questions of life are made 
dear or explained." — {T)* 

Ibid,y line 22 (of the poem), caiene. This word is translated understood^ on the 
authority of the following passage from the Leabhar Breac, fol. 27, h. cu 



Qln u eop Bbpica Im^a locucop 
puippe opbiepanrup. Seo ica ab om- 
nibup ee mcellecco ea q oca punc \ pin- 
^ulip ppoppia fua loquepecup. paipenb 
aile fi. ippeo aobpeuc como on bepla 
Gbpaioe nama po labaippec *] conio 
aippioe bo raicne aeb a m-bepla bilip 
bo each. 



Alii vero eos [sc Apostolos] Hebndca 
lingua locutos fuisse arbitrantur. Sed 
ita ab omnibus esse intellecta ea qu« dicta 
sunt, quia singulis propria sua loqueretur 
(mc). Others think that they spake in the 
Hebrew language, and that it sounded 
with the sweet accent of his own language 
to each. 



The allusion, as the reader will evidently perceive, is to Acts, ii. 4-1 1. 

/&td, line 26 (of the poem), ppilacap ^an liun. In the same glossary already 
quoted larap is explained by inbill, ready prepared: and liun by lean no paill, defect 
or neglect — See line 54. 

P. 284, note \ The word bpeacaib may be the third person plural of the verb 
bpecaim, to variegate, adorn, illustrate, colour with spots: and the meaning is, that 
Malcolm was king thirty years, a period that has been celebrated or illustrated, 
blazoned in poems or verses. — (T.) 

P. liv. Additional Notes, line 26, " Or silver-hipJ^^ Observe the strictly analogous 
names of the Danannian king, Nuadh Silver-hand. Compare also the Druidess Geal- 
cosach, or white-legs, whose tomb is shewn in Inishowen. — (H.) 

P. xlviii, lines 5, 6, *' We read in Lib. BaUymote, that Bruide CniL • . . was King 
of Ulster. — Ap. Pinkertonj L 502-504." The passage certainly does so stand in the 
Book of Ballymote, Cnic pi ulao; " Cnit [or Cint], Bang ofUladh." — See p. xciL And 
it is also stated in the Book of Lecan (see p. IxviL supra)^ that Urchal Bruidi-pont was 

p 2 thirty 



CXVl 

thirty years King of Uladb. But these passages, particularly the former, are so cor- 
rupt, that no safe inference can be drawn from them. 

There is in the Book of Lecan another copy of the Cruithnian story, besides those 
given above, p. Ixv. et 8eq.<, and p. xciiL a aeq, ; but it is so nearly the same as the 
others, that it has not been thought worth while to transcribe it, especially as it is 
very corrupt, and adds nothing to the information given us in the copies which have 
been printed. It occurs in the history of the reign of Herimon, in a long account 
of the Milesian invasion of Ireland'. 

The allusion to the King of Uladh, or Ulidia, in this tract, is as follows: 

Upcalbpu ice pone .;i^;c. b. ippi^e nut. Urcalbruide Pont thirty years in the 
1p>e apbeapra bpui^e ppi ^ac peap Dib kingdom of Uladh. It is from him the 
1 penDQ na peap. name of Bruide is given to every man of 

them Mid to the divisions of their lands. 

In this list of the kings the same confused mixture of the Brtddes with the other 
names occurs which has been already noticed in the Book of BaUjrmote, and originated, 
probably, in the same cause. — See p. zciL, 9upr(u 

Hence, although the name is written above Urcalbruide Font, yet it is clear that 
two names, Ureal and Bruide Pont, are run together; and that the observation applies 
properly to Pont, or Bont (see above, p. 156), who is called Bout by Pinkerton. 

It will be seen also, that in the reading of this passage, as given above, p. 156, and 
also in that given from another part of the Book of Lecan (p. zci., supra\ there is no 
mention of Uladh. There we find, instead of ippi^e nut. or nulao, as in the former 
place, ;)c;r;)c. ano uqd, and in the latter, ;r;r;^' pt^ uoo, intimating that after Bruide Pont 
there were thirty kings, who bore the common title of Bruide. 

Which of these was the true reading it is now impossible to say ; but it is evident 
that we must be very cautious in drawing any inference from the mention of Uladh 
in so very corrupt a passage.^-(T.) 

P. cviii, note ^, Masaan and Gossan, These saints are mentioned in the poem on 
the Saints of the Cinel La^hoire, in a poem beginning Haeiii pencap naem innpi 
pail (Book of Ballymote, foL 126, b.b.). 

6eoan, Qppan, Capan qiiup, Beoan, Assan, Cassan three, 

acup Richell a noepbpiup, and Bichell their sister, 

Qpcpai^ mic Qe6a am, Artraigh, son of noble Aedh, 

mic pein5 6ibip mic Dallain. son of chaste Liber, son of Dalian. — (T.) 

INDEX. 
' Book of Looao, foL 13» d. b. 



CXVll 



INDEX. 



A. '^- 

A BONI A, the iale of Man, . . . 29, r. 
"^ Acha, or St. John's well, near Kil- 
kenny, . 197, n. 

Adamnan^a Life of St Columba, . . 147, n. 

Qeb, art or science, 151 , n. 

Aenbeagan, king of the Picts, .... 51 
Aengus the Culdee, his Libellns de Ma- 

tribns Sanctorum, . . . 180, n., 198, n. 

hisFeltre, . . . 201, n., 206, n. 

Agathyrsi, the original name of the 

Picts 121,131 

Aiche, land of, 267 

Aileach, ^ . . cii. a. 

Qipeadc, 62, a. 

Airthera. See " Orior.'' 

Alba, the ancient name- of North Bri- 

tidn, 127, n, 

Albion, first name of Britain, .... 27 

, not of Latin origin, . • • 27, »• 

Alectus, 65 

Ambrose [Merlin], fortress of, . . . 91 

, king of France, 75 

, bishop of Milan, 69 

Amergin, of the white kine, Brehon of 

the Milesians, 57 



Page. 
Amergin, his judgment between the Mi- 
lesians and Tuatha de Danaan, . . 247, n. 
Anglesey, or Mona, conquered by the 

Irish, 190, n. 

Angus, notion of Macbeth being thane 

of, its origin, zc 

Antioch, legend of the foundation of, by 

Seleucus Nicator, zziv 

Apurnighe, or Abemethy 163 

Arad Cliathach 257 

Tire, ib. 

Aran, isle of, confounded by Guraldus 
Cambrensis with Inishglory, . . 193, n. 

, dedicated to St. Endeus, . • . ib. 

Arbraighe, 262, »., 263 

Archbishoprics, three in ancient Bri- 
tain, . ▼ 

Ard-leamhnachta, battle of, 124, n., 125, 135 

Arg^, kings of, 255 

Arging^, district of, . . . . 118, n., 119 

, sepulchre in, ...... ib. 

Arius Froda, 147, R. 

Armorica, zix 

Arngrim Jonas, Island. Primordia, . 148, a. 
Amor Jarlaskald, . . . Izxzii, Ixxziii 
Qpc, strenuus, valiant, 276, n. 



CXVUl 



Page. 
Arthur, King of Britain, his twelve bat- 
tles with the Saxons, .... 109-113 

, his dog, . . .117 

Assan , or Massan, (SL) . . . cviii, cxyi 



B. 



Babla and Biblu of Clonard, . . . .213 

Babona, 179 

Ballymote, Book of ; section on the ori- 
gin of the Picts ; conjecture to explain 
the errors of, ....'... xci 
Banba, conquered by the Milesians at 

Sleibh Mis 247 

Bartollocci, Bibliotheca Rabinnica, . 228, n. 

Bassaleg, xxy 

Beantraighe, 257 

Bede, 146, n., 168, n., sq. 

Belfry of fire, 215 

Beli ap Bennli Gwar, grave of, . • xxiii 
Bellinus, or Beli Maur ap Manogan, 
Ring of Britain at the time of Julius 

Cssar's invasion, 59, xxiii 

benait), to draw out, or prolong, . . 30, n. 
Benli, or Beunli Gawr, i. e. the giant, 

• •a 

xxiu 
Bernard (St.), Vita S. Malachi®, . 179, n. 
Berre, now Bearhaven, county Cork, . 263 
Bertram (C), his editions of Nennius, . 2 
Beulan, or Beular, the instructor of Nen- 
nius, • . . 9 

bla, in the Brehon laws, put for baile, 

a townland, 279, n. 

Bladhma, now Slieve Bloom, . . 196,197 
Bloom, Slieve, the well o^ .... lb. 
Bocuilt, or Buellty earn of, . . . .117 

bot)en, 66, n. 

Bodhe, or Boidhe, Ixxx 

Boetius (Hector), 186, n. 

Bran ap Uyr, vii 



Page. 
Bran ap Llyr, his head buried under 

the Tower of London, zvii 

Brand's Orkneys, 149, «. 

bpof , active, 273| n. 

Brath, son of Deagath, 237 

Breagh-magh, or Bregia, the Pictish Set- 

tlementin, ....... 125, 145 

Brebic, cataract of, 119 

Brendan (St), of Inisglory, . . . 198,«. 

Brentracht, 240,fi., 241 

Breogan, sons of, 248 

Brigantia, 288 

, tower of, .... 240, x., 241 

Bregond, or Breogan, . . . 238, fk, 299 
Britain, why so called, ..... 27f «• 

, first called Albion ib. 

, its principal dties, . . . 27-29 

, its rivers, 81, ii. 

, its first inhabitants according 



to British traditions, ..... 81-88 
, according to the trwUtions of 



the Romans, 83-^ 

, dates of the invasion by the Bri- 
tons, Cruithnians, and Saxons, . . 59 

—», wonders of the, 113 

, history of, abridged from Bede, 

169-175 

Britus, genealogy of, 85 

Bruide, the coounon prenomen of the 

Pictbh kings, 157-159, xlv 

, its meaning, ib. 

, ceased to be the regal appella^ 

tion on the approach of civility, . • xlvi 

Buais, or Bush River, 266 

Buan, son of Fergus Mae Roigh, . 264, n, 

Buichne, 255 

Bucuc, or Abacuk, the headless man 

of Clonmacnois, 207 

Bullorum Viri, the Firbolg, .... 45 
Bullum> a shepherd's staff, ... 44, n. 



cxix 



c. 



Page, 



Cadroe CSt.), life of, 225, n. 

Cailli Fochladh, the children of, . . . 203 
Cairnech (St.), son of Sarran and Ba- 

bona, miracles of^ 178 

, documenta relating to, . ci 
St Cairnech, of Tnilen, not a native of 
Irelandy .*•••••••• ozi 

,hi8 genealogy, . lb. 

Caiteal, 83 

Caledonians, xzxi, zxzii 

, Ptolemy's testimony re- 
specting (see Vecturiane8% .... Izii 

CalcQthy synod of, lix 

, its canon agunst scar- 
ring the body, ib. 

Calry of Loch Gill, near Siigo, . . 262, n. 
Campbell. See Mac Caithlin, 

Cantgnic,cityo( xviii 

Cantigem, mother of Ua Dangal, . .213 

, three women of the name 

mentioned in Irish history, . . • 212, n. 
Carantoch (St.), probably the same as 

St. Cairnech of Tuilen, ..... oxi 
Caransius invades Britain, .... 65 

Cassan, St., cviii, czvi 

Cat, or Caithness, .... 148, »., 149 

Cathbran, 125, 139, 141, 159 

Cathmachan, . 141 

Catigem, or Kentig^rn, ..... 99 

Catmolodor, 141 

Cearmna, king of the southern half of 

Ireland, 263, ii. 

Cenel Moain, . . . . . . . cy 

Ceretic of Elmet, 86 

Chalmers's Caledonia, ..... 150, n. 
Chronicon Pictornm, Irish veruon of, 159, 

IXXY 

Chinla, or cynla, a boat, .... 76, »• 
Ciar, son of Fergus Mac Roigh, ... 263 



Cianan of Daimhliag, tradition of his 

body remaining uncorrupted, • . 221, ft. 

Ciarriaghe, tribes of, 264, n. 

Cille Cess, now Kilkeas, mill of, . .217 

Cillin(St.) xiv 

Cinaeth Mac Alpin, 151 

Cirine, i. e. St Jerome, 69 

Cities of Britain, comparison of their 

names in the Irish and Latin Nennius, iii 

Cladh na muioe, 64, «., 65 

Claudius invades BriUdn, 63 

Clonard, aged couple of, 213 

Clonmacnois, three wonders of, . . . 207 
Cluain-fearta Molua, now Clonfertmul* 

loe 200, n., 201 

Coarb, meaning of the word, . . . 185,fi. 
Coemain Brec (St.), Abbot of Roseach, 

201, ft. 
Colgan, Trias Thaumaturga, 161, fi., 184, a., 

202, 203, ft., 276, ft., 286, fi. 
■ Acta Sanctorum, 161, n., 179, «., 

184, A., 189, ft., 190, ft., 208, n., 218, ft., 

225, ft. 
Colman (St), his church at Seanboth, 

or Templeshambo 217, ft. 

Columbcille, his verses on the seven sons 

ofOuithne, 51 

, Poem attributed to, . . 144, n. 
O>mestor (Peter), Historia Scholastica, 

228,11. 
Comgall, (St), appoints St Molua his 

confessor, 206, 207, ft. 

On (Loch), its wonderful well, . . .195 
Conaing's tower, said to be on Tory 

Island, 48, a. 

Conaire II., Ring of Ireland, surnamed 

Caomh, or the beautiful, .... 275 

Conall Glas, 266, ft., 267 

Condivicium, or Condivicnum, city of, xviii 
Confinn, 265 



cxx 



Page. 
CongMlaoh, son of Mailmithigh, his ad- 

ven tore with the aerial ship, . . .211 
Conmac, son of Fergus Mac Roigh, . 263 

Conmaicne, tvibes of, 264» n. 

Constantine, son of Mnirchertach Mac 

Erca, 186, ft., 187 

Constantinople, second (Ecumenical 

Council of, 68, »., 69 

Constantius invades Britain, and dies 

there, 65 

Coradh, . . . • 257 

Corann, well in the pUdn of, . . . .197 
Core, son of Fergus Mac Roigh, . . 263, »• 

CorcaDalLin, 264, »., 265 

Corc-Oiche, 267, n., 269 

Corco-Modhraadh, or Coroomroe, 264, »., 265 

CorcoRaeda, 255 

Corco Rinne, ib. 

Cor Emmrjs, zxy, zxvi 

Cormac's Glossary, 253, n. 

Coronis 234, n., 235 

Corpraighe, 258, n., 259 

Corpre Arad, 257 

Craebh Laisre, 208, n., 209 

Cremhthann Sgiath bhel. King of Lein- 

ster, 123, 137 

Criodauy Bishop, ciii, ib. n. 

Crossans 182, n., 183 

Cruc Ochident, zvii 

Cpub, or cpo6, cattle 81, «. 

Cruithne, son of Inge, or Cing, seized 

North Britidn 51 

, his seven sons, ib. 



-, identical with the first Bruide, xlyii 
^ takes women from the Biile- 



siansy 245 

Cmithnechan, son of Lochit, invades 

North Britain 127 

, obtains women from the 

Irish, . ib. 



Page. 
Cruithnians, or Picts, their conquest of 

Britain 41-43 

, Lluyd^s derivation of the 

name, v 



-, Duald Mac Firbis*s expla- 



nation of it, ib. 

, kings of, .... 155-167 

, their arrival in Ireland in 



the days of Herimon, a pure mythology, xlvii 

, kings of Ireland, . Izzii, Izziii 

, their principal men, . . .125 

, their origin, . . . 121, j^. 

