CAMBRENSIS

VERSUS.

EPISTOLA DEDICATOEIA.

AUGUSTISSIMO CLEMENTISSIMOQUE PRINCIPI

CAROLO

II.

DEI GRATIA MAGNJE BRITANNIA FRANCIS ET HIBERNI^ REGI.

[i-]

PATRICE studium (serenissime Rex) adeo alte pectori meo semper insedit, ut, licet ab ejus aspectu meos oculos vis hostilis avulserit, in condi-

tamen ejus contemplanda cogitationes meas assidue defixerim; quas ad gentis meaa famam invidorum dentibus misere discerptam, demississime Majestatem integritati pristine vendicandam transtuli
tione
:

tuam implorans, ut eorum nomen hoc opere pro meis viribus propugnatum patrocinio tuearis, quorum vitse, libertatis, et fortunarum te Deus vindicem, assertorem, et Dominum instituit. Ut autem non magis me
civem Patriae studiosum, quam subditumMajestati vestra? obsequiosum
praestarem ; quam potui orationis operam ad supr'emam Hibernian potestatem tibi firmandam contuli . Pro qua tibi conservanda, mei cives
1

nuper armis dimicantes maximam vim

83ris

et

sanguinis profuderunt.

non dubitarunt, apud quorum 2 majores alieni reges perfugium nacti sunt Quorumcumque autem damnorum memoria non tanto illorum pectora masrore pcrfodit,
Quippe
prrosidii

opem suo Eegi

ferre

quanta voluptate vester ad pristine dignitatis fastigium regressus per" Secundum multitudinem dolorum fudit. Ita ut Psalmista) accinant
:

Infra,

c.

27.

Infra, p.

128

Malmsbur. de Gest. Pont.

1.

3, p.

262. [See Hoveden.]

In patria scriptis

mea

tota industria

Fors optanda Deus nobis hfec otia

fecit,

udat
Ornanda, hie meusest noctedieque labor.

Quae non sunt opera prsetereunda levi

Verum

pro patria sunt impendent! a labori

TO HIS MOST AUGUST AND GRACIOUS MAJESTY

CHARLES

II.

BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, AND IRELAND.

MOST

gracious Sovereign, the love of my country has been always implanted so deeply in my breast, that, though hostile violence had torn me from her sight, my thoughts were ever absorbed in contemplating

her condition.

have

now devoted myself

to vindicate

and restore

to its ancient splendour the character of

my

nation
;

by the fangs of the envious implore your Majesty to protect by your patronage, this, the best defence that I can offer, of the character of those, of whose lives, liberlacerated so miserably
ties,

which has been and I most humbly

,

and the

and fortunes God has appointed you the protector, the defender, A most loyal subject of your Majesty, as well as an lord. ardent lover of my country, I have exerted to the utmost my powers
of language, to confirm your title to the kingdom of Ireland, in defence of which my countrymen lately rose in arms for you, and lavishly sacrificed their treasures

defence of their fly to the

an asylum to
ties,

For how could they hesitate to own Sovereign, when their ancestors gave foreign kings ? But the remembrance of all their calamiand their blood.

as their delight

however poignantly it pierced their hearts, has not been so vivid on the restoration of your Majesty to your hereditary

dignity.

They may exclaim with the Psalmist: "According

semper amata mihi
est

to the

Quse

licet absenti

question,

"Cur
vol.
i.

in patriam non redis ?"

pp. 92, 93.

published by Hardiman

Miscellany, Irish

Poem by

the author in answer to the

Arch. Soc.

p.

92.

B 2

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.
:

meorum in corde meo

Aspiciunt
enira,
"

consolationes tuae ke tinea verunt

animam

meamV

im6 suspiciunt quod

Non armatum agmen
pro te sed militct aether."

Et succlamant O! vera "mutatio dexterae excels!" mehercle " digitus Dei est hie4 ." " Exhonoravit Dominus conventus malorum et destruxit
eos

usque

in finem

sedes

ducum superborum

destruit Deus, et sedcre

|

[ii.]

mites pro eis 5 ." Utpote ultor exurgens Deus, in virga ferrea tanquam vas figuli confregit eos, qui adstiterunt adversus Dominum, et ad versus Christum ejus, cupientes projicere a se jugum ipsius6 Deus
facit
.

enim manibus hostium, arma,

ut, cui

et cordibus ferociam excussit, ac perfecit

vitam et imperium eripere totis viribus paulo ante contenderunt, eidem vitae necisque suae potestatem contulerint et quern dudum pro diro hoste habuerunt, in Regem sibi postliminio adsciverint, "ut,
;

non

inaniter,

quispiam praesagire potuerit quod

"

Via prima

salutis,

Quod mijiime

reris,

vestro pandetur ab hoste :"

Ac
de

cum Zacharia dicere valeas manu omnium qui oderunt nos ."
ipse
7

" Salutem ex inimicis nostris, et

non

Quare jam asserimus quod "redeant Saturnia regna :" quia hostes ita pridem infestissimi, subditi et rebelles, prioribus dissidiis positis, societateque jam inita, in mutuos amplexus ruunt: non secus ac "pardus et hsedus requiescunt simul, et bos et leo'comedunt paleasV " Nequa9 quam ut bos discat feritatem, sed leo doceatur mansuetudinem ." Qui
10 " sugere mel de petra, et oleum de saxo durissimo ," ac potest de lapidibus suscitare filios Abrahae 11 ," belluinas hostium mentes cicuravit, et ferrea corda emollivit nimirum ut gloriosior ad te de servatis

facit

*'

civibus,

quam

de

cassis

hostibus victoria perveniret, et cumulatior esset

de pace laetitia, quam editae hominum strages non funestarunt, sed Concordes animi, et ad obsequium tibi sine bello victoriam et sine caede triumphum consecuto deferendum anhelantes conciliarunt. Leetitia

omnium

exiluimus quod, in scelerum condonatione,

fueris 12 , qui filium

gem

filii prodigi patrem imitatus gravissime delinquentem, sed ad bonam fruse postea recipientem, non solum venia prosecutus est, sed summo

suum

3 Ps. xciii. 19. 4 Exod. viii. 19. 5 Ecclesias. x. 17. 6 Ps. ii. S Hieron. ad Eustoc. 10 Deut. xxxii. 13. n Luc. iii. 8.

Cant. Zac. Luc. xv.

Isaiah, xi. 6.

DEDICATION.
multitude of

O
comforts have given joy to

my

sorrows in
see,

my

heart,

Thy

my

soul.'"

For they

nay, they behold with awe,

" Not armed hosts, but

God defending

thee."

They Most High," certainly "

exclaim, O! truly, "this

this is

is

the change of the right hand of the " The Lord hath the finger of God."

disgraced the assemblies of the 'wicked, and hath utterly destroyed them. God hath overturned the thrones of proud princes, and hath set

up the meek

in their stead."

He

has arisen as an avenger, and with a

rod of iron broken in pieces, as a potter's vessel, those who stood up against the Lord and his anointed, and desired to cast away their yoke. He has struck the arms from the hands and fury from the hearts of the
enemies, and

made them surrender

themselves into the hands of him,

strained

whom, but a

the power of life and death over short time before, they

all their power to deprive of his crown and his life; him whom they regarded as their most deadly enemy, they afterwards selected as their King, thus realizing in a manner the prediction, "

The dawnings

of thy safety shall be

shewn
Grecian town 6,"

From whence thou

least shalt hope, a

and enabling you to exclaim, with Zachary, " Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us."

Well may we say

rebels,
tility,

who

''the reign of Saturn is restored," since subjects and had. lately been most inveterate enemies, renounce their hos-

and embrace each other in the bonds of amity; like " the leopard and the kid, they lie down together, and the lion eats straw like the ox;" not that the ox should learn fierceness, but that the lion may be taught
"
gentleness.

He who maketh honey

to be sucked out of the rock,

and

out of the hardest stone," and can raise up from stones children to Abraham, hath tamed the ferocious tempers of the enemy, and sofoil

tened their iron hearts ; thereby granting to you, in the preservation of your subjects, a more glorious victory than in the slaughter of your
enemies, and increasing, to the highest degree, the universal joy for this peace, which has been established, not by the dismal ha^pc of the
battle field,

but by the unanimous and cordial assent of your subjects,

casting themselves before your throne, and giving you a victory withhave most heartily out a battle, and a triumph without blood.

We

"

Gra'ia pandctur

ab urbc."

JEndd.

vi.

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.

etiam gaudio excepit ; et quod, ob contuinacmm poenitentiam exul" tando, angelos gemulatus fueris apud quos gaudium magnum erit in

super uno peccatore poenitentiam agente, quam super nonaginta novem justos 13 ." Et ipsis quidem Poetis authoribus " danda est venia Imo lapsis."
coelo
"
Regia, crede mihi, res est succurrere lapsis."

Itaque
citra

felicitati tuaa

acceptum referimus, quod bellorum tempestates

sedatse sint
;

pulverem

et

sanguinem

dementias,

quod

pacis mala-

Regni tui gubernacula moderante, " mansueti liaereditabunt terram et delectabantur in " miscentur tristia multitudine pacis 14 ." Sed poeta non poStice dixit;
cia subditi afflentur

diuque afflabuntur.

Etenim

te

Isetis."

Cseteris

enim

et moerore versatur,

tuis regnis gaudio elatis, sola Hibernia in luctu " in crebro ingemens et ingeminans pace
:

Me

[iii.]

amaritudo amarissima 15 ," reliquis enim sospitatem nactis, malorum cumulis ab ilia pace immissis adhuc opprimor. Et sicut Penelope, ducibus Gra3cis post eversam Trojam incolumibus, unum Ulissem
|

virum suum desiderans conquesta

" Diruta sunt
aliis,

cecinit:

uni mihi
fl

Pergama
:

restant

:'*

Sic

ilia

similem a3rumnam passa

" Mortuus est
aliis

ens ait

Cromwellus, sed mihi vivit."

" Hiberni quoque patrias adgementes dicunt: expectavimus pacem, et

non

est

bonum, tempus

16 curationis, et ecce turbatio ."

" Sa3viora" enim

" armis 17 jura, togataque pnelia ," nos prosternuiit, et qui regre hos-

tium

telis erepti

tate vera cives eos

sumus, eorundem sententiis nunc perdimur. Libertantum frui Aristoteles testatur 18 quibus ad magis,

tratum in sua
instruct! sint.

civitate aditus patet, si dotibus administrationi idoneis

Ejusmodi tamen

libertatis

rimiir :

Non

lugemus, ut Varus

Siria? Prasses Siriam,

jacturam nos modo non quesic plures Hi-

13

c. xii.

Luc. xv. 10. H Ps. xxxvi. 11. u Isaiah, xxxviii. 1(5 Jerem. xiv. 19. 32 ; Val. ]\Iax. lib. iv. c. i. 12 ; lib. vii. c. 7. 18 Polit,

'

Flor. lib. iv.

The

Bill of Indemnity,
all injuries

few exceptions,

by which, with and offences in

individuals,

Lingard, Charles II. framed as to exclude

c.

4.

It

was

so

all

Irish Catholics

England against the Crown or

of June, 1G37,

who

plotted or aided

what was

called the

arising from political quarrelsj since the 1st

Irish rebellion,

and had nearly excluded

Carte, p. 205.

were forgiven, A. D. 1660.

the Royalist Protestants.

DEDICATION.
sjoiced that in

your indulgence toAvards

tlie

guilty

you have imitated

the father of the prodigal son,

who

not only pardoned his once aban-

doned, but now penitent child, but received him with transports of joy; and that, in your exultation for the repentance of the rebels , you have imitated the angels, "with whom there is joy in heaven for one
poets themselves

sinner that doth penance, more than upon ninety-nine just." " claim pardon for the erring." Nay,
"

The

To help

the fallen well becomes a King."

good, fortune we owe the suppression of the tempests of war, without campaigns or battle-fields ; and your clemency has secured for

To your

your subjects the enjoyment and lasting possession of the gentle zephyrs of peace. For while the helm of state is in your hand, " the meek
shall inherit the land,
alas! the

and
poet,

shall delight in

abundance of peace."

But,

mingled with joy," are not mere poetry; for while your other kingdoms are delirious with joy, Ireland alone grieves and mourns, groaning deeply, and ever reiterating her
is

words of the

" sorrow

plaint,

"Lo,' in this peace is

my

bitterness

most bitter;" others enjoy

am still oppressed with a load of calamities, brought on by that peace. As Penelope, when she missed her husband, Ulysses, alone, among the Grecian leaders who had returned safe from Troy,
security,

but

poured forth her grief:

"

Troy, o'erthrown for

all,

save

me

alone."
:

So, in a similar calamity, Ireland

"

may

say,

with tears

Cromwell, though dead for others, survives for me."

children also join in the mournful cry of their country, " have looked for peace, and there is no good ; and for the time of heal-

Her

We

ing, and behold trouble." For laws and civil contentions, more savage than the sword, grind us to the dust ; and, after narrowly escaping the steel of our enemies, we are now the victims of their enactments'1 . No
citizen,

to civil

power in

according to Aristotle, enjoys true liberty who is not eligible his native land, if he be qualified for office. The loss
is not, however, now our do not comcomplaint. Varus, President of Syria, entered Syria, so many pau-

of that liberty
plain, that as

We

" The Catholics of Ireland arc excluded

all

do grant to their Christians."

Desertfr, c. 18, p. 186.

Unkind

from

commerce, which the very Turks

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.
Hiberniam pauperes
ingrcssos,

berniae Praefectos divitem

eandem egre-

dientes

pauperem

reliquisse ; aut instar lienis,

quo

crescente, reliqui

artus contabescunt, nostratium fortunas sic exhausisse, ut

opum apud

eos fontes exaruerint, contra Bionis consilium monentis oportere bonum

virum a magistratu discedentem non ditiorem sed clariorem evasisse. Omittimus in " Plantatione" inimicos Antiochum egisse, ac earn nobis
19 perniciem struxisse quam ille Judasis molitus est, copiarum suarum duci praecipiens, " ut constitueret habitatores filios alienigenas in om-

terram eorum 20 ." Non " traditi sumus in expostulamus cum Tobia quod direptionem et captivitatem et in mortem et in fabulam et in improperium omnibus
nibus finibus eorum,
et sorte distribueret

nationibus21 ."

Veterem

S.

Hieronymi querimoniam silemus, quod

ecclesise,

"capti fuerint Episcopi, interfecti sacerdotes, subversae

taria Christi stabulati equi,
94 plurima mortis imago ."

ad

al-

ubique fuerit luctus, ubique geniitus, et

Ad ista dudum
tia

occalluimus, et sicut clavus clavum trudit, sic recen

vulnera acceptarum antea cicatricurn memoriam abigunt. Certe, ut vulgo dicitur, " quod praeteriit levins est," et transact83 miseries

minus animum

et oculos

quam

prsesentes feriunt, quaa gravius

multo
de his

quam

prseteritse sentiuntur, et segrius feruntur.

Illarum delinatione
:

quadam

rudiori ac levius adumbrata liber iste temperatur"

questus vestra? Majestatis auribus in prassentia efFundimus. Sentiendi enim facultas in nobis adeo sopita non est, ut aerumnis ob oculos positis

non tangamur, qui jam

elapsis

commoti fuimus.

Hac autem audenuna

Phil-

tia in

spem

erigimur, fore ut earn audientiam et miserationem a te

Natio
95

tibi volens libensque subjecta impetret,

quam mulierculis

ippus Macedonia3

Rex24

et

janus

praestitisse

dicuntur.

Romanus Imperator Adrianus, vidua? TraNeque enim. humanitate Imperatori

Kodulpho
[iv.]
|

cedis, a

cujus accessu
ait,

cum

aulici tenuiores

homines arcerent,

eos increpans, sinite,

homines ad

me

venire neque ideo Imperator

sum ut
19

arcula includar.

Eorum
20 I.

autem, qua? indignius ferimus, caput

Machab.
24
21 Hi. 36. Tob. iii. 4. 22 Ad Heliod. 25 Plut. in Apophth. Dion, in Adrian.

Stob. Serm. 43

23

Infra, pp.

256

; infra, p. 252. et seq., 277 et seq.,

282.

An

allusion to the distribution of the

ceived ten, the latter twelve Irish counties,

confiscated lands

among
soldiers.

the

adventurers
re-

The Royalist Protestant

ties

officers four

coun-

and Cromwellian

The former

Sale

and

Selt., &c., pp. 83,

100.

DEDICATION.

\)

rich on their arrival, and left her poor at per governors found Ireland their departure or that, like the spleen, which swells by the emaciation
;

of the other parts of the frame, they have so exhausted the resources of my countrymen as to dry up all the springs of wealth; in contempt of the wise counsel of Bion, that a good man retiring from office ought not to have become more wealthy, but more illustrious. Neither do we complain that in the " Plantation" our enemies have acted the part of

Antiochus, and have worked against us that destruction which he planned against the Jews, when he gave orders to the commander of his

army to 6 by lot
.

settle strangers in all their coasts,

and

to divide their lands

We do

not complain, with Tobias, " that

we

are delivered to

spoil,

to all
*'

and to captivity and death, and are made a fable and a reproach nations ; nor do we take up the lamentation of St. Jerome of old,
the churches
grief,

the Bishops were taken prisoners, the priests slain,

;

thrown down, horses stabled at the altar of Christ everywhere everywhere lamentation, and death in a thousand shapes."

nail,

long been familiar with such scenes, and, as nail drives efface the remembrance of our former scars." There is truth in the common saying, that " what's past is light." Past miseries strike our hearts and senses less forcibly than the present,

We have

our fresh wounds

borne.

which make a more grievous impression, and are more difficult to be It is on our present woes that I now pour our complaint into
your Majesty's ear, the monotony of my subject being only occasionally broken by a rough and imperfect sketch of our former calamities for
;

how

could the sense of feeling be so dulled in us, that, while we hang with emotion over our past sorrows, we should be insensible to those

which are

We confidently trust that, when you still before our eyes? have heard us, you will grant to a devoted and loyal nation that attention and redress which Philip, King of Macedon, and Adrian, Emperor of
Rome, are
widow.
Rodolph,
access to
"

said to

have granted to humble women, and Trajan to a

the

You will not be outdone in humanity by who rebuked his courtiers when they jfrevented
"

Emperor

having access to him.

Why,"

the poor from said he, " should not the men have

me? am

I,

an Emperor, to be shut up in a box?"

and ought

Our f
your

By

nations,

the laws of God, of nature, of and of your country, you are

to be as free a people as

brethren in England.''

Drafter's Letters.

10
est,

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA*

quod ad Anglise Comitia

vel absolvendi vel

damnandi

sistimur.
ipsi ejus-

Quorum Senatores in nos judicia dem fastigii ac nos subditi sint.

6

exercere non debent,

cum

Jura enim statuerunt ut "par in

parem non habeat imperium* ." Leges antehac ab Anglise Comitiis 7 latas'* nullum in Hibernia pondus ante nactse sunt, quam eas Hibernia? comitia comprobarunt. Nunquam enim post homines natos, qui sunt
in Reipub. hospites et peregrini de rebus ejus in consilium adhibiti

Eatio semper suasit, omnium gentium et omnis praeteriti temconsuetudo tulit, ut cives intra Reipub. fines constituti, non poris alienigense, quos oceanus ab ejus limitibus disjunxit, in negotiorum
sunt.

ejus deliberationem venirent.

Veteri juris effato

monemur "quod

omnes tangit ab omnibus approbari debere ;" ab omnibus scilicet et ejusdem non alienae Reipub. Civitatum, quarum res agebantur, in-

non alienigenas Corinthum Philippus Macedo, et Alexander Avertat autem Deus ut quod adeo a ratione, gentium usu, Principum consuetudine, majorumque tuorum authoridigenas,
28 Magnus evocarunt
.

tate alienum est, id hostes in capita forfcunasque nostras moliri patiaris

;

nostris ferunt, tot nos tuos

aut quot Senatores in Anglia sententiam de capitibus fortunisque tantum et non subditorum subditos quasi
esse vetant29

Regibus obnoxios esse permittas.

Repub. Reges

non secus ac
"

Plato enim et Aristoteles plures in si cum Homero dicerent

:

Rex

unicus esto."

Inferioris aula3 in Anglia Senatores, genio populi cujus personam gerebant imbuti, gravissimorum delictorum gratiam a te consecuti, nos similium criminum, (ut ipsi asserunt), affines simili condonatione affici-

endos esse obnixissime negabant; servi nimirum ejus vestigiis insisqui omni sere alieno heri liberalitate solutus, in socii sui collum involans, nomina per vim, cruciatus, et carceres, illi extorquere
tentes
,

30

26

L.

ille

a quo

tempestivura

fF.

ad Senat. Consul. Trebell.

iii.

2?

Stat. Hib. p.
xviii.

67.

28 Justin, lib. ix. c. 5.

29 Plat, in Polit. Arist. lib.

pol. c. 15.

30

Mat.

The King's

pi'oclamation against the

articles liberty to reside in

these our do-

rebels in Ireland,

June

1,

1660, grounded

minions, be proceeded against as rebels and

traitors according to law.

on the information of the Lords and Com" that all mons assembled in Parliament,
Irish rebels, others than such as

And

that the

adventurers and soldiers, and other subjects in Ireland,

have by

who, on the

first

day of

DEDICATION.

11

most crying, most intolerable grievance, is, that we are brought before the bar of the English Parliament for condemnation or acquittal 8 ; its senators cannot sit in judgment on us, as we are both subjects of the

same supreme authority.

jurisdiction over peer."

an axiom of law " that peer has no The laws enacted by the Parliament of EngIt is

land were never binding in Ireland before they were ratified by the Parliament of Ireland. Strangers and foreigners were never, within the

memory of man, commissioned

custom of
all

to decide

on national

affairs.

The

ages and nations, have delegated the adjudication of national affairs to citizens residing in that nation, to the exclusion of foreigners from beyond the seas. It is a maxim of ancient " what concerns all should be law, approved by all," that is, by citidictate of reason, the
zens, not

by

foreigners.

Philip of Macedon and Alexander the Great

did not

summon
interests

foreigners to Corinth,

but the

citizens of that State,

and may God forbid that by a procedure opposed to reason, to the law of nations, the custom of Princes, arid the authority of your own ancestors, you should aid the machinations of our enemies against our fortunes and lives, and subject us,
;

whose

were concerned

your loyal subjects, not the slaves of our fellow- subjects, to as many kings as there are English law-makers sitting on our fortunes and Plato and Aristotle will not allow more lives. Kings than one in the same
State,

and Homer

is

of the same opinion:

"

No

colleague for a King."

The members
for their

of the English

feelings of their constituents, after

House of Commons, representing the having obtained pardon from you

pardon
of
all

shall not

most heinous crimes, most strenuously insist that the same be extended to us, for what they call our similar

offences; like the servant in the Gospel,

who

obtained the forgiveness

his debts

from his kind master, and then seized his fellow-servant

having resolved to extort
all his

by the
January
manors,

throat,

own

claims

by
;

vio-

last,

were in possession of the

ther order,"

&c

Borlase, p. 379

French,
p.

castles, &c., &c., of the said Irish

Sale

and

Settlement

of Ireland,

80

rebels, shall

not be disturbed, until we, by

Carte, p. 206.
Irish

Some

of the transplanted

the advice

of the Lords and Commons now

returned to their properties imme-

assembled, or such Parliament as

call in

we

shall

diately after the Restoration,

and were

re-

England

or Ireland, shall take fur-

presented to the

King

as rebels.

12
constituit.

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.

Cujus poenam imitatores ejus promeriti tua miserationc impunitatem adept! sunt. Ipsi tamen omnes nervos intendunt, ut e perduellionis luto nos. non emergamug, desiderio nimirum asstuantes, ut nos patria, fortunis, et vita excidamus, similitudinem in hoc Judasorum referentes importunis clamoribus exitium salvatori nostro efflagi" tantium, et execrandum istud crucifige, crucifige" 'assidue ingerni-

nantium31 Nonne Pilatum aget qui adjudicabit fieri petitionem eorum? Aut sicut illi Jesum Judaeorum, sic nos hostium voluntati tradet? " videns Herodi ut
.

quia placeret Judaais, apposuit probro cessit, quod 12 apprehenderet et Petrum ." Acclamationes populi petentis necem ali33 Vocibus enim eorum credi non cujus audiendas esse, leges vetant
.

oportet,
[v.]

quando aut noxium crimine

In
|

absolvi, aut

innocentem condem-

nari expetunt.

legem impingentes Maximiaui Herculii, crudelitatem imbibisse dicendi sunt; qui, quod in Ludis Circensibus

quam

illi

duodecies acclamatum esset a populo ut Christian! tollerentur, et decies ut Christian! non sint, post Senatiis-consultum ad Christianos perdendos

impetratum, decreto edixit, ut Christian! vel

poenis

diis litare cogerentur, vel

.

subjicerentur, et

eorum

facultates fisco vindicarentur34

Sicut

Scribae et Pharisee! violatas traditiones Apostolis exprobarunt, nostras salutis assertor non ad purgandos Apostolos, sed ad idem scelus

cum

in criminatores

lionis flagitio a nostris

5 sic ego, rebelretorquendum orationem convertif ante remoto36 Comitiales percontor, cur in jam
;

perduellionis stigmate nostro nomini tarn alte imprimendo tantopere desudent, ut illud nulla spongia deleri, nullis poenis expiari posse acriter expetant, cum longe truculeutioris rebellionis infamia ipsis inhaereat? Sane Clodius accusat rncechos, Catalina Cethegum.

Nam

apud nos qugedam tantum

colluvies et sentina

hominum,

vel

fortuna miserorum vel voluntate perditorum, brevem insanivit insaniam. Sed ad sanitatem vel attracta suasionibus, vel suppliciorum

metu perterrita mox

31

rediit,

tumultu intra
decurionum
c.

seditionis conditionem

adhuc

Luc. xxiii.
3G

34

Act.

xii.

33 1.

do poenis.

34

35

Epit. Baron, an. 301, n. S.

Mat. xv.
h

Infra, p. 260.

The proclamation

of June

1,

1660,

English Protestant subjects formerly slain

rebels. Agents were employed by the new proprietors in Irc-

mentions the vast expense

for the suppres-

by those barbarous

sion of the horrid rebellion of 1641,

and

the innocent blood of so

many thousand

land, to influence the English Parliament

DEDICATION.
lence and torture

13

and imprisonment. The men who have imitated the example, and ought to have shared the punishment of that cruel serAll their might is exerted to vant, have been fully pardoned by you. h fix for ever the brand of treason on us , that they may glut their criminal
designs against our country, our fortunes, and our lives, and thus rival the Jews themselves, who clamoured loudly and obstinately for the death of our Redeemer, with that execrable and reiterated yell, " crucify

shall

him, crucify him." Is not he a Pilate who gives sentence that it be as they required, and who delivers us to our enemies, as he
it

delivered Jesus to the

ing that

Jews? It was disgraceful to Herod, "that, seethe Jews, he proceeded to take up Peter also." pleased The laws enact that the clamours of the people must not bring any man
Their opinions must be disregarded when they demand the

to death.

liberation of a criminal or the condemnation of the innocent.

Whoever

contravenes this principle adopts, in

mianus Herculius, who, when

my opinion, the cruelty of Maxihe heard in the Circensian Games the

people cry out twelve times for the death of the Christians, and ten times that they should cease to be Christians, obtained a decree of the Senate for the ruin of the victims, and issued a proclamation, that they

and the confiscation of

should either sacrifice to the gods, or suffer the penalties of the law, all their property. Thus as our Redeemer did

not exculpate his Apostles when they were charged by the Scribes and Pharisees with violating the tradition, but retorted the same charge
against the accusers; in the same way, after having vindicated my countrymen from the charge of rebellion, I ask those Senators, why do they labour thus strenuously to brand us so indelibly with that foul

stigma of treason, that no expurgation shall obliterate, nor penalties If the infamy of a far more ferocious rebellion cleaves to expiate it?
their

own
?

character, shall Clodius accuse adulterers, or Cataline Ce-

thegus

Among us, it was only the dregs of the people, a rabble of men of ruined fortunes or profligate character, that were hurried on for a moment by the delirious madness. But even before the commotions had
assumed the imposing aspect of a regular war, and were
tire

as yet

but a

against

Irish Catholics,

who were

thus

adventurers held their estates by an Act

of the English Parliament,
1

excluded from the Act of Indemnity.

The

641.

Carte,

14
subsistente,

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.

necdum ad

belli

magnitudinem erumpente.

Ubi enim

Comitialibus nefarium bellum in

jam plane perspexerunt,

illis

Regem et patriam adornari nostrates tumultuum facibus, quas paulo ante in

patria nostra furiosus aliquot seditiosofum ardor accendit, non magis feliciter quam prudenter extinctis, Regis et soli natalis tuendi studio

inflammati, ad hostis ferociam armis coercendam, Regni summatibus in coetum coeuntibus, communi se consilio non tumultuarie accinxerunt.

Et quoniam assiduis potentissimi hostis insultibus, decennali bello per eventus varies et ancipites tracto, vinci non potuerunt, vicisse visi sunt, non tarn hostium armis quam intestinis dissidiis fracti.
In Anglia vero non pauci privatorum

hominum

globi,

remotos

ali-

quot recessus, exiguo temporis curriculo, tumultibus infestabant ; sed publica Comitia gentis universa3 personam induta, per totam Angliam

omni direptionum, incendiorum et caedium genere grassata et debachata sunt. Nee ut pauciores in Hibernia seditiosi sine nomine vulgus aggressi mactarunt; sed ipsi Regi signa nefaria propudiosissime inferentes
:

ac ad vifcam dignitatemque

illi

eripiendam quotidie anhelantes,

ipsum pro tribunali damnatum, execrandissimo post homines natos 37 flagitio justitise velum obtendentes (horresco referens) obtruncarunt
,

"
ignari

turpiora esse vitia

cum virtutum
"

38 specie velantur ."

Jose-

pho discere potuerunt quod malus 39 ."

Regem

occidere iniquum est licet

ille sit

37

Infra, p. 265.

39

S. Hieron.

Ep. ad Cfelium.

Antiq. Jud.

lib. vi. c.

13.

p.

205
'

Sale

and

Settlement, p. 94.

be excommunicated."
in

Articles ordained

"

We

declare the war, openly Catholic,

the

General Congregation, Kilkenny,

p.

to be lawful

and just;

in

which war,

if

some of the Catholics be found

to proceed
title,

May, 1642; Rushworth, The number of landed

holders before the wars

519.

Papists or free-

out of some particular and unjust

was about 3000,

covetousness, cruelty, revenge, or hatred,

whereof, as appears
the

we

declare

them

therein grievously to sin,

ecclesias-

by 800 judgments of Court of Claims, which sat anno 1663,

and worthy to be punished with

tical censures.

there were not above one-seventh part, or

"We

will

and declare

all

those that
strike,

400, guilty of the rebellion Petty, p. 23. k " I swear in the presence of God, and
of his angels and saints, to defend the
li-

murder, dismember, or grievously

all thieves,

robbers, &c.,

and

all

who

fa-

berty of the
lical

Roman

Catholic and Apostoheirs,

vour, receive, or

any ways

assist

them, to

Church, the person,

and rights

DEDICATION.
seditious tumult, these

15

either
'

by

when my

men were instantly checked in their course, the force of persuasion or the terror of punishment'. For countrymen discovered that the Parliamentarians were in

open and infamous war against the King and the country, the flames of sedition, which had burst forth in Ireland with such tumultuous and
devouring fury, were happily and prudently extinguished, and the great orders of the kingdom, assembling in regular and peaceful council, resolved to manifest their ardent love of their King and country by

an armed resistance to the ferocity of their enemies k Through ten of chequered and eventful war they triumphed over all the long years
.

most powerful enemy, and had the victory within their less by the arms of the enemy, than their own intestine divisions that they were ultimately crushed.
assaults of a
it

grasp ; for

was
1
,

England it was not in a few clubs of private individuals, nor in some obscure corner of the land, nor for a brief space of time, that sedition was fermenting the Parliament itself, the representatives
in
;

But

of

whole nation, converted the whole kingdom into one universal scene of indiscriminate and frenzied plunder, conflagration, and masTheir victims were not like those who fell in Ireland by the sacre.
the.

hands of a few bandits

men

of no name: against the

King himself

they shamelessly raised their infernal banners, devoting him to deposition and death ; and at last, dragging him before their bar, they condemn him, and under the sacred name of justice (horrible to tell) he

was brought to the block, by the most execrable crime ever com" mitted since the creation of man. Crime," they should have known, " is never more hideous than when committed under the guise of virtue."

Josephus could minal King."

King

tell

them "that

it is

a crime to slay even a cri-

of his Majesty

Charles, and the free-

fascination

is

to

me unknown."

Unkind

demand privileges of this kingdom,

all usurpers,

against
life
i.

Deserter, p. 23.

After the Eestoration,

and at the peril of

my
c.

and

when
less,

fortune."

Vindic. Cath, Hib.

p. 6,

Oath of the Confederate

1

Catholics.
to

the clergy were comparatively power" whether this may Orrery asks him, not be a fit occasion to make that schism

Ormonde's aim was

work a

division

you are sowing amongst the Popish clergy

publicly to

among

the Catholic clergy.

"Never did
more than
by what

break out, so that

we may

any magician charm with

spells

Ormonde did that harmless

people,

reap some practical advantage thereby;" Dec. 14, 1666.

16

EPISTOLA DEDICATOEIA.

[vi.]

Quis autem Angliam crederet tortorem edidisse non solum domestico qui ad justitiae publics machgeram sanguine cruentandam adduci non potuit sed etiam Cimbrico illo manciRegio
|

carnifice immaniorern,

pio truculentiorem, qui ad C. Marium confodiendum percussor immissus tanta viri majestatem veneratione prosecutus est, ut illi manus inferre

Comitiorum vero illi magnates, quibus volupe nullo pacto voluerit 40 fuit tristissimum Regis suppliciuni siccis oculis haurire, crudelitate
.

Neronem, qui
magis
facto

" scelera 41 jussit non spectavit"

noxii,

longe superarunt, vix

sicut

quam exemplo

quod a majoribus non haustum ad

posteritatem primi transmiserunt.

Ac

proinde

prsestantium

non solum patrati sceleris sed excogitati maximam ignominiam retulerunt. Vulgo dimagnam, cimus quod exemplo fit, id jure fit, injuriosissimi sunt igitur illi (ut nihil gravius dicam) quorum flagitio nullum pra3teriti temporis exemsic illi

rerum inventores multam laudem,

plum
tis

posterum prodiderunt.

praivit et qui sceleratissimam imitation em exempli reliquis in Eorum enim facinus omnis anteactse atrocitavicit.

comparationem

Nisi velint imitatores haberi Pausania3 et

sciscitanti,

Hermoclea3,

quorum

hie

illi

qua potissimum ratione nominis

.

apud posteros compararet, respondit, si alicui clarissimo necem attulisset, ipsum voti compotem futurum42 Mox ille Philippo Macedonum Regi vitam eripuit. Inferioris aula3 consessus Hermocleae, Regis mactator, Pausaniae similitudinem refert. Illi enim consilio, hie flagitio maluerunt crudelissimi mortalium a posteris audire,

sibi celebritatem

quam

sileri.

Nisi malint, quia pro senatoribus haberi volunt, Senatus

Romani vestigiis insistere, qui parricidium, quo Nero Agrippinam matrem occidi jussit, approbavit. Omnes omnino strages a tumultuantium in Hibernia gregibus, csedis
Regise gravitatem longo intervallo sequuntur. atrociores clades hostem Hibernis intulisse43

ut aiunt, posthac nonnullas paucis insinuabo. unus instar omnium est. Ciceroni " unus Cato pro centum millibus

Quarum

Ut taceam quam ab iis Rex enim,

plures et
retulisse.

40 Val. Max. Joan. Saris, lib.

lib.

ii.

viii. p.

41 c. 106. Tacit, in Vita Agricolse, sub finem. 43 44 Ad 465. Attic, lib. Infra, p. 255 et seq.

42
ii.

Policraticus ;

c. 6.

Bruodin (p. 667) speaks of an interview between Bradshaw and the executioner, in

which the
king, flung

latter

refused to

behead the

down

the axe, and retired.

DEDICATION.

17

Could any one believe that England would produce an assassin more savage than even the. common executioner, who could not bring himself to pollute the sword of public justice with the blood of his
king;
to assassinate Caius Marius,

more savage than even that Cimbrian slave, who, when ordered was struck with such awe at the majesty

errand?

of the man, that he could not be prevailed on to execute his sanguinary But the great men of that Parliament, who beheld without a

tear, and even with delight, that most shocking murder of the King, bear away the palm of cruelty even from Nero himself, who ordered, but did not assist at executions. The precedent which they established

for posterity,

rible than the

without any warrant from their ancestors, was more terdeed itself and if the authors of valuable discoveries
;

deserve immortal gratitude, shall not these reap everlasting infamy, not so much for the perpetration, as for the original conception of this execrable crime?

The proverb

says,

"precedent

is

law;"

how

then can

we
is

designate the injustice '(to use the mildest phrase) of a crime which without precedent in all antiquity, and which has bequeathed to

posterity a most accursed model for imitation. of crime equals their guilt, unless we compare

Nothing in the annals them to Pausanias and

Hermocrates. How," asked Pausanias, can I best secure an immortal name with posterity?" " Your wish is granted," answered Hermocrates, " if you murder some illustrious man ;" a suggestion which was instantly
don.

"

*'

by Pausanias, in the assassination of Philip of MaceThe members of the House of Commons acted the part of Hermocrates the king's executioner was another Pausanias. The former by
carried into effect
;

by deed, preferred the everlasting stigma of most savage cruelty to the silence of oblivion. Perhaps, as they were senators, they had before their eyes the example of the Roman Senate,
which approved the parricidal act by which Nero doomed
Agrippina
to death.
all

counsel, and the latter

his

mother

All the murders committed in Ireland, by

the seditious bands,

do not approximate even remotely in guilt to the murder of the King, not taking into account even the provocation the Irish received and
11

that their

own

defeats were
;

more numerous and more

for " the

fatal

than what

they inflicted on the enemy

11

King

alone, as they say, is all."

The English Parliamentarians,

all

Oct. 24,

Council, Feb. 23, 1641-2, ordered the massaere of all inhabiting the confederate quarters,
if

1644, excluded from quarter

Irishmen
Irish Pr.

taken in arms against them.

The

able to bear arms.

Carey's Vin., p. 878.

18
iuit44 ."
Israel itae
15

EPISTOLA DKD1CATORIA.
Davidi dixerunt: "

Tn umis

pro decem millibus

computaris
dasse dictus

," qui, et
est.

ob

unum

Goliath um caasum, decem millia truei-

^Emilius Probus
fuisse scribit.
.

civitatem

Thebanam

unum Epaminondam pluris quam Et Antigonus unum Zenonem pro

centum millibus habuit46

non
essent.

naque jura semper tulerunt ut noxii Keges

Praeterea gentium institute, humana, divihominum judiciis obnoxii

Nempe:
"

Regum47 timendorum
Reges
in ipsos

in proprios grebes,

imperium

est Jovis."

Augustus prhnum, deinde Vespasianus, accepta summi imperil posunt a Senatu soluti et Aristoteles eos esse Reges negat, " Tibi soli qui legibus obstringuntur. David Deum compellans dixit: nimirum "Rex "erat" (verba sunt S. Hieronymi) "et alium peccavi,"
testate. legibus
:

[vii.]

quia utait S. Ambrosius, "liberi sunt Reges a vinculis delictorum, neqtie ullis ad poenam vocantur legibus, tuti imperii potesHomini ergo David 11011 peccavit, cui non tenebatur obnoxius. tate."

non timebat;"

Nee enim Reges (ut

ultro jurarunt, et

Hibernica Comitia,

proverbium) maims sibi ligant. ob oculos positis, in verba sui Regis tui patris non ad eum proculcandum, ut Anglica, sed ad erifert
istis

gendum, arma sumpserunt.

fides poena

Haec tamen importunis efflagitationibus

perfidia praemio, nostra
est) afficiatur, et

majestatem tuam impellere videntur ut sua

(quod inauditum paradoxon

ut tua

" Det veniam corvis, vexet censura columbas."

Nimirum
44

"familiare hominibus est omnia sibi ignoscere, nihil

ii.

aliis

Ad

Attic, lib.

Ep.

6.

45

Reg.

c. xviii.

4f5

Plut.

47

Horat.

lib.

iii.

Od.

i.

This doctrine was not generally adraitted

naria.

Ita

'

Suarez in defensione Fidei

iii.

by the divines of the Catholic Confe-

Catholicae,' lib.

c.

2,

ubi citat jura et

deration.
tio

The work

entitled " Disputa-

doctores quos brevitatis causa omitto."

p. 68.

Apologetica de Jure Regni Hibernia?,"

Again,

p.

71

" Esset enim contra

published 1645, gives a very different opi" do nion Suppono 2 tanquam certum
:

lumen naturale

asserere,

non posse rem-

inter

Doctores

Catholicos,

et

commune

publicam mutare principem quern ad suam conservationem elegit, quando ipse non

theologorum axioma, nullum Regem vel

monarcham habere

vel habuisse immediate

conservatseddestruitipsamRempublicam." Saurez's is 72 " Si

opinion
transcribed, p.
:

a Deo, vel ex divina institutione, politicum

principatum, sed mediante
tate et institutione,

Rex

legitimus tyrannice gubernet et regno

se defenet

humana volun-

nullum aliud subsit medium ad

loquendo de lege ordi-

dendum,

nisi

Regem

expellere

depo-

DEDICATION.
" Cato alone was," to Cicero,
ites cried

19

"as one hundred thousand."

The

Israel-

out to David, " thou alone art accounted for ten thousand;" for after slaying Goliath alone, he Avas said to have slain ten thousand.
JEmilius Probus says, that Epaminondas alone was worth more than the whole city of Thebes. And Antigonus looked upon Zeno as one hun-

Moreover, the laws of nations, the laws of God and have ever enacted, that guilty Kings shall not be subject to the man, tribunals of other men
dred thousand.
.

" Dread Kings of right their subjects must obey,

O'er Kings themselves Jove only holds the sway."

Augustus, and afterwards Vespasian, on their accession to the imperial throne, were declared by the Senate superior to the laws; and Aristotle denies that they who are bound by laws are truly Kings. David, " to Thee alone have I sinned;" "for he addressing the Lord, said, was a King," says St. Jerome, "and feared no other man;" or, as St. Ambrose remarks, " Kings are free from the punishment of crimes, nor

can any law subject them to penalties, as they are shielded by their David, therefore, did not sin against man, to whom superior power." he was not subject " for Kings," as the proverb goes, " do not tie up their own hands."
:

The Confederate Irish, in conformity with these principles, sponp taneously professed their sworn allegiance to your father and flew to But arms, not, like the English, to depose, but to support him.
,

now, the intemperate remonstrances of these English would persuade your Majesty to reward their perfidy, and to punish our loyalty: a paradox that was never heard of. They ask you to
" Pardon the ravens, persecute the doves."

But " men are always inclined to pardon everything to themselves, and
nere,

poterit respublica

tota,

publico et

Thomam,
Art. n. in.

secunda,
Dr.

secundae

Qmest. 42,
in another

communi

concilio civitatum et procerum,

Lynch himself,

Regem
quo

deponere,

turn vi juris

naturalis,

place, applies these principles to the revolt

licet

vim

vi repellere,

turn quia sem-

of the Irish against Turgesius.

The " De-

per hie casus, ad propriam Reipublicae con-

claration" (17 Car. II.) abjures all right of taking

P

servationem necessarius, intelligitur exceptus in primo illo

foedere

arms against the King,

the

quo respublica
transtulit."

On

the cessation in Sept. 1643,

potestatem

suam

in

Regem

Hrec Suarez totidem verbif,

et citat ibi S.

Supreme Council voted 15,000 in money, and the value of 15,000 in provisions,

c2

20

EPISTOLA DKDICATORIA.

remittere, et invidiam reruin non ad causam, sed ad volnntatem perso-

nasque dirigere'V

Itaque quot Senatores in

iis

tulerunt, in totidem Sullas migrarunt.

Quia

sicut,

Comitiis suffragia Sulla Dictatore,

nemo aut
for tun is

9 bona, ant patriam, aut vitam tenere pptuif , sic illi ad nos exuendos totis conatibus incubuerunt. Emissariorum, qui

eorum jussu
trae

in

Hiberniam excurrerunt,
:

assidtiis

clamoribus aures nos-

suis nos armis protritos avitis personarunt dicentium sedibus excedere, ac easdem sibi cedere debere. Justi quidem licitique
belli leges ferre

dudum

non

diffiteor

ut fusorum fundus
et cedat in altera jura'50 ."

" Permutet dominos

Sed

illi

jus a?qui belli ad latrocinia transferunt, quibus nos

infestarunt.

dm

mul-

tumque

Arma enim
nomen

in

Principem

rebellia, in socios per-

fida, latrocinii

non

belli

referunt.

Causse quidem sua3 justitia'm

iis

inde aucupantur, quod ex animi sui sententia bellum Sed trustra: illis victorias, nobis clades referentibus.

successerit,

cum "

incerti

semper exitus pragliorum

sint51 ,

et

" Mars communis

sffipe

spoliantem

etiam exul tan tern evertit, et perculit ab abjecto. Narn nihil tarn firmum est, cui periculum non sit etiam ab invalido5 Quare non sem-

53 nee raro insontes a per ubi causa justior, ibi fortuna superior est sontibus funduntur, majori superantium quam succumbentium damno. " 54 Siquidem nihil est infelicius felicitate peccantium ." Quando autem assiduis sermonibus a Deo sua coepta religionemque comprobari deprse-

dicent, quia secundi

pugnarum eventus

iis

supra vota fluxerunt, nihil

aliud agunt
tari,

cui

quam Constantinum Imperatorem Arianum accurate iminihil in ore frequentius fuit, quam Deum suo calculo Arianistot victoriis

mum

ratum habuisse, qui

ipsum cumulavit".
ad

Post nos non tarn

belli,

quam

hostilis perfidies dolis obtritos;

fortunas nobis eripiendas proscriptionis rationein hostes a Sulla traduxerunt, ad ignorantiae tenebras juventuti nostrae obducendas e cru[viii.]

delitatis Julian!

Apostates pharetra jacultim eduxerunt nam ut ille Christianis erudiendis, sic isti nostris literatura excolendis scholas
:
|

"
44

Veil. Pater, lib.

ii.

30.

49 Ibid.
lib. vii.

50

Horat.

lib.

ii.

Ep.

2.
c.

sl

Idem, pro Milone. 353, n. 4.

5J

Curtius,

54

Seneca, de Provid.

3.

Cic. lib. vi. Ep. 1. 55 Epit. Bar an.

for the

King's army in England.

10,000

the conclusion of the

Glamorgan
fall

treaty in

men were

voted for the same service on

January, 1646; but on the

of Chester

DEDICATION.

21

to give no indulgence to others, but, heedless of truth, to turn the odium of event, according to their prejudices or interests." All the Senators in that Parliament are so many Syllas. During his dictatorship all per-

sons were exposed to confiscation, exile, and death we are now fearfully The emissaries whom they threatened with the loss of our properties. have despatched to Ireland have long since been sounding in our ears,
:

'"that

we were conquered by
war

their arms,

and must resign the inherito themselves."

tances of our fathers,

and surrender them

do, I allow,
:

The laws

of just and lawful

transfer the property of the van-

quished to their conquerors

" Lands change their lords and

own

another rule."

by which they have so long and so grievously harassed us. Rebellion against a King, treachery to allies, are not wars but robberies. They ground their
of a just
to the robberies

But they apply the laws

war

what they call the happy issue of the war, their victories, and But this avails nothing, because "the issue of battles is always uncertain, and impartial Mars often strikes down the spoiler in the full flush of victory, and crushes him by the vanquished, for
right on

our defeat.

nothing

is

so strong that it
is,

may not be endangered by

the weak." Bet;

ter fortune

therefore, not always a proof of the better cause

and

'

the innocent are often defeated by the guilty, with greater loss to the conquerors than the conquered, because nothing is more fatal than the
felicity of

the evil-doer.

Their repeated assertions, that God has ap-

provedtheir cause and their creed, by blessing their arms with a success beyond even their most sanguine expectations, are but a faithful imitation of the Arian Emperor Constantine, who was constantly boasting that God had given his sanction to Arianism, by the uninterrupted success of the imperial arms.

When we

had been defeated,

less

by arms

in the field, than

by the

perfidious machinations of our enemies, our tyrants adopt the plans of Sylla, in the confiscation of our properties, and taking an arrow from

the cruel armory of Julian the Apostate, they consign all our youth to the darkness of ignorance for, as he closed all the schools against the Christians, they adopt similar measures against the education of
;

there

was no

place on the English coast

;

to the Prince,
trose,
c. Hi...

and a larger body

Linr.mrr/.,

to

MonI.

where they could be safely landed only .TOO went under Lord Digbv as body-guard

in

Scotland
i.

Charles

Carte,

p. 450.

22
patere vetuerunt.
Iista3is

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.
Nostratium
arniis

exuendorum docuinentuin

a Plii-

hauserunt, qui, fabris Israelitarum ditione abaetis, Israelitis inermibus ex improvise vim infcrre aggressi suut/'6 Ad DOS extra Pu.

conspectum ablegandos, jElii Adrian! faeinus transtulerunt, qui 57 i9 Ad capite sanxit ne Judsei vel emirms Hierosolimam prospicerent
trige
'

rapacissimam vasorum sacrorum direptionem, exemplum a Balthazaro 9 Assiriorum, et Antiocho Macedonum Rege mutuati stint* Nostratium
.

conventus armis, opibus, et amicis orbos, ad divinum numen Catliolico ritu colendum factos, ad exitiuin Reipublicas macliinandum tetendisse
46
1

Reg.
c.
i.

c. xiii.

Euseb.

lib. iv. c. 6.

58

Oros.

lib. vii. c,

11.

39

Daniel,

c.

i.

Mach.
*)

Under

the Protectorate no Irish Cato teach reading, writ-

Orrery writes, Oct. 19, 1666

veral complaints this

"
:

have

se-

tholic

was allowed

week of the great

burning of London)

ing, or arithmetic, or to send his child to

insolency the Popish clergy are suddenly

(es}>ecialry since the

any school beyond the seas. The magistrates were authorized to send the children
of Irish Catholics to England, to be edu-

grown
ral

into.

They have
I

schools,
in.

lately set up sevewhich their Jesuits publicly

cated Protestants.

One

of the

Canons of

teach

Though

know

they are the

it is

the Convocation, 1634, confirmed

by the

best schoolmasters in the world, yet

to

Crown, ordained, that no person should

teach the Latin language, or be a tutor in
public or private,

be doubted they teach their

their books.
is

scholars

more than
a Jesuit,
ter,

One Thomas Stretch,

without the consent of

who

lately turned a schoolmas-

the ordinary of the diocese,

to administer to

who was bound

enacted, that

did in the county hall, with his scho-

him

the oath of supremacy.

it

lars, act

a play, whither a great confluence

After the Restoration

all tutors

was

of people repaired,

in

any

college,

hall,

house of

notwithstanding that Mr. John Andrews, minister of the place,

did expressly prohibit him, because the

learning, or hospital, all schoolmasters keep-

ing any public or private school, or teaching any youth in any house or private
family, should, before the 29th Sept. 1667,

design of

it

was

to stir

up

sedition

for the

plot was, that a pastor having lost his flock

take the oath of supremacy before the ordinary of the diocese, and that henceforward,
all lic

by wolves, he was persuaded to teach a school and his scholars having helped him
;

to destroy the wolves,

persons teaching as schoolmasters in pubor private schools, should take the

a Hock again.
this pastoral

This

is

he turned pastor to the fable, and in

to

same

he seemed

shew

to

them
ar-

oath, under the penalty of three months'

his

own

condition and his hopes

The

imprisonment, without bail or mainprize,

for the first offence,

gument was

bad, the plot worse, the con-

and three months

fine of
iii.

for

every succeeding offence, and a

the

5 to
p.

tempt of authority worst of all." Whether this account be true in substance or details,
the

King

Irish Stat.C. II. vol.

14 2.

preceding

Statute

was

immediately

Edward Lord Archbishop

lish Schools,

of Tuam, on

Engp. ."6.

enacted.
r

published Dublin, 1723,

Copious illustrations of this policy oc-

DEDICATION.

They have drawn their precedent for disarming our from the policy of the Philistines, who, after banishing all smiths people from the land of Israel, fell upon the Israelites, unarmed, and by surour children q
.

prise.

^Elius Adrian,

In banishing us from our country, they revive who made it a capital crime for a Jew to

tl^e

edict of

come within

For the most sacrilegious plunder of the sacred example of Baltassar of Assyria, and of Antiochus, King of Macedon and if our unarmed, pauperized, and friendless people assemble to worship God according to the rites of the Catholic Church, forthwith they are denounced as hatching treason
sight of Jerusalem.
vessels they can plead the
;

against the State'.

It

was thus that a law prohibiting assemblies of

It

cur in contemporary authors.

was on a

gave the information."

tc

rumour

of an Irish rebellion that Charles II.

The information dwindles

the troopers."

July 23, 1667. into a rumour

2,

" Irish issued his proclamation against the

rebels" in 1660, see note, p. 10.
writes
:

among
"

August

1667.

Orrery from the

" I received

this daj' a letter

has good grounds to believe, that, if commissioned to inquire fully into the enlisting of Irish Papists,

He

Bishop of Meath on the great meeting of the Irish clergy, upon the arrival of one Harris,
a Jesuit, sent from their pretended Primate Reyly out of France of considerable meet;

he shall find more

than the bare discourses of troopers." August20, 1667. "He is sorry that Ormonde
in it

should think his

officers are

more apt

to take

ings to be in the four provinces this

to

month

hear the said Jesuit's message, and from

the assurance of the speedy landing of

up rumours than those in other parts." Nov. " He had traced the whole busi15, 1667.
ness to Thurles, and found, that one
tain Philips told

him
June

forces,

arms, ammunition, with money, &c."

Captwo English gentlemen

were orders
for en-

5,

1666.
is

"I

hear out of Tipperary,

that he
listing,

was

told there
it

that there

a view taken of Irish Papists,

enlisted, both

and that

had commenced, but

Or-

and several are

foot,

horse and

was not

likely to proceed farther."

and are buying arms and fixing old ones. Since the enlisting, the priests have
had great meetings, one at Knockgraft'an 800 men, whereof many armed
:

monde, Nov. 25, 1667, totally denies the orders and the fact. Carle, ii. p. 48. ap. But the following extract from a letter of

of about

Ormonde's

to

John Walsh,

Esq.,

July 19,

their pretence

was for consecratiny a priest.

in Clamvilliani, on

1667, probably, clears up the mysterious

Another great meeting

the edgeA>f
of a

meeting

Kilnamannagh, under pretence

at
hurling.''

for the consecration of the priest " I wish that young priest had said his
:

match

July

9,

1667.

last

mass than

his h'rst witli so

It is

much

cere-

Ormonde, July 13, 1667, desires his Lord" to let him know ship by whom he has
been informed that there hath been a view
taken of the Irish Papists of Tipperary." " that he July 19, 1667, Orrery answers
:

mony and
still,

ostentation."

customary

in several parts of Ireland, for all the

friends of the
first

young

priest to assist at his

public mass, after his ordination, and

had sent

for the olh'cer of the militia

who

There were, equip him for the mission. however, real grounds of alarm after the

24

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.

cominenti sunt; more Trajani, qui legern ud coitiones coereendas la turn, ad Christianorum suce religionis exercitiis turmatim fuiigentium perniAd nos denique penitus delendos Ammani consilium ciem torsit60
.

derivaverujit, qui Juda?os

omnes

medio

tollere constituit

(il
.

De

Phylarcis nostris Hibernicis, ac praediorum dominis gravissi-

mani Angli querelam instituerunt6*, quod longis asseclarum agminibus stipati clientium convivse crebrius justo facti omnem eorum rem fainiliarem sic exliauserint, ut ad incitas eos redegerint,

Morbura autem

istum mine qui gentis nostrae domination em per scelus arripuerunt non sanarunt, sed mutarunt. Nam colonos iisdem malis graviusinfestarunt,
et heros

miseriarum societate iis copularunt. Etenim utrosque non ut oves totonderunt, imo ne degluberunt quideiu ; verum ex avitis aedibus et fundis per vim ejecerunt, et patria? finibus eliminatos, variis exiliis
per terras oinnes disperserunt ac dissiparunt.
sciscitetur
"

Ut quis nunc merito

Quae regio in

tern's nostri

non plena laboris ^ ?"

1

Cum
tores

itaque injuriarum, quas olim damnanint, non tantum approbnmodo sint, sed et authores, easc[ue non solum non sustulerunt,

sed graviori accessione cumularunt; planum certe fecerunt majori se aviditatead nostrates opibus nudandos, quam injuriis levandosinhiasse.

Nee
nisi

satis

habuerunt

his malis in nostrates

etiam in posterum

sollicite prospicerent,

ditionis consequendae privarentur.

flata sunt,

nunc temporis sa;vire, ut omni spe pristine conComitia enim nuper Dublinii consed e peregrinis, qui ante in

non

e civibus,

more majorurn,
fil

fr'Kpit. Bar. an. 100, n. 3.

Esther,

iii.

Davis, p. 177.

63

yEneid.

i.

passing of the Black Bill in 1665, from the

" the robbers," namely, desultory attacks of

Settlement
*

and

Safe of Ireldnd,

p. 93.

Tlie nurnber'of exiles has never been

the innocents

who were

of their properties."

for ever deprived " This Act, I say, was

ascertained.
in

The population

of Ireland

signed and sealed at Salisbury on the 25th of July, 1 GG5, and this in a time when
the hand ol

according to Petty (p. 18), 1,4(3(5,000, Catholics being to Protestants

1G-11 was.

as eleven to two.

God

visibly appeared in

the

After the conquest by Cromwell, the proportion of Catholics to

Protestants, according to the

great mortality, which then began to increase in London, and

'

same

(p. 2!>),

when

heard

many

was eight
at

to one.

Brnodin gives the exiles

moderate men say, we are justly punished by God for our injustice to the Irish.'"

100,000;

a manuscript letter in Dr.

at

Lingard's

possession

60,000.

6000

\arrolive of the Earl of Chirrn-lrn^x

boys and

women

alone were shipped to

DEDICATION.

25

the people was turned by Trajan against the meetings in which the Christians celebrated the rites of their worship. Finally, for their

scheme of our utter extirpation they are indebted to Aman, who had
planned the universal massacre of the Jews.

The English complained

of our old Irish chieftains and landlords,

that they visited their vassals so frequently, and with so great a train of attendants, that all the substance of the tenant was devoured. The men

who have
changed,

riot

criminally seized the government of my country have merely cured, that disorder. They still oppress the farmers more

grievously with the same extortions, and include the former landlords Both classes were not merely fleeced like in the common affliction.
sheep, nor even flayed alive, but they were ejected by force of arms from their fathers' mansions and properties, banished from the shores of their country, and dispersed and scattered in exile through every

t"
'

quarter of the globe.

Too truly may we

disasters
till

say

Our known

even foreign lands."

As they not only approve but

perpetrate the injuries which they for-

merly condemned, and not only have not redressed, but have grievously aggravated them, they are evidently influenced more powerfully by an avaricious thirst for the plunder of our properties, than by a wish to
heal our wrongs.

Not

satisfied

with inflicting those calamities on

my

countrymen,

they have, moreover, taken every precaution to exclude them for ever from all hope of recovering their former condition. Parliament was

lately held at

not of natives, according to the custom of our ancestors, but of foreigners, who became our legislators before they
,

Dublin

the

West

Indies.

Petty, p. 187.

Cromwell

and, therefore, exposed to prostitution, be

sold to merchants, and transported to Virginia,

and

his successors,

towards the close of the

war, sometimes allowed the Irish nobles

to

New
by

enter

some foreign

service,

with

as

countries,

England, Jamaica, or other where they may support themPorter, p. 292.

inany

men

as they could collect, which

selves
'

their labour."
8,

policy deprived Ireland of 30, 000 or 40,000

Summoned May
and
soldiers,

1601.

The Corn-

men

capable of bearing arms

c.

Linyard,
11.

niotis,

returned principally by the adven-

The Commonwealth, was

vi.

p.

After

hirers

voted that the King's

this drain the morality of the Irish people

declaration for the settlement of Ireland,

protected

by the following
as being too

article of

Nov. 30, 1660, should be passed into law,

the Irish Republican Commissioners:

Irish

"That

women,

numerous now.

and sent over a deputation with a draft of the bill, to be laid before the King in Conn-

26

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.

senatum nostrum quam in civium nostrormn numerum cooptati considecretaque non ad emolumentum, sed ad exitium comparandum in A Cicerone gravissimum crimen admisisse Verdies cudere dicuntur.
lia

res arguitur64 , quod, ciim lege

cautum esset ut inter Senatores Agrigen tinos et Heraclee'nses indigenae colonorum numeruin uno superarent, cuidam ex indigenis mortuo, colonum pretio corruptus substituerit. In
nostris Comitiis, ultra
est;

[ix.]

Verrinum

facinus
|

multis gradibus p;ocessum

penitus crebra per centum superiores annos Hibernise Comitia fuerunt, tarn frequerites indigenaruni de
exclusis soli coloni adsciti fuerint.

cum

in

eum

coetuin,

indigenis et ipsis fere inquilinis

Quam

colonis suffragandi facultatem in comitio consecutis querelre exstite-

prsebuerunt.

aurem et medelam- opportune Quare nos in speni minime dubiam erigimur fore, ut qui dementia majores omnes longe praxis et tarn perniciosi moliminis cursum
runt, quibus Principes nostri semper

cohibiturus, et earn pestem cervicibus nostris

sis,

impendentem arnoliturus

nee passurus ut a prisca consuetudine tain foede desciscatur, cujus retentio longe securior est quam mutatio vel Ennii judicio canentis:
" Moribus autiquis stat res

Romana

virique."

Si in Angliae Comitiis Hiberni soli sententias et decreta i'errent, prediis

Anglos multarent, eaque peculio suo adjungerent: annon ad arma mox Angli convolarent ? Et sua3 religionis scriptorem protinus audirent annuentem ab eo liege regnurn arnitti, qui " pluribus imperans, unius populi in gratiam, alterum velit perditum, ut colonias ibi facial ."
155

inferre

Certe qui longe levioribus de causis signa Regi, ultimamque perniciem non dubitarunt, ad tarn gravem injuriarn a se propulsandam, in

armis praesidium omne proculdubio collocarent, nee, ut nos, in Regis Moleste quidern tulimus de capitibus tbrtuuisarbitrio acquiescerent.
a peregrinis decerni sed multo est eadem in discrimen ab adveuis in ipsis Hiberni ae visceribus adduci; quod illi aliorum, hi suis commodis inserviaut. Nemo enim est, qui proprire litis judex constitutus, non sua3 se potius causte stu-

que

nostris, in Anglise Comitiis,

exitiosius

diosiorem
64

quam
ii.

aliens praabet.
6

Bene quidem n obi scum ageretur,

-'Grot. de Jure Bel. lib.
i.

si

Lib.

in Verrein. orat. 7.

c. iv. n.

11.

cil.

The

Irish

Lords delegated four coinits

heard before the Council, objected prineipally to the preamble, which involved the

missioners to oppose some of

provisions.

The agents

of the Irish Catholics,

who were

whole nation

in the guilt ol the first rising,

DEDICATION.

27

tutes

were our fellow-citizens, and are said to be concocting every day staand enactments, not for the public good, but for destruction.

Verres was accused by Cicero of a most grievous offence, for having,

von the death of a Senator, substituted (for a bribe) a colonist for a
native, contrary to a law,

which enacted, that the number of natives

should exceed by one that of colonists in the Senate of Agrigentum and Heraclea. Our Parliament has far surpassed the guilt of Verres, for it
consists of colonists, to the utter exclusion of the natives,

and almost

of the denizens.

As

often as the Irish Parliament assembled during

sitting in the Senate,

the last century, so often did the natives protest against foreigners and the complaint was invariably received and
instantly redressed.
far surpass

therefore indulge the confident hope, that, your predecessors in clemency, you will check the you progress of this fatal aggression, and interpose to avert the plague that hangs over us, nor tolerate the shameful violation of ancient custom,
as

We

which

it is

always better to maintain than to destroy.

'*

Such was the

opinion of Ennius:
Her ancient customs nerve
iiy to
the

arm

of

Rome."

Would

not the English

arms at once,

if

Irishmen alone delibe-

rated and voted in the English Parliament, and confiscated English writer of their own religion would property, and made it their own ?

them, that a King forfeits his crown, when, "having many nations under his sceptre, he shall, for the interests of one people, sacrifice
tell

The men who, for slighter another, to plant colonies in their room." causes, raised their banner against the King, and consummated his ruin, would appeal to the sword as the only honorable security against
so frightful an injustice; they

would not await,

as

we have

done, the

award of the Sovereign. It was galling enough that foreigners should sit in judgment on our lives and properties in the English Parliament,
but
it is

far

more dreadful

to be depending on the

mercy of foreigners

in the heart of Ireland, since the

former were judges in the cause of No mortal can ever others, but the latter are judges in their own. be a judge in his own cause, without feeling a greater interest for his

own

side than for his opponents.

We

should have some reason to be

1641,

and denounced

all

the proceedings

national

rebellion

of the

Irish
p.

Papists"

of the confederate Catholics, " as almost a

- Borlttse, against the King.

381.

28

EPISTOLA DKDICATORIA.
teli,

tanta generositas eorum anirnis insideret, ut, iiibtar Acliillei vulnera infiixerunt medelam adhibereiit.

qui

nia est,

Vetus indigenaruni et ante trecentos annos ab iis instituta querimoqu6d advent Regni gubernaculis admoti, et Comitiis adscript! 69 67 fuerint60 Anno Elizabeth pereReginae et Jacob! Regis undecimo
.

grinorum hominum
tuinultus in

Comitiorum Senatores cooptatio non mediocres Sed qui in prior ibus Comitiis exposComitiis excitavit.
in
,
.

(H) tulabant, a supremis Regni judicibus

70 Rege votoruni partem impetrarunt

qui in posterioribus, a Jacobo In luctuosissimos prol'ecto gemi-

tus et questus majores nostri citra dubium rnodo prorumpererit, si, oculos per inferioris aulse ccetum circumferentes, in eo e solis adveriis
et adscriptitiis civibus conflato,

civibus relictmn esse cernerent.

nullum locum indigenis genuinisque Sicut ergo nos querendi documenturn

arripias.

a majoribus nostris hausimus; sic speramus fore ut subveniendi nobi*

exemplum ab avo tuo subininistratum

[x.]

tuo in Hibernia Optione initce conventis fuit ut futura prinio quoque ternpore Comitia libera forent. Sed ista Comitia serva sunt potius quam libera: quia servitutem genti non libertae pacis
|

Uuum

cum

tem parturiunt,

et optimatibus nostris e pristina opulentia potentiaque

dejectis; ac cerdonibus, textoribus, fabris, latomis, propolis, zonariis, et

servilis ejusinodi generis aliis

ad eorum locum

elatis, in

Hibernia thea-

trum

et

arenam

servitutis instituere gestiunt,

non

tollentes servitutern

sed mutantes, dominis in servos et servis in dominos conversis.

Alte-

ruin pacis ejusdem caput immunitatem a juramento, quo Rcgi Primatus

66

lecta, lib.

Annal. Hib. apud Carnd. an. 1341. * Hooker, ibid " Kivius, ii.

6;

Hooker,

p.

120.

Rivius, contra

Aua-

ibid. p. 19.

"In the "elections

1568,

for

the

Parliament,

many were

returned for places not

1613, " in

forty

new boroughs were

erected

places that can scantly pass the rank

incorporated; sheriffs and mayors returned

theniselves;

of the poorest villages in the poorest coun-

and " a great number of En-

try in Christendom

;"

no writs were sent

;

to

glislimen" Avere also returned, contrary to

the 23

residence.

Henry VIII., 1541, which required The Judges,, on the appeal of the

some of the old boroughs and from others returns would not be received. Some boroughs were created after the issuing of the
writs

Catholics, pronounced these returns illegal,

Davis,

p.

306,
i.

Petition of Irish

but annulled only the two first, merely imposing a penalty on the sherifls for the
returns of the third class.
pp. 342, 343, 344.

Lords; Crawford,
for the

p.

346.

The members

Hollingshed,

vi,

Before the Parliament.

boroughs erected after the issuing of the writs were unseated by the English Council all others were alloived to sit,
;

DEDICATION.
content,
if

29

they possessed a generosity of soul, which, like the spear of

Achilles, healed the

It

wounds which

it inflicted.

was an old complaint of the natives, of more than three hundred of the kingdom years' standing, that foreigners were made governors and members of her Parliament. In the eleventh year of Queen Eliza-

same year of King James, the nomination of foreigners Parliament excited many stormy debates". The remonstrants in the former Parliament obtained from the Chief Justices of
beth, and in the
to seats in

the

kingdom the

partial redress

which the King himself extended

to

exclamations of intense agony and lamentation would burst from our ancestors, if they could now
the remonstrants in the latter.
cast their eyes

What

on the benches of the Lower House, occupied excluwithout a single sively by foreign adventurers and certificate citizens,

As we place reserved for the sons, the genuine citizens of the land ? ground our complaint on the precedent of our ancestors, we trust that
you
will adopt

from your grandfather the means of redress.

of the conditions of the peace concluded with your Lieutenant in Ireland was, that the Parliament which was to be held in the first
instance should be free.

One

But

this

Parliament

is

not free v; but enslaved,

and, by hurling ; our nobles from their ancient opulence and power, and transferring
it

because

brings slavery, not liberty, to the nation

their places to cobblers, weavers, smiths,

quarrymen, pedlars, girdle-

makers, and others of the same servile rank, they anxiously desire to make Ireland a theatre and arena of slavery, merely changing the personages ; changing, not removing, the slaves; metamorphizing slaves into Another article of the same peace masters, and masters into slaves.

exempted the Catholics from the oath of the King's

though the Irish Commons, Nov. 19, 1613, " declared that some were unduly elected, being either judges, or outlaws, or excommunicated,
or not
estated
in
v

ecclesiastical s,upre-

The

translation here differs from Mr.

O' Flanagan's, the text evidently alluding

to the

Peace signed in the Castle of Kilthe Confederates.

their

bo-

kenny, Jan. 17, 1648, between the Marquis

of

roughs, or returned for places whose charters

Ormonde and

Arti-

were invalid."

The

recusants were
Carte,
i.

cles in.

and v. provide "that a free Parand that

all legal iin-

nearly one-half,
p.

99 to

127.

liament shall be held within six months,

or as soon as possible,

19.

They obtained from the King that

no " religious questions should be discussed, but only such tilings as concemed the general good.".

pediments to the election of Catholics be removed." Burke, Hib. Dom. p. 686. These
articles are

O' .?//., torn. iv.

1. ii.

p.

254.

n. and

v. in Borlase, p. 263.

30

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.
tamen Comitiojuramentq.

ecclesiasticus asseri solet, Catholicis impertivit: istorum

rum consessus inferior unicum indigenam Catholicum

illo se

astringere detractantem senatu movit. Scilicet qui juratam Regi fidem ssepissime fefellerunt; fidem Regi non juratam sanctissime servantibus

negotium facessunt. Sane post religionem in Hibernia supremae potestatis authoritate mutatam, Coniitiorum senatores ad ejusmodi juramentum adacti non fuerunt, omnium enim Coniitiorum jam inde habitorum

Nemo tamen eorum, ob juramentum Primatus recusatum, comitiorum domo ejectus est. In horum etiarn Comitiorum superior! aula, paucis majorum Catholicis proceribus ejusmodi sacramentum exhibitum non fuit. Sicut igitur non sine gravismagna
fuit71 ."

Catholici " pars

sima insolentiae nota infimus Comitiorum ordo a superiorum ordinum et majorum usu recedit, sic non modicum Reipub. periculum impendet, quod populi procurators " Nam, ut ait S. Augustinus,

novitati et

rerum conversioni

studeat.

Ipsa mutatio consuetudinis etiam quse

7 adjuvat utilitate, novitate perturbat *."

Per memoratse pacis pacta, leges antiquge contra fidem Catholicam

fuerunt, ut ejusdem fidei professio Catholicis Sed postrema Comitiorum classis ad religionem penitus abolendam, non solum vetera decreta restaurare, sed nova
latae

sic

antiquandse
foret.

fraudi

non

longe gravissima cudere statuerunt.

tos dicere cogant:

Ut

vestris studiis data opera

obniti, decretis reluctari, et imperiis obsistere videantur.

Et nos

invi-

" en hasc 73 promissa fides est ."

Ita ut qui regere,

velint, te crude-

non regi cupiunt, non Regem habere, sed Reges esse lem
in

puniendo esse malentes quam misericordem

71

in

condonando

prae-

.Eneid.

ii.

72

Ep. 118.

73

^Eneid.

vi.

w Art.

i.

Peace of 1648.

Carte (p. 221)

returned, but

the oath not being required in the

Upper

states there

was no Catholic
for the

House.

An

address was presented before

first to

there

was one

borough of Tuam.
15, 1(561, that

the elections,

the English Council,

The Commons, however, moved an address

to the Lords Justices,

and afterwards

to the Irish Chancellor,

Eus-

May

tace, to administer the oath of allegiance

the

Lord Chancellor should commission

Seal, to adall

to candidates, but
ral Catholics

without success.

Seve-

some person, under the Great

bers of the

were candidates in Connaught.

Orrery's Letters,

minister the oath of supremacy to

mem-

Carte, p. 223.
15, 1669. x

May

8,

Commons.

This

is,

no doubt,

the fact alluded to in the text.

tholic
8,

One Ca-

Peer sat in the House of Lords,

May

statutes

Primate Lombard states that though had been passed requiring the
all

1661, and several others were in town,

oath of supremacy from

public officers,

DEDICATION.

31

macy

tive Catholic returned, because

w but the Lower House of this Parliament expelled the only nahe refused to take that oath. The men,
,

forsooth,

who

often violated their

own

oath of allegiance to the King,

persecute those who preserved their allegiance, though not bound by oath. After the change of religion in Ireland established by the Government ', Catholics, certainly, were not required to take the oath of supre5

macy, for a large number of them were members of all subsequent Parliaments, and yet none of them were ever unseated for refusing the

Even in the House of Lords of this present Paroath of supremacy*. liament, that oath was not tendered to the few great Catholic lords". As this departure of the Lower House from the practice of the Lords
and the precedents of our ancestors, betrays, unblushingly, the most
atrocious insolence,

what

fatal

dangers must threaten the State,

when

the representatives of the people enact innovation and revolution ? " the mere " For," as St. Augustine says, change of a custom disorits novelty, even the good that it effects." 3 the articles of the same peace , the laws formerly enacted By against the Catholic faith were to be a dead letter, so that the profession of that same faith should not be prejudicial to the Catholics. But

ders,

by

Parliament has not only re-enacted the old statutes, but has even passed laws far more severe for the total abolition of that religion so that they appear deliberately to oppose your wishes, to obstruct
this last
;

your proclamations, to disobey your orders, and

to

compel us to exclaim,

"lo! this thy plighted faith." Wishing to govern, not to be governed, to be Kings, not subjects, they have preferred that you should be cruel in punishing, not generous in forgiving, in order to increase their oAvn
the
cities,

towns, and other communities,

to take
it,

withdrew their children, when the College

attempted to require the oath of suprepp. 286, 287, 288.
Irish Parliament,

everywhere (passim') refused

administer
still

or

it

to their

own
the

magistrates,

who

macy
>'

continued to take the old Catholic

The

oath.

The

bill

for

adoption of the

all

the Catholic members,

1641-2, expelled and ordained

English penal laws was also thrown out in

the Irish Parliament; and
fessors of the

that the oath of supremacy should in future be enforced

when

the pro-

Carte,

i.

p.

328.

new College

in Dublin

began

Clanrickarde, Westmeath, Fingal, Clanearthy,

others,
ters,

to preach

the Reformed doctrines, they were silenced, he says, by the English Governors, lest there might be a rising of
the people.

Mountgarrett, Dillon, and a few

who were
trial

restored

by Royal LetCarte,
ii.

without

of innocence

The

Irish also,

though most

p.

221.
<

anxious to avail themselves of the lectures,

Art.

i.

in. ix., Borlase, p, 263.

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.
ferentes, ut divitiarum et potentias sibi
fiat,

quam cum tamen Xenophon moneat honestius quam trophaeorum multitudinem relinquere.

dementias accesaio

tibi

esse Regi beneficiorum

Caeterum, post regnum ab Elizabetlia recenter initum, in Comitiis 74 Dublinii, clanculariis paucorum suffragiis coactorum potius ad assen-

sum quam persuasorum,

secutis deinde Cornitiis,

Catholica?

fidei

abolitio decreta est.

At

in

nullum Senatus consultum Catholicss

fidei

pro,

75 fessionem abrogavit. Imo Proregi Joanni Perotto crimini datum est in Comitiis a se indictis leges contra Catholicos in Anglia latas quod
|

sancire decreverit.
nias,

Et per Regem Jacobum

fidos se
"5

licuit ut, in

primis Hiber-

post

regnum ab
~

ipso capessitum, comitiis, religio in disceptationem

76 Regibus Catholici semper prasstiterunt
;

non

veniret.
4

Quippe

Infra, p. 239.

Gubematio

Perroti, p. 71.

O'Sull. p. 254.

b Sir

John Perrot received the Lord DeIn 1582 he wrote a

letter, by order means of suppres-

sants.

To

the

first

charge he answered,

puty's sword in Christ Church, June 26,

that the object of his enemies in resisting

1584.

the repeal was, because they would abide

of her Majesty, on the

no reformation
State
;

in

matters of religion or

sing the rebellion in Ireland.

says, that St. Patrick

Finding, he

and

that, finding

them obstinate

in

was more familiar, and

Parliament, he thought the oath the best

of greater credit with the people generally,

means of trying

their fidelity.

The

justices

than Christ, he proposed that the Refor-

of the peace also refused the oath.

They

mation should begin from God, that friars, monks, Jesuits, pardoners, nuns, and such
like vermin,

appeared to yield when threatened with the

Star

Chamber, but held up

their heads

who openly uphold the Papacy,

he called
for

again on support from England, for the

should be executed by martial law. During

his administration

Queen had given him a

special caveat not

a Chief

to tender the oath of obedience to persons

Justice from England, to be a light to the

Irish courts,

of nobility and quality, and to forbear the present search of this allegiance.

which were

filled,

he says, for
of the law,

Perrot

the most part,

by men ignorant

was equally obnoxious

to the clergy of the

or corrupt in religion.

In the Parliament

Established Church, especially to the Chan-

assembled at Dublin, April 26, 1585, he attempted the repeal of Poyning's Act, but

Archbishop of Dublin, with whom he was at variance regarding the application

cellor,

was defeated by the "stirrers of the Pale," and the lawyers, who feared the repeal was
intended for other objects than those alleged.

of the revenues of St. Patrick's. Yet he

was

popular before the close of his administration.

When lie was

recalled, all the

gentry

In July,

1585,

he was accused

and nobility of the Pale, who had formerly

written

before the

Queen

of this attempt to repeal

against him,
to take

now

implored the

Poyning's law, and also of requiring the oath of supremacy, and of proposing the same laws as in England against recu-

Queen not
lin

away

" the father of the

poore country ;" and people came to Dub-

from forty miles to mourn his depar-

DEDICATION.
wealth and power at the expense of your clemency
tells
;

OO
though Xenophon

them, that, in a king, generous and beneficent acts are more honorable than multitudes of trophies.
abolished in the Parliament at Dublin

Shortly after the accession of Elizabeth, the Catholic religion was by the secret votes of a few,
force rather than conviction.

who yielded to
in

But no

statute

was passed,

any subsequent Parliament, abolishing the profession of the Catholic b faith. Sir John Perrot the Chief Governor, was even severely censured
,

for proposing, in the

Parliament held under himself, the enactment of

the English Penal Statutes against the Catholics. King James also consented that religion should not be brought in^o debate in the first Irish Parliament held after his accession to the throne. The Catholics had at
all

times proved their fidelity to their kings c , and both by inclination and the exhortations of their clergy, they combined^ in the worst of times,
fidelity to the altars of their fathers.

unshaken loyalty to the throne with

If,

change of religion, when men's minds were heated the rising flame, and when the Catholics might be suspected of disby
even in that
first
ture.

"I am

farre,"

he says, " from the

opinien of those that would have the Irish

extirped, -sith I see that the occasion of dis-

facts see

June 16, but died in prison. For these Government of Ireland under Sir
Perrot,
4, 20,

John

" Letter to the Queen" (not

sension being taken away, they are easily

paged),

and pages 37, 50, 60, 61,

122, 124; also Life of Sir

made one with

us."

Again

" Here

now
it

76, 77, 121,

lastly doth the olde

common

objection op-

John

Perrot, pp. 202, 214, 219, 220, 811.

pose

itself,

requiring an answere whether

The Eoll
lished

of Parliament of 1585 is pub-

be safety or danger for England to have

Ireland
lity

by the Irish Archaeological Society,

ii.

reformed, least growing to civiit

Tracts relating to Ireland, vol.

p.

140.

and strength,

should cast off the

Donat

Congail, Bishop of Raphoe, one of

yoke."

" Good government," he answers, "breeds wealth, and wealth obedience."

the three Irish bishops

who

assisted at the

In his last will, answering the criminal

Council of Trent, sat in that Parliament. c " Iberni et

Dumque

Angli belligera-

charge against him,

the Catholics

of having

favored

bant, Iberni plerique partes

Anglorum (ea

and their Primate, Doctor

erant insania et caecitate mentis) sequebantur

si

Creaghe,

lie

takes

God

to witness, that he

enim omnes Iberni in Anglos con-

had suppressed more

1

friars

than

all before

spirassent, ullo sine negotio, possent haare-

him for thirty years, and that he had never favored " Papists for Papistry sake," but did justice to them as to others on any complaint.

ticorum

Angli

ipsi

jugum cervicibus discutere, ut communi assensione fatentur."

Mori.

Hist. Cath. p. 75. See also Fynes

rison, vol.
p.

He was

convicted of high treason,

237, for a

list

of the native

April 17, 1592,

and condemned to death,

^ ish

Catholics in the Queen's army.

34
difficillimis

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.
temporibus, turn sua sponte, turn sacerdotum persuasioni-

bus, et ab a vita religione

perstiterunt.

non

resilierunt, et in Principis obsequio firmi

Cum

autem mutation e

religionis inchoata

primus ho-

minum

ardor adhuc incalesceret, et ambigua fides Catholicorum in Principem avitae fidei scita recentissime deserentem fuisse timeretur,
.

77 Nunc, ilia asperiora in Catholicos Seiiatusconsulta non eruperunt conversione temporis diuturnitate corroborata, et firma Careligionis

tholicorum in Principes fide perspicuis et assiduis experiments deprehensa, super vacanea in Catholicos plebiscita ultimus Comitiorum ordo
intempestive condet. Nee Elizabetha ipsa JRegina fidem Catholicam sic aversata fu.it, " 78 quin ejus se studio teneri pluribus aperuerit et Vicecomitem Montis,

Acuti prascharum (etsi summe Romano-Catholicum) habuerit, et inviNoverat enim ilium ex prima institutione et animi persuasione, serit.

non ex

factionis studio Tit multi earn

dixit, se diligere

79 religionem coluisse ."

Rex
et ho-

quoque Jacobus

Papistam virum alioque bonum,

80 nunquam imbiberat
.

neste educatum, qui aliam religionem

Rex vero

Carolus pater vester, tantam fiduciam in Catholicis collocatam habuit ut provinciis, et urbibus administrandis eo annuente, tuto praefecti fuerint ; qui in fide tua tarn
miseries divellere

immoti permanserunt, ut illos ab ea vel ultimas

;

ut sint

falsi

non potuerint, nee poterunt Phalaris licet imperet ac admoto dictetperjuria tauro. Alio enim elogio patria se

nostra honestari non cupit

quam quod fida suo Regi semper lerne fuit. Catholicorum igitur perfidia Senatores tertii ordinis non movit ut odium iis apud vos conflarent, sed metus ne Catholicorum prsediis, quse
majores retulerunt ut nobilitatis tesseram, dignitatis fulcrum, merito-

rum honorarium

et virtutis

premium,

illis

in militare congiarium,

seditionis, rebellionis salarium, casdis et vastationis

auctoramentum

et

impietatis hostimentum non cederent. Et quia vitae tolerandae rationem nobis auferendo vitam ipsam sustulerunt, eoque pacto per clades nostras

viam ad opes sibi congerendas straverunt, Jezabelem agere videntur, 81 quas Nabothi casde vinearn Achabo marito comparavit; aut Herodem,
qui,

ne

sibi

regnum

eriperetur, atrocissima infantum strage se conta-

minare non dubitavit8 -.

7 Lomb. Comment, de Hib. p. 481, N. Bernard, Vita Uss. p. 69. 80 79 Camd. in Eliz. an. 118. Oratio Reg. in 1592, sub finem. 82 Mat. ii. 3 Reg. xxi.
"

?s

Britanno-mach.
Stel. p. 29.

p.
91

Camera

DEDICATION.

35

was then after renouncing the dogmas of the loyalty to a prince who ancient creed, very severe statutes were not enacted against them, the
be justified penal enactments of this present Parliament cannot now by any plea of necessity or expediency, when the Catholics have given
repeated and unequivocal proofs of their loyalty, and the change of the religion of the State has been consolidated by time.

Queen Elizabeth

herself had not such a horror of the Catholic faith,

her regard for it. " She had the greatest esteem for Lord Viscount Montague, and visited him, though he was For she knew that he had imbibed a most staunch Roman Catholic.
as not to give several proofs of

that creed from early education, and conscientious conviction, and not

from factious motives, like too many others." King James also said, " that he loved a Papist who was otherwise a good man and well eduand who had never professed any other faith." So great was the cated,
confidence reposed in the Catholics by your father, King Charles, that with his consent they were intrusted with the government of towns

and provinces and to you they have evinced loyalty so devoted, that the last extremes of human misery could not shake it, though Phalaris himself should dictate treason and perjury under the torture of his
;

The highest eulogy our country desires, is, that Ireland has been always loyal to her King. The disloyalty of the Catholics is not the real cause d of the attempts of the Commons to incite your hatred against us but they fear that
bull.
;

they themselves

may

not be allowed to retain

as the

service-money

of their sedition, the salary of their rebellion, the wages of their murder and robbery, and the reward of their impiety those estates inherited

by

Catholics, from ancestors

who

held them as the emblems of their

nobility, the support of their dignity, the tribute to their worth,

the reward of their virtues.

life,

By depriving

us of

all

and means of supporting

and, therefore, of

life itself,

themselves, over our slaughtered bodies,

bel,

by hewing out a path to wealth for they renew the crime of Jeza;

or of Herod,

who murdered Naboth to get his vineyard for her husband Ahab who polluted himself with that atrocious massacre of the
" If this canni-

Innocents, lest he might be deprived of his crown.

d

A new English interest.

terity of those
diers, after

bal English interest gives no quarter to the

children of the English,

very adventurers and solan age or two, be likewise de-

may

not the pos-

voured."

Sale, &c,, p. 105.

D2

36

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.

" Procuratio Reipub. (inquit Cicero) ad utilitatem eorum qui commissi sunt, non ad eorum quibus commissa, gerenda est." Quomodo
igitur

Comitiorum suffragatores ab indigenis non delegati de indigena-

rum rebus laborabunt? Annon ad eos potius amplificandos sollicitudiconvertent, quorum beneficio suffragii in Comitiis ferendi [xii.] nem omnera
|

jus assecuti sunt?

Enimvero perduellionis crimen ab universis indigenis contractum esse pronuntiarunt, continuoque tecum enixius egerunt, ut et illius delicti gratiam iis non faceres, et avitis eos agris propterea multares. Ut non dubitem quin, quo Mithridates et Annibal in

Romanes

odio,

eodem

in Hibernos

illi

prorsus imbuti fuerint, qui tor-

rentem indulgentia3 ad omnes a tuae dementias fonte late manantem, ad Hibernos fluere non tulerunt. Meminisse debuerunt " judicium sine
misericordia
93 qui non fecit misericordiam :" Et a Cicerone dici; nee hominis nee ad hominem vocem esse84 ." Cum ignoscas autem perduellionis longe foedioris macula non leviter ipsis sed alte im-

illi

"Cave

pressa

sit,

a ratione

tiae tuae

laus est,

plurimum abhorret, ut quorum impunitas clemeneorum ipsorum ad crudelitatem te acuat oratio.

Necmirari desino cur avidius quam justius expetunt, ut sua perduelopulentiam, honores, et potentiam, nostra innocentia perniciem nobis pariat ? aut cur veterum abolitarumque, jam offensarum memoriam tarn operose refricent, et inculcent ? nisi eandem rationem ad te a nobis
lio sibi

alienandum inituri sunt quam ad Artaxerxis odium in Judaeos inflammandum sui consiliarii adhibuerunt9 *. Nam horuni verbis illi te compellare videntur,

ac dicere

" quod Hibernia

rebellis

est et nocens

ex diebus antiquis86." Regibus Sed tu Darium Judaeos, auribus ad consiliariorum querelas obstructis, summo favore prosecutum imitaris, qui obtrectatorum nostrorum criet provinciis, et bella concitantur in ea

minationibus parum penderis inesse deprehendens, ad summam nobis indulgentiam impendendam propendes, aut potius descendis. Nimirum aerem verberant, qui ab innata tibi dementia te, clementissime Principum, ad crudelitatem attrahere contendunt.

Etenim

magnitudinem condonati sceleris gravitate metimur. Cum autem flagitium post homines natos atrocissimum veniam a te retuleclementiaj
rint, paucis

scelerum poenas dantibus, ne impunitas scelera latius proad paucos poena, metus ad omnes perveniret ; illis merito suo pagaret,
85

Jac.

ii.

8*

Pro Ligario.

9i 1

Esdras, iv.

**

Ibid

DEDICATION.

37

" " The government of the Commonwealth," says Cicero, must be

conducted for the interest of the governed, not the governors." How, then, can members of Parliament, not chosen by natives, have any re-*

gard for native interests? Will they not rather exert all their influence Have they not to exalt tnose who gave them seats in Parliament? the natives universally guilty of treason, and pressed already pronounced
you, in the most importunate way, not to pardon that crime, but to punish it by the confiscation of the hereditary native estates? Mithridates or Hannibal, I am confident, did not hate the Romans more cordially than those
alone,

men

hate the Irish.

They have excluded the

Irish,

from tasting of that bounteous stream of mercy which welled from your heart, and lavished its favors indiscriminately. They should

have known that " he shall have judgment without mercy who has shown no mercy;" and that, in the words of Cicero, "do not pardon" is an expression " not for a man, nor to a man." But since the stain of a much more foul rebellion rests not slightly but deeply on themselves,
it is

revolting to

common

sense that men,

who owe

their

own

lives to

your extraordinary clemency, should excite you to cruelty. To me it is an endless wonder how they can ask, with so much pertinacity, so little justice, that they should receive wealth, honors, and
power, for rebellion ; and

we ruin

for

our innocence ; or

why

they are so

zealous in reviewing, in perpetuating, the memory of past and forgotten offences ; if it be not that they use the same arts to estrange your affections

from

us,

which

his counsellors

employed

to inflame the hatred of

Artaxerxes against the Jews.

In the words of these counsellors, it would seem, they address you: " Ireland is rebellious, and hurtful to the kings and provinces, and wars were raised therein of old time."

But you

imitate Darius,

who gave

courtiers,

and loaded the Jews with his favors;

a deaf ear to the complaints of his for, perceiving that

the accusations of our enemies are groundless,

you are inclined,

or rather

condescend, to extend great indulgence to us. Never, most clement Prince, shall those men pervert you from your natural clemency to cruelty. The greatness of clemency is always esti-

mated by the heinousness of the forgiven guilt. But, as you have already pardoned them the most atrocious crime ever committed within

memory of man, as only a few have been punished, and these merely on the principle that impunity should not increase crime, that all should
the

38

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.

vitam amittentibus, reliquis beneficio tuo retinentibus, Principum te clementissimum jure praedicavero, cujus dementia omnem prseteritae
memoriag clementiam multis gradibus supergressa est
;

qua? posteris

quoque velut

e specula

lumen quod sequantur

ostendet.

tuo autem

ut tuas et " populi tui res secundo successu Deus prosequatur. Etenim roboratur dementia thronus"7 ." Et homines88 ad Deum nulla re propius accetarn ardenti virtutis illius studio portendi confidimus fore,
,

dunt quam salutem hominibus dando.

Davidem
[xiii.]

e coelo deduxit89

Coustantini

dementia gratiarum imbrem in 90 regnum felicitate perfudit

;
|

imperium Theodosii prosperis eventibus cumulavit, et deliciarum orbis 91 nomen, populique amorem ipsi comparavit Denique quo se Princeps
.

indulgentiorem
tia

populi delictis preebet, eo firmiori

regnum suum poten-

munit92

in sinu

Nos itaque non tarn, innocentia nostra quam dementia tua freti gaudemus te ad poenas nobis irrogandas non tarn exorabilem Nee esse, quam hostes nostri ad eas efflagitandas importuni sunt. salutis eorum e nostratibus deprecatores erimus, qui hornicidiis se
atrocioribus inquinaverunt. Tantum Abrami verbis Deum compellan" absit a tis obsecramus te ut occidas justum cum impio93 ." Justos seu potius insontes appello nostrates, qui quam vis aliqua culpa tenen-

tur erroris humani, a scelere certe liberi sunt.

ultro,

Ad

bellum enim non

sed lacessiti; non csedis edenda?, sed authoritatis tuae propugnandaB, suique tuendi causa descenderunt ; et castris ac studiis ab

hostibus tuis dissederunt.

Illorum acies in ipsum

Eegem

struebantur,

gladii pectus ejus petebant, animi perniciem ejus capiti moliebantur,

impetus omnis ad eum perdendum ruebat. Hiberni ad imperium ei supremum conservandum studia et vires omnes conferebant; in acie

pugnas pro ejus causa, in templis vota pro salute faciebant, et veteri forma precabantur, ut felicior esset Augusto, melior Trajano94 nihil
,

magis in optatis habentes quam, si per rnaris intercapedinem liceret, vel laterum suorum oppositu periculum cervicibus ejus impendens
amovere.
7
91

Norunt enim Kegis vitam

88

saluti

subditorum esse pra3ferenc.

Prov. xx.

Cic. pro Ligario.

lib. v. c.

&I

S.

Aug. de Civit.

25.

& S.

Reg. xxiv.

Ambr.

Psal. 131. 90 Euseb. lib. ii. ; in Obit. Theo. 93 Gen. xviii. 9* Eutrop.

16.
ii.

lib.

The King's Declaration

to
all

"

granted a free

and

in Ireland,

notorious murderers Only

ii.

and general pardon

his subjects of

excepted."

Irish Stat. vol.

p.

262.

DEDICATION.
be terrified and a few only condemned,
yet as the 'others
justly

39

condemned
I

to death,

owe

their lives to

your mercy,

may

declare confi-

dently that you are the most merciful of princes ; that your clemency far transcends everything of the kind ever known in former times, and

ought to pursue. ardent love of that virtue as a good omen of the blessings your which 'God has in reserve for you and your people. " The throne is " Nothing assimilates man to the Gods strengthened by clemency." more than mercy and protection extended to our fellow-man." Clehail

will light all future ages to the noble path they

We

mency drew down the

choicest favors of heaven on David;

it

diffused

happiness over the wide realms of Constantine ; it invested the diadem of Theodosius with the glory of victory and prosperity, and procured for himself the appellation of the delight of the world, and the love of
his people.

In a word, the more indulgent a prince proves himself, the more firmly does he consolidate his throne. Relying, therefore, on your clemency, rather than on our own inno**

cence, we rejoice heartily that you have not been as ready to inflict as our enemies have been importunate in demanding our punishment. As to the fate of such of our countrymen who may have been notoriously
6 guilty of murders
,

we

leave

it

Abraham spoke

to God,

we appeal

But as entirely in your own hands. to you, " far be it from thee to slay

we mean such

the just with the wicked;" and by the just, or rather the not guilty, of our countrymen as cannot claim exemption from some

of the frailties of humanity, though they are certainly free from crime. They flew to arms, not voluntarily, but in self-defence ; they took the
field,

selves

not to massacre, but to uphold your authority and protect themand neither in the campaigns nor their ultimate designs had they ;

any communion with your enemies. Those, our enemies, raised their banners against the King; they pointed their steel to his heart; his ruin was the daily object of their machinations ; their whole force was
directed to his ruin.

But

all

the zeal and power of the Irish rallied

enthusiastically around the King ; in the field they gave their blood; in the churches they prayed for his cause; and they prayed, according to old ritual, that he might be more fortunate than Augustus, and

better than Trajan.

The most cherished wish of

their hearts

was

to

cross the sea, if possible,

blow levelled

at his

and make their bodies a rampart against the head. The King's life, they were aware, was of

40

KPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.
Christiana? religioni accominodato,
;

dam; nee Regi suo dubitant, sensu

"

05 acclamare; de nostris annis tibi Jupiter augeat annos

etenim

Kegem non

sic

/Egyptus,

et

ingens

96 Lydia, nee populi Parthorum, aut Medes Hydaspes ,"

observant, ut Hiberni suum.

Et vero

summum

observantiaj nostrse

gradum

tibi

jure tuo prorsus

vendicas, qui te non solum

Regem

prajsidio nobis, sed etiam

parentem

benignitate praebuisti.
tissime demisisti.
indicta,

Imo ad patronum nostrum agendum te amanNam, criminum a subditis contractorum abolitione

praestitorum
inculcasti,

culparum nostrarum oblivionem, et officiorum a nobis tibi memoriam Comitiorum Angliae Senatoribus non segniterr
quos ad consentiendum hortatus es, ut in condonationis caeteris subditis praestitae etiam Hiberni adsciscerentur.
et in aula tua

communionem
Inferioris

autem Comitiorum Hiberniae conclavis Oratori,

turn procurator! incantamentum pacis a te nobis indultae auferendum esse affirmanti primo silentium indixisti, deinde imperitum te solvendi
praastigii artilicem esse,

habitum

iri

resporidisti.

pacem tamen tuo nomine contractam ratam Ita ut non potiori jure Antoninum Pium
.

" " Romani, quam nos te parentem et patronum nomiriemus97

Inter'

plura lenitatis vestraa specimina,

[xiv.] vestrae
|

illud aere perennius Declarations

monumentum potissimum eminet, qua nostratium aliis criminum liberationem, aliquibus erratorum veniam, nonnullis salute*m nullis

spoliatam ornamentis impertiisti, alios non solum jacentes erexisti, sed pristinas etiam illorum dignitates amplificasti, et adversariis nostris

Tert. Apol.

c.

xxxv.

&

Georgic.

iv.

Aurel. Victor.

f "I hope I need say nothing of Ireland, and that they alone shall not be without

our being beyond the

seas,

when, with

all

cheerfulness and obedience, they received

the benefit of

my mercy
me

they have shewed

and submitted

to our orders,

which de-

nuich affection to

abroad, and you will

I

meanour of

their's

cannot but be thought

have a care of
have promised

my
to

honour and of what

1

them."

King'* Speech
,

very worthy of our protection and justice." He promised to observe the articles of the
peace of 1648
;

to Parliament, July 27, 1660. Again in the " Declaration for the Settlement of Ire" In the last place land," Nov. 30, 1660
:

"divers persons of quality

since."

have not swerved from us

we

did,

and always must, remember the

sSirAudley Mervyn was elected Speaker of the House of Commons, principally by

great affection a considerable part of that

nation expressed to us, during the time of

He governed the Court of Claims at pleasure, and

the interest of the Adventurers.

DEDICATION.

41

greater value than tlie lives of his subjects, and in defence of their King they did not hesitate to exclaim, but in a Christian sense, may

Jupiter prolong your

life,

even at the expense of our's, for

" Not Egypt, Lydia, Mede or Parthian, more, In loyal truth, their lawful king adore,"

than the Irish honor their's.

And,
since

truly,

we have

you are eminently entitled to our most devoted loyalty, received at your hands not only the protection of a

prince,

affectionately, to plead as

but the benignity of a parent. You have even condescended our patron. For when a general amnesty of

the crimes committed

by your

subjects was proclaimed,

you earnestly

impressed on the English Parliament an oblivion of our faults, and a grateful remembrance of our services towards you you strongly advised
;

them
to all

to include the Irish in the general

f
.

mons,

When your subjects who was sent over as delegate to your palace, cried out that the magical peace made by you with the Irish should be violated, you first
ordered

amnesty graciously extended the Speaker of the Irish House of Com-

him

to

be

silent,

and then answered that

in truth

you were not

very clever in dissolving charms, but that a peace made by your auThus may we style you our parent thority should not be violated^.

and patron, as the Romans did Antoninus Pius. Among the many proofs of your clemency, the most remarkable is " the Declaration," a monument more durable than brass, whereby you have granted to some of
to others, pardon of their our countrymen exemption from trial errors and to others, their lives, with all that can make life agreeable.
; ;

Some you have not only

refused to allow the Earls of

raised from their prostrate condition, but even

Westmeath

" recovery of the confiscated property,

lest

and Fingall

to take possession of their lands,

the ruin of an English interest in Ireland

though they were restored by the King's letters. He was also one of the Delegates
of the Irish

might bear date under the best of Kings and the most vigilant Lord Lieutenant, in
the
first

Commons

to

England,
"

and
the

and,

if

not prevented, the last

Borlase,

made
King

' '

a quaint harangue
Carte, pp.

before

Protestant Pailiament there."

p.

222, 228, 230, 237.

380.

By

the English interest

Mervyn
sums of
that
is,

Perhaps the text alludes to an address of

the Irish
of

understood the late settlers exclusively

Carte, p. 228.

Commons

presented to the

Duke

He made

large

Ormonde by

their speaker,

February 13,
stricter

money by

selling

"provisoes,"

1662, in which they

rules to the

recommended

clauses restoring certain persons

to their forfeited property

by name

Court of Claims against the

Carte, p. 295.

42

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.

segerrime ferentibus, nostrates per

et

orbem terrarurn

late palatos, errantes,

vagos non in coetum aliquem e montibus, saltibus et silvis, ut primam rudium hominum multitudinern primi vitae cultioris institutores
ac magistri; sed in dulcissimam charissimamque patriam e diuturno funestoque exilio induxisti, ac proinde "reduxisti captivitatem nostram de cunctis gentibus99 ." Quare quemadmodum Cicerone, "nemo expulsus
99 invidiosius, 'aut receptus est lastius :" sic

quo lugubrior

ejectio nostra,

quibus communio relegationis tecum (quo nemo acerbiorem fortunarn expertus est, aut conNon enim stantius toleravit) intercessit, subvenire non dubitasti. " Conscius mali miseris succurrere discis." secus ac olim
eo fuit restitutio gratiosior.

Nimirum

iis,

Dido,

ipse

Mini memoriae veteris historias cogitatione volventi nihil inodo succurrit, quod hostium nostrorum crudelitatem magis ad vivum exprimat,
quain triginta tyranni, quos Atheniensibus Lacedemonii praefecerunt. " in bello fortuna Sicut enim illi Athenienses, sic isti nostrates, quibus
pepercit, patria expulerunt, et

eorum bona publicata

et asseclarum

inter se divise-

runt' 00 ."

Sicut
,

illi

confaederatas urbes perfugium exulibus praabere ve-

tuerunt 101
curarunt.

sic isti
Illi

Eegem ipsum

turmas Gallia excludi

reliquias

Atheniensium in patria persistentium armis

spoliarunt, et ex urbe demigrare inque bracliiis muri, quag diruta fuerunt, habitare jusserunt, isti nostrates inermes Connacias angustiis

coercuerunt.
98

Sed

sicut Thrasibulus cives suos 102 , sic tua Majestas suos

ii.

Jerem. xxix.

"

Veil. Paterc. lib.

10

^Emil. Prob. in Thrasib.

101

Justin, lib. v.

109

Valer.

Max.

lib. iv. c. 1.

ted Declaration

Dr. French thus describes the celebra" The first branch of the
:

manner

for so

many

different interests

declaration that satisfies the natives,

and

Declaration confirms the adventurer in his

possession;

the second secures the soldier

yet dispossesseth none of the Cromwellists." " Innocent " Catholics Settlement, p. 83.

in his debenture;

the third satisfies the

were

to

be restored without previous reeven though they had sued out

but,

forty-nine

men

(the officers
to

who had

served

prisals,

in the King's

army

1649); the fourth

lands in Connaught;
case, if

in the latter

assures the transplanted Irish the land de-

they had sold the lands, they should

creed to

the
cers

fifth

them in Connaught and Clare makes mention of those Irish offiserved His Majesty in Flanders,

restore the price to the purchaser,

prise the adventurer.

and

re-

Thirty-six Irish no-

who

as also the generality of the nation

who

blemen and gentry, who were either innocents, or claimed on Articles, were expressly

pretend to Articles.
declaration,

Is not this a blessed

named

in the Declaration to be restored

which provides in so large a

without further proof.

The King had

also

DEDICATION.

43

enemies, our countrymen,

in

advanced to higher honors, and, to the poignant mortification of our who were scattered homeless and vagabonds

many foreign

countries,

were recalled by you not into a

;

civil society

from mountains, woods, and deserts, whence the masters and creators of civilized life collected the first hordes of savage men, but to the

bosom of their own most delightful and beloved ^country, from their " thou hast brought back our protracted and cheerless exile. Truly, out of all nations ;" and, " as no man was banished with more captivity
popular odium, nor recalled with greater joy than Cicero," so with us; the more dismal our banishment, the more welcome our recall. You

have not hesitated to relieve those

who shared your own fate in exile, and no one experienced a harder fate or bore it with greater fortitude than you h Like Dido of old, " by your sad experience you have been
.

taught to succour the distressed." When I turn over before my mind's eye the long pages of history, I can find no apter parallel of the cruelty
of our enemies to my countrymen than those thirty tyrants who were forced on the people of Athens by the Lacedemonians. As the tyrants treated the Athenians, these men have treated us, "banishing from their

homes those who had escaped the horrors of war, confiscating their proAs the tyrants ordered the perty, and dividing it among themselves."
and cities not to give refuge to the exiles, so these took care that the King, and his band of faithful followers, should be excluded from France. The remnant of the Athenians who remained at
allied States

home were disarmed, and

fortifications:

driven from the city to live

among

their ruined

my countrymen were disarmed and penned up in the narrow limits of Connaught. But as Thrasibulus brought back his
your Majesty led back to their native land the
of

fellow-citizens, so has

issued private letters of restitution to several persons

York; Carte,

vol.

ii.

p. 221.

" Is

it fit,"

Carte, vol.

ii.

pp. 206, 216.

asks Dr. French,

"to expose His Royal

Dr. Lynch appears to have considered these

favorable points only, not taking into ac-

count the extreme severity of the conditions " innocence " before required to establish
the Court of Claims, and the fact that the

Highness and his princely posterity to the heavy judgments which commonly follow illegal and unjust acquisitions?" James had
a grant of
all

the lands of Miles Corbet and

of the other regicides, " formerly the estates

fund

for reprisals

had been nearly exhausted

to the

of poor Irish gentlemen

who had
and

served

by large grants

Church, Broghill, Coote, Glotworthy, Ormonde, and the Duke

under the

command

of His Highness in
Settl. p.

foreign countries."

Sale

106.

44
Hibernos dispersam
reduxisti.
et

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.

vagam vitam

Et

sicut

ille, sic

miserabiliter exigentes in patriam tu statuisti ut prseterita crimina oblivione

injuriae beneficiis vincuntur,
103

sernpiterna delerentur.

Quia "'speciosius
."

quam

odii pertinacia

pensantur

Cavent unice parentes aliquem e filiis ita beneficiis cumulare, ut aliis moveant. Nos benignissimum te parentem nacti, non veremur ut ad melius merendum de nuperis Hiberniae colonis, quam de priscis indigenis proclivior futurus sis. Lege divina monente, " si
semulationem
personas accipitis peccatum operamini, redarguti a lege quasi transgressores 104 ;" et humana statuente "ut suum jus cuique tribuatur." Horum

majores Regibus AngliaB

summum

Hibernise imperium

vi,

et

armis

primi compararunt, et multo deinde sanguine, per plures annorum centurias, in assiduis bellis, efFuso confirmarunt. Ipsi omnes animi, corporis, et

opum

nervos, ut idem

conservarentur, intenderunt.
[xv.] bus,

Sed, rebus ex
|

imperium suo Regi sartum tectum eorum voto non flueriti-

" Nullus ab conatus, non successus habenda ratio est: Etenim, eventu facta notanda putat 105 ." Nuperi coloni non ad asserendam, sed ad eripiendam Regi nostro supremam Hibernia? potestatem rebellibus
Ita indigenes et generis, et sua indole ad
et sua pertinacia ad obsis-

armis Hibernos infestarunt.

obsequendum, coloni discipline perversitate,

tendum Regi propensi

et si
si

sunt.

Cum igitur

"

difficile sit

mutare animum,
est,

106 quid est insitum moribus, id subito evellere ," credibile non

in Majestatis tuaa gratiam hi redierint, ea illos excidere posse; aut

fidos indigenas suis et

semper
iis

alienigenae diu perfidi succederent.

.

inajorum sedibus ideo ejiciendos fore, ut Non secus ac si ea multitude

gallinse filius albae,

foret

"

Nos

viles pulli nati infelicibus annis."

Non modico
103

sane gaudio efFerimur,

et,

aliquando receperint,
Valer.

quod isti coloni ad bonain se frugem nuncio rebellioni remisso, fasces authoritati
Jacob,
ii.

Max.

lib. iv. c. 2.

104

105

Ovid.

lo6

Cic. lib.

i.

Ep.

1,

ad Q.

frat.

'

In 1659 Broghill and Coote had sent

Dublin,

a convention of the estates was

7,

private emissaries to Charles.

More than

summoned, which met Feb.

1660, re-

having been dismissed by Ludlow, they seized Dublin Castle Dec. 13, 1659 a Council was formed, and, on the

200

officers

sisted the authority of the English Council,

pronounced against the King's murderers, and declared for a full and free Parliament,
All were for the Restoration, the only ques-

petition of the

Mayor and Corporation

of

DEDICATION.
miserable Irish

45

who were wandering

outcasts on the face of the earth.

And,

like him,

crimes,

" for

it

you have proclaimed an eternal oblivion of all past is nobler to conquer injuries by kindness, than to deal

out on them an obdurate revenge." Parents always specially avoid showing to one of their children such

marked kindness

as to excite the

envy of the

rest.

As you have been

a most indulgent parent to us, we have no apprehension that you will confer more favors on the late settlers in Ireland than on the old Anglo-Irish.

to persons,

The law of God himself declares " that if you have respect you commit sin, being reproved by the law as transgressors ;"
:

and- the laws of

man require "that every man shall have his right." ancestors of the old Anglo-Irish laid the foundations of English power in Ireland by their swords, and consolidated it afterwards by
The

their blood shed profusely in never-ceasing warfare during several centuries ; and the inhabitants themselves lately exerted all their powers

lable in their King.

body and soul and resources to maintain that sovereign power invioFortune did not smile on their exertions, it is true; but it is the attempt, not its issue, that must be taken into acof count.

For " no one would

say, that the

turn of events

is

the stan-

dard by which the merit of man's actions must be estimated." Those late settlers turned their rebel arms against the Irish, not to uphold but to subvert his Majesty's throne in Ireland. The natives, therefore, are

to the king

both by character and hereditary principle inclined to be loyal the settlers, on the other hand, are impelled by the evil
;

bias of their education,

then, nothing

be more

difficult

and their own obstinacy, to oppose him. If, than a change of temper, or the sudden

eradication of any deeply- rooted moral habit, is it creditable that these men should be restored to your Majesty's favor, while we are excluded?

or that the ever- faithful natives should be ejected from their

their forefathers' properties, to
~

own and

make room

for those perfidious for-

eigners

as if that

herd were
i'

All born of favorite

sires,

And we

a worthless and unlucky brood."

We

hailed with no ordinary joy the tardy conversion of those settlers, when, bidding adieu to rebellion, they laid their power at your feet'.
tion being

whether

it

should be without
in

Dublin,
pp.

May

14,

1660

Carte, vol.

ii.

conditions.

The King was proclaimed

202-3-4.

46
tuae submiserint.

EPISTOLA DEDICATOKIA.

Credimus eos, qui " prius dominum ferre non poterant 107 ," et deinde " conserve servierunt," maluisse tandem " veterem
et

clementem dominum habere, quam novum

109

et

periri

faustumque quod semper pcenitentibus patuit excepti nunc in portu navigant. Tu enim aliorum victor a misericordia victus animi generositatem ad indulgentiam
flexisti.

."

Quod

felix iis

fuit.

Nam

crudelem amplius exdementias tuse asylo,

Nimirum ut apud Romanos

viri clarissimi simul;

tates et inimicitias gravissimas Reipub. causa

eorum

offensas Eeipub. condonasti.

109 sic tu omnes posuerunt Etenim vere poenitentes (ut ait

alicubi Seneca) sunt fere innocentes.

Filius prodigus scelerate vivendi

est;

cursum ultro deserens in patris benignitate perfugium nactus eorum poenitentia, qui criminum suorum dolore capiuntur,
oblectat.

et

coelites

Utinam quam clementiam

praebuisti, tarn
illi

his excitatus exemplis

illis

hominibus

se Hibernis

comes
iis

prsestitissent,

quos vectigalibus
lienis,

exigendis sic premunt, ut omnes ab

opes exprimant, et instar

nostris contabescentibus, ipsi nostrorum divitiis intumescant, cogentes ut nostri militum stipendia, et alios quosque publicos sumptus persolvant, quiproinde onera

runt.

civium assidue sustinent, jura dudum amiseLicet autem " hue omnia referenda sint ab iis qui praesunt aliis,

ut qui erunt eorum in imperio sint beatissimi: et non modo ejus sit qui sociis et civibus, sed etiam ejus, qui servis, qui mutis pecudibus praesit,

eorum quibus
abest ut
illi

praesit

commodis

utilitatique servire" ."

Tantum tamen

nostratium emolumentis consuluerint, ut potius quamplurimum obfuerint, quippe quae nostris detracta suo peculio adglomerarunt. Proiride ut Asiaticorum animos a Romania, sic nostros a gubernatoribus alienavit " rapacitas Proconsulum, sectio publicanorum,
calumniae litium 11 '."
|

[xvi.]

Nostros etiam nee in majorum sedibus, nee in avitis sedibus consis'7 Cic.
lib.
i.

lib. ii.

Ep.

1,

108 Cic. lib. xv. Ep. 19. Ep. 3. ad Q. frat. ul Justin, lib. xxxviii.

l(

Val.

Max.

lib. iv. c. 2.

Cic.

From

the Restoration to the final "set-

tlement" of Ireland in 166o, the Catholics

ter was made the ground of an Address from the Commons to the Lords Justices,

were subjected
custom
streets.

to severe exactions
It

on ac-

recommending that all Priests,

Friars

Jesuits,

and

count of pretended plots.

to

was a common

should be secured
;

all serviceable all

drop treasonable letters in the Thus, in Dec. 1661, a forged let-

horses and arms seized

and

the trans-

planted Irish sent back to Connaught.

DEDICATION.

47

" at first could not brook a believe that they, who master," but " to afterwards " obeyed a fellow-subject," thought it better in the end have their old and clement lord rather than writhe under an upstart and

We

cruel tyrant." Happy, propitious change for them ! Safe in the harbour of your clemency, which is never closed against the penitent, they ride

Though victorious over others, you are the slave securely at anchor. of mercy, and have carried the generosity of your soul to the limits of
indulgence. Like the great lights of Roman story, who laid aside their animosities and factions for the good of the Republic, you have parpenitent, Seneca

doned, without exception, their crimes against the State. somewhere observes, is almost guiltless.

The true

father's

kindness embraced the prodigal son,

his profligate career,

when he

and heaven

itself is

voluntarily abandoned in jubilee at the conversion

of those

are sorry for their crimes. Oh that this example of your great clemency to them would induce them to show the same mercy to the Irish, whom they grind to
!

who

the earth with taxation, and rob of the spleen, while

all their

property

k
;

so that, like

skeletons, they grow plethoric on our substance, compelling us to support the army, and defray all the

we become emaciated

Our rights of citizenship are long since gone; our civic obligations are enforced without relaxation. But " though the grand object of all invested with authority ought to be the greatest
charges of the State.

good of
fined to

all

him who

subject to their power, though this obligation be not conrules over his equals or fellow-citizens, but extends

to the master of the slave,

them

to provide for the

and of the dumb beasts themselves, binding wants and interests of those under their charge,"

so far have these men been from providing for our interests, that they have injured them most severely, by amassing immense fortunes for themselves on the ruins of our's. " The rapacity of Proconsuls, the ex-

actions of the tax-gatherer,

alienated the affections of the Asiatics from the

and the devouring quirks of the law," Romans, and have profathers,

duced similar

effects

on ourselves.

After expelling

my

countrymen from the homes of their

proclamation was accordingly issued, and executed -with great rigor all tradesmen,
:

and

"Horses and arms were sought for in trunks cabinets, as they were not elsewhere to
Carte, vol.
pp. 238, 239.

who had

escaped Cromwell, were banished from Kilkenny, and the other large towns:

be found, and silver cups were denned to be

chalices."
ii.

48

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.

tere passi nostratium plures in promissos agellos non induxerunt, sed, ad ludibrium, ostiatim stipem petere coegerunt. Quamplurimi etiam e nostris extra omnes patriae limites ad incertas terras, sed certas miserias

vela facere jussi sunt.

rit;

qui inter

Ut ne auram quidem patriam iis haurire abeundum submurmurarunt

:

licue-

"

Nos

patriaa fines et dulcia

linquimus arva.

Improbus haec

tarn culta novalia miles habebit."

mam

In devictos Ethnici Romani longe humaniores erant, quibus septitantum agri partem ademptam colonis insidendam tradiderunt m
.

Licet autem per secuta tempora, superati quarta, tertia, et tandem dimidia fundorum parte, nunquam tamen duobus trientibus, ante nostrates,

spoliati fuerunt.

Et

Caesar ipse seditiosissimum

quemque

et

exturbatos ad terrarum et aarumnarum ultima emiserunt, sed Octavius " Suevos et Sicambros dedentes se traduxit in Galliam, et in proximis Rheno " bello Germanico 114 agris collocavit ." Tiberius quadraginta millia deditiorum trajecit in Galliam, juxtaque ripam Rheni sedibus assignatis
avitis prsediis

113 praedse et agri tertia parte multaverat .

Nee

collocavit 115 ."

Gillimer Vandalorum

Rex ductus Constantinopolim

in
.

triumph um
liam.

secundum triumphum, donatus est 116 Carolus Magnus Transalbiones omnes cum familiis transportavit in Galagro in Cappadocia,

Ideoque Ussherus ille nostras potissimum reformat religionis propugnaculum, ad cujus valentiam in sua religione tuenda qnidam Hectoris orationem accommodavit dicentis,
" Si Pergama dextra
Defendi possent, dextra hac defensa fuissent 117 /
1

conquestus
institutis
illas

prudentiam bene Rebuspub. olim familiarem minime adhibitam fuisse. Nam

est u8 in prseterita Hiberniaa plantatione,

novis coloniis aliquo deductis, priores indigenas certis in sedibus

Plutar. in
ii.

118
ll ?

Romulo.
118

ll3

Sueton.

1U Idem

U5 Idem.

ll6

Ratio-temp,

lib. vii. c. 5.

JEneid.

Vit. Ussher. p. 71.

'The number
must have been

of the transplanted Irish

m "All who had borne arms under

the

considerable, as they held

Confederates, or the King's Lieutenant, forfeited,

at the Restoration, 800,000 acres in

Con-

naught.

But many were

either unwilling

two-thirds of their estates."

in the
edit.

by Cromwell's Act of Settlement, See the Act

to Lingard, vol. x, fourth

or unable to accept the " miserable farms."

Appendix

Lingard,

vol. x. p. 368.

DEDICATION.

49

and their family estates, they refused to grant to many of them even the miserable farms that had been promised, and compelled them, igno1

miniously, to beg, their bread

from door to door.

A vast number of my
at their depar-

countrymen have been banished far from their native soil, to no certain settlement, but to an inheritance of misery. They were not allowed
even to breathe their native
air,

and could only

murmur

ture the indignant complaint:

" Forced from our pleasing
fields

and native home.

and sow?
"

Did we

for these barbarians plant

The Pagan Romans themselves were much more merciful

to the

vanquished, depriving them of only a seventh of their land, to be occupied by settlers ; and though, in progress of time, the confiscation of

some rose
ritory, it

to a fourth, a third, and, at last, to a half of the

conquered ter-

never extended to two- thirds before our

day. Even the ring-

leaders of sedition were not punished by Caesar himself with the loss of more than one-third of their land and property. " The Romans did not

expel the vanquished from their fathers' homes, and send them homeless beggars to the ends of the earth. When the Suevi and Sicambri laid

down

their arms, Octavius transplanted

on the banks of the Rhine."

in

planted 40,000 men who Gaul along the banks of the Rhine.
after being led in

them to Gaul, and settled them In the Germanic war, Tiberius transsurrendered themselves, and gave them lands
Gillimer,

King of the Vandals,

had lands assigned to him triumph in Cappadocia, after the triumph. Charlemagne transplanted into Gaul all the inhabitants beyond the Elbe, with their families. Hence, our
to Constantinople,

countryman, Ussher himself, the great bulwark of the reformed

gion, he, to

reli-

whose chivalrous defence of his creed some persons applied

" If by a mortal hand the Trojan throne Could be defended, 'twas by mine alone;"

the words of Hector,

even he complained that, in the former plantation of Ireland, the old

established

maxims

of all well-constituted states had been shamefully

neglected
11

For, whenever they planted colonies, certain settlements

Irish settled in the county of Tipperary, and 1000 of them took refuge in the bleak

These emigrations continued after the

Restoration.

A great

number

of the Ulster

50
collocarunt.

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.
Sic e Liguribus Apuanis montes Ainido a Consulibus P.

" traducti sunt Cornelio et M. Bebio deserere jussis publico

sumptu ad
:

quadraginta millia liberorum capitum, cum foeminis puerisque argenti data centum et quinquaginta millia, unde in novas asdes compararent 119 Fulnius Consul " Apuanos Ligures, qui circa quse opus essent ." Macram fluvium incolebant, in deditionem acceptos ad septem millia

hominum

transmisit ; inde in

in naves impositos piaster oram Hetrusci maris Neapolim Samnium traducti agerque his inter populares da-

tus est 180 ." Idem etiam Fulnius pugnando Ligures sic montibus ex" tria millia ducenti hostium, omnisque ea regio Ligurum in pulit, ut deditionem venerit." " Consul deditos in campestres agros deduxit,
141 Statellatum Ligurum qui se dedipraesidiaque montibus imposuit ." " multis millibus Senatus-consulto in libertatem restitutis, derunt,

fxvii.]

transductisque

Padum

ager est assignatus

ista et inusitata

m ."

Sed non magis nova

crudelitate in ejectos

saavi,

quam insolentes in eos fuerunt, qui domi haerentes quicquid ab harpiarum istarum unguibus radere poterant in lucro posuerunt. Quibus
"9 Liv. dec.
lib.
ii.

iv. lib. x.

531.

m Ibidem. 534.

>* Ibidem. 344.

1S2

Idem. dec.

v.

p. 58.

in

mountains, between Clare and Connaught, 1666 Orrery, June 25, 1666. Jan. 15,

English, were bound, under pain of death,

to

1666

" I

know not what

it is

to

do with those
offence,

inferior

wear yellow bands on their hats. The ranks were compelled to wear, on
round
spot, the

vagrant Ulsters.
but certainly
pie should
I

They commit no
not
fit

their right cheek, a black,

size

such herds of peo:

of a sixpence, under pain of being

move up and down a kingdom

branded, in the same place, with a

the size of a shilling for the

mark
PorDr.

have sent spies among them." July 12, 1667, he gives an account of the wretched

first offence,

and hanged as
ter, p.

spies for the second

Mac Carthy Reagh, O'Sullivan More, O'Sullivan Beare, Mac Donnel, brother of Colkittogh, and others, who were
condition of

292.
:

In his poem (p.

3, ante),

Lynch says
"

Cognovi plures auro fundisque valentes,

Queis nunc accepi vix superesse cibum, Nobilium natas, paribus quae nubere suetae,
Abjectae plebis nunc juvat esse nurus,

on the geneserrosity of some relatives in the French " I confess I do not like to have such vice
either

beggared or dependent

a crew of

men in such a

country, and have

fell to

Magnatum
pia

hseredibus, quibus ingens co-

no

tie

on them."

Kerry

the lot of

rerum
fuit, vili

% his own troop in the Confiscation.

Probably alludes
all Irish

Parta

queritur arte lucrum.

to the edict

by which

Sidera lambentis qui

mox fuit incola tecti,

casis,

noblemen, whose fathers were not

Cogitur exiguis nunc habitare

DEDICATION.

51

rians

were always allotted for the former inhabitants. Thus, when the Liguwere ordered to quit their mountains of Apua, by the Consuls P.

Cornelius and M. Bebius, they were transported to Ainido at the public expense, to the number of 40,000 men, with their wives and children,

and supplied with 150,000 sesterces to provide the necessary accommodation in their new settlements. Fulnius, the Consul, on the surrender of the

Apuan

Ligurians,

who

held the banks of the river Macra,

embarked 7000 of them, and sent them along the shore of-the " Tuscan sea to Naples, whence they were escorted to Samnium, and had lands The same Fulnius, having sucassigned to them among the natives."
ceeded in expelling the Ligurians from the mountains, "compelled 3200 of the enemy, and that whole district of Liguria, to surrender.

The Consul planted his prisoners in the plains, and erected forts in the mountains." After the submission of the Statellates Ligurians, " many
thousands of them were restored to liberty by a decree of the Senate, and, being transplanted over the Po, had lands allotted to them."

But this strange and unprecedented cruelty towards the exiles was not more atrocious than their tyranny towards those who remained at
home, and who thought themselves happy in being able to save anyAll were outraged with the thing from the claws of those harpies*.
" Auro qui fuerat permultis dives et agris,

which was to be spun

for the

English

fleet

Hie none mendicat, quern dabat ante,

cibum.
!

by the

Irish in gaol

that, if

an English-

man
sunt multi, mirabar quos

be

killed, the Irish of his district for-

quam
Craesos

modo

feit their lives; if

he

lose his property,

;

they

must compensate
Arch. MiscelL, vol.
'

his loss

that all Irish

Quos nunc mendicos cerno repente Codros."

p
i.

p. 95.

beyond fourteen years of age are the property of the Republic, to be employed on
sea or land
;

The Republican Commissioners enacted

fit

that thirty pence be levied for

;

that no office be conferred on an Irishman

absence from church, each Sunday

two-

Englishman be found that the be farmers and laborers, and have a

if
;

Irish

thirds of property forfeited for first refusal

price

of oath of abjuration; two-thirds of the rest

for second refusal.

on their labor which will barely supply them with food and clothes that a heavy
set
;

Any transplanted
or

Irish-

man

leaving his place,

any Irishman

tribute be levied

on them

that the}' supply

the public granaries with corn at the lowest

price,

going without a passport one mile beyond the district in which his name was annually
registered, or being in a

lands, far

and pay the highest for the worst from garrison, seaport, and town
;

meeting even of
life
;

four persons, forfeited his

priests,

death to

all

that they cultivate a certain quantity of flax,

and

all

who harboured E 2

or did not

52

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.

omnibus maximo contemptui tanquam Mysorum ultimis habitis, potissime magnatibus insultaverunt, quorum alios indignissimis opprobriis in os prosciderunt, et injuriis non ferendis cumularunt; aliorum latera
isti terrse filii fuste tutuderunt, et in eos 3 " crudelitate gravior est bonis ," grassati sunt. Cum tasuperbia, quge men " extrema improbitatis linea sit, etiam illudere iis quos afflixeris 124 ." " Perspicuum igiturest nostrates ludibria et verbera expertos ; insuper 125 et vincula et carceres ." Quod si nostratium vultus indignitate rerum

non secus ac mediastinorum

1 -

commotus dominatores

istos eludentes offendisset,

mox (ut Romanis

ad

Caudinas furcas contigit 126 ) gladius aut fustis intentatus fuit. Decretum profecto tuum, quo statuisti ut omnibus Hibernis graviorum homicidiorum minime reis gratia delictorum fieret, et plures

bellorum impetu prostrati in avitis sedibus postliminio collocarentur, cumulate omnium animos explevit. Eo enim aliud indulgentiae tuse

monumentum

gratius esse

non

potuit.

refert abs te jus dici equaliter et

Tamen, ut ait Cicero, parvi diligenter, nisi idem ab iis net quibus tu
1
'

"

27 ejus muneris aliquam partem concesseris ." Quse autem a te beneficia nobis afferuntur eadem a tuis in Hibernia ministris mox auferuntur,

qui verborum decreti tui sensa sic in alienos sensus torserunt, ut illud irritum fecerint, quo te ad indignationem proculdubio irritarent. Hasreditatis paternas cernendse-potestatem a te consecutos
illi

vel a posses-

123
l

Floras, lib. Lib. i. Ep. 1,

i.

c. 7.

"* Plutar. in Lacon.

125

Hebr.

c.

11.

l26

Liv. Dec.

i.

lib. ix.

ad Q.

frat,

arrest

them

no

trial

by

jury, but a court

of twenty-four in each province,

of

whom had

these

power of life and other edicts, see Hib. Dom.,

any four and death. For

p.

grand work so to qualify an innocent that it should be morally impossible to find any virum innocentem such " in rerum
natura,
quis inveniet."

Eleven qualifications were

trial,

703, et seq.
i

ordered for their

it

and these

so rigid

The Declaration,

was expected, would

and

severe, that

Clotworthy and his corn-

restore

from 5000 to 8000; but of these not 1000 were ever heard, though 4000 claims of innocence were entered in the Court
Carte, p.
r

panions (who had the wording of them) did verily believe there could not be a man

found in

all

Ireland that should pass, un-

298

Appen., vol.

ii.

p. 75.

touched, through so

many

pikes

for,

not took

"

Innocents," viz., such as had never of-

only the inoffensive persons

arms,

who never

fended his Majesty or his royal father, were

the only people to be restored without previous
reprisals.

who

never entered into the confede-

The Conventionists made

it their

racy with the rest of their countrymen, if they did but pay them the least contri-

DEDICATION.

53

especially the nobles,

most sovereign contempt, as if they were the most miserable of men, some of whom were treated to their faces with the

most opprobrious indignities and oppressed with intolerable injuries, while others were even subjected, like menial slaves, to corporal punish-

ment by those vulgar upstarts, whose licentious insolence must have been " for to add insult to " good men more intolerable than cruelty itself," of human depravity." Too evident it is, that to injury is the last excess
our nobles "have had
bands and prisons
;"
trials of

mockeries and

stripes,

moreover, also of
feel-

and should even a look betray the indignant

ings of their souls at those contumelies of their insulting tyrants (like the Romans under the gibbet at Caudium), they had the sword or the

bastinado brandished to their face.

tion of

Universal and unbounded satisfaction was given by your proclamapardon to all who had not been guilty of notorious murders,

also by your promise of restoration to many who had been driven from their paternal property by the tumults of war. No other monument of your clemency could be more acceptable* But, to use the words

and

of Cicero,

"what

avails it that the impartial administration of justice

be strictly ordered by you, if those to whom you have delegated the function do not carry it into execution ?" The very favours which you grant are instantly taken from us by your ministers in Ireland, who
distort the
as to nullify it
tion.

words of your proclamation into interpretations so strange r with the design, no doubt, of provoking your indigna,

possession of the property of their fathers have been either excluded from posses-

The very men who were empowered by you to take

bution

out

of their estates,

if

they did

nocence, viz., all

who
1

joined the Catholic

all who, at Nuncio against

but reside in the Irish quarters, although

in

Confederates before

646, and

their

own
liv.ed

houses,

not only these,

any time, adhered

to the

say,

were declared to be no innocents, but

all

" Ormonde, were declared nocents," &c.

such as
land,

the war-time in

Eng-

Notwithstanding the

strictness

of these

such as were with his Majesty at

if they re-

Tules the 'number of innocents restored

so great that Sandford, Allen,

was

Oxford, and served in his army,

oeived

and other

any rent from

their tenants in Ire-

Cromwellian

officers,

made a

plot to seize

land, were,

by

virtue of one of the eleven

to be held for "nocents."
p.

the Castle of Dublin, and overturn the Go-

qualifications,

French, Settlement and Sale,

85.

See

vernment. The House of Commons proposed even stricter rules, Feb. 28,1663, but
without success
Carte, pp. 261, 266.

Carte, p. 220, for other conditions of in-

54
sione

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.

adeunda excluserunt, vel e jam adita extruserunt. Tua Majestas diplomate cavit ut pristini quique cives in patriis urbibus mercaturam libere facerent verum iis non modo id prcestare, sed ne pernoctare
:

quidem

intra patrios muros, nisi facilitate gubernatoris, in scriptis im-

petrata, per

eosdem ministros integrum

est.
;

indigenis eas denuo incolere per te licuit

sed

Imo prioribus urbium earum incolatu ab istis

155.

Irish

Immediately after the Restoration the were recovering their properties by

law, proving descent and
title,

Miritrelsy," vol.

ii.

p.

The following is
of Mun-

the
ster

mode of filling the corporations

common

observed by Orrery, Lord President

:

but the Courts were closed by the Lords

Justices on an Address of the Irish Parlia-

of that province

"When
me

pleased to honour

your Grace was with the trust of

ment

Carte, p. 222.

" It

is

now more

naming

those in the corporations of this

than two years since the Act (the Black Bill, 25th of July, 1665) went over to Ireland,

province, I did (I take

God
to

to witness) en-

deavour, to
duty.

my

best,

discharge that

and the

fifty- four

nominees who were

I resolved

they should consist only

;

to be restored (as they verily believed) to

their chief houses

of conformable Protestants

and the way

and 2000 acres of land,

took was, to order the present magistrates

to return to

have not yet got a cottage, or one acre of

ground."
1

me

list

of such as were con-

Settlement, &c. &c., p. 93.

formable, and were fittest to be inserted in

Under the Commonwealth, Catholics

the charters.

Then

made it

my rule

that,

were prohibited, under penalty of death by martial law, to inhabit or be in any garrison,
port, or town,

before I did certify to your Grace

fit

who were
Bishop

to be inserted, to inquire of the

Scobell, p.

even in Connaught or Clare. 2 5 8. Their exclusion was con-

there, if

not of the Dean, whether those

conformable,

whom I knew not myself to be

conformable, were so ?

firmed by an address of both houses of Par-

and were by the magistrates represented as

Nay,
I did send for

liament to the Lords Justices in

p. 238),

661

Carte,

and inserted in the Act of Settlement.

the magistrates thither, and examine the

lists

Dublin and Drogheda were excepted, their "innocent" Catholic inhabitants, who had
been expelled by Cromwell, being allowed to return to their homes. But the Catholics of

they brought one by one." Sept. 17, 24,

1667. Charleville, which was his

tion,

own

crea-

admitted "neither Presbyter, Papist,

all good old ProtesYet a few Catholics were in all

nor Independent, but

tants."

other towns, whether innocent or

if

not,

were expelled, receiving,

innocent, a

the corporations of the south.

In 1661

promise of compensation in some property near the town. Galway alone received the
King's letters patent for the restoration of
its

he admitted eight into Waterford on the

petition of Sir

John Stephens. Others were

;

also licensed in Limerick

but,

on the

least

old inhabitants, and to

it,

no doubt,

rumour of disturbance, the license was withdrawn. Thus, in 1663, "he purged Waterford of Papists,

Dr. Lynch alludes.

For the obstruction of

the King's intention see Hardiman's "His" Irish tory of Galway," pp. 141, 144, and

and disarmed

all

Papists of

that city and Limerick in 1666," on the ru-

DEDICATION.
sion s , or even expelled after they

55
let-

had obeyed you. Your Majesty's

ters patent secured to the old citizens the right of free trade in their na-

tive towns:

them

to sleep within their native walls

your ministers not only refuse that right, but will not allow without written permission from

You even allowed the former inhabitants of the towns the governor. " to inhabit them again*, but your ministers forbid it. Alas! they that
moured insurrection of the famous Tory, The King had reserved Miles O'Reilly.
to himself the right of restoring Catholics to the

somely ordered

the houses, for the most

;

part, built of freestone

tants,

and the inhabi-

much

addicted to traffick, do greatly

towns by special favour, and Orrery

trade into other countries, especially into

appears to have incurred the displeasure of Ormonde, for the filling up of the Munster
Corporations..
Orr., Jan. 14,
4,

Spain, whence they used to fetch great store

of wine and other wares, every year.

1661; Feb.

" In the third place cometh Wateiford,

26, 1661;

May
;

Dec. 11, 1663

ciple

1663; Feb. 12, 1663; June 2, 1666. The prin-

and

in the fourth Limerick, the head city

of the said province (Munster), both towns of traffick, situated

on which he and his associates acted

was, that so long as the towns and garrisons were exclusively Protestant, Parlia-

of reasonable bigness

on goodly havens, and and handsomeness.

" Cork and Londonderry are less than

ment would be Protestant, and there could

be no rebellion.

any of the forementioned, but otherwise handsome places, well built, and very fitly
situated
for
traffick

The following extract from G. Boate, " Doctor of Physic to the State in Ireland,'' and brother to the Physician-General of
Cromwell's
forces, gives the relative impor-

and navigation, as

standing upon very good havens.

" As

da, Kilkenny,
sable,

tance of Irish towns and cities 200 years ago: " This island hath in it several cities,

Drogheand Bandonbridge, are pasand worthy of some regard, both for

for the rest of the towns,

bigness and handsomeness; but Colrain,

among which Dublin is

its

the principal, being

the chief city of the whole

commonwealth

Knockfergus [Carrickfergus], Belfast, Dundalk, Wexford, Youghal, and Kinsale, are

of small

harbour

is

frequented with more ships,

moment;

the best of all these

and hath greater importation of all things, than any other haven in the kingdom. In
time of peace, almost
ster
all

being hardly comparable to any of those fair market- towns which are to be found
in almost all parts of England.
for Cashel,

Leinster and Ul-

And, as

were wont to furnish themselves from

Ross,

Lismore, Clonmell, and

saries,

Dublin of all kinds of provisions and necessuch as were brought in and out of
" Next to Dublin

Kilmallock, in Munster; Sligo and Athlone, in

Connaught; Mullingar, Trim,

Kells,

foreign countries.
is

Navan, Athboy, Naas, Carlow, Arklow, and

Galloway, the head

city of the province of

reckoned, as well for

i

Connaught, to be bigness and fairness as

wide and hand-

Wicklow, in Leinster Carlingford, Atherdee [Ardee], and Down v in Ulster, all of

;

them walled towns,

they are scarce worth

for riches

for the streets are

the mentioning, because there are few

mar-

56
interdicuntur.

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.

Nempe,

" dominati sunt eorum qui oderunt

eos, et tri1

bulaverunt eos inimici eorum et humiliati sunt sub manibus eorum

;

*8

."

sed Itaque non solum authoritatis tua? aciem hebetare, obtundereque et leges, quas tu figis, refigere contendunt. Ipsorum tyranuorum acta

mortuorum rescinduntur illi quod a te adhuc superstite de" tuam dominationem spernunt, majestatem 199 et dissipaverunt legem tuam 130 ." Nimirum " audaces blasphemant
non
nisi
;

cretum

est conculcant,
,

sibi placentes 131 ,"

non authoritati

tuas sunt.

Ut autem omnes
[xviii.]

discantur ab uno.

Nuperrime

firmioris et infir-

mioris
|

sexus et

setatis

multitude ad fontem Galvias vicinum lavanda

ccmfluxit, ut salubritatem, vel natura vel S. Augustini (cujus

gerit) deprecatione aquis ejus inditam hauriret.

nomen

Ad

innoxiam hanc

turbam Gubernator Galviensis ducum suorum

tes

audacia3 satelles prgesi-

diarios milites eduxit, qui jussu ejus plumbese grandinis

nimbo insontracti

ex improviso perfuderunt
Ita ut

quorum

aliqui gravioribus vulneribus

affecti, caeteri veste,

bonisque nudati, in carceres

iste

non ducti sed

sunt.

Gubernator

reorum judex

et tortor fuerit,

cum

tamen per leges municipals capitale sit, pacatis temporibus, in non contumaces ferro grassari. Sed ille nullas tariti flagitii poenas, imo forsan prsemium tulit.
giosissimus non tulit.

Nam

cultum

sanctis exhiberi

homo

scilicet reli-

Leges tamen prima quseque religionis Catholicse Naturae profecto lege procul capita tarn gravi supplicio non plectunt.
ille recessit

prsecipiente ut, adsit

"

Regula

peccatis, quae poenas irroget sequas

Nee

scutica

dignum

horribili sectere tlagello 132 :"

et leges patriee convulsit vetantes

ut idem judicis et tortoris partes

agat.
" Scilicet
is

cujus paulo fuit ante farina?

Pelliculam veterem retinet 133 ."

Nimirum rebellionis
mansuefactus
128

faece

nondum

penitus eluta, pacis legibus non adeo

est,

quin mentem adhuc et

13

manum armatam gerat,

ii.

supre-

Ps. cv.

Judze, v. 8.

Ps. cxviii.

131

2 Pet.

13?

Hor. Ser.

iii.

133

Pers. Sat. v.

ket- towns in England, even of the meanest,

best of

them

all."
i.

Natural History of

which are not as good or better than the

Ireland, chap.

sec. vi. p. 5.

DEDICATION.

57

huted them had dominion over them, arid their enemies afflicted them, and they were humbled under their hands." The force of your authoand contemn ; your very laws are subjected rity they not only nullify The enactments of tyrants are not rescinded before their to revision.

death

your laws

are, in

your own

life- time,

treated with derision,

by

and have made despise dominion and blaspheme majesty, void thy law," " self-willed, audacious men," not submissive to your

men "who

authority.

But let us take one characteristic example. Not long ago, a great multitude of persons, men, women, and children, assembled to bathe in a well near Galway, expecting to benefit their health by the salubrity
whose name which the waters have from nature or the prayers of St. Augustine, it bears. The Governor of Galway, in compliance with the

officers, headed the soldiers of the garrison that inoffensive crowd, and ordered them to discharge, without against the slightest warning, a shower of bullets among the poor innocents ;

audacious tyranny of his

and

some were dangerously wounded, others were robbed of their clothes all their property, and were dragged, riot, escorted, to prison. This Governor was thus constituted judge as well as torturer of the accused,
it is

though by the law of the land

a capital qffence to assail

offer

by

force of

arms, in times of peace, persons

who

no resistance
for his
he,

to authority.
:

But no penalty was

was rewarded
not punish
penalty.
;

inflicted

on this

man

crime

perhaps he

for,

pious

man

that he was,

forsooth, could not

tolerate the worship of the saints.

all

The laws

of the land, however, do

the leading points of Catholic faith with such a ferocious

of nature most certainly lays principle, prescribing, that

"

The law

down

a far different

penal code with justice must not clash

Nor

wield, for trivial faults, the torturing- lash

:"

to be both judge and executioner.

"

he trampled on the laws of his country, which prohibit the same Thus,

man

No

doubt, retaining his old callous skin,

still

His recent fury rankling

within."

But the foul stain of rebellion had not been yet purged away, nor had the gentle spirit of peace disarmed his hand or heart, ever steeled to

58

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.
uutibus extra dubium serviens.

morum magistratuum

gravissirnis,

quibus nos magistratus opprimit mails, illud non postremum est, quod, ubi primum gratiae alicujus a vestra majestate nobis impendendae timor
bus,

mentes eorum subiit; illico, vel ipsis, vel ipsorum emissariis authorirumor clam spargitur, clandestina molimina contra Rempub. ab
Hibernis adornari. Eaque de causa confestim
satellites in

eorum domos

ex improvise irrumpunt, angulos quosque

tela in procinctu

sollicite

rimantur, et omnia

tuendam

posita exportant.

ad familiam, remque familiarem a prsedonum impetu Inde hominum latera latronum ferro ; aedes
patent.

expilationi

furum indefensa

Marcus Furius Praetor insontibus

ademerat arma.
Id Ceno-

Cenomannis, in pace speciem

belli quaerens,

manni conquest! Eoma3 apud Senatum, rejectique ad Consulem Mmi-'

lium, cui ut cognosceret statueretque Senatus permiserat, magno certamine cum Praetore habito, tenuerunt causam arma reddita Cenoman:

decedere Provincia Praetor jussus 134 Hinc nos in minime dubiam spem venimus, quod beneficium Pagani barbaris impertierunt, illud fidissimos subditos ab aequissimo Rege, unicoque causae nostrae perfugio
nis,
.

relaturos

mannis,

sic ille a

quern enixe rogamus, ut, quemadmodum Consul a Cenonobis injurias et earum authores arceat.

[xix.]

felicitas nobis aemulationem non raro " habent pacem ex omni parte in circuitu;" sic metus omnis expertes, sicut " habitabant Juda et Israel absque timore ullo,

Aliarum Europse gentium

|

movit,

quae

tis

unusquisque sub vite sua, et sub ficu sua a Dan usque Bersabe, cuncdiebus Salomonis 135 ." Nos vero a Profectis nostris, etiam Carolo

pacis instauratore ac proinde Salomone nostro Rege, et penatibus et finibus patriis extrudimur. Alia? gentes rerum omnium abundantia

nos earum inopia contabescimus. Illae non tantum civitatem non ammittunt, sed et advenas in cives novos asciscunt: apud nos ingenuitatem peregrini consequuntur, cives in peregrinitatem re-

circumfluunt

134

Liv. dec. iv. lib. ix. paulo post initium.

13i

3 Reg.

iv.

u
lies

Under the

Protectorate, Irish Catho-

mation

may

issue,

requiring all

men who
Army,
of

were prohibited, under pain of death, to have arms in* their houses or premises.

are not of the civil list of the

Peers,

who have

seats in Parliament, or of

They were disarmed by proclamation, Dec.

1661,
Carte, p.
vol.
ii.

the Militia,
thirteen

and who have horses above

238 and, again,

; ;

in

1663,
" I

Cox,

p.

see p. 46, supra, n.

humbly

offer to

your Grace, that a procla-

hands high, or any fire-arms, to bring them in by a certain day to a place and person appointed, under a severe pe-

DEDICATION.

59

One of the execute what were, no doubt, the orders of his superiors. is, that as soon as they catch the slightest rumour of any graces intended for us by your Majesty,
most intolerable of our heavy grievances
reports are instantly circulated, either by themselves or their emissaries, that the Irish are concocting treasonable machinations against the State. Our houses are suddenly burst open by their satellites, and

every corner searched, and the arms, which are the sole protection of The lives of the inhathe family, and their property, are carried off".
bitants are thus left defenceless to the steel of the assassin,

and their

exposed to the assaults of the robber. The unoffending Cenomanni, on the false grounds of their disaffection, being once robbed of
houses
lie

their arms by the Praetor, Marcus Furius, they lodged a complaint before the Senate at Rome, and were referred to the Consul ^Emilius, who was
fully authorized to

examine and decide on their cause.

After a violent

contest they succeeded ; their arms were restored, and the Praetor was withdrawn from his Province. Surely we may well indulge a hope,

that a benefit conferred

us, the

by Pagans on barbarians will not be denied to most loyal subjects of a most just Kiiag, who is now our only Most earnestly we implore him, that he may be to us as the refuge. Consul to the Cenornaimi, a shield against injustice and its perpetrators.

The happiness of
;

the other nations of

Europe has often excited our

" they have peace on every side round about;" they know no fear, envy " but dwell, like Juda and Israel, without any fear, everyone under his vine and under his fig-tree, from Dan to Bersaba, all the days of Solo-

mon." But we are expelled from our home and country by our Governors, during the reign of Charles, our Solomon, the restorer of peace. Other nations overflow with abundance of all things we are emaciated
:

by want.

They not only do not

;

lose their civic rights,

:

accessions to the roll of their citizens

v amongst us

the natives are

made

but make daily the foreigner is naturalized alien. In foreign cities majestic

nalty,

under a promise of compensation in

Orrery. Dec. 1666.

jects,"

Irish Stat.,CaT. II. vol.

iii

p.

499,

due time."
v

"All aliens, merchants, traders, artizans, who, within seven years, settled in Ireland, and took the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy, were adjudged
free

provided they took none Jbut Protestant apprentices. p. 502. A. D. 1662. By this

measure

it

was proposed
See

to

fill

up the void

created by the exclusion of all Catholics

and natural sub-

from towns

p. 54,

note

l
,

supra.

60

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.

diguntur. In urbibus exteris, aut in editam altitudinem aedificia recentia surgunt, aut vetera instaurantur in nostris, nee unius domus fun:

damenta jaciuntur, et veteres ruinosae corruunt* et parietibus adamanti soliditate paribus vitium
rietinas maceriasque mutatis.

tectis pluviae perviis,

facientibus, ac in pa-

Qui nunc apud nos rerum summas pro-

ficiuntur

urbium

cedes vacuas habitatoribus esse malunt,

quam

priscis

dominis tanquam inquilinis pretio locare. Alias domus vel illiberalium officinal vel commessantium popinae, vel insontium custodia? factse aut

operarum
vena3

strepitu, aut
:

ebriorum vocibus, aut afflictorum gemitibus

assidue personant

in aliis antehac splendida suppellectili ornatis ad-

gratuitis lautisque conviviis

iis

mens93que cauponum venales

nunc diversoria, excipiebantur adeundas sunt. Sicut in exteris urbi:

:

bus, sic et in nostris negotiatio cumulate floruit

in nostris

nunc peni-

tas emarcuit, mercaturae faciendae facultate civibus

adempta, alienigenis

quibusvis indulta. Extera rura priscos incolas sua negotia ministeriaque citra tumultum obeuntes continent priscorum nostri ruris possessorum aures vocibus obtunduntur aientium " veteres coloni."
:

quotidianis

migrate

Peregre templis ornandis strenue incumbitur apud nos tempi a vel solo aequata, vel imbribus pervia, vel tribunalibus homines morti adju:

dicautibus, vel

illicitis

aliis

negotiis profanata

sunt.

Exteris

vita?

w Some attempted to build, Oct. 19, 1666. "They have lately set up in an island, called
Brintine, in Clare,

guardian, was then absent.

Their caps,

vestments, chalices, &c., were also seized

on,

an abbey of Franciscans

and they themselves sent

to the gaol of

where [the gift of Maurice O'Connell], they wear their habits, and do all things
else as

that county: the

let

gaol being

ruinous,

them out on

bail.

There was another

openly as

if

they were in Rome.

of the Justices

was

desired

by some

of

monastery of the same order at Quin, in the same county but those, being subscri;

Peace, in the said county, to send to demolish that abbey, and to seize on the
friars,

bers, I did not

meddle with."

He complains
so intft-

that the Clare Papists had

lent that

grown

but I would do nothing

till

re-

Orr. ceived your Grace's commands." few months later, Jan. 4, he writes
:

A
"I

" one Mahony gave the High Sheriff a box on the ear, and MacNamara
ran a Justice of Peace through the arm."

have,

by an order of the new sheriff of Clare, seized on the friars who erected a

The

subscribers were, probably, those

their

who
total

had given

names

to the celebrated

formal monastery in Brentry (Brintine). There were then but four of the friars in
the said monastery: Francis Broody, their

Remonstrance of Father Walsh. The

number

of Catholic clergy in Ireland, at

this period,

was about 2000, including 400

DEDICATION.
piles of

61

new buildings
:

are repaired

are every day towering to the skies, or old ones with us the foundations of not a single house are laid w ,

rains,

while the old are heaps of crumbling ruins, their roofs open to the and their adamantine walls rent, or mere shells and shapeless
masses.

The men who

are

now

at the

than allow the former landlord to rent his

it

head of our Government, rather own house in the town, leaves

into

uninhabited.

Some mansions have been degraded

workshops of

the mechanical arts, or taverns for the revellers, or prisons for the innocents, and daily resound to the noisy hum of the trades, or the yells
of the drunkard, or the groans of the afflicted
;

in others, once

adorned

with costly furniture, the stranger was ever welcome to the hospitable and splendid board now he must go to inns or taverns, where food is
;

doled out for money. Commerce was not less busy or profitable in our x cities than in those of other countries, but now it has fallen to decay all right of trading being taken from the natives, allowed to though
,

foreigners of all sorts.

old rural populations of other lands devote themselves to their peaceful labours and avocations in happy security, but the mournful

The

" old rural tenants away," grates daily on the ear of the old occuIn other countries temples are zealously decorated ; pants of our soil. with us they are either levelled to the ground, or roofless, or desecrated

doom,

by

tribunals which

condemn men
life

to death, or similar sacrilegious uses.

:

Foreigners enjoy security of

Franciscans, 200 Dominicans,
tinians,

and liberty

we have
"
:

neither.

They

00 AugusWalsh,

and 100 of other regulars

p.

cattle to England Our usage in England amazes me. I wish they may not feel that,

Hist,

of Remons.,

575.

The Catholic
va-

in

wounding

us,

clergy at present, secular and regular, do

And when England

it will

they wound themselves, does feel the mischief,

not exceed 2800.

riously estimated.

The population
Orrery gives
it

is

as

4000

new

policy,

condemn the short-sightedness of this and look on Ireland through a

I will

Protestants, capable of bearing arms, the

truer optic.

never so

army included.

"

I believe the Scotch Pres-

the King's care of any of his

tives as to fancy

much doubt own prerogashall

its

byters, &c., are double that

number, and

an Act in England
particular trade.

the Papists quadruple the

number of both."
the only suf-

be admitted to bind Ireland in point of

Dec. 14, 1666.*

*

own
restrictions.

rates,

and

its

As

The Catholics were not

from commercial

ferers

The
re-.

they destroy our estates, they act wisely in endeavouring to suppress our titles for no;

policy recoiled on its authors.

Orrery

bility

and beggary are not over

14, 1666.

consistent."

marks on the prohibition of exporting

Irish

December

(52

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.
Illos sui cives,

libertatisque securitas, neutra nobis in vado est.

nos

peregrin! gubernant.

Illorum

filii

litteris

hospites et peregrini sunt.

Apud

excoluntur, in quibus nostri eos sacerdotes in honore apud nos

;

in ergastulis, silvis, uliginibus, aut latibulis sunt.

inaugurations

Isetitia, libertas aliis

Regiae carcere detentis indicta solos sacer-

In

communi

dotes sacerdotii solum tanquam gravissimi flagitii reos e longo et lugubri custodiarum incolatu non eduxit. Per totum Christianum orbem

lex

dudum

et

consuetude

tulit,

servituti quernque subduceret: tui

ut una Christianse religionis professio tamen Hiberni ab uxorum libero-

rumque complexu
Ita ingenui

abrepti ad Indias a togatis quibusdam vulturibus deportati sub hasta veneunt.

homines mancipii conditionem subire,

et ministeria

inusitata quasdam vilitatis novitate abjecta obire coguntur. Isti enim ad negotiationem Indicam designati publicanos per jocum [xx.] institores
|

rogare consueverunt ut,

turn

cum

ex Hibernis, post for tunas omnes publicis

sumptibus exhaustas, succum

serint,

largiantur,

omnem tanquam e malis aureis expreseorum corpora tanquam malorum aureorum cortices ipsis e quibus non mediocre compendium deinde perciperent.
" " dati sunt in " et uxores praedam infantes Hibernorum, in exterminium, et sancta eorum
leville],

Quamobrem
eorum
>'

in divisionem, et civitates
hie nos quart um tabulatum as-

"Non

cendimus ultra

hear him

with a great concourse of people to but I have sent him fair warn;

Ut nobis

fiat concio, sive

sacrum

Grandibusintemplis, palam veneranda

locatur

he relapses, according to law."

ing, if

I shall deal

with him

Orr., Oct. 19, 1666.

Priest-hunting was. at this time, a very

serious part of the duties of Orrery
;

Non

in despectis, hostia sacra, casis,

fit

thus,

Cunctis Catholici
cultus."

aperta professio

six priests having landed from France, near

Arch.Miscell.,vol.i.ip.93.

Dingle, in Kerry, in 1666, he complains

there

These

lines,

written

by the Author while

pic-

was no

prohibition against them, nor

an exile in France, suggest a correct

ture of the state of the Catholics in Ireland.

power to secure their papers or persons. The same year four friars and a nun, the daughter of

" The fourth " the story," lurking places,"

O'Connor
:

Sligo, landed

from France

and "lowly hovels;" the uncertainty even of that indulgence, dependent as it was on
the caprice of individual magistrates,

in

Kerry the nun went by Carrigafoyle to two of the friars to Clonmel, and Clare
;

who

two
Jan.

to Killarney,
4, 22,

could punish the priest for celebrating mass, " One agree with contemporary authorities
:

where they were secured, 1666. Yet Orrery's sister, Bar(.vtc),

rymore, was married to Jack Barry

priest

had the insolency

to

say public mass

" a firm Papist," and his niece to the Earl

of Clancarthy,

within a carbine shot of this house [Char-

who would

not be married

DEDICATION.
are governed

63
Their children receive

by

fellow-citizens

we by

aliens.

contraband and penal for our's. With them the clergy are honoured, with us they are either in dungeons or y In the midst of the universal jubilee for the forests, bogs, or caverns
a learned education,

which

is

King's coronation, the grace which unbarred the dungeons for all other prisoners left the priests alone to expiate in their gloomy cells and 2 The universal and rusty chains the execrable crime of priesthood
.

long-established law and custom of the Christian world have%xempted from slavery all who profess the Christian religion, but your Irish subjects are torn

tures,

from the arms of their wives and children by civic vuland transported and sold as slaves in India*. Thus free-born citizens are robbed of their liberty, and condemned, by

the most uriheard-of degradation, to the vilest offices. Nay, those who were appointed factors for the Indian trade used to jocosely ask the collectors of the revenue, that

when the

entire property of the Irish

State,

was ex-

whole juice squeezed out of the golden apples, then the rind of those apples, the wretched bodies of the Irish, should be bestowed on them, to enable them to amass a fortracted
>;ne

by the public charges of the

and

tune.

Thus " were the children "

off,

of the Irish

"madeaprey

b
,

and their

wives carried

and their

cities destroyed,

and their holy things pro-

except by a
ple.

priest,

which caused some scruto his uncle

language was then commonly spoken in

the Island of Montserrat.
b Irish

But Robin Fitzgerald wrote

:

" Orrery My Lord Clancarthy will not be married but by a priest." Jan. 22, 1666.
z

boys and

girls

to Jamaica,

and other

islands.

were transported " Although

Peter

Walsh says he

delivered 120

we must
girls) up,

use force in taking them (the

yet, it

priests

from prison,

many

of

whom had
Hist.

being so

much

for their

been taken before the Restoration

own

of liemons., p. 9. a " Ultra centum millia omnis

et fetatis, e

good, and likely to be of so great advantage to the public, it is not in the least

sexus

doubted that you

of

may have

such number
Letter of
to

quibus aliquot miHia in diverreligata

them as you

shall think

fit."

sas Americse tabaccarias insulas

sunt."

Henry Cromwell; who

transport 1500 or
iv.

also proposed

Bruodin,

p.

693

2000 boys

Thurloe,

"Malta millia virum sunt ad Garamantas

et

23, p.

40

apud Lingard.

"By

order

Indos
procul
;

of Parliament, 1657, all the children of the

Amandata

quse periere situ."

native Irish of Meath, Ulster, Leinster, and

Poem, by
in the

the Author, supra, p. 3.

The Editor heard from a person who was West Indies in 1800, that the Irish

Munster, beyond twelve years of age, were to be sent to England, and educated Protestants."

Hib.Dom.,

p.

707.

64

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.
in pollutionem, et fierent

eorum
"

opprobrium gentibus

136

."

Quidam

Ligures sese M. Popilio Consuli dediderunt nihil quidera pacti; speraverunt tamen non atrocius quam Superiores Imperatores Consulem
in se sseviturum.

At

ille

arma omnibus ademit,

illi

ipsos,

vendidit.

Atrox

res visa Senatui, ideoque

bonaque eorum placuit M. Popilium

Consulem, pretio emptoribus reddito, ipsos restituere in libertatem,

bonaque ut iis reddantur curare, arma quoquo tempore fieri in ea gente Consulem^ie Provincia decedere cum deditos in sedem suam Ligures
;

restituisset 137 ."

Ultimse crudelitatis

exemplum

a Popilio institores

isti

mutuati sunt,
vestra

dum

sicut ille Ligures, sic isti nostros bonis patritis et

quorum flagitio cum Majestas abhorreat, par est ut prudentissimi Senatus imitatione justitiam clementiamque tuam nobilitare constituas. Quid multis moror ? Nullaa sunt nocendi artes, quas in Hibercos
avitis spoliates, nefarie vendiderunt.

plurimum

non exercuerunt, nullum virus quod non effuderunt nullum tormentum quod non intentarunt. Nee Juno aut Euristheus Hercuinimici

lem

tot laboribus fatigasse creduntur.

est.

omnis fortuna ferendo

justitiae; si

Sed quicquid id est superanda " Si lex nocentem punit, cedendum est

139 innocentem, cedendum est fortunse ." Turn dolor decrescit " Ea ubi quo crescat non habet. quae acciderunt non ad interitum sed 139 correptionemsunt generis nostri ." "Ad emendationem et non ad perdi-

tionem nostram evenisse credamus 140 ." "Dominus non accendit

omnem

iram suam 141 ."

dica.

In hac vita manus Dei percutiens, materna est et me-

Propter peccata nostra hsec patimur, et si nobis propter increpationem et correptionem Dominus Deus noster modicum iratus est, sed iterum reconciliabitur servis suis 142 ." Imo tandem aliquando "fidelis

"

Deus qui non patitur nos

tempestive subvenit. dine mali, et imperavisse Angelo, qui percutiebat, sufBcit, jam cesset manus" tua 144 ; dum summam in nos menti tuae benignitatem immisit.
136

143 quod possumus ," nobis " miser tus fuisse Videtur enim super magnitu-

tentari ultra id

141

Judith, iv. Ps. Ixxvii.

13 ?

Liv. dec. v.
2.

lib.

ii.

p. 45.

138

Seneca.
144

139

2 Machab.

vi.

14

Judith,

viii.

142

Machab.

vii.

143

1 Cor. x.

1.

Paralip. xxi.

"

Integra

peste, fame, et ferro

jam subjugata Hibernia, a Deo ob ingratitudi-

clesiis,

altaribus dejectis, sacris imaginibus

confractis,

crucibus conculcatis, sacerdotisacris

nem

et

incomparabiles dissensiones et tricas

bus

dissipatis, et supplicio afFectis,

violatis,
et

punita, profanatisque ubique locorum EC-

virginibus

denique

omnibus,

DEDICATION.
faned,

00
"

and themselves made

a reproach to the Gentiles."

Some Ligu-

M. Popilius, Consul, but with the hope that the Consul would not be more rigorous in his punishments than former generals. But he deprived them all of their arms,
rians surrendered without conditions to

and sold themselves and their property. The Senate judged the procedure too atrocious, and accordingly decreed that the Consul, M. Popilius,

to liberty, see

should return the price to the purchasers, restore the prisoners them re-established in their properties, and allow the
all

manufacture of arms at

times

among

that people

finally, that

the

Consul should

retire

from his province when he had restored the sur-

rendered Ligurians to their state." The profligate cruelty of this M. Popilius towards the Ligurians was the model of the Indian factors,

who

plundered our countrymen of their paternal and hereditary property, and then nefariously sold them as slaves. But why dwell on these facts ? There is no species of injury which
first

the enemies have not inflicted on the Irish

no virulence which they have

not disgorged; no torture which they have not threatened. The labours of Hercules himself, imposed by Euristheus or Juno, were not more

numerous.
fortune.

But, whatever they be, patience can triumph over every "If the law punish the guilty, we must bow to justice; if the Affairs must mend when they have innocent, we must bow to fate."

to the worst. "The things that happened are not for the destruction, but for the correction of our nation ;" " let us believe that they have

come

happened
it is

for
all

not kindle

our amendment, not for our destruction." "The Lord did his wrath." When the hand of God strikes in this life,

like the

mother and the physician.

" For

we

suffer thus for

our

and though the Lord our God is angry with us a little while for our chastisement and correction, yet he will be reconciled again to his
sins,

own good time, God will come to our and will not suffer you to be tempted faithful, " He seems to have taken above that which you are able. pity for the greatness of the evil, and said to the angel who destroyed It is enough,
servants."

Most

certainly, in his
is

assistance, for

he

now

stop thy hand."

Therefore doth our whole nation earnestly imreliqui Catholic! qui in Insula
1 '

susque deque juxta libidinem quatuor de-

passi sunt,

putatorum a Parliamento assignatorum positis scribi non potcst quseet quanta mala

remanserunt.

Biuodin,

Firbis said, "

Cod

is

p. 693. But, as wide in a strait."

66

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.
:

Quare te gens universa poetae verbis enixius obsecrat "eripe me his " de necessitatibus meis erue me 145 ." invicte mails, et redde quieti :" [xxi.] Malorum hanc molem ab Hibernis tuis amoliri, et eos a servitute in
|

libertatem, ab exilio in patriam, a vagis sedibus in certas et fixas, ab " fac alienis finibus ad avitos educere nitaris, et judicium et justitiam,
et libera vi
146 oppressum de manu calumniatoris ."

Sicut ad patrem filiorum ; sic ad principem subditorum gloria dedecusque redundat. Proinde qui nobis exitium, iidem honoris tibi dispendium prociildubio moliuntur. Exorere igitur sol noster, et ea-

opera nebulas dignitatis tuae splendorem obscurantes, et jacturae infamiasque caliginem nobis ocyus inducentes fulgoris tui radiis tempestive dissipa. Et aequi bonique consule quod rerum nostrarum veri-

dem

tatem vel adversariorum commentis adulterari, vel fuco illini solitam, non cerussatam aut adulationis calamistiis inustam, sed simplicem,
apertam, et
illos,

sua nuditate splendentem hactenus protulerim, non in quibus optime cupio, invehendi, sed civibus consulendi studio. Quorum linguis dominantium in patria metus silentii fraenum inje;

cit

beantur.

quo

iis ipsae lachrymal pro contumacia hadissimulatione ipsa dolor hoc altius demissus, propterea minus profiteri licet. Ego vero extra patriam et gubernatorum

nostri

enim verentur ut ab

Ac

ejus potestatem positus malo rupti silentii periculum,

^quam

servati

" crimen subire. Quia, si officio rite fungimur, non possumus quae vidi147 ." Praaterea ne tot miseriae gentis nostras mus et audivimus non loqui
visceribus altius insiderent,

earum aliquibus, non omnibus, in lucem educendis et ad vos deferendis officium orationis offuciarum expertis
;

non invitus impendi

ut

illis, si

non penitus

liberetur, saltern levetur.

Integrum mihi persuadens

145

S.

Ambrosii verbis ad Theodosium Imperato14 7

Ps. xxiv.

u6 Jerem. xxii.

Act.

iv.

20.

The Author

assigns, in the following

" Ediderara

libros, et- in his

ego culpo mi-

lines,

one of the reasons

:

why he would

not

nistros

return to Ireland

Regis supremos,

nil nisi

vera loquens.

Non

"Mens

avet ad patrios rursum remeare

penates,

mequinodiis sectentur ininuis, Et timeo frangant ne mihi reste gulam.

dubito,

Multa

iter

at sistunt

impedimenta

" Libertate fruor, qua

me

spoliare laboras

meum.

Libertas vita est plus adamata mihi

DEDICATION.
:

67

" Save us, O! unconquered hero, plore you in the words of the poet from those evils, and grant us peace." " Deliver me from my necessities." May you endeavour to raise this weight of affliction from your
Irish subjects their country
;

to bring

them from slavery

to liberty

from exile to

from the outcast's roamings to a fixed and certain home; from a stranger land to the land of their fathers; " and do justice and
;

judgment, and deliver him that hands of the oppressor."

is

oppressed by violence out of the

As

children, so it

the glory or infamy of a father is inseparable from that of his is with the prince and his subjects. The men who are

Arise, plotting our destruction are the mortal enemies of your name. then, sun of our fortune, and scatter, with the benign beams of thy

splendour, the clouds that obscure the brilliancy of your own name, and are rapidly consigning us to the dark night of ruin and infamy. Do not be offended if I present to you the naked truth on the state of our
affairs,

which has

so often

been disguised, or dressed in

false colours,

by the prejudiced accounts of our enemies, but which you behold here, simple, candid, and in her own naked majesty, without the false complexion or artificial curls of deception, recording plain facts, not from malevolence towards our enemies, to whom I wish well, but for the good
,of

my

raising their voices

countrymen, who are deterred by their tyrants at home from d Their very tears, they know, would be punished as
.

is the more deeply seated, as it is more violently repressed. I, however, being far from my native land, and out of the power of her governors, prefer the danger of public re-

rebellious, and, therefore, their grief

monstrance to criminal silence6

I have cannot but speak the things zealously embraced the opportunity of laying before you an unvarnished statement of some only of the miseries of my countrymen, in the hope

Duty imperatively requires which we have seen and heard'."

.

" that

we

that

some of them

at least

may be

redressed,

and may not strike their

inveterate roots into the heart of my country.

The address

of St.

Am-

brose to the

Emperor Theodosius,
non venditur

I feel assured, has

taught you, that

" Libertas etenira quovis

auro.

"
Fit,

voces ardet carpere

nostro quid

nemo meas.
acerbius exci-

At quando
ampla
dit ori

Hic, mihi dicendi quiequid libet

potestas

In patriis

oris,

carptor iniquus adest."

F 2

68

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.
non regium esse libertatem dicendi non dicere 148
.

rein prolatis Majestati tuse indicare

negare, nee sacerdotale

quod

sentiat

Humanitatis igitur vestrae fiducia fretus affirmare non dubitabo, post tot molestiarum vacuitatem, aut ad minus levationem tuo nobis
beneficio collatam, nos ad felicitatis exoptatee

culmen a

te citra

dubium

evectum

iri

si

quam subditorum conditionem Angli Scotique nacti

sunt nos tuo munere impetremus. Ac prirnum, si libertatis integritatem, qua illi in patria gaudent, nos in Hibernia consequamur. Summo enim libertatis fruendse studio tenemur, quam " nemo bonus nisi simul cum anima amittit 149 ." In Anglia et Scotia ad Regem omnium potestas, ad singulos proprietas pertinet. Omnia Ilex imperio possidet ; sin150 guli dominio. In imperio Csesaris omnia sunt, in patrimoiiio propria
.

Hiberrii nihil magis in optatis habeht

honestari, quo- non sua, sed
potiori tarn en ad

quam hujusmodi libertatis gradu adversariorum culpa dudum exciderunt

;

eum locum

sibi

vendicandum jure

nulli genti sceptro

[xxii.]

tuo subjects quam Hibernis suppetente. Quare, ut proverbio dicimus " Rex Jupiter omnibus idem :" sic non dubitamus quin tu nos in
|

eadem cum

tuis aliis subditis justitiae gratircque trutina positurus

sis.

Reges lium suum adsciscunt, ut,

dis securius prospicerent.

pluribus regnis imperantes e

iis

consultis,

quoque regno singulorum regnorum cornmo-

selectos in conci-

Gives enim patriae res exploratius norunt,

et ardentiori studio ad eas expediendas feruntur,

quam

alieuigenae, qui

quam

in aliena regione, tarn in ejus negotiis hospites et peregrini, vel

ignoratione

rerum

laborantes, vel privatis aut

amicorum commodis

ser-

vientes, suis consiliis ei

non consulunt, sed

si

earn evertunt.

'Imo pere-

grini eminentiorem aliquam in Repub. po'testatem nacti suspicionem

indigenis movent.

Quae

justa

est,

amoveri debet;

si

injusta, indige-

narum voluntas magis

Sic David alienigenarum. " bonus fuerit ^Icut 151 " tamen Achis Rex Geth, quamvis Angelus Dei satrapis poscentibus, eum utpote peregrinum suo contubernio excedere
est

explenda

quam

et in

patriam concedere

jussit.

Ea

fuit gentis nostraa

calamitas ut,

anteactis temporibus,

apud

decessores vestros

non Hiberni ad consilium

205.

149
151

Ep. xxix. Reg. xxix.

l49

Salust in Catalin.

15

Seneca apnd Bodin in Method,

p.

Giraldus Cambrensis complained that

first

John's followers. Hib. Exp. p. 812. The like

the

adventurers were robbed by King

complaint was made in every age to 1688.

DEDICATION.
a

69

king should not refuse liberty of speech, nor a priest speak otherwise than he thinks.

Relying, then, with the firmest confidence, on your clemency, which has already procured for us the cessation, or, at least, the alleviation of so many grievances, I do not hesitate to assert that you will have

crowned our most sanguine hopes of happiness, if you graciously extend to us the privileges and rights of your English and Scotch subjects.

And first, that we shall enjoy that full liberty, in Ireland, which they have in their country. Liberty is the dearest object of our aspirations, that liberty " which no good man resigns except with his life-blood."
dividuals.

In England and Scotland, power belongs to the King, property to inThe King holds all by his regal power, individuals by pri-

title. In the empire, all things are Csesar's; in private property, the subject's. The possession of this individual liberty 'is the greatest happiness the Irish desire they have been long since deprived of it, not

vate

through any fault of their own, but by the malice of their enemies, and
they

now demand

its

restoration, with^as
sceptre.

good a

title as

any nation

under your Majesty's

As

the

common proverb makes "Jove

the impartial King of all," we are confident that you will place us in the same scale of justice and favour as your other subjects.

When Kings hold several kingdoms under their sceptre? their council composed of men selected from each, that the interests of all may be secured by their combined deliberations. A native is always better
is

acquainted with the state of his country, and more zealous for her interests, than a foreigner, who is usually not less a stranger to her
interests than he
affairs,
is

by

birth, being either profoundly ignorant of her

or seeking only to serve his friends or other individuals, and thus destroying, instead of promoting, her happiness. Nay, the natives of all countries invariably regard with suspicion foreigners who are

any distinguished place in the government. If the suspicion just, why should not its grounds be removed; if unjust, are not the wishes of the native citizens entitled to more deference than those of
raised to

be

Thus, David, though "he was good as an Angel of God," foreigners. was dismissed by Achis, King of Geth, at the request of the Satraps, and ordered to go forth from the palace, and return to his own country,
because he was a stranger. This has been the crying grievance of f Ireland in former times that your predecessors governed her by the
,

70

EPISTOLA DEDICATOKIA.

trum exitium

Ex quo fonte nosenim examina in Hiberniam idenPeregrinorum tidem confluxerunt, quse Hibernis -nullo commodo, sed quamplurimo
de rebus Hibernicis.,. sed peregrin! adhiberentur.
fluxit.

dispendio afficiendis solerter incubuerunt, et opes iis assidue abreptas sibi sedulo accumularunt. Quamobrem omnibus votis Hiberni nunc

expetunt, ut,

si

non plures,

saltern

unus

e proceribus nostris a latere

sit,

nunquam

discedat, sed tibi

semper

prgesto

tiones, salubriores monitiones, et ad Hiberniae adininistrationem

qui compertiores narraaccom-

modatiores promet. Adversarii quidem nostram Catholics religionis professionem securitatis publicaa

scopulum, nodum, et.moram esse pertimescunt

sociis

quia

religionis nostrge scita

non accurate perpenderunt, qua3 suos cultores

exhibendaui
ei religioni potissi-

ad obsequium Principibus, ainorem civibus, et fidem

sanctissime vinciunt.

Nee nobis vitio dandum quod

Sacraa

mum

adheremus,

quam

antiquitas certitudine, diuturnitas firmitate, et

amplitude

soliditate munivit.

patrem tuum,

et annuntiabit tibi, " State super vias, et interrogate de semitis antiquis, quaa sit via bona, et ambulate in ea 153 ." Tertulliano authore, "Verum quodcunque primum,

" Interroga paging monita sunt; 157 majores tuos et dicent tibi ." Et

adulterum quodcunque posterius 154 ." Sancti Hieronymi verba sunt " Qui usque ad consummationem saculi cum discipulis se futurum esse
:

promittit, et illos ostendit semper esse victuros, et se

nunquam

a cre-

" in ilia Ecclesia esse qui etiam docet perniaab Apostolis fundata usque ad hunc diem durat 145 ." Nos nendum, quae igitur Dei et sapientum monitis obsecuti ea nunc dogmata sectamur ;

dentibus recessurum

:"

quse vel ipsi Magdeburgenses temporibus ab

[xxiii.]

tibus usitata et pervulgata

152

saeculisque inde
li4

Apostolorum sevo recenusque ad nostram mein Matt, in fin.

155

Deut. xxxii.

153

Jeremv

vi.

Lib. iv.

Comment

Dial.

Lucif. in fine.

One

of the Articles

concluded with

storation, Catholics
dieted,

and Dissenters were inEliz.,

Lord Westmeath by Ludlow, exempted all Irish recusants from assisting at any religious service contrary to their conscience
yet the Commissioners imposed a
pence, for absence each
;

under the 2
;

for absence

from

church

but the universal dissatisfaction

fine, thirty

compelled Orrery to order the judges, on all the circuits, to suspend that statute until

Sunday from the

After the Re-

further orders.

The

Irish bishops re;

parish

church.

This edict M*as enforced

monstrated against this indulgence

their request

but as

under the Commonwealth.

wonld

dissatisfy ten parts in

DEDICATION.

71

This has been counsels of strangers to the exclusion of her own sons. Swarms of foreigners, swept into the country the source of our ruin.

from time
all their

to time,

who

energies to ruin

never did any service to the Irish, but devoted them without resource, and amassed enormous

properties for themselves

Irish subjects

now

by the plunder of their fellow-subjects. Your conjure you, most earnestly, to keep one Irish lord,

at least, near you, from whom you may, at all times, receive more certain information and more prudent counsel for the better administration of

Irish affairs.

of the Catholic faith is the great stumbling-block our adversaries, their grand obstacle to the security of the State8 They have never carefully examined the principles of our religion, which inculcate, in the most solemn manner, allegiance

But our profession

difficulty of
.

and

to the King, love to our fellow-subjects, fidelity to

our

allies.

Is it a

crime to profess that religion, which securely appeals to antiquity for

its

diffusion for its strength ?

truth, to long ages of existence for its permanence, and to its wide The sacred Scriptures admonish us : " Ask
:

thy father, and he will declare to thee thy elders, and they will tell " Stand thee;" and ye on the ways, and see and ask for the old paths, which is the good way, and walk ye in it." Tertullian also says: " Whatever is in is truth ; what is is adulterated and
St.

