'9^
Evidently
the cover was not made for the present Codex, for it is somewhat smaller in size.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
11.
Calendar Fratrum Prsdicatorum Limer.
12.
An- nates Loughkeensis.
13.
Rotuli in Turri
a " De Concilio Hi- heading,
congestus. "
This index
pages ; again
berniae per Magnates totius illius Insulce," taken from the "Liber Niger," in Trinity
f. 6 a. This latter docu- ment is thought to date A. D. 1295, and it takes up six pages and a half page. Other documents are, A Grant of Freedoms to the City of Dublin, by King Henry II. , with
supplementary Charters, and a Charter, granting Meath to Hugh de Lacy. A short and an unimportant index closes thisMS. volume.
'" It comprises 140 folios, well and legibly
traced on both sides, although on poor
paper.
'? » The Royal Irish Academy, for pro-
moting the study of Science, Polite Litera-
College, Dublin,
CXVUl INTRODUCTION.
members have already acquired, by donation or purchase, most invaluable historical, poetical, and topographical tracts, especially in the native lan-
guage. Besides many old and original manuscripts, generally in a fine state of preservation, more modern copies, from older sources, have been
procured. It will only be necessary to mention here, the O'Longan family collection, Edward O'Reilly's, Sir William Betham's, the Messrs. Hodges and Smith's, James Hardiman's, John Windale's, Du Noyefs Antiquarian Drawings, with some less extensive additions.
Not to speak of the Ordnance Survey collection and sketches, these MSS. are the gradual acquisition of less than a century, while the stock promises a continuance of increase. Much progress has been already made with the task of preparing suitable catalogues,'' 75 by order of the council. '^^ Messrs. Owen Connellan and Eugene O'Curry'77 have partially described the contents of Irish Manuscripts. ' 78 Since their death, this work has been resumed by Messrs. O'Longan and Br)'an O'Looney, M. R. I. A. Other competent and zealous Irish scholars have likewise contributed to extend a knowledge of matters contained in this department of literature. '79 De- scriptions are to be found in printed volumes, regarding some of the most importantamongthosemanuscriptsandtheircontents. '^ Thewriterhas
ture, and Antiquities, was incorporated by the Irish Parliament, a d. 1786.
'75 As yet, these are in manuscript, with
the exception of Sir William R. Wilde's
Irish scholar and scribe compiled six large folio volumes of Catalogues, containing a
description of all the manuscripts preserved in the Royal Irish Academy's collection, to that period, when his labours terminated.
learned and scientifically designed " Cata-
logue of the Antiquities of Materials in the
Museum of the Royal Irish Academy. " described according to the classification Dublin, 1857, et seq. In three parts, pro- adopted in the old Academy House in
fusely illustrated. The remaining parts are yet to be published.
'7' And under the able direction of John
T. Gilbert, Esq. , M. R. I. A. , Librarian.
'77 Mr. Eugene O'Curry had been em-
Grafton-slreet, and before the Institution had been transferred to its present site in Dawson-street, Dublin.
'79 Denis H. Kelly, Esq. , M. R. I. A. , has compiled, in two folio volumes, an Alpha- betical Index of subjects to five of Eugene
ployed to give a complete Catalogue Rai-
sonni of all materials—especially Irish— O'Curry's Catalogue volumes. This valu-
able personal compilation was presented by Mr. Kelly to the Academy in 1861. These Indices are most creditable to this gentle- man's industry, learning, method, judgment and public spirit.
'*° The reader is
Eugene O'Curry's
volumes, describing the Betham collection " of the Proceedings
contained in the manuscript department. This task was commenced in 1842. He
soon compiled a large folio volume, thus described by himself, and in his own hand-
writing, on the fly-leaf: "A Catalogue of the Number and Contents of Messrs.
referred to "Lecturesonthe Manu- script Materials of Ancient Irish History ;" as also to a work, by the same author, " On the Manners and Customs of the An- writing, prefixed to the first volume, he cient Irish. " A Series of Lectures. Edited, commenced the compilation of a Catalogue, with an Introduction, Appendices, etc. , by comprised in three large folio volumes. W. K. Sullivan, Ph. D. Likewise,see "Trans- Besides these, he compiled two more actions of the Royal Irish Academy," and
and Smith's Collection of Irish Manuscripts," by Eugene Curry, Dublin, 1843. In the year 1842, as is apparent from a note in Eugene O'Curry's own hand-
Hodges
Irish of Irish Manuscripts. In all, this learned from the first to the latest volumes.
»7^ It must be understood, that these are
specially
Royal
Academy,"
INTRODUCTION. CXIX
frequently, and for many years past, consulted the manuscripts and books belonging to this noble institution,'^' while he has drawn from them some of the most valuable illustrative matter, contained in succeeding pages of this work.
Permission being accorded, by the Superior-General of the Franciscans, at Rome, to remove the valuable collection of Irish MSS. , kept at St.
Isidore's Convent,'^* to Dublin, together with several rare works, relating to our national history,*^3 about the beginning of 1872, these treasures were
safely transferred to the Franciscan Convent, on Merchant's-quay. '^'* Some of these MSS. , having been removed from Louvain originally, are in Colgan's
beautifully minute, yet legible hand-writing. Many of them had been used during the compilation of his hagiographical works. Besides what have
been already partially described, a good sized folio paper MS. of Irish Saint's Lives, written in Latin, is remarkable. Most legibly and elegantly
transcribed or compiled'^5 for the purpose of publication, it includes 304 very closely-written pages. The Acts of St. Attracta, which precede the
and
''' Long before he had the honour of
being elected a Member of the Royal Irish
Academy, the writer enjoyed the privilege mentioned ; and, during the whole period, since his first introduction as a reader, he has received the most unremitting kindness and attention from the Librarian, John T. Gilbert, Esq. ; from the Clerk of the Aca-
demy, Edward Clibbom, Esq. ; from the Resident Curator, Robert M'Eniry, Esq. ; and from the Assistant Clerks, Messrs. J. J. MacSweeney and R. F. O'Mulrennan.
'^^ The Irish Manuscripts preserved at St. Isidore's, Rome, had been described in letters from Charles MacDonnell, Esq. , and read before the Royal Irish Academy on
"
June I2th, 1854. See
Royal Irish Academy," vol. vi. , pp. 95 to 112.
