The archives
des Historiens des Gaules et de la France," Meusel, intituled,
CXXXIV INTRonUCTION.
des Historiens des Gaules et de la France," Meusel, intituled,
CXXXIV INTRonUCTION.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
Esqrs.
, and the Rev.
T.
Hartwell Home.
Her successor's government is illustrated by In 2 volumes, folio, A.
D.
1819.
Again, a " Calendar of State Papers relating to Irish affairs receive illustration from "Ro- Ireland, of the Reign of James I.
, presei-ved tuli Select!
ad Res Anglicas et Hibernicas in Her Majesty's Public Record Office, and
were
—
Domestic Correspondence. Vols. ii. & iii. —Correspondence relating to Ireland. Vols. iv. & v. —Correspondence relatingtoScotland. Vols. vi. toxi. —Cor-
respondence between England and Foreign Courts. The first of our Irish historical writers, who made use of the State Papers, was the illustrious bard of Erin, Thomas Moore, while engaged in compiling his
"5 Among these, the volumes of special
seem adapted to the purpose, should be placed in the common library of the Guildhall for the use of students. About one hundred years afterwards, Protector Somerset carried away an immense number of the works. In 1553. the library was let as a common clothes- mart. Those manuscripts and books which remained were destroyed, in the great fire of
The History and Antiquities of Dur- ham," by William Hutchinson, F. S. A. , in three 4to volumes, printed at Newcastle, A. D. 1785, as also "The History and Anti- quities of Durham," by Robert Surtees, in four folio volumes, published in London, from A. D. 1 81 6 to 1840, will affiard the en-
INTRODUCTION. CXXXl
and documents should also reward the industry of the historical student,^^
while these might help to enlighten us regarding places and churches, asso- ciated with the memories of certain Irish Saints. The inestimably precious Stowe Manuscripts,"? collected by the Duke of Buckingham, and since trans- ferred to the custody of Lord Ashburnham, are almost inaccessible to Irish scholars. There is a fine collection of manuscripts,'^ in the Cathedral Library,*? * at Canterbury. 3° The public library, attached to Durham Cathe- dral,3^ abounds in some fine specimens of illuminated and plainer manu- scripts, which have an interest altogether special for the student of Irish history, while many of these are in the peculiar opus Hibernicum style. 3" A vast number of ancient and irrecoverable monastic records, formerly existing before the suppression of religious houses in these islands, has been dispersed, destroyed, and lost,33 since the sixteenth century. Only a small part of
elsewhere. Edited by Rev. C. W. Russell,
D. D. , and John P. Prendergast, Esq. , Bar- rister-at-Law. Vol. i. —1603—1606, A. D. 1872. This series is in continuation of the Irish State Papers, commencing with the reign of Henry VIII. ; but, for the reign of James I. , the Papers are not confined to those in the Public Record Office of Eng- land. The same learned editors have in the press, vol. ii. of this series, which commences with the year 1606. Another series is at press under the following title : "Calendar of Documents relating to Ireland, excerpted from the Records preserved in her Majesty's Public Record Office ; to the end of the Reign of Henry VII. " Edited by Henry Savage Sweetman, Esq. , A. B. , Trinity College, Dublin, Barrister-at-Law.
1666. For more than a century and a half,
the London Corporation made no attempt
a At
to re-establish library. the present
time, however, their library contains no less than 50,000 volumes, devoted to the un- restricted use of the people.
^^ As we have already seen, a full descrip- tion of these has been furnished by Dr. Charles O'Conor, D. D. , in "Bibliotheca MSS. Stowensis. "
=8
See H. J. Todd's "Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the Church Library of Can- terbury, with some account of the Deans, from the time of Henry VIII. " This was printed 1793, in an 8vo volume.
"9 The first English library, it is said, was
founded by Pope Gregory I. , in 596, when
St. Augustine, the missionary bishop,
^ Sir Richard Whittington founded a lib—rary at Grey Friars—now Christ's Hospi-
tal in 1421, at a cost of ^400 in the cur-
rency of that time. Pie also gave many precious treasures, in manuscript, to the Guildhall Library, and devoted ;if400 to the erection of a suitable edifice in which to 3' preserve them. John Carpenter, who founded the City of London School, gave directions in his will, that any " good or rare books" which he possessed, and which might
brought nine precious volumes of a religious
character and deposited them at Canterbury.
3°
See W. Woolnoth's "History of the
Cathedral of Canterbury, with Biographical Sketches, and an Account of the Convent
of Christ Church," in 4to, London, 1816.
•'
much useful information.
32 The writer had an opportunity affiarded
him of inspecting these manuscripts, during a visit to Durham, in July, 1872.
33 John Bale, who wrote in 1549, and Ful- ler, testify to the wanton destruction of vari-
quirer
CXXXll INTRODUCTION.
those Chartularies has been preserved and identified with their former places. 34 Exclusive of such documents, the parochial and other registers
containlittleofaninterestingcharacter,forthehagiologist'spurpose; nor,in private collections, do we as yet discover, all that may serve to assist his researches. 35
Although, in many of the large Continental cities and towns, throughout Europe, there are numberless manuscripts relating to Irish hagiology and Church history ; yet, it must be regretted, that several are still unknown. Others have been imperfectly examined and described. 3'5 Catalogues, al-
ready published, furnish lists or notices, more or less detailed, regarding ma- terials to be found in different libraries, archives and collections. 37 The travelsoflearnedmenhavesomewhatincreasedourknowledge. Asfew scholars are afforded, notwithstanding, time or opportunity for travel to inspect all of those literary treasures,38 dispersed in so many different places,
ous early libraries and their contents. See Richard Sims' " Manual for the Genealogist, Topographer, Antiquary, and Legal Pro-
fessor,"&c. MonasticRecords,p. lo.
34 A good and succinct account of such documents may be found in the work just
quoted. See ibid. , pp. 14 to 28.
33 An examination of the various annual
" Reports of the Royal Commission on His- torical Manuscripts," in folio shape, and be- ginning with the year 1870, will exhibit the materials kept in public or private libraries, and specially useful for Irish ecclesiastical students.
3* A very valuable book for reference is a royal octavo volume, headed on the first pagCi " Appendix (A)," and subsequentlythis is fol- lowed by a "Supplement to Appendix (A). " This, as a serial part, was compiled by Charles Purton Cooper, Esq. , from printed
books and from foreign correspondence. The book itself was intended as an Appen- dix to a Report on the Historical Records, relating to Ireland, as preserved in foreign Libraries. That report, however, was not published, nor was a title-page ever printed for its appendices. The "Appendix (A)" contains 259 closely-printed pages, while the "Supplement to Appendix (A. )" con- sists of 116 similar pages, together with 28 plates, giving fac-simile characters, from va- rious old Irish MSS. Several marginal notes occur throughout this book, which either explain the compiler's design, or
foreign correspondence, or bibliographical notices of those books and manuscripts, contained in the various libraries to which he refers. A copy of this work, containing a few pencilled notes, and memoranda in the author's handwriting, was presented to the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, There it is found classed, "Gall. G. 12, 27. " In this work, special reference is given to matters, regarding Irish hagiology. Head-
which refer to particulars in connection with la Congregation de S. Maur, Published
the manuscripts he designates. The volume at Paris, from A. D. 1 750 to 1765, in six also contains extracts from Mr. Cooper's volumes quarto.
ings and traces of saints' acts are often fur- '
nished. The different places, where such Irish or British historical materials exist,
follow in regular alphabetical order. Some of these localities are passed over ; the
author referring merely to printed catalogues of their several libraries.
