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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/33439-0.txt b/33439-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..80c3553 --- /dev/null +++ b/33439-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7270 @@ +Project Gutenberg's A Reading Book in Irish History, by P. W. Joyce + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Reading Book in Irish History + +Author: P. W. Joyce + +Release Date: August 15, 2010 [EBook #33439] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A READING BOOK IN IRISH HISTORY *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Asad Razzaki, The Internet Archive +for some images and the Online Distributed Proofreading +Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +Transcriber's note: + + Some typographical and punctuation errors have been + corrected. A complete list follows the text. + + Variations in spelling and hyphenation have been + retained as in the original. + + Words italicized in the original are surrounded by + _underscores_. + + Words with bold emphasis in the original are surrounded + by =equals signs=. + + + + + A READING BOOK + IN + IRISH HISTORY + + BY + + P. W. JOYCE, LL.D. + + _One of the Commissioners for the Publication of + the Ancient Laws of Ireland_ + + Author of + + "A SHORT HISTORY OF IRELAND" "A CHILD'S HISTORY OF IRELAND" + "IRISH NAMES OF PLACES," "OLD CELTIC ROMANCES" + "ANCIENT IRISH MUSIC" + AND OTHER WORKS RELATING TO IRELAND + + LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. + + LONDON, NEW YORK, AND BOMBAY + + DUBLIN: M. H. GILL AND SON + 1900 + + [_All rights reserved_] + + + + +PREFACE. + + +As this little book is intended chiefly for children, the language is +very simple. But to make matters still easier, all words and allusions +presenting the smallest difficulty are explained either in footnotes or +in the "Notes and Explanations" at the end. + +Advantage has been taken of the descriptions under the several +Illustrations to give a good deal of information on the customs and +usages of the ancient Irish people. + +Although the book has been written for children, it will be found, I +hope, sufficiently interesting and instructive for the perusal of older +persons. + +The book, as will be seen, contains a mixture of Irish History, +Biography, and Romance; and most of the pieces appear in their present +form now for the first time. A knowledge of the History of the country +is conveyed, partly in special Historical Sketches, partly in the Notes +under the Illustrations, and partly through the Biography of important +personages, who flourished at various periods from St. Brigit down to +the Great Earl of Kildare. And besides this, the Stories, like those of +all other ancient nations, teach History of another kind, very important +in its own way. + +Ancient Irish Manuscript books contain great numbers of Historical and +Romantic Tales; and the specimens given here in translation will, I am +confident, give the reader a very favourable impression of old Irish +writings of this class. + + * * * * * + +I make the following acknowledgments of assistance, with pleasure and +thanks:-- + +To the Council of the Royal Irish Academy I am indebted for the use of +the blocks of many Illustrations in Wilde's "Catalogue of Irish +Antiquities." + +I owe to the Council of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland +several Illustrations from their Journal. + +Colonel Wood-Martin has given me the use of the blocks of several of the +Illustrations in his "Pagan Ireland." + +Lord Walter FitzGerald has given me permission to reproduce the drawing +of the old Chapter House door in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, from +the "Journal of the Kildare Archæological Society." + +And lastly, Messrs. Macmillan & Co. have permitted me to print portions +of Lord Tennyson's poem, "The Voyage of Maildune." + + + + +CONTENTS. + + PAGE + + I. Legends and Early History, 1 + + II. The Song of Inisfail, 7 + + III. Religion of the Pagan Irish, 8 + + IV. Customs and Modes of Life, 14 + + =The Fate of the Children of Lir.= + + V. The Children of Lir turned to + Swans, 22 + + VI. The Swans on Lake Darvra, 27 + + VII. The Swans on the Sea of Moyle, 32 + + VIII. Death of the Children of Lir, 39 + + IX. Religion and Learning in + Ancient Ireland, 45 + + X. The Red Branch Knights, 50 + + =The Fate of the Sons of Usna.= + + XI. The Flight to Alban, 55 + + XII. Concobar's guileful Message, 60 + + XIII. The Return to Emain, 66 + + XIV. Trouble Looming, 72 + + XV. The Attack on the Sons of + Usna, 75 + + XVI. Death of the Sons of Usna, 80 + + XVII. Avenging and Bright, 84 + + XVIII. The Wrath of Fergus, 85 + + XIX. Ancient Irish Physicians: I. 87 + + XX. Ancient Irish Physicians: II. 89 + + XXI. The Fena of Erin, 92 + + XXII. The Chase of Slieve Cullin, 98 + + XXIII. Saint Brigit: I., 103 + + XXIV. Saint Brigit: II., 107 + + XXV. Saint Brigit: III., 111 + + XXVI. Irish Scribes and Books, 114 + + XXVII. The Gilla Dacker and his + Horse, 120 + + XXVIII. The Fena carried off by the + Horse, 123 + + XXIX. Dermot O'Dyna at the Well, 129 + + XXX. Dermot and the + Wizard-Champion, 132 + + XXXI. Saint Columkille: I., 139 + + XXXII. Saint Columkille: II., 145 + + XXXIII. Prince Alfred in Ireland, 150 + + =The Voyage of Maildune.= + + XXXIV. The Voyage of Maildune, 155 + + The First Island, 157 + + XXXV. An Extraordinary Monster, 160 + + The Silver Pillar of the Sea 160 + + XXXVI. Maildune forgives his enemy, 162 + + XXXVII. Tennyson's "Voyage of + Maildune," 164 + + XXXVIII. Saint Donatus: I., 167 + + XXXIX. Saint Donatus: II., 170 + + XL. Danish and Anglo-Norman + Invasions, 173 + + XLI. The Watchfire of Barnalee, 179 + + XLII. Cahal O'Conor of the Red Hand, 181 + + XLIII. Cahal-More of the Wine-red + hand, 186 + + XLIV. Sir John de Courcy, 190 + + XLV. Sir John de Courcy imprisoned, 193 + + XLVI. Sir John de Courcy accepts + a challenge, 197 + + XLVII. Sir John de Courcy and the + French Champion, 200 + + XLVIII. The Earls of Kildare and + Ormond, 203 + + XLIX. Ancient Irish Music, 208 + + Notes and Explanations, 213 + +[Illustration: Ornament from the Book of Kells. See page 117.] + + + + +I. + +LEGENDS AND EARLY HISTORY.[1-1] + + +In our ancient books there are stories of five different races of people +who made their way to Ireland in old times, with very exact accounts of +their wanderings before their arrival, and of the battles they fought +after landing. But these narratives cannot be depended on, for they are +not real History but Legends, that is stories either wholly or partly +fabulous. Of the five early races, the two last, who were called +Dedannans and Milesians, were the most remarkable; and they are mixed up +with most of the old Irish tales. + + [1-1] It is necessary to know the substance of this first sketch in + order to understand the rest of the book. + +The Dedannans, coming from Greece, landed in Ireland; and having +overcome the people they found there, became masters of the country. +They had the name of being great magicians; and ancient Irish writings +are full of tales of the marvellous spells of their skilled wizards. +They remained in possession for about two hundred years, till the +Milesians came, as will now be related. + +For many generations the Milesians, before their arrival in Ireland, +journeyed from one part of Europe to another, seeking for some place of +settlement. And becoming at length weary of this state of unrest, they +consulted their chief druid, who was a skilful seer, and bade him find +out for them when they were to end their wanderings, and where they were +to settle down. The druid, having thought the matter over for a while, +told them that far out on the verge of the western sea was a lovely +green island called Inisfail,[2-1] or the Island of Destiny, which was +to be their final home and resting-place. So they set out once more, and +fared on from land to land, keeping the Isle of Destiny ever in mind, +thinking of it by day and dreaming of it by night. At last they arrived +in Spain, where they lived for a time. Here they were under the command +of the renowned hero "Miled of Spain,"[2-2] or Milesius, from whom they +came to be called Milesians. + + [2-1] Inisfail, one of the old names of Ireland. + + [2-2] Miled, pronounced _Mee-lÄ•_ (two syllables). + +Some old Irish writers say that while they dwelt in Spain, their chiefs, +as they gazed wistfully over the waters northwards, one clear winter's +night, from the top of a tower at the place now called Corunna, saw +Inisfail like a dim white cloud on the sea, in the far distance. +However this may be, the eight sons of Milesius, after their father's +death--many centuries before the Christian era--set sail with a fleet, +and soon arrived on the coast of Ireland. But before they could land, +the Dedannans, by their spells, raised a furious tempest, which wrecked +the fleet and drowned five of the brothers with most of their crews. The +remaining three landed with their men; and having defeated the Dedannans +in battle, they took possession of Ireland. + +[Illustration: A fairy hill: an earthen mound at Highwood, near Lough +Arrow, in Co. Sligo. A fairy moat is also figured at page 15, and a +cairn at page 97.] + +When the Dedannans found that they were no longer able to hold the +country, the legend tells us that they retired to secret dwellings under +old forts, moats, cairns, and beautiful green little hills: and they +became fairies, and built themselves glorious palaces in their new +underground abodes, all ablaze with light, and glittering with gems and +gold. + +From that period forward, till the time of the Danes, there were no more +invasions; and the Milesian kings and people were left to make their own +laws and manage the country as they thought best, without any +interference from outside. + +In the History of Ireland from the settlement of the Milesian Colony +down to the time of St. Patrick, that is, to the fifth century of the +Christian Era, there is a mixture of legend and fact; and it is often +hard to disentangle them, so as to tell which is truth and which is +fable. As we advance, the truth and certainty increase, and the legend +grows less, till we arrive near the time of St. Patrick. From about this +period forward, we are able to tell the main history of the country +without any mixture of fable. + +For a long time in the beginning the Irish people were all pagans; and +the kind of religion they had will be presently described. + +As early as the third or fourth century--long before St. Patrick's +arrival--there were some Christians in Ireland; and it is believed that +the knowledge of Christianity was brought to them from Britain: but on +this point there is no certainty. Their numbers gradually increased as +time went on; and when St. Patrick arrived he found some small Christian +congregations scattered here and there through the country. But the main +body of the people were pagans; and to St. Patrick belongs the glory of +converting them. The history of his life-work need not be told here, as +it will be found set forth in one of the Chapters of the "Child's +History of Ireland." It is enough to say that he arrived in the year +A.D. 432, with many companions to aid him; and that after thirty-three +years of constant toil, he died in 465, leaving the great body of the +people Christians, and the country covered with churches. St. Patrick +was a man of strong will, of great courage--fearing no danger while +doing his Master's work--and possessing mighty power over those he mixed +with and addressed. He was more successful than any other missionary +after the time of the Apostles. + +Some years before St. Patrick's arrival, a great king ruled over Ireland +(from 379 to 405) called Niall of the Nine Hostages. From him were +descended most of the kings who reigned over Ireland after his time till +the Anglo-Norman Invasion.[5-1] + + [5-1] The Anglo-Norman Invasion will be found described at page 175. + +From the earliest ages the Irish of Ulster were in the habit of crossing +the narrow sea to Alban or Scotland, which can be seen plainly from the +sea-cliffs of Antrim; and many settled there and made it their home. In +the year 503, nearly forty years after St. Patrick's death, a great +colony of Irish--men, women, and children--crossed over, commanded by +three princes, brothers, named Fergus, Angus, and Lorne. In course of +time the posterity of these people mastered all Scotland; and from +Fergus, who was their first king, the kings of Scotland were descended. +At that time Ireland was generally known by the name of Scotia, and the +Irish were called Scots; and from them Alban got the name of Scotland. + +[Illustration: Stone Hammers, used when metal was still scarce, or not +known at all. A wooden handle was fixed in the hole. Iron was known in +Ireland from the beginning of the Christian era, and gold, silver, +copper, and bronze, long before it.] + +In old times there were five provinces in Ireland:--Leinster, Ulster, +Connaught, Munster, and Meath. Meath, which stretched from the Shannon +eastwards to the sea, and from Kildare on the south to Armagh on the +north, was about half the size of Ulster. It was the last formed of the +five, and later on it disappeared as a province altogether. The present +counties of Meath and Westmeath occupy only about half of it. In those +times, the county Louth belonged to Ulster, and Cavan and Clare to +Connaught. + +There was a king over each of the five provinces, and over these again +was a king of all Ireland, called the Over-king or head king. The kings +of Ireland had their chief palace on the Hill of Tara in Meath; where +many of the forts and other remains of the old buildings are still to be +seen. But Tara was deserted as a royal residence in the sixth century, +after which the kings of Ireland lived elsewhere. + + + + +II. + +THE SONG OF INISFAIL. + + +I. + + They came from a land beyond the sea, + And now o'er the western main, + Set sail, in their good ships, gallantly, + From the sunny land of Spain. + "Oh, where's the Isle we've seen in dreams, + Our destined home or grave?"-- + Thus sung they, as by the morning's beams + They swept the Atlantic wave. + + +II. + + And lo, where afar o'er ocean shines + A sparkle of radiant green, + As though in that deep lay em'rald mines, + Whose light through the wave was seen. + "'Tis Inisfail--'tis Inisfail!" + Rings o'er the echoing sea, + While, bending to Heav'n, the warriors hail + That home of the brave and free. + + +III. + + Then turn'd they unto the Eastern wave, + Where now their Day-God's eye + A look of such sunny omen gave + As lighted up sea and sky. + Nor frown was seen through sky or sea, + Nor tear on leaf or sod, + When first on their Isle of Destiny + Our great forefathers trod. + +THOMAS MOORE. + + + + +III. + +THE RELIGION OF THE PAGAN IRISH. + + +So far as we are able to judge from our old writings, the pagan Irish +had no one religion common to all the people, and no settled general +form of worship. They had many gods; and it would appear that every +person chose whatever god he pleased for himself. Some worshipped idols; +and we read of certain persons who had spring wells for gods: while some +again adored fire, and others the sun and moon. The people also +worshipped the _shee_ or fairies, who were supposed to live in grand +palaces underground, as described at page 3. The persons who taught the +people all about these gods were the Druids, who were the learned men of +those times. They were believed to be wizards, and some think that they +were pagan priests. + +The pagan Irish had a dim notion of a sort of heaven, a happy land of +perpetual youth and peace. It was believed that there were many happy +lands in different places, which were called by various names, such as +Moy-Mell, I-Brazil, and Tirnanoge. Some were out in the Atlantic Ocean, +off the western coast, while others were down deep beneath lakes, and +some in caves under forts or cairns. They were all inhabited by fairies, +who sometimes carried off mortals: and those whom they brought away +hardly ever came back. A fairy who wished to allure a mortal often +chanted a sort of magical song called an incantation, which exercised a +spell over the person that listened to it. + +There is a pretty story, more than a thousand years old, in the Book of +the Dun Cow, which relates how Prince Connla of the Golden Hair, son of +the great king Conn the Hundred-Fighter, was carried off by a fairy from +the western shore in a crystal boat to Moy-Mell. One day--as the story +relates--while the king and Connla and many nobles were standing on the +sea-shore, a boat of shining crystal approached from the west: and when +it had touched the land, a fairy, like a human being, and richly +dressed, came forth from it, and, addressing Connla, tried to entice him +into it. No one saw this strange being save Connla alone, though all +heard the conversation: and the king and the nobles marvelled, and were +greatly troubled. At last the fairy chanted the following words in a +very sweet voice: and the moment the chant was ended, the poor young +prince stepped into the crystal boat, which in a moment glided swiftly +away to the west: and prince Connla was never again seen in his native +land. + + +THE CHANT OF THE FAIRY TO CONNLA OF THE GOLDEN HAIR. + + +I. + + A land of youth, a land of rest, + A land from sorrow free; + It lies far off in the golden west, + On the verge of the azure sea. + A swift canoe of crystal bright, + That never met mortal view-- + We shall reach the land ere fall of night, + In that strong and swift canoe: + We shall reach the strand + Of that sunny land + From druids and demons free; + The land of rest, + In the golden west, + On the verge of the azure sea! + + +II. + + A pleasant land of winding vales, bright streams, and verdurous + plains, + Where summer, all the live-long year, in changeless splendour + reigns; + A peaceful land of calm delight, of everlasting bloom; + Old age and death we never know, no sickness, care, or gloom; + + The land of youth, + Of love and truth, + From pain and sorrow free; + The land of rest, + In the golden west, + On the verge of the azure sea! + + +III. + + There are strange delights for mortal men in that island of the west; + The sun comes down each evening in its lovely vales to rest: + + And though far and dim + On the ocean's rim + It seems to mortal view, + We shall reach its halls + Ere the evening falls, + In my strong and swift canoe; + And ever more + That verdant shore + Our happy home shall he; + The land of rest, + In the golden west, + On the verge of the azure sea! + + +IV. + + It will guard thee, gentle Connla of the flowing golden hair, + It will guard thee from the druids, from the demons of the air;[12-1] + My crystal boat will guard thee, till we reach that western shore, + Where thou and I in joy and love shall live for evermore: + + From the druid's incantation, + From his black and deadly snare, + From the withering imprecation + Of the demon of the air, + + It will guard thee, gentle Connla of the flowing golden hair; + My crystal boat will guard thee, till we reach that silver strand, + Where thou shalt reign in endless joy, the king of the Fairy-land! + +From "Old Celtic Romances," by P. W. JOYCE, LL.D. + + [12-1] Demons of the air were evil spirits who were supposed to live, + not in underground places like fairies, but in the air. + They were very much dreaded and hated. + +[Illustration: Stone hatchet in the National Museum, Dublin: probably +used as a battle-axe. Before metals came into general use, tools and +weapons of various kinds, in Ireland as well as in other countries, were +made of stone, flint being commonly used for making cutting-instruments, +such as knives. But this was at a very early period, mostly before the +time when our written history begins.] + +[Illustration: Bronze head of Irish battle-mace: now in the National +Museum Dublin. It was fitted with a handle which was fastened in the +socket; and it was used for striking in battle. It is double the size of +the picture. Weapons of this kind were in use at a very early time, long +before the beginning of our regular history.] + + + + +IV. + +CUSTOMS AND MODES OF LIFE. + + +Our old books contain very full information regarding the Irish people, +and how they lived, more than a thousand years ago. + +In early times Ireland was almost everywhere covered with forests; and +there were great and dangerous bogs and marshes, overgrown with reeds, +moss, and coarse grass. Many of these bogs still remain, but they are +not nearly so large or dangerous as they were then. Great tracts of +country were uninhabited, so that the whole population was much less +than it is now. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish bronze reaping-hook: 6 inches long. It was +fitted with a handle which was fastened in the socket with a rivet. Now +in the National Museum, Dublin.] + +The people hunted and fished a great deal, partly for food, partly to +rid the country of noxious creatures, and partly for sport; for the +forests were alive with wild animals of all kinds, and the rivers and +lakes teemed with fish. But no one then thought it worth while to hunt +foxes and hares for sport, as people do now. They had much grander +game:--wild boars with long and dangerous tusks; gigantic deer; and +fierce wolves that lurked in caves and thick woods. In the cleared parts +of the country there was much pasture and tillage various kinds of corn +and vegetables were grown, and the land was very fertile and well +watered with springs and rivulets. + +[Illustration: A moat: at Patrickstown, near Oldcastle, Co. Meath. Some +moats were burial mounds. See pages 16 and 59.] + +There was more pasture than tillage; and the pasture land was not fenced +in, but was grazed in common. The law was very particular in laying down +rules about the fences of tillage lands--that they should be properly +made, and that when two farms lay next each other, each man should do +half the fencing work. Oxen were generally used for ploughing: horses +seldom. Generally two oxen were put to one plough, but sometimes four, +and sometimes even six. While one man held the plough, another walked in +front to lead the animals. + +On account of the great forests and bogs, there were many large +districts where it was hard to go long distances across country from +place to place: and often impossible. But in all the inhabited parts +there were roads or cleared paths. The roads of those times were however +very rough, and not nearly so good as our present roads. Rivers were +crossed by bridges made of rough planks or wickerwork--for there were no +stone bridges--or by wading at shallow fords, or by little ferry boats. + +The people lived in houses almost always made of timber, generally +round-shaped or oval, but sometimes four-cornered and oblong like our +present houses. In order to keep off wild beasts and robbers, there was +a high embankment of earth, with a deep trench, round every house. Many +of these earthworks still remain all over Ireland, and are well known by +the names _lis_, _rath_, fort, &c.; and some have high mounds commonly +called moats. + +[Illustration: Grain-rubber: 16 inches long. People ground their corn +with this before the invention of querns and milk. The grain was put +between the two stones, and the upper stone was worked backwards and +forwards with the hands. It was very hard and tedious work. See p. 17.] + +The food of the people was not very different from what it is at +present, except that they had no potatoes, which were brought to Ireland +for the first time about 300 years ago: and there was no tea or coffee. +They used oats, wheat, rye, and barley, ground and made into bread; +fish; and for those who could afford it, the flesh of various animals, +either boiled or roast. Oatmeal porridge or stirabout was in very +general use, especially for children. They ground their corn with small +watermills, or with handmills called querns, one of which was kept in +almost every house. Querns were in use before the earliest time that our +history reaches; and water-mills were introduced before the arrival of +St. Patrick. In those early ages there was no sugar, and honey was +greatly valued, so that beehives were kept everywhere. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish bronze caldron for boiling meat, 12-1/2 +inches deep, formed of plates beautifully rivetted together. It shows +marks and signs of long use over a fire. Now in the National Museum, +Dublin.] + +[Illustration: Irish drinking vessel, called a _Mether_. They drank from +the corners. At meals, the same mether was used by several persons, who +drank from it in turn.] + +For drink, they had, besides plain water and milk, ale, and a sweet sort +of liquor called mead both of which were made at home, and often wine, +which was brought from the continent. There was then no whiskey. + +In those days there were no hotels or inns as there are now, where a +person could have board and lodging for payment; but they were not much +needed then, as travellers were otherwise well provided for. Besides the +monasteries, which, as we shall see further on, were always open and +free to wayfarers, there were, all through the country, what were called +"Houses of public hospitality." The keeper of one of those houses was +called a _Brugaid_ and sometimes a _Beetagh_; and his office was +considered very high and honourable. A brugaid or beetagh had to keep an +open house for travellers who were always welcome, and received bed and +food free of charge. He was obliged by law to keep constantly in hands a +large stock of provisions; and he should have a certain number of beds +and all other necessary household furniture. To enable a brugaid to keep +up such an expensive establishment, he had the house itself and a large +tract of land, free of rent and taxes, besides other liberal allowances. + +The law required that there should be several open roads leading to the +residence of every brugaid; and that a light should always be kept +burning in the lawn at night to guide travellers to the house. + +The people dressed well according to their means. Both men and women +were fond of bright coloured garments, which were not hard to procure, +as the art of dyeing in all the various hues was well understood. It +was usual for the same person to wear clothes of several brilliant +colours: and sometimes the long outside mantle worn by men and women was +striped and spotted with purple, yellow, green, or other dyes like +Joseph's coat of many colours. Those who were able to afford it wore +rings, bracelets, necklaces, gorgets, brooches, and other ornaments, +made of gold, silver, and a sort of white bronze. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish Gorget for the neck: of gold, reddish in +colour, and very pure: weighs 16-1/3 oz. Now in the National Museum, +Dublin.] + +The Irish metal workers were very skilful. They made brooches, rings, +bracelets, croziers, crosses, and other such articles, in gold, silver, +whitish bronze, gems, and enamel, of which many have been found in the +earth from time to time, and are now kept in museums: and some of them +are so skilfully and beautifully wrought that no artificer of the +present day can imitate them. + +There were men of the several professions, such as medical doctors, +lawyers, judges, builders, poets, historians: and all through the +country were to be found tradesmen of the various crafts--carpenters, +smiths, workers in gold, silver, and brass, ship and boat builders, +masons, shoemakers, dyers, tailors, brewers, and so-forth: all working +industriously and earning their bread under the old Irish laws, which +were everywhere acknowledged and obeyed. Then there was a good deal of +commerce with Britain and with Continental countries, especially France; +and the home commodities, such as hides, salt, wool, etc., were +exchanged for wine, silk, satin, and other goods not produced in +Ireland. + +From what has been said here, we may see that the ancient Irish were +orderly and regular in their way of life--quite on a level in this +respect with the people of those other European countries of the same +period that had a proper settled government; and, it will be shown +further on in this book, that they were famed throughout all Europe for +Religion and Learning. + +The greatest evil of the country was war; for the kings and chiefs were +very often fighting with each other, which brought great misery on the +poor people where the disturbances took place. But in those early times +war was common in all countries; and in this respect there was no more +trouble in Ireland than in England, Scotland, and the countries of the +Continent. + +[Illustration: Flint arrow-heads. The head was fixed on the top of the +shaft with cord of some kind, or with dried gut or tendon. Flint was +used at a very early period when metals were either not known at all or +were still very scarce. The makers of flint implements shaped them by +chipping with stone hammers, in which they were very skilful and +expert.] + +[Illustration: One form of Irish Ornament.] + + + + +The Fate of the Children of Lir[22-1]; or, The Four White Swans. + + + + +V. + +HOW THE CHILDREN OF LIR WERE TURNED INTO SWANS. + + +During the time when the Dedannans ruled in Erin, there was a chief +named Lir, who lived in Ulster, and who was much beloved for his +goodness and his hospitality. He had four little children: a girl, named +Finola, who was the eldest, and three boys, Aed, Ficra, and Conn: and +Finola and Aed were twins, as were also Ficra and Conn. Their mother +died when they were very young, and they were then placed in charge of +one of Lir's friends named Eva, who was a witch-lady. + + [22-1] Among the ancient Irish Romantic Tales, three are specially + known as "The Three Sorrowful Stories of Erin," viz. "The + Fate of the Children of Lir," "The Fate of the Sons of + Turenn," both of which relate to the Dedannans; and "The + Fate of the Sons of Usna," referring to the Milesian + people. The greater part of the "Children of Lir" and the + whole of the "Sons of Usna" are given in this book, + translated from the Gaelic. "The Fate of the Sons of + Turenn" is translated in full in "Old Celtic Romances." + +The four children grew up under Eva's care. She nursed them with great +tenderness, and her love for them increased every day. They slept near +their father; and he would often rise from his own bed at the dawn of +morning, and go to their beds to talk with them and to fondle them. And +they were the delight and joy of all the Dedannans, who often came to +Lir's house to see them. For nowhere could four lovelier children be +found; so that those who saw them were always delighted with their +beauty and their gentleness, and could not help loving them with all +their heart. + +Now when Eva saw that the children of Lir received such attention and +affection from all, she fancied she was neglected on their account; and +a poisonous dart of jealousy entered her heart, which turned her love to +hatred; and she began to have feelings of bitter enmity for the +children. + +Her jealousy so preyed on her that she feigned illness, and lay in bed +for nearly a year, filled with gall and brooding mischief; and at the +end of that time she committed a foul and cruel deed of treachery on the +children of Lir. + +One day she ordered her horses to be yoked to her chariot, and she set +out for the palace of the Dedannan king, Bove Derg, bringing the four +children with her. Finola did not wish to go, for it was revealed to her +darkly in a dream that Eva was bent on some dreadful deed; and she knew +well that the witch-lady intended to kill her and her brothers that +day, or in some other way to bring ruin on them. But she was not able to +avoid the fate that awaited her; so she went. + +They fared on towards the palace, which was situated near Lough Derg in +the south, till they came to the shore of Lake Darvra,[24-1] where they +alighted; and the horses were unyoked. Eva led the children to the edge +of the lake, and told them to go to bathe; and as soon as they had got +into the clear water, she struck them one by one with a druidical fairy +wand, and turned them into four beautiful snow-white swans. And she +addressed them in these words-- + + + Out to your home, ye swans, on Darvra's wave; + With clamorous birds begin your life of gloom: + Your friends shall weep your fate, but none can save; + For I've pronounced the dreadful words of doom. + + + [24-1] Lake Darvra, now Lough Derravaragh, in Westmeath. + +After this, the four children of Lir turned towards the witch-lady; and +Finola spoke-- + +"Evil is the deed thou hast done, O Eva; thy friendship to us has been a +friendship of treachery; and thou hast ruined us without cause. But the +power of thy witchcraft is not greater than the druidical power of our +friends to punish thee; and the doom that awaits thee shall be worse +than ours." + + + The witch-lady loved us long ago; + The witch-lady now has wrought us woe; + With magical wand and fearful words, + She changed us to beautiful snow-white birds; + And we live on the waters for evermore, + By tempests driven from shore to shore. + + +Finola again spoke and said, "Tell us now how long we shall be in the +shape of swans, so that we may know when our miseries shall come to an +end." + +"It would be better for you if you had not put that question," said Eva; +"but I will declare the truth to you, as you have asked me. Three +hundred years on smooth Lake Darvra; three hundred years on the Sea of +Moyle, between Erin and Alban;[25-1] three hundred years at Inish +Glora[25-2] on the Western Sea. Until the union of Largnen, the prince +from the north, with Decca, the princess from the south; until the +Taillkenn[25-3] shall come to Erin, bringing the light of a pure faith; +and until ye hear the voice of the Christian bell. And neither by your +own power, nor by mine, nor by the power of your friends, can ye be +freed till the time comes." + + [25-1] The sea between Erin and Alban (Ireland and Scotland) was + anciently called the Sea of Moyle, from the Moyle, or + Mull, of Cantire. + + [25-2] Inish Glora; a small island, about five miles west from + Belmullet, in the county Mayo, still known by the same + name. + + [25-3] The Taillkenn, a name given by the druids to St. Patrick. + +Then Eva repented what she had done; and she said, "Since I cannot +afford you any other relief, I will allow you to keep your own Gaelic +speech, and ye shall be able to sing sweet, plaintive fairy music, which +shall excel all the music of the world, and which shall lull to sleep +all that listen to it. Moreover, ye shall retain your human reason; and +ye shall not be in grief on account of being in the shape of swans." + +And she chanted this lay-- + + + Depart from me, ye graceful swans; + The waters are now your home: + Your palace shall be the pearly cave, + Your couch the crest of the crystal wave, + And your mantle the milk-white foam! + + Depart from me, ye snow-white swans, + With your music and Gaelic speech: + The crystal Darvra, the wintry Moyle, + The billowy margin of Glora's isle;-- + Three hundred years on each! + + Victorious Lir, your hapless sire, + His loved ones in vain shall call; + His weary heart is a husk of gore, + His home is joyless for evermore, + And his anger on me shall fall! + + Through circling ages of gloom and fear + Your anguish no tongue can tell; + Till faith shall shed her heavenly rays, + Till ye hear the Taillkenn's anthem of praise, + And the voice of the Christian bell! + + +Then ordering her steeds to be yoked to her chariot, she set out once +more for the palace leaving the four white swans swimming on the lake. + + + Our father shall watch and weep in vain; + He never shall see us return again. + Four pretty children, happy at home; + Four white swans on the feathery foam; + And we live on the waters for evermore, + By tempests driven from shore to shore. + + + + +VI. + +THE FOUR WHITE SWANS ON LAKE DARVRA. + + +Lir and his people, hearing that Eva had arrived at Bove Derg's palace +without the children, became alarmed, and went southwards without delay; +till passing by the shore of Lake Darvra, they saw the swans. And the +swans swam up and spoke to them, at which they wondered greatly. But +when they told Lir that they were indeed his four children whom the +witch-lady had turned into birds, he and his people were struck with +amazement and horror; and they uttered three long mournful cries of +grief and lamentation. And when Lir had heard from Finola how the matter +happened, he prepared to set out in quest of Eva. And bidding farewell +to the children for a time, he chanted this lay:-- + + + The time has come for me to part: + No more, alas! my children dear, + Your rosy smiles shall glad my heart, + Or light the gloomy home of Lir. + + Dark was the day when first I brought + This Eva in my home to dwell! + Hard was the woman's heart that wrought + This cruel and malignant spell! + + I lay me down to rest in vain; + For, through the livelong, sleepless night, + My little lov'd ones, pictured plain, + Stand ever there before my sight. + + Finola, once my pride and joy; + Dark Aed, adventurous and bold; + Bright Ficra, gentle, playful boy; + And little Conn, with curls of gold;-- + + Struck down on Darvra's reedy shore, + By wicked Eva's magic power: + Oh, children, children, never more + My heart shall know one peaceful hour. + + +After this he fared southwards till he arrived at the palace, where he +found Eva. And the king, Bove Derg, when Lir had told him what Eva had +done, was in great wrath; for he loved those little children. And +calling Eva to him he spoke to her fiercely and asked her what shape of +all others, on the earth, or above the earth, or beneath the earth, she +most abhorred, and into which she most dreaded to be transformed. + +And she, being forced to answer truly, said, "A demon of the air." + +"That is the form you shall take," said Bove Derg; and as he spoke he +struck Eva with a druidical magic wand, and turned her into a demon of +the air. She opened her wings, and flew with a scream upwards and away +through the clouds; and she is still a demon of the air, and she shall +be a demon of the air till the end of time. + +After this, Lir and the Dedannans came to live on the shore of the lake, +to be near the swans and to speak with them. And so the swans passed +their time on the waters. During the day they discoursed lovingly with +their father and their friends; and at night they chanted their slow, +sweet, fairy music, the most delightful that was ever heard by men; so +that all who listened to it, even those who were in grief, or sickness, +or pain, forgot their sorrows and their sufferings, and fell into a +gentle, sweet sleep from which they awoke bright and happy. + +At last the three hundred years[30-1] came to an end, and Finola said to +her brothers:-- + +"Do you know, my dear brothers, that we have come to the end of our time +here; and that we have only this one night to spend on Lake Darvra?" + + [30-1] Three hundred years: the Dedannans were regarded as gods and + lived an immensely long time. + +When the three sons of Lir heard this, they were in great distress and +sorrow; for they were almost as happy on Lake Darvra, surrounded by +their friends, and conversing with them day by day, as if they had been +in their father's house in their own natural shapes; whereas they should +now live on the gloomy and tempest-tossed Sea of Moyle, far away from +all human society. + +Early next morning, the swans came to the margin of the lake to speak to +their father and their friends for the last time, and to bid them +farewell; and Finola chanted this lay-- + + +I. + + Farewell, farewell, our father dear! + The last sad hour has come: + Farewell, Bove Derg! farewell to all, + Till the dreadful day of doom! + We go from friends and scenes beloved, + To a home of grief and pain; + And that day of woe + Shall come and go, + Before we meet again! + + +II. + + We live for ages on stormy Moyle, + In loneliness and fear; + The kindly words of loving friends + We never more shall hear. + Four joyous children long ago; + Four snow-white swans to-day; + And on Moyle's wild sea + Our robe shall be + The cold and briny spray. + + +III. + + Far down on the misty stream of time, + When three hundred years are o'er, + Three hundred more in storm and cold, + By Glora's desolate shore; + Till Decca fair is Largnen's spouse; + Till north and south unite; + Till the hymns are sung, + And the bells are rung, + At the dawn of the pure faith's light. + + +IV. + + Arise, my brothers, from Darvra's wave + On the wings of the southern wind; + We leave our father and friends to-day + In measureless grief behind. + Ah! sad the parting, and sad our flight + To Moyle's tempestuous main; + For the day of woe + Shall come and go, + Before we meet again! + + +The four swans then spread their wings, and rose from the surface of the +water in sight of all their friends, till they reached a great height in +the air; then resting, and looking downwards for a moment, they flew +straight to the north, till they alighted on the Sea of Moyle between +Erin and Alban. + + + + +VII. + +THE FOUR WHITE SWANS ON THE SEA OF MOYLE. + + +Miserable was the abode and evil the plight of the children of Lir on +the Sea of Moyle. Their hearts were wrung with sorrow for their father +and their friends; and when they looked towards the steep rocky, +far-stretching coasts, and saw the great, dark, wild sea around them, +they were overwhelmed with fear and despair. They began also to suffer +from cold and hunger, so that all the hardships they had endured on Lake +Darvra appeared as nothing compared with their suffering on the +sea-current of Moyle. + +And so they lived, till one night a great tempest fell upon the sea. +Finola, when she saw the sky filled with black, threatening clouds, thus +addressed her brothers:-- + +"Beloved brothers, we have made a bad preparation for this night: for it +is certain that the coming storm will separate us; and now let us +appoint a place of meeting, or it may happen that we shall never see +each other again." + +And they answered, "Dear sister, you speak truly and wisely; and let us +fix on Carricknarone,[33-1] for that is a rock that we are all very well +acquainted with." + + [33-1] Carricknarone, the "Rock of the Seals": probably the Skerry + rock near Portrush in Antrim: but the old name is now + forgotten. + +And they appointed Carricknarone as their place of meeting. + +Midnight came, and with it came the beginning of the storm. A wild, +rough wind swept over the dark sea, the lightnings flashed, and the +great waves rose, and increased their violence and their thunder. + +The swans were soon scattered over the waters, so that not one of them +knew in what direction the others had been driven. During all that night +they were tossed about by the roaring winds and waves, and it was with +much difficulty they preserved their lives. + +Towards morning the storm abated, the sky cleared, and the sea became +again calm and smooth; and Finola swam to Carricknarone. But she found +none of her brothers there, neither could she see any trace of them when +she looked all round from the summit of the rock over the wide face of +the sea. + +Then she became terrified, thinking she should never see them again; and +she began to lament them plaintively. + +[On this incident Thomas Moore wrote the following beautiful song. A +person is supposed to be listening to Finola, and--in the first four +lines of the song--calls on the winds and the waves to be silent that he +may hear.] + + +SILENT, O MOYLE! + + Silent, O Moyle! be the roar of thy water, + Break not, ye breezes! your chain of repose, + While, murmuring mournfully, Lir's lonely daughter + Tells to the night-star her tale of woes. + When shall the Swan, her death-note singing, + Sleep with wings in darkness furl'd? + When will Heav'n, its sweet bell ringing, + Call my spirit from this stormy world? + + Sadly, O Moyle! to thy winter-wave weeping, + Fate bids me languish long ages away; + Yet still in her darkness doth Erin lie sleeping + Still doth the pure light its dawning delay + When will that day-star, mildly springing, + Warm our Isle with peace and love? + When will Heaven, its sweet bell ringing, + Call my spirit to the fields above? + + +At last, while she stood gazing in despair over the waste of waters, she +saw her brothers swimming from different directions towards the rock. +They came to her one by one, and she welcomed them joyfully: and she +placed Aed under the feathers of her breast, and Ficra and Conn under +her wings, and said to them:--"My dear brothers, though ye may think +last night very bad, we shall have many like it from this time forth." + +So they continued for a long time on the Sea of Moyle, suffering +hardships of every kind, till one winter night came upon them, of great +wind and of snow and frost so severe, that nothing they ever before +suffered could be compared to the misery of that night. The swans +remained on Carricknarone, and their feet and their wings were frozen to +the icy surface, so that they had to strive hard to move from their +places in the morning; and they left the skin of their feet, the quills +of their wings, and the feathers of their breasts clinging to the rock. + +"Sad is our condition this night, my beloved brothers," said Finola, +"for we are forbidden to leave the Sea of Moyle; and yet we cannot bear +the salt water, for when it enters our wounds, I fear we shall die of +pain." And she uttered these words-- + + + Our life is a life of woe; + No shelter or rest we find: + How bitterly drives the snow; + How cold is this wintry wind! + + From the icy spray of the sea, + From the wind of the bleak north-east, + I shelter my brothers three, + Under my wings and breast. + + The witch-lady sent us here, + And misery well we know:-- + In cold and hunger and fear; + Our life is a life of woe![36-1] + + + [36-1] Short Irish poems often began and ended in the same words, as + seen in the above translation. + +They were, however, forced to swim out on the stream of Moyle, all +wounded and torn as they were; for though the brine was sharp and +bitter, they were not able to avoid it. They stayed as near the coast as +they could, till after a long time the feathers of their breasts and +wings grew again, and their wounds were healed. + +After this the swans lived on for a great number of years, sometimes +visiting the shores of Erin, and sometimes the headlands of Alban. But +they always returned to the sea-stream of Moyle, for it was to be their +home till the end of three hundred years. + +One day they came to the mouth of the Bann, on the north coast of Erin, +and looking inland, they saw a stately troop of horsemen approaching +directly from the south-west. They were mounted on white steeds, and +clad in bright-coloured garments, and as they wound towards the shore +their arms glittered in the sun. + +These were a party of the Dedannans who had been a long time searching +for the children of Lir along the northern shores of Erin: and now that +they had found them, they were joyful; and they and the swans greeted +each other with tender expressions of friendship and love. The children +of Lir inquired after the Dedannans, and particularly after their father +Lir; and for Bove Derg, and for all the rest of their friends and +acquaintances. + +"They are well," replied the Dedannans; "but all are mourning for you +since the day you left Lake Darvra. And now we wish to know how you fare +on this wild sea." + +"Miserable has been our life since that day," said Finola; "and no +tongue can tell the suffering and sorrow we have endured on the Sea of +Moyle." And she chanted these words-- + + + Ah, happy is Lir's bright home to-day, + With mead and music and poet's lay: + But gloomy and cold his children's home, + For ever tossed on the briny foam. + + Our wreathèd feathers are thin and light + When the wind blows keen through the wintry night: + Yet often we were robed, long, long ago, + In purple mantles and furs of snow. + + On Moyle's bleak current our food and wine + Are sandy sea-weed and bitter brine: + Yet oft we feasted in days of old, + And hazel-mead drank from cups of gold. + + Our beds are rocks in the dripping caves; + Our lullaby song the roar of the waves: + But soft rich couches once we pressed, + And harpers lulled us each night to rest. + + Lonely we swim on the billowy main, + Through frost and snow, through storm and rain: + Alas for the days when round us moved + The chiefs and princes and friends we loved! + + My little twin brothers beneath my wings + Lie close when the north wind bitterly stings, + And Aed close nestles before my breast; + Thus side by side through the night we rest. + + Our father's fond kisses, Bove Derg's embrace, + The light of Mannanan's godlike face, + The love of Angus--all, all are o'er; + And we live on the billows for evermore! + + +After this they bade each other farewell, for it was not permitted to +the children of Lir to remain away from the stream of Moyle. + + + + +VIII. + +HOW THE CHILDREN OF LIR REGAINED THEIR HUMAN SHAPE AND DIED. + + +Great was the misery of the Children of Lir on the sea of Moyle till +their three hundred years were ended. Then Finola said to her brothers-- + +"It is time for us to leave this place, for our period here has come to +an end." + + + The hour has come; the hour has come; + Three hundred years have passed: + We leave this bleak and gloomy home, + And we fly to the west at last! + + We leave for ever the stream of Moyle; + On the clear, cold wind we go; + Three hundred years round Glora's Isle, + Where wintry tempests blow! + + No sheltered home, no place of rest, + From the tempest's angry blast: + Fly, brothers, fly, to the distant west, + For the hour has come at last! + + +So the swans left the Sea of Moyle, and flew westward, till they reached +the sea round the Isle of Glora. There they remained for three hundred +years, suffering much from storm and cold, and in nothing better off +than they were on the Sea of Moyle. Towards the end of that time, St. +Patrick came to Erin with the pure faith; and St. Kemoc, one of his +companions, came to Inish Glora. The first night Kemoc came to the +island, the children of Lir heard his bell at early matin time, ringing +faintly in the distance. And the three sons of Lir trembled with fear, +for the sound was strange and dreadful to them. But Finola knew well +what it was; and she soothed them and said:--"My dear brothers, this is +the voice of the Christian bell: and now the end of our suffering is +near: for this bell is the signal that we shall soon be freed from our +spell, and released from our life of suffering; for God has willed it." + +And when the bell ceased she chanted this lay-- + + + Listen, ye swans, to the voice of the bell, + The sweet bell we've dreamed of for many a year; + Its tones floating by on the night breezes, tell + That the end of our long life of sorrow is near! + + Listen, ye swans, to the heavenly strain; + 'Tis the anchoret tolling his soft matin bell: + He has come to release us, from sorrow, from pain, + From the cold and tempestuous shores where we dwell! + + Trust in the glorious Lord of the sky; + He will free us from Eva's druidical spell: + Be thankful and glad, for our freedom is nigh, + And listen with joy to the voice of the bell! + + +"Let us sing our music now," said Finola. + +And they chanted a low, sweet, plaintive strain of fairy music, to +praise and thank the great high King of heaven and earth. + +Kemoc heard the music from where he stood; and he listened with great +astonishment. And he came and spoke to the swans, and asked them were +they the children of Lir. They replied, "We are indeed the children of +Lir, who were changed long ago into swans by the spells of the +witch-lady." + +"I give God thanks that I have found you," said Kemoc; "for it is on +your account I have come to this little island." Then he brought them to +his own house; and, sending for a skilful workman, he caused him to make +two bright, slender chains of silver; and he put a chain between Finola +and Aed, and the other chain he put between Ficra and Conn. And there +they lived with Kemoc in content and happiness. + +Now there was in that place a certain king named Largnen, whose queen +was Decca: the very king and queen whom the witch-lady had foretold on +the day when she changed the children into swans, nine hundred years +before. And Queen Decca, hearing all about those wonderful speaking +swans, wished to have them for herself: so she sent to Kemoc for them; +but he refused to give them. Whereupon the queen waxed very wroth: and +her husband the king, when she told him about it, was wroth also: and he +set out straightway for Kemoc's house to bring the swans away by force. +The swans were at this time standing in the little church with Kemoc. +And Largnen coming up, seized the two silver chains, one in each hand, +and drew the birds towards the door; while Kemoc followed him, much +alarmed lest they should be injured. + +The king had proceeded only a little way, when suddenly the white +feathery robes faded and disappeared; and the swans regained their human +shape, Finola being transformed into an extremely old woman, and the +three sons into three feeble old men, white-haired and bony and +wrinkled. + +When the king saw this, he started with affright, and instantly left the +place without speaking one word. + +As to the children of Lir, they turned towards Kemoc; and Finola spoke-- + +"Come, holy cleric, and baptise us without delay, for our death is near. +You will grieve after us, O Kemoc; but in truth you are not more +sorrowful at parting from us than we are at parting from you. Make our +grave here and bury us together; and as I often sheltered my brothers +when we were swans, so let us be placed in the grave--Conn standing +near me at my right side, Ficra at my left, and Aed before my +face."[43-1] + + + Come, holy priest, with book and prayer + Baptise and bless us here: + Haste, cleric, haste, for the hour has come + And death at last is near! + + Dig our grave--a deep, deep grave, + Near the church we loved so well; + This little church, where first we heard + The voice of the Christian bell. + + As oft in life my brothers dear + Were sooth'd by me to rest-- + Ficra and Conn beneath my wings, + And Aed before my breast; + + So place the two on either hand-- + Close, like the love that bound me; + Place Aed as close before my face, + And twine their arms around me + + Thus shall we rest for evermore, + My brothers dear and I; + Haste, cleric, haste, baptise and bless, + For death at last is nigh! + + + [43-1] In Ireland, in old times, the dead were often buried + standing up in the grave. It was in this way Finola and + her brothers were buried. + +[Illustration: An Ogham stone. See note, next page.] + +[Illustration: Bronze spear-head. A long handle was fixed in the socket +and fastened by a rivet.] + +[Illustration: Bronze sword. A hilt was fixed on by rivets.] + +Then the children of Lir were baptised, and they died immediately. And +when they died, Kemoc looked up; and lo, he saw a vision of four lovely +children, with light, silvery wings, and faces all radiant with joy. +They gazed on him for a moment; but even as they gazed, they vanished +upwards, and he saw them no more. And he was filled with gladness, for +he knew they had gone to heaven; but when he looked down on the four +bodies lying before him, he became sad and wept. + +And Kemoc caused a wide and deep grave to be dug near the little church; +and the children of Lir were buried together, as Finola had +directed--Conn at her right hand, Ficra at her left, and Aed standing +before her face. And he raised a grave-mound over them, placing a +tombstone on it, with their names graved in Ogham;[45-1] after which he +uttered a lament for them, and their funeral rites were performed. + + [45-1] Ogham, a sort of writing often used on tombstones to mark the + names of the persons buried. It consisted of lines and + points generally cut on the edges of the stone. + +So far we have related the sorrowful story of the Fate of the Children +of Lir. + + From "Old Celtic Romances," by P. W. JOYCE, LL.D. + + + + +IX. + +HOW RELIGION AND LEARNING FLOURISHED IN IRELAND. + + +As soon as St. Patrick had entered on his mission in Ireland, he began +to found monasteries, which continued to spread through every part of +the country for hundreds of years after his time. Though religion was +their main object, these establishments were among the chief means of +spreading general enlightenment among the people. Almost every +monastery had a school or college attached, at the head of which was +some man who was a great scholar and teacher. The teachers were +generally monks: but many learned laymen were also employed. Some +colleges had very large numbers of students: for instance, we are told +that there were 3000 in each of the two colleges of Clonard and +Bangor[46-1]; and many others might be named, which, though not so +large, had yet several hundred students in each. + + [46-1] Clonard, in Meath, on the Boyne. Bangor, in the Co. Down. + +In these monasteries and their schools all was life and activity. The +monks were always busily employed; some at tillage on the farm round the +monastery--ploughing, digging, sowing, reaping--some teaching, others +writing books. The duty of a few was to attend to travellers, to wash +their feet and prepare supper and bed for them: for strangers who called +at the monastery were always received with welcome, and got lodging, +food, and attendance from the monks, all free. Others of the inmates, +again, employed themselves in cooking, or carpentry, or smithwork, or +making clothes, for the use of the community. Besides all this they had +their devotions to attend to, at certain times, both day and night, +throughout the year. As for the students, they had to mind their own +simple household concerns, and each day when these were finished they +had plenty of employment in their studies: for the professors kept them +hard at work. + +There were also great numbers of schools not held in monasteries, +conducted by laymen, some for general learning, such as History, Poetry, +Grammar, Latin, Greek, Irish, the Sciences, &c.; and some for teaching +and training young men for professions, such as lawyers and doctors. And +these schools helped greatly to spread learning, though they were not so +well known outside Ireland as the monastic schools. + +The Irish professors were so famed for their learning, and the colleges +were so excellent, that students came to them from every country of +Europe: but more from Great Britain than elsewhere. The Irish were very +much pleased to receive these foreign students: and they were so +generous that they supplied them with food, gave them the manuscript +books they wanted to learn from, and taught them too, all free of +charge. Ireland was in those times the most learned country in Europe, +so that it was known by the name of the Island of Saints and Scholars. + +But the Irish scholars and missionaries did not confine themselves to +their own country. Great numbers of them went abroad--to Britain and +elsewhere--to teach and to preach the Gospel to the people. The +professors from Ireland were held in such estimation that they were +employed to teach in most of the schools and colleges of Great Britain +and the Continent. + +We shall see that the Northern Picts of Scotland were converted by St. +Columkille and his monks from Iona (see p. 144): and a large proportion +of the people of England became Christians through the preaching of +Irish monks before the arrival of St. Augustine.[48-1] + + [48-1] St. Augustine came to England in the year 596--having been + sent by Pope Gregory--and converted to Christianity those + of the English who had not been already converted. + +The Irish missionaries, who went to the Continent, in their eagerness to +spread religion and knowledge, penetrated to all parts of Europe: they +even found their way to Iceland. Few people have any idea of the trials +and dangers they encountered. Most of them were persons in good +position, who might have lived in plenty and comfort at home. They knew +well, when setting out, that they were leaving country and friends +probably for ever: for of those that went, very few ever returned. Once +on the Continent, they had to make their way poor and friendless, +through people whose language they did not understand, and who were in +many places ten times more rude and dangerous in those ages than the +inhabitants of these islands: and we know, as a matter of history, that +many were killed on the way. Then these earnest men had, of course, to +learn the language of the people among whom they took up their abode: +for until they did this they had to employ an interpreter, which was a +very troublesome and slow way of preaching. But the noble-hearted +missionaries went forth to do their good work; and no labours, +hardships, or dangers could turn them from their purpose. + +More than three hundred years ago the great English poet, Edmund +Spenser, lived some time in Ireland, and made himself very well +acquainted with its history. He knew what kind of a country it was in +past ages; so that in one of his poems he speaks of the time + + + "When Ireland florishèd in fame + Of wealth and goodnesse, far above the rest + Of all that beare the British Islands name." + + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish solid gold ornament, now in the National +Museum Dublin. It is double the size of the picture, and weighs 5-1/4 +oz. Great numbers of gold objects, shaped like this, are in the National +Museum, some very large--one of them weighing 33 oz.: while others are +quite small, not bigger than a common coat-button. Besides being +ornaments, it is believed that they were used as money, as there were no +coins in use in very ancient times in Ireland.] + + + + +X. + +THE RED BRANCH KNIGHTS. + + +Nearly two miles west of Armagh are the remains of the ancient palace of +Emain, or Emain Macha, often called Emania. They consist of a great +circular _rath_ or rampart of earth, with a deep trench outside it, and +a high mound within, the whole structure covering a space of about +thirteen acres. At one time the circular ring was complete, but of late +years some portions of it have been levelled or removed. The houses in +which the kings and heroes of old, with their numerous households, lived +and feasted, stood mostly within the enclosure, and were all of wood, +not a trace of which remains. This great fort is now called by the +people of the place, the "Navan Fort," or "Navan Ring." + +According to Irish legendary history, Emain was founded about three +centuries before the beginning of the Christian era, by Macha of the +Golden Hair, queen of Ulster; and for more than six hundred years it was +the residence of the kings of that province. But about the year A.D. +331, it was destroyed by three princes from Tara, who invaded and +conquered that part of Ulster; after which Emain was no longer +inhabited. + +Early in the first century of the Christian era flourished the Red +Branch Knights, a band of heroes in the service of Concobar (or Conor) +Mac Nessa, king of Ulster. There were several bodies of them, under +separate commanders, who lived in different parts of the province. These +leaders were the great heroes of the Red Branch, who are celebrated in +ancient Irish romance, and who are mentioned by Moore in his song, "Let +Erin remember":-- + + + "When her kings with standard of green unfurled + Led the Red Branch Knights to danger." + + +Every year during the summer months, various companies of the Knights +came to Emain under their several commanders, to be drilled and trained +in military science and feats of arms. They were lodged in a large +separate building beside Emain, called Creeveroe or the Red Branch--from +which the whole force took its name: and the townland in which this +great house stood is still called Creeveroe. Each day the leaders were +feasted by King Concobar Mac Nessa in his own banquetting hall at Emain. + +The greatest of all the Red Branch heroes was Cu-Culainn--"the mightiest +hero of the Scots," as he is called in one of the oldest of the Irish +books--whose residence was _Dundalgan_, a mile west of the present town +of Dundalk. This dun or fort consists of a high mound surrounded by an +earthen rampart and trench, all of immense size, even in their ruined +state; but it has lost its old name and is now called the Moat of +Castletown, while the original name Dundalgan, slightly altered, has +been transferred to Dundalk. + +Another of these Red Branch Knights' residences stands beside +Downpatrick: viz., the great fort anciently called (among other names) +Dun-Keltair or Rath-Keltair, where lived the hero, Keltar of the +Battles. It consists of a huge embankment of earth, nearly circular, +with the usual deep trench outside it, covering a space of about ten +acres. + +Next to Cuculainn, the most renowned of those knights were Fergus Mac +Roy, Leary the Victorious, Conall Carnagh, and the three Sons of Usna. + +There were, at this same time, similar orders of knights in the other +provinces. Those of Munster were commanded by Curoi Mac Dara, who lived +in a great stone fortress high up on the side of Caherconree Mountain, +near Tralee, the remains of which may be seen to this day. He was a +mighty champion, and on one occasion vanquished Cuculainn in single +combat. The Connaught knights were in the service of Maive, the warlike +queen of that province, whose residence was the palace of Croghan, the +ruins of which still remain near the village of Rathcroghan in the north +of Roscommon. + +In the Book of the Dun Cow, the Book of Leinster, and other old +manuscripts (which will be found described farther on), there are great +numbers of romantic stories about those Red Branch Knights, and about +the Knights of Munster and Connaught, of which many have been translated +and published. + +The most celebrated of all these tales is what is called the _Tain_ or +"Cattle spoil" of Quelna or Cooley.[53-1] Queen Maive, having some cause +of quarrel with an Ulster chief, set out with her army for the north on +a plundering expedition, attended by all the great heroes of Connaught. +During the march northwards, the queen, as the story tells us, had nine +splendid chariots for herself and her attendant chiefs, her own in the +centre, with two abreast in front, two behind, and two on each side, +right and left; and--in the words of the old tale--"the reason for this +order was, lest the clods from the hoofs of the horses, or the +foam-flakes from their mouths, or the dust raised by that mighty host, +should strike and tarnish the golden diadem on the head of the queen." + + [53-1] Quelna or Cooley, the ancient name of the hilly peninsula + lying between the bays of Carlingford and Dundalk: the + name Cooley is still retained. + +The invading army entered Quelna, which was then a part of Ulster and +belonged to Cuculainn. It happened just then that the men of Ulster were +under a spell of feebleness, all but Cuculainn, who had to defend +single-handed the several fords and passes, in a series of combats +against Maive's best champions, in all of which he was victorious. But, +in spite of what he could do, Queen Maive carried off nearly all the +best cattle of Quelna, and, at their head, a great brown bull which +indeed was what she chiefly came for. At length the Ulstermen, having +been freed from the spell, attacked and routed the Connaught army. The +battles, single combats, and other incidents of this war are related in +the Tain, which consists of one main story, with about thirty minor +tales grouped round it. Another Red Branch story is the Fate of the Sons +of Usna, which has been always a favourite with Irish story-tellers, and +with the Irish people in general, and which is now given here, +translated in full. + +[Illustration: A "Cromlech," an ancient Irish tomb: still to be seen in +its place in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. This is rather a small one, the +covering stone being only about 6-1/2 feet long. Some cromlechs are very +large: one at Kilternan near Dublin has a covering stone 23-1/2 feet +long, 17 feet broad, and 6-1/2 feet thick: and no one can tell how the +people of old lifted it up.] + + + + +Deirdre; or, The Fate of the Sons of Usna.[55-1] + + + + +XI. + +THE FLIGHT TO ALBAN. + + +Concobar Mac Nessa king of Ulaid[55-2] ruled in Emain. And his chief +storyteller, Felimid, made a feast for the king and for the knights of +the Red Branch; who all came to partake of it in his house. While they +were feasting right joyously, listening to the sweet music of the harps +and the mellow voices of the bards, a messenger brought word that +Felimid's wife had given birth to a little daughter, an infant of +wondrous beauty. And when Caffa, the king's druid and seer, who was of +the company, was ware of the birth of the child, he went forth to view +the stars and the clouds, if he might thereby glean knowledge of what +was in store for that little babe.[55-3] And when he had returned to his +place, he sat deep pondering for a time: and then standing up and +obtaining silence, he said:-- + +"This child shall be called Deir-drÄ•[56-1]; and fittingly is she so +named: for much of woe will befal Ulaid and Erin in general on her +account. There shall be jealousies, and strifes, and wars: evil deeds +will be done: many heroes will be exiled: many will fall." + + [55-1] The translation that follows is quite new, and is now + published for the first time. On this fine story is + founded the poem of "Deirdre" by Robert Dwyer Joyce, M.D. + + [55-2] Ulaid (pron. _Ulla_), Ulster. + + [55-3] The druids professed to be able to foretell by observing the + stars and clouds. + + [56-1] "Deirdre" is said to mean "alarm." + +When the heroes heard this they were sorely troubled, and some said that +the child should be killed. But the king said:--"Not so, ye Knights of +the Red Branch, it is not meet to commit a base deed in order to escape +evils that may never come to pass. This little maid shall be reared out +of the reach of mischief, and when she is old enough she shall be my +wife: thus shall I be the better able to guard against those evils that +Caffa forecasts for us." + +And the Ultonians did not dare to gainsay the word of the king. + +Then king Concobar caused the child to be placed in a strong fortress on +a lonely spot nigh the palace, with no opening in front, but with door +and windows looking out at the back on a lovely garden watered by a +clear rippling stream: and house and garden were surrounded by a wall +that no man could surmount. And those who were put in charge of her +were, her tutor, and her nurse, and Concobar's poetess, whose name was +Lavarcam: and save these three, none were permitted to see her. And so +she grew up in this solitude, year by year, till she was of marriageable +age; when she excelled all the maidens of her time for beauty. + +One snowy day as she and Lavarcam looked forth from the window, they saw +some blood on the snow, where her tutor had killed a calf for dinner; +and a raven alighted and began to drink of it. "I should like," said +Deirdre, "that he who is to be my husband should have these three +colours: his hair as black as the raven: his cheeks red as the blood: +his skin like the snow. And I saw such a youth in a dream last night; +but I know not where he is, or whether he is living on the ridge of the +world." + +"Truly," said Lavarcam, "the young hero that answers to thy words is not +far from thee; for he is among Concobar's knights: namely, Naisi the son +of Usna." + +Now Naisi and his brothers, Ainnli and Ardan, the three Sons of Usna, +were the best beloved of all the Red Branch Knights, so gracious and +gentle were they in time of peace, so skilful and swift-footed in the +chase, so strong and valiant in battle. + +And when Deirdre heard Lavarcam's words, she said:--"If it be as thou +sayest, that this young knight is near us, I shall not be happy till I +see him: and I beseech thee to bring him to speak to me." + +"Alas, child," replied Lavarcam, "thou knowest not the peril of what +thou askest me to do: for if thy tutor come to know of it, he will +surely tell the king; and the king's anger none can bear." + +Deirdre answered not: but she remained for many days sad and silent: and +her eyes often filled with tears through memory of her dream: so that +Lavarcam was grieved: and she pondered on the thing if it could be done, +for she loved Deirdre very much and had compassion on her. At last she +contrived that these two should meet without the tutor's knowledge: and +the end of the matter was that they loved each other: and Deirdre said +she would never wed the king, but she would wed Naisi. + +Knowing well the doom that awaited them when Concobar came to hear of +this, Naisi and his young wife and his two brothers, with thrice fifty +fighting men, thrice fifty women, thrice fifty attendants, and thrice +fifty hounds, fled over sea to Alban. And the king of the western part +of Alban received them kindly and took them into military service. Here +they remained for a space, gaining daily in favour: but they kept +Deirdre apart, fearing evil if the king should see her. + +And so matters went on, till it chanced that the king's steward, coming +one day by Naisi's house, saw the couple as they sat on their couch: and +going directly to his master, he said:-- + +"O king, we have long sought in vain for a woman worthy to be thy wife, +and now at last we have found her: for the woman, Deirdre, who is with +Naisi, is worthy to be the wife of the king of the western world. And +now I give thee this counsel:--Let Naisi be killed, and then take thou +Deirdre for thy wife." + +[Illustration: A burial urn. The ancient Irish sometimes buried as we do +now, placing the body in the grave, over which they often raised a cairn +or a cromlech. Sometimes they burned the body and put the ashes in an +urn, which they placed under a cromlech, or cairn, or burial mound. Urns +were always made of clay, which was baked till it was hard. They are +often found in graves, especially under cairns and cromlechs: and they +nearly always contain ashes and bits of burnt bones. Occasionally, as +has been already said (p. 43, note), persons were buried standing up, +especially kings and warriors, who were placed in the grave fully +armed.] + +The king basely agreed to do so; and forthwith he laid a plot to slay +the sons of Usna; which matter coming betimes to the ears of the +brothers, they fled by night with all their people. And when they had +got to a safe distance, they took up their abode in a wild place, where +with much ado they obtained food by hunting and fishing. And the +brothers built them three hunting booths in the forest, a little +distance from that part of the seashore looking towards Erin: and the +booth in which their food was prepared, in that they did not eat; and +the one in which they ate, in that they did not sleep. And their people +in like manner built themselves booths and huts, which gave them but +scant shelter from wind and weather. + +Now when it came to the ears of the Ultonians, that the sons of Usna and +their people were in discomfort and danger, they were sorely grieved: +but they kept their thoughts to themselves, for they dared not speak +their mind to the king. + + + + +XII. + +CONCOBAR'S GUILEFUL MESSAGE. + + +At this same time a right joyous and very splendid feast was driven by +Concobar in Emain Macha to the nobles and the knights of his household. +And the number of the king's household that sat them down in the great +hall of Emain on that occasion was five and three score above six +hundred and one thousand.[60-1] Then arose, in turn, their musicians to +sound their melodious harpstrings, and their poets and their +story-tellers to sing their sweet poetic strains, and to recount the +deeds of the mighty heroes of the olden time. And the feasting and the +enjoyment went on, and the entire assembly were gay and cheerful. At +length Concobar arose from where he sat high up on his royal seat; +whereupon the noise of mirth was instantly hushed. And he raised his +kingly voice and said:-- + +"I desire to know from you, ye Nobles and Knights of the Red Branch, +have you ever seen in any quarter of Erin, a house better than this +house of Emain, which is my mansion: and whether you see any want in +it." + + [60-1] That is 1665. This inverted method of enumeration was often + used in Ireland. But they also used direct enumeration + like ours. + +And they answered that they saw no better house, and that they knew of +no want in it. + +And the king said: "I know of a great want: namely, that we have not +present among us the three noble sons of Usna. And why now should they +be in banishment on account of any woman in the world?" + +And the nobles replied:--"Truly it is a sad thing that the sons of Usna, +our dear comrades, should be in exile and distress. They were a shield +of defence to Ulaid: and now, O king, it will please us well that thou +send for them and bring them back, lest they and their people perish by +famine or fall by their enemies." + +"Let them come," replied Concobar, "and make submission to me: and +their homes, and their lands, and their places among the Knights of the +Red Branch shall be restored to them." + +Now Concobar was mightily enraged at the marriage and flight of Naisi +and Deirdre, though he hid his mind from all men; and he spoke these +words pretending forgiveness and friendship. But there was guile in his +heart, and he planned to allure them back to Ulaid that he might kill +them. + +When the feast was ended, and the company had departed, the king called +unto him Fergus Mac Roy, and said:--"Go thou, Fergus, and bring back the +sons of Usna and their people. I promise thee that I will receive them +as friends should be received, and that what awaits them here is not +enmity or injury, but welcome and friendship. Take my message of peace +and good will, and give thyself as pledge and surety for their safety. +But these two things I charge thee to do:--That the moment you land in +Ulaid on your way back, you proceed straight to Barach's house which +stands on the sea cliff high over the landing place fronting Alban: and +that whether the time of your arrival be by day or by night, thou see +that the sons of Usna tarry not, but let them come hither direct to +Emain, that they may not eat food in Erin till they eat of mine." + +And Fergus, suspecting no evil design, promised to do as the king +directed: for he was glad to be sent on this errand, being a fast friend +to the sons of Usna. + +Fergus set out straightway, bringing with him only his two sons, Illan +the Fair and Buinni the Red, and his shield bearer to carry his shield. +And as soon as he had departed, Concobar sent for Barach and said to +him:-- + +"Prepare a feast in thy house for Fergus: and when he visits thee +returning with the sons of Usna, invite him to partake of it." And +Barach thereupon departed for his home to do the bidding of the king and +prepare the feast. + +Now those heroes of old, on the day they received knighthood, were wont +to make certain pledges which were to bind them for life, some binding +themselves to one thing, some to another. And as they made the promises +on the faith of their knighthood, with great vows, in presence of kings +and nobles, they dared not violate them; no, not even if it was to save +the lives of themselves and all their friends: for whosoever broke +through his knighthood pledge was foully dishonoured for evermore. And +one of Fergus's obligations was never to refuse an invitation to a +banquet: a thing which was well known to King Concobar and to Barach. + +As to Fergus Mac Roy and his sons: they went on board their galley and +put to sea, and made no delay till they reached the harbour nigh the +campment of the sons of Usna. And coming ashore, Fergus gave the loud +shout of a mighty man of chase. The sons of Usna were at that same hour +in their booth; and Naisi and Deirdre were sitting with a polished +chessboard between them playing a game. + +And when they heard the shout, Naisi said:--"That is the call of a man +from Erin." + +"Not so," replied Deirdre, "it is the call of a man of Alban." + +And after a little time when a second shout came, Naisi said:--"That of +a certainty is the call of a man of Erin!" + +But Deirdre again replied:--"No, indeed: it concerns us not: let us play +our game." + +But when a third shout came sounding louder than those before, Naisi +arose and said:--"Now I know the voice: that is the shout of Fergus!" +And straightway he sent Ardan to the shore to meet him. + +Now Deirdre knew the voice of Fergus from the first: but she kept her +thoughts to herself: for her heart misgave her that the visit boded +evil. And when she told Naisi that she knew the first shout, he +said:--"Why, my queen, didst thou conceal it then?" + +And she replied:--"Lo, I saw a vision in my sleep last night: three +birds came to us from Emain Macha, with three drops of honey in their +beaks, and they left us the honey and took away three drops of our +blood." + +"What dost thou read from that vision, O princess?" said Naisi. + +"It denotes the message from Concobar to us," said Deirdre; "for sweet +as honey is the message of peace from a false man, while he has thoughts +of blood hidden deep in his heart." + +When Ardan arrived at the shore, the sight of Fergus and his two sons +was to him like rain on the parched grass; for it was long since he had +seen any of his dear comrades from Erin. And he cried out as he came +near, "An affectionate welcome to you my dear companions": and he fell +on Fergus's neck and kissed his cheeks, and did the like to his sons. +Then he brought them to the hunting-booth; and Naisi, Ainnli, and +Deirdre gave them a like kind welcome; after which they asked the news +from Erin. + +"The best news I have," said Fergus, "is that Concobar has sent me to +you with kindly greetings, to bring you back to Emain and restore you to +your lands and homes, and to your places in the Red Branch; and I am +myself a pledge for your safety." + +"It is not meet for them to go," said Deirdre: "for here they are under +no man's rule; and their sway in Alban is even as great as the sway of +Concobar in Erin." + +But Fergus said: "One's mother country is better than all else, and +gloomy is life when a man sees not his home each morning." + +"Far dearer to me is Erin than Alban," said Naisi, "even though my sway +should be greater here." + +It was not with Deirdre's consent he spoke these words: and she still +earnestly opposed their return to Erin. + +But Fergus tried to re-assure her:--"If all the men of Erin were against +you," said he, "it would avail nought once I have passed my word for +your safety." + +"We trust in thee," said Naisi, "and we will go with thee to Erin." + +[Illustration: A gold box: 2-3/4 inches across: 1 inch deep. Found in a +grave in Co. Cork. Use not known.] + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish bronze lamp. Found in a _crannoge_ (i.e. an +island-dwelling in a lake) in Co. Roscommon. The vessel held the oil, +and the wick projected from the pipe.] + + + + +XIII. + +THE RETURN TO EMAIN. + + +Going next morning on board their galleys, Fergus and his companions put +out on the wide sea: and oar and wind bore them on swiftly till they +landed on the shore of Erin near the house of Barach. + +And Deirdre, seating herself on a cliff, looked sadly over the waters at +the blue headlands of Alban: and she uttered this farewell:-- + + +I. + +"Dear to me is yon eastern land: Alban with its wonders. Beloved is +Alban with its bright harbours and its pleasant hills of the green +slopes. From that land I would never depart except to be with Naisi. + + +II. + +Kil-Cuan, O Kil-Cuan,[67-1] whither Ainnli was wont to resort: short +seemed the time to me while I sojourned there with Naisi on the margins +of its streams and waterfalls. + + [67-1] This and the other places named in Deirdre's Farewell are + all in the west of Scotland. + + +III. + +"Glen-Lee, O Glen-Lee, where I slept happy under soft coverlets: fish +and fowl, and the flesh of red deer and badgers; these were our fare in +Glen-Lee. + + +IV. + +"Glen-Masan, O Glen-Masan: tall its cresses of white stalks: often were +we rocked to sleep in our curragh in the grassy harbour of Glen-Masan. + + +V. + +"Glen-Orchy, O Glen-Orchy: over thy straight glen rises the smooth ridge +that oft echoed to the voices of our hounds. No man of the clan was more +light-hearted than my Naisi when following the chase in Glen-Orchy. + + +VI. + +"Glen-Ettive, O Glen-Ettive: there it was that my first house was raised +for me: lovely its woods in the smile of the early morn: the sun loves +to shine on Glen-Ettive. + +VII. + +"Glen-da-Roy, O Glen-da-Roy: the memory of its people is dear to me: +sweet is the cuckoo's note from the bending bough on the peak over +Glen-da-Roy. + + +VIII. + +"Dear to me is Dreenagh over the resounding shore: dear to me its +crystal waters over the speckled sand. From those sweet places I would +never depart, but only to be with my beloved Naisi." + + * * * * * + +After this they entered the house of Barach; and when Barach had +welcomed them, he said to Fergus: "Here I have a three-days banquet +ready for thee, and I invite thee to come and partake of it." + +When Fergus heard this his heart sank and his face waxed all over a +crimson red: and he said fiercely to Barach:--"Thou hast done an evil +thing to ask me to this banquet: for well thou knowest I cannot refuse +thee. Thou knowest, too, that I am under solemn pledge to send the Sons +of Usna this very hour to Emain: and if I remain feasting in thy house, +how shall I see that my promise of safety is respected?" + +But none the less did Barach persist; for he was one of the partners in +Concobar's treacherous design. + +Then Fergus turned to Naisi and said:--"I dare not violate my knighthood +promise: what am I to do in this strait?" But Deirdre answered for her +husband:--"The choice is before thee, Fergus; and it is more meet for +thee to abandon thy feast than to abandon the sons of Usna, who have +come over on thy pledge." + +Then Fergus was in sore perplexity; and pondering a little he said:--"I +will not forsake the sons of Usna: for I will send with them to Emain +Macha my two sons, Illan the Fair and Buinni the Red, who will be their +pledge instead of me." + +But Naisi said: "We need not thy sons for guard or pledge: we have ever +been accustomed to defend ourselves!" And he moved from the place in +great wrath: and his two brothers, and Deirdre, and the two sons of +Fergus followed him, with the rest of the clan; while Fergus remained +behind silent and gloomy: for his heart misgave him that mischief was +brewing for the sons of Usna. + +Then Deirdre tried to persuade the sons of Usna to go to Rathlin between +Erin and Alban, and tarry there till Barach's feast was ended: but they +did not consent to do so, for they deemed it would be a mark of +cowardice: and they sped on by the shortest ways towards Emain Macha. + +When now they had come to Fincarn of the Watch-tower on Slieve Fuad, +Deirdre and her attendants stayed behind the others a little: and she +fell asleep. And when Naisi missed her he turned back and found her just +awakening; and he said to her:--"Why didst thou tarry, my princess?" + +And she answered:--"I fell asleep and had a dream. And this is what I +saw in my dream:--Illan the Fair took your part: Buinni the Red did not: +and I saw Illan without his head: but Buinni had neither wound nor +hurt." + +"Alas, O beauteous princess," said Naisi, "thou utterest nought but evil +forebodings: but the king is true and will not break his plighted word." + +So they fared on till they had come to the Ridge of the Willows,[70-1] +an hour's journey from the palace: and Deirdre, looking upwards in great +fear, said to Naisi:--"O Naisi, see yonder cloud in the sky over Emain, +a fearful chilling cloud of a blood-red tinge: a baleful red cloud that +bodes disaster! Come ye now to Dundalgan and abide there with the mighty +hero Cuculainn till Fergus returns from Barach's feast; for I fear +Concobar's treachery." + + [70-1] Irish name _Drum-Sailech_; the ridge on which Armagh was + afterwards built. + +But Naisi answered:--"We cannot follow thy advice, beloved Deirdre, for +it would be a mark of fear: and we have no fear." + +And as they came nigh the palace Deirdre said to them:--"I will now give +you a sign if Concobar meditates good or evil. If you are brought into +his own mansion where he sits surrounded by his nobles, to eat and drink +with him, this is a token that he means no ill; for no man will injure a +guest that has partaken of food at his table: but if you are sent to the +house of the Red Branch, be sure he is bent on treachery." + +When at last they arrived at the palace they knocked loudly with the +handwood: and the door-keeper swang the great door wide open. And when +he had spoken with them he went and told Concobar that the sons of Usna +and Fergus's two sons had come, with their people. + +And Concobar called to him his stewards and attendants and asked +them:--"How is it in the house of the Red Branch as to food and drink?" +And they replied that if the seven battalions of Ulaid were to come to +it they would find enough of all good things "If that is so," said +Concobar, "take the sons of Usna and their people to the Red Branch." + +Even then Deirdre besought them not to enter the Red Branch: for she +deemed now that of a certainty there was mischief afoot. But Illan the +Fair said:--"Never did we show cowardice or unmanliness, and we shall +not do so now." Then she was silent and went with them into the house. + +And the company, when they had come in, sat them down so that they +filled the great hall: and alluring viands and delicious drinks were set +before them: and they ate and drank till they became satisfied and +cheerful: all except Deirdre and the Sons of Usna, who did not partake +much of food or drink. And Naisi asked for the king's chessboard and +chessmen; which were brought: and he and Deirdre began to play. + + + + +XIV. + +TROUBLE LOOMING. + + +Let us now speak of Concobar. As he sat among his nobles, the thought of +Deirdre came into his mind, and he said:--"Who among you will go to the +Red Branch and bring me tidings of Deirdre, whether her youthful shape +and looks still live upon her: for if so there is not on the ridge of +the world a woman more beautiful." And Lavarcam said she would go. + +Now the Sons of Usna were very dear to Lavarcam: and Naisi was dearer +than the others. And rising up she went to the Red Branch, where she +found Naisi and Deirdre with the chessboard between them, playing. And +she saluted them affectionately: and she embraced Deirdre, and wept over +her, and kissed her many times with the eagerness of her love: and she +kissed the cheeks of Naisi and of his brothers. + +And when her loving greeting was ended, she said:--"Beloved children, +evil is the deed that is to be done this night in Emain: for the three +torches of valour of the Gaels will be treacherously assailed, and +Concobar is certainly resolved to put them to death. And now set your +people on guard, and bolt and bar all doors, and close all windows; and +be steadfast and valourous, and defend your dear charge manfully, if you +may hold the assailants at bay till Fergus comes." And she departed +weeping piteously. + +And when Lavarcam had returned to Concobar asked what tidings she +brought. "Good tidings have I," said she: "for the three Sons of Usna +have come, the three valiant champions of Ulaid: and now that they are +with thee, O king, thou wilt hold sway in Erin without dispute. And bad +tidings I bring also: Deirdre indeed is not as she was, for her youthful +form and the splendour of her countenance have fled from her." + +And when Concobar heard this his jealousy abated, and he joined in the +feasting. + +But again the thought of Deirdre came to him, and he asked:--"Who now +will go for me to the Red Branch and bring me further tidings of Deirdre +and of the Sons of Usna?" for he distrusted Lavarcam. But the Knights of +the Red Branch had misgivings of some evil design, and all remained +silent. + +Then he called to him Trendorn, one of the lesser chiefs: and he +said:--"Knowest thou, Trendorn, who slew thy father and thy three +brothers in battle?" And Trendorn answered:--"Verily, it was Naisi the +son of Usna that slew them." Then the king said:--"Go now to the Red +Branch and bring me back tidings of Deirdre and of the Sons of Usna." + +Trendorn went right willingly. But when he found the doors and windows +of the Red Branch shut up, he was seized with fear, and he said: "It is +not safe to approach the Sons of Usna, for they are surely in wrathful +mood: nevertheless I must needs bring back tidings to the king." + +Whereupon, not daring to knock at the door, he climbed nimbly to a small +window high up that had been unwittingly left open, through which he +viewed the spacious banquet hall, and saw Naisi and Deirdre playing +chess. Deirdre chanced to look up at that moment, and seeing the face of +the spy with eyes intently gazing on her, she started with affright and +grasped Naisi's arm, as he was making a move with the chessman. Naisi, +following her gaze, and seeing the evil-looking face, flung the chessman +with unerring aim and broke the eye in Trendorn's head. + +Trendorn dropped down in pain and rage; and going straight to Concobar, +he said:--"I have tidings for thee, O king: the three Sons of Usna are +sitting in the banquet hall, stately and proud like kings: and Deirdre +is seated beside Naisi; and verily, for beauty and queenly grace, her +peer cannot be found." + +When Concobar heard this, a flame of jealousy and fury blazed up in his +heart, and he resolved that by no means should the Sons of Usna escape +the doom he planned for them. + + + + +XV. + +THE ATTACK ON THE SONS OF USNA. + + +Coming forth on the lawn of Emain, King Concobar now ordered a large +body of hireling troops to beset the Red Branch: and he bade them force +the doors and bring forth the sons of Usna. And they uttered three +dreadful shouts of defiance, and assailed the house on every side; but +the strong oak stood bravely, and they were not able to break through +doors or walls. So they heaped up great piles of wood and brambles and +kindled them till the red flames blazed round the house. + +Buinni the Red now stood up and said to the Sons of Usna:--"To me be +intrusted the task to repel this first assault: for I am your pledge in +place of my father." And marshalling his men, and causing the great door +to be thrown wide open, he sallied forth and scattered the assailants +and put out the fires: slaying thrice fifty hirelings in that onslaught. + +But Buinni returned not to the Red Branch: for the king sent to him with +a secret offer of great favours and bribes: namely, his own royal +friendship, and a fruitful tract of land; which Buinni took and basely +abandoned the sons of Usna. But none the better luck came to him of it: +for at that same hour a blight fell on the land, so that it became a +moor, waste and profitless, which is at this day called Slieve Fuad. + +When Illan the Fair became aware of his brother's treason, he was +grieved to the heart, and he said:--"I am the second pledge in place of +my father for the sons of Usna, and of a certainty I will not betray +them: while this straight sword lives in my hand I will be faithful: and +I will now repel this second attack." For at this time the king's +hirelings were again thundering at the doors. + +Forth he issued with his band: and he made three quick furious circuits +round the Red Branch, scattering the troops as he went: after which he +returned to the mansion and found Naisi and Deirdre still playing.[77-1] +But as the hireling hordes returned to the attack, he went forth a +second time and fell on them, dealing death and havoc whither-soever he +went. + + [77-1] These champions, as well as their wives, took care never to + show any signs of fear or alarm even in the time of + greatest danger: so Naisi and Deirdre kept playing + quietly as if nothing was going on outside, though they + heard the din of battle resounding. + +Then, while the fight was still raging, Concobar called to him his son +Ficra, and said to him:--"Thou and Illan the Fair were born on the same +night: and as he has his father's arms, so thou take mine, namely, my +shield which is called the Ocean, and my two spears which are called +Dart and Slaughter, and my great sword, the Blue-green blade. And bear +thyself manfully against him, and vanquish him, else none of my troops +will survive." + +Ficra did so and went against Illan the Fair; and they made a stout, +warlike, red-wounding attack on each other, while the others looked on +anxious: but none dared to interfere. And it came to pass that Illan +prevailed, so that Ficra was fain to shelter himself behind his father's +shield the Ocean, and he was like to be slain. Whereupon the shield +moaned, and the Three Waves of Erin uttered their hollow melancholy +roar.[77-2] + + [77-2] The "Three _Tonns_ or Waves of Erin" were the Wave of Tuath + outside the mouth of the river Bann, off the coast of + Derry; the Wave of Rury in Dundrum Bay, off the county + Down; and the Wave of Cleena in Glandore Harbour in the + south of Cork. In stormy weather, when the wind blows from + certain directions, the sea at those places, as it tumbles + over the sandbanks, or among the caves and fissures of the + rocks, utters a loud and solemn roar, which in old times + was believed to forebode the death of some king. + + The legends also tell that the shield belonging to a king + moaned when the person who wore it in battle--whether the + king himself or a member of his family--was in danger of + death: the moan was heard all over Ireland; and the + "Three Waves of Erin" roared in response. See "Irish + Names of Places," Vol. II., Chap. XVI. + +The hero Conall Carnagh, sitting in his dun afar off, heard the moan of +the shield and the roar of the Wave of Tuath: and springing up from +where he sat, he said: "Verily, the king is in danger: I will go to his +rescue." + +He ran with the swiftness of the wind, and arrived on the Green of Emain +where the two young heroes were fighting. Thinking it was Concobar that +crouched beneath the shield, he attacked Illan, not knowing him, and +wounded him even unto death. And Illan looking up said, "Is it thou, +Conall! Alas, dreadful is the deed thou hast done, not knowing me, and +not knowing that I am fighting in defence of the Sons of Usna who are +now in deadly peril from the treachery of Concobar." + +And Conall, finding he had unwittingly wounded his dear young friend +Illan, turned in his grief and rage on the other, and swept off his +head. And he stalked fierce and silent out of the battlefield. + +Illan, still faithful to his charge, called aloud to Naisi to defend +himself bravely: then putting forth his remaining strength, he flung his +arms, namely, his sword and his spears and his shield, into the Red +Branch; and falling prone on the green sward, the shades of death dimmed +his eyes, and his life departed. + +And now when it was the dusk of evening, another great battalion of the +hirelings assailed the Red Branch, and kindled fagots around it: +whereupon Ardan sallied out with his valorous band and scattered them, +and put out the fires, and held guard for the first third of the night. +And during the second third Ainnli kept them at bay. + +Then Naisi took his turn, issuing forth, and fought with them till the +morning's dawn: and until the sands of the seashore, or the leaves of +the forest, or the dew drops on the grass, or the stars of heaven are +counted, it will not be possible to number the hirelings that were slain +in that fight by Naisi and his band of heroes. + +And as he was returning breathless from the rout, all grimy and terrible +with blood and sweat, he spied Lavarcam, as she stood watching the +battle anxiously; and he said:--"Go, Lavarcam, go and stand on the outer +rampart, and cast thine eyes eastwards, if perchance thou shouldst see +Fergus and his men coming." + +For many of Naisi's brave followers had fallen in these encounters: and +he doubted that he and the others could sustain much longer the +continual assaults of superior numbers. And Lavarcam went, but returned +downcast, saying she saw nought eastwards, but the open plain with the +peaceful herds browsing over it. + + + + +XVI. + +DEATH OF THE SONS OF USNA. + + +Believing now that they could no longer defend the Red Branch, Naisi +took council with his brothers; and what they resolved on was this:--To +sally forth with all their men and fight their way to a place of safety. +Then making a close firm fence of shields and spears round Deirdre, they +marched out in solid ranks and attacked the hireling battalions and slew +three hundred in that onslaught. + +Concobar, seeing the rout of his men, and being now sure that it was not +possible to subdue the Sons of Usna in open fight, cast about if he +might take them by falsehood and craft. And sending for Caffa the druid, +who loved them, he said:-- + +"These sons of Usna are brave men, and it is our pleasure to receive +them back into our service. Go now unto them, for thou art their loved +friend; and say to them that if they lay down their arms and submit to +me, I will restore them to favour and give them their places among the +Red Branch Knights. And I pledge thee my kingly word and my troth as a +true knight, that no harm shall befal them." + +Caffa, by no means distrusting him, went to the Sons of Usna and told +them all the king had said. And they, suspecting neither guile nor +treachery joyfully threw their swords and spears aside, and went towards +the king to make submission. But now, while they stood defenceless, the +king caused them to be seized and bound. Then, turning aside he sought +for some one to put them to death; but he found no man of the Ultonians +willing to do so. + +Among his followers was a foreigner named Maini of the Rough Hand, whose +father and two brothers had fallen in battle by Naisi: and this man +undertook to kill the Sons of Usna. + +When they were brought forth to their doom, Ardan said:--"I am the +youngest: let me be slain first that I may not see the death of my +brothers." And Ainnli earnestly pleaded for the same thing for himself, +saying that he was born before Ardan and should die before him. + +But Naisi said:--"Lo, I have a sword, the gift of Mannanan Mac Lir, +which leaves no remnant unfinished after a blow: let us be struck with +it, all three together, and we shall die at the same moment." + +This was agreed to: and the sword was brought forth, and they laid their +heads close together, and Maini swept off all three with one blow of the +mighty sword. And when it became known that the Sons of Usna were dead, +the men of Ulaid sent forth three great cries of grief and lamentation. + +As for Deirdre, she cried aloud, and tore her golden hair, and became +like one distracted. And after a time, when her calmness had a little +returned, she uttered a lament:-- + + +I. + +"Three lions of the hill are dead, and I am left alone to weep for them. +The generous princes who made the stranger welcome have been guilefully +lured to their doom. + + +II. + +"The three strong hawks of Slieve Cullinn,[82-1] a king's three sons, +strong and gentle: willing obedience was yielded to them by heroes who +had conquered many lands. + + [82-1] Slieve Cullinn, now Slieve Gullion mountain in Armagh. + + +III. + +"Three generous heroes of the Red Branch, who loved to praise the valour +of others: three props of the battalions of Quelna: their fall is the +cause of bitter grief. + + +IV. + +"Ainnli and Ardan, haughty and fierce in battle, to me were ever loving +and gentle: Naisi, Naisi, beloved spouse of my choice, thou canst not +hear thy Deirdre lamenting thee. + + +V. + +"When they brought down the fleet red deer in the chase, when they +speared the salmon skilfully in the clear water, joyful and proud were +they if I looked on. + + +VI. + +"Often when my feeble feet grew weary wandering along the valleys, and +climbing the hills to view the chase, often would they bear me home +lightly on their linked shields and spears. + + +VII. + +"It was gladness of heart to be with the Sons of Usna: long and weary is +the day without their company: short will be my span of life since they +have left me. + + +VIII. + +"Sorrow and tears have dimmed my eyes, looking at the grave of Naisi: a +dark deadly sickness has seized my heart: I cannot, I cannot live after +Naisi. + + +IX. + +"O, thou who diggest the new grave, make it deep and wide: let it be a +grave for four: for I will sleep for ever beside my beloved." + + +When she had spoken these words, she fell beside the body of Naisi and +died immediately. And a great cairn of stones was piled over their +grave, and their names were inscribed in Ogham, and their funeral rites +were performed. + +This is the sorrowful tale of The Fate of the Sons of Usna. + + + + +XVII. + +AVENGING AND BRIGHT. + + + Avenging and bright fall the swift sword of Erin, + On him, who the brave sons of Usna betray'd! + For ev'ry fond eye he hath waken'd a tear in, + A drop from his heart-wounds shall weep o'er her blade. + + By the red cloud that hung over Connor's dark dwelling, + When Ulad's three champions lay sleeping in gore-- + By the billows of war which, so often high swelling, + Have wafted these heroes to victory's shore? + + We swear to revenge them!--no joy shall be tasted, + The harp shall be silent, the maiden unwed, + Our halls shall be mute, and our fields shall lie wasted, + Till vengeance is wreak'd on the murderer's head. + + Yes, monarch! though sweet are our home recollections, + Though sweet are the tears that from tenderness fall; + Though sweet are our friendships, our hopes, our affections, + Revenge[85-1] on a tyrant is sweetest of all! + + THOMAS MOORE. + + [85-1] The Red Branch Knights were all pagans; and besides, what + they meant here by revenge was merely punishment for a + great crime. + + + + +XVIII. + +THE WRATH OF FERGUS MAC ROY. + + +Barach's banquet was ended. Fergus, anxious and impatient, returned with +his people to Emain. And when he found that the sons of Usna had been +slain in violation of his pledge, and that his son, Illan the Fair, had +fallen while defending them, his grief and wrath knew no bounds. Caffa +the druid was none the less incensed; and he was in sore anguish: for he +it was, who, trusting in Concobar's deceitful promises, persuaded the +sons of Usna to give up their arms and yield. And he pronounced the doom +of Concobar's race, that neither he nor any of his descendants should +reign in Emain thenceforward for evermore. + +And these two, Fergus and Caffa, collecting their men of valour, spoiled +and laid waste Concobar's territory; till at last a battle was fought +between them, in which the king was defeated, and three hundred of his +bravest Ultonians were slain, besides his son and many other illustrious +persons in his service. Fergus and Caffa then attacked Emain, and burned +and pillaged it, and slew those who defended it. And though the palace +was rebuilt in due time, and continued to be the residence of the kings +of Ulaid for more than three hundred years afterwards, none of +Concobar's descendants possessed it, as Caffa had foretold. + +[Illustration: Bronze celts. A celt was a sort of battle axe; sometimes +made of bronze, sometimes of stone. The right hand figure shows how the +bronze head was fixed to the handle. Great numbers of these celts of +many different shapes, both stone and bronze, are preserved in the +National Museum, Dublin.] + +After this, Fergus and other great champions of the Red Branch, with +three thousand warriors, marched into Connaught, where Ailell and +Maive, king and queen of that province, being at war with Concobar, +welcomed them and took them gladly into their service. And for seven +years they continued to send marauding parties to spoil and ravage the +province of Ulaid, so that many battles were fought, and many heroes +were slain. In the stories of this war we read much of the mighty +champion Cuculainn who was the chief defender of Ulaid against Ailell +and Maive's forces. + + + + +XIX. + +ANCIENT IRISH PHYSICIANS: PART I. + + +Among most nations of old times there were great leeches or physicians, +who were considered so skilful that the people believed they could cure +wounds and ailments as if by magic. In some countries they became gods, +as among the Greeks. + +The ancient Irish people, too, had their mighty leech, a Dedannan named +Dianket, who, as they believed, could heal all wounds and cure all +diseases; so that he became the Irish God of Medicine. He had a son, +Midac, and a daughter, Armedda, who were both as good as himself; and at +last Midac became so skilful that his father killed him in a fit of +jealousy. And, after some time, there grew up from the young doctor's +grave 365 herbs, each with virtue to cure some particular ailment. His +sister Armedda plucked up these herbs, and carefully sorting them, +wrapped them up in her mantle. But the jealous old Dianket came and +mixed them all up, so that no one could distinguish them: and but for +this--according to the legend--every physician would now be able to cure +all diseases without delay, by selecting and applying the proper herbs. + +Leaving these shadowy old-world stories, let us come down to historic +times, when we shall, as it were, tread on solid ground. From the very +earliest times medicine and surgery were carefully studied in Ireland: +and there was a distinct class of professional medical doctors, who +underwent a course of education and practical training. A young man +usually learned to be a physician by apprenticeship, i.e. by living in +the house of a regular physician, and accompanying him on his visits to +patients to learn his methods of treatment. + +A king or a great chief had always a physician as part of his household, +to attend to the health of his family. The usual remuneration of these +men was a residence and a tract of land in the neighbourhood, free of +all rent and taxes, together with certain allowances: and the medical +man might, if he chose, practise for fee outside the household. Some of +those in the service of great kings had castles, and lived in state like +princes. Those not so attached lived on their fees, like many doctors +of the present day: and the fees for the various operations or +attendances were laid down in the Brehon Law.[89-1] + + [89-1] The Brehon Law: that is, the old law of Ireland. + +Though medical doctors were looked up to with great respect, they had to +be very careful in exercising their profession. A leech who through +carelessness, or wilful neglect, or gross want of skill, failed to cure +a wound, might be brought before a brehon or judge, and if the case was +proved home against him, he had to pay the same fine to the patient, as +if he had inflicted the wound with his own hand. + + + + +XX. + +ANCIENT IRISH PHYSICIANS: PART II. + + +Medicine, as a profession, like Law, History, &c., often ran in families +in Ireland, descending regularly from father to son; and several Irish +families were distinguished leeches for generations, such as the +O'Shiels, the O'Cassidys, the O'Hickeys, and the O'Lees. + +Each medical family kept a book, which was handed down reverently from +father to son, and in which was written, in Irish or Latin, all the +medical knowledge derived either from other books or from the actual +experience of the various members of the family; and many of these old +volumes, all in beautiful handwriting, are still preserved in Dublin and +elsewhere. As showing the admirable spirit in which those good men +studied and practised their profession, and how much they loved it, it +is worth while to give a translation of the opening statement, a sort of +preface, in the Irish language, written at the beginning of one of these +books, in the year 1352. + +"May the good God have mercy on us all. I have here collected practical +rules of medicine from several works, for the honour of God, for the +benefit of the Irish people, for the instruction of my pupils, and for +the love of my friends and of my kindred. I have translated many of them +into Gaelic from Latin books, containing the lore of the great leeches +of Greece and Rome. These are sweet and profitable things which have +been often tested by us and by our instructors. + +"I pray God to bless those doctors who will use this book; and I lay it +as an injunction on their souls, that they extract knowledge from it not +by any means sparingly, and that they do not neglect the practical rules +herein contained. More especially I charge them that they do their duty +devotedly in cases where they receive no payment on account of the +poverty of their patients. + +"Let every physician, before he begins his treatment, offer up a secret +prayer for the sick person, and implore the heavenly Father, the +Physician and Balm-giver of all mankind, to prosper the work he is +entering upon, and to save himself and his patient from failure." + +There is good reason to believe that the noble sentiments here expressed +were generally those of the physicians of the time; from which we may +see that the old Irish medical doctors were quite as devoted to their +profession, as eager for knowledge, and as anxious about their patients +as those of the present day. + +The fame of the Irish physicians reached the continent. Even at a +comparatively late time, about three hundred years ago, when medicine +had been successfully studied and practised in Ireland for more than a +thousand years, a well-known and distinguished physician of +Brussels,[91-1] in a book written by him in Latin on medical subjects, +praises the Irish doctors, and describes them correctly as follows:-- + + [91-1] Van Helmont. + +"In the household of every great lord in Ireland there is a physician +who has a tract of land for his support, and who is appointed to his +post, not on account of the great amount of learning he brings away in +his head from colleges, but because he is able to cure diseases. His +knowledge of the healing art is derived from books left him by his +forefathers, which describe very exactly the marks and signs by which +the various diseases are known, and lay down the proper remedies for +each. These remedies, [which are mostly herbs], are all produced in that +country. Accordingly, the Irish people are much better managed in +sickness than the Italians, who have a physician in every village." + +It is pleasant to know that the Irish physicians of our time who, it is +generally agreed, are equal to those of any other country in the world, +can look back with respect, and not without some feeling of pride, to +their Irish predecessors of the times of old. + + + + +XXI. + +THE FENA OF ERIN. + + +In the third century of the Christian era lived the Fena[92-1] of Erin, +a famous body of warriors something like the Red Branch Knights of an +older time. Their most renowned commander was Finn Mac Cumaill [Cool], +King Cormac Mac Art's son-in-law, who of all the heroes of ancient +Ireland is at the present day best remembered in tradition by the +people. + + [92-1] Fena, spelled _Fianna_ in Irish, and pronounced _Feena_. + +Finn had his chief residence on the Hill of Allen, a remarkable +flat-topped hill lying about four miles to the right of the railway as +you pass from Newbridge towards Kildare, which will be at once +recognised by a tall pillar erected fifty or sixty years ago on the +top, on the very site of Finn's palace. There are now very little +remains of the palace-fort, which, there is good reason to believe, was +at no time very large. Whatever remained of it has been cleared away, +partly to make room for the pillar, and partly by cultivation, for the +land has been tilled and cropped to the very summit. The whole +neighbourhood however still teems with living traditions of the heroes; +and the people all round the hill tell many stories of Finn and the +Fena, and point out the several spots they frequented. As in the case of +the Red Branch Knights, there were Fena in all the provinces, each +provincial troop under a leader. The Fena of Erin flourished for many +generations; but they reached their greatest glory under Finn in the +time of Cormac Mac Art, who was king of Ireland from A.D. 254 to 277. + +No man was admitted to their ranks till he had proved his strength and +activity by passing severe tests in leaping, running, and defending +himself from attack against great odds. They should be educated in the +sort of learning in vogue at the time, and especially they should be +able to repeat many verses and stories recounting the great deeds of the +times of old, so that they might learn to admire all that was brave and +noble, and that in time of peace they might be bright and entertaining +at banquets and other festive gatherings. They were all mighty men in +fight, brave, and strong, and swift of foot: and they were above all +things bound to be honourable and truthful in their dealings, and to +protect the weak--particularly women and children--from oppression and +wrong. + +The Fena loved open-air games and exercises of all kinds, especially the +chase. They had a breed of enormous dogs of which they were very fond, +gentle and affectionate at home, but fierce and terrible in the chase; +and from Beltane (1st of May) to Samin (1st November) they hunted deer, +wild boars, and other game through the forests, and over the hills, +glens, and plains. Though the chief men among them rode on horseback +when travelling long distances from one district to another, they always +hunted on foot, never using horses in the chase. During hunting time +they camped out at night, living on the flesh of the animals they +brought down and on the wild fruit and herbs of the forest. + +At midday, whatever game they had killed during the morning they sent by +their attendants to the place appointed for the evening meal, which was +always chosen near a wood and beside a stream or lake. The attendants +roasted one part on hazel spits before immense fires of wood, and baked +the rest on hot stones in a pit dug in the earth. The stones were heated +in the fires. At the bottom of the pit the men placed a layer of these +hot stones: then a layer of meat-joints wrapped in sedge to keep them +from being burned: next another layer of hot stones: down on that more +meat; and so on till the whole was disposed of. When the hunters +returned, their first care was to bathe, so as to remove the sweat and +mire of the chase. Then they attended to their hair: for they wore the +hair long, and were very particular about combing, dressing, and +plaiting it. By the time their preparations were completed, the meat was +ready: and the hungry hunters sat down to their smoking-hot savoury +meal. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish ornamented comb in the National Museum, +Dublin.] + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish gold earring, one of a pair found in Co. +Roscommon] + +After the meal they set up their tents, and each man prepared his bed. +He first put down a thick layer of brushwood from the surrounding +forest; on that he spread a quantity of moss; and on that again a layer +of fresh rushes, on which he slept soundly after his day of joyous, +healthful toil. In the old tales these three materials--brushwood, moss, +and rushes--are called the "Three beddings of the Fena."[95-1] + + [95-1] The above account of how the Fena hunted, cooked, ate, and + slept is from Keating, who took it from old Irish books. + +The Fena were in the service of the kings, and their main duties were to +uphold justice and put down oppression and wrong, to suppress robbers +and other evil-doers, to exact fines and tributes for the king, and to +guard the harbours of the country against pirates and invaders. For +these services they received a fixed pay: during the six months hunting +season, their pay was merely the animals they killed, of which they used +the flesh for food and sold the skins. + +An Irish poet of our day has written of the Milesian people in general, +including those Fena of Erin and the Red Branch Knights:-- + + + "Long, long ago, beyond the misty space + Of twice a thousand years, + In Erin old there dwelt a mighty race + Taller than Roman spears; + Like oaks and towers they had a giant grace, + Were fleet as deers, + With winds and wave they made their biding place, + Those western shepherd seers. + + Great were their deeds, their passions, and their sports. + With clay and stone, + They piled on strath and shore those mystic forts, + Not yet o'erthrown: + On cairn-crowned hills they held their council-courts; + While youths alone, + With giant dogs explored the elk resorts + And brought them down." + + +[Illustration: Cairn, on Carns Hill near Sligo: a "cairn-crowned hill."] + +In many modern stories, Finn is spoken of as a giant; but this is a +vulgar notion. The old romantic tales describe him as a tall, strong +man, though not a giant; with much keen wit, sound sense, and great +judgment: and though he was a mighty champion, he ruled his men more by +wisdom, kindness, and justice, than by strength. When quite a young man +his hair became white like silver: how this happened will be told in the +next story. Oisin [Isheen] or Ossian, the renowned hero-poet of the +Fena, was his son. Oscar the son of Ossian was youthful, comely, +kind-hearted, and valiant. Dermot O'Dyna was the handsomest of all these +heroes. He was unconquerably brave, of untarnished honour, generous, and +self-denying, ever ready to take the post of danger, always giving +credit to others, and never in the least boasting of his own deeds. He +is the finest character of all the Fena; and it would be hard to find +his equal in the ancient tales of any country. We have a vast number of +beautiful stories in the Irish language about Finn and the other heroes +of the Fena, a few of which are translated in this book. + + + + +XXII. + +THE CHASE OF SLIEVE CULLINN. + +IN WHICH OSSIAN RELATES HOW FINN'S HAIR WAS CHANGED IN ONE DAY FROM THE +COLOUR OF GOLD TO SILVERY GREY. + + +On a morning in summer, Finn happened to be walking alone on the lawn +before the palace of Allen, when a doe sprang out from a thicket, and, +passing quite close to him, bounded past like the wind. Without a +moment's delay, he signalled for his companions and dogs; but none heard +except his two hounds, Bran and Skolan. He instantly gave chase, +accompanied only by his two dogs; and before the Fena knew of his +absence, he had left Allen of the green slopes far behind. + +The chase turned northwards; and though the hounds kept close to the +doe, the chief kept quite as close to the hounds the whole way. And so +they continued without rest or pause, till they reached Slieve Cullinn, +far in the north. + +Here the doe made a sudden turn and disappeared; and Finn never caught +sight of her after. And he marvelled much that any doe in the world +should be able to lead Bran and Skolan so long a chase, and escape from +them in the end. Meantime they kept searching, Finn taking one side of +the hill and the dogs another, so that he was at last left quite alone. + +While he was wandering about the hill and whistling for his hounds, he +heard the plaintive cry of a woman at no great distance; and, turning +his steps towards the place, he saw a beautiful young lady sitting on +the brink of a little lake, weeping as if her heart would break. Finn +accosted her; and, seeing that she ceased her weeping for a moment, he +asked her had she seen his two hounds pass that way. + +"I have not seen thy hounds," she replied, "nor have I been at all +concerned in the chase; for, alas, there is something that troubles me +more nearly. I had a precious gold bracelet on my hand, which I prized +beyond anything in the world; and it has fallen from me into the water. +I saw it roll down the steep slope at the bottom, till it went quite out +of my sight. This is the cause of my sorrow, and thou canst remedy the +mishap if thou wilt. The Fena are sworn never to refuse help to a woman +in distress; and I now put it on thee to search for this bracelet, and +cease not till thou find it and restore it to me." + +Finn plunged in without a moment's hesitation; and after swimming three +times round the lake, diving and searching into every nook and cranny at +the bottom, he found the bracelet at last; and approaching the lady, he +handed it to her from the water. The moment she had got it she sprang +into the lake before his eyes, and, diving down, disappeared in an +instant. + +[Illustration: Irish bracelet or armlet of solid gold, now in the +National Museum, Dublin. It is double the size of the picture, of +beautiful shape and workmanship, and weighs 3-3/4 oz.] + +The chief, wondering greatly at this strange behaviour, stepped forth +from the water; but as soon as his feet had touched the dry land, he +lost all his strength, and fell on the brink, a withered, grey old man, +shrunken up and trembling all over with weakness. He sat him down in +woful plight; and soon his hounds came up. They looked at him wistfully +and sniffed and whined around him; but they knew him not, and, passing +on, they ran round the lake, searching in vain for their master. + +On that day we and the Fena in general were assembled in the banquet +hall of the palace of Allen; some feasting, some playing chess, and +others listening to the sweet music of the harpers. While all were in +this wise pleasantly engaged, we suddenly missed our chief, and when we +searched for him he was nowhere to be found: whereupon we became +alarmed. Inquiring now from the lesser people about the palace, we found +that the chief and his two dogs had chased a doe northwards. So, having +mustered a strong party of the Fena, we started in pursuit, and +following the track, never slackened speed till we reached Slieve +Cullinn. + +We began to search round the hill, and after wandering among brakes and +rough, rocky places, we at last espied a grey-headed old man sitting on +the brink of a lake. I went up to him, followed by the rest of the Fena, +and asked him if he had seen a noble-looking hero pass that way, with +two hounds, chasing a doe. He never answered a word, neither did he stir +from where he sat, or even look up; but at the question, his head sank +on his breast, and his limbs shook all over as with palsy. Then he fell +into a sudden fit of grief, wringing his hands and uttering feeble cries +of woe. + +We soothed him and used him gently, hoping he might speak at last; but +to no purpose, for he only lamented the more, and still answered +nothing. + +At last, after this had gone on for some time, and when we were about +to leave him, he told us in a whisper the dreadful secret; and then we +all came to know the truth. When we found that the withered old man was +no other than our beloved king, Finn himself, we uttered three shouts of +lamentation and anger, so loud and prolonged that the foxes and badgers +rushed affrighted from their dens in the hollows of the mountain. + +When quietness was restored, we asked Finn how this dread evil had +befallen him; and he told us that it was the daughter of Culann the +smith who had transformed him by her spells. And then he recounted how +she had lured him to swim in the lake, and how, when he came forth, he +was turned into a withered old man. + +We now made a framework litter of slender poles, and, placing our king +on it, we lifted him tenderly on our shoulders. And, turning from the +lake, we marched slowly up-hill till we came to the fairy palace of +Slieve Cullinn, where we knew the daughter of Culann had her dwelling +deep under ground. Here we set him down, and the whole troop began at +once to dig, determined to find the enchantress in her cave-palace, and +force her to restore our chief. + +For three days and three nights we dug, without a moment's rest or +pause, till at length we reached her hollow dwelling; when she, +affrighted at the tumult and at the vengeful look of the heroes, +suddenly started forth from the cave and stood before us. She held in +her hand a drinking-horn of red gold, which she handed to the king and +told him to drink. No sooner had he drunk from it, than his own shape +and features returned, save only that his hair remained of a silvery +grey. + +When we gazed on our chief in his own graceful and manly form, we were +all pleased with the soft, silvery hue of the grey hairs. And, though +the enchantress appeared ready to restore this also, Finn himself told +her that it pleased him as it pleased the others, and that he chose to +remain grey for the rest of his life. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish bracelet for the wrist. This is of bronze; +but many Irish bracelets were of gold, like that shown at page 100.] + + + + +XXIII. + +SAINT BRIGIT: PART I. + + +Of all the Irish saints, Brigit and Columkille are, next after St. +Patrick, the most loved and revered by the people of Ireland. + +Like many others of our early saints, Brigit came of a noble family. Her +father Dubthach [Duffa] was a distinguished Leinster chief, descended +from the kings of Ireland. For some reason, which we do not know, he and +his wife lived for a time in Faughart near Dundalk, which was then a +part of Ulster: and at Faughart Brigit was born about the year 455. The +family must have soon returned however to their own district, for we +know that Brigit passed her childhood with her parents in the +neighbourhood of Kildare. She was baptised, and carefully instructed and +trained, both in general education and in religion: for her father and +mother were Christians. As she grew up, her quiet, gentle, modest ways +pleased all that knew her. At the time of her birth, St. Patrick was in +the midst of his glorious career; and some say that while she was still +a child she knew him, and that when he died she made with her own hands +a winding sheet in which his body was laid in the grave; which may have +happened, as she was ten or twelve years of age at the time of his +death. + +When Brigit came of an age to choose her way of life, she resolved to be +a nun, to which her parents made no objection. After due preparation she +went to a holy bishop of the neighbourhood, who, at her request, +received her, and placed a white robe on her shoulders and a white veil +over her head. Here she remained for some time in companionship with +eight other maidens who had been received with her, and who placed +themselves under her guidance. As time went on, she became so beloved +for her piety and sweetness of disposition, that many young women asked +to be admitted; so that though she by no means desired that people +should be speaking in her praise, the fame of her little community began +to spread through the country. + +This first establishment was conducted strictly under a set of Rules +drawn up by Brigit herself: and now, bishops in various parts of Ireland +began to apply to her to establish convents in their several districts +under the same rules. She was glad of this, and she did what she could +to meet their wishes. She visited Longford, Tipperary, Limerick, South +Leinster, and Roscommon, one after another; and in all these places she +founded convents. + +At last the people of her own province of Leinster, considering that +they had the best right to her services, sent a number of leading +persons to request that she would fix her permanent residence among +them. She was probably pleased to go back to live in the place where she +had spent her childhood; and she returned to Leinster, where she was +welcomed with great joy. The Leinster people gave her a piece of land +chosen by herself, on the edge of a beautiful level grassy plain, well +known as the Curragh of Kildare. Here, on a low ridge over-looking the +plain, she built a little church, under the shade of a wide-spreading +oak tree, whence it got the name of Kill-dara, the Church of the Oak, or +as we now call it, Kildare. This tree continued to flourish long after +Brigit's death, and it was regarded with great veneration by the people +of the place. A writer of the tenth century--four hundred years after +the foundation of the church--tells us that in his time it was a mere +branchless, withered trunk; but the people had such reverence for it +that no one dared to cut or chip it. + +We are not quite sure of the exact year of Brigit's settlement here; but +it probably occurred about 485, when she was thirty years of age. Hard +by the church she also built a dwelling for herself and her community. +We are told, in the Irish Life of St. Brigit, that this first house was +built of wood, like the houses of the people in general: and the little +church under the oak was probably of wood also, like most churches of +the time. As the number of applicants for admission continued to +increase, both church and dwelling had to be enlarged from time to time; +and the wood was replaced by stone and mortar. Such was the respect in +which the good abbess was held, that visitors came from all parts of the +country to see her and ask her advice and blessing: and many of them +settled down in the place, so that a town gradually grew up near the +convent, which was the beginning of the town of Kildare. + + + + +XXIV. + +SAINT BRIGIT: PART II. + + +Brigit, although now at the head of a great community, and very strict +in carrying out her Rules, still retained all her humility and +gentleness of disposition. With such a large family, there was plenty of +work to do; and it was all done by the nuns, as they kept no servants +and called in no outsiders. The abbess herself, so far as she was able +to withdraw from the cares of governing the establishment, took her part +like the rest in most of the domestic occupations. In some of the old +accounts of her life we are told that she often, with some companions, +herded and tended her flocks of sheep that grazed on the level sward +round the convent. And sometimes she was caught by the heavy +rain-squalls that occasionally sweep across that shelterless plain, so +that her clothes were wet through by the time she returned to the +convent: showing that she took her own share of the rough work. + +Not far from the convent, another establishment was founded, later on, +for men, which afterwards became one of the great Colleges of Ireland. +As the two communities and the population of the town continued to grow, +it was Brigit's earnest desire that a bishop should be there to take +spiritual charge of the whole place. A holy man named Conleth, who had +hitherto spent his life as a hermit in the neighbourhood, was appointed +bishop by the heads of the Church. He was the first bishop of Kildare, +and he took up his residence in the monastery. The name of that good +bishop is to this day held in affectionate remembrance, with that of St. +Brigit, by the people of Kildare and of the country all round. + +[Illustration: Ruins of Kilcrea Abbey, on the river Bride, ten miles +from Cork city. Built in honour of St. Brigit.] + +While the parent convent at Kildare continued to grow, branch houses +under Brigit's Rule, and subject to her authority, were established all +over Ireland; and many establishments for monks were also founded in +honour of her. + +Brigit had such a reputation for wisdom and prudence, that the most +eminent of the saints, and many kings and chiefs of her day, visited +Kildare or corresponded with her, to obtain her advice in doubtful or +difficult matters. Visitors were constantly coming and going, all of +whom she received kindly and treated hospitably. All this, with daily +alms to the needy, and the support of a large community, kept her poor: +for the produce of her land was not nearly sufficient to supply her +wants. For a long time in the beginning she and her community suffered +from downright poverty, so that she had often to call on the charity of +her friends and neighbours to assist her. But as time went on, and as +the reputation of the place spread abroad, she received many presents +from rich people, which generally came in the right time, and enabled +her to carry on her establishment without any danger of want. + +Among Brigit's virtues none is more marked than her charity and kindness +of heart towards poor, needy, and helpless people. She never could look +on distress of any kind without trying to relieve it at whatever cost. +Even when a mere girl living with her parents, her father was often +displeased with her for giving away necessary things belonging to the +house to poor people who came in their misery to beg from her. It +happened on one occasion that her father drove her in his chariot to +Naas (in Kildare), where then lived Dunlang king of Leinster; and +dismounting, he entered the palace, leaving his sword behind--a +beautiful and valuable one--while Brigit remained in charge of horse and +chariot. A wretched looking poor man with sickness and want in his face +came up and begged for some relief. Overcome with pity she looked about +for something to give him, and finding nothing but the sword, she handed +it to him. On her father's return he fell into a passion at the loss of +his sword: and when King Dunlang questioned her reproachfully, she +replied:--"If I had all thy wealth I would give it to the poor; for +giving to the poor is giving to the Lord of the Universe." And the king +turning to the father said:--"It is not meet that either you or I should +chide this maiden, for her merit is greater before God than before men": +on which the matter ended: and Brigit returned home with her father. + +Her overflowing kindness of heart was not confined to human beings: it +extended even to the lower animals. Once while she lived in her father's +house, a party of guests were invited, and she was given some pieces of +meat to cook for dinner. And a poor miserable half-starved hound limped +into the house and looked longingly at the meat: whereupon the girl, +quite unable to overcome her feeling of pity, threw him one of the +pieces. And when the poor animal, in his hungry greediness, had +devoured that in a moment, she gave him another, which satisfied him. +And to the last day of her life she retained her tenderness of heart and +her kindness and charity towards the poor. + + + + +XXV. + +SAINT BRIGIT: PART III. + + +Late in life Brigit's influence over young people was unbounded: for her +very gentleness gave tenfold power to her words. Once, seeing a young +man, a student of the neighbouring college, running very violently and +in an unbecoming manner, in presence of some of her nuns, she sent for +him on the spot and asked him why he was running in such haste. He +replied thoughtlessly, and half in jest, that he was running to heaven: +on which she said quietly: "I wish to God, my dear son, that I was +worthy to run with you to-day to the same place: I beg you will pray for +me to help me to arrive there." And when he heard these words, and +looked on her grave kind face, he was greatly moved; and telling her +with tears in his eyes, that he would surely pray for her and for many +others besides, he besought her to offer up her prayers for him, that he +might continue his journey steadily towards heaven, and arrive there in +the end. That young man, whose name was Ninnius, became in after-life +one of the most revered of the Irish saints. + +But with all her gentle unassuming ways, St. Brigit was a woman of +strong mind and great talents. She not only governed her various +establishments in strict accordance with her own Rules and forms of +discipline, but she was a powerful aid in forwarding the mighty +religious movement that had been commenced by St. Patrick half a century +before. She set an illustrious example to those Irish women who, during +and after her time, entered on a religious life; and though many of them +became distinguished saints, she stands far above them all. No writer +has left us a detailed account of her last hours, as Adamnan has done +for St. Columkille. (See page 150, note, farther on.) We only know that +she died at Kildare on the first of February, in or about the year 523, +and that she received the last consolations of religion from the +grateful hand of that same Ninnius whom she had turned to a religious +life many years before. + +She was buried in Kildare, where her body was entombed in a magnificent +shrine, ornamented with gold, silver, and precious stones. We may be +sure it was a very beautiful work of art, for we know that there was a +noted school of metal workers in Kildare under the direction of St. +Conleth, who was himself a most skilful artist; but this tomb was +plundered by the Danes three hundred years afterwards, and not a trace +of it now remains. + +According to some accounts, the bones of St. Brigit and St. Columkille +were brought to Downpatrick many centuries after the death of both, and +buried in the same tomb with the remains of St. Patrick. Whether this +was so or not, the matter has been commemorated in a Latin verse, of +which the following is a translation:-- + + + "Interred beneath one tomb in Down, a single vault doth hold + Patrick and Brigit and Columkille, three holy saints of old." + + +A well known Welshman, Gerald Barry (Giraldus Cambrensis), who was in +Ireland in 1185, and who wrote an account of it, says that he found "at +Kildare in Leinster, celebrated for the glorious Brigit, the 'Fire of +St. Brigit' which is reported never to go out." This fire was kept up +day and night by the nuns in his time, and for centuries before--how +long no one can tell--probably from the time of the saint herself--and +was continued for centuries after: but it was finally extinguished when +the monasteries were closed up by Henry VIII. in the year 1536. Thomas +Moore, in one of his songs, refers to it in the following words:-- + + "Like the bright lamp that shone in Kildare's holy fane, + And burned through long ages of darkness and storm." + +St. Brigit is venerated in England and Scotland as well as in Ireland: +for in both these countries churches were built in her honour, and many +convents were established under her name and rule. She was also well +known and honoured on the Continent. We need not wonder that her life +has been written by many Irishmen: but English, Scotch, French, Italian, +and German writers have also written about her and have commemorated her +as one of the most eminent saints of the West. + +Convents and monasteries were maintained in Kildare for hundreds of +years after the time of St. Brigit; and "Kildare's holy fane" is still +venerated as much as ever. On the very ridge where the humble little +church was erected fourteen hundred years ago, there is a group of fine +old church buildings, with a tall round tower that overlooks the +splendid plain of Kildare. + + + + +XXVI. + +IRISH SCRIBES AND BOOKS. + + +In old times all books were handwritten, printing being a late +invention. There were persons called Scribes, many of whom made writing +the chief business of their lives. From constant practice they became +very expert; and the penmanship of many of them was extremely beautiful +and highly ornamented, much more so than any writing executed by the +very best penmen of the present day. + +In Ireland, most of these scribes were monks, inmates of monasteries; +but many were laymen. These good and industrious men wrote into their +books all the learning of every kind that they could collect; so that +although the work of writing was slow, the numbers of books rapidly +increased; and very large libraries grew up, especially in the +monasteries. The leaves of these books were not paper like those of our +books, but parchment or vellum, which was generally made from sheepskin, +but often from the skins of other animals. + +Sometimes the scribes wrote down what had never been written before, +that is, matters composed at the time, or preserved in memory: but more +commonly they copied from other volumes. If an old book began to be +worn, ragged, or dim with age, so as to be hard to make out and read, +some scribe was sure to copy it, so as to have a new book easy to read +and well bound up. Most of the books written out in this manner related +to Ireland, as will be described presently; and the language of these +was almost always Irish. For in those times the Irish language was +spoken by all the people of Ireland. + +A favourite occupation was copying portions of the Holy Scriptures, +nearly always in the Latin language; and in this good work some monks +spent nearly all their time, in order to multiply copies of the sacred +books. Some of the greatest saints of the ancient Irish Church employed +themselves in copying the Gospels and other portions of the Bible, +whenever they could get the opportunity, as we shall see in the case of +St. Columkille. + +Copies of the Scriptures, and also prayer books, were generally +ornamented in the most beautiful way: for those accomplished and devoted +old scribes loved to beautify the sacred writings. Many of the lovely +books they wrote are still preserved, of which the most splendid is the +Book of Kells, now kept in the Library of Trinity College, in Dublin. It +is a copy of the Four Gospels, and the language is Latin, though the +letters are Irish. It was written by an Irish scribe eleven or twelve +hundred years ago, but who he was is not known. + +There is no old book in any part of the world so skilfully ornamented as +this. The capital letters are very large--one of them fills an entire +page--and are all illuminated, that is, painted in brilliant colours; +and after the lapse of so many centuries the colours are still very +fresh, though not so bright as when they were first laid on. + +In this Book of Kells, and in others like it, the capitals are +ornamented in every part with a kind of interlaced work, all done with +the pen, in which bands and ribbons are curved and plaited and woven in +the most wonderful way. These plaits and folds are so small and so close +together that one must sometimes use a magnifying glass in order to see +them plainly: in one space, the size of a half penny, in a page of a +splendid old volume, called the Book of Armagh, the ribbons appear woven +in and out more than three hundred times. + +A specimen of this interwoven ornamental work is seen at the head of the +first page of this book; but it gives only a poor idea of the beauty of +the Book of Kells. The frontispiece of the "Child's History of Ireland" +is a perfect copy, in full colours, of a complete page of the Book of +Mac Durnan, which is almost as beautiful as the Book of Kells. The Irish +used this sort of ornamentation also in metal-work and stone-work, of +which an example is given here. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish Ornamental Sculpture on a Stone Monument.] + +Very often, large volumes were kept, into which were written +compositions of all kinds, both prose and poetry, such as were thought +worth preserving, copied from older books, and written in, one after +another, till the volume was filled. Of all these old books of mixed +compositions, the largest that remains to us is the Book of Leinster, +which is kept in Trinity College in Dublin. It is an immense volume, all +in the Irish language, written more than 750 years ago; and many of the +pages are now almost black with age and very hard to make out. It +contains a great number of pieces, some in prose and some in verse, and +nearly all of them about Ireland--histories, accounts of battles and +sieges, lives and adventures of great men, with many tales and stories +of things that happened in this country in far distant ages. + +The Book of the Dun Cow is preserved in the Royal Irish Academy in +Dublin. It is fifty years older than the Book of Leinster, but not so +large; and it contains also a great number of tales, adventures, and +histories, nearly all relating to Ireland, and all written in the Irish +language. Its name was derived from the following circumstance:--St. +Kieran of Clonmacnoise had a favourite brown cow, whose skin, when she +died, he caused to be turned into parchment, of which a book was made. +But this old book no longer exists: it was lost ages ago; and the +present "Book of the Dun Cow" is only a copy of it. + +Three other great Irish books kept in Dublin are the Book of Lecan +[Leckan], the Yellow Book of Lecan, and the Book of Ballymote. These +contain much the same kind of matter as the Book of Leinster--with +pieces mostly different however--but they are not nearly so old. The +Speckled Book, which is also in Dublin, is nearly as large as the Book +of Leinster, but not so old. It is mostly on religious matters, and +contains a great number of Lives of Saints, Hymns, Sermons, portions of +the Scriptures, and other such pieces. All these books are written with +the greatest care, and in most beautiful penmanship. + +The six old books described above have been lately printed, in such a +way as that the print resembles exactly the writing of the old books +themselves. The printed volumes are now to be found in libraries in +several parts of Ireland, as well as in England and the Continent; so +that those desirous of studying them need not come to Dublin, as people +had to do formerly. + +Many people are now eagerly studying these books and men often come to +Ireland from France, Germany, Italy, Norway and Sweden, Russia, and +other countries, in order to learn the Irish language so as to be able +to read them. But this requires much study, even from those who know the +Irish of the present day; for the language of those books is old and +difficult. + +In many National and Intermediate schools the Irish language is now +taught, and no doubt some of the pupils who attend the Irish classes +will continue their studies after they leave school, till they come to +be able to read our old books. + +A great many old Irish tales and histories have been printed and +translated, and some of them are very beautiful and instructive. Several +of the stories in this book are from the Book of the Dun Cow and the +Book of Leinster. + + + + +XXVII. + +THE GILLA DACKER AND HIS HORSE.[120-1] + + +Once upon a time, when Finn and the Fena were hunting over Munster, Finn +and some of his companions encamped on the slope of Knockainey +hill[120-2] to rest for awhile. And they sent Finn Mac Bressal to the +top of the hill to keep watch and ward, while they amused themselves, +some playing chess, and some viewing the chase all round and listening +to the sweet cry of the hounds. + + [120-1] "The Pursuit of the Gilla Dacker and his horse" is a + humorous story, of which only a few incidents are given + here. The Gilla Dacker was really Mannanan Mac Lir, the + Pagan Irish sea-god, who came in disguise to play a + trick--a sort of practical joke--on the Fena. The whole + story is given in "Old Celtic Romances." + + [120-2] Knockainey: a hill celebrated in story, rising over the + village of Knockainey, in the Co. Limerick. + +Finn Mac Bressal had been watching only a little time, when he saw on +the plain to the east, a Fomor[121-1] of vast size coming towards the +hill, leading a horse. As he came nearer, Finn Mac Bressal observed that +he was the ugliest-looking giant his eyes ever lighted on. He had a +large, thick body, bloated and swollen out to a great size; clumsy, +crooked legs; and broad, flat feet, turned inwards. His hands and arms +and shoulders were bony and thick and very strong-looking; his neck was +long and thin; and while his head was poked forward, his face was turned +up, as he stared straight at Finn Mac Bressal. He had thick lips, and +long crooked teeth; and his face was covered all over with bushy hair. + + [121-1] Fomor, a gigantic warrior, a giant: its real meaning is "a + sea-robber," commonly called a Fomorian. + +He was fully armed; but all his weapons were rusty and soiled. A broad +shield of a dirty, sooty colour, rough and battered, hung over his back; +he had a long, heavy, straight sword at his left hip; and he grasped in +his left hand two thick-handled, broad-headed spears, old and rusty, +that looked as if they had not been handled for years. In his right hand +he held an iron club, which he dragged after him, with its end on the +ground; and it was so heavy that, as it trailed along, it tore up a +track as deep as the furrow a farmer ploughs with a pair of oxen. + +The horse he led was even larger in proportion than the giant himself, +and quite as ugly. His great carcase was covered all over with tangled, +scraggy-hair, of a sooty black; you could count his ribs and all the +points of his big bones through his hide; his legs were crooked and +knotty; his neck was twisted; and as for his jaws, they were so long and +heavy that they made his head look twice too big for his body. + +The giant held the horse by a thick halter, and seemed to be dragging +him forward by main force, the animal was so lazy and so hard to move. +Every now and then when the beast tried to stand still, the giant would +give him a blow on the ribs with his big iron club, which sounded as +loud as the thundering of a great billow against the rough-headed rocks +of the coast. When he gave him a pull forward by the halter, the wonder +was that he did not drag the animal's head away from his body; and, on +the other hand, the horse often gave the halter such a tremendous tug +backwards that it was equally wonderful how the arm of the giant was not +torn from his shoulder. + +Now it was not an easy matter to frighten Finn Mac Bressal; but when he +saw the giant and his horse coming straight towards him in that wise, he +was seized with such fear and horror that he sprang from his seat, and, +snatching up his arms, he ran down the hill-slope with the utmost speed +towards the king and his companions, whom he found sitting round the +chess-board, deep in their game. + +They started up when they saw him looking so scared; and, turning their +eyes towards where he pointed, they saw the big man and his horse coming +up the hill. The Fena stood gazing at him in silent wonder, waiting till +he should arrive; but although he was no great way off when they first +caught sight of him, it was a long time before he reached the spot where +they stood, so slow was the movement of his horse and himself. + + + + +XXVIII. + +THE FENA CARRIED OFF BY THE GILLA DACKER'S HORSE. + + +Patiently and in silence the Fena stood till the giant came up; when he +bowed his head, and bended his knee, and saluted the king with great +respect. + +Finn addressed him; and having given him leave to speak, he asked who he +was, and what was his name; also what was his profession or craft, and +why he had no servant to attend to his horse--if, indeed, such an ugly +old spectre of an animal could be called a horse at all. + +The big man made answer and said, "King of the Fena, I will answer +everything you ask me, as far as lies in my power. As to where I came +from, I am a Fomor of the north; but I have no particular +dwelling-place, for I am continually travelling about from one country +to another, serving the great lords and nobles of the world, and +receiving wages for my service. + +"In the course of my wanderings I have often heard of you, O king, and +of your greatness and splendour and royal bounty; and I have come now to +visit you, and to ask you to take me into your service for one year; and +at the end of that time I shall fix my own wages, according to my +custom. + +"You ask me also why I have no servant for this great horse of mine. The +reason of that is this: at every meal I eat, my master must give me as +much food and drink as would be enough for a hundred men; and whosoever +the lord or chief may be that takes me into his service, it is quite +enough for him to have to provide for me, without having also to feed my +servant. + +"Moreover, I am so very heavy and lazy that I should never be able to +keep up with a company on march if I had to walk; and this is my reason +for keeping a horse at all. + +"My name is the Gilla Dacker,[124-1] and it is not without good reason +that I am so called. For there never was a lazier or worse servant than +I am, or one that grumbles more at doing a day's work for his master. +And I am the hardest person in the whole world to deal with; for, no +matter how good or noble I may think my master, or how kindly he may +treat me, it is hard words and foul reproaches I am likely to give him +for thanks in the end. + + [124-1] Gilla Dacker means "a slothful fellow"--a fellow hard to + move, hard to manage, hard to have anything to do with. + +"This, O Finn, is the account I have to give of myself, and these are my +answers to your questions." + +"Well," answered Finn, "according to your own account, you are not a +very pleasant fellow to have anything to do with; and of a truth there +is not much to praise in your appearance. But things may not be so bad +as you say; and, anyhow, as I have never yet refused any man service and +wages, I will not now refuse you." + +Whereupon the Gilla Dacker was taken into service among the warriors for +a year. + +Then the big man said:--"Now, as to this horse of mine, I find I must +attend to him myself, as I see no one here worthy of putting a hand near +him. So I will lead him to the nearest stud, as I am wont to do, and let +him graze among your horses. I value him greatly, however, and it would +grieve me very much if any harm were to befal him; so," continued he, +turning to the king, "I put him under your protection, O king, and under +the protection of all the Fena that are here present." + +At this speech the Fena all burst out laughing, to see the Gilla Dacker +showing such concern for his miserable, worthless, old skeleton of a +horse. + +Howbeit, the big man, giving not the least heed to their merriment, took +the halter off the horse's head, and turned him loose among the horses +of the Fena. + +But now, this same wretched-looking old animal, instead of beginning to +graze, as every one thought he would, ran in among the horses of the +Fena, and began straightway to work all sorts of mischief. He cocked his +long, hard, switchy tail straight out like a rod, and, throwing up his +hind legs, he kicked about on this side and on that, maiming and +disabling several of the horses. Sometimes he went tearing through the +thickest of the herd, butting at them with his hard, bony forehead; and +he opened out his lips with a vicious grin, and tore all he could lay +hold on, with his sharp, crooked teeth, so that none were safe that came +in his way either before or behind. And the end of it was, that not an +animal of the whole herd escaped, without having a leg broken, or an eye +knocked out, or his ribs fractured, or his ear bitten off, or the side +of his face torn open, or without being in some other way cut or maimed +beyond cure. + +At last he left them, and was making straight for a small field where +Conan Mail's horses were grazing by themselves, intending to play the +same tricks among them. But Conan, seeing this, shouted in great alarm +to the Gilla Dacker, to bring away his horse, and not let him work any +more mischief; and threatening, if he did not do so at once, to go +himself and knock the brains out of the vicious old brute on the spot. + +But the Gilla Dacker took the matter quite coolly; and he told Conan +that he saw no way of preventing his horse from joining the others, +except some one put the halter on him and held him, which would, of +course, he said, prevent the poor animal from grazing, and would leave +him hungry at the end of the day. "But," said he to Conan, "there is the +halter; and if you are in any fear for your own animals, you may go +yourself and bring him away from the field." + +Conan was in a mighty rage when he heard this; and as he saw the big +horse just about to cross the fence, he snatched up the halter, and +running forward with long strides, he threw it over the animal's head +and attempted to lead him back. But in a moment the horse stood stock +still, and his body and legs became as stiff as if they were made of +wood; and though Conan pulled and tugged with might and main, he was not +able to stir him an inch from his place. + +He gave up pulling at last, when he found it was no use; but he still +kept on holding the halter, while the big horse never made the least +stir, but stood as if he had been turned into stone; the Gilla Dacker +all the time looking on quite unconcernedly, and the others laughing at +Conan's perplexity. But no one offered to relieve him. + +At last Conan jumped up on the horse, and tried to urge him on, but all +to no purpose: for the animal never stirred. Another of the Fena now +mounted behind him, and another, and another, till there were fourteen +of them on the horse's back. Then the Gilla Dacker, suddenly tucking up +his skirts, darted away from the Fena, and ran south-west with the speed +of a swallow flying across a mountain side, or of a March wind sweeping +over the plain. When the horse saw his master running, he stirred +himself at once and followed him with equal speed, carrying off the +whole fourteen men, and plunging and tearing along as if he had nothing +at all on his back. + +The men now tried to throw themselves off; but this, indeed, they were +not able to do, for the good reason that they found themselves fastened +firmly, hands and feet and all, to the horse's back. Moreover they found +that their seat was not a comfortable one, for the old horse's backbone +was rough and scraggy, and nearly as sharp as a saw. + +And now Conan, looking round, raised his big voice, and shouted to Finn +and the Fena, asking them were they content to let their friends be +carried off in that manner by such a horrible, foul-looking old spectre +of a horse. + +Finn and the others, hearing this, instantly started off in pursuit, and +for miles on miles they kept the Gilla Dacker and the horse in view, but +were not able to overtake them. At last the horse and his master came to +the shore of the sea in the west of Kerry, and without stop or stay they +plunged forward, moving over the waves the same as on the dry land: and +just as the Fena arrived at the shore, they lost sight of them in the +distance. + + + + +XXIX. + +DERMOT O'DYNA AT THE WELL. + + +Great was the astonishment of the Fena, and great their dismay, on +seeing their comrades carried off in this manner on the back of the big +horse. And now they took counsel; and what they resolved on was, to send +Dermot O'Dyna and a party of the Fena in a ship to search for their +companions. And Dermot and the others went on board, and sailed to the +west for many leagues, till they lost sight of the shores of Erin. At +length they came to an island with steep cliffs all round, so high that +its head seemed hidden in the clouds: and they saw by the tracks, that +up the face of this cliff the horse had made his way. And it was agreed +that Dermot O'Dyna should climb up and explore the island in quest of +their comrades. Then Dermot put on his armour and his helmet, and took +his shield, his two spears, and his sword: and leaning on the handles of +the spears, he leaped with a light, airy bound on the nearest shelf of +rock. Using his spears and his hands, he climbed from ledge to ledge, +while his companions watched him anxiously from below; till, after much +toil, he measured the soles of his two feet on the green sod at the top +of the rock. And when, recovering breath, he turned round and looked at +his companions in the ship far below, he started back with amazement and +dread at the dizzy height. + +He now looked inland, and saw a beautiful country spread out before +him:--a lovely, flowery plain straight in front, bordered with pleasant +hills, and shaded with groves of many kinds of trees. It was enough to +banish all care and sadness from one's heart to view this country, and +to listen to the warbling of the birds, the humming of the bees among +the flowers, the rustling of the wind through the trees, and the +pleasant voices of the streams and waterfalls. + +Making no delay, Dermot set out to walk across the plain. He had not +been long walking when he saw, right before him, a great tree laden with +fruit, over-topping all the other trees of the plain. It was surrounded +at a little distance by a circle of pillar-stones; and one stone, taller +than the others, stood in the centre near the tree. Beside this +pillar-stone was a spring well, with a large, round pool as clear as +crystal; and the water bubbled up in the centre, and flowed away towards +the middle of the plain in a slender stream. + +Dermot was glad when he saw the well; for he was hot and thirsty after +climbing up the cliff. He stooped down to take a drink; but before his +lips touched the water, he heard the heavy tread of a body of warriors, +and the loud clank of arms, as if a whole host were coming straight down +on him. He sprang to his feet and looked round; but the noise ceased in +an instant, and he could see nothing. + +After a little while he stooped once more to drink; and again, before he +had wet his lips, he heard the very same sounds, nearer and louder than +before. A second time he leaped to his feet; and still he saw no one. He +knew not what to think of this; and as he stood wondering and perplexed, +he happened to cast his eyes on the tall pillar-stone that stood on the +brink of the well; and he saw on its top a large, beautiful +drinking-horn,[131-1] chased with gold and enamelled with precious +stones. + + [131-1] The ancient Irish used drinking vessels of various forms + and with several names. A "Drinking-horn" (called a + _corn_: pronounced _curn_) was usually made of a + bullock's horn, hollowed out, cut into shape, and often + highly ornamented with silver rim, precious stones, + carvings, and other decorations. A beautiful + drinking-horn will be found figured in the "Child's + History of Ireland," p. 26. Another kind of drinking + vessel--the mether--has been already noticed here (page + 17 above). + +"Now surely," said Dermot, "I have been doing wrong: it is, no doubt, +one of the virtues of this well that it will not let any one drink of +its waters except from the drinking-horn." + +So he took down the horn, dipped it into the well, and drank without +hindrance, till he had slaked his thirst. + + + + +XXX. + +DERMOT O'DYNA FIGHTS THE WIZARD-CHAMPION, AND AFTER A TIME RESCUES HIS +COMRADES. + + +Hardly had Dermot taken the horn from his lips, when he saw a tall +wizard-champion coming towards him from the east, clad in a complete +suit of mail, and fully armed with shield and helmet, sword and spear. A +beautiful scarlet mantle hung over his armour, fastened at his throat by +a golden brooch; he had a gold torque round his neck; and a broad +circlet of sparkling gold was bended in front across his forehead, to +confine his yellow hair, and keep it from being blown about by the wind. + +As he came nearer, he increased his pace, moving with great strides; and +Dermot now observed that he looked very wrathful. He offered no +greeting, and showed not the least courtesy; but addressed Dermot in a +rough, angry voice-- + +"Surely, Dermot O'Dyna, Erin of the green plains should be wide enough +for you; and it contains abundance of clear, sweet water in its crystal +springs and green bordered streams, from which you might have drunk your +fill. But you have come into my island without my leave, and you have +taken my drinking-horn, and have drunk from my well; and this spot you +shall never leave till you have given me satisfaction for the insult." + +[Illustration: A torque [pronounced _tork_] of gold: a twisted collar +for the neck. Golden torques were much used by kings and other rich +people. Many torques are in the National Museum: but most of them are +better made and twisted more closely than the one here represented.] + +So spoke the wizard-champion, and instantly advanced on Dermot with fury +in his eyes. But Dermot was not the man to be terrified by any hero or +wizard-champion alive. He met the foe half-way; and now, foot to foot, +and knee to knee, and face to face, they began a fight, watchful and +wary at first, but soon hot and vengeful, till their shields and helmets +could scarce withstand their strong thrusts and blows. Like two enraged +lions fighting to the death, or two strong serpents intertwined in +deadly strife, or two great opposing billows thundering against each +other on the ocean border; such was the strength and fury and +determination of the combat of these two heroes. + +And so they fought through the long day, till evening came, and it began +to be dusk; when suddenly the wizard-champion sprang outside the range +of Dermot's sword, and leaping up with a great bound, he alighted in the +very centre of the well. Down he went through it, and disappeared in a +moment before Dermot's eyes, as if the well had swallowed him up. Dermot +stood on the brink, leaning on his spear, amazed and perplexed, looking +after him in the water; but whether the hero had meant to drown himself, +or that he had played some wizard trick, Dermot knew not. + +He sat down to rest, full of vexation that the wizard-champion should +have got off so easily. And what chafed him still more was that his +companions knew nought of what had happened, and that when he returned, +he could tell them nothing of the strange hero; neither had he the least +token or trophy to show them after his long fight. + +Dermot now began to think what was best to be done; and he made up his +mind to stay near the well all night, in the hope of finding out +something further about the wizard-champion on the morrow. + +He walked towards the nearest point of a great forest that stretched +from the mountain down to the plain on his left; and as he came near, a +herd of speckled deer ran by among the trees. Poising his spear, he +threw it with an unerring cast, and brought down the nearest of the +herd. + +Then, having lighted a fire under a tree, he skinned the deer and fixed +it on long hazel spits to roast, having first, however, gone to the +well, and brought away the drinking-horn full of water. And he sat +beside the roasting deer to turn it and tend the fire, waiting +impatiently for his meal; for he was hungry and tired after the toil of +the day. + +When the deer was cooked, he ate till he was satisfied, and drank the +clear water of the well from the drinking-horn; after which he lay down +under the shade of the tree, beside the fire, and slept a sound sleep +till morning. + +Night passed away and the sun rose, bringing morning with its abundant +light. Dermot started up, refreshed after his long sleep, and, repairing +to the forest, he slew another deer, and fixed it on hazel spits to +roast at the fire as before. For Dermot had this custom, that he would +never eat of any food left from a former meal. + +And after he had eaten of the deer's flesh and drunk from the horn, he +went towards the well. But though his visit was early, he found the +wizard-champion there before him, standing beside the pillar-stone, +fully armed as before, and looking now more wrathful than ever. Dermot +was much surprised; but before he had time to speak, the wizard-champion +addressed him-- + +"Dermot O'Dyna, you have now put the cap on all your evil deeds. It was +not enough that you took my drinking-horn and drank from my well: you +have done much worse than this, for you have hunted on my grounds, and +have killed some of my speckled deer. Surely there are many +hunting-grounds in Erin of the green plains, with plenty of deer in +them; and you need not have come hither to commit these robberies on me. +But now for a certainty you shall not go from this spot till I have +taken satisfaction for all these misdeeds." + +And again the two champions attacked each other, and fought during the +long day, from morning till evening. And when the dusk began to fall, +the wizard-champion leaped into the well, and disappeared down through +it, even as he had done the day before. + +The selfsame thing happened on the third day. And each day, morning and +evening, Dermot killed a deer, and ate of its flesh, and drank of the +water of the well from the drinking-horn. + +On the fourth morning, Dermot found the wizard-champion standing as +usual by the pillar-stone near the well. And as each morning he looked +more angry than on the morning before, so now he scowled in a way that +would have terrified anyone but Dermot O'Dyna. + +And they fought during the day till the dusk of evening. But now Dermot +watched his foe narrowly; and when he saw him about to spring into the +well he closed on him and threw his arms round him. The wizard-champion +struggled to free himself, moving all the time nearer and nearer to the +brink; but Dermot held on, till at last both fell into the well. Down +they went, clinging to each other, Dermot and the strange champion; +down, down, deeper and deeper they went; and Dermot tried to look round, +but nothing could he see save darkness and dim shadows. At length there +was a glimmer of light; then the bright day burst suddenly upon them; +and presently they came to the solid ground, gently and without the +least shock. + +At the very moment they reached the ground, the wizard-champion, with a +sudden effort, tore himself away from Dermot's grasp, and ran forward +with great speed. Dermot leaped to his feet; and he was so amazed at +what he saw around him that he stood stock still and let the +wizard-champion escape:--a lovely country, with many green-sided hills +and fair valleys between, woods of red yew trees, and plains laughing +all over with flowers of every hue. + +Right before him, not far off, lay a city of great tall houses with +glittering roofs; and on the side nearest to him was a royal palace, +larger and grander than the rest. On the level green in front of the +palace were a number of knights, all armed, and amusing themselves with +various warlike exercises of sword and shield and spear. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish bronze shield, 28 inches in diameter, found +in a bog in the Co. Limerick. Shields were often made of yew-wood, which +is very hard: and oftener still of wickerwork, covered outside with +tough hides, generally tanned. Wickerwork shields were sometimes large +enough to cover the whole body. On the inside of every shield was a +crossbar which was held in the hand: and for additional safety a leather +strap fastened to the shield, went round the warrior's neck.] + +To tell all Dermot's adventures here would be too long for this book. +But he remained in that strange country, till he met the wizard +champion and subdued him in fight. And after much searching he found +Conan and the others who had been carried off by the Gilla Dacker's +horse after which they all returned to the ship. And they sailed back to +Erin where, when they landed, they were welcomed with a mighty shout by +the assembled Fena. + + From "Old Celtic Romances," by P. W. JOYCE, LL.D. + + + + +XXXI. + +SAINT COLUMKILLE: PART I. + + +Saint Columkille[139-1] was born in the year 521, in Gartan, a wild +district in the county Donegal, not far from Letterkenny. He was a near +relation of the kings of Ireland of his time; for his father was +great-grandson of the mighty King Niall of the Nine Hostages (see p. 5): +and his mother was related to the kings of Leinster. He spent his +boyhood in a little village near Gartan; and when he was old enough, he +was sent away from his home to a school kept by a distinguished bishop +and teacher, St. Finnen, at Movilla, near the present Newtownards, in +Down. Though he belonged to a princely family, and might easily have +become rich and great, he gave up these worldly advantages for religion, +and resolved to become a priest. + + [139-1] In books he is often called Columba; but in Ireland he is + best known by the name Columkille. This is derived from + _colum_ [pron. _collum_] a dove, and _cill_, or _kill_, a + church: the "Dove of the church." This name was given him + when a boy from his gentle, affectionate disposition, and + because he was so fond of praying in the little church of + Tullydouglas, near where he was born: so that the little + boys who were accustomed to play with him used often to + ask: "Has our little _Colum_ yet come from the church?" + + The sketch given here is taken chiefly, but not + altogether, from Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba." Adamnan + was a native of Tirconnell or Donegal, like Columba + himself. He died in the year 703. He was the ninth abbot + of Iona, of which Columba was the first. His "Life of St. + Columba" is a very beautiful piece of Latin composition. + +[Illustration: Ruins of the Monastery of Movilla, near Newtownards. +(Drawn in 1845.)] + +Having spent some time at Movilla, the youthful Columkille went to +several other Irish Colleges, including that of St. Movi, at Glasnevin, +near Dublin; and as he was a diligent student, he made great progress in +all. The most celebrated of these was at Clonard, in Meath, in which +there were many hundreds of students under the instruction of another +St. Finnen, a great and holy man, who is styled in old Irish writings "a +doctor of wisdom and the tutor of the saints of Ireland in his time." +Here Columkille met many young Irishmen who afterwards became +distinguished saints and missionaries. + +As soon as he was ordained priest, he set about the work of his +life--spreading the Gospel. At that time the high ridge over the river +Foyle, where now stands the old city of Derry, was an uninhabited spot, +clothed with a splendid wood of oaks, from which it got the name of +Derry, meaning an oak grove: this spot was presented to Columkille by +his cousin, prince Aed, afterwards king of Ireland. Here, when he was +twenty-five years of age, he built his first church, round which grew up +a monastery that continued to flourish for many hundred years, so that, +in memory of the saint, the place was long afterwards known by the name +of Derry-Columkille. At this period of his life he was a man of noble +presence, a worthy member of a kingly race, as one of the old Irish +writers describes him:--tall, broad-shouldered, and powerful: with long, +curling hair: luminous grey eyes, and a countenance bright and +pleasing: and he was always lively and agreeable in conversation. + +[Illustration: Remains of a Round Tower at Drumcliff, 4 miles north of +Sligo town: built near the church founded by St. Columkille; but long +after his time.] + +For fifteen years after the establishment of Derry, Columkille continued +to found churches all over the country, among many others those of Kells +in Meath, Tory Island, Swords near Dublin, Drumcliff in Sligo, and +Durrow in King's County, the last of which was his chief establishment +in Ireland. It is recorded that during these fifteen years he founded +altogether three hundred churches and monasteries. These establishments, +like all the other Irish monasteries, were the means of spreading not +only religion but general enlightenment: for in most of them there were +schools; and the priests and monks converted, and taught, and civilised, +to the best of their power, the people in their neighbourhood. + +Many years before this, St. Patrick and the missionaries who worked +under his guidance, had converted the greatest part of the Irish people +to Christianity. But the time was too short and the missionaries too few +to instruct the newly-converted people fully in their faith: so that +although they were Christians, many of them had only a poor knowledge of +the Christian doctrine. In those times there were certain persons in +Ireland called Druids, who were the learned men among the pagans of the +day, and who taught the people the pagan religion known as Druidism. +They hated the Christian faith, and gave St. Patrick and his companions +great trouble by trying to persuade the pagan Irish not to become +Christians. They continued in the country till the time of St. +Columkille, as active as ever though much fewer; and St. Columkille and +the other missionaries of his time had often hard work to win over the +people from the false teaching of these druids, and make good Christians +of them. + +A great part of the north of Scotland was then inhabited by a people +called the Picts. Those of them who lived south of the Grampian +mountains had been converted some time before by St. Ninian of +Glastonbury:[143-1] but the northern Picts were still pagans; and +Columkille made up his mind to leave Ireland and devote the rest of his +life to their conversion. In 563, in the forty-second year of his age, +he bade a sorrowful farewell to his native country, and crossing the sea +with twelve companions, he settled in the island of Iona, in the +Hebrides, which had been presented to him by his relative, the king of +that part of Scotland. Here he built his little church and monastery, +all of wood, and began to prepare for his glorious work. This little +island afterwards became the Greatest religious centre in Scotland: and +grand churches and other buildings were erected in and around the site +of Columkille's humble structures. For many centuries Iona was held in +such honour that most of the kings and chiefs and other great people of +Scotland were buried in it; and to this day it is full of venerable and +beautiful ruins, which are every year visited by people from all parts +of the British Islands. + + [143-1] Glastonbury, a town in Somersetshire, in England, where in + old times there was a celebrated monastery, much reported + to by Irish students. + +The most laborious part of St. Columkille's active life began after his +settlement in Iona. He traversed the Highlands of Scotland and the +Islands of the Hebrides, sometimes in a rude chariot, sometimes on foot, +visiting the kings and chiefs of the Picts, and preaching to them in +their homes; and he founded churches and monasteries all over that part +of Scotland, just as he had done in Ireland. After many years of +incessant labour he succeeded in converting the whole of the northern +Picts. + +When Columkille was at home in his monastery resting from his +missionary labours, his favourite occupation was copying the Holy +Scriptures. We are told that he wrote with his own hand, in the course +of years, three hundred copies of the sacred books, which he presented +to the various churches he had founded; and this good work he continued +to the very last day of his life. Besides mere copying, he composed many +hymns and other poems, both in Latin and Irish. He was always employed +at something. Adamnan says that not an hour of the day passed by without +some work for himself and his monks--praying, reading, writing, +arranging the affairs of the monastery, or manual work: for he took his +own share in cooking, grinding corn, overseeing the men who were working +in the fields, and so forth. + + + + +XXXII. + +SAINT COLUMKILLE: PART II. + + +During St. Columkille's residence in Iona he visited Ireland more than +once, on important business: and we may be sure that he was delighted +when the opportunity came to see again the land he loved so well. The +most important of these occasions was when he came over to take part in +a great Meeting--a sort of Parliament for all Ireland--which was held at +a place called Drum-Ketta in Derry. The proceedings at this meeting +will be found described in the "Child's History of Ireland." + +Amidst all the earnest and laborious efforts of St. Columkille in the +cause of religion, he never forgot his native country. He looked upon +himself as an exile, though a voluntary exile in a great and glorious +cause; and a tender regret was always mingled with his recollections of +Ireland. We have in our old books a very ancient poem in the Irish +language, believed to have been composed by him, in which he expresses +himself in this manner:-- + + + "How delightful to be on Ben-Edar before embarking on the foam-white + sea: how pleasant to row one's little curragh all round it, to look + upward at its bare steep border, and to hear the waves dashing; + against its rocky cliffs. + + "A grey eye looks back towards Erin: a grey eye full of tears. + + "While I traverse Alban of the ravens, I think on my little oak + grove in Derry. If the tributes and the riches of Alban were mine, + from the centre to the utmost borders, I would prefer to them all + one little house in Derry. The reason I love Derry is for its + quietness, for its purity, for its crowds of white angels. + + "How sweet it is to think of Durrow: how delightful would it be to + hear the music of the breeze rustling through its groves. + + "Plentiful is the fruit in the Western Island--beloved Erin of many + waterfalls: plentiful her noble proves of oak. Many are her kings + and princes; sweet-voiced her clerics; her birds warble joyously in + the woods; gentle are her youths; wise her seniors; comely and + graceful her women, of spotless virtue; illustrious her men, of + noble aspect. + + "There is a grey eye that fills with tears when it looks back + towards Erin. While I stand on the oaken deck of my bark I stretch + my vision westwards over the briny sea towards Erin." + + +During his whole life Columkille retained his affection for his native +land and for everything connected with it. One breezy day, when he was +now in his old age in Iona, a crane appeared flying towards the island: +it was beaten about by the wind, and with much difficulty it reached the +beach, where it fell down quite spent with hunger and fatigue. And the +good old man said to one of his monks:-- + +"That crane has come from our dear fatherland, and I earnestly commend +it to thee: nurse and cherish it tenderly till it is strong enough to +return again to its sweet home in Scotia." + +Accordingly the monk took the bird up in his arms and brought it to the +hospice, and fed and tended it for three days till it had quite +recovered. The third day was calm, and the bird rose from the earth till +it had come to a great height, when resting for a moment to look +forward, it stretched out its neck and directed its course towards +Ireland. + +[Illustration: Round Tower of St. Canice, Kilkenny: 100 feet high, and +perfect, except that it wants the pointed cap. St. Canice was an +intimate friend of St. Columkille: but this tower was not erected till +some centuries after the death of the two saints.] + +On the day before the saint's death he went to a little hill hard by the +monastery that overlooked the whole place; and gazing-lovingly round him +for the last time, he lifted up his hands and blessed the monastery. And +as he was returning with his attendant, he grew tired and sat down half +way to rest; for he was now very weak. While he was sitting here an old +white horse that was employed for many years to carry the pails between +the milking place and the monastery, first looked at him intently, and +then, coming up slowly, step by step, he laid his head gently on the +saint's bosom. And he began to moan pitifully, and big tears rolled from +his eyes and fell into the saint's lap: which, when the attendant saw, +he came up to drive him away. Put the old man said:--"Let him alone: he +loves me. May be God has given him some dim knowledge that his master is +going; from him and from you all: so let him alone." At last, standing +up, he blessed the poor old animal and returned to the monastery. + +The death call came to him when he was seventy-six years of age. Though +his death was not a sudden one, he had no sickness before it: he simply +sank, wearied out with his life-long labours. Although he knew his end +was near, he kept writing one of the Psalms till he could write no +longer; while his companion Baithen sat beside him. At last, laying down +the pen, he said, "Let Baithen write the rest." + +On the night of that same day, at the toll of the midnight bell for +prayer, he rose, feeble as he was, from his bed, which was nothing but a +bare flagstone, and went to the church hard by, followed immediately +after by his attendant Dermot. He arrived there before the others had +time to bring in the lights; and Dermot, losing sight of him in the +darkness, called out several times, "Where are you, father?" Perceiving +no reply, he felt his way, till he found his master before the altar +kneeling and leaning forward on the steps: and raising him up a little, +supported his head on his breast. The monks now came up with the lights; +and seeing their beloved old master dying, they began to weep. He looked +at them with his face lighted up with joy, and tried to utter a +blessing; but being unable to speak, he raised his hand a little to +bless them, and in the very act of doing so he died in Dermot's +arms.[150-1] + + [150-1] This simple and beautiful narrative of the last days of St. + Columkille, including the two pleasing little stories + about the crane and the old white horse, with the + affecting account of the saint's death, is taken + altogether from Adamnan's Life. The circumstances of + Columkille's death are, in some respects, very like those + attending the death of the Venerable Bede, as recorded in + the tender and loving letter of his pupil, the monk + Cuthbert. But Adamnan's narrative was written more than + forty years before that of Cuthbert. + + Baithen was St. Columkille's first cousin and his most + beloved disciple, and succeeded him as abbot of Iona. + + + + +XXXIII. + +PRINCE ALFRED IN IRELAND. + + +It has been already stated (p. 47) that in early ages great numbers of +foreigners came to Ireland to study in the colleges. Among those was +Aldfrid or Alfred,[150-2] Prince of Northumbria, one of the Kingdoms of +the Saxon Heptarchy. His history is interesting to us as exhibiting an +example of the class of persons who came to Ireland for education in +those days, and as showing the close relations existing between many of +the royal families of England and Ireland. + + [150-2] This Alfred must be distinguished from Alfred the Great who + lived two centuries later. + +In the year 670, on the death of his father Oswy, who was king of +Northumbria, the throne was seized unjustly by Alfred's younger brother, +Egfrid: whereupon Alfred fled to Ireland. He was all the more ready to +choose this as his place of exile, inasmuch as he was fond of learning, +and he knew well that there were more learned and skilful teachers and +better opportunities for study in Ireland than elsewhere. But he had +another good reason; for his mother Fina [Feena] was an Irish princess +of the family of the kings of Meath. The Irish knew him by the name +"Flann," or more commonly Flann Fina, from his mother. He remained many +years in Ireland, studying with great diligence in various colleges, +till he had mastered most of the branches of learning then taught. He +became specially skilled in the Holy Scriptures, and he also learned to +speak and write the Irish language. + +While he was in Ireland he was for a time under the instruction of St. +Adamnan, the writer of the life of St. Columkille (see p. 140, note); +and so close and affectionate was the intimacy between them, that the +ancient Irish writers often call Alfred Adamnan's foster-son. + +In the year 684 a party of Saxons were sent from Northumbria by Egfrid +across the sea on a plundering expedition to Ireland. Having ravaged the +coast of Meath,[152-1] between Ben-Edar and the Boyne, these marauders +carried off a number of captives, who were held in bondage during the +short remainder of his reign. In the very next year Egfrid was killed in +battle, on which the Northumbrian nobles, who were well aware of +Alfred's virtues and great abilities, sent to Ireland inviting him to +take the throne: and accordingly he returned to England and became king +of the Northumbrians. + + [152-1] Meath, one of the five Kingdoms into which Ireland was + divided. Ben-Edar, the old name of Howth, near Dublin. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish thin plate of gold, twice the size of the +picture. This is one of the bosses at the two ends of a gorget, like +that figured at page 19. Now in the National Museum, Dublin.] + +The poor captives were still kept in slavery: but Adamnan, seeing now a +chance for their release, proceeded to the Northumbrian court to plead +with his friend and former pupil for their restoration. He was received +most affectionately; and at his intercession the king had the captives +set free. Adamnan then brought them back, to the number of sixty, and +restored them all rejoicing to their homes and friends. + +As soon as Alfred had taken possession of the throne he took careful +measures to have his people instructed in learning, religion, and +virtue, in accordance with what he had himself seen and learned in +Ireland; and he governed his kingdom for nineteen years in peace and +prosperity. + +In several ancient Irish manuscripts, including the Book of Leinster, +there is a poem in the Irish language in praise of Ireland, said to have +been composed by Alfred Flann Fina; of which the following are some of +the verses faithfully translated[153-1]:-- + + +PRINCE ALDFRID'S ACCOUNT OF IRELAND. + + I found in Inisfail the fair, + In Ireland, while in exile there, + Women of worth, both grave and gay men, + Many clerics and many laymen. + + I travelled its fruitful provinces round, + And in every one of the five I found, + Alike in church and in palace hall, + Abundant apparel, and food for all. + + Gold and silver I found, and money, + Plenty of wheat and plenty of honey; + I found God's people rich in pity, + Found many a feast and many a city. + + I found in Munster, unfettered of any, + Kings, and queens, and poets a many-- + Poets well skilled in music and measure, + Prosperous doings, mirth and pleasure. + + I found in Connaught the just, redundance + Of riches, milk in lavish abundance; + Hospitality, vigour, fame, + In Cruachan's[154-1] land of heroic name. + + I found in Ulster, from hill to glen, + Hardy warriors, resolute men; + Beauty that bloomed when youth was gone, + And strength transmitted from sire to son. + + I found in Leinster the smooth and sleek, + From Dublin to Slewmargy's[154-2] peak; + Flourishing pastures, valour, health, + Long-living worthies, commerce, wealth. + + I found in Meath's fair principality, + Virtue, vigour, and hospitality; + Candour, joyfulness, bravery, purity, + Ireland's bulwark and security. + + I found strict morals in age and youth, + I found historians recording truth; + The things I sing of in verse unsmooth, + I found them all--I have written sooth. + + [153-1] It was translated very exactly into prose in 1832 by the + great Irish scholar Dr. John O'Donovan: the Irish poet + James Clarence Mangan turned this prose with very little + change into verse, part of which is given here. + + [154-1] Cruachan or Croghan in the north of the present Co. + Roscommon, the ancient palace of the kings of Connaught: + see page 52. + + [154-2] Slewmargy, now Slievemargy, a low range of hills in Queen's + County. + + + + +XXXIV. + +THE VOYAGE OF MAILDUNE. + +AN ACCOUNT OF THE ADVENTURES OF MAILDUNE[155-1] AND HIS CREW, AND OF THE +WONDERFUL THINGS THEY SAW DURING THEIR VOYAGE OF THREE YEARS AND SEVEN +MONTHS, IN THEIR CURRAGH, ON THE WESTERN SEA. + + +In that part of Thomond[155-2] lying opposite the Aran Islands there +once lived a young chief named Maildune. When he was an infant, a band +of marauders landed on the coast, and plundered the whole district, and +slew his father by burning the house over his head. Maildune grew up +knowing nothing of all this, for his mother concealed it from him. But +one day, when he was now a young man, he was contending in certain games +of strength with a number of young persons of his own age, and he +obtained the victory in every contest. At last it came to throwing the +handstone: and when he had thrown it farther than all the others, an +envious foul-tongued fellow who was standing by said to him:-- + +"It would better become you to avenge the man who was burned to death +here, than to be amusing yourself casting a stone over his bare, burnt +bones." + + [155-1] Only a few of his adventures are given here: but the whole + story of the voyage is in "Old Celtic Romances": see page + 164, farther on. + + [155-2] Thomond, North Munster, namely the present county Clare and + parts of Tipperary and Limerick. + +"Who was he?" inquired Maildune. + +"Your own father," replied the other. + +"Who slew him?" asked Maildune. + +"Plunderers from a fleet slew him and burned him in this house; and the +same plunderers are now living in an island far out in the sea, and they +still have the same fleet." + +Maildune was disturbed and sad after hearing this. He dropped the stone +that he held in his hand, folded his cloak round him, buckled on his +shield, and left the company. And having made further inquiry and found +that the story was true, he resolved that he would never rest till he +had overtaken these plunderers, and avenged on them the death of his +father. + +Then he sent for a skilful workman to whom he gave directions to make +for him a triple-hide curragh[157-1] large enough to hold sixty persons +and all things needed for a voyage. This was done: and Maildune chose +his companions; and having laid in a little stock of provisions, and +whatever other things were needed, he put to sea. + + [157-1] Curragh, a boat made of basket or wicker work, covered with + hides. Curraghs were generally small and light: but some, + intended for long voyages, were large and strong, and + covered with two, or three, layers of hide one outside + another. Sometimes the hides were tanned into leather to + give additional strength. + + +THE FIRST ISLAND.--TIDINGS OF THE PLUNDERERS. + +They sailed that day and night, as well as the whole of the next day, +till darkness came on again; and at midnight they saw two small bare +islands, with two great houses on them near the shore. When they drew +nigh, they heard the sounds of merriment and laughter, and the shouts of +revellers intermingled with the loud voices of warriors boasting of +their deeds. And listening to catch the conversation, they heard one +warrior say to another-- + +"Stand off from me, for I am a better warrior than thou; it was I who +slew Maildune's father, and burned the house over his head; and no one +has ever dared to avenge it on me. Thou hast never done a great deed +like that!" + +"Now surely," said one of Maildune's companions to him, "Heaven has +guided our ship to this place. Here is an easy victory. Let us sack this +house, since our enemies have been revealed to us and delivered into our +hands!" + +While they were yet speaking, the wind arose, and a great tempest +suddenly broke on them. And they were driven violently before the storm, +all that night and a part of next day, into the great and boundless +ocean; so that they saw neither the islands they had left nor any other +land; and they knew not whither they were going. + +Then Maildune said, "Take down your sail and put by your oars, and let +the curragh drift before the wind in whatsoever direction it pleases God +to lead us": which was done. + + + + +XXXV. + +AN EXTRAORDINARY MONSTER. + + +During the next few days, the wind bore Maildune's curragh along +smoothly, so that the crew had not to use their oars. The island they +now came to had a wall all round it. When they approached the shore, an +animal of vast size, with a thick, rough skin, started up inside the +wall, and ran round the island with the swiftness of the wind. When he +had ended his race, he went to a high point, and standing on a large, +flat stone, began to exercise himself according to his daily custom, in +the following manner. He kept turning himself completely round and round +in his skin, the bones and flesh moving, while the skin remained at +rest. + +When he was tired of this exercise, he rested a little; and he then set +to work turning his skin continually round his body, down at one side +and up at the other like a mill-wheel; but the bones and flesh did not +move. + +After spending some time at this sort of exercise, he started and ran +round the island as at first, as if to refresh himself. He then went +back to the same spot, and this time, while the skin that covered the +lower part of his body remained without motion, he whirled the skin of +the upper part round and round like the movement of a flat-lying +millstone. And it was in this manner that he passed most of his time on +the island. + +Maildune and his people, after they had seen these strange doings, +thought it better not to venture nearer. So they put out to sea in great +haste. The monster, observing them about to fly, ran down to the beach +to seize the curragh; but finding that they had got out of his reach, he +began to fling round stones at them with great force and an excellent +aim. One of them struck Maildune's shield and went quite through it, +lodging in the keel of the curragh; after which the voyagers got beyond +his range and sailed away. + + + In a wall-circled isle a big monster they found, + With a hide like an elephant, leathery and bare; + He threw up his heels with a wonderful bound, + And ran round the isle with the speed of a hare. + + But a feat more astounding has yet to be told: + He turned round and round in his leathery skin; + His bones and his flesh and his sinews he rolled-- + He was resting outside while he twisted within! + + Then changing his practice with marvellous skill, + His carcase stood rigid and round went his hide; + It whirled round his bones like the wheel of a mill-- + He was resting within while he twisted outside! + + Next, standing quite near on a green little hill, + After galloping round in the very same track, + While the skin of his breast remained perfectly still, + Like a millstone he twisted the skin of his back! + + But Maildune and his men put to sea in their boat, + For they saw his two eyes looking over the wall; + And they knew by the way that he opened his throat, + He intended to swallow them, curragh and all! + + +THE SILVER PILLAR OF THE SEA. + +The next wonderful thing the voyagers came across was an immense silver +pillar standing in the sea. It had eight sides, each of which was the +width of an oar-stroke of the curragh, so that its whole circumference +was eight oar-strokes. It rose out of the sea without any land or earth +about it, nothing but the boundless ocean; and they could not see its +base deep down in the water, neither were they able to see the top on +account of its vast height. + +A silver net hung from the top down to the very water, extending far out +at one side of the pillar; and the meshes were so large that the curragh +in full sail went through one of them. When they were passing through +it, Diuran, one of Maildune's companions, struck the mesh with the edge +of his spear, and with the blow cut a large piece off it. + +"Do not destroy the net," said Maildune; "for what we see is the work of +great men." + +"What I have done," answered Diuran, "is for the honour of my God, and +in order that the story of our adventures may be more readily believed; +and I shall lay this silver as an offering on the altar of Armagh, if I +ever reach Erin." + +That piece of silver weighed two ounces and a half, as it was reckoned +afterwards by the people of the church of Armagh. + +After this the voyagers heard someone speaking on the top of the pillar, +in a loud, clear, glad voice; but they knew neither what he said, nor in +what language he spoke. + + + + +XXXVI. + +MAILDUNE MEETS HIS ENEMY, IS RECONCILED TO HIM, AND ARRIVES HOME. + + +The next land the travellers sighted was a small island. On a near +approach they recognised it as the very same island they had seen in the +beginning of their voyage, in which they had heard the man in the great +house boast that he had slain Maildune's father, and from which the +storm had driven them out into the great ocean. + +They turned the prow of their vessel to the shore, landed, and went +towards the house. It happened that at this very time the people of the +house were seated at their evening meal; and Maildune and his +companions, as they stood outside, heard a part of their conversation. + +Said one to another, "It would not be well for us if we were now to see +Maildune." + +"As to Maildune," answered another, "it is very well known that he was +drowned long ago in the great ocean." + +"Do not be sure," observed a third; "perchance he is the very man that +may waken you up some morning from your sleep." + +"Supposing he came now," asked another, "what should we do?" + +The head of the house now spoke in reply to the last question; and +Maildune at once knew the voice, for it was the voice of the man who +had made a boast of slaying the young chief's father. + +And what he said was:--"I can easily answer that. Maildune has been for +a long time suffering great afflictions and hardships; and if he were to +come now, though we were enemies once, I should certainly give him a +welcome and a kind reception." + +When Maildune heard this he knocked at the door; and the door-keeper +asked who was there; to which Maildune made answer-- + +"It is I, Maildune, returned safely from all my wanderings." + +The chief of the house then ordered the door to be opened; and he went +to meet Maildune, and brought him and his companions into the house. +They were joyfully welcomed by the whole household; new garments were +given to them; and they feasted and rested, till they forgot their +weariness and their hardships. + +They related all the wonders God had revealed to them in the course of +their voyage, according to the word of the sage who says, "It will be a +source of pleasure to remember these things at a future time." + +After they had remained here for some days, Maildune and his companions +returned to their own country. And Diuran took the piece of silver he +had cut down from the great net at the Silver Pillar, and laid it, +according to his promise, on the high altar of Armagh. + + From "Old Celtic Romances," by P. W. JOYCE, LL.D. + + + + +XXXVII. + +TENNYSON'S "VOYAGE OF MAILDUNE." + +("FOUNDED ON AN IRISH LEGEND: A.D. 700.") + + +Of the tale called the "Voyage of Maildune," the oldest copy is in the +Book of the Dun Cow, which was copied from older books eight hundred +years ago: but here the story is imperfect at both the beginning and +end, portions of the book having been torn away at some former time. +There is, however, a perfect copy in the Yellow Book of Lecan.[164-1] It +was translated and published for the first time in "Old Celtic Romances" +in 1879. When this book appeared, the great English poet, Alfred +Tennyson (afterwards Lord Tennyson), read the story, and made it the +subject of a beautiful poem, also called "The Voyage of Maildune." +Portions of the beginning and end of this poem are here given:-- + + +I. + + I was the chief of the race--he had stricken my father dead-- + But I gather'd my fellows together, I swore I would strike off his + head. + Each of them looked like a king, and was noble in birth as in worth, + And each of them boasted he sprang from the oldest race upon earth. + Each was as brave in the fight as the bravest hero of song, + And each of them liefer had died than have done one another a wrong. + _He_ lived on an isle in the ocean--we sail'd on a Friday morn-- + He that had slain my father the day before I was born. + + [164-1] For the Book of the Dun Cow and the Yellow Book of Lecan, + see p. 118. + + +II. + + And we came to the isle in the ocean, and there on the shore was he. + But a sudden blast blew us out and away thro' a boundless sea. + + * * * * * + + +XI. + + And we came to the Isle of a saint who had sail'd with St. + Brendan[165-1] of yore, + He had lived ever since on the Isle and his winters were fifteen + score, + And his voice was low as from other worlds, and his eyes were sweet, + And his white hair sank to his heels and his white beard fell to his + feet, + And he spake to me, "O Maeldune, let be this purpose of thine! + Remember the words of the Lord when he told us 'Vengeance is mine!' + His fathers have slain thy fathers in war or in single strife, + Thy fathers have slain his fathers, each taken a life for a life, + Thy father had slain his father, how long shall the murder last? + Go back to the Isle of Finn[166-1] and suffer the Past to be Past." + + [165-1] St. Brendan of Clonfert in Kerry, commonly called Brendan + the Navigator: born in Kerry in 484. He sailed from near + Brandon mountain in Kerry (which is named from him) on his + celebrated voyage of seven years on the Atlantic, in which + it is related he saw many wonderful things--quite as + wonderful as those of Maildune. + + [166-1] The Isle of Finn: i.e. of Finn Mac Cumaill: Ireland (see p. + 92). + + +XII. + + And we came to the Isle we were blown from, and there on the shore + was he, + The man that had slain my father. I saw him and let him be. + O weary was I of the travel, the trouble, the strife and the sin, + When I landed again, with a tithe of my men, on the Isle of Finn. + + + + +XXXVIII. + +ST. DONATUS, BISHOP OF FIESOLE.[167-1] + +PART I. + + +At page 47 of this book it has been related how missionaries and learned +men went in great numbers from Ireland to the Continent in the early +ages of Christianity to preach the Gospel and to teach in colleges. A +full account of the lives and labours of these earnest and holy men +would fill several volumes: but the following short sketch of one of +them will give the reader a good idea of all. + + [167-1] Fiesole in Tuscany, Italy: pronounced in four syllables: + Fee-ess'-o-lÄ•. + +Donatus was born in Ireland of noble parents towards the end of the +eighth century. There is good reason to believe that he was educated in +the monastic school of Inishcaltra, a little island in Lough Derg, near +the Galway shore, now better known as Holy Island[167-2]: so that he was +probably a native of that part of the country. Here he studied with +great industry and success. He became a priest, and in course of time a +bishop: and he was greatly distinguished as a professor. + + [167-2] In the "Child's History of Ireland" there is a picture of + the round tower and church ruins on this little island. + +Having spent a number of years teaching, he resolved to make a +pilgrimage to Rome and visit the holy places on the way. He had a +favourite pupil named Andrew, belonging to a noble Irish family, a +handsome, high-spirited youth, but of a deeply religious turn: and these +two, master and scholar, were much attached. And when Donatus made known +his intention to go as a pilgrim to foreign lands, Andrew, who could not +bear to be separated from him, begged to be permitted to go with him: to +which Donatus consented. When they had made the few simple preparations +necessary, they went down to the shore, accompanied by friends and +relatives; and bidding farewell to all--home, friends, and country--amid +tears and regrets, they set sail and landed on the coast of France. + +And now, here were these two men, with stout hearts, determined will, +and full trust in God, exhibiting an excellent example of what +numberless Irish exiles of those days gave up, and of what trials and +dangers they exposed themselves to, for the sake of religion. One was a +successful teacher and a bishop; the other a young chief; and both might +have lived in their own country a life of peace and plenty. But they +relinquished all that for a higher and holier purpose; and they brought +with them neither luxury nor comfort. They had, on landing, just as much +money and food as started them on their journey; and with a small +satchel strapped on shoulder, containing a book or two and some other +necessary articles, and with stout staff in hand, they travelled the +whole way on foot. Whenever a monastery lay near their road, there they +called, sure of a kind reception, and rested for a day or two. When no +monastery was within reach, they simply begged for food and night +shelter as they fared along, making themselves understood by the +peasantry as best they could, for they knew little or nothing of their +language. Much hardship they endured from hunger and thirst, bad +weather, rough paths that often led them astray, and constant fatigue. +They were sometimes in danger too from rude and wicked peasants, some of +whom thought no more of killing a stranger than of killing a sparrow. +But before setting out, the two pilgrims knew well the hardships and +dangers in store for them on the way: so that they were quite prepared +for all this: and on they trudged, contented and cheerful, never +swerving an instant from their purpose. They travelled in a sort of +zigzag way, continually turning aside to visit churches, shrines, +hermitages, and all places consecrated by memory of old-time saints, or +of past events of importance in the history of Christianity. And +whenever they heard, as they went slowly along, of a man eminent for +holiness and learning, they made it a point to visit him, so as to have +the benefit of his conversation and advice; using the Latin language, +which all learned men spoke in those times. + + + + +XXXIX. + +ST. DONATUS, BISHOP OF FIESOLE: + +PART II. + + +In this manner the pilgrims made their way right through France, and on +through north Italy, till they arrived at Rome. This was the main object +of their pilgrimage, and here they sojourned for a considerable time. +Having obtained the Pope's blessing, they set out once more, directing +their steps now towards Tuscany, till at length they reached the +beautiful mountain of Fiesole, near Florence, where stood many churches +and other memorials of Christian saints and martyrs. They entered the +hospice of the monastery, intending to rest there for a week or two, and +then to resume their journey. At this time Irish pilgrims and +missionaries were respected everywhere on the Continent; and as soon as +the arrival of those two became known, they were received with honour by +both clergy and people, who became greatly attached to them for their +gentle quiet ways, and their holiness of life. + +It happened about the time of their arrival here, that the pastor of +Fiesole, who was a bishop, died; and the clergy and people resolved to +have Donatus for their pastor. But when they went to him and told him +what they wanted, he became frightened; and trembling greatly, he said +to them in his gentle humble way:-- + +"We are only poor pilgrims from Scotia, and I do not wish to be your +bishop; for I am not at all fit for it, hardly even knowing your +language or your customs." + +But the more he entreated the more vehemently did they insist: so that +at last he consented to take the bishop's chair. This was in or about +the year 824. + +We need not follow the life of St. Donatus further here. It is enough to +say that, notwithstanding all his fears and his deep humility, he became +a great and successful pastor and missionary. For about thirty-seven +years he laboured among the people of Fiesole, by whom he was greatly +loved and revered. Down to the day of his death, which happened about +861, when he was a very old man, he was attended by his affectionate +friend Andrew. He is to this day honoured in and around Fiesole, as an +illustrious saint of those times. His tomb is still shown and regarded +with much veneration: and in the old town there are several other +memorials of him. + +Like St. Columkille, Donatus always cherished a tender regretful love +for Ireland; and like him also he wrote a short poem in praise of it +which is still preserved. It is in Latin, and the following is a +translation, made by a Dublin poet many years ago:-- + + + Far westward lies an isle of ancient fame, + By nature bless'd; and Scotia is her name, + Enroll'd in books[172-1]: exhaustless is her store, + Of veiny silver, and of golden ore.[172-2] + Her fruitful soil, for ever teems with wealth, + With gems[172-3] her waters, and her air with health; + Her verdant fields with milk and honey flow;[172-4] + Her woolly fleeces[172-5] vie with virgin snow; + Her waving furrows float with bearded corn; + And arms and arts her envied sons adorn![172-6] + No savage bear, with lawless fury roves, + Nor fiercer lion, through her peaceful groves; + No poison there infects, no scaly snake + Creeps through the grass, nor frog annoys the lake;[172-7] + An island worthy of its pious race, + In war triumphant, and unmatch'd in peace! + + [172-1] _I.e._ enrolled in books under the name of Scotia. The + natives always called it Erin. + + [172-2] Ireland had mines of gold in old times; and silver was also + found. Great numbers of Irish gold ornaments, found from + time to time in the earth, are now preserved in Museums. + + [172-3] Pearls were then found in many Irish rivers; as they are, + sometimes, to this day. + + [172-4] The Venerable Bede, a great English historian, writing in + the eighth century, calls Ireland "a land flowing with + milk and honey." + + [172-5] Ireland was noted for the plenty and goodness of its wool. + + [172-6] Ireland had great warriors, and many learned men and skilful + artists (see pp. 20, 47, and 117). + + [172-7] There are no venomous reptiles in Ireland. There were then + no frogs: but these were afterwards introduced from + England. + + + + +XL. + +HOW IRELAND WAS INVADED BY DANES AND ANGLO-NORMANS. + + +From the time of the settlement of the Milesians, as described at page +3, Ireland was ruled by native kings, without any disturbance from +outside, till the arrival of the invaders we are now about to speak of. + +During all these centuries, though there were troubles enough from the +quarrels of the kings and chiefs, learning and art, as we have seen, +were successfully cultivated. But a change came--a woful change--once +the Danes began to arrive. These were pirates, all pagans, from Denmark +and other countries round the Baltic Sea, brave and daring, but very +wicked and cruel, who for a long period kept, not only Ireland, but the +whole of western Europe in terror. They appeared for the first time on +the coast of Ireland in the year 795, when they plundered St. +Columkille's monastery on Lambay Island near Dublin. After this, for +more than two hundred years, the country was never free from them, and +they plundered and burned and destroyed churches, monasteries, +libraries, and homesteads, and killed all that fell in their way, men, +women, and children. They were often attacked and routed by the native +chiefs; but this did not much discourage them and they generally landed +so suddenly, and marched through the country so swiftly, that in most +cases they got clear off to their ships, with all their plunder, before +the people could overtake them. They settled permanently in various +towns on the coast, especially Dublin, Waterford, and Limerick, which +they held for a long time. + +At last they were overthrown by Brian Boru king of Ireland, in a great +battle fought at Clontarf near Dublin, on Good Friday, the 23rd April, +1014, of which a full account may be read in the "Child's History of +Ireland." After this, though no attempt was made to expel them from the +country, they gave little trouble. They became Christians, intermarried +with the natives, and settled down to industry and commerce like the +rest of the people; and there are many of their descendants to this day +in various parts of Ireland. + +For about a century and a half after the battle of Clontarf, eight Irish +kings reigned: but none of them succeeded in mastering the whole +country. Some of these were O'Briens of Munster, the descendants of +Brian Boru; some O'Loghlins of Ulster, a branch of the O'Neill family, +descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages (see p. 5); and some O'Conors +of Connaught. During this period Ireland was greatly disturbed; for the +several kings were continually fighting with each other, striving who +should be head king: so that the next invaders, when they came, found +the country ill prepared to resist them. + +Those who have read the History of England will remember that the +Normans, coming from France under William the Conqueror, took the +sovereignty of England after the battle of Hastings in 1066. About a +century later, their descendants, who were now called Anglo-Normans, +i.e. English Normans, made settlements in Ireland. Their leader when +they first arrived was Earl Strongbow; but in 1171 Henry II., king of +England, came over with an army and took command. In 1172 he annexed +Ireland to the crown of England, that is, he claimed it as a part of his +dominions. The Over-king of Ireland at this time was Roderick O'Conor. +He was unable to repel the new invaders: and after his death there was +no longer a native king over all Ireland. + +King Henry divided nearly the whole island among his lords, who all +went, after some time, to reside in their own territories: but they were +to remain under the authority of the king. These lords soon became great +and powerful, and ruled like princes; and from them descend the chief +Anglo-Irish families, of whom the most distinguished were the Geraldines +or Fitzgeralds, the Butlers, and the De Burgos or Burkes. + +But it must not be supposed that all this was done quietly: for the +native Irish chiefs everywhere resisted these new lords. Although king +Henry went through the form of "annexing" Ireland, it was annexed only +in name. In reality his authority extended over only a small portion. It +took more than four hundred years to annex the whole country: and during +all this time there were constant wars, the Anglo-Normans encroaching, +and the Irish chiefs resisting as best they could. It was only in the +reign of James I., that is, about three hundred years ago, that the +whole of Ireland was brought under English law. + +[Illustration: O'Dea's Castle, Dysart, Co. Clare. Built in the +fourteenth century by one of the Irish chiefs. See the note under St. +Finghin's Church, page 189.] + +[Illustration: Bunratty Castle in the south of Clare, on the Bunratty +River, where it joins the Shannon: built about the end of the thirteenth +century by Thomas de Clare, an Anglo-Norman lord.] + +These Anglo-Normans were a great and famous people, skilful and mighty +in war; and they built splendid abbeys, churches, and castles, all over +Ireland the ruins of which remain to this day. As an example of what +manner of men they were, a sketch of the career of one of them--Sir +John de Courcy--is given in this book (page 190). + +[Illustration: Kilclief Castle, Co. Down. Built by one of the +Anglo-Normans in the fourteenth century.] + +For hundreds of years after the Invasion, people continued to come from +England to live in Ireland both Anglo-Norman and Anglo-Saxon. After +settling down they became good friends with the native Irish, +intermarried with them, learned to speak and read the Irish language, +and quite fell in with the customs and modes of the country, so that it +was said of them that they became "more Irish than the Irish +themselves." A large proportion of the present inhabitants of Ireland +are of this race, mixed up however by intermarriage, with the older +Milesian stock. + + + + +XLI. + +THE WATCH-FIRE OF BARNALEE. + + +During the many wars in Ireland, small parties of men had often to +traverse the country for long distances to bring messages from one +general to another, and for other purposes. They marched by day and put +up at night in the woods, choosing some sheltered corner and making a +big fire of brambles to keep them warm and to cook their food. After +supper they usually sat by the fire, amusing themselves with pleasant +conversation or by telling stories: and when at last it was time to go +to sleep, they wrapped themselves up in their great coats and lay down +round the fire, leaving one of their number to stand guard. + +The following short poem--part of a much longer one--describes how a +small party of four men passed the early part of the night during a +march across country. There was to be a battle in a day or two, and +these four friends met, and each told a story by the Watch-fire of +Barnalee. And they arranged to meet again after the battle, if any +survived. But this turned out to be a sad meeting: there were only two: +the other two lay dead on the battlefield. + + +I. + + There were four comrades stout and free, + Within the Wood of Barnalee, + Under the spreading oaken tree. + + +II. + + The ragged clouds sailed past the moon; + Loud rose the brawling torrent's croon; + The rising winds howled in the wood, + Like hungry wolves at scent of blood. + Yet there they sat, in converse free, + Under the spreading oaken tree,-- + Garrod the Minstrel, with his lyre, + Sir Hugh le Poer, that heart of fire, + Dark Gilliemore, the mournful squire, + And Donal, from the banks of Nier. + + +III. + + Spectrally shone the watch-fire light + On their sun-browned faces and helmets bright + Showing beneath the woodland glooms + Their swords, and jacks, and waving plumes; + As there they sat, those comrades free, + Within the Wood of Barnalee, + Under the spreading oaken tree, + And told their tales to you and me. + + ROBERT DWYER JOYCE, M.D. + + + + +XLII. + +CAHAL O'CONOR OF THE RED HAND: KING OF CONNAUGHT. + + +Roderick O'Connor, the last native king of Ireland retired from the +throne towards the end of the twelfth century, to end his days in the +monastery of Cong.[181-1] After his time, as we have said, there was no +longer a king over the whole country. But for hundreds of years +afterwards, kings continued to reign over the five provinces. Roderick +had been king of Connaught before he became king of all Ireland; and +after his retirement there were several claimants for the Connaught +throne, who contended with one another, so that the province was for a +long time disturbed with wars and battles. + + [181-1] Cong in Mayo, between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask; the + remains of an abbey are there still. + +Roderick had a young brother named Cahal, who was called Cahal of the +Red Hand, from a great blood-red mark on his right hand. He would +naturally have a claim to the Connaught throne when old enough; and as +he was, even when a boy, a noble young fellow, and showed great ability, +the queen of Connaught, jealous of him, feared that when he grew up he +would give trouble, and she sought him out, determined to kill him: so +that Cahal and his mother had to flee from one hiding place to another. + +Finding at last that he could no longer remain in the province with +safety, he and his mother crossed the Shannon into Leinster, where no +one knew him, and there for several years they remained, while he made a +poor living for both, by working in the fields as a common labourer. And +as the fame of the brave young Cahal with the red mark on his hand, had +gone abroad, he always wore a loose mitten on his right hand for fear of +discovery; for he knew well that the queen had spies everywhere +searching for him. + +At this time the people had no newspapers: but there were news-carriers +who made it their business to travel continually about the country, +picking up information wherever they could, and relating all that +occurred whenever they came to a village, or to any group of people who +desired to hear the news. They generally received some small payment; +and in this manner they made their living. + +One day while Cahal was employed with several others, reaping in a field +of rye, they saw one of these men approaching; and they stopped their +work for a few moments to hear what he had to say. After relating +several unimportant matters, he came at last to the principal +news:--that the king of Connaught was dead, and that the leading people +of the province, having met in counsel to choose a king declared that +they would have no one but young Cahal of the Red Hand. "And now," +continued the newsman, "I and many others have been searching for him +for several weeks. He is easily known, for his right hand is blood-red +from the wrist out: but up to this we have been unsuccessful. We fear +indeed that he is living in poverty in some remote place where he will +never be found: or it may be that he is dead." + +When Cahal heard this, his heart gave a great bound, and he stood musing +for a few moments. Then flinging his sickle on the ridge, he +exclaimed:--"Farewell reaping-hook: now for the sword!" And pulling off +the mitten, he showed his red hand, and made himself known. The newsman, +instantly recognising him, threw himself prostrate before him to +acknowledge him as his king. And ever since that time, "Cahal's farewell +to the rye," has been a proverb in Connaught, to denote a farewell for +ever. He returned immediately with his mother to Connaught, where he was +joyfully received, and was proclaimed king in 1190. + +At this time the Anglo-Norman barons who had come over at the time of +Henry II.'s Invasion, nearly twenty years before, had settled down in +various parts of Ireland: and they were constantly encroaching on the +lands of the Irish and erecting strong castles everywhere; while the +Irish chiefs as we have already said, resisted as far as they were +able, so that there was much disturbance all over the country. Cahal was +a brave and active king, and took a leading part in fighting against the +barons. + +After he had reigned over Connaught in peace for eight or nine years, +trouble came again. There was at this time, settled in Limerick, a +powerful Anglo-Norman baron, William de Burgo, to whom a large part of +Connaught had been granted by King Henry II. This man stirred up another +of the O'Conors to lay claim to the throne in opposition to Cahal, +promising to help him: and now Connaught was again all ablaze with civil +war. Cahal was defeated in battle, and fled to Ulster to Hugh O'Neill, +prince of Tyrone, who took up his cause. Marching south with his own and +O'Neill's men, he attacked his rival, but was defeated, and again fled +north. He soon made a second attempt, aided this time by Sir John de +Courcy (for whom see page 190): but he and De Courcy were caught in an +ambush in Galway by the rival king, who routed their army. In this fight +De Courcy very nearly lost his life, being felled senseless from his +horse by a stone. Recovering in good time however, he and Cahal escaped +from the battlefield, and fled northwards. + +Cahal of the Red Hand, in no way cowed by these terrible reverses, again +took the field, after some time, aided now by De Burgo, who had changed +sides. A battle was fought near Roscommon, in which the rival king was +slain; and Cahal once more took possession of the throne. From this +period forward he ruled without a native rival; though a few years +later, he was forced to surrender a large part of his kingdom to King +John, in order that he might secure possession of the remainder. + +But he was as vigilant as ever in repelling all attempts of the barons +to encroach on his diminished territory. Thus when in 1220 the De Lacys +of Meath, a most powerful Anglo-Norman family, went to Athleague on the +Shannon at the head of Lough Ree, where there was a ford, and began to +build a castle at the eastern or Leinster side, in order that they might +have a garrison in it always ready to attack Connaught, Cahal promptly +crossed the river into Longford, and so frightened them that they were +glad to conclude a truce with him. And he broke down the castle, which +they had almost finished. + +Cahal of the Red Hand was an upright and powerful king, and governed +with firmness and justice. The Irish Annals tell us that he relieved the +poor as long as he lived, and that he destroyed more robbers and rebels +and evil-doers of every kind than any other king of his time. In early +life he had founded the abbey of Knockmoy,[185-1] into which he retired +in the last year of his life: and in this retreat he died in 1224. + + [185-1] Knockmoy in Galway, six miles from Tuam: the ruins of the + abbey still remain. + + + + +XLIII. + +"CAHAL-MORE OF THE WINE-RED HAND." + + +The ancient Irish people--like those of several other +countries--believed that when a just and good king reigned, the country +was blessed with fine weather and abundant crops, the trees bended with +fruit, the rivers teemed with fish, and the whole kingdom prospered. +This was the state of Connaught while Cahal of the Red Hand reigned in +peace. And it is recorded that when he died, fearful portents appeared, +and there was gloom and terror everywhere. James Clarence Mangan, a +Dublin poet, who died in 1849, pictures all this in the following fine +poem. He supposes himself to be living on the river Maine, in Germany, +and he is brought to Connaught in a vision, where he witnesses the +prosperity that attended Cahal's reign. This he sets forth in the first +part of the poem: but a sudden mysterious change for the worse comes, +which he describes in the last two verses. The whole poem forms a wild, +misty sort of picture, such as one might see in a dream.[186-1] + + +A VISION OF CONNAUGHT IN THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY. + + I walked entranced + Through a land of Morn; + The sun, with wondrous excess of light, + Shone down and glanced + Over seas of corn + And lustrous gardens aleft and right. + Even in the clime + Of resplendent Spain, + Beams no such sun upon such a land; + But it was the time, + 'Twas in the reign, + Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand. + + Anon stood nigh + By my side a man + Of princely aspect and port sublime. + Him queried I, + "O, my Lord and Khan,[187-1] + What clime is this, and what golden time?" + When he--"The clime + Is a clime to praise, + The clime is Erin's, the green and bland; + And it is the time, + These be the days, + Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand!" + + Then saw I thrones, + And circling fires, + And a dome rose near me, as by a spell, + Whence flowed the tones + Of silver lyres, + And many voices in wreathèd swell; + And their thrilling chime + Fell on mine ears + As the heavenly hymn of an angel-band-- + "It is now the time, + These be the years, + Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand!" + + I sought the hall, + And, behold!... a change + From light to darkness, from joy to woe! + King, nobles, all, + Looked aghast and strange; + The minstrel-group sate in dumbest show! + Had some great crime + Wrought this dread amaze, + This terror? None seemed to understand! + 'Twas then the time, + We were in the days, + Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand. + + I again walked forth; + But lo! the sky + Showed fleckt with blood, and an alien sun + Glared from the north, + And there stood on high, + Amid his shorn beams, A SKELETON + It was by the stream + Of the castled Maine, + One Autumn eve, in the Teuton's land, + That I dreamed this dream + Of the time and reign + Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand! + + + [186-1] Mangan wrote many poetical translations from the Irish, as + well as from the German and other languages. The "Vision + of Connaught" is, however, an original poem, not a + translation. + + [187-1] Irish, _Ceann_ [can], meaning 'head,' one of the Gaelic + titles for a chief. + +[Illustration: St. Finghin's Church, Quin, Co. Clare: originally built +by the Irish: re-built by Thomas de Clare, the Anglo-Norman lord who +erected Bunratty Castle (see p. 177). + +The Irish began to build large churches and castles a little before the +arrival of the Anglo-Normans. The Irish churches of a previous time were +generally small. After the Invasion, the Anglo-Norman barons and the +Irish kings and chiefs vied with each other in erecting churches, +abbeys, and castles.] + + + + +XLIV. + +SIR JOHN DE COURCY. + + +Among the many Anglo-Norman lords and knights who came to settle in +Ireland in the time of Henry II., one of the most renowned was John de +Courcy. The Welsh writer, Gerald Barry, already mentioned (p. 113), who +lived at that time and knew him personally, thus describes him:-- + +"He was of huge size, tall and powerfully built, with bony and muscular +limbs, wonderfully active and daring, full of courage, and a bold and +venturous soldier from his youth. He was so eager for fighting that, +though commanding as general, he always mingled with the foremost ranks +in charging the enemy, which might have lost the battle; for if he +chanced to be killed or badly wounded, there was no general able to take +his place. But though so fierce in war, he was gentle and modest in time +of peace and very exact in attending to his religious devotions; and +when he had gained a victory he gave all the glory to God, and took none +to himself." + +When King Henry II. divided the country among his lords in 1172, he gave +Ulster to De Courcy. But it was one thing to be granted the province, +and another thing to take possession of it; for the Ulster chiefs and +people were warlike and strong; and for five years De Courcy remained +in Dublin without making any attempt to conquer it. + +At length he made up his mind to try his fortune; and gathering his +followers to the number of about a thousand, every man well armed and +trained to battle, he set out for the north. Through rugged and +difficult ways the party rode on, and early in the morning of the fourth +day--the 2nd February, 1177--they arrived at Downpatrick, then the +capital of that part of the country. The Irish of those times never +surrounded their towns with walls; and the astonished Downpatrick +people, who knew nothing of the expedition, were startled from their +beds at daybreak by a mighty uproar in the streets--shouts, and the +clatter of horses' hoofs, and the martial notes of bugles. Whatever +little stock of provisions the party had brought with them was gone soon +after they left Dublin; and by the time they arrived at Downpatrick they +were half-starved. They scattered themselves everywhere, and, breaking +away for the time from the control of their leader, they fell ravenously +on all the food they could lay their hands on: they smashed in doors and +set fire to houses, and ate and drank and slew as if they were mad, till +the town was half destroyed. And the people were taken so completely by +surprise that there was hardly any resistance. + +When this terrible onslaught at last came to an end, De Courcy, having +succeeded in bringing his men together, made an encampment, which he +carefully fortified; and there the little army rested from their toils. +At the end of a week the chief of the district came with a great army to +expel the invaders; while De Courcy arranged his men in ranks with great +skill, to withstand the attack. The Ulstermen who were without armour, +wearing a loose saffron-coloured tunic over the ordinary dress, +according to the Irish fashion, rushed on with fearless bravery; but by +no effort could they break the solid ranks of the armour-clad +Anglo-Normans, who, after a long struggle put them to flight, and +pursued them for miles along the seashore. + +After this victory De Courcy settled in Downpatrick with his followers, +and built a strong castle there for his better security. Nevertheless +the Ulstermen, in no way discouraged, continued their fierce attacks: +and though he was victorious in several battles, he was defeated in +others, so that for a long time he had quite enough to do to hold his +ground. + +But through all his difficulties the valiant De Courcy kept up his heart +and battled bravely on, continually enlarging his territory, founding +churches and building strong castles all over the province. King Henry +was so pleased with his bravery, and with his success in extending the +English dominions, that he made him earl of Ulster and lord of +Connaught; and in 1185 he appointed him Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. +This obliged him to live in Dublin; but he left captains and governors +in Ulster to hold his castles and protect his territory, till he should +return, which he did in 1189. + + + + +XLV. + +HOW SIR JOHN DE COURCY WAS CAPTURED AND THROWN INTO PRISON. + + +By the death of Henry II. in 1189, Sir John de Courcy lost his best +friend: and things began to go ill with him when King John came to the +throne in 1199. For another Anglo-Norman lord, Hugh de Lacy, grew +jealous of his great deeds, and hated him with his whole heart, so that +he took every means to poison the king's mind against him. In a very old +volume, written by some Anglo-Irish writer, there are several +entertaining stories of all that befel De Courcy after his return to +Ulster from Dublin in 1189. Two of these, somewhat shortened and +re-arranged, are given here, and much of the fine old language in which +they are told is retained, as it is easily understood. + +The first story relates that whereas Sir Hugh de Lacy, who was now +appointed general ruler of Ireland by the king, did much disdain and +envy Sir John de Courcy, and being marvellous grieved at the worthy +service he did, he sought all means that he could possible to damage and +hinder him and to bring him to confusion, and promised much rewards in +secret to those who would invent any matter against him; for which De +Lacy had no cause but that Sir John's actions and commendations were +held in greater account than his own. He feigned also false charges +against him, and wrote them over to the king, and sore complained of +him. + +Amongst other his grievous complaints, he said De Courcy refused to do +homage to King John, and he charged him also with saying to many that +the king had somewhat to do with the death of Prince Arthur, lawful heir +to the crown of England[194-1]; and many other such like things. All +these were nothing but matters feigned by De Lacy, to bring to a better +end his purpose of utterly ruining De Courcy. On this De Courcy +challenged him, after the custom of those times, to try the matter by +single combat: but De Lacy, fearing to meet him, made excuses and +refused. + + [194-1] Prince Arthur, the rightful heir to the English throne, was + cast into prison by John: he was soon after murdered, + which, it was believed, was done by John's orders. + +By reason of such evil and envious tales, though untrue they were, Sir +Hugh de Lacy was at last commanded by King John to do what he might to +apprehend and take Sir John de Courcy. Whereupon he devised and +conferred with certain of Sir John's own men how this might be done; +and they said it was not possible to do so the while he was in his +battle-harness. But they told him that it might be done on Good Friday; +for on that day it was his accustomed usage to wear no shield, harness, +or weapon, but that he would be found kneeling at his prayers, after he +had gone about the church five times barefooted. And having so devised, +they lay in wait for him in his church at Downpatrick; and when they saw +him barefooted and unarmed they rushed on him suddenly. But he, +snatching up a heavy wooden cross that stood nigh the church, defended +him till it was broken, and slew thirteen of them before he was taken. +And so he was sent to England, and was put into the Tower of London, to +remain there in perpetual, and there miserably was kept a long time, +without as much meat or apparel as any account could be made of. + +Now these men had agreed to betray their master to Sir Hugh de Lacy for +a certain reward of gold and silver: and when they came to Sir Hugh for +their reward, he gave them the gold and silver as he had promised. They +then craved of him a passport into England to tell all about the good +service they had done; which he gave them, with the following words +written in it:-- + +"This writing witnesseth that those whose names are herein subscribed, +that did betray so good a master for reward, will be false to me and to +all the earth besides. And inasmuch as I put no trust in them, I do +banish them out of this land of Ireland for ever; and I do let +Englishmen know that none of them may enjoy any part of this our king's +land, or be employed as servitors from this forward for ever." + +[Illustration: Ennis Abbey as it appeared in 1780: now carefully +preserved by the Board of Works. Built by Donogh O'Brien, king of +Thomond, in 1242. See the note under Illustration, p. 189.] + +And so he wrote all their names, and put them in a ship with victuals +and furniture, but without mariners or seamen, and put them to sea, and +gave them strict charge never to return to Ireland on pain of death. And +after this they were not heard of for a long time; but by chance of +weather and lack of skilful men, they arrived at Cork, and being taken, +were brought to Sir Hugh de Lacy; and first taking all their treasure +from them, he hung them in chains, and so left them till their bodies +wasted away. + +This deed, that Sir Hugh de Lacy did, was for an ensample that none +should use himself the like, and not for love of Sir John de Courcy: +since it appeareth from certain ancient authors that he would have it so +as that De Courcy's name should not be so much as mentioned, and that no +report or commendation of him should ever be made. + + + + +XLVI. + +SIR JOHN DE COURCY ACCEPTS A CHALLENGE. + + +And now Sir John de Courcy, being in the Tower in evil plight, cried +often to God why He suffered him to be thus so miserably used, who did +build so many good abbeys, and did so many good deeds to God: and thus +often lamenting with himself, he asked God his latter end to finish. + +It fortuned after this that much variance and debate did grow between +King John of England and King Philip of France,[197-1] about a certain +castle which the king of France won from King John. And when King Philip +had often been asked to restore it he refused, saying it was his by +right. But at last he offered to try the matter by battle. For he had a +champion, a mighty man, who had never been beaten; and he challenged the +king of England to find, on his side, a champion to fight him, and let +the title to the castle depend on the issue thereof; to which King John, +more hasty than well advised, did agree. + + [197-1] At this time the kings of England had a large territory in + France so that quarrels often arose between them and the + French kings. + +And when the day of battle was appointed, the king of England called +together his Council to find out where a champion might be found that +would take upon him this honour and weighty enterprise. Many places they +sought and inquired of, but no one was found that was willing to engage +in so perilous a matter. And the king was in a great agony, fearing more +the dishonour of the thing than the loss of the castle. + +At length a member of the Council came to the king and told him that +there was a man in the Tower of London, one De Courcy, that in all the +earth was not his peer, if he would only fight. The king was much +rejoiced thereat, and sent unto him to require and command him to take +the matter in hand: but Sir John refused. The king sent again and +offered him great gifts; but again he refused, saying he would never +serve the king in field any more; for he thought himself evil rewarded +for such service as he did him before. The king sent to him a third +time, and bade him ask whatever he would, for himself and for his +friends, and all should be granted to him: and he said furthermore that +upon his stalworth and knightly doings the honour of the realm of +England did rest and depend. + +He answered that for himself, the thing he would wish to ask for, King +John was not able to give, namely, the lightness and freedom of heart +that he once had, but which the king's unkind dealing had taken from +him. As for his friends, he said that, saving a few, they were all slain +in the king's service; "and for these reasons," said he, "I mean never +to serve the king more. But"--he went on to say--"the honour of the +realm of England, that is another matter: and I would defend it so far +as lies in my power, provided I might have such things as I shall ask +for." + +This was promised to him, and the king sent messengers to set him at +liberty; who, when they had entered into his prison, found him in great +misery. His hair was all matted, and overgrew his shoulders to his +waist; he had scarce any apparel, and the little he had fell in rags +over his great body; and his face was hollow from close confinement and +for lack of food. + +After all things that he required had been granted to him, he asked for +one thing more, namely, that his sword should be sent for all the way to +Downpatrick in Ireland, where it would be found within the altar of the +church; for with that weapon he said he would fight and with no other. +After much delay it was brought to him; and when they saw it and felt +its weight, they marvelled that any man could wield it. And good food +was given to him, and seemly raiment, and he had due exercise, and in +all things he was cherished and made much of; so that his strength of +body and stoutness of heart returned to him. + + + + +XLVII. + +SIR JOHN DE COURCY AND THE FRENCH CHAMPION. + + +The lists were enclosed and all things were prepared against the day of +battle. The two kings were there, outside the lists, with most of their +nobility, and thousands of great people to look on, all sitting on seats +placed high up for good view. Within the lists were two tents for the +champions, where they might rest till the time appointed. And men were +chosen to see that all things were carried on fairly and in good order. + +When the time drew nigh, the French champion came forth on the field, +and did his duty of obeisance, and bowed with reverence and courtesy to +all around, and went back to his tent, where he waited for half an hour. +The king of England sent for Sir John to come forth, for that the French +champion rested a long time awaiting his coming; to which he answered +roughly that he would come forth when he thought it was time. And when +he still delayed, the king sent one of his Council to desire him to make +haste, to which he made answer:--"If thou or those kings were invited to +such a banquet, you would make no great haste coming forth to partake of +it." + +On this the king, deeming that he was not going to fight at all, was +about to depart in a great rage, thinking much evil of Sir John de +Courcy. While he was thus musing, Sir John came forth in surly mood, for +memory of all the ill usage that had been wrought on him; and he stalked +straight on, looking neither to the right nor to the left, and doing no +reverence to anyone: and so back to his tent. + +Then the trumpets sounded the first charge, for the champions to +approach. Forth they came, and passing by slowly, viewed each other +intently without a word. And when the foreign champion noted De Courcy's +fierce look, and measured with his eyes his great stature and mighty +limbs, he was filled with dread and fell all a-trembling. At length the +trumpets sounded the last charge for the fight to begin; on which De +Courcy quickly drew his sword and advanced; but the Frenchman, turning +right round, "ranne awaie off the fielde and betooke him to Spaine." + +Whereupon the English trumpets sounded victory; and there was such +shouting and cheering, such a-clapping of hands and such a-throwing of +caps in the air as the like was never seen before. + +When the multitude became quiet, King Philip desired of King John that +De Courcy might be called before them to give a trial of his strength by +a blow upon a helmet: to which De Courcy agreed. They fixed a great +stake of timber in the ground, standing up the height of a man, over +which they put a shirt of mail, with a helmet on top. And when all was +ready, De Courcy, drawing his sword, looked at the kings with a grim and +terrible look that fearful it was to behold; after which he struck such +a blow as cut clean through the helmet and through the shirt of mail, +and down deep in the piece of timber. And so fast was the sword fixed +that no man in the assembly, using his two hands with the utmost effort, +could pluck it out; but Sir John, taking it in one hand, drew it forth +easily. + +The princes, marvelling at so huge a stroke, desired to understand why +he looked so terrible at them before he struck the blow: on which he +answered:-- + +"I call St. Patrick of Down to witness, that if I had missed the mark I +would have cut the heads off both of you kings on the score of all the +ill usage I received aforetime at your hands." + +King John, being satisfied with all matters as they turned out, took his +answer in good part: and he gave him back all the dominions that before +he had in Ireland, as Earl of Ulster and lord of Connaught; and +licensed him to return, with many great gifts besides. And to this day +the people of Ireland hold in memory Sir John de Courcy and his mighty +deeds; and the ruins of many great castles builded by him are to be seen +all over Ulster. + + + + +XLVIII. + +THE GREAT EARL OF KILDARE AND THE EARL OF ORMOND. + + +The great lords who settled in Ireland in the time of Henry II. became +so powerful that they ruled in the land like so many kings. It was so +hard to reach Ireland in those times, or even to get from one part of +Ireland to another, that their master, the king of England, had +generally very little control over them: and he often found it hard +enough even to find out what was going on among them. So those mighty +barons did very much as they liked. They imposed taxes, raised armies, +and made war on each other, just as if they were independent sovereigns. + +The Fitzgeralds, or Geraldines, were among the most illustrious of those +families. They intermarried with the families of the native Irish kings +and princes, such as the O'Neills and O'Conors; and altogether they fell +in so well with the ways of the country, that the Irish people came to +love them almost better than they loved their own old native kings and +chiefs. And for hundreds of years those Geraldines took a leading part +in the government of Ireland for the kings of England. + +In the time of Henry VII., who became king in the year 1485, Garrett +Fitzgerald, earl of Kildare--the "Great Earl" as he was called--was Lord +Deputy, or chief ruler of Ireland, for the king: and he was the leading +man of his day in Ireland.[204-1] We are told in the old accounts of him +that he was tall of stature, of goodly presence, very liberal and +merciful; of strict piety; mild in his government; very easily put into +a passion, but just as easily appeased; a knight in valour, and princely +in his words and judgments. + + [204-1] A further account of the Great Earl, and of some of his + proceedings, will be found in the "Child's History of + Ireland." + +Once he got into a great rage with one of his servants for some blunder. +It happened that two of the gentlemen of his household were looking on: +and one of them whispered to the other, whose name was Boice, that he +would give him a good Irish hobby if he went and plucked a hair out of +the earl's beard. Boice took him at his offer, and knowing well the +earl's good nature, he went up to him, while he still fumed with anger, +and said:-- + +"If so it please your good lordship, one of your horsemen promised me a +choice horse if I snip one hair from your beard." "Well," quoth the +earl, "I agree thereto; but if you pluck more than one, I promise you to +bring my fist away from your ear!" + +And Boice plucked the hair, and won the hobby: but he took good care to +pluck only one, so that his ear escaped the earl's big fist. + +At this time the chief man of the Butlers was James, earl of Ormond: and +he and the Deputy were at enmity, each working with might and main to +put down the other. The earl of Ormond, who was a deep and far reaching +man, not being strong enough to oppose his adversary openly, devised a +plan to entrap him by means of submission and courtesy. Certain charges +had, it seems, been made against Ormond, and he now wrote to the deputy, +who was, of course, in authority over him, asking permission to come to +Dublin to disprove them; which the deputy granted. Accordingly, in the +year 1492, he marched to Dublin with a numerous army, and encamped near +the city. + +Now Kildare's councillors, and the citizens in general, disliked the +presence of so great an army, suspecting some evil design: and besides, +the soldiers used the people ill, often beating and robbing them; so +that instead of peace, this visit of Ormond made all the greater +discord. Yet still, with an air of great respect and humility, he +persisted in asking to be heard, saying he would show that the evil +stories about him were all false. At length, Lord Deputy Kildare +agreed, and the meeting was held in St. Patrick's Church. + +But this meeting was not a quiet or peaceful one; for the two earls, +instead of speaking gentle words of forgiveness, began to accuse each +other of all the damages inflicted on both sides. The citizens too, who +were in great crowds around the church, complained with loud voices of +all the ill usage they had suffered from the soldiers; whereupon they +and the soldiers fell to jars and quarrels, and the whole city was soon +in an uproar. At last, a body of Dublin archers, enraged that such a +disturbance should be raised by "this lawless rabble," rushed into the +church, shouting out that they would kill Ormond, as the leader of them, +and they shot at random hither and thither, leaving their arrows +sticking in the timbers and ornaments of the church, but doing no harm +otherwise. It is probable, indeed, that out of respect to the place, +notwithstanding their rage, they took care to shoot over the heads of +the crowd, so as to kill no one. + +On this, the Earl of Ormond, fearing with good reason for his safety, +fled with a few of his followers to the chapter-house, and slamming the +door, bolted and barred it strongly. Kildare followed and called to him +to come out, promising upon his honour that he should receive no harm. +Ormond replied that he would come forth if the deputy gave him his hand +that his life should be safe; so "a cleft was pierced in a trice +through the chapter-house door," to the end that the earls might shake +hands and be reconciled. But Ormond, still suspecting treachery, refused +to put forth his hand, fearing it might be chopped off, till at last +Kildare stretched in his arm to him through the hole, and they shook +hands. Then the door was opened and the two earls embraced, and the +storm was appeased. + +[Illustration: Old Chapter-house Door, now in St. Patrick's Cathedral, +Dublin.] + +But though this quarrel was patched up, it was only for the time. +Kildare suspected that Ormond had brought his army with evil intent "to +outface him and his power in his own countrie"; while "Ormond mistrusted +that this treacherous practice of the Dublinians was by Kildare +devised." So that, as the old writer goes on to say, "their quarrels +were not ended, but only for the present discontinued: like unto a green +wound, rather bungerlie botcht, than soundlie cured. And these and the +like surmises, with many stories carried to and fro, and in their ears +whispered, bred and fostered a malice betwixt them and their posterity, +many years incurable, which caused much stir and unquietnesse in the +realm." + +The old chapter-house door, which is pictured on last page, still +remains in St. Patrick's Cathedral, where it may be seen leaning against +one of the walls, with the very "cleft" in it through which the two +earls shook hands more than four hundred years ago. + + + + +XLIX. + +ANCIENT IRISH MUSIC. + + +From the most remote times the Irish took great pleasure in music: and +they studied and cultivated it so successfully that they became +celebrated every where for their musical skill. Irish teachers of this +art were thought so highly of that from about the seventh to the +eleventh century, or later, they were employed in colleges and schools +in Great Britain and on the Continent, like Irish professors of other +branches of learning (see p. 47). Many of the early missionaries took +great delight in playing on the harp, so that some brought a small harp +with them on their journeys through the country, which no doubt +lightened many a weary hour at their homes in the evenings, during the +time of hard missionary work. In our oldest manuscript books, music is +continually mentioned: and musicians are spoken of with respect and +admiration. + +The two chief instruments used in Ireland were the harp and the bagpipe. +The harp was the favourite with the higher classes, many of whom played +it as an accomplishment, as people now play the piano. The professional +Irish harpers were more skilful, and could play better, than those of +any other country: so that for hundreds of years it was the custom for +the musicians of Great Britain to visit Ireland in order to finish their +musical education; a custom which continued down to about a century and +a-half ago. + +The bagpipe was very generally used among the lower classes of people. +The form in use was what we now call the Highland or Scotch pipes--slung +from the shoulder: the bag inflated by the mouth. But this form of pipes +took its rise in Ireland: and it was brought to Scotland in early ages +by those Irish colonists already spoken of (page 5). There is another +and a better kind of bagpipes, now common in Ireland, resting on the lap +when in use, and having the bag inflated by a bellows: but this is a +late invention. + +The Irish musicians had various "_Styles_," three of which are very +often mentioned in tales and other ancient Irish writings: of these many +specimens have come down to the present day. The style they called +"Mirth-music" consisted of lively airs, which excited to merriment and +laughter. These are represented by our present dance tunes, such as +jigs, reels, hornpipes, and other such quick, spirited pieces which are +known so well in every part of Ireland. The "Sorrow-music" was slow and +sad, and was always sung on the occasion of a death. We have many airs +belonging to this style, which are now commonly called _Keens_, i.e., +laments, or dirges. The "Sleep-music" was intended to produce sleep; and +the tunes belonging to this style were plaintive and soothing. Such airs +are now known as lullabies, or nurse tunes, or cradle songs, of which +numerous examples are preserved in collections of Irish music. They were +often sung to put children to sleep. Though there are, as has been said, +many tunes belonging to these three classes, they form only a small part +of the great body of Irish music. + +Music entered into many of the daily occupations of the people. There +were special spinning-wheel songs, which the women sang, with words, in +chorus or in dialogue, when employed in spinning. At milking time the +girls were in the habit of chanting a particular sort of air, in a low +gentle voice. These milking songs were slow and plaintive, something +like the nurse tunes, and had the effect of soothing the cows and of +making them submit more gently to be milked. This practice was common +down to fifty or sixty years ago; and many people now living can +remember seeing cows grow restless when the song was interrupted, and +become again quiet and placid when it was resumed. While ploughmen were +at their work they whistled a sweet, slow, and sad strain, which had as +powerful an effect in soothing the horses at their hard work as the +milking songs had on the cows: and these also were quite usual till +about half a century ago. + +Special airs and songs were used during working time by smiths, by +weavers, and by boatmen. There were besides, hymn tunes; and young +people had simple airs for all sorts of games and sports. In most cases +words suitable to the several occasions were sung with lullabies, +laments, and occupation tunes. The poem at page 82 may be taken as a +specimen of a lament. Examples of all the preceding classes of melodies +will be found in the collections of Irish airs by Bunting, Petrie, and +Joyce. + +The Irish had numerous war-marches, which the pipers played at the head +of the clansmen when marching to battle, and which inspired them with +courage and dash for the fight. This custom is still kept up by the +Scotch; and many fine battle-tunes are printed in Irish and Scotch +collections of national music. + +From the preceding statement we may see how universal was the love of +music in former days among the people of Ireland. Though Irish airs, +compared with the musical pieces composed in our time, are generally +short and simple, they are constructed with such skill, that in regard +to most of them it may be truly said that no composer of the present +day can produce airs of a similar kind to equal them. + +There are half a dozen original collections of Irish music, containing +in all between 1000 and 2000 airs: other collections are mostly copied +from these. But numerous airs are still sung and played among the people +all through Ireland, which have never been written down; and many have +been written down which have never been printed. Thomas Moore composed +his beautiful songs to old Irish airs; and his whole collection of songs +and airs--well known as "Moore's Melodies"--is now published in one +small cheap volume. + +Of the entire body of Irish airs that are preserved, we know the authors +of not more than about one tenth; and these were composed within the +last 200 years. Most of the remaining nine tenths have come down from +old times. No one now can tell who composed "The Coolin," "Savourneen +Dheelish," "Shule Aroon," "Molly Asthore," "Garryowen," "The Boyne +Water," "Patrick's Day," "Langolee," "The Blackbird," or "The Girl I +left behind me"; and so of many other well-known and lovely airs. + +The national music of Ireland and that of Scotland are very like each +other, and many airs are common to both countries: but this is only what +might be expected, as we know that the Irish and the Highland Scotch +were originally one people. + + + + +NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS. + + +I.--Page 1. + + Ancient, very old, belonging to old times. + + Fabulous, not true. + + Magician, one skilled in magic or witchcraft; an enchanter. + + Spell, a charm, something done by enchantment. + + Wizard, an enchanter, a magician. + + Consult, to advise with. + + Druid. The druids were the learned men among the pagan Irish: they + were believed to be wizards, or magicians. + + Seer, one who can foresee events, a prophet. + + Destiny, lot, what is to come to pass. + + Wistfully, thoughtfully, attentively, longingly. + + Cairn, a great pile of stones heaped up in memory of some person or + some event. A cairn was very often raised over the grave of some + important person. See page 97. + + Missionary, one sent to preach religion. + + Hostage, a person given as a pledge, or security, for carrying out + some agreement. + + Possessing mighty power over people, able to persuade them by his + earnestness and his powerful language. + +II.--Page 7. + + Gallantly, boldly, bravely. + + Destined home: the druid had foretold that Inisfail, or the Isle of + Destiny, was to be their final home. + + Emerald, a precious stone of a green colour. Ireland, from its + greenness, is often called the Emerald Isle. + + Day god, the sun. Some of the pagan Irish worshipped the sun. + + Omen, a sign of what is to come. + + +III.--Page 8. + + Perpetual, lasting always. + + Allure, to entice, coax, or persuade. + + Book of the Dun Cow: see page 118. + + Conn the Hundred-fighter, or, as he is often called, Conn of the + Hundred Battles, was King of Ireland from A.D. 177 to 212. + + Crystal, a sort of transparent mineral: glass, or anything like + glass. + + Marvelled, wondered. + + Chant, a slow, sweet song. + + Azure, a bright blue. + + Verdurous, green, full of verdure. + + Imprecation, a curse. + + Mace, here means a heavy-headed club used in fighting, generally for + striking. + + +IV.--Page 14. + + Noxious, hurtful, injurious. + + Gigantic, very large, giant-like. + + Fertile, fruitful, yielding good crops. + + Wickerwork, basket-work of woven twigs. + + Hospitality, kindness to strangers, free and generous entertainment + of visitors. + + Expensive, costly. + + Establishment, the whole house, and all belonging to it. + + Liberal, plentiful. + + Gorget, an ornamental collar for the neck: the Irish gorgets were + mostly of gold. + + Bronze, a mixed metal made of copper and tin melted together. The + ancient Irish used a sort of white or whitish bronze, which they + called _findruine_ [_finn´-drin-ă_]. + + Enamel, a beautiful glassy substance, of various colours, used in + metal work. + + Museum, a place where curiosities of all kinds are kept, especially + objects belonging to ancient times. + + Artificer, an artist, a worker in metals, bone, wood, &c. + + Old Irish Laws: these were called the Brehon Laws. + + Commerce, trade with foreign nations. + + +V.--Page 22. + + Enmity, hatred, malice, ill feeling. + + Gall, bitterness and sourness of heart. + + Treachery, breach of faith, wickedness. + + Chariot, a kind of carriage. + + Druidical, made by the druids, who were believed to be enchanters, + like the Dedannans. + + Clamorous, noisy, screaming. + + Repented, grew sorry. + + Gaelic speech, the Irish language, which all the people of Ireland + then spoke. + + Plaintive, sad. + + Lay, a song, a poem. + + A husk of gore, withered up with grief. + + Anguish, great trouble and misery. + + Anthem, a song, a hymn: anthem of praise, _i.e._ of praise to God. + + +VI.--Page 27. + + Amazement, astonishment, wonder. + + Horror, terror mixed with dislike. + + Lamentation, great sorrow. + + Malignant, full of evil and badness. + + Adventurous, spirited, daring, courageous. + + Abhor, to hate, to detest, to have a horror of. + + Transform, to change the form or shape. + + Society, company. + + The dreadful day of doom, "that day of woe," _i.e._ the Day of + Judgment. The children of Lir had some obscure foreknowledge of + the coming of Christianity. + + Desolate, waste and solitary. + + Tempestuous, stormy. + + +VII.--Page 32. + + Abode, a dwelling. + + Plight, an evil and unpleasant state. + + Endure, to bear, to suffer. + + Chain of repose: as if the breezes were bound down and kept at rest + by a chain. + + Darkness: the darkness of paganism. + + Pure light, and Day star: Christianity. + + Wreathed, twisted, curled. + + Hazel-mead, a kind of mead with hazel nuts put into it to flavour + it. For mead, see p. 17. + + Lullaby, a nurse song: a song to put a person to sleep; see p. 210. + + Mannanan, or Mannanan Mac Lir, a Dedannan chief, the Pagan Irish god + of the sea. + + Angus, a Dedannan or fairy chief, who had his palace under one of + the great mounds on the Boyne between Drogheda and Slane. + + +VIII.--Page 39. + + Matin time, very early in the morning: before day: the time of + first prayer. + + Anchoret, a hermit. + + Matins, very early morning prayers. + + Transformed, changed, turned. + + Waxed, grew, became: waxed very wroth, became very angry. + + Cleric, a clergyman. + + Radiant, bright, joyful, happy looking. + + Lament, a sort of sad song. + + +IX.--Page 45. + + Enlightenment, knowledge, education, intelligence. + + Community, a number of persons living together in the same dwelling + or in the same place. + + Encounter, to meet with, to go against. + + Interpreter, a person who explains in one language what a speaker + says in another. The interpreter has to know both languages. + + +X.--Page 50. + + Rampart, a wall or high bank for defence. + + Structure, a building. + + Household, all the people that live in one house. + + Standard, a pole with a flag, banner, or colours, on top. + + Transfer, to change from one to another. + + Romantic stories, tales of fictitious adventures. + + Diadem, a crown, or a band like a crown, worn round the head. + + Spell of feebleness, weakness brought on by some sort of + enchantment. + + +XI.--Page 55. + + Pondering, thinking deeply. + + Meet, fit, proper, becoming. + + Ultonians, the Ulstermen. + + Gainsay, to speak against, to contradict. + + Ridge of the world, a usual expression in Irish writings. + + Gracious, kind and gentle in manner. + + Attendant, a person who attends, a servant. + + Military service, service as soldiers under pay. + + Betimes, in good time, early. + + Booth, a hut or tent. + + +XII.--Page 60. + + Pledge, security. + + Submission, yielding, coming under a person's authority. + + Knighthood. Knight, a soldier of high dignity: a champion: + knighthood, the dignity of a knight. The ancient Irish often + received knighthood at seven years of age. + + Obligation, a promise, a bond, something one is bound to do. + + Galley, a low flat vessel with oars and sails. + + Chessboard, a board with black and white squares on which chess was + played. The ancient Irish were very fond of chess. + + Re-assure, to make a person sure that things are right, to + encourage. + + +XIII.--Page 66. + + Resort, to go often to a place. + + Curragh, a light boat made of wickerwork covered with hides. + + Persist, to continue without ceasing. + + Perplexity, doubt, anxiety of mind. + + Clan, a number of families or a race of people all more or less + related to each other. + + Slieve Fuad, a mountain near Newtownhamilton in Armagh: the name is + now forgotten. + + Baleful, evil, very bad or wicked. + + Disaster, mishap, misfortune. + + Meditate, to plan, to intend. + + Handwood, a piece of wood to serve as a knocker, kept in a niche + outside the door. + + Battalion, a body of foot soldiers. + + Alluring, very good, tempting a person to eat. + + Viands, food, victuals. + + +XIV.--Page 72. + + Looming, appearing darkly and dimly in the distance. + + Steadfast, firm, fixed, determined. + + Valorous, brave, fearless, valiant. + + Your dear charge, Deirdre. + + Assailants, persons assailing or attacking. + + Misgivings, doubts and fears of something wrong. + + Unwittingly, without knowing. + + Unerring, with a straight aim so as not to miss. + + +XV.--Page 75. + + Hireling troops, soldiers serving for pay: they were not Ultonians + and did not belong to the Red Branch. The troops of the Red + Branch could not be got to attack the Sons of Usna. + + Shouts of defiance, shouts challenging and threatening. + + Assault, a violent attack. + + Marshalling, arranging. + + Treason, treachery, foul play. + + Circuit, a journey around. + + Fissure, a split or chasm. + + Solemn, awful, serious, grave. + + Response, answer, reply. + + +XVI.--Page 80. + + Deeming, believing, thinking. + + Onslaught, a fierce attack. + + Mannanan Mac Lir, the Pagan Irish sea-god. + + +XVII.--Page 84. + + Billows of war, the tide or onward press of battle. + + Wreak, to inflict, to execute. + + +XVIII.--Page 85. + + Incensed, very angry. + + Anguish, great grief, pain. + + Descendants, children, grand-children, &c. + + Spoil, to plunder and pillage. + + Illustrious, famous, noble, great. + + Marauding, plundering, robbing. + + Ravage, to lay waste and plunder. + + +XIX.--Page 87. + + Magic, witchcraft, spells. + + Mighty, of wonderful skill. + + Distinguish, to tell one from another. + + Shadowy, uncertain, legendary. + + Historic times, when there are true accounts of things that + happened. + + Professional, following some profession or calling. + + Remuneration, payment, salary. + + Attached, joined to. + + +XX.--Page 89. + + Reverently, with great respect. + + Gaelic, the Irish language. + + Lore, learning. + + Injunction, an order or charge, an advice that should be followed. + + Extract, to take out. + + Devotedly, with great and anxious care. + + Balm, a sort of ointment that soothes pain and cures. + + Sentiments, thoughts, feelings. + + Comparatively late, late compared with older times. + + Predecessor, one who held an office or place before another. + + +XXI.--Page 92. + + Tradition, accounts handed down from generation to generation. + + Provincial, belonging to one of the five provinces of Ireland. + + Tests, trials. + + Entertaining, amusing, diverting. + + Festive, joyous, gay, with feasts. + + Sedge, a kind of coarse grass. + + Keating: the Rev. Doctor Geoffry Keating, who wrote, in Irish, a + well known History of Ireland, full of old stories: died 1644. + + Oppression, cruelty, tyranny, hardship. + + Suppress, to put down. + + Exact, to make people pay. + + An Irish poet: Thomas Darcy M'Gee. + + Seers: among the Milesians were a good many druids, seers, or + prophets. + + Strath, the level land along a river at both sides; an _inch_. + + Mystic forts, the forts mentioned at page 16: mystic, mysterious. + + Cairn-crowned hills. Many hills have cairns on top, round which the + people often held council meetings. + + Elk, very large deer. Elk resorts, places frequented by elks. + + Modern, belonging to the present time. + + Unconquerably, such that he could not be conquered. + + Untarnished, unstained, pure, with out a spot. + + +XXII.--Page 98. + + Plaintive, sad, pitiful. + + Hesitation, pause, delay. + + Palsy, a sort of sickness that causes shivering or shaking. + + Litter, a sort of bed in which a person is carried. + + Tumult, great noise and confusion. + + +XXIII.--Page 103. + + Revered, regarded with love, honour, and respect. + + Distinguished, eminent, honoured. + + Community, a number of persons living together. + + Permanent, lasting. + + Veneration, love and great respect. + + Applicant, a person who applies. + + Abbess, the head nun of a convent. + + +XXIV.--Page 107. + + Humility, humbleness, lowliness of mind. + + Domestic occupations, the work of the house. + + Sward, a grassy place. + + Reputation, fame, a great name. + + Corresponded with her, wrote letters to her, and received replies. + + Chariot, a kind of carriage. + + Reproachfully, blaming her severely. + + Universe, the whole world. + + +XXV.--Page 111. + + Grave, sober, thoughtful. + + Unassuming, modest, not forward. + + Talents, great cleverness. + + Discipline, strict rules and regulations. + + Illustrious, eminent, noble, famous. + + Detailed, exact, giving all particulars. + + Consolation, comfort, a lightening of trouble. + + Magnificent, grand, splendid. + + Shrine, an ornamental tomb or box: sometimes applied to a small + church. + + Commemorate, to keep in memory. + + Gerald Barry, better known as "Giraldus Cambrensis," _i.e._ Gerald + the Welshman (Cambria, one of the old names of Wales). + + Fane, a temple, a church. + + Long ages of darkness and storm: _i.e._ of wars and troubles. + + +XXVI.--Page 114. + + Scribe, a writer: a person who made it the chief business of his + life to copy books. + + Expert, skilful, ready. + + Accomplished, very skilful. + + Devoted, given up to earnestly, attached. + + Interlaced, woven in and out. + + Magnifying glass, a glass that makes things seen through it seem + large. + + Composition, a piece of writing, a book. + + Library, a collection of books. + + Dun, brown. + + St. Kieran, or more properly Ciaran, lived in the sixth century. + + Clonmacnoise on the Shannon, below Athlone, containing the ruins of + what was once a great monastery and college, founded by St. + Kieran. + + +XXVII.--Page 120. + + Watch and ward: ward means guard: he stood sentinel. + + Scared, frightened. + + Humorous, full of humour or fun. + + +XXVIII.--Page 123. + + + Stud, a number of horses all kept in one place. + + Vicious, wicked, spiteful. + + Conan Mail, or Conan the bald: the Fena were always making fun of + him, for he was big, fat, gluttonous, a great boast, a great + coward, and had an evil tongue. + + Unconcernedly, not caring a bit. + + Perplexity, difficulty and doubt. + + Horrible, hateful. + + +XXIX.--Page 129. + + Took counsel, they advised with one another to know what was best + to be done. + + Explore, to search. + + Dizzy, enough to make one's head giddy. + + Pillar-stone, a tall stone standing up, such as we often see in + Ireland. + + Host, a large body of soldiers. + + Decoration, an ornament. + + Chase, to ornament with thin coatings of metal on the surface. + + Enamelled, ornamented as if with enamel. + + +XXX.--Page 132. + + Wizard champion, a champion having something of the nature of a + wizard or enchanter. + + Circlet, a long thin plate often worn around the head and forehead. + + Determination, a firm resolution to conquer. + + Chafe, to vex. + + Trophy, a prize taken from an enemy in battle. + + Poise, to balance. + + Scowl, to frown darkly and wickedly. + + Terrify, to frighten. + + +XXXI.--Page 139. + + Advantages, benefits, gains. + + Diligent, industrious, hard-working. + + Uninhabited, having no people living in it. + + Presence, appearance. + + Luminous, bright, sparkling. + + Enlightenment, knowledge, learning, instruction. + + Civilise, to refine, to educate, to bring people to live in a decent + and proper way. + + Doctrine, teaching, belief, faith. + + Structure, a building. + + Venerable, old and greatly loved and respected. + + Incessant, without ceasing, continual. + + Occupation, employment, work. + + His relative the king of that part of Scotland: the royal families + of Ireland and Scotland were related to each other (see pp. 5 and + 6), and Columkille was related to both. + + +XXXII.--Page 145. + + Voluntary, by his own choice. + + Ben Edar, Howth, near Dublin. + + Embarking, going on board ship. + + Seniors, elderly persons. + + Hospice, the part of a monastery set apart for the entertainment of + travellers. + + Intently, with close attention. + + +XXXIII.--Page 150. + + Heptarchy means seven kingdoms: for at this time England was + divided into seven parts with a king over each. + + Relations, connexion, friendship. + + Diligence, industry, working steadily. + + Intimacy, close friendship. + + Foster-son. When a man reared up and educated among his family a boy + belonging to another family, he was the foster-father, and the boy + was his foster-son. + + Bondage, slavery. + + Restoration, restoring, giving back. + + Marauders, robbers, plunderers. + + Intercession, pleading for. + + Unfettered of any, not under any other province. + + Redundance, more than enough, great plenty. + + Historians recording truth: to record truth is the chief merit of a + historian. + + Bulwark, a safeguard: "Ireland's bulwark," because Tara was in + Meath. + + Sooth, truth. + + +XXXIV.--Page 155. + + Directions, orders, instructions. + + Revellers, persons feasting, drinking, and making merry. + + Sack, to plunder and destroy. + + +XXXV.--Page 158. + + Extraordinary, very strange, wonderful. + + Keel, the bottom part of a ship or boat. + + Astounding, astonishing, wonderful. + + Oarstroke of the curragh, about 20 feet. + + Circumference, the whole round. + + Extending, stretching. + + Meshes, the open spaces between the threads of a net. + + +XXXVI.--Page 162. + + Reconcile, to become friends again, to come back to friendship. + + Recognise, to know a thing again. + + Prow, the head or fore part of a ship or boat. + + Affliction, trouble and sorrow. + + Reception, receiving or entertaining. + + Reveal, to show, to make known. + + +XXXVII.--Page 164. + + Liefer, rather. + + Let be this purpose, let it lie by, don't attend to it, don't carry + it out: _i.e._ the purpose of revenge. + + I let him be, I let him alone. + + A tithe, a tenth part. + + +XXXVIII.--Page 167. + + Monastic school, a school kept in a monastery. + + Distinguished, eminent and great. + + Pilgrimage, a journey to a place for devotion. Pilgrim, a person who + goes on a pilgrimage. + + Determined will, allowing nothing to turn them from their purpose. + + Relinquish, to give up, to abandon. + + Luxuries, dainties, delicacies. + + Peasantry, the common country people. + + Swerve, to turn away from. + + Consecrated, made sacred and venerable. + + Hermitage, a place where a hermit lives. + + +XXXIX.--Page 170. + + Object of their pilgrimage, the place they chiefly came to visit. + + Sojourn, to dwell, to live in a place. + + Revere, to regard with honour, love, and respect. + + Memorial, something that reminds one of past persons or events. + + Vehemently, very earnestly. + + Envied, people of other nations envied them, or were jealous of + them. + + Triumphant, gaining victories. + + +XL--Page 173. + + Successfully cultivated: the Irish people studied and practised + them and made improvements. + + Pirates, sea robbers. + + Permanently, remaining there always. + + Expel, to drive out. + + Sovereignty, headship, kingship. + + Annex, to join. + + Encroaching, taking up or advancing on what belongs to another. + + Anglo-Irish, partly English and partly Irish. + + Milesian stock, the descendants of the Milesians (see p. 2). + + +XLI.--Page 179. + + Croon, a continuous murmuring sort of musical sound or song. + + Squire, a gentleman who attended on a knight. + + Nier, a river flowing into the Suir from the Co. Waterford. + + Spectrally, like a spectre or ghost. + + Jack, a leathern jacket used for armour. + + Plumes, the feathers of their helmets. + + +XLII.--Page 181. + + Claimant, a person laying claim to something. + + Contend, to struggle or fight. + + Unimportant, trifling, of no consequence. + + Remote, far off, out of the way. + + Recognise, to know. + + Prostrate, down on hands and knees. + + Barons, lords. + + Ambush, or ambuscade, an unexpected attack from a hiding place. + + Reverses, misfortunes. + + Surrender, to give up. + + Vigilant, watchful. + + Truce, an agreement for peace for a while. + + Annals, histories of events as they occurred from year to year. + + +XLIII.--Page 186. + + Cahal-More, Cahal the Great. + + Portent, a prodigy, a fearful sign or omen of evil. + + Entranced, in a trance, in a vision. + + A land of morn, a bright sunny land. + + Lustrous, bright, shining with fine crops and flowers. + + Resplendent, splendid, sunny, bright. + + Anon, immediately, on the spot. + + Port sublime, stately and grand looking. + + Him queried I, I asked him. + + Golden time, a prosperous plentiful time. + + Bland, soft, mild, temperate. + + Dome, a grand building. + + As by a spell, as if by magic; it started up suddenly. Remember this + is all in a dream. + + Lyres, harps. + + Wreathèd swell, sounding all together with sweet musical turns and + shakes. + + Thrilling, moving the feelings and heart. + + Aghast, frightened, pale with fear. + + Minstrel group, those who had been playing the harps. + + 'Twas then the time, we were in the days. The poet + means:--"Something dreadful has clearly happened; but how can this + be, since this is the reign of Cahal-More?" He did not know--in + his dream--of Cahal's death. + + Fleckt, spotted. + + Alien sun, a strange sun: it was of course strange, for it glared + from the _north_. + + Shorn beams, not bright, giving a dull gloomy sort of light. + + Skeleton: the skeleton of a man, a sign of disaster: the skeleton, + and the blood spots in the sky, and the "alien sun" were some of + the portents. + + Castled Maine: there are many castles along its banks. + + Teuton, a German. + + +XLIV.--Page 190. + + Expedition, an undertaking or journey. + + Onslaught, a violent attack. + + Tunic, a loose outer garment. + + Dominions, territories. + + +XLV.--Page 193. + + Disdain, to scorn, to hate. + + Commendations, praises. + + Do homage, to yield obedience. + + Apprehend, to take prisoner. + + Devise, to plan. + + Confer, to take counsel. + + Battle-harness, battle dress with arms. + + Apparel, clothes. + + Passport, permission in writing to pass from one country to another. + + Subscribe, to write one's name. + + Servitor, one in the king's service. + + Furniture: _i.e._ the furniture of a ship--oars, sails, cordage, &c. + + Ensample, old form of _example_. + + +XLVI.--Page 197. + + Evil plight, miserable state. + + Council, a number of men kept by the king to help him with their + advice. + + Enterprise, an undertaking. + + Perilous, dangerous. + + Peer, an equal, a match. + + Stalworth, strong, stout, brave. + + Knightly, like a knight, valiant and stout-hearted. + + Seemly, proper, decent. + + +XLVII.--Page 200. + + Lists, the enclosed ground where a single combat was to be fought. + + Obeisance, courtesy, saluting, bowing to. + + Banquet, a feast. + + Reverence, great respect. + + Intently, with attention, closely. + + Grim, very fierce and angry. + + +XLVIII.--Page 203. + + Baron, a lord of the lowest rank. The ranks are:--baron, viscount, + earl, marquis, duke. + + Independent, not under the authority of anyone. + + Goodly presence, a noble or fine appearance. + + Appease, to pacify. + + Hobby, a middle-sized horse of Irish breed, much valued. + + Adversary, an opponent, an enemy. + + Discord, disagreement, quarrelling. + + Jars, wrangles, quarrels. + + Chapter house, a house or room in a cathedral where the clergy meet. + + Trice, a very short time, as long as one would take to count three. + + Outface, to dare him up to his face. + + Green wound, a fresh wound. + + Devise, to plan. + + Bungerlie, in a bungling manner. + + +XLIX.--Page 208. + + Cultivate, to study, practise, and improve. + + Colonists, persons who leave their native land and settle in some + distant country. + + Dirge, a mournful or funeral song. + + Dialogue, two people speaking in turn, conversation between two. + + Interrupt, to stop for a time. + + Placid, quiet, gentle, peaceful. + + Resume, to take up again. + + Clansmen, the men belonging to a clan. + + National music, music that has grown up gradually among the people + of a country. + + Originally, in the beginning. + +THE END. + + + + +Transcriber's notes: + +Variations in spelling and hyphenation have been retained as in the +original. + +The following corrections have been made to the text: + + Page 5, second line from bottom: named Fergus,[missing comma added] + Angus, and Lorne. + + Page 8, last line: sun and moon.[missing period added] + + Page 13, description of illustration on the right: size of the + picture.[missing period added] + + Page 16, line 1: and not nearly so good[original has goo] + + Page 17, last line: There was then no whiskey.[missing period added] + + Page 28, last line: My heart shall know one peaceful hour.[missing + period added] + + Page 31, line 9: The cold and briny spray.[missing period added] + + Page 49, line 3 of illustration caption: are in the National + Museum,[missing comma added] + + Page 64, fifth line from bottom: three drops of honey in their + beaks,[missing comma added] + + Page 65, line 1: "It denotes the message from Concobar to us,"[close + quote added] + + Page 65, last line: "[open quote added]even though my sway should be + greater here." + + Page 67, line 9: "[open quote added]Kil-Cuan, O Kil-Cuan, + + Page 68, second line from bottom: "[original has ']Here I have a + three-days banquet ready for thee, and I invite thee to + come and partake of it." + + Page 69, fourth line from bottom: accustomed to defend + ourselves!"[original has '] + + Page 70, line 14: "[original has ']Why didst thou tarry, my + princess?" + + Page 82, line 16: "[open quote added]Three generous heroes of the + Red Branch, + + Page 90, sixth line from bottom: More especially I[missing 'I' + added] charge them that they do their duty devotedly + + Page 94, line 15: never using horses in the chase.[original has ,] + + Page 94, line 22: beside a stream or lake.[original has ,] + + Page 94, last line: next another layer of hot stones:[colon added] + + Page 107, line 11: accounts of her life[original has Life] we are + told + + Page 108, caption for illustration: ten miles from[original has rom] + Cork city. + + Page 113, last line: ages of darkness and storm."[original has '] + + Page 132, seventh line from bottom: "[original has ']Surely, Dermot + O'Dyna, + + Page 158, line 2: "Heaven has guided our ship to this place.[missing + period added] + + Page 163, seventh line from bottom: remained here for some + days,[missing comma added] + + Page 164, chapter title: TENNYSON'S "VOYAGE OF MAILDUNE."[original + has '] + + Page 164, line 13: "[original has ']The Voyage of Maildune." + + Page 177, line 3: and they built splendid abbeys,[missing comma + added] churches, + + Page 210, line 2: in every part of Ireland.[missing period added] + + Page 210, line 6: i.e., laments, or dirges.[missing period added] + + Page 213, seventh entry under 'IV.--Page 14.': Establishment, the + whole house, and[original has an] all belonging to it. + + Page 218, third entry under 'XXXIV.--Page 155.': Sack, to plunder + and destroy[original has distroy]. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A Reading Book in Irish History, by P. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Reading Book in Irish History + +Author: P. W. Joyce + +Release Date: August 15, 2010 [EBook #33439] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A READING BOOK IN IRISH HISTORY *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Asad Razzaki, The Internet Archive +for some images and the Online Distributed Proofreading +Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +Transcriber's note: + + Some typographical and punctuation errors have been + corrected. A complete list follows the text. + + Variations in spelling and hyphenation have been + retained as in the original. + + Words italicized in the original are surrounded by + _underscores_. + + Words with bold emphasis in the original are surrounded + by =equals signs=. + + + + + A READING BOOK + IN + IRISH HISTORY + + BY + + P. W. JOYCE, LL.D. + + _One of the Commissioners for the Publication of + the Ancient Laws of Ireland_ + + Author of + + "A SHORT HISTORY OF IRELAND" "A CHILD'S HISTORY OF IRELAND" + "IRISH NAMES OF PLACES," "OLD CELTIC ROMANCES" + "ANCIENT IRISH MUSIC" + AND OTHER WORKS RELATING TO IRELAND + + LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. + + LONDON, NEW YORK, AND BOMBAY + + DUBLIN: M. H. GILL AND SON + 1900 + + [_All rights reserved_] + + + + +PREFACE. + + +As this little book is intended chiefly for children, the language is +very simple. But to make matters still easier, all words and allusions +presenting the smallest difficulty are explained either in footnotes or +in the "Notes and Explanations" at the end. + +Advantage has been taken of the descriptions under the several +Illustrations to give a good deal of information on the customs and +usages of the ancient Irish people. + +Although the book has been written for children, it will be found, I +hope, sufficiently interesting and instructive for the perusal of older +persons. + +The book, as will be seen, contains a mixture of Irish History, +Biography, and Romance; and most of the pieces appear in their present +form now for the first time. A knowledge of the History of the country +is conveyed, partly in special Historical Sketches, partly in the Notes +under the Illustrations, and partly through the Biography of important +personages, who flourished at various periods from St. Brigit down to +the Great Earl of Kildare. And besides this, the Stories, like those of +all other ancient nations, teach History of another kind, very important +in its own way. + +Ancient Irish Manuscript books contain great numbers of Historical and +Romantic Tales; and the specimens given here in translation will, I am +confident, give the reader a very favourable impression of old Irish +writings of this class. + + * * * * * + +I make the following acknowledgments of assistance, with pleasure and +thanks:-- + +To the Council of the Royal Irish Academy I am indebted for the use of +the blocks of many Illustrations in Wilde's "Catalogue of Irish +Antiquities." + +I owe to the Council of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland +several Illustrations from their Journal. + +Colonel Wood-Martin has given me the use of the blocks of several of the +Illustrations in his "Pagan Ireland." + +Lord Walter FitzGerald has given me permission to reproduce the drawing +of the old Chapter House door in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, from +the "Journal of the Kildare Archæological Society." + +And lastly, Messrs. Macmillan & Co. have permitted me to print portions +of Lord Tennyson's poem, "The Voyage of Maildune." + + + + +CONTENTS. + + PAGE + + I. Legends and Early History, 1 + + II. The Song of Inisfail, 7 + + III. Religion of the Pagan Irish, 8 + + IV. Customs and Modes of Life, 14 + + =The Fate of the Children of Lir.= + + V. The Children of Lir turned to + Swans, 22 + + VI. The Swans on Lake Darvra, 27 + + VII. The Swans on the Sea of Moyle, 32 + + VIII. Death of the Children of Lir, 39 + + IX. Religion and Learning in + Ancient Ireland, 45 + + X. The Red Branch Knights, 50 + + =The Fate of the Sons of Usna.= + + XI. The Flight to Alban, 55 + + XII. Concobar's guileful Message, 60 + + XIII. The Return to Emain, 66 + + XIV. Trouble Looming, 72 + + XV. The Attack on the Sons of + Usna, 75 + + XVI. Death of the Sons of Usna, 80 + + XVII. Avenging and Bright, 84 + + XVIII. The Wrath of Fergus, 85 + + XIX. Ancient Irish Physicians: I. 87 + + XX. Ancient Irish Physicians: II. 89 + + XXI. The Fena of Erin, 92 + + XXII. The Chase of Slieve Cullin, 98 + + XXIII. Saint Brigit: I., 103 + + XXIV. Saint Brigit: II., 107 + + XXV. Saint Brigit: III., 111 + + XXVI. Irish Scribes and Books, 114 + + XXVII. The Gilla Dacker and his + Horse, 120 + + XXVIII. The Fena carried off by the + Horse, 123 + + XXIX. Dermot O'Dyna at the Well, 129 + + XXX. Dermot and the + Wizard-Champion, 132 + + XXXI. Saint Columkille: I., 139 + + XXXII. Saint Columkille: II., 145 + + XXXIII. Prince Alfred in Ireland, 150 + + =The Voyage of Maildune.= + + XXXIV. The Voyage of Maildune, 155 + + The First Island, 157 + + XXXV. An Extraordinary Monster, 160 + + The Silver Pillar of the Sea 160 + + XXXVI. Maildune forgives his enemy, 162 + + XXXVII. Tennyson's "Voyage of + Maildune," 164 + + XXXVIII. Saint Donatus: I., 167 + + XXXIX. Saint Donatus: II., 170 + + XL. Danish and Anglo-Norman + Invasions, 173 + + XLI. The Watchfire of Barnalee, 179 + + XLII. Cahal O'Conor of the Red Hand, 181 + + XLIII. Cahal-More of the Wine-red + hand, 186 + + XLIV. Sir John de Courcy, 190 + + XLV. Sir John de Courcy imprisoned, 193 + + XLVI. Sir John de Courcy accepts + a challenge, 197 + + XLVII. Sir John de Courcy and the + French Champion, 200 + + XLVIII. The Earls of Kildare and + Ormond, 203 + + XLIX. Ancient Irish Music, 208 + + Notes and Explanations, 213 + +[Illustration: Ornament from the Book of Kells. See page 117.] + + + + +I. + +LEGENDS AND EARLY HISTORY.[1-1] + + +In our ancient books there are stories of five different races of people +who made their way to Ireland in old times, with very exact accounts of +their wanderings before their arrival, and of the battles they fought +after landing. But these narratives cannot be depended on, for they are +not real History but Legends, that is stories either wholly or partly +fabulous. Of the five early races, the two last, who were called +Dedannans and Milesians, were the most remarkable; and they are mixed up +with most of the old Irish tales. + + [1-1] It is necessary to know the substance of this first sketch in + order to understand the rest of the book. + +The Dedannans, coming from Greece, landed in Ireland; and having +overcome the people they found there, became masters of the country. +They had the name of being great magicians; and ancient Irish writings +are full of tales of the marvellous spells of their skilled wizards. +They remained in possession for about two hundred years, till the +Milesians came, as will now be related. + +For many generations the Milesians, before their arrival in Ireland, +journeyed from one part of Europe to another, seeking for some place of +settlement. And becoming at length weary of this state of unrest, they +consulted their chief druid, who was a skilful seer, and bade him find +out for them when they were to end their wanderings, and where they were +to settle down. The druid, having thought the matter over for a while, +told them that far out on the verge of the western sea was a lovely +green island called Inisfail,[2-1] or the Island of Destiny, which was +to be their final home and resting-place. So they set out once more, and +fared on from land to land, keeping the Isle of Destiny ever in mind, +thinking of it by day and dreaming of it by night. At last they arrived +in Spain, where they lived for a time. Here they were under the command +of the renowned hero "Miled of Spain,"[2-2] or Milesius, from whom they +came to be called Milesians. + + [2-1] Inisfail, one of the old names of Ireland. + + [2-2] Miled, pronounced _Mee-le_ (two syllables). + +Some old Irish writers say that while they dwelt in Spain, their chiefs, +as they gazed wistfully over the waters northwards, one clear winter's +night, from the top of a tower at the place now called Corunna, saw +Inisfail like a dim white cloud on the sea, in the far distance. +However this may be, the eight sons of Milesius, after their father's +death--many centuries before the Christian era--set sail with a fleet, +and soon arrived on the coast of Ireland. But before they could land, +the Dedannans, by their spells, raised a furious tempest, which wrecked +the fleet and drowned five of the brothers with most of their crews. The +remaining three landed with their men; and having defeated the Dedannans +in battle, they took possession of Ireland. + +[Illustration: A fairy hill: an earthen mound at Highwood, near Lough +Arrow, in Co. Sligo. A fairy moat is also figured at page 15, and a +cairn at page 97.] + +When the Dedannans found that they were no longer able to hold the +country, the legend tells us that they retired to secret dwellings under +old forts, moats, cairns, and beautiful green little hills: and they +became fairies, and built themselves glorious palaces in their new +underground abodes, all ablaze with light, and glittering with gems and +gold. + +From that period forward, till the time of the Danes, there were no more +invasions; and the Milesian kings and people were left to make their own +laws and manage the country as they thought best, without any +interference from outside. + +In the History of Ireland from the settlement of the Milesian Colony +down to the time of St. Patrick, that is, to the fifth century of the +Christian Era, there is a mixture of legend and fact; and it is often +hard to disentangle them, so as to tell which is truth and which is +fable. As we advance, the truth and certainty increase, and the legend +grows less, till we arrive near the time of St. Patrick. From about this +period forward, we are able to tell the main history of the country +without any mixture of fable. + +For a long time in the beginning the Irish people were all pagans; and +the kind of religion they had will be presently described. + +As early as the third or fourth century--long before St. Patrick's +arrival--there were some Christians in Ireland; and it is believed that +the knowledge of Christianity was brought to them from Britain: but on +this point there is no certainty. Their numbers gradually increased as +time went on; and when St. Patrick arrived he found some small Christian +congregations scattered here and there through the country. But the main +body of the people were pagans; and to St. Patrick belongs the glory of +converting them. The history of his life-work need not be told here, as +it will be found set forth in one of the Chapters of the "Child's +History of Ireland." It is enough to say that he arrived in the year +A.D. 432, with many companions to aid him; and that after thirty-three +years of constant toil, he died in 465, leaving the great body of the +people Christians, and the country covered with churches. St. Patrick +was a man of strong will, of great courage--fearing no danger while +doing his Master's work--and possessing mighty power over those he mixed +with and addressed. He was more successful than any other missionary +after the time of the Apostles. + +Some years before St. Patrick's arrival, a great king ruled over Ireland +(from 379 to 405) called Niall of the Nine Hostages. From him were +descended most of the kings who reigned over Ireland after his time till +the Anglo-Norman Invasion.[5-1] + + [5-1] The Anglo-Norman Invasion will be found described at page 175. + +From the earliest ages the Irish of Ulster were in the habit of crossing +the narrow sea to Alban or Scotland, which can be seen plainly from the +sea-cliffs of Antrim; and many settled there and made it their home. In +the year 503, nearly forty years after St. Patrick's death, a great +colony of Irish--men, women, and children--crossed over, commanded by +three princes, brothers, named Fergus, Angus, and Lorne. In course of +time the posterity of these people mastered all Scotland; and from +Fergus, who was their first king, the kings of Scotland were descended. +At that time Ireland was generally known by the name of Scotia, and the +Irish were called Scots; and from them Alban got the name of Scotland. + +[Illustration: Stone Hammers, used when metal was still scarce, or not +known at all. A wooden handle was fixed in the hole. Iron was known in +Ireland from the beginning of the Christian era, and gold, silver, +copper, and bronze, long before it.] + +In old times there were five provinces in Ireland:--Leinster, Ulster, +Connaught, Munster, and Meath. Meath, which stretched from the Shannon +eastwards to the sea, and from Kildare on the south to Armagh on the +north, was about half the size of Ulster. It was the last formed of the +five, and later on it disappeared as a province altogether. The present +counties of Meath and Westmeath occupy only about half of it. In those +times, the county Louth belonged to Ulster, and Cavan and Clare to +Connaught. + +There was a king over each of the five provinces, and over these again +was a king of all Ireland, called the Over-king or head king. The kings +of Ireland had their chief palace on the Hill of Tara in Meath; where +many of the forts and other remains of the old buildings are still to be +seen. But Tara was deserted as a royal residence in the sixth century, +after which the kings of Ireland lived elsewhere. + + + + +II. + +THE SONG OF INISFAIL. + + +I. + + They came from a land beyond the sea, + And now o'er the western main, + Set sail, in their good ships, gallantly, + From the sunny land of Spain. + "Oh, where's the Isle we've seen in dreams, + Our destined home or grave?"-- + Thus sung they, as by the morning's beams + They swept the Atlantic wave. + + +II. + + And lo, where afar o'er ocean shines + A sparkle of radiant green, + As though in that deep lay em'rald mines, + Whose light through the wave was seen. + "'Tis Inisfail--'tis Inisfail!" + Rings o'er the echoing sea, + While, bending to Heav'n, the warriors hail + That home of the brave and free. + + +III. + + Then turn'd they unto the Eastern wave, + Where now their Day-God's eye + A look of such sunny omen gave + As lighted up sea and sky. + Nor frown was seen through sky or sea, + Nor tear on leaf or sod, + When first on their Isle of Destiny + Our great forefathers trod. + +THOMAS MOORE. + + + + +III. + +THE RELIGION OF THE PAGAN IRISH. + + +So far as we are able to judge from our old writings, the pagan Irish +had no one religion common to all the people, and no settled general +form of worship. They had many gods; and it would appear that every +person chose whatever god he pleased for himself. Some worshipped idols; +and we read of certain persons who had spring wells for gods: while some +again adored fire, and others the sun and moon. The people also +worshipped the _shee_ or fairies, who were supposed to live in grand +palaces underground, as described at page 3. The persons who taught the +people all about these gods were the Druids, who were the learned men of +those times. They were believed to be wizards, and some think that they +were pagan priests. + +The pagan Irish had a dim notion of a sort of heaven, a happy land of +perpetual youth and peace. It was believed that there were many happy +lands in different places, which were called by various names, such as +Moy-Mell, I-Brazil, and Tirnanoge. Some were out in the Atlantic Ocean, +off the western coast, while others were down deep beneath lakes, and +some in caves under forts or cairns. They were all inhabited by fairies, +who sometimes carried off mortals: and those whom they brought away +hardly ever came back. A fairy who wished to allure a mortal often +chanted a sort of magical song called an incantation, which exercised a +spell over the person that listened to it. + +There is a pretty story, more than a thousand years old, in the Book of +the Dun Cow, which relates how Prince Connla of the Golden Hair, son of +the great king Conn the Hundred-Fighter, was carried off by a fairy from +the western shore in a crystal boat to Moy-Mell. One day--as the story +relates--while the king and Connla and many nobles were standing on the +sea-shore, a boat of shining crystal approached from the west: and when +it had touched the land, a fairy, like a human being, and richly +dressed, came forth from it, and, addressing Connla, tried to entice him +into it. No one saw this strange being save Connla alone, though all +heard the conversation: and the king and the nobles marvelled, and were +greatly troubled. At last the fairy chanted the following words in a +very sweet voice: and the moment the chant was ended, the poor young +prince stepped into the crystal boat, which in a moment glided swiftly +away to the west: and prince Connla was never again seen in his native +land. + + +THE CHANT OF THE FAIRY TO CONNLA OF THE GOLDEN HAIR. + + +I. + + A land of youth, a land of rest, + A land from sorrow free; + It lies far off in the golden west, + On the verge of the azure sea. + A swift canoe of crystal bright, + That never met mortal view-- + We shall reach the land ere fall of night, + In that strong and swift canoe: + We shall reach the strand + Of that sunny land + From druids and demons free; + The land of rest, + In the golden west, + On the verge of the azure sea! + + +II. + + A pleasant land of winding vales, bright streams, and verdurous + plains, + Where summer, all the live-long year, in changeless splendour + reigns; + A peaceful land of calm delight, of everlasting bloom; + Old age and death we never know, no sickness, care, or gloom; + + The land of youth, + Of love and truth, + From pain and sorrow free; + The land of rest, + In the golden west, + On the verge of the azure sea! + + +III. + + There are strange delights for mortal men in that island of the west; + The sun comes down each evening in its lovely vales to rest: + + And though far and dim + On the ocean's rim + It seems to mortal view, + We shall reach its halls + Ere the evening falls, + In my strong and swift canoe; + And ever more + That verdant shore + Our happy home shall he; + The land of rest, + In the golden west, + On the verge of the azure sea! + + +IV. + + It will guard thee, gentle Connla of the flowing golden hair, + It will guard thee from the druids, from the demons of the air;[12-1] + My crystal boat will guard thee, till we reach that western shore, + Where thou and I in joy and love shall live for evermore: + + From the druid's incantation, + From his black and deadly snare, + From the withering imprecation + Of the demon of the air, + + It will guard thee, gentle Connla of the flowing golden hair; + My crystal boat will guard thee, till we reach that silver strand, + Where thou shalt reign in endless joy, the king of the Fairy-land! + +From "Old Celtic Romances," by P. W. JOYCE, LL.D. + + [12-1] Demons of the air were evil spirits who were supposed to live, + not in underground places like fairies, but in the air. + They were very much dreaded and hated. + +[Illustration: Stone hatchet in the National Museum, Dublin: probably +used as a battle-axe. Before metals came into general use, tools and +weapons of various kinds, in Ireland as well as in other countries, were +made of stone, flint being commonly used for making cutting-instruments, +such as knives. But this was at a very early period, mostly before the +time when our written history begins.] + +[Illustration: Bronze head of Irish battle-mace: now in the National +Museum Dublin. It was fitted with a handle which was fastened in the +socket; and it was used for striking in battle. It is double the size of +the picture. Weapons of this kind were in use at a very early time, long +before the beginning of our regular history.] + + + + +IV. + +CUSTOMS AND MODES OF LIFE. + + +Our old books contain very full information regarding the Irish people, +and how they lived, more than a thousand years ago. + +In early times Ireland was almost everywhere covered with forests; and +there were great and dangerous bogs and marshes, overgrown with reeds, +moss, and coarse grass. Many of these bogs still remain, but they are +not nearly so large or dangerous as they were then. Great tracts of +country were uninhabited, so that the whole population was much less +than it is now. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish bronze reaping-hook: 6 inches long. It was +fitted with a handle which was fastened in the socket with a rivet. Now +in the National Museum, Dublin.] + +The people hunted and fished a great deal, partly for food, partly to +rid the country of noxious creatures, and partly for sport; for the +forests were alive with wild animals of all kinds, and the rivers and +lakes teemed with fish. But no one then thought it worth while to hunt +foxes and hares for sport, as people do now. They had much grander +game:--wild boars with long and dangerous tusks; gigantic deer; and +fierce wolves that lurked in caves and thick woods. In the cleared parts +of the country there was much pasture and tillage various kinds of corn +and vegetables were grown, and the land was very fertile and well +watered with springs and rivulets. + +[Illustration: A moat: at Patrickstown, near Oldcastle, Co. Meath. Some +moats were burial mounds. See pages 16 and 59.] + +There was more pasture than tillage; and the pasture land was not fenced +in, but was grazed in common. The law was very particular in laying down +rules about the fences of tillage lands--that they should be properly +made, and that when two farms lay next each other, each man should do +half the fencing work. Oxen were generally used for ploughing: horses +seldom. Generally two oxen were put to one plough, but sometimes four, +and sometimes even six. While one man held the plough, another walked in +front to lead the animals. + +On account of the great forests and bogs, there were many large +districts where it was hard to go long distances across country from +place to place: and often impossible. But in all the inhabited parts +there were roads or cleared paths. The roads of those times were however +very rough, and not nearly so good as our present roads. Rivers were +crossed by bridges made of rough planks or wickerwork--for there were no +stone bridges--or by wading at shallow fords, or by little ferry boats. + +The people lived in houses almost always made of timber, generally +round-shaped or oval, but sometimes four-cornered and oblong like our +present houses. In order to keep off wild beasts and robbers, there was +a high embankment of earth, with a deep trench, round every house. Many +of these earthworks still remain all over Ireland, and are well known by +the names _lis_, _rath_, fort, &c.; and some have high mounds commonly +called moats. + +[Illustration: Grain-rubber: 16 inches long. People ground their corn +with this before the invention of querns and milk. The grain was put +between the two stones, and the upper stone was worked backwards and +forwards with the hands. It was very hard and tedious work. See p. 17.] + +The food of the people was not very different from what it is at +present, except that they had no potatoes, which were brought to Ireland +for the first time about 300 years ago: and there was no tea or coffee. +They used oats, wheat, rye, and barley, ground and made into bread; +fish; and for those who could afford it, the flesh of various animals, +either boiled or roast. Oatmeal porridge or stirabout was in very +general use, especially for children. They ground their corn with small +watermills, or with handmills called querns, one of which was kept in +almost every house. Querns were in use before the earliest time that our +history reaches; and water-mills were introduced before the arrival of +St. Patrick. In those early ages there was no sugar, and honey was +greatly valued, so that beehives were kept everywhere. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish bronze caldron for boiling meat, 12-1/2 +inches deep, formed of plates beautifully rivetted together. It shows +marks and signs of long use over a fire. Now in the National Museum, +Dublin.] + +[Illustration: Irish drinking vessel, called a _Mether_. They drank from +the corners. At meals, the same mether was used by several persons, who +drank from it in turn.] + +For drink, they had, besides plain water and milk, ale, and a sweet sort +of liquor called mead both of which were made at home, and often wine, +which was brought from the continent. There was then no whiskey. + +In those days there were no hotels or inns as there are now, where a +person could have board and lodging for payment; but they were not much +needed then, as travellers were otherwise well provided for. Besides the +monasteries, which, as we shall see further on, were always open and +free to wayfarers, there were, all through the country, what were called +"Houses of public hospitality." The keeper of one of those houses was +called a _Brugaid_ and sometimes a _Beetagh_; and his office was +considered very high and honourable. A brugaid or beetagh had to keep an +open house for travellers who were always welcome, and received bed and +food free of charge. He was obliged by law to keep constantly in hands a +large stock of provisions; and he should have a certain number of beds +and all other necessary household furniture. To enable a brugaid to keep +up such an expensive establishment, he had the house itself and a large +tract of land, free of rent and taxes, besides other liberal allowances. + +The law required that there should be several open roads leading to the +residence of every brugaid; and that a light should always be kept +burning in the lawn at night to guide travellers to the house. + +The people dressed well according to their means. Both men and women +were fond of bright coloured garments, which were not hard to procure, +as the art of dyeing in all the various hues was well understood. It +was usual for the same person to wear clothes of several brilliant +colours: and sometimes the long outside mantle worn by men and women was +striped and spotted with purple, yellow, green, or other dyes like +Joseph's coat of many colours. Those who were able to afford it wore +rings, bracelets, necklaces, gorgets, brooches, and other ornaments, +made of gold, silver, and a sort of white bronze. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish Gorget for the neck: of gold, reddish in +colour, and very pure: weighs 16-1/3 oz. Now in the National Museum, +Dublin.] + +The Irish metal workers were very skilful. They made brooches, rings, +bracelets, croziers, crosses, and other such articles, in gold, silver, +whitish bronze, gems, and enamel, of which many have been found in the +earth from time to time, and are now kept in museums: and some of them +are so skilfully and beautifully wrought that no artificer of the +present day can imitate them. + +There were men of the several professions, such as medical doctors, +lawyers, judges, builders, poets, historians: and all through the +country were to be found tradesmen of the various crafts--carpenters, +smiths, workers in gold, silver, and brass, ship and boat builders, +masons, shoemakers, dyers, tailors, brewers, and so-forth: all working +industriously and earning their bread under the old Irish laws, which +were everywhere acknowledged and obeyed. Then there was a good deal of +commerce with Britain and with Continental countries, especially France; +and the home commodities, such as hides, salt, wool, etc., were +exchanged for wine, silk, satin, and other goods not produced in +Ireland. + +From what has been said here, we may see that the ancient Irish were +orderly and regular in their way of life--quite on a level in this +respect with the people of those other European countries of the same +period that had a proper settled government; and, it will be shown +further on in this book, that they were famed throughout all Europe for +Religion and Learning. + +The greatest evil of the country was war; for the kings and chiefs were +very often fighting with each other, which brought great misery on the +poor people where the disturbances took place. But in those early times +war was common in all countries; and in this respect there was no more +trouble in Ireland than in England, Scotland, and the countries of the +Continent. + +[Illustration: Flint arrow-heads. The head was fixed on the top of the +shaft with cord of some kind, or with dried gut or tendon. Flint was +used at a very early period when metals were either not known at all or +were still very scarce. The makers of flint implements shaped them by +chipping with stone hammers, in which they were very skilful and +expert.] + +[Illustration: One form of Irish Ornament.] + + + + +The Fate of the Children of Lir[22-1]; or, The Four White Swans. + + + + +V. + +HOW THE CHILDREN OF LIR WERE TURNED INTO SWANS. + + +During the time when the Dedannans ruled in Erin, there was a chief +named Lir, who lived in Ulster, and who was much beloved for his +goodness and his hospitality. He had four little children: a girl, named +Finola, who was the eldest, and three boys, Aed, Ficra, and Conn: and +Finola and Aed were twins, as were also Ficra and Conn. Their mother +died when they were very young, and they were then placed in charge of +one of Lir's friends named Eva, who was a witch-lady. + + [22-1] Among the ancient Irish Romantic Tales, three are specially + known as "The Three Sorrowful Stories of Erin," viz. "The + Fate of the Children of Lir," "The Fate of the Sons of + Turenn," both of which relate to the Dedannans; and "The + Fate of the Sons of Usna," referring to the Milesian + people. The greater part of the "Children of Lir" and the + whole of the "Sons of Usna" are given in this book, + translated from the Gaelic. "The Fate of the Sons of + Turenn" is translated in full in "Old Celtic Romances." + +The four children grew up under Eva's care. She nursed them with great +tenderness, and her love for them increased every day. They slept near +their father; and he would often rise from his own bed at the dawn of +morning, and go to their beds to talk with them and to fondle them. And +they were the delight and joy of all the Dedannans, who often came to +Lir's house to see them. For nowhere could four lovelier children be +found; so that those who saw them were always delighted with their +beauty and their gentleness, and could not help loving them with all +their heart. + +Now when Eva saw that the children of Lir received such attention and +affection from all, she fancied she was neglected on their account; and +a poisonous dart of jealousy entered her heart, which turned her love to +hatred; and she began to have feelings of bitter enmity for the +children. + +Her jealousy so preyed on her that she feigned illness, and lay in bed +for nearly a year, filled with gall and brooding mischief; and at the +end of that time she committed a foul and cruel deed of treachery on the +children of Lir. + +One day she ordered her horses to be yoked to her chariot, and she set +out for the palace of the Dedannan king, Bove Derg, bringing the four +children with her. Finola did not wish to go, for it was revealed to her +darkly in a dream that Eva was bent on some dreadful deed; and she knew +well that the witch-lady intended to kill her and her brothers that +day, or in some other way to bring ruin on them. But she was not able to +avoid the fate that awaited her; so she went. + +They fared on towards the palace, which was situated near Lough Derg in +the south, till they came to the shore of Lake Darvra,[24-1] where they +alighted; and the horses were unyoked. Eva led the children to the edge +of the lake, and told them to go to bathe; and as soon as they had got +into the clear water, she struck them one by one with a druidical fairy +wand, and turned them into four beautiful snow-white swans. And she +addressed them in these words-- + + + Out to your home, ye swans, on Darvra's wave; + With clamorous birds begin your life of gloom: + Your friends shall weep your fate, but none can save; + For I've pronounced the dreadful words of doom. + + + [24-1] Lake Darvra, now Lough Derravaragh, in Westmeath. + +After this, the four children of Lir turned towards the witch-lady; and +Finola spoke-- + +"Evil is the deed thou hast done, O Eva; thy friendship to us has been a +friendship of treachery; and thou hast ruined us without cause. But the +power of thy witchcraft is not greater than the druidical power of our +friends to punish thee; and the doom that awaits thee shall be worse +than ours." + + + The witch-lady loved us long ago; + The witch-lady now has wrought us woe; + With magical wand and fearful words, + She changed us to beautiful snow-white birds; + And we live on the waters for evermore, + By tempests driven from shore to shore. + + +Finola again spoke and said, "Tell us now how long we shall be in the +shape of swans, so that we may know when our miseries shall come to an +end." + +"It would be better for you if you had not put that question," said Eva; +"but I will declare the truth to you, as you have asked me. Three +hundred years on smooth Lake Darvra; three hundred years on the Sea of +Moyle, between Erin and Alban;[25-1] three hundred years at Inish +Glora[25-2] on the Western Sea. Until the union of Largnen, the prince +from the north, with Decca, the princess from the south; until the +Taillkenn[25-3] shall come to Erin, bringing the light of a pure faith; +and until ye hear the voice of the Christian bell. And neither by your +own power, nor by mine, nor by the power of your friends, can ye be +freed till the time comes." + + [25-1] The sea between Erin and Alban (Ireland and Scotland) was + anciently called the Sea of Moyle, from the Moyle, or + Mull, of Cantire. + + [25-2] Inish Glora; a small island, about five miles west from + Belmullet, in the county Mayo, still known by the same + name. + + [25-3] The Taillkenn, a name given by the druids to St. Patrick. + +Then Eva repented what she had done; and she said, "Since I cannot +afford you any other relief, I will allow you to keep your own Gaelic +speech, and ye shall be able to sing sweet, plaintive fairy music, which +shall excel all the music of the world, and which shall lull to sleep +all that listen to it. Moreover, ye shall retain your human reason; and +ye shall not be in grief on account of being in the shape of swans." + +And she chanted this lay-- + + + Depart from me, ye graceful swans; + The waters are now your home: + Your palace shall be the pearly cave, + Your couch the crest of the crystal wave, + And your mantle the milk-white foam! + + Depart from me, ye snow-white swans, + With your music and Gaelic speech: + The crystal Darvra, the wintry Moyle, + The billowy margin of Glora's isle;-- + Three hundred years on each! + + Victorious Lir, your hapless sire, + His loved ones in vain shall call; + His weary heart is a husk of gore, + His home is joyless for evermore, + And his anger on me shall fall! + + Through circling ages of gloom and fear + Your anguish no tongue can tell; + Till faith shall shed her heavenly rays, + Till ye hear the Taillkenn's anthem of praise, + And the voice of the Christian bell! + + +Then ordering her steeds to be yoked to her chariot, she set out once +more for the palace leaving the four white swans swimming on the lake. + + + Our father shall watch and weep in vain; + He never shall see us return again. + Four pretty children, happy at home; + Four white swans on the feathery foam; + And we live on the waters for evermore, + By tempests driven from shore to shore. + + + + +VI. + +THE FOUR WHITE SWANS ON LAKE DARVRA. + + +Lir and his people, hearing that Eva had arrived at Bove Derg's palace +without the children, became alarmed, and went southwards without delay; +till passing by the shore of Lake Darvra, they saw the swans. And the +swans swam up and spoke to them, at which they wondered greatly. But +when they told Lir that they were indeed his four children whom the +witch-lady had turned into birds, he and his people were struck with +amazement and horror; and they uttered three long mournful cries of +grief and lamentation. And when Lir had heard from Finola how the matter +happened, he prepared to set out in quest of Eva. And bidding farewell +to the children for a time, he chanted this lay:-- + + + The time has come for me to part: + No more, alas! my children dear, + Your rosy smiles shall glad my heart, + Or light the gloomy home of Lir. + + Dark was the day when first I brought + This Eva in my home to dwell! + Hard was the woman's heart that wrought + This cruel and malignant spell! + + I lay me down to rest in vain; + For, through the livelong, sleepless night, + My little lov'd ones, pictured plain, + Stand ever there before my sight. + + Finola, once my pride and joy; + Dark Aed, adventurous and bold; + Bright Ficra, gentle, playful boy; + And little Conn, with curls of gold;-- + + Struck down on Darvra's reedy shore, + By wicked Eva's magic power: + Oh, children, children, never more + My heart shall know one peaceful hour. + + +After this he fared southwards till he arrived at the palace, where he +found Eva. And the king, Bove Derg, when Lir had told him what Eva had +done, was in great wrath; for he loved those little children. And +calling Eva to him he spoke to her fiercely and asked her what shape of +all others, on the earth, or above the earth, or beneath the earth, she +most abhorred, and into which she most dreaded to be transformed. + +And she, being forced to answer truly, said, "A demon of the air." + +"That is the form you shall take," said Bove Derg; and as he spoke he +struck Eva with a druidical magic wand, and turned her into a demon of +the air. She opened her wings, and flew with a scream upwards and away +through the clouds; and she is still a demon of the air, and she shall +be a demon of the air till the end of time. + +After this, Lir and the Dedannans came to live on the shore of the lake, +to be near the swans and to speak with them. And so the swans passed +their time on the waters. During the day they discoursed lovingly with +their father and their friends; and at night they chanted their slow, +sweet, fairy music, the most delightful that was ever heard by men; so +that all who listened to it, even those who were in grief, or sickness, +or pain, forgot their sorrows and their sufferings, and fell into a +gentle, sweet sleep from which they awoke bright and happy. + +At last the three hundred years[30-1] came to an end, and Finola said to +her brothers:-- + +"Do you know, my dear brothers, that we have come to the end of our time +here; and that we have only this one night to spend on Lake Darvra?" + + [30-1] Three hundred years: the Dedannans were regarded as gods and + lived an immensely long time. + +When the three sons of Lir heard this, they were in great distress and +sorrow; for they were almost as happy on Lake Darvra, surrounded by +their friends, and conversing with them day by day, as if they had been +in their father's house in their own natural shapes; whereas they should +now live on the gloomy and tempest-tossed Sea of Moyle, far away from +all human society. + +Early next morning, the swans came to the margin of the lake to speak to +their father and their friends for the last time, and to bid them +farewell; and Finola chanted this lay-- + + +I. + + Farewell, farewell, our father dear! + The last sad hour has come: + Farewell, Bove Derg! farewell to all, + Till the dreadful day of doom! + We go from friends and scenes beloved, + To a home of grief and pain; + And that day of woe + Shall come and go, + Before we meet again! + + +II. + + We live for ages on stormy Moyle, + In loneliness and fear; + The kindly words of loving friends + We never more shall hear. + Four joyous children long ago; + Four snow-white swans to-day; + And on Moyle's wild sea + Our robe shall be + The cold and briny spray. + + +III. + + Far down on the misty stream of time, + When three hundred years are o'er, + Three hundred more in storm and cold, + By Glora's desolate shore; + Till Decca fair is Largnen's spouse; + Till north and south unite; + Till the hymns are sung, + And the bells are rung, + At the dawn of the pure faith's light. + + +IV. + + Arise, my brothers, from Darvra's wave + On the wings of the southern wind; + We leave our father and friends to-day + In measureless grief behind. + Ah! sad the parting, and sad our flight + To Moyle's tempestuous main; + For the day of woe + Shall come and go, + Before we meet again! + + +The four swans then spread their wings, and rose from the surface of the +water in sight of all their friends, till they reached a great height in +the air; then resting, and looking downwards for a moment, they flew +straight to the north, till they alighted on the Sea of Moyle between +Erin and Alban. + + + + +VII. + +THE FOUR WHITE SWANS ON THE SEA OF MOYLE. + + +Miserable was the abode and evil the plight of the children of Lir on +the Sea of Moyle. Their hearts were wrung with sorrow for their father +and their friends; and when they looked towards the steep rocky, +far-stretching coasts, and saw the great, dark, wild sea around them, +they were overwhelmed with fear and despair. They began also to suffer +from cold and hunger, so that all the hardships they had endured on Lake +Darvra appeared as nothing compared with their suffering on the +sea-current of Moyle. + +And so they lived, till one night a great tempest fell upon the sea. +Finola, when she saw the sky filled with black, threatening clouds, thus +addressed her brothers:-- + +"Beloved brothers, we have made a bad preparation for this night: for it +is certain that the coming storm will separate us; and now let us +appoint a place of meeting, or it may happen that we shall never see +each other again." + +And they answered, "Dear sister, you speak truly and wisely; and let us +fix on Carricknarone,[33-1] for that is a rock that we are all very well +acquainted with." + + [33-1] Carricknarone, the "Rock of the Seals": probably the Skerry + rock near Portrush in Antrim: but the old name is now + forgotten. + +And they appointed Carricknarone as their place of meeting. + +Midnight came, and with it came the beginning of the storm. A wild, +rough wind swept over the dark sea, the lightnings flashed, and the +great waves rose, and increased their violence and their thunder. + +The swans were soon scattered over the waters, so that not one of them +knew in what direction the others had been driven. During all that night +they were tossed about by the roaring winds and waves, and it was with +much difficulty they preserved their lives. + +Towards morning the storm abated, the sky cleared, and the sea became +again calm and smooth; and Finola swam to Carricknarone. But she found +none of her brothers there, neither could she see any trace of them when +she looked all round from the summit of the rock over the wide face of +the sea. + +Then she became terrified, thinking she should never see them again; and +she began to lament them plaintively. + +[On this incident Thomas Moore wrote the following beautiful song. A +person is supposed to be listening to Finola, and--in the first four +lines of the song--calls on the winds and the waves to be silent that he +may hear.] + + +SILENT, O MOYLE! + + Silent, O Moyle! be the roar of thy water, + Break not, ye breezes! your chain of repose, + While, murmuring mournfully, Lir's lonely daughter + Tells to the night-star her tale of woes. + When shall the Swan, her death-note singing, + Sleep with wings in darkness furl'd? + When will Heav'n, its sweet bell ringing, + Call my spirit from this stormy world? + + Sadly, O Moyle! to thy winter-wave weeping, + Fate bids me languish long ages away; + Yet still in her darkness doth Erin lie sleeping + Still doth the pure light its dawning delay + When will that day-star, mildly springing, + Warm our Isle with peace and love? + When will Heaven, its sweet bell ringing, + Call my spirit to the fields above? + + +At last, while she stood gazing in despair over the waste of waters, she +saw her brothers swimming from different directions towards the rock. +They came to her one by one, and she welcomed them joyfully: and she +placed Aed under the feathers of her breast, and Ficra and Conn under +her wings, and said to them:--"My dear brothers, though ye may think +last night very bad, we shall have many like it from this time forth." + +So they continued for a long time on the Sea of Moyle, suffering +hardships of every kind, till one winter night came upon them, of great +wind and of snow and frost so severe, that nothing they ever before +suffered could be compared to the misery of that night. The swans +remained on Carricknarone, and their feet and their wings were frozen to +the icy surface, so that they had to strive hard to move from their +places in the morning; and they left the skin of their feet, the quills +of their wings, and the feathers of their breasts clinging to the rock. + +"Sad is our condition this night, my beloved brothers," said Finola, +"for we are forbidden to leave the Sea of Moyle; and yet we cannot bear +the salt water, for when it enters our wounds, I fear we shall die of +pain." And she uttered these words-- + + + Our life is a life of woe; + No shelter or rest we find: + How bitterly drives the snow; + How cold is this wintry wind! + + From the icy spray of the sea, + From the wind of the bleak north-east, + I shelter my brothers three, + Under my wings and breast. + + The witch-lady sent us here, + And misery well we know:-- + In cold and hunger and fear; + Our life is a life of woe![36-1] + + + [36-1] Short Irish poems often began and ended in the same words, as + seen in the above translation. + +They were, however, forced to swim out on the stream of Moyle, all +wounded and torn as they were; for though the brine was sharp and +bitter, they were not able to avoid it. They stayed as near the coast as +they could, till after a long time the feathers of their breasts and +wings grew again, and their wounds were healed. + +After this the swans lived on for a great number of years, sometimes +visiting the shores of Erin, and sometimes the headlands of Alban. But +they always returned to the sea-stream of Moyle, for it was to be their +home till the end of three hundred years. + +One day they came to the mouth of the Bann, on the north coast of Erin, +and looking inland, they saw a stately troop of horsemen approaching +directly from the south-west. They were mounted on white steeds, and +clad in bright-coloured garments, and as they wound towards the shore +their arms glittered in the sun. + +These were a party of the Dedannans who had been a long time searching +for the children of Lir along the northern shores of Erin: and now that +they had found them, they were joyful; and they and the swans greeted +each other with tender expressions of friendship and love. The children +of Lir inquired after the Dedannans, and particularly after their father +Lir; and for Bove Derg, and for all the rest of their friends and +acquaintances. + +"They are well," replied the Dedannans; "but all are mourning for you +since the day you left Lake Darvra. And now we wish to know how you fare +on this wild sea." + +"Miserable has been our life since that day," said Finola; "and no +tongue can tell the suffering and sorrow we have endured on the Sea of +Moyle." And she chanted these words-- + + + Ah, happy is Lir's bright home to-day, + With mead and music and poet's lay: + But gloomy and cold his children's home, + For ever tossed on the briny foam. + + Our wreathèd feathers are thin and light + When the wind blows keen through the wintry night: + Yet often we were robed, long, long ago, + In purple mantles and furs of snow. + + On Moyle's bleak current our food and wine + Are sandy sea-weed and bitter brine: + Yet oft we feasted in days of old, + And hazel-mead drank from cups of gold. + + Our beds are rocks in the dripping caves; + Our lullaby song the roar of the waves: + But soft rich couches once we pressed, + And harpers lulled us each night to rest. + + Lonely we swim on the billowy main, + Through frost and snow, through storm and rain: + Alas for the days when round us moved + The chiefs and princes and friends we loved! + + My little twin brothers beneath my wings + Lie close when the north wind bitterly stings, + And Aed close nestles before my breast; + Thus side by side through the night we rest. + + Our father's fond kisses, Bove Derg's embrace, + The light of Mannanan's godlike face, + The love of Angus--all, all are o'er; + And we live on the billows for evermore! + + +After this they bade each other farewell, for it was not permitted to +the children of Lir to remain away from the stream of Moyle. + + + + +VIII. + +HOW THE CHILDREN OF LIR REGAINED THEIR HUMAN SHAPE AND DIED. + + +Great was the misery of the Children of Lir on the sea of Moyle till +their three hundred years were ended. Then Finola said to her brothers-- + +"It is time for us to leave this place, for our period here has come to +an end." + + + The hour has come; the hour has come; + Three hundred years have passed: + We leave this bleak and gloomy home, + And we fly to the west at last! + + We leave for ever the stream of Moyle; + On the clear, cold wind we go; + Three hundred years round Glora's Isle, + Where wintry tempests blow! + + No sheltered home, no place of rest, + From the tempest's angry blast: + Fly, brothers, fly, to the distant west, + For the hour has come at last! + + +So the swans left the Sea of Moyle, and flew westward, till they reached +the sea round the Isle of Glora. There they remained for three hundred +years, suffering much from storm and cold, and in nothing better off +than they were on the Sea of Moyle. Towards the end of that time, St. +Patrick came to Erin with the pure faith; and St. Kemoc, one of his +companions, came to Inish Glora. The first night Kemoc came to the +island, the children of Lir heard his bell at early matin time, ringing +faintly in the distance. And the three sons of Lir trembled with fear, +for the sound was strange and dreadful to them. But Finola knew well +what it was; and she soothed them and said:--"My dear brothers, this is +the voice of the Christian bell: and now the end of our suffering is +near: for this bell is the signal that we shall soon be freed from our +spell, and released from our life of suffering; for God has willed it." + +And when the bell ceased she chanted this lay-- + + + Listen, ye swans, to the voice of the bell, + The sweet bell we've dreamed of for many a year; + Its tones floating by on the night breezes, tell + That the end of our long life of sorrow is near! + + Listen, ye swans, to the heavenly strain; + 'Tis the anchoret tolling his soft matin bell: + He has come to release us, from sorrow, from pain, + From the cold and tempestuous shores where we dwell! + + Trust in the glorious Lord of the sky; + He will free us from Eva's druidical spell: + Be thankful and glad, for our freedom is nigh, + And listen with joy to the voice of the bell! + + +"Let us sing our music now," said Finola. + +And they chanted a low, sweet, plaintive strain of fairy music, to +praise and thank the great high King of heaven and earth. + +Kemoc heard the music from where he stood; and he listened with great +astonishment. And he came and spoke to the swans, and asked them were +they the children of Lir. They replied, "We are indeed the children of +Lir, who were changed long ago into swans by the spells of the +witch-lady." + +"I give God thanks that I have found you," said Kemoc; "for it is on +your account I have come to this little island." Then he brought them to +his own house; and, sending for a skilful workman, he caused him to make +two bright, slender chains of silver; and he put a chain between Finola +and Aed, and the other chain he put between Ficra and Conn. And there +they lived with Kemoc in content and happiness. + +Now there was in that place a certain king named Largnen, whose queen +was Decca: the very king and queen whom the witch-lady had foretold on +the day when she changed the children into swans, nine hundred years +before. And Queen Decca, hearing all about those wonderful speaking +swans, wished to have them for herself: so she sent to Kemoc for them; +but he refused to give them. Whereupon the queen waxed very wroth: and +her husband the king, when she told him about it, was wroth also: and he +set out straightway for Kemoc's house to bring the swans away by force. +The swans were at this time standing in the little church with Kemoc. +And Largnen coming up, seized the two silver chains, one in each hand, +and drew the birds towards the door; while Kemoc followed him, much +alarmed lest they should be injured. + +The king had proceeded only a little way, when suddenly the white +feathery robes faded and disappeared; and the swans regained their human +shape, Finola being transformed into an extremely old woman, and the +three sons into three feeble old men, white-haired and bony and +wrinkled. + +When the king saw this, he started with affright, and instantly left the +place without speaking one word. + +As to the children of Lir, they turned towards Kemoc; and Finola spoke-- + +"Come, holy cleric, and baptise us without delay, for our death is near. +You will grieve after us, O Kemoc; but in truth you are not more +sorrowful at parting from us than we are at parting from you. Make our +grave here and bury us together; and as I often sheltered my brothers +when we were swans, so let us be placed in the grave--Conn standing +near me at my right side, Ficra at my left, and Aed before my +face."[43-1] + + + Come, holy priest, with book and prayer + Baptise and bless us here: + Haste, cleric, haste, for the hour has come + And death at last is near! + + Dig our grave--a deep, deep grave, + Near the church we loved so well; + This little church, where first we heard + The voice of the Christian bell. + + As oft in life my brothers dear + Were sooth'd by me to rest-- + Ficra and Conn beneath my wings, + And Aed before my breast; + + So place the two on either hand-- + Close, like the love that bound me; + Place Aed as close before my face, + And twine their arms around me + + Thus shall we rest for evermore, + My brothers dear and I; + Haste, cleric, haste, baptise and bless, + For death at last is nigh! + + + [43-1] In Ireland, in old times, the dead were often buried + standing up in the grave. It was in this way Finola and + her brothers were buried. + +[Illustration: An Ogham stone. See note, next page.] + +[Illustration: Bronze spear-head. A long handle was fixed in the socket +and fastened by a rivet.] + +[Illustration: Bronze sword. A hilt was fixed on by rivets.] + +Then the children of Lir were baptised, and they died immediately. And +when they died, Kemoc looked up; and lo, he saw a vision of four lovely +children, with light, silvery wings, and faces all radiant with joy. +They gazed on him for a moment; but even as they gazed, they vanished +upwards, and he saw them no more. And he was filled with gladness, for +he knew they had gone to heaven; but when he looked down on the four +bodies lying before him, he became sad and wept. + +And Kemoc caused a wide and deep grave to be dug near the little church; +and the children of Lir were buried together, as Finola had +directed--Conn at her right hand, Ficra at her left, and Aed standing +before her face. And he raised a grave-mound over them, placing a +tombstone on it, with their names graved in Ogham;[45-1] after which he +uttered a lament for them, and their funeral rites were performed. + + [45-1] Ogham, a sort of writing often used on tombstones to mark the + names of the persons buried. It consisted of lines and + points generally cut on the edges of the stone. + +So far we have related the sorrowful story of the Fate of the Children +of Lir. + + From "Old Celtic Romances," by P. W. JOYCE, LL.D. + + + + +IX. + +HOW RELIGION AND LEARNING FLOURISHED IN IRELAND. + + +As soon as St. Patrick had entered on his mission in Ireland, he began +to found monasteries, which continued to spread through every part of +the country for hundreds of years after his time. Though religion was +their main object, these establishments were among the chief means of +spreading general enlightenment among the people. Almost every +monastery had a school or college attached, at the head of which was +some man who was a great scholar and teacher. The teachers were +generally monks: but many learned laymen were also employed. Some +colleges had very large numbers of students: for instance, we are told +that there were 3000 in each of the two colleges of Clonard and +Bangor[46-1]; and many others might be named, which, though not so +large, had yet several hundred students in each. + + [46-1] Clonard, in Meath, on the Boyne. Bangor, in the Co. Down. + +In these monasteries and their schools all was life and activity. The +monks were always busily employed; some at tillage on the farm round the +monastery--ploughing, digging, sowing, reaping--some teaching, others +writing books. The duty of a few was to attend to travellers, to wash +their feet and prepare supper and bed for them: for strangers who called +at the monastery were always received with welcome, and got lodging, +food, and attendance from the monks, all free. Others of the inmates, +again, employed themselves in cooking, or carpentry, or smithwork, or +making clothes, for the use of the community. Besides all this they had +their devotions to attend to, at certain times, both day and night, +throughout the year. As for the students, they had to mind their own +simple household concerns, and each day when these were finished they +had plenty of employment in their studies: for the professors kept them +hard at work. + +There were also great numbers of schools not held in monasteries, +conducted by laymen, some for general learning, such as History, Poetry, +Grammar, Latin, Greek, Irish, the Sciences, &c.; and some for teaching +and training young men for professions, such as lawyers and doctors. And +these schools helped greatly to spread learning, though they were not so +well known outside Ireland as the monastic schools. + +The Irish professors were so famed for their learning, and the colleges +were so excellent, that students came to them from every country of +Europe: but more from Great Britain than elsewhere. The Irish were very +much pleased to receive these foreign students: and they were so +generous that they supplied them with food, gave them the manuscript +books they wanted to learn from, and taught them too, all free of +charge. Ireland was in those times the most learned country in Europe, +so that it was known by the name of the Island of Saints and Scholars. + +But the Irish scholars and missionaries did not confine themselves to +their own country. Great numbers of them went abroad--to Britain and +elsewhere--to teach and to preach the Gospel to the people. The +professors from Ireland were held in such estimation that they were +employed to teach in most of the schools and colleges of Great Britain +and the Continent. + +We shall see that the Northern Picts of Scotland were converted by St. +Columkille and his monks from Iona (see p. 144): and a large proportion +of the people of England became Christians through the preaching of +Irish monks before the arrival of St. Augustine.[48-1] + + [48-1] St. Augustine came to England in the year 596--having been + sent by Pope Gregory--and converted to Christianity those + of the English who had not been already converted. + +The Irish missionaries, who went to the Continent, in their eagerness to +spread religion and knowledge, penetrated to all parts of Europe: they +even found their way to Iceland. Few people have any idea of the trials +and dangers they encountered. Most of them were persons in good +position, who might have lived in plenty and comfort at home. They knew +well, when setting out, that they were leaving country and friends +probably for ever: for of those that went, very few ever returned. Once +on the Continent, they had to make their way poor and friendless, +through people whose language they did not understand, and who were in +many places ten times more rude and dangerous in those ages than the +inhabitants of these islands: and we know, as a matter of history, that +many were killed on the way. Then these earnest men had, of course, to +learn the language of the people among whom they took up their abode: +for until they did this they had to employ an interpreter, which was a +very troublesome and slow way of preaching. But the noble-hearted +missionaries went forth to do their good work; and no labours, +hardships, or dangers could turn them from their purpose. + +More than three hundred years ago the great English poet, Edmund +Spenser, lived some time in Ireland, and made himself very well +acquainted with its history. He knew what kind of a country it was in +past ages; so that in one of his poems he speaks of the time + + + "When Ireland florishèd in fame + Of wealth and goodnesse, far above the rest + Of all that beare the British Islands name." + + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish solid gold ornament, now in the National +Museum Dublin. It is double the size of the picture, and weighs 5-1/4 +oz. Great numbers of gold objects, shaped like this, are in the National +Museum, some very large--one of them weighing 33 oz.: while others are +quite small, not bigger than a common coat-button. Besides being +ornaments, it is believed that they were used as money, as there were no +coins in use in very ancient times in Ireland.] + + + + +X. + +THE RED BRANCH KNIGHTS. + + +Nearly two miles west of Armagh are the remains of the ancient palace of +Emain, or Emain Macha, often called Emania. They consist of a great +circular _rath_ or rampart of earth, with a deep trench outside it, and +a high mound within, the whole structure covering a space of about +thirteen acres. At one time the circular ring was complete, but of late +years some portions of it have been levelled or removed. The houses in +which the kings and heroes of old, with their numerous households, lived +and feasted, stood mostly within the enclosure, and were all of wood, +not a trace of which remains. This great fort is now called by the +people of the place, the "Navan Fort," or "Navan Ring." + +According to Irish legendary history, Emain was founded about three +centuries before the beginning of the Christian era, by Macha of the +Golden Hair, queen of Ulster; and for more than six hundred years it was +the residence of the kings of that province. But about the year A.D. +331, it was destroyed by three princes from Tara, who invaded and +conquered that part of Ulster; after which Emain was no longer +inhabited. + +Early in the first century of the Christian era flourished the Red +Branch Knights, a band of heroes in the service of Concobar (or Conor) +Mac Nessa, king of Ulster. There were several bodies of them, under +separate commanders, who lived in different parts of the province. These +leaders were the great heroes of the Red Branch, who are celebrated in +ancient Irish romance, and who are mentioned by Moore in his song, "Let +Erin remember":-- + + + "When her kings with standard of green unfurled + Led the Red Branch Knights to danger." + + +Every year during the summer months, various companies of the Knights +came to Emain under their several commanders, to be drilled and trained +in military science and feats of arms. They were lodged in a large +separate building beside Emain, called Creeveroe or the Red Branch--from +which the whole force took its name: and the townland in which this +great house stood is still called Creeveroe. Each day the leaders were +feasted by King Concobar Mac Nessa in his own banquetting hall at Emain. + +The greatest of all the Red Branch heroes was Cu-Culainn--"the mightiest +hero of the Scots," as he is called in one of the oldest of the Irish +books--whose residence was _Dundalgan_, a mile west of the present town +of Dundalk. This dun or fort consists of a high mound surrounded by an +earthen rampart and trench, all of immense size, even in their ruined +state; but it has lost its old name and is now called the Moat of +Castletown, while the original name Dundalgan, slightly altered, has +been transferred to Dundalk. + +Another of these Red Branch Knights' residences stands beside +Downpatrick: viz., the great fort anciently called (among other names) +Dun-Keltair or Rath-Keltair, where lived the hero, Keltar of the +Battles. It consists of a huge embankment of earth, nearly circular, +with the usual deep trench outside it, covering a space of about ten +acres. + +Next to Cuculainn, the most renowned of those knights were Fergus Mac +Roy, Leary the Victorious, Conall Carnagh, and the three Sons of Usna. + +There were, at this same time, similar orders of knights in the other +provinces. Those of Munster were commanded by Curoi Mac Dara, who lived +in a great stone fortress high up on the side of Caherconree Mountain, +near Tralee, the remains of which may be seen to this day. He was a +mighty champion, and on one occasion vanquished Cuculainn in single +combat. The Connaught knights were in the service of Maive, the warlike +queen of that province, whose residence was the palace of Croghan, the +ruins of which still remain near the village of Rathcroghan in the north +of Roscommon. + +In the Book of the Dun Cow, the Book of Leinster, and other old +manuscripts (which will be found described farther on), there are great +numbers of romantic stories about those Red Branch Knights, and about +the Knights of Munster and Connaught, of which many have been translated +and published. + +The most celebrated of all these tales is what is called the _Tain_ or +"Cattle spoil" of Quelna or Cooley.[53-1] Queen Maive, having some cause +of quarrel with an Ulster chief, set out with her army for the north on +a plundering expedition, attended by all the great heroes of Connaught. +During the march northwards, the queen, as the story tells us, had nine +splendid chariots for herself and her attendant chiefs, her own in the +centre, with two abreast in front, two behind, and two on each side, +right and left; and--in the words of the old tale--"the reason for this +order was, lest the clods from the hoofs of the horses, or the +foam-flakes from their mouths, or the dust raised by that mighty host, +should strike and tarnish the golden diadem on the head of the queen." + + [53-1] Quelna or Cooley, the ancient name of the hilly peninsula + lying between the bays of Carlingford and Dundalk: the + name Cooley is still retained. + +The invading army entered Quelna, which was then a part of Ulster and +belonged to Cuculainn. It happened just then that the men of Ulster were +under a spell of feebleness, all but Cuculainn, who had to defend +single-handed the several fords and passes, in a series of combats +against Maive's best champions, in all of which he was victorious. But, +in spite of what he could do, Queen Maive carried off nearly all the +best cattle of Quelna, and, at their head, a great brown bull which +indeed was what she chiefly came for. At length the Ulstermen, having +been freed from the spell, attacked and routed the Connaught army. The +battles, single combats, and other incidents of this war are related in +the Tain, which consists of one main story, with about thirty minor +tales grouped round it. Another Red Branch story is the Fate of the Sons +of Usna, which has been always a favourite with Irish story-tellers, and +with the Irish people in general, and which is now given here, +translated in full. + +[Illustration: A "Cromlech," an ancient Irish tomb: still to be seen in +its place in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. This is rather a small one, the +covering stone being only about 6-1/2 feet long. Some cromlechs are very +large: one at Kilternan near Dublin has a covering stone 23-1/2 feet +long, 17 feet broad, and 6-1/2 feet thick: and no one can tell how the +people of old lifted it up.] + + + + +Deirdre; or, The Fate of the Sons of Usna.[55-1] + + + + +XI. + +THE FLIGHT TO ALBAN. + + +Concobar Mac Nessa king of Ulaid[55-2] ruled in Emain. And his chief +storyteller, Felimid, made a feast for the king and for the knights of +the Red Branch; who all came to partake of it in his house. While they +were feasting right joyously, listening to the sweet music of the harps +and the mellow voices of the bards, a messenger brought word that +Felimid's wife had given birth to a little daughter, an infant of +wondrous beauty. And when Caffa, the king's druid and seer, who was of +the company, was ware of the birth of the child, he went forth to view +the stars and the clouds, if he might thereby glean knowledge of what +was in store for that little babe.[55-3] And when he had returned to his +place, he sat deep pondering for a time: and then standing up and +obtaining silence, he said:-- + +"This child shall be called Deir-dre[56-1]; and fittingly is she so +named: for much of woe will befal Ulaid and Erin in general on her +account. There shall be jealousies, and strifes, and wars: evil deeds +will be done: many heroes will be exiled: many will fall." + + [55-1] The translation that follows is quite new, and is now + published for the first time. On this fine story is + founded the poem of "Deirdre" by Robert Dwyer Joyce, M.D. + + [55-2] Ulaid (pron. _Ulla_), Ulster. + + [55-3] The druids professed to be able to foretell by observing the + stars and clouds. + + [56-1] "Deirdre" is said to mean "alarm." + +When the heroes heard this they were sorely troubled, and some said that +the child should be killed. But the king said:--"Not so, ye Knights of +the Red Branch, it is not meet to commit a base deed in order to escape +evils that may never come to pass. This little maid shall be reared out +of the reach of mischief, and when she is old enough she shall be my +wife: thus shall I be the better able to guard against those evils that +Caffa forecasts for us." + +And the Ultonians did not dare to gainsay the word of the king. + +Then king Concobar caused the child to be placed in a strong fortress on +a lonely spot nigh the palace, with no opening in front, but with door +and windows looking out at the back on a lovely garden watered by a +clear rippling stream: and house and garden were surrounded by a wall +that no man could surmount. And those who were put in charge of her +were, her tutor, and her nurse, and Concobar's poetess, whose name was +Lavarcam: and save these three, none were permitted to see her. And so +she grew up in this solitude, year by year, till she was of marriageable +age; when she excelled all the maidens of her time for beauty. + +One snowy day as she and Lavarcam looked forth from the window, they saw +some blood on the snow, where her tutor had killed a calf for dinner; +and a raven alighted and began to drink of it. "I should like," said +Deirdre, "that he who is to be my husband should have these three +colours: his hair as black as the raven: his cheeks red as the blood: +his skin like the snow. And I saw such a youth in a dream last night; +but I know not where he is, or whether he is living on the ridge of the +world." + +"Truly," said Lavarcam, "the young hero that answers to thy words is not +far from thee; for he is among Concobar's knights: namely, Naisi the son +of Usna." + +Now Naisi and his brothers, Ainnli and Ardan, the three Sons of Usna, +were the best beloved of all the Red Branch Knights, so gracious and +gentle were they in time of peace, so skilful and swift-footed in the +chase, so strong and valiant in battle. + +And when Deirdre heard Lavarcam's words, she said:--"If it be as thou +sayest, that this young knight is near us, I shall not be happy till I +see him: and I beseech thee to bring him to speak to me." + +"Alas, child," replied Lavarcam, "thou knowest not the peril of what +thou askest me to do: for if thy tutor come to know of it, he will +surely tell the king; and the king's anger none can bear." + +Deirdre answered not: but she remained for many days sad and silent: and +her eyes often filled with tears through memory of her dream: so that +Lavarcam was grieved: and she pondered on the thing if it could be done, +for she loved Deirdre very much and had compassion on her. At last she +contrived that these two should meet without the tutor's knowledge: and +the end of the matter was that they loved each other: and Deirdre said +she would never wed the king, but she would wed Naisi. + +Knowing well the doom that awaited them when Concobar came to hear of +this, Naisi and his young wife and his two brothers, with thrice fifty +fighting men, thrice fifty women, thrice fifty attendants, and thrice +fifty hounds, fled over sea to Alban. And the king of the western part +of Alban received them kindly and took them into military service. Here +they remained for a space, gaining daily in favour: but they kept +Deirdre apart, fearing evil if the king should see her. + +And so matters went on, till it chanced that the king's steward, coming +one day by Naisi's house, saw the couple as they sat on their couch: and +going directly to his master, he said:-- + +"O king, we have long sought in vain for a woman worthy to be thy wife, +and now at last we have found her: for the woman, Deirdre, who is with +Naisi, is worthy to be the wife of the king of the western world. And +now I give thee this counsel:--Let Naisi be killed, and then take thou +Deirdre for thy wife." + +[Illustration: A burial urn. The ancient Irish sometimes buried as we do +now, placing the body in the grave, over which they often raised a cairn +or a cromlech. Sometimes they burned the body and put the ashes in an +urn, which they placed under a cromlech, or cairn, or burial mound. Urns +were always made of clay, which was baked till it was hard. They are +often found in graves, especially under cairns and cromlechs: and they +nearly always contain ashes and bits of burnt bones. Occasionally, as +has been already said (p. 43, note), persons were buried standing up, +especially kings and warriors, who were placed in the grave fully +armed.] + +The king basely agreed to do so; and forthwith he laid a plot to slay +the sons of Usna; which matter coming betimes to the ears of the +brothers, they fled by night with all their people. And when they had +got to a safe distance, they took up their abode in a wild place, where +with much ado they obtained food by hunting and fishing. And the +brothers built them three hunting booths in the forest, a little +distance from that part of the seashore looking towards Erin: and the +booth in which their food was prepared, in that they did not eat; and +the one in which they ate, in that they did not sleep. And their people +in like manner built themselves booths and huts, which gave them but +scant shelter from wind and weather. + +Now when it came to the ears of the Ultonians, that the sons of Usna and +their people were in discomfort and danger, they were sorely grieved: +but they kept their thoughts to themselves, for they dared not speak +their mind to the king. + + + + +XII. + +CONCOBAR'S GUILEFUL MESSAGE. + + +At this same time a right joyous and very splendid feast was driven by +Concobar in Emain Macha to the nobles and the knights of his household. +And the number of the king's household that sat them down in the great +hall of Emain on that occasion was five and three score above six +hundred and one thousand.[60-1] Then arose, in turn, their musicians to +sound their melodious harpstrings, and their poets and their +story-tellers to sing their sweet poetic strains, and to recount the +deeds of the mighty heroes of the olden time. And the feasting and the +enjoyment went on, and the entire assembly were gay and cheerful. At +length Concobar arose from where he sat high up on his royal seat; +whereupon the noise of mirth was instantly hushed. And he raised his +kingly voice and said:-- + +"I desire to know from you, ye Nobles and Knights of the Red Branch, +have you ever seen in any quarter of Erin, a house better than this +house of Emain, which is my mansion: and whether you see any want in +it." + + [60-1] That is 1665. This inverted method of enumeration was often + used in Ireland. But they also used direct enumeration + like ours. + +And they answered that they saw no better house, and that they knew of +no want in it. + +And the king said: "I know of a great want: namely, that we have not +present among us the three noble sons of Usna. And why now should they +be in banishment on account of any woman in the world?" + +And the nobles replied:--"Truly it is a sad thing that the sons of Usna, +our dear comrades, should be in exile and distress. They were a shield +of defence to Ulaid: and now, O king, it will please us well that thou +send for them and bring them back, lest they and their people perish by +famine or fall by their enemies." + +"Let them come," replied Concobar, "and make submission to me: and +their homes, and their lands, and their places among the Knights of the +Red Branch shall be restored to them." + +Now Concobar was mightily enraged at the marriage and flight of Naisi +and Deirdre, though he hid his mind from all men; and he spoke these +words pretending forgiveness and friendship. But there was guile in his +heart, and he planned to allure them back to Ulaid that he might kill +them. + +When the feast was ended, and the company had departed, the king called +unto him Fergus Mac Roy, and said:--"Go thou, Fergus, and bring back the +sons of Usna and their people. I promise thee that I will receive them +as friends should be received, and that what awaits them here is not +enmity or injury, but welcome and friendship. Take my message of peace +and good will, and give thyself as pledge and surety for their safety. +But these two things I charge thee to do:--That the moment you land in +Ulaid on your way back, you proceed straight to Barach's house which +stands on the sea cliff high over the landing place fronting Alban: and +that whether the time of your arrival be by day or by night, thou see +that the sons of Usna tarry not, but let them come hither direct to +Emain, that they may not eat food in Erin till they eat of mine." + +And Fergus, suspecting no evil design, promised to do as the king +directed: for he was glad to be sent on this errand, being a fast friend +to the sons of Usna. + +Fergus set out straightway, bringing with him only his two sons, Illan +the Fair and Buinni the Red, and his shield bearer to carry his shield. +And as soon as he had departed, Concobar sent for Barach and said to +him:-- + +"Prepare a feast in thy house for Fergus: and when he visits thee +returning with the sons of Usna, invite him to partake of it." And +Barach thereupon departed for his home to do the bidding of the king and +prepare the feast. + +Now those heroes of old, on the day they received knighthood, were wont +to make certain pledges which were to bind them for life, some binding +themselves to one thing, some to another. And as they made the promises +on the faith of their knighthood, with great vows, in presence of kings +and nobles, they dared not violate them; no, not even if it was to save +the lives of themselves and all their friends: for whosoever broke +through his knighthood pledge was foully dishonoured for evermore. And +one of Fergus's obligations was never to refuse an invitation to a +banquet: a thing which was well known to King Concobar and to Barach. + +As to Fergus Mac Roy and his sons: they went on board their galley and +put to sea, and made no delay till they reached the harbour nigh the +campment of the sons of Usna. And coming ashore, Fergus gave the loud +shout of a mighty man of chase. The sons of Usna were at that same hour +in their booth; and Naisi and Deirdre were sitting with a polished +chessboard between them playing a game. + +And when they heard the shout, Naisi said:--"That is the call of a man +from Erin." + +"Not so," replied Deirdre, "it is the call of a man of Alban." + +And after a little time when a second shout came, Naisi said:--"That of +a certainty is the call of a man of Erin!" + +But Deirdre again replied:--"No, indeed: it concerns us not: let us play +our game." + +But when a third shout came sounding louder than those before, Naisi +arose and said:--"Now I know the voice: that is the shout of Fergus!" +And straightway he sent Ardan to the shore to meet him. + +Now Deirdre knew the voice of Fergus from the first: but she kept her +thoughts to herself: for her heart misgave her that the visit boded +evil. And when she told Naisi that she knew the first shout, he +said:--"Why, my queen, didst thou conceal it then?" + +And she replied:--"Lo, I saw a vision in my sleep last night: three +birds came to us from Emain Macha, with three drops of honey in their +beaks, and they left us the honey and took away three drops of our +blood." + +"What dost thou read from that vision, O princess?" said Naisi. + +"It denotes the message from Concobar to us," said Deirdre; "for sweet +as honey is the message of peace from a false man, while he has thoughts +of blood hidden deep in his heart." + +When Ardan arrived at the shore, the sight of Fergus and his two sons +was to him like rain on the parched grass; for it was long since he had +seen any of his dear comrades from Erin. And he cried out as he came +near, "An affectionate welcome to you my dear companions": and he fell +on Fergus's neck and kissed his cheeks, and did the like to his sons. +Then he brought them to the hunting-booth; and Naisi, Ainnli, and +Deirdre gave them a like kind welcome; after which they asked the news +from Erin. + +"The best news I have," said Fergus, "is that Concobar has sent me to +you with kindly greetings, to bring you back to Emain and restore you to +your lands and homes, and to your places in the Red Branch; and I am +myself a pledge for your safety." + +"It is not meet for them to go," said Deirdre: "for here they are under +no man's rule; and their sway in Alban is even as great as the sway of +Concobar in Erin." + +But Fergus said: "One's mother country is better than all else, and +gloomy is life when a man sees not his home each morning." + +"Far dearer to me is Erin than Alban," said Naisi, "even though my sway +should be greater here." + +It was not with Deirdre's consent he spoke these words: and she still +earnestly opposed their return to Erin. + +But Fergus tried to re-assure her:--"If all the men of Erin were against +you," said he, "it would avail nought once I have passed my word for +your safety." + +"We trust in thee," said Naisi, "and we will go with thee to Erin." + +[Illustration: A gold box: 2-3/4 inches across: 1 inch deep. Found in a +grave in Co. Cork. Use not known.] + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish bronze lamp. Found in a _crannoge_ (i.e. an +island-dwelling in a lake) in Co. Roscommon. The vessel held the oil, +and the wick projected from the pipe.] + + + + +XIII. + +THE RETURN TO EMAIN. + + +Going next morning on board their galleys, Fergus and his companions put +out on the wide sea: and oar and wind bore them on swiftly till they +landed on the shore of Erin near the house of Barach. + +And Deirdre, seating herself on a cliff, looked sadly over the waters at +the blue headlands of Alban: and she uttered this farewell:-- + + +I. + +"Dear to me is yon eastern land: Alban with its wonders. Beloved is +Alban with its bright harbours and its pleasant hills of the green +slopes. From that land I would never depart except to be with Naisi. + + +II. + +Kil-Cuan, O Kil-Cuan,[67-1] whither Ainnli was wont to resort: short +seemed the time to me while I sojourned there with Naisi on the margins +of its streams and waterfalls. + + [67-1] This and the other places named in Deirdre's Farewell are + all in the west of Scotland. + + +III. + +"Glen-Lee, O Glen-Lee, where I slept happy under soft coverlets: fish +and fowl, and the flesh of red deer and badgers; these were our fare in +Glen-Lee. + + +IV. + +"Glen-Masan, O Glen-Masan: tall its cresses of white stalks: often were +we rocked to sleep in our curragh in the grassy harbour of Glen-Masan. + + +V. + +"Glen-Orchy, O Glen-Orchy: over thy straight glen rises the smooth ridge +that oft echoed to the voices of our hounds. No man of the clan was more +light-hearted than my Naisi when following the chase in Glen-Orchy. + + +VI. + +"Glen-Ettive, O Glen-Ettive: there it was that my first house was raised +for me: lovely its woods in the smile of the early morn: the sun loves +to shine on Glen-Ettive. + +VII. + +"Glen-da-Roy, O Glen-da-Roy: the memory of its people is dear to me: +sweet is the cuckoo's note from the bending bough on the peak over +Glen-da-Roy. + + +VIII. + +"Dear to me is Dreenagh over the resounding shore: dear to me its +crystal waters over the speckled sand. From those sweet places I would +never depart, but only to be with my beloved Naisi." + + * * * * * + +After this they entered the house of Barach; and when Barach had +welcomed them, he said to Fergus: "Here I have a three-days banquet +ready for thee, and I invite thee to come and partake of it." + +When Fergus heard this his heart sank and his face waxed all over a +crimson red: and he said fiercely to Barach:--"Thou hast done an evil +thing to ask me to this banquet: for well thou knowest I cannot refuse +thee. Thou knowest, too, that I am under solemn pledge to send the Sons +of Usna this very hour to Emain: and if I remain feasting in thy house, +how shall I see that my promise of safety is respected?" + +But none the less did Barach persist; for he was one of the partners in +Concobar's treacherous design. + +Then Fergus turned to Naisi and said:--"I dare not violate my knighthood +promise: what am I to do in this strait?" But Deirdre answered for her +husband:--"The choice is before thee, Fergus; and it is more meet for +thee to abandon thy feast than to abandon the sons of Usna, who have +come over on thy pledge." + +Then Fergus was in sore perplexity; and pondering a little he said:--"I +will not forsake the sons of Usna: for I will send with them to Emain +Macha my two sons, Illan the Fair and Buinni the Red, who will be their +pledge instead of me." + +But Naisi said: "We need not thy sons for guard or pledge: we have ever +been accustomed to defend ourselves!" And he moved from the place in +great wrath: and his two brothers, and Deirdre, and the two sons of +Fergus followed him, with the rest of the clan; while Fergus remained +behind silent and gloomy: for his heart misgave him that mischief was +brewing for the sons of Usna. + +Then Deirdre tried to persuade the sons of Usna to go to Rathlin between +Erin and Alban, and tarry there till Barach's feast was ended: but they +did not consent to do so, for they deemed it would be a mark of +cowardice: and they sped on by the shortest ways towards Emain Macha. + +When now they had come to Fincarn of the Watch-tower on Slieve Fuad, +Deirdre and her attendants stayed behind the others a little: and she +fell asleep. And when Naisi missed her he turned back and found her just +awakening; and he said to her:--"Why didst thou tarry, my princess?" + +And she answered:--"I fell asleep and had a dream. And this is what I +saw in my dream:--Illan the Fair took your part: Buinni the Red did not: +and I saw Illan without his head: but Buinni had neither wound nor +hurt." + +"Alas, O beauteous princess," said Naisi, "thou utterest nought but evil +forebodings: but the king is true and will not break his plighted word." + +So they fared on till they had come to the Ridge of the Willows,[70-1] +an hour's journey from the palace: and Deirdre, looking upwards in great +fear, said to Naisi:--"O Naisi, see yonder cloud in the sky over Emain, +a fearful chilling cloud of a blood-red tinge: a baleful red cloud that +bodes disaster! Come ye now to Dundalgan and abide there with the mighty +hero Cuculainn till Fergus returns from Barach's feast; for I fear +Concobar's treachery." + + [70-1] Irish name _Drum-Sailech_; the ridge on which Armagh was + afterwards built. + +But Naisi answered:--"We cannot follow thy advice, beloved Deirdre, for +it would be a mark of fear: and we have no fear." + +And as they came nigh the palace Deirdre said to them:--"I will now give +you a sign if Concobar meditates good or evil. If you are brought into +his own mansion where he sits surrounded by his nobles, to eat and drink +with him, this is a token that he means no ill; for no man will injure a +guest that has partaken of food at his table: but if you are sent to the +house of the Red Branch, be sure he is bent on treachery." + +When at last they arrived at the palace they knocked loudly with the +handwood: and the door-keeper swang the great door wide open. And when +he had spoken with them he went and told Concobar that the sons of Usna +and Fergus's two sons had come, with their people. + +And Concobar called to him his stewards and attendants and asked +them:--"How is it in the house of the Red Branch as to food and drink?" +And they replied that if the seven battalions of Ulaid were to come to +it they would find enough of all good things "If that is so," said +Concobar, "take the sons of Usna and their people to the Red Branch." + +Even then Deirdre besought them not to enter the Red Branch: for she +deemed now that of a certainty there was mischief afoot. But Illan the +Fair said:--"Never did we show cowardice or unmanliness, and we shall +not do so now." Then she was silent and went with them into the house. + +And the company, when they had come in, sat them down so that they +filled the great hall: and alluring viands and delicious drinks were set +before them: and they ate and drank till they became satisfied and +cheerful: all except Deirdre and the Sons of Usna, who did not partake +much of food or drink. And Naisi asked for the king's chessboard and +chessmen; which were brought: and he and Deirdre began to play. + + + + +XIV. + +TROUBLE LOOMING. + + +Let us now speak of Concobar. As he sat among his nobles, the thought of +Deirdre came into his mind, and he said:--"Who among you will go to the +Red Branch and bring me tidings of Deirdre, whether her youthful shape +and looks still live upon her: for if so there is not on the ridge of +the world a woman more beautiful." And Lavarcam said she would go. + +Now the Sons of Usna were very dear to Lavarcam: and Naisi was dearer +than the others. And rising up she went to the Red Branch, where she +found Naisi and Deirdre with the chessboard between them, playing. And +she saluted them affectionately: and she embraced Deirdre, and wept over +her, and kissed her many times with the eagerness of her love: and she +kissed the cheeks of Naisi and of his brothers. + +And when her loving greeting was ended, she said:--"Beloved children, +evil is the deed that is to be done this night in Emain: for the three +torches of valour of the Gaels will be treacherously assailed, and +Concobar is certainly resolved to put them to death. And now set your +people on guard, and bolt and bar all doors, and close all windows; and +be steadfast and valourous, and defend your dear charge manfully, if you +may hold the assailants at bay till Fergus comes." And she departed +weeping piteously. + +And when Lavarcam had returned to Concobar asked what tidings she +brought. "Good tidings have I," said she: "for the three Sons of Usna +have come, the three valiant champions of Ulaid: and now that they are +with thee, O king, thou wilt hold sway in Erin without dispute. And bad +tidings I bring also: Deirdre indeed is not as she was, for her youthful +form and the splendour of her countenance have fled from her." + +And when Concobar heard this his jealousy abated, and he joined in the +feasting. + +But again the thought of Deirdre came to him, and he asked:--"Who now +will go for me to the Red Branch and bring me further tidings of Deirdre +and of the Sons of Usna?" for he distrusted Lavarcam. But the Knights of +the Red Branch had misgivings of some evil design, and all remained +silent. + +Then he called to him Trendorn, one of the lesser chiefs: and he +said:--"Knowest thou, Trendorn, who slew thy father and thy three +brothers in battle?" And Trendorn answered:--"Verily, it was Naisi the +son of Usna that slew them." Then the king said:--"Go now to the Red +Branch and bring me back tidings of Deirdre and of the Sons of Usna." + +Trendorn went right willingly. But when he found the doors and windows +of the Red Branch shut up, he was seized with fear, and he said: "It is +not safe to approach the Sons of Usna, for they are surely in wrathful +mood: nevertheless I must needs bring back tidings to the king." + +Whereupon, not daring to knock at the door, he climbed nimbly to a small +window high up that had been unwittingly left open, through which he +viewed the spacious banquet hall, and saw Naisi and Deirdre playing +chess. Deirdre chanced to look up at that moment, and seeing the face of +the spy with eyes intently gazing on her, she started with affright and +grasped Naisi's arm, as he was making a move with the chessman. Naisi, +following her gaze, and seeing the evil-looking face, flung the chessman +with unerring aim and broke the eye in Trendorn's head. + +Trendorn dropped down in pain and rage; and going straight to Concobar, +he said:--"I have tidings for thee, O king: the three Sons of Usna are +sitting in the banquet hall, stately and proud like kings: and Deirdre +is seated beside Naisi; and verily, for beauty and queenly grace, her +peer cannot be found." + +When Concobar heard this, a flame of jealousy and fury blazed up in his +heart, and he resolved that by no means should the Sons of Usna escape +the doom he planned for them. + + + + +XV. + +THE ATTACK ON THE SONS OF USNA. + + +Coming forth on the lawn of Emain, King Concobar now ordered a large +body of hireling troops to beset the Red Branch: and he bade them force +the doors and bring forth the sons of Usna. And they uttered three +dreadful shouts of defiance, and assailed the house on every side; but +the strong oak stood bravely, and they were not able to break through +doors or walls. So they heaped up great piles of wood and brambles and +kindled them till the red flames blazed round the house. + +Buinni the Red now stood up and said to the Sons of Usna:--"To me be +intrusted the task to repel this first assault: for I am your pledge in +place of my father." And marshalling his men, and causing the great door +to be thrown wide open, he sallied forth and scattered the assailants +and put out the fires: slaying thrice fifty hirelings in that onslaught. + +But Buinni returned not to the Red Branch: for the king sent to him with +a secret offer of great favours and bribes: namely, his own royal +friendship, and a fruitful tract of land; which Buinni took and basely +abandoned the sons of Usna. But none the better luck came to him of it: +for at that same hour a blight fell on the land, so that it became a +moor, waste and profitless, which is at this day called Slieve Fuad. + +When Illan the Fair became aware of his brother's treason, he was +grieved to the heart, and he said:--"I am the second pledge in place of +my father for the sons of Usna, and of a certainty I will not betray +them: while this straight sword lives in my hand I will be faithful: and +I will now repel this second attack." For at this time the king's +hirelings were again thundering at the doors. + +Forth he issued with his band: and he made three quick furious circuits +round the Red Branch, scattering the troops as he went: after which he +returned to the mansion and found Naisi and Deirdre still playing.[77-1] +But as the hireling hordes returned to the attack, he went forth a +second time and fell on them, dealing death and havoc whither-soever he +went. + + [77-1] These champions, as well as their wives, took care never to + show any signs of fear or alarm even in the time of + greatest danger: so Naisi and Deirdre kept playing + quietly as if nothing was going on outside, though they + heard the din of battle resounding. + +Then, while the fight was still raging, Concobar called to him his son +Ficra, and said to him:--"Thou and Illan the Fair were born on the same +night: and as he has his father's arms, so thou take mine, namely, my +shield which is called the Ocean, and my two spears which are called +Dart and Slaughter, and my great sword, the Blue-green blade. And bear +thyself manfully against him, and vanquish him, else none of my troops +will survive." + +Ficra did so and went against Illan the Fair; and they made a stout, +warlike, red-wounding attack on each other, while the others looked on +anxious: but none dared to interfere. And it came to pass that Illan +prevailed, so that Ficra was fain to shelter himself behind his father's +shield the Ocean, and he was like to be slain. Whereupon the shield +moaned, and the Three Waves of Erin uttered their hollow melancholy +roar.[77-2] + + [77-2] The "Three _Tonns_ or Waves of Erin" were the Wave of Tuath + outside the mouth of the river Bann, off the coast of + Derry; the Wave of Rury in Dundrum Bay, off the county + Down; and the Wave of Cleena in Glandore Harbour in the + south of Cork. In stormy weather, when the wind blows from + certain directions, the sea at those places, as it tumbles + over the sandbanks, or among the caves and fissures of the + rocks, utters a loud and solemn roar, which in old times + was believed to forebode the death of some king. + + The legends also tell that the shield belonging to a king + moaned when the person who wore it in battle--whether the + king himself or a member of his family--was in danger of + death: the moan was heard all over Ireland; and the + "Three Waves of Erin" roared in response. See "Irish + Names of Places," Vol. II., Chap. XVI. + +The hero Conall Carnagh, sitting in his dun afar off, heard the moan of +the shield and the roar of the Wave of Tuath: and springing up from +where he sat, he said: "Verily, the king is in danger: I will go to his +rescue." + +He ran with the swiftness of the wind, and arrived on the Green of Emain +where the two young heroes were fighting. Thinking it was Concobar that +crouched beneath the shield, he attacked Illan, not knowing him, and +wounded him even unto death. And Illan looking up said, "Is it thou, +Conall! Alas, dreadful is the deed thou hast done, not knowing me, and +not knowing that I am fighting in defence of the Sons of Usna who are +now in deadly peril from the treachery of Concobar." + +And Conall, finding he had unwittingly wounded his dear young friend +Illan, turned in his grief and rage on the other, and swept off his +head. And he stalked fierce and silent out of the battlefield. + +Illan, still faithful to his charge, called aloud to Naisi to defend +himself bravely: then putting forth his remaining strength, he flung his +arms, namely, his sword and his spears and his shield, into the Red +Branch; and falling prone on the green sward, the shades of death dimmed +his eyes, and his life departed. + +And now when it was the dusk of evening, another great battalion of the +hirelings assailed the Red Branch, and kindled fagots around it: +whereupon Ardan sallied out with his valorous band and scattered them, +and put out the fires, and held guard for the first third of the night. +And during the second third Ainnli kept them at bay. + +Then Naisi took his turn, issuing forth, and fought with them till the +morning's dawn: and until the sands of the seashore, or the leaves of +the forest, or the dew drops on the grass, or the stars of heaven are +counted, it will not be possible to number the hirelings that were slain +in that fight by Naisi and his band of heroes. + +And as he was returning breathless from the rout, all grimy and terrible +with blood and sweat, he spied Lavarcam, as she stood watching the +battle anxiously; and he said:--"Go, Lavarcam, go and stand on the outer +rampart, and cast thine eyes eastwards, if perchance thou shouldst see +Fergus and his men coming." + +For many of Naisi's brave followers had fallen in these encounters: and +he doubted that he and the others could sustain much longer the +continual assaults of superior numbers. And Lavarcam went, but returned +downcast, saying she saw nought eastwards, but the open plain with the +peaceful herds browsing over it. + + + + +XVI. + +DEATH OF THE SONS OF USNA. + + +Believing now that they could no longer defend the Red Branch, Naisi +took council with his brothers; and what they resolved on was this:--To +sally forth with all their men and fight their way to a place of safety. +Then making a close firm fence of shields and spears round Deirdre, they +marched out in solid ranks and attacked the hireling battalions and slew +three hundred in that onslaught. + +Concobar, seeing the rout of his men, and being now sure that it was not +possible to subdue the Sons of Usna in open fight, cast about if he +might take them by falsehood and craft. And sending for Caffa the druid, +who loved them, he said:-- + +"These sons of Usna are brave men, and it is our pleasure to receive +them back into our service. Go now unto them, for thou art their loved +friend; and say to them that if they lay down their arms and submit to +me, I will restore them to favour and give them their places among the +Red Branch Knights. And I pledge thee my kingly word and my troth as a +true knight, that no harm shall befal them." + +Caffa, by no means distrusting him, went to the Sons of Usna and told +them all the king had said. And they, suspecting neither guile nor +treachery joyfully threw their swords and spears aside, and went towards +the king to make submission. But now, while they stood defenceless, the +king caused them to be seized and bound. Then, turning aside he sought +for some one to put them to death; but he found no man of the Ultonians +willing to do so. + +Among his followers was a foreigner named Maini of the Rough Hand, whose +father and two brothers had fallen in battle by Naisi: and this man +undertook to kill the Sons of Usna. + +When they were brought forth to their doom, Ardan said:--"I am the +youngest: let me be slain first that I may not see the death of my +brothers." And Ainnli earnestly pleaded for the same thing for himself, +saying that he was born before Ardan and should die before him. + +But Naisi said:--"Lo, I have a sword, the gift of Mannanan Mac Lir, +which leaves no remnant unfinished after a blow: let us be struck with +it, all three together, and we shall die at the same moment." + +This was agreed to: and the sword was brought forth, and they laid their +heads close together, and Maini swept off all three with one blow of the +mighty sword. And when it became known that the Sons of Usna were dead, +the men of Ulaid sent forth three great cries of grief and lamentation. + +As for Deirdre, she cried aloud, and tore her golden hair, and became +like one distracted. And after a time, when her calmness had a little +returned, she uttered a lament:-- + + +I. + +"Three lions of the hill are dead, and I am left alone to weep for them. +The generous princes who made the stranger welcome have been guilefully +lured to their doom. + + +II. + +"The three strong hawks of Slieve Cullinn,[82-1] a king's three sons, +strong and gentle: willing obedience was yielded to them by heroes who +had conquered many lands. + + [82-1] Slieve Cullinn, now Slieve Gullion mountain in Armagh. + + +III. + +"Three generous heroes of the Red Branch, who loved to praise the valour +of others: three props of the battalions of Quelna: their fall is the +cause of bitter grief. + + +IV. + +"Ainnli and Ardan, haughty and fierce in battle, to me were ever loving +and gentle: Naisi, Naisi, beloved spouse of my choice, thou canst not +hear thy Deirdre lamenting thee. + + +V. + +"When they brought down the fleet red deer in the chase, when they +speared the salmon skilfully in the clear water, joyful and proud were +they if I looked on. + + +VI. + +"Often when my feeble feet grew weary wandering along the valleys, and +climbing the hills to view the chase, often would they bear me home +lightly on their linked shields and spears. + + +VII. + +"It was gladness of heart to be with the Sons of Usna: long and weary is +the day without their company: short will be my span of life since they +have left me. + + +VIII. + +"Sorrow and tears have dimmed my eyes, looking at the grave of Naisi: a +dark deadly sickness has seized my heart: I cannot, I cannot live after +Naisi. + + +IX. + +"O, thou who diggest the new grave, make it deep and wide: let it be a +grave for four: for I will sleep for ever beside my beloved." + + +When she had spoken these words, she fell beside the body of Naisi and +died immediately. And a great cairn of stones was piled over their +grave, and their names were inscribed in Ogham, and their funeral rites +were performed. + +This is the sorrowful tale of The Fate of the Sons of Usna. + + + + +XVII. + +AVENGING AND BRIGHT. + + + Avenging and bright fall the swift sword of Erin, + On him, who the brave sons of Usna betray'd! + For ev'ry fond eye he hath waken'd a tear in, + A drop from his heart-wounds shall weep o'er her blade. + + By the red cloud that hung over Connor's dark dwelling, + When Ulad's three champions lay sleeping in gore-- + By the billows of war which, so often high swelling, + Have wafted these heroes to victory's shore? + + We swear to revenge them!--no joy shall be tasted, + The harp shall be silent, the maiden unwed, + Our halls shall be mute, and our fields shall lie wasted, + Till vengeance is wreak'd on the murderer's head. + + Yes, monarch! though sweet are our home recollections, + Though sweet are the tears that from tenderness fall; + Though sweet are our friendships, our hopes, our affections, + Revenge[85-1] on a tyrant is sweetest of all! + + THOMAS MOORE. + + [85-1] The Red Branch Knights were all pagans; and besides, what + they meant here by revenge was merely punishment for a + great crime. + + + + +XVIII. + +THE WRATH OF FERGUS MAC ROY. + + +Barach's banquet was ended. Fergus, anxious and impatient, returned with +his people to Emain. And when he found that the sons of Usna had been +slain in violation of his pledge, and that his son, Illan the Fair, had +fallen while defending them, his grief and wrath knew no bounds. Caffa +the druid was none the less incensed; and he was in sore anguish: for he +it was, who, trusting in Concobar's deceitful promises, persuaded the +sons of Usna to give up their arms and yield. And he pronounced the doom +of Concobar's race, that neither he nor any of his descendants should +reign in Emain thenceforward for evermore. + +And these two, Fergus and Caffa, collecting their men of valour, spoiled +and laid waste Concobar's territory; till at last a battle was fought +between them, in which the king was defeated, and three hundred of his +bravest Ultonians were slain, besides his son and many other illustrious +persons in his service. Fergus and Caffa then attacked Emain, and burned +and pillaged it, and slew those who defended it. And though the palace +was rebuilt in due time, and continued to be the residence of the kings +of Ulaid for more than three hundred years afterwards, none of +Concobar's descendants possessed it, as Caffa had foretold. + +[Illustration: Bronze celts. A celt was a sort of battle axe; sometimes +made of bronze, sometimes of stone. The right hand figure shows how the +bronze head was fixed to the handle. Great numbers of these celts of +many different shapes, both stone and bronze, are preserved in the +National Museum, Dublin.] + +After this, Fergus and other great champions of the Red Branch, with +three thousand warriors, marched into Connaught, where Ailell and +Maive, king and queen of that province, being at war with Concobar, +welcomed them and took them gladly into their service. And for seven +years they continued to send marauding parties to spoil and ravage the +province of Ulaid, so that many battles were fought, and many heroes +were slain. In the stories of this war we read much of the mighty +champion Cuculainn who was the chief defender of Ulaid against Ailell +and Maive's forces. + + + + +XIX. + +ANCIENT IRISH PHYSICIANS: PART I. + + +Among most nations of old times there were great leeches or physicians, +who were considered so skilful that the people believed they could cure +wounds and ailments as if by magic. In some countries they became gods, +as among the Greeks. + +The ancient Irish people, too, had their mighty leech, a Dedannan named +Dianket, who, as they believed, could heal all wounds and cure all +diseases; so that he became the Irish God of Medicine. He had a son, +Midac, and a daughter, Armedda, who were both as good as himself; and at +last Midac became so skilful that his father killed him in a fit of +jealousy. And, after some time, there grew up from the young doctor's +grave 365 herbs, each with virtue to cure some particular ailment. His +sister Armedda plucked up these herbs, and carefully sorting them, +wrapped them up in her mantle. But the jealous old Dianket came and +mixed them all up, so that no one could distinguish them: and but for +this--according to the legend--every physician would now be able to cure +all diseases without delay, by selecting and applying the proper herbs. + +Leaving these shadowy old-world stories, let us come down to historic +times, when we shall, as it were, tread on solid ground. From the very +earliest times medicine and surgery were carefully studied in Ireland: +and there was a distinct class of professional medical doctors, who +underwent a course of education and practical training. A young man +usually learned to be a physician by apprenticeship, i.e. by living in +the house of a regular physician, and accompanying him on his visits to +patients to learn his methods of treatment. + +A king or a great chief had always a physician as part of his household, +to attend to the health of his family. The usual remuneration of these +men was a residence and a tract of land in the neighbourhood, free of +all rent and taxes, together with certain allowances: and the medical +man might, if he chose, practise for fee outside the household. Some of +those in the service of great kings had castles, and lived in state like +princes. Those not so attached lived on their fees, like many doctors +of the present day: and the fees for the various operations or +attendances were laid down in the Brehon Law.[89-1] + + [89-1] The Brehon Law: that is, the old law of Ireland. + +Though medical doctors were looked up to with great respect, they had to +be very careful in exercising their profession. A leech who through +carelessness, or wilful neglect, or gross want of skill, failed to cure +a wound, might be brought before a brehon or judge, and if the case was +proved home against him, he had to pay the same fine to the patient, as +if he had inflicted the wound with his own hand. + + + + +XX. + +ANCIENT IRISH PHYSICIANS: PART II. + + +Medicine, as a profession, like Law, History, &c., often ran in families +in Ireland, descending regularly from father to son; and several Irish +families were distinguished leeches for generations, such as the +O'Shiels, the O'Cassidys, the O'Hickeys, and the O'Lees. + +Each medical family kept a book, which was handed down reverently from +father to son, and in which was written, in Irish or Latin, all the +medical knowledge derived either from other books or from the actual +experience of the various members of the family; and many of these old +volumes, all in beautiful handwriting, are still preserved in Dublin and +elsewhere. As showing the admirable spirit in which those good men +studied and practised their profession, and how much they loved it, it +is worth while to give a translation of the opening statement, a sort of +preface, in the Irish language, written at the beginning of one of these +books, in the year 1352. + +"May the good God have mercy on us all. I have here collected practical +rules of medicine from several works, for the honour of God, for the +benefit of the Irish people, for the instruction of my pupils, and for +the love of my friends and of my kindred. I have translated many of them +into Gaelic from Latin books, containing the lore of the great leeches +of Greece and Rome. These are sweet and profitable things which have +been often tested by us and by our instructors. + +"I pray God to bless those doctors who will use this book; and I lay it +as an injunction on their souls, that they extract knowledge from it not +by any means sparingly, and that they do not neglect the practical rules +herein contained. More especially I charge them that they do their duty +devotedly in cases where they receive no payment on account of the +poverty of their patients. + +"Let every physician, before he begins his treatment, offer up a secret +prayer for the sick person, and implore the heavenly Father, the +Physician and Balm-giver of all mankind, to prosper the work he is +entering upon, and to save himself and his patient from failure." + +There is good reason to believe that the noble sentiments here expressed +were generally those of the physicians of the time; from which we may +see that the old Irish medical doctors were quite as devoted to their +profession, as eager for knowledge, and as anxious about their patients +as those of the present day. + +The fame of the Irish physicians reached the continent. Even at a +comparatively late time, about three hundred years ago, when medicine +had been successfully studied and practised in Ireland for more than a +thousand years, a well-known and distinguished physician of +Brussels,[91-1] in a book written by him in Latin on medical subjects, +praises the Irish doctors, and describes them correctly as follows:-- + + [91-1] Van Helmont. + +"In the household of every great lord in Ireland there is a physician +who has a tract of land for his support, and who is appointed to his +post, not on account of the great amount of learning he brings away in +his head from colleges, but because he is able to cure diseases. His +knowledge of the healing art is derived from books left him by his +forefathers, which describe very exactly the marks and signs by which +the various diseases are known, and lay down the proper remedies for +each. These remedies, [which are mostly herbs], are all produced in that +country. Accordingly, the Irish people are much better managed in +sickness than the Italians, who have a physician in every village." + +It is pleasant to know that the Irish physicians of our time who, it is +generally agreed, are equal to those of any other country in the world, +can look back with respect, and not without some feeling of pride, to +their Irish predecessors of the times of old. + + + + +XXI. + +THE FENA OF ERIN. + + +In the third century of the Christian era lived the Fena[92-1] of Erin, +a famous body of warriors something like the Red Branch Knights of an +older time. Their most renowned commander was Finn Mac Cumaill [Cool], +King Cormac Mac Art's son-in-law, who of all the heroes of ancient +Ireland is at the present day best remembered in tradition by the +people. + + [92-1] Fena, spelled _Fianna_ in Irish, and pronounced _Feena_. + +Finn had his chief residence on the Hill of Allen, a remarkable +flat-topped hill lying about four miles to the right of the railway as +you pass from Newbridge towards Kildare, which will be at once +recognised by a tall pillar erected fifty or sixty years ago on the +top, on the very site of Finn's palace. There are now very little +remains of the palace-fort, which, there is good reason to believe, was +at no time very large. Whatever remained of it has been cleared away, +partly to make room for the pillar, and partly by cultivation, for the +land has been tilled and cropped to the very summit. The whole +neighbourhood however still teems with living traditions of the heroes; +and the people all round the hill tell many stories of Finn and the +Fena, and point out the several spots they frequented. As in the case of +the Red Branch Knights, there were Fena in all the provinces, each +provincial troop under a leader. The Fena of Erin flourished for many +generations; but they reached their greatest glory under Finn in the +time of Cormac Mac Art, who was king of Ireland from A.D. 254 to 277. + +No man was admitted to their ranks till he had proved his strength and +activity by passing severe tests in leaping, running, and defending +himself from attack against great odds. They should be educated in the +sort of learning in vogue at the time, and especially they should be +able to repeat many verses and stories recounting the great deeds of the +times of old, so that they might learn to admire all that was brave and +noble, and that in time of peace they might be bright and entertaining +at banquets and other festive gatherings. They were all mighty men in +fight, brave, and strong, and swift of foot: and they were above all +things bound to be honourable and truthful in their dealings, and to +protect the weak--particularly women and children--from oppression and +wrong. + +The Fena loved open-air games and exercises of all kinds, especially the +chase. They had a breed of enormous dogs of which they were very fond, +gentle and affectionate at home, but fierce and terrible in the chase; +and from Beltane (1st of May) to Samin (1st November) they hunted deer, +wild boars, and other game through the forests, and over the hills, +glens, and plains. Though the chief men among them rode on horseback +when travelling long distances from one district to another, they always +hunted on foot, never using horses in the chase. During hunting time +they camped out at night, living on the flesh of the animals they +brought down and on the wild fruit and herbs of the forest. + +At midday, whatever game they had killed during the morning they sent by +their attendants to the place appointed for the evening meal, which was +always chosen near a wood and beside a stream or lake. The attendants +roasted one part on hazel spits before immense fires of wood, and baked +the rest on hot stones in a pit dug in the earth. The stones were heated +in the fires. At the bottom of the pit the men placed a layer of these +hot stones: then a layer of meat-joints wrapped in sedge to keep them +from being burned: next another layer of hot stones: down on that more +meat; and so on till the whole was disposed of. When the hunters +returned, their first care was to bathe, so as to remove the sweat and +mire of the chase. Then they attended to their hair: for they wore the +hair long, and were very particular about combing, dressing, and +plaiting it. By the time their preparations were completed, the meat was +ready: and the hungry hunters sat down to their smoking-hot savoury +meal. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish ornamented comb in the National Museum, +Dublin.] + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish gold earring, one of a pair found in Co. +Roscommon] + +After the meal they set up their tents, and each man prepared his bed. +He first put down a thick layer of brushwood from the surrounding +forest; on that he spread a quantity of moss; and on that again a layer +of fresh rushes, on which he slept soundly after his day of joyous, +healthful toil. In the old tales these three materials--brushwood, moss, +and rushes--are called the "Three beddings of the Fena."[95-1] + + [95-1] The above account of how the Fena hunted, cooked, ate, and + slept is from Keating, who took it from old Irish books. + +The Fena were in the service of the kings, and their main duties were to +uphold justice and put down oppression and wrong, to suppress robbers +and other evil-doers, to exact fines and tributes for the king, and to +guard the harbours of the country against pirates and invaders. For +these services they received a fixed pay: during the six months hunting +season, their pay was merely the animals they killed, of which they used +the flesh for food and sold the skins. + +An Irish poet of our day has written of the Milesian people in general, +including those Fena of Erin and the Red Branch Knights:-- + + + "Long, long ago, beyond the misty space + Of twice a thousand years, + In Erin old there dwelt a mighty race + Taller than Roman spears; + Like oaks and towers they had a giant grace, + Were fleet as deers, + With winds and wave they made their biding place, + Those western shepherd seers. + + Great were their deeds, their passions, and their sports. + With clay and stone, + They piled on strath and shore those mystic forts, + Not yet o'erthrown: + On cairn-crowned hills they held their council-courts; + While youths alone, + With giant dogs explored the elk resorts + And brought them down." + + +[Illustration: Cairn, on Carns Hill near Sligo: a "cairn-crowned hill."] + +In many modern stories, Finn is spoken of as a giant; but this is a +vulgar notion. The old romantic tales describe him as a tall, strong +man, though not a giant; with much keen wit, sound sense, and great +judgment: and though he was a mighty champion, he ruled his men more by +wisdom, kindness, and justice, than by strength. When quite a young man +his hair became white like silver: how this happened will be told in the +next story. Oisin [Isheen] or Ossian, the renowned hero-poet of the +Fena, was his son. Oscar the son of Ossian was youthful, comely, +kind-hearted, and valiant. Dermot O'Dyna was the handsomest of all these +heroes. He was unconquerably brave, of untarnished honour, generous, and +self-denying, ever ready to take the post of danger, always giving +credit to others, and never in the least boasting of his own deeds. He +is the finest character of all the Fena; and it would be hard to find +his equal in the ancient tales of any country. We have a vast number of +beautiful stories in the Irish language about Finn and the other heroes +of the Fena, a few of which are translated in this book. + + + + +XXII. + +THE CHASE OF SLIEVE CULLINN. + +IN WHICH OSSIAN RELATES HOW FINN'S HAIR WAS CHANGED IN ONE DAY FROM THE +COLOUR OF GOLD TO SILVERY GREY. + + +On a morning in summer, Finn happened to be walking alone on the lawn +before the palace of Allen, when a doe sprang out from a thicket, and, +passing quite close to him, bounded past like the wind. Without a +moment's delay, he signalled for his companions and dogs; but none heard +except his two hounds, Bran and Skolan. He instantly gave chase, +accompanied only by his two dogs; and before the Fena knew of his +absence, he had left Allen of the green slopes far behind. + +The chase turned northwards; and though the hounds kept close to the +doe, the chief kept quite as close to the hounds the whole way. And so +they continued without rest or pause, till they reached Slieve Cullinn, +far in the north. + +Here the doe made a sudden turn and disappeared; and Finn never caught +sight of her after. And he marvelled much that any doe in the world +should be able to lead Bran and Skolan so long a chase, and escape from +them in the end. Meantime they kept searching, Finn taking one side of +the hill and the dogs another, so that he was at last left quite alone. + +While he was wandering about the hill and whistling for his hounds, he +heard the plaintive cry of a woman at no great distance; and, turning +his steps towards the place, he saw a beautiful young lady sitting on +the brink of a little lake, weeping as if her heart would break. Finn +accosted her; and, seeing that she ceased her weeping for a moment, he +asked her had she seen his two hounds pass that way. + +"I have not seen thy hounds," she replied, "nor have I been at all +concerned in the chase; for, alas, there is something that troubles me +more nearly. I had a precious gold bracelet on my hand, which I prized +beyond anything in the world; and it has fallen from me into the water. +I saw it roll down the steep slope at the bottom, till it went quite out +of my sight. This is the cause of my sorrow, and thou canst remedy the +mishap if thou wilt. The Fena are sworn never to refuse help to a woman +in distress; and I now put it on thee to search for this bracelet, and +cease not till thou find it and restore it to me." + +Finn plunged in without a moment's hesitation; and after swimming three +times round the lake, diving and searching into every nook and cranny at +the bottom, he found the bracelet at last; and approaching the lady, he +handed it to her from the water. The moment she had got it she sprang +into the lake before his eyes, and, diving down, disappeared in an +instant. + +[Illustration: Irish bracelet or armlet of solid gold, now in the +National Museum, Dublin. It is double the size of the picture, of +beautiful shape and workmanship, and weighs 3-3/4 oz.] + +The chief, wondering greatly at this strange behaviour, stepped forth +from the water; but as soon as his feet had touched the dry land, he +lost all his strength, and fell on the brink, a withered, grey old man, +shrunken up and trembling all over with weakness. He sat him down in +woful plight; and soon his hounds came up. They looked at him wistfully +and sniffed and whined around him; but they knew him not, and, passing +on, they ran round the lake, searching in vain for their master. + +On that day we and the Fena in general were assembled in the banquet +hall of the palace of Allen; some feasting, some playing chess, and +others listening to the sweet music of the harpers. While all were in +this wise pleasantly engaged, we suddenly missed our chief, and when we +searched for him he was nowhere to be found: whereupon we became +alarmed. Inquiring now from the lesser people about the palace, we found +that the chief and his two dogs had chased a doe northwards. So, having +mustered a strong party of the Fena, we started in pursuit, and +following the track, never slackened speed till we reached Slieve +Cullinn. + +We began to search round the hill, and after wandering among brakes and +rough, rocky places, we at last espied a grey-headed old man sitting on +the brink of a lake. I went up to him, followed by the rest of the Fena, +and asked him if he had seen a noble-looking hero pass that way, with +two hounds, chasing a doe. He never answered a word, neither did he stir +from where he sat, or even look up; but at the question, his head sank +on his breast, and his limbs shook all over as with palsy. Then he fell +into a sudden fit of grief, wringing his hands and uttering feeble cries +of woe. + +We soothed him and used him gently, hoping he might speak at last; but +to no purpose, for he only lamented the more, and still answered +nothing. + +At last, after this had gone on for some time, and when we were about +to leave him, he told us in a whisper the dreadful secret; and then we +all came to know the truth. When we found that the withered old man was +no other than our beloved king, Finn himself, we uttered three shouts of +lamentation and anger, so loud and prolonged that the foxes and badgers +rushed affrighted from their dens in the hollows of the mountain. + +When quietness was restored, we asked Finn how this dread evil had +befallen him; and he told us that it was the daughter of Culann the +smith who had transformed him by her spells. And then he recounted how +she had lured him to swim in the lake, and how, when he came forth, he +was turned into a withered old man. + +We now made a framework litter of slender poles, and, placing our king +on it, we lifted him tenderly on our shoulders. And, turning from the +lake, we marched slowly up-hill till we came to the fairy palace of +Slieve Cullinn, where we knew the daughter of Culann had her dwelling +deep under ground. Here we set him down, and the whole troop began at +once to dig, determined to find the enchantress in her cave-palace, and +force her to restore our chief. + +For three days and three nights we dug, without a moment's rest or +pause, till at length we reached her hollow dwelling; when she, +affrighted at the tumult and at the vengeful look of the heroes, +suddenly started forth from the cave and stood before us. She held in +her hand a drinking-horn of red gold, which she handed to the king and +told him to drink. No sooner had he drunk from it, than his own shape +and features returned, save only that his hair remained of a silvery +grey. + +When we gazed on our chief in his own graceful and manly form, we were +all pleased with the soft, silvery hue of the grey hairs. And, though +the enchantress appeared ready to restore this also, Finn himself told +her that it pleased him as it pleased the others, and that he chose to +remain grey for the rest of his life. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish bracelet for the wrist. This is of bronze; +but many Irish bracelets were of gold, like that shown at page 100.] + + + + +XXIII. + +SAINT BRIGIT: PART I. + + +Of all the Irish saints, Brigit and Columkille are, next after St. +Patrick, the most loved and revered by the people of Ireland. + +Like many others of our early saints, Brigit came of a noble family. Her +father Dubthach [Duffa] was a distinguished Leinster chief, descended +from the kings of Ireland. For some reason, which we do not know, he and +his wife lived for a time in Faughart near Dundalk, which was then a +part of Ulster: and at Faughart Brigit was born about the year 455. The +family must have soon returned however to their own district, for we +know that Brigit passed her childhood with her parents in the +neighbourhood of Kildare. She was baptised, and carefully instructed and +trained, both in general education and in religion: for her father and +mother were Christians. As she grew up, her quiet, gentle, modest ways +pleased all that knew her. At the time of her birth, St. Patrick was in +the midst of his glorious career; and some say that while she was still +a child she knew him, and that when he died she made with her own hands +a winding sheet in which his body was laid in the grave; which may have +happened, as she was ten or twelve years of age at the time of his +death. + +When Brigit came of an age to choose her way of life, she resolved to be +a nun, to which her parents made no objection. After due preparation she +went to a holy bishop of the neighbourhood, who, at her request, +received her, and placed a white robe on her shoulders and a white veil +over her head. Here she remained for some time in companionship with +eight other maidens who had been received with her, and who placed +themselves under her guidance. As time went on, she became so beloved +for her piety and sweetness of disposition, that many young women asked +to be admitted; so that though she by no means desired that people +should be speaking in her praise, the fame of her little community began +to spread through the country. + +This first establishment was conducted strictly under a set of Rules +drawn up by Brigit herself: and now, bishops in various parts of Ireland +began to apply to her to establish convents in their several districts +under the same rules. She was glad of this, and she did what she could +to meet their wishes. She visited Longford, Tipperary, Limerick, South +Leinster, and Roscommon, one after another; and in all these places she +founded convents. + +At last the people of her own province of Leinster, considering that +they had the best right to her services, sent a number of leading +persons to request that she would fix her permanent residence among +them. She was probably pleased to go back to live in the place where she +had spent her childhood; and she returned to Leinster, where she was +welcomed with great joy. The Leinster people gave her a piece of land +chosen by herself, on the edge of a beautiful level grassy plain, well +known as the Curragh of Kildare. Here, on a low ridge over-looking the +plain, she built a little church, under the shade of a wide-spreading +oak tree, whence it got the name of Kill-dara, the Church of the Oak, or +as we now call it, Kildare. This tree continued to flourish long after +Brigit's death, and it was regarded with great veneration by the people +of the place. A writer of the tenth century--four hundred years after +the foundation of the church--tells us that in his time it was a mere +branchless, withered trunk; but the people had such reverence for it +that no one dared to cut or chip it. + +We are not quite sure of the exact year of Brigit's settlement here; but +it probably occurred about 485, when she was thirty years of age. Hard +by the church she also built a dwelling for herself and her community. +We are told, in the Irish Life of St. Brigit, that this first house was +built of wood, like the houses of the people in general: and the little +church under the oak was probably of wood also, like most churches of +the time. As the number of applicants for admission continued to +increase, both church and dwelling had to be enlarged from time to time; +and the wood was replaced by stone and mortar. Such was the respect in +which the good abbess was held, that visitors came from all parts of the +country to see her and ask her advice and blessing: and many of them +settled down in the place, so that a town gradually grew up near the +convent, which was the beginning of the town of Kildare. + + + + +XXIV. + +SAINT BRIGIT: PART II. + + +Brigit, although now at the head of a great community, and very strict +in carrying out her Rules, still retained all her humility and +gentleness of disposition. With such a large family, there was plenty of +work to do; and it was all done by the nuns, as they kept no servants +and called in no outsiders. The abbess herself, so far as she was able +to withdraw from the cares of governing the establishment, took her part +like the rest in most of the domestic occupations. In some of the old +accounts of her life we are told that she often, with some companions, +herded and tended her flocks of sheep that grazed on the level sward +round the convent. And sometimes she was caught by the heavy +rain-squalls that occasionally sweep across that shelterless plain, so +that her clothes were wet through by the time she returned to the +convent: showing that she took her own share of the rough work. + +Not far from the convent, another establishment was founded, later on, +for men, which afterwards became one of the great Colleges of Ireland. +As the two communities and the population of the town continued to grow, +it was Brigit's earnest desire that a bishop should be there to take +spiritual charge of the whole place. A holy man named Conleth, who had +hitherto spent his life as a hermit in the neighbourhood, was appointed +bishop by the heads of the Church. He was the first bishop of Kildare, +and he took up his residence in the monastery. The name of that good +bishop is to this day held in affectionate remembrance, with that of St. +Brigit, by the people of Kildare and of the country all round. + +[Illustration: Ruins of Kilcrea Abbey, on the river Bride, ten miles +from Cork city. Built in honour of St. Brigit.] + +While the parent convent at Kildare continued to grow, branch houses +under Brigit's Rule, and subject to her authority, were established all +over Ireland; and many establishments for monks were also founded in +honour of her. + +Brigit had such a reputation for wisdom and prudence, that the most +eminent of the saints, and many kings and chiefs of her day, visited +Kildare or corresponded with her, to obtain her advice in doubtful or +difficult matters. Visitors were constantly coming and going, all of +whom she received kindly and treated hospitably. All this, with daily +alms to the needy, and the support of a large community, kept her poor: +for the produce of her land was not nearly sufficient to supply her +wants. For a long time in the beginning she and her community suffered +from downright poverty, so that she had often to call on the charity of +her friends and neighbours to assist her. But as time went on, and as +the reputation of the place spread abroad, she received many presents +from rich people, which generally came in the right time, and enabled +her to carry on her establishment without any danger of want. + +Among Brigit's virtues none is more marked than her charity and kindness +of heart towards poor, needy, and helpless people. She never could look +on distress of any kind without trying to relieve it at whatever cost. +Even when a mere girl living with her parents, her father was often +displeased with her for giving away necessary things belonging to the +house to poor people who came in their misery to beg from her. It +happened on one occasion that her father drove her in his chariot to +Naas (in Kildare), where then lived Dunlang king of Leinster; and +dismounting, he entered the palace, leaving his sword behind--a +beautiful and valuable one--while Brigit remained in charge of horse and +chariot. A wretched looking poor man with sickness and want in his face +came up and begged for some relief. Overcome with pity she looked about +for something to give him, and finding nothing but the sword, she handed +it to him. On her father's return he fell into a passion at the loss of +his sword: and when King Dunlang questioned her reproachfully, she +replied:--"If I had all thy wealth I would give it to the poor; for +giving to the poor is giving to the Lord of the Universe." And the king +turning to the father said:--"It is not meet that either you or I should +chide this maiden, for her merit is greater before God than before men": +on which the matter ended: and Brigit returned home with her father. + +Her overflowing kindness of heart was not confined to human beings: it +extended even to the lower animals. Once while she lived in her father's +house, a party of guests were invited, and she was given some pieces of +meat to cook for dinner. And a poor miserable half-starved hound limped +into the house and looked longingly at the meat: whereupon the girl, +quite unable to overcome her feeling of pity, threw him one of the +pieces. And when the poor animal, in his hungry greediness, had +devoured that in a moment, she gave him another, which satisfied him. +And to the last day of her life she retained her tenderness of heart and +her kindness and charity towards the poor. + + + + +XXV. + +SAINT BRIGIT: PART III. + + +Late in life Brigit's influence over young people was unbounded: for her +very gentleness gave tenfold power to her words. Once, seeing a young +man, a student of the neighbouring college, running very violently and +in an unbecoming manner, in presence of some of her nuns, she sent for +him on the spot and asked him why he was running in such haste. He +replied thoughtlessly, and half in jest, that he was running to heaven: +on which she said quietly: "I wish to God, my dear son, that I was +worthy to run with you to-day to the same place: I beg you will pray for +me to help me to arrive there." And when he heard these words, and +looked on her grave kind face, he was greatly moved; and telling her +with tears in his eyes, that he would surely pray for her and for many +others besides, he besought her to offer up her prayers for him, that he +might continue his journey steadily towards heaven, and arrive there in +the end. That young man, whose name was Ninnius, became in after-life +one of the most revered of the Irish saints. + +But with all her gentle unassuming ways, St. Brigit was a woman of +strong mind and great talents. She not only governed her various +establishments in strict accordance with her own Rules and forms of +discipline, but she was a powerful aid in forwarding the mighty +religious movement that had been commenced by St. Patrick half a century +before. She set an illustrious example to those Irish women who, during +and after her time, entered on a religious life; and though many of them +became distinguished saints, she stands far above them all. No writer +has left us a detailed account of her last hours, as Adamnan has done +for St. Columkille. (See page 150, note, farther on.) We only know that +she died at Kildare on the first of February, in or about the year 523, +and that she received the last consolations of religion from the +grateful hand of that same Ninnius whom she had turned to a religious +life many years before. + +She was buried in Kildare, where her body was entombed in a magnificent +shrine, ornamented with gold, silver, and precious stones. We may be +sure it was a very beautiful work of art, for we know that there was a +noted school of metal workers in Kildare under the direction of St. +Conleth, who was himself a most skilful artist; but this tomb was +plundered by the Danes three hundred years afterwards, and not a trace +of it now remains. + +According to some accounts, the bones of St. Brigit and St. Columkille +were brought to Downpatrick many centuries after the death of both, and +buried in the same tomb with the remains of St. Patrick. Whether this +was so or not, the matter has been commemorated in a Latin verse, of +which the following is a translation:-- + + + "Interred beneath one tomb in Down, a single vault doth hold + Patrick and Brigit and Columkille, three holy saints of old." + + +A well known Welshman, Gerald Barry (Giraldus Cambrensis), who was in +Ireland in 1185, and who wrote an account of it, says that he found "at +Kildare in Leinster, celebrated for the glorious Brigit, the 'Fire of +St. Brigit' which is reported never to go out." This fire was kept up +day and night by the nuns in his time, and for centuries before--how +long no one can tell--probably from the time of the saint herself--and +was continued for centuries after: but it was finally extinguished when +the monasteries were closed up by Henry VIII. in the year 1536. Thomas +Moore, in one of his songs, refers to it in the following words:-- + + "Like the bright lamp that shone in Kildare's holy fane, + And burned through long ages of darkness and storm." + +St. Brigit is venerated in England and Scotland as well as in Ireland: +for in both these countries churches were built in her honour, and many +convents were established under her name and rule. She was also well +known and honoured on the Continent. We need not wonder that her life +has been written by many Irishmen: but English, Scotch, French, Italian, +and German writers have also written about her and have commemorated her +as one of the most eminent saints of the West. + +Convents and monasteries were maintained in Kildare for hundreds of +years after the time of St. Brigit; and "Kildare's holy fane" is still +venerated as much as ever. On the very ridge where the humble little +church was erected fourteen hundred years ago, there is a group of fine +old church buildings, with a tall round tower that overlooks the +splendid plain of Kildare. + + + + +XXVI. + +IRISH SCRIBES AND BOOKS. + + +In old times all books were handwritten, printing being a late +invention. There were persons called Scribes, many of whom made writing +the chief business of their lives. From constant practice they became +very expert; and the penmanship of many of them was extremely beautiful +and highly ornamented, much more so than any writing executed by the +very best penmen of the present day. + +In Ireland, most of these scribes were monks, inmates of monasteries; +but many were laymen. These good and industrious men wrote into their +books all the learning of every kind that they could collect; so that +although the work of writing was slow, the numbers of books rapidly +increased; and very large libraries grew up, especially in the +monasteries. The leaves of these books were not paper like those of our +books, but parchment or vellum, which was generally made from sheepskin, +but often from the skins of other animals. + +Sometimes the scribes wrote down what had never been written before, +that is, matters composed at the time, or preserved in memory: but more +commonly they copied from other volumes. If an old book began to be +worn, ragged, or dim with age, so as to be hard to make out and read, +some scribe was sure to copy it, so as to have a new book easy to read +and well bound up. Most of the books written out in this manner related +to Ireland, as will be described presently; and the language of these +was almost always Irish. For in those times the Irish language was +spoken by all the people of Ireland. + +A favourite occupation was copying portions of the Holy Scriptures, +nearly always in the Latin language; and in this good work some monks +spent nearly all their time, in order to multiply copies of the sacred +books. Some of the greatest saints of the ancient Irish Church employed +themselves in copying the Gospels and other portions of the Bible, +whenever they could get the opportunity, as we shall see in the case of +St. Columkille. + +Copies of the Scriptures, and also prayer books, were generally +ornamented in the most beautiful way: for those accomplished and devoted +old scribes loved to beautify the sacred writings. Many of the lovely +books they wrote are still preserved, of which the most splendid is the +Book of Kells, now kept in the Library of Trinity College, in Dublin. It +is a copy of the Four Gospels, and the language is Latin, though the +letters are Irish. It was written by an Irish scribe eleven or twelve +hundred years ago, but who he was is not known. + +There is no old book in any part of the world so skilfully ornamented as +this. The capital letters are very large--one of them fills an entire +page--and are all illuminated, that is, painted in brilliant colours; +and after the lapse of so many centuries the colours are still very +fresh, though not so bright as when they were first laid on. + +In this Book of Kells, and in others like it, the capitals are +ornamented in every part with a kind of interlaced work, all done with +the pen, in which bands and ribbons are curved and plaited and woven in +the most wonderful way. These plaits and folds are so small and so close +together that one must sometimes use a magnifying glass in order to see +them plainly: in one space, the size of a half penny, in a page of a +splendid old volume, called the Book of Armagh, the ribbons appear woven +in and out more than three hundred times. + +A specimen of this interwoven ornamental work is seen at the head of the +first page of this book; but it gives only a poor idea of the beauty of +the Book of Kells. The frontispiece of the "Child's History of Ireland" +is a perfect copy, in full colours, of a complete page of the Book of +Mac Durnan, which is almost as beautiful as the Book of Kells. The Irish +used this sort of ornamentation also in metal-work and stone-work, of +which an example is given here. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish Ornamental Sculpture on a Stone Monument.] + +Very often, large volumes were kept, into which were written +compositions of all kinds, both prose and poetry, such as were thought +worth preserving, copied from older books, and written in, one after +another, till the volume was filled. Of all these old books of mixed +compositions, the largest that remains to us is the Book of Leinster, +which is kept in Trinity College in Dublin. It is an immense volume, all +in the Irish language, written more than 750 years ago; and many of the +pages are now almost black with age and very hard to make out. It +contains a great number of pieces, some in prose and some in verse, and +nearly all of them about Ireland--histories, accounts of battles and +sieges, lives and adventures of great men, with many tales and stories +of things that happened in this country in far distant ages. + +The Book of the Dun Cow is preserved in the Royal Irish Academy in +Dublin. It is fifty years older than the Book of Leinster, but not so +large; and it contains also a great number of tales, adventures, and +histories, nearly all relating to Ireland, and all written in the Irish +language. Its name was derived from the following circumstance:--St. +Kieran of Clonmacnoise had a favourite brown cow, whose skin, when she +died, he caused to be turned into parchment, of which a book was made. +But this old book no longer exists: it was lost ages ago; and the +present "Book of the Dun Cow" is only a copy of it. + +Three other great Irish books kept in Dublin are the Book of Lecan +[Leckan], the Yellow Book of Lecan, and the Book of Ballymote. These +contain much the same kind of matter as the Book of Leinster--with +pieces mostly different however--but they are not nearly so old. The +Speckled Book, which is also in Dublin, is nearly as large as the Book +of Leinster, but not so old. It is mostly on religious matters, and +contains a great number of Lives of Saints, Hymns, Sermons, portions of +the Scriptures, and other such pieces. All these books are written with +the greatest care, and in most beautiful penmanship. + +The six old books described above have been lately printed, in such a +way as that the print resembles exactly the writing of the old books +themselves. The printed volumes are now to be found in libraries in +several parts of Ireland, as well as in England and the Continent; so +that those desirous of studying them need not come to Dublin, as people +had to do formerly. + +Many people are now eagerly studying these books and men often come to +Ireland from France, Germany, Italy, Norway and Sweden, Russia, and +other countries, in order to learn the Irish language so as to be able +to read them. But this requires much study, even from those who know the +Irish of the present day; for the language of those books is old and +difficult. + +In many National and Intermediate schools the Irish language is now +taught, and no doubt some of the pupils who attend the Irish classes +will continue their studies after they leave school, till they come to +be able to read our old books. + +A great many old Irish tales and histories have been printed and +translated, and some of them are very beautiful and instructive. Several +of the stories in this book are from the Book of the Dun Cow and the +Book of Leinster. + + + + +XXVII. + +THE GILLA DACKER AND HIS HORSE.[120-1] + + +Once upon a time, when Finn and the Fena were hunting over Munster, Finn +and some of his companions encamped on the slope of Knockainey +hill[120-2] to rest for awhile. And they sent Finn Mac Bressal to the +top of the hill to keep watch and ward, while they amused themselves, +some playing chess, and some viewing the chase all round and listening +to the sweet cry of the hounds. + + [120-1] "The Pursuit of the Gilla Dacker and his horse" is a + humorous story, of which only a few incidents are given + here. The Gilla Dacker was really Mannanan Mac Lir, the + Pagan Irish sea-god, who came in disguise to play a + trick--a sort of practical joke--on the Fena. The whole + story is given in "Old Celtic Romances." + + [120-2] Knockainey: a hill celebrated in story, rising over the + village of Knockainey, in the Co. Limerick. + +Finn Mac Bressal had been watching only a little time, when he saw on +the plain to the east, a Fomor[121-1] of vast size coming towards the +hill, leading a horse. As he came nearer, Finn Mac Bressal observed that +he was the ugliest-looking giant his eyes ever lighted on. He had a +large, thick body, bloated and swollen out to a great size; clumsy, +crooked legs; and broad, flat feet, turned inwards. His hands and arms +and shoulders were bony and thick and very strong-looking; his neck was +long and thin; and while his head was poked forward, his face was turned +up, as he stared straight at Finn Mac Bressal. He had thick lips, and +long crooked teeth; and his face was covered all over with bushy hair. + + [121-1] Fomor, a gigantic warrior, a giant: its real meaning is "a + sea-robber," commonly called a Fomorian. + +He was fully armed; but all his weapons were rusty and soiled. A broad +shield of a dirty, sooty colour, rough and battered, hung over his back; +he had a long, heavy, straight sword at his left hip; and he grasped in +his left hand two thick-handled, broad-headed spears, old and rusty, +that looked as if they had not been handled for years. In his right hand +he held an iron club, which he dragged after him, with its end on the +ground; and it was so heavy that, as it trailed along, it tore up a +track as deep as the furrow a farmer ploughs with a pair of oxen. + +The horse he led was even larger in proportion than the giant himself, +and quite as ugly. His great carcase was covered all over with tangled, +scraggy-hair, of a sooty black; you could count his ribs and all the +points of his big bones through his hide; his legs were crooked and +knotty; his neck was twisted; and as for his jaws, they were so long and +heavy that they made his head look twice too big for his body. + +The giant held the horse by a thick halter, and seemed to be dragging +him forward by main force, the animal was so lazy and so hard to move. +Every now and then when the beast tried to stand still, the giant would +give him a blow on the ribs with his big iron club, which sounded as +loud as the thundering of a great billow against the rough-headed rocks +of the coast. When he gave him a pull forward by the halter, the wonder +was that he did not drag the animal's head away from his body; and, on +the other hand, the horse often gave the halter such a tremendous tug +backwards that it was equally wonderful how the arm of the giant was not +torn from his shoulder. + +Now it was not an easy matter to frighten Finn Mac Bressal; but when he +saw the giant and his horse coming straight towards him in that wise, he +was seized with such fear and horror that he sprang from his seat, and, +snatching up his arms, he ran down the hill-slope with the utmost speed +towards the king and his companions, whom he found sitting round the +chess-board, deep in their game. + +They started up when they saw him looking so scared; and, turning their +eyes towards where he pointed, they saw the big man and his horse coming +up the hill. The Fena stood gazing at him in silent wonder, waiting till +he should arrive; but although he was no great way off when they first +caught sight of him, it was a long time before he reached the spot where +they stood, so slow was the movement of his horse and himself. + + + + +XXVIII. + +THE FENA CARRIED OFF BY THE GILLA DACKER'S HORSE. + + +Patiently and in silence the Fena stood till the giant came up; when he +bowed his head, and bended his knee, and saluted the king with great +respect. + +Finn addressed him; and having given him leave to speak, he asked who he +was, and what was his name; also what was his profession or craft, and +why he had no servant to attend to his horse--if, indeed, such an ugly +old spectre of an animal could be called a horse at all. + +The big man made answer and said, "King of the Fena, I will answer +everything you ask me, as far as lies in my power. As to where I came +from, I am a Fomor of the north; but I have no particular +dwelling-place, for I am continually travelling about from one country +to another, serving the great lords and nobles of the world, and +receiving wages for my service. + +"In the course of my wanderings I have often heard of you, O king, and +of your greatness and splendour and royal bounty; and I have come now to +visit you, and to ask you to take me into your service for one year; and +at the end of that time I shall fix my own wages, according to my +custom. + +"You ask me also why I have no servant for this great horse of mine. The +reason of that is this: at every meal I eat, my master must give me as +much food and drink as would be enough for a hundred men; and whosoever +the lord or chief may be that takes me into his service, it is quite +enough for him to have to provide for me, without having also to feed my +servant. + +"Moreover, I am so very heavy and lazy that I should never be able to +keep up with a company on march if I had to walk; and this is my reason +for keeping a horse at all. + +"My name is the Gilla Dacker,[124-1] and it is not without good reason +that I am so called. For there never was a lazier or worse servant than +I am, or one that grumbles more at doing a day's work for his master. +And I am the hardest person in the whole world to deal with; for, no +matter how good or noble I may think my master, or how kindly he may +treat me, it is hard words and foul reproaches I am likely to give him +for thanks in the end. + + [124-1] Gilla Dacker means "a slothful fellow"--a fellow hard to + move, hard to manage, hard to have anything to do with. + +"This, O Finn, is the account I have to give of myself, and these are my +answers to your questions." + +"Well," answered Finn, "according to your own account, you are not a +very pleasant fellow to have anything to do with; and of a truth there +is not much to praise in your appearance. But things may not be so bad +as you say; and, anyhow, as I have never yet refused any man service and +wages, I will not now refuse you." + +Whereupon the Gilla Dacker was taken into service among the warriors for +a year. + +Then the big man said:--"Now, as to this horse of mine, I find I must +attend to him myself, as I see no one here worthy of putting a hand near +him. So I will lead him to the nearest stud, as I am wont to do, and let +him graze among your horses. I value him greatly, however, and it would +grieve me very much if any harm were to befal him; so," continued he, +turning to the king, "I put him under your protection, O king, and under +the protection of all the Fena that are here present." + +At this speech the Fena all burst out laughing, to see the Gilla Dacker +showing such concern for his miserable, worthless, old skeleton of a +horse. + +Howbeit, the big man, giving not the least heed to their merriment, took +the halter off the horse's head, and turned him loose among the horses +of the Fena. + +But now, this same wretched-looking old animal, instead of beginning to +graze, as every one thought he would, ran in among the horses of the +Fena, and began straightway to work all sorts of mischief. He cocked his +long, hard, switchy tail straight out like a rod, and, throwing up his +hind legs, he kicked about on this side and on that, maiming and +disabling several of the horses. Sometimes he went tearing through the +thickest of the herd, butting at them with his hard, bony forehead; and +he opened out his lips with a vicious grin, and tore all he could lay +hold on, with his sharp, crooked teeth, so that none were safe that came +in his way either before or behind. And the end of it was, that not an +animal of the whole herd escaped, without having a leg broken, or an eye +knocked out, or his ribs fractured, or his ear bitten off, or the side +of his face torn open, or without being in some other way cut or maimed +beyond cure. + +At last he left them, and was making straight for a small field where +Conan Mail's horses were grazing by themselves, intending to play the +same tricks among them. But Conan, seeing this, shouted in great alarm +to the Gilla Dacker, to bring away his horse, and not let him work any +more mischief; and threatening, if he did not do so at once, to go +himself and knock the brains out of the vicious old brute on the spot. + +But the Gilla Dacker took the matter quite coolly; and he told Conan +that he saw no way of preventing his horse from joining the others, +except some one put the halter on him and held him, which would, of +course, he said, prevent the poor animal from grazing, and would leave +him hungry at the end of the day. "But," said he to Conan, "there is the +halter; and if you are in any fear for your own animals, you may go +yourself and bring him away from the field." + +Conan was in a mighty rage when he heard this; and as he saw the big +horse just about to cross the fence, he snatched up the halter, and +running forward with long strides, he threw it over the animal's head +and attempted to lead him back. But in a moment the horse stood stock +still, and his body and legs became as stiff as if they were made of +wood; and though Conan pulled and tugged with might and main, he was not +able to stir him an inch from his place. + +He gave up pulling at last, when he found it was no use; but he still +kept on holding the halter, while the big horse never made the least +stir, but stood as if he had been turned into stone; the Gilla Dacker +all the time looking on quite unconcernedly, and the others laughing at +Conan's perplexity. But no one offered to relieve him. + +At last Conan jumped up on the horse, and tried to urge him on, but all +to no purpose: for the animal never stirred. Another of the Fena now +mounted behind him, and another, and another, till there were fourteen +of them on the horse's back. Then the Gilla Dacker, suddenly tucking up +his skirts, darted away from the Fena, and ran south-west with the speed +of a swallow flying across a mountain side, or of a March wind sweeping +over the plain. When the horse saw his master running, he stirred +himself at once and followed him with equal speed, carrying off the +whole fourteen men, and plunging and tearing along as if he had nothing +at all on his back. + +The men now tried to throw themselves off; but this, indeed, they were +not able to do, for the good reason that they found themselves fastened +firmly, hands and feet and all, to the horse's back. Moreover they found +that their seat was not a comfortable one, for the old horse's backbone +was rough and scraggy, and nearly as sharp as a saw. + +And now Conan, looking round, raised his big voice, and shouted to Finn +and the Fena, asking them were they content to let their friends be +carried off in that manner by such a horrible, foul-looking old spectre +of a horse. + +Finn and the others, hearing this, instantly started off in pursuit, and +for miles on miles they kept the Gilla Dacker and the horse in view, but +were not able to overtake them. At last the horse and his master came to +the shore of the sea in the west of Kerry, and without stop or stay they +plunged forward, moving over the waves the same as on the dry land: and +just as the Fena arrived at the shore, they lost sight of them in the +distance. + + + + +XXIX. + +DERMOT O'DYNA AT THE WELL. + + +Great was the astonishment of the Fena, and great their dismay, on +seeing their comrades carried off in this manner on the back of the big +horse. And now they took counsel; and what they resolved on was, to send +Dermot O'Dyna and a party of the Fena in a ship to search for their +companions. And Dermot and the others went on board, and sailed to the +west for many leagues, till they lost sight of the shores of Erin. At +length they came to an island with steep cliffs all round, so high that +its head seemed hidden in the clouds: and they saw by the tracks, that +up the face of this cliff the horse had made his way. And it was agreed +that Dermot O'Dyna should climb up and explore the island in quest of +their comrades. Then Dermot put on his armour and his helmet, and took +his shield, his two spears, and his sword: and leaning on the handles of +the spears, he leaped with a light, airy bound on the nearest shelf of +rock. Using his spears and his hands, he climbed from ledge to ledge, +while his companions watched him anxiously from below; till, after much +toil, he measured the soles of his two feet on the green sod at the top +of the rock. And when, recovering breath, he turned round and looked at +his companions in the ship far below, he started back with amazement and +dread at the dizzy height. + +He now looked inland, and saw a beautiful country spread out before +him:--a lovely, flowery plain straight in front, bordered with pleasant +hills, and shaded with groves of many kinds of trees. It was enough to +banish all care and sadness from one's heart to view this country, and +to listen to the warbling of the birds, the humming of the bees among +the flowers, the rustling of the wind through the trees, and the +pleasant voices of the streams and waterfalls. + +Making no delay, Dermot set out to walk across the plain. He had not +been long walking when he saw, right before him, a great tree laden with +fruit, over-topping all the other trees of the plain. It was surrounded +at a little distance by a circle of pillar-stones; and one stone, taller +than the others, stood in the centre near the tree. Beside this +pillar-stone was a spring well, with a large, round pool as clear as +crystal; and the water bubbled up in the centre, and flowed away towards +the middle of the plain in a slender stream. + +Dermot was glad when he saw the well; for he was hot and thirsty after +climbing up the cliff. He stooped down to take a drink; but before his +lips touched the water, he heard the heavy tread of a body of warriors, +and the loud clank of arms, as if a whole host were coming straight down +on him. He sprang to his feet and looked round; but the noise ceased in +an instant, and he could see nothing. + +After a little while he stooped once more to drink; and again, before he +had wet his lips, he heard the very same sounds, nearer and louder than +before. A second time he leaped to his feet; and still he saw no one. He +knew not what to think of this; and as he stood wondering and perplexed, +he happened to cast his eyes on the tall pillar-stone that stood on the +brink of the well; and he saw on its top a large, beautiful +drinking-horn,[131-1] chased with gold and enamelled with precious +stones. + + [131-1] The ancient Irish used drinking vessels of various forms + and with several names. A "Drinking-horn" (called a + _corn_: pronounced _curn_) was usually made of a + bullock's horn, hollowed out, cut into shape, and often + highly ornamented with silver rim, precious stones, + carvings, and other decorations. A beautiful + drinking-horn will be found figured in the "Child's + History of Ireland," p. 26. Another kind of drinking + vessel--the mether--has been already noticed here (page + 17 above). + +"Now surely," said Dermot, "I have been doing wrong: it is, no doubt, +one of the virtues of this well that it will not let any one drink of +its waters except from the drinking-horn." + +So he took down the horn, dipped it into the well, and drank without +hindrance, till he had slaked his thirst. + + + + +XXX. + +DERMOT O'DYNA FIGHTS THE WIZARD-CHAMPION, AND AFTER A TIME RESCUES HIS +COMRADES. + + +Hardly had Dermot taken the horn from his lips, when he saw a tall +wizard-champion coming towards him from the east, clad in a complete +suit of mail, and fully armed with shield and helmet, sword and spear. A +beautiful scarlet mantle hung over his armour, fastened at his throat by +a golden brooch; he had a gold torque round his neck; and a broad +circlet of sparkling gold was bended in front across his forehead, to +confine his yellow hair, and keep it from being blown about by the wind. + +As he came nearer, he increased his pace, moving with great strides; and +Dermot now observed that he looked very wrathful. He offered no +greeting, and showed not the least courtesy; but addressed Dermot in a +rough, angry voice-- + +"Surely, Dermot O'Dyna, Erin of the green plains should be wide enough +for you; and it contains abundance of clear, sweet water in its crystal +springs and green bordered streams, from which you might have drunk your +fill. But you have come into my island without my leave, and you have +taken my drinking-horn, and have drunk from my well; and this spot you +shall never leave till you have given me satisfaction for the insult." + +[Illustration: A torque [pronounced _tork_] of gold: a twisted collar +for the neck. Golden torques were much used by kings and other rich +people. Many torques are in the National Museum: but most of them are +better made and twisted more closely than the one here represented.] + +So spoke the wizard-champion, and instantly advanced on Dermot with fury +in his eyes. But Dermot was not the man to be terrified by any hero or +wizard-champion alive. He met the foe half-way; and now, foot to foot, +and knee to knee, and face to face, they began a fight, watchful and +wary at first, but soon hot and vengeful, till their shields and helmets +could scarce withstand their strong thrusts and blows. Like two enraged +lions fighting to the death, or two strong serpents intertwined in +deadly strife, or two great opposing billows thundering against each +other on the ocean border; such was the strength and fury and +determination of the combat of these two heroes. + +And so they fought through the long day, till evening came, and it began +to be dusk; when suddenly the wizard-champion sprang outside the range +of Dermot's sword, and leaping up with a great bound, he alighted in the +very centre of the well. Down he went through it, and disappeared in a +moment before Dermot's eyes, as if the well had swallowed him up. Dermot +stood on the brink, leaning on his spear, amazed and perplexed, looking +after him in the water; but whether the hero had meant to drown himself, +or that he had played some wizard trick, Dermot knew not. + +He sat down to rest, full of vexation that the wizard-champion should +have got off so easily. And what chafed him still more was that his +companions knew nought of what had happened, and that when he returned, +he could tell them nothing of the strange hero; neither had he the least +token or trophy to show them after his long fight. + +Dermot now began to think what was best to be done; and he made up his +mind to stay near the well all night, in the hope of finding out +something further about the wizard-champion on the morrow. + +He walked towards the nearest point of a great forest that stretched +from the mountain down to the plain on his left; and as he came near, a +herd of speckled deer ran by among the trees. Poising his spear, he +threw it with an unerring cast, and brought down the nearest of the +herd. + +Then, having lighted a fire under a tree, he skinned the deer and fixed +it on long hazel spits to roast, having first, however, gone to the +well, and brought away the drinking-horn full of water. And he sat +beside the roasting deer to turn it and tend the fire, waiting +impatiently for his meal; for he was hungry and tired after the toil of +the day. + +When the deer was cooked, he ate till he was satisfied, and drank the +clear water of the well from the drinking-horn; after which he lay down +under the shade of the tree, beside the fire, and slept a sound sleep +till morning. + +Night passed away and the sun rose, bringing morning with its abundant +light. Dermot started up, refreshed after his long sleep, and, repairing +to the forest, he slew another deer, and fixed it on hazel spits to +roast at the fire as before. For Dermot had this custom, that he would +never eat of any food left from a former meal. + +And after he had eaten of the deer's flesh and drunk from the horn, he +went towards the well. But though his visit was early, he found the +wizard-champion there before him, standing beside the pillar-stone, +fully armed as before, and looking now more wrathful than ever. Dermot +was much surprised; but before he had time to speak, the wizard-champion +addressed him-- + +"Dermot O'Dyna, you have now put the cap on all your evil deeds. It was +not enough that you took my drinking-horn and drank from my well: you +have done much worse than this, for you have hunted on my grounds, and +have killed some of my speckled deer. Surely there are many +hunting-grounds in Erin of the green plains, with plenty of deer in +them; and you need not have come hither to commit these robberies on me. +But now for a certainty you shall not go from this spot till I have +taken satisfaction for all these misdeeds." + +And again the two champions attacked each other, and fought during the +long day, from morning till evening. And when the dusk began to fall, +the wizard-champion leaped into the well, and disappeared down through +it, even as he had done the day before. + +The selfsame thing happened on the third day. And each day, morning and +evening, Dermot killed a deer, and ate of its flesh, and drank of the +water of the well from the drinking-horn. + +On the fourth morning, Dermot found the wizard-champion standing as +usual by the pillar-stone near the well. And as each morning he looked +more angry than on the morning before, so now he scowled in a way that +would have terrified anyone but Dermot O'Dyna. + +And they fought during the day till the dusk of evening. But now Dermot +watched his foe narrowly; and when he saw him about to spring into the +well he closed on him and threw his arms round him. The wizard-champion +struggled to free himself, moving all the time nearer and nearer to the +brink; but Dermot held on, till at last both fell into the well. Down +they went, clinging to each other, Dermot and the strange champion; +down, down, deeper and deeper they went; and Dermot tried to look round, +but nothing could he see save darkness and dim shadows. At length there +was a glimmer of light; then the bright day burst suddenly upon them; +and presently they came to the solid ground, gently and without the +least shock. + +At the very moment they reached the ground, the wizard-champion, with a +sudden effort, tore himself away from Dermot's grasp, and ran forward +with great speed. Dermot leaped to his feet; and he was so amazed at +what he saw around him that he stood stock still and let the +wizard-champion escape:--a lovely country, with many green-sided hills +and fair valleys between, woods of red yew trees, and plains laughing +all over with flowers of every hue. + +Right before him, not far off, lay a city of great tall houses with +glittering roofs; and on the side nearest to him was a royal palace, +larger and grander than the rest. On the level green in front of the +palace were a number of knights, all armed, and amusing themselves with +various warlike exercises of sword and shield and spear. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish bronze shield, 28 inches in diameter, found +in a bog in the Co. Limerick. Shields were often made of yew-wood, which +is very hard: and oftener still of wickerwork, covered outside with +tough hides, generally tanned. Wickerwork shields were sometimes large +enough to cover the whole body. On the inside of every shield was a +crossbar which was held in the hand: and for additional safety a leather +strap fastened to the shield, went round the warrior's neck.] + +To tell all Dermot's adventures here would be too long for this book. +But he remained in that strange country, till he met the wizard +champion and subdued him in fight. And after much searching he found +Conan and the others who had been carried off by the Gilla Dacker's +horse after which they all returned to the ship. And they sailed back to +Erin where, when they landed, they were welcomed with a mighty shout by +the assembled Fena. + + From "Old Celtic Romances," by P. W. JOYCE, LL.D. + + + + +XXXI. + +SAINT COLUMKILLE: PART I. + + +Saint Columkille[139-1] was born in the year 521, in Gartan, a wild +district in the county Donegal, not far from Letterkenny. He was a near +relation of the kings of Ireland of his time; for his father was +great-grandson of the mighty King Niall of the Nine Hostages (see p. 5): +and his mother was related to the kings of Leinster. He spent his +boyhood in a little village near Gartan; and when he was old enough, he +was sent away from his home to a school kept by a distinguished bishop +and teacher, St. Finnen, at Movilla, near the present Newtownards, in +Down. Though he belonged to a princely family, and might easily have +become rich and great, he gave up these worldly advantages for religion, +and resolved to become a priest. + + [139-1] In books he is often called Columba; but in Ireland he is + best known by the name Columkille. This is derived from + _colum_ [pron. _collum_] a dove, and _cill_, or _kill_, a + church: the "Dove of the church." This name was given him + when a boy from his gentle, affectionate disposition, and + because he was so fond of praying in the little church of + Tullydouglas, near where he was born: so that the little + boys who were accustomed to play with him used often to + ask: "Has our little _Colum_ yet come from the church?" + + The sketch given here is taken chiefly, but not + altogether, from Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba." Adamnan + was a native of Tirconnell or Donegal, like Columba + himself. He died in the year 703. He was the ninth abbot + of Iona, of which Columba was the first. His "Life of St. + Columba" is a very beautiful piece of Latin composition. + +[Illustration: Ruins of the Monastery of Movilla, near Newtownards. +(Drawn in 1845.)] + +Having spent some time at Movilla, the youthful Columkille went to +several other Irish Colleges, including that of St. Movi, at Glasnevin, +near Dublin; and as he was a diligent student, he made great progress in +all. The most celebrated of these was at Clonard, in Meath, in which +there were many hundreds of students under the instruction of another +St. Finnen, a great and holy man, who is styled in old Irish writings "a +doctor of wisdom and the tutor of the saints of Ireland in his time." +Here Columkille met many young Irishmen who afterwards became +distinguished saints and missionaries. + +As soon as he was ordained priest, he set about the work of his +life--spreading the Gospel. At that time the high ridge over the river +Foyle, where now stands the old city of Derry, was an uninhabited spot, +clothed with a splendid wood of oaks, from which it got the name of +Derry, meaning an oak grove: this spot was presented to Columkille by +his cousin, prince Aed, afterwards king of Ireland. Here, when he was +twenty-five years of age, he built his first church, round which grew up +a monastery that continued to flourish for many hundred years, so that, +in memory of the saint, the place was long afterwards known by the name +of Derry-Columkille. At this period of his life he was a man of noble +presence, a worthy member of a kingly race, as one of the old Irish +writers describes him:--tall, broad-shouldered, and powerful: with long, +curling hair: luminous grey eyes, and a countenance bright and +pleasing: and he was always lively and agreeable in conversation. + +[Illustration: Remains of a Round Tower at Drumcliff, 4 miles north of +Sligo town: built near the church founded by St. Columkille; but long +after his time.] + +For fifteen years after the establishment of Derry, Columkille continued +to found churches all over the country, among many others those of Kells +in Meath, Tory Island, Swords near Dublin, Drumcliff in Sligo, and +Durrow in King's County, the last of which was his chief establishment +in Ireland. It is recorded that during these fifteen years he founded +altogether three hundred churches and monasteries. These establishments, +like all the other Irish monasteries, were the means of spreading not +only religion but general enlightenment: for in most of them there were +schools; and the priests and monks converted, and taught, and civilised, +to the best of their power, the people in their neighbourhood. + +Many years before this, St. Patrick and the missionaries who worked +under his guidance, had converted the greatest part of the Irish people +to Christianity. But the time was too short and the missionaries too few +to instruct the newly-converted people fully in their faith: so that +although they were Christians, many of them had only a poor knowledge of +the Christian doctrine. In those times there were certain persons in +Ireland called Druids, who were the learned men among the pagans of the +day, and who taught the people the pagan religion known as Druidism. +They hated the Christian faith, and gave St. Patrick and his companions +great trouble by trying to persuade the pagan Irish not to become +Christians. They continued in the country till the time of St. +Columkille, as active as ever though much fewer; and St. Columkille and +the other missionaries of his time had often hard work to win over the +people from the false teaching of these druids, and make good Christians +of them. + +A great part of the north of Scotland was then inhabited by a people +called the Picts. Those of them who lived south of the Grampian +mountains had been converted some time before by St. Ninian of +Glastonbury:[143-1] but the northern Picts were still pagans; and +Columkille made up his mind to leave Ireland and devote the rest of his +life to their conversion. In 563, in the forty-second year of his age, +he bade a sorrowful farewell to his native country, and crossing the sea +with twelve companions, he settled in the island of Iona, in the +Hebrides, which had been presented to him by his relative, the king of +that part of Scotland. Here he built his little church and monastery, +all of wood, and began to prepare for his glorious work. This little +island afterwards became the Greatest religious centre in Scotland: and +grand churches and other buildings were erected in and around the site +of Columkille's humble structures. For many centuries Iona was held in +such honour that most of the kings and chiefs and other great people of +Scotland were buried in it; and to this day it is full of venerable and +beautiful ruins, which are every year visited by people from all parts +of the British Islands. + + [143-1] Glastonbury, a town in Somersetshire, in England, where in + old times there was a celebrated monastery, much reported + to by Irish students. + +The most laborious part of St. Columkille's active life began after his +settlement in Iona. He traversed the Highlands of Scotland and the +Islands of the Hebrides, sometimes in a rude chariot, sometimes on foot, +visiting the kings and chiefs of the Picts, and preaching to them in +their homes; and he founded churches and monasteries all over that part +of Scotland, just as he had done in Ireland. After many years of +incessant labour he succeeded in converting the whole of the northern +Picts. + +When Columkille was at home in his monastery resting from his +missionary labours, his favourite occupation was copying the Holy +Scriptures. We are told that he wrote with his own hand, in the course +of years, three hundred copies of the sacred books, which he presented +to the various churches he had founded; and this good work he continued +to the very last day of his life. Besides mere copying, he composed many +hymns and other poems, both in Latin and Irish. He was always employed +at something. Adamnan says that not an hour of the day passed by without +some work for himself and his monks--praying, reading, writing, +arranging the affairs of the monastery, or manual work: for he took his +own share in cooking, grinding corn, overseeing the men who were working +in the fields, and so forth. + + + + +XXXII. + +SAINT COLUMKILLE: PART II. + + +During St. Columkille's residence in Iona he visited Ireland more than +once, on important business: and we may be sure that he was delighted +when the opportunity came to see again the land he loved so well. The +most important of these occasions was when he came over to take part in +a great Meeting--a sort of Parliament for all Ireland--which was held at +a place called Drum-Ketta in Derry. The proceedings at this meeting +will be found described in the "Child's History of Ireland." + +Amidst all the earnest and laborious efforts of St. Columkille in the +cause of religion, he never forgot his native country. He looked upon +himself as an exile, though a voluntary exile in a great and glorious +cause; and a tender regret was always mingled with his recollections of +Ireland. We have in our old books a very ancient poem in the Irish +language, believed to have been composed by him, in which he expresses +himself in this manner:-- + + + "How delightful to be on Ben-Edar before embarking on the foam-white + sea: how pleasant to row one's little curragh all round it, to look + upward at its bare steep border, and to hear the waves dashing; + against its rocky cliffs. + + "A grey eye looks back towards Erin: a grey eye full of tears. + + "While I traverse Alban of the ravens, I think on my little oak + grove in Derry. If the tributes and the riches of Alban were mine, + from the centre to the utmost borders, I would prefer to them all + one little house in Derry. The reason I love Derry is for its + quietness, for its purity, for its crowds of white angels. + + "How sweet it is to think of Durrow: how delightful would it be to + hear the music of the breeze rustling through its groves. + + "Plentiful is the fruit in the Western Island--beloved Erin of many + waterfalls: plentiful her noble proves of oak. Many are her kings + and princes; sweet-voiced her clerics; her birds warble joyously in + the woods; gentle are her youths; wise her seniors; comely and + graceful her women, of spotless virtue; illustrious her men, of + noble aspect. + + "There is a grey eye that fills with tears when it looks back + towards Erin. While I stand on the oaken deck of my bark I stretch + my vision westwards over the briny sea towards Erin." + + +During his whole life Columkille retained his affection for his native +land and for everything connected with it. One breezy day, when he was +now in his old age in Iona, a crane appeared flying towards the island: +it was beaten about by the wind, and with much difficulty it reached the +beach, where it fell down quite spent with hunger and fatigue. And the +good old man said to one of his monks:-- + +"That crane has come from our dear fatherland, and I earnestly commend +it to thee: nurse and cherish it tenderly till it is strong enough to +return again to its sweet home in Scotia." + +Accordingly the monk took the bird up in his arms and brought it to the +hospice, and fed and tended it for three days till it had quite +recovered. The third day was calm, and the bird rose from the earth till +it had come to a great height, when resting for a moment to look +forward, it stretched out its neck and directed its course towards +Ireland. + +[Illustration: Round Tower of St. Canice, Kilkenny: 100 feet high, and +perfect, except that it wants the pointed cap. St. Canice was an +intimate friend of St. Columkille: but this tower was not erected till +some centuries after the death of the two saints.] + +On the day before the saint's death he went to a little hill hard by the +monastery that overlooked the whole place; and gazing-lovingly round him +for the last time, he lifted up his hands and blessed the monastery. And +as he was returning with his attendant, he grew tired and sat down half +way to rest; for he was now very weak. While he was sitting here an old +white horse that was employed for many years to carry the pails between +the milking place and the monastery, first looked at him intently, and +then, coming up slowly, step by step, he laid his head gently on the +saint's bosom. And he began to moan pitifully, and big tears rolled from +his eyes and fell into the saint's lap: which, when the attendant saw, +he came up to drive him away. Put the old man said:--"Let him alone: he +loves me. May be God has given him some dim knowledge that his master is +going; from him and from you all: so let him alone." At last, standing +up, he blessed the poor old animal and returned to the monastery. + +The death call came to him when he was seventy-six years of age. Though +his death was not a sudden one, he had no sickness before it: he simply +sank, wearied out with his life-long labours. Although he knew his end +was near, he kept writing one of the Psalms till he could write no +longer; while his companion Baithen sat beside him. At last, laying down +the pen, he said, "Let Baithen write the rest." + +On the night of that same day, at the toll of the midnight bell for +prayer, he rose, feeble as he was, from his bed, which was nothing but a +bare flagstone, and went to the church hard by, followed immediately +after by his attendant Dermot. He arrived there before the others had +time to bring in the lights; and Dermot, losing sight of him in the +darkness, called out several times, "Where are you, father?" Perceiving +no reply, he felt his way, till he found his master before the altar +kneeling and leaning forward on the steps: and raising him up a little, +supported his head on his breast. The monks now came up with the lights; +and seeing their beloved old master dying, they began to weep. He looked +at them with his face lighted up with joy, and tried to utter a +blessing; but being unable to speak, he raised his hand a little to +bless them, and in the very act of doing so he died in Dermot's +arms.[150-1] + + [150-1] This simple and beautiful narrative of the last days of St. + Columkille, including the two pleasing little stories + about the crane and the old white horse, with the + affecting account of the saint's death, is taken + altogether from Adamnan's Life. The circumstances of + Columkille's death are, in some respects, very like those + attending the death of the Venerable Bede, as recorded in + the tender and loving letter of his pupil, the monk + Cuthbert. But Adamnan's narrative was written more than + forty years before that of Cuthbert. + + Baithen was St. Columkille's first cousin and his most + beloved disciple, and succeeded him as abbot of Iona. + + + + +XXXIII. + +PRINCE ALFRED IN IRELAND. + + +It has been already stated (p. 47) that in early ages great numbers of +foreigners came to Ireland to study in the colleges. Among those was +Aldfrid or Alfred,[150-2] Prince of Northumbria, one of the Kingdoms of +the Saxon Heptarchy. His history is interesting to us as exhibiting an +example of the class of persons who came to Ireland for education in +those days, and as showing the close relations existing between many of +the royal families of England and Ireland. + + [150-2] This Alfred must be distinguished from Alfred the Great who + lived two centuries later. + +In the year 670, on the death of his father Oswy, who was king of +Northumbria, the throne was seized unjustly by Alfred's younger brother, +Egfrid: whereupon Alfred fled to Ireland. He was all the more ready to +choose this as his place of exile, inasmuch as he was fond of learning, +and he knew well that there were more learned and skilful teachers and +better opportunities for study in Ireland than elsewhere. But he had +another good reason; for his mother Fina [Feena] was an Irish princess +of the family of the kings of Meath. The Irish knew him by the name +"Flann," or more commonly Flann Fina, from his mother. He remained many +years in Ireland, studying with great diligence in various colleges, +till he had mastered most of the branches of learning then taught. He +became specially skilled in the Holy Scriptures, and he also learned to +speak and write the Irish language. + +While he was in Ireland he was for a time under the instruction of St. +Adamnan, the writer of the life of St. Columkille (see p. 140, note); +and so close and affectionate was the intimacy between them, that the +ancient Irish writers often call Alfred Adamnan's foster-son. + +In the year 684 a party of Saxons were sent from Northumbria by Egfrid +across the sea on a plundering expedition to Ireland. Having ravaged the +coast of Meath,[152-1] between Ben-Edar and the Boyne, these marauders +carried off a number of captives, who were held in bondage during the +short remainder of his reign. In the very next year Egfrid was killed in +battle, on which the Northumbrian nobles, who were well aware of +Alfred's virtues and great abilities, sent to Ireland inviting him to +take the throne: and accordingly he returned to England and became king +of the Northumbrians. + + [152-1] Meath, one of the five Kingdoms into which Ireland was + divided. Ben-Edar, the old name of Howth, near Dublin. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish thin plate of gold, twice the size of the +picture. This is one of the bosses at the two ends of a gorget, like +that figured at page 19. Now in the National Museum, Dublin.] + +The poor captives were still kept in slavery: but Adamnan, seeing now a +chance for their release, proceeded to the Northumbrian court to plead +with his friend and former pupil for their restoration. He was received +most affectionately; and at his intercession the king had the captives +set free. Adamnan then brought them back, to the number of sixty, and +restored them all rejoicing to their homes and friends. + +As soon as Alfred had taken possession of the throne he took careful +measures to have his people instructed in learning, religion, and +virtue, in accordance with what he had himself seen and learned in +Ireland; and he governed his kingdom for nineteen years in peace and +prosperity. + +In several ancient Irish manuscripts, including the Book of Leinster, +there is a poem in the Irish language in praise of Ireland, said to have +been composed by Alfred Flann Fina; of which the following are some of +the verses faithfully translated[153-1]:-- + + +PRINCE ALDFRID'S ACCOUNT OF IRELAND. + + I found in Inisfail the fair, + In Ireland, while in exile there, + Women of worth, both grave and gay men, + Many clerics and many laymen. + + I travelled its fruitful provinces round, + And in every one of the five I found, + Alike in church and in palace hall, + Abundant apparel, and food for all. + + Gold and silver I found, and money, + Plenty of wheat and plenty of honey; + I found God's people rich in pity, + Found many a feast and many a city. + + I found in Munster, unfettered of any, + Kings, and queens, and poets a many-- + Poets well skilled in music and measure, + Prosperous doings, mirth and pleasure. + + I found in Connaught the just, redundance + Of riches, milk in lavish abundance; + Hospitality, vigour, fame, + In Cruachan's[154-1] land of heroic name. + + I found in Ulster, from hill to glen, + Hardy warriors, resolute men; + Beauty that bloomed when youth was gone, + And strength transmitted from sire to son. + + I found in Leinster the smooth and sleek, + From Dublin to Slewmargy's[154-2] peak; + Flourishing pastures, valour, health, + Long-living worthies, commerce, wealth. + + I found in Meath's fair principality, + Virtue, vigour, and hospitality; + Candour, joyfulness, bravery, purity, + Ireland's bulwark and security. + + I found strict morals in age and youth, + I found historians recording truth; + The things I sing of in verse unsmooth, + I found them all--I have written sooth. + + [153-1] It was translated very exactly into prose in 1832 by the + great Irish scholar Dr. John O'Donovan: the Irish poet + James Clarence Mangan turned this prose with very little + change into verse, part of which is given here. + + [154-1] Cruachan or Croghan in the north of the present Co. + Roscommon, the ancient palace of the kings of Connaught: + see page 52. + + [154-2] Slewmargy, now Slievemargy, a low range of hills in Queen's + County. + + + + +XXXIV. + +THE VOYAGE OF MAILDUNE. + +AN ACCOUNT OF THE ADVENTURES OF MAILDUNE[155-1] AND HIS CREW, AND OF THE +WONDERFUL THINGS THEY SAW DURING THEIR VOYAGE OF THREE YEARS AND SEVEN +MONTHS, IN THEIR CURRAGH, ON THE WESTERN SEA. + + +In that part of Thomond[155-2] lying opposite the Aran Islands there +once lived a young chief named Maildune. When he was an infant, a band +of marauders landed on the coast, and plundered the whole district, and +slew his father by burning the house over his head. Maildune grew up +knowing nothing of all this, for his mother concealed it from him. But +one day, when he was now a young man, he was contending in certain games +of strength with a number of young persons of his own age, and he +obtained the victory in every contest. At last it came to throwing the +handstone: and when he had thrown it farther than all the others, an +envious foul-tongued fellow who was standing by said to him:-- + +"It would better become you to avenge the man who was burned to death +here, than to be amusing yourself casting a stone over his bare, burnt +bones." + + [155-1] Only a few of his adventures are given here: but the whole + story of the voyage is in "Old Celtic Romances": see page + 164, farther on. + + [155-2] Thomond, North Munster, namely the present county Clare and + parts of Tipperary and Limerick. + +"Who was he?" inquired Maildune. + +"Your own father," replied the other. + +"Who slew him?" asked Maildune. + +"Plunderers from a fleet slew him and burned him in this house; and the +same plunderers are now living in an island far out in the sea, and they +still have the same fleet." + +Maildune was disturbed and sad after hearing this. He dropped the stone +that he held in his hand, folded his cloak round him, buckled on his +shield, and left the company. And having made further inquiry and found +that the story was true, he resolved that he would never rest till he +had overtaken these plunderers, and avenged on them the death of his +father. + +Then he sent for a skilful workman to whom he gave directions to make +for him a triple-hide curragh[157-1] large enough to hold sixty persons +and all things needed for a voyage. This was done: and Maildune chose +his companions; and having laid in a little stock of provisions, and +whatever other things were needed, he put to sea. + + [157-1] Curragh, a boat made of basket or wicker work, covered with + hides. Curraghs were generally small and light: but some, + intended for long voyages, were large and strong, and + covered with two, or three, layers of hide one outside + another. Sometimes the hides were tanned into leather to + give additional strength. + + +THE FIRST ISLAND.--TIDINGS OF THE PLUNDERERS. + +They sailed that day and night, as well as the whole of the next day, +till darkness came on again; and at midnight they saw two small bare +islands, with two great houses on them near the shore. When they drew +nigh, they heard the sounds of merriment and laughter, and the shouts of +revellers intermingled with the loud voices of warriors boasting of +their deeds. And listening to catch the conversation, they heard one +warrior say to another-- + +"Stand off from me, for I am a better warrior than thou; it was I who +slew Maildune's father, and burned the house over his head; and no one +has ever dared to avenge it on me. Thou hast never done a great deed +like that!" + +"Now surely," said one of Maildune's companions to him, "Heaven has +guided our ship to this place. Here is an easy victory. Let us sack this +house, since our enemies have been revealed to us and delivered into our +hands!" + +While they were yet speaking, the wind arose, and a great tempest +suddenly broke on them. And they were driven violently before the storm, +all that night and a part of next day, into the great and boundless +ocean; so that they saw neither the islands they had left nor any other +land; and they knew not whither they were going. + +Then Maildune said, "Take down your sail and put by your oars, and let +the curragh drift before the wind in whatsoever direction it pleases God +to lead us": which was done. + + + + +XXXV. + +AN EXTRAORDINARY MONSTER. + + +During the next few days, the wind bore Maildune's curragh along +smoothly, so that the crew had not to use their oars. The island they +now came to had a wall all round it. When they approached the shore, an +animal of vast size, with a thick, rough skin, started up inside the +wall, and ran round the island with the swiftness of the wind. When he +had ended his race, he went to a high point, and standing on a large, +flat stone, began to exercise himself according to his daily custom, in +the following manner. He kept turning himself completely round and round +in his skin, the bones and flesh moving, while the skin remained at +rest. + +When he was tired of this exercise, he rested a little; and he then set +to work turning his skin continually round his body, down at one side +and up at the other like a mill-wheel; but the bones and flesh did not +move. + +After spending some time at this sort of exercise, he started and ran +round the island as at first, as if to refresh himself. He then went +back to the same spot, and this time, while the skin that covered the +lower part of his body remained without motion, he whirled the skin of +the upper part round and round like the movement of a flat-lying +millstone. And it was in this manner that he passed most of his time on +the island. + +Maildune and his people, after they had seen these strange doings, +thought it better not to venture nearer. So they put out to sea in great +haste. The monster, observing them about to fly, ran down to the beach +to seize the curragh; but finding that they had got out of his reach, he +began to fling round stones at them with great force and an excellent +aim. One of them struck Maildune's shield and went quite through it, +lodging in the keel of the curragh; after which the voyagers got beyond +his range and sailed away. + + + In a wall-circled isle a big monster they found, + With a hide like an elephant, leathery and bare; + He threw up his heels with a wonderful bound, + And ran round the isle with the speed of a hare. + + But a feat more astounding has yet to be told: + He turned round and round in his leathery skin; + His bones and his flesh and his sinews he rolled-- + He was resting outside while he twisted within! + + Then changing his practice with marvellous skill, + His carcase stood rigid and round went his hide; + It whirled round his bones like the wheel of a mill-- + He was resting within while he twisted outside! + + Next, standing quite near on a green little hill, + After galloping round in the very same track, + While the skin of his breast remained perfectly still, + Like a millstone he twisted the skin of his back! + + But Maildune and his men put to sea in their boat, + For they saw his two eyes looking over the wall; + And they knew by the way that he opened his throat, + He intended to swallow them, curragh and all! + + +THE SILVER PILLAR OF THE SEA. + +The next wonderful thing the voyagers came across was an immense silver +pillar standing in the sea. It had eight sides, each of which was the +width of an oar-stroke of the curragh, so that its whole circumference +was eight oar-strokes. It rose out of the sea without any land or earth +about it, nothing but the boundless ocean; and they could not see its +base deep down in the water, neither were they able to see the top on +account of its vast height. + +A silver net hung from the top down to the very water, extending far out +at one side of the pillar; and the meshes were so large that the curragh +in full sail went through one of them. When they were passing through +it, Diuran, one of Maildune's companions, struck the mesh with the edge +of his spear, and with the blow cut a large piece off it. + +"Do not destroy the net," said Maildune; "for what we see is the work of +great men." + +"What I have done," answered Diuran, "is for the honour of my God, and +in order that the story of our adventures may be more readily believed; +and I shall lay this silver as an offering on the altar of Armagh, if I +ever reach Erin." + +That piece of silver weighed two ounces and a half, as it was reckoned +afterwards by the people of the church of Armagh. + +After this the voyagers heard someone speaking on the top of the pillar, +in a loud, clear, glad voice; but they knew neither what he said, nor in +what language he spoke. + + + + +XXXVI. + +MAILDUNE MEETS HIS ENEMY, IS RECONCILED TO HIM, AND ARRIVES HOME. + + +The next land the travellers sighted was a small island. On a near +approach they recognised it as the very same island they had seen in the +beginning of their voyage, in which they had heard the man in the great +house boast that he had slain Maildune's father, and from which the +storm had driven them out into the great ocean. + +They turned the prow of their vessel to the shore, landed, and went +towards the house. It happened that at this very time the people of the +house were seated at their evening meal; and Maildune and his +companions, as they stood outside, heard a part of their conversation. + +Said one to another, "It would not be well for us if we were now to see +Maildune." + +"As to Maildune," answered another, "it is very well known that he was +drowned long ago in the great ocean." + +"Do not be sure," observed a third; "perchance he is the very man that +may waken you up some morning from your sleep." + +"Supposing he came now," asked another, "what should we do?" + +The head of the house now spoke in reply to the last question; and +Maildune at once knew the voice, for it was the voice of the man who +had made a boast of slaying the young chief's father. + +And what he said was:--"I can easily answer that. Maildune has been for +a long time suffering great afflictions and hardships; and if he were to +come now, though we were enemies once, I should certainly give him a +welcome and a kind reception." + +When Maildune heard this he knocked at the door; and the door-keeper +asked who was there; to which Maildune made answer-- + +"It is I, Maildune, returned safely from all my wanderings." + +The chief of the house then ordered the door to be opened; and he went +to meet Maildune, and brought him and his companions into the house. +They were joyfully welcomed by the whole household; new garments were +given to them; and they feasted and rested, till they forgot their +weariness and their hardships. + +They related all the wonders God had revealed to them in the course of +their voyage, according to the word of the sage who says, "It will be a +source of pleasure to remember these things at a future time." + +After they had remained here for some days, Maildune and his companions +returned to their own country. And Diuran took the piece of silver he +had cut down from the great net at the Silver Pillar, and laid it, +according to his promise, on the high altar of Armagh. + + From "Old Celtic Romances," by P. W. JOYCE, LL.D. + + + + +XXXVII. + +TENNYSON'S "VOYAGE OF MAILDUNE." + +("FOUNDED ON AN IRISH LEGEND: A.D. 700.") + + +Of the tale called the "Voyage of Maildune," the oldest copy is in the +Book of the Dun Cow, which was copied from older books eight hundred +years ago: but here the story is imperfect at both the beginning and +end, portions of the book having been torn away at some former time. +There is, however, a perfect copy in the Yellow Book of Lecan.