*^5 This happy incident, and an admirable
poetic description of the recovered national
treasures, are most spiritedly and feelingly recorded in a poem, intituled, "The St.
Isidore Manuscripts, now in St. Francis', Dublin. " It was written by John Francis
O'Donnell, and published in "The Nation" of 30th March, 1872. The following is its
opening stanza : —
are not
nal notes. '^^ Nor can I discover that these Acts except very few had been published by Colgan in their present form •^'^^ although it seems evident
index,
numbered,
throughout
this there are various MS. , — —
Proceedings of the
"
In troublous days these treasures came— St. Gerald, at the 13th of March. These
From Ireland of the four bright seas.
'^7 Among the exceptions are the Acts of
m
Through clouds—through fires—through darknesses—
To Rome of immemorial- name—
Rome of immeasurable fame.
The reddened hands of foes would rive
Each lovely growth of cloister—crypt—
Dim folio, yellow manuscript— Where yet the glowing pigments live ; But a clear voice cried from Louvain :
'
Give them to me, for they are mine ! ' And so they sped across the main—
The Saints their guard, the ship their shrine. "
'^^ The task of selection, supervision, and direction, was left to the learned Father Theobald Carey, O. S. F. To him, the writer feels deeply indebted, as custodian of these treasures, for every facility afforded to peruse and copy them. Father Carey has most kindly supplied many extracts of great value, during the progress of this work, and which greatly enhance the value of its con- tents.
'85ByFatherJohnGolde,O. S. F. The
title of this MS. , already alluded to, is
"Vitffi Sanctorum ex Codice Inisensi. "
'^*
All apparently in Colgan's hand- writing.
argi-
cxx INTROr>UCTION.
he had intended them for publication. Again, there are three large Fas- ciculi, in folio, including some hundreds of closely-written pages, for the
most part—indeed nearly altogether—in Colgan's hand-wTiting. These are loosely placed within vellum covers. They seem to have been a first draft
of Lives, Appendices, and Notes, which Colgan afterwards printed, but in amoreenlargedandfinishedway,inhis"TriasThaumaturga. "'^^ Inone case, over thirteen pages of St. Columban's Life are found ;'^9 these, how- ever, are not in Colgan's hand.
begrimed and worn, as to become illegible in various places. This valuable record was frequently consulted by Colgan. '9- Some of its initial
letters are very curiously traced. Although there is a very general unifor- mityofIrishwriting; yet,hereandthere,canbedetectedtheintroduction of notes, and in different styles of Irish character. These are presumably
"" modern, as compared with the original text. Besides the Feilire of
. ^ngus, and the Scholia affixed, this Codex has other Irish poems and com- ments interlined, both at the beginning and end. The " Liber Hymnorum," a vellum MS. of the ninth or tenth century, it is presumed, and in twenty- three folia,'93 is very much stained and worn, so as to be illegible in various places. *9* This differs in many respects from the MS. " Liber Hym-
norum," preserved in Trinity College Library. Besides the foregoing, there is a beautifully and legibly transcribed copy '9s in parchment of Manus
Within a on which is inscribed " parchment cover,
Martyrologium Cathaldi Maguir, sive ^ngussius Auctus," and " 8 Ccnt. ,"'9° there are forty-nine folios in vellum. '9' This codex is of the largest folio size, but several of the pages—especially towards the beginning and end—are so
are printed verbatim from Colgan's copy of the " Book of the Island. The Acts of St. Fechin, at the 20th of January ; the Life of St. Berach, at the 15th of February ; tlie Acts of St. David, at the ist of March ; and the Acts of St. Endeus, imperfect : these are all taken from that " Book of the Island. "
'^ In one instance, I find a leaf, which
contains the concluding portion of St. Seizin's Acts, and a part of the first note to
them, as published by Colgan in " Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe," vi. Martii, p. 47S. This was not written by Colgan.
'^ His feast occurs on the 21st of Novem- ber. The life does not end in a complete manner.
'9" This indicates how that copy of the " Feilire" belongs to the eighth century. From another annotation, within the Codex, we learn, that it was one of those MSS.
belonging to the Convent of Donegal.
'»' Besides these, there is an additional
slip of small size.
'»* He often quotes it under either of the
aforesaid titles.
'^ In 410 size.
'»* In the poem of John Francis O'Don-
nell—to which allusion has lieen already
made—the following stanza thus faithfully describes—and yet with some poetic li-
cense—this venerable manuscript : —
*^
Liber Hymnorum ! Beauteous book,
Gray with the glory born of time, Dim leaves which the Francisc—an took,
At dewy eve, at early prime
Even at midnight's measured chime—
And on them wrote, with pen devout,
'
The cries in which the Saints of God
Adored the blessed path He trod, When sorrows ringed Him round about. Stand firm, dear Book, that all may see
That in the years which have no name,
Our country had a history,
And Europe echoed back her fame. "
"''^
In large 410 sliapc.
'9® It contains 132 pages, written in
double columns, besides a quarter page, which concludes this work.
hundred years before Manus O'Donnell wrote this life.
J99 By Bryan MacNally, whose name is giveninLatin,onthelastpage.
200
Throughout are various marginal an- notations of Colgan ; and, from this copy, he probably prepared his Latin translation, abbreviated for insertion and printed in
'"* William M. Hennessy, M. R. LA. , de-
scribes the following tracts. At page 16,
and col. 3, there is a list of f—oreign saints,
withsomeoftheIrishSaints resembling
them in manner—compared. It is headed
'97 One of the comments there found are
the " Trias
With fairy fancies— birds and flowers— Roses of everlasting blow,
"
'°' Extracted from the Book of Leinster.
And
blooms of bowers — never-fading
Thaumaturga.
"
moris. " It has been published by Dr.
Blue lakes, green isles, and mystic towers !
O blessed be the monkish hands
Which filled each page with such sweet
gi-ace.
When earth for Learning found no
place,
And war streamed red across the lands.
Fade never, but be monument
Of what the brave Franciscans did,
Wlien battle shook the Continent,
And half the world in gloom lay hid.
XIII.