37 See the learned Benedictine Montfau- con's work, " Bibliotheca Bibliothecarum. " This was published at Paris, in two folio volumes, A. D. 1729. Also, Bailly's "No- tices historiques sur les Bibliotheques. " This work issued at Paris a. d. 1828, in 8vo.
3* For a considerable amount of bibliogra- phical information, the —student may examine
these succeeding works:
Struvius' "Notitia
Rei Litterariae.
"
This octavo volume was
published at Frankfort and Leipzig, in
1754, edited by Fischer. Still a better oc-
tavo edition, by Ingler, appeared at Jena, in the same year, and in three volumes. Like- wise, see "Nouveau Traite de Diploma- tique," par deux Religieux Benedictins de
INTRODUCTION.
the aid of learned and descriptive manuals39 for the Hbrarian must usually be sought. 4° The examination and publication of great historical collections and library catalogues, relating to French,*^ German,-*'
39 The reader may consult Fabricius, " De Bouquet, a priest of this order, and pub- Transpositione Bibliothecaram Memora- lished at Paris, in 1738. This learned bili,"J. J. Bauer, " Bibliotheca Librorum editor carried on his work to the eighth Rariorum," Ebert's "Zur Handschriften- volume. Afterwards the tomes M-ere kunde. " This work was published at successively issued and edited, by other
Leipzig, in two volumes octavo, A. D. 1825, 1827.
*° Some general works and editions of great value for this investigation are : Jacob's
''
Traicte des plus belles Bibliotheques pub- liques et particulieres qui ont este et qui sont a present dans le Monde. " Published
at Paris, in 8vo, A. D, 1644. A work of Maderus, "De Bibliothecis atque Archivis. "
members of the order, to the commencement of the present century. Members of the French Institute have since continued that work, which had lately been issued from the French Imperial press. The twenty- first tome appeared in 1855.
''^ The libraries, in various old, indepen-
dent, but at present absorbed or centralized,
states of Germany, have been admirably
described by several competent scholars. 4to, A. D. 1702 to A. D. 1705. A work of Thus we may refer to Mabillon's " Iter
Published at Helmstadt, in three volumes,
' ' Dissertatio in Primum Germanicarum. " On this the
Pezius,
Tomum Thesauri Novissimi Anecdotorum. "
This was published at Augsburg, in five
folio volumes, between the years 1 72 1 and
"" 1 728. Also Mabillon's Vetera Analecta.
Issued at Paris, A. D, 1723, in folio.
*' See "Iter Gerbertus,
Germany ''
Isagogica
subject, scholar may consult Kundmannus, " Aca-
demiae et Scholae Germanise, praecipue Du- catus Silesise, cum Bibliothecis in Nummis. "
Published at Breslau, a. d. 1741, in 4to. During the last century, too, the remarkable libraries of have been described in
Alemannicum,
accedit Italicum et Gallicum. " Published Hirsching's Sehenswiirdige Bibliotheken
at St. Blasius, Suabia, in 8vo, A. D. 1765. A vast amount of historical, as likewise of literary and scientific information—espe- cially as relating to Great Britain, France, Switzerland and Germany—will be found in the periodical series of octavo volumes, published at Geneva, where issued in Ja-
"
Teutschlands. " This work was published at Erlangen, in four octavo volumes, be-
tweentheyears 1786 and 1791. Literary
travels through several of the German
States are found in Baader's " Reisendurch
verschiedene Gegenden Deutschlandes in
Briefen. " This work was published at
Augsburg, in one octavo volume, A. D. 1795,
Early in the present century. Von Aretin
had been appointed a commissioner to visit
Bavarian convents that had been secularized,
to their and to seize all the inspect libraries,
MSB. he could find for the Electoral Col-
lection. He " zur Ges- published Beytrage
chichte und Literatur," or Contributions to History and Literature. In this work, he gives an account of his tour and of the prin- cipal codices he discovered. All these, it is
nuary, A. D. 1796, the
tannique," for the first time. In 18 16, this seriesassumedthetitle, "LaBibliotheque Universelle ;" and later still, it issued un- der the title. " RevueSuisseetEtrangere. " Especiallyas
regards France,
Bibliotheque Bri-
Bibliotheque Universel,
the student of Irish eccle- siastical history will find De Chesne's " His- torise Francorum Scriptores Coetanei" most instructive. It was published at Paris, A. D. 1636 and succeeding years, in several fine
folio volumes. See also Buchan's "Col- presumed, are now at Munich. The work
lection des Chroniques Nationales Fran-
9aises. " This has been issued at Paris, from
appeared in this city from 1803 to 1807 in nineoctavovolumes. Besidestheforegoing works, the student may consult with great
1824 to 1828, in a series of forty-seven
volumes, 8vo. That great work, ' ' Recueil advantage, the German Art Lexicon of
"
Teutsches Kiinstler was projected by the Benedictine Fathers Lexicon. " This work was published at of the Congregation of St. Maur. The Lemgo, in three octavo volumes, between first folio volume was edited by Dom Martin the years 1808 an4 1814.
The archives
des Historiens des Gaules et de la France," Meusel, intituled,
CXXXIV INTRonUCTION.
Austrian, Swiss,43 Italian,44 Spanish,<s Portuguese,^^ Danish,''? Swedish, Dutchj+s Belgian,49 Norwegian,5° and Icelandics^ affairs, have greatly enlarged our sphere of knowledge. This labour has been effected
which illustrate ancient German history are trantur, et confirmantur ingenti copia Di-
indicated in
*'
Archiv der Gesellschaft fiir plomatum et Chartanmi Veterum, nunc
altere deutsche Geschichtkunde. " This primum ex Archivis Italiae depromptarum,
work was published in Frankfort and Han- additis etiam Nummis, Chronicis, aliisque
over, from 1819 to 183 1, in six octavo vo- Monumentis nunquam antea editis. " In
lumes. But, if latest published, foremost six magnificent folio volumes, published at
among such authorities for the Irish hagio-
''
Monumenta Germa- niae Historica, inde ab anno Christi Quin- gentesimo usque ad annum Millesimum et
Milan, from A. D. 1738 to 1742. Several matters of interest for the Irish historical student will therein be revealed, as also in his grand monument of learning and labo-
grapher must stand,
Quingentesimum, auspiciis Societatis ape- rious editing, the " Rerum Italicarura riendis Fontibus Rerum Germanicarum Scriptores ab Anno ^Erse Christianae Quin- Medii ^vi," Edidit Georgius Heinricus gentesimo ad Millesimum quingentesimum, Pertz, serenissimi Britanniarum et Hanno- Quorum potissima pars nunc primum in veraeRegisTabularius. Thisgreatcollec-
tion issued, at Hanover, a. d. mdcccxxvi.