[164-1] It +was translated and published for the first time in "Old Celtic Romances" +in 1879. When this book appeared, the great English poet, Alfred +Tennyson (afterwards Lord Tennyson), read the story, and made it the +subject of a beautiful poem, also called "The Voyage of Maildune." +Portions of the beginning and end of this poem are here given:-- + + +I. + + I was the chief of the race--he had stricken my father dead-- + But I gather'd my fellows together, I swore I would strike off his + head. + Each of them looked like a king, and was noble in birth as in worth, + And each of them boasted he sprang from the oldest race upon earth. + Each was as brave in the fight as the bravest hero of song, + And each of them liefer had died than have done one another a wrong. + _He_ lived on an isle in the ocean--we sail'd on a Friday morn-- + He that had slain my father the day before I was born. + + [164-1] For the Book of the Dun Cow and the Yellow Book of Lecan, + see p. 118. + + +II. + + And we came to the isle in the ocean, and there on the shore was he. + But a sudden blast blew us out and away thro' a boundless sea. + + * * * * * + + +XI. + + And we came to the Isle of a saint who had sail'd with St. + Brendan[165-1] of yore, + He had lived ever since on the Isle and his winters were fifteen + score, + And his voice was low as from other worlds, and his eyes were sweet, + And his white hair sank to his heels and his white beard fell to his + feet, + And he spake to me, "O Maeldune, let be this purpose of thine! + Remember the words of the Lord when he told us 'Vengeance is mine!' + His fathers have slain thy fathers in war or in single strife, + Thy fathers have slain his fathers, each taken a life for a life, + Thy father had slain his father, how long shall the murder last? + Go back to the Isle of Finn[166-1] and suffer the Past to be Past." + + [165-1] St. Brendan of Clonfert in Kerry, commonly called Brendan + the Navigator: born in Kerry in 484. He sailed from near + Brandon mountain in Kerry (which is named from him) on his + celebrated voyage of seven years on the Atlantic, in which + it is related he saw many wonderful things--quite as + wonderful as those of Maildune. + + [166-1] The Isle of Finn: i.e. of Finn Mac Cumaill: Ireland (see p. + 92). + + +XII. + + And we came to the Isle we were blown from, and there on the shore + was he, + The man that had slain my father. I saw him and let him be. + O weary was I of the travel, the trouble, the strife and the sin, + When I landed again, with a tithe of my men, on the Isle of Finn. + + + + +XXXVIII. + +ST. DONATUS, BISHOP OF FIESOLE.[167-1] + +PART I. + + +At page 47 of this book it has been related how missionaries and learned +men went in great numbers from Ireland to the Continent in the early +ages of Christianity to preach the Gospel and to teach in colleges. A +full account of the lives and labours of these earnest and holy men +would fill several volumes: but the following short sketch of one of +them will give the reader a good idea of all. + + [167-1] Fiesole in Tuscany, Italy: pronounced in four syllables: + Fee-ess'-o-le. + +Donatus was born in Ireland of noble parents towards the end of the +eighth century. There is good reason to believe that he was educated in +the monastic school of Inishcaltra, a little island in Lough Derg, near +the Galway shore, now better known as Holy Island[167-2]: so that he was +probably a native of that part of the country. Here he studied with +great industry and success. He became a priest, and in course of time a +bishop: and he was greatly distinguished as a professor. + + [167-2] In the "Child's History of Ireland" there is a picture of + the round tower and church ruins on this little island. + +Having spent a number of years teaching, he resolved to make a +pilgrimage to Rome and visit the holy places on the way. He had a +favourite pupil named Andrew, belonging to a noble Irish family, a +handsome, high-spirited youth, but of a deeply religious turn: and these +two, master and scholar, were much attached. And when Donatus made known +his intention to go as a pilgrim to foreign lands, Andrew, who could not +bear to be separated from him, begged to be permitted to go with him: to +which Donatus consented. When they had made the few simple preparations +necessary, they went down to the shore, accompanied by friends and +relatives; and bidding farewell to all--home, friends, and country--amid +tears and regrets, they set sail and landed on the coast of France. + +And now, here were these two men, with stout hearts, determined will, +and full trust in God, exhibiting an excellent example of what +numberless Irish exiles of those days gave up, and of what trials and +dangers they exposed themselves to, for the sake of religion. One was a +successful teacher and a bishop; the other a young chief; and both might +have lived in their own country a life of peace and plenty. But they +relinquished all that for a higher and holier purpose; and they brought +with them neither luxury nor comfort. They had, on landing, just as much +money and food as started them on their journey; and with a small +satchel strapped on shoulder, containing a book or two and some other +necessary articles, and with stout staff in hand, they travelled the +whole way on foot. Whenever a monastery lay near their road, there they +called, sure of a kind reception, and rested for a day or two. When no +monastery was within reach, they simply begged for food and night +shelter as they fared along, making themselves understood by the +peasantry as best they could, for they knew little or nothing of their +language. Much hardship they endured from hunger and thirst, bad +weather, rough paths that often led them astray, and constant fatigue. +They were sometimes in danger too from rude and wicked peasants, some of +whom thought no more of killing a stranger than of killing a sparrow. +But before setting out, the two pilgrims knew well the hardships and +dangers in store for them on the way: so that they were quite prepared +for all this: and on they trudged, contented and cheerful, never +swerving an instant from their purpose. They travelled in a sort of +zigzag way, continually turning aside to visit churches, shrines, +hermitages, and all places consecrated by memory of old-time saints, or +of past events of importance in the history of Christianity. And +whenever they heard, as they went slowly along, of a man eminent for +holiness and learning, they made it a point to visit him, so as to have +the benefit of his conversation and advice; using the Latin language, +which all learned men spoke in those times. + + + + +XXXIX. + +ST. DONATUS, BISHOP OF FIESOLE: + +PART II. + + +In this manner the pilgrims made their way right through France, and on +through north Italy, till they arrived at Rome. This was the main object +of their pilgrimage, and here they sojourned for a considerable time. +Having obtained the Pope's blessing, they set out once more, directing +their steps now towards Tuscany, till at length they reached the +beautiful mountain of Fiesole, near Florence, where stood many churches +and other memorials of Christian saints and martyrs. They entered the +hospice of the monastery, intending to rest there for a week or two, and +then to resume their journey. At this time Irish pilgrims and +missionaries were respected everywhere on the Continent; and as soon as +the arrival of those two became known, they were received with honour by +both clergy and people, who became greatly attached to them for their +gentle quiet ways, and their holiness of life. + +It happened about the time of their arrival here, that the pastor of +Fiesole, who was a bishop, died; and the clergy and people resolved to +have Donatus for their pastor. But when they went to him and told him +what they wanted, he became frightened; and trembling greatly, he said +to them in his gentle humble way:-- + +"We are only poor pilgrims from Scotia, and I do not wish to be your +bishop; for I am not at all fit for it, hardly even knowing your +language or your customs." + +But the more he entreated the more vehemently did they insist: so that +at last he consented to take the bishop's chair. This was in or about +the year 824. + +We need not follow the life of St. Donatus further here. It is enough to +say that, notwithstanding all his fears and his deep humility, he became +a great and successful pastor and missionary. For about thirty-seven +years he laboured among the people of Fiesole, by whom he was greatly +loved and revered. Down to the day of his death, which happened about +861, when he was a very old man, he was attended by his affectionate +friend Andrew. He is to this day honoured in and around Fiesole, as an +illustrious saint of those times. His tomb is still shown and regarded +with much veneration: and in the old town there are several other +memorials of him. + +Like St. Columkille, Donatus always cherished a tender regretful love +for Ireland; and like him also he wrote a short poem in praise of it +which is still preserved. It is in Latin, and the following is a +translation, made by a Dublin poet many years ago:-- + + + Far westward lies an isle of ancient fame, + By nature bless'd; and Scotia is her name, + Enroll'd in books[172-1]: exhaustless is her store, + Of veiny silver, and of golden ore.[172-2] + Her fruitful soil, for ever teems with wealth, + With gems[172-3] her waters, and her air with health; + Her verdant fields with milk and honey flow;[172-4] + Her woolly fleeces[172-5] vie with virgin snow; + Her waving furrows float with bearded corn; + And arms and arts her envied sons adorn![172-6] + No savage bear, with lawless fury roves, + Nor fiercer lion, through her peaceful groves; + No poison there infects, no scaly snake + Creeps through the grass, nor frog annoys the lake;[172-7] + An island worthy of its pious race, + In war triumphant, and unmatch'd in peace! + + [172-1] _I.e._ enrolled in books under the name of Scotia. The + natives always called it Erin. + + [172-2] Ireland had mines of gold in old times; and silver was also + found. Great numbers of Irish gold ornaments, found from + time to time in the earth, are now preserved in Museums. + + [172-3] Pearls were then found in many Irish rivers; as they are, + sometimes, to this day. + + [172-4] The Venerable Bede, a great English historian, writing in + the eighth century, calls Ireland "a land flowing with + milk and honey." + + [172-5] Ireland was noted for the plenty and goodness of its wool. + + [172-6] Ireland had great warriors, and many learned men and skilful + artists (see pp. 20, 47, and 117). + + [172-7] There are no venomous reptiles in Ireland. There were then + no frogs: but these were afterwards introduced from + England. + + + + +XL. + +HOW IRELAND WAS INVADED BY DANES AND ANGLO-NORMANS. + + +From the time of the settlement of the Milesians, as described at page +3, Ireland was ruled by native kings, without any disturbance from +outside, till the arrival of the invaders we are now about to speak of. + +During all these centuries, though there were troubles enough from the +quarrels of the kings and chiefs, learning and art, as we have seen, +were successfully cultivated. But a change came--a woful change--once +the Danes began to arrive. These were pirates, all pagans, from Denmark +and other countries round the Baltic Sea, brave and daring, but very +wicked and cruel, who for a long period kept, not only Ireland, but the +whole of western Europe in terror. They appeared for the first time on +the coast of Ireland in the year 795, when they plundered St. +Columkille's monastery on Lambay Island near Dublin. After this, for +more than two hundred years, the country was never free from them, and +they plundered and burned and destroyed churches, monasteries, +libraries, and homesteads, and killed all that fell in their way, men, +women, and children. They were often attacked and routed by the native +chiefs; but this did not much discourage them and they generally landed +so suddenly, and marched through the country so swiftly, that in most +cases they got clear off to their ships, with all their plunder, before +the people could overtake them. They settled permanently in various +towns on the coast, especially Dublin, Waterford, and Limerick, which +they held for a long time. + +At last they were overthrown by Brian Boru king of Ireland, in a great +battle fought at Clontarf near Dublin, on Good Friday, the 23rd April, +1014, of which a full account may be read in the "Child's History of +Ireland." After this, though no attempt was made to expel them from the +country, they gave little trouble. They became Christians, intermarried +with the natives, and settled down to industry and commerce like the +rest of the people; and there are many of their descendants to this day +in various parts of Ireland. + +For about a century and a half after the battle of Clontarf, eight Irish +kings reigned: but none of them succeeded in mastering the whole +country. Some of these were O'Briens of Munster, the descendants of +Brian Boru; some O'Loghlins of Ulster, a branch of the O'Neill family, +descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages (see p. 5); and some O'Conors +of Connaught. During this period Ireland was greatly disturbed; for the +several kings were continually fighting with each other, striving who +should be head king: so that the next invaders, when they came, found +the country ill prepared to resist them. + +Those who have read the History of England will remember that the +Normans, coming from France under William the Conqueror, took the +sovereignty of England after the battle of Hastings in 1066. About a +century later, their descendants, who were now called Anglo-Normans, +i.e. English Normans, made settlements in Ireland. Their leader when +they first arrived was Earl Strongbow; but in 1171 Henry II., king of +England, came over with an army and took command. In 1172 he annexed +Ireland to the crown of England, that is, he claimed it as a part of his +dominions. The Over-king of Ireland at this time was Roderick O'Conor. +He was unable to repel the new invaders: and after his death there was +no longer a native king over all Ireland. + +King Henry divided nearly the whole island among his lords, who all +went, after some time, to reside in their own territories: but they were +to remain under the authority of the king. These lords soon became great +and powerful, and ruled like princes; and from them descend the chief +Anglo-Irish families, of whom the most distinguished were the Geraldines +or Fitzgeralds, the Butlers, and the De Burgos or Burkes. + +But it must not be supposed that all this was done quietly: for the +native Irish chiefs everywhere resisted these new lords. Although king +Henry went through the form of "annexing" Ireland, it was annexed only +in name. In reality his authority extended over only a small portion. It +took more than four hundred years to annex the whole country: and during +all this time there were constant wars, the Anglo-Normans encroaching, +and the Irish chiefs resisting as best they could. It was only in the +reign of James I., that is, about three hundred years ago, that the +whole of Ireland was brought under English law. + +[Illustration: O'Dea's Castle, Dysart, Co. Clare. Built in the +fourteenth century by one of the Irish chiefs. See the note under St. +Finghin's Church, page 189.] + +[Illustration: Bunratty Castle in the south of Clare, on the Bunratty +River, where it joins the Shannon: built about the end of the thirteenth +century by Thomas de Clare, an Anglo-Norman lord.] + +These Anglo-Normans were a great and famous people, skilful and mighty +in war; and they built splendid abbeys, churches, and castles, all over +Ireland the ruins of which remain to this day. As an example of what +manner of men they were, a sketch of the career of one of them--Sir +John de Courcy--is given in this book (page 190). + +[Illustration: Kilclief Castle, Co. Down. Built by one of the +Anglo-Normans in the fourteenth century.] + +For hundreds of years after the Invasion, people continued to come from +England to live in Ireland both Anglo-Norman and Anglo-Saxon. After +settling down they became good friends with the native Irish, +intermarried with them, learned to speak and read the Irish language, +and quite fell in with the customs and modes of the country, so that it +was said of them that they became "more Irish than the Irish +themselves." A large proportion of the present inhabitants of Ireland +are of this race, mixed up however by intermarriage, with the older +Milesian stock. + + + + +XLI. + +THE WATCH-FIRE OF BARNALEE. + + +During the many wars in Ireland, small parties of men had often to +traverse the country for long distances to bring messages from one +general to another, and for other purposes. They marched by day and put +up at night in the woods, choosing some sheltered corner and making a +big fire of brambles to keep them warm and to cook their food. After +supper they usually sat by the fire, amusing themselves with pleasant +conversation or by telling stories: and when at last it was time to go +to sleep, they wrapped themselves up in their great coats and lay down +round the fire, leaving one of their number to stand guard. + +The following short poem--part of a much longer one--describes how a +small party of four men passed the early part of the night during a +march across country. There was to be a battle in a day or two, and +these four friends met, and each told a story by the Watch-fire of +Barnalee. And they arranged to meet again after the battle, if any +survived. But this turned out to be a sad meeting: there were only two: +the other two lay dead on the battlefield. + + +I. + + There were four comrades stout and free, + Within the Wood of Barnalee, + Under the spreading oaken tree. + + +II. + + The ragged clouds sailed past the moon; + Loud rose the brawling torrent's croon; + The rising winds howled in the wood, + Like hungry wolves at scent of blood. + Yet there they sat, in converse free, + Under the spreading oaken tree,-- + Garrod the Minstrel, with his lyre, + Sir Hugh le Poer, that heart of fire, + Dark Gilliemore, the mournful squire, + And Donal, from the banks of Nier. + + +III. + + Spectrally shone the watch-fire light + On their sun-browned faces and helmets bright + Showing beneath the woodland glooms + Their swords, and jacks, and waving plumes; + As there they sat, those comrades free, + Within the Wood of Barnalee, + Under the spreading oaken tree, + And told their tales to you and me. + + ROBERT DWYER JOYCE, M.D. + + + + +XLII. + +CAHAL O'CONOR OF THE RED HAND: KING OF CONNAUGHT. + + +Roderick O'Connor, the last native king of Ireland retired from the +throne towards the end of the twelfth century, to end his days in the +monastery of Cong.[181-1] After his time, as we have said, there was no +longer a king over the whole country. But for hundreds of years +afterwards, kings continued to reign over the five provinces. Roderick +had been king of Connaught before he became king of all Ireland; and +after his retirement there were several claimants for the Connaught +throne, who contended with one another, so that the province was for a +long time disturbed with wars and battles. + + [181-1] Cong in Mayo, between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask; the + remains of an abbey are there still. + +Roderick had a young brother named Cahal, who was called Cahal of the +Red Hand, from a great blood-red mark on his right hand. He would +naturally have a claim to the Connaught throne when old enough; and as +he was, even when a boy, a noble young fellow, and showed great ability, +the queen of Connaught, jealous of him, feared that when he grew up he +would give trouble, and she sought him out, determined to kill him: so +that Cahal and his mother had to flee from one hiding place to another. + +Finding at last that he could no longer remain in the province with +safety, he and his mother crossed the Shannon into Leinster, where no +one knew him, and there for several years they remained, while he made a +poor living for both, by working in the fields as a common labourer. And +as the fame of the brave young Cahal with the red mark on his hand, had +gone abroad, he always wore a loose mitten on his right hand for fear of +discovery; for he knew well that the queen had spies everywhere +searching for him. + +At this time the people had no newspapers: but there were news-carriers +who made it their business to travel continually about the country, +picking up information wherever they could, and relating all that +occurred whenever they came to a village, or to any group of people who +desired to hear the news. They generally received some small payment; +and in this manner they made their living. + +One day while Cahal was employed with several others, reaping in a field +of rye, they saw one of these men approaching; and they stopped their +work for a few moments to hear what he had to say. After relating +several unimportant matters, he came at last to the principal +news:--that the king of Connaught was dead, and that the leading people +of the province, having met in counsel to choose a king declared that +they would have no one but young Cahal of the Red Hand. "And now," +continued the newsman, "I and many others have been searching for him +for several weeks. He is easily known, for his right hand is blood-red +from the wrist out: but up to this we have been unsuccessful. We fear +indeed that he is living in poverty in some remote place where he will +never be found: or it may be that he is dead." + +When Cahal heard this, his heart gave a great bound, and he stood musing +for a few moments. Then flinging his sickle on the ridge, he +exclaimed:--"Farewell reaping-hook: now for the sword!" And pulling off +the mitten, he showed his red hand, and made himself known. The newsman, +instantly recognising him, threw himself prostrate before him to +acknowledge him as his king. And ever since that time, "Cahal's farewell +to the rye," has been a proverb in Connaught, to denote a farewell for +ever. He returned immediately with his mother to Connaught, where he was +joyfully received, and was proclaimed king in 1190. + +At this time the Anglo-Norman barons who had come over at the time of +Henry II.'s Invasion, nearly twenty years before, had settled down in +various parts of Ireland: and they were constantly encroaching on the +lands of the Irish and erecting strong castles everywhere; while the +Irish chiefs as we have already said, resisted as far as they were +able, so that there was much disturbance all over the country. Cahal was +a brave and active king, and took a leading part in fighting against the +barons. + +After he had reigned over Connaught in peace for eight or nine years, +trouble came again. There was at this time, settled in Limerick, a +powerful Anglo-Norman baron, William de Burgo, to whom a large part of +Connaught had been granted by King Henry II. This man stirred up another +of the O'Conors to lay claim to the throne in opposition to Cahal, +promising to help him: and now Connaught was again all ablaze with civil +war. Cahal was defeated in battle, and fled to Ulster to Hugh O'Neill, +prince of Tyrone, who took up his cause. Marching south with his own and +O'Neill's men, he attacked his rival, but was defeated, and again fled +north. He soon made a second attempt, aided this time by Sir John de +Courcy (for whom see page 190): but he and De Courcy were caught in an +ambush in Galway by the rival king, who routed their army. In this fight +De Courcy very nearly lost his life, being felled senseless from his +horse by a stone. Recovering in good time however, he and Cahal escaped +from the battlefield, and fled northwards. + +Cahal of the Red Hand, in no way cowed by these terrible reverses, again +took the field, after some time, aided now by De Burgo, who had changed +sides. A battle was fought near Roscommon, in which the rival king was +slain; and Cahal once more took possession of the throne. From this +period forward he ruled without a native rival; though a few years +later, he was forced to surrender a large part of his kingdom to King +John, in order that he might secure possession of the remainder. + +But he was as vigilant as ever in repelling all attempts of the barons +to encroach on his diminished territory. Thus when in 1220 the De Lacys +of Meath, a most powerful Anglo-Norman family, went to Athleague on the +Shannon at the head of Lough Ree, where there was a ford, and began to +build a castle at the eastern or Leinster side, in order that they might +have a garrison in it always ready to attack Connaught, Cahal promptly +crossed the river into Longford, and so frightened them that they were +glad to conclude a truce with him. And he broke down the castle, which +they had almost finished. + +Cahal of the Red Hand was an upright and powerful king, and governed +with firmness and justice. The Irish Annals tell us that he relieved the +poor as long as he lived, and that he destroyed more robbers and rebels +and evil-doers of every kind than any other king of his time. In early +life he had founded the abbey of Knockmoy,[185-1] into which he retired +in the last year of his life: and in this retreat he died in 1224. + + [185-1] Knockmoy in Galway, six miles from Tuam: the ruins of the + abbey still remain. + + + + +XLIII. + +"CAHAL-MORE OF THE WINE-RED HAND." + + +The ancient Irish people--like those of several other +countries--believed that when a just and good king reigned, the country +was blessed with fine weather and abundant crops, the trees bended with +fruit, the rivers teemed with fish, and the whole kingdom prospered. +This was the state of Connaught while Cahal of the Red Hand reigned in +peace. And it is recorded that when he died, fearful portents appeared, +and there was gloom and terror everywhere. James Clarence Mangan, a +Dublin poet, who died in 1849, pictures all this in the following fine +poem. He supposes himself to be living on the river Maine, in Germany, +and he is brought to Connaught in a vision, where he witnesses the +prosperity that attended Cahal's reign. This he sets forth in the first +part of the poem: but a sudden mysterious change for the worse comes, +which he describes in the last two verses. The whole poem forms a wild, +misty sort of picture, such as one might see in a dream.[186-1] + + +A VISION OF CONNAUGHT IN THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY. + + I walked entranced + Through a land of Morn; + The sun, with wondrous excess of light, + Shone down and glanced + Over seas of corn + And lustrous gardens aleft and right. + Even in the clime + Of resplendent Spain, + Beams no such sun upon such a land; + But it was the time, + 'Twas in the reign, + Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand. + + Anon stood nigh + By my side a man + Of princely aspect and port sublime. + Him queried I, + "O, my Lord and Khan,[187-1] + What clime is this, and what golden time?" + When he--"The clime + Is a clime to praise, + The clime is Erin's, the green and bland; + And it is the time, + These be the days, + Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand!" + + Then saw I thrones, + And circling fires, + And a dome rose near me, as by a spell, + Whence flowed the tones + Of silver lyres, + And many voices in wreathèd swell; + And their thrilling chime + Fell on mine ears + As the heavenly hymn of an angel-band-- + "It is now the time, + These be the years, + Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand!" + + I sought the hall, + And, behold!... a change + From light to darkness, from joy to woe! + King, nobles, all, + Looked aghast and strange; + The minstrel-group sate in dumbest show! + Had some great crime + Wrought this dread amaze, + This terror? None seemed to understand! + 'Twas then the time, + We were in the days, + Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand. + + I again walked forth; + But lo! the sky + Showed fleckt with blood, and an alien sun + Glared from the north, + And there stood on high, + Amid his shorn beams, A SKELETON + It was by the stream + Of the castled Maine, + One Autumn eve, in the Teuton's land, + That I dreamed this dream + Of the time and reign + Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand! + + + [186-1] Mangan wrote many poetical translations from the Irish, as + well as from the German and other languages. The "Vision + of Connaught" is, however, an original poem, not a + translation. + + [187-1] Irish, _Ceann_ [can], meaning 'head,' one of the Gaelic + titles for a chief. + +[Illustration: St. Finghin's Church, Quin, Co. Clare: originally built +by the Irish: re-built by Thomas de Clare, the Anglo-Norman lord who +erected Bunratty Castle (see p. 177). + +The Irish began to build large churches and castles a little before the +arrival of the Anglo-Normans. The Irish churches of a previous time were +generally small. After the Invasion, the Anglo-Norman barons and the +Irish kings and chiefs vied with each other in erecting churches, +abbeys, and castles.] + + + + +XLIV. + +SIR JOHN DE COURCY. + + +Among the many Anglo-Norman lords and knights who came to settle in +Ireland in the time of Henry II., one of the most renowned was John de +Courcy. The Welsh writer, Gerald Barry, already mentioned (p. 113), who +lived at that time and knew him personally, thus describes him:-- + +"He was of huge size, tall and powerfully built, with bony and muscular +limbs, wonderfully active and daring, full of courage, and a bold and +venturous soldier from his youth. He was so eager for fighting that, +though commanding as general, he always mingled with the foremost ranks +in charging the enemy, which might have lost the battle; for if he +chanced to be killed or badly wounded, there was no general able to take +his place. But though so fierce in war, he was gentle and modest in time +of peace and very exact in attending to his religious devotions; and +when he had gained a victory he gave all the glory to God, and took none +to himself." + +When King Henry II. divided the country among his lords in 1172, he gave +Ulster to De Courcy. But it was one thing to be granted the province, +and another thing to take possession of it; for the Ulster chiefs and +people were warlike and strong; and for five years De Courcy remained +in Dublin without making any attempt to conquer it. + +At length he made up his mind to try his fortune; and gathering his +followers to the number of about a thousand, every man well armed and +trained to battle, he set out for the north. Through rugged and +difficult ways the party rode on, and early in the morning of the fourth +day--the 2nd February, 1177--they arrived at Downpatrick, then the +capital of that part of the country. The Irish of those times never +surrounded their towns with walls; and the astonished Downpatrick +people, who knew nothing of the expedition, were startled from their +beds at daybreak by a mighty uproar in the streets--shouts, and the +clatter of horses' hoofs, and the martial notes of bugles. Whatever +little stock of provisions the party had brought with them was gone soon +after they left Dublin; and by the time they arrived at Downpatrick they +were half-starved. They scattered themselves everywhere, and, breaking +away for the time from the control of their leader, they fell ravenously +on all the food they could lay their hands on: they smashed in doors and +set fire to houses, and ate and drank and slew as if they were mad, till +the town was half destroyed. And the people were taken so completely by +surprise that there was hardly any resistance. + +When this terrible onslaught at last came to an end, De Courcy, having +succeeded in bringing his men together, made an encampment, which he +carefully fortified; and there the little army rested from their toils. +At the end of a week the chief of the district came with a great army to +expel the invaders; while De Courcy arranged his men in ranks with great +skill, to withstand the attack. The Ulstermen who were without armour, +wearing a loose saffron-coloured tunic over the ordinary dress, +according to the Irish fashion, rushed on with fearless bravery; but by +no effort could they break the solid ranks of the armour-clad +Anglo-Normans, who, after a long struggle put them to flight, and +pursued them for miles along the seashore. + +After this victory De Courcy settled in Downpatrick with his followers, +and built a strong castle there for his better security. Nevertheless +the Ulstermen, in no way discouraged, continued their fierce attacks: +and though he was victorious in several battles, he was defeated in +others, so that for a long time he had quite enough to do to hold his +ground. + +But through all his difficulties the valiant De Courcy kept up his heart +and battled bravely on, continually enlarging his territory, founding +churches and building strong castles all over the province. King Henry +was so pleased with his bravery, and with his success in extending the +English dominions, that he made him earl of Ulster and lord of +Connaught; and in 1185 he appointed him Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. +This obliged him to live in Dublin; but he left captains and governors +in Ulster to hold his castles and protect his territory, till he should +return, which he did in 1189. + + + + +XLV. + +HOW SIR JOHN DE COURCY WAS CAPTURED AND THROWN INTO PRISON. + + +By the death of Henry II. in 1189, Sir John de Courcy lost his best +friend: and things began to go ill with him when King John came to the +throne in 1199. For another Anglo-Norman lord, Hugh de Lacy, grew +jealous of his great deeds, and hated him with his whole heart, so that +he took every means to poison the king's mind against him. In a very old +volume, written by some Anglo-Irish writer, there are several +entertaining stories of all that befel De Courcy after his return to +Ulster from Dublin in 1189. Two of these, somewhat shortened and +re-arranged, are given here, and much of the fine old language in which +they are told is retained, as it is easily understood. + +The first story relates that whereas Sir Hugh de Lacy, who was now +appointed general ruler of Ireland by the king, did much disdain and +envy Sir John de Courcy, and being marvellous grieved at the worthy +service he did, he sought all means that he could possible to damage and +hinder him and to bring him to confusion, and promised much rewards in +secret to those who would invent any matter against him; for which De +Lacy had no cause but that Sir John's actions and commendations were +held in greater account than his own. He feigned also false charges +against him, and wrote them over to the king, and sore complained of +him. + +Amongst other his grievous complaints, he said De Courcy refused to do +homage to King John, and he charged him also with saying to many that +the king had somewhat to do with the death of Prince Arthur, lawful heir +to the crown of England[194-1]; and many other such like things. All +these were nothing but matters feigned by De Lacy, to bring to a better +end his purpose of utterly ruining De Courcy. On this De Courcy +challenged him, after the custom of those times, to try the matter by +single combat: but De Lacy, fearing to meet him, made excuses and +refused. + + [194-1] Prince Arthur, the rightful heir to the English throne, was + cast into prison by John: he was soon after murdered, + which, it was believed, was done by John's orders. + +By reason of such evil and envious tales, though untrue they were, Sir +Hugh de Lacy was at last commanded by King John to do what he might to +apprehend and take Sir John de Courcy. Whereupon he devised and +conferred with certain of Sir John's own men how this might be done; +and they said it was not possible to do so the while he was in his +battle-harness. But they told him that it might be done on Good Friday; +for on that day it was his accustomed usage to wear no shield, harness, +or weapon, but that he would be found kneeling at his prayers, after he +had gone about the church five times barefooted. And having so devised, +they lay in wait for him in his church at Downpatrick; and when they saw +him barefooted and unarmed they rushed on him suddenly. But he, +snatching up a heavy wooden cross that stood nigh the church, defended +him till it was broken, and slew thirteen of them before he was taken. +And so he was sent to England, and was put into the Tower of London, to +remain there in perpetual, and there miserably was kept a long time, +without as much meat or apparel as any account could be made of. + +Now these men had agreed to betray their master to Sir Hugh de Lacy for +a certain reward of gold and silver: and when they came to Sir Hugh for +their reward, he gave them the gold and silver as he had promised. They +then craved of him a passport into England to tell all about the good +service they had done; which he gave them, with the following words +written in it:-- + +"This writing witnesseth that those whose names are herein subscribed, +that did betray so good a master for reward, will be false to me and to +all the earth besides. And inasmuch as I put no trust in them, I do +banish them out of this land of Ireland for ever; and I do let +Englishmen know that none of them may enjoy any part of this our king's +land, or be employed as servitors from this forward for ever." + +[Illustration: Ennis Abbey as it appeared in 1780: now carefully +preserved by the Board of Works. Built by Donogh O'Brien, king of +Thomond, in 1242. See the note under Illustration, p. 189.] + +And so he wrote all their names, and put them in a ship with victuals +and furniture, but without mariners or seamen, and put them to sea, and +gave them strict charge never to return to Ireland on pain of death. And +after this they were not heard of for a long time; but by chance of +weather and lack of skilful men, they arrived at Cork, and being taken, +were brought to Sir Hugh de Lacy; and first taking all their treasure +from them, he hung them in chains, and so left them till their bodies +wasted away. + +This deed, that Sir Hugh de Lacy did, was for an ensample that none +should use himself the like, and not for love of Sir John de Courcy: +since it appeareth from certain ancient authors that he would have it so +as that De Courcy's name should not be so much as mentioned, and that no +report or commendation of him should ever be made. + + + + +XLVI. + +SIR JOHN DE COURCY ACCEPTS A CHALLENGE. + + +And now Sir John de Courcy, being in the Tower in evil plight, cried +often to God why He suffered him to be thus so miserably used, who did +build so many good abbeys, and did so many good deeds to God: and thus +often lamenting with himself, he asked God his latter end to finish. + +It fortuned after this that much variance and debate did grow between +King John of England and King Philip of France,[197-1] about a certain +castle which the king of France won from King John. And when King Philip +had often been asked to restore it he refused, saying it was his by +right. But at last he offered to try the matter by battle. For he had a +champion, a mighty man, who had never been beaten; and he challenged the +king of England to find, on his side, a champion to fight him, and let +the title to the castle depend on the issue thereof; to which King John, +more hasty than well advised, did agree. + + [197-1] At this time the kings of England had a large territory in + France so that quarrels often arose between them and the + French kings. + +And when the day of battle was appointed, the king of England called +together his Council to find out where a champion might be found that +would take upon him this honour and weighty enterprise. Many places they +sought and inquired of, but no one was found that was willing to engage +in so perilous a matter. And the king was in a great agony, fearing more +the dishonour of the thing than the loss of the castle. + +At length a member of the Council came to the king and told him that +there was a man in the Tower of London, one De Courcy, that in all the +earth was not his peer, if he would only fight. The king was much +rejoiced thereat, and sent unto him to require and command him to take +the matter in hand: but Sir John refused. The king sent again and +offered him great gifts; but again he refused, saying he would never +serve the king in field any more; for he thought himself evil rewarded +for such service as he did him before. The king sent to him a third +time, and bade him ask whatever he would, for himself and for his +friends, and all should be granted to him: and he said furthermore that +upon his stalworth and knightly doings the honour of the realm of +England did rest and depend. + +He answered that for himself, the thing he would wish to ask for, King +John was not able to give, namely, the lightness and freedom of heart +that he once had, but which the king's unkind dealing had taken from +him. As for his friends, he said that, saving a few, they were all slain +in the king's service; "and for these reasons," said he, "I mean never +to serve the king more. But"--he went on to say--"the honour of the +realm of England, that is another matter: and I would defend it so far +as lies in my power, provided I might have such things as I shall ask +for." + +This was promised to him, and the king sent messengers to set him at +liberty; who, when they had entered into his prison, found him in great +misery. His hair was all matted, and overgrew his shoulders to his +waist; he had scarce any apparel, and the little he had fell in rags +over his great body; and his face was hollow from close confinement and +for lack of food. + +After all things that he required had been granted to him, he asked for +one thing more, namely, that his sword should be sent for all the way to +Downpatrick in Ireland, where it would be found within the altar of the +church; for with that weapon he said he would fight and with no other. +After much delay it was brought to him; and when they saw it and felt +its weight, they marvelled that any man could wield it. And good food +was given to him, and seemly raiment, and he had due exercise, and in +all things he was cherished and made much of; so that his strength of +body and stoutness of heart returned to him. + + + + +XLVII. + +SIR JOHN DE COURCY AND THE FRENCH CHAMPION. + + +The lists were enclosed and all things were prepared against the day of +battle. The two kings were there, outside the lists, with most of their +nobility, and thousands of great people to look on, all sitting on seats +placed high up for good view. Within the lists were two tents for the +champions, where they might rest till the time appointed. And men were +chosen to see that all things were carried on fairly and in good order. + +When the time drew nigh, the French champion came forth on the field, +and did his duty of obeisance, and bowed with reverence and courtesy to +all around, and went back to his tent, where he waited for half an hour. +The king of England sent for Sir John to come forth, for that the French +champion rested a long time awaiting his coming; to which he answered +roughly that he would come forth when he thought it was time. And when +he still delayed, the king sent one of his Council to desire him to make +haste, to which he made answer:--"If thou or those kings were invited to +such a banquet, you would make no great haste coming forth to partake of +it." + +On this the king, deeming that he was not going to fight at all, was +about to depart in a great rage, thinking much evil of Sir John de +Courcy. While he was thus musing, Sir John came forth in surly mood, for +memory of all the ill usage that had been wrought on him; and he stalked +straight on, looking neither to the right nor to the left, and doing no +reverence to anyone: and so back to his tent. + +Then the trumpets sounded the first charge, for the champions to +approach. Forth they came, and passing by slowly, viewed each other +intently without a word. And when the foreign champion noted De Courcy's +fierce look, and measured with his eyes his great stature and mighty +limbs, he was filled with dread and fell all a-trembling. At length the +trumpets sounded the last charge for the fight to begin; on which De +Courcy quickly drew his sword and advanced; but the Frenchman, turning +right round, "ranne awaie off the fielde and betooke him to Spaine." + +Whereupon the English trumpets sounded victory; and there was such +shouting and cheering, such a-clapping of hands and such a-throwing of +caps in the air as the like was never seen before. + +When the multitude became quiet, King Philip desired of King John that +De Courcy might be called before them to give a trial of his strength by +a blow upon a helmet: to which De Courcy agreed. They fixed a great +stake of timber in the ground, standing up the height of a man, over +which they put a shirt of mail, with a helmet on top. And when all was +ready, De Courcy, drawing his sword, looked at the kings with a grim and +terrible look that fearful it was to behold; after which he struck such +a blow as cut clean through the helmet and through the shirt of mail, +and down deep in the piece of timber. And so fast was the sword fixed +that no man in the assembly, using his two hands with the utmost effort, +could pluck it out; but Sir John, taking it in one hand, drew it forth +easily. + +The princes, marvelling at so huge a stroke, desired to understand why +he looked so terrible at them before he struck the blow: on which he +answered:-- + +"I call St. Patrick of Down to witness, that if I had missed the mark I +would have cut the heads off both of you kings on the score of all the +ill usage I received aforetime at your hands." + +King John, being satisfied with all matters as they turned out, took his +answer in good part: and he gave him back all the dominions that before +he had in Ireland, as Earl of Ulster and lord of Connaught; and +licensed him to return, with many great gifts besides. And to this day +the people of Ireland hold in memory Sir John de Courcy and his mighty +deeds; and the ruins of many great castles builded by him are to be seen +all over Ulster. + + + + +XLVIII. + +THE GREAT EARL OF KILDARE AND THE EARL OF ORMOND. + + +The great lords who settled in Ireland in the time of Henry II. became +so powerful that they ruled in the land like so many kings. It was so +hard to reach Ireland in those times, or even to get from one part of +Ireland to another, that their master, the king of England, had +generally very little control over them: and he often found it hard +enough even to find out what was going on among them. So those mighty +barons did very much as they liked. They imposed taxes, raised armies, +and made war on each other, just as if they were independent sovereigns. + +The Fitzgeralds, or Geraldines, were among the most illustrious of those +families. They intermarried with the families of the native Irish kings +and princes, such as the O'Neills and O'Conors; and altogether they fell +in so well with the ways of the country, that the Irish people came to +love them almost better than they loved their own old native kings and +chiefs. And for hundreds of years those Geraldines took a leading part +in the government of Ireland for the kings of England. + +In the time of Henry VII., who became king in the year 1485, Garrett +Fitzgerald, earl of Kildare--the "Great Earl" as he was called--was Lord +Deputy, or chief ruler of Ireland, for the king: and he was the leading +man of his day in Ireland.[204-1] We are told in the old accounts of him +that he was tall of stature, of goodly presence, very liberal and +merciful; of strict piety; mild in his government; very easily put into +a passion, but just as easily appeased; a knight in valour, and princely +in his words and judgments. + + [204-1] A further account of the Great Earl, and of some of his + proceedings, will be found in the "Child's History of + Ireland." + +Once he got into a great rage with one of his servants for some blunder. +It happened that two of the gentlemen of his household were looking on: +and one of them whispered to the other, whose name was Boice, that he +would give him a good Irish hobby if he went and plucked a hair out of +the earl's beard. Boice took him at his offer, and knowing well the +earl's good nature, he went up to him, while he still fumed with anger, +and said:-- + +"If so it please your good lordship, one of your horsemen promised me a +choice horse if I snip one hair from your beard." "Well," quoth the +earl, "I agree thereto; but if you pluck more than one, I promise you to +bring my fist away from your ear!" + +And Boice plucked the hair, and won the hobby: but he took good care to +pluck only one, so that his ear escaped the earl's big fist. + +At this time the chief man of the Butlers was James, earl of Ormond: and +he and the Deputy were at enmity, each working with might and main to +put down the other. The earl of Ormond, who was a deep and far reaching +man, not being strong enough to oppose his adversary openly, devised a +plan to entrap him by means of submission and courtesy. Certain charges +had, it seems, been made against Ormond, and he now wrote to the deputy, +who was, of course, in authority over him, asking permission to come to +Dublin to disprove them; which the deputy granted. Accordingly, in the +year 1492, he marched to Dublin with a numerous army, and encamped near +the city. + +Now Kildare's councillors, and the citizens in general, disliked the +presence of so great an army, suspecting some evil design: and besides, +the soldiers used the people ill, often beating and robbing them; so +that instead of peace, this visit of Ormond made all the greater +discord. Yet still, with an air of great respect and humility, he +persisted in asking to be heard, saying he would show that the evil +stories about him were all false. At length, Lord Deputy Kildare +agreed, and the meeting was held in St. Patrick's Church. + +But this meeting was not a quiet or peaceful one; for the two earls, +instead of speaking gentle words of forgiveness, began to accuse each +other of all the damages inflicted on both sides. The citizens too, who +were in great crowds around the church, complained with loud voices of +all the ill usage they had suffered from the soldiers; whereupon they +and the soldiers fell to jars and quarrels, and the whole city was soon +in an uproar. At last, a body of Dublin archers, enraged that such a +disturbance should be raised by "this lawless rabble," rushed into the +church, shouting out that they would kill Ormond, as the leader of them, +and they shot at random hither and thither, leaving their arrows +sticking in the timbers and ornaments of the church, but doing no harm +otherwise. It is probable, indeed, that out of respect to the place, +notwithstanding their rage, they took care to shoot over the heads of +the crowd, so as to kill no one. + +On this, the Earl of Ormond, fearing with good reason for his safety, +fled with a few of his followers to the chapter-house, and slamming the +door, bolted and barred it strongly. Kildare followed and called to him +to come out, promising upon his honour that he should receive no harm. +Ormond replied that he would come forth if the deputy gave him his hand +that his life should be safe; so "a cleft was pierced in a trice +through the chapter-house door," to the end that the earls might shake +hands and be reconciled. But Ormond, still suspecting treachery, refused +to put forth his hand, fearing it might be chopped off, till at last +Kildare stretched in his arm to him through the hole, and they shook +hands. Then the door was opened and the two earls embraced, and the +storm was appeased. + +[Illustration: Old Chapter-house Door, now in St. Patrick's Cathedral, +Dublin.] + +But though this quarrel was patched up, it was only for the time. +Kildare suspected that Ormond had brought his army with evil intent "to +outface him and his power in his own countrie"; while "Ormond mistrusted +that this treacherous practice of the Dublinians was by Kildare +devised." So that, as the old writer goes on to say, "their quarrels +were not ended, but only for the present discontinued: like unto a green +wound, rather bungerlie botcht, than soundlie cured. And these and the +like surmises, with many stories carried to and fro, and in their ears +whispered, bred and fostered a malice betwixt them and their posterity, +many years incurable, which caused much stir and unquietnesse in the +realm." + +The old chapter-house door, which is pictured on last page, still +remains in St. Patrick's Cathedral, where it may be seen leaning against +one of the walls, with the very "cleft" in it through which the two +earls shook hands more than four hundred years ago. + + + + +XLIX. + +ANCIENT IRISH MUSIC. + + +From the most remote times the Irish took great pleasure in music: and +they studied and cultivated it so successfully that they became +celebrated every where for their musical skill. Irish teachers of this +art were thought so highly of that from about the seventh to the +eleventh century, or later, they were employed in colleges and schools +in Great Britain and on the Continent, like Irish professors of other +branches of learning (see p. 47). Many of the early missionaries took +great delight in playing on the harp, so that some brought a small harp +with them on their journeys through the country, which no doubt +lightened many a weary hour at their homes in the evenings, during the +time of hard missionary work. In our oldest manuscript books, music is +continually mentioned: and musicians are spoken of with respect and +admiration. + +The two chief instruments used in Ireland were the harp and the bagpipe. +The harp was the favourite with the higher classes, many of whom played +it as an accomplishment, as people now play the piano. The professional +Irish harpers were more skilful, and could play better, than those of +any other country: so that for hundreds of years it was the custom for +the musicians of Great Britain to visit Ireland in order to finish their +musical education; a custom which continued down to about a century and +a-half ago. + +The bagpipe was very generally used among the lower classes of people. +The form in use was what we now call the Highland or Scotch pipes--slung +from the shoulder: the bag inflated by the mouth. But this form of pipes +took its rise in Ireland: and it was brought to Scotland in early ages +by those Irish colonists already spoken of (page 5). There is another +and a better kind of bagpipes, now common in Ireland, resting on the lap +when in use, and having the bag inflated by a bellows: but this is a +late invention. + +The Irish musicians had various "_Styles_," three of which are very +often mentioned in tales and other ancient Irish writings: of these many +specimens have come down to the present day. The style they called +"Mirth-music" consisted of lively airs, which excited to merriment and +laughter. These are represented by our present dance tunes, such as +jigs, reels, hornpipes, and other such quick, spirited pieces which are +known so well in every part of Ireland. The "Sorrow-music" was slow and +sad, and was always sung on the occasion of a death. We have many airs +belonging to this style, which are now commonly called _Keens_, i.e., +laments, or dirges. The "Sleep-music" was intended to produce sleep; and +the tunes belonging to this style were plaintive and soothing. Such airs +are now known as lullabies, or nurse tunes, or cradle songs, of which +numerous examples are preserved in collections of Irish music. They were +often sung to put children to sleep. Though there are, as has been said, +many tunes belonging to these three classes, they form only a small part +of the great body of Irish music. + +Music entered into many of the daily occupations of the people. There +were special spinning-wheel songs, which the women sang, with words, in +chorus or in dialogue, when employed in spinning. At milking time the +girls were in the habit of chanting a particular sort of air, in a low +gentle voice. These milking songs were slow and plaintive, something +like the nurse tunes, and had the effect of soothing the cows and of +making them submit more gently to be milked. This practice was common +down to fifty or sixty years ago; and many people now living can +remember seeing cows grow restless when the song was interrupted, and +become again quiet and placid when it was resumed. While ploughmen were +at their work they whistled a sweet, slow, and sad strain, which had as +powerful an effect in soothing the horses at their hard work as the +milking songs had on the cows: and these also were quite usual till +about half a century ago. + +Special airs and songs were used during working time by smiths, by +weavers, and by boatmen. There were besides, hymn tunes; and young +people had simple airs for all sorts of games and sports. In most cases +words suitable to the several occasions were sung with lullabies, +laments, and occupation tunes. The poem at page 82 may be taken as a +specimen of a lament. Examples of all the preceding classes of melodies +will be found in the collections of Irish airs by Bunting, Petrie, and +Joyce. + +The Irish had numerous war-marches, which the pipers played at the head +of the clansmen when marching to battle, and which inspired them with +courage and dash for the fight. This custom is still kept up by the +Scotch; and many fine battle-tunes are printed in Irish and Scotch +collections of national music. + +From the preceding statement we may see how universal was the love of +music in former days among the people of Ireland. Though Irish airs, +compared with the musical pieces composed in our time, are generally +short and simple, they are constructed with such skill, that in regard +to most of them it may be truly said that no composer of the present +day can produce airs of a similar kind to equal them. + +There are half a dozen original collections of Irish music, containing +in all between 1000 and 2000 airs: other collections are mostly copied +from these. But numerous airs are still sung and played among the people +all through Ireland, which have never been written down; and many have +been written down which have never been printed. Thomas Moore composed +his beautiful songs to old Irish airs; and his whole collection of songs +and airs--well known as "Moore's Melodies"--is now published in one +small cheap volume. + +Of the entire body of Irish airs that are preserved, we know the authors +of not more than about one tenth; and these were composed within the +last 200 years. Most of the remaining nine tenths have come down from +old times. No one now can tell who composed "The Coolin," "Savourneen +Dheelish," "Shule Aroon," "Molly Asthore," "Garryowen," "The Boyne +Water," "Patrick's Day," "Langolee," "The Blackbird," or "The Girl I +left behind me"; and so of many other well-known and lovely airs. + +The national music of Ireland and that of Scotland are very like each +other, and many airs are common to both countries: but this is only what +might be expected, as we know that the Irish and the Highland Scotch +were originally one people. + + + + +NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS. + + +I.--Page 1. + + Ancient, very old, belonging to old times. + + Fabulous, not true. + + Magician, one skilled in magic or witchcraft; an enchanter. + + Spell, a charm, something done by enchantment. + + Wizard, an enchanter, a magician. + + Consult, to advise with. + + Druid. The druids were the learned men among the pagan Irish: they + were believed to be wizards, or magicians. + + Seer, one who can foresee events, a prophet. + + Destiny, lot, what is to come to pass. + + Wistfully, thoughtfully, attentively, longingly. + + Cairn, a great pile of stones heaped up in memory of some person or + some event. A cairn was very often raised over the grave of some + important person. See page 97. + + Missionary, one sent to preach religion. + + Hostage, a person given as a pledge, or security, for carrying out + some agreement. + + Possessing mighty power over people, able to persuade them by his + earnestness and his powerful language. + +II.--Page 7. + + Gallantly, boldly, bravely. + + Destined home: the druid had foretold that Inisfail, or the Isle of + Destiny, was to be their final home. + + Emerald, a precious stone of a green colour. Ireland, from its + greenness, is often called the Emerald Isle. + + Day god, the sun. Some of the pagan Irish worshipped the sun. + + Omen, a sign of what is to come. + + +III.--Page 8. + + Perpetual, lasting always. + + Allure, to entice, coax, or persuade. + + Book of the Dun Cow: see page 118. + + Conn the Hundred-fighter, or, as he is often called, Conn of the + Hundred Battles, was King of Ireland from A.D. 177 to 212. + + Crystal, a sort of transparent mineral: glass, or anything like + glass. + + Marvelled, wondered. + + Chant, a slow, sweet song. + + Azure, a bright blue. + + Verdurous, green, full of verdure. + + Imprecation, a curse. + + Mace, here means a heavy-headed club used in fighting, generally for + striking. + + +IV.--Page 14. + + Noxious, hurtful, injurious. + + Gigantic, very large, giant-like. + + Fertile, fruitful, yielding good crops. + + Wickerwork, basket-work of woven twigs. + + Hospitality, kindness to strangers, free and generous entertainment + of visitors. + + Expensive, costly. + + Establishment, the whole house, and all belonging to it. + + Liberal, plentiful. + + Gorget, an ornamental collar for the neck: the Irish gorgets were + mostly of gold. + + Bronze, a mixed metal made of copper and tin melted together. The + ancient Irish used a sort of white or whitish bronze, which they + called _findruine_ [_finn´-drin-a_]. + + Enamel, a beautiful glassy substance, of various colours, used in + metal work. + + Museum, a place where curiosities of all kinds are kept, especially + objects belonging to ancient times. + + Artificer, an artist, a worker in metals, bone, wood, &c. + + Old Irish Laws: these were called the Brehon Laws. + + Commerce, trade with foreign nations. + + +V.--Page 22. + + Enmity, hatred, malice, ill feeling. + + Gall, bitterness and sourness of heart. + + Treachery, breach of faith, wickedness. + + Chariot, a kind of carriage. + + Druidical, made by the druids, who were believed to be enchanters, + like the Dedannans. + + Clamorous, noisy, screaming. + + Repented, grew sorry. + + Gaelic speech, the Irish language, which all the people of Ireland + then spoke. + + Plaintive, sad. + + Lay, a song, a poem. + + A husk of gore, withered up with grief. + + Anguish, great trouble and misery. + + Anthem, a song, a hymn: anthem of praise, _i.e._ of praise to God. + + +VI.--Page 27. + + Amazement, astonishment, wonder. + + Horror, terror mixed with dislike. + + Lamentation, great sorrow. + + Malignant, full of evil and badness. + + Adventurous, spirited, daring, courageous. + + Abhor, to hate, to detest, to have a horror of. + + Transform, to change the form or shape. + + Society, company. + + The dreadful day of doom, "that day of woe," _i.e._ the Day of + Judgment. The children of Lir had some obscure foreknowledge of + the coming of Christianity. + + Desolate, waste and solitary. + + Tempestuous, stormy. + + +VII.--Page 32. + + Abode, a dwelling. + + Plight, an evil and unpleasant state. + + Endure, to bear, to suffer. + + Chain of repose: as if the breezes were bound down and kept at rest + by a chain. + + Darkness: the darkness of paganism. + + Pure light, and Day star: Christianity. + + Wreathed, twisted, curled. + + Hazel-mead, a kind of mead with hazel nuts put into it to flavour + it. For mead, see p. 17. + + Lullaby, a nurse song: a song to put a person to sleep; see p. 210. + + Mannanan, or Mannanan Mac Lir, a Dedannan chief, the Pagan Irish god + of the sea. + + Angus, a Dedannan or fairy chief, who had his palace under one of + the great mounds on the Boyne between Drogheda and Slane. + + +VIII.--Page 39. + + Matin time, very early in the morning: before day: the time of + first prayer. + + Anchoret, a hermit. + + Matins, very early morning prayers. + + Transformed, changed, turned. + + Waxed, grew, became: waxed very wroth, became very angry. + + Cleric, a clergyman. + + Radiant, bright, joyful, happy looking. + + Lament, a sort of sad song. + + +IX.--Page 45. + + Enlightenment, knowledge, education, intelligence. + + Community, a number of persons living together in the same dwelling + or in the same place. + + Encounter, to meet with, to go against. + + Interpreter, a person who explains in one language what a speaker + says in another. The interpreter has to know both languages. + + +X.--Page 50. + + Rampart, a wall or high bank for defence. + + Structure, a building. + + Household, all the people that live in one house. + + Standard, a pole with a flag, banner, or colours, on top. + + Transfer, to change from one to another. + + Romantic stories, tales of fictitious adventures. + + Diadem, a crown, or a band like a crown, worn round the head. + + Spell of feebleness, weakness brought on by some sort of + enchantment. + + +XI.--Page 55. + + Pondering, thinking deeply. + + Meet, fit, proper, becoming. + + Ultonians, the Ulstermen. + + Gainsay, to speak against, to contradict. + + Ridge of the world, a usual expression in Irish writings. + + Gracious, kind and gentle in manner. + + Attendant, a person who attends, a servant. + + Military service, service as soldiers under pay. + + Betimes, in good time, early. + + Booth, a hut or tent. + + +XII.--Page 60. + + Pledge, security. + + Submission, yielding, coming under a person's authority. + + Knighthood. Knight, a soldier of high dignity: a champion: + knighthood, the dignity of a knight. The ancient Irish often + received knighthood at seven years of age. + + Obligation, a promise, a bond, something one is bound to do. + + Galley, a low flat vessel with oars and sails. + + Chessboard, a board with black and white squares on which chess was + played. The ancient Irish were very fond of chess. + + Re-assure, to make a person sure that things are right, to + encourage. + + +XIII.--Page 66. + + Resort, to go often to a place. + + Curragh, a light boat made of wickerwork covered with hides. + + Persist, to continue without ceasing. + + Perplexity, doubt, anxiety of mind. + + Clan, a number of families or a race of people all more or less + related to each other. + + Slieve Fuad, a mountain near Newtownhamilton in Armagh: the name is + now forgotten. + + Baleful, evil, very bad or wicked. + + Disaster, mishap, misfortune. + + Meditate, to plan, to intend. + + Handwood, a piece of wood to serve as a knocker, kept in a niche + outside the door. + + Battalion, a body of foot soldiers. + + Alluring, very good, tempting a person to eat. + + Viands, food, victuals. + + +XIV.--Page 72. + + Looming, appearing darkly and dimly in the distance. + + Steadfast, firm, fixed, determined. + + Valorous, brave, fearless, valiant. + + Your dear charge, Deirdre. + + Assailants, persons assailing or attacking. + + Misgivings, doubts and fears of something wrong. + + Unwittingly, without knowing. + + Unerring, with a straight aim so as not to miss. + + +XV.--Page 75. + + Hireling troops, soldiers serving for pay: they were not Ultonians + and did not belong to the Red Branch. The troops of the Red + Branch could not be got to attack the Sons of Usna. + + Shouts of defiance, shouts challenging and threatening. + + Assault, a violent attack. + + Marshalling, arranging. + + Treason, treachery, foul play. + + Circuit, a journey around. + + Fissure, a split or chasm. + + Solemn, awful, serious, grave. + + Response, answer, reply. + + +XVI.--Page 80. + + Deeming, believing, thinking. + + Onslaught, a fierce attack. + + Mannanan Mac Lir, the Pagan Irish sea-god. + + +XVII.--Page 84. + + Billows of war, the tide or onward press of battle. + + Wreak, to inflict, to execute. + + +XVIII.--Page 85. + + Incensed, very angry. + + Anguish, great grief, pain. + + Descendants, children, grand-children, &c. + + Spoil, to plunder and pillage. + + Illustrious, famous, noble, great. + + Marauding, plundering, robbing. + + Ravage, to lay waste and plunder. + + +XIX.--Page 87. + + Magic, witchcraft, spells. + + Mighty, of wonderful skill. + + Distinguish, to tell one from another. + + Shadowy, uncertain, legendary. + + Historic times, when there are true accounts of things that + happened. + + Professional, following some profession or calling. + + Remuneration, payment, salary. + + Attached, joined to. + + +XX.--Page 89. + + Reverently, with great respect. + + Gaelic, the Irish language. + + Lore, learning. + + Injunction, an order or charge, an advice that should be followed. + + Extract, to take out. + + Devotedly, with great and anxious care. + + Balm, a sort of ointment that soothes pain and cures. + + Sentiments, thoughts, feelings. + + Comparatively late, late compared with older times. + + Predecessor, one who held an office or place before another. + + +XXI.--Page 92. + + Tradition, accounts handed down from generation to generation. + + Provincial, belonging to one of the five provinces of Ireland. + + Tests, trials. + + Entertaining, amusing, diverting. + + Festive, joyous, gay, with feasts. + + Sedge, a kind of coarse grass. + + Keating: the Rev. Doctor Geoffry Keating, who wrote, in Irish, a + well known History of Ireland, full of old stories: died 1644. + + Oppression, cruelty, tyranny, hardship. + + Suppress, to put down. + + Exact, to make people pay. + + An Irish poet: Thomas Darcy M'Gee. + + Seers: among the Milesians were a good many druids, seers, or + prophets. + + Strath, the level land along a river at both sides; an _inch_. + + Mystic forts, the forts mentioned at page 16: mystic, mysterious. + + Cairn-crowned hills. Many hills have cairns on top, round which the + people often held council meetings. + + Elk, very large deer. Elk resorts, places frequented by elks. + + Modern, belonging to the present time. + + Unconquerably, such that he could not be conquered. + + Untarnished, unstained, pure, with out a spot. + + +XXII.--Page 98. + + Plaintive, sad, pitiful. + + Hesitation, pause, delay. + + Palsy, a sort of sickness that causes shivering or shaking. + + Litter, a sort of bed in which a person is carried. + + Tumult, great noise and confusion. + + +XXIII.--Page 103. + + Revered, regarded with love, honour, and respect. + + Distinguished, eminent, honoured. + + Community, a number of persons living together. + + Permanent, lasting. + + Veneration, love and great respect. + + Applicant, a person who applies. + + Abbess, the head nun of a convent. + + +XXIV.--Page 107. + + Humility, humbleness, lowliness of mind. + + Domestic occupations, the work of the house. + + Sward, a grassy place. + + Reputation, fame, a great name. + + Corresponded with her, wrote letters to her, and received replies. + + Chariot, a kind of carriage. + + Reproachfully, blaming her severely. + + Universe, the whole world. + + +XXV.--Page 111. + + Grave, sober, thoughtful. + + Unassuming, modest, not forward. + + Talents, great cleverness. + + Discipline, strict rules and regulations. + + Illustrious, eminent, noble, famous. + + Detailed, exact, giving all particulars. + + Consolation, comfort, a lightening of trouble. + + Magnificent, grand, splendid. + + Shrine, an ornamental tomb or box: sometimes applied to a small + church. + + Commemorate, to keep in memory. + + Gerald Barry, better known as "Giraldus Cambrensis," _i.e._ Gerald + the Welshman (Cambria, one of the old names of Wales). + + Fane, a temple, a church. + + Long ages of darkness and storm: _i.e._ of wars and troubles. + + +XXVI.--Page 114. + + Scribe, a writer: a person who made it the chief business of his + life to copy books. + + Expert, skilful, ready. + + Accomplished, very skilful. + + Devoted, given up to earnestly, attached. + + Interlaced, woven in and out. + + Magnifying glass, a glass that makes things seen through it seem + large. + + Composition, a piece of writing, a book. + + Library, a collection of books. + + Dun, brown. + + St. Kieran, or more properly Ciaran, lived in the sixth century. + + Clonmacnoise on the Shannon, below Athlone, containing the ruins of + what was once a great monastery and college, founded by St. + Kieran. + + +XXVII.--Page 120. + + Watch and ward: ward means guard: he stood sentinel. + + Scared, frightened. + + Humorous, full of humour or fun. + + +XXVIII.--Page 123. + + + Stud, a number of horses all kept in one place. + + Vicious, wicked, spiteful. + + Conan Mail, or Conan the bald: the Fena were always making fun of + him, for he was big, fat, gluttonous, a great boast, a great + coward, and had an evil tongue. + + Unconcernedly, not caring a bit. + + Perplexity, difficulty and doubt. + + Horrible, hateful. + + +XXIX.--Page 129. + + Took counsel, they advised with one another to know what was best + to be done. + + Explore, to search. + + Dizzy, enough to make one's head giddy. + + Pillar-stone, a tall stone standing up, such as we often see in + Ireland. + + Host, a large body of soldiers. + + Decoration, an ornament. + + Chase, to ornament with thin coatings of metal on the surface. + + Enamelled, ornamented as if with enamel. + + +XXX.--Page 132. + + Wizard champion, a champion having something of the nature of a + wizard or enchanter. + + Circlet, a long thin plate often worn around the head and forehead. + + Determination, a firm resolution to conquer. + + Chafe, to vex. + + Trophy, a prize taken from an enemy in battle. + + Poise, to balance. + + Scowl, to frown darkly and wickedly. + + Terrify, to frighten. + + +XXXI.--Page 139. + + Advantages, benefits, gains. + + Diligent, industrious, hard-working. + + Uninhabited, having no people living in it. + + Presence, appearance. + + Luminous, bright, sparkling. + + Enlightenment, knowledge, learning, instruction. + + Civilise, to refine, to educate, to bring people to live in a decent + and proper way. + + Doctrine, teaching, belief, faith. + + Structure, a building. + + Venerable, old and greatly loved and respected. + + Incessant, without ceasing, continual. + + Occupation, employment, work. + + His relative the king of that part of Scotland: the royal families + of Ireland and Scotland were related to each other (see pp. 5 and + 6), and Columkille was related to both. + + +XXXII.--Page 145. + + Voluntary, by his own choice. + + Ben Edar, Howth, near Dublin. + + Embarking, going on board ship. + + Seniors, elderly persons. + + Hospice, the part of a monastery set apart for the entertainment of + travellers. + + Intently, with close attention. + + +XXXIII.--Page 150. + + Heptarchy means seven kingdoms: for at this time England was + divided into seven parts with a king over each. + + Relations, connexion, friendship. + + Diligence, industry, working steadily. + + Intimacy, close friendship. + + Foster-son. When a man reared up and educated among his family a boy + belonging to another family, he was the foster-father, and the boy + was his foster-son. + + Bondage, slavery. + + Restoration, restoring, giving back. + + Marauders, robbers, plunderers. + + Intercession, pleading for. + + Unfettered of any, not under any other province. + + Redundance, more than enough, great plenty. + + Historians recording truth: to record truth is the chief merit of a + historian. + + Bulwark, a safeguard: "Ireland's bulwark," because Tara was in + Meath. + + Sooth, truth. + + +XXXIV.--Page 155. + + Directions, orders, instructions. + + Revellers, persons feasting, drinking, and making merry. + + Sack, to plunder and destroy. + + +XXXV.--Page 158. + + Extraordinary, very strange, wonderful. + + Keel, the bottom part of a ship or boat. + + Astounding, astonishing, wonderful. + + Oarstroke of the curragh, about 20 feet. + + Circumference, the whole round. + + Extending, stretching. + + Meshes, the open spaces between the threads of a net. + + +XXXVI.--Page 162. + + Reconcile, to become friends again, to come back to friendship. + + Recognise, to know a thing again. + + Prow, the head or fore part of a ship or boat. + + Affliction, trouble and sorrow. + + Reception, receiving or entertaining. + + Reveal, to show, to make known. + + +XXXVII.--Page 164. + + Liefer, rather. + + Let be this purpose, let it lie by, don't attend to it, don't carry + it out: _i.e._ the purpose of revenge. + + I let him be, I let him alone. + + A tithe, a tenth part. + + +XXXVIII.--Page 167. + + Monastic school, a school kept in a monastery. + + Distinguished, eminent and great. + + Pilgrimage, a journey to a place for devotion. Pilgrim, a person who + goes on a pilgrimage. + + Determined will, allowing nothing to turn them from their purpose. + + Relinquish, to give up, to abandon. + + Luxuries, dainties, delicacies. + + Peasantry, the common country people. + + Swerve, to turn away from. + + Consecrated, made sacred and venerable. + + Hermitage, a place where a hermit lives. + + +XXXIX.--Page 170. + + Object of their pilgrimage, the place they chiefly came to visit. + + Sojourn, to dwell, to live in a place. + + Revere, to regard with honour, love, and respect. + + Memorial, something that reminds one of past persons or events. + + Vehemently, very earnestly. + + Envied, people of other nations envied them, or were jealous of + them. + + Triumphant, gaining victories. + + +XL--Page 173. + + Successfully cultivated: the Irish people studied and practised + them and made improvements. + + Pirates, sea robbers. + + Permanently, remaining there always. + + Expel, to drive out. + + Sovereignty, headship, kingship. + + Annex, to join. + + Encroaching, taking up or advancing on what belongs to another. + + Anglo-Irish, partly English and partly Irish. + + Milesian stock, the descendants of the Milesians (see p. 2). + + +XLI.--Page 179. + + Croon, a continuous murmuring sort of musical sound or song. + + Squire, a gentleman who attended on a knight. + + Nier, a river flowing into the Suir from the Co. Waterford. + + Spectrally, like a spectre or ghost. + + Jack, a leathern jacket used for armour. + + Plumes, the feathers of their helmets. + + +XLII.--Page 181. + + Claimant, a person laying claim to something. + + Contend, to struggle or fight. + + Unimportant, trifling, of no consequence. + + Remote, far off, out of the way. + + Recognise, to know. + + Prostrate, down on hands and knees. + + Barons, lords. + + Ambush, or ambuscade, an unexpected attack from a hiding place. + + Reverses, misfortunes. + + Surrender, to give up. + + Vigilant, watchful. + + Truce, an agreement for peace for a while. + + Annals, histories of events as they occurred from year to year. + + +XLIII.--Page 186. + + Cahal-More, Cahal the Great. + + Portent, a prodigy, a fearful sign or omen of evil. + + Entranced, in a trance, in a vision. + + A land of morn, a bright sunny land. + + Lustrous, bright, shining with fine crops and flowers. + + Resplendent, splendid, sunny, bright. + + Anon, immediately, on the spot. + + Port sublime, stately and grand looking. + + Him queried I, I asked him. + + Golden time, a prosperous plentiful time. + + Bland, soft, mild, temperate. + + Dome, a grand building. + + As by a spell, as if by magic; it started up suddenly. Remember this + is all in a dream. + + Lyres, harps. + + Wreathèd swell, sounding all together with sweet musical turns and + shakes. + + Thrilling, moving the feelings and heart. + + Aghast, frightened, pale with fear. + + Minstrel group, those who had been playing the harps. + + 'Twas then the time, we were in the days. The poet + means:--"Something dreadful has clearly happened; but how can this + be, since this is the reign of Cahal-More?" He did not know--in + his dream--of Cahal's death. + + Fleckt, spotted. + + Alien sun, a strange sun: it was of course strange, for it glared + from the _north_. + + Shorn beams, not bright, giving a dull gloomy sort of light. + + Skeleton: the skeleton of a man, a sign of disaster: the skeleton, + and the blood spots in the sky, and the "alien sun" were some of + the portents. + + Castled Maine: there are many castles along its banks. + + Teuton, a German. + + +XLIV.--Page 190. + + Expedition, an undertaking or journey. + + Onslaught, a violent attack. + + Tunic, a loose outer garment. + + Dominions, territories. + + +XLV.--Page 193. + + Disdain, to scorn, to hate. + + Commendations, praises. + + Do homage, to yield obedience. + + Apprehend, to take prisoner. + + Devise, to plan. + + Confer, to take counsel. + + Battle-harness, battle dress with arms. + + Apparel, clothes. + + Passport, permission in writing to pass from one country to another. + + Subscribe, to write one's name. + + Servitor, one in the king's service. + + Furniture: _i.e._ the furniture of a ship--oars, sails, cordage, &c. + + Ensample, old form of _example_. + + +XLVI.--Page 197. + + Evil plight, miserable state. + + Council, a number of men kept by the king to help him with their + advice. + + Enterprise, an undertaking. + + Perilous, dangerous. + + Peer, an equal, a match. + + Stalworth, strong, stout, brave. + + Knightly, like a knight, valiant and stout-hearted. + + Seemly, proper, decent. + + +XLVII.--Page 200. + + Lists, the enclosed ground where a single combat was to be fought. + + Obeisance, courtesy, saluting, bowing to. + + Banquet, a feast. + + Reverence, great respect. + + Intently, with attention, closely. + + Grim, very fierce and angry. + + +XLVIII.--Page 203. + + Baron, a lord of the lowest rank. The ranks are:--baron, viscount, + earl, marquis, duke. + + Independent, not under the authority of anyone. + + Goodly presence, a noble or fine appearance. + + Appease, to pacify. + + Hobby, a middle-sized horse of Irish breed, much valued. + + Adversary, an opponent, an enemy. + + Discord, disagreement, quarrelling. + + Jars, wrangles, quarrels. + + Chapter house, a house or room in a cathedral where the clergy meet. + + Trice, a very short time, as long as one would take to count three. + + Outface, to dare him up to his face. + + Green wound, a fresh wound. + + Devise, to plan. + + Bungerlie, in a bungling manner. + + +XLIX.--Page 208. + + Cultivate, to study, practise, and improve. + + Colonists, persons who leave their native land and settle in some + distant country. + + Dirge, a mournful or funeral song. + + Dialogue, two people speaking in turn, conversation between two. + + Interrupt, to stop for a time. + + Placid, quiet, gentle, peaceful. + + Resume, to take up again. + + Clansmen, the men belonging to a clan. + + National music, music that has grown up gradually among the people + of a country. + + Originally, in the beginning. + +THE END. + + + + +Transcriber's notes: + +Variations in spelling and hyphenation have been retained as in the +original. + +The following corrections have been made to the text: + + Page 5, second line from bottom: named Fergus,[missing comma added] + Angus, and Lorne. + + Page 8, last line: sun and moon.[missing period added] + + Page 13, description of illustration on the right: size of the + picture.[missing period added] + + Page 16, line 1: and not nearly so good[original has goo] + + Page 17, last line: There was then no whiskey.[missing period added] + + Page 28, last line: My heart shall know one peaceful hour.[missing + period added] + + Page 31, line 9: The cold and briny spray.[missing period added] + + Page 49, line 3 of illustration caption: are in the National + Museum,[missing comma added] + + Page 64, fifth line from bottom: three drops of honey in their + beaks,[missing comma added] + + Page 65, line 1: "It denotes the message from Concobar to us,"[close + quote added] + + Page 65, last line: "[open quote added]even though my sway should be + greater here." + + Page 67, line 9: "[open quote added]Kil-Cuan, O Kil-Cuan, + + Page 68, second line from bottom: "[original has ']Here I have a + three-days banquet ready for thee, and I invite thee to + come and partake of it." + + Page 69, fourth line from bottom: accustomed to defend + ourselves!"[original has '] + + Page 70, line 14: "[original has ']Why didst thou tarry, my + princess?" + + Page 82, line 16: "[open quote added]Three generous heroes of the + Red Branch, + + Page 90, sixth line from bottom: More especially I[missing 'I' + added] charge them that they do their duty devotedly + + Page 94, line 15: never using horses in the chase.[original has ,] + + Page 94, line 22: beside a stream or lake.[original has ,] + + Page 94, last line: next another layer of hot stones:[colon added] + + Page 107, line 11: accounts of her life[original has Life] we are + told + + Page 108, caption for illustration: ten miles from[original has rom] + Cork city. + + Page 113, last line: ages of darkness and storm."[original has '] + + Page 132, seventh line from bottom: "[original has ']Surely, Dermot + O'Dyna, + + Page 158, line 2: "Heaven has guided our ship to this place.[missing + period added] + + Page 163, seventh line from bottom: remained here for some + days,[missing comma added] + + Page 164, chapter title: TENNYSON'S "VOYAGE OF MAILDUNE."[original + has '] + + Page 164, line 13: "[original has ']The Voyage of Maildune." + + Page 177, line 3: and they built splendid abbeys,[missing comma + added] churches, + + Page 210, line 2: in every part of Ireland.[missing period added] + + Page 210, line 6: i.e., laments, or dirges.[missing period added] + + Page 213, seventh entry under 'IV.--Page 14.': Establishment, the + whole house, and[original has an] all belonging to it. + + Page 218, third entry under 'XXXIV.--Page 155.': Sack, to plunder + and destroy[original has distroy]. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A Reading Book in Irish History, by P. 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Joyce. +</title> + +<style type="text/css"> +body { margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} +h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { text-align: center; clear: both;} +h1 span { display: block; padding-bottom: 0.5em; } +#author { font-size: 80%; } +#by { font-size: 60%; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 2em; } +p { margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} +p.title { text-align:center; text-indent:0; font-weight:bold; + font-variant:small-caps; line-height:1.4; margin-bottom:1.5em;} +p.title2 { text-align:left; margin-left: 2em; text-indent:-2em; + font-weight:bold; font-variant:small-caps; line-height:1.4; + margin-bottom:1.5em;} +p.credit {text-align: right; margin-right: 10%;} +p.head { text-align:center; margin-top: 2em;} +p.index { margin-left: 1em; text-indent: -1em;} +p.corr { margin-left: 4em; text-indent: -4em;} +p.hr15 { width: 15%; margin-top: .5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; + margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; clear: both; + border-bottom: solid 2px;} +hr { width: 33%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; clear: both;} +hr.tb {width: 45%;} +hr.chap {width: 65%;} +hr.full {width: 95%;} +table { margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} +.pagenum { position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right;} +.blockquot { margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} +.notes { margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%;} +.notebox {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; margin-top: 5%; + margin-bottom: 5%; padding: 1em; border: solid black 1px;} +a.indx:link { color: black; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: thin dotted; } +a.indx:visited { color: black; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: thin dotted; } +a.indx:hover { color: black; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: thin dotted; } +a.indx:active { color: black; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: thin dotted; } +.indx { text-decoration: none; border-bottom: thin dotted;} +.center {text-align: center;} +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} +.old {font-family: "Old English", "Old English Text", "Old English Text MT", + "Engravers Old English", "Engravers Old English MT", "EF Old English", + Gothic, Medieval, blackletter, "Black Letter", Gothique, Gotisch, + fantacy, cursive, sans-serif;} +.minute {font-size: 60%;} +.caption {font-size: 90%;} +td.desc {text-align: left; padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em;} +.figcenter { margin: auto; text-align: center;} +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} +.fnanchor { vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + +.poem { margin: 0em auto; text-align: left; } +.poem br {display: none;} +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} +.poem span.i0 { display: block; margin-left: 0em; + padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i1 { display: block; margin-left: 1em; + padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i2 { display: block; margin-left: 2em; + padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i3 { display: block; margin-left: 3em; + padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i4 { display: block; margin-left: 4em; + padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +.poem span.i6 { display: block; margin-left: 6em; + padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +</style> + +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's A Reading Book in Irish History, by P. W. Joyce + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Reading Book in Irish History + +Author: P. W. Joyce + +Release Date: August 15, 2010 [EBook #33439] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A READING BOOK IN IRISH HISTORY *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Asad Razzaki, The Internet Archive +for some images and the Online Distributed Proofreading +Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="notebox"> +<p>Transcriber's Notes:</p> + +<p>Variations in spelling and hyphenation have been retained as in the +original.</p> + +<p>A few typographical errors have been corrected. A complete list of +changes <a href="#TN">follows</a> the text.</p> + +<p>Words listed in the Notes and Explanation are +linked in the text <span class="indx">like this</span>. Click on the word to see the explanation.</p> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" alt="Book cover." title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h1><span id="title"><big>A READING BOOK</big></span> +<span><small><small>IN</small></small></span> +<span>IRISH HISTORY</span> +<span id="by">BY</span> +<span id="author">P. W. JOYCE, LL.D.</span></h1> + +<p class='center'><i>One of the Commissioners for the Publication of the Ancient Laws of Ireland</i></p> + +<p class='center'><span class='smcap'>Author of</span><br /> + +<small>"A SHORT HISTORY OF IRELAND" "A CHILD'S HISTORY OF IRELAND"<br /> +"IRISH NAMES OF PLACES," "OLD CELTIC ROMANCES"<br /> +"ANCIENT IRISH MUSIC"<br /> +AND OTHER WORKS RELATING TO IRELAND</small><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<p class='center'><big>LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.</big><br /> + +<small>LONDON, NEW YORK, AND BOMBAY</small><br /> + +DUBLIN: M. H. GILL AND SON<br /><br /> +1900</p> + +<p class="center"><small>[<i>All rights reserved</i>]</small></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> + +<p>As this little book is intended chiefly for children, the +language is very simple. But to make matters still easier, +all words and allusions presenting the smallest difficulty +are explained either in footnotes or in the "Notes and +Explanations" at the end.</p> + +<p>Advantage has been taken of the descriptions under the +several Illustrations to give a good deal of information +on the customs and usages of the ancient Irish people.</p> + +<p>Although the book has been written for children, it will +be found, I hope, sufficiently interesting and instructive +for the perusal of older persons.</p> + +<p>The book, as will be seen, contains a mixture of Irish +History, Biography, and Romance; and most of the pieces +appear in their present form now for the first time. A +knowledge of the History of the country is conveyed, partly +in special Historical Sketches, partly in the Notes under +the Illustrations, and partly through the Biography of +important personages, who flourished at various periods +from St. Brigit down to the Great Earl of Kildare. And +besides this, the Stories, like those of all other ancient +nations, teach History of another kind, very important in +its own way.</p> + +<p>Ancient Irish Manuscript books contain great numbers +of Historical and Romantic Tales; and the specimens given +here in translation will, I am confident, give the reader a +very favourable impression of old Irish writings of this class.</p> + +<hr /> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>I make the following acknowledgments of assistance, with pleasure +and thanks:—</p> + +<p>To the Council of the Royal Irish Academy I am indebted for the +use of the blocks of many Illustrations in Wilde's "Catalogue of +Irish Antiquities."</p> + +<p>I owe to the Council of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland +several Illustrations from their Journal.</p> + +<p>Colonel Wood-Martin has given me the use of the blocks of several +of the Illustrations in his "Pagan Ireland."</p> + +<p>Lord Walter FitzGerald has given me permission to reproduce the +drawing of the old Chapter House door in St. Patrick's Cathedral, +Dublin, from the "Journal of the Kildare Archæological Society."</p> + +<p>And lastly, Messrs. Macmillan & Co. have permitted me to print +portions of Lord Tennyson's poem, "The Voyage of Maildune."</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="Table of Contents"> +<tr><td align="right" colspan="3"><small>PAGE</small></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">I.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#I">Legends and Early History,</a></td><td align="right">1</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">II.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#II">The Song of Inisfail,</a></td><td align="right">7</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">III.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#III">Religion of the Pagan Irish,</a></td><td align="right">8</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">IV.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#IV">Customs and Modes of Life,</a></td><td align="right">14</td></tr> +<tr><td align="center" colspan='3'><b>The Fate of the Children of Lir.</b></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">V.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#V">The Children of Lir turned to Swans,</a></td><td align="right">22</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">VI.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#VI">The Swans on Lake Darvra,</a></td><td align="right">27</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">VII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#VII">The Swans on the Sea of Moyle,</a></td><td align="right">32</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">VIII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#VIII">Death of the Children of Lir,</a></td><td align="right">39</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">IX.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#IX">Religion and Learning in Ancient Ireland,</a></td><td align="right">45</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">X.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#X">The Red Branch Knights,</a></td><td align="right">50</td></tr> +<tr><td align="center" colspan='3'><b>The Fate of the Sons of Usna.</b></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XI.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XI">The Flight to Alban,</a></td><td align="right">55</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XII">Concobar's guileful Message,</a></td><td align="right">60</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XIII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XIII">The Return to Emain,</a></td><td align="right">66</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XIV.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XIV">Trouble Looming,</a></td><td align="right">72</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XV.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XV">The Attack on the Sons of Usna,</a></td><td align="right">75</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XVI.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XVI">Death of the Sons of Usna,</a></td><td align="right">80</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XVII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XVII">Avenging and Bright,</a></td><td align="right">84</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XVIII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XVIII">The Wrath of Fergus,</a></td><td align="right">85</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XIX.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XIX">Ancient Irish Physicians: I.</a></td><td align="right">87</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XX.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XX">Ancient Irish Physicians: II.</a></td><td align="right">89</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXI.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXI">The Fena of Erin,</a></td><td align="right">92</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXII">The Chase of Slieve Cullin,</a></td><td align="right">98</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXIII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXIII">Saint Brigit: I.,</a></td><td align="right">103</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXIV.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXXIV">Saint Brigit: II.,</a></td><td align="right">107</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXV.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXV">Saint Brigit: III.,</a></td><td align="right">111</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXVI.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXVI">Irish Scribes and Books,</a></td><td align="right">114</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXVII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXVII">The Gilla Dacker and his Horse,</a></td><td align="right">120</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXVIII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXVIII">The Fena carried off by the Horse,</a></td><td align="right">123</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXIX.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXIX">Dermot O'Dyna at the Well,</a></td><td align="right">129</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXX.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXX">Dermot and the Wizard-Champion,</a></td><td align="right">132</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXI.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXXI">Saint Columkille: I.,</a></td><td align="right">139</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXXII">Saint Columkille: II.,</a></td><td align="right">145</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXIII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXXIII">Prince Alfred in Ireland,</a></td><td align="right">150</td></tr> +<tr><td align="center" colspan='3'><b>The Voyage of Maildune.</b></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXIV.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXXIV">The Voyage of Maildune,</a></td><td align="right">155</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td class="desc"><a href="#The_First_Island">The First Island,</a></td><td align="right">157</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXV.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXXV">An Extraordinary Monster,</a></td><td align="right">160</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td class="desc"><a href="#The_Silver_Pillar_of_the_Sea">The Silver Pillar of the Sea</a></td><td align="right">160</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXVI.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXXVI">Maildune forgives his enemy,</a></td><td align="right">162</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXVII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXXVII">Tennyson's "Voyage of Maildune,"</a></td><td align="right">164</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXVIII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXXVIII">Saint Donatus: I.,</a></td><td align="right">167</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXIX.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XXXIX">Saint Donatus: II.,</a></td><td align="right">170</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XL.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XL">Danish and Anglo-Norman Invasions,</a></td><td align="right">173</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XLI.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XLI">The Watchfire of Barnalee,</a></td><td align="right">179</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XLII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XLII">Cahal O'Conor of the Red Hand,</a></td><td align="right">181</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XLIII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XLIII">Cahal-More of the Wine-red hand,</a></td><td align="right">186</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XLIV.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XLIV">Sir John de Courcy,</a></td><td align="right">190</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XLV.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XLV">Sir John de Courcy imprisoned,</a></td><td align="right">193</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XLVI.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XLVI">Sir John de Courcy accepts a challenge,</a></td><td align="right">197</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XLVII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XLVII">Sir John de Courcy and the French Champion,</a></td><td align="right">200</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XLVIII.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XLVIII">The Earls of Kildare and Ormond,</a></td><td align="right">203</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XLIX.</td><td class="desc"><a href="#XLIX">Ancient Irish Music,</a></td><td align="right">208</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"> </td><td class="desc"><a href="#NOTES_AND_EXPLANATIONS">Notes and Explanations,</a></td><td align="right">213</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_006-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Ornament from the Book of Kells. See page <a href="#Page_117">117</a>.</span> +</div> +<h2><a id="I"></a>I.<br /><br /> + +LEGENDS AND EARLY HISTORY.<a id="FNanchor_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor"><span class="minute">[1]</span></a></h2> + +<p>In our <a id="t_Ancient"></a><a href="#idx_Ancient" class="indx">Ancient</a> books there are stories of five different +races of people who made their way to Ireland in old +times, with very exact accounts of their wanderings +before their arrival, and of the battles they fought +after landing. But these narratives cannot be depended +on, for they are not real History but Legends, +that is stories either wholly or partly <a id="t_Fabulous"></a><a href="#idx_Fabulous" class="indx">fabulous</a>. Of +the five early races, the two last, who were called +Dedannans and Milesians, were the most remarkable; +and they are mixed up with most of the old Irish +tales.</p> + +<p>The Dedannans, coming from Greece, landed in +Ireland; and having overcome the people they found +there, became masters of the country. They had the +name of being great <a id="t_Magician"></a><a href="#idx_Magician" class="indx">magicians</a>; and ancient Irish +writings are full of tales of the marvellous <a id="t_Spell"></a><a href="#idx_Spell" class="indx">spells</a> of +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span> +their skilled <a id="t_Wizard"></a><a href="#idx_Wizard" class="indx">wizards</a>. They remained in possession +for about two hundred years, till the Milesians came, +as will now be related.</p> + +<p>For many generations the Milesians, before their +arrival in Ireland, journeyed from one part of Europe +to another, seeking for some place of settlement. +And becoming at length weary of this state of +unrest, they <a id="t_Consult"></a><a href="#idx_Consult" class="indx">consulted</a> their chief <a id="t_Druid"></a><a href="#idx_Druid" class="indx">druid</a>, who was a +skilful <a id="t_Seer"></a><a href="#idx_Seer" class="indx">seer</a>, and bade him find out for them when +they were to end their wanderings, and where they +were to settle down. The druid, having thought the +matter over for a while, told them that far out on +the verge of the western sea was a lovely green +island called Inisfail,<a id="FNanchor_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> or the Island of <a id="t_Destiny"></a><a href="#idx_Destiny" class="indx">Destiny</a>, +which was to be their final home and resting-place. +So they set out once more, and fared on from land to +land, keeping the Isle of Destiny ever in mind, +thinking of it by day and dreaming of it by night. +At last they arrived in Spain, where they lived for a +time. Here they were under the command of the +renowned hero "Miled of Spain,"<a id="FNanchor_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> or Milesius, from +whom they came to be called Milesians.</p> + +<p>Some old Irish writers say that while they dwelt +in Spain, their chiefs, as they gazed <a id="t_Wistfully"></a><a href="#idx_Wistfully" class="indx">wistfully</a> over +the waters northwards, one clear winter's night, from +the top of a tower at the place now called Corunna, +saw Inisfail like a dim white cloud on the sea, in the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> +far distance. However this may be, the eight sons +of Milesius, after their father's death—many centuries +before the Christian era—set sail with a fleet, and +soon arrived on the coast of Ireland. But before +they could land, the Dedannans, by their spells, +raised a furious tempest, which wrecked the fleet and +drowned five of the brothers with most of their crews. +The remaining three landed with their men; and +having defeated the Dedannans in battle, they took +possession of Ireland.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_008-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />A fairy hill: an earthen mound at Highwood, near Lough Arrow, in Co. +Sligo. A fairy moat is also figured at page <a href="#Page_15">15</a>, and a cairn at page <a href="#Page_97">97</a>.</span> +</div> + +<p>When the Dedannans found that they were no +longer able to hold the country, the legend tells us +that they retired to secret dwellings under old forts, +moats, <a id="t_Cairn"></a><a href="#idx_Cairn" class="indx">cairns</a>, and beautiful green little hills: and +they became fairies, and built themselves glorious +palaces in their new underground abodes, all ablaze +with light, and glittering with gems and +gold.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span></p> + +<p>From that period forward, till the time of the +Danes, there were no more invasions; and the +Milesian kings and people were left to make their +own laws and manage the country as they thought +best, without any interference from outside.</p> + +<p>In the History of Ireland from the settlement of +the Milesian Colony down to the time of St. Patrick, +that is, to the fifth century of the Christian Era, +there is a mixture of legend and fact; and it is often +hard to disentangle them, so as to tell which is truth +and which is fable. As we advance, the truth and +certainty increase, and the legend grows less, till we +arrive near the time of St. Patrick. From about +this period forward, we are able to tell the main +history of the country without any mixture of fable.</p> + +<p>For a long time in the beginning the Irish people +were all pagans; and the kind of religion they had +will be presently described.</p> + +<p>As early as the third or fourth century—long +before St. Patrick's arrival—there were some +Christians in Ireland; and it is believed that the +knowledge of Christianity was brought to them from +Britain: but on this point there is no certainty. +Their numbers gradually increased as time went on; +and when St. Patrick arrived he found some small +Christian congregations scattered here and there +through the country. But the main body of the +people were pagans; and to St. Patrick belongs the +glory of converting them. The history of his life-work +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> +need not be told here, as it will be found +set forth in one of the Chapters of the "Child's +History of Ireland." It is enough to say that he +arrived in the year <span class="smcap">A.D.</span> 432, with many companions +to aid him; and that after thirty-three years of +constant toil, he died in 465, leaving the great body +of the people Christians, and the country covered +with churches. St. Patrick was a man of strong +will, of great courage—fearing no danger while +doing his Master's work—and <a id="t_Possessing_mighty_power_over_people"></a><a href="#idx_Possessing_mighty_power_over_people" class="indx">possessing mighty +power over</a> those he mixed with and addressed. +He was more successful than any other <a id="t_Missionary"></a><a href="#idx_Missionary" class="indx">missionary</a> +after the time of the Apostles.</p> + +<p>Some years before St. Patrick's arrival, a great king +ruled over Ireland (from 379 to 405) called Niall of +the Nine <a id="t_Hostage"></a><a href="#idx_Hostage" class="indx">hostages</a>. From him were descended most +of the kings who reigned over Ireland after his time +till the Anglo-Norman Invasion.<a id="FNanchor_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a></p> + +<p>From the earliest ages the Irish of Ulster were +in the habit of crossing the narrow sea to Alban or +Scotland, which can be seen plainly from the sea-cliffs +of Antrim; and many settled there and made +it their home. In the year 503, nearly forty years +after St. Patrick's death, a great colony of Irish—men, +women, and children—crossed over, commanded +by three princes, brothers, named Fergus, +Angus, and Lorne. In course of time the posterity +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> +of these people mastered all Scotland; and from +Fergus, who was their first king, the kings of +Scotland were descended. At that time Ireland was +generally known by the name of Scotia, and the +Irish were called Scots; and from them Alban got +the name of Scotland.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_011-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Stone Hammers, used when metal was still scarce, or not known at +all. A wooden handle was fixed in the hole. Iron was known in +Ireland from the beginning of the Christian era, and gold, silver, +copper, and bronze, long before it.</span> +</div> + +<p>In old times there were five provinces in Ireland:—Leinster, +Ulster, Connaught, Munster, and +Meath. Meath, which stretched from the Shannon +eastwards to the sea, and from Kildare on the south +to Armagh on the north, was about half the size +of Ulster. It was the last formed of the five, +and later on it disappeared as a province altogether. +The present counties of Meath and Westmeath +occupy only about half of it. In those times, the +county Louth belonged to Ulster, and Cavan and +Clare to Connaught.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> + +<p>There was a king over each of the five provinces, +and over these again was a king of all Ireland, called +the Over-king or head king. The kings of Ireland +had their chief palace on the Hill of Tara in Meath; +where many of the forts and other remains of the +old buildings are still to be seen. But Tara was +deserted as a royal residence in the sixth century, +after which the kings of Ireland lived elsewhere.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="II"></a>II.<br /><br /> + +THE SONG OF INISFAIL.</h2> + +<p class="title">I.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 20em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">They came from a land beyond the sea,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And now o'er the western main,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Set sail, in their good ships, <a id="t_Gallantly"></a><a href="#idx_Gallantly" class="indx">gallantly</a>,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">From the sunny land of Spain.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">"Oh, where's the Isle we've seen in dreams,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Our <a id="t_Destined_home"></a><a href="#idx_Destined_home" class="indx">destined home</a> or grave?"—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thus sung they, as by the morning's beams<br /></span> +<span class="i1">They swept the Atlantic wave.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="title">II.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 20em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">And lo, where afar o'er ocean shines<br /></span> +<span class="i1">A sparkle of radiant green,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">As though in that deep lay <a id="t_Emerald"></a><a href="#idx_Emerald" class="indx">em'rald</a> mines,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Whose light through the wave was seen.<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> +<span class="i0">"'Tis Inisfail—'tis Inisfail!"<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Rings o'er the echoing sea,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">While, bending to Heav'n, the warriors hail<br /></span> +<span class="i1">That home of the brave and free.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="title">III.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 20em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Then turn'd they unto the Eastern wave,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Where now their <a id="t_Day_god"></a><a href="#idx_Day_god" class="indx">Day-God's</a> eye<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A look of such sunny <a id="t_Omen"></a><a href="#idx_Omen" class="indx">omen</a> gave<br /></span> +<span class="i1">As lighted up sea and sky.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Nor frown was seen through sky or sea,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Nor tear on leaf or sod,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When first on their Isle of Destiny<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Our great forefathers trod.<br /></span> +</div> +<p class="credit"><span class="smcap">Thomas Moore</span>.</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="III"></a>III.<br /><br /> + +THE RELIGION OF THE PAGAN IRISH.</h2> + +<p>So far as we are able to judge from our old writings, +the pagan Irish had no one religion common to all +the people, and no settled general form of worship. +They had many gods; and it would appear that +every person chose whatever god he pleased for +himself. Some worshipped idols; and we read of +certain persons who had spring wells for gods: while +some again adored fire, and others the sun and moon. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> +The people also worshipped the <i>shee</i> or fairies, who +were supposed to live in grand palaces underground, +as described at page <a href="#Page_3">3</a>. The persons who taught +the people all about these gods were the Druids, +who were the learned men of those times. They +were believed to be wizards, and some think that +they were pagan priests.</p> + +<p>The pagan Irish had a dim notion of a sort of +heaven, a happy land of <a id="t_Perpetual"></a><a href="#idx_Perpetual" class="indx">perpetual</a> youth and peace. +It was believed that there were many happy lands +in different places, which were called by various +names, such as Moy-Mell, I-Brazil, and Tirnanoge. +Some were out in the Atlantic Ocean, off the western +coast, while others were down deep beneath lakes, +and some in caves under forts or cairns. They were +all inhabited by fairies, who sometimes carried off +mortals: and those whom they brought away hardly +ever came back. A fairy who wished to <a id="t_Allure"></a><a href="#idx_Allure" class="indx">allure</a> a +mortal often chanted a sort of magical song called +an incantation, which exercised a spell over the +person that listened to it.</p> + +<p>There is a pretty story, more than a thousand +years old, in the <a id="t_Book_of_the_Dun_Cow"></a><a href="#idx_Book_of_the_Dun_Cow" class="indx">Book of the Dun Cow</a>, which +relates how Prince Connla of the Golden Hair, son +of the great king <a id="t_Conn_the_Hundred-fighter"></a><a href="#idx_Conn_the_Hundred-fighter" class="indx">Conn the Hundred-fighter</a>, was +carried off by a fairy from the western shore in +a <a id="t_Crystal"></a><a href="#idx_Crystal" class="indx">crystal</a> boat to Moy-Mell. One day—as the +story relates—while the king and Connla and many +nobles were standing on the sea-shore, a boat of +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> +shining crystal approached from the west: and +when it had touched the land, a fairy, like a human +being, and richly dressed, came forth from it, and, +addressing Connla, tried to entice him into it. No +one saw this strange being save Connla alone, +though all heard the conversation: and the king +and the nobles <a id="t_Marvelled"></a><a href="#idx_Marvelled" class="indx">marvelled</a>, and were greatly troubled. +At last the fairy chanted the following words in a +very sweet voice: and the moment the chant was +ended, the poor young prince stepped into the crystal +boat, which in a moment glided swiftly away to the +west: and prince Connla was never again seen +in his native land.</p> + +<p class="hr15"> </p> +<p class="title">THE <a id="t_Chant"></a><a href="#idx_Chant" class="indx">CHANT</a> OF THE FAIRY TO CONNLA OF THE +GOLDEN HAIR.</p> + +<p class="center">I.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 20em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">A land of youth, a land of rest,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">A land from sorrow free;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">It lies far off in the golden west,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">On the verge of the <a id="t_Azure"></a><a href="#idx_Azure" class="indx">azure</a> sea.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A swift canoe of crystal bright,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">That never met mortal view—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">We shall reach the land ere fall of night,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">In that strong and swift canoe:<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> +<span class="i1">We shall reach the strand<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Of that sunny land<br /></span> +<span class="i0">From druids and demons free;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">The land of rest,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">In the golden west,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">On the verge of the azure sea!<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="center">II.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 27em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">A pleasant land of winding vales, bright streams, and <a id="t_Verdurous"></a><a href="#idx_Verdurous" class="indx">verdurous</a> plains,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Where summer, all the live-long year, in changeless splendour reigns;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A peaceful land of calm delight, of everlasting bloom;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Old age and death we never know, no sickness, care, or gloom;<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i2">The land of youth,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Of love and truth,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">From pain and sorrow free;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">The land of rest,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">In the golden west,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">On the verge of the azure sea!<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="center">III.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 25em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">There are strange delights for mortal men in that island of the west;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The sun comes down each evening in its lovely vales to rest:<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i2">And though far and dim<br /></span> +<span class="i2">On the ocean's rim<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> +<span class="i1">It seems to mortal view,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">We shall reach its halls<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Ere the evening falls,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">In my strong and swift canoe;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And ever more<br /></span> +<span class="i2">That verdant shore<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Our happy home shall he;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">The land of rest,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">In the golden west,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">On the verge of the azure sea!<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="center">IV.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 25em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">It will guard thee, gentle Connla of the flowing golden hair,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">It will guard thee from the druids, from the demons of the air;<a id="FNanchor_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a><br /></span> +<span class="i0">My crystal boat will guard thee, till we reach that western shore,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Where thou and I in joy and love shall live for evermore:<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">From the druid's incantation,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">From his black and deadly snare,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">From the withering <a id="t_Imprecation"></a><a href="#idx_Imprecation" class="indx">imprecation</a><br /></span> +<span class="i2">Of the demon of the air,<br /></span> +</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">It will guard thee, gentle Connla of the flowing golden hair;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">My crystal boat will guard thee, till we reach that silver strand,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Where thou shalt reign in endless joy, the king of the Fairy-land!<br /></span> +</div> +<p class="credit">From "Old Celtic Romances," by <span class="smcap">P. W. Joyce</span>, <small>LL.D</small>.</p> +</div> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" summary="Image formatting."><tr><td> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_018a-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Stone hatchet in the National +Museum, Dublin: probably used as +a battle-axe. Before metals came +into general use, tools and weapons +of various kinds, in Ireland as well +as in other countries, were made of +stone, flint being commonly used for +making cutting-instruments, such as +knives. But this was at a very early +period, mostly before the time when +our written history begins.</span> +</div></td> +<td><div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_018b-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Bronze head of Irish battle-<a id="t_Mace"></a><a href="#idx_Mace" class="indx">mace</a>: +now in the National Museum +Dublin. It was fitted with a +handle which was fastened in the +socket; and it was used for striking +in battle. It is double the size of +the picture. Weapons of this kind +were in use at a very early time, long +before the beginning of our regular +history.</span></div> +</td></tr></table> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="IV"></a>IV.<br /><br /> + +CUSTOMS AND MODES OF LIFE.</h2> + +<p>Our old books contain very full information regarding +the Irish people, and how they lived, more than a +thousand years ago.</p> + +<p>In early times Ireland was almost everywhere +covered with forests; and there were great and +dangerous bogs and marshes, overgrown with reeds, +moss, and coarse grass. +Many of these bogs still +remain, but they are not +nearly so large or dangerous +as they were then. +Great tracts of country +were uninhabited, so that +the whole population +was much less than it +is now.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_019-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Ancient Irish bronze reaping-hook: +6 inches long. It was fitted with a +handle which was fastened in the +socket with a rivet. Now in the +National Museum, Dublin.</span> +</div> + +<p>The people hunted and fished a great deal, partly +for food, partly to rid the country of <a id="t_Noxious"></a><a href="#idx_Noxious" class="indx">noxious</a> +creatures, and partly for sport; for the forests were +alive with wild animals of all kinds, and the rivers +and lakes teemed with fish. But no one then +thought it worth while to hunt foxes and hares for +sport, as people do now. They had much grander +game:—wild boars with long and dangerous tusks; +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> +<a id="t_Gigantic"></a><a href="#idx_Gigantic" class="indx">gigantic</a> deer; and fierce wolves that lurked in caves +and thick woods. In the cleared parts of the +country there +was much pasture +and tillage +various kinds of +corn and vegetables +were +grown, and the +land was very +<a id="t_Fertile"></a><a href="#idx_Fertile" class="indx">fertile</a> and well +watered with springs and rivulets.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_020-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />A moat: at Patrickstown, near Oldcastle, +Co. Meath. Some moats were burial mounds. +See pages <a href="#Page_16">16</a> and <a href="#Page_59">59</a>.</span> +</div> + +<p>There was more pasture than tillage; and the pasture +land was not fenced in, but was grazed in common. +The law was very particular in laying down +rules about the fences of tillage lands—that they +should be properly made, and that when two farms +lay next each other, each man should do half the +fencing work. Oxen were generally used for ploughing: +horses seldom. Generally two oxen were put +to one plough, but sometimes four, and sometimes +even six. While one man held the plough, another +walked in front to lead the animals.</p> + +<p>On account of the great forests and bogs, there +were many large districts where it was hard to go +long distances across country from place to place: +and often impossible. But in all the inhabited parts +there were roads or cleared paths. The roads of +those times were however very rough, and not nearly +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> +so good as our present roads. Rivers were crossed +by bridges made of rough planks or <a id="t_Wickerwork"></a><a href="#idx_Wickerwork" class="indx">wickerwork</a>—for +there were no stone bridges—or by wading at +shallow fords, or by little ferry boats.</p> + +<p>The people lived in houses almost always made of +timber, generally round-shaped or oval, but sometimes +four-cornered and oblong like our present +houses. In order to keep off wild beasts and +robbers, there was a high embankment of earth, with +a deep trench, round every house. Many of these +earthworks still remain all over Ireland, and are well +known by the names <i>lis</i>, <i>rath</i>, fort, &c.; and some +have high mounds commonly called moats.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_021-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Grain-rubber: 16 inches long. People ground their corn with this +before the invention of querns and milk. The grain was put between +the two stones, and the upper stone was worked backwards and forwards +with the hands. It was very hard and tedious work. See p. <a href="#Page_17">17</a>.</span> +</div> + +<p>The food of the people was not very different from +what it is at present, except that they had no +potatoes, which were brought to Ireland for the first +time about 300 years ago: and there was no tea or +coffee. They used oats, wheat, rye, and barley, +ground and made into bread; fish; and for those +who could afford it, the flesh of various animals, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> +either boiled or roast. Oatmeal porridge or stirabout +was in very general use, especially for children. +They ground their corn with small watermills, or +with handmills called querns, one of which was kept +in almost every house. Querns were in use before +the earliest time that our history reaches; and +water-mills were introduced before the arrival of +St. Patrick. In those early ages there was no sugar, +and honey was greatly valued, so that beehives were +kept everywhere.</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" summary="Image formatting."> +<tr><td> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_022a-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Ancient Irish bronze caldron for +boiling meat, 12½ inches deep, formed +of plates beautifully rivetted together. +It shows marks and signs of long use +over a fire. Now in the National +Museum, Dublin.</span> +</div> +</td><td> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_022b-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Irish drinking vessel, called a +Mether. They drank from the +corners. At meals, the same +mether was used by several +persons, who drank from it in +turn.</span> +</div></td></tr></table> + +<p>For drink, they had, besides plain water and +milk, ale, and a sweet sort of liquor called mead +both of which were made at home, and often wine, +which was brought from the continent. There was +then no whiskey.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> + +<p>In those days there were no hotels or inns as +there are now, where a person could have board and +lodging for payment; but they were not much +needed then, as travellers were otherwise well +provided for. Besides the monasteries, which, as we +shall see further on, were always open and free to +wayfarers, there were, all through the country, what +were called "Houses of public <a id="t_Hospitality"></a><a href="#idx_Hospitality" class="indx">hospitality</a>." The +keeper of one of those houses was called a <i>Brugaid</i> +and sometimes a <i>Beetagh</i>; and his office was considered +very high and honourable. A brugaid or +beetagh had to keep an open house for travellers +who were always welcome, and received bed and food +free of charge. He was obliged by law to keep +constantly in hands a large stock of provisions; +and he should have a certain number of beds and +all other necessary household furniture. To enable +a brugaid to keep up such an <a id="t_Expensive"></a><a href="#idx_Expensive" class="indx">expensive</a> <a id="t_Establishment"></a><a href="#idx_Establishment" class="indx">establishment</a>, +he had the house itself and a large tract +of land, free of rent and taxes, besides other <a id="t_Liberal"></a><a href="#idx_Liberal" class="indx">liberal</a> +allowances.</p> + +<p>The law required that there should be several +open roads leading to the residence of every brugaid; +and that a light should always be kept burning in +the lawn at night to guide travellers to the house.</p> + +<p>The people dressed well according to their means. +Both men and women were fond of bright coloured +garments, which were not hard to procure, as the art +of dyeing in all the various hues was well understood. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +It was usual for the same person to wear clothes +of several brilliant colours: and sometimes the long +outside mantle worn by men and women was striped +and spotted with purple, yellow, green, or other dyes +like Joseph's coat of many colours. Those who were +able to afford it wore rings, bracelets, necklaces, +gorgets, brooches, and other ornaments, made of gold, +silver, and a sort of white <a id="t_Bronze"></a><a href="#idx_Bronze" class="indx">bronze</a>.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_024-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Ancient Irish <a id="t_Gorget"></a><a href="#idx_Gorget" class="indx">Gorget</a> for the neck: of gold, reddish in colour, and very pure: +weighs 16⅓ oz. Now in the National Museum, Dublin.</span> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Irish metal workers were very skilful. They +made brooches, rings, bracelets, croziers, crosses, and +other such articles, in gold, silver, whitish bronze, +gems, and <a id="t_Enamel"></a><a href="#idx_Enamel" class="indx">enamel</a>, of which many have been found +in the earth from time to time, and are now kept +in <a id="t_Museum"></a><a href="#idx_Museum" class="indx">museums</a>: and some of them are so skilfully and +beautifully wrought that no <a id="t_Artificer"></a><a href="#idx_Artificer" class="indx">artificer</a> of the present +day can imitate them.</p> + +<p>There were men of the several professions, such as +medical doctors, lawyers, judges, builders, poets, +historians: and all through the country were to be +found tradesmen of the various crafts—carpenters, +smiths, workers in gold, silver, and brass, ship and +boat builders, masons, shoemakers, dyers, tailors, +brewers, and so-forth: all working industriously and +earning their bread under the <a id="t_Old_Irish_Laws"></a><a href="#idx_Old_Irish_Laws" class="indx">old irish laws</a>, which +were everywhere acknowledged and obeyed. Then +there was a good deal of <a id="t_Commerce"></a><a href="#idx_Commerce" class="indx">commerce</a> with Britain and +with Continental countries, especially France; and +the home commodities, such as hides, salt, wool, etc., +were exchanged for wine, silk, satin, and other goods +not produced in Ireland.</p> + +<p>From what has been said here, we may see that +the ancient Irish were orderly and regular in their +way of life—quite on a level in this respect with the +people of those other European countries of the same +period that had a proper settled government; and, +it will be shown further on in this book, that they +were famed throughout all Europe for Religion and +Learning.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span></p> + +<p>The greatest evil of the country was war; for the +kings and chiefs were very often fighting with each +other, which brought great misery on the poor people +where the disturbances took place. But in those +early times war was common in all countries; +and in this respect there was no more trouble in +Ireland than in England, Scotland, and the countries +of the Continent.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_026a-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Flint arrow-heads. The head was fixed on the top of the shaft with +cord of some kind, or with dried gut or tendon. Flint was used at a +very early period when metals were either not known at all or were +still very scarce. The makers of flint implements shaped them by +chipping with stone hammers, in which they were very skilful and +expert.</span> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_026b-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />One form of Irish Ornament.</span> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="The_Fate_of_the_Children_of_Lir22-1_or"></a> +<span class="old">The Fate of the Children of Lir</span><a id="FNanchor_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6" class="fnanchor"><span class='minute'>[6]</span></a><span class="old">; or, +<br />The Four White Swans.</span><br /><br /></h2> + +<h2><a id="V"></a>V.<br /><br /> + +HOW THE CHILDREN OF LIR WERE TURNED +INTO SWANS.</h2> + +<p>During the time when the Dedannans ruled in Erin, +there was a chief named Lir, who lived in Ulster, +and who was much beloved for his goodness and his +hospitality. He had four little children: a girl, +named Finola, who was the eldest, and three boys, +Aed, Ficra, and Conn: and Finola and Aed were +twins, as were also Ficra and Conn. Their mother +died when they were very young, and they were +then placed in charge of one of Lir's friends named +Eva, who was a witch-lady.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span></p> +<p>The four children grew up under Eva's care. She +nursed them with great tenderness, and her love for +them increased every day. They slept near their +father; and he would often rise from his own bed at +the dawn of morning, and go to their beds to talk +with them and to fondle them. And they were the +delight and joy of all the Dedannans, who often +came to Lir's house to see them. For nowhere could +four lovelier children be found; so that those who +saw them were always delighted with their beauty +and their gentleness, and could not help loving them +with all their heart.</p> + +<p>Now when Eva saw that the children of Lir +received such attention and affection from all, she +fancied she was neglected on their account; and a +poisonous dart of jealousy entered her heart, which +turned her love to hatred; and she began to have +feelings of bitter <a id="t_Enmity"></a><a href="#idx_Enmity" class="indx">enmity</a> for the children.</p> + +<p>Her jealousy so preyed on her that she feigned +illness, and lay in bed for nearly a year, filled with +<a id="t_Gall"></a><a href="#idx_Gall" class="indx">gall</a> and brooding mischief; and at the end of that +time she committed a foul and cruel deed of <a id="t_Treachery"></a><a href="#idx_Treachery" class="indx">treachery</a> +on the children of Lir.</p> + +<p>One day she ordered her horses to be yoked +to her <a id="t_Chariot"></a><a href="#idx_Chariot" class="indx">chariot</a>, and she set out for the palace of +the Dedannan king, Bove Derg, bringing the four +children with her. Finola did not wish to go, for +it was revealed to her darkly in a dream that Eva +was bent on some dreadful deed; and she knew well +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> +that the witch-lady intended to kill her and her +brothers that day, or in some other way to bring +ruin on them. But she was not able to avoid the +fate that awaited her; so she went.</p> + +<p>They fared on towards the palace, which was +situated near Lough Derg in the south, till they +came to the shore of Lake Darvra,<a id="FNanchor_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a> where they +alighted; and the horses were unyoked. Eva led +the children to the edge of the lake, and told them +to go to bathe; and as soon as they had got into the +clear water, she struck them one by one with a +<a id="t_Druidical"></a><a href="#idx_Druidical" class="indx">druidical</a> fairy wand, and turned them into four +beautiful snow-white swans. And she addressed +them in these words—</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 20em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Out to your home, ye swans, on Darvra's wave;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">With <a id="t_Clamorous"></a><a href="#idx_Clamorous" class="indx">clamorous</a> birds begin your life of gloom:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Your friends shall weep your fate, but none can save;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">For I've pronounced the dreadful words of doom.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>After this, the four children of Lir turned towards +the witch-lady; and Finola spoke—</p> + +<p>"Evil is the deed thou hast done, O Eva; thy +friendship to us has been a friendship of treachery; +and thou hast ruined us without cause. But the +power of thy witchcraft is not greater than the +druidical power of our friends to punish thee; and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +the doom that awaits thee shall be worse than +ours."</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 20em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The witch-lady loved us long ago;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The witch-lady now has wrought us woe;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With magical wand and fearful words,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">She changed us to beautiful snow-white birds;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And we live on the waters for evermore,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">By tempests driven from shore to shore.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Finola again spoke and said, "Tell us now how +long we shall be in the shape of swans, so that we +may know when our miseries shall come to an +end."</p> + +<p>"It would be better for you if you had not put +that question," said Eva; "but I will declare the +truth to you, as you have asked me. Three hundred +years on smooth Lake Darvra; three hundred years +on the Sea of Moyle, between Erin and Alban;<a id="FNanchor_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> three +hundred years at Inish Glora<a id="FNanchor_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a> on the Western Sea. +Until the union of Largnen, the prince from the +north, with Decca, the princess from the south; until +the Taillkenn<a id="FNanchor_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a> shall come to Erin, bringing the light +of a pure faith; and until ye hear the voice of the +Christian bell. And neither by your own power, nor +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> +by mine, nor by the power of your friends, can ye be +freed till the time comes."</p> + +<p>Then Eva <a id="t_Repented"></a><a href="#idx_Repented" class="indx">repented</a> what she had done; and she +said, "Since I cannot afford you any other relief, +I will allow you to keep your own <a id="t_Gaelic_speech"></a><a href="#idx_Gaelic_speech" class="indx">Gaelic speech</a>, and +ye shall be able to sing sweet, <a id="t_Plaintive"></a><a href="#idx_Plaintive" class="indx">plaintive</a> fairy music, +which shall excel all the music of the world, and +which shall lull to sleep all that listen to it. Moreover, +ye shall retain your human reason; and ye shall +not be in grief on account of being in the shape of +swans."</p> + +<p>And she chanted this <a id="t_Lay"></a><a href="#idx_Lay" class="indx">lay</a>—</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 20em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Depart from me, ye graceful swans;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">The waters are now your home:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Your palace shall be the pearly cave,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Your couch the crest of the crystal wave,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And your mantle the milk-white foam!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Depart from me, ye snow-white swans,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">With your music and Gaelic speech:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The crystal Darvra, the wintry Moyle,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The billowy margin of Glora's isle;—<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Three hundred years on each!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Victorious Lir, your hapless sire,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">His loved ones in vain shall call;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His weary heart is <a id="t_A_husk_of_gore"></a><a href="#idx_A_husk_of_gore" class="indx">a husk of gore</a>,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His home is joyless for evermore,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And his anger on me shall fall!<br /></span> +</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Through circling ages of gloom and fear<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Your <a id="t_Anguish"></a><a href="#idx_Anguish" class="indx">anguish</a> no tongue can tell;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Till faith shall shed her heavenly rays,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Till ye hear the Taillkenn's <a id="t_Anthem"></a><a href="#idx_Anthem" class="indx">anthem</a> of praise,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And the voice of the Christian bell!<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Then ordering her steeds to be yoked to her +chariot, she set out once more for the palace +leaving the four white swans swimming on the lake.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 20em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Our father shall watch and weep in vain;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He never shall see us return again.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Four pretty children, happy at home;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Four white swans on the feathery foam;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And we live on the waters for evermore,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">By tempests driven from shore to shore.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="VI"></a>VI.<br /><br /> + +THE FOUR WHITE SWANS ON LAKE +DARVRA.</h2> + +<p>Lir and his people, hearing that Eva had arrived +at Bove Derg's palace without the children, became +alarmed, and went southwards without delay; till +passing by the shore of Lake Darvra, they saw the +swans. And the swans swam up and spoke to them, +at which they wondered greatly. But when they told +Lir that they were indeed his four children whom +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> +the witch-lady had turned into birds, he and his +people were struck with <a id="t_Amazement"></a><a href="#idx_Amazement" class="indx">amazement</a> and <a id="t_Horror"></a><a href="#idx_Horror" class="indx">horror</a>; and +they uttered three long mournful cries of grief and +<a id="t_Lamentation"></a><a href="#idx_Lamentation" class="indx">lamentation</a>. And when Lir had heard from Finola +how the matter happened, he prepared to set out +in quest of Eva. And bidding farewell to the +children for a time, he chanted this lay:—</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 20em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The time has come for me to part:<br /></span> +<span class="i1">No more, alas! my children dear,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Your rosy smiles shall glad my heart,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Or light the gloomy home of Lir.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Dark was the day when first I brought<br /></span> +<span class="i1">This Eva in my home to dwell!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Hard was the woman's heart that wrought<br /></span> +<span class="i1">This cruel and <a id="t_Malignant"></a><a href="#idx_Malignant" class="indx">malignant</a> spell!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I lay me down to rest in vain;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">For, through the livelong, sleepless night,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">My little lov'd ones, pictured plain,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Stand ever there before my sight.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Finola, once my pride and joy;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Dark Aed, <a id="t_Adventurous"></a><a href="#idx_Adventurous" class="indx">adventurous</a> and bold;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Bright Ficra, gentle, playful boy;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And little Conn, with curls of gold;—<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Struck down on Darvra's reedy shore,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">By wicked Eva's magic power:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Oh, children, children, never more<br /></span> +<span class="i1">My heart shall know one peaceful hour.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> + +<p>After this he fared southwards till he arrived at +the palace, where he found Eva. And the king, +Bove Derg, when Lir had told him what Eva had +done, was in great wrath; for he loved those little +children. And calling Eva to him he spoke to her +fiercely and asked her what shape of all others, +on the earth, or above the earth, or beneath the +earth, she most <a id="t_Abhor"></a><a href="#idx_Abhor" class="indx">abhorred</a>, and into which she most +dreaded to be <a id="t_Transform"></a><a href="#idx_Transform" class="indx">transformed</a>.</p> + +<p>And she, being forced to answer truly, said, "A +demon of the air."</p> + +<p>"That is the form you shall take," said Bove +Derg; and as he spoke he struck Eva with a +druidical magic wand, and turned her into a demon +of the air. She opened her wings, and flew with +a scream upwards and away through the clouds; +and she is still a demon of the air, and she shall +be a demon of the air till the end of time.</p> + +<p>After this, Lir and the Dedannans came to live +on the shore of the lake, to be near the swans and +to speak with them. And so the swans passed their +time on the waters. During the day they discoursed +lovingly with their father and their friends; and at +night they chanted their slow, sweet, fairy music, +the most delightful that was ever heard by men; +so that all who listened to it, even those who were in +grief, or sickness, or pain, forgot their sorrows and +their sufferings, and fell into a gentle, sweet sleep +from which they awoke bright and happy.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span></p> + +<p>At last the three hundred years<a id="FNanchor_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a> came to an end, +and Finola said to her brothers:—</p> + +<p>"Do you know, my dear brothers, that we have +come to the end of our time here; and that we have +only this one night to spend on Lake Darvra?"</p> + +<p>When the three sons of Lir heard this, they were +in great distress and sorrow; for they were almost as +happy on Lake Darvra, surrounded by their friends, +and conversing with them day by day, as if they had +been in their father's house in their own natural +shapes; whereas they should now live on the gloomy +and tempest-tossed Sea of Moyle, far away from all +human <a id="t_Society"></a><a href="#idx_Society" class="indx">society</a>.</p> + +<p>Early next morning, the swans came to the +margin of the lake to speak to their father and +their friends for the last time, and to bid them +farewell; and Finola chanted this lay—</p> + +<p class="center">I.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 18em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Farewell, farewell, our father dear!<br /></span> +<span class="i1">The last sad hour has come:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Farewell, Bove Derg! farewell to all,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Till <a id="t_The_dreadful_day_of_doom"></a><a href="#idx_The_dreadful_day_of_doom" class="indx">the dreadful day of doom</a>!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">We go from friends and scenes beloved,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">To a home of grief and pain;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And that day of woe<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Shall come and go,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Before we meet again!<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> +<p class="center">II.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 18em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">We live for ages on stormy Moyle,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">In loneliness and fear;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The kindly words of loving friends<br /></span> +<span class="i1">We never more shall hear.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Four joyous children long ago;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Four snow-white swans to-day;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And on Moyle's wild sea<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Our robe shall be<br /></span> +<span class="i1">The cold and briny spray.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="center">III.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 18em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Far down on the misty stream of time,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">When three hundred years are o'er,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Three hundred more in storm and cold,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">By Glora's <a id="t_Desolate"></a><a href="#idx_Desolate" class="indx">desolate</a> shore;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Till Decca fair is Largnen's spouse;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Till north and south unite;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Till the hymns are sung,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And the bells are rung,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">At the dawn of the pure faith's light.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="center">IV.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 18em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Arise, my brothers, from Darvra's wave<br /></span> +<span class="i1">On the wings of the southern wind;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">We leave our father and friends to-day<br /></span> +<span class="i1">In measureless grief behind.<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> +<span class="i0">Ah! sad the parting, and sad our flight<br /></span> +<span class="i1">To Moyle's <a id="t_Tempestuous"></a><a href="#idx_Tempestuous" class="indx">tempestuous</a> main;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">For the day of woe<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Shall come and go,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Before we meet again!<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The four swans then spread their wings, and rose +from the surface of the water in sight of all their +friends, till they reached a great height in the air; +then resting, and looking downwards for a moment, +they flew straight to the north, till they alighted +on the Sea of Moyle between Erin and Alban.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="VII"></a>VII.<br /><br /> + +THE FOUR WHITE SWANS ON THE SEA OF +MOYLE.</h2> + +<p>Miserable was the <a id="t_Abode"></a><a href="#idx_Abode" class="indx">abode</a> and evil the <a id="t_Plight"></a><a href="#idx_Plight" class="indx">plight</a> of the +children of Lir on the Sea of Moyle. Their hearts +were wrung with sorrow for their father and their +friends; and when they looked towards the steep +rocky, far-stretching coasts, and saw the great, dark, +wild sea around them, they were overwhelmed with +fear and despair. They began also to suffer from +cold and hunger, so that all the hardships they had +<a id="t_Endure"></a><a href="#idx_Endure" class="indx">endured</a> on Lake Darvra appeared as nothing +compared with their suffering on the sea-current of +Moyle.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p> + +<p>And so they lived, till one night a great tempest +fell upon the sea. Finola, when she saw the sky +filled with black, threatening clouds, thus addressed +her brothers:—</p> + +<p>"Beloved brothers, we have made a bad preparation +for this night: for it is certain that the +coming storm will separate us; and now let us +appoint a place of meeting, or it may happen that +we shall never see each other again."</p> + +<p>And they answered, "Dear sister, you speak truly +and wisely; and let us fix on Carricknarone,<a id="FNanchor_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a> for that +is a rock that we are all very well acquainted with."</p> + +<p>And they appointed Carricknarone as their place +of meeting.</p> + +<p>Midnight came, and with it came the beginning of +the storm. A wild, rough wind swept over the dark +sea, the lightnings flashed, and the great waves rose, +and increased their violence and their thunder.</p> + +<p>The swans were soon scattered over the waters, +so that not one of them knew in what direction +the others had been driven. During all that night +they were tossed about by the roaring winds and +waves, and it was with much difficulty they preserved +their lives.</p> + +<p>Towards morning the storm abated, the sky +cleared, and the sea became again calm and smooth; +and Finola swam to Carricknarone. But she found +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> +none of her brothers there, neither could she see any +trace of them when she looked all round from the +summit of the rock over the wide face of the sea.</p> + +<p>Then she became terrified, thinking she should +never see them again; and she began to lament +them plaintively.</p> + +<p>[On this incident Thomas Moore wrote the +following beautiful song. A person is supposed to +be listening to Finola, and—in the first four lines +of the song—calls on the winds and the waves to +be silent that he may hear.]</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Silent, O Moyle!</span></p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 20em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Silent, O Moyle! be the roar of thy water,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Break not, ye breezes! your <a id="t_Chain_of_repose"></a><a href="#idx_Chain_of_repose" class="indx">chain of repose</a>,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">While, murmuring mournfully, Lir's lonely daughter<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Tells to the night-star her tale of woes.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When shall the Swan, her death-note singing,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Sleep with wings in <a id="t_Darkness"></a><a href="#idx_Darkness" class="indx">darkness</a> furl'd?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When will Heav'n, its sweet bell ringing,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Call my spirit from this stormy world?<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Sadly, O Moyle! to thy winter-wave weeping,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Fate bids me languish long ages away;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Yet still in her darkness doth Erin lie sleeping<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Still doth the <a id="t_Pure_light"></a><a href="#idx_Pure_light" class="indx">pure light</a> its dawning delay<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When will that day-star, mildly springing,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Warm our Isle with peace and love?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When will Heaven, its sweet bell ringing,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Call my spirit to the fields above?<br /></span> +</div></div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span></p> + +<p>At last, while she stood gazing in despair over the +waste of waters, she saw her brothers swimming +from different directions towards the rock. They +came to her one by one, and she welcomed them +joyfully: and she placed Aed under the feathers of +her breast, and Ficra and Conn under her wings, +and said to them:—"My dear brothers, though ye +may think last night very bad, we shall have many +like it from this time forth."</p> + +<p>So they continued for a long time on the Sea +of Moyle, suffering hardships of every kind, till one +winter night came upon them, of great wind and of +snow and frost so severe, that nothing they ever +before suffered could be compared to the misery of +that night. The swans remained on Carricknarone, +and their feet and their wings were frozen to the icy +surface, so that they had to strive hard to move from +their places in the morning; and they left the skin +of their feet, the quills of their wings, and the +feathers of their breasts clinging to the rock.</p> + +<p>"Sad is our condition this night, my beloved +brothers," said Finola, "for we are forbidden to leave +the Sea of Moyle; and yet we cannot bear the salt +water, for when it enters our wounds, I fear we shall +die of pain." And she uttered these words—</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 18em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Our life is a life of woe;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">No shelter or rest we find:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">How bitterly drives the snow;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">How cold is this wintry wind!<br /></span> +</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">From the icy spray of the sea,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">From the wind of the bleak north-east,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I shelter my brothers three,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Under my wings and breast.