Ireland shall treasure book and scroll ;
Andfromtheirsacredleavesmayrise
Hie incipiunt Sancti qui erant unius
Todd, in his
"
Martyrology of Donegal. "
Besides other treatises, composed by Irish
Saints, or relating to them, we find at page
20, and col. 3, a poem of ten stanzas, as-
cribed to St. Ciaran. The last composition
on this same page, and in the tenth folium,
is a of twelve stanzas,
poem
enumerating twiceasmanysaints, whoseintercessionin
INTRODUCTION. CXXl
O'Donnell's Irish Life of St. Columkille. '? ^ The subject matter of this Treatise is perfect throughout, but it wants a title. On the last page, John O'Neill, the name of its scribe, is to be found ; and, on the original blank side, a few irrelevant entries are to be seen. '97 The leaves are inserted within a much older embossed leather cover, of an exceedingly ingenious pattern, and reticulated, in the Irish style of art.
'9^ Evidently the cover was not made for the present Codex, for it is somewhat smaller in size. There is another paper copy of this work in MS. , but greatly damaged on many of the pages. It is under a very worn parchment cover, and there are included ii8 pages, closely written in Irish. '9^ Other leaves—in the beginning and end—contain a few irrelevant entries. '°°
Besides those tracts, attributed to St. -^ngus the Culdee, as author, and contained in the ten vellum /<7//a,'°^ various other fragments of an interesting historical character are found. ^°" Hardly less valuable—although not per-
taining specially to the subject of Irish hagiology—are many highly important papers,^°3 which preserve the arcana of Ireland's ecclesiastical and civil affairs, during the troubled period of the seventeenth century. '"> Reference is specially made to the papers of Father Luke Wadding.
heaven and whose prayers on earth were the
same or of equal efficacy.
*°3 For a very detailed and interesting
account of the Manuscripts belonging to these words in Colgan's hand-writing, the former College of the Irish Franciscans, "Sancte Columba ora pro me peccatore. " Ivouvain, that account of J. T. Gilbert may '9^ The Rev. Dr. Reeves is of opinion, be consulted in "Fourth Report of the Royal that the cover had be'en prepared many Commission on Historical Manuscripts,"
part i. , pp. 599 to 613.
^°^ John Francis O'Donnell thus concludes
those glowing stanzas, to which attention has beenalreadydrawn: -
XII.
" Rare psalters, whose initals glow
' *
cxxii INTRODUCTION.
Some few of our Irish Catholic Colleges'°s and religious houses,"^* as likewise private collectors, have obtained very useful records, which help to solve many difficulties, in relation to our theme. The Irish Catholic
University Library, Stephen's Green, Dublin, has already secured several valuable Irish MSS. , collected or transcribed by a former eminent Gaelic
scholar, Professor Eugene O'Curry. Copies of the Brehon Laws,^°7 have also been added. These manuscript contents may be conveniently clas- sified, under the following heads : —I. Historic Literature. II. Heroic Tales. III. Lives of Saints. IV. Glossaries. V. Laws. I. In the de- partment of Historic Literature, there is a choice collection of Historic Tales, Annals, and Genealogical works, with a rare collection of poems and prose pieces of great value. II. Of heroic and legendary pieces, there is a large selection, taken from poems and tracts, found among the oldest and best Irish manuscripts extant. '°^ III. In the Ecclesiastical department, there is a very large collection of the Lives of Irish Saints, Calendars, Homilies, Festilogies, &c. , collected from the Libraries of Oxford, and of the British Museum, as likewise from those of the Royal Irish Academy andofTrinityCollege,Dublin. Tothosetractsisaddedthatuniquecollection containing the Lives of Irish Saints, made by the indefatigable Michael O'Cleary, and by his brother scribes, known as the Four Masters. Those im-
portant works, in the original, are now preserved in the Burgundian Library, at Brussels. From this collection, O'Curry selected copies of such biogra-
A newer and a mightier soul,
To raise her nearer to the skies, And win her grander destinies.
And Ireland never can forget
one for the Library of the Royal Irish Academy, and another for that of the Catholic University. He got a conditional undertaking, on behalf of the Brehon Law
The — men who loving
Commission,
that those sets should be made
through long Sad centuries of silent tears—
complete. Thislatter"^promisehasnotyet been fulfilled.
'°* The value of this class of literature is shown, by the important use made of them
years
Their seal these treasures upon
set, Guarding them for the brighter day Which, be it far or close at hand,
Must pour inevitable ray
On this unconquerable land. "
»°s Among these, Maynooth contains some valuable Irish Historical Tracts.
»"* The Franciscan Convent, Wexford, has probably a large collection of such do- cuments.
">' These are distinguished from the rest, by the title, "Smyth Collection," because they were secured for the Catholic Univer- sity, owing to the exertions of Mr. P. J.
Smyth, MP. , for the County of Westmeath, who, on entering Parliament, in the year 1872, brought this matter before the House. He repeated a demand, until his exertions secured two sets of seventeen volumes each —
"
Manners
in O'Curry's Lectures on the
and Customs of the Ancient Irish. " Pro- fessor Bryan O'Looney, of the Catholic University, has been so forcibly impressed with the value of these Heroic and Legen- dary pieces, [that he has already collected and translated over 200 of such documents. On the evening meeting of the nth Novem- ber, 1872, he submitted to the Royal Irish Academy for publication, no less than 153 independent pieces, illustrating this class of literature. Happily,thesearenowincourse of publication. This number is quite inde- pendent of his invaluable translation of the " Leabhar na h-Uidhri," which he sub- mitted to the Academy, during the previous year. This translation has been referred to the Council for publication.
INTRODUCTION. CXXUl
phies as are not elsewhere to be found. ^"9 He also copied some curious
religious rules, poems, and pieces of great importance, for the student of Irish Ecclesiastical History. ^'" IV. The Glossaries, collected by O'Curry,
and styled the O'Curry Glossaries, number over twenty-five thousand sepa- rate articles. All of these have been copied, and arranged in alphabetical order. They may be put to press, so soon as funds can be made available for their publication. '" V. Laws. The collection of Brehon Law manuscripts was copied from transcripts, made by O'Donovan and O'Curry, under the direction of the Brehon Law Commission. Short as has been the time since the CathoHc University was founded, this National Institution has done more to promote the study of Irish Literature and Archaeology, than any other University or Collegiate establishment now existing. '"
There are several thousand original Records preserved,"3 nearly all written in Norman or Latin court-hand, chiefly relating to the Possessions and Privileges of the Prior and Convent of the Holy Trinity, and sub- sequently of the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Dublin. Among those
""
Records were the Registrum Novum,""* the Repertorium Viride,"''s
a vellum book of entries comprising leases, belonging to Christ Church,
'^ This he did, when
MSS. had been sent over to Ireland by the Belgian Government.