and succeeding years, so that no less than
XXI. magnificent folio tomes appeared to 1868.
43 A very valuable account of Switzerland
is that of Francis Guillimann, " De Rebus
Helvetiorum, sive Antiquitatum, Libri v. " Ex variis scripti tabulis, monimentis la-
pidibus, optimis plurium linguarum aucto- ribus. Published at Friburg, a. d. 1598, in
4to. The student is referred, likewise, to Ger- cken, who has published his Travels through
Suabia, Bavaria, Switzerland, Franconia,
the Rhenish Provinces, and those of the
Moselle, under the title, "Reisen durch graphis describere licuit, vel nunc primum Schwaben, Baiem, die Angranzende vulgatis, vel emendatis, nee non antiquo Schweiz, Franken, die Rheinischen Provin- Characterum specimine, et Figuris ^neis. zen, und an der Mosel," &c. This work Cum Indice Locupletissimo. This great
was issued in four octavo volumes, at Sten-
dal and Worms, between the years 1783
and1788. Nikolai's"ReisedurchDeutsch-
land und die Schweitz," or Journey through
Germany and Switzerland, was published
at Berlin and Stettin, in eight octavo vo- is the Novus Thesaurus Veterum Inscrip-
lumes, from 1783 to 1787.
** Those who desire to know the wealth
of Italian records may consult the pro- foundly learned Louis Anthony Muratori's
"
Antiquitates Italicae Medii ^vi, siveDis- sertationes de Moribus, Ritibus, Religione, Regimine, Magistratibus, Legibus, Studiis Literarum, Artibus, Lingua, Militia, Num- mis, Principibus, Libertate, Servitute, Foe- deribus, aliisque faciem et mores Italici Populi referentibus post declinationem Rom. Imp. ad Annum usque md. Omnia illus-
tionum in praecipuis earumdemcollectionibus hactenus praetermissarum," coUectore Lu- dovico Antonio Muratorio. This work ap- peared at Milan, in four fine folio volumes, from A. D. 1739 to 1742. As a supplement to Muratori's collections was published at
"
Re- rum Italicarum Scriptores ab Anno ^Erae Christianae Millesimo ad Milesimum, quo- rum potissima pars nunc primum in lucem prodit, ex Florentinarum Bibliothecarum Codicibus. " These tomes were edited by
lucem prodit ex Ambrosianae, Estensis, aliarumque insignium Bibliothecarum Codi- cibus. " Ludovicus Antonius Muratorius, Serenissimi Ducis Mutinae Bibliothecas Pras-
fectus, collegit, ordinavit, et Praefacionibus auxit, nonnullos ipse, alios vero Mediola- nenses Palatii Socii ad Mstorum Codicum fidem exactos, summoque labore, ac dili- gentia castigatos, variis Lectionibus, et Notis, tam editis veterum Eruditorum, quam novissimis auxere. Additis ad plenius operis, et universse Italicae Historiae omamentum, novis Tabulis Geographicis, et variis Longo-
bardorum Regum, Imperatorum,aliorumque Principum Diplomatibus, quae ab ipsis auto-
Thesaurus of Italian history and its best soxirces was published at Milan, in twenty-five
great folio volumes, commencing with A. D.
1 723 and continuing to A. D. 1 751. Another
work of interest for the historians of Italy, *'
Florence, in two large folio volumes,
INTRODUCTION. cxxxv
by various writerSjS^* whose accounts, however, are not readily accessible. 53 From documents and statements already published, we may fairly infer the value of very many preserved tracts for Irish historical research. The
'*'^ See LibrorumManu- Haenel, "Catalogi
scriptorum qui in Bibliothecis Galliae, Hel- vetise, Belgii, Britanniae M. , Hispanias, Lu-
Maria and at Tortini, published
Joseph
Florence, A. D. 1748, 1770.
*5 The reader may consult Nicolas An- tonio's "Bibliotheca Hispana sive Hispa- norum, qui usquam unquamve sive Latina sive populari sive alia quavis lingua scripto
aliquid consignaverunt notitia, his quffi prae-
cesserunt locupletior et certior brevia elogia,
editorum atque ineditorum operum Cata-
logum duabus partibus continens, quarum
haec ordine quidem rei posterior, conceptu
vero prior, duobus tomis de his agit, qui
post annum secularem MD. usque ad prae-
sentem diem floruere. " This work appeared
at Rome, A. D. 1672, in two fine folio vo-
lumes, and during the author's lifetime. tissimis. This was published at Amster- This is known as the Bibliotheca Hispana dam, A. D. 163 1. That fine folio collection, Ncrva. Twelve years after the author's with Genealogical Tables, in eight tomes, death, appeared at Rome two additional
folio
these was intituled :
Vetus, sive Hispanorum, qui usquam un- quamve scripto aliquid consignaverunt, no- titia. Complectens Scriptores omnes qui
volumes,
A. D.
1696.
''
The first of Bibliotheca Hispana
" Rerum Danicarum Medii 1834, Scriptores
. ^vi, partim hactenus inediti, partim emen- datius editi, quos collegit, adomavit, et pub-
lici juris fecit," Jacobus Langebek, Sacr. Reg. Mag. a consiliis status et Tabularii Sanctions Praefectus, presents the most com-
ab Octaviani Augusti imperio usque ad an-
num M. floruerunt" The second volume plete series of Danish chronicles and anti-
takes the same title, in the first sentence ;
quities, which are also most useful for the Irish hagiologist's and historian's studies. After the death of Langebek, the editors
MD. floruerunt. " See M. le Dr. Hoefer's of the fourth and succeeding tomes were
but for the last is substituted,
"
Complectens Scriptores omnes qui ab anno M. usque ad
"
Nouvelle Biographic Generale," tome ii. , col. 863, 864. The posthumous work con-
Petrus Fridericus Suhmius, L. Engelstoft and E. C. Werlauff.
*^ See Uffenbach's " Reisen Merkwiirdige
tains accounts of
Portuguese
as well as of
durch Niedersachsen, Holland und Engel- from Hispanise Illustratse, seu Rerum Ur- Lower Saxony, Holland and England.
Spanish writers, with lists of their works.
Again, much information must be gleaned land," or Remarkable Travels through
"
biumq. Hispanise, Lusitaniae, Ethiopise et Indise Scriptores varii. Partim editi nunc
primum, partim aucti atque emendati. Quo- rum Seriem sequens post Prsefationem pa- gina exhibet. Tomis aliquot divisi. Opera et studio doctorum Hominum. Accessit renim memorabilium et verborum Index
Published at Ulm and Memmingen, in
three volumes, 8vo, A. D. 1733, 1754.