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The witch-lady sent us here,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And misery well we know:—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In cold and hunger and fear;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Our life is a life of woe!<a id="FNanchor_13"></a><a href="#Footnote_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</a><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>They were, however, forced to swim out on the +stream of Moyle, all wounded and torn as they were; +for though the brine was sharp and bitter, they +were not able to avoid it. They stayed as near the +coast as they could, till after a long time the feathers +of their breasts and wings grew again, and their +wounds were healed.</p> + +<p>After this the swans lived on for a great number of +years, sometimes visiting the shores of Erin, and +sometimes the headlands of Alban. But they always +returned to the sea-stream of Moyle, for it was to be +their home till the end of three hundred years.</p> + +<p>One day they came to the mouth of the Bann, +on the north coast of Erin, and looking inland, they +saw a stately troop of horsemen approaching directly +from the south-west. They were mounted on white +steeds, and clad in bright-coloured garments, and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> +as they wound towards the shore their arms glittered +in the sun.</p> + +<p>These were a party of the Dedannans who had +been a long time searching for the children of Lir +along the northern shores of Erin: and now that +they had found them, they were joyful; and they +and the swans greeted each other with tender +expressions of friendship and love. The children of +Lir inquired after the Dedannans, and particularly +after their father Lir; and for Bove Derg, and for +all the rest of their friends and acquaintances.</p> + +<p>"They are well," replied the Dedannans; "but all +are mourning for you since the day you left Lake +Darvra. And now we wish to know how you fare +on this wild sea."</p> + +<p>"Miserable has been our life since that day," said +Finola; "and no tongue can tell the suffering and +sorrow we have endured on the Sea of Moyle." And +she chanted these words—</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 20em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Ah, happy is Lir's bright home to-day,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With mead and music and poet's lay:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But gloomy and cold his children's home,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For ever tossed on the briny foam.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Our <a id="t_Wreathed"></a><a href="#idx_Wreathed" class="indx">wreathèd</a> feathers are thin and light<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When the wind blows keen through the wintry night:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Yet often we were robed, long, long ago,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In purple mantles and furs of snow.<br /></span> +</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">On Moyle's bleak current our food and wine<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Are sandy sea-weed and bitter brine:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Yet oft we feasted in days of old,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And <a id="t_Hazel-mead"></a><a href="#idx_Hazel-mead" class="indx">hazel-mead</a> drank from cups of gold.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Our beds are rocks in the dripping caves;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Our <a id="t_Lullaby"></a><a href="#idx_Lullaby" class="indx">lullaby</a> song the roar of the waves:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But soft rich couches once we pressed,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And harpers lulled us each night to rest.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Lonely we swim on the billowy main,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Through frost and snow, through storm and rain:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Alas for the days when round us moved<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The chiefs and princes and friends we loved!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">My little twin brothers beneath my wings<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Lie close when the north wind bitterly stings,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And Aed close nestles before my breast;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thus side by side through the night we rest.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Our father's fond kisses, Bove Derg's embrace,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The light of <a id="t_Mannanan"></a><a href="#idx_Mannanan" class="indx">Mannanan</a>'s godlike face,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The love of <a id="t_Angus"></a><a href="#idx_Angus" class="indx">Angus</a>—all, all are o'er;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And we live on the billows for evermore!<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>After this they bade each other farewell, for it +was not permitted to the children of Lir to remain +away from the stream of Moyle.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="VIII"></a>VIII.<br /><br /> + +HOW THE CHILDREN OF LIR REGAINED +THEIR HUMAN SHAPE AND DIED.</h2> + +<p>Great was the misery of the Children of Lir on +the sea of Moyle till their three hundred years were +ended. Then Finola said to her brothers—</p> + +<p>"It is time for us to leave this place, for our period +here has come to an end."</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 18em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The hour has come; the hour has come;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Three hundred years have passed:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">We leave this bleak and gloomy home,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And we fly to the west at last!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">We leave for ever the stream of Moyle;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">On the clear, cold wind we go;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Three hundred years round Glora's Isle,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Where wintry tempests blow!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">No sheltered home, no place of rest,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">From the tempest's angry blast:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Fly, brothers, fly, to the distant west,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">For the hour has come at last!<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>So the swans left the Sea of Moyle, and flew +westward, till they reached the sea round the +Isle of Glora. There they remained for three +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> +hundred years, suffering much from storm and cold, +and in nothing better off than they were on the +Sea of Moyle. Towards the end of that time, St. +Patrick came to Erin with the pure faith; and +St. Kemoc, one of his companions, came to Inish +Glora. The first night Kemoc came to the island, +the children of Lir heard his bell at early <a id="t_Matin_time"></a><a href="#idx_Matin_time" class="indx">matin +time</a>, ringing faintly in the distance. And the three +sons of Lir trembled with fear, for the sound was +strange and dreadful to them. But Finola knew +well what it was; and she soothed them and said:—"My +dear brothers, this is the voice of the Christian +bell: and now the end of our suffering is near: for +this bell is the signal that we shall soon be freed +from our spell, and released from our life of suffering; +for God has willed it."</p> + +<p>And when the bell ceased she chanted this lay—</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 23em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Listen, ye swans, to the voice of the bell,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">The sweet bell we've dreamed of for many a year;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Its tones floating by on the night breezes, tell<br /></span> +<span class="i1">That the end of our long life of sorrow is near!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Listen, ye swans, to the heavenly strain;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">'Tis the <a id="t_Anchoret"></a><a href="#idx_Anchoret" class="indx">anchoret</a> tolling his soft <a id="t_Matins"></a><a href="#idx_Matins" class="indx">matin</a> bell:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He has come to release us, from sorrow, from pain,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">From the cold and tempestuous shores where we dwell!<br /></span> +</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Trust in the glorious Lord of the sky;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">He will free us from Eva's druidical spell:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Be thankful and glad, for our freedom is nigh,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And listen with joy to the voice of the bell!<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"Let us sing our music now," said Finola.</p> + +<p>And they chanted a low, sweet, plaintive strain of +fairy music, to praise and thank the great high King +of heaven and earth.</p> + +<p>Kemoc heard the music from where he stood; and +he listened with great astonishment. And he came +and spoke to the swans, and asked them were they +the children of Lir. They replied, "We are indeed +the children of Lir, who were changed long ago into +swans by the spells of the witch-lady."</p> + +<p>"I give God thanks that I have found you," said +Kemoc; "for it is on your account I have come to +this little island." Then he brought them to his +own house; and, sending for a skilful workman, he +caused him to make two bright, slender chains of +silver; and he put a chain between Finola and Aed, +and the other chain he put between Ficra and Conn. +And there they lived with Kemoc in content and +happiness.</p> + +<p>Now there was in that place a certain king named +Largnen, whose queen was Decca: the very king and +queen whom the witch-lady had foretold on the day +when she changed the children into swans, nine +hundred years before. And Queen Decca, hearing +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> +all about those wonderful speaking swans, wished to +have them for herself: so she sent to Kemoc for +them; but he refused to give them. Whereupon the +queen <a id="t_Waxed"></a><a href="#idx_Waxed" class="indx">waxed</a> very wroth: and her husband the king, +when she told him about it, was wroth also: and he +set out straightway for Kemoc's house to bring the +swans away by force. The swans were at this time +standing in the little church with Kemoc. And +Largnen coming up, seized the two silver chains, one +in each hand, and drew the birds towards the door; +while Kemoc followed him, much alarmed lest they +should be injured.</p> + +<p>The king had proceeded only a little way, when +suddenly the white feathery robes faded and disappeared; +and the swans regained their human +shape, Finola being <a id="t_Transformed"></a><a href="#idx_Transformed" class="indx">transformed</a> into an extremely +old woman, and the three sons into three feeble old +men, white-haired and bony and wrinkled.</p> + +<p>When the king saw this, he started with affright, +and instantly left the place without speaking one +word.</p> + +<p>As to the children of Lir, they turned towards +Kemoc; and Finola spoke—</p> + +<p>"Come, holy <a id="t_Cleric"></a><a href="#idx_Cleric" class="indx">cleric</a>, and baptise us without delay, +for our death is near. You will grieve after us, O +Kemoc; but in truth you are not more sorrowful at +parting from us than we are at parting from you. +Make our grave here and bury us together; and as I +often sheltered my brothers when we were swans, so +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> +let us be placed in the grave—Conn standing near +me at my right side, Ficra at my left, and Aed before +my face."<a id="FNanchor_14"></a><a href="#Footnote_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</a></p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 18em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Come, holy priest, with book and prayer<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Baptise and bless us here:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Haste, cleric, haste, for the hour has come<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And death at last is near!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Dig our grave—a deep, deep grave,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Near the church we loved so well;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">This little church, where first we heard<br /></span> +<span class="i1">The voice of the Christian bell.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">As oft in life my brothers dear<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Were sooth'd by me to rest—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Ficra and Conn beneath my wings,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And Aed before my breast;<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">So place the two on either hand—<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Close, like the love that bound me;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Place Aed as close before my face,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And twine their arms around me<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Thus shall we rest for evermore,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">My brothers dear and I;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Haste, cleric, haste, baptise and bless,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">For death at last is nigh!<br /></span> +</div></div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then the children of Lir were baptised, and they +died immediately. And when they died, Kemoc +looked up; and lo, he saw a vision of four lovely +children, with light, silvery wings, and faces all <a id="t_Radiant"></a><a href="#idx_Radiant" class="indx">radiant</a> +with joy. They gazed on him for a moment; but +even as they gazed, they vanished upwards, and he +saw them no more. And he was filled with gladness, +for he knew they had gone to heaven; but when he +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> +looked down on the four bodies lying before him, he +became sad and wept.</p> + +<p>And Kemoc caused a wide and deep grave to be +dug near the little church; and the children of Lir +were buried together, as Finola had directed—Conn +at her right hand, Ficra at her left, and Aed standing +before her face. And he raised a grave-mound over +them, placing a tombstone on it, with their names +graved in Ogham;<a id="FNanchor_15"></a><a href="#Footnote_15" class="fnanchor">[15]</a> after which he uttered a <a id="t_Lament"></a><a href="#idx_Lament" class="indx">lament</a> +for them, and their funeral rites were performed.</p> + +<p>So far we have related the sorrowful story of the +Fate of the Children of Lir.</p> + +<p class="credit">From "Old Celtic Romances," by <span class="smcap">P. W. Joyce</span>, <small>LL.D</small>.</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" summary="Image formatting."> +<tr><td> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_049a-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />An Ogham stone. See note, +<a href="#FNanchor_14">next page</a>.</span> +</div> +</td><td> +<div class="figcenter" > +<img src="images/i_049c-s.png" width="91" height="477" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Bronze sword. A +hilt was fixed on +by rivets.</span> +</div> +</td><td> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_049b-s.png" width="113" height="450" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Bronze spear-head. A +long handle was fixed +in the socket and fastened +by a rivet.</span> +</div></td></tr></table> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="IX"></a>IX.<br /><br /> + +HOW RELIGION AND LEARNING +FLOURISHED IN IRELAND.</h2> + +<p>As soon as St. Patrick had entered on his mission in +Ireland, he began to found monasteries, which continued +to spread through every part of the country +for hundreds of years after his time. Though +religion was their main object, these establishments +were among the chief means of spreading general +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> +<a id="t_Enlightenment"></a><a href="#idx_Enlightenment" class="indx">enlightenment</a> among the people. Almost every +monastery had a school or college attached, at +the head of which was some man who was a +great scholar and teacher. The teachers were +generally monks: but many learned laymen were +also employed. Some colleges had very large numbers +of students: for instance, we are told that there +were 3000 in each of the two colleges of Clonard +and Bangor<a id="FNanchor_16"></a><a href="#Footnote_16" class="fnanchor">[16]</a>; and many others might be named, +which, though not so large, had yet several hundred +students in each.</p> + +<p>In these monasteries and their schools all was +life and activity. The monks were always busily +employed; some at tillage on the farm round the +monastery—ploughing, digging, sowing, reaping—some +teaching, others writing books. The duty of +a few was to attend to travellers, to wash their +feet and prepare supper and bed for them: for +strangers who called at the monastery were always +received with welcome, and got lodging, food, and +attendance from the monks, all free. Others of +the inmates, again, employed themselves in cooking, +or carpentry, or smithwork, or making clothes, +for the use of the <a id="t_Community"></a><a href="#idx_Community" class="indx">community</a>. Besides all this +they had their devotions to attend to, at certain +times, both day and night, throughout the year. +As for the students, they had to mind their own +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> +simple household concerns, and each day when these +were finished they had plenty of employment in their +studies: for the professors kept them hard at work.</p> + +<p>There were also great numbers of schools not +held in monasteries, conducted by laymen, some for +general learning, such as History, Poetry, Grammar, +Latin, Greek, Irish, the Sciences, &c.; and some for +teaching and training young men for professions, +such as lawyers and doctors. And these schools +helped greatly to spread learning, though they were +not so well known outside Ireland as the monastic +schools.</p> + +<p>The Irish professors were so famed for their learning, +and the colleges were so excellent, that students +came to them from every country of Europe: but +more from Great Britain than elsewhere. The Irish +were very much pleased to receive these foreign +students: and they were so generous that they +supplied them with food, gave them the manuscript +books they wanted to learn from, and taught them +too, all free of charge. Ireland was in those times the +most learned country in Europe, so that it was known +by the name of the Island of Saints and Scholars.</p> + +<p>But the Irish scholars and missionaries did not +confine themselves to their own country. Great +numbers of them went abroad—to Britain and +elsewhere—to teach and to preach the Gospel to the +people. The professors from Ireland were held in +such estimation that they were employed to teach in +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> +most of the schools and colleges of Great Britain and +the Continent.</p> + +<p>We shall see that the Northern Picts of Scotland +were converted by St. Columkille and his monks +from Iona (see p. <a href="#Page_144">144</a>): and a large proportion of the +people of England became Christians through the +preaching of Irish monks before the arrival of +St. Augustine.<a id="FNanchor_17"></a><a href="#Footnote_17" class="fnanchor">[17]</a></p> + +<p>The Irish missionaries, who went to the Continent, +in their eagerness to spread religion and knowledge, +penetrated to all parts of Europe: they even found +their way to Iceland. Few people have any idea of +the trials and dangers they <a id="t_Encounter"></a><a href="#idx_Encounter" class="indx">encountered</a>. Most of +them were persons in good position, who might have +lived in plenty and comfort at home. They knew +well, when setting out, that they were leaving +country and friends probably for ever: for of +those that went, very few ever returned. Once +on the Continent, they had to make their way +poor and friendless, through people whose language +they did not understand, and who were in many +places ten times more rude and dangerous in those +ages than the inhabitants of these islands: and we +know, as a matter of history, that many were killed +on the way. Then these earnest men had, of course, +to learn the language of the people among whom they +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> +took up their abode: for until they did this they had +to employ an <a id="t_Interpreter"></a><a href="#idx_Interpreter" class="indx">interpreter</a>, which was a very troublesome +and slow way of preaching. But the noble-hearted +missionaries went forth to do their good +work; and no labours, hardships, or dangers could +turn them from their purpose.</p> + +<p>More than three hundred years ago the great +English poet, Edmund Spenser, lived some time in +Ireland, and made himself very well acquainted with +its history. He knew what kind of a country it was +in past ages; so that in one of his poems he speaks +of the time</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 18em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i2">"When Ireland florishèd in fame<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of wealth and goodnesse, far above the rest<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of all that beare the British Islands name."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_054-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Ancient Irish solid gold ornament, now in the National Museum +Dublin. It is double the size of the picture, and weighs 5¼ oz. Great +numbers of gold objects, shaped like this, are in the National Museum, +some very large—one of them weighing 33 oz.: while others are quite +small, not bigger than a common coat-button. Besides being +ornaments, it is believed that they were used as money, as there were +no coins in use in very ancient times in Ireland.</span> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="X"></a>X.<br /><br /> + +THE RED BRANCH KNIGHTS.</h2> + +<p>Nearly two miles west of Armagh are the remains +of the ancient palace of Emain, or Emain Macha, +often called Emania. They consist of a great +circular <i>rath</i> or <a id="t_Rampart"></a><a href="#idx_Rampart" class="indx">rampart</a> of earth, with a deep trench +outside it, and a high mound within, the whole +<a id="t_Structure"></a><a href="#idx_Structure" class="indx">structure</a> covering a space of about thirteen acres. +At one time the circular ring was complete, but of +late years some portions of it have been levelled or +removed. The houses in which the kings and heroes +of old, with their numerous <a id="t_Household"></a><a href="#idx_Household" class="indx">households</a>, lived and +feasted, stood mostly within the enclosure, and were +all of wood, not a trace of which remains. This +great fort is now called by the people of the place, +the "Navan Fort," or "Navan Ring."</p> + +<p>According to Irish legendary history, Emain was +founded about three centuries before the beginning +of the Christian era, by Macha of the Golden Hair, +queen of Ulster; and for more than six hundred +years it was the residence of the kings of that +province. But about the year A.D. 331, it was +destroyed by three princes from Tara, who invaded +and conquered that part of Ulster; after which +Emain was no longer inhabited.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span></p> + +<p>Early in the first century of the Christian era +flourished the Red Branch Knights, a band of heroes +in the service of Concobar (or Conor) Mac Nessa, +king of Ulster. There were several bodies of them, +under separate commanders, who lived in different +parts of the province. These leaders were the great +heroes of the Red Branch, who are celebrated in +ancient Irish romance, and who are mentioned by +Moore in his song, "Let Erin remember":—</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 20em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"When her kings with <a id="t_Standard"></a><a href="#idx_Standard" class="indx">standard</a> of green unfurled<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Led the Red Branch Knights to danger."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Every year during the summer months, various +companies of the Knights came to Emain under +their several commanders, to be drilled and trained +in military science and feats of arms. They were +lodged in a large separate building beside Emain, +called Creeveroe or the Red Branch—from which the +whole force took its name: and the townland in +which this great house stood is still called Creeveroe. +Each day the leaders were feasted by King +Concobar Mac Nessa in his own <a id="t_Banquet"></a><a href="#idx_Banquet" class="indx">banquetting</a> hall at +Emain.</p> + +<p>The greatest of all the Red Branch heroes was +Cu-Culainn—"the mightiest hero of the Scots," as he +is called in one of the oldest of the Irish books—whose +residence was <i>Dundalgan</i>, a mile west of the +present town of Dundalk. This dun or fort consists +of a high mound surrounded by an earthen rampart +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> +and trench, all of immense size, even in their ruined +state; but it has lost its old name and is now called +the Moat of Castletown, while the original name +Dundalgan, slightly altered, has been <a id="t_Transfer"></a><a href="#idx_Transfer" class="indx">transferred</a> to +Dundalk.</p> + +<p>Another of these Red Branch Knights' residences +stands beside Downpatrick: viz., the great fort +anciently called (among other names) Dun-Keltair +or Rath-Keltair, where lived the hero, Keltar of the +Battles. It consists of a huge embankment of earth, +nearly circular, with the usual deep trench outside it, +covering a space of about ten acres.</p> + +<p>Next to Cuculainn, the most renowned of those +knights were Fergus Mac Roy, Leary the Victorious, +Conall Carnagh, and the three Sons of Usna.</p> + +<p>There were, at this same time, similar orders of +knights in the other provinces. Those of Munster +were commanded by Curoi Mac Dara, who lived in a +great stone fortress high up on the side of +Caherconree Mountain, near Tralee, the remains of +which may be seen to this day. He was a mighty +champion, and on one occasion vanquished Cuculainn +in single combat. The Connaught knights were in +the service of Maive, the warlike queen of that province, +whose residence was the palace of Croghan, +the ruins of which still remain near the village of +Rathcroghan in the north of Roscommon.</p> + +<p>In the Book of the Dun Cow, the Book of Leinster, +and other old manuscripts (which will be found +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> +described farther on), there are great numbers of +<a id="t_Romantic_stories"></a><a href="#idx_Romantic_stories" class="indx">romantic stories</a> about those Red Branch Knights, +and about the Knights of Munster and Connaught, +of which many have been translated and published.</p> + +<p>The most celebrated of all these tales is what is +called the <i>Tain</i> or "Cattle spoil" of Quelna or +Cooley.<a id="FNanchor_18"></a><a href="#Footnote_18" class="fnanchor">[18]</a> Queen Maive, having some cause of quarrel +with an Ulster chief, set out with her army for +the north on a plundering expedition, attended by +all the great heroes of Connaught. During the march +northwards, the queen, as the story tells us, had nine +splendid chariots for herself and her attendant chiefs, +her own in the centre, with two abreast in front, two +behind, and two on each side, right and left; and—in +the words of the old tale—"the reason for this +order was, lest the clods from the hoofs of the horses, +or the foam-flakes from their mouths, or the dust +raised by that mighty host, should strike and tarnish +the golden <a id="t_Diadem"></a><a href="#idx_Diadem" class="indx">diadem</a> on the head of the queen."</p> + +<p>The invading army entered Quelna, which was then +a part of Ulster and belonged to Cuculainn. It happened +just then that the men of Ulster were under +a <a id="t_Spell_of_feebleness"></a><a href="#idx_Spell_of_feebleness" class="indx">spell of feebleness</a>, all but Cuculainn, who had to +defend single-handed the several fords and passes, in +a series of combats against Maive's best champions, +in all of which he was victorious. But, in spite +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> +of what he could do, Queen Maive carried off +nearly all the best cattle of Quelna, and, at their +head, a great brown bull which indeed was what she +chiefly came for. At length the Ulstermen, having +been freed from the spell, attacked and routed the +Connaught army. The battles, single combats, and +other incidents of this war are related in the Tain, +which consists of one main story, with about thirty +minor tales grouped round it. Another Red Branch +story is the Fate of the Sons of Usna, which has been +always a favourite with Irish story-tellers, and with +the Irish people in general, and which is now +given here, translated in full.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_059-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />A "Cromlech," an ancient Irish tomb: still to be seen in its place +in the Phœnix Park, Dublin. This is rather a small one, the covering +stone being only about 6½ feet long. Some cromlechs are very large: +one at Kilternan near Dublin has a covering stone 23½ feet long, +17 feet broad, and 6½ feet thick: and no one can tell how the people +of old lifted it up.</span> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="Deirdre_or_The_Fate_of_the_Sons_of_Usna"></a> +<span class="old">Deirdre; or, The Fate of the Sons of Usna.</span><a id="FNanchor_19"></a><a href="#Footnote_19" class="fnanchor"><span class="minute">[19]</span></a><br /><br /></h2> + +<h2><a id="XI"></a>XI.<br /><br /> + +THE FLIGHT TO ALBAN.</h2> + +<p>Concobar Mac Nessa king of Ulaid<a id="FNanchor_20"></a><a href="#Footnote_20" class="fnanchor">[20]</a> ruled in Emain. +And his chief storyteller, Felimid, made a feast for +the king and for the knights of the Red Branch; +who all came to partake of it in his house. While +they were feasting right joyously, listening to the +sweet music of the harps and the mellow voices of +the bards, a messenger brought word that Felimid's +wife had given birth to a little daughter, an infant of +wondrous beauty. And when Caffa, the king's druid +and seer, who was of the company, was ware of the +birth of the child, he went forth to view the stars +and the clouds, if he might thereby glean knowledge +of what was in store for that little babe.<a id="FNanchor_21"></a><a href="#Footnote_21" class="fnanchor">[21]</a> And when +he had returned to his place, he sat deep <a id="t_Pondering"></a><a href="#idx_Pondering" class="indx">pondering</a> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> +for a time: and then standing up and obtaining +silence, he said:—</p> + +<p>"This child shall be called Deir-drĕ<a id="FNanchor_22"></a><a href="#Footnote_22" class="fnanchor">[22]</a>; and fittingly +is she so named: for much of woe will befal +Ulaid and Erin in general on her account. There +shall be jealousies, and strifes, and wars: evil deeds +will be done: many heroes will be exiled: many will +fall."</p> + +<p>When the heroes heard this they were sorely +troubled, and some said that the child should be +killed. But the king said:—"Not so, ye Knights of +the Red Branch, it is not <a id="t_Meet"></a><a href="#idx_Meet" class="indx">meet</a> to commit a base +deed in order to escape evils that may never come +to pass. This little maid shall be reared out of the +reach of mischief, and when she is old enough she +shall be my wife: thus shall I be the better able to +guard against those evils that Caffa forecasts for us."</p> + +<p>And the <a id="t_Ultonians"></a><a href="#idx_Ultonians" class="indx">Ultonians</a> did not dare to <a id="t_Gainsay"></a><a href="#idx_Gainsay" class="indx">gainsay</a> the +word of the king.</p> + +<p>Then king Concobar caused the child to be placed +in a strong fortress on a lonely spot nigh the palace, +with no opening in front, but with door and windows +looking out at the back on a lovely garden watered +by a clear rippling stream: and house and garden +were surrounded by a wall that no man could surmount. +And those who were put in charge of her +were, her tutor, and her nurse, and Concobar's +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> +poetess, whose name was Lavarcam: and save these +three, none were permitted to see her. And so she +grew up in this solitude, year by year, till she was of +marriageable age; when she excelled all the maidens +of her time for beauty.</p> + +<p>One snowy day as she and Lavarcam looked forth +from the window, they saw some blood on the snow, +where her tutor had killed a calf for dinner; and a +raven alighted and began to drink of it. "I should +like," said Deirdre, "that he who is to be my husband +should have these three colours: his hair as black as +the raven: his cheeks red as the blood: his skin +like the snow. And I saw such a youth in a +dream last night; but I know not where he is, or +whether he is living on the <a id="t_Ridge_of_the_world"></a><a href="#idx_Ridge_of_the_world" class="indx">ridge of the world</a>."</p> + +<p>"Truly," said Lavarcam, "the young hero that +answers to thy words is not far from thee; for he is +among Concobar's knights: namely, Naisi the son of +Usna."</p> + +<p>Now Naisi and his brothers, Ainnli and Ardan, the +three Sons of Usna, were the best beloved of all the +Red Branch Knights, so <a id="t_Gracious"></a><a href="#idx_Gracious" class="indx">gracious</a> and gentle were +they in time of peace, so skilful and swift-footed +in the chase, so strong and valiant in battle.</p> + +<p>And when Deirdre heard Lavarcam's words, she +said:—"If it be as thou sayest, that this young +knight is near us, I shall not be happy till I see +him: and I beseech thee to bring him to speak to +me."<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Alas, child," replied Lavarcam, "thou knowest +not the peril of what thou askest me to do: for if +thy tutor come to know of it, he will surely tell the +king; and the king's anger none can bear."</p> + +<p>Deirdre answered not: but she remained for many +days sad and silent: and her eyes often filled with +tears through memory of her dream: so that Lavarcam +was grieved: and she pondered on the thing if it +could be done, for she loved Deirdre very much and +had compassion on her. At last she contrived that +these two should meet without the tutor's knowledge: +and the end of the matter was that they loved each +other: and Deirdre said she would never wed the +king, but she would wed Naisi.</p> + +<p>Knowing well the doom that awaited them when +Concobar came to hear of this, Naisi and his young +wife and his two brothers, with thrice fifty fighting +men, thrice fifty women, thrice fifty <a id="t_Attendant"></a><a href="#idx_Attendant" class="indx">attendants</a>, and +thrice fifty hounds, fled over sea to Alban. And the +king of the western part of Alban received them +kindly and took them into <a id="t_Military_service"></a><a href="#idx_Military_service" class="indx">military service</a>. Here +they remained for a space, gaining daily in favour: +but they kept Deirdre apart, fearing evil if the king +should see her.</p> + +<p>And so matters went on, till it chanced that the +king's steward, coming one day by Naisi's house, saw +the couple as they sat on their couch: and going +directly to his master, he said:—</p> + +<p>"O king, we have long sought in vain for a +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> +woman worthy to be thy wife, and now at last we +have found her: for the woman, Deirdre, who is +with Naisi, is worthy to be the wife of the king of +the western world. And now I give thee this +counsel:—Let Naisi be killed, and then take thou +Deirdre for thy wife."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_064-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />A burial urn. The ancient Irish sometimes buried as we do now, +placing the body in the grave, over which they often raised a cairn +or a cromlech. Sometimes they burned the body and put the ashes +in an urn, which they placed under a cromlech, or cairn, or burial +mound. Urns were always made of clay, which was baked till it was +hard. They are often found in graves, especially under cairns and +cromlechs: and they nearly always contain ashes and bits of burnt +bones. Occasionally, as has been already said (p. <a href="#Footnote_13">43, note</a>), persons +were buried standing up, especially kings and warriors, who were +placed in the grave fully armed.</span> +</div> + +<p>The king basely agreed to do so; and forthwith he +laid a plot to slay the sons of Usna; which matter +coming <a id="t_Betimes"></a><a href="#idx_Betimes" class="indx">betimes</a> to the ears of the brothers, they fled +by night with all their people. And when they had +got to a safe distance, they took up their abode in a +wild place, where with much ado they obtained food +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> +by hunting and fishing. And the brothers built +them three hunting <a id="t_Booth"></a><a href="#idx_Booth" class="indx">booths</a> in the forest, a little +distance from that part of the seashore looking +towards Erin: and the booth in which their food +was prepared, in that they did not eat; and the one +in which they ate, in that they did not sleep. And +their people in like manner built themselves booths +and huts, which gave them but scant shelter from +wind and weather.</p> + +<p>Now when it came to the ears of the Ultonians, +that the sons of Usna and their people were in +discomfort and danger, they were sorely grieved: +but they kept their thoughts to themselves, for +they dared not speak their mind to the king.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XII"></a>XII.<br /><br /> + +CONCOBAR'S GUILEFUL MESSAGE.</h2> + +<p>At this same time a right joyous and very splendid +feast was driven by Concobar in Emain Macha to the +nobles and the knights of his household. And the +number of the king's household that sat them down +in the great hall of Emain on that occasion was +five and three score above six hundred and one +thousand.<a id="FNanchor_23"></a><a href="#Footnote_23" class="fnanchor">[23]</a> Then arose, in turn, their musicians to +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> +sound their melodious harpstrings, and their poets +and their story-tellers to sing their sweet poetic +strains, and to recount the deeds of the mighty +heroes of the olden time. And the feasting and the +enjoyment went on, and the entire assembly were +gay and cheerful. At length Concobar arose from +where he sat high up on his royal seat; whereupon +the noise of mirth was instantly hushed. And he +raised his kingly voice and said:—</p> + +<p>"I desire to know from you, ye Nobles and Knights +of the Red Branch, have you ever seen in any +quarter of Erin, a house better than this house of +Emain, which is my mansion: and whether you see +any want in it."</p> + +<p>And they answered that they saw no better house, +and that they knew of no want in it.</p> + +<p>And the king said: "I know of a great want: +namely, that we have not present among us the +three noble sons of Usna. And why now should +they be in banishment on account of any woman in +the world?"</p> + +<p>And the nobles replied:—"Truly it is a sad thing +that the sons of Usna, our dear comrades, should be +in exile and distress. They were a shield of defence +to Ulaid: and now, O king, it will please us well +that thou send for them and bring them back, +lest they and their people perish by famine or +fall by their enemies."</p> + +<p>"Let them come," replied Concobar, "and make +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> +<a id="t_Submission"></a><a href="#idx_Submission" class="indx">submission</a> to me: and their homes, and their lands, +and their places among the Knights of the Red +Branch shall be restored to them."</p> + +<p>Now Concobar was mightily enraged at the +marriage and flight of Naisi and Deirdre, though he +hid his mind from all men; and he spoke these +words pretending forgiveness and friendship. But +there was guile in his heart, and he planned to allure +them back to Ulaid that he might kill them.</p> + +<p>When the feast was ended, and the company had +departed, the king called unto him Fergus Mac Roy, +and said:—"Go thou, Fergus, and bring back the +sons of Usna and their people. I promise thee that +I will receive them as friends should be received, +and that what awaits them here is not enmity or +injury, but welcome and friendship. Take my +message of peace and good will, and give thyself as +<a id="t_Pledge"></a><a href="#idx_Pledge" class="indx">pledge</a> and surety for their safety. But these two +things I charge thee to do:—That the moment you +land in Ulaid on your way back, you proceed straight +to Barach's house which stands on the sea cliff high +over the landing place fronting Alban: and that +whether the time of your arrival be by day or by +night, thou see that the sons of Usna tarry not, +but let them come hither direct to Emain, that they +may not eat food in Erin till they eat of mine."</p> + +<p>And Fergus, suspecting no evil design, promised to +do as the king directed: for he was glad to be sent on +this errand, being a fast friend to the sons of +Usna.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span></p> + +<p>Fergus set out straightway, bringing with him +only his two sons, Illan the Fair and Buinni the Red, +and his shield bearer to carry his shield. And as +soon as he had departed, Concobar sent for Barach +and said to him:—</p> + +<p>"Prepare a feast in thy house for Fergus: and +when he visits thee returning with the sons of Usna, +invite him to partake of it." And Barach thereupon +departed for his home to do the bidding of the king +and prepare the feast.</p> + +<p>Now those heroes of old, on the day they received +<a id="t_Knighthood"></a><a href="#idx_Knighthood" class="indx">knighthood</a>, were wont to make certain pledges +which were to bind them for life, some binding +themselves to one thing, some to another. And as +they made the promises on the faith of their +knighthood, with great vows, in presence of kings +and nobles, they dared not violate them; no, not even +if it was to save the lives of themselves and all their +friends: for whosoever broke through his knighthood +pledge was foully dishonoured for evermore. And +one of Fergus's <a id="t_Obligation"></a><a href="#idx_Obligation" class="indx">obligations</a> was never to refuse an +invitation to a banquet: a thing which was well +known to King Concobar and to Barach.</p> + +<p>As to Fergus Mac Roy and his sons: they went on +board their <a id="t_Galley"></a><a href="#idx_Galley" class="indx">galley</a> and put to sea, and made no delay +till they reached the harbour nigh the campment of +the sons of Usna. And coming ashore, Fergus gave +the loud shout of a mighty man of chase. The sons +of Usna were at that same hour in their booth; and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> +Naisi and Deirdre were sitting with a polished +<a id="t_Chessboard"></a><a href="#idx_Chessboard" class="indx">chessboard</a> between them playing a game.</p> + +<p>And when they heard the shout, Naisi said:—"That +is the call of a man from Erin."</p> + +<p>"Not so," replied Deirdre, "it is the call of a man +of Alban."</p> + +<p>And after a little time when a second shout came, +Naisi said:—"That of a certainty is the call of a +man of Erin!"</p> + +<p>But Deirdre again replied:—"No, indeed: it +concerns us not: let us play our game."</p> + +<p>But when a third shout came sounding louder +than those before, Naisi arose and said:—"Now I +know the voice: that is the shout of Fergus!" And +straightway he sent Ardan to the shore to meet +him.</p> + +<p>Now Deirdre knew the voice of Fergus from the +first: but she kept her thoughts to herself: for her +heart misgave her that the visit boded evil. And +when she told Naisi that she knew the first shout, he +said:—"Why, my queen, didst thou conceal it +then?"</p> + +<p>And she replied:—"Lo, I saw a vision in my +sleep last night: three birds came to us from Emain +Macha, with three drops of honey in their beaks, +and they left us the honey and took away three +drops of our blood."</p> + +<p>"What dost thou read from that vision, O +princess?" said Naisi.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It denotes the message from Concobar to us," +said Deirdre; "for sweet as honey is the message +of peace from a false man, while he has thoughts +of blood hidden deep in his heart."</p> + +<p>When Ardan arrived at the shore, the sight of +Fergus and his two sons was to him like rain on +the parched grass; for it was long since he had seen +any of his dear comrades from Erin. And he cried +out as he came near, "An affectionate welcome to +you my dear companions": and he fell on Fergus's +neck and kissed his cheeks, and did the like to his +sons. Then he brought them to the hunting-booth; +and Naisi, Ainnli, and Deirdre gave them a like kind +welcome; after which they asked the news from Erin.</p> + +<p>"The best news I have," said Fergus, "is that +Concobar has sent me to you with kindly greetings, +to bring you back to Emain and restore you +to your lands and homes, and to your places in +the Red Branch; and I am myself a pledge for +your safety."</p> + +<p>"It is not meet for them to go," said Deirdre: +"for here they are under no man's rule; and their +sway in Alban is even as great as the sway of +Concobar in Erin."</p> + +<p>But Fergus said: "One's mother country is better +than all else, and gloomy is life when a man sees not +his home each morning."</p> + +<p>"Far dearer to me is Erin than Alban," said Naisi, +"even though my sway should be greater here."<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span></p> + +<p>It was not with Deirdre's consent he spoke these +words: and she still earnestly opposed their return +to Erin.</p> + +<p>But Fergus tried to <a id="t_Re-assure"></a><a href="#idx_Re-assure" class="indx">re-assure</a> her:—"If all the +men of Erin were against you," said he, "it would +avail nought once I have passed my word for your +safety."</p> + +<p>"We trust in thee," said Naisi, "and we will go +with thee to Erin."</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" summary="Image formatting."> +<tr><td> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_071a-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />A gold box: 2¾ inches across: +1 inch deep. Found in a grave in +Co. Cork. Use not known.</span> +</div> +</td><td> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_071b-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Ancient Irish bronze lamp. Found +in a crannoge (i.e. an island-dwelling +in a lake) in Co. Roscommon. The +vessel held the oil, and the wick +projected from the pipe.</span> +</div></td></tr></table> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XIII"></a>XIII.<br /><br /> + +THE RETURN TO EMAIN.</h2> + +<p>Going next morning on board their galleys, Fergus +and his companions put out on the wide sea: and +oar and wind bore them on swiftly till they landed +on the shore of Erin near the house of Barach.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p> + +<p>And Deirdre, seating herself on a cliff, looked +sadly over the waters at the blue headlands of +Alban: and she uttered this farewell:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p class="center">I.</p> + +<p>"Dear to me is yon eastern land: Alban with +its wonders. Beloved is Alban with its bright harbours +and its pleasant hills of the green slopes. +From that land I would never depart except to be +with Naisi.</p> + +<p class="center">II.</p> + +<p>Kil-Cuan, O Kil-Cuan,<a id="FNanchor_24"></a><a href="#Footnote_24" class="fnanchor">[24]</a> whither Ainnli was wont +to <a id="t_Resort"></a><a href="#idx_Resort" class="indx">resort</a>: short seemed the time to me while I +sojourned there with Naisi on the margins of its +streams and waterfalls.</p> + +<p class="center">III.</p> + +<p>"Glen-Lee, O Glen-Lee, where I slept happy +under soft coverlets: fish and fowl, and the flesh of +red deer and badgers; these were our fare in Glen-Lee.</p> + +<p class="center">IV.</p> + +<p>"Glen-Masan, O Glen-Masan: tall its cresses of +white stalks: often were we rocked to sleep in our +<a id="t_Curragh"></a><a href="#idx_Curragh" class="indx">curragh</a> in the grassy harbour of Glen-Masan.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span></p> +<p class="center">V.</p> + +<p>"Glen-Orchy, O Glen-Orchy: over thy straight +glen rises the smooth ridge that oft echoed to the +voices of our hounds. No man of the <a id="t_Clan"></a><a href="#idx_Clan" class="indx">clan</a> was more +light-hearted than my Naisi when following the +chase in Glen-Orchy.</p> + +<p class="center">VI.</p> + +<p>"Glen-Ettive, O Glen-Ettive: there it was that +my first house was raised for me: lovely its woods +in the smile of the early morn: the sun loves to +shine on Glen-Ettive.</p> + +<p class="center">VII.</p> + +<p>"Glen-da-Roy, O Glen-da-Roy: the memory of +its people is dear to me: sweet is the cuckoo's note +from the bending bough on the peak over Glen-da-Roy.</p> + +<p class="center">VIII.</p> + +<p>"Dear to me is Dreenagh over the resounding +shore: dear to me its crystal waters over the speckled +sand. From those sweet places I would never depart, +but only to be with my beloved Naisi."</p> +</div> + +<p>After this they entered the house of Barach; and +when Barach had welcomed them, he said to Fergus: +"Here I have a three-days banquet ready for thee, +and I invite thee to come and partake of it."</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span></p> + +<p>When Fergus heard this his heart sank and his +face waxed all over a crimson red: and he said +fiercely to Barach:—"Thou hast done an evil thing +to ask me to this banquet: for well thou knowest +I cannot refuse thee. Thou knowest, too, that I +am under solemn pledge to send the Sons of Usna +this very hour to Emain: and if I remain feasting +in thy house, how shall I see that my promise of +safety is respected?"</p> + +<p>But none the less did Barach <a id="t_Persist"></a><a href="#idx_Persist" class="indx">persist</a>; for he was +one of the partners in Concobar's treacherous design.</p> + +<p>Then Fergus turned to Naisi and said:—"I dare +not violate my knighthood promise: what am I to +do in this strait?" But Deirdre answered for her +husband:—"The choice is before thee, Fergus; and +it is more meet for thee to abandon thy feast than +to abandon the sons of Usna, who have come over on +thy pledge."</p> + +<p>Then Fergus was in sore <a id="t_Perplexity"></a><a href="#idx_Perplexity" class="indx">perplexity</a>; and pondering +a little he said:—"I will not forsake the sons of +Usna: for I will send with them to Emain Macha +my two sons, Illan the Fair and Buinni the Red, +who will be their pledge instead of me."</p> + +<p>But Naisi said: "We need not thy sons for guard +or pledge: we have ever been accustomed to defend +ourselves!" And he moved from the place in great +wrath: and his two brothers, and Deirdre, and the +two sons of Fergus followed him, with the rest of +the clan; while Fergus remained behind silent and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> +gloomy: for his heart misgave him that mischief +was brewing for the sons of Usna.</p> + +<p>Then Deirdre tried to persuade the sons of Usna +to go to Rathlin between Erin and Alban, and tarry +there till Barach's feast was ended: but they did +not consent to do so, for they deemed it would be +a mark of cowardice: and they sped on by the +shortest ways towards Emain Macha.</p> + +<p>When now they had come to Fincarn of the +Watch-tower on <a id="t_Slieve_Fuad"></a><a href="#idx_Slieve_Fuad" class="indx">Slieve Fuad</a>, Deirdre and her attendants +stayed behind the others a little: and she fell +asleep. And when Naisi missed her he turned back +and found her just awakening; and he said to her:—"Why +didst thou tarry, my princess?"</p> + +<p>And she answered:—"I fell asleep and had a +dream. And this is what I saw in my dream:—Illan +the Fair took your part: Buinni the Red did +not: and I saw Illan without his head: but Buinni +had neither wound nor hurt."</p> + +<p>"Alas, O beauteous princess," said Naisi, "thou +utterest nought but evil forebodings: but the king +is true and will not break his plighted word."</p> + +<p>So they fared on till they had come to the Ridge +of the Willows,<a id="FNanchor_25"></a><a href="#Footnote_25" class="fnanchor">[25]</a> an hour's journey from the palace: +and Deirdre, looking upwards in great fear, said to +Naisi:—"O Naisi, see yonder cloud in the sky over +Emain, a fearful chilling cloud of a blood-red tinge: +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> +a <a id="t_Baleful"></a><a href="#idx_Baleful" class="indx">baleful</a> red cloud that bodes <a id="t_Disaster"></a><a href="#idx_Disaster" class="indx">disaster</a>! Come ye +now to Dundalgan and abide there with the mighty +hero Cuculainn till Fergus returns from Barach's +feast; for I fear Concobar's treachery."</p> + +<p>But Naisi answered:—"We cannot follow thy +advice, beloved Deirdre, for it would be a mark of +fear: and we have no fear."</p> + +<p>And as they came nigh the palace Deirdre said to +them:—"I will now give you a sign if Concobar +<a id="t_Meditate"></a><a href="#idx_Meditate" class="indx">meditates</a> good or evil. If you are brought into +his own mansion where he sits surrounded by his +nobles, to eat and drink with him, this is a token +that he means no ill; for no man will injure a guest +that has partaken of food at his table: but if you +are sent to the house of the Red Branch, be sure +he is bent on treachery."</p> + +<p>When at last they arrived at the palace they +knocked loudly with the <a id="t_Handwood"></a><a href="#idx_Handwood" class="indx">handwood</a>: and the door-keeper +swang the great door wide open. And when +he had spoken with them he went and told Concobar +that the sons of Usna and Fergus's two sons had +come, with their people.</p> + +<p>And Concobar called to him his stewards and +attendants and asked them:—"How is it in the house +of the Red Branch as to food and drink?" And they +replied that if the seven <a id="t_Battalion"></a><a href="#idx_Battalion" class="indx">battalions</a> of Ulaid were to +come to it they would find enough of all good things +"If that is so," said Concobar, "take the sons of Usna +and their people to the Red Branch."</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span></p> + +<p>Even then Deirdre besought them not to enter the +Red Branch: for she deemed now that of a certainty +there was mischief afoot. But Illan the Fair said:—"Never +did we show cowardice or unmanliness, and +we shall not do so now." Then she was silent and +went with them into the house.</p> + +<p>And the company, when they had come in, sat +them down so that they filled the great hall: and +<a id="t_Alluring"></a><a href="#idx_Alluring" class="indx">alluring</a> <a id="t_Viands"></a><a href="#idx_Viands" class="indx">viands</a> and delicious drinks were set before +them: and they ate and drank till they became +satisfied and cheerful: all except Deirdre and the +Sons of Usna, who did not partake much of food or +drink. And Naisi asked for the king's chessboard +and chessmen; which were brought: and he and +Deirdre began to play.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XIV"></a>XIV.<br /><br /> + +TROUBLE <a id="t_Looming"></a><a href="#idx_Looming" class="indx">LOOMING</a>.</h2> + +<p>Let us now speak of Concobar. As he sat among +his nobles, the thought of Deirdre came into his +mind, and he said:—"Who among you will go to the +Red Branch and bring me tidings of Deirdre, +whether her youthful shape and looks still live upon +her: for if so there is not on the ridge of the world +a woman more beautiful." And Lavarcam said she +would go.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p> + +<p>Now the Sons of Usna were very dear to +Lavarcam: and Naisi was dearer than the others. +And rising up she went to the Red Branch, +where she found Naisi and Deirdre with the +chessboard between them, playing. And she saluted +them affectionately: and she embraced Deirdre, and +wept over her, and kissed her many times with the +eagerness of her love: and she kissed the cheeks of +Naisi and of his brothers.</p> + +<p>And when her loving greeting was ended, she +said:—"Beloved children, evil is the deed that is to +be done this night in Emain: for the three torches of +valour of the Gaels will be treacherously assailed, +and Concobar is certainly resolved to put them to +death. And now set your people on guard, and bolt +and bar all doors, and close all windows; and be +<a id="t_Steadfast"></a><a href="#idx_Steadfast" class="indx">steadfast</a> and <a id="t_Valorous"></a><a href="#idx_Valorous" class="indx">valourous</a>, and defend <a id="t_Your_dear_charge"></a><a href="#idx_Your_dear_charge" class="indx">your dear charge</a> +manfully, if you may hold the <a id="t_Assailants"></a><a href="#idx_Assailants" class="indx">assailants</a> at bay +till Fergus comes." And she departed weeping +piteously.</p> + +<p>And when Lavarcam had returned to Concobar +asked what tidings she brought. "Good tidings have +I," said she: "for the three Sons of Usna have come, +the three valiant champions of Ulaid: and now that +they are with thee, O king, thou wilt hold sway in +Erin without dispute. And bad tidings I bring also: +Deirdre indeed is not as she was, for her youthful +form and the splendour of her countenance have fled +from her."</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span></p> + +<p>And when Concobar heard this his jealousy abated, +and he joined in the feasting.</p> + +<p>But again the thought of Deirdre came to him, +and he asked:—"Who now will go for me to the +Red Branch and bring me further tidings of Deirdre +and of the Sons of Usna?" for he distrusted +Lavarcam. But the Knights of the Red Branch +had <a id="t_Misgivings"></a><a href="#idx_Misgivings" class="indx">misgivings</a> of some evil design, and all remained +silent.</p> + +<p>Then he called to him Trendorn, one of the lesser +chiefs: and he said:—"Knowest thou, Trendorn, who +slew thy father and thy three brothers in battle?" +And Trendorn answered:—"Verily, it was Naisi the +son of Usna that slew them." Then the king +said:—"Go now to the Red Branch and bring me +back tidings of Deirdre and of the Sons of Usna."</p> + +<p>Trendorn went right willingly. But when he +found the doors and windows of the Red Branch +shut up, he was seized with fear, and he said: "It is +not safe to approach the Sons of Usna, for they are +surely in wrathful mood: nevertheless I must needs +bring back tidings to the king."</p> + +<p>Whereupon, not daring to knock at the door, he +climbed nimbly to a small window high up that had +been <a id="t_Unwittingly"></a><a href="#idx_Unwittingly" class="indx">unwittingly</a> left open, through which he viewed +the spacious banquet hall, and saw Naisi and +Deirdre playing chess. Deirdre chanced to look up +at that moment, and seeing the face of the spy with +eyes intently gazing on her, she started with affright +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> +and grasped Naisi's arm, as he was making a move +with the chessman. Naisi, following her gaze, and +seeing the evil-looking face, flung the chessman with +<a id="t_Unerring"></a><a href="#idx_Unerring" class="indx">unerring</a> aim and broke the eye in Trendorn's head.</p> + +<p>Trendorn dropped down in pain and rage; and +going straight to Concobar, he said:—"I have +tidings for thee, O king: the three Sons of Usna are +sitting in the banquet hall, stately and proud like +kings: and Deirdre is seated beside Naisi; and +verily, for beauty and queenly grace, her peer cannot +be found."</p> + +<p>When Concobar heard this, a flame of jealousy +and fury blazed up in his heart, and he resolved that +by no means should the Sons of Usna escape the +doom he planned for them.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XV"></a>XV.<br /><br /> + +THE ATTACK ON THE SONS OF USNA.</h2> + +<p>Coming forth on the lawn of Emain, King Concobar +now ordered a large body of <a id="t_Hireling_troops"></a><a href="#idx_Hireling_troops" class="indx">hireling troops</a> to beset +the Red Branch: and he bade them force the doors +and bring forth the sons of Usna. And they uttered +three dreadful <a id="t_Shouts_of_defiance"></a><a href="#idx_Shouts_of_defiance" class="indx">shouts of defiance</a>, and assailed the +house on every side; but the strong oak stood +bravely, and they were not able to break through +doors or walls. So they heaped up great piles of +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> +wood and brambles and kindled them till the red +flames blazed round the house.</p> + +<p>Buinni the Red now stood up and said to the +Sons of Usna:—"To me be intrusted the task to +repel this first <a id="t_Assault"></a><a href="#idx_Assault" class="indx">assault</a>: for I am your pledge in +place of my father." And <a id="t_Marshalling"></a><a href="#idx_Marshalling" class="indx">marshalling</a> his men, and +causing the great door to be thrown wide open, he +sallied forth and scattered the assailants and put out +the fires: slaying thrice fifty hirelings in that +onslaught.</p> + +<p>But Buinni returned not to the Red Branch: +for the king sent to him with a secret offer of great +favours and bribes: namely, his own royal friendship, +and a fruitful tract of land; which Buinni took and +basely abandoned the sons of Usna. But none the +better luck came to him of it: for at that same +hour a blight fell on the land, so that it became a +moor, waste and profitless, which is at this day +called Slieve Fuad.</p> + +<p>When Illan the Fair became aware of his brother's +<a id="t_Treason"></a><a href="#idx_Treason" class="indx">treason</a>, he was grieved to the heart, and he said:—"I +am the second pledge in place of my father for +the sons of Usna, and of a certainty I will not betray +them: while this straight sword lives in my hand I +will be faithful: and I will now repel this second +attack." For at this time the king's hirelings were +again thundering at the doors.</p> + +<p>Forth he issued with his band: and he made three +quick furious <a id="t_Circuit"></a><a href="#idx_Circuit" class="indx">circuits</a> round the Red Branch, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> +scattering the troops as he went: after which +he returned to the mansion and found Naisi and +Deirdre still playing.<a id="FNanchor_26"></a><a href="#Footnote_26" class="fnanchor">[26]</a> But as the hireling hordes +returned to the attack, he went forth a second time +and fell on them, dealing death and havoc whither-soever +he went.</p> + +<p>Then, while the fight was still raging, Concobar +called to him his son Ficra, and said to him:—"Thou +and Illan the Fair were born on the same night: +and as he has his father's arms, so thou take mine, +namely, my shield which is called the Ocean, and my +two spears which are called Dart and Slaughter, and +my great sword, the Blue-green blade. And bear +thyself manfully against him, and vanquish him, else +none of my troops will survive."</p> + +<p>Ficra did so and went against Illan the Fair; and +they made a stout, warlike, red-wounding attack on +each other, while the others looked on anxious: but +none dared to interfere. And it came to pass that +Illan prevailed, so that Ficra was fain to shelter +himself behind his father's shield the Ocean, and +he was like to be slain. Whereupon the shield +moaned, and the Three Waves of Erin uttered their +hollow melancholy roar.<a id="FNanchor_27"></a><a href="#Footnote_27" class="fnanchor">[27]</a></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span></p> + +<p>The hero Conall Carnagh, sitting in his dun afar +off, heard the moan of the shield and the roar of the +Wave of Tuath: and springing up from where he +sat, he said: "Verily, the king is in danger: I will go +to his rescue."</p> + +<p>He ran with the swiftness of the wind, and +arrived on the Green of Emain where the two young +heroes were fighting. Thinking it was Concobar +that crouched beneath the shield, he attacked Illan, +not knowing him, and wounded him even unto death. +And Illan looking up said, "Is it thou, Conall! Alas, +dreadful is the deed thou hast done, not knowing me, +and not knowing that I am fighting in defence of the +Sons of Usna who are now in deadly peril from the +treachery of Concobar."</p> + +<p>And Conall, finding he had unwittingly wounded +his dear young friend Illan, turned in his grief and +rage on the other, and swept off his head. And he +stalked fierce and silent out of the battlefield.</p> + +<p>Illan, still faithful to his charge, called aloud to +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> +Naisi to defend himself bravely: then putting forth +his remaining strength, he flung his arms, namely, +his sword and his spears and his shield, into the +Red Branch; and falling prone on the green sward, +the shades of death dimmed his eyes, and his life +departed.</p> + +<p>And now when it was the dusk of evening, +another great battalion of the hirelings assailed the +Red Branch, and kindled fagots around it: whereupon +Ardan sallied out with his valorous band and +scattered them, and put out the fires, and held guard +for the first third of the night. And during the +second third Ainnli kept them at bay.</p> + +<p>Then Naisi took his turn, issuing forth, and fought +with them till the morning's dawn: and until the +sands of the seashore, or the leaves of the forest, or +the dew drops on the grass, or the stars of heaven are +counted, it will not be possible to number the +hirelings that were slain in that fight by Naisi and +his band of heroes.</p> + +<p>And as he was returning breathless from the rout, +all grimy and terrible with blood and sweat, he spied +Lavarcam, as she stood watching the battle +anxiously; and he said:—"Go, Lavarcam, go and +stand on the outer rampart, and cast thine eyes +eastwards, if perchance thou shouldst see Fergus and +his men coming."</p> + +<p>For many of Naisi's brave followers had fallen in +these encounters: and he doubted that he and the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> +others could sustain much longer the continual +assaults of superior numbers. And Lavarcam went, +but returned downcast, saying she saw nought +eastwards, but the open plain with the peaceful +herds browsing over it.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XVI"></a>XVI.<br /><br /> + +DEATH OF THE SONS OF USNA.</h2> + +<p>Believing now that they could no longer defend the +Red Branch, Naisi took council with his brothers; +and what they resolved on was this:—To sally forth +with all their men and fight their way to a place of +safety. Then making a close firm fence of shields +and spears round Deirdre, they marched out in solid +ranks and attacked the hireling battalions and +slew three hundred in that <a id="t_Onslaught"></a><a href="#idx_Onslaught" class="indx">onslaught</a>.</p> + +<p>Concobar, seeing the rout of his men, and being +now sure that it was not possible to subdue the Sons +of Usna in open fight, cast about if he might take +them by falsehood and craft. And sending for Caffa +the druid, who loved them, he said:—</p> + +<p>"These sons of Usna are brave men, and it is our +pleasure to receive them back into our service. Go now +unto them, for thou art their loved friend; and say +to them that if they lay down their arms and submit +to me, I will restore them to favour and give them +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> +their places among the Red Branch Knights. And I +pledge thee my kingly word and my troth as a true +knight, that no harm shall befal them."</p> + +<p>Caffa, by no means distrusting him, went to the +Sons of Usna and told them all the king had said. +And they, suspecting neither guile nor treachery +joyfully threw their swords and spears aside, and +went towards the king to make submission. But +now, while they stood defenceless, the king caused +them to be seized and bound. Then, turning aside +he sought for some one to put them to death; but he +found no man of the Ultonians willing to do so.</p> + +<p>Among his followers was a foreigner named Maini +of the Rough Hand, whose father and two brothers +had fallen in battle by Naisi: and this man undertook +to kill the Sons of Usna.</p> + +<p>When they were brought forth to their doom, +Ardan said:—"I am the youngest: let me be slain +first that I may not see the death of my brothers." +And Ainnli earnestly pleaded for the same thing +for himself, saying that he was born before Ardan and +should die before him.</p> + +<p>But Naisi said:—"Lo, I have a sword, the gift of +<a id="t_Mannanan_Mac_Lir"></a><a href="#idx_Mannanan_Mac_Lir" class="indx">Mannanan Mac Lir</a>, which leaves no remnant unfinished +after a blow: let us be struck with it, all +three together, and we shall die at the same moment."</p> + +<p>This was agreed to: and the sword was brought +forth, and they laid their heads close together, and +Maini swept off all three with one blow of the mighty +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> +sword. And when it became known that the Sons of +Usna were dead, the men of Ulaid sent forth three +great cries of grief and lamentation.</p> + +<p>As for Deirdre, she cried aloud, and tore her golden +hair, and became like one distracted. And after a +time, when her calmness had a little returned, she +uttered a lament:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p class="center">I.</p> + +<p>"Three lions of the hill are dead, and I am left +alone to weep for them. The generous princes who +made the stranger welcome have been guilefully lured +to their doom.</p> + +<p class="center">II.</p> + +<p>"The three strong hawks of Slieve Cullinn,<a id="FNanchor_28"></a><a href="#Footnote_28" class="fnanchor">[28]</a> a +king's three sons, strong and gentle: willing obedience +was yielded to them by heroes who had conquered +many lands.</p> + +<p class="center">III.</p> + +<p>"Three generous heroes of the Red Branch, who +loved to praise the valour of others: three props of +the battalions of Quelna: their fall is the cause of +bitter grief.</p> + +<p class="center">IV.</p> + +<p>"Ainnli and Ardan, haughty and fierce in battle, +to me were ever loving and gentle: Naisi, Naisi, +beloved spouse of my choice, thou canst not hear thy +Deirdre lamenting thee.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center">V.</p> + +<p>"When they brought down the fleet red deer in the +chase, when they speared the salmon skilfully in the +clear water, joyful and proud were they if I looked +on.</p> + +<p class="center">VI.</p> + +<p>"Often when my feeble feet grew weary wandering +along the valleys, and climbing the hills to view the +chase, often would they bear me home lightly on their +linked shields and spears.</p> + +<p class="center">VII.</p> + +<p>"It was gladness of heart to be with the Sons of +Usna: long and weary is the day without their company: +short will be my span of life since they have +left me.</p> + +<p class="center">VIII.</p> + +<p>"Sorrow and tears have dimmed my eyes, looking +at the grave of Naisi: a dark deadly sickness has +seized my heart: I cannot, I cannot live after Naisi.</p> + +<p class="center">IX.</p> + +<p>"O, thou who diggest the new grave, make it deep +and wide: let it be a grave for four: for I will sleep +for ever beside my beloved."</p> +</div> + +<p>When she had spoken these words, she fell beside +the body of Naisi and died immediately. And a great +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +cairn of stones was piled over their grave, and their +names were inscribed in Ogham, and their funeral +rites were performed.</p> + +<p>This is the sorrowful tale of The Fate of the Sons +of Usna.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XVII"></a>XVII.<br /><br /> + +AVENGING AND BRIGHT.</h2> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 23em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Avenging and bright fall the swift sword of Erin,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">On him, who the brave sons of Usna betray'd!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For ev'ry fond eye he hath waken'd a tear in,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">A drop from his heart-wounds shall weep o'er her blade.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">By the red cloud that hung over Connor's dark dwelling,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">When Ulad's three champions lay sleeping in gore—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">By the <a id="t_Billows_of_war"></a><a href="#idx_Billows_of_war" class="indx">billows of war</a> which, so often high swelling,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Have wafted these heroes to victory's shore?<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">We swear to revenge them!—no joy shall be tasted,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">The harp shall be silent, the maiden unwed,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Our halls shall be mute, and our fields shall lie wasted,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Till vengeance is <a id="t_Wreak"></a><a href="#idx_Wreak" class="indx">wreak'd</a> on the murderer's head.<br /></span> +</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Yes, monarch! though sweet are our home recollections,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Though sweet are the tears that from tenderness fall;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Though sweet are our friendships, our hopes, our affections,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Revenge<a id="FNanchor_29"></a><a href="#Footnote_29" class="fnanchor">[29]</a> on a tyrant is sweetest of all!<br /></span> +</div> +<p class="credit">Thomas Moore.</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XVIII"></a>XVIII.<br /><br /> + +THE WRATH OF FERGUS MAC ROY.</h2> + +<p>Barach's banquet was ended. Fergus, anxious and +impatient, returned with his people to Emain. And +when he found that the sons of Usna had been slain +in violation of his pledge, and that his son, Illan the +Fair, had fallen while defending them, his grief and +wrath knew no bounds. Caffa the druid was none +the less <a id="t_Incensed"></a><a href="#idx_Incensed" class="indx">incensed</a>; and he was in sore <a id="t_Anguish2"></a><a href="#idx_Anguish2" class="indx">anguish</a>: for +he it was, who, trusting in Concobar's deceitful +promises, persuaded the sons of Usna to give up +their arms and yield. And he pronounced the doom +of Concobar's race, that neither he nor any of his +<a id="t_Descendants"></a><a href="#idx_Descendants" class="indx">descendants</a> should reign in Emain thenceforward +for evermore.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span></p> + +<p>And these two, Fergus and Caffa, collecting their +men of valour, <a id="t_Spoil"></a><a href="#idx_Spoil" class="indx">spoiled</a> and laid waste Concobar's +territory; till at last a battle was fought between +them, in which the king was defeated, and three +hundred of his bravest Ultonians were slain, besides +his son and many other <a id="t_Illustrious"></a><a href="#idx_Illustrious" class="indx">illustrious</a> persons in his +service. Fergus and Caffa then attacked Emain, and +burned and pillaged it, and slew those who defended +it. And though the palace was rebuilt in due time, +and continued to be the residence of the kings of +Ulaid for more than three hundred years afterwards, +none of Concobar's descendants possessed it, as Caffa +had foretold.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_091-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Bronze celts. A celt was a sort of battle axe; sometimes made of +bronze, sometimes of stone. The right hand figure shows how the +bronze head was fixed to the handle. Great numbers of these celts of +many different shapes, both stone and bronze, are preserved in the +National Museum, Dublin.</span> +</div> + +<p>After this, Fergus and other great champions of the +Red Branch, with three thousand warriors, marched +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> +into Connaught, where Ailell and Maive, king and +queen of that province, being at war with Concobar, +welcomed them and took them gladly into their +service. And for seven years they continued to send +<a id="t_Marauding"></a><a href="#idx_Marauding" class="indx">marauding</a> parties to spoil and <a id="t_Ravage"></a><a href="#idx_Ravage" class="indx">ravage</a> the province +of Ulaid, so that many battles were fought, and +many heroes were slain. In the stories of this war +we read much of the mighty champion Cuculainn +who was the chief defender of Ulaid against Ailell +and Maive's forces.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XIX"></a>XIX.<br /><br /> + +ANCIENT IRISH PHYSICIANS: <span class="smcap">Part I.</span></h2> + +<p>Among most nations of old times there were great +leeches or physicians, who were considered so skilful +that the people believed they could cure wounds and +ailments as if by <a id="t_Magic"></a><a href="#idx_Magic" class="indx">magic</a>. In some countries they +became gods, as among the Greeks.</p> + +<p>The ancient Irish people, too, had their <a id="t_Mighty"></a><a href="#idx_Mighty" class="indx">mighty</a> +leech, a Dedannan named Dianket, who, as they +believed, could heal all wounds and cure all diseases; +so that he became the Irish God of Medicine. He +had a son, Midac, and a daughter, Armedda, who +were both as good as himself; and at last Midac +became so skilful that his father killed him in a fit +of jealousy. And, after some time, there grew up +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> +from the young doctor's grave 365 herbs, each +with virtue to cure some particular ailment. His +sister Armedda plucked up these herbs, and carefully +sorting them, wrapped them up in her mantle. But +the jealous old Dianket came and mixed them all up, +so that no one could <a id="t_Distinguish"></a><a href="#idx_Distinguish" class="indx">distinguish</a> them: and but for +this—according to the legend—every physician would +now be able to cure all diseases without delay, by +selecting and applying the proper herbs.</p> + +<p>Leaving these <a id="t_Shadowy"></a><a href="#idx_Shadowy" class="indx">shadowy</a> old-world stories, let us come +down to <a id="t_Historic_times"></a><a href="#idx_Historic_times" class="indx">historic times</a>, when we shall, as it were, +tread on solid ground. From the very earliest times +medicine and surgery were carefully studied in +Ireland: and there was a distinct class of <a id="t_Professional"></a><a href="#idx_Professional" class="indx">professional</a> +medical doctors, who underwent a course of education +and practical training. A young man usually +learned to be a physician by apprenticeship, i.e. by +living in the house of a regular physician, and accompanying +him on his visits to patients to learn his +methods of treatment.</p> + +<p>A king or a great chief had always a physician as +part of his household, to attend to the health of his +family. The usual <a id="t_Remuneration"></a><a href="#idx_Remuneration" class="indx">remuneration</a> of these men was a +residence and a tract of land in the neighbourhood, +free of all rent and taxes, together with certain +allowances: and the medical man might, if he chose, +practise for fee outside the household. Some of those +in the service of great kings had castles, and lived in +state like princes. Those not so <a id="t_Attached"></a><a href="#idx_Attached" class="indx">attached</a> lived on +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> +their fees, like many doctors of the present day: +and the fees for the various operations or attendances +were laid down in the Brehon Law.<a id="FNanchor_30"></a><a href="#Footnote_30" class="fnanchor">[30]</a></p> + +<p>Though medical doctors were looked up to with +great respect, they had to be very careful in exercising +their profession. A leech who through carelessness, +or wilful neglect, or gross want of skill, +failed to cure a wound, might be brought before a +brehon or judge, and if the case was proved home +against him, he had to pay the same fine to the +patient, as if he had inflicted the wound with his +own hand.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XX"></a>XX.<br /><br /> + +ANCIENT IRISH PHYSICIANS: <span class="smcap">Part II.</span></h2> + +<p>Medicine, as a profession, like Law, History, &c., often +ran in families in Ireland, descending regularly from +father to son; and several Irish families were distinguished +leeches for generations, such as the O'Shiels, +the O'Cassidys, the O'Hickeys, and the O'Lees.</p> + +<p>Each medical family kept a book, which was +handed down <a id="t_Reverently"></a><a href="#idx_Reverently" class="indx">reverently</a> from father to son, and +in which was written, in Irish or Latin, all the +medical knowledge derived either from other books +or from the actual experience of the various members +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> +of the family; and many of these old volumes, all in +beautiful handwriting, are still preserved in Dublin +and elsewhere. As showing the admirable spirit in +which those good men studied and practised their +profession, and how much they loved it, it is worth +while to give a translation of the opening statement, +a sort of preface, in the Irish language, written at the +beginning of one of these books, in the year 1352.</p> + +<p>"May the good God have mercy on us all. I +have here collected practical rules of medicine from +several works, for the honour of God, for the benefit +of the Irish people, for the instruction of my pupils, +and for the love of my friends and of my kindred. I +have translated many of them into <a id="t_Gaelic"></a><a href="#idx_Gaelic" class="indx">Gaelic</a> from +Latin books, containing the <a id="t_Lore"></a><a href="#idx_Lore" class="indx">lore</a> of the great leeches +of Greece and Rome. These are sweet and profitable +things which have been often tested by us and by our +instructors.</p> + +<p>"I pray God to bless those doctors who will use +this book; and I lay it as an <a id="t_Injunction"></a><a href="#idx_Injunction" class="indx">injunction</a> on their +souls, that they <a id="t_Extract"></a><a href="#idx_Extract" class="indx">extract</a> knowledge from it not by +any means sparingly, and that they do not neglect +the practical rules herein contained. More especially +I charge them that they do their duty <a id="t_Devotedly"></a><a href="#idx_Devotedly" class="indx">devotedly</a> in +cases where they receive no payment on account of +the poverty of their patients.</p> + +<p>"Let every physician, before he begins his treatment, +offer up a secret prayer for the sick person, +and implore the heavenly Father, the Physician and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> +<a id="t_Balm"></a><a href="#idx_Balm" class="indx">Balm</a>-giver of all mankind, to prosper the work he +is entering upon, and to save himself and his patient +from failure."</p> + +<p>There is good reason to believe that the noble +<a id="t_Sentiments"></a><a href="#idx_Sentiments" class="indx">sentiments</a> here expressed were generally those of +the physicians of the time; from which we may see +that the old Irish medical doctors were quite as devoted +to their profession, as eager for knowledge, and as +anxious about their patients as those of the present +day.</p> + +<p>The fame of the Irish physicians reached the continent. +Even at a <a id="t_Comparatively_late"></a><a href="#idx_Comparatively_late" class="indx">comparatively late</a> time, about +three hundred years ago, when medicine had been +successfully studied and practised in Ireland for +more than a thousand years, a well-known and distinguished +physician of Brussels,<a id="FNanchor_31"></a><a href="#Footnote_31" class="fnanchor">[31]</a> in a book written +by him in Latin on medical subjects, praises the +Irish doctors, and describes them correctly as follows:—</p> + +<p>"In the household of every great lord in Ireland +there is a physician who has a tract of land for his +support, and who is appointed to his post, not on +account of the great amount of learning he brings +away in his head from colleges, but because he is able +to cure diseases. His knowledge of the healing art +is derived from books left him by his forefathers, +which describe very exactly the marks and signs by +which the various diseases are known, and lay down +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> +the proper remedies for each. These remedies, +[which are mostly herbs], are all produced in that +country. Accordingly, the Irish people are much +better managed in sickness than the Italians, who +have a physician in every village."</p> + +<p>It is pleasant to know that the Irish physicians of +our time who, it is generally agreed, are equal to +those of any other country in the world, can look +back with respect, and not without some feeling of +pride, to their Irish <a id="t_Predecessor"></a><a href="#idx_Predecessor" class="indx">predecessors</a> of the times of old.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XXI"></a>XXI.<br /><br /> + +THE FENA OF ERIN.</h2> + +<p>In the third century of the Christian era lived the +Fena<a id="FNanchor_32"></a><a href="#Footnote_32" class="fnanchor">[32]</a> of Erin, a famous body of warriors something +like the Red Branch Knights of an older time. Their +most renowned commander was Finn Mac Cumaill +[Cool], King Cormac Mac Art's son-in-law, who of +all the heroes of ancient Ireland is at the present +day best remembered in <a id="t_Tradition"></a><a href="#idx_Tradition" class="indx">tradition</a> by the people.</p> + +<p>Finn had his chief residence on the Hill of Allen, a +remarkable flat-topped hill lying about four miles to +the right of the railway as you pass from Newbridge +towards Kildare, which will be at once recognised +by a tall pillar erected fifty or sixty years ago on +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> +the top, on the very site of Finn's palace. There +are now very little remains of the palace-fort, +which, there is good reason to believe, was at no +time very large. Whatever remained of it has been +cleared away, partly to make room for the pillar, and +partly by cultivation, for the land has been tilled +and cropped to the very summit. The whole neighbourhood +however still teems with living traditions +of the heroes; and the people all round the hill tell +many stories of Finn and the Fena, and point out +the several spots they frequented. As in the case of +the Red Branch Knights, there were Fena in all the +provinces, each <a id="t_Provincial"></a><a href="#idx_Provincial" class="indx">provincial</a> troop under a leader. The +Fena of Erin flourished for many generations; but +they reached their greatest glory under Finn in the +time of Cormac Mac Art, who was king of Ireland +from <span class="smcap">A.D.</span> 254 to 277.</p> + +<p>No man was admitted to their ranks till he had +proved his strength and activity by passing severe +<a id="t_Tests"></a><a href="#idx_Tests" class="indx">tests</a> in leaping, running, and defending himself from +attack against great odds. They should be educated +in the sort of learning in vogue at the time, and +especially they should be able to repeat many verses +and stories recounting the great deeds of the times of +old, so that they might learn to admire all that was +brave and noble, and that in time of peace they +might be bright and <a id="t_Entertaining"></a><a href="#idx_Entertaining" class="indx">entertaining</a> at banquets and +other <a id="t_Festive"></a><a href="#idx_Festive" class="indx">festive</a> gatherings. They were all mighty men +in fight, brave, and strong, and swift of foot: and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> +they were above all things bound to be honourable +and truthful in their dealings, and to protect the +weak—particularly women and children—from +<a id="t_Oppression"></a><a href="#idx_Oppression" class="indx">oppression</a> and wrong.</p> + +<p>The Fena loved open-air games and exercises of all +kinds, especially the chase. They had a breed of +enormous dogs of which they were very fond, gentle +and affectionate at home, but fierce and terrible in +the chase; and from Beltane (1st of May) to Samin +(1st November) they hunted deer, wild boars, and +other game through the forests, and over the hills, +glens, and plains. Though the chief men among +them rode on horseback when travelling long distances +from one district to another, they always +hunted on foot, never using horses in the chase. +During hunting time they camped out at night, +living on the flesh of the animals they brought down +and on the wild fruit and herbs of the forest.</p> + +<p>At midday, whatever game they had killed during +the morning they sent by their attendants to the place +appointed for the evening meal, which was always +chosen near a wood and beside a stream or lake. +The attendants roasted one part on hazel spits +before immense fires of wood, and baked the rest +on hot stones in a pit dug in the earth. The stones +were heated in the fires. At the bottom of the pit +the men placed a layer of these hot stones: then +a layer of meat-joints wrapped in <a id="t_Sedge"></a><a href="#idx_Sedge" class="indx">sedge</a> to keep them +from being burned: next another layer of hot stones: +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> +down on that more meat; and so on till the whole +was disposed of. When the hunters returned, their +first care was to bathe, so as to remove the sweat and +mire of the chase. Then they attended to their hair: +for they wore the hair long, and were very particular +about combing, dressing, and plaiting it. By the +time their preparations were completed, the meat +was ready: and the hungry hunters sat down to +their smoking-hot savoury meal.</p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" summary="Image formatting."> +<tr><td> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_100a-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Ancient Irish ornamented comb in +the National Museum, Dublin.</span> +</div> +</td><td> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_100b-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Ancient Irish gold earring, one of a +pair found in Co. Roscommon</span> +</div></td></tr></table> + +<p>After the meal they set up their tents, and each +man prepared his bed. He first put down a thick layer +of brushwood from the surrounding forest; on that +he spread a quantity of moss; and on that again a +layer of fresh rushes, on which he slept soundly after +his day of joyous, healthful toil. In the old tales +these three materials—brushwood, moss, and rushes—are +called the "Three beddings of the Fena."<a id="FNanchor_33"></a><a href="#Footnote_33" class="fnanchor">[33]</a></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Fena were in the service of the kings, and +their main duties were to uphold justice and put +down oppression and wrong, to <a id="t_Suppress"></a><a href="#idx_Suppress" class="indx">suppress</a> robbers and +other evil-doers, to <a id="t_Exact"></a><a href="#idx_Exact" class="indx">exact</a> fines and tributes for the +king, and to guard the harbours of the country against +pirates and invaders. For these services they received +a fixed pay: during the six months hunting season, +their pay was merely the animals they killed, of +which they used the flesh for food and sold the skins.</p> + +<p><a id="t_An_Irish_poet"></a><a href="#idx_An_Irish_poet" class="indx">An Irish poet</a> of our day has written of the Milesian +people in general, including those Fena of Erin +and the Red Branch Knights:—</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 22em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Long, long ago, beyond the misty space<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Of twice a thousand years,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In Erin old there dwelt a mighty race<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Taller than Roman spears;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Like oaks and towers they had a giant grace,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Were fleet as deers,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With winds and wave they made their biding place,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Those western shepherd <a id="t_Seers"></a><a href="#idx_Seers" class="indx">seers</a>.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Great were their deeds, their passions, and their sports.<br /></span> +<span class="i4">With clay and stone,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">They piled on <a id="t_Strath"></a><a href="#idx_Strath" class="indx">strath</a> and shore those <a id="t_Mystic_forts"></a><a href="#idx_Mystic_forts" class="indx">mystic forts</a>,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">Not yet o'erthrown:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">On <a id="t_Cairn-crowned_hills"></a><a href="#idx_Cairn-crowned_hills" class="indx">cairn-crowned hills</a> they held their council-courts;<br /></span> +<span class="i4">While youths alone,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With giant dogs explored the <a id="t_Elk"></a><a href="#idx_Elk" class="indx">elk</a> resorts<br /></span> +<span class="i4">And brought them down."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_102-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Cairn, on Carns Hill near Sligo: a "cairn-crowned hill."</span> +</div> + +<p>In many <a id="t_Modern"></a><a href="#idx_Modern" class="indx">modern</a> stories, Finn is spoken of as a +giant; but this is a vulgar notion. The old romantic +tales describe him as a tall, strong man, though not a +giant; with much keen wit, sound sense, and great +judgment: and though he was a mighty champion, +he ruled his men more by wisdom, kindness, and +justice, than by strength. When quite a young man +his hair became white like silver: how this happened +will be told in the next story. Oisin [Isheen] or +Ossian, the renowned hero-poet of the Fena, was his +son. Oscar the son of Ossian was youthful, comely, +kind-hearted, and valiant. Dermot O'Dyna was the +handsomest of all these heroes. He was <a id="t_Unconquerably"></a><a href="#idx_Unconquerably" class="indx">unconquerably</a> +brave, of <a id="t_Untarnished"></a><a href="#idx_Untarnished" class="indx">untarnished</a> honour, generous, and +self-denying, ever ready to take the post of danger, +always giving credit to others, and never in the least +boasting of his own deeds. He is the finest character +of all the Fena; and it would be hard to find his +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> +equal in the ancient tales of any country. We have +a vast number of beautiful stories in the Irish +language about Finn and the other heroes of the +Fena, a few of which are translated in this book.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XXII"></a>XXII.<br /><br /> + +THE CHASE OF SLIEVE CULLINN.</h2> + +<p class="title2">In which Ossian relates how Finn's Hair was +changed in one Day from the Colour of Gold +to Silvery Grey.</p> + +<p>On a morning in summer, Finn happened to be +walking alone on the lawn before the palace of Allen, +when a doe sprang out from a thicket, and, passing +quite close to him, bounded past like the wind. +Without a moment's delay, he signalled for his companions +and dogs; but none heard except his two +hounds, Bran and Skolan. He instantly gave chase, +accompanied only by his two dogs; and before the +Fena knew of his absence, he had left Allen of the +green slopes far behind.</p> + +<p>The chase turned northwards; and though the +hounds kept close to the doe, the chief kept quite as +close to the hounds the whole way. And so they +continued without rest or pause, till they reached +Slieve Cullinn, far in the north.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span></p> + +<p>Here the doe made a sudden turn and disappeared; +and Finn never caught sight of her after. And he +marvelled much that any doe in the world should be +able to lead Bran and Skolan so long a chase, and +escape from them in the end. Meantime they kept +searching, Finn taking one side of the hill and the +dogs another, so that he was at last left quite alone.</p> + +<p>While he was wandering about the hill and whistling +for his hounds, he heard the <a id="t_Plaintive2"></a><a href="#idx_Plaintive2" class="indx">plaintive</a> cry of a +woman at no great distance; and, turning his steps +towards the place, he saw a beautiful young lady +sitting on the brink of a little lake, weeping as if her +heart would break. Finn accosted her; and, seeing +that she ceased her weeping for a moment, he asked +her had she seen his two hounds pass that way.</p> + +<p>"I have not seen thy hounds," she replied, "nor +have I been at all concerned in the chase; for, alas, +there is something that troubles me more nearly. I +had a precious gold bracelet on my hand, which +I prized beyond anything in the world; and it has +fallen from me into the water. I saw it roll down +the steep slope at the bottom, till it went quite out +of my sight. This is the cause of my sorrow, and +thou canst remedy the mishap if thou wilt. The +Fena are sworn never to refuse help to a woman in +distress; and I now put it on thee to search for +this bracelet, and cease not till thou find it and +restore it to me."</p> + +<p>Finn plunged in without a moment's <a id="t_Hesitation"></a><a href="#idx_Hesitation" class="indx">hesitation</a>; +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> +and after swimming three times round the lake, +diving and searching into every nook and cranny +at the bottom, he found the bracelet at last; and +approaching the lady, he handed it to her from the +water. The moment she had got it she sprang into +the lake before his eyes, and, diving down, disappeared +in an instant.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_105-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Irish bracelet or armlet of solid gold, now in the National Museum, +Dublin. It is double the size of the picture, of beautiful shape +and workmanship, and weighs 3¾ oz.</span> +</div> + +<p>The chief, wondering greatly at this strange +behaviour, stepped forth from the water; but as +soon as his feet had touched the dry land, he lost all +his strength, and fell on the brink, a withered, grey +old man, shrunken up and trembling all over with +weakness. He sat him down in woful plight; and +soon his hounds came up. They looked at him wistfully +and sniffed and whined around him; but they +knew him not, and, passing on, they ran round the +lake, searching in vain for their master.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span></p> + +<p>On that day we and the Fena in general were +assembled in the banquet hall of the palace of Allen; +some feasting, some playing chess, and others listening +to the sweet music of the harpers. While all were +in this wise pleasantly engaged, we suddenly missed +our chief, and when we searched for him he was +nowhere to be found: whereupon we became alarmed. +Inquiring now from the lesser people about the +palace, we found that the chief and his two dogs +had chased a doe northwards. So, having mustered +a strong party of the Fena, we started in pursuit, +and following the track, never slackened speed till +we reached Slieve Cullinn.</p> + +<p>We began to search round the hill, and after wandering +among brakes and rough, rocky places, we at +last espied a grey-headed old man sitting on the +brink of a lake. I went up to him, followed by the +rest of the Fena, and asked him if he had seen a +noble-looking hero pass that way, with two hounds, +chasing a doe. He never answered a word, neither +did he stir from where he sat, or even look up; but +at the question, his head sank on his breast, and his +limbs shook all over as with <a id="t_Palsy"></a><a href="#idx_Palsy" class="indx">palsy</a>. Then he fell into +a sudden fit of grief, wringing his hands and uttering +feeble cries of woe.</p> + +<p>We soothed him and used him gently, hoping he +might speak at last; but to no purpose, for he only +lamented the more, and still answered nothing.</p> + +<p>At last, after this had gone on for some time, and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> +when we were about to leave him, he told us in a +whisper the dreadful secret; and then we all came to +know the truth. When we found that the withered +old man was no other than our beloved king, Finn +himself, we uttered three shouts of lamentation and +anger, so loud and prolonged that the foxes and +badgers rushed affrighted from their dens in the +hollows of the mountain.</p> + +<p>When quietness was restored, we asked Finn how +this dread evil had befallen him; and he told us that +it was the daughter of Culann the smith who had +transformed him by her spells. And then he recounted +how she had lured him to swim in the lake, +and how, when he came forth, he was turned into a +withered old man.</p> + +<p>We now made a framework <a id="t_Litter"></a><a href="#idx_Litter" class="indx">litter</a> of slender poles, +and, placing our king on it, we lifted him tenderly +on our shoulders. And, turning from the lake, we +marched slowly up-hill till we came to the fairy +palace of Slieve Cullinn, where we knew the daughter +of Culann had her dwelling deep under ground. Here +we set him down, and the whole troop began at once +to dig, determined to find the enchantress in her +cave-palace, and force her to restore our chief.</p> + +<p>For three days and three nights we dug, without a +moment's rest or pause, till at length we reached her +hollow dwelling; when she, affrighted at the <a id="t_Tumult"></a><a href="#idx_Tumult" class="indx">tumult</a> +and at the vengeful look of the heroes, suddenly +started forth from the cave and stood before us. She +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> +held in her hand a drinking-horn of red gold, which +she handed to the king and told him to drink. No +sooner had he drunk from it, than his own shape and +features returned, save only that his hair remained of +a silvery grey.</p> + +<p>When we gazed on our chief in his own graceful +and manly form, we were all pleased with the soft, +silvery hue of the grey hairs. And, though the enchantress +appeared ready to restore this also, Finn +himself told her that it pleased him as it pleased the +others, and that he chose to remain grey for the rest +of his life.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_108-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Ancient Irish bracelet for the wrist. This is of bronze; but many +Irish bracelets were of gold, like that shown at page <a href="#Page_100">100</a>.</span> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XXIII"></a>XXIII.<br /><br /> + +SAINT BRIGIT: <span class="smcap">Part</span> I.</h2> + +<p>Of all the Irish saints, Brigit and Columkille are, +next after St. Patrick, the most loved and <a id="t_Revered"></a><a href="#idx_Revered" class="indx">revered</a> by +the people of Ireland.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span></p> + +<p>Like many others of our early saints, Brigit +came of a noble family. Her father Dubthach +[Duffa] was a <a id="t_Distinguished"></a><a href="#idx_Distinguished" class="indx">distinguished</a> Leinster chief, descended +from the kings of Ireland. For some reason, +which we do not know, he and his wife lived +for a time in Faughart near Dundalk, which was +then a part of Ulster: and at Faughart Brigit was +born about the year 455. The family must have +soon returned however to their own district, for we +know that Brigit passed her childhood with her +parents in the neighbourhood of Kildare. She was +baptised, and carefully instructed and trained, both +in general education and in religion: for her father +and mother were Christians. As she grew up, +her quiet, gentle, modest ways pleased all that knew +her. At the time of her birth, St. Patrick was +in the midst of his glorious career; and some +say that while she was still a child she knew him, +and that when he died she made with her own hands +a winding sheet in which his body was laid in the +grave; which may have happened, as she was ten or +twelve years of age at the time of his death.</p> + +<p>When Brigit came of an age to choose her way of +life, she resolved to be a nun, to which her parents +made no objection. After due preparation she went +to a holy bishop of the neighbourhood, who, at her +request, received her, and placed a white robe on her +shoulders and a white veil over her head. Here she +remained for some time in companionship with eight +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> +other maidens who had been received with her, and +who placed themselves under her guidance. As +time went on, she became so beloved for her piety +and sweetness of disposition, that many young +women asked to be admitted; so that though she by +no means desired that people should be speaking in +her praise, the fame of her little <a id="t_Community2"></a><a href="#idx_Community2" class="indx">community</a> began +to spread through the country.</p> + +<p>This first establishment was conducted strictly +under a set of Rules drawn up by Brigit herself: +and now, bishops in various parts of Ireland began +to apply to her to establish convents in their several +districts under the same rules. She was glad of this, +and she did what she could to meet their wishes. +She visited Longford, Tipperary, Limerick, South +Leinster, and Roscommon, one after another; and +in all these places she founded convents.</p> + +<p>At last the people of her own province of Leinster, +considering that they had the best right to her +services, sent a number of leading persons to request +that she would fix her <a id="t_Permanent"></a><a href="#idx_Permanent" class="indx">permanent</a> residence among +them. She was probably pleased to go back to live +in the place where she had spent her childhood; and +she returned to Leinster, where she was welcomed +with great joy. The Leinster people gave her a +piece of land chosen by herself, on the edge of a +beautiful level grassy plain, well known as the +Curragh of Kildare. Here, on a low ridge over-looking +the plain, she built a little church, under the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> +shade of a wide-spreading oak tree, whence it got the +name of Kill-dara, the Church of the Oak, or as we +now call it, Kildare. This tree continued to flourish +long after Brigit's death, and it was regarded with +great <a id="t_Veneration"></a><a href="#idx_Veneration" class="indx">veneration</a> by the people of the place. A +writer of the tenth century—four hundred years +after the foundation of the church—tells us that +in his time it was a mere branchless, withered +trunk; but the people had such reverence for it +that no one dared to cut or chip it.</p> + +<p>We are not quite sure of the exact year of Brigit's +settlement here; but it probably occurred about 485, +when she was thirty years of age. Hard by the +church she also built a dwelling for herself and her +community. We are told, in the Irish Life of St. +Brigit, that this first house was built of wood, like +the houses of the people in general: and the little +church under the oak was probably of wood also, +like most churches of the time. As the number +of <a id="t_Applicant"></a><a href="#idx_Applicant" class="indx">applicants</a> for admission continued to increase, +both church and dwelling had to be enlarged from +time to time; and the wood was replaced by stone +and mortar. Such was the respect in which the +good <a id="t_Abbess"></a><a href="#idx_Abbess" class="indx">abbess</a> was held, that visitors came from all +parts of the country to see her and ask her advice +and blessing: and many of them settled down in +the place, so that a town gradually grew up near +the convent, which was the beginning of the town +of Kildare.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="XXIV"></a>XXIV.<br /><br /> + +SAINT BRIGIT: <span class="smcap">Part</span> II.</h2> + +<p>Brigit, although now at the head of a great +community, and very strict in carrying out her +Rules, still retained all her <a id="t_Humility"></a><a href="#idx_Humility" class="indx">humility</a> and gentleness +of disposition. With such a large family, there was +plenty of work to do; and it was all done by the +nuns, as they kept no servants and called in no +outsiders. The abbess herself, so far as she was +able to withdraw from the cares of governing the +establishment, took her part like the rest in most of +the <a id="t_Domestic_occupations"></a><a href="#idx_Domestic_occupations" class="indx">domestic occupations</a>. In some of the old +accounts of her life we are told that she often, +with some companions, herded and tended her flocks +of sheep that grazed on the level <a id="t_Sward"></a><a href="#idx_Sward" class="indx">sward</a> round the +convent. And sometimes she was caught by the +heavy rain-squalls that occasionally sweep across +that shelterless plain, so that her clothes were wet +through by the time she returned to the convent: +showing that she took her own share of the rough +work.</p> + +<p>Not far from the convent, another establishment +was founded, later on, for men, which afterwards +became one of the great Colleges of Ireland. As +the two communities and the population of the +town continued to grow, it was Brigit's earnest +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> +desire that a bishop should be there to take spiritual +charge of the whole place. A holy man named +Conleth, who had hitherto spent his life as a hermit +in the neighbourhood, was appointed bishop by the +heads of the Church. He was the first bishop of +Kildare, and he took up his residence in the +monastery. The name of that good bishop is to +this day held in affectionate remembrance, with +that of St. Brigit, by the people of Kildare and of +the country all round.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_113-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Ruins of Kilcrea Abbey, on the river Bride, ten miles from Cork city. +Built in honour of St. Brigit.</span> +</div> + +<p>While the parent convent at Kildare continued +to grow, branch houses under Brigit's Rule, and +subject to her authority, were established all over +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> +Ireland; and many establishments for monks were +also founded in honour of her.</p> + +<p>Brigit had such a <a id="t_Reputation"></a><a href="#idx_Reputation" class="indx">reputation</a> for wisdom and +prudence, that the most eminent of the saints, and +many kings and chiefs of her day, visited Kildare +or <a id="t_Corresponded_with_her"></a><a href="#idx_Corresponded_with_her" class="indx">corresponded with her</a>, to obtain her advice in +doubtful or difficult matters. Visitors were constantly +coming and going, all of whom she received +kindly and treated hospitably. All this, with daily +alms to the needy, and the support of a large +community, kept her poor: for the produce of her +land was not nearly sufficient to supply her wants. +For a long time in the beginning she and her +community suffered from downright poverty, so +that she had often to call on the charity of her +friends and neighbours to assist her. But as time +went on, and as the reputation of the place spread +abroad, she received many presents from rich people, +which generally came in the right time, and enabled +her to carry on her establishment without any +danger of want.</p> + +<p>Among Brigit's virtues none is more marked than +her charity and kindness of heart towards poor, +needy, and helpless people. She never could look +on distress of any kind without trying to relieve +it at whatever cost. Even when a mere girl living +with her parents, her father was often displeased +with her for giving away necessary things belonging +to the house to poor people who came in their +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> +misery to beg from her. It happened on one occasion +that her father drove her in his <a id="t_Chariot2"></a><a href="#idx_Chariot2" class="indx">chariot</a> to Naas +(in Kildare), where then lived Dunlang king of Leinster; +and dismounting, he entered the palace, leaving +his sword behind—a beautiful and valuable one—while +Brigit remained in charge of horse and chariot. +A wretched looking poor man with sickness and +want in his face came up and begged for some relief. +Overcome with pity she looked about for something +to give him, and finding nothing but the sword, she +handed it to him. On her father's return he fell into +a passion at the loss of his sword: and when King +Dunlang questioned her <a id="t_Reproachfully"></a><a href="#idx_Reproachfully" class="indx">reproachfully</a>, she replied:—"If +I had all thy wealth I would give it to the poor; +for giving to the poor is giving to the Lord of the +<a id="t_Universe"></a><a href="#idx_Universe" class="indx">Universe</a>." And the king turning to the father said:—"It +is not meet that either you or I should chide +this maiden, for her merit is greater before God than +before men": on which the matter ended: and +Brigit returned home with her father.</p> + +<p>Her overflowing kindness of heart was not +confined to human beings: it extended even to +the lower animals. Once while she lived in her +father's house, a party of guests were invited, and +she was given some pieces of meat to cook for +dinner. And a poor miserable half-starved hound +limped into the house and looked longingly at the +meat: whereupon the girl, quite unable to overcome +her feeling of pity, threw him one of the pieces. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> +And when the poor animal, in his hungry greediness, +had devoured that in a moment, she gave him +another, which satisfied him. And to the last day of +her life she retained her tenderness of heart and her +kindness and charity towards the poor.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XXV"></a>XXV.<br /><br /> + +SAINT BRIGIT: <span class="smcap">Part</span> III.</h2> + +<p>Late in life Brigit's influence over young people was +unbounded: for her very gentleness gave tenfold +power to her words. Once, seeing a young man, a +student of the neighbouring college, running very +violently and in an unbecoming manner, in presence +of some of her nuns, she sent for him on the spot +and asked him why he was running in such haste. +He replied thoughtlessly, and half in jest, that he +was running to heaven: on which she said quietly: +"I wish to God, my dear son, that I was worthy to +run with you to-day to the same place: I beg you +will pray for me to help me to arrive there." And +when he heard these words, and looked on her <a id="t_Grave"></a><a href="#idx_Grave" class="indx">grave</a> +kind face, he was greatly moved; and telling her +with tears in his eyes, that he would surely pray for +her and for many others besides, he besought her to +offer up her prayers for him, that he might continue +his journey steadily towards heaven, and arrive there +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> +in the end. That young man, whose name was +Ninnius, became in after-life one of the most revered +of the Irish saints.</p> + +<p>But with all her gentle <a id="t_Unassuming"></a><a href="#idx_Unassuming" class="indx">unassuming</a> ways, St. +Brigit was a woman of strong mind and great +<a id="t_Talents"></a><a href="#idx_Talents" class="indx">talents</a>. She not only governed her various establishments +in strict accordance with her own Rules and +forms of <a id="t_Discipline"></a><a href="#idx_Discipline" class="indx">discipline</a>, but she was a powerful aid in +forwarding the mighty religious movement that had +been commenced by St. Patrick half a century +before. She set an <a id="t_Illustrious2"></a><a href="#idx_Illustrious2" class="indx">illustrious</a> example to those +Irish women who, during and after her time, entered +on a religious life; and though many of them +became distinguished saints, she stands far above +them all. No writer has left us a <a id="t_Detailed"></a><a href="#idx_Detailed" class="indx">detailed</a> account of +her last hours, as Adamnan has done for St. Columkille. +(See page <a href="#Page_150">150</a>, note, farther on.) We only +know that she died at Kildare on the first of February, +in or about the year 523, and that she received the +last <a id="t_Consolation"></a><a href="#idx_Consolation" class="indx">consolations</a> of religion from the grateful hand +of that same Ninnius whom she had turned to a +religious life many years before.</p> + +<p>She was buried in Kildare, where her body was +entombed in a <a id="t_Magnificent"></a><a href="#idx_Magnificent" class="indx">magnificent</a> <a id="t_Shrine"></a><a href="#idx_Shrine" class="indx">shrine</a>, ornamented with +gold, silver, and precious stones. We may be sure it +was a very beautiful work of art, for we know that +there was a noted school of metal workers in Kildare +under the direction of St. Conleth, who was himself +a most skilful artist; but this tomb was plundered +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> +by the Danes three hundred years afterwards, and +not a trace of it now remains.</p> + +<p>According to some accounts, the bones of St. +Brigit and St. Columkille were brought to +Downpatrick many centuries after the death of both, +and buried in the same tomb with the remains of +St. Patrick. Whether this was so or not, the matter +has been <a id="t_Commemorate"></a><a href="#idx_Commemorate" class="indx">commemorated</a> in a Latin verse, of which +the following is a translation:—</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 23em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Interred beneath one tomb in Down, a single vault doth hold<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Patrick and Brigit and Columkille, three holy saints of old."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>A well known Welshman, <a id="t_Gerald_Barry"></a><a href="#idx_Gerald_Barry" class="indx">Gerald Barry</a> (Giraldus +Cambrensis), who was in Ireland in 1185, and who +wrote an account of it, says that he found "at +Kildare in Leinster, celebrated for the glorious +Brigit, the 'Fire of St. Brigit' which is reported +never to go out." This fire was kept up day and +night by the nuns in his time, and for centuries +before—how long no one can tell—probably from +the time of the saint herself—and was continued +for centuries after: but it was finally extinguished +when the monasteries were closed up by Henry +VIII. in the year 1536. Thomas Moore, in one of +his songs, refers to it in the following words:—</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 22em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Like the bright lamp that shone in Kildare's holy <a id="t_Fane"></a><a href="#idx_Fane" class="indx">fane</a>,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And burned through <a id="t_Long_ages_of_darkness_and_storm"></a><a href="#idx_Long_ages_of_darkness_and_storm" class="indx">long ages of darkness and storm</a>."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span></p> +<p>St. Brigit is venerated in England and Scotland as +well as in Ireland: for in both these countries +churches were built in her honour, and many +convents were established under her name and rule. +She was also well known and honoured on the +Continent. We need not wonder that her life has +been written by many Irishmen: but English, +Scotch, French, Italian, and German writers have +also written about her and have commemorated her +as one of the most eminent saints of the West.</p> + +<p>Convents and monasteries were maintained in +Kildare for hundreds of years after the time of St. +Brigit; and "Kildare's holy fane" is still venerated +as much as ever. On the very ridge where the +humble little church was erected fourteen hundred +years ago, there is a group of fine old church buildings, +with a tall round tower that overlooks the +splendid plain of Kildare.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XXVI"></a>XXVI.<br /><br /> + +IRISH SCRIBES AND BOOKS.</h2> + +<p>In old times all books were handwritten, printing +being a late invention. There were persons called +<a id="t_Scribe"></a><a href="#idx_Scribe" class="indx">Scribes</a>, many of whom made writing the chief +business of their lives. From constant practice they +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> +became very <a id="t_Expert"></a><a href="#idx_Expert" class="indx">expert</a>; and the penmanship of many of +them was extremely beautiful and highly ornamented, +much more so than any writing executed by the very +best penmen of the present day.</p> + +<p>In Ireland, most of these scribes were monks, inmates +of monasteries; but many were laymen. These +good and industrious men wrote into their books all +the learning of every kind that they could collect; +so that although the work of writing was slow, the +numbers of books rapidly increased; and very large +libraries grew up, especially in the monasteries. The +leaves of these books were not paper like those of our +books, but parchment or vellum, which was generally +made from sheepskin, but often from the skins of +other animals.</p> + +<p>Sometimes the scribes wrote down what had never +been written before, that is, matters composed at the +time, or preserved in memory: but more commonly +they copied from other volumes. If an old book began +to be worn, ragged, or dim with age, so as to be +hard to make out and read, some scribe was sure to +copy it, so as to have a new book easy to read +and well bound up. Most of the books written out +in this manner related to Ireland, as will be described +presently; and the language of these was almost +always Irish. For in those times the Irish language +was spoken by all the people of Ireland.</p> + +<p>A favourite occupation was copying portions of the +Holy Scriptures, nearly always in the Latin language; +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> +and in this good work some monks spent nearly all +their time, in order to multiply copies of the sacred +books. Some of the greatest saints of the ancient +Irish Church employed themselves in copying the +Gospels and other portions of the Bible, whenever +they could get the opportunity, as we shall see in +the case of St. Columkille.</p> + +<p>Copies of the Scriptures, and also prayer books, +were generally ornamented in the most beautiful +way: for those <a id="t_Accomplished"></a><a href="#idx_Accomplished" class="indx">accomplished</a> and <a id="t_Devoted"></a><a href="#idx_Devoted" class="indx">devoted</a> old scribes +loved to beautify the sacred writings. Many of the +lovely books they wrote are still preserved, of +which the most splendid is the Book of Kells, now +kept in the <a id="t_Library"></a><a href="#idx_Library" class="indx">Library</a> of Trinity College, in Dublin. +It is a copy of the Four Gospels, and the language is +Latin, though the letters are Irish. It was written +by an Irish scribe eleven or twelve hundred years +ago, but who he was is not known.</p> + +<p>There is no old book in any part of the world so +skilfully ornamented as this. The capital letters are +very large—one of them fills an entire page—and are +all illuminated, that is, painted in brilliant colours; +and after the lapse of so many centuries the colours +are still very fresh, though not so bright as when +they were first laid on.</p> + +<p>In this Book of Kells, and in others like it, +the capitals are ornamented in every part with a +kind of <a id="t_Interlaced"></a><a href="#idx_Interlaced" class="indx">interlaced</a> work, all done with the pen, in +which bands and ribbons are curved and plaited and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> +woven in the most wonderful way. These plaits and +folds are so small and so close together that one +must sometimes use a <a id="t_Magnifying_glass"></a><a href="#idx_Magnifying_glass" class="indx">magnifying glass</a> in order to +see them plainly: in one space, the size of a half +penny, in a page of a splendid old volume, called +the Book of Armagh, the ribbons appear woven in +and out more than three hundred times.</p> + +<p>A specimen of this interwoven ornamental work +is seen at the head of the first page of this book; +but it gives only a poor idea of the beauty of the +Book of Kells. The frontispiece of the "Child's +History of Ireland" is a perfect copy, in full colours, +of a complete page of the Book of Mac Durnan, +which is almost as beautiful as the Book of Kells. +The Irish used this sort of ornamentation also in +metal-work and stone-work, of which an example +is given here.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_122-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Ancient Irish Ornamental Sculpture on a Stone Monument.</span> +</div> + +<p>Very often, large volumes were kept, into which +were written <a id="t_Composition"></a><a href="#idx_Composition" class="indx">compositions</a> of all kinds, both prose +and poetry, such as were thought worth preserving, +copied from older books, and written in, one after +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> +another, till the volume was filled. Of all these +old books of mixed compositions, the largest that +remains to us is the Book of Leinster, which is kept +in Trinity College in Dublin. It is an immense +volume, all in the Irish language, written more than +750 years ago; and many of the pages are now +almost black with age and very hard to make out. +It contains a great number of pieces, some in prose +and some in verse, and nearly all of them about +Ireland—histories, accounts of battles and sieges, +lives and adventures of great men, with many tales +and stories of things that happened in this country +in far distant ages.</p> + +<p>The Book of the <a id="t_Dun"></a><a href="#idx_Dun" class="indx">Dun</a> Cow is preserved in the +Royal Irish Academy in Dublin. It is fifty years +older than the Book of Leinster, but not so large; +and it contains also a great number of tales, adventures, +and histories, nearly all relating to Ireland, +and all written in the Irish language. Its name was +derived from the following circumstance:—<a id="t_St_Kieran"></a><a href="#idx_St_Kieran" class="indx">St. Kieran</a> +of <a id="t_Clonmacnoise_on_the_Shannon"></a><a href="#idx_Clonmacnoise_on_the_Shannon" class="indx">Clonmacnoise</a> had a favourite brown cow, whose +skin, when she died, he caused to be turned into +parchment, of which a book was made. But this old +book no longer exists: it was lost ages ago; and +the present "Book of the Dun Cow" is only a copy +of it.</p> + +<p>Three other great Irish books kept in Dublin are +the Book of Lecan [Leckan], the Yellow Book of +Lecan, and the Book of Ballymote. These contain +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> +much the same kind of matter as the Book of +Leinster—with pieces mostly different however—but +they are not nearly so old. The Speckled Book, +which is also in Dublin, is nearly as large as the +Book of Leinster, but not so old. It is mostly on +religious matters, and contains a great number of +Lives of Saints, Hymns, Sermons, portions of the +Scriptures, and other such pieces. All these books +are written with the greatest care, and in most +beautiful penmanship.</p> + +<p>The six old books described above have been lately +printed, in such a way as that the print resembles +exactly the writing of the old books themselves. The +printed volumes are now to be found in libraries in +several parts of Ireland, as well as in England and +the Continent; so that those desirous of studying +them need not come to Dublin, as people had to do +formerly.</p> + +<p>Many people are now eagerly studying these books +and men often come to Ireland from France, Germany, +Italy, Norway and Sweden, Russia, and other +countries, in order to learn the Irish language so as +to be able to read them. But this requires much +study, even from those who know the Irish of the +present day; for the language of those books is +old and difficult.</p> + +<p>In many National and Intermediate schools the +Irish language is now taught, and no doubt some of +the pupils who attend the Irish classes will continue +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> +their studies after they leave school, till they come +to be able to read our old books.</p> + +<p>A great many old Irish tales and histories have +been printed and translated, and some of them are +very beautiful and instructive. Several of the stories +in this book are from the Book of the Dun Cow and +the Book of Leinster.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XXVII"></a>XXVII.<br /><br /> + +THE GILLA DACKER AND HIS HORSE. +<a id="FNanchor_34"></a> +<a href="#Footnote_34" class="fnanchor"><span class="minute">[34]</span></a></h2> + +<p>Once upon a time, when Finn and the Fena were +hunting over Munster, Finn and some of his companions +encamped on the slope of Knockainey hill<a id="FNanchor_35"></a><a href="#Footnote_35" class="fnanchor">[35]</a> +to rest for awhile. And they sent Finn Mac Bressal +to the top of the hill to keep <a id="t_Watch_and_ward"></a><a href="#idx_Watch_and_ward" class="indx">watch and ward</a>, while +they amused themselves, some playing chess, and +some viewing the chase all round and listening to +the sweet cry of the hounds.</p> + +<p>Finn Mac Bressal had been watching only a little +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> +time, when he saw on the plain to the east, a +Fomor<a id="FNanchor_36"></a><a href="#Footnote_36" class="fnanchor">[36]</a> +of vast size coming towards the hill, leading a horse. +As he came nearer, Finn Mac Bressal observed that +he was the ugliest-looking giant his eyes ever lighted +on. He had a large, thick body, bloated and swollen +out to a great size; clumsy, crooked legs; and broad, +flat feet, turned inwards. His hands and arms and +shoulders were bony and thick and very strong-looking; +his neck was long and thin; and while +his head was poked forward, his face was turned +up, as he stared straight at Finn Mac Bressal. He +had thick lips, and long crooked teeth; and his face +was covered all over with bushy hair.</p> + +<p>He was fully armed; but all his weapons were +rusty and soiled. A broad shield of a dirty, sooty +colour, rough and battered, hung over his back; he +had a long, heavy, straight sword at his left hip; +and he grasped in his left hand two thick-handled, +broad-headed spears, old and rusty, that looked as +if they had not been handled for years. In his +right hand he held an iron club, which he dragged +after him, with its end on the ground; and it was +so heavy that, as it trailed along, it tore up a track +as deep as the furrow a farmer ploughs with a pair +of oxen.</p> + +<p>The horse he led was even larger in proportion +than the giant himself, and quite as ugly. His great +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> +carcase was covered all over with tangled, scraggy-hair, +of a sooty black; you could count his ribs and +all the points of his big bones through his hide; his +legs were crooked and knotty; his neck was twisted; +and as for his jaws, they were so long and heavy +that they made his head look twice too big for his +body.</p> + +<p>The giant held the horse by a thick halter, and +seemed to be dragging him forward by main force, the +animal was so lazy and so hard to move. Every now +and then when the beast tried to stand still, the giant +would give him a blow on the ribs with his big iron +club, which sounded as loud as the thundering of a +great billow against the rough-headed rocks of the +coast. When he gave him a pull forward by the +halter, the wonder was that he did not drag the +animal's head away from his body; and, on the other +hand, the horse often gave the halter such a tremendous +tug backwards that it was equally wonderful +how the arm of the giant was not torn from his +shoulder.</p> + +<p>Now it was not an easy matter to frighten Finn +Mac Bressal; but when he saw the giant and his horse +coming straight towards him in that wise, he was +seized with such fear and horror that he sprang from +his seat, and, snatching up his arms, he ran down the +hill-slope with the utmost speed towards the king +and his companions, whom he found sitting round +the chess-board, deep in their game.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span></p> + +<p>They started up when they saw him looking so +<a id="t_Scared"></a><a href="#idx_Scared" class="indx">scared</a>; and, turning their eyes towards where he +pointed, they saw the big man and his horse coming +up the hill. The Fena stood gazing at him in silent +wonder, waiting till he should arrive; but although +he was no great way off when they first caught sight +of him, it was a long time before he reached the spot +where they stood, so slow was the movement of his +horse and himself.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XXVIII"></a>XXVIII.<br /><br /> + +THE FENA CARRIED OFF BY THE GILLA +DACKER'S HORSE.</h2> + +<p>Patiently and in silence the Fena stood till the +giant came up; when he bowed his head, and bended +his knee, and saluted the king with great respect.</p> + +<p>Finn addressed him; and having given him leave +to speak, he asked who he was, and what was his +name; also what was his profession or craft, and why +he had no servant to attend to his horse—if, indeed, +such an ugly old spectre of an animal could be +called a horse at all.</p> + +<p>The big man made answer and said, "King of the +Fena, I will answer everything you ask me, as far +as lies in my power. As to where I came from, I am +a Fomor of the north; but I have no particular +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> +dwelling-place, for I am continually travelling about +from one country to another, serving the great lords +and nobles of the world, and receiving wages for my +service.</p> + +<p>"In the course of my wanderings I have often +heard of you, O king, and of your greatness and +splendour and royal bounty; and I have come now to +visit you, and to ask you to take me into your service +for one year; and at the end of that time I shall fix +my own wages, according to my custom.</p> + +<p>"You ask me also why I have no servant for this +great horse of mine. The reason of that is this: at +every meal I eat, my master must give me as much +food and drink as would be enough for a hundred men; +and whosoever the lord or chief may be that takes me +into his service, it is quite enough for him to have to +provide for me, without having also to feed my +servant.</p> + +<p>"Moreover, I am so very heavy and lazy that I +should never be able to keep up with a company on +march if I had to walk; and this is my reason for +keeping a horse at all.</p> + +<p>"My name is the Gilla Dacker,<a id="FNanchor_37"></a><a href="#Footnote_37" class="fnanchor">[37]</a> and it is not without +good reason that I am so called. For there never +was a lazier or worse servant than I am, or one that +grumbles more at doing a day's work for his master. +And I am the hardest person in the whole world to +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> +deal with; for, no matter how good or noble I may +think my master, or how kindly he may treat me, it +is hard words and foul reproaches I am likely to give +him for thanks in the end.</p> + +<p>"This, O Finn, is the account I have to give of +myself, and these are my answers to your questions."</p> + +<p>"Well," answered Finn, "according to your own +account, you are not a very pleasant fellow to have +anything to do with; and of a truth there is not +much to praise in your appearance. But things may +not be so bad as you say; and, anyhow, as I have +never yet refused any man service and wages, I will +not now refuse you."</p> + +<p>Whereupon the Gilla Dacker was taken into +service among the warriors for a year.</p> + +<p>Then the big man said:—"Now, as to this horse +of mine, I find I must attend to him myself, as I see +no one here worthy of putting a hand near him. So +I will lead him to the nearest <a id="t_Stud"></a><a href="#idx_Stud" class="indx">stud</a>, as I am wont to +do, and let him graze among your horses. I value +him greatly, however, and it would grieve me very +much if any harm were to befal him; so," continued +he, turning to the king, "I put him under your +protection, O king, and under the protection of all +the Fena that are here present."</p> + +<p>At this speech the Fena all burst out laughing, to +see the Gilla Dacker showing such concern for his +miserable, worthless, old skeleton of a horse.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span></p> + +<p>Howbeit, the big man, giving not the least heed to +their merriment, took the halter off the horse's head, +and turned him loose among the horses of the Fena.</p> + +<p>But now, this same wretched-looking old animal, +instead of beginning to graze, as every one thought +he would, ran in among the horses of the Fena, and +began straightway to work all sorts of mischief. He +cocked his long, hard, switchy tail straight out like a +rod, and, throwing up his hind legs, he kicked about +on this side and on that, maiming and disabling +several of the horses. Sometimes he went tearing +through the thickest of the herd, butting at them +with his hard, bony forehead; and he opened out +his lips with a <a id="t_Vicious"></a><a href="#idx_Vicious" class="indx">vicious</a> grin, and tore all he could lay +hold on, with his sharp, crooked teeth, so that none +were safe that came in his way either before or +behind. And the end of it was, that not an animal +of the whole herd escaped, without having a leg +broken, or an eye knocked out, or his ribs fractured, +or his ear bitten off, or the side of his face torn open, +or without being in some other way cut or maimed +beyond cure.</p> + +<p>At last he left them, and was making straight for +a small field where <a id="t_Conan_Mail"></a><a href="#idx_Conan_Mail" class="indx">Conan Mail's</a> horses were grazing +by themselves, intending to play the same tricks +among them. But Conan, seeing this, shouted in +great alarm to the Gilla Dacker, to bring away his +horse, and not let him work any more mischief; and +threatening, if he did not do so at once, to go himself +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> +and knock the brains out of the vicious old brute on +the spot.</p> + +<p>But the Gilla Dacker took the matter quite coolly; +and he told Conan that he saw no way of preventing +his horse from joining the others, except some one +put the halter on him and held him, which would, of +course, he said, prevent the poor animal from grazing, +and would leave him hungry at the end of the day. +"But," said he to Conan, "there is the halter; and if +you are in any fear for your own animals, you may +go yourself and bring him away from the field."</p> + +<p>Conan was in a mighty rage when he heard this; +and as he saw the big horse just about to cross the +fence, he snatched up the halter, and running forward +with long strides, he threw it over the animal's head +and attempted to lead him back. But in a moment the +horse stood stock still, and his body and legs became +as stiff as if they were made of wood; and though +Conan pulled and tugged with might and main, he +was not able to stir him an inch from his place.</p> + +<p>He gave up pulling at last, when he found it was +no use; but he still kept on holding the halter, while +the big horse never made the least stir, but stood as +if he had been turned into stone; the Gilla Dacker +all the time looking on quite <a id="t_Unconcernedly"></a><a href="#idx_Unconcernedly" class="indx">unconcernedly</a>, and the +others laughing at Conan's <a id="t_Perplexity2"></a><a href="#idx_Perplexity2" class="indx">perplexity</a>. But no one +offered to relieve him.</p> + +<p>At last Conan jumped up on the horse, and tried +to urge him on, but all to no purpose: for the animal +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> +never stirred. Another of the Fena now mounted +behind him, and another, and another, till there +were fourteen of them on the horse's back. Then +the Gilla Dacker, suddenly tucking up his skirts, +darted away from the Fena, and ran south-west with +the speed of a swallow flying across a mountain side, +or of a March wind sweeping over the plain. When +the horse saw his master running, he stirred himself +at once and followed him with equal speed, carrying +off the whole fourteen men, and plunging and tearing +along as if he had nothing at all on his back.</p> + +<p>The men now tried to throw themselves off; but +this, indeed, they were not able to do, for the good +reason that they found themselves fastened firmly, +hands and feet and all, to the horse's back. Moreover +they found that their seat was not a comfortable +one, for the old horse's backbone was rough and +scraggy, and nearly as sharp as a saw.</p> + +<p>And now Conan, looking round, raised his big +voice, and shouted to Finn and the Fena, asking them +were they content to let their friends be carried off +in that manner by such a <a id="t_Horrible"></a><a href="#idx_Horrible" class="indx">horrible</a>, foul-looking old +spectre of a horse.</p> + +<p>Finn and the others, hearing this, instantly started +off in pursuit, and for miles on miles they kept the +Gilla Dacker and the horse in view, but were not +able to overtake them. At last the horse and his +master came to the shore of the sea in the west of +Kerry, and without stop or stay they plunged forward, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> +moving over the waves the same as on the dry land: +and just as the Fena arrived at the shore, they lost +sight of them in the distance.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XXIX"></a>XXIX.<br /><br /> + +DERMOT O'DYNA AT THE WELL.</h2> + +<p>Great was the astonishment of the Fena, and great +their dismay, on seeing their comrades carried off in +this manner on the back of the big horse. And now +they <a id="t_Took_counsel"></a><a href="#idx_Took_counsel" class="indx">took counsel</a>; and what they resolved on was, to +send Dermot O'Dyna and a party of the Fena in a +ship to search for their companions. And Dermot +and the others went on board, and sailed to the west +for many leagues, till they lost sight of the shores of +Erin. At length they came to an island with steep +cliffs all round, so high that its head seemed hidden +in the clouds: and they saw by the tracks, that up +the face of this cliff the horse had made his way. +And it was agreed that Dermot O'Dyna should climb +up and <a id="t_Explore"></a><a href="#idx_Explore" class="indx">explore</a> the island in quest of their comrades. +Then Dermot put on his armour and his helmet, and +took his shield, his two spears, and his sword: and +leaning on the handles of the spears, he leaped with a +light, airy bound on the nearest shelf of rock. Using +his spears and his hands, he climbed from ledge to +ledge, while his companions watched him anxiously +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> +from below; till, after much toil, he measured the +soles of his two feet on the green sod at the top of the +rock. And when, recovering breath, he turned round +and looked at his companions in the ship far below, +he started back with amazement and dread at the +<a id="t_Dizzy"></a><a href="#idx_Dizzy" class="indx">dizzy</a> height.</p> + +<p>He now looked inland, and saw a beautiful country +spread out before him:—a lovely, flowery plain straight +in front, bordered with pleasant hills, and shaded +with groves of many kinds of trees. It was enough +to banish all care and sadness from one's heart to +view this country, and to listen to the warbling of +the birds, the humming of the bees among the flowers, +the rustling of the wind through the trees, and the +pleasant voices of the streams and waterfalls.</p> + +<p>Making no delay, Dermot set out to walk across the +plain. He had not been long walking when he saw, +right before him, a great tree laden with fruit, over-topping +all the other trees of the plain. It was +surrounded at a little distance by a circle of <a id="t_Pillar-stone"></a><a href="#idx_Pillar-stone" class="indx">pillar-stones</a>; +and one stone, taller than the others, stood in +the centre near the tree. Beside this pillar-stone +was a spring well, with a large, round pool as clear as +crystal; and the water bubbled up in the centre, and +flowed away towards the middle of the plain in a +slender stream.</p> + +<p>Dermot was glad when he saw the well; for he +was hot and thirsty after climbing up the cliff. He +stooped down to take a drink; but before his lips +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> +touched the water, he heard the heavy tread of a +body of warriors, and the loud clank of arms, as if a whole +<a id="t_Host"></a><a href="#idx_Host" class="indx">host</a> were coming straight down on him. He sprang +to his feet and looked round; but the noise ceased in +an instant, and he could see nothing.</p> + +<p>After a little while he stooped once more to drink; +and again, before he had wet his lips, he heard the +very same sounds, nearer and louder than before. +A second time he leaped to his feet; and still he saw +no one. He knew not what to think of this; and as +he stood wondering and perplexed, he happened to +cast his eyes on the tall pillar-stone that stood +on the brink of the well; and he saw on its top a +large, beautiful drinking-horn,<a id="FNanchor_38"></a><a href="#Footnote_38" class="fnanchor">[38]</a> <a id="t_Chase"></a><a href="#idx_Chase" class="indx">chased</a> with gold and +<a id="t_Enamelled"></a><a href="#idx_Enamelled" class="indx">enamelled</a> with precious stones.</p> + +<p>"Now surely," said Dermot, "I have been doing +wrong: it is, no doubt, one of the virtues of this well +that it will not let any one drink of its waters except +from the drinking-horn."</p> + +<p>So he took down the horn, dipped it into the well, +and drank without hindrance, till he had slaked his +thirst.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="XXX"></a>XXX.<br /><br /> + +DERMOT O'DYNA FIGHTS THE <a id="t_Wizard_champion"></a><a href="#idx_Wizard_champion" class="indx">WIZARD-CHAMPION</a>, +AND AFTER A TIME RESCUES +HIS COMRADES.</h2> + +<p>Hardly had Dermot taken the horn from his lips, +when he saw a tall wizard-champion coming towards +him from the east, clad in a complete suit of mail, +and fully armed with shield and helmet, sword and +spear. A beautiful scarlet mantle hung over his +armour, fastened at his throat by a golden brooch; +he had a gold torque round his neck; and a broad +<a id="t_Circlet"></a><a href="#idx_Circlet" class="indx">circlet</a> of sparkling gold was bended in front across +his forehead, to confine his yellow hair, and keep +it from being blown about by the wind.</p> + +<p>As he came nearer, he increased his pace, moving +with great strides; and Dermot now observed that he +looked very wrathful. He offered no greeting, and +showed not the least courtesy; but addressed Dermot +in a rough, angry voice—</p> + +<p>"Surely, Dermot O'Dyna, Erin of the green plains +should be wide enough for you; and it contains abundance +of clear, sweet water in its crystal springs +and green bordered streams, from which you might +have drunk your fill. But you have come into my +island without my leave, and you have taken my +drinking-horn, and have drunk from my well; and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> +this spot you shall never leave till you have given +me satisfaction for the insult."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_138-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />A torque [pronounced tork] +of gold: a twisted collar for the neck. +Golden torques were much used by kings and other rich people. +Many torques are in the National Museum: but most of them are +better made and twisted more closely than the one here represented.</span> +</div> + +<p>So spoke the wizard-champion, and instantly +advanced on Dermot with fury in his eyes. But +Dermot was not the man to be <a id="t_Terrify"></a><a href="#idx_Terrify" class="indx">terrified</a> by any hero +or wizard-champion alive. He met the foe half-way; +and now, foot to foot, and knee to knee, and face to +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> +face, they began a fight, watchful and wary at first, +but soon hot and vengeful, till their shields and +helmets could scarce withstand their strong thrusts +and blows. Like two enraged lions fighting to the +death, or two strong serpents intertwined in deadly +strife, or two great opposing billows thundering +against each other on the ocean border; such was the +strength and fury and <a id="t_Determination"></a><a href="#idx_Determination" class="indx">determination</a> of the combat +of these two heroes.</p> + +<p>And so they fought through the long day, till +evening came, and it began to be dusk; when suddenly +the wizard-champion sprang outside the range +of Dermot's sword, and leaping up with a great +bound, he alighted in the very centre of the well. +Down he went through it, and disappeared in a +moment before Dermot's eyes, as if the well had +swallowed him up. Dermot stood on the brink, +leaning on his spear, amazed and perplexed, looking +after him in the water; but whether the hero had +meant to drown himself, or that he had played some +wizard trick, Dermot knew not.</p> + +<p>He sat down to rest, full of vexation that the +wizard-champion should have got off so easily. And +what <a id="t_Chafe"></a><a href="#idx_Chafe" class="indx">chafed</a> him still more was that his companions +knew nought of what had happened, and that when +he returned, he could tell them nothing of the strange +hero; neither had he the least token or <a id="t_Trophy"></a><a href="#idx_Trophy" class="indx">trophy</a> to +show them after his long fight.</p> + +<p>Dermot now began to think what was best to be +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> +done; and he made up his mind to stay near the +well all night, in the hope of finding out something +further about the wizard-champion on the morrow.</p> + +<p>He walked towards the nearest point of a great +forest that stretched from the mountain down to the +plain on his left; and as he came near, a herd of +speckled deer ran by among the trees. <a id="t_Poise"></a><a href="#idx_Poise" class="indx">poising</a> his +spear, he threw it with an unerring cast, and +brought down the nearest of the herd.</p> + +<p>Then, having lighted a fire under a tree, he skinned +the deer and fixed it on long hazel spits to roast, +having first, however, gone to the well, and brought +away the drinking-horn full of water. And he sat +beside the roasting deer to turn it and tend the fire, +waiting impatiently for his meal; for he was hungry +and tired after the toil of the day.</p> + +<p>When the deer was cooked, he ate till he was +satisfied, and drank the clear water of the well from +the drinking-horn; after which he lay down under the +shade of the tree, beside the fire, and slept a sound +sleep till morning.</p> + +<p>Night passed away and the sun rose, bringing +morning with its abundant light. Dermot started up, +refreshed after his long sleep, and, repairing to the +forest, he slew another deer, and fixed it on hazel +spits to roast at the fire as before. For Dermot had +this custom, that he would never eat of any food left +from a former meal.</p> + +<p>And after he had eaten of the deer's flesh and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> +drunk from the horn, he went towards the well. +But though his visit was early, he found the wizard-champion +there before him, standing beside the pillar-stone, +fully armed as before, and looking now more +wrathful than ever. Dermot was much surprised; but +before he had time to speak, the wizard-champion +addressed him—</p> + +<p>"Dermot O'Dyna, you have now put the cap on all +your evil deeds. It was not enough that you took my +drinking-horn and drank from my well: you have +done much worse than this, for you have hunted on +my grounds, and have killed some of my speckled +deer. Surely there are many hunting-grounds in +Erin of the green plains, with plenty of deer in them; +and you need not have come hither to commit these +robberies on me. But now for a certainty you shall +not go from this spot till I have taken satisfaction +for all these misdeeds."</p> + +<p>And again the two champions attacked each other, +and fought during the long day, from morning till +evening. And when the dusk began to fall, the +wizard-champion leaped into the well, and disappeared +down through it, even as he had done the day before.</p> + +<p>The selfsame thing happened on the third day. +And each day, morning and evening, Dermot killed a +deer, and ate of its flesh, and drank of the water of +the well from the drinking-horn.</p> + +<p>On the fourth morning, Dermot found the wizard-champion +standing as usual by the pillar-stone near +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> +the well. And as each morning he looked more +angry than on the morning before, so now he <a id="t_Scowl"></a><a href="#idx_Scowl" class="indx">scowled</a> +in a way that would have terrified anyone but Dermot +O'Dyna.</p> + +<p>And they fought during the day till the dusk of +evening. But now Dermot watched his foe narrowly; +and when he saw him about to spring into the well +he closed on him and threw his arms round him. The +wizard-champion struggled to free himself, moving all +the time nearer and nearer to the brink; but Dermot +held on, till at last both fell into the well. Down they +went, clinging to each other, Dermot and the strange +champion; down, down, deeper and deeper they went; +and Dermot tried to look round, but nothing could he +see save darkness and dim shadows. At length there +was a glimmer of light; then the bright day burst +suddenly upon them; and presently they came to the +solid ground, gently and without the least shock.</p> + +<p>At the very moment they reached the ground, the +wizard-champion, with a sudden effort, tore himself +away from Dermot's grasp, and ran forward with great +speed. Dermot leaped to his feet; and he was so +amazed at what he saw around him that he stood +stock still and let the wizard-champion escape:—a +lovely country, with many green-sided hills and fair +valleys between, woods of red yew trees, and plains +laughing all over with flowers of every hue.</p> + +<p>Right before him, not far off, lay a city of great +tall houses with glittering roofs; and on the side +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> +nearest to him was a royal palace, larger and grander +than the rest. On the level green in front of the +palace were a number of knights, all armed, and +amusing themselves with various warlike exercises +of sword and shield and spear.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_143-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Ancient Irish bronze shield, 28 inches in diameter, found in a bog +in the Co. Limerick. Shields were often made of yew-wood, which is +very hard: and oftener still of wickerwork, covered outside with +tough hides, generally tanned. Wickerwork shields were sometimes +large enough to cover the whole body. On the inside of every shield +was a crossbar which was held in the hand: and for additional safety +a leather strap fastened to the shield, went round the warrior's neck.</span> +</div> + +<p>To tell all Dermot's adventures here would be +too long for this book. But he remained in that +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> +strange country, till he met the wizard champion +and subdued him in fight. And after much +searching he found Conan and the others who had +been carried off by the Gilla Dacker's horse +after which they all returned to the ship. And +they sailed back to Erin where, when they landed, +they were welcomed with a mighty shout by the +assembled Fena.</p> + +<p class="credit">From "Old Celtic Romances," by <span class="smcap">P. W. Joyce</span>, <small>LL.D</small>.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XXXI"></a>XXXI.<br /><br /> + +SAINT COLUMKILLE: <span class="smcap">Part</span> I.</h2> + +<p>Saint Columkille<a id="FNanchor_39"></a><a href="#Footnote_39" class="fnanchor">[39]</a> was born in the year 521, in +Gartan, a wild district in the county Donegal, not far +from Letterkenny. He was a near relation of the +kings of Ireland of his time; for his father was great-grandson +of the mighty King Niall of the Nine Hostages +(see p. <a href="#Page_5">5</a>): and his mother was related to the +kings of Leinster. He spent his boyhood in a little +village near Gartan; and when he was old enough, he +was sent away from his home to a school kept by a +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> +distinguished bishop and teacher, St. Finnen, at +Movilla, near the present Newtownards, in Down. +Though he belonged to a princely family, and might +easily have become rich and great, he gave up these +worldly <a id="t_Advantages"></a><a href="#idx_Advantages" class="indx">advantages</a> for religion, and resolved to +become a priest.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_145-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Ruins of the Monastery of Movilla, near Newtownards. +<br />(Drawn in 1845.)</span> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span></p> + +<p>Having spent some time at Movilla, the youthful +Columkille went to several other Irish Colleges, +including that of St. Movi, at Glasnevin, near Dublin; +and as he was a <a id="t_Diligent"></a><a href="#idx_Diligent" class="indx">diligent</a> student, he made great +progress in all. The most celebrated of these was +at Clonard, in Meath, in which there were many +hundreds of students under the instruction of another +St. Finnen, a great and holy man, who is styled in +old Irish writings "a doctor of wisdom and the +tutor of the saints of Ireland in his time." Here +Columkille met many young Irishmen who afterwards +became distinguished saints and missionaries.</p> + +<p>As soon as he was ordained priest, he set about +the work of his life—spreading the Gospel. At +that time the high ridge over the river Foyle, +where now stands the old city of Derry, was an +<a id="t_Uninhabited"></a><a href="#idx_Uninhabited" class="indx">uninhabited</a> spot, clothed with a splendid wood of +oaks, from which it got the name of Derry, meaning +an oak grove: this spot was presented to Columkille +by his cousin, prince Aed, afterwards king of Ireland. +Here, when he was twenty-five years of age, he built +his first church, round which grew up a monastery +that continued to flourish for many hundred years, +so that, in memory of the saint, the place was long +afterwards known by the name of Derry-Columkille. +At this period of his life he was a man of noble +<a id="t_Presence"></a><a href="#idx_Presence" class="indx">presence</a>, a worthy member of a kingly race, as one +of the old Irish writers describes him:—tall, broad-shouldered, +and powerful: with long, curling hair: +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> +<a id="t_Luminous"></a><a href="#idx_Luminous" class="indx">luminous</a> grey eyes, and a countenance +bright and pleasing: and he was always lively and agreeable in +conversation.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_147-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Remains of a Round Tower at Drumcliff, 4 miles north of Sligo +town: built near the church founded by St. Columkille; but long +after his time.</span> +</div> + +<p>For fifteen years after the establishment of Derry, +Columkille continued to found churches all over the +country, among many others those of Kells in Meath, +Tory Island, Swords near Dublin, Drumcliff in Sligo, +and Durrow in King's County, the last of which +was his chief establishment in Ireland. It is +recorded that during these fifteen years he founded +altogether three hundred churches and monasteries. +These establishments, like all the other Irish +monasteries, were the means of spreading not only +religion but general <a id="t_Enlightenment2"></a><a href="#idx_Enlightenment2" class="indx">enlightenment</a>: for in most +of them there were schools; and the priests and +monks converted, and taught, and <a id="t_Civilise"></a><a href="#idx_Civilise" class="indx">civilised</a>, to the +best of their power, the people in their neighbourhood.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span></p> + +<p>Many years before this, St. Patrick and the +missionaries who worked under his guidance, had +converted the greatest part of the Irish people to +Christianity. But the time was too short and the +missionaries too few to instruct the newly-converted +people fully in their faith: so that although they +were Christians, many of them had only a poor +knowledge of the Christian <a id="t_Doctrine"></a><a href="#idx_Doctrine" class="indx">doctrine</a>. In those times +there were certain persons in Ireland called Druids, +who were the learned men among the pagans of the +day, and who taught the people the pagan religion +known as Druidism. They hated the Christian faith, +and gave St. Patrick and his companions great trouble +by trying to persuade the pagan Irish not to become +Christians. They continued in the country till the +time of St. Columkille, as active as ever though +much fewer; and St. Columkille and the other missionaries +of his time had often hard work to win +over the people from the false teaching of these +druids, and make good Christians of them.</p> + +<p>A great part of the north of Scotland was then +inhabited by a people called the Picts. Those of +them who lived south of the Grampian mountains +had been converted some time before by St. Ninian +of Glastonbury:<a id="FNanchor_40"></a><a href="#Footnote_40" class="fnanchor">[40]</a> but the northern Picts were still +pagans; and Columkille made up his mind to leave +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> +Ireland and devote the rest of his life to their +conversion. In 563, in the forty-second year of his age, +he bade a sorrowful farewell to his native country, +and crossing the sea with twelve companions, he +settled in the island of Iona, in the Hebrides, which +had been presented to him by <a id="t_His_relative_the_king_of_that_part_of_Scotland"></a><a href="#idx_His_relative_the_king_of_that_part_of_Scotland" class="indx">his relative, the king of that part of Scotland</a>. Here he built his little +church and monastery, all of wood, and began to +prepare for his glorious work. This little island +afterwards became the Greatest religious centre in +Scotland: and grand churches and other buildings +were erected in and around the site of Columkille's +humble <a id="t_Structure2"></a><a href="#idx_Structure2" class="indx">structures</a>. For many centuries Iona was +held in such honour that most of the kings and +chiefs and other great people of Scotland were +buried in it; and to this day it is full of <a id="t_Venerable"></a><a href="#idx_Venerable" class="indx">venerable</a> +and beautiful ruins, which are every year visited by +people from all parts of the British Islands.</p> + +<p>The most laborious part of St. Columkille's active +life began after his settlement in Iona. He traversed +the Highlands of Scotland and the Islands of the +Hebrides, sometimes in a rude chariot, sometimes on +foot, visiting the kings and chiefs of the Picts, and +preaching to them in their homes; and he founded +churches and monasteries all over that part of +Scotland, just as he had done in Ireland. After +many years of <a id="t_Incessant"></a><a href="#idx_Incessant" class="indx">incessant</a> labour he succeeded in +converting the whole of the northern Picts.