-, section of the origin of the. 



various copies of in the Books of Bal- 

lymote and Lecan, xci 

-» antient poem on the his- 



tory of, 126-153 

, date of their transit from 



Ireland to Scotiand, xlvii 

» Mr. Skene's distinction be- 



tween the Cruithne and Piccardach 
not well founded, Izii 

Cualgne, 254, n. 

Cuanach, a chronicler cited in the An- 
nals of Ulster, 37,11. 

Cuanna Mao Cailchinne, chief of Fer- 
moy, 265,11. 

D. 

Dacherii Spicilegium, 145, a. 

Daimhliag, now Duleek, St^Cianan of, 221, n, 

Dal Cais 259 

Dal Ceata, 261 

Dal Cein, 259 

^ families belonging to the race 

o^ ib. A. 

Dal Confinn, 264, n. 

Dal Core, 260, ii.,261 

Dal Finn Fiatach, 257 



CXXl 



Dalian, son of Fergus Mac Roigh, . 264» n, 

DalMogha, 260, n., 261 

Dalm-Buain 264, il, 265 

Dal n- Araidhe, or Dalaradians, . . • 265 
Dalriadians seize the Pictish districts in 

Ireland • 59 

DalSelle 268, n., 269 

Danann, daughter of Dalhaoith, . • 45, n. 
Darlugdach, Ahhess of Kildare, . . .163 

Dartraighe, 258, n., 259 

Dathi. King of Ireland, story of his 

having heen killed in Latium, . . . six 

Delipoc, 182, ft. 

Deer, miracles respecting, common in 

Irish hagiography, 183, n. 

Deirgbeint, or Derwent, battle of the, . 101 
Delbhna, or Delvin, tribes of, 260, ft., 261 

Derga, 263 

Dicuil, De Mensura Orbis, . . . 147, ft. 

Dicaledones, zzxi, xxxii 

Dinas Emmrys, red and white dragon 

of, zxvi 

Dinn» a high fort, 92, ft. 

Dima of the Daghda 220, ft. 

Doomsday Book, 186, n. 

Domhnall Breac, zliv 

Donogh, Mac Donall Mic Morrough, 

King of Ireland, 205, ib. ft. 

Donn, one of the chiefs of the Milesians, 

drowned at Teach Duinn, in Kerry, 55-57, 

56, ft. 
Dragons, prophecy of the, . . . xxv, xxvi 

Dromceat, synod of, xlviii 

Drumlighean, now Dnmileen, . 241, ft., cvii 

Daan Albanach, 270, 271 

Duan Eireannach, 221 

Dubhdaleath, liv 

Dubhthach Daeltengaid, .... 267, ft. 
Du Chesne, Antiquites, &c., des Yilles 

de France, ........ 122, n. 

IRISH ARCH. see. NO. 1 6. 



Page. 
Ducks of St. Colman, . . . 217, 218, ft. 

Dnharra, in Tipperary, 257 

Duleek. See Daimhliag* 

t)umG, a mound, or tumulus, ... 67, ft- 

Dumha Dessa, 209 

Dundalethglas, liv 

Dun-Chermna, or Dun-Patrick, 262, fL, 263 
Dun Monudhy 285, ft. 



E. 



Ealga, a name of Ireland 143 

Earc, daughter of Loarn, King of Alba, 

180, ft., ci, cii, civ, sq. 

, poem on her de- 
scendants, ciy, sq, 

Eas Maghe, yew tree of, .... 220, ft. 

Eber. See Heber, 

Ebhlinne, Sliabh 246, ft., 247 

Eire, Queen of the Tuatha De, con- 
quered by the Milesians, 247 

Elair, or St. Hilary 135 

Elbod (St.), his date and history, . . 6, 7 
>, brought the Welsh churches 
into conformity with the Roman mode 
of keeping Easter 7 

Eleutherius, Pope, sends missionaries to 
Britidn, 63 

Eligius, or Eloy (St.), sermon preached 
by, 145, ft. 

ElYodugus. See Elbod. 

Embros Gleutic, or Emmrys Wledig, 
i. e. Ambrose, sovereign of the land, 

97. 98, ft. 

Enfled, daughter of Edwin, . . . .113 

Engist. See Hengist. 

Eochaidh Doimhlen, 255 

Eochudh Muinreamhain, . . 153, ft., 275 

Eochaidh Mac Eire, King of the Fir- 
bolg, hb earn, 198, ft. 



CXXIl 



Eochaidh of Rathluine, 259 

Eocho Mairedba (Lough Neagh called 

from him) 267 

Eoghanachts, the, .... 258, n., 259 
Eothail, strand of, now Trawohelly, 196, n. 

■ , earn on, ib. 199 

Epiafort, 100, n., 101 

Erglan, chief of the Nemediana, 274, n., 275 
Eri, or Ireland, first inhabitants of, . . 43 

Ernai 262, n., 263 

Eryri, Moant, now Snowdon, .... 98 
Europe, division of, between the sons of 

Japheth 33 



F. 



Fabhal, a river tributary to the Boyne, 

213, fi. 
Fachtna Fathach, King of Ireland, . 263, 

265,11. 

pait6i, 66, «., 93, n. 

Fanad, territory of, cvii 

Fathain. See Otham. 

Faustus (St), son of Vortigern or Gor- 

tigern 104, n., 105 

Fearmiul, chief of Guorthigemiawn, . 105 
Felire Beg, quoted, ....... xii 

Fenians, 223, ib.,n., 225 

Fenius Farsaidh, Ring of Scythia, . 223, n., 

227, 229 

Fer da Ghiall, 256, n., 257 

Fermnaigh, now Femey, . . 266, n., 267 
Fial, wife of Lugadh, her death, . . 249, ii. 
Fiatach Finn, King of Emania, . . 257> n. 
Finacta, King of Ireland, conquers the 

Picts, 51 

Finnabhair Abba, now Fennor, 214, n., 215 

Finnleikr Jarl the Scot, Ixziz 

Firbolg, derivation of the name, . . 44, ft. 



Page. 
Firbolgs, conjecture respecting their date 

and origin, . zciz, c 

y Keating's account of the three 

tribes of the, 45, n., ix 

adze Man, and the islands of 



Ara, Islay, and Rachlin, .... 49 

Fir Domnann, 45, iz 

Fir Droma, . ciz 

Fir-Galeoin, twofold derivation of the 

name, • . . . 45, ib. »., 49, 50, n., iz 

pochlait), a cave, 116, n. 

Fomorians 45 

Forann. See Pharaoh, 

Forcu, 149 

Fordun (John of) Scotichronicon, 159, n., 

161,11. 
, his misrepreeentations of 

the history of Macbeth zc 

Fothads, the three, .... 256, n., 257 

Fotharts, the, 254, n. 

Fothla, conquered by the Milesiana, . 247 
Fothudan, promontory of, .... . 273 
Four Masters, 205, n., 207, n., 208, k., 209, x. 
puinnpeos, an ash tree, . . . .116, n. 

G. 

Gabhal Liuin, now Galloon, wonderful 

well of, 195 

Gabraighe Succa, 269 

Gamh Sliabh, now the Oz Mountain, 

Co. Sligo ; well of, 220, n. 

5ae bulga, zit 

Gaedal, adventures of the, according to 

their own traditions, 53-^7 

Gaedhuil Glas, 231 

Gael, the common name of the Irish and 
the highlanders of Scotland, in their 
respective languages, ... 26, n., cziv 
Geathluighe, 235, n., 237 



CXXUl 



5g[i6iI, used to translate the Latin 

Scotij 26, n. 

gaiUion, a dart, 45, »• 

Gale (T.)» his edition of Nennins, . . 2 

Galengs, the, 260, n., 261 

Galeoin [Gelonus], son of Hercules, . 49 

Galeons of Leinster, 269 

Germanns (St), miracles of, .... 79 

, his miracle as recorded by 

Hericus Autisiodorensis* . . . . zzi 
■, Apostle of the Isle of Man, . viii 



Giolla Caoimhin» said to be the trans- 
lator of the Historia Britonum into 

Irish, 21, »., cxi 

, history of the Britains by, cxi 

Gildas (St.), his Historia Britontuny . 1 
, a common title with the Irish, . ib. 



Giraldus Cambrensis, hb account of the 

Picts and Scots, czii 

, his work, De In- 
stitutione Principis, czii 

: , Descriptio Cam- 

briie, 129, n. 

, Topographia Hi- 



bemis, 192, 193, 195, n., 197, n., 204, n., 

216, n., 218, n., 251, n. 
Glammis, thane of, error respecting, . xc 
Glas, son of Agnomon, . . . 234, n., 235 
Glass towers, legends of, ... . 47» n. 

5lea6, a fight, a battle 283, n. 

Glen Ailbe, in Angpis, 119 

Glendaloch, Book of, . . . 192, n., 193 
Glewysing, region of, in Monmouth- 
shire, XXY 

, its kings, ib. 

Golgotha, or Gaethluighe, . . 235, ib. n. 
Gortigem or Vortig^rn, son of Gndal, 

king of Britain, 75, xxvii 

, variations in the spelling of 

the name, ib. 



Page. 

Gortimer, warfare of, 99 

, his four battles with the Sax- 
ons, . . 101 

Gratian, reigns conjointly with Valenti- 

nian, 69 

Spona cacbo, xi 

Gratianus Municeps> xxi 

Grecian origin of the Gael, . . . 225, n. 

Grian 257 

Grinmi's Deutsche Mytholog^e, . .145, n. 
Guaire, Sliabh, now Slieye Gorey, . 213, n. 

Guanach 37 

^ probably the translator of the 

Historia Britonum into Irbh, ... 21 
Guaul, or Wall of Severus, . . 64,'n., 65 
Gueleon or Gelonus, son of Hercules, 

ancestor of the Picts, . . 120, »., 121, 131 
Guent, wonderful cave of, . . . .117 
Gunn (W.), his edition of Nennius, 2 

Gunnis, 99 

Guta, the Isle of Wight, .... 29, n. 
Gwenddolen ap Ceidaw, prince of the 

Celyddon, xxxiv 

Gwynnedd, or North Wales, . . . 98, it. 
Gwyddil, the Welsh word for Irish, 26, n., 

xxxviii 



H. 



Heber, son of Milesius, takes the north- 
ern half of Ireland, 57 

Heilic, Loch, wonder of, 117 

Hengist arrives in Britain, .... 77 

'• — , his stratagem and banquet, . 85-89 

Herer, i. e. Snowdon, . . . . 93, 98, n. 

Hericus of Anxerre, 12, xxi 

Herimon, son of Milesius, takes the 

southern half of Ireland, .... 57 
, expels the Picts out of Ire- 



land 125,141 



q 2 



CXXIV 



Page. 
Higden (Ralph) PolychronicoD, • . 192, n., 

219, n. 
Historia Britonuxa, attributed to Gildas, 1 

s and to Marcus Ana- 

choreta, H 

^ compiled by Marcus 



for the edification of the Irish, A. D. 

O^jif ••■••••■••• lO 

., republished by Nen- 



nius, A. D. 858, ib. 

, treatment of the 

work by transcribers, 19 

, and by its Irish 



translator, 20, 21 

Horsley*s Britannia Romana, . . . 65, »« 
Huasem, poet of the Picts, . . . , 143 

I. 

Japheth, descent of the Gael from, . . 225 
Iccius, Portus, supposed to be the vil- 
lage of Vissent or Witsent, . . . 31, n. 

Icht, sea of, 31 

Ida, son of Ebba, US 

He or llay, a settlement of the Picts, 146, n., 

147 
Iltutus (St.)> miraculous altar of, . 117t n* 
Inbher Boinne, the mouth of the river 

Boyne, 146, n. 

Inbher Buais [the Bush river], . 266, »., 

267 

Colptha, 247, n. 

Scene, the mouth of the river 

Skeen, 249, n. 

Slaine, or Wexford bay ; the 



Picts landed there, .... 123, 135 
Inis Geidh, now Inishkea, the lone crane 

of, 221, n. 

Gluair, or Inishglory, wonderful 



property of, 192,193 



Page. 

Inis Fithi, divided into three parts by 
lightning, 205, »., 207 

Innes, his theory of the origin of the 
Picts, xxix, zxzi 

Johannes Malala, xxiv 

John of Salisbury, Polycraticon, sive 
de Nugis Curialium 123, it. 

lona Club, Collectanea de Rebus Albani- 
cis, published by, 272, «. 

lonmanaich, 257 

Josephus, 236, ii. 

Ireland, date of its invasion by the Giaels, 59 

Irrus, the S. W. promontory of Kerry, 248, n. 

Isidorus Hispalensis, his testimony re- 
specting the Scots, zcviit 

Ith, death of, 241 

« , account of his death in the Book 

of Lecan, ib. n. 

Julius Cnsar invades Britain, . . . 59-61 



K. 



Karl Hundason, said by the Northmen 
to have taken the kingdom of Scot- 
land, Izxxii 

, identical with Mac* 

beth, Ixxxiii 

Keating, History of Ireland, quoted 42, n., 

43, 11., 44, ft., 49, It., 56, n., 142, n., 229, it., 

sq.t 240, ft., 247, n., 269, n. 

Kenneth M'Alpin, . . . . . 151, n. 

Kilkeas. See (Me Cess, 



L. 

Lageniaas, are of the race of Heri- 

mon, 253, n. 

Laighse, or Leix, the seven, .... 265 
Langhome, Chron. Reg. Angliie, . 190, n. 



cxxv 



Page. 
Lanigan, Ecol. History of Ireland, 179, it., 

181, fi., 187> n., 217, n. 
Laoighne Faelaidh, race of, ... 204, n. 
Laodicea in Syria, foundation of, by 

Seleucus Nicator, xxiv 

Lassair (St.) 208, n. 

Latham* now Larnej 257 

Layamon, 245, ft. 

Leabbar Gabhala,55, n., 148, tt., 234-^, ft., aq,^ 
241, ft., 244, fL, 247, ft., 249, ft. 
Leamain (the river LeTin), . 1 13, 1 14, ft. 
Lecan, Book of. Tract on the History 

of the Picts in, Izy 

, three different copies of the 

chapter on the origin of the Picts in, xcii 
Leiz. See Laighse. 

Lemnon, Loch Lomond, wonders of, .113, 

114, a. 
Leo, or Loth, king of the Picts, . .. xzxvi 
Letha, or Letavia (i. e. Armorica), 69, xix 

, fabulous origin of the name as 

•given by Nennius, ....... ib. 

, used by the Irish also to signify 

Latium, ib. 

LiaFail, 200, fL, 201 

Liathan, son of Hercules, 53 

Liathmhuine, the plain now covered by 

Loch Neagh, 267, ft. 

Ligum, grandson of Eochadh Finn Fo- 

thart, 261, «. 

Linnmhuine, ancient name of Loch 

Neagh, 267, ft. 

Llan y Gwyddyl, now Holyhead, . 190, ft. 

Lleirwg Lleuver Mawr, xv 

Lloyd and Powel, Description of Wales, 

190, ft. 
lioarn Mao Ere, King of Scotland, 178, it., 

179, ft. 

Loch Cre, 217 

Febhail 255 



Page. 

Loch Heilic 117 

Laigh, disappearance of, ... 207 

•^— Leibhinn, or Leane, . . . 208, 209 

Lein, circles of, .... . 220, it. 

Lemnon (Lomond), 113 

— ^ n-Eochaidh. See Neagh. 

nan-Onchon, 199, ib. it. 

Loch Riach, now Lough Reagh, 220, n. 

Loingralb, or Llwyngarth, altar of, . 117, n. 
Lucius, king of Britun, his conversion 

to Christianity, 63, xiii 

Lughaidh Gala, 262, n., 263 

Lughaidh, son of Ith, .... 243, 261 
, Tract on the history of the 

race of, in the Book of Lecan, . . ib., n. 