Jerome

"
:

time, later, ;" prior He that promised to be with his disciples until the con-

summation of the world, shews that they would always be victorious, and that he would never depart from the faithful;" and, again, he teaches " that we must remain in that Church, which was founded by
the Apostles, and lasts unto this day." Obeying these injunctions of God and of wise men, we now profess those articles of faith which

the

Magdeburg

historians

themselves

fessed in ages immediately subsequent to the days of the Apostles,

admit were known and proand

eleven of the population, Orrery, 'until further orders from

Ormonde, resolved

to con-

on the latter point, see note, supra, p. 62. Bramhall was, Orrery, April 16, 1662.
at this time,

nive at their not doing

what "they were

Speaker of the Lords.

In

bound

to do,

but would not connive at their

the Convocation of 1634 he had opposed

Bedel's proposal for the use of

doing what they were bound not to do,"

that
is,

Common
was un-

that no conventicle or unlawful astolerated. But,

Prayer in
derstood.

Irish,

where

Irish alone

sembly (the mass) should be

72

EPISTOLA DEDICATO1UA.

moriarn contineuter secutis, Christianorum frequentia; familiaria fuisse

testantur.
Ipsi
et
veiidicavit.

Paganismo permissiouem
illi

impunitatem antiquitas
ift

Nam

primi

Christian! Imperatores, qui

pura defeecataque Catho-

liea fide rite colenda,

lateque propaganda ferverunt, Ethnicos in pristine superstitionis luto hserere facile passi sunt, quoniam publica

Paganism! professio temporis primas a comniuni nostree

retulit.

fide!

agnitione

Constaritirms

Magnus quamvis

religiosus Pririceps, ut publica

et licita foret,.edicto indul-

inEthnicismo perseverantia omnibus libera

sit
156
.

Valentinianus, qui privatus probrosam a militia missionem, et exilium Catholicse religionis ergo passus est, legem Imperator tulit ut
157 qui et eo nomine laudatur quisque quam vellet religionem coleret ab Amiano quod nunquam aliquem ob religionis diversitatenf irifesta,

Gratianus lege lata omnibus concessit quamcunque religionem Anastasius Imperator potestatem cuique fecit quam vellet 159 Justinianus quoque legem edidit in hasc verba: religionem profitendi " Placet 160 quemque religiosum esse more patrise suse ." Quid multis ? hominum non solum in Ethuicismo impune, sed et Senatus citra vulgus
verit.

sectari

158

noxam,

et dignitatis irnminutionem, Christianis

Imperatoribus annuen-

tibus, diu permansit.

Imo

Gentiles supremis Reipub. militiseque Prse-

16 fecturis insigniti fuerunt '.

Nam Simmachus
-.

paganismi caano adhuc

Africa? Theodosius,

immersus ad Consulatum emersit' 6

Gildonem
Stilico 164

rum quendam
Quod
si

Imperator

163
,

Saulum

Cyhomines gentilismi sordi-

bus adhuc oblitos exercitibus

prsefecit.

Paganis libero deorum inanium cultu, et summis Reipub. militiaeque muneribus Imperatores Cliristiani non interdixerint Catholica religio, qua3 vetustate venerabilis, duratione memorabilis, et
;

propagatione illustris est, earn saltern gratiam a Maj estate vestra feret, ut ejus professio cuiquam fraudi non sit qua perpetuum dissidium in
:

Euseb. lib. ii. Vitte, xlvii. 15 Epit. Bar. an. 361, n. 7 364, n. 8. 159 Ibid. 378, n. 19. !6 Ect. l61 Epit. Bar. an. 389, n. 7. 1(5 * Rat. Lib. i. de Ratio-temp, lib. vii. c. 5. lfr4 lli3 Ibid. 403, n. 9. Epit. Bar. an. 398, n. 9 439, n. 4. temp. lib. vi. c. 10.
u(5
;

"

1A9

Under

the Protectorate

it

\vas death to

and the dark

"

recesses of the forest."

And
rehis

harbour or protect a priest

disclose their hiding-places

death not to

"in the caverns

of the quarry,

any person accidentally meeting and cognising a priest -was subject to have
ears cut
oft',

of the mountain, the

chasms

and

to

be flogged naked through

DEDICATION.
were, in
all

73

succeeding ages,

down

to

our own time, familiar dogmas of

the Christian world.

In ancient times, paganism itself was permitted, and entailed no The first Christian Emperors, who laboured strenously for the propagation of the faith of Christ, pure and undefiled, allowed
legal penalty.

the heathens to wallow in their old superstitions, because the public profession of paganism had priority, in point of time, of the general

Constantine the Great, though a religious reception of our faith. Prince, issued an edict, securing for all his subjects full liberty and im-

punity in the public profession of paganism. Valentinian, also, who had been ignominiously expelled from the army, and afterwards, when a private man, banished for the Catholic faith, issued after his elevation an
imperial edict, which gave full liberty of religion; and he
is

extolled

by

never having persecuted any persons on account of their religion. Gratian, too, passed a law securing universal toleration. The Emperor Anastasius gave permission to every person to profess what
for

Amianus

religion he pleased.

Justinian also enacted a law to the following effect enacted that every person may follow the creed of his country." What need of more ? Not only were the populace allowed to profess paganism with impunity, but even the Roman Senate itself, without any
:

"

Be

it

penalty or loss of its privileges, or prohibition of the Christian Emperor, long continued to profess it. Pagans were even raised to the highest posts in peace and war. Thus Simrnachus, while yet a slave to heathenism, rose to the consulship.
;

Gildo was appointed count of Africa by the Emperor Theodosius Saul and one Cyrus were made generals of the army, the former by Stilico, the latter by the Emperor, though, at the time of their promotion, both were immersed in the errors of paganism. If pagans were neither prohibited to profess the worship of their
false gods,

nor excluded from the highest civil and military offices by the Christian Emperors, shall not the Catholic religion,, so venerable by its antiquity, so wonderful in its permanence, so majestic by its universality,

sion shall not

obtain from your Majesty even the poor favour, that its profesSome persons erroneously believe that it be a crime ?
11

the town,

if

he did not inform."

"

Many

a time," says Bruodin,

"were

these ini-

Maurice Corny gives an account of two noblemen, cousins of mine, from Thomond,

quitous laws enforced in Ireland.

Father

who were savagely executed by

the barba-

74

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.

vestro regno non posse non creari falso quidem autumant, Jacob! Regis oraculo refragante, dicentis: " Historias abundare exemplis florentissi-

marum

felicissimse

ecclesiarum sub contraries religionis principe 165 ." Cui vester memoriae pater Carolus Rex in egregiis suis meditationibus

sufFragatur, affirmans moleste se ferre

quod

Papistae ad obsequii fidem

adimplendam
professi, qui

accuratiori cura incumbant,

quam multi Protestantismum

videntur.
attinet

Quod ad fidem Principibus jam ante ostendi quod

"

pessima dogmata a pessimo Papistarum genere hausisse a Catholicis Hibernicis prsestitam

Semper Hibernorum Reges permanserat

Temporibus
duris, inviolata fides."

erga,

Et
[xxiv.] tis

induxisti,
|

animum ipse Catholicos Hibernos fidos fuisse turn proculdubio cum in " Declaratione" et variis aliis diplomatibus "Papis-

innocentibus," id est, nullo alio quam religionis crimine reis priorem conditionem elargitus es. Quid quod sicut fidem erga Principem Catholica religio, sic nee salutem animse sempiternam, adversariis etiam

fatentibus,

sponsum
tendere
:

Rex, ut fertur ministrum quendam sciscitatus, num via Papistis in coelum pateat, retulit Papistas per longos nexus, reformatos recta in coelum

non

aufert.

Henricus Magnus

Gallise

166

a Ergo, subdit Rex, certior est Papisticas religionis securitas, coelum adiri posse utraque pars assentitur, quam cujus professoribus nostras, cujus professores una pars coelis excipi, alia excludi contendit.

In Apologia Protestantiuni 167 plures Protestantes doctores proferuntur sentientes Papisticam religionem coelo neminem excludere. In quorum
tuariensi decessor concessit

sententiam Georgius Abbotus "Willelmi Laudi in Archiepiscopatu Canin responsione ad Hill, ad rationem primarn
:

Pervagatus etiam in ore vulgi sermo est se tanta charitate primo. in Catholicos ferri, ut eos seterna felicitate donari posse non denegent, et charitatis inopiae Catholicis dant, quod similem opinionem de religionis

reformats professoribus non imbibant. Quare, cum Catholica religio nee administration! Reipub., nee saluti animarum oificiat, enixe Majes165

Defen. jur. reg.

16?

p.

178.
i.

l66

Spondan
14.

in contin. Bar. Veron. in probat. veritatum

Catholic, p. 97.

Part.

c. ii. sect.

riansfor violating the last edict."

'

p.

694.
pale.

lies,

by Royal
trial

letters,

without any prek

,

Anglo-Irish Ireland,
Charles
II.

i.e.

towns and

vious

of innocence before the Court of

.'

had restored many Catho-

Claims.

See close of note

p. 78.

DEDICATION.
;

75

would be a source of endless discord in your dominions but the wisdom of King James gives a different decision. " History," he says,
"
is full

creed ;" an opinion confirmed

of examples of churches flourishing under a king of a different by your father, King Charles, of blessed
asserts, in his
'the Papists

memory, who

on finding that

admirable meditations, that he was annoyed were more zealous in their allegiance than

professing Protestants, who appeared to have imbibed the worst principles of the worst class of Papists. But, with regard to the loyalty of the Irish Catholics to their Kings, I have already demonstrated, that

many

" Ireland' in trying times has ever shown,

Inviolable fealty to the throne."

Your Majesty must have been persuaded

Catholics,
1

of the loyalty of Irish

" when, both in your Declaration," and in various other documents you restored to their former estate all "innocent public Papists," that is, those who were guilty of no other crime but their
',

creed.

to our King, but, moreover,

Nay, the Catholic religion is not only consistent with loyalty with the eternal salvation of our souls,

even according to our adversaries themselves. Henry IV., King of is said to have asked a certain minister, whether the way to " heaven was open to a Papist ? Yes," was the reply; "the Papists take a circuitous path, but the Eeformists the straight road to heaven." " " the Then," said the King, religion of the Papists is more safe, as both parties agree that its professors can go to heaven, while only one
France,

party asserts, and the other denies, that the professors of our's can go to heaven." Many Protestant doctors are quoted in the Apology of the
Protestants, as teaching that the profession of the Catholic faith is not an obstacle to any man's salvation ; and this opinion is maintained by

George Abbot, predecessor of William Laud in the archbishopric of Canterbury, in the first argument, first section, of his Answer to Hill. There is also a common saying of the people, that they could not be so
uncharitable to the Catholics as to deny the possibility of their eternal salvation, and that on this very point the Catholics show their uncharitableness,

by not holding

formed

religion.

a similar opinion of the professors of the rethen, the Catholic faith is no obstacle to the Since,

peace of the Commonwealth, nor to the salvation of souls, we earnestly implore your Majesty that men shall not be punished for professing it:

fO

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.

tatem vest ram obsecramus ut ejusprofessio nemini detrimentum pariat.

Et more

veteris Ecclesiae 168 , Agathensis, ac Toletani Concilii 109 ,

,

70 omnes Hiberni votis que nostrorum'

co3lura fatigabimus ut inde

majorumDeus

animam tuam
felicitate,

gratias copia,

corpus assidua sospitate, consilia continua

negotia prospero eventu cumulet.

Postquam autem quse in patrito avitoque tuo Hibernias regno perculsa belli iuipetu prostrataque jacent erexeris e longinquo exilio viros ad uxores, parentes ad liberos revocaveris; justis dominis propria
;

patrimonia,

urbium

incolis priora domicilia restitueris

;

belli

mala pacis

adulterine velo practenta sustuleris

168

imperia tua detrectantium auda1.

l

Tert. Apolog.

l69

'

Epit. Bar. an. 506, n.

Infra, p. 261.

This was a vain hope.

Declaration,

The King's which Dr. Lynch must have

that whereas the

Jects, no Papist shall be admitted to pur-

chase any of the houses in Corporations

seen, expressly enacts,

and any of the

officers

commissioned before

Corporations of Ireland are

with English Protestants,

siderably improved at

now planted who have contheir own charges,

into

1649, or other persons, setting, leasing, &c.

&c., or disposing of

any such house

to

Papist without license, shall forfeit double

the value of said house, one-half to the

and brought trade and manufacture

that our kingdom, and

by

their settlement

King, the other to the prosecutor.

It is

there do not a little contribute to the peace

also earnestly urged, that said houses be

distributed, according to this act, with all

of the country,

the disturbing of which

English would, in
prejudicial
ligion, of
;

many

respects,

be very

possible expedition, that so the daily ruin

that all such of the Popish re-

and decay of said houses

as soon as possible."
If,

may be

prevented
iii.

any Corporation in Ireland, who

for public security dispossessed

Ibid., vol.

p. 27.

have been

as stated in the Declaration, the

Engand

of their estates within

any Corporation,

lish

had established

flourishing trade
cities, it is

shall 'be (not restored) but forthwith re-

manufactures in the Irish

strange

prized in forfeited lands near the said Corporation,

that the houses were daily falling into ruin

except the

Papists of Cork,
to

an4 decay; but

see Dr.

Lynch, supra, p 60.

ii.

Youghal, and Kinsale, who were

baronies of Barrimore
Irish Stat., Car. II. vol.

have

An Act

of Car. II. vol.

p.

501, 1662,

the lands already adjudged to them in the

besides giving all the rights of natural free-

and Muskerry
ii.

born subjects
" that

to all foreign Protestants

who

p.

253.

The

settled in Ireland before 1669, also enacted,

all

King had, no doubt, reserved

perties in cities.

to himself the

such persons, strangers as well as

right of restoring Catholics to their pro-

aliens, Protestants,

who

But

their exclusion

was

hereafter

come

into

the rule.

Three years later it was enacted, u to the end that ajl and every the houses

with intent to reside

shall at any time any city or borough and dwell there, shall,

in Corporations

may always

continue

in

on paying 20s. to the chief magistrate, be admitted and made a freeman of such city,

the hands of English

and Protestant sub-

and enjoy

all

the priviliges of the same, and

DEDICATION.
thus shall
all

77
of the ancient Church, the

the Irish, after the

manner

Councils of Agatha and Toledo, and of their

own ancestors,
bless

send up their

your soul with abundant grace, your body with uninterrupted health, your councils with
unceasing prayers to heaven, that

God may

permanent success, and

all

your enterprises with triumph.

But when you shall have repaired the havoc and the ruins which the tempest of war has strewn over your paternal and hereditary kingdom of Ireland when husbands are recalled from distant exile to their wives, and parents to their children when rightful lords are re-estab; ;

lished in their estates,

11

and the inhabitants of

cities in their

former

dwellings

when you have removed those

The magistrate
re-

evils of

war which oppress

Commonwealth,
Scobell,

be esteemed denizens.''
fusing to admit
in case of

Protestants natives of this

them

forfeited

100; and,

both in England and Ireland."

pp. 247-8.

such refusal, any neighbouring

to administer the

justice

was empowered

"

Be

it

enacted,

that no adventurer,

oaths of supremacy and

allegiance,

and

soldier,

or purchaser,

who

shall

be pos-

make them freemen. They were exempted,

during seven years, from excise for household expenses and provisions
sons "disturbing
;

sessed of

any

forfeited houses or lands,

virtue of this act,

or

by any other person

and

all per-

them

in trade" forfeited

buying, purchasing, or holding houses or lands from or under any of them, shall sell
or alien

20. It

is

often difficult to decide whether

any part or parcel

any
person,

of such houses

the penal laws and persecutions mentioned

in this Dedication are those of

Cromwell or

of Charles
points,

II.,

the latter having, in

many

and comprehended in the qualifications of the act of Parliament, intituled 'An Act for the Setor lands unto
tling of Ireland,' under the penalty of forfeiture of so

adopted the Cromwellian policy. r Compare the tw o following extracts from

Scobell's Acts

much

of the said houses and

sell

with the preceding

lands as they shall so

and

alien,

any

"

And

be

it

enacted by this present Parit

person setting or leasing such houses or

lands to said persons shall pay towards the

liament, 1658, that

all persons,

shall be lawful for

soever, profess-

of

what nation

ing the Protestant religion, to purchase or take to farm any of the aforesaid forfeited

.pay of the army there and other public charges one- half of the yearly revenue or
value of the said houses or lands so set or
let,

houses and lands in Ireland, or any other

the forfeited lands in Ireland not hereby

or granted

by

lease."

Ibid., p. 248.

Charles, however, had, on the

22nd May,
and towns, and privi18,

disposed
in

of,

and

to inhabit, dwell,

and plant

1661, ordered the inhabitants of Limerick

cities,

and upon them, in any of the counties, or towns mentioned in this act; and and immunities, which
lawfully be claimed by

and Galway, and other and right of

cities

to be restored to their freedoms

leges,
free" trade.

that all such persons shall enjoy all rights,

privileges, freedoms

But July

1661, the Irish Council forwarded to him

belong unto or

may

a remonstrance against the impolitic con-

78
ciam compresseris
;

EPISTOLA DEDICATORIA.
decretis tuis

obsequium comparaveris
;

dominantium injurias
que sopiveris

a subditis tuis averteris

;

; gravissimas intolerabilem militum

insolentiam compescueris
;

vim

vera pace revocata, furorem armorum ubilegibus, judiciis authoritatem addideris ; cultum

agris, securitatem

hominibus, certain cuique rerum suarura possessio-

nem

reddideris

alienigenis Senatu metis, indigenas in

eum
;

retuleris

in eo, tuis auspiciis, leges utiliter emendatse, salubriter latse fueriut

omnibus salutem, quietem, tranquillitatemque pepereris

foro, ambitioiiem e castris,

seditionem e

discordiam e curia summoveris, fidem, justitiam et asquitatem pridem sepultas ac situ obsitas, per tribunalia constitueris; postquam denique Rempublicam nostram sic institueris ut om-

nibus recte faciendi aut incussa voluntas, aut imposita necessitas fuerit; honorem probi, scelerati poenas retulerint; humilis potentem suspexe[xxv.] rit

potens humilem antecesserit non contempserit demum, ubi vivendi satietate naturam expleveris, ut te meritis, annisque gravem coelo Deus excipiat assidue precari, cum suis omnibus

non timuerit

turn

popularibus, non desistet

Obsequiosissimus Majestatis vestrse Subditus

GEATIANUS LUCIUS.
cessions.

An answer was returned Aug.

12,

provinces of Leinster, Munster, or Ulster

16G1, that some clauses of his Majesty's " letter might have been more warily expressed ;" that he intended to grant free-

(except the county Clare), or any way, without such pass as aforesaid, travelling in

any of the said provinces, or inhabiting

the said province
of'

or

dom

of trade only,

and even that

to

none

being in any port, town, or garrison, within

but " innocents," in the sense of the Declaration

Connaught or county
all

Gale's Corporate

System in

Clare, without such license as aforesaid, or

Ireland, Append., p. cxxxii., et seq.

The
the

having any arms used in war,

sons shall be tried
suffer

such pershall

Editor had not seen the Eoyal letter of

by martial law, and

May
note
;

22, 1661,

when he was compiling

That
letter is the

supra, p. 54.

do-

zed,

and you are hereby authorifrom time to time, to issue out comdeath
;

cument there
1

by Dr. Lynch. The following were some of the duties

referred to
:

missions for the speedy execution of such

offenders.
p.

27

Sept., 1653."
:

ScobelVs Stat.,

of Cromwell's soldiers

258.

Again

" Whatsoever person or persons so transplanted to Connaugh.t shall, after the 1st

"Whereas

the children, grandchildren,

&c., of persons attainted

(by the Act

for

May, 1654, be .found

in

any part

of the

the Settling of Ireland), do remain in the

DEDICATION.
;

79

us under the mask of peace when you have curbed the audacity of those counteract your orders; when your commands are obeyed; the atrocious injustice of the tyrants of your subjects arrested; the intole-

who

rable insolence of the military repressed

real peace,

you

shall

restoration of a ; when, by the have calmed the fury of war, given effect to your

and authority to your courts ; restored the lands to cultivation, security to man, and to all the certain possession of their property
laws,

when foreigners are expelled from our Parliament, and natives reseated when laws are there prudently amended, and wisely enacted under your auspices when you have secured to all peace and tranquillity banished
;
; ;

from the meetings, ambition from the army, and discord from the Court; when faith, and justice, and equity, are once more enthroned
sedition

on the judgment-seat, whence they have been ignominiously hurled when, in a word, you shall have reorganized the kingdom, so that all must be virtuous by choice or necessity ;

down, and consigned to oblivion

when

the good are honoured, and the wicked punished when the lowly respect, but do not fear the powerful; and the powerful takes prece;

dence, but does not despise the lowly ; "then, indeed,

when nature has

receive

your fondest yearnings heaven, full of years and merit,

satisfied

after
is

life,

may God

you

into

the earnest and constant prayer, in

union with

all his

countrymen, of

Your Majesty's most

loyal Subject,

JOHN LYNCH.
provinces of Leinster, Ulster,
ster,

and Mun-

having

little

or no visible estates or

grandchildren, &c. &c., except such as were Protestants on Oct. 23, 1641,
children,

subsistence,

but living idly and cosher-

and have since so continued, or Papists who

have made proof of
fection, shall,

ing upon the

common

sort of people,

who

their constant

good

af-

were

late tenants to or followers of the re-

within six months after the

spective ancestors of such idle

and cosh-

publication of this act in Ireland, remove

ering persons, waiting an opportunity (as

and transplant themselves and families into

may justly
and

be supposed) to massacre and

Connaught and the county of

Governor; and
if any

Clare,

and

destroy the English, who, as adventurers

soldiers, or their tenants, are set

not return without license from the Chief

down
fur-

such persons shall after

to plant

upon the several lands and

;

estates
it

of the said persons so attainted

be

the said six months be found in any of the three provinces, they shall be banished to

ther enacted that all and every the said

America/or life." A.D. 1656

ft., p.

505.

80

APPENDIX TO DEDICATION.

APPENDIX TO DEDICATION.
THE following is a description, by an eye-witness, of the state of Ireland under Cromwell, to which the preceding Dedication so frequently The original Latin document is deposited in the Archives of alludes.
St. Isidore,

Rome.

A copy

was made
it is

for Dr. Lingard,

through whose

kindness the Editor learned that

Tierney, D. D.,

who

transcribed

now in possession of Eev. A. M. with his own hand the document from
for the first time,

which the following extracts are now, The translation is literal M. K.

published.

STATE AND CONDITION OF THE CATHOLICS OF IRELAND,

FROM THE YEAR
1652

TO

1656.

WRITTEN BI

FATHER QUIN,
"The
lish Parliamentarians

Soc. JESU. SUPER. MISSIONAR.

Catholic armies having been lately defeated in Leinster and Munster, the

Eng-

triumph in Ireland in the year 1653 the cities, and almost all the strong places, had fallen into the hands of Cromwell but, though he was victorious in every quarter, his followers did not yet dare to throw off the mask, and
their
:

consummated

manifest their malicious design of extirpating the Catholic religion, because they were

every

exposed to the desultory attacks of bodies of the Catholic troops which infested them on The Cromwellians, therefore, connived for a time at the liberty of the priests side.
until a favourable opportunity presented itself of
affairs,

and the exercise of the Catholic worship,

giving
full

vent to their malice.

In this deplorable state of

the Irish troops, which

yet survived in scattered bodies throughout the country, were invited by his Catholic Majesty to embark for Spain, a measure which was strongly urged by the Spanish Am-

bassador in London

to Spain or Belgium, the

almost every month they were, accordingly, shipped off in thousands communication with France being at that time entirely cut off

The

poAver of the Catholics in Ireland being gradually broken

by these successive

drains,

the English Parliamentarians had nothing to fear, and began to threaten, publicly, the

extermination of the Irish

'

Papists.'
_,

"Accordingly, on the 6th of January, 1653, there issued against the Catholics an edict of Cromwell, commanding all priests, under pain of death, to depart from Ireland
within twenty days
perty,
;

and* the same penalty, together with the forfeiture of

all

all their

pro-

was denounced against

any way or
for

laymen who should dare

to

harbour or pivteet any eccle-

siastic in

any pretext whatsoever

APPENDIX TO DEDICATION.
"In
in the

81

that year the last Superior of our Society in Ireland,

'citizen,

house of a certain Catholic

was reduced

so

who was then lying in fever much that he could neither move
petition

nor ride on horseback, nor

to the governor of the place, in

by any other conveyance. begging him to connive

;.

An humble
for a

was presented

time until the sick

'

man

had,

some degree, recovered

his strength

but the Governor answered,

that if one finger

of a Jesuit remained alive, though the rest of the body were dead, both should be cast out In the depth of a very severe winter, amid storms of wind and snow, of the kingdom.'
the sick

man was

carried forty leagues to a seaport,

and

forty secular priests; he.

embraced his fellow prisoners, with

But, wonderful
is light,'
is
'

where he met ten others of 'the society whom he was thrown

the

into the ships,

'

and sent
is

off to Spain.

mercy of God,

in the

hour of

distress,

His yoke

sweet,

and his burthen

He

permitteth none to be tempted

beyond what they are able,' such is his providence over our countrymen, that no sooner are some priests banished, than their places are immediately, and contrary to all expectation,

supplied by others.
clergy suffered

"The
nors
;

many and

but, before this present time,

grievous persecutions under former English Goverthey were never reduced to the lowest extreme of

misery.

How

severe soever the persecution might be in former times, the nobles

and

other Catholics (who formed the great majority of the nation) were allowed to retain possession of their lands and houses, which offered a secure and easy retreat for the clergy ;

but

now the whole

to-morrow."

face of things
properties.

is

.are ejected

from their

What

changed, since the nobles and almost all the Catholics one soldier spares to-day, is devoured by another

-soldier

remains for us now no

human resource,

So thickly do miseries crowd around us every day, that there nothing but our confidence in the Providence of

God

alone.

" After the general banishment of the Catholics, another edict was issued, commanding
all

nuns, of whatsoever rank or condition, to

this edict
:

marry

or quit the

no resource against
greatest misery
;

some were

seized, others imprisoned,

kingdom there was and all reduced to the

:

until at last,

by the

vigilance of their friends

and

superiors, they

were

gradually drafted

and shipped, under the guidance of Providence, for the Catholic kingdoms of Spain, France, or Belgium. To this day a few remain amongst but their life is, indeed, a martyrdom. us, who were detained by their infirmity " In this abandoned state of our country, deserted by her sons, all the cities and towns are in the hands of the Cromwellians every castle and house has been changed by them

away

in companies,

into a military post

all

public places are exposed to their excursions

no person can

any of the public roads without being searched and examined at every milestone. All must be provided with letters or patents of the Governors, through whose districts
pass

they travel

the letter contains not only the

name

of the traveller, but an accurate

;

description of his age, stature, person, beard,

and hair

and

if

the slightest error be

any of these points, the bearer may be thrown into prison as a spy or priest, pr even hanged on the spot, according to the caprice of his captor. English martial law
detected in

empowers every common soldier to punish all suspected persons, if, they cannot produce their licenses at any hour of day or night the soldier may visit the houses of all the
:

Catholics,

and search every hole or corner under pretext of hunting

for priests

82
Our
have
life Is,

APPENDIX TO DEDICATION.
therefore, a daily warfare

and a living martyrdom on

this earth,

where we

to encounter so
:

many

leopards.

We

never venture to approach any of the houses

forests,

of the Catholics

we

live generally in the

least,

mountains,

and inaccessible bogs, where

the Cromwellian trooper, at

flock to us,

cannot reach us.

Thither crowds of the poor Catholics

:

whom we

refresh

by

the

Word

here, in those wild

and mountain
:

tracts,

mystery of the cross of our Lord

of Christ.
secret,

here

of God and the consolation of the Sacraments we preach to them constancy in faith, and the we find true worshippers of God, and champions

In spite of

all

the precautions used to exercise our evangelical ministry in

it
;

the Cromwellians often discover

and then the wild beast was never hunted with

'

more

fury, nor tracked with

:

more

the priest

hunt the

at present, "

it

is

through mountains, woods and bogs, than a common saying among the misbelievers, I am going to
pertinacity,

priests.'

The

writer then proceeds to describe " a hunt " after

John Carolan, a

Jesuit

the

labors of Christopher Neterville, a Jesuit,

who

lay hidden during a whole year in his

family tomb " On a

self

and also of James Forde, of

7

whom

he says

spot of firm ground, in the middle of an

immense bog, he constructed

for

him-

little

hut, whither the boys

to be instructed in

and youths of the neighbourhood came, and still come, the rudiments of learning, and of virtue and faith would that all
:

could adopt the conduct of these boys as their model and example
subject themselves to constant fasting

like their master, they

and mortification

they go from house to house, and

learned in the bogs."
retreats,

teach their parents and neighbours at " As we cannot celebrate

home what they have

number
.

always

mass in those caverns and wild

we cany

with us the consecrated hosts in

sufficient

for the spiritual comfort of Ourselves,

and of the sick

to whom we may be called. " To crown our other miseries, the plague

is

raging in

all

quarters

but the more

frightful its ravages, the

more prompt and zealous is the vigilance of the

missionaries.

We

lately ordered prayers to be offered

up

in all the provinces to appease the anger of heaven,

and every Catholic in the whole kingdom fasted three days on bread and water, even the children, babes of three years old, fasted as well as the others j and all not disqualified

by years received with great devotion the sacraments of the Eucharist and Penance." .... The author next describes the sufferings and death of some nuns, Franciscans, Dominicans,

and Augustinians.

Of the

transplantation to Connaught he says

fill

"

Wound

follows wound, that nothing should be wanting to

up the cup of our

suf-

ferings.
all their

The few

Catholic families that remained were lately deprived,

all

by Cromwell,

of

immoveable property, and are

province of Connaught.

compelled to abandon their native estates, and

is

retire into the

Your Reverence

scene of desolation, and has been reduced to a desert by the ravages of war.
scarcely a single house standing to give shelter to the Catholics
:

aware that that province is one There is

there remain but two
to the

towns,

Galway and Loughrea, both of which have been

delivered

up

English Ana-

baptists.

Into that desert all our Catholics are huddled together, to perish there, or erect

for themselves

new houses

of

woe

yet,

though
taxes,

their only property

now
is

are the cattle on

their pastures, they are compelled to

pay

and
,

to support all the neighbouring Proto extirpate gra-

testant garrisons to the

number

of seventy.

The

design, obviously,

APPENDIX TO DEDICATION.
dually the whole nation, since no possible plan can succeed in shaking
to the
its

83
attachment

Roman

Catholic faith.

Some

of our Protestant garrisons lately told the Catholics

that nothing could stay these persecutions, save the abjuration of the Pope's authority

and mass

but vain was their labor, their labor now is vain. My countrymen, like the ; Macchabees, are most constant in the tradition of their fathers and in fidelity to their
;

faith

the sword, nor danger, nor persecution, nor

death they prefer to dishonor, firmly resolved, by the grace of God, that neither the life, nor death, can separate them from
is

love of God, which

in Christ Jesus our Lord.

" This

fidelity it is

which has

lately excited the Protestants

whole cargoes of poor

Catholics are shipped to Barbadoes

and the

islands of America, that thus those,

whom

shame prevents from being murdered by the sword, may fall under the doom of perpetual banishment. Sixty thousand, I think, have been already shipped off; the wives and children of those who were banished in the beginning to Spain and Belgium are now
sentenced to be transported to America

" I cannot omit a lamentable event which lately occurred.

Three hundred Catholics

were bound in chains, and carried off to a desolate island near the coast, where death by cold and famine was inevitable. Abandoned and penned up there, all were starved to death except two, who ventured to trust themselves to the mercy of the sea one of
;

them sank
" Such
for us
if not,

to rise

no more

the other,

by

his superior strength, gained the mainland,

and

told the tragic story of his associates' fate.

is

the brief report I have to

make

to you, that

you

may

pray to the Lord God

miseries
;

and

for our country.

Perhaps

He may

deign to look

down on our

but,

the suffering
retribution for

is brief,
all.

the glory

infinite,

a calling to many,

salvation for a

few,

Amen."

G 2

INDEX CAPITUM.

CAPUT
Opens
introductio, consilium Authoris aperiens,

I.

PAG.

[1]

CAPUT
Qudd Giraldus
ineptd

II.

primam suam lucubrationem Topographiam

inscripserit,

[5]

CAPUT

III.

Qu&d Giraldus Expugnatae Hiberniaa titulum alter! suaa lucubrationi insulsS

prafixerit, [14]

CAPUT
Qu&d
neus

IV.

Giraldus ad res Hibernicas scripto committendas variis de causis minimi idofuit,

[30]
x

CAPUT

V.

Qudd

infirma fuerint Giraldi, ad rerum

Hibemicarum cognitionem comparandam,

[37],

adminicula,

....'.
CAPUT
VI.
. . .

Qudd Giraldus

plurimis vitiis ab historico penitus abhorrentibus laboraverit,

[42]

CAPUT
Qu&d
suis

VII.

ac suorum laudibus magis immodice

quam

vere prsedicandis Giraldus

indulserit, et

quos e suis popularibus aversatus

est vituperiis falsd cumulaverit,

[47]

INDEX OF CHAPTERS.

CHAPTER

I.

PAGE.
Introduction to the work, explaining the Author's design,
.

[1]

CHAPTER
The
first

II.

work

of Giraldus, improperly entitled a

"Topography,"

.......

[5]

CHAPTER
The second work of Giraldus, absurdly
entitled

III.

"Conquest of Ireland,"

[14]

CHAPTER

IV.
.

Giraldus was, for several reasons, disqualified for writing on the affairs of Ireland,

[30]

CHAPTER

V.
affairs,

Giraldus had very bad means of acquiring a knowledge of Irish

[37]

CHAPTER
Giraldus was subject to

VI.
[42]

many vices,

utterly repugnant to the qualities of a historian,

CHAPTER

VII.

Giraldus indulged in false and extravagant panegyric of himself and his friends, and in unbridled and calumnious vituperation of such of his countrymen as

were his enemies,

[47]

86

INDEX CAPITUM.

CAPUT
Cum

VIII.
PAG.

Giraldus, contra leges historic, veritatem in pluribus rebus, ac presertim in

Kegum
nomina

Hiberniae nominibus et gestia omittendis, coelaverit

sigillatim et aliquse res

Eegum

Hibernise

eorum

gestae brevisshne proponuntur,

....

[56]

CAPUT
Christianorum Hiberniae Regnin nomenclatura,

IX.
'.

[73]

CAPUT
Qu&d
discrepantia de
coeli, soli,

X.

salique Hibernici, et animalium aliquot indole Giraltradidit,

.

dns aq ab experientia scriptorumque aliorum testinioniis dissonantia

[98]

CAPUT XL
Qu6d
in

omnis

setatis et

sexus institutione aliquotque consuetudinibus Hibernorum

naevos venantur,

Giraldus et

alii frustra

CAPUT
Quod Hibernos
lino
lanificio, mercaturae, ulli

XII.
arti

mechanicaa

operam non

dedisse, et

non uses

fuisse Giraldus falso dixerit,

[112]
XIII.
hie proponitur et

CAPUT

Cumulus convitiorum quibus Hiberni a Giraldo proscinduntur

pro parte dissipatur,
".

[118]

CAPUT
Qu6d Hibernos

XIV.
[126]

genteni esse inhospitam Giraldus iniquissime scripserit,

CAPUT XV.
Quod gentem Hibernicam ex
bestiis solura et bestialiter vivere et

agriculturam

aspernari non magis invidios^

quam
'

fulso Giraldus affirniaverit,

[131]

CAPUT
Convitiorum nimbo in Hibernoa frustra
Giraldus injuriosissime negat,

XVI.
rudimentis imbutos fuisse

eflfuso, fidei

[139J

INPEX OF CHAPTERS.

87

CHAPTER

VIII.
PAGE.

Giraldus, in violation of the laws of history, suppressed the truth in several points,

names of the Kings of Ireland given in

of their actions,

and especially in omitting the names and actions of the Kings of Ireland. The order, and a succinct narrative of some
[56]

CHAPTER
Names
of the Christian

IX.
'

Kings of

Ireland,

[73]

CHAPTER

X.

The account given by Giraldus of the climate, soil, and seas of Ireland, and of the natural qualities of some animals, is contradictory in itself, and opposed both
to experience

and

to the testimony of other writers,

[98]

CHAPTER

XI.

Vain attempt of Giraldus and others to detect matter for censure in the habits of every age and sex in Ireland, and in some Irish customs, [105]

...."...

CHAPTER
ture or commerce, or

XII.

False assertion of Giraldus, that the Irish devoted no care to the woollen manufac-

any mechanical

art,

and that they never used

XIII*

linen,

[112]

CHAPTER
the Irish,

Statement and partial refutation of a mass of calumnies made by Giraldus against

.

>

[118]

CHAPTER
Most

XIV.
an inhospitable people,
. .

unjus.t assertion of Giraldus, that the Irish were

[126]

CHAPTER XV.
False and malignant assertion of Giraldus, that the Irish people lived
alone,

by

beasts

and

like beasts,

and that they neglected agriculture,

[131]

CHAPTER

XVI.
by Giraldus
;

torrent of invectives vainly discharged against the Irish

his

most

calumnious assertion that thelrishwere unacquainted with the rudiments of faith. [139]

88

JNDKX CAPITUM.

CAPUT

XVII.
PAO.

Digresslo di8erens qua- fucrit ollm Bcotorum patria, et qul fuerunt corum in Britan-

nia

fines,

-.

[144]

CAPUT

XVII.

Qua; in capita dcciino- oexto a Beda comrnemorata aunt, aliorum testimoniis con*
firmantur et uberitis illustrantur,

[14G]

CAPUT

XIX.

Qua; convitiandi Giraldo patrocinari videntur, producuntur et

mox

infirmantur.

Giraldus etiam Hibernos primitias et dccimas non solvisse, matrimonia non

contraxisse, incestuw et adultcria

non

vitassc dicena fatoi convincitur,

[151]

CAPUT XX.
Num
vert Giraldua dixerit, quod Hiberni fuerint gena exlex, disserjtur,
.

.[167]

CAPUT XXL
Ex
aliquot Kegum, Antiatitum et aliorum illustrium virorum, qui circa tempora
gpurcitite

a Giraldo notata

floruerunt, actis,

mores Ilibernorum

tcatitnaritur,

[101]

CAPUT
Nullum

XXII.
tertii

mak-diccntiao subsidium Adriani quart!, aut Alcxandri

bullw Giraldo

praebent,

[166]

CAPUf

XXIII.
[178]

Bullaa qua? Alexandra III. adacribitur ostenditur infinnitas,

CAPUT XXIV.

Adilitunienta Bullx Alexandri III. a nonnullis adjuncta,

commenta

ease osten-

duntur,

[18C]

CAPUT XXV.
Alia qutedam adminicula, quac mcmoratarum bullarum vires non parum infinnani.,
producuntur,
;

1X'J

IMi:\ or rilAPTKHH.

CHAPTER
explaining Mlmf
w:is in an,
li\
i.-nl

XVII.
TAG*.
the Scot*, ami

tim.-< (he e,.tmlry of

what

\veiv iiu-ir territories

Hiitain,

....,,
Kit

[144]

I'll

AIM

XVIII.
<

fconflniiation an.
II..-

fuller illustration
rhapl.-r,

of the

fa.-t

already reeorded

lV..in

Hi-.lr

in

siM.vnlh

[HOJ

CHAPTER
<>r
(

XIX.

SlalfiHcnt Mini refutation of .some points \\liidi appear to juMifv the ealiinini.-s
;iraM..s.
ilia fhlao

0sertion that tho

..'.

Irth did not pay tlthw, nor flnt

i

fiuits,

nor

.-oiitraet

marii.i

M.-I

as

.>i,|

,,

,,

adultery,

[161]

HAlTER XX.
IMM>[)!O

J u.p'iry into tho trutli of the itUtouuuU ofUiniUlus, that tho Irbh

had no laws, [157]

CHAPTER
Character of the
illu

XXI.
some Kings, Bishops, and other
l.a.s

Irish, Illustrated

from tho

lives of

IrioMH
lilll.y

men, ulm

l!,.uri .lie.l al....,L lh..l

(Jirul.lu.-i,

|.eriod, wl.iel.

heeu

.l.-t-une.l

by
[Kill

the

i-jilmimies,,f

CHAPTER
(

XXII.

:ii.in.nios

of Giroldus not substantiated in any

way by the

bulls of

Adrian IV.

and

Aii-x.uui.-i -m.,

[ICG]

CHAPTER
Want

XXIII,
[

of authoutieity of the IJull a.-.ail,ed to Alexander III. sl.own,

1VH

CHAPTER XXIV.
Th.
...i-iiiiouH

appended by some

to the Bull of

Alexander

III.

proved to be of

[186]

CHAPTER XXV.
of other arguments which detract considerably from the authority of
owiiil

Dulls

90

INDEX CAPITUM.

CAPUT XXVI.
I'AG.

Alii tituli quibus

pibermae regnmn Cambrensis regibus Anglire vendicat,

irriti

et inancs esse convincuntur,

i

[236]
V

CAPUT XXVII.
Superiora tarn improbantibus

quam impugnantibus responsio, qua legitimum Hiberniae imperium r.egibu8 Angliae vendicatur,

summum

ac

[243]

CAPUT
Ad

XXVIII.

alteram objectionis partem responsio, qua potissinjuin soboli ab Anglig hue olim appulsis propagate jus indigenanim asseritur, , [268]
.

CAPUT XXIX.
Qu6d Giraldus Hibernos
impatientes, praecipites ad vindictam, proditioni deditos,
perfidos, perjuros, inconstantes, versipelles, imbelles, dolosos, et rebelles fuisse

invidiosS et falso dixerit,

[283]

CAPUT XXX.
Qudd
in Monarchas,

Reges, et Principes Hibernise Giraldus

non parum injuriosus

fuit,

'...:.-.*
CAPUT XXXI.

[296]

Qu6d Giraldus omnes Ecclesiasticorum

lites

ordines, Ecclesiam militantem, et ipsos coe-

Hibernos convitiis indigne violaverit,

[317]

CAPUT XXXII.
Operis Epilogus plerorum hactenus dictorum

summam

complectens,

[352]

INDEX OF CHAPTERS.

91

CHAPTER XXVI.
PAGE.
Refutation of the other groundless and absurd
titles

on which Giraldus

rests the

claim of the kings of England to the kingdom of Ireland,

[236]

CHAPTER XXVII.
Difficulties

and objections against the preceding chapters, refuted by a statement

of the real claim of the kings of England to the supreme and legitimate sove-

reignty of Ireland,

[243]

CHAPTER
Answer

XXVIII.

to the second part of the objection, vindicating especially the claims of

.
.

the descendants of the old Engh'sh colonists to all the rights of natives,

[268]

CHAPTER XXIX.
False and malicious calumny of Giraldus, that the Irish were impatient, prone to
revenge, addicted to treachery, perfidious, perjured, inconstant, crafty, bad
soldiers, wily,

and

rebellious,

[283]

CHAPTER XXX.
Calumnies of Giraldus against the Monarchs, Kings, and Princes of Ireland,
.

[296]

CHAPTER XXXI.
Shameful and sacrilegious invectives of Giraldus against the whole ecclesiastical . order, the Church militant herself, and even against the Irish saints, . . [317 J
.

CHAPTER XXXII.
Epilogue, containing a

summary of most

of the subjects discussed in the work,

[352]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS;
SEU POTIUS

HISTORICA FIDES
IN

REBUS HIBERNICIS GIRALDO CAMBRENSI

ABROGATA
IN
;

QUO

PLERASQUE JUSTI HISTORICI DOTES DESIDERARI, PLEROSQUE

K&VOS

INESSE

OSTENDIT

GRATIANUS LUCIUS, HIBERNUS.

Posuit

mendacium spem suam,

et

mendacio protectus est"

Isaice, xxviii. 15.

CAPUT
[1]

I.

OPERIS INTRODUCTIO, CONSILIUM AUTHORIS APERIENS.

Opera Cambrensis quando scripta.-Carpuntur.-Diu latebant Quando impressa. Vitus contra Cambrensem. O'Sullevanus contra Cambrensem. Veritas, diu latens, [2] Scopus authoris. tandem erumpit. Error diuturnitate non roboratur. Joannse Papissse historise falsa. Vulgaris narratio de S. Brunonis conversione falsa. S. Marcellinus non coluit idola. [3] Olor moriturus non canit. Veritatis indoles. Cambrensem assensus aliorum non juvat. Scriptores hzeretici

quam

in Hibernos maligni.

[4]

Nulla vis in multitudinis testimonio.

Adversus eos qui in

veritate dijudicanda solius judicio multitudinis ferantur. Non Cambrensis odium sed ejus in Hibernos calumnia hujus operis causa fait. Giraldi contumelise quam late diffusa? sunt. Amor
Patrise.
pro- viribus

brensis subinde pungatur.

Vinculum quo patria? astringimur. [5] Aquilam nidificantem alii aves juvant. Quisque debet patriam juvare. Amotis calumniis, fides historise compai-atur. Cur CamOpus scandali expers. Operis ordo. Causaj digressionum.

rici

GIRALDUS CAMBRENSIS, anno post Christum natum 1 185, Joannem HenSecundi Regis filium in Hiberniam comitatus, tres deinde annos
proxime secutos in Hibernise Expugnatse historia

in Topographia, duos

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS;
OR,

REFUTATION
OF

HE AUTHORITY

OF GIRALDUS CAMBRENSIS
ON

THE HISTORY OF IRELAND;

BEING

A DEMONSTRATION THAT GIRALDUS, WITH MOST .OF THE DEFECTS, HAD FEW OF THE GOOD QUALITIES OF A HISTORIAN;
BY

JOHN LYNCH, AN IRISHMAN.

He
placed his hope in
lies,

and was protected by falsehood."

Isaiah, xxviii. 15.

CHAPTER
[1]
*

I.

INTRODUCTION, EXPLAINING THE AUTHOR'S DESIGN.

At what time the works of Giraldus were written. They were censured. Were long unknown. When printed. White against Cambrensis. O'Sullivan against Cambrensis. [2] Author's design. Truth, however long suppressed, reveals itself at last. Error not confirmed by length of time. The story of Pope Joan false. The common story of the conversion of St. Bruno false. The story of Character of truth. St. Marcellinus sacrificing to idols false. [3] The dying swan does hot sing. The assent of others no corroboration for Cambrensis. Malignity of heretical writers against the Irish. Against those who, in their search [4] The testimony of mere numbers of no authority. This work suggested not from hatred after truth, rely solely on the testimony of a great number.
to Cambrensis, but by his calumnies against Ireland. Wide circulation of the calumnies of Cambrensis. Patriotism. The links that bind us to fatherland. [5] The eagle, when building its nest,

aided by other birds.

All

men bound,

according to their

abilities, to

aid their country.

The

truth

Motives for castigating Cambrensis. of history restored by refuting calumnies. source of scandal. Plan of the work. Causes of the digressions.

This work not a

GIRALDUS CAMBRENSIS, having visited Ireland in the year 1185, in the

train of John, son of

King Henry

II.,

composed, during the three

fol-

94
elucubranda posuit
opera rum virus
se
ista in
1

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
,

[CAP.

I.

ut anno Partus Virginei 1190, aut paulo secus, lucem emisisse videatur. Ut primum autem calumniaistis libellis inclusum in Hibernos evomuit, carptores illico

nactum graviier conqueritur.

Sed

isto e vivis sublato, isti libelli

calamo tantum exarati,

hominum

oculis subducti, tineas in pluteis et

blattas pascentes, amplius vulgo non prostabant, antequam malis avibus in lucem typosque Francfortenses, anno a Christi natalibus 1602,

Camdeni opera eruperint. Hinc Lombardus paulo ante tempus istud scribens dixit " Topo" non est excussa graphia ista," scilicet Cambrensis, typisV Pater
;

Stephanus Vitus e societate Jesu,

sacrse theologise doctor, et professor

emeritus, lucubrationem elaboravit accuratissimam, quse infamiam Hibernise a Giraldo impactam luculenter amovit. Ejus operis exiguum

fragmentum penes me habeo, quod reliquse partis prsestantiam, tanquam unguis leonem, indicat sed integrum alicui mutuo pridem traditum, proh dolor, in latebras aliquas adeo reconditas abditum est, ut ex iis erui, ac in lucem hominumque conspectum proferri exinde non po;
\

Prsef.

i.

Expug.

Commentarium de Regno
of giving

Hiberniae, p. 9.

Giraldus,

in several passages of his

him any remuneration

"

' :

vacuo

other writings, alludes to his

Ireland.

two works on

quondam quoad accessorium

fructuoso labore peregi.'

illud et in-

Thus, in his dedication of the

It is needless to

Description of Wales to the Archbishop of

Canterbury,
formerly

he writes

"I am he who
')

remind the reader that Henry and Richard were both dead before this complaint was
penned.

(' ille

ego qui quondam

devoted

three years' labor to the composition of a

He repeats it in the Dedication " of the second edition of the " Conquest to
King John
:

tions,'

'Topography of Ireland in three distincwith all its mysteries and secrets of

" Sed nee isto nee

illo

(quia

probitas laudatur et alget) remunerate li-

nature,

and afterwards

I completed, in

two

brurn emisi."

p.

811.

This neglect he
of merit,

years' study,

my

'

prophetic History of the

attributed not to his

for

own want

Conquest of Ireland,' in two distinctions."

Again, in his preface to the Itine" that he p. 819, he says had dedicated the Topography ' to king
p.
'

he believed himself superior to most

880), but to a con-

880.

of his contemporaries (" supra coetaneos

rary of Wales,

multos projeci,"

p.

spiracy of all the magnates of the day

against authors

Henry

and the Conquest to his son Richard, Count of Poitou but the latter had all the vices of his father, and both
'

'

II.,

"
:

nisi

a magnatibus ho-

die quasi conjuratio in authores facta fnisset."

p.

881; Camdens Edition, A. D.

were

illiterate

('parum

literati'),

or too

1602.
6

much

occupied with other matters, to think

Giraldus attributes to malignant jea-

CHAP.

I.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

" lowing years, a Topography," and, before the year 1190, a "History of the Conquest of Ireland ;" so that both works were probably given to a the public in or near the latter year The virulent calumnies levelled
.

against the Irish, in these productions,

1

drew down some censure on the

author immediately after their publication, as himself bitterly comBut, after his death, the works, being only in manuscript, lay plains mouldering in obscurity, the food of moths and worms, and were not
'.

in circulation, until, in an evil hour, they

in the Frankfort press, in the year 1602.
1

were published by Camden,

:

Thus Lombard, who wrote

Topography (of Cambrensis)

shortly before that year, says

" This

is

not .yet printed."'

Father Stephen

a Jesuit, doctor of divinity, and professor emeritus, compiled a very elaborate dissertation, which vindicates triumphantly the fame of
,

White

Ireland against the slanders of Giraldus.

my possession lence of the- rest, as we know the

is
;

now

in

and from

A small fragment of that work we may as surely infer the excellion by his claw; but, unfortunately,
it

I lent the

into

work itself some time ago to a person, and it has now passed some unknown hands or obscure corner, from which there is no
made on
his

lousy the attacks

work

"
:

opus
livor

Council of the Confederates very earnestly

insisted that

non

ignobile nostrum

Topographiam
Preface
to the

laniat et detrectat."
quest, p. 755.

Con-

" de Sanctis

et Antiquitate Hiberniae,''

a certain work of White's, be

It

We

reserve for their pro-

instantly sent to press.

had been pe-

per place the contemporary criticisms on

his

rused

by many

persons,

and pronounced

work and
c

his defence.
this

not only worthy of being printed, but highly

of Stephen

Fortunately,

work

necessary for the credit and advantage of

the

"White's,
lost,

though supposed to have heen has been lately discovered by S. H.

esq., Seer. Celt. Soc., in

kingdom

Letter of Robert Nugent,

Bindon,

the Biblio-

Superior of Irish Jesuits, Jan. 10, 1646, Kilkenny, to F. Charles Sangri ; Rev. Dr.
Oliver's Collections, Sfc. fyc., p. 269.

theque des dues de Bourgogne, Brussells. It

is entitled

The

"Apologia proHibernia ad versus Cambri calumnias, sive fabularum et falibellorum Silvestri Giraldi

work was not

published, though the bishops

mosorum
brensis,

Cam-

ing.

were ready to defray the expenses of printfragment of Wliite's Cambrensis

sub vocabulis Topographia sive

De

Eversus
tion,

is

preserved in the Ussher collecTrinity College, and a copy

Mirabilibus Hibernioe, et Historia Vaticinalis sive

refutatio."

E.

3. 19,

Expugnationis ejusdem insulae White wrote other works, for

of the greater part of the

lately received

work has been

which

see

Mr. Bindon's valuable " Notices

by the Editor from Belgium. Ussher corresponded with White, and gives

of Irish
p.

21.

in the Burgundian Library," The Catholic Bishops and Supreme

MSS.

him a very high

p.

character.

Primordia,

400.

9G
tuerit.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
Praeterea

[CAP.

I.

virum nobilem,

et in patria scriptis

exornanda me-

morabilem, Philippum O'Sullevanum pugillares in Giraldum viriliter Ilia vero exercuisse, e carminibus Patricianae Decadi prsefixis elicio.
sic se habe'nt

dum

Philippi scripta recensent;

"Invidise partus, mendacia
Rejicit."

magna

Giraldi

Ut actum
trise

agere videar, et operam ludere, si maculas, a Cambrensi pamese aspersas, post operam ab illo praeclarissimo pari rerum Hibernorum scientissimo in impugnando Giraldo positam, eluere contendero,

cum
[2]

praesertim partum utriusque ita numeris omnibus absolutum esse censeam (quamquam neutrum oculis unquam usurpaverim) ut piaculum sit eum ingenii mei culpa deterere. Id sane me pungit, quod,
|

in propatulum educti, eruditorum

manibus non terantur, quo fons

ille

obturetur e quo caateri scriptores, Hibernorum odio imbuti, maledicentiae suae fel hauserunt.

Neque tamen
quse in populares
illis

consilii

mei

est,

nee ingenii, nee etiam

effutivit convellere
;

otii,

singula,

meos Giraldus

id a prasclaris

patriae suae

messem ante

fecerunt, ego spicas lego, et cursim

columinibus cumulate praestitum esse non ambigo. Illi tantum ad Giraldi

naevos fidem dictis ejus abrogantes digitum intendo, eo duntaxat spectans, ut nostratium silentio authoritas" illi non accrescat, ne in veritatem

non impegisse censeatur, quam vetustatis erugine pridem obsitam nemo graviter feret disceptationis igne, tanquam aurum dubium tandem aliquando explorari, ut erasa scoria splendidius enitescat. Talis enim est
veritatis indoles,

ut nunquam adeo debilitetur, quod aliquandiu homi-

num

cognitioni subducta fuerit ; nullum dedecus contrahet, quod illi vis ab adversariis inferatur ; non minimam dignitatis jacturam patiatur, quod fulgur ejus fabulis tanquam eclipsi tantisper obducatur. Nun-

quam tamdiu
exnibeat.

delitescit,

quin aliquando erumpat, et palam se videndam

Earn, ait Livius, laborare saepe,

nunquam

extingui.

Ilia ni-

mirum
d

prodita, mendacia, quantumlibet artificiose, quantumlibet opeif

This work of O'Sullivan's,

extant,

is

tolled the authority of Giraldus,

and copied

not
e

known

to the Editor.

his calumnies

"
:

Hujus

Silvestri Giraldi,

White, in his preface, which was writ-

auctoritatem, fidem, scripta, suspiciunt et

ten shortly after 1602, complains that Leland,

amplissimis verbis depraedicant, non

modd

Lhuyd, and especially Caraden, ex-

nominati

haeretici, sed et alii

cjusdem ordi-

CHAP. L]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSU3,

97

d it, and giving it to the public. Philip O'Sullivan of noble birth, and justly celebrated for his literary services to Ireland, entered the lists chivalrously against Giraldus, as we learn from the following lines of a poem prefixed to the Decades of St. Patrick.

hope of recovering

also, a

man

Enumerating the works of Philip,

"

it states

The spawn

of jealousy, the

enormous

lies,

Of

Gerald, he refutes."

men

After the labors of these two illustrious men, in refuting Giraldus, so profoundly versed in the 'history of Ireland, I fear it may appear

like a

work of

supererogation, on

my

part, to

go over the same ground

the aspersions of her slanderer ; especially as I am confident (though I never inspected their works) that their task must have been executed in so masterly and perfect a style, as to
in vindicating

my country against

make it a crime in me to apply my inferior abilities to their theme. But it afflicts me that their works are not published and studied by the
learned, in order to block
writers,

who

up that poisoned spring whence all other hate Ireland, imbibe their envenomed calumnies 6 .
Gambrensis against

Yet, I do not intend, nor, in truth, have I either the ability or the
leisure to refute, in detail, the calumnies of

my

countrymen;
:

that, I

have no doubt, has been ably done by these two

They reaped the harvest ; I glean the great pillars of their country. scattered ear and if I single out some only of those errors of Giraldus
which
totally destroy his authority, it is

with the view that our silence

should not be taken as an acknowledgment that he had not violated that truth, which, however tarnished with the rust of ages, must now,
to the delight of
all,

and

brilliant, like tried

it

come forth from the ordeal of discussion more pure gold from the furnace. For such is the nature

of truth, that

cannot be so weakened as to disappear for a conside-

rable time from the eyes of men ; it cannot be sullied by the assaults of its adversaries; nor Can its majesty be, in the slightest degree, impaired by those fables which, like an eclipse, sometimes cloud its splendor. It
itself to

the world.

cannot be so hidden as not to shine out at length, and exhibit It may be often endangered, says Livy ; it cannot
quorum
inter prascipuos,

nis atque tribus

cum mordere

et maledicere cupit, ut frelibris,

primas habet popularis et admirator Gyraldi, Gulielmus Camdenus, Calvinista, qui,

quenter facit in suis

phrases et longas

periodos mutuatur a Gyraldo magistro."

98
rose structa, quasi

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

I.

'

ac diffluere necesse est.

matutinam pruinam adulti jam soils radio dissolvi, Ut enim quae falsa sunt, vel nullo plerumque

curante delentur aliquo tractu temporis, sic vera, et justa quamquam cedant interdum violentis hominuni injuriis, tandem tamen emergunt.
Ulissi adjudicata tandem, ad Ajacis tumulum vi fluctuum pervenisse dipost ejus naufragium, cuntur quasi sic volente numine, ut verus possessor jus vel post mortem obtineret. " Non enim," ut ait Apostolus, " possumus aliquid ad-

Sic Achillis

arma iniquo Grascorum judicio

versus veritatem, sed pro veritate3 ." Errorem certe diuturnitas non corroborat, nee ullam

ei

autlioritatem

comparat, cui licet per aliquot ssecula veritati tenebras offundenti, non tamen adeo adblandiri debemus, ut ejus grandee vitas credulitatem a nobis Ita hominum consuetude fert ut fabula veritati exitiosam extorqueat.
in vulgus semel emissa tot narrantium figmentis excolatur, ut

omnium

tandem
illi

fide, et

hominum

applausu excepta, vera tandiu habeatur, quamdiu larvain desidia non detrahat. Sic persuasio Joannam fceminam
egisse,

Romse pridem sumnium Pontificem

moriae animos et

scriptorum superioris me-

monumenta

pervasit, et ad Christian! orbis regiones

firmiter insedit

pervagata, obicemque vix ullibi nacta, nimis diu hominum mentibus sed huic commento ante annos sexcentos conflato suf;

flamen tandem subduxerunt, et illud penitus everterunt praestantissimi 5 4 scriptores, Cardinalis Baronius et Bellarminus Robertas Personius
societatis

Jesu6 Florimundus Eeimundus7

,

et

vir literaturae,

si

haeresis

non

obstaret, ut veritatem

David Blondellus, multas hanc Ecclesiae

patronis asserentibus, et adversariis illius dubitandi locus relictus fuerit

tico celebrior histoiaa,

eandem agnoscentibus, nullus jam

;

vix

alia fuit in officio ecclesias-

quam

S.

Brunonem Carthusiani
amplexam

ordinis autho-

rem austeram illam

vivencli rationem ideo

fuisse,

quod

doc-

torem quendam Parisiensem vita functum, primo die se accusatum, secundo judicatum, tertio condemnatum exclamantem audierit. Verurn
ubi hujus
historian

detexit, nostra

fucum eruditorum sagacitas post quingentos annos memoria e libris sublata est. An non Baronius monu5

3 Ad Cprinthios. Ep. ii. c. 13. 4 In Annalium. In Errofe prop, et in familiar! elucidatione.

In controver.

In

3.

controver.

spoke in his

According to the legend, the dead man coffin, on three successive days,

while the clergy were chanting his requiem

in the church.

See AJban Butler, Oct.

6.

CHAP

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

99

be extinguished.

The moment

it

appears, falsehoods, no matter with

what
as

skill

pear, like

and labor they may have been concocted, melt and disapthe -morning frost under the beams of the noonday sun. For,

the

time alone, without the aid of argument, often refutes and annihilates be crushed for a time by lie, so truth and justice, though they may

the violent injustice of men,

must triumph

"

in the end.

The armour

of

Achilles, adjudicated to Ulysses

is

by the unjust

decision of the Greeks,

heaven

floated, after his shipwreck, to the tomb of Ajax, as if decreed that the rightful claimant should get justice even in his grave. " For we can do nothing," says the Apostle, " against the truth, but for the truth."

said to

have

itself

Time neither corroborates

error nor invests

it

with the slightest

authority, and even though it should have supplanted and obscured the truth during several centuries, its old age must not impose on us, nor

extort an obsequious and credulous assent derogatory to truth. know, from experience, that a fable once circulated among the vulgar,

We

and adorned with several additions

is

as it passes

from mouth to mouth,

often so well received and acquires such authority that it passes for fact, as long as the negligence of an un discerning public allows it to wear
its

was believed and chronicled by ancient writers, that filled by a woman, Pope Joan and this belief, spreading to every quarter of the Christian world, took firm and undisputed hold of the minds of men during 600 years, until it was at
mask. Thus,
it

the chair of St. Peter was once

Cardinals Barolength refuted and exposed by most eminent writers, nius and Bellarmine ; Robert Parsons, the Jesuit Florimond Eaimond ;
;

and David Blondell, a man of varied erudition, as far as heresy allows him so that, both by the arguments of the defenders of the Church, and the admission of her adversaries, that question has been set for ever
:

at rest.

No

historical fact in the Office of the

it

brated than that which,

sian Order, St.

was

said,

Church, was more celeinduced the"founder of the Carthu-

accused;" next, day, f judged;" on the third, "I am damned ." Yet this story, after having been currently received during 500 years, was at length refuted by
learned authorities, and within our days has been expunged from the Office. Was not Cardinal Baronius the first to discover, after the lapse

Bruno, to prescribe so austere a rule for his monks. It was said that he heard a Doctor of the Paris University exclaiming," " I am after his death, on the first "I am on the

H 2

100

CAMBRENSIS-EVERSUS.
S.

[CAP.

I.

mentorum veterum
Et
illi

Marcellini Pontificis cultum

idolis,

exhibitum

referentium errorem, post mille trecentos annos, primus depreliendit ?

siasticis insertse,

narration! licet antiquorum scriptis confirmatse, tabulis ecclepluriumque testimoniis corroborataB larvam, et fidem

9 primus detraxit ? Ita ut admirationem nemini movere debeat, si quae Cambrensis ante quadringentos annos, non e tabularum monumentis,

[3]

aut scriptorum testimoniis sed vel e suo cerebro, vel e vulgi rumusculis, nullo veritatis firmamento nixa hausit, convellere aggrediar.
|

"

Fama

vetus est olores morituros suaviter nseniam canere.

poetse ac pictores inde

omnes non modo

Id quod usque ab JEschylo, sed etiam

principes ipsi philosophorum Plato, Aristoteles, Chrjsippus, PhilostraIHud tamen Pliuius primum, deinde tus, Cicero, et Seneca testantur.

pertum habemus.
tatis

Athenseus fabulosum esse diuturna experientia tradiderunt, idque comMulti Carolum Ducem Aureliorum, ob Isesge majes-

tantum aut
trigesimo

crimen supplicio afFectum, idque Lutetia3 scripserunt, neque unus alter, sed triginta prope historic! quern tamen anno post
;

Anglis captus fuisset, in Galliam rediisse, ac feliciEst enim veritatis ea vis et natura, ut non nisi ter obiisse constat.

quam ab

longo, ac diuturno tempore in lucem eruatur, 9 res, adulationes, et odia plane conquierunt ."

cum Non

scilicet

vulgi erroinepte Gellius ad-

monet quendam veterum poetarum, veritatem temporis filiam appellasse, quod licet aliquando lateat, tamen temporis progressu in lucem emergat.

Non enim rerum

et inexplicabili

aut evoluta

satis

aut prompta veritas

est,

sed obscuro,

quasi involucre implicata, et ut nobiles quidam tradiderunt, in profundo, ita demersa, ut non unius estate, philosophi sed plurium SEeculorum spatio videatur eruenda. Tertullianus ait

quodam

neminem posse

praescribere contra veritatem,

non favorem hominum, non privilegium regionum 10

non spatium temporis, Nemini antiquo.

rum

vitio

datum

est,

anterioris gevi scriptores response .impugnare.

Nee Origenem ullus objurgavit, quod contra Celsum centum annos ante

mortuum

scripserit.

Apollinaris Laodicseus Episcopus, Porphyrii ante

S.

annos sexaginta extincti scripta convulsit.

9

Augustinus' centum et
c.

Epitome Spondani

in

annum

302, n.

2.

Bodinus in Method, historic,

4.

10

De

velandis virginibus.
g Especially if national prejudices be con-

cerned.

The Welsh

described Lewellyn as

the English laus, lux, lex populorum as " trux dux, homicida piorum."
;

"

"

CHAP.

I.J

CAMBEENSIS EVERSUS.

101

of 1300 years, the spuriousness of those old, documents" which stated a story which rested on that Pope Marcellinus had sacrificed to idols ? the authority of ancient writers, was inserted in the ecclesiastical registers,

and had other

Let

collateral evidences,

but which was

at last

unmasked

be matter of surprise, if I undertake to refute statements made by Cambrensis 400 years ago, which are unsupported by our records, or the testimony of authors, or any other

and exposed.

it

not, therefore,

solid

ground of truth, and have no other source than

his

own

fancy or

the rumors of the vulgar.

" We

know

proverbial for sweetness.

all

that of old the funeral notes of the dying swan were The opinion was sanctioned not only by

the poets and painters from JEschylus downwards, but also by the most eminent philosophers, Plato, Aristotle, Chrysippus, Philo-. But Pliny, and after him Athameus, stratus, Cicero, and Seneca.
ascertained,
at the present

by repeated experiments, that such was not the day there is no doubt on the matter. It was

fact,

and

asserted,

not by one or two, but by thirty historians, that Charles, Duke of Orleans, was executed for treason at Paris ; and yet it is now a well
ascertained fact, that, having returned to France about thirty years after he had been taken by the English, he died a natural death. For

such

is

light until after a long lapse of time,

the nature and power of truth, that it cannot be brought to when the errors, the prejudices,

and prepossessions of the vulgar, are extinguished." Gellius very j ustly approves the sentiment of an ancient poet, who called truth the daughter of time, because, though she may lie hidden for a period, time will at
last reveal her.

ciently obvious and developed tissue,

tricate

For the truth of facts does not present of itself a suffibut is. rather wrapped in an in-

prescription against truth," says Tertullian, favor of man, nor privilege- of country."

and impenetrable fold, and, as some of the great philosophers remarked, is so deeply buried, that not the life of one man, scarcely even the labor of successive centuries, can extricate it 8 . " There is no " neither of nor
lapse time,

Who

has ever found fault

writers ?

with the ancients for undertaking to refute the errors of preceding One hundred years after the death of Celsus, Origen refutes
his writings,

and no man censures him for doing so. Sixty years after the death of Porphyrius, his \v6rks were refuted by Apollinaris, Bishop of Laodicea. St. Augustine, who flourished 120 years after Manes, has

102
viginti annos

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

I.

Mane

fundamentum

inscripsit,

posterior discussionem Epistolse, quam Manes iste ad posteritatem transmisit. S. Cyrillus Alex-

andrinus ad Episcopatum anno Domini 413 evectus, Julianum Aposta-

tam anno Domini 363

e Cyrilli successoribus,

csasum, styli

mucrone impetiit. Eulogius unus Nestorianorum narrationes (Nestorio ante treredarguit.

cuivis licuit

centos e vivis ablato),

teriti

falsi

Quid multis

temporis memoriam, functo scriptore, in disputationis arenam citra reprehensionem descendere, ac de provectis jam ad multam temporis diuturnitatem erroribus

cum quocunque

per omnem prsevivo vel vita

Nulla enim (ut ait August.) arrogantia est Quare non erit a ratione, vel a consuetudine alienum, errores, in scriptoribus nos per multas annorum centurias antegressis, deprehensos propalari et ex hornmum animis

comprimendis contendere.

vel indagare vel tuefi veritatem.

evelli

11
.

Non me fugit deliria

Giraldi a scripturentium turbis excepta, et non

farinse accessione

modica narrationum ejusdeni

cumulata

fuisse.

Minus

igitur consulte facere nonnullis videbor, si solus in disceptationis arenam cum multis descendero, et solus contra tot scriptorum torrentem,

Verum ista adverse- flumine, et averso numine, navigare contendero. multitude se instar unius habet, quaa Ducis unius authoritatem sequitur, rationes vero ejusdem non excutit et cornites idep se ducenti prasbent,
quod prseeuntium integritatem in suspicionem non vocent, vel quod eodem maledicendi studio in Hibernos ferantur, et tanquam aspides (ut Nemo enim Angloproverbio dicitur) a vipera venenum mutuentur.
vel

rum

scriptorum,

eorum

dico, qui a Catholica fide abhorrent, de

Hiber-

nis aliquid memorise tradidit, queni veritas in

narrationibus plerumque non defecit.

11

rerum Hibernicarum Plurimos, imo, ni fallor, omnes

65.

Contra Celsum,
to

lib. iv. c.

h It

would require too much space

different

Henry VIIL, A. D. 1540,

tion
;

against extirpa-

confirm the general truth of this assertion

" but to enterprise the hole extirpatotall destruction of all the Irishit

by extracts from
writers.

English and Irish

tion

and

When

influential

men

proposed

men

of the land,

would be a mervallous
difficulty."

the extirpation of the Irish,

as the sole

sumptions charge and great

State Papers, vol.
iii.

means of

settling

Ireland,

the historians

p.

176; Hardiman's
In 1585, Sir

could not be entirely free from the same

Statute

of Kilkenny,

p. 91.

sanguinary

spirit.

The Lord Deputy and

John

Perrott,

Lord Deputy of Ireland,

Council of Ireland expostulated with King

writing to the House of

Commons

in

Eng-

CHAP.

I.]

CAMBEENSIS EVEESUS.
critical dissection of that epistle,

103
which Manes
enti-

bequeathed to us a

tled " the Foundation."

St. Cyril of Alexandria, raised to

the episcopacy

in the year of our Lord 413, wrote against Julian the Apostate, who was slain in the year of our Lord 363. Eulogius, one of the successors

of Cyril, exposed the falsehoods in the histories of the Nestorians

300

years after the grave

had closed over Nestorius himself.

of
all

But why

more ?

The unanimous consent

ages has acknowledged and ap-

proved the right of every

man

to descend into the arena of discussion

against any writer, living or dead, and to overthrow errors, however old or generally received. For it is not arrogance, says St. Augustine,
to seek or defend the truth.

Authority and reason, therefore, justify

us in detecting and eradicating from the minds of men the errors which we find in the writings of authors who died several centuries before us.
I

know

that the wild dreams of Giraldus have been taken

scribblers,

up

by a herd of

and embellished by the accession of many

It

stories of similar stamp.

to enter the lists, alone, against so

may, therefore, appear imprudent for me many alone to contend against

;

a torrent of writers, against

success.

wind and

tide,

and without a

fair

omen

of

these writers are like a troop which blindly obeys the general, without questioning his authority; they follow him, either because they have no doubt of his integrity, or because they are anifell spirit of calumniating the Irish, and, like asps the proverb goes), imbibe poison from the viper. Not one of the (as English writers, those, I mean, who reject the Catholic faith, not one

But

mated by the same

of those

who have

written on Irish affairs can be taken as a faithful

11
.

guide on Irish history

have read many, I may say

all

of them, and

land, remonstrates against the

same project.

from the opinion of those that would have the Irish exiirped" GovernI

"

am

farre

beseech your Lordship believe this great truth from me that there is not many (nay
I

may more
is

ment of Ireland under Sir John Perrott,

p. 50.

that

truly say) very few or none a native of Ireland and of the Rom-

The Earl of Cork, writing in 1641, February 25, to the Earl of Warwick, says: " But to return to Ireland, wherein my forlies

ish religion, but is not

an assistant or well-

wisher to this rebellion: his majesty and the parliament have a fit opportunity for
this treason to

tune

and wherein

have eaten the most

roote the popish party of

part of my bread for these last 54 years, and

the natives out of the

it

kingdom and
this

to plant

have made

it

a great part of

my

study to
I

with English Protestants, that measure

alone
secure

understand this kingdom and people.

do

,could

kingdom

to

the

104
percurri, et
celat, vel

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

I.

neminem deprehendi, qui non

vel falsa narrat, vel vera

bus

est,

mala exaggerat, vel bona extenuat. Id certe familiare omniut singulis pene lineis contumelias in Hibernos intexant, ac
;

ut non histoabjectissimis mediastinis petulanter insultent riam, sed nostra3 gentis vituperia, et elogia suse texere videantur cujus rei luculenta documenta pro re nata infra dabo, et quicunque partium studio vacuus non asgre feret eosdem libros legendo percurrere, a me

tanquam

[4]

veritatem stare experimento deprehendet. Itaque

rivuli

si

fons
|

unde istorum

emanarunt

semel, exhauriatur, scaturigine

JS"ec

calumniarum exaresvis est in multittidi-

cente, ad conticentiam adigentur.

enim tanta

nis assensu, quseunius errore ducatur, legibus asserentibus "consensio-

neni errantis nullam esse

1*

:" et
:

turbam ad faciendum malum

sententias,

Scriptura consul ente, "Ut non sequamur nee in judicio plurimorum acquiescamus

ut a vero deviemus 13 ."

Nam
S.

multitude errantium, nullum

Athanasium: "Semper," inquit, " vincit veritas vis apud paucos inveniatur. Qui quaestionem quantum propositam concedere non audet, quia demonstrationibus instructus non
preebet errori patrocinium.
est

Audi

tum

atque idcirco ad multitudinis confugit presidium, is hoc ipso se vicprofitetur, ut qui nullum aliud confidentise suse habeat adminic'u-

lum.

Quid multitudinem nobis ingeris, quasi alteram

turris

Baby Ionic

extructionem Deo minitas, ad insanss illius multitudinis exemplum? " Major honos" (addo, fides) habendus est vel uni probate fidei viro,

quam decem aliorum millibus, qui se insolentius jactant.

:

Si multitudine

mendacia roboras, mali vehementiam innuis hoc enim major est mise14 ria, quo plures malo sunt implicati ." Quare suffragatores illi pedarii

nullum

causa3
14

robur addunt
lib.
i.

cum nihil nisi verborum acervum

13

afFerant

Cod.

tit.

18,

c.

19.

Exod.

xxiii. 2.

14

Tom.

ii.

p.

246.
to the

crown of England, which

it

will never be

rebel again, that they

might be put

so long as these Irish papists

have any land

sword.

But

I declare that

motion to be

here or are suffered to live therein" He " threeadmits, at the same time, that
fourths of the Irish were not in rebellion."

not only impious and inhuman, but pernicious even to them who wished for it."

His own project was to transport

Irish to

all

the

Hardiman's Irish Minstrelsy, vol. ii. pp. This was "the great Earl of 165, 166.
Cork."
storation,
spirits

England
Pol.

in the course of four or

five years, at the

expense of

20,000 per

Sir

William Petty, after the Re1672, states, "that some furious

Irish

annum

Anatomy, pp. 318, 321.

When

such projects could be seriously

have wished that the

would

broached during more than a century, no

CHAP.

I.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

105

not one have I found who does not either suppress truth or state falsehood, exaggerate whatever is bad, or extenuate the glory of whatever is good. Their common practice is, to indite, in every line, such calumnies against the Irish, to treat them with such insolent arrogance, as if
a libel they were the most degraded slaves, that their works are rather on our country and a panegyric on their own, than a true history. In the course of my labors I shall produce, as occasion requires, abundant

proofs of this charge; and if any unprejudiced man take the trouble of inspecting the originals themselves, he must acknowledge that my accusation
is

an incontestable

writers have

assent of a " the laws themselves expressly deciding that consent, founded on error, " Thou shalt not follow the is null and void;" and Scripture declaring, multitude to do evil, neither shalt thou yield in judgment to the opi-

fact. If, therefore, the source whence these drawn be dried up, their works are refuted. For the mere number of men, adopting the err-or of another, has no weight,

nion of the most part to stray from the truth." Error derives no recommendation from the great number of its abettors. Hear St. Athanasius " " Truth," he says, always prevails, however few its supporters. The dares not accept a challenge to discussion, because he feels man who
:

himself weak in argument, and, therefore, rests his support on the multitude, does, by the very fact, proclaim his defeat, since he cannot produce any other argument for his opinion. Why urge 'the number of

your abettors, as if, like that mad multitude, you would raise against God another tower of Babel? More honor" (I will add, credit) "is due to one man of tried integrity, than to ten thousand vain -glorious
boasters.

When you plead the number of liars, you do but declare the extent of the evil; for the greater the number involved, the greater the evil itself." These silent voters are, therefore, of no weight, because
they bring to the cause nothing but an unsubstantial heap of verbiage,
calumny against the Irish is surprising in such writers. The extirpation project was the natural consequence of the endless

man

both by father and mother would by

nature discover the secrets of the English."

Hardiman's Statute of Kilkenny,

p. 83.

war between the two

logical deduction

countries,

and the

As

occasion requires, the influence on

Eng-

from the Statute of Kil-

lish literature of this hostile feeling against

kenny, A. D. 1367, and other Statutes,

Ireland shall be illustrated

different writers,

by extracts from

which enacted, " that the native Irish were

natural enemies of the English.

An

Irish-

amongst eluded Spenser and Milton.

whom

are in-

106

CAMBRENSIS EVEESUS.

[CAP.

I.

arenaceo fulcro nixum, cui

tur,

cum minus sanum fundamentum

subduci-

prolapsus corruit. Si vero aliqui mihi obmurmuraverint, quod, ut proverbio dicitur,

mox

cum Protegene mortuo bellum geram, addantque, nihil esse facilius quam mortuis insultare (nam audet et exanimum lepus infestare leonem) ab ea sum cogitatione remotissimus, ut cum larvis luctari aggrediar, aut vel minimo Cambrensis odio teneri ine sentiam, cujus manibus sempiterham fa3licitatem non invitus exopto. Si qui tumulus ejus corpus texit, idem contumelias ab illo civibus meis, ac patrise factas

texisset,

hoc scribendi tsedium ultro mihi non accerserem sed

fieri

cum

ejus

videam, congerronum sermonibus, in triniis, circulis, et popinis traduci, ut Hibernia cum Psalmista conqueri " possit, Adversum me loquebantur qui sedebant in porta, et in me psalle-

culpa fabulam vulgi nos

bant qui bibebant vinum 15 :" obtrectationes a Giraldo primum excogitatas omnium gentium linguis, et libris promi, nee ullam novam Geographiam

tem

aut Cosmographiam, nullurn librum, mores gentium, ac ritus enarrancudi, qui faaditates Hibernis a Giraldo affictas lectoribus pro induoris sexcentas de

bitata veritate

non obtrudat, nullas ut vocant mappas exsculpi, quarum Hibernis affaniaa non adscribantur, et crambes ha3c ad
:

nauseam non excoquatur

id me adeo agre tulisse fateor, ut quodam amoris impetu erga patriam raptus, huic opellae manum admoverim, et omnes ingenii nervos intenderim ad subveniendum patrise, et ad illam

pro viribus a quadruplatorum maledictis vendicandam. Natura patria3 studium adeo vehemens hominum animis insevit, ut illi, quos sua sors, aut aliena vis in regionibus a patria remotissimis
collocavit, cohibere se

non

possint,

tione percurrendis assidue versetur.

15

quin animus in rebus patriis cogitaNam sicut heliotropium abeunnem viros

Psal. Ixviii.

'

White, in his preface, mentions AbraOrtelius, the

bonae mentis alioquin, ac pice(os)

setatis, etsi

ham

Ptolemy of the sixteenth centnry^as one of those who had been incautiously misled
brensis.

Catholicos nostrae

numero per-

paucos, erga Gyraldi scripta (quae fortassis

by

the calumnies of

Cam-

non inspexerunt

ipsi oculis suis sed alienis)

affici,

Picard, in his notes to William

nimium quantum

ejusque in rebus

and R. Stanihurst, are also " Ceterum lecharged with abetting him gendo variorum auctorum historicos et alteof Newbridge,
:

non spernendis, auctoritate, fide, judicio niti, et ipsum non modicis extollere laudibus."

The Editor hopes

to be able to trace,

rius

argumenti libros turn hasreticorum turn

before the close of this work, the full ex-

Catholicorum, dcprehendi, praeter opinio-

tent of the evil influence of Giraldus on

CHAP.

I.]

CAMBBENSIS EVERSUS.
fall to

107
it

which must
is

the ground

when

the foundation on which

rests

taken away.

it be said that, like the man in the proverb, I wage war a dead Protegenes, or, that nothing is easier than to attack the against dead (for even the hare can insult the dead lion), I declare that nothing

Should

can be farther from

my thoughts than to contend merely with shadows, and that towards Cambrensis, personally, I have not the slightest ill
that I cordially pray for the everlasting repose of his soul. the calumnies which he has poured out on my country and her sons been buried in the same tomb with himself, I would never have
will, nay,

Had

engaged in the laborious task of refuting them. But, when I find that he has made our name a byword of reproach, in the mouths of mountebanks, in taverns, in club-meetings, in private societies, so as to make the complaint of the Psalmist but too appropriate for Ireland " They that sat in the gate spoke against me; and they that drank wine, made me their song ;" when I find the calumnies, of which he is the author,
:

published in the language and writings of every nation, no new geography , no history of the world, no work on the manners and customs
1

of different nations, appearing, in which his calumnious charges against the Irish are not chronicled as undoubted facts ; no map engraved, whose
defiled with a thousand silly blunders on Ireland; and these repeated again and again, till the heart sickens at the sight, when I saw all this, inspired with a most ardent love' of my country, I vowed to devote, in the composition of this little work, all the energies

margins are not

all

of

my

soul to her defence, to vindicate her, to the best of

my

abilities,

against the contumelies of interested slanderers.

men,

Nature has implanted so deeply the love of country in the hearts of that, howsoever distant the foreign shore on which destiny or per-

secution

may have thrown

us,

we cannot

restrain our thoughts

from

fondly and continually turning to the concerns of fatherland.

English writers, from the twelfth century
to the present day.

Like the
years and
left

rally neglected

"My buoyant
my literary

There

is

no indication
Life

vigorous health hare passed away, and

of his spirit in Sir

Thomas More's "

no remuneration of
p.

labors."

of

Edward
;"

IT. ;"

nor in the " Ypodigma

Neustrise

or the " Historia Anglicana"

~in their desks the noble

of

de Walsingham.

Giraldus expressly
day, he was gene-

lock up works presented to them, and condemn them to perpetual im-

813.

" Great

men now a days

states that, in his

own

prisonment."

p.

881.

108
tern solem

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

I.

nubilo obumbrante

semper intuetur, omnibusque horis cum eo vertitur, vel sic naturae quodam impetu ferimur omnes, ut
:

omni

caritatis inclinatione
soli cogitationes

mens nostra

in patriam propendeat.

Siqui-

dem

omnes in ea defigimus, et in hominum consortio constituti de ilia sermonem, instituimus nee possumus ab ea, quamvis serumnarum nube obtecta, cogitationes avertere. " Chari sunt," inquit
;

Cicero,

"

parentes, chari liberi, propinqui, familiares

sed omnes ompietate pa-

nium

charitates patria

una complexa
.

est."

Jubemur summa

rentes,

amore

fratres, et sorores, charitate conjuges, studio propinquos,

cultu amicos prosequi 16

qua?

Haec autem
in

officia

possumus beneficia

unam patriam congeramus.

cumulate prsestabimus, si Ex his enim

im-

tanquam artubus
.

patrice corpus conflatur, ac ita beneficium patrias

pensum ad singulos redundabit. Itaque de sola patria bene meritus, pium erga parentes, fratrum amatorem, conjugis studiosum, propinquo-

rum

cultorem, et in amicos benevolum se prsebebit. Ita ut qui patriee" in discrimen adducta? subvenire pro viribus non contendit, eum impietatis in parentes,
|

perfidies in fratres, et

reliquorum necessariorum ruinas

reum

se agnoscere oporteat.

Ferunt

aquila?

nidum

struenti alias aves

opem

ferre,

et

hanc odori-

fera ligna, illam lauri frondes,

unam
:

pini ramos, aliam molles

nido fabricando subministrare

et

singulis pro sua facultate

plumas studium suum

scilicet

obsequium avium principi

testari connitentibus.

Animalculis

istis

nos informantibus, ut dotem, qua

quemque nostrum vel natura

imbuit vel industria excoluit, ad patria? laborantis opitulationem conferamus; et uthic manu, ille consilio, unus consolatione, alius precibus
ad

Deum
"

fusis, earn

ab interitu revocare nitatur.

"Nee

earn" (ut ait

minus debemus quod calamitatibus deformior est, sed misereri potius 17 ." Ista mecum animo volvens cum convitiatorum
Cicero)
diligere
patriaa mese
si

duce

et antesignano in

certamen descendere constitui,

et

non

oratione, saltern oratione armatus,

calumniarum

earn ferociter proscindere certat, amovere.

16

quibus Alius etiam pra?terea mini

ictus,

Primo

offic.

17

Epis. fam.

lib. iv. ep. 9.

41

This complaint

is

expressed not inele-

gantly by Sir William O'Kelly of Aughrim,

Professor of Heraldry in the College of the

Laureate to the Emperor of Germany, 1703: " In somnis me nuper Hibernia noctu
Deflorata? instar Deae virginis, ora, genasque

Nobles, Vienna, Aulic Connsellor and P6'ct

Foeda, sinu lacerof sparsis sine lege capillis,

CHAP.

I.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

109

sunflower, which constantly looks towards the sun, turning with him every hour of the day, even when the cloud obscures his rays, so are we all impelled, by an instinct of nature, to* centre all the affections of our
souls on the land that gave us birth.

thoughts of woe have closed over

;

in society, it is

our favorite topic

it

In solitude, it engrosses all our and even when the clouds

;

it,

still

love our parents," says Cicero,

friends
;

commands our sympathies. "We " we love our children, relations, and

of all."

We are bound to honor

sisters,
;

but the love of country includes, in itself, the universal love our parents, to be affectionate to our
to love our wives, to wish well to our relations,
all

brothers and

and to serve our friends

when we do

for our country all the

which duties are more than discharged good in our power. For every

benefit conferred

those individuals,
of the country.

upon our country must redound to the advantage of who are, as it were, the members composing the body The person, then, who loves his country, does, by the

very
is

fact,

his friend,
in

honor his parents, love his brethren and wife, wish well to and do good to his relatives ; but he who, when his country danger, does not strive with all his might to save her from im-

pending danger, dishonours his parents, betrays his brethren, and must plead guilty to the ruin of all his connexions.
birds

the eagle builds her nest, they say she is aided by the other one offering sweet-scented wood, another laurel leaves, a third branches of pine, and others soft feathers, all contributing, according
;

When

to their abilities, to testify their devotion

birds

as if these little creatures

and homage to the king of would teach us that whatever gifts

nature

may have implanted, or art developed in each of us, should be devoted to the service of our suffering country; that one should give
his sword, another his advice, a third his condolence,

and others fervent

prayers to the Almighty to preserve her from ruin. "Nor should we love her the less," says Cicero, "because she is deformed with calamities;

we should

rather pity her." Influenced by these considerations, I resolved to enter the lists with the great leader and standard-bearer of my country's revilers, and to repel with arms, if not of eloquence at least k of reason, the shafts of calumny with which she is so ferociously assailed .

Vix

aegris

ducens suspiria lenta medullis,

est,

ut aegrd

Aggressa

crebris

singultibus obruta,

Yix

ea verba dedit

110

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
fuit,

[CAP.

I.

stimulus ad operosum hunc laborem subeundum

in

ut sicut ex area

magnam longitudinem

porrecta offendicula quseque solicite amoven:

sic omtur, ut currui per earn processifro expeditior pateat excursus nibus altercationis obicibus hie ablatis, histories Hibernicae, cujus jam messis in herba est, ad liberiorem incessum via sternatur et in ejus nar-

rationibus, nullus dubitandi locus relinquatur. Caeterum aculeos ad Giraldum subinde perstringendum

non secus

apibus a natura comparatum est, ut suis stimulis ad se tuendas utantur ; adversus autem illos qui telo e sacra pagina de" prompto me pungere putarent, dicentes Va3 illi per quern scandalum venit 19 ;" mihi divi Bernardi patrocinium obtendo dicentis: " Cum car-

adhibeo

quam

puntur
fecit

vitia, et

inde scandalum oritur, ipse sibi scandali causa est qui

19 quod argui debeat non ille qui arguit ." Libri hujus ordinem sic habe post pauca paralygomina, Giraldus
:

conditionum, quae in justo historic exiguntur expers esse demonstratur. Deinde coeli, solique Hibernici vitia ab illo in medium producta
e medio tolluntur: turn opprobria, quibus vulgus Hibernicum, proceres, et ipsos reges impetit retunduntur. Postea quae in clerum, et praesules convitia pleno cornu effundit, amoventur. Denique ilium coelos et Hibernos in eo indigites contumeliis proscindentem ipsos adorientem,

prosequor.

Sed huic ordini non

tarn accurate
abripi,

semper

insisto,

tionem saspius evagari patiar et eo

digressiones,

quo

ille prasit

quin oraper alienissimas

tamquam persaltus
non semper

ac tesqua;
illo

tari contendens, qui

prudentem nauclerum imiclavum dirigit, quo recto cursu

tendit, sed frequenter obsecundat aestui, frequenter ventis, ac velis flexis

eum portum

petit, non ad quern cursum instituerat, sed quern prsesens tempestas concedit, ut vel tandem inde portum expetitum teneat. Itaque si alieno loco quidpiam collocatum deprehenderis, id inde manasse

cogita,

quod aemulum per invia

18

et avia praecurrentem sequi contenderim.

19

S. Matth. xviii.

Epis. 78.
sibi attribuit,

Non

periisse satis ferro

minus opprimor

Gesta

Sanctorumque exami-

armis

na: famam
:

Quam

calamis

vitam tantum cuni san-

Denigrare Anglus non

sistit."
,

guine miles

p. 3.

Sed decus

et

famam, nomenque ^t quid.

David Rothe, Bishop of Ossory,

notes on Jocelyn's Life of St. Patrick,

in his

quid honesti
Gessimus, hoc adimit scriptor.

Mes-

Cum

no-

singham,

p.

120, also complains that Bo-

mine Scotus

tero, secretary of St.

Charles Borromeo, and

CHAP. L]

CAMBRENSIS EVEBSUS.
too, I

Ill

had in undertaking this laborious task. When run with greater celerity, every obstacle that miglit encumber or obstruct its passage is cautiously removed from the course

Another motive,
is

the chariot

to

so,

for

by -disposing here of all contested points, the path may be cleared treading with more secure step the almost trackless field of Irish
If,

history,

in censuring Giraldus, I appear too severe, it is

and following without hesitation the course of its narrative. from that instinct
1

of nature which compels the bee to use its sting in self-defence

and

if

any person should confront me with the argument from Scripture, "Woe to him through whom scandal cometh :" I appeal securely to the words
of St. Bernard:

"When

vices are censured,

and scandal thence

arises,

the

man who committed the censurable and not he who condemns them."
The following
is

acts is the cause of the scandal,

the plan of this work.

After a few preliminary

observations, I prove that Giraldus has not the qualities of a good historian ; then I dispose of the faults which he finds in the Irish soil and cli-

mate ; next, I rebut his calumnious charges against the Irish people, princes, and kings afterwards, I answer his licentious invective against our prelates and clergy; finally, since heaven itself was no asylum
;

against his tongue, I follow him, and examine his blasphemous assaults on our Irish saints. This order, however, is not invariably observed. Into whatever wilds or thickets his rambling and repeated digressions
stray, thither my pen turns and pursues him. The pilot does not always keep the helm straight for the intended track, but often humors the tide, and often bends his sails for whatever port wind and weather may I must enpermit, in the hope of thence making the destined port. deavour to imitate the prudent helmsman ; and should you find anything out of its place, remember that I am in pursuit of an antagonist

through trackless wilds and byways.

had copied the calumnies of Giraldus, " that the Irish were
other continental writers,

descendants, or the other English, who,

by

unhospitable

that there were no bees, and

order of the Kings of England^ occupied, during nearly 440 years, the towns and
chief ports,

few birds, in Ireland," &c. &c.

1

and the

richest

and larger porI

White
it

also disclaims all

bad

feelings

tion of Ireland, for,

though

am

Irish, I

am

" Let

not be supposed that, in

my

cen-

descended not from the old

the English

Irish,

but from
II."

sures on Giraldus

and his kindred, I

am

who accompanied Henry

urged by bad feeling towards them or their

Chap. V.

112

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

CAPUT
[5]

II.

QUOD GIRALDUS INEPTE PRIMAM SUAM LUCUBRATIONEM TOPOGRAPHIAM

INSCRIPSERIT.
Grandis titulus operi tenui praefixus. [G] Quid chorographia, quid topographia? Giraldus ignoravit rudimenta Geographic. Insigniora loca non nominavit Incolas regionum non nominavit. Ejus de Sinnaeo amne en-ores. Sinnasi amnis descriptio. [7] Rerum conversio. Sinnaus nunquam decursit in borealem oceanum. Cambrensis errores de aliis fluviis. Falsa Giraldus narrat de Insuia Viventium. De S. Beani avibus et ovis quid sentiendum ? Multa Giraldus Areniis insulis affingit. [8] In Arenia cadavera putrescunt Copia multa ibi sanctorum sepulta. Mures ibi vivunt. In Inisgluaria cadavera non corrumpunt. Virtutes variis fontibus falsd adscripts. Fontes istss non apparent hodie. Quare de fabulosis fontibus Giraldus scripsit ? Omisit loqui de fontibus Lagenias et Medias. Fons de Timoling. [9] Barba bicolor. Visus vel tactus non excitat tempestatem. Maleficium maleficio non debet abigi. Nobilem historiam purgatorii 5. Patricii foedis nai-rationibus fcedat. Errata Giraldi circa Purgatorium S. Patricii [10] Rumores collegit. ex Salteriensi. A Salteriensi dissentit. Meritum intrantium Purgatorium S. Patricii. Nullis poena imposita est ineundi Purgatorium. [11] Licentiam iniquam egressis Purgatorium concedit.

berniae

Purgatorium ingressosvocattemerarios. Salteriensis prasmissa deliberatione Purgatorium aditum narrat Sumuiis viris contrarius. Sibi contrarius. Manniam Britannise adjudicat. Ad earn Hiadjudicandam multa suadent. [12] Hiberni primi Manniam incoluerunt. Linguae communio indicium ejusdem originis. Situs multum facit ad cognoscendas origines. Impugnatur Jocelinus. Quando Dani aggressi sunt Hiberniam ? Saxones [13] Aliquot errata Jocelini. Britanniam infestabant. Episcopi Mannise. [14] Anglesia non Mannia Anglis paruit. Menavia, Hispania. Giraldus similis rudibus pictoribus.

SOLEMNE thrasonibus
los prsefigere, et

est

opuscule suo quantumvis exili tumentes titu-

nugas suas vel cymbalum mundi appellare, vel alterius inflati nominis velo vestire, ut laureolam e mustacaeo qjiserere, ac brevi inscriptionis praafatione montes aureos polliceri videantur, et
nihil interim in

medium
"

nisi 'tricas

producant

quibus apposite Hora-

tius illusit his versibus :

Quid tanto dignura

feret hie promissor hiatu:

Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus

mus

."

[6]

suis speciosa

In hanc classem Giralduni referrendum esse censeo, qui lucubrationibus nomina tanquam vino non vendibili haederam appendit, ut
lectori faciat, et e tenui labore

fucum incauto

non tenuis

ipsi gloria

exoriatur: in ipso enim limine, in scopulum erroris impingit, qui descriptionem totius Hiberniae moliturus, operi suo Topographic non

Chorographia nomen

indidit.

In qua
1

re, vel

malevolentiam suam, vel

Ars

poetica.

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

113

CHAPTER
"

II.

TOPOGRAPHY
title

"

AN IMPROPER

TITLE FOR GIRALDUS'S FIRST WORK.

and topoa contemptible book. [6] Difference between chorography [5] Pompous graphy. Giraldus ignorant of the rudiments of geography. Does not mention the more celebrated river Shannon. Description Nor the inhabitants of the country. His errors regarding the places. The Shannon never fell into the of that river. [7] Changes in the natural features of the globe. Northern Ocean. Errors of Giraldus regarding other rivers. His false stories of the Isle of the Numerous errors of Giraldus on Living. Our opinion regarding the birds and eggs of St. Bean. the Isles of Aran. Great number of saints buried there. Q3] Dead bodies decomposed in Aran. Aran not free from rats. Dead bodies not decomposed in Inisgluair. Effects falsely attributed
prefixed to

No trace of those wells at present. Object of Giraldus in describing those fabuHis suppression of the wells in Leinster and Meath. St. Moling's well. [9] The beard of two colors. Tempests not raised by sight, or by touch. Unlawful to use witchcraft against witchcraft. Giraldus degrades, by filthy fables, the famous history of St. Patrick's Purgatory. His errors on St. Patrick's Purgatory exposed from Henry of [10] Collected mere popular minors. Merit of those who enter the Purgatory. None compelled to Saltery. He contradicts Henry. enter it. The wicked liberty which he allows to all who came out of the Purgatory. Stig[11] matizes the rashness of those who entered it. According to Henry it was not entered without previous deliberation. Giraldus opposes the greatest men. Contradicts himself. Adjudges Man to Britain. Many reasons to prove that it belonged to Ireland. [12] First inhabited by Irish. Identity of language, a proof of kindred origin. A people's origin probably ascertained from the
to several wells.

lous wells.

Ireland
land.

position of their country. Jocelyn refuted. [13] Some of his errors. When did the Danes invade ? Saxon invasions of Britain. Bishops of Man. [14] Anglesey, not Man, subject to Eng-

Menavia and Spain.

Giraldus not unlike ignorant painters.

BRAGGARTS
their squibs,

are always sure to find some sounding title for their works: however contemptible, are styled the cymbal of the world,
pitiful devices.

or disguised with some such other

won by such

title-page; butt, as

pompous title, as if glory could be Golden mountains greet our eyes in their they proceed, they give nothing but trifles, realizing
Horage
:

to the letter the verses of

"What

will these vain, prodigious throes labor,

The mountains

and bring forth

produce? a mouse !"

Giraldus belongs to that

class.

forces the sale of unvendible articles,

Like the merchant who fraudulently he gives imposing titles to his

no inconsiderable fame
gross blunder,
all Ireland,

books, deceiving the simple reader, and winning, without any trouble, for here, in the very title-page, he falls into a ;

when he

calls a

a Topography, and not a Chorography. ignorance or his malice ; ignorance, if he did not

book, purporting to be a description of This proves his

know

that choro-

114

CAMBBENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAi>. II.

ignorantiam prodidit; ignorationem, quod chorographia cujusvis amplas regionis;

sciverit; malevolentiam, si ditiunculre

topographia loci cujuscunque descriptionem denotari necujuspiam vocabulo Hibcrniam

ideo exprimere statuerit,

quod

vel appcllationis proprietate, Hibernian

descriptionem honestare dedignatus fuerit, sed ut magis obscuraretur, in pratorum, hortorum, viridariorum, portuum, aut ejusmodi arctioris
spatii

locorum classem indignabundus

rejecerit.

Caeterum quamvis
illis

topographic nomen
expressit: et

scriptis Giraldus apposuerit, notionem tamen ac

rem, topographies vel chorographias subjectam, in

nequaquam

geographies discipline rudimenta ilium fugerint, quis earn ignorationem infelicem ejus operi progressum portendere non " ut ab Occiduis judicabit? Prima vero geographic prasceptio cum sit;

cum

ad Borealia, a Borealibus ad Australia procedatur, et hanc Ptolomoaus ad ipsam veritatem veluti directricem regulam sibi praBScripserif ;" et

nullum
quis

situs aut

eum

toto coclo in itinere

locorum ordinem data opera Giraldus adhibuerit, non erraturum existimabit, qui, viam in-

grediens, rectam itineris semitam

non

captavit.

Cui amabo usui Topo-

graphia occurrent?

ilia deserviet,

in qua, insigniora descripta? regionis loca

nusquam

Venare quampoteris sagaciter per totam Giraldi Topogra2

Possevin. torn.

ii.

lib. v. c.

20.

Hoffman, Lexicon (in voce Geographia),

graphia, in the twelfth century. The great

difficulty is to ascertain

the Dictionnaire de Trevoux, de 1'Acade-

from the writings

mie, and Johnson, define topography as the

description of a particular place, a house or
castle,

of Giraldus

what

Avas the precise

mean;

ing he attached to the word tbpograpliia

&c. &c.

and chorography as the

as synoni-

but from his

"

first

preface to the Descrip-

description of a region, province, or bishopric.

tion of Wales, p. 880,

where he promises a

But Strabo uses both words

mous (Stephani Thesaurus in

tilian, ix. 2, defines

voce).

Quin-

Topographia Brytannica," it is evident he must be acquitted of the malicious intention

of classing Ireland

" Loci topographia as

among mere
is

alicujus, vel

locorum aliquorum, descriptio."

parks or gardens.
little difference
v

In truth there

very

Dr. Lynch's definition is precisely the same as that in the Dictionnarie de Trevoux

in the substance of his three,

works,

the Description of Wales, the To-

Academic, and was, no doubt, the meaning of the French word topographic,

and de

1'

pography of Ireland, and the Itinerarium of Cambria, save the form of the last. All
are topographical, though in different forms.

when he was writing

in

France.

But
is

French usage in the seventeenth century

not conclusive proof of the ignorance of

Giraldus in his use of the Latin word, topo-

He probably adopted the different titles, not for propriety's sake, but for sound, of
which
his writings prove he

was

ridicu-

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS-

115

'description

is a description of an extensive region, while topography may describe any place whatsoever ; but malice, if he knowingly abstained from using the proper term, because he disdained applying it to a of Ireland, and designed to throw her into the shade, by

graphy

preclassing her contemptuously among gardens, meadows, parks serves, or other places of confined dimensions*. But though the_work
of Giraldus is styled a topography, it does not realize the idea and substance of either chorpgraphy or topography ; for if he be ignorant of

or

the rudiments of geography, what fatal blunders must not such ignoThe first rule of geograrance portend in the progress of his work ? " to from West to North, and from North to South ; proceed phy is, and this rule Ptolemy prescribed for himself as the best safeguard
against error."

How is

it possible, then,-

that Giraldus should not hope-

in his travels, lessly stray

right road, he laid down can that Topography be in which the most remarkable places of the 6 country described are totally omitted ? Search Giraldus's Topography
lously fond.

starting without any knowledge of the no certain order of site or places? what good

when

But, in any case, his work

is

history.

On

the two

first

parts he obtained

more and
stood

less

than what was ever underit

by a "Topography," and

certainly

no evidence or help from any Irish authoHis own word is the only rity p. 693.
security he gives
;

does not realize his

own

notion

"
:

My

but, for the third part,

Topography describes the events and places " as far the p. 755 (/oca) of past ages
;

he states his obligations to old Irish chronicles.

To comprehend the
it

force of Dr.

greater part of the

Topography describes

Lynch's argument here,

to

may

be useful

what, he says, was existing in his

age.

own

know

that the Topography extends to

In that definition, however, he was

antithesis
;

fifty-four folio pages, of which fourteen are

making an
and history

between topography and when a sounding anti-

devoted to the
only are on the

first part.

Of

these^ three

size,

boundaries, rivers, and

thesis could be rounded,

common

sense

and

lakes of Ireland, while nearly eleven are

truth were with

considerations.
b

him generally secondaiy

consists of three parts,

occupied with a mere catalogue of the birds

and

fishes, &c.,

accompanied with discursive

The Topography

or "distinctions," a

term borrowed from

moral and mystical reflections, in the fashion of the writers on natural history during
the middle ages.
is

the Scholastics

1. Size, situation, soil,

and

The second

distinction

natural history of Ireland; 2.

libus Hibemise,
i.

De Mirabiand won-

twenty pages, of which

far the greater

e. its

prodigies

part purports to be a narrative of wonderful things,

ders in the natural

and supernatural order,

;

which Giraldus says he saw, or

;

compared with those of other lands

first

3. Its

heard were in Ireland

but his notices are

inhabitants and successive colonies and

thrown together without any order of time

i

116
phiam

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

in Conacia, agrum Galviensem, Mayoensem, Roscommonensem, In Momonia Kierrensem, aut TipperaSligoensem, et Letrimensem. sensem in Lagenia Kilkeniensem, Catharlochensem, Lisachensem, Ibh;

faliensem

in <Ultonia, Louthensem, Cavanensem, Fermanachensem, Manachanensem, Antrimmensem et Tironensem et frustra tandem in;
:

dagando fatigaberis, quia nullibi

offendes.

Quod

si

que Provincise regiones

scrutari conabitur ?

prseterierit, quis in

opere

illo

majores hasce c~qj usminoris notas loca

vincias,

Quid quod ne nomina quidem incolarum, singulas Hibernise proinsedentium scriptis suis inseruerit, quse proclive illi tamen

Ptolomaeo excerpere prgestantissimo geographic magistro, qui tabulas etiam Giraldo suppeditare potuit locorum in Hibernise collocationem non inepte desigriantes, ut modico ille labore adhibito, accuratissimam Hibernise delineationem ad posteritatem transmittere pofuit, vel e
si ad Hiberniae notitiam lectori potius aperiendam, quam ad incolarum ejus contemptum illi movendum Giraldi conatus eniteretur. " Mirari satis non possum cur Sinnseum amnem e lacu quodam maxi-

tuerit:

mo, et pulclierrimo oriri, et uno brachio in Occidentale se mare transfundere [altero vero nee minore Mediam et] ulteriores Ultonise partes a Connacia dividentem in oceanum tandem Boreal em mergi, et lacum ilium,
e

quo Sinnaeus manat Connaciam Momoniamque disterminare

3

asserat3 ,"

Topog. Dist.

i.

c.

6.

or place.

Of the

third part,

which covers
;

of far superior merit. In chapters of the Description of Wales, there

i. ii.

iv. v.

twenty pages, nearly six are historical

1

four

is

a more

and a half a panegyric on Henry II., havtwo and ing no connexion with Ireland; a half a dissertation on music and seven,
;

comprehensive and satisfactory topography " of Irethan in the entire " Topographia
land.
Its

more striking

deficiencies shall

a general attack on everything Irish. From this analysis it appears that one-third of
this

be pointed out under the proper heads, Perhaps they arose as much from the cir-

Topography does not relate to Ireland, and that it is deficient in most of those which a reader expects from its
qualities
title.

cumstance of the Topography being his

essay, as

first

from those other causes which

so

frequently destroy the utility of the works

of English writers on Ireland,
c

Even

of the division of the island

into five provinces, there is only a passing

notice, pp. 701, 736.

Dr

Lynch does not mean

was not divided

the

modern
that

Their limits are not

counties of those names.

He knew

minor principalities or the given, nor are the " Conquest of bishoprics enumerated. The
Ireland
"
is

Ireland

into counties before

a work of a different order, and

1210 (see p. 19, old edit.}, and that of the seventeen counties here mentioned, the

CHAP. II]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
you
will search in vain for

117

of Connaught, and

Galway, or Mayo, or Rosfor

common, or
;

Sligo, or Leitrim ?

Look

in

Munster

Kerry or Tippe;
:

Carlow or Kilkenny, Offaly or Leix in Ulster, for rary search Louth, Monaghan, or Cavan, Antrim, Fermanagh, or Tyrone until you are tired, but you will search in vain. Now, if he has
in Leinster, for

omitted these larger divisions of each province, ring to him for places of lesser note ?

who

can think of recur-

Even the names of the inhabitants who occupied the several provinces of Ireland he has neglected to mention, though he could have
them from Ptolemy, the prince of geographers, who has even marked, with considerable accuracy, the different places on his d map so that, with very little trouble, Giraldus could have transmiteasily copied
;

ted to posterity a most accurate description of Ireland, had his object been to make that country known to his reader, and not to expose

her inhabitants to contempt 6

It appears to

me most

extraordinary

how he

could describe the

lake,

Shannon
charging

as rising in a very large

itself into

and most beautiful

and

dis-

the Western Ocean through one channel, but into the Northern Ocean through another, which divides Connaught from

Meath and the remote parts of Ulster; and also asserting that the lake in which the Shannon rises divides Connaught from Munster f For,
.

five

Connaught and

live Ulster counties,

together with Leix, Louth, and Offaly, in

Leinster, were not

on the divisions of Irish territory but had he had before him even the Book of
;

any of the twelve created

Rights,
his time,

by King John.

Our author cannot be un-

which was certainly extant in he could have compiled an accuIre-

derstood as censuring Giraldus for omitting

counties which did not exist.

rate

and comprehensive Topography of

He means
Uithen
&c.,

land.
f

to say that, of the old territories," as

The

Maine, Ui-Fiachrach,

Breifne,

It is

original Latin text is corrupt here. " ad ulteriores Ultoniae partes a Con-

constituting the counties of

trim, &c.,

Galway, Leimentioned in the text, you find

ten chief cities in Ire-

nacia dividentem," &c. &c.

The words

be-

no trace in the Topography of Ireland.

ll

tween brackets have been introduced, and ad changed into et, on the authority of the
passage in C.ambrensis, which Dr. Lynch
contracts:

Which marks

land, seven promontories,

two

islands,

fif-

"Altero vero nee minore MeConal-

teen rivers, harbours, and lakes, and seventeen districts, inhabited rent tribes.
e

diam

et ulteriores Ultoniae partes a

by as many

diffe-

cia dividens

Borealem."

Oceantim vergitur tandem The whole passage is " The

in
:

Giraldus consulted no Irish authoritv

Shannon

rises in

a very large and most

,118

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
nullus alius in toto

[CAP.

II.

cum

illo amne lacus inter Connaciam Momoniamque lacum Dergderg, qui supra Killaloam in ampla se spatia diffundit unde Sinnaeum scaturire tarn est falsum quam quod falsissi-

stagnet, prater

mum. Multo

rectius Camdenus, et res ipsa loquitur 4 " Sinnseus," in" flumen totius Hibernian nobilissimum, quod inter Medians et quit, Connaciam interlabitur Ptolomseo ' Semis,' Orosio * Sena,' et nonnullis
.

'

exemplaribus

Sa3cana,' Giraldo
lit

flumen

'

Senense,' accolis vero

'

'

Shan-

non' dicitur, id est

aliqui in terpretantur,

flumen antiquum;' eTherne

montibus in comitatu La?thrim effunditur, continuoque secans in meridiem agros, modo se in stagna refundit, modoque in angustias se reet alterurn diffuderit, intra margines se Macolicum, nunc (ut eruditissimus geographus G. Mercator observavit) Male, cujus meminit Ptolomasus, invisit, statimque ab altero

sorbet,

cumque lacum unum

colligens,

spatioso lacu excipitur (Loch Eegith appellant), cujus nomen et situs Rigiam urbem, quam Ptoloma3us eo loci statuit, non procul abfuisse

quodammodo
[7] tiori

subinnuit.

Ubi vero lacum hunc

pra?tervectus angusilli

alveo
|

intra ripas se colligit,

Athlon oppidum
:

insidet.

Inde

vero Sinngeus, superata ad Killaloam cataracta, maximarum navium capax diducto alveo Limiricum urbem amplectitur hinc per sexaginta plus minus milliaria Senus rectus, grandis, et insulosus in Occasum
4

Pag. 745, in Comitatu Longford.

that the

beautiful lake,

which divides Munstcr from

Shannon ever had an

outlet into the

Connaught, and which stretches forth its two arms to the opposite ends of the world.

Northern Ocean.

Mr. O'Donovan, Avhose

valuable aid shall be alwa3r s acknowledged

in these pages, in the subjoined form, "is

One

flows towards the south, rolling beside

the city of Killaloe, and encircling Limerick,

of opinion Giraldus thought

it

possible that
itself

and from that

1

point, during
it

a course

a branch of the Shannon discharged

into the sea at Ballyshannon.

of

more than

00 miles,
it falls

divides the

two

The moment

Munsters, until

into the sea of St.

is

you ascend the

(log

hill

over the Shannon pot

see the waters all

Brendan.

The

other arm, which

equally

na Sionna), you

large, divides

Connaught from Meath and

the ulterior parts of Ulster, and, after

many

making for Ballyshannon. All the streams north of the log flow into Lough Macncan, which discharges itself into the upper
,and that into the lower

and various windings, falls into the Northern Ocean. The Shannon, therefore, like a<
mediterranean
off,

Lough Erne, which

Hence some
per-

river,

separates

and cuts

sends

its

superabundant waters into the sea

from sea

to sea, the fourth, or western,

through Ballyshannon.

from the other three divisions of the island."

There
is

sons have supposed that Shannon (Shanny)

no written evidence or tradition

was the name

of the north-western chain

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

119

between Connaught and Munster, there Loch Derg, a large sheet of water above Killaloe, and is the source nothing can be further from the truth than that that lake Camden is much more correct, arid the thing itself is of the Shannon. " the " The evident: king of Irish rivers, which Shannon,", he says,
in the entire course of that river
is

but one

lake,

Meath from Connaught, was called by Ptolemy Senus,' by Orosius Sena,' and, in some copies, Soecana,' by Giraldus Senense,' but by the natives Shannon,' which some interpret the old river.'
divides
' '
' * '

'

in the county of Leitrim, and, sometimes expands into lakes, sometimes contracts flowing southwards, its bed, till, having thus formed one or two lakes, it becomes narrow at
It rises in the

mountain of Theme,

the point where it washes Macolieum (the Male of Ptolemy, as G. Mercator, the learned geographer, observes); and immediately after-

wards forms a spacious lake,' called Loch Regith, near which, as the name and geographical position appear to indicate, stood Ptolemy's narrow chancity of Rigia. Issuing from that lake, it flows through a
nel,

where it waters Athlone. Having passed the falls of Killaloe, it is navigable for ships of the largest burden at Limerick, where its waters divide and surround the city. Thence, rolling its broad and rapid
waters westward,

through a channel studded with

source of the Shannon,

islands,

it

falls

of lakes;

and that Bally shannon, JBcal-atha

its

is

within four miles

Seanaiyh, received

name from being

This, however,
is

of the river Bennet [Buanait], " which carries boats into

their outlet to the sea.

Lough

Gilly,

and thence

to

not the case

river

for the oldest

name

of the

Sligo

Bay

"

(idem., p. 70), he

may have
medi-

Erne was SdTTiaip, and t)6al aca

metamorphosed the Shannon

terranean river.

into a

Seanaij5 (Os Vadi Senachi) was merely the name of the ford opposite which the
castle

But great

as this error of

Giraldus
that,

is,

the reader

must bear in mind

of Ireland, the

Ballyshannon was built."

/.

O'D.

even.inCamden'sMap
is

Possibly Giraldus

may have heard of Lough

northern coast, from the extreme points of

Hoyle [Loch Uair] in Westmeath, from which two rivers issue in opposite directions,

Antrim and Donegal,

a straight

line

that the western shore, from Tory Island to

Clare,
is,

into the King's County,

the Brosna, which flows southward and " a short and

with the exception of a very slight

projection (for Connaught), a straight line;

rapid stream which runs

westward into
its

that the north-western corner of Donegal

is

which discharges " the limy into the Shannon

Lough

Iron,

waters by

a rectangle

and that the present Donegal

Beaufort's

is

as large as all Connaught.

The progress
;V

Memoir, p. 64-), and, combining that fact with another, "that Lough Clean [ Allen], the

of English knowledge on Irish affairs

alwavs slow.

120
properat;

CAMBEENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

demum

in

trie id est Patricii collis

Oceanum Occidentalem vasto ostio ultra KnocpaevolviturV De cataracta vero ista: " Aquse,"

magno cum strepitu dejectae ruunt et cataracta ipsa suo abjectu impedit quo minus ulterius amnis navigia deferat."
inquit,

"

Connaciam

Hinc Giraldum delirasse quis inficiabitur.Sinnaso amni alveum inter et Ultoniam patuisse, ac eum in Borealem se Oceanum ex-

onerasse somniantem: sed quispiam erroris hujus a Giraldo propulsandi causa mihi forsan obloquetur, dicens, flumen illud eum cursum turn fortasse tenuisse, cum ista Giraldus scriberet nemo, inquiet, dubitat
:

Quis scit quas tune operuerant se subtraxerint, et eas mortalibus incolendas reliquerint? Fateor equidem montium juga
an
illius fluvii fluctus terris

quin multae rerum factae sint ab orbe condito conversiones ?

crebro subsidisse, ac oceanum aliquando procul amovisse. Nonnunquam ignis fascundos agros sic arefecit, ut in iis colendis, inanis omnis opera
foret.

Terras motu plures urbes et mortales frequenter absorpti sunt. Regiones multse, quae montibus attollebantur, nunc in humilem planitiem expanduntur: sed a nullare magis quam ab undis mutatio telluri

provenerat, quae illam plurimis in locis ita corroserant, ut, ubi olim
arabatur,

rima exhibent.
resilierit,

nunc navigetur: hujusmodi rerum documenta historic! pluVerum quod Sinnaeus amnis a pristine cursu adeo nee in terris vestigium ullum, nee in libris memoria deprehen-

ditur.

Itaque ilium, qui in re tarn obvia et mutationis experta, a veri5

Pag. 746, in Comitatu Twomond.

a narrow channell within his bankes, there standeth hard upon him the towne of Athlone.

The following spirited

translation of this

passage

may amuse

the reader:

"Shannon

springeth out of Ihern hils" [Sliabh an larainn ] " in the county of Le Trim, and
fortwith cutting through the lands south-

From

thence Shannon having gotten

fall

over the water

at Killalo, being

now

able to bear the biggest ships that are, in a

ward, one while overfloweth the bankes

divided channel, as

it

were with two arms,

;

and enlargeth himself into open other whiles drawes back againe
straights;

pooles,

and

claspeth about the city of Limerick

at length he runneth

and

so

into narrow

and voideth out

into

and

after he

hath run abroad into

the

West ocean beyond

the hill of St. Pa-

one or two lakes, gathering himself within

his bankes, he valeth bonnet to Macclocum,

trick,"

Camden, mon Holland, M.

figures in

p. 97, ed. 1637. If Phile-

D., hazards siich lively

sur-

now

called Male,

and then by and by anoit

humble prose, we must not be

ther broade meere (they call

gith).

Lough -Re-

prised at the sublime prayer

yond

this poole,

But when he hath once gotten beand draweth himself into

trophes of Griffin in
non.

and bold aposhis Hymn on the Shan-

Before

we

leave this subject

we must

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

121

or St. Patrick's Hill."

through a vast estuary into the Western Ocean, below Cnoc Patruic, Of the falls he says: " The waters sweep over
noise,

them with tremendous

of the rivers.
1'

and the cataracts obstruct the^iavigation

Giraldus,

it is

evident,

must have been raving or dreaming when he

states that the

itself into

Shannon divides Ulster from Connaught, and discharges the Northern Ocean, unless it may be urged in defence of
it

his false account, that,

Who can

deny,

when he wrote, the river held that course! may be said, the extraordinary changes which have
,

occurred from the beginning of the world ? Who will say the waters of that river have not retired from their former bed, and abandoned it
to the occupation of

man ?

down, and driven

off the

Mountains, I admit, have sometimes sunk waves of the ocean. Fertile plains have been

so blasted by fir.e that they afterwards defied all attempts at cultivation. Earthquakes have often engulphed whole cities and their inhabitants. now level plains, and .Many tracts, once covered witfi mountains,
^are

among
ful is

the agents of those revolutions of our earth, the most powerwater, which now floats the keel over many places once furrowed
all

by the plough. Many similar changes are attested by the evidence of But that the Shannon ever changed its course, you have history.
neither a hint from history, nor a sign on the surface of the land.

Can

correct a poetic license of Mr. Moore. In his

marked, that

all

who

piously

make a

pil-

well-known song of " St. Senanus and the " " that if legends hint Lady," he makes the fair intruder had delayed until morning, she

grimage to that tomb, when they are going on a voyage, return home safe and sound

from the dangers of the deep."

p.

Acta

SS.,

never would have

left Iniscattery.

536, xl.

Even

at the present

it.

The legend really says she never did leave She was a cousin of St. Senanus, and
(

the trading boats in the river

day all sail round

the island on the day they are launched,

a nun named Cannera

Cunnera ), who

The

fishing boats observe

the

same

cere-

wished to receive before her death the holy Communion from his hands, a"nd to leave
her bones in his island.

mony on

the

first

day of the

fishing season.

They lower

the sails at five stations, but

After some re-

cast anchor opposite the nun's tomb.

All

monstrance he consented, but she died immediately. Colgan will

is

boats passing up or
all times,

down
J.

the Shannon, at

tell

the rest

"She

lower the

sails at the

nun's tomb
G., Kil-

buried, as she

wished (in the island), on

;

only.

The Very Rev.

Kenny, V.

the

bank of the Shannon

and her tomb, as

laloe, to

whom I am

indebted for those facts,

of the

she foretold, has not only been respected by the waves of the river, but it has been re-

states that the

name

nun

is

not

prfe-

served bv tradition.

122

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

tate tarn turpiter aberravit, quis in factorum narratione veritatis viam rctenturum sperabit, ac topographies, chorographiasve integritatem in illo non desiderabit, qui in re tarn liquida cespitavit.

Neque Giraldus
infaustus
'*

in Sinnaji amnis, fonte, cursuque indicando magis

quam

in Surii, Feorique origine aperienda allucinatus erat.

Bladinee," inquit,

De sub pede montis

scilicet,

" tres nobiles

fluvii

nascuntur,
sortiti;

qui et tres sorores dicuntur, quia

Berija
e
6 Eyrus, et Surius ."

trium sororum nomina sunt

monte Bladhmio, quein

ille

Ketingus tamen Berbham quidem Bladinam vocat, sed Surium et Feorium e

de Ibhgirin manare
asserit,

monte Aildumio

sito in ditione
est.

utvel hodie

cernentibus perpicuum

cipium assignasse,

Giraldum Erno lacui falsum fluendi princommodiori loco infra constabit.

Hujusmodi

errata

impune per me
infra,

ferret, nisi

plurimorum errorum,

proferentur, se reum prajbuisset ; ac aliis pra3terea hie non tacendis se contaminasset. Multa ille de insula viventium inepta commeinorat, quee Stanihurstus Giraldi maximus alioqui

qui e re nata passim

fautor eludit, et elidit his verbis 7

sciscitatus

"Plurimos accurate de hac insula

a Giraldo ascriptas a nemine fide

sum, sed miras dotes

ei

digno in tota regione assertas audivi, nee author ulli ero adeo se levem prsebere, ut commentariis tarn commentitiis fidem accommodet, quae nee
experientia corroborat, nee ratio fulcit."
6

Top.

d.

i.

c. 6.

In Anglica Descriptione Hibernian

ll

For

many

of those great changes in

countries, see Ogygia,

was thrown
is

up,

and a lake

in

which

fish

Ireland,

and other
c. iv. p.

pars. Ill,

166

Haliday's Keatp.

caught was thrown up in the place." Four Mast., vol. ii. p. 1185.
*

ing, pp. 169, n. v.

177

Grace's Annals,

116,

This

is

a very pardonable error of Gi-

Our

historians fix the date at

which

raldus, as Sliabh Ailduin

may

be considered

many

of the Irish lakes and rivers sprung

a part of the range of the Sliabh Bladhma

(Slieve

from the earth.

A vivid tradition is
Meemlough,

still

Bloom)

J.

O'D.

Spenser has

preserved in the barony of Leyney, county of or " the of the

Sligo,

allegorized this passage in the Faery Queen,

origin

book

iv.

cant. xi. 42.

The nine
first

rivers

erupted lake," which

is

thus recorded in the

:

which were in Ireland before the

after the

colony

Annals of the Four Masters, A. D. 1490 " There was an earthquake at Sliabh Gamh,

Deluge,
.

are

the

Liffey,

Bann,

Moy,

in Ulster
;

the Sligeach,

in
;

Con-

by which one hundred persons were destroyed, among whom was the son of Magnus
Crossagh O'Hara. were also killed by

naught and Samar, in Tyrconnell Morne and Finn, in Tyrone the Bandon and Lee,
;

Many
it,

horses and cows

fish

in Cork.

These, with the Slaney,

Avon-

and much putrid

more, Boyne, and those already mentioned,

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBBENSIS EVERSUS.

123

you

rely,

with any confidence, on a narrative of passing events by a

errs so egregiously in a palpable matter, an

man who

unchanged feature

of nature?

Or what

claims can he have to accuracy in topography or

h chorography, who blunders against transparent truth ? His account of the rise of the Suir and Nbre is as visionary as

his.

unfortunate account of the rise and course of the Shannon. "From the " he " foot of Mount Bladina, spring the three noble rivers, says, called the Three Sisters, from the persons whose names they bear,

row

namely, Berija, Eyrus, and Surius' ." Keating, it is true, says the Barrises in Sliabh Bladhma, which Gerald calls Bladina ; but he also
1

asserts truly, as all

may

see to-day, that the

district of Ibhgirin.

from Sliabh Ailduin, in the

If these

Nore and Suir descend At a more convenient

place I will expose Gerald's false account of the source of

Lough Erne.
But

had been solitary

errors, I

would pardon them, but they

are constantly occurring, as I shall prove

I

when

occasion requires.

cannot pass over at present some of his disgraceful blunders. He has collected many foolish stories regarding the isle of the living, on which
censure
Stanilmrst, though one of his most ardent admirers, passes this severe " For my part I have been very inquisitive of this island, but I could never find this strange property soothe'd by any man of credit
:

in the

as to lend his credit to

whole country. Neither, truly, would I wish any to be so light, any such feigned glosses as are neither verified
colorable reason*."
ever dies or died, or can die a natural death,
in the smaller
isle,

by experience nor warranted by any

are the only rivers in the
k

Topography.
situated three

The

isle

of the living

was

and hence

it is

called

miles from Roscrea, parish of Corbally, in

the Isle of the Living. Sometimes, however,

a lake called Loch Cre, which

is

dried

up

they are grievously

to the last

but the surrounding bog

naincha,
i.

is still

called

Mo-

afflicted, and brought gasp by a mortal distemper, and

is

e.

bog of the

sage of Giraldus is:

there is a lake in

island. The pas"In North Munster

islands,

when

all

hope

gone, and they feel that

which are two

nothing of living life remains, and that they have been reduced to such extremities, by
the progress of the disease, that they prefer

one larger, the other small.

there is a

In the former

church of ancient veneration; in the latter a chapel, which is devoutly served

death to a dying

life,

they get themselves

carried in a boat to the larger island,

where

by a few unmarried persons, called Ccelicoli or Colidei. If a woman, or any animals

of the female sex,
island,

they yield up the ghost the moment they touch the shore." The Wonders of Ireland
( Irish

ever enter the larger

Nenniut,

p.

217)

state that

"no

fe-

they die instantly.

But no person

male, of any species, could enter the island

124

CAMBRENSIS E VERSUS.
S.

[CAP.

II.

Narrat Cambrensis "

aves, sed et

Beanum miro

et inaudito

more non tantum

avium ova
Sin'

tueri.

Si enim ut ova rapias,

manum admoveas,

videas protinus pullos marcidos et rubros, et

exclusos.

tamquam eadam hora iam

autem

manum

retrahas, videas iterum, sen miraculose

versos.

seu fantastice, contra naturae cursum pullos in ova converses vel reAccedant duo, impostor simul, et raptor, hie pullos ille ova

videbit8 ."

Hanc narrationem Stanihurstus9 censura

oculorum fascinatione
fieri.

excipit, dicens

lianc conversionem,

solo posita, cui

" insula " Est" quaedam in Occidentali Connaciae (inquit Giraldus) nomen Aren, a S. Brandano ut aiunt consecrata. In hac
nee humantur, nee putrescunt, sed sub dio posita, et

hominum corpora
exposita,

permanent incorrupta. Hie homines avos, atavos, et tritavos, longamque stirpis suae retro seriem mirando conspiciunt, et cognoscunt. Est et aliud ibi notabile quia cum per totam Hiberniam copiose nimis
:

mures abundent,

hajc

tamen insula mure

si

caret.

Mus enim

nee nas-

citur hie, nee vivit invectus, sed

L8J

forte allatus fuerit, statim praecipiti,

cursu in proximum mare se praecipitat; sin autem impeditur, statim emoritur 10." In tota narrationis hujusce serie Giraldus vehementer
|

Top.

dist.

ii.

c.

40.

*9

Ubi

supra.
it is

10

Top.

dist. ii. c. 6.

Cre, and that no sinner could die or be buried on it," a version which dif-

of

Loch

impossible now to

decide which of them of the Irish autho-

was the Inis-Locha-Cre

rities

fers materially

from Giraldus's.

The

place

(Four Mast., Ann. 921, 1119, 1143).

was formerly frequented by

five of the

pilgrims,

and

TTI6in
island,'

na
i.

h-irmr-e denotes 'bog of the

stations are yet remembered.

e.

About 100 years

ago, the proprietor of the

all

m-beo.

The patron

bog of the island of Imp na saint was Helair

place drained the lake, forbade

access to

Sep. 7, 0' Clery's Calendar; J. O'D." Within

the church, either for burial or pilgrimage,

the last century there were two islands here,

destroyed tomb-stones, and erected around

the church a circular mound, composed, the people say, of the mortal remains of the

one called " Monks' Island," on which were

Michael's

Abbey and

the present church

another, the

"Women's

Island," on which,

hundred generations deposited in that

fa-

within the last forty years, there was at

least

vorite churchyard. Tradition says that the

one church.

The exclusion

of the

author did not long survive this improvement. " According to an inquisition taken
at the
'

women from

one of the islands (a rule of several Irish monasteries ) is still tradi-

suppression of the monasteries in

the island' of this place, Inchenebo,

1568,

contained three acres of moor, whereon were

remembered. Rev. Mr. Egan, P.P., Dunkerin. The people regard St. Columba as the founder of the church.
tionally

two chapels.

Whether

this island

formed

The MS.

two

islands in the time of Giraldus or not,

cited (p. 81, 0' Flaherty s West Connaught), purporting to be a tvansla-

CHAP.

II. J

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

125

" that St. Beanus Giraldus asserts protects not only birds, but their

For if you stretch eggs also, in a wonderful and most singular way. out your hand to seize the eggs, you will immediately see chickens
just issuing from the shell; if you withdraw your hand, you by a miracle or magic, contrary to the course of nature, returning to or changed into eggs; but let two

bare and red, as

if

see again the chickens, either

approach together, one to look on, suppose, and another to seize them, Stanihurst censures the former will see eggs, the latter chickens ."
1

this story,

and observes that the change must have been

effected

by

bewitching the eyes. " there is an " In the western part of Connaught," says Giraldus, St. Brendan. There Island called Aran, which they say was blessed by

human
the
air,

bodies are never buried and never rot, but

lie

exposed under

proof against corruption.' There the wondering mortal can see and recognise his grandfather, and great-grandfather, and his grandAnother father's grandfather, and the long line of his progenitors.

very remarkable thing

Ireland
is

is,

that no rat

is

found in that

island,

though
it

very much

infested with rats.

But

a rat neither breeds

nor

lives in

Aran, and should one by any chance be imported there,

gallops away instantly" to the nearest shore, and casts itself headlong into the sea, or dies on the spot if it happen to be stopped." Now this
but he gives no proof of his assertion. According to Colgan (Acta Sanctorum, p. 369), there were two churches inTyrconnell,

account of Monaincha, adds a circumstance not found in the origition of Giraldus 's
nal,

namely, "that the treas of that kepe there leaves green, and verdure

isle

all

founded, one

by Baithen, son

of Bren-

times of the year winter and summer." of St. Bean " was situated
1

The church

dan; another by Baithen, son of Cuanach. The names of these saints would sound to
the ear of Giraldus like
are no

in the remote parts of Ulsta-, in the

moun-

Bean

but there

tains where cranes, grouse Cerate),

birds, in great

and other

means

of identifying the church to

numbers, built their nests in

which he

refers,

nor of discovering the fact

the proper season, in consequence of the security

that may be enveloped in his legend. There

and peace extended by the inhabiand

was a tame

falcon at Kildare,
;

tame birds
and in the

tants there, not only to

beasts

birds,

man, but even to in reverence for St. Bean."

ever existed)

in other churches of the saints

lonely mountains of the north, hallowed

by

This church of

St. Ees^n (if it

the church of a patron saint, the wild birds

cannot be identified.
that St.
the

Stephen White states

Bean

is

the saint of that

at

name

in
;

could enjoy a repose which fame might magnify into the extraordinary appear-

Roman Martyrology

December 16

ance? recorded by Giraldus.

126
claudicat
:

CAMBRENSTS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

nam
est,

consecrata

Arenias insula non a S. Brendano, sed a S. Enda3o ut illam inde Hiberni Einne Airne vocent. Hanc

ille septennem navigationem auspicaturus invisisse dicitur. Cseterum hodierna rerum in ea insula conditio penitus alia est nam cadavera
:

inhumata non jacent, sed terras mandata putrescunt. Imo superioris omnis memoriae consuetudo tulisse videtur, vita ibi functos, sepulturas
traditos fuisse:

cum

earn insulam, " sacris exuviis et sepulchris innunostrae gentis nobilitatam esse,"

merorum sanctorum

Colganus" et
scire

alii

" plures asserant ; et in vita S. Albsei dicatur,

neminem
1

numerum

sanctorum qui sepulti sunt ibi, nisi solum Deum," ut proinde: " Ardnansemh sive Arna sanctorum," vulgo nuncupetur *. Muribus autem
11

Col. 21.

Mar. Ussher. Prim., pp. 867, 962.

12

Apud Ussherum,

ibid., p.

868.

ni

SL

Brendan, of Clonfert,

who

died in

thy.

The

original Latin legend,

and two

the ninety-fourth year of his age, 577

early French metrical versions, were published at Paris,

Lanigan,

vol.

ii.

p. 38.

His seven-years'

1836

but the Irish verdocuments,

is

voyage

is

that mysterious fact

commemo-

sion, like other similar

ne-

" rated in the Irish Calendars as the Egressio familiae S.

glected
n

and almost unknown.

Enda, of the royal- house of
Oriel,

JBrendani" on the 22nd of

'

St.

March: "Brendan, the man

of God, de-

and brother-in-law to/Engus, King of Munster,

parted with fourteen of his brethren towards

the western country, to a certain island

of

whom he obtained a grant of the Isle

Acta
Sanct.,

of

Aran

March

20, p. 704.

named Ara, where Enda and

his brethren

were then dwelling. St. Brendan, having remained three days and three nights, and
received the blessing of St.

Enda, it is said, established ten communities on the island, appointing a superior and
another with right of succession, over each.

Enda and

his

His own monastery was

built at Killeany,

holy monks, returned to his native county,

called Sedes Brendani, in Kerry.

near the east of the island.

book of the

Embark-

Gospels, and a chasuble, which

was

for-

ing with his brethren, they sailed with a favorable wind, during fifteen days, towards
the

merly covered with gold and

silver,

but in

summer

solstice" (the north-west, as

Dr. Lanigan interprets

"
it),

and, after row-

the fourteenth century only with brass, were preserved with great care in the island, as relics of St. Enda. His memory is still

ing until they Avere they

tired,

they were driven

last

held in great veneration in

Aran and

the
See,

knew

not. whither,

and at

made

neighbouring shores
also C? Flaherty's

Ibid. p. 707.

the promised land, a spacious and beautiful country."

West Connauglit,

p. 79.

Ada

Sanctorum, March 22.

poem

attributed to St.

Columba
p.

See,
St.

on this voyage, Wright's Purgatory of

(Transactions of the Gaelic Society,

Patrick, p. 91; Mallets Northern

An-

tiquities,

Voyage,

Bonn's editton, p. 266; and the of Si. Brendan, by D. F. Mac Car-

183) expresses the popular veneration " the isles of Aran Aran, thou sun.
:

for
!

Aran, thou sun,

my

heart

is

with thee in

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBBENSIS EVEBSUS.
is

127

whole story of Giraldu&

Aran was
voyage*
called
it

visited (they say)

a tissue of flagrant blunders, for though 1 by St. Brendan" before his seven-years'
,

n by him, but by St. Enda whence it was Qipne. Neither does the present state of the island agree with Giraldus's story for human bodies do not lie exand it appears highly probable that posed, but are buried and rot

was not

blessed,

by the Irish

Gmne

died there were, in all preceding ages of which we have any committed to the tomb. account, Colgan and many others assert that " Aran was honored with the sacred relics and tombs of innumerable
those
saints of our

who

alone

country ;" and in the Life of St; Ailbhe it is written: "God knoweth the number of saints buried there, ""whence the name by
it is

which
the
is

generally known, Ara-na-na3mh,

thy pure earth under the earth of

or "

Ara

of the Saints ."

isles

West

to sleep beneath to be
;

passim, p. 453.
identified

The

of

Aran

are

the

same as

Peter and Paul

Aran, thou sun,

;

my

with most of the great epochs of our country's history. By a covenant be-

love lies in thee westward

to

be within

the sound of thy bells

ill

is

the same as to be

tween the Kings of Munster and Connaught in 546, they were declared exempt from the
jurisdiction of both.

Malachy O'Kealy, ArchTuam, one of the most efficient and zealous co-operators of Colgan, drew
happiness."

They were plundered

;

bishop of

by

the

Danes in 1080
;

by Darcy,

the Lord

up a

description of the ecclesiastical remains

Deputy, in 1334 their ecclesiastical lands were secularized by Elizabeth the confede;

on the three islands of Aran about the year 1645, from which it appears that, on the
largest island, there were thirteen churches,

rate Irish maintained their

ground there

for

full

year after the surrender of Galway to

;

the Parliamentarians

the isles were gar-

among which were Teghlach Enda,

other sepulchres,

sur-

risoned again after the surrender of Gal-

rounded by the tomb of St. Enda, and 120 " wherein none but saints
were ever buried." There were two churches

way

to

William

III.

down

to the year 1565, they

For many centuries, had been in

possession of a branch of the O'Briens,

who

on the middle

island, one dedicated to St.

to St.

Mary, the other

St.
p.

Ceannanach and, on
;

the third island, three dedicated to St. Paul,

Coeman, and
714.

St.

Gobnata

For the 'nine pagan

details

fortresses

Acta SS., on

were about that year dispossessed by the West Connaught, p. 78. O'Flahertys. " St. Enda," it is said in his Life, "when walking on the sea-shore, burst into tears
because
it

was made known to him

isles

that the

these islands, especially

scientific

Dun ^nguis, and

architectural re-

day would come when those

would not

on

all

mains, see Hardiman's

p.

West Connaught, 76, and Petrie's Evidence in the Report

be tenanted by monks, but carnal and irreHe brightened up with joy, ligious laics.
however, on being assured that, before the end of the world, thousands would once

presented to Sir Robert Peel on the Inquiry

36,

Ordnance Memoir for Ireland,

Petrie's

p.

more

flock to those islands, to escape the

A.D. 1843, and

Round Towers,

contagion of irreligion."

Colgan remarks

128
haec insula,

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

dflenus

non secus ac alia Hiberniae loca frequentatur. Sane Camhunc figmentorum in Arania et insula viventium cuinulum uno 13 impulsu evertit dum dicit insulge Arran dictae fabellis, quasi insular
,
:

viventium famigerantur. Existimo quag de Innisgluaria Irrisia3, in comitatu Mayoensi e regione posit|i commemorantur, Areniss Giraldum inversa narratione adscripsisse.

In

ilia

enim

sepulti, cadavere incorrupto,

ungue, capilloque crescente visuntur, ut avum quis cognoscere possit. Plures ille fontes enumerat, quibus miras dotes a natura com" fons in Momonia cujus aquis "JSst," inquit, paratas esse memorat. si quis abluitur, statim canus efh'citur. Est contra fons in Ultonia,

quo

si

quis abluitur, non canescit amplius.

solis

Est in Connacia fons quiet peco--

dam aquas habens

Item
fontis

hominibus acceptabiles jumentis vero

ribus, aliisque animalibus

quibuscumque

si

gustatae fuerint pestilentes.

extinguunt.

hujus arenas petrosae sitibundis et aridis ori impositse sitim Est fons in Momonia, qui si tactus ab homine, vel etiam

visus fuerit, statim tota Provincia pluviis inundabit, quaa non cessabunt donee sacerdos ad hoc deputatus, qui et virgo fuerit a nativitate tarn
in capella (quae non procul a fonte ad hoc dignoscitur esse fundata) et aquse benedictae, lactisque vaccae unius cqloris aspersione (barbaro satis ritu et ratione carente)

mente quam corpore, Missa3 celebratione

fontem reconciliaverit 14 ."

13

Comitatus

Galvisse, p.

257.

Top.

dist.

ii.

c. 7.

on

this passage,

with his characteristic Irish

the territory of Ferns, north-east of the

faith,

" that these bad days had commenced

Slaney.

The

Irish

name of

the rats

is

luca

already,

and

lasted to his

own

time, for the

Pyicmcaca,

" French mice."

In O'Fla-

islands were tenanted

vilized laymen,
ters

by a colony

of unci-

herty's time (ibid., p. 10), rats were not

and invaded by the minisof a new creed but heaven grant that
;

found in any part of West Connaught, encept the isles of Aran, and the district of

the incense of divine praise, and the odor

the west liberties of

sent,

Galway

but, at pre-

of primitive sanctity,
to

may once more ascend

God from
P

the isles of Aran."

Ada

SS.,

no part of that territory is exempt from them. For an account of a tract of

land around the town of Donegal, in which no rat was found in the commencement of
the last century, see a letter to Dr. Moly-

pp. 710, 711.

O'Flaherty ( West Connaught, p. 82) " translates " mus a rat, that is, according to Mr. Hardiman (ibid., p. 10), the small
black Irish rat, to distinguish
it

neux, West Connaught,

1

p.

263.
island of

from the

Inisgluair

was doubtless the

"mus

major," commonly called "ratus,"

(dist.
viii.

which Giraldus had 'heard the

stories

by

which, according to Giraldus

cap. 32),

him
his

attributed to Aran.

Dr. Pococke, in

was banished by Bishop Ibar from

" Tour through Ireland, A. D. 1752,"

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBIIENSTS EVERSUS.

129

Neither is Aran more free from rats p than any other part of Ireland. Camden thus demolishes, with a single stroke, this fabric of fiction " The Isles of Aran, faburegarding Aran and the Isle of the Living: the Isles of the Living." My own opinion is, thatGiraldus lously styled bungled his narrative by applying to Aran what is told of Inisgluair,

an island off the coast of Erris, in the county of Mayo.

1

For the bodies

buried in that island do not decay ; but even the hair and nails grow, so that one could recognise his grandfather* .

which nature had imparted, he says, very wonderful properties: "There is a well in Munster, and whoever is washed with its water becomes instantly grey. There is another well
gives a long list of wells, to
in Ulster,

He

and whoever bathes in

there

is

a well,

very taste
of animals.

it never becomes grey. In Connaught whose waters are salubrious for human uses, but whose poisons flocks and herds, and beasts of burden, and all sorts

The pebbly sand

at once assuages the cravings of thirst.

if

of this well, if only applied to the mouth, There is a well in Munster, and
at
it,

any man touch or even look

the whole province

is

instantly

deluged with rain,

purpose, and

w hich never
r

ceases, until a priest,

appointed for the

who has been a virgin in soul as in body frotn his. infancy, celebrates mass in a little chapel (founded near the well for the purpose),
and appeases the well by an aspersion of holy water, and the barbarous and unmeaning rite of sprinkling the milk of a heifer of one color."
(MSS.
states

Trinity College, Dublin,

it

I.

4. 15),

ocean,

was then believed that no

rat or

Cross, parish of Kilmore, En-is.

about a mile west of the village of For several

see

mouse could live in Inisgluair West ConIt was also believed that naught, p. 82.
no bodies rotted there, and " the tradition

particulars of its history,

West Conp.

naught,
Petrie's

p.

81

Hy-Fiachrach,

492;
;

Round Towers,

pp. 124, 125

arid

remembered by the inhabitants of Erris and Inis Seidhe." J. O'D.

is still

vividly

the Irish version of Nennius, p. 192,

by

Dr. Todd,

who has

kindly favored
before
it

me with

In OTlaherty's time,

the

tradition

was
West

the sheets of that

lished.

work

was pubthe venofree.

proved by experience to be false

The

rat is classed

among

Connaught, p. 82. to St. Brendan.

The
It is

island

was sacred
and

mous animals from which Ireland was

Nennius,
p.

now

uninhabited,

219. There are no toads nor

but contains the ruins of a church

other buildings, which, together with the

leeks

and other garden herbs

still

growing

serpents in all Eri; except the mouse (luca pael), the wolf, and the fox, there has not been, and there shall not be, any noxious animal in
Ibid.
it.

wild, are the sole

monuments

of ancient

Even mice

are excluded.

monastic civilization.

Inisgluair lies in the

130

CAMBRENSIS EVERSTJS.
his fontibus id universim dico

[CAP.

II.

De
lam

cum

nee hodie, nee memoria

majorum

fontes ejusmodi dotibulf imbuti esse deprehendantur, nulsuppetere rationem, cur affectiones illis a natura insitae temporis

diuturnitate evanescerent.

Ac

insuper addo,
et Ultonia

cum

indefinite

fon-

tium

loca designet,

eum

in

non modicam
istis

erroris suspicionem venire.

Nam
quis

in tota
erit,

Momonia, Connacia,
fontibus
ejus

obeunda fatigatus ante

Itaque
ille

quam de

certior factus.

levium

hominum gratiam
tentise

aucupantium narrationibus aures, et fidem leviter avideque accommodasse dicendus est. Ego quidem Ketengi sen-

Deum ut ejusmodi prodigia scriptis ut ejus mandacia essent illustriora. Et insuper addo tot fabulas ilium idcirco forsitan cumulasse, ut csateram historiae Hibernicse seriem e fabulis contextam esse tacite insinuaret.
accedo dicentis 15 , fortasse
ille

traderet,

passum

fuisse,

Cur autem potius portentosorum Lageniae Mediaeque fontium non meminit ? in his enim provinciis diutius diversatus, Connaciam, Ultomam,
aut ulteriores Momoniaa partes nee pedibus unquam, aut oculis obivit. Media vero et Lagenia pluribus scatent fontibus, sanctorum olim opera
e rupibus, aut duriori solo elicitis, ad quos miracula indies

etiamnum

Illorum enim beneficio plurimi oculis, pedibus, aut'mente " In Mecapti, aut aliis etiam morbis implicit! sanitatem impetrant,
eduntur.
15

In Prsefatione.

Ireland, like other countries, as Britain,

two, namely, the wonderful well in Con-

Man,

&c. &c.,

had her mirabilia or won-

naught, and the well which prevented Lan-

ders, of

which we may say with OTlaherty

iii.

from becoming grey, are unknown

the collectors of Irish mirabilia.

to all

(Ogygia, pars
are true,

chap. 50), that

"some

The

well

some

false,

and some

facts enve-

loped in fable."

The number

of Irish mi-

which made the hair grey is mentioned among the wonders of Ireland {Irish Ncnnms,
p.

rabilia is different

with different authors.

195); but, as being in the pa-

The reader
192.

will find a full account of

them

rish of Gallorn, county

Monaghan, not

in

in Dr. Todd's Irish version of Nennius, p.

Giraldus devotes his second distinc-

The angry Munster, as Giraldus says. well is also mentioned (ibid., p. 197), thus:

tion, consisting of

mirabilia

twenty folio pages, to the and White entitles his twenty-

"The

well of Sliabh
if

Bladhma
at
it,

( Slieve

Bloom),
it,

any one gaze

sacrifice
is

or touches

third, twenty-fourth,
ters,

and twenty-fifth chap-

the sky will not cease to pour

down

rain

" Pia

et

vera nonnulla quae de Sanctis

until

mass and

are

celebrated."

Hibemiae narrat Cambrensis ;" but we must

confine our notices to those mentioned

This well, which

the source of the Bar-

by

row, "floods the country for miles round

Dr. Lynch.

Of

the four wells in the text,

during the rainy season."

Ibid.,

p. 197.

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

131

With regard to these wells I make this general remark, that neither now, nor at any former period, have any traces been discovered of fountains with such properties and, if the properties were natural, time
;

alone

would not destroy them

is

moreover, his vague

mode

of pointing

ground for suspecting You would be tired going over all Munster and Ulster a falsehood. and Connaught, before you get any account of them The truth is, Giraldus must have greedily and foolishly gathered up the silly stories
1
".

out the site of those wells

in itself a strong

of persons anxious to

worm

themselves into his favor.

For

my own

heaven permitted such prodigies to be committed to paper, that Gerald's mendacity should be more notorious ; or, perhaps I should add, that his object in heaping together so many fables may have been to intimate tacitly to the world, that
part, I incline to Keating's opinion, that

why has he
'

the whole history of Ireland was of the same fabulous character. omitted the miraculous wells of Leinster and Meath ?

But

He

lived a long time in those provinces,

but never saw or

set his foot in

Ulster, Connaught, or the more remote districts of Munster. In Meath and Leinster there are many wells which the saints formerly drew from

the rock or from the hard earth, at which miracles are worked even to

many persons recovering their sight or the use of their limbs, or their reason, or getting a cure of various other diseases 8 " In Meath,"
this day,
.

Giraldus improved the legend

by

the in-

vention of the peculiar rites for appeasing

the well, of which see more, p. 136, n.
x
.

where

Mamertine Prison, and those on the spot St. Paul was beheaded, all of which
in tradition with the

have been associated

But he can hardly be accused of drawing

exclusively on his imagination, because
it

memory
number
in

of the Apostles. of wells

is

In Ireland, the
Martiniere,

very great.

manifestly appears, from the accounts of

the mirabilia collected

his Geographical Dictionary, describes

various editions of the

afloat in ancient times.

by Dr. Todd, that same stories were

them

as a characteristic of Ireland

"
:

II

O'Donovan,

it

is still

According to Mr. a popular notion in

if

a partout des sources et des fontaines, non seulement sur les montagnes et les rochers,

mais aussi dans les plaines d'ou

elles coulent

in Ireland, that

a spring well,

defiled^

would dry up or emigrate to some other

locality.
s

sans bruit et presque sans aucun bouillormement." " There are a great number of other
fountains throughout all the land, called

In the Lives of the Saints, fountains

similar to those described in the text are fre-

holy wells by the inhabitants, whose waters, not differing from that of other wells in
smell, taste, or

quently mentioned.

See the Bollandists,

for the well in the

any other

sensible quality,

June 29, pp> 433, 436,

nevertheless are believed to be effectual for

K 2

132

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

" S. Joannis dia," inquit David Rothus, Episcopus Ossoriensis, Baptists

fons, in

Ad rivulum S. Molengi, Lagenia S. Brigitae puteus visitur. quarto a Rosponte lapide, ad fluvium Neorium" (Feorium potius) "situm olim deprecandaa pestis asylum, omnes omnium ordinum oration! s

causa confluebant 16 ." Joannes Clin, ad annum Domini 1348, "Conve" de diversis nerunt," ait, partibus Hiberniae Episcopi, et Praslati, viri
Ecclesiastici, et religiosi, magnates et alii, et communiter omnes utriusque sexus, magni et parvi ad peregrinationem et vadatioriem aquae de Tathmoling Tormensi [rectc turmatim], et in multitudine, sic ut multa

millia

hominum simul
16

illuc

multis diebus convenire videres."

p. 6.

In Laconica Descrip. Hiberniae,

curing several diseases."

History, chap.
still

Boaters Natural

vii.

sect. 11.

This belief

on the Ordnance maps in the county of Wexford alone, besides a proportional number in the other Leinster counties.

prevails ; but

many

places which, thirty

Colgan

years ago, were visited by immense crowds

(Trias Thaum.,
three wells,

p.

544, n. 44) mentions

on the festival of the saint after

whom

the

which were probably the most

:

well was named, are rapidly losing their

celebrity, the Catholic clergy

celebrated in his time

" One in the county

having often

prohibited the pilgrimages in consequence

of the

Eoscommon, not far from Athlone, which was frequented from all quarters, not onlv
of

abuses that followed from them.

by

Catholics, but Protestants also, on ac-

Those holy wells were generally near a church, and owed their reputation often to
the fact, that the anchorite or hermit had

count of the wonderful things said to have

been performed there.

fame, that Randal M'Donald, Earl of

So great was its An-

dwelt near them, before the disciples had

gathered around him, and enabled him to erect the church. For the celebrated well
of St. Augustine, near Galway, see our
thor's Dedication, supra, p. 56,

trim, surrounded it with a strong wall of

hammered

stone.

There were two other

cele-

brated wells, one in

in Hy-Kinsellagh,

Thomond and

another
is that
still

Au-

which probably

and West

mentioned by Rothe.

The peasantry

Connaught,
I

p. 88.

point out St. Bridget's chair and headstone

at Brideswell, Kilranelagh,

John's well, a beautiful spring in the

county of Meath, near Lord Dunsany's demesne. Until within the last few years, it

town, county Wicklow.

Upper TalbotsThe w ork of Dar

was frequented on the 24th

June by pilgrims from Meath, Westmeath, Cavan, and Monaghan but the Catholic clergy have
of
;

vid Rothe, cited in the text, to the Editor.

v

is

not

known

There are three wells of St. Moling. The

well of Listerling. about three, and that at

" prohibited the patron," because

tors
II

many visiwhat well

marked

Craon Moling, called Mullingahill, about

six miles from Ross
is
;

came

for

amusement

alone.

but the principal well

It is impossible to ascertain
is

at St. Moling's Monastery, called, after

of St. Brigid

alluded to here, there being

at least half a dozen Brideswells

St. Mullin's, which gives its name to a barony in the county of Carlow. This

him,

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
"

133

there is a well of St. John the David Rothe, Bishop of Ossory, says: and in Leinster a well of St. Brigid". St. Moling's well, about Baptist four miles from Ross, near the River Nore, was formerly a celebrated
1 ,

in public prayer against the plague." place of devotion for all orders " John Clin relates in his Annals that, in the year 1348, Bishops and
prelates,

monks and

clerics, nobles,

and

others,

and immense crowds of

every age and sex, went on a pilgrimage to cross the stream of Tathmoling, and in such crowds and multitudes that many thousand persons

were
well

for

many

v days assembled there."

is still

a favorite resort for pilgrims on

the 17th of June and 25th
so called
is

he states that while the whole kingdom

two

fair days,

was overjoyed

at the fall of Calais,

and

of July.

The well properly

English ladies were parading the luxurious silks of the conquered French,

round basin of water, about two

feet deep,

overshadowed by old ash

trees.

From

the

rains

heavy commenced on the 24th of June, con-

basin the waters gush out, through two

tinued until Christmas, and were followed

square orifices cut in granite, into another

formed by huge blocks of the same stone. It lies about 100 yards northreceptacle,

next year by the plague, which left hardly a tenth part of the human race, destroyed
the value of landed property, swept
off"

the

east of the monastery.

The pilgrims comcell

mence

their

rounds or stations at the well,

near the

animals themselves, and brought the world to a state from which it never recovered,
&c. &c.

and conclude them at a ruined

great church, beside which
of ancient date.
is

Devotions at

St. Mullin's well are

a ruined cross

not

now regarded
young

as a special protection
;

A rapid mountain stream,

by the pilgrims
is

against the plague

days,

but,

on the patron

which flows between the well and the monastery, is crossed

in their

Children are carried from all

the surrounding country, and immersed in the water.

rounds, and that circumstance

probably

Why
;

the

pilgrims ford the

expressed by the word "vadatio" in Clyn's

account.
striking
;

stream at
determine

St. Mullin's, the

Editor cannot
pilgrimages,

The scenery around the well

is

but,
St.

in

similar

the Barrow, on one side, flowing

such as at

John's well, four miles from

at the foot of

Brandon hill, and, on the other,

There
a large rath

the Carlow mountains rising between Car-

Kilkenny, and St. Kieran'swell, nearKells, praying in the cold water is considered as
part of the austerity of the penance,

low and Wexford.

near the church.
nine,

is

By water,

St. Mullin's is

custom which,

like other peculiarly Irish

Ross.

by land, about six miles from New The great plague recorded here by
is

customs, can be traced back to the earliest

ages of the Irish Church. See, for instance,

Clyn

referred to the

same

year, 1348, in

Grace's Annals, p. 143; but to 1349

the Four Masters

by

the Feilire.
basilicas,
if

Colgan, March 11, on Aengns, author of In the porches of the ancient

fountains were constructed,
or,

and by Walshingham
In the latter place,

Historia Anglicana, p. 168, and Ypodig-

water could not be had, cisterns.

Pope
inscrip-

ma

Neustrice, p. 519.

Leo the Great wrote the following

134

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
his igitur, et

[CAP.

II.

Ab
[9]
|

hujusmodi magis exploratis,

:

et

ob oculos

positis

fontibus enarrandis, ad obscuriores et remotiores fontes

flexit

memorandos

orationem ultro

quam

sacras dotes litteris consignandi

magis nimirum cupidus fuit, profanas fontium, ut quam a sacris aversion, tarn
:

illi nugatores eo audacius plura de longinquis comminiscuntur, quo longius ab audientium notitia, et prospectu abesse ilia cognoscunt. Viatores enim (ut

in profana

propensum

se prseberet.

Certi itinerantes

proverbio vernaculo dicimus) mentiendi privilegium referunt.

E cujus-

modi hominibus cum narrationes suas Giraldus potissimum hauserit, non video cur fidem ullam mereatur. Quod autem Giraldus: " viderit
hominem, cujus pars barbse lymphis
fontis

primo memorati

lotae,

canis

incanduerat, altera parte tota in sua natura fusca manente," 17 putem hominem istum Giraldo ista imposuisse, ut Giraldi credulitatem inter
sodales magis exploderet.

Nee enim adeo mentis inops homo iste fuisse

eensendus

dum

ut biformi, et deformi barba omnibus ultro se irridenpra3beret, qui lotione unica barbam canitie tingere, et hominum
est,

ludibrio se sic eximere potuit.

mento pendere, nullo tamen fonte

et

tinctas, sed

Vidi bicolores barbas, e quorundam quas ea colorum varietate

imbutas natura produxit. Similis barbee vir Giraldum convenire potuit, (credulum hominem !) ad credendum adducere suam barbam diversos
colores e

memorato fonte

hausisse.

Porro fontium agmen narratione satis inepta, et veritatem omnino rion redolente claudit. Quo enim spectat, ut tarn accurata castitas, in
faciente

sacrum exigatur? Viri, post legitimam uxorem fatofunctam, sacerdotio initiati Missa, castissimi cuj usque Missse virtutem ex opere

operate (ut theologi loquuntur) exsequat. Ad fascinum potius, quam ad prodigium referendo sunt istse tempestates, tacto vel viso fonte, in cir-

cumjacentibus
ullo

excitata3.

evincit 18 nullam

hominum

damno

afficere

Etenim Martinus Delrio lucidis argumentis attactui aut aspectui vim inesse, quse res posset. Ad tempestates autem illas sedandas non
18

miror Missa3 celebrationem, et aquse lustralis aspersionem adhiberi:

17

Top.

dist.

ii.

c. 7.

Disquis.

Mag.

lib.

i.

c. 3,

qujes. iv. lib. 3, etc.

on a fountain repaired by himself, near the church of St. Paul

tion
:

Quisque suis meritis veneranda sacraria

Pauli
Ingrederis, supplex ablue fonte manus."

"Unda

lavat carnis maculas, sed crimina

purgat
Purificatque animas mundior

Car. Bona.

Rerum

Litur.,

lib.

i.

cap.
ii.

amne

fides

xx.

5.

SeeAdamnan deLocis Sanctis,

lib.

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

135

his eyes,

Omitting these and similar well-known wells, which he had under he deliberately selects for his narrative the more obscure and

distant wells ; proving,

by his anxiety to chronicle the profane rather than the sacred properties of these wells, that his aversion for the sacred was as great as his partiality for the profane. Moreover, travelled fops

are emboldened to descant

to their auditors.

more

fearlessly

on distant objects unknown

Travellers (says our Irish proverb) bring home a for lying ; and since they are the principal authorities for Gerald's patent narrative, I am at a loss to know how he can be worthy of credit. His

" of the man, whom he saw with part of his beard grey from story in the first-mentioned fountain, the other part still retaining washing

own
its

to exhibit his dupe's credulity; for

natural color," was, I have no doubt, a scheme of the grey-beard, how could any man be so devoid of
sense as to

common

make himself the laughing-stock

of the world, with

an ugly variegated beard, when one lotion could silver it, and save him from ridicule? I saw beards of two colors hanging from some men's chins; but it was nature, and not the virtue of any well, that dyed them
with different colors. Giraldus probably saw one of these beards, and was persuaded (credulous man !) by the wearer that the well had imparted the colors. His account of the wells

the least semblance of truth.

quired in the priest who ordained after the death of his lawful wife, works the same effects, ex opere operate (as theologians say) as the mass of the purest virgin that
ever lived. The tempests excited in the surrounding district, when any one touched or looked at the well, must be attributed to witchcraft,

by a very silly story, without should such virginal purity be reThe mass of a priest, who is said mass?
is

followed

Why

and not to a miracle

ments, that
not at
all

for

human touch

Martin Delrio proves, by the clearest arguor look has no such potent influence. I am

to appease the tempests

surprised that mass was celebrated, .and holy water sprinkled, and lawful cataplasms are often used ; amulets
lets

cap. 3, 18, 19, for holy wells in Palestine.

of

different

kinds,

as
ills.

preservatives

The Editor knows no fountain

inside or in

against diseases of other

By

the Ro-

the porch of an old Irish church, except that

of St. Doulagh's, in the county of Dublin.

w The Pagans, Greeks, Romans, and

Orientals,

&c,

carried on their person

amu-

amolimentum," or " " amulet amoletum," whence our word ;" " by the Greeks phylacteria," "periapta," or u periammata ;" and by the Orientals

mans they were

called "

136

CAMBRENSIS EVER3US.

[CAP. H.

amuleta enim et cataplasmata licita fascinationibus amoveridis admoveri solent. Quorsum vero spectat ilia lactis aspersio? nee cujuscunque lactis, nisi lactis

e vacca nullis maculis, colore

autem uno

tincta mulcti?

Minutiae

cum
titiaB

ac nugee superstitionem sapiunt: quid autem superstioni sacrosancta Missa commercium est? "Aut quas participatio jusistge,

cum iniquitate? aut qua3 societas luci ad tenebras? quaa conventio Christi ad Belial? 19 " Non me latet familiare sagis esse rebus sacris,
19

2 Corinth,

vi.

" talisman."
rings,

They were of different kinds, ligatures for any member of the body
of writings

the ancient use of the

i.

"

Agnus

Dei,"

e.

the image of a lamb bearing a cross,

scrolls

wrapped

up, in Latin, ridiculed

or seals, &c. &c.

They were

by

see Raynal. de Agno stamped on wax, Cereo a Pontifice consecrato, caps. ix. xiii.
torn. 10, p.

Lucian, Philopseudes, and condemned repeatedly

269, Lyons, 1665.

Whether

by the Fathers and x Councils of

See Eusebius Demonstratio
in.' cap.
1

the Church.

there were "

lacteria

any peculiar Christian "phyancient Irish the Edinot; but the Irish saints carried
bells,

among the

Evan.,

lib.

6; Thiers Traite des

re
,

tor

knows

Superstitions, part.

l''

lib. v.

cap. 1.

Jews the " phylacteria " were portions of the Scripture, which were

Amongst

tlie

with them copies of the Scriptures, thecas of &c. The word u

relics,

cataplas-

mata," used by Dr. Lynch, does not occur

in

so generally used that

it

is

the opinion of

any of the
x

treatises the Editor has con-

the learned our Redeemer wore them.

See

sulted.

Calmet's Dictionary, in voce. The amulets

to

There

is

which Dr. Lynch alludes were probably

ditional, for Giraldus's

no authority, written or traaccount of the mass

portions of the relics of the saints, or a

cross, or parts of the Gospel, or the

celebrated at the angry well, or of the bar-

Agnus

barous ceremonies related by him.

In Ire-

Dei, some of which were worn by Christians before the introduction of Christianity into Ireland. St.

land, as in all other countries, there sprung

John Chrysostom (Horn. 1 9.

up from time to time observances which are now condemned as barbarous and superstitious
;

ad populum Antiochenum) speaks of the " women and children wearing, as a great
safeguard, the Gospels around their neeks."
St.

but she was free (as far as the

Editor can discover) from

tions

many

supersti-

Germanuswore a capsula of relics around

Surius, torn. iv. July -6, cap. 25.
I.

which were sanctioned by the laws of other nations, though condemned by the
Popes.

his neck
St.

Mariana

( in

History of Spain,

(Ep. 12. Indie. 7, to Theodelinda, Qneen of the Lombards) says he had sent to the King "phylacteria," two
Gregory
of which were, a cross enclosing a portion
of the cross of our
(lectio'}

lib. v.

cap. vii. p. 167) describes the trial

" ordeal, which, though opposed to the laws of the Gospel, was approved by the laws of the Goths," and held its ground in

by

Lord, and a portion

Spain during

many

centuries, until
'

it

was
III.

of the Gospel enveloped in a gor(

at length abolished

by Pope Honorius

geous case

persicd thecd
ii.

S.

Greg.

Dr. Lingard gives the following account of

superstitions in the

Opera, Ed. Bened., vol.

p. 127.1.

For

Anglo-Saxon Church,

CHAI-. II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

137

But why sprinkle the milk ? the milk, of any cow, but of one without a single speck, and all of one color? Such petty observances savor of superstition; and what connexagainst the spells of witchcraft.
too, not
x ion can there be between superstition

and the most holy

sacrifice of the

mass?

"For what

participation hath justice with injustice? or

what

felloAvship hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial?" Witches, I know, are accustomed to introduce prayers
to

which

parallels cannot

be found

in the
:

fastened around his waist, and he

was low-

whole history of the Irish Church

" In

ered into the pool.

If

he drew the knot

criminal cases, where the guilt of the ac-

below the surface, he was pronounced innocent

;

cused was presumed only on circumstantial

evidence, recourse

if not,

he was guilty.

3.

In the

was had

to the

judgment

ordeal of hot water, a stone or piece of iron

of God.

The accuser swore

;

to the truth of

was placed
in

in a caldron of boiling water,

:

the charge

the accused,

by

oath, attested

his innocence.

Three nights before the day

trial,

appointed for
the priest
;

the accused

was

led to

the priest sung a litany, and the accused plunged his arm into the His arm caldron, and drew out the stone.
instantly

the church

on the three following mornings he assisted and made his offering at the mass; and, during the three days, he
fasted on bread, herbs, salt,

was
If,

when

the seal

wrapped in linen, and sealed. was broken in the three

days, the
acquitted.

arm was. healed, the accused was

4. In the ordeal by hot iron, Mass began a bar of iron was

and water.

At

the mass, on the third day, the priest called

as soon as

him

to the altar, before

communion, and ad'

laid on the coals; at the Collect, the ac-

jured him not to receive the Eucharist, nor

cused raised

it

in his hand,

and made three

of the

go

to the ordeal, if his conscience reproached

steps in the church.

The treatment

him with the

crime.

He
Of

then received the

these trials there
:

burn, and the indications of guilt or innocence,

case.

Communion

were the same as in the preceding

were four different kinds

The cornwas proif

sned was a cake of barley bread, of the

weight of one ounce. nounced over it by the

A prayer
priest,
;

5. Wager of battle was introduced by the Normans, and has been perpetuated by the folly of succeeding ages. The first

begging that
that
the the cake

four were approved

by the Anglo-Saxon

God would
into his
pale,

manifest the truth

laws

they were condemned by Pope Ste-

accused were guilty,

when he took

hands he might tremble and look and when he attempted to eat it his
fixed, his throat contracted,

phen V., Alexander II., Celestine III., Innocent III., and Honorius III. and yet,
;

so powerful

was

the force of ancient cus-

jaws might be
&c.

The event decided

2.

his guilt or inno-

tom, and so great the difficulty of finding a substitute in cases of circumstantial evidence, that they kept their

cence.

In the ordeal of cold water, the

ground
III."

in

Eng-

prisoner was stripped naked, his hands bound

land

till

the reign of
vol.

Henry
ii.

Anglose.q.

crosswise to his feet

blessed water
;

he was sprinkled with

it,

Saxon Church,
far as

p.

133, et

As

a cord, with a knot on

we know

the Brehon laAvs, they ap-

two

ells

and a half from the extremity, was

proved no such superstitions.

138

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

ac precationibus incantamenti quidpiam tanquam venenum inspergere, Sed imbres isti per prsestigia inducti, prsestigiis ut latentiiis noceant.
arceri

non debuerunt.

Nam Delrio
fieri

praestantissimis documentis, et proallatis,

batissimorum Theologorum judiciis

diserte negat

maleficium maleficio trudi

.

non debet, ut inde bonum eveniat20 vix dubito quin Giraldus hanc telam de industria ideo texuerit Itaque
quando malum

ut Ecclesiae Hibernicse authoritate superstitionem publicitus exerceri doceret, et cleri discipline hanc infamise notam inureret. Verum Ecclesiam Hibernicam optimis institutis per ea tempora sic excultam fuisse,
infra fuse monstrabo, ut tarn sordida labes turn in earn cadere
tuerit.

non po~

Plurima quoque Giraldi ejusdem in ipsos sanctos irreverentiae documenta posthac modo unum dabimus, huic loco maxime accommodatum, quod in locorum descriptione versemur:
:

"

Est," inquit Giraldus,

20

" lacus in partibus Ultonise, continens inlib. vi. c. 2, sec.

i.

Ubi supra,

q. 2.

>

If Giraldus,

by

these stories, intended

stripping of its tiesh the right shoulder of

to

defame the Irish Church, and not merely

other writings abundant grounds

a ram, and inspecting

it,

could

tell

all

indulge his taste for the marvellous, he has

left in his

things past, future, and present, however

remote, the signs of war and peace, &c. &c.
;

for accusing his

own land. In

the Itinerary

of

Wales

(p. 844),

he gives an account of
off by and learned

and yet Giraldus gives the highest character of the Flemish. It is manifest that he
intended to be just,
to the Irish, in
if

a priest who,

when a boy, was carried

fairies,

not complimentary,
passages which are
as calumnious.
so celebrated du-

the long, yellow-haired

their language,

many

which was a

dialect of the

interpreted
z

by Dr. Lynch

Greek.

vid
it

II.,

This story Giraldus had from DaBishop of St. David's, who heard
priest himself.

This

is

Lough Derg,
still

ring 600 years in the literature of mediaeval

In chap. xvi. of the Description of Wales, he describes a

race of prophets, who,

from the

Europe, and
pilgrimage.

frequented as a place of

when consulted, were

the

first

In our notes on this subject, place must be given to Thomas

S.

agitated and tortured like

their first

men

possessed
;

Wright, M. A., F.
trick's

A.

In his St. Pa-

answers were incoherent

but

the true revelations generally

came

to

them
re-

Purgatory (London, 1844), he gives a long account of the various works on

in dreams, in which they said they

had

that subject published on the Continent,

ceived into their mouths milk or honey,

They invoked in their rhapsodies the name of God and the Trinity. These
or paper.
prophets,

and especially of a French work by a Franciscan, Francis Bouillon, which was very
popular during the
tury.
first

half of the last cen-

who were found

the Sybils.

in

Wales

only,

were,

he maintains, of the same kind as

Balaam and

Again

(ibid., p.

Mr, Wright " describes that book to show the kind of religious infor chiefly mation which was spread among the middle classes in France,

84$), the Flemish settlers in Wales, by

and the doctrines

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

139

and holy things, that their incantations, like poison,

secretly.

may work more

But the

rain brought

down by

witchcraft should not have

been opposed by witchcraft.

Martin Delrio proves, by the soundest

arguments, and the authority of the most unexceptionable theologians, that evil spells cannot be used against evil spells, because evil ought
not be done that good

may

follow.

Gerald's object, I

am

sure, in de-

was to make the world believe the Irish Church authorized public superstitions, and to brand with infamy the discipline
tailing this fabrication,

of her clergy 7 .

But

I shall

prove at length that the Irish Church was,

at that time, too well versed in the best principles to allow so foul a

blot to stain her fair name.

Many

similar instances of Gerald's irreve-

rence to the saints themselves occur in this volume.

The following

comes in naturally here, as we are on the topographical part of his work: " in a certain lake 2 in " An Ulster, is divided into island," he says,
and misrepresentations by which the Popish system kept its hold on the minds of the
simple and ignorant people."
^(p.

literature equal,

European reputation, and a place in Spanish and in science superior, to

or Addison holds in the

158).

what Johnson
lish.

Engis

Mr. Wright had consulted Dr. Lanigan (vol. i. p. 368), he would not iden-

But

if

Now, among

those essays there

(

one which Mr. Wright

who

cites

many

tify the history of St. Patrick's

Purgatory with the Popish system, since Dr. Lanigan

other Spanish books, p. 173) has most un-

was an humble

believer in that system,

and

St. Patrick's

accountably overlooked, though Jt is on " Theatro Critico, Purgatory,

yet he had no beh'ef in the popular history

of the Purgatory of

torn. vii. p. 157, ed.

1755."

Feijoo

com-

Lough Derg.

Mr.

Wright also states that "as long as the monks retained their influence in Spain, the
purgatory stories were taught in their grossest forms."
(p.

mences by denouncing all miracles and revelations which have no solid foundation.

He

says they are "chaff:" "Pajallamo a las relaciones de revelaciones y milagros

:

172).

From an examiua-

tionfo$4his latter position, the reader, can

estimate the degree of credit due to Mr.

que carecen de fundamento solido y aunque vulgarmente se crea que estas alimentan en algun modo la piedad, digo que esso
es

Wright on Catholic matters

in France

and

un alimento
cites

vicioso."

(p. 156).

He

monk, the General of the Benedictines, Fray Benito

Spain. In the last century, a Spanish

then

the Council of Trent,

is

which

merely defines that there

but expressly orders
all

Geronymo

Feijoo published, with the

bishops

a purgatory, " incerta

evulgari

approbation of his

own

order, as well as of

item vel qua? specie

falsi laborant,

the Jesuits, Cistercians, and others, a series

of essays against popular errors.

ac tractari non permittant."

Examining,

The

es-

says are on the plan of Addison's Spectator,

on these principles, Henry of Saltery's account of Owen's visit to St. Patrick's Purgatory,
he,

and they have acquired

for their author a

admits

its

great popularity, but

140

CAMBEENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

sulam bipartitam, cujus pars altera probatae

spectabilis valde est et arnoena,
illius visibili

religionis Ecclesiam habens,

Angelorum

visitatione

sanctorumque

loci

frequentia incomparabiliter illustrata. Pars altera hispida iiimis et horribilis soils daenioniis dicitur esse assignata, quae ut visibilibus

cacodsemonum
ista

turbis,

et

pompis fere semper manet exposita.

Pars

novem

in se foveas habet, in

quarum

aliqua,

si

quis forte

pernoctare praesumpserit (quod a temerariis hominibus constat esse probatum) a malignis- spiritibus statim arripitur, et nocte tota tamquam

gravibus poenis cruciatur, tot tantisque et tanr ineffabilibus ignis et aquae variique generis tormentis incessanter affligitur, ut mane facto
[10] vix vel

minimas spiritus superstitis reliquiae misero in corpore repeHaac ut asserunt tormenta si quis semel ex injuncta poenitentia sustinuerit, et infernales ainplius po3nas (nisi graviora commise|

riantur.

rit)

non

subibit.

Hie autem locus Purgatorium Patricii ab

incolis

vocatur.

De

infernalibus

namque reproborum
vita, vir sanctus

poenis,

mortem perpetuaque eiectorum

cum

de vera post gente incredula

dum
caci

disputasset, ut tanta, tarn inusitata, tarn inopinabilis

rerum noeffi-

vitas rudibus infidelium animis occulta fide certius imprimeretur,

admirabilem utriusque rei notimagnam tiam, durasque cervicis populo perutilem meruit in terris obtinere."* Rumusculi ut plurimum silvescunt, et in mendacioruin ramos ante
et
1

orationum instantia

difFunduntur, quam ad ejus perveniant aures, qui ad posteritatem illos transmissurus est ut cum iis pessime seepius agatur, qui res scriptis mandandas alienis oculis intuentur. Narration! huic de Sancti Patricii
:

Purgatorio ad Giraldum in Lagenia aut Media plerumque diversantem ab ultimis Ultonias finibus delatas, non modicum incrementum referentium, et audientium serrnonibus accessisse hinc liquet, quod unam et singularem insulam, in binas ille partes diducit, et liarum alteram
S1

Top.

dist.

ii.

c. 5.

denounces

it

as opposed to Catholic faith

;

the terrestial paradise: finally, as resting

solely

d (of which more in note , p. 146) as of un-

on the authority of writers who lived

after the

certain origin,

some attributing it

to Pa trick

700 or 800 years

supposed

ori-

the Apostle, others to Patrick the

Abbot

gin of the Purgatory.

On

these grounds,

as self-contradictory, because St. Patrick

is

supported by a detailed criticism on other

points, the

represented as promising to show the tor-

Spanish

monk pronounces
Henry
is

that

and the joys of heaven, to those who entered the cave, and yet the
ments of
hell,

the Patrick's Purgatory of

tery
i'or."

of Sal-

and Matthew Paris

" a vulgar erperusal.

knight

Owen saw

only the purgatory and

The essay

is" well

worthy of

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
which
is

141
is

two

parts, one of

most beautiful and agreeable, and

often

and honored, in a most singular way, by the appariThere is a church of an approved relitions of the saints of thepla^e. order on that part. But the other division is hideous and horrible, gious
visited

by

angels,

and tenanted (they say) exclusively by devils and whole troops and processions of these evil spirits may be seen almost always infesting it. In this division there are nine pits, and should a person venture to
;

is

spend a night in any of them (as some rash men know to their cost), he instantly laid hold "on by the evil spirits, and tortured the whole

night long with such dreadful pains, so innumerable and indescribable torments of fire and of water, and of all kinds, that when morning dawns scarcely a single breath of life remains in his wretched body.