"° Professor O'Curry made these collec-
tions, with a view to their translation, and
hoping to have them published by the Ca- tholic University. But his valuable life was too short forsuch a great effort, and therefore no translations of those transcripts remain in his collection. However, his very worthy and industrious successor, in the Chair of Irish History and Archaeology, has taken up the programme where O'Curry broke off; and Professor O'Looney has now finished trans- lations of those ancient Irish Lives, with other most interesting tracts, rendered into English. In the kindest and most generous spirit. Professor O'Looney has afforded the most ready access to and use of these pre- cious materials to the author.
="'
perly so called—there are several other col-
lections, including those of the Brehon Laws. When added to the O'Curry collec- tion, thoseaccessions should bring the number of words to 34,000, which are not found, so explained, in any dictionary now available.
^" For proof of this assertion, the reader
''
and also " Lectures on the Manners O'Curry's
and Customs of the People of Ancient Ire- land," edited, with an Introduction, Appen-
dices, Glossary, and Indices, by his colleague Dr. Sullivan, efficiently assisted by Professor O'Looney.
"3 These begin about the time of Henry II. , and continue down to the Reformation, with little or no remarkable interruption. There is a Charter of Henry IL, issued about 1172, to the former community; while there are two Bulls of Pope Urban, to confirm the constitutions of Archbishop Comyn, and the possessions of this church, dated A. D. 1 1 86. There are many Papal Bulls and Indulgences, Statutes and Ordin- ances, Kings' Letters, Royal and Private Grants, Charters, Inquisitions, Conventions, Wills, Rolls of Accounts, and Rentals.
many years ago
^'* Compiled by Doctor Lyon, in three Besides the O'Curry Glossaries—pro- folio volumes. It contained, copies of
The Atlantis," published in Dublin, A. D. 1858,
most of the foregoing Records, digested chronologically, with extracts from the "Liber Niger," and " Liber Albus," as also from the Chancery Rolls. " His ob- ject appears to have been the furnishing of a complete collection, regarding the Anti- quities, Property, and Privileges of Christ Church. Several Records here copied are now missing.
"5 This is a Book, respecting the Churclies and Religious Houses in the Diocese of
may be referred to those volumes of
"
the Manuscript Materials of Irish History,
et seq. Likewise see O'Curry's
Lectures on "
CXXIV INTRODUCTIOX.
a book of Benefactions to Christ Church, the " Liber Niger,"''^ the " Liber
Albus,""7 and a Charter of Henry VIIL, which changed the Prior and Con-
venttoaDeanandChapter. ^^^ AmongtheMunicipalRecordsofDublin
City, are some curious Ecclesiastical Documents. ^'? Those Records, preser\'ed
in Birmingham Tower, Dublin Castle, in custody of the Ulster King-at-
Arms, although of importance for genealogical purposes, as serving to throw a great deal of light on the social and political history of the centuries
immediately preceding our time, are not of a character materially to aid the hagiographer's researches. The King's Inns' Library contains few Manuscripts, and none of ecclesiastical consequence f'° but the admirable selection of its books, and their most convenient arrangement for the student's purpose, were found of especial utility, while the writer had been engaged on the present work. ='' The Dublin Library Society and Hiber- nian Athenaeum was established in 1791. It contains some fine historical works,butnoManuscripts. ^'* SeveralreligioushousesinDublinpreserve very rare and valuable books.
Dublin, composed by Archbishop Allen, A. D. 1532.
"* This remarkable Manuscript is a vel- lum folio, bound in wood, and written in court-hand. It comprises nearly 500 pages,
ments of Ireland, from the Archives of the City of Dublin, &c. , 11 72-1 320. This work is a cullection of original documents, eluci- dating mamly the history and condition of the municipal, middle, and trading classes, under or in relation with the rule of Eng- land over Ireland,—a subject hitherto left in almost total obecurity. Extending over the first hundred and fifty years of the Anglo-
closely written, with many illuminated capi-
tals, about the year 1340. Its contents are
very miscellaneous : Charters, Statutes,
Norman-French Poems, Leonine and Latin
verses, Registries of Writs, Calendars, Normarf settlement, this series includes Chronicles, Chronologies, Martyrologies,
Legends, Grants, Letters, Historical and Empirical ; Memorandums, Lists of Ten- ants, a curious Treatise of Arithmetic, ex- hibiting the state of that science before the introduction of Arabic numerals, with sun- dry articles, relating to the Antiquities of Christ Church.
"^ This is a vellum folio, bound in wood, written by Thomas Tyche, about 1490. It contains statutes, grants, and other docu- ments, relating chiefly to this Cathedral, its Lands, Immunities, and Rights. Almost every article it contains has been copied into the " Registrum Novum. "
charters, municipal laws and regulations, rolls of names of citizens and members of merchant-guilds, lists of commodities with their rates, correspondence, illustrations of relations between ecclesiastics and laity ; together with many documents, exhibiting the state of Ireland, during the presence there of the Scots under Robert and Edward Bruce. It is published in 8vo. shape.
"° See Report of Bartholomew Thomas
pp. 321, 322.
^^ To the unvarying courtesy and kind-
ness of the accomplished Chief Librarian, Joseph M. La Barte, Esq. , and of his learned associate officers, Messrs. Martin Haverty and John David O'Hanlon, must his grate- ful acknowledgments be made, in a special manner.
218 " See
Duhigg,
Commissioners, appointed by his Majesty to execute the measures recommended in an . Address of the House of Commons, respect- ing the Public Records of Ireland," vol. i. ,
Reports of the Commissioners
appointed by his Majesty to execute the Measures recommended in an Address of
the House of Commons, respecting the Public Records of Ireland," vol i. , p. 307.
='9 In 1870, some of these first saw the
light, under the editorial supervision of John
T. Gilbert, Esq. , F. S. A. , and Secretary of
the Public Record Office of Ireland, with
"'In was "
1S57 printed, Catalogue
the title,
"
Historic and Municipal Docu-
of the Lil)rary oftheDubHn Literary Society
Librarian, " of the among Reports
"3 The " Rotulorum Cancellariie Calen-
darium in Hibeinia," in two folio vo- 1659.
a. d. Grants 1828, comprises
-^'i These commence a. d. and con- 1703,
tinue to A. D. 1829 ; they contain certificates
of conformity to the Protestant religion.