Lugaid Lage, 260, it., 261, 263 

Lugaidh Orcthe, 262, n., 263 

Luighni, the, 260, n., 263 

Luimnech, 240, n., 241 

Lulach Mac Gilcomgan, . . Ixxxiv, Ixxx 

Lumphannan, battle of, Ixxxi 

Luirig, son of Sarran, 181 

Lynch, Dr. John, Cambrensis Eversus, 

165, fi., 166, It., 190, n., 193, ft., 195, ft., 

197, n., 204, n. 
, his Latin translation of Keating's 

History of Ireland, 227, n. 



M. 

Mabillon, Vet Analecta, . . . . 145, a. 

Macbeth, Ixxviii 

, his claim to the Crown, . Ixzx, 

Ixxxviii 
, meaning of the name, . . . ib. 



, legend of his irregpilar birth, Ixxxix 

, married to Gruoch, daughter 

ofBodhe Ixxx 

^ celebrity of bb name among 



the Northmen, Ixxix 



CXXVl 



Page. 
Macbeth, identical with Karl Htmdason, 

Izxxiii 
Mac Brethach, probably Macbeth, . 1529 n., 

153, Ixzviii 
Mac Caithlin, now Campbell, in Scot^ 
land, family of, their descent, . . 261, ft. 

Mac Coisi, the poet, 209 

Macedonius, heresy of, 69 

Mac Eoghan (Muiredhach), .... ci 
Mac Firbis, book of, 265, n., 269, n., 271, «. 

, his history of Muiredhach 

Mac Eoghan, ci 

Machlin, the quern of, 119 

Mac Neill (Hugh) bloody shower in the 

time of, 208, »., 209 

Mac Rustaing, Grave of, . . . 201, ib., «. 

MaAl-Gobhann, well of, 215 

Maelgwn Gwynedd, king of Wales in 

the sixth century, zxxiii 

Maelmuraof Othain, . . . 221, 222, n. 

Magh Ellite 93 

, the Campus Electi in the re- 
gion of Glewysing, xxy 

Magh Fothaid, 267 

Ithe^ 240, fi. 

Maofaa, the plain of Armagh, 266, n., 

267 

Moghna, 267 

Snlidhe, the pUdn round the river 

SwiUy, 266, A., 267 

~^-^ Tuireadh, battle of, ... • 198, n. 
Uisnigh, 267 



Magnantia, or Mentz, 63 

, cause of the error that Clau- 
dius died there, 63, n. 

Maiate, zzzii 

TVlaie, druidism, 144, n. 

Manann, or Man, wonders of, . . .119 

, ancient history of, . . . . vi, vii 

. its converuon to Christianity, . viii 



Page. 
Manannan Mac Lir, account of, from 

Cormac's Glossary, vii 

, his true name Oirb- 

sion or Orbsen^ • ib. 

Manks, an Irish people, probably Cru- 

theni or Ulster Picts, xliii 

Marcus Anachoreta, . • zxi 

, published the Histo- 

ria Britonum before Nennius, ... 11 

, a Briton born, but 

educated in Ireland, 12 

, had been an Irish 

14 

, his history, . . 14, 15 

f date of his Historia 



bishop, 



Britonum 16, 17 

Martm (St.), of Tours, . . . 67,218 

, cave of, . 212, s. 

Mazimian, becomes emperor, .... 67 
plants the British colony in Ar* 

morica, ib. 

Maximus invades Britain, • . . ib. xv. eq, 

, his magical dream, . . . . zvi 

■ made emperor by the soldiers, 69 
Meadon, the well of grain in 119 



Merlin 

Merlm» Roman de^ 47> a. 

Merobaudes, ........ 69, n. 

Mervyn, King of Man, xliii 

Messingham, Florilegium Insula Sancto- 
rum, 218, M. 

Michael (St), apparition of, in A. D. 
708, xviii 

Midir, 263 

Miledh or Milesius, 55 

, sons of, their expedition to Ire- 
land, 241, S7. 

, division of Ireland between the 



sons of, ... 57 

Milesian invasion of Ireland, date of, . 55 



CXXVll 



Page. 

Mi8,SUabh, 246, n., 247 

Mochuille (St), 265, a. 

Moddan of Dnncansbj, Ixxxii 

, slain by Thorfinn Sigurdaon, . ib. 

MoghLamha, 254, n. 

Nuadhat, 261 

Roith, a celebrated Druid, . . . 265 

, families descended from him, 

ib., A. 
^ legend of his having assisted 



Simon Magus, ib. 

Molagga (Saint), 265, n. 

Molua (Saint), 200, ». 

, story of his vbion in com- 
pany with St. (^mgall, .... 206, n. 
Monaidh (see Dun Manaidh), .... 285 

Mons Jovis, xviii 

Moryson CFynes) 205, it. 

ITIuincinn, the top or surface, . . 55, n. 
Muiredhach, son of £oghan,sonof Niall, 179, 

ci, sq, 
Muirchertach Mac Erca, . . 181, ci, ^9. 
Musca, or Muscraighe (now Muskerry), 

262, A., 263 



N. 

Naomh-Seanchus 180, n. 

Neaohtain, a disciple of Saint Patrick, 

214, n. 
Neagh (Loch), its wonderful property, 

194,195 
■ ■ , story of the origin of, as 

told by Cambrensis, 194 

^ ancient name of, . . . 267> n. 



Nectan I., his several surnames, . • . xliv 
Nel, son of Fenius Farsaidh, . . 229-231 
Nemed ; his followers peopled Ireland, 45 

Nemroth, i. e. Nimrod, 227 

Nennius, various forms of the name, . 4» 5 



Page. 
Nennius, may have had the title of Gil- 
das, 1 

, his date, 2, 3 

Nimrod, 227 

Ninia(St.), xmii 

Noe, division of the world between the 

sons of, 81-33 

North, anciently denoted by the left 

hand side, 41, n. 

Nuall, meaning of the word, . . . 261, n. 

O. 

O'Conor, Dr., Rerum Hibernicarum 

Scriptores, . . 126, »., 252, n., 270, n. 
0*Donnell (Magnus), life of St. Co- 

lumba, quoted, xxv 

O'Douovan (John), Irish Grammar, 

128, n., 129, n. 
- — , Hy-Fiachrach, . 207, n. 

, Battle of Magh Rath, 

127, n., 150, It. 

, Tribes and Customs 

of Hy- Many 185, n., 256, ii. 

., Book of Rights, 257, it. 



O'Driscol, 261,11. 

Oen-aibhle, 263 

0*FIaherty, Ogygia quoted, . 43, ft., 44, n., 
46, It., 47, n-i 48, It., 57, n., 127, n., 178, n., 
192, ft., sq., 195, n., 200, n., 220, n., 224, r., 
254, n., sq., passim, 277, a., 280, a., 282, n. 

O'FIynn, Eochy, a poem by, cited, . 56, a. 

O'Hederscol, or O'Drisool, family of, 261, a. 

Oipea6c, 62, a. 

Oran (St.), of lona, , , xxv 

Orbhraigh, or Orrery. See Arbhraighe. 

Ore, the Orkneys, ..... 49-51, viii 

0*Reilly (Edward), account of Irish 
writers (Trans. Ibemo- Celtic Society) 

209, A., 221, A., 222, a. 



CXXVUl 



Page, 
Crior, the wells of, . . . . 210, n., 21 1 

Orkneyinga Saga, 147, n. 

Ors and Engist arrive in Britain, . . 77 

, their genealogy, . . . ib. 

Orosius, 239, n. 

Othain, or Fathain, now Fahan, • . 222, n. 

Owen ap Maxen Wledig zvii 

Owles. See Umhaile* 

P. 

Parthalon, first possessor of Ireland, . 43 
, Reating's account of his par- 
ricide and death, 43, n. 

, the name identical with Bar- 



tholomeus, yiii 

Patrick (St.) 107,161 

, legend of the voice calling 

him from Caille Fochladh, . 202, 203, n. 
, privileges obtained by 

him for the men of Ireland, . . 219, ft. 
Pansanius Chronographns, .... xxiv 



Pennant, Tour in Scotland quoted, . • 

Petrie (Geo.), on Tara Hill, 127, n., 140, n., 

181, n., 184, »., 190, 191, n., 200, n. 

1 Round Towers, . . 187, n. 

Pharaoh, King of Egypt, .... 229-233 
Piccardach, use of the word in Tigher- 

nach and the Annals of Ulster, • . Izii 
Pictavis, or Poictiers, founded by the 

Picts 53, 122, n., 123,133 

Pictones and Pictores, used to designate 

the Picts in the Irish Annals, . Izii, Iziii 
Pictish language in Bede's time different 

from the Gaelic xzziz 

Picts, origin of, xxiz, zzziz 

, legendary history of, documents 

relating to, • . Izv 

• , rule of succession to the crown by 

the female line Iv 



Page. 
Picts, story of the wives given to, fitmi 

the Book of Lecan, Izzi 

, Chronicon Pictorum, .... Ixxv 

, etymology of tb^ name* • • • xlii 

. See CruUhniant. 

Poictiers, founded by the Picts, 53, ib., n*, 123 

Pogns, or Powis, 85 

Policomus, King of Thrace, . .121, Izvii 

Pompa or Babona, 179, k. 

Pinkerton, Inquiry into the History of 

Scotland, 121, n., sg,, 124, n., 152, »., s^., 

160, n.. 162, 168, n. 
, his theory of the origin of the 

Picts. zzix 

Pirminii Abbatis Libellus, quoted, . 145, n. 
Promontorium, used to signify a rath or 

fort, 29,11. 

Pughe (Dr. Owen), his etymology of the 

name Picts, • . zlii 

R. 

Rachra, or Raohlin, seized by the Fir- 
boigs, 49 

Rachrann in Bregia, now Lambay Island, 139 

Rath Both, now Raphoe, the well of, . 197 

Rees (Mr. Rice), Essay on the Welsh 
saints, quoted, ....... 104, n. 

Reeves (Rev. W.), Eccles. Antiq. of 
Down and Gonnor and Dromore, 271, »•, 

275, jfc 

Reptiles, venomous, none in Ireland, 216, n., 

219 

Resuscitation of animals a common mira- 
cle in Irish hagiography, zziv 

Rhydderch Hael, prince of Strathdyde, Iz 

Rhydychain, now Ozford, the centre of 
Britain, zzvi 

Richard, Analyse des conciles, . . 188, n. 

RifB, or Mount Riphasus, . . 235, 236, n. 



cxxxx 



Page. 

Righbard, son of Brigfae 267 

Rinn, a promontory, 274» ». 

Rodri Mawr, division of Wales by, . • zziii 
Roinn, the British name of the isle of 

Thanet, 78, n., 79 

Romans, come to Britun, 59 

Ross Dela, now Ross Dala» . 215, ib. «. 
, fiery belfry of, .... . ib. 

Ross Oiligh, cii 

Rowland's Mona, 190, 191, r. 

Ros Ech, now Russagh, .... 201» n. 
Rycaut's Turkish Empire 229, n, 

S. 

Sabraind, the Sabrina or Seyern^ origin 

of the name 30, n., 115, 117 

Samuel, son of Beulan and Laeta, proba- 
bly the same as Nennius, .... 1 1 

Sarran, genealogy of, 178, n. 

Saxons, their conquest of Britain, . 43, 75 
Scota, daughter of Pharaoh, . . . .231 

, Scotland, call^ ** the East,** by 

Irish writers, 287> n. 

Scots, the name identified with Scythse, x 
, history and meaning of the name, ib., 

XCY 

, derivation from Scyths impossible, 

xcvi 

Seadna, cv 

Seanboth of Colman, ducks of, . . .217 

Seeds of battle, 60,n.,xi 

Seleuous Nicator, foundation of Antioch 

by, xxiv 

of Laodicea 

in Syria, ib. 

Severus invades Britain, 63 

builds the Saxon wall,, , , , 05 

Severus II., 71 

, who, XX 

IRISH ARCH. 80C. 1 6. 



Page, 
Severus IL, I probably identical with Gra- 

tian ib. 

Shakspeare, his error respecting the thane 

of Glammis, xc, n. 

Sit)ein or paibem, ancient form of the 

emphatic pan, 30, n., 32, ft. 

Siward, Earl of Northumberland, . Ixxxiv 

Simeon of Durham, Ixxxii 

Skene, Mr., his translation of the Duan 

Albanach, 272, n. 

^ his Highlanders of Scotiand, Ixi 

Stone, bleeding, 213 

Slane, great cross of, 215 

SUeve Riffi 235 

Slemnaibh 241 

Soghans, the seven, ....••• 265 
Solinus, his account of the Pictish polity 

as to the wives of their kings in the 

Hebrides Ivi 

Spe6, meaning of the word, . . . 144, n. 

Sru, son of Esru, 235 

Stevenson, (Jos.), his edition of Nennius, 2 
Suidhe Odhrain, now Seeoran, lake of, 213 
Swine's dike, 64, n. 

T. 

Talieson, 128, n. 

Tall (a Brehon law term), 278, n., cv, n. 

Tallaght, near Dublin, the monument of 
Partholan's followers, .... 44, n. 

Tara, 141 

f three wonders of, 199 

Teach Duinn, in Kerry, Keatingpe's ac- 
count of, 56, It., 248, n. 

Teamhair. See TarcL, 

Teineth, or Thanet, 79 

Templeshanbo. See Seanboth, 

Tinnandrum, i. e. Trinovantum or Lon- 
don, origin of the name, . . . . 61, n. 

Ci6nocol, tradition, 26, n. 



cxxx 



Page, 
Collapach» the hollow of the temple be- 
fore the ear, 38, a. 

Cop, a lord, a chief, 223, ». 

Torinis, or Tours, pilgrimages to, . . 213 
Tory Island, why so called, ... 48, n. 

, destruction of the Fomo- 

rians and Nemediaos on, .... ib. 
Tours, Council of, in A. D. 566 or 567, 

186,11. 
Tower of the Fomorians, .... 47-49 
Tradry, rural deanery of, . . . . 260, ii. 
Tranon, or Traeth Antoni, the estuary 

of the Anton, 115, n. 

Tratraidhe, 260, a., 261 

Tuatha de Danann, their invasion of Ire- 
land, . • 45, 47, ix 

, their celebrated men, 47 

, their conflict with 

the Milesians, 247 

conjecture respecting 



their date and origin, c 

Tuatha Fidhbha, or men of the woods, 

123, 137 

Tuilen, St. Caimech of, cad 

-^— Welshmen who settled at, . . ib. 
Turner, History of the Anglo-Saxons, 76, n. 
Tzschucke in Pompon. Melam, . .129,11. 

U. 

Ua Dangal, son of Beathamnas, his ad- 
venture at Tours, 213 

Uisneach, hill of, 246, n., 247 

Uaisnmmh, poet of the Picts. See Hua- 
sem, 125 



Page. 

Uinnpenn, an ash tree, 1 16, k. 

Ui Tairsigh, 269 

Ulexis, 67 

Ulfa, 139 

Ulster, Annals of, 214, k. 

Umhaile, district of, 207, n, 

Ussher, Primordia, quoted, 41, «., 186, «., 

201, n., 203, n. 

V. 

Valentinian and Theodosins joint empe- 
rors, 69 

Vecturiones, xxxi,xxziT 

Vecturiones and Caledons, Mr. Skene's 
opinion of their Gadelian orig^ . . Ixii 

Victor, joint emperor with Maximus, 
slain, 71 

Viks, the supposed ancestors of the Picts, 
a mere fiction of Piukerton, . • xxix, xxx 

Vincent of Beauvais, 228, m. 