Any person, they say,

relapse into

his confessor, will never suffer the torments of the

once enduring these torments, by the injunction of damned, if he do not

Purgatory.
infernal

more grievous sins. The natives call the place St. Patrick's For the holy man, after having discoursed much on the pains of the reprobate, and the true and everlasting life of the
here on earth, by fervent and repeated prayer,

elect after death, obtained

a great

and admirable knowledge of these two states, which enabled him to imprint more deeply on the rude minds of the infidels a faith
in so important, extraordinary,

and mysterious truths, and that know-

ledge was most useful to a stiff-necked people."

Popular reports vegetate rankly, and often branch out into sturdy
lies,

before they come to the ear of him who transmits them to posterity ; and hence the writers, who see through the eyes of others the things

they write in their books, are generally in a most deplorable position. The history of St. Patrick's Purgatory travelled from the farthest corner

Meath orLeinster, where he generally That it was embellished on carriage. its way by sundry additions of the audience and retailers is evident from a the fact that he bisects that one individual island and falsely assigns
of Ulster, and found Giraldus in
It could not suffer
lived.

by the

Seethe Author's opinion on the origin of the

story, note
s,

literature of mediaeval Europe.

Feijoo

was

p. 750, infrft.

Mr. Wright's

essay, without Feijoo, is the play of

let

Ham-

with Hamlet

left

out

but

it

gives a

but yet never believed it happier to disbelieve the truth than to believe what was not true, a judicious
critic,

good idea of the extraordinary fame of the remote island of Lough Derg, in the

Lough Derg
is

is

studded with islands

but there

no

trace, either in fact or fable,

142

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

dsemoniis, alteram angelis se videndos utrobique praabentibus, insessas esse falso asserat. Seriem rei Giraldus narrantem, vel segnius advertit,
vel male percepit rem profecto ipsam prsepostere scripsit: "tantum enim inclusis ejusmodi spectra obversantur, in caateris insulse partibus
:

neutiquam visuntur."

Si rei veritatem lectione magis comperire

quam

auditione mallet, earn ex Henrico Salteriensi liquide haurire potuit, qui

Purgatorii hujus peregrinationem anno post Christum natum 1152 ab Oweno milite obitam, per ea etiam tempora luculenter scripsit: " S. " Dominus Jesus Patricium," inquit, Christus, ei visibiliter apparens,
in

locum desertum adduxit,

ei

et

unam

fossam rotundam intrinsecus obGiraldus, "insulam

scuram ibidem

ostendit:" 22 hie
22

unum "locum,"
eumdum
ann.

Matth. Paris ad

of this bipartite island of Giraldus.

The

Lord had shown

to St. Patrick;"

which ap-

two principal islands

tion Island

in the lake are Saints'

pears to imply that the only error in the

Island (St. Dabeoc'sor St. Fintan's) and Sta;

the former near and once con-

matter was one regarding the precise locality. And it appears clearly from David Rothe

nected with the shore

by a wooden

bridge,

{Messingham,

p.

93),

who wrote

early in

the latter about a mile from the shore.

the seventeenth century, that Irish opinion

See Ordnance

Map. On

Saints' Island are

the ruins of a convent, which, from the

twelfth century to the sixteenth, at least

was very undecided on that point "It must be observed that some believe the
:

cave of be seen,

St.

Patrick

is

{Lombard's Commentary,

p.

279, and

D.

or, at least, is

unknown, and cannot not that which pil-

Rothe, Messingham, p. 95), was tenanted

by canons
tory.

of St. Augustine.

Here

also

was

grims enter at present, but that it is some This is paces off, or hidden in the earth. an old tradition which
I

the cave or pit called St. Patrick's Purga-

heard from the

But, towards the close of the fifteenth

century, the Purgatory

order of the Pope, in

ster,

was destroyed, by 1497 (Annals of Ulii.

Rev. John Gaffney (Gamhneus), Abbot of Leathra ( Abbey lara), and the Rev.

John Furvus Mac Kegan, a

years old.
utterly

priest seventy
is

apud Four Masters, vol. because " it was the occasion

avarice

p.

1238),

Others believe that the place

of shameful
17, p. 590),

unknown, and never

will be dis-

"
(Bollandists,

March

covered before the day of judgment, an

opinion which Torny Mulchonry, who was a professional antiquary and very advanced in years, told me he had heard from a

and was represented to the Pope as superstitious by a monk who came from Holland,
spent a night in the cave, and

saw none
Ibid.

of

the wonderful visions for which the place

.

Franciscan of eminent piety, Father

O'Dufty."

Owen

was

said to be remarkable.

The

None

of those authorities, nor

cause assigned for the destruction of the

Rothe himself, Lombard, or Dr. Lynch,

refer to the destruction of the

Purgatory by the author of the Ulster Annals, who executed the Pope's orders, is,
that "it

1497

Purgatory in they also omit the fact that the les-

was not the purgatory which the

sons of the Purgatory, copied from Mat-

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBBENSIS EVEESUS.

143

one half to angels, and the other to devils, which, he says, often apHe must either have paid no attention to, or misunderpeared there.
stood the train
itself
of,

his informant's narrative.

:

most absurdly

shut up in the pits ;

He describes the thing " These are never seen except by persons spectres they never appear in other parts of the island."
from books, and not from hearfull materials

Had he wished
say,

to get his information

he could have had

from Henry of Saltery, who wrote,

:

1 152, a clear narrative of a pilgrimage made to that " Our Lord Jesus Purgatory, by Owen, a knight, a short time before " conducted him to a desert Christ," he says, appearing to St. Patrick, b Here place, and showed to him there one round pit, all dark inside."

about the year

thew Paris, which were published

in the

Breviary at Venice in 1522, were expunged, by order of the Pope, in the next
edition
it

Roman

and the churches founded by him. Lough Derg is not classed among the wonders of
Ireland

by

the

Irish Nennius,

nor

is

it

by the same printer

in

in 1524.

But

marked

in that singular piece of topogra-

must be borne

mind that the account

phy
p.

cited ha
;

Hardiman's Minstrelsy,
yet,

vol.

ii.

of all the circumstances that led to the destruction of the Purgatory by the Pope were not published before 1668 by the Bollandists,

381

and

had

cient celebrity, it

been a place of ancould hardly have been

it

omitted.
abbot,
ject,

Even

in Saltery's time

an Irish

six years later than the date of

Dr. Lynch's work, and probably were not

he interrogated on the subsaid he had never heard of the Purga108, but

given in Col
If,

whom

known
The

to

him

notice in

any of his predecessors. the Annals of Ulster merely

or

tory. This latter significant fact is omitted

in

Messingham,

p.

is

unsettled the belief regarding the situation

of the Purgatory, but did not declare there

gan's Trias Thaum., p. 280.

Irish abbot

then,

an

had been

totally ignorant of the

was no such thing

is,

in Ireland.

Certain it

existence of this purgatory, Giraldus

may

however, that, in the sixteenth century,

be acquitted of malicious intent in not

agreeing in
account.
all

the place frequented

trick's

by pilgrims

as St.

Pa-

the particulars of Saltery's

story rests on the au-

Purgatory, was in the island

now
site

The whole

called Station Island, of

which an account

thority of an Irish soldier,

Owen, who,

after
re-

will be given in another note.

The

serving in the

army

of

King Stephen,

of the old Purgatory

is

marked on

Saints'

turned to his native country, went to confession to the bishop of the place in

Island
b

Ordnance Map.
of Saltery's ac-

which
into

Assuming that Henry

and well known

Lough Derg
and

is situated,

was admitted

count of St. Patrick's Purgatory was correct

the cave of the Purgatory

by the monks,

in Ireland

when Gi;

there, not in spirit or ecstasy, or

by

was writing, Dr. Lynch reasons well but there is no authority for St. Patrick's
raldus
visit to

vision,

but corporally, went through purgahell

tory,

and saw

and the

terrestial

parato

Lough Derg, though his biographers mark with great diligence his travels

dise; told his adventures,

on his return
of

England, to Gilbert, a

monk

Louth

in

144

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

bipartitam" Purgatorio designat; ille ex novem fossis," poenitentias obiri solitas

"in fossa una," hie in " aliqua

asserit
;

ille

nullam

insuloe

partem a malis geniis infestatam, aut a bonis frequentatam fuisse memorat: imo addit, quod " S. Patricius statim in eodem loco ecclesiam construxit, et B. Patris Augustini canonicos vitam apostolicam sectantes in

eadem

constituit ;" ut hinc constet nullam illius loci partem,

vel a tartari incolis possessam, vel, religiqsis in insula domicilium figentibus,

desertam

fuisse.

A veritate igitur longe Giraldus abierat dicens

c

Chester, from whose relation Saltery compiled his account. Saltery,

it is

The accounts regarding the form

details.

of

true, states,

the cave, prior to the sixteenth century,

of the

two

Irish abbots

whom

he consulted,

do not agree in

According to an
it

one declared the

soldier's

account was true,

old English metrical version,

was

closed

and even the bishop of the diocese told him that many perish in that Purgatory, and
' '

"with a dore bowden [bound] with iron and and lokke and key made thereto stele,
that ho

even those

who

return pine

away because
This

men
the

should the dore undo." Frois-

of the great torments they suffered."

sart's pilgrims

descended down as into a

let

when Saltery was writing, the cave was known as a place of penance; but
proves that,
as an Irish abbot
tence,

cellar

Dutch monk was

down

into

a very deep pit by a rope (Bollandists,

was ignorant

of its exis-

March

17,

p.
;

590;
but,

Wright's Purgatory,

as the canons of St. Augustine, to

pp. 66, 139)

from Lombard's Comit

whom

the cave

was

intrusted,

were not

mentary

(p.

277),

appears that though,

established in Ireland before the twelfth

in his day, the cave (if he speak of the old

and century (Lanigan, vol. iv. p. 104), as the authors of the day could not agree
whether
it

one) was almost level with the ground,

having been

filled

up at

different times

by

was Patrick the Apostle or Pa-

order (tradition said) of bishops and Popes,

trick the Abbot, in the eighth century,

had discovered the Purgatory

tiq.

Ussher,

who An-

yet

it

had formerly been of immense depth.

But

neither hi

Henry
is

of Saltery, nor in any

465),

it

is

not rash to conclude that

its

subsequent writer,

there

Lough Derg owed

and

fame, and

its

connex-

the nine pits mentioned

any allusion by Giraldus.

to

ion with St. Patrick, to the soldier

his contemporaries.

Owen

These nine

pits

were probably the

sta-

The lake does not

" tions or " lecti poenosi of the writers of the

appear to have attained, before the sixteenth century, an importance as a place of

pilgrimage for the native Irish, commensurate with its

sixteenth century and of the present day.

On

Ware's

map

of the island (Antiq., pp.

97, 104), the circular beds are

named

after

European reputation.

O'Sul-

SS. Patrick, Bridget, Columba, Brendan,

Molaisre, Catharine,

livan states (Hist. Cath., p. 14) that he

and Dabeoc, who was

Cells, or little churches,

had seen in
unknown.
tinent

Irish a history of all the visits

patron of the place.

to the Purgatory, but this history is

now

For

its

great fame on the Con-

were standing in each of these circles in the " On the island there is sixteenth
century.

and

in Ireland,

subsequent to the
f
,

sixteenth century, see note

p.

150.

an elegant church in the centre of a cemetery, in which were some relics of St. Pa-

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVEIISUS.

145

one place only and one pit are mentioned; but Giraldus places the Pur" island divided into two parts," and says that there were gatory in an nine pits in which penances used to be performed. Henry of Saltery

makes no mention of any part of the island being infested with evil but he records "that St. Patrick immespirits, or visited by angels;
in the same place, and established there the diately built a church canons of St. Augustine, who observed their apostolical rule ;" from

which it appears that no part of the island was tenanted by the devils, or abandoned by the monks who had taken up their abode there . How
tiick.

A
is

church

few paces to the north of the the cave, a narrow building,

their dwelling quite to be demolished,

and

the
it

cell to

be broken open, in which state

since,

roofed with stone,

which could contain

hath lain ever

to

whereby that

pil-

twelve, or, at most, fourteen persons, kneel-

grimage

ing two and two. There was one small window, near which those were placed who

purgatory is quite come to nothing, and hath never since been under-

taken by any."

Bootes Nat

Hist., p. 44.

were bound
this cave,

to read the Breviary.

Beyond

The

Bollandists state that, subsequently to

of Rothe's

and farther to the north of the

the date

work, but at what

great church, ^were seven cells or mansions

precise time they could not ascertain, the

of some of the most eminent Irish saints.

guardianship of the Purgatory had passed

These
lecti."

cells

were called penal beds, "pasnosi

This account Primate Lombard had

from the Augustinians to the Franciscans, under whom, according to the account of a
very old Irish lay brother of St Antony's, Louvain, it maintained its former popularity

from a person who had often visited the

island.

Commentary

p,

277.

It agrees

substantially with Rothe, except that the

latter says nine persons

down

to 16 32.

Bollandists,

March

were usually ad-

17, p. 591.
time,

Boate wrote in Cromwell's

fulfilled.

mitted to the cave together.

p. 96.

Messingham,

but his prophecy was not

Ware gives
by

its

dimensions 163 feet

In the second year of Queen Anne, "it was

enacted, that whereas the superstitions of

long,

2 and one inch wide.

The walls
flags,

were of freestone, the roof of large

popery are greatly increased and upheld by

the pretended sanctity of places, especially
of a place called St. Patrick's Purgatory,
in the county of Donegal,

covered over with green turf. p. 98. The beds remain,but the cave and the seven cells

were destroyed by order of Government. Dethe " When Lombard

wrote,

and of wells

to

English

puty had not dared to prevent the pilgrimage, or profane the place." p. 281. But
the Protestant colonies, subsequently plant-

which pilgrimages are made by vast numbers at certain seasons, by which not only
the peace of the public
&c. &e., be
it is

greatly disturbed,
all

enacted that

such meet-

ed near the lake, diminished the number of

pilgrims {Messingham, p. 94); and, on the

ings shall be deemed riots and unlawful

assemblies,

and

all

sheriffs,

&c. &c.,

are

13th of September, 1632, the Lord Justice,

hereby required to be diligent in putting

the laws in force against all
offenders."

Richard Boyle, the great Earl of Cork, *' caused the friars to depart from thence,

The preamble on the

influence of pilgri-

146 quod

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

"insulse pars altera hispida nimis et horribilis soils cUemoniis

cacodsemonum turbis, et pomsemper manet exposita." Nee in commodo, quod ex hoc Purgatorio inito manat, ennarrando, Salteriensis cum Giraldo convenit. Narrat enim ille Salvatorem S. Pa" tricio se videndum veraciter et hasc verba
dicitur esse assignata : qua? et visibilibus
pis fere

prsebuisse,

protulisse

quis

pcenitens, vera fide armatus, fossain

noctis

moram

in ea faceret,

eandem ingressus, unius diei, ac ab omnibus purgaretur totius vita3 suae

non solum visurus
esset

peccatis, sed et per illam transiens

tormenta

malorum, verum etiam

in fide constanter egisset, gaudia beatorum." Salteriensi Giraldus in hac narratione quam longissime discrepat,
si

cum

in hoc antro pernoctantes a

malo dannone tormenta perpessuros

narret, sed nulla ccelici prospectus voluptate perfundi

memoret

et

pra3terea dicat: "hsec ut asserunt tormenta, si quis semel ex injuncta poenitentia sustinuerit, infernales amplius poenas (nisi graviora com-

miserit)

non subibit."

ultro indixerit,

nullum ex

Ut innuere videatur, si quis sibi hanc poenam ilia emolumentum eum percepturum. Quan-

doquidem nullus unquam, post homines natos, aliena solicitatione (imo potius omnibus reclamantibus ut mox audies) ad tarn inusitatos horrores adeundos animum induxisse legatur, Giraldum non mediocriter
disipuisse censeo, quod viros excipiendis in Hibernia confessionibus adhibitos, tarn a mente alienos fuisse putavit, ut ulli tarn graves poenas

ad quamvis gravissima delicta eluenda irrogarent, nimirum "ut a mamages

is

a profound truth well worthy the

bridge,

beneath which was the infernal

but he did not see the torments of

consideration of all

who would

study the

abyss
"

history of Catholics during the last

300

the damned.

The charge

of heresy

is,

that

years

but the enactment did not succeed.

is

the story supposes a place after death, which

is

Lough Derg
d It

visited

by 10,000 pilgrims
de-

neither heaven, hell, nor purgatory; but a

annually at present.

place 'of rest and happiness, where the souls,

was on

this point that Feijoo

coming from purgatory, are detained

time before their translation to the

for

nounces Henry of Saltery,

or

Matthew
and here-

final
is

Paris's account, as contradictory

tical.

abode of the blessed.

This, says Feijoo,

Contradictory, because the pilgrim

an error condemned in the Second Council of

was promised to see both hell and heaven, and yet he saw only purgatory and the terrestial paradise
;

and

this charge is true.

Lyons and subsequently in the same terms by a canon of the Council of Florence (sess. 25), which defines that souls are received
;

Owen

does not say he

saw heaven

and, in

into heaven immediately after their purgation."

his vision, he merely passed over a terrible

Now,

in

Owen's

vision, the tenants

CHAP.
far

II.]

CAMBEENSIS EVERSUS.

147

from the truth then was Gerald's assertion, " that the other division

of the island was wild and horrible, and tenanted exclusively

by

devils,

and that whole troops and processions of those

evil spirits

may be

seen

almost continually infesting it." Nor does Giraldus's account of the benefits accruing from a visit to The latter relates that our the Purgatory agree with that of Henry. " Saviour appeared to St. Patrick, and addressed him thus: any person and armed with true faith, entering this pit, and spendtruly penitent,
ing one night and day in
it,

shall

be cleansed from

all

the sins of his

he passes through it, behold not only the torments of the wicked, but also, if he has constantly acted through d Giraldus's account is faith, the joys of the blessed." very different from whole
life,

and

shall even, as

that ; for, while he states that persons spending a night in the pit would evil spirits, he omits altogether the delightful expeHe asserts, moreover, that " any person rience of the joys of heaven.

be tormented by

suffering those torments once, by the injunction of his confessor, will never incur the pains of hell, unless he relapse into more grievous sins ;" insinuating, thereby, that if the Purgatory were a self-imposed penance

no advantage would be derived from it. Now, as it has never been heard of, from the creation of Adam, that any man was induced by the solicitations of others to subject himself to such dreadful horrors (on
the contrary, people generally dissuaded the step, as we shall see), I think it was flagrant folly in Giraldus to suppose that the priests ap-

pointed to hear confessions in Ireland could be so mad as to inflict so " severe a penance for even the most enormous crimes. They are laid
of the terrestial paradise inform
their purgation
is

him

that
*

dise,

over

"a

poenis liberi su;

represented as saying

was " a punishment." "a

But they

are

poenis liberi su-

but that they p. 106) were not yet worthy of the supreme bliss " Nondum tamen ad of the saints super:

mus" (Messingham,

mus ;"

and, moreover, the idea that

Adams'
is

terrestial paradise is

a part of purgatory

as strange in theology as

Lough Derg's
in Irish topo-

nam sanctorum
sumus."
Saltery and

laetitiam ascendere digni

being the gate of paradise

*

is

(Ibid.)

Feijoo excuses

Henry of

graphy.

Dante, after leaving purgatory,

Matthew Paris on

the ground

was
dise,

also conducted^ to the terrestial para-

that they lived before the Council of Lyons,

before he ascended to heaven,

the

an answer which cannot extricate Colgan,

who

attempts to solve the difficulty by say-

eternal abode of the blessed. Cantos xxviii. and xxix. of the " Purgatorio " bear a strik-

ing that the non-possession of the beatific

vision,

ing similitude, in
of

many

points, to chap. ix.

by the

souls in that earthly para-

Henry

of Saltery.

L2

148
"
lignis spiritibus

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

" statim arripiantur, et nocte (verba sunt Giraldi)

poenis crucientur, tantisque. et tarn ineffabilibus

tota

tanquam gravibus
illi

ignis et aquas variique generis tormentis incessanter affligantur."

Nee

enim confessores

nescire poterant,

quod

Salteriensis tradit: "tern-

pore S. Patricii, et
intravisse,
[11]

aliis
alii

postea temporibus multos homines Purgatorium

reversi sunt,
|

quorum

inquam, prudentia

illos, religio,

alii in ipso perierunt." Nunquam, ac ipsa denique ratio adeo defecit, ut

Christian os tarn aperto pereundi periculo scientes objicerent.

tum,
rit."

Deinde Giraldus subjungit hujusce Purgatorii peregrinatione funcalia postea tormenta non perpessurum "nisi graviora commise:

egressum ex hoc Purgatorio atrocissima qua?que flagitia impune laturum, si atrocitate prioris vita? scelera tanturn exaequent, non supere'ht. Id est, si parricidii crimine, vel deteriori et hoc scelus simili se, antequam in antro diversaretur, inquinaverit
Perinde ac
si

diceret,

deinde, non majori scelere cumulaverit, immunem eum tormentis postea futurum? Quo quid insulsius dici potest non video; nisi ab hoc quod

"A temerariis hominibus," inquit, probatum," quanta poenae a pernoctantibus "nonnunquam in hoc Purgatorio perferantur. Tantuni autem abest ut quis unquam, ante Giraldi tempora, temere, ut potius summa deliberatione adhibita " Erat enim in hoc se antrum immiserit: Saltesequitur, insulsitate superetur.
coristat esse

consuetude," inquit

riensis,

" tarn a S. Patricio,

quam ab

ejus successoribus constituta, ut

illud nullus introeat, nisi ab episcopo, in cujus est episcopatu, licentiam habeat, quern prius hortetur episcopus a tali proposito desistere: si vero perseveraverit, perceptis episcopi litteris ad locum

Purgatorium

festinat quas

cum

prior loci legerit,

intrare dissuadet;

quod

si

mox eidem homini Purgatorium perseveraverit, introducit eum in ecclesiam,

persons never returned from
it," if

According to this statement, it would appear that the cave was partially known some time before Owen's visit, though it
e

under-

stood to imply that their bodies could not

be found, must be classed among the marvellous stories, to which, as the Bollandists

owed
'

European celebrity some persons were lost in

enough,
if,

its

to him.
it is

That

possible

as has been

seen, it

was

of

dieted,

complain, the Irish were extravagantly ad" natio fabulis facilis credere."

enormous depth, and if an adventurer, entombed in it during twenty-four hours, were of delicate health and nerves. But the
assertion

poetarum For an account of a Frenchman

from Bretagne, who employed workmen during two summers, at the close of the
sixteenth century, to discover the original

(Messingham^. 108)

" that

some

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBREXSIS EVEBSUS.

149

" hold on," to use Giraldus's words, by evil spirits, and tortured the whole night long with such dreadful pains, such torments of fire and
of water, and of
all

kinds so innumerable and so indescribable,

'that, in

the morning, scarcely a single breath of life remains in their wretched bodies." Surely these confessors must have known what Henry of

" In the time of St. Patrick, and in succeeding ages, entered the Purgatory, some of whom returned, but many persons Confessors must have been void of prudence, reliothers were lost." imminent danger gion, and of reason itself, to expose Christians to such
Saltery relates
:

of death.

According to Giraldus, those who once made a pilgrimage to this Purgatory would never again suffer such torments, unless they fell
into

more grievous sins, which appears to insinuate that the pilgrim acquired a patent for the commission of the most atrocious crimes, provided they equalled only, but did not surpass in criminalty, tke delinquency of his former life. In other words, a parricide or more heinous criminal, coming out of that pit, may repeat the same crimes without

any fear of the torments of

sins.

hell, if

he do not
it

fall

into

more grievous

Now
:

that

is

the acme of absurdity, if

be not exceeded by the

" Rash men have sometimes had fatal experience of the hor^ following rible tortures inflicted on those who spend a night in the Purgatory."
Before the days of Giraldus, no man ever entered the pit rashly. On the contrary, they proceeded with the most cautious deliberation. " It was a custom," says Henry Qf Saltery, "approved by St. Patrick and
his successors, that

no person should be allowed to enter that Purgatory without the license of the bishop of the diocese; the bishop ordinarily dissuaded him from his project; but, if he persevered, the bishop gate
a letter which the postulant carried to the prior of the place; again the prior, after reading the letter, dissuades him from his project; but,
if

he persevere, he

is

conducted to the church, where he devotes

Puris

fifteen

gulf on Saints' Isknd,

see Wright's

sions

and the case mentioned by Rothe

gatory,

p.

161.

But Richardson, who

(Messingham,
is

there cited, does not represent the popular

belief of the present

p. 9Z), as a popular report, not a vision of purgatory, but a dream

never dream

now
"

The pilgrims day. " that they are going

in

which the person saw certain earthly

events.

into another world

when they

visit

Lough

Derg.

Lombard mentions none

of those vi-

parallel case appeared in evidence at an assizes in the County Court, Kilkenny, not twenty years ago.

150
et in

CAMBEENSIS EVERSUS.
eaquindecim diebus,
jejuniis, et orationibus vacet," etc.

[CAP.

II.

Qusenam

quasso consideratio consultior, aut deliberatio protractior in consilii conditione discernenda, adhiberi potuit ? Quis episcopo loci, in rei tarn

arduas consilio, prospectior ?

tuit ?

Quse ratio prsestantior iniri valuit ad dispiciendum

aut ipsius insult priore peritior esse posi Deus istam

liomini

mentem immiserit, quam precationibus ac jejuniis assidue insistere? ut ipsi Giraldo nota temeritatis inurenda sit, qui homines tarn caute considerateque negotium aggressos temeritatis arguit. Non veritus est homo temerarius hujus Purgatorii aditionem ab ipso Christo

institutam, S v .Patricii suasionibus

commendatam, plurimis miraculis, plurium scri|)torum approbatione, ac rnultorum saBculorum usu corf

in the sixteenth century,

For the order of penance on the island when it was some-

in Tyrconnel.

An

Irish

history

of the

pilgrims to the Purgatory is cited by P.

times visited by 1500 persons at the same time (Holland., March 1 7, p. 590), see note ,
1

O'Sullivan Beare, but this

work

is

now
But

unknown
in

to our best Irish scholars.

admonitions infra ; but in earlier ages, the of the prior appear to have succeeded in
deterring persons from entering the cave.
Feijoo

on the Continent, Csesarius of Heisterbach,

early

the

thirteenth

century

(whom
as

Keating confounds with Csesarius of Aries),

speaks of the Purgatory of

had found only

three,

the
Ihos,

Spanish knight

Raymond
is

namely, Owen, de Peri-

Lough Derg

a well-known

fact.

Three metrical French

whose history

given by O'Sulli-

versions of Saltery's legend were published

in the thirteenth century
trical versions,

van (Historic

Catholicai),

and the Dutch

Mr.

monk, published by the

Rymer's Fcedera,
ters patent of
vol.
iii.

Bollandists.

two English me; one in the fourteenth, anoIn the four-

Wright (Purgatory, p. 135) has added from

part
i.

ther in the fifteenth century.

p. 1 74, let-

teenth century the Purgatory

was

intro-

Edward

III.,

A. D. 1358, to
one a noble
that

" Guerino duced into an Italian romance,

detto
il

two distinguished

foreigners,

meschino," which went through

Hungarian, the other a Lombard,

several editions before the year

1500

but

th%- had performed the pilgrimage. Froissart (ibid., p. 139) gives an account of Sir

Calderon de la Barca, the Spanish Shakspeare, has contributed

to give

more than

all

others
litera-

William Lysle and another knight's visit to the cave, while Richard II. was in Ireland.
William Staunton entered
has
in
left
it

permanent fame in European

" ture to the Purgatorio de

San

Patricio."

in 1409,

and

See Wright, pp. 61, 62, 133, 137.

s

a history of his visions, resembling

many points those of Owen and Raymond de Perilhos. The only pilgrimage to
Lough Derg, recorded by
is

tem of religion,
have no
trick's

Those who believe that the whole sysin the middle ages, was one

stupendous fabric of knavish priestcraft,

difficulty in explaining how St. Paname became connected with Lough Derg, and what was the real origin of the

the Four Masters,

that of a French knight at the year 1516,

though they are generally exceedingly minute in their notices of the remarkable events

Purgatory

visions.

The

soldier

Owen, they

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

151

could be more days to prayer and fastingV &c. &c. What consideration circumspect, or deliberation more slow, than these in deciding on the in so impor.propriety of the intended penance? What wiser counsellor,
tant a concern, than the bishop of the diocese? Who more experienced than the prior of the place? Or what more efficacious means of asceran inspiration of heaven, than taining whether the man's project was
this persevering application to fasting

and prayer?

Giraldus's censure

recoils

on himself.

None but

a rash

man

could stigmatize as rash

sneer against a pilgrimage instituted

He rashly points his such cautious and circumspect deliberations. by Christ himself, strongly rePatrick^, and confirmed

commended by St.
say,

by many

miracles, the appro-

was employed by the monks

to cir-

twelfth century,

when

Saltery wrote.

In

culate the story for the good of the rising-

the fourth century, St. Augustine relates a

story of one of his acquaintances, who, for

monastery, and the delusion was kept up

in after ages for the
poses.

same lucrative purto estab-

Dr. Lanigan insinuates that the

of

a time, appeared half dead, and, on reco" etiain other

vering, told,

among

things,

monks

Lough Derg conspired

in

paradisum se introductum esse."

"

De

lish their

Purgatory as a rival to that on

cura gerenda pro mortuis."

Ed. Bened.

The Vol. i. p. 370. Croagh Patrick. Bollandists and Feijoo suppose that St. Patrick,

like

many

other saints, spent

;

some

Antwerp, torn. vi. p. 383. St. Gregory the Great relates that, during the plague in the " a soldier fell city of Rome, A. D. 590,

days of retreat in the solitary cave

that his

away

in a trance,

example was followed by the monks, who used the cave as a duirtheach ; that some
had
visions ; others
still,

of the other world",

and saw various regions which agree in some

very striking points with the visions of

imagined they had, and

Owen

Lib. iv. Dialog., cap. xxxvii.

St.

others

according to Feijoo, pretended

St. Patrick, it they had been so favored. is true, had probably never visited Lough

Gregory was preferred to all the Fathers by the Irish Ussher (Syl., p. 31), and perhaps to that circumstance
ted,

may

be attribuof vi-

Derg (which subverts part of the theory of

those respectable authorities)
;

in part, the very great

number

but there

is

sions originally published in Ireland,

and

no proof that the monks of Lough Derg may not have believed he had visited it, as
the people

thence circulated over the Continent, until,

at length, thdy
in his

were immortalized by Dante

now

believe that certain places

" Divina
St.

Commedia."
Fursa.
Lib.

Bede records
ii.

were visited by Columba or Patrick, of which visits there remains no written record.

a vision of

cap. 19.

Copies of Adamnan's vision are in several

of our libraries.

As

to the visions, with the excepin

Before the vision of Owen,

tion of their localization

place,

a particular

in the twelfth century, there appeared the

and the statement that they were

vision of another Irish soldier, Tundal, a

seen not in spirit, but corporally, they are in

native of Cashel,

who saw

all

the regions
Irish

accordance with the universal belief of the

beyond the grave, and met several

152

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
est

[CAP.

II.

roboratam hac sugiMatione improbare. Nimirum ausus

non solum
:

plurimis viris prudentia, littoris, religione, ac sanctitate prseditis sed etiam ab ipso divino numine dissentire. Quid quod secum tandem ipse pugnet, periochen istam hac coronide claudens, et asserens Purgatorii
beneficium rem

magnam et admirabilem, et populo perutilem esse. Vides ut rem eandem primum vituperiis, deinde laudibus cumulet. Cujus rei susceptionem nunc temeritatis insimulat, mox ad eandem amplectendam
alliciat ?

Quid multis Giraldum

in toto operis decursu, in

hac
" in

kings in purgatory (Wright, p. 37); but the voyage of St. Brendan to the other world

and the entrance was believed

the western part of Ireland."
Jiam, p.

to be

Messing-

has the most striking analogy with Owen's " But on the miraculous vision. things,"
' '

91.

This intercourse with the

other world being thus one of the most

says Giraldus,

that are told of St. Brendan,

also been

and which have

committed to

popular notions of the twelfth century, the reader can estimate the value of the assertion that all
St. Patrick's

writing; his great labors during his seven

years'

who

figure in the history of

voyage in the ocean the various orders of angels whom he met the mise; ;

Purgatory must have been

deliberate impostors. Feijoo adopts the con-

rable but not unmerited fate ('miserrimi,

jecture that Ireland

ancients,

was the Ogygia

of the

nee miserabilis') of Judas the traitor, bound on that ocean rock, deprived of all light,
banished, and in chains
;

and that

in it Ulysses found the

entrance to Tartarus, a circumstance which,

in his opinion, prepared the public
receive the

the saint's most

mind

to

entrancing vision of the terrestrial paradise

after his long

more readily the Christian

Dante seems

vi-

and indefatigable wanderhis safe return to his friends

sions of the other world localized in the

ings

finally,

same same
no,

island.

to point in the

by the favor

of divine grace

all

those

may

appear incredible, but

all

things are

(Divina Commedia, Infer" cantoxxvi.) but whether the moun;

direction

possible to

him that
all

believeth, as the

Lord

tain dim," mentioned there,

may have been

let others

hath done

that he willeth, in the hea-

suggested
determine.

by Croagh
Jocelyn,

Patrick,

vens, in the earth, in the sea,

and

in all the

who

says nothing of
as

depths.

God is wonderful

in his saints

and

Lough Derg, mentions Croagh Patrick

the purgatory shown to our Apostle

in all his works, and the ends of the earth are always signalized

nary prodigies.

by sortie extraordiNature preserves her dig-

Cap. 172.

Indulgences were granted by

the Pope, in the sixteenth century, to pil-

nity in public, but indulges her freaks more

freely in private places.

But should any

this matter,
life

grims visiting it (Messingliam, p. 125); and it is still a favorite place of devotion

for the
(p.

person wish to

know

all

he

west of Ireland.

The

Bollanclists

can consult the book on the

dan."

of St. Bren-

Here we have,
ii.

in the

words of Gi-

589) confound Croagh Patrick with the hills between Lough Derg and Lough
Erne.
h It

raldus (dist.

cap. 43), a visit to the other

world, not in spirit merely, but corporally,

does not appear clearly that Giral-

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
1 .

153

bation of several writers, and the usage of centuries*

dissent not only

He

has dared to

from many prudent, learned, pious, and holy men, but even from God, and, in the end, from himself, when he winds up his summary with the following panegyric on the Purgatory: "That it was a great

how he

an admirable thing, and most useful to the people." See moment ago it was rashness praises what he had dispraised.

to undertake the pilgrimage ; is a sort of inconsistency, in

now he encourages, by approving

which Giraldus
is

it*.

This

ever consistent through

dus condemns the Purgatory, nor, indeed,

that he

had any

definite notion of the pe-

rocky path," to the border of the lake, a spot on which it was believed St Patrick

it is true,

nance performed on the island. He states, " that rash men have experien-

had prayed and there he

;

recited the Lord's

Prayer, the Angelical Salutation, and the

Apostles' Creed,

ced, to their cost,

what

it

was
but

to spend a
it is

which closed the

station.

night in one of the pits

hyper-

This station was repeated three times each

day,

criticism to interpret that assertion as a

general condemnation of

all

who

tried the

ing the

durmorning, noon, and evening, first seven days; on the eighth,

;

dangerous experiment. The island, as has been already observed,

1

the stations were doubled

after confession

on the ninth,

and communion, and an

is still,

and probably will continue, as long

as Catholicity remains in Ireland, a favorite

tered the cave,

admonition from the prior, the pilgrims enwhere they remained fast-

place of retreat, though the mediaeval

narratives of miraculous visions of the other

ing and in meditation during twenty-four hours; some, however, did not enter the
cave, but spent the twenty-four hours of
solitude in

world be forgotten.

nance, in the sixteenth century,

stantially the

The order of pewas sub-

some of the
p.

little

churches.

same as at the present day. Nine days was the term of the pilgrimage, during which a rigorous fast on the water
of the lake

Messingham,
ful

95. This ex<!feedingly painit is

penance was regarded then, as

this

day, as a means of obtaining a remission of

and oaten bread was observed.

first

the temporal punishment which the Catholic

The pilgrim was

to the

conducted, barefooted,

Church
life,

believes

may

remain due in the

or to mortal sin

church of

St. Patrick,

around which

other

to venial sin,

he moved seven times

inside,

and the same

after the mortal

guilt has been remitted

number

outside, in the cemetery, repeating

some prayers of the Church. The same ceremonies were observed at each of the
penal beds, or oratories, of the saints, on
the island,

Neither Rothe, nor by the sacraments. Lombard had visited Lough Derg but, in modern times, it was visited by Dr. Burke,
;

author of the " Hibernia Dominicana," according to

the pilgrim

moving on

his

whom

there

was not a more

:

knees inside the churches.

He

next prayed

severe penance in the Catholic world

around a cross in the cemetery, and another which

"Opera exercent
milia
fieri

poenitentialia quibus sialio

was

fixed in a

mound

of stones.

non crediderim in quovis

Thence he proceeded, " over a rough and

peregrinationis loco universi orbis,"

154

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

inconstantia constantem deprehendes.

saepius
ille resilit,

A sententia plerisque communi

est crebro deserit.

et

quam amplexus

Ut quo magis

ab

aliis

sentiendo dissideat, eo major! voluptate perfundi videatur.

rei documenta non pauca posthac dabimus. Interim quoniam in excutienda Giraldi Topographia versamur, non erit abs re, si discutiamus rectene an secus Manniam Hibernia3 ditioni

Cujus

subtraxerit: "Mannia", inquit, "antiquitus Ewania dicta (ut asserunt) medio libramine inter Boreales Hibernise, et Britannia? partes porrecta
est. De qua utri terrarum applicari de jure debuerat, ab antiquis non mediocriter ambigebatur. Denium tamen in hunc modum lis ista quievit. Quoniam enim advectos periculi causa venenosos haac terra vermes

vit."

admisit ; earn Britannise applicandam communis omnium censura dictaSuspicionem hie mini multa movet, ut sentiam hanc disceptatio-

nem

enatam

potius in Giraldi cerebro, quam inter partes tarn longe dissitas fuisse. Qua de causa moventium aut decernentium hanc litem

reticuit? Cur decisionis tempus signate non apposuit? Jure merito miratus est Seldenus cur Mannia Britanniae potius adjudicaretur quam Norwegian, Hispanic, aut Galliae, ubi perinde ac in Britannia

nomina

Top disk
" non quae audivi sed quae vidi refero, mihi

ii. c.

5.

Derg

"

as an authority for the

;

modern

rites

enim
tricii,

feliciter contigit insulain

ipsam

S.

Pa-

of the pilgrimage

but, even in its expur-

habitatione et miraculis consecratam,

praeclarumque austeritatis primorum ecclesiae

gated edition (Dublin, 1843), that fiction must be regarded merely as a record of the
author's impressions,

saeculorum^przebentem exemplar invi-

and a broad

carica-

sere,

anno

748."

Hib. Dom., p. 4,

n. b.

ture of the undoubted austerities to

which

So highly did Benedict XIII. approve the

penitential austerities of

pilgrims
St.

whether

to

Rome, Jerusalem,

Lough Derg

that

he preached a sermon on the subject, while he was yet Cardinal, which was printed

James's of Compostella, or Lough Derg have voluntarily subjected themselves,

And, indeed, well might Dr. Burke exclaim that it was a most rigid penance,
Ibid.
for,

In Dr. Burke's time, the pilgrims kept vigil in the chapel, called " the prison," during
twenty-four hours
kept on the
first
;

but at present

it is

exclusive of preparation for confes-

night of the station, which

nine days.

sion,

attendance at mass, sermon, fasting,

may

be three,

six, or

As

in

vigils,

morning and night prayer,

the pil-

pilgrimages to other places, a prayer

peated

is re-

grim repeats each day the Lord's Prayer and Angelical Salutation nearly 300 times,

when

the lake comes in view, and

and the Apostles' Creed about 100

times,

a popular hymn, "Fare thee well Lough Derg," is sung when the boat pushes from
the island.

together with the entire Rosary three times.

As

to the stations
little

around the

Mr. Wright refers to Carleton's " Lough

penal beds, where

churches formerly

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSU8.

155

the course of his work.

He

loves to differ from the

is

common

opinion,

never more happy than when most opposed to the opinions of others. Abundant evidence of this fact shall appear in the sequel.

and often abandons his own, and

The Topography of Giraldus being under

irrelevant to inquire
:

discussion, it will not be

whether he was justified in depriving Ireland of " Man k the dominion of the Isle of Man anciently called Emania (they the northern parts of Ireland and of say) stretches midway between
,

it

was formerly a matter of great dispute to which of the two The controversy was at length decided in the following belonged. manner. Venomous reptiles were brought thereon trial; they lived, and
Britain.
It

of course the island was unanimously adjudged to Britain." I suspect, for many reasons, that this controversy originated in Gerald's brain, rather

than from parties so widely separated. Why conceal the names of those who raised and decided the controversy? Why not mark the date of the
adjudication?

ment,

why Man

Selden had good grounds for exclaiming, in astonishshould be adjudged to Britain, rather than to Norway,

or Spain, or Gaul, in which poisonous reptiles are undoubtedly found ?

stood, the reader will find

much

interesting
institup. 150),

AnnaL, 581, 582

Ulster

AnnaL,

ibid. ;

information regarding analogous

tions in the Bollandists

Irish Nennius, p. 28. Also,

Gbon mania,

(March 12,
St.

namely, stations established by

in the basilicas

Gregory

and ebonia, dbonia (the Ewania of GiIbid., p. 29. There were several raldus)

and cemeteries of Rome, which were frequented in Lent, Advent, " Quatuor tense," Rogation days, and the
four great festivals of our Lord
:

"Manann" (Book whence we may infer that the derivation given by Dr. O'Conor (Replaces in Ireland called

of Rights,

p. 8),

also,

in

Martene de Ritibus Antiquis

(torn. iv. pp.

512, 516), where he publishes, from the ar~

chives of Lyons, Strasburg, Milan, Vienne,
&c. &c., rituals

rum. Hib. Script., vol. iv. p. 145) is fanciMan in, he says, is " the little," as Er " the west island." in is Csesar the island
ful
:

By

is

called

"

Mona
"

;"

by

"
Pliny,

Monapia

;"

more than 900 years

station continues

old,

by

Orosius,

giving the

offices celebrated at

each station,

pies,

Menavia," and, in some co" "Mevania;" by Ptolemy, Monaoi-

At Lough Derg, the

June
1

from

da,"

"

Monaeda ;" and by the Welsh, " MeColgan prefers Merania, as most

to

Aug.

15.

From
is

the middle of

naw."

July to the

close,

the average

number on

conformable to the Irish form,

eamhain,

or

the island, each day,

1200 or 1400. The

eabhoin,

in

which the

"mh" and "bh" are

boatman pays the landlord of the place 200 or 300 a year, which is levied off
the pilgrims.
k

" " pronounced as v, thus giving "Evain," in Latin " Evania," and, by the prefix "M,"

"

Mevania," as it

is

found in Bede and Oro-

Man,

in Irish

TTIanann

Tighcrnach

sius

Ac to,

Sanct., p. 60, n. 4.

156

CAMBRENS1S EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

venenosa animalia nutriri nemo dubitat24 ? Nee enim solo ab Hibernis

semper insita, ut venenatorum animalium expers esse debuerit. Imo Hebrides, et Scotia dudum ab Hibernis incoluntur; nee tamen diuturnus eorum in iis locis incolatus venenata
insesso ea erat indoles a natura
[12] animalia
|

abegit.
Iis

Itaque rationi absonum

est,

ut indicio tarn parum

credet bellicosas gentes

explorato

tarn

ambigua dirimeretur.

Nemo

potius judicio

quam

armis juri suo utrimque

cessisse.

Cum Hiberni non

modicam Britannise partem, Scotiam scilicet hodiernam, Britannis per vim ea tempestate eripuerint, quis credet illos finitimam insulam ei
24

Mare Clausum,
it is

lib.

ii.

c.

30.

From
Irish

Martin's

West Isles

(passim')

mous

animals, but does not state that they

plain that the Hebrides were Irish islands.

could not exist in the same country with Irishmen.

tiles

The

was spoken

in the isles of Erisca,

" Of the various kinds of rep-

Lewis, Rona, Arran, Hilda, &c. Manuscripts,

in the Irish language

there are none but harmless ones in

;

and character, copies

Ireland

it

is

free

from

all

poisonous ani-

of Vicenna, Averroes,

Joannes de Vigo, Bennardus Gardonus, and several volumes

mals, from serpents and snakes, from toads

and

frogs,

from

tortoises

of Hypocrates, were found there.

island of

On

the

from dragons.
lizards
;

It has spiders, leeches,

and scorpions, and and

the Irish St. Ronan.

Rona was a chapel dedicated to The names of churches

and the
saints to

but they are harmless.

said,

Hence

it

may

be

with as

much

truth as ele-

on Lewis

Isles,

whom they
:

gance, that, in France and Italy, frogs are

are dedicated, were Jrish

and Roman

SS.

garrulous and clamorous; in Britain, mute

but, in Ireland, not at all."

Columba, Flannan, Lennen, Brigid, Kiavan, Peter, Michael, Kilda, Moluag, Ultan,

He rejects the

opinion that it was St. Patrick had banished

Bannan, Donnan, Barr, &c. &c.

authority "

The

chief

the reptiles, because historians, before the

birth of St. Patrick,

was anciently called, in Irish, Thiarna;" the dress worn by persons of was the
leni-croich,
shirt
;

had asserted

Ireland's

exemption from them: "I

am

not asto-

distinction
Irish

from the

nished that there should be some natural

word "leni," a

and "croich,"

property in the earth destructive to the reptiles,

saffron

ing

" Fin

neral

The traditions regardp. 206. mac Coul" were, that he was a gewho came from Spain to Ireland, and
p.

as there
;

is

in other lands to certain

birds or fishes

but what astounds

that this island
is

me

be-

yond measure

is,

destruc-

thence to those islands

152.

See Dr.
i.

tive to poisonous animals if introduced from

O' Conor's Rerum. Hib. Scrip., vol.

leg p. cxxvii.

pro-

other countries.

In the old writings on the

Dr. Lynch discusses fully the colonization of Scotland from Ireland.

saints of this land,

we

read that serpents

were sometimes brought, for experiment's

sake, in brazen pots, but, as soon as the

Chaps. 17, 18.

ni

This reasoning of Dr. Lynch

is

solid

ship
sea,

had reached the middle of the

Irish

against Cambrensis,

who discusses,

at great

the animals were found to be dead.

folloAV-

length, the exemption of Ireland from veno-

Bede, speaking of Ireland, has the

ClIAP. II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
Irish,,

157
did not acquire a
1

Moreover, lands, though once occupied by the

perpetual exemption from venomous animals. Nay, the Hebrides and Scotland were colonized by Irish several centuries ago; and yet that

long possession has not banished all venomous animals from these countries. To decide so doubtful a controversy by so fallacious a test, would

Do you think warlike nations have been, therefore, palpably absurd. would have submitted their rights to such arbitration, and not appealed
to the sword ? or, can any man believe that the Irish, who wrested from the Britons, by force of arms, a large tract of Britain, namely, modern Scotland, would have contentedly and heedlessly resigned an island

No reptile ing remarks on this subject For is seen, nor can a serpent live there.
' :

fell

back the moment his head touched

side,

it

then rushing to the opposite

ing the leather on
like the plague,

and meetit

serpents were often sent over from Britain,

all points,

he shunned

but when the ship neared the shore, and the air of Ireland breathed on them, they perished. Nay, almost everything brought from that island is an antidote against poison.'
ples,

and suddenly finding in the centre of the circle some muddy earth, he

up with his feet in presence of a great crowd of persons, and disappeared." He

tore it

"

Giraldus then adduces other

exam-

then cites Bede,

who

states that

he saw the

that,

"whence," he says, "it is manifest, either from the merits of the Scots
is

swellings caused

by poison

instantly al-

layed by administering to the sufferer a

(which

the

common

opinion through the

world), or from some strange and unprecedented, but most benignant, quality of the
climate, or

draught of water mingled with the parings of Irish books and another notable story of
;

some hidden virtue of the

;

soil,

a boy, in his own times, who swallowed a snake, and could not be cured until he came
to Ireland

no poisonous animal can live there

poisons

and

all

Dist.

i.

cap. 23.

Such being

introduced from other

countries

completely lose their malignant power. So

destructive of all poisons
if is this

the general opinion fromBede's time, a story of the settlement of the rival claims to Man,
described

land, that,

by Giraldus, does not appear imi.

some of its

soil

be scattered in ponds, or
it

probable. In dist.

cap. 24,

he says that a
carried

other places,

in foreign countries,

will

frog

was found near Waterford, and

banish far
ther, also,

away all venomous

grown

reptiles.

Lea-

alive into the castle before Robert Power, the

not adulterated, but

made from

the hides of animals

in this land, is

governor, to the " " Irish.

!

amazement of English and

said Donald,

King

of Ossory,

commonly used
bite of serpents

as a

remedy against the

;

and toads

the parings of

a prudent man in his own nation, shaking his head most significantly, and heaving a
sigh of bitter grief,

the leather are drunk in water. I saw, with

"bad

are the rumors

my own
in a close

eyes, leather of this

kind drawn

that this reptile brings to Ireland."

He

and narrow

circle

around a toad,
the reptile
it,

looked upon the foreign reptile as a certain

sign of the coming of the English, and the

for experiment's sake,

but

when

came and endeavoured

to creep over

he

subjugation of his native land.

158

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

genti ultro per segnitiem collaturos, quibus agros longe positos armis

extorserunt?

ad tribunalia judicum hsec causa trahenda foret, plures, et prsestantiores rationes Hibernis suppetebant, cur secundum ipsos sen-

Quod

si

tentia proferretur

ipsos

nimirum primos Manniae dominos

fuisse Ptolo-

superstes aperte testatur, dum in suis tabulis geographicis Hebrides et Manniam Hiberniae adscribit. Tigernachus quoque testis est Cormacum Hibernise regem anno Domini 266

mseus sub

annum Domini 140

mortuum Ulfhadi agnomen inde adeptum, quod Ultonienses procul abegerit et in Manniam insulam se recipere coegerit, ut Manniam ad jus Ultoniensium spectasse non ambigent, cum in earn, tanquam in asylum Ultonienses confluxerint. Eandem praeterea rem asserunt JEthicus et Orosius illius verba sunt " Menavia insula, geque ac Hibernia, a Scotorum gentibus habitatur"." Hip iisdem prorsus verbis usus in JEthici sententiam pedibus (ut aiunt) ivit. Hie post, ille ante annum
: :

Domini quadringentesimum
85

superstes. "Aliqui," inquit,

Cosmog. .lib.
in
i.

"Humfredius

c. 5.

There may have been a contest, dominion of the

Isle of

very

bow

remote ages, between the Scots and Britons,

for the

to the supremacy of British dominion. " To the north of Ireland lie (inrtp:

Man,

if

we

and Keating that O'Flah^erty the Hebrides, and other isles adjacent to
can believe
Britain,

1. Ebuda, western Ebuda, eastern (Skie) 3. Rhicina (Rathlin) 4. Maleos (Mull) 5. Epi-

KeivTcti) five islands

(Lewis);

2.

were occupied, A. D. 60, by Picts

Ogygia, pars
iii.

dion (Ila).

On

the eastern coast of Ire:

or Britons.

cap. 45.

land are those islands

2.

1.

When Giraldus was

writing, the

Manxmen
to

Mona (Anglesey)

3.

Edri

Manaoida (Man) and 4. Lim;

;

aided John de Courcy,

who was married

King
of

ni:

the two last are desert."

Johnstone

Africa, daughter to Godred,

Man.

translates virtpiceivrai " subjacent ;" but

incorrectly.
ference,
(p.

In his descent on Ulster, A. D. 1205, Eonald, successor of Godred,

127).
is solid,

Dr. Lynch's in-

accompanied him

however,

inasmuch as Pto-

with 100

ships.

But, in 1210,

King John

detached a portion of his army to Man, under the

lemy mentions those islands in that chapter Cf Conor, Prowhich treats of Ireland
legom., p. xliv. It
is

command

of Fulcho,

who

pillaged

singular that he classes

;

the country during sixteen days, exacted

hostages,

and returned home.

p. 24.

Chronicon

Anglesey among Irish islands and if it did not arise from his ignorance of the proxi-

MannicE, Johnstonc,
relations of the

The

political

day may have suggested

to

close

mity of that island to Britain, it proves the connexion between the great strong"insula sacra," of the ancients.

Giraldus the invention of the story regard-

hold of British druidism, and Ireland, the

ing the adjudication of

order to compel

Man

to Britain, in

The mo-

Man, as well

as Ireland, to

dern names of the islands are taken from

CHAP.

II.]

CAMB11ENSIS EVERSUS.

159

so near Ireland, to that very nation

whose distant provinces they had

subdued" ?

Were that cause to be brought before a bench of judges, the arguments which the Irish could produce, why sentence should be pronounced in their
favor,

would be the more numerous and

conclusive.

Ptolemy, who flourished about the year of our Lord 140, deposes that they were the original masters of Man, for he marks, on his map, both Man and the Hebrides as appendages of Ireland. Tighearnach also testifies,

that Cormac,

King

of Ireland,

who

died in the year 266, acquired

from his having expelled the Ultonians, and comthem to take refuge in Man p which would be no asylum for them pelled if Man were not unquestionably under the dominion of Ulster q Mihihis surname, Ulfada,
,
.

cus and Orosius record the same fact: " The Isle' of Man," the former " as well as r Ireland, is peopled by the Scots ." Orosius records says, the same statement of JEthicus, in the very same words 9 . The former
flourished before, the latter after, the year 400.
Camden.
ders all of

Humphry Lhuydd

Ware
them

(Antiq., chap. 6) surren-

bia
^

to Britain.

An

Irish geo-

po cuip Ulca a pab." O'Conor. But the question arises whether those
who were
it

grapher, in the

commencement

of the ninth

Ultonians,

expelled to Man,
;

may
and,

century, has the following passage,

which

not have been Irish Picts, not Scots

if

the French editor enthusiastically praises as " infiniment interessant :" " Circum nos-

the former,

would jiot follow that Man

might

was an

Irish island, because the Picts

tram insulam Hiberniam sunt

aliae parvae,

insulae,

sed

naturally seek a refuge

tribe.

among

a kindred

atque

alias

minimse. Juxta inaliae magnae, aliae

In the very learned "Additional

to

sulam Britannicam multae,

parvae, aliseque mediae.
trali

Notes"

the Irish Nennius (pp.

xliii.

Sunt

aliae in

aus-

xlvii.), the opinion is

adopted that the UlIrish

mari, et aliae in occidentali. In aliquividi, et

tonians expelled
theni or Picts
;

by Cormac were
but

Cru-

bus istarum habitavi, alias tantum

alias legi."

who

those Irish Picts

Chap.

vii.

11, pp. 37, 129.

were
r

is

not yet clearly ascertained.

it is

Dichuil "
ris,

De Mensurd

Orlis Terra" Pa-

JEthicus,

believed, lived in the third

1814.
v

century of the Christian era

0' Conor,

Tighearnach records this event at the year 254: "Expulsion of the Ultonians from
Ireland into

Prolegom.,
8

p. 63.
:

Hibernia

" Britanniae spatio terrarum

coeli,

Man by

Cormac, grandson of he drove the

angustior, sed
utilis

solique temperie
colitur.

Conn
was

of the

Hundred Battles. But Cormac

"

a Scotorum gentibus

magis Hinc
et ipsa

called Ulfada, because

etiam Mevania insula proxima est

spatio

Ultonians far away."

Inbapba Ullab

a hGpinb a TTlanant) la Copmac hlla Cuinb. ap be ba Copmac Vllpaba

non parva, solo commoda, aequd a Scotorum gentibus habitatur." O'Conor,,

Prolegom., p. 75.

100

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

Lhuyddus, Manniam insulam Euboniam Latine vocant, hinc videtur originem traxisse, quod ab eadem natione nempe luvernica, qua et
Eubonia} (quas Hebrides aliqui dicunt) incoletur 56," qui ibidem alibi " Mannias incolas addit, lingua Scotica sive luvernica qua? eadem est, " Sub Honorio et Arcadio uti." Adjicitque Camdenus Augg. a Scotoruni gentibus (ut est apud Orosium) asque ac Hibernia ipsa Mannia
:

culta fuit; et Buila? alias Buile

Ninnius-V
et Britannia

Scotum quemdam hanc tenuisse scribit Et Seldenus non "Hibernia solum," inquit, "sed etiam
caaterge
79 pars septentrionalior a Scotis tenebatur ." Deinde

Mannia, inclinanteRomanorumImperio,insulequeOccidui maris

magna

subjungit, "Scoti pro Hibernis apud veteres non raro sumuntur." Britannorum incunabula Camdenus a Gallis accersit pluribus de
causis, ac pra3sertim

quod morum
:

similitude, et linguse

communio

illi

Qui enim, inquit, linguae conjunct! sunt, communione fuisse conjunctos homo opinor nemo inficiabatur. Quod si omnes omnium historic intercidissent, et nemo litteris
originis etiam

ut in lingua? communione, maximum genti suae disputationis firmamentum, et certissimum origiriis argumentum " collocare se dicat: societate
intercessit
ita

cum hac

prodidisset nos Anglos e Germanis genui, nos Scotos ex Hibernis, Britones Armoricanos a nostrisBritannis prognatos esse: ipsarum linguarum

communitas hoc
nise, incolge

facile evinceret

imo

facilius

quam gravissimorum
attestante,

29 toritas ." Itaque

cum

reapse et

Camdeno prater alios

inficias ibit.

auc" Man-

et lingua et

moribus ad Hibernicos proximo accedant 30 ,"

nemo

illos

ab Hibernis oriundos esse

96 Pag. 839. Clausum, lib. ii.

v In Epis.
c.

de

Mona
89

ibid. c. 16.

insula. ad calcem. Defen. Brittan 30 Pag. 12. Pag. 838.

Prisii.

98

Mare

1 Camden believed that Man was ancient" but when the naly held by the Britons;

1637, p. 204.

The

troop under the

seized

com" Fir-

mand

of Buile,

who

upon Man, are

(p.

tions

from the North,

like violent tempests,

it

called in the Irish

Nennius

49)

overflowed those south parts,

ject to the Scots."

became sub-

bolgs."

Then

follows the passage

The argument derives

the fact, that

greater force from

in the text, after which he proceeds: "But, as the

Man

was, during

many

cen-

same writer
all

recordeth, the Scots were

turies, subject to the

Northmen.

In 1056,
island,

driven out of
islands

the British countries and

of

Godred Cronan,

after

subduing the

by Cuneda, grandfather

Maglo-

allotted the northern portion to the natives,

cunus,

whom
in

Gildas (for the foul

work he

and the southern

to his

own

followers
to that pe-

made

those islands) termed the draisles."

Chronicon Mannia;. Previously

gonof the

Holland's Translation,

riod there are several notices in the Irish

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBBENSIS EVERSUS.

161
*

writes: "

Some

bably because
Eubonise, or,

persons call the Isle of Man in Latin Eubonia,' prowas peopled by that same Irish race which peopled In another place as some call them, the Hebrides/"
it
'

he adds, " that the inhabitants of Man spoke the Scotic or Irish, which were one and the same." Camden too writes " That in the reign of Arcadius and Honorius, Man, as well as Ireland, was " (as Orosius
:

declares) "occupied by tribes of the Scots, and that a Scot, named Builae or Buile, had possession of it, as we learn from NenniusV Selden also " that not Ireland alone, but Man, and the other isles of the says,

Western Ocean, and a large portion of the North of Britain, were, at " the fall of the Eoman Empire, held by the Scots." Scoti," he adds, " was a name often given to the Irish by the ancients." Among the many arguments by which Camden proves the Britons
were descended from the Gauls, the principal are a similarity of customs and identity of the language spoken by both nations. The identity of
" language he regards as the chief support of his position, and the most certain evidence of descent." " No person, I think, can deny," he says, " that nations which use the same language must have been from the

same

stock.

Though

all

the histories of all nations had perished, and

no man had ever stated in a book that we English sprung from the Germans, the Scotch from the Irish, and the Britons of Armorica from our Britons, yet the bond of a common language would clearly establish it, yes,

more

able writers."

Now,

clearly than the testimony of the most unexceptionas Camden himself declares that the language and

customs of the inhabitants of

it

Man bear a close

resemblance to the Irish,

cannot be denied that the

Manks
Man

are descended from the Irish".

Ixxx.

Annals of descents of Northmen from

on. the Irish shores.

p.

The bishop of the

place described
for

In 1266 the kingdom

some of the national customs

Camden

of

Man and

the Isles

was

sold to Alexander,

" Controversies are decided without writing

or charges,

King of Scotland, by the King of Norway. The Manxmen resisted the transfer, but were
defeated

by men whom they choose from

For

among

themselves, aud call deemsters.

Chroniby Alexander in 1275 con Mannia. As many of the Scotch pro-

the magistrate taketh up a stone, and

when
unto

he hath given

it

his mark, delivereth

it

bably spoke the Erse, the conquest would not have any considerable influence in eradicating the

the plaintiff, who,

his adversary

by virtue

thereof, citeth If there fall

and witnesses.

old language.
is

Its

identity

out any doubtful case, and of greater importance,

it is

with the Irish

universally admitted. For

referred to twelve

men,

whom
The

proofs consult 0''Donovan's Irish

Gram.,

they term the keyes of the island.

162

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

moment! Camdenus memorat: "Ratio enim,"

In situ quoque, ad nationum originein dignoscendam, multum esse " dictat unaminquit,

quamque regionem primes

31 locis accepisse ."

incolas potius evicinis

quam e

disjunctissimis

Cum autem Caesar dicat

" in medio" inter Britanniam

et

" cursu esse insulam quse vocatur

Mona3 *,"

Cambrensis scribat earn

medio libramine inter Boreales Hibernise et Britanniae partes porrectam esse33 par est ut credamus earn seque saltern Hibernis ac Britannis ex,

cipiendis

opportunam
et

esse:

ejusdem linguaa

morum communione

ut iam situs non impediat, quominus ex Hiberni primas in incolenda

Mannia

retulerint.

Quod autem
subjectam

Jocelinus " Euboniam, seu

Manniam tune
absonum
est,

Britannia)

fuisse34 ,"

cum earn fidei luce

videtur.

S. Patricius illustraret, a veritate

multum dissona loqui bellum cum Britannis

Rationi enim

ut Hiberni

in ipsa Britannia turn gerentes, in citeriori insula

hostes quietem capere, et sibi quasi prae foribus insidiari paterentur; et Britanni de insula remotiori sibi comparanda inepte laborarent, hoste intra suos fines omnia bello miscente, finiumque non modicam partem
ferro sibi vendicante.
et
[13]

memoriam in

Jocelino desiderari moneant35

|

Nonnulla documenta exhiberi possunt, quas fidem Hibernos ab Anglis, riti.

bus Ecclesiasticis excultos

fuisse falso ille narravit.

In qua re acerri-

mum habet adversarium, Petrum Lombardum Archiepiscopum Ardmachanum 36

31
.

Ad veritatis in
32

hac re fontem nos infra digitum intendemus.

33

Pag.

9.

Bello Gallic,

lib. 5.

Top.

d.

ii. c.

15. 34

Vita

S. Patric. c. 29. 35

Cap. 175.

36

Commen. de Hib.

c. xii. p.

314.
of their

women, whithersoever they go out

Trans., p. 205.

Kelly and Moore are very

in

doors, gird themselves about ( as mindful

common names
v

Man

at present,
est,

of their mortality) with the winding- sheet

" In medio inter ambas insula

qua;

that they purpose to be buried

of

in.

Such

olim Monoeda appellatur, nunc autem

naina."
tannice
p.
;

Ma-

them

as

by law

are

Condemned

to die are

liichardi

Monachi de

Situ Bri-

sewed within a sack, and flung from a rock into the sea." He states there were no beggars in the land ; that the people were most

Johnstone's Chronicon.

Mannia,
criticises

114.

w The point on which Lombard

Jocelin

anxious for the reformed religion, though tradition still points the spot where the last
bloody battle was fought in defence of the old creed : finally, that "whereas the whole
island
in
is

was the

interpretation of a vision

attributed to St. Patrick.

said,

An

angel,

it

was

revealed to our apostle the four future

:

states of Ireland

first,

the whole island

is

divided into south and north, this

common

speech resembleth the Scottish,

a flame, and the flame reaching to heaven ; second, mountains of flame in all quarters of
the island; third, the fires dwindled

the other the Irish."

Camden. Holland's

down

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBEENSIS EVERSUS.

1G3

" bouring than from very remote places." Now since Caesar writes that there is an island called Mona, lying off the central part of Britain," and
" it as stretching midway between the northern of Ireland and of Britain," the position of the country is as favoparts v rable to colonization from Ireland as from Britain , and diminishes in

The geographical position of a country, also, is of great moment in "It is more reasonable to deciding on the origin of its inhabitants. " that a would be peopled from neighcountry suppose," says Camden,

Cambrensis describes

no degree the force of the arguments founded on the similarity of the language and customs of Man to those of Ireland.

when St. Patrick dispensed the of faith to Man, " Eubonia, or Mannia, was then subject to Brilight tain." But that statement appears palpably contrary to fact. It is
Jocelin, it is true, declares that

repugnant to common sense that the

Irish,

who

at that time carried

the war against the Britons into the heart of Britain, would leave the enemy in quiet possession of an island so well adapted, from its position, for a

descent on the Irish shores.

And

could the Britons be such

endeavour to hold a distant island, while the desolating sword of the enemy was within their territories, and dismembering large porfools as to

Jocelin's authority and honesty are not on this matter. There are cogent reasons for disbeyond suspicion He had asserted falsely that the Irish were instructed trusting him.
tions of their

dominions?

by the English
been chastised
into lamps,
lings
;

in ecclesiastical rites, an assumption for

seA^erely

which he has w by Peter Lombard, Archbishop of Armagh

.

and by degrees into mere twinkfinally,

the country, had, on the contrary, increased

the miseries of the native Irish, fomented
their discord, denied

and

smouldering, but

still

living embers.

At

this stage, Patrick

wept;

them the use

of

arms

but suddenly a light springs from Ulidia,

spreads over the island, and brings back
the splendor of the primitive days.
lin interprets the

and the establishment of

ly persecuted, in his of St. Malachy.

universities, final-

own

day, the religion

Joce-

Dr. Lynch, though a de-

of Turgesius,

days of darkness as those and the tyranny of the Danes

;

scendant of the Anglo-Norman invaders,

had

all

the feelings of the old Irish

and he
II.,

the returning light as the labors of St.

Ma-

maintains, in another place, that

lachy; and the crowning glory as the coming

of the English.

Henry a murderer, blasphemer, adulterer, and

interest in

sa-

But Lombard

objects to

crilegious tyrant, could not feel a sincere

on the ground that the had akeady proved, so far from developing religion and civilization in
this interpretation,

English, as he

ness of Ireland.
celin.

promoting the spiritual happiHence his severity on Jo-

*M 2

164
Illi

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

ma quaque

solemne nimirum est ad gloriolam patriae suae aucupandam, levissioccasione arrepta, flectere. Ilia de causa in hoc capite xxix.
alio vitas Patricii scriptore

putatur narrationem instituisse a rmllo

quoque solus multa ab illis praetermissa scriptis tradit, ut aliqua nunc in dubium revocentur, quod sola illius authoritate tanquam debili fulcro iiitantur. Hujusmodi conditionis sunt LXIX. Dubliniam pagum exiguum cap. LXIX., LXX., LXXI. Vocat ille cap.

memoratam.

Inter quas

ille

et cap. LXXI.,

urbem nobilem37 Vocis originem

.

a virgine Dublinia,

non a

voce Hibernica Dubh-linn (quae nigrum alveum significat) adducit. Cap. CLXXV., Gurmundum et Turgesium reges Hiberniae per errorem facit.

Qua? dumtaxat eo spectant, ut Jocelino Monam sive Manniam Hibernian adimenti et Britanniae, nullo alio scriptore adducto, addicenti, fides non
habeatur.

multum facit quod "Buadanus rex Ultonise," anno 580 mortuus, " exteros e Mannia expulerit, et ab illo tern" Gall " in 38 pore Mannia sit in possessione Ultoniensium ." Vox enim Hibernicis O'Duvegani verbis posita, Anglum, Saxonem, Danum, aut alium quern vis peregrinum, non Britannum denotabat. Cum autem
Nee ab
illo

Christi nati

Dani nullum impetum in Hiberniam ante annum Domini 812

legantur,

fecisse

"quo

classis
37

Danorum Hiberniarn
38

agressa a Scotis praelio

p. 64.

Trias Thaum., p. 111.

is

O'Dubegan.

The

contradiction

manifest. In chap.

many
*

years before Jocelin came to Ireland.

LXIX. Jocelyn describes St. Patrick as coming to a hill, within a mile distant from Dublin (Athcliath), and predicting that " this small village (exiguus pagus) will be one day most distinguished;" but, in " " chap. LXXI. this village Avas, in the days
of St. Patrick,

Book of Rights, pp. 227, 231. See Book of Rights, p. 227; Colgan,
p. 111.

Trias Thaum.,
z

The terms used by Jocelin are: " Gurmundus ac postea Turgesius Norvagienses
Principes Pagani, inHibernia debellata reg~

"the noble

city of Dublin,"

ndbant" which imply nothing more than

the right of the sword.

under the sway of the Norwegians and the Lords of the Isles, and sometimes obedient,
but sometimes rebellious,
of the Irish monarchs.
to the

Turgesius held

sceptre

under his sway a larger portion of Ireland than many English kings who were styled Lords of Ireland.
a

But did Jocelin

is

invent the story ?

There

no evidence in

The authority

to

which Dr. Lynch

re-

Irish Annals, it is true, for the settlement

fers here is

not accessible.

The

Irish

An-

or descent of

Northmen on Ireland
;

before

nals record the death of Baedan MacCairill,

the year 794 (795)

but there are some

King
but
it

of Ulster,

and a naval expedition

;

at
;

good reasons for believing that St. Patrick's blessing of Dublin was a current tradition

the same year, 580 (Ann. Ult.

O' Conor}

does not appear that he took part or

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERtiUS.
for arriving at

1(55

The means

an accurate conclusion on that point shall

be pointed out in the sequel.

But

Jocelin embraced every opportunity

of exalting the glory of his own nation, and therefore national vanity is supposed to have been the sole motive of his narrative, in that twenty-

ninth chapter, of an event not recorded in any other Life of St. Patrick. He often records other events not mentioned by any biographer of St.

day of slight weight and LXXI., are of that chaLXIX., LXX., racter. Thus, in chap. LXIX., he calls Dublin a little village and in x The name he derives from the virgin Dubchap. LXXI., a noble city
is

Patrick, and hence his authority

at the present

on some points.

The chapters
.

linia,

pool
sius
is

y.

and not from the Irish word Dubh-linn, signifying the black In chap. CLXXV., he erroneously makes Gurmund and Turge.

2 Kings of Ireland

These examples prove that Jocelin's assertion

not entitled to credit, when, without the authority of any other

writer, he asserts that

Mas

or

"

Buadan, King of Ulster,

Mona formerly belonged to Britain. who died A. D. 580, expelled the

fo-

reigners from Man, and from that time forward Man was subject to the UltoniansV But that historical fact does not support Jocelin's " Gall," used by O'Dugan, desigposition ; because the Irish word nates not a Briton, but an Angle or Saxon, a Dane, or any other

They must have been Angles or Saxons whom Buadan Danes having made no descent on Ireland before the " the Danish fleet, having invaded Ireland, was year 812, in which
foreigner.

expelled, the

was

slain in that expedition.

A poem, in the
tri-

Book
I

of Leacan

(fol.

139, a, a), for which

" Even I \vho have come from Sky, I have come twice and three times,

am

indebted to Mr. Curry, describes

To convey gems
[ I ] the

of varying hue

butaries

coming from various quarters

the seat of

to

Albanian

feel neglected.

Dun Baedain,
of

Mac

Cairill.

One

^ifty sixty are on the water

them

is

thus introduced, lamenting that

Between

Man and

Eire

his tribute

was not more prized

!

Here are ^ne who seek

for

heaven

"

Cib mi] 1 chanic o Sci

bi pa cpi, coimeb pec po clai bach Ip abuap in c-dlbanach.

And
At the
;

the SOXTOAVS of pilgrimage."

close of the

Do puachcup po

poem,

it is

said

"
:

Ip

i eip [.,.

baeban] po glanab ITIanamb 5aU aib conab pe n-Ullcaib a pop-

"

Caeca, 1,1, pil pon linb Icep lllanamb ip Cpinb;

Pil
Ip

" It was by him plaichiup opin ille." [Baedan] that Manainn was cleared of the
Galls [foreigners], so that
its

punb nonbup popaig nem uamon an ailichip."

,

sovereignty
1

belonged to the Ultonians thenceforward.'

166
39

CAMBBENSIS KVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

superatur ." Tune enim scilicet tempore Caroli Magni (inquit Aymonius ) " classis Normannorum Hiberniam Scotorum insulam agressa
:

commisso
extincta

prselio

cum

Scotis, innumerabilis

multitude Normannorum

est, et

turpiter fugiendo

domum

reversa est40 ."

Pedem

qui-

dem, illos, anno post Christum natum 838 in Hiberniam primum in41 tulisse, victorias ibi reportasse, sedesque fixisse Cambrensis narrat ."
Saxones, igitur,
protrusit.
Illi

a,ut Anglos istos oportet esse, quos e Mannia Buadanus enim rei maritimse peritissimi, diu piraticam egerunt, ita salo assueti ut solum timuerint, quibus cum discriminibus pelagi non notitia solum sed familiaritas erat. Hos mare Britannicum saspius

infestasse testatur

et Claxidianus qui Britanniam Stiliconis de se sollicitudinem ennarrantem inducit his verbis:

Ammianus 4

"

Illius

effectum curis ne bella tiinerem

Scotica, ne

Pictum tremerem, ne

littore toto

Prospicerem dubiis venturum Saxona ventis."

Et deinde:
"

Maduerunt Saxone fuso

Orcades, incaluit Pictorum sanguine Thule;

Scotorum cumulos

flevit glacialis lerne43 ."

lis

Ut hinc non dubitem quin Saxones in Orcadibus, aliisque insuBritanniam cingentibus excensionem, subinde fecerint, tempus in Britanniam irruendi operientes. Contra quam cum Scotis et Pictis
39

dist.

Annalium Francorum contract. Eginhard. 44 Lib. 26 et 43 De laud. iii. c. 36. 27.

40 Lib. iv.

de Ges. Francorum.

41

Top.

Stilichonis.

This poem is cited by M'Firbis (p. 491) from the Book of Sabhall Phadraig [Saul, county Down], and infra, p. [92]. In 580,
the year of Baedan's death, the Irish

tilium per Ultonienses

;"

in 811, " strages

Gentilium,"

by

the Munster-nien, under

An-

Maelduin, King of Loch Lein O' Conor.

c

Ann.

Ult.,

nals record a victory gained in the Isle of

marginal note in the copy of the

Man by Aedan Mac Gabhrain,

of the Albanian Scots.
b

seventh king

Ulster Annals published by Dr. O'Conor, " the Lochlane states, that in 838, (Danes)

In 794 the Gentiles devastated the

came
de,.

to Ireland, "according to the Chroni-

island of Eathlin.

At

that year, in the

But we have seen

that other North-

Annals of the Four Masters, Mr. O'Donovan shows the mistakes fallen into by
O'Conor and Moore on a passage in the

men had
Neagh

arrived before them.

In 838, the

Gentiles launched a fleet on Loch Eachach

(

),

and ravaged the surrounding

Annals of

Ulster, supposed

by them

to de-

country, burned the churches and oratories,

note, in 747, a prior descent of the

in Ireland. In

Danes 810 there was " strages Gen-

massacred the priests or carvied them captives, and burned Armagh, with all

off
its

HAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

167

conquered by the IrishV That event occurred in the reign of Charfleet of Northmen having lemagne, and is thus recorded by Aymo: invaded Ireland, the island of the Scots, a battle was fought, in which

"A

an innumerable multitude of the Northmen were

nant
fled

slain,

and the remfirst

home

in disgrace."

Cambrensis states that the Danes

landed in Ireland, and gained victories, and formed settlements in the It must have been, therefore, Angles or Saxons whom year 838.

Buadan

expelled.

the British seas.

During several centuries their pirate flag had swept They were expert mariners, familiar with the dangers

of the deep, and unwilling to encounter an enemy except on their native element. Ammianus records their frequent ravages on the British
seas,

and Claudian thus presents to Stilicho the gratitude of Britain

" Beneath his sheltering arm I fear no more Nor Scot, nor savage Pict along my shore Heedless the fickle winds mav blow no Saxon comes
:

!"

agan:
'

The Orkneys reek with routed Saxons' blood The bleeding Picts discolor Iceland's flood And frozen Erin mourns her piles of dead."
;

The Saxons, I have no doubt, descended in course of time on the Orkneys, and other islands in the British seas, whence they sent out heir armaments against Britain d They appear to have been leagued
.

dui irtheachs

and stone churches.

The date

Annals, Four Masters,

and Dr. O'Conor,

;

838, in Camden's edition of Giraldus, does

not appear in the manuscript copy cited. by

assigning the death of Turgesius to 844-5

;

Ussher
incorrect.

Prim.,

p.

860.

It is manifestly

Ussher and Dr. Lanigan to 848 at which year the Ulster Annals record several bloody
defeats of the
list

Giraldus states that in

that

Northmen.

A foreign anna(torn.
ii.

year Turgesius invaded Ireland, destroyed

also,

published by

Du Chesne

churches and monasteries, castellated the

whole island with raths

( fossata ),

sur-

525), congratulates the Scots on having, in 848, by the grace of God, shaken off
p.

rounded with deep and generally triple fosses, and also with stone fortifications,
of

the yoke of the Northmen, and on forming

a treaty of peace and friendship with the

which the ruins

still

remained in the
tyrant,

King
.

of France,

from

whom
p.

the

Irish

twelfth century.

The

according

king

solicited a safe

conduct to Rome.

to Giraldus, oppressed Ireland

during about
to the

See O'Conor, vol.

vol.
(1

iv.

214; Lanigan,

thirty years,

which would bring us

iii.

pp. 243, 279.

year 808, a date not supported by any Irish authority; "Ware, <Y Flaherty, the Ulster

The Ulster Annals

record

(an.

434)

(>

Prima prieda Saxonum

in Hibernia."

168

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

foedere juncti fuisse videntur,

cum Claudianus

in superior!

carmine

parem timorem Britanniae a Scotis, Pictis, et Saxonibus impendisse, et in altero, pari omnes clade affectos fuisse narret 44 ". Conjecturam juvat
Beda dicens: " Saxones Pictosque bellum adversus Britones
et alleluia tertio repetita fusos fuisse45 ."

suscepisse,

Licet aliqui putent vocem

his

"Scotos" pro vocabulo "Saxones" substituendum esse, aliquem ex Saxonibus aut ex Anglis a Vortigerno in Britanniam 46 sub annum
Christi 490 accersitis a

cum

manipulum Manniam turn insedisse necesse est, Buadano inde deturbarentur. Quis crederet, paganis insult

dominantibus, tot Episcopos officio suo in ilia libere functos fuisse? Post S. Germanum primum Marmiae Episcopum anno 474 coelos ingres-

sum, Connidrius et Romulus Episcopi Mannise instituti sunt, quibi S. Machaldus postea successit. Deinde S. Conanus et S. Mochonus
44

4 Consolat. Hon.

45

Lib.

i.

cap. 20.

4(5

Ussher, Primord. p. 335, idem in Indice.

gies of Tallaght, Macguires,

O' Conor.

In 429, they co-operated with Bede,

and Marian
and Ro-

the Picts in an invasion of Britain

lib.
i.

Gorman: Connidrius, on
Dec. 25, or Jan. 4

Sept. 17;

c.

20.

mulus, otherwise TTIaol or TTIaolan, on

records the pro-

The Saxon Chronicle

but

Acta

Sanct., p. 60.

gress of the Saxons in

to

580

is silent

England previous with regard to Man.

Both are mentioned by Probus and the Tripartite.

See Lanigan, vol.

i.

p. 305.

At a

more probable that the invaders expelled by Buadan from that island were
It is

short distance north of Castletown, in the

Isle of

Man, there

is

a Kirk Malow, which

to

.refugee Britons than Saxons.

Dr. 0' Conor

appears from the

h

name
all

have been dedi-

adopts the opinion of Camden (ante, p. 160, note l ), regarding Malgo, " the dragon of
the isles," KingofVenedotia,

cated to St. Romulus.

Mentioned

in

the old Lives of St.

c.

who ascended

Patrick (The Third Life,

c.

73

Eleran.,

the throne, according to Lhuyd, in the year

81

Prolus,

lib.

ii.

c.

Tripart., pars

560
f

0* Conor, vol.

ii.

p.

151.

iii. c.

6),

and also in the Life published by

Irish Antiquarian
p. 329.

Germanns

is

not mentioned in any of

;

Sir

William Betham.
ii.

the Lives of St. Patrick, except Jocelin's

Researches, vol.

He was

a cruel

and Dr. Lanigan

existed

is
i.

of opinion that he never

p.

savage, a chief of the Irish Crutheni, unt

Vol.
is

306.
is

that he

the

same who

Colgan states honored in the

he was converted by St. Patrick, when renounced the world, retired to the Isle

is

Martyrology of Tallaght, July 30. There a German TTIac 5^il at that day, but
there
is

Man, where he found Conidri and Romuli and where he became a bishop. Near tl
north-west promontory of the
there
is

no

allusion to the Isle of

Man.

Isle of

According to Probus (lib. ii. c. 1 1), Connidrius and Romulus were the first apostles
in

a Kirk Maughold, manifestly a cor

ruption of Machald.

He is

honored in

tl

Man.
Both honored
in the Irish Martvrolo-

Martyrologies of yEngus, Tallaght, and

rian

Ma-

Gorman,

at April 25.

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

169

with the Picts and Scots.

Claudian, in the above-cited poem, repre-

sents Britain as dreading alike the Scots, the Saxons, and the Picts; are represented as defeated in the same engageand in another

ment.

they " The These conjectures are confirmed by the words of Bede: Saxons and Picts waged war against the Britons, and were put to flight

by an

alleluia, thrice repeated." Though some persons are of opinion " Scots" should be substituted for " Saxons," some of the Saxons or that

Angles,

who were

invited to Britain under Vortigern, A. D. 490, must,

have formed a settlement in Man, otherwise they could not have been expelled from it by Buadan". If pagans had been masters of the island, who can believe that so many Christian bishops could
at that period,

have freely exercised their ministry there? After the death of St. Germanus f the first Bishop of Man, A. D. 474, Connidrius and Romulus^
,

h Then came St. Conan were appointed, and after them St. Machaldus and St. Mochonna bishops of the same see. It must have been, there.
1

>

Colgan (Acta Sanct.,

besides

p. 60, n.

9) states

identity of the

names

is

rendered more pro-

that,

the two bishops in the text,

there were

many

other Irish bishops of

Man
is it

but he produces no authorities, nor

Colgan (n. 9, p. 60) does not mark the day on which Mochonnus is honored in the Martyrologies. But was Connanus
bable, as

possible to

make

out the succession of

Bishop of
Patrick ?

Man or of Inis Padraig, now Holm

The Annals
of Ulster, A. D.

prelates previous to the year

1050

(ct'r.),

at

797

which the Chronicle of

Man

commences.

On Connanus
it

he has a note, which makes

(O' Cower), record the plundering of his shrine by the Danes and Dr. O'Conor un;

doubtful whether the two bishops Con-

derstands the reference as

Patrick.

made

to

Holm

nanus and Mochonnus were not different

forms of the same

name

"
:

Conna, alias

Mochonna, or Dochonna, called in Irish, by Marian Gorman, 'Conna' or 'Conda;' by

the Martyrology of Tallaght
' '

But Colgan proves (Acta Sanct., p. GO) that Inis Padraig was the Irish name of the see which the British writers call
Sodor.

The

tradition of
its

the* Isle

of
;

Man
all

Dochonna

'

claims St. Patrick as

apostle

but

and 'Teochonda;' and by others generally " Machonna or Mochonda.' The pre'

his biographers, except Jocelin, are silent

'

and bo, " mine " and " thine," were often incorporated with the names of
fixes

mo

on the subject, though they record his sojourn for a short time at "a very small
island,"

which

is

generally understood to be

Irish saints.

The diminutive

of affection or

reverence 05, anciently oc, was also suffixed

to the names, which, in this case,

Holm Patrick, near the Irish coast. There was "a veiy small island," called Inis Padraig ( Chron. Mannite, p.
1
;

would

Johnstone"),

produce

"

Moconoc," and thus identify Con-

near Peel, on the eastern coast of the Isle

of Man.
land. It
1 1 is

nanus and Mochonoc, as in the name "Maidoc," patron of Ferns,

now connected with the mainif

which

is

literally

is

covered Avith ecclesiastical ruins,

ino Cleo 65, "

my

beloved Acdh."

The

among which,

we can

believe a late writer

170

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
.

[CAT.

II.

eandam Ecclesiam administrartmt47

Rebus, igitur, in Britannia et Hi-

bernia bello turbatis, globus aliquis militum arripuit, ea mox a Buadano ejectus.

Manniam per tumultum

Nee eorum

assertione moveor,

qtii

verba Beda3 dicentis

Regem

Edwinum sub annum a Christo nato 630, " Menavias insulas Anglorum imperio subjugasse48 ," sic interpretantur, ut Anglesia et Mannia ditioni Anglorum, opera Edwini, accesserint, cum Alfredi Saxonica ver|

49 et Malmsburiensis conceptis verbis Angleseiam tantum indicet dicat, Bedaa locum attingens, "Menaviarum quas nunc Anglcsei, id est Anglorum insulas, dicimus." Hinc mihi persuadeo, non solum primes

sio

incolas ex Hibernia
tate

Manniam accepisse, sed etiam illam eorum posterinon ante ademptam fuisse, quam eorum adjacentesque Scotias insulas Norwegus saeciilo nono sibi per vim arrogaverit unde indigene
;

mores, et linguam a majoribus Hibernis adliuc retinent, et a Norwegis

tamdiu imperantibus Norwegicum quiddam (ut Camdenus loquitur) admiscuerunt 50

.

Correctissima Flavii Dextri editio a Eoderico Caro adornata, et typis Hispalensibus anno 1627 in lucem emissa, docere videtur Manniam
cultores, et Menavia?
51 adjacente mutuasse
.

nomen, ab insula Menavia Hispanica? Carthagini Fortasse cum in ea insula nati Hibernos ex
et vel inultitudine

Hispania originem duxisse acciperent,

vel a valentiore
4?

abundarent,

manu

avitis sedibus ejicerentur, vel ulteriora visendi

cap. 152.
5> 48

Colgan, Jan.

3. Jocelinus,

Morg. ad cap.

v. lib.

ii.

Beda.
p. 641.

In Edi-

tione Wheloci.
(C7oZ.

Pag. 838.

Ann. 100,

p. 55,
is,

Primord. Ussher,

Campbell,

"

Ireland, Past, Present,

Isle of the English, as Guernsey, Jersey,

and Future,"
it

p. 125), there is a

round tower

resembling those in Ireland. If this be true,

and probably Dalkey, Ireland's .Eye^LambBut Bede (lib. ii. c. 9) not only ay(ey).
uses the plural number, "Menavite Insulae,"

would be as powerful a proof of the con-

nexionof Man with Ireland, as any of those adduced by Dr. Lynch. k " Swylce he eac Moniga Brytha calond da Syndon gesette betwih Hibernia Scotland 7 Braeotone Angel Cynnes rice underwtheodde," that is, according to Whelock, " Mona an isle of the
also,

but gives the estimated size of both the conquered nations.

'

This

is

probable,

if

under the Irish

be included

the Irish
"

Crutheni or Picts
to Irish Nennivs,

(see "Additional Notes

p. xliii.),

though

it is

not certain that the

Britons, situated

Manann, there
the Isle of Man.

cited

from Tighearnach,

is

between Hibernia, which

is

Scotland, and

From a

collation of the

Britain, he reduced under the

sway

of the
5.

Book

of Rights, p. 8, with Colgan, p. 60,

English."
p.

(O' Conor, Prolegom., pars

n. 4, it

would appear, that

so late as the age

Ixv.)

Hence the name Anglesey, that

of Cuari O'Lochain, A. D. 1024,

Man was

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

171

fore,

wars of Britain and Ireland to

I attach

some band of military adventurers that availed themselves of the seize the Isle of Man, until they were Buadan. expelled by no importance
to the opinion of some,
' 4

who, grounding

King Edwin had reduced the Menavian Isles to the English crown, A. D. 630," thence infer that Man, Alfred's as well as Anglesey, must have been conquered by Edwin.
themselves on Bede's words,
that
citing Bede's words, expressly writes as follows*,

Saxon version mentions Anglesey only; and William of Malmesbury, " Menaviae, which we
call

now

Anglesey, that

is

the

isles

of the Angles."

am, therefore,

of opinion, that the Irish were not only the original inhabitants of Man, but that it remained in the uninterrupted possession of their posterity, until the Norwegian, in the ninth century, subdued their isles,

and those adjacent to Scotland Hence the inhabitants still retain the language and customs of their Irish progenitors, with a mixture, as
1

Camden

expresses it, of a something Norwegian, introduced occupancy of that nation.

by the long

very correct edition of Flavius Dexter, prepared for the press by Roderic Carus, and printed at Seville A. D. 1627, appears to state that Man was originally peopled, and took its name, Menavise, from the
Spanish island Menavia, lying
natives of that island,
off Carthagena.

It

may have been

that the

were of Spanish extraction, and being either overstocked with inhabitants, or expelled from their native soil by some superior force, or actuated by that innate

knowing that the

Irish

regarded as an Irish dependency.

Accord-

rupted.,

See note

',

ante, p. 160.
solicited

Even

in

" ing to Cuan, the "fruits of Man were one of the prerogatives of the Irish monarchs.

1075, the

Manxmen

Muirchear-

tach O'Briain, King of Ireland, to send over

a regent of the royal blood, during the mi-nority of the son of

Now

Colgan had in his possession an old

panegyric in the Irish language, composed by Arthul on Magnus, son of Godfred, King
of

Godred

Johnstone's

Chronicle of Man,
notices of

p. 8.

There are several

Man,

in

which the island

is

frequently

Man

scattered through the Irish

styled

eamhoin abhlach,

i.e.

"Man

of

Annals.

If collected,

they would throw

the apple trees," to distinguish

it,

as Col-

some

light on its history, previous to the

gan conjectures, from 6cmihain TTIacha,

the celebrated seat of the kings of Ulster.

tion,

Norwegian invasion. According to tradiit was governed during many centu-

Hence there can be no doubt that

was an
minion
Irish dependency,

Man

though Irish do-

" riesby princes, called orries;" see oippig, Tribes and Customs of Ui-Mainc, pp. 72,

may have

been occasionally inter-

188

Book of Rights,

pp. 82, 250, 260.

172

CAMBRKNSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

II.

iimato mortalibus studio incenderentur, ad agnatos ac populares suos

ut ejusdem

stirpis

ramos commigrarent.
a

Quod si hactenus
rudem topographic,
adumbrasse,

me

dicta rite perpendantur, Giraldus profecto

sive chorographiae Hibernicse delineationem potius

quam
sit

vivis illam coloribus expressisse deprehendetur.

Ut

similis

omnino

primis

illis

imperitis pictoribus, qui, pingendi arte

specie adeo
depictae no-

adhuc inchoata,

ultimam perfectionem nonduin adepta, deformi imagines exhibebant, ut nisi ad pictures oram rei
et

nien adscriberetur, quam'figuram tabula referebat ignoraretur, scilicet equine an hominis formam, navis aut alterius rei nisi voce apposita ex-

primeretur.

omnino

ratione, qui

Adjectaenimvocula effigiem, non pictura indicabat. Pari congeriem hanc e variis figmentis tumultuarie a

Giraldo consarcinatam oculis et animo evolvet, Topographic sive Chorographias nomine insigniendam esse

nunquam

divinabit,

quandoquidem

ab opere titulus
m

iste

maxime

sit alienus.

Stanihurst, in his annotations on the

the annotations, sw^ra, pp. 114, 115, namely,

that Giraldus

fourteenth chapter of the Topography of

Giraldus, accuses

makes but a passing

silent

allusion

him

of error, for asserting of the

to the chief divisions of the island,

and

is

that

Meath was not one

most an-

almost entirely
,

on the smaller prinThis

cient quintuple divisions of Ireland.

But
in the

cipalities

and

ecclesiastical divisions.

Stanihurst himself was in error

division

for,

omission. is

much

to be regretted

for

had

land,

by Slainge, first Monarch Meath is not mentioned, nor

of Irein that

he described the various interesting localities in Ireland with the same zeal which he devoted to the wonderful book of
St.

by Eochaidh Feidhleach
Eversus, pp. [57], [65].
n

See Cambrensis

Bridget, and to the exquisite performance

Some

of the principal defects of the Toin

of the Irish harpers, his

work would have

pography have been already pointed out

been an invaluable repertory of Irish an-

CHAP.

II.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

173

propensity of the

human

breast to push forward into remoter regions,

turned their emigrant sails towards their kindred and countrymen, as branches of the same stock.

On

a careful perusal of

what

have now

stated, it

must be admitted

that Giraldus has scrawled only a rough outline of Irish topography or chorography, without any of the true and firm coloring of a finished
1 He was like those first rude painters, who, when the art was piece" . yet in its infancy, and not brought to perfection, sketched images of

of the object were not written could say what it represented, if the the figure of a man or a house, a ship, or any other object, words did not solve the mystery. Then it was the title, not the picobjects so uncouthly, that if the

name

on the margin of the picture, no

man

ture, that expressed the subject; and so with Giraldus's work. After the most attentive survey and examination of the enormous mass of heterogeneous fictions, thrown together in wild confusion, no man could

ever dream of calling the collection either a Topography or Chorography, so slight the resemblance it bears to its title".
tiquities.

A very

ancient catalogue of the

is

noise

the happiness of Ireland, Kildare

;

principal monasteries

cited
ii.

nor (Prolegomena, pars

also
vol.

by Dr. O'Cop. xciii.), and

the learned of Ireland, Bangor

Ireland, Kells
;

the joy of

the eye of Ireland, Talof Ireland, Lismore;

;

by Mr. Hardiman (Irish Minstrelsy, ii. p. 381), which might have opened

laght;

the litanies

the difficult language of Ireland, Cork

the

fine field for the rhetoric of Giraldus.

The

monasteries are described by a characteris" the head of tic epithet, thus : Ireland,

cemetery of Ireland, Glendalough," &c. &c. But Giraldus wrote for his masters, and
consulted their taste.

Armagh;

the arts of Ireland,

Clomnac-

174

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

CAPUT
QUOD GIRALDUS
[14]

III.

"

EXPUGNATVE HIBERNLE" TITULUM ALTERI SU.E LUCUBRATIONI

INSULSE PR^EFIXERIT.

Expugnati non semper linguam et vestem et mores victoris amplectuntur. Victores, devictae gentis lingnam locuti. [15] Victi vincentium linguam non vi sed aliis de causis imbibenint. Roman! non coegerunt gentes victas Latine loqui. Mithridates viginti duo
Expugnationis conditiones.
linguas locutus. [16] Percgrinationiseffectus. Linguae Hibernicas laudes. Poesis Hibernica quara praestans. Linguae Hibernicaj difficultas. Nou potest earn daemon loqui. Severitas Linguaa Germanicae. Pompa Hispanicae. [17] Angli magis delectantur Hibernica lingua quam Hiberni Anglica
lingua. Ubi Anglica, ubi Hibernica lingua sit vernacula ? Medicinam apud Graecos cert* familioa Scientiae censu aluntur. profitebantur. Certas familiaa historia;, jurisprudentiae incumbunt. Iiiitium consuetudinis singularum artium a singulis tribubus exercendarum. Linguae Anglica? in
:

indicium expuguatae Hiberniae. Vestis Anglica nuper ab Hibernis coepta. Angli formam vestis crebro mutant. [18] Romani non coegerunt victos gerere vestem Romanam. Vita Agricolae. Victoris vestis non semper a victo geritur. Victi non semper vincentium legibus vivunt. Multae gentes aRomanis victas suas leges observabant. Willelmus conquesest

Hiberniam inductio, non

tor Anglicis legibus Anglos gubernabat, et Edvardus

I.

Wallicis Wallos. [19] Atheniensium legibus

Romani non Romania Athenienses parebant. Leges Anglican in Hibernia constitutae. lis Hiberni non obtemperabant Anglicoa provinciae fines inibi. Quum late leges Hibernicas dominabantur. Unam tantum Hibemiae ternionem Angli possidebant. Duodecim comitatus in Hibernia constituti. Hibernici Reguli censum ex Anglica provincia exigebant. li reditus quando sublati. Mulctaa ob flagitia irrogatae divisse inter Reges Anglia; et Regulos Hibernian [20] O'Neill Rex Ultoniae. O'Mordha princeps Laighsiae. Primi comitatus instituti. O'Farelli.Comitatuum in Conacia institutio. Quando comitatus in Ultonia instituti. Macguire responsum ad Proregem. Comitatus Wicloensis. Exigui fines legum Anglicamm. Hiberni Anglis pro alienigenis ethostibus habiti. Aegre cives jus inter Anglos obtinuerunt. [21] Thomas Butler Hiberniae Prorex. Exemplum immunitatis concessai quibusdam Hiberais. Pejor Hibemorum in Hibernia conditio quiim alieniHiberni pro hostibus habiti. Vetitum Anglis connubia aut societatem ullam cum Initia Hibernis contrahere. [22] Gubernatores fovebant dissidium inter Anglos et Hibernos. expugnationis acria. Longaa inimicitiae rara3. Romani leges suas cum victis communicabant. Coloniis aliquo deductis non nisi septimam devicti agri i)artem Romani dedernnt. Lusitani cum

genamm.

Hiberni cur Anglo refractaiii? [23] Cur Castellani idem fecerunt Angli nee cultum, nee religionem Hibernos docuenint. Bellandi necessitas Hibernis Hiberni saep^ rogarunt legum sibi beneficium. Eorum postulationes frusti'atae. [24] Belimposita. landi usu scientia militaris addiscitur. Quare proceres Anglici impedierunt quo minus legum beneficium Hibernis conferretur ? Non Hibernos Angli, sed Anglos Hiberni expugnarunt. [25]'Fruges solum mutantes mutant indolem. Summi imperil tesserae. Quam diu principes Hiberni summo imperio in suis ditionibus fruebantur. In ditionibus Hibernicis tribunalibus Anglicis nullus locus. Angli non exterminarunt Hibernos. Prisca Midiae nobilitas. [26] Prisca Ulidiae nobilitas. PriscaOrgalliae nobilitas. Prisca Craobhroaj nobilitas. Prisca Tirconnallise nobilitas. [27] Prisca Connaciaj nobilitas. Prisca nobilitas Brefina;. Pj'isca Manachiae nobilitas. SiolanmchiaB nobilitas Prisca Lageniae nobih'tas. [28] Prisca Momouias nobilitas. et cseterarum Connaciaa regionum. In tribus Ultonia; dioecesibus Episcopos ante Jaco[29] Prisci Hiberni in avitis agris ann. 1585.
victis Indis foedus iniei-unt.

barbari.

bumRegem, Angliaj regesnon constitueruut.

Giraldus fatetur Hiberniam non fuisse expugnatam.

LOCUM ilium expugnatum

esse

plerumque dicimus, quern, prioribus

possessoribus exclusis, victor suse .ditionis facit, aut saltern priscis ina

Dr. Lynch does not admit this definition

their

own

principles,

he demonstrates that

of conquest; but, taking his adversaries -on

Ireland

was not conquered.

CAMBRKNSIS EVERSUS.

175

CHAPTER
GIRALDUS.
[14] Evidences of conquest.

III.

"THE CONQUEST OF IRELAND" WAS AN ABSUED TITLE FOR THE SECOND WORK OF
Language, manners, and dress of the conquerors not always adopted by the conquered. Conquerors have adopted the language of the conquered. [15] The language of conquerors introduced not by force, but by other causes. The Romans did not compel the con-

Irish language.

quered nations to adopt the Latin. Mithridates spoke twenty-two languages. [16] Influence of Panegyric on the Irish language. Excellence of Irish poetry. Difficulty of the The devil cannot speak it Harshness of the German language. Pomp of the Spanish. [17] The English were fonder of the Irish language than the Irish of the English. Districts in which the English or Irish language is vernacular. The medical profession hereditary
foreign travel.
!

in certain families in Greece. The history of jurisprudence hereditary in certain families in Ireland. Revenues the support of learning. Origin of the custom of confining the various arts and professions to certain families. The introduction of the English language into Ireland no evidence of the conquest of Ireland. English dress not adopted by the Irish until very lately. Fickleness of the English in the fashions of their dress. [18] Conquered nations not compelled by the Romans
to

wear the Roman

dress.

the conquered.

The

Life of Agricola. The dress of the conqueror not always adopted by laws of the conqueror not always adopted by the conquered. Many nations

William the Conqueror governed the conquered by the Romans maintained their own laws. English by English, and Edward I. the Welsh by Welsh laws. [19] The laws of Athens adopted Enactment of English law in Ireland. Some Irish by Rome, not those of Rome by Athens. obeyed it. Extent of the English Pale. Immense territory governed by Irish law. Not more than one-third of Ireland occupied by the English. Twelve counties established in Ireland.

Deputy. County Wicklow. Small territory subject to English law. The Irish regarded as aliens and enemies by the English. Difficulty of obtaining the rights of English law in Ireland. [21] Thomas Butler, Lord Deputy of Ireland. Charter of freedom granted to some Irishmen. The condition of the Irish in Ireland worse than that of aliens.- The Irish regarded as enemies. The English forbidden to many, or form any connexion with the Irish. [22] Government fomented discord between -the English and Irish. The first acts of conquest always ruthless. Permanent animosities of race very rare. The Romans extended the benefit of their law to the conquered. The Romans
allowed only the seventh part of the conquered territory to the colonies which they planted. Treaty between the Portuguese and the conquered Indians. Similar measures of the Spaniards. were the Irish hostile to the King of England ? Why The English [23] Causes of their barbarism. imported neither religion nor civilization into Ireland. The Irish had no resource but armed resistance. They often petitioned for English laws. Their petitions rejected. [24] Military skill acquired by warlike operations. Object of the English Lords in preventing the concession of English law to the Irish. The English conquered by the Irish, not the Irish by the English. [25] Change of clime changes nothing but fruits. Characteristics of sovereign power. How long did the Irish princes retain sovereign power in their own territories? No English tribunals in the Irish territories. The English did not exterminate the Irish. Old nobility of Meath. [26.] Old Of Craobhroe. Of Tyrconnell. [27.] Old nobility of Ulidia. Of Oriel. nobility of Connaught. Of Breffny. Of Hy-Many. Of Siolanmchia, and the other territories of Connaught. Old nobility of Leinster. [28.] Old nobility of Munster. [29.] Their ancient territories held by the Irish in 1585. The Kings of England appointed no bishop to three of the Ulster dioceses before the reign of James I., King of England. Giraldus himself admits that Ireland was not conquered.

The English Pale compelled to pay tribute to the Irish princes. Abolition of that tribute. Fines, levied as penalties for crime, divided between the Kings of England and of Ireland. [20] O'Neil, First counties established. King of Ulster. O'Moore, Prince of Leix. O'Farrells. Counties established in Connaught. Counties established in Ulster. Maguire's answer to the Lord

COUNTRY is, in ordinary phrase, said to be conquered* when its inhabitants have been either utterly extirpated, or compelled, by the irre-

176
colis a

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
sede sua non remotis,

[CAP.

III.

summo cum

imperio ita praeest, ut ad

victos

linguae suaa,
1

vestium,

et

legum communionem amplectendam

adigat

Has expugnationis

justse leges potius e cerebro suo Stani-

hurstum, quam e scriptorum monumentis deprompsisse putem, quarum tamen si aliqua desideretur expugnationem claudicare necesse esse dicit.
instituta,

Plures tamen evictas gentes idioma suum, vestium formam, majorum vincentium lingua, amictu aut ritibus non mutasse constat.
Ita ut in his indubitata expugnationis indicia constitui

non

possint.

Ut

autem

sigillatim

ad superatse modarunt. Italiam Trojani subjugasse dicuntur, victoris tamen lingua in desuetudinem abeunte, indigenarum loquela a victoribus, et victis
frequentata
est,

unumquodque prosequamur non raro victores populi, nationis linguam communi sermone celebrandam se accom;

quod Virgilius

innuit, Jove

Junoni annuente fore ut

" Sennonem Ausonii patriam moresque tenerent."

debellato avitum avide imbibebant.

Romani quoque sermonem Graecum quam vis peregrinum, et populo a se Normanni etiam ad linguam Anglis Imo a se devictis familiarem vulgo usurpandam tandem deflexeruiit.
|

[15]

par est

credere victis gentes sui potius commodi,

quam

legis a victore

latae causa,

ad vincentium linguam calendam animos adjunxisse. Cum enim ad vincentium tribunalia crebro se sistere victos oportuit, linguae
luit.

a judicibus perceptse subsidio ad causam obtinendam uti necesse

Romani praetores jus nee dicebant, nee respondebant nisi sua lingua. Imo Romani ita perdite amabant suae linguae mollitudinem, et
suavitatem, ut nulla necessitate potuerint cogi,

"Nam

quod

alia

lingua

quam

sua

cum

plebe agerent, contraherent, loquerentur."

"

Ut non

frustra

Britanni qui
cupierint, ad

modo linguam Romanam abnuebant, eloquentiam conquam tamen addiscendam Romanorum hortatibus potius
1

Descrip. Anglic. Hiberniae,

is

c.

i.

p. 3.

The argument

in this chapter

di-

inhabitants ought to be ruled by the same

rected principally against Stanihurst,

who

maintained that the destruction of Irish

language, law, and dress, was essential to " First, therefore, take English conquest
:

law that the conqueror is governed, to wear the same fashion of attire wherewith the
victor
is

vested,

and speak the same Ian-

this

with you, that a conquest draweth, or

guage that the vanquisher parleth. Now whereas Ireland hath bin by lawful conquest brought under the subjection of England,

at the least wise ought to

draw

to

it,

three

things, to wit, law, apparel, language.

For

and by English conquerors inhabithink you, that their

where the countrie

is

subdued, there the

ted, is it decent,

own

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRKNSIS EVERSUS-

177

sistible force of

laws of their conquerors. Yet,

the invading power, to adopt the language, dress, and when Stanihurst laid down these condi-

tions as essential to a real conquest, I

his

am

inclined to think he consulted

fancy rather than historical authorities ; for it is evident that several conquered countries never renounced their own dress, language,

own

examination of each, in
as

An or laws, for the dress, language, and laws of their conquerors. that they cannot be admitted detail, proves
undoubted
tests of conquest: successful invaders

have frequently

adopted the language of the conquered people. The Trojans, it is said, conquered Italy ; yet their language soon became obsolete, and the original language of the country was the only one spoken by the victors and the vanquished, a circumstance to which Virgil alludes in the favor

granted to Juno by Jupiter, that

" The Ausonian laws and language he preserved."

tirely different

The Romans zealously cultivated the Greek language, though it was enfrom their own, and spoken by a nation which the power

of their arms had reduced to complete subjection beneath the sceptre of Rome. The Normans, after the lapse of some time, adopted the mother

tongue of the conquered English. There is even reason to believe that self-interest, rather than any express law on the matter, has been the motive that led conquered nations to adopt the language of their mas-

For as the fallen race must have frequently appeared before the tribunals of the conquerors, a knowledge of the languages spoken legal by the judges was indispensable for a favorable verdict. "Thus the
ters.

Roman

Prastors never used any language but their

own

in the admi-

nistration of the law,

Nay, so excessive was the admiration of the Romans for their own soft and melodious
tongue, that no necessity could compel them to use any other in their or connexions with the people." Hence it is " the Britons, who had at first despised the Latin easy to conceive why
language, grew ambitious of eloquence," though
ancient native tongue should be shrouded

and

in official communications.

intercourse, contracts,

we can

infer -from

chap.

i.

p. 5,

London, 1808.

But here

in oblivion

and

suffer the

enemies language,

Dr. Lynch proves that English law, lan-

as

it

were a tetter or ringworm, to harbour

within the jaws of English conquerno, truly."

guage, or apparel, had not been adopted

itself

ors?

Description of Ireland,

by the native Irish before the commencement of the seventeenth century.

178
allectos,

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

quam per vim impulses fuisse Tacitus innuit. Illo enim amore quis avitae linguae, quam cum nutricis lacte suxit tenetur, ut earn sibi extorqueri asgerrime patiatur. Sic ultimus Hetrusciae rex, Romano-

rum

armis profligatus, eorum se voluntati in omnibus accommodavit, tamen Catone narrante Latinas litteras ut reciperet persuaderi nou " Et potuit. qui citimi Rheno sunt nulla vi aut fraude in ordinem ita
cogi poterant ut linguam

suam

omitterent, et peregrinam

Eomanorum

usurparent."
ilia ci vitas,

Hinc Augustinus Romanos increpat, "quod imperiosa non solum jugum, sed etiam linguam suam domitis genti-

bus imposuit."
tione

Suam tamen linguam peregrinorum sermonem

sanxisse, vel hinc percipi potest,

aboli-

Romanos non

quod Hebraicam,

Syriacam, Chaldaicam, Abissinam, et plures

alias linguas Orientis incolae

semper impune locuti sunt. His Argenteus penitus assentitur, cujus verba Gallica hunc sensum referunt: "In ulla unquam historia," inquit, " nemo legit Romanos populum ullum a se domitum ad aliquam linguam ediscendam, praeter
earn, quae fuit ipsi ante

vernacula coegisse

num Romani
incolis

post Grasciam

et Atlienas subjugatas, linguae

mutationem

imperarunt?

Num

Judaeis sub imperio Vespatiani positis vis adhibita est ut Hebraicam

alia

lingua mutarent ?

Num Galli ad nuntium linguaa suae remittendum

E
quibus tabulis ista eruuntur? Comperinvotis habuisseut gentes a sedomitae,

Caesar is jussu add ucti sunt?

tum quidem habemus Romanos

gistratus ea sola locutos;

lingua vernacula derelicta Latinam complecterentur, et Romanos maimo ludos literarios ad juventutem ea imbuen-

dam

in municipiis apertos fuisse.

Nusquam

vero constat, nationem

ullam a Romanis expugnatam ad linguae Latinae cognitionem per vim

attractam fuisse.
Incredibiles profecto labores subire illos oportuit,
si

per amplissima Germaniae, Africa3 et Asiae spatia, suas linguae cognitionem vi diffundere contenderent. Imo vero contrarium evenit. Imperio enim

Germani Gallique in Romanas Ita ut Latina lingua in desuetudinem abiit. provincias irruperunt, ad Ervagasten dixerit, usum Latinae linguas anno Apollinaris, epistola
inclinante, statim ac
c

Romano

Argentre is not a good authority.

edition of his work, in 1583,

The
full

dialects of Celtic

were spoken in the heart

i.

first

was

of Gaul
p. cvii.

Thierry, Hist, des Gaulois, v.

of errors,

some of which appear

in this

Latin

is

the parent of the French

as A. D. 390, two passage, though, so late

as well as of the Spanish, Italian, &c.

CIIAP. III.]

CAMBRENSIS

VERSUS.

179

Tacitus, that this taste -was inspired by the encouragement rather than enforced by the power of the Romans. For so strong is our attachment to that mother tongue which we have lisped in our nurses' arms, that

last

we cannot consent to renounce it without a violent struggle. Thus, the king of Etruria, when subdued by the Roman arms, conformed withall their dictates,

out reserve to

informs us, to introduce the

Roman letters

but never could be compelled, as Cato " and the nations on the
;

banks of the Rhine could not be induced, by force or

their vernacular language for the foreign speech of the

artifice, to

resign

Romans." Hence

the charge of St. Augustine against the Romans, " that the imperious city imposed not only her yoke, but her very language, on the conquered But that the abolition of the aboriginal languages was not nations."
the means used

by Rome

to establish her own, is abundantly clear

from the

that the Hebrew, Syriac, Chaldaic, Abyssinian, and many other languages, continued to be spoken by the eastern provinces of the
fact,

empire.
translation of his

This was the opinion of Argentre, as appears from the subjoined French work " There is no authority," he says, " for
:

believing that the

its

Romans compelled any conquered nation

to

to

abandon

own language for any other. When they subdued Athens and Greece,
renounce Greek ? Did Vespasian proscribe
the

were the Greeks compelled

the

Hebrew when he reduced Judea under

Roman yoke?

Were

the Gauls compelled by Caesar to renounce their vernacular language? Where are the proofs of such policy? The Romans ardently desired the
substitution of their

own language for the vernacular language of the Latin was the only language used by the Roman magistrates, and schools were opened in the municipal towns to teach and encourage it. But there is not a shadow of evidence that any
conquered nations.
country conquered by the Romans was ever compelled by law to embrace the Latin language. labor of incredible difficulty it would have been, to enforce the use of that language through the extensive

regions of Germany, Africa, and Asia. The contrary was the fact for when the Germans and Gauls seized the dismembered provinces of the
;

Roman empire, the Latin language immediately fell into desuetude Thus, we learn from the epistle of Apollinaris to Ervagastes, that Latin
.

had ceased to be spoken in Belgium, and the provinces beyond the Rhine, so far back as the reign of the Emperor Majorianus, who flourished in

N2

180
460
florentis,

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. TIL

Majoriano imperatore jam desiisse tarn in Belgiis,

quam
in sua

provinciis trans- Rhenanis, quarn etiam

rem Lupus Ferrariensis

quadam

2 epistola confirmat ."

Nemini profecto unquam vel dedecori, vel impedimento, imo potius Non lionori quam oneri fuit plurium cognitione linguarum imbui. modica Mithridatis Ponti Regis commendatio ad posteritatem transmissa

quod duarum et viginti gentium, quas sub ditione habuit linguas percaluerit, earumque gentium hominibus absque interprete locutus Romani etiam aliquot Poenorum linguam, quod in ea nescio fuerit3 quid scriptum non insulse fuit Laud prorsus sibi esse contemnendam putarunt. Alienarum enim cognitionem linguarum nulla unquam repudiavit antiquitas, omnis semper amplexa est humanitas. Videmus
est,
.

eos qui plurimas orbis terras regiones itineribus peragrarunt, et, linguarum peritia, cum diversis nationibus commercium, e commercio sum-

mam

prudentiam, comparasse.
"

Ut Ulissem Homerus
vidit et urbes."

unice laudet

Multorum mores hominum qui

[16]

Sicut enim peregrinatores, induciis ad tempus cum laribus paternis jucunda propinquoruni consuetudine factis, admiranda variarum nationum scrutantur, mores asperiusculos lima peregrinationis emolliunt; et domesticam rusticitatem exteri cultus sale macerant, sic eadem
et
|

opera variarum linguarum

iis

regionibus, quas percurrerunt, familia-

rium notitiam hauriunt. Quod si aliqua inter peregrinandum vitia Sic contraxerint, non linguis illud, sed malae SU83 indoli ascribant. ut e thymo mel apis, aranea venenum exugit, sic a linguis bonum aut malum pro suo quisque arbitrio elicit. Etenim nil prodest quod non
laedere possit idem.

An

murn

rebellione in patriam inficiet?

qui peregrino idiomate linguam imbuit, aniNum Walli, quod Wallici sermo-

nis cognitione prasditi sunt, Angliae principibus obsequium prajstare detrectabant? Armoricos in Gallia, Vascones Cantabros in Hispania

suorum regum imperiis non

et

desciscere videmus,

quod sermone
si

a suo-

rum principum
mate tritum
2

lingua di verso utuntur.

Hiberni tamen

patrio idiosui prin-

pervagatum habuerint, an continue perniciem

lib.
i.

Historia de Britannia,

cap. 12.

Plinius, Gellius.

St. Augustine alludes to the Punic in a letter to Maximus " Neque enim usque
:

Afer scribens Afris,

cum simus
si

utrique in

Africa constituti Punica nomina exagitanda

adeo teipsum oblivisci potuisses ut

homo

existimas

quae lingua,

improbatur abs

ClIAl'. III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

181

This opinion is confirmed the year 460. Ferrara, in one of his epistles."

by the authority of Lupus of

knowledge of many languages, so far from being an incumbrance or discredit, has ever been prized as desirable and useful. It is not the least among the glories of Mithridates, King of Pontus, that he understood the languages of the twenty-two nations which owned his sway, and was able to converse with their delegates without the aid of an interpreter. The Romans themselves did not think the Phoenician lan-

guage' beneath their notice, finding that it could boast of some works of no inconsiderable merit. knowledge of many foreign languages
1

was never despised by the ancients ;

it

has been at

all

times a laudable

study. Wisdom of the highest order has rewarded the labors of those men who travelled through many foreign countries, and were able to

converse with their inhabitants in the native language. Homer's eulogy of Ulysses is summed up in the words
:

" The towns and laws of

many

lands he knew."

Travellers,

by resigning

for a time the domestic hearth

and the

sweet society of friends, and surveying the wonderful things of various nations, soften down the asperities of their native character, and apply to native rudeness the corrective of foreign civilization. By the same means they acquire a familiar knowledge of the language of those
countries through which they have travelled. The bad habits, if any, which they contract in their travels, must be attributed to their own
depravity, not to the languages. For as the bee extracts honey, and the spider poison, from a flower, so the knowledge of a language may pro-

duce good or evil, according to the character of the linguist. In this world there is no good which may not be abused. Does the knowledge
of a foreign language

Welsh

rebels to the

make a man a traitor to his country ? Are the King of England, because they speak Welsh? Are

the Bretons in France, and the Cantabrians of the Basque Provinces in Spain, rebellious subjects, because they do not use the language of their
respective kings ?

And

if Irish

be the

common language

of the Irish,

are they to be charged with compassing or contriving the

te,

murder of
Ep. 17,

nega Punicis

libris,

ut a viris doctissi-

hujus linguae incunabula calent."

mis proditur, multa sapienter esse mandata

memoriie, poeniteat te cert
ibi

Ed. Ben.,

vol.

ii.

p. 15.

The Emperor Se-

natum

ubi

verus harangued eloquently in Punic.

182
cipis capiti moliri

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
dicentur? Nee aliara video causam cur
illi

[CAP.

III.

abolendse

tarn acriter insistatur.

quam

Hibernica certe lingua non est conjurationi machinandse magis apta quaevis alia lingua, nee minus quam caeterae suis ornamentis est
:

nam adeo copiosa est, ut gravitate Hispanicam, comitate amoris conciliatione Gallicam, terroris incussione GermaniItalicam,
distincta
si non aequet, modico sane interviillo Sacer orator sequatur. Hibernicae linguae fulmine sceleratos a flagitio ssepissirne deterret, ejusdeni quoque linguae lenocinio ad virtutem attrahit. Ilia inter matrices

cam

Europae linguas refertur. Scaliger enini

esse matrices,

ait

undecim in Europa linguas

Latinam, Graecam, Teutonicam, Slavicam, Epiroticam,

Britannicam 4
quis neget?

Tartaricam, Hungaricam, Finnonicam, Hirlandicam, Cantabricam, et Linguam Hibernicam multa concinnitate praeditam esse
.

earn Stanihurstus ipse fateatur acutam, sententiis ad acria apophthegmata, et jucundas allusiones accomabundantem, modatam esse, addatque, in opere Latino, " gravissimorum hominum authoritatem fidem illi jamjudum fecisse, earn verborum granditate,
4

cum

Thomas Sancbius

in consultatione de principatu, p. 79,9.

Stariihurst thus gives the spirit of

Eng"

pounds, yea and with the worthy carcasses

of valiant soldiers, the gaps of that rebellious northern country."

lish

law against the

Irish tongue

My
not

discourse tendeth to this drift, that

it is

expedient that the Irish tongue should be

so universally gaggled [cackled?] in the

Ireland, p. 5, London, 1808.

Description of It does not

writing there

appear that

when Lynch was

English Pale.

What

brought this present

was any

special hostility against the Irish

ruin and decay on the English of Ulster ?

They were environed and encompassed with

evil neighbours.

party

language; but there was always a strong who maintained, with Primate Brainhall against Bedell in the Convocation of

Neighbourhood bred achooked with

it attire,

quaintance, acquaintance wafted in the Irish

1634, and with Primate Boyle against Dr.

Narcissus Marsh at a later period,
the Irish language
that

tongue,
attire

the Irish

haled rudeness, rudeness ingendered

was abolished by the

ignorance, ignorance brought contempt of

laws, the contempt of laws bred rebellion,
rebellion raked thereto

28 Henry VIII
pp. 225, 298.

Mason's Life of Bedell,

See ibid. (pp. 288, 292),

wars

and

so,

con-

sequently, the utter decay and desolation of

that worthy country. If these chinks,

first

when

the violent opposition given by Strafford and the English party to Bedell's translation of the Old Testament, which was so powerful that
interfere.

they began to chap, had been diligently by the dwellers stopped, her Majesty
at this

even Primate Ussher could not

But there

Avere at all times

some

day

to her great

charges should not

great names to patronize, but without

the Irish language

effect,

have been occasioned with many thousand

Ibid., pp. 152, 303.

CHAP.
their

III.]

CAMBEENSIS EVERSUS.

183

king?

And

yet I can see no other pretence for the violent at.

e tempts to abolish it

The

Irish language, certainly, has

is it

able machinations, nor

no peculiar aptitude for treasondevoid of characteristic excellencies sur:

in colloquial passing in gravity the Spanish, in elegance the Italian, charm the French, it equals, if it does not surpass, the German itself From the lips of the Irish preacher it is a bolt to in inspiring terror.
arrest the evil-doer in the career of guilt,

and to
is
:

allure,

by

its soft

and

It insinuating tones, to the paths of virtue. mentions eleven of Europe. guages Scaliger

one of the original lanLatin, Greek, Teutonic,

Sclavonian, Epirote, Tartar, Hungarian, Finnish, Irish, Basque, and Welsh But can there be any doubt of the excellencies of the Irish,
1

when Stanihurst himself admits

that

it is

sententious and expressive,

and a good vehicle for the keen apophthegm and the delicate allusion? " I have been " long convinced," he says in his Latin work, by the
authority of the most competent judges, that the Irish abounds in sonof

These languages, with the exception of

ligible to a

Welshman (" in

multis adhuc

the Tartar,

Hungarian or Maygar, Finnish,

et fer6

cunctis intelligibili ").

The very

and perhaps Epirote or Albanian, are cognate languages of the Indo-European tribe,

rudeness of the Cornish, he believed, proved

that
it

was the parent

stock, just as the

Giraldus according to modern philology. might have saved modern linguists much

Devonshire Saxon, though rude in his day,

was the

best language for understanding

had he pointed out the affinity between his native "Welsh and the Irish,
trouble
especially as

the Anglo-Saxon works of Bede and Alfred.

Description of Wales,

c. vi.

But, in this

he appears to have had some

respectable range of linguistic researches,

taste for comparative philology.

serts that the

He

as-

Welsh was " in many things" conformable to the Greek, and illustrates
his position

he omits the language of that country to which he has devoted two large treatises
1

his only

remarks on the

Irish,

known

to the

and
len.

their

by the Greek uJwp and a'Xf, Welsh equivalents Dwr and Haof Wales,
lib.
i.

Editor, being its agreement with seven other

Itinerary

c. viii.

" languages in the term for "salt [palann] (Itin., lib. i. c. viii.) ; and the assertion on
Irish authority, " that the Irish
'

He

compares the different dialects of the

was

called

Welsh, especially the pure North Welsh, and the still more polished Ceretican in the heart of South Wales. Extending his researches,

Gaidelach' from Gaidelus,

it is

its first

founder,
all

and partly because

other tongues."

compounded of
if

Top., distiii. cap. 7. Proat

all,

he finds that the Armorican of

bably the Irish was not generally,

intelligible to Giraldus,

Bretagne, and the British of Cornwall, are almost the same (" fere persimiles and
"),

a question which

that both are almost, in all respects, intel-

Dr. Lynch discusses in chapter v., where he treats of the duties of a historian.

184

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

dictionum concinnitate, ac dicacitate quadam acuta redundare, denique,

cum Hebraica
Facetias,

lingua,

communi
flexilis,

5 conglutinationis vinculo contineri ."

quidem, scommata

et sales paucis verbis complectitur, et in

poeticen sic est apposite

liber

Urikeacht6 inscriptus in ea prasscribat

ut plusquam centena Carminum genera ita ut poetse, metri Hiber:

nici varietate, artificio et argutiis, nulli

aliarumEuropge nationum poesi, eorum qui plurium linguarum notitia instruct! sunt judicio, non cedant 7 Quod non modice Spenserus corroborare mihi videtur, dicens " Aliqua poemata Hibernica curavi mihi ab interprete exprimi, ut ilia
. :

perciperem, in quibus profecto multum acuminis, suavitatis, et bonse inventionis inesse deprehendi ; fuerunt etiam aspersa singularibus quibusdam flosculis, decore quodam et comitate ilia exornantibus 8 ."

Stanihurstus tamen idiomatis Hibernici nitorem obscurare pro

virili

contendit, dicens tantis earn difficultatibus obreptam esse, ut peregrinis

5

Anglica Descrip. Hib., p. 12.

Pag. 26.

">

Histor. Cathol. O'Sull., p. 37.

spectio
e

Hi herniae,

p. 51.

Stanihurst published his Latin annota-

yEtate et de Arte

Ehythmica HibernoPars. 2 da p. Ixvii.),

,

tions

on Giraldus

after retiring to

Belgium

rum" (Prolegomena,

in 1584. siderably

many

In that work he modifies conof the of his "

opinions

Eng-

lish description of Ireland," published in

where he says that the Irish had, at least from the earliest ages of Christianity, a system of metrical rules, and that from

1575, but yet exhibits, in his

new views

them

it

Avas

of Irish affairs, a piteous struggle between

Adelhm,

p. Ixviii.

borrowed by the Anglo- Saxori For the rules of Irish

the feelings of the old English Pales-man,

prosody see G'Mulloy's Irish Grammar,

p. 144, arid O* Donovans, p.

once the pet of English power, and those of

the Anglo-Irish Catholic, who, as well as

412.

On

this

subject Giraldus exhibits his usual ignorance.

the mere Irish,

was henceforward

to feel

Describing the Welsh

poets and

that power as a persecutor.

h

rhetoricians,
i.

he says that they, as well as

llpcnceachc na n-eigeap,
poets,"

e.

"

precepts of the

attributed

by

the Anglo-Saxons, delighted beyond measure in that which he calls " annofigure

O'Flaherty to Forchern,
der Conchobhar

who flourished un-

minatio," and especially that kind which

Mac Neasa, King of Ulster, A. M. 3937 to A. D. 48 Ogygia, part iii.

c.

lables

combined words whose first letters or sylwere similar: " Praa cuuctis autem
Khetorices exornationibus

30.

O'Reilly ( Irish Writers, 17, 18,

prefers the claim of Ferceirtne,
;

annominatione

45-48)
vised

magis utuntur, eaque pneeipue specie quae

primas dictionum
nientia jungat."
literas vel syllabas

poet of the same age

the

work was

re-

conve-

by Ceannfaeladh, in the reign of Domhnall II., A. D. 628-642. O'Conor

attributes the

So highly was this figure prized, that nothing was good without it.
"

work

to a
:

lived in the fifth century

Fortchern, who " De Fortcherni

Quod schematis hujus lima non

fuerit

plene expolitum."

He

is

amazed

that so

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

185

fine,

rous and expressive words, in pointed and exquisite diction, and is, in connected with the Hebrew language by a common bond of affi-

The witticism, the jest, and the epigram, it expresses briefly; nity^." and, in the hands of the poet, it is so pliant and flexible, that the Uraiceacltt
1'

lays

down

rules for

more than a hundred

different kinds of metre

are well acquainted with several languages, Irish poetry does not yield, either in variety, construction, or Spenser polish of its metres, t9 4he poetry of any nation in Europe.
so that, in the opinion of

men who

himself corroborates this opinion,

of Irish poems and surely they savored of sweet wit and good invention; they were sprinkled with some pretty flowers of natural device, which gave good grace and comeliness unto them."

I have caused divers says to be translated unto me, that I might understand them,
:

when he

"

Stanihurst, however, strains every nerve to depreciate its merits, and

declares
it

to be so excessively difficult, that

no stranger can ever accome

elegant a language as the French had not

"A

Taillceann (artis caput) shall

across the stormy sea,

adopted

it

and declares that in no lanso

guage was
~and Welsh.

it

common

as in the English

With
His

his head-pierced hood, his crookedstaff,

Now

this proves either that

headed

he never saw Irish poetry, or that he wilfully robbed it of an ornament which he

prized so highly as to
teristic of his

altar shall be in the east of his house,

all his

And

people shall answer, amen,

make

it

the charac-

amen."

own Latin

style. Alliteration,

Leabhar Breac,

fol.

13, b, b, cited in

under the

strictest rules

and conditions, has

Petries Tara Hill, pp. 76, 77.

been, at all times, an essential ingredient of

Irish poetry

Here

is

the alliteration which

is

the essen-

See the Book of Rights, and

the Archaeological books.

We content ourwhich
is

tial characteristic

of the Anglo-Saxon,

and

selves here with one quatrain,

un-

of all metres in Icelandic poetry.

Rash's

questionably very ancient. It

attributed

is

a prophecy,
St. Patrick,

by the biographers of

Anglo-Sax. Gram., p. 146. Rhyme is also found in the most ancient Irish poetry, as
in Fiech's
fers that

in the sixth or seventh

century,

to

the

Hymn

whence Dr. O'Conor in-

Druids of Laeghaire, foretelling the coming of our Apostle " caillcenb

:

both Anglo-Saxons and Icelanders

Gicpcn cenb,
cenb,

cap muip meip-

borrowed their poetry from the Irish and British bards, who were certainly Christians, centuries before Icelander or

Saxon

Q bpace

eoillcenb, a

cpanb cpom-

had the use of

letters

O'Conor, EpisSee also Mal-

tola nuncupatoria, p. 25.

let's

n-aipchep a age, Ppipcepuc a ihuincep uli, amen, amen."

rhiap a

p.

Northern Antiquities, Bohns Edition, 382, , for an abstract of Icelandic pro-

sody.

186

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

Ill,

ad earn addiscendam nullas pateat accessus, cum tamen homo GerColonise natus Matthaeus Doringii eques auratus sic in ejus adyta penetravit, ut, nostra memoria, Grammaticam Hibernicam con-

manus

diderat.

Deinde narrat quendam a dsemone insessum Romse,

aliis lin-

guis locutum, Hibernice loqui vel noluisse, vel non potuisse, quia nimirurn (ut ille jocatur) lingua tarn sacra, ore tarn sordido profanari non

debuit; vel potius, ut innuit,

quod

asperitate tanta horruit, ut daemon

ipse illius ignoratione laboraverit.

tiam ad alienissimam de
secus ac Hispanus
ille

ilia

Lingua? quidem Hibernica? ignoranconjecturam faciendam eum adduxit non

tanta severitate

Germanicam linguam praditam

a Deo, majoris
fuisse.
ei terroris

esse ratus est, ut crediderit

Adamum

incure-

tiendi causa, lingua

Germanica increpitum

Cui Germanus

tanta linguam Hispanicam pompa ac subtilitate imbutam esse, ut persuasum habuerit, earn a serpente adhibitam esse, cum Evam frau-

spondit

dum
[17]
|

et callidorum consiliorurn tragulis

circum venire

statuisset.

Hinc autem Hibernicae

quod

linguae suavitas magis quam horriditas elucet, earn Stanihurstus a suis Anglican provincias colonis, quam An:

glicam ab Hibernis, plus expeti conqueritur

cum

etiam Hibernos

Anglice loquendo mentum.torquere dedignari dicat; populares suos a sermone Hibernico a3que aversos non esse ac linguam Hibernice gar1

Stanihurst speaks not of the Irish com; '

adopt the

title

of O'Rorke, O'Mulloy, or

true Irish," monly spoken, but of the which was so different from the other " that
scarcely one in five hundred can read, write,

any Irish chieftain, nor sanction the Brehon law on his property. His epitaph, in
the church of Athlone, states that he composed not only an Irish grammar, but a
dictionary,

or understand

it.

And

in very deed the

difficulty

language carrieth such

with

it,

and a

chronicle, in the
if

same

what

for the strangeness of the phrase

and

tongue.

These works,

extant, are not

the curious featness of the pronunciation, that a very few of the country can attain to the perfection thereof, and much less a
foreigner or stranger,"
far as it regarded

known.
k

He

died in 1634.

Hardiman's

Statute of Kilkenny, p. 12.

"

gentleman of

my acquaintance rewoman
spirit,

a position true, as

ported that he did see a

possessed with a babbling

in

Rome,

" the perfection" of the ancient language and pronunciation. J This Matthew de Rienzi was a German,

that could

have chatted any language save the Irish, and that it was so very difficult as the devil

and descendant of the famous Scanderbeg. He obtained a grant from James L, in

1(522, of

was gravelled therewith.

A gentleman that
damned
fiend

stood by, answered that he took the speech to

1000 acres of the

forfeited Irish

be so sacred and holy that no

lands in the barony of Garrycastl% King's

had the power

his mercy,

to speak

it.

Nay, by God
I

County, on condition that he would not

man

(quoth the other)

stand

CiiAr. HI.]
1

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

187

own memory, Sir Matthew quire a knowledge of it ; though, within my de Rienzi a native of Cologne, was so profoundly versed in it, that he
j ,

compiled an Irish Grammar.

in
all

He

then

tells

a story of a certain person

Kome, who was possessed by the

speak

and who, although she could other languages, either could not or would not speak Irish ;
devil,

because, as Stanihurst jocularly observes, a language so sacred should not be profaned by so unhallowed lips; or rather, as he insinuates,

because

it

was
it
k
.

so

not master

uncouth and barbarous, that the devil himself could This unfavorable judgment on the Irish must be at-

tributed to Stanihurst's ignorance: like the Spaniard, who thought the German was so rough and harsh, that it must have been the language

spoken by God, when he wished to reprove and strike greater terror

into

Adam.

But

German

retorted,

by

declaring his belief that the

Spanish language was so insinuating and pompous, that it must have been the one spoken by the serpent, when he lured Eve to her ruin,

by the captious snares of fraud and crafty suggestions.

A proof of the sweetness,

language,

rather than of the harshness of the Irish

Stanihurst's complaint, that the Irish
1

may be deduced from

was a greater favorite with the colonists of the English Pale, than the For while he admits that the Irish English ever was with the Irish
.

disdained to strain their jaws by speaking English, he complains bitterly that his own countrymen were not so averse to the Irish, and
in

doubt whether the Apostles, in their co-

that

it

standeth with O'Neil his honor to

pious mart of languages, could have spoken

Irish if they

writhe his mouth in clattering English?

were opposed: whereat the

and yet we must gag our jaws

"

in gibbrish-

company heartily laughed." The Descrip. of Ireland, p. 7. The belief that the devil
could not speak Irish

ing

Irish.'

The Description of Ireland,

was

popular,

it

ap-

The O'Reilly of Cavan, being inp. 6. formed by the family nurse, that one of
his sons,

pears, in the seventeenth century

(Mason's

who was

about four years old,

entirely

Bedell, p.

265)

but

how

it

originated the

would be a stammerer, or
resolved to send

dumb,
none

Editor

knows

not, if it

were not a sarcasm who,

him

to the Pale to learn

fit

levelled against the English officials,

it

English, which he believed was

for

may be
1

supposed, were generally ignorant

but stammerers
bernicis, p. 30.

Stanihurst de Rtbvs Hi-

of the Irish language.

Again, he asks, "what

"

One demanded merrily why O'Neile

was (John the Proud) could not
'

that last

' frame himself to speak English. What,' quoth the other in a rage, thinkest thou

Lord speaks our tongue ? " Ibid. SeeHardiman's Statute of Kilkenny, p. 13, for the contempt in which the English lanIrish

guage was held by the

Irish.

188

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
:

[CAP.

III.

oblitus in Hibernia vulgo dici (ut riendo agitare moleste perferat Barnabas Richius author est) decem Anglos citius Hibernorum se mo-

ribus accommodare,

quam unum Hibernum Anglorum

eos,
:

ritus amplecti.

qui urbes, Fingalliam, Maediam, et Louthiae, Wexfordiee comitatus incolunt, Anglice loqui cceteris autem Hiberniae
9

Addit Stanihurstus 9

Descriptio Hib.
in

i.

qu. p. 34.

If English

all the

towns,

it

was spoken commonly must have been a strange was such

clear that the

Fingallians were ridiculed

Irish,

abroad for not knowing

for not

and at home
Against the

jargon,

when an address from Limerick

"
:

to

knowing English.

the Earl of Essex

describes
I

as Harrington

know
;

not which was most to

former charge, Stanihurst, then a Catholic " he priest, defends himself by saying that
could find in the Pale

be discommended

words, composition, and

many

'

toothless old

oratory, all of those having their particular

excellencies in barbarism, harshness,
rustical both

men,'
less

who

could not understand,

:"

much
replies,

and

speak Irish

to the second,

he

Nugcc Antiqua,
Latin
n p.

pronouncing and action." vol. ii. p. 43. Waterford

" that men now-a-days, in England, thought they were speaking the best English when they were not speaking English at
all."

prudently addressed the Lord Deputy in

Ibid., p. 48. to O'Sullivan (Hist. Cath.,

According

Rebus Hibernicis, p. 29, 1584. The truth is, whatever English remained in Ireland
felt

De

35), the FingallSan

Irish.

was a compound
William Petty

of

but slightly the influence of the

English and

Sir

states

revolution which formed the English lan-

that, in his day, 1672, it

lish,

was

neither

Eng-

guage

in the reign of Elizabeth.

Many of the

Irish,

Welsh, nor Wexfordian

Pol

great literary

men

of the day,

most of whom

Anat., p. 371, Dublin, 1769.

But, accordbetter judge,

had studied with Stanihurst in Kilkenny,

ffere afterwards

ing to Stanihurst,

who was a

eminent Catholic

priests,

both in Wexford and Fingall "the dregs of

the old ancient Chaucer English were kept
thus,
' ; ' '

and of course paid more attention to the Latin and Irish, which were the only means
of influencing the mass of their countrymen.

they called
' '

a spider
'

an
'

attercop,

a wisp a wad, a lump of bread a pocket or a pucket, a sillibucke a coprous, a

'

This must be understood of the small

part of

'

Meath which was governed by EngSo

late as 1576, out of

'

fagot
'

a blaze,
' '

'

a physician
'

'

'

leech,
'

lish law.

102 vicars

gap a shard, a household a meanie, a dunghill a mizen, &c. The women have,
in their English tongue, a harsh

in the diocese of Meath, eighteen only could

speak English.
report,

Sydney,
fifty

who made

that

and broad

mentions

other churches, which

kind of pronunciation, and utter their words so peevishly and faintly, as though they were
half sick and ready to call for a posset."

were better served, but yet "badly, "though

it

was enacted

so early as 1537, that no

They
' :

benefice should be given to a person

who

also placed the accent on the last syllable in

dissyllables, as

"market" " mar ea."

If

spoke Irish only, until proclamation had been made four days in the nearest markettown, for an English-speaking candidate.
Irish Stat., vol.
i.

thosefaults were corrected;

" could complain of their

noman," he says, English." But it is

p.

123.

See an

article,

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

189

that they quivered their tongues speaking it ; but it appears he forgot " what Barnabas Eich assures us was-a common saying in Ireland: that ten Englishmen

would adopt

Irish, for the

,

one Irishman

who would
1

adopt English habits."

cities, Fingall",

Stanihurst adds m
,

that the inhabitants of the

counties, spoke English*
;

Meath

Louth and Wexford p

214.

Dublin Review, Feb. 1843,

P

p.

sioner " thought the blunt people had prattled Irish all the while they jangled
lish."

Not the

present county, but the ba-

Eng-

" bayed and enrony of Forth, or territory

closed within the river called the Pill,
if an

Description of Ireland, p. 4.
is,

where

That

English was spoken in the

Irishman (which was rare in old times)

Pale, but not English only.

So early as

had spoken Irish, the Wexfordians would command him forthwith to turn the other
end of his tongue and speak English, or else bring his frenchman with him. But in
our days (the sixteenth century) they have
so acquainted themselves with the Irish, as

1465, 100 years before Stanihurst, there " of native Irish in the were " multitudes
four shires, and all were bound

by
' '

statute

the same year to keep English bows,

if they could speak English." Then also the Irish of the. Pale were ordered to renounce their
Irish names,

they have made a mingle mangle or gallimaufrie of both the languages, and have
in such medlie or checkerwise so crabbedlie

and adopt the names of towns,

or colors, or trades, as Sutton, Chester, &c.

&c.
;

White, Green, Brown, &c. &c.

Smith,

jumbled them both together, as commonly the inhabitants of the meaner sort speak
neither good English nor good Irish."

Carpenter, Taylor, &c. &c.

They were
by him,

ordered to take the oath of allegiance before

the Deputy, or any person appointed

Description of Ireland,

p. 4.

Some

are

" for the multitude which

Irish Statutes, vol.
i.

is to

be sworn."

of opinion that the barony of Forth

was

p. 29.

This changing

held

by a Flemish

colony,

an offshoot of

of the

the Flemish planted near Haverfordwest in

names was the same policy which prohibited the Helots to wear distinctive
lest

Wales by Henry I. But the Flemish Wales was nearly lost in the English
210, Edit. Gale.

of
so

.dresses,

they might know their

Thirty years

num-

bers and strength.

later, in

early as 1363, the date of Higden's death.

1495, under Henry VII., the Statute of

Polychronicon,

p.

The

Kilkenny, the grand palladium of AngloIrish legislation,

seclusion of the barony of Forth

might pre-

was

repealed, so far as

it

serve the few characteristics that distin-

prohibited the Irish language in the Pale."

Ibid., p. 47. This irresistible progress of the native language, even during Elizabeth's

guished the Flemish language from the cognate English. The Wexfordian must pro-

bably have been, in the sixteenth century, very different from the English, as an English

reign,
Irish

is

thus deplored by Stanihurst

" The

language was

free denizened in the

commissioner,

who was
was

sent over, con-

English Pale.
root, as the

This canker took such deep

gratulated himself on his rapid progress in

the Irish, because he able to under-

stand odd words and sentences from the

body that before was whole and sound, was by little and little festered, and in manner wholly putrified." Description

Wexford

peasants.

The simple commis-

of Ireland,

p. 4.

190

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

regionibus patriam ac genuinam linguam esse Hibernicam

quam

hodie

Praeter Dublinii, Vadipontis, et Wexfordiae incolas et accolas reliqui Anglica lingua in ludo literario

cum

nutricis lacte

omnes imbibimus.

" a sermone pusiones imbuimur. Nimirum sicut Quinctilianus dixit Grasco puerum incipere malo, quia Latinus, qui- pluribus in usu est, vel nobis nolentibus se prsebet," et Livius habere se ait " auctores

Romanes pueros
sic

sicut

nunc

Grsecis ita Hetruscis literis eruderi solitos,"

peregrinam nos linguam prius discimus, quam nostram, utpote nobis usu familiarem. Ita ut, licet omnes Hibernice loquamur, et Anglice plerique legamus et scribamus, aliqui tamen jam adulti ad linguam

Hibernicam legendam

et

scribendam animos ultro appellant, quodam

linguae quasi saporis fascino allecti.

Intimi quique locutionis Hibernic89 recessus ab aliquibus hodie

tenentur, qui scientias avitas etiamnum consectantur. Sicut enim cautum olim erat ne quis artem et industriam medendi cuiquam commu-

nem

faceret,

semper appellarent Hibernia familiis historica, jurisprudentia, poetica, et medicina semper colebantur, ut artes illse liberis parentum institu;

artis illius peritos Grseci

qui ex .JSsclepiacfarum genere non esset exortus, ac proinde " filios medicorum" 10 sic a

certis et destinatis in

tione a teneris unguibus nullo negotio instillataa illorum animis altius

insererentur, adeo ut

quarum jam memorato Grgecorum, qui etiam erudites non

earum artium non esse peritissimi non potuerint, in cunabulis tyrocinia posuerunt. Ita tamen ut more paane

sophos, sed philosophos, quasi literarum amantes, nominabant, doctissimum quemque non virum eruditum, sed " doctrinae filium " appellent 11 Vereor tamen ut
.

reconditse idiomatis Hibernici cognitioni ruina

jam immineat, cum

Eteniin
:

earum artium cultoribus

honos
alit artes,

assueti census

non subministrentur.
illusit

ut vulgo dicitur, quo Martialis

canens

" Sint Msecenates, non deerunt, Flacce, Marones, 12 Virgiliumque tibi vel tua rura dabunt ."
10

Bibliotheca Possevini,

lib.

14.

Stanihurst,

lib.

i.

p. 50.

13

Lib.

viii.

Epig. 56.

Especially one of the last and greatest

without any national allocation of funds for

Irish education,

of the old race, Duald

Firbis, for

whose

was

carried into effect in

works

see Preface to Tribes

and Customs
.

of Ui-Fiachrach.
8

Dr. Lynch received va-

British Solomon, under whom she received English law. For-

Ireland

by James L, the
is

luable aid from him, pp. [157], [158].

tunately the language

not yet

lost.

Much

The

spoliation of bards

and Brehons,

has been done during the last eight years

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

191

but that the unadulterated and national language of all other parts of Ireland was that Irish language which all of us, to this day, drink in on
our mothers' breasts. Except the inhabitants of Dublin, Drogheda, and Wexford, and their immediate vicinities, the only knowledge we have of English is what we learn in schools. Thus, as Quirictilian says, " he wished the pupil to commence with the Greek tongue, because the
Latin was so generally known, that whether one wished or not he could not but learn it," and as Livy also declares, " he knew, on the authority
as they

writers, that the boys were formerly instructed in Etruscan, were in his days in Greek;" so the first language we learn in schools is a foreign language, because our own is so familiar to us. We

of

Roman

all

speak Irish, and

many

persons, in their riper years, fascinated tongue, turn to read and write Irish.

of us can read and write English ; but some by the sweetness of their native

Some persons of the present day, who still cultivate their hereditary branches of learning r , have a profound and critical knowledge of the
Irish tongue. For, as the art and practice of medicine was formerly forbidden to all not descended from the family of JEsculapius, and hence

professional physicians

were invariably

called,

" by the Greeks, sons of

physicians," so history, jurisprudence, poetry, and medicine, were, in Ireland, cultivated by certain families devoted exclusively to one particular branch. Thus those arts, instilled from their tenderest years,

and from the

lips of a parent,

were

easily

and deeply impressed on the

minds of the children, who could not but make themselves perfect masters of an art, of which they had learned the rudiments in their
cradle. But, like the Greeks, who, in accordance with their abovementioned custom, never called learned men, wise men, but philosophers, that is, lovers of learning how great soever the literary eminence of any man in Ireland, he was never called learned, but " a son of The age, however, of a profound knowledge of the Irish learning." language is, I fear, past for ever, since the hereditary revenues of its
;

professional masters
arts,

according to

have been taken away 8 Patronage the proyerb and so Martial sings
.
:

is

the

life

of

" When patrons

Flaccus
to preserve Irish literature,
!

smile, the epic

muse takes wing

thy lands would

it

make a^irgil

sing."

and make

intelligible to future generations.

But

the

crowning lahor is yet a desideratum, name1 y, a Glossary and Dictionary, as perfect in

192

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

Colligere porro mihi videor a sacris literis (dicentibus quod pater habitantium in tentoriis atque pastorum, Jubal pater canentium

" Jabal fuit

cythara et organo, et Tubalcain malleator et faber in cuncta opera seris et ferri 13,") recentibus illis ab orbe condito mortalibus familiare fuisse,

ut singulis artibus exercendis stati tribus irapliciti tenerentur et ab illis sicut originem, sic etiam similem consuetudinem ad posteros
:

dimanasse.

Sed ut interruptum de lingua Hibernica sermonem rursus instauremus.

Ea per ornnes Hibernise

ferme

fit

regiones sic hodie diffusa est ut ubique vernacula. Itaque rairum non est, Giraldo scribente, Anglisque
appulsis, et latiores ditionum fines

primum hue

nondum

consecutis,

si

ea suis omnibus ornamentis ad amussim insignita floruerit.

Ac proinde

neque tune neque nunc temporis Anglica3 linguae usus ab Hibernis frequentatus gentis sub Anglorum potestatem redactaj tessera non fuerit.

Nee

e vestis Anglicge gestatione

argumentum

elici possit,

quod Hi-

bernos suse potestati subjecerunt. Vestis enim Anglica nunquam Hibernis ante nostram memoriam vulgo usitata fuit. Nimirum illi non ea laborabant inconstantia, ut instar Protei ad omnem vestis formam

ab Anglis indies excogitatam, se vertant: "Itaque Barnabas Richius

13

Genesis, cap. iv.

fore th,e

their order as the Irish

Grammar

of Mr.

Statute of Kilkenny, 1365, than

O'Donovan.
I

The
is

interpretation here given

by Dr.

it is opposed to history. That statute declares that, " at the Conquest, and

afterwards,

Lynch

axithority.

not supported by any respectable " " Father " means simply in-

a long time after," the English used the " lang Engleys," but that now many English
is

ventor," not that he transmitted his trade

had forsaken that language.

And

it

as an heirloom in his family.

II

highly probable that for a few genera-

It is

a sad and curious speculation what

tions the settlers spoke a language

which

might now be the state of the Irish Ianguage if the Irish had not risen in 1641, nor
Cromwell ever
visited our shores.

was not

Irish

but was

it

English ?

Many
;

of the settlers were Welsh,

whose cognate

Proba-

language would soon be

lost in the Irish

bly one of the national demands to-day

the nobles were Normans,

many

of

whom

would be

to

make

the Irish the official Ian-

guage, as the Bohemians, the Hungarians, and the Poles in Posen and Gallicia have
lately insisted on a similar restoration.
v

probably preferred the French language See Rot. Pat. 3, 4 Edw. II. 57; and idem,
iii.

4. The English spoken by the settlers of Saxon race was the only formidable antait

This inference, as far as

is

it

regards the

gonist to the Irish, especially as

in Dublin, Limerick,

found

Irish language,

true

but

if it

imply that

and other towns, the

al-

English was not more generally spoken be-

Scandinavian branch of the Teutonic,

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
" Jabal was the father* of those that dwell in
tents,

193
and

From
organ

the text,
;

of shepherds
;

Jubal was the father of those that played on the harp and and Tubalcain was a hammerer and an artificer in every work
it

of brass and iron,"

would appear

to

me

that,

from the creation, the

primitive inhabitants of the earth restricted the culture of the several arts to particular families: a custom which, with their blood, descended
to their posterity.

But, returning from this digression to the Irish language,

this

it is

at

day

so generally diffused

through Ireland, that

it is strictly

our

vernacular tongue"; and, of course, when Giraldus wrote, and when the English had but landed, and had not made extensive settlements,
it

must have

flourished in

its full

beauty and perfection ; so that neither

then, nor now, can the use of the English tongue in Ireland be
as a proof of the subj ugation of the Irish
v
.

urged

The adoption of the English dress supplies no better proof of the conquest of Ireland by the English. It is only within my own days that English dress has been commonly worn. We never were victims of s.uch
fickleness that,
like Proteus,

we should be

constantly changing our

dress, according to the fleeting fashions daily

ready established by the Northmen.
materials for tracing the history of the
lish

imported from England.

xiii.

The
Eng-

Statute of Kilkenny, p.

After a lapse

of forty-two years, the Statute

in

was revived

language in Ireland, previous to the sixteenth century, are very scanty with the ex;

1537

all

Irishmen were ordered to the

" uttermost of their wisdom, power, and

cunning," to learn the English.
chial clergy were

ception of the Conquest of Ireland (ex

rice

Mau-

The paroto

Regan), which is in Norman French, and the French translations by Godfred of

bound by oath

keep an
Irish

English school in their parishes

Stat., vol.
i.

Waterford in the fourteenth century (^Harris,

p.

121.

In 1569, the 12 Eli-

Ware,

p. 76), the

works of

Irish wri-

zabeth ordered the erection of a school in

ters are almost exclusively Latin or Irish.

each diocese, but with what

effect

may

be

Some
til

of the old English ballads were, un-

learned from the preceding notes, and from

the report presented to the Queen in 1599,

within a late period, popular in parts

of the county of TVexford.

There

is

no

wherein
schools

it

is

stated

that

the

want

of

Anglo-Irish border minstrelsy, thougli the

whole island was intersected by marches. Yet this Statute of Kilkenny, the first
that prohibited the Irish language to the

"to learn younglings the English tongue" was the great misery of the-Pale
and that
Irish bards, harpers,

and rhymers,

were there entertained, which proved

perfectly the

how
"the
ii.

English race, and the Irish living

the English,

among

English had learned

was confirmed

in all the Irish

Irish behaviour."

Nugae Antiquae,

vol.

Parliaments

down

to

1495

Hardiman's

pp. 296,

299

see note, suprti, p. 22.

194
apposite dixii:
illis

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS. "damni Hibernis

inferendi

[CAP.
se

III.

non adeo

cupidum

esse, tit

author esset ad

omnium genera vestium Anglis

ullus Cestria
|

familiaria se con-

formare.

Vix enim vector

ut
referat.

Dublinium transmittit qui non

ac feminis gestandum

[18] sit ita fatuus

novum indumenti morem viris

Licet autem animis elatioribus Hiberni prsediti sunt, tamen adeo leves liaud quaquam sunt ut ad quamcunque vesti-

ex Anglia

menti mutationem faciendam

se

temere accommoderit 14 ."

Nusquam adhuc legi Romanos populum ullum a se devictum vel ad pristinum habitum ponendum, vel ad sua? vestis similitudinem sumendam lata lege coegisse. Nam toga? discrimine a casteris gentibus Eomani
secernebantur.

Et hue poeta

spectaverit canens

" Romanes rerum 15 dominos, gentemque togatam ."

Exulibus certe vetitum

etiam amictu

fuit toga indui,

nimirum, ut sicut solo

sic

Romano

interdict!

symbolum nullum

gererent, quo Ro-

mani

Non secus ac si e Romans gentis albo esse dignoscerentur. expuncti, et in barbarorum inter quos exulabant numerum relati, ad eorum quoque vestimenta gestanda damnarentur. Scipioni apud Livium exprobatur quod cum
nasio. Cicero etiam

pallio crepidisque inambulasset in

stetit soleatus praetor

gympallio

Verri objecit quod

cum

judici vitio vertit quod modo togatus, modo ad Grsecos'mores desciscere videbatur, qui, toga palliatus fuit; utpote Romano gestamine exuta, pallium tegmen Grascis familiareindueret. Imo

purpureo:

et in

Antonium

genera fabularum ab ornatu vestituque a mimis gestato nominata sunt.

Nam quemadmodumGrsecse
" dictae gatam
stint, ita

"palliatas" a gentis veste, sic

civis

Romanee "

to-

ut toga peculiaris Romani

nota fuerit, ad

cujus gestandsa communionem alias nationes potius persuasione quam coactu quandoque attraxerunt. Sic Brittannis, ut ait Tacitus, " habitus

Romani honor fuit et frequens toga." Quis, inquam, audivit Romanos impedivisse quo minus Greeci suo pallio et casiaca, Sardi sua mastruca,
14

Descrip. Hibernise,

c.

ix. p. 34.

15

Virgil. Rosinus de Antiq., lib. v. cap. 32.

w Dr. Lynch devotes a chapter to Irish

[120]. Here it is enough to state that it was proscribed more than fifty years befoie
dress, p.

liament at Kilkenny, 1296, 1300, which,

after stating that the degenerate English

(quasi degeneres) had, in modern times,

the Irish language, and that the prohibition

adopted Irish dress, and half-shaved their

heads,
called

was constantly revived during four centuries. The first penal statute AV as in the Par-

and worn the long flowing locks, " culan" so that Englishmen were

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

195

" that he was not such an Barnabas Rich very properly declared enemy of Irishmen as to advise them to conform to all Engto the prosperity

Hardly can you find a single carrier going from Chester to Dublin who does not import different fashions of dress, both for men and for women, from England. The Irish are proud and enthusiastic,
lish fashions.

but they are not

every whim
I never

fickle

enough

to

accommodate themselves rashly to

of

fashionV

provinces to abandon their

Rome compelled by law any of her conquered own dress, or to adopt her own. For the Romans were distinguished from all other nations by the toga. To this
heard that
the lines of the poet allude
:

" O'er the wide world the

Roman

toga reigns.'*

Exiles were certainly prohibited to wear the toga, in order to deprive them not only of their country, but of every mark by which they could be recognised as Romans. Once expunged from the roll of Roman citizen-

ship, they were, in a manner, condemned to adopt the dress of the barbarians to whose country they were banished. Scipio, as we learn from

and sandals

Livy, was censured for having appeared in the gymnasium with cloak Cicero charged Verres with having worn, while praetor, ;

sandals and a purple pallium, and, in his Philippics, he accuses some judges of using the pallium and toga indiscriminately, as if the use of the

ordinary dress of the Greeks, instead of the

rate adoption of Grecian customs.

Roman

toga,

were a degene-

Different kinds of plays even had their distinctive names from the ornaments and dress worn by the The Grecian were called " palliatae," from the dress of that players.

nation; the
of every

Roman " togatas." Thus the toga was a distinctive mark Roman citizen. Other nations were persuaded rather than " the Roman dress compelled to adopt it. Thus, as Tacitus observes,
was considered respectable by the Britons, and the toga was generally worn by them." But who has ever heard that the Greeks were prevented from wearing their pallium and casiaca, or the Sardinians their
often killed, being mistaken for Irishmen,

degradation to the level of mere Irishmen,

enacted that

all

Englishmen should wear

English
their hair into " cu-

This statute was

much more

tolerant than

their head-dress at least in the

the subsequent tailor legislation

Misc.

Ir.

fashion,

and not twine

Arch.

Soc., p. 22.

Mr. Moore's assertion on

iii.

lans," under penalty of imprisonment

and

this subject (vol.

p.

41)

is

not correct.

o 2

196

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
German!

[CAP.

III.

Galli suo bardocucullo, Britanni sua braccha,

suis rhenibus,

Candei suo arsineo aut tyara, Persas sua capyri, Massilienses suo chorta3O, Armenii suo micorone, Troades suo peplo, aut Babylonii sua canace uterentur? Illarum enim gentium plerasque
Hispani suo
strigio,

Romani armis domuerunt. Multum

superantium vestqm semper a superatis gestatam esse asserens, ejusmodi mutatione vestium subjectionis tesseram collocans.

igitur a veritate Stanihurstus abiit, et in

Nee magis vere dixit, ubi victi venere in vincentium ditionem, ad horurn leges, confestim ilios,- avitis institutis abjectis, transire oportere, cum contraria consuetude Graecis familiaris fuerit. Etenim " Lacedemonii, et initio Athenienses, in captas civitates nullum sibi vendicabant " Romanus Consul 16 pacem imperium ." Regi Macedonian Philippe,
dedit,

regnumque

concessit.

Grascise

quoque veterem statum

reddidit,

ut legibus viveret suis, et avita libertate frueretur. Regi quoque Syrias Antiocho victo et supplici pacem atque partem, regni dari pla-

Pompeius supplicem jussit regnare Tigranem nam victor gentium 17 populus, et donare regna consuevit ." Dario victo hanc aliquoties conditionem ferebat Alexander, ut ipse imperaret aliis, pareret Alexandro 18
cuit:
.

In Bythinia Proconsulari Provincia Apamae civitatem privilegium habuisse Plinius ait sub arbitrio Remp. administrandi 19 Et idem Plinius
.

alibi

20

quoque docet suos magistratus

civitas legibus

et

suum senatum

esse.

Sic in

Ponto Amisenorum

suis utebatur, Luculli beneficio.

Imo Guillelmus Gothi, victis Romanis, leges reliquerunt Romanas. ipse conquestor inNormannis victoribus et Anglis victis regendis, iisdem
legibus usus
est,

"

quse per Angliam, diu ante illam a Guillelrno subju-

21 gatam viguerunt ." Edwardus primus Anglicanarum legum observationem Wallis non imperavit, sed Wallorum legibus quss in multis,

legibus Hibernicis conformes erant,

tellectis

"

diligenter auditis, et plenius in-

(verba decreti suut), quasdam permisimus, quasdam correximus, ac etiam quasdam alias adjiciendas et faciendas decrevimus." Non

enim nuperus ritus erat

ut,
juris, priscamque resumant emendenturque vetustae

"Firmetur senium
Canitiem
leges,

2 Accedantque novae -."

is

Grotius de Jure Belli,

lib. vii.

lib.

iii.

c.

15.

"

dorus,
22

x. ex. 48, 84, Claudius in Consulatu Honorii.

Lib.

Floras, lib. 117, 119.

i.

20

c. 7, lib. iii. cc. 21 xcvii.

5 et 9.

"8

Dio127.

Ep.

Dav i S) p

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBIIENSIS EVERSUS.

197

mastruca, or the Gauls their bardocucullus, or the Germans their rheno, or the Britons their braccha, or the Spaniards their strigium, or the Cretans their turban or tiara, the Persians their capyris, the jVIarseillois their

chortseum, the Armenians their uiicorone, the Trojans their peplum, or Yet all these nations were subdued by the Babylonians their canax?
It was, therefore, a gross error of Stanihurst to assert the Romans. that conquered nations always adopted the dress of their conquerors, or that such a change of dress was any test of subjugation.

Not

less

their independence, they

untruly has he asserted that, when conquered- nations lost renounced their own institutions for those of

The contrary was a usual custom among the Greeks: Lacedemonians, and for some time the Athenians, reserved no dominion over the captured cities." " The Roman Consul granted peace He also reto Philip, King of Macedon, and permitted him to reign.
the conquerors. " The
stored the old constitution of Greece, and gave her the enjoyment of her own laws and her ancient" liberty. When Antiochus, King of Syria, was

conquered and sued for peace, part of his kingdom was restored to him.

Pompey

raised the suppliant Tigranes to a throne, for the people

which

conquered kingdoms used also to give them away." The conditions imposed on Darius by the victorious Alexander were, that he might
reign as a king pver
vassal of Alexander.
all others,

provided he acknowledged himself a

The city of Apamece, Pliny tells us, had the priof managing its own political concerns in the proconsular provilege vince of Bithynia; and from the same authority we know that other places had their own magistrates and senate, such as the city of Amisena in Pontus, to which Lucullus granted the use of its own laws. The Goths conquered the Romans, but spared their laws. Even William the Conqueror himself governed his victorious Normans and conquered
'

before the conquest."

English by these very laws which had been in force in England longEnglish laws were not forced on the Welsh by

Edward

I.; but, "after a diligent examination and full review of the Welsh laws (which in many points resembled the Irish), his decree permitted some, amended others, and enacted some other additional constitutions:" for it was not unusual to

"

Confirm old laws, restore their ancient truth

Breathe
o'er their

hoary forms the

"

life

of youth

New

laws enact

198
[19]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

rum

Obolescunt enim non raro leges, et nonnunquam pro teinporum ac reCrebro etiam preestantiores conversione figuntur et refiguntur.
|

finitimi populi leges abrogatis a

Repub. domesticis subrogantur. Sic duodecim tabularum leges Romam Athenis decemviri tulerunt, et ad Remp. suam administrandam accomodarunt. Nee proinde tamen Athe-

nienses

summo cum
leges

imperio Rornanis prsefuisse quis

unquam

dixit

ut

falsd Staniliurstus constituent

populum quemque

iis

obnoxium

esse,

quorum

amplexus

est.

Nihilominus fingamus tantisper compertissimum expugnationis indicium esse expugnatos legibus ab expugnante indictis parere, certe v(
hinc Hibernos immunitatem totos quadringentos annos post Hibernit Anglicis armis infestatam, ab Anglorum expugnatione nactos fuis
23 liquido constabit ,

cum

illo

temporis intervallo, nullum Anglicis legi.

bus obsequiurn Hiberni detulerint 24 Quamvis enim Henricus II. comitia Lismoraa habuerit ubi " Leges" (inquit Mathseus Paris) " Angliae
nrmatas 25," et

ab omnibus sunt gratanter receptor, et juratoria cautione prajstita conRex Joannes duodecimo regni sui et Christi nati 1211
anno, leges Anglicas, et consuetudines in Hibernia statuerit, et magistratus iis administrandis constituent, ac " duxerit secum viros discre-

tos, et legis peritos

quorum communi

consilio statuit, et pra3cepit leges

III.
iis

26 Anglicanas teneri in Hibernia ;" Henricus quoque Regni, et Christi nati 1227 suos in Hibernia subditos

undecimo

immunitati-

bus frui jusserit, quas pater, ac ipse Anglis indulserunt, edicens, "quod omnes leges et consuetudines qua? in Regno Anglice tenentur, et eadem
Hibernise terra ejusdem legibus subjaceat ac per easdem regatur 27 ;
1'

tamen angustis Anglicae

et

provincise finibus leges

illa3
.

constringebantur

Provinciam autem ad reliquas Hibernian regiones non manabant38 comitatus Dubliniensis, Kildariensis, Medensis, et LouthAnglicanam ensis constituebant, qua3 sola ditio legibus Anglicis obedientiam exhibebat 29
23
;

ita

ut anno Henrici VIII. decimo

tertio,

et post

Christum
25

fol.

Davis, p. 10, Historical Tracts, London, Edit. 1786. '* ^ Ibid., p. 82. 28 ibid., 184. 121. Davis, p. 81.

2*

Ibid, p. 80.

Hist. Maj.,

20

ibid., p. Ill, et seq.

x General assertions of this kind occur in

history of Ireland from 1172 to the

si:

a few folloAving pages

but,

though they

teenth century

is

not the history of

are founded on the authority of Sir

John

country, but of different principalities-

Davis, they lead the reader into error.

The

What

is

true of one

is

not true of another

P. III.]

CAMBBENSIS EVERSUS.
fall

199

For laws often

into desuetude,

and are amended and remodelled

It often

according to the changes of times

and circumstances.

happens

too that the good laws of a neighbouring state are adopted and substituted for the national laws. The Decemvirs introduced from Athens to

Rome

the laws

of-

constitution.

nion over the

But who can thence infer Romans? Stanihurst was,

the twelve tables, and adapted them to the Roman tliat the Athenians had domitherefore,

wrong

in his asserit

tion that a nation

becomes the subject of those whose laws

adopts.

But, suppose for a moment, that the adoption of the invader's laws, the invaded nation, were an unquestionable proof of subjugation, by still it is perfectly evident that for full four hundred years after the
descent of the invaders on the Irish shores, Ireland could not be. said to

be conquered;

for,

during that whole interval, the Irish paid no obe"

.

dience to English laws x

Henry

II., it is

true, held that assembly at

Lismore, in which," as Matthew Paris tells us, "the laws of England were gratefully accepted, and confirmed by the sanction of an. oath." John, in
the twelfth year of his reign, A. D. 1211, introduced English laws and customs into Ireland, and appointed magistrates to administer them: " He with him discreet men and learned in the lawr

brought

by whose

counsel he ordered and enacted the establishment of English laws in Ireland." Henry III., in the eleventh year of his reign, A. D.
1227, confirmed to his subjects in Ireland the enjoyment of those priwhich he and his father had granted, " ordering that all the laws and customs in force in England should be established and obeyed
vileges
in the land of Ireland."

common

But

those laws were confined to the narrow

limits of the English provinces,

and did not extend to the other

,

districts

Dublin, Kildare, Meath, and Louth y formed the English province, Tjeyond which English laws were not observed; so that, in the year 1522, the thirteenth of Henry VIII., a complaint was made
of Ireland.
and most of them had
their fluctuations of

generate English and liege English

the

independence and subjection.

>'

reign of English law, over the English colo-

Dr.

Lynch 's

references to

Davis are

in-

nists,

was coextensive with

their posses-

variably correct; but they are sometimes,

as in this instance, so arranged, that they

which included a large and the more fertile portion of Leinster, Munster, and
sion?,

mislead the reader.

Jhe English

" Pale "

III.
;

Connaiight, together with the country east

of

was unknown
there

in the reign of

Henry

Lough Neagh and

the Biuui in Ulster

p. xxiii.

was no distinction then between de-

Hardiman's Statute of Kilkenny,

200
natum 1522 querela

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
instituta fuit,

[CAP.

III.

quod legum Anglicarum authoritas

ultra quatuor illos comitatus non produceretur," legibus Hibernieis per cseteras Hiberniae partes, citra obicem dominantibus. Imo et per

mediocres eorundem comitatuum tractus, mediam scilicet comitatus Dubliniensis, et Medensis, ac tertiam Kildariensis, Louthensisque partern 30

Itaque tantum exiguorum illorum finium incolae ad comitia evo31 cabantur, extra quos Regis diplomata nullum nacta sunt obsequium ;
.

ita

verint.

ut Angli non integram unius Hibernias ternionis possessionem adi" Initio quidem Rex Joannes anno supra memorato, suse ditionis

in Hibernia agros in duodecim comitatus digessit (nimirum prseter quatuor jam productos) in Lagenia, Catherlacensem, Kilkeniensem, et
in Momonia, Waterfordiensem, Corcagiensem, Limbri32 In his tantum leges Anglicas Kierriensem, et Tiperariensem censem, Has duntaxat judices et execution! mandabantur. promulgabantur,
:

Wexfordiensem

jus administraturi obibant, et non alias Hibernia? plagas ab Hibernis insessas, duosque ad minimum Regni trientes amplexas, quorum postre-

mi quatuor

nicas subierunt,

comitatus, post aliquod temporis curriculum, leges Hiberqua? a solo illo Anglicte provincial angulo exclusce
.

33 reliquam Hiberniam universam citra exceptionem pervagata3 sunt

30
33

Ibid., pp. 49, 188,

z

Davis, pp. 160 et 184. 189.

Ibid,, pp.

100, 184, 185, 188.

32

ibid., pp. 99, 199.

" In that space of time Avhich Avas beII.

after the battle of Wakefield,

made

those

tween the tenth year of King EdAvard

the thirtieth year of

and

encroachments on the

King Edward
all

III. (I

and were governed by what Avas called u March

shire- ground,

speak within compass)

the old English

Law."

The boundaries

of the Pale, at this

colonies in Munster, Connaught,

and Ulster,

time, are
lished

known from
In 1494,

several statutes pub-

and more than a third part of Leinster, became degenerate, and fell aAvay from the

by Mr. Hardiman
all the

Statute

of Kil-

kenny.

inhabitants from

Crown

of England,

so as only the four

the Liffey to "the mountain in Kildare,"

shires of the English Pale

remained under

and from the

to

Liffey to Trim,
Uriel,

and

so

the obedience of the law, and yet the borders

Meath and

were ordered

to bui

and marches thereof

Avere groAvn

untri-

ruly, being subject to black rents

and

p. 4.

a ditch six feet high around the Pale.This line, in 1515, ran from Dundalk

bute to the Irish."

Davis,

p. 160.

But

to Ardee, Kells,

Dangan, Kilcock, Clane,

the Statute of Kilkenny re-established the

Naas, Kilcullen-bridge, Ballymore Eustace,

law

for a short time in

or, as

some of the dege-

Rath more, Rathcoole, Tallaght,

p. xxviii.

Dalkey.

nerate
civilized
51

the native Irish called thorn,

pp. 172, 178.

Outside of this line lay

il

districts.

marches. For the frontier castles, see

p.

The marches

or borders had, especially

xxvi.

Baron Finglas gives an amusir

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

201

that beyond those counties English laws were not in force, and that 1 Irish laws reigned supreme and without a rival ; and even in consi-

derable districts of these four counties, namely, half of Dublin and a Meath, and one-third of Louth and Kildare , Irish laws were predominant. Such were the confined limits from which Parliaments

were summoned b ; beyond them the king's writ was powerless so that the English never had full possession of even one- third part of Ireland'
;
1

"

King John,

it is

true, in the year already mentioned, divided all

the territories of his Irish lordship into twelve counties in Leiuster

and Munster, namely, Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Uriel, Carlow, KilIn kenny, "Wexford, Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Kerry, Tipperary. these only were the English laws published and put in execution, and
in these only did the itinerant judges

make

their circuits

and visitation

of justice, and not in the countries possessed by the Irish, which contained two- third parts of the kingdom at least; even the four last-

named

counties, after a short time,

embraced Irish law 6 which, being

,

thus excluded only from that little corner, the English Pale, ruled supreme over every other part of Ireland."
description of the

means

to be

employed

to

of the Pale, threatened the King's represenSir Richard Edgecombe, that they " would become Irish every one of them," if he did not accede to their terms Hartative,
ris's

preserve the four half-shires, the last shred

of English power
:

" The Lord Deputy,"

he suggests, " should be employed eight days

every summer cutting passes through the
border-woods."
b

Hibernica,

p. 65.

Many

of them, pro-

Harris's Hiber.,

p.

102.
fif-

bably, carried the threat into execution.

d

This was the case during part of the

This assertion

is

made on
100)
;

the authority

teenth century only. In the 14

Sir Ed.

Henry

VII.,

of Sir
lish

lately held at

Poym'ng annulled the Parliament Drogheda, on the ground that

but the Engrace held considerably more than one(p.

:

John Davis

third of the island.

the writs

had been issued only

but

to the Pale.

Stephen White writes " Hodie et a 400 annis inhabitant Iong6

et

Thenceforward he ordered
be

summoned

all the shires to " his laws were like

maximam
Cap.
e

meliorem portionem

Ibernise,

omnesque ejus urbes

v. fol. 28,

et portus insigniores."

good lessons set for a lute that is broken and out of tune." Davis, Histor. Desc.,
p. 188.
c

MSS.
by King John
Stat.

Mr. Hardiman doubts whether the twelve

counties were formed

so late as 1536, the

Even

Lord Deputy

complained that the King's Justices could

not resort to the shires beyond the Barrow.
State Papers, part
iii.

of Kilkenny, p 102. From most of them, English law was banished, not by the native " who Irish, but the degenerate English,

vol.

ii.

p.

411. In

became more mortal enemies

to the

English

1488, the Earl of Kildare, and other Lords

name and

nation than the mere Irish."

202

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

Proeterea Hibernici Reguli, redditus et tributum quod vulgotfiigrum 34 dicebatur, ab Anglicae provincial limitibus referebant quos tamen census, ante 28 Henrici VIII. et Christi 1537 annum, coniitia non sus:

tulerunt. Eadem quoque coniitia sanciverunt, ut, in ditionibus Hibernorum imperio parentibus, homicidii reis mulcta quadraginta librarum irrogaretur, quarum viginti Rex Angliae, et alias viginti ditionis To35

parcha perciperet

et ut minoris furti

quatuordecim denarios non

superantis convictus, pro mulcta, quinque marcas, utpote viginti sex solidos et octo denarios Toparchse, ejus autem successori designate viginti solidos persolveret
:

annuentibus nimirum Anglis ut Hibernici

Ita

Reguli suis limitibus, legibus, et vectigalibus libere potireiitur.

[20]
|

ut pace subinde ac pactione utraque pars devincta fuisse videatur. Plurimis enim horum a suis tribulibus injuriam perpessis opem illi Justiciarius crebro tulerunt. Sic " Rodulfus UltoUfford,
Hibernise,
34

Davis, p. 160.

Ibid., pp. 193, 194.

Davis,

p.

148. Carlow, and the greater part

entour soleit estre confort et defende,

sont ore en mein des Irreys enemys."

si

of Wexford, were seized

by Art Mac Murin con-

rough

in

1327

and his descendants,

junction with the O'Byrnes and O'Tooles of

Wieklow, held thirty miles of country from the Barrow to the sea, during more than
two centuries
Harris, Hib..
p. 81.

Liber Mvn., part iv. p. 32. Whoever would study Irish history from 1172 to the accession of Henry VIII., must take 1342
as one of his epochs.
lost,

The

native Irish never

The
and

but rather continued to extend the

native Irish of South Kilkenny and Tipperary, Limerick, East Cork, Waterford,

power which they had then regained. f The black mail or tribute paid to the
native Irish in 1515
State Papers (vol.
ii.

a large portion of Kerry, never rose after

is

known from
iii.

the

and English law was in force in Kilkenny and Tipperary until about the year 1478 Ibid., p. 102. Munster, from
the conquest
;

part

p. 9).

O'Co-

nor had

300 from the county Meath, and

;

Limerick to Cork, was also obedient to the

King's laws during 160 years from the
conquest
(ibid., p.

O'Neill of Clannaboy, 40 from the barony of Lecale O'Neill of 40 from Louth; O'Carroll, 40 Tyrone,
;

20 from Kildare

83), that

is,

until the

memorable year 1342, when the AngloIrish

from Kilkenny the county of Limerick 40 to O'Brien of Arragh, and 40 paid

;

Lords assembled

in cuiivention at Kil-

to the great O'Brien

Mac Murrough

re-

kenny, complained to the King that the

native Irish had reconquered one- third of
their old
territories.

ceived

40 from Wexford, and eighty marks

from the King's Exchequer.

The Editor

They

also stated

cannot ascertain at what precise time these

counties thus became tributary to the native
Irish.

u Ensernent

sire

vos chasteaux de RoscoAthlon, Bunrat, et autrez

man, Ranclon,
chasteaux et
en votre

et

Mac Murrough
p.

enjoyed his

forceletvs
et

qe de assent
le

estre

eighty marks from the reign of

Edward
in

III.

mem

par qucux tot

pais

(Harris, Hib.,

82)

and

the same

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
The Irish
chiefs,

203

Pale the tribute

known by

moreover, levied on the inhabitants of the English a tribute the name of the " black rent f,"

But

which no parliament disputed before the year 1537, the 28 Henry VIII. 8 in that same parliament it was ordained, that homicides committed

within the dominions of Irish princes should be punished with a fine of forty pounds, half of which went to the King of England, the other
half to the Irish chieftain.
thefts of

At

the same time

it

was ordered, that

all

sums below fourteen pence should be punished with lines of five marks, of which twenty-six shillings and eight pence went to the Irish chieftain, and twenty shillings to his tanist, or appointed successor; the
prince to have his

English themselves thus expressly recognising the right of the Irish own laws and tributes within his own territories'
1

between the two races were regulated by formal treaties of peace thus we find the English sometimes coming to the aid of Irish
relations
;
1

The

"
.

princes

Ralph Ufford, the Justiciary of Ireland, entered Ulster, deStatute of Kilkenny in

reign,

after the

1367, this custom of paying the Irish was

gradually adopted
p. 24.