-^=' These commence a. d. 1778, and con-
tain the qualifications of Roman Catholics. ^^^ The pleadings filed in that court com-
mence in 1662 and end in 1714.
-'= These e. xtend from 1568 to the present
time.
^^3 These commence in 1796, and continue
lumes, printed
of Land, Deeds, Cliarters, &c. , from the time
of Henry II. , to that of James I. volumes are of historical and
These
topogra- Chartse, Privilegia, et Immunitates," from a. d. 1171 to a. d. 1399, were printed, and many of these re-
great phical interest. Some
"
INTRODUCTION. C? (XV
The Irish Public Records may be classed under the headings of Chancery Enrolments,^^3 commonly known as the Patent"* and Close Rolls,'^5 the Parliament,^^^ Recognizance,"? CromwelFs,"^ the Convert,"? Roman Catholic"3o and Palatinate Court of Tipperary Rolls -p^ the Pleadings, Bills, Answers and Decrees in the Court of Chancery f^^ Letters of Guardian- ship ;^33 Warrants -p^ Inquisitions •p''> Transmises of Public and Private Acts of Parliament, from the Reign of Henry VII. to the Union f^^ with several original and miscellaneous Records. ^37 Many of our ecclesiastical,
civil and legal documents, having been badly placed, were destroyed, owing to the effects of fire, water, damp, and want of care in their arrangement and use. The fullest account of the state of our Irish Records, at the
"
Commissioners appointed by his Majesty to execute the Measures recom-
commencement of the present century, is that given in
Reports of the
and Hibernian AtheniEum," in 8vo. , Dublin.
the reign of Charles I.
^^^
These contain chiefly deeds and memo- randa ; they date from A. D. 1653 to a. d.
late exclusively to ecclesiastical maUers.
^-'* These commence in the reign of Ed-
ward I. , and continue to the present time,
with various chasms in the series. Especi-
to the present time.
^3+ These commence with the
are during the reigns they incomplete,
twenty-first of Henry VIII. 's reign, and continue to the
ally
of Henry VIII. , Edward VI. , IMary, Elizabeth, and James I.
present time.
=^35 The "
"5 These commence in the twentieth year
of the reign of Edward II. , and end in the
thirteenth of Charles I. , but they were never
continued in regular succession. A "Ca-
lendar of the Patent and Close Rolls of
Chancery in Ireland, of the Reigns of
Henry VIII. , Edward VI. , Mary, and It contains the inquisitions for Ultonia or Elizabeth," in two octavo volumes, has Ulster, with Indexes. These volumes show been edited by James Morrin, and published the tenures of Irish lands and their received A. D. 1S61, 1862. These volumes greatly names, at various periods, from the time of serve to elucidate the ecclesiastical and civil
history of that period included.
"* These comprise both the public and private Acts of the Irish Parliament, begin- ning with the reign —of Henry VI. , and end-
inquisitions for Munster and Connaught are not yet published.
of
a legislative Union.
^-^ These commence with the reign of
Henry VIIL, and end in the tenth year of
^3^ These documents are very numerous, and were transferred from the Parliamentaiy Office to the Rolls Office, at the time of the Union.
=37 These consist of Surveys, Charters, Rentals and various other instruments.
ingintheyear1800 thatlamentableera
Inquisitionum
in Officio Rotu-
lorum Cancellari^ Hibernite asservataram
Repertorium,"vol. i. , in folio, was published
A.
a " De Concilio Hi- heading,
congestus. "
This index
pages ; again
berniae per Magnates totius illius Insulce," taken from the "Liber Niger," in Trinity
f. 6 a. This latter docu- ment is thought to date A. D. 1295, and it takes up six pages and a half page. Other documents are, A Grant of Freedoms to the City of Dublin, by King Henry II. , with
supplementary Charters, and a Charter, granting Meath to Hugh de Lacy. A short and an unimportant index closes thisMS. volume.
'" It comprises 140 folios, well and legibly
traced on both sides, although on poor
paper.
'? » The Royal Irish Academy, for pro-
moting the study of Science, Polite Litera-
College, Dublin,
CXVUl INTRODUCTION.
members have already acquired, by donation or purchase, most invaluable historical, poetical, and topographical tracts, especially in the native lan-
guage. Besides many old and original manuscripts, generally in a fine state of preservation, more modern copies, from older sources, have been
procured. It will only be necessary to mention here, the O'Longan family collection, Edward O'Reilly's, Sir William Betham's, the Messrs. Hodges and Smith's, James Hardiman's, John Windale's, Du Noyefs Antiquarian Drawings, with some less extensive additions.
Not to speak of the Ordnance Survey collection and sketches, these MSS. are the gradual acquisition of less than a century, while the stock promises a continuance of increase. Much progress has been already made with the task of preparing suitable catalogues,'' 75 by order of the council. '^^ Messrs. Owen Connellan and Eugene O'Curry'77 have partially described the contents of Irish Manuscripts. ' 78 Since their death, this work has been resumed by Messrs. O'Longan and Br)'an O'Looney, M. R. I. A. Other competent and zealous Irish scholars have likewise contributed to extend a knowledge of matters contained in this department of literature. '79 De- scriptions are to be found in printed volumes, regarding some of the most importantamongthosemanuscriptsandtheircontents. '^ Thewriterhas
ture, and Antiquities, was incorporated by the Irish Parliament, a d. 1786.
'75 As yet, these are in manuscript, with
the exception of Sir William R. Wilde's
Irish scholar and scribe compiled six large folio volumes of Catalogues, containing a
description of all the manuscripts preserved in the Royal Irish Academy's collection, to that period, when his labours terminated.
learned and scientifically designed " Cata-
logue of the Antiquities of Materials in the
Museum of the Royal Irish Academy. " described according to the classification Dublin, 1857, et seq. In three parts, pro- adopted in the old Academy House in
fusely illustrated. The remaining parts are yet to be published.
'7' And under the able direction of John
T. Gilbert, Esq. , M. R. I. A. , Librarian.
'77 Mr. Eugene O'Curry had been em-
Grafton-slreet, and before the Institution had been transferred to its present site in Dawson-street, Dublin.