49 See "Elogia Belgica, sive Illustrium
Belgi Scriptorum, qui nostra patrumque memoria, vel Ecclesiam Dei propugnarunt, vel disciplinas illustrarunt, Vitae breviter
"
commemoratae, Studio Auberti Mirsei,
Bruxellensis Canonici et Bibliothecarii,
Antwerp. Antwerpiae cld. lcdix. This work issued in small 4to.
5" There is a fine folio collection, in six tomes, with maps and genealogical tables,
<:opiosissimus.
Francofurti, Apud
"
Claudium Mamium, et Hseredes Joannis
Aubrij : MDCIII. Cum Gratia et Privilegio
S. Cses. Maiest. ad decennium. Also, see
"
ac Bibliothecis. Item Elogia et Nomen-
Hispaniaj Bibhotheca, seu, De Academiis
"
History of the Kings of Nor- mis iii. Distincta. Published, Francofurti, way," written by Snorra Sturleson, and A. D. 1608, in 4to shape. edited by Gerhard Schoning, Skulius The-
clator clarorum Hispaniae Scriptomm," to-
Heimskringla edr Noregs Konunga-So-
"
sitaniae asservantur.
"
This is a quarto vo-
lume, published at Leipzig, in 1830.
^^ Illustrations of Danish and Icelandic
History and Topography, with accounts of the Northern Writers, will be found in that
learned folio,
*'
Rerum Danicarum Historia
Libris x. , Unoque Tomo ad Domum usque
Oldenburgicam deducta. " Authore Joh.
Isacio Pontano, Regio Historiographo. Ac-
cedit Chorographica Regni Daniae tractus-
que ejusuniversi borealis Urbium descriptio, eodem Authore. Cum Indicibus locuple-
issued at Hafniae, or Hauniae, A. D. 1772 to
gor," or the
CXXXVl iNTkODUCTiOK\
publication of several old chronicles and records by learned men, espe-
cially during the last and the present century, materially sensed literary investigators to unmask the most occult and interesting sources for national,
or universal ancient and mediaeval history. 54 It may be most convenient here to indicate alphabetically those chief European cities, in the libraries of which Irish historical manuscripts are preserved, and to quote those inventories, catalogues or descriptions, which best serve to give the reader a summary or an idea of their contents : —
Aachen. —There are several Manuscriptsss at Aachen, one of the Rhenish
odore Thorlacius, Birgerus Thorlacius and liographical, Antiquarian and Picturesque Eric Christianus Werlauff. It was pub- Tour in France and Germany," very in- lished at Haunise or Hafnise, A. D. 1777 to structive. It issued in three volumes, Svo, 1826. This is a valuable series of Norwe- A. D. 182 1, and was published at London. gian sagas and chronicles.
S' The " Islands
Subsequently this author produced his
Landnamabok,"
Liber Originum Islandise, edited byJohannes Finnaeus, in the Icelandic and Latin lan-
guages, states, that before the Norwegians inhabited Thyle or Iceland, there were men knownas" who theChris-
Papae," professed
tian religion, and who were believed to have come originally by sea from the west.
hoc
" and Pictu- Bibliographical, Antiquarian
resque Tour in the Northern Counties of
England and Scotland. " In two volumes,
Svo, it was published at London, A. D. 183S.
These works are el^antly illustrated, while
their of books and description libraries,
manuscripts is very curious and detailed.
est,
See also, Bemouilli's " Sammlungkunzer These men left Hibernian books, bells, Reisebeschreibungen. " Likewise, Orti's
croziers, and various other objects behind them. These relics are also said to have in- dicated their western origin. The Latin ver-
:
sion adds " Haec inventa sunt in Papeya
" Itinerario Scientifico di varie Parti d'Eu- ropa. " This was printed at Petersburg, in two Svo volumes, a. d. 1S07.
53 Mr. Cooper makes special reference to
orientalium et Papyli ; libri quoque Anglici,
tunc temporis navigationes inter terras (istas)
increbuisse, perhibent. " See Prologus, p. 2.
Edition, Haimi£E, A. D. 1774, 4to. The
"Kongs-Skugg-Sio," or as Latinized,
"Speculum Regale," edited by Halfdan
Einersen, in Icelandic, Danish and Latin,
gives a very curious and circumstantial ac-
count of the manners and customs of the
Irish, the state of Ireland, its saints and
their miracles. This work also illustrates
the history of Norway, Sweden, Denmark
and Greenland, when first compiled in Nor-
way, about the year 1200. See J. J. A. Antwerp, A. D. 1725, in six foHo volumes.
Worsaae's "Account of the Danes and Besides these, are Pistorius' " Rerum Ger-
Norwegians in England, Scotland and Ire- manicarum Scriptores aliquot," in three ""
many of those purely bibliographical works, which describe highly important MSS. , to be found in various Continental libraries.
''
5* See especially D'Achery's Spicile-
gium, sive CoUectio Veterum aliquot Scrip- torum, qui in Galliae Bibliothecis delitue- runt. " This valuable collection appeared in three volumes folio, Paris, A. D. 1723. Again,wemayaddCanisius' "Thesaurus Monumentorum Ecclesiasticorum et Histo- ricorum, sive Lectiones Antiquse," published first at Ingoldstad, A. D. 1601, and following years, in 4to. Another edition issued at
p. 229. The Kongs- volumes folio, published at Ratisbon, A. D. 1726; Goldoni "Rerum Alemannicarum
land, sect. i. ,
Skugg-Sio" is published in a thick 4to vo- lume, at Soroe, A. D. 1798.
5^ The German writer Zapf, in his work " Litterarische Reisen," or Literary Tra- vels, published at Augsburg, in Svo, A. D. 1 796, will supply much interesting informa-
Scriptores aliquot vetusti ;" with Martene and Durand, "Thesaurus Novus Anecdo- torum"—all very choice works.
''
55 These are described in
raire de deux Religieux Benedictins de la
tion on this subject. The reader will also Congregation de S. Maur," tome ii. , p. find, Rev. Thomas Frognall Dibdin's "Bib- 201.
Voyage Litte-
INTR OJD UCTIO /V. cxxxvu
Prussian provinces, and some of those contain matters of interest for the British and Irish historiographer. 3^ Admont. —The Benedictine Hbrary of Admont,in Styria, Austria, is known to include some Manuscript tracts,57 which areinterestingforIrishhagiographers. s^ Altdorf. —TheUniversityLibrary
of Altdorf, i—n Bavaria, includes Manuscripts of interest for the hagiographer. ss Augsburg. InthisBavariancity,theJesuitshadafinelibrary,duringthe early part of the last century f° as likewise had the Benedictines. ^^ The public library of Augsburg^^ has long been celebrated for its fine collection of MSS. ^3 Bamberg. —ThisBavariancity,hasapubliclibrary,whichcontains 5 2,000 volumesj^-^ and the deigns of different archives, existing at times more remote, in that ancient princip—ality. ^s Many lives of Irish saints are here preserved. ^^ Basel or Basle. In this city, the chief one of a Swiss canton,^^ so named, and formerly eminent in the literary history of Europe,^^ is a
s'^ See " to extantibus. " This valuable work Cooper's Supplement Appen- Augustce
dix A. ," p. I.