Liber Munerum,

vol.

i.

ry VIII. They were a sort of compromise between English law and sovereignty on the one side, and Brehon law and Irish
independence on the other,
chiefs submitted to the

It

was part

of the system adopted

when

the Irish

William de Windsor in 1369, who accepted the Government on the under-

by

Sir

Lord Deputy.

But

Davis, from

standing that he was to act only on the

defensive.
Ibid.

Then

also the

King

re-

Lynch takes the " facts, admits that, though it was a good beginning, yet it was far from reducing Ireland to the perfect obedience of the
of England."

whom

Dr.

duced the scutage according to the quantity

of land reconquered
%

Crown
"no

Ibid. by the Irish In 1529, Baron Finglas proposed that

As

to the fines intended to

theft,

be levied for manslaughter and

forfeiture,
fine,

" no black rent be paid to any Irishman for

the four shires, and any black rent they
afore this time to be paid to

or revenue (certain or ca-

had

sual), did accrue to the

Crown

out of these

them

for ever."

provinces, namely, Connaught, Ulster,

ster,
1

Mun-

Harris, Hibernica,
of

p.

101.

The
c.

statute

Henry VIII.

(c. 11,

Rot. P.

16) could
as 1599,

and a great part of Leinster." Dr. Lynch, in this inference, and the

not be carried into effect;

for, so late

facts

by which he supports
Ireland, in 1344,

it,

confounds

the Irish Council complain to the

Queen that

two

political states of Ireland entirely dif-

English subjects
black rents.
vol.
h
ii.

still

pay most oppressive

ferent.

was

quite diffelatter

-Harringtons Nugae Antiqua,

rent from Ireland in 1537.

In the

p.

301.
cites,

year the royal power began to be generally

felt
it
;

Davis (pp. 216, 217, ed. 1666)'

in the former, especially after

1333,

for these

arrangements, not the Statutes, but the Council Book of Ireland, 33 Hen-

interfered as one native chieftain

with

another, either as rival, enemy, or ally.

204
niam
iritravit36 et

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
Henricum Regem

[CAP.

III.

tuto Odone O'Neil pro eo."

Ultonise deposuit e regno, substiPraeterea " Conello O'Mordha patriae suae

principe ac domino nefarie caeso, Angli filium ejus primogenitum nomine Rorium, Davide defuncto germane viro potente et divite, et parem de natione sua non habente, qui principatum sibi per nefas arrogavit

amoto,

cum

consensu populi principem elegerunt, et armis ab hostis

37 injuria vendicarunt ."

Siquidem per ea tempora judiciis ex Anglicarum leguin pra;scripto exercendis via strata non fuit; necdum enirn in provinciis comitatus
certis
38 regionibus definiti fuerunt ;

nam primorum comitatuum

in-

Philippe et Maria tertium regni annum transgressis, incidit; Thoma Sussexia3 comite et Hiberniae prorege statuente ut Laighsia O'Morhi et Huifalgia O'Concliauri
stitutio

in

Christi

nati

annum

1556,

ditiones pro
haec

Regis comitatus nuncuparetur.

36

duobus comitatibus deinde haberentur, et ilia Reginae, Postea Henricus Sidna3us Hi37

Johannes Clynn, ad aim. 1344.

Idem, ad ann. 1348.

38

Davis, p. 197.
for,

Neither Grace's Annals nor Pembridge

the deposition of
state,

than the power of the English Crown

in 1346, the
tles

record

Henry

O'Neill,

O'Moore had burned the

all

cas-

though they

A. D. 1344, that Ufford

of

Ley and Kilmehede, and

the

escaped by the aid of the Ulster from MacCartan,

baggage, gold, and

men who

of Oriel into

counties of Leinster and Munster were assessed to reduce him.

took

all his

He made

a gal-

silver,

and some of his

This

lant resistance

Grace's Annals.

Kory
slain

soldiers, in the pass of

Emerdullam.

O'Moore, the English nominee, was

defeat of the King's representavive

by a

by
1

his

own men

in

1354

Four Masters.

Mac

Cartan was a strange preliminary to

There must be some error in the text

Dr. Lynch cannot

the deposition of an O'Neill, the great Lord

of the North.

here.

mean

that the

The Four Masters do not

In 1345 they

King's and Queen's Counties were the first

counties established
in

record Ufford's expedition.

Ireland,

and gop.

record an unsuccessful expedition of

Hugh

verned by English law.

ra

See supra,

200.

O'Neill against the Clannaboy, and, in 1346,

Leix proper

is

the present Queen's

the slaughter of 300 English

hon.

by MacMait

County, except the Barony of Upper Ossory,

Ufford's interposition, whatever

was,
times,

was
and

certainly exceptional in those

its

Ossory,

which belonged to the Fitzpatricks of and the baronies of Portnahinch

nature

may

be understood

from the
appears

fact,

that the same

Hugh

O'Neill

and Tinnahinch, Avhich were part of Offaly, and belonged to O'Dunne and O'Dempsey.

fighting
Ibid.

against

the English in

Four Masters,
lot of

vol.

i.

p.

105.

Leix, as
fell

1354
k

part of the lordship of Leinster,

in

to the

Not recorded The

Grace or the Four Mas-

Eva de Braosa (grand-daughter

at the partition

of

ters.

case exhibits rather the weakness

Eva MacMurrough),

made

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
j

205

posed Henry King of Ulster, and placed Aedh O'Neill on the throne." " Again: After the savage murder of Conall O'Mordha, lord and chieftain of his land, the English,

with the consent of the natives, elected

and brought an army to his support, against his uncle, David, a wealthy man and the most powerful in the country, who had treacherously seized on the principality's"
his eldest son, Rory,
is, there were no means in those times of enforcing the laws in the administration of justice, because the provinces had English not as yet been reduced into the regular and defined forms of English The first example of the institution of an English county counties.

The truth

was

in the year 1556 , the third of Philip and Mary, when Lord Thomas m Sussex, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, reduced Leix and Ofialy", the coun1

tries of the

O'Mores and 0' Conors, into English shire-ground, calling

the former the Queen's, the latter the King's County.

between the
five

Henry Sydney,
of Portnahinch

daughteis of William
1

the King's

and those

and

Earl Marshall, A. D.

247

Cox,

p. 45.

But

it

recovered

its

independence in the

Tiunahinch, in the Queen's County. The Kildare portion was seized by Fitzgerald
after the invasion
p. 44.

year 1327 (CVynn's Annals) under Lisagh.

Four Masters,

vol.

i.

O'More,

who

took eight castles in one

O'Conor was hemmed in on the north

night, razed the fort of

Dunamase

and

it

maintained that independence, with occasional reverses,

and north-east, by the English of Meath, from Durrow Castle, and by the Birming-

down

to 1556.

Davis and

hams
the

of Carbury.

His demesnes must in-

Baron Finglas hoth date the fall of the English power in Leinster from this revolution in Leix.

deed have been confined to the derries of

Bog of Allen and the

1

tract

around Kil-

Davis, Discovery,
p.

p.

156;

leigh

and Tullamore.
at Geashill

There was an Eng;

Harris, Hib.,
20.

81

see note

e
,

supra, p.
in the

lish castle

yet the O'Conors

Very few O'Mores

are

now

Queen's County, the whole race having been either cut off by the sword during the
reigns of

were not contemptible even when English power was strongest. In 1284 they burned
the castle of Ley; and, in 1294 they burned the rolls and tallies of the county [of Kildare ?]. In 1305, the King and his brother

Mary and
I.

Elizabeth, or banished

by James

A manuscript
my
states that

history of the

Irish Franciscans, in

possession, writ-

were treacherously murdered in the house

ten in 1617,

no O'More was

allowed to come within a certain distance

of the Queen's County.
n

Birmingham in Carbury; but, in 1307, the Offaly Irish burned Leix, and, in 1308, Grace's dnnals. From Bruce's Athy.
invasion, their power, like that of their fel-

of

Offaly, the land of 0' Conor Failghe, be-

fore the

English invasion, included the ba-

ronies of East

and West Offaly in Kildare,

and those of Upper and Lower Philipstown, Geashill, Warrenstown, and Coolestown, in

low-countrymen, was generally on the increase. There is no proof that the King's writ ever ran in O'Conor Offaly before 1556.

Not

so in Leix.

206
bernise prorex,

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
39

[CAP.

III.

Annaliam O'Farelliorum in Lagenia ditionem ElizaEidem quoque betha Regina comitatus Longfordiae nomine affecit. Sidnaeo comitatuum in Conacia institutionem Davisius ascribit 40 illo,
,

41 qui res in Hibernia, Joanne Perrotto Prorege, gestas scripsit reclamante, ac dicente: posse quidem fieri ut a Sidnoeo excogitati fuerint;

sed extra controversiam a Perrotto sex in Conacia comitatus, Claren-

sem, Galyiensem, Sligoensem, Mayoe'nsem, Roscomanensem, et Letri-

mensem, sub annum a Virginia partu 1586 constitutos

42 scriptor addit

tatus erexisse,

fuisse. Idem eundem quoque Perrottum, septem in Ultonia cominominatim Ardmachanum, Manachanensem, Tyronen-

sem, Coleranensem, Donegallensem, Fermanachensem, et Cavanensem. Video tamen in Camdeno Ultoniam duos prseterea comitatus complecti
39

Dunensem

et

Antrimensem.
Ibid., p.

Nee

in hos, aut illos Ultoniee coPag. 41, et Davis,

p.

Davis, p. 199.

199.

Pag. 86.

203.

The

English castellated part of

;

Long-

ford at a very early period

rells, its lords,

but the O'FarSee Four

O'Conor, O'Brien was the only Irish chief tain, before the sixteenth century, who had
his lands under a grant from the Crown. The grant was given, in 1221, in the minority

were not crushed

Mast., A. D. 1262, 1282, vol. i. pp. 387, 437.

P Davis states that, though Sidney divided Connaught into six counties, he never

of

Henry

III.

period, the

Dating from that p. 111. 100 years mentioned by Finglas

sent

any
;

justices of assize to visit that pro-

bring us to Brucc's invasion.

But

it is

but placed commissioners there, who governed it only in a course of discretion

vince
part martial, part
9
civil.

highly

improbable that the tribute was

p.

201.

The author

referred to claims the per-

Before 1221, paid regularly, if at all. namely, in 1185 and 1192, the English had carried off some plunder from Tho-

fecting of the division for Sir

John

Perrott,

mond.
a

In 1207 they attempted to build

who named
and and
sheriffs,

judges, justices of the peace,

castle at Killaloe, but

were defeated

and

and

effected the great

compo-

sition

See the documents fully abstracted,

O'Brien an Tleyve destroyed the castles of In Birr, Kinetty, Lorrah, and Ballyroan.

for the first

time printed, in Hardi-

1213[0?], the English

in 1214,

built a castle at

man's lar- Connacht, pp. 299-362. r Clare was then placed under the same
President as Connaught
;

Roscrea, rebuilt those of Kinetty and Birr

and succeeded,

in 1216, in build-

but

it

was

reuni-

ted to Munster, at the request of the Earl of

ing the castle of Killaloe, and compelling In the people to take an English bishop.

Thomond,

after the battle of Kinsale.

Fin-

1225 we

find

Donough Cairheach O'Brien

but ten years later he
defeated,

glas says he

had read

that the O'Briens

in alliance with the English against the

Irish of

of Clare never yielded obedience to

the

Connaught

King's laws; but he could prove they had

paid tribute during 100 years
p. 83.

opposes them, but

hostages.

is

and gives

Har. Hib.,

In 1257, the O'Briens defeat

According to Davi=, except Felim

the English of Munster and Connaught.

CIIAI-. III.]

CAMBBENSIS EVERSUS.
Ireland,

207

Lord Lieutenant of

afterwards, in the reign of Elizabeth,

formed Annaly, the country of the O'Farrellsin Leinster, into an EngDavis ascribes p to the same lish county, which he called Longford.
governor the establishment of the Connaught counties. But in this he is opposed by the authority of the author of the "Life and Deeds of
Sir

John Perrott," who admits that Sydney may have had such an
1

in-

but asserts that the six counties, Clare Galway, Mayo, Sligo, s Roscommon, and Leitrim, were formed by Perrott in the year 1586
tention*1
;
,

He
ties
:

also attributes

to Perrott the institution of seven Ulster coun-

Armagh, Monaghan, Tyrone, Coleraine, Donegal, Fermanagh, and But Camden, I find, includes in Ulster two other counties, Down and Antrim 1 It is, however, beyond a doubt, that English law
Cavan.
.

In 1258 one of them forms at Cael-uisge, on

butary but obedient to English law during

forty years, to the reign of

Lough Erne, a national league with O'Conor and O'Neill against the English. In 1260
Fitzgerald invades
feated.

Edward

III

Harris, Hib., p. 86.

These forty years, no

Thomond, but

is

de-

In 1261 one of the O'Briens sacks

Castleconnell. In 1269, in conjunction with

doubt, end in 1333, when the Earl of Ulsterwas murdered, and commence, probably, about 1286, when an Earl of Ulster took the

O'Conor, they gave a bloody defeat to the

hostages of
at the

all

Connaught.

But a glance

English at Carrick-on-Shannon.

In 1270

they destroyed the English castle of Clare, but, in 1273, were subdued by Fitzgerald,

Four Masters (pp. 447, 457) shows what sort of obedience to English law prevailed in the interim.
to

and compelled to give hostages. the O'Brien was treacherously

In 1277
slain

by

It would be easy prove that the authority of an English sheriff, without an army, was of no weight

De Clare
were cut
Moore,

but, in 1278, the invader's forces

in a large portion of

Connaught

at

any time

off,

and himself taken

iii.

prisoner.

previous to the close of the sixteenth century, though the English

sive settlements there.

vol.

p. 34.

These facts enable

had made exten-

the reader to judge of the assertion of

Ba-

Mr. O'Donovan has

list

ron Finglas.

Few

English settled in Clare

supplied the following

of places in

Con-

before Cromwell's time.

s

naught, where the Irish always maintained

fact that, before

Dr.

Lynch omits the

their ground, even before Bruce's invasion

1.
;

the Parliament of Kilkenny, A. D. 1296,

ties,

Connaught had been divided into two counnamely, Connaught and Roscommon;
it is

The plains of Eathcroghan 2. The plains of Boyle; 3. The forests of Sliabh Badhna
in

Roscommon

4.

lar-Connaught, from

the latter,

thought, lying north, the

Lough Corrib

to the ocean,

where the O'FlaSo

late as

former south, of an undefined line from the

hertys remained unconquered.

Shannon
Arch.

to the sea.

See Miscellany of Irish

1610, a lease of part of this district was

Soc., p. 25,

and Statute of Kilkenny,

all

made
1

to

p. 106.

According to Finglas,
to

the land
tri-

to English

two persons for having reduced it law Stat. of Kilkenny, p. 36.

history of

from Sligo

Thomond was

not merely

The

Antrim and

Down

is

203

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

bernacula sedente, accessus patuit.

mitatus legum Anglicarum administrationi, Perrotto ad Hiberniae guEtenim Guillelmo Fitz- Williams
se

Perrottum in Proregis dignitate secuto,

:

Farmanachensi comitatui

vicecomitem ad jus administrandum prasfecturum indicanti, Maguirum " vicecomitis 43 respondisse Davisius refert quidem adventum sibi graDavis, p. 166.
different
ties.

from that of the other Ulster counCourcy, at the cost of some bloody

sessions

were never well distinguished and

"

De

established
(Ibid.,
p.

before the reign of Elizabeth

defeats,

plundered

all

he castellated and

colonized the greater part of Antrim and

235), that is, we may say, it had been in the hands of the Irish almost
exclusively.
Its chieftains

Down
nell,

only.

With

the exception of an oc-

appear several

casional invasion of an O'Neill or an

O'Don-

times giving hostages to O'Neill or O'Donnell

the latter counties lived under

Eng-

during the thirteenth century.

Cathal

lish

law

until the

Clan Hugh-Boy O'Neill

O'Reilly destroyed the castle of Kilmore in

established themselves firmly east of

Lough
in the

1226, and in 1233 defeated the invaders,

Neagh and

the Bann, and

hemmed

English in the Ards, where they lived under tribute or black mail. As to the other counties,

and gave them "neither pledge nor hosFour Masters, vol. i. p. 269. One tage."
thing appears certain, that the English ex-

there

is

no proof that the English made

in

any permanent settlement

them previous

to the year 1600, with theexception perhaps

Tyrone and Tyrconnell were generally made, not through Cavan, Armagh, or Monaghan, but from Coleraine,
peditions against

of the borders of Cavan, and Monaghan, and

Cael-uisge,

and the
to

castle of Sligo.

part of Armagh, and the banks of the Bann.

In Monaghan, Davis found only four names

(

Mac Mahon,
249),

O'Connelly, M'Kena, and

Tyrone and Tyrconnell, Baron Finglas states that both were left under tribute, but does not say when or

With regard

MacCabe)
p.

so late as

" and of those the

1607 (Hist. Tracts, MacMahons were

the Irish, and do

how

long

Harris, Hib.,

p.

83.

O'Mul-

dorry, lord of

Tyrone and Tyrconnell, died

the proudest sept

among

in the thirtieth year of his reign, 1197.

He
In

ever soonest repine, and kick, and spurn at

fought to the death against

De

Courcy.
far as

English go vernment."

/fo'd., p.

241. This

1199 the English penetrated as

Dun-

county was confiscated by the attainder of

gannon, but suffered a bloody defeat from

Shane O'Neill

p.

242.

The Four Masters

Hugh Hugh

O'Neill.

De Lacy was

also repelled

do not record the erection of any English

castle in it for centuries after the invasion,

in 1206,

without hostage or submission.

O'Neill visits

except one at Clones in 1212, which was

fergus in 1210, but

King John at Carrickmakes no submission

i.

thrown down in 1213 by

Hugh

O'Neill.

{Lib. Munerum, vol.

c. iv. p.

14)

burns

Fermanagh was never reduced

by "attainder,
Sir J. Perrott.

to the

Crown

Carlingford 1214; gets his

;

own demands

surrender, or other resump-

tion whatever," before the administration of

Ibid., p. 233.

from the English in 1221 plunders the English of Connaught in 1225 and dies a
;

Cavan was

natural death in 1230

though, says the

the land of the O'Reillys; and "its pos-

annalist, all believed that such a destroyer

CnAp.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

209

beth.

was not received in any of these counties during the reign of ElizaFor when William Fitzwilliam, the successor of Perrott, pro-

posed to send a sheriff into the county Fermanagh, to administer justice, Davis says that Maguire answered he would be most happy to receive the sheriff, but that he wished to know the amount of his eric,
of the invaders could not die but

by

the

hands of the English.

In 1232 Tyrone and

monstrance of Donald O'Neill to Pope John XXIL}, and the O'Donnells were

rald

Tyrconnell are at feud, and Maurice Fitzgeand the Earl of Ulster take hostages

awed by the great

which was erected

castle of

Inishowen,
in the

in 1305,

and was
to

from both in 1238; but the English nominee in Tyrone was deposed and, in 1241, Brian
;

hands of the English down

least.

1332, at

If the King's writ ran, or tribute

was
it

O'Neill and

O'Donnell formed a league.

regularly paid, in Tyrone or Tyrconnell,

Fitzgerald defeated both chieftains in 1247;

must have been only during that short period, interrupted, of course,

slew O'Donnell; partitioned Tyrconnell; was

resisted

immediately by his

own

nominee,

of Bruce's invasion.

by the episode The Red Earl, accord),

O'Canannain,

whom

he deposed.

He gave

ing to Dr. Lynch (p. [249]

grandson, by the maternal
O' Conor sCrobhdearg.

was greatof Cathal

the country to Godfrey O'Donnell, and took

line,

hostages from O'Neill in 1248 ; but, in 1253,

O'Neill defeated the Lord Justice Fitzgerald

A daughter

of the

Earl was married to Robert Bruce, and another to Maurice Fitzthomas

aliances.

with great slaughter, and burned Dundalk

while, in 1257, Godfrey O'Donnell

met the

Some

loose statements in

two powerful modern

Lord Justice in single combat at the battle

of DrumclifF,

and respectable works, regarding the power

of

wounded him

severely,

de-

England in Ireland during the reign of

greater part of that
is

feated his army,

and drove the Geraldines

from Lower Counaught. Fitzgerald did not

survive this defeat.
to the O'Neills

Henry III. and the of Edward I., will, it

length of this note. " had Coke
said,

hoped, excuse the

Irish,

The

first terrible

blow

The

as

Lord

1259

Down, in but the O'Donnells had more than

was the

battle of

always a back-door in the

I.

North

"

before

James

their former power

down

to the year 1281,

On

the murder of the Earl of Ulster in

sheriffs

when Donnell og O'Donnell was

defeated

by

1333, royal

were appointed in his

Tyrone and the Ulster English,_a defeat which broke the power of both O'Neill and O'Donnell. It is manifest from the preceding sketch that, during 100 years after the
invasion, there

Ulster palatinate for the counties of

Down

and Newtown, of Coleraine, and of CarrickRot. Pat., 20 Ed. II., fergusand Antrim
7, 8,

apud Grace's Annals,

p.

103.

Ba-

these princes.

was no regular tribute from But in 1286 they were

is

ron Finglas, for Down and Coleraine, has Lekale and Tyrone (Harris, Hib., p. 103),

compelled to give hostages to the lied Earl

of Ulster
;

probably because Coleraine included the

baronies of Keenaght and Tirkeevan, west
of the Bann, granted to the Earl of Athol
in

and from that period to 1333

the lowest state of native power,

O'Neills,
to

when

the

though often resisting, were driven the bogs and mountains of Tyrone (Re-

1215 by King John

Connor,
p.

See Antiquities of

Down and

324.

210
tissimum
fore,

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

sed etiam se percupidum esse noscendi, quod pretium

si

ejus capiti statuat, ut constet,

fato aliquo iniquo ei

manus

inferatur,

qua mulcta caedes ejus expiari debeat, ut earn facilius a suis viritim exigat. Nostra vero memoria ager inter Dubliniensem et Wexfordiensem comitatus positus, ad O'Brinnos
ensis comitatus, et Hibernice de
et O'Tothelios olhn spectans, est
44
.

Wiclo-

Ut non falso Davisius dixerit: "duos Hibernise trientes ad avitarum legum normam administratas nondum comitatuum formam, aut nomen induisse, adeo
Kilmautain dictus

mox

iis more Anglico nullo pacto dici potuerit." Nee minus seque " idem, adjecit, legum Anglicanarum in Hibernia observationem milliarium finibus circumscribi, et hinc, turn vulgo exiguis viginti

ut jus in

dictum fuisse

eos, qui ultra Barham amnem Dublino triginta mille dissitum commorabantur, extra legum limites versari45." passus 46 Quid quod Angli suarum legum copiam Hibernis facere renuerint
,

et

non solum pro

cum

alienigenis illos sed etiam pro hostibus habuerint, universim Hibernos omnes, prseter quinque familias, et privates
suae adscriptionis inter

quosdam
Quinque

Anglos tabulas nominatim consecutos,

si

a suas Reip. communione non secus ac

familias

peregrini essent, arcuerunt.

immunitatem inter Anglos nactas Davisius his verbis " e publico tabulario decerptis nominat. Qui gaudent," inquit, "lege brevia portanda, sunt, O'Neil de Ultonia, O'MolaghAnglicana quoad lain de Midia, O'Connoghor de Conacia, O'Brian de Thomonia, et 47 MacMorogh de Lagenia ." Quod indultum inde nutare arguitur, quod
O'Nellus Kildaria3 comitis
filia?,

Edwardi IV.

.vigesimo, et Christi nati

1480 anno, matrimonio jungendus, lege a comitiis lata, civis inter Anglos jus, nulla memorati privilegii ratione habita, consecutus fuerit?
[21]

Quid autem
44

Hibernos in advenarum numero ab Anglis

pag. 188, 189.
early period,
46

collocates, et a
47

Davis, p. 211.

ibid., p. 83, et seq.

pag

84.

The English had, from an

The date

of these grants, the Editor

five

castles at

Arklow, Castlekevin, Baltinglass, and Wicklow. The last, in one of the rolls

believes,

has not been ascertained. The

bloods are mentioned in the Plea Rolls,

of

Edward
v

III., is called

a frontier.

A. D. 1310.

Davis,

p. 84.

Yet the

re-

The

precise limits of the counties at

monstrance of O'Neill to the Pope before

various epochs are not exactly known.

truth of Davis's assertion

The
by

Edward

Bruce's invasion, 1315, complains

is entitled

may be

tested

that no Irishman, lay or clerical,

the preceding notes.

to English law, "praelatis exceptis."

But

w See notes %

a
,

supra, p. 200.

some Irishmen were certainly

entitled to

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSI9 EVEESUS.

211

sum to be levied in penalty of his death, in order that it might be the more easily recovered, in the event of the sheriff being slain. It was within my own days that the territories of the O'Tooles and
or

O'Byrnes, lying between Dublin and Wexford, were formed into the
Irish, Kilmantain Truly, " that two-thirds of Ireland were gov verned by the ancient laws, and had not been reduced to shire-ground , either in reality or name ; so that in them the laws of England could

county

called, in English,

Wicklow, in

therefore, has Davis declared,

not possibly be put in execution." And with equal truth, he adds, " that, in Ireland, the King's laws were not obeyed immediately after, within twenty miles compass. Whereupon grew that byword used by the Irish, that they dwelt bywest the law who dwelt beyond the river
*

within thirty miles of Dublinw ." The English, moreover, treating the native Irish not merely as aliens, but as enemies, refused to extend to them the benefit of English
Barrow,' which
is

laws.
lies,

All the Irish indiscriminately, with the exception of five fami-

and a few individuals registered by name in the public records, were excluded, like aliens, from the rights of English citizenship.
Davis thus gives, from the public records, the names of the five famiwhich had acquired the rights of English law: "Those who are

lies

law" (quoad brevia portanda) "are, O'Neill of Ulster, O'Melaghlin of Meath, O'Conor of Connaught, O'Brian of Thomond, and Mac Murrough of Leinster x ." This privilege, as some say, can
entitled to English

hardly be reconciled with the fact that, when O'Neill was about to be married to a daughter of the Earl of Kildare in the year 1480, the
twentieth of

Edward

IV., he obtained

marry any of the English he

of the former privileged
English law so early as 1216
vol.
iii.

pleased, without

from Parliament permission to any mention being made

alien

But what more convincing proof of the

Moore,
varied in different charters, and

may

not

p. 14.

Similar grants occur in sue;

have included the right of intermarriage

if

ceeding reigns

and, in 1355, a defendant

is

pleads that a plaintiff Neale

five bloods

not of the
O'Neill's

Hist. Dis., p. 84.

215) or such right, was perhaps revoked by the Statute of Kilkenny, 1367, which prohibits
;

c (see note , infra, p.

granted,

remonstrance, perhaps, exaggerates the un-

such intermarriage without distinction. Intermarriage with the natives certainly took
place in the early period of English connex-

doubted fact of the general exclusion of the

Irish.
y

The extent

of English liberty granted

ion, and,

no doubt,

facilitated the invasion.

p2

212

CAMBRENSIS EVEBSUS.

[CAP.

III.

civium classe exclusos fuisse luculentius ostendit,

juris beneficio potiri ante

quam quod

Anglici

non poterant, quam

suse inter Anglicos inqui-

linos adscriptionis diploma impetrarunt48.

Aliquot ejusmodi diplomata Davisius exhibet: additque, si omnia ejusmodi scripta qujc in tabulariis prostant, suo libro inserere aggrederetur, spississimum ex iis volumen se conflaturum, cum eorum usus post Henricum Secundum ad Jacobum

regem continue coheerenterque frequentaretur. Hujusmodi concessionem a Thoma Butlero Kilmenanise Priore, et Hiberniae prorege (qui Henricum Quintum Harfluam obsidione cin49 gentem mille quingentorum Hibernorum subsidio juvit ) collatam, in situ et charactere vetustatem indicante nactus sum, quam membrane,

hie subjicio:

" Henricus Dei gratia rex Anglian et Franciae, et Dominus Hiberniae, omnibus balivis, et fidelibus suis ad quos presentes hae pervenerint,

quod nos volentes Symonem O'Kellii, Joannem filium Joannem filium Hugonis Hassan, et Richardum filium Rogeri Hassan,
salutem.
Sciatis
tioso,

Rogeri Hassan, de natione Hibernicale existentes favore prosequi grade gratia nostra speciali de avisamento dilecti nobis in Christo

fratris

Thomae de Bottiler Prioris Hospitalis S. Joannis Jerusalem in Hibernia Deputati charissimi fratris nostri Thomae de Lancastrte, Se;

nescalli Anglias,

locum nostrum tenentis

terras nostrae Hiberniae,

et

consilii sui concessimus,

quod

ipsi, et exitus sui, procreati et procre-

andi, liberi sint status, et liberae conditionis, et

canas habere, et
libere

iis

quod ipsi leges Angligaudere, ac per eas respondere et responderi et

tenementa
et alias possessiones quas-

emere

et vendere, ac terras,

cumque

modo quocunque adnecnon ad dignitates et beneficia ecclesiastica tarn spiritual ia quirere, quam temporalia promoveri, eaque habere et tenere, ac eis ut vere
inter Anglicos in feodo simplici, aut alio

Anglici gaudere possint absque impetitione nostra, haeredum vel ministrorum nostrorum quorumcunque, volentes quod ipsi aut eorum
aliquis vel haeredes sui, pro aliquibus terris seu teriernentis, per ipsos, seu eorum aliquem, ante haec tempora adquisitis, per nos, vel hasredes

nostros seu ministros quoscunque impetantur, turbentur in aliquo, seu Et ulterius statum, et possessionem, quam dicti Symon, graventur.

Joannes, Joannes, et Richardus habent in hujusmodi

Davis, pp. 85, 86.
49

terris,

per eos

Ibid., p. 72.

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS E VERSUS.

213

exclusion of the Irish from the rights of English laws than the fact, that no Irishman could enjoy them until he had been denizened by
special charter

among the English

colonists.

Davis gives some of those

charters, and observes, at the same time, that, were he to publish all of the same kind, he would require a large volume, as the practice of

kept up without any interruption from Henry II. to James the First. One of those charters has come into my possession. It was given Thomas Butler, Prior of Kilmainham, and Lord Justice of Ireland; by the same who commanded fifteen hundred Irish under Henry V. at the The form, paper, and characters are old: siege of Harfleur.
" Henry, by the grace of God, King of England and France, and Lord of Ireland, to all his sheriffs and faithful subjects in Ireland, to

issuing such charters was

whom these presents

;

shall come, greeting.

Know

that,

wishing to confer

some token of our favor on Simon O'Kelly; John, son of Roger Hassan John, son of Hugh Hassan ; and Richard, son of Roger Hassan,
we, by our special grace, with the advice being of the Irish nation, of our beloved brother in Christ, Thomas de Bottiler, Prior of the Hosall

pital of St.

John of Jerusalem, our Deputy

in Ireland,

and of our most

dear brother,

of England, our Lieutenant in our land of Ireland, as also of his council, have granted, that
condition, and

Thomas de Lancaster, Seneschal

they and their issue, born and to be born, shall be of free state and free may have and enjoy the English laws, and thereby plead and be impleaded, and freely buy and sell, and acquire lands and tenements, and
all other possessions whatsoever, among the English, in fee simple or in any other manner; also that they may be promoted to bene2 fices and ecclesiastical dignities whether spiritual or temporal, and may
,

have and hold and possess them, as very Englishmen, without hindrance from us or any of our heirs or ministers; willing that they, or any of them, or their heirs, should not be sued or molested, or disturbed, by
us or any of our heirs or ministers, for any lands or tenements acquired by them, or any of them, before this time. And also the state and possession

which the

said lands

said Simon, John, John, and Richard, have in the them, or any of them, acquired, we ratify and confirm, by

These patents were required to qualify

See

the Irish for Anglo-Irish benefices

Statute of Kilkenny for the same practice under Henry VIII. and his three children.

214

CAMBRENSIS EVEBSUS.

[CAP.

III.

seu eorura aliquem acquisitis, ratificamus, quibuscunque statutis aut ordinationibus in contrarium ante haec tempora factis non obstantibus.

In cujus
prsefato

rei

testimonium has

literas nostras fieri

fecimus patentes, teste

Deputato apud Caterlagh 27 die Aprilis anno Regni nostri duoSutton. Per petitionem per ipsum Deputation in Do duodecimo.
.

et private suo sigillo consignatum, et pro viginti solidis solutis in

hamperio." Si ad Anglorum tribtmalia de

nitatis suce productis
50

illatis sibi injuriis

querelas Hiberni

deferent, non impetrarunt ut sarcirentur

,

injuries, nisi tabulis

immu-

aut generis sui origine ex aliquo quinque supra memoratorum tribuum deducto ; quse si eum prsesidia defecisseiit, litem
ultra prosequi prohibitus causa protinus cecidit: quam rem probatis 51 Ita ut multo pejor fuerit affatim exemplis Davisius valid e corroborat
.

Hibernorum,

in suo natali solo conditio,

profecti, cui de accepto

quam

cujusvis advenaa hue

terra-

undecunque

damno conquerenti ubique

rum

aditus ad justitiam patuit.

Itaque puriputi Hiberni non in advenarum tantum, sed et in hostium numerum ab Anglis relati sunt52 Hinc meri Hiberni contra regem arma capientes, " hostium," Anglici vero idem facere aggressi " rebellium" nomine aiFecti sunt. Vetabantur nimirum Angli legum, con.

nubiorum, aut commercii societate

illis
53 poenae indictas sunt ,

cum Hibernis jungi.

Imo "graves

si

vel liberos suos enutriendos traderent aut

compaterm'tates (ut vulgo dicitur) cum iis, aut mercandi consuetudinem inirent, aut aditum his ad sua fora et nundinas aperirent." Et
so

Davis, p. 84.

51

Ibid., pp. 84, 86, 88.

52

Ibid., pp. 89, 92.

53

ibid.

To understand our

author's reasoning

the Statute of Kilkenny, the " Irish ene-

on this point, the reader must distinguish

the two classes of native Irish,
those who lived, or had occasion to

mie

"

namely,

phrase.

or " Enemys Irroies," is the ordinary " Felones " is also the usual terra

demand
Engtheir

for the Irish in

arms

in the Close

and Pat.

legal redress, in districts subject to

lish law,

Rolls during the same period; but under

and those who lived under

princes and the

and before Edward

II.,

" Hibernici qui de

is

own independent
b

Irish law.

guerra insurrexerunt

"

much more comgovern-

" In

all

the Parliament rolls which are

mon

than

''

felones."

Is it that

extant, from the

40 Edward

III.,

when the
till

ment waxed strong

Statutes of Kilkenny were enacted,

the

reign of
epithets

Henry VIII.,"

these distinctive

language as its real power diminished, or that the undoubted ascendancy of the English, under the Red
Earl,
to the Irish

in

were applied

to the King's

armed
After

opponents in Ireland

Davis,

ibid.

had taught them to use harsh names more liberally ?

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
all

215

this time to the contrary notIn testimony of which we have caused these our letters patent to be drawn ; witness, the aforesaid Deputy, at Carlow, the 27th day of April, in the twelfth year of our reign. Sutton. On petition

statutes

and ordinances made before

withstanding.

by said Deputy himself indorsed and sealed with his privy seal, and for twenty shillings paid into the hanaper." If the Irish demanded redress from an English tribunal for injuries done to them, they could have no redress unless they produced charters
of freedom, or traced their descent from one of the five above-mentioned
families.

Without such

dismissed.

titles they could not proceed ; their case was Davis cites several cases which place this custom beyond

a doubt.

Thus was the condition of the native

worse than that of a
settler,

Irish,

even on their

own
ter

from whatsoever quarof the globe he might come, for no nation ever refused him some
soil, infinitely

legal

mode of redress for his wrongs*. The mere Irish were therefore regarded not merely as aliens, but as Whenever the Irish appear in arms against enemies, by the English.

the King, they are styled the " Irish enemy ;" while, in similar circum" rebelsV For the stances, the English colonists are called English

were forbidden to marry c or trade with the Irish, or adopt their laws ; "nay, by divers heavy penal laws, they were forbidden to foster, or to

make
them
c

gossips with the Irish, or to have any trade or commerce with in the markets or fairs 6 ." The killing of an Irishman was not

Dr.

Lynch proves (chap,

Lacys,

xxviii. p.

qualify the

mere

Irish

for

intermarriage
p. 92.

[269]

) that the

De

Burgos, Fitz-

with the English

Davis,

re-

geralds, &c. &c.,

had intermarried with the

These

port presented to the Queen, A. D. 1599,

Irish during the thirteenth century.

complains of the prevalence of intermarriages

'

intermarriages are not cited as proofs of

Nugce Antiq.,

vol.

ii.

p.

295.

English degeneracy in the Statute of Kilkenny, A. D. 1295. Miscellany, Irish Arch. Soc., p. 22. Whence we may infer
that they were not then considered so dan-

See a dissertation on Irish gossipred

and fosterage in our Author.

p.

Chap.
for

xi.

[105].
*

It

was made penal

theEng-

lish

by the Statute

of Kilkenny, A. D. 1367.

gerous to English interests.

But by the

Statute of Kilkenny, 1367, and all subse-

This prohibition was specially and by a constant policy directed against the. sale
of arms to the Irish, even in times of peace,

quent enactments, they were prohibited under penalty of treason.

So

late as the

Statute

of Kilkenny,
p. 11.

p. 10.

The same

28 Henry VIII., it was enacted that even a charter of denization did not, of
itself,

statute forbade commercial intercourse with

the Irish

And, in

later ages,

any

216
csedes

CAMBRENSI3 EVERSUS.
Hiberno
illata,

[CAP.

III.

non capite aut supplicio extreme, sed mulcta, ad

"
rei confirmanda? causa, plura
.

legis Hibernicae

normam, luebatur. Cujus

Utpote illi quos Hibernia? gubernaculis moderandis Anglise Rex admovit, Hibernos ab Anglis perpetuo dissidio sejungere contenderunt, eo citra dubium spectantes, ut Hibernos tan-

Davisius exempla producit 54

dem
[22]

sedibus avitis penitus exturbarent.

Cujus voti cum

|

non potuerint, utraque

natio, quadringentos

fieri compotes annos continue et cohsz-

renter odiis discissa bello confligebat, adversis interim prospera utrin-

que radiantibus, nunc hac, nunc ilia parte suam victorias vicissitudinem referente 55." Nee alterufra pars finem ante concertandi, quam

Rex Jacobus initium regnandi

fecit.

Non
lesceret,

impetus ille martius in primis conflictibus ineaAnglos sicuti manibus sic etiam animis armatis in Hibernos
miror,
Davis, p. 89, et seq.
55

dum

ibid., p. 10.

Englishman buying or selling in the Irish markets of Granard, Longford, Cavan, &c.,

vol.

iii.

p. 76.

All the mere Irish, whether

monks,
e

priests, or prelates,

were practically
Ib.

was

subject to the loss of his goods

Ibid.,
is

out of the pale of English law

pp. 115, 117.

The reason

alleged

the

The Statute

of Kilkenny, A. D. 1367,
It exhibits,- in

same as that urged by English merchants

for the suppression

was enacted
its

in that spirit.

of a branch of Irish

trade in the reign of William III., namely,

English interests

See also svpra, p. 61.

same studied ingenuity in drawing the line between the mere Irish and the Anglo-Irish, that was exercised in
order, the

own

flourish ing

branch of contraband com-

-later ages in separating Catholic

and Pro-

merce on the borders of the Pale, in 1599,

testant.
h It

was
p.
f

in "

aqua

vitse."

NugceAntiq., vol.

ii.

does not appear that the Statute of

301.

Viewed

in itself merely, this

mode
was

of

Kilkenny contemplated the extirpation of the Irish but as Henry II. had disposed of
;

punishing murder could not have been

considered a grievance, because
it

all

Ireland to ten persons, they and their

in

representatives naturally regarded the mere

Irish as their prey, as

accordance with the Irish or Brehon law.

men who were unand the King

But from

O'Neill's
it

Remonstrance

to

Pope

justly defrauding themselves

John XXII.,
no
sin to kill

appears that some, even of

clergy,

of

England of his
'

rights.

the Anglo-Irish

believed

it

was

It

appears from the Irish and English

that there

an Irishman, and the com-

annals,

was perpetual war

in

mon
the

people

imbibe the
life

among the English might easily same opinion, when they found

Ireland during more than 400 years 'after

the invasion.
called a
It could not be

properly

of an Irishman valued merely at

war

of races, except perhaps during

some money, while their own was protected by the highest penalties of the law. Moore,

the

first

century, for English and Irish are

constantly found lighting under the same

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

217

rate

a fine called an eric, according to punished as a capital felony, but by f Davis produces several instances to corrobothe rule of the Irish law " that such as had' the " For it is he these facts.
.

manifest,"

says,

government of Ireland under the crown of England did intend to make a perpetual separation^ and enmity between the English and the Irish, should in the end root out the pretending, no doubt, that the English
not being able to do, caused a perpetual war ; which, the English between the nations, which continued four hundred and odd years', and would have lasted to the world's end." Victory decided alternately
Irish
11

for the contending parties

nor did either party renounce the battle

until

James
not
all

I.

ascended the throned

first

During the
I

heats of martial conflict between the two nations,

am

surprised that English hatred of Ireland was as fierce as

equal to the expense, that the whole adjacent territory should be assessed for the purpose."

banner, according to the varying interests of the rival lords

tions.

and princes of both naThis was the case even from the

The payment

of guides for the

Eng-

commencement.
J

lish hostings into Irish territories,

One

of the obstacles to the speedy re-

namely, " " and " spiagio," was a heavy guidagio

duction of Ireland, according to Sir

John

Davis (Discovery,

p.

132), was, that the

item in Pale expenditure. Davis, Hist. As a specimen of border Tracts, p. 215.

warfare,
castles
:

invaders did not castellate the woods and

we may mark
Fitzgerald,

the fate of three

mountains, and drive the natives into the

plains.

the castle of Sligo, built in 1245

The bogs and

forests

were the

sole

by Maurice
in 1265,

was besieged

in

strongholds of the natives in

many

places.

1257, and thrown down, with twelve others,

The Statute

of Kilkenny, A. D. 1296, gives a lively picture of the border warfare, and proves that even then the English power

1269
built

it

by O'Donnell erected again in was thrown down in 1271; re;

by the Earl

of Ulster in 1286.

Cael-

was declining
.Statute says,
rests

in districts

where

it

had been

uisge Castle,
caldwell,

on the Erne, near Castle-

" The Irish," the previously established. " in their thick fotrusting

partly built

by the English

in

1211, but immediately destroyed by O'Neill;

built in 12 12
;

and deep bogs, are becoming more

in

razed next year by the Irish

audacious, especially since the King's high-

rebuilt again in 1257, but razed the

same

way

is,

many

places, closed

rapid growth of the forests, and passable even to pedestrians.''

retreated securely to these bogs
it

up by the made imthe Irish

year

by O'Donnell.

Coleraine Castle,
;

built in

1214; razed in 1221

;

bridge and

As

a castle rebuilt in 1248

after Bruce' s invasion.

razed by the Irish

and woods, was ordered " that the lord of the forest,

A passing
;

view of

the Four Masters proves that the Irish were

through which the King's highway ran of old (' ab antique'), should keep the road
clear, or, if

never unresisting victims

but

it

would be

great error to suppose that they had a

com-

he and his tenants were not

bined plan of operations against the English.

218
irruisse.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

Ea enim non

est aggressoribus infrequens, in

assultuum

initiis,

consuetude, quae Didoni haec verba expressit,

" Res
dura, et no vitas regni

me

talia

cogunt

Moling"

Sed quod ardor

ille

simultatis diuturnitate

non intepuerit, ac

defer-

buerit, et pertinaciam Angli tandiu

non posuerint obstupesco.

fuerunt.

Non

enim apud ullam post homines natos nationem,

inimicitise in tarn Ion-

gum tempus
more longe
mento

data opera protractae

unquam

Romanes ab hoc

Illi enim, pluribus cultis et barbaris gentibus suse potestati subjectis, experi-

abiisse

locupletum scriptorum testimoniis constat.

edocti praestantiorem perficienda3 absolvendseque expugnationis

rationem cognoverunt.
instituta

Nee tamen unquam dubitarunt suas

leges et

cum

populis quantumvis barbaris et incultis a se devictis

communicare, quos, ubi sub Romanorum potestatem semel concesserunt, a suo patrocinio nunquam excluserunt. Imo de Julio Caesare mernoratur quod, qua vicit, victos protegit his verbis compellatur
:

ille

manu. Alius item imperator

" Fecisti patriam diversis gentibus unam, Profuit invitis te dominante capi,

Dumque offers victis proprii Urbem fecisti, quod prius

consortia juris
orbis erat."

videntia victos permiscuisset victoribus ?

Dicitetiam Seneca: "Quid hodie esset imperium, nisi salubris Conditor noster Romulus

(ait

57 apud Taciturn Claudius ) tantum sapientia valuit, ut plerosque populos eodem die hostes, deinde cives habuerit58 ." Exitio Lacedsemoniis, et

Atheniensibus, nihil aliud

bant. Livius

fuit, quam quod victos pro alienigenis arcerem Romanam auctam dicit, hostibus in civitatem receptis.

Exempla extant in
aliorum ex
Italia,

idem in curiam.

historiis Sabinorum, Albanorum, Latinorum, deinde donee postremo Cassar Gallos in triumphum duxit, " Gerialis in oratione ad Gallos apud Taciturn Ipsi
:

plerumque," inquit, "legionibus nostris prsesidetis ; ipsi has aliasque Et mox " proinde provincias regitjs ; nihil separatum clausumve."

pacem

et vitam,

quam

victi victoresque

eodem jure obtinemus, amate,

59 colite ."

56

jEneid,

i.

Annal.

i.

^8

De Ira.

& Hist.,

lib. iv.

CIIAI*. III.]

CAMBRENSIS E VERSUS.
Such
is

219
usually the case with

English arms on the Irish battle-field.

invaders in the
first flush

of conquest: thus Dido says,

"My
Compels

cruel fate

me

thus to guard

my

unsettled state."

But

that time could not slacken or cool

down

the fiery ardor of this

hatred, that English obstinacy should be eternal, is truly astonishing. Never, since the creation of the world, were hostile feelings so syste-

matically kept alive for such a length of time in any other nation. The policy of the Romans, we know from innumerable authorities, was of

For by the subjugation of many nations, quite a different character. barbarous and civilized, they learned by experience the best mode of completing and consolidating their conquests. How barbarous or uncivilized soever the

enemy might

be,

of

Roman

rights and institutions

when he became a Roman

he was admitted to a participation subject; and

was not excluded from protection so long as he was faithful in his alle" that the same hand that conquered giance. It was said of Julius Caesar,
protected the conquered."
" Of

And

another emperor was thus addressed:

;

many

nations thou hast formed one state

:

Reluctant captives bless their happy fate

Rome o'er the conquered earth her laws extends And thus the world with the city blends." ** What now would be our empire," asks Seneca, " if a politic foresight had not moulded the victors and vanquished into one people ?
;

Romulus, our founder (as Claudius says in Tacitus), was so consummate a politician, that most of his enemies became his citizens on the
very day of battle." The exclusion of the conquered from the rights of citizenship was the most fatal defect in the political system of the Sparwhile, on the other hand, the Roman power was extended by the admitting of enemies to the freedom of Rome, as Livy assures us, and as indeed is sufficiently obvious from the history of the

tans and Athenians

Sabines, Albans, Latins, and other states of Italy, and even of Gaul,

which were installed in the senate by the hand of their conquerors. Cerialis, in his oration to the Gauls (according to Tacitus), tells them
:

are generally under your command ; you govern these and other provinces ; there is no exclusion, no bar against your promotion.

"

Our legions

Let us therefore love and enjoy that rank and peace to which victors and vanquished have the same legal right."

220

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

Roman! certe coloniis alioque deductis septimam tantum agri partem indigenis ademptam inter colonos partiti sunt. Colonise vero leges vel a populo Romano acceperunt, vel ipsae sibi per senatum aut popu-

lum
tiani

condiderunt, prout incolarum,

quorum contubernio deinde

illos

uti oportuit, moribus accommodatius esset.

Romanoruni vestigiis ChrisLusitani,

quoque, in soeietate

cum

victis ineunda, institerunt.

post Indias Orientales sub ditionem suain armis redactas, et colonias in

iis rite

constitutas, matrimonii, et fcederum vinculis, amorisque

nexu
inviti

adeo

sibi indigenas obstrinxerunt,

ut hi iam ultro sub illorum iniperio

concesserint,

imo

in

unam cum

illis

gentem coaluerint,

et

non

leges illorum amplexi fuerint.

Castellani etiam Indos Occidentales in simile quoque legum connubiorumque consortium pari eventu adsciverunt. Ut non immerito

Davisius conqueratur " Anglicam Hibernicse Reipub. administrationem turpi labe fbedatam fuisse, quod suas leges cum Hibernis, quinquaginta
:

supra trecentos annos, non communicarunt, et in eorum prsesidio per-

fugium
niti,

illos

nanscisci

non permiserunt.
toti

Etenim

juris tutela

non mu-

injuriis

quibuscunque

patuerunt; ita ut Anglis in eorum

Non ergo in reprehensiograssari licuerit. venire poterunt, si, sui sarti tectique conservandi [23] causa, hostes se quam acerrimos Anglorum prsebuerint, si ei regi tanquam supremo suo domino deferre obsequium renuerunt. Si Anglovitam, et fortunas

impune

nem ullam Hiberni

rum

congressu et mcenibus Hiberni prohibit! fuerint, et illorum urbes subeuntibus capitis et bonorum jactura impendent, quo se alio quam
in sylvarum,

potius barbariem

paludum, ac montium recessus recipere poterant, ubi quam ullam morum culturam imbibere proclive habe-

bant?"
Facessaiit igitur isti scriptores Anglici, qui

fucum aperte

lectoribus

faciunt

dum
is

in libris et

geographicarum tabularum
For the
l

oris nihil crebrius

This

not strictly exact.

murder of the

Irish in the English country

State,

The Anglo-Irish laAv, in Church and was in many respects strikingly si-

there was, in theoiy at least, a fine imposed.

See note?, supra,

p.

216, and Misc. Irish

as to the indepen-

milar to the penal code of lateWfiges, if you " " mere Irish." for substitute " Catholic

Arch. Soc.j
dent
Irish,

p. 32.

And

See notes to Dedication, suprh,

p. 54.

the Anglo-Irish were prohibited

m Stanihurst
sixteenth

describes, as existing in the

under heavy penalties from injuring or molesting

century,

a class of Irish who

them

in time of peace

Ibid., p. 20.

owned no

subjection either to the native

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBBENSIS EVERSUS.

221

When colonies were planted by Rome, not more than a seventh of the lands was taken from the natives and conferred on the colonists.
The laws of the colony were either adopted from the Roman people, or enacted by the colonial senate and democracy, according to the peculiar character of the people amongst whom the colony was planted. Chrissound principles of Roman colonization. the Portuguese had conquered the East Indies, and planted colonies, they won the affections of the natives to such a degree, by intertian states carried out these

When

marriages and other social ties, that India gladly submitted to a foreign sceptre, became one people with her conquerors, and willingly embraced
their laws.

TheCastilians were equally fortunate in the West Indies.

They inter-

married with the natives, and gave them the rights of Spanish citizen" This I note as, a ship. Justly, therefore, does Davis complain: great defect in the civil policy of this kingdom, in that, for the space of three

hundred and

fifty years, at least, after the conquest first attempted, the English laws were not communicated to the Irish, nor the benefit and For as long as they were out of protection thereof allowed unto them. the protection of the law, so as every Englishman might oppress, spoil,

and

kill them without control*, how was it possible they should be other than outlaws and enemies to the crown of England? If the King would

not admit them to the condition of subjects,

how

acknowledge and obey him

as their sovereign?
1

When

could they learn to they might not

enter into any town or city without peril of their lives, whither should they fly but into the mountains and woods, and there live in a wild and

barbarous manner" ."

1

Contempt on those English writers,

from England.
Irish princes or the

who

their readers into the belief that Irish civilization

shamelessly attempt to fool was derived exclusively

They may write the cheat

English lords, but con-

in their books,

and register
Four Masters, The

among
vol.
ii.

the native Irish

p.

federated in the

woods and bogs, and lived De Rebus Hiber., by rapine and plunder In an ancient Life of St. Ita, a p. 52.
similar class is described as " sylvestres

1547

and

see note <*there.

Irish chieftains of the

Anglo-Norman pecastles

riod

had

their
e
,

market-towns and
p.

(supra, note
fortresses

215)

but their principal

islands,

Hiberni."

Colgan, Ada Sanct., Jan. 15. " wood kerns " of Probably they were the

were the bogs,

and

forests,

to

which English law and

civilization had.

the English writers, called

ceicipn coille

driven them.

222
inculcant,

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

debere,
altius

quam Hibernos Anglis cultiores suos mores acceptos referre cum omnes potius virium ac ingenii nervos ad barbariem illis

inserendam hi saepe intenderint, nihil magis in votis habentes,

quam ut indomitam illi feritatem semper spirarent. Imo spurcitiem omnem illis Anglorum conatus infixisse dicendus est, qui per priora ilia tempora, Hibernos a cultiorum hominum contubernio ad incultos
recessus ; per posteriora, a Catholica fide ad hasresim abigere contendebant. Ut qui religionis Catholics scita, non ab Anglis, sed aliunde sua nuper industria perceperunt ; neque cultiorem institutionem ab Anglis
olim, sed aliunde

quoque sua
si

Analectes,
si

"

illis

se assentiri negaverit, qui in

;

quid laudis aut honoris

;

comparasse dicendi sunt. Ut recte hac tota gente (Hibernica) quid honestatis aut virtu tis si quid ingenii,
solertia
;

cultus, aut literatures

si

quid urbani, decori, splendidi, reperire sit, id

totum refundant in Anglicani imperii moderamen, et prudentiam" cu60 jus rei rationes deinde promit . Nee Angli de Hibernis aliqua cultura
imbuendis laborasse olim
visi sunt:

cum ab Academiis

(quae cultiore

quaque institutione juventutem excolunt) in Hibernia constituendis

eo

Pars

l a , p. 156, et sequen.

n
rite

This

is still,

as

it

has ever been, a favowriters,

rantibus et obsistentibus Hibernis, initium

theme with English

and with

a monasteriis ductum

est.

Sicut autem Oc-

those natives of this island, who, in the

tavianus Caesar Romanara urbem lateritiam

reperit,

language of the old Parliaments of the " Pale, regard themselves as Englishmen born in Ireland."
Dr. Lynch,
himself,

reliquit
ille

eorum quos
bitatores
clesias

marmoream sic majores " recentiores Hiberniae hadomos

'

"

appellat, Hiberniae

et ec-

though he does

full justice to

the native

Irish in this work,

expresses the feelings

quas ligneas repererant saxeas et marmoreas fecerunt et per eosdem cultiores

seu civiliores multo

of the degenerate English colonist, in his Alithonologia.

quam

antea fuerant

Thus, after extolling- the

magnificence and piety of the chief AngloIrish nobles,

mores sunt inducti atque artes in ilia loca " quse erant occupata ab Anglorum colonis.'

he writes

"Nee memoratae
'

(Lombard,

in Commen.')

" Ita ut ap-

tantum
niis

familiae sed et alia? pleraeque, colo-

ex Anglia ductis

procreatae, condendis

cum Cajetano episcopo dici possit posit inhumanum esse peregrinos eos appellate
qui de civitate optime merit! sibi patriam

cagnobiis et*Hibernia3 cultioribus sedificiis

exornanda? curam et opes impenderunt.

Ecclesise antiquitus in Hibernia e robore
fieri

obnoxiam

beneficiis fecerunt.'

"

Dr. Lynch

consueverunt

nee alia materia ad aedes

wrote this passage in 1656; but he takes a different view of the influence of the English

extruendas adhibita fuisse videtur.

Non

on Irish civilization in our Cambrensis

vero diu ante Anglos Hiberniam aggressos fabricarum e lapide construendarum, mi-

Eversus.

Stephen White has a strong passage

CHAP.
it

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

223

wise.

over and over in their geographical statistics" ; but facts speak otherAll the might of English arms, all the devices of English policy,

barism.

were called into play to plunge the Irish into the abyss of the worst barThe grand object of the English appears to have been to evoke

in the native Irish a spirit of tameless ferocity.

Nay, all the blemishes spawn of that English barbarism, which, in former times, hunted the natives from the walks of civilized man to and, in those days, would dragoon them into savage lurking-places
of Irish character are the
,

heresy from the Catholic faith. As well might you attribute to English missionaries that Catholic faith which, in those modern times, is

imbibed by the Irish from a different source, as attribute to English intercourse the Irish civilization of former times, which was the genial

growth of the Irish

those

of the Analecta justly ridiculed the Irish nation had anything worthy of praise or honor, any decency or virtue, any genius, mental culture, or civilization, any refinement, renown, or glory ; all was to be attributed
soil.

The author
if

who

asserted,

" that

to English position.

government and influence." He assigns the grounds of his In former ages the English took no trouble to develope the
15

resources of Ireland in any department

on this subject (Apologia, MSS. cap. v. " fol. 27) Denique universim monstrabo
:

for so hostile

were they

to col-

tween the Irish and the Anglo-Irish chieftains, and which was for so many ages
continued in Ireland, was fatal to the progress of the arts
;

quidquid a 400 aut amplius annis postre-

mis

istis

in Ibernia fuit sive ruditatis in fide

and, with very few ex-

sive remissionis in pietate et cseteris rebus

sincerae religionis,

ceptions, the architecture, sculpture,

and

sive defectus in studio

as exhibited in our illuminated manuscripts

painting, not merely ceased to keep pace

bonarum

litterarum,

totum

id

natum atque
in

profectum ex tyrannica invasione, vastatione,

occupatione Iberniae facta

primum
patres,
et

improvement with those arts in England, and other Christian countries, but, as our

circa

annum

Sal.

1170 per
Gyraldi

fratres,

monuments
most

prove, gradually declined alp.

affines

Silvestri

Cambrensis
illis

to utter extinction

315.

See also

alios praedones

plurimos qui

sese spe

in O'Neill's Remonstrance, an appalling

picture of the demoralizing effects of AngloIrish dominion.
P

lucri et

fundendi sanguinis Ibernorum ad-

junxerunt

flamma

et

ejusdem Gyraldi cognati ferro, mera dominandi aliis libidine-*

Indeed, no person

Dr.

Lynch does not

allude to the Sta-

Iberniam, invaserunt."

tute of Kilkenny, 1367,

which excluded

can

rise

from the perusal of Mr. Petrie's

the native Irish from all churches, benefices,

ing the truth of his assertion

Essay on the Round Towers without feel" That the

:

and monasteries, wherever England had

power. That statute, which was constantly
enforced,

struggle for dominion, which ensued be-

must have operated against the

224

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

" dum aliquando ea de re, etiam Catholico tantopere abhorruerint, ut, in Concilio AngliaB propositio fieret, obstiterit acerrime unus tempore,
e primariis Senatoribus, et ipse quidem Celebris Episcopus ; quern cum " mirari, se quod is utpote Episcopus postea alius quidam admoneret, Catholicus tarn sanctum atque salutare opus impediret ;" respondit ille

"
se,

non ut Episcopum Catholicse

Ecclesiae,

sed ut Senatorem Regni

istud impeAngliaj, sententiam istam in concilio protulisse, qua opus diretur." Quod bene se forte liaberet, si in concilio Dei et Sanctorum, quando de Episcopo severior daretur sententia, ab ea, pari possit acu-

mine senator
"

61 liberari ."

Quod

"
si," inquit,

Sed ad Davisium denuo auditum vertamus. Angli advent eadem Eeip. compage secum Hiber-

nos necti, et earundem legum usu potiri, rebus pacatis, noluerint, nee
bello eos comprimere valuerint, hi profecto non poterant non esse continuo in illorum oculis stimuli, et in lateribue aculei ita ut Hibernise
:

62 expugnandas nullus unquam finis fieri potuerit ." Nee tamen diuturni dissidii culpa in Hibernos conferenda est qui ab 63 Anglise Eege demissis precibus multoties efflagitarunt , ut universi
ei 62 63

Commen.,

p.

257.

Pag. 97.

Pag. 93,

et seq.

native Irish, as the Penal

Laws
in the

against

they, like all colonies

their grievances,

or garrisons,
it

had

education in modern times operated against

Catholics, the

and

is

probable they

Church being,
art.

middle

\vould confine to themselves all the benefits

of an Irish university.

ages, almost the sole repository of learning,

civilization,

They oppressed the

and

The law did not ex;

native Irish, and were in turn oppressed by

tend to the native Irish establishments

but, in the prostrate state of the country,

England, a system which, under different forms and names, was re-established or perpetuated by the Reformation. Like the sun
in the

they, being always exposed to a royal hosting, could not enjoy

any

security, nor

do

Carmen

Sceculare, but not with his

more than keep alive a gion and learning.

i

faint

gleam of

reli-

genial influence, the fate of Ireland, under

England, ever varies, and

"
JNasceris.

is still

the same

The
:

Irish also adopted this exclusive

svstem
its

but whether

self-defence, or as

aliusque et idem

originators, does not appear.

So early
It appears clearly
Strarice, that,

as 1250, the

monks
all

of Mellifont excluded

from O'Neill's Remon-

from their house

attempts

English.

Of the many

though such men as Nicholas

A. D.

made

to found a university in Ire-

Mac Maelisa, Archbishop of Armagh,

land before the sixteenth century, the Editor

1272, 1303, occasionally resisted the oppressors of Ireland, the clergy were geiie-

knows not

to

which Lombard

alludes.

This grievance, the want of literary instifor tutions, pressed on the Anglo-Irish
;

Though they were robbed of their lands and privileges, and

rally too obsequious.

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

225

which the Irish youth would have cultivated their talents, when a proposal was made on that subject, in the English Council, even in Catholic times, it was vehemently opposed by one of the prinleges in

that

cipal

members of Parliament, who was himself

a celebrated Catholic

interrogated on the matter, by a person who expressed his astonishment, how a Catholic bishop could obstruct so useful and
bishop.

When

" that when he gave his vote in Council holy a project, he answered, the project, he acted not as a Catholic bishop, but as a member against
of the English Parliament^" This, perhaps, might answer very well; when the Council of God and his saints pronounced the severe sen-

if,

tence on the bishop, the same subtle distinction could save the senator. But to return to Davis: "If," he says, "the English could neither in

peace govern the Irish by law, nor could in war root them out by the sword, must they not need be pricks in their eyes and 'thorns in their
sides
till

the world's end: and so the conquest be never brought to per-

fection."

Irish,

The blame of this perennial discord cannot be thrown upon the who often petitioned the King of England most earnestly to be
1
"

cers,

and imprisoned by the royal offithey were sunk, says O'Neill, in such abject fear, that they dared not complain
arrested

the Invasion, that

is,

until 1372, the Irish

would gladly have embraced English law, implying thereby that they were not of the

to

the
iii.

Pope
p. 74.

Moore, Hist, of Ireland,

vol.
r

same opinion in subsequent would be more true to say

early part of the reign of

times.
that,

But

it

from the
I.,

That the

Irish

would voluntarily sur-

Edward

A. D.

own laws for those of England, no man, who knows their history, can berender their
lieve.

1272,

down

to the

murder of the Earl of

cited

The numerous patents of denization by Davis, as granted by the Crown to

it is

Ulster in 1333, the Irish would generally accept with gratitude English law, because,

during that period, they were reduced very

low.

native Irish at their request, are no proofs

of any such general wish, until

They
I.

offered

8000 marks

to

Ed;

proved

ward

for the benefit of

English law

that the petitioners were not natives of the

similar petitions

were addressed to EdIII.,

English

districts.

In those

districts,

men

ward
effect
;

II.

and Edward

but without
to

would naturally wish to have the protection of English law but that all the na;

the Anglo-Irish nobles,

whom

the kings referred the petitions, being op-

tive Irish sighed, as Dr.

centuries,
to

Lynch

says, during

posed to the concession for reasons stated,

infra.
fers to

be delivered from the yoke of

O'Neill, in his Remonstrance, re-

the Brehons, does not appear from our history.

a petition which the Irish seat over

Davis,

whom
200

Dr. Lynch follows,

years, at least" after

in his time, for a fair distribution of the

that for "

lands between the two races.

He also com-

226
legum Anglicarum
tes,
:

CAMBBENSIS EVERSUS.
patrocinio,
etiara turn

[CAP.

III.

non secus ac Angli Hiberniam incolen-

Hibernian partem exciperentur non solum dominatione, sed etiam possessione tenerent, quatuor tanturn comitatibiis

cum multo maximam

Anglorum imperio parentibiis aliis triginta in Iliber64 Imo ducentos post expugnationem Ilibernise ab Henrico II. inchoatam annos, solicitationcm eandem impigre, irrito 'semper eventu, continuarunt. Altero post regnum ab Edwardo III. initum annof 5 qui in annum Christ! 1327 incidit, Rcgem Edwardum

norum

potestate positis

'

enixe orant, ut habitis in Hibernia comitiis, lege sanciretur, legum Anglicarum beneficium aequo jure ad genuinos Hibernos et inquilinos

Anglos emanaret, quo singulis immunitatis suse tabulas nominatim postea impetrare opus non esset quam rem literis ad Proregem Hiber:

Joannem Darcseum datis, Rex ad procerum Hibernise concilium 66 Nee alio spectarunt Hiberrii cum Richardo II. fasces submitretulit
nise
.

terent67 , ac Thornse de LancastrTa, Leonardo Graio, Antonio Saintleger Hibernise proregibus obsequium deferrent, quam ut legum Anglia? com-

Henrico VIII. trigesinmm quartum regni referrent. O'Donellus Willelmd Skeffingtono 68 Hibernia? proregi agente An[24] significavit sibi, suisque clientibus gratissimum esse ut legum
iis

munionem ab

annum

glia?

administratio ipsis gubernandis adhiberetur.

65

Eodem quoque
68

Davis, p. 101.

Ibid., p. 93.

Ibid., p. 94.

67

Ibid., p. 95.

ibid.,

p 95.
.

plains that the English, then in the height

of Ireland, which Mr.

Moore understands of

of their power, had deprived

all their

them

of nearly

those only

who

lived under the English, or

native laws, and substituted the

near their marches.

iii.

Hist, of Ireland, vol.

frightful code of which,

he gives some proiii.

p. 35.
"

visions
*

See Moore, vol.

p. 75.

It

would be

difficult to

prove that the

This refers probably to the time of Leonard Grey and Anthony St. Leger, under

Irish
*

had a

serious notion of

embracing

English law under Richard

Henry VIII. I know not what our author means by thirty-four counties. 1 The King's answer is given by Davis, The petition was made, ex parte, p. 94.
"

though they certainly acknowledged him as their

II.,

liege lord.

very little

visits to Ireland produced on the natives. They con-, sented to hold their lands under him but effect
;

His

quorundam hominum de Hibernia,"

know

not on what authority Davis as-

fonn which does not resemble a general appeal of the nation.

serts they

asked for the general promulga-

Neither did petitioners

tion of English law.

their lands

royal grant for

for

beg that English law be enforced, but that all who wished might enjoy it. The petition
to

would be a security

them

Edward

I.

was from

the

"Communitas"

Anglo- Irish enemies; but English law would deprive them of many
against
their

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

227

received under the protection of the

in Ireland;

same laws as his English subjects and that at a time when the Irish enjoyed not only the of far the greater part of Ireland, sovereignty, but the actual possession to the other four". namely, thirty counties, the English being confined Even about two hundred years after the invasion of Ireland by Henry II.

they presented the same earnest petition, but always with the same reIn the second year of Edward III. -they humbly petitioned that sults.

monarch, that a law might be enacted in the Irish Parliament, conferring on the native Irish the benefits of English laws enjoyed by the English colonists, and thus dispensing with the necessity of special charters of denization
1
.

The King,

in a letter to

John Darcy, Lord Justice of

In
all

Ireland, referred the matter to the council of his Irish barons.

the

submissions, both to Richard

II.

and

to the

Lords Justices, Thomas of

Lancaster

v
,

Leonard Grey w and Anthony

,

St. Leger*, the Irish stipulated

English law. In the thirty-fourth year of the reign of y Henry VIII., O'Donnell intimated to William Skeffington Lord Justice of Ireland, that he and his subjects would be most happy to have
for the rights of
,

the administration of English laws introduced into their country.

profitable rights of the Irish chieftain.
far'

The

So

that "

Ormonde counted on

their loyalty

from abolishing Irish law, the King

just so long as the royal

army remained

stipulated that O'Neill should restore the " bonnaght" to the Earl of Ulster ; he also

amongst them."
* St.

mentions two distinct classes of

Irish

Irish,

" the

of his

Moore, vol. iii. p. 278. Legerwas more fortunate than most He saw Irish lords predecessors.
titles,

enemy" and "the Irish rebels," of which the former, we may believe, had no
wish
to receive

accepting English
Irish Parliament,

and

sitting in the

and renouncing the auin 1541.

any favor

at

His Majesty's
iii.

thority of

Rome,

But the subse-

hands
v

Moore's History, vol.

quent history of most of them, or of their

successors, does not exhibit a deep attach-

TJie Rolls merely

mention that a few

O' Conor, &c.

Irish chieftains,
&c.,

MacMahon,

ment

for the

new

order of things.
St.

The

sort

bound themselves by indenture before

of English

law established by

Lancaster, to be liege-men of the

King

of

the Irish districts

may

Leger in be known from

England, which does not of

itself

imply

note
y

?,

supra, p. 203.
is

cal subjection to the English

any other English law than that of politiCrown.

w Lord Grey

This act of O'Donnell

represented by

the Four Masters as a league with Skeffington.

made a

military progress

The covenant, according

to Davis,
:

through a considerable part of Ireland, and

extorted indentures of submission from several Irish chiefs; but their desire for
lish

implied a promise to adopt English laws " Si Dominus Rex velit reformare Hi-

Eng-

berniam."

O'Donnell was then in league

law

may

be estimated from the fact,

against O'Neill.

Q2

228

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

Ilenrico VIII. trigesimum quartum regni annum nondum praetergresso, O'Briinni rogarunt nt sua ditio ad comitatus formam revocaretur et comitatus Wickloensis nomen gereret69, sed tantam Hibernorum seduli-

tatem Anglicorum in Hibernia procerum summa pertinacia cassam fecit, " exitiosum esse si qui regem Angliae adduxerunt ut crederet legum

Anglicarum communio Hibernis impertiretur, et magis e re sua esse ut pro alienigenis et hostibus haberentur, continuoque bello infestarentur 70 ."
Nonnulli fortasse dicent proceres istos ideo dissuasisse ne cum Hibernis pax iniretur ut continuse contentionis cote ferrum suae virtutis acuerent, ne sitim scilicet et rubiginem arma sentirent, veriti ut ipsos
vel desidia faceret imbelles, vel

pugnandi dissuetudo

militias imperitos,

Scipionis Nasicse sententiam amplexi Carthaginis eversionem dissuadentis, ne ilia diruta Romanse juventutis industria potius languesceret,

quam

stante acueretur

cum
filii

Israaalitse

".ut discerent

eorum

prsesertim in sacris literis moneantur certare et habere consuetudinem

71 prasliandi ."

animis insedit.

"Verum de hujusmodi causis ne cogitatio quidem eorura Consilii vero jam memorati auctores ideo regi fuerunt

ut qusestui suo maxime prospicerent " Hibernis enim

obsequii et amicitise fcedere coeuntibus,
illi

cum

rege Angliae
con-

pertimuerunt ne immunitatem

non

sciscirentur et inter Regis subditos relati

in Hibernia
70

eadem omnino

ditione

cum Anglis
69

cbmmorantibus fruerentur, turn fore ut

71

Davis, p. 95.
if seriously

Ibid., p. 117.

Ind., c.

iii.

v. 2.

The

petition,

made, was

not at that time, nor before half a century and during that later, carried into effect
;

wished for English laws because they made no stipulation against a sheriff, the appoint-

ment

of such

an

officer in

an Irish

district,

period, the
lish

most valiant opponents of Engpower, their means and numbers conwere the O'Byrnes of the Moun-

before the middle of the sixteenth century,

being a measure not contemplated by English or Irish. Political subjection, or treaties

sidered,
tains.

of peace, or simple tribute, were generally

must be stated that Davis (whose object was to flatter King James) declares
that, except the great

a It

the subject of the international diplomacy between them before the compositions and

Hugh

O'Neill, Earl

surrenders accomplished
Elizabeth.
b

in

the reign

of

of Tyrone, no Irish prince, in

making terms,

stipulated that a sheriff should not be ad-

Historians unanimously ascribe the

mitted into his territory, and that all were

exclusion of the natives from English law

to the Anglo-Irish

anxious to be governed by the laws of Eng- r land. But it does not follow that they

aristocracy,

who

con-

stantly resisted every such petition, even

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

229

the same period, that their O'Byrnes petitioned Henry VIII. also, about be formed into an English county with the style and country might But these anxious wishes of the Irish a were title of Wicklow county".
x

by the persevering hostility of the Anglo-Irish barons, who " that it was unwise to communicate the laws of persuaded the King to the Irish that it was the best policy to hold them as aliens England b and enemies, and to prosecute them with a continual war ."
blasted
;

Perhaps some person

may

suggest that the object of these lords, in

dissuading conciliatory measures, was, to have a permanent battle-field for the exercise of their military virtue, and keep away the rust and bluntness from their swords. They feared, perhaps, that idleness might

make them
field
;

effeminate, and a long cessation of

war

unfit

them

for the

like Scipio Nasica,

who voted
its

lest

the

Roman

youth, after

against the destruction of Carthage, fall, might lose that incitement to mili-

may be referred also tary virtue which a rival city would inspire. " that their to the exhortation addressed to the Israelites in Scripture,
But sons should learn to fight, and to accustom themselves to battle." motives of this kind had not the slightest influence on those Irish lords.
Self-interest, the

We

advancement of their own sordid views, were the

real

motives of the advice they gave to the King. They were afraid that if the Irish were received into the King's protection, and made liege-men and free subjects, and placed on the same footing as the English of Ireland
,

the laws of England would establish

the authority of the
of this policy are
butes,

them

in their possessions
profitable to the lord

by

when recommended by Crown. The motives

variously accounted

was more

than

for.

Some

are stated

He considered himself inEnglish law. vested with all the rights of the dispossessed
Irish chieftain,

by Dr. Lynch

in the

words of Davis, who,

and sometimes obtained a

;

together with all the English writers of his

confirmation of that right

that
is,

day, was as severe on the Anglo-Irish aristocracy as other English writers have been

the

by royal charter King authorized him to govern

Irish law.

the Irish

by

passage of an

on the
beth,
c

by ElizaJames, Cromwell, and William III.

p. 84,

Irish aristocracy created

old writer (cited in the Tribes

and Cuspeculiarly

toms of Hy- Many,

valuable, because
it

p. 139),

is

A valuable note to Grace's Annals,

describes the condition

assigns

some of the principal motives on

of the tributary Irish,

when English power

which the Anglo-Irish lords resisted the extension of English law to the natives. The

was
sion.

in the ascendant, before Bruce's inva-

During that war, O'Madden had been

his fidelity,

Brehon law, with its erics, and bonaghts, and cuddies, and cusherings, and other tri-

faithful to his chief lord, the Earl of Ulster,

and obtained, as the reward of

230
indigenis avitorum

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
agrorum

[CAP.

III.

possessio concessione regia confirmaretur

formam induerent; aliqui ad honores et dignitates eveherentur, omnes in libertatem 72 vendicarentur, et legibus obnoxii fierent Quare cum earn potestatis
ditiones certis lirnitibus definitae comitatus
.

eorum eorum

amplitudinem quam
coercitum
iri,

fingebant, majoribus augustiis et arva ab Hibernis turn insessa quibus inhiabant, largi-

sibi cogitatione

tione regis, et diplomate in se pridem collata ex

pra3viderent

unguibus ereptum iri (Rex enim Anglia? Hiberniam universam inter decem opti-

mates Anglos exciscebatur, qui licet possessione ne tertiam quidem Hibernise partem, titulo tamen totam complectebantur, ut niliil reli-

quum
bant."

fuit

dominari

73 quod in indigenas conferretur ) in perturbata republica, se in pacata dignitatis et emolumenti jacturam facere malequam

Quare rationibus hactenus fuse adductis liquido patet genuinos

nisi tardissime

Hibernos legibus Anglise non

Quod siquispiaminStanihurstisententiam

obtemperasse. pertinacius abeat dicen-

tis exploratissimum peracta? expugnationis indicium esse, si gens victa vincentis vestitui, lingua, ac legibus se accornodet, eumdem fateri opor-

Anglos potius sub Hibernorum, quam Hibernos sub Anglorum imperium concessisse; quandoquidem Hibernis nulla vestium, linguaa, aut
tet

legum communio cum Anglis

et leges

intercessit,

Hibernis familiares

sic

Angli vero sermonem, vestitum amplexi sunt ut Angliag consuetudinem

in tribus hisce capitibus penitus dereliquerint ; Davisio dicente

"mag-

nates Anglicos

legum Anglicauarum administrationem

72

suis ditiouibus

Davis, p. 117.

73

Ibid., p. 110.

"that the third

of his province should be

;

established

by James

I.,

who admitted
But

all

under the control of himself and his sons

to the benefits of English law.

the
it

that no English steward should preside over

his Gaels
;

old spirit survived, as. in

modem

times

and that

his stewards should be

has often survived, though the law that

created
dell
it

over the English of the entire territory,"

privileges not granted to the other Gaels of

had been repealed.

zealous exertions to

When

Be-

made

draw over
reli-

Erin

also,

" that

O'Mad den and

their heirs

his tribes

the native Irish to the established

gion,

should have equal nobility (of blood) with

his chief lords

"he was

violently opposed

by many,"
" be-

and

;**

the princi-

says his contemporary biographer,

cause he endeavoured to

ple usually enforced by these lords having " that the Gael was been, ignoble, though a

make

the con-

landholder

and that the Saxon was noble,

quered and enslaved Irish capable of proferment in Church and State, which was
the portion of the conquerors; which no did ever'so

though without education or lands." p.142. Davis boasts that this principle was
ll

man

much

as once attempt before

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

231

their countries into counties, ennoble grants from the crown, reduce d some of them, and enfranchise all, and make them amenable to the law ;
all which would have abridged and cut off a great part of that greatness which those Anglo-Irish lords promised to themselves. They foresaw that the lands then held by the Irish, and which had formerly been con-

ferred

on themselves by royal favor and patent6 would never come into

,

(The King of England had cantonized all Ireland among ten persons of the English nation ; and, though they had not gained possession of one-third part of the whole kingdom, yet in title they were
their possession.

owners and lords of

natives).

all,

so as nothing

was

left to

be granted to the

these lords preferred playing the tyrant in a troubled rather than suffer any loss of dignity or profit in a peaceful one f." state,

Thus

From the copious evidence already adduced, it is very evident that the native Irish were not subjected to the laws of England until within a
very late period.

Should any person obstinately maintain Stanihurst's opinion, that the most unequivocal evidence of a complete conquest is found in the adoption, by the conquered, of the laws, dress, and language of the
conquerors, it will follow that the English were conquered by the Irish, not the Irish by the English ; because the Irish did not adopt the laws, language, or dress of the English, while the English did adopt the laws,
in those three departments.

language, and dress of the Irish, and completely renounced English habits The lords " would not suffer the
v

English English laws to be put in execution within their seigniories ; but, in

Mason's Bedell,
p.

his lordship."

275.

age of absolutism, attributes

all sorts

of bad

The

assertion

may

be a

little

exaggerated;

motives to those Anglo-Irish nobles, who,

according to his notion, possessed far too

" but the question ( the equal rights of Irishmen), under various forms and phases,
has remained essentially,
sent day, in almost the

much power
springs

for subjects.

But admitting
of the main-

down

to the pre-

that self-interest
of their
also

was one
policy,

same

state in

which
vol.

some allowance

Edward
iii.

I.

found and

left it."

Moore,

must be

made

for the influence of Irish

pe

36.

example, which might

these grants were cited in the
.

And

Irish

or

Brehon law
certainly

for its

make them own

prefer

sake,
;

reigns of Elizabeth and

James

I.

against

They were
and
in a

an energetic race

the native Irish, who, during

centuries,

two and three

very short space of time struck

soil,

had been

in peaceful possession of

deep and lasting root into the Irish

on

their lands.
(

Davis,

who was

a court lawyer in

an

which they have left splendid fruits of baronial grandeur and religious munificence.

232

CAMBRENSIS EVEBSUS.
eorumque

[CAP.

III.

abegisse et leges Hibernicas admisisse quibus ipsi

tro adhserebant.
Ita ut

clientes ul-

Angli qui expugnare Hibernos decreverunt ab

his plane ac penitus expugnati fuerint74

qua

victi victoribus

legem de-

dere." Angli etiam linguam

sed et earn

Anglicam non sol urn oblivion! tradiderunt, loqui dedignati sunt, ut tandem lingua, nominibus, veste, ac
se

tota vivendi ratione, meri Hiberni evaserint et legibus Anglicis repudiatis

ad Hibernicas

accomodarint et plurima conjugia affinitatesque

.

cum Hibernis contraxerint 75 Nimirum ut frugum semina ex

originis solo in alienam educta iu-

dolem mutant, et naturam, terrseque cui noviter inseruntur, et in qua ad justam maturitatem adoles'cunt conditionem refer unt, sic colonia)
aliquo deductae post domicilii ac fortunarum sedem in eo loco fixam
t'25]

sobolemque propagatam majori ejus amore tenentur quam

regionis

Hinc est quod colonise olim Italiam acolentes ad subveniendum urbis Romae (unde generis originem ipsi traxerunt) difficultatibus in secundo bello Punico adduci non potuerunt.
unde
ortae sunt.

Porro

cum Hiberni neque

veste, lingua,

aut lege Anglorum simi-

litudinem retulerint, non video qua ratione in subjectionem ad se demiserunt justaa expugnationis appellatio cadere potuerit.
alio ullo prdsterea

quam
Nee
'

documento

in

Anglorum ditionem Hiberni

venisse

ostenduntur. Frustra enim hue a Bodino subsidium accersetur dicente, " individuas e'sse summi imperii tesseras ut ei soli penes quern suprema est bellum aut pacem indicere et reum poems addicere aut subpotestas

ducere pro arbitratu suo liceat 76." Nam rege Anglise inconsulto suas Hiberni leges ad suee reipublicse administrationem adhibebant, magistratus instituebant, flagitiosos in suis ditionibus vel poena vel venia prosequebantur, bellum aut pacem nullo alio in concilium adhibito,
74'

Davis, p. 133.
seen (note

Ibid., p. 143.

76

Lib.

i.

de Repub.

c. ult.

We have already

"P,

supra,

[Berchan?],

who had
had
last

foretold the

coming

223) that the Anglo-Irish prelates endeavoured to check the amalgamation of

p.

of the English,

also stated that English

power would
served their
nica, p. 88.
h

only as long as they oblaws."

the two races

by the censures

of the Church.

own

Harris, Hiber-

Popular prophecies were employed for the

same purpose.

Baron Finglass mourned

over the approaching ruin of English do-

O'Sullivan's

According to a singular passage in Historic Catholica, p. 35,

minion in Ireland, because the four saints, Patrick, Columba, Moling, and Braghane

many
to

of the Anglo-Irish of his day carried such lengths their hatred of England

IAP ni.]
.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

233
:

both they and their people embraced the Irish customs place thereof, so that the English, who hoped to make a conquest of the Irish, were

and absolutely conquered, because victi victoribus " For the English not only forgot the English language, legem dedere".' but scorned the use thereof, and became mere Irish in language, sur-

by them

'

perfectly

names, dress, and in

11

all their

manners.

They renounced English

laws,

and adopted those of the and other alliances

.

Irish,

with

whom

they formed intermarriages

As

seeds transplanted from their native climate to a foreign soil

new land

change their nature and qualities, and imbibe the properties of the in which they are planted and grow to maturity, so when the
colonist fixes his

home and embarks

his hopes,

and sees his children

growing around him under a foreign sky, the land of his adoption becomes more dear to him than the mother country. Hence the colonies,
planted in Italy in ancient times, could not be induced to arm in defence of Rome, their mother country, when she was brought to the verge of
ruin, in the second

Punic war.

As the Irish never conformed to English laws, language, or dress, am at a loss to know how their voluntary submission can be with
There
is

truth called a conquest.

Irish

were conquered by the English.

no other evidence to prove that the It is of no avail to cite Bodinus,

whom

" that the inseparable marks of supreme dominion are, that he, in the supreme power is vested, should alone have the right to
or war, and to pardon or punish the accused, according to For, without the consent of the English King, the Irfsh

make peace

his pleasure."

governed their people by the Brehon law; they made their own magistrates ; they pardoned and punished all malefactors, within their
several countries
;

controlment*
that they

and

they made war and peace with each other without this they did not only during the reign of King
their descent

would trace

from

dogge," such being the soubriquets of the

Statute ofKilEnglish and Anglo-Irish " New" and " old" p. 114. Eng-

Dane, or Gaul, or Etruscan, rather than from English blood. So early as 1367, the
animosity between English by birth and English by descent was so violent that Parliament interfered and enacted that hence-

kenny,
lish

were the epithets employed in

later

ages,

to distinguish the families planted

under Elizabeth and her successors from

the former colonists,
j

forward there should be no distinction bet

ween" English hobbe" [clown] and "Irish

Most of those

attributes of sovereign

234

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

111.

iuibant. Nee solum Henrico II. rege ista praastabant, sed etiam hujusce potestatis exercitium ad Elizabeths reginaa tempora protrahebant 77 , ita ut apposite Davisius alibi dixerit, " cum per duos Hiberaiae
trientes,

Rex Anglise

in perduelles, homicidas, aut latrones animadver-

tere nisi armis eo

illatis,

non potuerit,

et

legum administratores ad

jus dicendum et injurias ab incolis propulsandas,

pedem

inferre ausi

aut pro78 princeps inde perceperit ; jure affirmare Davisius non potuit ejusmodi ditionem in regionum penitus expugnatarum numerum venisse." Additque Warseus, " hoc constat quod etiamsi multas
fisci,

non

fuerint, nee etiam ulla emolumelita, vectigalium,

scription

um

bonae leges ad reipublicae salutem spectantes sancitaa fuerint,

et

vim tamen
re-

virtutem anno Domini 1494

et

diu postea non extenderunt ultra

79 giones ab Anglica gente habitatas ." nullo hactenus memorato expugnationis titulo, HiberCum igitur

uiam Angli

sibi vindicaverint

reliquum

est

ut inspiciamus

si

Angli,

indigenis natali solo eliminatis, summa rerum in Hibernia potiti fuerint: sed hac quoque ratione juste Hiberniae expugnatores Angli non dicen-

cum esedem familige, quae, stante Pentarchia, ante Anglos Hiberniam adortos, Hiberniam insederunt, sedes suas etiamnum in ea collocatos habeant. Nee stirpium Hiberniam, ante arma illuc ab Anglis
tur,
illata,

quam ex

incolentium nomenclaturam aliunde meliue haurire poterimus, illo insigni Joannis O'Duvegani npemate, cui melioris notse
p. 12.
78 Ibid. p. 15.
79

Davis,
r

Annales Hib. Henrico VII. regnante,

p. 15.

pq|

er

Irish lords,

were possessed even by the Anglobut by patent of the Crown.

period there were not less than

cross," lying within the palatines

p. 114.

Ibid.,

Statutes were frequently enacted,

At one

prohibiting those palatines to

make

pri-

cight counties palatine in Ireland, five in

Leinster,

vate war,

.a

restriction

which did not apsome

as-

namely, Leix, Kilkenny, Car-

ply to the Irish chieftains,

k
.

low, Wexford, Kildare, Meath, Ulster, and

In the reign of Edward

III.,

Desmond,

all as old as

King John.

Davis,

serted that Ireland

had yielded a surplus

;

His. Dis., p. 113.

These palatines made

cri-

revenue in preceding ages

serts,

but Davis as-

barons and knights, erected courts for

niinal

" that

in all the ancient Pipe Rolls

and

civil causes,

and

for their

own

in the time of

Henry

III.,

Edward

I.,

Ed-

revenues, in the same form as the King's

courts were established at Dublin
their
;

ward

II.,

as well as of

Edward

III., be-

made
:

own

judges, seneschals, and sheriffs

tween the receipts and allowances, there is this entry, in Thesauro nihil :' the officers
'

so that the King's writ did not run except in the crocca or church lands, called " the

of the State
all
\v"as

and army spent

all,

and even

not enough for the expenses of

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

235

Henry II., but afterwards in all times, even to the reign of Elizabeth. Hence Davis has in another place truly observed, that since " the King
England could not punish treasons, murders, or thefts, in two-thirddo it, since the jurisdiction parts of Ireland unless he sent an army to
of of his courts of justice did not extend to those parts to protect the

people from wrong and oppression, since he had no certain revenue, no escheats or forfeitures' , out of the same, the writer cannot justly say is that such a And "Ware adds " It is
4

country

wholly conquered."

manifest that, though many salutary laws had been enacted for the government of the kingdom, their force and authority did not extend
in 1494,

and

for a long time after,

beyond the

district inhabited

by the

English race."

When,
no
title

therefore, the English vindicated their claim to Ireland

by

of conquest as yet mentioned, it remains that we examine whether the English, having driven the aborigines from the natal soil, en-

joyed chief authority in Ireland ; but in this view also the English cannot be justly called the conquerors of Ireland , because the same
1

which inhabited Ireland during the existence of the Pentarchy, before the English had invaded Ireland, still retained their habitations
families
after that event.

Nor cap we

obtain the nomenclature of the tribes in-

habiting Ireland before the English had carried their arms hither from any better source than that remarkable poem by Seaan O'Dubhagain f
government."
1

Hist. Dist., p. 21.

plated by the Irish Archaeological Society.

For the translation of the abstract of

m Of

this

poem
It fe

there are several copies

O'Dugan's topographical poem, and the

on paper, but none on vellum has yet been

discovered.

accompanying notes, the reader is indebted to Mr. 0' Donovan, without whose in valuable aid the Editor could not give either the

Lynch had a copy

very probable that Dr. of it from the Book of

O'Dubhagain or Ui-Maine, which he quotes

very frequently. There are two good copies of this poem in Dublin, one in the handwriting of Cucoigcriche O'Clerigh, or Peregrine O'Clery, preserved in the Library of the Boyal Irish Academy, and the other in

correct orthography of the

names

of the

Irish families, nor the precise limits of their

ancient territories, except in as far as such

knowledge could be derived from works

already published by Mr. O'Donovan.
in its contracted state, the
care,

Even

will present the

poem, under his most comprehensive

Mac
same

Firbisigh's genealogical
library.

work

in the

The

original in

Lord Eolatter

topographical and genealogical sketch of ancient Ireland that has yet boon published.

den's possession, from

which the

copy

was 4aken, though bound up with Dubhaltach

Thc publication

of the original is contem-

Mac

Firbisigh's work,

is

in the

hand-

236

CAMBEENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

steramata, quse suo ambitu antiquitus Hibernia complexa est, inseruit,

Illius auteni Hibernici script! est:

Upiallam cimcheall na Pobhla,

&c., quge

verba hunc sensum referunt, "

O socii pulchraa

fines

obeamus

Midia enumeration em inchoat, cujus regem fuisse dicit O'Moelseachlinum, proceres O'Hairt, O'Riagain, O'Kelli, O'Comgalernes."
lach, O'Ruadhry dominum, de Finfochla, O'Coindliealbhain Leogariae dominum, O'Bruin dominum Luighnise, O'JEnghus dominum de Vamacuais, O'Haogh dominum de Odhba, O'Dubain dominum de Enodhba [Cnodhbse], O'Hanbith dominum de Fearbile, O'Cahasi dominum

Saithnii, O'Leochain

dominum de

Galing,

O'Dongchu dominum de

Theallachmodharn, O'Hianradan dominum de Corcoraddii O'Moelwriting of Michel O'Clerigh, the chief of

the Four Masters.

Maelseachlainn signifies servant of Seachlann, or St. Secundinus (disciple oT St. Patrick),

Both copies

differ in

many

important particulars, but that in the

handwriting of Cucoigcriche O'Clerigh is found to be generally the more correct.

nach-Seachlainn,
in Meath.

who founded the church of Domhnow called Dunshaughlin,

Seaan O'Dubhagain, the author of

of

this

These four families, nowan^/ice O'Hart,

0' Regan, O'Kelly, and O'Conolly, were called the four tribes of Tara See Battle

poem, was chief historical ollarnh, or chronicler,

Ui Maine, and, according

to the

Annals of the Four Masters, died in the

monastery of Rinn-duin,
See note
p. v

of Magh-Rath,

p.

9,

note d .

After the

now

St. John's, in

English invasion these families were deprived of their possessions in the vicinity
of Tara,

the county of Roscommon, in the year 1372.

655
n

under that year, O'Don. ed. also (fReUtys Descriptive Cata-

and O'Hart

settled in the territory

of Cairbre in the

now county

of Sligo

logue of Irish Writers, pp. 89, 100, 101.

O'Kelly and O'Regan lingered in obscurity;

This family, the head of the southern

derived their

and O'Conolly
of

settled in the

now

county

Ui

Neill,

name and

lineage

from Maelseachlainn, or Malachy II., monarch of Ireland, who died in the year
1

Monaghan, where the head of the name became notorious in 1641.

P

Now

anglicized Rogers.

The

position

022. It

was usually

anglicized O'Melagh-

of Finufochla has not been yet determined.

lin till the reign of

Queen Anne, when the

spell it

Fochla

gentlemen of the name began to Mac-Laughlin, which is the form

use.

is explained Suioe na placa, " seat of the chief," by O'Clerigh.

now

in

According to the tradition in the

A territory in Meath, comprising the barony of Upper Navan and some portion
q

barony of Clonlonan, in Westmeath, the head of this great family removed to the
county of Roscommon, where some of the

of the barony of

Lower Navan
c.

also,

but

its

exact limits cannot be defined

See Book

of Rights,
dealbhain
Quinlan.
T

p.
is

178, note

The name O'Coin-

name

still

remain.

Conn Mac Laughlin,

but his

now

anglicized Kindellan and

Esq., of Dublin, is of this race,

pedigree has not been

made out. The name

territory in

Meath,

the

name

of

CHAP.
in

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

237

ciently
is

which he has inserted the families of better note, which Ireland ancomprised within its ambit. The beginning of that poem, which
this

written in Irish,

words convey tories of beauteous lerne." FromMeath the enumeration begins, whose king, he says, had been O'Maelsheachlainn ; the dynasts O'h-Airt,
: I
11

" Triallam timcheall na Fodhla," &c., which "O companions let us traverse the terrimeaning
is,

p O'Riagain, O'Ceallaigh, O'Conghalaigh ; O'Euaidhri , lord of Finnfochla ; r q O'Coindhealbhain, lord of Laeghaire ; O'Braein, lord of Luighne ;
1 8 O'hAenghusa, lord of Ui-Mac-Uais ; O'h-Aedha, lord of Odhbha ; w O'Dubhain, lord of Cnodhbha"; O'hAinbheith, lord of Feara-Bile ;

O'Caitheasaigh,

y O'Leochain, lord of Gaileanga ; O'Donnchadha, lord of Teallach Modharain* ; O'hlnradhain, lord of

lord of Saithne*

which

is

preserved in the present barony of

it

of

Westmeath

See Annals of the Four

Lune, but

was

originally

more extensive
This faSee

Masters, A. D. 1095. The surname O'hAinbheith

nafy.
is

than the barony.

Ibid., p. 186.
is

now

anglicized

Hanvey and Han-

mily of O'Braein
8

now unknown

note on Breaghmhaine.

This family was dispossessed by the followers of Hugh de Lacy.

*

That

in the

Ui Mic Uais Breagh, as poem itself. This tribe was

is

stated

A territory in the Fine Gall or Fingall,

seated
is

north of Dublin, comprising the parish of

to the south-west of Tara Hill,

and there

reason to suppose that they occupied the

present barony of
east Meath.

Alan's Register,

Holywood, and other lands mentioned in fol. 110 See Book of

Rights, p. 187, note
B
.

Lower Moyfenrath in O'hAenghusa, now always

O'Caitheasaigh

is

now
used.

anglicised Casey, the prefix 0' never

Hennessy, without the 0'. * See this referred to in the Annals of

the Four Masters at A.

This chief was dispossessed and his

lands sold
1

by
is

Sir

Hugh
is
still

de Lacy.

M. 3502, 4415,
its

That

Gaileanga-Mora.

The name

A.D.

607, 890, 1016, 1072. It derived

of this territory

preserved in that

name, according to the bardic history of Ireland, from Odhbha, the first wife of

of the barony of Morgallion in the north of

the county of Meath, but

it

originally in-

Eireamhon [Heremon], who was buried in a mound here. The moat near the town
of

cluded a part of the county of Cavan.

Ibid., p. 188.

O'Leochain

is

now

angli-

Navan

is

still

called

an Ooba; and

cised

Logan by some, and by

others ridi-

the lordship of O'h-Aedha,

now Hughes,

" culously translated Ducks," quasi Lachain.

was probably comprised

u

in the present ba-

rony of Skreen, in the county of Meath.

Now Knowth,

in the parish of

Monks-

newtown, near Slane, in the county of Meath. O'Dubhain is now anglicized

Duane, Dwan, Divan, and Downes. w Now the barony of Farbil, in the county

This tribe was probably seated in the barony of Upper Moyfenrath, in the southeast of Westmeath. It has nothing to do

with the town of Tullamore, which

is

modern, and called after the English fa-

mily of Moore

and in O'Molloy's country

238
muaidhum,
sive ut

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
nunc loquimur O'Molloyum
Faracallicc

[CAP.

III.

dominum,

Fartulagch, O'Finnalain dominum Dalvnias majoris, O'Maoluighdhum seu ut hodierna fert pronuntiatio O'Mulediurn dominum dc Brogha, Maccoghlanium dominum Dalvniaj Baajtri,

O'Dubhlaidsi

dominum de

O'Tolarg dominum Curcniaj. Nobilibus Midia3 majorum gentium hactenus recensitis, nunc ad nobiles ejusdem Midise minorum gentium sive dynastas enumerandos transeamus. Qui fuerunt Mageochaganus
Kinelfiachra3 dynasta, Magruarcus Kenelnendaa dynasta, O'Eochii Kenelneughusse dynasta, O'Moelcallus Dalbhnse minoris dynasta. Optimates Taffios fuerunt O'Cahairn, O'Cuinn, Maconfiacha, O'Lachtnan, O'Muragan ; O'Flanagan dominus de Comar, O'Brain dominus do
.

Breaghmaine, Macconin dominus de Muntirlidagan, Macaodha dominus

of Feara-Ccall. O'Donnchadha, O'Donoghy,
or

Boyne, near Stackallan Bridge, but Dr.

Dunphy, of
*

this place, is

now unknown.

Lynch

is

clearly

wrong

in

making O'Maelis

Now

the barony of Corcaree, in the

lughach,

O'Mulledy,

which

in

Irish

county of Westmeath
n p. 66, note .

See Annals of the Four Masters, Ed. J. O'Z>., A. D. 1185,

O'Maeleidigh.
of this place
is

The family of O'Maellughach

now unknown.

O'Mulledy

O'Hinradhain or Hanrahan

was
f

seated at Ballymaledy, near Kilbeg-

of this place
b

was

early dispossessed.

gan, in the county of Westmeath.

Now

preserved in the barony of Fir-

Now

the barony of Garrycastle, in the

call,

but the territory comprised this ba-

King's County.
mily,

The

last

head of

this fa-

rony as well as those of Ballycowan and

Ballyboy, in the King's County
Rights, p. 180.

who was locally

issue,

called

The Maw,

died

Book of
Sec Annals

without
late

and his

estates passed to the

P.,

Present head of this fais

Denis Bowes Daly, Esq., M.

Arm-

mily of O'Molloy
c

unknown

strong, &c.

General Coghlan was of an

of the Four Masters, 1585.

obscure branch of the family, but reared by

Now Fertullagh,
of the

a barony in the south-

The Maw,

&c.
is
still

east

county of Westmeath.

D.

Cuircne

the Irish

name

of the
;

Mac

Firbisigh

says that the O'Dooleys

this territory

barony of Kilkenny West, in Westmeath

but the

were driven out of

by the

name O'Tolairg

is

now unknown
else,

in
it

O'Melaghlins at an early period, and that

they settled in Ely-O'Carroll (where they
are
still

that barony and everywhere

unless

be the Norbury
not improbable.
h

name

of Toler,

which

is

numerous).

The Tyrrels got pos-

session of their territory soon after the

lish invasion.
d

Eng-

Anglice Mageoghegan of Kineleaghe.

This territory comprised the barony of Moyin.

Now

Delvin, a barony

the county of
dis-

cashel in Westmeath.
represents

Sir Richard

Nagle

Westmeath.
possessed

The O'Finnalans were

the

senior branch of this fa-

by De Lacy, who gave

their terri-

mily; and John A. O'Neill [Mageoghegan],

of

tory to Nugent.
e

Bunowen

Castle,

in

the west of the

This was the

name

of a place on the

county of Galvvay, represents the second

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
or, as

239
call

Corca-Raidhe" ; t)'Maelmhuaidh,
of Feara-Ceall
lord of
b
;'

we now

him, O'Molloy, lord

c
;

O'Dubhlaidhe, lord of Feara-Tulach

d
;

O'Finnallain,

day proO'Maellughach, e nounced, O'Muledy, lord of Brogh ; Mac Cochlain, lord of DealbhnaThe nobles of the larger tribes Beathraf ; O'Tolairg, lord of Cuircne g
.

Deabhna-mor

or, as it is at this

of

Meath being now enumerated,

h

let

us next turn to the enumeration

of the nobles of the smaller septs, or dynasts,

gain, dynast of Cineal-Fhiachach
;

who were: Mag Eocha-

Mag

Ruairc, dynast of Cineal-Ean-

na

nast of Dealbhna-Beag 1 .

k O'hEochadha, dynast of Cineal-Aenghusa ; O'Maelchallainn, dyThe chiefs of Teathbham O'Catharnaigh,

:

Mag Cuinn, O'Coinfiacla, O'Lachtnain, O'Muireagain ^ O'Flannagain, lord of Comar" ; Q'Braein, lord of Breaghmhaine ; Mac Coinmeadeenior branch,

which was transplanted into

barony of RathconSee 0' Flaherty's

of Longford,

and the

latter the western half

Its

Connaught by Cromwell.
4

of the present county of Westmeath.

chief lord

territory in the

rath, adjoining the hill of Uisneach, in the

was O'Catharnaigh, O'Caharny, who afterwards took the name of Sinnach,

county of Westmeath
Ogygia, part iii.
c.

85

and the Miscellany

287.

of the Irish Archceological Society, pp. 234, The family of Mag Ruairc is now
k

which they still retain. Darcy Fox, of Foxville, in the county of Meath, is believed to be the present head of this
or Fox, family.
<

unknown.
Nothing has been yet discovered to

this race.

The family of Foxhall are also of The name Mag Cuinn is more
the 0'.

usually written "O'Cuinn, and

determine the situation of this sept.

The
in

made Quin without

O'Coinf hiacla

now always The name

is

name O'hEochaidh

is

still

numerous

is obsolete.

O'Lachtnain

Meath, and variously anglicized Houghey,

anglicized Loughnan, and

by some

Loftus.

Hoey, Hoy, Howe, but generally Hoey.

1

O'Muireagain

is

made Morgan

See the

That

is,

Little Delvin,

now

the barony

Miscellany of the Irish Archaeological Society, p. 187, et seq. n

of Demi-Fore, in east

Meath

See Book of
is

Rights, p. 183.

O'Maelchallainn

now

This was probably the Comar, or Cu-

always anglicized Mulholland, without the

0'.

mar, near Clonard.

this place are

unknown

The O'Flanagans of Book of Rights,

Usually latinized Teffia, and anglicised

p. 12.

and Teffa-land, by Connell Mageohegan, in his translation of the Annals

Teaffa,

Now
meath.
still

the barony of Brawney, in West-

The O'Breens

of this territory aro

of Cluain
this

mic Nois.

In

St. Patrick's

time

extant, but they have changed their

to O'Brien.

was applied

to a large territory in the'

name

present counties of
ford,

Westmeath and Long-

O'Brien, of '98 notoriety,

The infamous Jemmy was of this sept,

This tact
is

and divided by the River Eithne (In;

and not of the O'Briens of Clare, as was

universally asserted in '98.

ny) into two parts, the north and south

the former including nearly all the county

worth recording. Terence O'Brien, of Glen-

240
[26]
j

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

de Muntirflamain, Macteggus dominus de Muntirsiortachain, Macamhalgaidh dominus Calrige, Macargamni dominus de Muntirmoelsinni, O'Dalii dynasta de Corcaduin, O'Mureedhus de Kenelflamain, O'Scolaigh de Davlnia Occidental!,

O'Comruigh dominus deMacuaius, O'Hao-

dha de

O'Carvellus de Temoria, O'Dunnius dominus in finibus Temorise, Macgillesachlain de Australi Breigha, O'Ronain de
Tirteaffa,

Carbrigabhra, CTHaonghusse de Galingiis minoribus ; duo domini de Fingallia fuerunt Macgillacholmog et Odunchuus, O'Murchertaa-

chus dominus Omanise et O'Mugdonius dominus Kinelonise [Tir Eochain] et Breathnige. E Midia in Ultoniam orationem deinde transfert,
et in Ultonise

regione, quarn Hibernice Oiligh, Latine Ulidiam dicimus, Onello pricolnmbkille, county of Clare, can prove the
fact

adernon, in the county of Westmeath

See Annals of the Four Masters, Ed. J. O'D., note l p. 395, A. D. 1264.
,

See Annals of the Four Masters, Ed. J. O'Don., A. D. 1185, note , p. 67, and
note
e
,

Now Mac Namee.

The

sept of

Muin-

A. D.

1213,

p.

180.

Mr.

Owen

ter Laedliucain

were seated near the River

Shannon, in the barony of Cuircne,

now

Daly, of Moningtown, in the barony of Corcaree, is believed to be the senior of the

Kilkenny west. Mac Aedha, now Magee, and his sept of Muinter Tlamain, were
in

O'Dalys of Corca-Adain.
1

Situation
is

unknown. The name O'Muireanglicised Murray, without

the

Mac
1

barony of Rathconrath, as was Teige and the tribe of Muinter Sirof Ballyloughloe, in the ba-

adhaigh
the O',
u

now

fci

every part of Ireland.

Scully.

thachain.

Now

Position unknown.

The
called

The parish

western

Dealbhna was otherwise

is

rony of Clonlonan, county of Westmeath, " Bailestill so called See note on

Dealbhna Teannmhuighe
part
iii.

See Ogygici)

c.

82.
is

locha-luatha," in the Annals

Masters, A. D. 1475,

p.

1095.

of the Four The name

w This
s
y

a repetition.

O'Carroll of Tara.

A repetition.
now Dunne.

Mag Amhalghadha

is

now

anglicized
late

Ma-

O'Doyne or O'Dunne,
is

gawley, in Westmeath.

The

Count

This
z

a repetition.

county,
r

Magawley, of Frankford, in the King's was the head of this family.

Anglicized

Including the barony of Deece, or Deise-

Teamhrach.

seated in Cuircne,

Mac Carroon. This sept was now the barony of KilSee

partiii., c. 85, p.

Now the barony of Granard, in the See the Miscellany of county of Longford
a

kenny West, near the River Shannon

O' Flaherty's Ogygia,
8

the Irish Archaeological Society, p. 144,

401.

note
tory

c
,

where the
proved.

situation, of this

terri-

Sometimes called Corca-Adain.

This

is

The O'Ronans,

or race of

territory adjoined Corcaree, in

Westmeath,

Cairbre

mac

Neill,

were subdued at an
or O'Farrells,

and

is

very probably,

if

not certainly, in-

early period

by the Anghaile

cluded in -the present barony of Magher-

who

retained possession of this territory and

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

241
;
.

ha p lord of Muiritir-Laedhucam;
,

Mac Aedha,
;

lord of Muinter-Tlnmain

Mac

Taidlig, lord of Muintir-Sirthachain

;

Mag Amhalgadha,

lord of
;

Calraidhe-an r Chala q

Mac Carghamhna

r
,

lord of Muinter-Maelsinna

s O'Dalaigh, lord of Corca- Adain ; O'Muireadhaigh of Cineal-Tlamain*; O'Scolaidhe of western Dealbhna"; O'Comhraidhe, lord of Ui-Mic-Uais; w O'h Aedha of Tir-Teathbha, east ; O'Cearbhaill* of Teamhair ; O'Dumn?,

lord in the district of

Teamhair
;

Mac

Gillaseachlainn of south Breagh*

.

O'Ronain of Cairbre-Gabhraa

two lords of Fine-Gall c

d

b O'hAenghusa of Gaileanga Beaga The were Mac Gillamocholmog and O'Dunchadha;

O'Muircheartaigh

lord of Ui-Maine ; O'Modhairn, lord of Tir-Eochain

and of the Welshmen.

From Midhe [Meath] he next transfers his part of Ulster which we call in Irish [the district
Latin Ulidia 6 where he mentions O'NeilF as the
,

description, to that

of] Aileach, and in

first

and O'Mag Lach-

adjoining baronies for several centuries, in

despite of the English family of Tuite,
others,

viz.

the Sil-Domhnaill, O'Muircheartaigh,

and

lord of Ui-Maine, and O'Modhairn, chief of

who attempted
position

to

wrest

it

from

Cineal-Eochain,

"G mbpeacnaig

pe"m

them.
b

pueha-pan." These wereWelshmen whose

of this territory
is

The

de-

ancestors

had come over with St. Cairneach,

termined from O'Clerigh's Irish Calendar,

at Tuilean,
Kells, in

now the parish of Dunlane, near

See Dr. Todd's edition of

which places Glais Naeidhin, now Glasnevin, in

is
it.

Meath

The family name, O'hAenghusa,

the
tribe

the Irish Nennius.

e

now
c

anglicised Hennessy.
is,

This

is

not correctly stated, because

That

of the foreigners,

Aileach was not in Ulidia, which was applied

now
was

called Fingall, a district extending to

the north of Dublin.

Mac Gillamocholmog

to that part of Ulster east of

by the writers of Dr. Lynch's period Loch n-Eath-

lord of the territoiy of Ui-Dunchadha,

through which the River Dothair [the Dodder] flows, as appears from the Irish nals

ach [Lough Neagh] and Gleann Righe. " From Meath He should have written
:

Annot

he transfers his description

to Aileach, the

and Calendars

and hence

it

is

palace of that part of the province of Ultonia

difficult to believe

that O'Dubhagain has

which belonged

to the race of Niall

turned the tribe- name of

Mac

Gillamochol-

Naeighiallach, where he mentions O'Neill,"

&c.
f

mog
d

into a second chieftain.

Now

anglicised

Murtagh throughout
to

This

is in

accordance with the notions

in Ireland in

Meath.

Dr.

Lynch does not seem

have

which were prevalent

again's time, not in

O'Dubh-

understood O'Dubhagain in this place, for

the latter says that the three septs of Tuilean, the congregation of St. Cairneach, are

Henry

the Second's

time, for at the English invasion O'Maelseachnaill

[Mag Loughlin] was

far

more

of Meath, though they are not

Meathmen

powerful than O'Neill.

242

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

mas, O'Maglachlinno secundas defert, quas sequitur O'Cahamis Kiannechtae dominus, O'Conchabhar, etO'Gormlaidli Kenelmoighnse domini,
O'Farghail (sive ut nunc loquimur O'Farrell) O'Donellanus, O'Donagamis, Macmurchi, Macdunchuani, et Macruadhrii in Tallachuambith, et in Muintirbhirn ; O'Cseally, sive O'Kelly dynasta de Corcaetach ;

O'Tigarnaidh, et O'Kiernan in Farnmaigh, O'Moelbrassuill, O'Baoighil, O'Cuinn et O'Caonaith, in Maighnitha; O'Donell in Kenelminna de

gleann in Aquilone, et Kenellochdrochoit, O'Dubhdannaidh, O'Haghrnallaidh, et

O'Heddinein in tribus Tellachis,

scilicet Tellachcathlain,

Teallachdubrailbhe, et Teallachmbruinain ; O'Moelfoghartaidh, O'Heoghasa, et O'liogain in Keneltiacharna; O'Cuanach et O'Baothghalius in Clanfargusa; O'Bruadar, O'Moelfabhil, et O'Hoganus in Kiarrienibrachindh ; 6'Murchus et O'Meallain in Siolaodheanaidh ; Macfiachrach
s

This should not have the O' prefixed,

gal,

but being driven out by the Cinoal

for the

name

is

Mag,

or

Mac

Lachluinn,

Conaill they established themselves on the

east side of

or O'Lachluinn, as the

Four Masters some-

what

is

now

called the River

times write

it.

This family sunk under the

Foyle.

On an

old

map

of Ulster

pre-

O'Neills in the thirteenth century. are

still

They

served in the State Papers' Office, London,

very numerous in the barony of

Inishowen, county of Donegal.

h

O'Gormley's country is shown as extending from near Deny to Strabane.

1

That

is,

Cianachta-Glinne-Geimhiu,
of Keenaght, in the county

These tribes were seated in the present

now the barony

of Londonderry.

We have

O'Cathain, now O'Kane. a Sir Robert and a Sir Richard of

Sir Richard Cane, of the
is

barony of Dungannon, in the county of Tyrone. Munter-Birne, which is still the

name
is

of a district

and Presbyterian
old

parish,

this race at present.

shown on an

map

of Ulster in the

county of Waterford,

not of the O'Ceins of

State Papers' Office, as adjoining Trough

in the county of

the River Mahon, in that county, but of the

Ulster family of Cianachta Glianne
hin.

Monaghan

See Annals
.

Geim-

of the Four Masters, A. D. 1172, note

These surnames are now anglicised

His grandfather, who was an Ulster

Freel,

attorney, settled in the city of Waterford.

1

Now O 'Conor.

Dr. Lynch's.
fair

a mistake of " The O'Dubhagin says

is
:

This

Donnellan, Donegan, Mac Murragh or Mac Morrow, Duncan, and Macrory or Rogers. These families, who are of the great race of

king of Cianachta, of the race of vais

lorous Eoghan,

O'Cathain

but O'Con-

Eoghan, son of the monarch Niall of the Nine Hostages, are now poor, and reduced
to cottiers or small fanners.

chobair of the race of Tadhg, son of Cian of

Caiseal,

was

its first

king."

The O'Conors

m That is,
in the

race of Eochaidh, a sept seated

are
k

still

in this barony.

This tribe of the O'Gairmleadhaighs or O'Gormleys, originally seated in the barony of Raphoe, in the present county of Done-

barony of Loughinsholin, county of Londonderry, where the O'Kellys of this

still
is,

race are
n

numerous.

That

men

of the plain.

Situation

CHAP.

III.]

GAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
second,

243

luinn g as
achta
h
,

next to
1

whom

follows O'Cathain, lord of Cian-

O'Conchobhair

and O'Gairmleadhagh, lords of Cineal-Moain k

and before him O'Conchobhair, lord of Cianachta; [recte O'Cathain, O'Gairmleadhaigh, lord of Cineal-Moain] ; O'Fearghail, or, as we now
O'Farrell, O'Domhnallain, O'Donnagain, Mag Murchadha, Mac Duinnchuan, and Mag Ruaidhri, in Teallach-nAinbhith and Muinsay,

m O'Cealaigh or O'Kelly, chief of Corca-Eathach ; O'Tighearnaigh and O'Ciarain in Fearmaighe ; O'Maelbresail, O'Baeighill, O'Cuinn, and O'Cinaetha, in Magh-Itha; O'Domhnaill in Cineal- Bintir-Birn
1

11

nigh of the valley, Cineal- Binnigh of Tuath-Rois, and Cineal-Binnigh of Loch-Drochaid p ; O'Duibhduana, O'hAghmaill, O'h-Eitigean over
the three teallachs [tribes' ], namely, Teallach-Cathalain, TeallachDuibhrailbhe, and Teallach-Braenain ; O'Maelfothartaigh, O'h-Eoghasa,
1

and O'hOgain, in Cineal- Tighearnaigh

in Carraig-Brachaidhe'
s

laigh, in Clann-Fearghusa ; O'Bruadair, O'Maelfabhaill,

;

O'Cuanach and O'Baethghaand O'hOgain, O'Murchadha and O'Meallain, in Sil-Aedha;

Eanaigh
dhaigh* ;

Fiachrach in [the southern part of] Cineal-Fearathe race of Airnin, the race of Maelf habhaill, and the Clann-

Mag

unknoAvn. The names O'Tighearnaigh and

O'Ciarain are

which
taigh
cised
is is

is

now

anglicised Tierny,

and

not uncommon; O'Maelfotharunknown O'h-Eoghasa is angli;

Kerrin or Kearns.

A plain along the River Finn, in the, barony of Raphoe and county of Donegal.
See Book of Rights, p. 124, note
P
9.

Hosey and Hussey; and O'Hogain made Hagan, and O'Hagan. This latremained very distinguished
arid
till

ter family

Cromwell's time,

was seated

at Tully-

These tribes were seated in the valley

hoge, in the barony of Dungannon.

Tho-

of Glenconkeine, in the
sholin,

barony of Loughinin the county of Londonderry, and

mas O'fiagan,
r

Esq., Q. C.,

is

of this family.

territory comprising the north-wes-

in the

barony of Strabane, in the county of See Annals of the Four Masters, Tyrone

tern

part

of the barony

of Inishowen,

county of Donegal.
dair
is*

The surname O'BruaBroder, Broderick, and

atA.D. 1053, 1076, 1078, 1081, 1181.

The O'Domhnaill or O'Donnell of these
ritories is

now made
;

ter-

now unknown.

licised Mulfaal,

The three Tsallachs, Cineal-Tighearnaigh and Clann-Fearghusa were seated in

1

is now angand sometimes incorrectly Mac Paul. O'Dubhagain mentions O'Duibh-

Brothers

and O'Maelfabhaill

dhirma,

now

Diarmitt, as chief of Brea-

the

present

baronies of

Omagh. The name of unknown O'hAghmaill

;

Dungannon and O'Dubhduana is now

is

dach, which comprised the eastern part of the barony of Inishowen.

s

now

anglicised

Situation uncertain. Probably atEnagh,

Hamill
tigan,

O'hEitigein

is

anglicised

Magetfor

to the north-east of Londonderry.

1

by a commutation of 0'

Mac

This tribe occupied the whole of

thfe

R 2

244

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

in Kenelforaidh, Siolarmin, Sialmoelfabliail et Clancathmhaoil sive Cavelli in Septentrionali plaga, duge regiunculse

Teallachmuilghembre, et Teallachmaelpatrig pertinebant ad Kenelfaradhios. In Orgallia primi ordinis nobiles fuerunt O'Carbhullius O'Dubhdara, O'Lairgnenus, et

Macmahonius

O'Flathry nonnunquam supre;

'mus Ultonias rex; O'Floinn et O'Donellan domini Tuirtria3 O'Harc [h-Erc] in Ubhnachrachfin, O'Cridan dominus deMachaire; O'Haodha
in Fearaibhfarrneigh
;

O'Caomain Mwighleamnse dominus; O'Maclien

Mughdorniffi dominus, O'Hir et O'Hanluain duo domini de Oirther: O'Coscridh dominus deFearraois, O'Hionrachtaidh dominus de Vameith-

macha

O'Baoighellan Dartrise dominus

Muntirtathleacli et Muni-

barony of Clogher, in the county of Tyrone. Latinized Cavellus. This family, so

11

Antrim

See Colgan's Tr. Thaum., p. 148 ;

illustrious in Irish history for the

dignitaries

it

supplied to the Church,

is

many now

Reeves 's Ecclesiastical Antiquities of the Dioceses of Down and Connor, &c., pp.

very

much
it

reduced.

The name

is

usually

292-297 and Annals of the Four Masters, Ed. J. O'D., A.D. 668, note *.
;

anglicised

Mac

Cawell,

but some have

These are otherwise called Ui-Fiach-

made

Camphill, some Campbell,

and

others Caulfield

and Howell.

The name

rach Arda-Stratha, and were seated along the River Dearg, in the north-west of the

Mac Fhiachraigh is anglicised Mac Keighry

and Carey ters, Ed. J.
1185, p. 65.

county of Tyrone
p.

See Annals of the Four

0'.D., note
,

Mas-

121, note

';

See Book of Rights, and Annals of the Four

h
,

m under the year

a large ter-

Masters, Ed. J. O'D., note

b

p. 95.

Anglicised Oriel or Uriel

Magheracregan, situated to the south of the River Dearg, and south-west

of Newtown- Stew art, in Tyrone.
is

Now

ritory in Ulster comprising the counties of

O'hEirc
is

Louth, Armagh, Monaghan, and Ferma-

now made

Ercke, and O'Cridhain

an-

nagh
x

See Book of Rights.

O'Carroll and Carroll.

Now

This faor

Martin Cregan, Esq., the President of the Royal Hibernian Academy,

glicised Cregan.
is

mily sunk under

Mac Mathghamhna

of this family.
c

Mac Mahon
are
y
2

early in the thirteenth century.

That

is,

the alder plain,

now

the ba-

The names O'Dubhdara And O'Lairgnean

now
In

obsolete.

rony of Farney, in the county of Monaghan. See Account of the Territory or Dominion of Farney, by P. Ev. Shirley, Esq., M. P. The name O'h-Aedha is now anglicised
d

Now made Flurry,

St. Patrick's

Flury, and Flattery.

time this tribe was

seated in the present baronies of Dungair-

Hughes

in the county of Monaghan.

non, county of Tyrone, and Loughinsholin,

in the county of Londonderry
;

This was the ancient

name

of a terricalled
p.

but at the

tory in the county of Tyrone,

now
The
old

period to which O'Dubhagain refers they

Closach
149,
col.

See Colgans Trias Thaum.,

2
;

were seated in the present baronies of Upper and Lower Toome, in the county of

p.

184, note 11.

is

position

of this territory

shown on an

map

of

IAP. III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

245

Cathmhaeil or
the
tribes

Maelpadraig

in the north part of the same territory ; , of Teallach Maelgeimhridh and Teallach(or districts) belonged to the [southern] Cineal-Fearadhaigh.

Mac Cawells u

In Oirghialla

the nobles of the

first

rank \yere O'Cearbhaill*,

,

7 O'Dubhdara, O'Lairgnean, and Mac Mathghamhna; O'Flaitlme someO'Floinn and O'Domhnallain, lords of Uitimes supreme king of Uladh
;

Tuirtre
aire
b
;

a Oh-Eirc in Ui Fiachrach Finn ; O'Cridhain, lord of Mach-

O'h-Aedha, over the

d
;

Magh-Leamhna

men of Fearnmhagh O'Caemhain, lord of 6 O'hlr and O'Machoidhean, lord of Mughdhorna

; ; ;

s O'Coscraigh, lord of Feara-Rois ; h lord of Ui-Meith-Macha ; O'Baeigheallain, lord of O'h-Innreachtaigh, k Dartraidhe ; the race of Taithleach and the race of Maelduin \vere the
1

f O'hAnluain, two lords of Oirtheara

a part of Ulster preserved in the State Pawhereon it is called pers' Office, London,
" Cormocke

Carrickmacross, in the county of Monaghan,

mac Barone's
is

countrie."

The

and parts of the adjoining counties of Meath and Louth, but its exact limits cannot be
defined

River Blackwater

represented as flowing

through

it;

village of

Augher and the Ballygawley within it the town

the fort of
;

See Book of Rights, p. 154, note and Annals of the Four Masters, A. D. O'Cos322, Ed. J. O'D., note p. 122.
;
',

of Clogher its western,

and the church -of

craigh
h
.of

is

now made Cosgrove and Cosgrave.

the barony of Monaghan, county

Errigal Keroge on its northern boundary. The name O'Caemhain is now anglicised
^

Now

Monaghan
is

Keevan.
(;

a 148, 149, note .

See Book of Rights, pp. The surname O'h-Inn-

More usually written Crich Mughdhor-

reachtaigh

now made Hanratty, and

i.

ua,

now

the barony of Cremorne, in the

sometimes Enright.
1

county of

See Annals of the Monaghan Four Musters, note on "Sliabh MughdO'Machaidhean is horn," at A. D. 1457.

That

is

Dartraidhe-Coininnse,

e.

Dar-

try of Dog-island,
try,

now

the barony of Dar-

now made Maughon and Mahon. f More usually called Crich na n-Oir'

in the county of Monaghan. See Annals of the FQUT Masters, A; D. 1593 and Book of Rights,?. 153, n. O'Baeigh;

'.

thear, regio Orient aliwn, so called because

it

eallain is

formed the eastern portion of the

This

terri-

now anglicised Buylan. The family sank at an early period under a branch

tory of Oirghialla.

name

is still

pre-

of the
k

Mac Mahons.
is,

served in the baronies of Orior, in the east

of the county of

That

the family of O'Maelduin.

list

Armagh

See Book of

Dr. Lynch has given the

fectly.
aire,

here imper-

Rights, pp. 147, 148, noteX.

name O'Hir

is

The family now anglicised O'Hare or

O'Dubhagain writes: "OfUiLaeghof Loch Lir, the O'Taithlighs are the

;

Hare, and O'h-Anluain, sometimes O'Hanlon,

but more usually Hanlon without the

O'.

the O'Maelduins, of Lurg, not weak, deep they sink their daggers in the conflict." Lurg is still the name of a bachieftains

territory comprising the

parish of

rony in the north of the county of Ferma-

246

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

tirmoelduin dynastse Leogharige [et Lurg], Mactieghernain in Clanfearghula ; O'Flanagan dynasta de Tuaithratha, Macgillefinnen dynasta

moelruann

de Muntirpeodochain, Macgillemichil dynasta de Oconghaile ; Muintiret O'Heagnii duo domini de Farmanagh; Mackinaoth do;

in Ubhbrassalmacha
in'

minus de Triuchechead, O'Cormac in Ubmhmaccharthin O'Garbith O'Longain, O'Duibhdamhny, et O'Conchobhar

;

O'Heagny

Ubhbrassail occidental! [O'Lorcain in Uibh Brassail orientali], in Clancarnia ; O'Donellus et O'Kuadagan duo domini de

Uieachach; O'Dubhtirius in Clandamliin', O'Melchroibhe in Clanduiblisinaigh ; O'Lochtnain in Mogdorna minore, O'Hanbith in Ubhseain,

Macguirus in Farmanach O'Colgan et O'Conoeill in Ubmaccartain. Craobhrodham incoluerunt O'Dunslebha, O'Heochaidh, O'Aidth,
;

O'Heochain, O'Labhr'aidh,

ghamnaidh

O'Loinghsidh, O'Mordhaidh, et O'MatliO'Garbith, O'Hambith [fuerunt] orriyhaith QPNeacliach.

Clann-Cafirey Maguire early in the fifteenth
century.
P

nagh; the territory of Ui-Laeghaire adjoined

it

on the

east,

and

is

now

included in the

barony of Omagli,
O'Taichligh
1

in the

county of Tyrone.

These

families,

who had

been in their
till

now made Tully and Tilly. Mac TiSituation not determined. ghearnain is now made Kernan. m This territory still retains its name,
is

turn the supreme lords of

Fermanagh

about the year 1205, totally sunk under

the Maguires in the thirteenth century, and are now unknown in Fermanagh. The name

anglice Tooraah, and

is

included in the

Mulrony
lete

still

exists,

but O'Hegny

is

obso-

barony of Magheraboy, in the north-west

of the county of Fermanagh.

The PU o-alo
i

See Annals of the Four Masters, Ed. J. O'-D., A. D. 1198, note *, p. 116.

of Tuath-ratha, a remarkable cliff on the

south side of Lough Erne, will preserve this

i Now Mac Kerma, a name still very numerous in the barony of Triucha [Trough],

name
n

for ever.
still

in the north of the county of

retains this

This territory
is

name,

and

included in the barony of Clanawley,

Monaghan. Alderman Mac Kenna, of Dublin, is of the second senior branch of this family. O'Dubhagain says that

in the

same county.
of the

It

extends from the

Mac Kenna was

originally

mouth

Arney

river to the western

a Midheach or Meathman, though

Oirghiallach.
r

now an

extremity of Belmore

mountain.
Gillinnins

The
are

Mac
still

Gillafinneins or

Mac

This sept was seated in the present ba-

numerous in

this

district,

and they

are beginning to anglicise their

name

to

rony of Tirkeeran, in the county of Londonderry x whence they were driven at an early
,

Leonard.

period

by O'Kane and other

families of the

This sept was seated in the present ba-

rony of Knockninny, adjoining the MuinterThese septs Pheodachain, to the south.

were dispossessed by the Clann-Awley and

dominant race of Eoghan, son of NiallSee Book ofRights, p. 122, Naeighiallach

note
8

*.

Otherwise called Claim Breasail, an-

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

247

of Lurg] ; Mac Tighearnain in Clanndynasts of Ui Laegliaire [and m of Tuath-ratha ; Mac Gillafinnein, Fearghaile ; O'Flannagain, dynast n Mac Gillamichil, dynast of JJi-Condynast of Muintir-Pheodachain ;
1

ghaile

Mac

Cinaith'1 , lord of the Triucha-chead ;

;

O'Maelruanaidh and O'h-EignighP, two lords of Feara-Manach O'Cormaic in Ui-Mic-Car;

thainn r

s O'Gairbhith in Ui-Breasail-Macha

eamlina, and O'Conchobhair,

Eastern Ui Breasail]

O'Longain, Q'DuibhWestern Ui-Breasail [O'Lorcain in O'hEignigh in Clann-Cearnaigh O'Domhnaill

;

in

and O'Ruadhagain, two lords of Ui-Eachach* O'Duibhthire in ClannDaimhin u ; O'Maelcraeibhe[nowEice] in Clann-Duibsinnaigh O'Lachtnain in Modharn-Beag O'h-Ainbliith in Ui-Seaghain; Mag Uidhir in
; ; ;

Feara-Manacli w ; O'Colgain and O'Conaill* in Ui-Mic Carthainn. In the (region of the) Craebh Ruadh' dwelt O'Duinnsleibhe% O'hEo-

chadha a

O'hAidith b
,

O'hEochadhain c
;

0'Labhradhad
,

6
,
1

O'Loingsigh
;

O'Morna f O'Mathghamhna?
glice Clanbrazil.

O'Gairbith h O'hAinbith
poets,

Mag Aengh-

This tribe was seated in

the present barony of O'Neilland East, in the county of Armagh. See

pp. 147, 148, note
?.

Teach
alla,
z

iia

though they had been driven from Creaibhe Ruaidhe by the OirghiD. 332.

Book of Rights,
is

as early as A.

O'Gairbhith
subdivisions

now

O'Duinnsleve,

now Dunlevy.
Hoey, and Haugh. Hatty or Haddy would

made Garvey.
territory cannot

The

of this

a
b

family of

now be distinguished. The O'Longain is now made Long

;

Now Houghey, Now unknown.

Now Haughian,
:

be the anglicised form.

c

O'Duibheamhna, Devany; O'Conchobhair, Conor O'Lorcain, Larkin.

;

and sometimes Haugh-

ton
d

still

in the county of

Down.
all

That

is,

race of Eochaidh, a sept seated

Now

Lavery, very numerous and

;

in

the barony of

Armagh.
7
-.

See Book of

Catholics

not Lowry, which

is

Scotch and

Rights, p. 148, note

territory is
is

O'Domhnaill of this
;

Presbyterian.
e

O'Ruadhagain made in English Rogan and Roggan. u Situation unknown. The tribes of Oirare here

now unknown

Now Now

Linchy,

still

numerous

in

Leath

Cathail [Lecale].
f

Gilmore,

i.

e.

Mac

Gillamuire

ghialla

irregularly

named by

[O'Morna].
s
h

O'Dubhagain.
w
x

Now Maguire. This is out of place. Now Colgan and Connell. This is
sept of

Now Maughon, Mahon, Matthews. Now Garvey. See an interesting notice

of Aughnagon, in the parish was part of their patrimony,
till

of this family hi O'Brien's Irish Dictionary.

repetition, for the

Ui Mic CarthVide

The townland
of Cloncallon,

ainn have been already mentioned.

note
y
.

r
,

p.

246, supra.
or

and continued in their possession

ancient
thirty "years since.

about

The Clanna-Rudhraighe,

Reeves's Ecclesiastical

Ulstermen, continued to be called of the

Antiquities of Down
'

and Connor, Sfc. p. 367.

Craebh Ruadh, or Red Branch, by the Irish

Now Hannafy

and Hanvey.

248

CAMBEENSIS EVEESUS.

[CAP.

111.

Clanaodha

[Oirrigha O'nEachaoh i. e. dynastce Iveachias] Maccenghusaidh in Maccartain in Clanfogartaid, O'Morna et Macduillechain ;

[in Clanbresail;
in Dailcuib.

Mac Duibheamhna]

in

Clannambalghaigh, O'Coltarain

Tirconnallioe primores fuerunt O'Moeldorius,

O'Cannanain Clanalii

sive O'Donellii, O'Boigliil in Clankinshila [Cloch Rinfhila], Tiranmria, et Tirmaghania ; O'Meelmbghna in Muidhsearad, O'Haodha in

Asroa,

Magdubham

in Kenelssedna, Maglonsechain in

Gleanmbinne

O'Breslain in Fanait ; O'Dochartii in Ardnriohair ; Macgillesamliais id

Rosgil, O'Kearnachain et CTDalachain in Tuadhnablaidhuigh, O'Maol-

againe in Tirmaccarthuin, O'Donnagain in Tirmbrassail,

k
I

et

Tirtoile

Now

Magennis.

'

These families sank under the O'Douvery beginning of the thirteenth See Battle of Magh Rath, pp.
Ceannfaeladh's stone, a district

A part of Ui Eathach [Iveagh],

county

nells in the

of

Down. m Now Mac Carton.

II

century
337, 338.
8

pronounced exactly as written by O'Dubhagain, but it is anIt is a barony in the glicised Kinelarty.
county of Down. In Dubourdieu's Statistical Account of
the county of Antrim, this territory is de" Clanscribed as follows from an old MS.
:

This

name

is still

That

is,

barony of Kilmacrenan, and county of Donegal. It comprises the parishes of

in the north-west of the

Raymunterdoney and

For a curious legend connected with the stone which gives name to
Tullaghobegly.
this district, see
ters,
'

brassel

MacCoolechan [Clann bpear-ail

Ed.

J. 0'Z>.,

Annals of the Four MasA. M. 3338, p. 18.

TTleg t)huilecain] (so called for a difference betwixt it and one other country of the

Now the barony of Boylagh, in the west of the same county. See Annals of
Four Masters, Ed.
note
11

same name

in the

county of Armagh)

is

J. 0'Z>.,

A. D. 1343,

very fast country of wood and bog, inhabited with a sept called the O'Kellies, a very

f
,

p.

582.

savage and barbarous people, and given alp. 627. together to spoils and robberies."

The Mag Duileachains

P

are evidently the

Now the barony of Banagh, in the west of the same county. See Puttie of Magh Rath, p. 156, note j w This was the ancient name of the
i

sept called the O'Kellies in the extract.

northern part of the barony of Tirhugh,

Mr. Reeves conjectures that O'Coltarian

to the

gave name
Strangford,
41, 368.
1

parish of Ballyculter,

same county. s That is, the Triucha Chead of Eas

Ruaidh, or the Salmon Leap, at Ballyshannon. This
is

in

the county of

Down
i.

pp.

described in a
fol.

poem preserved
47,
b, a, a

That

is,

the county of Conall,

e.

of

in the

Book

of Fenagh,

ex-

Conall Gulban,
Conaill.
is

ancestor

of the Cinealof Donegal

tending from the River Erne to the River

The present county

Eidhneach
158.

_See Battle
is

of Magh Rath,

p.

nearly co- extensive with this territory.

O'hAedh

now made Hughes,

but

CHAP.

III.]
1

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
;

249
n
;

usa k in Clann- Aedha

Mac Artain"

in Cineal- Fhaghar taigh

;

O'Morin

na and
Cinel

Mag

Duileachain in Clann-Breasail

Mac Duibhreamhna
.

p Amhalghadha; O'Coltarain in DalCuirb of Tir-Chonaill* were, O'Maeldoraidh The chief families

1

O'Canan-

nain

r
,

the Clann- Dalaigh or O'Donnells;

8 ,

O'Baeighill in Cloch Cinnx

;

fiiaelaidh

Tir-Anmireach 1
w
;

and
at

Tir-Boghaine
2

Magh-Seiridh a n-Eanna y Mag-Loingseachain in Gleannmbinne O'Breslean in Fanaid ; b c in Ard-Midhair ; Mac Gillasamhais in Ros-Guill O'Dochartaigh
; ; ;

O'hAedha

Eas-Euaidh

O'Maelmaghna in Mag-Dubhain in Cineal

;

O'Cearnachain and O'Dalachain in Tuath-Bladhaigh

the family sank at an early period under the O'Donnells and their favorite followers,
the O'Gallaghers and others.
y

1'

O'Maelagain in

therein
b

by consent

of O'Donnell.

O'Doherty was chief of Cineal Eanna

That

is,

the race of

Eauna

or Enda, the

and Ardmidhair, in the year 1199. See " Kineal-Enda," already denned in note y,
supra. Ardmidhair
lies

sixth -son of Conall Gulban, a territory in

westwards of Cineal

the barony of Eaphoe, county of Donegal,

Eanna, in the direction of Glenfinn.

On

lying to the south of Inishowen, and be-

the increasing power and population of the

tween the arms of Lough Foyle and Lough

Swilly

Kinel-Connell, O'Doherty became lord of

See Book of Rights, p. 131, note';

Inishowen, and expelled or subdued the

families of the Kinel

Annals of the Four Masters, Ed. J. O'D., note d p. 19, A. D. 1175 Battle of Magh
, ;

Owen, who. had been

See
J.

lords of that territory before him.

An-

Rath, p. 156, note

anglicised
z

MagDubhain

is

now

nals of the

Four Masters, Ed.

.

O'D.,

Mac Guane.
the west of Stranorlar,
in
is

Now
to

Glenfinn, in the parish of Kiltee-

A. D. 1199, p. 118, note s c That is, Promontorium

guill,

Golli,

now Rossand

voge,

the

a well-known promontory in the pa-

same county.

Mag

Loingseachain

now

rish of Mevagh, barony of Kilmacrenan,

anglicised Lynch,

though the family

is al-

county of Donegal.

It lies

between Mul-

ways
a

called

natives

by their ancient name by the when speaking Irish.

This territory
is still

roy Lough and Sheephaven.

The name

Mac
d

Gillasamhais

is

now

obsolete, or dis-

Anglice Fanat.

guised under some anglicised form.

well

known by

this

name.

It

forms the

Now Tuath,

and anglice Doe, a

district

north-east of the barony of Kilmacrenan,

in the north of the

and extends (according

to

an old map of

barony of Kilmacrenan, lying between Cloghineely and Sheephaven.

Ulster in the State Papers' Office,

London)

The northern extremity

called Ros-Irguill.

of

it

was anciently

from Lough Swilly to Mulroy Lough, and from the sea to Rathmelton See Annals

This

is

one of the three

tuaths or districts

from which O'Boyle,

called

of the Four Masters, Ed.

1186,
p.

J.

O'D., A. D.

and

after

him Mac Sweeny, was

no

70, note

".

O'Breslein was afterthis territory,

wards driven from

family
of

and the
settled

See Annals b-cuac, i. e. of the districts of the Four Masters, Ed. J. O'D., A. D.
1515, p. 1332, note
d.

Mac Sweeney Fanaid

250

CAMBEENSIS EVEESUS.
;

[CAr.

III.

" fertile terra"] [recte cip coprnvhail,

O'Maolgaotha in Muntirmaol-

gaotha, Mactieghernain in Tirfarghile. O'Conchaurus fuit supremus Connaciae rex; quatuor dynasty de [27] Cloincathail fuerunt, O'Flannagan, O'Moemordha O'Cartaidh et O'Mu|

O'Moelbrenain in Clanchnobliair, O'Cahain in Cloinfhaghartaigh, in Muntirodoibh, O'Finnachtaidh in Clannconmhaig et alter O'Finnachtan in Cloenmhurchu,
roin,

O'Maonaidh in Clanhurtuile, Magorachtaidh

O'Conchanain in Ibkdiarmada, Macmurchus in Clointomaltaidin O'Fal-

lumhoin
'

sive O'Fallonus in Cloinnuadach,

Macdiarmadha

in Tirvollia

Tirvaithbh, Tirnoachtain, Tirnenda, Chrichfartire et Cloinchvain.

Brefinae princeps fuit O'Ruairc, Mactieghernain
lacliindunclia,
e

Magsamhradain in Teallachnachach
individuals,

dominus in TealMacconsnamha in

This was the country of the race of

with the venerable Thomas

Caerthann, son of Fergus, son of Conall-

O'Conor, of
scendants,

New

York, are the

only^

de-

Gulban.

The Abbe Mageoghegan

places

whose pedigree is,

to a certainty,

this territory to the east of Boylagh, as if in

the barony of Raphoe.

O'Maelagain

is

known, of Turlough More O'Conor, King of Connacht, and sole monarch of Ireland.
k

now made Mulligan and Molyneux.

f
,

This territory extended from Belana-

h
e,

There

is

no reference

to these three

gare to Elphin, in the present county of

tribes in

any of the

Irish Annals, or in the

Roscommon, and comprised the

of

parishes

genealogies of the Cineal Conaill.

O'Dubh-

again seems to apologize for giving the

Kilmacumshy, Kilcorkey, Shankill, and the greater part of Elphin See Annals of
p. 448,

Sil-Maelagain a place in his poem

apt op m-bpeafc, t>o bf narp nap ba aitrpeao, " to put them in my poem it is our decision there was a
;

c-cup im

budm

Four Masters, Ed. J. O'D., A. D. 1289, " note 8 The " O'Flanagans of
.

this race are

still

numerous in

this terri-

tory, but poor

is

and obscure.

time when

should not regret

it."

They

now made Moran.

families

O'Mughroin There are some re-

must have been

landless at the period he

tribes

spectable

of the

name

in Conare

was

writing.

These

were probably

naught.
obsolete.
1

O'Maelmordha and O'Carthy

seated in the north-east of the present ba-

rony of Tirhugh, and south-west of that of

Eaphoe.
1

This territory comprised the parish of

Baslick, near Tulsk, in the county of Ros-

Now O'Conor.

This family

is

now re-

common.

O'Maelbhreanainn

is

now

anfa-

presented

by the son

of the late O'Conor

glicised Mulrenin.

There are many poor

Don, aged about twelve years; and his The next to brother, aged about ten.
these, in point of seniority, are

milies of this

name

in the county of Rosartist,

common, and Mr. Mulrenin, the

Dublin,
is

of

Denis O'Co-

of this family.
tribes

nor, of

Mount Druid, and

his brothers,

Ar-

m
,

n
,

These

were seated

in

Ma-

thur O'Conor, of Elphin Palace-House, and

chaire-Chonnacht, or

Campus

Connaciae;

Matthew O'Conor,

Esquires.

These

five

but their exact position in that plain has

CHAP. IJL]
in Tir

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
e
;

251
f

in Muintir Maelgaeithe s ;

; O'Maelgaeithe h Tighearnain in Clann-Fearghaile O'Conchobhair' was supreme King of Connacht; the four dynasts of

Mic Carthainn

O'Donnagain in Tir mBreasail

Mag

Clann-CathaiP were O'Flannagain, O'Maelmordha, O'Carthaigh, and O'Mughroin ; O'Maelbhreanainn in Clann-Conchobhair ; O'Cathalain m in Clann-Fhaghartaigh O'Maenaigh in Clann-Murthuile" Mag-Oireaclitaigh inMuintir-Rodhuibh ; O'Finnachtaighin Clann-Conmhaigh
1

in

and another O'Finnachtaigh in Clann-Murchadha ; O'Coincheannainn Ui-Diarmada p ; Mac Murchadha in Clann-Tomaltaigh ; O'Falla;

mhain or Fallen, in Clann-Uadach^

and Clann-Chuain.

Mac Diarmada

in

[Magh-Luirg,

Airteach], Tir-Tuathail, Tir-Neachtain, Tir-Eanna,

Crich-Fear-tire,

The Prince

of Breifne8 was O'Ruairc; Mac- Tighearnain, lord of

Teallach-Dunchadha* ;
not

Mag Samhradhain,
is

lord of Teallach Eachach" ;

is still

been

determined.
;

O'Cathalain
is

O'Fallon
r

respectable.

now made Callan

Mooiiey;

O'Maenaigh

made
Mage-

Now Mac Dermot.

,The territories here

to

and

Mag

Oireachtaigh,

mentioned as belonging

Mac Dermot
"), in the

are

Some of these tribes raghty or Geraghty. were removed from the plain at an early
period.

included in the old barony of Boyle

(now

" Boyle and Frenchpark

of

county

Mageraghty was found

to be in

O'Kelly's country in 1585.

See Tribes
p. 19.

Roscommon, except Clanh-Chuain and Firthire, which are in the barony of Carra
and county of Mayo
Tribes,
frc.,

and Customs,

frc.,

of Ui Maine,

See Genealogies,

Now

anglice Clanconway.

terri-

of Ui-Fiachrach, pp. 161, 163,

Tir-Tuathail
is
still

tory comprised in the barony of Ballympe,

204, 205, 212, 213.

-

re-

on the west side of the River Suck, in the

county of Gal way Muinter Murchadha was
.

tains that
district

name, and

now

applied to a

comprising the parish of Kilronan,

on the east side of that river.

P This tribe,

in the north-east of the

who

took the surname of

district of

O'Concannon, was seated in the

barony of Boyle See^nn. Four Masters, A. D. 1411, p. 807, note w. Airteach is also still in local use
the peasantry, and
fiscal
is

Corca-Mogha, now Corcamoe, comprising

Kilkerrin parish, in the barony of Killian

among

included in

the modern

and county of Galway. See Ann. Four Masters, A. D. 1382, p. 687, note ". The head of this family (Henry Concannon,
Esq.)
1
still

" barony of Frenchpark," and comprises the parishes of Tibohine and

See Ib., A. D. 681, 1297. Kilnamannagh s O'Rourke was lord of all the county of
Leitrim,

retains

some ancient property.

a
of Athlone

which was

called

West

Breifne

The country

of O'Fallon or Fallen,

territory in

the barony

and

and of the now county of Cavan, called East Breifne but for some centuries O'Reil;

county of Roscommon, comprising the entire of

ly,

lord of the Eastern Breifne,

was inde-

the parish of
if

Camma, and the greater

pendent of O'Rourke.
1

part,

not the entire, of that of Dysart.

This territory

still

retains this

name,

252
Cloincoirndh
neluacliain,
;

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
Maccagadon
in Cloinfearninoigh
;

[CAP. HI.

Magdorchaidh

in

Ken-

Magfhlanchaidh in Dartria, Oflim, O'Raghallaidh in Muntirmaolmordha.

et O'Carbhaill in Calria,

et

O'Cuin in Muntirugillogain, Magmaolisa [in Magh Breacraighe], Magraighnil in Muntirmeolis ; O'Moelmaiach in Maigneassa, O'Cuinn

in Muntirfhargaile.

O'Melchluicca in duabus Carbriis, O'Headhra, O'Huathmurain, O'Gadhra, et O'Kearnachain domini Luignige O'Doibhelein, et Dunchnus domini de Corrun, Mageochaidh Muighmaonaidh, et Magriabhaidh, tres prisci dynastae de Muighloirg, O'Dubhda sive O'Doude domi;

and

is

a barony in the west of the county

prising the parish of Oughteragh or Balli-

of Cavan,

now
now

anglicised

Tullaghunco,

namore, at the foot of Sliabh-an-Iarainn, in

the county of Leitrim.
family,

Tullahonoho, and Tullyhunco.

earnain
is

anglicised

Mac TighMac Kierhan

The

last of this

who was

chief of this territory, died

and Kernan

Annals of the Four Masters,

name.
It is

in the year 1403.

See Ann. Four Masters,

p.

A. D. 1282, 1294, 1317.

u Still retains this

Ed.
a barony
z

J.

O'D., A. D. 1403,

778, note

This

name

is still

in use,

and applied

in the north-west of the county of Cavan,

to a district co-extensive with the barony

now

anglicised Tullaghagh, or Tullyhaw.

is

of Rossclogher,

in the county of Leitrim.

Mac Shamhradhain

now

anglicised
is

gauran and Magovern. The family very numerous in the barony. w More called
usually

Manow

The name Mac Flannchadha

chaidh
a
is

or

Mac Flann-

now
is,

anglicised Clancy.

That

Calraidhe-Laithim, a district

Muintir-Chinaith,
is still
it

in the present
Sligo, the

and now
in use

anglicised Munterkenny. It

name

barony of Carbury, county of of which is still preserved

near the

among

the peasantry,

who apply

in that of the parish of Calry,

to a district in the county of Leitrim, lying

town
fyc.,

of Sligo

See Genealogies, Tribes,

west and north-west of Lough Allen, and between that lake and the River Arigna.
See Ann. Four Masters, Ed. J. O'Z>., A. D.
1252,
p.

map

to that work.

of Ui-Fiachrach, p. 482, and the The O'Cearbhaills or

The
numerous.

O'Carrolls of this place are unknown.

x 345, note

Mac Consnamha

is

O'Finns are
b
lys,

still

now made Makinnaw, and more

Forde.
x

generally

This was the tribe-name of the O'Reil-

who were

for

many

centimes supreme

territory in the

county of Leitrim,
of land,

lords or chieftains of the entire of the pre-

containing twenty-one quarters

sent county of Cavan, except the baronies of

and stretching
of

to the east

and north-east
is

Tullyhaw and Tullyhunco, which bec

Lough

Allen.

Mac Cagadhain

now
is

longed originally to West Breifny. This territory was distributed among baronies of Ardagh, Moydow, and

Mac Coggan and Cogan.

this family,

W.

Forde Cbof

gan, Esq., Rathmines Mall, Dublin,

the

and represents the Mac Kinsame county, com-

Shrule, in the county of Longford. O'Cuinn

is

aws
y

or Fordes on the mother's side.

now

called Quin, without the 0'.

this race

The

territory in the

O'Quins of

were dispossessed by

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
;

253

Mac Conshnamha in Clann-Chinaeith w Mac Cagadhain in Clanny Fearnmaighe* Mac Dorchaidh in Cineal-Luachain Mag-Fhlanncha;
;

dha in Dartraidhe
allaigh in

O'Finn and O'Cearbhaill in Calraidhe a ; O'RaghMuintir-Maelmordha b

7 ;
.

O'Cuinn
O'Cuinn*

in Muintir-Gillagain

Mag

Maelisa in Magh-Breacraighed

e Baghnaill in Muintir-Eoluis

f O'Maelmhiadhaigh in Magh-Nise ;

(is

the senior) of Muintir Fearghaile.

1

O'Maelcluiche in the two Cairbries h ; O'hEaghra, O'hUathmharain, O'Oadhra, and O'Cearnachain, lords of Luighne ; O'Dobhailean and

O'Duinnchathaigh, lords of

Corann k

Mag

Eoach,

Mag
An

Kiabhaigh, the three ancient dynasts of

Mag Maenaigh, and Mag Luirg O'Dubhda

1

the O'Farrells in the fourteenth century.

inquisition taken at

however, became the absolute or supreme

lords of all the region

April, in the

Ardagh on the 4th tenth year of James I., found

now called

the county

of Longford.
h

that thirty-five small cartrons of Monter-

Now

included in the barony of Car-

galgan then belonged to O'Farrall Bane, and seventeen and a half cartrons, of like
measure,
to O'Farrall Boye's part of the

bury, in the north of the county of Sligo.

O'Maelcluiche
rectly,

is

now

anglicised,
Sfc.,

incor-

Stone

See Origin,

of Sura

county Longford.
d

names
It

in Ireland, in Irish P. Journal, 1 841. cluiche,

plain,

comprising a part of the ba-

might be made Gamble, from

'

rony of Moygoish, in the county of Westmeath, extending also into the County of
Longford.
obsolete.
e

game.

Now

Leyny, a barony in the county of

is

The name Mag Maelisa

is

now

O-hEaghra 0-hUathmharain is
Sligo.

now made O'Hara;

;

obsolete

O'Gadhra

is
ia

This comprised the southern or level

It

anglicized O'Gara

and O'Cearnachain

part of the present county of Lei trim.

made Kernaghan,
k

or Kernan.

was called
is

Magh Rein. Mag Raghnaill now made Mac Rannall, and Reynolds.
also
f

a barony in the county of Sligo. O'Dobhailen is now anglicised Devlin,

1

Now Corran,

This was otherwise called Muintir-Eo-

and Doncathaigh, Duncahy.

Anglice Moylurg. This was the ancient
of the old barony of Boyle,
fiscal

lais

Uachtrach, or Upper Munterolish, and

comprised the south-west part of the county of Leitrim, adjoining the Shannon. For its
extent, see

name

now

in-

cluding the modern

baronies of Boyle

Hardiman's edition of O' Flap.

herty's lar-Connacht,

349.

O'Mael-

and Frenchpark. The families of Mageoach, Mag Maenaigh, and Mag Riabhaigh, whose

mhiadhaigh is now anglicised Mulvey, without the 0'.

s Dr.

names might be
Keogh,

anglicised
or

Mageogh

or

Mac Meeny

Mooney, and Ma-

Lynch has misunderstood

this.

greevy, the ancient chieftains of Moylurg,

O'Dubhagain merely remarks that O'Quin is of a branch of the Conmhaicne or Anghaile senior to

sank at an early period under the

Mac Der-

the O'Farrells.

The

latter,

mots, an offset of the royal family of the O'Conors of Connacht.

254

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

mis Ofiochrachse Septentrionalis, a Roba ad Conaigh, O'Muireidh, O'Gormog, O'Tieghernaidh in Keara, O'Brinnus in Muntirmanchain,

Mac Branain

et

O'Moelmichil in Corceachlain.

Oceallaidh sive O'Kelly fuit Manachse princeps ; O'Conaill, dominus agri, qui a Grein extenditur ad Conmuighe ; O'Neachtain, et O'Moelalaidh

duo domini de Maonmhuigh.

Deinde nominat O'Mannine Cla;

Osgura, O'Lennain, O'CasO'Maighin, O'Cathail, O'Muroin, et O'Moelrunhaidh tres domini de Crumthaind, et O'Laodhaigh dominus de Catthlamh id
sain, O'Gialaidh,

nanbhard, quos nunc Wardaeos appellamus

portu Sinnsei Amnis. sive jO'Maddin Siolanmchia3 princeps, proximus illi Macuallachain, Macedidhain in Clandiarmada Septentrionali, et Ausest de

O'Madadhain

trali; Macgiolleuaine, et

O'Cionaidh sive O'Kennii in Cloinlaithemham,

English invasion
205, 208.
Tb,

m The

country of this great sept comprised

pp.

163,

204,

the baronies of Carra, Erris, and Tirawley,

in the county of

T>e surnames O'Muireadhaigh,

still

Mayo, and that of Tire-

O'Gormog, and O'Tighearaaigh, are

cized respectively Murray,

ragh in the county of Sligo, besides that

part of the barony of Carbury lying south
of Drumcliff.

extant in the barony of Carra, but angli-

Gorman,

and

O'Dubhda

is

now

anglicised

Tierney or Tieman, without the 0'. These

families are

O'Dowda.

The present

representative of

now very

poor

Ib., pp. 186,

this family is

Tadhg O'Dubhda, Thaddseus

in the

187.
i

O'Dowda, Esq., of Bunnyconnellan,

co. of
is

Mayo. His brother, Robert O'Dowda,

Registrar of the Supreme Court of

now
the

That is, over the family of O'Manchain, The real name of anglice Monahan.
territory

Esq.,

was

Tir-Briuin-na-Sinna,

Calcutta

See Genealogies, Tribes,

8fc.,

of

jsvhich is still

retained.

The

place where
is still

Ui-Fiachrach, p. 372. n Now the river " Robe," flowing through

the south of the county of Mayo, and thro ugh the town of Ballinrobe, to which
it

O'Beirne slew the last O'Monahan

pointed out at Lissadorn, near Elphin.

Mr.

O'Beirne, of Dangan, in the parish of Kil-

gives

more, in this territory,

family.

is

the head of this

of the

name, and discharges itself into Lough Mask. See Genealogies, Tribes, 8(C., of
Ui-Fiachrach,
p. 143, note *.

The peasantry

name

are

beginning to change the name to Bruin or Broone.

r

This was the

name

of a small stream

territory in the east of the county

which flows into the Bay of Sligo at the

village of Drumcliff, in the

barony of Car/&.,

Roscommon, comprising the parishes of Bumlin, Kiltrustan, Cloonfinlough, and the

western half of the parish of Lissonuffey.
See Ann. Four Masters, Ed. J. O'D.,

bury and county of Sligo

P

note

y.

Now

Carra, a barony in the county of

Sligo.

The inhabitants of the northern

of

A. D. 1256,
s

p.

358, note

part of this barony placed themselves under

Ui Maine included the one-third of the

See Tribes

Mac Piarmada

Magh

Luirg, before the

province of Conriacht.

and

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

255

or O'Doude, lord of
;

Ceara p
in

Codhnach O'Birn in Muintir-Manchaini; Mac Branain and O'Maelmichil

;

North Ui-Fiachrach m from the Rodhba" to the O'Muireadhaigh, O'Gormog, and O'Tighearnaigh, in
r
.

Corcachlann

8 O'Ceallaigh or O'Kelly was Prince of Ui- Maine ; O'Conaill, lord of the land which extends from Grian to Ceann-Maighe* ; O'Neachtain

u and O'Maelalaidh, two lords of Maenmhagh

He next names O'Mainnin

;

and Clann-an-Bhaird,
nain,

whom we now

call

Wards
w
;<

O'Squarra, O'Lean-

O'Cassain, O'Giallaidh,

O'Maighin

O'Cathail,

O'Mughroin,

x O'Maelruanaidh, three lords of Crumhthann ; O'Laedhog, lord of Caladhy, that is of the port of the River Sinainn.

O'Madadhain or O'Maddin, Prince of Sil- Anmchadha the next to him was Mac Uallachain a Mac Edidhain in north and south ClannDiarmada b Mac Gillafinnagain and O'Cinaeith or O'Kenny in Clann1 ;
; ;

Territories

of Ui Maine, passim,
the head of the plain,
i.

for its

the present barony of Killian, and part of

limits at various periods.

1

That

is,

e.

the

that of Ballymoe, in the east of the county e of Galway 76., p. 73, note .
x

plain of

Maenmhagh. The O'Connells of Ui Maine, who were of the same race as

territory in the
to

now supposed

county of Galway, be co-extensive with the

the

Mac Nevins,

originally possessed a ter-

Ui Maine, extending from the river Grian, on the confines of Connacht and Thomond, to the head or southritory in the south of

The word caladh barony of Kilconnell. should not have been translated portus by
Dr. Lynch, for in that part of Ireland
signifies
district,
it

now
word

(as

it

did then) a low

flat

ern limits of the plain of

u

This was the ancient

Maenmhagh, q. v. name of a plain

extending along a lake or

river,

like the

srath, or strath, in Ulster or

Sfc., of Ui Maine, The family name of O'Laed-

lying round the

town of Loughrea, in the

Scotland.

See Tribes,
J.

See Tribes agid Cuscounty of Gal way toms of Ui Maine, pp. 70, 130, 176. For the
present heads of the families of O'Naughton

p v74, note

hog

is

now

obsolete.
it

Mr. Kelly, of Casthe

tle-Kelly, thinks

may be
is far

name now
certain.

and O'Mullally, orLally, see idem, pp. 33, 70, 71, 117-183. w The name of the of this
territory

made Lee
z

but this

from

territory comprising the

barony of

sept

Longford, on the west side of the Shannon,

in the

was Sodhan, and

is

now

included in the

county of Galway, and the parish of

east side of the same river,

barony of Tiaquin, county Galway /&., These families are pp. 72, 159, 188.

Lusmagh, on the
in the

barony of Garrycastle, King's CounVide Ib.,

p. 69,

now

little

known, except the O'Mainnins,

ty
a

note x

now anglicZ Mannion or Manning, and Mac Wards or Wards, who are very numerous
*

Now Cuolahan,
Ib., pp. 41, 1

without the prefix Mac.

Vide

83-188.

Henry Cuola-

in the

county of Galway.

territory in

Ui Maine, containing

han, Esq., of Cogran House, in the barony of Garrycastle, King's County, is the pre.-

256

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

IIT.

O'Donellanus in Cloinmbrassail, O'Danchaidh in Cloincormacmaanmhuigh, O'Dubhginn in duodecem villis de O'Duibhgin; O'Docomhlain

in Eidhnigh,

O'Gabhrain in Dailndruithne, O'Maolbrigliae in Magh

Finn.
in Kiarria, O'Moelmuaida in Clointeg, O'Floin in O'Bruin in Lochgealgosa O'Mallius in duabus Umhalliis, Corcamodha, O'Talcarain in Conmacniacvile, O'Cadhla sive Quajlly in Conmacnia;

Et O'Kierin

mara, Macconrii in Gnomor; O'Hagnaidh in Gnobeg, Macaodha in Cloinchosgrii ; O'Flabhertie sive O'Flahertie in Muntirmhurchu.

O'Heidhin, sive O'Hein, Macgillechallaidh, et O'Clerigh in Ubhfiaehrasmw

[Aidhne],

6'Dubhgialla in Kinnellkinghamhua,
186.
of

MachAgha-

scnt head of this family

b

/&., p.

Tuam, namely, the

parishes of

The The

position of this sept has not been

more, Knock, Bekan, and Annagh. O'Ceirin is

clearly determined.
c

now

anglicised Kerrin

See Geneap.

position of this tribe

is

determined

logies,

$fe.,

by Ballydonnellan, midway between Bal-linasloe

map
h

to

of Ui Fiachrach, the same work.

484, and

and Loughrea, in the county of Galway, where O'Donnellan, the chief of the sept of the Clann Breasail, resided.
d

The exact

situation of this sept,

whose

country was called lochtar-tire, has not been yet determined. Mr. Molloy, of Oakport, near Boyle, in the

This sept was seated in the plain near

its

county of Roscom-

Loughrea, but
e

exact position has not

mon,
1

is

the present head of this family.

been determined.

This sept was seated in the north-west of

The
is

situation of O'Duibhginn, in

Ui

the county of

Roscommon, and

their terri-

Maine,
f

unknown, unless

it

be determined

tory comprised the entire of the parish of

Kiltullagh,
It

by Ballydoogan.
Otherwise called Breadach, a territory
in the county of

and a part of that of Kilkeevin.

Airteach,

was bounded on the north by

forty quarters of

Roscommon, containing land, and comprising the

Taghmaconnell, in

on the east by Machaire-Chonnacht, on the south by Clann- Chonmhaighe, and on the

west by the boundary of the present county
of

entire of the parish of

the barony of Athlone. This territory after-

Mayo.
still

wards
of the

fell

into the possession of a branch

are
k

O'Kellys, who took Mac Eochadha, now Keogh,

the
of

name
M.

of

The O'Flynns of this territory numerous. Or Coill Fothaidh, the " Wood of Fois

whom

the

thadh." Position

not detennined but the

;

father of William Keogh,

Esq.,

P., is

O'Rothlains were seated in the barony of

Gallen.
1

one

of the
frc.,
is,

chief

representatives.

See

Tribes,
g

of Ui Maine,

pp. 102, 165.

Now

Corca-Moe, a territory in the north

That

Ciarraighe of Loch na-nAir-

of the territory of

Ui Maine,

in the county

neadh, a territory in the county of Mayo,

of Galway, comprising the parish of Kilkerrin.

comprising that portion of the barony of

Costello

This belonged to the Sgaithghils

which belongs

to the archdiocese

(or Schills, as they are

now

called) before

>.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS;

257
;

Fhlaitheamhain
6
;

O'Domhnallain in Clann-Breasail
d
;

O'Donnchadha

of Ui-Cormaic-Maenmhaiglie

O'Duibhginn Druithne O'Maelbrighde

;
1

O'Duibligin of the twelve Bailes of O'Docomhlain in Eidhneach ; O'Gabhrain in Dalin

O'Ceirin in Ciarraighe g ; k in Sil-Maelruain ; O'Rothlain in Caille-Fothaidh

1

Magh-Finn O'Maelmuaidhe in Clann-Taidhg h O'Floinn

.

Corca-Mogha
Umhalls"
in
r
;

O'Braein in Loch Gealgosa.

;
11

Scaithghil in O'Maille in the two

;

Mac

O'Talcharain in Conmhaicne-Cuile
;

O'Cadhla or Quaelly,
in

Conmhaicne-mara
;

Mac Qpnroi

in

Gno-Mor% O'hAdhnaidh
8
;

Gno-

Beag

hertie,

Clann-Chosgraigh in Muintir-Murchadha*.
u
;

Mac Aedha

in

O'Flaithbheartaigh or Fla-

O'h-Eidhin or O'Hein, Mac Gillacheallaigh, and O'Cleirigh, in UiFiachrach- Aidhne

the English invasion possessed soon after or O'Concannons.
ni

O'Duibhghilla in Cineal-Cinngamhna;
i

Mac

Fia-

but they were dis-

territory in the west of the

county

it

by the Ui Diarmada,

of Galway, comprising the northern and larger part of the barony of Moycullen.

This was probably the ancient

name

of

The MacConrois[MacConrys], nowanglice

Kings, are
r

the lake
iii

now

called Urlare

Lough, situated

still

numerous in

this territory.

the barony of Costello,

and county of
un-

territory comprising the

southern

Mayo. The O'Briens of known. " n the two

Anglice
lochtrach, and

this race are

and smaller part of the same barony.

of

For

very curious particulars respecting these

i.

Owles,"

e.

Umhall

territories

Gno-mor and Gno-beg,

see

Umhall Uachtrach, or Upper and Lower Owle. The former territory

is

Hardiman's edition of

O 'Flaherty 's

lar-

Connacht, pp. 52, 54, 62, 156, 252, 255,

391, 392.

included in the present barony of Burri-

hAdhnaidh is now anglicised

shoole, in the
ter in the

county of Mayo, and the

lat-

Hyney.
s

county.
ley

O'Maille

barony of Murrisk, in the same is now anglicd O'Malp. 98.

These were a subsection of the Ui-

Briuin Seola, seated on the east side of

Book of Rights,

Lough
See Ui-

Corrib, in the south of the present

Now

the barony of Kilmone, in the

barony of Clare, in the county of Galway.

south of the county of Mayo.

Fiachrach, p. 487.
P

race, is
district in the

Mac Aedha, Mac Hugh, now unknown.

1

or Magee, of this

Now

Connamara, a

west

Now

anglicd

Muntermorroghoe,

the

Galway, comprising the baSee Hardiman's rony of Ballynahinch.

of the county

northern part of the barony of Clare

See

Hardiman's edition of O'Flaherty's larConnacht,

"

edition of O'-F/a herty\i lar- Connacht, p. 29,

p.

3G8.

note w
It

O'Cadhla
r

is

now anglicised Kealy.

territory in the south-west of the

bishop of

was latinized-Qwff/eMS by the R. C. ArchTuam, of that name, who was

county of Galway, co-extensive with the See Hy-Many, diocese of Kilmacduagh.

p.

contemporary with Colgan (1645.)

77

Ui-FiacJirach, p. 52, note

'.

258

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

fiachra in Oguibheathra, O'Cathain, in Kenelsedna,

raighe, O'Seachnasaidh, et O'Cathail

O'Maghna in Ceanduo domini de Kenelaodha.

pergit, cujus supremum regem fuisse dicit O'Fiachraidh fuit dominus de Onenechlais, O'CosO[Mac]JMurchuum, craidh dominus de Fearcualuin, O'Rian dominus Odrona .O'TuaMac Gorman, dominus O'Mairchi; thail dominus de Omuredhaigh
in

Hinc

Lageniam poeta

O'Conchaubhar, O'Duinn, O'Broarain, O'Cionnaidh, O'Diomusaich sive O'Dempsie, O'Haonghusa, O'Amurguin, O'Murchadain, dominus O'Falghise, O'Kiardhain Carbria, O'Foelan, Q^Mairche, O Conchobar.
1

v Anglice Kinelea, a territory In the barony of Kiltartan, county of Galway See map to Ui- Maine. For some farther

the southern half of the present county of

Kildare,

whence the O'Tuathails or O'Tooles

notice of the sub-tribes of the

southern
v.,
;

were driven shortly after the English invasion, when they settled in Imail r and after-

Ui

Fiachrach,

see Genealogies,

of

wards
b

in Feara Cualann, in the county of

Ui-Fiachrach, pp. 53, 54, &c.

and in

Wicklow

Vide
,

id., p.

210, note

the Appendix {Ibid.}, for the pedigree of O'Seachnasaigh, or O'Shaughnessy, who

dispossessed O'Cahill towards the close of

sept seated in the present

barony
Vide

of Sliabh Mairge, or Slievemargy, in the

south-east of the Queen's County

id., p.
c

the thirteenth century.

m 212, note .
is,

Anglicd

Mac Murrough. The

principal

That

O'Conehobhair Failghe or O'Co-

families of this race took the

name

of

Mac

nor Faly, lord of Ui- Failghe or Offaly, a

large territory in Leinster, extending into

of the

MurchadhaCaemhanach, and the latter part name only is now used, and is now

the King's and Queen's Counties, and also

into that of Kildare,

anglicised Kavanagh. x tribe seated in the present barony of

where the baronies of

name.
Vide
id.,

Offaly
p.

still

retain the
r
.

Arklow, in the south-east of the county of

216, note
d

Wicklow

Book of Rights, p. 195, note?. The name O'Fiachrach is now obsolete.

Now

Dunne.

He was

chief of Ui-

Riagain, or Iregan, anglicd Dooregan, a

territory in the Queen's County, co- exten-

y Anglice Fercuolen, a territory in the north of the county of Wicklow, considered in modern times as co-extensive with the

sive with the

barony of Tinnahinch in that

county. Colonel Francis Dunne, of Brittas,

is

manor

of Powerscourt.

Vide

id.,

p. 13,

the present head of this family.

note h . O'Coscraigh of this race was dispossessed

by the O'Tuathails (O'Tooles) shortly

English invasion.

after the
z

Now obsolete. Now Kenny. s Now O'Dempsey,

e
f

all

reduced to poverty

barony of Tdrone, in the county of Carlow, where Vide id., p. 212, note k they were seated
sept
.

which gave name

to the

and obscurity. lughra, and his

He was lord of Clann-Maeterritory comprised the ba-

The O'Riains
their
a

of this race

now

anglicise

rony of Portnahinch, in the Queen's County, on the south side of the River Barrow, and
that of

name Ryan, without

the O'.

Upper Philipstown,

in the King's
river.

A territory in Leinster,

comprising about

County, on the north side of the same

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

259

chra in Oga-Beathra ; O'Cathain in Cineal-Seanna; O'Maghna in Caentwo lords of Cineal-Aedhar raidhe; O'Seachnasaigli and O'Cathail,
.

Thence the poet proceeds into Leinster, of which, he says, the suMurchadha w O'Fiachrach was lord of Ui-nEinepreme king was Mac y O'Coscraigh, lord -of Feara-Cualann ; O'Riain, lord of
;

achghlais*

Ui-Drona
aeith
f

a O'Tuathail, lord of Ui-Muireadhaigh ;

Mac Gormain,
6
,
i

lord

of Ui-mBairche
,

O'Brogarbhain h O'Dimasaigh or O'Denipsie*, O'hAenghusa ,O'Aimhirgin ,O'Murk O'Faelain ; chadhain , lord of Ui Failghe ; O'Ciardha in Cairbre
; , ,
1

d O'Conchobhair c O'Duinn

O'Cin-

O'rnBairche" ; O'Conchobhair
h

Now

Hennessy, a name

still

numerous

nahinch, in the Queen's County, on the

in the Queen's County.

'

south side of the River Barrow, and that of

chief of Geshill,
is still

Now Bergin. He

was

in the King's County.

The name

in the King's County, on the north side of the same river ; 4, O'h-

Upper Philipstown,

Thovery numerous in the King's County. mas F. Bergin, Esq., the able engineer, of
Dublin,
J

Aenghusa, now Hennessy, of Clann-Cholgain,

now
;

the barony of

Lower

Philips-

is

of this race.

town

5,

0'Maelchein of Tuath-da-mhaighe,

This

name does

not

now

exist in the

now

the baronies of Coolestown and

6,

War-

King's County.

Their territory of Tuath-

renstown;

da-maigh, anglice Tethmoy, comprised the

baronies of

Warrenstown and Coolestown,

King's County.
incorrect, because
all

O'Murchadhain, lord of MaghAeife, a district in the barony of East Offaly, adjoining Tethmoy,'' and the wood of
Fidh-Gaibhle
;

in the east of the

k

7,

O'Ceallaigh, or Kelly, of

This

is

O'Murcha-

Tuath-Leighe,

comprising the barony ef

dhain was never lord of

Ui-Failghe.

He

was

chief of Magh-Aeife, a territory ad-

Western Offaly, and a small portion' of the barony of Portnahinch, in which the
Castle of Leighe,
preserves the name.
1

joining the celebrated

bhle,

wood

of Fidh-Gai-

now

anglice Lea,^

still

now

Figyle,

and included in the pre-

sent barony of East Offaly, in the county of

Generally called Cairbre Ui Chiardha,

Kildare.

Dr. Lynch should have written

i.

e.

O'Keary's Carbury;

now

the barony

the

names

follows:

Ui Failghe as O'Conchobhair [nowO'Conor] was

of the families of

of Carbury, in the county of Kildare. This

is

clear

from O'Dubhagain,*who states that

of the race

prince, or chief lord of

Ui Failghe, under
1,

the

Ui Ciardha^are the only sept

is

whom were the

mergin,

following dynasts:

O'Ai-

of Niall Naighiallach seated in Leinster.

now Bergin, lord of Tuaith- Geisille,

of Geshill; 2, O'Duinn,

O'Ciardha
Carey.

now

anglicised

Keary and
be "

now the barony

of Tinnabinch,
3,

now

Dunne, lord of Ui-Riagain, now the barony

in the

m This
Eochadha
the

is incorrect.

It should

Mac

Queen's County;

in Ui-Faelain."

Ui-Faelain was

O'Dimasaigh, now O'Dempsey, lord of Clann -Maeilughra, anglice Clanmaliere,

all

name

of a tribe which, after the esta-

comprising nearly

the barony of Port-

blishment of hereditary surnames,[branched into the families of Mac Eochadha, now

S2

260

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

dair,

Macgillapatrick, O'Caruill, et O'Dunchaidh, Ossoria? domini ; O'BruaMac Brain, et O'Braonain, in tribus Triuchis, scilicet, Triucha na-

clanna, Triuchaanchomair, et Triuchahieric.

Series postea Momoniensium optimatum texitur,- inter quos familiara ducit O'Brien, nonnunquam duarum Momoniarum et aliquando Hibernise

Rex Regis cognatus Mac Mathgamhnius sen Mac Mahonus, dominus

;

Keogh and Kehoe,

obsolete,

of

Mac

Fhaelain,

now

reason to believe that, since the establish-

and of O'Brain, now O'Byrne or

ment

of Christianity in Ireland, its limits

Byrne. The Ui- Faelain occupied the plains of Magh Laighean and Magh Liffe, about
the northern half of the present county of

never extended beyond those of the present

diocese of Ossory but it is stated by Keating and others, that in the time of Aenghus
;

Kildare
n

Book of Rights,
is

pp. 205, 206.

Osraidheach this territory comprised the

This

incorrect.

It should be

"

Mac

Gormain, lord of Ui-mBairche."

The Ui-

whole region extending from Sliabh Bladhma to the sea at Waterford, and from the
or River Suir.-^See
a 18, note .
I

mBairchewere seated

in the present barony

of Sliabhe Mairge or Slievemarague, in the

Bearbha or Barrow, westwards, to the Siuir, Book of Rights, pp. 17,

Queen's County

/&., p.

m 212, note

Now

O'Conor. This
It

name is misplaced
k.

Now

Broder and Broderick.

He was
now

by Dr. Lynch.

should precede O'Mur-

chief of Ui-Eirc, dat. pi. Uibh-Eirc,

chadhain, as remarked in note

P MacGillaphraduig, patrick.
1

the barony of Iverk, in the south of the

now anglicised Fitz-

county of Kilkenny.
II

Now

Breen.

The Triucha-na-gClann

Now

O'Carroll, or Carroll, without .the

is

included in the present barony of Knock-

prefix 0'.
trict,

He was

seated in a fertile dis-

topher, in the county of Kilkenny.

in the barony of

Gabhran or Gowran,
to Sliabh

Now Brennan.

He was

chief of Ui-

in the
Cill

county of Kilkenny, extending from

Chainnigh,

now Kilkenny,

Duach, which is designated by Triucha- anChomair, from Comar, now Castlecomer, its

gCaithle.

The O'Carrolls of this race cannot

from those of
in the King's County.

head residence.

Ui-Duach

is

described by

now be
Eile
r

easily distinguished

O'h-Uidhrin, in his topographical poem, as

Ui Chearbhaill,

Now anglicised Dunphy. He was seated

Donnchadh O'Donnchaidh,
a

fair

piormcldp paTppin<5napeoipe,i.e. the extensive plain of the River Feoir, now

the Nore. This
is

in Gabhran, near the River Bearbha, or

the last territory mentioned

of the
list

Barrow.

by O'Dubhagain. The remainder

is

name which would now be

Dunphy,
Archdall
8

anglicised Denis

obtained from Gilla-na-naemh O'h-Uidh-

the head of this family, erected

rin's topographical

poem, though Dr. Lynch

the abbey of Jerpoint in 1180. him "

call

Ware and

seems to have thought that O'Dubhagain

Donogh O'Donoghoe."
in the

was the author

rin,

of both poems.

O'h-Uidh-

Now Ossory.

This ancient principality

who

died in 1420, states, in the open-

comprised the barony of Upper Ossory

present county of Kilkenny. There

Queen's County, and nearly the entire of the

is

ing of his poem, that O'Dubhagain, who described the tribes and territories of Leath-

every

Chuinn, neglected those of Leath-Mhogha,

AP. III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
1

261
',

Osraidhe

Mac Gillaphadruig p O'Cearbhaill q and O'Donnchaidh u and O'Braenain w in O'Bruadair*, Mac Braein
,
,

lords of

the three

cantreds, namely, Triucha na

g Claim, Triucha-an-Chomair, and Triucha

Ui-Eirc.

he

sets

The list of the Munster chieftains is next composed, among whom down CTBriain*, as king, sometimes of the two Munsters, and
all

sometimes of

Ireland ; the king's relative

is

Mac Mathghamhna y
Ui Deaghaidh
;

or
but,

and the race of Cathaeir Mor, the task of

describing
It

that of the chief of

whom

devolved upon himself.

list

according to local tradition, the chief of the

should be here remarked that the

of the subdivisions, chieftains, and dynasts of Osraidhe, above given

of O'Deaghaidh or
true,
for, in

Ui-Deaghaidh took the hereditary surname O'Dea and this seems

;

by Dr. Lynch

the reign of

Queen Elizabeth,

from O'Dubhagain's poem, is very imperfect, and that O'h-Uidhrin gives a much more curious one. He mentions the following in addition to those furnished

Thomas O'Dea held a

See
the

considerable estate

in this barony, as of the

manor

of Graney.