Vortigem, etymology of the name, see 
Oortigem, xxviii 



W. 



Wallace's Orkneys, 147, n. 

Ware (Sir James), Antiquities of Ire- 
land, 192, a., 194, a. 

Wolf, descendants of the, in Ossory, . 205 

Wonders of Britain, 118 

of Ireland, 192, 198 

of Man 119 

Wood (T.), Primitive Inhabitants, &c., 
quoted, xlv, n. 



FINIS, 



IRISH 



ARCHJIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



At a General Meeting of the Ibish ABCHiBOLOGiCAL Societt, held 
in the Board Room of the Royal Irish Academy, on Saturday, the 
1 9th day of December, 1 846, 

The Most Noble the Marquis of Eildabe in the Chair, 

The Secretary read the following Report from the Council : 

" The month of December being the time of the year in which the Council 
are bomid, by the by-law passed on the loth of July, 1844, to summon a Gre- 
neral Meeting of the Society, they beg leave to lay before your Lordship, and 
the Members here present, a Report of the proceedings during the past year, 
and to congratulate the Society on being now met together to celebrate its sixth 
aimiversary. 

" Since the last General Meeting, held on the 19th of December, 1845, 
twenty-two new Members have been elected^ ; whose names are as follows : 



Hia Excellency the Earl of Bessboroagfay 

Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. 
The Earl of Portarlington. 
Viscount Suirdale. 



Rev. Beaver H. Blacker. 
*Patrick Chalmers^ Esq. 
John David Chambers, Esq. 
William Chambers, Esq. 



Thomas 



* Those to whose names an asterisk is prefixed are Life Members. 

a 



Thomas Clarke, Esq. 

•Rev. Edward F. Day. 

* William Donnelly, Esq. 

John Flanedy, Esq. 

John Hyde, Esq. 

*The Right Hon. Henry Lahouchere, 

M.P. 
The Rev. Daniel McCarthy. 



John Nolan, Jonior, Esq. 

Denis O* Conor, Esq. 

R. More O'Ferrall, Esq., M. P. 

Richard O'Reilly, Esq. 

Henry Thompson Redmond, Esq. 

John Sadleir, Esq. 

Rev. Charles Strong. 

William Robert Wilde, Esq. 



" The Society has to lament the death, since the last Meeting, of the follow- 
ing seven Members, one of whom was a Member of the Council, and a zealous 
friend to the Society, at its original formation : 



The Bishop of Kildare. 
Viscount Templetown. 
Sur Aubrey de Vere, Bart. 
James Gibbons^ Esq. 



Thomas Goold, Esq., Master in Chancery. 
James A. Maconochie, Esq. 
John Smith Furlong, Esq., Q. C. 



" The number of Members on the Books of the Society now amounts to 
443, including 60 Life Members. 

" Since the last Annual Meeting, the Council have issued to all Members, 
who have subscribed for the year 1845, *^® valuable work edited by Mr. Har- 
diman,from a MS. in the Library of Trinity College, entitled, A Chorographical 
Description of West or H-iar Connaught, written, A. D. 1684, by Roderick 
OTlaherty, Esq., author of the ' Ogygia.' This volume is illustrated with a 
map of West Connaught, and a fac-simile of ©'Flaherty's hand-writing, and 
extends to 483 pages, including the Litroduction. 

" The delay in the publication of this volume was chiefly owing to the edi- 
tor's absence from Dublin, but also, in some degree, to hig having discovered, 
after the work was far advanced, a great number of original documents con- 
nected with the history of West Connaught, which it seemed very desirable to 
print in the Appendix, as a more favourable opportunity of publishing these 
important records might not occur hereafter ; the Council, therefore, willingly 
acceded to Mr. Hardiman's wishes, to whom they take this opportunity of 
returning their sincere thanks. 

*' The volume contains amass of topographical and historical matter of very 
imusual interest and value. It is highly creditable to Mr. Hardiman's learning 

and 



and research, and the Council are happy to find that it has been most favour- 
ably received by the Members of the Society. 

" The Council had hoped to have been able to give, along with the foregoing 
volume, Cormac's Glossary. But in this intention, which was announced at 
the last annual Meeting, they have been doubly disappointed. The unex- 
pected size to which Mr. Hardiman*s Appendix and notes extended, and the 
consequent expense of the work, render it impossible to put together, as an 
equivalent for one year's subscription, two such costly books* OTlaherty's 
West Connaught has actually cost the Society sixteen shillings per copy ; and 
when to this are added the expenses of delivery, salaries, and other charges of 
the year, it will be seen that the Council would be wanting in their duty as 
Trustees of the Society's funds, if they should persevere in their original inten- 
tion of giving any additional volume, and especially one so costly as Cormac's 
Glossary, to the Members of the year 1845. They hope, therefore, that the 
Society will perceive the necessity which exists for a change in the arrange- 
ment proposed by the Council of that year, and announced in the last Annual 
Report. 

" Another source of disappointment has arisen from the unexpected obstacles 
that have been experienced in the preparation of Cormac's Glossary for the 
Press. No person who has never actually engaged in such studies can ade- 
quately estimate the real difficulties of this work, filled as it is with obsolete 
words and obscure allusions, fragments of the languages spoken by Northmen, 
Picts, and British in the tenth century, and quotations firom Brehon laws and 
ancient poems, all of which must be sought for in our manuscript libraries, 
without the aid of catalogue or index of any kind, except such as the private 
labours of Mr. O'Donovan and Mr. Curry have provided for themselves. These 
difficulties are so frequent, and arise so unexpectedly, that the Coimcil feel it 
to be impossible to say when this important and laborious work will be ready 
for delivery ; but they can promise that no pains or labour shall be spared to 
bring it out as speedily as is consistent with the necessary attention to accuracy. 

" The first volume of the Miscellany of the Irish Archsological Society, 
constituting the book for the present year, is now in course of distribution to 
the Members. 

*^ In addition to the contents, as announced in the Report of last year, there 
have been added some short pieces, particularly The Annals of Ireland, from 

a 2 the 



the year 1443 to 1468, translated from the Irish, by Dudley Firbisse, or, as 
he is more usually called, Duald Mac Firbis, for Sir James Ware, in the year 
1666. 

" These Annals, which have been quoted by Ware, Harris, and others, are 
of considerable value and importance, although never before published. They 
have been translated from an Irish original, now lost, or at least unknown, 
which was evidently in the hands of the Four Masters, and has been made use 
of by them as an authority, for they have frequently transcribed it verbatim in 
their Annals. 

" The Council propose to give for the year 1847, The Irish Version of the 
*• Historia Britonimi' of Nennius, with a translation and notes, by the Secre- 
tary ; and additional notes, and an Introduction, by the Hon. Algernon Herbert. 
A considerable portion of this work is printed, and it is hoped that nothing will 
prevent its completion in the course of a few months. 

" Of the projected publications of the Society, it will be necessary now to 
speak very briefly. 

" It was announced in the last Annual Report, that the Council had in 
view a collection of the Latin annalists of Ireland. Of these there are already 
in the Press : 

" I. The Annals, by John Clyn, of Kilkenny, which have been transcribed 
from a MS. in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, collated with a copy in 
the Bodleian Library, Oxford ; and will be edited, with notes, by the Rev. 
Richard Butler. 

*^ 2. The Annals of Thady Dowling, Chancellor of Leighlin, which will be 
edited, with notes, by AquiUa Smith, Esq., M.D., from a MS. in the Library 
of Trinity College, Dublin. 

" 3. The Annab of Henry Marlborough ; from a MS. in the Cottonian 
Library, British Museum, collated with an imperfect copy in the Library of 
Trinity College, Dublin. 

'' To these it is probable that one or two others of the minor Annals may be 
added, which, although in themselves of little moment, are valuable, as they 
have been quoted by our principal historians, and are an essential part of the 
original sources of Irish history. 

" Of the other works proposed for publication, the Council are happy to be 
able to state that one, which has been long announced, and which has been looked 

for 



for by many Members of the Society with much anxiety, is now nearly ready 
for the printer. The Macarise Excidium, or, Destruction of Cjrprus, by Colonel 
Charles O'Kelly, giving an account of the Civil Wars of Ireland under 
James II., was one of the first works undertaken by this Society. It was 
copied from a MS. in the Library of Trinity College, and two or three sheets 
of it were actually printed, when it was discovered that the work had been ad- 
vertised, and was then on the eve of publication by the Camden Society of Lon- 
don. Subsequently, however, by the liberality of Professor Mac CuUagh, a 
Latin copy of the work, in a MS. coeval with its author, was placed at the 
disposal of the Council, and Denis Henry Kelly, Esq., of Castle Kelly, a de- 
scendant of the author, kindly proposed to edit it, and had actually completed a 
very correct translation of the Latin copy, when another MS., in English (also 
coeval with the author), was discovered, and a transcript of it procured for the 
Society by Mr. Kelly. The means were thus supplied for putting forth a much 
more correct and authentic text than that of the Camden Society ; the Council, 
therefore, resolved to resume their original intention of bringing out this cu- 
rious work ; especially as they were fortunate enough to induce Mr. O'Callaghan 
to promise his valuable aid in the illustration of it. Within the last fortnight 
Mr. O'Callaghan has completed his portion of the task, and has placed in the 
hands of the Council a collection of notes, which cannot fail to prove highly in- 
teresting to the student of our history, and for which he is entitled to the 
warmest thanks of the Society. This work will, therefore, be put to press 
without delay, as soon as the promised transcript of the English version of 
it is received from Mr, Kelly. The work will necessarily be expensive, but 
the Council are resolved to undertake it, in the hope that the great interest of 
its subject, and the well-known qualifications of its annotator for illustrating 
that portion of our history, will induce the Irish public so far to support the 
Society, as to cover the expenses of its publication. 

'* A second volume of the Irish Archaeological Miscellany will also be im- 
mediately undertaken. The Council are already in possession of some mate- 
rials for this work, such as a Latin translation of a portion of the Annals of the 
Four Masters, supposed to be from the pen of Dr. Lynch, author of " Cam- 
brensis Eversus," the Obits of Lusk, &c. ; but they would earnestly invite other 
contributions. 

" Other works are also in contemplation, which the want of funds compels 

the 



the Council to defer. Of these the following are ready for immediate pub- 
lication : 

*' I. The Annals of Inisfallen. The original intention was to edit these 
Annals from a copy preserved in the Library of Trinity College, and partly 
published, under the name of the Annals of Inisfallen, by Dr. O'Conor. Misled 
by the high authority of that distinguished scholar, the Coimcil, at the begin- 
ning of the present year, engaged Mr. Curry and Mr. O'Donovan in the task of 
preparing a transcript of the Trinity College MS. for publication. But it was 
very soon found that this MS. was not at all what Dr. O'Conor had supposed it 
to be ; it turned out to be a modem compilation from the old Inisfallen Annals and 
other sources, and, in short, of no authority whatsoever. It has, therefore, 
been resolved to adopt as a text the real Annab of Inisfallen, preserved in the 
Bodleian Library. In the preface to the work, the history of the Dublin copy, 
with the reasons for regarding it as unworthy of credit, will be given at length. 

" n. The History of the Boromean Tribute, from a MS. in the Library of 
Trinity College, edited, with a translation and notes, by Mr. Eugene Curry, 
has for some time been nearly ready for the Press. This work relates to an 
interesting period of Irish history, which is comparatively little known, and of 
which but very scanty notices occur in our popular historians. But it will be 
a book of some 300 or 400 pages, and want of funds has hitherto delayed its 
publication. 

" The same reason also compels the Council to postpone the more expensive 
publications which have been announced, such as the Annals of Ulster, and the 
Book of Hymns, although both of them are works of the highest interest, and 
importance. Some progress, however, has been made in preparing them for 
the Press. A transcript of the Annals of Ulster, the property of the Secretary, 
has been placed at the disposal of the Council. It was copied by Mr. Curry 
from the ancient MS. in the Library of Trinity College, and has been collated 
with the Bodleian MS. by Mr. O'Donovan, who was sent to Oxford by the 
Council for the purpose. The Book of Hymns has also been transcribed from 
the original MS. in the Library of Trinity College ; but the only other copy of 
it known to exist is said to be in the possession of the Franciscan College of 
St. Isidore, at Rome, and is consequently beyond the reach of the Society. It is 
a great pity that the funds for the publication of this valuable manuscript cannot 
be procured. The Manuscript is itself of the seventh or eighth century, and as 

it 



it was, no doubt> transcribed from much earlier documents, it may be taken as 
representing the doctrine and devotion of the Irish Church in the age of St. 
Colximba, when Ireland was so justly known throughout Europe as ^^ Insula 
Sanctorum.'' A Hymnarium of the seventh century is a literary treasure that 
ought not to be left any longer in obscurity. 

" Of the other works suggested for publication, the Council have nothing to 
say in addition to what was stated by their predecessors in the Report of last 
year; they are precluded by the deficiency of funds from undertaking any such 
expensive publications as the Dinnseanchus, or the Brehon Laws, which present 
difficulties of so peculiar a nature. For such great works, therefore, they can 
only hope to prepa]:e the way, and they cannot but flatter themselves that the 
publications of this Society have already done much to awaken a taste for Irish 
literature, and to arouse the Public to some little sense of the national disgrace 
which rests upon us, for allowing these invaluable monuments of antiquity to 
slumber so long on the shelves of our libraries. 

'< The Council have it in contemplation to publish, as soon as they find it 
possible, the Topographical Poems of O'Dugan and O'Heerin, with illustrative 
notes by Mr. O'Donovan, a work that cannot fail to prove interesting to the 
Public ; but so many circumstances, over which they have no control, may 
combine to delay this design, that they cannot imdertake as yet to fix the time 
when this publication may be expected. The same remark applies to Duald 
Mac Firbis's Account of the Firbolgs and Danes of Ireland, and to the Naemh 
Seanchus, or History of the Saints of Ireland, attributed to Aengus the Culdee 
or some of his disciples, and preserved in the Book of Lecan. In short, there is 
the greatest abundance of interesting and important materials, and funds alone 
are wanting for giving them to the Public. 

" It will be remembered by the Society that in former Reportsb the Coimcil 
more than once declared that they were overdrawing the funds of the Society, 
and giving to the Members a higher value for their subscriptions than the dis- 
posable means of the Society justified. This was done for the purpose of bring- 
ing the Society into notice, and of enabling the Irish public to judge of the great 
abundance of the materials that exist, as well as of the manner in which it was 
proposed to render our ancient literature accessible to students. In this there 

is 

^ See Beport for 1 842 (prefixed to the Battle of Mogh Bagh), p. 4. Beport for 1 845 
(prefixed to O'Flaherty's West Connaught), p. 6, 



8 

is no doubt the Council judged wisely; but the time is now come when a dif- 
ferent course must be pursued. The experience of five years, during which the 
limited number of 500 members has never been obtained, proves clearly the 
small amount of interest that is felt for the objects of the Society ; and it is, 
therefore, become the duty of the Council to announce, that the number of 
pages hitherto published in the year must henceforth be very seriously dimi- 
nished, unless a large accession of additional Members can be obtained. If every 
Member would engage to procure one new Member in the course of the next 
year, the means of bringing out the works in preparation would be in a great 
measure supplied; but if the Society remains at its present limit, Members 
must be content to perceive a very sensible diminution in the bulk of our 
annual publications." 

The Report having been read, it was moved by the Provost of 
Trinity College, seconded by Lieutenant General Birch, and 

" Resolved, — That the Report now read be received and printed, and cir- 
culated amongst the Members of the Society." 