57 Kohl states, the library here was re-
appeared at Augsburg, between the years 1 79 1 and 1796, in six 4to volumes.
^^
ported to contain 100,000 volumes, but
Murray says only 20,000. See " Hand- "Gazetteer of the World," vol.
were
—
Domestic Correspondence. Vols. ii. & iii. —Correspondence relating to Ireland. Vols. iv. & v. —Correspondence relatingtoScotland. Vols. vi. toxi. —Cor-
respondence between England and Foreign Courts. The first of our Irish historical writers, who made use of the State Papers, was the illustrious bard of Erin, Thomas Moore, while engaged in compiling his
"5 Among these, the volumes of special
seem adapted to the purpose, should be placed in the common library of the Guildhall for the use of students. About one hundred years afterwards, Protector Somerset carried away an immense number of the works. In 1553. the library was let as a common clothes- mart. Those manuscripts and books which remained were destroyed, in the great fire of
The History and Antiquities of Dur- ham," by William Hutchinson, F. S. A. , in three 4to volumes, printed at Newcastle, A. D. 1785, as also "The History and Anti- quities of Durham," by Robert Surtees, in four folio volumes, published in London, from A. D. 1 81 6 to 1840, will affiard the en-
INTRODUCTION. CXXXl
and documents should also reward the industry of the historical student,^^
while these might help to enlighten us regarding places and churches, asso- ciated with the memories of certain Irish Saints. The inestimably precious Stowe Manuscripts,"? collected by the Duke of Buckingham, and since trans- ferred to the custody of Lord Ashburnham, are almost inaccessible to Irish scholars. There is a fine collection of manuscripts,'^ in the Cathedral Library,*? * at Canterbury. 3° The public library, attached to Durham Cathe- dral,3^ abounds in some fine specimens of illuminated and plainer manu- scripts, which have an interest altogether special for the student of Irish history, while many of these are in the peculiar opus Hibernicum style. 3" A vast number of ancient and irrecoverable monastic records, formerly existing before the suppression of religious houses in these islands, has been dispersed, destroyed, and lost,33 since the sixteenth century. Only a small part of
elsewhere. Edited by Rev. C. W. Russell,
D. D. , and John P. Prendergast, Esq. , Bar- rister-at-Law. Vol. i. —1603—1606, A. D. 1872. This series is in continuation of the Irish State Papers, commencing with the reign of Henry VIII. ; but, for the reign of James I. , the Papers are not confined to those in the Public Record Office of Eng- land. The same learned editors have in the press, vol. ii. of this series, which commences with the year 1606. Another series is at press under the following title : "Calendar of Documents relating to Ireland, excerpted from the Records preserved in her Majesty's Public Record Office ; to the end of the Reign of Henry VII. " Edited by Henry Savage Sweetman, Esq. , A. B. , Trinity College, Dublin, Barrister-at-Law.
1666. For more than a century and a half,
the London Corporation made no attempt
a At
to re-establish library. the present
time, however, their library contains no less than 50,000 volumes, devoted to the un- restricted use of the people.
^^ As we have already seen, a full descrip- tion of these has been furnished by Dr. Charles O'Conor, D. D. , in "Bibliotheca MSS. Stowensis. "
=8
See H. J. Todd's "Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the Church Library of Can- terbury, with some account of the Deans, from the time of Henry VIII. " This was printed 1793, in an 8vo volume.
"9 The first English library, it is said, was
founded by Pope Gregory I. , in 596, when
St. Augustine, the missionary bishop,
^ Sir Richard Whittington founded a lib—rary at Grey Friars—now Christ's Hospi-
tal in 1421, at a cost of ^400 in the cur-
rency of that time. Pie also gave many precious treasures, in manuscript, to the Guildhall Library, and devoted ;if400 to the erection of a suitable edifice in which to 3' preserve them. John Carpenter, who founded the City of London School, gave directions in his will, that any " good or rare books" which he possessed, and which might
brought nine precious volumes of a religious
character and deposited them at Canterbury.
3°
See W. Woolnoth's "History of the
Cathedral of Canterbury, with Biographical Sketches, and an Account of the Convent
of Christ Church," in 4to, London, 1816.
•'
much useful information.
32 The writer had an opportunity affiarded
him of inspecting these manuscripts, during a visit to Durham, in July, 1872.
33 John Bale, who wrote in 1549, and Ful- ler, testify to the wanton destruction of vari-
quirer
CXXXll INTRODUCTION.
those Chartularies has been preserved and identified with their former places. 34 Exclusive of such documents, the parochial and other registers
containlittleofaninterestingcharacter,forthehagiologist'spurpose; nor,in private collections, do we as yet discover, all that may serve to assist his researches. 35
Although, in many of the large Continental cities and towns, throughout Europe, there are numberless manuscripts relating to Irish hagiology and Church history ; yet, it must be regretted, that several are still unknown. Others have been imperfectly examined and described. 3'5 Catalogues, al-
ready published, furnish lists or notices, more or less detailed, regarding ma- terials to be found in different libraries, archives and collections. 37 The travelsoflearnedmenhavesomewhatincreasedourknowledge. Asfew scholars are afforded, notwithstanding, time or opportunity for travel to inspect all of those literary treasures,38 dispersed in so many different places,
ous early libraries and their contents. See Richard Sims' " Manual for the Genealogist, Topographer, Antiquary, and Legal Pro-
fessor,"&c. MonasticRecords,p. lo.
34 A good and succinct account of such documents may be found in the work just
quoted. See ibid. , pp. 14 to 28.
33 An examination of the various annual
" Reports of the Royal Commission on His- torical Manuscripts," in folio shape, and be- ginning with the year 1870, will exhibit the materials kept in public or private libraries, and specially useful for Irish ecclesiastical students.
3* A very valuable book for reference is a royal octavo volume, headed on the first pagCi " Appendix (A)," and subsequentlythis is fol- lowed by a "Supplement to Appendix (A). " This, as a serial part, was compiled by Charles Purton Cooper, Esq. , from printed
books and from foreign correspondence. The book itself was intended as an Appen- dix to a Report on the Historical Records, relating to Ireland, as preserved in foreign Libraries. That report, however, was not published, nor was a title-page ever printed for its appendices. The "Appendix (A)" contains 259 closely-printed pages, while the "Supplement to Appendix (A. )" con- sists of 116 similar pages, together with 28 plates, giving fac-simile characters, from va- rious old Irish MSS. Several marginal notes occur throughout this book, which either explain the compiler's design, or
foreign correspondence, or bibliographical notices of those books and manuscripts, contained in the various libraries to which he refers. A copy of this work, containing a few pencilled notes, and memoranda in the author's handwriting, was presented to the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, There it is found classed, "Gall. G. 12, 27. " In this work, special reference is given to matters, regarding Irish hagiology. Head-
which refer to particulars in connection with la Congregation de S. Maur, Published
the manuscripts he designates. The volume at Paris, from A. D. 1 750 to 1765, in six also contains extracts from Mr. Cooper's volumes quarto.
ings and traces of saints' acts are often fur- '
nished. The different places, where such Irish or British historical materials exist,
follow in regular alphabetical order. Some of these localities are passed over ; the
author referring merely to printed catalogues of their several libraries.