Names of

the Gentlemen inhabiting

by O'DuDelariy

County of Kilkenny, with the Value of

Lands, in the Carew MSS. at Lam-

bhagain:

1,

O'Dubhshlaine,

now

their

of Coill-Uachtarach,

now Upper Woods,

of Magh-

beth, No. 611, p. 87.

at the foot of Sliabh Bladhma, or Slieve

Bloom;

2,

O'Broithe,

now Brophy,

is

This family O'Briain, now O'Brien. nowro;presented by the Marquis of Tho-

Sedna, in the present barony of

3, O'Faelain,

Galmoy

mond, by Sir Lucius O'Brien of Drumoland, Augustus Stafford O'Brien of Bla-

now

Phelan, in
;

Magh- Lacha,
O'Caibhdheain

in the

barony of Kells

4,

therwick, Northamptonshire, and Terence

naigh,

now

Gaffiny,

in

Magh-Airbh,
;

O'Brien of Glencolumbkille, Esq.,

who

de-

the present barony of

airn, in

Crannagh

5,

O'Gloi-

scends from Donnell Spaineach, the son of Colonel Murtough O'Brien,

a cantred along the River Callaiun,

who capitulated

called " a sweet district;" 6, O'Caelluidhe,

now

Kelly, in Ui-Bearchon, along the River

with Waller, and went out to Spain at the head of two thousand men, A. D. J.652.

Barrow,

now forming

the north portion of

the barony of Ida, in which Ros-I-Bear-

families of the

There ,are various other highly respectable name, but their pedigrees are

chon, anglice Rosbercon,

still

preserves the

not
y

made out

to

a certainty.
This family deor

name.
It should be also here

Now Mac

Mahon.

remarked, that the

scends from

Mathghamhain

Mahon, son

present barony of Ui-Deaghaidh, or Ida,

of Muircheartach, the eldest son of Toir-

comprises three ancient baronies

old maps,
tradition,

shown on
by

and

still

distinctly remembered

dhealbhach or Turlough More O'Brien, monarch of Ireland, who died in the year 1086.
It is for

anciently Ui-Deaghaidh,

namely, Ida, Igrin, and Ibercon, Ui gCruinn, a quo

some time extinct

in the senior

line

but

many

of the junior branches re-

Sliabh gCruinn,

now

Tory-hill,

and Ui-

main, and Sir Beresford

Mac Mahon and

but
out.

Bearchon.

The name
is

of the ancient chief

O'Gormau Mahon
their pedigrees

are of this race,

of Ui gCruinn

nowhere mentioned, nor

have not been made

262

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
;

[CAP.

III.

duarum Corcabaskinnarum
cabaskinse domini
;

O'Donellus et O'Baskinus duo prisci Cor-

O'Kennedius, Ormonise dominus ; O'Dunghallius, dominus de Muscritire; O'Conchobar, dominus Corcomrose occidentalis ;
O'Lochlaiun, dominus Corcumroae orientalis O'Deadhaigh, dominus de Fearmaic; O'Goinn, dynasta de Cloinifernain O'Cathail, dynasta de O'Flaithrii[5c] O'Airther, dominus de O'Cormaic, et O'Flanchaidh de
;

Flanchaidh; Macconmara, primus dynasta Silmbrianorum, dominus de

Muighaghair ettriochached Clanncassin ; O'Grada, dynasta deMuntirtire1

The two Corca-Bhaiscinns. These

still

ter-

chobhair, or O'Conor, of this race, are

all

ritories

retain
is

their names.

Corca-

Bhaiscinn, East,

now

considered to be

reduced to poverly and obscurity. e This was the ancient name of the ba-

co-extensive with the present barony of

Clonderalaw, and Corca-Bhaiscinn, West,

rony of Barren, in, the north of the county of Clare, where the " Abbey of Corcomroe "
still

with the adjoining barony of Moyarta, in the county of Clare. But it appeal's from the
Life of St. Senanus,

preserves the name.

of this
race,

The O'Loughthe O'Cofifth

lins

as well as

and many other ancient

nbrs, are descended

from Meadhruadh,

authorities, that previously to the settlement

in descent from Fearghus or Fergus

Mac
cen-

of the

Mac Gormans, or O'Gormans, in the barony of Ibrickan, the country of the Cor-

Roigh, ex-King of Ulster in the

tury.

first

Lochlainn, the ancestor from

whom
Con-

ca-Bhaiscinn comprised that barony also. a Now O'Donnell, a name still extant in
these territories.
obsolete.
b

they took the surname O'Lochlainn, died

in the year 983.

From

his brother,

The name O'Baiscinn

is

chobhar, are descended the O'Conchobhairs,

or O'Conors, of

West Corcomroe. The

of

Now

O' Kennedy.

According to O'h-

O'Lochlainns, or O'Loughlins, are

presented

Uidhrin, this family was originally seated

in

by O'Loughlin Burren

now reNew-

Gleann-Omra, or parish of

Cill

O gCin-

town, in the barony of Burren, and Sir

neide, anglice Killo-Kennedy, in the east

of the county of Clare

settled in

but they afterwards

Colman O'Loughlen, Bart. { This, which was the tribe-name

O'Deas, was also applied to their

of the

rary.

Ormond, in the county of TippeThe O' Kennedys of this race are all

territory,

which comprised the greater portion of the

barony of Inchiquin, in the county of Clare. The O'Deas of this race are very numerous,
but
B
all

reduced to poverty and obscurity.

c

This was the ancient

name of the

baro-

nies of

Upper and Lower Ormond,

in the

county of Tipperary.

O'Donnghalie,

now

That

reduced to poverty and obscurity. This is, the race of Iftearnan.

tribe- name

O'Donnelly, and O'Fuirg,

now

obsolete,

was the

of the Ui-Cuinn or

were the chieftains of

the O'Kennedys.
d

this territory before

O'Quins, whose territory was included in

the present barony of Inchiquin, and con-

More

correctly Corc-Meadhruaidh,
;

i.

e.

tained the lake of Inis-Ui-Chuinn, that

is,

the race or progeny of Meadhruaidh

now

O'Quin's island, anglice Inchiquin, and the

district lying

the barony of Corcomroe, in the west of the

round the village of Cora-fine,

is

county of Clare.

The family

of O'Con-

now

Corofin. This family

now represented

IAP. III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
lord of the two Corca-Bhaiscinns"
;

263
O'Doinhnaill* and
;

Mac Mahon,

b O'Baiscinn were the two ancient lords of Corca-Bhaiscinn O'Cinneide ; c of Ormond; O'Dunghaile, lord of Muscraidhe-tire ; O'Conchobhair, lord

lord of western

ruaidh

e
;

Corcomruaidh d ; O'Lochlainn, lord of Eastern Corcunif O'Deaghaidh, lord of Ui-Fearmaic O'Cuinn, dynast of Clann;

Iffernan*; O'Cathail, dynast of Ui-Flaithri ; O'Aithehir , lord of UiCormaic k , and O'Flannchaidh of Ui-Flannchaidh ; Mac Conmara, the
1

lord of Magh Adhair m and the cantred dynast under the O'Brians, n of Clann-Caisin ; O'Grada, dynast of Muintir-Tireconlachta [recte
first

by the Earl of Dunraveh.

11

mountain of Sliabh Callain.

See Annals

This tribe adjoined the Claim- Iffernain

Their territory is described as " a smooth, yew-bearing
is

of the Four Masters, Ed.

1573,
1

J.

O'D., A. D.

at Cora- Fine.

p.

1668, note

P.

by O hUidhrin
land." Dr.

O'hUidhriii makes these a subsection of

O'Cathail

now

anglice Cahill.

the O'Hehirs.

They

are to be distinguished

Lynch here omits Cinel-mBaitli, of whom O'Mulvey O'Maelmheadha] was the

chieftain, seated

from the family of Mac Flannchadha, who .were an offset of the Mac Namaras.

along the River Eidhneach

m That

is,

the plain of Adhar, son of

this plain in the first

[Inagh], in the district of Brentre.

1

Umor, who possessed

in this plain, in

Now

O'Hehir, Hehir, and sometimes

is

century of the Christian era.

On

mound

Hare.

This family

of the race of Fiacha

which Adhar was

interred,

Fidhgeinte, also the ancestor of O'

Dono-

van, O'Coileain, and

Mac Eniry, and were

the chief of the family of Mac Conmara, now Mac Namara, was wont to inaugurate the chief of the Dal-gCais.
in the townland of

originally seated in the plains of the present

It

is

situated

county of Limerick, but the period of their

settlement

Tamhnach (Toonagh),
See Circuit of Muir-

among

the Dal-gCais has not

parish of Cloney, barony of Upper Tullagh,

been yet determined.

k

This family

is

now

and county of Clare

cheartach

reduced to poverty and obscurity.

This,

Mac

138 . Neill, p. 47, note

For

which was the

is still

tribe -name of the

O'Hehirs,

locally

known, and apwest of

it

an account of the inauguration of several princes of the O'Brien family on this mound,
the reader is referred to Magrath's Caithreim Toirdhealbhaiffh, or Wars of Tur-

plied to a district coextensive with the parish of Kilmaley, situated to the

Ennis, in the county of Clare

but

can

lough O'Brien, at the years 1242, 1367,

1277, and 1311.
n

be proved from several authentic documents

that
it

originally extended

from the moun-

Otherwise called Ui-gCaisin.

extent of the original

The
ter-

tain of Sliabh Callain to the

mouth

of the

name and exact

River Fergus.

It

was bounded on

the north
;

ritory of this tribe are

preserved in the

by the
east
it

territory of

Cinel-Fearmaic

on the

deanery of Ogashin, which comprises the

parishes of Quin, Tullagh, Cloney,

by the River Fergus, which separated from the territories of Ui-Caisin and
;

Dowry,

Kilraghtis, Kiltalagh, Templemaley, Inchi-

Tradraidhe

on the south and

wesfr

by East
at

cronan, and Kilmurry-na-Gall, in the east-

Corca-Bhaiscinn,

which

it

meets

the

ern portion of the county of Clare.

But

264
corilachta

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. HI.

; O'Liodhega, dynasta de Onobarchon ; O'Dungling, dynasta de Ogassin; O'Rigny, alius dynasta deO'Cassin; O'Aichiaghearn, dynasta de Oblaithidh; Maccochlain, dominus de Tradraigh, cujus dynastse fuerunt O'Nellus, O'Bearga, et O'Casselblaidh ; O'Moelchaissaill, O'Kear-

naidh, O'Ogain, et O'Seanchain, dynastse de Orongaile

O'Dubhruic,
;

dynasta de O'Congalaidh

O'Connaing
in the

et

O'Mongamain, alius dynasta de Tradraigh O'Ceadhfada, duo domini de Triuchachead in Chalaid;

;

year 1318, when, after the defeat of

the expulsion of his abettors,

This should be " O'Echthighern, dynast

De Clare, and

of Ui-Cearnaigh in Ui-mBloid."

O'Ech-

the Ui-Bloid, by the triumphant race of Tur-

thighern

is

now

anglicised Ahern, Hearne,

position of Ui-Cearnaigh
rental,

lough-na-Caithreime, the O'Brien gave the

and Heron.

The

Mac Namaras possession Of an extensive territory lying between the River Fergus

appears from
lished

Mae Namara's

pub-

and

by Hardiman

in the Transactions of

the Shannon, the exact limits of which, in

the Royal Irish Academy, vol. xv. It comprised the parish of Kilfinaghty,

1584, are defined in a

MS. account

of

Tho-

and some

mond, or the county of

This
anylice

Clare, preserved in

of the district lying between that parish

the Library of Trin. Coll., Dublin, E. 2,14.

is

and the
still

city of Limerick.

The name

is

a mistake, forO'Duibhginn (now

chief

locally

known, and the

position of the

Duggan and Deegin) was

O'Grada,

territory defined

by the Ogarney

River,

of Muintir Connlachtaigb.

now

anciently called

the Raite, which flows

O'Grady, was chief of Cinel-Dunghaile, a

tribe originally seated in the parish of Kil-

through the little town of Six-Mile-Bridge, and unites with the Shannon atBun-Raite,
i.

linasoolagh,
after the

near the River Fergus; but

e.

Raite-mouth, now Bunratty.

This

expulsion of the Ui-Bloid, and

river flows through the very middle of Ui-

the killing of

De

Clare, the Cinel

Dun-

Cearnaigh, from a place near the castle of

ghaile, or O'Grady s,

were removed to Tuaim-

Greine [Tottigraney], where they obtained

possession of a territory comprising the parishes of Tomgraney,

Enaghofloyne to Rossmanagher, after passing which it forms the boundary between

the Ui-Cearnaigh and Tradraidhe.
'

Clonrush, of

Moyno, Iniscaltra, and which the two latter are now

This

is

certainly a blunder. O'h-Uidh-

rin

makes

O'Neill,

who was one

of the Ui-

included in the county of Galway, though

still

Bloid, chief of Tradraidhe,

and we know

belonging to the Dalcassian diocese of

from the best authorities that Mac Cochlain, of

Killaloe,
P

and

to the deanery of

O-mBloid.

the race of Dal-gCais,

was

chief of

Now Liddy. The Ui-Dobharchon, who

Dealbhna-Eathra,

now

the barony of Gar-

were a subsection of the Ui-mBloid, were seated in the territory which belonged to
the O'Gradys since 1318, q.
r
i,

rycastle, in the King's

County.

The name
fertile

and the exact extent of the

and

v.

beautiful territory of Tradraidhe, anglice

This

is

a mere blunder.

There were

Tradry,

is

preserved in the

deanery

of

no such families as O'Dungling or O'Rignaigh, in Dal-gCais.

chief of Ui-gCaisin.

Tradry,

-SJiich

comprises the parishes of

Mac Conmara was

Tomfin lough, Killonasoolagh, Kilmaleery,

Kilcorney. Clonloghan, Drumline, Feenagh,

ClIAP. IIL]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
1

265

Cinel-Dunghaile] O'Lideadha' dynast of Ui-Dobharchan ; O'Dungling, r q of Ui-gCaissin; dynast of Ui-gCaisin ; O'Rignaigh , another dynast s O'Echtighern, dynast of Ui-mBloid ; Mac Cochlain, lord of TradraidheS
,

w u whose dynasts were O'Neill, O'Bearga and O'Casselblaidh , O'Maelx y and and 0' Sean chain% dynast of Uichaisil O'hOgain"; 0'Cearnaigh ,
,

c d b 0'Mongamain , dynast of Ui-Conghaile Honghaile ; 0'Duibhraic 6 another dynast of Tradr-aidhe O'Conaing and O'Ceatfhadha, two lords
, ; ;

Bunratty, Killowen, and the island of Inishdadrora, in the south of the county of Clare.

Now
completed

Shanaghan, or Shanahan, and

latterly anglicised

This

is

the best territory in the county of

Don Juan
is

Shannon by the poet who The territory of the

!

and was seized upon by De Clare, who, being assisted by Brian Ruadh O'Brien and
Clare,

Ui-Ronghaile

frequently mentioned in

Magrath's Caithreim- Thoirdhealbhaigh as

the country of the O'Seanchans, a very

the Ui-mBloid, erected the castle of

ratty,

Bun-

to

secure

it

against the assaults of

warlike sept of the Ui-Bloid,

the cause of Brian

who

espoused
against

Turlough-na-Caithreine, and his followers, the Mac Namaras. After the defeat of the

Ruadh O'Brien

Ui-mBloid and De Clare in 1318,

in

this ter-

Turlough O'Brien and the Mac Namaras. They were driven out of Dal-gCais in 1318

ritory fell into the possession of the

Mac

(when they settled

in the

mountains of the

Namaras, and,
the country of

1584, was included in

Mac Namara Reagh, which was otherwise called Clann Coileain larThe
O'Neills of this race are
tory,
still

county of Waterford), and their country was added to that of their conquerors, the

Mac Namaras.
mara's Rental,

It appears

from

Mac Na'-

tharach, or the western Clann Callan.

published by

Hardiman,

in the terri-

that in the fifteenth century Ui-Ronghaile

and, according to the tradition in

comprised the parishes of Kilno and Killuran

;

the country, the family of Creagh, in Irish

but there can be

little
it

doubt that precomprised also

Craebhach,

Ramifer, or Mac GillaCraeibhe, are a branch of them. u w Not named O'h-Uidhrin.

i.

e.

viously to A. D. 1318

the entire of Tuath-Echtghe, or the parish

of Feakle, and a portion of the country

by

Now

Cashel.

This family had their

given to O'Grady after 1318

act limits cannot be defined

but

its

ex-

residence at Baile-Ui-Mhaeilchaisil,

now

by any docu-

Ballymulcashel, near the town of Six-MileBridge, in the territory of Ui-Cearnaigh.

y

ments as yet discovered. b Now Durack. The

Not named by O'h-Uidhrin. Dr. Lynch

late Captain Durack of Limerick, remarkable for his bene-

has evidently mistaken the tribe-name for a surname here.

r

volence, indomitable courage,

strength,
c

and gigantic

was

of this race.

Now

Hogan.

Uidhrin.
Croine,

Not mentioned by O'hO'Hogain was seated at Ard-

This name is still locally well known, and applied to a district co-extensive with the
parish of Ogonnello, alias Eaglais-Sinchill,

now anglice Ardcrony, in the barony of Lower Ormond, and ^>unty of See Annah of the Four MasTipperary
ters,

anglice Aglish
d

SinnelJ, verging

on Loch-

Deirgdheirc, in the east of the county Clare.

Ed.

J. 0'Z>., p.

2049, note

'.

Not

in O'h-Uidhrin's topographical poem.

266

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

O'Hogain, dynasta de Eoganacht, et O'Hogain, dynasta de Furghabhla O'Kearny, dynasta de O'Gearny[$zc] O'Duibhidhir, dynasta de Oam;

rit;

O'Duibhgin, alius dynasta de Tuaithmuntirchonluchta. Maccartheus quandoque CassiliaB et utriusque Momoniaj nee non

etiam aliquando totius Iliberniae Rex ; O'Duncha, regni Cassilise candidatus; O'Carbhail, dominus de Eoganachtlochalem ; in

O'Mathghamna

Ui-Eathach Momonise ; O'Ceallachain, dominus de Ui-Eathach Momoniaj

*

This should be " O'Conaing, lord of

north of the town of

p.

Nenagh

See note

z
,

Greine, alias Aes-tri-Maighe,

fadha, lord of Caladh."

and O'Ceatterritory of

265, supra.
h

The

O'Conaing, the chief residence in which was

Caislean-Ui-Chonaing,
Castle,
i.

Ui-Cearnaigh
j

This should be O'Echtighern, dynast of See note s p. 264, supra.

,

e.

O'Conaing's
rit

Now O'Dwyer.
was seated

The

tribe of, Ui-Aim-

now corruptly Castleconnell, extendand comprised the whole of

in the territory

of Coill-

ed from Cnoc- Greine at Palasgreen, to the

city of Limerick,

na-manach, now the barony of Kilnamanagh, in the county of Tipperary.

Colonel

the barony of Clanwilliam, and a considerable part of the county of the city of Limerick.

Dwyer

of Ballyquirk Castle, in the parish

Castleconnell, Singland, Cnoc- Greine,

and

Crecora

[Cymob curiipmoe],

are referred

Lower Ormond, and county of Tipperary, is the present head of this family. He descends from
of Lorha, in the barony of

to in Irish documents, as being in this ter-

ritory

See Annals of the Four Masters, Ed. J. O'ZX, A. D. 1597, p. 2041, note z.

Philip O'Dwyer of Dundrum, who was a member of the General Assembly of Confederate Catholics,

who met

in

Kilkenny on
Dr.

O'Conaing was dispossessed shortly after the English invasion by the Glann William

the 10th of January, 1647.

k

See note

p.

264, on O'Grada.

De

Burgo.

The

territory of

Caladh

is

on

Lynch seems
this

to

have had two copies of

to-

the north side of the Shannon, near Limerick,

poem, which he strangely jumbled

and extends from the Shannon

to the

gether,for he mentions many places and septs

twice, apparently without being
1

southern boundary of the parish of Kil-

aware of

it.

murry-na-Gaul.
glicised Keating.

O'Ceatfadha
Dr.

is

now

an-

Now Mac Carthy,

is

and sometimes Carty.

Lynch here omits

as ad-

This family

now

represented

by

citizen

the territory of the UI-Toirdhealbhaigh,

Justin-Marie-Laurent-Robert, late Comte

which

is

described

by O'h-Uidhrin

joining Killaloe

See Annals of the Four

of Carrignavar,

Mac Carthy Reagh, by Justin Mac Carthy, who is chief of the Mus-

Matters, A. D. 1192.
f

craighe branch; and by Charles Justin Mac-

O'h-Ogain, dynast of Eoganacht, This

Carthy, Esq., Auditor and Accountant-General at Ceylon,

not mentioned by O'h-Uidhrin, and is " O'Cinnfhaelaidh, probably a blunder for

lord of Eoghanacht-Gabhra."
*

and Daniel Mac Carthy,

Esq., of Florence, both of

whom

are of the

This was the old

name

of the district

branch of this great family. The head^f the Dunmanway branch is now

Dunmanway

lying round Ardcrony, in the county of Tipperary,

four miles

living at Cork, but indigent

and obscure.

and a half

to the

m Some

of the ancestors of the

Mac

Car-

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
f

267

; O'li-Ogain , dynast of Eoghanacht, and h O'hOgain, dynast of Ui-Forga"; O'Cearnaigh, dynast of Ui-Cearnaigh ; of Ui-Aimrit; O'Duibhgin k , another dynast of O'Duibhidhir*, dynast

of the cantred of Caladh

Tuaith-Muintire-Conlachta.

Mac Carthaigh

sometimes king of Caisel [Cashel] and of both

1

Munsters, and also sometimes king of all Ireland" didate for the kingdom of Caisel ; O'Cearbhaill

O'Donnchadhan canlord of Eoghanacht;

Locha-Lein p
ain
8
,

lord

Ui-Eathach-Mumhan r O'CeallachO'Mathghamhna' of Ui- Eathach-Mumhan* O'hEdirsceoil", [chief] lord of

1

in

thys were kings of Ireland, but not since

the establishment of the surname of

of Cork.

In the
it is

MS.

entitled " Carbrice

Mac-

Notitia"

stated that " the whole pe-

Carthy.
n

ninsula from Ballydehab to

Dunmanus Bay

Now

O'Donohoe.

O'h-Uidhrin menof

tions

O'Donnchadha

Loch-Lein,
i.

and

[in West Carbery], is called Ivagh, and did formerly belong to O'Mahone Fune,
the best

O'Donnchadha
Fleisce,

of theFleisc,

e.

of Gleann-

man
633.

of that name."

/&.,

A. D.

anglice O'Donohoe of Glenflesk,

the only representative of these fa-

1366,

p.

O'h-Uidhrin mentions ano-

who

is

ther branch of the

O'Mahonys

in Cinel-

milies

whose pedigree

is

known.

O'Dono-

hoe of Loch-Lein,

who was
is

otherwise called

mBece, now the barony of Kinelmeaky, in the same county.

8

O'Donnchadha, or O'Donohoe of Eoss, and

Now

O'Callaghan.

The

chief of this

O'Donnchadha Mor,

now unknown.
This family was

family was transplanted from the county

of

Anglict O'Carroll.

Cork

dispossessed at an early period

by the O'Do-

well,

into the county of Clare, by Cromwhere that branch became extinct in

nohoes, and
p

is

now unknown.
is

the beginning of this century.

Lord Lis-

This territory, which was called in

in-

more

is

the present chief of the

name

in

modern times Onaght I-Donohoe,

south-east of the county of Kerry.
'i

cluded in the barony of Magunihy, in the

and John Cornelius O'Callaghan, Esq., author of the Green Book, descends from a branch of this family, who settled
Ireland,
in the city of
<

Now anglice O'Mahony, of whom

many
respectable representatives

there
;

Dublin in the

last century.

are

but

This
the

is

a mere blunder for Cinel-Aedha;

-

O'Mahony
Ireland.

of Dunloe, near Killarney, is

for

Ui - Eathach

Mumhan

were the

believed to be the senior

now remaining
is

in

O'Mahonys and O'Donohoes.

laghans and

The O'Cal-

The head

of the family

on the

Continent
ters,

See Annals of the Four

J.

Mas1837,

Ed.
<.

O'D., A. D. 1585,

p.

Mac Carthys were the CinelAedha, or race of Aedh Dubh, the father of Failbhe Flann, King of Munster, A. D. 636.
It is curious to

note
r

remark the whim of custom

That

is,

the descendants of Eochaidh,

in applying these tribe-names to the territories of these families.

son of Cas, son of Core,

in the fifth century.
cally

This

King of Minister name is still lo-

The country of the

O'Donohoes and

western

O'Mahony

retained the tribe-name

known in

the south-west of the county

of the whole sept of the

268

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

O'Hedrisgol, dominus de Corcalaidhe, Icobhtaidh, Idnach, et Ifainnarda; O'Canfaolaidh seu Kennely, dominus Carbrias ; O'Carbhail, dominus Elise,

O'Meachair, dynastadeHuagerin; O'Flannagan, O'Dubhlaigh,O'Banain, Macgillaphoil,O'Tuachair, etO'Hedigan, dynasts eorum ; O'Fogortaidh,

O'Mahonys, while that of the O'Donohoes Locha Lein,
re-

COBHTHACH.
families of

Dr. O'Brien, speaking of the

received that of Eoghanacht

O'Cowhig and O'Floinn-Arda,

and that' of the eastern O'Mahony

about the middle of the last century, has the

following melancholy remark, which holds

ceived that of Cinel-mBece from Bee, an ancestor less remote than Eochaidh. Before

the English

invasion, the O'Callaghans were seated in the barony of Cineal- Aedha,

good at the present day, after the lapse of 100 years: "But the melancholy remark

which remains

to be

made,

is,

that of the

now
Cork

Kinelea, in the south of the county of

;

two

families first mentioned, there is not to

but they were driven from thence

my knowledge
that

one individual

now existing

by Robert Fitzstephen and Milo de Cogan, and they settled in the barony of Duhallow,
in the north of the

be held in the light of a gentleman, having been all dispossessed long since

may

chief of this family,

same county, where the Conor O'Callaghan, re-

of their very ancient

and large

properties

which, indeed,

is

the case of

many

other

sided at the castle of

Drumaneen

in 1594,

Irish families not less illustrious in former

and then enjoyed extensive territorial possessions, as appears from an Inquisition

taken at Mallow before Sir

times,

who

are

now

quite extinct, or refor

duced to a state of perfect obscurity

the reason
y 1

Thomas

Norris,

now

mentioned."

Vice-President of Munster, on the 25th of

Not mentioned by O'h-Uidhrin.

That
is,

October of that year

u

See Harris's edition

at

O'Flynn of Arda.
situated

He

resided

of Ware's Antiquities, pp. 71,72.

Arda

Castle,

nearly

midway

Now

O'Driscoll.

Alexander O'Dris-

between Skibbereen and Baltimore, in the

coll, J. P.,

of the county of Cork, is

now

the principal representative of this family.

barony of West Carbery, in the south-west of the county of Cork, and was, according
to O'h-Uidhrin, lord of the district of Ui-

w This was originally a large territory in

the county of Cork, coextensive with the
diocese of Ross, but for

many

centuries

it

Baghamhna, in the centre of which the castle of Arda is situated &ee O'Brien's
frisk Dictionary, in voce are

contained only six parishes in the barony

of Carbery, namely,

FLANN.

There

My ross,

Glanbarahane,
a p. 46, n. .
;

some respectable

professional

men

of
of

Tullagh, Creagh, Kilcoe, Aghadown, and

this race

now in Cork, but none possessed

is,

Cleare Island
s

Book of Rights,
is

landed property.
a

Now

anglice Cowhig, in the south

That

of Cairbre Aebhdha.

This

is

but the true anglicised form

Coffey.

O'Coffey, or

This family was seated in the ba-

a great error, for O'Cinnfhaelaidh, now Kinealy, was never chief of Cairbre, but of
the correlative tribe of Ui-Conaill-Gabhra,
or Connello, in the county of Limerick.
>ee

rony of Barryroe, in the south of the county of Cork, called by O'h-Uidhrin On Cyiioca

c6b meaoonao,

i.

e.

the central cantred.

O'Brien's Dictionary, in voce

chief lord of Ui Cairbre

CONALU

See O'Brien's Irish Dictionary, in voce

The

Aebhdha was

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
y
,

269

Corca-Laighdhe" [whose dynasts were], O'Cobhthaigh*, O'Duach and z O'Cinnfhaelaidh or Kinnealy, lord of Cairbre a ; O'Floinn-Arda b O'Meachairc dynast of Ui-Cairin d ; O'FlanO'Cearbhaill,lordofEile
; ; ,

f
,

nagain

O'Dubhlaigh

O'Banain",

Mac
d

GillapnoiP, O'Tuachair

and

O'Donovan, who had his chief residence at

Bruree, and the dynasts were O'Cleirchin,

Now the barony of Ikerrin, in

was

the north

of the county of Tipperary.

O'h-Uidhrin
seated at the

Mac Eniiy,
b

O'Maelchallainn, and O'Bearga.

writes that O'Meachair

foot of Bearnan-Eile,
i.

Anglice O'Carroll, lord of Ely.

chieftain

He
the

e.

the gapped

mounsame

was the most powerful

Olum,
in

of

tain of Ely,
e

now the

Devil' s-Bit Mountain.

race of Tadhg, son of Cian, son of Olioll

Ireland,

Now

Flanagan.

He was

of the

and

his territory

was
the

descent with O'Carroll, one of the eight

dynasts, Uirrigha or sub-chieftains under
O'Carroll,

anciently of

great

extent,

forming

north-eastern portion of the ancient

ster.

Mun-

King

of Ely; and his territory,

It

comprised the baronies of ClonBallybrit, in the present King's

which was

called Cinel-Fhearga,

was

co-

lisk

and

extensive with the present barony of Bally the present King's County See Annals of the Four Masters, Ed. J. O'D.,
britt, in

County,
laloe,

still

in the

Munster diocese of Kil-

and those of Ikerrin and Elyogarty

county of Tipperary; but for

in the

many
in the

A. D. 1548,
f

p.

1509, note

centuries the territory of Ely-0'Carroll is

Now

Dooley.

He was

not of O'Car-

confined to that portion of it

now

roll's sept,

but of the race of Conn Cedca-

King's County.

The

senior branch of this

thach, and

had been originally seated in

family was transplanted to America.

late

The

the barony of Feara-Tulach, but being expelled thence

General O'Carroll Avas the last senior

by

the O'Melaghlins, he re-

of the
c

name

in Ireland.

moved with

his followers to Ely- O'Carroll,

Now

anglicised O'Meagher, Meagher,

and Maher.

There are several highly restill

where O'Carroll gave him. a territory on the west slope of Sliabh Bladhma, now
Slieve Bloom.
%

spectable gentleman of this race

in the

county of Tipperary, but their descent from

the ancient chieftains of Ui-Cairin has not

Now Banan. He was

i.

chief of the tribe

of Ui-Deci,

and had his residence at Leinie.

yet been published

ries.

by any

of our antiqua-

Ui-Bhanain,

O'Banan's Leap,

now the

ler;

Stephen O'Meagher, Esq., of KilmoyNicholas Maher, Esq., M. P., for the

Leap
h

Castle,

in t the barony of Clonlisk,

King's County.

county of Tipperary; and John Maher, Esq., of Ballinkeele, D. L., and sometime M. P.
for the

Now Gilfoyle. He was seated at Suidhenow

Shinrone, in 1567,

an-Roin,

when

Sir

county of Wexford

are

among

the

most prominent representatives of the

race.

William O'Carroll, chief of Ely, made his submission to the Lord Deputy, Sir Henry
Sidney.

Thomas Meagher,
of Waterford,

Esq.,

M.

P., for the city

T. F.

and father of the eloquent Meagher, Esq., represents a branch

family

Ed.

J. O'Z).,

See Annals of the Four Masters, A. D. 1566, p. 1690, note e .

Ely-O'Carroll was then a part of Munster,

as indeed
it still is

of this

who

settled in the city of

in the ecclesiastical di-

Waterford in the last century.

vision of the provinces.

270

CAMBRENSIS EVERSTJS.
; ;

[CAP.

III.

domiims Eliae Australia O'Conchonne, alius dominus O'Caoimh, dominus Fearmuigh ; O'Sullebhan, dynastarum Cassiliae primus ; O'Deagha, dominus Dessiorum O'Diarmada, alius dominus de Fernraigh O'Donnagain, dominus de Aradh O'Iffernan, dominus de Uaithnefidbheaidh[ ?]
; ; ;
;

O'Loiughsegh, dominus de Uaithnetire

1

Mac Tighernan[?],

dynasta de

Now

Toher.

He was

seated in the ba-

rony of Clonlisk, adjoining O'Banain on the

north.
k

the barony of Duhallow, in the county of Cork. There is still a respectable representative of this

name

in Ireland

but the

Called O'Hegane in O'Carroll's Sub-

chief of the family emigrated to France

after the revolution of 1688,

mission.

This family

is

now

called anglice

where his

de-

Egan, but the name is to be distinguished from Mac Egan of Ui-Maine .and Lower

scendants bore the rank of Count.

One

of

them, Colonel O'Keeffe,

still

living, distin-

Ormbnd. The Editor knows

names, O'Hegan and

families of both

guished himself in the recent war in Algeria.

P

Mac Egan, who

but
still

are of

a totally

different race,

write the

This name

is

preserved in that of the

name alike, Egan, without any prefix. These families cannot be distinguished when the
Irish language ceases to be spoken.
1

barony of Ferrnoy, in the north of the

county of Cork.
p. 78, note
i
?.

See Book

of Rights,

Now

Fogarty, without the 0'. The se-

Now anglice

O'Sullivan, and frequently

nior branch of this family is

now

extinct,

Sullivan without the prefix O'.

There are

Fogarty devolved to the family of Lanigan, who descend from them in the female line.
their estate of Castle
ra

and

many respectable
in Munster,

families of this

name

still

but their pedigrees have not

been published or traced.

Timothy O'SulKenmare,
in

That

is,

Eile-Ui-Fhogartaigh,

i.

e.

livan, Esq., of Prospect, near

O'Fogarty's Ely,

now

the barony of Elio-

the county of Kerry,

is

the senior legiti-

garty, in the county of Tipperary.

O'hof the

mate representative

in Ireland, of the line

Uidhrin states that O'Fogartaigh

race of Eochaidh Bailldearg

is

of O'Sullivan More. Sir Charles Sullivan of

[King of Thomond, who was baptized by St. Patrick], and, if this be true, he was not of the

Thames
pedigree
traced

Ditton,
is

county of Surrey, whose

is

given in Burke's Peerage,

by Mr. Burke

to O'Sullivan More.

same

tribe

with O'Carroll,

who was

of the

The head

race of Tadhg, son of Cian, son of Olioll

Olum.
n

of the family of O'Sullivan Beare emigrated to Spain but many of the junior branches are still respectable in the origi;

This

is

a blunder of Dr. Lynch 's.

nal territory, as Timothy O'Sullivan, Esq.,

of Rhinodonegan; WiHiam O'Sullivan, Esq.,

Now
Cathal

O'Keeffe, a family of the race of

mac

Finguine,

King of Munster,

of Carrickaness; but their pedigrees have

and King of Ireland

in 742.

for a time,

who

died

not been published or traced by any of our

genealogists.

They were seated originally in Gleann-Amhnach in Feara-Maighe-Feine,

The Count O'Sullivan de

Grass and the Baron O'Sullivan de Terdeck, represent respectively branches of the

and more recently in Pobal-Ui-Chacimh

[Pobble- O'Keeffe], in the north-west of

O'Sullivan More and O'Sullivan Beare,

who

CHAP.

III.]
k

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
1

271

Eile m

O'hAedhagain were their dynasts ; O'Fogartaigh , lord of the sou them p O'Conchonne, another lord" ; O'Caeimh lord of Feara-Maighe
,

O'SuilleabhainS
Deisi
s
;

of the dynasts of Caisel r ; O'Deagha, lord of the 1 O'Diarmada, another lord ofFeara-Maighe ; O'Donnagain, lord
first
;

u of Aradh

O'Iffernain
;

w
,

lord of Uaithne-Cliach*; O'Loingsigh y , lord of

il

Uaithne- Tire z

Mac-Inderigh

dynast of Corca Muichet in Ui-Conaill ;

The
O'Caeimh were the
u

followed the fortunes of the Stuarts.

line of the

lords of Feara-Maighe.

Counts of Berehaven was up to

is still,

This agrees with O'h-Uidhrin's topoBefore the expulsion of

a recent period, and

in Spain.
r

perhaps, extant

graphical poem.

the O'Briens of the race of Brian

seated at Cluain-

Ruadh

The O'Sullivans were

from Thomond, in 1318, the O'Donagans

meala [Clonmel], and Cnoc-Raffann, now

Knockgraffon, in the county of Tipperary,
till

were lords of Aradh, now the barony of Arra, or Duharra, on the east side of Loch
Deirgdheirc,

about the year 1192,

when they were

now Lough Derg,

a name

in the county

driven from thence

Annals of the After this A.D. 1192, pp. 94, 95, note a they removed into the mountains of the
.

by the English. See Four Masters, Ed. J. O'D.,

of Tipperary.

Now
Now

HefFernan
?

still

common

in Munster.
*

the barony of.Ownybeg, in the

now

counties of

Cork and Kerry, where

territories in the

north-east of the county of Limerick

See

they acquired

new

baro-

Book of Rights,

p. 45,

note x .

nies of Iveragh,

Dunkerron, and Glana-

rough, in the county of Kerry, and in those

of Bear

X Now The late Mr. Patrick Lynch. Lynch, of Carrick-on-Suir, author of the

and Bantry, in the county of Cork.

of

Life of St. Patrick,

and of various other

merit,

The O'Sullivans descend from Finghin,

elder brother of Failbhe Flann,

works of considerable
mily, as he

was

of this fa-

King

was wont

to boast,

and not of

Munster, and
are,

Mor-Mumhan,
senior to the

his queen,

and

the English Lynches of Galway, of

whom

therefore,

Mac Carthys.
in vocibus

was the author of Cambrensis J5versus. O'hUidhrin makes

See O'Brien's Dictionary,

GRAFFNN
p.

and RAFFAN

also,

Annals of
j

Uaithne Tire.

Mac Ceoach another chief of He was seated at Ballyma-

Four Masters, Ed. J. O'D., A. D. 628, 251, and A. D. 633, pp. 252, 253, note
63G.
*

keogh in
7
'

this barony.

Now the barony of Owney, in the county

Duharra and

Fiughin died in 619, and Failbhe Flann in

of Tipperary, lying between

Uaithne-Cliach, or Owneybeg.

The famiat an early

This

is

an

error.

O'Deaghaidh, or

lies

of O^Loingsigh and

Mac Ceoach were

O'Dea,
cha,
east

now Day, was chief of Sliabh Ardanow the barony of Slievardagh, in the of the county of Tipperary. The late

dispossessed
period,

by the O'Briens

and the Leinster family of O'Mul-

Judge
1

Day was

of this family, but his de-

now Ryan, of the race of Catheir See Book Mor, established in their place
ryan,

scendants bear the

name

of Fitzgerald.

of Rights,
a

p. 45,

note

*.

This seems to be a blunder.

to

Accord-

Mac

ing

O'h-Uidhrin,

O'Dubhagain

and

chief of

now Mac Eniry, was Corca-Muichet, now Corcomohid,

Inderigh,

272

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

laidh,

Kenelere in Ibhconaill ; O'Ciarmaic, dominus de Onteida[ ?] ; O'Kinfaodominus de Uagonaill, etO'Cullein, dominus deUagonaill; O'Ria-

da,

dominus de Aradh O'Cuire, dominus deMuscribreoghin; O'Kiaran,

;
;

dominus deMuscrimuighe O'Dunghaly, dominus Dessiorum Minorum O'Tulamnaidh, dominus deUaliathain; O'Longarain, dominus deUaguaiiach
;

O'Tainidhine[?], dominus de Fearmuighe; O'Ruairc, dominus de Muscritire; O'Seaga, dominus de Corcaduibhne ; O'Conchabar, dominus

alias Castletown

Mac Eniry,

in the barony

not a separate hereditary family surname,

infers

of Upper Connello and county of Limerick.

from

it

that Ui-Conaill-Gabhra was

Mac Eniry is

descended from Sedna, fourth

the original territory of the family of the

son of Cairbre Aebhdha, ancestor of O'Do-

O'Connells of Kerry

but he finds himself

novan, and though his

little
it

territory is

obliged to observe that the O'Connells were

now

a portion of Connello,
th.e

was anciently

a part of
b

territory of the rival race of

not seated there since before the year 1155 : " The O'Conels, it seems, were dispossessed
of that territory long before the twelfth

Cairbre Aebhda.

This

name

is

now

usually anglicised

century

for

we

read in the continuator of

Kirby in most parts of Ireland, though an analogical anglicised form of it would sound
better,

Tighernach's Annals, at the year 1155, that O'Cinealy and O'Coileain were then
the two kings of Ibh Conaill- Gabhra, and that they killed each other in a duel or
rencounter on a day of battle."

namely, Kerwick, which

is

but

sel-

dom
c

used.

territory lying

round the

hill of

O'Brien

Cnoc Aine (Knockany), in the barony of Small County, and county of Limerick. It
embraced
all

should have

known that Ui-Conaill-Gabhra

the families of

was a tribe-name embracing

correlative families, in the

the barony of Coonagh, and

O'Coileain, O'Kinealy, and various other

was divided from the Ui- Cairbre Aebhdha,

in Ui-Fidhgeinte, by the River Samhair,

same way

as

Cinel-Conaill

was the tribe-name

of the

now
d

evidently the stream called the

Mornp. 46.

O'Donnells, O'Dohertys, &c., and Cinel-

ing-Star River

See Book of Rights,

Eoghain that of the O'Neills, O'Hagans,

O'Donnellys, &c. The O'Connells of Kerry
are of the

That

is,

of Ui-Conaill Gabhra, called

by O'h-Uidhrin Eoghanacht- Gabhra, now

the baronies of Upper and Lower Conello,
in the county of Limerick. rect

same race as the O'Falvys

i.

of

Corcaguiny, in Kerry,

e.

of the race of
in

This

is

cor-

King Conary

II.,

and were never seated

or

See note

a
,

p.

268, supra, where

Ui-Conaill-Gabhra,

Connello,

in

the

O'Cinnfhaelaidh
of Cairbre.
e

is

erroneously

made
for

lord

county of Limerick.
vasion
till

From

the English in-

the seventeenth century they

Now Collins.

This

is correct,

O'Cinn-

were followers of

Mac Carthy-More, and

fhaelaidh and O'Coilein,

now

Collins,

were

hereditary constables of his castle of Ballycarbry, in the barony of Iveragh and county
of Kerry.

rival chiefs of Ui-Conaill Gabhra,

which was

their 'tribe-name. O'Brien, in his Irish Dic-

One

of them, a celebrated Jesuit

tionary, in voce

CONALL, not knowing that Ui-Conaill- Gabhra was a tribe- name and

in the seventeenth century, is

spoken of by
been ac-

a contemporary,

who must have

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBBENSIS EVERSUS.
,

273

c h O'Cinnfaelaidh, lord of UiO'Ciarmhaic lord of Eoghanacht-Aine e d Conaill and O'Coilein lord of Ui-Conaill O'Riada, lord of [Eoghan;
,
,

O'Cuire, lord of Muscraidhe-Breoghain? ; O'Ciarain [recte h O'Donnagairf], lord of Muscraidhe-Maighe ; O'Donghaile, lord of Deisacht] Aradh
1

Beag

O'Tulamnaidhe
[recte

O'Longarain

O'Hanmchadha], lord of Ul-Liathain ; O'Lonnargain], lord of Ui-Cuanach O'Dubhagain,

\recie
1 ;

lord of Feara-Maighe

m
;

O'Ruairc

[recte

O'Fuirg], lord of Muscraidhe;

Tire"; O'Seagha, lord of Corca-Duibhne

" quainted with him, as genere nobili oriundus."
f

O'Conchobhair, lord of Ciar-

the
p.

Four Masters, Ed. J. 0'D., A. D. 1560, d and A. D. 1580, note 1580, p. 1730,
,

This

is

a mistake for O'Cuille, lord of

in O'h-Uidhrin's

note
k

y.

Eoghanacht Aradh, as

This

is

a mistake for " O'h-Anmchadha,

topographical poem. e This was one of the ancient names of

the barony of Clanwilliam, in the south-

lord of Ui-Liathain."

The

territory of

Ui-

Liathain extended round Caislean- Ui-Liathain,

west of the county of Tipperary.

See

now Castle Lyons, in the county of Cork, and comprised the Island of Oilean-

Book of Rights,
O'Cuire
is

p. 45.

The family-name
in this territory,

mor

Arda

Neinihidh,

now Barrymore

still

common

Island, near
p. 72, note
1

Cork

See Booh of Rights,

and now always written Quirk, without the

prefiK O'.
h

Now the barony of Coonagh,

(

in the east

This

is

a mistake for " O'Donnagain,

i.

of the county of Limerick.

The O'Londispos-

lord of Muscraidhe-tri-Maighe,"

e.

Mus-

nargains

now Lonnergans) were

kerry of the Three Plains.

This territory,

sessed at an early period

by a branch of

which was otherwise called Muskerry-Donegan,

is

the O'Briens of

included in the present barony of

It

Thomond, who took the surname of Mac Brian Cuanach.

Barrymore, in the county of Cork.

was

m This

is

correct,

but misplaced here.

granted by King John to William de Barry.

7i., p.
'

45.
is

O'Dubhagain is now anglicised Duggan. This family, which descends from the celebrated

There

some unaccountable mistake

Cuanna Mac Caelchine, the

rival in

O'h-Uidhrin places three families in Deis-Beag, whom he calls the heroes of

here.

hospitality of Guaire Aidhne,

King

of Con-

naught,

is

now represented in

the male line

Claire, namely, O'Luain, O'Duibhrosa,

and

by the family
"

of Cronin, of the Park, near

OTaircheallaigh [O'Farrelly], the last of whom was seated at the hill of Claire, near
Duntryleague, in the county of Limerick.

Killarney, in the county of Kerry.

This

is

craidhe-Thire," and

a mistake for "O'Fuirg of Musis out of place here as

The

territory of

Deis-Beag

lies

between the

well as Feara-Maighe.

The

territory so

hill of

Knockany and Sliabh

Claire, in the

called anciently comprised the baronies of

county of Limerick, and contains the town

of Brugh-na-Deise,
It

now

the

town of

Bruff.

of Tipperary.

Upper and Lower Ormoud, in the county See Book of Rights, p. 29,
e.

maybe regarded

as coextensive with the

note

barony of Small County

See Annals of

This should be " O'Seagha,

lord of

274
Kiarrise
;

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
O'Carbhuill, dominus a Sinnas
; ;

[CAP.

III.

amne adCassain O'Scanlan, do;

minus de Corcaoichaidh O'Carbhaill, dominus de larmnigb O'Furghda dominus de Onenna Muscse O'Cuinn, dominus de OHaindarda O'CealO'Sinnaidh laigh, dominus de Huambruin et Conmaicnise Maigheai et O'Anmchadha, duo domini deLiathain; O'Cuirbet O'Breassail, duo
;
;
;

dynastoe de Hualiatbain

O'Kiarain et Uamactire, duo domini de Ua-

dominus; O'Duinin et O'Rin, duo dynasty de Uamaccaile; O'Cuirce, dominus de Kiarrie Cuirche, et O'Casallachan, dominus* de Kenelaodha; O'Fliainardha, dominus deObagamhna;
maccaille,et O'Glassius, alius

O'Cobthaidh, dominus de Triuchachedmeadhoni ; Hiromain, Ibruanuibh,

et Icamail, tres dynastas; O'Flanarda, O'Fithcheallaigh,
Ui-Rathach, and O'Failbhe, lord of Corca Duibhne." O'Seagha is now anglicised O'Shea or O'Shee, and O'Failbhe is made
O'Falvy, and both are also very frequently Corcawritten without the prefix O'.

O'Dubhdaleth,
is

Cashen River.

This tract

the barony of Iraghticonor, and

now called was O'Co-

nor Kerry's Country for several centuries

Dhuibhne

is

the present barony of Corca-

This is not English invasion. mentioned by O'h-Uidhriu, and it would appear from other authorities that O'Cearafter the

guiny, and Ui-Rathach (dat. plur. UibhRathach) is the barony of Iveragh, in the

Dr. south-west of the county of Kerry. Lynch has here omitted the family of

Kerry was seated in the territory which afterwards belonged to the family of O'Donnchadha.
bhaill of
r

This

is

a mistake, and entirely out of

O'Conghail,

now

anglicb O'Conncll

and

place here.

The Corca-Oiche,

of

whom

Connell, which
ries in

had been seated

for centu-

was

St.

Molua

of Cluainfearta-Molua, were

Iveragh, as hereditary constables

a sept of the Ui-Fidhgeinte, and were seated

in the present

of the castle of Ballycarbery, under

Mac
47,

barony of Lower Connello,

See

Carthy-More.
note
c.

See Book of Rights,

p.

in the county of Limerick.

Annah

P That Before the is, O' Conor Kerry. English invasion, O'Conor Kerry was lord

of the Four Masters, Ed. J. 0'Z>., A. D. O'h-Uidhrin makes O'Ma546, p. 184.

casa,

now

anglice

Macasy and Maxey,

the

of that portion of the present county of

chief of this sept.

s

Kerry, extending from Tralee, northwards,

to the

These three families never existed. For

z
,

Shannon.

There are

many

respecIreland.

the situation of O'Floinn-Arda, see note

p.

table persons of this family

still in

268, supra.
1

Maurice O'Connell O'Conor Kerry, of the

Austrian service,
representative.
q
i.

This

is

wrong, and out of place

is

here.

is

brother of the senior

Magh-Aei
mon.
u
,

in

the county of Roscom-

Lord from the Sinainn

to the Casan,
p.

w This

is

a repetition

See note

k
,

e.

O'Carroll, lord of the tract of land ex-

273, supra.
x

O'Cuire was lord of the ad-

tending from the River Shannon, southwards, to the Casan-Ciarraidhe,

joining territory of Ciarraidhe Chuirche.

now

the

Now

the barony of Tmokilly, in the

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

275
;

raighe

p
;

O'Cearbhaill, lord from the river Sinainn to the Cas-an q

,

r 8 O'Scanlain [recte O'Macasa], lord of Corca-Oiche ; O'Cearbhaill lord of lannuigh ; O'Furgdha, lord of Ui-Enna-Muscraidhe; O'Cuinn, lord

of Ui-Flaiim-Arda; O'Ceallaigh, lord of Ui-Briuin and Conmaicneu Maighe- Aei* ; O'Sinnaigh and O' Anmchadha, two lords of Ui-Liathain ; w O'Cuire and O'Brcasail, two dynasts of Ui-Liathain ; O'Ciarain and
x O' Mac-Tire, two lords of Ui-Miccaille
,

and O'Glaisin, another lord;

O'Duinin' and 0'Ein% two dynasts of Ui Miccaille; O'Cuire, lord of Cia arraidhe-Chuirche and O'Ceallachain, lord of Cinel-Aedha b ; O'Flainn,

Arda, lord of Ui Bagamhna O'Cobhthaigh, lord'of Triucha-chead Meadhonach d Ui Remain 6 Ui Brianuibh*, and Ui Camhail, the three dynasts; O'Flainn- Arda^ O'Fithcheallaigh' O'Dubhdalethe', O'Muir; ; ;
1

county of Cork. O'h-Uidhrin makes O'Brea-

This should be Ui-Baitt, a family

who

gha and O'Glaisin the

tory.
y

chiefs of this terri-

gave name to the barony of Ibawne, in the south of the county of Cork. The.;- were
Uirrigha, or dynasts, to O'Cowhig.
f

Now

Dinneen and Downing, without

the prefix 0'.

z a

Now
This

unknown.

Unknown.

name

is

introduced now, for the

Now

the barony of Kerrycurrihy, in

fourth time, evidently from different copies

of O'h-Uidhrin's poem.

the oounty of Cork.

O'Cuire

is

now unan-

O'Floinn Arda was

known.

It

is

to

be distinguished from
is

dynast to O'Driseoll, and not to O'Cobhthaigh. h Now

glicised Cory,
b

O'Comhraidhe of Dal-gCais, which Curry, and Cowry.

anglice Feehilly and Feely.

The

AngHce O'Callaghan,

lord of Kinelea,

celebrated Maurice de Pertu 0' Finely, called

now

the barony of Kinelea, in the county

Flos Mundi, Arch bishop of Tuam from 1506

to 1513,

of Cork.

This agrees with O'h-Uidhrin. s See remarks in note p. 267, supra,

,

was

of this family.

He was

born

near Baltimore, a town, as Harris remarks,

"celebrated for its fine harbour," from which

where O'Ceallachain
lord of
c

is

erroneously

made

Ui-Eathach-Mumhan.
is

he was known as " de Portu."

ris's

See Har-

This

correct here,

though the same

before,

edition of Ware's Bishops, p. 613.

In

name is introduced incorrectly twice

evidently from

a curious account of Corca-Luighdhe, or O'DriscolPs Country, preserved in the

of Lecan, fol.122, et seq., and in D.

bad copies of O'h-Uidhrin's

1
,

Book

poem
d

See note

p. 268, suprct.

Mac FirTuath-

This agrees with O'h-Uidhrin's poem.

x
,

bisigh's genealogical work, p. 677,

See note
script
brio;

p.

268, supra.

In the

manu-

O'Fithcheallaigh

is

described as extend-

account of Carbcry, entitled, " Carit is

ing from Gaibhlin-an-Gaithneamhna to the

island of Inis-duine,

Notitia"
"

stated that the barony of

and from Dun-Eo-

Barryroe

formerly belonged to the

O'Cow-

higs, a sept of the O'Driscolls,

from

whom

ghain to Glaise-Draighneacha. Now probably disguised nnder the an'

Downcowhig

takes

its

name."

glicised

form DoAvdall.

T 2

276

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
;

[CAP.

II

I.

O'Muredhaigh,etO'Gillamichill, dynastrc Ocobhtaidh

O'Headriscol, do-

minus de Corcalaighdhe O'Comhraide, O'Muimhne,

;

O'Dorcliie, O'Kia-

bhaigh, O'Dubhgara, et O'Dunlaing, ejus dynastae; O'Donellus, dominus de Onethrish O'Baire, O'Cochlainn, et O'Sealbaigh, tres dynastaa O'Do;

O'Deasamnaidh, alise dynasta? O'Donelli; dominus de Muscritire; O'Donchuidh, dominus de O'CoO'Dungling, noilgabhra; O'Kiarain, dominus de Omacaille; O'Fluinn, dominus de
nelli; CTLeoghaire, O'Duilin,
[29]

Muscrimuighe O'Duibhdhabhuran,
;

dominus de Onethach; [O'Anm-

chuidhe], dominus de Hualiatlian ; O'Dunnegain, dominus de Ardocongaille; O'Billre, dominus de Corcaduibhne; Macconchoraidh, dominus

de Ofiginti O'Bric, dominus Dessiarum tres domini de Muscrimithaine, O'Donnagain, O'Culenain, et O'Floinn, quibus duo dynastae fuerunt
; ;

k
1

Now Now Now

anglice Murray.

curra,
,

now

Castle-Masters, and his

terri-

O'Driscoll

See note w

p.

268,

tory

was co-extensive with the

parish of

supra, for the extent of Corca- Luighdhe.

Inchageelagh, alias Iveleary, in the barony

of

Cory and Curry.

These families

West Muskeny, and county

of Cork.

were in the ancient Corca- Luighdhe.

"

But, before the English invasion, Tuaith-

Unknown.

an-Dolaidh, O'Leary's Country, extended

Now
P
1

Dorcy and Darcy.

is is

from the Fearsat

\_Trajectus~\

of Ross to

This This

now

anglicised Keavy.

Loch-an-Bricin, and from Traigh-long to

angliin the

probably the name

is

cised

Dower, which

very

now common

Sidh-na-bhfear-bfinn, in the diocese of Ross.

T).
y z

Mac
is

Firb., p.

677

south of Ireland.
r
s

Both now unknown.

This
correct,,
",

Now Dowling.
The name O'Domhnaill
is

but out of place here.

usually an-

See note
supra.
3

p.

273, on Muscraidhe-Thirc,

glicised O'Donnell,
1

and sometimes Daniel.

Barrys

Now made Barry. Many of the

This

is

an error

See note

H
,

p.

272,

of the south of Ireland are of this race.

supra.
b p.

They were

seated in the district of Muinter-

An

erroneous repetition

See note

x
,

Bhaire, or Munter-Vary, included in the

parish of Kilcrohane, in the barony of

274, supra.
c

West

This should be O'Floinn, lord of Mus-

Carbery and county of Cork.

craidhe-Ui-Fhloinn, alias Muscraidhe-Mitine.

Now
lan,

Coghlan. The Rev. Charles CoghRector of Timoleague, is of this family.

is still

The name and extent

of this terri-

tory are preserved in the deanery of Musgrylin, comprising fifteen

w This name

very

common

in the

parishes in the

south of Ireland, and anglicised Shallow

north-west of the county of Cork.

See

and Shelly.
x

Book of Rights,
This

p.

44.

Now

O'Leary.

name

is still re-

This

is

incorrect

See note

r
,

p. 267,

spectable in the south of Ireland.

O'Leary

supra.

The Ui-Eathach were

the

O'Ma-

was

seated for

some centuries

at Carrigna-

honvs and the O'Donohoes.

O'Duibhda-

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
,

277
;

eadhaigh
ceoil
1

and

O'Gillamicliill, dynasts of

Ui Cobhtliaigh
1

O'Heiders-

lord of Corca

Laighdhe
,

O'Comhraidhe"
,

O'Muimhne", O'Dor1

p q cliaidhe", O'Ciabhaigh O'Dubhgara and O'Dunlaing , his dynasts; s u O'Domlmaill, lord of Ui-Nethrish O'Baire*, O'Cochlain and O'Seal,

bhaigh"', three dynasts to

,

O'Domhnaill

x
;

O'Laeghaire

O'Duilin, and

0'Deasamnaidh y other dynasts to O'Domhnaill; O'Dunghalaigh, lord a of Muscraidhe Thire O'Donnchaidh, lord of Ui-Conaill-Gabhra ; b O'Ciaran, lord of Ui-Miccaille O'Floinn, lord of Muscraidhe O'Duibh7 ; ;
;

d dabhoireann, lord of Ui n-Eathach

O'hAnmchaidh 6
;

lord of Ui Liath-

f O'Bilre, lord of CorcaO'Donnagain, lord of Ard-O'Conghaile Mac Conchoraidh, lord of Ui-Fidhgeinte h O'Bric, lord of Duibhne" k theDeisi'; three lords of Muscraidhe-Mitine O'Donnagain, O'Cuilean-

ain;

nean, and O'Floinn,

bhoireann
is

whose two dynasts were O'Maelfabhaill and O'Mu1

here intended as an alias

;

name

in the twelfth century

but

Mac Eniry

re-

a quo O'Douohoe was the 0' or grandson of Duibhdafor O'Donohoe

for Donnchadh,

mained in
Muichet,

his original territory of Corcain the south of

now Corcomohid,

bhoireann,
in 957.

who was slain O'Duibhdabhoireanri of Thomond

King
of Munster,
at Lisdoonvarna, in the

the county of Limerick, where he erected a

monastery, and was possessed of a considerable estate up to the period of the revolution

was seated
of Bnrren,
e

barony

and county of Clare.

but should have been
k
,

See ArchdalVs Monasticon Hip.

This

is correct,

bernicum,
of

419, where, under the head

in the ba-

given above.
{

See note

p.

273, supra.

CASTLETOWN MAC ENEIRY,

Now Donegan.

This family was seated

at Bally don nagan

and Rhinodonnagan, in

the barony of Beare, in the extreme south-

rony of Conello, formerly the seat of Mac Eniry Archdall writes, or rather quotes from O'Halloran " Here we find the
:

ruins

western part of the county of Cork.

of a very large monastery,

and some other

&The lord of Corca- Duibhne wasO'Falvy.

According to O'h-Uidhrin, O'Bilre was one of the dy,

public buildings, which sufficiently evince

See note

p.

272, supra.

the piety, dignity, and splendour of that

ancient family."

See note

u
,

p. 271, suis

nasts of Ui-Conaill-Gabhra.
h

pra.

Dr.

Mac

Eniry, P. P. of Tralee,

the

This

is

intended for

Mac Indeirghe, now

most distinguished
in Ireland.
1

man

of this family

now

MacEniry; but it is not correct, as O'Donovan was usually the chief lord of all the
Ui-Fidhgeinte
aside
;

but be was sometimes set

According to O'h-Uidhrin and Keating, O'Bric was lord of the southern Deisi, now
Decies, in the county of Waterford.
k

by

O'Cleircin,

now

O'Cleireahcain,

and by O'Kinealy, O'Coileain, and O'Flannabhra, families that dwindled into farmers

This

is

erroneous.

O'Floinn was lord of

and

cottiers several centuries since.

O'Do-

Muscraidhe Mitine, and O'Donnagain and O'Culleannain were lords of Muscraidhe

Tri-Maighe
1

novan and O'Coileain, now Collins, were driven from the plains of Ui-Fidhgeinte,

See note

r
,

p.

27G, supra.

Now

unknown.

278

CAMBEENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

O'Moelfebhill et O'Muraigh; O'Ciabha, dynasta de Tuaithdromma O'Gillagain, dynasta de Tuaithongillogain ; O'Nya, dynasta de Tuathonia; O'Carthaigli, dynasta de Tuaithnaruseach ; O'Dorchaidh, dynasta
;

de Tuaithanhachaidh.

Finis.

nescius optimo poemati me decus omne detraxisse quod insignis fragment!, compage soluta parces tumultuarie dissipavi, sicut

Non sum

teretem fabricam lapidum distractio venustate spoliat. Missum tamen illud facere non volui, ut ex tarn Ibcupleti monumento constaret, qui,
ante Anglos hue ingressos, Hibernige regiones incoluerunt.
Plerasque
belli,

an tern e memoratis in

isto

poemate gentibus, sub

initio

nuperi

non solum

in

rerum natura

extiterunt', sed etiam alias in aliquo pristine

ditionis angulo perstiterunt, alias latissimis latifundiis potiti sunt.

Percurri scriptum, quod iter quorundam a Joanne Perrotto Hibernise prorege,

1585,

stati reditus,

per Conaciam, et Tornoniam, anno post Christum natum Keginse ac priscis possessoribus prasscribencli causa

delegatorum accurate prosequitur.

ditio fuit, in

In toto

illo

decursu, nulla pene

prisci tributi

qua

originis Hibernicas possessor

censum

vice delegatis statuentibus

non referrebat. Quod etiam non obscure 80 scriptor rerum in Hibernia Joanne Perrotto prorege, gestarum innuit adeo Angli ab una Ultonia subj Uganda tarn procul aberant, ut Atque
.

nullius e Catholicis Angliaa Kegibus designatione, aut Protestanticis collatione, tribus Ultouias Diocesibus, Derensi, Rapothensi, aut Cloche81 rensi unquam ante Jacobum Eegem, Episcopi suppeditati fuerint .
so

Pag. 180, et seq.

this

81

Davis, p. 200.

m There

is

a territory of

name

in

evidently from translations of O'h-UidJirin's

the county of Kerry.

11

topographical poem,

of

which

it

appears

Situation
is

unknown,

The name O'Gil-

there were three or four different copies, interpolated in various places from other topo-

lagain

now

anglicised Gillagan, without

the prefix O'.

graphical tracts by unskilful hands.

this

There was a family of

at Knockpatrick, near the

name

seated

Not

true of

some of the Leinster couninquisitions

Shannon, in the

ties.

The published
II.

from Eli-

north of the county of Limerick.

P According to O'h-Uidhrin, O'Carthaigh

zabeth to Charles

record but one Irish

name among
Lout-h
;

the proprietors in the County

list

dwelt in Muscraidhe larthair-FcSnihean, a

territory included in the present

only four in Meath, on a

of

barony of

171

about twenty-six in Westmeath, on

Clanwilliam, in the county of Tipperary.

1

168; twenty in Wexford, on 155; only

two, a Moore and O'liyan, in Kildare; and

Now unknown.
tribes

Dr. Lynch

lias

strangely

jumbled

and families in

this chapter,

not twenty Irish, on 113, in the county of

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
111

279

O'Ciubha, dynast of Tuath-Droma ; O'Gillagain, dynast of Tuaith O'liGilligain"; O'Nia dynast of Tuaith O'Nia ; O'Carthaigh'', O'Dorchaidh q , dynast of Tuaith an dynast of Tuaith na ruseach ; Finis. hachaidh.
raigli
; ,

I know that I have destroyed the beauty of this poem by presenting detached fragments in such a confused order; just as all beauty and order departs from the stone structure when the union of its compoits

nent parts has been dissolved.

Nevertheless I could not resist the

temptation of publishing a document which gives so authentic an account of the families settled in Ireland before the English invasion.

Most of the families mentioned in that poem were not only existing about the commencement of the late war, but some of them were even
occupying a portion of their old territories, and others enjoyed 1 most extensive estates I read in a certain document an accurate account of the journey of
still
.

certain commissioners sent

Thomond

in the year 1585, for the purpose of fixing the cess

8
.

by Sir John Perrott through Connaught and and rent

Queen and the old proprietors In that whole was scarcely a single territory in which the commissioners did not find some family of Irish origin producing its roll of ancient tribute; a fact which may be also inferred clearly enough from the
that was to be paid to the
circuit there

author of the " Death and Deeds of Sir John Perrott."

so far

As for

Ulster,

were the English from subduing

it,

that no one either of the

a Bishop to

Catholic or Protestant Kings of England ever nominated or presented any of the three Ulster dioceses of Derry, Raphoe, or
the names of the actual proprietors, the

Kilkenny. The Irish names in that eounty were O'Brerman of Idough, O'Ryans, and
O'Shees.

extent of their

territories,

the rent which

The

la?t family,

who removed

they then compounded to pay to the Queen

per quarter (120 acres), the portions which

from Iveragh, in the west of Kerry, in the

fourteenth century, had a very large property in the city of Kilkenny.
richer

they received

free,

and the church and ab-

Far the

held
ford,

by the English

and larger portion of Munster was race, especially Water-

bey lands. The latter, which, in the county Mayo alone, amounted to nearly 7000 acres,
were, of course, seized by the Crown, and
distributed

South Tipperary, East Cork, Lime-

among

the royal favorites.

The
and

rick, &c. &c.

s

church lands, in the same county, were then

to

The

inquisitions

which Dr. Lynch

nearly 20,000 acres.

The

inquisitions

refers are

published by Mr. Hardiman.

p.

the levying of cess were one of the chief

r-Gomuatght,

303,

et seq.

They give

causes of Irish wars under Elizabeth.

280
Praeterea

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
Camdenus ferme

[AP.

III.

in singulis Hiberniae comitatibus, plurcs

familias generis originem, a priscis Hibernis arcessentes, plurimos agros

insedisse narrat.

Hibernis igitur natali solo tot post Giraldum fato functum

ssecula,

non exterminatis,

et

Anglorum

lingua, moribus, ac lege, non nisi tar-

dissime imbutis, Justus Hibernias expugnatse titulus Anglis, Giraldo a verita'te non aberravit superstite, non obvenit. Usque adeo Davisius " Hibernise dicens, expugnationem partite peractam fuisse et pedentitem 82 ac gradatim, per varias diversis sgeculis expeditiones ac insultus ."

cum

Sed cur per tot ambages et anfractus ad causam evincendam eo? ipse Cambrensis ultro det manus et pro me sententiam ferat, qui

de iudustria operi suo caput "de mora et impedimentis plenaa perfec82

Davis,

p. 9.

In another place, the innovations in

while

Dem' was

under the

Irish ecclesiastical discipline, introduced

by

power of the Red Earl, who erected the new

Castle of Inishowen in 1305.

the English, will be pointed out.

The King

The

asser-

of England assumed the same power over

tion of Davis, with regard to the sees of

the Irish which he enjoyed in the English

Deny and Clogher, is,

correct.

therefore, not strictly

Church.

He

granted Conge cCElire, and

The

Irish prelates, in Catholic

restored temporalities,
similar prerogatives,

and exercised many

times, often resisted the unjust encroach-

which formed no part of the common Church law of Ireland before the invasion.

ments of the Crown on the

Church.
Nicholas

liberties of the

Mac

Maelisa, Archbifor

When

this

new

disci-

shop of Armagh, founded an association

that object.
.

was firmly established, the Church became the stronghold not merely of the
pline

See note

1,

p. 224,

supra.
calls

This resistance to the Crown Dr.

rebellion.

Mant

English, but of the royal power ; because in

all

the grants, even of palatine liberties, to

the great English barons, the

King reserved
in those

Sir John Davis himself, as AttorneyGeneral in Ireland, bore a distinguished

to himself the right of appointing sheriffs

part in completing the conquest.

The

fol-

to the Crocea, or church lands,

Palatinates

Davis,

p. 114.
I.,

But no Engto the

lowing scene in the old abbey of Devenish, Lough Erne, where the first Fermanagh
assizes

lish king, before

James

nominated

were held

in

1607, confronts the

see of

Raphoe. Elizabeth nominated Myler

the Pope) to the see of Clogher,
;

M'Grath (appointed Catholic Bishop of

Down by

Sept. 18, 1570

but he was removed in

February following to the united sees of Edward II. granted a Cashel and Emly.

Brehons with the English judge. In the inquiry regarding the mensal lands of the Maguire, " the jury," says Sir John, " referred themselves to an old parchment roll remaining in the hands of one O'Brislast of the
lon,

a chronicler and principal brehon of

Conge cTElire

for

an election to the see of

that country, whereupon O'Brislon was sent

for,

Deny,

in the thirteenth year of his reign

but was so aged and decrepid as he was

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENtilS KVERSUS.
Cainden, himself, declares that in almost every county in many families of old Irish race occupying very con-

Clogher

Ireland there were

siderable properties.

The

Irish, therefore,

not having been exterminated during so

many

centuries after Giraldus, and not having embraced either English law,

entitle a

language, or manners, until within a very late period, it was absurd to book " The Conquest of Ireland " in the life- time of Giraldus

himself.

land was made piece by

For Davis has very truly declared " that the conquest of Irepiece, by slow steps and degrees, and by several

u attempts in several ages ." But where was the necessity of this tedious and circuitous proof of my position ? Does not Giraldus himself decide in my favor, when he " The deliberately heads one of the chapters in his work delay and ob-

scarce able to repair unto

*is.

When

he was

both sides in

fair Irish character."

Hist.
state

come we demanded of him a sight of that ancient roll.

Tracts, p. 262.

Sir

John does not

troubled
that he
fore the

The old man, seeming to be much with this demand, made answer
roll in his
it

whether the
fiscated the

roll

was

returned, but he con-

two ballibetaghs which sup-

had such a

keeping be-

ported the bards and brehons of Maguire,

war, but that

was burned, among

" because these persons merit no

respect,

other of his papers

English soldiers.

and books, by certain We were told by some

but rather discountenance from the State, for they are enemies to the English govern-

that were present that this

was not

true.

ment."
that,

Ibid., p. 266. Sir

John

also boasta

Thereupon my Lord Chancellor did minister an oath unto him, and gave him a very serious charge to inform us truly what was

under his administration, " the clock of

the civil government

the wheels thereof did

was well

set,

and
;

all

move
all

in order

the

become of that
fetching a

roll.

The poor
confessed

old

man,

strings of this Irish harp,

trate

which the magisin tune,"

i.

deep sigh,

that he
it

doth finger, are

e.

knew where
dearer to

the roll was, but that

his
life,
it

was

by the extension of English law

Irish,

to all the

him than

an<J therefore

nominally, but, in reality, not to one-

he would never deliver

unless
like

out of his hands,

tenth of them.

my

Lord Chancellor would take the

sion from equal English

The new system of exclulaw was more gewhich

oath that the roll should be restored to

neral and more oppressive than that

it

him again. My Lord Chancellor smilingly gave him his word and his hand, that he
should have the roll redelivered to

had supplanted. The mere Irish alone were formerly excluded but the system
;

him

if

inaugurated by Sir John excluded not only

the mere Irish, but also the Anglo-Irish
professed the old creed,

he would suffer us to take a view and a

who

copy thereof. hon drew the

And

thereupon the old bre-

roll olit of his

it it

bosom, where
It

tenths of Ireland.

and they were nine" What is it that hath

"

he did continually bear

about him.

wus not very

large, but

was written on

been done ? The same that shall be done? " There is nothing new under the sun."

282

CAMBRKNS1S EVERSUS.

[CAP.

III.

83 " Et in eodem capite earn rem bis exinseruit. taeque conquisitionis his verbis: " Gens Hibernica nondum vel omnino meruit subjici pressit

vel deleri, aut

paratee

Anglorum populus gentis ex parte subactse et servire nondum plenae subjectionis imperium, et tranquilly servitutis
Et paulo
infra:

" Neuter populus ex toto vel raeruisse gratiam, vel demeruisse videtur: ut nee ille ad plenum victor in Palladis hacteniis arcem victoriosus ascenderit ; nee iste victus omnino plena3 servitutis jugo colla submiserit." Et alibi: " Hibernia3

obsequium potuit obtinere."

regio a nostris majori ex parte nondum habita vel efficaciter occupata est 84 ." Quare in Giraldum alieno a veritate titulo librum exornaDtem
illud Lisandri torqueri potest, qui,
insidiis vicisset eisque

cum

Athenienses non virtu te, sed

in fidem

fame

pressis,

urbem

suam

accepisset,
gessis-

85 scripsit Eplioris, "capta3 sunt Athenae ," perinde quasi vi rem set, gloriam aucupans mendacio.

83

Hib. Expug.,
is

lib.

ii.

c.

33.

^ p
An-

rj!

efatio 2 d %

Hib. Expug.

es

Plutarch.

w There

a singular passage in the

Lynch has omitted one important

ration,

conside-

nals of Grace and Pembridge at the year

the spirit of the people, the soul

1186, from which-it would appear that the " went no further " conquest of Ireland

that survives the wreck of old institutions,

and animates not only those

tions

Irish genera-

" after the ("ibi cessavit conquestus") death of Hugh de Lacy," who was slain in
that year.
glass also

who know nothing

dominant

of old Irish laws,

language, or manners, but even infects the

settlers of the
is

The passage
Harris, Hib.,

is

cited

by FinIt

race.

This

spirit

p. 85.

means,

said to characterize the Irish in a very

probably, that no

man pushed

on the con-

eminent degree. " There are nations," says

quest with a vigor and system equal to

Aug. Thierry, "with

retentive memories,

Hugh

de Lacy,

who

castellated all

Meath
se-

whom

the thought of independence does not

from the Shannon

to the sea,

and thus

cured far the greater part of his conquests

for ever against the
Irish.

abandon even in servitude, and who, resisting against habit, which is elsewhere
so powerful, even after the lapse of ages,
still

power of the native

Of many

of the other
it

Anglo-Norman

detest

and abjure the condition

to

invaders' possessions,
in the

might be truly said

words of Giraldus, that they were not " emcaciter occupata."

x

which a superior power has reduced them. Such is the Irish nation. It is in vain that
English power has exhausted
forts to
itself in ef-

In his dissertation on conquest,

Dr.

extinguish that memory, to make

CHAP.

III.]

CAMBRENSIS E VERSUS.

283

stacles to the full

and perfect Conquest." And in the course of that same chapter, he expressly records the fact in two different passages " " The Irish nation," he says, has not yet been extirpated, or completely
:

conquered
a people
little

sion of the contented slave,

nor has the English nation been able to secure the submisand the enjoyment of full dominion among

who are but partly subdued, and are not content to be slaves." further on he says, " that neither of the nations had yet fully (k'sorved or received grace. So that the English have not yet been able

to ascend

with all the glory of victory to the citadel of Minerva; nor are the Irish so broken that they tamely bow their necks to the yoke." In " that the another passage he says, greater part of Ireland has not as

Now as yet been seized, or firmly occupied, by our countrymen"'." Giraldus has adorned his work with so false a title, may we not justly compare him to Lysander, who, after having reduced the Athenians, not
by superior valor, but by stratagem and the pressure of famine, and, after " Athens having made terms with their city, sent home to the Ephori,
is

intimating thereby that he had taken order to blazon his own glory by a lie*."
conquest be forgotten, and

taken! "

it

by the sword,

in

t!x>

make

the
as

former, contemplating the miserable wreck

of Irish and Anglo-Irish in 1650-60,

results of

armed invasion be considered

;

bows

the exercise of a legal authority

nothing

to the will of Providence, but exclaims, in

has been able to destroy Irish obstinacy. In

despite of seductions, menaces,
fathers

his

own

native Irish,

"
"

and

tortures,

t)ia 'pa 6^111506,"

strait," a

God

ace, paiTipin5 is wide in a

have bequeathed
vii.

it

to their sons/'

sentiment differing only in form

inspired

Historical Essays,

Mr. Moore has

from

the,

imagery of Grattan

in his

somewhere described the fond memory of

" the long-faded glories" of the past, as the

last speeches in the Irish

Parliament: " I
;

do not despair of
her tomb she
still

my

country

predominant national passion

but his

own

is

helpless
lips

well-known
breathe
;i

lines,

"the nations are

fallen,"

there

is

on her

though in and motionless, a spirit of life, and

:

dill'crent spirit

the spirit of undy-

on her cheeks a glow of beauty

"

ing hope, which illumines even the darkest

Thou

art not conquered,

beauty's en-

pages of our history. Poets, historians, and

controversialists,

sign yet
Is

from the prosaic Duald

to

Mac
all

Firbis

down

Henry G rattan

in 1800,

crimson in thyjips and in thy cheeks, And death's pale Hag is not advanced
there."

promise brighter days

in the end.

The

Speeches, vol.

iv. p.

21.

284

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[C.vr. IV.

CAPUT
[30] Civis

IV.

QUOD G1KALDUS AD RES HIBERNICAS SCRTPTO COMMITTENDAS VAR1IS DE CAUSIS'

MINIME IDONEUS FUIT.
magis aptus ad histpriam patrias scribendam quam peregrinus. HallicarnassiEus historian! Rotnanam magis fide scnpsit quam scriptores Roman!. Giraldus historias Hibernicas non scrutatus est, et linguam Hibernicam ignoravit. Clan historic! ob linguae ignorationem lapsi sunt. Giraldus non fuit de lingua Hibcrnica solicitus discenda. Giraldus temporis [31] Historic! dotes. rationem non duxit. Non peragravit Hiberniam. Quam fragilis fides ejus qui audita scribit. Hosti scribenti res hostis non credendum. Nonpotest [32] Cambrensis Hibernicae gentis hostis. esse quis bonus orator et historicus. Qualis historicus Hector Boe'tius. Giraldus suos laudibus, hostes probriis cumulat. [33] Giraldus hostis Hibernorum. Author consilii pejor quam executor. Quot malorum fuit author Giraldus. Monita Giraldi et perfida et crudelia. Rex Conaciaj obtinuit regnum suum ab Henrico II. Pristina potestas Hibernis Kichardo II. Rege mansit. [34] Fides hosti servanda. Crudelia Giraldi monita. Cmdelior facinora maid authoribus cesserunt. Quanturn malum, ecclesiasticum malitiEe deditum esse ? omnibus contrarius. Sibi [35] Scriptoribus contrarius. Giraldus sibi contradicit. Sibi non aliis consuluit. Giraldus in amicos benevola verba, in adversaries calumnias effudit. Stanihurstus minimi fecit Topographiam et Hiberniam Expugnatam Cambrensis. [36] Laus Stanihursti. Musics Hibernicas laus. Lyricinos vituperat
Stanihurstus.

Camus

O'Caruill, cytharaedus insignis.

Hiberni musicae

periti.

Varietas arnanlyra Patris

tium

et

aversantium musicam.

Musicae mutatio.

[37] Dcscriptio lyrse.

Nova

Nu-

gentii.

[30]

QUAM remotus

ab historic!

officio

adimplendo Giraldus

fuerit, lectori
iis

ob oculos uberius infra ponemus.

structus fuerit qua3 historicum

Nunc quam parum

dotibus in-

quemque decent ostendere conabimur.

an peregrini ad gentis

Frequens

est inter scriptores disceptatio civesne

facta literis consignanda sint

magis accomodati.

Quidam peregriuo
Nimiruin
Domesticus qua3

historic scribendae inunus conferendum esse prorsus negant.

ille

res gestas auditu tantum, civis aspectu comperit.

fidelius ^esta sunt,

quam quispiam e vicinia accersitus narrat: sua melius quam advenee norunt. Ut non invitus in sentenindigena3 tiam Nebrissensis earn dicentis peregrinis horninibus historian fidem " Rerum enirn concedi non ait Franciscus
debere,

domi

peregriuarum (ut

In

this,

and the following chapters, Dr.

of elegant Ian-

authority in England, as he continues to bo,

Lynch wastes a great fund

guage, learning,

on

many points,

to the present day.

" Since

and argument,

on the

'the publishing of Giraldus Cambrensis,"

qualifications of Giraldus to write

affairs.

on Irish
chap-

says O' Flaherty,

"he

is

the only Notiiia

Stephen White devotes

five

Hibernice followed by English writers."

ters of his

Apologia to the same subject. In their day Giraldus was the standard

Iar-C<mnaught,

p.

437.

We need not give

many

additional illustrations of the charac-

CHAP. IV.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

285

CHAPTER
[30]

IV.

MANY REASONS TO PROVE THAT GIRALDUS WAS BY NO MEANS QUALIFIED TO WRITE

ON IRISH AFFAIRS.
A
native
is

Rome more

better qualified to write the history of his country than a foreigner. The history of faithfully written by Dionysius of Halicarnassus than by many Roman writers.

Ciraldus did not consult Irish authorities, and was ignorant of the Irish language. The most celebrated historians have fallen into errors through ignorance of languages. [31] Qualifications of the historian. Giraldus took no pains to learn the Irish language. He neglected chronology.

Did not travel through all Ireland. Little respect due to him who merely retails what he hears. No credit due to an enemy describing the affairs [32] Giraldus an enemy of the Irish nation. of his enemy. mere orator cannot be a good historian. Character of Hector Boetius* histories. Giraldus eulogizes his friends, and calumniates his enemies. [33] His hostility to the Irish. The man that counsels is worse than he who executes a bad design. Fatal measures recom-

Perfidy and cruelty of his counsels. The King of Connaught obtained his III. The Irish retained their ancient authority to the days of Richard II. Faith must be kept with an enemy. Cruel advice of Giraldus. Cruelty recoiled on its authors. How horrible that an ecclesiastic should be addicted to war [35] Giraldus at variance with all authors. Contradicts himself. His inconsistencies. Influenced by private not public motives. He lavishes honeyed flattery on his Mends, calumnies on his enemies. Stanihurst's low opinion of Giraldus's Topography and Conquest of Ireland. [36] Eulogy on Stanihurst Excellence of Irish music. Stanihurst's censures on the Irish harpers. Camus O'Carroll a celebrated
[34]
I

mended by Giraldus. kingdom from Henry

harper.

Musical

skill of

the Irish.

Difference of taste

music.

Change

in the character of Irish music.

some persons disliking, others admiring Improved harp [37] Description of the hai-p.

of Father Nugent.

RESERVING

for the course of this

work the more

detailed evidences of

I shall now Giraldus's flagrant violations of the duties of an historian, endeavour to prove that in all those qualifications which recommend

was miserably deficient 1 It is a question much debated among writers, whether a native or a foreigner be the better adapted for composing the history of a nation. A foreigner, some mainthe historian, he
.

tain, is utterly unfit for the task ; he can know from authority only the events which the native sees with his own eyes. member of a family can give a more trustworthy account of family events than a person

called in

their

own

from the neighbourhood natives are better acquainted with affairs than strangers, so that there ought to be little hesi;

tation in subscribing to the opinion of Lebrixa, that " foreigners are

unsafe guides on the history of a nation."

ter of

"

No

person," says Fran-

Giraldus as an historian and a priest.

His autobiography gives his " I have of his character.

own

estimate

" been what I ought to be, but upon the whole no man was better qualified thanmyself to

not," he says,

succeed St.

Thomas

of Canterbury."

286

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. IV.

Patriciusj nemo tantam peritiam liabere censendus est, lit earum perfectam historiam scribere possit 1 ." Nee ob aliam opinor causam Ferdinandus Regum sui temporis prudentissimus maluit homini grammatico
dula;

Hispano quam Angelo Politiano, Hermolao Barbaro, aut Pico Miranhominibus Italis tune eruditione et eloquent! a celeberrimis rerum

a se et Isabella conjuge gestarum scriptionem committere. Ipse quoque Nebrissensis qui earn historiam puro quidem sermone, et sincera fide,

omnium
non

testimonio scripsit, in sua ad Ferdinandum dedicatione libere

profitetur,

hominem externum ex animo

non minus

res alterius gentis scribere

posse, resque Hispanicas

Italis

notas esse

quam

Hispa-

nic Italicas.

Et juxta vulgatum adagium, multo

suas insipientem,

quam

sapientem aliens.

domi minus considerate Itaque

callidiorein esse

ad res Hibernicas scrip tis mandandas animum Giraldus adjecit, quod alienigena cum fuerit, in historiarum Hibernicarum adyta penetrare

non

potuerit.

Nee

mea me

nysii Hallicarnassasi hominis Grseci

esse,

sententia illorum adducet assertio, qui dicunt Diomajoremin Historia Romana fidem

quam Livii, Tranquilli[?], Taciti, Arriani; quippe licet de aliena Republica non de sua scripserit, tamen omnium commentarios, ac civitatis arcana ex actis publicis collegit. Nimirum Varroni, Tuberoni, et
Pomperio magno magna benevolentia conjunctus ernt, et de Romania multo verius ac melius scripsit, quam Fabius, Salustius, aut Cato, qui
in sua Republica opibus ac honoribus floruerunt 2

Nee a suscepta samel opinione illi me avertent, qui libenter Caesari de Gallorum moribus scribenti, aut Tacito de Germanis, aut Polybio de Romanis, aut Amiano de
.

Francis assentiuntur,

cum

peregrini essent, "et eoruni de quibus scrip-

3 Quod si Giraldus is serunt, antiquitates plene cognitas haberent ." esset, ut antiquitates Hibernia3 penitus perspectas habuerit, et nihil non

monumentis Hibernicis

hausisset, ei licet peregrino assensum

non

in-

viti

praebuissemus. tibus evolvendis et

Sed curn in monumentis incorruptis, ac antiquitaevulgandis tenuissimum conatum adhibuerit et

:

praeterea Hibernicas linguaa ignoratione laboraverit suspicionem erroris hinc a nobis illi creari.
1

nemo miretur

Dial. 6, de Histor.
lib.
i.

Possevin. torn.

ii.

lib.

xvi. cap. 13.

Bodini. Method. His-

toriaj,
b

c. iv.

That

is,

Hebrew grammars.

he wrote Greek, Latin, and But he also wrote

commentaries on the Scriptures, and several learned

works on

history, belles lettres,

CHAP. IV.]
ciscus Patricius,

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
"can be supposed

287

to master so familiar an acquain-

tance with foreign affairs as would enable him to write a perfect hisThis was, in my opinion, what induced Ferdinand, one of the tory."
wisest princes of his time, to intrust his own history, and tha-t of his b Queen Isabella, to a Spanish grammarian , rather than to the Italians,

learned and eloquent

Angelo Politiano, or Hermolao Barbaro, or Pica Mirandula, the most men of their age. Lebrixa himself, the author of

that history, whose correctness and honesty are universally admitted, openly declares in his dedication to Ferdinand, that a writer could never throw his soul into the history of a foreign nation ; that the affairs of

Spain were as
Spaniards; than a wise
for,

little

known

to the Italians as those of Italy to the

according to the adage, a fool at

It was, therefore,

man abroad.

home knows more more imprudent for Giraldus

to venture to write on the affairs of Ireland, because, being a foreigner, he could not explore the secret sources of Irish history. It may be said that Dionysius of Hallicarnassus, though a Greek, is

a better authority on the history of Rome than Livy, Tranquillus, Tacitus, or Arrian ; but this assertion does not affect my position, be-

though Rome was a foreign state to him, he compiled his hisfrom authentic sources, the archives of the state, and all preceding tory writers. He was on terms of intimate familiarity with Varro, Tubero,
cause,

and

Pompey

the Great; and thus was able to write with more truth and

judgment on Roman affairs than those wealthy and distinguished citizens of Rome, Fabius, Sallust, or Cato. Neither is it a solid objection to my opinion, to urge the ready credit given to Csesar on the Gauls,
or Tacitus on the

the Franks, because,

Germans, or Polybius on the Romans, or Ammianus on though foreigners, they were perfectly acquainted

with the antiquities of the nations on wJiich they wrote. If Giraldus had been well versed in Irish antiquities, and had drawn his history from Irish monuments solely, his country should not disentitle him to our
willing confidence.

But

as

specting or publishing our authentic

he never took the slightest trouble in indocuments or antiquities, and as

he was totally ignorant of the Irish language, no person should be

surprised if

we

suspect his authority.

mathematics, jurisprudence, &c.

He was

Salamanca, and was employed by Cardinal

twenty years professor in the University of

Ximenes

in editing the Polyglot Bible.

288

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. IV.

Plutarchus pra?stantissimus scriptor, in Romanorum antiquitate

interdum lapsus est: utpote linguam se Latinam non satis intellexisse in vita Demosthenis confitetur. Appianus etiam quo nemo civilia

Romanorum

bella diligentius, aut copiosius scripsit,

cum

vir fuerit

^Egyptius, et

Romanam linguam non

satis calluerit, in

Romanorum

antiquitatibus, et ipse dicitur aliquando offendisse. Diodorus in Romaantiquitate a Livio, et Dionysio ubique fere discrepat quod illi 4 Memorati certe linguae Latinse imperitia contigisse Bodinus existimat

norum

[31] scriptores

magis errore labebantur, et veritatis ignoratione, quam quod mentiri vellent. Sic qua3 Grasci veteres et Romani de Celtis, aut Romani de Chaldaeis et Hebraeis tradiderunt, magna ex parte, falsa esse
|

deprehenduntur.
esto peregrinum earn historian partem expedire posse, quae nospatrum, avorum, aut proavorum memoriae homines describit, aut actiones, vel res gestas enumerat is tamen earn quaestionem in historia
tra3,
;

Sed

fselicetir

explicare

non

potest, qua3

de primo regionum incolatu, aut de

vetusta gentis alicujus origine tractat.

Etenim "lingua? antique ad

origines perscrutandas imprimis necessarian censentur, et prima nomina longo temporis situ obsoleta, in barbaris linguis ut antiquioribus conDiodorus Siculus non sol urn ut servari docet Plato in Cratylo 5 ."
ipse loquitur,
illos

" omnia imperil Romani gesta ex vetustis quan apud asservantur monumentis desumpsit, sed etiam magnam linguae Romanae cognition em adeptus est. Ut apposite dictum fuerit, multa

nos fugere propter ignorationem linguae primigeniae 6 ." Nam ut Bodinus ait7 ; tria sunt argumenta quibus gentium origiues haberi, ac recte judicari possunt. Prirnum in spectata fide scrip toris, alterum
in lingua? vestigiis, tertium in regionis situ, et descriptione ; quam partitionem se Camdenus amplecti non obscure indicat dicens: "quae

me
et

ad latentem antiquitatis veritatem eruendam faciunt, neutiquam a Subsidio mihi antiquissimae linguae Britannicae neglecta fuerunt.

Angliam fere Anglo- Saxonicae notitiam qualemcunque comparavi. commentaria, scrinia, et archiva experagravi, publica regni nam optimi cussi;" veterum vestigiis in hac re acriter insistens

omnem

scriptores

quo major
5

suis scriptis fides liaberetur, e publicis

monu8

Ubi supra. nus, ubi suprsl.

Camden,

p. 18.

Emblem.

Alciat., p. 825.

In Prsefat.

Bodi-

CHAP. IV.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

289

life of Demosthenes, that he had not a knowledge of the Latin language, and hence, though so eminent good in other departments, he fell into some errors on the ancient history

Plutarch confesses in his

of

Rome.

cause.

No

Appian's errors, on the same subject, arose from the same writer has left us a more diligent and detailed account of

the civil wars of the

fect

Romans ; but, being an Egyptian, he was not permaster of the old language of Rome. Diodorus differs in almost

every page of his

sequence, as

Roman antiquities from Dionysius and Livy, in conBodinus thinks, of his ignorance of the Latin language. The errors of those writers arose from ignorance, not from a design to

What the Greeks and Romans wrote of the Celts, and the Romans of the Hebrews and Chaldeans, are, in like manner, generally
mislead.

found to be

false.

some justice to contemporaneous hisor events of no distant date, such as the actions of the fathers, tory, grandfathers, or great-grandfathers of the men of his own day ; but he
never can trace, with any success, the original peopling of a country, or the ancient origin of a nation. The ancient languages are indispensably
necessary for tracing the origin of nations and it of barbarians, as being the most ancient, " that we
;

A foreigner might perhaps do

is

in the language
find, as

may

Plato

teaches in Cratylus, those primitive words,

lete."

wr hich

are long since obso-

of the

Roman

Diodorus Siculus not only (as he tells us) " compiled his history state from the ancient national archives, but also made

himself well acquainted with the Roman language; so true is the observation that ignorance of the original language is a great bar to know" there are three tests for tracing For, according to Bodinus, ledge."

and deciding on the origin of nations; first, the testimony of trustworthy writers next, the relics of its ancient tongue and, thirdly, the geographical position and description of the Such also country."
; ;

appear to have been Camden's views, as announced in the following extract: " I have neglected nothing that could be of any use in throwing
light

ledge of the Anglo-Saxon,

I

on the obscure facts of ancient history. I have acquired a knowand of the most ancient British language. have travelled through every part of England, and examined the

public documents of the realm, and archives and libraries."

;

In this he only followed the example of the ancients for it has been usual with the best writers, in order to give weight to their works, to pro-

290

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
Sic

[CAP. IV.

mentis ea se collegisse aiunt.

e publicis illorum ter

Ammianus

se

Gallorum antiquitates
profitetur.
Simili-

monumentis

in

lucem eruisse

Arrianus statim

initio scripsit se Regis Ptolomasi, qui

Alexandri

magni rebus ubique interfuit, commentaries non prius evulgatos leItidem Appianus Augusti scripta, Metastenes et Ctesias pubgisse. lica Persarum monumenta, Diodorus JEgyptiorum, de quibus scripsit,
arcana se vidisse testatur.

Thucydides magnis sumptibus ingeniosos exploratores ad inquirendam rei veritatem aluit, ut similem diligentiam a Dyonisio, et Diodoro in historia Romana condenda supra memoSanctus Hieronimus Palestine peregrinatkmem,
adliibitis

ratam missam faciam.

Hebrasorum eruditissimis ad
profuisse testatur
:

sibi

multum

explicandse referebantur.

sacra? scripture intelligentiam ad ipsum divina3 scripture qusestiones Ilium Damasus Pontifex, ilium Sanctus

Augustinus de

locis scriptural difficillimis saepe consuluit,

propter ejus

singularem doctrinam, et lingua? non solum Latinse et

braica3 et Chaldaica3 intelligentiam.

Gra3cse, sed Hae-

Giraldum autem ab his diversam

prorsus viam ingressum lingua primum HibernicaB addiscendsB cura non tetigit, nee enim ei se percipienda? operam impendisse usquam indicat,

homo

alioqui in sua sedulitate prasdicanda plus nirnio gloriatus.

in Hibernia

Nee tam diuturnam

moram

contraxit, ut vel mediocrem

Bis enim se in Hibernicae linguse cognitionem comparare potuerit. Hiberniam trajecisse innuit, semel fratrem suum Philippum comitatus,

eumque

ac

avunculum Stephanidem, "plurimum

Iterum Joanni Regis Henrici
supergresso
iristitutor adhibitus
10
.

consilio juvans 9 ," ut

ipse scribit.

filio

annum non

duodecimum astatis Quo autem anno, dua-

bus hisce vicibus, in Hiberniam transmisit non ex ipso sed aliunde cognovimus. Nulla^ni enim in toto fere historic discursu temporis indicandi rationem ducit:

cum tamen "apud

porum non
constare 11 ."
intulit.

cohasret, necveritatis,

quos historicos ratio temneque historic^ fidei ratio ullapossit

Pra3terea in duas, Hibernia, terniones,

pedem nunquam,
ubi, ut ipse lo-

Nee enim per hosticum excurrere ausus

non redempti
10 Ibid. c.

est,

quitur, "capti decapitati,

9

seel

12 interempti fuerunt ."

Et
|

Hib. Expug. lib. ii. c. 18. 12 Hib. Expug. lib. ii. cap. 36. cap. 10.
c

32

Davis, p. 19.

Possevin. ubi supra,

Giraldus visited Ireland a third time,

mained not more than a few weeks

country on that occasion
ges.tis, Sec.
<:.,

in the
se

to consult

with his friends after his second

De

Rebus a
ii.

election to the see of St.

David but he
;

re-

Anglia Sacra,

vol.

p.

507.
j

CHAP. IV.]
fess that

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

291

clares that his antiquities of the

Ammianus dethey compiled them from public documents. Gauls were taken from their national

Arrian, too, states, in the first page of his book, that he had read the unpublished commentaries of King Ptolemy, who took an active part in the whole reign of Alexander the Great. Metasthenes and
archives.

Ctesias appeal to the public

declares

monuments

of the Persians, while

Appian

he read the secret commentaries of Augustus, and Diodorus

the secret mysteries of the Egyptians. cost, a staff of experienced and learned
and, not to
in

Thucydides supported, at great

men

to aid

him in

his researches

mention that Dionysius and Diodorus used the same diligence their Eoman history, we have St. Jerome declaring that his pilgri-

mage to Palestine, and the co-operation of profound Hebrew scholars, Dishad been most useful to him in understanding the Scripture. on the interpretation of Scripture were referred to him. puted questions

He was

often consulted

by Pope Damasus and by

St.

Augustine, on

the most difficult texts, on account of his great learning and his profound knowledge, not only of the Greek and Latin, but also of the

Very different was the plan adopted Giraldus; he never thought of taking the trouble to learn the Irish by language; he does not intimate such an intention in any part of his work, though he never loses an opportunity of extolling his diligence.
His stay in Ireland, too, was not sufficiently protracted to give him even a meagre acquaintance with the Irish tongue. He was in Ireland twice; first in company with his brother Philip and his uncle Stephen,

Hebrew and Chaldaic languages.

whom
John,

he boasts to have helped by his advice; next, as tutor to Prince

c
.

who had not then attained his twelfth year The precise date of these two voyages we must guess from other sources, for he does not give in any part of his work the least clue to decide them, though he ought to have known "that neither truth nor historical weight can be
expected from those historians whose chronology is deficient or incond sistent." Moreover he never set his foot on two- thirds of Ireland He
.

would not venture his person in a hostile country, where, to use his own words, " the captured were decapitated, not ransomed, but de4

Giraldus does not inform us of the exIn the pro-

"
parts

of the island, but

what those westIt is

tent of his travels in Ireland.

ern parts were he does not state.

face to his second edition of the Conquest,

probable that they were some part of

ster.

Mun-

he asserts that he had visited " the western

u2

292
situm locorum, quos

CAMBRENSIS EVERSTJS.

[CAP. IV.

nunquam

oculis obivit,

quomodo aut oratione

accu-

rate complecti, aut lectori ob oculos concinne ponere potuit? de caetera supellectile quam ad historian! suam struendam cumulavit, opportunior
erit infra dicendi locus.

Id moclo affirmare non dubito rumusculis

[32]

ilium unice inhiasse; ac proinde historias ejus explodendas: cum Bodinus dicat eorum narrationes minus esse probandas qui mini aliud ab aliis audierunt." Et Melchior Canus: " Ho:

habent quam quod mines graves atque severos non solere inanem vulgi serrnonem aucu|

pari."

peregrini conditio, aut Hibernicse linguse inscitia non imsaltern eum pediat quominus justi historici titulum Giraldus referat: id historicorum albo citra controversiam expunget, quod Hibernica; gentis

Quod

si

hostis infestissimus fuit.

torum

Negant enim authores optimi fidorum scripascribendum, qui genti, cujus res ad posteritatem " Quum enim de hostibus scripto transmisit, hostis esse dignoscitur: cohibenda est assensio," inquit Bodinus vituperatione digna leguntur, " cavendum imprimis esse, ne scriptori de se suisque civiqui monet, bus, et amicis quse laudabilia sunt, aut de hostibus turpia scribenti,
classi

eum

facile assentiamur.

Contra vero minime dubiam fidem eorum esse quae

1 de hostibus laudabiliter et gloriose gesta confitemur "." Quam ob causam Polybius homo Grascus sa3pe mendacii coarguit Fabium, et Philimum, quod alter Romanus, alter Carthaginiensis de bello Punico

ita scripserunt, ut ille prasclara

omnia de Romanis; de Poenis contra: Philimus Poenos omnia laudabiliter ac fortiter (sic enim Polybius),

Romanos turpiter et ignaviter gessise dicens. Nam uterque ad scribendum ita se comparavit ut oratores, qui hoc imprimis cavent, ne quid contra seipsos dicant aut sentiant. Sed fieri nullo modo potest, ut idem boni oratoris et historici partes agat. Imo ipsi Romani in hostium
vitia creduli, in

non paucis, etiam ingenii sui figmento

injurii fuerunt:

non solum res eorum gestas turpiter omiserunt, sed eosdem etiam atroci verborum contumelia notarunt suarum A^ero laudum proecon^s acet
;

13

Ubi supra.

Giraldus repeatedly asserts that he

Irish

adopted no statement on

matters

without good authority. Thus, in his Retractations, "hoc," he says, "pro certo
sciendum,

quam plurium per diligentem et certam indagationem a magnis terra? illius et auAnthenticis viris notitiam alicuimus."
gUa Sacra,
f

vol.

ii.

p.

455.

quod quorundam, quinimo

et

This argument,

if

urged to

its logical

CHAP. IV.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

293

or give his reader stroyed." How, then, could he describe accurately, In a defined picture of those regions on which he never set his eyes ? another place I shall have a better opportunity for examining his other
qualifications for history.

For the present,

to

suffice it to say, that his

6
,

heap together popular stories and, there" There can be no his history ought to be exploded. dependence," fore, " on those who have nothing to write but what they says Bodinus, " Grave and heard from others." And Melchior Canus: prudent men
great and sole object

was

do not adopt the silly stories of the vulgar." But though the fact of his being a stranger, or his ignorance of the Irish language, should not impeach Giraldus's title to the fame of a good
historian, at least his inveterate hostility to the Irish nation

must un-

doubtedly disqualify him. For all writers of authority decide that no confidence can be placed in the writings of a man who is known to have f " When an been an enemy to those on whose affairs he writes enemy is
.

we must withhold our assent." This is the advice of Bodinus, who adds, " that we must be on our guard, and not too easily credit a writer when he panegyrizes his But he should have our unhesifriends or vituperates his enemies. assent when he praises his enemies, and honestly admits their tating
the subject of a discreditable narrative,

noble deeds."
of Fabius

and Philimus,

Polybius, a Greek, has exposed many false statements In the in their histories of the Punic wars.

pages of the former, who was a Eoman, all the acts of the Eomans are worthy of heroes ; while, with the latter, the Eomans are unprincipled

cowards, and the Carthaginians, his own countrymen, are extolled to the stars. They wrote history on the principle of the orator, whose
chief care is to

the same

man

admit nothing that may be prejudicial to himself. But can never combine on the same subject the characteristic

The Eomans, themselves, excellencies of the historian and the orator. who were ready to believe evil of their enemies, often indulged their prejudices by slanders deliberately invented. Not only did they shamefully suppress all the

to

good deeds of the enemy, but they often attempted brand them with the most atrocious calumnies, while everything crehostile to his
Irish,

consequences, would destroy the authority

of all the writings of Giraldus, of his

own countrymen than

Infra,

to the

especially

nor less zealous at one time

p.

for their

works on Wales.

He was

not less

subjugation to England.

296,

n. K.

294

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. IV.

curatissimi fuerunt, et hoc exemplo Giraldi scelus extenuari posse videatur, nisi sceleratorum vestigiis insistens, a scelerati titulo

immunitatem

magna quidem gentis gloria laborasse; in quo sane conatu et patriot et dignitati et suae existimationi parum consuluit. Hoc enim jam apud doctos est assecutus, ut

possit etenim exemplo non leviorem delicti poenam feret. Quam sententiam de Hectore quoque Boethio ferre licet, quern ambitione de Stanihurstus scribit: " suse

nancisci

non

cum

veritatis gratia

omnia

se scripsisse videri vellet nihil fere

verum

arbitrentur

quod

scripsit."

Ut hinc Huinfraedus Lhuyddus

impurissi-

mum liominem eum appellet, epigramma in eum a Lelando cusurn deinde

adjungens
" Hectoris historici tot quot mendacia
Si vis, ut
scripsit,

numerem,

lector amice, tibi,

Me jubeas
Et

fluctus etiam

numerare marines,
poli

liquid! Stellas

connumerare
et

u ."

Cum

autem Giraldus a Boethii

ejusdem

farina? scrip torum consue-

tudine non recesserit et suos encomiis honoraverit, hostes opprobriis oneraverit, non immerito quidam eum his versibus pupugit
:

" Cambrensis Britonum mores nomenque Giraldus

Et grandi patrias laude recenset opes

Sed virus animi depromens corde maligno. Acer in Hibernos dira venena spuit

Ut

canis, ignotos rabido qui

mordet hiatu
suis,

Blauditurque nimis cauda agitante

Stultus adulator clarum fallacibus umbris

Sed contra solem

testis

iniquus agit.

Et gravibus

testata aliis scriptoribus audet

Perfidus hie calamo dilacerare suo.

Lubrica fucatis sequans, mendacia

scriptis

Proh pudor

historicam destruit

ille

fidem

Porro disparibus libros excessibus implet

Quilibet errorem lector utrumque
viclet.

Quam

quasrit

famam, famosus perdit amando

Bardus, scriptoris signa furentis liabens.

Indulsit studiis, nee clicere falsa pepercit

[33]

Non veram historiam condidit, at satyram Ergo dum mendax mala laudat et optima damnat.
Nullius est ejus dignus honore liber."

14

In Mouse description adjecta Defensioni Britannia; Prisaci,

p. 18.

CHAP. IV.]
ditable to themselves

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
was most
diligently recorded.
if

295
Their example

would extenuate Giraldus's guilt, justification that he only followed

the criminal could plead in his in the footsteps of other criminals.

Example
him:

is,

in such case,

no ground for mitigation of punishment.

Stanihurst says of

Hector Boethius deserves the same character.

"He labored

with

all his

might

for the glory of his nation;

but

his vain

his

own

ambition was prejudicial to his country, to her honor, and to For to this point have his works now come, that reputation.
is

the learned hardly believe there

one word of truth in them, though

he wished to appear as writing for tryth's-sake alone."

Thus Humand quotes

phrey

Lhyud

stigmatizes

him

as a

most abandoned

fellow,

Leland's epigram:
"

A list

of Hector's lies

his lies in history

Pray ask it not, dear reader, 'tis a mystery Count all the waves that o'er the ocean roll,

Or

stars that

wheel around the glistening

pole.'

As Giraldus followed the example of Boethius, and writers of a

:

similar

stamp, always praising his friends, and calumniating his enemies, he has no reason to complain of the following satirical invective
"Giraldus proudly boasts
his"

British name,
;

And
But

lauds in stilted prose his country's fame

pours, in poisonous streams

on Erin's

state,

The hoarded venom

True dog

of his rancorous hate.

he whines and licks his master's hands; But rabid and grim against the stranger stands
;

All truth he hides by false and fulsome praise,

As murky
The

clouds obscure the sun's bright rays

men, the truthful page, He slights and desecrates with Vandal rage. Truth from his treacherous pen indignant flies,
faith of rev'rend

And

scorns all contact with his polished

lies.

a compound of false praise or blame With candid readers can no credit claim.

His books

He wrote for glory, but he wrote in vain What glory can the raving madman gain ?
;

As

hate or spleen dictates, his pen obeys,

And
The

wins calumnious, not

friend of vice

historic bays.

virtue's

malignant

foe

His works with good men

ne'er shall

honor know.'

296

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. IT.

Nimirum

nationis Hibernicge hostis erat acerrinms, utpote cujus pri" plurimum se mipilares hostes Stephanidem et Philippum Barrensem, " omnium 15 " ita ut sicut a S. Paulo fatetur consilio juvisse Stepha:

lapidantium vestimenta servabantur, ut tanquam in manibus omnium ipse lapidare videretur 16 ," sic ille solus tantum suasione, quantum
singuli milites ferro nocuerunt.

num

Imperatores victorise gloriam,

inilites

laborem referunt;

nam
quam
viribus

" Consilio utilius

arma gerantur,

Militis est robur, consiliuraque duels."

Ita

major in authorem flagitii, quam in factorem culpa conferenda est. " Non" enim " viribus aut velocitatibus, aut celeritate corporum res 17 magnae geruntur, sed consilio, authoritate et sententia :" ut recte
Tacitus dixerit, "majora surnmis consiliis quam manibus geri:" et Va" lerius Flaccus, ssepe acrior prudentia dextra." Euripides
" Mens una sapiens plurium vincit manus. Quid qudd vis consilii expers mole ruit sua."

Apposite Cicero dixit "expetendam magis esse decernendi rationem

quam decertandi fortitudinem; temere enim in acie versari, et manum cum hoste confligere, immane quiddam est, et belluarum simile: parva
enim
foris

arma

sunt, nisi sit concilium

domi 18 ."

Itaque grassationes militum in alienos agros, regiones vastationibus protritas, bonorum direptiones, tectorum incendia, strages hominum
in Hibernia editas uni Giraldo acceptas referemus, qui suo scelere sed
aliena
contejidit; et ad belli post iniquissimi susceptionem universes impigre hortatus, quee singuli detrimenta intulerunt, eorum ille solus causa extitit. An non igitur hunc jure meritissimo hostem appellabimus, qui non

manu, rem Hibernicam labefactare

hominum memoriam

solum voce, sed etiam

nica
19

" scriptis consulto docuit qualiter gens Hiber-

Ut non superstitibus tune delendae gentis sit expugnanda ?" Hibernicae molimina ejus, sed venturse quoque per oninem futuri tem15

Hiber. Expug.

lib.

ii.

Senect.

"

1 Offic.

cap. 18.

16 S.

Augustin. Senno.
cap. 36.

1,

de Sanctis.

17

Cicero de

Hib. Expug.

lib.

ii.

S Giraldus gives this very title to

ter

Chap-

Spenser, in the reign of Elizabeth, proposed,

vm.

of his work,

"de

Illaudabilibus

"VValliae ;"

and lays down,

for the

subjuga-

and Mountjoy executed, Ulster. " The he

seas,"

for the conquest of

says,

" were

to be

tion of his native land, the

same plan which

guarded

war should be

carried on during

CHAP. IV.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

297

viser," as

the most inveterate enemy of the Irish nation; "the able adhe calls himself, " of Fitzstephen and Philip Barry, the arch St. Paul, by guarding the clothes of those who of Ireland." enemies

He was

stoned St. Stephen,

may be

said to

have "nerved the arms of

all

the

saint:" so Giraldus's counsel worked as much persecutors against the Commanders get the glory, evil as the swords of all the soldiers. soldiers the labor of victory.
" Counsel more sure than strength in tented fields
;

The
ie

soldier's

nerve for victory's laurels wields."

man who
" For

advises the crime

it is

ites it.

is more guilty than he who perpenot by swiftness nor strength, nor agility of body,

but by counsel, authority, and judgment;" by Tacitus: "greater tnings are done by consummate prudence than by brute force;" by Valerius Flaccus: "skill is often more efficient than force ;" and by Euripides also
that great things are done,
a truth confirmed
:

" One prudent mind

o'er

myriad hands prevails

Where

counsel

is

not, nothing else avails."

" that Cicero has justly said, prudence in council is more desirable than courage in the field ; for to rush to the battle rashly, and to engage
with the enemy,
is

something preposterous, and like the brute beasts.

of her

Arms are powerless abroad, if there be not prudence at home." The excesses of a foreign soldiery in Ireland, the devastation
provinces, the plunder
sacre of her sons,

and conflagration of her houses, and the masmust be all laid at Giraldus's door. It was his guilty

counsel that inflamed the fury of the invaders against the kingdom of Ireland. He alone has to answer for all the havoc of the most unjust

war ever carried on during the memory of man.

the hearts of the invaders.

He

it

was who steeled

the best reason to call him an " enemy who deliberately pointed out, both by word and pen, how Ireland was to be conquered g ?" thus transmitting to all succeeding ages
the winter,

Have we not

and division was

to be

fomented

tain praemissis

among
vires
alios

the

Welsh

patriots."
et

"Deinde
ipsis

Sacra, vol.
to

eorum dividat

quosdam ex

ad

quam proinissis." Anylia ii. It is waste of time p. 452. " found argumenta ad hominem" on the
who was

confimdenduin (quod se invicem odio

prosequi solent) donariis alliciat

personal character of Giraldus,

et invidiii

never consistent.

298

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
Sic non contentus
ferre, nisi

[CAP. IV.

poris memorian], posteritati innotescerent.'

una

vice

ad evertendos Hibernos

consilii

adjumentum

etiam in prota-

patulo continenter ejus monita prostarent, pro re nata taniquam e

bulis in

rem educenda?

ut,

Sed qua? tandem Hibernis edomandis documenta proniit? nimirum " vel debilitentur vel deleantur 20 ." Quorum alterum perfidiam non

mediocrem, alterum

summam atrocitatem

redolet.

Quid enim quempiam

magis esse perfidia non leviter tinctum sed alte imbutum arguit, quam, duobus populis pactorum transactione jam coalitis, alterum ad alterms
vires infirmandas, et ad secures ex improviso adoriendos attrahere?

Publicae conditionum utrinque initarum tabulae infra commodiori loco proferendse adhuc extant; e quibus, et reliquo narrationis nostras de-

cursu liquido patebit ad nihil aliud proceres Hiberniae,

quam ad tributum persolvendum abjectos fuisse. Rex Connaciae, anno post regnum ab Henrico III. initum 24, et post Christum natum 1240 in Angliam trajecit, et gravissima querela de
"
injuriis quas sibi faniilia

Burgorum

irrogavit ad

Regem

delata, cau-

sam tandem

obtinuit.

Quaestus est enim eosdem sedes ita late in sua

ditione fixisse, ut pene suis ipsum finibus exturbaverint, quorum possidendorum potestatem Henrici II., et Joannis Anglise Regum diplomatibus consecutus erat: adjiciens quinquies niille marcarum tributum a
se

factus,

pro regno suo quotannis persolutum fuisse. Rex vero certior de his Mauritio Giraldino turn Hibernias proregi prascepit, tit illos
surculos, quos

Hubertus de Burgo, dum in summae potentias Connacia per injuriam se^it, radicitus evelleret, 21 et regnum citra molestiam possidendum Regi Connacias ." Quid quod Richardus II. longo post temporis intervallo, dum scilicet annus deci-

Burgorum

fastigio collocaretur, in

mus octavus regni

20

sui et Christi
lib.

395 decurreret, quatuor armatorum, et

cap. 36.
21

Hib. Expug.

ii.

Davis,

p.

112.

11

Giraldus himself had a presentiment,

land of Ireland from sea to sea have for the

founded on popular prophecies, that the English could not, before many ages, levy

most part bene in the power of Englishmen yet Bracton [Bercon] saith that
the English nation shall be from time to

even tribute on the greater portion of IreThe prophets " doo not assure nor land.

time in continual troubles with the

Irishrie,

warrant anie perfect or full conquest (of Ireland) unto the English nation not much
before

saving that they shall hold and injoie the whole land bordering on the east coast of
the seas."

doomes day.

And

albeit the

whole

Conquest of Ireland, Hookers

CHAP. IV.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
It
11

299
was not

the knowledge of his plots for the extirpation of the Irish. enough to give his advice once for the conquest of Ireland

his plans

should be publicly registered, that, whenever occasion required, they

might forthwith be carried into execution. But what were his plans for the subjugation of the Irish?
" they should be either reduced or extirpated
!

" That

that

is

to say, signal

What more palpable proof of a treachery, or unparalleled atrocity. heart not slightly tainted, but deeply steeped in treachery, than, in the face of treaties solemnly executed between two nations, to advise one
to

weaken the power of the other, and

unawares.

to seize every opportunity of

of that treaty shall be produced in another place, from which, as well as from the whole course of our narrative, it is evident that the Irish lords were bound only to the
assailing it

The very terms

payment of

tribute.

In 1240, the twenty-fourth year pf the reign of

Henry

III.,

the

King of Connaught went to England, and having made a representation of the grievous " injuries inflicted on him by the family of the Burkes,
succeeded in obtaining redress.
a strong plantation there,

territory,

He complained that they had made and had well nigh expelled him out of his which he held by the grants of Henry II. and King John.
also that

He added
for his

he had duly paid a yearly tribute of 5000 marks

kingdom. Whereupon the King ordered Maurice Fitzgerald, who was then Lord Justice of Ireland, to root out that unjust plantation, which Hubert, Earl of Kent, had in the time of his greatness planted in those parts qf Connaught, and to establish the King of Connaught in the quiet possession of his kingdom ." Again, when, after
1

a long lapse of time,

Eichard

II.

came over

to Ireland in 1395, the

eighteenth year of his reign, with an

Translation, book
'

army

of

4000 men

at arms,

and

ii.

chap. 36.

English lords could not endure that any

kings should reign in Ireland but
selves."

But the Burkes were never driven from

I

Connaught: "Howbeit
King's
tion.

do not read the

Davis, Discovery,
it

p.

112.

them-* From

command was
For the truth

ever put in execu-

lar Connaught,\>. 190,

successors of the

appears thatJhe

is,

Richard de Burgo

King

of Connaught,

down

had obtained a grant of all Connaught, after the death of the King of Connaught, then living, for which he gave 1000
3 Hen.
III.,

to 1305, resisted,
cess, the
illi

and generally with suetribute:

payment of

" Hibernici

raro totam tirjnam, et saspe parte per

et sctpius nihil

Kot. Glaus. 2.

And besides our

annum,

inde solverunt."

300
[34] triginta militurn

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
|

[CAP. IV.

arcubus instructorum millibus in Hiberniam ductis, " ne unius quidem librae sterlings accessione vetus tributum auxerit, imperil Anglici fines ad spatium unius jugeris pedem promoverit ultra
colonias Anglicas, quee solas
iis

ante parebant 22 ." Gnari nimirum illi duo Reges erant penes Hiberniae primores suas ditiones, et litium in iis
inter transigendum policiti sunt tribute,

dirimendarum potestatem ex pacto mansisse, ac proinde persoluto, quod suum ofiicium ad amussim duxerunt fidem a majoribus datam violare, explevisse. Utpote religioni

memores quod,
Militiae, cui

"

Optimus

ille

postremum primumque

tueri

Inter bella fidem23."

Nam

ut

ait Cicero:

"Nemo
24

est qui

non hanc affectionem animi probet

S.

atque laudet, etiam conservatur

inquit,

qua non modo

fides ."

utilitas quaeritur sed contra utilitatem

His conforrnia promit

August.

"

Fides,"

"quando promittitur etiam

et

hosti servanda est, contra quern

bellum geritur 25 ," ut religioni, dum suis Hibernos debilitare,

suadet.

rationi, ac patribus Giraldus obnitatur,

continue promissis non stare sedulo

Itaque homine

sacris initiate viri profani religionis integritate

multo

prasstare videntur, qui fidei violationem tacite praecipienti se non

audientes praebuerunt.

Ita ut Giraldus faces

dudum Machiavello ad
;

suae

institutionis principes perfidia

imbuendos

praetulisse videatur.

Verum hanc perfidiam comem ac levem esse putaremus si cum ea crudelitatem insignem non copularet, monens ut omnes Hiberni una 26 ne foeminis quidem, ac infantibus ab hac dira internitione delerentur
,

Abimeleclmm imitatus, qui Sichimitas (quod ab his urbe, et tribu ejectus fuisset) noctu adortus, omnes 27 trucidavit, nulla sexus, aut setatis habita ratione ; aut Anglos, "qui
sententia indemnitatem consecuturis
:

ad unum occiconjuratione inita, una nocte Danos omnes per Angliani 28 dione occiderunt ." Sed utinam quod flagitii praamium utrique retu*lerunt secum cogitatione volvisset.
22

Ilium molas fragmine mulier op1.

26 24 De Finibus. 23 Silius Italicus. Ep. Davis, p. 40. 2B Camden. 27 Judic. 9. p. 102. Expug. lib. ii. c. 35.

ad Boiiifacium.

2ti

Hib

k The understanding which Dr. Lynch between the Eng supposes to have existed lish kings and the Irish princes has but
little

tween them were perpetual war, carried on

in the usual spirit of the age, the results

being generally in favor of the native

Irish,

foundation in

fact.

The

relations be-

especially froniBrucc's invasion to the reign

CHAP. IV.]

CAMBRENSIS E VERSUS.

301

" he did not increase his revenue thereby one sterling 30,000 archers, borders the breadth of one acre of land," pound, nor enlarge the English which had not been already subjected. These two kings well knew that the Irish chieftain held

by

ring justice within them,

and that

treaty his lands, and the right of administeif he paid his stipulated tribute he
1

had fully discharged his obligations. They believed themselves bound in conscience not to violate the treaties sworn to by their predecessors'
:

" The

soldier's noblest duty,

first

His care the

and

last,

should be,

To keep " For there

is

his plighted faith."

no one,"

as Cicero

"
says,

who

does not approve and

applaud that moral quality, which seeks not interest alone, but prefers fidelity to interest." And in the same sense St. Augustine affirms, " that faith once pledged must be kept, even with our enemies in open war." Giraldus's advice to his countrymen to break the power of the
Irish,

alike to religion, to reason,

and to take no account of plighted faith, was therefore opposed and to the fathers. He, a priest, had not

the virtue of those pagans

violate faith.
for

He may

who pretended not to hear a secret order to be said to have long since lighted the way
it

Machiavel in teaching princes the art of treachery. His perfidy, however, would be comparatively innocent, had

not

He urged the exterbeen combined with the most atrocious cruelty. mination of the Irish, by one fell stroke, without distinction of age or He would rival Abimelech, who, when exsex, women or infants
1
.

pelled from his town and tribe by the Sichemites, attacked them in the night time, and butchered them all, without distinction of age or sex
;

or the English,

massacred to a
reflected

who man

by preconcerted agreement, and in one night But it were well he had the Danes in England.
rose

was killed by a
lish,

on the fruits of those two examples of treachery. Abimelech woman with a fragment of a mill- stone. And the Engthat the effusion of blood

who thought

would check the flames of

of

in

Henry VIII. Giraldus recommends extirpation only case the Irish would not submit. He
1

the foreigners, but were afterwards expelled

from their lands, and insulted as slaves Hooker's Translation, Conquest, book
c.

ii.

censures the injustice perpetrated against

40.

He

then proposes a plan for the

Irish.

many of the

Irish,

who had faithfully

served

government of the conquered

302
"
pressit
:

CAMBRENSIS KVERSUS.

[CAP. IV.

Hi

rati

sunt

liac

sanguinis effusione se

Danicum incendium

restricturos,
eriira

quod tarn en in magis exitialem flammam exarsit. Sueno Rex Danoruni hac suorum caede irritatus, numeroso exercitu

Angliamanno post Christum natum 1012 invasit, immaniterque efferato animo grassatus totum regnum sibi subdidit 29 ." Nee sic homines verae
fidei

luce

nondum

perfusi in victos ssevierunt.

bello captis urbibus, necari 30
.

Romulus

enini vetuit

impuberes omnes in
sciscitur
"

Non

igitur immerito

Quid tale iramanes unquam gessisse feruntur Vel Sinis Isthmiaca pinu, vel rupe profunda
Scyron, vel Phalaris tauro, vel carccre Sylla ?

Mites Diomedis equi, Busiridis arae

:

Clemen tes

jam Cinna

plus,

jam Spartace

lenis 31 ."

Giraldo "collatus eris:" qui humanitatem exuit ut hostis personam indueret, nee aliud verius crudelitatis symbolum est, quam quod in
deretur, Psalmista dicente:^'

Hibernis opprobriorum imbre perfundendis maxima voluptate perfunQuorum os maledictione plenum est, veloces

32 pedes eorum ad efFundenduin sanguinem ." Ut illi vitio non vertam quod vir ecclesiasticus leges ecclesiasticas vetantes ecclesiasticos capitis

sententiam in quempiam dicere, violaverit

cum legum humanarum

ac

divinarum limites tarn impie transilierit, ,ut cum Divo Bernardo mihi " dicere liceat: Quis non miretur im.6 et detestetur unius esse personre et

armatum armatam ducere

ecclesiae

militiam, et alba stglaque

indutum in medio

pronuntiare Evangelium; tuba indicere bellum militibus, et Nisi forte (quod intolerabilius eet) jussa episcopi populis intimare? erubescat Evangelium (de quo vas electionis admodum gloriatur) et confunditur videri Clericus, magisque honorabile ducit putare
litem, qui clero militiam,
se mi-

forum (addo castra) anteponit

Ecclesiae;
33

humana, crelestibus pr83ferre terrena convincitur ." Sane supervacaneum est ut illi exprobrem aliena ilium a sacerdotum institutione prosequi; cum ad Hibernos debellandos, stratagematibus
divinis profecto
[35] bellicis, actechnis suos tarn operose
|

imbuat, moneatque "ut statim ac

hsec gens plense subjectionicolla submiserit, ad

29
33

modum

nationis Siculaa
lib.
i.

Camden.

p. 102.

Halicarnassaeus,

lib.

ii.

31

Claud. Rufin,

32

Ps.

xiii.

Epis. Ixxviii.

Ecclesiastical interference, in military

tury.

Some

of the earliest Anglo-Irish

affairs,

was not unusual

in the twelfth cen-

prelates took the field against the Irish.

CHAP. IV.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
it

Danish devastations, found that

'

only fanned them into a more fearful

conflagration.

of his friends,

For Sueno, King of Denmark, enraged at the massacre invaded England at the head of an immense army in 1012,

and, sweeping all before him with the most savage ferocity, subdued the whole kingdom." The pagans themselves, who were never cheered by

the light of faith, were

strictly

riot Romulus guilty of Giraldus's cruelty. ordered quarter to be given to persons under the age of puberty
cities.

the captured

Well may we
ever guilt so
foul,

ask,
on savage men,

"

Was
Or

In Sinis' pirate bark, or Scyron's crag,

bull of Phalaris, or Sylla's jails?
!

Gentle the steeds of Diomede

Busiris' shrine
!

clement

good Cinna

mild Spartacus

!"

" can J-iraldus compare with you." The feelings of human nature itself are sacrificed to his hostility, of which he gives the most ferocious and

tmmistakeable evidence in the delight with which he pours out a torrent of calumnious invective on the Irish, verifying the words of the Psalmist:
" Their
slied

mouth

is full

blood."

Why

of cursing and bitterness their feet are swift to should I accuse him of having violated that law of
;

the Church,

death on any man, human 'and .divine?

will

which prohibits an ecclesiastic to pronounce sentence of when he has so impiously trampled on all laws,

With good reason may I ask with St. Bernard, "who not be astonished and shocked, that the same man should march in armor at the head of a battalion, and announce the Gospel in the church, dressed in his alb and stole ; rouse soldiers to battle with the trumpet,
and announce the orders of the bishop to the people? Will he declare that he is ashamed of the Gospel (in which the vessel of election
gloried),

and blushes at his

state,

and would think

to

be regarded as a soldier,

who

prefers

it more honorable war and the forum (and camps)

to the

convict
trial to

Church? That would be an aggravation of his guilt: it would him clearly of preferring things human to divine, and terresheavenly interests."

What

advantage could
his order,

I gain

by charging
takes such

him with having violated the duties of

1

when he

trouble to instruct his countrymen in the stratagems and arts of warfare" , and advises them, " that, as soon as that people shall have bowed
its

neck perfectly to the yoke, an

edict,

such as was published in

Sicily,

304
edicto publico, gravi

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
quoque transgressionis pocna
statuta, ab

[CAP. IV.

armorum

omnium usu
Hibernorum
transfigant.

34 procul arceatur ." Ergo imperise hortatur ut inermia latera Angli furore aliquo subinde correpti sine obice Extra controversiam igitur nunc positum est Hiberniam

nullum unquam hostem Giraldo capitaliorem, post homines natos, nactam fuisse. Ut vel hinc non suspicio solum oriatur, sed etiam omnes
liquido perspiciant narrationibus ab esse fidem adhibendam.
illo

de Hibernia institutis nullam

Ab ejus
ditur,

praeterea dictis veritas adeo remotius abscessisse deprehen-

quod ilium nonnulli

scriptores duriori censura perstringunt.

Giraldus, quam scriptorem verius impugnaret, scripsit Haraldum in eo praelio, non morte sed vulnere affectum fuisse, ac laevi oculi jacturam passum in fugam aversura

Historicorum conspirans assensio est Haraldum Regem Anglise cum Guillelmo conquestore pugna congressum, sub ipsa certaminis initia in " ut acie cecidisse. torrentem insolentius

Cestriam se recepisse, ubi postea sancti Anachoretae vitam egit35 ." Sed se non tarn aliis scriptoribus quam sibi saepenumero contrarium prse" " terra buit. tritico, marinis piscibus, vinoque Demetise," inquit, vaenali copiose referta et quod omnibus prsestat ex Hibernias confinio
:

aeris salubritate temperata.

Terra igitur
;

omnium Cambriae

totius tarn

pulcherrima
locus
sit
si

est

quam

potentissima
.

restat igitur, ut Cambriae totius

hie amoeuissimus 36

Non

itaque mirandum, non vaenia indig-

num

natale solum genitaleque territorium profusioribus laudum titulis author extulerit." Sed quid de hoc ipso loco alibi proferat

accipe:

" Hie angulus inquit est supra Hibernicum mare remotissimus,

terra saxosa, sterilis et infaecunda, nee silvis vestita nee numinis distincta, nee pratis ornata, ventis

solum

et procellis exposita."

De

duodicit

bus hisce Giraldi

" Giraldum
ibi

locis

Davidis Povelli judicium hie subjicio, qui

juxta illud Ovidii:

"
'

Nescio qua natale solum dulcedine cunctos

Ducit
3* lib.

et

immemores non

sinit esse sui.'

Hib. Expug.,
i.

lib.

ii.

c.

36.

&

Baker, Hist. Angliie,

p. 30.

Itinerarium Cambrias,

cap. 12.
sis to

This policy can be traced through

all

the ministry of Lord

John Russell

in

the acts of British government and legislation in Ireland,

from the days of Cambren-

1848; though, according to Blackstone, " the fifth and last auxiliary right of the

CHAP. IV.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

305

of the ought at once to be enforced, denouncing the heaviest penalties law on all who should retain any armsV Here is a zealous exhortation to the English to remove every obstacle to the gratification of their

any doubt that, of all

of Ireland?

Can there be revenge and cruelty on the unarmed and helpless Irish. men living, Giraldus was the most atrocious enemy

tempt,

we

Or is it with suspicion merely, and not rather with conare to receive the tales which such a man gives us of the
,

history of Ireland ?

can be proved by another fact, the very caustic censures with which some writers have branded him. Thus, according to the unanimous consent of historians, Harold, King of England, was slain in the commencement of the battle of Hastings,

His

total disregard for truth

fought against William the Conqueror. But Giraldus, with more insolence than tru"th on" his side, opposes himself to the torrent of historians,

and maintains "that Harold was not

lost

wounded; that he
the
life

opposed ;

slain in that battle, but only an eye, and, having fled to Chester, lived there But it is not to other writers only he is of a holy anchorite ." he often contradicts himself. " The land of Demetia is well

supplied,"
desirable,

he

says,
its

"with

corn, wine,

and

fish; and,

what

is still

more

from

contiguity to Ireland, it enjoys a salubrious tempe-

These advantages make it one of the most beautiful In all Cambria there is not, assuand powerful regions of Cambria. Let no person, then, be surprised ; let redly, a more charming spot.
rature of climate.
his native soil, the

none censure the writer, who pours forth the choicest panegyrics on land of his fathers '." But let us hear how he de1

scribes this native land in another place: "This corner," says he, "stretches the farthest out into the Irish sea; a rocky, barren, and

ungrateful soil ; neither clothed with wood nor intersected with rivers, nor adorned with pasturage, but exposed defenceless to storms and I subjoin the opinion of David Powel on those two pastempests."
sages.

In the

first,
'

he

says,

" Giraldus acts in the spirit of the poet

tell
!

" Sweet love of home, what tongue thy force can Nor time nor space can e'er destroy thy spell.'
subject is that of

having arms

for their

See an account of this story in Turner's

defence, suitable to their condition

gree,

and de-

Anglo-Saxons.
v If Giraldus really ever felt the

and such as are allowed by law."

glow of

306
"Patriam suam,
prosecutum
fuisse

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
et geniale territorium profusioribus
:

[CAP. IV.

laudum

titulis

Nam
soli

hie vero ipsam rei veritatem (sicuti est) respexisse. in universa Cambria multa loca invenias longe multumque huic
37

aiiteponenda, sive aeris salubritatem, sive regionis amcenitatem, sive

ipsius fertilitatem, aliaque vitse commoda respicias ." lus quern attentissima lectione Giraldi scripta percurrisse

Idem Povelnon ambigo,

perscrutatus pronuntiavit,

quippe quorum partem commentariis illustravit, Giraldi sensa accurate " illi fere semper in more positum fuisse, suum tantummodo propositum, neglectis aut non consideratis aliorum

de quibus scribit negotiis, respicere, et persequi38 ." Ut Povello judice Giraldus non ad veritatem stilum collimaverit, sed eo quo studiuni
ferebatur flexerit.
igitur insulse apud Stanihurstum Joannes Abbas sancti Albani Giraldum verba parcius, sententias uberius effudisse." Quibus verbis indicari putat Stanihurstus, " Giraldum habenas calamo laxasse
dixit: "

Non

dum
Nee

ad adversaries dicteriis licentiosius impetendos. in invisos asperius invelii, gratos blandius

alius

Subditque ipse Giralaffari

solitum fuisse39."

Giraldum intus et in cute melius novit, ut cujus lucubra-

tiones studiosius evolvit. Quantuli autem Topographiam ejus fecerit, non obscure indicare videtur, cum e centum quinquaginta et octo capitibus,
est,

unum

quibus tres Topographies suse distinctiones Giraldus complexus duntaxat supra triginta ille in lucem emiserit, cseteris deli-

quod indigna fuerint, qua? sub hominem educerentur. Imo inter vulgata capita vix ullum est, quod aspectum naevo aliquo aspersum esse Stanihurstus non ostendit. Hiberniam vero
tescere de industria permissis,

Expugnatam
sus, quse
37

sic

Stanihurstus sprevlt, ut earn

solitis tenebris

abdi pas-

ad rem in ea faciebant excerpserit, caetera tamquani reduni.

In annot. ad cap.
it

col. 2.

38

In annot.

lib.

ii. c.

7.

39

Anglic. Descrip. Hib.

c. vi.

patriotism,

must have been extinguished

temporibus, spiritus
liter

immundos non

visibi-

in his breast

when he wrote " de Illaudabi-

sed sensibiliter conversatos."

p. 852.
is

Itine-

libus Wallias."

He

gives a most

gloomy
Its

rarium Cambria,
9

description of the place of his birth.

destroyed by lightning, devils molested the inhabitants,

frequently

churches were

and the persons possessed by impure

defied all the

spirits

gentleman [Giraldus] was very well learned, a tolerable divine, a commendable philosopher, not rude in
physic, skilful in cosmography, a singular

the whole.

Stanihurst's criticism " This

favorable upon

" In his powers of exorcism:

partibus, nostris accidit

autem Pembrochia)

good antiquary, an orator in endeavour

CHAP. IV.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
his native country, the land of his fathers, in the

307
most

"

And describes
colors
;

but in the second he describes things as they, really are. glowing For whether for salubrity of climate, or charms of scenery, or fertility
there are many places in soil, or the other purposes of human life, Wales superior to Demetia." The same Powell, who, I have no doubt, was intimately acquainted with Giraldus's writings, as he has written
of

commentaries on some of them, pronounces, after a full investigation of " that his usual custom was to attend Giraldus's character, solely to
the object he

had in view, to the utter neglect or forgetfulness of other

;"

matters on which he wrote

that

is,

in other words,

according to

Powell, that Giraldus's object was not truth,

whatever passion was uppermost at There was, therefore, much sense in the remark of John, Abbot of
" of his words, but lavish of his Alban's, that Giraldus was sparing as Stanihurst supposes the meaning of these words be, opinions," if, " that Giraldus no restraint on his whenever an was to
St.

but the indulgence of the moment.

put

pen

enemy

be lacerated."

Such was Stanihurst's own opinion;

Giraldus spoke favorably of his friends, but mercy." Stanihurst had diligently studied Giraldus's writings, and was, of course, best qualified to form a correct opinion of his character. But what a low estimate this critic formed q of the " Topography," appears from the fact, that of the one hundred and fifty- eight chapters in the
three divisions of that work, he published only thirty -one, purposely suppressing the rest, as utterly unworthy of being presented to the
public".

for he says, " that lacerated his enemy without

He

also clearly proves that, even of the published chapters,

not one

held in
selected

was unexceptionable. such contempt, that he

But the " Conquest

left it in its old

of Ireland" he

obscurity, and merely

whatever was to the point, omitting the rest as rank verbiage,

Geraldine.
r

Comparable to the best, in his style not in

days taken for the worst, rather esChewing the name of a rude writer than
:hose

Stanihurst does not state

what was

his

motive in suppressing a great part of the

purchasing the fame of an eloquent chroni:ler.

Topography.

Some

of his remarks on the

Howbeit

may

not gainsay, but as

published chapters supply interesting infor-

ie

was kind where he took, so he was

disliked."

omewhat biting where he But his greatest 3hap. vi.

mation on the state of Ireland in the reign of Elizabeth. They are frequently adduced

merit, in the

by Dr. Lynch
and

yes of Stanihurst, was, that he was a

may

in the course of this work, be noticed as occasion requires.

x 2

308
dantem luxuriem
tulenta oratione

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. IV.
lii-

resecuerit, aut inane lolium avulserit, et quae

ille

sordidaverat, hie luculenta ornaverit.

Roberto

enim Turnero Oratore summo teste Stanihurstum " duse Dese tinxerunt colore, Juno suavitatis, Minerva eloquentise: Exiisti" (inquit Stani[36]

hurstum
|

alloquens)

" etiam in aures, oculosque orbis ea specie, sen

felicitate potius,

ut non solurn audias Demosthenes a vetula Atheniensi,

quibus acuit natura mentem, ars linguam, numeraris inter aureolos illos musse conditions, et reconditions partus, incedasque cum
sed ab
iis

illis

" Giraldus autem Stanihursto dicente, rudis scriptoris nomen potius declinavit, quam eloquentis assecutus est. Porro ad quas operis utriusque a Giraldo elaborati labes digituin
40 Scaligeris, etc.

Stanihurstus nominatim intenderit, infra commodius indicabimus. Hie enim ab illius sententia, non raro discedit; cujus dissensionis documen-

tum

hie

unicum exhibeo.

Hibernicam

ille

musicam

effert,

hie depri-

mere videtur.

" In musicis," inquit

ille,

" solum instrumentis com-

mendabilem invenio gentis

his, sicut in Britannicis

istius diligentiam, in quibus prse omni vidimus incomparabiliter est instructa. Non enim in natione, quam

(quibus assueti sumus) instrumentis, tarda,

et

morosa

est modulatio,

verum

cunda sonoribus. Mirum

citate

velox, et prseceps, suavis tamen, et juquod in tanta, tarn prgecipiti digitorum rapaet arte per

nmsica servatur proportio,

40

omnia indemni, inter

cris-

Epist. 139.

Dr. Lynch appears to have formed far

Eome

three times,

having taken

his route

too favorable an estimate of the literary

merits of Stanihurst.
1

once at least through the Low Countries and Germany. " Scotland and Wales," he
says,

his chapter on music.

Giraldus had a special admiration of He styles it a u vo-

in the musical schools of Ireland

" endeavoured to perfect themselves and some

;

luptuosa digressio," and in the catalogue of his works recommends it warmly to the

were beginning

to think that Scotland had

already surpassed her master."

" Notan-

Chapter of Hereford, as an unrivalled

com-

dum

ver6 qu6d Hiberniam in modulis imi-

bination of elegant language, original criti" Prse omcism, and refined musical taste
:

tari nituntur

hodie Scotia non tan-

turn asquiparavit magistram Hiberniam.'

nibus autem

titulis,

meo

judicio, de musicis

instrumentis et arte musica tractatus, pro

sui captu laudabilior."
p.

Top. Hib., c. xi. w In this passage of Cambrensis, Bunting

believed he
tics of

Ussher's Sylloge,

had discovered the

characteris-j
j

115.

This testimonyis of some value, as Giral-

the ancient Irish and Welsh styles " the latter of music, being of the diatonic
genus, slow, and

dus studied some years at Paris, and visited

made

of concords;

tluj

CHAP. IV.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
and ornate
style,

309
what

or useless weeds; Stanihurst wrote in a clear

the other

had N obscured by his sordid and muddy

orator, thus addresses
:

diction.

Robert

Turner, a first-rate

Stanihurst:

"The two

Juno, sweetness ; Minerva, elogoddesses have lent you their hues You have alighted upon this orb with such beauty, or rather quence.
favor, in the eyes

thenes, not

by the

and ears of men, that you are pronounced a Demosold woman of Athens merely, but by those to whom

and nature the keenest perception. You have taken your place among the crowned votaries of the pleasant and the more recondite muse; you walk with the Scaligers," &c. &c. Now, in
art has given eloquence,
8 the best that can be said of Giraldus is, he " rather eschewed the name of a rude writer than purchased the fame of an eloquent chronicler."

the opinion of this Stanihurst

that

I reserve, for a

more favorable opportunity, the various parts

of Gi-

two works, which were severely criticised by Stanihurst. The Here is one proof of their disagreement. instances are very numerous.
raldus's

former writes: "It

The Giraldus extols Irish music; Stanihurst appears to dispraise it. is in musical instruments alone* that the industry of this nation has attained a laudable degree of refinement, surpassing

immeasurably the skill of all other nations". Bold and rapid, yet sweet and agreeable, the notes of the Irish harp are quite unlike the slow and
w drawling melody of the British instruments, to which we are accusIt is amazing how correct musical time can be observed in so tomed.

bold and hurried sweeping of the fingers

former the inharmonic genus, full of minute
divisions,

and how, amid

all

those

modulorum
feruntur,

celeritate pariter et subtilitate

with every

diesis

marked
and

the

tantamque discrepantium sub tarn

succession of the melodies lively

its

rapid,

prcrcipiti diyitorum rapacitate

quantum ut

modulations

full

and sweet."

Histori-

breviter transeam in tribus nationibus titulo,

cal

and

Critical Dissertation on the

is,

Harp,
can

de musicis instrumentis, Hibernica Topographia nostra declarat in hsec verba." He then tranDescriptio, &c., cap. xi.
scribes his celebrated passage
sic,

p. 3.

But the truth

this passage

hardly be reconciled with another in chapter

xi. of the Description of Wales, in which Giraldus describes the Welsh music

on Irish mu-

as the best description he could give of

as "lively

and rapid," and appears

to for-

the Welsh, and thus confounds the supposed

characteristics of both.

get

" the slow and solemn" character which

Here, as elsewhere,
It is fortunate that

he had attributed to it in his Topography " In musicis instrumentis dulof Ireland

:

he contradicts himself.

the ancient superiority of Irish music does

cedine aures deliniunt et demulcent, tanta

not depend on his authority alone.

31Q

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. IV.

patos modules, organaque multipliciter intricata, tarn suavi velocitate, tarn dispari paritate, tarn discord! concordia, consona redditur et com41 " pletur melodia, seu diatesseron, seu diapente chordae concrepent, etc. " Ait autem e contra Stanihurstus, quod, Cytharyita chordarum pulsu,

non plectro aliquo sed aduncis unguibus sonum eliciat, et in musicis neque numeros expleat neque moduni aut sonorum accentum observet
;

ita

ut teretes scientis aures perinde ac " Vivit hac nostra

aetate

sarrae stridor facile offendat, etc.

etc."
adjicit:

Sed imperitos cytharsedos non lyram condemnat.

Mox

enim

riam

quam maxim e

insignis.

Crusius ad lyram post hominum memoIs ab illo incondite strepitu, qui incon-

secumque discordantibus fidibus fit, plurimum abhorret: contraque eo modorum ordine, sonorum compositione, musicum observat
teutis

concentum, quo auditorum aures mirabiliter

ferit,

ut

eum

citius

solum

quam summum

cytharistam judicares. Ex quo intelligi potest non musicis lyram sed lyrse musicos hactenus defuisse." Nee tamen ullo imquam tempore unus tantum insignis lyricen in Hibernia floruit.

ab

Potuit etiam ipsius Stanihursti memoria in aliis Hiberniaa regionibus Certe illo non aditis lyristes aliquis musica excultissimus versari.

u
x

Topog.

dist.

iii.

c.

11.

From

these words,

passage, in which Giraldus describes

and a subsequent " the

were performers, who at length united with

organic sweetness.

This species of vocal

in

tinklings of the small strings (of the Irish

melody was not adopted generally

Eng-

harp) under the deep notes of the bass," it is inferred, by Bunting and others, that the

land, but only in the parts bordering on

Yorkshire; with this difference, however,

that the Northern
parts only

were acquainted with counterpoint and harmony in the twelfth century. For the
Irish

English sung in two

the one

murmuring

in the bass,

proofs of this position the reader

to the

is

referred

the other warbling in the treble."

scriptio

De-

works of Mr. Bunting, to whom we owe our most valuable information on the
music of Ireland.
Cambrensis, with his

This passage, Cambria, c. 13. taken literally, would appear to prove that
the Irish did not sing in two,
parts, like the

or

many

usual capriciousness, has omitted to supply

that

Welsh

or Northern English;

amount

of information of

which

his re-

but as Giraldus frequently indulges in vague

marks on the music

thumbria would

Wales and Nor-

entitle us to expect.

The

language and general assertions, it would be rash to infer that he excludes the Irish,
especially as his description of the instraj

Welsh, he says, "did not sing in xmison like the inhabitants of other countries, but in
different parts, it
to

mental music of the Irish and Welsh

same.

is

the

being customary in Wales

different parts as there

hear as

many

borrowed

The northern English, he supposes, their harmonv from the Danes or

CUAI>. IV.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

311

this

quavers and the mazy multitude of chords, the master-hand combines sweet rapidity, this uneven smoothness, this discordant concord",

into a flowing strain of

ing in unison be the diatesseron or the diapente, &c."

harmonious melody, whether the chords soundStanihurst, on

" The the contrary, says: harper uses no plectrum, but scratches the chords with his crooked nails y , and never marks the flow of his pieces
to musical rhythm, nor the accent and quantity of the notes ; so that, on the refined ears of an adept, it comes almost as offensively as the This, however, is levelled against the bad harper, grating of a saw."

but not against the harp itself, for he immediately adds " Crusius, a contemporary of our own, is far the most eminent harper within the
:

memory

of man. He is entirely opposed to that barbarous din which Others elicit from their discordant and badly strung harps. Such is the

order of his measures, the elegant combination of his notes, and his observance of musical harmony, that his airs strike like a spell on the ears of his audience, and force you to exclaim, not that he is the most

Hence it is perfect merely, but in truth almost the only harper. manifest, that hitherto it was not the harp that was wanting to the

But there never was a time performers, but performers to the harp." when Ireland could boast of only one distinguished harper. Many eminent performers might have flourished in Stanihurst's own time 7 in We certainly have the parts of Ireland where he never travelled.
-,

Norwegians, but
they derived
tons of
ries, it

it is

more probable that

In the sixteenth century, Irish music

either

from the ancient Brior the Irish missiona-

Cumberland

was highly commended by Camden, Bacon, Ibid. p. 7. Polydore Virgil, Galilei, &c
Stanihurst, in the passage cited, is describing an ordinary convivial meeting, attended
as usual, perhaps,

by

whom

principally the

Northum-

brians were converted to the faith of Christ.

Giraldus says nothing of the vocal music

"

by a common

harper,

of the Irish, though his " voluptuous digression

?

whose performance could not be taken as a

fair

"

on Irish music

fills

some

folio pages.

Galilei, writing

about the middle of the

cially as the Irish harpers

specimen of the national music, espewere a profes-

sixteenth century, thus describes this peeuliarity of the Irish harpers

:

" The musi-

cians keep the nails of their fingers long,

forming them with care in the shape of the

quills

sion, unlike those in Wales, where, in the days of Giraldus, every family had its self" Omnis quoque familia taught musicians seu decuria viri citra doctrinam omnem,
:

which

strike the strings of the spin$'c., vol.

i.

cytharizandi per se peritiam tenet."

script.

De-

net."
p. 25.

Bunting, Ancient Music,

Cam.,

c.

x.

This, he says,

was not

the case in Ireland.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
Joannes Clynn narrat: "

[CAP. IV.

Camum

O'Caruill

famosum

fuisse tympanis-

tam

et cytharistam in arte sua Phcenicem, ea pollens prserogativa et

virtu te

cum

aliis discipulis

ejus circiter viginti

qui

etsi

non

fuerit

artis music33 chordalis

primus inventor omnium tamen praedecessorum

tor extitit."

ipsum ac contemporaneorum corrector, doctor, et direcHuic adjungo Polydorum Virgilium, qui ait: " Hibernos exercere musicam cujus sunt peritissimi, canunt enim cum voce turn
et prascedentium

fidibus eleganter sed vehement! quodam impetu sic ut mirabile sit in tant avocis linguaeque ac digitorum velocitate posse artis numeros ser-

vari : id

quod

illi

ad

unguem
sicuti

faciunt."

Non miror autem

sic aliquos

quosdam

cibos

alii

eodem cantu

capi, alios offendi,

expetunt, alii aversantur, pro utriusque in musicis

peritia et imperitia.

Non enim

ideo mel et saccharum insuavia sunt,

quod
sapit.

aegris ita esse videntur,

aut vinum insipidum quod abstemiis non Sic Hibernica musica non spernenda est, quod a nonnullis im-

probatur.
stabit, si

Sane Giraldi

et Stanihursti verbis sua fortasse veritas con-

temporis quo uterque vixerit ratio habeatur: ut enim vulgo Giraldo superstite, dicitur, "distingue tempora et concordabis jura."

bus, musica Ia3ta

Hibernia nondum profligata, Hibernis regibus rerum adliuc potentiquadam hilaritate aspersa florebat: sed rebus postea
prolapsis,

in deterius, vivo Stanihursto,

cantiones,

lyra modulabantur maestitiam pras se

a

quamdam semper

quas cytharistae ferebant, ut

in Ireland,

In Walker's Irish Bards, vol.

i.

p. 178,

of the

Harp and Bagpipe

by

" there is an attempt to prove that

nista" does not

tympa-

S. Ferguson, p. 56.

Giraldus asserts that

mean a performer on the "tympanum," but a master of a school of music. But Giraldus (Top. c. xi.) men-

the Irish did not use the bagpipe, but pipers

have

their place assigned to

to a

them

in the

Hall of Tara, according

cited above.

manuscript

tions the "

tympanum"

as one of the

two

The

pipes were certainly,

principal musical instruments of Ireland.

It is also

during
Irish.

many

ages, the warlike music of the

given in a very ancient Irish poem,

Petrie's

Mr. Ferguson has given (from Der-

the

"Teach Miodchuarta."

Ta-

rick) in his Dissertation, p. 57, a striking

portrait of those once formidable musicians,

ra, pp. 176, 178, 183.

Dr. O'Conor proves

from a poem certainly composed before the

destruction of the Irish

heading an irruption of the native Irish into

the English pale in the sixteenth century.
h

monarchy by the " Danes, that the cionipciin was a stringed instrument, which was played on with the
lingers.
It

Proofs of the great influence of the

mube

sical profession in Ireland,

from the English

was probably a

species of lute

invasion to the reign of Elizabeth,

may

or gittern."

Dissertation on the Antiquity

found in the frequent enactments of the

CHAP. IV.]

CAMBRENSIS EVEBSUS.

313

authority of John Clynn, "that Camus O'Caruill was a famous pera former on the tabor and a Phoenix in execution on the harp, and so
,

pre-eminently distinguished with his school of about twenty musicians, that though he could not be called the inventor of stringed musical
instruments, he was the master and director of
raries,
all his

and superior to

all his

predecessors."

own contempomay add likewise the

authority of Polydore Virgil, who says, "that the Irish practice music, and are eminently skilled in it. Their performance, both vocal and
instrumental,
is

exquisite

amazing

how they

but so bold and impassioned, that it is ; can observe the measured rules of their art amidst
13

such rapid evolutions of the fingers and vibrations of the voice: and yet they do observe them to perfection ." It is by no means surprising that the same music should be relished
taste in

by some and disagreeable to others, according to their different skill or musical science, as some food is relished by some and disliked by others. But honey and sugar are not sour because they taste so to the sick, nor is wine insipid because it is disrelished by the abstemious.
Neither should Irish music be condemned because
it is

not agreeable to

some

But perhaps the conflicting opinions of Giraldus and Stanihurst can be reconciled if we take into account the different times
tastes.

in

which they lived, " for," according to the proverb, " distinguish the In the days of Giraldates, and you will reconcile conflicting rights."
dus, Ireland
their power,

was not subdued her Irish kings were in full possession of and the tones of joy and mirth predominated in her music;
;

but a sad change for the worse had come over her before the time of Stanihurst, and the airs which her musicians then attuned to the
harp invariably breathe a certain tone of sadness
Pale against Irish " bardes," " rhymers,"
&c. &c.,
;

for

which reason a
But
it
;

lish invasion, is generally adopted.

and

also in the inquisitions of the

Stanihurst cannot be cited to support

for,

sixteenth century, which give the lands

assigned in each territory to the hereditary

musicians.
proofs

though he condemns Irish music as rude and discordant, he says nothing of the sup:

For those and contemporary from foreign authorities on this subWalker's Irish Bards, and Bunt-

posed national characteristic

So

oft hast

thou echoed the deep sigh of

it

ject, see

sadness,

ing's invaluable
c

volumes on Irish music.

That even
thee

in thy mirth

will steal

from

This opinion, that the character of

still."

Irish

music was changed after the Eng-

" In truth, the " deep sorrows (as they are

314
non
insulse

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
quidam
Casseliensis

[CAP. IV.
lyrge suae insculpi

hujusmodi carmina
?

curaverit
" Cur lyra funestas edit percussa sonores Scilicet amissum fors diadema gamit."

Quamquam Stanihurstus
tis

verbis carpit.

Nee enim Hibernia

etiam non lyram sed imperitos lyricinos disersola asinis ad lyram infestatur
:

Fatui cujusdam cytharsedi animum inanis fiducia subiit fore ut ipse canendi praestantia [37] Orpheum exeequar et si fausto aliquo casu in ejus lyram incideret, quam tandem nactus ita incondite pulsavit, ut audierites canes, cantus suavialibi

eorum copiam

quoque frequenter videre

est.

tate ad

mansuetudinem

(instar Orphei)
iis

non

deliniverit, sed stridore sic

fuerit.

in rabiem egerit, ut ab

tandem discerptus

vulgo cognita sunt suae reipublica3 instituta prastermittant quasi exteris aeque ac civibus nota vel etiam immutabilia fore judicarent. Quare operas me preeillius

Omnibus

fere historicis contigisse videmus, ut quaa

tium facturum existimo, si lyrse formam lectori ob oculos ponam, ne memoria gentis excidio, quod nisi Deus obicem ponat jam impen:

dere videtur, innexa obliteretur

called) of the Irish lyre,

cum prassertim efferati quidam

excurto

are as strongly

by which they accommodate themselves

marked

in the oldest specimens given

by

the feelings of the performer, becoming at

will either sad or solemn, or merely tender,

Bunting, as in the compositions of later ages. Many of our airs, perhaps, lose their
genuine character by the languid and drawling manner in which they are frequently performed.

without

much

injury to the essential struc-

ture of the melody. Melancholy can hardly

be said to be the characteristic of our music

until the national reels, jigs, &c. &c., have

At

the meeting of harpers, which

took place at Belfast in 1792, Mr. Bunting,

ceased to exist.
d
"

who was

appointed to note

down the
all

tunes,

Inscriptions

were frequently written on

" was surprised to find that

*

the melodies

Irish harps, giving the

name

of the maker,

played by the harpers assumed quite a new

character,
tairily

the owner, or of the most famous musicians

spirited, lively, energetic,

cer-

who
e

used them.

according

much more with

in

the na-

tional

disposition

tedious

manner
still

than the languid and which they were, and

played

This sentence was probably written while the Cromwellian troops were in possession of Ireland.

But the mournful

fore-

too often

are,

among

fashion-

bodings of Dr. Lynch were not realized

before the present century, in which the
Irish harp has really
tiquity,

able public performers, in whose efforts at

realizing a false conception of sentiment

become a

relic of

an-

the melody
to be all

very often so attenuated as but lost." Many of our best airs

is

hung up

in the cabinets of the cu-

rious, or in

our public museums.

last

Bunting

appear to possess a certain plastic power,

has appropriately closed his

volume

CHAP. IV.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

315

native of Cashel had the following appropriate lines inscribed on his

"

Why
It

breathes

my

harp the ever- mournful strain?

the
fall

mourns the long- lost gem

of Erin's reignd !"

ihurst's attack, moreover, is directed against rude harpers, but not against the instrument itself; and Ireland is not the only country infested by those rude performers, for they are found in great abun-

dance in

many

other places.

certain foolish musician indulged a

confident hope that if, by any fortunate chance, he could lay his hand on the lyre of Orpheus, he would rival the musical performance even of
that great master.

He

did find the lyre, but touched

its

strings so

tamed by its melodious notes, as they had been by Orpheus, were stung to madness by the discordant rasping, and tore the luckless musician to pieces.
rudely, that the dogs, instead of being soothed and
It is generally remarked that almost all historians omit describing those national institutions or manners which are commonly known; as
if

the natives, or that they

It

they supposed that such things were as familiar to the foreigner as to would last without change to the end 'of time.

may

not, therefore,

describing accurately for

be by any means a useless labor, if my readers the form of the harp,

I fear
6
.

succeed in

lest it

should

be involved in that universal ruin, which

God

alone can

now

avert from

my country

nothing but the arm of The precaution is the more

with the epitaph, " sic transit gloria citharae !" This fate of the Irish harp may
be classed

establishment of the only efficient harp society, and the publications of Mr. Bunting, without which the Irish harp would be as great an enigma as the Irish Round Towers,

among

the most extraordinary

instances of sublunary change. the Cromwellians, as Dr.

Though Lynch informs us,

The Catholics

of the last century were not

vented their political rage on this instrunient, their descendants, the Cootes, Cuffes,

less partial to the national instrument.

The

harper was ever welcome to the board of

the noble, and the thatched cottage of the

Kings, &c. &c., and other noble families of

the

same

date, after the establishment of

their ascendancy,

began

to

become, on some

points,

as Irish as the Irish themselves.

Irish harpers.

His music was a usual accompapriest. niment in the service of the Church, as it had been in ancient times and such was
;

They patronized the

Many

the eminence attained, both in composition

of our beautiful airs are associated with

and execution, during the

last century,

by

names that never appeared

fore the

in Ireland be-

many

days of Cromwell.

To

Belfast, the

stronghold of the

new

settlers,

we owe

the

Bunting has given his interesting memoirs, that Mr. Moore has ventured to ascribe some of our most

harpers, of

whom

316

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. IV.

niter soeviant.

sores in obvias quasque lyras earum procissione, multis in locis immaillam a caatero terrarum orbe quasi derelictam

Nam

Hibernia peculiar! quodam studio

deliciis et

sic

ipsam pro insignibus habuerit.

amplexa est ut musicam ejus in Truncus quern lyra pro basi

habet e taxo plerumque sive

:

salice est: ima ejus pars latior, summa angustior est postica excavatur, antica dolabra expolitur, quae frequentibus exiguis foraminibus recta serie a summo ad imum collocatis tere-

bratur.
Partis

Foramina,

aanei orbiculi

muniunt ne

filis

a?neis proterantur.

aversge hiatu assere obstructo, trunci (qui etiani alvus sive pectus dicitur) collo stipes introrsum sinuata, vertex aut collum appellata infigitur, cujus apex suprema convexo sive brachio ad extre-

autem

palo trunci partem protenso committitur. Intima stipitis ora creebris claviculis aeneis in keva extremitate perforatis, in dextera angulatis

mam

transfigitur
clavi

illi extremitati chordarum capita inseruntur; hae cavaa nunc lignum nunc corneum manubrium habente impacta, claviculi
:

girantur et chorda? bacillis inter minora testitudinis foramina e regione

posita
trio
:

nodo illigata vel intenduntur vel remittuntur pro Cy tharaadi arbigrandioribus in trunco foraminibus ex utroque chordarum latere,

ad excipiendam emittendamque auram, ac bacillos quibus chordae innectuntur, extrahendos patentibus. Cseterum interiora stipitis inflexae
labra lamina a?rea utrinque tegit et earn arcuato palo affabre nectit. Hie demum et ilia variis sculpturis concinne decorantur. Nostra me-

moria Revereiidus aduiodum pater Eobertus Nugentius, qui Societati

exquisite airs to that period.

Yet, with all

indigenis in reverently, non modica et pro

reliquiis virtuosis et

those traditionary associations which should

magnis usque hodie hac. xii. p.

recommend the national instrument

as a ge-

betur."

Cambria: Descrip.,

740.

neral favorite, the Irish harp lives only in

the national arms, though the temperance

Perhaps the solemn and exquisitely tender tones of genuine Irish music owe their origin more to choral music and ecclesiastical
culture than to

movement has taught every

island the use of all

village in the

other instruments.

any of the other causes

For proofs that the harp was the favorite instrument of the learned men and saints
of the ancient times, seeS. Ferguson's Dis53. " Hinc accidit," says sertation, <?., p.

usually assigned.
f

The

harp, though well

known in foreign

'

countries,

and cherished at home, as the

Irish national instrument, was-probably not

" ut episcopi et abbates et sancti in Hibernia viri cytharas circumferre et in

Giraldus,
iis

assumed as the national arms before the

reign of

Henry VIII. For

ii.

a sketch of those

modulando
et

pi

delectari consueverint.

arms, executed in the year 1567, see State

Quapropter

Sancti Kevini cythara ab

Papers, vol.

Ferguson's Dissertation,

CHAP. IV.]

CAMBRENSIS EVEESUS.

317

some barbarous marauders in many places vent their Vanon every harp which they meet, and break it in pieces. For Ireland loved the harp, and when it was banished from almost every other country she clung to it with a fonder affection ; it was quartered
necessary, as
dal fury

The trunk or prinits music was her delight. framework of the harp is generally of yew or sallow^ ; it is broad cipal below, but tapers to the top ; the interior is hollowed ; the front is number of small polished with a plane, and perforated with a great
f on her national arms ;

holes in a straight line

from top to bottom.

The

holes are lined with

brass circles to protect

them against the

is

friction of the brass strings.

The back of the trunk

trunk (which
is

closed with a board.

From

the top of the

also called the breast or belly), a shaft projects,

curving

inwards, called the vertex or neck, to the extremity of which is affixed a convex pillar or arm, stretching down, and fastened to the lower part
of the trunk.

Through the

sides of the

neck run a number of brass

keys,
right.

which are perforated in their

left end,

and are angular

at the to the

To

the former the chords are fastened, and,

by applying

key (the handle of which is either wood or horn), the brass are turned, and the chords, which are fastened below to pegs in keys the breast of the harp, under the line of small holes, are thus tightened
right end a
or loosened, as the harper wishes.
are larger holes in the

At both

sides of the strings there

trunk of the harp, to receive and emit air, and also to allow the pegs, to which the strings are fastened, to be changed. The end of the curved neck is coated on both sides with brass plates,
which connect
pillar are
it

elegantly with the bow-like pillar.

The neck and

days,

ornamented with varied and exquisite sculpture. In my own Father Eobert Nugenth , who, during many years, was, with great
also,

p.

45

Bunting's Dissertation on the

reader is referred to the two beautiful illustrations

Harp,
s

p. 8, note.

Though

the following description

it

is
it

" Meaccompanying Mr. Petrie's moir of the Ancient Irish Harp, preserved

very elaborate,

is

doubtful whether

in Trinity College," published in Bunting's

last
h

would be clearly
old harps

intelligible if

some of the

volume,

p. 40.

had not been preserved.

Some
and

In the supplement to his Alithonolo-

important points are entirely omitted, such

as the various dimensions of the harp,

gia, p. 87, Dr.

Lynch gives a high character of Father Nugent, " ut autom Rev. Patris
Roberti Nugentii eximiam theologiae,

the

number of the

strings, &c. &c.

As the

ma-

best

commentary on the

description, the

theseosque scientiam, singularem in scelera-

318

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. IV.

Jesu per Hiberniam plures annos suinma cum laude prsefuit, nova accessione ab ipso excogitata, non modice lyram ornavit: spatium enim
inter

truncum

morem

et superiores Iyra3 partes patulum asserculis in cistulse efformatis clausit et foramen in dextero cistae latere positum

exiguo tantum ligneo clathro obstruxit, ut in clavichordiis videmus: turn hinc et illinc duplici cliordarum ordine collocato, lyram suavissimae
modulation! accommodatissimam
cultiores
fecit.

Porro cytharistas peritiores

et

lyrse cervicem cernui ut plurimum, nonnunquam erecti admoventes, fila oenea extremis digitis, non unguibus pulsant

humeris

tis

ad bonam frugem revocandis industriam,

that harp,

assiduos in concionando labores et

memo-

it appears that it was made in 1621, for John M'Edmond Fitzgerald of

is,

rabilem sui abjectionem

quam

prae caeteris

Cluain, that
ing, but

Cloyne, according to Buntthe Castle of

virtutibus in eo eluxisse, qui diuturno ejus

much more probably

contubernio usus, ilium intus et in cute

novit certiorem

Cluain, near Inistiogue, in the county of

me fecit,

silentio praeteream,

certe illo in Hibernia Societatem Jesu ad-

Kilkenny, which castle was formerly the property of a branch of the Fitzgeralds, one
of

ministrante, Societatis ordo

ruit.

plurimum

flo-

whom

is

to this

day vividly remembered

the pins, which remain

Patres enim juventutis literis et virtutibus excolendae, hereticis ad CathoHcam

religionem traducendis, populis e vitiorum
luto educendis et pluribus libris in lucem

in popular tradition, as a perfect master of

the harp.

"By

almost

entire, Fitzgerald's

harp

is

found,"

says Mr. Bunting, "to have contained in

the row forty-five strings, besides seven
in the centre, probably for unison to the
others,

edendis haviter
buerunt."

cum

secundo successu incu-

Nugent was a near relative of the Countess of Kildare, and received from
her a gift of 12,000 livres Tournais, to

making

in all fifty-two,

and exceed-

ing the

common
p. 27.

Irish

found a Jesuit noviciate in Ireland.

also bequeathed to

She

strings."

harp by twenty-two Those seven strings for

the

him the

castle of Kilkea,
Ibid.,

unison were, probably,

invention of

where he entertained Rinuncinni

pp. 87, 123.

Father Nugent.

His connexion with the

The

principal establishment

of the Jesuits in those days of Kilkenny

initio fuit
:

was

in the city

Fitzgeralds, and with the county of Kilkenny, make the supposition more probable.

" In hac

civitate jam inde

ab

The remnants of the harp were

of the family of

in possession

nostrse

probationis

domus."

MSS. from
1

Stonyhurst Library.

BellahH,

Noah Dal way, Esq., of near Carrigfergus, when Buntwas

taken.

No

popular treatise

known
is

to the Edi-

ing's sketch

" It contains," he

tor gives a satisfactory account of this

im-

"
says,

twenty-four strings more than the

provement in the harp, nor

there

any

noted harp, (so) called Brian Boroirnhe's,

and, in point of workmanship,
is

existing specimen of the improved form, unless it is to

beyond
elefor

be found in the beautiful instrufrontispiece of

comparison superior to

it,

both for the

ment that forms the

ing's volume, 1807.

Bunton

gance of

its

crowded ornaments, and

From

inscriptions

the general execution of those

parts on

CHAP. IV.]

CAMBBENSIS EVERSUS. made

319
a very conside-

credit to himself, Provincial of the Irish Jesuits,

rable

improvement in the harp, by an invention of his own. He enclosed the open space between the trunk and the upper part of the harp with little pieces of wood, and made it like a box ; leaving on the
1

right side of the

box a sound

hole,

which he covered with a

lattice-

work of wood, as it is in the clavicords. On each side he then arranged a row of chords, and thus increased, to a great degree, the melodious v The more expert and accomplished performers power of the harp bend over the neck of the harp, but occasionally hold (who generally
.

it erect

),

strike the brass strings with the tips of their fingers, not

with their nails, contrary to the custom, as some maintain, which not
which the correctness of a musical instru-

my possession,

it

appears that during

many

ment depends. The fore-pillar is of sallow, The instruthe harmonic curve of yew. ment in truth deserves the epithet claimed by the inscription on itself, Ego sum Re'

years before 1641 he had extensive com-

munication with most of the great Irish

families.
It

may
to

be stated here that Dr.

Lynch appears

have had

for the Jesuits

gina Cithararum.'

On the harp
p. 27.

are several

those feelings of respect with which they

inscriptions in the Irish language."

Dis-

have generally inspired their

orders, Avho

pupils.

After

sertation
k

on the Harp,

defending the members of other religious

Musical talent appears to have been

had adopted

his

own moderate

Nugent family. Christopher Nugent, Baron of Delvin, son-in-law to the Earl of Kildare, was imprisoned in
the reign of Elizabeth, and, to beguile the

hereditary in the

opinions on the political affairs of the Confederates of 1642, he says of the Jesuits
:

"

Ego

vero non

committam ut qualecumque
aliis

vocis patrocinium

defendendis a me im-

tedium of his captivity, he cultivated music, and composed some celebrated pieces, with

pensum, institutionis mece magistris tuendis subtraham." Alithonologia, Supplem.,

p.

which Dr. Lynch was familiar in his youth. " Celebrem ejus de amissa libertate cantilenam, lyra, fidibus et clavicordio saepe cani

114.
1

See S. Ferguson's Dissertation for seve-

ral ancient illustrations of

performance on

audivimus."

Alithonologia,p, 185. Chris-

topher died in the

19th, 1580.

Tower

of London,

June

the Irish harp. m "

Hempson was

the only one of the

His

eldest son, Richard,

who

harpers at the Belfast meeting in 1792,

was born in
that

prison, is the

same who held

Castle, in

who
ters.

literally

conference

at

Maynooth

crooked

nails, as described

played the harp *with long by the old wri-

1605, with O'Neil and O'Donnell, which led

to the flight of the Earls.

In playing, he caught the string

flesh

Whether Robert
of Richard,

between the

and the

nail,

not like the

pulled
it

the Jesuit

was a brother

and

other harpers of his day,

who

by

thus
or

nephew to the Countess of Kildare, a more distant connexion, I know not.

several contemporary manuscripts in

the fleshy part of the finger only.

fingers lay over the strings in such a
ner, that,

His

man-

From

when he

struck

them with one

320

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. IV.

contra consuetudinem ut, aliqui scribunt, lyristis non ita pridem in Hi-

bernia familiarem, quse nunc vel in desuetudinem abiit, vel a rudioribus lyristis frequentatur, contendentibus, editiorem sonitum e chordis ideo
elicere,

ut eo domus tota personet.

was
instantly ready to stop

finger, the other

representative of the old school of Irish per-

the vibration, so that the staccato passages

formance
n

See note
this
it

v,

p.

311, supra.

were heard in

full perfection.

When

asked

From

appears that the old cus-

the reason of playing certain parts of the tune in that style, his reply was, ' This is the way I learned it,' or I cannot play it
'

tom was nearly gone a century before the time of Hempson. It would be almost impossible to preserve a uniform

mode of playCrof-

in

any

other.'

"

See the whole passage in

p. 73.

ing

when harpers were

him

so numerous.

Bunting's last volume,

Hempson
the last

ton Croker, whose antiquarian researches

entitle

was then ninety-seven years

old,

to great respect, says of the

CHAP. IV.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

321

in Ireland". That custom is now, if not obsolete, ruder performers only, in their anxiety to elicit adopted by thereby louder notes from the strings, and make the whole house ring with their melody

long since was

at least

common

last century, "at the period

when
'

these lines

cation of the Blind

"

were formed on those

it

almost 'every one' played ' on the Irish harp the term every one
were written,
:

obvious principles which would entitle

to general support, it

is

to be

understood in the same sense as

at present."
Society.

applied to the pianoforte

might be the means of restoring the national music, and of combining patriotism, science, and the greatest
charity, in support of a single institution.
Its pupils

Kerry Pastoral,

p.

16

Percy

harp is gone. But a good work remains for some charitable and per" severing man. If a Society for the Edu-

The

Irish

partiality for the harp,

might soon revive the national and erase the gloomy

epitaph,

" Sic transit gloria citharae."

322

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. V.

CAPUT

V.

QUOD INFIRMA FUERINT GIRALDI, AD RERUM HIBERNICARUM NOTITIAM COMPA-

RAND AM ADMINICULA.
[38] Testes Giraldi comprovinciales ipsius. Quorum praecipuos praedones appellat. Fabula de insulis Nautarum fragilis fides. Connacise non Christianis. Quales comprovinciales testes adliibiiit.
[39] Lombardus nimis leviter Cambrensem objurgat. Opera Cambrensis a contemporaneis dilaniata. Fabulae ab ipso positse nee ab ipso creduntur. Sententia Waraei de Cambrensi. [40] Aliqua e monumentis Hibernicis hausit. Monumenta Hibernica quanta et quam copiosa. An Giraldus

delevit monumenta Hibernica Latine" scripta? [41] Manuscripta Hibernica ablatavel direpta ab Consuetudo ilia Anglis in Hibernia ab omni retro fetate familiaris. Anglis regnante Elizabetha. Auctorem probabiliter habuit Giraldum. Opera ejus fabulis nimis copiose, factis pared instructa. Monumentis Hibernicis abusus est Giraldus.

cognoscendam pluribus
oculis aut auditu
[38] rum
illi

Qui scribere historiam aggrediuntur, ad narrationum veritatem penitus sibi rationibus viam sternunt: aut enim facta
:

comperiunt aut e monumentis publicis hauriunt quofidem merentur, qui quae oculis intuentur scriptis majorern " tradunt. Ut Cambrensis Solinum et alios impugnans jure dixerit, non
|

mirum

esse si a tramite veritatis deyiaverint,

cum

nihil oculatfi fide,

indicem et a remotis agnoverunt. Tune enim res qurelibet certissimo nititur de veritate subsidio, cum eodem utitur relatore quo
nihil nisi per

teste ."

Sed

indictee sibi legis

mox

oblitus,

non solum

qu.se oculis sed

etiam quse auditu excepit in scripta se relaturum profitetur his verbis, " ita me dii amabilem reddant, ut nihil in libello apposuerim, cujus
veritatem vel oculata fide vel probatissimorum et authenticorum com" quae provincialium virorum testimonio non elicuerim ;" additque,
nostri temporis gesta vel certis ab indicibus audivi, vel oculis ipse con2 spexi litteris mandavi ."

En

ut tandem audita pro compertis habetl

Sed

esset tolerabile,

si

testes sat locupletes adhibuisset et

non populares

suos, qui

rerum suarum narratores

adhibiti magis se sibi faventes

quam

hosti prsebent,

quorum
.

" primipilares corypha3os Giraldus ipse praeasgrius

dones" appellat 3

Verum quod
i.

ferendum

est,

non

his tantum,
illi

sed infimaa plebis feci patulas et credulas aures prasbuit et

i

quod
32.
all

sine

Top.

dist.

c. 5.

2 Prajf. dist. ii.

Hib. Expug.

lib.

ii.

c.

Giraldus, in

some of

his latest wri-

mation from Irishmen on

matters relating to Ireland.

important!

tings,

maintains that he derived his infor-

CHAF. V.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

323

CHAPTER
LLDUS
AFFAIRS.
[38] His

V.
IRISH

HAD VERY BAD MEANS OF ACQUIRING A KNOWLEDGE OF

own countrymen cited as witnesses by Giraldus. The chief of them stigmatized as robbers by himself. His story regarding the pagan islands of Connaught. Sailors not trustworthy witnesses. Character of his own countrymen whom he cites as witnesses. [39] Lombard too mild in his censure. Contemporary criticisms on the works of Giraldus. He did not believe his own stories. Ware's opinion of Cambrensis. [40] He took some facts from the Irish authorities. Abundance and copiousness of ancient Irish chronicles. Did Giraldus destroy the Irish documents in the Latin language ? [41] Irish 'manuscripts destroyed or carried off by the English in the reign of Elizabeth. Similar Vandalism at all times practised in Ireland. Giraldus probably its His work contains popular stories in abundance, but few historical facts. Bad use first author.
made by him of the Irish
authorities.

WHEN men undertake

eyes,

means of arriving at truth

to write history they usually employ several ; they have either the testimony of their own

or the authority of others, or the public records, for the facts

:

which they chronicle the highest degree of historical faith is due to Cambrensis the authors who were eye-witnesses of what they relate. himself adopts these principles in his censure on Solinus and others.
not surprising," he says, " that they strayed from the path of truth, because they had no ocular testimony, but depended on rumors fact never rests picked up at a distance from the scene of the events.
" It
is

on so good a foundation as
the

when it was

chronicled by an eye-witness."