Moved by N. P. O'Gonnan, Esq., seconded by Charles Mac 
Donnell, Esq., and 

" Resolved, — That the Rev. Charles Graves, and James M'^Glashan, Esq., 
be appointed Auditors for the ensuing year, and that their statement of the ac- 
counts of the Society be printed \nth the Report." 

Moved by John O'Callaghan, Esq., seconded by Rev, Dr. Wilson, and 

" Resolved, — That his Grace the Duke of Leinster be elected President of 
the Society for the ensuing year ; and that the following Noblemen and Gentle- 
men be the Council : 

James Hardiman, Esq., M. R. I. A. 



The most noble the Marquis of 

KiLDABE, M. R. I. A. 
The Right Hon. the Eabl of Lei- 

tbim, m. r. i. a. 
The Right Hon. the Viscount 

Adabe, M. p., M. R. I. A. 
The Rev. Samuel Butcheb, A.M., 

M. R, I. A. 



The Rev. J. H. Todd, D.D., M.RJJI. 
William E. Hudson, Esq., M. R. I. A. 
Major Larcom, R.E., V. P. R. I. A. 
J. Mac Gullagh, Esq., LL.D., M.R.I. A 
Geo.Petrie, Esq., R.H.A., V.P.RLA. 
Aquilla Smith, Esq., M. D., M. R. I. A. 
J. Huband Smith, Esq., A.M., M.R.I. A. 

Moved 



Moved by the Rev. Dr. Russell, Vice-President of the College, 
Maynooth, seconded by John O'Donoghue, Esq., and 

" Resolved, — That the thanks of the Society he given to the President and 
Council of the Royal Irish Academy, for their kindness in granting the use of 
their Board Room for this Meeting.** 

The Rev. the Provost of Trinity College having been requested 
to take the Chair, it was 

" Resolved, — That the thanks of the Society he given to the Most Nohle 
the Marquis of Kildare, for his conduct in the Chair at this Meeting/' 



M o 

O M 

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IS 



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cii -t;!rH*3Ssif.is| 

S)5 S<So*< ^ q a « 



:r 

lis 



IRISH 



ARCHJIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



At a General Meeting of the Ikish Arch^ological Society, held 
in the Board Room of the Royal Irish Academy, on Wednesday, the 
22nd day of December, 1847, 

His Grace the Duke of Leinster in the Chair, 

The Secretary read the following Report from the Council : 

** The labours of the Irish Archasological Society have now been continued 
for a period of seven years, and the Council, on lajring before you their annual 
Report of the progress and prospects of the Society, are compelled, with great 
regret, to abandon the tone of hope with which they have hitherto addressed 

you. 

" They regret to say that the experience of the last seven years has forced 
upon them the conviction, that very httle interest is felt by the Irish pubUc for 
the pubhcation of ancient Irish hterature, or the preservation of the ancient Irish 
language. In seyen years, during which this Society has been before the 
public, we have not succeeded in obtaining 500 subscribers, including those 
resident in England, in any one year, who have been willing to contribute an 
entrance fee of £3, and an annual subscription of £1, towards the objects of the 
Society ; and yet, before the establishment of the Society, nothing was more 
common than declamations on the national disgrace of suffering our ancient 
Irish manuscripts to moulder in obUvion. 

b 2 " Since 



12 



'^ Since the last Annual Meeting, tw^nty*five new members have been 
elected. Their names are as follows : 



His Excellency the Earl of Clarendon. 

Lord John Manners. 

Mons. Le Comte O' Kelly Farrell. 

Robert Archbold, Esq. 

Rowland Bateman, Esq. 

Richard S. Bourke, Esq., M. P. 

W. H. Bradshaw, Esq. 

John William Browne^ Esq. 

*R. Clayton Browne, Esq. 

Rev. George CroUy. 

Rev. John Dunne. 

Sir Thomas Esmonde, Bart. 

John Greene, Esq. 



Right Rev. Dr. Haly, R. C. Bishop of KiU 

dare and Leighltn. 
Rev. James Hamilton. 
The Klldare-street Club. 
G. A. M*Dermott, Esq., F. G. S. 
Right Rev. Dr. M*Nally, R. C. Bishop of 

Clogher. 
Robert Power, Esq. 
*Rev. G. C. Renouard, B. D. 
John Reynolds, Esq., M. P. 
*George Smith, Esq., F. R. S. 
Michael Staunton, Esq. 
Rev. Dr. Walsh. 



The Very Rev. Dr. Yore, V. G. Dublin. 
** During the past year the Society has lost, by death, the following Members : 



The Duke of Northumberland. 
The Earl of Bessborough. 
Right Hon. Thomas Grenville. 
*Jame8 Mac Cullagh, Esq. 



Daniel O'Connell, Esq., M. P. 
The O'Conor Don., M. P. 
William Potts, Esq. 
Remmy Sheehan, Esq. 
Rev. Robert Trail, D. D. 



Joseph Nelson, Esq., Q. C. 

*' The number of Members now on the books of the Society amount to 458, 
of whom sixty-two are Life Members. 

** To show the progress of the Society, the Council think it right to lay 
before this Meeting the following tabular view of the number of Members on 
our books in each year since the commencement of our labours: 



1 

Year. 


Annoal 
Members. 


Life 

Members. 


Total. 


Annoal 
Increase. 


1841 


221 


11 


232 




1842 


239 


19 


258 


26 


1843 


308 


36 


344 


86 


1844 


337 


48 


385 


41 


1845 


373 


57 


430 


45 


1846 


383 


60 


443 


13 


1847 


396 


62 


458 


15 

— ■ 



(( 



From 



* Those to whose names an asterisk is prefixed are Life Members. 



^3 

*^ From this it appears that during xhe last two years the annual increase in 
the number of Members has been very considerably less than in any former 
year since the foundation of the Society ; and although the unparalleled sea- 
son of distress with which we have been visited during the past year, and the 
many calls upon the sympathies of the public, may, in part, account for this 
fact, yet it is greatly to be feared that this is not the whole cause, and that we 
are also to attribute the falling off to a very general apathy on the part of the 
Irish public to the objects for which the Society was founded. 

*' This conclusion is strongly forced upon the Council by the fact, that a large 
number of the existing Members of the Society are in arrear of their subscrip- 
tions, and that the publications of the Society have, therefore, been greatly re- 
tarded for want of funds. 

'' The Council, on the faith of promised subscriptions, did actuaUy un- 
dertake several important works, some of which are in the Press, and some 
ready for publication. These they have been under the necessity of suspend- 
ing, until the result of the present appeal to the Members of the Society is as- 
certained. And they have been further compelled to take the still more serious 
step of discontinuing their engagements with Mr. O'Donovan and Mr. Curry, 
gentlemen to whose indefatigable exertions and extraordinary acquirements in 
Irish literature and topography the Society and the learned world are already 
so deeply indebted. 

** Unpromising as the state of our affairs undoubtedly is, the Council are 
not without hope that the very statement of the facts may have the effect of 
calling forth the exertions of the friends of Irish literature, and averting the 
danger which threatens the very existence of the Society. If the Members 
who are in arrear would promptly pay up their subscriptions, all the existing 
difficulties of the Society would be removed, and the Council of the ensuing 
year would be enabled to carry on their labours with confidence and vigour. 

" The Council beg leave to recommend to the Society the adoption of two 
or three changes or modifications in our Fundamental Laws, which, if they re- 
ceive your approval, may, it is hoped, bring in the subscriptions, and promote 
the general working of the Society. 

'* By the seventh law it is enacted, that * Any Member who shall be one 
year in arrear shall be considered as having resigned.' Instead of these words 
the Council would propose to substitute the following : * Any Member who 
shall be one year in arrear of his subscription shall be liable to be removed by 

the 



14 

% 
the Council from the books of the Society, after due notice served upon him 

to that effect.' 

" The Council recommend this change, because many Members have ex- 
cused themselves from replying to the circulars, and other notices addressed to 
them by the Treasurer, on the ground that> being more than a year in arrear, 
they did not consider themselves as any longer Members, as the seventh Fun- 
damental Law declared that they were to be regarded as having resigned. It 
was impossible, however, for the Council to act generally on so rigid an in- 
terpretation of this law, as they would thereby not only run the risk of giving 
unnecessary offence, but also, in some instances, deprive the Society of valuable 
and zealous Members, whose absence from the country, or some other accidental 
circumstance, had caused to fall into arrear. The obvious intention of the 
rule was merely to enable the Council to remove from the Society's books the 
names of such Members as had ceased to take an interest in its objects. 

" The Council would also recommend the introduction of a rule which 
would enable them to nominate Vice-Presidents, who shall be ex officio Mem- 
bers of the Council. They would propose, therefore, to alter the second Fun- 
damental Law to the following : 

"'The affairs of the Society shall be managed by a Council, consisting of 
a President, three Vice-Presidents, and twelve other Members, to be annually 
elected by the Society.' 

" The Council propose this alteration, because the power of nominating 
Vice-Presidents will enable the Society to place upon the Council those whose 
zeal for the welfare of the Society has entitled them to that distinction, although 
their rank and public duties, or their absence from Dublin, render it impossible 
for them to be present at all the Meetings of the Council. 

" It remains now to give some account of what has been done in reference 
to the publications of the Society since our last annual meeting. In the Report 
then laid before you it was stated that the funds at the disposal of the Council 
rendered it necessary to diminish very considerably the publications issued to 
Members in exchange for their subscriptions. It was proposed, however, to 
give to all Members who had subscribed for the year 1847, 'The Irish 
Version of the Historia Britonum of Nennius, with a Translation and Notes by 
the Secretary, and additional Notes and an Introduction by the Hon. Algernon 
Herbert.' 

** This work, we regret to say, is not yet completed, although it is far ad- 

vanced. 



r 



15 

vanced.* The delay has been occasioned in a great measure bj the necessity of 
sending each proof sheet, for Mr. Herbert's remarks and corrections, to England ; 
but principally by the discovery of a most interesting ancient historical poem, 
which was necessary to the illustration of the work, and which the Editor is 
now adding to it from a MS. of the twelfth century in the Library of Trinity 
College, Dublin. 

" The Council will not anticipate the duty of the Editor by describing more 
particularly the nature of this document, or the reasons which have induced 
them to delay the publication for the sake of admitting it. They feel assured 
that every Member of the Society will agree with them in thinking that it was 
better to incur the delay than to bring out the work in a less perfect form ; they 
have little doubt that the Historia of Nennius in its Irish dress, with the curious 
illustrations of British, Scottish, and Welsh history with which it is accompanied, 
will be received by the learned world as a valuable addition to the sources of 
British history. 

" The disappointments experienced by the Council from the circumstances 
already referred to, render it impossible for them to say much on the subject of 
future publications. For an account of the works already undertaken, and 
partly in progress, they have nothing to add to what was said in the Report 
presented to the Society last year. They may add, however, that the Macaria 
Excidium^ or Destruction of Cyprus, by Colonel Charles O'Kelly, is now com- 
{deted, and ready for the press, and as soon as the funds at the disposal of the 
Council enable them to do so, it shall be placed in the hands of the printer. If 
any considerable portion of the arrears due to the Society should be collected, 
the Council would propose to give this work as the Society's publication for the 
year 1848. 

" The Council have received from Mr. Shirley, the Rev. Mr. Graves of 
Kilkenny, Mr. O'Donovan, and other friends, some valuable contributions to the 
second volume of the Irish Archaeological Miscellany ; and they are in a con- 
dition, if funds permit, to bring out a fasciculus at least of this work during the 
ensuing year. 

'^ Since the last meeting of the Society Mr. Reeves has published his Eccle- 
siastical 

* The volume has been completed since the Annual Meeting was held, and is now 
in course of distribution to the Members. 



i6 

siastical Taxation of the Dioceses of Down and Connor and Dromore, in a form 
exactly similar to the publications of this Society. This may be hailed as a sa- 
tisfactory proof that the labours of the Society have excited in others, and in the 
public at large, a thirst for sound historical and topographical information. Mr. 
Reeves, it will be recollected, has undertaken to edit for the Society the whole of 
the important document, of which he has already brought out a part in the volume 
alluded to. We have no hope that the Society's funds will enable the Council 
to undertake this work for some time to come ; but it may, perhaps, be interest- 
ing to the Society to have on record the following account of his intended 
labours, with which Mr. Reeves has kindly furnished the Council : 

** * Ecdesiasdcal Taxation oflrelandy A.D.i 306. Edited from the original Excite^ 
quer Rolls, London. By the Rev. William Reeves, M. B., M. R. I. A., &c. 

** *' This Record notices all the dioceses of Ireland, and the several churches 
contained in them, arranged under rural deaneries, except the dioceses of Ferns, 
Ossory, and the upper part of Armagh. The deficiency, however, as far as 
regards Ossory, may be fully supplied from the Red Book of Ossory, in which 
are two taxations of the diocese, anterior to 1320. In the Registry of Primate 
Sweteman is contained a catalogue of the churches in the upper or county of 
liouth part of Armagh, of about the same date. So that Ferns is the only hiatus, 
for the repair of which there are no available materials. 

''* Though the recital extends only to the names and incomes of the benefices, 
so that the notice of each occupies but a single line, the bare text would fill a 
volume nearly as large as any of those yet published by the Society. It is 
therefore proposed that the work should appear in four parts, containing seve- 
rally an ecclesiastical province, with brief notes, identifying each name with 
the corresponding modem one on the Ordnance Map, and noticing such autho* 
rities as illustrate the ancient history and modem condition of the churches. 

^^ ' This arrangement will enable the Editor to put to press the first part, 
which is the province of Armagh, as soon as the Council think fit ; and at the 
same, time avoid the inconvenience of swelling a single volume to such a size as 
to be unwieldy, or to monopolize the resources of the Society. 

** • William Reeves. 

'*'Dec. 16, 1847."* 

The 



^7 

The Report having been read, it was moved by the Rev. 

Richard Mac Donnell, D. D., Senior Fellow of Trinity College, 

Dublin, and 

" Resolved, — That the Report now read be received and printed, and cir- 
culated amongst the Members of the Society." 

Moved by the Very Rev. L. F. Renehan, D. D., President of the 
Royal College of St Patrick, Maynooth, and 

" Resolved, — That Sir Colman O'Loghlen and Mr. O'Donoghue be ap- 
pointed Auditors for the ensuing year, and that the statement of the accounts of 
the Society be printed with the Report.'' 

Moved by the Rev. James Wilson^ D. D., Precentor of St. Pa- 
trick's Cathedral, Dublin, and 

"Resolved, — That, in accordance with the recommendation of the Council, 
the following words in the 7th Fundamendal Law, — * Any Member who shall 
be one year in arrear of his subscription shall be considered as having resigned,' — 
be omitted ; and that the following words be substituted instead thereof: ' Any 
Member who shall be one year in arrear of his subscription shall be liable to be 
removed by the Council from the books of the Society, after due notice served 
upon him to that effect.' ^ 

Moved by George Petrie, Esq., LL.D., V. P. R. I. A, and 

" Resolved, — That, in accordance with the recommendation of the Council, 
the 2nd Fundamental Law be altered to the following: ' The affairs of the So- 
ciety shall be managed by a Council consisting of a President, three Vice-Pre- 
sidents, and twelve other Members, to be annually elected by the Society.' " 

Moved by the Rev. Charles Russell, D. D., Professor of Eccle- 
siastical History in the Royal College of St. Patrick, Maynooth, 
and 

'' Resolved, — That His Grace the Duke of Leinster be elected President 
of the Society for the following year : that the Most Noble the Marquis of 
Kildare, the Right Hon. the Earl of Leitrim, and the Right Hon. the Viscount 

c Adare 



i8 



Adare, be the Vice-Presidents of the Society ; and that the following be elected 
on the Council : 



Rbv. Sam. Butcher, A.M., F.T.C.D., 

M,R.I.A. 
Rev. Chas. Graves, A.M., F.T.C.D., 

M.R.LA. 
James Hardiman, Esq., M. R. I. A. 
W. E. Hudson, Esq., M. R. I. A. 
Thomas A. Larcom, Esq., R. E., 

V. P. R. I. A. 
Charles MacDonnell, Esq., M.R.I.A. 



Geo. Petrie, Esq., LL.D., V.P.R.I.A. 
Rev. Wm. Reeves, M. B., M. R I. A. 
The Very Rev. L. F. Reneban, D.D., 

President of Maynooth College. 
Aquilla Smith, Esq., M.D., M.R.I.A. 
Joseph Huband Smith, Esq., M. A., 

M. R. I. A. 
Rev. J. H. Todd, D. D., F. T. C. D., 

M. R. I. A." 



Moved by John C. O'Callaghan, Esq., and 

" Resolved, — That the thanks of the Society be voted to the President and 
Council of the Royal Irish Academy, for their kindness in granting the use of 
their room for this meeting." 