37 See the learned Benedictine Montfau- con's work, " Bibliotheca Bibliothecarum. " This was published at Paris, in two folio volumes, A. D. 1729. Also, Bailly's "No- tices historiques sur les Bibliotheques. " This work issued at Paris a. d. 1828, in 8vo.
3* For a considerable amount of bibliogra- phical information, the —student may examine
these succeeding works:
Struvius' "Notitia
Rei Litterariae.
"
This octavo volume was
published at Frankfort and Leipzig, in
1754, edited by Fischer. Still a better oc-
tavo edition, by Ingler, appeared at Jena, in the same year, and in three volumes. Like- wise, see "Nouveau Traite de Diploma- tique," par deux Religieux Benedictins de
INTRODUCTION.
the aid of learned and descriptive manuals39 for the Hbrarian must usually be sought. 4° The examination and publication of great historical collections and library catalogues, relating to French,*^ German,-*'
39 The reader may consult Fabricius, " De Bouquet, a priest of this order, and pub- Transpositione Bibliothecaram Memora- lished at Paris, in 1738. This learned bili,"J. J. Bauer, " Bibliotheca Librorum editor carried on his work to the eighth Rariorum," Ebert's "Zur Handschriften- volume. Afterwards the tomes M-ere kunde. " This work was published at successively issued and edited, by other
Leipzig, in two volumes octavo, A. D. 1825, 1827.
*° Some general works and editions of great value for this investigation are : Jacob's
''
Traicte des plus belles Bibliotheques pub- liques et particulieres qui ont este et qui sont a present dans le Monde. " Published
at Paris, in 8vo, A. D, 1644. A work of Maderus, "De Bibliothecis atque Archivis. "
members of the order, to the commencement of the present century. Members of the French Institute have since continued that work, which had lately been issued from the French Imperial press. The twenty- first tome appeared in 1855.
''^ The libraries, in various old, indepen-
dent, but at present absorbed or centralized,
states of Germany, have been admirably
described by several competent scholars. 4to, A. D. 1702 to A. D. 1705. A work of Thus we may refer to Mabillon's " Iter
Published at Helmstadt, in three volumes,
' ' Dissertatio in Primum Germanicarum. " On this the
Pezius,
Tomum Thesauri Novissimi Anecdotorum. "
This was published at Augsburg, in five
folio volumes, between the years 1 72 1 and
"" 1 728. Also Mabillon's Vetera Analecta.
Issued at Paris, A. D, 1723, in folio.
*' See "Iter Gerbertus,
Germany ''
Isagogica
subject, scholar may consult Kundmannus, " Aca-
demiae et Scholae Germanise, praecipue Du- catus Silesise, cum Bibliothecis in Nummis. "
Published at Breslau, a. d. 1741, in 4to. During the last century, too, the remarkable libraries of have been described in
Alemannicum,
accedit Italicum et Gallicum. " Published Hirsching's Sehenswiirdige Bibliotheken
at St. Blasius, Suabia, in 8vo, A. D. 1765. A vast amount of historical, as likewise of literary and scientific information—espe- cially as relating to Great Britain, France, Switzerland and Germany—will be found in the periodical series of octavo volumes, published at Geneva, where issued in Ja-
"
Teutschlands. " This work was published at Erlangen, in four octavo volumes, be-
tweentheyears 1786 and 1791. Literary
travels through several of the German
States are found in Baader's " Reisendurch
verschiedene Gegenden Deutschlandes in
Briefen. " This work was published at
Augsburg, in one octavo volume, A. D. 1795,
Early in the present century. Von Aretin
had been appointed a commissioner to visit
Bavarian convents that had been secularized,
to their and to seize all the inspect libraries,
MSB. he could find for the Electoral Col-
lection. He " zur Ges- published Beytrage
chichte und Literatur," or Contributions to History and Literature. In this work, he gives an account of his tour and of the prin- cipal codices he discovered. All these, it is
nuary, A. D. 1796, the
tannique," for the first time. In 18 16, this seriesassumedthetitle, "LaBibliotheque Universelle ;" and later still, it issued un- der the title. " RevueSuisseetEtrangere. " Especiallyas
regards France,
Bibliotheque Bri-
Bibliotheque Universel,
the student of Irish eccle- siastical history will find De Chesne's " His- torise Francorum Scriptores Coetanei" most instructive. It was published at Paris, A. D. 1636 and succeeding years, in several fine
folio volumes. See also Buchan's "Col- presumed, are now at Munich. The work
lection des Chroniques Nationales Fran-
9aises. " This has been issued at Paris, from
appeared in this city from 1803 to 1807 in nineoctavovolumes. Besidestheforegoing works, the student may consult with great
1824 to 1828, in a series of forty-seven
volumes, 8vo. That great work, ' ' Recueil advantage, the German Art Lexicon of
"
Teutsches Kiinstler was projected by the Benedictine Fathers Lexicon. " This work was published at of the Congregation of St. Maur. The Lemgo, in three octavo volumes, between first folio volume was edited by Dom Martin the years 1808 an4 1814.
The archives
des Historiens des Gaules et de la France," Meusel, intituled,
CXXXIV INTRonUCTION.
Austrian, Swiss,43 Italian,44 Spanish,<s Portuguese,^^ Danish,''? Swedish, Dutchj+s Belgian,49 Norwegian,5° and Icelandics^ affairs, have greatly enlarged our sphere of knowledge. This labour has been effected
which illustrate ancient German history are trantur, et confirmantur ingenti copia Di-
indicated in
*'
Archiv der Gesellschaft fiir plomatum et Chartanmi Veterum, nunc
altere deutsche Geschichtkunde. " This primum ex Archivis Italiae depromptarum,
work was published in Frankfort and Han- additis etiam Nummis, Chronicis, aliisque
over, from 1819 to 183 1, in six octavo vo- Monumentis nunquam antea editis. " In
lumes. But, if latest published, foremost six magnificent folio volumes, published at
among such authorities for the Irish hagio-
''
Monumenta Germa- niae Historica, inde ab anno Christi Quin- gentesimo usque ad annum Millesimum et
Milan, from A. D. 1738 to 1742. Several matters of interest for the Irish historical student will therein be revealed, as also in his grand monument of learning and labo-
grapher must stand,
Quingentesimum, auspiciis Societatis ape- rious editing, the " Rerum Italicarura riendis Fontibus Rerum Germanicarum Scriptores ab Anno ^Erse Christianae Quin- Medii ^vi," Edidit Georgius Heinricus gentesimo ad Millesimum quingentesimum, Pertz, serenissimi Britanniarum et Hanno- Quorum potissima pars nunc primum in veraeRegisTabularius. Thisgreatcollec-
tion issued, at Hanover, a. d. mdcccxxvi.