</p> + +<p>When Columkille was at home in his monastery +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> +resting from his missionary labours, his favourite +<a id="t_Occupation"></a><a href="#idx_Occupation" class="indx">occupation</a> was copying the Holy Scriptures. We +are told that he wrote with his own hand, in the +course of years, three hundred copies of the sacred +books, which he presented to the various churches he +had founded; and this good work he continued to +the very last day of his life. Besides mere copying, +he composed many hymns and other poems, both +in Latin and Irish. He was always employed at +something. Adamnan says that not an hour of the +day passed by without some work for himself and +his monks—praying, reading, writing, arranging the +affairs of the monastery, or manual work: for he +took his own share in cooking, grinding corn, overseeing +the men who were working in the fields, +and so forth.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XXXII"></a>XXXII.<br /><br /> + +SAINT COLUMKILLE: <span class="smcap">Part</span> II.</h2> + +<p>During St. Columkille's residence in Iona he +visited Ireland more than once, on important business: +and we may be sure that he was delighted +when the opportunity came to see again the land +he loved so well. The most important of these occasions +was when he came over to take part in a great +Meeting—a sort of Parliament for all Ireland—which +was held at a place called Drum-Ketta in +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> +Derry. The proceedings at this meeting will +be found described in the "Child's History of Ireland."</p> + +<p>Amidst all the earnest and laborious efforts of St. +Columkille in the cause of religion, he never forgot +his native country. He looked upon himself as +an exile, though a <a id="t_Voluntary"></a><a href="#idx_Voluntary" class="indx">voluntary</a> exile in a great and +glorious cause; and a tender regret was always +mingled with his recollections of Ireland. We have +in our old books a very ancient poem in the Irish +language, believed to have been composed by him, in +which he expresses himself in this manner:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"How delightful to be on <a id="t_Ben_Edar"></a><a href="#idx_Ben_Edar" class="indx">Ben-Edar</a> before +<a id="t_Embarking"></a><a href="#idx_Embarking" class="indx">embarking</a> on the foam-white sea: how pleasant to +row one's little curragh all round it, to look upward +at its bare steep border, and to hear the waves +dashing; against its rocky cliffs.</p> + +<p>"A grey eye looks back towards Erin: a grey eye +full of tears.</p> + +<p>"While I traverse Alban of the ravens, I think on +my little oak grove in Derry. If the tributes and +the riches of Alban were mine, from the centre to +the utmost borders, I would prefer to them all one +little house in Derry. The reason I love Derry is for +its quietness, for its purity, for its crowds of white +angels.</p> + +<p>"How sweet it is to think of Durrow: how +delightful would it be to hear the music of the breeze +rustling through its groves.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Plentiful is the fruit in the Western Island—beloved +Erin of many waterfalls: plentiful her +noble proves of oak. Many are her kings and +princes; sweet-voiced her clerics; her birds warble +joyously in the woods; gentle are her youths; wise +her <a id="t_Seniors"></a><a href="#idx_Seniors" class="indx">seniors</a>; comely and graceful her women, of +spotless virtue; illustrious her men, of noble aspect.</p> + +<p>"There is a grey eye that fills with tears when it +looks back towards Erin. While I stand on the +oaken deck of my bark I stretch my vision westwards +over the briny sea towards Erin."</p></div> + +<p>During his whole life Columkille retained his affection +for his native land and for everything connected +with it. One breezy day, when he was now in his +old age in Iona, a crane appeared flying towards the +island: it was beaten about by the wind, and with +much difficulty it reached the beach, where it fell +down quite spent with hunger and fatigue. And the +good old man said to one of his monks:—</p> + +<p>"That crane has come from our dear fatherland, +and I earnestly commend it to thee: nurse and +cherish it tenderly till it is strong enough to return +again to its sweet home in Scotia."</p> + +<p>Accordingly the monk took the bird up in his +arms and brought it to the <a id="t_Hospice"></a><a href="#idx_Hospice" class="indx">hospice</a>, and fed and +tended it for three days till it had quite recovered. +The third day was calm, and the bird rose from +the earth till it had come to a great height, when +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> +resting for a moment to look forward, it stretched +out its neck and directed its course towards +Ireland.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_153-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Round Tower of St. Canice, Kilkenny: 100 feet high, and perfect, +except that it wants the pointed cap. St. Canice was an intimate +friend of St. Columkille: but this tower was not erected till some +centuries after the death of the two saints.</span> +</div> + +<p>On the day before the saint's death he went to a +little hill hard by the monastery that overlooked the +whole place; and gazing-lovingly round him for the +last time, he lifted up his hands and blessed the +monastery. And as he was returning with his +attendant, he grew tired and sat down half way to +rest; for he was now very weak. While he was +sitting here an old white horse that was employed +for many years to carry the pails between the milking +place and the monastery, first looked at him +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> +<a id="t_Intently"></a><a href="#idx_Intently" class="indx">intently</a>, and then, coming up slowly, step by step, +he laid his head gently on the saint's bosom. And +he began to moan pitifully, and big tears rolled +from his eyes and fell into the saint's lap: which, +when the attendant saw, he came up to drive him +away. Put the old man said:—"Let him alone: +he loves me. May be God has given him some +dim knowledge that his master is going; from him +and from you all: so let him alone." At last, +standing up, he blessed the poor old animal and +returned to the monastery.</p> + +<p>The death call came to him when he was seventy-six +years of age. Though his death was not a +sudden one, he had no sickness before it: he +simply sank, wearied out with his life-long labours. +Although he knew his end was near, he kept +writing one of the Psalms till he could write no +longer; while his companion Baithen sat beside +him. At last, laying down the pen, he said, "Let +Baithen write the rest."</p> + +<p>On the night of that same day, at the toll of +the midnight bell for prayer, he rose, feeble as he +was, from his bed, which was nothing but a bare +flagstone, and went to the church hard by, followed +immediately after by his attendant Dermot. He +arrived there before the others had time to bring +in the lights; and Dermot, losing sight of him in +the darkness, called out several times, "Where are +you, father?" Perceiving no reply, he felt his way, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> +till he found his master before the altar kneeling +and leaning forward on the steps: and raising him up a +little, supported his head on his breast. The monks +now came up with the lights; and seeing their +beloved old master dying, they began to weep. He +looked at them with his face lighted up with joy, and +tried to utter a blessing; but being unable to speak, +he raised his hand a little to bless them, and in the +very act of doing so he died in Dermot's arms.<a id="FNanchor_41"></a><a href="#Footnote_41" class="fnanchor">[41]</a></p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XXXIII"></a>XXXIII.<br /><br /> + +PRINCE ALFRED IN IRELAND.</h2> + +<p>It has been already stated (p. 47) that in early +ages great numbers of foreigners came to Ireland to +study in the colleges. Among those was Aldfrid or +Alfred,<a id="FNanchor_42"></a><a href="#Footnote_42" class="fnanchor">[42]</a> Prince of Northumbria, one of the Kingdoms +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span> +of the Saxon <a id="t_Heptarchy"></a><a href="#idx_Heptarchy" class="indx">Heptarchy</a>. His history is interesting +to us as exhibiting an example of the class of persons +who came to Ireland for education in those days, +and as showing the close <a id="t_Relations"></a><a href="#idx_Relations" class="indx">relations</a> existing between +many of the royal families of England and Ireland.</p> + +<p>In the year 670, on the death of his father Oswy, +who was king of Northumbria, the throne was +seized unjustly by Alfred's younger brother, Egfrid: +whereupon Alfred fled to Ireland. He was all the +more ready to choose this as his place of exile, +inasmuch as he was fond of learning, and he knew +well that there were more learned and skilful +teachers and better opportunities for study in +Ireland than elsewhere. But he had another good +reason; for his mother Fina [Feena] was an Irish +princess of the family of the kings of Meath. The +Irish knew him by the name "Flann," or more +commonly Flann Fina, from his mother. He +remained many years in Ireland, studying with great +<a id="t_Diligence"></a><a href="#idx_Diligence" class="indx">diligence</a> in various colleges, till he had mastered +most of the branches of learning then taught. He +became specially skilled in the Holy Scriptures, and +he also learned to speak and write the Irish language.</p> + +<p>While he was in Ireland he was for a time +under the instruction of St. Adamnan, the writer of +the life of St. Columkille (see p. <a href="#Footnote_38">140, note</a>); and so +close and affectionate was the <a id="t_Intimacy"></a><a href="#idx_Intimacy" class="indx">intimacy</a> between +them, that the ancient Irish writers often call Alfred +Adamnan's <a id="t_Foster-son"></a><a href="#idx_Foster-son" class="indx">foster-son</a>.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span></p> + +<p>In the year 684 a party of Saxons were sent from +Northumbria by Egfrid across the sea on a plundering +expedition to Ireland. Having ravaged the coast of +Meath,<a id="FNanchor_43"></a><a href="#Footnote_43" class="fnanchor">[43]</a> between Ben-Edar and the Boyne, these +<a id="t_Marauders"></a><a href="#idx_Marauders" class="indx">marauders</a> carried off a number of captives, who +were held in <a id="t_Bondage"></a><a href="#idx_Bondage" class="indx">bondage</a> during the short remainder of +his reign. In the very next year Egfrid was killed +in battle, on which the Northumbrian nobles, who +were well aware of Alfred's virtues and great +abilities, sent to Ireland inviting him to take the +throne: and accordingly he returned to England and +became king of the Northumbrians.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_157-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Ancient Irish thin plate of gold, twice the size of the picture. +This is one of the bosses at the two ends of a gorget, like that figured +at page <a href="#Page_19">19</a>. Now in the National Museum, Dublin.</span> +</div> + +<p>The poor captives were still kept in slavery: but +Adamnan, seeing now a chance for their release, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> +proceeded to the Northumbrian court to plead with +his friend and former pupil for their <a id="t_Restoration"></a><a href="#idx_Restoration" class="indx">restoration</a>. +He was received most affectionately; and at his +<a id="t_Intercession"></a><a href="#idx_Intercession" class="indx">intercession</a> the king had the captives set free. +Adamnan then brought them back, to the number of +sixty, and restored them all rejoicing to their homes +and friends.</p> + +<p>As soon as Alfred had taken possession of the +throne he took careful measures to have his people +instructed in learning, religion, and virtue, in +accordance with what he had himself seen and +learned in Ireland; and he governed his kingdom +for nineteen years in peace and prosperity.</p> + +<p>In several ancient Irish manuscripts, including +the Book of Leinster, there is a poem in the Irish +language in praise of Ireland, said to have been +composed by Alfred Flann Fina; of which the +following are some of the verses faithfully +translated<a id="FNanchor_44"></a><a href="#Footnote_44" class="fnanchor">[44]</a>:—</p> + +<p class="head"><span class="smcap">Prince Aldfrid's Account of Ireland.</span></p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 18em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I found in Inisfail the fair,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In Ireland, while in exile there,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Women of worth, both grave and gay men,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Many clerics and many laymen.<br /></span> +</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I travelled its fruitful provinces round,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And in every one of the five I found,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Alike in church and in palace hall,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Abundant apparel, and food for all.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Gold and silver I found, and money,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Plenty of wheat and plenty of honey;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I found God's people rich in pity,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Found many a feast and many a city.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I found in Munster, <a id="t_Unfettered_of_any"></a><a href="#idx_Unfettered_of_any" class="indx">unfettered of any</a>,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Kings, and queens, and poets a many—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Poets well skilled in music and measure,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Prosperous doings, mirth and pleasure.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I found in Connaught the just, <a id="t_Redundance"></a><a href="#idx_Redundance" class="indx">redundance</a><br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of riches, milk in lavish abundance;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Hospitality, vigour, fame,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In Cruachan's<a id="FNanchor_45"></a><a href="#Footnote_45" class="fnanchor">[45]</a> land of heroic name.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I found in Ulster, from hill to glen,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Hardy warriors, resolute men;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Beauty that bloomed when youth was gone,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And strength transmitted from sire to son.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I found in Leinster the smooth and sleek,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">From Dublin to Slewmargy's<a id="FNanchor_46"></a><a href="#Footnote_46" class="fnanchor">[46]</a> peak;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Flourishing pastures, valour, health,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Long-living worthies, commerce, wealth.<br /></span> +</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I found in Meath's fair principality,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Virtue, vigour, and hospitality;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Candour, joyfulness, bravery, purity,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Ireland's <a id="t_Bulwark"></a><a href="#idx_Bulwark" class="indx">bulwark</a> and security.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I found strict morals in age and youth,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I found <a id="t_Historians_recording_truth"></a><a href="#idx_Historians_recording_truth" class="indx">historians recording truth</a>;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The things I sing of in verse unsmooth,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I found them all—I have written <a id="t_Sooth"></a><a href="#idx_Sooth" class="indx">sooth</a>.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XXXIV"></a>XXXIV.<br /><br /> + +THE VOYAGE OF MAILDUNE.</h2> + +<p class="title2">An Account of the Adventures of Maildune<a id="FNanchor_47"></a><a href="#Footnote_47" class="fnanchor">[47]</a> and +his Crew, and of the Wonderful Things they +saw during their Voyage of Three Years and +Seven Months, in their Curragh, on the +Western Sea.</p> + +<p>In that part of Thomond<a id="FNanchor_48"></a><a href="#Footnote_48" class="fnanchor">[48]</a> lying opposite the Aran +Islands there once lived a young chief named Maildune. +When he was an infant, a band of marauders +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> +landed on the coast, and plundered the whole +district, and slew his father by burning the house over his +head. Maildune grew up knowing nothing of all this, +for his mother concealed it from him. But one day, +when he was now a young man, he was contending +in certain games of strength with a number of young +persons of his own age, and he obtained the victory +in every contest. At last it came to throwing +the handstone: and when he had thrown it farther +than all the others, an envious foul-tongued fellow +who was standing by said to him:—</p> + +<p>"It would better become you to avenge the man +who was burned to death here, than to be amusing +yourself casting a stone over his bare, burnt bones."</p> + +<p>"Who was he?" inquired Maildune.</p> + +<p>"Your own father," replied the other.</p> + +<p>"Who slew him?" asked Maildune.</p> + +<p>"Plunderers from a fleet slew him and burned him +in this house; and the same plunderers are now +living in an island far out in the sea, and they still +have the same fleet."</p> + +<p>Maildune was disturbed and sad after hearing this. +He dropped the stone that he held in his hand, +folded his cloak round him, buckled on his shield, +and left the company. And having made further +inquiry and found that the story was true, he resolved +that he would never rest till he had overtaken +these plunderers, and avenged on them the +death of his father.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span></p> + +<p>Then he sent for a skilful workman to whom he +gave <a id="t_Directions"></a><a href="#idx_Directions" class="indx">directions</a> to make for him a triple-hide curragh<a id="FNanchor_49"></a><a href="#Footnote_49" class="fnanchor">[49]</a> +large enough to hold sixty persons and all things +needed for a voyage. This was done: and Maildune +chose his companions; and having laid in a little +stock of provisions, and whatever other things were +needed, he put to sea.</p> + +<p class="title"><a id="The_First_Island"></a>The First Island.—Tidings of the Plunderers.</p> + +<p>They sailed that day and night, as well as the whole +of the next day, till darkness came on again; and at +midnight they saw two small bare islands, with two +great houses on them near the shore. When they +drew nigh, they heard the sounds of merriment and +laughter, and the shouts of <a id="t_Revellers"></a><a href="#idx_Revellers" class="indx">revellers</a> intermingled +with the loud voices of warriors boasting of their +deeds. And listening to catch the conversation, they +heard one warrior say to another—</p> + +<p>"Stand off from me, for I am a better warrior +than thou; it was I who slew Maildune's father, and +burned the house over his head; and no one has ever +dared to avenge it on me. Thou hast never done a +great deed like that!"</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span></p> +<p>"Now surely," said one of Maildune's companions +to him, "Heaven has guided our ship to this place. +Here is an easy victory. Let us <a id="t_Sack"></a><a href="#idx_Sack" class="indx">sack</a> this house, +since our enemies have been revealed to us and +delivered into our hands!"</p> + +<p>While they were yet speaking, the wind arose, and +a great tempest suddenly broke on them. And they +were driven violently before the storm, all that night +and a part of next day, into the great and boundless +ocean; so that they saw neither the islands they had +left nor any other land; and they knew not whither +they were going.</p> + +<p>Then Maildune said, "Take down your sail and +put by your oars, and let the curragh drift before the +wind in whatsoever direction it pleases God to lead +us": which was done.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XXXV"></a>XXXV.<br /><br /> + +AN <a id="t_Extraordinary"></a><a href="#idx_Extraordinary" class="indx">EXTRAORDINARY</a> MONSTER.</h2> + +<p>During the next few days, the wind bore Maildune's +curragh along smoothly, so that the crew had not to +use their oars. The island they now came to had a +wall all round it. When they approached the shore, +an animal of vast size, with a thick, rough skin, +started up inside the wall, and ran round the island +with the swiftness of the wind. When he had +ended his race, he went to a high point, and standing +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> +on a large, flat stone, began to exercise himself +according to his daily custom, in the following +manner. He kept turning himself completely round +and round in his skin, the bones and flesh moving, +while the skin remained at rest.</p> + +<p>When he was tired of this exercise, he rested a +little; and he then set to work turning his skin continually +round his body, down at one side and up at +the other like a mill-wheel; but the bones and flesh +did not move.</p> + +<p>After spending some time at this sort of exercise, +he started and ran round the island as at first, as if +to refresh himself. He then went back to the same +spot, and this time, while the skin that covered the +lower part of his body remained without motion, he +whirled the skin of the upper part round and round +like the movement of a flat-lying millstone. And it +was in this manner that he passed most of his time +on the island.</p> + +<p>Maildune and his people, after they had seen these +strange doings, thought it better not to venture +nearer. So they put out to sea in great haste. The +monster, observing them about to fly, ran down to +the beach to seize the curragh; but finding that they +had got out of his reach, he began to fling round stones +at them with great force and an excellent aim. One of +them struck Maildune's shield and went quite through +it, lodging in the <a id="t_Keel"></a><a href="#idx_Keel" class="indx">keel</a> of the curragh; after which the +voyagers got beyond his range and sailed away.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span></p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 20em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">In a wall-circled isle a big monster they found,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">With a hide like an elephant, leathery and bare;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He threw up his heels with a wonderful bound,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And ran round the isle with the speed of a hare.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">But a feat more <a id="t_Astounding"></a><a href="#idx_Astounding" class="indx">astounding</a> has yet to be told:<br /></span> +<span class="i1">He turned round and round in his leathery skin;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His bones and his flesh and his sinews he rolled—<br /></span> +<span class="i1">He was resting outside while he twisted within!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Then changing his practice with marvellous skill,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">His carcase stood rigid and round went his hide;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">It whirled round his bones like the wheel of a mill—<br /></span> +<span class="i1">He was resting within while he twisted outside!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Next, standing quite near on a green little hill,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">After galloping round in the very same track,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">While the skin of his breast remained perfectly still,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Like a millstone he twisted the skin of his back!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">But Maildune and his men put to sea in their boat,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">For they saw his two eyes looking over the wall;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And they knew by the way that he opened his throat,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">He intended to swallow them, curragh and all!<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="title"><a id="The_Silver_Pillar_of_the_Sea"></a>The Silver Pillar of the Sea.</p> + +<p>The next wonderful thing the voyagers came across +was an immense silver pillar standing in the sea. It +had eight sides, each of which was the width of an +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> +<a id="t_Oarstroke_of_the_curragh"></a><a href="#idx_Oarstroke_of_the_curragh" class="indx">oar-stroke of the curragh</a>, so that its whole <a id="t_Circumference"></a><a href="#idx_Circumference" class="indx">circumference</a> +was eight oar-strokes. It rose out of the sea +without any land or earth about it, nothing but the +boundless ocean; and they could not see its base +deep down in the water, neither were they able to +see the top on account of its vast height.</p> + +<p>A silver net hung from the top down to the very +water, <a id="t_Extending"></a><a href="#idx_Extending" class="indx">extending</a> far out at one side of the pillar; +and the <a id="t_Meshes"></a><a href="#idx_Meshes" class="indx">meshes</a> were so large that the curragh in full +sail went through one of them. When they were +passing through it, Diuran, one of Maildune's companions, +struck the mesh with the edge of his spear, +and with the blow cut a large piece off it.</p> + +<p>"Do not destroy the net," said Maildune; "for +what we see is the work of great men."</p> + +<p>"What I have done," answered Diuran, "is for the +honour of my God, and in order that the story of our +adventures may be more readily believed; and I shall +lay this silver as an offering on the altar of Armagh, +if I ever reach Erin."</p> + +<p>That piece of silver weighed two ounces and a half, +as it was reckoned afterwards by the people of the +church of Armagh.</p> + +<p>After this the voyagers heard someone speaking +on the top of the pillar, in a loud, clear, glad voice; +but they knew neither what he said, nor in what +language he spoke.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="XXXVI"></a>XXXVI.<br /><br /> + +MAILDUNE MEETS HIS ENEMY, IS <a id="t_Reconcile"></a><a href="#idx_Reconcile" class="indx">RECONCILED</a> +TO HIM, AND ARRIVES HOME.</h2> + +<p>The next land the travellers sighted was a small +island. On a near approach they <a id="t_Recognise"></a><a href="#idx_Recognise" class="indx">recognised</a> it as +the very same island they had seen in the beginning +of their voyage, in which they had heard the man +in the great house boast that he had slain Maildune's +father, and from which the storm had driven them +out into the great ocean.</p> + +<p>They turned the <a id="t_Prow"></a><a href="#idx_Prow" class="indx">prow</a> of their vessel to the shore, +landed, and went towards the house. It happened +that at this very time the people of the house were +seated at their evening meal; and Maildune and his +companions, as they stood outside, heard a part of +their conversation.</p> + +<p>Said one to another, "It would not be well for us +if we were now to see Maildune."</p> + +<p>"As to Maildune," answered another, "it is very +well known that he was drowned long ago in the +great ocean."</p> + +<p>"Do not be sure," observed a third; "perchance +he is the very man that may waken you up some +morning from your sleep."</p> + +<p>"Supposing he came now," asked another, "what +should we do?"</p> + +<p>The head of the house now spoke in reply to the +last question; and Maildune at once knew the voice, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> +for it was the voice of the man who had made a +boast of slaying the young chief's father.</p> + +<p>And what he said was:—"I can easily answer +that. Maildune has been for a long time suffering +great <a id="t_Affliction"></a><a href="#idx_Affliction" class="indx">afflictions</a> and hardships; and if he were to +come now, though we were enemies once, I should +certainly give him a welcome and a kind <a id="t_Reception"></a><a href="#idx_Reception" class="indx">reception</a>."</p> + +<p>When Maildune heard this he knocked at the +door; and the door-keeper asked who was there; to +which Maildune made answer—</p> + +<p>"It is I, Maildune, returned safely from all my +wanderings."</p> + +<p>The chief of the house then ordered the door to be +opened; and he went to meet Maildune, and brought +him and his companions into the house. They were +joyfully welcomed by the whole household; new garments +were given to them; and they feasted and rested, +till they forgot their weariness and their hardships.</p> + +<p>They related all the wonders God had <a id="t_Reveal"></a><a href="#idx_Reveal" class="indx">revealed</a> to +them in the course of their voyage, according to the +word of the sage who says, "It will be a source of +pleasure to remember these things at a future time."</p> + +<p>After they had remained here for some days, +Maildune and his companions returned to their own +country. And Diuran took the piece of silver he had +cut down from the great net at the Silver Pillar, +and laid it, according to his promise, on the high +altar of Armagh.</p> + +<p class="credit">From "Old Celtic Romances," by <span class="smcap">P. W. Joyce</span>, <small>LL.D</small>.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="XXXVII"></a>XXXVII.<br /><br /> + +TENNYSON'S "VOYAGE OF MAILDUNE."</h2> + +<p class="title">("Founded on an Irish Legend: a.d. 700.")</p> + +<p>Of the tale called the "Voyage of Maildune," the +oldest copy is in the Book of the Dun Cow, which +was copied from older books eight hundred years +ago: but here the story is imperfect at both the +beginning and end, portions of the book having been +torn away at some former time. There is, however, +a perfect copy in the Yellow Book of Lecan.<a id="FNanchor_50"></a><a href="#Footnote_50" class="fnanchor">[50]</a> It +was translated and published for the first time in +"Old Celtic Romances" in 1879. When this book +appeared, the great English poet, Alfred Tennyson +(afterwards Lord Tennyson), read the story, and +made it the subject of a beautiful poem, also called +"The Voyage of Maildune." Portions of the beginning +and end of this poem are here given:—</p> + +<p class="center">I.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 27em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">I was the chief of the race—he had stricken my father dead—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But I gather'd my fellows together, I swore I would strike off his head.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Each of them looked like a king, and was noble in birth as in worth,<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> +<span class="i0">And each of them boasted he sprang from the oldest race upon earth.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Each was as brave in the fight as the bravest hero of song,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And each of them <a id="t_Liefer"></a><a href="#idx_Liefer" class="indx">liefer</a> had died than have done one another a wrong.<br /></span> +<span class="i0"><i>He</i> lived on an isle in the ocean—we sail'd on a Friday morn—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He that had slain my father the day before I was born.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="center">II.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 27em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">And we came to the isle in the ocean, and there on the shore was he.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But a sudden blast blew us out and away thro' a boundless sea.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p class="center">XI.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 27em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">And we came to the Isle of a saint who had sail'd with St. Brendan<a id="FNanchor_51"></a><a href="#Footnote_51" class="fnanchor">[51]</a> of yore,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He had lived ever since on the Isle and his winters were fifteen score,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And his voice was low as from other worlds, and his eyes were sweet,<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> +<span class="i0">And his white hair sank to his heels and his white beard fell to his feet,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And he spake to me, "O Maeldune, <a id="t_Let_be_this_purpose"></a><a href="#idx_Let_be_this_purpose" class="indx">let be this purpose</a> of thine!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Remember the words of the Lord when he told us 'Vengeance is mine!'<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His fathers have slain thy fathers in war or in single strife,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thy fathers have slain his fathers, each taken a life for a life,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thy father had slain his father, how long shall the murder last?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Go back to the Isle of Finn<a id="FNanchor_52"></a><a href="#Footnote_52" class="fnanchor">[52]</a> and suffer the Past to be Past."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="center">XII.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 27em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">And we came to the Isle we were blown from, and there on the shore was he,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The man that had slain my father. I saw him and <a id="t_I_let_him_be"></a><a href="#idx_I_let_him_be" class="indx">let him be</a>.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">O weary was I of the travel, the trouble, the strife and the sin,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">When I landed again, with <a id="t_A_tithe"></a><a href="#idx_A_tithe" class="indx">a tithe</a> of my men, on the Isle of Finn.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="XXXVIII"></a>XXXVIII.<br /><br /> + +ST. DONATUS, BISHOP OF FIESOLE. +<a id="FNanchor_53"></a><a href="#Footnote_53" class="fnanchor"><span class="minute">[53]</span></a></h2> + +<p class="title">Part I.</p> + +<p>At page <a href="#Page_47">47</a> of this book it has been related how +missionaries and learned men went in great numbers +from Ireland to the Continent in the early ages of +Christianity to preach the Gospel and to teach in +colleges. A full account of the lives and labours of +these earnest and holy men would fill several volumes: +but the following short sketch of one of them will +give the reader a good idea of all.</p> + +<p>Donatus was born in Ireland of noble parents +towards the end of the eighth century. There is +good reason to believe that he was educated in the +<a id="t_Monastic_school"></a><a href="#idx_Monastic_school" class="indx">monastic school</a> of Inishcaltra, a little island in +Lough Derg, near the Galway shore, now better +known as Holy Island<a id="FNanchor_54"></a><a href="#Footnote_54" class="fnanchor">[54]</a>: so that he was probably +a native of that part of the country. Here he studied +with great industry and success. He became a priest, +and in course of time a bishop: and he was greatly +<a id="t_Distinguished2"></a><a href="#idx_Distinguished2" class="indx">distinguished</a> as a professor.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span></p> + +<p>Having spent a number of years teaching, he resolved +to make a <a id="t_Pilgrimage"></a><a href="#idx_Pilgrimage" class="indx">pilgrimage</a> to Rome and visit the +holy places on the way. He had a favourite pupil +named Andrew, belonging to a noble Irish family, +a handsome, high-spirited youth, but of a deeply +religious turn: and these two, master and scholar, +were much attached. And when Donatus made +known his intention to go as a pilgrim to foreign +lands, Andrew, who could not bear to be separated +from him, begged to be permitted to go with him: +to which Donatus consented. When they had made +the few simple preparations necessary, they went +down to the shore, accompanied by friends and +relatives; and bidding farewell to all—home, friends, +and country—amid tears and regrets, they set sail +and landed on the coast of France.</p> + +<p>And now, here were these two men, with stout +hearts, <a id="t_Determined_will"></a><a href="#idx_Determined_will" class="indx">determined will</a>, and full trust in God, exhibiting +an excellent example of what numberless +Irish exiles of those days gave up, and of what trials +and dangers they exposed themselves to, for the sake of +religion. One was a successful teacher and a bishop; +the other a young chief; and both might have lived +in their own country a life of peace and plenty. But +they <a id="t_Relinquish"></a><a href="#idx_Relinquish" class="indx">relinquished</a> all that for a higher and holier +purpose; and they brought with them neither <a id="t_Luxuries"></a><a href="#idx_Luxuries" class="indx">luxury</a> +nor comfort. They had, on landing, just as much +money and food as started them on their journey; +and with a small satchel strapped on shoulder, containing +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> +a book or two and some other necessary +articles, and with stout staff in hand, they travelled +the whole way on foot. Whenever a monastery lay +near their road, there they called, sure of a kind +reception, and rested for a day or two. When no +monastery was within reach, they simply begged +for food and night shelter as they fared along, making +themselves understood by the <a id="t_Peasantry"></a><a href="#idx_Peasantry" class="indx">peasantry</a> as +best they could, for they knew little or nothing of +their language. Much hardship they endured from +hunger and thirst, bad weather, rough paths that +often led them astray, and constant fatigue. They +were sometimes in danger too from rude and wicked +peasants, some of whom thought no more of killing +a stranger than of killing a sparrow. But before +setting out, the two pilgrims knew well the hardships +and dangers in store for them on the way: so that +they were quite prepared for all this: and on they +trudged, contented and cheerful, never <a id="t_Swerve"></a><a href="#idx_Swerve" class="indx">swerving</a> an +instant from their purpose. They travelled in a +sort of zigzag way, continually turning aside to visit +churches, shrines, <a id="t_Hermitage"></a><a href="#idx_Hermitage" class="indx">hermitages</a>, and all places <a id="t_Consecrated"></a><a href="#idx_Consecrated" class="indx">consecrated</a> +by memory of old-time saints, or of past +events of importance in the history of Christianity. +And whenever they heard, as they went slowly along, +of a man eminent for holiness and learning, they +made it a point to visit him, so as to have the benefit +of his conversation and advice; using the Latin language, +which all learned men spoke in those times.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="XXXIX"></a>XXXIX.<br /><br /> + +ST. DONATUS, BISHOP OF FIESOLE:</h2> + +<p class="title">Part II.</p> + +<p>In this manner the pilgrims made their way right +through France, and on through north Italy, till +they arrived at Rome. This was the main <a id="t_Object_of_their_pilgrimage"></a><a href="#idx_Object_of_their_pilgrimage" class="indx">object of +their pilgrimage</a>, and here they <a id="t_Sojourn"></a><a href="#idx_Sojourn" class="indx">sojourned</a> for a considerable +time. Having obtained the Pope's blessing, +they set out once more, directing their steps now +towards Tuscany, till at length they reached the +beautiful mountain of Fiesole, near Florence, where +stood many churches and other <a id="t_Memorial"></a><a href="#idx_Memorial" class="indx">memorials</a> of Christian +saints and martyrs. They entered the hospice of the +monastery, intending to rest there for a week or two, +and then to resume their journey. At this time +Irish pilgrims and missionaries were respected +everywhere on the Continent; and as soon as the +arrival of those two became known, they were +received with honour by both clergy and people, who +became greatly attached to them for their gentle +quiet ways, and their holiness of life.</p> + +<p>It happened about the time of their arrival +here, that the pastor of Fiesole, who was a bishop, +died; and the clergy and people resolved to have +Donatus for their pastor. But when they went to +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span> +him and told him what they wanted, he became +frightened; and trembling greatly, he said to them +in his gentle humble way:—</p> + +<p>"We are only poor pilgrims from Scotia, and I do +not wish to be your bishop; for I am not at all +fit for it, hardly even knowing your language or +your customs."</p> + +<p>But the more he entreated the more <a id="t_Vehemently"></a><a href="#idx_Vehemently" class="indx">vehemently</a> +did they insist: so that at last he consented to +take the bishop's chair. This was in or about the +year 824.</p> + +<p>We need not follow the life of St. Donatus further +here. It is enough to say that, notwithstanding all +his fears and his deep humility, he became a great +and successful pastor and missionary. For about +thirty-seven years he laboured among the people of +Fiesole, by whom he was greatly loved and <a id="t_Revere"></a><a href="#idx_Revere" class="indx">revered</a>. +Down to the day of his death, which happened +about 861, when he was a very old man, he was +attended by his affectionate friend Andrew. He +is to this day honoured in and around Fiesole, as +an illustrious saint of those times. His tomb is +still shown and regarded with much veneration: +and in the old town there are several other memorials +of him.</p> + +<p>Like St. Columkille, Donatus always cherished a +tender regretful love for Ireland; and like him also +he wrote a short poem in praise of it which is still +preserved. It is in Latin, and the following is a +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> +translation, made by a Dublin poet many years +ago:—</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 22em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Far westward lies an isle of ancient fame,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">By nature bless'd; and Scotia is her name,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Enroll'd in books<a id="FNanchor_55"></a><a href="#Footnote_55" class="fnanchor">[55]</a>: exhaustless is her store,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of veiny silver, and of golden ore.<a id="FNanchor_56"></a><a href="#Footnote_56" class="fnanchor">[56]</a><br /></span> +<span class="i0">Her fruitful soil, for ever teems with wealth,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With gems<a id="FNanchor_57"></a><a href="#Footnote_57" class="fnanchor">[57]</a> her waters, and her air with health;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Her verdant fields with milk and honey flow;<a id="FNanchor_58"></a><a href="#Footnote_58" class="fnanchor">[58]</a><br /></span> +<span class="i0">Her woolly fleeces<a id="FNanchor_59"></a><a href="#Footnote_59" class="fnanchor">[59]</a> vie with virgin snow;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Her waving furrows float with bearded corn;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And arms and arts her <a id="t_Envied"></a><a href="#idx_Envied" class="indx">envied</a> sons adorn!<a id="FNanchor_60"></a><a href="#Footnote_60" class="fnanchor">[60]</a><br /></span> +<span class="i0">No savage bear, with lawless fury roves,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Nor fiercer lion, through her peaceful groves;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">No poison there infects, no scaly snake<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Creeps through the grass, nor frog annoys the lake;<a id="FNanchor_61"></a><a href="#Footnote_61" class="fnanchor">[61]</a><br /></span> +<span class="i0">An island worthy of its pious race,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In war <a id="t_Triumphant"></a><a href="#idx_Triumphant" class="indx">triumphant</a>, and unmatch'd in peace!<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="XL"></a>XL.<br /><br /> + +HOW IRELAND WAS INVADED BY DANES +AND ANGLO-NORMANS.</h2> + +<p>From the time of the settlement of the Milesians, as +described at page <a href="#Page_3">3</a>, Ireland was ruled by native +kings, without any disturbance from outside, till the +arrival of the invaders we are now about to speak of.</p> + +<p>During all these centuries, though there were +troubles enough from the quarrels of the kings +and chiefs, learning and art, as we have seen, were +<a id="t_Successfully_cultivated"></a><a href="#idx_Successfully_cultivated" class="indx">successfully cultivated</a>. But a change came—a woful +change—once the Danes began to arrive. These +were <a id="t_Pirates"></a><a href="#idx_Pirates" class="indx">pirates</a>, all pagans, from Denmark and other +countries round the Baltic Sea, brave and daring, +but very wicked and cruel, who for a long period +kept, not only Ireland, but the whole of western +Europe in terror. They appeared for the first time +on the coast of Ireland in the year 795, when they +plundered St. Columkille's monastery on Lambay +Island near Dublin. After this, for more than +two hundred years, the country was never free from +them, and they plundered and burned and destroyed +churches, monasteries, libraries, and homesteads, and +killed all that fell in their way, men, women, and +children. They were often attacked and routed by the +native chiefs; but this did not much discourage them +and they generally landed so suddenly, and marched +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> +through the country so swiftly, that in most cases +they got clear off to their ships, with all their plunder, +before the people could overtake them. They settled +<a id="t_Permanently"></a><a href="#idx_Permanently" class="indx">permanently</a> in various towns on the coast, especially +Dublin, Waterford, and Limerick, which they held +for a long time.</p> + +<p>At last they were overthrown by Brian Boru king +of Ireland, in a great battle fought at Clontarf near +Dublin, on Good Friday, the 23rd April, 1014, of +which a full account may be read in the "Child's +History of Ireland." After this, though no attempt +was made to <a id="t_Expel"></a><a href="#idx_Expel" class="indx">expel</a> them from the country, they gave +little trouble. They became Christians, intermarried +with the natives, and settled down to industry and +commerce like the rest of the people; and there are +many of their descendants to this day in various +parts of Ireland.</p> + +<p>For about a century and a half after the battle of +Clontarf, eight Irish kings reigned: but none of +them succeeded in mastering the whole country. +Some of these were O'Briens of Munster, the descendants +of Brian Boru; some O'Loghlins of Ulster, a +branch of the O'Neill family, descendants of Niall of +the Nine Hostages (<a href="#Page_5">see p. 5</a>); and some O'Conors of +Connaught. During this period Ireland was greatly +disturbed; for the several kings were continually +fighting with each other, striving who should be +head king: so that the next invaders, when they +came, found the country ill prepared to resist them.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span></p> + +<p>Those who have read the History of England will +remember that the Normans, coming from France +under William the Conqueror, took the <a id="t_Sovereignty"></a><a href="#idx_Sovereignty" class="indx">sovereignty</a> +of England after the battle of Hastings in 1066. +About a century later, their descendants, who +were now called Anglo-Normans, i.e. English Normans, +made settlements in Ireland. Their leader +when they first arrived was Earl Strongbow; but in +1171 Henry II., king of England, came over with an +army and took command. In 1172 he <a id="t_Annex"></a><a href="#idx_Annex" class="indx">annexed</a> +Ireland to the crown of England, that is, he claimed +it as a part of his dominions. The Over-king of +Ireland at this time was Roderick O'Conor. He +was unable to repel the new invaders: and after his +death there was no longer a native king over all +Ireland.</p> + +<p>King Henry divided nearly the whole island +among his lords, who all went, after some time, to +reside in their own territories: but they were to +remain under the authority of the king. These lords +soon became great and powerful, and ruled like +princes; and from them descend the chief <a id="t_Anglo-Irish"></a><a href="#idx_Anglo-Irish" class="indx">Anglo-Irish</a> +families, of whom the most distinguished were the +Geraldines or Fitzgeralds, the Butlers, and the De +Burgos or Burkes.</p> + +<p>But it must not be supposed that all this was +done quietly: for the native Irish chiefs everywhere +resisted these new lords. Although king Henry +went through the form of "annexing" Ireland, it +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> +was annexed only in name. In reality his authority +extended over only a small portion. It took more +than four hundred years to annex the whole country: +and during all this time there were constant wars, +the Anglo-Normans <a id="t_Encroaching"></a><a href="#idx_Encroaching" class="indx">encroaching</a>, and the Irish +chiefs resisting as best they could. It was only in +the reign of James I., that is, about three hundred +years ago, that the whole of Ireland was brought +under English law.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_181-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />O'Dea's Castle, Dysart, Co. Clare. Built in the fourteenth century +by one of the Irish chiefs. See the note under St. Finghin's Church, +page <a href="#Page_189">189</a>.</span> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_182-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Bunratty Castle in the south of Clare, on the Bunratty River, where it joins the Shannon: +built about the end of the thirteenth century by Thomas de Clare, +an Anglo-Norman lord.</span> +</div> + +<p>These Anglo-Normans were a great and famous +people, skilful and mighty in war; and they built +splendid abbeys, churches, and castles, all over Ireland +the ruins of which remain to this day. As an +example of what manner of men they were, a sketch +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> +of the career of one of them—Sir John de Courcy—is +given in this book (page <a href="#Page_190">190</a>).</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_183-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Kilclief Castle, Co. Down. Built by one of the Anglo-Normans +in the fourteenth century.</span> +</div> + +<p>For hundreds of years after the Invasion, people +continued to come from England to live in Ireland +both Anglo-Norman and Anglo-Saxon. After settling +down they became good friends with the native Irish, +intermarried with them, learned to speak and read +the Irish language, and quite fell in with the customs +and modes of the country, so that it was said of them +that they became "more Irish than the Irish themselves." +A large proportion of the present inhabitants +of Ireland are of this race, mixed up however +by intermarriage, with the older <a id="t_Milesian_stock"></a><a href="#idx_Milesian_stock" class="indx">Milesian stock</a>.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="XLI"></a>XLI.<br /><br /> + +THE WATCH-FIRE OF BARNALEE.</h2> + +<p>During the many wars in Ireland, small parties of +men had often to traverse the country for long +distances to bring messages from one general to +another, and for other purposes. They marched by +day and put up at night in the woods, choosing some +sheltered corner and making a big fire of brambles +to keep them warm and to cook their food. After +supper they usually sat by the fire, amusing themselves +with pleasant conversation or by telling stories: +and when at last it was time to go to sleep, they +wrapped themselves up in their great coats and lay +down round the fire, leaving one of their number to +stand guard.</p> + +<p>The following short poem—part of a much longer +one—describes how a small party of four men passed +the early part of the night during a march across +country. There was to be a battle in a day or +two, and these four friends met, and each told a +story by the Watch-fire of Barnalee. And they +arranged to meet again after the battle, if any +survived. But this turned out to be a sad meeting: +there were only two: the other two lay dead +on the battlefield.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center">I.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 18em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">There were four comrades stout and free,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Within the Wood of Barnalee,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Under the spreading oaken tree.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="center">II.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 18em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The ragged clouds sailed past the moon;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Loud rose the brawling torrent's <a id="t_Croon"></a><a href="#idx_Croon" class="indx">croon</a>;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The rising winds howled in the wood,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Like hungry wolves at scent of blood.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Yet there they sat, in converse free,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Under the spreading oaken tree,—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Garrod the Minstrel, with his lyre,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Sir Hugh le Poer, that heart of fire,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Dark Gilliemore, the mournful <a id="t_Squire"></a><a href="#idx_Squire" class="indx">squire</a>,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And Donal, from the banks of <a id="t_Nier"></a><a href="#idx_Nier" class="indx">nier</a>.<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p class="center">III.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 18em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><a id="t_Spectrally"></a><a href="#idx_Spectrally" class="indx">spectrally</a> shone the watch-fire light<br /></span> +<span class="i0">On their sun-browned faces and helmets bright<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Showing beneath the woodland glooms<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Their swords, and <a id="t_Jack"></a><a href="#idx_Jack" class="indx">jacks</a>, and waving <a id="t_Plumes"></a><a href="#idx_Plumes" class="indx">plumes</a>;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">As there they sat, those comrades free,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Within the Wood of Barnalee,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Under the spreading oaken tree,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And told their tales to you and me.<br /></span> +</div> +<p class="credit"><span class="smcap">Robert Dwyer Joyce</span>, <small>M.D</small>.</p> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="XLII"></a>XLII.<br /><br /> + +CAHAL O'CONOR OF THE RED HAND:<br /> +KING OF CONNAUGHT.</h2> + +<p>Roderick O'Connor, the last native king of Ireland +retired from the throne towards the end of the +twelfth century, to end his days in the monastery +of Cong.<a id="FNanchor_62"></a><a href="#Footnote_62" class="fnanchor">[62]</a> After his time, as we have said, there +was no longer a king over the whole country. But +for hundreds of years afterwards, kings continued to +reign over the five provinces. Roderick had been +king of Connaught before he became king of all +Ireland; and after his retirement there were several +<a id="t_Claimant"></a><a href="#idx_Claimant" class="indx">claimants</a> for the Connaught throne, who <a id="t_Contend"></a><a href="#idx_Contend" class="indx">contended</a> +with one another, so that the province was for a +long time disturbed with wars and battles.</p> + +<p>Roderick had a young brother named Cahal, who +was called Cahal of the Red Hand, from a great +blood-red mark on his right hand. He would +naturally have a claim to the Connaught throne +when old enough; and as he was, even when a boy, +a noble young fellow, and showed great ability, the +queen of Connaught, jealous of him, feared that when +he grew up he would give trouble, and she sought him +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span> +out, determined to kill him: so that Cahal and his +mother had to flee from one hiding place to another.</p> + +<p>Finding at last that he could no longer remain +in the province with safety, he and his mother +crossed the Shannon into Leinster, where no one +knew him, and there for several years they remained, +while he made a poor living for both, by working in +the fields as a common labourer. And as the fame +of the brave young Cahal with the red mark on his +hand, had gone abroad, he always wore a loose +mitten on his right hand for fear of discovery; for +he knew well that the queen had spies everywhere +searching for him.</p> + +<p>At this time the people had no newspapers: but +there were news-carriers who made it their business +to travel continually about the country, picking up +information wherever they could, and relating all +that occurred whenever they came to a village, or to +any group of people who desired to hear the news. +They generally received some small payment; and +in this manner they made their living.</p> + +<p>One day while Cahal was employed with several +others, reaping in a field of rye, they saw one of +these men approaching; and they stopped their +work for a few moments to hear what he had to say. +After relating several <a id="t_Unimportant"></a><a href="#idx_Unimportant" class="indx">unimportant</a> matters, he came +at last to the principal news:—that the king of +Connaught was dead, and that the leading people of +the province, having met in counsel to choose a king +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span> +declared that they would have no one but young +Cahal of the Red Hand. "And now," continued the +newsman, "I and many others have been searching +for him for several weeks. He is easily known, for +his right hand is blood-red from the wrist out: but +up to this we have been unsuccessful. We fear +indeed that he is living in poverty in some <a id="t_Remote"></a><a href="#idx_Remote" class="indx">remote</a> +place where he will never be found: or it may be +that he is dead."</p> + +<p>When Cahal heard this, his heart gave a great +bound, and he stood musing for a few moments. +Then flinging his sickle on the ridge, he exclaimed:—"Farewell +reaping-hook: now for the sword!" +And pulling off the mitten, he showed his red hand, +and made himself known. The newsman, instantly +<a id="t_Recognise2"></a><a href="#idx_Recognise2" class="indx">recognising</a> him, threw himself <a id="t_Prostrate"></a><a href="#idx_Prostrate" class="indx">prostrate</a> before him +to acknowledge him as his king. And ever since +that time, "Cahal's farewell to the rye," has been +a proverb in Connaught, to denote a farewell for +ever. He returned immediately with his mother to +Connaught, where he was joyfully received, and was +proclaimed king in 1190.</p> + +<p>At this time the Anglo-Norman <a id="t_Barons"></a><a href="#idx_Barons" class="indx">barons</a> who had +come over at the time of Henry II.'s Invasion, nearly +twenty years before, had settled down in various +parts of Ireland: and they were constantly encroaching +on the lands of the Irish and erecting +strong castles everywhere; while the Irish chiefs as +we have already said, resisted as far as they were +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span> +able, so that there was much disturbance all over +the country. Cahal was a brave and active king, and +took a leading part in fighting against the barons.</p> + +<p>After he had reigned over Connaught in peace for +eight or nine years, trouble came again. There was +at this time, settled in Limerick, a powerful Anglo-Norman +baron, William de Burgo, to whom a large +part of Connaught had been granted by King +Henry II. This man stirred up another of the +O'Conors to lay claim to the throne in opposition to +Cahal, promising to help him: and now Connaught +was again all ablaze with civil war. Cahal was +defeated in battle, and fled to Ulster to Hugh +O'Neill, prince of Tyrone, who took up his cause. +Marching south with his own and O'Neill's men, +he attacked his rival, but was defeated, and again +fled north. He soon made a second attempt, aided +this time by Sir John de Courcy (for whom see +page <a href="#Page_190">190</a>): but he and De Courcy were caught in an +<a id="t_Ambush"></a><a href="#idx_Ambush" class="indx">ambush</a> in Galway by the rival king, who routed their +army. In this fight De Courcy very nearly lost his +life, being felled senseless from his horse by a stone. +Recovering in good time however, he and Cahal +escaped from the battlefield, and fled northwards.</p> + +<p>Cahal of the Red Hand, in no way cowed by these +terrible <a id="t_Reverses"></a><a href="#idx_Reverses" class="indx">reverses</a>, again took the field, after some +time, aided now by De Burgo, who had changed +sides. A battle was fought near Roscommon, in +which the rival king was slain; and Cahal once +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> +more took possession of the throne. From this +period forward he ruled without a native rival; +though a few years later, he was forced to <a id="t_Surrender"></a><a href="#idx_Surrender" class="indx">surrender</a> +a large part of his kingdom to King John, in order +that he might secure possession of the remainder.</p> + +<p>But he was as <a id="t_Vigilant"></a><a href="#idx_Vigilant" class="indx">vigilant</a> as ever in repelling all +attempts of the barons to encroach on his diminished +territory. Thus when in 1220 the De Lacys of +Meath, a most powerful Anglo-Norman family, went +to Athleague on the Shannon at the head of Lough +Ree, where there was a ford, and began to build a +castle at the eastern or Leinster side, in order that +they might have a garrison in it always ready to +attack Connaught, Cahal promptly crossed the river +into Longford, and so frightened them that they were +glad to conclude a <a id="t_Truce"></a><a href="#idx_Truce" class="indx">truce</a> with him. And he broke +down the castle, which they had almost finished.</p> + +<p>Cahal of the Red Hand was an upright and +powerful king, and governed with firmness and +justice. The Irish <a id="t_Annals"></a><a href="#idx_Annals" class="indx">Annals</a> tell us that he relieved +the poor as long as he lived, and that he destroyed +more robbers and rebels and evil-doers of every kind +than any other king of his time. In early life he +had founded the abbey of Knockmoy,<a id="FNanchor_63"></a><a href="#Footnote_63" class="fnanchor">[63]</a> into which he +retired in the last year of his life: and in this retreat +he died in 1224.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="XLIII"></a>XLIII.<br /><br /> + +"<a id="t_Cahal-More"></a><a href="#idx_Cahal-More" class="indx">CAHAL-MORE</a> OF THE WINE-RED HAND."</h2> + +<p>The ancient Irish people—like those of several other +countries—believed that when a just and good king +reigned, the country was blessed with fine weather and +abundant crops, the trees bended with fruit, the rivers +teemed with fish, and the whole kingdom prospered. +This was the state of Connaught while Cahal of the +Red Hand reigned in peace. And it is recorded that +when he died, fearful <a id="t_Portent"></a><a href="#idx_Portent" class="indx">portent</a>s appeared, and there +was gloom and terror everywhere. James Clarence +Mangan, a Dublin poet, who died in 1849, pictures +all this in the following fine poem. He supposes +himself to be living on the river Maine, in Germany, +and he is brought to Connaught in a vision, where he +witnesses the prosperity that attended Cahal's reign. +This he sets forth in the first part of the poem: but +a sudden mysterious change for the worse comes, +which he describes in the last two verses. The +whole poem forms a wild, misty sort of picture, +such as one might see in a dream.<a id="FNanchor_64"></a><a href="#Footnote_64" class="fnanchor">[64]</a></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span></p> +<p class="title">A Vision of Connaught in the Thirteenth +Century.</p> + +<div class="poem" style="width: 18em;"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i2">I walked <a id="t_Entranced"></a><a href="#idx_Entranced" class="indx">entranced</a><br /></span> +<span class="i3">Through <a id="t_A_land_of_morn"></a><a href="#idx_A_land_of_morn" class="indx">a land of Morn</a>;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The sun, with wondrous excess of light,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Shone down and glanced<br /></span> +<span class="i3">Over seas of corn<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And <a id="t_Lustrous"></a><a href="#idx_Lustrous" class="indx">lustrous</a> gardens aleft and right.<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Even in the clime<br /></span> +<span class="i3">Of <a id="t_Resplendent"></a><a href="#idx_Resplendent" class="indx">resplendent</a> Spain,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Beams no such sun upon such a land;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">But it was the time,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">'Twas in the reign,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i2"><a id="t_Anon"></a><a href="#idx_Anon" class="indx">Anon</a> stood nigh<br /></span> +<span class="i3">By my side a man<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of princely aspect and <a id="t_Port_sublime"></a><a href="#idx_Port_sublime" class="indx">port sublime</a>.<br /></span> +<span class="i2"><a id="t_Him_queried_I"></a><a href="#idx_Him_queried_I" class="indx">Him queried I</a>,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">"O, my Lord and Khan,<a id="FNanchor_65"></a><a href="#Footnote_65" class="fnanchor">[65]</a><br /></span> +<span class="i0">What clime is this, and what <a id="t_Golden_time"></a><a href="#idx_Golden_time" class="indx">golden time</a>?"<br /></span> +<span class="i2">When he—"The clime<br /></span> +<span class="i3">Is a clime to praise,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The clime is Erin's, the green and <a id="t_Bland"></a><a href="#idx_Bland" class="indx">bland</a>;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And it is the time,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">These be the days,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand!"<br /></span> +</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i2">Then saw I thrones,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">And circling fires,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And a <a id="t_Dome"></a><a href="#idx_Dome" class="indx">dome</a> rose near me, <a id="t_As_by_a_spell"></a><a href="#idx_As_by_a_spell" class="indx">as by a spell</a>,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Whence flowed the tones<br /></span> +<span class="i3">Of silver <a id="t_Lyres"></a><a href="#idx_Lyres" class="indx">lyres</a>,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And many voices in <a id="t_Wreathed_swell"></a><a href="#idx_Wreathed_swell" class="indx">wreathèd swell</a>;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And their <a id="t_Thrilling"></a><a href="#idx_Thrilling" class="indx">thrilling</a> chime<br /></span> +<span class="i3">Fell on mine ears<br /></span> +<span class="i0">As the heavenly hymn of an angel-band—<br /></span> +<span class="i2">"It is now the time,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">These be the years,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand!"<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i2">I sought the hall,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">And, behold!... a change<br /></span> +<span class="i0">From light to darkness, from joy to woe!<br /></span> +<span class="i2">King, nobles, all,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">Looked <a id="t_Aghast"></a><a href="#idx_Aghast" class="indx">aghast</a> and strange;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The <a id="t_Minstrel_group"></a><a href="#idx_Minstrel_group" class="indx">minstrel-group</a> sate in dumbest show!<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Had some great crime<br /></span> +<span class="i3">Wrought this dread amaze,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">This terror? None seemed to understand!<br /></span> +<span class="i2"><a id="t_Twas_then_the_time"></a><a href="#idx_Twas_then_the_time" class="indx">'Twas then the time</a>,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">We were in the days,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand.<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i2">I again walked forth;<br /></span> +<span class="i3">But lo! the sky<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Showed <a id="t_Fleckt"></a><a href="#idx_Fleckt" class="indx">fleckt</a> with blood, and an <a id="t_Alien_sun"></a><a href="#idx_Alien_sun" class="indx">alien sun</a><br /></span> +<span class="i2">Glared from the north,<br /></span> +<span class="i3">And there stood on high,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Amid his <a id="t_Shorn_beams"></a><a href="#idx_Shorn_beams" class="indx">shorn beams</a>, <span class="smcap">a <a id="t_Skeleton"></a><a href="#idx_Skeleton" class="indx">skeleton</a></span><br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span> +<span class="i2">It was by the stream<br /></span> +<span class="i3">Of the <a id="t_Castled_Maine"></a><a href="#idx_Castled_Maine" class="indx">castled Maine</a>,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">One Autumn eve, in the <a id="t_Teuton"></a><a href="#idx_Teuton" class="indx">teuton</a>'s land,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">That I dreamed this dream<br /></span> +<span class="i3">Of the time and reign<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand!<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_194-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />St. Finghin's Church, Quin, Co. Clare: originally built by the +Irish: re-built by Thomas de Clare, the Anglo-Norman lord who +erected Bunratty Castle (see p. <a href="#Page_177">177</a>). + +The Irish began to build large churches and castles a little before +the arrival of the Anglo-Normans. The Irish churches of a previous +time were generally small. After the Invasion, the Anglo-Norman +barons and the Irish kings and chiefs vied with each other in erecting +churches, abbeys, and castles.</span> +</div> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="XLIV"></a>XLIV.<br /><br /> + +SIR JOHN DE COURCY.</h2> + +<p>Among the many Anglo-Norman lords and knights +who came to settle in Ireland in the time of Henry II., +one of the most renowned was John de Courcy. The +Welsh writer, Gerald Barry, already mentioned +(p. 113), who lived at that time and knew him personally, +thus describes him:—</p> + +<p>"He was of huge size, tall and powerfully built, +with bony and muscular limbs, wonderfully active +and daring, full of courage, and a bold and venturous +soldier from his youth. He was so eager for fighting +that, though commanding as general, he always +mingled with the foremost ranks in charging the +enemy, which might have lost the battle; for if he +chanced to be killed or badly wounded, there was no +general able to take his place. But though so fierce +in war, he was gentle and modest in time of peace +and very exact in attending to his religious devotions; +and when he had gained a victory he gave all the +glory to God, and took none to himself."</p> + +<p>When King Henry II. divided the country among +his lords in 1172, he gave Ulster to De Courcy. But +it was one thing to be granted the province, and +another thing to take possession of it; for the Ulster +chiefs and people were warlike and strong; and for +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span> +five years De Courcy remained in Dublin without +making any attempt to conquer it.</p> + +<p>At length he made up his mind to try his fortune; +and gathering his followers to the number +of about a thousand, every man well armed and +trained to battle, he set out for the north. Through +rugged and difficult ways the party rode on, and +early in the morning of the fourth day—the +2nd February, 1177—they arrived at Downpatrick, +then the capital of that part of the country. The +Irish of those times never surrounded their towns +with walls; and the astonished Downpatrick people, +who knew nothing of the <a id="t_Expedition"></a><a href="#idx_Expedition" class="indx">expedition</a>, were startled +from their beds at daybreak by a mighty uproar +in the streets—shouts, and the clatter of horses' +hoofs, and the martial notes of bugles. Whatever +little stock of provisions the party had brought +with them was gone soon after they left Dublin; and +by the time they arrived at Downpatrick they were +half-starved. They scattered themselves everywhere, +and, breaking away for the time from the control +of their leader, they fell ravenously on all the +food they could lay their hands on: they smashed +in doors and set fire to houses, and ate and drank +and slew as if they were mad, till the town was half +destroyed. And the people were taken so completely +by surprise that there was hardly any resistance.</p> + +<p>When this terrible <a id="t_Onslaught2"></a><a href="#idx_Onslaught2" class="indx">onslaught</a> at last came to an +end, De Courcy, having succeeded in bringing his +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span> +men together, made an encampment, which he carefully +fortified; and there the little army rested from +their toils. At the end of a week the chief of the +district came with a great army to expel the invaders; +while De Courcy arranged his men in ranks with +great skill, to withstand the attack. The Ulstermen +who were without armour, wearing a loose saffron-coloured +<a id="t_Tunic"></a><a href="#idx_Tunic" class="indx">tunic</a> over the ordinary dress, according to +the Irish fashion, rushed on with fearless bravery; +but by no effort could they break the solid ranks of +the armour-clad Anglo-Normans, who, after a long +struggle put them to flight, and pursued them for +miles along the seashore.</p> + +<p>After this victory De Courcy settled in Downpatrick +with his followers, and built a strong castle +there for his better security. Nevertheless the Ulstermen, +in no way discouraged, continued their fierce +attacks: and though he was victorious in several +battles, he was defeated in others, so that for a +long time he had quite enough to do to hold his +ground.</p> + +<p>But through all his difficulties the valiant De Courcy +kept up his heart and battled bravely on, continually +enlarging his territory, founding churches and building +strong castles all over the province. King Henry +was so pleased with his bravery, and with his success +in extending the English <a id="t_Dominions"></a><a href="#idx_Dominions" class="indx">dominions</a>, that he made +him earl of Ulster and lord of Connaught; and in +1185 he appointed him Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span> +This obliged him to live in Dublin; but he left +captains and governors in Ulster to hold his castles +and protect his territory, till he should return, which +he did in 1189.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XLV"></a>XLV.<br /><br /> + +HOW SIR JOHN DE COURCY WAS CAPTURED<br /> +AND THROWN INTO PRISON.</h2> + +<p>By the death of Henry II. in 1189, Sir John de +Courcy lost his best friend: and things began to go +ill with him when King John came to the throne in +1199. For another Anglo-Norman lord, Hugh de Lacy, +grew jealous of his great deeds, and hated him with +his whole heart, so that he took every means to +poison the king's mind against him. In a very +old volume, written by some Anglo-Irish writer, +there are several entertaining stories of all that +befel De Courcy after his return to Ulster from +Dublin in 1189. Two of these, somewhat shortened +and re-arranged, are given here, and much of the +fine old language in which they are told is retained, +as it is easily understood.</p> + +<p>The first story relates that whereas Sir Hugh de +Lacy, who was now appointed general ruler of +Ireland by the king, did much <a id="t_Disdain"></a><a href="#idx_Disdain" class="indx">disdain</a> and envy +Sir John de Courcy, and being marvellous grieved +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> +at the worthy service he did, he sought all means +that he could possible to damage and hinder him +and to bring him to confusion, and promised much +rewards in secret to those who would invent any +matter against him; for which De Lacy had no cause +but that Sir John's actions and <a id="t_Commendations"></a><a href="#idx_Commendations" class="indx">commendations</a> were +held in greater account than his own. He feigned +also false charges against him, and wrote them over +to the king, and sore complained of him.</p> + +<p>Amongst other his grievous complaints, he said +De Courcy refused to <a id="t_Do_homage"></a><a href="#idx_Do_homage" class="indx">do homage</a> to King John, and +he charged him also with saying to many that the +king had somewhat to do with the death of Prince +Arthur, lawful heir to the crown of England<a id="FNanchor_66"></a><a href="#Footnote_66" class="fnanchor">[66]</a>; and +many other such like things. All these were nothing +but matters feigned by De Lacy, to bring to a better +end his purpose of utterly ruining De Courcy. On +this De Courcy challenged him, after the custom of +those times, to try the matter by single combat: but +De Lacy, fearing to meet him, made excuses and +refused.</p> + +<p>By reason of such evil and envious tales, though +untrue they were, Sir Hugh de Lacy was at last +commanded by King John to do what he might to +<a id="t_Apprehend"></a><a href="#idx_Apprehend" class="indx">apprehend</a> and take Sir John de Courcy. Whereupon +he <a id="t_Devise"></a><a href="#idx_Devise" class="indx">devised</a> and <a id="t_Confer"></a><a href="#idx_Confer" class="indx">conferred</a> with certain of Sir John's +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> +own men how this might be done; and they said +it was not possible to do so the while he was in his +<a id="t_Battle-harness"></a><a href="#idx_Battle-harness" class="indx">battle-harness</a>. But they told him that it might be +done on Good Friday; for on that day it was his +accustomed usage to wear no shield, harness, or +weapon, but that he would be found kneeling at his +prayers, after he had gone about the church five +times barefooted. And having so devised, they lay +in wait for him in his church at Downpatrick; and +when they saw him barefooted and unarmed they +rushed on him suddenly. But he, snatching up a +heavy wooden cross that stood nigh the church, +defended him till it was broken, and slew thirteen of +them before he was taken. And so he was sent to +England, and was put into the Tower of London, to +remain there in perpetual, and there miserably was +kept a long time, without as much meat or <a id="t_Apparel"></a><a href="#idx_Apparel" class="indx">apparel</a> +as any account could be made of.</p> + +<p>Now these men had agreed to betray their master +to Sir Hugh de Lacy for a certain reward of gold and +silver: and when they came to Sir Hugh for their +reward, he gave them the gold and silver as he had +promised. They then craved of him a <a id="t_Passport"></a><a href="#idx_Passport" class="indx">passport</a> into +England to tell all about the good service they had +done; which he gave them, with the following words +written in it:—</p> + +<p>"This writing witnesseth that those whose names +are herein <a id="t_Subscribe"></a><a href="#idx_Subscribe" class="indx">subscribed</a>, that did betray so good a +master for reward, will be false to me and to all +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> +the earth besides. And inasmuch as I put no trust +in them, I do banish them out of this land of Ireland +for ever; and I do let Englishmen know that none +of them may enjoy any part of this our king's land, +or be employed as <a id="t_Servitor"></a><a href="#idx_Servitor" class="indx">servitors</a> from this forward for +ever."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_201-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Ennis Abbey as it appeared in 1780: now carefully preserved by +the Board of Works. Built by Donogh O'Brien, king of Thomond, +in 1242. See the note under Illustration, p. 189.</span> +</div> + +<p>And so he wrote all their names, and put them +in a ship with victuals and <a id="t_Furniture"></a><a href="#idx_Furniture" class="indx">furniture</a>, but without +mariners or seamen, and put them to sea, and gave +them strict charge never to return to Ireland on +pain of death. And after this they were not heard +of for a long time; but by chance of weather and +lack of skilful men, they arrived at Cork, and being +taken, were brought to Sir Hugh de Lacy; and first +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span> +taking all their treasure from them, he hung them +in chains, and so left them till their bodies wasted +away.</p> + +<p>This deed, that Sir Hugh de Lacy did, was for an +<a id="t_Ensample"></a><a href="#idx_Ensample" class="indx">ensample</a> that none should use himself the like, and +not for love of Sir John de Courcy: since it appeareth +from certain ancient authors that he would have it +so as that De Courcy's name should not be so much +as mentioned, and that no report or commendation +of him should ever be made.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XLVI"></a>XLVI.<br /><br /> + +SIR JOHN DE COURCY ACCEPTS A +CHALLENGE.</h2> + +<p>And now Sir John de Courcy, being in the Tower +in <a id="t_Evil_plight"></a><a href="#idx_Evil_plight" class="indx">evil plight</a>, cried often to God why He suffered +him to be thus so miserably used, who did build so +many good abbeys, and did so many good deeds to +God: and thus often lamenting with himself, he +asked God his latter end to finish.</p> + +<p>It fortuned after this that much variance and +debate did grow between King John of England and +King Philip of France,<a id="FNanchor_67"></a><a href="#Footnote_67" class="fnanchor">[67]</a> about a certain castle which +the king of France won from King John. And +when King Philip had often been asked to restore it +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span> +he refused, saying it was his by right. But at last +he offered to try the matter by battle. For he had a +champion, a mighty man, who had never been beaten; +and he challenged the king of England to find, on his +side, a champion to fight him, and let the title to the +castle depend on the issue thereof; to which King +John, more hasty than well advised, did agree.</p> + +<p>And when the day of battle was appointed, the +king of England called together his <a id="t_Council"></a><a href="#idx_Council" class="indx">Council</a> to find +out where a champion might be found that would +take upon him this honour and weighty <a id="t_Enterprise"></a><a href="#idx_Enterprise" class="indx">enterprise</a>. +Many places they sought and inquired of, but no one +was found that was willing to engage in so <a id="t_Perilous"></a><a href="#idx_Perilous" class="indx">perilous</a> +a matter. And the king was in a great agony, +fearing more the dishonour of the thing than the +loss of the castle.</p> + +<p>At length a member of the Council came to the +king and told him that there was a man in the +Tower of London, one De Courcy, that in all the +earth was not his <a id="t_Peer"></a><a href="#idx_Peer" class="indx">peer</a>, if he would only fight. The +king was much rejoiced thereat, and sent unto +him to require and command him to take the +matter in hand: but Sir John refused. The king +sent again and offered him great gifts; but +again he refused, saying he would never serve the +king in field any more; for he thought himself evil +rewarded for such service as he did him before. The +king sent to him a third time, and bade him ask +whatever he would, for himself and for his friends, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span> +and all should be granted to him: and he said +furthermore that upon his <a id="t_Stalworth"></a><a href="#idx_Stalworth" class="indx">stalworth</a> and <a id="t_Knightly"></a><a href="#idx_Knightly" class="indx">knightly</a> +doings the honour of the realm of England did rest +and depend.</p> + +<p>He answered that for himself, the thing he would +wish to ask for, King John was not able to give, +namely, the lightness and freedom of heart that he +once had, but which the king's unkind dealing had +taken from him. As for his friends, he said that, +saving a few, they were all slain in the king's +service; "and for these reasons," said he, "I mean +never to serve the king more. But"—he went on to +say—"the honour of the realm of England, that is +another matter: and I would defend it so far as lies +in my power, provided I might have such things as I +shall ask for."</p> + +<p>This was promised to him, and the king sent +messengers to set him at liberty; who, when they +had entered into his prison, found him in great +misery. His hair was all matted, and overgrew his +shoulders to his waist; he had scarce any apparel, +and the little he had fell in rags over his great body; +and his face was hollow from close confinement and +for lack of food.</p> + +<p>After all things that he required had been granted +to him, he asked for one thing more, namely, that +his sword should be sent for all the way to +Downpatrick in Ireland, where it would be found +within the altar of the church; for with that weapon +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span> +he said he would fight and with no other. After +much delay it was brought to him; and when they +saw it and felt its weight, they marvelled that any +man could wield it. And good food was given to +him, and <a id="t_Seemly"></a><a href="#idx_Seemly" class="indx">seemly</a> raiment, and he had due exercise, +and in all things he was cherished and made much +of; so that his strength of body and stoutness of +heart returned to him.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XLVII"></a>XLVII.<br /><br /> + +SIR JOHN DE COURCY AND THE FRENCH +CHAMPION.</h2> + +<p>The <a id="t_Lists"></a><a href="#idx_Lists" class="indx">lists</a> were enclosed and all things were prepared +against the day of battle. The two kings were there, +outside the lists, with most of their nobility, and +thousands of great people to look on, all sitting +on seats placed high up for good view. Within the +lists were two tents for the champions, where they +might rest till the time appointed. And men were +chosen to see that all things were carried on fairly +and in good order.</p> + +<p>When the time drew nigh, the French champion +came forth on the field, and did his duty of <a id="t_Obeisance"></a><a href="#idx_Obeisance" class="indx">obeisance</a>, +and bowed with <a id="t_Reverence"></a><a href="#idx_Reverence" class="indx">reverence</a> and courtesy to all around, +and went back to his tent, where he waited for half +an hour. The king of England sent for Sir John to +come forth, for that the French champion rested a +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span> +long time awaiting his coming; to which he answered +roughly that he would come forth when he thought it +was time. And when he still delayed, the king sent +one of his Council to desire him to make haste, to +which he made answer:—"If thou or those kings +were invited to such a banquet, you would make no +great haste coming forth to partake of it."</p> + +<p>On this the king, <a id="t_Deeming"></a><a href="#idx_Deeming" class="indx">deeming</a> that he was not going +to fight at all, was about to depart in a great rage, +thinking much evil of Sir John de Courcy. While +he was thus musing, Sir John came forth in surly +mood, for memory of all the ill usage that had been +wrought on him; and he stalked straight on, looking +neither to the right nor to the left, and doing no +reverence to anyone: and so back to his tent.</p> + +<p>Then the trumpets sounded the first charge, for +the champions to approach. Forth they came, and +passing by slowly, viewed each other <a id="t_Intently2"></a><a href="#idx_Intently2" class="indx">intently</a> without +a word. And when the foreign champion noted +De Courcy's fierce look, and measured with his eyes +his great stature and mighty limbs, he was filled +with dread and fell all a-trembling. At length the +trumpets sounded the last charge for the fight to +begin; on which De Courcy quickly drew his sword +and advanced; but the Frenchman, turning right +round, "ranne awaie off the fielde and betooke him +to Spaine."</p> + +<p>Whereupon the English trumpets sounded victory; +and there was such shouting and cheering, such +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span> +a-clapping of hands and such a-throwing of caps in +the air as the like was never seen before.</p> + +<p>When the multitude became quiet, King Philip +desired of King John that De Courcy might be called +before them to give a trial of his strength by a blow +upon a helmet: to which De Courcy agreed. They +fixed a great stake of timber in the ground, standing +up the height of a man, over which they put a shirt +of mail, with a helmet on top. And when all was +ready, De Courcy, drawing his sword, looked at the +kings with a <a id="t_Grim"></a><a href="#idx_Grim" class="indx">grim</a> and terrible look that fearful it was +to behold; after which he struck such a blow as cut +clean through the helmet and through the shirt of +mail, and down deep in the piece of timber. And so +fast was the sword fixed that no man in the assembly, +using his two hands with the utmost effort, could +pluck it out; but Sir John, taking it in one hand, +drew it forth easily.</p> + +<p>The princes, marvelling at so huge a stroke, +desired to understand why he looked so terrible at +them before he struck the blow: on which he +answered:—</p> + +<p>"I call St. Patrick of Down to witness, that if I +had missed the mark I would have cut the heads off +both of you kings on the score of all the ill usage I +received aforetime at your hands."</p> + +<p>King John, being satisfied with all matters as they +turned out, took his answer in good part: and he +gave him back all the dominions that before he had +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span> +in Ireland, as Earl of Ulster and lord of Connaught; +and licensed him to return, with many great gifts +besides. And to this day the people of Ireland hold +in memory Sir John de Courcy and his mighty deeds; +and the ruins of many great castles builded by him +are to be seen all over Ulster.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XLVIII"></a>XLVIII.<br /><br /> + +THE GREAT EARL OF KILDARE AND THE +EARL OF ORMOND.</h2> + +<p>The great lords who settled in Ireland in the time +of Henry II. became so powerful that they ruled in +the land like so many kings. It was so hard to +reach Ireland in those times, or even to get from one +part of Ireland to another, that their master, the +king of England, had generally very little control +over them: and he often found it hard enough even +to find out what was going on among them. So those +mighty <a id="t_Baron"></a><a href="#idx_Baron" class="indx">barons</a> did very much as they liked. They +imposed taxes, raised armies, and made war on each +other, just as if they were <a id="t_Independent"></a><a href="#idx_Independent" class="indx">independent</a> sovereigns.</p> + +<p>The Fitzgeralds, or Geraldines, were among the +most illustrious of those families. They intermarried +with the families of the native Irish kings +and princes, such as the O'Neills and O'Conors; and +altogether they fell in so well with the ways of the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span> +country, that the Irish people came to love them +almost better than they loved their own old native +kings and chiefs. And for hundreds of years those +Geraldines took a leading part in the government of +Ireland for the kings of England.</p> + +<p>In the time of Henry VII., who became king in +the year 1485, Garrett Fitzgerald, earl of Kildare—the +"Great Earl" as he was called—was Lord +Deputy, or chief ruler of Ireland, for the king: and +he was the leading man of his day in Ireland.<a id="FNanchor_68"></a><a href="#Footnote_68" class="fnanchor">[68]</a> We +are told in the old accounts of him that he was +tall of stature, of <a id="t_Goodly_presence"></a><a href="#idx_Goodly_presence" class="indx">goodly presence</a>, very liberal and +merciful; of strict piety; mild in his government; +very easily put into a passion, but just as easily +<a id="t_Appease"></a><a href="#idx_Appease" class="indx">appeased</a>; a knight in valour, and princely in his +words and judgments.</p> + +<p>Once he got into a great rage with one of his +servants for some blunder. It happened that two +of the gentlemen of his household were looking on: +and one of them whispered to the other, whose name +was Boice, that he would give him a good Irish +<a id="t_Hobby"></a><a href="#idx_Hobby" class="indx">hobby</a> if he went and plucked a hair out of the +earl's beard. Boice took him at his offer, and knowing +well the earl's good nature, he went up to him, +while he still fumed with anger, and said:—</p> + +<p>"If so it please your good lordship, one of your +horsemen promised me a choice horse if I snip one +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span> +hair from your beard." "Well," quoth the earl, "I +agree thereto; but if you pluck more than one, I +promise you to bring my fist away from your ear!"</p> + +<p>And Boice plucked the hair, and won the hobby: +but he took good care to pluck only one, so that his +ear escaped the earl's big fist.</p> + +<p>At this time the chief man of the Butlers was +James, earl of Ormond: and he and the Deputy +were at enmity, each working with might and +main to put down the other. The earl of Ormond, +who was a deep and far reaching man, not being +strong enough to oppose his <a id="t_Adversary"></a><a href="#idx_Adversary" class="indx">adversary</a> openly, +<a id="t_Devise2"></a><a href="#idx_Devise2" class="indx">devised</a> a plan to entrap him by means of submission +and courtesy. Certain charges had, it seems, +been made against Ormond, and he now wrote to +the deputy, who was, of course, in authority over +him, asking permission to come to Dublin to disprove +them; which the deputy granted. Accordingly, +in the year 1492, he marched to Dublin with a +numerous army, and encamped near the city.</p> + +<p>Now Kildare's councillors, and the citizens in +general, disliked the presence of so great an army, +suspecting some evil design: and besides, the soldiers +used the people ill, often beating and robbing them; +so that instead of peace, this visit of Ormond made +all the greater <a id="t_Discord"></a><a href="#idx_Discord" class="indx">discord</a>. Yet still, with an air of +great respect and humility, he persisted in asking +to be heard, saying he would show that the evil +stories about him were all false. At length, Lord +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span> +Deputy Kildare agreed, and the meeting was held +in St. Patrick's Church.</p> + +<p>But this meeting was not a quiet or peaceful one; +for the two earls, instead of speaking gentle words +of forgiveness, began to accuse each other of all the +damages inflicted on both sides. The citizens too, who +were in great crowds around the church, complained +with loud voices of all the ill usage they had suffered +from the soldiers; whereupon they and the soldiers +fell to <a id="t_Jars"></a><a href="#idx_Jars" class="indx">jars</a> and quarrels, and the whole city was +soon in an uproar. At last, a body of Dublin +archers, enraged that such a disturbance should +be raised by "this lawless rabble," rushed into the +church, shouting out that they would kill Ormond, +as the leader of them, and they shot at random +hither and thither, leaving their arrows sticking in +the timbers and ornaments of the church, but doing +no harm otherwise. It is probable, indeed, that out +of respect to the place, notwithstanding their rage, +they took care to shoot over the heads of the +crowd, so as to kill no one.</p> + +<p>On this, the Earl of Ormond, fearing with good +reason for his safety, fled with a few of his followers +to the <a id="t_Chapter_house"></a><a href="#idx_Chapter_house" class="indx">chapter-house</a>, and slamming the door, bolted +and barred it strongly. Kildare followed and called +to him to come out, promising upon his honour that +he should receive no harm. Ormond replied that +he would come forth if the deputy gave him his +hand that his life should be safe; so "a cleft was +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span> +pierced in a <a id="t_Trice"></a><a href="#idx_Trice" class="indx">trice</a> through the chapter-house door," +to the end that the earls might shake hands and be +reconciled. But Ormond, still suspecting treachery, +refused to put forth his hand, fearing it might be +chopped off, till at last Kildare stretched in his arm +to him through the hole, +and they shook hands. +Then the door was opened +and the two earls embraced, +and the storm was +appeased.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/i_212-s.png" alt="" title="" /> +<span class="caption"><br />Old Chapter-house Door, now in +St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.</span> +</div> + +<p>But though this quarrel +was patched up, it was +only for the time. Kildare +suspected that Ormond had +brought his army with evil +intent "to <a id="t_Outface"></a><a href="#idx_Outface" class="indx">outface</a> him and +his power in his own +countrie"; while "Ormond +mistrusted that this treacherous +practice of the +Dublinians was by Kildare +devised." So that, as the +old writer goes on to say, "their quarrels were not +ended, but only for the present discontinued: like +unto a <a id="t_Green_wound"></a><a href="#idx_Green_wound" class="indx">green wound</a>, rather <a id="t_Bungerlie"></a><a href="#idx_Bungerlie" class="indx">bungerlie</a> botcht, than +soundlie cured. And these and the like surmises, +with many stories carried to and fro, and in their +ears whispered, bred and fostered a malice betwixt +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span> +them and their posterity, many years incurable, which +caused much stir and unquietnesse in the realm."</p> + +<p>The old chapter-house door, which is pictured on last +page, still remains in St. Patrick's Cathedral, where +it may be seen leaning against one of the walls, with +the very "cleft" in it through which the two earls +shook hands more than four hundred years ago.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h2><a id="XLIX"></a>XLIX.<br /><br /> + +ANCIENT IRISH MUSIC.</h2> + +<p>From the most remote times the Irish took great +pleasure in music: and they studied and <a id="t_Cultivate"></a><a href="#idx_Cultivate" class="indx">cultivated</a> +it so successfully that they became celebrated every +where for their musical skill. Irish teachers of this +art were thought so highly of that from about the +seventh to the eleventh century, or later, they were +employed in colleges and schools in Great Britain +and on the Continent, like Irish professors of other +branches of learning (see p. <a href="#Page_47">47</a>). Many of the early +missionaries took great delight in playing on the +harp, so that some brought a small harp with them +on their journeys through the country, which no +doubt lightened many a weary hour at their homes +in the evenings, during the time of hard missionary +work. In our oldest manuscript books, music is +continually mentioned: and musicians are spoken +of with respect and admiration.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span></p> + +<p>The two chief instruments used in Ireland were +the harp and the bagpipe. The harp was the favourite +with the higher classes, many of whom played it as +an accomplishment, as people now play the piano. +The professional Irish harpers were more skilful, and +could play better, than those of any other country: +so that for hundreds of years it was the custom for +the musicians of Great Britain to visit Ireland in +order to finish their musical education; a custom +which continued down to about a century and a-half +ago.</p> + +<p>The bagpipe was very generally used among the +lower classes of people. The form in use was what we +now call the Highland or Scotch pipes—slung from +the shoulder: the bag inflated by the mouth. But +this form of pipes took its rise in Ireland: and it +was brought to Scotland in early ages by those Irish +<a id="t_Colonists"></a><a href="#idx_Colonists" class="indx">colonists</a> already spoken of (page <a href="#Page_5">5</a>). There is +another and a better kind of bagpipes, now common +in Ireland, resting on the lap when in use, and having +the bag inflated by a bellows: but this is a late +invention.</p> + +<p>The Irish musicians had various "<i>Styles</i>," three of +which are very often mentioned in tales and other +ancient Irish writings: of these many specimens +have come down to the present day. The style they +called "Mirth-music" consisted of lively airs, which +excited to merriment and laughter. These are +represented by our present dance tunes, such as jigs, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span> +reels, hornpipes, and other such quick, spirited pieces +which are known so well in every part of Ireland. +The "Sorrow-music" was slow and sad, and was +always sung on the occasion of a death. We have +many airs belonging to this style, which are now +commonly called <i>Keens</i>, i.e., laments, or <a id="t_Dirge"></a><a href="#idx_Dirge" class="indx">dirges</a>. +The "Sleep-music" was intended to produce sleep; +and the tunes belonging to this style were plaintive +and soothing. Such airs are now known as lullabies, +or nurse tunes, or cradle songs, of which numerous +examples are preserved in collections of Irish +music. They were often sung to put children to sleep. +Though there are, as has been said, many tunes +belonging to these three classes, they form only a +small part of the great body of Irish music.</p> + +<p>Music entered into many of the daily occupations +of the people. There were special spinning-wheel +songs, which the women sang, with words, in chorus +or in <a id="t_Dialogue"></a><a href="#idx_Dialogue" class="indx">dialogue</a>, when employed in spinning. At +milking time the girls were in the habit of chanting +a particular sort of air, in a low gentle voice. These +milking songs were slow and plaintive, something like +the nurse tunes, and had the effect of soothing the +cows and of making them submit more gently to be +milked. This practice was common down to fifty or +sixty years ago; and many people now living can +remember seeing cows grow restless when the song +was <a id="t_Interrupt"></a><a href="#idx_Interrupt" class="indx">interrupted</a>, and become again quiet and <a id="t_Placid"></a><a href="#idx_Placid" class="indx">placid</a> +when it was <a id="t_Resume"></a><a href="#idx_Resume" class="indx">resumed</a>. While ploughmen were at +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span> +their work they whistled a sweet, slow, and +sad strain, which had as powerful an effect in soothing +the horses at their hard work as the milking songs +had on the cows: and these also were quite usual +till about half a century ago.</p> + +<p>Special airs and songs were used during working +time by smiths, by weavers, and by boatmen. There +were besides, hymn tunes; and young people had +simple airs for all sorts of games and sports. In +most cases words suitable to the several occasions +were sung with lullabies, laments, and occupation +tunes. The poem at page <a href="#Page_82">82</a> may be taken as a +specimen of a lament. Examples of all the preceding +classes of melodies will be found in the collections of +Irish airs by Bunting, Petrie, and Joyce.</p> + +<p>The Irish had numerous war-marches, which the +pipers played at the head of the <a id="t_Clansmen"></a><a href="#idx_Clansmen" class="indx">clansmen</a> when +marching to battle, and which inspired them with +courage and dash for the fight. This custom is still +kept up by the Scotch; and many fine battle-tunes +are printed in Irish and Scotch collections of +<a id="t_National_music"></a><a href="#idx_National_music" class="indx">national music</a>.</p> + +<p>From the preceding statement we may see how +universal was the love of music in former days +among the people of Ireland. Though Irish airs, +compared with the musical pieces composed in our +time, are generally short and simple, they are +constructed with such skill, that in regard to most of +them it may be truly said that no composer of the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span> +present day can produce airs of a similar kind to +equal them.</p> + +<p>There are half a dozen original collections of Irish +music, containing in all between 1000 and 2000 airs: +other collections are mostly copied from these. But +numerous airs are still sung and played among the +people all through Ireland, which have never been +written down; and many have been written down +which have never been printed. Thomas Moore +composed his beautiful songs to old Irish airs; and +his whole collection of songs and airs—well known +as "Moore's Melodies"—is now published in one +small cheap volume.</p> + +<p>Of the entire body of Irish airs that are preserved, +we know the authors of not more than about one +tenth; and these were composed within the last +200 years. Most of the remaining nine tenths have +come down from old times. No one now can tell who +composed "The Coolin," "Savourneen Dheelish," +"Shule Aroon," "Molly Asthore," "Garryowen," +"The Boyne Water," "Patrick's Day," "Langolee," +"The Blackbird," or "The Girl I left behind me"; +and so of many other well-known and lovely airs.</p> + +<p>The national music of Ireland and that of Scotland +are very like each other, and many airs are common +to both countries: but this is only what might be +expected, as we know that the Irish and the +Highland Scotch were <a id="t_Originally"></a><a href="#idx_Originally" class="indx">originally</a> one people.</p> + +<hr class="chap" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span></p> +<h2><a id="NOTES_AND_EXPLANATIONS"></a>NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS.</h2> + +<p class="head"><a href="#I">I.—Page 1</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"> +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Ancient"></a><a href="#t_Ancient" class="indx">Ancient</a>, very old, belonging to old times.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Fabulous"></a><a href="#t_Fabulous" class="indx">Fabulous</a>, not true.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Magician"></a><a href="#t_Magician" class="indx">Magician</a>, one skilled in magic or witchcraft; an enchanter.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Spell"></a><a href="#t_Spell" class="indx">Spell</a>, a charm, something done by enchantment.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Wizard"></a><a href="#t_Wizard" class="indx">Wizard</a>, an enchanter, a magician.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Consult"></a><a href="#t_Consult" class="indx">Consult</a>, to advise with.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Druid"></a><a href="#t_Druid" class="indx">Druid</a>, The druids were the learned men among the pagan Irish: they +were believed to be wizards, or magicians.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Seer"></a><a href="#t_Seer" class="indx">Seer</a>, one who can foresee events, a prophet.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Destiny"></a><a href="#t_Destiny" class="indx">Destiny</a>, lot, what is to come to pass.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Wistfully"></a><a href="#t_Wistfully" class="indx">Wistfully</a>, thoughtfully, attentively, longingly.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Cairn"></a><a href="#t_Cairn" class="indx">Cairn</a>, a great pile of stones heaped up in memory of some person or +some event. A cairn was very often raised over the grave of some +important person. See page <a href="#Page_97">97</a>.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Missionary"></a><a href="#t_Missionary" class="indx">Missionary</a>, one sent to preach religion.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Hostage"></a><a href="#t_Hostage" class="indx">Hostage</a>, a person given as a pledge, or security, for carrying out +some agreement.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Possessing_mighty_power_over_people"></a><a href="#t_Possessing_mighty_power_over_people" class="indx">Possessing mighty power over people</a>, able to persuade them by his +earnestness and his powerful language.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#II">II.—Page 7</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Gallantly"></a><a href="#t_Gallantly" class="indx">Gallantly</a>, boldly, bravely.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Destined_home"></a><a href="#t_Destined_home" class="indx">Destined home</a>: the druid had foretold that Inisfail, or the Isle of +Destiny, was to be their final home.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Emerald"></a><a href="#t_Emerald" class="indx">Emerald</a>, a precious stone of a green colour. Ireland, from its +greenness, is often called the Emerald Isle.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Day_god"></a><a href="#t_Day_god" class="indx">Day god</a>, the sun. Some of the pagan Irish worshipped the sun.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Omen"></a><a href="#t_Omen" class="indx">Omen</a>, a sign of what is to come.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#III">III.—Page 8</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Perpetual"></a><a href="#t_Perpetual" class="indx">Perpetual</a>, lasting always.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Allure"></a><a href="#t_Allure" class="indx">Allure</a>, to entice, coax, or persuade.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Book_of_the_Dun_Cow"></a><a href="#t_Book_of_the_Dun_Cow" class="indx">Book of the Dun Cow</a>: see page <a href="#Page_118">118</a>.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Conn_the_Hundred-fighter"></a><a href="#t_Conn_the_Hundred-fighter" class="indx">Conn the Hundred-fighter</a>, or, as he is often called, Conn of the +Hundred Battles, was King of Ireland from <span class="smcap">A.D.</span> 177 to 212.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Crystal"></a><a href="#t_Crystal" class="indx">Crystal</a>, a sort of transparent mineral: glass, or anything like +glass.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Marvelled"></a><a href="#t_Marvelled" class="indx">Marvelled</a>, wondered.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Chant"></a><a href="#t_Chant" class="indx">Chant</a>, a slow, sweet song.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Azure"></a><a href="#t_Azure" class="indx">Azure</a>, a bright blue.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Verdurous"></a><a href="#t_Verdurous" class="indx">Verdurous</a>, green, full of verdure.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Imprecation"></a><a href="#t_Imprecation" class="indx">Imprecation</a>, a curse.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Mace"></a><a href="#t_Mace" class="indx">Mace</a>, here means a heavy-headed club used in fighting, generally for +striking.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#IV">IV.—Page 14</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Noxious"></a><a href="#t_Noxious" class="indx">Noxious</a>, hurtful, injurious.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Gigantic"></a><a href="#t_Gigantic" class="indx">Gigantic</a>, very large, giant-like.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Fertile"></a><a href="#t_Fertile" class="indx">Fertile</a>, fruitful, yielding good crops.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Wickerwork"></a><a href="#t_Wickerwork" class="indx">Wickerwork</a>, basket-work of woven twigs.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Hospitality"></a><a href="#t_Hospitality" class="indx">Hospitality</a>, kindness to strangers, free and generous entertainment +of visitors.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Expensive"></a><a href="#t_Expensive" class="indx">Expensive</a>, costly.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Establishment"></a><a href="#t_Establishment" class="indx">Establishment</a>, the whole house, and all belonging to it.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Liberal"></a><a href="#t_Liberal" class="indx">Liberal</a>, plentiful.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Gorget"></a><a href="#t_Gorget" class="indx">Gorget</a>, an ornamental collar for the neck: the Irish gorgets were +mostly of gold.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Bronze"></a><a href="#t_Bronze" class="indx">Bronze</a>, a mixed metal made of copper and tin melted together. The +ancient Irish used a sort of white or whitish bronze, which they +called <i>findruine</i> [<i>finn´-drin-ă</i>].</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Enamel"></a><a href="#t_Enamel" class="indx">Enamel</a>, a beautiful glassy substance, of various colours, used in +metal work.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Museum"></a><a href="#t_Museum" class="indx">Museum</a>, a place where curiosities of all kinds are kept, especially +objects belonging to ancient times.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span></p> +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Artificer"></a><a href="#t_Artificer" class="indx">Artificer</a>, an artist, a worker in metals, bone, wood, &c.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Old_Irish_Laws"></a><a href="#t_Old_Irish_Laws" class="indx">Old Irish Laws</a>: these were called the Brehon Laws.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Commerce"></a><a href="#t_Commerce" class="indx">Commerce</a>, trade with foreign nations.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#V">V.—Page 22</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Enmity"></a><a href="#t_Enmity" class="indx">Enmity</a>, hatred, malice, ill feeling.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Gall"></a><a href="#t_Gall" class="indx">Gall</a>, bitterness and sourness of heart.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Treachery"></a><a href="#t_Treachery" class="indx">Treachery</a>, breach of faith, wickedness.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Chariot"></a><a href="#t_Chariot" class="indx">Chariot</a>, a kind of carriage.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Druidical"></a><a href="#t_Druidical" class="indx">Druidical</a>, made by the druids, who were believed to be enchanters, +like the Dedannans.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Clamorous"></a><a href="#t_Clamorous" class="indx">Clamorous</a>, noisy, screaming.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Repented"></a><a href="#t_Repented" class="indx">Repented</a>, grew sorry.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Gaelic_speech"></a><a href="#t_Gaelic_speech" class="indx">Gaelic speech</a>, the Irish language, which all the people of Ireland +then spoke.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Plaintive"></a><a href="#t_Plaintive" class="indx">Plaintive</a>, sad.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Lay"></a><a href="#t_Lay" class="indx">Lay</a>, a song, a poem.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_A_husk_of_gore"></a><a href="#t_A_husk_of_gore" class="indx">A husk of gore</a>, withered up with grief.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Anguish"></a><a href="#t_Anguish" class="indx">Anguish</a>, great trouble and misery.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Anthem"></a><a href="#t_Anthem" class="indx">Anthem</a>, a song, a hymn: anthem of praise, <i>i.e.</i> of praise to God.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#VI">VI.—Page 27</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Amazement"></a><a href="#t_Amazement" class="indx">Amazement</a>, astonishment, wonder.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Horror"></a><a href="#t_Horror" class="indx">Horror</a>, terror mixed with dislike.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Lamentation"></a><a href="#t_Lamentation" class="indx">Lamentation</a>, great sorrow.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Malignant"></a><a href="#t_Malignant" class="indx">Malignant</a>, full of evil and badness.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Adventurous"></a><a href="#t_Adventurous" class="indx">Adventurous</a>, spirited, daring, courageous.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Abhor"></a><a href="#t_Abhor" class="indx">Abhor</a>, to hate, to detest, to have a horror of.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Transform"></a><a href="#t_Transform" class="indx">Transform</a>, to change the form or shape.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Society"></a><a href="#t_Society" class="indx">Society</a>, company.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_The_dreadful_day_of_doom"></a><a href="#t_The_dreadful_day_of_doom" class="indx">The dreadful day of doom</a>, "that day of woe," <i>i.e.</i> the Day of +Judgment. The children of Lir had some obscure foreknowledge of +the coming of Christianity.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Desolate"></a><a href="#t_Desolate" class="indx">Desolate</a>, waste and solitary.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Tempestuous"></a><a href="#t_Tempestuous" class="indx">Tempestuous</a>, stormy.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#VII">VII.—Page 32</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Abode"></a><a href="#t_Abode" class="indx">Abode</a>, a dwelling.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Plight"></a><a href="#t_Plight" class="indx">Plight</a>, an evil and unpleasant state.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Endure"></a><a href="#t_Endure" class="indx">Endure</a>, to bear, to suffer.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Chain_of_repose"></a><a href="#t_Chain_of_repose" class="indx">Chain of repose</a>: as if the breezes were bound down and kept at rest +by a chain.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Darkness"></a><a href="#t_Darkness" class="indx">Darkness</a>: the darkness of paganism.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Pure_light"></a><a href="#t_Pure_light" class="indx">Pure light</a>, and Day star: Christianity.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Wreathed"></a><a href="#t_Wreathed" class="indx">Wreathed</a>, twisted, curled.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Hazel-mead"></a><a href="#t_Hazel-mead" class="indx">Hazel-mead</a>, a kind of mead with hazel nuts put into it to flavour +it. For mead, see p. <a href="#Page_17">17</a>.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Lullaby"></a><a href="#t_Lullaby" class="indx">Lullaby</a>, a nurse song: a song to put a person to sleep; see p. +<a href="#Page_210">210</a>.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Mannanan"></a><a href="#t_Mannanan" class="indx">Mannanan</a>, or Mannanan Mac Lir, a Dedannan chief, the Pagan Irish god +of the sea.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Angus"></a><a href="#t_Angus" class="indx">Angus</a>, a Dedannan or fairy chief, who had his palace under one of +the great mounds on the Boyne between Drogheda and Slane.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#VIII">VIII.—Page 39</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Matin_time"></a><a href="#t_Matin_time" class="indx">Matin time</a>, very early in the morning: before day: the time of +first prayer.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Anchoret"></a><a href="#t_Anchoret" class="indx">Anchoret</a>, a hermit.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Matins"></a><a href="#t_Matins" class="indx">Matins</a>, very early morning prayers.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Transformed"></a><a href="#t_Transformed" class="indx">Transformed</a>, changed, turned.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Waxed"></a><a href="#t_Waxed" class="indx">Waxed</a>, grew, became: waxed very wroth, became very angry.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Cleric"></a><a href="#t_Cleric" class="indx">Cleric</a>, a clergyman.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Radiant"></a><a href="#t_Radiant" class="indx">Radiant</a>, bright, joyful, happy looking.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Lament"></a><a href="#t_Lament" class="indx">Lament</a>, a sort of sad song.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#IX">IX.—Page 45</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Enlightenment"></a><a href="#t_Enlightenment" class="indx">Enlightenment</a>, knowledge, education, intelligence.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Community"></a><a href="#t_Community" class="indx">Community</a>, a number of persons living together in the same dwelling +or in the same place.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Encounter"></a><a href="#t_Encounter" class="indx">Encounter</a>, to meet with, to go against.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Interpreter"></a><a href="#t_Interpreter" class="indx">Interpreter</a>, a person who explains in one language what a speaker +says in another. The interpreter has to know both languages.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#X">X.—Page 50</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Rampart"></a><a href="#t_Rampart" class="indx">Rampart</a>, a wall or high bank for defence.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Structure"></a><a href="#t_Structure" class="indx">Structure</a>, a building.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Household"></a><a href="#t_Household" class="indx">Household</a>, all the people that live in one house.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Standard"></a><a href="#t_Standard" class="indx">Standard</a>, a pole with a flag, banner, or colours, on top.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Transfer"></a><a href="#t_Transfer" class="indx">Transfer</a>, to change from one to another.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Romantic_stories"></a><a href="#t_Romantic_stories" class="indx">Romantic stories</a>, tales of fictitious adventures.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Diadem"></a><a href="#t_Diadem" class="indx">Diadem</a>, a crown, or a band like a crown, worn round the head.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Spell_of_feebleness"></a><a href="#t_Spell_of_feebleness" class="indx">Spell of feebleness</a>, weakness brought on by some sort of +enchantment.</p></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span></p> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XI">XI.—Page 55</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Pondering"></a><a href="#t_Pondering" class="indx">Pondering</a>, thinking deeply.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Meet"></a><a href="#t_Meet" class="indx">Meet</a>, fit, proper, becoming.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Ultonians"></a><a href="#t_Ultonians" class="indx">Ultonians</a>, the Ulstermen.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Gainsay"></a><a href="#t_Gainsay" class="indx">Gainsay</a>, to speak against, to contradict.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Ridge_of_the_world"></a><a href="#t_Ridge_of_the_world" class="indx">Ridge of the world</a>, a usual expression in Irish writings.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Gracious"></a><a href="#t_Gracious" class="indx">Gracious</a>, kind and gentle in manner.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Attendant"></a><a href="#t_Attendant" class="indx">Attendant</a>, a person who attends, a servant.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Military_service"></a><a href="#t_Military_service" class="indx">Military service</a>, service as soldiers under pay.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Betimes"></a><a href="#t_Betimes" class="indx">Betimes</a>, in good time, early.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Booth"></a><a href="#t_Booth" class="indx">Booth</a>, a hut or tent.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XII">XII.—Page 60</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Pledge"></a><a href="#t_Pledge" class="indx">Pledge</a>, security.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Submission"></a><a href="#t_Submission" class="indx">Submission</a>, yielding, coming under a person's authority.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Knighthood"></a><a href="#t_Knighthood" class="indx">Knighthood</a>. Knight, a soldier of high dignity: a champion: +knighthood, the dignity of a knight. The ancient Irish often +received knighthood at seven years of age.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Obligation"></a><a href="#t_Obligation" class="indx">Obligation</a>, a promise, a bond, something one is bound to do.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Galley"></a><a href="#t_Galley" class="indx">Galley</a>, a low flat vessel with oars and sails.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Chessboard"></a><a href="#t_Chessboard" class="indx">Chessboard</a>, a board with black and white squares on which chess was +played. The ancient Irish were very fond of chess.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Re-assure"></a><a href="#t_Re-assure" class="indx">Re-assure</a>, to make a person sure that things are right, to +encourage.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XIII">XIII.—Page 66</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Resort"></a><a href="#t_Resort" class="indx">Resort</a>, to go often to a place.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Curragh"></a><a href="#t_Curragh" class="indx">Curragh</a>, a light boat made of wickerwork covered with hides.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Persist"></a><a href="#t_Persist" class="indx">Persist</a>, to continue without ceasing.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Perplexity"></a><a href="#t_Perplexity" class="indx">Perplexity</a>, doubt, anxiety of mind.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Clan"></a><a href="#t_Clan" class="indx">Clan</a>, a number of families or a race of people all more or less +related to each other.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Slieve_Fuad"></a><a href="#t_Slieve_Fuad" class="indx">Slieve Fuad</a>, a mountain near Newtownhamilton in Armagh: the name is +now forgotten.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Baleful"></a><a href="#t_Baleful" class="indx">Baleful</a>, evil, very bad or wicked.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Disaster"></a><a href="#t_Disaster" class="indx">Disaster</a>, mishap, misfortune.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Meditate"></a><a href="#t_Meditate" class="indx">Meditate</a>, to plan, to intend.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Handwood"></a><a href="#t_Handwood" class="indx">Handwood</a>, a piece of wood to serve as a knocker, kept in a niche +outside the door.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Battalion"></a><a href="#t_Battalion" class="indx">Battalion</a>, a body of foot soldiers.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Alluring"></a><a href="#t_Alluring" class="indx">Alluring</a>, very good, tempting a person to eat.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Viands"></a><a href="#t_Viands" class="indx">Viands</a>, food, victuals.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XIV">XIV.—Page 72</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Looming"></a><a href="#t_Looming" class="indx">Looming</a>, appearing darkly and dimly in the distance.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Steadfast"></a><a href="#t_Steadfast" class="indx">Steadfast</a>, firm, fixed, determined.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Valorous"></a><a href="#t_Valorous" class="indx">Valorous</a>, brave, fearless, valiant.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Your_dear_charge"></a><a href="#t_Your_dear_charge" class="indx">Your dear charge</a>, Deirdre.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Assailants"></a><a href="#t_Assailants" class="indx">Assailants</a>, persons assailing or attacking.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Misgivings"></a><a href="#t_Misgivings" class="indx">Misgivings</a>, doubts and fears of something wrong.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Unwittingly"></a><a href="#t_Unwittingly" class="indx">Unwittingly</a>, without knowing.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Unerring"></a><a href="#t_Unerring" class="indx">Unerring</a>, with a straight aim so as not to miss.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XV">XV.—Page 75</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Hireling_troops"></a><a href="#t_Hireling_troops" class="indx">Hireling troops</a>, soldiers serving for pay: they were not Ultonians +and did not belong to the Red Branch. The troops of the Red +Branch could not be got to attack the Sons of Usna.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Shouts_of_defiance"></a><a href="#t_Shouts_of_defiance" class="indx">Shouts of defiance</a>, shouts challenging and threatening.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Assault"></a><a href="#t_Assault" class="indx">Assault</a>, a violent attack.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Marshalling"></a><a href="#t_Marshalling" class="indx">Marshalling</a>, arranging.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Treason"></a><a href="#t_Treason" class="indx">Treason</a>, treachery, foul play.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Circuit"></a><a href="#t_Circuit" class="indx">Circuit</a>, a journey around.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Fissure"></a><a href="#t_Fissure" class="indx">Fissure</a>, a split or chasm.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Solemn"></a><a href="#t_Solemn" class="indx">Solemn</a>, awful, serious, grave.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Response"></a><a href="#t_Response" class="indx">Response</a>, answer, reply.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XVI">XVI.—Page 80</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index">Deeming, believing, thinking.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Onslaught"></a><a href="#t_Onslaught" class="indx">Onslaught</a>, a fierce attack.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Mannanan_Mac_Lir"></a><a href="#t_Mannanan_Mac_Lir" class="indx">Mannanan Mac Lir</a>, the Pagan Irish sea-god.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XVII">XVII.—Page 84</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Billows_of_war"></a><a href="#t_Billows_of_war" class="indx">Billows of war</a>, the tide or onward press of battle.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Wreak"></a><a href="#t_Wreak" class="indx">Wreak</a>, to inflict, to execute.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XVIII">XVIII.—Page 85</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Incensed"></a><a href="#t_Incensed" class="indx">Incensed</a>, very angry.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Anguish2"></a><a href="#t_Anguish2" class="indx">Anguish</a>, great grief, pain.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Descendants"></a><a href="#t_Descendants" class="indx">Descendants</a>, children, grand-children, &c.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Spoil"></a><a href="#t_Spoil" class="indx">Spoil</a>, to plunder and pillage.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Illustrious"></a><a href="#t_Illustrious" class="indx">Illustrious</a>, famous, noble, great.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Marauding"></a><a href="#t_Marauding" class="indx">Marauding</a>, plundering, robbing.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Ravage"></a><a href="#t_Ravage" class="indx">Ravage</a>, to lay waste and plunder.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XIX">XIX.—Page 87</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Magic"></a><a href="#t_Magic" class="indx">Magic</a>, witchcraft, spells.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Mighty"></a><a href="#t_Mighty" class="indx">Mighty</a>, of wonderful skill.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Distinguish"></a><a href="#t_Distinguish" class="indx">Distinguish</a>, to tell one from another.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span></p> +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Shadowy"></a><a href="#t_Shadowy" class="indx">Shadowy</a>, uncertain, legendary.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Historic_times"></a><a href="#t_Historic_times" class="indx">Historic times</a>, when there are true accounts of things that +happened.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Professional"></a><a href="#t_Professional" class="indx">Professional</a>, following some profession or calling.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Remuneration"></a><a href="#t_Remuneration" class="indx">Remuneration</a>, payment, salary.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Attached"></a><a href="#t_Attached" class="indx">Attached</a>, joined to.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XX">XX.—Page 89</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Reverently"></a><a href="#t_Reverently" class="indx">Reverently</a>, with great respect.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Gaelic"></a><a href="#t_Gaelic" class="indx">Gaelic</a>, the Irish language.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Lore"></a><a href="#t_Lore" class="indx">Lore</a>, learning.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Injunction"></a><a href="#t_Injunction" class="indx">Injunction</a>, an order or charge, an advice that should be followed.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Extract"></a><a href="#t_Extract" class="indx">Extract</a>, to take out.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Devotedly"></a><a href="#t_Devotedly" class="indx">Devotedly</a>, with great and anxious care.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Balm"></a><a href="#t_Balm" class="indx">Balm</a>, a sort of ointment that soothes pain and cures.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Sentiments"></a><a href="#t_Sentiments" class="indx">Sentiments</a>, thoughts, feelings.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Comparatively_late"></a><a href="#t_Comparatively_late" class="indx">Comparatively late</a>, late compared with older times.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Predecessor"></a><a href="#t_Predecessor" class="indx">Predecessor</a>, one who held an office or place before another.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXI">XXI.—Page 92</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Tradition"></a><a href="#t_Tradition" class="indx">Tradition</a>, accounts handed down from generation to generation.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Provincial"></a><a href="#t_Provincial" class="indx">Provincial</a>, belonging to one of the five provinces of Ireland.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Tests"></a><a href="#t_Tests" class="indx">Tests</a>, trials.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Entertaining"></a><a href="#t_Entertaining" class="indx">Entertaining</a>, amusing, diverting.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Festive"></a><a href="#t_Festive" class="indx">Festive</a>, joyous, gay, with feasts.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Sedge"></a><a href="#t_Sedge" class="indx">Sedge</a>, a kind of coarse grass.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Keating"></a><a href="#t_Keating" class="indx">Keating</a>: the Rev. Doctor Geoffry Keating, who wrote, in Irish, a +well known History of Ireland, full of old stories: died 1644.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Oppression"></a><a href="#t_Oppression" class="indx">Oppression</a>, cruelty, tyranny, hardship.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Suppress"></a><a href="#t_Suppress" class="indx">Suppress</a>, to put down.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Exact"></a><a href="#t_Exact" class="indx">Exact</a>, to make people pay.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_An_Irish_poet"></a><a href="#t_An_Irish_poet" class="indx">An Irish poet</a>: Thomas Darcy M'Gee.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Seers"></a><a href="#t_Seers" class="indx">Seers</a>: among the Milesians were a good many druids, seers, or +prophets.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Strath"></a><a href="#t_Strath" class="indx">Strath</a>, the level land along a river at both sides; an <i>inch</i>.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Mystic_forts"></a><a href="#t_Mystic_forts" class="indx">Mystic forts</a>, the forts mentioned at page <a href="#Page_16">16</a>: mystic, mysterious.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Cairn-crowned_hills"></a><a href="#t_Cairn-crowned_hills" class="indx">Cairn-crowned hills</a>, Many hills have cairns on top round which the +people often held council meetings.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Elk"></a><a href="#t_Elk" class="indx">Elk</a>, very large deer. Elk resorts, places frequented by elks.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Modern"></a><a href="#t_Modern" class="indx">Modern</a>, belonging to the present time.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Unconquerably"></a><a href="#t_Unconquerably" class="indx">Unconquerably</a>, such that he could not be conquered.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Untarnished"></a><a href="#t_Untarnished" class="indx">Untarnished</a>, unstained, pure, with out a spot.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXII">XXII.—Page 98</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Plaintive2"></a><a href="#t_Plaintive2" class="indx">Plaintive</a>, sad, pitiful.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Hesitation"></a><a href="#t_Hesitation" class="indx">Hesitation</a>, pause, delay.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Palsy"></a><a href="#t_Palsy" class="indx">Palsy</a>, a sort of sickness that causes shivering or shaking.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Litter"></a><a href="#t_Litter" class="indx">Litter</a>, a sort of bed in which a person is carried.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Tumult"></a><a href="#t_Tumult" class="indx">Tumult</a>, great noise and confusion.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXIII">XXIII.—Page 103</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Revered"></a><a href="#t_Revered" class="indx">Revered</a>, regarded with love, honour, and respect.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Distinguished"></a><a href="#t_Distinguished" class="indx">Distinguished</a>, eminent, honoured.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Community2"></a><a href="#t_Community2" class="indx">Community</a>, a number of persons living together.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Permanent"></a><a href="#t_Permanent" class="indx">Permanent</a>, lasting.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Veneration"></a><a href="#t_Veneration" class="indx">Veneration</a>, love and great respect.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Applicant"></a><a href="#t_Applicant" class="indx">Applicant</a>, a person who applies.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Abbess"></a><a href="#t_Abbess" class="indx">Abbess</a>, the head nun of a convent.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXIV">XXIV.—Page 107</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Humility"></a><a href="#t_Humility" class="indx">Humility</a>, humbleness, lowliness of mind.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Domestic_occupations"></a><a href="#t_Domestic_occupations" class="indx">Domestic occupations</a>, the work of the house.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Sward"></a><a href="#t_Sward" class="indx">Sward</a>, a grassy place.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Reputation"></a><a href="#t_Reputation" class="indx">Reputation</a>, fame, a great name.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Corresponded_with_her"></a><a href="#t_Corresponded_with_her" class="indx">Corresponded with her</a>, wrote letters to her, and received replies.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Chariot2"></a><a href="#t_Chariot2" class="indx">Chariot</a>, a kind of carriage.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Reproachfully"></a><a href="#t_Reproachfully" class="indx">Reproachfully</a>, blaming her severely.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Universe"></a><a href="#t_Universe" class="indx">Universe</a>, the whole world.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXV">XXV.—Page 111</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Grave"></a><a href="#t_Grave" class="indx">Grave</a>, sober, thoughtful.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Unassuming"></a><a href="#t_Unassuming" class="indx">Unassuming</a>, modest, not forward.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Talents"></a><a href="#t_Talents" class="indx">Talents</a>, great cleverness.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Discipline"></a><a href="#t_Discipline" class="indx">Discipline</a>, strict rules and regulations.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Illustrious2"></a><a href="#t_Illustrious2" class="indx">Illustrious</a>, eminent, noble, famous.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Detailed"></a><a href="#t_Detailed" class="indx">Detailed</a>, exact, giving all particulars.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Consolation"></a><a href="#t_Consolation" class="indx">Consolation</a>, comfort, a lightening of trouble.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Magnificent"></a><a href="#t_Magnificent" class="indx">Magnificent</a>, grand, splendid.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span></p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Shrine"></a><a href="#t_Shrine" class="indx">Shrine</a>, an ornamental tomb or box: sometimes applied to a small +church.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Commemorate"></a><a href="#t_Commemorate" class="indx">Commemorate</a>, to keep in memory.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Gerald_Barry"></a><a href="#t_Gerald_Barry" class="indx">Gerald Barry</a>, better known as "Giraldus Cambrensis," <i>i.e.</i> Gerald +the Welshman (Cambria, one of the old names of Wales).</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Fane"></a><a href="#t_Fane" class="indx">Fane</a>, a temple, a church.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Long_ages_of_darkness_and_storm"></a><a href="#t_Long_ages_of_darkness_and_storm" class="indx">Long ages of darkness and storm</a>: <i>i.e.</i> of wars and troubles.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXVI">XXVI.—Page 114</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Scribe"></a><a href="#t_Scribe" class="indx">Scribe</a>, a writer: a person who made it the chief business of his +life to copy books.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Expert"></a><a href="#t_Expert" class="indx">Expert</a>, skilful, ready.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Accomplished"></a><a href="#t_Accomplished" class="indx">Accomplished</a>, very skilful.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Devoted"></a><a href="#t_Devoted" class="indx">Devoted</a>, given up to earnestly, attached.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Interlaced"></a><a href="#t_Interlaced" class="indx">Interlaced</a>, woven in and out.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Magnifying_glass"></a><a href="#t_Magnifying_glass" class="indx">Magnifying glass</a>, a glass that makes things seen through it seem +large.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Composition"></a><a href="#t_Composition" class="indx">Composition</a>, a piece of writing, a book.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Library"></a><a href="#t_Library" class="indx">Library</a>, a collection of books.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Dun"></a><a href="#t_Dun" class="indx">Dun</a>, brown.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_St_Kieran"></a><a href="#t_St_Kieran" class="indx">St. Kieran</a>, or more properly Ciaran, lived in the sixth century.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Clonmacnoise_on_the_Shannon"></a><a href="#t_Clonmacnoise_on_the_Shannon" class="indx">Clonmacnoise on the Shannon</a>, below Athlone, containing the ruins of +what was once a great monastery and college, founded by St. +Kieran.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXVII">XXVII.—Page 120</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Watch_and_ward"></a><a href="#t_Watch_and_ward" class="indx">Watch and ward</a>: ward means guard: he stood sentinel.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Scared"></a><a href="#t_Scared" class="indx">Scared</a>, frightened.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Humorous"></a><a href="#t_Humorous" class="indx">Humorous</a>, full of humour or fun.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXVIII">XXVIII.—Page 123</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Stud"></a><a href="#t_Stud" class="indx">Stud</a>, a number of horses all kept in one place.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Vicious"></a><a href="#t_Vicious" class="indx">Vicious</a>, wicked, spiteful.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Conan_Mail"></a><a href="#t_Conan_Mail" class="indx">Conan Mail</a>, or Conan the bald: the Fena were always making fun of +him, for he was big, fat, gluttonous, a great boast, a great +coward, and had an evil tongue.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Unconcernedly"></a><a href="#t_Unconcernedly" class="indx">Unconcernedly</a>, not caring a bit.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Perplexity2"></a><a href="#t_Perplexity2" class="indx">Perplexity</a>, difficulty and doubt.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Horrible"></a><a href="#t_Horrible" class="indx">Horrible</a>, hateful.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXIX">XXIX.—Page 129</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Took_counsel"></a><a href="#t_Took_counsel" class="indx">Took counsel</a>, they advised with one another to know what was best +to be done.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Explore"></a><a href="#t_Explore" class="indx">Explore</a>, to search.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Dizzy"></a><a href="#t_Dizzy" class="indx">Dizzy</a>, enough to make one's head giddy.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Pillar-stone"></a><a href="#t_Pillar-stone" class="indx">Pillar-stone</a>, a tall stone standing up, such as we often see in +Ireland.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Host"></a><a href="#t_Host" class="indx">Host</a>, a large body of soldiers.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Decoration"></a><a href="#t_Decoration" class="indx">Decoration</a>, an ornament.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Chase"></a><a href="#t_Chase" class="indx">Chase</a>, to ornament with thin coatings of metal on the surface.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Enamelled"></a><a href="#t_Enamelled" class="indx">Enamelled</a>, ornamented as if with enamel.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXX">XXX.—Page 132</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Wizard_champion"></a><a href="#t_Wizard_champion" class="indx">Wizard champion</a>, a champion having something of the nature of a +wizard or enchanter.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Circlet"></a><a href="#t_Circlet" class="indx">Circlet</a>, a long thin plate often worn around the head and forehead.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Determination"></a><a href="#t_Determination" class="indx">Determination</a>, a firm resolution to conquer.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Chafe"></a><a href="#t_Chafe" class="indx">Chafe</a>, to vex.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Trophy"></a><a href="#t_Trophy" class="indx">Trophy</a>, a prize taken from an enemy in battle.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Poise"></a><a href="#t_Poise" class="indx">Poise</a>, to balance.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Scowl"></a><a href="#t_Scowl" class="indx">Scowl</a>, to frown darkly and wickedly.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Terrify"></a><a href="#t_Terrify" class="indx">Terrify</a>, to frighten.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXXI">XXXI.—Page 139</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Advantages"></a><a href="#t_Advantages" class="indx">Advantages</a>, benefits, gains.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Diligent"></a><a href="#t_Diligent" class="indx">Diligent</a>, industrious, hard-working.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Uninhabited"></a><a href="#t_Uninhabited" class="indx">Uninhabited</a>, having no people living in it.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Presence"></a><a href="#t_Presence" class="indx">Presence</a>, appearance.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Luminous"></a><a href="#t_Luminous" class="indx">Luminous</a>, bright, sparkling.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Enlightenment2"></a><a href="#t_Enlightenment2" class="indx">Enlightenment</a>, knowledge, learning, instruction.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Civilise"></a><a href="#t_Civilise" class="indx">Civilise</a>, to refine, to educate, to bring people to live in a decent +and proper way.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Doctrine"></a><a href="#t_Doctrine" class="indx">Doctrine</a>, teaching, belief, faith.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Structure2"></a><a href="#t_Structure2" class="indx">Structure</a>, a building.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Venerable"></a><a href="#t_Venerable" class="indx">Venerable</a>, old and greatly loved and respected.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Incessant"></a><a href="#t_Incessant" class="indx">Incessant</a>, without ceasing, continual.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Occupation"></a><a href="#t_Occupation" class="indx">Occupation</a>, employment, work.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_His_relative_the_king_of_that_part_of_Scotland"></a><a href="#t_His_relative_the_king_of_that_part_of_Scotland" class="indx">His relative the king of that part of Scotland</a>: the royal families +of Ireland and Scotland were related to each other (see pp. <a href="#Page_5">5</a> +and <a href="#Page_6">6</a>), and Columkille was related to both.</p></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span></p> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXXII">XXXII.—Page 145</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Voluntary"></a><a href="#t_Voluntary" class="indx">Voluntary</a>, by his own choice.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Ben_Edar"></a><a href="#t_Ben_Edar" class="indx">Ben Edar</a>, Howth, near Dublin.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Embarking"></a><a href="#t_Embarking" class="indx">Embarking</a>, going on board ship.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Seniors"></a><a href="#t_Seniors" class="indx">Seniors</a>, elderly persons.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Hospice"></a><a href="#t_Hospice" class="indx">Hospice</a>, the part of a monastery set apart for the entertainment of +travellers.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Intently"></a><a href="#t_Intently" class="indx">Intently</a>, with close attention.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXXIII">XXXIII.—Page 150</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Heptarchy"></a><a href="#t_Heptarchy" class="indx">Heptarchy</a>, means seven kingdoms: for at this time England was +divided into seven parts with a king over each.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Relations"></a><a href="#t_Relations" class="indx">Relations</a>, connexion, friendship.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Diligence"></a><a href="#t_Diligence" class="indx">Diligence</a>, industry, working steadily.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Intimacy"></a><a href="#t_Intimacy" class="indx">Intimacy</a>, close friendship.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Foster-son"></a><a href="#t_Foster-son" class="indx">Foster-son</a>. When a man reared up and educated among his family a boy +belonging to another family, he was the foster-father, and the boy +was his foster-son.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Bondage"></a><a href="#t_Bondage" class="indx">Bondage</a>, slavery.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Restoration"></a><a href="#t_Restoration" class="indx">Restoration</a>, restoring, giving back.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Marauders"></a><a href="#t_Marauders" class="indx">Marauders</a>, robbers, plunderers.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Intercession"></a><a href="#t_Intercession" class="indx">Intercession</a>, pleading for.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Unfettered_of_any"></a><a href="#t_Unfettered_of_any" class="indx">Unfettered of any</a>, not under any other province.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Redundance"></a><a href="#t_Redundance" class="indx">Redundance</a>, more than enough, great plenty.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Historians_recording_truth"></a><a href="#t_Historians_recording_truth" class="indx">Historians recording truth</a>: to record truth is the chief merit of a +historian.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Bulwark"></a><a href="#t_Bulwark" class="indx">Bulwark</a>, a safeguard: "Ireland's bulwark," because Tara was in +Meath.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Sooth"></a><a href="#t_Sooth" class="indx">Sooth</a>, truth.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXXIV">XXXIV.—Page 155</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Directions"></a><a href="#t_Directions" class="indx">Directions</a>, orders, instructions.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Revellers"></a><a href="#t_Revellers" class="indx">Revellers</a>, persons feasting, drinking, and making merry.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Sack"></a><a href="#t_Sack" class="indx">Sack</a>, to plunder and destroy.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXXV">XXXV.—Page 158</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Extraordinary"></a><a href="#t_Extraordinary" class="indx">Extraordinary</a>, very strange, wonderful.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Keel"></a><a href="#t_Keel" class="indx">Keel</a>, the bottom part of a ship or boat.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Astounding"></a><a href="#t_Astounding" class="indx">Astounding</a>, astonishing, wonderful.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Oarstroke_of_the_curragh"></a><a href="#t_Oarstroke_of_the_curragh" class="indx">Oarstroke of the curragh</a>, about 20 feet.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Circumference"></a><a href="#t_Circumference" class="indx">Circumference</a>, the whole round.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Extending"></a><a href="#t_Extending" class="indx">Extending</a>, stretching.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Meshes"></a><a href="#t_Meshes" class="indx">Meshes</a>, the open spaces between the threads of a net.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXXVI">XXXVI.—Page 162</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Reconcile"></a><a href="#t_Reconcile" class="indx">Reconcile</a>, to become friends again, to come back to friendship.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Recognise"></a><a href="#t_Recognise" class="indx">Recognise</a>, to know a thing again.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Prow"></a><a href="#t_Prow" class="indx">Prow</a>, the head or fore part of a ship or boat.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Affliction"></a><a href="#t_Affliction" class="indx">Affliction</a>, trouble and sorrow.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Reception"></a><a href="#t_Reception" class="indx">Reception</a>, receiving or entertaining.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Reveal"></a><a href="#t_Reveal" class="indx">Reveal</a>, to show, to make known.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXXVII">XXXVII.—Page 164</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Liefer"></a><a href="#t_Liefer" class="indx">Liefer</a>, rather.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Let_be_this_purpose"></a><a href="#t_Let_be_this_purpose" class="indx">Let be this purpose</a>, let it lie by, don't attend to it, don't carry +it out: <i>i.e.</i> the purpose of revenge.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_I_let_him_be"></a><a href="#t_I_let_him_be" class="indx">I let him be</a>, I let him alone.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_A_tithe"></a><a href="#t_A_tithe" class="indx">A tithe</a>, a tenth part.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXXVIII">XXXVIII.—Page 167</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Monastic_school"></a><a href="#t_Monastic_school" class="indx">Monastic school</a>, a school kept in a monastery.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Distinguished2"></a><a href="#t_Distinguished2" class="indx">Distinguished</a>, eminent and great.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Pilgrimage"></a><a href="#t_Pilgrimage" class="indx">Pilgrimage</a>, a journey to a place for devotion. Pilgrim, a person who +goes on a pilgrimage.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Determined_will"></a><a href="#t_Determined_will" class="indx">Determined will</a>, allowing nothing to turn them from their purpose.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Relinquish"></a><a href="#t_Relinquish" class="indx">Relinquish</a>, to give up, to abandon.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Luxuries"></a><a href="#t_Luxuries" class="indx">Luxuries</a>, dainties, delicacies.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Peasantry"></a><a href="#t_Peasantry" class="indx">Peasantry</a>, the common country people.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Swerve"></a><a href="#t_Swerve" class="indx">Swerve</a>, to turn away from.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Consecrated"></a><a href="#t_Consecrated" class="indx">Consecrated</a>, made sacred and venerable.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Hermitage"></a><a href="#t_Hermitage" class="indx">Hermitage</a>, a place where a hermit lives.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XXXIX">XXXIX.—Page 170</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Object_of_their_pilgrimage"></a><a href="#t_Object_of_their_pilgrimage" class="indx">Object of their pilgrimage</a>, the place they chiefly came to visit.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Sojourn"></a><a href="#t_Sojourn" class="indx">Sojourn</a>, to dwell, to live in a place.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Revere"></a><a href="#t_Revere" class="indx">Revere</a>, to regard with honour, love, and respect.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Memorial"></a><a href="#t_Memorial" class="indx">Memorial</a>, something that reminds one of past persons or events.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Vehemently"></a><a href="#t_Vehemently" class="indx">Vehemently</a>, very earnestly.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Envied"></a><a href="#t_Envied" class="indx">Envied</a>, people of other nations envied them, or were jealous of +them.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Triumphant"></a><a href="#t_Triumphant" class="indx">Triumphant</a>, gaining victories.</p></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span></p> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XL">XL.—Page 173</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Successfully_cultivated"></a><a href="#t_Successfully_cultivated" class="indx">Successfully cultivated</a>: the Irish people studied and practised +them and made improvements.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Pirates"></a><a href="#t_Pirates" class="indx">Pirates</a>, sea robbers.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Permanently"></a><a href="#t_Permanently" class="indx">Permanently</a>, remaining there always.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Expel"></a><a href="#t_Expel" class="indx">Expel</a>, to drive out.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Sovereignty"></a><a href="#t_Sovereignty" class="indx">Sovereignty</a>, headship, kingship.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Annex"></a><a href="#t_Annex" class="indx">Annex</a>, to join.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Encroaching"></a><a href="#t_Encroaching" class="indx">Encroaching</a>, taking up or advancing on what belongs to another.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Anglo-Irish"></a><a href="#t_Anglo-Irish" class="indx">Anglo-Irish</a>, partly English and partly Irish.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Milesian_stock"></a><a href="#t_Milesian_stock" class="indx">Milesian stock</a>, the descendants of the Milesians (see p. <a href="#Page_2">2</a>).</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XLI">XLI.—Page 179</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Croon"></a><a href="#t_Croon" class="indx">Croon</a>, a continuous murmuring sort of musical sound or song.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Squire"></a><a href="#t_Squire" class="indx">Squire</a>, a gentleman who attended on a knight.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Nier"></a><a href="#t_Nier" class="indx">Nier</a>, a river flowing into the Suir from the Co. Waterford.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Spectrally"></a><a href="#t_Spectrally" class="indx">Spectrally</a>, like a spectre or ghost.