Moved by Sir Colman M. O'Loghlen, Bart., and 

** Resolved, — That the thanks of the Society be voted to His Grace the 
Duke of Leinster, for his kindness in accepting the office of President of the 
Society, and for his conduct in the Chair on this occasion."^ 



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c2 



IRISH ARCHiEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 

1847-1848. 



yatton: 

HIS ROTAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE ALBERT. 

¥ resOrent : 

HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF LEINSTER. 

Ftce-y rrsOients : 

The Most Noble the Marquis of Kildare, M. P., M. R. I. A. 

The Right Hon. the Earl of Leitrhc, M. R. L A. 

The Right Hon. the Viscount Adaee, M. P., M. R. L A. 

(iTouncfl : 



Rev. Samuel Butcher, A.M.,M. R. I. A. 
Rev. Charles Graves, A. M., M. R.L A« 
James Hardim an, Esq , M. R. L A. 
William Elliot Hudson, Esq., M.R.I. A. 
Major T. A. Larcom, R. K, V.P.R.L A. 
Charles Mac Donnell, Esq., M. R. I. A. 
George Petrie, Esq., LL. D., R. H. A^ 
V. P. R. I. A. 



Rev. William Reeves, M. B., M. R. I. A. 

Very Rev. Dr. Renehan, President of St. 
Patrick's College, Maynooth. 

Aquilla Smith, Esq., M. D., M. R. I. A., 
Treasurer. 

J. HuBAND Smith, Esq., A. M., M.R.I.A. 

Rev. J. H. Todd, D. D., M. R. I. A., Se- 
cretary, 



inembcTS of t)e ^ntktQ : 

[Life Members are marked thus *.] 



*Hi8 Royal Highness The Peince Albeet. 
His Excellency The Eael of Clarendon, 

Loan Lieutenant of laBLAND. 
His Grace the Loan PaiMATB of laELAND. 
*His Grace the Duke of Buckingham and 

Chandos. 
*Hi8 Grace the Duke of LBiNsxEa. 



*The Maequis of DaoGHSDA. 

*The Maequis of Kildaeb, M.P.,M. R. I. A. 

*The Maequis of Lansdowne. 

The Maequis of Obmonde. 

The Maequu of Suoo. 

*The Maequis of WATEEFoao. 

The Eael of Bandon. 

The 



21 



The Ea&l of Bbctiye. 

The Earl of Ca&lislb. 

The Eabl of Cawdor. 

The Earl of Charlemont, M. R. I. A. 

The Earl of Clancartt. 

*The Earl De Grbt. 

The Earl of Devon. 

The Earl of Donouohmoee. 

The Earl of Dun raven, M. R. {. A. 

The Earl of Enniskillen. 

The Earl Fitzwilliam. 

The Earl Fortescub. 

The Earl of Glenoall. 

The Earl of Lbitrim, M. R. I. A. 

The Earl of Meath. 

The Earl of Portarlington. 

•The EARLofPowis. 

The Earl of Roden. 

The Earl of Rosbb, M. R. I. A. 

The Earl of Shrewsbury. 

The Earl of St. Germans. 

The Viscount Acheson, M. P. 

The Viscount Ad are, M. P., M. R. I. A. 

The Viscount Courtenat, M. P. 

The Viscount De Vescl 

The Viscount Lismore. 



Rev. Edward S. Abbott, Upper Mount-street, 
Dublin. 

Abraham Abell, Esq., M. R. I. A., Cork. 

*Sir Robert Sh&fto Adidr, Bart, Ballymena. 

Miss M. J. Alexander, Dublin. 

Robert M. AUoway, Esq., Abbeyville, Root- 
ers town. 

William Antisell, Esq., Ballyowen Cottage, 
Philipstown. 

Rev. George F. A. Armstrong, A. B. 

Rev. John H. Armstrong, A.B., Herbert- 
place, Dublin. 

George Atkinson, Esq., A. M., M. B., Upper 
Temple-street, Dublin. 



The Viscount Lorton. 

The Viscount Massarebne. 

The Viscount Morpeth. 

The Viscount O'Neill. 

*The Viscount Palicerston. 

The Viscount Suirdale. 

The Lord Bishop of Cashel, Emly, Wa- 

TERFORD, and Lismore. 
The Lord Bishop of Chichester. 
The Lord Bishop of Cork, Cloynb, and 

Ross. 
The Hon. the Lord Bishop of Derrt and 

Raphob. 
The Lord Bishop of Down and Connor, 

and Dromorb. 
The Lord Bishop of Kilmorb, Elphin, and 

Ardaoh. 
•Lord Clonbrock. 
Lord Albert Contnoham. 
Lord Crbmornb. 
Lord Fabnham. 
Lord Hettesburt. 
Lord George Hill, M. R. L A. 
Lord Manners. 
Lord Rossmorb, M. R. L A. 
Lord Talbot de Malahide. 



Rev. James Kennedy Bailie, D. D., M.R.I.A. 
Ardtrea House, Stewartstown. 

Abraham Whyte Baker^ Esq., Blessington- 
street, Dublin. 

James B. Bally Esq., Merrion-square, East, 
Dublin. 

Sir Matthew Barring^on, Bart., M. R. L A., 
St. Stephen*8-green, Dublin. 

Hugh Barton, Jun., Esq., Regent-st, London. 

Miss Beaufort, Hatch-street, Dublin. 

Sir Michael Dillon Bellew, Bart, Mount- 
Dillon, Galway. 

Samuel Henry Bindon, Esq., Great Bruns- 
wick-street, Dublin. 

Lieutenant- 



22 



Lieatenant-GeDeral Robert H. Birch, Leeson- 
sfreet, Dublin. 

John Blachfordy Esq., Backlersbury, Lon- 
don. 

The Rev. Beaver H. Blacker, A. M., Airfield, 
Donnybrook. 

The Right Hon. Anthony Richard Blake, 
St. Stephen's Green Club, Dublin. 

Loftus H. Bland, Esq., Upper Fitzwilliam- 
street, Dublin. 

Bindon Blood, Esq., M. R. I. A., F. R. S. E., 
Ennis. 

Sir John P. Boileau, Bart., London. 

Walter M. Bond, Esq., The Argory, Moy. 

*Beriah Botfield, Esq., M. R. L A., London. 

W. H. Bradshaw, Esq., Dysart House, Car- 
rick-on- Suir. 

Right Hon. Maziere Brady, Lord Chancellor 
of Ireland, M. R. L A. 

Thomas Brodigan, Esq., Pilton House, Dro- 
gheda. 

William Brooke, Esq., Q. C.» Leeson-street, 
Dublin. 

John W. Browne, Esq., Upper Mount-street, 
Dublin. 

*R. Clayton Browne, Esq., Browne's Hill, 
Carlow. 

Haliday Bruce, Esq., M. R. I. A«, Dame-st^ 
Dublin. 

Colonel Henry Bruen, M. P., Oak Park, 
Carlow. 

Samuel Bryson, Esq., High-street, Belfast. 

The Chevalier Bunsen, London. 

John Ynyr Burges, Esq., Parkanaur, Dun. 
gannon. 

Joseph Burke, Esq., Elm Hall, Parsons- 
town. 

John Burrowes, Esq., Herbert-st., Dublin. 

Robert Burrowes, Esq., Merrion-square, N., 
Dublin. 



Rev. Samuel Butcher, A M., M. R. L A., 

Fellow of Trinity College, Dublm. 

The Very Rev. R.Butler, A. B., M.R. L A., 
Dean of Clonmacnoise, Trim. 

* William E. Caldbeck, Esq., Kilmastiogue. 

•Robert Callwell, Esq., M. R. L A., Herbert- 
place, Dublin. 

Edward Cane, Esq., M. R. I. A., Dawson- 
street, Dublin. 

George Carr, Esq., M.R. LA., Mountjoy- 
square, S., Dublin* 

•Rev. Joseph Carson, B. D., M. R. L A., 
Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. 

Rev. William Carus, A. M., Fellow of Tri- 
nity College, Cambridge. 

Thomas Gather, Esq., Blessington-street, 
Dublin. 

•Patrick Chalmers, Esq., Auldbar, Brechin, 
N.B. 

John David Chambers, Esq., London. 

William Chambers, Esq., High-street, Edin- 
burgh. 

George Chamley, Esq., Gaybrook, Malahide. 

Sir Montagu L. Chapman, Bart., M.R.L A., 
Killua Castle, Clonmellon. 

Edward Wilmot Chetwode,Esq.,M.R.LA., 
Woodbrook, Portarlington. 

Thomas Clarke, Esq., Baggot-street, Dub- 
lin. 

Rev. William Cleaver, A. M., Delgany. 

James Stratherne Close, Esq., Grardiner*s- 
row, Dublin. 

Rev. Thomas De Vere Coneys, A. M., Pro- 
fessor of Irish in the University of Dublin. 

Frederick W. Conway, Esq., M. R. I. A., 
Terrace Lodge, Rathmines Road, Dublin. 

Adolphus Cooke, Esq., Cookesborough, Mul- 
lingar. 

James R. Cooke, Esq., Blessington-street, 
Dublin. 

Philip 



r 



23 



Philip Davies Cooke^ Esq., Oiuton, Doncas- 
ter. 

Rev. Peter Cooper, Marlborough-street, 
Dnblin. 

Sir Charles Coote, Bart.» Ballyfin House, 
Moontrath. 

William Coppinger, Esq.> Barryscourt, Cork. 

*ReY. George E. Corrie, B.D., Fellow of 
St. Catherine's Hall, Cambridge. 

The Yen. Henry Cotton, D. C. L., Archdea- 
con of Cashel. 

Rev. George Edmond Cotter, Glenview, 
Middleton. 

James T. Gibson Craig, Esq., Edinburgh. 

Michael Creagh, Esq., Upper Gloucester- 
street, Dublin. 

Rev. George CroUy, Professor of Theology, 
St. Patrick's College, Maynooth. 

Rev. John C. Crosthwaite^ A. M., The Rec- 
tory, St. Mary-at-Htll, London. 

Rev. William M. Crosthwaite, A. M., Dor- 
rus, Bantry. 

Rev. Edward Cnpples, LL.B., V.G. of Down 
and Connor, Lisburn. 

Miss J. M. Richardson Currer, Eshton Hall, 
Yorkshire. 

Francis E. Currey, Esq., Lbmore Castle, 
Lismore. 

* Eugene Curry, Esq., Portland-street, North, 
Dublin. 

•James W. Cusack, Esq., M.D., M.R. LA., 
Kildare-street, Dublin. 

*The Rev. Edward Fitzgerald Day, Home, 
Cabin teely. 

Quentin Dick, Esq., London. 

*F. H. Dickinson, Esq., Kingweston, Somer- 
setshire. 

C. Wentworth Dilke, Esq., London. 

Rev^ Robert Vickers Dixon, A.M.,M.R.LA., 
Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. 



Thomas Dobbin, Esq., Armagh. 

Joseph Dobbs, Esq., Clanbrassil Terrace, 

Dublin. 
William C. Dobbs, Esq., Fitzwilliam-place, 

Dublin. 
•William Donnelly, Esq., LL.D., Registrar- 
General, Auburn, Malahide. 
Rickard Donovan, Esq., Crown Office, Cork, 
Peter Dowdall, Esq., Summer-hill, Dublin. 
Charles Druitt, Esq., Lima. 
William V. Drury, Esq., M. D., M. R. L A., 

Lower Merrion-street, Dublin. 
Charles Gavan Duffy, Esq., Holme Ville, 

Rathmines, Dublin. 
Major Francis Dunne, M.P., Brittas, Mount- 

mellick. 
Rev. John Dunne, Professor of Log^c, Car- 
low College. 
Rev. Charles R. Elrington, D. D., M.R.I. A., 

Regius Professor of Divinity, Trin. Coll., 

Dublin. 
John Edward Errington, Esq., C.E., London. 
Right Hon. Sir Thomas Esmonde, Bart, 

Ballynastra, Gorey. 
Robert Ewing, Esq., Greenock. 
•J. Walter K. Eyton, Esq., Elgin Villa, 

Leamington, 
M. Le Comte O* Kelly Farrell, Chateau de la 

Mothe, Landon, Bourdeaux. 
Rev. Thomas Farrelly, St. Patrick's College, 

Maynooth. 
Samuel Graeme Fenton, Esq., Belfast 
Sir Robert Ferguson, Bart, M. P., Derry. 
Clement Ferguson, Esq., Lower Ormond- 

quay, Dublin. 
John Ferguson, Esq., Castle Forward, Derry. 
•Edward Fitzgerald, Esq., Carrigoran, New- 

market-on- Fergus. 
John D. Fitzgerald, Esq., Merrion-square, 

West, DubUn. 

Rev. 



24 



Rev. Joseph Fitzgerald, M. R. L A., P. P. 
Rahan, Tullamore. 

Patrick Vincent Fitzpatrick, Esq., Eecles- 
street, Dublin. 

John Flanadj, Esq., Dublin. 

Rev. Matthew Flanagan, Francis-street, Dub- 
lin. 

Thomas Fortescue, Esq., M. R. I. A., Ra- 
vensdale Park, Flnrrybridge. 

Rey. Smyth W. Fox, Richyiew, Rathmines, 
Dublin. 

John French, Esq., Stock well Place, Surrey. 

Robert French, Esq., Fitzwilliam-square, 
East, Dublin. 

Allan Fuilarton, Esq., Westbank, Greenock. 

John A. Fullerton, Esq., Edinburgh. 

Alfred Furlong, Esq., Newcastle, County 
Limerick. 

Rev. Robert Gage, A. M.> Rathlin Island, 
Ballycastle. 

Edmund (jetty, Esq., Victoria-place, , Bel- 
fast. 

Rev. Richard Gibbings* A. M., Myragh 
Glebe, Dun&naghy. 

Michael Henry Gill, Esq., Great Brunswick- 
street, Dublm, 

Rev. William S. Gilly. D. D., Norham Vica- 
rage, Berwick-on- Tweed. 

The Knight of Glin, Glin Castle, Glin. 

*John Graham, Esq., Craigallian. 

George B. Grant, Esq., Grafton-street, Dub- 
lin. 

*Rev. Charles Graves, A. M., M. R. I. A., 
Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. 

Robert Graves, Esq., M. D., M. R. I. A., 
Merrion-square, S., Dublin. 

Rev. James Graves, A. B., Kilkenny. 

John Gray, Esq., Greenock. 

John Gray, Esq., M.D., Upper Bucking- 
ham-street, Dublin. 



Rev. John Greham, LL.D., Portora Home, 
Enniskillen. 

John Grene, Esq., Clonliffle. 