and succeeding years, so that no less than
XXI. magnificent folio tomes appeared to 1868.
43 A very valuable account of Switzerland
is that of Francis Guillimann, " De Rebus
Helvetiorum, sive Antiquitatum, Libri v. " Ex variis scripti tabulis, monimentis la-
pidibus, optimis plurium linguarum aucto- ribus. Published at Friburg, a. d. 1598, in
4to. The student is referred, likewise, to Ger- cken, who has published his Travels through
Suabia, Bavaria, Switzerland, Franconia,
the Rhenish Provinces, and those of the
Moselle, under the title, "Reisen durch graphis describere licuit, vel nunc primum Schwaben, Baiem, die Angranzende vulgatis, vel emendatis, nee non antiquo Schweiz, Franken, die Rheinischen Provin- Characterum specimine, et Figuris ^neis. zen, und an der Mosel," &c. This work Cum Indice Locupletissimo. This great
was issued in four octavo volumes, at Sten-
dal and Worms, between the years 1783
and1788. Nikolai's"ReisedurchDeutsch-
land und die Schweitz," or Journey through
Germany and Switzerland, was published
at Berlin and Stettin, in eight octavo vo- is the Novus Thesaurus Veterum Inscrip-
lumes, from 1783 to 1787.
** Those who desire to know the wealth
of Italian records may consult the pro- foundly learned Louis Anthony Muratori's
"
Antiquitates Italicae Medii ^vi, siveDis- sertationes de Moribus, Ritibus, Religione, Regimine, Magistratibus, Legibus, Studiis Literarum, Artibus, Lingua, Militia, Num- mis, Principibus, Libertate, Servitute, Foe- deribus, aliisque faciem et mores Italici Populi referentibus post declinationem Rom. Imp. ad Annum usque md. Omnia illus-
tionum in praecipuis earumdemcollectionibus hactenus praetermissarum," coUectore Lu- dovico Antonio Muratorio. This work ap- peared at Milan, in four fine folio volumes, from A. D. 1739 to 1742. As a supplement to Muratori's collections was published at
"
Re- rum Italicarum Scriptores ab Anno ^Erae Christianae Millesimo ad Milesimum, quo- rum potissima pars nunc primum in lucem prodit, ex Florentinarum Bibliothecarum Codicibus. " These tomes were edited by
lucem prodit ex Ambrosianae, Estensis, aliarumque insignium Bibliothecarum Codi- cibus. " Ludovicus Antonius Muratorius, Serenissimi Ducis Mutinae Bibliothecas Pras-
fectus, collegit, ordinavit, et Praefacionibus auxit, nonnullos ipse, alios vero Mediola- nenses Palatii Socii ad Mstorum Codicum fidem exactos, summoque labore, ac dili- gentia castigatos, variis Lectionibus, et Notis, tam editis veterum Eruditorum, quam novissimis auxere. Additis ad plenius operis, et universse Italicae Historiae omamentum, novis Tabulis Geographicis, et variis Longo-
bardorum Regum, Imperatorum,aliorumque Principum Diplomatibus, quae ab ipsis auto-
Thesaurus of Italian history and its best soxirces was published at Milan, in twenty-five
great folio volumes, commencing with A. D.
1 723 and continuing to A. D. 1 751. Another
work of interest for the historians of Italy, *'
Florence, in two large folio volumes,
INTRODUCTION. cxxxv
by various writerSjS^* whose accounts, however, are not readily accessible. 53 From documents and statements already published, we may fairly infer the value of very many preserved tracts for Irish historical research. The
'*'^ See LibrorumManu- Haenel, "Catalogi
scriptorum qui in Bibliothecis Galliae, Hel- vetise, Belgii, Britanniae M. , Hispanias, Lu-
Maria and at Tortini, published
Joseph
Florence, A. D. 1748, 1770.
*5 The reader may consult Nicolas An- tonio's "Bibliotheca Hispana sive Hispa- norum, qui usquam unquamve sive Latina sive populari sive alia quavis lingua scripto
aliquid consignaverunt notitia, his quffi prae-
cesserunt locupletior et certior brevia elogia,
editorum atque ineditorum operum Cata-
logum duabus partibus continens, quarum
haec ordine quidem rei posterior, conceptu
vero prior, duobus tomis de his agit, qui
post annum secularem MD. usque ad prae-
sentem diem floruere. " This work appeared
at Rome, A. D. 1672, in two fine folio vo-
lumes, and during the author's lifetime. tissimis. This was published at Amster- This is known as the Bibliotheca Hispana dam, A. D. 163 1. That fine folio collection, Ncrva. Twelve years after the author's with Genealogical Tables, in eight tomes, death, appeared at Rome two additional
folio
these was intituled :
Vetus, sive Hispanorum, qui usquam un- quamve scripto aliquid consignaverunt, no- titia. Complectens Scriptores omnes qui
volumes,
A. D.
1696.
''
The first of Bibliotheca Hispana
" Rerum Danicarum Medii 1834, Scriptores
. ^vi, partim hactenus inediti, partim emen- datius editi, quos collegit, adomavit, et pub-
lici juris fecit," Jacobus Langebek, Sacr. Reg. Mag. a consiliis status et Tabularii Sanctions Praefectus, presents the most com-
ab Octaviani Augusti imperio usque ad an-
num M. floruerunt" The second volume plete series of Danish chronicles and anti-
takes the same title, in the first sentence ;
quities, which are also most useful for the Irish hagiologist's and historian's studies. After the death of Langebek, the editors
MD. floruerunt. " See M. le Dr. Hoefer's of the fourth and succeeding tomes were
but for the last is substituted,
"
Complectens Scriptores omnes qui ab anno M. usque ad
"
Nouvelle Biographic Generale," tome ii. , col. 863, 864. The posthumous work con-
Petrus Fridericus Suhmius, L. Engelstoft and E. C. Werlauff.
*^ See Uffenbach's " Reisen Merkwiirdige
tains accounts of
Portuguese
as well as of
durch Niedersachsen, Holland und Engel- from Hispanise Illustratse, seu Rerum Ur- Lower Saxony, Holland and England.
Spanish writers, with lists of their works.
Again, much information must be gleaned land," or Remarkable Travels through
"
biumq. Hispanise, Lusitaniae, Ethiopise et Indise Scriptores varii. Partim editi nunc
primum, partim aucti atque emendati. Quo- rum Seriem sequens post Prsefationem pa- gina exhibet. Tomis aliquot divisi. Opera et studio doctorum Hominum. Accessit renim memorabilium et verborum Index
Published at Ulm and Memmingen, in
three volumes, 8vo, A. D. 1733, 1754.
49 See "Elogia Belgica, sive Illustrium
Belgi Scriptorum, qui nostra patrumque memoria, vel Ecclesiam Dei propugnarunt, vel disciplinas illustrarunt, Vitae breviter
"
commemoratae, Studio Auberti Mirsei,
Bruxellensis Canonici et Bibliothecarii,
Antwerp. Antwerpiae cld. lcdix. This work issued in small 4to.