'79 Denis H. Kelly, Esq. , M. R. I. A. , has compiled, in two folio volumes, an Alpha- betical Index of subjects to five of Eugene
ployed to give a complete Catalogue Rai-
sonni of all materials—especially Irish— O'Curry's Catalogue volumes. This valu-
able personal compilation was presented by Mr. Kelly to the Academy in 1861. These Indices are most creditable to this gentle- man's industry, learning, method, judgment and public spirit.
'*° The reader is
Eugene O'Curry's
volumes, describing the Betham collection " of the Proceedings
contained in the manuscript department. This task was commenced in 1842. He
soon compiled a large folio volume, thus described by himself, and in his own hand-
writing, on the fly-leaf: "A Catalogue of the Number and Contents of Messrs.
referred to "Lecturesonthe Manu- script Materials of Ancient Irish History ;" as also to a work, by the same author, " On the Manners and Customs of the An- writing, prefixed to the first volume, he cient Irish. " A Series of Lectures. Edited, commenced the compilation of a Catalogue, with an Introduction, Appendices, etc. , by comprised in three large folio volumes. W. K. Sullivan, Ph. D. Likewise,see "Trans- Besides these, he compiled two more actions of the Royal Irish Academy," and
and Smith's Collection of Irish Manuscripts," by Eugene Curry, Dublin, 1843. In the year 1842, as is apparent from a note in Eugene O'Curry's own hand-
Hodges
Irish of Irish Manuscripts. In all, this learned from the first to the latest volumes.
»7^ It must be understood, that these are
specially
Royal
Academy,"
INTRODUCTION. CXIX
frequently, and for many years past, consulted the manuscripts and books belonging to this noble institution,'^' while he has drawn from them some of the most valuable illustrative matter, contained in succeeding pages of this work.
Permission being accorded, by the Superior-General of the Franciscans, at Rome, to remove the valuable collection of Irish MSS. , kept at St.
Isidore's Convent,'^* to Dublin, together with several rare works, relating to our national history,*^3 about the beginning of 1872, these treasures were
safely transferred to the Franciscan Convent, on Merchant's-quay. '^'* Some of these MSS. , having been removed from Louvain originally, are in Colgan's
beautifully minute, yet legible hand-writing. Many of them had been used during the compilation of his hagiographical works. Besides what have
been already partially described, a good sized folio paper MS. of Irish Saint's Lives, written in Latin, is remarkable. Most legibly and elegantly
transcribed or compiled'^5 for the purpose of publication, it includes 304 very closely-written pages. The Acts of St. Attracta, which precede the
and
''' Long before he had the honour of
being elected a Member of the Royal Irish
Academy, the writer enjoyed the privilege mentioned ; and, during the whole period, since his first introduction as a reader, he has received the most unremitting kindness and attention from the Librarian, John T. Gilbert, Esq. ; from the Clerk of the Aca-
demy, Edward Clibbom, Esq. ; from the Resident Curator, Robert M'Eniry, Esq. ; and from the Assistant Clerks, Messrs. J. J. MacSweeney and R. F. O'Mulrennan.
'^^ The Irish Manuscripts preserved at St. Isidore's, Rome, had been described in letters from Charles MacDonnell, Esq. , and read before the Royal Irish Academy on
"
June I2th, 1854. See
Royal Irish Academy," vol. vi. , pp. 95 to 112.
*^5 This happy incident, and an admirable
poetic description of the recovered national
treasures, are most spiritedly and feelingly recorded in a poem, intituled, "The St.
Isidore Manuscripts, now in St. Francis', Dublin. " It was written by John Francis
O'Donnell, and published in "The Nation" of 30th March, 1872. The following is its
opening stanza : —
are not
nal notes. '^^ Nor can I discover that these Acts except very few had been published by Colgan in their present form •^'^^ although it seems evident
index,
numbered,
throughout
this there are various MS. , — —
Proceedings of the
"
In troublous days these treasures came— St. Gerald, at the 13th of March. These
From Ireland of the four bright seas.
'^7 Among the exceptions are the Acts of
m
Through clouds—through fires—through darknesses—
To Rome of immemorial- name—
Rome of immeasurable fame.
The reddened hands of foes would rive
Each lovely growth of cloister—crypt—
Dim folio, yellow manuscript— Where yet the glowing pigments live ; But a clear voice cried from Louvain :
'
Give them to me, for they are mine ! ' And so they sped across the main—
The Saints their guard, the ship their shrine. "
'^^ The task of selection, supervision, and direction, was left to the learned Father Theobald Carey, O. S. F. To him, the writer feels deeply indebted, as custodian of these treasures, for every facility afforded to peruse and copy them. Father Carey has most kindly supplied many extracts of great value, during the progress of this work, and which greatly enhance the value of its con- tents.
'85ByFatherJohnGolde,O. S. F. The
title of this MS. , already alluded to, is
"Vitffi Sanctorum ex Codice Inisensi. "
'^*
All apparently in Colgan's hand- writing.
argi-
cxx INTROr>UCTION.
he had intended them for publication. Again, there are three large Fas- ciculi, in folio, including some hundreds of closely-written pages, for the
most part—indeed nearly altogether—in Colgan's hand-wTiting. These are loosely placed within vellum covers. They seem to have been a first draft
of Lives, Appendices, and Notes, which Colgan afterwards printed, but in amoreenlargedandfinishedway,inhis"TriasThaumaturga. "'^^ Inone case, over thirteen pages of St. Columban's Life are found ;'^9 these, how- ever, are not in Colgan's hand.