But, forgetting this good principle laid down by himself, he declares, in same breath, that he will write not only what he saw, but also what he had from testimony. " May the Gods give me favor," he says, " not a fact have I written in this book, which does not rest either on the tes-

timony of

worthy of

my own eyes, or on the word of the most honorable and trust" my countrymen ;" adding, that as to the events of my own
them or had them from the
lips of witnesses."

time, I either witnessed

Here he adopts hearsay as certainty, and with good reason, I allow, if his informants were respectable witnesses and not his own countrymen a
,

whose leaders himself stigmatizes as robbers, and who were witnesses in their own cause against an enemy. But, more unjustly still, not only

but the very dregs of the vulgar, are adduced as authority. The wild stories retailed indiscriminately by the people, and jumbling togethey,

y 2

324

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. V.

ullo veri falsive discrimine effutiunt, a calamo suo in vulgus emanare Dicit enim, " nautas in insulis Connacticis vidisse homines permittit.

nudos qui non sciverunt

nisi carnes et pisces, nescierunt distinctionem

temporum quadragesimas festorum, aut ferialium dierum hebdomadse ; qui non fuerunt Christiani, nee audiverunt unquam de Christo." Possem insularum omnium Hibernise adjacentium nomina edere, et digito
monstrare qui sanctus ferme singulas incoluerit, neque enim ullam earum incolis vacuam fuisse censeo, " cum nulla seremus, nullus poene angulus aut locus in insula, tarn remotus, qui perfectis monachis et
monialibus non repleretur.

Et Sanctus Patricius

ecclesias trecentas

4 sexaginta quinque fundavit, ac todidem episcopos ordinavit ." Vide ad Acta Sancti Patricii, cap. 23 in initio: appendicem quintum Colgani " Sacras etiam a?des, sedes episcopales, monasteria, sacella promiscue 5 connumerando, fundavit septuaginta ." quorum institutione nullum

credo ad tantam ignorantiam deflexisse, ut Christi nomen ne fando quidom audierit. E nutricum enim et senum confabulationibus non poterant non haurire vel pauca ex iis, quae in insulis, per retro acta tempora, gerebantur. Nam quse a majoribus senes acceperunt crebris usurpant

sermonibus.

Ut non advocem
fuisse negligentia,

in patrocinium pastores animarum non tarn supin& ut tot animarum salutem susque deque haberent,

gnari certissimum sibi damnationis periculum accersere, si demandatam sibi provinciam tarn segniter obirent. Non dubito quin ad diificiles
aditu insulas presbyter, statis anni temporibus se contulerit ; et fortasse " solstitio zestivo," quo Hector Boethius ad Hirtam Scotias insulam,

" Sacerdotem accessisse,"

trat.

dicit,

" infantes eo anno natos baptismate

sacro tincturum, qui aliquot exinde dies ibi remanens, sacra adminis-

Quibus peractis, ac receptis ex eji, bona fide, omnium rerum eo anno natarum decimis, ad sua revertitur6 ." Prgeterea testimonio a
4

Jocelinus, cap. 174.

Ibid.

Descriptio Seotize, p. 8, n. 70.

b It is

certain that,
II.,

after the death

of

Malachy

Ireland

was

so

dreadfully

very eminent men, who labored zealously to restore the ancient fame of the Irish
Church.
c

harassed by the armies of native princes

contending for the supreme power,

that

Stephen White adopts a different mode

"
:

many

disorders

must have overspread the

of refuting this fable of Giraldus

You

country, notwithstanding the wonderful la-

represent those naked islanders," he says,

bours of SS. Malachy, Laurence, and other

" as never having heard of those wonderful

CHAP. V.]

CAMBEENSIS EVERSUS.

325

ther truth and falsehood, were greedily caught

up and published

to the

world.

Thus he

states,

" that the sailors saw

men

in

some of the Con-

who went naked, and knew nothing but fish and flesh, no distinctions of the seasons of Lent or festivals, or the days of the
naught islands

week who, in a word, were not name of ChristV I could name

;

Christians,
all

and never heard even the

the islands on the Irish coast, and

mention the saints who dwelt on them, for there was hardly one of them " There was no untenanted. desert, scarcely a single corner or spot in
the island, however remote, that was not thickly peopled by zealous convents and monasteries, and St. Patrick himself founded three hun-

dred and sixty- five churches, and consecrated as many bishops." From Colgan's fifth Appendix to the Acts of St. Patrick, it appears that,
taking
all

together, religious houses, episcopal sees, monasteries, and

chapels,

our Apostle founded seventy. I cannot believe that any one of them had fallen so far from its primitive institution, as that the people would not know at all events the name of Christ. Their nurses, or the

must have preserved some knowledge at least of the events formerly occurring on their islands. Old men are fond of transmitting what they heard from their fathers.
old people,
I could adduce in my support the pastors of the people, who could not be guilty of such criminal negligence as to abandon the case of so many souls, well knowing that such flagrant violation of their solemn I am sure duty would entail on the guilty priest eternal damnation those islands that were difficult of access were visited by the priest at certain periods of the year, perhaps in the summer solstice, " the time " the when," according to Hector Boethius, priest visited the island of
.

and baptized all the children who had been born during the year. After spending a few days administering to the other spiritual wants of the islanders, he returned to his home, with the tithes of all the produce
Hirta,

of the year."
foreigners
ships

Moreover, what reliance can be placed on the authority

large

who had descended from

;

on their shore

and

yet,

during more

province of Connaught, had never heard of the great foreigners who were at war with
their king
!"

than twenty years, the King of Connaught had been at war with those foreigners they
;

"

Mi

Gyralde," he exclaims,
si

" Deus

tibi

ignoscat

locus

sit et

indiges."

had ravaged his lands, and gained some signal success over him; and yet some of.
his

"OGiraldus! may God pardon you, if you need and can receive it." Apostrophes of
this

subjects, living off the shore of the small

kind often occur in White's Apologia.

326

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. V.

nautis exhibito fidem adhibere quis obstringitur? Nam "in navibus educati rudes, et alien! a moribus liberalibus, et comumni sensu esse
sclent.

N.auticum enim genus suo elemento respondet, quod a civiliuui

vivat 7 ."

hominum commercio submotum

Nee

aliud est

marithms

esse

moribus quam agrestibus, inconditis, et mobilibus instar maris quod frequentant; ad omnem spei vel tinioris flatum plerumque circumferuntur, et rumusculos spargunt, non veritatis ssepissime, sed studii
f

eorum habita ratione, quibuscum eos communicant. Hue accedit quod nemo adducetur ut credat curam popelli alicujus religione informandi nautas usisse, qui qusestus tantum faciendi causa sciscitationes, et colloquia plerumque instituunt. dium nisi "

Cum

vero nulluin Giraldus testem in me-

"ex
"
rat 8 ."

proferat homicidis

comprovincialem ;" non injuria quis suspicetur,

adscivisse,
aliis electos in

illis,

seditiosis, et flagitiosis" aliquos sibi

quos Philippus de Breusa pra3

Cambria

sibi adsoeiave-

Ut jam non dubium

sit,

quin e

triviis et compitis, circurnfora-

neos agyrtas, sycophantas, et semisses agasones sibi adjunxerit, eorumque delationes secundis auribus exceptas, ad infamiam gentis longe
lateque difFundendam evulgaverit. Ut narrationes e tarn vilium capitum sentina haustas, fide destitui oporteat. [39] Itaque minis levi objurgatione Primas Hibernia3 Giraldum per|

stringit dicens,

Hibernicam."

" iniquiorem eum fuisse in nationem et regionem Acrius multo in se superstitem aliquos invectos fuisse
"
:

ipse gravissime quaaritur scribens

opus non ignobile nostram Topographiam livor laniat, et detrectat. Primae distinctioni et tertiee livor contra naturam in laudes erumpens oblatrare tarn verecundatur, qua.ni
In mediam distinctionem insolenter invehitur; objicit enira

veretur.
in

hunc modum: lupum introducit cum sacerdote loquentern, bovina humano corpori depingit extrema, mulierem barbatam, hircum amatp-

rem

et

leonem 9 ."

Ille

divinam potentiam errori suo pra3texens,

si

ha3C
eli-

jacula excutere nititur; ac

in

vera fuisse qua? retulit prodigia hinc

Dei portentorum opificis potestate siturn sit ea patrare; ceret, quod axiomatis " a potentia ad actum non valet consequentia," vel dialectics
candidatis notissimi plane vel
suse narrationis

immemor,

vel ignarus.

Testes potius

quam

locupletissimos laudare debuit, ac loca, tempus,

personas nominatim desiguare.

1 Adagia Erasmi, titulus in stupidos. Hib. Expug.

Non enim
8

potestatis divinas facultas,

lib.
ii.

Hib. Expug.

cap. 12.

Prsefatio.

i.

CHAP. V.]
of sailors?

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

327

"Men
own

of liberal manners, and of the

class is like its

educated in ships are generally rude, and ignorant common sense of mankind. For the sailor
element, being far removed from the society of civiare rustic and uncouth, and fickle
is

lized

men."

The manners of the sailor

as the

element on which he lives ; he

carried

away by every breath

of hope

and fear

truth than

by

and, in the story of his adventures, is guided less by the tastes of his audience. It is, moreover, very im;

probable that sailors took the trouble of ascertaining the religious principles of an obscure tribe; money and traffic being generally the object

and inquiry. Again, as Giraldus adduces no witbut "his own countrymen," is there any injustice in supposing that they were some of those "murderers, rebels, and profligates," whom Philip de Braos "specially invited to his standard in Cambria." There
of their conversations
nesses

can hardly be a doubt that the informants whom he had gathered around him were strolling mummers, swindlers, hostlers, and pennyboys, picked

up

at the cross-road

sages to

whom

he loved to

and thoroughfare. These were the listen, and whose stories he duly chro-

nicled to blast through the wide world the character of the country. What faith can be given to a narrative resting on such contemptible

authority?

The Primate of Ireland was, therefore, too mild when he stigmatized Giraldus merely as being "ratherunjust to Ireland and her inhabitants." That was not the criticism of some of Giraldus's own contemporaries. He
complains most bitterly that the Topography, his respectable work, was the butt of envy and calumny. The first and second distinctions dis-

armed jealousy itself, and shamed and forced it to admire. the third distinction its fangs were insolently brandished.

But against
"

He

tells

us," they say, "of a wolf that spoke to a priest; of a being half man, half ox ; of a woman with a long beard, and of a buck-goat and lion acting the lover." Against these just criticisms he presumes to shield himself by an appeal to the omnipotence of God, as if all the prodigies he relates should necessarily be facts, because they did not exceed the
limits of God's omnipotence.

He must either have forgotten or never that axiom familiar to every tyro in Dialectics, " a potentia ad actum non valet consequential' He should rather have rested his narknown

on trustworthy evidence, citing place, time, and persons. It is not the limits of God's power, but Giraldus's veracity, that we are disrative

328

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. V.

sed narrationis Giraldianas veritas in

dubium

revocata

est,

ut inaniter

perfagium in potentia numinis

abhorret.
i'ama?

quaesierit, quae a

commentis vel maxime

adhuc inhaerescunt.
affinia,

Itaque sordes quas vivus eluere non poterat, ejus vita functi Imo eorum pleraque qua? scripsit non sunt

adeo veritati

ut

eis

ipse conceptis verbis neget

fidem accommodare quispiam debeat, ciim omnia ad veritatis trutinam excussa fuisse

" nee ego volo temere credi cuncta quae posui, quia nee a ineipso ita creduntur, tamquam nulla de iis sit in mea cogitatione dubitatio,
dicens
:

exceptis his, qua? ipse sum expertus, vel cujus facile est experiri. Ca> tera vero sic ut neque affirmanda neque neganda decreverim 10 ." Habe-

mus

igitur confitentem reum, qui tria hie agnoscit: quorum primum ea quae visu ; alterum, quae auditu hauserat in scripta se retulisse, est,

postremum

res

ab

illo sic acceptas,

nee

ita veras esse,

ut temere

iis

credere ullus debeat; nee tarn firmas, ut non sint affirmandae aut ne-

Quod si quae vel per se, vel aliis narrantibus cognovit, tanta gandas. laborare incertitudine ipse agnoscat, qua certitudine scripta ejus fulNon adeo sum a Giraldo aversus, ut res ab ipso cientur non video. Sed res " authenticorum comprovinciavisas, in dubium revocem. lium" (ut Giraldus loquitur) relationibus compertas, nullius apud me
vel
fidei,

vel ponderis erunt, ut

quorum

aliis perfidige

notam

ipse

Cam-

brensis inurit: alios paulo ante praedones, alios homicidas, seditiosos,

flagitiosos:

primores Neubrigensis "inopia laborantes, et lucri cupidos

appellavit," ut

nullum

illi

perfugium reliquum

nisi in sola

fama

sit.

Itaque inter mortal es existens, cum mendacii a quibusdam urgentius argueretur, et plurimorum reclamationibus frequentius obtunderetur,

culpam a

se in famam retulit ; ut mendacia rumorum praesidio tegeret Nisi enim ab eo veritatis agnitio per vim exprimeretur, non est credibile tantum ab illo dedecus ab eo admissum iri ut diceret: "De

Topographia Hibernica, labore scilicet nostro prirnsevo fere nee ignobili ubi multa nova, aliisque regionibus prorsus incognita (ideoque magis admiranda) scribuntur, hoc pro certo sciendum, quod quorundam, quin-

imo quamplurium per diligentem

terrae

et

terrae illius et authenticis viris notitiam elicuimus

certam indagationem a magnis de caiterisque totius

;

potius secuti sumus: de quibus omnibus cum Augustino sentirnus, qui in lib. de Civitate Dei, de talibus, qua3 solum fama cele-

famam

brat, nee eerta veritate fulciuntur loquutus, nee ea affirmanda plurii (>

Pnefatio,

i.

Hib. Expug.

CHAI-. V.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUSIt

329
power of God,

cussing.

was a
lies

pitiful subterfuge to appeal to the

who abominates
of his

above

on Giraldus during life, work is not entitled to any credit, for he himself expressly de" I do not clares that truth had not been his sole guide. expect," he " that I write should be rashly believed; for, with the everything says, exception of what came under my own observation, or what could be
easily ascertained,

the brand of infamy, burned cleaves to him in his grave. Far the greater part
all

things.

No

my own

belief in

my

narrations

is

not fixed and un-

hesitating.

hood."

give them without pronouncing on their truth or falseHere he pleads guilty; for, after telling us that he wrote what
I

he saw arid heard from others, he confesses that even those things are
not so certain that they ought to be believed, or that even he himself Now if, by his own confession, there be would affirm or deny them.

such uncertainty in what he saw or heard from others, I am at a loss to know what claims his book can have to authority? I am not so preju-

him as to disbelieve what he tells me he witnessed; but " the narratives founded on the authority of his trustworthy countrymen" I reject and contemn. The leaders of the invasion are stigmatized
diced against

by Newbury as "needy and avaricious adventurers;" and by Giraldus himself as traitors, or robbers, or murderers, or rebels, or criminals. Vague rumor was, therefore, the sole ground of his book and when,
;

during his life-time, he was vehemently denounced, and his statements often branded as lies, he shifted the blame from himself to public rumor.
It

was

his only authority.

had not been violently extorted from him, he never could have been shamed into the following admission "With regard to my Topography of Ireland, that respectable work,
If a confession of the truth

first from my pen, in which so many strange things and unknown in other countries are recorded, I would have it disutterly tinctly known that some, nay many, of the facts therein recorded, were

and almost the

derived from accurate and most searching inquiries among some of the greatest and safest authorities in that country ; on other points I have rather followed the popular rumours of the land ; and of them I
hold the opinion of St. Augustin, who, speaking in his City of God, of those things which rest merely on report, without any certain ground
of truth, decides, that generally they are of

such a character that we

cannot either admit or positively deny them."

From

this it clearly

330

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
nee prorsus abneganda decrevit
11

[CAP. V.

mum,

potest non

." Atqui nunc dilucide perspici jam secundam Topographic distinctionem ab uno aliquo, sed

universam a pluribus irnpetitam, et eversam fuisse. In qua cum quae sub fabularum notionem veniunt non sigillatim indicantur, toti operi
fabellationis appellationem cur
signis titulo defraudem,

non

video.

subducam, ac autliorem fabellatoris inA qua sententia non longe War-

rens abit dicens: "Multa fabulosa de Hibernia accumulavit Giraldus Cambrensis in Topographia Hibernian Sed aliis ea discutienda relin-

quimus:
etc.

si quidem exacta eorum discussio jus turn requirit tractatum," Et paulo post addit " Se mirari viros aliquos hujus saeculi
:

alioqui graves et doctos figmenta ea Giraldi

12 [40] obtrusisse ."

convellere ;

mundo iterum pro veris Pronum est quam plurima Topographies loca funditus sed cum eorum universirn ipse palinodiam cecinerit, eo la[

bore

tamquam

supervacaneo, supersedendum censeo, et homini gratu-

landum quod delicti conscientiam diutius apud se morari non permiserit: imo extra veritatis metas per imprudentiam raptus, intra dernissionis se limites tandem receperit. Ut infirmitatis humane sorti condonan-

dum sit quod deliquerit, virtuti adscribendum quod resipuerit. Verum ab ultima hominum memoria ille multa repetit, quaa
aut auditu percipere, aut rumusculis, quos unice sectari visus

oculis,

est,

ex-

cipere non potuit. Neque enirn nautarum caeleumata, neque gregariorum militum susurrus, quibus ille ut plurimum aures avidius accom-

modare consuevit, quidpiam hiscere poterant explorati de iis, quas de veteris memoriae rebus posteritati cornmendavit. " Sed illa3, proh dolor! " vel ante vel enucleatae sunt. Pliberninullis," editaa, ipsum, paucis cus enim orbis non omnino intactus, nullius tamen," ante Giraldum, "stylo absolute comprehensus est." Imo "induabus primis Topographiaa partibus, nullam prorsus ex scriptis Hibernicis evidentiam, nullum

penitus invenit (praster ipsam disquisitionis diligentiam) extrinseci juvaminis adminiculum." Duas igitur priores Topographic distinctiones e cerebro suo, et sciscitationibus ; posteriorem e tabularum monumentis
11

Ex

retractionibus Giraldi, vide Usshertun in Sylloge, p. 159.

12

De Antiquitatibus

Hibernia;, cap. 13.

A If Giraldus

found no materials in Ire-

lives of the Irish saints are anterior to his

laud for the second distinction of his Topo-

day.

There were other abundant materials

graph}

7
,

it

must be because he took no

trouble to find them.

Many

of the Latin

on the same subject in the Irish language, if we can judge from catalogues and parch-

CHAT. V.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

331

was not merely one assailant Giraldus had, and against appears that it one part of his work, namely, the second distinction, but that the whole

work was
liow the

assailed

not specify the parts

and refuted by a host of critics. Moreover, as he does which are founded on report alone, I cannot see
as a

whole work can be regarded otherwise than

heap of

fables,

or why Giraldus is not to take his place

among
"

story-tellers ?

Such ap-

Giraldus Cambrensis," he says, have been the opinion of Ware. pears to " has collected in his many fabulous stories regarding IreTopography
land;

subject would require a good volume," &c. " that he is how some men of the

but we must leave the examination of them to others, as the and afterwards he adds, ;

surprised present age, otherwise eminent for prudence and learning, could again venture to present Giraldus's inventions to the world in the guise of history." I feel strongly inclined

but

thorough refutation of very many parts of the Topography would be a useless labor, since we have his own universal recantation. We have only to congratulate the man on his not allowing his
to give a
it
;

weigh on his conscience, and on his humble return from his imprudent wanderings in the paths of error. His oifence must be laid to the account of the frailty of human nature; his repentance was an
guilt to
act of virtue.

But he states many things regarding our very remote history, which he could neither see with his eyes, nor learn from others, nor sanction
even with the poor authority of his favorite popular reports. The gossipings of sailors, or the vague stories of the common soldiers, to which

he was ever ready to give so willing an ear, could supply him with no glimpse of those facts which he has recorded regarding our ancient his" " " But, alas !" he cries, they had been," before his own day either tory.

known only to a few. For the Irish world, though not a perfectly maiden subject before him, was never before " in the two first fully exhibited to the world." Nay, parts of the no light whatsoever from Irish books d none from Topography, he got
utterly unexplored, or
,

external aid, nothing but his own searching and diligent inquiry." The two first parts of the Topography were, therefore, a compound of his

own
ments

reveries

and inquiries: the third was taken from the public

re-

still

extant; and, yet, though he

" of the " Mirabilia of Irish saints, he could

find no written materials to aid his inquiry
!

professes, in that second distinction, to treat

332
eruerat.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. V.

" In Quasnam autem ea monumenta fuerant ex ipso accipe. "de habitatoribus insular, et de gentium origine, Verumtamen, ea qua3 aliquani de eorum chronicis contraxi notitiam. ab ipsis diffuse nimis, et inordinate, magnaque ex parte superflue satis,
tertia sola," inquit,
et frivole, rudi

quoque

et agresti stylo congesta fuerunt,

non absque

labore plurimo,

tamquam

rnarinas inter arenas

gemmas

eligens, et exci-

piens, elegantiora quaeque praesenti volumine,

quanto compendiosius
tit

potui lucidiusque digessi."

Modo

pauciora scripta, et rariores fuisse

historian! gentis
suis coloribus, et justa

rerum Hibernicarum

scriptores conquaestus est;

levibus tantum, et rudibus lineis

adumbratam

forma Giraldi penicillum excolere oportuerit. Nunc mole se chronicorum obrui, et copia indignatur; quod qu93 "nimis diffusa sunt" contrahere, et

amputare "superflua cogatur."

Nimirum

in

chronicorum
|

tamquam Augias stabuli sordibus egerendis ejus industria desudavit, sed laboriosius quam faelicius. Etenim sordes omnes in suum opus luxuriem potius resecare debuit, quam ex aliena messe congessit, cujus
" Diffudit" certe per omnes ferme suorum artus et arteria non "superflua" solum, sed etiam non operum

cum

lolio

segetem funditus evellere.

cohaerentia, inter se pugnantia, et a veritate

maxime

abliorrentia, ita

Chronicorum illorum jacturam ipsi acceptam referimus, quaa Latinis literis expressa fuisse non arnbigimus, cum Hibernian linguae ignoratione
Giraldus teneretur.

Trogi Pompeii vastum opus Justinus in pauca contraxit, et praestanquibusque rebus ex eo decerptis, illud ab hominum oculis, et notitia submovisse dicitur, ut sua hoininibus evolvenda obtruderet.
tissimis

Quae prolixiori oratione Livius texuit, Florus breviori prosecutus est, et conatus fuisse dicitur, ut opera Livii e medio tollerentur, quo mani-

Quare turpi se flagitio, et Reinpub, literariam maximo damno affecerunt. His accuratum se imitatorem Giraldus prasstitit, quimajorum nostrorum monumenta fabularum
vanitate liberare, et res gestas ab oblivione vendicare aggressus, ilia tanta brevitate complexus est, ut meliori, et saniori parte mutilaverit, has sic
obscuraverit, ut ne
c

bus omnium ipsius scripta tererentur.

nomina quidem Eegum, nedum

able to pursue his

res

eorum

gestas

As Giraldus was not

were strange
at the

if

he had taken the trouble of

historical researches

on Wales, his native

learning the Irish, especially when he sneers

country, without the aid of persons well

Welsh as "barbarous."

Ussher,

acquainted with the Welsh language,

it

Sylloge, p. 117.

CHAP. V.]
cords, of

CAMBEENSIS EVERSUS.

333

which he gives us the following account. " In the third part " there are some sketches of the inhabitants of the isle, alone," he says, and the origin of the tribes, which I took from their chronicles. But
as they were too diffuse and disorderly, and generally too frivolous and redundant, and thrown together in a rude and indigested way, it cost me a world of labor to select the more interesting parts, culling them

like pearls

compendious form in
cles,

from sea sand, and arranging them in the most lucid and my present volume." A moment ago he com-

of Irish chroniplained of the paucity of Irish writers and the poverty whose vague and undefiled outlines had never been filled up until

master-hand moulded and colored them into a living picture. But now he complains that he is literally overwhelmed by the mass and vahis

riety of Irish materials; his great difficulty being to abridge

" their

dif-

fuseness,"

and lop away their " exuberant redundance." The chronicles

were an Augean stable demanding the full exertion of his expurgating powers; but his success has not corresponded with his industry. For his own work is strewn thick with the fetid refuse; and, instead of
pruning down
of other
its rank luxuriance, he has put his sickle in the harvest men, and utterly destroyed the good seed with the weeds. The whole frame of his work, in all its members, is a compound of '"redun-

dant, "incoherent, contradictory statements, flagrantly opposed to facts; and beyond a doubt it was he that destroyed the chronicles from which he compiled they must have been in Latin, as he Was utterly ignorant
:

of the Irish language 6

Justin wrote an abridgment of the vast work of Trogus Pompeius. Having pillaged the original of all that was most interesting, he is said to have destroyed it, that his book might be thus forced into public
notice,

and rank with posterity among standard works. Florus abridged the flowing and copious narrative of Livy, and then endeavoured, it is
said, to

his original.
flicted

destroy Livy's, that he might thus rise to fame on the ruins of These men were guilty of an atrocious crime, and inan irreparable injury on the republic of letters; but they have

been too faithfully followed by Giraldus, who, under the pretence of expurgating the monuments of our fathers from fabulous narratives, and
i

rescuing their history from oblivion, has compressed them into so narrow a compass that he mutilated the more solid and interesting portion,

and

left

them

so meagre, that, far

from giving a history of our kings,

334
ediderit.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. V.

sunt verba

Antiquitatum Cantabrigensium de Polidoro Virgilio haec " Ilium ne aliquando ejus intelligerentur errores, fama
:

percrebuit, atque etiam cognitum, et

ricos nostros vetustos, et manuscriptos

dassc,

compertum certo immani scelere

est,

tot histo-

igni

commen-

quot ne plaustrum quidem posset capere, atque sustinere; arbitratus, ut credo, se ejus generis omnes solum habuisse, aut veritus sibi
vitio dari

quod secutus

legern

jampridem librorum veterum

castigato-

ribus datam, nonnulla resecuerit, qua? scriptores prodiderunt 13 ." Henricus Spondanus asserit, " Polydorum minus accurate res Anglicas quam
a multis putatur, collatione

cum

antiquis facta, ssepe se reperisse; per-

turbatorem magis
res Anglicas

demum
[41]

ejus

quam compositorem historic Anglicanse fuisse; ac assentatorie magis quam historice describere consuetum; historiam majoris laboris, quam exactae accurationis nomen
fuisse."

apud plerosque meritum

Anglia scriptores
vetera

Fortasse Polidorus

prseivisse in

accepit, qui superioris

memorise res
|

literis tradituri,

monumenta

simili incendio aboleverunt.

Certe patrum memoria

Angli in Hibernia

monumentis Hibernicis

diripiendis impensissime in-

hiarunt; ut Analectes vere conquestus fuerit:

"Si uspiam apu,d

pri-

vatum

asservari intelligunt hi qui

cum

imperio prsesunt fragmentum

aliquod veteris historian MS. prece illud sive praetio corradunt, vel si nee prece, aut praetio obtinent, succedunt praecibus minse, et praecepta, " 14 quibus refragari paulo minus quam Ia3thiferum est ." Et infra: Stre-

nuus

fuisse fertur in isto artificio conquerendi undequaque, auferendique aut supprimendi vetustos codices praesertim in Provincia Momonise (quam pr93sidiali autlioritate gubernabat) Georgius Carew presbyteri
filius," Totniae

" qui nobipostea Comes, et Hibernige PacataB scriptor,

lissimo viro
sit.

Carteorum Coryphaeo antiquissimum volumen MS. exculpSed quod Praeses in una Provincia, id fecit per universum regnum w p ag. 557. is Lib. pag. 70.
i.

It is certain that

many

of the richest
Ire-

lin.

One

of the earliest recollections of the

historical collections in

England and

writer

is to

have visited frequently a

little

land were stocked, by this species of publie

nook in the Castle of Maudlin-street,

city

robbery, with the literary Irish remains.

public establishments

of Kilkenny, which, tradition said, had, for of security's sake, been the library

The

and private

col-

Cohnan

lections of Catholics, since the Reformation,

were often

rifled,

even in times of peace, and

O'Shaugnessy, Catholic Bishop of Ossory, in the middle of the. last century. He, and
his

their poor literary stores carried off to the

immediate predecessors and

successors,
j

nearest sheriff's

office,

or the Castle of

Dub-

lived near the castle, in an

humble thatched

CHAP. V.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

335

he does not mention even their names. In the Cambridge Antiquities, we

have the following statement regarding Polydore Virgil: "It was puband it is now a certain and well-authenticated fact, that, licly reported,

might some day be discovered, he sacrilegiously commitof our old historians to the flames, together with more than many a waggon-load of manuscripts ; imagining, I suppose, that no other
lest his

errors

ted

them were extant or, perhaps, fearing that he might be censured for having, in accordance with the rule formerly observed by the expurgators of old books, omitted many things which the writers had
copies of
;

" that by a diligent collation of the ancient authorities, he discovered that Polydore's History of
chronicled."

Henry Spondanus

asserts,

England was not so accurate as many persons believed that it confused rather than illustrated the series of events ; that the author was
;

generally guided not

by

truth, but

by

flattery, in his

views on English

matters; and, finally, that most judges give

for greater exactness,

him

credit, not so

much

as for ^the superior industry exhibited in his

history."

It

may be

that Polidorus had heard of some English writers

before his time, who, after writing the history of other days, consigned their old authorities to a similar fate. Certain it is, that, within
the recollection of our fathers, the English
for

burned with savage rage

The author of the Analecta justly complains, " that if any officers of the government heard of a fragment of manuscript history being in the possession of a private individual, it was at once begged or bought ; or, if neither money
the
annihilation of our Irish

documents.

nor entreaty were strong enough, threats and commands immediately And again " Far the followed, which it might cost one's life to resist."
:

most active in this trade of hunting out in

all quarters,

and carrying

f away or destroying ancient books, especially in the province of Munof which he was President, was George Carew, the son of a ster, priest," afterwards Viscount Totness, and author of the Hibernia Pacata. " He

took from the head of the noble family of the M'Carthies a

cient

most an-

manuscript volume.
which
is still

But the course pursued by

its

this President

house,

standing, with

mi-

tre in relief

on the marble chimney-piece. O'Shaughnessy and Dr. Burke, author of the

"

back of the house, and within the limits of what was once a chapel dedicated to St.
Stephen.

Father Brennan, author of the

Hibernia Dominicana,

' '

are buried side

by

Ecclesiastical History

of Ireland, was born

side in the centre of the

churchyard, at the

not far from the Castle of Maudlin-street.

336
Henricus Sydnasus,

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. V.

et alii ante eum Proreges, qui omnia quae colligere uno quasi curriculo asportarunt, ut istud inter alia sibi depoterant, mandata, quando in hoc regnum mitterentur, injunctuni fuisse videatur, ut quam diligentissime abolerent omnem vetustatis memoriam in

Hibernia 15 ."

Exploratum profecto
vel

est

patrum memoria, Hibernia

bello confla-

grante, Reginae milites e Castris ruralibus, et

quibuscunque vel hostium amicorum sedibus quoscumque Hibernicos libros summo studio corut eos dominis abripere in imperatis habuisse videatur, qui

rasisse,

postea in

urbium

prsesidiis collocati,

membraneorum illorum voluminum

folia gra,ndiora,

inter pueros in ludis literariis ad librorum sittibas, et

inter sertores ad lascinias pro vestium forma dimetienda partiti sunt. Ut quae consuetudo posterioribus Anglicis in Hibernia militibus Hi-

bernica scripta discerpendi

fuit,

familiaris fuisse, ac ab iisdem

manasse censenda

primis Hibernia3 direptoribus Anglicis sit. Inter quos in hu-

jusmodi monumentorum discerptionibus Giraldum primas retulisse vix " nomina, gesta, et tempora praeteriit, dubito, qui vel Regum Hiberniae
turn quia pauca in illis insignia, et memoria digna repererat, turn etiam ne compendium inutilis prolixitas impediret 16 ." In hoc Justini, Flori, et Polydori ambitionem, et invidentiam supergressus, quod illi Regum nomina non tacuerint, hie celaverit; illi res eorum gestas adjunxerint,

hie non

modo

siluerit, sed

etiam dedecore notaverit.

Quam utramque

injuriam spero fore ut nomenclatura

Regum

Hiberniae a nobis in hoc

opere exhibita aliquantulum resarcierit, ut quse praeter eorum nomina, nonnullas etiam res ab iis praeclare gestas profert, quibus Giraldus
aperti livoris, et mendacii arguitur,
is

quod eorum egregia

Top.
dist.
iii.

facinora, non

Pag. 559.
of Ire-

1G

The

ancient literary

monuments

milies conformed so rapidly to the national

taste,

land undoubtedly were destroyed in great

numbers during the long wars from the

invasion to the Reformation.

the Vandal project,

that no government could execute except perhaps in a

circuit of the

The

policy

few towns, and in the small

Pale.

which proscribed the Irish language and the Irish bards, and pillaged Irish monasteries

Some
by

instances occur in our history:

II.,

thus, Close Rolls, 1 Rich.

seizure
at

there

was a

and churches, would not spare old But it does not appear that manuscripts.
there

royal order of
:

some

Irish books
prae-

Ckmtarf "Rex Vicecomiti Dublin,

was a systematic attempt

to destroy

them, or that they were special objects of

quod diversos libros, etc. etc., quorundam Hibernicorum clericorum inimicorum

cipit

English antipathy.

The

great English fa-

in

quadam navi

in portu de Clontarff ex-

CHAP. V.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

337

in one province had been already adopted throughout Ireland by Henry Sidney and preceding governors, who swept away in one heap everything that they could lay hands on so that one of their most special
;

govern this island, would appear to have to annihilate, with the most unsparing hand, every monument of been,
instructions,

when deputed

to

antiquity in Ireland." It is a fact well authenticated

tion, that,

by the testimony of the last generawhile Ireland was wasted by the flames of war, the Queen's troops, wherever they were quartered through the country, rifled the houses of friends and foes indiscriminately, and carried off all Irish
manuscripts. This Vandalism must, probably, have been the execution of a government order, for when the soldiers were called in to garrison
the towns, large leaves of those manuscript volumes were distributed to schoolboys to make covers for their books, or cut up in the tailor's

shop to

make measures

for clothes.

This exploit of English soldiers

against Irish manuscripts in

modern times was, no doubt, a part of the

hereditary tactics, imported and transmitted by the first English invaders ? Is it unjust to suspect that Giraldus must have distinguished himself in this destruction of our documents, "when he omits the
.

names, actions, and time of the Kings of Ireland, because he found in them little remarkable or worthy of notice, and because useless prolixity would encumber his abridgment?" His envy or ambition surpassed
even that of Florus, Justin, and Polydore; they published the line of kings, he suppresses them ; they gave a history of their reigns, he is
not only silent on that point,
injuries, I think, will

but brands them with contempt. These be somewhat repaired by a list of Irish kings contained in my work, giving, together with their names, many of their noble achievements, as an answer to Giraldus's malignant and jealous lie, and proving that their noble actions were not only " worthy of notice,"
istentes

arrestet."

Rot. Claus. Rich. II.

ragement was given

to the translation of

But during the reign of Elizabeth, as stated by our author, the same system was adopted
in

the Bible in England.

torical

The Welsh

his-

manuscripts and documents were

Ireland,

which

she, as well as her

immeWelsh

seized

and destroyed

iiate

predecessors,

had adopted in Wales.

translated into

late as the reign of Elizabeth,

and antiquarians, so were substudied

There the Bible,

by the natives,

when

jected to prosecution for having

was taken from

the churches

Welsh

antiquities

Archaeology of Wales,

ind publicly burned, though every enroll-

preface, x.

338

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. V.

solum "digna memoria" fuerint; sed etiam digna, quce

posteritati, et

ad scelera declinanda, et virtutem amplectendam, exemplo proponantur. Quibus multo preestitisset ut Giraldus libros suos insignivisset, quam
plebecula3 spurcitiis inquinasset, quas tarn
libris suis inseruerat.

magno

studio conquisitas

Quasi pertimesceret ne prajclara magnatum facta " Compendium nimia prolixitate distenderet," quod vulgi nams toti genti ab ipso adscriptis sarcire constituit. Sicut aranea virus e

thymo, mel apis exsugit; sic e pessimis quibusque quorumvis Hibernoruni moribus fasciculum ille fecit, missa faciens qua? apud Hibernos Sordes tamen istas ille " pro gemmis" liabere praeclariora repererat. visus est quas " eligens," et " excipiens," tamquam " elegantiora pra> senti volumine digessit," instar suis, cui magis volupe est in sterquilinii volutabro,

quam

inter suavissimos quosque odores se verSare.

Fateor equidem ingenue nullam esse gentem, cui sua) laudes et labes lion insunt. Quare minus moleste fero quge apud nos turpia sunt propalari, si prajclara

quseque non reticerentur.

CHAP. V.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSTJS.

339

to virtue,

but worthy of being held up to posterity as the most powerful motives and to a hatred of crime. Giraldus would have spent his time

in defiling

more usefully in ornamenting his pages by those brilliant deeds, than them with vulgar stories, collected with such perverted in-

" The noble deeds of Irish kings would encumber his abridgdustry. ment with excessive prolixity " but space enough was reserved for every blot in the character of the Irish peasant, as a means of calum;

The spider extracts poison, and the bee niating the whole nation. honey, from the thyme; so Giraldus has raked together whatever was censurable in the morals of all the Irish, to the total exclusion of their
were the " pearls" which he " culled " " the fairest ornaments in his and collected, and set as present volume;" like the sow which revels more voluptuously when wallowing in the
noble qualities.

His

filthy stories

I am not so mire, than when regaled with the most fragrant odors. simple as to deny that every nation has its faults as well as its virtues ; nor could I have just grounds of complaint, if he had not totally sup-

pressed whatever was honorable, after having published whatever discreditable in Ireland.

was

z 2

340

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. Vl.

CAPUT
QUOD GIRALDUS PLURIMIS
[42] Giraldus

VI.

VITIIS

AB HISTORICO PENITUS ABHORRENTIBUS LABORAVERIT.

Ariolationibus deditus.

homo

turbulentus.

Litigiosus.
[44] Vanitas

Laudat Merlifmm.

[43]

Va-

ticinalis historic

nomine opus suum

faedat.

Giraldus somniis credulus.

nicas.

Mala interpretatio [46] Auguriis deditus. Verum tempus istius balenas. Fiachus Ultoniae Rex sequi observantissimus. Denies aurei non prsesagiebant adventum Anglorum. Inteinpestivus luporum partus potius Anglorum rapinas quam Hibernorum portendit. [46] Angli Hibernos a parte sua stantes agris spoliarunt. Varia et contraria potest esse auguriorum interpretatio. Giraldus diei Martis vim ascribit. Falsa vis a
Giraldoigni falso tributa. Ariolationem approbare videtur Giraldus. et Sanctos. Brevis recapitulatio.

Libri Merlini quam perniciosi. Poense Magorum. semniorum e Sacra Scriptura. E profanis authoribus. dentium aureorum balense. Calamitas Ecclesite Hiber-

Opprobria ejus in Ecclesiara

[42]

EFFORMANDJE

histories institutores

communibus
1

calculis exigunt, ut

non turbulentus, sed placidus, probus, integer, his virtutibus aliisque historigravis, optimus, prudens, et modestus cum decorantibus tantum abest ut Giraldus ornatus, ut potius vitiis
scriptor historian, sit vir
;

oppositis fsedatus fuerit.

opusculi decursum attenta

dolis, ac

Quse lector plane perspiciet, si totum hujus lectione prosequatur. Turbulentae vero in-

morosse fuisse vel inde convincitur, quod "multos in curia e

2 primi nominis nobilibus adversaries habuerit ." Et Cambris ideo exosus fuerit, quod ipsorum consortium aspernatus, Anglorum se societati

penitus immerserit, qui tamen ipsi eum aversabantur, utpote Cambrise, non Anglae civem ut Aristarchus aliquis fuisse videatur, qui sumpta
:

virga censoria omnes carperet, aut Anacharsidi asperitate similis

Possevinus,Francfortensi, p. 817.
a
1

effice-

lib.

xvi. Bodinus in Meth. et

alii

plurimi.

Vita in operum ejus editione

The

hostility of the courtiers of

Hen-

shop of that

see,

but was defeated on both

ry

IT.,

and of
is

his sons, to a dignitary of

occasions, principally

the Church,

rather a testimonial of good

and
litic

clergy, because they

by the English Court deemed it iinposit in

character than a censure.

No good

priest

that a person so highly connected with

first

could wish for the approbation of the ene-

the

families in

Wales should

the

mies of

St.

Thomas

of Canterbury

and Ste-

metropolitan chair of St. David.

He urged
Rome,
i

phen Langton.
b

his claims with great perseverance at

life

Giraldus was at one period of his

and, though unsuccessful,

was complimented

the champion of the Welsh.

elected

He was twice

by his countrymen,

as having

made a nobler
j j

by

the Canons of St. David, as bi-

stand against England, for the honor of

CHAP. VI.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

341

CHAPTER
GIRALDUS

VI.

WAS SUBJECT TO MANY

VICES,

UTTERLY REPUGNANT TO THE QUALITIES

OF A HISTORIAN.
[4-2]
'

" ProGiraldus a turbulent man. Litigious. Addicted to augury. An admirer of Merlin. [43] " a profane title for his book. Pernicious writings of Merlin. Penalties against phetic History [44] Belief in dreams condemned by Scripture and magicians. Giraldus believed in dreams. Foolish comments on the whale of the golden [45] His passion for augury. profane authors. the Irish Church. True date of the appearance of that whale. Fiach, King of Woes of teeth. The golden teeth not an omen of the English invasion. The wolves that Ulster, a just prince.

brought forth their young in winter, types of the rapacity of the English, not of the Irish. [46] The English seized all the lands of their Irish adherents. Various and contradictory interpretations of omens. Giraldus attaches a superstitious power to Wednesdays. Believed in lucky and unlucky Pagan prayer of Giraldus. A false efficacy falsely ascribed days. [47] Destiny an empty sound. by Giraldus to fire. He appears to sanction soothsaying. His blasphemies against the Church and
the saints.
Brief recapitulation.

IT is the unanimous opinion of those who prescribe rules for composing a history, that the historian should not be a turbulent man, but mild, sedate, honest, grave, prudent, modest, and of the best character; but

rian.

Giraldus possessed none of these, or the other good qualities of an histoHe was the slave of the opposite vices, as any reader must clearly

he follows attentively the course of my work. That he was of turbulent and morose temper is sufficiently evident from the fact, " that a many nobles of the highest rank in the Court were his enemies ;" and
see, if

so odious

was he

to the

Welsh

that he threw himself completely into

the society of the English, though they also disliked him, because he was a native of Wales b . Thus, like another Aristarchus, he would

appear to have raised his censor's rod against the world, or to have
Wales, than
together.
self,

all

the
if

Welsh princes and tribes

believe Giraldus

But,

we

him-

became vacant a third time during his life, he received no votes from the Canons (see
note
e
,

the

Welsh were not

cerely attached to him.

at any time sinThe Canons of St.

p. 344,

tn/ro), because there

was

David, he says, elected him, because they

then some liberty of election established by the labors of St. Thomas of Canterbury and
his successors.

knew they had no chance

royal confirmation of a

of obtaining the

This neglect irritated Giral-

pure Welsh bishop,

and therefore they selected Giraldus,

who

and infused into his already severe reflections on the Welsh all the censorious
dus,

was of mixed Norman and Welsh blood.

Hence, he says,

acrimony of wounded pride and disappointed

ambition.

when

the see of St. David's

See Any. Sacra,

vol..

ii.

p.

521.

342
retur,

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VI.

quando cum ipso homines commercium habere detrectaverunt.

3 " ilium quod Stanihurstus "mordacem

Hue

accedit

appellet.

lino

pruritu ilium laborasse palam indienim invectiones " Triennales, lib. i. ;" " De Cistersencant. Scripsit tium Nequitiis, lib. I. ;" " Ad jEmulorum Objecta, lib. i. 4 :" quasi non satis esset ut vivus dentata maledicentia mortales roderet, nisi etiam

scriptorum ejus

tituli conviciandi

invectivarum cudendarum
posteris innotesceret.

artificio

ilium apprime instructum fuisse

Qure tolerabilius ferenda forent, si praeterea se litium serendarum " in studiosissimum non prsebuisset quibus magnam vitse partem, cum Huberto Cantuariensi Archiepiscopo, pro Metropolitano Meneven:

sis Ecclesia3

5 ejus est celebre ."

jure consumpsit. Unde in Romanorum decretis nomen Ut non tenui aliqua litigandi scientia pre.ditus, sed
4

Pag. 260.
is

Warseus de Scriptoribus Hiberniae.

(p. 340, note

Vita ejus ubi supra.

b
,

Giraldus

frequently severe on the

suprii),

and that on both

vices of his clerical brethren, especially the

occasions he supported a long contest,

by

Welsh

" Sicutlaici

et populi WalliiB fures

sic et epis-

appeals to Rome, against the English King

et raptores erant

rerum aliarum,

and clergy
for

but there are strong reasons

copi Wallenses Ecclesiarum."

cra, vol.
ii.

p.

Anglia Sa" Nosse te novi 474. Again:

est et noto-

doubting whether he was influenced by

those motives of patriotism and uncompro-

quod notum in Wallia nimis rium, canonicos Menevenses

fere cunctos,

Thierry attributes to him.

place, Giraldus

mising hostility to English power which In the first

maxim^

vero Walensicos, publicos fornica-

began his career

in Wales,

sios et concubinarios esse

sub

alis Ecclesiae

by accepting from the Archbishop of Canterbury a sort of legatine powers to suppress certain peculiar

Cathedralis et
carias suas

tanquam

in ejus

gremio

fo-

cum

obstetricibus et nutricibus

Welsh usages

in the
ii.

atque cunabulis in laribus et penetralibus

exhibentes."
Ibid. p. 525.

diocese of St. David's (Anglia Sacra, vol.

p.

The same
" Vitiis radiIbid. p. 519.

vices were general

and inveterate in the

470); and by the exercise of this foreign power he excited against himself the Welsh
clergy and people
Ibid.

cathedral churches of

Wales

Again, after the

catis olim et quasi innatis."

d

election of 1178, instead of suffering per-

These contests are viewed in a very

secution and flying for protection to France,

for his opposition to the

different light

by other writers,

especially

by

English Court, as

Thierry, in his

Norman

Conquest.

Giral-

dus, in his opinion,

was a second

St.

Tho-

Thierry asserts, he merely retired to the University of Paris, to perfect himself in

his studies (ibid. p. 477),

mas of Canterbury, contending for the liberties of the Welsh Church and people against
the tyranny of England.
It is true that

and was on

his

return immediately appointed substitute for

his rival in the see of St. David's, witJi every

Giraldus was twice elected by the Canons

of St. David, namely, in

power except that which episcopal consecration confers

Ibid. p. 481.

1176 and

in

1198

On

the

CHAP. VI.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

343

when expelled from the society of " Stanihurst says that Giraldus was calumnious," and the very titles of his works evince a decided propensity to invective. For he wrote "The Triennials, lib. I.;" "On the Delinquencies of the Cistercians,
rivalled the virulence of Anacliarsis,

men.

lib. i.;"

"Answer

to

my

Adversaries,

lib.

I.

:" as if it
life,

were not enough

.

to glut his rapacious appetite for slander

during

without bequeath-

ing to posterity

monuments

of the scathing powers of his pen

Those

traits of character

might not be

so repulsive

had he not evin-

" The ced an extraordinary passion for litigation. greater part of his was spent in a controversy with Hubert, Archbishop of Canterlife
of the church of St. David'sd . bury, regarding the metropolitan rights Hence his name became notorious in Roman decretals." That man
second vacancy of that see in 1198, he

was
se-

to these

may, perhaps, be added another

effi-

again elected, but the election was contested

motive not more creditable, and more

cacious.

by the English party and Cnnvn.

Giraldus resigned his Archdea-

cond scrutiny took place in Normandy, in

conry, Avhich, by a preAaous compact, Avas to

which the Canons gave no votes for Giraldus, and this fact appears to have changed
entirely his

be conferred on his nephew, a child

;

who was

then

the Archbishop of Canterbury, at

views of Welsh patriotism and

For, finding that he

the request of Giraldus, having so arranged

church liberty.

had

the matter Avith the

vid's.

new Bishop

of St.

Dawas

no chance of success, after a long contest

6f five years defending his

Giraldus resigned, his nepheAV

own

election,

he

strongly advised the justiciaries not to al-

appointed Archdeacon of St. David's, and Prebend of Martru on the "

;

but,

petition

low any Welshman to be elected

posed tAvo

he pro;

Normans

as eligible candidates

and presentation of the nepheAV, the neAv Bishop confirmed to Master Giraldus the perpetual and free administration of the reve-

and Avhen the Canons of St. David privately

waited on him, and begged

him

to support

nues of both dignities."

Ibid.

p.

609.

one of several

Welshmen whom they

him

pro-

posed, he sternly refused, because they, the

Canons, had excluded

in

in the election

Normandy:
fecerant in

" Mevnor nominationis

quam
But

Thus the great contest for the dignity of Wales ended in a family settlement! It is a strange pen ersion of history to compare such a man to St. Thomas of Canterr

ipsi

Normannia a qua

tarn facile

seipsum excluserant."

Ibid. p. 607.

bury but Dr. Lynch is too severe in supposing that the contest for the metropolitan
;

this resolution Avas as brief as itAvas selfish.

rights of the see of St. David's, in

which

He

reconsidered

it,

and, reflecting that the

Giraldus engaged, Avas in

It

itself discreditable.

least

Welsh were not worth fighting for, that at he had had the satisfaction of defeating
his

was a good cause

in

bad hands. Giraldus

;

gives five reasons for his nepotism

:

but his

most

bitter enemies,

and that his

rival

" non absnephew afterwards deserted him

had

neA^er offended

him

personally, he Avith-

que nota infamise perpetual innaturalem

si-

drew his opposition

Ibid. p. 608.

But

mul

et

ingratum."

Ibid. p. 620.

344

CAMBBENSIS EVER3US.
sit,

[CAP. VI.

vitiligator exercitatissimus fuisse censendus

qui non raodo plures

vita?

annos indica

aliis

impingenda, sed etiam longius

tempus posuerit:

et cujus assiduitas in fatigandis tribunalibus

alta impressione tabulis publicis

non

levi delineatione, sed

mandata

fuit,

quo

testatius ad posteri-

Qua3 patentius hinc constant, quod ab uno emulo pro tribunal! devictus, in contentionem cum alio mox descenderit, Galfrido scilicet Lanthaniensi Priore, cui Menevensem Episcopatum,

tatem transmitteretur.

coram Innocentio

III.,

6 abripere totis viribus connixus est

sicuti priori congressu judiciali, sic etiam in hoc, causa cecidit.

Verum, Qua
acrius

profligatione
irritatus

tantum abest ut animum despondent, ut potius

fuerit 7 .

impetu simili Albinum Abbatem Baltinglassensem adortus Proculdubio nisi contentionibus mirifice caperetur, tot se liti-

bus, non irretiret,

quarum

illi

nulla ex animi sententia successit.

retulisse id
est,

Al|

binum

palmam argumento quod Episcopatum Fernensem ab ipso Giraldo repudiatum Rex Joannes in Albinum contulerit, qui ad tantam dignitatem institutoris sui adver6

in ilia disceptatione

'

Waraeus ubi supra.

Waraeus,

ibid. p.

118.
It is

f
-

Galfrid was the successful rival of Gip.

been, elect a strict disciplinarian?

raldus in the election of 1198

342,

certain that Giraldus closed the disputed

election of

note d , supra.

Thierry attributes the Pa-

1198 by a compromise which

pal decision in that case to the corruption

of the

secured to his

own nephew

the succession

Roman

Court

but Giraldus himself

of the Archdeaconry of St. David's (p. 342,

lays the principal blame on the treachery

note

d
,

supra), though he denounces those

and dishonesty of the Canons of St. David, whom he describes in very dark colors.
Anglia Sacra,
569, 585.
vol. ii

family successions as one of the inveterate

pp. 554, 560, 566,

and flagrant abuses of the Welsh Church. If Giraldus could thus practice what he denounced, and be ardently supported in two
elections

Yet,

when

Galfrid

was dying,
time
to

those Canons promised a third

elect Giraldus, if

by wicked Canons, whom he had

superior,

he would engage not to Ibid. punish their vices, but he refused b p. 52 1, note supra. Now whether such a
,

ruled as

were there not other

reasons for the Papal decision against Ins

promotion to a bishopric than the English

stipulation
refused, if

would be deemed necessary, or made, the reader may infer from

gold on which M. Thierry

is

so elo-

quent ?
{

the fact, that Giraldus had governed St.

This word appears to insinuate that

David's as Archdeacon before 1176, and as

Giraldus was engaged in a judicial controversy with Albin O'Mulloy; but such
the
in
fact.
is

Vicar Apostolic before 1198

and

yet,

on

not

both these occasions, the Canons had elected

It was

a dispute in a council held

him

to the see.

Would men

as he describes those Canons to

so depraved have always

Dublin under Archbishop Comin in 1 186; Albin attributing most of the disorders of

CHAP. VI.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

345

tyro, but a most consummate adept fcfcthe spent not only many years, but his whole life, in assailing the character of others, and whose incessant appeals to the public tribunals engraved his name in no fleeting characters, but

must have been no ordinary

litigation,

by-ways of

who

in

nacity.

adamantine incisions on the public records, to immortalize his pugA palpable proof of this temper is found in the fact, that he

had scarcely time to breathe after his unsuccessful controversy with his former antagonist, when we find him at war with Galfrid", Prior of Lanthony, whose right to the bishopric of St. David's he contested before Innocent III. But this battle was, like the preceding, unsuccessful. Not
f discouraged, but irritated by his bad success, he makes a similar assault on Albin, Abbot of Baltinglass. Could anything but an unnatural love

man to plunge into so many unsuccessful controgood reason to believe that he was defeated by Albin, who, on Giraldus's refusal^, was nominated by King John to the bishopric of Ferns, a dignity which the King would not confer on the adversary
of discord induce a

versies?

There

is

the Irish Church, tinence of

and

especially the incon-

" Volo."

Ibid.

But Giraldus himself

for declining

is

some

priests, to the evil

example
the

the only authority for those proffered honors.

of the foreign clergy

who accompanied

His reasons

them are

invaders. Giraldus attempted to reply next

contradictory.

He was

too young, he says,

day.
s After refusing Ferns,

he was

offered,

when some were offered (though he waa only thirty when he would accept St. Da" were vid's) ; others poor sees, and inter barbaros ;" (St. David's was paupercula) ; he would not accept the Irish sees, because he knew the Irish would never voluntarily
elect

he says, Ferns and Leighlin united

Ges.
that
c.

Reb.

xiii.

In his old age he boasted

he was offered three Irish bishoprics

the see of Lincoln, a Cardinal's hat,

and one archbishopric, two Welsh bishoprics,

and even his

surrender
its
ii.

own

St. David's, if

he would

force a

a foreigner; (he had endeavoured to Norman bishop on his own country-

Sacra, vol.
says,

metropolitan rights Anglia " pp. 614, 615. Dudum," he

men, the Welsh, who were equally opposed to foreigners ) ; finally, elections were in
those days mere court intrigues, without
ecclesiastical liberty,

" inter alios cornutus incedere potui."

fool often

court

amused the
:

courtiers

any

and he could not

;

at his

expense by asking him

" Master

sanction

them by

his acceptance

Giraldus, will

Nolo.
lin ?

you accept the see of Ferns ? Of Ossory ?_Nolo. Of Leigh-

he invariably flattered

all living kings,

:

(though and

Nolo.

The Archbishopric

of Cashel ?

maligned them when dead) and if he, a Welshman, could obtain two Welsh mitres,

see

Nolo." But, in the end, he added, " "

of St. David's ?

The

why
p.

and immediately

did he say he was excluded from St. David's because he was a Welshman ?

shouted out, amid roars of general laughter,

340, note

b
,

supra.

346
sarkHh non eveheret,
si

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
non eum Giraldo jure

[CAP. VI.

obstitisse sentiret.

Itaque

non immerito Giraldus quern tot ambivit sudoribus Episcopatum non " esse exambivit. Episcopum enim Apostolus " litigiosum 8 vetat, et
Evangelista docet:

"ut

ei

qui vult tecum in judicio contendere, et tuniei et

9

cam tuam

tollere,

ut dimittas

pallium

."

Cujus

rei,

non modo

theologiaB candidatum, sed apprime gnarum, ignarum fuisse quis credat ? Verum ad ariolationes animum adjungere, quam in theologorum

illis,

[43]

Merlini enim divinationes ita deperiit, ut ab " Historic vaticinalis " nomen suis de Hibernian expugnatee libris " Merlini vaticinia tarn Caledonii 10 se indidisse glorietur ; utpote quibus quam Ambrosii locis compatentibus pro ut res exigebat inseruit." Et Giraldus ibidem effusius in Merlini laudes excurrens subdit. " Nonsubselliis versari maluit.
|

Caledonius Britannicam exutus barbariem, usque ad haec nostra tempora latuit parum agnitus. Nostrse videbatur interesse diligentige,

dum Merlinus

jam ipsum ab

antiquis, et oecultis scrutabunda inquisitione

latebris,

ut pulchrius elucescat, in
si

tenebris in lucem transferre.

videri debet,
id

commune deducere, et ab ignorantise Non indecens enim, non incongruum

et prsescientiam

unde autlioritatem

necnon

et vatici-

nale

nomen sortitur historia,

12

id ipsi statim continuetur histories 11 ." Certe

alibi, asserit

" Henrico II.Topographiam, filio ejus vaticinalem historiara, dedicasse ," ut multo malle videatur lucubrationem suam vaticinalis his-

quam Hibernia3 expugnata? insigniri. Testimonio scilicet narrationum suarum e Merlini trypode, si diis placet, deprompto, laudes
toric nomine,
8

Ad

Timoth.
32.

c. iii.

Mat,

c.

v. ver. 40.

10

Ussher, Sylloge, p. 11G.

"

Hib. Expug.

lib. ii. c.

12

Praefatio Itincrarii Cambriae.

h
is

A better proof of the defeat of Giraldus

own
admission of the most heavy

" to be pointed pleasant," he says,

at,

and

his

hear

men

say, 'that is he.'"

His right

charges.

He

could not accuse the native

wing
of St.

Avas a pure intention,

and the honor

applause
!

Irish clergy of incontinency.

He

accused

David

his left,

human

them

of drinking.

Felix O'Dullany, Bi-

" Laus et gloria

ter

quam etiam
ii.

in terris prop-

shop of Ossory, when asked by the Archbishop of Dublin what he thought of Giralmultum dus's answered "
discourse,
:

hunc tarn nobilem ausum aggressura."

vol.
p.

Anglia Sac.
k

559.

Quia

Chaps,

vi.

and

ix. of

White's Apologia

boni maladixit; vocavit nos potores

certe

are on the superstitions of Giraldus.

The

vix

me

continui quod statim in ipsum noil

learned editor of the Anglia Sacra passes

this severe,

involavi."

Ang. Sac.
tells

vol.

ii.

p.

489.

'Giraldus
tained

the motives that sus-

subject:

but just judgment on the same " Certe dissimulari nequit Giralalias sapientissimuni somniis,

him

in his long contests.

"

It

was

dum virum

CHAP. VI.]
of his tutor, if

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
.

347

Albin had not justice on his sideh Giraldus, by judgment, never obtained the see which had been the grand object of The Apostle tells us that a bishop must not be " quarrelhis toils'. " That if a man will contend with some;" and the Evangelist teaches,
coat, let go thy cloak also unto Giraldus a tyro in theology? or, if he were a learned divine, could he be ignorant of these simple truths ?

thee in

judgment, and take away thy

him."

Was

But divination was

a far

attention to the lectures of divines k .

more agreeable study for Giraldus, than Such an ascendancy had Merlin

acquired over his mind, that he entitled his

of Ireland

work on " The Conquest

" a " Prophetic History,'' from the prophecies of Merlin, the " which he introduced into that Caledonian, and of Ambrosius, history in their proper places, according to the nature of the events ." Giral1

dus, in the
his favorite.

same

not

put away

on the merits of " Merlin the Caledonian had time," he says, his barbarous British dress, but slumbered in obscurity
place, indulges in a lavish panegyric

"Before

my

unknown to the world. It appeared a fair field for my industry employ the most patient investigation to draw him from his old and obscure retreats, and present him to the public in freshened beauty, and
almost
to

transfer
it

him from the darkness

of oblivion to the light of day.

For

was neither unbecoming nor incongruous that a work which imparted authority, and a prophetic character, and even its prophetic title to

be given to the world as a sort of continuation to In another place he writes that he completed his history." Topography in three years, and dedicated it to Henry II. ; but the " " he Prophetic History completed in two, and dedicated to John, whence it is evident that the " Prophetic History" was a title more in accordance with Giraldus's taste than " The of Ireland."

my

history, should

that

Conquest

He

wished, in fact, to raise the character and confirm the authority of his

vaticiniis et visionibus

nimium
a se

tribuisse.

'

In the

first

edition of the Vaiicinalis

Somnia sua in

historiis

editis ssepius

Historia, -which

was

in three books, the

commemoravit, amplam visionum farraginera in fine historian de Rebus a se gestis

'
'

quotations from Merlin were very nunierous.

to

But, in the second edition, dedicated

exhihuit et Sylvestris Merlini vaticinia sen

potius deliria

suramo studio conquisita Lapassim

intextiit."

in two books, almost all were " suppressed, with other things, quaj reli-

King John,

tine vertit et scriptis suis

genti
vol.

minus placuerunt."
p. 21.

Anylia Sac.

Frtef. vol.

ii.

p.

xx.

ii.

348

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VI.

historige suae aucupari, et fidem conciliare nititur.

Imo quanto

acrius

instat veritatem hinc dictis suis accersere, tanto longius a se illam arcet. Quid enira ab incubi filio, nisi vanum, inane, ac veri expers proficisci

potest? historiam profecto, quae hujusmodi fulchro nititur, corruere necesse est. Nee portendi potest alius eventus operi, cujus fundamentum proles a patre mendacii genitajecit, quam ruina; et fabrica ad hu-

jusmodi Lesbiam extructa non distorta esse non potest. Inauspicato igitur Cambrensis e canali fontis mendacii toxico
ecti exordia

in-

narrationum hausit:
esse pro

cum

fontis
sit.

venenum ad

rivulos inde

fluentes

manaturum

comperto

rum

irrisionibus, conviciis, et execrationibus excipiuntur.

Merlini enim libri plurimoIn librorum

ininus

Nihiloprohibitorum indice, a Catholicorum lectione proscribuntur. ille non modo Catholicus, sed etiam non vulgaris, eos theologus

manibus
serto

terere, ac
iis

amplexu favere non

,

destitit.

Nam

sententiarum

ex

distinxit

tamquam flosculis contexto 13 quam contaminavit easque

si

varies operis sui locos non tarn " in sensus interpretationibus

alienos crebro detortis excolere tentavit,

honore libros

afficiens,

quos

flammis abolere debebat,

Proinde pcenas incendii, quas Merlini libris avertit, in suos transferri debere quis inficiabitur? e quibus

luisset, quam eorum vestigiis insistere, qui lerunt libros, et combusserunt coram omnibus 14."

non arbitratu suo prgecipitem se ferri ma" curiosa sectati contu-

nimirum eodem tabo sparsim illitis contagionem serpturam quis non videt? longe faelicior Cambrensi Magus ille fuit.a Sancto Augustino ad bonam frugem revocatus, "qui portabat codices

incendendos, per quos fuerat incendendus: ut illis in ignem missis, 15 ipse in refrigerium transeat ." Nee suis tantum libris Giraldo, sed

etiam cuti timendum

fuit,

si

nascendi sortem sub Vitellio Imperatore

libros prosecutus fuisse deprehen-

nactus tanta veneratione

deretur.
i3

Magorum
37
lib.
ii.

Vitellius
i.

enim " nullis

cc. 3, 32,
;

infensior fuit
cc. 17, 26.

quam
Act.
c.

divinaculis, et
xix. v. 19.

Hib. Expug. lib. Psal. Ixi. sub finem.

ID

Ad

White

criticises the

form in which
:

cunt

the passages from Merlin are introduced

tune adimpletum est quod dictum ut per Hierimiam Prophetam ut adimplere'

'

" Tanti vero Merlinum

ad conciliandam fidem
scriptis auctoritatem,
et

facit

Gyraldus, ut

tur

quod dixit
' '

Isaias,' etc. etc.

Sic crebro

et

majorem

suis

Giraldus
vel
lirii

tune adimpletum est vaticinium'

etc.
'

passim utatur stylo forma locutionis Evangelistarum Christi

Scriptorum

completa est prophetia,'

Mer-

dicentis,' etc. etc."

Apologia,

c. vi.

et sacrortim aliorum

cum

di-

"

The works

of Giraldus should, accord-

CHAP. VI.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
less

349

history,
lin
1

by the testimony of no

an oracle than the tripod of Mer-

but the more vehemently he insists on such an authority, the For what could be expected from the greater our contempt for him.
!

"

son of

stand

which

an incubus but deception, vanity, and lies ? Can the history rests on such an oracle? What but hopeless failure can
of

work, planned under the inspiration of an imp begotten lies ? What but deformity could be expected in the superstructure dedicated to such a Lesbia?
be the lot of a
Df the father

Giraldus's authorities are

fountain infected with the poison of lies. taint of the fountain from which it springs.

drawn from an inauspicious source, a The river must retain the

Now Merlin's
11

books have

been objects of general ridicule, contempt, and execration. They are the Index of works forbidden to Catholics ; and yet he, not only a Catholic, but a respectable theologian, did not hesitate to pore over

and give them the authority of his name. Many pasI will not say ornamented, but denied with an ill-odored wreath of extracts culled from Merlin, which he has
their contents,

sages in his

works are

strained his ingenuity to distort,

by "interpretations," into wrong has thus labored to give respectability to works which he should rather have consigned to the flames, had he not preferred indulging the rash propensities of his own judgment to the example of
meanings.

He

those

who had "followed

books and burned

them before all."

curious arts, [but] brought together their If he saved Merlin from the flames,

ought not his own books be consigned to the fire? Is the poison innocuous because Giraldus's pages are impregnated with it? It were well for him that he had followed the example of the magician who was con-

by St. Augustin, "and who brought those books to be burned, which would have burned himself, that by committing them to the
verted
fire,

he might secure a place of rest for himself !" It was fortunate for Giraldus that he did not live in the reign of Vitellius. It is not his
books only, but his life that would be in danger, had he evinced such partiality for the sorceries of magicians ; for Vitellius bore so mortal a
hatred to soothsayers and mathematicians, that not one of them,
ing to White,

when

have shared the same fate. " Hae non postremae sunt causse Cam!

sacrse Inquisitionis in Italia aut Hispania, notandos in carbone nigro, et nominandos

ber,
si

cur

dudum

ante dixerim, libros tuos,

in catalogo
tionis."

Scriptorum
c. vi.

damnandse

lee-

aliquando inciderint in

manus

et

examen

Apologia,

350
mathematicis
:

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[C\i'. VI.

Quod

si

ut quisque deferretur in auditum capite puniebat 16 ." capitis poena perterrere, aut a susceptu semel sententia Giral-

dum

abducere non potuit; saltern divini numinis oracula pellicere ad sanitatera debuerunt, quae pronunciant, " ut anima quae declinaverit ad
17 Prasterea jubent, "ut non invemagos, et areolos" morte moriatur niatur in te qui Pythones ac divinos consulat 18." Regia dignitas imSauli, aut Ochosiae non peperit, qtiin ille Pythonissaa consulpuuitatem
.

tse

19 20 poenas cede hie aditi Belzebubi morte dederit.

Ista vero hominis

temporibus, tincti cognitionem subterfugisse, aut memoria excidisse demiror. Sane " finis alterius mali gradus est futuri 21 ." Giraldi animus divitheologia
leviter,

non

pro

illis

nationibus semel imbutus

facili

lapsu ad somniorum deliria

desiliit,

amoribus habebat, ut in iis enarrandis, et verbosiori explicatione prosequendis, ac ad commentitios sensus attrahendis longos
sic in
22 logos pluries instituerit , et profana sua, aliorumque somnia, "visionum" nomine insigniverit: voces sacras rebus profanis sic

qui somnia

non veritus

ut qua? a corporeis, aut

sic disputaverit,

tartaraeis

admoverej etiam causis insomnia

proficisci poterant, e caelo delapsa fuisse viderentur.

Qui

prasterea de

ut in earn sententiam procliviorem se praabuerit, quae pro somniorum veritate facit, " nam pra3sumptionis humanaa morem esse affirmat somniis non terreri 23 ;" fratrem Wnlterum
[44]
|

insomniorum sensu

niis

objurgans quod somnio monitus pugna non abstinuerit, pluribus someventum sortitis in medium prolatis, unum duntaxat enarrans spesuccesses expers
simplici

rati

stabilire:,

ut congestis exemplis somniorum veritatem tantum a contra sentientium parte producto, horum
:

" sententiam debilitare, illorum corroborare velle videretur. Sibi," " sicut enim, rumoribus, sic et somniis credi oportere, et non oportere

visum

esse dixit24."

Contrarium profecto e sacra scriptura debuit haurire, cujus verba

16

Suet. c. xiv.
c.
i.

17
21
i,

Levit.

c.

xx.
22

20
23

4 Eegum,

Hib. Expug.

lib.

Seneca. a* c. 41.

18 Deuteron. c. xviii. 19 1 Regum, cap. xxviii. Hib. Expug. lib. i. cc. 39, 40, 41 lib. ii. cc. 29, 35.
;

Ubi supra.
hac temporis miseria et crucis Christi contumelia mihi miserrimo, mini minimo et

He
full

gives, with great complacency, a

account of his

own visions,

nearly thirty

in

phy.

number, at the close of his autobiograWhite remarks: " Plenus fiducia

tamen a Domino
ille

in

hac visione

visitato,

revelavit qui abscondit a sapientibus

:

nobis narras et ais 'visionem

quam

super

quas revelat parvulis

'unde

tibi

O! bone

CHAP. VI.]

CAMBKENSIS EVERSUS.

351

brought before the tribunals, ever escaped with his head." But though the terrors of the scaffold could not exorcise Giraldus's propensity, the
oracles of

that
die

God himself ought to have reclaimed him. They announce " the soul which turneth away to soothsayers or magicians shall one that and " neither let there be found the death
;"

among you any

Their royal dignity consulteth Pythonic spirits, or fortune-tellers." itself could not secure impunity for Saul or Ochozias ; the former consulted the Pythoness
died.

and was

slain

the latter turned to Beelzebub, and

It is truly astonishing

how

a man,

who was

a respectable theolo-

gian in his day, could

have forgotten those things. But " the end of one evil is a step to another."
dreams.

Once entangled

in

the mazes of divination, Giraldus,

in the interpretation of

by a natural transition, lost his head To such a degree of infatuation was

he carried that he often spun out interminable dissertations in relating and diffusely commenting on dreams, and twisting and accommodating

them to imaginary interpretations. " Visions" was the respectable denomination under which he introduced the profane dreams of others
and his

own

to the public

applying a sacred
arose

word

to a profane thing; as if all the reveries

he was not shocked at the profanation of which

have

all

from bodily indisposition, or the murky suggestions of hell, should In his dissertation on descended straight down from heaven.

truth.

dreams, he inclines strongly to the opinion of those who maintain their " that " It is preonly the presumption of man," he affirms,

vents
his

them from being terrified by dreams." This he said in reproving brother Walter for having engaged in a battle contrary to a warning received in a dream. He cites, moreover, a great number of dreams,
which had been
wishing
the
its

fulfilled,

and gives only one instance of a

false

dream,

by all these examples to establish a belief in dreams, and weaken opposite opinion, which he merely states, without any argument in
"

defence.

Dreams," he

says,

" like rumors, are things of such a

nature, that they are to be at times believed and disbelieved." This opinion, he ought to have known, was contrary to the order
persuades

visitusse te,

Dominum quando ita somniabas verius quam te deceptum esse

fuisse,

tisque alta ilia scilicet et Christiana de-~

missione estimas,
' '

recensendum non inter

iicendo,

non inane somniantis ludibrium

sed vocem visionenique

sapientes

a quibus Deus abscondet sua

' '

nocturnum
livinam.

secreta, sed inter

parvulos

quibus

ilia re-

Et

te oro,

multa moclestia, men-

serat et revelabit."

Apologia,

c. ix.

352
sunt:

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VI.
25

"Non
:

augurabimini, nee observabitis somnia

."

Additque Ec-

"Somnia extollunt imprudentes, nam multos errare fecerunt somnia, et exciderunt sperantes in illis. Imo captanti umbras,
clesiasticus
26 similis est qui fidem habet somniis ;" ut jam cernatur Cambrensis inani opera desudare, cum somniorum suscipit patrocinium. Uberem ac luculentam orationem fontes unde somnia ma-

ventumque persequenti

nant aperientem

S.

nonnunquam

solet

multa vera

Greg, hoc lemmate clausit:*"In somniis Diabolus praedicere, ut ad extremum valeat ani27 falsitate laqueare ."

mam

ex una aliqua

Quod

si

soluta oratione non

:

flectatur, alterius Gregorii stricta

"

mulceatur dicentis 28

Ne

soraniorum ludicis nimis fidem

te terreant,
;

Accomodaris, cuncta ne

Nee

laeta

rursura visa te tollant nimis

Laqueos frequenter hos parat daemon

.

tibi."

Imo Seneca
edoctus,

Christiana? fidei luce

ait,

non perfusus, sed ab

ipsa natura

"futuri pessimus author 29 ." Studia enim, quse dormientibus obversantur, teste Claudiano30 vigilantes persequinmr,

"

somnus,"

"

Omnia

quse sensu volvuntur vota diurno

Pectore sopito reddit arnica quies.

Venator defessa toro cum membra deponit Mens tamen ad silvas, et sua lustra redit.
Judicibus
lites,

aurigae somnia curfus,

equis.
;

Vanaque nocturnis meta canetur

Furto guadet amans, permutat navita merces Et vigil elapsas quasrit avarus opes.

Blandaque largitur frustra

sitientibus aegris

Irriguus gelido pocula fonte sopor."

Sibi profecto Giraldus persuadere videtur superos e caelo demissos dormienti vel futura praenuntiasse, vel prsesentia indicasse: nimirum eo se loco apud Deum esse arbitratus est, quo fuere, in Veteri Testailli

mento, Jacob, Joseph

31
,

et

Salomon32

in

novo Josephus 33

quibus

se

Deus visendum

praabuit, futuraque gratiose aperuit.

Defaacatos ho-

mines, et delicto vacuos ea gratia prosequi Deus plerumque consuevitJ Sopore autem alto in mollibus culcitris sternentes sic invisere non es1
37 Lib. iv. Dial. c. 48. 25 Levit. c. xix. ^ Cap. xxxiv. Versio Tuguri ibidem. 29 Hercules furens. 30 Nazianzenus in Tetrastrichis. Praefatio, lib. iii. de raptu Prosi

28

serpinse.

Genesis, cc. xxviii. xxxvii.

32

Regum.

c. iii.

33

Matt.

cc.

i.

ii.

CHAP. VI.]
of Scripture, not

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
to consult

353

Ecclesiasticus adds:

"Dreams

And soothsayers nor observe dreams. lift up fools ; for dreams have deceived

many, and they have failed that put their trust in them ; the man that giveth heed to lying visions is like to him that catcheth at a shadow, and
followeth after the wind."

Giraldus, therefore, has laboured in vain,

when he endeavoured
lowing lucid

to support the authority of dreams.

The

fol-

and pithy sentence of St. Gregory discloses, summarily, the source whence dreams proceed: "The devil is sometimes in the

habit of foretelling

many

true events in dreams, that, in the end, he

may succeed by ensnaring a soul in one falsehood." But if Giraldus be impregnable by prose, perhaps he may be softened by the poetry of
another Gregory:
" Give to deluding dreams no credence vain,

Unmoved by omens,
From

or

of- joy

or pain

Preserve thy peace, by reason's calm control,

wiles Satanic planned to snare thy soul."

,Iven Seneca
the future."

himself,

knew, by the aid of reason

sent themselves to

though never enlightened by the true faith, ** a dream is the worst prophet of itself, that

For the occupations which engage us during the day preour fancy during sleep, according toClaudian:
" The cares that vex by day the

human

breast,

Disturb at night the sleeper's balmy

rest.
lies,

The wearied sportsman locked in slumber But woods and coverts to his'vision rise.
Judges dream law, and charioteers a goal, Where airy cars with speed impetuous roll
Lovers haunt shades
;

merchants exchange their wares

their

And waking

misers

mourn

dreaming

cares.

Delirious dreams to thirsting patients bring

The welcome beverage from some

fancied spring."

No doubt

Giraldus persuaded himself that ambassadors from above

waited on him, with full information regarding all things present and future. He imagined that, in the eye of God, he was as a Jacob, or Joseph,
)r Solomon, in the Old Testament, or as a Joseph in the New ; to 3od graciously revealed himself, and unveiled the secrets of

whom

futurity.

Such favors
las

God

has often conceded to mortified and saintly men, but

He

ever paid such visits to mortals

wrapped

in deep sleep,

and

2 A

354

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP.

VI.'

nisi e

Deo solemne. Nee video quomodo se Giraldus, campo Elysio sua somnia accerserit, ubi
" Sunt geminse somni
portse,

lionore integro tuebitur,

quarum

altera fertur
;

Cornua, qua veris facilis datur exitus urabris Altera candenti perfecta nitens elephanto

Sed

falsa

ad ccelum mittunt insomnia manes."

Non
raldum

dubito quin hac eburnea porta Giraldi somniis ab Elysio egres-

sus patuerit.

Ut

videas

summa

temeritate, ac extrema pertinacia Gi-

laborasse, qui sententiam sacris literis, patribus, et naturalis

discipline oraculis adversantem amplexus est. Verum hujusmodi temeritatis, ac pertinacise macula,

ille

a csetera

Sicut enim| superstitionis disciplina imbibenda coerceri non potuit. unda supervenit tmdae, et alii fluctus post alium succedunt: sic ille

superstitionum artibus jam affatim imbutus, aviditate captus est inl adyta penetrandi, et ad somniorum scientiam auguriorum cognitionem
;

adjungendi.
[45]

Sed ceptum tarn irrito eventu clausit, quam temerario| "Non multo," inqiiit, "vel biennio ante adventum ausu suscepit.
|

Anglorum apud Carlenfordiam in Ultonia, piscis inventus est

tres dentes

aureos habens, quinquaginta unciarum pondus continentes ; anrea forte

imminentis, et proxime futurse conquisitionis tempora prassagientes ." Clitellas bovi adaptat, qui tarn alienam interpretationem huic prodigic
affingit.

34

non potest

Si quid enim Hibernige incolis, aut Ecclesia? Dei portendit, si praBsagiorum veritatem evenesse, nisi funestum omen
:

tuum

sestimatione metiri licet.

Nam

Hiberni multa patria3 parte mulIllud Giraldus passim asserit;

tati sunt, et Ecclesia

fade deformata

est.

hoc enucleatius exaggerat: ita ut prima ilia Anglorum in Hibernia grassantium tempora non aurea sed ferrea fuerint, quibus ferro ubique insultatum est. Sed audiamus quam de oppressa Ecclesia ipse querelam " miser in insula instituit: " Mendicat," inquit, Clerus, lugent Ecclesia
vote collatis spoliata3
35

Cathedrales, terris suis et pra3diis amplis quondam sibi fideliter et deet sic Ecclesiam exaltare versum est in Ecclesiam
:

spoliare

."
31

Top.

dist.

ii.

c.

10.

35

Prooemium. 2 d!e

editionis

Hib? Expug?
Dr. Lynch frequently
in-

'

An

interesting

and instructive

parallel

teenth centuries.

might be drawn between the spoliation of the Irish Church in the twelfth and six-

veighs against the sacrilegious

robberies!

committed by the

first

invaders.

CHAI-. VI.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

355

of the snoring comfortably on soft beds of down ? If the dreamy spirits do not come to the rescue, I fear Giraldus's laurels are Elysian plains
blasted
:

"

Two
Of

gates the silent house of sleep adorn

polished ivory this,

that of transparent horn

arise
lies."
;

True visions through transparent horn

Through polished ivory pass deluding

ds ivory gate of Elysium, I

am
this

sure,

saw many a dream

flitting

up

to Giraldus.

His opinions on

matter were extremely rash and

extremely obstinate, opposed alike to Scripture, to the Fathers, and to the dictates of natural reason.

raldus from patronizing other branches of superstition.

But such censures on rashness and pertinacity could not deter GiAs wave presses

wave, rolling successively over each other, so, when he had once tasted the illicit sweets of superstition, he is urged by an insatiable passion to

plunge deeper in the black art, and complete his knowledge of dreams by the kindred science of augury. But the result of his project was as
unsatisfactory as its conception
writes,

had been temerarious. " Not long," he "or about two years before the descent of the English, a fish was found near Carlingford, in Ulster, which had three golden teeth, of
of the golden days of the fifty ounces weight an omen, perhaps, Such an interpretation of the impending and approaching conquest."

about

prodigy

is

setting a saddle

on a bull in the best

style.

Had it portended

anything to the inhabitants of Ireland, or the Church of God, it must have portented evil, if the character of this omen is to be tested by
the voice of history, for the
Irish

Church was shockingly deformed, and the

were robbed of a large portion of their country. These facts Giraldus himself admits, the former frequently, the latter in all its
vivid details; so that,

out of his

own mouth,

those

first

days of the

English robbers in Ireland were an age, not of gold but of iron, when the sword hewed down everything in its path. Listen to his own pathetic

plaint on the sorrows of the

;

Church:

"The

clergy of this island

ire

beggared the cathedral churches mourn, despoiled of their ample lands and domains, the gift of the confiding and tender piety of former
lays.

Thus has the

1

exaltation of the

Church ended

in the spoliation of

:he

Church" ."
2 A 2

356

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
errat.

[CAP. VI.

Creterum in facti narratione Giraldus tota via

Etenim

retro-

acta pridem tempora ad propriora revocat, ut e propinquo in promptu habeat, quod in subsidium erroris prompte adducat: at ecce rectam

monstro viam.

Non

binis annis, sed plus

Fiaclib

quam

quadringentis, ante

Dubhdrochet, Aicti Ronii filio Ultonias Rege, balena magnae molis marine acstu, in Ulidiam conjectus, ad terram impegit, tribus aureis dentibus dives, quorum unum Fiachus
turn in Ferso, et Monidiano amnibus ponte jungendis implicitus, opifiei fabricam elaboranti, pro impensa opera, elargitus duos alios ad ope;

Hiberniam ab Anglis aditam,

rimentum

conficiendum, quibus juramenti religione finium illoram incolae obstringere se solebant, contulit. Fiachus ille agnomen
reliquiis

Buidrochet a struendis pontibus sortitus (drocliet enim perinde est ae pons) nimirum in pontibus extruendis non modicam pietatem antiqui
:

eollocabant, et ad

Pontificos adhibebant; ita ut a pontibus faciendis, Pontifices

suum

sortitos
ut,'

mus, adeo

eorum fabricam inchoandam solemnes quosdam ritus nomen Fuit etiam aequi observantissifuisse Yarro scripserit. ob bovem unam in ipsius ditione furto sublatam (quia

authorem pro flagitii atrocitate non animadversum est) ad Bencliorense monasterium suscepta, illius delicti peregrinatione
fortasse in furti

paenas a se ultro exegerit.

caslitus emisisse

Ut perspicuum

sit

Deum

largitionem illam

ad sumptus Principi non juxta fortasse nummato, ac pio subministrandos, et reliquias tanta veneratione incolarum illius ditionis cultas accomodato ornamento decorandas, potius quam ad prse-

sagiendum, tanto ante tempore, Anglorum in Hiberniam adventum.

illius

Tigernacus autem, qui vivere desiit anno post Virginis partum 1088, ca3ti dentibus aureis insigniti appulsum ad annum 743 refert,

tisse;

addit singulos dentes ad libellam pensos e quinquaginta unciis consti unumque diu post, in principe monasterii Banchorensis ara visen-

dum

prosti tisse.

In loculam forsitan

ille

dens efformatus

est, in

quo

reliquias

memoratae recondebantur.

Itaque
tus

cum

in hoc Giraldi

augurum

scita

omine nullum pondus insit, eum peniperscrutantem persequamur, ut videamus si meliori

"

" plerumque Lupi," inquit, in Decembri catulos habent, proditionis, et rapina? incommoda, qua:
ocstro correptus oracula veriora fundat.

J)ra3mature hie (in Hiberniaj pullulant, designantes"."

36

Non

e trypodfj

O'Duveganus,

p. 67.

37

Top.

dist.

ii.

cap. 26.

CHAP. VI.]

CAMBHENSIS EVEKSUS.
fact,

357

But, on the matter of

Giraldus

is

egregiously mistaken. Events

which had occurred many centuries ago he brings near his own fime,

might conveniently corroborate his false statement. Not two, but more than 400 years the case really stands. before the English invasion, and while Fiacha Dubhdrochtech, the son of
that the proximity
TJiis is

how

Ixonius, was King of Ulster, an enormous whale was drifted along by the tide, and cast up on the shore in Ulster. It had three teeth of of which was given by Fiacha as wages to some men whom he gold, one

Aid

had employed in erecting a bridge over the rivers Fersus and Mouidamh ; the other two were presented to the church to make a reliquary-case,
on which the inhabitants of that country were accustomed to purge or Fiacha got his surname " Dub-bpoiccec," bind themselves by oath. from building bridges (for Dpochec means a bridge), the ancients having
regarded the erection of a bridge as a meritorious act of religion, and
instituted certain solemn pontifical rites to inaugurate the laying of the

foundation stone ; hence,

if

we

believe Yarro, pontiffs were so called

from building bridges.

tice,

Fiacha, moreover, was so ardent a lover of justhat an ox having been stolen within his territory, he made a
.

monastery of Bangor, and voluntarily expiated in his own person the penalty of that crime, probably because the robber had Was the whale then eluded or not satisfied the vengeance of the law.
pilgrimage to the
an

omen

of a far distant event

not an evident present sent from

and the English invasion of Ireland Heaven to a prince whose resources,

perhaps, were not equal to his piety, to enable him to cover his expenditure, and decorate with a suitable shrine relics so highly revered by
the inhabitants of that country ? Tigernach, who died about the year 1088, states that this whale with the golden teeth was cast on shore in
the year 743,

and that each of the

teeth,

when

tested in the scales,

weighed fifty ounces. One of them, he adds, was for a long time after to be seen on the great altar of the monastery of Bangor. Perhaps it
had been cast into a shrine containing the aforesaid
relics.

Having seen what

Giraldus, let us

slight importance

now

follow

of the craft, to ascertain

augury of more profound mysteries whether no truer oracle issued from him under
is

due to

this first

him

into the

still

the access of the

Pythonic

spirit:

" It

is

in

December," he

says,

" that

wolves generally bring forth their cubs in Ireland, an

rors of treachery

omen

of the hor-

and rapine, which pullulate precociously here." Where

358
ista

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
Giraldus sed Apolline everso
effusit.

[CAP. VI.
co-

Ex quacunque nimirum

gitatione illius

animum

subeunte, infamise Hibernis comparandae ansam

arripere consuevit,

minime recolens non e quolibet ligno (ut aiunt) Mercuriuni fingi, nee e qualibet accusatione condemnationem gigni. Si
fallat opinio

me mea non

intempestivo

illo

luporum partu, Anglorum

saevitia approditio et rapina; qui pro

aggredientium Hiberniam, et per omnia ferro grassantium

posite denotatur, magis
vita, focis, liberis, et

quam Hibernorum

opem
[46]

conjugibus contra grassatores, et patrise proditori ferentes armis decertabant, ut proditionis, et rapinas probrum in Anglos potiori jure, quam in Hibernos quadraverit. Angli enim Der|

micium Murchardidem, quern Giraldus fatetur, u fuisse nobilium oppressorem, humilium erectorem, infestum suis, exosum alienis, omnibus
flagitiis

et principatus jacturam pro! meritum, non solum justa paena exemerunt, sed alienarum etiam! ditionum accessione potestatem ejus per nefas amplificarunt, et summo
1

38 denique contrarium ," suppetiis juverunt,

furore per Hiberniam debacchati, agros vastarunt, urbes diripuerunt, ac tectis faces subjecerunt; quod Giraldus cum passim, toto opere prse
se fert, turn prascipue

quando queritur

" tarn novam tamque cruentam

conquisitionem plurima sanguinis effusione, et Christianas gentis inte39 remptione faedatam fuisse ." Quod si tantum in eos, quos Anglis hostes
Giraldus
tuit
:

effinxit,

furor se

Anglorum

exercuerit, moderatius ferri po-

rum

sed ut palam rapinaa convincerentur, rapaces manus ab Hibernosibi opitulantium bonis non modo non coercuerunt ; imo vero

Giraldo asserente, "terras Hiberniensium, qui a primis Stephanidse, " quam Comitis adventibus, nobiscum fideliter steterunt, vestris (suos
40 Ut jam liqueat in quos alloquitur) "contra promissa contulistis ." proditionis ac rapinae crimina conferri debeant, et quibus luporum

alieno tempore fsetus edentium pronosticon accommodari.

Nee bilem

cui moveat

me

Giraldi in

augurum

disciplina quamvis
est, res in con-

provecti sententiae refragari.

Nam

extra controversiam

jectura positas, pro conjectantium ingeniis, in contrarias interpreta-j " ad tiones non infrequenter trahi. Audi Ciceronem "Cursor," inquit, est in somnis curru quadrigarum Olympica proficisci cogitans, visus
:

vehi,

mane

adit conjectorem.

At

ille,

vinces, inquit, id

enim
'Is

celeritas!

significat, et vis

equorum.
lib.
i.

Post idem ad Antiphanern.

Lib.
10.
*

autem, tu

Hib. Expug.

c. 6.

ii.

c.

Ibid.

c.

38.

CHAP. VI.]
is

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

359

his tripod

now?

thought enters his mind, land, never reflecting that

Assuredly Apollo was unpropitious. Whatever it is instantly seized to brand infamy on Ireit is

not every timber that makes a Mercury,

nor every accusation a conviction. If I could trust my own opinion, I would say that this unseasonable parturition of the wolf is a more appropriate type of the cruelty of the Englishman coming to Ireland,

and gorging himself with blood, than of any rapine or treachery of the
Irish,

who fought

for their lives

and their

altars, their children

and their

wives, against the robber allies of a traitor to his country.

Treachery

and rapine can be charged more truly on the English than on the Irish. For the English came as auxiliaries of Dermod Mac Murrough, who, ac-

" cording to Giraldus himself, oppressed his nobles, exalted upstarts, was a calamity to his countrymen, hated by the strangers, and, in a word,

Such was the man whom the English supThey not only restored him to that throne which he had most justly forfeited by his crimes, but, by a hideous injustice, extended his dominion by a large accession of territory, and rioted like savage furies
at

war with the world."

ported.

throughout Ireland, depopulating the country, burning the public buildand plundering cities. Giraldus himself confesses those facts in almost every page of his work, especially when he says, " that this new and bloody conquest was defiled by an enormous effusion of blood, and
ings,

the slaughter of a Christian people."

cruelty to those

Had the English confined their whom Giraldus represents as their enemies, there might

be some palliation ; but, as if to secure their title to the infamy of the robber, they seized the property even of the Irish who assisted them.
Giraldus himself exclaims
faithful to
:

" The lands even of the Irish

first

who

stood

descent of Fitzstephen and the Earl, you have, in violation of a treaty, made over to your friends." Who now were those traitors and robbers, whose crimes were appropriately prefigured

our cause from the

by wolves' cubs coming

to the

world out of season?

Let no person be displeased with me for venturing to dispute with Giraldus on a subject in which he was a professed adept. Every one
admits that, in a matter merely of divination, different interpretations can be often given according to the wish of the Thus interpreters. Cicero says, " that a racer, when preparing to go to the Olympic games,

dreamed at night that he was travelling in a four-horse chariot: in the You must win,' was the reply; the morning he consulted a diviner.
*
'

360

CA3IBRKNSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VI.

vincare' inquit 'necesse est: an non intelligis quatuor ante cucurisse?' Alms cursor ad interpretem detulit aquilam se in somuis visum esse

factum.

At

ille, vicisti.
*

Ista

eidem, Antipho:

tu vero' inquit

enim avevolat nulla vehementius. lluic te victum esse non vides? ista enim
*

avis insectans alias, et agitans

orninationes ita versatiles,

41 semper in postrema est .'" Sunt igitur ut non solum alio, sed etiam in omnino con-

trarium sensura
sciscitanti

flecti possint.

Documento

sit

quod Cra3so de

victoria

oraculum respondit:
" Craesus

Halym

perclet

transgressus plurima Regna."

Ut

dubitandi locus relictus fuerit, araitteretur Crsesus, an everteret

Halym. Nee minor ambiguitas inest response quod Pyrrhus consulens an Romanes esset superaturus ab oraculo retulit; dicente
:

" Aio

te

JEacidem Romanes vincere posse,"

cum

hinc percipi non possit cladem ne, an victoriam Pyrrhus a Romanis relaturus esset.
classi Giraldi augurationes annumerandse ut qua3 tarn a veritate absunt, quam ipse a vera religione aberravit, cum Diei Martis faelicitatem a fictitio belli Deo Marte provenisse " Hie notandum videtur, die Martis captum scripsisset his verbis.

Hujusmodi vaticiniorum
:

sunt

fuisse

tain fuisse
hgec,
si

fuisse subventum, die Martis capWaterfordiam, die Martis Dubliniam. Nee per industriam sed casu solo contigisse. Nee mirum tamen vel rationi dissonum,

Limbricum, die Martis, eidem

addit quod,

Et alibi Martis potissimum die Martia negotia sunt completa42 ." "" Scilicet Martis die Martis, Martia vexilla vehuntur 43 ."
ante

isti pulli forsitan,

pugnam

iuitam, litationibus operati Martis sui

afflati

gratiam

sibi conciliarunt, et

Martis numine
lib.' ii.

acriori iinpetu in
i.

De
'i

Divinatione.

Hib. Expug.

c. 8.

ibid. lib.

c.

16.

" Itane

Christiane

Camber non miarbitraris, si

semper habuit quo diabolum aut Deum

fictum? et tn tamen

raris,

sed rationi consormm

Christiane,

Martis potissimum die Martia negotia perriciantur ? ratio tibi adfuit Christiana, ista

tribuis virtutem peculiarem supra alios dies

ad consummanda negotia Martia,

et nul-

Martem, Deum, praesidem auctorem bellorum et consummatorem aiebat? adversante recta ratione
scribenti,
qiiiB

an ethnica

lam
si

in te agnoscis superstitionem

0!

te

non agnoscas caecum, mente captum,

superstitionis

in

profundo

immersum

Te
1

omni

et veritate quas

eodem

loco

Marlcm

tamen theologinn doctissimum,

eruditissi-

CHAP. VI.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

361

He then of the horses are an omen of success.' speed and strength went to Antipho: 'Not the slightest chance or success,' was the reply;
Another, did you not perceive that four were running before you.' who was going to run, told an interpreter that he dreamed he was no bird flies changed into an eagle: Victory is your's,' he was told;
4
'
'

with more vigor.'

But Antipho

decides:

Don't you see you are con-

last.'

is always quered; that bird, which disturbs and pursues other birds, " Omens, therefore, are of so undecided a character, that they

may be wrested not only

cons ulted about a victory
'

to different

but even contradictory interpre-

tations; thus, for example, the

:

answer of the oracle to Crajsus, when he

Crassus

Halym

perdet transgressus plurima regna

;'

leaving

it doubtful whether Crsesus was to be ruined, or to destroy The answer of the oracle to Pyrrhus, when he consulted wheHalys. ther he could subdue the Romans, is equally ambiguous:

" Aio

te

^Eacidem Romanes vincere posse

;"

from which no one could infer whether Pyrrhus was to conquer the Romans, or be conquered by them.
Giraldus's auguries

must be ranked with

oracles

of that class,

which have as
religion,

little

connexion with truth as his opinions had with true

erred so far as to say, that Tuesday was a fortunate name from Mars, the God of War. " It is of remark," he says, " that on Tuesday Limerick was taken, worthy
day, because it took its

when he

and on Tuesday it was relieved ; on Tuesday Waterford was taken, and Dublin on Tuesday. And this not from design, but by chance alone.
is neither extraordinary nor unreasonable, that martial operashould be completed principally on the day of Mars." He adds in another place, " that the banners of war are unfurled on the day of

But

it

tions

Mars q ."

of propitiation,

War probably offered up a sacrifice and secured his favor before they marched to battle, and charged with greater courage against the enemy, under the influence of
These scions of the God of
mum, gravissimum scrip torem et historicum ausi sunt nonnulli salutare non fecis!

vel saltern verba superstitiosa qute Iced ere

possent et pravis imbuere opinionibus, leves

qui
tibi

aent

si

te

novissent melius aut scivisoent

credunt lectores."

Whiles Apo-

inter alios tuos m-evos

mm

defuisse

mentem

%ia,

c. vi.

362
hostes irruerunt,
inferis
tit

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
proscriptae

[CAP. VI.

dudum

ab Ecclesia superstitiones ex

jam

excitari videantur, viro

scitis

non solum Christiano, sed etiam

magis arduis instructo, earn vim

theologian
statis

non rudimentis, imo

diebus indente, ut in eorum sententiam pedibus ire censeatur, fidei luce nondum illustrati operi cuipiam aggrediendo nefastos dies, qui infaustos, fastos, faustos statuerunt; rati mortalium res fatis agi: mirantibus omnibus quempiarn Catholicum ea capi fatuitate, ut fatis vim ullam inesse sentiat, quasi eorum decretis velut cardinibus reruin eventus verterentur.

Perinde ac

si

hominum

situdines, ordine ab
[47] rentur.

eorum

arbitrio,

consilia, negotiorumque vicisnon a Dei nutu indicto, progrede-

Ut jam

theologorum placita Bthnicorum sanctionibus cedere

" Fatis agimur,

videantur, qui decernunt quod,

cedite fatis.

Non

sollicitse

possunt curse,
fati,
:

Mutare

rati

flamina

Quicquid patimur mortale genus 44 Quicquid facimus venit ab alto ."

apertius transfugam ad Ethnicorum castra se prasberet, noluit ad eorum ritum, vel divinam opem implorare dicens: "Dii me amabilem reddant 45." Nee adulterinos Deos hac veneratione prosequi
nisi

Imo ut

prasstigiis,

contentus ; praestigiatorum etiam numero se aggregare visus est, quod approbationis suse calculo fidem hominum ac venerationem

conciliare conaretur,

dum

fidentius narrat

mobilem insulam,

et

ab homi-

num
tisse,

aspectu subducere se consuetum, injecto igne, et firmam persti-

et conspiciendam se calcabilemque hominibus praestitisse, narrationem his verbis claudens: "multis patet argumentis phantasmati cuilibet ignem semper inimicissimum 46 ."

Atque ut omnes superstitionum formas ab eo perlustratas, et penitus perspectas esse liqueat, ariolationem suse commendationis expertem esse
44

Seneca in CEdipo.

Prsef. in 2 dam dist.

Dist.

ii.

c.

12.
it possesses,

If forms of this kind

were of them-

text owes whatever force

s

selves to be admitted as conclusive proofs

On

this passage
sit

White remarks: "Si

of paganism,

most of the Catholic

literati of

hoc non

superstitiosum quid tandem

the sixteenth century should plead guilty

to the charge.
tiality of

superstitio erit? et

tamen

subtil issima S51-

It is to the

manifest par-

vestri

Cambrensis Theologia crassas super-

Giraldus for pagan or supersti-

stitiones istas pro nullis habet, sed natura-

tious observances, that the

argument in the

lem aut supernatura

CHAP. VI.]
this god.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

363

What

is

this

anathematized by

the Church,

but evoking from hell superstitions long since when a Christian, nay, a theologian of no

branches of that ordinary stamp, but one well versed in the higher and actually embraces the study, attributes a virtue to certain days,

under the belief that the opinion of the unenlightened pagans, who, controlled the destiny of men, maintained that the "nefasti dies" fates
were unfavorable, the "
It is

fasti," favorable, for

commencing any enterprise.

astonishing how any Catholic could attribute a virtue to the fates, as if their decrees were the pivots on which the event of human affairs revolved, and as if all the designs of man, and the vicissitudes of this
world, rolled on in that course

marked out by them, and not by the

providence of God. Then might the decisions of theologians give place to the tenets of pagans, who lay down that
"We're
ruled

by

fate;

adore

its

power:

No
The

anxious cares can change

stern

award

the destined hour

All mortal deeds, or sufferings here,

The
till

fates

above arrange."

more striking proof of

his apostacy to

paganism

is

his

mode

of invoking the divine assistance.

but "

May the

to false gods,

tricks

gods give me he appears before us as the patron of magicians, whose he recommends to the belief and veneration of men, with the

other form could please him, favor r ;" and, not content with this homage

No

whole weight of his authority ; thus, for example, when he tells us of a certain moving island, which sometimes disappeared altogether from

human view, but which was fixed firmly, and became visible and accessible to man, when fire was thrown upon it, he closes his narrative
thus
:

the most mortal

" there are a thousand arguments to prove that 8 enemy to all sorts of phantoms ."
his universal

fire

has ever been

To exhibit

of superstition,

and profound acquaintance with every shade he gives an elaborate recommendation of divination, and,
phantiones

existere inter cliabolica ludibria sive

eorum qui
aliis

philtris, amuletis, notis

tasmataetigmtumferrumsiveignem quernvis esse arbitrator. Nee advertis Theologe

!

magicis aut
presso
telis,

ex pacto

tacito vel

ex-

cum Daemone
sibi."

inito habitis, se nullis

quam latam

pandis portam volentibus

ignibus aut violentia hostili loedi posse

antipathia simili velare sacrilegas supersti-

persuadent

Apologia,

c.

vi.

364
noluit.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VI.

tius inculcat:
elixis tarn

Contendit enim enixius, et exemplis verbosius prolatis, robus" In armis arietum dextris came nudatis non assis, sed
futura prospici;

quam

prseterita, et ante incognita longc

respicit ."

47

Itaque tot supers titionum species in illius

animo

congests?,

ilium fascinatione nescio qua obcsecasse videntur, ut, " ad convicia in Ecclesiam militantem," quam " in multis," decipi " affirmat48 ," et ad " blasphemiam in calites linguam flagitiose laxaverit, Sanctos Hibemiae " calumniatus. vindicta3 et animi vindicis esse49
appetibiles,

Quis igitur non videt Giraldum, non placidum sed turbulentum fuisse, qui molestia aliis facessenda tot turbas excitavit? non probum
sed improbum, qui tot superstitionum maculis animum inquinavit non integrum sed corruptum, qui e contaminatissimis Merlini libris, mendacii, et nequitias rivulos hausit non gravem sed vanissimum, qui somniorum levitate tanquam quovis auras flatu aliorsum abductus fuit. Non
:

bonum

praetulit:

sed perversum, qui Ethnicorum ritus, theologorum placitis non modestum sed immodestissimum, qui e longe petitis ex-

emplis, alienissimaque lupi similitudine

ansam nationis Hibernica3

uni-

versas, calumniis impetenda3 arripuit: non prudentem, sed imprudentissimuni, qui ariolationibus extra veritatis limites se ferri passus est.,
17

Itiuerarium Cambriaj,

lib.

i.

c.

11.

*8

Topog.

dist.

iii.

c.

31.

*9

Ibid. caps. 33, 55.

This charge against Giraldus is discussed in detail, infra, p.[348], under the head " Veneratio Sanctis ab Ecclesia cultis
1

a Giraldo denegata haeresim sapit."

u

He makes
Welsh

the

same accusation

against

the

saints,

referring principally to

CHAP. VI.]
after a

CAMBBENSIS EVERSUS.

365

lengthened detail of examples, strenuously insists on the following

conclusion:
its

"A shoiildcr of a ram boiled (not roasted), if stripped of all meat, not only foretells the future, but reveals the past, and other Such a medley of superstitions, condensed things utterly unknown."

in the to

same head, operated like a black spell, and blinded his intellect such an extraordinary degree, that he assails the Church militant, which he says is deceived in many things 1 ; and vomits atrocious blasphe11

mies against the citizens of heaven, by calumniously accusing the Irish " fond of saints of being vengeance, and of a revengeful temper ." Is it not evident, then, that Giraldus was not mild but turbulent,

fomenting so great disorders by his injurious attacks on others; not a man of probity, but of infamy ; wr ith the foul stain of so many super-

on his soul ; not pure, but corrupt ; imbibing copiously falsehood and wickedness from Merlin's most polluted books ; not a man of sense, but a mere simpleton, led astray by every flimsy breath to believe in
stitions

but a wicked man, preferring the rites of paganism ; not a good the conclusions of theologians; not inoffensive, but most offensive, straining every example, and torturing that most inappropriate allegory
dreams
to

of the wolf into

an occasion to brand his calumnies on the whole Irish

nation

not prudent, but most imprudent, quitting the high road of truth for the black recesses of divination.
;

the excommunications,

and other

spiritual

protected,

and the

inviolability of the right

censures

by which,

in lawless ages

and

of sanctuary enforced.
p.

Itinerar,

Cambria,

among barbarous

tribes,

the Church

was

867. Ed. Francfort.

36G

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VII.

CAPUT

VII.

QUOD SUIS AC SUORUM LAUDIBUS MAGIS IMMODICE QUAM VERE PR.EDICANDIS GIRALDUS INDULSERIT, ET QUOS E SUIS POPULARIBUS AVERSATUS EST VITUPERIIS FALS6 CUMULAVERIT.
[48] Giraldus quserit gloriam

sed

nauseam movent.

ex Topographia. Stylus Giraldi qualis ?Scripta Giraldi non voluptatem Stanihurstus Giraldi Topographiam flocci fecit. Qnae fuerit Stanihursti

sestimatio de Hibernia

laudat sua opera.

catio.

Expugnata Giraldi. Giraldus Ovidio ostentatione similis. [49] Plurimum Gloriatur se recitasse publice Topographiarn. Turpis est proprias laudis pradiSuos laudat. Laus Reimondi. Laus Meyleri. Hyperbolica [50] Laudes Stephanidis.
attin git.

Qua cognations Giraldus Stephanidem, Reimundum, Meylerum, et Laus Robert! Ban-ensis. Laus Mauritii [51] Aliae laudes Robert! Barrensis. Giraldidis. Laus filiorum ejus. Laus Curcsei. Curcseus Merlini vaticiniis se accommodavit. Periculum Curaei. A Lacceis agitatus. Amissas teiTas nunquam recuperavit. [52] Qui a Giraldo commendantur rapinis dediti erant. Giraldus comitem Stephanidem praadonem tacite Primi expugnatores Hiberniag quales fuerint. Illi bona Ecclesiaa rapiebant. Quatuor appellat. postes expugnationes non habuerunt prolem. Injuria; factas Archiepiscopo Dubliniensi. Miraculum Crucifix!. Integritas Giraldi in suspicionem venit. [53] Giraldus quos amat laudat, quos odit vituperat. Giraldi convicia in Aldelmidem. Eripere uni ecclesias quod alii dones malum. Purgatio Aldelmidis. Burgorum potentia. Convicia Giraldi in Aldelmidis nepotem et Robertum. Ejus in Hagrveum cumulus conviciorum. [54] Censura Stanihursti de conviciis Giraldi in Hserveum. Hzerveus fit monachus. Giraldus adulator. Giraldus Henricum II. laudat. Eundern non Hserveus carniflcii Waterford author. Mendacia Giraldi. vituperat. [55] Reimundus, Veritas Historic! anima. Historicus non quaerit suam gloriam. Non laudet suos nequevituperet Affectibusnon tenetur. Historicus non debet affici odio vel studio. Non debet hostium alienos. crimina et suorum laudes scribere. Historicus sic faciens est potius orator quam historicus. Giraldus non observant istas leges. [56] Historicus debet esse similis aequo judici.
Robertum

laus.

Giraldinorum elogia.

NEMO

jure mirabitur

si

Giraldus, in Ecclesiam, et ipsos

actus,

caeli cives

acrius invectus, furiis

quibusdam

quadam animi

elatione, post

immodicas

Ecclesiam militantem, et triumphantem conculcatam intumuerit, et ad sibi suisque laudes accumulandas proruperit. Ac primum
inipso sui operis vestibulo, in suas laudes licentius effunditur: ut inaua It

will appear in the sequel of this

dici et scribi poterant paucis aperiam.

Erat

chapter that Giraldus was not always partial to

utique vir
virtutes

ille

animosus

et strenuus, et inter

his friends

but he never lost the

In his Reii.

vajjas incomparabiliter dapsilitate

good opinion he had of himself.

tractations {Anglia Sacra, vol.

conspicuus

Erat autem

principis

p.

456),

froenum et tyrannidis obstaculum, populi

he describes himself as the bulwark of popular liberty, the terror of kings, the cham-

fax

et solatium."

Ibid.

Of

his personal
I

beauty he says
facie

"
:

Eram

statura procerus,

pion of the Church, the only

ceed St.

man fit

to sue-

quoque fragilique ac momentaneo naBeing

Thomas
"
:

of Canterbury, and,

among

turas bono, formae nitore prjeclarus."

other good things, the handsomest

his

man

of

invited one

day by the bishop

to sit near old

day

Ut autem

ea quaa de ipso vere

him

in

an assembly of the clergy, an

CHAP. VII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

367

CHAPTER

VII.

CilRALDUS INDULGED IN FALSE AND EXTRAVAGANT PANEGYRIC OF HIMSELF AND HIS FRIENDS, AND IN UNBRIDLED AND CALUMNIOUS VITUPERATION OF SUCH OF HIS COUNTRYMEN AS WERE HIS ENEMIES.
4S] Giraldus

expected undying fame from his Topography. His style. His writings disgust rather " than please. Stanihurst's low opinion of the Topography. His opinion of Giraldus's Conquest Boasts of Ireland." Giraldus as vain-glorious as Ovid. [49] Praises his works extravagantly. He praises his friends. that he recited the Topography publicly. How shameful to praise one's-self Eulogy on Fitzstephen. On Raymond. On Meyler. Hyperbolical eulogy. Eulogy of the [50]
1

Relationship of Giraldus to Fitzstephen, Raymond, Meyler, and Robert. Eulogy on Robert Barry. On Maurice Fitzgerald, and on his sons. Eulogy [51] More eulogy on the same. on Courcy. De Courcy adopted his own projects to the prophecies of Merlin. Imminent peril of
Geraldines.

De Courcy. Harassed by the Lacies. He never recovered his lost possessions. [52] The persons praised by Giraldus were robbers. Giraldus tacitly denounces Fitzstephen as a robber. Character of the first invaders of Ireland. the Church. The four chief men amongst them They plundered
left

no issue. Injury inflicted by them on the Archbishop of Dublin. Miraculous crucifix. Honesty of Giraldus rather questionable. [53] He praised whom he loved, and maligned whom he hated. His invective against Fitzadelm. It is robbery to take property from one Church and give it to another. Defence ofFitzadelm. Power of the Burkes. Invective of Giraldus against the nephew of Fitzadelm and Robert. His unmeasured vituperation of Hervy. [54] Stanihurst's opinion of his attack on Hervy. Hervy became a monk. Giraldus a flatterer. Flattered Henry II., and maligned him. [55] Raymond, and not Hervy, perpetrated the massacre near Waterford. Falsehoods of Giraldus. Truth is the soul of history. The historian should not seek his own Should not praise all his own countrymen, and malign foreigners. He should be superior glory. He should not emblazon the crimes of his to passion, and not be swayed by malice or affection. enemies, and the praises of his friends. The historian who acts thus may be an orator, but is not The historian should be like a just judge. Giraldus violated all these laws. an historian. [56]

SINCE Giraldus, under the influence of some furies, has disgorged his rirulence against the Church and the citizens of heaven itself, no man
;an

md
the
[n

be surprised that, exulting in his victory over the Church militant the Church triumphant, his crest should swell, and his page exhale most lavish incense of self-gratulation on himself and on his friends a.

the very

commencement

of his book, he has an elaborate panegyric

Cistercian abbot, called Serlo,

or

looked at

me

that whenever the masters wished to excite

their pupils, he

a few moments, and exclaimed,

" do

was held up

as a model of
Ibid.

fou think so

handsome a young man can

industry, good conduct,

and genius

sverdie?"

"putasne ullatenus mori posse

When

he retired to Paris to study law in

).

Ang. Sac.,vo\. ii. anvpulchrajuventus?" 595. He says he taught the trivium at

egregie,

his thirtieth year, all the learned

men
ii.

of

that great city

came

to hear him,

and were
c.

^aris,

icnors in rhetoric,

and obtained the highest " prajcipuam laudem

ii.)
;

amazed at his eloquence.

Ang. Sac.
vol.
ii.

Ibid. lib.

p.

477.

His autobiogra-

n arte Rhetorica" Res. Ges. chap, (

and

phy

is

in the spirit of Boswell's Johnson.

368

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
omen infaustum portendere
1

[CAP. VII.

spicata exordia operis decursui

videantur.

Eo enim
vitam, in
ductis:

consilio

ut post Topographiam se aggressum esse fatetur, horninum memoria viveret ," versibus his inter caeteros pro" Ore legar populi, perque omnia ssecula fama, Si quid habent veri vatum prsesagia, vivam."

"

Eamque potissimum
elaborandum
"
sibi

fuisse

causam

ait

" cur tantis lucubrationibus

[48] fata compararet."

opus arripuerit? ut invidiam in vita, gloriam post Quod ut indubitatius foret, alibi adjecit hsec verba:
|

Quia momentanea,

et fluxa est praesens haec vita, juvat saltern in fu-

tura memoria vivere, et perpetuis famas titulis laudis honore celebrari. ^Egregias namque mentis indicium est ad illud enitendum elaborare,
invidiam in vita, gloriam post fata comparaverit." Prseterea 2 " se humanam per opuscula sua gratiam assecuturum ." Non Hac cantilena scriptis pasvult enim ut laus sua silentio delitescat.

quo

sibi

ominatur,

sim aspersa crambem recoquit; non secus ac si omnes ingenii nervos intenderet, ut lectorem non lateret ardenti se fluxas caducseque laudis
e re nata semper captat commendationem sibi nunc ab eloquentia, universim denique a scriptis industria, " arma " Acuenda emendicans. facundia?, ut exilitatem sunt," inquit,

aviditate flagrare,

quam

nunc ab

3 materise gravior stilus attollat, et ferat invalidaa robur facundia causaa ." Quasi copiosa eloquentias suppellectile instructus susceptam narratio-

nem

Sed ut de dicendi genere

facundiae pigrnentis prgeclarissime adornaret. illi familiare quid universim sentiam edix-

ero. Ejus oratio exilis, arida, minuta, aliquando inflata, tan quam tumulis plerurnque tumet, mox in humiliores valles subsidet, nee Eequali fertur incessu, sed saltuatim gradiens lectoris aures strepitu obtundit.

Sane bullatis

illi

nugis pagina turgescit, semper creperus, semper

cla-

mosus, et obstreperus: sed inanis ille strepitus in ventos abit, labitur et locuNovis in aures, non illabitur in animos. VO^JJDUS excogitatis, tionibus efformatis, gratiam, quam inventione auctiori colligere nitebatur, dictionum novitate perdidit.
i

Ut

falso divinaverit: "Pra3sens

3

Prsef^i.

Topog.

Praefatio

2?

editionis.

Prsef.

i.

Topog.
laudare se stepius,

The seventh chapter

"

of White's

Apo-

dum

fuisse incitatum,
aliis se

logia is entitled
fateri, studio

Cambrum

diserte de se

laudari ab

rogare.

Panegyrim evul-

popularis aurse se ad scriben-

gasse in laudera suse familiae," &c. &c.

CHAT. VII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

369

confesses, was,

on hhnself, a gloomy portent of what was to follow from so forbidding His motive for composing the Topography, he openly an exordium. " of man." live in the he after
that,

death,

might
:

memory

Among

others he cites the following

"

My

works will

live

and, through

all time,

my name

roll of fame." (If oracles be true) adorn the

" Such, he declares, was his principal motive for engaging in the comof a work which cost him such enormous labor; that I may position
acquire jealousy during life, but glory after my death." But, lest there " Since should be any doubt of his motives, he writes in another place
:

the present life is fleeting and frail, it is good to live at least in the memory of posterity, and to be crowned with the lasting titles of fame,
the tribute of praise.

For

it is

mark

of a noble soul to strain after

the attainment of that which causes jealousy during life, but confers " Again, he promises himself that his little works glory after death."
give

him

a claim on the favor of man."

It is

He

could not refrain from

praising himself.

again and again, as if all readers into the conviction that he

avidity for hollow

the unvarying burden of his page, obtruded the powers of his mind were set on forcing his

and

fleeting praise.

burned with an inextinguishable Praise he claims on all occasions,

sometimes for his eloquence, then for his industry, and generally for his " The arms of eloquence must be burnished," he says, "in writings. order that dignity of style may compensate for the poverty of the subject,
all

and eloquence may impart vigor to a bad theme;" that is, that the varied resources of rhetoric were at his command, to adorn his
13

projected narrative with the most brilliant colors of eloquence . The general estimate which I have formed of his iisual style
it is

is,

that

dry, barren, stilted, and sometimes bombastic.

It has

no steady and

measured march, but skips and jumps, often soaring to the clouds, then 3rawling on the ground,4fcut always grating on the hearers' ears with His page is bloated with splendid trillings, always its discordant din.
oustling,
.ost

always clamorous and obstreporous but the empty noise is on the winds; it breaks on the ear, but never penetrates to the leart. By the coining of new words, and the manufacture of new con;

structions,
>riginality.

he has

won

the laurel of barbarisms, not the grace of polished

He was

a bad prophet

when he

said: "

That

his

own time

2 B

370
tempus habere quod
Isedat, ilia

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
luceret, posteritatem

[CAP. VII.

quod laudet.

quod

legat,

hoc quod damnet,

4

ilia
'*

quod amet.

Hoc quod Hoc quod rebeneficiura,

te

probet, ilia

quod probet
illis

:" et

suos libros,
istis

posteris lectionem, prgesen;

tibus livorem:
istis

delectalionem,

detractionem

illis

odium

5 praestituros ."

Imo vero

livoris et odii,

quo

viventem

Giralde prosequebantur, qui te intus et in cute noverunt, perpetuus tenor quasi a majoribus per manus traditus ad posteros emanavit6
.

Tantum etiam
praestiteris,

abest ut posteris delectation em, aut beneficium scribendo

ut potius injuria se non mediocri scriptis tuis affectos esse

conquerantur, ut librorum tuorum lectionem, nullam sibi voluptatem, summam vero nauseam movere affirmant: qui si ullo in numero fuissent,non quadringentos totos annos in scriniis, tineas, etblattas pascentes delitescerent, apti tantum ut scombrorum tunica? fiant, et condant, thus,
et odores, et piper, et
7 quidquid chartis amicitur ineptis nee praelo unquam committerentur, nisi ab eo, qui de summa duntaxat cute illoa a3stimavit. Sed Stanihurstus eos non extima cortice metitus, verum
,

pensiculatius evolvens, tan tarn eruditionem in eorum recessu latere non deprehendit, quanta in fronte apparuit: ut proinde tacita illos objur-

gatione perstrinxerit,

cum

Topographia

assulis

tantum

et frustula-

mito in proscenium eductis,

cseteras partes sipario

obductas occuluerit.

Quandoquidem inquit: "Qui in Giraldi scriptis sunt volutati, niulta 8 Et in eis nimis alte repetita, et a proposito declinata reperiunt ." non tantum ungulas et pilos praecidit, ac suHiberniae
expugnatae pervacanea expungit, sed etiam integrioribus eum artubus mutilavit. Somnia nimirum abjecit, Merlini vaticinia conviciis merito proscidit,

parergata summovit, aliena omnia procul abegit; qua? ille stylo striduEt ut ex Ennii sterquilinio liori polluit, hie lima comptiori pollivit.
Virgilius gemmas collegit, sic e Cambrensi praestantiora quaeque Stanihurstus excerpsit. Et ut majorem operi venustatem adderet, naevos " Giraldus abstersit, exuberantiam quasi expressa sanie amputavit. Stanihurstus " Adeo minutatim omnia minima enim"

inquit
5

persecu7

4 Prsef.

ibid.
8

p r8ef.

i.

Hib. Expug. in fine

Hib. Expug.

lib.

ii.

c.

31.

Horat.

Ep.

i.

lib. ii.

Pag. 221.
passage here cited is a specimen of the borious and perverted ingenuity with whicl
la-

c It is

critical

singular that Dr. Lynch, in his remarks on the style of Giraldus,

does not notice the excess of alliteration

he links a succession of verbal

antithesis
transla-i

which

is

found in

all

his writings.

The

An

imitation

is

attempted in the

CHAP. VII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSTTS.
would
lacerate, posterity
;

371

had what

it

what

it

would laud; the former

books, study ; posterity styled former a delight, for the latter detracporaries objects of envy; for the tion ; for the formera benefit, for the latter an execration." No, Giraldus ;
the hatred and execration in which

would rebuke, the latter would read the former would condemn, the latter would cherish the former would recommend, the latter reprobate ;" " for for his contema his and when he
;

you were held by those who knew

alive,

every turn of your soul,

posterity,

when you were

has been transmitted to

by unbroken

tradition,

from father

to son.

So

far

from thank-

ing

you

terity

any pleasure or advantage derived from your writings, poscomplains that they are a nuisance; their perusal gives no amusefor

it rather provokes disgust; if any value were set on them, would they have lain for four hundred years mouldering unknown on the shelves, feeding the moth and the worms, and fit for nothing but to make

ment,

fools' caps,

or packets for pepper, incense, or scents, or the other ordinary

uses of waste paper?

press except

by

a person

They never would have been thought worthy of examining them superficially. Stanihurst was

It was no hasty glance he threw over them, yet he never could find that profound erudition to which they lay claim. When he culled fragments and pieces of the Topography, and

intimately acquainted with them.

left

pressively his

the rest under the seal of oblivion, he declares silently but ex" " turns over Whoever," he says, contempt of them.

Giraldus's productions will find many things entirely out of their place, and bearing no relation to the subject." But with regard to the " Con" it was not an quest of Ireland expurgation, but a mutilation, that

Stanihurst applied, he did not clip merely the hair and nails, and other The dreams disappear, the excrescences, but lopped off entire limbs.
prophecies of Merlin are rejected with contempt, digressions and all extraneous matter are cut away, and what Giraldus had degraded by his scrawling pen, Stanihurst polished with his more refined Thus,
style.
as

Virgil collected

selected

gems from the muddy pages of Ennius, Stanihurst whatever was best in Giraldus, cleansing the blemishes and

lopping off the rank and fetid exuberance, to impart more beauty and " " Giraldus has detailed so mielegance to his work. For," says he,
ion.

Alliteration

was the

favorite figure

in poetry, in the
p. 184, note
?.

days of Giraldus

Svprw

With the

Welsh

writers, in prose as well as

n2

372
tus
est, ut,

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIT.

ne in brevitatem offenderet, maluerit in historia videri nimis

9

loquax quam parum diligens ." Frustra igitur Cambrensis dicit se "mittere ad Regem quse non " " et possunt amitti (scilicet Topographiam suam) quae nulla valeat 10 astas destruere, ac egregium memoriale se mundo relinquere :" ac si

cum

Ovidio de gloriationis palma contenderet, canente:

"

Jamque opus exegi, quod nee Jovis ira, nee ignes, Nee poterit ferrum, nee edax abolere vetustas.

[49]

Cum

volet ilia dies, quae nil nisi corporis hujus Jus habet, incerti spatium mihi finiat gevi, Parte tamen meliore mei, super alta perennis

Astra

ferar,

nomenque

erit indelebile

nostrum 11 ."

Frustra inquam lucubrationes suas speciosis titulis exornare contendit; " non " 12 " quas modo "non ociosas," modo ignobiles egregias," modo " Gallice verti" 13 appellat, et exoptat, ut plurium manibus tererentur
;

ac

si

tantge fuerint praestantise,

helluones praestare. duni tibicinem agit, et opera sua in caelos prasconiis evehit, qua? voluptate nullos, taedio plerosque perfundunt. Licet taiita ille philantia laboraverit,

ut plurimorum interfuerit earum se Sed mehercule Astydamae in morem suarum lau-

ut non

aliter ac si

Minerva Phidise

fuissent,

non lectione tantum

eruditis quisquilias suas, ac Mylesias fabulas, sed etiam pronuntiatione imperitse quoque multitudini infigendas esse censuerit, inanem gloriolje

auram

a quorumvis applausu aucupaturus: ac proinde narrat, "magni nominis in Hibernia Giraldum et fams3 pra2clara3 exstitisse, et opere

completo, et correcto, lucernam accensam nori sub mo.dio ponere, sed super candelabrum, ut luceret, erigere cupientem, apud Oxoniam, ubi
clerus in Anglia magis vigebat, et clericatu prajcellebat, opus suum in tanta audientia recitare disposuisse. Et quoniam tres erant in libro suo
distinctiones, qualibet recitatae die, tribus diebus coiitinuis recitatio

duravit.

Primoque

die pauperes

hospitio suscepit, et exhibuit.

omnes oppidi totius ad hoc convocatos In crastina vero doctores diversarum

notitiae.

facultatum omnes, et discipulos famae majoris et

reliquos scholares,
9 33

Tertio die

cum

militibus oppidanis, et burgensibus multis.

Prsef.
ii.

Prf.

10 Prasf. i. Topog. Pag. 59. i. Hib. Expug.

Topog.

In fine Metamor.

12 Praef.

2 d."

>

edit.

See remarks on Stanihurst's critieisms.

Suprd,

p.

307.

CHAP. VII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

373

fear of being too nutely the most trifling circumstances, that, through concise, he preferred that his history should be condemned as too loquacious, rather
d than as not sufficiently diligent ." was Giraldus's boast, " that he was sending to the King a work whicli could not be lost, and which time could never a splendid monument of himself bequeathed to the world;" destroy,

How

vain, then,

as if

he would dispute the prize of vain-glorious boasting with Ovid

himself:
1

My
Nor

work
fire,

is done which, not the wrath of Jove, nor time, nor steel can e'er destroy ;
:

When

the dread doom, which o'er this mortal coil

Presides,

my

uncertain course on earth arrests,

Sublime above the stars

my

nobler part

Shall live, and flourish in immortal fame."

It is of little avail to

him

to adorn his

work with pompous

titles, to tell

" that " that they are excelthey are not trifling," and next " that lent," and again, they are above contempt," and even to express a wish that they were " translated into French," to have a wider circulation, as if the happiness of millions depended on their devouring his
us

now

But, like Astydamas, he is the trumpeter of his own and extols his works to the stars, though, so far from pleasing, they generally disgust other men. But so inordinate was his self-love, that he not only wished to have his vile and silly tales studied by the
lucubrations.
praise,

learned, like the

Minerva of Phidias, but resolved moreover that they should be recited for the vulgar crowd, in order to gather his wreath of " Giraldus," applause from every source, no matter how contemptible.
he tells us, "having acquired a great character, and a famous name, in Ireland, resolved, as soon as he had completed and finished his work, that his light should not be hidden under a bushel, but placed in a

candelabrum
which, as
the

and accordingly he prepared to recite his work in Oxford, being then the grand resort and principal establishment of
;

recitation lasted for three days,

English clergy, would give him the most respectable audience. The one of the three distinctions of the book

oeing read each day.

On the first day, lie invited all the poor of the whole town, and entertained them, and read for them on the second
;

lay, all

the doctors of the different faculties, and the most distinguished students ; and, on the third, the other scholars, the military of the town,

374

CAMBRKNSIS EVEHSUS.

[CAI>. VII.

Sumptuosa quidem res et nobilis: quia renovata sunt quodammodo antiqua et authentica in hoc facto poetarum tempora, nee rem similem
in

Anglia factam, vel pra3sens

"

setas,

vel ulla recolit antiquitas 14."

Igitur

Avia Pieridum peragras

Trita pedei5."

loca, nullius ante

sibi nominis proventum cuinulaEnnius: " volitabis docta per ora virum." Nee non etiam Tiphus alius habeberis, qui nunquam ante calcatum iter primus apAc proinde expetitas tot modis famse te modo compotem esse peruisti.
bis, et

Ab

hoc inusitato facinore inusitatum

ut
ait

cernis, si

non inventi novitate majoris ostentationis specimen

edideris,

linguge Latinse gnaris juxta ac ignaris tua per

ris.

sumnmm fastum ostenta-

Ufc illorum

animos suavibus commentis demul ceres, his admira-

tion em moveres, singulis mensae admotis ut hospitalitatis speciem jactantias obtenderes.

dis

Sed nemo est tarn oculatus, ut in propriis sestimanquadam animi propensione corruptus non cascutiat. Quippe notum
" suos corvo Agrestis tamen hominis pullos pulchrps esse." et non bene instituti ad sua praeconia enarranda orationis habasnas
est

vulgo
est,

laxare.

tum

est

Etenim propria laus, proprio vilescit in ore. Salomonis moni" Laudet te alieuus, et non os tuum, extraneus, et non labia

tua 16 ."

Nam

ut quidam cecinit
"Omnibus

invisa est stolid* jactautia linguae

Dum

de te loqueris, gloria tua nulla est."

grandioris aliquem molis faetum Giraldi nobis ingenium effuaut cosmographiam, aut ipsam geographiam universam, ut Ortelius et Mercator scriptis complecteretur, intolerabili ostentationis insoCum lentia sic proculdubio baccharetur, ut lectori aures obtunderet. vero ultra unius insulse descriptionem conatus ejus non perrexerit, et

Quod

si

disset,

mutilam nobis exhibuerit, pro tarn tenui opella ad gloriam nullam, vel profecto ad valde tenuem aspirare debuit.
earn ipsam truncam, et

Kecitatio Giraldi commendatione potius quain vituperio cumulanda foret nisi cacozelia non recta imitatione veterum recitandi morem retulis14

In vita sua apud Ussherum

ii!

Sylloge, p. 158.

15

Persius.

16

Proverb,
all

c.

xxvii.

Giraldus must have had the

command

he offered to defray

the expenses to
in

of considerable wealth.

During the second

which the Canons might be subjected

supporting him.

contest for the see of St. David's, in 1198,

CHAP. VII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUSof the citizens.

375

6 costly and magnificent entertainment it the good old genuine times of the poets ; England never was, reviving saw the like before nor at the present day, no, not even in her most ancient records." Thus,

and

many

" The muses' sacred haunts, by mortal tread As yet untouched, he penetrates."

By

this

extraordinary

feat,
it,

you
"

will reap an
is

and, as

Ennius expresses

your praise

abundant harvest of fame, hymned on lips of learned

men."

Nay, you must be regarded

as a second

Typhus

for

having ex-

plored hitherto untrodden paths, and might revel in the full enjoyment of that fame which had been the object of so many toils, if the very

novelty of your plan had not exposed your ostentation, and convicted you of the most preposterous vanity, when you recited your books not only to those who knew Latin, but also to those who did not, regaling some with your own sweet commentaries, stirring up others with tales
of the marvellous, and giving a dinner to all, in order to cloak your vanity under the name of hospitality. The wisest man is, by a natural

propensity, blinded and corrupt in the estimation he forms of his

qualities.

own
all

We

all

know what

the proverb says, " the crow thinks

Yet, whenever a person indulges in lavish self-commendation, it is a sure mark of a vulgar soul and of a bad edu" Let another cation. Self-praise is no praise. Solomon advises praise, her

young are

beauties."

and not thy

own mouth

a stranger,

and not thine own

lips."

For

as a

certain person sings:

" All loathe the folly of a braggart tongue
:

Thy
If Giraldus

praise

is

nought when by thyself

'tis

sung."

had bequeathed to us some splendid monument of genius, a of the world for instance, or a universal history geography, like Ortelius or Mercator, his insolence would be so intolerable, his ostentation
so delirious, that

he would confound his hearers.

to,

But what

glory, if

any,

is

he entitled

when he never extended

his gleanings

beyond the

description of one island, and gives but a mutilated account even of

that?

Giraldus should be rather praised than censured for this recitation, had his object been to imitate the commendable custom of the ancients,

37(5

GAMBRENSIS

EVERSUfc*.

[CAI>. Vil.

set:
sic

illi ut lucubrationibus naevi abstergerentur, ainicis sua recitabant: Horatius de se dixit " non recito cuiquam nisi amicis," et de Au-

gusto, Suetonius,

nonnulla" e scriptis suis "in csetu familiariumvelut " in auditorio recitavit 17 ," et Plinius " nullum inquit "eraendandi genus
omitto, ac

"

primum

quge scripsi

mecum

ipse pertracto, deinde duobus

aut tribus lego, mox aliis trado anriotanda, notasque eorum si dubito, cum uno rursus aut altero pensito, novissime pluribus recito." Hujusmodi "privataj recilationes," ut inquit, Theophrastus " pariunt emendationes" ut etiam publicae, curn ad judicia hominum exquirenda adhibebantur: ut de Silio Plinius dixit " qui nonnunquam judicia hominurn " recitationibus experiebatur et Ovidius carmina cum primum populo
juvenilia legii. Alii recitando plausum tantum ambiebant. Imo laudatores mercede aut caena prom issa conducebant, quiadquaedam orationis
spatia,
'"

sophos," "pulchro," bene," "recte," "praeclare," "festive," Ut hinc Martialis 18, sophos illos et laudiceenas beate," acclamabant.
:

"

'*

appellaverit

" Et

tibi ter

geminum mugiet

ille

sophos."

"Laudat

te Selius, caenae

cum

retia tendit."

" Itaque Giraldus mercatus esse "grande et insanum sophos dicendus est tanto sumptu csenam tantae convivarum multitudini apposuit, noa qui
ut ex auditorum sententia operi ejus accessio aliqua pra3stantiae fieret, sed ut ipse popularem aurem hac ostentatione aucuparetur, et ad po-

pulum

phaleras daret
"

ut

ei

19 possim ex Martiali accinere

Quod

tarn

grande sophos clamat

tibi

turba togata

Non

tu Cambrensis, caena diserta tua est."

Recitandi consuetude,

quam

" in Anglia factam (ut Giraldi placet) vel

praasens aatas, vel nulla recolit antiquitas" in Hibernia

usitata.

non

fuit in-

Etenim Amergino Amalgadii

filius,

suo Dermicius Carbhalli

17

Moelruani nepoti poetse Hibernice rex, Flanno Feaplo Scanlani

filio,

Ub.

vii.

Lib.

iii.

ep.

46

lib. ii. ep.

27
&

lib.

i.

ep. 50.

19

Lib. vi. ep. 48.

"
;

Sophocles"

is

the

word

in the origi-

That is,

Diarmaid, son of Fergus Ceirbhj

nal

but, as no authority has been found

eoil,

monarch of Ireland from Anno DoSee O'Flaherty's Ogy-

in the references, the reading in the text is

mini 544 to 565.

gia, p. 430.
h

adopted.

The

errors of the press are very

common,

as the

work had not

the benefit

Otherwise Flann Feabhla.

He was
D. 688 to

of the author's correction.

Archbishop of

Armagh from A.

CHAI-.

VII]

CAMBREIs SIS EVERSUS.

7

377

and not mean vanity. They recited their works to their friends, in order " I never recite to correct defects. Thus Horace says except to friends." " recited some of his to Suetonius, writings to Augustus also, according "I make use of every means of correcof his friends." private parties " I revise in the first what I have
:

for, tion," says Pliny, written, then I read it for

place,

carefully
it

two or

three,

next

submit

to others for

annotations, and,

if a

doubt remain,

I again consult

with a friend or

two on those notes;

it finally, I recite

produce solid corrections;" and the same is true of public recitations, if used to elicit " that he somethe criticisms of the auditory, as Pliny said of Silius,
Theophrastus remarks,
times ascertained the criticisms of Bother
also,

recitations of this kind," as

before a large party." "

"Private

men by

recitations."

Ovid,

recited his juvenile essays in poetry before the people.

Vanity

was, however, the object of

or

many recitations. Persons were even hired,

;

promised a supper, to praise a composition and at the delivery of " certain passages, they were sure to exclaim, in chorus, profound,"
"beautiful," "good," "right," "excellent," "charming," "most hap-

py !" Hence, such

eulogists
:

critics

were styled by Martial, " sophos f," and board-

"

Repeated bravoes hail thy works divine ; Silius applauds thee, for he loves thy wine

!"

" Giraldus, therefore, hired a gorgeous but insensate sophos," by preparing, at enormous cost, a supper for so immense a multitude, not that
he might impart any additional excellence to his book by the criticisms
of the auditory,
play,

but

solely to

win popular applause by his grand

dis-

and give amusement words of Martial

:

to the people.

We may

address

him

in the

"

When
Not

flattering

crowds these acclamations

raise,

thee, Cambrensis,

but thy board they praise."

at

The custom of recitation, which, according to Giraldus, " was not known any time or age in England," was not unusual in Ireland. Thus

Dermod Mac
,

Carroll^,

King

of Ireland, sitting with Flann Feapla

Mac

Scanlan h and other princes, at the Feis of Tara, listened with pleasure
715,

and was not contemporary witli the monarch Diarmaid, as erroneously stated in
the preface to the

trie's

Antiquities of Tara Hill, pp. 105, 106: and Harris's edition of Ware's Bi-

Dinnsenchus

See Pe-

shops, p. 40.

378
filio,

CAMBRENSIS EVERSTJS.
aliisque proceribus in Teamorise comitiis stipatus ?

[CAP. VII.

librum de me-

morabilium Hibernias locorum etymologia

buit;

reel tan ti faciles aures prae-

" Augustum imitatus qui recitantes benigne et patienter audivit, nee tantum carmina et historias sed et orationes et dialogos 20 ." Et
Claudius imperator vel inopinato recitantibus aliquibus supervenit. Quod si excitet auditor studium, studia atque ingenia tali auditorio excitabantur. Domhnallus etiam Hibernian Rex, cum et belli labor ibus
et reipublicse negotiis expeditus poterat
toriis legendis

otium studio suppeditare,

his-

atque

peritishistoriarum viris auscultandis intendebat."

Sed audi quomodo elogia, quibus ipse sublimi feriebat sidera vertice, lubrico excursu cum sanguinis, et patriaj societate sibi conjunctis com-

rum

municaverit, quos osncomiis potius oneravit quam ornavit. Ita ut illo panegirim, non susceptae narrationis historiam texuisse videatur.

Cujus

rei

omnes
[50] inquit,

ediscas Giraldi lapsus in laudationurn profusione.

|

specimen in Roberto Stephanide exhibeo, ut crimine ab uno "O virum,"

" virtutis unicum, verique laboris exemplum, fortunse varias, O virum tosortique adverse plusquam prospers semper obnoxium.
ties, tarn

in Hibernia,

quam
et

in Cambria, utrasque rota? circumferentias

omnia passum, quse pejor fortuna potest, aequanimiter expertum, atque omnibus usum quae melior. O vere Marium secundum Stephani!

dem 21 ," etc. Sed obtrectator aliquis mini obstrepens submurmurabit unam hirundinem non facere ver, nee patronum uno argumento causara
evincere.

Equidem

nisi fastidium, et lectori, et

mihi creare pertimes-

cerem, uberem documentorum segetem hue congerere possem, quae

Giraldum suorum prsedicationi nimio plus indulsisse palam arguerent. " NunQuibus igitur laudibus, Reimundum ad caelos extulit accipe: " vel cui pra3erat manus, aut temerariis ausirarissime, quam," inquit, Vir modestus, et providus, neccibo, bus, aut per incuriam oberravit. Vir patiens nee veste delicatus, caloris ei algorisque patientia par.
irae,

praeesse,

Quibus pra3sidebat prodesse magis quam patiensque laboris. potiusque minister quam magister videri volens. Vir erat libe22 providus et prudens ,"

ralis, et lenis,

etc. etc.

Pari quoque liberalitate

in

Meylerum
20

laudes profudit, "qui fuit" (ut Giraldus ait) "miles

Hib. Expug.
called the
lib.
i.

Suetonius.

c.

27.

23 Ibid. lib.

ii.

c. 9.

'

This

is

the

work commonly

mote, in the Library of the Royal

Dinnsenchus, of which there are copies preserved in the Books of Lecan and Ballv-

Academy, and
and H.
3. 3.

in Lib. T. C. D.,

H.

Irish| 2. 15,|

CHAI

VII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
Amergin Mac Auley, grandson
1

379

to his bard,

of Moelruan, reciting a

work

on the etymology

of the remarkable places in Ireland; as

listened,

we

read of

Augustus,

"who

with patience and kindness, to recitations

poems and history, but also of orations and dialogues." The Emperor Claudius, also, sometimes assisted, even uninvited, at reand if an auditory be a stimulant to exertion, study and citations
not only of
;

talent
nald,

must have been

fostered and developed

by such

auditors.

Domh-

King

of Ireland, spent the few intervals of leisure, snatched from

the fatigues of

war and the

in the society of those

who were masters

cares of state, in the study of history, and of that branch of knowledge.

But
to

it is

the stars.

not in praising himself alone that Giraldus lifts his crest All his friends and countrymen get a liberal share of his

He devotes to them many a false digression; but he depresses eulogy. rather than exalts their character, though the grand object of his book appears to be a panegyric on them, and not a history of the events which
he had intended to record.

Take the following specimen on Robert Fitzstephen, as one instance of the criminal lengths to which Giraldus hero! thou unpassable model of proceeds in his fulsome flattery:

"O
!

virtue

and true constancy, in the vicissitudes of thy chequered and generally adverse destiny. O hero who hast so often, both in Cambria
and Ireland, experienced with equanimity every point on the wheel, enduring the heaviest visitations of the worst, and enjoying the choicest favors of the best fortune. O Fitzstephen thou second Marius," &c.
!

But some person may urge against me that one swallow does not make a summer, nor one argument gain his cause for the advocate. My only
motive, however, for not entering into a full detail of the proofs of Giraldus's excessive partiality to his friends, is the dread of fatiguing and

Hear how he extols Raymond to disgusting myself and my readers. the stars: "Any detachment commanded by him rarely or never miscarried

through rashness or negligence.

He was

a modest and prudent

man, choice neither in dress nor food, and patient both of heat and cold. Master of his temper, and superior to fatigue, he always wished to be
rather the servant than the master,

and to consult

for the happiness

rather than to govern through the fears of those

whom

he commanded.

He was

man, mild, panegyric on Meyler

aspiring knight,

who

provident, and prudent," &c. &c. His " He was a is courageous and equally liberal: never shrunk from any enterprise that could be
liberal,

380

CAMBREXSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VII.

animosus, et asmulus nihil

solus debeat vel comitatus.
praslio redire consuetus.

abhorrens, quod aggredi quis vel Primus in praelium ire, ultimus conferto In omni conflictu, omni strenuitatis opera

unquam

sen perire paratus, seu prseire.

statim, vel fata complere

Adeo impatiens
ducat.

et praeceps,

ut vel vota

dignum

Inter mortis, vel Martis trium-

ponens, adeo laudis cupidus, et gloriae, quod si vivendo Porro in singulorum forte non valeat, vincere velit vel moriendo 23 ." laudibus promendis diutius hserere pertassus, ad plures nominatim prse-

phos

nil

medium

coniis efFerendos vela orationis expandit, ac tandem,

tanquam portu

ca-

pessito acquiescens

"O

genus," inquit,

"O

gens, gemina natura, a Troja24

uis animositatem, a Gallis

armorum usum originaliter trahens. O genus, O gens qua? ad Regni cujuslibet expugnationem per se sufficeret ." Mi-

ror quod non dixerit: " Deus est in utroque parente." Et hinc oratione laxius effusa, ad Giraldidarum elogia pandenda excurrit, mutuatus ex

oratorum principe loquendi formulam, ut suas altius eveheret.

"

"

Qui

Giraldidae. Qui sunt," inquit, qui penetrarunt hostis penetralia? sunt quos hostes formidant? Giraldidae, Giraldida?. Felices facti si
25 quid mea carmina possunt ."

Ut jam videas hominem jion historic!, sed oratoris partes obire, qui nuda rei narratione ad suorum exornationes orationis cursum flectit: imo et poetam agere, qui carmine quoque suorum se facta proditurum
a
confitetur 26
.

Ut

vel hinc ejus testirnonium in suspicionem falsi veniat,

quod domesticus, ut aiunt, testis sit, legibus fidem domesticis in testiGiraldum autem domesticum fuisse, monio perhibendo adimentibus27 sive quod perinde est, omnibus in quos laudum torrentem effudit, genere
.

propinquum

esse constat.

Ait enim David Povellus in notis ad

Itine-

rarium Cambria?: "JSTsestam

Run

principis Dsemetise filiam prasstantis

cujusdam formae elegantia inter omnes sui temporis mulieres conspicuam fuisse, ex qua Henricus primus Angliae Rex filium genuit nomine
Henricum.
trimonio sibi copulavit.

Deinde Giraldus Windsorus earn (Rege consentiente) maUnde Mauritius films Giraldi, atque omnes
Post mortem Giraldi, Stepha16.
26 ibid. 27

Giraldidse Hibernenses genus traxerunt.

23

Hib. Expug.

lib.

ii.

c.

10.

24 Ibid. c.

11.

25 ibid. c.

Pandect, de

testibus. Cod. lib. iv.

Alluding, probably, to the legendary

See Irish Nen.

k

p. 35,

and Hib. Ex.

is

i.

c. 9.

descent of the Britons from the Trojans.

Demetia, or West Wales,

that district

P.

VII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

carried
first

He was the by individual valor, or the assistance of others. and generally the last to hear the signal to retreat. In every engagement his spirits were wound up to conquer or perish. He was so impatient and enthusiastic, that, to him, nothing was honoin the field,

rable except the instant attainment of his object, or the close of his He knew no medium between the laurels of Mars and mortal career.
of the

not win

tomb and so ambitious was he of fame and glory, that if he could them by a brave life, he was ready to die for them." But when
;

Giraldus
all

his canvass, and,

grew tired of belaboring individuals with his eulogies, he crowds mustering them in groups before him, at length ex! I

" O race O nation combining two different natures, your courage you have from the Trojans the use of arms from the Gauls; O race! O tribe! your own prowess alone could conquer any kingdom." The wonder is he did
claims,
as if arrived safely in port:

the qualities of
j

He then proceeds in a difnot say, " they were gods by both sides." fuse strain to descant on the merits of the Geraldines, borrowing a
rhetorical figure
vigor.

from the prince of orators, to strike home with more

the

"Who burst into the heart of the enemy's strongholds? Who are the terror of the enemy? the Geraldines, Geraldines.
Geraldines.
If

the

my

songs avail, your

memory

is

immortal."

This

is

not an historian but an orator, launching out from the des-

tined course of his narrative, into elaborate panegyrics on his friends.

Nay, he plays the poet, and boasts that he will enrol their deeds in This circumstance alone should impeach his veracity, honied rhyme.
because he
is

witness in his
is

own

cause,

and the laws themselves declare

It is clear that

that such a witness

not to be admitted in evidence.

Giraldus was a witness in his

own

cause, or,

what comes

to the same, that

he was closely allied to the persons whom he overwhelmed with those David Powell, in his notes to the " Itinerary of Cambria,", eulogies. " k states that Nesta, daughter of Rufus, Prince of Demetia was distinShe bore a scfh, guished as the most beautiful woman of' her day.
,

Henry, to Henry the First, King of England. Afterwards, with the consent of the King, she was married to Gerald of Windsor, and, from this marriage, Maurice Fitzgerald, and all the Geraldines of Ireland, are
now
of

called Pembrokeshire,

where a colony

diately after the

Norman

conquest

See

Normans

established themselves

imme-

Thierry 's^orm an Conquest.

382

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VII.

nus Abertinensis Castri Gustos, earn duxit, ex eaque genuit Robertum 28 Stephanidem ." Giraldus autem ille Windsorus e conjuge sua Naesta
filiam prasterea suscepit

nomine "Augareth" matrem Giraldi Cam-

brensis.

potem"

Itaque jam liquet Stephanidem Giraldi fuisse avunculum, quern ipse alibi "filium Naestae," et alibi ejusdem se "Stephanidce ne" tarn Reimundum vero
appellat.

ipse

Stephanidae,

quam
.

Mauritii ex fratre primaevo nepotem" fuisse testatur, scilicet illius 29 Henrici, quern e Naesta Henricus primus sustulit, ut existimo filium et Robertum Memoratum etiam "

Meylerum,

ait esse

alterum ex

fratre,

Barrensem, Stephanidaa alterum ex sorore nepotem." Ilium " conso.

Ita ut hactenus avunbrinum" Reymundi, hunc fratrem Giraldi 30 culum dumtaxat, et consobrinos laudibus cumulaverit. Nunc audiamus " Inter 31 varia quo elogiorum rore fratrem Robertum irrigarit dicens
:

virtu tis ejusdem indicia, hoc prsecipue de ipso praedicari solet, quod nulla unquam violentia vel inopinata, null a praeoccupatione, nulla .de
subitatione, vel desperanter meticulosus, vel in
sus, vel
[51]

fugam turpiter con ver-

animo consternatus, semper ad tutelam promptus, semper ad arma paratus. Fortissimus ille nimirumest, qui promptus metuenda
|

pati, si

in

comminus instent, eodem capite prasponit,

et deferre potens."

aiens

quod

fuit

**

Alias quoque laudes ejus in nata strenuitate valde

:

praeclarus, nee laudis exactor, nee aurae popularis aucupator

inter pri-

mos praecipuus magis

sic instituerat,

esse volebat

quam

videri, cui et

animum

natura

existens

ut puellari verecundia nee jactabundus, nee verbosus egregia sui facinora nee ipse prsedicare, nee ab aliis in laudem

efferri gestiebat.
ret,

Unde

et effectum est, ut

quo minus gloriam appetesic loqui-

tanto amplius earn assequeretur."

i.

De ambobus denique
10
si
;

2* Lib.
lib.
i.

c.

12.
ii.

29
c.

Giraldus in vita,
30 ibid. lib.

lib.
i.

ii.

c.

Ussher Syllog.
i.

p.

156

Hib. Expug.

c.

lib.

19.

c.

15.

ibid. lib.

c-

4.

Raymond was

son of William Fitzge-

of Fitzstephen

Ibid.

c.

11.

ra^l, eldest brother of

Maurice Fitzgerald.

m There were
vading army.

several Meylers in the in-

Hib. Expug.

lib. ii. c. 2.

Raymond mar-

Hib. Expug.

lib.

ii.

c.

16.
I.,

ried Basilia, sister of Richard Strongbow.

Ibid.
c. 3.

Fitzheury was son of Nesta by Henry

Aline, daughter of Strong-

and father of Henry, Robert, and Meyler

Fitzhenry,
n

bow, married William, eldest son of WilMost of the liam Fitzgerald. Ibid. c. 4.
first

nephews of Fitzstephen, and

this

cousins-german to Giraldus.
Giraldus mentions two persons of

invaders were connected by blood or

affinity.

Milo de Cogan was a\o nephew

name.

Hib. Expug.

lib.

ii.

c.

11.

Also

CHAP. VII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

>83

rald of

On Gerald's death, she was married again to Stephen, Warden of the Castle of Aberteiffe, and had a son, Robert Fitzstephen." Ge" called had the same Nesta a
descended.

Windsor

by

daughter

also,

Auga-

reth,"

who was mother

to Giraldus Cambrensis. Giraldus was, therefore,

nephew to Fitzstephen, whom he calls "a son of Nesta." In another himself "nephew of Fitzstephen." He also place, he expressly calls states that Raymond was son of an elder brother of Maurice and Fitzstephen.
I

think that elder brother was the son of Henry,

1 .

whom
11

m Nesta bore to the King of England Meyler and Robert Barry were also nephews of Fitzstephen, one by a brother, the other by a sister; the
former was cousin of Raymond, the latter a brother of Giraldus Barry. Hence the persons whom he has hitherto praised were either his cousins
or his uncles."

" brother Robert:

Now we come to the rose water he lavishes on his Among the many indications of his virtue, the most
known
however unexpected, no surprise, no to coward him into despair, or to

singular were, that no violence,

sudden movement was ever

drive

him

to an ignominious flight, or to shake his courage.

field.
it

He was

always prompt in assistance, and ready for the

is

that

which

is

able to

ward

off evil,

and to face

The highest valor should it come on."

He

celebrates

him

chapter, as a

man

in another strain, in a different passage in the -same eminently distinguished for genuine valor, neither
;

ambitious of praise nor pandering for popular applause his ambition was to be, rather than appear to be, a leader among the best for kind
;

nature had endowed

the modesty of a young girl, opposed alike to boasting and loquacity; he neither extolled his own great deeds nor wished to hear them extolled by others ; and hence the less ambiall

him with

tious of glory

he appeared, the more liberally was it conferred on him." Finally, including both in a common eulogy, he exclaims: "In every
Philip Barry, his brother, with

came

to Ireland.

whom he " In the same passage,"

Hooker's Translation, Hib. Ex.

c.

lib.

ii,

22.

After praising the Barries, the de-

he says, " also

came Giraldus (another ne-

phew of Fitzstephen, and brother to Philip Barry), who, with his good advice and counsel, did very much pleasure, and help
both his uncle and brother; for he
learned,
to learn

scendants of this Philip, for their valour, and other Hooker exclaims: " but
qualities,

would
rooted,

to

God they were not

so nuzled,

was

and altogether seasoned in Irishry! the name and honor being only English,
all

and a great traveller in searching the site and nature of that land."

the rest, for the most part, Irish."

Dublin

E.

p.

204.

384
tur
:

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VII.

"In cunctis congressibus, inter universes strenuitate laudabili cum

Roberto Barren si, Meylerus emicuit32 ." Alium etiam avunculum suum Mauricium Giraldidem appellat " virum fide et strenuitate conspicuum,

virum

puellari verecundia,
et alibi

tarn animi,

quam

verbi constantia

cla-

rum 33 ;"

"virum modestum, prudentem,

ac strenuum, quialium

in Hibernia post se constantia, et fide firmiorem, vel strenuitate prsestantiorem non reliquit." Cujus filius uterque, tarn Alexander, quam Gi-

raldus vir

quamquam

statura pusillus, prudentia tamen, et probitate

non modicus
satis

strenuitatis opera in Lagenia3 partibus floruerunt34," non

titulis decorare, nisi singulis etiam

habens universes amplissimis

virtutis

In eo fastigio cognates verborum artificio collocans, quod factis pertingere vix, ac ne vix quidem poterant ; quo

famam compararet.

virtus

eorum

tanti aestimetur,

quantum

verbis ea potuit illius ingenium

extollere.

Ut Alexandrum, Poinpeium, Annibalem,

alumnos rerum gestarum gloriam non
suis, -et

Ceesarem, aliosque
sol urn gequare, sed

viros Martis

etiam nominis celebritate superare videantur.

Imo Cambrensibus utpote popularibus

annexus
erat, honoratiores illas

commendationes

sic affixit,

quibus cognatione ut eas Anglis

ejusdem militise sociis parcius impertierit. Ecce tibi qua commendatlone Curcaeum prosequitur, qui, illo dicente, " vir fortis, et bellator erat, ab adolescentia, semper in acie primus, semper gravioris periculi
32

Hib. Expug.

lib.

i.

c.

11.

33

Ibid. lib.

i.

c.

16.

34

ibid. lib.

ii.

c.

24.

" This Fitzgerald, the progenitor of

all

qui praecones fiunt laudum suorum.

Neque

the Geraldiues, Was buried, and yet lieth

in a

cum panegyres
ideo
inter

istas scribebas, praevidebas

alias, vestros

monastery of Grey Friars, without the

plurimas causas

walls of the town of Wexford, which house

is

libros a lectoribus olim in diebus tuis pas-

now

dissolved,

and the monument of

his

sim illaudatos
in
illis

et contemptos, partim

qudd

burial almost destroyed, there wanting

some same

good and worthy man

againe.

to restore the

ubique egeris prteconem tuorum enWhite's Apologia, comiorum," &c. &c.

.

He

deserved well of his prince and

it is,

c. 7.

country, and therefore lamentable

in so unkind a country

that

Giraldus does not praise

all

the Welsh,
j

no one good

man is

His patriotism was confined

mily.

to his

own

fa-

worthy a knight worthy a monument." Hooker's note to Hib. Expug. book ii. c. 16.
to be found, that of so

" In this history, as in a

glass,

will not restore so

man may

what they

evidently see the truth, who, and most honor Avere, who deserved
;

v "

tui

Camber non meministi verborum minorem esse Ciceronis, qui dicebat

!

in this contest

whether the

first

adveii-

'

turers out of the diocese of St. David,

my

fidem,

minorem

'

esse

auctoritat^a

eorum

own

cousins and kinsmen, or they of the

CHAP. VII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

385

all

engagement Meyler and Eobert Barry bore away the palm of valor from their compeers." His other uncle, Maurice Fitzgerald is thus de" A man scribed: distinguished for fidelity and valor, of feminine mo,

desty,

but

in truth of

word and soul

inferior to none."

"

brave, prudent, and modest man,

in Ireland,

who

And, again did not leave his like after

:

him

whether

for unflinching constancy

and

fidelity,

or heroic

valor.

of

sons, Alexander and Gerald (the latter of whom, though small stature, was distinguished for prudence and probity), won

His two

wreaths of military glory on the plains of Leinster."

the lavish
viduals,

Not content with

encomiums he passed on them and makes each of them a hero.

as a body,

he singles out indiThese strained and elaborate

panegyrics on his cousins could hardly be justified by their actions; their worth cannot be of that exalted order which his ingenious coloring represents ; he pictures them not only as rivalling the martial glory of

Alexander, Pompey, Annibal, Csesar, and other sons of Mars, but as far
p transcending them in fame
.

worth noticing, that while he thus praises the Welsh q in a most extravagant manner, who were his countrymen and kindred, he

But

it is

was rather niggard of his praise to their English associates' in the invasion. The following, for instance, is his character of De Courcy " He
:

ras

a brave

man, bred up to arms from

came next, and more
Pr<zf. 2
<lce

his youth, always in the front

liocese

of Landaff, -who

against
lish, so

vho in very deed are gentlemen, but

a
d.

De Courcy, nor against the Engmuch as against the Normans, who

name than

valiant in act."

Hib. Expug. The Welsh soldiers were, n his opinion, better adapted for Irish warire

were "the highest in credit and estima" tion." They were fine in apparel, delicate in diet,

and could not digest

in the marches, or

their

than either the English or Normans,

meat without wine at each meal.

would not serve
mote

They

aliant, bold,

by reason of their continual wars, being and of gi'eat experience; they

;

place, but they

;

any rewould be where they

an endure any pains and labours

re

used to watchings and wardings

;

they can

had plenty they could talk and brag, swear and stare, and, standing in their own reputation, disdain all others.
vitors,

bide
ike

hunger and thirst and know how to Hib. advantage of their enemy."
ii.

The noble

ser-

who had

first

adventured and made

"-xpug. lib.

c.

40.

By them
says,

the con-

conquests, were held in contempt

picion,

and sus-

uest

was commenced, he
it

and by
Irish

while the

new comers only were

lem only could

be completed, when the

called to counsel,

Orman men-at-arms had driven the

the bogs
'

and honored."

and they only credited Hib. Expug. lib. ii. c. 34. 700
years,

and mountains.
appear prejudiced

Each

successive colony, during

tfce last

Giraldus docs not

has made

complaint.

2c

386
pondus
arripiens.

CAMBRENSI8 EVERSUS.

[CAP. VII.

Adeo

belli cupidus, et ardens,

ut militi dux praafec-

tus, ducali

plerumque deserta constantia ducem exuens, et militem induens, inter primes impetuosus, et praaceps, turma vacillante suorum, nimia vincendi cupiditate victoriam amisisse videretur Et quam.

quam

in armis immoderatus, et plus militis

quam

ducis habens, inermis

tamen, modestus, ac sobrius, et

ecclesise debitam reverentiam prastans, divino cultui per omnia deditus gratiajque supernaB quoties ei successerat, cum gratiarum actione totam ascribens: Deoque dans gloriam 35 Eundem tamen Stanihurstus quoties aliquid fecerat gloriosum ."
:

scribit: "ineptis Merlini ariolationibus ductum, primum in amictu, deinde gestu, deinde sou to, deinde albo equo, se totum Merlino, usque eo plene accommodasse, ut in Ultoniam tan quam personatus comsedus

advolarit 36 ."
gestas ab
iis

Quomodo ergo divinationum

studiis irretitus, resque suas

suarum

pendere persuasus, et ad eorum prsescriptum actionum cursum sollicite flectens, vel secundiores eventus Deo acceptos

referre, vel

eidem Deo pro accepta

faelicitate,

et

non fatorum

ordini,

gratiarum vices repenclere poterit?

stitio;

Abhorret enim a religione super-

oporteat.

ut qui hac impense sit imbutus, illius penitus expertem esse Prasterea hide Joanni carcere clause, se Trinitas dormienti
pra^buit,

visendum

eumque objurgavit quod templum Dunense,

Sanctaa
:

Divo Patricio postea dicari curavit 37 certe sinistro exitu Curcasi caepta excepta sint, non Deo sed ipsius superquod Res enim male dilapsa3, non obscuro sunt stition^ abscribendum est.
Trinitati antea consecratum,
judicio,

easdem male partas

fuisse.

llle

pugna

victor aliquoties, subinde

victus excessit.

vero vice e pra?lio "non procul a Ferley" commisso "vix se et undecim commilitones eripuit: atque in ipsa fuga coactus erat amissis equis, per triginta milliarium intervallum, se et
suos defendere, a continuis hostium cursibus, qui fugatorum persequentissimi erant: et biduuni cum contubernalibus,"jejunus, pedester,

Una

armatus, fatigatus, itineri infesto, et periculoso se committens, incredis5

Hib. Expug.

lib. ii. c.

20.

36

Pag. 181.

37

Anna!

Hiber. Camdcnus. anno 1204.

Ibid. p. 32.
olj

For a copious

illustration of the career

birds painted on his shield."

of

De

Courcy, see O'Donovan's Four

i.

Mas-

He

always carried with him a volume

ters, vol.

pp. 29, 41, 114, 139. Giraldus states that " De Courcy, in the Ulster expe-

prophecies attributed to St. Columbkille,

in

which, as he believed, his victories in Ulster

dition,

happened by chance (forte) to ride on a white horse, and that he had little

were
l

foretold.
fol-'

In the original copy, Dr. Lynch,

CHAP. VII.]
of the battle,

CAMBRENSIS E VERSUS.

387

enthusiastic, that,

and coveting the pass of danger. So fond of the fight and when he commanded a troop, he forgot the cool self-

command

of a general, and rushed like a

common

soldier headlong

and

enthusiastic to the front of the battle; so that

before the enemy, his
defeat.

when his

battalions reeled

immoderate ambition
reckless,

But though he was

field,

to conquer involved him in and rather a soldier than a general

on the

in peace

the Church,

was zealous

he was modest and sober, paid due reverence to for the divine honor, and, with humble thanks-

giving, confessed that to the grace of

God he owed whatever

glorious

he had performed, and that to God was due all the glory of his " When he was success." Stanihurst, however, gives a different story: " he was induced by the prophecies inarching against Ulster," he says,
actions

of Merlin to accommodate himself in dress, in gesture, in his shield, and even his white horse, to the prophecies; so that he looked more like a merry- Andrew than a warrior*." Could it be possible that a man blinded in the mazes of divination, firmly believing that his fate de-

pended on it, and sedulously accommodating his conduct to its oracles, would attribute his good fortune to God, or return thanks to that God, and not rather to destiny, for the favors received? Superstition and religion are irreconcilable; whoever has the latter must be entirely free
from the former.

Again, when this John de Courcy was in prison, the Trinity appeared to him in a vision, and reproached him with having dedicated to St. Patrick the Cathedral of Down, which had formerly

been dedicated to the Trinity. But, beyond a doubt, .the failure of Courcy's enterprises must not be attributed to God, but to superstition.

Ill-gone

victorious in

an excellent sign that things were ill-gotten. Though many fields, he was conquered in the end. In a battle
is

"which he fought near Firlee^he escaped with great

difficulty,

with only

eleven surviving companions, and in the flight they were compelled, after losing their horses, to defend themselves for thirty miles against the

enemy, who closely pursued them, for two long days, armed. On foot, without food, fatigued, and cutting his way through a difficult and
hostile

country, he bore up with the greatest fortune against incredible

abaMasters

" 'owing Stanihurst, writas Fernia,"

rony in the county of
Griraldus

pip

If,

"a

tribe

and

territory

But Monaghan. writes " Ferley," and the Four

situated on

trim"

theBann, in the county of AnFour Masters, vol. i. p. 41.

2 c 2

388
biles molestias

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VII.

summo

animi robore devorans 38 ."

Lacasis deinde agi-

" Unde omnique ditione tandem exutus, peregre amandatus est. cum centum navibus in Ultoniarn ingressus, inportu qui vocatur Stranford, segniter obsedit castellum de Rath, sed Walterus de Lacey, sutatus,

perveniens-

cum

exercitu,
39

eum

fugavit.

Dehinc Curcasus terram suam

nunquam
[52]

recuperavit
illi

."

Nee
|

populares Giraldi, nee reliqui hseroes Giraldo commenda-

tissimi tarn rebus praeclare gestis, rabiles erant, qui obviis

quam

latrocinio, et impietate

memo-

diripuerunt, et turn Lageniam, sed et alia qusedam nee Comiti, nee uxori suss, ullo jure 40 " Hiberniam citra competentia invaserunt ." Et Stephanides Regis

quibusque per vim, et summam injuriam, sua " Non enim tanin Ecclesise bona sceleste involarunt,

Henrici assensum intravit, aliisque malignandi occasionem praebuit 41 :" ut proinde Regis offensionem promeritus, vinculis et carcere diu multatus fuerit. Qui Comiti junctus Dermicium, "ille fidelitatis, iste
filiae ratione, juste restituentes, ejusdem jure suffulti, a prasdonum inQuoad Waterfordiam juria quoad Lageniam longe distare noscuntur. vero, et tarn Desmoniam, quam etiam Midias partes insolenter occupa-

Comitem non excuso ." Cujus consortio cum Stephanides in Desmonia populationibus peragranda non abstinuerit, prsedonis titulum Non enim ab aequo comiti a Giraldo inditum Stephanidi non adimo.
42

tas,

abhorret, ut, cui se direptionis comitem adjunxit, eidem tituli societate copuletur: ut iniquissimum se judicem Giraldus prgebuerit, qui avun culi studio recti limites transilivit, et in eodem scelere positos, ejusdem

dedecoris participes non fecit. Cum praesertim Neubrigensis mini non " obscure accinat his verbis. Angli sub specie militantium Hibernise

et lucri cupidis, vires

InsuUe irrepserimt, et deinde accitis ex Anglia viris inopia laborantibus, Tandem accesserunt ex paulatim auxerunt.

Anglia praenciendum sibi, virum nobilem et potentem, comitem scilicet Richardum, qui nimirum cum esset magnanimus, et supra vires rei familiaris profusus, amplissimis redditibus exinanitis, et exhausto fere
patrimonio, creditoribus erat supra
39
lib.

modum

obnoxius43 ."
40

i.

39 Chronicon Manniae Stanihurst, p. 182, et seq. apud Camdenum. 12 ibid. lib. ii. c. 35. 4i Ibid. c. 29. Lib. ii. c. 2G. c. 19.

Hib. Expug.
"flP

"

Earl Strongbow having married Eva,

of Leinster, claimed that province in right

of his wife.

daughter of Dermod

Mac Murrough, King

CHAP. VII.]
difficulties."

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

389

At

spoiled of

all his

length, being attacked property and banished.

by the De Lacies, he was de"Thence returning to Ulster

with one hundred ships, to the port of Strangford, he endeavoured to besiege Rath, but Walter de Lacy, coming up with an army, beat him away. From that day Courcy never recovered his land."

But
tolled,

Giraldus's friends, and those heroes

so

were not

whom he has so highly exremarkable for their noble deeds as for their impiety

and robbery, plundering, in violation of all laws, every person they met, and pouncing with sacrilegious fury on the property of the Church. u " For they invaded not Leinster alone , but other kingdoms, to which
entered the
neither the Earl nor his wife had the slightest claim." Fitzstephen kingdom of Ireland without the King's consent, and gave

" so that he incurred the others an opportunity of maligning him, King's and was cast into prison, where he was long detained in displeasure,
chains.

As to the occupation of Leinster, neither Fitzstephen nor the Earl can be called a robber, because both were connected with Der-

mod, the former as a liegeman, the latter as a son-in-law ; and by his title both justly held their acquisitions. But, with regard to Waterford and Desmond, and also the parts of Meath unjustifiably seized by
the Earl, I do not undertake to defend him." Now, as Fitzstephen co-operated with the Earl in his predatory incursions into Munster, I For if a man say if the Earl was a robber, Fitzstephen was one also. associate and eat with a band of robbers, is there any injustice in calling

him a robber? and

is it

violation of equity, in favor of his uncle, not to

not most unjust in Giraldus, a most flagrant make both bear the disEspecially

v grace of a crime in which both are accomplices ?

when New-

bury appears to confirm my view: "The English crept into Ireland as mercenary soldiers, and then, sending for auxiliaries, swelled their
ranks with'men of broken fortunes and thirsting for money. At length they invited over from England Earl Richard to command them, a great

and powerful nobleman, but who, in his magnanimity, was liberal beyond his means, and had squandered his immense revenues and wasted
his

patrimony, and was completely at the mercy of his creditors"'."

Where
all

were robbers, from the King

to the clown, it is not of

much

use to point

Newbury, adds
tio, tuis

White, after citing this passage of " Haec Neubrigensis rela:

out the different shades of injustice.

Gyralde

satis

nota olim lectoribus

390

CAMBRENSIS E VERSUS.

[CAP. VII.

Quod autem

Ecclesise bonis diripiendis avidius inliiaverint, et iisdem

animas contaminaverint, vel inde liquet, quod Giraldus constare conqueritur, expilandarum Ecclesia3 fortunarum vitium toti fere " militise " Anglicge " a primo adventu usque in hodiernum diem commune fuisse44 ;" ita utinquit: " mendicet miser in Hisibi flagitiose vendicatis,

bernia clerus, lugent Ecclesise Cathedrales terris suis, et praediis amplis 45 quondam sibi fideliter, et devote collatis spoliatas ." Postquam autem

Giraldus dixerit:

"Meylerum

laudis amatorem, et glorias, cuncta sui

gesta ad hsec summopere referentem: quidquid ejus famam amplificare potuerat, iilud adirnplere modjis omnibus satagebat, longeque ma49 " jori cura videri virtuosus, quam esse cupiebat ," alibi subjecit: quod
ille et

Reymundus

fuerint cumulata laude digni,

si

ambitione postha-

bita, Christ!

Ecclesiam debita devotione venerantes, antiqua, etauthentica ejusdem jura non tantum illibata conservassent ; quinimo tani
novas,

tamque crueutas

conquisitionis (plurima quippe sanguinis eifu-

sione Chris tiauaeque, gentis interemptione foedatas) partem placabilera 47 Deoque placentem laudabili largitione contulissent ." Atqui ex hoc

fonte

cum

plura mala ad peregrines Hiberniae aggressores emanasse,

turn primis expugnationis postibus Stephanidi, Raimundo, Curcseo, et Meylero, id obvenisse Canibrensis affirmat,ut nullaelegitimomatrimonio
48 sobole suscepta improles obierint Quid memorem ostenta divinitus exhibita a quibus in hujusce criminis affines, iram Dei exarsisse patuit,
.

quae de
44
lib.

iis

patrati ilagitii pcenas

lib.
f.

quam
da8

gravissimas sumpsit?
46

Quarum
47 ibid.

Hib. Expug.
ii.

ii.

c.

10.

Prfef. 2
ii.

cdit.

Hib. Expug.

lib.

i.

c. 4.

c.

10.

4b

p rse

2 d8e

edit, et lib.

c.

20.

librorum tuorum dederat

ipsis

ansam non

churches and monasteries, they

left after

multum

fidendi tuis de

te,

tuisque encorniis.

them

in all our old towns,

and in many
their

Audisti tuos tantos

illos

Trojanos et viros a
fuisse

places in the country, very respectable and

te in caelos elatos fere

omnes

homines

numerous monuments of
zeal. It

religious

inopia laborantes, cupidos lucri, sere alieno

was the age

of great religions

exhaustos: et miraris lectoribus istaetplura scientibus

foundations.
y

contemptam

fuisse fidem et

This admission proves that Giraldus

so blind to the crimes of his kin-

lectionem librorum tuorum."

c. vii.

Apologia,

was not

dred as Dr. Lynch asserted.

first

Hervy De

The

English invaders paid as

little

Monte Marisco
issue

also

died without lawful

respect to the property of the

Church as
century.
Irish

the Reformers of the sixteenth

ther

De Courcy had
i.

d(K Prafi 1 edit. Hib. Expug. Whelawful issue, see Four

But though they plundered the mere

Masters, vol.

p.

143, and vol.

ii.

p.

2269.

CHAP. VII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

391

As to the rapacious eye they cast on the property of the Church, and the contamination of their souls, by their sacrilegious appropriation He complains that of her revenues, Giraldus himself is our witness.
the plunder and destruction of church property
all

was a crime of which

the English soldiers, without exception, were guilty, from the very first day of their arrival; so that, in his oAvn words, "Beggary is on

wretched clergy in Ireland; the cathedral churches mourn, derobbed of those ample domains vested in them spoiled of their lands, and But after he had the confiding and fervent piety of former ages." by " stated that Meyler was ambitious of fame and glory, and referred
this
all

his actions to those ends,

that whatever extended his fame that he

labored
to

by

all

means

to accomplish,

and that he was

far

more ambitious

be reputed, than to be in reality virtuous," he adds, in another " that both he and Raymond would have won for themselves the place,
brightest wreath of glory,
like dutiful children of the
if

they had renounced their ambition, and,

intact all

Church of Christ, had not only preserved her old and undoubted rights, but had also, by a generous
her an atonement to Heaven, a portion of their

liberality, offered to

new and blood-stained

acquisitions, as a penance for a conquest polluted the effusion of so much Christian blood, and the extirpation of a by people"." This was the fatal fount of the many maledictions that fell on

the first invaders of Ireland, and especially on Fitzstephen, Raymond, de Courcy, and Meyler, who, according to Giraldus himself, left no legi-

timate heir to inherit their property tations from heaven, by which the anger of
3

".

Why should I mention

the visi-

God manifested itself against

the perpetrators of those crimes,

terrible
1

judgments

and punished them with the most Cambrensis himself gives a detailed history of
p. 25.

The deaths

of several of the chief in-

"

Hugo De
was

Lacy, the profaner and

vaders are given from Irish authorities in

destroyer of the sanctuaries and churches

of Ireland,
killed in revenge of

Mr. O'Donovan's Four Masters, vol.

i.

"The

Co-

English Earl Richard (Strongbow) died in

lumbkille, while

Dublin of an ulcer, which had broken out

in his foot,

row."

p.

73.

making a castle at Dur"John de Courcy, the

through the miracles of SS. Bridget and Columbkille, and of all the other saints, whose churches had been destroyed by him.
St.

plunderer of churches and sanctuaries, was

driven by the son of Hugh de Lacy into " William Burke (the p. 141. Tyrone.''
progenitor of all the Burkes), plundered

He

saw, as he thought,

Bridget in the act of killing him."

Connaught, as well churches as

territories

392
aliqiias

CAMBBENSIS EVERSUS.
Cambrensis ipse fusius prosequitur 49
.

[CAP. VII.

iisdem Ecclesias

argumentum

est,

"

Nee mediocre violates ab Haimo de Valois, et cseteri quod

custodes Hibernite, homines Comitis Joannis fratris Richardi Regis Anglise injurias maximas fecerunt Joanni Cumen Dubliniensi Archiepiscopo
;

unde idem Archiepiscopus malens exulare, quam enormitates

illas sibi,

et Ecclesia3 suse factas diutius sus'tinere impunitas, excommimicavit pra3dictos prassumptores, et interdicti sententiam dedit in 50 Arclnepiscopatum suum ." Prolixiori oratione rem hanc Hovedenus

prosequitur, narratquecrucifixi imaginem Dublinii totam sudore multo 51 perfusam, ex oculis lachrimas, e latere sanguinem efFudisse , Deo inju-

riam Ecclesiaa
cante.

suse illatam a se atrociter

latam fuisse

lioc

prodigio indi-

Hie etiam

in Giraldo integritas historici

desiderari mihi videtur,

clesia3

quod quamquam

(quod obiter adverto) scribit hunc Joannem " Ec-

Hibernicse egregie sublimaturum fuisse nisi semper gladius gladio, sacerdotium Regno, virtus invidia reprimeretur," non tamen totam rei seriem ad amussim aperuit ; malens innuere quam plane pate[53] facere facinoris atrocitatem,

ne inimicitias eorum
|

forte contraxisset, qui

istos invasores

ejus criminis rei fuerunt.

Casterum hinc judico primos

incredibili rapacitate in Hibernici cleri fortunas ruisse, qui manus impias, a bonis Antistitis sua3 gentis abripiendis non coercuerunt. "Joannes

enim " (ut

ait

Cambrensis)

" vir Anglicus natione, et

literatas vir elo-

quentise, justicia? zelo prasditus, a

Romano

Pontifice Lucio, presbyter

Cardinalis ordinatus et consecratus fuit 52 ."

Sed ad Cambrensem redeo, qui sicut

eos,

quos in amore, et honore

sic eos e suis,

habuit, laudibus justo pluribus cumulavit:

quos aver-

satus est, probris laceravit, facta non veritate sed studio metitus. En tibi quomodo virus acerbitatis suoa in Guillelmum Aldelmidem evo-

muit; ideo citradubium, quod Hiberniaa administranda? admotus fastum

49

Topog. Hib.
ii.

(list. ii.

a cap. 44, usque ad 55.

50

Ubi supra.

51

An. 1197.

52

Hib.

Ex pug. lib.

c.

26.

but God and the saints took vengeance on him, for he died of a singular disease, too 143. " His shameful to be described."
p.

kingdom, but in a waste town." p. 144. a For several notices of this crucifix, see
Introduction to the Obits

and Murtyrology

entrails fell

from his privie

place,

and

trailed

of Christ Church,
b Giraldtis

p. vi.

after

him

to the

very earth, whereof he died

shrive or extreme

cannot be accused of suppres-

impcuitently, without

sing his indignation at the spoliation of the

unction, or good burial in

any church

in the

Church.

He

records, in his Topography,

CHAP. VII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

393

them. " that

Hamo

most conclusive proof of the sacrilege against the church is, de Valois, and other justices of Ireland, the attendants of

King of England, inflicted great injuries on John Cumin, Archbishop of Dublin the Archbishop, rather than allow such outrages on himself and on his church to go unpunished, preferred
;

John, brother of Richard,

going into exile, excommunicated the above-named criminals, and laid his archdiocese under an interdict." Hoveden gives a more detailed account of this matter. He states, among other things, that a crucifix
in
its

Dublin was covered over with a profuse sweat, and poured tears from a eyes, and blood from its side God himself manifesting by this pro,

digy, his detestation of the atrocious outrage.