James Sullivan Green, Esq., Lower Pem- 
broke-street, Dublin. 

*Richard Griffith, Esq., M. R. L A., Fitz- 
william-place, Dublin. 

Rev. Charles Grogan, Harcourt-st., Dublin. 

John Gumley^ Esq., LL. D.^ St Stephen's- 
green, Dublin. 

James Haire, Esq., Summer-hill, Dublin. 

Sir Benjamin Hall, Bart., M. P., Portman- 
square, London. 

Right Rev. Francis Haly, D. D., R. C. Bi- 
shop of Kildare and Leighfin, Braganaa 
House, Carlow. 

George Alexander Hamilton, Esq., M. P.^ 
Hampton Hall, Balbriggan. 

James Hamilton, Esq., Fintra House, Killy- 
begs. 

Rev. James Hamilton, Professor of Natural 
Philosophy, St Patrick's College, Carlow. 

Sir Wm. R. Hamilton, LL.D., V.P.R.LA., 
Observatory, Dunsink. 

James Hardioian, Esq., M. R. I. A., Galway. 

Leonard S. Hartley, Esq., Middleton Lodge, 
Richmond, Yorkshire. 

Rev. Daniel Hearne, St. Patrick's, Manches- 
ter. 

Hon. Algernon Herbert, Ickleton, Saffron- 
Walden. 

*Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, M. P., London. 

John E. Herriok,£sq., Lower Baggot-street, 
Dublin. 

Thomas Hewitt, Esq., Spencer's Library, 
London. 

William Henry Holbrook, Eaq., Leeaon- 
street, Dublin. 

Sir W. Jackson Homao, Bart, Drumroe, 
Cappoquin. 

•A 



r 



25 



*A. J. Berosford Hope, Esq., M.P., Lamber- 
hurst. 

*Sir Francis Hopkins, Bart, Rochfort, Mul- 
lingar. 

Herbert F. Hore, Esq., Pole Hore^ Kyle, 
Wexford. 

The Very Rev. Edward Gustavus Hudson, 
Dean of Armagh, GlenviUe, Watergrass- 
biU. 

William E. Hudson, Esq., M. R. I. A,, Up- 
per Fttzwilliam-street, Dublin. 

James S. Hamilton Humphreys, Esq., London. 

Thomas Hutton, Esq., M. R. I. A, Summer- 
hill, Dublin. 

John Hyde, Esq., Castle Hyde* Fermoy. 

Sir Robert H. Inglis, Baronet, M. P., Lon- 
don. 

*Rev. James Ingram, D. D., President of 
Trinity College, Oxford. 

Rev. John H. Jellett, A. M., M. R. I. A., 
Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. 

Mrs. Margaret Jones, Kilwaughter Castle, 
Lame. 

* Robert Jones, Esq.,. M. R. LA., Fordand, 

Dromore West. 

* William Bence Jones, Esq., M. R,LA., 

KilgarifFe, Clonakilty. 

Sir Robert Kane, M. D., M. R. L A., Grace- 
field, Booterstown. 

William Kane, Esq., Gloncester-st., Dublin. 

Denis Henry Kelly, Esq., M. R. L A., Castle 
Kelly, Mount Talbot. 

Rev. Matthew Kelly, St. Patrick's College, 
Maynooth. 

Henry Kemmis, Esq., Q. C, Merrion-square, 
East, Dublin. 

Rev. John Kenny, Kilrush. 

James Kernan, Esq., Up. Dorset-st., Dublin. 

The Right Honourable the Knight of Kerry, 
M. R. L A., Listowell. 



Thomas Kippax King, Esq., London. 

Rev. Henry Barry Knox, M. R. L A., Had- 
leigh, Suffolk. 

George J. Knox, Esq., M. R. L A., Maddox- 
street, London. 

Rev. John Torrens Kyle, A. M., Clondrohid, 
Macroom. 

*The Right Hon. Henry Labouchere, M. P., 
Belgrave-square, London. 

David Laing, Esq., Signet Library, Edin- 
burgh. 

Alexander C. Lambert, Esq., Ballinrobe. 

Henry Lanauze, Esq., Dublin. 

Denny Lane, Esq., Sydney-place, Cork. 

•Mitfor T. A. Larcom, R. E., V. P. R. L A., 
Dublin. 

* Walter Lawrence, Jun., Esq., Capt. 4Ut 

Welch Reg^., Lisreaghane, Lawrencetown, 
Co. Galway. 

Rev. William Lee, A. M., M. R. L A., Fellow 
of Trinity College, Dublin. 

Robert Leeson, Esq., Florence. 

The Right Hon. Baron Lefroy, Leeson-street, 
Dublin. 

Charles Lever, Esq. 

Charles W. Levinge, Esq., Levington Park, 
. Mullingar. 

^Frederick Lindesay, Esq., Mountjoy-square, 
West. Dublin. 

John Lindsay, Esq., Maryville, Blackrock, 
Cork. 

Rev. John Lingard, D. D., Hornby, Lan- 
caster. 

Rev. Humphrey Lloyd, D. D., P. R. L A., 
Senior Fellow of Trinity College, Dub- 
lin. 

* William Horton Lloyd, Esq., Park-square, 

Regent*8-park, London. 
Rev. Richard H. Low, Lowville, Ahascragh. 
Joseph Lowell, Esq., London. 

Hugh 



KA^ 



26 



Hugh Lyle, Esq., Carnagarfe, Moville, Do- 
negal. 
Robert Mac Adam, Esq., Belfiut. 
*D. Mac Carthy, Esq., Florence. 
The Rey. Daniel M'Gartbj, Professor of 

Rhetoric, St. Patrick's College Maynooth. 
Rer. Charles M'Crossao, Drumquin, Omagh. 
William Torrens M'CoIlagh, Esq., M. P., 

M.R.LA., Dublin. 
G. A. M'Dermott, Esq., F. G. S., Chester .s 

ton Hall, Newcastle-under-Line. 
Alexander M'Donnell, Esq., Bfarlborongh- 

street, Dublin. 
Charles P. Mac Donnelly Esq., M. R. I. A., 

Bonabrougha Houses Wicklow. 
Edmund Mac Donnell, Esq., Glenarm Castle, 

Glenarm. 
'Rev. Richard Mac Donnell,D.D., M.R.LA., 

Senior Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. 
George M'Dowell, Esq., A. M., M. R. L A. 

Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. 
The Right Rey. Patrick M'Gettigan, D. D., 

R. C. Bishop of Derry, Lietterkenny. 
M'Gillicuddy of the Reeks. 
James M^'Glashan, Esq., D*01ier-street, Dub- 
lin. 
Most Rey. John Mac Hale» D. D., St Jar* 

lath*s, Tuam. 
Rey. John M'Hugh, Baldoyle. 
John W. M'Kenzie, Esq., Edinburgh. 
Most Rey. Dr. MlusNally, R. C. BUhop of 

Gogher, Clogher. 
Thomas Mac Owen, Esq., Middleton, Artane. 
Sir Frederick Madden, Hon. M. R. I. A., 

British Museum. 
James Magee, Esq., Leeson-streett DuUin. 
Pierce Mahony, Esq., M. R. I. A., William- 

streety Dublin. 
Key. Samuel R. Maitland, D. D., F. R. S., 

F. A. S., London. 



Andrew John Maley, Esq., llforriofr^qua^. 

South* Dublin. 
John Malooe, Esq., Rathlaslin, Ballynacargy. 
Henry Martley, Esq., Q. C, Harcourt-slreet, 

Dublin. 
Rey. George Maxwell, Askeaton. 
Hon. Gen. Meade, Bryaoston-square, London. 

* Andrew Milliken, Esq., Dublin. 
Danid MoUoy, Esq., York-street, Dablio. 
Richard Monck, Esq,, Banagher. 

Rey. Charles H. Monsell, A. M. 

William Monsell, Esq., M. P., M. R. I. A., 

Teryoe, Limerick. 
Rey. Philip Moore, Rosbercon. 
Robert Ogilby Moore, Esq., London. 
Thomas Moore, Esq*, Sloperton, Deyixes. 
John Shank More^ Esq., Great King-street, 

Edinburgh. 
^Andrew Mnlholland« Esq., Mount CoUyer, 

Bollast. 
Sinclaire Kilboume MulhoUand, Esq., Eglon- 

tine, Hillsborough. 
Joseph William Murphy, Esq., Belfast. 

* Joseph Neeld, Esq., M. P., Grosyenor-sq., 

London. 
The Very Rey. Dean Nolan, P. P., Gowran. 
William Nugent, Esq., KiUester Abbey, Ra- 

heny. 
James L. 0*Beime, Esq., Lower Gardiner- 
street, Dublin. 
Cornelius O'Brien, Esq., Ennisdmoo. 
Francis O'Brien, Esq., Thurles. 
Sir Lucius O'Brien, Bart., M. P., Dromo- 

land, Newmarket-on- Fergus. 
William Smith O'Brien, Esq., M. P., Ca- 

hermoyle, Rathkeale. 
The Very Rey. Dominick O'Brien, Water- 

ford. 
John Cornelius O'Callaghan, Esq., RasselL 

place, Dublin. 

John 



27 



John O'CoDoell, Esq., M. P., Gowran-hill^ 
Dalkey. 

Denis O'Connor, Esq., Mount Druid, Bele- 
nagare. County Roscommon. 

John O'Donoghue, Esq., Dublin. 

The O'DonoTMi, Montpelier, Douglas, Cork. 

*John O^DonoTan, Esq., Newoomen-plaoe, 
Dublin. 

The 0*Dowda, Bonnioonlan House, Ballioa. 

*Jo8eph Michael O'Ferrall, Esq., Rutland- 
square. West, Dublin. 

The Right Hon. R. More OTerrall, Gover- 
nor of Malta. 

* William Ogilby, Esq., London. 
Nicholas Pnrcell 0*Gorman, Esq., Q. C, 

Blessington-street, Dublin. 
Richard 0*Gorman, Esq., Lower Dominick- 

street, Dublin. 
The O'Grady, Kilballyowen, Bmft 
Thomas O'Hagan, Esq., Great Charles-st., 

Dublin. 
Major O'Hara, Annamoe, Collooney. 
Sir Colman M. O'Loghlen, Bart, Merrion* 

square South, Dublin. 
Richard O'Reilly, Esq., Upper Sackville- 

street, Dublin. 
Richard O'Shaiighnessy, Esq., Lover Gar- 
diner-street, Dublin. 
Rev. Mortimer 0*SuUivan, D. D., Killyroan. 
George Panton, Esq., Heriot*s Hospital, 

Edinburgh. 
Marcus Patterson, Esq., Clifden House, Cu- 

rofin. 
Right Hon. Sir Robert Peel, Bart. M. P., 

London. 
Louis Hayes Petit, Esq., F. R. S., London. 
George Petrie, Esq., LL. D., R. H. A. 

V. P. R. I. A., Great Charles-st., Dublin, 

* Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart, MiddlehiH, 

Broadway, Worcestershire. 



d2 



John Edward Pigott, Esq., Merrion-sqnare, 

South, Dublin. 
Robert Pitcaim, Esq., Queen-street, Edin- 
burgh. 

^Rev. Charles Porter, Ballybay. 

Rey. Classen Porter, Lame. 
Colonel Henry Edward Porter, Minteme, 
Dorchester. 

Robt Power, Esq., Pembroke-place, DubUn. 

Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Pratt, Calra 
Castle, Kingsconrt 

Hon. Edward Preeion, Gormanstown Castle, 
Balbriggan. 

Colonel J. Dawson Rawdon, M. P., Cold- 
stream Guards, Stanhope-etreet, London. 

Thomas M. Ray, Esq., Dublin. 

Thomas N. Redington, Esq., M. R. L A., 
Under Secretary for Ireland, Dublin Cas- 
tle. 

Henry Thompson Redmond, Esq., Carrick- 
on-Suir, 

Rev. William Reeves, M. B., Ballymena. 

Lewis Reford, Esq., Beechmount, Belfast 

W. Reilly, Esq., Belmont, Mullingar. 

Rev. Laurence F. Renehan, D. D., Presi- 
dent of St. Patricks College, BiaynooCh. 

Rev. G. C. Renou4rd, B. D., Dartford, 
Kent 

E. William Robertson, Esq., Breadsall Pri- 
ory, Derby. 

Rev. Thomas R. Robinson, D. D., M. R. L A., 
Observatory, Armagh. 

George Roe, Esq., Nntley, Dublin. 

Richard Rothwell, Esq., Rockfield, Kells. 

Rev. Charles Russell, D.D., St Patrick's 
College, Maynooth. 

Rev. Franc Sadleir. D. D., V. P. R. L A., 
Provost of Trinity College, Dublin. 

John Sadleir, Esq., Great Denmark-street, 
Dublin. 

Rev. 



28 



Rev. George Salmon, A. M., Fellow of Tri- 
nity College, Dublin. 
Rev. Francis A. Sanders, A. B., Lower Fitz- 

william-street, Dublin. 
Robert Sharpe, Esq., Coleraine. 
Right Hon. Frederick Shaw, Recorder of 

Dublin, Kimmage House. 
Evelyn John Shirley, Esq., M. P., Carrick- 

macross. 
Evelyn Philip Shirley, Esq., Eatington Park, 

Shipton-on-Stour. 
Rev. Joseph H. Singer, D. D., M. R. I. A., 

Senior Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. 
W. F. Skene, Esq., Edinburgh. 
Aquilla Smith, Esq., M. D., M. R. I. A., 121, 

Lower Baggot-street, Dublin. 

* George Smith, Esq., Lower Baggot-street, 

Dublin. 

* George Saith, F. R. S., Tr«vu, Camborne, 

England. 
*Rev. J. Campbell Smith, A. B.. Rome. 
J. Huband Smith, Esq., A. M., M. R. L A., 

Holies-street, DubUn. 
Wm. Smith, Esq., Carbeth, Guthrie, Glasgow . 
John Smith, Esq., LL. D., Secretary to the 

Maitland Club, Glasgow. 
John G. Smyly,Esq., Upper Merrion-street, 

Dublin. 
George Lewis Smyth, Esq., Derby-street, 

London. 
The Right Hon. Sir Wm. Meredyth Somer- 

ville, Bart., M. P., Somerville, Drogheda. 
Rev. Thomas Stack, A. M., M. R. L A., Fel- 

low of Trinity College, Dublin. 
Augustus Stafford Esq., M. P., Blatherwycke 

Park, Northamptonshire. 
Michael Staunton, Esq., Marlborough-street, 

Dublin. 

John Vaodeleur Stewart, Esq., Rockhill, Let- 
terkenny. 



Colonel William Stewart, Killymoon, Cooks- 
town. 
William Stokes, Esq., M. D., M. R. L A., 

Regius Professor of Physic, Dublin. 
The Yen. Charles Strong, A. M., M. R. L A., 

Archdeacon of Glendalough, Cavendish. 

row, Dublin. 
Hon. and Rev. Andrew Godfrey Stuart, 

Rectory of Cottesmore, Oakham. 
William Villiers Stuart, Esq., Dromana, Cap- 

poquin. 
Rev. George Studdert, A. M.t Dundalk. 
*Thomas Swanton, Esq., Crannliath, Ballida- 

hob, Skibbereen. 
Walter Sweetman, Esq., Mountjoy-sqnare, 

North, Dublin. 
James Talbot, Esq., Evercreech House, Shep- 

ton Mallet, Somersetshire. 
Bartholomew M. Tabuteau, Esq., Fitzwil. 

liam-place, Dublin. 
*Edward King Tenison, Esq., Castle Teni- 

son, Keadue, Carrick-on-Shannon. 

* Robert J. Tennent, Esq., Belfast. 