begrimed and worn, as to become illegible in various places. This valuable record was frequently consulted by Colgan. '9- Some of its initial
letters are very curiously traced. Although there is a very general unifor- mityofIrishwriting; yet,hereandthere,canbedetectedtheintroduction of notes, and in different styles of Irish character. These are presumably
"" modern, as compared with the original text. Besides the Feilire of
. ^ngus, and the Scholia affixed, this Codex has other Irish poems and com- ments interlined, both at the beginning and end. The " Liber Hymnorum," a vellum MS. of the ninth or tenth century, it is presumed, and in twenty- three folia,'93 is very much stained and worn, so as to be illegible in various places. *9* This differs in many respects from the MS. " Liber Hym-
norum," preserved in Trinity College Library. Besides the foregoing, there is a beautifully and legibly transcribed copy '9s in parchment of Manus
Within a on which is inscribed " parchment cover,
Martyrologium Cathaldi Maguir, sive ^ngussius Auctus," and " 8 Ccnt. ,"'9° there are forty-nine folios in vellum. '9' This codex is of the largest folio size, but several of the pages—especially towards the beginning and end—are so
are printed verbatim from Colgan's copy of the " Book of the Island. The Acts of St. Fechin, at the 20th of January ; the Life of St. Berach, at the 15th of February ; tlie Acts of St. David, at the ist of March ; and the Acts of St. Endeus, imperfect : these are all taken from that " Book of the Island. "
'^ In one instance, I find a leaf, which
contains the concluding portion of St. Seizin's Acts, and a part of the first note to
them, as published by Colgan in " Acta Sanctorum Hibernioe," vi. Martii, p. 47S. This was not written by Colgan.
'^ His feast occurs on the 21st of Novem- ber. The life does not end in a complete manner.
'9" This indicates how that copy of the " Feilire" belongs to the eighth century. From another annotation, within the Codex, we learn, that it was one of those MSS.
belonging to the Convent of Donegal.
'»' Besides these, there is an additional
slip of small size.
'»* He often quotes it under either of the
aforesaid titles.
'^ In 410 size.
'»* In the poem of John Francis O'Don-
nell—to which allusion has lieen already
made—the following stanza thus faithfully describes—and yet with some poetic li-
cense—this venerable manuscript : —
*^
Liber Hymnorum ! Beauteous book,
Gray with the glory born of time, Dim leaves which the Francisc—an took,
At dewy eve, at early prime
Even at midnight's measured chime—
And on them wrote, with pen devout,
'
The cries in which the Saints of God
Adored the blessed path He trod, When sorrows ringed Him round about. Stand firm, dear Book, that all may see
That in the years which have no name,
Our country had a history,
And Europe echoed back her fame. "
"''^
In large 410 sliapc.
'9® It contains 132 pages, written in
double columns, besides a quarter page, which concludes this work.
hundred years before Manus O'Donnell wrote this life.
J99 By Bryan MacNally, whose name is giveninLatin,onthelastpage.
200
Throughout are various marginal an- notations of Colgan ; and, from this copy, he probably prepared his Latin translation, abbreviated for insertion and printed in
'"* William M. Hennessy, M. R. LA. , de-
scribes the following tracts. At page 16,
and col. 3, there is a list of f—oreign saints,
withsomeoftheIrishSaints resembling
them in manner—compared. It is headed
'97 One of the comments there found are
the " Trias
With fairy fancies— birds and flowers— Roses of everlasting blow,
"
'°' Extracted from the Book of Leinster.
And
blooms of bowers — never-fading
Thaumaturga.
"
moris. " It has been published by Dr.
Blue lakes, green isles, and mystic towers !
O blessed be the monkish hands
Which filled each page with such sweet
gi-ace.
When earth for Learning found no
place,
And war streamed red across the lands.
Fade never, but be monument
Of what the brave Franciscans did,
Wlien battle shook the Continent,
And half the world in gloom lay hid.
XIII.
Ireland shall treasure book and scroll ;
Andfromtheirsacredleavesmayrise
Hie incipiunt Sancti qui erant unius
Todd, in his
"
Martyrology of Donegal. "
Besides other treatises, composed by Irish
Saints, or relating to them, we find at page
20, and col. 3, a poem of ten stanzas, as-
cribed to St. Ciaran. The last composition
on this same page, and in the tenth folium,
is a of twelve stanzas,
poem
enumerating twiceasmanysaints, whoseintercessionin
INTRODUCTION. CXXl
O'Donnell's Irish Life of St. Columkille. '? ^ The subject matter of this Treatise is perfect throughout, but it wants a title. On the last page, John O'Neill, the name of its scribe, is to be found ; and, on the original blank side, a few irrelevant entries are to be seen. '97 The leaves are inserted within a much older embossed leather cover, of an exceedingly ingenious pattern, and reticulated, in the Irish style of art.
'9^ Evidently the cover was not made for the present Codex, for it is somewhat smaller in size. There is another paper copy of this work in MS. , but greatly damaged on many of the pages. It is under a very worn parchment cover, and there are included ii8 pages, closely written in Irish. '9^ Other leaves—in the beginning and end—contain a few irrelevant entries. '°°
Besides those tracts, attributed to St. -^ngus the Culdee, as author, and contained in the ten vellum /<7//a,'°^ various other fragments of an interesting historical character are found. ^°" Hardly less valuable—although not per-
taining specially to the subject of Irish hagiology—are many highly important papers,^°3 which preserve the arcana of Ireland's ecclesiastical and civil affairs, during the troubled period of the seventeenth century. '"> Reference is specially made to the papers of Father Luke Wadding.
heaven and whose prayers on earth were the
same or of equal efficacy.
*°3 For a very detailed and interesting
account of the Manuscripts belonging to these words in Colgan's hand-writing, the former College of the Irish Franciscans, "Sancte Columba ora pro me peccatore. " Ivouvain, that account of J. T. Gilbert may '9^ The Rev. Dr. Reeves is of opinion, be consulted in "Fourth Report of the Royal that the cover had be'en prepared many Commission on Historical Manuscripts,"
part i. , pp. 599 to 613.
^°^ John Francis O'Donnell thus concludes
those glowing stanzas, to which attention has beenalreadydrawn: -
XII.
" Rare psalters, whose initals glow
' *
cxxii INTRODUCTION.