And

here I

may

re-

mark that Giraldus was deficient in the duty of a historian, for, though he tells us " that this John would exalt to an eminent degree the state
of the Irish
to the clergy,

Church, if sword had not been opposed to sword, the State and envy to virtue," still he does not give the whole
;

history in detail

city of the crimes, lest

11

he rather suggests than boldly denounces the atroperhaps he might incur thereby the wrath of the
fact,

perpetrators

with which the

however, is a proof of the incredible rapacity invaders must have pillaged the property of the Irish clergy, when they could not be restrained from plundering the " For John," as Cambrensis property of a prelate of their own nation. assures us, " an Englishman by birth, a man of polished eloquence, and
.

The

first

animated with a zeal for justice, was ordained cardinal-priest, and consecrated by Lucius, the Roman Pontiff ."

But
those

to return to

whom

my charge against Cambrensis, that his eulogies of he loved or honored were as extravagant as his invectives

were scathing and merciless; in a word, that partinot truth, was his guide, I give, in the first place, the torrent of sanship, ribaldry he pours out against William Fitzadelm, who repressed the insoagainst his enemies
lence of Giraldus's favorites'
1

He accuses Fitzadelm of avarice and fraud,

favor."

several instances of

what he believed were

of God's

Hooker's Translation, Hib. Ex.

c.

miraculous manifestations

ven-

book
d

ii.

26.
c. 9,
i.

geance against sacrilege.

p.

See also note %

White, Apologia,

Duald MacFirbis,
p. 145, as well as

391, supra.
c

and Four Masters,

vol.

too

But Giraldus accuses him " of being worldly, and seeking to please worldly
and of having been
in the King's

Dr. Lynch, attempt to defend Fitzadelm

against the censures of Giraldus.
Fitza-

princes,

delm was ancestor of the Burkes; many of

394

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VII.

eorura, quos Giraklus in delitiis habebat, coercuit. Avaritise

et fraudulently inurit,

illi notam, ut qui pra3clarissima quasque popularibus suis

ademerit, et vilissima contulerit; et prsesordida tenacitate, quas Rex bellatoribus elargitus est, unguibus suis elabi non permisit 53 Denique vir fuit si Carnbrensi credimus " semper in insidiis, semper in dolo,
.

54 semper propinans sub melle venenuin, semper lafens anguis in herba Vir in facie liberalis, et lenis, intus vero plus aloes quain mellis habens,

semper
" Pelliculam veterem retinenS, vir fronte politus,

Astutam vapido portans sub pectore vulpem. Impia sub dulci melli venena ferens."

Molliti sermones ejus super oleum, sed ipsi sunt jacula, cujus hodie

venerator, eras ejusdem spoliator existens vel delator: irnbellium debellator, rebellium blanditor: indomitis domitus, domitis indomitus: hosti

suavissimus: subdito gravissimus: nee

illi

formidabilis, nee isti

fidelis.

Vir dolosus, blandns, meticulosus, etc. etc. Et deinde qui nihil segregium in Hibernia gessit, prater hoc solum, quod baculum virtuosissimum, quern baculum Jesu vocant, ab Ardinacha Dublinium transferri procuravit 55 ."
si facinus esset prasdicatione celebrandum, alterius aliam exornare, et victima rapto comparata litare ac potius asque Deo ingratum ac Saulis immolatio ex pinguibus Amalilectarura armentis. " Honora dominum de tua substantia." " De tua substantia " fac offert sacrificium ex substantia

Perinde ac

arse spoliis

eleemosynam."

Qui

pauperis, quasi

conspectu patris sui." Intulistis de rapinis mu"Nee est," nus, numquid suscipiam de manu vestra, dicit Dominus." ut ait Seneca, " magni animi qui de alieno liberalis est, sed ille qui
qui victimat
filiurn in

quod

alteri donat, sibi detrahit," ait

enim Cicero, " Qui

injustitia,

aliis

nocent, ut
aliena

in alios liberates sint, in

eadem sunt

ut

si

in

suam rem

" Nee permissum est ut impune nobis liceat, quod alictii id alteri tradere 56 ." Non tenui profecto admiratione teneor eripuerimus, cur Aldelmides supremo Hibernis rnagistratu amotus, repetundarum
convertant."
^Hib. Expug.lib.il.
cc. 16, 22.
54

ibid, c 17.

55 Ibid. c.

22.

Cicero in Verrem.

iv.

53.

whom,

especially the Earl of Clanrickard,

still

endeavoured
quity of the

to
first

throw a
Burke.

veil over the ini-

wcre very powerful, and

Dr. Lynch and

Catholic

when
;

But
z
,

see the cha-

Mac Firbis were

may

writing

racter given of

him by Giraklus confirmed

p.

circumstance which

explain

why

they

by the

Irish Annals, note

391, supra.

CHAI-.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

395

taking away from his countrymen all parts of honor and emolument, and giving them only the worst; nay, extending his claims, wresting from them, with the most griping sordidness, the lands which the King had
in

bestowed on his soldiers.

In a word,

if

we can

believe Cambrensis,

he

always intriguing, always treacherous, always mingling a snake lurking in the grass, a man with poison with his honey, always an open and mild expression of face, but covering an interior more full
of gall than of

was a

man

honey
Dark

always
vice, \vitfi

" Confirmed in

brow composed and bland

honeyed words."

treason lurking in his heart corrupt,

Fell poison mingles with his

His words were softer than

whom he fawned on

but they were arrows to him ; the man he betrayed or plundered to-morrow; a to-day,
oil,

conqueror of the unarmed ; a partisan of rebels ; yielding to the intrepid, most oppressive intrepid to the yielding ; most agreeable to the enemy, to the subject; neither formidable to the former, nor faithful to the
latter.

did

bland, treacherous, and cowardly man, &c. &c., who, in fine, nothing in Ireland worth commemorating, except the translation to

Dublin from
af

Armagh
if

of the

most precious

staff,

which

is

called the staff

decking one altar with the spoils of another were an heroic exploit, or the sacrifice of a stolen victim could be an expiation, and not as great an abomination in the sight of God as the sacrifice by " Honor the Lord with Saul of the rich herds of the Amalecites. thy "He that offers sacrifice substance. Give alms out of thy substance."
Jesus 6 ," as
is like to one who slays the son before You have brought in a gift of rapine, shall I accept the father's eyes." " To be liberal with the it at property of your hands? saith the Lord.

out of the substance of the poor,

" is not another," says Seneca, generosity :" but to give to another " one takes from himself; for, as Cicero observes, They who injure
that they

what
some

may be liberal to others, are guilty of the same injustice as" We those who turn the property of another to their own use. cannot,
without guilt, make over to one man what we have robbed from another.'*' But is it not amazing that Fitzadelm, when he was removed from the
1 government of Ireland, was not accused of peculation by the King ? Yet

He robbed
e

all

the churches in Connaught.

Church, Introduction,
'

p. viii.

See Obits

and Martyroloyy of

Christ

This

is

a singular argument.

It

might

396
apud Regem non
feri dignitate
sit

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VII.

insimulatus: qui tantum abest, ut in ilium ullo

pacto animadverterit, ut potius

nunquam

eum summo loco semper habuerit, dapi" Concordiam" adexuerit, Regi Hibernias ad
in
.

ducendo adhibuerit, plurimis fundis 57 potestate in Wexfordiensi donaverit

Ut

agro Limbricensi, et ampla in ejus patrocinium non

traham quod Guillelmi Conquestoris nomine a scriptoribus nostris in58 eandem appellationem cum decantato illo Guillelmo Notho signiatur
,

quod simili prorsus ratione, hie Angliam, ille Hiberniam expugnaverit; quod prole foecundus, et nobilissimge Burgorum families
sortitus;

generis author fuit.

Cujus. propago adeo longe latequeper Hiberniam

diffusa est, ut in singulis Insulae regionibus, latifundia plurima, et sum-

mam plerumque dominationem retulerit honorariis rerum administratione saepissime potita.

:

titulis, et

suprema

ad nepotem ejus " persequendum transilit, quern Allemanum non natura, non statura, ab avunculi moribus non degeimncupatione nerasse dicit 59 ." Deinde Robertum Poerum "maledicentia?" aspergine irrorat 60 Sed in Herva3um a Monte Maurisco invectivarum torrentem,
a Aldelmidae conviciis proscindendo,

Sed Giraldus

Gualterum

simili injuria

Eum enim inquit variis vitiorum maquasi rupto aggere effundit. culis malitia deformaverat ; erat quippe vir a pueritia veneri datus, nee
incestus ullos, nee adulteria vitans
vir invidus, delator, et duplex, vir ; subdolus, facetus et fallax, cujus sub lingua mel, et lac veneno contecta: vir vagus et vanus praeter inconstantiae solius, nullius rei con-

"

stantiam habens, vir olim Gallica militia strenuus, sed hodie plus habens
malitige

quam militiae, plus

fraudis,

quam laudis,

plus verbositatis

quam

veritatis 61 ."

Sed Stanihurstus magnus alioqui Giraldi

57

cultor, "nescit an Giral-

Hib. Expug,

lib.

i.

c.
ei

32.

58

Warrseus Antiq. Hib.

p.

241.

Hib. Expug,

lib.

ii.

c.

15.

eo ibid. c. 9.

ibid. cc. 1 1, 19.

have some weight if the most successful robbers were not in those days often regarded as the most loyal subjects and faithf ul servants.

silver, and money, which he had exacted in every place where he

laden with gold,

came, for other good he did none."

Hib.

Philip of Worcester,

who was

Expug.
s

lib.

ii.

c.

2 7.

De Lacy, " to bring the land to order," robbed the church

sent over as deputy after
of

He

is

not called Conqueror of Ireland,

but of Connaught, and that principally by

the

Armagh, and returned

to

Dublin well

Connaught Annalists, because some

of

CHAP. VII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

397

there was not only no charge made against him, but he continued to the last in high favor at Court, enjoyed to his death his office of royal cup-

was employed to bring about a peace with the King of Ireland, and endowed with ample lands in the county of Limerick, and great
bearer,

power in Wexford.

might

also, if necessary,

urge in his defence that

our writers generally call him William the Conqueror g , for as William the Bastard conquered England, so William Fitzadelm conquered Ireland,

where he had a numerous family, and was founder of the most noble family of the Burkes. So generally did this family extend itself through Ireland, that, in almost every district, they held extensive possessions,
and sometimes were the sole occupiers, while they also attained to the highest titles of honor, and often to the supreme government of the
State.

Walter h

After having launched these invectives against Fitzadelm, his nephew " He was a is next selected for similar abuse. German," says " not nature, nor in stature, but in name alone ; a faithful Giraldus, by
1

representative of his uncle's depravity." Robert Poer the hail of his sarcasm ; but

Then he showers down on Hervy de Monte Marisco is

" assailed with a torrent of abuse that bursts all bounds. Depravity," he says, " had polluted him with various kinds of crimes. From his earliest days he was a slave of impurity, and stopped at no incests or
adulteries; envious, tale- bearing,

and treacherous

villain,

and double-minded; a crafty, polished, with the milk and honey of kindness on his

tongue, to conceal his poison ; a vain and inconsistent character, without one trait of constancy, save inconstancy itself. He once performed

French wars, but to-day he is more vicious than valorous, more deceitful than distinguished, more talkative than
great feats of arms in the truthful."

Stanihurst, however,

who in

general
h

is

a great follower of Giraldus,

the

first

successful invasions into that pro-

His name was Walter " Allemannus."

i.

vince were directed

by him.
title

He had

very

"

Allemande,"
'

e.

German, as

understand

poor claims to the

Ireland.

"Conqueror" of

it.

him
to

de Lacy, who succeeded government, contributed more the permanent occupation of Ireland than

Hugh

"'Poer,' in
'

modem

times 'Power,'

in the

literally

pauvre,' or 'poor,' from the po-

any of the

first
i.

adventurers
pp. 71, 144.

See Four

verty of Roger, the founder of the family, who came over to Ireland a penniless adventurer."

Masters, vol.

See Thierry's

Norman

Conquest.

398

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
et Hervasi

[CAP. VII.

dus Hervaaum ubique sat sincere insectetur 62 :"

[54] Giraldo
|

mores ex

depingere aggrediens addit: "si Giraldo Cambrensi fides adhibenda sit 63 ." Post autem eorum deformitatera exliibitam, subjungit:

" Vere an secus pro certo affirmare non queo: verisimile tamen mihi videtur Hervteum Giraldi voluntatem laesisse, quandoquidem in quavis
fere libelli sui paginula, ejus

famam omni contumelia

attingit,

Et

si

depravatos hominis mores sincere expresserit, historici integritatem religionemque plurimum laudo sin domestic! odii publicos testes colligere
:

voluerit maledicum bacchandi calunmiam

multum reprehendo ." Prseterea " durus est," inquit, " in Hervseum scriptor, Giraldus Cambrensis quern invidiosis maledictorum notis tradere voluit posteritatis memoriae.
64

Sed quoniam malevolentia congruenter veritati convenienterque perraro loquitur, talesque suos inimicos fingit, quales esse et videri optat, 65 sequum erit in narratione iniquo calumniatori fidem derogare ." Herva3us,

enim nuntio rebus humanis remisso, cum "ordini" monastico

se

aggregasset, et plura "prasdia" csenobiis contulisset, sciscitatur Stani-

hurstus " quorsum pertinet

nari,

humano modo peccantem tamacriter

vitse

crimi-

cum

liceat

penitentem melioris

tueri,

Quippe hoc nihil aliud est, quam in nostram strumam instar talpse non dispicere66 ."

sensum capientem admirari? alienum ngevum lyncaais oculis iu-

Nee

nimiis tan-

turn in amicos blanditiis, et in aemulos odiis sed frequentiori quoque adulatione historicorum se albo expungit, immodicis nunc laudibus, nune
vituperiis, pro studii sui impetu, in

" invictissimum
certant,

cum

Henricum Regem congestis, quern appellat," utpote cujus "victoria3 cum orbe terrarum a Pireneeis rnontibus in Occiduos, et extremes Borealis
Si

oceani fines Alexander occidentalis bracliium extendit.

excursuum

67 Inrmit ejus metse quserantur, prius- deerit orbis quam aderit finis ." " tarn Orientalis 68 ilium Asia3, quam etiam Hispanise victorias retulisse ."

Et a misericordia
62 Pag. 154. Antiq. p. 151.
03 67

et

dementia ilium,
154.
dist.
iii.

liter is

etiam ac sapientia depredi-

p ag

64

p ag

154.
68

65

pag. 192.
c.

idem.

ibid, et

Waraus

Top.

cc.

46, 47.

Ibid.

48.

Hervy, according
his

to

Giraldus,

was

gerald

Hib. Expug.

lib.

ii.

c. 4.

He re-

jealous of the reputation of

continually

plotted

Raymond, and ruin. He was

ported secretly to the

King

against Bay-

mond
'

Ibid.

c.

13.

married to a consin-german of Giraldus, namely, Nesta, daughter to Maurice Fitz-

Giraldus does not

though he impugns the motive.

conceal this fact, "

Hervy

CHAP. VII.]

CAMBEENSIS EVEESUS.

399

"doubts whether G-iraldus's invectives against Hervy were honest;" and, " if when he was about to draw the character of Hervy, he premises,
he adds

Giraldus can be believed!" Having recounted all Hervy's enormities, " Whether these be true or false, I cannot undertake to say
:

k highly probable that Hervy gave some offence to Giraldus , there is hardly one little page in the book in which some calumbecause

yet I think

it

nious attack

is

morals of the

man be

not levelled against him. If the account of the depraved true, I commend the honesty and virtuous indig;

nation of the historian

but

if

those public attacks are but the efferves-

cence of private hatred, I severely reprobate the bacchanalian licentious" Giraldus Cambrensis is ness of the slanderer." Again, he writes: very
severe against Hervy,

whose character he endeavours

to blast to all

posterity with the blackest hues. speaks in accordance with truth,

colors

But
but

since malicious enmity rarely rather depicts its victim in the

believe, justice requires

which

it fancies,

and wishes others to

that

place no reliance on the narrative of the unjust calumniator." Hervy renounced the world, and not only embraced the monastic life,
1

we

but gave rich endowments to several monasteries " to assail so a man asks

Stanihurst, mercilessly our nature had hurried into crime, when the repentance of the same man supplies a noble theme for admiration ? What is this but to scan-

" What avails it," whom the frailty of

with lynx-eyes the mote of another man, while we are blind as a toad Besides those lavish panegyrics on his friends, and to our own beam."
calumnies against his enemies, he was guilty of other faults inconsistent with the duty of an historian. King Henry the Second was, by turns,

most loathsome adulation, and bitter sarcasms. At one time he was the " most invincible King," " the Alexander of the West, whose victories were known in the whole world, from the Pyrethe object of his
nees on the south, to the

north."

He

insinuates that " the

Asia and in Spain;" nay,

professed himself a
of the
in

extreme verge of the Frozen Ocean on the King had gained victories in Eastern he was " a second Solomon" and
for-niercy,

monk

in the

monastery

Holy Trinity, and gave to the same frank and pure alms all his patronages
all his

as he

would God he had changed his mind, and had laid away his secular weeds had
Hib.
lib.
c.

cast off his malicious disposition."

and impropriations of

churches lying

Expvg.

ii.

22.

He

founded Duri-

by the sea-coast between Waterford and Wexford. As he changed his habit, so

brody Abbey, in the county of Wcxford, where the Suir and Barrow unite.

400

CAMBEENSIS EVERSUS.
"

[CAP. VII.

" Solomonem alterum " cat,

meritis

minorem; debacchantem

furorem coercuisse." Postea

eum nominans, additque famam ejus tarn Asia? quam Europe gentilium " piissimum" eum vocat, et liibernis divi-

nitus obtigisse, " cujus ecclesiam et regnum ei debere " ait "quicquid de bono pacis et increment! religionis est assecuta69." In eo denique " Merlini Ambrosii vaticinium" implendum esse, passim pronuntiat, ut ex oraculoruni pramuntione laudem illi aucupetur.

Sed quern vivum his laudibus, eumdem extinctum opprobriis alibi 70 cunmlat: inconstantiae nimirumetpublicae fidei violates reum agit, docetque ilium
tarn in promissis faciendis liberalem,

quam

in eisdem non

prasstandis infidum fuisse: ac adeo a pietate alienum, ut sacro assistens

vix ad sacree hostiae elationem in genua demissus, reliquum tempus Praeterea fortunas amplas viris Ecclesicolloquis profanis impenderet. asticis per injuriam ereptas, in profanes homines contulerit, " et alia multa " enormis vitse delicta patraverit. Quid multis? David Povellus scribit " Giraldum candide de Henrico et in

parum

Eege

sentiisse,

libro

de principis instructione, acerbe admodum in Regem Henricum II. invectum fuisse, ubi suas malevolentiae virus ita evomit, ut suum invete-

ratum odium

satis

manifesto prodat 71 ."

Alexander magnus historiam Aristobuli laudes immodicas, et ultra veri fines longe progressas Alexandra tribuentem in profluentern abjecit qua igitur voragine, aut conflagratione liber Giraldi perire dignus est? qui non solum indebitis laudibus Henricum ornavit, sedimmodicis
:

etiam vituperiis eundem deformavit.

laedenti habita est, qui

Nulla unquam
"

fides laudanti et

dum

ridet,

mordet, et

fella spergit,

dum

menti-

tur,

saccarum renidentibus labris, venena devomit.

Hib. Expug. i. c. 2
x.
lib.
i.

Ut Bias sciscitanti

69

c.

31

ibid. c. 35.

briae. lib.

ibid. c. 4,

et annot.

ad

c. 4.

Hib. Expug. lib. i. c. 46. 'i Itiner. Cara72 Hib. Expug. lib. i. cc. 14, 15.

m Chapters

and

xi. of

White's Apologives, at great

riensis."

"

Quos principes

viros valde lau-

gia are on this subject.

He

length, the character of Henry, as

drawn

darat, vita functos valde vituperat Camber." The " Topography of Ireland," in

by Giraldus before and death. The chapters are

adulationes

after that King's

entitled

"

Apertee

ry

which the chief eulogy is lavished on Henin II., was composed when Giraldus was
;

Cambri ad versus Archiepiscopum Cantuariensem, et Henricum II. Regem Anglorum adhuc viventeni, qui reus
rat mortis Martyris, S.

the " Itine-. the thirtieth year of his age of Wales," and the " Description of rary

Wales," ten years later

and the " Gesta

Anglia Sa-

Thoma3 Cantua-

Giraldi," in his fiftieth year.

CHAP. VII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

401

" and his clemency, and learning, and wisdom ; very name, though fame had not done it full justice, had curbed the riotous fury of the Gentiles " a most of Asia as well as of Europe." Afterwards he calls him pious "a great gift of God to the Irish," whose Church and State King," and

owed
gion.

to

him alone whatever progress had been made in peace and reliThe oracles themselves are pressed into the panegyric. The pro-

phecies of Ambrosius, Merlin, Giraldus assures us, in a thousand places, were all to be fulfilled in King Henry the Second, while alive.

But when

this

King

died, the picture

is

reversed.

He

is

then dis-

and to have disgracefully broken through covenants, and treaties solemnly guaranteed he was as liberal public and hollow in making promises as he was faithless and treacherous in
covered to have been
fickle,
;

" was the " most keeping them ; nay, this pious King very reverse of and whenever he assisted at mass, would hardly go on his knees piety, even at the elevation of the Host, but spent the whole time in profane conversation. He enriched his dependants with the plunder of the

Church, whose property he alienated from its sacred purposes, and per" petrated many other" enormous crimes" What more? David Powell writes " Giraldus acted a very unfair part towards King Henry ; and,
1

in his

book on the

scathing invectives

Education of a Prince,' launches out into the most but the envenomed tone of the attack betrays un-

mistakeable evidence of the rancorous malignity of the writer." Aristobulus wrote a history in which he celebrated Alexander in
the

most extravagant strain, far transcending the real state of events. Alexander ordered the book to be flung into the river. What gulf or iurnace could be sufficient punishment for Giraldus's book ? combining,
is it

did, not only excessive praise of

King Henry, but

also the

most

outrageous calumnies. Who ever believed a man who praises and calumliates in the same breath ; who smiles while he stings and deposits his his poisonous lies from lips exhaling and glitterjail, and vomits forth

ng with honey."
ra, vol.
ii.

When

Bias was asked what was the most noxious

portrait of his royal master, in a
titled "Institutio Principle."

p.

626.

In several passages of
after the

work en-

hese works,

composed

TopograII.;

That work

hy, he attacks the

ut the matter is not
lee

memory

of

Henry

worth further inquiry.

to give a full

Frankfort edition, for instance, pp. 823,

first time, published in be useful in illustrating the character of Henry II. as a reformer of the

has been, for the

1846.
It will

34, 835,

where he promised

Irish Church.

2 D

402

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
esset

[CAP. VII.
sil-

quodnam

ex animalibus perniciosissimum, recte responderit "

vestrium tyrannum, domesticorum adulatorem." Sieut Rcgum aulis adulatores abiguntur, sic historicorum ordine Giraldus exturbandus
est,

cujus narrationes studio ac voluntate

tamquam

cardine,

non

veri-

tate vertuntur.

dum flagrasse,
lariiena in

Porro non potui admiratione non percelli, tan to IIerva3i odio Giralut ejus " suasu" Reymundo " dissuadente" tarn immani
Waterfordienses saevittim fuisse affirmaverit 72
,

cum

Mauritius

Reganus Dermitii Lageniaj Regis interpres, et famulus, qui rei gestaa seriem non auditu solum, sed etiam oculis percipere potuit, utpote turn
[55] curn

domino
|

suo intra Lagenise

satis diligenter

fines,

edita est,

commemoratus, in

historia

quam de rebus
,

ad cujus limites carnificina ilia suo tempore in

Hibernia gestis

elucubravit 73 asserere non dubitavcrit

Reynmndum, cujusdam de

Buasin amici sui nece exulceratum, ad tarn

atrocem internicionem perpetrandam suos attraxisse: turpi se igitur mendacio Giraldus inquinavit, ut noxas dedecus a consobrino ad amiulum
averteret.

Ut mendacium

ejus aliud sileam, Waterfordienses pra?cipiles

Ista
infa-

actos esse dicentis: cum,

nempe

ideo

occisos fuisse Reganus memoret. commentus est, ut major truculentiamajorem Hervsso

tantum

miam connaret. Ejus

et flocci facienda est.

igitur historia mendaciis contaminata, explodeiula,

Ut enim animanti
dematur
historiae,

si

eruantur oculi, reliquuni

inutile

ubique errabitur. Imo, qui veritatem historian subducit, nervos historias succidit, ossa confringit, et
fit,

sic si veritas

ipsam denique animam

eripit.

Nam veritas
est 74,

histories

fundamentum,

fir-

mamentum,

absque qua nullam neque formam, fidem habebit, " citra quam " (ut ait ipse Giraldus) " omnis historia neque non solum authoritatem, sed et nomen historian demeretur 75 ." Debenms
spiritus, et

anima

enim fugere ut falsum quid

Cicero dixerit "

vel

minima ex parte

narret.

Ut jure

nierito

primam

esse histories legem,

ne quid

falsi dicere audeat.

Ne qua suspicio gratia3 sit in scribendo, ne qua simultatis: fundamenta nota sunt omnibus 76 ."
Sicut autem a veritate

ha3C scilicet

plurimum

recessisse Giraldus

proximo
Dion.
7(;

Je-

Hib. Expug. lib. i. cc. 14, 15. Warsetisde Scrip. Hib. p. 56. " Hib. Ex. lib. i. Baldnin de His. p. 626 Viperan, c. 10 Foxius.
; ;

"

c. 5.

De

Oral.

lib.

ii.

Harris,

who

edited a translation of

Moore, M'Geoghegan, and others,

di-fl-nd

Regan's History, reasons like Dr. Lynch.

Raymond.

The rock whence

the captives

CHAP. VII.]

CAMBRENSIS E VERSUS.
lie

403

of all animals,

of his friend."

answered truly, " the peasants' tyrant, and the flatterer Flatterers are expelled from the palaces of Kings; so
the roll of historians.

Giraldus's

name must be expunged from

Preju-

dice and whim, not the interests of truth, were the guiding star of his

narrative.

In his account of the atrocious cruelties perpetrated against the inhabitants of Waterford, Giraldus gives an astounding proof of his

u in great hatred of Hervy, who, he maintains, committed those crimes of the remonstrance" of Raymond. But Maurice Regan, the interdespite
preter and servant of King Dermod, had a good opportunity of hearing and even witnessing those scenes, as he was then living with his master in Leinster, on the borders of which province the massacre was com" mitted. Now, in his History of the Affairs of Ireland in his own Time," Regan distinctly asserts, that Raymond had excited his followers
to the massacre, in

friends".

order to avenge the death of De Buoein, one of his Giraldus has, therefore, been guilty of a flagitious lie, to shield

the fair

falsehood
rocks,

name of his cousin from the black stain of infamy. Another is what he tells of the victims being thrown down from the
Hervy a
still

whereas Regan states merely that they were slain. Giraldus added

the other circumstance, in order to fix on

taint of barbarity.
lies,

more savage

His whole history, therefore, being one tissue of

creature,

what credit or respect is it entitled to? Put out the eyes of a living and the remainder is useless; follow a history without truth,

and every step is an error. For truth is the foundation, the strength, the life, the soul of history, without which it is a monster without " without " no truth," in Giraldus's own words, shape or grace; history can have any authority, nor deserve the name even of a history: even
on the

most

the slightest falsehood."

history
ilike

is

should be taken not to tell even Cicero was perfectly right: " The first law of not to dare to state anything false ; that the writer be free
trifling points great care

from prepossession and prejudice: these are. principles which 3very one knows." In the course of my work abundant proofs shall appear of Giraldus's
vere
lus.

thrown
1 1

is

called

Dundoloph by Giraland in

Hooker's time was called Dimdorogh.

Dr.

is

situated at Passage, four " large

O'Conor questions the authority of the work

ascribed to

"risk"

miles east of Waterford;

Regan

Proleg. pars

ii.

p.

146.

D2

404
monstratus est
:

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VII.

sic superius non solum naviter gratiae colligendse, simultatique exercendae, sed etiam propriae laudi turpiter evulgandse studuisse convincitur ; refragantibus condendae historiae praeceptoribus, et monen-

tibus ut in scribenda historia omnis ingenii, et doctrinse ostentatio, imo et ostentationis suspicio vitetur77 Multum enim historic dignitati de.

trahetur,

si

glories querendse, si gratiae ineundas, si nimii in res patrias

si

studii odiive in alienos,

ostentandse doctrina3 causa suscepta esse vi-

deatur.

Porro

cum

Cicero non minus vere

quam

polite dixerit, Ro-

manam

historian! laudationibus funebribus, et familiarum factam esse

esse

mendaciorem, quis historian! Giraldi mendis abunde cumulatam

diffitebitur,

qui in toto histories decursu, in suorum laudes, et adversariorum opprobria habenas orationi laxat? cum tarn en vitandum sit
j

historico ne in

laudem principum, aut ducum, qui suae partis sunt, ant in partis alterius vituperium plus satis dicat, quod hoc suspectam reddat historian! 78 . Non enirn est sperandum ut ab eo, qui erga alteram
odio aut amicitia affectus
est,

res

omniuo vera
necessum

proficiscatur.

quidem

historico ut tuto credatur,

est,

partem Quandout ab omnibus aflfee-

tibus sit alienus.

Etenim ut vulgo
est,

dicitur: "periit rationis judiciurn

cum

res transiit inaflfectum."

Quippe videndum

ne cupiditate, metu, adulationis

affectu, odio,

studiove quicquam dicatur,

cum

veritas

nude narrari

debeat, nullo
sit,

autem colore adumbrari.

Nam

si

quis veritatern narraturus

sine

fuco, aut pretextu, nihil studio aut affectu tacebit, nihil odio dicet, nihil
79 cupiditate avaritiave in gratiam aut adulationem scribet

aequum non est, neque sanctse

tegere, et

historiae legi

Nimirum consentaneum, suorum errata

.

factum aliquod insigne laudibus extollere, hostium vero male-

facta maledictis incessere, et praeclara facinora silentio prasterire.

Neque

adversaries ageres, nee historici personam gereres sed oratoris, qui hoc in prirnis cavet ne

turn historiam scriberes, sed

tuam causam contra

quid contra seipsum

dicat,

aut sentiat 80

Scilicet videre

quosdam

licet,

qui non rerum narratores, sed

in historia laudatores se declarant, in

eosj

principum laudes evagantes, cumque praestantissimis Imperatoribus

conferentes, et laudibus afficientes pene divinis,
77

tamque ambitiose de
8

Viperan. Foxius. Bruto.

78

Francis Patricias.

79

Foxius.

Viperan.

Few

nations on the earth have taken

Irish
to trace the

genealogies of their aristocracy, and none

more trouble than the

havabeen worse requited

for their pains.

CHAP. VII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

405

flagrant offences against truth.

What

have written already convicts

him not only of having indulged personal prejudices, and pandered ignominiously to the will of others, but also of having shamelessly emblazoned his own panegyrics, in defiance of this rule laid down for the composition of a history, that the historian should forget himself, and not only make no parade of his talents or learning, but avoid even the It degrades the dignity of history, slightest suspicion of ostentation.

when any design appears either of acquiring celebrity or favor, or of indulging an excessive love of our own, or hatred of a foreign country, or of parading our learning. Cicero has observed, with equal truth and
elegance, that even the history of
of the funeral orations

Rome

herself has adopted too

;

much

and panegyrics on her great families what then must we think of the innumerable errors of Giraldus, who never checked his pen in the whole course of his work, when enemies were to be abused,
or friends panegyrized ? especially when a historian is bound, under pain of depreciating his credit, never to exceed the strict limits of truth in

praising the princes or great men of his own party, or censuring their When a man betrays favor or hatred towards any party, antagonists.

there

is

no hope of getting truth unadulterated.

hesitating assent, the historian

To command our unmust prove himself superior to passion

and prejudice: the proverb says truly, " that the discernment of reason
disappears whenever the subject interests the passions." Cupidity or fear, flattery, party-spirit or hatred, should never guide our
pen.

For

if

Let the truth be stated plainly, without any false shades or coloring. a person write the truth without disguise or dissembling, he will

suppress nothing through passion or party-spirit ; say nothing through hatred write nothing from cupidity or avarice, to flatter or to please.
;

It is

unjust, and contrary to a sacred law of history, to gloss over or suppress the faults of our friends, and emblazon their good deeds, while
the noble actions of
the

theme of virulent

our enemies are suppressed, and their crimes made invective. To act thus, is not to write history,

DUt to plead
.'ian,

your own cause against an enemy; you are not an histobut an orator, whose great maxim is never to say anything that nay damage his own cause. There are but too many examples of vriters, whose histories are rather labored panegyrics than narratives
)f

facts. Kings and princes, and their great merits, are the burden of he page ; they are compared and preferred to the most renowned Empe-

40G

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
quicquam
aliis

[CAP. VII.

suis civibus scribentes ut nee

tribuant, nee sibi Decs

(ut dieitur) pares esse putent, narrationem ipsam stepe prsetermitteutes, 81 Aut ssepe etiam stuet mine hujus, mine illius laudibus insistentes
.

[56] dentes

contemptionern suorum magis quam illorurn 82 studiosus, ita ut hac ratione historiam ftedissime corrumpant Itaque

hostem adducere

in

historicus putet se judicis boni, et integri sustinere personam, quam summum scelus sit affectu aliquo perturbatam aliquando non tueri qui
:

scire debet

minus dicere quam

res

sit,

imperfectum esse;
.

et nibilo

mul-

tum

efficere,

opus esse poetarum: augere autem id quod minus

existit,

oratoribus tanquam proprium attribui 83 Quare relinqui historico, ut verum profiteatur, et tantum verbis exprirnat, quantum res ipsa continet.

Quomodo autem Giraldus

verbosiori oratione, in se suisque im-

moderate laudandis,
histories legurn

et adversariis invidiose rodendis, profuso illarum

jugo collum extraxerit, hoccapite uberius docui.

Robertellus.

81

Foxius.

83

Franciscus Patricias.

AP. CHA

VII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

407
Friends and fellow-

rors,

and celebrated with honors almost divine.

countrymen are described in such terms as to monopolize all good The course of the narrative themselves. qualities, and rival the Gods
is

repeatedly interrupted

by eulogies on the

writer's favorites, or his

him to strain all his might to bring their enepartiality to them leads These are the foul stains which defile so many of mies into contempt.
our histories.
of a

The

historian should never forget that he holds the office

good and upright judge, who must be inaccessible to every movement of passion, or be guilty of the greatest crime; who ought to know
is

that to state things less than they are

is

wrong, to make

much

of nothing

the province of the poet, and to amplify what is less important is the For the historian is reserved the duty peculiar attribute of the orator.

words such as they were in deed. This chapter contains abundant evidence that Giraldus dispensed with those salutary laws of history in his extravagant panegyrics of his own friends, and his calumnious invectives against their enemies.
of writing the truth, stating facts in

408

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

CAPUT

VIII.

CUM GIRALDUS, CONTRA LEGES HISTORIC VERITATEM IN PLURIBUS REBUS, AC PRESERTIM IN REGUM HIBERNLE NOMINIBUS ET GESTIS OMITTENDIS, CCELAVERIT; REGUM HIBERNI.E NOMINA SIGILLATJM ET ALIQUJE RES EORUM GEST^E BREVISSI ME PROPONUNTUR.
[56]

Reticentia Sallustii. Reticentia Thucydides. Quam grave crimen Reticentia Givaldi contra promissa, nullum verbum facit de Tua-deDanannis. [57] Nee nomina, nee res> gestas Hibernian regum Giraldus retulit. Res memorabilea Falsd dicit reges Hiberniae nihil insigne fecisse. Anni regnorum regura omisit, frivolasinseruit.
?

Quod vitium

reticentia

historic! sit reticeutia?

Hibernian

SLANGIUS PBIMUS HIBERNIJEREX.

Hibernia in quinque partes divisa.

Novem

reges

Gentis Firbolgae Hiberniam administrabant. [58] Taltinensis. Regiium Hibemiaa Tua-de-Danannis

REGES TUA-DE-DANANNI HIBERNIA. Pugna ademptum. Fiiai MILESII BEGES HIBERNIAE.

mora

Heber. Heremon. [59] Munneus, Lugneus, et Lagneus, reges. Irialus vates.-^Sexdecem nesuccisa. Oppida fossis cincta. Ethrialus.-Tigemmasius. Aurifodinae primd invents. Cultus idolorum, aurei scaphi,etc. etc. EochocliusEdghadhach. Coloresvestium Kearmcaapti. naus, Sobarchiusque reges. Eochodius Fibherglas. Septem nemora succisa. Fiachus Labhran-

nius. Eochodius Mumho, a quo Momoniaa dictae. ^Engusius Olmucadh. Decem nemora succisa. jEndeus Argteach Scuta argentea in Hibernia prim urn fabricata. Sednaaus. [60] Rotheachtus. Fiach Finscothach. Magna fcetuum et fructfis abundantia. Munemonius. Catenae aurese. Aldergdodius. Annuli aurei. OLLAMCS FODLAUS. Comilia Temoriae instituta et leges latas.

Finnachtus. Vinum cselo defluens. Slannollus. Hibernia morbi expers. Gaadius Ollgothach. Canorae hominum voces. Fiachus Fionnolceas. Olildus. Sirnaus Saolach. Berngalius. [61] Rothechtachus. Elimius Ollfinacha. Giljchadius. Airturus Jmleach. Septem munimenta
fossata.
s

Nuadius

Finnius.

Simone.
cagptum.

Fionfail. Brosassius. Fomorii fusi. Eochodius Optach. Pestis maxima. Ssedneus. Operas mercede locari caeptae. Simon Breac. Hectoris Boethii error de Duachus Candidus. Endeus Ruber. Argentum signari [62] Muredach Bolgrach.

Lugadius lardhon.

Syorlamius.

Fiadhmundus et Conangus Begaglach Lamhdheargi fllius. Fiach Tolgrach.

Ladghrach. Lugadius Laighde. EAMANIA FONDATA. Rectachus Ridghdearg. Rex Hiberniae et Albaniae. Hugouius Magnus. Cobtachus Hibernia in viginti quinque partes distributa. Buchadius. [64] Leogarius Lorcus. Caolbreagh. Lauradius Longhsecus. Melgeus. Modchorbus. Jingusius Olamhus. Jeredus. Fercorbo. Conlaus. Olillus Casf hialach. Adamarius. Eochodius Altlaham. Fergusius Fortamalius. jEngusius Turmechus. Conallus Columhrach. Endeus Aigneach. [65] Niesadamanius. Crinthanus Cosgrach. Rodericus. Innetmaras. Bressalius Bodhiobhadh. Bovum lues. Lugadius Luagneus. Congalius Clarinech. Duachus Daltadegha. Fachtnaus Fatach. Eochodius Feidleacb,i e. longorum gemituum. Pentarchiaj in Hibernia institutor. Eochod Aremh. Conarius. Hibernia in omnibus felicissima. Sepulchi'a primiim effossa. [66] Ederschelius. Alienigenas expulsae. Interregnum quinque aunorum. Lugadius Sriabhndearg. Conchaunis Abrarudah. Crimthanius Nianarius. CHKISTUS NATDS Plebeiorum dominatio Athachtuachi Morannus Judcx. Reges revocati Carbraeum Kencheit regem salutant. [67] Annonae penuria. Moranno suadente. Feradachus Fionfachtuachus. Annulus Moranni. Fiathachus Finnius. Fiachus Firfaladius, conjuratione Athachtuathomm oppressus. Elimius Conrachi filius. [68] TuaMedias fines producti. thalius Techtmarius Athachtuathos, debellat. Rex ab omnibus salutatus. Lex talionis.CaMulcta BoiTumha imposita. Malius. Fedlimidius Rachtmhor. Leges latae Leath-cunnia et Leath-moa. therius Magnus. Constantius Cedcahach. Rerum abundantia. Arturus fllius Cedcathach. Alienigenarum exercitus Hiberniam [69] Conarius fllius Mogholami.
aggreditur.

Scaphi ex crate. Eochodius Conangus Begaglach. Airturus Olillus Finnius. Eochodius. Argetmarus. [63] Duachus Aldus Rufus. Dithorbus. KIMBAOTHUS. MEACHA KEGINA.

Eochodius Uaircheas.

Lugadius Lamhdhearg.

Lugadius cognomento Maccon. VIK TAM BELLO QUAM ERUDiTiONE cLAKus.

Collaus Uaie in Albaniam

Liffecharius.

Fergusius Dubdedach. [70] COKMACUS ULFADHA, Census Boarius. Eochod Gonnatus. [71] Carbra;us Fothadius Argteach et FothadiusCairbteach. Fiachus Srabhtenus, Albania ab ipso

possessa.

cum

fratribus abactus.

ilurcdaclius Tirach.

Tres Collai in

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

409

CHAPTER

VIII.

GIRALDUS, IN VIOLATION OF THE LAWS OF HISTORY, SUPPRESSED THE TRUTH IN SEVERAL POINTS, AND ESPECIALLY IN OMITTING THE NAMES AND ACTIONS OF THE KINGS OF IRELAND. THE NAMES OF THE KINGS OF IRELAND GIVEN IN ORDER, AND A SUCCINCT NARRATIVE OF SOME OF THEIR ACTIONS.
[66]

Suppression of truth a fault in history. Instanced in Sallust In Thucydides. How criminal such suppression is. Giraldus guilty of it, even against his express promise. He does not mention He the Tuatha de Dananns. [57] He omits both the actions and names of the kings of Ireland. chronicles frivolous and suppresses important events. His false assertion that Irish kings had performed no noble deeds. Chronology of the reigns of Irish kings. SLAINGE FIRST KING OK IKE-

LAND. Ireland divided into five parts. Nine kings of the Firbolgian race reigned over Ireland. Battle of Tailtion. Tuatha de Dananns [58] IRISH KINGS OF THE TUATHA DE DANANN EACE. deprived of the crown of Ireland. THE SONS OF MILIDH KINGS OF IRELAND. Heber. Heremon. Mumne, Lugne, and Lagne, kings. Trial the prophet. Sixteen forests cleared. Towns en[59] closed by walls. Ethrial. Tigernmas. Gold mines first discovered. Worship of idols introduced, golden cups, &c. &. Eochoidh Edghadhach. Different colors of dress ordained by law. Kearmnas and Sobairce kings. Eochaidh Faebherglas. Seven forests cleared. Fiach Labhrainne. Eochaidh Mumho, from whom the name Munster. Ten forests cleared. JSngus Ollmucaidh. Sedna. Fiach FinEnda Airgtheach. Silver shields first made in Ireland. [60] Rotheacht. scothach. Abundance of herds and fruits. Munemone. Chains of gold. Aldergdode. Rings of Feis ofTara established, and laws enacted. Finnachta. Wine falls gold. OLLAMH FODHLA. The voice of the from the sky. Ireland free from all sickness. Geide Ollgothach. Slanoll. Irish melodious. Fiach Fionnolceas. Berngail. Olild. Sirna Saoghlach. [61] Rothechtach. Elimid Ollfinacha. Gillchadh. Art Imleach. Seven towns fortified. Nuad Fionfail. Breas. Fomorians defeated. Eochoidh Opthach. Great pestilence. Fion. Sedne. Wages first paid for labor. Simon Breac. Error of Boetius regarding Simon. Duach the Fair. [62] Muredhach Bolgrach. Enda the Red. Silver coin first used. Lughaidh lardhon. Siorlamh. Eochoidh Uaircheas. Wicker boats. Eochaidh ladmund and Conang Begeaglach. Lughaidh Lamhdhearg. Conang Eochodih Argetmor. Fiach Tolgrach. Olild Finn. Begeaglach. Art, son of Lamdhearg. [63] Duach Ladghrach, Lughaidh Laighde. Aedh, the Red. Dithorba. KIMBAOTH. QUEEN MACHA. EMANIA BUILT. Rectach Ridhdhearg, King of Ireland and Alba. Hugony the Great. Ireland divided into twenty-five parts. Buchad. Cobhthach Caolbreagh. [64] Loegaire Lore. Laurad Longhseach Fercorb. Conla. Olild Melge. Modhcorb. ^Engus Ollamh. lereo. Casfhialach. Adamar. Eochoidh Altlahan. Fergus Fortamhail. J?ngn8 Turmech. Conall Cohimhrach. Enda Aighneacu. Crimhthan Cosgrach. Rudhraighe In[65] Niesadamain. netmar. Bressal Bodhiobhadh. Murrain among the cattle. Lughaidh Luaigne. Congal Clarinech. Duach Daltadcgha. Fachtna Fathach. Eochoidh Feidhleach that is, the " deep sighing." Pentarchy established in Ireland. Eochoidh Aremh. Graves first used. [C6] Ederscel. Conaire.
.

Great happiness of Ireland. Foreigners all expelled. Interregnum of five years. Lughaidh Sriabhndearg. Conchobhar Abraruadh. Crimthan Nianair. BIRTH OF CHRIST. Domination of the plebeians. Athachtuatha elect Carbry Kenchait king. [67] Great famine. Judge Moran. Old line of kings restored by his advice. Feradhach Finnfechtnach. Moran's collar. Fiatach Finn. Fiach Finoladh cut off by a conspiracy of the Athachtuatha. Elim, son of Conrach. Meath Is unanimously proclaimed king. [68] Tuathal Techtmar conquers the Athachtuatha.
enlarged.

The Borumha

tribute enforced.

Mai.

Fedhlimidh Rechtmor.

Laws

enacted.

The

lex talimiis.C&fhoir the

and Leath-Mogha.
[70]

IN WAR AND SCIENCE. The Borumean tribute. Eochoidh Fothadh Argtheach, and Fothadh Cairbtheach. Fiacha Sraibhteine takes possession of Alba. Colla Uais and his brothers exiled to Alba. Muredhach Tirt;ach. -The three Collas return from Alba. DESTROY THE r ALACK OF EAMAXIA. Coelbhadh

An army CORMAC ULFADA, EMINENT BOTH

[71]

Great Conn of the Hundred Battles. Great plenty. Leath-Cuinn [C9] Conaire, son of Moghlamha. Art, son of Conn of the Hundred Battles. of foreigners invades Ireland. Lughaidh, surnamed Maccon. Fergus Dubdedach.
Carbre Liffeachair.

Gonnad.

410
Hibernian! reversi

CAMBRKNSIS EVERSUS.
Eamaniam Rejdnra
fimditus evertunt.
Coclbadius, Cronbadrii

[CAP. VIII
filius.

Eocho-

dius Moghuiedonius. [72] Ex quo plerictue reges Hiberniae Christian! ortum ducunt. Criinthonu.s praedas a Gallia, Saxonia, et Albania retulit. Nellus Neogiallach pluribus Europaa provinHiberniae et Albania? rex. ciis praedas abducit. DATHJAS, PAGANORCM HIBEBNIJE KEGUM

ULTIMCS.

Hiberni Galliam infestant.

Hiberni dicuntur Scoti.

TAM

narrat.

ab ofBcio historic! abest qui vera praetermittit, quam qui falsa Nam ut ait S. August: " Qui veritatem occultat, et qui prodit
est,
ille

mendacium, uterque reus

nocere desiderat 1 ."

quia prodesse non vult,

iste quia

Boetii etiam verba sunt:

"Non

mihi Socratico

de-

creto fas esse arbitror, vel occuluisse veritatem, vel concessisse menda-

cium 2 ."

Hinc

in historic

vitii

genus

est reticentia, cui, teste Cicerone,

poena est a jurisconsultis constituta.

Hoc

vitio laboravit Salustius in

3 conjuratione Catilinse describenda ; etenim quod Ciceroni acta3 a Senatu fuerint gratia3, quod pater patrias dictus, quod ejus nomine supplicatio

decreta,

verissirna

quod illi Capua3 a decurionibus statua inaurata fuerit erecta; quidem ilia omnia, et multum ad Ciceronis laudem spectantia, Salustius odio adductus reticuit. Thucydides etiam in eandem reticen-

reprehensionem incidit, quod libro octavo narrans Antiphontem Rhetorem, virum disertum, solvendee Atheniensium Democratia? authorem extitisse, subticuerit ultimo supplicio affectum, ej usque cadaver, ut
tia3

sua3 erga prseceptorem pietati, a

Voluit scilicet hoc condonare a feris discerperetur, projectum fuisse. quo fuerat in arte bene dicendi insti-

Itaque reticere ea quas ad augendam viri alicujus, aut gentis gloriam spectant, in re aliqua bene, fortiterque gesta, hoc prorsus improbi, ac flagitiosi est hominis.
tutus.

ab ipsa

Plura quidem Giraldus silentio praeteriit, quae instituta scribendi David ratio, aut sponsio preestita exegit, ut scriptis insereret. Povellus ait: " Giraldum ubique Guillelmi Brusii Brechiniae domini scelera ita litteris mandare ut quaedam minuat aut excuset, alia, de in-

Nam debitae obedientiae suo Regi denegatse dustria praetermittat. crimen extenuat et quodammodo diluit. Et postea integra ab eodeni Brusio perpetrati sceleris historia praBtermittitur 6," commemoratis tanturn

quibusbam

circumstarttiis,"

quibus

illius proditionis et csedis cul-

pam

in alios transferre
et

molitur.

Hiberniam migrationes
5

eorum

in ilia res gestas

Aggressus variarum gentium commemorare, imo

in
et

pollicitus

" de primis terra3 istius, incolis, singulisque seriatim diver2

Epis. ad S. Hieronyraum.
i.

Lib.

i.

pros.

1.

Robertellus.

Anriot. in cap. iv.

lib.

itinerarii Cambria;.

Praefat,

Topogra.

CHAP

VIII.]

CA31BRENSIS EVEKSUS.

411

son of Croiibadliraidhe. Eoehoidh Muighmheadhoin. [72] From whom'most of the Christian kings of Ireland are descended. Criuithhann carries off plunder from Gaul, Saxony, and Alba. Predatory incursions into several European countries by Niall of the Nine Hostages. King of Ireland and

Alba.

DATHI LAST PAGAN KING OF IKELAND

The

Irish invade Gaul.

The

Irish called Scots.

THE suppression
truth, or utter a
to

of truth

is

as grievous a fault in a historian, as the state-

ment of falsehood. For,

lie,

as St.

Augustine

"
says,

They who conceal the

are both guilty: the former, because he wishes not

do good; the latter, because he desires to do evil." Boetius also writes: " I do not think myself at liberty to violate the maxim of Socrates, either to conceal the truth, or sanction a falsehood." Suppression of truth
is,

therefore, a crime in a historian

it

was punished by

Sallust was guilty of this offence in his history of the of Cataline. He hated Cicero, and thereconspiracy
legal penalties, as Cicero assures us.

suppressed many undoubted facts, because they reflected great honor on Cicero. Thus, he takes no notice of the vote of thanks passed by the Senate to Cicero, nor of the title " Father of his Country," nor of the
fore

supplication decreed in his name, nor of the gilt statue erected to him by the Decurions in Capua. Thucydides also offended in this way ; for, in his eighth book, where he relates the attempt made by Antiphon,
the rhetorician, an eloquent

man, to subvert the democracy of Athens,

he passes over in silence the conspirator's fate, and does not tell us that he was executed, and his body exposed to be devoured by wild beasts.

This was an act of

filial

in the principles of eloquence.

gratitude to Antiphon, who had been his master Therefore none but the wicked and un-

principled would suppress whatever reflects glory on a nation or an individual in the execution of virtuous and noble deeds.

and his

many things, which the nature of his subject David express words should have obliged him to notice. Powel remarks, " that Giraldus, when speaking of William de Braos,
Giraldus has omitted

own

Lord of Brecon, either excuses or extenuates his crimes, and delibeThus he speaks in such a rately suppresses some of them altogether.

way

of his disloyalty to the

King

as to excuse or justify it;

and

after-

wards a history of some crime committed by the same De Braos "is totally omitted," with the exception of some circumstances introduced
with the design of throwing the blame of the treason and murder on another person. He undertook to describe the immigrations of various tribes to Ireland, and the principal facts of their history ; nay, he
even promised to treat of the primitive inhabitants of this land, and of

412
sarum nationum

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
tarn adventibus

[CAP. VIII.

quam

defectibus," se acturum, Tua-

de-Danannorum in Hiberniam expeditionem ne verbo quidein innuit, cum illi diuturnam in ea dominationem obierint,ut in Regum Hibernise
illis in ea commorantibus, enumeratione infra Nee ei culpae patebit. nunc dabo quod bonas Hibernorum dotes litteris non mandaverit, quern probe scio eo maxime collimasse ut eorum vitia ad posteritatem transmitteret. Quo modo autem Giraldum fidi historici titulo insigniemus qui fidem datam minime prasstat et quae se fusius narraturum promittit,
|

[57]

taciturnitate prosequitur ?

" Tertia

"
pars," inquit,

Topographiaj totam

gentis Hibernicse, a primis terrae istius usque ad nostra

jam tempora

memoratu dignam perducit

"

historian! 6 ."

Quid

feret hie tan to

dignum

proraissor hiatu?"

certe memoratu dignum. Ut qui artis alicujus prajcepta tradere pollicitus, ejusdem artis rudimenta ne quidem attingit, ab omnibus exploditur, sic Giraldus non solum, " historian! Hibernian," sed etiam " totam historian! Hiberniaa " oratione se prosecuturum spondens, ne nomina quidem Hibernia3 regum edicit. Ac proinde sibilis omnium

Vix quippiam

excipiendus

est,

qui

molem
a

cum narrationis initium

statuit.

regum non modo nominibus,

nominibus

historic positurus, nee fundamenta jecit; sed etiam rebus

gestis ducere debuerit, qui in gentis alicujus historia scribenda progredi

Ab

eorum

scilicet

suse histories ascribendis pro-

hibitus erat, " ne

compendium

7 ipsius inutilis prolixitas impediret ."

Nimirum homo,

qui rerum ab institute suo alienissimarum cumulo (ut alibi uberius inculco) sarcivit, rem operi suo accommodatissimam de
industria pra3termisit, ut ostendat aliena se suo scopo quam apta consectari malentem, tarn a recta ratione quam ab Hibernia? illustrandae

studio

reticeri moderate ferremus si Giraldus ab iis " opprobrii aculeo figendis sibi temperaret, nee diceret, pauca in iis inet memoratu digna se reperire." Infra Eeges Hiberniae ab ejus signia

maxime alienum Sed regum nomina

esse.

calumniis vindico: ubi alios ex regibus recta Reipublicse administratio, plures rei niilitaris scientia, nonnullos eruditio, plurinios vita sancte acta,
6

Ubi supra.

"

Top.
are

dist.

iii.

c.

45.

Though

the Tuatha de

Dananns

years, their subsequent fate

is

a mystery

said to have governed Ireland during

197

not explained even by tradition.

CHAP. VIIL]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

the arrival and extinction of all the other colonies in succession ; yet he

word on the expedition of the Tuathade Dananns though they maintained for many years an ascendancy in Ireland, as will appear I am not from a list of the kings of Ireland during their occupation. charging him now with having omitted all mention of the good qualihas not one
,

ties

to posterity;

of the Irish, his object having been evidently to transmit their vices but what opinion, I ask, are we to have of a man who

violates his express promise,

and does not say one word on subjects

which he had promised to relate in detail? Topography," he says, "contains a record of

of Irish history,

"The
all

third part of my the remarkable events

from the

earliest origin of the Irish people to the pre-

sent day."
" So grand a promise

how

does he redeem ?

"

By

nothing, in truth, worth notice.

If a

man promises

to

expound the

principles of any art, and omits touching even lightly on its simplest rudiments, his work is exploded ; and yet Giraldus, after promising to

give not only a history of Ireland, but the whole history of Ireland, does not tell so much as the names of the Irish kings. Is universal
ridicule too severe a

punishment

for the

man who,

after

promising to

erect the edifice, does not lay even the foundation ? Not the names only, but the acts of its kings, should be the principal objects in the narrative of a writer who undertakes to compile the of a

history country. Giraldus was prevented from inserting their names, forsooth, "lest use-

less

He could not find prolixity might encumber his compendium." space for matters intimately connected with his subject, though he sedulously scraped together heaps of extraneous trash. That he did so,
I

prove clearly in another place.

little

to his design, arid omission of those connected

His predilection for matters foreign with it, are a glaring evior a desire of throwing had on the mind of Giraldus.

dence of the

influence which

common sense,

light on the affairs of Ireland, ever

We

kings, if he

might bear patiently his omission of the names of the Irish had refrained from stigmatizing their reigns ; but no, " he

" found," he says, very little that was remarkable or worthy of notice." In another place I shall vindicate the character of the Irish kings, some

whom were eminent for their wise administration, many for their fame and power in war, some for learning, and a very great number for
of

414

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

mendacii Giraldum convincet.

Nunc ad Regum
nomina

Hibernige seriem texen-

dam me accingo: ut eorum

saltern

oblivioni,

qua Giraldus

ilia

op-

primere nitebatur, subducam. Tempus, quo singuli regnabant etiam inclicabo. Facta quoque illorum aliqua, qua3 insolentia adrnirationem, vul
raritate voluptatem, vel fatuitate risum, vel praastantia imitandi studium, vel turpitudine vitii fugam, lectori movere possint, paucis commemorabo, ut regum albi a Giraldo prsetermissi daranum resarciam, et calumniantis illos " nihil memoratu com-

dignum," egisse impudentiam persuasum habens, si eorum vita improbitate aliqua inusitata et inaudita contarnineretur, Giraldum non dubitaturum fuisse, dedecoris

primam

genti comparandi causa, earn in medium proferre, qui post gentem universam maledictis laceratam, tanta humanit&te non fuit praeditus, ut cam
vel

minima

delectatione indicis

regum edenda3

delinire aggrederetur.
initio capessiverunt,

Caeterum gentes aliquot Hibernise possessionem

quibus qui prrcficiebantur non ante titulo Regis insigniti sunt quam Hiberniam Firbolgi, anno post Cataclisrmtm, 1056, adierint 8 A quibus
.

Slanius, sive Slangeus primus Hibernige Rex renuntiatus est. Nam, ut " Slanius solus totius Hibernian monarchiam obtiinquit Cambrensis,
Is autem uno post insuam anno, regnandi vivendique finem fecit, Inbherslanio augurationem iluvio Slanagam montem, prope Lecaliam in Comitatu Dunensi, alluente nomen ejus referente. Illo Rege, Hibernise ilia divisio, qua? in usu etiamnum est, iriitium habuit, a Cambrensi commemorata his verbis: "In

nuit,

unde

et

9 primus Hibernige Rex nominatur ."

quinque portiones

fere sequales antiquitus

Hibernia divisa

fuit, scilicet

Momoniam

duplicem, borealem

et australem,

Lageniam, Ultoniam,

et

Conaciam 10 ."
*

Gillimodudus.
b

Top.

dist.

iii.

c.

Colgan Trias,
c

p. 19,

num.

46.

Top.

dist.

i.

c. 6.

According to the bardic accounts, Ire-

The Firbolgs came

to Ireland
tribes,
p.

from Briall

land was peopled 300 years after the deluge

tain.

There were three

but

were
Fir-

by a colony from Greece under Partholan

1G5; Ogygia, p. 163. This colony being cut off by a plague, the

called Firbolgs
bolg, or Belgre,

Qgygia,

171.

The

Haliday's Keating,

p.

was

the

name

of a confe-

deration of Celtic tribes, which conquered

island

was waste

until the arrival of the

the north-western

and western parts

of

Nemethians from Scythia, through the Euxine sea.

France between the years 299, 349, before

Christ.

From
1

the arrival of the

Neme-

Thierry, Histoire des

Gaulois,
i.

thians to the invasion of the Firbolgs, the

pp.

Iviii.

cxxxvi. and 116,

vol.
its

third

bards allowed 2

6 vears.

edition.

-The name Bolg, or

cognates,

CHAI>. Till.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

415

their piety.

At

of Ireland, that their names, at least,

present I proceed to give the succession of the kings may be rescued from that obli-

I shall also give the vion to which Giraldus sought to consign them. dates and duration of their reigns, together with a brief sketch of some of the most striking events, which either excite admiration by their

by their novelty, or laughter by their absurnoble emulation by their grandeur, or a hatred of vice by their This plan will supply the loss of that catalogue which heinousness. Giraldus suppressed; it shall also serve as a crushing rebuke of his im" that the Irish kings did nothing worth notice." pudent calumny,
singularity, or pleasure
dity, or a

Of this I am thoroughly convinced, that, had their lives been stained by any strange or unheard-of crime, Giraldus would not have failed to produce it; his resolve to defame the nation being so inveterate that he
had not the kindness to give her even the poor pleasure of finding a catalogue of her kings in a work which teems with odious calumnies
against all her sons.

The leaders
of

of the primitive settlers b in Ireland did not take the title

c d king before the descent of the Firbolgs in the year 1056 after the

Deluge.

Slaue, or Slainge,

raldus writes,

was the first Firbolg king. For, as Gi" Slane alone obtained the monarchy of all Ireland,

whence he
lost his

One year after his succession he and his life, and his name is still given to the river kingdom Inverslane 6 which washes the base of Slieve Slange, near Lecale, in
is

styled the first king.

the county Down. It was during his reign that Ireland was divided into those provinces which are The fact is commemoyet preserved. rated by Giraldus: "Ireland was anciently divided into five

nearly

equal parts, namely, the

Ulster, and

two Munsters, North and South, Leinster,

ConnaughtV
on the authority followed by Dr. Lynch ; probably it is an error of the press, because our
author allows 234 years for the reigns of the Firbolgs and Tuatha de Dananns, which
ended, he says, 125 8 years after the deluge. e This is the River Slaney, acccording to

Volg, Volk, Volcae, does not appear in history before that date (ibid. p.
lii.),

though

a kindred tribe had advanced to the west,

and conquered a large portion of Gaul, 300

years before.

The

Firbolgs, according to
;

Keating,
tion,

came from Greece a vague

tradi-

perhaps, of the Gaulish invasions of

Ogygia,\>.n\. Slieve Slange

Doiiard

is

now Slieve

that country.
d

See P.olc.g. pars.

five provinces

ii.

p. Ixii.

1024, according to Ogygia,

p. 3,

even

The

met

at

Usneach,

416

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

Rodericus post alterum regni

annum

et vita dicessit.

Genannius una quatuor annis regnarunt. Sengannius quinto regni anno a Fiaco capitis candidi occisus
Gannius
et

est.

post quinquennium regnando actum, caesus est a Rinalo. Capitis candidi agnomen ideo illi adha3sit, quod incolarum Hibernise crines, eo rege albi fuerint.
[58]

Fiacus capitis candidi superioris Roderici

filius

Rinalus ei sexennium in regno successit; turn Eabhchorbrensi a Fobgenio interemptus est.

|

demum

in praelio

Fobgenius regnum quadriennio tenuit,

cum eum Eochodius apud

tellus
Illo

Munnartammam
alio

trucidaret.

Eochodius regno decennio potiebatur. Nee toto illo tempore imbre quam rore humectabatur, fruges tamen abunde fudit.

rege injuries sublata*, et leges

illi,

primum
novem

Iata3 sunt.

Tua-de-Dananni vitam

regnumque

in prselio Moighturensi eripuerunt.

Hibernian administra'tio a

Firbolgse gentis Regibus triginta

partim deletis, partim in varias plagas tandem ad Tua-de-Danannos transiit, qui Bressio sui fuga elapsis erepta
obita, Firbolgis

septem annos

Regis nomen, et honorem ideo potissimum contulerunt, quod genus

illi

maternum

a praBstantissima stirpe fuerit ; qui post earn dignitatem septennio gestam successor! Nuado cedere coactus est.

now Usny Hill,

parish of Killare, barony of

It

nasterboice, are situated

See Leabhar8
;

Rathconrath, Westmeath.
to be the centre,

was supposed
There, acfire

na-g-Ceart, pp. 21, 22, note

'

/. O'Z>.

and was
p.

called the navel

of Ireland

Top. Hib.

736.

This colony came from the north of Britain, and landed in the north of Ireland.
Ogygia, p. 81.
is

cording to tradition, the

lighted.
hill

first

Pagan
It

was

The

origin of the

name
it
e.

There

is

a very large stone on the

uncertain

some maintaining that

i.

where the provinces met.

was

visited

means " Plebes Deorum de Danann,"

tribes of the

St. Patrick, because it was a place of pagan worship: " Cujus lapides Trias Thaum. S. Patricius maledixit."

and cursed by

gods of Danann, a daughter of

Dealbaoit, descendant of

Nemed, who

held

p.

131
e

Jocelyn,
is

c.

100.

Ireland before the Firbolgs; others, that there were three the " i. e.
tribes,

Tuatha,"

This

intended for Eabha-Choirbre, a

nobles

the " de," or Druids; and the " Da-

level district lying

between the mountain of

sea, in the
;

nann," or
Keating,
p.

men
208.

of the arts.

Holiday's

Binbulbin and the

barony of

Both derivations confirm

accounts, Rinnal
battle of
11

Carbury, and county of Sligo but, in other is said to have fallen in the

the traditionary belief that the Tuatha de

Dananns were

superior in civilization to the

Craobh

/.

O'D.

other invading tribes

A plain in the county of Louth, in which

See Petrie's Essay on the Military Architecture of the Ancient

Irish.

Dundalk, Drumiskin, Faughard, and Mo-

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVKRSUS.

417

Roderic succeeded, and died after a reign of one year. Gand and Genann reigned jointly four years.

Sengann was
" Cenfionnan."

slain in the fifth year of his reign,

by Fiachach, the

" Cenfionnan," son of the above-named Roderic, was Fiachach, the by Rionnal. Fiachach derived his surname of " Cenfionnain" from the fact that, when he was king, the inhabitants of Ireland were white-haired.
slain after a reign of five years,

Rionnal succeeded and reigned six years; he was slain in the battle
of Eabhchorbre,

by Foidhbgen. Foidhbgen, after a reign of four years, was slain by Eochaid, in h the battle of Muirtheinhne
.

Eochaid reigned ten years. During that period there fell no rain on the land of Ireland, no moisture but dew; yet the laud yielded its
fruits.

Then
1

He

lost his

were injuries repressed, and laws first established. kingdom and his life in a battle against the Tuatha de
also
j .

Dananns

at

Moyture

Nine kings of the Firbolg race

.

sat

on the Irish throne during a

1

k The sceptre then passed to the Tuatha space of thirty-seven years de Danaans, who, after partly extirpating or banishing to various

quarters the rival Firbolgs, gave the title and style of king to their

m leader Bress , principally because,

by the maternal

line,

he was de-

scended from a most renowned ancestry.

J

South Moytura, situated in Partraighe,

on the number of years during which the

successive colonies governed Ireland, they
are

near Cong, county

k

Mayo,

Infra,

p 418, n.

n
.

The number
is

of years allowed to the

as in

Firbolgs

Keating and the Four Masters but O' Flaherty extends their
the
;

same

arrived

unanimous on the order in which they then Tuatha de DaFirbolgs

:

nanns; next, the Milesians or Scots.

"Ommedissenet

eign to eighty years.

Oyyg.

p.

173. That

nes nostri anriales, omnia fragmenta

trica, etsi in

mcli a tribe preceded the Scots is proved

annorum supputatione
ipsa, in

rom passages

in our ancient laAvs,

which

tiant, in re

tamen

uumero, ordine,

egulate the tribute to be paid

lann," or enslaved tribes
ttights,

" by the daer See Book of

p.

nominibus coloniarum conveniunt, nee ulla

vetus auctoritas adversatur."

O' Conor,

p.

174, also Ogygia,

175, for

Prolegom. pars

ii.

p. xlii.

he districts where the Firbolgs were setled

m This
don),
of

is

probably the Breas (son of Elais

long after the Milesian invasion

also

who

said to

have invented a kind

Tribes
1

and Customs of Hy- Many, Index. Though Irish authorities do not agree

Ogham

alphabet, which

was found on

his person, after he

had

fallen in the battle

2E

418

CAMBRENSIS EVERSTJS.
id est

[CAP. VIII.

Nuadus cognomento Arget-Lamh,

manus

argentese

quod ma-

num ejus in praelio amputatam manus

ex argento affabre facta supplevit. Post viginti annos in regnando positos, in pugna Muighturensi, a Balaro

Balcmeimnech peremptus est. Lugius seu Lugadius cognomento Lamfhada seu Longimanus quadragesimo regni anno a Macueillo csesus est, qui apud Taltinam Hispanise

Regis filiam, post viri prioris Forbolgorum ultimi Regis obitum, secundis nuptiis cuidam nobili Tua-de-Danaanojunctam educatus, tanto

mentum

amore tenebatur, ut perenne quoddam ejusbenevolentise monuextare decreverit. Quare nundinas, sive ludos Taltinos ab ejus nomine dictos ad Olympieorum ludorum similitudinem, instituit maxialtricis

ma hominum

frequentia plurimis post sseculis quindecim diebus ante, ac totidem post calendas Augusti quotannis celebrari consuetos. Tune Calenda? Augusti, nunc D. Petri vinculis sacrae ab Hibernis etiamnum

Lughnasa nominantur ab hujus Lugadii memoria vox enim Hibernica "nasa" memoriam significat.
:

Hunc deinde secutus Eochodius Ellater, dictus etiam Dagdaeus annos octoginta regno fruitus, e vulnere, quod in pugna Muighturensi
retulit

mortem

obiit.

Dealbotho regni gubernacula decem annos moderate manus

films ejus Fiach-us.

attulit

Fiachus autem anno regni decimo, parricidii pcenas morte ab Eo-

gano de Ardinbhir
of

illata dedit.

Moytura Prolegom, pars i. p. xxxi. According to Ogygia, p. 176, Breas was a

Fomorian, the only Irish king of that race.
n

ters,

edited by J. O'Donovan, A.
;

M. 3330,

pp. 18-21

J.

O'D.
on the Sele or BlackKells and Navan.
in this place

Tailte, orTeltoun,

Generally called Magh-tuireadh-Conga,

its

water,

midway between
games

from

contiguity to Cong.

The

site

of

The

institution of

was

this battle is still pointed out in the parish

connected with the pagan worship, Tailte

of Cong, barony of Kilmaine,

and county
extant most

being one of the four repositories of the sacred

fire.

of

Mayo, where there are

still

It

was lighted here

in the corn-

ancient earns, stone circles, and other

more-

mencement

numents of the

battle,

and others were

since.

moved some twenty years

traditions
still

For the

Foghmhar, or harvest; and on Usny in the beginning of summer. Book of Rights, Introduction, p. 111. These
of

preserved of Balor-Bemenn

on Tory Island, off the coast of Donegal, and at Cong and the Neal, in the county
of

games were revived by Turlough and Ko-j deric O'Connor in the twelfth century.
See 0' Conor, Prolegomena, pars
P This
ii.

p.xcv.

Mayo,

see

4nnals of the Four Mas-

was one

of the most celebrated of

AP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVEBSUS.

419

After a reign of seven years he was compelled to resign to Nuadath,

surnamed Nuadath- Airget-Laim, or Silver- Hand, from a hand of silver manufactured for him to supply the want of his hand, which he had He was slain by Balor mBailc-benmioch, in the battle lost in battle.
of Moyture", after a reign of twenty years. " the long-handed," Lugaid, surnamed Lamh-f hada or Longimanus,
after a long reign of forty years, fell in a battle against Mac-cuille.

Larnhfhada had been educated by Taltina, daughter to the King of who had given her in marriage to the last king of the Firbolgs, on whose death she married one of the nobles of the Tuatha de
Spain,

Danaans. Lugaid Lamhf hada, who was most fondly attached to his nurse, decreed to found an enduring monument of his affectionate gratitude, and accordingly instituted the fair or games of Tailten (so called from
Taltina),

on the plan of the Olympic games of Greece.

During

several

centuries these games were attended every year by an immense concourse of spectators, during fifteen days before and fifteen days after the CaThe Calends of August, now " the Chains of St. lends of August.

Peter," are to this day called by the Irish "Lughnasa," in commemoration of Lugad, the Irish word " nasa" signifying " a commemoration."

Lugaid was succeeded by Eochaid

Ollatair, also called

Dagda p who,
,

after a reign of eighty years, died of a

wound

received in the battle

'of

Moyture
died

q.

Dealbaoit, after holding the reins of government during ten years, by the hand of his own son, Fiacha.

to his parricide,

Fiacha, who, after a reign of ten years, also suffered the penalty due r being slain by Eogan of Ard-mBric
.

the

Tuatha de Dananns.

According to an

now

Moturra, a towriland in the parish

ancient manuscript published in Petrie's

of Kilmactranny, barony of Tirerrill, arid

Round Towers,
brehon, &c.,

p.

100, the sepulchral

mo-

nutnent of Dagda, and of his wives arid

county of Sligo. In this townland are still to be seen several "giants' graves" and

and

of all the chiefs of the

monumental

earns, of

which a minute de-

Tuatha de Dananns (except seven buried at Tailtin), was at Brugh on the banks of
tlie

scription has been given

by Dr. Petrie

in

a paper read before the Royal Irish Aca-

Boy ne.
This
or
is

See an interesting account of

ibid.

demy
J.
r

in 1836.

See Four Masters, ed.

;

these
1

and other cemeteries,

O'D. A. M. 3330, 3370

Height, or

/.

O'D.
Situa-

usually called the North

Moy-

hill of the confluence.

ture,

Magh Tuireadh-na-bhFomorach,

tion

unknown

J.

O'D.

2 E 2

420

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
filii

[CAP. VIII.

Post Fiachum e medio sublatum, tres

cuil,

Karmodi Fearbheoil, Mac-

Macceaght, et Magreone regnum annos triginta tenuerunt non

singulis alternatim quotannis regia digEator proprium prioris nomen erat, Maccuil ideo id est, fraxinum pro Deo coluerit. Alter proprio

omnibus una regnantibus, sed

nitate fulgentibus.

dictus quod Coll, nomine Tethor, agnomine Macceaqht, inde dictus quod Ceacht, id est, aratrum pro Deo habuerit. Postremi proprium nomen Caethor, et Sol

" " Hibernice Deus, propterea Macgrenius appellatus est, nam grian solem denotat. Qui omnes in pugna Taltinensi ceciderunt, priorem Hseberus, alterum Erimon, postremum Amerginus enecuit.

filii

EIB.

His pereniptis et potestate omni Tua-de-Danaanis adempta, regnum Mylesii, anno post orbem conditum 3500, et post eluvionem 1258, sibi vendicarunt; Haebero majore cseteris natu rege institute, et Eri-

mone fratre in collegam ei tradito, sed post unum annum regnando emensum oborta discordia, ambo signa contulerunt apud Gesillam in
8

There

is

no clue known

to the Editor

dee Thierry, Historie des Gaulois,

pp. 60, 70, vol.
i.

vol.

ii.

on the meaning of these surnames.

last

The

p. 33, third edition, the

probably refers to sun-worship; but

religious system, of

that

was part

of the national creed.

The

of the gods,

which Ogmius was one was introduced into Gaul beChrist.

plough

may

represent the
;

god of agricultuworship of the

trees,

tween the years 638 and 587 before

Its

ral industry

and

Coll, the

hazle or nut-tree.

For the worship of

i.

power was broken in the same country about 200 years before Christ (ibid. vol. ii.
p.

see Miscell. of Irish Arch. Soc. vol.

also, note, infra,
1

p.

12;

100), and the Druids,

its

great

priests,

on Cormac

Mac

Art.

were then driven

there
is

to the British Isles.

Where
to

However uncertain may be

the history

no decisive historical evidence

of this colony of the

Tuatha de Dananns,

the contrary,

we should

incline to believe
off-

there can be no doubt of the high place they held in the national traditions as a

that the Tuatha de

Dananns were an

shoot of this second Celtic race in Gaul.

race of superior civilization.

Thus the

Irish
:

But while

so

many

of the old Irish records

version of Nennius, Irish Arch. Soc. p. 47 " It was of them were the chief men of
science,

on the primitive

colonists of Ireland reit

main unpublished,
to venture

as Luchtenus, artifex; Credenus,

;

any

opinion,

figulus

Dianus, medicus
;

also

Eadon, the
;

those

who have given

would be premature especially when " dissertations" have

nurse of the poets

Goibnen, Faber

Lug,

hitherto been so unsuccessful.

The

best

son of Eithne, with

whom

were

all the arts;

step yet taken towards the elucidation of

Ogma, the brother of the king. It was from him came the letters of the Scots." The
similarity of the last

the history of

Pagan Ireland was

the pub-

lication of the original pieces in the Irish

name

to the

Ogmius

of

Nennius, with the explanatory notes, and

collation of other Irish documents.

the Gauls

is

striking.

According to

Ame-

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

421

After the death of Fiacha,

Mac

Cuill,

Mac

Ceacht, and

Mac

Greine, A.

C.

the three sons of KearmodMelbheoil [melleo ore], held the sceptre during each governing in turn thirty years, not associated in the throne, but
as sole

monarch during one

year.

The proper name

derived from an

of the first

was
(or,

Eathor, his surname

Mac Cuill being

idol,

" Coll"

son of the hazle), which he worshipped. The proper name of the second was Teathor; he was called Mac Ceacht, from "ceacht" (the plough),

which he worshipped
hence the name
stituted for his
Tail tin
;

The third worshipped the sun, and as his idol. Mac Greine' ("grian" signifying the sun in Irish), subThe three fell in the battle of original name, Ceathor.
was
slain

the

first

by Eiber, the second by Eireamon, the third

by Amergin*.
U In the year of the world 3500, and 1258 years after the deluge, the sons of Mileadh obtained possession of the kingdom of Ireland, after the 1015

destruction of the power of the Tuatha de Dananns. Eiber, as being the

eldest son,
in

was appointed king, with

his brother

Eireamon

as colleague

the throne.
"

But

after a joint reign of one year, dissension arose,

era

and 1014

Dr. Lynch, on the authority of the Four

was unknown

in

Ireland before the

Masters, and a few other writers,

adopts

the chronology of the Septuagiut, allowing

year 1020, though Dr. O'Conor, Proleg. pars ii. p. cxxxiii., maintains that it must

5199 years from the creation

to the birth

have been known long before that time.

of Christ. But, not satisfied with that

com-

The Editor does not intend

to discuss the

putation, he wrote several letters to O'Flaherty,

intricacies of Irish chronology. Tighernach,

urging him to collate the ancient

one of the most respectable of our annalists,

Irish authorities,

and

clear up, if possible,

pronounced 800 years ago, with

terials of Irish history before
all

all

the

ma-

the obscurities that

had often perplexed

O'Flaherty ap-

him,

" that

them in Irish chronology.

plied

the

monuments of

the Scots before the

himself to the task, and, in 1665,

" were unreign of Cimboath," A. C. 305,

certain;"

wrote a letter to Dr. Lynch (prefixed to

the Ogygia}, in

which he

states that those

after that epoch appears

and that they are far from certain from the different

who adopted
influenced

the period of

5199 years were

computations of our best historians, on the

space that elapsed between Cimboath and
the birth of Christ:

more by extravagant national

vanity than by respect for the best Irish

writers.

did not
1

He proves that Irish chronologists differ much from Scaliger. OgySee also O'Conor's Prolegom.
p.

Lynch, &c.

&c., (388 years

Four Musters, Dr. Keating, 496

;

0' Flaherty, 353; Dr. O'Conor, 305, or

5a,
pars
in

p. [8].
ii.

perhaps only 200 years

p. xcviii.

Prolegom.
is

ii.

xxxviii.

The reader must bear

O'Flaherty's chronology
;

given

mind

that,

according to O'Flaherty, Col-

in the

margin of our English page

the an-

gan.

and Ware, the use of the Christian

cestor of the kings on the Latin.

422
EIR. Ibhfalgia, in qua,
retulit.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
Hsebero desiderate,

[CAP. VIII-

Erymon

victoriara et

regnum
apud
cla-

Quod ubi quindecim annos

adrninistravit, vita excessit

Raithbeothogiam. Tres Erimonis

[59]

Anno
filii,

imindi 3516.
et

Munneus, Lugneus,
Priore

Lagneus, ad regni

vum

triennio sedent.

EIR.

duos in
3519.

mortem apud Cruachanam obeunte, alios Arladrensi pugna, Eberi Candidi filii occiderunt anno mundi
|

EIB. tres

Filii vero illi Erius, Orbaus, Feronus et Fergnaus non ultra menses regnandi tempus protraxerant, cum Irialus vates Erymonis films, fratrum cedem ulturus pugna eos, apud Cuilemertham, aggressus,

vita regnoque spoliaret.

ETR. vit,

regnum adeptus in quatuor praeliis victoriam reportasexdecim planities nemoribus expedivit, et septem oppidafossis ambivit, tandem decimo anni regno apud Mughmaighe diem suum obivit.

Irialus vates

Anno mundi
EIR. tingenti,
ret,

3529.

Filius ejus Ethrialus ei successit, cui

vigesimum regni annum

at-

Conmalius Heberi
et in praslio

filius

ut de patris interitu vindictam sume-

bellum

Raorensi necem intulit.

filius

Anno Mundi

3549.

Conmalius Heberi
EIB.

necem quam

intulit decessori trigesimo

regnare caepit anno, a successore Tigernmasio caedis a Cumalio patri Ollaigno [sic], avoque Ethrialo illatse ulciscendse avido, in pugna

quam

quae

Oenachmachensi, retulit, et sepultus est in australi Oenachmachas plaga, etiamnum hodie Feartconmaoil dicitur. Anno Mundi 3579y

w Rath-Beothaigh, a townland on the banks of the Nore, in the parish of the same

Now

Rathcroghan, near Belanagare,

in

the county of
z

Roscommon

J.

O'D.

name, barony of Galway, and county of See Four Masters, ed. J. O'D. Kilkenny
A. M. 3501, 3516;
x
J.

O'D.

This is probably the place now called Ardamine, in the barony of Ballaghkeen, and county of Wexford See Four Masters, ed. J.

O'Flaherty allows only thirteen years'

O'D. A. M. 2242, and Leabharp. 202, note "; /. O'l).

i.

reign to Eiremon; and from the invasion of

the Milesians to the arrival of St. Patrick,

na-gCeart,
a

Called Cuile-martra,

e.

Corner or AnSitua-

1447 years. Dr. Lynch was more liberal, 2131 years having, according to his computation, intervened.
principally from the

gle of the Slaughter,

tion

by O'Flaherty.

unknown.

/. O'Z>.

The

difference arises

b It is said,

Irish Nennius, p. 251, that

different

number

of

those Milesian patriarchs intermarried both

years assigned by each to the reigns of the

kings,

with the Firbolgs and the Tuatha de Da-

and from a few other causes

specified

nan ns.

All

those

colonies are said

race,

to

by O'Flaherty
Ogygia,

in his letter to Dr.

Lynch.

have been of the same

and

to

have

p. [9].

spoken the same language

See Keating,

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

423
C.

the brothers decided their quarrel in a battle near Geashill, in Offaly, in A.

which Eiber was

Eireamon, after this victory, reigned sole King Ireland during fifteen years, and died at Rathbeagh w A. M. 3516*. The three sons of Eireainon, Muimne, Luigne, and Laigne, reigned
slain.
,

ee years.

The

first

died at Cruachan y

the other two were slain in 1001

the battle of

Ardladron 1 by the sons of Eiber the Fair, A. M. 35 19. But those four sons of Eiber, did not long Er, Orba, Farran, and Fargna,

After a short reign of three months, they were enjoy their victory. slain by Irial the prophet, the son of Eireamon, who thus revenged the
death of his brothers in the battle of Cuilniartha a
IriaP, the prophet,
.

was victorious and

in four pitched battles, cleared off

the

wood of sixteen

plains,

fortified

seven towns with

c
,

fosses.

He

998

died in the tenth year of his reign, at

Muigmuide

A. M. 3529.

He was
years,

was

succeeded by his son, Eithrial, who, after a reign of twenty slain by Conmael, son of Eiber, who rose to avenge his 988

father's death,

and gained a decisive victory in the battle of Eaoi-

reann

tl

A. M. 3549.

fate

Conmael, son of Eiber, thirty years after his accession, met the which he had himself inflicted on his predecessor, from the hands 968

of his successor, Tigernmas,

cha, the death of his father,

who

avenged, in the battle of Aonach-Ma-

Follamhan, and his grandfather, Ethrial. Conmael was buried in the southern side of Aonach-Macha e which to
,

this

day

is

called Feart-Conmaoil, A.
263.
This proves that trato the coloni-

M. 3579.
Annals of the Four Masters, ed J. O'D. A. M. 3529, p. 34, note /. O'D. d The true nominative form is Raoire ge'

Holiday,

p.

dition gives

no countenance

by Phcenicians, who did not speak the language of the Indo-European family to which the Celts belong.
zation of Ireland

nitive,

Raoireann; dative, Raoiriun. O'Flais

herty says that this

Hyfalgia. It
is

the

O'Flaherty asserts that the Tuatha de Dananns spoke Germanice but that was pro;

the place

name of a hill in now called Reary-

more, situated in the territory of Iregan,

or barony of Tinnahinch, Queen's County,

bably Celtic of a different dialect, as the Irish language does not exhibit any remarkable infusion of the Teutonic element.
c

which was a part of the ancient Hyfalgia,

or Offaly.
e

/. O'Z).

This was the

name

of a place at the

This was another name for Eamhain,

Fort, near

foot of

Knockmoy, about six miles south-

Emania, or the Navan

been yet

Armagh,

east

Tuam, in the county of Galway. The name was also applied to the plain
through which the River

of

This grave of Feart-Choumhaoil has not

identified.

It

has been probably

cultivation, as

Moy

flows.

removed by the progress of

424
EIR.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

Tigernmasius vitara ad plurimos, regnura ad septuaginta septern annos prorogavit. Quo temporis decursu victoriam in viginti et septern

pugnis

retulit, et aurifodinis,

eo rege in Hibernia repertis, cyphos et

primus curavit. Ac denique idoloHibernia colendorum author, quorum prascipuo dum ingenti multitudine stipatus cultum in Brefnia impenderet, ipsi ac comites
crateres ex auro et argento fieri

rum

in

eadem morte
ITH.

sublati sunt.

Anno Mundi

3650.

Eochodius cognomento Edghadhach, in regno deinde post septenne

" Cognomento Edghadach id est indumentum varii statuit ut singuli ordines vestium coloribus' quod discriminarentur, et plebeiorum vestes uno colore mercatorum, duobus

interregnum

subiit.

coloris" ideb afFectus

nobilium epheborum, tribus; virorum advenis hospitio exci-piendis designatorum (quos Hibernice bruigh appellamus), quatuor;

pugilum

et

toparcharum, quinque; literatorum, sex

coloribus distinguerentur.
Illi

num
IR.

Kearmnaus,

in praelio

regum et Reginarum, septem jam regnanti, vitam et regAnno Mundi 3667. adernit. Teamorensi,
;

qtiadriennio

Kearmnaus Sobarchiusque
domiuati sunt.

rum

filius,

Hiberniee annos quadraginta Eochodius Meaun, regis Fomorioilium Eochodius Fibherglas, in pugna Drumcarmnensi,
fratres,

Turn

demum hunc
3707.
this re-

trucidavit.

Anno Mundi

have other curious monuments at

markable
place, which,

i.

e.

a " stone, the top of which was covered

from

its

present re-

mains, appears to have been the most extensive royal residence of the
{

with gold, with twelve other stones standIt was the God of all the ing around it.
'

Pagan

kings.

nations that ever possessed Ireland,

to the arrival

down
they
*

Ucadan

of Cualan, in the county of

of

St.

Patrick.'

To

it

WiSklow, is said to have been the artist that manufactured the gold and silver Ogy195; Four Masters, A. M. 3656. The Gauls and Iberians had attained great
aia, p.

sacrificed

the first-born of every animal,

and [?]

their first-born children.

Tigernmas,

with the
it

men and women of

their bodies
'

Ireland, adored

by wounding

and

faces,

and

eminence in working mines and manufacturing metals long before their subjugation

hence the place was called

i.

Magh
pars

Sleacht,'

e.

the field of slaughter."

Dinnseani.

by the Romans
Gaulois, vol.
S
ii.

Thierry, Histoire des

p. 27, et seq. pp. 43,

chus,

apud 0' Conor, Proleg.

p. xxii.

60 r

Another favorite

idol of the northern Irish

This statement cannot be reconciled

See infra, note
is
',

with ancient authorities.

p.

was a stone called "clochoir," or the golden stone (whence the name " Clogher"), which
was kept even
in Christian times inside the
Its

424.

Perhaps there

question only of

a peculiar form of idolatry introduced by

porch of the church of Clogher.

pagan
1

Tigernmas.
h

name was Kearmand Kelstach. Ogyg. p.

9 7.

This was the idol called

Crom

'

Cruacli,

The idol Crom Cruach stood near the river

P.

VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

425

Pigernmas lived to a very advanced age, and held the sceptre during A. C. seventy-seven years. He was victorious in twenty-seven battles. Gold 933 mines f were first discovered in Ireland in his reign, and then gold and silver bowls and cups were, for the first time, manufactured. By him
the worship of idols was first introduced into Ireland*?. He was killed, with an immense number of his subjects, while they were engaged
h worshipping their chief idol in Breffny A. M. 3650. surnamed "Edghadhach," succeeded to the throne after an Eochaidh, " interregnum of seven years. His surname, Edghadhach," was derived
1

from his having instituted dresses of different colors, to distinguish the 908 k Plebeians used one color merchants, two ; different orders of the state
.

soldiers

and nobles, three;

officers, called in Irish

"

bruigh

,"

who were
;

appointed to discharge the duties of hospitality to strangers, four

tains, five;

chief-

learned orders, six; kings and queens, seven. After a reign of four years, he was slain by Cearmna in the battle of Tara, A. M.

3667.

Cearmna, and his brother, Sobairche, enjoyed the supreme power in

Both were slain in the battle of Dun- 904 Ireland during forty years. Chearmna m ; the former by Eochaidh Meann, son of the king of the Fomorians"; the latter by Eochaidh Faobharglas; A. M. 3707.
Gath-ard, not far from the church of
;

Domh-

does not appear in the Irish costume exhibited in

'

nach-mor, in the plain of Magh-Sleacht, in

the barony of Tullyhaw, and county of Cavan, which
is

Wood's Paleographia Sacra.

a part of the ancient princi-

In the authority cited by O'Conor, u. ', " supra, these officers are called simply burgoruin prepositi," but hospitality
cified as
is

pality of Breifne.

The

village of

Ballyma-

is

gauran and the island of Port, whereon St. Mogue or Maidoc was born (in the parish of
i

one of their duties.

;

a farmer
is

Bruighaidh but how he differed from " Bia-

"

not spe"

Templeport), are mentioned in anciciu Irish

^documents as in the plain of Magh-Sleacht.
See Vita Tripartita,
k

tach"

not fully ascertained.

The

latter

was

the

name

of the superintendent of hos-

lib.

ii.

c.

31;

J O'D.

pitality in historic times

Annals of the
i.

For a reference to the law regulating those colors, or llbpeaccpao, see O' Conor, Prolegom. pars " "
!

Four Masters,
'"

ed. J. O'D., vol.

p.

219.

That

is,

Cearmna's

Dun

or Fort. This

ii.

p. 96.

Both the

fort

was

situated on the

Old Head of Kin-

sagum

and inner vest of the Gauls were

"virgatcc," of different
ii.

sale, in

Courcy's country, in the comity of

See Keating's History of Ireland,
p.

generally striped,
colors
If this

Cork.

Histoire des Gaulois, vol.

p. 39.

Holiday's Edition,
"

125

J.

O'D.

law

really ever existed in Ireland, it

fallen into desuetude in Chris-

Those Fomorians figure

in the legeu-

must have

tian times, as the specified

number

of colors

iiies,

dary history of all the primitive Irish coloand are often represented as of the

426
EIB.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

Eochodius Fibherglas regnum consecutus viginti annos tenuit ; interim eo curante, septem late silvescentia nemora succisa, et campi ab
iis

antea operti

hominum commorationi

accomniodati sunt.

Ipse postea

a Fiacho Labhrannio vita, regnoque spoliatus est.

EIR.

Anno Mundi

3727.
ar-

Ademptam Eochodio
ripuit.

dignitatem Regiam Fiachus Labhrannius

Sed vigesimo quarto regni anno imperium, quod csede

decessoris

comparavit, nece ipsi a successore, in pugna Belgaduensi illata amisit. Anno Mundi 3751.
EIB.

Eochodiurn

Mumho

(a

quo Momoniae nomen

defluxit) decessoris in;

terfectorem regia potestas unius anni supra viginti spatio mansit

cum
illa-

mortem
tam.
EIR.

oppetiisset ab

^ngusio Olmucadio,

in Cliahicensi praelio

Anno Mundi

3772.

Regni deinde sceptra devenerunt ad .^Engusium Olmucadium et octodecem annos ab illo gestata sunt. Illo regnante, decem campi, sil-

varum

demolitione,

hominum habitaculis excipiendis dispatuerunt.

in

Ipso

tandem ab Endaao Argteach,

Carmannensi pugna prostratus

interiit.

Anno Mundi
EIB.
[60]

3790.

Eudaeus cognomento Argteach id est argenteus a scutis argenteis et mox in varios cum equis ejus jussu primum in Hibernia fabricatis,
|

septem annos supra viginti, regno potitug in pugna Roighniensi a Rotheachto peremptus est. Anno Mundi 3817. EIR. Rotheachtus regnum post annos viginti quinque finiit, a Sednaso
et carpentis,
distractis,

dono

Arturi
IR -

filio

apud Cruacham trucidatus.

intulit ejus films

Anno Mundi
3847.

3842.

Sednaeus imperium sibi vindicavit; sed quintum jam regni

agenti

annum

manus

Anno Mundi

IR

Fiachus Finscothach in patris se solium ingessit, illudque annos viginti occupavit: quibus decurrentibus magnam foetuum abundantiam
Hibernia
effudit, e

quibus vinum, seu potius liquor aliquis vini

:

siraili-

tudinem

exprimebatur qua? res cognomen ei Finscothach fecit, coalescentibus duobus dictionibus " Fion," quas vinum, et " Scothach " foetum seu florem refer t. Morte a Munereferens, in vasa

quas

significatione

monio tandem
3867.
EIB.

affectus imperandi vivendique finem fecit,

Anno Mundi

Munemonius regnum quinquennio administravit. Ac interim primus

race of

Cham, Africa

their native
seas, or

home,
set-

but roaming over the

tling

merely
p.

Some O' Conor, Prolegom. pars ii. p. 60. say they were the Phosnicians but see note,
;

on the sea shores

Ogygia,

5;

infra, on Feidliinidh

Reachtmor, A.M. 5309.

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

427

ochaidh Faobherglas reigned twenty years. In his time, seven large A. C. were cleared, and the plains formerly covered by them gg^ He was slain by Fiacha Labhwere reclaimed and tenanted by man.
tracts of forest

ruinne, A.

M. 3727.
like his

Fiacha Labhruinne succeeded to the throne.

twenty-four years, he
fell,

own
,

But, after a reign of predecessor, by the hand of his 844

Bealgadan A. M. 3751. Eochaidh Mumho, from whom Munster takes its name, enjoyed the p 820 supreme power eighteen years. He was slain in the battle of Cliach
successor, in the battle of
,

by Jilngus Ollmuchadh, A. M. 3772. The sceptre then passed to^Engus Ollmuchaidh,

years.
cor

who held

it

eighteen

During

his reign ten forests

were

felled,

the dwellings and industry of man.

He

and the plains cleared ZOO was slain in the battle of

Carmann q by Enda Argtheach, A. M. 3790. " the Enda, surnamed Arghteach, that is, silvery," from the shields rf silver", which were, for the first time, manufactured by his orders in [reland, and then distributed as presents, with horses and caparisons,
8 reigned twenty-seven years, and was slain in the battle of Eaighne Rotheachtach, A. M. 3842.

781

by

3edna, son of Art, near Cruachan, A.

Rotheachtach, after a reign of twenty-five years, was also slain by 757 M. 3842.

slain

Sedna succeeded to the throne, and, having reigned by his son, A. M. 3847.

five years,

was 746

the

Fiacha Fiouscothach, having mounted his father's throne, governed country during twenty years. In his reign Ireland gave an extra- 741

Drdinary quantity of agricultural produce, especially a wine, or some iquor resembling wine, which was pressed into vessels. It was called
Fionscotach, from the
;<

Fiacha lost his scothach," a flower or produce. contest with Muinemon, A. M. 3867-

two words "Fion," which means wine, and kingdom and life in
and ordered that the nobles should 727
the remains of Irish antiquities. Strabo says

Muinemon reigned
There
Darish
.ock,
is

five years,

a place of this

name
/.

in the

of Kilbreedy- Major, near Kilmal-

the Gauls wore breastplates of gold

legom. pars
s
i.

Pro-

in the county of Limerick

O'D.

p.

36.

P
l

Knockany, county of Limerick. Wexford.

This precious armour is not found

This was the

name

of a plain in the

ancient Ossory, containing the church of

among

Cill-Finche,

and the

hill of

Donibhuidhe.

428
instituit

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
ut nobiles
col Him
est.

[CAP. VIII.

aurea catena cingerent.

Delude

in

Muighau-

aigne peste sublatus

EIB.

Aldergodius patri
in

Anno Mundi 3872. Munemcmio success! cujus decenne regnum

t,

reorura annullorum usu memorabile habetur.

Ilium Ollamus Fodlaus

IR.

pugna Teamorensi peremit. Anno Mundi 3882. Ipse turn Ollamus Fodlaus ad regni administrationem admotus

est,

vir^accurata return peritia instructus, Hibernicam rempublicam institutis optimis, et legibus stabilivit, ac Temoriae Comitia primus indixit,
et singulis

agrorum

centuriis(dictis Hibernice Truiehechead) dynastam,

singulis oppidis hospitatorem prsefecit, et annos quadraginta regno potitus,

IR.

Teamorise tandem extinctus

est.

Anno Mundi

3922.

Finnachtus, patriae dignitatis hasres evasit, eo notatus nomine, quod magna vini copia nivei velleris instar in terrain, eo rege, de coelo fluxe" sneachta " nivem Hibernice dicimus. rit. "Fion" eniin et

vinum,

Vigesimo post
IR.

initarn

Regni administrationem, anno, apud Muighinis

Anno Mundi 3942. peste interiit. Ad Slannolluin Finnachti fratrem, regni dignitas postea devenit.
Nominis ejus hoc
est

"magnum" significat, dum Hibernias regnum ille moderaretur mortales usos fuisse, ut nullum omnino morbum senserint. Ipse fatis, nee scitur quo morbo cor-

sanurn," et "Oil" etymon: "Slan" nempe ut nimirum indicaretur tarn firma valetudine,

"

reptus, concessit in sedibus Teamorensibus dictis Michuarta, post RemCadaver ejus annos publicam septerndecem annos adniinistratam.

octoginta in sepulchre reconditum ab Olillo

1

filio

ejus

humo erutum
what
race

The golden

torques,

some of which, ex-

name

existed

is

probable, but to

quisitely worked,

were found under Tara,

in the

he belonged cannot be decided.

Charles

and are preserved

lloyal Irish
u

Museum

of the

O'Conorof Belariagare, though not disposed

to discredit Irish antiquities, pronounced,
after

Academy.
county of Galway.
in the use of

A plain in the diocese of Kilmacduagh,

Nothing improbable
gold
Dr.

comparing four principal catalogues

in the south-west of the

of kings, that all differed materially, and

rings

by the

Irish in the earliest ages.

that the whole bardic history before Cimbaoth was only " darkness visible." Oc/y-

O' Conor cites testimony of the eighth century for the antiquity of the custom^
leg.

gia Vindicated, p. xxx.

It is probable,

Pro-

from the fate of Ollamh, that one of the

pars

ii.

p. 97.

See note c

p.

437, infra,

for other authorities.

x

means by which the catalogue of Irish kings is extended was by making contempomneous dynasties succeed each other.

For remarks on the famous Ollamh

see

Thus

Petrie's Tara, p. 5.

That a person of the

Ollamh, and

five of the following kings,

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
their necks*.

429
of the plague in

wear a gold chain around Aidhne u A. M. 3872.

,

He died

Magh- A.

C.

Aldeargdoid succeeded his father, Muinemon.

The most remarkable

722

event in his ten-years' reign was the introduction of the use of gold w He was slain by Ollamh Fodhla in the battle of Tara, A. M. 3882. rings
.

to the throne, distinguished himan exquisite talent for government; he infused health into the 713 Irish commonwealth by excellent laws and customs x The Royal Feis

Ollamh Fodhla, having succeeded

self by.

was established by him, and a dynast appointed in every district of land, called in Irish a "Triuchachead," to discharge the duty of z After a reign of forty years he died at Tara, hospitality in the towns A. M. 3922.
of Tara y
.

Fionachta succeeded his father in the throne. During his reign an enormous quantity of wine fell like fleeces of snow from the sky, 673 whence his surname was derived " Fion " signifying in Irish wine, and " In the twentieth year of his reign he was carried sneachta," snow. off by the plague at Muighinis% A. M. 3942.
:

Slanoll succeeded his brother.

His name

is

derived from the words

"Slan," "healthful," and "Oil," "great," because, while Ireland was 653 subject to his sway^ her inhabitants enjoyed such health, that there was

among them hardly any

known.

After a reign of seventeen years, he disease. died in the Hall of Tara called Midchuarta b but of what disease is un,

His body, after lying in the grave more than eighty years,
the
lists

figure

in

of Cruithnian kings
Irish

Samfhuin
z

See Petrie's Tara,

p. 7.

reigning over Ireland at Tara

nius,

Nen-

Triuchached, a barony, of which the

pp.

li.

Ixxii.

See also an ancient

ii.

thirtieth-part
lie

was the ballybiatach, or pubcontaining four quarters or

authority cited O' Conor, Proleg. pars

p. 9 7,

property,

which

states that

it is

uncertain whekilled

"

seisreaghs," of
i.

124 acres each.

219.
i.

Four

ther the predecessor of

Ollamh was

Masters, vol.
a

p.

by Ollamh or by Sirna, the seventh in our

Ollamh, i. e. in other words, that the bards themselves could not agree on
list

after

Recte Magh-inis, This was the ancient

e.

the insular plain,

of the barony

name

of Lecale, in the county of

Down
;

See

the place that

cessors

Ollamh and

his seven sue-

Colgan's Trias Thaum.

b

p.

185

J.

O'D.

were to hold in Irish history.

this, subject,

For
see

See two ground plans of this famous

a modern conjecture on
note
y c
,

hall in Petrie's Tara, pp. 128, 181, 183,

p.

430, infra,

and a copious description, from manuscripts

of the twelfth century, of all the of that royal residence.

triennial

assembly held three days

after

monuments

before

and three days

the feast of

430
integrum
IR.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
et corruptionis ornnis

[CAP. VIII.

immune

reperitur; quae res stuporem

omnibus movit.
terea vocitatus,

Mors

ejus refertur in

Ann. Mundi 3959-

Fratri Ggedius cognomento Ollgothach sufficitur, agnomine illo propquod eo regnarite, voces hominum maxime canorae fuefuit.

runt, ac lyrae suavitatem sono retulerint, quae res prodigio habita

Ipsi

demum duodecimo

regni anno vitam et imperium Fiachus Fionnol-

ceas eripuit.
I

Anno Domini

3971.

Fiachus Fionnolceas regiam potestatem sibi vindicavit, postquam viginti annos usurpatum, ilium e medio sustulit in praelio Breaghensi
Berngalius.

Anno Mundi
4003.

3921.

iR.

Berngalium duodecem annos solium regium insidentemOllildus occidit.

Anno Mundi

IR.

Olildus Slanolli films

vivace vita regnoque privatus est

EIR.

regnum sexdecem annos adeptus, Anno Mundi 4019.

a Sirnao

munem hominum

Sirnaus, cognomento Saolach, id est vivax, quod vitam ultra comaetatem turn viventium, et regni tempus ad annos

centum et quinquaginta protraxerit. Turn denique, postquam in pluribus praeliis victor evasit, in Aillin, a Rothechtachto interemptus est.

Anno Mundi
[61]
J

4169-

Postea Rothechtachtus regni sceptra capessivit, et post septenne Anno Mundi 4 1 76. EIB. imperium, de ccelo tactus, Dunsobark periit.
EIB.

Patris haereditatem et

imperium

adivit Elimius Ollfinnacha,

quod ubi

uno tantum anno gessit,

a Gillchadio peremptus est.

Anno Mundi 4177-

EIR.

Inde agnomen illud ei adhaesit, quod eo rege nix e coelo deinissa vini gustum referebat. Gillchadius regnum deinde novem annos attinuit, cum ab Airturo Imleach apud Maighmuigh, caesus esset Anno Mundi 4186.
c

This Geide Ollgothach

is

the second (or

a colony of
selves in

Picts,

who

established themnorth, and

eighth) on the catalogue of Pictish kings.

Irish Nennius, p. 155.

Meath and the

by de-

Eiremon
line.

is

the

grees extended their power to Scotland.

Irish Nennius, p. 41
;

second on the Irish Milesian

of both,

The wife

Petrie's Tara, p. 130.

lit-

and three of

their children, are of

Dissertations on these matters can be of

tie

name; whence some infer that Eiremon, the Milesian, and Geide Ollgothach,"thePict, are the same man. Ouithne,
the same
father of Geide (according to Pictish acin this hypothesis, be

use until the numerous poems cited by

O'Conor in his catalogue of the Stowe manuscripts on legendary dynasties have been

published.
d

counts), would,

no

That

is,

Brugh-na-Boinne, an ancient
Bridge,

other than Milesius, and the Milesian colony

Pagan cemetery, near Stackallan

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

431
A. C.

was raised by his son Olioll, and, to the amazement of all, was found to the year A. M. 3952. perfectly sound and entire. His death is referred
Geide, surnamed Ollgothach
,

succeeded his brother.

the

surname from the

fact, that, in his time,

men

He got his of Ireland had voices 636

combining the greatest compass and power, with all the sweetness of In the twelfth year of his the lyre, which was regarded as a prodigy.
reign he was slain

by Fiacha Fionnolceas, A. M. 3971.

,

Fiacha Fionnolceas having ascended the throne, was slain after a d reign of twenty years by Bearngal, in the battle of Brugh A. M. 3991. 624

Having reigned twelve

4003.
Olioll, son of Slanoll,

years, Bearngall

was

slain

by

Olioll,

A. M. 616

teen years, was slain

Siorna,

having enjoyed the supreme power during " by Siorna, the long-lived," A. M. 4019.

six- 604

surnamed " Saoghalach," or the "long-lived," because his life

.

was protracted beyond the ordinary span of human existence, wore the 589 crown during one hundred and fifty years 6 Though victorious in many
battles,

he was

slain at last

by Rotheachtoch,

in Aillinn f,

A. M. 4169.

Rotheachtoch then seized the sceptre, and, after a reign of seven g 568 years, was killed by lightning from heaven at Dunsobhairce , A. M.
4176.

Elim
was
slain

Ollfinachta, his son, succeeded

him

in the royal dignity.

by Gillchad
*

after a reign of one year,

A. M. 4177.

He He was

561

called Ollfinacha, because snow,

which

fell

during his reign, tasted like

wine.

Gillchadh, after enjoying the supreme

power nine

years,

was

slain 560

by Art Imleach
in the county of

at

Maghmuaidhe
For a
list

h
,

A.M.
fort

4186.

Meath.

of the at this Ire-

on Cnoc-Aillinne, near Old Kilcullen,

It is to

monuments which anciently existed

place, see Petrie's

in the county of Kildare.

be dis-

Round Towers of
is

tinguished from Cnoc-Almhaine

/.
fort,

O'D.

land, pp. 100, 101.

'

That
reduced by

is,

Sobhairce's

dun or

now

This extravagant age

Dunseverick, an isolated rock, on which

are

years.

O'Flaherty (Ogygia, p. 247) to twenty-one It shows the confusion that perplexed the bards in this part of the royal
succession.

some fragments of the ruins of a

in the

castle,

near the centre of a small bay, three miles

east of the Giant's

Causeway,

county
i.

Siorna was of the race of EiIr, to

of
p.

Antrim
361
b
;

See Dublin P. Journal, vol.

remon

Ollamh Fodhla of the race of

it

J.

O'D.

whom,
1

was

said,

Eiremon gave Ulster.

plain at the foot of

Cnoc Muaidhe,
Galway.

This was the ancient

name

of a large

or

Knockmoy,

in the county of

432

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
iniit, et

[CAP. VIII

Airturus Imleach regnum

ETB. cincta,

post septem

munimenta

fossis
a

duodecimumque regni annum, occubuit apud Raithinbhir

Fionfail trucidatus.

Nuadio

Anno Mundi

4198.
spatio

Nuadium

Fionfail

annorum quadraginta

EIR. Breasrius imperil vitaeque terminis exturbavit.

Anno Mundi

Hiberniae regem 4238.

EIB. poris intervallo,

Breasrius regni possessionem novem annos assecutus est, quo temFomorios multis prajliis fudit, ipse demum victus et

occisus est, in Cairncoluain ab Eochodio Optach.

Anno Mundi

4247.

" " Eegni deinde administratio ad Eochodium Optach devoluta est, qui ITH. cognomentum istud, quod mortiferum significat, ideo nactus est, quia
singulis unius anni,

tude peste corrupta

illata sublatas est.

interiit.

quo regnavit, mensibus, maxima hominum multiIpse tamen baud morbo, sed nece a Finnio
4248.

Anno Mundi

IR.

Finnius regni habenas mox arripuit, et non nisi post viginti duos annos a Sednaeo csesus, amisit. Anno Mundi 4270.
Sednasus cognomento Innarraidh ad regiam dignitatem evectus in annos perstitit; cognomentum "Innarraidh" quod mercedem

EIB. ea viginti

significat, idcirco adeptus,

quoniam

illo

regnante, opera? mercede locari

in

caeptse sunt.

Eum

denique

Symon Brecus

crucem

sustulit.

Anno

Mundi 4290.

Symon Brecus ab Erimone originem ducens

EIR. assecutus, post
nsei filio in

sexenne regnum,

illata?

regies postea fasces Sednaeo necis poenas Duacho Sed-

patibulum actus

dedit.

Anno Mundi

4296.

Boethius in Hispania natum, inde in Hiberniam ab Hibernis accitum, et anno 4504, in Regem Hibernias ascitum fingit,

Hunc Hector

Quadraginta annos imperium Faudutus deinde regnat. Is ^thionern creat, jEthion Glacum, Glachus Noitafilum, Noitafilus, Rothesaum. Deduxit
et plures ei successores affingit dicens
:

"

Simonis

stetit

incolume.

colonias aliquot in Hebrides, quam insulam primuni incoluit, Rothosiam a suo nomine appellavit: extincto haud multo post patre, in Hiberniam reversus, Rex omnium suffragiis creatus est 11 ." Sed scriptor
is

corruptissimus quern Hunifredus Llhuyd

11

"hominum impurissimum
num.
10.

Lib.

i.

fol. 3,

num.

70,

fol. 4,

'

For an account of the ancient military

of the Irish, see Petrie's

est of

them are attributed not

to the Scots,

monuments

Essay

but to the Firbolgs and Tuatha de Dananns.

on Irish Military Architecture. The great-

detailed description of the royal seat of

VI1L]
t

CAMBBENSIS EVERSUS.

433

Inileach ascended the throne, and, after a reign of twelve years, A. C.

1

during which he fortified four strongholds with fosses Nuad Fionfail at Raithinbir k , A. M. 4198.

was

slain

by

551

Nuad Fionfail, having governed the kingdom during forty years, 539 was deprived of his kingdom and life by Breisrig, A. M. 4238. Breisrig reigned nine years, during which he gained many victories 526
over theFomorians, but was at length defeated and slain at Cairncoluain
1

by Eochaidh Opthach, A. M. 4247.

The government of the kingdom then fell into the hands of Eochaidh who got that surname, which signifies " baneful," from the immense number of men carried off by the plague during each month
Opthach,
of his one year's reign.

517

However, it was not by the plague, but by the hand of Fionn, that he fell, A. M. 4248. Fionn succeeded to the throne, and, after a reign of twenty- two 516
slain by Sedna, A. M. 4270. surnamed " Inarraidh," reigned twenty years. "Inarraidh" 496 Sedna, means wages, because it was during his reign that work first began to He was crucified by Symon Breac, A. M. 4290. let for wages"

years,

was

Breac, after a reign of six years, fell beneath the hand of 482 son of Sedna, who thus avenged his father's fate, A. M. 4296. Duach,

Symon

According to Hector Boethius, Symon Brec was born

being invited to Ireland, A.

in Spain, and,

M. 4504,

seized the

crown of the kingdom,

which he transmitted to a long line of successors; thus: "Syrnon's reign lasted* forty years; he was succeeded by Fandut, who raised
^Ethion to the throne; then succeeded Glachus, Noitafilus, and RotheThe latter planted colonies in the Hebrides, and called the first say.
island
:>f

his father, a short

which he occupied, from his own name, Rothsay. On the death time after, he returned to Ireland, and was unani-

mously elected king."

oeen stigmatized
-he

But

this

most

faithless historian,

who had justly

by Humphrey Llhuyd,
is

as " a

most corrupt scoundrel,"

b
;

Ulster kings at Aileach

given in the

that year, p. 671, note

/.

O'D.
;

See

3rdnance Memoir.
k
r

Ussher's

De

Primordiis, p. 846
p. 31, n. 29.

Colgan's

That

is,

the rath or fort of the inbher,

river.

Trias Thaum.
'

mouth of the

This was the name

"

Not

identified.

f a fort

near Bray, in the county of Wick-

'"According to Ogygia, page 248,. the

ow. This
'53

was an

Irish chieftain in the year

See Annals of the Four Musters at

wages" mean military pay only mus mercedem militarem irrogavit."

:

" Pri-

2F

434

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

appellat" sicut in longe

tati litavit,
sic in

maxima

historian suae parte vix

unquam

veri-

omnibus Imjus narrationis

articulis, a veritate

quam

longissime abiit. Nam nee in Hispania natus est Symon Brecus, et non quadraginta, sed sex tantum annos, nee eo mundi anno regnum tenuit;

nee regni, aut generis successores ullos ejusmodi nominibus affectos unquam habuit. Nee saxum fatale in Hiberniam primus invexit, ut vult

Hector 12 quod longe ante ilium natum aTua-dg-Danannis eo importatum fuisse scriptores patrii testantur qui cum alium nativitatis locum quam
,
:

Hispaniam, aliud regni tempus,

pagines

alios regni successores, et generis pro-

quam

inania

hominum nomina ab Hectore memorata Simoni

major est domesticis testibus adhibenda fides quam alien o, in rebus quoque suae patrise a vero maxime aberrant!, quivera quandoque narrans, vix certitudinem parit. Nam dum Hibernos originem ex His" Cornelium Taciturn in vita pania traxisse verescribit, falso tamen ait
assignent,
12

Lib.

i.

fol. 3,

num.

70.
P,

Keating gives the Irish legend of a

of

is

not explained, unless note

it.

p.

461, infra,

Simon Breac, grandson

fled to

Nemed.

He

throws some light on

Greece from the oppressive taxes of

The

Irish writers

unanimously
It

attri-

the Fomorians, and there became the progenitor of the Firbolgs,

bute the introduction of the Lia-fail

to the

who

afterwards

Tuatha de Dananns.
serted that this Lia

was generally

as-

came

to Ireland

p.

183.

The remnant

was transferred to

Scone,

of the Firbolgs, after the battle of

Moy tura,
where

took refuge,

it is said,

in the islands,

and thence, by Edwai'd I., to Westminster, but Mr. Petrie produces good arguments to
prove that
it still

they dwelt until the establishment of the Irish Pentarchy, infra, A. M. 5057, 5069,

remains on Tara Hill

Tara,

p. 136.

If the

Tuatha de Dananns

when, being driven out by the Cruithne or, Picts, they returned and obtained grants of
land in Leinster and Connaught.
p. 193.

were Teutons, why do they bring with them this famous, and to them fatal stone, since
Gaels or Scots were to reign wherever
stood? In
those
this,
it

Ibid.

This was a story invented to re-

as in other points, the fate of

is

concile the supposed extirpation of the Irish

Dananns

mysterious.

They almost
or, at

Firbolgs with an undoubted

fact, their

ex-

disappear after the Milesian invasion,

least,

istence in Ireland in historic times.

do not act in a body, though the Fofor

is

more

consistent account says that Milesius allowed the Domnonian Firbolgs to reign

morians and Firbolgs held their ground

centuries, resisting the invaders.

This

over Leinster,
race

i.

e.,

in other words, that the

its

more

singular, as the Firbolgs were

compa-

was

able to hold

ground there

ratively

an uncivilized people
p.

they clear-

against the rival race typified in Milesius'

Irish Nennius, p. Ixv. But how the establishment of the Irish Pentarchy could drive

ed no plains (Keating,
reigned, according to

195), and they

some accounts, only

the Cruithne to seek refuge in the islands

twenty-seven, at most eighty years, while, on the other hand, the Dananns were a

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS-

435
C.

because far the greater part of his history is a tissue of lies, has been A. too true to his general character in almost all the particulars he relates
of
n Symon Breac
.

Symon was

not born in Spain; he reigned

six,

not

forty years,

those

whom

and at a different date; nor had he any successors such as Boetius assigns to him. Neither was he the person who
;

brought the stone of destiny to Ireland, as Boetius says it was brought here by the Tuatha de Dananns , as our native historians assert, who
are better authorities on such subjects than a man who has fallen into gross errors even in the history of his own country. They deny that Spain was the birth-place of Symon, and mark a different date for his
reign,

mentioned by Boetius.
are of Spanish origin p

and successors and genealogies different from those shadowy names He is right when he maintains that the Irish
;

but errs egregiously when he says that, " CorPillars of Hercules along the western shore,

superior race, and reigned in Ireland, ac-

cording to
this
it

all

accounts, 197 years.

if

From

and bequeathed

their

name

to the north-

appears that,

the

Dananns ever

western peninsula, Gallik or Galicia.

Thierry, Histoire des Gaulois, vol.
i.

existed, they

were only a small body of inis

p. 6.

vaders, or,
figure

what

more probable, that they

Some say

the notion of a Spanish colony

under a

different

name

in the subse-

originated in a confusion of the words

Hi-

quent traditions of the nation.

points they are like the Cruithne
in the
;

In some both land

bernia and Iberia. But was

it

by a similar

North; both had "bright poems," "necromancy," and "well-walled houses."

Keating,
p.

blunder that Ptolemy places the Concani, Luceni, and other Spanish tribes, on the
south of Ireland
pars
i.

O Conor,
1

Prolegom.
Irish

19 7, note 1

p.

420, supra
of the

Irish
also

p. 41, et seq.

If

we admit

Nennius,

p. 145.

A few

names

tradition as conclusive evidence that the

(Keating, p. 209) are like those in Irish Nennius, pp. 131, 263.
P This is the constant tradition of the
Irish,

Firbolgs and

Dananns came from

Britain,

why

not admit the same tradition for the

Spanish colony, especially when that tradition existed centuries before national ha-

tions

and there was nothing in the relabetween Spain and Ireland, before the
claim the relationship.

tred

would prompt the

Irish to disown a

sixteenth century, which might induce the

latter to

British origin.
Irish ports

Spain was

speak truth, that were better known in ancient

or,

If Tacitus

the only country in

was not

visited

by

Irish ecclesiastics
I

Western Europe which from

times than the British,

at least, well

known,

it is

easy to explain

how

a colony

the fifth to the twelfth century.

know

could pass over from Spain.

The number and

that whether

not one instance of an Irishman acquiring

civilization of those colonists are another

a name there.

It is certain,

on the other

question

our

own

belief

is,

hand, that, some 1200 or 1600 years before

Christ,

they were superior or inferior to their Bri-

Spain was invaded by the Gauls,

their

who gradually extended

sway

to the

they appear not to have been so civilized as their brother Celts of

tish neighbours,

r2

436

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
1

[CAP. VIII.

Agricolae Scotos Hispanicse originis appellare

Sed ut eo unde

deflexi

redeam.
EIR.

Post

Symonem Breacum, imperium Duacho Candido

Anno Mundi
4308.

cessit,

quera
in

[62] decennio

imperantem Muredachus Bolgrach Symonis Breach!

filius,

prgelio Maighensi, vita spoliavit.

EIR.

Muredachum Bolgrach Symonis Brseci filium Duacho succedentem unius mensis et anni regem, Endeus ruber, collatis signis, e medio sustulit. Anno Mundi 4307Endeus Ruber (nomen a vultus rubedine sortitus) Muredachum exEo rege argentum in Hibernia Argitrossas signari creptum est. Ille duodecem annis in regnando positis, peste, una cum magna mortalium multitudine, captus in monte " Mis " ultimum emisit spiritum.
cepit.

EIB.

Anno Mundi
EIB.
Illius

4319.

imperium non secus ac paternam haereditatem adivit Lugadius lordhon a ferrugine capillorum colore sic dictus. lordhon enim ferrugirieum colorem significat. Baithlocher mantis attulit.

Huic novem annos regnanti Siorjamius,

in

Anno Mundi

4328.
est,

IB.

Siorlamius postea regio diademate insignitus

longis manibus, quae terram, eo recte stante, pertingebant ;

perinde est ac "longa," et "larnh" ac "manus." Anno Uaircheas, decimo sexto regni anno enectus est.
EIB.

nomine parto a "Sior" enim Hie ab Eochodio

Mundi

4344.

Eochodius Uaircheas imperium deinde assumpsit, agnomine tracto a

scaphis rudi

viminum contextione
13

compactis, et corio pecorum obducnum.

60.

Lib.

i.

'foL 4.

Gaul, before the

country.
i

Roman

conquest of that

proves that the custom

But,
it is

was not

universal,

urged, the Cruithne were so called

That

is,

the plain, but its situation

is

because they alone retained what was once

not pointed out by any of our accessible

authorities.
r

This is begging the a general custom. question, because the Cruithne are coeval

"

breac," speckled

These surnames of the Irish kings, " iard" red

;

with the race represented by Milesius, and

dearg,"

hon," iron-colored, &c. &c.,

prove, accord-

were also always distinguished by the same " name, Cruithne, or painted." As to the
epithets applied to the kings, they prove

ing to some writers, that the Irish were generally Picts, or painted men.

Colonies of

nothing, or they prove that the Irish always

Cruithne certainly existed in several parts

were and are Picts

because, to this day,

but the exclusive application of the epithet to them, who were appa;

of Ireland

the custom of giving surnames from some

feature or defect in personal appearance
retained.
is

rently only a minority of the inhabitants,

There are as many

"

red," and

CHAP. VIII.]
iielius

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

437
A. C.

Tacitus declares, in his Life of Agricola, that the Scots are of Spanish origin." But to return from this digression.

On
Symon

the death of

Symon

Breac, the crown devolved on

Duach Fionn,

476

who was

slain after a reign of ten years

Breac, in the battle of

Maigh

q
,

by Muiredach Bolgrach, son of A. M. 4306.

Breac, was slain in a battle 468

Muireadach Bolgrach, son of

Symon
llorid

complexion succeeded Mui- 467 It was during his reign that silver was first stamped at readhach. 8 After a reign of twelve years, he, with an irnAirgetross in Ireland'. inense multitude of his subjects, was carried off by the plague at Slieve
1

against Enda Ruadh, A. M. 4307. Enda Ruadh, so called from his

",

Mish u A. M. 4319. He was suceeded in the royal dignity by his son, Lugaidh " Jard- 462 honn," so called from the color of his hair: "lardhonn," that is, rusty.
,

After a reign of nine years he was slain by Siorlamh, at Baithlocher,

A. M. 438.
Siorlamh ascended the vacant throne. He was so called from his long 457 "Sior" is hands, which reached to the ground when he stood erect. " lamh" a hand. He was slain in the sixteenth long, and year of his reign by Eochaidh Uairchas, A. M. 4344.

Eochaidh Uairchas succeeded to the throne.

He

took his surname 441

from boats rudely constructed of

osiers*,

covered over with the hides of

$ien

"white," and "yellow," and "black" in Irish history, from the twelfth

discovered, nor medals, of so early a date.

Rings of gold,

silver, bronze, or iron,

regu-

eentury

down

to

Red-shank

Scots,

Red

Hugh O'Donnell, Black Murrough O'Brien, and Red-spotted O'Donnell [ Baldearg ],

as there are colored

Troy weight, were the circulating medium Ordnance

Memoir,
rings
;

larly graduated according to

p. 19.

See ibid.

p.

228, for finger

men

in the

legendary
Celts were

also,

Petrie's

Pound

Towers, pp.

history of

Pagan

Ireland.
colors,

The

fond

of

gaudy

and had banners

"yellow and green,'' "blue and white," " black and red," &c. &c., which would
explain, perhaps,
their

210, 211, where the Brehon laws are produced to prove the use of those gold rings in the first century : " Les Gaulois etal
assent sur leur corps une grande profusion
d'or,

some odd surnames of

en bracelets, in anneaux pour

les doigts."

les bras,

kings

Battle

ofMagh Rat
ii.

ft,

p.

229

anneaux pour
Ganlois, vol.
legoin. pars
"
i.

Histoire des

Histoire des Gaulois, vol.

s
1

p.

41.

ii.

district
is

There

on the Norc, Kilkenny. no evidence that the Pagan

p.

p. 40; Strabo, apud Proxxxvi.

J.

A mountain near Tralee, Kerry

O'D.

Irish

coined money.

No

coins have been

Dr. Lynch gives a description of the

438
tis,

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP, VIII.

Fuarchis enim est corbis seu crates minus arete contextus.

Nam

Eochodius, biennio, Hiberniae accessu prohibitus piratum regit, quo tempore, lentribus ea qua dixi ratione confectls, a3pibatas suos in littore
expositos jussit praedas alittorum accolis abductas in pharaonem importari hie duodecimum regni annum agens ad vita3 ac imperil exitum
:

pervenit, ab Eochodio Fiadmunio, et

Conango Begaglach

occisus.

Anno

Mundi 4356.
EIR.

Eochodius Fiadhmunius
tate
nise

et Conangus Begaglach fratres pari potesquinquennio regnarunt; hoc septentrionales, illo australes HiberEochodius assuevit in silvis cervorum venaregiones moderante.

tioni

multum

indulgere, quae res

et

illi

cognomen turn

peperit.

" Fiadh"

nimirum "cervum,"

"muinn"

"

silvam," interpretamur.
vis illata est,

Lamhdhearg ilium
regno coactus
EIB.

interemit.

Conango ea
4361.

Lugadius ut abdicare se

fuerit.

Anno Mundi
id est

Lugadius Lamhdhearg, macula manus ejus tincta fait.

manum rubram

habens, quod rubra

sibi

Eum

septennem jam regem^onangus

Begaglach vita, regnoque orbavit fratris caedem, et ereptum cumulate ultus. Anno Mundi 4368.
EIR.

regnum

Conangus Begaglach, id est imperterritus, sic dictus, quod ne minimo unquam pavore, in quamvis atroci pugna affectus fuerit, postliminio regnum iniit, et annos in eoviginti transegit, cum illud etvitam
Airturus eriperet. Anno Mundi 4388. Airturus Lugadii Lamhdheargi filius, regnum capessivit, quod illi sex annos incolume perstitit, post quos elapsos, ilium e viventium nuei

EIB.

mero Fiachus Tolgrach,

et Fiaohi filius

Duachus Ladghair exturbavit

Olillus

Anno Mundi
EIR.

4394.

Fiachum Tolgrach regia dignitate Fin, id est Candidus, morte multavit.

different sorts of boats

decem annos insignituin

Anno Mundi

4404.

and ships used by

Giraldus says the

" Fiacho persons, he says, Tolgrach decen-

the ancient Irish, infra, p. 114, to which

nium regnanti concedere non

quern ex regum albo status
[i.

dubitant

we
"

refer
<5f

the reader.

jam numerus,"
receritis

boats

the

Welsh

in his

day were

so frail,

e.

136] "juxta veteris ac

meHere

that a salmon could upset

them with a
c.

moriae scriptores omnino excludit."

blow of
y

its tail

Descripto Wallioe,
is

17.

we may

notice a strange mistake of Dr.

This

man

deposed by O'Flaherty,

O'Conor, into which he was betrayed by

his very reasonable desire to reduce Irish

Ogygia,
there

p. [9], because, if

acknowledged,

would be 137 Pagan kings.

few

chronology to moderate dimensions.

All

CHAI-. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
is

439

cattle.

" Fuaircheas"
t\vo years, in

During

which he was kept an

a basket or hurdle (woven loosely of osiers). A. C. exile from Ireland, he lived

as a pirate, and,

having constructed his vessels in the manner described,

descended with his mariners on the shore, and carried off the property of the maritime districts to his watch-towers. In the twelfth year of his
reign he was slain

by Eochaidh Fiadhmuine and Conaing Begeaglach,

A. M. 435 6 v

Eochaidh Fiadhmuine and Conaing Begeaglach reigned five years with 429 the former in the north, the latter in equal authority over the island,
the south. Eochaidh was passionately addicted to hunting in the forests, whence he got his surname, " Fiadh" meaning a stag, and "rnuine" a wood. He was slain by Lughaidh Lamdhearg ; and his colleague, Conaing,

was compelled

to abdicate,

A. M. 4361.

Lughaidh Lamdhearg, or the red-handed, from a red spot on one of his 424 hands, was slain, after a reign of seven years, by Conaing Begeaglach,

who
self,

thus, avenged his brother's death and the violence offered to himA. M. 4368.

" Conaing Begeaglach, or the undaunted," so called because, even 420 in the most terrible battles, he never felt the slightest motion of fear,

having recovered his throne, reigned twenty years, after which he was slain by Art, A. M. 4388.
Art, son of Lughaidh Lamdhearg, held peaceable possession of the 413 six years. He was slain by Fiach Tolgrach and Duach
Olill Fionn,

kingdom during

Ladrach, son of Fiach, A. M. 4394.

After a reign of ten years, Fiach Tolgrach y was slain or " the fair," A. M. 4404.
the ancient authorities, Gilla Coeinan, Gilla

by

merely says that there were fifty-eight pagan

kings of the race of Eiremon, but does not

Modud, Flan of the Monastery, in the tenth, and King Donald O'Neil, in the fourteenth
136 Pagan kings reignedover Ireland from Slainghe to Leogaire.
century, agree that

exclude the other kings who were descended from the brothers and uncle of Eiremon.

O'Flaherty
but saw in

cites the
it

same passage,

p.

185,

Dr. O'Conor admits this consent, and

had

no contradiction of the bardic

the manuscript authorities in the Library at

catalogue of 136

Pagan

kings.

How
number

the
of

Stowe
as
if

yet he cites a passage from Ware,

contradicted the general opinion,

bards, though agreeing on the

kings,

it

made a difference of about 1000 years

!

and allowed only fifty-eight Pagan kings

before St. Patrick. xlv.

Prolegom. pars
to

ii.

in the total of their reigns See p. 422, nofe x supra, and the letter of OTlaherty
,

The passage

which he appeals

to Dr.

Lynch, prefixed to the

440
EIB.

CAMBREXSJS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

Olillus Finnius in Fiachi dignitatem involavit, quam cum undecem annos occuparet, in Odbarensi praelio, ab Argetmaro, et Duacho Ladgracho extinctus est. Anno Mundi 4415.

EIB.

Turn ad Eoehodium
et

Olilli Finnii filium

Momonienses confluxerunt,

Argetmarum Hiberniee finibus abactum, peregre septennio exulare coegerunt. Eoehodium autem ad septimum regni annum jam progressum Argetmarus ab exilio reversus, faedere cum Duacho Ladghracho Anno Mundi 4422. junctus, adoritur et apud Ainan morte plectit.
IR.

Argetmarus
|

regise dignitatis apicem,

ad

quam

diu aspiravit, tandem

eo.

[63] consecutus,

protracto ad annos triginta imperio,

ac vita dejectus

EIR.

Duacho Ladgrach, et Lugadio Laighde. Anno Mundi 4452. Duachus Ladgrach regis titulum, quern ambivit, tandem captavit, verum eo post decem annos excidit, quippe cui Lugadius Laighde vitam
est a

ademerat.
est quasi,
petitio.

Anno Mundi

4462.

Ejus agnominis Ladghrach, hsec

ratio

Luathagra, id est celeris vindicta3 sive prsepropera pcenae re-

Quia nimirum quern in

flagrant! delicto deprehendebat, eura

loco excedere, ante datas admissi sceleris poenas,

EIB.

minime passus

est.

IR.

Lugadium Laighde, post regnum septennio gestum Aldus Rums interemit. Anno Mundi 4469. Aidum Rufum uno deinde anno supra viginti regnum mansit. Ita tamen ut non eo continenter annorum numero Regem egerit. Nimi-

rum cum duobus

z

patruelibus Dithorbo et Kimbaitho pactum

of a

icit,

ut

Odhbha

is

the

name

mound near
./.

opinions of a

man who had most

in

of those

Navan,
a

in the county

Meath

O'Z>.

manuscripts in his possession,

spent his
life

and who

Now

Bruff, in the county of Limerick

b

Cnoc Aine, or Knockany, near /. O'D.

endeavouring to arrange

them.

So firmly was O'Flaherty convinced

" there
a more exact account of

When the reader remembers that Tigerall

of the truth of his chronology, that he asserts,

is

nach pronounced, 800 years ago, that

the

monuments

of the Scots,

down

to this

the chiefe governours of Ireland for above

Lughaidh Laighde and his two successors inclusive,

2000 years

[before] than that of the au-

were uncertain, he may smile at the care we have taken to mark, in our margin, the chronological differences between Dr.

thors of this last

500 years."

lar Connot

naught, p. 432.

But O'Flaherty was

the only person who, in those days, believed venerable fables.

Lynch and O'Flaherty. But

they appear, they

slight

though

The Cromwellians
frail

may help
MSS.

to fix the true

appealed confidently to documents as

as

place of the kings in mythic or authentic

story,

Ogygian chronology.

His Majesty's

right,

when

all

the

authorities

have

been published, especially as they give the

they declared in Parliament assembled A. D. 1660, is so ancient, "as it is deduced not

CHAP. VIII.]

CAHBRENSIS EVERSUS.

441

Olill Fionn, ascending the throne, reigned eleven years, after which A. C. he was slain in the battle of Odba 7 by Argetmar and Duach Ladhghrach,. 497
,

M. 4415.
'he

men

of Munster, rallying around the standard of Eochaidh, son 398

of seven years,

Argetmar from the island. But after an exile Argetmar returned, and, entering into alliance with Duach Ladhghrach, attacked and slew Eochaidh at Aina a A. M. 4422.
Olill Fionn, expelled
,

Argetmar, having at length gained the object of his long- cherished 391
aspirings,

was

slain

governed the kingdom peaceably during thirty years. He by Duach Ladhghrach and Lughaidh Laighde, A. M. 4452.
at length attained the royal object of his

Duach Ladhghrach
tion
;

ambi- 381

by Lughaidh Laighdhe, A. M. 4462. The surname Ladhghrach was derived from the words " luath agra," meaning swift vengeance, or the very prompt infliction of punishment, because every person detected by him in the commission of crime was not allowed to move from the spot, but at once suffered
the penalty of the law.
b Lughaidh Laighde was Ruadh, A. M. 4469.

but, after a reign of ten years, he

was

slain

slain after a reign of eight years

by Aedh

371

Aedh Ruadh reigned twenty-one years, but not without interruption. 367 For, having entered into a compact with his two uncles, Dithorb and Cimbaoth by which they were each to enjoy the crown in succession
,

only from the days of King

also

Henry
ancient,

II.,

but

eight,

Argetmar, Siorlam, and Finn, the only

If

from times far more sundry old and authentic

the. said acts

as

evidences,

by menthis

Irian kings who reigned between Sirna Sao-

lach and Aed, colleague of Cimbaoth.

tioned in

and records of

Fortchern be right, Ollamh

may have

lived

your Majesty's kingdom," doth appear 13 Charles II. chap. i. ; Act ofjoyful Recognition of His Majesty, &c. &c. ; Irish
Statutes.

some 240 years before Cimbaoth, and not about 589, as Dr. Lynch will have it, or
to be

See infra,

p.

[238], where Dr.

about 320 according to O'Flaherty. It is remarked that, with very few excepis

Lynch
c

discusses these old claims.

tions, there

less

discrepancy in the pe-

very old authority cited by O'Co-

riods assigned to those Irian than to the

VGf(Prolegom. pars ii. p. Ixvi.), namely, a poem attributed to Fortchern, "omnium

hactenus
tracing
Irian,

other reigns

and

that, of the three, the

Eiremonian are hitherto the most uncertain.

memoratorum antiquissimum,"
the genealogy of Cimbaoth the

The
of

Irian line

was continued

in the

kings

ih Fodhla,

makes him eighth in descent from and includes among the

Eamania, who claimed all the glory of Ollamh Fodhla as their own. From him

the Ultonians were called

Ullea

Proltg.

442

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

Quare ipse sepsinguli septennio regnandi vices alternatirn obeant. tenni regno perfunctus. Dithorbo, et Dithorbus septennium regnando permensus, Regnum Kimbaitho administrandum ultro per septennium
concessit.

Denique regnum per singulos

ter in

orbem

init,

ut ad

unum

supra vigesimum annum regnandi tempus singuli produxerint, Aidus Rufus undis in Tirconnalia absorptus nomen Easrose torrent! fecit.
is est.

"Eas" enim perinde Anno Mundi

est ac

"torrens" vel "cataracta."

Submersus

4490.

in.

Dithorbus etiam imperium inHibernos unum annum etviginti ordine proxime memorato exercuit, vita orbatus, apud Corann Cuanmaro, Cuanmoigho, et Cuanslevio suis e fratre nepotibus. Anno Mundi 451 1.

IR.

Kimbaothus, regnandi necessitudine ter

illi

septies obveniente

unum
filia,

annum

et viginti

regnando explevit.

Uxorejus Meacha Aidi Run'

extincti

jam

patris regnandi vices a competitoribus ei denegatas armis

vindicat, et mariti

decursis,

regnum ad septem alios annos prorogat, quibus ille Eamaniee morbo correptus regnare et vivere desiit. Anno
Dithorbi filiis, ut septennalis imperii vices decreto constitutes sibi tandem obtingant poscenrespondit, potestatem regiam bello comparasse, nee nisi
fatis functo,
Illi

Mundi 4539.
in.

Kimbaotho

communium majorum
tibus,

Meacha

bello amissuram.

post acie

cum

ea decertantes funduntur,

et

ad

ejus aulam in vincula trahuntur.

Ilia post

maritum

e vivis ablatum,

regnum septem .adhuc annos retinet, Dithorbi filis ad Ernanmacham, regum Ultoniae postea domicilium condendam interim coactis. Namut " ait Colganus Regia sedes Ultoniorum erat Emania seu Emhonmacha
:

prope Ardmacham, nunc fossis latis vestigiis murorum emineutibus et ruderibus pristinum redolens splendorem 14 ." Denique ncx illi a Rectacho illata ej us vitas regnoque finem imposuit. Anno Mundi 4546.
i*

In Triade,

p. 6, n. 5.

pars

ii.

p. Ixvi.

In the Battle of

Magh

for conjecturing that those Irians preceded

Rath,

p. 171, the

Druid implores Congal

the Eiremonians in Tara, and were driven

Claen, the Irian, to guard the Ultonians, the race of

thence
d

by

the descendants of Ugaine.

is still

Ollamh

and in no part of that

Easruaidh

the

name

of the great

romance are the Eiremonians, who settled in Ulster in the fourth and fifth centuries,
called Lltlca

cataract at Ballyshannon, in Tirconnell, or

county Donegal
e
f

/. O'-D.

even to

name appears opposed gaebil, the name of all the Irish.

:

that

A harony

in the county Sligo

fort,

Ib.
Ib.

Now the Navan

near Armagh.

I give, infra, p. 461, note v ,

my

reasons

There are no remains of stone walls

CHAP. VIII.J
for seven years,

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

443
C.

to Dithorb,

Cimbaoth.

he reigned during the first seven, and resigned it then A. from whom, after the lapse of the same space, it came to~ The crown, by this revolving succession, was enjoyed by

each three times, thus completing twenty-one years. Aedh Ruadh was drowned in the waterfall in Tirconnel, which has thence been called
Easroe'
1

"eas" being the

Irish

word

for torrent or cataract.

He

was drowned A. M. 4490. Dithorb also reigned twenty-one years in the manner which has just 360 been described. He was slain in Corann 6 by Cuanmar, Cuanmoighe,
and Cuansleive, his brother's sons, A. M. 4511. Ciombaoth, by the same revolving succession, reigned twenty-one 353 His wife, Macha, the daughter of Aedh Ruadh, having, on the years. death of the latter, taken the "field in defence of her right to reign,
defeated her competitors, and thus added seven other years to her husband's reign. At the close of that period he was seized with a mortal f A. M. 4539. illness, and died at Eamania
,

After the death of Cimbaoth, the sons of Dithorb demanded that, in 346
virtue of the law of septennial succession, established
their fathers, they should enjoy the throne
;

by the consent of

but Macha replied that she had won the kingdom by the sword, and that the sword alone could wrest it from her. They flew to arms in defence of their right, but were routed and taken prisoners, and conducted in chains to her palace.

Macha reigned seven years

after the death of her

husband, and com-

pelled the sons of Dithorb to ,work in the erection of the Palace of Emania, which afterwards became the chief seat of the Ulster kings.

Thus Colgan writes " The royal residence of the Ulster kings was Emania, or Emhonmacha, near Ardmach. The deep fosses, the piles of
:

crumbling walls? and ramparts, still attest the ancient grandeur of the palaceV Macha was killed by Reachtach, A. M. 4546.
there at present

See Annals of the Four

',

tory,

from A. C. 305
its

to the birth of Christ,

Masters, ed. J. O'D., note

"1387.
h

under A. D.

assigns

date to that year.

But Dr.

O'Conor
of this palace
is

states that

he found in his grand-

The foundation

a re-

father's

markable epoch in the history of Ireland.

note

copy of the Ogygia the following " Juxta generationes genealogicas

Seep. 421, note", supra. Tighernach, an annalist who has given very correct records of Egyptian, Greek, and

Hiberuicas non puto

ante
est

Eamaniam conditam
230 ante Christum,
id

annum 220

vel

Roman

his-

annis 123 post epocham assignatam in

444
EIB.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

Ad ipsum Rectachum Ridghdearg, regnum deinde transiit, et penes ilium annis viginti mansit, qui Ridglidearg a rubro metucarpio dictus et enim "
est;

"Righ"

Carpum,"

"Dearg" "rubrum,"
filii,

significat.

Fercus

et Ibothus,

Irialii

Glunmarii

multis

praeliis in

Albania

commissis, earn, sub Rectachi potestatem adduxerunt, ita ut Rectacbus Hiberniae et Albaniae rex dictus fuerit, ut e psalterio Casseliae liquet 15
.

Rectacho tandem Hugonius magnus, in poenam altricis suse Meacha? Anno Mundi 4566. terempta3, vitam et regnum ademit.
EJR.

in-

dictus,

Hugonius magnus regni diadema sibi deinde induit, magnus hide quod magnam in occidentalibus Europas insulis potentiam asse-

cutus esse perhibeatur.

evasit,

Ad maximam

sane potestatem in Hibernia

utpote

quam
filia

in viginti

bus

filiis,

et tribus filiabus

quinque partes distributam, viginti duoex uxore Cgesarea Crutach, sive formosa,
Ilium post initum regnum

Regis Gallise

susceptis elargitus est.

quadragesimo Buchadius vita regnoque spoliavit. Anno Mundi 4606. Apud Buchadium dominationem Hugonis csede partam non nisi
[64]

diem
|

et

medium

residere passus est Leogarius Lorcus illius interitu

patris

mortem

ultus.

Ut

in ilium opposite

dictum poeta? quadret;

unusque Titan

vidit atque
15

unus

dies stantem et cadentem.

fol.

O'Duveganus,

89.

Rerum. Hib. vol. ii. hoc opere Flahertii." See another passage from Charles p. 67. O'Conor on the same subject Prolegom.
pars
ii.

century
J

Ogygia, p. 259.

Ancient and modern writers appear to agree that such a division was made by

p. c.
;

It is useless to

attempt reconfact
is,

ciling dates

but the important

that

Ugaine-mor, that it lasted about 300 years, and that during that long period the royal
tributes
sion.

during several centuries Eamania was the

stronghold of Ulster kings, of the family of

were paid according

to said divi-

Ogyg. pp.106, 261. But how this can

Cimbaoth, that

is

Irians ( Ogygia, p.

258)

be reconciled with the exclusive possession

of Ulster by the Irians,

and

that, according to

O'Flaherty himself,

down
h,

to the first censuproi),

the Eiremonians did not obtain any footing

in Ulster before the first century of the

tury at least (p. 443, note

and of

Connaught and Leinster by the

Firbolgs,
least,
let

" Ultonise ad Eamaniae exciChristian era.

down
vision

to

the Christian era

at

dium

et ultra Iriadse admissis

subinde post

others decide.
is

The

truth

is,

Ugaine's di-

sseculum

primum Christiauum, Ernais He-

confined to parts of Louth, Meath,

remoniis, longissima serie dominati sunt."

Ibid. pp. 266, 268.
1

Dublin, Kildare, Carlow, Kilkenny,

terford, Tipperary,

Wa-

Limerick, Roscommon,
the fat of the
to

The passage
I rial

cited here

from O'Dugan

Sligo,

Down, and Antrim,

and the most
If this

regards

Glumar, King of Ulster, who

first

land,
ders.

accessible

invato

reignod forty years in Eamania, in the

Ugaine had been able

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENS1S EVERSUS.

445
A. C.

The crown next fell to Reachtach Ridghdearg, and was enjoyed by him during twenty years. He was surnamed Righdearg from his red " " wrist. "Righ" meaning in Irish, wrist, and dearg red. Fere and
Iboth, the sons of Irial Glunmar', after a series of successful battles
in Alba,

339

reduced

styled

King

it under the sceptre of Reactach, who was thence of Ireland and Alba, as appears from the calendar of Cashel.

Hugo

f
to

the Great at length slew Reactach, in revenge for the death of nurse, Macha, A. M. 4566.

said to

Hugaine, surnamed the Great, from the great power which he is 330 have possessed in the Western Isles of Europe, next assumed
j

In Ireland he certainly had great authority, for he the royal diadem. divided the whole country into twenty-five districts which he distributed among his twenty-two sons and three daughters, who were born
,

him

Gaul.
.chadh,

of Caesarea Cruthaich, or the beautiful, daughter to the King of After a reign of forty-years, Hugaine was slain Badhbha-

by

A. M. 4606.

Badhbhchadh did not enjoy his power long. He was slain the day by Loegaire Lore, who thus avenged his father's Of Badhbhchadh we may say with the poet, " one Titan and death. one day saw him standing and falling."
after his succession
found a political system which could weather out

300 years

in the stormy times of

ghernach had been a bard of the Ultonian a kings, and not Abbot of Clonmacnoise,
provincial chronicler, and not a general historian.

Pagan Ireland, Tighernach would very probably allow him some space in his Annals.
Yet that annalist despatches him in a few " While Cimbaoth was words King of
:

If the line of kings of

Tara were

certain after the accession of Cimbaoth, he

Eamania"

[Ulster],

" tune in Temoria, reg-

would obviously blend it with his learned synchronisms on the history of other kingdoms.
Yet, in the succession of
first

nabat Eochodius victor, pater Uganii. Regnasse ab aliis fertur Liccus. Praescripsi-

more than

twelve of the

Eamanian

kings, he al-

mus Ollam ab Ugaine

all
is

regnasse."

This

is

ludes only five times to the kings of Tara or

Ireland. See how our historians disagree when Tighernach is silent p. 447, note ",
infra.

Tighernach

tells us.

The

last sentence

unintelligible to me.

notices,

But the preceding especially the doubt about who was

Tara at the time, prove
that, be-

As

to Ugaine's

marriage with a
origin of
',

King

of

Fi-ench princess,

and the probable

first

yond the existence of such a man as Ugaine, Tighernach did not believe there was any
certainty.
sole object It
is

his great fame, see p. 446, note

infra.

said that Tighernach's

given the Eiremonians a local habitation, if riot a name,

In the Battle of
invokes Ir
;

He

appears to have

was

to

chronicle the kings of

Magh Rath, Congal

Claen

Eamania

or Ulster.

Very probably,

if

Ti-

his antagonists, Ugaine.

446
EIR.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

Leogarius Lorcus solium deinde reg'mm duos armos insedit, cum a majore natu fratre, Cobtacho Cailloseu Caolbreagh, cui preeripuit iin-

perium, apud Kearman, Mundi 4608.

EIR.

vita? statione, solioque regio

dejectus esset.

Anno
istud

Cobtachus Caolbreagh, regni clavum

arripit, cui

cognomentum

ut ea vox exprimat ilium ex regnandi desiderio quo Leofratre vivo, tenebatur exsanguem, exsuccum, et penitus aridum gario " Gaol" enim " evasisse, ac omnino emarcuisse: tenuis," perinde est ac " loci nomen " et est, ubi lecto perpetim affixus fuit. Ilium, Bregh

additum

est,

postquam annis quinquaginta Hiberniae

praefuisset, in

eodem

ipso loco,

quern fraterno, nepotatoque sanguine aspersit, vita et regno Lauradius Longhsecus Olilli Aini filius, Leogarii Lorci nepos exuit. Pcena sic egregie de patris, et avi nece sumpta Anno Mundi 4658.
EIR

Lauradius Longhsecus, avito imperio recuperate, et novemdecem annos administrate, Cobtachi liberis multas ei molestias interim facessentibus, a Melgeo Cobtachi filio morte multatus est. Anno Mundi 4677.
k
1

Now

Wexford.
is

tition of all the territories subsequently ac-

Labhraidh

the second

King

of Tara

quired by his descendants.

of Hugaine, the

After the reign

is

mentioned by Tighernach, A. C. 89, 63. " Rer. Hib. vol. ii. p. 6. CplCd Rlgh

monarchy

gradually beEire-

coming the exclusive property of the

monians.

po bm bo Laishean pop

ninn o ca

Thus, of thirty-nine kings who

fif-

Labpaib Loingpeach co Cachaoin "There were thirty Lagenian mop."

kings over Ireland, from Labraidh Loingseach to Cathaoir mor." That is, there

preceded him, fourteen were Irians, and

teen Siberians
;

but, of his thirty-eight im-

mediate successors, more than two-thirds

were of his family.

these

The

fact involved in

were thirty Lagenian monarchs of Ireland. But Dr. O'Conor {Rer. Hib. vol. ii. p. 6,
note) understands the passage as recording that they were only petty kings of

the growing ascendency of that race (whatever it was) which the bards have personified in Eire-

myths appears

to be

mon and
seach,"
i.

Ugaine.
" acquired his surname, Loing-

part of Leinster.

The former

is

the literal

m Labhraidh
e.

Yet our author allows thirtymeaning. eight kings of Ireland, from Labhraidh to
both included, of whom twenty-five were Eiremonians, and only
Cathaoir Mof,
eight Lagenians
this

"

navalis," from the

fleet of

foreigners

which he led from France

to re-

cover his throne.

He

landed at Wexford,
thirty of his

and destroyed Cobhthach, and

Ogyg.

p.

420. However

princes in Dinrigh, the ancient palace of

may

be, all the

succeeding Eiremonians

the Leinster kings, situated on the west

were descended from Hugony, and hence

the importance given to

who, probably, attributed

him by the bards, to him the par-

bank of the Barrow, about a quarter of a Book of mile below Leighlin Bridge.
Rights, p. 14, note
.

See Haliday's Keat-

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

447
C.

Loegaire Lore, after a reign of two years, was deposed and slain at A.

Karman k by

*had named
the

Cobhthach Gael, or Caolmbreagh, whom 300 excluded from the throne, A. M. 4608. Cobhthach Caolmbreagh next seiled the helm of state. He was sur- 284
his elder brother,

Caolmbreagh

to signify the ambition that

devoured him during

shrivelled,

of his brother, Loegaire, so that he became pale, " withered, and almost fleshless. Caol," in the Irish, is " and Breagh" the name of the place where he lay confined to his bed. After a reign of fifty years he was slain on the
life

emaciated,

constantly

very spot

where himself had shed

his brother's blood,

by Labhraidh Loingseach,

son of Olill Aine, and grandson of Loegaire Lore, who thus, by one blow, avenged his father's and grandfather's death, A. M. 4658. Labhraidh Loingseach recovering " his grandfather's throne, reigned 267 nineteen years, during which he was exposed to constant perils from
1
1

the sons of Cobhthach, and was at length slain

sons,

by Meilge, one of these

A. M. 4677 n

ing, p.

353, for Labhraidh 's flight to France,

sion of Cimbaoth.
is

and Ugaine's marriage with Cesarea, the

French lady, &c. &c.
Tighernach notices no king of Tara from Ugaine (A. C. 305, cir.) to Labhraidh
11

safer to

In such uncertainty it conclude that Tighernach in-

tended A. C. 89, 63, as the true date of

Labhraidh

and we know that about that

period the south of Britain

was invaded and

(Suessiones)

Loingseach (supra,

p.

446, note

),

and

subdued by Gauls
fuisse

"
:

Apud eos

none from the latter to Duach Daltadegha

(A. C. 48, infra, A.

regem nostrd etiam memorid, Divi-

M. 5031). Our author

and O'Flaherty make Ugaine great-grandfather to Labhraidh, which clearly cannot

be reconciled with Tighernach,
if his

tiacum totius Galliae potentissimum qui cum magnre partis harum regionum, turn etiam
Britannia regnum obtinuerit."
Ccesar.

dates

Bell Gall.
fers the

A. C. 89, 63, mark the reign of Labhraidh, and I see no reason why they do not. They

As Tighernach redeath of Cathaoir Mor to A. D. 165.

lib.
ii. c.

4.

There would be only 254 years

for the total

would make,
but that line
in the

it is true,

two

terrible

gaps in
;

of the thirty kings between Cathaoir

and
is,

the regal line from

Daltadegha appears to be the most fragile

is

Ugaine

to

Labhraidh

(p.

446, note

c
,

supra), that

whole bardic chronology, as there

of not
less

about eight years and a half each, a low average certainly as compared with Eamanian kings, but only three years and a half
less

difr'erence

than

19'5

years

(475-280) between Dr. Lynch and O'Flaherty on the total of the reigns from Hu-

kings of Ireland.

than the average reigns of the Christian Slanghe's general was a

also,

gony
if

to

Daltadegha, both included.

The

Labhraidh Loingseach

a rather suspi-

difference

would be considerably increased we compared the two lists from the acces-

cious coincidence with the story of the first

Firbolg invasion

Proleg. pars

ii.

p. 58.

448
EIR.

CAMBBENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

Melgeus occisi Lauradii prsemium Hibernici regni diadenia, quod ambivit, retulit: quo septemdecem annos gestato in pra^lio Clarensi a
Modcliorbo vita spoliatus
est.

Anno Mundi

4694.

EIB.

Modchorbus coronam, quam

nee

tlecessoris capiti detraxit, suo induit,

nisi post septennium dimisit: turn demum interfectorem nactus .^Engusium Olamhum, animam exhalavit. Anno Mundi 4701. EIB. ^Engusius Olamhus Modcliorbo succedit, cujus octodecem annorum

regno nex
EIR.

illi

per Jerugleum

illata

finem imposuit.

Anno Mundi 4719.

Jeredus, qui et Jerugleus vocabatur, post decessorem, regni adininistrationem assumpsit. Eegnum ejus septenne, mors terminavit illata

per successorem.
EIB.

Anno Mundi

4726.

Fercorbo, post undecem annos in imperio exactos, Conlaus leruglei films. Anno Mundi 4737.

animam

hausit.

EIR.

Conlao regnandi deinde potestas

perstitit, post

Anno
EIR.

cessit, quae penes eum annos viginti quos elapsos, morbo confectus Temorite animam efflavit. Mundi 4757.

Filius Olillus

viginti quinque annos retenta, ab

cognomento Casfhiaclach illius dignitatem inivit, qua Adamario Faltchine interemptus est.
et

Anno Mundi
EIB.

4782.

Adamarius regnum adeptus quinquennio administravit, cum illo Anno Mundi 4787. vita per Eochodium Foltlaham privatus est.
fastigio, post

EIR.

Eochodius cognomento Foltlaham ad regiam majestatem evectus, eo decimum septimum ab inito regno annum, excidit, a suc-

cessore occisus.
EIR.

Anno Mundi

4804.

Fergusius Fortamalius, id est strenuus, cognominatus, quod eximia fortitudine pro illis temporibus prascelleret, regno undecem annis administrate, vivere desiit

EIR.

ab ^Engusio Turmecho cassus. Anno Mundi 4815. ^Engusius Turmechus ad regni gubernaculum annos sexaginta sedit, qui pudore perfusus est quod sebrius illato filiaj sua3 stupro, filium ex

est, ut partus celaretur, cistulae haesit, quod, inclusus, pra3tiosis fasciis, purpura3o nimirum tegmine aurea pinna con-

est

ea Fiachum nomine suscepit, cui postea " marinus " ubi natus

cognomentum "Fearmara,"

id

nexo involutus, in profluentem apud Dunagneach. projectus,

in pisca-

A hill near Duntryleague,

of Limerick
ters,

in the county

According to some, this surname means

See Annals of'the Four

Mas-

note

*,

under A. M. 4169.

"shame," from the circumstances told in the text. But O'Flahertv and others derive

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

449
C.

Meilge having secured, by the death of Labhraidh, the Irish crown, A.

the object of his ambition, .reigned seventeen years, battle of Claire by Modhcorb, A. M. 4696.

and was

slain in the 253

Modhcorb succeeding to the crown which he had snatched from the brow of his predecessor, reigned seven years, after which he fell by the hand of ^Engus Ollamh, A. M. 4701. ^Engus Ollamh succeeded Modhcorb, and was also slain after a reign
of eighteen years
lerreo, or, as

241

235

by lerreo, A. M. 4719. he is otherwise called, Jerngle, assumed the reins of 228

government on the fall of his predecessor. After a reign of seven years he was slain by his successor, A. M. 4726.
Fcrcorb, after eleven years' reign, was slain by Conla, son of lerreo, 222

A. M. 4737.
Conla, succeeding to the throne, reigned twenty years, and died at 215

M. 4757. surnamed Casfhiaclach, son of Conla, succeeding to the royal was slain, after a reign of twenty-five years, by Adamair Foltdignity, chaoin, A. M. 4782.
Tara, A.
Oilioll,

211

throne, but after a reign of five years was by Eochaidh Foltleathan, A. M. 4787Eochaidh, surnamed Foltleathan, assuming the royal dignity, was deposed and slain in the seventeenth year of his reign by his successor, A. M. 4804. Feargus, surnamed Fortamhuil or the Strong, from his great fortitude, which was superior to that of all his contemporaries, was slain after a reign of eleven years by uEngus Tuirmeach, A. M. 4815.

Adamair ascended the

186

deposed, and slain

181

174

p JEngus Tuirmeach reigned sixty years. Overwhelmed with shame,

162

for having, while in a state of intoxication, violated his

own

daughter,

who bore him

a son, Fiacha, he endeavoured to conceal the birth.

it

As

soon as the child was born,

was wrapped

with a golden pin, and was inclosed into the waves near Dunaig1aneach q
;

bound in a small boat, which was thrown but, being observed by some fisherin

purple clothes,

it

from coprnach, i. e. incrementum," "fecundity," because ^Engus was progeniEiremonians, except

"

p. 57,

note

2.

The whole

line of

Eireamon,

save these two, extinct, though the family

tor of all succeeding

the Lagenian line, descended from Laogaire

years, or
i

had been branching more

!

in

Erin during 800

Lore

Ogygia,

p.

264

Her. Hib. vol.

iii.

On

the coast of Tirconnell.

He waa

2G

450
tores incurrit, qui

CAMBRKNSIS EVERSUS.
ereptum
e vitse discrimine nutricibus

[CAP. VIII.

alendum

tra-

diderunt. /JEngusius tandem Teamoria?

ultimum

einisit spiritum.

Anno

Mundi 4875.
EIR.

Post ^Engusium, Conallus cognomento Columhrach regni habenas quinquennio moderatus est: ipsi denique vitam, et imperium ademit Anno Mundi 4880. qui successit.

[65]

EPB.

motus

Niesedemanius vir in largiendo profusus, regni elavo deince adest. Eo rege, damge non secus ac vaccge mulgendas ultro se lactariis pra3buerunt. Illi septimo regni anno Endeus Aigneach animam
|

expulit.
EIR.

Anno Mundi

4887-

id est "liberalis," quia quicquid praesto erat, cum ad eum quispiam postulans accederet, id in postulantem illico conferebat. Eum tandem Crimthanus Coscrach inpralio Ardcharemthanensi occidit. Anno Mundi 4911'

Endeus Aigneach, dictus " Aigneach,"

EIR

liis

Crinthanus Cosgrach, id est, "Victor" quod in quam plurimis pra> victoriain reportavit, throno se regio ingessit unde, post quadrienne imperium a successore deject us et vita orbatus est. Anno Muridi 4967.
;

IR

Rodericus regnurn

sibi

annos septuaginta vindicavit.

Deinceps

tarn

diuturnum regnandi tenorem mors ex morbo Temoriae contracta excaepit.

Anno Mundi

4981.

EIB.

IR.

cum regno novem annos pra3fuisset, oppressus a Bressalio, vita, et imperio excessit. Anno Mundi 4990. Bressalius Bodhiobhadh, id est, bourn expers dictus, quod eo rege
Innatmarus deinde,
lethali lue boves fere ouines correptos

mors sustulit: regno undecem

est.

annos potitus a Lugadio Luagneo jugulatus

EIB.

Anno Mundi

5001.

Lugadius Luagneus turam a Congalto passus

regis titulo
est.

quindecem annos gavisus, Anno Mundi 5016.

vitae jac-

IR.

Congalio, cognomento Clarenech, dignitate regia quindecem annos inclarescenti, Duachus Daltadegha vivendi finem attulit. Anno Mundi

5031.
EIB.

" Duachus, cognomento Daltadegha" Hibernis deinde decem annos duos imperavit, eo cognomine, hac illi ratione addito. Carbrius Lusgius
found by fishermen at Torainn Brena, at
eel

127 years in Eamania according to O'Fla;

Lough Swilly
r

See Leabhar Gabhala of

herty

but Tighernach omits them.

Hence
j

the O'Clerys, p. 122.

Roderic, Breasal, Coirgal Clarineach,
p.

Charles O'Conor, deducting 127 from A. C.

35 3 (O' Flaherty's date of Cimbaoth's accession), fixed the erection of

p.

451, and Fachtna Fathach,

453, reign-

Eamania about
(

CHAP. VIIL]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

451
A. C.

men, it was picked up, and the child was intrusted to a nurse. From circumstance he was called Fearmara, or "man of the sea." jEngus died at Tara, A. M. 4875.
this

On
reins of

the death of ^Engus, Conall, surnamed Collamhrach, held the 130

his successor,

government during A. M. 4880.

five years.

He was

deposed and slain by

Niad Seagamuin, a man renowned

ceeded to the throne.

for his lavish generosity, sue- 125

During

his reign not only cows,

but even deer,

came of

their

own

accord to the milk-maid.

In the seventh year of his

reign he was slain

by Enna Aighneach, A. M. 4911so called

Enna Aighneach,

from his

liberality,

because

it

was

his 118

custom to grant on the spot every petition addressed to him, was slain after a reign of twenty years by Crimhthann Coscrach, in the battle of
Ard-Creamhthainn, A. M. 4911. Crimhthann Coscrach, or the "Victorious," so called from his suecess in many fields, mounted the throne, which he held during four
years.
108

He was
,

deposed and slain by his successor, A. M. 4907.

Roderic r
Tara,

after a long reign of seventy years, fell sick

and died

at

104

A.M.

4981.
87

and

lonadmar succeeded, and, having reigned nine years, was attacked slain by Breasal, A. M. 4990.
Breasal,

Cattle-less," because, during swept off nearly all the cattle, reigned eleven years, after which he was slain by Lughaidh Luaighne, A. M. 5001. Lughaidh Luaighne enjoyed the royal title fifteen years, and was

surnamed Bodhiobhaidh or "

84

his reign, a distemper

75

slain

by Congal, A. M. 5016.
60

years,

Congal, surnamed Claringneach, after a prosperous reign of fifteen was slain by Duach Dalta-Deaghaid, A.M. 5031.
Irish twelve years.

Duach reigned over the

s

He was surnamed DalCairbre Lusc had two

baled Duach was an
great power

47

ta-Deaghaid from the following circumstance.

A. C. 226
'

Proleg. pars

ii.

p. c.

the story in the text, and translates

This

is

the third notice of a monarch of

" alumnus."
Eiberian,

Ogyg-

p.

266.

Ireland

by Tighernach:

"

Duach balca
A. C. 48,

and through his means Deag, the

it is said,

besaibh ap 6p anb pen,"

Eiremonian, acquired,
in

which O'Conor translates " Duachus alumnus Degadii regnavit in Hibernia."

Hib. vol.
ii.

Bar.

Munster, the Deaghaidh reigning there alternately with the Siberians, the former
in south, the latter in north Minister
Ib.

p. 7.

O'Flaherty also rejects

2 G 2

452
filios

CAMBRENSIS EVKKSUS.
habuit,

[CAP. VITT.

rium

Dagaduin, ambos eximiamembrorum mole, viprcestantia, reliquisque corporis, et animi dotibus, qusemajestatem regiam decerent sequales. Degadi autem minoris natu, nientem molestia

Duachum,

et

nescio quse incessit, a fratre naturae donis

tate.

minime

superiore, vinci potes-

Hie animum induxit

fratre,

fratri

bellum

inferre,

soliumque regiura,

qui jam diademate regio fulserat occupare, verum ejus clandestina consilia Duachum non latuerunt, qui, ne tumultus excitantur,

amoto

Degadum ad

se fictis causis accersit, et

ex improvise comprehen-

dum
est

effossis oculis carceri

mandat.

Dagadi obceecatorem

ei peperit.

facinus Dalta D^aghaidh, id Animarn Duacho successor extraxit.

Hoc

Anno Mundi5041.
IR.

nitate,

Fachneus Fatacli regnum iniit, et sexdecem annos in ilia hsesit digcum Eochodius Feidhleach earn illi, et vitam eriperet. Anno

Mundi 5057.
EIR.

Eochodius Feidhleach regiam nactus potestatem, earn duodecem annos exercuit, parto inde cognomento, quod, crebro, imo corftinenter, " Feiadh" enim longos gemitus ex imo pectore duxerit. perinde est
.

ac "longus," et

"eoch" ac "gemitus." Utpote filiorum in praalio Druimchriedensi, CEesorum interitum assidue meinoria recolens, ita suspiriis habenas laxavit, ut iis vix puncto temporis, ad extremum
usque spiritum temperaverit. Is pentarchiam in Hibernia primus instituit, utpote Hiberniam quinque partito divisam in totidem dispertitus est principatus.
Ita ut ipso Hibernise universse Monarcha, Ultonise
filius
:

Conchaurus Fachtnai
niis

Curaius Dari

filius, et

Eochodius Luchtai
fuerint.

Lageniee Carbrius Niafear, duabus Momofilius: Conaciaj Olillus,

et ejus

uxor Meabha domiriati

Eochodius duodecimo regni

5069.

anno diem clausit extremum.

Anno Mundi

Now

Drumcree, near Castlepollard, in

rixarum, et contentionum quotidianarum

inter

the county of Westmeath.

Hibcrnos tain

saeculares,

quam

re-

"Ifwe

believe the learned compiler of

gulares,

quam

etiam laicos et militares:

the Hibernia Dominica, Eochoidh ought to

ac uno verbo
nostris

malorum omnium

in rebus
civilibus

have had other reasons to weep, namely, for the AVOCS entailed on the land by its"
division into five provinces:

tain ecclesiasticis

quam

ut lippis et tonsoribus

notum

est."

" Diversitas

Dom.

p.

119, n.

{ .

And

Hib. "

again:

Ip-

quippe quatuor nationum prona fuit ab antiquo et

semet vidi crebroque audivi a Reverendissimo Magistro Ordinis P.

ejusque sociis

etiamnum
et

est factiontun occasio,

Thoma

Ripoll,

atque unica

pessima radix discordiarum,

Anglia sane sua olim

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

453

A.C. soiiSjDuach andDeaghaidh, both equally distinguished for extraordinary and all the qualities of mind and body that bestature, great strength,

come
of
in

But Degaidh, the younger brother, under the influence a king. some unaccountable jealousy, that he, every way equal to his brother tin- gifts of nature, should yet be excluded from the throne, resolved

war against him, and deprive him of the crown which had been placed on his brows: But Duach having received intellialready gence of his clandestine machinations, resolved to quell the incipient storm before it burst, and having invited Degaidh to meet him on preto levy

tence of some business, seized him, plucked out his eyes, and had him east into prison. "From this treacherous crime Duach was surnamed

Dalta Deaghaidh,
slain

that

is,

the

man who

blinded Degaidh.

Duach was
40

by his successor, A. M. 5041. Fachtna Fathach ascended the throne, and, after a reign of sixteen Eochaidh Feidhleach, A. M. 5057years, was deposed and slain by

Eochaidh Feidhleach occupied the vacant throne. He was surnamed 26 Feidhleach from the deep sighs which he constantly heaved from his
heart.

"Feidh" meaning

in Irish long,

and "leoch"

sighs.

The

loss of his sons slain in the battle of

into his
for a

memory, that, to his latest u It was he that moment, to bewail them

.

Druimcriadh 1 had sunk so deeply breath, he could never cease, even

first

divided Ireland into

were by him erected into principalities^ Thus, while he was supreme King of Ireland, Conchobhar, son of Fachtna, was King of Ulster; Carbry Nifear, King of
a pentarchy, because the five divisions of Ireland

the two. Ministers; and

Leinster; Curai, son of Dare, and Eochaidh, son of Luchta, Kings of Olill, with his Queen Meave, King of Con-

naught.

Eochaidh died in the twelfth year of his reign, A. M. 5069tamen

in

habi-bat regna distincta, et

An-

Tighernach mentions Eochaidh Feidh-

glorum, sen
collegiis

saeeulariiun

seu regularium,

leach after Eochaidh Arem, but does not

attribute to
iive parts;

nee palam nee privatiin ulla habe-

him

the division of Ireland into

there the slightest reason

batur ratio diversitatis illarum nationum."

Ibid. p. 135.
tain, in

nor

is

As

the dioceses alone re-

to believe that there was, at this period,

any

some

cases,

the boundaries of an-

central
to effect

power

in Ireland sufficiently strong

dent
in

territories, so

the Dominicans retained,

such a division.
also Proleg. pars

See
ii.

p.

a 454, note

1044, the old division into live pro-

infra

p. xlvii.

The

vinces,

namely, the two Munsters, and the

Ibid. p.
1

ftther three

15.

names of the provincial kings under Eocliaidh are nearly the same as in p. 454, n. a
.

454
EIR.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

Eoehodius cognoinento

Rex deinde
[66] lus."

salutatus

est.

Hiberniae primus effodi

Aremh prioris Eochodii frater Hiberniee Aremh" ideo cognominatus quia tumulos in " Vamh" enim " tumucuravit; perinde est ac
"

quindecem annis administrate, a Singhmallo, in ex hominum numero ademptus est. Anno Mundi 5084. Fremointeabha, EIR. Ederschelium Hiberniae quinquennio imperantem Nuadus Neacht
|

Hie Hibernia

Anno Mundi 5089- Nuadus agnomen " Neacht " hide sortititus " " quod nivi quam vox Neacbt significatione cutis candore non cesserit. Hiberniae gubernaculo admotus sex refert,
e vitae finibus exterminavit

tantum menses ea dignitate potitus

EIR
-

a Conario vita, et regno exutus est. Conarius Ederscheli films in regno collocatus annis septuaginta regnandi tempus oequavit. Quo temporis curriculo, mare Boini fluminis
ostia,

Inbhercolpta quondam dicta, uberrimo piscium ejectamentoquot-

annis obtexit: tanta quoque fuit ea tempestate pacis malacia, tanta

omnibus preesidio muniendis, ut pecora secure per Hiberniam sine custode oberrarent. Nee a medio autumno ad veris medium asperiore ventorum aura greges, aut armenta afflabantur, aut
regis sollicitudo in rebus

ullo

nocumento

affligebantur.

Arbores fructuum pondus ad terram

irn-

pellebat, latrocinia etiani rex coercuit, vagis hominibus, et prsedonibus

regno abactis.

Quorum unus

Inkellus cacus O'Conmaic, Brito, multa

flagitiosorum, et alienigenarum turba sibi adscita, pluribus tumultibus

Hiberniam
attulit.

infestavit,

tandemque apud Bruigham Regi Conario manus

5190.
a strong proof that the history of the

Anno Mundi

How

can this be reconciled with the

is

royal cemeteries of the Tuatha de Dananns,

Firbolgs,

latter
z

was the more

Frewin

certain.

and

others, at

Cruachan, Tailten,
a

Now

Hill, near Mullingar, in

and on the banks of the Boyne ? y Ten Ogygia. The reader years

the county of Westmeath.

will

observe here another instance of hesitation

him a

Tighernach mentions Conary, and allows Also that, reign of eighty years.
first

inTighernach's few notices of the archkings.

" after the

sack [crpscnn] of

bnuisen

"Eochoidh Arem," he
1

says,
'

"was

killed

bd bep 50
vidcd into

against Conary, Ireland was di-

by Sigmal, the pacificator, vel, ut alii diRer. Hib. cunt, by some other man."
vol.
ii.

five parts,

Conchobhar Mac Nessa

;

being the King of Ulster

of Leinster; Tighernach

Cairbre Niafear,

p. 8.

This " ut

alii

dicunt" oc-

Teadbannach and
;

curring again, in the same writer, at the

Deagod, his son, of Minister

Rer. Hib. vol.
it

Alild, son of

year A. D. 44, and A. D. 131,

his notices of the archkings,

p. 29,

in

Magach, and Queen Meave, of Connaught."

ii.

and not occurkings,

p. 12.

As

the text runs,

ring in his records of the

Eamanian

insinuates that the partition

was a con-

CHAI-. VIII.]

CAMBRENSJS EVKRSUS.

455
A.

Eoehaidh, suriiained Airiomh, brother of his predecessor, was then

from "airiomh," proclaimed King of Ireland. He was surnamed Airiomh, a tumulus, because it was in his reign that tombs were first introduced into Ireland". After a reign of fifteen years y he was sent from the land of the living by Siodhmall, at Fremoin in Teffia, A. M. 5084.
z

15

Eiderscheal, after enjoying the sovereignty of Ireland five years,

slain in the year

was

5089, by Nuad, surnamed Neacht, from the whiteness of his skin, because it might rival even the snow (in Irish, neacht).
Neacht, after a brief reign of six months, was deposed and slain by
Couaire.

Coaaire, son of Eiderscheal, having ascended the throne, reigned A. D. It was during his time "that the sea poured into the i seventy years mouth of the Boyne (then called Invercolptha) enormous shoals of fish. So profound also was the peace Ireland enjoyed, so careful was the king
11

in extending to all quarters the

arm

of his protection, that the cattle

roamed
round

freely through the land without any herd. From mid-autumn to mid-spring, no tainted gale or noxious blast ever injured flock

or herd.

The

trees

were bent

to the earth

with the load of their fruit;

robbery was suppressed by the king, and all vagabonds and thieves were expelled from the land. One of those robbers, by name Ainkel

O'Conmaic, the blind, having mustered under his command a numerous gang of Britons and profligate foreigners, troubled the peace of Ireland
1'

by many predatory incursions, and at Bruiglr, A. M. 5160.

sequence of the sack of the royal fort, Bruigen da Berga, and not the voluntary
act of the king.
this period,

at last slew

King Couaire

himself,

with the birth of Christ, A. M. 3949, according to his computation.

b

Moreover Ulster was, at

supra), and Con-

This'invasion of Britons gives credi-

in the exclusive possession of

1

bility to the Irish stoiy, as it is

very probain

the Irians (p. 444, note

',

ble that

some of them would seek refuge

naught of the Firbolgs.

Dinnseanchus,
11
;

Ireland at this period from the

Roman

arms.

apud
all

Rer. Hib. vol.

ii.

p.

see also in-

fra, in the reign of Fiacha Firfalada, that

the provincial kings, except the Ulto-

is an error of the press, probaTighernach expressly records that Conaire was killed in the second burn-

Bruigh

bly, as

nian, were of the Athachtuathi or ignoble

ing of his palace,

bpuigean ba bepsa.

Tighernach assigns the death of Conaire to the year 45 [44] of our era See
race.

O'Conor

states,

ginal note in

on the authority of a marthe Stowe copy of the Ogygia,

Prohgom. pars ii. pp. 1. Ixv. O'Flaherty makes Conary's accession contemporary

that this palace

Siigo, near

was

situated in the county

;

Magh Tuiremh

but

rind

no

456
EIR.

CAMBHENSIS EVERSUS.

T [CAP. VII

Post Conarium csesum, Hiberniam quinquennio rege vacavit. In. regno Lugadius Sriabhndearg, sex annos supra viginti Conario subiit, Illi qui tribus Finnamoniis Eocbodii Feidlecbi filiis procreatus est.

namque crapula obruti, stuprum

ilia

sorori Clothrse intulerunt, ex

quo

vitio

gravida, exacto justi temporis ad pariendura intervallo, Lugadium hunc enixa est; cui cognomentum Sriabhndbearg ideo inditum est,

quod rubro
notatus
fuit.

circulo (ea vocis significatio est) circa collum et

umbilicum

Lugadius etiam e Clothra matre filium execrando incestu Crinthanum nomine genuit; cujus flagitii tanto mserore captus est, ut

ensi ultfo incumbens,

EIR.

mortem

sibi consciverit.

Anno
est,

Mrnidi 5191.
cui anni tan turn

Concbaurus Abrarudah Rex deinde salutatus

ITH.

unius Regi latus bausit Cremtbanius Nianarius. Anno Mundi 5192. Cremthanius Nianarius ad regni gubernacula adinotus est tracto cognomine ab originis sure pudore. Nam "Nia" perinde est ac pugil Pudebat eriirn ilium quam maxime, se de et " Nair" ac pudibundus. Is ad sexdecem annos irnperium matris et filii coitu genitum esse.
protraxit,

cum

vallo expiravit in
Illo

ex equo derepente corruens, modico post temporis interDunchrimthainn apud Binneder. Anno Mundi 5108.
fert sententia, duodeci-

autem annum octavum, vel ut aliorum

regni agente, bumani generis in libertatem assertor Cliristus in lucem editus est. Anno Mundi 5199 post diluvium anno 2957.

mum,

Post Cremthanium vivis exemptum, Atbachtuachi plebeiorum bominuni genus, profligatissima seditione excitata, late dominati sunt, Proceres enim splendidis epulis exceptos nefaria caede, per insidias,
such

name

in the

Hy-Fiachrach, nor does

published

by 0' Conor, Annal.