5" There is a fine folio collection, in six tomes, with maps and genealogical tables,
<:opiosissimus.
Francofurti, Apud
"
Claudium Mamium, et Hseredes Joannis
Aubrij : MDCIII. Cum Gratia et Privilegio
S. Cses. Maiest. ad decennium. Also, see
"
ac Bibliothecis. Item Elogia et Nomen-
Hispaniaj Bibhotheca, seu, De Academiis
"
History of the Kings of Nor- mis iii. Distincta. Published, Francofurti, way," written by Snorra Sturleson, and A. D. 1608, in 4to shape. edited by Gerhard Schoning, Skulius The-
clator clarorum Hispaniae Scriptomm," to-
Heimskringla edr Noregs Konunga-So-
"
sitaniae asservantur.
"
This is a quarto vo-
lume, published at Leipzig, in 1830.
^^ Illustrations of Danish and Icelandic
History and Topography, with accounts of the Northern Writers, will be found in that
learned folio,
*'
Rerum Danicarum Historia
Libris x. , Unoque Tomo ad Domum usque
Oldenburgicam deducta. " Authore Joh.
Isacio Pontano, Regio Historiographo. Ac-
cedit Chorographica Regni Daniae tractus-
que ejusuniversi borealis Urbium descriptio, eodem Authore. Cum Indicibus locuple-
issued at Hafniae, or Hauniae, A. D. 1772 to
gor," or the
CXXXVl iNTkODUCTiOK\
publication of several old chronicles and records by learned men, espe-
cially during the last and the present century, materially sensed literary investigators to unmask the most occult and interesting sources for national,
or universal ancient and mediaeval history. 54 It may be most convenient here to indicate alphabetically those chief European cities, in the libraries of which Irish historical manuscripts are preserved, and to quote those inventories, catalogues or descriptions, which best serve to give the reader a summary or an idea of their contents : —
Aachen. —There are several Manuscriptsss at Aachen, one of the Rhenish
odore Thorlacius, Birgerus Thorlacius and liographical, Antiquarian and Picturesque Eric Christianus Werlauff. It was pub- Tour in France and Germany," very in- lished at Haunise or Hafnise, A. D. 1777 to structive. It issued in three volumes, Svo, 1826. This is a valuable series of Norwe- A. D. 182 1, and was published at London. gian sagas and chronicles.
S' The " Islands
Subsequently this author produced his
Landnamabok,"
Liber Originum Islandise, edited byJohannes Finnaeus, in the Icelandic and Latin lan-
guages, states, that before the Norwegians inhabited Thyle or Iceland, there were men knownas" who theChris-
Papae," professed
tian religion, and who were believed to have come originally by sea from the west.
hoc
" and Pictu- Bibliographical, Antiquarian
resque Tour in the Northern Counties of
England and Scotland. " In two volumes,
Svo, it was published at London, A. D. 183S.
These works are el^antly illustrated, while
their of books and description libraries,
manuscripts is very curious and detailed.
est,
See also, Bemouilli's " Sammlungkunzer These men left Hibernian books, bells, Reisebeschreibungen. " Likewise, Orti's
croziers, and various other objects behind them. These relics are also said to have in- dicated their western origin. The Latin ver-
:
sion adds " Haec inventa sunt in Papeya
" Itinerario Scientifico di varie Parti d'Eu- ropa. " This was printed at Petersburg, in two Svo volumes, a. d. 1S07.
53 Mr. Cooper makes special reference to
orientalium et Papyli ; libri quoque Anglici,
tunc temporis navigationes inter terras (istas)
increbuisse, perhibent. " See Prologus, p. 2.
Edition, Haimi£E, A. D. 1774, 4to. The
"Kongs-Skugg-Sio," or as Latinized,
"Speculum Regale," edited by Halfdan
Einersen, in Icelandic, Danish and Latin,
gives a very curious and circumstantial ac-
count of the manners and customs of the
Irish, the state of Ireland, its saints and
their miracles. This work also illustrates
the history of Norway, Sweden, Denmark
and Greenland, when first compiled in Nor-
way, about the year 1200. See J. J. A. Antwerp, A. D. 1725, in six foHo volumes.
Worsaae's "Account of the Danes and Besides these, are Pistorius' " Rerum Ger-
Norwegians in England, Scotland and Ire- manicarum Scriptores aliquot," in three ""
many of those purely bibliographical works, which describe highly important MSS. , to be found in various Continental libraries.
''
5* See especially D'Achery's Spicile-
gium, sive CoUectio Veterum aliquot Scrip- torum, qui in Galliae Bibliothecis delitue- runt. " This valuable collection appeared in three volumes folio, Paris, A. D. 1723. Again,wemayaddCanisius' "Thesaurus Monumentorum Ecclesiasticorum et Histo- ricorum, sive Lectiones Antiquse," published first at Ingoldstad, A. D. 1601, and following years, in 4to. Another edition issued at
p. 229. The Kongs- volumes folio, published at Ratisbon, A. D. 1726; Goldoni "Rerum Alemannicarum
land, sect. i. ,
Skugg-Sio" is published in a thick 4to vo- lume, at Soroe, A. D. 1798.
5^ The German writer Zapf, in his work " Litterarische Reisen," or Literary Tra- vels, published at Augsburg, in Svo, A. D. 1 796, will supply much interesting informa-
Scriptores aliquot vetusti ;" with Martene and Durand, "Thesaurus Novus Anecdo- torum"—all very choice works.
''
55 These are described in
raire de deux Religieux Benedictins de la
tion on this subject. The reader will also Congregation de S. Maur," tome ii. , p. find, Rev. Thomas Frognall Dibdin's "Bib- 201.
Voyage Litte-
INTR OJD UCTIO /V. cxxxvu
Prussian provinces, and some of those contain matters of interest for the British and Irish historiographer. 3^ Admont. —The Benedictine Hbrary of Admont,in Styria, Austria, is known to include some Manuscript tracts,57 which areinterestingforIrishhagiographers. s^ Altdorf. —TheUniversityLibrary
of Altdorf, i—n Bavaria, includes Manuscripts of interest for the hagiographer. ss Augsburg. InthisBavariancity,theJesuitshadafinelibrary,duringthe early part of the last century f° as likewise had the Benedictines. ^^ The public library of Augsburg^^ has long been celebrated for its fine collection of MSS. ^3 Bamberg. —ThisBavariancity,hasapubliclibrary,whichcontains 5 2,000 volumesj^-^ and the deigns of different archives, existing at times more remote, in that ancient princip—ality. ^s Many lives of Irish saints are here preserved. ^^ Basel or Basle. In this city, the chief one of a Swiss canton,^^ so named, and formerly eminent in the literary history of Europe,^^ is a
s'^ See " to extantibus. " This valuable work Cooper's Supplement Appen- Augustce
dix A. ," p. I.
57 Kohl states, the library here was re-
appeared at Augsburg, between the years 1 79 1 and 1796, in six 4to volumes.
^^
ported to contain 100,000 volumes, but
Murray says only 20,000. See " Hand- "Gazetteer of the World," vol.