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Jack"></a><a href="#t_Jack" class="indx">Jack</a>, a leathern jacket used for armour.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Plumes"></a><a href="#t_Plumes" class="indx">Plumes</a>, the feathers of their helmets.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XLII">XLII.—Page 181</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Claimant"></a><a href="#t_Claimant" class="indx">Claimant</a>, a person laying claim to something.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Contend"></a><a href="#t_Contend" class="indx">Contend</a>, to struggle or fight.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Unimportant"></a><a href="#t_Unimportant" class="indx">Unimportant</a>, trifling, of no consequence.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Remote"></a><a href="#t_Remote" class="indx">Remote</a>, far off, out of the way.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Recognise2"></a><a href="#t_Recognise2" class="indx">Recognise</a>, to know.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Prostrate"></a><a href="#t_Prostrate" class="indx">Prostrate</a>, down on hands and knees.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Barons"></a><a href="#t_Barons" class="indx">Barons</a>, lords.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Ambush"></a><a href="#t_Ambush" class="indx">Ambush</a>, or ambuscade, an unexpected attack from a hiding place.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Reverses"></a><a href="#t_Reverses" class="indx">Reverses</a>, misfortunes.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Surrender"></a><a href="#t_Surrender" class="indx">Surrender</a>, to give up.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Vigilant"></a><a href="#t_Vigilant" class="indx">Vigilant</a>, watchful.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Truce"></a><a href="#t_Truce" class="indx">Truce</a>, an agreement for peace for a while.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Annals"></a><a href="#t_Annals" class="indx">Annals</a>, histories of events as they occurred from year to year.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XLIII">XLIII.—Page 186</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Cahal-More"></a><a href="#t_Cahal-More" class="indx">Cahal-More</a>, Cahal the Great.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Portent"></a><a href="#t_Portent" class="indx">Portent</a>, a prodigy, a fearful sign or omen of evil.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Entranced"></a><a href="#t_Entranced" class="indx">Entranced</a>, in a trance, in a vision.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_A_land_of_morn"></a><a href="#t_A_land_of_morn" class="indx">A land of morn</a>, a bright sunny land.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Lustrous"></a><a href="#t_Lustrous" class="indx">Lustrous</a>, bright, shining with fine crops and flowers.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Resplendent"></a><a href="#t_Resplendent" class="indx">Resplendent</a>, splendid, sunny, bright.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Anon"></a><a href="#t_Anon" class="indx">Anon</a>, immediately, on the spot.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Port_sublime"></a><a href="#t_Port_sublime" class="indx">Port sublime</a>, stately and grand looking.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Him_queried_I"></a><a href="#t_Him_queried_I" class="indx">Him queried I</a>, I asked him.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Golden_time"></a><a href="#t_Golden_time" class="indx">Golden time</a>, a prosperous plentiful time.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Bland"></a><a href="#t_Bland" class="indx">Bland</a>, soft, mild, temperate.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Dome"></a><a href="#t_Dome" class="indx">Dome</a>, a grand building.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_As_by_a_spell"></a><a href="#t_As_by_a_spell" class="indx">As by a spell</a>, as if by magic; it started up suddenly. Remember this +is all in a dream.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Lyres"></a><a href="#t_Lyres" class="indx">Lyres</a>, harps.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Wreathed_swell"></a><a href="#t_Wreathed_swell" class="indx">Wreathèd swell</a>, sounding all together with sweet musical turns and +shakes.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Thrilling"></a><a href="#t_Thrilling" class="indx">Thrilling</a>, moving the feelings and heart.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Aghast"></a><a href="#t_Aghast" class="indx">Aghast</a>, frightened, pale with fear.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Minstrel_group"></a><a href="#t_Minstrel_group" class="indx">Minstrel group</a>, those who had been playing the harps.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Twas_then_the_time"></a><a href="#t_Twas_then_the_time" class="indx">'Twas then the time we were in the days</a>. The poet +means:—"Something dreadful has clearly happened; but how can this +be, since this is the reign of Cahal-More?" He did not know—in +his dream—of Cahal's death.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Fleckt"></a><a href="#t_Fleckt" class="indx">Fleckt</a>, spotted.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Alien_sun"></a><a href="#t_Alien_sun" class="indx">Alien sun</a>, a strange sun: it was of course strange, for it glared +from the <i>north</i>.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Shorn_beams"></a><a href="#t_Shorn_beams" class="indx">Shorn beams</a>, not bright, giving a dull gloomy sort of light.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Skeleton"></a><a href="#t_Skeleton" class="indx">Skeleton</a>: the skeleton of a man, a sign of disaster: the skeleton, +and the blood spots in the sky, and the "alien sun" were some of +the portents.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Castled_Maine"></a><a href="#t_Castled_Maine" class="indx">Castled Maine</a>: there are many castles along its banks.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Teuton"></a><a href="#t_Teuton" class="indx">Teuton</a>, a German.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XLIV">XLIV.—Page 190</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Expedition"></a><a href="#t_Expedition" class="indx">Expedition</a>, an undertaking or journey.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Onslaught2"></a><a href="#t_Onslaught2" class="indx">Onslaught</a>, a violent attack.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Tunic"></a><a href="#t_Tunic" class="indx">Tunic</a>, a loose outer garment.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Dominions"></a><a href="#t_Dominions" class="indx">Dominions</a>, territories.</p></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span></p> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XLV">XLV.—Page 193</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Disdain"></a><a href="#t_Disdain" class="indx">Disdain</a>, to scorn, to hate.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Commendations"></a><a href="#t_Commendations" class="indx">Commendations</a>, praises.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Do_homage"></a><a href="#t_Do_homage" class="indx">Do homage</a>, to yield obedience.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Apprehend"></a><a href="#t_Apprehend" class="indx">Apprehend</a>, to take prisoner.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Devise"></a><a href="#t_Devise" class="indx">Devise</a>, to plan.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Confer"></a><a href="#t_Confer" class="indx">Confer</a>, to take counsel.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Battle-harness"></a><a href="#t_Battle-harness" class="indx">Battle-harness</a>, battle dress with arms.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Apparel"></a><a href="#t_Apparel" class="indx">Apparel</a>, clothes.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Passport"></a><a href="#t_Passport" class="indx">Passport</a>, permission in writing to pass from one country to another.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Subscribe"></a><a href="#t_Subscribe" class="indx">Subscribe</a>, to write one's name.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Servitor"></a><a href="#t_Servitor" class="indx">Servitor</a>, one in the king's service.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Furniture"></a><a href="#t_Furniture" class="indx">Furniture</a>: <i>i.e.</i> the furniture of a ship—oars, sails, cordage, &c.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Ensample"></a><a href="#t_Ensample" class="indx">Ensample</a>, old form of <i>example</i>.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XLVI">XLVI.—Page 197</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Evil_plight"></a><a href="#t_Evil_plight" class="indx">Evil plight</a>, miserable state.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Council"></a><a href="#t_Council" class="indx">Council</a>, a number of men kept by the king to help him with their +advice.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Enterprise"></a><a href="#t_Enterprise" class="indx">Enterprise</a>, an undertaking.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Perilous"></a><a href="#t_Perilous" class="indx">Perilous</a>, dangerous.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Peer"></a><a href="#t_Peer" class="indx">Peer</a>, an equal, a match.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Stalworth"></a><a href="#t_Stalworth" class="indx">Stalworth</a>, strong, stout, brave.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Knightly"></a><a href="#t_Knightly" class="indx">Knightly</a>, like a knight, valiant and stout-hearted.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Seemly"></a><a href="#t_Seemly" class="indx">Seemly</a>, proper, decent.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XLVII">XLVII.—Page 200</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Lists"></a><a href="#t_Lists" class="indx">Lists</a>, the enclosed ground where a single combat was to be fought.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Obeisance"></a><a href="#t_Obeisance" class="indx">Obeisance</a>, courtesy, saluting, bowing to.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Banquet"></a><a href="#t_Banquet" class="indx">Banquet</a>, a feast.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Reverence"></a><a href="#t_Reverence" class="indx">Reverence</a>, great respect.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Deeming"></a><a href="#t_Deeming" class="indx">Deeming</a>, believing, thinking. [Entry copied from XVI.—Page 80.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Intently2"></a><a href="#t_Intently2" class="indx">Intently</a>, with attention, closely.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Grim"></a><a href="#t_Grim" class="indx">Grim</a>, very fierce and angry.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XLVIII">XLVIII.—Page 203</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Baron"></a><a href="#t_Baron" class="indx">Baron</a>, a lord of the lowest rank. The ranks are:—baron, viscount, +earl, marquis, duke.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Independent"></a><a href="#t_Independent" class="indx">Independent</a>, not under the authority of anyone.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Goodly_presence"></a><a href="#t_Goodly_presence" class="indx">Goodly presence</a>, a noble or fine appearance.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Appease"></a><a href="#t_Appease" class="indx">Appease</a>, to pacify.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Hobby"></a><a href="#t_Hobby" class="indx">Hobby</a>, a middle-sized horse of Irish breed, much valued.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Adversary"></a><a href="#t_Adversary" class="indx">Adversary</a>, an opponent, an enemy.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Discord"></a><a href="#t_Discord" class="indx">Discord</a>, disagreement, quarrelling.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Jars"></a><a href="#t_Jars" class="indx">Jars</a>, wrangles, quarrels.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Chapter_house"></a><a href="#t_Chapter_house" class="indx">Chapter house</a>, a house or room in a cathedral where the clergy meet.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Trice"></a><a href="#t_Trice" class="indx">Trice</a>, a very short time, as long as one would take to count three.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Outface"></a><a href="#t_Outface" class="indx">Outface</a>, to dare him up to his face.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Green_wound"></a><a href="#t_Green_wound" class="indx">Green wound</a>, a fresh wound.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Devise2"></a><a href="#t_Devise2" class="indx">Devise</a>, to plan.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Bungerlie"></a><a href="#t_Bungerlie" class="indx">Bungerlie</a>, in a bungling manner.</p></div> + +<p class="head"><a href="#XLIX">XLIX.—Page 208</a>.</p> + +<div class="notes"><p class="index"><a id="idx_Cultivate"></a><a href="#t_Cultivate" class="indx">Cultivate</a>, to study, practise, and improve.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Colonists"></a><a href="#t_Colonists" class="indx">Colonists</a>, persons who leave their native land and settle in some +distant country.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Dirge"></a><a href="#t_Dirge" class="indx">Dirge</a>, a mournful or funeral song.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Dialogue"></a><a href="#t_Dialogue" class="indx">Dialogue</a>, two people speaking in turn, conversation between two.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Interrupt"></a><a href="#t_Interrupt" class="indx">Interrupt</a>, to stop for a time.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Placid"></a><a href="#t_Placid" class="indx">Placid</a>, quiet, gentle, peaceful.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Resume"></a><a href="#t_Resume" class="indx">Resume</a>, to take up again.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Clansmen"></a><a href="#t_Clansmen" class="indx">Clansmen</a>, the men belonging to a clan.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_National_music"></a><a href="#t_National_music" class="indx">National music</a>, music that has grown up gradually among the people +of a country.</p> + +<p class="index"><a id="idx_Originally"></a><a href="#t_Originally" class="indx">Originally</a>, in the beginning.</p></div> + +<p class="center"><br /><br />THE END.</p> +<hr class="chap" /> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> It is necessary to know the substance of this first sketch in order +to understand the rest of the book.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Inisfail, one of the old names of Ireland.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> Miled, pronounced <i>Mee-lĕ</i> (two syllables).</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> The Anglo-Norman Invasion will be found described at page <a href="#Page_175">175</a>.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> Demons of the air were evil spirits who were supposed to live, +not in underground places like fairies, but in the air. They were +very much dreaded and hated.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> Among the ancient Irish Romantic Tales, three are specially +known as "The Three Sorrowful Stories of Erin," viz. "The +Fate of the Children of Lir," "The Fate of the Sons of Turenn," +both of which relate to the Dedannans; and "The Fate of the +Sons of Usna," referring to the Milesian people. The greater part +of the "Children of Lir" and the whole of the "Sons of Usna" are +given in this book, translated from the Gaelic. "The Fate of the +Sons of Turenn" is translated in full in "Old Celtic Romances."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> Lake Darvra, now Lough Derravaragh, in Westmeath.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> The sea between Erin and Alban (Ireland and Scotland) was +anciently called the Sea of Moyle, from the Moyle, or Mull, of +Cantire.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> Inish Glora; a small island, about five miles west from Belmullet, +in the county Mayo, still known by the same name.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_10"><span class="label">[10]</span></a> The Taillkenn, a name given by the druids to St. Patrick.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_11"><span class="label">[11]</span></a> Three hundred years: the Dedannans were regarded as gods +and lived an immensely long time.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_12"></a><a href="#FNanchor_12"><span class="label">[12]</span></a> Carricknarone, the "Rock of the Seals": probably the Skerry +rock near Portrush in Antrim: but the old name is now forgotten.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_13"></a><a href="#FNanchor_13"><span class="label">[13]</span></a> Short Irish poems often began and ended in the same words, as +seen in the above translation.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_14"></a><a href="#FNanchor_14"><span class="label">[14]</span></a> In Ireland, in old times, the dead were often buried standing up +in the grave. It was in this way Finola and her brothers were +buried.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_15"></a><a href="#FNanchor_15"><span class="label">[15]</span></a> Ogham, a sort of writing often used on tombstones to mark the +names of the persons buried. It consisted of lines and points +generally cut on the edges of the stone.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_16"></a><a href="#FNanchor_16"><span class="label">[16]</span></a> Clonard, in Meath, on the Boyne. Bangor, in the Co. Down.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_17"></a><a href="#FNanchor_17"><span class="label">[17]</span></a> St. Augustine came to England in the year 596—having been +sent by Pope Gregory—and converted to Christianity those of the +English who had not been already converted.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_18"></a><a href="#FNanchor_18"><span class="label">[18]</span></a> Quelna or Cooley, the ancient name of the hilly peninsula lying +between the bays of Carlingford and Dundalk: the name Cooley is +still retained.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_19"></a><a href="#FNanchor_19"><span class="label">[19]</span></a> The translation that follows is quite new, and is now published +for the first time. On this fine story is founded the poem of +"Deirdre" by Robert Dwyer Joyce, M.D.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_20"></a><a href="#FNanchor_20"><span class="label">[20]</span></a> Ulaid (pron. <i>Ulla</i>), Ulster.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_21"></a><a href="#FNanchor_21"><span class="label">[21]</span></a> The druids professed to be able to foretell by observing the stars +and clouds.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_22"></a><a href="#FNanchor_22"><span class="label">[22]</span></a> "Deirdre" is said to mean "alarm."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_23"></a><a href="#FNanchor_23"><span class="label">[23]</span></a> That is 1665. This inverted method of enumeration was often +used in Ireland. But they also used direct enumeration like ours.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_24"></a><a href="#FNanchor_24"><span class="label">[24]</span></a> This and the other places named in Deirdre's Farewell are all in +the west of Scotland.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_25"></a><a href="#FNanchor_25"><span class="label">[25]</span></a> Irish name <i>Drum-Sailech</i>; the ridge on which Armagh was +afterwards built.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_26"></a><a href="#FNanchor_26"><span class="label">[26]</span></a> These champions, as well as their wives, took care never to +show any signs of fear or alarm even in the time of greatest danger: +so Naisi and Deirdre kept playing quietly as if nothing was going +on outside, though they heard the din of battle resounding.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_27"></a><a href="#FNanchor_27"><span class="label">[27]</span></a> The "Three <i>Tonns</i> or Waves of Erin" were the Wave of +Tuath outside the mouth of the river Bann, off the coast of Derry; +the Wave of Rury in Dundrum Bay, off the county Down; and the +Wave of Cleena in Glandore Harbour in the south of Cork. In +stormy weather, when the wind blows from certain directions, the sea +at those places, as it tumbles over the sandbanks, or among the caves +and <a id="t_Fissure"></a><a href="#idx_Fissure" class="indx">fissures</a> of the rocks, utters a loud and <a id="t_Solemn"></a><a href="#idx_Solemn" class="indx">solemn</a> roar, which in +old times was believed to forebode the death of some king. +</p><p> +The legends also tell that the shield belonging to a king moaned +when the person who wore it in battle—whether the king himself +or a member of his family—was in danger of death: the moan was +heard all over Ireland; and the "Three Waves of Erin" roared in +<a id="t_Response"></a><a href="#idx_Response" class="indx">response</a>. See "Irish Names of Places," Vol. II., Chap. XVI.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_28"></a><a href="#FNanchor_28"><span class="label">[28]</span></a> Slieve Cullinn, now Slieve Gullion mountain in Armagh.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_29"></a><a href="#FNanchor_29"><span class="label">[29]</span></a> The Red Branch Knights were all pagans; and besides, what +they meant here by revenge was merely punishment for a great +crime.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_30"></a><a href="#FNanchor_30"><span class="label">[30]</span></a> The Brehon Law: that is, the old law of Ireland.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_31"></a><a href="#FNanchor_31"><span class="label">[31]</span></a> Van Helmont.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_32"></a><a href="#FNanchor_32"><span class="label">[32]</span></a> Fena, spelled <i>Fianna</i> in Irish, and pronounced <i>Feena</i>.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_33"></a><a href="#FNanchor_33"><span class="label">[33]</span></a> The above account of how the Fena hunted, cooked, ate, and +slept is from <a id="t_Keating"></a><a href="#idx_Keating" class="indx">Keating</a>, who took it from old Irish books.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_34"></a><a href="#FNanchor_34"><span class="label">[34]</span></a> "The Pursuit of the Gilla Dacker and his horse" is a <a id="t_Humorous"></a><a href="#idx_Humorous" class="indx">humorous</a> +story, of which only a few incidents are given here. The Gilla +Dacker was really Mannanan Mac Lir, the Pagan Irish sea-god, +who came in disguise to play a trick—a sort of practical joke—on +the Fena. The whole story is given in "Old Celtic Romances."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_35"></a><a href="#FNanchor_35"><span class="label">[35]</span></a> Knockainey: a hill celebrated in story, rising over the village of +Knockainey, in the Co. Limerick.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_36"></a><a href="#FNanchor_36"><span class="label">[36]</span></a> Fomor, a gigantic warrior, a giant: its real meaning is "a sea-robber," +commonly called a Fomorian.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_37"></a><a href="#FNanchor_37"><span class="label">[37]</span></a> Gilla Dacker means "a slothful fellow"—a fellow hard to +move, hard to manage, hard to have anything to do with.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_38"></a><a href="#FNanchor_38"><span class="label">[38]</span></a> The ancient Irish used drinking vessels of various forms and +with several names. A "Drinking-horn" (called a <i>corn</i>: pronounced +<i>curn</i>) was usually made of a bullock's horn, hollowed out, cut into +shape, and often highly ornamented with silver rim, precious stones, +carvings, and other <a id="t_Decoration"></a><a href="#idx_Decoration" class="indx">decorations</a>. A beautiful drinking-horn will be +found figured in the "Child's History of Ireland," p. 26. Another +kind of drinking vessel—the mether—has been already noticed here +(page <a href="#Page_17">17</a> above).</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_39"></a><a href="#FNanchor_39"><span class="label">[39]</span></a> In books he is often called Columba; but in Ireland he is best +known by the name Columkille. This is derived from <i>colum</i> [pron. +<i>collum</i>] a dove, and <i>cill</i>, or <i>kill</i>, a church: the "Dove of the church." +This name was given him when a boy from his gentle, affectionate +disposition, and because he was so fond of praying in the little church +of Tullydouglas, near where he was born: so that the little boys +who were accustomed to play with him used often to ask: "Has +our little <i>Colum</i> yet come from the church?" +</p><p> +The sketch given here is taken chiefly, but not altogether, from +Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba." Adamnan was a native of Tirconnell +or Donegal, like Columba himself. He died in the year +703. He was the ninth abbot of Iona, of which Columba was the +first. His "Life of St. Columba" is a very beautiful piece of Latin +composition.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_40"></a><a href="#FNanchor_40"><span class="label">[40]</span></a> Glastonbury, a town in Somersetshire, in England, where in old +times there was a celebrated monastery, much reported to by Irish +students.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_41"></a><a href="#FNanchor_41"><span class="label">[41]</span></a> This simple and beautiful narrative of the last days of St. +Columkille, including the two pleasing little stories about the crane +and the old white horse, with the affecting account of the saint's +death, is taken altogether from Adamnan's Life. The circumstances +of Columkille's death are, in some respects, very like those attending +the death of the Venerable Bede, as recorded in the tender and +loving letter of his pupil, the monk Cuthbert. But Adamnan's +narrative was written more than forty years before that of Cuthbert. +</p><p> +Baithen was St. Columkille's first cousin and his most beloved +disciple, and succeeded him as abbot of Iona.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_42"></a><a href="#FNanchor_42"><span class="label">[42]</span></a> This Alfred must be distinguished from Alfred the Great who +lived two centuries later.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_43"></a><a href="#FNanchor_43"><span class="label">[43]</span></a> Meath, one of the five Kingdoms into which Ireland was divided. +Ben-Edar, the old name of Howth, near Dublin.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_44"></a><a href="#FNanchor_44"><span class="label">[44]</span></a> It was translated very exactly into prose in 1832 by the great +Irish scholar Dr. John O'Donovan: the Irish poet James Clarence +Mangan turned this prose with very little change into verse, part +of which is given here.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_45"></a><a href="#FNanchor_45"><span class="label">[45]</span></a> Cruachan or Croghan in the north of the present Co. Roscommon, +the ancient palace of the kings of Connaught: see page <a href="#Page_52">52</a>.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_46"></a><a href="#FNanchor_46"><span class="label">[46]</span></a> Slewmargy, now Slievemargy, a low range of hills in Queen's +County.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_47"></a><a href="#FNanchor_47"><span class="label">[47]</span></a> Only a few of his adventures are given here: but the whole +story of the voyage is in "Old Celtic Romances": see page <a href="#Page_164">164</a>, +farther on.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_48"></a><a href="#FNanchor_48"><span class="label">[48]</span></a> Thomond, North Munster, namely the present county Clare +and parts of Tipperary and Limerick.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_49"></a><a href="#FNanchor_49"><span class="label">[49]</span></a> Curragh, a boat made of basket or wicker work, covered with +hides. Curraghs were generally small and light: but some, intended +for long voyages, were large and strong, and covered with +two, or three, layers of hide one outside another. Sometimes the +hides were tanned into leather to give additional strength.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_50"></a><a href="#FNanchor_50"><span class="label">[50]</span></a> For the Book of the Dun Cow and the Yellow Book of Lecan, +see p. <a href="#Page_118">118</a>.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_51"></a><a href="#FNanchor_51"><span class="label">[51]</span></a> St. Brendan of Clonfert in Kerry, commonly called Brendan the +Navigator: born in Kerry in 484. He sailed from near Brandon +mountain in Kerry (which is named from him) on his celebrated +voyage of seven years on the Atlantic, in which it is related he saw +many wonderful things—quite as wonderful as those of Maildune.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_52"></a><a href="#FNanchor_52"><span class="label">[52]</span></a> The Isle of Finn: i.e. of Finn Mac Cumaill: Ireland (see p. <a href="#Page_92">92</a>).</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_53"></a><a href="#FNanchor_53"><span class="label">[53]</span></a> Fiesole in Tuscany, Italy: pronounced in four syllables: Fee-ess'-o-lĕ.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_54"></a><a href="#FNanchor_54"><span class="label">[54]</span></a> In the "Child's History of Ireland" there is a picture of the +round tower and church ruins on this little island.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_55"></a><a href="#FNanchor_55"><span class="label">[55]</span></a> <i>I.e.</i> enrolled in books under the name of Scotia. The natives +always called it Erin.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_56"></a><a href="#FNanchor_56"><span class="label">[56]</span></a> Ireland had mines of gold in old times; and silver was also +found. Great numbers of Irish gold ornaments, found from time to +time in the earth, are now preserved in Museums.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_57"></a><a href="#FNanchor_57"><span class="label">[57]</span></a> Pearls were then found in many Irish rivers; as they are, +sometimes, to this day.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_58"></a><a href="#FNanchor_58"><span class="label">[58]</span></a> The Venerable Bede, a great English historian, writing in the eighth +century, calls Ireland "a land flowing with milk and honey."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_59"></a><a href="#FNanchor_59"><span class="label">[59]</span></a> Ireland was noted for the plenty and goodness of its wool.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_60"></a><a href="#FNanchor_60"><span class="label">[60]</span></a> Ireland had great warriors, and many learned men and skilful +artists (see pp. <a href="#Page_20">20</a>, <a href="#Page_47">47</a>, and <a href="#Page_117">117</a>).</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_61"></a><a href="#FNanchor_61"><span class="label">[61]</span></a> There are no venomous reptiles in Ireland. There were then no +frogs: but these were afterwards introduced from England.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_62"></a><a href="#FNanchor_62"><span class="label">[62]</span></a> Cong in Mayo, between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask; the +remains of an abbey are there still.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_63"></a><a href="#FNanchor_63"><span class="label">[63]</span></a> Knockmoy in Galway, six miles from Tuam: the ruins of the +abbey still remain.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_64"></a><a href="#FNanchor_64"><span class="label">[64]</span></a> Mangan wrote many poetical translations from the Irish, as well +as from the German and other languages. The "Vision of Connaught" +is, however, an original poem, not a translation.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_65"></a><a href="#FNanchor_65"><span class="label">[65]</span></a> Irish, <i>Ceann</i> [can], meaning 'head,' one of the Gaelic titles for a +chief.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_66"></a><a href="#FNanchor_66"><span class="label">[66]</span></a> Prince Arthur, the rightful heir to the English throne, was cast +into prison by John: he was soon after murdered, which, it was +believed, was done by John's orders.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_67"></a><a href="#FNanchor_67"><span class="label">[67]</span></a> At this time the kings of England had a large territory in France +so that quarrels often arose between them and the French kings.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_68"></a><a href="#FNanchor_68"><span class="label">[68]</span></a> A further account of the Great Earl, and of some of his proceedings, +will be found in the "Child's History of Ireland."</p></div> +</div> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<div class="notebox"> +<h2><a id="TN"></a>Transcriber's Notes:</h2> + +<p>The following corrections have been made to the text:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p class="corr">Page 5, second line from bottom: named Fergus,[missing comma added] +Angus, and Lorne.</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 8, last line: sun and moon.[missing period added]</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 13, description of illustration on the right: size of the +picture.[missing period added]</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 16, line 1: and not nearly so good[original has goo]</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 17, last line: There was then no whiskey.[missing period added]</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 28, last line: My heart shall know one peaceful hour.[missing +period added]</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 31, line 9: The cold and briny spray.[missing period added]</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 49, line 3 of illustration caption: are in the National +Museum,[missing comma added]</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 64, fifth line from bottom: three drops of honey in their +beaks,[missing comma added]</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 65, line 1: "It denotes the message from Concobar to us,"[close +quote added]</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 65, last line: "[open quote added]even though my sway should be +greater here."</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 67, line 9: "[open quote added]Kil-Cuan, O Kil-Cuan,</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 68, second line from bottom: "[original has ']Here I have a +three-days banquet ready for thee, and I invite thee to come and +partake of it."</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 69, fourth line from bottom: accustomed to defend +ourselves!"[original has ']</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 70, line 14: "[original has ']Why didst thou tarry, my +princess?"</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 82, line 16: "[open quote added]Three generous heroes of the +Red Branch,</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 90, sixth line from bottom: More especially I[missing 'I' +added] charge them that they do their duty devotedly</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 94, line 15: never using horses in the chase.[original has ,]</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 94, line 22: beside a stream or lake.[original has ,]</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 94, last line: next another layer of hot stones:[colon added]</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 107, line 11: accounts of her life[original has Life] we are +told</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 108, caption for illustration: ten miles from[original has rom] +Cork city.</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 113, last line: ages of darkness and storm."[original has ']</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 132, seventh line from bottom: "[original has ']Surely, Dermot +O'Dyna,</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 158, line 2: "Heaven has guided our ship to this place.[missing +period added]</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 163, seventh line from bottom: remained here for some +days,[missing comma added]</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 164, chapter title: TENNYSON'S "VOYAGE OF MAILDUNE."[original +has ']</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 164, line 13: "[original has ']The Voyage of Maildune."</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 177, line 3: and they built splendid abbeys,[missing comma +added] churches,</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 210, line 2: in every part of Ireland.[missing period added]</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 210, line 6: i.e., laments, or dirges.[missing period added]</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 213, seventh entry under 'IV.—Page 14.': Establishment, the +whole house, and[original has an] all belonging to it.</p> + +<p class="corr">Page 218, third entry under 'XXXIV.—Page 155.': Sack, to plunder and +destroy[original has distroy].</p> +</div> + +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A Reading Book in Irish History, by P. 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Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..dfc97ff --- /dev/null +++ b/33439-h/images/i_212-s.png diff --git a/33439.txt b/33439.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7a6696e --- /dev/null +++ b/33439.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7270 @@ +Project Gutenberg's A Reading Book in Irish History, by P. W. Joyce + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Reading Book in Irish History + +Author: P. W. Joyce + +Release Date: August 15, 2010 [EBook #33439] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A READING BOOK IN IRISH HISTORY *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Asad Razzaki, The Internet Archive +for some images and the Online Distributed Proofreading +Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +Transcriber's note: + + Some typographical and punctuation errors have been + corrected. A complete list follows the text. + + Variations in spelling and hyphenation have been + retained as in the original. + + Words italicized in the original are surrounded by + _underscores_. + + Words with bold emphasis in the original are surrounded + by =equals signs=. + + + + + A READING BOOK + IN + IRISH HISTORY + + BY + + P. W. JOYCE, LL.D. + + _One of the Commissioners for the Publication of + the Ancient Laws of Ireland_ + + Author of + + "A SHORT HISTORY OF IRELAND" "A CHILD'S HISTORY OF IRELAND" + "IRISH NAMES OF PLACES," "OLD CELTIC ROMANCES" + "ANCIENT IRISH MUSIC" + AND OTHER WORKS RELATING TO IRELAND + + LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. + + LONDON, NEW YORK, AND BOMBAY + + DUBLIN: M. H. GILL AND SON + 1900 + + [_All rights reserved_] + + + + +PREFACE. + + +As this little book is intended chiefly for children, the language is +very simple. But to make matters still easier, all words and allusions +presenting the smallest difficulty are explained either in footnotes or +in the "Notes and Explanations" at the end. + +Advantage has been taken of the descriptions under the several +Illustrations to give a good deal of information on the customs and +usages of the ancient Irish people. + +Although the book has been written for children, it will be found, I +hope, sufficiently interesting and instructive for the perusal of older +persons. + +The book, as will be seen, contains a mixture of Irish History, +Biography, and Romance; and most of the pieces appear in their present +form now for the first time. A knowledge of the History of the country +is conveyed, partly in special Historical Sketches, partly in the Notes +under the Illustrations, and partly through the Biography of important +personages, who flourished at various periods from St. Brigit down to +the Great Earl of Kildare. And besides this, the Stories, like those of +all other ancient nations, teach History of another kind, very important +in its own way. + +Ancient Irish Manuscript books contain great numbers of Historical and +Romantic Tales; and the specimens given here in translation will, I am +confident, give the reader a very favourable impression of old Irish +writings of this class. + + * * * * * + +I make the following acknowledgments of assistance, with pleasure and +thanks:-- + +To the Council of the Royal Irish Academy I am indebted for the use of +the blocks of many Illustrations in Wilde's "Catalogue of Irish +Antiquities." + +I owe to the Council of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland +several Illustrations from their Journal. + +Colonel Wood-Martin has given me the use of the blocks of several of the +Illustrations in his "Pagan Ireland." + +Lord Walter FitzGerald has given me permission to reproduce the drawing +of the old Chapter House door in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, from +the "Journal of the Kildare ArchA|ological Society." + +And lastly, Messrs. Macmillan & Co. have permitted me to print portions +of Lord Tennyson's poem, "The Voyage of Maildune." + + + + +CONTENTS. + + PAGE + + I. Legends and Early History, 1 + + II. The Song of Inisfail, 7 + + III. Religion of the Pagan Irish, 8 + + IV. Customs and Modes of Life, 14 + + =The Fate of the Children of Lir.= + + V. The Children of Lir turned to + Swans, 22 + + VI. The Swans on Lake Darvra, 27 + + VII. The Swans on the Sea of Moyle, 32 + + VIII. Death of the Children of Lir, 39 + + IX. Religion and Learning in + Ancient Ireland, 45 + + X. The Red Branch Knights, 50 + + =The Fate of the Sons of Usna.= + + XI. The Flight to Alban, 55 + + XII. Concobar's guileful Message, 60 + + XIII. The Return to Emain, 66 + + XIV. Trouble Looming, 72 + + XV. The Attack on the Sons of + Usna, 75 + + XVI. Death of the Sons of Usna, 80 + + XVII. Avenging and Bright, 84 + + XVIII. The Wrath of Fergus, 85 + + XIX. Ancient Irish Physicians: I. 87 + + XX. Ancient Irish Physicians: II. 89 + + XXI. The Fena of Erin, 92 + + XXII. The Chase of Slieve Cullin, 98 + + XXIII. Saint Brigit: I., 103 + + XXIV. Saint Brigit: II., 107 + + XXV. Saint Brigit: III., 111 + + XXVI. Irish Scribes and Books, 114 + + XXVII. The Gilla Dacker and his + Horse, 120 + + XXVIII. The Fena carried off by the + Horse, 123 + + XXIX. Dermot O'Dyna at the Well, 129 + + XXX. Dermot and the + Wizard-Champion, 132 + + XXXI. Saint Columkille: I., 139 + + XXXII. Saint Columkille: II., 145 + + XXXIII. Prince Alfred in Ireland, 150 + + =The Voyage of Maildune.= + + XXXIV. The Voyage of Maildune, 155 + + The First Island, 157 + + XXXV. An Extraordinary Monster, 160 + + The Silver Pillar of the Sea 160 + + XXXVI. Maildune forgives his enemy, 162 + + XXXVII. Tennyson's "Voyage of + Maildune," 164 + + XXXVIII. Saint Donatus: I., 167 + + XXXIX. Saint Donatus: II., 170 + + XL. Danish and Anglo-Norman + Invasions, 173 + + XLI. The Watchfire of Barnalee, 179 + + XLII. Cahal O'Conor of the Red Hand, 181 + + XLIII. Cahal-More of the Wine-red + hand, 186 + + XLIV. Sir John de Courcy, 190 + + XLV. Sir John de Courcy imprisoned, 193 + + XLVI. Sir John de Courcy accepts + a challenge, 197 + + XLVII. Sir John de Courcy and the + French Champion, 200 + + XLVIII. The Earls of Kildare and + Ormond, 203 + + XLIX. Ancient Irish Music, 208 + + Notes and Explanations, 213 + +[Illustration: Ornament from the Book of Kells. See page 117.] + + + + +I. + +LEGENDS AND EARLY HISTORY.[1-1] + + +In our ancient books there are stories of five different races of people +who made their way to Ireland in old times, with very exact accounts of +their wanderings before their arrival, and of the battles they fought +after landing. But these narratives cannot be depended on, for they are +not real History but Legends, that is stories either wholly or partly +fabulous. Of the five early races, the two last, who were called +Dedannans and Milesians, were the most remarkable; and they are mixed up +with most of the old Irish tales. + + [1-1] It is necessary to know the substance of this first sketch in + order to understand the rest of the book. + +The Dedannans, coming from Greece, landed in Ireland; and having +overcome the people they found there, became masters of the country. +They had the name of being great magicians; and ancient Irish writings +are full of tales of the marvellous spells of their skilled wizards. +They remained in possession for about two hundred years, till the +Milesians came, as will now be related. + +For many generations the Milesians, before their arrival in Ireland, +journeyed from one part of Europe to another, seeking for some place of +settlement. And becoming at length weary of this state of unrest, they +consulted their chief druid, who was a skilful seer, and bade him find +out for them when they were to end their wanderings, and where they were +to settle down. The druid, having thought the matter over for a while, +told them that far out on the verge of the western sea was a lovely +green island called Inisfail,[2-1] or the Island of Destiny, which was +to be their final home and resting-place. So they set out once more, and +fared on from land to land, keeping the Isle of Destiny ever in mind, +thinking of it by day and dreaming of it by night. At last they arrived +in Spain, where they lived for a time. Here they were under the command +of the renowned hero "Miled of Spain,"[2-2] or Milesius, from whom they +came to be called Milesians. + + [2-1] Inisfail, one of the old names of Ireland. + + [2-2] Miled, pronounced _Mee-lAe•_ (two syllables). + +Some old Irish writers say that while they dwelt in Spain, their chiefs, +as they gazed wistfully over the waters northwards, one clear winter's +night, from the top of a tower at the place now called Corunna, saw +Inisfail like a dim white cloud on the sea, in the far distance. +However this may be, the eight sons of Milesius, after their father's +death--many centuries before the Christian era--set sail with a fleet, +and soon arrived on the coast of Ireland. But before they could land, +the Dedannans, by their spells, raised a furious tempest, which wrecked +the fleet and drowned five of the brothers with most of their crews. The +remaining three landed with their men; and having defeated the Dedannans +in battle, they took possession of Ireland. + +[Illustration: A fairy hill: an earthen mound at Highwood, near Lough +Arrow, in Co. Sligo. A fairy moat is also figured at page 15, and a +cairn at page 97.] + +When the Dedannans found that they were no longer able to hold the +country, the legend tells us that they retired to secret dwellings under +old forts, moats, cairns, and beautiful green little hills: and they +became fairies, and built themselves glorious palaces in their new +underground abodes, all ablaze with light, and glittering with gems and +gold. + +From that period forward, till the time of the Danes, there were no more +invasions; and the Milesian kings and people were left to make their own +laws and manage the country as they thought best, without any +interference from outside. + +In the History of Ireland from the settlement of the Milesian Colony +down to the time of St. Patrick, that is, to the fifth century of the +Christian Era, there is a mixture of legend and fact; and it is often +hard to disentangle them, so as to tell which is truth and which is +fable. As we advance, the truth and certainty increase, and the legend +grows less, till we arrive near the time of St. Patrick. From about this +period forward, we are able to tell the main history of the country +without any mixture of fable. + +For a long time in the beginning the Irish people were all pagans; and +the kind of religion they had will be presently described. + +As early as the third or fourth century--long before St. Patrick's +arrival--there were some Christians in Ireland; and it is believed that +the knowledge of Christianity was brought to them from Britain: but on +this point there is no certainty. Their numbers gradually increased as +time went on; and when St. Patrick arrived he found some small Christian +congregations scattered here and there through the country. But the main +body of the people were pagans; and to St. Patrick belongs the glory of +converting them. The history of his life-work need not be told here, as +it will be found set forth in one of the Chapters of the "Child's +History of Ireland." It is enough to say that he arrived in the year +A.D. 432, with many companions to aid him; and that after thirty-three +years of constant toil, he died in 465, leaving the great body of the +people Christians, and the country covered with churches. St. Patrick +was a man of strong will, of great courage--fearing no danger while +doing his Master's work--and possessing mighty power over those he mixed +with and addressed. He was more successful than any other missionary +after the time of the Apostles. + +Some years before St. Patrick's arrival, a great king ruled over Ireland +(from 379 to 405) called Niall of the Nine Hostages. From him were +descended most of the kings who reigned over Ireland after his time till +the Anglo-Norman Invasion.[5-1] + + [5-1] The Anglo-Norman Invasion will be found described at page 175. + +From the earliest ages the Irish of Ulster were in the habit of crossing +the narrow sea to Alban or Scotland, which can be seen plainly from the +sea-cliffs of Antrim; and many settled there and made it their home. In +the year 503, nearly forty years after St. Patrick's death, a great +colony of Irish--men, women, and children--crossed over, commanded by +three princes, brothers, named Fergus, Angus, and Lorne. In course of +time the posterity of these people mastered all Scotland; and from +Fergus, who was their first king, the kings of Scotland were descended. +At that time Ireland was generally known by the name of Scotia, and the +Irish were called Scots; and from them Alban got the name of Scotland. + +[Illustration: Stone Hammers, used when metal was still scarce, or not +known at all. A wooden handle was fixed in the hole. Iron was known in +Ireland from the beginning of the Christian era, and gold, silver, +copper, and bronze, long before it.] + +In old times there were five provinces in Ireland:--Leinster, Ulster, +Connaught, Munster, and Meath. Meath, which stretched from the Shannon +eastwards to the sea, and from Kildare on the south to Armagh on the +north, was about half the size of Ulster. It was the last formed of the +five, and later on it disappeared as a province altogether. The present +counties of Meath and Westmeath occupy only about half of it. In those +times, the county Louth belonged to Ulster, and Cavan and Clare to +Connaught. + +There was a king over each of the five provinces, and over these again +was a king of all Ireland, called the Over-king or head king. The kings +of Ireland had their chief palace on the Hill of Tara in Meath; where +many of the forts and other remains of the old buildings are still to be +seen. But Tara was deserted as a royal residence in the sixth century, +after which the kings of Ireland lived elsewhere. + + + + +II. + +THE SONG OF INISFAIL. + + +I. + + They came from a land beyond the sea, + And now o'er the western main, + Set sail, in their good ships, gallantly, + From the sunny land of Spain. + "Oh, where's the Isle we've seen in dreams, + Our destined home or grave?"-- + Thus sung they, as by the morning's beams + They swept the Atlantic wave. + + +II. + + And lo, where afar o'er ocean shines + A sparkle of radiant green, + As though in that deep lay em'rald mines, + Whose light through the wave was seen. + "'Tis Inisfail--'tis Inisfail!" + Rings o'er the echoing sea, + While, bending to Heav'n, the warriors hail + That home of the brave and free. + + +III. + + Then turn'd they unto the Eastern wave, + Where now their Day-God's eye + A look of such sunny omen gave + As lighted up sea and sky. + Nor frown was seen through sky or sea, + Nor tear on leaf or sod, + When first on their Isle of Destiny + Our great forefathers trod. + +THOMAS MOORE. + + + + +III. + +THE RELIGION OF THE PAGAN IRISH. + + +So far as we are able to judge from our old writings, the pagan Irish +had no one religion common to all the people, and no settled general +form of worship. They had many gods; and it would appear that every +person chose whatever god he pleased for himself. Some worshipped idols; +and we read of certain persons who had spring wells for gods: while some +again adored fire, and others the sun and moon. The people also +worshipped the _shee_ or fairies, who were supposed to live in grand +palaces underground, as described at page 3. The persons who taught the +people all about these gods were the Druids, who were the learned men of +those times. They were believed to be wizards, and some think that they +were pagan priests. + +The pagan Irish had a dim notion of a sort of heaven, a happy land of +perpetual youth and peace. It was believed that there were many happy +lands in different places, which were called by various names, such as +Moy-Mell, I-Brazil, and Tirnanoge. Some were out in the Atlantic Ocean, +off the western coast, while others were down deep beneath lakes, and +some in caves under forts or cairns. They were all inhabited by fairies, +who sometimes carried off mortals: and those whom they brought away +hardly ever came back. A fairy who wished to allure a mortal often +chanted a sort of magical song called an incantation, which exercised a +spell over the person that listened to it. + +There is a pretty story, more than a thousand years old, in the Book of +the Dun Cow, which relates how Prince Connla of the Golden Hair, son of +the great king Conn the Hundred-Fighter, was carried off by a fairy from +the western shore in a crystal boat to Moy-Mell. One day--as the story +relates--while the king and Connla and many nobles were standing on the +sea-shore, a boat of shining crystal approached from the west: and when +it had touched the land, a fairy, like a human being, and richly +dressed, came forth from it, and, addressing Connla, tried to entice him +into it. No one saw this strange being save Connla alone, though all +heard the conversation: and the king and the nobles marvelled, and were +greatly troubled. At last the fairy chanted the following words in a +very sweet voice: and the moment the chant was ended, the poor young +prince stepped into the crystal boat, which in a moment glided swiftly +away to the west: and prince Connla was never again seen in his native +land. + + +THE CHANT OF THE FAIRY TO CONNLA OF THE GOLDEN HAIR. + + +I. + + A land of youth, a land of rest, + A land from sorrow free; + It lies far off in the golden west, + On the verge of the azure sea. + A swift canoe of crystal bright, + That never met mortal view-- + We shall reach the land ere fall of night, + In that strong and swift canoe: + We shall reach the strand + Of that sunny land + From druids and demons free; + The land of rest, + In the golden west, + On the verge of the azure sea! + + +II. + + A pleasant land of winding vales, bright streams, and verdurous + plains, + Where summer, all the live-long year, in changeless splendour + reigns; + A peaceful land of calm delight, of everlasting bloom; + Old age and death we never know, no sickness, care, or gloom; + + The land of youth, + Of love and truth, + From pain and sorrow free; + The land of rest, + In the golden west, + On the verge of the azure sea! + + +III. + + There are strange delights for mortal men in that island of the west; + The sun comes down each evening in its lovely vales to rest: + + And though far and dim + On the ocean's rim + It seems to mortal view, + We shall reach its halls + Ere the evening falls, + In my strong and swift canoe; + And ever more + That verdant shore + Our happy home shall he; + The land of rest, + In the golden west, + On the verge of the azure sea! + + +IV. + + It will guard thee, gentle Connla of the flowing golden hair, + It will guard thee from the druids, from the demons of the air;[12-1] + My crystal boat will guard thee, till we reach that western shore, + Where thou and I in joy and love shall live for evermore: + + From the druid's incantation, + From his black and deadly snare, + From the withering imprecation + Of the demon of the air, + + It will guard thee, gentle Connla of the flowing golden hair; + My crystal boat will guard thee, till we reach that silver strand, + Where thou shalt reign in endless joy, the king of the Fairy-land! + +From "Old Celtic Romances," by P. W. JOYCE, LL.D. + + [12-1] Demons of the air were evil spirits who were supposed to live, + not in underground places like fairies, but in the air. + They were very much dreaded and hated. + +[Illustration: Stone hatchet in the National Museum, Dublin: probably +used as a battle-axe. Before metals came into general use, tools and +weapons of various kinds, in Ireland as well as in other countries, were +made of stone, flint being commonly used for making cutting-instruments, +such as knives. But this was at a very early period, mostly before the +time when our written history begins.] + +[Illustration: Bronze head of Irish battle-mace: now in the National +Museum Dublin. It was fitted with a handle which was fastened in the +socket; and it was used for striking in battle. It is double the size of +the picture. Weapons of this kind were in use at a very early time, long +before the beginning of our regular history.] + + + + +IV. + +CUSTOMS AND MODES OF LIFE. + + +Our old books contain very full information regarding the Irish people, +and how they lived, more than a thousand years ago. + +In early times Ireland was almost everywhere covered with forests; and +there were great and dangerous bogs and marshes, overgrown with reeds, +moss, and coarse grass. Many of these bogs still remain, but they are +not nearly so large or dangerous as they were then. Great tracts of +country were uninhabited, so that the whole population was much less +than it is now. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish bronze reaping-hook: 6 inches long. It was +fitted with a handle which was fastened in the socket with a rivet. Now +in the National Museum, Dublin.] + +The people hunted and fished a great deal, partly for food, partly to +rid the country of noxious creatures, and partly for sport; for the +forests were alive with wild animals of all kinds, and the rivers and +lakes teemed with fish. But no one then thought it worth while to hunt +foxes and hares for sport, as people do now. They had much grander +game:--wild boars with long and dangerous tusks; gigantic deer; and +fierce wolves that lurked in caves and thick woods. In the cleared parts +of the country there was much pasture and tillage various kinds of corn +and vegetables were grown, and the land was very fertile and well +watered with springs and rivulets. + +[Illustration: A moat: at Patrickstown, near Oldcastle, Co. Meath. Some +moats were burial mounds. See pages 16 and 59.] + +There was more pasture than tillage; and the pasture land was not fenced +in, but was grazed in common. The law was very particular in laying down +rules about the fences of tillage lands--that they should be properly +made, and that when two farms lay next each other, each man should do +half the fencing work. Oxen were generally used for ploughing: horses +seldom. Generally two oxen were put to one plough, but sometimes four, +and sometimes even six. While one man held the plough, another walked in +front to lead the animals. + +On account of the great forests and bogs, there were many large +districts where it was hard to go long distances across country from +place to place: and often impossible. But in all the inhabited parts +there were roads or cleared paths. The roads of those times were however +very rough, and not nearly so good as our present roads. Rivers were +crossed by bridges made of rough planks or wickerwork--for there were no +stone bridges--or by wading at shallow fords, or by little ferry boats. + +The people lived in houses almost always made of timber, generally +round-shaped or oval, but sometimes four-cornered and oblong like our +present houses. In order to keep off wild beasts and robbers, there was +a high embankment of earth, with a deep trench, round every house. Many +of these earthworks still remain all over Ireland, and are well known by +the names _lis_, _rath_, fort, &c.; and some have high mounds commonly +called moats. + +[Illustration: Grain-rubber: 16 inches long. People ground their corn +with this before the invention of querns and milk. The grain was put +between the two stones, and the upper stone was worked backwards and +forwards with the hands. It was very hard and tedious work. See p. 17.] + +The food of the people was not very different from what it is at +present, except that they had no potatoes, which were brought to Ireland +for the first time about 300 years ago: and there was no tea or coffee. +They used oats, wheat, rye, and barley, ground and made into bread; +fish; and for those who could afford it, the flesh of various animals, +either boiled or roast. Oatmeal porridge or stirabout was in very +general use, especially for children. They ground their corn with small +watermills, or with handmills called querns, one of which was kept in +almost every house. Querns were in use before the earliest time that our +history reaches; and water-mills were introduced before the arrival of +St. Patrick. In those early ages there was no sugar, and honey was +greatly valued, so that beehives were kept everywhere. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish bronze caldron for boiling meat, 12-1/2 +inches deep, formed of plates beautifully rivetted together. It shows +marks and signs of long use over a fire. Now in the National Museum, +Dublin.] + +[Illustration: Irish drinking vessel, called a _Mether_. They drank from +the corners. At meals, the same mether was used by several persons, who +drank from it in turn.] + +For drink, they had, besides plain water and milk, ale, and a sweet sort +of liquor called mead both of which were made at home, and often wine, +which was brought from the continent. There was then no whiskey. + +In those days there were no hotels or inns as there are now, where a +person could have board and lodging for payment; but they were not much +needed then, as travellers were otherwise well provided for. Besides the +monasteries, which, as we shall see further on, were always open and +free to wayfarers, there were, all through the country, what were called +"Houses of public hospitality." The keeper of one of those houses was +called a _Brugaid_ and sometimes a _Beetagh_; and his office was +considered very high and honourable. A brugaid or beetagh had to keep an +open house for travellers who were always welcome, and received bed and +food free of charge. He was obliged by law to keep constantly in hands a +large stock of provisions; and he should have a certain number of beds +and all other necessary household furniture. To enable a brugaid to keep +up such an expensive establishment, he had the house itself and a large +tract of land, free of rent and taxes, besides other liberal allowances. + +The law required that there should be several open roads leading to the +residence of every brugaid; and that a light should always be kept +burning in the lawn at night to guide travellers to the house. + +The people dressed well according to their means. Both men and women +were fond of bright coloured garments, which were not hard to procure, +as the art of dyeing in all the various hues was well understood. It +was usual for the same person to wear clothes of several brilliant +colours: and sometimes the long outside mantle worn by men and women was +striped and spotted with purple, yellow, green, or other dyes like +Joseph's coat of many colours. Those who were able to afford it wore +rings, bracelets, necklaces, gorgets, brooches, and other ornaments, +made of gold, silver, and a sort of white bronze. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish Gorget for the neck: of gold, reddish in +colour, and very pure: weighs 16-1/3 oz. Now in the National Museum, +Dublin.] + +The Irish metal workers were very skilful. They made brooches, rings, +bracelets, croziers, crosses, and other such articles, in gold, silver, +whitish bronze, gems, and enamel, of which many have been found in the +earth from time to time, and are now kept in museums: and some of them +are so skilfully and beautifully wrought that no artificer of the +present day can imitate them. + +There were men of the several professions, such as medical doctors, +lawyers, judges, builders, poets, historians: and all through the +country were to be found tradesmen of the various crafts--carpenters, +smiths, workers in gold, silver, and brass, ship and boat builders, +masons, shoemakers, dyers, tailors, brewers, and so-forth: all working +industriously and earning their bread under the old Irish laws, which +were everywhere acknowledged and obeyed. Then there was a good deal of +commerce with Britain and with Continental countries, especially France; +and the home commodities, such as hides, salt, wool, etc., were +exchanged for wine, silk, satin, and other goods not produced in +Ireland. + +From what has been said here, we may see that the ancient Irish were +orderly and regular in their way of life--quite on a level in this +respect with the people of those other European countries of the same +period that had a proper settled government; and, it will be shown +further on in this book, that they were famed throughout all Europe for +Religion and Learning. + +The greatest evil of the country was war; for the kings and chiefs were +very often fighting with each other, which brought great misery on the +poor people where the disturbances took place. But in those early times +war was common in all countries; and in this respect there was no more +trouble in Ireland than in England, Scotland, and the countries of the +Continent. + +[Illustration: Flint arrow-heads. The head was fixed on the top of the +shaft with cord of some kind, or with dried gut or tendon. Flint was +used at a very early period when metals were either not known at all or +were still very scarce. The makers of flint implements shaped them by +chipping with stone hammers, in which they were very skilful and +expert.] + +[Illustration: One form of Irish Ornament.] + + + + +The Fate of the Children of Lir[22-1]; or, The Four White Swans. + + + + +V. + +HOW THE CHILDREN OF LIR WERE TURNED INTO SWANS. + + +During the time when the Dedannans ruled in Erin, there was a chief +named Lir, who lived in Ulster, and who was much beloved for his +goodness and his hospitality. He had four little children: a girl, named +Finola, who was the eldest, and three boys, Aed, Ficra, and Conn: and +Finola and Aed were twins, as were also Ficra and Conn. Their mother +died when they were very young, and they were then placed in charge of +one of Lir's friends named Eva, who was a witch-lady. + + [22-1] Among the ancient Irish Romantic Tales, three are specially + known as "The Three Sorrowful Stories of Erin," viz. "The + Fate of the Children of Lir," "The Fate of the Sons of + Turenn," both of which relate to the Dedannans; and "The + Fate of the Sons of Usna," referring to the Milesian + people. The greater part of the "Children of Lir" and the + whole of the "Sons of Usna" are given in this book, + translated from the Gaelic. "The Fate of the Sons of + Turenn" is translated in full in "Old Celtic Romances." + +The four children grew up under Eva's care. She nursed them with great +tenderness, and her love for them increased every day. They slept near +their father; and he would often rise from his own bed at the dawn of +morning, and go to their beds to talk with them and to fondle them. And +they were the delight and joy of all the Dedannans, who often came to +Lir's house to see them. For nowhere could four lovelier children be +found; so that those who saw them were always delighted with their +beauty and their gentleness, and could not help loving them with all +their heart. + +Now when Eva saw that the children of Lir received such attention and +affection from all, she fancied she was neglected on their account; and +a poisonous dart of jealousy entered her heart, which turned her love to +hatred; and she began to have feelings of bitter enmity for the +children. + +Her jealousy so preyed on her that she feigned illness, and lay in bed +for nearly a year, filled with gall and brooding mischief; and at the +end of that time she committed a foul and cruel deed of treachery on the +children of Lir. + +One day she ordered her horses to be yoked to her chariot, and she set +out for the palace of the Dedannan king, Bove Derg, bringing the four +children with her. Finola did not wish to go, for it was revealed to her +darkly in a dream that Eva was bent on some dreadful deed; and she knew +well that the witch-lady intended to kill her and her brothers that +day, or in some other way to bring ruin on them. But she was not able to +avoid the fate that awaited her; so she went. + +They fared on towards the palace, which was situated near Lough Derg in +the south, till they came to the shore of Lake Darvra,[24-1] where they +alighted; and the horses were unyoked. Eva led the children to the edge +of the lake, and told them to go to bathe; and as soon as they had got +into the clear water, she struck them one by one with a druidical fairy +wand, and turned them into four beautiful snow-white swans. And she +addressed them in these words-- + + + Out to your home, ye swans, on Darvra's wave; + With clamorous birds begin your life of gloom: + Your friends shall weep your fate, but none can save; + For I've pronounced the dreadful words of doom. + + + [24-1] Lake Darvra, now Lough Derravaragh, in Westmeath. + +After this, the four children of Lir turned towards the witch-lady; and +Finola spoke-- + +"Evil is the deed thou hast done, O Eva; thy friendship to us has been a +friendship of treachery; and thou hast ruined us without cause. But the +power of thy witchcraft is not greater than the druidical power of our +friends to punish thee; and the doom that awaits thee shall be worse +than ours." + + + The witch-lady loved us long ago; + The witch-lady now has wrought us woe; + With magical wand and fearful words, + She changed us to beautiful snow-white birds; + And we live on the waters for evermore, + By tempests driven from shore to shore. + + +Finola again spoke and said, "Tell us now how long we shall be in the +shape of swans, so that we may know when our miseries shall come to an +end." + +"It would be better for you if you had not put that question," said Eva; +"but I will declare the truth to you, as you have asked me. Three +hundred years on smooth Lake Darvra; three hundred years on the Sea of +Moyle, between Erin and Alban;[25-1] three hundred years at Inish +Glora[25-2] on the Western Sea. Until the union of Largnen, the prince +from the north, with Decca, the princess from the south; until the +Taillkenn[25-3] shall come to Erin, bringing the light of a pure faith; +and until ye hear the voice of the Christian bell. And neither by your +own power, nor by mine, nor by the power of your friends, can ye be +freed till the time comes." + + [25-1] The sea between Erin and Alban (Ireland and Scotland) was + anciently called the Sea of Moyle, from the Moyle, or + Mull, of Cantire. + + [25-2] Inish Glora; a small island, about five miles west from + Belmullet, in the county Mayo, still known by the same + name. + + [25-3] The Taillkenn, a name given by the druids to St. Patrick. + +Then Eva repented what she had done; and she said, "Since I cannot +afford you any other relief, I will allow you to keep your own Gaelic +speech, and ye shall be able to sing sweet, plaintive fairy music, which +shall excel all the music of the world, and which shall lull to sleep +all that listen to it. Moreover, ye shall retain your human reason; and +ye shall not be in grief on account of being in the shape of swans." + +And she chanted this lay-- + + + Depart from me, ye graceful swans; + The waters are now your home: + Your palace shall be the pearly cave, + Your couch the crest of the crystal wave, + And your mantle the milk-white foam! + + Depart from me, ye snow-white swans, + With your music and Gaelic speech: + The crystal Darvra, the wintry Moyle, + The billowy margin of Glora's isle;-- + Three hundred years on each! + + Victorious Lir, your hapless sire, + His loved ones in vain shall call; + His weary heart is a husk of gore, + His home is joyless for evermore, + And his anger on me shall fall! + + Through circling ages of gloom and fear + Your anguish no tongue can tell; + Till faith shall shed her heavenly rays, + Till ye hear the Taillkenn's anthem of praise, + And the voice of the Christian bell! + + +Then ordering her steeds to be yoked to her chariot, she set out once +more for the palace leaving the four white swans swimming on the lake. + + + Our father shall watch and weep in vain; + He never shall see us return again. + Four pretty children, happy at home; + Four white swans on the feathery foam; + And we live on the waters for evermore, + By tempests driven from shore to shore. + + + + +VI. + +THE FOUR WHITE SWANS ON LAKE DARVRA. + + +Lir and his people, hearing that Eva had arrived at Bove Derg's palace +without the children, became alarmed, and went southwards without delay; +till passing by the shore of Lake Darvra, they saw the swans. And the +swans swam up and spoke to them, at which they wondered greatly. But +when they told Lir that they were indeed his four children whom the +witch-lady had turned into birds, he and his people were struck with +amazement and horror; and they uttered three long mournful cries of +grief and lamentation. And when Lir had heard from Finola how the matter +happened, he prepared to set out in quest of Eva. And bidding farewell +to the children for a time, he chanted this lay:-- + + + The time has come for me to part: + No more, alas! my children dear, + Your rosy smiles shall glad my heart, + Or light the gloomy home of Lir. + + Dark was the day when first I brought + This Eva in my home to dwell! + Hard was the woman's heart that wrought + This cruel and malignant spell! + + I lay me down to rest in vain; + For, through the livelong, sleepless night, + My little lov'd ones, pictured plain, + Stand ever there before my sight. + + Finola, once my pride and joy; + Dark Aed, adventurous and bold; + Bright Ficra, gentle, playful boy; + And little Conn, with curls of gold;-- + + Struck down on Darvra's reedy shore, + By wicked Eva's magic power: + Oh, children, children, never more + My heart shall know one peaceful hour. + + +After this he fared southwards till he arrived at the palace, where he +found Eva. And the king, Bove Derg, when Lir had told him what Eva had +done, was in great wrath; for he loved those little children. And +calling Eva to him he spoke to her fiercely and asked her what shape of +all others, on the earth, or above the earth, or beneath the earth, she +most abhorred, and into which she most dreaded to be transformed. + +And she, being forced to answer truly, said, "A demon of the air." + +"That is the form you shall take," said Bove Derg; and as he spoke he +struck Eva with a druidical magic wand, and turned her into a demon of +the air. She opened her wings, and flew with a scream upwards and away +through the clouds; and she is still a demon of the air, and she shall +be a demon of the air till the end of time. + +After this, Lir and the Dedannans came to live on the shore of the lake, +to be near the swans and to speak with them. And so the swans passed +their time on the waters. During the day they discoursed lovingly with +their father and their friends; and at night they chanted their slow, +sweet, fairy music, the most delightful that was ever heard by men; so +that all who listened to it, even those who were in grief, or sickness, +or pain, forgot their sorrows and their sufferings, and fell into a +gentle, sweet sleep from which they awoke bright and happy. + +At last the three hundred years[30-1] came to an end, and Finola said to +her brothers:-- + +"Do you know, my dear brothers, that we have come to the end of our time +here; and that we have only this one night to spend on Lake Darvra?" + + [30-1] Three hundred years: the Dedannans were regarded as gods and + lived an immensely long time. + +When the three sons of Lir heard this, they were in great distress and +sorrow; for they were almost as happy on Lake Darvra, surrounded by +their friends, and conversing with them day by day, as if they had been +in their father's house in their own natural shapes; whereas they should +now live on the gloomy and tempest-tossed Sea of Moyle, far away from +all human society. + +Early next morning, the swans came to the margin of the lake to speak to +their father and their friends for the last time, and to bid them +farewell; and Finola chanted this lay-- + + +I. + + Farewell, farewell, our father dear! + The last sad hour has come: + Farewell, Bove Derg! farewell to all, + Till the dreadful day of doom! + We go from friends and scenes beloved, + To a home of grief and pain; + And that day of woe + Shall come and go, + Before we meet again! + + +II. + + We live for ages on stormy Moyle, + In loneliness and fear; + The kindly words of loving friends + We never more shall hear. + Four joyous children long ago; + Four snow-white swans to-day; + And on Moyle's wild sea + Our robe shall be + The cold and briny spray. + + +III. + + Far down on the misty stream of time, + When three hundred years are o'er, + Three hundred more in storm and cold, + By Glora's desolate shore; + Till Decca fair is Largnen's spouse; + Till north and south unite; + Till the hymns are sung, + And the bells are rung, + At the dawn of the pure faith's light. + + +IV. + + Arise, my brothers, from Darvra's wave + On the wings of the southern wind; + We leave our father and friends to-day + In measureless grief behind. + Ah! sad the parting, and sad our flight + To Moyle's tempestuous main; + For the day of woe + Shall come and go, + Before we meet again! + + +The four swans then spread their wings, and rose from the surface of the +water in sight of all their friends, till they reached a great height in +the air; then resting, and looking downwards for a moment, they flew +straight to the north, till they alighted on the Sea of Moyle between +Erin and Alban. + + + + +VII. + +THE FOUR WHITE SWANS ON THE SEA OF MOYLE. + + +Miserable was the abode and evil the plight of the children of Lir on +the Sea of Moyle. Their hearts were wrung with sorrow for their father +and their friends; and when they looked towards the steep rocky, +far-stretching coasts, and saw the great, dark, wild sea around them, +they were overwhelmed with fear and despair. They began also to suffer +from cold and hunger, so that all the hardships they had endured on Lake +Darvra appeared as nothing compared with their suffering on the +sea-current of Moyle. + +And so they lived, till one night a great tempest fell upon the sea. +Finola, when she saw the sky filled with black, threatening clouds, thus +addressed her brothers:-- + +"Beloved brothers, we have made a bad preparation for this night: for it +is certain that the coming storm will separate us; and now let us +appoint a place of meeting, or it may happen that we shall never see +each other again." + +And they answered, "Dear sister, you speak truly and wisely; and let us +fix on Carricknarone,[33-1] for that is a rock that we are all very well +acquainted with." + + [33-1] Carricknarone, the "Rock of the Seals": probably the Skerry + rock near Portrush in Antrim: but the old name is now + forgotten. + +And they appointed Carricknarone as their place of meeting. + +Midnight came, and with it came the beginning of the storm. A wild, +rough wind swept over the dark sea, the lightnings flashed, and the +great waves rose, and increased their violence and their thunder. + +The swans were soon scattered over the waters, so that not one of them +knew in what direction the others had been driven. During all that night +they were tossed about by the roaring winds and waves, and it was with +much difficulty they preserved their lives. + +Towards morning the storm abated, the sky cleared, and the sea became +again calm and smooth; and Finola swam to Carricknarone. But she found +none of her brothers there, neither could she see any trace of them when +she looked all round from the summit of the rock over the wide face of +the sea. + +Then she became terrified, thinking she should never see them again; and +she began to lament them plaintively. + +[On this incident Thomas Moore wrote the following beautiful song. A +person is supposed to be listening to Finola, and--in the first four +lines of the song--calls on the winds and the waves to be silent that he +may hear.] + + +SILENT, O MOYLE! + + Silent, O Moyle! be the roar of thy water, + Break not, ye breezes! your chain of repose, + While, murmuring mournfully, Lir's lonely daughter + Tells to the night-star her tale of woes. + When shall the Swan, her death-note singing, + Sleep with wings in darkness furl'd? + When will Heav'n, its sweet bell ringing, + Call my spirit from this stormy world? + + Sadly, O Moyle! to thy winter-wave weeping, + Fate bids me languish long ages away; + Yet still in her darkness doth Erin lie sleeping + Still doth the pure light its dawning delay + When will that day-star, mildly springing, + Warm our Isle with peace and love? + When will Heaven, its sweet bell ringing, + Call my spirit to the fields above? + + +At last, while she stood gazing in despair over the waste of waters, she +saw her brothers swimming from different directions towards the rock. +They came to her one by one, and she welcomed them joyfully: and she +placed Aed under the feathers of her breast, and Ficra and Conn under +her wings, and said to them:--"My dear brothers, though ye may think +last night very bad, we shall have many like it from this time forth." + +So they continued for a long time on the Sea of Moyle, suffering +hardships of every kind, till one winter night came upon them, of great +wind and of snow and frost so severe, that nothing they ever before +suffered could be compared to the misery of that night. The swans +remained on Carricknarone, and their feet and their wings were frozen to +the icy surface, so that they had to strive hard to move from their +places in the morning; and they left the skin of their feet, the quills +of their wings, and the feathers of their breasts clinging to the rock. + +"Sad is our condition this night, my beloved brothers," said Finola, +"for we are forbidden to leave the Sea of Moyle; and yet we cannot bear +the salt water, for when it enters our wounds, I fear we shall die of +pain." And she uttered these words-- + + + Our life is a life of woe; + No shelter or rest we find: + How bitterly drives the snow; + How cold is this wintry wind! + + From the icy spray of the sea, + From the wind of the bleak north-east, + I shelter my brothers three, + Under my wings and breast. + + The witch-lady sent us here, + And misery well we know:-- + In cold and hunger and fear; + Our life is a life of woe![36-1] + + + [36-1] Short Irish poems often began and ended in the same words, as + seen in the above translation. + +They were, however, forced to swim out on the stream of Moyle, all +wounded and torn as they were; for though the brine was sharp and +bitter, they were not able to avoid it. They stayed as near the coast as +they could, till after a long time the feathers of their breasts and +wings grew again, and their wounds were healed. + +After this the swans lived on for a great number of years, sometimes +visiting the shores of Erin, and sometimes the headlands of Alban. But +they always returned to the sea-stream of Moyle, for it was to be their +home till the end of three hundred years. + +One day they came to the mouth of the Bann, on the north coast of Erin, +and looking inland, they saw a stately troop of horsemen approaching +directly from the south-west. They were mounted on white steeds, and +clad in bright-coloured garments, and as they wound towards the shore +their arms glittered in the sun. + +These were a party of the Dedannans who had been a long time searching +for the children of Lir along the northern shores of Erin: and now that +they had found them, they were joyful; and they and the swans greeted +each other with tender expressions of friendship and love. The children +of Lir inquired after the Dedannans, and particularly after their father +Lir; and for Bove Derg, and for all the rest of their friends and +acquaintances. + +"They are well," replied the Dedannans; "but all are mourning for you +since the day you left Lake Darvra. And now we wish to know how you fare +on this wild sea." + +"Miserable has been our life since that day," said Finola; "and no +tongue can tell the suffering and sorrow we have endured on the Sea of +Moyle." And she chanted these words-- + + + Ah, happy is Lir's bright home to-day, + With mead and music and poet's lay: + But gloomy and cold his children's home, + For ever tossed on the briny foam. + + Our wreathA"d feathers are thin and light + When the wind blows keen through the wintry night: + Yet often we were robed, long, long ago, + In purple mantles and furs of snow. + + On Moyle's bleak current our food and wine + Are sandy sea-weed and bitter brine: + Yet oft we feasted in days of old, + And hazel-mead drank from cups of gold. + + Our beds are rocks in the dripping caves; + Our lullaby song the roar of the waves: + But soft rich couches once we pressed, + And harpers lulled us each night to rest. + + Lonely we swim on the billowy main, + Through frost and snow, through storm and rain: + Alas for the days when round us moved + The chiefs and princes and friends we loved! + + My little twin brothers beneath my wings + Lie close when the north wind bitterly stings, + And Aed close nestles before my breast; + Thus side by side through the night we rest. + + Our father's fond kisses, Bove Derg's embrace, + The light of Mannanan's godlike face, + The love of Angus--all, all are o'er; + And we live on the billows for evermore! + + +After this they bade each other farewell, for it was not permitted to +the children of Lir to remain away from the stream of Moyle. + + + + +VIII. + +HOW THE CHILDREN OF LIR REGAINED THEIR HUMAN SHAPE AND DIED. + + +Great was the misery of the Children of Lir on the sea of Moyle till +their three hundred years were ended. Then Finola said to her brothers-- + +"It is time for us to leave this place, for our period here has come to +an end." + + + The hour has come; the hour has come; + Three hundred years have passed: + We leave this bleak and gloomy home, + And we fly to the west at last! + + We leave for ever the stream of Moyle; + On the clear, cold wind we go; + Three hundred years round Glora's Isle, + Where wintry tempests blow! + + No sheltered home, no place of rest, + From the tempest's angry blast: + Fly, brothers, fly, to the distant west, + For the hour has come at last! + + +So the swans left the Sea of Moyle, and flew westward, till they reached +the sea round the Isle of Glora. There they remained for three hundred +years, suffering much from storm and cold, and in nothing better off +than they were on the Sea of Moyle. Towards the end of that time, St. +Patrick came to Erin with the pure faith; and St. Kemoc, one of his +companions, came to Inish Glora. The first night Kemoc came to the +island, the children of Lir heard his bell at early matin time, ringing +faintly in the distance. And the three sons of Lir trembled with fear, +for the sound was strange and dreadful to them. But Finola knew well +what it was; and she soothed them and said:--"My dear brothers, this is +the voice of the Christian bell: and now the end of our suffering is +near: for this bell is the signal that we shall soon be freed from our +spell, and released from our life of suffering; for God has willed it." + +And when the bell ceased she chanted this lay-- + + + Listen, ye swans, to the voice of the bell, + The sweet bell we've dreamed of for many a year; + Its tones floating by on the night breezes, tell + That the end of our long life of sorrow is near! + + Listen, ye swans, to the heavenly strain; + 'Tis the anchoret tolling his soft matin bell: + He has come to release us, from sorrow, from pain, + From the cold and tempestuous shores where we dwell! + + Trust in the glorious Lord of the sky; + He will free us from Eva's druidical spell: + Be thankful and glad, for our freedom is nigh, + And listen with joy to the voice of the bell! + + +"Let us sing our music now," said Finola. + +And they chanted a low, sweet, plaintive strain of fairy music, to +praise and thank the great high King of heaven and earth. + +Kemoc heard the music from where he stood; and he listened with great +astonishment. And he came and spoke to the swans, and asked them were +they the children of Lir. They replied, "We are indeed the children of +Lir, who were changed long ago into swans by the spells of the +witch-lady." + +"I give God thanks that I have found you," said Kemoc; "for it is on +your account I have come to this little island." Then he brought them to +his own house; and, sending for a skilful workman, he caused him to make +two bright, slender chains of silver; and he put a chain between Finola +and Aed, and the other chain he put between Ficra and Conn. And there +they lived with Kemoc in content and happiness. + +Now there was in that place a certain king named Largnen, whose queen +was Decca: the very king and queen whom the witch-lady had foretold on +the day when she changed the children into swans, nine hundred years +before. And Queen Decca, hearing all about those wonderful speaking +swans, wished to have them for herself: so she sent to Kemoc for them; +but he refused to give them. Whereupon the queen waxed very wroth: and +her husband the king, when she told him about it, was wroth also: and he +set out straightway for Kemoc's house to bring the swans away by force. +The swans were at this time standing in the little church with Kemoc. +And Largnen coming up, seized the two silver chains, one in each hand, +and drew the birds towards the door; while Kemoc followed him, much +alarmed lest they should be injured. + +The king had proceeded only a little way, when suddenly the white +feathery robes faded and disappeared; and the swans regained their human +shape, Finola being transformed into an extremely old woman, and the +three sons into three feeble old men, white-haired and bony and +wrinkled. + +When the king saw this, he started with affright, and instantly left the +place without speaking one word. + +As to the children of Lir, they turned towards Kemoc; and Finola spoke-- + +"Come, holy cleric, and baptise us without delay, for our death is near. +You will grieve after us, O Kemoc; but in truth you are not more +sorrowful at parting from us than we are at parting from you. Make our +grave here and bury us together; and as I often sheltered my brothers +when we were swans, so let us be placed in the grave--Conn standing +near me at my right side, Ficra at my left, and Aed before my +face."[43-1] + + + Come, holy priest, with book and prayer + Baptise and bless us here: + Haste, cleric, haste, for the hour has come + And death at last is near! + + Dig our grave--a deep, deep grave, + Near the church we loved so well; + This little church, where first we heard + The voice of the Christian bell. + + As oft in life my brothers dear + Were sooth'd by me to rest-- + Ficra and Conn beneath my wings, + And Aed before my breast; + + So place the two on either hand-- + Close, like the love that bound me; + Place Aed as close before my face, + And twine their arms around me + + Thus shall we rest for evermore, + My brothers dear and I; + Haste, cleric, haste, baptise and bless, + For death at last is nigh! + + + [43-1] In Ireland, in old times, the dead were often buried + standing up in the grave. It was in this way Finola and + her brothers were buried. + +[Illustration: An Ogham stone. See note, next page.] + +[Illustration: Bronze spear-head. A long handle was fixed in the socket +and fastened by a rivet.] + +[Illustration: Bronze sword. A hilt was fixed on by rivets.] + +Then the children of Lir were baptised, and they died immediately. And +when they died, Kemoc looked up; and lo, he saw a vision of four lovely +children, with light, silvery wings, and faces all radiant with joy. +They gazed on him for a moment; but even as they gazed, they vanished +upwards, and he saw them no more. And he was filled with gladness, for +he knew they had gone to heaven; but when he looked down on the four +bodies lying before him, he became sad and wept. + +And Kemoc caused a wide and deep grave to be dug near the little church; +and the children of Lir were buried together, as Finola had +directed--Conn at her right hand, Ficra at her left, and Aed standing +before her face. And he raised a grave-mound over them, placing a +tombstone on it, with their names graved in Ogham;[45-1] after which he +uttered a lament for them, and their funeral rites were performed. + + [45-1] Ogham, a sort of writing often used on tombstones to mark the + names of the persons buried. It consisted of lines and + points generally cut on the edges of the stone. + +So far we have related the sorrowful story of the Fate of the Children +of Lir. + + From "Old Celtic Romances," by P. W. JOYCE, LL.D. + + + + +IX. + +HOW RELIGION AND LEARNING FLOURISHED IN IRELAND. + + +As soon as St. Patrick had entered on his mission in Ireland, he began +to found monasteries, which continued to spread through every part of +the country for hundreds of years after his time. Though religion was +their main object, these establishments were among the chief means of +spreading general enlightenment among the people. Almost every +monastery had a school or college attached, at the head of which was +some man who was a great scholar and teacher. The teachers were +generally monks: but many learned laymen were also employed. Some +colleges had very large numbers of students: for instance, we are told +that there were 3000 in each of the two colleges of Clonard and +Bangor[46-1]; and many others might be named, which, though not so +large, had yet several hundred students in each. + + [46-1] Clonard, in Meath, on the Boyne. Bangor, in the Co. Down. + +In these monasteries and their schools all was life and activity. The +monks were always busily employed; some at tillage on the farm round the +monastery--ploughing, digging, sowing, reaping--some teaching, others +writing books. The duty of a few was to attend to travellers, to wash +their feet and prepare supper and bed for them: for strangers who called +at the monastery were always received with welcome, and got lodging, +food, and attendance from the monks, all free. Others of the inmates, +again, employed themselves in cooking, or carpentry, or smithwork, or +making clothes, for the use of the community. Besides all this they had +their devotions to attend to, at certain times, both day and night, +throughout the year. As for the students, they had to mind their own +simple household concerns, and each day when these were finished they +had plenty of employment in their studies: for the professors kept them +hard at work. + +There were also great numbers of schools not held in monasteries, +conducted by laymen, some for general learning, such as History, Poetry, +Grammar, Latin, Greek, Irish, the Sciences, &c.; and some for teaching +and training young men for professions, such as lawyers and doctors. And +these schools helped greatly to spread learning, though they were not so +well known outside Ireland as the monastic schools. + +The Irish professors were so famed for their learning, and the colleges +were so excellent, that students came to them from every country of +Europe: but more from Great Britain than elsewhere. The Irish were very +much pleased to receive these foreign students: and they were so +generous that they supplied them with food, gave them the manuscript +books they wanted to learn from, and taught them too, all free of +charge. Ireland was in those times the most learned country in Europe, +so that it was known by the name of the Island of Saints and Scholars. + +But the Irish scholars and missionaries did not confine themselves to +their own country. Great numbers of them went abroad--to Britain and +elsewhere--to teach and to preach the Gospel to the people. The +professors from Ireland were held in such estimation that they were +employed to teach in most of the schools and colleges of Great Britain +and the Continent. + +We shall see that the Northern Picts of Scotland were converted by St. +Columkille and his monks from Iona (see p. 144): and a large proportion +of the people of England became Christians through the preaching of +Irish monks before the arrival of St. Augustine.[48-1] + + [48-1] St. Augustine came to England in the year 596--having been + sent by Pope Gregory--and converted to Christianity those + of the English who had not been already converted. + +The Irish missionaries, who went to the Continent, in their eagerness to +spread religion and knowledge, penetrated to all parts of Europe: they +even found their way to Iceland. Few people have any idea of the trials +and dangers they encountered. Most of them were persons in good +position, who might have lived in plenty and comfort at home. They knew +well, when setting out, that they were leaving country and friends +probably for ever: for of those that went, very few ever returned. Once +on the Continent, they had to make their way poor and friendless, +through people whose language they did not understand, and who were in +many places ten times more rude and dangerous in those ages than the +inhabitants of these islands: and we know, as a matter of history, that +many were killed on the way. Then these earnest men had, of course, to +learn the language of the people among whom they took up their abode: +for until they did this they had to employ an interpreter, which was a +very troublesome and slow way of preaching. But the noble-hearted +missionaries went forth to do their good work; and no labours, +hardships, or dangers could turn them from their purpose. + +More than three hundred years ago the great English poet, Edmund +Spenser, lived some time in Ireland, and made himself very well +acquainted with its history. He knew what kind of a country it was in +past ages; so that in one of his poems he speaks of the time + + + "When Ireland florishA"d in fame + Of wealth and goodnesse, far above the rest + Of all that beare the British Islands name." + + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish solid gold ornament, now in the National +Museum Dublin. It is double the size of the picture, and weighs 5-1/4 +oz. Great numbers of gold objects, shaped like this, are in the National +Museum, some very large--one of them weighing 33 oz.: while others are +quite small, not bigger than a common coat-button. Besides being +ornaments, it is believed that they were used as money, as there were no +coins in use in very ancient times in Ireland.] + + + + +X. + +THE RED BRANCH KNIGHTS. + + +Nearly two miles west of Armagh are the remains of the ancient palace of +Emain, or Emain Macha, often called Emania. They consist of a great +circular _rath_ or rampart of earth, with a deep trench outside it, and +a high mound within, the whole structure covering a space of about +thirteen acres. At one time the circular ring was complete, but of late +years some portions of it have been levelled or removed. The houses in +which the kings and heroes of old, with their numerous households, lived +and feasted, stood mostly within the enclosure, and were all of wood, +not a trace of which remains. This great fort is now called by the +people of the place, the "Navan Fort," or "Navan Ring." + +According to Irish legendary history, Emain was founded about three +centuries before the beginning of the Christian era, by Macha of the +Golden Hair, queen of Ulster; and for more than six hundred years it was +the residence of the kings of that province. But about the year A.D. +331, it was destroyed by three princes from Tara, who invaded and +conquered that part of Ulster; after which Emain was no longer +inhabited. + +Early in the first century of the Christian era flourished the Red +Branch Knights, a band of heroes in the service of Concobar (or Conor) +Mac Nessa, king of Ulster. There were several bodies of them, under +separate commanders, who lived in different parts of the province. These +leaders were the great heroes of the Red Branch, who are celebrated in +ancient Irish romance, and who are mentioned by Moore in his song, "Let +Erin remember":-- + + + "When her kings with standard of green unfurled + Led the Red Branch Knights to danger." + + +Every year during the summer months, various companies of the Knights +came to Emain under their several commanders, to be drilled and trained +in military science and feats of arms. They were lodged in a large +separate building beside Emain, called Creeveroe or the Red Branch--from +which the whole force took its name: and the townland in which this +great house stood is still called Creeveroe. Each day the leaders were +feasted by King Concobar Mac Nessa in his own banquetting hall at Emain. + +The greatest of all the Red Branch heroes was Cu-Culainn--"the mightiest +hero of the Scots," as he is called in one of the oldest of the Irish +books--whose residence was _Dundalgan_, a mile west of the present town +of Dundalk. This dun or fort consists of a high mound surrounded by an +earthen rampart and trench, all of immense size, even in their ruined +state; but it has lost its old name and is now called the Moat of +Castletown, while the original name Dundalgan, slightly altered, has +been transferred to Dundalk. + +Another of these Red Branch Knights' residences stands beside +Downpatrick: viz., the great fort anciently called (among other names) +Dun-Keltair or Rath-Keltair, where lived the hero, Keltar of the +Battles. It consists of a huge embankment of earth, nearly circular, +with the usual deep trench outside it, covering a space of about ten +acres. + +Next to Cuculainn, the most renowned of those knights were Fergus Mac +Roy, Leary the Victorious, Conall Carnagh, and the three Sons of Usna. + +There were, at this same time, similar orders of knights in the other +provinces. Those of Munster were commanded by Curoi Mac Dara, who lived +in a great stone fortress high up on the side of Caherconree Mountain, +near Tralee, the remains of which may be seen to this day. He was a +mighty champion, and on one occasion vanquished Cuculainn in single +combat. The Connaught knights were in the service of Maive, the warlike +queen of that province, whose residence was the palace of Croghan, the +ruins of which still remain near the village of Rathcroghan in the north +of Roscommon. + +In the Book of the Dun Cow, the Book of Leinster, and other old +manuscripts (which will be found described farther on), there are great +numbers of romantic stories about those Red Branch Knights, and about +the Knights of Munster and Connaught, of which many have been translated +and published. + +The most celebrated of all these tales is what is called the _Tain_ or +"Cattle spoil" of Quelna or Cooley.[53-1] Queen Maive, having some cause +of quarrel with an Ulster chief, set out with her army for the north on +a plundering expedition, attended by all the great heroes of Connaught. +During the march northwards, the queen, as the story tells us, had nine +splendid chariots for herself and her attendant chiefs, her own in the +centre, with two abreast in front, two behind, and two on each side, +right and left; and--in the words of the old tale--"the reason for this +order was, lest the clods from the hoofs of the horses, or the +foam-flakes from their mouths, or the dust raised by that mighty host, +should strike and tarnish the golden diadem on the head of the queen." + + [53-1] Quelna or Cooley, the ancient name of the hilly peninsula + lying between the bays of Carlingford and Dundalk: the + name Cooley is still retained. + +The invading army entered Quelna, which was then a part of Ulster and +belonged to Cuculainn. It happened just then that the men of Ulster were +under a spell of feebleness, all but Cuculainn, who had to defend +single-handed the several fords and passes, in a series of combats +against Maive's best champions, in all of which he was victorious. But, +in spite of what he could do, Queen Maive carried off nearly all the +best cattle of Quelna, and, at their head, a great brown bull which +indeed was what she chiefly came for. At length the Ulstermen, having +been freed from the spell, attacked and routed the Connaught army. The +battles, single combats, and other incidents of this war are related in +the Tain, which consists of one main story, with about thirty minor +tales grouped round it. Another Red Branch story is the Fate of the Sons +of Usna, which has been always a favourite with Irish story-tellers, and +with the Irish people in general, and which is now given here, +translated in full. + +[Illustration: A "Cromlech," an ancient Irish tomb: still to be seen in +its place in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. This is rather a small one, the +covering stone being only about 6-1/2 feet long. Some cromlechs are very +large: one at Kilternan near Dublin has a covering stone 23-1/2 feet +long, 17 feet broad, and 6-1/2 feet thick: and no one can tell how the +people of old lifted it up.] + + + + +Deirdre; or, The Fate of the Sons of Usna.[55-1] + + + + +XI. + +THE FLIGHT TO ALBAN. + + +Concobar Mac Nessa king of Ulaid[55-2] ruled in Emain. And his chief +storyteller, Felimid, made a feast for the king and for the knights of +the Red Branch; who all came to partake of it in his house. While they +were feasting right joyously, listening to the sweet music of the harps +and the mellow voices of the bards, a messenger brought word that +Felimid's wife had given birth to a little daughter, an infant of +wondrous beauty. And when Caffa, the king's druid and seer, who was of +the company, was ware of the birth of the child, he went forth to view +the stars and the clouds, if he might thereby glean knowledge of what +was in store for that little babe.[55-3] And when he had returned to his +place, he sat deep pondering for a time: and then standing up and +obtaining silence, he said:-- + +"This child shall be called Deir-drAe•[56-1]; and fittingly is she so +named: for much of woe will befal Ulaid and Erin in general on her +account. There shall be jealousies, and strifes, and wars: evil deeds +will be done: many heroes will be exiled: many will fall." + + [55-1] The translation that follows is quite new, and is now + published for the first time. On this fine story is + founded the poem of "Deirdre" by Robert Dwyer Joyce, M.D. + + [55-2] Ulaid (pron. _Ulla_), Ulster. + + [55-3] The druids professed to be able to foretell by observing the + stars and clouds. + + [56-1] "Deirdre" is said to mean "alarm." + +When the heroes heard this they were sorely troubled, and some said that +the child should be killed. But the king said:--"Not so, ye Knights of +the Red Branch, it is not meet to commit a base deed in order to escape +evils that may never come to pass. This little maid shall be reared out +of the reach of mischief, and when she is old enough she shall be my +wife: thus shall I be the better able to guard against those evils that +Caffa forecasts for us." + +And the Ultonians did not dare to gainsay the word of the king. + +Then king Concobar caused the child to be placed in a strong fortress on +a lonely spot nigh the palace, with no opening in front, but with door +and windows looking out at the back on a lovely garden watered by a +clear rippling stream: and house and garden were surrounded by a wall +that no man could surmount. And those who were put in charge of her +were, her tutor, and her nurse, and Concobar's poetess, whose name was +Lavarcam: and save these three, none were permitted to see her. And so +she grew up in this solitude, year by year, till she was of marriageable +age; when she excelled all the maidens of her time for beauty. + +One snowy day as she and Lavarcam looked forth from the window, they saw +some blood on the snow, where her tutor had killed a calf for dinner; +and a raven alighted and began to drink of it. "I should like," said +Deirdre, "that he who is to be my husband should have these three +colours: his hair as black as the raven: his cheeks red as the blood: +his skin like the snow. And I saw such a youth in a dream last night; +but I know not where he is, or whether he is living on the ridge of the +world." + +"Truly," said Lavarcam, "the young hero that answers to thy words is not +far from thee; for he is among Concobar's knights: namely, Naisi the son +of Usna." + +Now Naisi and his brothers, Ainnli and Ardan, the three Sons of Usna, +were the best beloved of all the Red Branch Knights, so gracious and +gentle were they in time of peace, so skilful and swift-footed in the +chase, so strong and valiant in battle. + +And when Deirdre heard Lavarcam's words, she said:--"If it be as thou +sayest, that this young knight is near us, I shall not be happy till I +see him: and I beseech thee to bring him to speak to me." + +"Alas, child," replied Lavarcam, "thou knowest not the peril of what +thou askest me to do: for if thy tutor come to know of it, he will +surely tell the king; and the king's anger none can bear." + +Deirdre answered not: but she remained for many days sad and silent: and +her eyes often filled with tears through memory of her dream: so that +Lavarcam was grieved: and she pondered on the thing if it could be done, +for she loved Deirdre very much and had compassion on her. At last she +contrived that these two should meet without the tutor's knowledge: and +the end of the matter was that they loved each other: and Deirdre said +she would never wed the king, but she would wed Naisi. + +Knowing well the doom that awaited them when Concobar came to hear of +this, Naisi and his young wife and his two brothers, with thrice fifty +fighting men, thrice fifty women, thrice fifty attendants, and thrice +fifty hounds, fled over sea to Alban. And the king of the western part +of Alban received them kindly and took them into military service. Here +they remained for a space, gaining daily in favour: but they kept +Deirdre apart, fearing evil if the king should see her. + +And so matters went on, till it chanced that the king's steward, coming +one day by Naisi's house, saw the couple as they sat on their couch: and +going directly to his master, he said:-- + +"O king, we have long sought in vain for a woman worthy to be thy wife, +and now at last we have found her: for the woman, Deirdre, who is with +Naisi, is worthy to be the wife of the king of the western world. And +now I give thee this counsel:--Let Naisi be killed, and then take thou +Deirdre for thy wife." + +[Illustration: A burial urn. The ancient Irish sometimes buried as we do +now, placing the body in the grave, over which they often raised a cairn +or a cromlech. Sometimes they burned the body and put the ashes in an +urn, which they placed under a cromlech, or cairn, or burial mound. Urns +were always made of clay, which was baked till it was hard. They are +often found in graves, especially under cairns and cromlechs: and they +nearly always contain ashes and bits of burnt bones. Occasionally, as +has been already said (p. 43, note), persons were buried standing up, +especially kings and warriors, who were placed in the grave fully +armed.] + +The king basely agreed to do so; and forthwith he laid a plot to slay +the sons of Usna; which matter coming betimes to the ears of the +brothers, they fled by night with all their people. And when they had +got to a safe distance, they took up their abode in a wild place, where +with much ado they obtained food by hunting and fishing. And the +brothers built them three hunting booths in the forest, a little +distance from that part of the seashore looking towards Erin: and the +booth in which their food was prepared, in that they did not eat; and +the one in which they ate, in that they did not sleep. And their people +in like manner built themselves booths and huts, which gave them but +scant shelter from wind and weather. + +Now when it came to the ears of the Ultonians, that the sons of Usna and +their people were in discomfort and danger, they were sorely grieved: +but they kept their thoughts to themselves, for they dared not speak +their mind to the king. + + + + +XII. + +CONCOBAR'S GUILEFUL MESSAGE. + + +At this same time a right joyous and very splendid feast was driven by +Concobar in Emain Macha to the nobles and the knights of his household. +And the number of the king's household that sat them down in the great +hall of Emain on that occasion was five and three score above six +hundred and one thousand.[60-1] Then arose, in turn, their musicians to +sound their melodious harpstrings, and their poets and their +story-tellers to sing their sweet poetic strains, and to recount the +deeds of the mighty heroes of the olden time. And the feasting and the +enjoyment went on, and the entire assembly were gay and cheerful. At +length Concobar arose from where he sat high up on his royal seat; +whereupon the noise of mirth was instantly hushed. And he raised his +kingly voice and said:-- + +"I desire to know from you, ye Nobles and Knights of the Red Branch, +have you ever seen in any quarter of Erin, a house better than this +house of Emain, which is my mansion: and whether you see any want in +it." + + [60-1] That is 1665. This inverted method of enumeration was often + used in Ireland. But they also used direct enumeration + like ours. + +And they answered that they saw no better house, and that they knew of +no want in it. + +And the king said: "I know of a great want: namely, that we have not +present among us the three noble sons of Usna. And why now should they +be in banishment on account of any woman in the world?" + +And the nobles replied:--"Truly it is a sad thing that the sons of Usna, +our dear comrades, should be in exile and distress. They were a shield +of defence to Ulaid: and now, O king, it will please us well that thou +send for them and bring them back, lest they and their people perish by +famine or fall by their enemies." + +"Let them come," replied Concobar, "and make submission to me: and +their homes, and their lands, and their places among the Knights of the +Red Branch shall be restored to them." + +Now Concobar was mightily enraged at the marriage and flight of Naisi +and Deirdre, though he hid his mind from all men; and he spoke these +words pretending forgiveness and friendship. But there was guile in his +heart, and he planned to allure them back to Ulaid that he might kill +them. + +When the feast was ended, and the company had departed, the king called +unto him Fergus Mac Roy, and said:--"Go thou, Fergus, and bring back the +sons of Usna and their people. I promise thee that I will receive them +as friends should be received, and that what awaits them here is not +enmity or injury, but welcome and friendship. Take my message of peace +and good will, and give thyself as pledge and surety for their safety. +But these two things I charge thee to do:--That the moment you land in +Ulaid on your way back, you proceed straight to Barach's house which +stands on the sea cliff high over the landing place fronting Alban: and +that whether the time of your arrival be by day or by night, thou see +that the sons of Usna tarry not, but let them come hither direct to +Emain, that they may not eat food in Erin till they eat of mine." + +And Fergus, suspecting no evil design, promised to do as the king +directed: for he was glad to be sent on this errand, being a fast friend +to the sons of Usna. + +Fergus set out straightway, bringing with him only his two sons, Illan +the Fair and Buinni the Red, and his shield bearer to carry his shield. +And as soon as he had departed, Concobar sent for Barach and said to +him:-- + +"Prepare a feast in thy house for Fergus: and when he visits thee +returning with the sons of Usna, invite him to partake of it." And +Barach thereupon departed for his home to do the bidding of the king and +prepare the feast. + +Now those heroes of old, on the day they received knighthood, were wont +to make certain pledges which were to bind them for life, some binding +themselves to one thing, some to another. And as they made the promises +on the faith of their knighthood, with great vows, in presence of kings +and nobles, they dared not violate them; no, not even if it was to save +the lives of themselves and all their friends: for whosoever broke +through his knighthood pledge was foully dishonoured for evermore. And +one of Fergus's obligations was never to refuse an invitation to a +banquet: a thing which was well known to King Concobar and to Barach. + +As to Fergus Mac Roy and his sons: they went on board their galley and +put to sea, and made no delay till they reached the harbour nigh the +campment of the sons of Usna. And coming ashore, Fergus gave the loud +shout of a mighty man of chase. The sons of Usna were at that same hour +in their booth; and Naisi and Deirdre were sitting with a polished +chessboard between them playing a game. + +And when they heard the shout, Naisi said:--"That is the call of a man +from Erin." + +"Not so," replied Deirdre, "it is the call of a man of Alban." + +And after a little time when a second shout came, Naisi said:--"That of +a certainty is the call of a man of Erin!" + +But Deirdre again replied:--"No, indeed: it concerns us not: let us play +our game." + +But when a third shout came sounding louder than those before, Naisi +arose and said:--"Now I know the voice: that is the shout of Fergus!" +And straightway he sent Ardan to the shore to meet him. + +Now Deirdre knew the voice of Fergus from the first: but she kept her +thoughts to herself: for her heart misgave her that the visit boded +evil. And when she told Naisi that she knew the first shout, he +said:--"Why, my queen, didst thou conceal it then?" + +And she replied:--"Lo, I saw a vision in my sleep last night: three +birds came to us from Emain Macha, with three drops of honey in their +beaks, and they left us the honey and took away three drops of our +blood." + +"What dost thou read from that vision, O princess?" said Naisi. + +"It denotes the message from Concobar to us," said Deirdre; "for sweet +as honey is the message of peace from a false man, while he has thoughts +of blood hidden deep in his heart." + +When Ardan arrived at the shore, the sight of Fergus and his two sons +was to him like rain on the parched grass; for it was long since he had +seen any of his dear comrades from Erin. And he cried out as he came +near, "An affectionate welcome to you my dear companions": and he fell +on Fergus's neck and kissed his cheeks, and did the like to his sons. +Then he brought them to the hunting-booth; and Naisi, Ainnli, and +Deirdre gave them a like kind welcome; after which they asked the news +from Erin. + +"The best news I have," said Fergus, "is that Concobar has sent me to +you with kindly greetings, to bring you back to Emain and restore you to +your lands and homes, and to your places in the Red Branch; and I am +myself a pledge for your safety." + +"It is not meet for them to go," said Deirdre: "for here they are under +no man's rule; and their sway in Alban is even as great as the sway of +Concobar in Erin." + +But Fergus said: "One's mother country is better than all else, and +gloomy is life when a man sees not his home each morning." + +"Far dearer to me is Erin than Alban," said Naisi, "even though my sway +should be greater here." + +It was not with Deirdre's consent he spoke these words: and she still +earnestly opposed their return to Erin. + +But Fergus tried to re-assure her:--"If all the men of Erin were against +you," said he, "it would avail nought once I have passed my word for +your safety." + +"We trust in thee," said Naisi, "and we will go with thee to Erin." + +[Illustration: A gold box: 2-3/4 inches across: 1 inch deep. Found in a +grave in Co. Cork. Use not known.] + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish bronze lamp. Found in a _crannoge_ (i.e. an +island-dwelling in a lake) in Co. Roscommon. The vessel held the oil, +and the wick projected from the pipe.] + + + + +XIII. + +THE RETURN TO EMAIN. + + +Going next morning on board their galleys, Fergus and his companions put +out on the wide sea: and oar and wind bore them on swiftly till they +landed on the shore of Erin near the house of Barach. + +And Deirdre, seating herself on a cliff, looked sadly over the waters at +the blue headlands of Alban: and she uttered this farewell:-- + + +I. + +"Dear to me is yon eastern land: Alban with its wonders. Beloved is +Alban with its bright harbours and its pleasant hills of the green +slopes. From that land I would never depart except to be with Naisi. + + +II. + +Kil-Cuan, O Kil-Cuan,[67-1] whither Ainnli was wont to resort: short +seemed the time to me while I sojourned there with Naisi on the margins +of its streams and waterfalls. + + [67-1] This and the other places named in Deirdre's Farewell are + all in the west of Scotland. + + +III. + +"Glen-Lee, O Glen-Lee, where I slept happy under soft coverlets: fish +and fowl, and the flesh of red deer and badgers; these were our fare in +Glen-Lee. + + +IV. + +"Glen-Masan, O Glen-Masan: tall its cresses of white stalks: often were +we rocked to sleep in our curragh in the grassy harbour of Glen-Masan. + + +V. + +"Glen-Orchy, O Glen-Orchy: over thy straight glen rises the smooth ridge +that oft echoed to the voices of our hounds. No man of the clan was more +light-hearted than my Naisi when following the chase in Glen-Orchy. + + +VI. + +"Glen-Ettive, O Glen-Ettive: there it was that my first house was raised +for me: lovely its woods in the smile of the early morn: the sun loves +to shine on Glen-Ettive. + +VII. + +"Glen-da-Roy, O Glen-da-Roy: the memory of its people is dear to me: +sweet is the cuckoo's note from the bending bough on the peak over +Glen-da-Roy. + + +VIII. + +"Dear to me is Dreenagh over the resounding shore: dear to me its +crystal waters over the speckled sand. From those sweet places I would +never depart, but only to be with my beloved Naisi." + + * * * * * + +After this they entered the house of Barach; and when Barach had +welcomed them, he said to Fergus: "Here I have a three-days banquet +ready for thee, and I invite thee to come and partake of it." + +When Fergus heard this his heart sank and his face waxed all over a +crimson red: and he said fiercely to Barach:--"Thou hast done an evil +thing to ask me to this banquet: for well thou knowest I cannot refuse +thee. Thou knowest, too, that I am under solemn pledge to send the Sons +of Usna this very hour to Emain: and if I remain feasting in thy house, +how shall I see that my promise of safety is respected?" + +But none the less did Barach persist; for he was one of the partners in +Concobar's treacherous design. + +Then Fergus turned to Naisi and said:--"I dare not violate my knighthood +promise: what am I to do in this strait?" But Deirdre answered for her +husband:--"The choice is before thee, Fergus; and it is more meet for +thee to abandon thy feast than to abandon the sons of Usna, who have +come over on thy pledge." + +Then Fergus was in sore perplexity; and pondering a little he said:--"I +will not forsake the sons of Usna: for I will send with them to Emain +Macha my two sons, Illan the Fair and Buinni the Red, who will be their +pledge instead of me." + +But Naisi said: "We need not thy sons for guard or pledge: we have ever +been accustomed to defend ourselves!" And he moved from the place in +great wrath: and his two brothers, and Deirdre, and the two sons of +Fergus followed him, with the rest of the clan; while Fergus remained +behind silent and gloomy: for his heart misgave him that mischief was +brewing for the sons of Usna. + +Then Deirdre tried to persuade the sons of Usna to go to Rathlin between +Erin and Alban, and tarry there till Barach's feast was ended: but they +did not consent to do so, for they deemed it would be a mark of +cowardice: and they sped on by the shortest ways towards Emain Macha. + +When now they had come to Fincarn of the Watch-tower on Slieve Fuad, +Deirdre and her attendants stayed behind the others a little: and she +fell asleep. And when Naisi missed her he turned back and found her just +awakening; and he said to her:--"Why didst thou tarry, my princess?" + +And she answered:--"I fell asleep and had a dream. And this is what I +saw in my dream:--Illan the Fair took your part: Buinni the Red did not: +and I saw Illan without his head: but Buinni had neither wound nor +hurt." + +"Alas, O beauteous princess," said Naisi, "thou utterest nought but evil +forebodings: but the king is true and will not break his plighted word." + +So they fared on till they had come to the Ridge of the Willows,[70-1] +an hour's journey from the palace: and Deirdre, looking upwards in great +fear, said to Naisi:--"O Naisi, see yonder cloud in the sky over Emain, +a fearful chilling cloud of a blood-red tinge: a baleful red cloud that +bodes disaster! Come ye now to Dundalgan and abide there with the mighty +hero Cuculainn till Fergus returns from Barach's feast; for I fear +Concobar's treachery." + + [70-1] Irish name _Drum-Sailech_; the ridge on which Armagh was + afterwards built. + +But Naisi answered:--"We cannot follow thy advice, beloved Deirdre, for +it would be a mark of fear: and we have no fear." + +And as they came nigh the palace Deirdre said to them:--"I will now give +you a sign if Concobar meditates good or evil. If you are brought into +his own mansion where he sits surrounded by his nobles, to eat and drink +with him, this is a token that he means no ill; for no man will injure a +guest that has partaken of food at his table: but if you are sent to the +house of the Red Branch, be sure he is bent on treachery." + +When at last they arrived at the palace they knocked loudly with the +handwood: and the door-keeper swang the great door wide open. And when +he had spoken with them he went and told Concobar that the sons of Usna +and Fergus's two sons had come, with their people. + +And Concobar called to him his stewards and attendants and asked +them:--"How is it in the house of the Red Branch as to food and drink?" +And they replied that if the seven battalions of Ulaid were to come to +it they would find enough of all good things "If that is so," said +Concobar, "take the sons of Usna and their people to the Red Branch." + +Even then Deirdre besought them not to enter the Red Branch: for she +deemed now that of a certainty there was mischief afoot. But Illan the +Fair said:--"Never did we show cowardice or unmanliness, and we shall +not do so now." Then she was silent and went with them into the house. + +And the company, when they had come in, sat them down so that they +filled the great hall: and alluring viands and delicious drinks were set +before them: and they ate and drank till they became satisfied and +cheerful: all except Deirdre and the Sons of Usna, who did not partake +much of food or drink. And Naisi asked for the king's chessboard and +chessmen; which were brought: and he and Deirdre began to play. + + + + +XIV. + +TROUBLE LOOMING. + + +Let us now speak of Concobar. As he sat among his nobles, the thought of +Deirdre came into his mind, and he said:--"Who among you will go to the +Red Branch and bring me tidings of Deirdre, whether her youthful shape +and looks still live upon her: for if so there is not on the ridge of +the world a woman more beautiful." And Lavarcam said she would go. + +Now the Sons of Usna were very dear to Lavarcam: and Naisi was dearer +than the others. And rising up she went to the Red Branch, where she +found Naisi and Deirdre with the chessboard between them, playing. And +she saluted them affectionately: and she embraced Deirdre, and wept over +her, and kissed her many times with the eagerness of her love: and she +kissed the cheeks of Naisi and of his brothers. + +And when her loving greeting was ended, she said:--"Beloved children, +evil is the deed that is to be done this night in Emain: for the three +torches of valour of the Gaels will be treacherously assailed, and +Concobar is certainly resolved to put them to death. And now set your +people on guard, and bolt and bar all doors, and close all windows; and +be steadfast and valourous, and defend your dear charge manfully, if you +may hold the assailants at bay till Fergus comes." And she departed +weeping piteously. + +And when Lavarcam had returned to Concobar asked what tidings she +brought. "Good tidings have I," said she: "for the three Sons of Usna +have come, the three valiant champions of Ulaid: and now that they are +with thee, O king, thou wilt hold sway in Erin without dispute. And bad +tidings I bring also: Deirdre indeed is not as she was, for her youthful +form and the splendour of her countenance have fled from her." + +And when Concobar heard this his jealousy abated, and he joined in the +feasting. + +But again the thought of Deirdre came to him, and he asked:--"Who now +will go for me to the Red Branch and bring me further tidings of Deirdre +and of the Sons of Usna?" for he distrusted Lavarcam. But the Knights of +the Red Branch had misgivings of some evil design, and all remained +silent. + +Then he called to him Trendorn, one of the lesser chiefs: and he +said:--"Knowest thou, Trendorn, who slew thy father and thy three +brothers in battle?" And Trendorn answered:--"Verily, it was Naisi the +son of Usna that slew them." Then the king said:--"Go now to the Red +Branch and bring me back tidings of Deirdre and of the Sons of Usna." + +Trendorn went right willingly. But when he found the doors and windows +of the Red Branch shut up, he was seized with fear, and he said: "It is +not safe to approach the Sons of Usna, for they are surely in wrathful +mood: nevertheless I must needs bring back tidings to the king." + +Whereupon, not daring to knock at the door, he climbed nimbly to a small +window high up that had been unwittingly left open, through which he +viewed the spacious banquet hall, and saw Naisi and Deirdre playing +chess. Deirdre chanced to look up at that moment, and seeing the face of +the spy with eyes intently gazing on her, she started with affright and +grasped Naisi's arm, as he was making a move with the chessman. Naisi, +following her gaze, and seeing the evil-looking face, flung the chessman +with unerring aim and broke the eye in Trendorn's head. + +Trendorn dropped down in pain and rage; and going straight to Concobar, +he said:--"I have tidings for thee, O king: the three Sons of Usna are +sitting in the banquet hall, stately and proud like kings: and Deirdre +is seated beside Naisi; and verily, for beauty and queenly grace, her +peer cannot be found." + +When Concobar heard this, a flame of jealousy and fury blazed up in his +heart, and he resolved that by no means should the Sons of Usna escape +the doom he planned for them. + + + + +XV. + +THE ATTACK ON THE SONS OF USNA. + + +Coming forth on the lawn of Emain, King Concobar now ordered a large +body of hireling troops to beset the Red Branch: and he bade them force +the doors and bring forth the sons of Usna. And they uttered three +dreadful shouts of defiance, and assailed the house on every side; but +the strong oak stood bravely, and they were not able to break through +doors or walls. So they heaped up great piles of wood and brambles and +kindled them till the red flames blazed round the house. + +Buinni the Red now stood up and said to the Sons of Usna:--"To me be +intrusted the task to repel this first assault: for I am your pledge in +place of my father." And marshalling his men, and causing the great door +to be thrown wide open, he sallied forth and scattered the assailants +and put out the fires: slaying thrice fifty hirelings in that onslaught. + +But Buinni returned not to the Red Branch: for the king sent to him with +a secret offer of great favours and bribes: namely, his own royal +friendship, and a fruitful tract of land; which Buinni took and basely +abandoned the sons of Usna. But none the better luck came to him of it: +for at that same hour a blight fell on the land, so that it became a +moor, waste and profitless, which is at this day called Slieve Fuad. + +When Illan the Fair became aware of his brother's treason, he was +grieved to the heart, and he said:--"I am the second pledge in place of +my father for the sons of Usna, and of a certainty I will not betray +them: while this straight sword lives in my hand I will be faithful: and +I will now repel this second attack." For at this time the king's +hirelings were again thundering at the doors. + +Forth he issued with his band: and he made three quick furious circuits +round the Red Branch, scattering the troops as he went: after which he +returned to the mansion and found Naisi and Deirdre still playing.[77-1] +But as the hireling hordes returned to the attack, he went forth a +second time and fell on them, dealing death and havoc whither-soever he +went. + + [77-1] These champions, as well as their wives, took care never to + show any signs of fear or alarm even in the time of + greatest danger: so Naisi and Deirdre kept playing + quietly as if nothing was going on outside, though they + heard the din of battle resounding. + +Then, while the fight was still raging, Concobar called to him his son +Ficra, and said to him:--"Thou and Illan the Fair were born on the same +night: and as he has his father's arms, so thou take mine, namely, my +shield which is called the Ocean, and my two spears which are called +Dart and Slaughter, and my great sword, the Blue-green blade. And bear +thyself manfully against him, and vanquish him, else none of my troops +will survive." + +Ficra did so and went against Illan the Fair; and they made a stout, +warlike, red-wounding attack on each other, while the others looked on +anxious: but none dared to interfere. And it came to pass that Illan +prevailed, so that Ficra was fain to shelter himself behind his father's +shield the Ocean, and he was like to be slain. Whereupon the shield +moaned, and the Three Waves of Erin uttered their hollow melancholy +roar.[77-2] + + [77-2] The "Three _Tonns_ or Waves of Erin" were the Wave of Tuath + outside the mouth of the river Bann, off the coast of + Derry; the Wave of Rury in Dundrum Bay, off the county + Down; and the Wave of Cleena in Glandore Harbour in the + south of Cork. In stormy weather, when the wind blows from + certain directions, the sea at those places, as it tumbles + over the sandbanks, or among the caves and fissures of the + rocks, utters a loud and solemn roar, which in old times + was believed to forebode the death of some king. + + The legends also tell that the shield belonging to a king + moaned when the person who wore it in battle--whether the + king himself or a member of his family--was in danger of + death: the moan was heard all over Ireland; and the + "Three Waves of Erin" roared in response. See "Irish + Names of Places," Vol. II., Chap. XVI. + +The hero Conall Carnagh, sitting in his dun afar off, heard the moan of +the shield and the roar of the Wave of Tuath: and springing up from +where he sat, he said: "Verily, the king is in danger: I will go to his +rescue." + +He ran with the swiftness of the wind, and arrived on the Green of Emain +where the two young heroes were fighting. Thinking it was Concobar that +crouched beneath the shield, he attacked Illan, not knowing him, and +wounded him even unto death. And Illan looking up said, "Is it thou, +Conall! Alas, dreadful is the deed thou hast done, not knowing me, and +not knowing that I am fighting in defence of the Sons of Usna who are +now in deadly peril from the treachery of Concobar." + +And Conall, finding he had unwittingly wounded his dear young friend +Illan, turned in his grief and rage on the other, and swept off his +head. And he stalked fierce and silent out of the battlefield. + +Illan, still faithful to his charge, called aloud to Naisi to defend +himself bravely: then putting forth his remaining strength, he flung his +arms, namely, his sword and his spears and his shield, into the Red +Branch; and falling prone on the green sward, the shades of death dimmed +his eyes, and his life departed. + +And now when it was the dusk of evening, another great battalion of the +hirelings assailed the Red Branch, and kindled fagots around it: +whereupon Ardan sallied out with his valorous band and scattered them, +and put out the fires, and held guard for the first third of the night. +And during the second third Ainnli kept them at bay. + +Then Naisi took his turn, issuing forth, and fought with them till the +morning's dawn: and until the sands of the seashore, or the leaves of +the forest, or the dew drops on the grass, or the stars of heaven are +counted, it will not be possible to number the hirelings that were slain +in that fight by Naisi and his band of heroes. + +And as he was returning breathless from the rout, all grimy and terrible +with blood and sweat, he spied Lavarcam, as she stood watching the +battle anxiously; and he said:--"Go, Lavarcam, go and stand on the outer +rampart, and cast thine eyes eastwards, if perchance thou shouldst see +Fergus and his men coming." + +For many of Naisi's brave followers had fallen in these encounters: and +he doubted that he and the others could sustain much longer the +continual assaults of superior numbers. And Lavarcam went, but returned +downcast, saying she saw nought eastwards, but the open plain with the +peaceful herds browsing over it. + + + + +XVI. + +DEATH OF THE SONS OF USNA. + + +Believing now that they could no longer defend the Red Branch, Naisi +took council with his brothers; and what they resolved on was this:--To +sally forth with all their men and fight their way to a place of safety. +Then making a close firm fence of shields and spears round Deirdre, they +marched out in solid ranks and attacked the hireling battalions and slew +three hundred in that onslaught. + +Concobar, seeing the rout of his men, and being now sure that it was not +possible to subdue the Sons of Usna in open fight, cast about if he +might take them by falsehood and craft. And sending for Caffa the druid, +who loved them, he said:-- + +"These sons of Usna are brave men, and it is our pleasure to receive +them back into our service. Go now unto them, for thou art their loved +friend; and say to them that if they lay down their arms and submit to +me, I will restore them to favour and give them their places among the +Red Branch Knights. And I pledge thee my kingly word and my troth as a +true knight, that no harm shall befal them." + +Caffa, by no means distrusting him, went to the Sons of Usna and told +them all the king had said. And they, suspecting neither guile nor +treachery joyfully threw their swords and spears aside, and went towards +the king to make submission. But now, while they stood defenceless, the +king caused them to be seized and bound. Then, turning aside he sought +for some one to put them to death; but he found no man of the Ultonians +willing to do so. + +Among his followers was a foreigner named Maini of the Rough Hand, whose +father and two brothers had fallen in battle by Naisi: and this man +undertook to kill the Sons of Usna. + +When they were brought forth to their doom, Ardan said:--"I am the +youngest: let me be slain first that I may not see the death of my +brothers." And Ainnli earnestly pleaded for the same thing for himself, +saying that he was born before Ardan and should die before him. + +But Naisi said:--"Lo, I have a sword, the gift of Mannanan Mac Lir, +which leaves no remnant unfinished after a blow: let us be struck with +it, all three together, and we shall die at the same moment." + +This was agreed to: and the sword was brought forth, and they laid their +heads close together, and Maini swept off all three with one blow of the +mighty sword. And when it became known that the Sons of Usna were dead, +the men of Ulaid sent forth three great cries of grief and lamentation. + +As for Deirdre, she cried aloud, and tore her golden hair, and became +like one distracted. And after a time, when her calmness had a little +returned, she uttered a lament:-- + + +I. + +"Three lions of the hill are dead, and I am left alone to weep for them. +The generous princes who made the stranger welcome have been guilefully +lured to their doom. + + +II. + +"The three strong hawks of Slieve Cullinn,[82-1] a king's three sons, +strong and gentle: willing obedience was yielded to them by heroes who +had conquered many lands. + + [82-1] Slieve Cullinn, now Slieve Gullion mountain in Armagh. + + +III. + +"Three generous heroes of the Red Branch, who loved to praise the valour +of others: three props of the battalions of Quelna: their fall is the +cause of bitter grief. + + +IV. + +"Ainnli and Ardan, haughty and fierce in battle, to me were ever loving +and gentle: Naisi, Naisi, beloved spouse of my choice, thou canst not +hear thy Deirdre lamenting thee. + + +V. + +"When they brought down the fleet red deer in the chase, when they +speared the salmon skilfully in the clear water, joyful and proud were +they if I looked on. + + +VI. + +"Often when my feeble feet grew weary wandering along the valleys, and +climbing the hills to view the chase, often would they bear me home +lightly on their linked shields and spears. + + +VII. + +"It was gladness of heart to be with the Sons of Usna: long and weary is +the day without their company: short will be my span of life since they +have left me. + + +VIII. + +"Sorrow and tears have dimmed my eyes, looking at the grave of Naisi: a +dark deadly sickness has seized my heart: I cannot, I cannot live after +Naisi. + + +IX. + +"O, thou who diggest the new grave, make it deep and wide: let it be a +grave for four: for I will sleep for ever beside my beloved." + + +When she had spoken these words, she fell beside the body of Naisi and +died immediately. And a great cairn of stones was piled over their +grave, and their names were inscribed in Ogham, and their funeral rites +were performed. + +This is the sorrowful tale of The Fate of the Sons of Usna. + + + + +XVII. + +AVENGING AND BRIGHT. + + + Avenging and bright fall the swift sword of Erin, + On him, who the brave sons of Usna betray'd! + For ev'ry fond eye he hath waken'd a tear in, + A drop from his heart-wounds shall weep o'er her blade. + + By the red cloud that hung over Connor's dark dwelling, + When Ulad's three champions lay sleeping in gore-- + By the billows of war which, so often high swelling, + Have wafted these heroes to victory's shore? + + We swear to revenge them!--no joy shall be tasted, + The harp shall be silent, the maiden unwed, + Our halls shall be mute, and our fields shall lie wasted, + Till vengeance is wreak'd on the murderer's head. + + Yes, monarch! though sweet are our home recollections, + Though sweet are the tears that from tenderness fall; + Though sweet are our friendships, our hopes, our affections, + Revenge[85-1] on a tyrant is sweetest of all! + + THOMAS MOORE. + + [85-1] The Red Branch Knights were all pagans; and besides, what + they meant here by revenge was merely punishment for a + great crime. + + + + +XVIII. + +THE WRATH OF FERGUS MAC ROY. + + +Barach's banquet was ended. Fergus, anxious and impatient, returned with +his people to Emain. And when he found that the sons of Usna had been +slain in violation of his pledge, and that his son, Illan the Fair, had +fallen while defending them, his grief and wrath knew no bounds. Caffa +the druid was none the less incensed; and he was in sore anguish: for he +it was, who, trusting in Concobar's deceitful promises, persuaded the +sons of Usna to give up their arms and yield. And he pronounced the doom +of Concobar's race, that neither he nor any of his descendants should +reign in Emain thenceforward for evermore. + +And these two, Fergus and Caffa, collecting their men of valour, spoiled +and laid waste Concobar's territory; till at last a battle was fought +between them, in which the king was defeated, and three hundred of his +bravest Ultonians were slain, besides his son and many other illustrious +persons in his service. Fergus and Caffa then attacked Emain, and burned +and pillaged it, and slew those who defended it. And though the palace +was rebuilt in due time, and continued to be the residence of the kings +of Ulaid for more than three hundred years afterwards, none of +Concobar's descendants possessed it, as Caffa had foretold. + +[Illustration: Bronze celts. A celt was a sort of battle axe; sometimes +made of bronze, sometimes of stone. The right hand figure shows how the +bronze head was fixed to the handle. Great numbers of these celts of +many different shapes, both stone and bronze, are preserved in the +National Museum, Dublin.] + +After this, Fergus and other great champions of the Red Branch, with +three thousand warriors, marched into Connaught, where Ailell and +Maive, king and queen of that province, being at war with Concobar, +welcomed them and took them gladly into their service. And for seven +years they continued to send marauding parties to spoil and ravage the +province of Ulaid, so that many battles were fought, and many heroes +were slain. In the stories of this war we read much of the mighty +champion Cuculainn who was the chief defender of Ulaid against Ailell +and Maive's forces. + + + + +XIX. + +ANCIENT IRISH PHYSICIANS: PART I. + + +Among most nations of old times there were great leeches or physicians, +who were considered so skilful that the people believed they could cure +wounds and ailments as if by magic. In some countries they became gods, +as among the Greeks. + +The ancient Irish people, too, had their mighty leech, a Dedannan named +Dianket, who, as they believed, could heal all wounds and cure all +diseases; so that he became the Irish God of Medicine. He had a son, +Midac, and a daughter, Armedda, who were both as good as himself; and at +last Midac became so skilful that his father killed him in a fit of +jealousy. And, after some time, there grew up from the young doctor's +grave 365 herbs, each with virtue to cure some particular ailment. His +sister Armedda plucked up these herbs, and carefully sorting them, +wrapped them up in her mantle. But the jealous old Dianket came and +mixed them all up, so that no one could distinguish them: and but for +this--according to the legend--every physician would now be able to cure +all diseases without delay, by selecting and applying the proper herbs. + +Leaving these shadowy old-world stories, let us come down to historic +times, when we shall, as it were, tread on solid ground. From the very +earliest times medicine and surgery were carefully studied in Ireland: +and there was a distinct class of professional medical doctors, who +underwent a course of education and practical training. A young man +usually learned to be a physician by apprenticeship, i.e. by living in +the house of a regular physician, and accompanying him on his visits to +patients to learn his methods of treatment. + +A king or a great chief had always a physician as part of his household, +to attend to the health of his family. The usual remuneration of these +men was a residence and a tract of land in the neighbourhood, free of +all rent and taxes, together with certain allowances: and the medical +man might, if he chose, practise for fee outside the household. Some of +those in the service of great kings had castles, and lived in state like +princes. Those not so attached lived on their fees, like many doctors +of the present day: and the fees for the various operations or +attendances were laid down in the Brehon Law.[89-1] + + [89-1] The Brehon Law: that is, the old law of Ireland. + +Though medical doctors were looked up to with great respect, they had to +be very careful in exercising their profession. A leech who through +carelessness, or wilful neglect, or gross want of skill, failed to cure +a wound, might be brought before a brehon or judge, and if the case was +proved home against him, he had to pay the same fine to the patient, as +if he had inflicted the wound with his own hand. + + + + +XX. + +ANCIENT IRISH PHYSICIANS: PART II. + + +Medicine, as a profession, like Law, History, &c., often ran in families +in Ireland, descending regularly from father to son; and several Irish +families were distinguished leeches for generations, such as the +O'Shiels, the O'Cassidys, the O'Hickeys, and the O'Lees. + +Each medical family kept a book, which was handed down reverently from +father to son, and in which was written, in Irish or Latin, all the +medical knowledge derived either from other books or from the actual +experience of the various members of the family; and many of these old +volumes, all in beautiful handwriting, are still preserved in Dublin and +elsewhere. As showing the admirable spirit in which those good men +studied and practised their profession, and how much they loved it, it +is worth while to give a translation of the opening statement, a sort of +preface, in the Irish language, written at the beginning of one of these +books, in the year 1352. + +"May the good God have mercy on us all. I have here collected practical +rules of medicine from several works, for the honour of God, for the +benefit of the Irish people, for the instruction of my pupils, and for +the love of my friends and of my kindred. I have translated many of them +into Gaelic from Latin books, containing the lore of the great leeches +of Greece and Rome. These are sweet and profitable things which have +been often tested by us and by our instructors. + +"I pray God to bless those doctors who will use this book; and I lay it +as an injunction on their souls, that they extract knowledge from it not +by any means sparingly, and that they do not neglect the practical rules +herein contained. More especially I charge them that they do their duty +devotedly in cases where they receive no payment on account of the +poverty of their patients. + +"Let every physician, before he begins his treatment, offer up a secret +prayer for the sick person, and implore the heavenly Father, the +Physician and Balm-giver of all mankind, to prosper the work he is +entering upon, and to save himself and his patient from failure." + +There is good reason to believe that the noble sentiments here expressed +were generally those of the physicians of the time; from which we may +see that the old Irish medical doctors were quite as devoted to their +profession, as eager for knowledge, and as anxious about their patients +as those of the present day. + +The fame of the Irish physicians reached the continent. Even at a +comparatively late time, about three hundred years ago, when medicine +had been successfully studied and practised in Ireland for more than a +thousand years, a well-known and distinguished physician of +Brussels,[91-1] in a book written by him in Latin on medical subjects, +praises the Irish doctors, and describes them correctly as follows:-- + + [91-1] Van Helmont. + +"In the household of every great lord in Ireland there is a physician +who has a tract of land for his support, and who is appointed to his +post, not on account of the great amount of learning he brings away in +his head from colleges, but because he is able to cure diseases. His +knowledge of the healing art is derived from books left him by his +forefathers, which describe very exactly the marks and signs by which +the various diseases are known, and lay down the proper remedies for +each. These remedies, [which are mostly herbs], are all produced in that +country. Accordingly, the Irish people are much better managed in +sickness than the Italians, who have a physician in every village." + +It is pleasant to know that the Irish physicians of our time who, it is +generally agreed, are equal to those of any other country in the world, +can look back with respect, and not without some feeling of pride, to +their Irish predecessors of the times of old. + + + + +XXI. + +THE FENA OF ERIN. + + +In the third century of the Christian era lived the Fena[92-1] of Erin, +a famous body of warriors something like the Red Branch Knights of an +older time. Their most renowned commander was Finn Mac Cumaill [Cool], +King Cormac Mac Art's son-in-law, who of all the heroes of ancient +Ireland is at the present day best remembered in tradition by the +people. + + [92-1] Fena, spelled _Fianna_ in Irish, and pronounced _Feena_. + +Finn had his chief residence on the Hill of Allen, a remarkable +flat-topped hill lying about four miles to the right of the railway as +you pass from Newbridge towards Kildare, which will be at once +recognised by a tall pillar erected fifty or sixty years ago on the +top, on the very site of Finn's palace. There are now very little +remains of the palace-fort, which, there is good reason to believe, was +at no time very large. Whatever remained of it has been cleared away, +partly to make room for the pillar, and partly by cultivation, for the +land has been tilled and cropped to the very summit. The whole +neighbourhood however still teems with living traditions of the heroes; +and the people all round the hill tell many stories of Finn and the +Fena, and point out the several spots they frequented. As in the case of +the Red Branch Knights, there were Fena in all the provinces, each +provincial troop under a leader. The Fena of Erin flourished for many +generations; but they reached their greatest glory under Finn in the +time of Cormac Mac Art, who was king of Ireland from A.D. 254 to 277. + +No man was admitted to their ranks till he had proved his strength and +activity by passing severe tests in leaping, running, and defending +himself from attack against great odds. They should be educated in the +sort of learning in vogue at the time, and especially they should be +able to repeat many verses and stories recounting the great deeds of the +times of old, so that they might learn to admire all that was brave and +noble, and that in time of peace they might be bright and entertaining +at banquets and other festive gatherings. They were all mighty men in +fight, brave, and strong, and swift of foot: and they were above all +things bound to be honourable and truthful in their dealings, and to +protect the weak--particularly women and children--from oppression and +wrong. + +The Fena loved open-air games and exercises of all kinds, especially the +chase. They had a breed of enormous dogs of which they were very fond, +gentle and affectionate at home, but fierce and terrible in the chase; +and from Beltane (1st of May) to Samin (1st November) they hunted deer, +wild boars, and other game through the forests, and over the hills, +glens, and plains. Though the chief men among them rode on horseback +when travelling long distances from one district to another, they always +hunted on foot, never using horses in the chase. During hunting time +they camped out at night, living on the flesh of the animals they +brought down and on the wild fruit and herbs of the forest. + +At midday, whatever game they had killed during the morning they sent by +their attendants to the place appointed for the evening meal, which was +always chosen near a wood and beside a stream or lake. The attendants +roasted one part on hazel spits before immense fires of wood, and baked +the rest on hot stones in a pit dug in the earth. The stones were heated +in the fires. At the bottom of the pit the men placed a layer of these +hot stones: then a layer of meat-joints wrapped in sedge to keep them +from being burned: next another layer of hot stones: down on that more +meat; and so on till the whole was disposed of. When the hunters +returned, their first care was to bathe, so as to remove the sweat and +mire of the chase. Then they attended to their hair: for they wore the +hair long, and were very particular about combing, dressing, and +plaiting it. By the time their preparations were completed, the meat was +ready: and the hungry hunters sat down to their smoking-hot savoury +meal. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish ornamented comb in the National Museum, +Dublin.] + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish gold earring, one of a pair found in Co. +Roscommon] + +After the meal they set up their tents, and each man prepared his bed. +He first put down a thick layer of brushwood from the surrounding +forest; on that he spread a quantity of moss; and on that again a layer +of fresh rushes, on which he slept soundly after his day of joyous, +healthful toil. In the old tales these three materials--brushwood, moss, +and rushes--are called the "Three beddings of the Fena."[95-1] + + [95-1] The above account of how the Fena hunted, cooked, ate, and + slept is from Keating, who took it from old Irish books. + +The Fena were in the service of the kings, and their main duties were to +uphold justice and put down oppression and wrong, to suppress robbers +and other evil-doers, to exact fines and tributes for the king, and to +guard the harbours of the country against pirates and invaders. For +these services they received a fixed pay: during the six months hunting +season, their pay was merely the animals they killed, of which they used +the flesh for food and sold the skins. + +An Irish poet of our day has written of the Milesian people in general, +including those Fena of Erin and the Red Branch Knights:-- + + + "Long, long ago, beyond the misty space + Of twice a thousand years, + In Erin old there dwelt a mighty race + Taller than Roman spears; + Like oaks and towers they had a giant grace, + Were fleet as deers, + With winds and wave they made their biding place, + Those western shepherd seers. + + Great were their deeds, their passions, and their sports. + With clay and stone, + They piled on strath and shore those mystic forts, + Not yet o'erthrown: + On cairn-crowned hills they held their council-courts; + While youths alone, + With giant dogs explored the elk resorts + And brought them down." + + +[Illustration: Cairn, on Carns Hill near Sligo: a "cairn-crowned hill."] + +In many modern stories, Finn is spoken of as a giant; but this is a +vulgar notion. The old romantic tales describe him as a tall, strong +man, though not a giant; with much keen wit, sound sense, and great +judgment: and though he was a mighty champion, he ruled his men more by +wisdom, kindness, and justice, than by strength. When quite a young man +his hair became white like silver: how this happened will be told in the +next story. Oisin [Isheen] or Ossian, the renowned hero-poet of the +Fena, was his son. Oscar the son of Ossian was youthful, comely, +kind-hearted, and valiant. Dermot O'Dyna was the handsomest of all these +heroes. He was unconquerably brave, of untarnished honour, generous, and +self-denying, ever ready to take the post of danger, always giving +credit to others, and never in the least boasting of his own deeds. He +is the finest character of all the Fena; and it would be hard to find +his equal in the ancient tales of any country. We have a vast number of +beautiful stories in the Irish language about Finn and the other heroes +of the Fena, a few of which are translated in this book. + + + + +XXII. + +THE CHASE OF SLIEVE CULLINN. + +IN WHICH OSSIAN RELATES HOW FINN'S HAIR WAS CHANGED IN ONE DAY FROM THE +COLOUR OF GOLD TO SILVERY GREY. + + +On a morning in summer, Finn happened to be walking alone on the lawn +before the palace of Allen, when a doe sprang out from a thicket, and, +passing quite close to him, bounded past like the wind. Without a +moment's delay, he signalled for his companions and dogs; but none heard +except his two hounds, Bran and Skolan. He instantly gave chase, +accompanied only by his two dogs; and before the Fena knew of his +absence, he had left Allen of the green slopes far behind. + +The chase turned northwards; and though the hounds kept close to the +doe, the chief kept quite as close to the hounds the whole way. And so +they continued without rest or pause, till they reached Slieve Cullinn, +far in the north. + +Here the doe made a sudden turn and disappeared; and Finn never caught +sight of her after. And he marvelled much that any doe in the world +should be able to lead Bran and Skolan so long a chase, and escape from +them in the end. Meantime they kept searching, Finn taking one side of +the hill and the dogs another, so that he was at last left quite alone. + +While he was wandering about the hill and whistling for his hounds, he +heard the plaintive cry of a woman at no great distance; and, turning +his steps towards the place, he saw a beautiful young lady sitting on +the brink of a little lake, weeping as if her heart would break. Finn +accosted her; and, seeing that she ceased her weeping for a moment, he +asked her had she seen his two hounds pass that way. + +"I have not seen thy hounds," she replied, "nor have I been at all +concerned in the chase; for, alas, there is something that troubles me +more nearly. I had a precious gold bracelet on my hand, which I prized +beyond anything in the world; and it has fallen from me into the water. +I saw it roll down the steep slope at the bottom, till it went quite out +of my sight. This is the cause of my sorrow, and thou canst remedy the +mishap if thou wilt. The Fena are sworn never to refuse help to a woman +in distress; and I now put it on thee to search for this bracelet, and +cease not till thou find it and restore it to me." + +Finn plunged in without a moment's hesitation; and after swimming three +times round the lake, diving and searching into every nook and cranny at +the bottom, he found the bracelet at last; and approaching the lady, he +handed it to her from the water. The moment she had got it she sprang +into the lake before his eyes, and, diving down, disappeared in an +instant. + +[Illustration: Irish bracelet or armlet of solid gold, now in the +National Museum, Dublin. It is double the size of the picture, of +beautiful shape and workmanship, and weighs 3-3/4 oz.] + +The chief, wondering greatly at this strange behaviour, stepped forth +from the water; but as soon as his feet had touched the dry land, he +lost all his strength, and fell on the brink, a withered, grey old man, +shrunken up and trembling all over with weakness. He sat him down in +woful plight; and soon his hounds came up. They looked at him wistfully +and sniffed and whined around him; but they knew him not, and, passing +on, they ran round the lake, searching in vain for their master. + +On that day we and the Fena in general were assembled in the banquet +hall of the palace of Allen; some feasting, some playing chess, and +others listening to the sweet music of the harpers. While all were in +this wise pleasantly engaged, we suddenly missed our chief, and when we +searched for him he was nowhere to be found: whereupon we became +alarmed. Inquiring now from the lesser people about the palace, we found +that the chief and his two dogs had chased a doe northwards. So, having +mustered a strong party of the Fena, we started in pursuit, and +following the track, never slackened speed till we reached Slieve +Cullinn. + +We began to search round the hill, and after wandering among brakes and +rough, rocky places, we at last espied a grey-headed old man sitting on +the brink of a lake. I went up to him, followed by the rest of the Fena, +and asked him if he had seen a noble-looking hero pass that way, with +two hounds, chasing a doe. He never answered a word, neither did he stir +from where he sat, or even look up; but at the question, his head sank +on his breast, and his limbs shook all over as with palsy. Then he fell +into a sudden fit of grief, wringing his hands and uttering feeble cries +of woe. + +We soothed him and used him gently, hoping he might speak at last; but +to no purpose, for he only lamented the more, and still answered +nothing. + +At last, after this had gone on for some time, and when we were about +to leave him, he told us in a whisper the dreadful secret; and then we +all came to know the truth. When we found that the withered old man was +no other than our beloved king, Finn himself, we uttered three shouts of +lamentation and anger, so loud and prolonged that the foxes and badgers +rushed affrighted from their dens in the hollows of the mountain. + +When quietness was restored, we asked Finn how this dread evil had +befallen him; and he told us that it was the daughter of Culann the +smith who had transformed him by her spells. And then he recounted how +she had lured him to swim in the lake, and how, when he came forth, he +was turned into a withered old man. + +We now made a framework litter of slender poles, and, placing our king +on it, we lifted him tenderly on our shoulders. And, turning from the +lake, we marched slowly up-hill till we came to the fairy palace of +Slieve Cullinn, where we knew the daughter of Culann had her dwelling +deep under ground. Here we set him down, and the whole troop began at +once to dig, determined to find the enchantress in her cave-palace, and +force her to restore our chief. + +For three days and three nights we dug, without a moment's rest or +pause, till at length we reached her hollow dwelling; when she, +affrighted at the tumult and at the vengeful look of the heroes, +suddenly started forth from the cave and stood before us. She held in +her hand a drinking-horn of red gold, which she handed to the king and +told him to drink. No sooner had he drunk from it, than his own shape +and features returned, save only that his hair remained of a silvery +grey. + +When we gazed on our chief in his own graceful and manly form, we were +all pleased with the soft, silvery hue of the grey hairs. And, though +the enchantress appeared ready to restore this also, Finn himself told +her that it pleased him as it pleased the others, and that he chose to +remain grey for the rest of his life. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish bracelet for the wrist. This is of bronze; +but many Irish bracelets were of gold, like that shown at page 100.] + + + + +XXIII. + +SAINT BRIGIT: PART I. + + +Of all the Irish saints, Brigit and Columkille are, next after St. +Patrick, the most loved and revered by the people of Ireland. + +Like many others of our early saints, Brigit came of a noble family. Her +father Dubthach [Duffa] was a distinguished Leinster chief, descended +from the kings of Ireland. For some reason, which we do not know, he and +his wife lived for a time in Faughart near Dundalk, which was then a +part of Ulster: and at Faughart Brigit was born about the year 455. The +family must have soon returned however to their own district, for we +know that Brigit passed her childhood with her parents in the +neighbourhood of Kildare. She was baptised, and carefully instructed and +trained, both in general education and in religion: for her father and +mother were Christians. As she grew up, her quiet, gentle, modest ways +pleased all that knew her. At the time of her birth, St. Patrick was in +the midst of his glorious career; and some say that while she was still +a child she knew him, and that when he died she made with her own hands +a winding sheet in which his body was laid in the grave; which may have +happened, as she was ten or twelve years of age at the time of his +death. + +When Brigit came of an age to choose her way of life, she resolved to be +a nun, to which her parents made no objection. After due preparation she +went to a holy bishop of the neighbourhood, who, at her request, +received her, and placed a white robe on her shoulders and a white veil +over her head. Here she remained for some time in companionship with +eight other maidens who had been received with her, and who placed +themselves under her guidance. As time went on, she became so beloved +for her piety and sweetness of disposition, that many young women asked +to be admitted; so that though she by no means desired that people +should be speaking in her praise, the fame of her little community began +to spread through the country. + +This first establishment was conducted strictly under a set of Rules +drawn up by Brigit herself: and now, bishops in various parts of Ireland +began to apply to her to establish convents in their several districts +under the same rules. She was glad of this, and she did what she could +to meet their wishes. She visited Longford, Tipperary, Limerick, South +Leinster, and Roscommon, one after another; and in all these places she +founded convents. + +At last the people of her own province of Leinster, considering that +they had the best right to her services, sent a number of leading +persons to request that she would fix her permanent residence among +them. She was probably pleased to go back to live in the place where she +had spent her childhood; and she returned to Leinster, where she was +welcomed with great joy. The Leinster people gave her a piece of land +chosen by herself, on the edge of a beautiful level grassy plain, well +known as the Curragh of Kildare. Here, on a low ridge over-looking the +plain, she built a little church, under the shade of a wide-spreading +oak tree, whence it got the name of Kill-dara, the Church of the Oak, or +as we now call it, Kildare. This tree continued to flourish long after +Brigit's death, and it was regarded with great veneration by the people +of the place. A writer of the tenth century--four hundred years after +the foundation of the church--tells us that in his time it was a mere +branchless, withered trunk; but the people had such reverence for it +that no one dared to cut or chip it. + +We are not quite sure of the exact year of Brigit's settlement here; but +it probably occurred about 485, when she was thirty years of age. Hard +by the church she also built a dwelling for herself and her community. +We are told, in the Irish Life of St. Brigit, that this first house was +built of wood, like the houses of the people in general: and the little +church under the oak was probably of wood also, like most churches of +the time. As the number of applicants for admission continued to +increase, both church and dwelling had to be enlarged from time to time; +and the wood was replaced by stone and mortar. Such was the respect in +which the good abbess was held, that visitors came from all parts of the +country to see her and ask her advice and blessing: and many of them +settled down in the place, so that a town gradually grew up near the +convent, which was the beginning of the town of Kildare. + + + + +XXIV. + +SAINT BRIGIT: PART II. + + +Brigit, although now at the head of a great community, and very strict +in carrying out her Rules, still retained all her humility and +gentleness of disposition. With such a large family, there was plenty of +work to do; and it was all done by the nuns, as they kept no servants +and called in no outsiders. The abbess herself, so far as she was able +to withdraw from the cares of governing the establishment, took her part +like the rest in most of the domestic occupations. In some of the old +accounts of her life we are told that she often, with some companions, +herded and tended her flocks of sheep that grazed on the level sward +round the convent. And sometimes she was caught by the heavy +rain-squalls that occasionally sweep across that shelterless plain, so +that her clothes were wet through by the time she returned to the +convent: showing that she took her own share of the rough work. + +Not far from the convent, another establishment was founded, later on, +for men, which afterwards became one of the great Colleges of Ireland. +As the two communities and the population of the town continued to grow, +it was Brigit's earnest desire that a bishop should be there to take +spiritual charge of the whole place. A holy man named Conleth, who had +hitherto spent his life as a hermit in the neighbourhood, was appointed +bishop by the heads of the Church. He was the first bishop of Kildare, +and he took up his residence in the monastery. The name of that good +bishop is to this day held in affectionate remembrance, with that of St. +Brigit, by the people of Kildare and of the country all round. + +[Illustration: Ruins of Kilcrea Abbey, on the river Bride, ten miles +from Cork city. Built in honour of St. Brigit.] + +While the parent convent at Kildare continued to grow, branch houses +under Brigit's Rule, and subject to her authority, were established all +over Ireland; and many establishments for monks were also founded in +honour of her. + +Brigit had such a reputation for wisdom and prudence, that the most +eminent of the saints, and many kings and chiefs of her day, visited +Kildare or corresponded with her, to obtain her advice in doubtful or +difficult matters. Visitors were constantly coming and going, all of +whom she received kindly and treated hospitably. All this, with daily +alms to the needy, and the support of a large community, kept her poor: +for the produce of her land was not nearly sufficient to supply her +wants. For a long time in the beginning she and her community suffered +from downright poverty, so that she had often to call on the charity of +her friends and neighbours to assist her. But as time went on, and as +the reputation of the place spread abroad, she received many presents +from rich people, which generally came in the right time, and enabled +her to carry on her establishment without any danger of want. + +Among Brigit's virtues none is more marked than her charity and kindness +of heart towards poor, needy, and helpless people. She never could look +on distress of any kind without trying to relieve it at whatever cost. +Even when a mere girl living with her parents, her father was often +displeased with her for giving away necessary things belonging to the +house to poor people who came in their misery to beg from her. It +happened on one occasion that her father drove her in his chariot to +Naas (in Kildare), where then lived Dunlang king of Leinster; and +dismounting, he entered the palace, leaving his sword behind--a +beautiful and valuable one--while Brigit remained in charge of horse and +chariot. A wretched looking poor man with sickness and want in his face +came up and begged for some relief. Overcome with pity she looked about +for something to give him, and finding nothing but the sword, she handed +it to him. On her father's return he fell into a passion at the loss of +his sword: and when King Dunlang questioned her reproachfully, she +replied:--"If I had all thy wealth I would give it to the poor; for +giving to the poor is giving to the Lord of the Universe." And the king +turning to the father said:--"It is not meet that either you or I should +chide this maiden, for her merit is greater before God than before men": +on which the matter ended: and Brigit returned home with her father. + +Her overflowing kindness of heart was not confined to human beings: it +extended even to the lower animals. Once while she lived in her father's +house, a party of guests were invited, and she was given some pieces of +meat to cook for dinner. And a poor miserable half-starved hound limped +into the house and looked longingly at the meat: whereupon the girl, +quite unable to overcome her feeling of pity, threw him one of the +pieces. And when the poor animal, in his hungry greediness, had +devoured that in a moment, she gave him another, which satisfied him. +And to the last day of her life she retained her tenderness of heart and +her kindness and charity towards the poor. + + + + +XXV. + +SAINT BRIGIT: PART III. + + +Late in life Brigit's influence over young people was unbounded: for her +very gentleness gave tenfold power to her words. Once, seeing a young +man, a student of the neighbouring college, running very violently and +in an unbecoming manner, in presence of some of her nuns, she sent for +him on the spot and asked him why he was running in such haste. He +replied thoughtlessly, and half in jest, that he was running to heaven: +on which she said quietly: "I wish to God, my dear son, that I was +worthy to run with you to-day to the same place: I beg you will pray for +me to help me to arrive there." And when he heard these words, and +looked on her grave kind face, he was greatly moved; and telling her +with tears in his eyes, that he would surely pray for her and for many +others besides, he besought her to offer up her prayers for him, that he +might continue his journey steadily towards heaven, and arrive there in +the end. That young man, whose name was Ninnius, became in after-life +one of the most revered of the Irish saints. + +But with all her gentle unassuming ways, St. Brigit was a woman of +strong mind and great talents. She not only governed her various +establishments in strict accordance with her own Rules and forms of +discipline, but she was a powerful aid in forwarding the mighty +religious movement that had been commenced by St. Patrick half a century +before. She set an illustrious example to those Irish women who, during +and after her time, entered on a religious life; and though many of them +became distinguished saints, she stands far above them all. No writer +has left us a detailed account of her last hours, as Adamnan has done +for St. Columkille. (See page 150, note, farther on.) We only know that +she died at Kildare on the first of February, in or about the year 523, +and that she received the last consolations of religion from the +grateful hand of that same Ninnius whom she had turned to a religious +life many years before. + +She was buried in Kildare, where her body was entombed in a magnificent +shrine, ornamented with gold, silver, and precious stones. We may be +sure it was a very beautiful work of art, for we know that there was a +noted school of metal workers in Kildare under the direction of St. +Conleth, who was himself a most skilful artist; but this tomb was +plundered by the Danes three hundred years afterwards, and not a trace +of it now remains. + +According to some accounts, the bones of St. Brigit and St. Columkille +were brought to Downpatrick many centuries after the death of both, and +buried in the same tomb with the remains of St. Patrick. Whether this +was so or not, the matter has been commemorated in a Latin verse, of +which the following is a translation:-- + + + "Interred beneath one tomb in Down, a single vault doth hold + Patrick and Brigit and Columkille, three holy saints of old." + + +A well known Welshman, Gerald Barry (Giraldus Cambrensis), who was in +Ireland in 1185, and who wrote an account of it, says that he found "at +Kildare in Leinster, celebrated for the glorious Brigit, the 'Fire of +St. Brigit' which is reported never to go out." This fire was kept up +day and night by the nuns in his time, and for centuries before--how +long no one can tell--probably from the time of the saint herself--and +was continued for centuries after: but it was finally extinguished when +the monasteries were closed up by Henry VIII. in the year 1536. Thomas +Moore, in one of his songs, refers to it in the following words:-- + + "Like the bright lamp that shone in Kildare's holy fane, + And burned through long ages of darkness and storm." + +St. Brigit is venerated in England and Scotland as well as in Ireland: +for in both these countries churches were built in her honour, and many +convents were established under her name and rule. She was also well +known and honoured on the Continent. We need not wonder that her life +has been written by many Irishmen: but English, Scotch, French, Italian, +and German writers have also written about her and have commemorated her +as one of the most eminent saints of the West. + +Convents and monasteries were maintained in Kildare for hundreds of +years after the time of St. Brigit; and "Kildare's holy fane" is still +venerated as much as ever. On the very ridge where the humble little +church was erected fourteen hundred years ago, there is a group of fine +old church buildings, with a tall round tower that overlooks the +splendid plain of Kildare. + + + + +XXVI. + +IRISH SCRIBES AND BOOKS. + + +In old times all books were handwritten, printing being a late +invention. There were persons called Scribes, many of whom made writing +the chief business of their lives. From constant practice they became +very expert; and the penmanship of many of them was extremely beautiful +and highly ornamented, much more so than any writing executed by the +very best penmen of the present day. + +In Ireland, most of these scribes were monks, inmates of monasteries; +but many were laymen. These good and industrious men wrote into their +books all the learning of every kind that they could collect; so that +although the work of writing was slow, the numbers of books rapidly +increased; and very large libraries grew up, especially in the +monasteries. The leaves of these books were not paper like those of our +books, but parchment or vellum, which was generally made from sheepskin, +but often from the skins of other animals. + +Sometimes the scribes wrote down what had never been written before, +that is, matters composed at the time, or preserved in memory: but more +commonly they copied from other volumes. If an old book began to be +worn, ragged, or dim with age, so as to be hard to make out and read, +some scribe was sure to copy it, so as to have a new book easy to read +and well bound up. Most of the books written out in this manner related +to Ireland, as will be described presently; and the language of these +was almost always Irish. For in those times the Irish language was +spoken by all the people of Ireland. + +A favourite occupation was copying portions of the Holy Scriptures, +nearly always in the Latin language; and in this good work some monks +spent nearly all their time, in order to multiply copies of the sacred +books. Some of the greatest saints of the ancient Irish Church employed +themselves in copying the Gospels and other portions of the Bible, +whenever they could get the opportunity, as we shall see in the case of +St. Columkille. + +Copies of the Scriptures, and also prayer books, were generally +ornamented in the most beautiful way: for those accomplished and devoted +old scribes loved to beautify the sacred writings. Many of the lovely +books they wrote are still preserved, of which the most splendid is the +Book of Kells, now kept in the Library of Trinity College, in Dublin. It +is a copy of the Four Gospels, and the language is Latin, though the +letters are Irish. It was written by an Irish scribe eleven or twelve +hundred years ago, but who he was is not known. + +There is no old book in any part of the world so skilfully ornamented as +this. The capital letters are very large--one of them fills an entire +page--and are all illuminated, that is, painted in brilliant colours; +and after the lapse of so many centuries the colours are still very +fresh, though not so bright as when they were first laid on. + +In this Book of Kells, and in others like it, the capitals are +ornamented in every part with a kind of interlaced work, all done with +the pen, in which bands and ribbons are curved and plaited and woven in +the most wonderful way. These plaits and folds are so small and so close +together that one must sometimes use a magnifying glass in order to see +them plainly: in one space, the size of a half penny, in a page of a +splendid old volume, called the Book of Armagh, the ribbons appear woven +in and out more than three hundred times. + +A specimen of this interwoven ornamental work is seen at the head of the +first page of this book; but it gives only a poor idea of the beauty of +the Book of Kells. The frontispiece of the "Child's History of Ireland" +is a perfect copy, in full colours, of a complete page of the Book of +Mac Durnan, which is almost as beautiful as the Book of Kells. The Irish +used this sort of ornamentation also in metal-work and stone-work, of +which an example is given here. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish Ornamental Sculpture on a Stone Monument.] + +Very often, large volumes were kept, into which were written +compositions of all kinds, both prose and poetry, such as were thought +worth preserving, copied from older books, and written in, one after +another, till the volume was filled. Of all these old books of mixed +compositions, the largest that remains to us is the Book of Leinster, +which is kept in Trinity College in Dublin. It is an immense volume, all +in the Irish language, written more than 750 years ago; and many of the +pages are now almost black with age and very hard to make out. It +contains a great number of pieces, some in prose and some in verse, and +nearly all of them about Ireland--histories, accounts of battles and +sieges, lives and adventures of great men, with many tales and stories +of things that happened in this country in far distant ages. + +The Book of the Dun Cow is preserved in the Royal Irish Academy in +Dublin. It is fifty years older than the Book of Leinster, but not so +large; and it contains also a great number of tales, adventures, and +histories, nearly all relating to Ireland, and all written in the Irish +language. Its name was derived from the following circumstance:--St. +Kieran of Clonmacnoise had a favourite brown cow, whose skin, when she +died, he caused to be turned into parchment, of which a book was made. +But this old book no longer exists: it was lost ages ago; and the +present "Book of the Dun Cow" is only a copy of it. + +Three other great Irish books kept in Dublin are the Book of Lecan +[Leckan], the Yellow Book of Lecan, and the Book of Ballymote. These +contain much the same kind of matter as the Book of Leinster--with +pieces mostly different however--but they are not nearly so old. The +Speckled Book, which is also in Dublin, is nearly as large as the Book +of Leinster, but not so old. It is mostly on religious matters, and +contains a great number of Lives of Saints, Hymns, Sermons, portions of +the Scriptures, and other such pieces. All these books are written with +the greatest care, and in most beautiful penmanship. + +The six old books described above have been lately printed, in such a +way as that the print resembles exactly the writing of the old books +themselves. The printed volumes are now to be found in libraries in +several parts of Ireland, as well as in England and the Continent; so +that those desirous of studying them need not come to Dublin, as people +had to do formerly. + +Many people are now eagerly studying these books and men often come to +Ireland from France, Germany, Italy, Norway and Sweden, Russia, and +other countries, in order to learn the Irish language so as to be able +to read them. But this requires much study, even from those who know the +Irish of the present day; for the language of those books is old and +difficult. + +In many National and Intermediate schools the Irish language is now +taught, and no doubt some of the pupils who attend the Irish classes +will continue their studies after they leave school, till they come to +be able to read our old books. + +A great many old Irish tales and histories have been printed and +translated, and some of them are very beautiful and instructive. Several +of the stories in this book are from the Book of the Dun Cow and the +Book of Leinster. + + + + +XXVII. + +THE GILLA DACKER AND HIS HORSE.[120-1] + + +Once upon a time, when Finn and the Fena were hunting over Munster, Finn +and some of his companions encamped on the slope of Knockainey +hill[120-2] to rest for awhile. And they sent Finn Mac Bressal to the +top of the hill to keep watch and ward, while they amused themselves, +some playing chess, and some viewing the chase all round and listening +to the sweet cry of the hounds. + + [120-1] "The Pursuit of the Gilla Dacker and his horse" is a + humorous story, of which only a few incidents are given + here. The Gilla Dacker was really Mannanan Mac Lir, the + Pagan Irish sea-god, who came in disguise to play a + trick--a sort of practical joke--on the Fena. The whole + story is given in "Old Celtic Romances." + + [120-2] Knockainey: a hill celebrated in story, rising over the + village of Knockainey, in the Co. Limerick. + +Finn Mac Bressal had been watching only a little time, when he saw on +the plain to the east, a Fomor[121-1] of vast size coming towards the +hill, leading a horse. As he came nearer, Finn Mac Bressal observed that +he was the ugliest-looking giant his eyes ever lighted on. He had a +large, thick body, bloated and swollen out to a great size; clumsy, +crooked legs; and broad, flat feet, turned inwards. His hands and arms +and shoulders were bony and thick and very strong-looking; his neck was +long and thin; and while his head was poked forward, his face was turned +up, as he stared straight at Finn Mac Bressal. He had thick lips, and +long crooked teeth; and his face was covered all over with bushy hair. + + [121-1] Fomor, a gigantic warrior, a giant: its real meaning is "a + sea-robber," commonly called a Fomorian. + +He was fully armed; but all his weapons were rusty and soiled. A broad +shield of a dirty, sooty colour, rough and battered, hung over his back; +he had a long, heavy, straight sword at his left hip; and he grasped in +his left hand two thick-handled, broad-headed spears, old and rusty, +that looked as if they had not been handled for years. In his right hand +he held an iron club, which he dragged after him, with its end on the +ground; and it was so heavy that, as it trailed along, it tore up a +track as deep as the furrow a farmer ploughs with a pair of oxen. + +The horse he led was even larger in proportion than the giant himself, +and quite as ugly. His great carcase was covered all over with tangled, +scraggy-hair, of a sooty black; you could count his ribs and all the +points of his big bones through his hide; his legs were crooked and +knotty; his neck was twisted; and as for his jaws, they were so long and +heavy that they made his head look twice too big for his body. + +The giant held the horse by a thick halter, and seemed to be dragging +him forward by main force, the animal was so lazy and so hard to move. +Every now and then when the beast tried to stand still, the giant would +give him a blow on the ribs with his big iron club, which sounded as +loud as the thundering of a great billow against the rough-headed rocks +of the coast. When he gave him a pull forward by the halter, the wonder +was that he did not drag the animal's head away from his body; and, on +the other hand, the horse often gave the halter such a tremendous tug +backwards that it was equally wonderful how the arm of the giant was not +torn from his shoulder. + +Now it was not an easy matter to frighten Finn Mac Bressal; but when he +saw the giant and his horse coming straight towards him in that wise, he +was seized with such fear and horror that he sprang from his seat, and, +snatching up his arms, he ran down the hill-slope with the utmost speed +towards the king and his companions, whom he found sitting round the +chess-board, deep in their game. + +They started up when they saw him looking so scared; and, turning their +eyes towards where he pointed, they saw the big man and his horse coming +up the hill. The Fena stood gazing at him in silent wonder, waiting till +he should arrive; but although he was no great way off when they first +caught sight of him, it was a long time before he reached the spot where +they stood, so slow was the movement of his horse and himself. + + + + +XXVIII. + +THE FENA CARRIED OFF BY THE GILLA DACKER'S HORSE. + + +Patiently and in silence the Fena stood till the giant came up; when he +bowed his head, and bended his knee, and saluted the king with great +respect. + +Finn addressed him; and having given him leave to speak, he asked who he +was, and what was his name; also what was his profession or craft, and +why he had no servant to attend to his horse--if, indeed, such an ugly +old spectre of an animal could be called a horse at all. + +The big man made answer and said, "King of the Fena, I will answer +everything you ask me, as far as lies in my power. As to where I came +from, I am a Fomor of the north; but I have no particular +dwelling-place, for I am continually travelling about from one country +to another, serving the great lords and nobles of the world, and +receiving wages for my service. + +"In the course of my wanderings I have often heard of you, O king, and +of your greatness and splendour and royal bounty; and I have come now to +visit you, and to ask you to take me into your service for one year; and +at the end of that time I shall fix my own wages, according to my +custom. + +"You ask me also why I have no servant for this great horse of mine. The +reason of that is this: at every meal I eat, my master must give me as +much food and drink as would be enough for a hundred men; and whosoever +the lord or chief may be that takes me into his service, it is quite +enough for him to have to provide for me, without having also to feed my +servant. + +"Moreover, I am so very heavy and lazy that I should never be able to +keep up with a company on march if I had to walk; and this is my reason +for keeping a horse at all. + +"My name is the Gilla Dacker,[124-1] and it is not without good reason +that I am so called. For there never was a lazier or worse servant than +I am, or one that grumbles more at doing a day's work for his master. +And I am the hardest person in the whole world to deal with; for, no +matter how good or noble I may think my master, or how kindly he may +treat me, it is hard words and foul reproaches I am likely to give him +for thanks in the end. + + [124-1] Gilla Dacker means "a slothful fellow"--a fellow hard to + move, hard to manage, hard to have anything to do with. + +"This, O Finn, is the account I have to give of myself, and these are my +answers to your questions." + +"Well," answered Finn, "according to your own account, you are not a +very pleasant fellow to have anything to do with; and of a truth there +is not much to praise in your appearance. But things may not be so bad +as you say; and, anyhow, as I have never yet refused any man service and +wages, I will not now refuse you." + +Whereupon the Gilla Dacker was taken into service among the warriors for +a year. + +Then the big man said:--"Now, as to this horse of mine, I find I must +attend to him myself, as I see no one here worthy of putting a hand near +him. So I will lead him to the nearest stud, as I am wont to do, and let +him graze among your horses. I value him greatly, however, and it would +grieve me very much if any harm were to befal him; so," continued he, +turning to the king, "I put him under your protection, O king, and under +the protection of all the Fena that are here present." + +At this speech the Fena all burst out laughing, to see the Gilla Dacker +showing such concern for his miserable, worthless, old skeleton of a +horse. + +Howbeit, the big man, giving not the least heed to their merriment, took +the halter off the horse's head, and turned him loose among the horses +of the Fena. + +But now, this same wretched-looking old animal, instead of beginning to +graze, as every one thought he would, ran in among the horses of the +Fena, and began straightway to work all sorts of mischief. He cocked his +long, hard, switchy tail straight out like a rod, and, throwing up his +hind legs, he kicked about on this side and on that, maiming and +disabling several of the horses. Sometimes he went tearing through the +thickest of the herd, butting at them with his hard, bony forehead; and +he opened out his lips with a vicious grin, and tore all he could lay +hold on, with his sharp, crooked teeth, so that none were safe that came +in his way either before or behind. And the end of it was, that not an +animal of the whole herd escaped, without having a leg broken, or an eye +knocked out, or his ribs fractured, or his ear bitten off, or the side +of his face torn open, or without being in some other way cut or maimed +beyond cure. + +At last he left them, and was making straight for a small field where +Conan Mail's horses were grazing by themselves, intending to play the +same tricks among them. But Conan, seeing this, shouted in great alarm +to the Gilla Dacker, to bring away his horse, and not let him work any +more mischief; and threatening, if he did not do so at once, to go +himself and knock the brains out of the vicious old brute on the spot. + +But the Gilla Dacker took the matter quite coolly; and he told Conan +that he saw no way of preventing his horse from joining the others, +except some one put the halter on him and held him, which would, of +course, he said, prevent the poor animal from grazing, and would leave +him hungry at the end of the day. "But," said he to Conan, "there is the +halter; and if you are in any fear for your own animals, you may go +yourself and bring him away from the field." + +Conan was in a mighty rage when he heard this; and as he saw the big +horse just about to cross the fence, he snatched up the halter, and +running forward with long strides, he threw it over the animal's head +and attempted to lead him back. But in a moment the horse stood stock +still, and his body and legs became as stiff as if they were made of +wood; and though Conan pulled and tugged with might and main, he was not +able to stir him an inch from his place. + +He gave up pulling at last, when he found it was no use; but he still +kept on holding the halter, while the big horse never made the least +stir, but stood as if he had been turned into stone; the Gilla Dacker +all the time looking on quite unconcernedly, and the others laughing at +Conan's perplexity. But no one offered to relieve him. + +At last Conan jumped up on the horse, and tried to urge him on, but all +to no purpose: for the animal never stirred. Another of the Fena now +mounted behind him, and another, and another, till there were fourteen +of them on the horse's back. Then the Gilla Dacker, suddenly tucking up +his skirts, darted away from the Fena, and ran south-west with the speed +of a swallow flying across a mountain side, or of a March wind sweeping +over the plain. When the horse saw his master running, he stirred +himself at once and followed him with equal speed, carrying off the +whole fourteen men, and plunging and tearing along as if he had nothing +at all on his back. + +The men now tried to throw themselves off; but this, indeed, they were +not able to do, for the good reason that they found themselves fastened +firmly, hands and feet and all, to the horse's back. Moreover they found +that their seat was not a comfortable one, for the old horse's backbone +was rough and scraggy, and nearly as sharp as a saw. + +And now Conan, looking round, raised his big voice, and shouted to Finn +and the Fena, asking them were they content to let their friends be +carried off in that manner by such a horrible, foul-looking old spectre +of a horse. + +Finn and the others, hearing this, instantly started off in pursuit, and +for miles on miles they kept the Gilla Dacker and the horse in view, but +were not able to overtake them. At last the horse and his master came to +the shore of the sea in the west of Kerry, and without stop or stay they +plunged forward, moving over the waves the same as on the dry land: and +just as the Fena arrived at the shore, they lost sight of them in the +distance. + + + + +XXIX. + +DERMOT O'DYNA AT THE WELL. + + +Great was the astonishment of the Fena, and great their dismay, on +seeing their comrades carried off in this manner on the back of the big +horse. And now they took counsel; and what they resolved on was, to send +Dermot O'Dyna and a party of the Fena in a ship to search for their +companions. And Dermot and the others went on board, and sailed to the +west for many leagues, till they lost sight of the shores of Erin. At +length they came to an island with steep cliffs all round, so high that +its head seemed hidden in the clouds: and they saw by the tracks, that +up the face of this cliff the horse had made his way. And it was agreed +that Dermot O'Dyna should climb up and explore the island in quest of +their comrades. Then Dermot put on his armour and his helmet, and took +his shield, his two spears, and his sword: and leaning on the handles of +the spears, he leaped with a light, airy bound on the nearest shelf of +rock. Using his spears and his hands, he climbed from ledge to ledge, +while his companions watched him anxiously from below; till, after much +toil, he measured the soles of his two feet on the green sod at the top +of the rock. And when, recovering breath, he turned round and looked at +his companions in the ship far below, he started back with amazement and +dread at the dizzy height. + +He now looked inland, and saw a beautiful country spread out before +him:--a lovely, flowery plain straight in front, bordered with pleasant +hills, and shaded with groves of many kinds of trees. It was enough to +banish all care and sadness from one's heart to view this country, and +to listen to the warbling of the birds, the humming of the bees among +the flowers, the rustling of the wind through the trees, and the +pleasant voices of the streams and waterfalls. + +Making no delay, Dermot set out to walk across the plain. He had not +been long walking when he saw, right before him, a great tree laden with +fruit, over-topping all the other trees of the plain. It was surrounded +at a little distance by a circle of pillar-stones; and one stone, taller +than the others, stood in the centre near the tree. Beside this +pillar-stone was a spring well, with a large, round pool as clear as +crystal; and the water bubbled up in the centre, and flowed away towards +the middle of the plain in a slender stream. + +Dermot was glad when he saw the well; for he was hot and thirsty after +climbing up the cliff. He stooped down to take a drink; but before his +lips touched the water, he heard the heavy tread of a body of warriors, +and the loud clank of arms, as if a whole host were coming straight down +on him. He sprang to his feet and looked round; but the noise ceased in +an instant, and he could see nothing. + +After a little while he stooped once more to drink; and again, before he +had wet his lips, he heard the very same sounds, nearer and louder than +before. A second time he leaped to his feet; and still he saw no one. He +knew not what to think of this; and as he stood wondering and perplexed, +he happened to cast his eyes on the tall pillar-stone that stood on the +brink of the well; and he saw on its top a large, beautiful +drinking-horn,[131-1] chased with gold and enamelled with precious +stones. + + [131-1] The ancient Irish used drinking vessels of various forms + and with several names. A "Drinking-horn" (called a + _corn_: pronounced _curn_) was usually made of a + bullock's horn, hollowed out, cut into shape, and often + highly ornamented with silver rim, precious stones, + carvings, and other decorations. A beautiful + drinking-horn will be found figured in the "Child's + History of Ireland," p. 26. Another kind of drinking + vessel--the mether--has been already noticed here (page + 17 above). + +"Now surely," said Dermot, "I have been doing wrong: it is, no doubt, +one of the virtues of this well that it will not let any one drink of +its waters except from the drinking-horn." + +So he took down the horn, dipped it into the well, and drank without +hindrance, till he had slaked his thirst. + + + + +XXX. + +DERMOT O'DYNA FIGHTS THE WIZARD-CHAMPION, AND AFTER A TIME RESCUES HIS +COMRADES. + + +Hardly had Dermot taken the horn from his lips, when he saw a tall +wizard-champion coming towards him from the east, clad in a complete +suit of mail, and fully armed with shield and helmet, sword and spear. A +beautiful scarlet mantle hung over his armour, fastened at his throat by +a golden brooch; he had a gold torque round his neck; and a broad +circlet of sparkling gold was bended in front across his forehead, to +confine his yellow hair, and keep it from being blown about by the wind. + +As he came nearer, he increased his pace, moving with great strides; and +Dermot now observed that he looked very wrathful. He offered no +greeting, and showed not the least courtesy; but addressed Dermot in a +rough, angry voice-- + +"Surely, Dermot O'Dyna, Erin of the green plains should be wide enough +for you; and it contains abundance of clear, sweet water in its crystal +springs and green bordered streams, from which you might have drunk your +fill. But you have come into my island without my leave, and you have +taken my drinking-horn, and have drunk from my well; and this spot you +shall never leave till you have given me satisfaction for the insult." + +[Illustration: A torque [pronounced _tork_] of gold: a twisted collar +for the neck. Golden torques were much used by kings and other rich +people. Many torques are in the National Museum: but most of them are +better made and twisted more closely than the one here represented.] + +So spoke the wizard-champion, and instantly advanced on Dermot with fury +in his eyes. But Dermot was not the man to be terrified by any hero or +wizard-champion alive. He met the foe half-way; and now, foot to foot, +and knee to knee, and face to face, they began a fight, watchful and +wary at first, but soon hot and vengeful, till their shields and helmets +could scarce withstand their strong thrusts and blows. Like two enraged +lions fighting to the death, or two strong serpents intertwined in +deadly strife, or two great opposing billows thundering against each +other on the ocean border; such was the strength and fury and +determination of the combat of these two heroes. + +And so they fought through the long day, till evening came, and it began +to be dusk; when suddenly the wizard-champion sprang outside the range +of Dermot's sword, and leaping up with a great bound, he alighted in the +very centre of the well. Down he went through it, and disappeared in a +moment before Dermot's eyes, as if the well had swallowed him up. Dermot +stood on the brink, leaning on his spear, amazed and perplexed, looking +after him in the water; but whether the hero had meant to drown himself, +or that he had played some wizard trick, Dermot knew not. + +He sat down to rest, full of vexation that the wizard-champion should +have got off so easily. And what chafed him still more was that his +companions knew nought of what had happened, and that when he returned, +he could tell them nothing of the strange hero; neither had he the least +token or trophy to show them after his long fight. + +Dermot now began to think what was best to be done; and he made up his +mind to stay near the well all night, in the hope of finding out +something further about the wizard-champion on the morrow. + +He walked towards the nearest point of a great forest that stretched +from the mountain down to the plain on his left; and as he came near, a +herd of speckled deer ran by among the trees. Poising his spear, he +threw it with an unerring cast, and brought down the nearest of the +herd. + +Then, having lighted a fire under a tree, he skinned the deer and fixed +it on long hazel spits to roast, having first, however, gone to the +well, and brought away the drinking-horn full of water. And he sat +beside the roasting deer to turn it and tend the fire, waiting +impatiently for his meal; for he was hungry and tired after the toil of +the day. + +When the deer was cooked, he ate till he was satisfied, and drank the +clear water of the well from the drinking-horn; after which he lay down +under the shade of the tree, beside the fire, and slept a sound sleep +till morning. + +Night passed away and the sun rose, bringing morning with its abundant +light. Dermot started up, refreshed after his long sleep, and, repairing +to the forest, he slew another deer, and fixed it on hazel spits to +roast at the fire as before. For Dermot had this custom, that he would +never eat of any food left from a former meal. + +And after he had eaten of the deer's flesh and drunk from the horn, he +went towards the well. But though his visit was early, he found the +wizard-champion there before him, standing beside the pillar-stone, +fully armed as before, and looking now more wrathful than ever. Dermot +was much surprised; but before he had time to speak, the wizard-champion +addressed him-- + +"Dermot O'Dyna, you have now put the cap on all your evil deeds. It was +not enough that you took my drinking-horn and drank from my well: you +have done much worse than this, for you have hunted on my grounds, and +have killed some of my speckled deer. Surely there are many +hunting-grounds in Erin of the green plains, with plenty of deer in +them; and you need not have come hither to commit these robberies on me. +But now for a certainty you shall not go from this spot till I have +taken satisfaction for all these misdeeds." + +And again the two champions attacked each other, and fought during the +long day, from morning till evening. And when the dusk began to fall, +the wizard-champion leaped into the well, and disappeared down through +it, even as he had done the day before. + +The selfsame thing happened on the third day. And each day, morning and +evening, Dermot killed a deer, and ate of its flesh, and drank of the +water of the well from the drinking-horn. + +On the fourth morning, Dermot found the wizard-champion standing as +usual by the pillar-stone near the well. And as each morning he looked +more angry than on the morning before, so now he scowled in a way that +would have terrified anyone but Dermot O'Dyna. + +And they fought during the day till the dusk of evening. But now Dermot +watched his foe narrowly; and when he saw him about to spring into the +well he closed on him and threw his arms round him. The wizard-champion +struggled to free himself, moving all the time nearer and nearer to the +brink; but Dermot held on, till at last both fell into the well. Down +they went, clinging to each other, Dermot and the strange champion; +down, down, deeper and deeper they went; and Dermot tried to look round, +but nothing could he see save darkness and dim shadows. At length there +was a glimmer of light; then the bright day burst suddenly upon them; +and presently they came to the solid ground, gently and without the +least shock. + +At the very moment they reached the ground, the wizard-champion, with a +sudden effort, tore himself away from Dermot's grasp, and ran forward +with great speed. Dermot leaped to his feet; and he was so amazed at +what he saw around him that he stood stock still and let the +wizard-champion escape:--a lovely country, with many green-sided hills +and fair valleys between, woods of red yew trees, and plains laughing +all over with flowers of every hue. + +Right before him, not far off, lay a city of great tall houses with +glittering roofs; and on the side nearest to him was a royal palace, +larger and grander than the rest. On the level green in front of the +palace were a number of knights, all armed, and amusing themselves with +various warlike exercises of sword and shield and spear. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish bronze shield, 28 inches in diameter, found +in a bog in the Co. Limerick. Shields were often made of yew-wood, which +is very hard: and oftener still of wickerwork, covered outside with +tough hides, generally tanned. Wickerwork shields were sometimes large +enough to cover the whole body. On the inside of every shield was a +crossbar which was held in the hand: and for additional safety a leather +strap fastened to the shield, went round the warrior's neck.] + +To tell all Dermot's adventures here would be too long for this book. +But he remained in that strange country, till he met the wizard +champion and subdued him in fight. And after much searching he found +Conan and the others who had been carried off by the Gilla Dacker's +horse after which they all returned to the ship. And they sailed back to +Erin where, when they landed, they were welcomed with a mighty shout by +the assembled Fena. + + From "Old Celtic Romances," by P. W. JOYCE, LL.D. + + + + +XXXI. + +SAINT COLUMKILLE: PART I. + + +Saint Columkille[139-1] was born in the year 521, in Gartan, a wild +district in the county Donegal, not far from Letterkenny. He was a near +relation of the kings of Ireland of his time; for his father was +great-grandson of the mighty King Niall of the Nine Hostages (see p. 5): +and his mother was related to the kings of Leinster. He spent his +boyhood in a little village near Gartan; and when he was old enough, he +was sent away from his home to a school kept by a distinguished bishop +and teacher, St. Finnen, at Movilla, near the present Newtownards, in +Down. Though he belonged to a princely family, and might easily have +become rich and great, he gave up these worldly advantages for religion, +and resolved to become a priest. + + [139-1] In books he is often called Columba; but in Ireland he is + best known by the name Columkille. This is derived from + _colum_ [pron. _collum_] a dove, and _cill_, or _kill_, a + church: the "Dove of the church." This name was given him + when a boy from his gentle, affectionate disposition, and + because he was so fond of praying in the little church of + Tullydouglas, near where he was born: so that the little + boys who were accustomed to play with him used often to + ask: "Has our little _Colum_ yet come from the church?" + + The sketch given here is taken chiefly, but not + altogether, from Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba." Adamnan + was a native of Tirconnell or Donegal, like Columba + himself. He died in the year 703. He was the ninth abbot + of Iona, of which Columba was the first. His "Life of St. + Columba" is a very beautiful piece of Latin composition. + +[Illustration: Ruins of the Monastery of Movilla, near Newtownards. +(Drawn in 1845.)] + +Having spent some time at Movilla, the youthful Columkille went to +several other Irish Colleges, including that of St. Movi, at Glasnevin, +near Dublin; and as he was a diligent student, he made great progress in +all. The most celebrated of these was at Clonard, in Meath, in which +there were many hundreds of students under the instruction of another +St. Finnen, a great and holy man, who is styled in old Irish writings "a +doctor of wisdom and the tutor of the saints of Ireland in his time." +Here Columkille met many young Irishmen who afterwards became +distinguished saints and missionaries. + +As soon as he was ordained priest, he set about the work of his +life--spreading the Gospel. At that time the high ridge over the river +Foyle, where now stands the old city of Derry, was an uninhabited spot, +clothed with a splendid wood of oaks, from which it got the name of +Derry, meaning an oak grove: this spot was presented to Columkille by +his cousin, prince Aed, afterwards king of Ireland. Here, when he was +twenty-five years of age, he built his first church, round which grew up +a monastery that continued to flourish for many hundred years, so that, +in memory of the saint, the place was long afterwards known by the name +of Derry-Columkille. At this period of his life he was a man of noble +presence, a worthy member of a kingly race, as one of the old Irish +writers describes him:--tall, broad-shouldered, and powerful: with long, +curling hair: luminous grey eyes, and a countenance bright and +pleasing: and he was always lively and agreeable in conversation. + +[Illustration: Remains of a Round Tower at Drumcliff, 4 miles north of +Sligo town: built near the church founded by St. Columkille; but long +after his time.] + +For fifteen years after the establishment of Derry, Columkille continued +to found churches all over the country, among many others those of Kells +in Meath, Tory Island, Swords near Dublin, Drumcliff in Sligo, and +Durrow in King's County, the last of which was his chief establishment +in Ireland. It is recorded that during these fifteen years he founded +altogether three hundred churches and monasteries. These establishments, +like all the other Irish monasteries, were the means of spreading not +only religion but general enlightenment: for in most of them there were +schools; and the priests and monks converted, and taught, and civilised, +to the best of their power, the people in their neighbourhood. + +Many years before this, St. Patrick and the missionaries who worked +under his guidance, had converted the greatest part of the Irish people +to Christianity. But the time was too short and the missionaries too few +to instruct the newly-converted people fully in their faith: so that +although they were Christians, many of them had only a poor knowledge of +the Christian doctrine. In those times there were certain persons in +Ireland called Druids, who were the learned men among the pagans of the +day, and who taught the people the pagan religion known as Druidism. +They hated the Christian faith, and gave St. Patrick and his companions +great trouble by trying to persuade the pagan Irish not to become +Christians. They continued in the country till the time of St. +Columkille, as active as ever though much fewer; and St. Columkille and +the other missionaries of his time had often hard work to win over the +people from the false teaching of these druids, and make good Christians +of them. + +A great part of the north of Scotland was then inhabited by a people +called the Picts. Those of them who lived south of the Grampian +mountains had been converted some time before by St. Ninian of +Glastonbury:[143-1] but the northern Picts were still pagans; and +Columkille made up his mind to leave Ireland and devote the rest of his +life to their conversion. In 563, in the forty-second year of his age, +he bade a sorrowful farewell to his native country, and crossing the sea +with twelve companions, he settled in the island of Iona, in the +Hebrides, which had been presented to him by his relative, the king of +that part of Scotland. Here he built his little church and monastery, +all of wood, and began to prepare for his glorious work. This little +island afterwards became the Greatest religious centre in Scotland: and +grand churches and other buildings were erected in and around the site +of Columkille's humble structures. For many centuries Iona was held in +such honour that most of the kings and chiefs and other great people of +Scotland were buried in it; and to this day it is full of venerable and +beautiful ruins, which are every year visited by people from all parts +of the British Islands. + + [143-1] Glastonbury, a town in Somersetshire, in England, where in + old times there was a celebrated monastery, much reported + to by Irish students. + +The most laborious part of St. Columkille's active life began after his +settlement in Iona. He traversed the Highlands of Scotland and the +Islands of the Hebrides, sometimes in a rude chariot, sometimes on foot, +visiting the kings and chiefs of the Picts, and preaching to them in +their homes; and he founded churches and monasteries all over that part +of Scotland, just as he had done in Ireland. After many years of +incessant labour he succeeded in converting the whole of the northern +Picts. + +When Columkille was at home in his monastery resting from his +missionary labours, his favourite occupation was copying the Holy +Scriptures. We are told that he wrote with his own hand, in the course +of years, three hundred copies of the sacred books, which he presented +to the various churches he had founded; and this good work he continued +to the very last day of his life. Besides mere copying, he composed many +hymns and other poems, both in Latin and Irish. He was always employed +at something. Adamnan says that not an hour of the day passed by without +some work for himself and his monks--praying, reading, writing, +arranging the affairs of the monastery, or manual work: for he took his +own share in cooking, grinding corn, overseeing the men who were working +in the fields, and so forth. + + + + +XXXII. + +SAINT COLUMKILLE: PART II. + + +During St. Columkille's residence in Iona he visited Ireland more than +once, on important business: and we may be sure that he was delighted +when the opportunity came to see again the land he loved so well. The +most important of these occasions was when he came over to take part in +a great Meeting--a sort of Parliament for all Ireland--which was held at +a place called Drum-Ketta in Derry. The proceedings at this meeting +will be found described in the "Child's History of Ireland." + +Amidst all the earnest and laborious efforts of St. Columkille in the +cause of religion, he never forgot his native country. He looked upon +himself as an exile, though a voluntary exile in a great and glorious +cause; and a tender regret was always mingled with his recollections of +Ireland. We have in our old books a very ancient poem in the Irish +language, believed to have been composed by him, in which he expresses +himself in this manner:-- + + + "How delightful to be on Ben-Edar before embarking on the foam-white + sea: how pleasant to row one's little curragh all round it, to look + upward at its bare steep border, and to hear the waves dashing; + against its rocky cliffs. + + "A grey eye looks back towards Erin: a grey eye full of tears. + + "While I traverse Alban of the ravens, I think on my little oak + grove in Derry. If the tributes and the riches of Alban were mine, + from the centre to the utmost borders, I would prefer to them all + one little house in Derry. The reason I love Derry is for its + quietness, for its purity, for its crowds of white angels. + + "How sweet it is to think of Durrow: how delightful would it be to + hear the music of the breeze rustling through its groves. + + "Plentiful is the fruit in the Western Island--beloved Erin of many + waterfalls: plentiful her noble proves of oak. Many are her kings + and princes; sweet-voiced her clerics; her birds warble joyously in + the woods; gentle are her youths; wise her seniors; comely and + graceful her women, of spotless virtue; illustrious her men, of + noble aspect. + + "There is a grey eye that fills with tears when it looks back + towards Erin. While I stand on the oaken deck of my bark I stretch + my vision westwards over the briny sea towards Erin." + + +During his whole life Columkille retained his affection for his native +land and for everything connected with it. One breezy day, when he was +now in his old age in Iona, a crane appeared flying towards the island: +it was beaten about by the wind, and with much difficulty it reached the +beach, where it fell down quite spent with hunger and fatigue. And the +good old man said to one of his monks:-- + +"That crane has come from our dear fatherland, and I earnestly commend +it to thee: nurse and cherish it tenderly till it is strong enough to +return again to its sweet home in Scotia." + +Accordingly the monk took the bird up in his arms and brought it to the +hospice, and fed and tended it for three days till it had quite +recovered. The third day was calm, and the bird rose from the earth till +it had come to a great height, when resting for a moment to look +forward, it stretched out its neck and directed its course towards +Ireland. + +[Illustration: Round Tower of St. Canice, Kilkenny: 100 feet high, and +perfect, except that it wants the pointed cap. St. Canice was an +intimate friend of St. Columkille: but this tower was not erected till +some centuries after the death of the two saints.] + +On the day before the saint's death he went to a little hill hard by the +monastery that overlooked the whole place; and gazing-lovingly round him +for the last time, he lifted up his hands and blessed the monastery. And +as he was returning with his attendant, he grew tired and sat down half +way to rest; for he was now very weak. While he was sitting here an old +white horse that was employed for many years to carry the pails between +the milking place and the monastery, first looked at him intently, and +then, coming up slowly, step by step, he laid his head gently on the +saint's bosom. And he began to moan pitifully, and big tears rolled from +his eyes and fell into the saint's lap: which, when the attendant saw, +he came up to drive him away. Put the old man said:--"Let him alone: he +loves me. May be God has given him some dim knowledge that his master is +going; from him and from you all: so let him alone." At last, standing +up, he blessed the poor old animal and returned to the monastery. + +The death call came to him when he was seventy-six years of age. Though +his death was not a sudden one, he had no sickness before it: he simply +sank, wearied out with his life-long labours. Although he knew his end +was near, he kept writing one of the Psalms till he could write no +longer; while his companion Baithen sat beside him. At last, laying down +the pen, he said, "Let Baithen write the rest." + +On the night of that same day, at the toll of the midnight bell for +prayer, he rose, feeble as he was, from his bed, which was nothing but a +bare flagstone, and went to the church hard by, followed immediately +after by his attendant Dermot. He arrived there before the others had +time to bring in the lights; and Dermot, losing sight of him in the +darkness, called out several times, "Where are you, father?" Perceiving +no reply, he felt his way, till he found his master before the altar +kneeling and leaning forward on the steps: and raising him up a little, +supported his head on his breast. The monks now came up with the lights; +and seeing their beloved old master dying, they began to weep. He looked +at them with his face lighted up with joy, and tried to utter a +blessing; but being unable to speak, he raised his hand a little to +bless them, and in the very act of doing so he died in Dermot's +arms.[150-1] + + [150-1] This simple and beautiful narrative of the last days of St. + Columkille, including the two pleasing little stories + about the crane and the old white horse, with the + affecting account of the saint's death, is taken + altogether from Adamnan's Life. The circumstances of + Columkille's death are, in some respects, very like those + attending the death of the Venerable Bede, as recorded in + the tender and loving letter of his pupil, the monk + Cuthbert. But Adamnan's narrative was written more than + forty years before that of Cuthbert. + + Baithen was St. Columkille's first cousin and his most + beloved disciple, and succeeded him as abbot of Iona. + + + + +XXXIII. + +PRINCE ALFRED IN IRELAND. + + +It has been already stated (p. 47) that in early ages great numbers of +foreigners came to Ireland to study in the colleges. Among those was +Aldfrid or Alfred,[150-2] Prince of Northumbria, one of the Kingdoms of +the Saxon Heptarchy. His history is interesting to us as exhibiting an +example of the class of persons who came to Ireland for education in +those days, and as showing the close relations existing between many of +the royal families of England and Ireland. + + [150-2] This Alfred must be distinguished from Alfred the Great who + lived two centuries later. + +In the year 670, on the death of his father Oswy, who was king of +Northumbria, the throne was seized unjustly by Alfred's younger brother, +Egfrid: whereupon Alfred fled to Ireland. He was all the more ready to +choose this as his place of exile, inasmuch as he was fond of learning, +and he knew well that there were more learned and skilful teachers and +better opportunities for study in Ireland than elsewhere. But he had +another good reason; for his mother Fina [Feena] was an Irish princess +of the family of the kings of Meath. The Irish knew him by the name +"Flann," or more commonly Flann Fina, from his mother. He remained many +years in Ireland, studying with great diligence in various colleges, +till he had mastered most of the branches of learning then taught. He +became specially skilled in the Holy Scriptures, and he also learned to +speak and write the Irish language. + +While he was in Ireland he was for a time under the instruction of St. +Adamnan, the writer of the life of St. Columkille (see p. 140, note); +and so close and affectionate was the intimacy between them, that the +ancient Irish writers often call Alfred Adamnan's foster-son. + +In the year 684 a party of Saxons were sent from Northumbria by Egfrid +across the sea on a plundering expedition to Ireland. Having ravaged the +coast of Meath,[152-1] between Ben-Edar and the Boyne, these marauders +carried off a number of captives, who were held in bondage during the +short remainder of his reign. In the very next year Egfrid was killed in +battle, on which the Northumbrian nobles, who were well aware of +Alfred's virtues and great abilities, sent to Ireland inviting him to +take the throne: and accordingly he returned to England and became king +of the Northumbrians. + + [152-1] Meath, one of the five Kingdoms into which Ireland was + divided. Ben-Edar, the old name of Howth, near Dublin. + +[Illustration: Ancient Irish thin plate of gold, twice the size of the +picture. This is one of the bosses at the two ends of a gorget, like +that figured at page 19. Now in the National Museum, Dublin.] + +The poor captives were still kept in slavery: but Adamnan, seeing now a +chance for their release, proceeded to the Northumbrian court to plead +with his friend and former pupil for their restoration. He was received +most affectionately; and at his intercession the king had the captives +set free. Adamnan then brought them back, to the number of sixty, and +restored them all rejoicing to their homes and friends. + +As soon as Alfred had taken possession of the throne he took careful +measures to have his people instructed in learning, religion, and +virtue, in accordance with what he had himself seen and learned in +Ireland; and he governed his kingdom for nineteen years in peace and +prosperity. + +In several ancient Irish manuscripts, including the Book of Leinster, +there is a poem in the Irish language in praise of Ireland, said to have +been composed by Alfred Flann Fina; of which the following are some of +the verses faithfully translated[153-1]:-- + + +PRINCE ALDFRID'S ACCOUNT OF IRELAND. + + I found in Inisfail the fair, + In Ireland, while in exile there, + Women of worth, both grave and gay men, + Many clerics and many laymen. + + I travelled its fruitful provinces round, + And in every one of the five I found, + Alike in church and in palace hall, + Abundant apparel, and food for all. + + Gold and silver I found, and money, + Plenty of wheat and plenty of honey; + I found God's people rich in pity, + Found many a feast and many a city. + + I found in Munster, unfettered of any, + Kings, and queens, and poets a many-- + Poets well skilled in music and measure, + Prosperous doings, mirth and pleasure. + + I found in Connaught the just, redundance + Of riches, milk in lavish abundance; + Hospitality, vigour, fame, + In Cruachan's[154-1] land of heroic name. + + I found in Ulster, from hill to glen, + Hardy warriors, resolute men; + Beauty that bloomed when youth was gone, + And strength transmitted from sire to son. + + I found in Leinster the smooth and sleek, + From Dublin to Slewmargy's[154-2] peak; + Flourishing pastures, valour, health, + Long-living worthies, commerce, wealth. + + I found in Meath's fair principality, + Virtue, vigour, and hospitality; + Candour, joyfulness, bravery, purity, + Ireland's bulwark and security. + + I found strict morals in age and youth, + I found historians recording truth; + The things I sing of in verse unsmooth, + I found them all--I have written sooth. + + [153-1] It was translated very exactly into prose in 1832 by the + great Irish scholar Dr. John O'Donovan: the Irish poet + James Clarence Mangan turned this prose with very little + change into verse, part of which is given here. + + [154-1] Cruachan or Croghan in the north of the present Co. + Roscommon, the ancient palace of the kings of Connaught: + see page 52. + + [154-2] Slewmargy, now Slievemargy, a low range of hills in Queen's + County. + + + + +XXXIV. + +THE VOYAGE OF MAILDUNE. + +AN ACCOUNT OF THE ADVENTURES OF MAILDUNE[155-1] AND HIS CREW, AND OF THE +WONDERFUL THINGS THEY SAW DURING THEIR VOYAGE OF THREE YEARS AND SEVEN +MONTHS, IN THEIR CURRAGH, ON THE WESTERN SEA. + + +In that part of Thomond[155-2] lying opposite the Aran Islands there +once lived a young chief named Maildune. When he was an infant, a band +of marauders landed on the coast, and plundered the whole district, and +slew his father by burning the house over his head. Maildune grew up +knowing nothing of all this, for his mother concealed it from him. But +one day, when he was now a young man, he was contending in certain games +of strength with a number of young persons of his own age, and he +obtained the victory in every contest. At last it came to throwing the +handstone: and when he had thrown it farther than all the others, an +envious foul-tongued fellow who was standing by said to him:-- + +"It would better become you to avenge the man who was burned to death +here, than to be amusing yourself casting a stone over his bare, burnt +bones." + + [155-1] Only a few of his adventures are given here: but the whole + story of the voyage is in "Old Celtic Romances": see page + 164, farther on. + + [155-2] Thomond, North Munster, namely the present county Clare and + parts of Tipperary and Limerick. + +"Who was he?" inquired Maildune. + +"Your own father," replied the other. + +"Who slew him?" asked Maildune. + +"Plunderers from a fleet slew him and burned him in this house; and the +same plunderers are now living in an island far out in the sea, and they +still have the same fleet." + +Maildune was disturbed and sad after hearing this. He dropped the stone +that he held in his hand, folded his cloak round him, buckled on his +shield, and left the company. And having made further inquiry and found +that the story was true, he resolved that he would never rest till he +had overtaken these plunderers, and avenged on them the death of his +father. + +Then he sent for a skilful workman to whom he gave directions to make +for him a triple-hide curragh[157-1] large enough to hold sixty persons +and all things needed for a voyage. This was done: and Maildune chose +his companions; and having laid in a little stock of provisions, and +whatever other things were needed, he put to sea. + + [157-1] Curragh, a boat made of basket or wicker work, covered with + hides. Curraghs were generally small and light: but some, + intended for long voyages, were large and strong, and + covered with two, or three, layers of hide one outside + another. Sometimes the hides were tanned into leather to + give additional strength. + + +THE FIRST ISLAND.--TIDINGS OF THE PLUNDERERS. + +They sailed that day and night, as well as the whole of the next day, +till darkness came on again; and at midnight they saw two small bare +islands, with two great houses on them near the shore. When they drew +nigh, they heard the sounds of merriment and laughter, and the shouts of +revellers intermingled with the loud voices of warriors boasting of +their deeds. And listening to catch the conversation, they heard one +warrior say to another-- + +"Stand off from me, for I am a better warrior than thou; it was I who +slew Maildune's father, and burned the house over his head; and no one +has ever dared to avenge it on me. Thou hast never done a great deed +like that!" + +"Now surely," said one of Maildune's companions to him, "Heaven has +guided our ship to this place. Here is an easy victory. Let us sack this +house, since our enemies have been revealed to us and delivered into our +hands!" + +While they were yet speaking, the wind arose, and a great tempest +suddenly broke on them. And they were driven violently before the storm, +all that night and a part of next day, into the great and boundless +ocean; so that they saw neither the islands they had left nor any other +land; and they knew not whither they were going. + +Then Maildune said, "Take down your sail and put by your oars, and let +the curragh drift before the wind in whatsoever direction it pleases God +to lead us": which was done. + + + + +XXXV. + +AN EXTRAORDINARY MONSTER. + + +During the next few days, the wind bore Maildune's curragh along +smoothly, so that the crew had not to use their oars. The island they +now came to had a wall all round it. When they approached the shore, an +animal of vast size, with a thick, rough skin, started up inside the +wall, and ran round the island with the swiftness of the wind. When he +had ended his race, he went to a high point, and standing on a large, +flat stone, began to exercise himself according to his daily custom, in +the following manner. He kept turning himself completely round and round +in his skin, the bones and flesh moving, while the skin remained at +rest. + +When he was tired of this exercise, he rested a little; and he then set +to work turning his skin continually round his body, down at one side +and up at the other like a mill-wheel; but the bones and flesh did not +move. + +After spending some time at this sort of exercise, he started and ran +round the island as at first, as if to refresh himself. He then went +back to the same spot, and this time, while the skin that covered the +lower part of his body remained without motion, he whirled the skin of +the upper part round and round like the movement of a flat-lying +millstone. And it was in this manner that he passed most of his time on +the island. + +Maildune and his people, after they had seen these strange doings, +thought it better not to venture nearer. So they put out to sea in great +haste. The monster, observing them about to fly, ran down to the beach +to seize the curragh; but finding that they had got out of his reach, he +began to fling round stones at them with great force and an excellent +aim. One of them struck Maildune's shield and went quite through it, +lodging in the keel of the curragh; after which the voyagers got beyond +his range and sailed away. + + + In a wall-circled isle a big monster they found, + With a hide like an elephant, leathery and bare; + He threw up his heels with a wonderful bound, + And ran round the isle with the speed of a hare. + + But a feat more astounding has yet to be told: + He turned round and round in his leathery skin; + His bones and his flesh and his sinews he rolled-- + He was resting outside while he twisted within! + + Then changing his practice with marvellous skill, + His carcase stood rigid and round went his hide; + It whirled round his bones like the wheel of a mill-- + He was resting within while he twisted outside! + + Next, standing quite near on a green little hill, + After galloping round in the very same track, + While the skin of his breast remained perfectly still, + Like a millstone he twisted the skin of his back! + + But Maildune and his men put to sea in their boat, + For they saw his two eyes looking over the wall; + And they knew by the way that he opened his throat, + He intended to swallow them, curragh and all! + + +THE SILVER PILLAR OF THE SEA. + +The next wonderful thing the voyagers came across was an immense silver +pillar standing in the sea. It had eight sides, each of which was the +width of an oar-stroke of the curragh, so that its whole circumference +was eight oar-strokes. It rose out of the sea without any land or earth +about it, nothing but the boundless ocean; and they could not see its +base deep down in the water, neither were they able to see the top on +account of its vast height. + +A silver net hung from the top down to the very water, extending far out +at one side of the pillar; and the meshes were so large that the curragh +in full sail went through one of them. When they were passing through +it, Diuran, one of Maildune's companions, struck the mesh with the edge +of his spear, and with the blow cut a large piece off it. + +"Do not destroy the net," said Maildune; "for what we see is the work of +great men." + +"What I have done," answered Diuran, "is for the honour of my God, and +in order that the story of our adventures may be more readily believed; +and I shall lay this silver as an offering on the altar of Armagh, if I +ever reach Erin." + +That piece of silver weighed two ounces and a half, as it was reckoned +afterwards by the people of the church of Armagh. + +After this the voyagers heard someone speaking on the top of the pillar, +in a loud, clear, glad voice; but they knew neither what he said, nor in +what language he spoke. + + + + +XXXVI. + +MAILDUNE MEETS HIS ENEMY, IS RECONCILED TO HIM, AND ARRIVES HOME. + + +The next land the travellers sighted was a small island. On a near +approach they recognised it as the very same island they had seen in the +beginning of their voyage, in which they had heard the man in the great +house boast that he had slain Maildune's father, and from which the +storm had driven them out into the great ocean. + +They turned the prow of their vessel to the shore, landed, and went +towards the house. It happened that at this very time the people of the +house were seated at their evening meal; and Maildune and his +companions, as they stood outside, heard a part of their conversation. + +Said one to another, "It would not be well for us if we were now to see +Maildune." + +"As to Maildune," answered another, "it is very well known that he was +drowned long ago in the great ocean." + +"Do not be sure," observed a third; "perchance he is the very man that +may waken you up some morning from your sleep." + +"Supposing he came now," asked another, "what should we do?" + +The head of the house now spoke in reply to the last question; and +Maildune at once knew the voice, for it was the voice of the man who +had made a boast of slaying the young chief's father. + +And what he said was:--"I can easily answer that. Maildune has been for +a long time suffering great afflictions and hardships; and if he were to +come now, though we were enemies once, I should certainly give him a +welcome and a kind reception." + +When Maildune heard this he knocked at the door; and the door-keeper +asked who was there; to which Maildune made answer-- + +"It is I, Maildune, returned safely from all my wanderings." + +The chief of the house then ordered the door to be opened; and he went +to meet Maildune, and brought him and his companions into the house. +They were joyfully welcomed by the whole household; new garments were +given to them; and they feasted and rested, till they forgot their +weariness and their hardships. + +They related all the wonders God had revealed to them in the course of +their voyage, according to the word of the sage who says, "It will be a +source of pleasure to remember these things at a future time." + +After they had remained here for some days, Maildune and his companions +returned to their own country. And Diuran took the piece of silver he +had cut down from the great net at the Silver Pillar, and laid it, +according to his promise, on the high altar of Armagh. + + From "Old Celtic Romances," by P. W. JOYCE, LL.D. + + + + +XXXVII. + +TENNYSON'S "VOYAGE OF MAILDUNE." + +("FOUNDED ON AN IRISH LEGEND: A.D. 700.") + + +Of the tale called the "Voyage of Maildune," the oldest copy is in the +Book of the Dun Cow, which was copied from older books eight hundred +years ago: but here the story is imperfect at both the beginning and +end, portions of the book having been torn away at some former time. +There is, however, a perfect copy in the Yellow Book of Lecan.[164-1] It +was translated and published for the first time in "Old Celtic Romances" +in 1879. When this book appeared, the great English poet, Alfred +Tennyson (afterwards Lord Tennyson), read the story, and made it the +subject of a beautiful poem, also called "The Voyage of Maildune." +Portions of the beginning and end of this poem are here given:-- + + +I. + + I was the chief of the race--he had stricken my father dead-- + But I gather'd my fellows together, I swore I would strike off his + head. + Each of them looked like a king, and was noble in birth as in worth, + And each of them boasted he sprang from the oldest race upon earth. + Each was as brave in the fight as the bravest hero of song, + And each of them liefer had died than have done one another a wrong. + _He_ lived on an isle in the ocean--we sail'd on a Friday morn-- + He that had slain my father the day before I was born. + + [164-1] For the Book of the Dun Cow and the Yellow Book of Lecan, + see p. 118. + + +II. + + And we came to the isle in the ocean, and there on the shore was he. + But a sudden blast blew us out and away thro' a boundless sea. + + * * * * * + + +XI. + + And we came to the Isle of a saint who had sail'd with St. + Brendan[165-1] of yore, + He had lived ever since on the Isle and his winters were fifteen + score, + And his voice was low as from other worlds, and his eyes were sweet, + And his white hair sank to his heels and his white beard fell to his + feet, + And he spake to me, "O Maeldune, let be this purpose of thine! + Remember the words of the Lord when he told us 'Vengeance is mine!' + His fathers have slain thy fathers in war or in single strife, + Thy fathers have slain his fathers, each taken a life for a life, + Thy father had slain his father, how long shall the murder last? + Go back to the Isle of Finn[166-1] and suffer the Past to be Past." + + [165-1] St. Brendan of Clonfert in Kerry, commonly called Brendan + the Navigator: born in Kerry in 484. He sailed from near + Brandon mountain in Kerry (which is named from him) on his + celebrated voyage of seven years on the Atlantic, in which + it is related he saw many wonderful things--quite as + wonderful as those of Maildune. + + [166-1] The Isle of Finn: i.e. of Finn Mac Cumaill: Ireland (see p. + 92). + + +XII. + + And we came to the Isle we were blown from, and there on the shore + was he, + The man that had slain my father. I saw him and let him be. + O weary was I of the travel, the trouble, the strife and the sin, + When I landed again, with a tithe of my men, on the Isle of Finn. + + + + +XXXVIII. + +ST. DONATUS, BISHOP OF FIESOLE.[167-1] + +PART I. + + +At page 47 of this book it has been related how missionaries and learned +men went in great numbers from Ireland to the Continent in the early +ages of Christianity to preach the Gospel and to teach in colleges. A +full account of the lives and labours of these earnest and holy men +would fill several volumes: but the following short sketch of one of +them will give the reader a good idea of all. + + [167-1] Fiesole in Tuscany, Italy: pronounced in four syllables: + Fee-ess'-o-lAe•. + +Donatus was born in Ireland of noble parents towards the end of the +eighth century. There is good reason to believe that he was educated in +the monastic school of Inishcaltra, a little island in Lough Derg, near +the Galway shore, now better known as Holy Island[167-2]: so that he was +probably a native of that part of the country. Here he studied with +great industry and success. He became a priest, and in course of time a +bishop: and he was greatly distinguished as a professor. + + [167-2] In the "Child's History of Ireland" there is a picture of + the round tower and church ruins on this little island. + +Having spent a number of years teaching, he resolved to make a +pilgrimage to Rome and visit the holy places on the way. He had a +favourite pupil named Andrew, belonging to a noble Irish family, a +handsome, high-spirited youth, but of a deeply religious turn: and these +two, master and scholar, were much attached. And when Donatus made known +his intention to go as a pilgrim to foreign lands, Andrew, who could not +bear to be separated from him, begged to be permitted to go with him: to +which Donatus consented. When they had made the few simple preparations +necessary, they went down to the shore, accompanied by friends and +relatives; and bidding farewell to all--home, friends, and country--amid +tears and regrets, they set sail and landed on the coast of France. + +And now, here were these two men, with stout hearts, determined will, +and full trust in God, exhibiting an excellent example of what +numberless Irish exiles of those days gave up, and of what trials and +dangers they exposed themselves to, for the sake of religion. One was a +successful teacher and a bishop; the other a young chief; and both might +have lived in their own country a life of peace and plenty. But they +relinquished all that for a higher and holier purpose; and they brought +with them neither luxury nor comfort. They had, on landing, just as much +money and food as started them on their journey; and with a small +satchel strapped on shoulder, containing a book or two and some other +necessary articles, and with stout staff in hand, they travelled the +whole way on foot. Whenever a monastery lay near their road, there they +called, sure of a kind reception, and rested for a day or two. When no +monastery was within reach, they simply begged for food and night +shelter as they fared along, making themselves understood by the +peasantry as best they could, for they knew little or nothing of their +language. Much hardship they endured from hunger and thirst, bad +weather, rough paths that often led them astray, and constant fatigue. +They were sometimes in danger too from rude and wicked peasants, some of +whom thought no more of killing a stranger than of killing a sparrow. +But before setting out, the two pilgrims knew well the hardships and +dangers in store for them on the way: so that they were quite prepared +for all this: and on they trudged, contented and cheerful, never +swerving an instant from their purpose. They travelled in a sort of +zigzag way, continually turning aside to visit churches, shrines, +hermitages, and all places consecrated by memory of old-time saints, or +of past events of importance in the history of Christianity. And +whenever they heard, as they went slowly along, of a man eminent for +holiness and learning, they made it a point to visit him, so as to have +the benefit of his conversation and advice; using the Latin language, +which all learned men spoke in those times. + + + + +XXXIX. + +ST. DONATUS, BISHOP OF FIESOLE: + +PART II. + + +In this manner the pilgrims made their way right through France, and on +through north Italy, till they arrived at Rome. This was the main object +of their pilgrimage, and here they sojourned for a considerable time. +Having obtained the Pope's blessing, they set out once more, directing +their steps now towards Tuscany, till at length they reached the +beautiful mountain of Fiesole, near Florence, where stood many churches +and other memorials of Christian saints and martyrs. They entered the +hospice of the monastery, intending to rest there for a week or two, and +then to resume their journey. At this time Irish pilgrims and +missionaries were respected everywhere on the Continent; and as soon as +the arrival of those two became known, they were received with honour by +both clergy and people, who became greatly attached to them for their +gentle quiet ways, and their holiness of life. + +It happened about the time of their arrival here, that the pastor of +Fiesole, who was a bishop, died; and the clergy and people resolved to +have Donatus for their pastor. But when they went to him and told him +what they wanted, he became frightened; and trembling greatly, he said +to them in his gentle humble way:-- + +"We are only poor pilgrims from Scotia, and I do not wish to be your +bishop; for I am not at all fit for it, hardly even knowing your +language or your customs." + +But the more he entreated the more vehemently did they insist: so that +at last he consented to take the bishop's chair. This was in or about +the year 824. + +We need not follow the life of St. Donatus further here. It is enough to +say that, notwithstanding all his fears and his deep humility, he became +a great and successful pastor and missionary. For about thirty-seven +years he laboured among the people of Fiesole, by whom he was greatly +loved and revered. Down to the day of his death, which happened about +861, when he was a very old man, he was attended by his affectionate +friend Andrew. He is to this day honoured in and around Fiesole, as an +illustrious saint of those times. His tomb is still shown and regarded +with much veneration: and in the old town there are several other +memorials of him. + +Like St. Columkille, Donatus always cherished a tender regretful love +for Ireland; and like him also he wrote a short poem in praise of it +which is still preserved. It is in Latin, and the following is a +translation, made by a Dublin poet many years ago:-- + + + Far westward lies an isle of ancient fame, + By nature bless'd; and Scotia is her name, + Enroll'd in books[172-1]: exhaustless is her store, + Of veiny silver, and of golden ore.[172-2] + Her fruitful soil, for ever teems with wealth, + With gems[172-3] her waters, and her air with health; + Her verdant fields with milk and honey flow;[172-4] + Her woolly fleeces[172-5] vie with virgin snow; + Her waving furrows float with bearded corn; + And arms and arts her envied sons adorn![172-6] + No savage bear, with lawless fury roves, + Nor fiercer lion, through her peaceful groves; + No poison there infects, no scaly snake + Creeps through the grass, nor frog annoys the lake;[172-7] + An island worthy of its pious race, + In war triumphant, and unmatch'd in peace! + + [172-1] _I.e._ enrolled in books under the name of Scotia. The + natives always called it Erin. + + [172-2] Ireland had mines of gold in old times; and silver was also + found. Great numbers of Irish gold ornaments, found from + time to time in the earth, are now preserved in Museums. + + [172-3] Pearls were then found in many Irish rivers; as they are, + sometimes, to this day. + + [172-4] The Venerable Bede, a great English historian, writing in + the eighth century, calls Ireland "a land flowing with + milk and honey." + + [172-5] Ireland was noted for the plenty and goodness of its wool. + + [172-6] Ireland had great warriors, and many learned men and skilful + artists (see pp. 20, 47, and 117). + + [172-7] There are no venomous reptiles in Ireland. There were then + no frogs: but these were afterwards introduced from + England. + + + + +XL. + +HOW IRELAND WAS INVADED BY DANES AND ANGLO-NORMANS. + + +From the time of the settlement of the Milesians, as described at page +3, Ireland was ruled by native kings, without any disturbance from +outside, till the arrival of the invaders we are now about to speak of. + +During all these centuries, though there were troubles enough from the +quarrels of the kings and chiefs, learning and art, as we have seen, +were successfully cultivated. But a change came--a woful change--once +the Danes began to arrive. These were pirates, all pagans, from Denmark +and other countries round the Baltic Sea, brave and daring, but very +wicked and cruel, who for a long period kept, not only Ireland, but the +whole of western Europe in terror. They appeared for the first time on +the coast of Ireland in the year 795, when they plundered St. +Columkille's monastery on Lambay Island near Dublin. After this, for +more than two hundred years, the country was never free from them, and +they plundered and burned and destroyed churches, monasteries, +libraries, and homesteads, and killed all that fell in their way, men, +women, and children. They were often attacked and routed by the native +chiefs; but this did not much discourage them and they generally landed +so suddenly, and marched through the country so swiftly, that in most +cases they got clear off to their ships, with all their plunder, before +the people could overtake them. They settled permanently in various +towns on the coast, especially Dublin, Waterford, and Limerick, which +they held for a long time. + +At last they were overthrown by Brian Boru king of Ireland, in a great +battle fought at Clontarf near Dublin, on Good Friday, the 23rd April, +1014, of which a full account may be read in the "Child's History of +Ireland." After this, though no attempt was made to expel them from the +country, they gave little trouble. They became Christians, intermarried +with the natives, and settled down to industry and commerce like the +rest of the people; and there are many of their descendants to this day +in various parts of Ireland. + +For about a century and a half after the battle of Clontarf, eight Irish +kings reigned: but none of them succeeded in mastering the whole +country. Some of these were O'Briens of Munster, the descendants of +Brian Boru; some O'Loghlins of Ulster, a branch of the O'Neill family, +descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages (see p. 5); and some O'Conors +of Connaught. During this period Ireland was greatly disturbed; for the +several kings were continually fighting with each other, striving who +should be head king: so that the next invaders, when they came, found +the country ill prepared to resist them. + +Those who have read the History of England will remember that the +Normans, coming from France under William the Conqueror, took the +sovereignty of England after the battle of Hastings in 1066. About a +century later, their descendants, who were now called Anglo-Normans, +i.e. English Normans, made settlements in Ireland. Their leader when +they first arrived was Earl Strongbow; but in 1171 Henry II., king of +England, came over with an army and took command. In 1172 he annexed +Ireland to the crown of England, that is, he claimed it as a part of his +dominions. The Over-king of Ireland at this time was Roderick O'Conor. +He was unable to repel the new invaders: and after his death there was +no longer a native king over all Ireland. + +King Henry divided nearly the whole island among his lords, who all +went, after some time, to reside in their own territories: but they were +to remain under the authority of the king. These lords soon became great +and powerful, and ruled like princes; and from them descend the chief +Anglo-Irish families, of whom the most distinguished were the Geraldines +or Fitzgeralds, the Butlers, and the De Burgos or Burkes. + +But it must not be supposed that all this was done quietly: for the +native Irish chiefs everywhere resisted these new lords. Although king +Henry went through the form of "annexing" Ireland, it was annexed only +in name. In reality his authority extended over only a small portion. It +took more than four hundred years to annex the whole country: and during +all this time there were constant wars, the Anglo-Normans encroaching, +and the Irish chiefs resisting as best they could. It was only in the +reign of James I., that is, about three hundred years ago, that the +whole of Ireland was brought under English law. + +[Illustration: O'Dea's Castle, Dysart, Co. Clare. Built in the +fourteenth century by one of the Irish chiefs. See the note under St. +Finghin's Church, page 189.] + +[Illustration: Bunratty Castle in the south of Clare, on the Bunratty +River, where it joins the Shannon: built about the end of the thirteenth +century by Thomas de Clare, an Anglo-Norman lord.] + +These Anglo-Normans were a great and famous people, skilful and mighty +in war; and they built splendid abbeys, churches, and castles, all over +Ireland the ruins of which remain to this day. As an example of what +manner of men they were, a sketch of the career of one of them--Sir +John de Courcy--is given in this book (page 190). + +[Illustration: Kilclief Castle, Co. Down. Built by one of the +Anglo-Normans in the fourteenth century.] + +For hundreds of years after the Invasion, people continued to come from +England to live in Ireland both Anglo-Norman and Anglo-Saxon. After +settling down they became good friends with the native Irish, +intermarried with them, learned to speak and read the Irish language, +and quite fell in with the customs and modes of the country, so that it +was said of them that they became "more Irish than the Irish +themselves." A large proportion of the present inhabitants of Ireland +are of this race, mixed up however by intermarriage, with the older +Milesian stock. + + + + +XLI. + +THE WATCH-FIRE OF BARNALEE. + + +During the many wars in Ireland, small parties of men had often to +traverse the country for long distances to bring messages from one +general to another, and for other purposes. They marched by day and put +up at night in the woods, choosing some sheltered corner and making a +big fire of brambles to keep them warm and to cook their food. After +supper they usually sat by the fire, amusing themselves with pleasant +conversation or by telling stories: and when at last it was time to go +to sleep, they wrapped themselves up in their great coats and lay down +round the fire, leaving one of their number to stand guard. + +The following short poem--part of a much longer one--describes how a +small party of four men passed the early part of the night during a +march across country. There was to be a battle in a day or two, and +these four friends met, and each told a story by the Watch-fire of +Barnalee. And they arranged to meet again after the battle, if any +survived. But this turned out to be a sad meeting: there were only two: +the other two lay dead on the battlefield. + + +I. + + There were four comrades stout and free, + Within the Wood of Barnalee, + Under the spreading oaken tree. + + +II. + + The ragged clouds sailed past the moon; + Loud rose the brawling torrent's croon; + The rising winds howled in the wood, + Like hungry wolves at scent of blood. + Yet there they sat, in converse free, + Under the spreading oaken tree,-- + Garrod the Minstrel, with his lyre, + Sir Hugh le Poer, that heart of fire, + Dark Gilliemore, the mournful squire, + And Donal, from the banks of Nier. + + +III. + + Spectrally shone the watch-fire light + On their sun-browned faces and helmets bright + Showing beneath the woodland glooms + Their swords, and jacks, and waving plumes; + As there they sat, those comrades free, + Within the Wood of Barnalee, + Under the spreading oaken tree, + And told their tales to you and me. + + ROBERT DWYER JOYCE, M.D. + + + + +XLII. + +CAHAL O'CONOR OF THE RED HAND: KING OF CONNAUGHT. + + +Roderick O'Connor, the last native king of Ireland retired from the +throne towards the end of the twelfth century, to end his days in the +monastery of Cong.[181-1] After his time, as we have said, there was no +longer a king over the whole country. But for hundreds of years +afterwards, kings continued to reign over the five provinces. Roderick +had been king of Connaught before he became king of all Ireland; and +after his retirement there were several claimants for the Connaught +throne, who contended with one another, so that the province was for a +long time disturbed with wars and battles. + + [181-1] Cong in Mayo, between Lough Corrib and Lough Mask; the + remains of an abbey are there still. + +Roderick had a young brother named Cahal, who was called Cahal of the +Red Hand, from a great blood-red mark on his right hand. He would +naturally have a claim to the Connaught throne when old enough; and as +he was, even when a boy, a noble young fellow, and showed great ability, +the queen of Connaught, jealous of him, feared that when he grew up he +would give trouble, and she sought him out, determined to kill him: so +that Cahal and his mother had to flee from one hiding place to another. + +Finding at last that he could no longer remain in the province with +safety, he and his mother crossed the Shannon into Leinster, where no +one knew him, and there for several years they remained, while he made a +poor living for both, by working in the fields as a common labourer. And +as the fame of the brave young Cahal with the red mark on his hand, had +gone abroad, he always wore a loose mitten on his right hand for fear of +discovery; for he knew well that the queen had spies everywhere +searching for him. + +At this time the people had no newspapers: but there were news-carriers +who made it their business to travel continually about the country, +picking up information wherever they could, and relating all that +occurred whenever they came to a village, or to any group of people who +desired to hear the news. They generally received some small payment; +and in this manner they made their living. + +One day while Cahal was employed with several others, reaping in a field +of rye, they saw one of these men approaching; and they stopped their +work for a few moments to hear what he had to say. After relating +several unimportant matters, he came at last to the principal +news:--that the king of Connaught was dead, and that the leading people +of the province, having met in counsel to choose a king declared that +they would have no one but young Cahal of the Red Hand. "And now," +continued the newsman, "I and many others have been searching for him +for several weeks. He is easily known, for his right hand is blood-red +from the wrist out: but up to this we have been unsuccessful. We fear +indeed that he is living in poverty in some remote place where he will +never be found: or it may be that he is dead." + +When Cahal heard this, his heart gave a great bound, and he stood musing +for a few moments. Then flinging his sickle on the ridge, he +exclaimed:--"Farewell reaping-hook: now for the sword!" And pulling off +the mitten, he showed his red hand, and made himself known. The newsman, +instantly recognising him, threw himself prostrate before him to +acknowledge him as his king. And ever since that time, "Cahal's farewell +to the rye," has been a proverb in Connaught, to denote a farewell for +ever. He returned immediately with his mother to Connaught, where he was +joyfully received, and was proclaimed king in 1190. + +At this time the Anglo-Norman barons who had come over at the time of +Henry II.'s Invasion, nearly twenty years before, had settled down in +various parts of Ireland: and they were constantly encroaching on the +lands of the Irish and erecting strong castles everywhere; while the +Irish chiefs as we have already said, resisted as far as they were +able, so that there was much disturbance all over the country. Cahal was +a brave and active king, and took a leading part in fighting against the +barons. + +After he had reigned over Connaught in peace for eight or nine years, +trouble came again. There was at this time, settled in Limerick, a +powerful Anglo-Norman baron, William de Burgo, to whom a large part of +Connaught had been granted by King Henry II. This man stirred up another +of the O'Conors to lay claim to the throne in opposition to Cahal, +promising to help him: and now Connaught was again all ablaze with civil +war. Cahal was defeated in battle, and fled to Ulster to Hugh O'Neill, +prince of Tyrone, who took up his cause. Marching south with his own and +O'Neill's men, he attacked his rival, but was defeated, and again fled +north. He soon made a second attempt, aided this time by Sir John de +Courcy (for whom see page 190): but he and De Courcy were caught in an +ambush in Galway by the rival king, who routed their army. In this fight +De Courcy very nearly lost his life, being felled senseless from his +horse by a stone. Recovering in good time however, he and Cahal escaped +from the battlefield, and fled northwards. + +Cahal of the Red Hand, in no way cowed by these terrible reverses, again +took the field, after some time, aided now by De Burgo, who had changed +sides. A battle was fought near Roscommon, in which the rival king was +slain; and Cahal once more took possession of the throne. From this +period forward he ruled without a native rival; though a few years +later, he was forced to surrender a large part of his kingdom to King +John, in order that he might secure possession of the remainder. + +But he was as vigilant as ever in repelling all attempts of the barons +to encroach on his diminished territory. Thus when in 1220 the De Lacys +of Meath, a most powerful Anglo-Norman family, went to Athleague on the +Shannon at the head of Lough Ree, where there was a ford, and began to +build a castle at the eastern or Leinster side, in order that they might +have a garrison in it always ready to attack Connaught, Cahal promptly +crossed the river into Longford, and so frightened them that they were +glad to conclude a truce with him. And he broke down the castle, which +they had almost finished. + +Cahal of the Red Hand was an upright and powerful king, and governed +with firmness and justice. The Irish Annals tell us that he relieved the +poor as long as he lived, and that he destroyed more robbers and rebels +and evil-doers of every kind than any other king of his time. In early +life he had founded the abbey of Knockmoy,[185-1] into which he retired +in the last year of his life: and in this retreat he died in 1224. + + [185-1] Knockmoy in Galway, six miles from Tuam: the ruins of the + abbey still remain. + + + + +XLIII. + +"CAHAL-MORE OF THE WINE-RED HAND." + + +The ancient Irish people--like those of several other +countries--believed that when a just and good king reigned, the country +was blessed with fine weather and abundant crops, the trees bended with +fruit, the rivers teemed with fish, and the whole kingdom prospered. +This was the state of Connaught while Cahal of the Red Hand reigned in +peace. And it is recorded that when he died, fearful portents appeared, +and there was gloom and terror everywhere. James Clarence Mangan, a +Dublin poet, who died in 1849, pictures all this in the following fine +poem. He supposes himself to be living on the river Maine, in Germany, +and he is brought to Connaught in a vision, where he witnesses the +prosperity that attended Cahal's reign. This he sets forth in the first +part of the poem: but a sudden mysterious change for the worse comes, +which he describes in the last two verses. The whole poem forms a wild, +misty sort of picture, such as one might see in a dream.[186-1] + + +A VISION OF CONNAUGHT IN THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY. + + I walked entranced + Through a land of Morn; + The sun, with wondrous excess of light, + Shone down and glanced + Over seas of corn + And lustrous gardens aleft and right. + Even in the clime + Of resplendent Spain, + Beams no such sun upon such a land; + But it was the time, + 'Twas in the reign, + Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand. + + Anon stood nigh + By my side a man + Of princely aspect and port sublime. + Him queried I, + "O, my Lord and Khan,[187-1] + What clime is this, and what golden time?" + When he--"The clime + Is a clime to praise, + The clime is Erin's, the green and bland; + And it is the time, + These be the days, + Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand!" + + Then saw I thrones, + And circling fires, + And a dome rose near me, as by a spell, + Whence flowed the tones + Of silver lyres, + And many voices in wreathA"d swell; + And their thrilling chime + Fell on mine ears + As the heavenly hymn of an angel-band-- + "It is now the time, + These be the years, + Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand!" + + I sought the hall, + And, behold!... a change + From light to darkness, from joy to woe! + King, nobles, all, + Looked aghast and strange; + The minstrel-group sate in dumbest show! + Had some great crime + Wrought this dread amaze, + This terror? None seemed to understand! + 'Twas then the time, + We were in the days, + Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand. + + I again walked forth; + But lo! the sky + Showed fleckt with blood, and an alien sun + Glared from the north, + And there stood on high, + Amid his shorn beams, A SKELETON + It was by the stream + Of the castled Maine, + One Autumn eve, in the Teuton's land, + That I dreamed this dream + Of the time and reign + Of Cahal More of the Wine-red Hand! + + + [186-1] Mangan wrote many poetical translations from the Irish, as + well as from the German and other languages. The "Vision + of Connaught" is, however, an original poem, not a + translation. + + [187-1] Irish, _Ceann_ [can], meaning 'head,' one of the Gaelic + titles for a chief. + +[Illustration: St. Finghin's Church, Quin, Co. Clare: originally built +by the Irish: re-built by Thomas de Clare, the Anglo-Norman lord who +erected Bunratty Castle (see p. 177). + +The Irish began to build large churches and castles a little before the +arrival of the Anglo-Normans. The Irish churches of a previous time were +generally small. After the Invasion, the Anglo-Norman barons and the +Irish kings and chiefs vied with each other in erecting churches, +abbeys, and castles.] + + + + +XLIV. + +SIR JOHN DE COURCY. + + +Among the many Anglo-Norman lords and knights who came to settle in +Ireland in the time of Henry II., one of the most renowned was John de +Courcy. The Welsh writer, Gerald Barry, already mentioned (p. 113), who +lived at that time and knew him personally, thus describes him:-- + +"He was of huge size, tall and powerfully built, with bony and muscular +limbs, wonderfully active and daring, full of courage, and a bold and +venturous soldier from his youth. He was so eager for fighting that, +though commanding as general, he always mingled with the foremost ranks +in charging the enemy, which might have lost the battle; for if he +chanced to be killed or badly wounded, there was no general able to take +his place. But though so fierce in war, he was gentle and modest in time +of peace and very exact in attending to his religious devotions; and +when he had gained a victory he gave all the glory to God, and took none +to himself." + +When King Henry II. divided the country among his lords in 1172, he gave +Ulster to De Courcy. But it was one thing to be granted the province, +and another thing to take possession of it; for the Ulster chiefs and +people were warlike and strong; and for five years De Courcy remained +in Dublin without making any attempt to conquer it. + +At length he made up his mind to try his fortune; and gathering his +followers to the number of about a thousand, every man well armed and +trained to battle, he set out for the north. Through rugged and +difficult ways the party rode on, and early in the morning of the fourth +day--the 2nd February, 1177--they arrived at Downpatrick, then the +capital of that part of the country. The Irish of those times never +surrounded their towns with walls; and the astonished Downpatrick +people, who knew nothing of the expedition, were startled from their +beds at daybreak by a mighty uproar in the streets--shouts, and the +clatter of horses' hoofs, and the martial notes of bugles. Whatever +little stock of provisions the party had brought with them was gone soon +after they left Dublin; and by the time they arrived at Downpatrick they +were half-starved. They scattered themselves everywhere, and, breaking +away for the time from the control of their leader, they fell ravenously +on all the food they could lay their hands on: they smashed in doors and +set fire to houses, and ate and drank and slew as if they were mad, till +the town was half destroyed. And the people were taken so completely by +surprise that there was hardly any resistance. + +When this terrible onslaught at last came to an end, De Courcy, having +succeeded in bringing his men together, made an encampment, which he +carefully fortified; and there the little army rested from their toils. +At the end of a week the chief of the district came with a great army to +expel the invaders; while De Courcy arranged his men in ranks with great +skill, to withstand the attack. The Ulstermen who were without armour, +wearing a loose saffron-coloured tunic over the ordinary dress, +according to the Irish fashion, rushed on with fearless bravery; but by +no effort could they break the solid ranks of the armour-clad +Anglo-Normans, who, after a long struggle put them to flight, and +pursued them for miles along the seashore. + +After this victory De Courcy settled in Downpatrick with his followers, +and built a strong castle there for his better security. Nevertheless +the Ulstermen, in no way discouraged, continued their fierce attacks: +and though he was victorious in several battles, he was defeated in +others, so that for a long time he had quite enough to do to hold his +ground. + +But through all his difficulties the valiant De Courcy kept up his heart +and battled bravely on, continually enlarging his territory, founding +churches and building strong castles all over the province. King Henry +was so pleased with his bravery, and with his success in extending the +English dominions, that he made him earl of Ulster and lord of +Connaught; and in 1185 he appointed him Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. +This obliged him to live in Dublin; but he left captains and governors +in Ulster to hold his castles and protect his territory, till he should +return, which he did in 1189. + + + + +XLV. + +HOW SIR JOHN DE COURCY WAS CAPTURED AND THROWN INTO PRISON. + + +By the death of Henry II. in 1189, Sir John de Courcy lost his best +friend: and things began to go ill with him when King John came to the +throne in 1199. For another Anglo-Norman lord, Hugh de Lacy, grew +jealous of his great deeds, and hated him with his whole heart, so that +he took every means to poison the king's mind against him. In a very old +volume, written by some Anglo-Irish writer, there are several +entertaining stories of all that befel De Courcy after his return to +Ulster from Dublin in 1189. Two of these, somewhat shortened and +re-arranged, are given here, and much of the fine old language in which +they are told is retained, as it is easily understood. + +The first story relates that whereas Sir Hugh de Lacy, who was now +appointed general ruler of Ireland by the king, did much disdain and +envy Sir John de Courcy, and being marvellous grieved at the worthy +service he did, he sought all means that he could possible to damage and +hinder him and to bring him to confusion, and promised much rewards in +secret to those who would invent any matter against him; for which De +Lacy had no cause but that Sir John's actions and commendations were +held in greater account than his own. He feigned also false charges +against him, and wrote them over to the king, and sore complained of +him. + +Amongst other his grievous complaints, he said De Courcy refused to do +homage to King John, and he charged him also with saying to many that +the king had somewhat to do with the death of Prince Arthur, lawful heir +to the crown of England[194-1]; and many other such like things. All +these were nothing but matters feigned by De Lacy, to bring to a better +end his purpose of utterly ruining De Courcy. On this De Courcy +challenged him, after the custom of those times, to try the matter by +single combat: but De Lacy, fearing to meet him, made excuses and +refused. + + [194-1] Prince Arthur, the rightful heir to the English throne, was + cast into prison by John: he was soon after murdered, + which, it was believed, was done by John's orders. + +By reason of such evil and envious tales, though untrue they were, Sir +Hugh de Lacy was at last commanded by King John to do what he might to +apprehend and take Sir John de Courcy. Whereupon he devised and +conferred with certain of Sir John's own men how this might be done; +and they said it was not possible to do so the while he was in his +battle-harness. But they told him that it might be done on Good Friday; +for on that day it was his accustomed usage to wear no shield, harness, +or weapon, but that he would be found kneeling at his prayers, after he +had gone about the church five times barefooted. And having so devised, +they lay in wait for him in his church at Downpatrick; and when they saw +him barefooted and unarmed they rushed on him suddenly. But he, +snatching up a heavy wooden cross that stood nigh the church, defended +him till it was broken, and slew thirteen of them before he was taken. +And so he was sent to England, and was put into the Tower of London, to +remain there in perpetual, and there miserably was kept a long time, +without as much meat or apparel as any account could be made of. + +Now these men had agreed to betray their master to Sir Hugh de Lacy for +a certain reward of gold and silver: and when they came to Sir Hugh for +their reward, he gave them the gold and silver as he had promised. They +then craved of him a passport into England to tell all about the good +service they had done; which he gave them, with the following words +written in it:-- + +"This writing witnesseth that those whose names are herein subscribed, +that did betray so good a master for reward, will be false to me and to +all the earth besides. And inasmuch as I put no trust in them, I do +banish them out of this land of Ireland for ever; and I do let +Englishmen know that none of them may enjoy any part of this our king's +land, or be employed as servitors from this forward for ever." + +[Illustration: Ennis Abbey as it appeared in 1780: now carefully +preserved by the Board of Works. Built by Donogh O'Brien, king of +Thomond, in 1242. See the note under Illustration, p. 189.] + +And so he wrote all their names, and put them in a ship with victuals +and furniture, but without mariners or seamen, and put them to sea, and +gave them strict charge never to return to Ireland on pain of death. And +after this they were not heard of for a long time; but by chance of +weather and lack of skilful men, they arrived at Cork, and being taken, +were brought to Sir Hugh de Lacy; and first taking all their treasure +from them, he hung them in chains, and so left them till their bodies +wasted away. + +This deed, that Sir Hugh de Lacy did, was for an ensample that none +should use himself the like, and not for love of Sir John de Courcy: +since it appeareth from certain ancient authors that he would have it so +as that De Courcy's name should not be so much as mentioned, and that no +report or commendation of him should ever be made. + + + + +XLVI. + +SIR JOHN DE COURCY ACCEPTS A CHALLENGE. + + +And now Sir John de Courcy, being in the Tower in evil plight, cried +often to God why He suffered him to be thus so miserably used, who did +build so many good abbeys, and did so many good deeds to God: and thus +often lamenting with himself, he asked God his latter end to finish. + +It fortuned after this that much variance and debate did grow between +King John of England and King Philip of France,[197-1] about a certain +castle which the king of France won from King John. And when King Philip +had often been asked to restore it he refused, saying it was his by +right. But at last he offered to try the matter by battle. For he had a +champion, a mighty man, who had never been beaten; and he challenged the +king of England to find, on his side, a champion to fight him, and let +the title to the castle depend on the issue thereof; to which King John, +more hasty than well advised, did agree. + + [197-1] At this time the kings of England had a large territory in + France so that quarrels often arose between them and the + French kings. + +And when the day of battle was appointed, the king of England called +together his Council to find out where a champion might be found that +would take upon him this honour and weighty enterprise. Many places they +sought and inquired of, but no one was found that was willing to engage +in so perilous a matter. And the king was in a great agony, fearing more +the dishonour of the thing than the loss of the castle. + +At length a member of the Council came to the king and told him that +there was a man in the Tower of London, one De Courcy, that in all the +earth was not his peer, if he would only fight. The king was much +rejoiced thereat, and sent unto him to require and command him to take +the matter in hand: but Sir John refused. The king sent again and +offered him great gifts; but again he refused, saying he would never +serve the king in field any more; for he thought himself evil rewarded +for such service as he did him before. The king sent to him a third +time, and bade him ask whatever he would, for himself and for his +friends, and all should be granted to him: and he said furthermore that +upon his stalworth and knightly doings the honour of the realm of +England did rest and depend. + +He answered that for himself, the thing he would wish to ask for, King +John was not able to give, namely, the lightness and freedom of heart +that he once had, but which the king's unkind dealing had taken from +him. As for his friends, he said that, saving a few, they were all slain +in the king's service; "and for these reasons," said he, "I mean never +to serve the king more. But"--he went on to say--"the honour of the +realm of England, that is another matter: and I would defend it so far +as lies in my power, provided I might have such things as I shall ask +for." + +This was promised to him, and the king sent messengers to set him at +liberty; who, when they had entered into his prison, found him in great +misery. His hair was all matted, and overgrew his shoulders to his +waist; he had scarce any apparel, and the little he had fell in rags +over his great body; and his face was hollow from close confinement and +for lack of food. + +After all things that he required had been granted to him, he asked for +one thing more, namely, that his sword should be sent for all the way to +Downpatrick in Ireland, where it would be found within the altar of the +church; for with that weapon he said he would fight and with no other. +After much delay it was brought to him; and when they saw it and felt +its weight, they marvelled that any man could wield it. And good food +was given to him, and seemly raiment, and he had due exercise, and in +all things he was cherished and made much of; so that his strength of +body and stoutness of heart returned to him. + + + + +XLVII. + +SIR JOHN DE COURCY AND THE FRENCH CHAMPION. + + +The lists were enclosed and all things were prepared against the day of +battle. The two kings were there, outside the lists, with most of their +nobility, and thousands of great people to look on, all sitting on seats +placed high up for good view. Within the lists were two tents for the +champions, where they might rest till the time appointed. And men were +chosen to see that all things were carried on fairly and in good order. + +When the time drew nigh, the French champion came forth on the field, +and did his duty of obeisance, and bowed with reverence and courtesy to +all around, and went back to his tent, where he waited for half an hour. +The king of England sent for Sir John to come forth, for that the French +champion rested a long time awaiting his coming; to which he answered +roughly that he would come forth when he thought it was time. And when +he still delayed, the king sent one of his Council to desire him to make +haste, to which he made answer:--"If thou or those kings were invited to +such a banquet, you would make no great haste coming forth to partake of +it." + +On this the king, deeming that he was not going to fight at all, was +about to depart in a great rage, thinking much evil of Sir John de +Courcy. While he was thus musing, Sir John came forth in surly mood, for +memory of all the ill usage that had been wrought on him; and he stalked +straight on, looking neither to the right nor to the left, and doing no +reverence to anyone: and so back to his tent. + +Then the trumpets sounded the first charge, for the champions to +approach. Forth they came, and passing by slowly, viewed each other +intently without a word. And when the foreign champion noted De Courcy's +fierce look, and measured with his eyes his great stature and mighty +limbs, he was filled with dread and fell all a-trembling. At length the +trumpets sounded the last charge for the fight to begin; on which De +Courcy quickly drew his sword and advanced; but the Frenchman, turning +right round, "ranne awaie off the fielde and betooke him to Spaine." + +Whereupon the English trumpets sounded victory; and there was such +shouting and cheering, such a-clapping of hands and such a-throwing of +caps in the air as the like was never seen before. + +When the multitude became quiet, King Philip desired of King John that +De Courcy might be called before them to give a trial of his strength by +a blow upon a helmet: to which De Courcy agreed. They fixed a great +stake of timber in the ground, standing up the height of a man, over +which they put a shirt of mail, with a helmet on top. And when all was +ready, De Courcy, drawing his sword, looked at the kings with a grim and +terrible look that fearful it was to behold; after which he struck such +a blow as cut clean through the helmet and through the shirt of mail, +and down deep in the piece of timber. And so fast was the sword fixed +that no man in the assembly, using his two hands with the utmost effort, +could pluck it out; but Sir John, taking it in one hand, drew it forth +easily. + +The princes, marvelling at so huge a stroke, desired to understand why +he looked so terrible at them before he struck the blow: on which he +answered:-- + +"I call St. Patrick of Down to witness, that if I had missed the mark I +would have cut the heads off both of you kings on the score of all the +ill usage I received aforetime at your hands." + +King John, being satisfied with all matters as they turned out, took his +answer in good part: and he gave him back all the dominions that before +he had in Ireland, as Earl of Ulster and lord of Connaught; and +licensed him to return, with many great gifts besides. And to this day +the people of Ireland hold in memory Sir John de Courcy and his mighty +deeds; and the ruins of many great castles builded by him are to be seen +all over Ulster. + + + + +XLVIII. + +THE GREAT EARL OF KILDARE AND THE EARL OF ORMOND. + + +The great lords who settled in Ireland in the time of Henry II. became +so powerful that they ruled in the land like so many kings. It was so +hard to reach Ireland in those times, or even to get from one part of +Ireland to another, that their master, the king of England, had +generally very little control over them: and he often found it hard +enough even to find out what was going on among them. So those mighty +barons did very much as they liked. They imposed taxes, raised armies, +and made war on each other, just as if they were independent sovereigns. + +The Fitzgeralds, or Geraldines, were among the most illustrious of those +families. They intermarried with the families of the native Irish kings +and princes, such as the O'Neills and O'Conors; and altogether they fell +in so well with the ways of the country, that the Irish people came to +love them almost better than they loved their own old native kings and +chiefs. And for hundreds of years those Geraldines took a leading part +in the government of Ireland for the kings of England. + +In the time of Henry VII., who became king in the year 1485, Garrett +Fitzgerald, earl of Kildare--the "Great Earl" as he was called--was Lord +Deputy, or chief ruler of Ireland, for the king: and he was the leading +man of his day in Ireland.[204-1] We are told in the old accounts of him +that he was tall of stature, of goodly presence, very liberal and +merciful; of strict piety; mild in his government; very easily put into +a passion, but just as easily appeased; a knight in valour, and princely +in his words and judgments. + + [204-1] A further account of the Great Earl, and of some of his + proceedings, will be found in the "Child's History of + Ireland." + +Once he got into a great rage with one of his servants for some blunder. +It happened that two of the gentlemen of his household were looking on: +and one of them whispered to the other, whose name was Boice, that he +would give him a good Irish hobby if he went and plucked a hair out of +the earl's beard. Boice took him at his offer, and knowing well the +earl's good nature, he went up to him, while he still fumed with anger, +and said:-- + +"If so it please your good lordship, one of your horsemen promised me a +choice horse if I snip one hair from your beard." "Well," quoth the +earl, "I agree thereto; but if you pluck more than one, I promise you to +bring my fist away from your ear!" + +And Boice plucked the hair, and won the hobby: but he took good care to +pluck only one, so that his ear escaped the earl's big fist. + +At this time the chief man of the Butlers was James, earl of Ormond: and +he and the Deputy were at enmity, each working with might and main to +put down the other. The earl of Ormond, who was a deep and far reaching +man, not being strong enough to oppose his adversary openly, devised a +plan to entrap him by means of submission and courtesy. Certain charges +had, it seems, been made against Ormond, and he now wrote to the deputy, +who was, of course, in authority over him, asking permission to come to +Dublin to disprove them; which the deputy granted. Accordingly, in the +year 1492, he marched to Dublin with a numerous army, and encamped near +the city. + +Now Kildare's councillors, and the citizens in general, disliked the +presence of so great an army, suspecting some evil design: and besides, +the soldiers used the people ill, often beating and robbing them; so +that instead of peace, this visit of Ormond made all the greater +discord. Yet still, with an air of great respect and humility, he +persisted in asking to be heard, saying he would show that the evil +stories about him were all false. At length, Lord Deputy Kildare +agreed, and the meeting was held in St. Patrick's Church. + +But this meeting was not a quiet or peaceful one; for the two earls, +instead of speaking gentle words of forgiveness, began to accuse each +other of all the damages inflicted on both sides. The citizens too, who +were in great crowds around the church, complained with loud voices of +all the ill usage they had suffered from the soldiers; whereupon they +and the soldiers fell to jars and quarrels, and the whole city was soon +in an uproar. At last, a body of Dublin archers, enraged that such a +disturbance should be raised by "this lawless rabble," rushed into the +church, shouting out that they would kill Ormond, as the leader of them, +and they shot at random hither and thither, leaving their arrows +sticking in the timbers and ornaments of the church, but doing no harm +otherwise. It is probable, indeed, that out of respect to the place, +notwithstanding their rage, they took care to shoot over the heads of +the crowd, so as to kill no one. + +On this, the Earl of Ormond, fearing with good reason for his safety, +fled with a few of his followers to the chapter-house, and slamming the +door, bolted and barred it strongly. Kildare followed and called to him +to come out, promising upon his honour that he should receive no harm. +Ormond replied that he would come forth if the deputy gave him his hand +that his life should be safe; so "a cleft was pierced in a trice +through the chapter-house door," to the end that the earls might shake +hands and be reconciled. But Ormond, still suspecting treachery, refused +to put forth his hand, fearing it might be chopped off, till at last +Kildare stretched in his arm to him through the hole, and they shook +hands. Then the door was opened and the two earls embraced, and the +storm was appeased. + +[Illustration: Old Chapter-house Door, now in St. Patrick's Cathedral, +Dublin.] + +But though this quarrel was patched up, it was only for the time. +Kildare suspected that Ormond had brought his army with evil intent "to +outface him and his power in his own countrie"; while "Ormond mistrusted +that this treacherous practice of the Dublinians was by Kildare +devised." So that, as the old writer goes on to say, "their quarrels +were not ended, but only for the present discontinued: like unto a green +wound, rather bungerlie botcht, than soundlie cured. And these and the +like surmises, with many stories carried to and fro, and in their ears +whispered, bred and fostered a malice betwixt them and their posterity, +many years incurable, which caused much stir and unquietnesse in the +realm." + +The old chapter-house door, which is pictured on last page, still +remains in St. Patrick's Cathedral, where it may be seen leaning against +one of the walls, with the very "cleft" in it through which the two +earls shook hands more than four hundred years ago. + + + + +XLIX. + +ANCIENT IRISH MUSIC. + + +From the most remote times the Irish took great pleasure in music: and +they studied and cultivated it so successfully that they became +celebrated every where for their musical skill. Irish teachers of this +art were thought so highly of that from about the seventh to the +eleventh century, or later, they were employed in colleges and schools +in Great Britain and on the Continent, like Irish professors of other +branches of learning (see p. 47). Many of the early missionaries took +great delight in playing on the harp, so that some brought a small harp +with them on their journeys through the country, which no doubt +lightened many a weary hour at their homes in the evenings, during the +time of hard missionary work. In our oldest manuscript books, music is +continually mentioned: and musicians are spoken of with respect and +admiration. + +The two chief instruments used in Ireland were the harp and the bagpipe. +The harp was the favourite with the higher classes, many of whom played +it as an accomplishment, as people now play the piano. The professional +Irish harpers were more skilful, and could play better, than those of +any other country: so that for hundreds of years it was the custom for +the musicians of Great Britain to visit Ireland in order to finish their +musical education; a custom which continued down to about a century and +a-half ago. + +The bagpipe was very generally used among the lower classes of people. +The form in use was what we now call the Highland or Scotch pipes--slung +from the shoulder: the bag inflated by the mouth. But this form of pipes +took its rise in Ireland: and it was brought to Scotland in early ages +by those Irish colonists already spoken of (page 5). There is another +and a better kind of bagpipes, now common in Ireland, resting on the lap +when in use, and having the bag inflated by a bellows: but this is a +late invention. + +The Irish musicians had various "_Styles_," three of which are very +often mentioned in tales and other ancient Irish writings: of these many +specimens have come down to the present day. The style they called +"Mirth-music" consisted of lively airs, which excited to merriment and +laughter. These are represented by our present dance tunes, such as +jigs, reels, hornpipes, and other such quick, spirited pieces which are +known so well in every part of Ireland. The "Sorrow-music" was slow and +sad, and was always sung on the occasion of a death. We have many airs +belonging to this style, which are now commonly called _Keens_, i.e., +laments, or dirges. The "Sleep-music" was intended to produce sleep; and +the tunes belonging to this style were plaintive and soothing. Such airs +are now known as lullabies, or nurse tunes, or cradle songs, of which +numerous examples are preserved in collections of Irish music. They were +often sung to put children to sleep. Though there are, as has been said, +many tunes belonging to these three classes, they form only a small part +of the great body of Irish music. + +Music entered into many of the daily occupations of the people. There +were special spinning-wheel songs, which the women sang, with words, in +chorus or in dialogue, when employed in spinning. At milking time the +girls were in the habit of chanting a particular sort of air, in a low +gentle voice. These milking songs were slow and plaintive, something +like the nurse tunes, and had the effect of soothing the cows and of +making them submit more gently to be milked. This practice was common +down to fifty or sixty years ago; and many people now living can +remember seeing cows grow restless when the song was interrupted, and +become again quiet and placid when it was resumed. While ploughmen were +at their work they whistled a sweet, slow, and sad strain, which had as +powerful an effect in soothing the horses at their hard work as the +milking songs had on the cows: and these also were quite usual till +about half a century ago. + +Special airs and songs were used during working time by smiths, by +weavers, and by boatmen. There were besides, hymn tunes; and young +people had simple airs for all sorts of games and sports. In most cases +words suitable to the several occasions were sung with lullabies, +laments, and occupation tunes. The poem at page 82 may be taken as a +specimen of a lament. Examples of all the preceding classes of melodies +will be found in the collections of Irish airs by Bunting, Petrie, and +Joyce. + +The Irish had numerous war-marches, which the pipers played at the head +of the clansmen when marching to battle, and which inspired them with +courage and dash for the fight. This custom is still kept up by the +Scotch; and many fine battle-tunes are printed in Irish and Scotch +collections of national music. + +From the preceding statement we may see how universal was the love of +music in former days among the people of Ireland. Though Irish airs, +compared with the musical pieces composed in our time, are generally +short and simple, they are constructed with such skill, that in regard +to most of them it may be truly said that no composer of the present +day can produce airs of a similar kind to equal them. + +There are half a dozen original collections of Irish music, containing +in all between 1000 and 2000 airs: other collections are mostly copied +from these. But numerous airs are still sung and played among the people +all through Ireland, which have never been written down; and many have +been written down which have never been printed. Thomas Moore composed +his beautiful songs to old Irish airs; and his whole collection of songs +and airs--well known as "Moore's Melodies"--is now published in one +small cheap volume. + +Of the entire body of Irish airs that are preserved, we know the authors +of not more than about one tenth; and these were composed within the +last 200 years. Most of the remaining nine tenths have come down from +old times. No one now can tell who composed "The Coolin," "Savourneen +Dheelish," "Shule Aroon," "Molly Asthore," "Garryowen," "The Boyne +Water," "Patrick's Day," "Langolee," "The Blackbird," or "The Girl I +left behind me"; and so of many other well-known and lovely airs. + +The national music of Ireland and that of Scotland are very like each +other, and many airs are common to both countries: but this is only what +might be expected, as we know that the Irish and the Highland Scotch +were originally one people. + + + + +NOTES AND EXPLANATIONS. + + +I.--Page 1. + + Ancient, very old, belonging to old times. + + Fabulous, not true. + + Magician, one skilled in magic or witchcraft; an enchanter. + + Spell, a charm, something done by enchantment. + + Wizard, an enchanter, a magician. + + Consult, to advise with. + + Druid. The druids were the learned men among the pagan Irish: they + were believed to be wizards, or magicians. + + Seer, one who can foresee events, a prophet. + + Destiny, lot, what is to come to pass. + + Wistfully, thoughtfully, attentively, longingly. + + Cairn, a great pile of stones heaped up in memory of some person or + some event. A cairn was very often raised over the grave of some + important person. See page 97. + + Missionary, one sent to preach religion. + + Hostage, a person given as a pledge, or security, for carrying out + some agreement. + + Possessing mighty power over people, able to persuade them by his + earnestness and his powerful language. + +II.--Page 7. + + Gallantly, boldly, bravely. + + Destined home: the druid had foretold that Inisfail, or the Isle of + Destiny, was to be their final home. + + Emerald, a precious stone of a green colour. Ireland, from its + greenness, is often called the Emerald Isle. + + Day god, the sun. Some of the pagan Irish worshipped the sun. + + Omen, a sign of what is to come. + + +III.--Page 8. + + Perpetual, lasting always. + + Allure, to entice, coax, or persuade. + + Book of the Dun Cow: see page 118. + + Conn the Hundred-fighter, or, as he is often called, Conn of the + Hundred Battles, was King of Ireland from A.D. 177 to 212. + + Crystal, a sort of transparent mineral: glass, or anything like + glass. + + Marvelled, wondered. + + Chant, a slow, sweet song. + + Azure, a bright blue. + + Verdurous, green, full of verdure. + + Imprecation, a curse. + + Mace, here means a heavy-headed club used in fighting, generally for + striking. + + +IV.--Page 14. + + Noxious, hurtful, injurious. + + Gigantic, very large, giant-like. + + Fertile, fruitful, yielding good crops. + + Wickerwork, basket-work of woven twigs. + + Hospitality, kindness to strangers, free and generous entertainment + of visitors. + + Expensive, costly. + + Establishment, the whole house, and all belonging to it. + + Liberal, plentiful. + + Gorget, an ornamental collar for the neck: the Irish gorgets were + mostly of gold. + + Bronze, a mixed metal made of copper and tin melted together. The + ancient Irish used a sort of white or whitish bronze, which they + called _findruine_ [_finnA'-drin-Aef_]. + + Enamel, a beautiful glassy substance, of various colours, used in + metal work. + + Museum, a place where curiosities of all kinds are kept, especially + objects belonging to ancient times. + + Artificer, an artist, a worker in metals, bone, wood, &c. + + Old Irish Laws: these were called the Brehon Laws. + + Commerce, trade with foreign nations. + + +V.--Page 22. + + Enmity, hatred, malice, ill feeling. + + Gall, bitterness and sourness of heart. + + Treachery, breach of faith, wickedness. + + Chariot, a kind of carriage. + + Druidical, made by the druids, who were believed to be enchanters, + like the Dedannans. + + Clamorous, noisy, screaming. + + Repented, grew sorry. + + Gaelic speech, the Irish language, which all the people of Ireland + then spoke. + + Plaintive, sad. + + Lay, a song, a poem. + + A husk of gore, withered up with grief. + + Anguish, great trouble and misery. + + Anthem, a song, a hymn: anthem of praise, _i.e._ of praise to God. + + +VI.--Page 27. + + Amazement, astonishment, wonder. + + Horror, terror mixed with dislike. + + Lamentation, great sorrow. + + Malignant, full of evil and badness. + + Adventurous, spirited, daring, courageous. + + Abhor, to hate, to detest, to have a horror of. + + Transform, to change the form or shape. + + Society, company. + + The dreadful day of doom, "that day of woe," _i.e._ the Day of + Judgment. The children of Lir had some obscure foreknowledge of + the coming of Christianity. + + Desolate, waste and solitary. + + Tempestuous, stormy. + + +VII.--Page 32. + + Abode, a dwelling. + + Plight, an evil and unpleasant state. + + Endure, to bear, to suffer. + + Chain of repose: as if the breezes were bound down and kept at rest + by a chain. + + Darkness: the darkness of paganism. + + Pure light, and Day star: Christianity. + + Wreathed, twisted, curled. + + Hazel-mead, a kind of mead with hazel nuts put into it to flavour + it. For mead, see p. 17. + + Lullaby, a nurse song: a song to put a person to sleep; see p. 210. + + Mannanan, or Mannanan Mac Lir, a Dedannan chief, the Pagan Irish god + of the sea. + + Angus, a Dedannan or fairy chief, who had his palace under one of + the great mounds on the Boyne between Drogheda and Slane. + + +VIII.--Page 39. + + Matin time, very early in the morning: before day: the time of + first prayer. + + Anchoret, a hermit. + + Matins, very early morning prayers. + + Transformed, changed, turned. + + Waxed, grew, became: waxed very wroth, became very angry. + + Cleric, a clergyman. + + Radiant, bright, joyful, happy looking. + + Lament, a sort of sad song. + + +IX.--Page 45. + + Enlightenment, knowledge, education, intelligence. + + Community, a number of persons living together in the same dwelling + or in the same place. + + Encounter, to meet with, to go against. + + Interpreter, a person who explains in one language what a speaker + says in another. The interpreter has to know both languages. + + +X.--Page 50. + + Rampart, a wall or high bank for defence. + + Structure, a building. + + Household, all the people that live in one house. + + Standard, a pole with a flag, banner, or colours, on top. + + Transfer, to change from one to another. + + Romantic stories, tales of fictitious adventures. + + Diadem, a crown, or a band like a crown, worn round the head. + + Spell of feebleness, weakness brought on by some sort of + enchantment. + + +XI.--Page 55. + + Pondering, thinking deeply. + + Meet, fit, proper, becoming. + + Ultonians, the Ulstermen. + + Gainsay, to speak against, to contradict. + + Ridge of the world, a usual expression in Irish writings. + + Gracious, kind and gentle in manner. + + Attendant, a person who attends, a servant. + + Military service, service as soldiers under pay. + + Betimes, in good time, early. + + Booth, a hut or tent. + + +XII.--Page 60. + + Pledge, security. + + Submission, yielding, coming under a person's authority. + + Knighthood. Knight, a soldier of high dignity: a champion: + knighthood, the dignity of a knight. The ancient Irish often + received knighthood at seven years of age. + + Obligation, a promise, a bond, something one is bound to do. + + Galley, a low flat vessel with oars and sails. + + Chessboard, a board with black and white squares on which chess was + played. The ancient Irish were very fond of chess. + + Re-assure, to make a person sure that things are right, to + encourage. + + +XIII.--Page 66. + + Resort, to go often to a place. + + Curragh, a light boat made of wickerwork covered with hides. + + Persist, to continue without ceasing. + + Perplexity, doubt, anxiety of mind. + + Clan, a number of families or a race of people all more or less + related to each other. + + Slieve Fuad, a mountain near Newtownhamilton in Armagh: the name is + now forgotten. + + Baleful, evil, very bad or wicked. + + Disaster, mishap, misfortune. + + Meditate, to plan, to intend. + + Handwood, a piece of wood to serve as a knocker, kept in a niche + outside the door. + + Battalion, a body of foot soldiers. + + Alluring, very good, tempting a person to eat. + + Viands, food, victuals. + + +XIV.--Page 72. + + Looming, appearing darkly and dimly in the distance. + + Steadfast, firm, fixed, determined. + + Valorous, brave, fearless, valiant. + + Your dear charge, Deirdre. + + Assailants, persons assailing or attacking. + + Misgivings, doubts and fears of something wrong. + + Unwittingly, without knowing. + + Unerring, with a straight aim so as not to miss. + + +XV.--Page 75. + + Hireling troops, soldiers serving for pay: they were not Ultonians + and did not belong to the Red Branch. The troops of the Red + Branch could not be got to attack the Sons of Usna. + + Shouts of defiance, shouts challenging and threatening. + + Assault, a violent attack. + + Marshalling, arranging. + + Treason, treachery, foul play. + + Circuit, a journey around. + + Fissure, a split or chasm. + + Solemn, awful, serious, grave. + + Response, answer, reply. + + +XVI.--Page 80. + + Deeming, believing, thinking. + + Onslaught, a fierce attack. + + Mannanan Mac Lir, the Pagan Irish sea-god. + + +XVII.--Page 84. + + Billows of war, the tide or onward press of battle. + + Wreak, to inflict, to execute. + + +XVIII.--Page 85. + + Incensed, very angry. + + Anguish, great grief, pain. + + Descendants, children, grand-children, &c. + + Spoil, to plunder and pillage. + + Illustrious, famous, noble, great. + + Marauding, plundering, robbing. + + Ravage, to lay waste and plunder. + + +XIX.--Page 87. + + Magic, witchcraft, spells. + + Mighty, of wonderful skill. + + Distinguish, to tell one from another. + + Shadowy, uncertain, legendary. + + Historic times, when there are true accounts of things that + happened. + + Professional, following some profession or calling. + + Remuneration, payment, salary. + + Attached, joined to. + + +XX.--Page 89. + + Reverently, with great respect. + + Gaelic, the Irish language. + + Lore, learning. + + Injunction, an order or charge, an advice that should be followed. + + Extract, to take out. + + Devotedly, with great and anxious care. + + Balm, a sort of ointment that soothes pain and cures. + + Sentiments, thoughts, feelings. + + Comparatively late, late compared with older times. + + Predecessor, one who held an office or place before another. + + +XXI.--Page 92. + + Tradition, accounts handed down from generation to generation. + + Provincial, belonging to one of the five provinces of Ireland. + + Tests, trials. + + Entertaining, amusing, diverting. + + Festive, joyous, gay, with feasts. + + Sedge, a kind of coarse grass. + + Keating: the Rev. Doctor Geoffry Keating, who wrote, in Irish, a + well known History of Ireland, full of old stories: died 1644. + + Oppression, cruelty, tyranny, hardship. + + Suppress, to put down. + + Exact, to make people pay. + + An Irish poet: Thomas Darcy M'Gee. + + Seers: among the Milesians were a good many druids, seers, or + prophets. + + Strath, the level land along a river at both sides; an _inch_. + + Mystic forts, the forts mentioned at page 16: mystic, mysterious. + + Cairn-crowned hills. Many hills have cairns on top, round which the + people often held council meetings. + + Elk, very large deer. Elk resorts, places frequented by elks. + + Modern, belonging to the present time. + + Unconquerably, such that he could not be conquered. + + Untarnished, unstained, pure, with out a spot. + + +XXII.--Page 98. + + Plaintive, sad, pitiful. + + Hesitation, pause, delay. + + Palsy, a sort of sickness that causes shivering or shaking. + + Litter, a sort of bed in which a person is carried. + + Tumult, great noise and confusion. + + +XXIII.--Page 103. + + Revered, regarded with love, honour, and respect. + + Distinguished, eminent, honoured. + + Community, a number of persons living together. + + Permanent, lasting. + + Veneration, love and great respect. + + Applicant, a person who applies. + + Abbess, the head nun of a convent. + + +XXIV.--Page 107. + + Humility, humbleness, lowliness of mind. + + Domestic occupations, the work of the house. + + Sward, a grassy place. + + Reputation, fame, a great name. + + Corresponded with her, wrote letters to her, and received replies. + + Chariot, a kind of carriage. + + Reproachfully, blaming her severely. + + Universe, the whole world. + + +XXV.--Page 111. + + Grave, sober, thoughtful. + + Unassuming, modest, not forward. + + Talents, great cleverness. + + Discipline, strict rules and regulations. + + Illustrious, eminent, noble, famous. + + Detailed, exact, giving all particulars. + + Consolation, comfort, a lightening of trouble. + + Magnificent, grand, splendid. + + Shrine, an ornamental tomb or box: sometimes applied to a small + church. + + Commemorate, to keep in memory. + + Gerald Barry, better known as "Giraldus Cambrensis," _i.e._ Gerald + the Welshman (Cambria, one of the old names of Wales). + + Fane, a temple, a church. + + Long ages of darkness and storm: _i.e._ of wars and troubles. + + +XXVI.--Page 114. + + Scribe, a writer: a person who made it the chief business of his + life to copy books. + + Expert, skilful, ready. + + Accomplished, very skilful. + + Devoted, given up to earnestly, attached. + + Interlaced, woven in and out. + + Magnifying glass, a glass that makes things seen through it seem + large. + + Composition, a piece of writing, a book. + + Library, a collection of books. + + Dun, brown. + + St. Kieran, or more properly Ciaran, lived in the sixth century. + + Clonmacnoise on the Shannon, below Athlone, containing the ruins of + what was once a great monastery and college, founded by St. + Kieran. + + +XXVII.--Page 120. + + Watch and ward: ward means guard: he stood sentinel. + + Scared, frightened. + + Humorous, full of humour or fun. + + +XXVIII.--Page 123. + + + Stud, a number of horses all kept in one place. + + Vicious, wicked, spiteful. + + Conan Mail, or Conan the bald: the Fena were always making fun of + him, for he was big, fat, gluttonous, a great boast, a great + coward, and had an evil tongue. + + Unconcernedly, not caring a bit. + + Perplexity, difficulty and doubt. + + Horrible, hateful. + + +XXIX.--Page 129. + + Took counsel, they advised with one another to know what was best + to be done. + + Explore, to search. + + Dizzy, enough to make one's head giddy. + + Pillar-stone, a tall stone standing up, such as we often see in + Ireland. + + Host, a large body of soldiers. + + Decoration, an ornament. + + Chase, to ornament with thin coatings of metal on the surface. + + Enamelled, ornamented as if with enamel. + + +XXX.--Page 132. + + Wizard champion, a champion having something of the nature of a + wizard or enchanter. + + Circlet, a long thin plate often worn around the head and forehead. + + Determination, a firm resolution to conquer. + + Chafe, to vex. + + Trophy, a prize taken from an enemy in battle. + + Poise, to balance. + + Scowl, to frown darkly and wickedly. + + Terrify, to frighten. + + +XXXI.--Page 139. + + Advantages, benefits, gains. + + Diligent, industrious, hard-working. + + Uninhabited, having no people living in it. + + Presence, appearance. + + Luminous, bright, sparkling. + + Enlightenment, knowledge, learning, instruction. + + Civilise, to refine, to educate, to bring people to live in a decent + and proper way. + + Doctrine, teaching, belief, faith. + + Structure, a building. + + Venerable, old and greatly loved and respected. + + Incessant, without ceasing, continual. + + Occupation, employment, work. + + His relative the king of that part of Scotland: the royal families + of Ireland and Scotland were related to each other (see pp. 5 and + 6), and Columkille was related to both. + + +XXXII.--Page 145. + + Voluntary, by his own choice. + + Ben Edar, Howth, near Dublin. + + Embarking, going on board ship. + + Seniors, elderly persons. + + Hospice, the part of a monastery set apart for the entertainment of + travellers. + + Intently, with close attention. + + +XXXIII.--Page 150. + + Heptarchy means seven kingdoms: for at this time England was + divided into seven parts with a king over each. + + Relations, connexion, friendship. + + Diligence, industry, working steadily. + + Intimacy, close friendship. + + Foster-son. When a man reared up and educated among his family a boy + belonging to another family, he was the foster-father, and the boy + was his foster-son. + + Bondage, slavery. + + Restoration, restoring, giving back. + + Marauders, robbers, plunderers. + + Intercession, pleading for. + + Unfettered of any, not under any other province. + + Redundance, more than enough, great plenty. + + Historians recording truth: to record truth is the chief merit of a + historian. + + Bulwark, a safeguard: "Ireland's bulwark," because Tara was in + Meath. + + Sooth, truth. + + +XXXIV.--Page 155. + + Directions, orders, instructions. + + Revellers, persons feasting, drinking, and making merry. + + Sack, to plunder and destroy. + + +XXXV.--Page 158. + + Extraordinary, very strange, wonderful. + + Keel, the bottom part of a ship or boat. + + Astounding, astonishing, wonderful. + + Oarstroke of the curragh, about 20 feet. + + Circumference, the whole round. + + Extending, stretching. + + Meshes, the open spaces between the threads of a net. + + +XXXVI.--Page 162. + + Reconcile, to become friends again, to come back to friendship. + + Recognise, to know a thing again. + + Prow, the head or fore part of a ship or boat. + + Affliction, trouble and sorrow. + + Reception, receiving or entertaining. + + Reveal, to show, to make known. + + +XXXVII.--Page 164. + + Liefer, rather. + + Let be this purpose, let it lie by, don't attend to it, don't carry + it out: _i.e._ the purpose of revenge. + + I let him be, I let him alone. + + A tithe, a tenth part. + + +XXXVIII.--Page 167. + + Monastic school, a school kept in a monastery. + + Distinguished, eminent and great. + + Pilgrimage, a journey to a place for devotion. Pilgrim, a person who + goes on a pilgrimage. + + Determined will, allowing nothing to turn them from their purpose. + + Relinquish, to give up, to abandon. + + Luxuries, dainties, delicacies. + + Peasantry, the common country people. + + Swerve, to turn away from. + + Consecrated, made sacred and venerable. + + Hermitage, a place where a hermit lives. + + +XXXIX.--Page 170. + + Object of their pilgrimage, the place they chiefly came to visit. + + Sojourn, to dwell, to live in a place. + + Revere, to regard with honour, love, and respect. + + Memorial, something that reminds one of past persons or events. + + Vehemently, very earnestly. + + Envied, people of other nations envied them, or were jealous of + them. + + Triumphant, gaining victories. + + +XL--Page 173. + + Successfully cultivated: the Irish people studied and practised + them and made improvements. + + Pirates, sea robbers. + + Permanently, remaining there always. + + Expel, to drive out. + + Sovereignty, headship, kingship. + + Annex, to join. + + Encroaching, taking up or advancing on what belongs to another. + + Anglo-Irish, partly English and partly Irish. + + Milesian stock, the descendants of the Milesians (see p. 2). + + +XLI.--Page 179. + + Croon, a continuous murmuring sort of musical sound or song. + + Squire, a gentleman who attended on a knight. + + Nier, a river flowing into the Suir from the Co. Waterford. + + Spectrally, like a spectre or ghost. + + Jack, a leathern jacket used for armour. + + Plumes, the feathers of their helmets. + + +XLII.--Page 181. + + Claimant, a person laying claim to something. + + Contend, to struggle or fight. + + Unimportant, trifling, of no consequence. + + Remote, far off, out of the way. + + Recognise, to know. + + Prostrate, down on hands and knees. + + Barons, lords. + + Ambush, or ambuscade, an unexpected attack from a hiding place. + + Reverses, misfortunes. + + Surrender, to give up. + + Vigilant, watchful. + + Truce, an agreement for peace for a while. + + Annals, histories of events as they occurred from year to year. + + +XLIII.--Page 186. + + Cahal-More, Cahal the Great. + + Portent, a prodigy, a fearful sign or omen of evil. + + Entranced, in a trance, in a vision. + + A land of morn, a bright sunny land. + + Lustrous, bright, shining with fine crops and flowers. + + Resplendent, splendid, sunny, bright. + + Anon, immediately, on the spot. + + Port sublime, stately and grand looking. + + Him queried I, I asked him. + + Golden time, a prosperous plentiful time. + + Bland, soft, mild, temperate. + + Dome, a grand building. + + As by a spell, as if by magic; it started up suddenly. Remember this + is all in a dream. + + Lyres, harps. + + WreathA"d swell, sounding all together with sweet musical turns and + shakes. + + Thrilling, moving the feelings and heart. + + Aghast, frightened, pale with fear. + + Minstrel group, those who had been playing the harps. + + 'Twas then the time, we were in the days. The poet + means:--"Something dreadful has clearly happened; but how can this + be, since this is the reign of Cahal-More?" He did not know--in + his dream--of Cahal's death. + + Fleckt, spotted. + + Alien sun, a strange sun: it was of course strange, for it glared + from the _north_. + + Shorn beams, not bright, giving a dull gloomy sort of light. + + Skeleton: the skeleton of a man, a sign of disaster: the skeleton, + and the blood spots in the sky, and the "alien sun" were some of + the portents. + + Castled Maine: there are many castles along its banks. + + Teuton, a German. + + +XLIV.--Page 190. + + Expedition, an undertaking or journey. + + Onslaught, a violent attack. + + Tunic, a loose outer garment. + + Dominions, territories. + + +XLV.--Page 193. + + Disdain, to scorn, to hate. + + Commendations, praises. + + Do homage, to yield obedience. + + Apprehend, to take prisoner. + + Devise, to plan. + + Confer, to take counsel. + + Battle-harness, battle dress with arms. + + Apparel, clothes. + + Passport, permission in writing to pass from one country to another. + + Subscribe, to write one's name. + + Servitor, one in the king's service. + + Furniture: _i.e._ the furniture of a ship--oars, sails, cordage, &c. + + Ensample, old form of _example_. + + +XLVI.--Page 197. + + Evil plight, miserable state. + + Council, a number of men kept by the king to help him with their + advice. + + Enterprise, an undertaking. + + Perilous, dangerous. + + Peer, an equal, a match. + + Stalworth, strong, stout, brave. + + Knightly, like a knight, valiant and stout-hearted. + + Seemly, proper, decent. + + +XLVII.--Page 200. + + Lists, the enclosed ground where a single combat was to be fought. + + Obeisance, courtesy, saluting, bowing to. + + Banquet, a feast. + + Reverence, great respect. + + Intently, with attention, closely. + + Grim, very fierce and angry. + + +XLVIII.--Page 203. + + Baron, a lord of the lowest rank. The ranks are:--baron, viscount, + earl, marquis, duke. + + Independent, not under the authority of anyone. + + Goodly presence, a noble or fine appearance. + + Appease, to pacify. + + Hobby, a middle-sized horse of Irish breed, much valued. + + Adversary, an opponent, an enemy. + + Discord, disagreement, quarrelling. + + Jars, wrangles, quarrels. + + Chapter house, a house or room in a cathedral where the clergy meet. + + Trice, a very short time, as long as one would take to count three. + + Outface, to dare him up to his face. + + Green wound, a fresh wound. + + Devise, to plan. + + Bungerlie, in a bungling manner. + + +XLIX.--Page 208. + + Cultivate, to study, practise, and improve. + + Colonists, persons who leave their native land and settle in some + distant country. + + Dirge, a mournful or funeral song. + + Dialogue, two people speaking in turn, conversation between two. + + Interrupt, to stop for a time. + + Placid, quiet, gentle, peaceful. + + Resume, to take up again. + + Clansmen, the men belonging to a clan. + + National music, music that has grown up gradually among the people + of a country. + + Originally, in the beginning. + +THE END. + + + + +Transcriber's notes: + +Variations in spelling and hyphenation have been retained as in the +original. + +The following corrections have been made to the text: + + Page 5, second line from bottom: named Fergus,[missing comma added] + Angus, and Lorne. + + Page 8, last line: sun and moon.[missing period added] + + Page 13, description of illustration on the right: size of the + picture.[missing period added] + + Page 16, line 1: and not nearly so good[original has goo] + + Page 17, last line: There was then no whiskey.[missing period added] + + Page 28, last line: My heart shall know one peaceful hour.[missing + period added] + + Page 31, line 9: The cold and briny spray.[missing period added] + + Page 49, line 3 of illustration caption: are in the National + Museum,[missing comma added] + + Page 64, fifth line from bottom: three drops of honey in their + beaks,[missing comma added] + + Page 65, line 1: "It denotes the message from Concobar to us,"[close + quote added] + + Page 65, last line: "[open quote added]even though my sway should be + greater here." + + Page 67, line 9: "[open quote added]Kil-Cuan, O Kil-Cuan, + + Page 68, second line from bottom: "[original has ']Here I have a + three-days banquet ready for thee, and I invite thee to + come and partake of it." + + Page 69, fourth line from bottom: accustomed to defend + ourselves!"[original has '] + + Page 70, line 14: "[original has ']Why didst thou tarry, my + princess?" + + Page 82, line 16: "[open quote added]Three generous heroes of the + Red Branch, + + Page 90, sixth line from bottom: More especially I[missing 'I' + added] charge them that they do their duty devotedly + + Page 94, line 15: never using horses in the chase.[original has ,] + + Page 94, line 22: beside a stream or lake.[original has ,] + + Page 94, last line: next another layer of hot stones:[colon added] + + Page 107, line 11: accounts of her life[original has Life] we are + told + + Page 108, caption for illustration: ten miles from[original has rom] + Cork city. + + Page 113, last line: ages of darkness and storm."[original has '] + + Page 132, seventh line from bottom: "[original has ']Surely, Dermot + O'Dyna, + + Page 158, line 2: "Heaven has guided our ship to this place.[missing + period added] + + Page 163, seventh line from bottom: remained here for some + days,[missing comma added] + + Page 164, chapter title: TENNYSON'S "VOYAGE OF MAILDUNE."[original + has '] + + Page 164, line 13: "[original has ']The Voyage of Maildune." + + Page 177, line 3: and they built splendid abbeys,[missing comma + added] churches, + + Page 210, line 2: in every part of Ireland.[missing period added] + + Page 210, line 6: i.e., laments, or dirges.[missing period added] + + Page 213, seventh entry under 'IV.--Page 14.': Establishment, the + whole house, and[original has an] all belonging to it. + + Page 218, third entry under 'XXXIV.--Page 155.': Sack, to plunder + and destroy[original has distroy]. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A Reading Book in Irish History, by P. 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