Ult. p. 151,

the county Sligo appear a very probable

site of

describes the spoils carried off by

Crimthann

a royal palace.

Its true situation

;

was on " the Dodder, near Dublin

part of the
'

and a

from the Romans of Britain, and, among others, a sword adorned with figures of serpents,

name

is still

preserved in that of

and eagles of the purest gold. At

in that part of Britain

this

Boher na breena,' a well known place on

Battle of Magh Rath, p. 354.
is

period, about the year 82, Agricola

made his
"which

that river."
d

campaign
nor

Shriabhndearg

mentioned by Tigher-

looks to Ireland," with the design, asO'Coinfers, of

nach, as reigning from A. D. 52 to A. D.

79,

expelling the Irish invaders.

and being

slain

alii dicunt,

by

his

by the Luighne, or, ut own sword. For those

p.

Davies and some of our scholars maintain

that Agricola miscalculated the power of
Ireland,

Eiberian Luighne, see

e

471, note

k
,

infra.

when he

asserted that one legion,

Also mentioned by Tigheraach, A. D. A fragment of the Four Masters, 79, 90.

with a small body of auxiliaries, would be sufficient to subdue it but that force would
;

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

457

On
years.

the death of Conaire the Irish throne was vacant during five A. D.
It

who

twenty-six years by Lughaidh Sriabhndearg , was the child of the three Finnamons, the sons of Eochoidh Feidh-

was then

filled

QQ

leach.

While

in a state of intoxication they violated their

own

sister,

Clothra, who, becoming pregnant,

was delivered

in

due time of

this

Lughaidh.

He was surnamed

Sriabhndearg (or red circle), from a red

ring that was found around his neck and navel. Lughaidh also begot, by execrable incestuous intercourse with the same Clothra, his own

mother, a son named Crirnthann; but, smitten with horror at his hideous crime, he threw himself on his sword and expired, A. M. 5191.
brief reign of one year, was slain
,

Conchubhar Abhraruadh was then proclaimed king; but, after a by Crimthann Niadhnair, A. M. 5192. Crimthann Niadhnair 6 who then seized the helm of State, derived his

65

73

surname from his bashful shame, " Niadh " meaning in Irish a champion, and " nair" shame-faced, because the shame of being the incestuous issue
After a long reign of of a mother and son ever oppressed his heart. sixteen years, he suddenly fell from his horse, and expired in Dun-

Crimhthainn f
It

at Binneder,

A. M. 5108.
other authorities assert, in the twelfth

was in the eighth,

or, as

year of his reign, that Christ, the Liberator and born, A. M. 5199; after the Deluge, 2957.

Redeemer of man was,

After the death of Crimthann, the Athachtuatha, a tribe of plebeians, having concocted a nefarious conspiracy, rose tumultuously, and swept

everything before them=. Having treacherously invited all the nobles to a splendid banquet, they rose up and massacred them at Maighcro h ,
makes Feradhach Find succeed

amount

to about 10,000

men, which, aided

his father

by the refugee Irish prince in the Roman camp, was a greater relative force than
Strongbow, or Cromwell, or William, led
the Irish shores.
regrets that the
to

Crimthann, and reign twenty-three years, Dr. O'Conor supposes, I know not on what
authority, except, perhaps,

Dr. Lynch, infra,

p.

[171],

of name, that they are the Attacots

leg.
.

some similarity Proif

Romans did not conquer Ireoccupied by the

pars

ii.

p. Ixxvii.

But

there be

any

land.
'

truth in their history, they were the old

or

The

site of this fort is

mere

Irish of the day, Irians,

and other

Bailie's Light-house,

on the Hill of Howth,

aborigines, resisting

the attempts of the

near the city of Dublin.

s

King
h

of

Tara

to establish

one monarchy in

Tighernaeh takes no notice of those

Ireland.

Athachtuatha, nor of their usurpation, but

very likely spot for a conspiracy

458
apud Maighcro

CAMBRENSIS EVEESUS.
in Conacia sustulerunt.

[CAP. Till.

extinxissent, nisi tres Reginae bonis

Et omne genus regium penitus avibus uterum turn gestantes fugse praesidio in patriam quaeque suam, cladi se subduxisset: ubi maturescente per temporis progressum partu, tres filios Feradachum Facht-

naium, Corbium Olvimium, et Tibradium Tirium enixae sunt. Bainia Regis Albania filia prioris, Cruifia filia Regis Britanniae alterius, et
Ainia Regis Saxoniae filia postremi mater erat. Athachtuachi nobilitate sublata, et stirpe regia gubernaculis amota, Carbraeum cognomento Kencheit sui generis homiuem regem Hiberniaj
renuntiarunt: quern post quinquennium imperando exactum, mors susAnno Domini 14, Mundi 5213. tulit.
[G7]

Dum
faetus

autem Carbraeus

este

nobilium Hiberniae cladem editam

summae rerum, post nefandam illam prseesset, mandata terrae semina ad

|

mine arescente, pecora non mulgebantur,

bantur.

maturitatem non pervenerunt, arboribus poma defecerunt; grapisces e mari non percipie-

Hibernia denique ultima pene media, et serumnarum omnium cumulis obruebatur.

Postquam vero Carbrasus

fatis concessit,

Athachtuachi Morannum

Carbri filium patri substituere contenderunt. Sed Morannus vir prudentia et litteris excultus negavit se in dignitatem sibi non avitam ac Additque nisi ephebis regiis proinde minime debitam involaturum. ab exilio revocatis, et avita dignitate donatis inediam qua premebantur, nullo fine

terminatam

iri.

Cujus

consilio

illi

obtemperantes, ut

mala

ista a cervicibus averterent, regios adolescentes accersunt, et ad

ancient records of the

against the kings of Tara, because Con-

kingdom expressly

naught, at this period, was occupied principally by the Firbolgs and Irians, who

record the extirpation of the posterity of the Milesian soldiery," and this by the noble

made common cause with

See p
444, note
J,

the Firbolgs

Milesians themselves.
all

Thus, Milesians of

supra; and Qyygia,

p.

orders are reduced to nothing after 1000

for it isdiffi-

pp. 276,

302

also,

lar Connaught,

105,

years' possession of Ireland!

note
'

'.

cult to prove that the rebel Irians were

hill

Mi-

Near the

of

Knockmaa,

in the

lesians
k

See p. 461, note

"

P,

infra.

county of Galway.
J

" FeO'Flaherty translates this word,

If this be

fact,

what becomes of the

the Great.

liceps,"

great family of

Hugony

Keat-

i. e." Cat-head (Ogygia, p. 300), but cannot say whether Cairbre was a Fir-

ing saves some of the nobility, but disposes

of all the Milesian plebeians, without excep" The tion (Duffy's edit. Dublin, p. 242)
:

bolg, a

Domnonian, or Danaan, or Luaignot unusual

nean of Tara. The name, or something very

like
it,

is

among

the Picts, the

..

VIII.]
1

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
.

459
extirpated*

". Connaught
in
it

The whole

royal race

would have been

were

A. D.

good fortune would have it, that three queens, who succeeded in escaping from the awful catastrophe, were pregnant. In the due course of nature they were delivered of three sons, Feradhach Fachtnot, as

nich,

Corb Oluim, and Tibrad Tirach.

Bainia, daughter to the

King

of Alba, was mother of the first; Cruifia, daughter of the King of Britain, of the second ; and Ainia, daughter to the King of Saxony, of

the

last.

After the extirpation of the nobility, and the deposition and expulsion of the regal line, the Athachtuatha placed on the throne Cairbre, surnamed Kenchait k a man of their own race, who, after a reign of five
,

74

years, expired, A. D. 14, A.

It

M. 5213.
this Cairbre,

was during the reign of

and

after the horrible

mas-

sacre of the nobles of Ireland, that the seed,

;

when committed

to Irish

ground, refused to come to maturity no apples were seen on the trees, no grass on the fields the cows yielded no milk, and the sea refused its
;

fish.

In a word, Ireland was plunged into an abyss of every affliction, and was reduced to the lowest degree of emaciated wretchedness
1 .

Cairbre had paid the debt of nature, the Athachtuatha endeavoured to place his son, Moran, on the throne. But Moran, who

When

was eminent both

a dignity to
*

for prudence and learning, sternly refused to accept which he had no hereditary, and therefore no just claim.
said he,

" to this famine that devours you, until you recall the royal youths from exile, and re-establish them in their hereditary rights." The good advice was obeyed, to avert the horrible evils under which they groaned. The people sent an embassy

There will be no end,"

to the royal youths,

and conjured them, in the most respectful and

tant en bosse quelque figure d'oiseau ou de

Cruithne of the Irish

p. 148,

See Irish Nennius,

note

f
.

This Cairbre Cat- head had

bete farouche."
vol.
l

Histoire

den Gaulois,

a namesake, a famous Tuatha de Danann (Keating, p. 209), and his rebel adherents were Cathraige
Ogygia,
p.

ii.

p.

41. of

Legitimists,

more

civilized times,

300. Thierry

describes the helmets of the ancient Gauls, " Sur un casque en metal plus on moins

have attributed similar consequences to the change of hoary dynasties. Yet Cairbre
died on his bed, a happiness enjoyed

by

precieux, suivant la fortune du guerrier on

attachait des
cerf, et

comes

d'elan, de buffle

ou de

very few of his legitimate royal brethren, " sceptrum integris membris ad mortem
detinuit."

pour

les riches,

un cimier represen-

Ogygia,

p.

300.

460

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

avitas haereditates adeundas demissis hortatiouibus itivitant, geutilitio-

que
in

soils,

et lunaj

juramento

se devinciunt

debitum obsequium
111!

illis

perpetuum et fidem inviolatam a se prsestitam iri. Athachtuathorum obsequii delatione allecti patriam et
Quae res
et cseterarum

hac ultronea

Icetantes repetunt.

avita patrimonia revocatam postliminiofiBcunditatem terra?,

calamitatum exterminium incolis peperit.

igitur Feradacho Fionfachtnacho delatum est,

EIR.

Regnum

quo

rcge,
illi

integritatem Morannus ille Carbrei films judiciis ferendis a rege interpretamur. adhibitus observantissiraus sequitatis cultor, annulum habuit ea virtu te
peperit:
praedituin,

cognomentum

fraudibus amotis, asquitas et justitia passim colebatur. Quae res " Fachtuach " enim veritatem et

ut cujusvis judicis sententiam pronuntiaturi vel

testis prosi

laturi testimonium collo circumdatus, arete fauces obstringeret

latum

unguem ab eequo ille, aut hie a vero discederet. Unde vulgari proverbio testium colla Moranni annulo cingi exoptamus, quo veritas vel ab
invitis extorqueatur.
rise

Feradachus vigesimo secundo regni anno Temo-

diem clausit extremum.

Fiathachus Finnius

Anno Domini

36,

Mundi 5235.
qua

EIH.

eum

in regni administratione secutus est,

ilium et vita Fiachus Finfoladius, post Anno Domini 39, Mundi 5238.
EIR.

annum

regni tertium, spoliavit.

regnante insigniebantur, vem "

Fiachus Firfaladius cognominatus a candore, quo Hibernise boves eo " fin " enim " candidum" et " Olaidh " "bo-

significat, Fiatacho, surrogatus est. Cujus in anirno cum inveteratum odium erga Athachtuachos ob nobilitatem malis supra memo-

ratis oppressam resideret, gravissima iis tributa irrogavit, qua3 cum atrocius etiam exigerentur, Regis invidia sic Athachthuaci exarserunt,

ut clandestinis coitionibus perniciem

ei

struere decreverint et gnavi

Reges provinciarum, scilicet Elimium Conrachi filium Ultonia?, Sanbhum filium Kethi Connacite, Forbrium Finifiliurn Momoniae, etEochodium Anchean, Lagenia? Regem animos in Fiachum exulceratos gessisse,

cum omnes

prceter

priorem ex ipsorum genere fuerint, quaa moliebanhert y (Ogygia, p. 301)

m Mentioned by Tighernach as cormnencing his twenty-three years' reign A. D. 85.

" Tighernach mentions him in this reign. For his wonderful collar, called lodh Mo-

makes him
first

of the

race of the Ernai, the

Eireamoniar.s

who

acquired any possessions in Ulster. They were/lescended, he says, from OHld

ram, and other stories, see Keating. Not mentioned by Tighernach. O'Fla-

Aronn, grandson of ^Eneas Tuirmeach

p.

(ibid.

266)

but,

as there

was a

tribe of Fir-

P.

VIII. ]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

461

fathers; they swore

imploring terms, to come home to the land and inheritance of their A. by the sun and moon, that great oath of the that devoted loyalty and inviolable fidelity should be their's Pagan,

The youths, yielding to this spontaneous offer of submission for ever. from the Athachtuatha, joyfully returned to the land and the hereditary rights of their fathers. Immediately an end was~made to all the
exterminating calamities of the land, and the earth recovered
tine fertility.
its pris-

The kingdom was accordingly given

during whose reign injustice of and equity generally flourished.
all

to

Feradhach Fiondfectnach,

90

kinds was checked, and justice This was the origin of Feradach's

surname, as "feachtnach"

is

the Irish word for truth and integrity.

Moran", son of Cairbre, was appointed supreme judge by the king, and adhered inflexibly to the laws of equity. He had a collar endowed

with so singular a virtue, that, when worn by any judge pronouncing judgment, or any witness giving evidence, it would tighten round the neck and strangle him, if he dared to depart one hair's breadth from
justice or truth.

Whence the origin of the common saying applied to the unwilling witness, it were well that Moran's collar was twined around his neck. Feradhach died at Tara in the twenty-second year
of his reign, A. D. 36, A.

M. 5235.

succeeding him in the throne, was deposed and slain 95 by Fiach Finfoladh, after a reign of three years, A. D. 39, A. M. 5238. Fiach Fiufolaidh, so called from " whiteness," the color for which 11G the oxen of Ireland were remarkable during his reign ("finn," white; " Inflamed with inveterate hatred olaidh," oxen), succeeded Fiatach. of the Athachtuatha, on account of their former cruelties to the nobiFiatach Fionn
,

lity,

severity that the

he imposed many galling tributes, and exacted them with such Athachtuatha burned with indignation, and resolved

to compass his ruin

by

secret machinations.

Fully aware that the

;

provincial kings, namely, Elimius, son of Conrach, King of Ulster Sanbh, son of Keath, King of Connaught; Forbri, son of Fin, of Munster; and Eochoidh Angchean, of Leinster all of whom, except the first were of their own racep were violently disaffected to the king, the^
;
,

bolgs, called Ernai, there

is,

perhaps, rea-

a Firbolg or Belgian.
P

son to suspect that Tuirmeach himself

was

This king was a descendant of

Ir,

462
tur, iis aperuerunt.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

Qui suasionibus Athachtuathorum adducti monarcham apud Muighbolg vita exuerunt anno post regnuin ingitum
brother of Eiremon and Eiber, according to
bardic story, yet he conspires here with ple-

very position of the Irian

itself,

territories

is,

of

beians against the descendants of his royal

brothers.

Perhaps we have here a key to

were brothers, in

argument that the Irians preceded the Eireamonians, and were by them driven from the richer and more accessible parts of the island.
is true,

a strong

the history of the Milesian family, and that

The

bards,

it

Eiremon, Eiber, and

the same

Ir,

endeavour

to explain the diffusion of

way

as Britus, Albanus, Franbrothers, or Gotus,

Irian tribes through

ster,

Connaught and Mun-

cus and

Romanus were

by

telling us

that they were all the

Burgundus, and Lombardns, or Vandalus and Saxo (Irish Nennius, p. 33); that is, that the Irians were a branch of the Celtic
family, settled in Ireland before the branch

descendants of illegitimate sons of a certain

fugitive Ulster king,

named Fergus

frisk

Nennius,
so far

p.

263)

but as this
first

man is placed
improba-

back as the

century, and as the

represented by Eireamon. According to the

story of his issue

is intrinsically

common

story,
;

Ireland

was divided

into

ble, it is entitled to little or

no

credit.

The

two parts

Eireamon took the north, but

Ir.

conclusion to which Irian topography leads,

is,

granted Ulster to his brother

Irish

that the race had possession of the greater

is

Nennius,
of the

p. Ixv.

Ulster, from the

mouth

part of the island, and that conclusion

con-

Boyne
to the

to the

Bay

of Donegal, was,

firmed by two significant traditions, namely,

the great
lists

down

second century, almost exp.

number of

Irians

who

figure in the

clusively Irian

444, note

J,

supra

of archkings of Ireland, before Ugaine

Battle of

Magh

Rath, p. 221.

The

Irians

the Great, especially Ollamh Fodhla, with

his seven Irian successors, the kings,
if

possessed in Leinster, Longford, the Queen's

not

County, and part of Westmeath, around

the founders of Tara, and next the partition

of Ireland between the two Irian brothers,

Uisneach Hill
et seq.

Irish Nennius, pp. 263,

In Munster, they held the greater

Kearmna and Sobharche, a

is

partition

which

part of Kerry, the Avest of Clare, and a

tract around

supported by traditionary monumental

the palaces of both, in opposite

Fermoy

Book of Rights,
Conne-

evidence,

pp. 48, 65, 78, 100. In Connaught,

ends of the island, being yet knon by their

mara, and scattered tracts in Lei trim, RosIbid. Hence common, Mayo, and Sligo Maelmura of Othain, from whom the prece-

names (supra, p. 425, n. ", p. 431, n. n"), and called the most ancient buildings in
Erin.

ding sketch
<l

is

taken,

might truly

say, in the

palace of

Jiook of Ballymote, f. 75. The Irian Eamania was, without a single

' '

ninth century,

Lcm m hGpin bo clamblp,

The
reader,

exception, the most extensive of

in Ireland."

its

kind

Erin

is full

of the race of Ir."

Magh

Rath,

v p. 213, note .

by comparing the

Irian territories with those

Its foundation,

A. C. 305,

its destruction,

of the native Irish in the fourteenth cen-

A. D. 322, are epochs in the Irish annals.

Tighernach chronicles the succession of
kings
:

tury (p. 201, note

that,

e
,

et seq.

supra), will find

its
.

with the exception of East Leinster, they are nearly identical ; and thus the

to lay

it

in ruins
for

was the great obfierce

ject of ambition

every

king of

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVEBSUS.
forces,

Athachtuatha drew them into a conspiracy, and, combining their

1 slew the king at Maghbolg, in the seventeenth year of his reign, A. D.

Ireland
nise,

" Destruere nobilem arcem

erat

Eama-

around the
there
it

hill

of Usneach, in that province, of the Irians.

votum

rex."

quod faciebat omnis ferox Gillemodud, apud O' Conor, Proi.

was a branch

Hence

legom. pars

p.

clxxx.

and, finally, its

ancient glories were the theme

in after ages, the Irian

by which,

would appear that Irian and Cruithnian are one and the same that they reigned in Tara before the Eireamonians, but were
;

king excited his

driven thence and maintained themselves

principally in Ulster, in the great palace of

followers to battle against the oppressing

Eireamonians
"

Eamania. Moreover, the existence of a great

The

races of Coriall and

Eoghan, and the

colony of Picts in Ireland

is

proved by Irish
that the

Nennius, pp. 53, 125,

Airghialla,

who asserts

Have

seized on our lands,

Picts were "for a long time in Eri,"

this onset

and

And
To

against them

we make

drive

them from over

us."

"acquired great power there" until they were driven out by Heremon, except some
tribes

which remained

in

Battle of

Magh

Rath, pp. 203, 219.

Magh

Breagh.

But if we admit
Ireland,

this great Pictish family in

it

Why

were

all fierce

kings so anxious to
in this real or

whence comes

that Bede and the

destroy

Eamania? And now,

metrical legend

(Irish Nennius, p. 147)

traditional rebellion,

why

do the Athach-

represent the Picts as paying merely a flying

visit to Ireland,

tuatha spare the palace of Eamania ?

why

and

why were

not

all ,the

combine with the

Irians,

and make one of

is

Ultonians

known

as Cruithne ?

I answer,

them
if

their

king ?

The answer

obvious,

you suppose that the Irians as well as

by asking another question, Why was all the learning of Ussher, and White, and
Colgan, and Ward, required to prove that
the
Scotia of the ancients
old
title,

themselves were combining against the en-

croachments of a comparatively modern

colony in Ireland.

was Ireland

But

if

the history of

The

Scoti,

became the exclusive

the Picts, Irish Nennius, p. Ixxxii., can be

relied on, then the Irians

property of the Scotch in the twelfth and

thirteenth centuries,

were not brothers

when

the power of the

in Ireland
;

of Eiremonians

or Picts.

and Siberians, but Cruithne The Irian Ollamh Fodhla, and

true Scoti

was on the wane

so

the power of the Picts having been broken in

Ireland,

his six Irian successors, are there called the

by the invasion of the Eiremonian

A.D.
to

seven Cruithnian

(i.

e.

Pictish) kings that

Ernai A. D. 161, by Cormac Ulfada A. D.

2 5 4, and by the destruction of Eamania,

ruled over Ireland.

The Dal Araidhe

of Leix; the
;

of

Down;

the Laighsi,

seven

332, the glories of Pictland passed

away

Soghans, of

Roscommon

and the Conaille

Albany

and

to Bede, writing in the eighth

Murtheimne, of Louth, are also Cruithne. Irish Nennivs, p. Ixxxiii., and all were
Irians, ibid. p. 265.

century, the ancient Irish Pictish

kingdom
and a
inha-

would appear
visit

to

be only a dream, a mere

Tighernach records, A. D. 666, the death of a king of the Cruithne of Meath and we know that
;

of the Picts to the country,

its

matrimonial alliance with some of

bitants.

The Cruithne,

dispersed through

464

CAMBRENSIS KVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

decimo septimo, post Christum natum 56, post Mundura Conditum 5255.

Unus Fiacho

matris utero turn inclusus, supererat quae Ethnea. Imghile dicta, regis Albanise filia prasgnans in Albaniam concessit, ubi
filius

Tuathalium Techtmarium peperit, qui regia institutione ibi excultus, ubi adolevit, Hiberniae regnum ubi postea vendicavit. IR Elimius Conrachi filius in Regio solio collocatus, illud viginti annos insedit, infausto interim regui tempore usus quas enim Athachtuachis
:

pcenas, ob extirpatam et exterminatam nobilitatem Deus inflixit, easdera de Elimio et Athachtuachis ob Fiachum nefarii confossum, sumpsit.

Nam
[68]

toto tempore quo Elimius imperavit nee terra fruges, nee arbores Tanpoma, nee fluvii pisces, nee pecudes solita emolumenta tulerunt. dem Elimius vitam infelicem morte in praslio Athlensi prope Temoriam
|

a Tuathalo Techtmario, illata terminavit.

EIR.

Anno Domini

76,

Mundi

tellus

ficat,

quosque inditum

Tuathalius Techtmarius regni habenas exinde capessivit. Cui quia Hibernica illo regnante, pristinae restituta faecunditati foetus " abunde "fertile"
fuderat,
Ille

agnomen

Teehtmar," quod
iniit,

signi-

est.

statim ac

regnum

ultioni de

Athachtua-

chis sumendas acriter incubuit.

Muighbolensi aut ingenuorum interitum

croenni impune ferrent.

Noluit enim ut necem patris in clade et deletionem in clade Moighillis

Quare signa cum

creberrime conferens

Ireland in small bodies, and, mingling with

strong objections, but not so strong as the

difficulty

the other races, would naturally lose their

distinctive

which

it

is

intended to solve,
territories

name

retained to
araidhe, in

but in Ulster, where they a late period the large tract Dal;

namely, the position of the Irian

in the earliest ages, the positive assertion

Down, and

in Antrim,

we

find,

that

many

of the Irians were Picts, and

so late as the days of

Adamnan, that Dala10

that a colony of Picts "

raidian

and Cruithne were synonymous

p.

mon

in Ireland,"

had preceded Eireand " gained great power

Trias Thaum,

380, note

Tighernach

there."

Should
is

also records the death of their Pictish king,

pothesis

it be objected that our hyopposed both to secular and ha-

Cuchuaran, A. D. 708 __ Ward, Vita

Romualdi,
p.

S.

giological genealogies, the reader

must

re-

342.

And

this is the last

member that Spenser claimed the O'Byrnes,

the

notice of the Cruithne

by that name, though

Mac

Swineys,

Mac Mahons,
in the

&c. &c.,

some

of the race were afterwards kings of

as English (Ogygia, p. 367), and

of the Anglo-Irish,

many

Ulidia

__ Ecclesiastical

Antiq. of

Down

same century,
English origin

and Connor,
which
is

p. 353. Hypothesis, I know, has been the bane of Irish history that
;

denied that they were of

p.

232, note

here proposed

is

certainly open to

May we

[274], infra. not add, in confirmation of our

P,

supra

p.

CHAP. VIII.] 56, A.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

465
D.

M. 5255. At the time of Fiach's death% his wife, Ethnea Imgile, A. r Contriving to escape, daughter to the King of Alba was pregnant. she fled to her father's court, and brought forth a son, the sole surHe was viving issue of Fiach, who was called Tuathal Techtmhar.
,

educated in Alba as became an heir to a kingdom, and eventually recovered the crown of his fathers.

Elim, son of Conra, being raised to the vacant throne, reigned 126 twenty years, a most calamitous period for the country, as all the woes inflicted by heaven on the Athachtuatha, for their extermination of the
nobility,
for the

were now poured out again on Elim and his guilty associates, wicked murder of Fiach. During the long period of this reign
its fruits,

the earth refused

fish,

the orchards their apples, the rivers their

life
. At length, Tuathal of Elim, in the battle of Athb,

and the

flocks

and herds their usual tributes 8

Techtmhar closed the fatal reign and near Tara, A. D. 76, A. M. 5275.
fertile,

Tuathal Techtmar now seized the helm of state. "Techtmhar"' means 130
the land of Ireland recovered

and became a surname of Tuathal, because during his reignits ancient fertility, and yielded lavish
all its fruits.

returns of

As

soon as he was firmly seated on the throne,

he resolved to execute summary vengeance on the Athachtuatha. The death of his father in the battle of Maghbolg, and the extirpation of
the nobles in the massacre of Maghcro, rankled in his heart, and whetted his vengeance. Taking the field, he fought many battles, deopinion, the character given of the Picts
life

of St.

Cad roe (Colgan, Acta

Sanct.

(7mA
poems
ral

Nennius, page 145), their "bright " their " and "
druidism,"
agricultu-

494), according to which the Milesians " found the Picts gentem Pictaneorura"
p.

industry" and "fair and well-walled houses," all which agree so well with the
traditionary

in possession of Ireland.

Colgan (ibid,

n. 23 )

says that
,

Jje

would, in another place, en-

fame of Ollamh Fodhla, the

deavour to explain

how

the Tuatha de

Da-

undoubted glory of Eamania, the certainty of its histoiy and line of kings, to which
nothing in Ireland was equal (Ogygia,
p. 149),

nann could be

called Picts, but I

know

not whether he redeemed his promise,

<\

Tighernach, with the usual doubt,

:

and, finally, th

literary

name

of

says
in
'

"Killed in Tara,

vel,

ut alii dicunt,
ii.

the seven Cruithnian Soghans of

Hy- Many,

Muighbolg."
Picts of
!

Rer. Hib. vol.

p. 28.

who, though without a pedigree themselves, were the bards and historians of their masters

Alba

Ogygia,

p.

303.

Strange the same gloomy picture of this

Tribes

and Customs of Hy-Many,

I

Irian's reign as of
'

pp.72, 159.

should have cited

the

Athachtuatha anarchy. " Bonaventura" (Ogyg. p. 303), equi-

2H

466

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIIT.

Ultonienses quinquies et vigesius, toties etiam Lagenienses, totiesque Connacienses et triginta quinque vicibus Momonienses fudit et
profli-

gavit ; ita ut pene omnes Hibernia? Athaehtuachos internicione deleverit ; ac tandem quinque provinciis ad obsides ipsi tradendos adactis singulos reges singulis prsefuerit nimirum in Ultonia Fergusium, in septem:

trionali,

occidentalique

Momonia Eoganum

filium Olilli, in Australi,.

orientalique Momonia Eochodium Darii filium ; in Lagenia Eochodium filium Eochodii Dombleni: et in Connacia Condrachum filium

Dergi

reges instituit.

Turn comitia Temoria? indixit ad quse provinciarum

reges, et reliqui Hiberniae proceres,

magno numero confluxerunt. Ibi regum eum universi agnoscunt, gentilitio solis, lunas, siderum elementorumque casterorum jurejurando adjecto, se nunquam ab ipsius obsequio recessuros, idemque officium ipsius nepotibus in omne tempus

exhibituros, majores suos Hugonio Magno simili se Sacramento adPraBterea polliciti sunt se opera ipsi ae posteris stringentes imitati.
ingerentes. Tuathalius ille, adempta bene magna portione, ad Mediam quse quinque provinciarum singulis antea exiguis Usnachse limitibus circumscripta fuit, adjects?, Medige no-

laturos contra

quoscumque vim

valent to the

title le

Desire, given to Louis

ster, it is said,

was governed

alternately

by

XVIII. of France
11

after the Restoration.

Ithians and Eiberians (ibid. p. 149) before

the Deagaidhe or Ernai settled there, and

ties

against the provincials

Tighernach does not record those batbut there are

;

obtained the province of Desmond, with a

right of alternate succession to the whole

poems of the ninth century on the subject. O'Conor gives a sketch of one composed by

province

Ibid. pp. 266, 268.

O'Flaherty

Maelmura t abbot of Fahan, A. D. 884, from which Dr. Lynch's account of the reign of
Tuathal appears to be taken
pars
ii.

dates this Emaan invasion of Munster about

half a centuiy before the Christian era.
x

Prolegom.

O'Flaherty could find none of these

p. 78.

When

those poems are pub-

kings in the provincial catalogues, except

the last,

lished with explanatory notes, there will be

little trouble in sifting

who was

a Firbolg, as was also

the history of Ireland.

this sentence

his contemporary, the king of Connaught,

w The construction of

makes

^Engus Fionn
tirpation of the
is

Ogygia,

p.

305.

The ex-

Lagenians, Momonians, Ultonians, and Conacians, synonymous with Athachtuatha. The Lagenians and Conacians were Firbolgs,

Athachtuatha by Tuathal but the story of his therefore a fable

;

provincial nominees
trie's
?

is

very ancient.

Pe-

Damnonians, and Gaileans

Irians
;

the Ul-

Tara,

p.

9.

tonians,

but
I

Athachtuatha were,

who the Momonian know not, unless they

See the original form of this oath, with

translation, Petrie's Tara, p. 1 0.

z

were the Irian descendants of Fergus Mac Roigh (Ogyg. p. 275) and the Ithians. Mun-

ancient form of the Irish monarchy

O'Flaherty thus gives his notion of the " Eo:

CHAP. VIIL]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSITS.

467

feating the Ultonians on twenty- five fields, the Lagenians as often, the A. D. Conacians as often, and the men of Munster not less than thirty-five

times"; so that he almost extirpated the race of the Athachtuatha in all w Having received hostages for the fidelity of those parts of Ireland
.

whom

the sword had spared, he appointed kings for the four provinces Fergus, in Ulster ; Eogan, son of Olill, in North and West Munster ;

Eochoidh, son of Daire, in South and East Munster ; Eochoidh, son of

Eochoidh Dumplene, in Leinster ; and Condrach, son of Derg, in Con1 He also established the Convention of Tara, which was naught attended by all the provincial kings, and other great Irish nobles,
.

who swore by
and
all

the sun, the moon, the stars, the great pagan oath 7 , that they never would revolt from his sceptre, the elements,

but would bear true homage to him and his descendants for ever. This oath was like that which their ancestors pledged to Hugaine the
Great,

Moreover, they promised that they would assist him and

his,

Tuathal took from each of the five proagainst all enemies for ever*. vinces of Ireland a considerable territory, which he added to Meath,
thus extending its name and limits' far beyond the original small district The new province was decreed to be for ever the appenof Usneach b
1

chaidh Feidhleach instituted, or rather revi-

still

nearly preserved in those of the diocese.

it

ved the Pentarchy but we are not to suppose that each pentarch had the supreme
;

Tuathal,

is said,

established solemn as-

semblies, to be held annually

on the

last

dominion of his province by a tenure which made his government independent of a superior.

day of October, at Tlachtga, the Momoniari portion of Meath ^ on the first of May,
at Uisneach, in the

That would be repugnant

to the

Connaught

portion;

and

monarchy which has always existed in this it would make the title of King of island
;

at Tailtin, in the Ulster portion, about the

first

of August.

At

Tara, in the Leinster

triennially.

Ireland,
Ogyff*

an empty, unsubstantial shadow." P- 268. Empty and unsubstantial,

portion, the Feis

was assembled

Each
some

of the provincial kings

tribute

had a right to

nevertheless, that title appears

down to
of

the

on occasion of the assembly

of his province.
p.

reign of Tuathal.

The formation

Meath

held in

what was once part

p.

appears to be the first step towards the establishment of a central power. Then,
for the first time,

Petries Tara,
b

Ogygia,

304.
lo-

It is singular that the Irians

hill.

were
p.

we

find the

King

of Ire-

cated around this sacred note

r
,

415,
It

land coming into collision with the five

provinces, and gradually establishing that
frail species

supra; Irish Nennius,

p.

266.

was
and

the Druidic "

Carnutum" or Chartres
ii.

of supremacy subsequently en-

of the Irish Celts (Proleg. pars

it

p. ccvii.),

joyed by the Irish Ardrigh or Monarch. 1 The boundaries of ancient Meath are

happens that some of the most famous Druids were of the Irian tribe
so

2 H 2

468

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

men

et fines in latiora spatia protraxat eamque Monarchy Hibernici mensas instruendge perpetuo addixit. Idem etiam Tuathalius decanta-

tam illam mulctam (quam Barromliam dicimus) ob

nlias

Daringam

et

Fithiram interemptas, Lagenige primus irrogavit. Ilium denique trigesimum regni annum percurrentem Malius UltoniEe rex per insidias
interemit.
IR.

Anno Domini
filius

106,

Mundi 5305.

Malius Rochrodi
nio sedit,

amovit.

cum eum Anno Domini

ad Hibernici regni gubernaculum quadrieninde et e vitas statione Fedlemidius Reach txnlior

110,

Mundi 5309.
se

Fedlemidius Rachtmhor postea regimen Hibernise novennio penes

EiR. habuit, a

Republica idoneis legibus constituta Rachtmhor cognominatus, "Racht" enim legem significat. Et inter leges ab illo sancitas lex

talionis

primas ferebat, qua

damnum

pes scilicet amputatus, aut prsecisa

sarcitur et qua3vis alia
:

manus

illatum pari damno plectitur, simili authoris mutilatione

damna in

patrantis reincidunt caput. His legibus

FedlimioRege constringebantur, ut SOBCUlumaureuin turn viguisse diceres, ubi homines ab alieno, manus, oculos, et animum ubique abstinebant. Sed vir prasclarus tandem fatis consic intrarecti limites,
cessit.

Hiberni

Anno Domini

119,

Mundi 5318.
third to the

Irish Nennius, p. 265

Bath,

p.

209.

famous

for

; Battle of Magh The Cruithne were also " demon- like " necrodruids,"

King

of Ulster, another to the

King

of Connaught, a third, divided be-

inancy,"
&c.

"

honoring of shreds and omens,"

Nennius,
p. 145.

tween the Queen of Tara and King of Munster. It was the cause of endless wars until
it

&c

7mA

Huasem,

was

remitted, at the request of St.

MoThe
the

the

name

of the chief poet of the Cruithne

is

ling,

A. D. 693

Ooygia, p. 305.

(ibid. p. 14.3),

not unlike the Esus or

history of this tribute, promised

by

Hesus of the Gaulish Druids.

the resemblance
is

At

least,

Archaeological Society,
light

may throw some

as great as

between

Esus and the Welch hero Hu, who are generally regarded as identical

This

on the origin of the Irish monarchy. first king on whom it was imposed,
;

Thierry,
pp. 66, 69.

Histoire des Gaulois, vol.

ii.

was a Firbolg but, if we believe the account of Hugony's partition of Ireland, the
richest part of Leinster

Esus was the founder of the Druidic system in Gaul, whence Irish Nennius brings the
Cruithne.

was

at this period

But the

Irish

Huasem

is

only

held by Eiremonians. d At u the hill of

grief,"

near the source

a poet, whereas the Gallic was a leader. See a curious note on Druids and Poets,

of the river Larne, four miles south-west

of Larne.

The event

is

recorded by Tigherpoet cited

BattleofMagh Rath,
c

p. 46.

nach, A. D. 160.

by

the

A tribute levied every second year, paid

monarch, and thus distributed
:

to the

one-

Four Masters gives Tuathal his true place " Chief of fair Frewain " in history (near
:

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

469

at Tara.

dage of the monarch of Ireland, and the support of his table and palace A. D. He was also the first that imposed that famous tribute (called

c Borumean) on Leinster as a penalty for the murder of his daughand Fethara. Tuathal was cut off in the thirtieth year ters, Daringha of his reign by the treachery of Mai, King of Ulster u A. D. 106, A. M.

the

5305.

was deposed and

Mai, son of Rochraidhe, having governed Ireland during four years, 160 slain by Fedhlimidh Eeachtmor, A. D. 1 10, A. M. 5309.
,

Fedhlimidh 6 surnarned Reachtinor, from "reacht," law, because he established many wise laws in Ireland, sat on the Irish throne nine
years.

164

Among

taliouis,"

by which

the laws sanctioned by him, the principal was the "lex all injuries were punished by a similar infliction ;

thus, the malefactor

lose his

who had
and

cut off a foot or hand, was condemned to

all

own

foot or hand,

other injuries were visited in similar

.

f proportion on the head of the offender So efficacious were those laws in the Irish within the bounds of duty, that the reign of Fedhrestraining limidh looks like a golden age, when no man, in act, look, or thought,

injured his neighbour. 119, A.M. 5318^.

Mullingar),

But

this great

king paid the great debt, A. D.

" from

whom

the tribes of our Ecclesiastical

than the famous militia of Fingal ( Finn

lands, the chiefs of Meath."

Mac Cumhal)

of the third century

that

Antiquities
e

of Down and Connor, p. 266. Fedhlimidh was son of Tuathal and

Ogygia, p. 303. The
to

the Irish were poetically called Tuatha Feine

from them, and that the Fenius Farsaoidh of

the East

Bania, daughter of Scalius Balbus, King of

was a legend
i.

erected on the his-

Fomoire or Finland.

torical fact,

e.

the Feine of Fingal. There

Fomorians of Irish legends, according

this account, are not Phoenicians or

appears to

me

not to exist any tradition

Cartha-

that Phoenicians or Carthaginians ever vi-

ginians, but Finns, the ancient inhabitants

of North Europe
tiquities, p. 70,
is

Mallet's Northern

Anit

Bohn. Ed.

The Finns,

(though the fact can probably be proved by foreign authority), nor do our Pagan remains imply a degree of civilizasited Ireland

believed, are not of the Japhetian race

far

tion equal to that of the Celts of

Gaul before

and so

they agree with the Irish tradi-

the lioinan invasion.

f

tion regarding the Fomorians.

As

to the

O'Flaherty considers the eric of Irish

to

other people, Feine, or Tuatha Feine, of

Irish legends,
to

law

be a modification of this lex tathe latter was

who

are supposed

by many

lionis
fine,

; i. e.

commuted
Ogyg.

into a

have been Phoenicians, it is the Editor's opinion, after an attentive perusal of all
the passages referred to (Prolegom. pars
p. xciv.), that
ii.

as in the

Saxon

laws.

p.

307.

Fiacha Suighde, son of this Feidlimidh

Reachtmor, was ancestor of the Deisi of

the Feine were nothing more

Meath and Waterford (Irish Nen.

p.

254),

470

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

EIR.

Catlierio magno, triennio postea imperanti, et triginta filios habenti, vitam et imperium in praelio Muighagensi, Constantius Centimachus et Liugnenses de Temoria eripuerunt. Anno Domini 122, Mundi 5324.

Constantius, Hibernice

Con Cedcahach,

id est a

centum
:

prseliis, in

quibus victoriam retulit, vel uno verbo Centiinachus EIR. Colganus) Constans, Constantinus, et Conon vocatur 16
.

aliis

(inquit

quinque annos in regnando

tris ageret, a

positos,

dum

Post triginta in Tuaihamrois remotis arbi-

Tibradio Tirio Ultonise rege, quinqnaginta strenuis juvenibus puellari habitu clanculum submissis, per dolum e medio sublatus

[69] est.
sic

Anno Domini

157,

Mundi 5356.

Illo

Rege Hibernia rerum copia

abundabat, ut scriptores nostri tempus aliquod prosperitate florescens expressuri, Constantii, aut Conarii magni temporibus simile fuisse
16

Trias

Thaum,
'',

p.

563.

which confirms the doubt

(p.

444, note

of Hy-Mail in
p.

Wicklow

Book of Rights^

supra) on the partition of Ireland by Ugaine Mor. Fergus Cnai and Sanbhe, two sons
of Ugaine, figure in that partition as ancestors of the

207, and those mentioned in pages 471,

k
,

478, notes

h.
is

the province,

Laighean, the Irish name of derived from Gailean, one

two tribes of the

Deisi.
it

Ogy-

of the Firbolg or Belgie tribes, by a transposition not unusual in the Irish language,

gia, p. 260.

be urged in

might favor of the antiquity and gepartition, that it

On

the other hand,

neral accuracy of that

and which probably explains how the ycr\arai of the Greeks, and the Celtse of the
Latins,

includes

no part of Wexford, though the Eiremonian Fotharts acquired possessions

there in the third century
p.

the Irish Celts.

became 5aebil, the But of the

Irish

name

of

origin of that
cites

Irish Nerfnius,
of that county

name
cient

at another time.

Keating

an an-

254.

The southern part

poem on
355.

the alliance which existed

appears in the earliest legends to have been

held by the Tnatha Fibdgha, of British
origin,

between France and the province of Leinster, p.

Bran, the name of a Leinster

first

and

different

from the Firbolg sub-

king in the
p.

jects of
ster.
p..

Crimthain Sciathbel, King of LeinIbid. pp. 123,

36), is not unlike the

century (Book of Rights, Brennus of the

254 but
;

see Keating,

Latins and Greeks, that well-known and

307.
h

dreaded
list

title

of the Gaulish chiefs.

In the

Cathaoir was the last king of Ireland

of Leinster kings published

by Colgan

of the Lagenian line (Ogygia, p. 310),

and

reputed ancestor of most of the great families

frequently that

(Trias Thaum., index), Bran occurs so it appears to have been, like

of Leinster.

See his will, and the

fol-

the Bruide of the Picts or the

Brenn of the
of all

lowing poem, Book of Rights,

seq.

p. 193, et

Gauls and Britons, a

the kings.
'

common name

The

chief families in ancient Leinster

not descended from Ugaine Mor, ancestor

of Cathair, appear to have been the Laighse
of Leix, the Forthuatha, or stranger tribes,

plain at Tailtin,
Kells, in the

midway between
county of Meath.
d.

Navan and

See Annals of the Four Masters,

CHAV. VIJL]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
1

471
and had thirty
A. D.

Cathaoir the Great

sons.

',

his successor, reigned three years,

deposed and slain in the battle of Magh-Agha' by Con of the Hundred Battles, and the Luignens k oi'Tara, A. D. 122, A. M.5324.

He was

174

Constantius, or, as others will have it (says Colgan), Constans, Con" Conn " stantinus, or Conn, styled in Irish Redcahach," that is, of the 177 Hundred Battles," in which he was victorious 1 , succeeded to the throne.
years, he

The surname may be Latinized "Centimachus." After a reign of thirty was treacherously slain by Tibraide Tireach, King of Ulster, who dressed fifty stout youths in female attire, and had them conducted secretly to the palace at Tuathamrois" where the king was living without his retinue, A. D. 157, A. M. 5356 n Under his sway there reigned
1

such liberty in Ireland, that whenever our historians are at a loss for terms to describe a prosperous period, the usual panegyric is, that it
O'D. A, D. 122,
k

J.

p.

103.

The Luighne

of Tara

must have been

killed

held the barony of Leyney in Sligo, and of Gallen in Mayo, and a part of Sliabh

a formidable

tribe.

They

Lughaidh

Sriabhenderg,

King

of Ireland, A. D. 79

(Tighernach Annal. p. 23), now Cathaoir Mor, and about 100 years later, Finn Mac

Booh of Rights, p. 103; Map of Hy-Fiachrach. Those territories, which it is admitted were held previously by Fir-

Lugha

bolgs,

named Gailian

Cumhal [Fiugal] himself. The name of their territory is

in the

Ibid. p. 49.
still

it is said,

(ibid. p. 104), were, granted to the Milesian Gaileange

preserved

by Cormac Mac
tuatha tribute
family as the

Art,

Monarch

of Ireland,

two

baronies,

in East Meath, for

Lune and Morgallian, Luighne and Gaileang

A. D. 254, but subject to Firbolg or AthachIbid. They are the same Meath Luighne. Olill Olum,
is

were synonymous Book of Rights, pp. It must have extended from 186, 188.
Glasnevin, near Dublin, along the northern
portion of the county Meath, and into the

the great patriarch of all the Eiberians,

said to

have been son of a Spanish lady, named Bera Ogygia, p. 326.

1

county Cavan

Ibid. p. 188.

The genea-

For Con's

battles,

which were

all

fought

logists derive those Gaileang or Luighne

in Ireland, see Ogygia, p.

p.

from

Olill Olum (Ogygia, p. 328) but if Tighernach be right, they held the plains of Meath a century before Olill was born.
;

255, Dublin, 1841.

tribute
district

315; Keating, He levied the Bo-

rumha m A
Meath
ed. J.
"

on the Leinster Belgae.

near the Hill of Tara, in

Gailean was also the

tribe, coincidences

name

of a Firbolg

See Annals of the Four Masters,

which, notwithstanding

VD., A. D.

157, p. 105.

the final
tables,

g (Gaileang), and genealogical

that those Luighne

make one suspect

Tigheruach records Con's death, A. D. 185, after a reign of twenty years, but says

of Tara were really Firbolgs, though subse-

he was slain "in

opup Conn, i.
1

e.

in Irrus

quently engrafted on the genealogical stem

of the Milesian Eiber.

'

Domnain,

itt

alii dicunt,'
p.

the usual conjec-

The Luighne

also

tural phrase

35.

472
dicant.

CAMBRENSIS EVER-SUS.

[CAP. VIII.

Ab

cuinnia, sive medietas Constant!! dicta est

hoc Hibernhe bifariam partitas septentrionalis regio LeathAustral! regione Leathmose

:

nomen

sortita, a

Mogho Nuado Momonise

rege.

Post Constantium occisum, Conarius films Mogholami, regiam digEIR. riitatem iniit, cui octennio postquam regnare caeperat, Neniedius Sriabhille

ghini filius, manus intulit. Anno Domini 165, Mundi 53G4. Conarius Saroidoe Constant!! Centimachi filise matrimonio junctus, ex ea tres filios suscepit, Carbreum Muisc, a quo Muscria; Carbreum Baskin,
a

quo Corcabhaskin

Carbreum Riada,

quo

Dalriadii, et reges Alba-

nise

seu hodierna3 Scotiae oriundi sunt.

EIR

Airtus sive Arturus Constantini Centimaclii films, imperium an-

norum

triginta spatio gessit.

Is patruos

Eochodium Fionfuahum,

et

considered a happy Irish reign

See a glowing description of what was Battle of ,

by Eireamon is nothing more than the well-known division, Leath

tition of Ireland

Magh

Rath,

p.

101.

Conn and Leath Mogha, by Tigher-

referred

back and

P This partition is recorded

nach three years after Conn's accession to the throne of Tara p. 33. The territorial
term, Leath Cuinn, occurs in the
nalist,
:

adapted to the story of the Milesian brothers. Until a late period they had hardly any
possessions in Ulster or

same an-

large portion of Leinster

Firbolgs.

Connaught ; and a was under the

between

A. D. 79 Cpica "Ri^Ti bo Leich Cuinn o ca Lugmsh "Reonbeapg co Diaprmc TTlac Capuill "There were
;

The

bipartite partition

Cearmna and Sobarche,

(p.

the Irian brothers

probable,

462, supray,

is

much more

thirty

Kings of Leath Conn, from Lugaid

;

that race being found both in the north and

south.

Keonderg to Dermod Mae Carroll," p. 21 which appears to imply that the partition

As

to the thirty kings of Leath

Cuinn, from Lugaid to Diarmod

ruill,

Mac Ca-

commence in Conn's days, though it then obtained a new name, which it retained
did not

O'Flaherty gives thirty-four, both included ; our author thirty-fire, for he ad-

ever after.

It appears to

me

that there is

mits the two Fothads, infra, A. D. 332.

not the slightest probability in the story of

the partition of Ireland between Eiber

and

Tighernach excludes, moreover, Carbrc Kencheit [Cat-head, not Cunning- head, as

Eireamon, since

it is

evident that the prin-

O'Conor makes him], Conchobar Abrarudah, and Fiatach Fionn

p. cii.

cipal branches of Eireamon's race

were locab
,

Proleg. pars

ii.

ted in Leath

But, as a

supra). great critic has proved that

( p.

Mogha

444, n.

Take away

these four, and perhaps

we have
to

Tighernach's thirty kings.

For

events which occurred in historic times are

often transposed to the

the line called Eiscar Riada, from Dublin

mythic or fabulous

preceding period (thus, Romulus conquered

Fidenae exactly as that city
in the year of

see

Gal way, separating the north and south, Mr. O'Donovan's note, p. 128 Tracts
;

was conquered
so the par-

Rome
vol.
i.

328), Niebuhr, Hischap. 16

;

Relating to Ireland, Irish Arch. Soc. The partition of Leath Mogha and Leath Conn

tory

of Rome

was fundamental, being nearly equivalent

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
.

473
A. D.

From him brought back the days of Coristantine, or Conary the Great the northern division of Ireland was called Leath Cuin, or Con's half;
13

Nuad q King
,

the southern half having derived of Munster*.

its

name Leath Moga, from Mogh

After the assassination of Constantine, Conaire8 , son of Modhalamha, 212 was raised to the royal dignity. He was slain in the eighth year of his

by Nernedh, son of Sraibhghim, A. D. 165, A. M. 5364. Conaire had issue by Saraida, daughter to Con Cedcahach, three sons, Carbre 1 Muse, whence Muscria ; Carbry Baskin, from whom Corcobaskind"
reign
;

and Carbry Riada, from

or

whom

the Dalriadians and the Kings of Alba,

modern Scotland,

are descended.

Art, or Arthur, son of

thirty years.
to

Con Cedcahach, held the

He banished

his uncles,

sceptre during Eochoidh Fionnfuath* and Fiacha 220

two independent kingdoms

xiii.
e.t

Book of
seq. p. 58.
in Ti-

Ogygia, p. 321.

He was

of the tribe of

Rights, Introduction, p.
I think the

the Ernai, or Deagadhs, of Munster (p. 451,

term Leath Cuinn means

note

s
,

supra), son-in-law of

Con Cedca-

ghernach, before the reign of Con, the province of

i

thach, and son of the wife of Mogh Nuadhat.

Meath simply.
'

Ogygia, p. 321.

His real name wasEoglian Taidhleach.

received his

For those Muskerrys, of which there

territories in

He

cognomen of Mogh Nuadhfrom his

foster-father,

were six

Munster, including

at (Nuadat's slave)

part of Tipperary, Limerick, Cork, Kerry, see

Nuadhat, King of Leinster, from

whom

Mr. O'Donovan's note, J?oo of Rights, p. 42.

u

Nuadhat, i. e. plain, now Maynooth, It is Latinized by received its name.

Magh

territory including the baronies of

Clonderlaw, Moyarta, and Ibrickan, in the

Lynch "Moynota"
t

Supplcm, Alithono-

logi<9, p. 185),

and by O'Sullivan " Muip. 33, records

Book of Rights, p. 48. county of Clare w For the Irish colonies in Scotland, the
reader
is referred to

noda"
r

in his Histories, Catholica.

Chapters xvn.

xvm.,

Tighernach,

an

historic

infra, in which their history is given in detail.

x

period ending at Conn's accession,

and

in-

In the preceding reign, O'Flaherty as-

cluding the reign of some seven Pictish

signs to the year A. D. of

213 the accession

kings in Ireland
first

but,

unfortunately, the

Ogaman

the

first

Eiremonian King of

term of the period cannot be ascerIt is

tained, as the record is mutilated.

thus translated by O'Conor (ibid.} no 75 a Momoniensibus

regnis simul collatis donee ad
venisset

" An-

Until now, the race of p. 324. had reigned there supreme. In this reign, also, the race called Eiremonian acquires
Ulster.
Ir

Regum
per-

additional territories in Leinster, Eochaidh,

regnum

Conn us centum

praeliorum,

quo

ties

Finn Fothart having settled in the counof Carlow and Wexford. Ibid, and

spatio scptem reges Pictorum regnaverunt

in Hibernia."
5

Book of Rights, index,

in voce.

Fotharta-

Fea, afterwards Fotharta O'Nolan,

II.

was

the-

Called Conary

by O'Flaherty

tribe-name of the principal family.

474
Fiachum Suidhum

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
in exilium ejecit,

[CAP. VIII.

quod non

solura Constantium

patrem Ultoniensibus prodiderunt, sed etiam Arturi fratres Conlaum, et Criomnum interemerunt. Soror Arturi Saba Magnedio Lugadii
tilio

nupsit, eique filium Lugadium

aguomine Macconum peperit priore

;

marito vivis exempto, secundas

nice rege inivit,

ilia

nuptias

cum

Olillo

Olumo Momo-

quern novem filiorum patrem fecit. Porro hie Olillus ad exteras region es relegavit, qui aliquamdiu peregre moprivignum
ratus amicitia

cum

alienigenis inita,

immensum alienigenarum
;

exerci-

tum
culo,

contraxit, et in

Hiberniam duxit. Moxque bellum Arturo avuncum quibus apud fratribusque suis Olilli Olumi filiis indixit
praelio

Muighcrumniam

manu Lioghurni

(qui filius Eochodii Balbi et

nepos Eochodii Fionfualui, Lugadiique comes in exilio fuit) confosso. Anno Domini 195, Mundi 5394.

Lugadius
> z

ille

cognomento Maccon, secundo

e,

prselio

apud Muighcrum-

See

p.

469, note

supra.

pear to prove that the Eiberians were the

Son of Mogh Nuadhat, and progenitor

Spanish colony of Irish tradition

but some

of the principal Eiberian families of

ster
lin,

MunDub-

of the Eiberian branches were very proba-

Ogyg., p. 326; Keating,

p. 2 63,

bly Belgic.
p.

should have stated (note

P,

1841.

With

the aid of the three Car-

435, supra) Niebuhr's opinion, founded

in

bries,

he defeated the Ernai, who had seized

the Chrisp.

on the scattered position of the Celts

Desmond fifty-seven years before

tian era

Spain, that they were not, as Thierry believed, invaders of that country,

Ogygia,

p.

266. See ibid.

328,

but rather

the descendants of Olill Olum.

Tigher-

were invaded by the Iberians, who drove

nach records, with some

details, the victory

them

to the western shores,

crossed the

of OliU's sons in this battle (Cendabrad)

against the Ernai and Ithians, A. D. 212.
a

Pyrenees, and pushed their conquests to

the banks of the Garonne, where they were

Seven of those sons

fell

in the battle of

found by Caesar.

As both

opinions admit

Mucruimhe.
race of

Tighernach, A. D. 218. The

Cas, two of

the existence of Celts in Spain at a very

early period, they do not contradict so far

Eogan and Cormac

OliU's sons, were, according to his last will,

to enjoy alternately the

the tradition of a Spanish colony in Ireland.

crown of Munster.
Rights, p. 72.

Niebhur's would rather favor such

Ogygia,

p.

326

Book of

tradition, as emigrations to distant lands

achts,

From Eogan were descended the Eogani. e. Mac Carthys, &c. &c.; from Cas,
i.

invasions.

were generally the consequence of successful But I cannot discover, either in

the Dalcais,

e.

O'Briens, &c. &c., for whom

the traditional history of the Eiberians, or in

the position of their territories, previous to

see Irish Nennius, p. 258.

The

position

of the Eiberians in the south, the tradition that the Milesians landed there, at Inverechein,
f the

Mogh Nuadhat and

Olill Olura,

grounds

for

conjecturing the true history of the

tribe.

from Spain, and the resemblance

name

Eiberian to Iberi might ap-

Dr. O'Conor (Proleg. pars ii. pp. 90, 94) had appears to think that those Eiberians

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

475

Suidhi y for having treacherously betrayed his father, Con, to the Ulto- A. D. mans, and murdered his own brothers, Conlai and Crionni. Saba, sister to Arthur, married Magned, son of Lughaidh, and bore him a son,
,

Lughaidh,

who was surnamed Macconus.

z
,

After the death of her

first

husband, she married Olill Olum King of Munster, by whom she had nine children. But the stepson of Olill, being banished by his father, succeeded in enlisting the support of the people among whom he lived, and
returned with a powerful army of foreigners to Ireland. Declaring war against his uncle, Arthur, and his stepbrothers, the sons of Olill% he met

them on the

field of

His seven brothers were

Magh-Mucruimhe, and gained a decisive victory. slain in the battle, and Arthur himself fell by

the hand of Liguirne, son to Eochoidh Balbus, and grandson to Eochoidh Fionfuatha, who had followed Lugaidh into exile, A. D. 195, A. M.5394.

After this fortunate engagement at Magh-Mucruimhe, Lughaidh b,

preserved in
its

purity the Fenian

(i.

e.

have never interpreted Feine as Phoenician?

Phoenician) language, and quotes a passage

From
ill

from the Stowe manuscripts, in which the

prerogative of Cork

the specimen of the Bearla Feine given Mr. Hardiman's Irish Minstrelsy, vol. ii.
it

Corcagh,"
land in Cork

" Bearla Feine Erend is the " Fenian language of Ire;"

pp. 286, 429,

Irish as

differed
differs

from the

common

Dryden

from Spenser, or as

but, with all

due respect for

the old language of the Irish martyrologies

differ

the zeal and prodigal erudition with which the learned writer endeavoured in vain to

from the glosses appended to them in

the course of ages.

b

work out the timid conjecture of O'Flaherty ( Ogyg., p. 22 l),Bearla Feine is not ex" Phoenician language" by any naplained
tive Irish authority
;

Tighernach records this reign, with the

usual doubt, " ulii aiunt

post hoc bellum
(i.

Lugadium Mac Con

alii dicunt."

e.

Mucruimne) regnasse
tit

it is

the dialect of the

annis

vel

xxx.

See
near

Irish in

which the Brehon laws are written.

Irish language, Feine is ap-

Ogygia, p. 150.

Magh Mucruimne is

In the

modem

Athenree, about eight miles from Galway.

plied to the Irish militia of Fingal in the

The name
killed is

of the spot where

King Art was

third century.

Ireland

was

also called

still

preserved, Turloch Airt, be-

PUITIIO,

i.

e.

Hesperia (Battle of
its

Magh

Rath,

p.

202), and

inhabitants "Feine,"

and

their

laws Dlighee

na peine, from
But
is it if

tween Moyseola and Kilconnan Ogygia^ West Connaught, p. 43. Lughaidh p. 329 was the third and last Ithian King of Ireland.
;

the old language in which the laws were

written
Petrie's Tara, p. 55.

His family,

it

was

believed,

had enjoyed,

alternately with the Siberians, the king-,

Feine were the same as Phoenician,

strange that the bards,

not

dom

of Munster before the invasion of the

who were

so clever in

Ernai or Deagad.

Ogygia,

p.

149.

But

incorporating with their own history, facts

O'Flaherty himself speaks very suspiciously

of the regal lines of

from the Scriptures and profane

writers,

Munster anterior

476
niam
ITU. nuit.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
facto, regis sibi fastigium vindicavit, et

[CAr. VIII.

per annos triginta

reti-

Is in Olilli eedibus pusio versatus

nondum

vestigia per astatem

accessit,

figere valens

ad canem venaticum manibus Tepens

qui pueru-

lum crebro benignius lambens amorem hujus adeo

laic

sibi conciliavit, ut

ab

illius consortio coerceri

illi

non

potuerit.

id est, canis venatici filius,

tern

peperit.

Eum

Quae res nomen Maccon, Temorise diu persisten-

Cormacus Arturi

filius in avitas

Momonite terras ablegavit.

Ubi

dum Lugadius aurum

et

argentum

literatis, et

cujusvis alterius ordinis

hominibus (quorum ad ilium magna copia confluxerat) profuse largiretur, Fergusius Comari filius Druidum unus, percussor a Cormaco
subornatus (qui dudum in omne se latus vertit ut Lugadii trucidandi opportunitatem aucuparetur) locum adit, et promiscuce immistus, multitudini, pone rhedam, cui Lugadius innitebatur collocatus hastam
valide in Lugadii tergo fixit, et averse
illi

vulnere

inflicto

protinus

exanimavit.

Anno Domino

225,

Mundi 5424.

EIR.

Fergusius cognomento Dubhdedach, sive dentiniger, quod duos dentium ejus ordines nigredo tinxit, Ultonise rex, Monarchic amoto Cormaco Arturi filio, se ingessit, et injuria? con turn eliam adjiciens,

dum Cormacum convivio

cremari curavit.

Deinde

exciperet, ejus crines candela a famulo injecta in Conaciam amandat. Quo damno et opfilio,

probrio Cormacus stimulatus, Tadeo Cini

Olilli

Olumi

nepote,

Lugadio Lago Moghi Nuadathi filio, triginta regulis, quinquaginta chiliarchis et innumeris copiis in subsidium adscitis, signa cum Ultoniensibus,
17 apud Crinnobreagh contulit
;

in

quo

conflictu,

trium

fra-

trum Fergusii
[70] et ante
nies

dentinigri Fergusii Foltleabhor, sive Comati, et Fergusii

Casfiaclach, id est,

dentium rugosorum, capita Lugadius

collocavit,
|

ille

ainputavit,

Cormaci regis ora

quod

illi

tres jacturas, et ignomi-

Cormaco

inferendae authores fuerunt.

Hoc

facinore

necem Arturo

Cormaci patri illatam in pugna Muighcrumnensi aliquatenus expiare nitens. Tadaeus etiam Cianiades, pugna septies eodem die redintegrate,
17

Ex Armalibus Tighernachi.
For the
c

Olill

Olum

Ibid.;

and

p. 32(5.

Keating gives
is silent.

this story, but O'Flaits

conflicting accounts regarding the genealo-

herty

Cu, a hound, and

names

dimi-

gies of the Ernai (Irish

Nen.

p.

263), pro-

nutive

cucm,

are often found in the

;

com-

bably, the Erdini and Dornii of Ptolemy,

position of Irish proper

as Cuannan,

the former in west, the latter in east Ulster,

ee

Connall, Colchu Onchuo.

Sanct. p. 251, n.
*,

See Colgan,Acta
n.
*,

Appendix" Ithians."

p.

277,

p.

379, n.

*.

CHAP. VIIL]

CAMBRENSIS E VERSUS.

477

surnamed Maccon, claimed the royal power, and reigned thirty years. A. D. While he was yet an infant in the palace of Olill, and not able to walk, he 250 crept on all-fours to a greyhound, which licked and fawned on him so
affectionately, that thenceforward

Lughaidh conceived an extraordinary attachment to the animal, and could never bear to have him from his side. This was the origin of his surname, Maccon, which means literally son
pf the greyhound Having for a considerable period resided at Tara, he was at last driven to Munster by Cormac, son of Arthur, where he distributed treasures of gold and silver to the learned men, and every
.

other order, that nocked around

son of

him from

all

quarters.

But Fergus,

Coman, one of the Druids, being hired by Cormac, who had long

place,

sought in vain an opportunity of assassinating his rival, coining to the and mingling with the immense crowd, watched Lughaidh, who
chariot, and, stealing behind him, plunged a spear d Lughaidh expired on the spot A. D. 225, A. M. 5424. of Ulster 6 surnamed Dubhdedach, or the black- toothed, Fergus, King
,
,

was leaning on his

into his back.

from the color of the two rows of his teeth, having supplanted Cormac 253 Mac Art, ascended the throne, and, adding insult to injury, ordered one
of his retinue to apply a torch to Cormac's hair, after inviting a banquet'.
after this indignity,

him

to

was banished to Connaught ; Cormac, but, burning with rage for this disgraceful treatment, he induced Tadhg, son of Kian, and grandson of Olill Olum, Lughaidh Lagha, son of Mogh Nuadhat, thirty kings and fifty chiliarchs, to march with an immense army

whom they encountered at Crinnabreagh. In the cut off the heads of the three brothers, Fergus FoltleaLughaidh bhoir, of the long tresses ; Fergus Casfiachlach, of the crooked teeth ; and Fergus of the black teeth ; and presented them to King Cormac as an
against the Ultonians,
battle,

atonement for the injury and digrace which they had inflicted on him. By this achievement he sought to expiate, in some way, the death of Arthur, father to Cormac, in the battle of Magh-Mucruimhe. Teige, son of Kian, also charged seven times in the battle, and made terrible havoc*,
cl

Tradition pointed out the place where

Grandson of Ogaman, the

of Ulster

first

Ernaan
*,

Lughaidh fell. In Magh Feimin, near Dearg

Rath,
of

King
p.
T

Ogygia, p. 331; note

now Derrygrath, four miles north-east Cahir, co. Tipperary,' on the north of Ath
at the place called to this day,

47,

supra.

O'Flaherty makes Cormac the host

p.

na gCarbat,

Ogygia,

331.

says Keating, Gort-an-oir, the Golden-field.

These particulars of the battle of Crin-

478
latam stragem
in ea
edidit.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

Quare Cormacus regnum assecutus, ob operam tantum Tadseo terrae spatium larpugna est, quantum itinere unius diei currui insidens obire posset. gitus Hinc ille agrum Triochachedcian, id est, cantredum Ciani dictum scilicet a Glasnera ad montes Mailli Liffaeo amni propinquos, tempore a Rege destinato, curru emensus sibi posterisque vindicavit. Pugna
tarn praeclare navatam,

vero
est.

ilia inita, et vita,

Anno Domini

226,

dignitasque Fergusio unius tantum anni adempta Mundi 5425.

iniit, vir

Deinde Cormacus Ulfhada regnum tot laboribus partum

EIR. tarn Marte,

quam

arte; tarn bello

quam

eruditione clarus.

Ilium in

triginta sex pugnis Tighernachus victorem evasisse meinorat.

est

Ausus

Rex

Lageniae Dunlingus Endsei Niadi

filius triginta regias virgines,

quarum

singulis, triginta virgines aliae famulabantur,

Temorse Clonfar.

tam tanquam Parthenion

18

incolentes internicioni dare 18

Quod

facinus

Ex

Annalibus Tigernachi.
barony, King's County, and other Dealbhna, in the ancient Teffia.

na are given nearly in the words of Ti" the seven ghernach, A. D. 236, except
charges," for which he has "four battles

Few

other Eibe-

rians are located in Leinster, except the

gained on that one day."

h

This territory of the Eiberian Cianachta

Eoganachts of Rossargid, in the county of Kilkenny. There was one isolated branch
of the Cianachta located in Londonderry,

included the barony of Ferrard, in the south

of the county of Louth, and a large portion of Meath, Dublin, &c., extending to Maeldoid,

who have
Keenacht

left their

name
was

to the

barony of
St.

Book of

Rights, p. 122.

on the banks of the Liffey

Book of

Canice, of Kilkenny,

of this race, and

Rights, p. 186, n.

Notices of the chiefs of

patron saint of the

4

tribe.

this territory frequently occur in the Irish

place near Drumiskin, in the county

annals.

Ib.

But, in later ages, their name

i.

of Louth.

was Feara Arda,

e.

men

of the heights

(whence Ferrard), probably because the Danish invasions had driven them from the

Tighernach records the accession of Cormac, A. D. 218, and thirty-six of hia

battles against the provinces,

down

to the

low and

fertile plains of

Meath

to the hills

year A. D. 236, when he was deposed by

of Slieve Breagh, which extend across the

barony of Ferrard.
supra, and
it

From page 471,

note k,

Book of

Rights, pp. 181, 182,

Between those two dates, " Tighernach records Cormac's marine excursions with a large fleet for three years."
the Ultonians.

appears that the borderers of North Lein-

Having recovered
the

his throne

by

the aid of

ster

were nearly

all Eiberians,

namely, the

King

of Munster,

and the defeat of the

Luighne, Gaileanga, Cianachta, Dealbhna of Delvin More, and of Demifore in county

Cruithne, he was again, in 248, exiled for

seven months, and dethroned by the Ultonians, until he recovered his rights in the
battle

Westmeath theCuircne of Kilkenny west, same county the Dealbhna of Garrycastle

;

of Crinna -Breagh

related

above.

CHAP. VIII.]
for

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

479
A. D.

valor, as
It

which he received from King Cormac, in reward of his distinguished much land as he could encircle in a day's drive in his chariot. was thus that Teige acquired for himself and his posterity the teris,

h ritory of Trioch ached- Kianachta , that

1

the cantred of Kian's race,

which extended from Glasnera to the hills of Maeldoid [at the Liffey], round which he drove in the time fixed by the King. Down to the battle in which Fergus lost his kingdom and his life, he had reigned only one year, A. D. 225, A. M. 5425.

Cormac Ulfhada having thus secured the throne, after so many trials and exertions, acquired the highest reputation in arts and arms, in war 254 and learning. Tighernach writes that he was victorious in thirty-six
engagements*. Dunlaing, King of Leinster, son of Enda Niadh, having dared to murder thirty royal virgins, who dwelt in the Cloenfert of
Tara, as a sacred asylum, with thirty other virgins
O'Flaherty (p. 333) dates that battle A. D. 254; O'Conor, A. D. 251 (Proleg. pars ii.
p.
1

their

handmaids ",
1

prophetesses, magicians, &c. &c.,

was diffube-

sed over Europe.

Their

rites were'

xx.), but contradicts himself repeatedly. Ibid. pp. xxi. ciii.

1

lieved to resemble, in

some

points, the abo-

minable

rites
;

of Bacchus,
is

and those of

Tighernach,

whom

Dr.

Lynch

quotes,

Samothrace but there

fire.

makes the number

numerous.

of attendants

much more

no allusion to holy These women were part of the GaulThierry, Histoire des
87, et seq.

ish Druidic system.

m Dr.

O'Conor, under the influence of

Gaulois, vol.

ii.

p.

None but

the Vallancey mania, inferred that these

women
nita?),

of the tribe Nannetes (alias

Nam-

women were
the holy
fire,

Druidesses, and guardians of

because there was a holy

fire
!

which occupied the country north of the mouth of the Loire, were admissible
into the sacred island in the
river.

in Kildare,

and Kildare
i.

is

near Tara

mouth
is

of that

Proleg. pars

p. xxviii.

But the

state-

Nannetes, or Namnatse,

very like

ment and

vis consequential are of the

same

the tribe Nagnatae, which Ptolemy places

in the north-west of Ireland, occupying,

character as those which acquired such un-

enviable notoriety for the speculative anti-

apparently, part of Westmeath, and other

quarians of that school. Tighernach's words

more western
justify

districts, if

such a

map

can

do not imply that the occupants of the Cluainfeart of Tara were Druidesses; but they may have been, if by that term be under-

any

conjecture.

To me

it

appears

that the city Rheba, the greatest on the

map, can be no other than Uisneach.

It

community of women like those who are described by Plutarch, Pliny, Mela, and
stood a
Strabo,

was the central and most

land
;

sacred hill in Ire-

and,

if

we

believe the records of

reign,
it

as inhabiting the island of Sena

Tuathal Teachtmar's

was the

(now

Sain), off the extreme western point

great annual mart of the kingdom, and

of Bretagne,

and another island

in the es-

would thus acquire

its

importance in the

tuary of the Loire.

Their reputation, as

eyes of merchants, from

whom

alone Pto-

480

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

adeo Cormacus indigne tulit, ut duodecem e Lageniae tyrannis sigillatim interemerit, vetustumque censum quem Boarium vocant, ex asse
tatis violata3 pasnas,

Itaque flagitii atrocissimi et regia3 Majes^ Lagenienses tandem dederunt. Denique aliquot secundis praeliis Connacienses debellavit, quatuor prasliis Momonienses profligavit, quinque praaliis Ultonienses confecit, quos ex Hibernia in

Lageniensibus imperaverit.

Manniam
abegit.

ejecit

ut hinc Ulfhada dictus,

quod procul Ultonienses

De litteratura, culturaque Cormaci Ketingum audi " Nemo," inquit, " ante Connacum Hibernia? capessivit imperium, quem ille rerum scientia non vicerat, quippe qui librum elucubravit ad Carbreum filium Prin'

cipis Institutionem' inscriptum, etplurimas edidit sanctiones ad optimum Reipublica? regimen apprime utiles, etiamnum in Hibernica? jurispru-

dentia? libris extantes.

Nee

alius post

hominum inemoriam ex
centum

deces-

soribus fuit

illo,

aut hospitalitate pra3stantior, aut qui numerosiorem

familiam continenter aluerat.

lemy could have derived

Nam

ei mille,

et quinquaginta

his information.

territories

Ogygia,

p.

384.

The site of

the northern Regia, on the River

For a statement of the arguments on

the origin of the use of letters in Ireland,
the reader
Irish
to
is

Argita, agrees also with that of Clogher,

where the gold-covered God of all the northern Irish was kept
n

referred to

Mr. O'Donovan's
p. xxvii.,

p.

424, note

h
,

supra.

Grammar, Introduction,
Petrie's

and

See

p.

159, supra.

When

the notes to

Mr.

Essay on the Antiquities of

that and the subsequent pages were written, I had not arrived at the conclusion given,
p. 461,

Tara

Hill, p. 14.

No

evidence, or even

probability worthy of the name, can be found

in tradition or

n. P.

Here

it

must be admitted
are not sy;

monuments,
a
,

for the intro-

that

Ullca and Cpuichne

duction of letters into Ireland by the Phoenicians.

p.

nonymous

in Tighernach's annals

and so

475, note

bupra.

But

the

far his authority is

against the identity

use of
in

Ogham, on occult Druidic characters,

times, appears to
it

of the Cruithne and Irians.

But the

prio-

Pagan

me

highly pro-

rity of the Irian family in Ireland, the

main
on

bable, because

does not suppose a degree

point of

my

opinion, is not dependent

of civilization superior to that of the Irish

that identity.

That they preceded' the Eiremonians, and were conquered by them,

can be proved by the topographical argument alone, if I do not mistake its applica-

Celts;

its

existence has been constantly

all

asserted

by

our native writers; and

assert

though Thierry would not absolutely

the

that " Ogmius," the Gaulish god of eloquence,

is

tion

by the

best historians.

To

the proofs

same as " Ogma," from whom

still

already given, add, that Carbre Luachra was called the Pict, because he was educated in Cearraighe Luaehra, one of the Irian

the Scots were said to have derived their

letters (p. 420, n.
',

supra),

the iden-

tity appears as evident as the

Greek and

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
off,

481
one after A.
D.

Cor mac was so incensed at this horrid crime, that he cut

another, twelve kings of Leinster, and ordered the levy of the Borumean tribute from the revenues of Leinster. Thus the Lagenians paid

a heavy penalty for their atrocious crime and treasonable violation of Cormac was also victorious in some battles against the royal rights.
the Conacians
;

four times he defeated the

men of Munster, and five times

Man, and hence he was named Ulfadha, because he expelled the Ultomans". Keating gives the following account of the learning and institutions
the

men

of Ulster,

whom

he forced

to take refuge in the Isle of

Cormac surpassed in knowledge all his predecessors on the Irish throne ; he composed a work on the education of aprince p , for the use of his son, Carbry, and established, for the good government of the
of

Cormac

"

kingdom, many very useful laws, which are

Irish jurisprudence q .

still

preserved in works on

none equalled him in bounteous hospitality, or in the munificence with which he supported Not less than 1150 servants attended him his numerous household.
all his predecessors,
"

Of

Irish forms of the

same word would

allow.

Cormac

are extant, scattered through difIf the an-

Inncp,

who

reasons with great force and

the supposed
eastern
ori-

ferent libraries in the empire. cient history of that Celtic race,

truth

against

which over-

gin of the Irish alphabet, Bethluisnon, and

spread Europe from the mouth of the Danube

to Gibraltar,

maintains that Ireland derived her letters

and figured

in the

most

stir-

from Christians, did not venture to deny

the use of Ogham
it

ring episodes of the Greek and

pires,

Roman em-

by the Pagan
Pagan
xlvii.

Irish.

Still

be an object of interest, the publica-

must be admitted that no

Ogham inscriporigin has yet

tion of those Irish laws should be one of the

tion of undoubtedly

most valuable aids that an individual or a

government could give
for the elucidation

been discovered
Irish

See Mr. O'Donovan's

p.
;

Grammar,

and

Petrie's

of the ancient history of Europe.

In France

Round Towers of Ireland,

believe the

p. 82.

But

they would have been published centuries

same can be

said even of the

it is

ago

but nineteen-twentieths of the French

Druidic literary remains of Gaul, yet

certain that the

are Celts,

and glory

in their descent (Thier;

Greek characters were used

ry, Hist, des Gaulois, vol.

there
P

by the Celts. This work attributed

It

i. p. x.) whereas our learnfd vulgar, with the history of ever-

to

Cormac

is still

powerful France before them,

find, in

the

extant.

was read

to each king at his

irreclaimable imperfections of Celtic character,

accession to the throne,

tain

and thus might

re-

a solution fop
enormities

all

moral, social, and pop.

some

of its original features, embellater

litical

See chap. xx.

[157],

lished,

no doubt, by the additions of

Petrio's

infra,
r

which

treats of the old Irish laws.

ages
'i

Tara

Hill, p. 15.

May

not the thirty virgins mentioned

Many of those

laws attributed to King

above, have been daughters of

Cormac?

482

CAMBRENS1S EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

famuli ministrabant, in Temorensis aulae

triclinio, ab ipso in tantam amplitudinem producto; ut ejus longitude ad trecentos pedes, altitude
:

ad triginta cubita, latitude ad quinquaginta protensa fuerit ad quod In eo centum et quinquaingressus per quatuordecem januas patuit. ginta cyathi gemmei, aurei, et argentei ad ministerium quotidianum
adhibebantur.

Cum

hac erga hospites benignitate justitiam etiam

et

sequitatem erga omnes conjunxit. Ita ut eum Deus Optimus septem ante obitum annos Christiana? fidei luce perfuderit.

Maximus
Qua) res

tantum

illi

apud Druides odium

Post

conflavit,

ut

praestigiis ei

mortem

munus regium a3gregie tum. Anno Domini 266, Mundi 5465."

attulerint.

et regie

annos triginta obi"

sanctus Longo deinde temporis intervallo" (inquit Ketingus) Columba locum Cormaci sepulchre memorabilem, apud Eosnarighe prope Boinnium amnem adiens, in Cormaci cranium forte incidit, quo rite humato, inde non ante recessit, quam Missae sacrificium eo consilio
peregerit, ut

"

Deum
eodem

Sed
8

et in

loco

defuncti animas propitium redderet." templum hodie visitur finitimorum frequentia

server,

To those who

are not acquainted with the

they appear to be only broken ditches,

Essay, so often cited in those pages, namely,

or natural inequalities of surface, or ordi-

Dr. Petrie's Antiquities of Tara Hill,

it

nary

may
the

be useful to know the plan of that

its results,

raths, like those so common throughout Ireland. The Teach Miodchuarta cannot

work, and

especially as

many

of

be mistaken.
tion, its

The

fidelity of Irish tradi-

monuments

of that once royal palace

accordance with actual remains in

is

are connected with Corinac.

Tara ceased

the case of Tara Hill,

one of the arguof

to be a royal residence in the year 565.

Its royal

ments on which we can rely for the truth

monuments must,

therefore,

have

the few meagre records of Irish Pagan events

been erected before that date, yet nearly all of them can be identified at the present
day, from the manuscripts published
Petrie,

given by Tighernach, the only historian of

Pagan events, who,

is

in the Editor's opinion,

belief;

by Dr.

likely to

command

though the

which describe them such as they

to

publication of the other copious poems on

were previous
least.

the twelfth century at

of the hill
Jfre

the same period will assuredly, at no distant day, solve fully the long vexed question on the primitive population of Ireland.
1

Two maps
;

given

(pp. 105, 128)

the former compiled from

the manuscripts, the latter giving the present appearance of the

hill.

For the

state of the arts

The conformity
that the

from the

earliest

ages
is

among the Irish, down to the English

referred to chap. xii.

between the two

tourist,

is

so striking,

invasion, the reader

p.

with both maps in his hand, has

in recognising all the prin-

little difficulty

[112], infra, in which Dr. Lynch has collected many passages from ancient native writers on the subject.

cipal remains, though, to the careless ob-

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

483

He enlarged that hall to 300 feet long, A. D. in the banquet-hall of Tara. 8 thirty cubits high, and fifty in breadth ; and made in it fourteen doors . One hundred and fifty dishes of gold and silver, studded with gems,
were there for the daily use of his table*. But his justice and equity to all were not inferior to his hospitality to his guests, so that the great

and most bountiful God illumined his soul with the light of Christian u The Druids were so incensed faith seven years before his death
.

against

him

for his conversion, that they

wrought

his death

by magic

spells, in the thirtieth year of his truly royal and glorious reign,

" St. later," adds Keating, Columba, walking one day to Rosnarigh y on the banks of the Boyne, the place which had been celebrated as the sepulchre of Cormac, found, by chance, that monarch's skull, but committed it to the earth with due ceremonies,
,

A. D. 266, A. M. 5465*." " Several centuries

and did not depart without offering up the

sacrifice of the mass,

with

the intention of drawing down the mercy of God on the departed." church stands in the very spot even to the present day, and

is

"

The seven years

lost

before bis death were

first

shadowy outlines
is,

of an Irish monarchy,

spent in seclusion and retirement, because,

that

of the whole island, appear.

having

one of his eyes, he was com-

pelled to abdicate; the Irish laws not allowing,

it is said,

w According to other accounts he was choked by the bone of a salmon. Tigher-

any deformed person to

Ogygia,
p.

sit

on

the throne

340. ButTigher-

nach gives both versions. s Dr. O'Conor dates his death A. D. 265
(Prolegom. pars ii. p. xxi.) ; O'Flaherty, A. D. 277. But Tighernach, who records his accession A. D. 218, states that he
reigned forty- two years, A. D. 260; that

nach,

who

records the blinding of Cormac,

as defeating the Desii four

describes

him

times after that accident, and banishing

them

to

Munster

p.

469, n.

?,

suprct.

The

tradition

of his belief in the true

very ancient and general.

reflect

God is But when we

had some

he was succeeded the next year by Carbre

Liffeachair,
to

who

reigned twenty-five years,

that the Celts of Gaul,

A. D. 285.

Where

authorities

do not

centuries before the Christian era, revolted

agree, Tighernach has the best claims to be

against the Druids, and almost destroyed

their temporal

heard. ^)r. O'Conor states that " all cata-

hostility to

power, perhaps Cormac's the Irish Druids was, in the

logues and manuscripts agree not only on

the order and names, but even on the reigns of all the Patrick."

lapse of ages, interpreted as a proof of his

Pagan

kings, from

Cormac
p. ciii.

to St.

Christian belief.
script

he

is

In a very ancient manu" that he described as saying,

trees,

Prolegom. pars

ii.

But

would not adore stones or

but

Him

a glance at the very page in which the statement is found contradicts it.
-

who made them."

It is in his reign

that the

Hofna

TClOg,

i.

e.

boscus regum.

2 i2

484
celebratum.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
O'Duveganus
refert tria gymnasia,

[CAP. VIII.

umim

ad militarera

disciplinam, alterum ad rera antiquariam, sen patrise historiam, postre-

mum ad jurisprudentiam
et
isse 19.

ediscendam Cormaci jussu TemoriaB patuisse: Hiberniam, quadriennio post Cormacum fato functum, Rege caru-

EIR.

Turn Eocliodius Gonnatus Rex Hiberniaa renunciatus est, cui post unicum annum regnando exactum, Lugadius Meann Ultoniensis vitam ademit. Anno Domini 267, Mundi 5466.
|

[71J

Carbraeus Liffecharius dictus, quod prope Liffanim

amnem

in La-

EIR. genia infantia3 nutricationem, et rudioris a3tatis

fuit,

educationem nactus

Cormaci films, qui septem prceliis Momonienses fudit jus Lageniensium defendens, decimum septimum regniannum 20 attigit, quando signis cum Moighcorbo ad Gabhram non procul a Temoria collatis, et singulari certamine cum Osgero, Ossini filio congressus qtiem vulneribus laniatum, plurimis etiam vulneribus relatis, confecit; pugnae se plagis
;

"
z

P. 212.

20

Tigernaclms.
it

For the existence of

this church,

and

may be well

to say that,

the story of St. Columba's mass for Cormac, there is no authority but Keating.

this tradition that

notwithstanding he died a Christian, " the

Druid, Brehon, physician, poet, historian, an<L

musician, were never absent from the Irish

In the researches

made by

the Ordnance
still

Survey,

it

was found

that tradition

monarch's

side,

down

to the arrival of St.

pointed out a small dumha. or

cently levelled) as the

mound

(re-

Patrick;" and this custom was perpetuated

in Christian times, the only difference being

tomb of Cormac, at Ros-na-Righe, near Slane, on the banks of the Boj'ne but there was no trace or tra;

that the bishop took the place of the Druid,

so that there

was not a considerable

prinits

Colgan takes no notice of such a church, though he was well acquainted with Keating' s History of Iredition of a church there.

cipality in all Ireland

which had not

bishop,

whose

see

was generally coexten-

sive with the chieftain's dominion. Certain

land.
lity

Keating's general character for fide-

fixed revenues were allotted to each of these

must exculpate him from the charge of

probably found the story in
romance, and, according to
it

six o'rders

Ogygia,

p.

337.

When
we add
,

to

He some modem
forgery.
his custom,
a

the liberal provision thus

orders (that
is,

made

for these

for the public),

the

gave

as he found flBr

The work

of

O'Dugan, from which

2760 ballybiatachs (p. 429, note z supn\ and p. [130], infra), which were public
property in a more
restrict, if
literal sense,

these, perhaps questionable, statements are

we must

taken,

was once the property of Sir William Betham ( Petrie's Tara, p. 25 ); but, like
other valuable MSS.,
it

not totally reject, the assertion " The nobiof Niebuhr, vol. ii. chap. xi.
:

many
we

has passed
Before

lity alone

enjoyed any consideration aiiiong

;

into the

hands of some stranger.

the Celts

the people lived in the state of

;

leave Cormac, the great Irish legislator,

the most abject clientship

a relation like

CHAP. VIII.]
visited

CAMBRENSIS EVKRSUS.
all

485
1
.

by crowds from

the neighboring districts

O'Dugan

that three colleges were founded

tactics,

by Cormac

states A. D. ~~

at Tara:

one for military

another for antiquities or national history, and a third for juris-

prudence*. According to the same authority, the Irish throne was vacant four years after the death of Cormac b
.

Eochod Gonnat was then proclaimed King of Ireland, and after a reign of one year he was slain by Lughaidh Meaun, the Ultonian, A. D. 267, A. M. 5456.

277

Carbry Liffeachair, son of Cormac, so called because he was nursed 279 and acquired the first rudiments of education on the banks of the Liffey,
succeeded to the throne.

He

fought seven battles against the

1

Momo-

nians, in defence of the rights of the Lagenians, and, in the seventeenth c year of his reign, encountering Moghcorb at Gabhra' , near Tara, he

slew Osgar, son of Ossin 6 in single combat, but, rushing into the thickest
,

that which existed in Ireland until within

the last two centuries." the history of the last

Had

he known

c King of Minister, grandson of Finn Mac Cumhail or Fingal, and ancestor of the cele-

two

centuries, perrise of

brated

tribe,

the Dalcais of Munster. After

haps he would have dated the

a real

the death of Fingal (O'Conor, 273; O'Flaherty, 284), his tribe,

abject clientship in Ireland at the very time

which had been the

which he has assigned as

p.

its

extinction

"praetorian guards" of Cormac, revolted

are

280, note

u
,

supra.

Even great men

from Carbre,

and transferred

their alle-

sometimes deceived by names.

Names

of

governments or constitutions are often unsafe guides on the real amount of liberty

giance to Modcorb of Munster, after waging a seven-years' war with Aedh Garaidhe, -the
last

Domnonian King of Connaught, who

to
fill

and happiness enjoyed by a

history, could

people.

No

had been chosen

held by Fingal
d

the place formerly

p.

person, for instance, acquainted with Irish

Ogygia,

341.

deny that there has been more

human

misery, in every shape, in Ireland

last three years,

O'Flaherty fixes the date of this battle, A. D. 296; Dr. O'Couor, A. D.284 Prolegom. pars
p. 57.
ii.

during the

more loss of huruined

p. xxiii.

Her. Hib. vol.

ii.

man life, more compulsory exile, more

fortunes,

This battle was the subject of one

published by

more houses unroofed, under the

envy of the world,

of the Ossianic poems,

Mac

British constitution, the

Phersom
Irish

See Transactions of the Royal

than under the old Celtic government of Ireland, during any of the worst centuries
of
its

tory
e

existence, from the days of

King Cor-

academy, vol. i. p. 107; Moore's Hisof Ireland, vol. i. p. 134. The celebrated poet, whose writings
.the subject of so

mac
b

to the

abrogation of Brehon law, in the

of the seventeenth century.
x
,

were

many
Mac

literary dis-

commencement

cussions at the close of the last century,

after the publication of
geries.

Tighernach (p. 483, n. supru^) makes Carbre Liffeachar succeed Cormac without

Pherson's for-

No

sane critic of the present day

any interregnum.

ventures to deny that Ossian's fame, what-

486

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
filio

[CAP. VIII.
est.

pertusus immiscens, a Simeone Kirbi Domini 284, Mundi 5483.

iR.

interemptus

Anno

Fothadius Argteach, et Fothadius Cairbteach fratres Carbrio successerunt, qui

ille

regnum

ultra

unum annum non

;

protraxerunt.

Nam

consortem regni non ferens, hunc occidit et ipse paulo post a Coiltio in pugna Ollarhensi in Muighlinne morte mulctatus est. Anno

Domini 322, Mundi 5521.

ever
it

be,

belongs to Ireland.

See Dr.

dern French historians,

who

certainly can-

O'Conor's Dissertation on the subject, Re-

not be accused of want of patriotism, speak

rum
f

Hiber., vol.

ii.

also the first

volume of
have

very modestly of the literary acquirements

of their Celtic ancestors, attributing
to the

Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy.

them

For the

Ogham

inscription said to

been found on the tomb of this Fothad Argteach, the reader

Greek colony planted at Marseilles 500 or 600 years before Christ, and re-

may

consult Mr. 0' Donop. xlv.

stricting

them

to that

moderate standard

van's Irish

Grammar,
(p.

Though we
supra) from
Irish

have abstained

480,

u.

which might be forced on a barbarous nation by long commercial intercourse with

an enlightened people living
land
p.

discussing whether the

Pagan
it

had the

in the

same
ii.

use of letters or not,

.may be observed here that the arguments by which the affirmative has generally been supported, arguments which defend or suppose the succession

Thierry, Hist, des Gaulois, vol.

142.

Now

is

there

any proof that the

Pagan Irish had the use of letters even in this humble sense ? According to Dr. O'Conor and his school, the Irish had from the
Phoenicians, in the remotest ages, the sup-

of Irish monarchs,

as

digested

by

O' Flaherty, have prevented this question

from receiving that dispassionate consideration which may at last elicit the truth.

posed sixteen Cadmeian letters, a, b, f, <?, r, /, ??j, n, o, r, *, t, u (Tier. Hib.

p.

c, </, e,

vol.

ii.

The

true

mode

of putting the question

of letters
to

is

129), though, in his Prolegomena, pars

ii.

had the Irish Celts that use

the Celts of Gaul are
sessed ?
in
c.

which

pp. vi. Ixxxvi.,

he had allowed h and

known
lib.

have pos-

also a place in the Irish alphabet.

O'Fla-

Caesar found the Greek letters used

Bel. Gal.
i.

herty admits the eighteen Irish

cites Aristotle

letters,

and

Gaul
14.

c.

23, lib. vi.

from Pliny,

lib. vii. c.

57, to

Tacitus states, but without pledgits

ing himself for

truth, a rumor, that in

prove that eighteen was the number of the primitive Greek letters ; but he omitted to
state that the eighteen
totle (a, 6, g,
*, t,
<f,

the country lying between the borders of

Rhaetia and Germany,

mentioned by Arisi,

tombs aijr other

inscriptions
3.

e, 2,

k,

/,

m,

o,

p,

r,

monuments were found with

in

u,

0)

differ in

power from the eighteen

Greek

letters.

De
illis,

Mor. Ger.

And
"

Lipsius observes on this passage

Quid

used generally by the Irish; for though the " Irish " c is always and <p may be
,

autem mirum de

cum

etiam Helvetii

taken, and has been sometimes written in

et Galli literal lira Grseea usi sint,

Eomanis

one of

oui' oldest

manuscripts (the Book of

the
in the

characteribus juxta

cum

imperio ignotisV"

But while defending those passages, mo-

Armagh} for / tainly unknown

of the

Greek

is

cer-

modern prouunda-

CilAF. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

487

by Simeon, son of A. D. A. D. 284, A. M. 5483. Fothadh Argtheach, and his brother, Fothadh Cairbtheach, succeeded 296 f For Argtheach, jealous of any Carbry, but they reigned only one year
of

the battle bleeding from every pore, he was slain

Kirbi,

colleague in the
after slain

kingdom, slew .his brother, and himself was not long by Coilti, in the battle of Ollarba, in Maghline, A. D. 322,

A. M.

552K
I

tion of the Irish language.

have been

war, probably before the foundation of Eu-

informed, moreover,

by Mr. O'Donovan, a
this matter, that

mania.

But with regard

it is

to O'Flaherty's

most competent judge in

pc

opinion, though

at present as baseless

is

frequently used by ancient Irish writers

as O'Conor's, yet if

any

direct evidence,

for cs or gs,

[]. From such uncertainty regarding the number of Irish letters, and the undeniable fact, that in
and u
for
l>

monumental

or written, even of a dubious

character, should ever be discovered of the

use of letters in Ireland, previous to the

none of the ancient Pagan duns or cemeteries

Christian era,

many collateral
it.

proofs could
of

have any inscriptions or traces of such, in any characters, Greek or Latin, bfien as
yet discovered,
it

be urged to sustain

The Greeks

Marseilles were an Ionian colony ; the Ionian

letters

is

now

inferred

by the
second

were the
"
:

first

generally received in
tacitus priliteris

best Irish scholars, that the Irish first be-

the

West

Gentium consensus
\conspiravit ut

came acquainted with

letters in the

mus omnium

lonum
58)
;

or third century of the Christian era, pro-

uterentur" (Pliny,

lib. vii. c.

eigh-

bably through Christian missionaries, who adopted from the Latin as many of the

teen, according to Aristotle,

was the num;

ber of the most ancient Greek letters

the"

Roman

letters as

they required to express

Ionian colony of Marseilles carried on an

extensive trade with the interior of Gaul,

the simple sounds of the Irish language.

This opinion, if it needed other arguments, could be established indirectly by the authority of Tighernach, the

and

especially with its western ports, then

the great depots of British tin (Thierry,

most trustworwhile his notices

Histoire des Gaulois, vol.

finally, the

ii.

p.

140)

and,

thy of all our annalists;

of Irish history,

for,

legend of St. Cadroe, written in

down

to the third century,

the eleventh century ( Golgan, Acta Sanct.

p.

meagre list of kings, and a few events which tradition could easily
are confined to a
preserve, he descends to details in the reign

494), brings a colony of Greeks to Ire-

land, in very remote times, from Asia Minor,

the

home

of the lonians.

But how vain

and

of Cormac, that
dition,

is,

the period which, in tra-

conjectures are on the origin, number,

has been associated with the dawn-

powers of

letters,

every one knows

who has

ings of the Christian faith in Ireland.

e
,

For

ever taken the trouble of inspecting learned

treatises

the Phoenician letters in Ireland, the reader

on the subject

and the

difficulty

may
note

consult page 469, note

a
,

page 475,
dis-

supra.

The Phoenicians had

here would be considerably increased by " the Ionian letters are the Pliny's remark,

appeared

for centuries,

even the Carthagifirst

same which the Romans now

K

use."

nians had been defeated in the

Punic

The two Fothads were

of the race of

488
Eia

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
Fiachus Srabh terms Carbraei Liffecharii

[CAP. VIH.

tutus

est,

filius, iis in regno substiqui postquam sex praeliis Lageniensium audaciam compressit,

a tribus Collais, suis ex Eochodio Dumhlenio fratre nepotibus, bello nefarie impetitus apud Duibhchomair, locum Taltinge ab austro finiti-

mum,

in medios hostes ultro irrupit, ubi rescivit in fatis esse ut reg-

num

ad ejus posteros, ipso cadente, ad hostium propaginem ipso supeseptirao regni

rante,

venturum esset: trigesimo Domini 322, Mundi 5521.

Tigernachus
ait,

anno

periit.

Anno

aliquos asserere

Fiachum hunc a Breasmolio La-

geniaj rege occisum, et O'Duvegani liber, Hiberniam et Albanian! annos

EIR.

quadraginta possedisse. Collaus Uais assumpto regno, tot molestiis a Muredacho Tirach Fiachi filio lacessitus est, ut regnandi tempus ultra quadriennium non
produxerit, quando ipse in Albaniam cum aliis duobus fratribus, ac trecentis comitibus abactus est, ubi bumaniter ab Albanis habiti sunt,

cum quod Oileacham Vadoiri

turn

regis Albanise filiam,

matrem habuerint;
in militiam adsciti,

quod armis

et bello strenui fuerunt.

Hinc

ibidem stipendia meriti substiterunt, quorum major natu Uais, quod nobilem significat, ideo dictus est, quia casteris fratribus nobilitate prsestitit, ut qui solus ex iis, diademate regio insignitus fuit.
tres annos
^>Alter ejus frater, Collaus Dachrioch, postremus, Collaus

MeannagnomiMuredachus,

natus

est,

cum proprium nomen

primo, Cairellus,

alteri,

postremo, Aidus fuerit.

Ith.

They

are not

numbered among

Irish

choraar, the
druid,

moiiarchs by Tighemach or O'Flaherty

name of King Fiacha's chief who was slain there Ogyg. p. 359.
became King of Connaught, which, had been governed by the
Ibid. pp. 341, 348. Hence-

See Ogygia,
11

p.

342.

In Fiacha's reign, his son, Muredach Tireach,

Battles of Irish monarchs against the

Lagenians form a permanent staple of Irish history from about this period to the remission of the
sixth century
;

to this period,

Firbolg race
forward, says

Borumhean

tribute in the

O'Flaherty,

" Muredachug

whence it would appear that

last of the provinces to

Tirius, ejusque posteri Connactioj princi-

Leinster

was the

patu
'

potiti

sunt mille plus minus annos."

admit the supremacy of the Irish monarch,

i.

The number allowed by the Four Masand Tighemach

;

e.
'

the unity of the kingdom. There was another Eochaid Domhlein,

ters

though O'Flaherty,

on the authority of the Book of Lecan,

says thirty.

Belgic king of Leinster in the reign of Tuathai

k

Prolegom. pars

ii.

p. civ.

Teachtmar

Supra,

p.

467.

m Those

conflicting accounts contradict

The

battle

was

so called, from

Dub-

but too plainly Dr. O'Conor's assertion, that

CJIAP.

VIIL]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

489

kingdom.

Fiacha Srabhtine, son of Carbry LifFeachair, succeeded them in the A. D. He suppressed the insurgent Lagenians in six battles but 297
11

the three Collas, the sons of his brother, Eochoidh Doimhlein

in rebellion against him, a battle
k

rising

was fought at Dubhchomar , a place near Tailtin, to the south, in which Fiacha cast himself into the thickest
of the fight, and found the death he desired; because he knew fate had decreed that, if he survived, the crown would pass to a hostile branch,
1

but would remain in

1

his family if

he were

slain.

He was

killed in the

thirty-seventh year of his reign, A. D. 322, A. M. 5521.

According to some accounts cited by Tighernach, Fiacha was slain by Breasmoil, King of Leinster and O'Dugan writes that he was King of Ireland and Alba forty years"
; 1
.

Colla Uais, having ascended the throne, was so violently pressed by 327 Mureadhach Tireach, son of Fiacha, that, after a reign of four years", he

was compelled to fly with his two brothers and thirty companions to Alba, where they were hospitably received by the king, both on account
of their great military power, and for the sake of their mother, Oileach , who was daughter to Vadoir, King of Alba. Entering into the royal

army, they served the king during three years. The eldest was called Vais, or noble, because he had worn the crown, a dignity which the
other two brothers had not enjoyed; the second was called Colla da Crioch p ; and the third, Colla Meann. The proper name of the first was
Cairell
;

of the second,

Muredhach

of the third, Aedh.

all

catalogues, bards, chronicles, &c. &c.,

wise Ailioch Grianan, the most extensive

agree in the number, succession, and reign

of the kings, from
Patrick.
"

Cormac Ulfhadha

to St.

and perhaps most ancient stone monument of Pagan Ireland, and -which continued, almost
to the English invasion, to be the re-

All authorities agree on this point

but

sidence

of the kings of Ulster.

In the

the date of the king's accession varies from

Memoir

the reader will find a copious de-

A. D. 322 to A. D. 327
p. civ.

Proleg. pars

ii.

scription of the present state of its ruins,

is

For the history of this lady, the reader referred to a poem of Cuan O'Lochain's,

and many historical from the Irish annals.

is said,

references

collected
erected, it

Though

published in the Ordnance Memoir, parish

of Templemore, p. 226.

by the Tuatha de Dananns, it happened to be the residence of two of the only

three Ithian monarchs regal catalogues
P

She eloped from

who

figure in our

her royal spouse, and, flying to Ireland,

obtained from Eochaidh Doimhlein a grant
of the famous

Hid.

p. 229.

The same, probably, as

the Colla Cridi

Dun

of the Dagda, other-

mentioned in the poem of Cuan O'Lochain.

490
Em.

CAMBKENSIS EVEESUS.

[CAP. VIII.

Muredachus cognomento Tirach sibi regnum armis comparavit. Tres Collai triennio in Albania exacto, in Hiberniam reversi, Muredachum conveniunt, et cum eo gratiam ineuntes potestatem impetrant belli Ultonia3 inferendi. Ubi secundis aliquot pra3liis factis regiones
quasdam Clannaruriis
cis

vi ereptas,

suaa

ditionis fecerunt,

nominatira

Mugdornam, Ibhchremthaniam,
lacum Eachum
est, Scilicet

et Iblimacuasiam, ac

denique quidquid

agrum Dunensem,

et

partem agri An-

In prgelio apud Achaidleithdearg in Farmuigha a Collais Ultonienses Fergusium Foghaum, filium Fiachrii Fortruin conferto,. Ultonia3 Regem; Collai, fratrem juniorem Collaum Meannum desidetrimmensis.
rarunt.

Post hoc praBlium, Emaniam, regum Ultoniae regiani, Collai

funditus everterunt, ita ut nullus Ultonia? rex, illam exinde incoluerit. Muredachum vero trigesimum regni annum agentem Coelbadius Croubadrii
filius, Rex Ultonia3 apud Portri prope Dubball Domini 356, Mundi 5555.

interemit.

Anno

The wife
i.

of this
e.

Muredhach was a Gall;

gaoidheal,
of

a foreign Irishwoman

but
of

Cremorne, in the county of Monaghan. Included in the barony of Slane, county

Ogygia,
dheal
"

what country O'Flaherty cannot say The word " Gallgaoip. 360.
of itself proves very clearly the wide

Meath
u

Book of Rights,

p.

152, n.

A territory

in or near the county of

between the two simple words of which it is compounded, " Gall" a foreigner, " gaoidheal" an Irishman but to infer, as
difference
;

Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Armagh. Down and Connor, by Rev. W. Reeves,

p.

387.
x

some do (Moore, History of Ireland,

p. 3), that the Irish

vol.

i.

meaning
context,

Though we allow here the widest " to the word cis," in the Latin
it is

could not be of Gaulish

all

yet probable that Dr. Lynch

origin,

because they called

foreigners

believed the principal of the Colla's conquests were situated east of

Galls, appears to be

bad

logic.

Could not

the English, in the sixth century, call the

A perusal,
the

Lough Neagb. however, of chapter Ixxvi. of

iii.,

Germans foreigners
Irish

Moreover, the infer-

the Ogygia, pars

and of the notes

to

ence manifestly supposes that the Pagan

Book of Rights (Ua

Colla), will prove

knew

their Celtic brothers of

Galli,

Gaul by

the
tive

Roman name,

and not by the naCeltae,

beyond a doubt, that the more extensive conquests were on the west or south-west
of that lake.

name, Celtae ("ipsorum lingua

"

The

three Collas broke the

nostra ver6 Galli vocantur

lib.
i.

Bel. Gal.

c.

1),

which

is

by no means a proby the clan

or des-

power of the old Irian and Deagaid or Ernaan race of Ulster kings, and restricted it
almost to the territory of Dal Araidhe (see

bable supposition.
r

The

territory held

Book of Rights,

p.

k 136, n. ), situated, as

cendants of Roderic or Rury, Irian King of

Ireland, in the first century.

we have

already remarked, partly in

Down

and Antrim.

For the ancient history of

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
,

491
D.

Muredhach q surnamed Tireach, having secured the crown by the A.

in Alba,

sword, received into favor the three Collas, after their three years' exile 331
against the Ultonians.

and allowed them, on their return to Ireland, to make war Fortune favored them in several battles, by
, 1

which they conquered for themselves some districts in Clanna-Rury r 3 u namely, Mughdorna Ui-Cremthainn Ui-Mic-Uais and, in a word, all
, , ,

Lough Neagh, the present county of Down, and part of In the battle of Achadhleithdearg y in Fearnmhagh, against the Collas, the Ultonians lost Fergus Fogha, King of Ulster, and son of
Antrim.
,

1 the land about

Fiachra Fortruin z , while the Collas lost their youngest brother, Meann. After this battle the victorious Collas destroyed Emania a , the royal
palace of the Ulster kings, in which, thenceforward, no king of Ulster dwelt b In the thirtieth year of his reign, Muredhach was slain at Port.

righ, near Dabhall

by Coelbadh, King of Ulster, and son of Croubadri, A. D. 356, A. M. 5555 d

, .

these counties,

we

refer the reader to the

should

now

be enlisted under Eireamonian

Rev.

W.

Reeves,

who has exhausted

the

banners, to destroy their fellow-sufferers,

subject in his Ecclesiastical Antiquities

of

the Irians.

Down and
y

Connor.
of-

me, that
Farney, county of
p.

So singular does it appear to doubt whether those Domnonians

In the barony

and other Firbolgs

may

not have been the

Monaghan
A. D. 332.
z

Book of Rights,

136.

The

last race of invaders before the

Danes

in

battle! was fought,

according to Tighernach,

other words, that the Collas themselves, and other contemporary Eireainonians, were Fir-

jFbrtruin sounds Pictish.

bolgs or Belgic tribes.

b

it

Tighernach records this epoch (for such The Anis in Irish annals) A. D. 332.

Dr. Lanigan (vol.

i.

p.

314, note

135

ascribes the downfall of

Eamania

to the

nals published

by Dr. O'Conor, from a ma-

growth of Armagh
conjecture see
c

but on that untenable

p. 22, n.
'.

nuscript in Trinity College Library, Dublin,

Book of Rights,
bear in

record that the Collas were assisted in the

battle of Achaleithdearg, tion of

Near Armagh.

and

in the destruc-

d It is useful to

mind the con-

Eamania, by seven legions (each a)

quests of the Collas in this reign, for though

of

theckmna bols of the Domnonian race,

;

they are not said to have been effected by

foreign aid, they were, in the strict sense of

alias the

Olnegemachts of Connaught Rerum Hib. vol. ii. p. 76 Ogygia, p. 360.

Singular that these Domnonians, who, ac-

the word, conquests, which imposed

masters, a

new
al-

new

aristocracy, on portions of
arid

cording to bardic story, had enjoyed the province of Connaught more than 200 years
before the landing of Eireamoin, and, un-

Meath, Westmeath, and Louth,

on

most

all

Ulster, except parts of Tyrone,

Down, and Antrim.

These conquests were

interruptedly

down

to

this present

date,

but of recent date when St. Patrick preached

492
in.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
filio

[CAP. VIII.

Coelbadio Croubadrii
et vita? postremus,

primus regni annus

fuit
illi

ejusmodi regni
eripuit.

Domini 357,
EIR.

quam Eochodius Moghniedonius Mundi 5556.

Anno

[72]

Eochodius Moghmedonius ad regni deinde gubernaculum admotus plurimum inde memorabilis erat, quod quinque filios Brianum, Fiachrum, Ollillum, Fergusium et Nellum noviobsidem plerisque Christianis
|

Hibernian regibus generis authores genuit, priores quatuor ex Mongfionna Fiadogi filia, postremum ex Carenna Saxonum Regis filia. Ipse

rex octennis Teamoriee diem clausit extremum.

Anno Domini

365,

Mundi 5564.
the Gospel in Ireland, a fact which
plain the distinction

may exrace,

the regal catalogues.

He

is

omitted by

which

his writings

Tighernach, on whose authority Dr. O'Co-

clearly suggest between a

called

dominant

nor undertakes to prove that Muredhach

Tireach was killed in the year 357
See

" by him

Scotti,"

and the mass of

the natives, " Hiberni," or " Hiberniones."

Prolegom. pars
De, the

From page 490,

493, notes
,

note x , supra, and page

it

As /Engus Ceile famous hagiologist, who composed,

ii.

p. cv.

',

appears that the aris-

in the eighth century, metrical

martyrolo-

tocracy, in almost every part of Ireland,

gies in the Irish language, not unlike the

acquired about this period those possessions,

Menologia of the Greeks, was a descendant of Coelbadh (Colgan, Acta Sanct.

which, with slight fluctuations, they continued to hold

down
to

to the twelfth century.

March

11),

we may

take occasion to re-

Among

all

those families there

was none

mark

here that the ancient hagiologists

which pretended
the Orghialla

higher privileges than

generally adopted in their works the received story of the Milesian brothers, and
often traced

Monaghan, Armagh, &c., whose rights and duties are chronicled in the Book of Rights, p. 136,
of Louth,
in bold

up the genealogies of
Ir,

the'saints

to Eireamoin, Eiber,

or Ith.

Thus, in

and flowing metre suited

to the

a genealogical martyrology in
sion,

my

posses-

pride of the clan.

Their territories not

which was

revised, it is said,

by

Flo-

being generally reduced to English shire-

rence Corny, Archbishop of

Tuam,

there is

ground before the sixteenth century, they enjoyed more than 1200 years of power.
It

a selection of 300 saints of the Eireamonian

line,

sixty-two of the Irian, forty of

It

was a branch

of the Orgliialla that kept

the Siberian, and nine of the Ithian.

the succession of the Archbishopric of

Ar-

can hardly be necessary to say that the

substantial authority of these genealogical

magh
200

in their

own

family during almost

years, until Archbishop St. Celsus or

martyrologies, both as to the tribe of the

saint

Ceallach, one of their

own

blood, succeeded

and

his religious fame, is in

no man-

in securing the succession to St.

Malachy.
vol. iv.

ner affected by the denial that Irish genealogies are authentic

Ogygio., p.
p. 30.
e

363; Dr. Lanigan,

the last Irian

beyond the third or

fourth centuries of the Christian era.

is

Coelbadh

monarch on

All authorities agree in this number.

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
,

493
A. D.
1JJ 7

After a biief reign of one year, Coelbadh 6 son of Cronbadhri, was deposed and slain by Eochoidh Moghmedon, A. D. 357, A. M. 5556.
Eoclioidh
f

Moghmedon, succeeding

to the throne, reigned eight 358

He is remarkable as years , and died at Tara, A. D. 365, A. M. 5564. the great progenitor of most of the Christian kings of Ireland, who
were descended from some of his five sons", Brian h Fiachra Olill k Fergus, and Nial of the Nine Hostages. The last was son to Carenna,
1

m daughter to the King of Saxony

the mother of the four

first Avas

Mongfinna, daughter of Fidhach.

Proleg. pars
ii.

p. cv.

Like his immediate

a Teutonic invasion, or a Scandinavian colony in Ireland

contradicts, in
?

predecessors, this king was

engaged in along
Ogyg.
p.

All legendary authority

opinion, the hypothesis

war against
8

the Lagenians

373.

my

They were the progenitors

of all the
;

of colonization of Teutons, for though

some

Milesian nobility of Connaught

the particulars
of their history

but for

legends bring the ancient Irish through

the Baltic ( Keating, p. 177
),

we must
p.

these

may

refer the reader to

et seq.,
h

lar Connaught, and Ogygia, p. 374.

127,

have been Cimbri or Cymri, not Teutons.

It is true,

many

of the bronze remains found

Ancestor of the

Hy Briuin-ai, Hy Briuin-

in Ireland are similar to those found in Scan-

breifne, Hy-Briuinseola, the three families

dinavia, but the doubtful

argument founded
xii.

which gave kings to Connaught down to the fourteenth century. Ogygia, p. 375
;

on those remains can be discussed more conveniently at another place.

p.

Chap.

lar Connaught. Under

its

former masters,

[112], infra.

On

Mall's marriage to

the Olnegemacht, a race of plebeian Belgae, the province had been divided into three
parts (Ogygia, p. 175), and the division

the

Saxon woman, O'Flaherty observes: " It was very natural that there should be war against
the

intermarriages between tribes which were

associated together in

was long
querors
4

retained

by

its

Eireamonian conp.

Ro-

Ogygia Vindicated,

177.

Ancestor of the Hy-Fiachrach of Con-

man empire." Had eight

1

Ogygia, p. 377.
sons, four of

whom remained

naught, for

whom

see Tribes

and Customs
Ordnance

in Meath,

which then included, besides the

of Hy-Fiachrach. k The poem published

in the

two counties of the name, part of Longford and the King's County. Their descendants
were the southern Hy-Niall. Four others invaded Ulster, principally the part not occupied by the Orghialla, and founded there
the families
of Tyrone

Memoir, p. 229, calls her a Pict. Tighernach plainly styles her " the Saxon woman."
It is

Pagan
ers.

remarkable that the greatest names in Ireland are connected with foreign-

and Tyrconnell,
southern Hy-Niall

Ugaine Mor was married to a French lady Tuathal Teachtmar to a Fomorian

;

which were

called the northern Hy-Niall.

From these northern and

almost
all

Finnlander.

Con of the Hundred

Battles

the kings of Ireland were taken

was son

of a Danish

woman
p. 313.

" ex

Una
these

down
m

to the twelfth century

Ogygia,

Danica").

Ogygia,

Do

pp. 401, 408.

Olill

matrimonial alliances with the north imply

died without issue, but bequeathed

494
EIB.
,

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

Crimtlianius

regnum adeptus plures

praedas e Gallia, Saxonia, et

Albania retulisse dicitur; Illi decimum tertium regni annum percurrenti, Mongfionna soror, veneno propinato, sibique vita? finem acceleravit,
lit

films ejus Brianus, cujus

amore multum

prse caeteris

filiis

flagrabat, initium regnandi maturius faceret. Mundi 5577.

FAR.

Anno Domini

378,

Nellus cognomento Naogiallach, id est noviobses, quod novem obquinque scilicet ex totidem Hibernise regnis, et quatuor ex Albania, ut ait Ketingus, Temorise penes se habuit, regnum consecutus
sides
Ins

name

to Tirolill,

now

Tirerril,

a barony

being the great, almost the sole element of

Celtic political
life,

in the county of Sligo

n

Ogygia. p. 374.

the Celtic bard or his-

All the monarchs of Ireland, from this

to Brian

torian

Crimthann

Boromha, exclusive,

would naturally regard the whole kingdom as a family, and arrange its different branches according to their
isting characteristics,
still

being of the Eiremonian line, according to our author, we may dispense henceforward
with the genealogical reference in our Latin

ex-

aided, perhaps,

by

tradition.

Hence, when the Irish were de-

margin.
references

The

sole object in printing these

riving the descent of

many

kindred Euro-

was the hope

that they

may

sup-

ply some clue in the elucidation of the early history of Ireland, when all the manuscript
authorities

pean nations from a certain number of Albanus, Britus, Francus, Gobrothers,

tus, &c. &c. (Irish

Nennius,

p. 33),

what
same

have been published

all

not that

was more natural than

different

to apply the

the genealogies are to be regarded as au-

philosophy, and in the same age, to the

" thentic history, for

lines, all

our genealogical

branches of the Celtic stock in

country,

our regal

lists,

antecedent to the

their

own

and invent the four

Ir,

reign of Feradach the Just, in the first century, bear evident marks of bardish forgery.

Irish patriarchs,
Ith,

Eireamon, Eiber,

and

to explain the existence of four diffe-

To extend back

the antiquity of the nation,

rent Celtic families ?

to

This system appears

generations have been multiplied, princes

acknowledged only by their several factions have been put in regular succession after
each other" (Ogygia Vindicated, p. 37), a censure from which none of the genealoexcept the Eiremonian regal line, are of entirely exempt, even after the reign
gies,

development in the hands of Moelmura of Fathan, in the ninth

its full

have attained

century
It does not

Irish Nennius,

pp. 221,

253.

Magh
is

appear fully in the Battle of Rath ; neither Eireamon nor Eiber

one of the many proofs,
great antiquity of the

mentioned there

in

my opinion, of the

Feradach the Just.

What is the value,

Though

then,
false

principal part of that poem.

The topogra-

of those early genealogies ? as history, they

phical argument, founded on the localities

may

contain an ethnogra-

occupied by the four tribes in the earliest

ages, has been already applied (p. 4.61,

phical truth,

by

classifying into different

families the different races settled in the

note

P,

supra) to the Irian branch

and,

country at the time the genealogies were

perhaps,
in the

when

applied to the other three

it

drawn up.

The

family, or rather tribe,

Appendix,

will confirm, or at least

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
11

495

Crimthann

after ascending the throne,

cessful predatory descents

made, it is said, many sue- A. D. on Gaul, Saxony, and Alba. In the thir- ^GG

teenth year of his reign, his sister , Mongfinna, poisoned him, in the hope of accelerating the accession of her favorite son, Brian, to the
P throne, A. D. 378 , A.

M. 5577-

Niall,

writes,
,

surnamed Naigiallach, from the nine hostages, whom, Keating 379 he took from the five provinces of Ireland, with four from

Alba q ascended the throne.

will not contradict the

The

r hostages were confined at Tara .

He

view here given of

anything of the kind in Europe. But of the

previous genealogies I have given above, from the Ogygia Vindicated, the judgment
of Charles O'Conor, an excellent authority, and from whom the force of truth alone

the truth involved in the Milesian genealo-

gy.

For to

me

it

appears, that if four diffe-

rent colonies landed, and rose successively to

ascendancy

in Ireland,

they would be found

in the very places

where history shows to

could have

wrung

so candid a confession.

us the Irians, Ithians, Eiberians, and Eireamonians, located in the earliest period of authentic history.

O'Flaherhr gives a detailed account of

all

the Eiberian kindred of Crimthann in

The reader may

consult

Ireland and Scotland.

Some

of

them

re-

Niebuhr's History of Rome, chap. ii. vol. i. on the JSnotrians, for the use made of geneaological
tables,

tained great power in their primitive territories

down

to the sixteenth century.

by that

sceptical but

Ogygia, chaps. Ixxxi. Ixxxii. Ixxxiii.

P All
authorities,

acute writer, in ascertaining the primitive

prose and metrical,

population of Italy.
it,

Thierry also employs but with more prudence " Enfin nous
:

allow thirteen years' reign to Crimthann.

Proleg. pars
q
ii.

p. cvi.
title,

retrouvons les

memes

idees de parente ex-

O'Flaherty observes on this

it is

that

primees dans ces

vieilles fables greco-tyrien-

though

nes qui rappellent les genealogies des

He-

breux, et cachent souvent

sens ethnologique profond

comme
:

elles,

un

unanimously accorded to Niall, accounts disagree on the nine regions from were taken " the mawhich the
hostages
;

nous parlent du Hoi Pretanus ou Bretannus, dont la

elles
fille,

ritime parts of Gaul

and Great Britain"

are mentioned as being the foreign dependencies (Ogygia, p. 400),

is

nommee

tantot Celtine, tantot Celto,

which probably
;

cut commerce avec Hercule et mit au monde

Celtus,

true as far as

Alba

is

concerned

but in

auteur de la race des Celtes."

p.

other countries the hostages taken were all

Histoire des Gaulois, Introduct.

Ixxxii.

the plunder and captives that the hordes of

Niall could stow into their boats or cur-

The

reader must easily understand that the

authority of the genealogical tables

com-

piled in historic times is not impaired

by

Perhaps the nine hostages could be found within the coasts of Erin, which,
rachs.
at that period,

the rejection of the literal sense of the old

genealogies.

contained more than that

principalities
;

From

the reign of

Cormac

number

of

hah independent

Mac

Art,

or Eochoidh

Muighmedon, or
the twelfth cen-

Niall Niagiallach,

down to

two Munsters, three Connaughts, Eiremonian Ulster and Irian Ulster, and two, if
not more, Leinsters.
Political Ireland re-

tury, Irish genealogies are as authentic jis

496
est.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.

Vir segregie fortis, et bellandi peritissimus, ut qui crebris insultibus Albanos, Pictos et Gallos attriverit, magna captivorum et peco-

vadem

rum, multitudine frequentius ex eorum finibus abducta. Lagenienses ei dederant, Eochodium sui Eegis Endei Kinseloghi filium, et

designatum regni successorem, in ejus obsequio

Hie adeundce

Ladghennam
dignitate

se semper perstituros. a Nello nactus, apud Nelli poetam patrias potestatem in itinere diversatus, indiguissime tulit, quod ab illo pro
fuit.

non exceptus

Quare contumeliam ulturus, armatorum

De qua jactura Ladgennus apud Eegem conquestus, eum adduxit, ut Lageniensibus arma inferret, et a vastationibus non ante desisteret, quam Eochodius ei
copiis agros ejus populatus filium interemit.

Eochodius in regis potestatem iterum relatus, e elapsus, Nellum in fines Armoricos, circa Ligerim amnem bello grassantem, venenata sagitta ex insidiis

denuo dederetur.

custodum unguibus ultra mare

confixit,

et

coniecit,

.vigesimum septinium regni

si

annum agentem.
at-

Anno Domini 405, Mundi 5604. Ab instituto alienum esse non videtur
texero dicentis
:

verba Cambrensis hie

"Nello Hibernian Monarchiam obtinente, sex filios Muradi Regis Ultonise in classe non modica boreales Britannia} partes
mained
to the twelfth century nearly such
it

Lanigan,
'

vol.
,

i.

p.

129.

as Niall left

He

Ogygia Vindicated, p. 177. could say in his palace, as Duinscach

In note

p.

468, supra,

we have given
Borumhean
it

the singular distribution of the

tribute.
is

said to her husband,

King Domhnall,

to

In the authority there quoted,

appease his

fears,

"Tarry with me,

said that after the conquest of the greater

king! and do not heed visions of the night, and do not be affrighted by them, for the
race of Conall and Eoghan, the Oirghialla,

part of Ulster by the Orghialla, they be-

came

entitled to that portion of the tribute

&c. &c., are around thee this night in this house, and therefore remain steady to reason."
r

which had been from Tuathal's days paid to the King of Eamania. Now there is
nothing in the state of the Irish world,

Battle

of Magh Rath,
a

p. 9.

during Tuathal's reign, to make a combination of the three provinces against Leinster at all probable; but, after the conquest

There

is

mound

or fort of the hosIts

tages

shown

in a

map

of ancient Tara.

remains have been

identified,

and are shown

stands.
St. Patrick,

of Ulster
(p. 490,

by

the Orghialla and Hy-Niall

,

on the

map of Tara, as it now Among those captives was

His
first

note v

p.

493, note

'),

and of

whe was
land.

destined to be the Apostle of Irecaptivity

Connaught by the sons meadon (p. 493, note

settlement of

of Eochaidh
",

Muighsupra), and the

families in

commenced
;

in

many Eiremonian
it is

the fifteenth year of his age

but for the

Minister (p. 469, note ?),

easy to con-

conflicting opinions on this matter, see

Dr.

ceive that three provinces

might combine

CHAP. VIILJ

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
in war,

497
valor,

was a monarch highly renowned

and of great

which he

A. D.
~~~

displayed in successful expeditions against the Albanians, Picts, and ~Gauls, from whom he carried home in triumph great spoils, both of
8 captives and cattle.

given up

to

The Lagenians, as a pledge of their allegiance, had him Eochaidh, the son of their king, Enna Kinselagh*, and

heir apparent to their throne, who, having obtained permission to return to his country, paid a visit on his way to Laedghen, a bard of Niall's. But, not being received with the honor due to his rank, he deeply re-

sented the insult, and, with a band of armed followers, laid waste the
poets' lands,

and slew his

at his instigation, once

lay

down

his

son. Ladgen complained to the king, who, more burst into Leinster, and resolved not to arms or desist from pillage until Eochaidh was given up.

Eochaidh was taken, but, contriving to escape from his guards, he tracked the king, and treacherously slew him with a poisoned arrow on the

banks of the Loire", in the twenty -seventh year of hisreign w A. D. 405, A. M. 5604.
,

It will not

Cambrensis

"
:

be foreign to my purpose to introduce here the words of During the reign of Niall, King of Ireland, six sons of

in a large fleet on the northern , parts of Britain, formed a settlement, which remains to the present

x Mura3dus, King of Ulster descending

and share among themselves the tribute on Leinster. There must be under that Bo-

from Boulogne), Dr. Lynch mistook Ligeris for Liane, the river which falls into the sea
below that town. w Authorities
of this reign,

rumhean
which
u is

tribute

some question of

race,

Ecc. Hist.

vol.

i.

p. 139.

not clearly explained by tradition.

of the Additional Notes to

generally agree on the period

close,

The author

and the years of its

with

Irish Nennius, p. xix.,|is very facetious on

these foreign excursions of Niall.
is

the exception of some hypercritical remarks

of Dr. Lanigau, vol. i. p. 138. x to the

But wit
the

not argument.
race

Niall
;

was the most powi.

According

comprehensive cata-

erful of his

his subjects,

e.

logue of Ulster kings, published in the

Ecclesiastical Antiquities

Scots, are

mentioned by contemporary Rop.

of

Down and

man

399) among the other barbarous nations which assailed

the Empire on the west
;

authorities (Ogygia,

Connor,

p.

353, there was no Muireadhach

and where
and

is

the

contemporary with Niall Naoigialliach, but a Muireadhach Muindearg became king of

Ulster in A. D. 451, and reigned twentyeight years.

improbability that the king himself should

head
lion's

his

marauding

subjects,

seize the

For the

notices- of Scotch his-

share of the plunder ?

Dr. Lanigan

tory, the reader is referred to subsequent

suggests that, as old authorities state Niall

chapters.

Giraldus has here confounded

was

killed near the Portus Iccius (not far

dates and persons.

2K

498
occupasse.
tica
'

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAP. VIII.
'

Unde

et

gens ab
in

iis

propagata, et specificate vocabulo

Sco-

hodiernum diem angulum ilium inhabitant 21 ". vocata, usque Hinc apud O'Duveganum Nellus ille Hiberniae et Albania rex vocatur.
Dathias e Fiachro fratre Nelli nepos paganorum Hibernise regum

EIR.

Feredachus ultimus, viginti tres annos regia dignitate functus est. nomen ejus proprium erat, sed Dathias inde agnominatus est, quod

arma

sibi

quam

celerrime induere consuevit.

significat.
Ille

Vox enim

Hibernica

Galliam armis infestabat, et non procul ab Alpium finibus turn versabatur, cum tactus de ccelo animam efflavit, divino numine poenas ab eo reposcente violati Parmenii viri

" Daitheadh" celeritatem

memorabili sanctimonia

prasditi.

Anno Domini

428,

Mundi 5627.

armis Galliam per hujus et superioris Regis tempora, vexatam fuisse, cum Sanctus Hieronimus anno Christi nati 420, denatus dixerit se " adolescentulum in Gallia vidisse Scotos (ita habent libri editi, Attacotos inediti) gentem Bri-

A vero non abhorrere videtur, Hibernorum

tannicam humanis vesci carnibus, et

et

cum

per

silvas,

porcorum

greges,

armentorum pecudumque

reperirent,

pastorum

nates,

fseminarumque
Credibile

22 papillas abscindere solitos, et eas solas delicias arbitrari ."

21

Top.

dist.

iii. c.

16.
title,

22

Lib.

ii.

contra Jovin.

From

the time of Giraldus, this

gia, p.

415)

but Dr. Lanigan seems init

"
Irish

Scoti,"

began to be appropriated to the " North colonies which settled in

is

clined to extend
p. 140. b

to

another year

Vol.

i.

Britain" as Scotland
itself.

pleased to style

See this story in the Tribes

p. 19.

and CusDathi,
it

The

pretensions of

some enthusiasprove that the

"

toms of Hy-Fiachrach,
is said,

tic

Scotchmen,

who would

was

carried

home by

his soldiers,

"holy and learned Scotia of the ancients was modern Scotland, not Ireland, are now generally abandoned, though it must be
admitted that the Scotchmen of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
best of a bad cause.
z

and interred in the royal cemetery of Rath Cruachan, where fiis monumental pillarstone stands to this day
Ibid. p. 25.

In Irish Nennius,
tion
is

p. xix., Dathi's

expedi;"

made

the

treated as a " ridiculous fable

but

as St.

Jerome saw British marauders pene-

There are some reasonable doubts of

;

trating into the heart of France,

why could

the truth of this assertion

is

for

though

it

they not push their

way

to the foot of the

certain that Christianity acquired a parain the reign of Loegaire,

Alps?
c

mount ascendancy
it

Written " Formenius" in Tribes and

" Firmin."

the next succeeding occupant of the Irish

throne,
is

Customs of Hy-Fiachrach, and by O'Flaherty (Ogygia, p. 416)

doubtful whether himself did

There

not die in the religion of his Pagan fathers.

a

The

period fixed by

'

Flaherty (Ogy-

were two bishops of Amiens of that name, but the last was martyred 100 years be-

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

499

racteristic

day in possession of their descendants, who still are known by the cha- A. D. ~ name of Scoti y ." For this reason Niall is styled by O'Dugan,
z

King of Ireland and Alba. Dathi, nephew to Niall by his brother Fiachra, was the last Pagau 3 King of Ireland, and reigned twenty- three years His proper name was was surnamed Dathi, from the rapidity with which Fearadhach but he
.

405

he used to put on his armor: " Daitheadh," in the Irish language, sigHe pillaged Gaul, and carried his arms even to the nifying swiftness.
b Alps where he was suddenly struck dead by a thunderbolt from heaven, thus expiating his sacrilegious cruelty to Parmenius c a man highly dis,

tinguished for sanctity, A. D. 428, A. M. 5627. It is by no means improbable, that Gaul was scourged during this and the preceding reign by predatory invaders from Ireland; for St.

Jerome,

who

died A. D. 420, writes, " that,

(or, as

saw in Gaul the Scots

the Attacots d ),

when a very young man, he they are called in unpublished manuscripts, a British tribe, devour human flesh ; and that whenever
and herds, in the
forests,

they

fell

in with a drove of swine, or flocks

they cut off the women's breasts and the shepherds' haunches, and feasted 6 sumptuously on them ." It is probable that there must have been large
fore Dathi's death.

ing

human flesh,

it

Supposed to be the same as the Athachtuatha or plebian Irish, subjugated by the

Scoti.

tale to deter truant schoolboys

was probably a nursery from wan-

Like the barbarians, the Attacots

dering into the woods or lonely places : " Nee facile quemquam induci posse ut potius pastoris nates

Prowere taken into the imperial service legom. pars ii. p. cvi. Dr. O'Conor proves clearly that the Roman writers mention
Scots and Attacots as distinct tribes.

manducarent, prsesente

adolescentulo Hieronymo,

mum ipsum."
But
as
it

He
Gaul

quam HieronyProlegom. pars i. p. Ixxv. must be confessed that Diodorus,

also labours to prove that the latter were

Strabo,

and Mela, had made the same

an

Irish tribe,

and not found

Ibid
p.

either in

or Britain.
Scots, Picts,

Ixxvii.

Attacots,

charge against the Attacots before St. Jerome, we defer a fuller examination of this
point to those chapters in which Dr.

and Saxons, are mentioned as

Lynch
differ-

the assailants of the

tain

Roman

empire in Bri-

discusses the foreign testimonies regarding

Ireland.

and Gaul, and the inroads of the three

Tacitus

knew hardly any

former into Britain, recorded by Ammianus, agree with the dates fixed in Irish annalists
e

ence between the habits (" ingenia cultus-

Ibid. p. cviii.

que") of Britons and Irish (Agric. c. 24) ; and Turner thinks "that the present state

Dr. O'Conor answers this charge by

and people of
the

New

Zealand exhibit more

saying that, as St. Jerome was very young when he thought he saw the Attacots eat-

nearly than any other those of Britain

when

Romans entered it."

vol.

i.

p. 68, ed. 6.

2K2

500
igitur est Galliam

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

[CAr. VIII.

Hibernorum (qui soli turn Scoti dicebantur) multitudine tune abundasse, quando eorum aliquot manipuli per silvas excurrentes tarn inhumanis et efferis grassationibus licentia militari
fra3na

impune laxarunt.

Nee enim Christianismus inhumanitate

illos

adhuc exuerat.

Hibernos autem

solos ea tempestate Scotos fuisse vel

locus e Cambrensi paulo ante productus cumulate convincit.

Etenim

Sanctum Hieronimum anno

Iescentia3

setatis

annos egressum

fuisse,

octogesimo secundo mortuum, adonello sub annum Christi 379, reg-

num

ineunte oportuit. Nello autem imperante fundamenta Scotica3 Hieronimo igitur adolescente, Scoti gentis in Britannia jacta sunt.
solius

Hiberniae incolae fuerunt.

Nee

obest

quod gens Britannica

Hiberni vocentur, quia in Britannicarum insularum toribus priscis, et recentibus, Hibernia relata est.
f

numerum

a scrip-

But

it is

doubtful whether the greater

morasses and
barism.

forests, in

a state of utter barcontrasts, in

part of those Scots

liaries

may not have been auxiwhen disbanded

on

The most marked

taken into the pay of the Romans.

auxiliaries,

the social state of different classes of Irish-

The barbarian

men, occur in almost every page of our history to the present day.
all events,

or disappointed of their pay, often inflicted

in those terrible times frightful ravages

It is evident, at

that Dr. Lynch, as well as other

the helpless provinces which they had been

enrolled to protect.

historians,

was

utterly ignorant

of that

glorious Christian
religion

Church which, accordSt.

The Christian

had been emin Ireland,

ing to Sir William Betham, preceded

trick in Ireland,

Pa-

braced, very probably,

by many

and was corrupted and deAntiquarian Researches.

xviii., infra,

more than a century before this period. Nor is that fact by any means irreconcilable with the

stroyed by him
h
1

Chaps, xvii.

imputed cannibalism of some

Irish
;

In the ninety -first year of his age, ac-

of the

Pagan

for even, in the six-

teenth century, some of the native Irish,

cording to Prosper's Chronicle, edited by the Benedictines Proleg. pars i. p. Ixxiv.

k
1

acknowledging no subjection either

to na-

Chaps, xvii.

xviii., infra.

tive chiefs or English rulers, lived in their

For the present we must

refer the reader

CHAP. VIII.]

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

501

bodies of the Irish in

GauF (in

that age the Irish alone were Scots),

when

A. D.

bands were thus found pushing their way into the forests, and indulgand inhuman ing with unbridled licentiousness in savage devastations
crimes^.
ture.

The

It is clear, even

Christian religion had not yet reclaimed their savage nafrom Cambrensis himself, that the Irish alone

were

h called Scots in those times .

1

For

St.

Jerome,

who

died in the

a man when Niall ascended eighty- second year of his age was not young the throne in 379 ; and, as the Scots made no permanent settlement in Britain k before the reign of Niall, the Scots could not have been in any
,

country but Ireland when St. Jerome was a young man. " Scots " are called a British tion that the
1

It is

no objec-

tribe, because,

by writers

ancient as well as modern, Ireland was classed

to the Additional Notes, Irish

among the

British Isles.

Nennius, and

"

Scoth," a flower or blossom, as

if

the Scots

to Ogygia, p. 344, for the various conjec-

were so called from such objects painted on

their bodies, is not so clear, as

tures on the origin of this name,

it

and how

may
:

appear

be synonymous with " Irish." Nothing satisfactory has yet been discovered. To me it appears most probable

came

to

at first sight.

Camden

cites the original

passage from

St. Isidore of Seville

" Scoti

propria lingua

nomen habent a

picto] cor-

that the Irish never called themselves in

their

own language "

" Scuite" or Scoti,"

;

pore ;" but says he does not understand it. " Nee " cui Scotica ego," says O'Flaherty,

before the introduction of Christianity

but

vernacula
Irish

est,

capio."

Ogygia,

p.

244. In

as that

was the name by which the Roman

missioners called the inhabitants of Ireland,

mean,
in

Nennius the passage is interpreted to " the Scoti are so called from a word

began thenceforward to be used occasionally by the natives ; but Gaoidhil or Gael

it

their

own
is

language,

which

signifies

painted;" but

not the passage susceptible

has been always the national name.

The

of another meaning, "those

Scoti

whom we

call

bardic derivation of Scoti from Scota, a

have a name in

their

own language
But

daughter of Pharoah, manifestly betrays

Christian origin.

its

from a word which

signifies painted ?"

Another derivation, from

what was

that

name?

APPENDIX
CHAPTER
VIII.

OF CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.

BELIEVING
mation

it

extremely improbable that any researches could

fix,

with even an approxi-

to chronological accuracy,
I

meagre records of Tighearnach,

any facts in the pagan history of Ireland, except the few had resolved to edit the eighth chapter of " Cambrensis

Eversus" without any annotations. But, as the work progressed slowly through the Press, I was insensibly led to notice some popular opinions, and to correct or complete our author's
story by the learned labors of O'Flaherty, Dr. O'Conor,
logical Society's works.

and the editors of the

Irish Archaeo-

There was no intention of proposing a hypothesis. The notes were intended merely as a correct compilation of the opinions of the most trustworthy
guardians of Irish tradition.
length, inclined

An unprejudiced and diligent collation of these authorities,

at

me

to believe that the publication of the various manuscripts cited

by

Dr. O'Conor will enable future investigators to ascertain the principal primitive races of
Ireland, the order in
in the undigested

which they succeeded each

Ireland.

other, and, probably,

some leading

facts

mass of bardic prose and poetry, which has hitherto been pagan

dignified with

the

title

of a history of
far this belief

How

may
it

prove to be only a fancy, engendered by some study of the

subject, the publication of the manuscripts themselves will show.

by no means inviting

was not

inspired

The study was certainly " by what Mr. Moore terms a mournfully sig-

nificant" clinging " to the fondly imagined epoch of those old Milesian days," which, unfortunately, have engrossed too much valuable time, zeal, and talent, to the neglect of the

Christian ages,

when

Ireland

was another name

for piety

and learning in most of the lanand history

insensibly

guages of Europe.
explain,

Neither was there any insensibility to the difficulty of attempting to

by the

lights of topographical

and genealogical

tradition, the succession

of the various Irish Celtic colonies in pagan times, because

we

all

know how

and rapidly, successive

colonies, of different races,

had amalgamated
first

in historic

and even

Anglo-Norman

a^es.

Thus, 150 years after the

descent of the Northern pirates on

Irish
;

the Irish shores, the Irish

Danes had become Christian and

150 years

after the reign

504
of

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER

VIII.

OF

dress,

Henry II., the Strongbownians. in the rural districts, had become so Irish in language, and manners, that the English found it necessary to enact the celebrated Statute of
In
less

Kilkenny.

than 150 years after that Statute, which was chiefly defensive, and
all its

intended for the Pale,

the Pale
;

principal provisions were

influential of the
;"

abandoned by the Parliaments of

to the Council of

some
all

of the

most

few remaining Anglo-Irish threatened that

they

" would

become

Irish

and Cromwell complained

of the land."

Henry

VIII.,

that " the English blood

was worn out

The same law

of

amalgamation

operated after the reign of

tion, if

Henry

VIII.,

and with a regularity which admits of calculaEnglish colonies in the course of the

due allowance be made

for three extensive

seventeenth century, and other well-known extraordinary obstacles to a fusion of the races.

How

difficult,

then,

must

it

not be to attempt to define the various invasions and revolu-

tions of

homogeneous

Celtic races in Ireland during the

700 years from the foundation of

Eamania

to the death of the last

pagan king, Dathi.

is

But

that the difficulty

is

insupe-

rable no person can believe,

who

acquainted with the system employed by

Amedee

Thierry in fixing the localities of the different Celtic races in Gaul, and by A. Humboldt
in his comparative

perhaps, contribute to

view of the Spanish and Gaulish Celts. The following pages may, elicit some of the facts involved in our legendary history
:

ElREMONIANS.
is

In a treatise on the pagan cemeteries of Ireland there

light on the origin of the

a passage which

may throw

Eiremonian family. The writer is not treating expressly of the and, perhaps, for regal succession, but of the cemeteries in which the kings were buried that very reason he is entitled to greater respect, as sepulchral monuments, associated in
;

national tradition with certain kings, or races of kings, would be more credible witnesses

The treatise is published by Mr. Petrie (Round Towers, p. 96) from a manuscript of the twelfth century ; but the original must have been several centuries more ancient, coeval, at least, with Tighearnach. After enumerating the eight principal cemeteries of the Irish, " before the faith," the author proceeds " Oenach Cruachan, in the first place it was there the race of Eire m on, i. e. the kings of Tara, were used to bury until the time of Crimthan, the son of Lughaidh
than naked genealogies.
:

Riabhndearg, viz. Cobthach Coelbreagh, and Labhraidh Loingseach and Eochoid Feidloch, with his three sons, and Eochoid Airemh, Lughaidh Riabhndearg, the six daughters of Eochoid Feidleach, and Ailill Mac Moda, with his seven brothers." He then explains why

and adds, that from Crimthan, son Eiremonian kings were, with a few exceptions, buried at Brugh, on the banks of the Boyne. This writer manifestly had never heard, or did not believe, that there were Eiremonian kings before Labhraidh Loingseach, or he
these kings were buried at Cruachan, in
of Riabhndearg, included,
;

Roscommon

down

to Loegaire, the

would have
this

told us

where they are

interred.

It is to

be observed

also,

that the reigns of

in

Labhraidh Loingseach and Lughaidh Riabhndearg must have been remarkable epochs Irish history. Both are mentioned by Tighearnach the former, as the first of thirty La;

genian kings of Ireland (notes,

p.

446, supra); the

latter, as
I

the

first

of thirty kings of

Loath Cuinn (notes,

p.

472, supra, A. D. 79).

Labhraidh,

conclude,

was

therefore UK?

CAMBUKNSIS EVERSUS.
first
i.

505
to Leinster

historic

Eiromonian king; but his territory was confined

and Connaught,
first

e.

Gailiau and Olnegtnacht

;

Round Towers,

p. 99.

Lughaidli became the

Eire-

monian king of Leath Cuinn his son, Crinithan, naturally leaves his burial ground at Cruachan for Brugh and with Crimthan's son, Feradhach the Just, commences, accord;

ing to Charles O'Conor, the

first

authentic Eiremonian genealogy

Note

n
,

p.

494, supra.

Lughaidh was,
logy of
its

therefore, the founder of that northern

kingdom which gradually acquired

a permanent ascendancy in the island, and preserved thenceforward the most correct geneakings.

Another proof of the modern date of the Eiremonian family may be taken from the admission of O'Flaherty himself, that all the Eiremonians were descended from the dubious

and comparatively modern personages, yEngus Tuirmeach and Loegaire Lore (supra, and how frail the evidence founded on their claims must be, has been proved in p. 449)
;

the notes, supra, pp. 445, 446, 447.

The

story of the extirpation of the nobles

by the Athachtuatha,

in the first centurv,

;

was another convenient

yet novelty
is

bardic device to conceal the modern origin of the dominant race

its

whole history. For, from the moment that Crimthan comes to be buried at Brugh, we can trace, by tradition, the Eiremonian genealogy becoming consistent in his son, Feradach the Eiremonian kingdom assuming something like a

stamped on

reality in

the formation of

Meath by Feradach's grandson, Tuathal Teachtmar

its

(p.

467,

supra)

and the Eiremonian race extending

P,

ster (p. 469, note

supra), of Leinster (p.

,

ascendancy gradually over parts of Mun473), and over nearly all Ulster and Con-

naught (pp. 491, 493, supra before the commencement of the fifth century. Without intending to deny positively that an Eiremonian, named Ugaine Mor, may have preceded Labhraidh Loingseach by some years, and conquere'd those fair districts,

which always have been the

89, 63^

first

seized

by invaders (supra,

p.

445), I would fix the real

origin of the Eiremonian power in Ireland at the invasion of Labraidh Loingseach, A. C.

According to

tradition,

Labhraidh came from Gaul, and as Leinster and Conall

naught, which anciently included a large portion of Meath province, were, according to
authorities,

and Charles O'Conor's map, the principal seats of the Firbolg or Belga3, it is but natural to conclude that Labhraidh's followers were the Belgse, who had long been in
possession of the south of Britain, and of the greater part of Gaul.

But here a great

it

diffi-

culty arises

What

are

we

to think of the colony of Belgae, which,

under the conduct of

a
fable,

Slainghe, seized Ireland even before the Tuatha de

Dananns ?

Is

or

must we
for

admit, as Thierry admits for France, several Belgic invasions ?

Or how can we account

the marked distinction, preserved even to the seventeenth century, between the Eiremonian and Firbolg genealogies in Connaught ? Now, in forming his opinion here, the reader

must remember,

1st,

that a Labhraidh Loingseach

ii.

was admiral under

the traditionary
into five

Slainghe (Prolegom. pars

p. Iviii.

note 7 )

2ndly, that Ireland

was divided

provinces by Slainghe, and a similar division

Feidleach, nearly contemporary of

was made by

the Eiremonian Eochaidh

;

Keating, the Firbolgs,

to Ireland,

who had been expelled by

King Labhraidh Loingseach 3rdly, that, according to the Tuatha de Dananns, suddenly return

no one knows how, after more than 1000 years, and acquire lands in Leinster and Connaught at the very time when the Puntarchy was revived^?] by Eochaidh Feidleach

506

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER
;

VIII.

OF

(Halidays Edit. p. 193, note, supra, p. 434) 4thly, that the best soldiers of the great Eiremonian, Cormac mac Art, and of his father and sou, were Firbolg ( Transactions of Royal Irish Academy, vol. i. p. 54 Ogygia, pp. 328, 341), and that he found a retreat from his
;

enemies
dii are

among

the

Connaught Belgoe(p. 477, supra)

" the great Milesians"

othly, that the Firbolg

p.
;

Gamanra-

291) finally, that the soldiers of the three Collas, who destroyed the palace of Eamania, and conquered the These may be only coingreater part of Irian Ulster, were all Belga3 Supra,- p. 491.
expressly styled

(Hy- Fiachrach,

cidences in the history of the traditionary Firbolgs of Slainghe, with the historic invasion of

Labhraidh Loingseach but they are coincidences sufficiently strong to justify great doubts of the former, especially as Dr. O'Conor (notwithstanding note e which I have
; ,

taken from him,

p.

417, supra) admits, in another place, that some of the best authorities
first

do not mention the

colony of Firbolgs. Moreover, nothing

is

more common

in merely

traditional history than

an inversion of dates and events.

When

the conquering Belgas

and the conquered had been amalgamated into one people, and began after some centuries to digest their history, it would not be unprecedented in bardic story to find them antedating,

the

by some thousand years, the Firbolg in vasion,an event which occurred shortly before commencement of the Christian era, and adopting as their own the genealogy of anothem
in Ireland.

ther race settled with

Thus, because the Romans,

who
r

conquered
ancestor,

Britain, were descended from vEneas, the Britons soon discovered that their
Britus, belonged to the

ow n

same family

Irish Nennius, p. 35.

And when,

about the middle

had adopted Irish names they found no difficulty in tracing their origin to Milesian, or to any stock but the English though the continued presence of English power in Ireland, and the constant influx of English blood, must have counteracted powerfully the process of amalgamation, and the general adoption of Milesian notions. I think it manifest from Irish history, that,
of the fourteenth century, nearly all the rural Strongbownians

and

dress,

if

new English colonies had not been planted in this country in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the term " Saxon," or " Englishman," or "Norman," would have been

long since, even in the baronial halls of Butlers, Burkes, and Fitzgeralds, as opprobrious an epithet as " Firbolg" ever was in the ancient raths and cathairs of the so-called Eiremonian nobles. But there are two other means of explaining how Firbolg and Eiremonian, though*really the

same

race,

that at different intervals, from A. C.

first, by admitting might yet have been distinguished 300 cir., colonies of Belgse may have landed in Ire:

land from Britain or Gaul, but that they were subdued by the great Belgic colony in the year A. C. 83, 69; or by what appears to me a more probable supposition, that theBelg.fi
of Leath Cuinn, that
is,

the race of Crimthan, A. D. 79, gradually extended their conquests

over their kindred in Connaught and in Leinster, during the course of the three following centuries, and that thus the conquered Belgse of Leinster and Connaught came to be

regarded as mere Firbolgs, while the conquerors were metamorphosed into Eiremonians. But however these matters may be explained, no advocate of the antiquity of the Eire-

monian colony can explain how

it

happened that Tighearnach could not

445.

find
list

a regular
of Irians

succession of Eiremonian kings before the Christian era, though he gave a

from the foundation of Eamania, A. C. 305, 226

Supra,

p.

Though Mr. Moore adopts

the opinion that the

Belg* were a Teutonic

race, there

can

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
be
little

507

the possibility of cavil.

;

doubt that they were Celtic. Amedee Thierry has demonstrated the fact beyond It is admitted by all, that the Gauls, or Galatians of Asia Minor, were Celts and St. Jerome attests that he heard them use the same language which he

had heard used by the natives of Treves, confessedly the very centre of the Belgic population. We may remark, too, that one of the arguments which determine the date of the
Septuagint version of the Scriptures,
is

derived from the Gaulish

(i.

e.

is the use of the word -yaiaoQ by the translators. It Galatian) word for spear," gaes," the word which gave its

name

to the province of Leinster,

it

and which,

to this day, is preserved in the Irish language.

But

must

be.

admitted that the Cauci,

who

figure

east coast of Ireland, were probably not a Belgic people ;

their position in the rich plains of

on Ptolemy's map on the central and it is highly probable, from

Meath and Dublin, that they were comparatively a

modern colony. Now to account, if possible, for this admixture of races on those lands, which all our traditions regard as Eiremonian, it may be useful to state briefly the revolutions in Gaul, especially during the
first

century before Christ, because they appear to

Gaul, from the earliest ages,

confirm Tighearnach's date of Labhraidh Loingseach.

was

occupied by Celts, except the south, where Iberians, Ibero-Ligurians, and Celto-Ligurians,
reigned from the

mouth

of the Garonne nearly to the Alps.

About 600 years before

Christ,

the Gaulish Celts were invaded

by

the Cymri, a kindred tribe,

who

introduced Druidism,
race arising from

and

effected settlements, especially in the north

and west.

The mixed

the amalgamation of Celts and

Cymri

is

called Gallo or Cel to- Cymric.

About 350 years

before Christ, a second invasion of Cymri, who, for distinction's sake, are called
Belgse, reduced the

Cymritwo Ligurian nations under the yoke. The conquered territory was nearly co -extensive with the province of Languedoc. The conquerors were called Volcse, Ouoalki, Volgge, Bolgje, and divided into two branches, the Tectosagi and Arecomiki. Thus

we have
rians.

in this southern province a

mixed population, Ligurians,

Celts,

Cymri, and Ibe-

It is

highly probable that an additional element was added during that memorable

invasion of the

Cymri and Teutons, who combined their forces against Rome in the commencement of the first century before Christ. For, as soon as the Cymro-Teuton horde had
penetrated to the south of Gaul, the Tectosagi and Arecomiki flew to arms with them against
the

Roman

province; and though Marius defeated, and,

it is

it is

said, annihilated their

com-

bined armies,

not an improbable supposition that some, and

among them

the Teutons,

may have

escaped and found refuge in the territories of their friends in Languedoc.

is

But

the argument for the correctness of Tighearnach's date

independent of that supposition.

For when Sertorius, who fought under Marius in the Cymro-Teuton war, retired to Spain during the civil wars some twenty years later, and bade defiance to the power of Rome, he was assisted by the Tectosagi and Arecomiki, who, after his defeat by Pompey, became
the helpless victims of

Roman tyranny and

atrocious cruelty.

All

who were

able, to save

themselves from the sword, or famine, or slavery, fled to the Pyrenees, where, aided by

Spaniards and Iberians of Aquitaine, they defied for a considerable time the whole power
of

Pompey. Compelled at length to yield, they dispersed, or were transplanted to the banks of the Garonne, about seventy-five years before Christ, where they gave its name to the town " their mixed we admit the which
Convense,"
expresses
origin.
If,

then,

authority of Tighearnach, and the tradition which brings Labhraidh Loingseach from Gaul,

508
is

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER

VIII.

OF

there

place, at that time, than

it is

any part of that country from which an emigration would more naturally take from the south ? The argument, I know, is not evidence, though corroborated by an Act of Elizabeth's [rish Parliament, A. D. 15G9, which rests her
the Irish

title to

Crown on

the fact that, according to authentic annals,

Gurmond, son
title

of

Belenus,

King

of Great Britain,

was
!

lord of Bayonne,

when Eiber and Eireamon

some

set out

from that port as fugitive exiles

But, however feeble this bastard

is

may appear,
have

the coincidence of dates, events, and traditions,

entitled to

respect, especially as it

would explain what our own

asserted, that the Irish

writers,

and Giraldus, as well as learned

also explain

philologists

were a people of very mixed race, and their language a compound

It

of all the tongues of Babel.

would

how

the Eiremonians, though Belgae,

might, from the proximity of their original country to Spain, and their admixture with
Iberians, adopt the tradition in Ireland of a Spanish origin,
if

any colony from Spain had

preceded them, a question which shall be discussed immediately.

The more common opinion

of our writers, I

from the mouth of the Rhine and Germany.

sustained
tradition.

am aware, derives the Menapii and Cauci When the Cymri and Teutons were pouring their
is

united forces southwards, an emigration from that quarter

probable enough, but not well

by

careful edition of ancient Irish documents, with explanatory

appended to Irish Nennivs, is the only certain means of deciding whether the Eiremonian Belgas, i. e. " the Firbolgs of Erin," came directly from the mouth of the Rhine or the more civilized districts south of the Garonne. If they came from the
notes, similar to these

south,

we can

easily understand Heating's traditionary story of the battles

it

and sufferings

of the Firbolgs in the classic lands of Greece, for

was from

Tolosa, the Belgic capital

of southern Gaul, that the barbarian hosts issued,

which defeated the Greek successors and hung up, after their return, own Gaulish Apollo, Belenus. The

of Alexander the Great, pillaged the temple of Delphos,

the spoils of the Grecian Apollo in the temple of their

Irish certainly

wore the tight

briicchae of the southern Gauls.

II

ITIIIANS.

In the preceding sketch of the Eiremonians, I have supposed that the Deagaidh, the reputed descendants of Fearmara, son of ^Engus Tuirmeach ( p. 449, supra) were not
Eireamonians.

But

as O'Flaherty
to support

and others maintain that they were, the following

opinion
:

arguments are proposed

According to the

my
;

on the Pagan cemeteries, the Eiremonian kings, before but Conaire Mor, who was of the Deagaidli race, Crimthain, were buried at Cruachan
treatise

preceded Ciimthan, and was, according to the same authority, buried at Magli Feci in
Bregia, or at Tara, according to others.

The same
race
;

writer states, that the clan

Dedad (Deagaidh) and the Ernai were one

and O'Flaherty constantly uses both names as synonymous. Yet Maellruan, probably the most ancient authority on the subject, traces the descent of the Ernai to Ith, Their and gives them the first place among his descendants Irish Nennius, p. 263.
principal cemetery, called
liights, p.

Teamhair Earann, or Teamhair Luachra Deaghaich (Book of

in Kerry, a district which, in ancient

255) was situated near Castle Island,

times,

was part

of the principal possessions of the Ithian race.

CAMBREKSIS EVERSUS.
Charles O'Conor
sents the

509
map
he repre-

may

also be cited to support this opinion, for in his

Ernaan Daliiatach of Ulster as "

Iberi Septentrionales ;"

and good arguments

whom lie marks by the different names, Iberi, Ernai, were really branches of the same Ithian family. It is true, he calls the Eruai a Belgian race, but I have never met any authority for a Belgian colony in Kerry, which, as he allows, was one of the possessions of the Ernai Australes. was another alias name for the or " that " It
can be adduced to prove that those
Lugadii,
appears, too,

Dergtinnii"
It is

Ithians.

(Ogygia,

p.

268).

Dergthene," not unlike " Darnii," the tribe which Ptolemy places in

that part of Ulster, which, according to tradition,

was .occupied

in the second century

by

the Deagaidh Dalfiatach.

I find no names to explain ), and " Dergtinne ;" but in the Ithian '' " Deagaidh beops," which Dergene," and a genealogy (Ogyyia, p. 149) we have a The Derga explain the common appellation, if we admit that the Deagaidh were Ithian.

Finally, in the Eireamonian genealogies (infra, p. [248]

how

the

same

tribe could be called

"

"

Deagaidh

among the Ithians by Irish Nennius, p. 262. Supposing then, as veiy probable, the identity of the Ithian, Deagaidh, and Dalfiatach races, we proceed to the traditional history of the family, and the territories which
are expressly classed

they are known to have occupied at different periods. Munster was, it is said, the territory of the Ithians

From
;

the Milesian conquest, South

they enjoyed, alternately with the

Ogygia, pp. 149, 268.

Eiberians of North Munster, the crown of the united provinces

But, about

years before Christ, the Deagaidh invaded Munster, and drove both The former never recovered Ibid. Ithians and Eiberians towards the western shore
fifty

their power, but were thenceforward confined nearly to the limits of the

modern

diocese of

46) the latter continued to enjoy, alternately with the Deagaidh, the provincial crown, and under Olill Olum, A. D. 237, they acquired the sovereignty of the whole province Olill's sons, Eogan and Cas, being appointed by his will heirs of the
Ross (Book of Rights,
p.
: ;

two

Ministers,
p.

and thenceforward kings, by alternate

succession, of the

whole province

Ogygia,

326.

of this Deagaidh invasion of Munster, and of the Dalfiatach invasion of which preceded it by some years (Ogygia, p. 266), coincides very remarkably with the date already assigned to the establishment of the Belgse in LeSnster, Meath, and
Ulster,

The date

Connaught

sought other settlements ?

by the Belgse, and Are there any proofs that the Deagaidh were the immediate The reader can decide from the following data: predecessors of the Belgse in Tara? Suppose that we find a race driven north and south from Meath at a given period, and

Can it be

that the Deagaidh and Dalfiatach were expelled

the same race retiring to the mountains of

tered fragments in

Wicklow and Waterford, and broken

;

into scat-

Connaught at the same time suppose, moreover, that history records an invasion at that time, and the growing ascendancy of the invaders in the central districts of the island is it not rational to infer that the dispersion of one race was the con:

sequence of the invasion of the other

?
(i.

Now, from comparing some

e.

of the preceding
it

references with the sketch of the Ithian

Deagaidh) race

Ogygia, pp. 322, 329),

appears that from about the

tion of the

first

settlement of the Belgae, but especially from the destrucin his

Deagaidh Conaire Mor,

own

palace, at the foot of the

Dublin mountains

510
(p. 455,

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER
n
c
,

VIII.

OF

supra}, the Ueagaidh race presents all the appearance of a people sinking
race.

under a more powerful

They

rallied occasionally,

for instance,

and Lugaidh Mac Con,

but, with the exception of the Dalfiatach branch,

under Conary II. which was con-

founded with the Irian in Ulidia (Reeves's Ecclesiastical Antiquities, p. 352) and the Ithians of Corcolaidhe (diocese of Ross), they soon ceased, as O'Flaherty (p. 322) and Dr. O'Brien (Book of Rights, p. 42) observe, to figure among the leading families in the
island.

The

fate of their race

is

represented not inaptly by that of one of their chief prin-

cipalities.

Muskerry, so called from the Deagaidh, Carbry Muse, once included the richest part of Tipperary, Limerick, and Cork, but is now confined to the most barren district in
the latter county.
It

would be too tedious

to propose other arguments.

For the present,

it is

n. P), it

(p. 461, be inferred that the Ithian race, taking it to include Deagaidh, Dalfiatach, Derga, Ernai, &c. &c., must at one period have occupied nearly the whole south of Ireland, the plain of Leinster and Meath and that the invasion of Munster and Ulster, by the

enough

to say that,

by a

line of reasoning nearly the

same as that employed

may

so-called Eiremonian Deagaidh,

tral Ireland before the

was nothing more than the

retreat of the Ithians of cen-

invading Belgae.

Charles O'Conor places on his

Ireland, they

map two
To

tribes of Iberians.

If there

were any such in

submitted to

were certainly Ithian.

test the truth of his conjecture, I

Mr. O'Donovan a selection of Iberian names, especially topographical prefixes and suffixes, taken from Humboldt's " Inquiry into the Primitive Population of SpainV The result
is,

that the difference between Iberian and Irish topographical nomenclature

is in

general

where they agree, it is more natural to infer that Humboldt was mis" taken, than that we had an Iberian colony. For instance, he states that the word bearna" is Basque or Iberian, and that it means a hollow between mountains (p. 41), the sense in
so great that, even

which the word

is

commonly used
it

in Irish.

There are other coincidences

but the want

of a good Irish dictionaiy, which would give correctly the ancient and modern topographical forms, renders

impossible to pronounce a safe judgment

especially as Iberian

and

Celtic forms are sometimes so confounded in Spain, that neither Astarlao nor

Humboldt

can distinguish them.

names, that
sons,

It

would

therefore be premature to infer,

;

from mere topographical

we

ever had a purely Iberian colony in Ireland

all

but there are several rea-

none conclusive of themselves, yet

tending to prove the truth of the constant and

universal tradition, that

we had

at least a CeZdberian colony,

and that the Ithians were

Humboldt,
p. 25.

that colony.

" Musciria" in Thus, there was a place named Spain

Baschaoin, the

name

of a Deagaidh tribe in the county of Clare, sounds very like Basque,

rians

Vasque, the various asperated forms of Eusc, Ausc, the national name of the ancient IbeIbid. p. 55. There -was also a Rauda in Spain. p. 20. Now, the three most

distinguished branches of the Deagaidh are derived by tradition from three brothers,

in general a greater resemblance

There is also Ogygia, p. 322. Carberry Muse, Carberry Baskin, and Carberry Reuda. between the Spanish and Ithian names (ibid. p. 329;
Irish Nennius, p. 263) than between the Spanish

and any other class of

Irish names.

It

a "

Pruning der Untersuchungen uber die Uberwohner Hispaniens vermittelst der Vaskischen
Berlin, 1821.

Sprache."

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
should also be stated, that
(p. 145), distinguished the

511

no other part of Ireland. with the learned works of continental scholars, can decide intention to contend for more than a probability.

among the characteristics which, according to Humholdt Spanish Celts from the Gauls, some apply to Minister, and to Nothing but a careful collation of the ancient Irish manuscripts
this question
;

nor

is it

my
on

The claims
the
fact,

of the Ithians to be regarded as the ancient Spanish colony,

must

rest

that Ptolemy places the Spanish tribes in the southern territory, attributed
;

by

tra-

dition to the Ithians in the second century

his Milesian brethren in Ireland,

that Ith, according to

to his

all

accounts, preceded

and appropriated

own

descendants the

name Dear

gad, which (Deagath)

was

the

name

of one of the principal progenitors of the Milesian

family

Irish Nennius, p. 237.

It is written

Oeaca

(p.

239), which, in sound at

least,

and nearly in orthography, is identical with Dea, the name of a people in the south of Gaul, and with the Zteobriga, Deobrigula, of the Spanish Celts Humboldt, pp. 84, 94. Ith's father, Breogan, grandson of Deagath, and traditionary conqueror of Spain, bequeathed his name to the richest of
all the

Muskerries, Muskerry Breogan, the "golden

vale," situated in the south-west of the county of Tipperary

Book of Rights,

p.

45.

Ill

EIBEUIANS.

The

traditional story of the Siberians is

more perplexed, and the

position of their

territories

more inexplicable, than those of any other branch of the Milesian family. The usual story is that Eiber took the south of Ireland, that his descendants were subsequently

confined to North Munster, which they held until the Deagaidh invasion,

when they were

driven to the western shores.

sive possession of all

But, recovering strength gradually, they obtained exclu-

Munster under

Mogh Nuadhat and

Olill

of the

Hundred

Battles to give

them the southern half

of Ireland,

Olum, and compelled Con A. D. 192, 237. Judg-

we should incline to believe that the Eiberians preceded the Eiremonians, and were severed by the Eiremonian invasion into two great sections, one forming the northern line of the present Leinster, stretching from Dublin and Drogheda
ing from topography alone,
to the Shannon, and occupying a strong position in north-east Connaught (p. 471, n. , supra) the other co-extensive with the greater part of north Munster, and having no connexion with the Leinster branch, except through the Delvins of the King's County so
; :

that the whole family presents the appearance of an irregular semicircle in the centre of

the island.

But

if

we

consult genealogy, the inference

would

be,

on the contrary, that

1st. Irish

the Eiberians were later than the Eiremonians, and were, like them, Belgae.

Nennius.

p.

259, mentions no Eiberian family which does not descend either from
Olill

Mogh
and

Nuadhat, or his son

Ibid. p. 260, n. x .

Olum.

2ndly.

Some

of these are expressly called Firbolg

Srdly. Others occupied Firbolg territories, paid Firbolg tribute,

hardly

differed,

if at all,

from Firbolg in name

Supra,

p.

k 471, n. .

4thly. Several

remarkable names in the genealogy of Mogh Nuadhat (Ogygia, p. 145) have a suspicious resemblance to names in the genealogy of the widely extended and ancient Ithian family,
such as Dearg, Dergineus, Macniadus, &c. &c. (Ogyg.
the most distinguished progenitors of the race
p.

149); as

if

the Eiberians adopted

5thly.

whose

territories

they seized.

About

512
the period

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER
when Gaul,

VIII.

OF

Spain, and Britain, Avere convulsed by the contest between Albinus

and Severus,

Irish tradition records the return (arrival ?) of

Mogh Nuadhat,
is,

the Eiberian

patriarch, with a large army, from Spain,

by which he

laid the foundation of the

permato

nent greatness of his family

Ogygia, p. 315.

This invasion

of

itself, sufficient

explain the origin and history of the Eiberians, except the singular position of the Leinster branch. Whether the grant, said to have been made by Cormac Mac Art to the

know not

Eiberians after the battle of Crinna Breagh (p. 479, supra), can explain the point, I but if Tighearnach's period of Munster kings (p. 473, n. r ; supra} be ever found unmutilated, it may clear up the matter. Finally, judging from the name of the tribe,
,

which appears

to

be the same as Eburini, Eburones, &c.,

;

it

whence they came

p. 101.

was very common in Celtic Spain, Histoire des Gaulois, vol. ii. among the Belgae of northern Gaul
for,

though

it

would be impossible to guess it was also found

p.

37

Humboldt,

IV
I

TUATHA DEA DANANN.

in Irish tradition.

have already directed attention to the mysterious part which the Tuatha Dea play They have left nothing after them but their fame and their reputed

No genealogist has traced any Irish family to their race during more than 1000 years, though the genealogies of the Firbolgs, who, it is said, preceded them, are yet preserved. They disappear almost totally, as an Irish race, the moment the Milesians subbuildings.

due them.
places,

Like beings of another world, they haunt the mountains, or other secluded

and occupy, in popular Irish story, nearly the same position as the fabled Willis of the mountains of Hungary in the traditional tales of the Maygars of the plains.

The

inevitable inference

is,

that they were either a very small

to other Irish races in civilization, or,

what

Irians or Ithians under another

name.

body of men, superior more probable, that they are either the The oldest and best authorities confess they know
is

far

not whence they came.

Ordnance Survey,

p.

231. Their name,

Dea Danann, and Dagda,

one of the greatest of them, bear a suspicious resemblance to Deatha and Degad of the
Ithian
p.

09, supra.

Two
;

of the Ithian

monarchs

also reigned in Aileach, the great

monument
any
as

of the

Dea Danaun but

it is

coincidences of this kind are quite insufficient to justify

conclusion, for

manifest that the traditionary stories of different Irish races have,

might naturally be expected, been strangely jumbled. Aine, who was one of the last of Dea, and bequeathed her name to Cnoc Aine in the county of Limerick, is said, in
popular story, to have been ravished by Olill Olum, King of Munster, in the fourth century.

One
sea

feature distinguishes

them from

all

other colonies.

the gods of Irish pagan story being connected with their race.
;

They had a mythology, They had a god of

all

the

a great queen,

"

deities of the arts

and

sciences.

" Badbh ;" and other tutelary Morriogna ;" a goddess of war, So many absurdities have been gravely broached on the

Finians, or Irish Phoenicians from Africa (where,

by the way, the Poeni never

called

themselves Poeni [Feine], but Chenani, as St. Augustine assures us), that it is most desirable to avoid rash conjectures on the existence of a colony in Ireland from the civilized
nations of the ancient world.
rectly compiled

But
i.

the history of the Ionian colony of Marseilles, corii.

by Thierry

(vol.

p. 26, vol.

p.

Ill) from the

classic authors, bears so

CAMBRENSIS EVKRSUS.
striking a resemblance to the legend of St. Cadroe

513

brings an Ionian colony to Ireland, that

in Ireland, or that legend
classic authors,

we can

safely say, either there

(Acta Sanctorum, -p. 495), which was a Greek colony

of

St.

and adapted

to Irish story.

Cadroe was compiled in the eleventh century, from the Events from Scripture history have been

it yet remains to be proved that some learned monk, catching up the traditionary wanderings of our progenitors from the East, and finding them resemble in so many points the story of the fugitive lonians, may not, by a very

incorporated with our legends, and

natural error, have confounded both.

true, that the learned reveries of Christian hagiographists could

among the
It

Christian Irish,

Against such a supposition it might be urged, it is never have popularized, " the God of the the great queen " Morriogna," and Sea," &c.,
Histoire des Gaulois, vol.
ii.

the favorite Diana and Apollo of the Gaulish lonians

p.

128.

might also be' urged that Segobriges, the name of the Gaulish tribe which gave the settlement at Marseilles to the lonians, and united with them, appears identical with Siabhra,
an alias name of the Tuatha Dea Danann, or
the hospitable Segobrigian king

was

called

Nann.

Ana {Round Towers, p. But we must leave

d 96, n. );

and that

the topic to others,

with this confident conjecture, that ordinary industry, starting from the assertion of Irish
Nennius,
p.

225, that there was a Greek colony in Ireland, could compile a defence of

that assertion far more ingenious than all that has been written during the last seventy

years in favor of a Phoenician colony.

The inquiry

into the

must be deferred

to their proper place.

arguments derived from the remains of ancient art in Ireland, They are not inconsistent, I believe, with any

of the views proposed in this Appendix.

The golden

tinge observed on

some of our bronze

remains, reminds us of the well-known fame of Marseilles in the art of gilding. The Gauls " Stannum album themselves, acquired an acknowledged pre-eminence in similar arts
:

incoquitur sereis operibus, Galliarum invento, ita ut vix discerni possit ab argento."
Plin.
1.

xxxiv.

c.

17.

They never could equal the fame

ii.

of the ancient Spaniards in tem-

pering their steel

sally admitted.

but in works of brass, and copper, and bronze, their fame was univerp.

Histoire des Gaulois, vol.

43.
:-

CONCLUSION.

The preceding
to

notices,

with the notes

p.

461, and note

n
,

p.

494, give what appears

me

the most consistent account of the traditionary Milesian family, as far as ancient

topography and genealogy can be depended on. The date of the several invasions can never be ascertained, except, perhaps, by inference from the revolutions on the continent.

numental,

from the East appear utterly devoid of moeven traditional testimony, unless we class among the evidences of Eastern origin the tradition that most of the Irish colonies came from Thrace. The

The Vallancey

theories of direct colonization

historical, or

traditional story of all our colonies does point in that direction,

epithet applied

by Humboldt
;"

to the

of the

human

race

but no Irish

and so far justifies the " the western high-road Bosphorus and Dardanelles, colonies are so freshly stamped with the Eastern mark,
;

that they

may

not have tarried in Spain, Gaul, or Britain

and

it is,

therefore,

from the

revolutions of these countries

we must

conjecture the number, date, and succession of Irish

2L

514
colonies.

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER
Now
it

VIII.

OF

of Britain and Gaul.

happens that the number of Irish colonies nearly coincides with those The Welsh Triads admit four for Britain Thierry admits three for
;

Gaul

while our accounts vary from three to four.

1st.

The Nemedians

of our story are probably of that primaeval Celtic race which

first

penetrated to the western shores of Europe.

The name
103

is

found in the mountains of

Auvergne, and in the Asturias

second race; but the word
p.
is

and

also in places subsequently occupied

by Gauls

of the

Gaelic.

Humboldt,

p.

ancient authority derives the word " De sacris silvarum a sense which is still quse nimidas vocant," (ibid), " a sacred " preserved in the Irish word neimheat), wood," or simply a wood." Petrie's

cxxiv.

An

Hintoire des Gazilois, vol. i. " Nemed " or " Nimidse " from the
;

sacred woods,

Round Towers,

p. 59.

If the

Nemedians they should have found

179.

Fomorians of our traditions were Phoenicians, it is these old in Ireland, and so all traditional stories declare. The
pirates

Nemedian reign was one long and bloody war against the Fomoriaa
p.

Keating,

2nd.

Two

colonies next arrive,

in rapid succession,

the fabled Firbolgs and the

Admitting those invasions as a- fact, however we may doubt the names of the invaders, the invasion of Gaul and Britain by the Cymri, about 600 years before Christ (Histoire des Gauhis, vol. iii. p. 2), would explain the descent of two colonies in quick succession

Tuatha de Dananns.

on

this country
fly

about the same period.

The

original Celts of

Britain, perhaps of Gaul,

of later ages fled

westward from the Cymri, as the Britons and Gauls from the Romans. Those fugitive British Celts were probably the first
(i. e.

would

invaders of Ireland
dition of

Firbolgs) after the Nemedians.

But

as

we have a

distinct tra-

an ancient colony of Cruithuians direct from Gaul (Irish Nennius, p. 133), and as the advanced guard of Cymri conquerors of Gaul, were themselves compelled, some sixty
or seventy years later, to fly with the vanquished Celts before fresh

Cymri hordes (Histoire

des Gaulois, vol.

i.

p. 40), it

accords well both with native tradition and foreign history to

admit that a colony of mingled Celts and Cymri, that is Cruitlmians, arrived in Ireland not long after the British Celts. The Pictones were Cymri- Celt, and occupied the sea
coast between the Loire Irish

and Garonne

(ibid. vol.

ii.

p.

31), the very place from which

Nennius brings the Irish Picts. I have already given my reasons for believing that the Irians of Eire were the Cruithne, and that they must have at a remote period occupied
nearly the whole island
Celt and
3rd.
p.

461.

Thierry

is

of opinion that the Picts were a

mixed race,
from

vol. i. p. cxx. Cymri About 200 years after the

last invasion, tradition places the great colony

Spain.

It

would be ridiculous

to insist

on coincidence of dates, but we

may remark that

these 200 years, dating from the close of the sixth century before Christ, would nearly bring us to the conquest of Spain by the Carthaginians, an event which would naturally

compel

many of the
;

Spanish Celts to seek new settlements.

Celtiberians

the Irians, defeated and driven from Tara, built

The Ithians apparently were Eamania in Ulster, but, in

These two tribes

other quarters of the island, are found only in the mountains and bogs.

were, as far as topography and genealogy can be relied on, the most widely diffused of all
Irish tribes before the reign of Tuathal in the second century
;

and, in

my

opinion, they

are the Guiddil Fiehti

and Guiddil Coch of the British Triads

Irish Xennius, p. xxxviii.

CAMBRENSIS EVERSUS.
Coch, i. e. red, as an epithet for the Ithian or Spanish Celts, " Colorati vultus of Tacitus on the Silurcs of Britain:

515
may
agree with the remark

Iberos veteres trajecisse,

Mem

faciunt."

Agricola, 11.

4th. After a glorious reign of

some 1000

years, the Spanish colony

all the

was brought

to

the verge of ruin,

in the

we

are told,

by a great conspiracy of
There

plebeians or Athach-tuatha,

commencement
years' reign.
I

of the Christian era.

is

not a shadow of evidence for the

1000

have already given

my

opinion of the foundation of the Irish

mo-

narchy in those ages, by the Eiremonian, and, perhaps, Siberian Belgae, who commenced by conquering the midland districts, arid gradually extended their sway over the whole
island.

We should naturally expect

it is

that,

and

Britain, the kindred Celtic tribes of Eire,

during the progress of the Roman arms in Gaul though not invaded, should feel the shock.

And
all is

in truth

in those very ages that the scene of

;

confusion; province, fights against province

"

most of our romantic tales is laid " the ghosts that stalk through the
:

begin to acquire something like the distinctness of a historic age. In conclusion, the chief object in proposing this theory of " Irish invasions" is to elicit from scholars, who are better acquainted with Irish manuscripts and tradition, a
twilight of tradition

more consistent theory on Pagan Ireland. imaginary monumental Irish ethnology.

country
is

We
It

have had a

surfeit of etymological

and

may

be said that the ancient glory of the

renounced.
;

But

it is

monarchies in Europe

that no country, its

enough that Ireland was one of the most ancient Christian means considered, made a more heroic and sucthat,

cessful battle against the

Danes

during more than

five centuries, Ireland

was synony-

mous with learning and

precedence of France in

pietv in western

and central Europe; and that, if England took the General Council of Constance, it was because the King of

England was Lord

of the ancient

kingdom

of Ireland.

Hib. Dominicana,

p.

807.

volume,

The Council of the Celtic Society having intrusted me with and its superintendence through the Press, I hereby
of the Society,

the editorship of this

is,

certify that it

in all

respects, conformable to the rules

MATTHEW KELLY,
Member
of the Council,