* James Thompson, Esq., Ballysillan, Belfast. 
Robert Tighe, Esq., M. R. L A., Fitzwil- 

liam-square. North. DubUn. 

•William Fownes Tighe, Esq., Woodstock, 
Inistiogue. 

•Rev. James H. Todd, D. D., M. R. L A., 
Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. 

James Ruddell Todd, Esq., London. 

Rev. John M. Traherne, Coedriglan, Cardiff. 

William B. C. C. Turnbull, Esq., Advocate, 
F. S. A., Edinburgh. 

Travers Twbs, Esq., D. C. L., F. R. S., Uni- 
versity College, Oxford. 

•Henry Tyler, Esq., Newtown- Limavaddy. 

Crofton Moore Vandeleur, Esq., Rutland- 
square, Dublin. 

Edward Crips Villiers, Esq., Kilpeacon. 

Rev. 



29 



Rev. Charles W. Wall,D. D., V. P. R. I. A., 
Senior Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. 

Jnmes A. VVall» Esq., Baggot-street, Dublin. 

The Rev. Dr. Walshe, Carlow. 

Samuel Hibbert Ware, Esq., M.D., F.R.S.E., 
Edinburgh. 

Charles T. Webber, Esq., M. R. I. A., Up- 
per Gloucester-street, Dublin. 

James Whiteside, Esq., Q. C, M. R« I. A., 
Mounljoy-square, Dublin. 

William Robert Wilde, Esq., Westland- 
row, Dublin. 

The Yen. Archdeacon Williams, Edinburgh. 

Richard Palmer Williams, Esq., M. R. I. A., 
Drumcondra Castle, Dublin. 



Wm. Williams, Esq.^ Aberpergwm, Neath, 
South Wales. 

Rev. John Wilson, B. D., Fellow of Trinity 
College, Oxford. 

Rev. James Wilson, D. D., M. R. I. A., Pre- 
centor of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. 

Lestock, P. Wilson^ Esq., London. 

John Windele, Esq., Sunday's Well, Cork. 

Edward Wright, Esq., Upper Leeson-street, 
Dublin. 

* John Wynne, Esq., M. R. I. A., Hazlewood, 
Sligo« 

Rev. Walter Young, Lisbellaw, Enniskillen. 

The Very Rev. William Yore, D. D., V. G., 
Queen-street, Dublin. 



LIBRARIES ENTITLED TO THE PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 



Academy, .Royal Irish. 
Advocates' Library, Edinburgh. 
AthensBum^ London. 
Belfast Library 
Bodleian Library, Oxford. 
British Museum. 
Cambridge Public Library. 
Cork Library. 
College of St. Columba. 
Dublin Society, Royal. 
Dublin University Library. 
Edinburgh University Library. 



Irish Office, London. 

King's Inns' Library, Dublin. 

Kildare-street Club, Dublin. 

Limerick Institution. 

London Institution, Finsbury Circus. 

London Library, Pall Mall. 

Archbishop Marsh's iiibrary, Dublin. 

Oxford and Cambridge Club, London. 

The Portico Library, Manchester. 

The Signet Library, Edinburgh. 

St. Stephen's Green Club, Dublin. 



FUNDAMENTAL 



3^ 

FUNDAMENTAL LAWS OF THE SOQIETT. 

I. The number of Members shall be limited to 500. 

IL The affairs of the Society shall be managed by a Councilt consisting of a Pre- 
sident, three Vioe-PresidentSy and twelve other Members, to be annually elected by 
the Society. 

III. Those Noblemen and Grentlemen who have been admitted Members prior to 
the first day of May, 1841, shall be deemed the original Members of the Society, and 
all future Members shall be elected by the CounciU 

rV. Each Member shall pay four pounds on the first year of his electios, and one 
pound every subsequent year. These payments to be made in advance, on or before 
the first day of January, annually. 

y. Such Members as desire it may become Life Members on payment of the sum 
of thirteen pounds, or ten pounds (if they have already paid their entrance feeX in lieu 
of the annual subscription. 

YL Every Member whose subscription is not in arrear shall be entitled to receive 
one copy of each publication of the Society issued subsequently to hia admission ; and 
the books printed by the Society shall not be sold to the Public. 

YIL No Member who is three months in arrear of his subscriptioii shall be en* 
titled to vote, or to any other privilege of a Member ; and any Member who shall be 
one year in arrear of his subscription, shall be liable to be removed by the Council 
from the books of the Society, after due notice served upon him to that effect. 

VIIL Any Member who shall gratuitously edit any book approved of hy the 
Council, shall be entitled to twenty copies of such book, when printed, for hia own 
use : and the Council shall at all times be ready to receive suggestions from Members 
relative to such rare books or manuscripts as they may be acquainted with, and 
which they may deem worthy of being printed by the Society. 

DL The Council shall have power to appoint officers, and to make by-laws not in- 
consistent with the Fundamental Laws of the Society. 

X. No person shall be elected a Member of the Society until the entrance fee and 
subscription for the current year be paid to the Treasurer or one of the Local Se- 
cretaries. 



Noblemen and Gentlemen desirous of becoming Members of the Irish Archteo- 
logical Society are requested to forward their names and addresses to the Secre- 
tary, 



3» 

tary, Benr. Dr. Todd, Trinity College, Dublin. Literary Societies and public Libraries 
may procure the Society's publications by paying an admission fee of £3 and an annual 
subscription of £1, but without the privilege of compounding for the annual sub- 
scription. 



PUBLICATIONS FOB THE TEAR 184I. 

L Tracts relating to Ireland, vol. i. containing: 

1. The Circuit of Ireland ; by Muircheartaoh Mac Neill, Prince of Aileach ; a 
Poem written in the year 942 by Cormaoan Eigeas, Chief Poet of the North 
of Ireland. Edited, with a Translation and Notes, and a Map of the Circuit, 
by John 0*Domovan, Esq. 

2. *''• A Brife Description of Ireland, made in this year 1589, by Robert Payne, 
vnto zxv. of his partners, for whom he is vndertaker there." Reprinted from 
the second edition, London, 1590, with a Preface and Notes, by Aquilla Smith, 
M. D.,M.R.LA. 

II. The Annals of Ireland, by James Grace, of Kilkenny. Edited from the MS. 
in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, in the original Latin, with a Translation 
and Notes, by the Rsv^ Richard Butles, A. B., M. R. L A. 

PUBLICATIONS FOR THE TEAR 1842. 

I. Caeh TDui^hi Pach. The Battle of Magh Rath (Moira), from an ancient MS. 
in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. Edited in the original Irish, with a Trans- 
lation and Notes, by John O'Donovan. 

II. Tracts relating to Ireland, vol. n. containing: 

1. ** A Treatise of Ireland ; by John Dymmok." Edited from a MS. in the 
British Museum, with Notes, by the Rev. Riohabd Butleb, A. B., M. R. I. A. 

2. The Annals of Multifernam; from the original MS. in the Library of Trinity 
College, Dublin. Edited by Aquilla Smith, M. D., M. R. L A. 

3. A Statute passed at a Parliament held at Kilkenny, A. D. 1367 ; from a MS. 
in the British Museum. Edited, with a Translation and Notes, by James 
Habdimam, Esq., M. R. I. A. 

PUBLICATIONS FOR THE YEAR 1843. 

L An Account of the Tribes and Customs of the District, of Hy-Many, commonly 
called O'Kelly's Country, in the Counties of Galway and Roscommon* Edited from 

the 



3^ 

the Book ol Lecan in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy, in the original Irish; 
with a Translation and Notes, and a Map of Hy-Hany, by John O'Donovan, Esq. 

11. The Book of Obits and Marty rology of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, com- 
monly called Christ Church, Dublin. Edited from the original MS. in the Library of 
Trinity College, Dublin. By the Rkv. John Clarke Crosthwaitb, A.M., Rector of 
St. Mary-at-Hill, and St. Andrew Hubbard, London. With an Introduction by James 
Henthorn Todd, D. D., V. P. R. I. A., Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. 

PUBLICATIONS FOR THE YEAR 1844. 

I. '^Registrum Ecclesie Omnium Sanctorum juxta Dublin;" from the original 
MS. in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. Edited by the Rfiv. Richard But- 
ler, A. B., M. R. I. A. 

II. An Account of the Tribes and Customs of the District of Hy-Fiachrach, in the 
Counties of Sligo and Mayo. Edited from the Book of Lecan, in the Library of the 
Royal Irish Academy, and from a copy of the Mac Firbis MS. in the possession of the 
Earl of Roden. With a Translation and Notes, and a Map of Hy-Fiachrach. By 
John O'Donovan, Esq. 

PUBLICATION FOR THE YEAR 1 845. 

A Description of West or H-Iar Connaught, by Roderic O'Flaherty, Author of the 
Ogygia, written A. D. i684. Edited from a MS. in the Library of Trinity College, 
Dublin, with copious Notes and an Appendix. By James Hardiman, Esq., M. R. I. A. 

PUBLICATION FOR THE YEAR 1 846. 

The Miscellany of the Irish Archseological Society. YoL I. containing: 

1. An ancient Poem attributed to St Columbkille, with a Translation and Notes 
by John O'Donovan, Esq. 

2. De Concilio Hiberniss ; the earliest extant record of a Parliament in Ireland; 
with Notes by the Rev. R. Butler. 

3. Copy of the Award as concerning the TolboU (Dublin) : contributed by Db, 
Aquilla Smith. 

4. Pedigree of Dr. Dominick Lynch, Regent of the CoUedge of St Thomas of 
Aquin, in Seville, A. D. 1674 - contributed by Jahes Hardiman, Esq. 

5. A Latin Poem, by Dr. John Lynch, Author of Cambrefuis EversuSy in reply 
to the Question, Cur in patriam non redis f Contributed by Jahes Hardi- 
man, Esq. 

6. 



33 

6. The Obits of Kiloormick, now Frankfort, King's County: contributed by tbe 
Rev. J. H. Todd. 

7. Ancient Testaments: contributed by Db. Aquilla Smith. 

8. Autograph Letter of Thady O'Boddy : with some Notices of the Author by 
the Bey. J. H. Todd. 

9. Autograph Letter of Oliver Cromwell to his son, Harry Cromwell, Com- 
mander in Chief in Lreland : contributed by De. A. Smith. 

10. The Irish Charters in the Book of Eells, with a Translation and Notes by 
John O'Donotan, Esq. 

1 1. Original Charter granted by John Lord of Ireland, to the Abbey of Melli- 
font : contributed by Dr. A. Smith. 

12. A Journey to Connaught in 1709 by Dr. Thomas Molyneuit : contributed by 
Dk. a. Smith. 

1 3. A Covenant in Irish between Mageoghegan and the Fox ; with a Translation, 
and historical Notices of the two Families, by Joh» O'Donovan, Esq. 

14. The Annals of Ireland, from A. D. 1453 to 1468, translated from a lost Irish 
original, by Dudley Firbisse ; with Notes by J. O'Dokovan, Esq. 

PUBLICATION FOE THE YEAR 1847. 

The Irish Version of the *' Historia Britonum*' of Nennius, or, as it is called in 
Irish MSS., 6eabop 6pernac, the British Book. Edited from the Book of Ballimote, 
collated with copies in the Book of Lecan, and in the Library of Trinity College, 
Dublin, with a Translation and Notes by James Hem thorn Todd, D. D., M. R. L A., 
Fellow of Trinity College, &c ; and additional Notes and an Introduction by the Hon. 
Aloernok Herbest. 

WORKS IN THE FRES& 

L Cormac's Glossary ; with a Translation and Notes by John O'Donovan and 
Eugene Curet, Esqrs. 

IL The Annals of Ireland, by John Clyn, of Kilkenny ; from a MS. in the Library 
of Trinity College, Dublin, coUated with another in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. 
Edited, with Notes, by the Vert Rev. Richard Butler, M. R. L A., Dean of Clon- 
macnois. 

IIL The Annals of Ireland, by Thady Dowling, Chancellor of Leighlin. Edited, 
with Notes, by Aquilla Smith, M. D., M. R. L A., from a MS. in the Library of 
Trinity College, Dublin. 

e PUBLICATIONS 



34 

PUBLICATIONS SUGGESTED OB IN PROGBESS. 

The following Works are many of them nearly ready for the Press, and will be 
undertaken as soon as the funds of the Society will permit : 

I. The Irish Archaeological Miscellany, yoL il 

IL The Annals of Ulster. With a Translation and Notes. Edited from a MS. 
in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, collated with the Translation made for Sir 
James Ware by Dudley or Duald Mac Firbis, a MS. in the British Museum, by Jahbb 
Hentborn Todd, D. D., M. B. I. A., and John O'Donovan, Esq. 

III. The Annals of Innisfallen ; from a MS. in the Bodleian Library, Oxford; with 
a Translation and Notes by John O'Donovan, Esq. 

IV. Macaris Excidium, the Destruction of Cyprus ; being a secret History of the 
Civil War in Ireland under James II., by Colonel Charles O'Kelly. Edited in the 
Latin, from a MS. in the possession of the late Professor Mac CuUagh, with a Trans- 
lation, by Denis Henrt EIellt, Esq. ; and Notes by John O'Callaohan, Esq. 

V. Ecclesiastical Taxation of Ireland, circ. I5cx>. Edited from the original Ex- 
chequer Bolls, in the Carlton-Bide Becord Office, London, with Notes, by the Bsv. 
William Beeves, M. B., of Trinity College, Dublin. 

YL The Liber Hymnorum ; from the original MS. in the Library of Trinity Col- 
lege, Dublin. Edited by the Bsv. James Henthorn Todd, D. D., M. B. L A^ Fellow 
of Trinity College, and the Bev. Willlam Beeves, M. B. 

VIL Sir William Petty's Narrative of his Proceedings in the Survey of Ireland ; 
from a MS. in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. Edited, with Notes, by Thos. 
A. Larcom, Esq., Major B. E., V. P. B. L A. 

YUL Articles of Capitulation and Surrender of Cities, Towns, Castles, Forts, &c., 
in Ireland, to the Parliamentaiy Forces, from A. D. 1649 to 1654. Edited, with His- 
torical Notices, by James Hardiman, Esq., M. B. I. A. 

IX. The Grenealogy and History of the Saints of Ireland : from the Book of Lecan. 
Edited, with a Translation and Notes, by John O'Donovan, Esq., and James Hen- 
thorn Todd, D. D. 

X. An Account of the Firbolgs and Danes of Ireland, by Duald Mac Firbis, from 
a MS. in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, with a Translation and Notes, by 
John O'Donovan, Esq. 

XI. 6opama. The Origin and History of the Boromean Tribute. Edited from a 
MS. in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, with a Translation and Notes, by Eu- 
gene CuRRT, Esq. 

XI L The Progresses of the Lords Lieutenant in Ireland; from MSS. in the Library 
of Trinity College, Dublin. Edited by Joseph Huband Smith, Esq., A.M., M.B.L A., 

XIIL 



35 

XIII. A Treatise on the Ogham or occult Forms of Writing of the ancient Irish ; 
from a MS. in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin ; with a Translation and Notes, 
and preliminary Dissertation, by the Rev. Chables Gbaves, A*M., M.R.I.A., FeUow 
of Trinity College, and Professor of Mathematics in the University of Dublin. 

XIV. The Topographical Poems of O'Heerin and O'Duggan; with Notes by John 
O'DoNOVAN, Esq. 



In addition to the foregoing projected Publications, there are many important 
works in the contemplation of the Council, which want of funds alone prevents the 
possibility of their imdertaking, such as the Brehon Laws, the Dinnseanchus, the 
Feilire or Festilogium of Aengus the Culdee, the Annals of Connaught, the Annals 
of Tigernach, &a, <&c. 



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