Some few of our Irish Catholic Colleges'°s and religious houses,"^* as likewise private collectors, have obtained very useful records, which help to solve many difficulties, in relation to our theme. The Irish Catholic
University Library, Stephen's Green, Dublin, has already secured several valuable Irish MSS. , collected or transcribed by a former eminent Gaelic
scholar, Professor Eugene O'Curry. Copies of the Brehon Laws,^°7 have also been added. These manuscript contents may be conveniently clas- sified, under the following heads : —I. Historic Literature. II. Heroic Tales. III. Lives of Saints. IV. Glossaries. V. Laws. I. In the de- partment of Historic Literature, there is a choice collection of Historic Tales, Annals, and Genealogical works, with a rare collection of poems and prose pieces of great value. II. Of heroic and legendary pieces, there is a large selection, taken from poems and tracts, found among the oldest and best Irish manuscripts extant. '°^ III. In the Ecclesiastical department, there is a very large collection of the Lives of Irish Saints, Calendars, Homilies, Festilogies, &c. , collected from the Libraries of Oxford, and of the British Museum, as likewise from those of the Royal Irish Academy andofTrinityCollege,Dublin. Tothosetractsisaddedthatuniquecollection containing the Lives of Irish Saints, made by the indefatigable Michael O'Cleary, and by his brother scribes, known as the Four Masters. Those im-
portant works, in the original, are now preserved in the Burgundian Library, at Brussels. From this collection, O'Curry selected copies of such biogra-
A newer and a mightier soul,
To raise her nearer to the skies, And win her grander destinies.
And Ireland never can forget
one for the Library of the Royal Irish Academy, and another for that of the Catholic University. He got a conditional undertaking, on behalf of the Brehon Law
The — men who loving
Commission,
that those sets should be made
through long Sad centuries of silent tears—
complete. Thislatter"^promisehasnotyet been fulfilled.
'°* The value of this class of literature is shown, by the important use made of them
years
Their seal these treasures upon
set, Guarding them for the brighter day Which, be it far or close at hand,
Must pour inevitable ray
On this unconquerable land. "
»°s Among these, Maynooth contains some valuable Irish Historical Tracts.
»"* The Franciscan Convent, Wexford, has probably a large collection of such do- cuments.
">' These are distinguished from the rest, by the title, "Smyth Collection," because they were secured for the Catholic Univer- sity, owing to the exertions of Mr. P. J.
Smyth, MP. , for the County of Westmeath, who, on entering Parliament, in the year 1872, brought this matter before the House. He repeated a demand, until his exertions secured two sets of seventeen volumes each —
"
Manners
in O'Curry's Lectures on the
and Customs of the Ancient Irish. " Pro- fessor Bryan O'Looney, of the Catholic University, has been so forcibly impressed with the value of these Heroic and Legen- dary pieces, [that he has already collected and translated over 200 of such documents. On the evening meeting of the nth Novem- ber, 1872, he submitted to the Royal Irish Academy for publication, no less than 153 independent pieces, illustrating this class of literature. Happily,thesearenowincourse of publication. This number is quite inde- pendent of his invaluable translation of the " Leabhar na h-Uidhri," which he sub- mitted to the Academy, during the previous year. This translation has been referred to the Council for publication.
INTRODUCTION. CXXUl
phies as are not elsewhere to be found. ^"9 He also copied some curious
religious rules, poems, and pieces of great importance, for the student of Irish Ecclesiastical History. ^'" IV. The Glossaries, collected by O'Curry,
and styled the O'Curry Glossaries, number over twenty-five thousand sepa- rate articles. All of these have been copied, and arranged in alphabetical order. They may be put to press, so soon as funds can be made available for their publication. '" V. Laws. The collection of Brehon Law manuscripts was copied from transcripts, made by O'Donovan and O'Curry, under the direction of the Brehon Law Commission. Short as has been the time since the CathoHc University was founded, this National Institution has done more to promote the study of Irish Literature and Archaeology, than any other University or Collegiate establishment now existing. '"
There are several thousand original Records preserved,"3 nearly all written in Norman or Latin court-hand, chiefly relating to the Possessions and Privileges of the Prior and Convent of the Holy Trinity, and sub- sequently of the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Dublin. Among those
""
Records were the Registrum Novum,""* the Repertorium Viride,"''s
a vellum book of entries comprising leases, belonging to Christ Church,
'^ This he did, when
MSS. had been sent over to Ireland by the Belgian Government.
"° Professor O'Curry made these collec-
tions, with a view to their translation, and
hoping to have them published by the Ca- tholic University. But his valuable life was too short forsuch a great effort, and therefore no translations of those transcripts remain in his collection. However, his very worthy and industrious successor, in the Chair of Irish History and Archaeology, has taken up the programme where O'Curry broke off; and Professor O'Looney has now finished trans- lations of those ancient Irish Lives, with other most interesting tracts, rendered into English. In the kindest and most generous spirit. Professor O'Looney has afforded the most ready access to and use of these pre- cious materials to the author.
="'
perly so called—there are several other col-
lections, including those of the Brehon Laws. When added to the O'Curry collec- tion, thoseaccessions should bring the number of words to 34,000, which are not found, so explained, in any dictionary now available.
^" For proof of this assertion, the reader
''
and also " Lectures on the Manners O'Curry's
and Customs of the People of Ancient Ire- land," edited, with an Introduction, Appen-
dices, Glossary, and Indices, by his colleague Dr. Sullivan, efficiently assisted by Professor O'Looney.
"3 These begin about the time of Henry II. , and continue down to the Reformation, with little or no remarkable interruption. There is a Charter of Henry IL, issued about 1172, to the former community; while there are two Bulls of Pope Urban, to confirm the constitutions of Archbishop Comyn, and the possessions of this church, dated A. D. 1 1 86. There are many Papal Bulls and Indulgences, Statutes and Ordin- ances, Kings' Letters, Royal and Private Grants, Charters, Inquisitions, Conventions, Wills, Rolls of Accounts, and Rentals.
many years ago
^'* Compiled by Doctor Lyon, in three Besides the O'Curry Glossaries—pro- folio volumes. It contained, copies of
The Atlantis," published in Dublin, A. D. 1858,
most of the foregoing Records, digested chronologically, with extracts from the "Liber Niger," and " Liber Albus," as also from the Chancery Rolls. " His ob- ject appears to have been the furnishing of a complete collection, regarding the Anti- quities, Property, and Privileges of Christ Church. Several Records here copied are now missing.
"5 This is a Book, respecting the Churclies and Religious Houses in the Diocese of
may be referred to those volumes of
"
the Manuscript Materials of Irish History,
et seq. Likewise see O'Curry's
Lectures on "
CXXIV INTRODUCTIOX.
a book of Benefactions to Christ Church, the " Liber Niger,"''^ the " Liber
Albus,""7 and a Charter of Henry VIIL, which changed the Prior and Con-
venttoaDeanandChapter. ^^^ AmongtheMunicipalRecordsofDublin
City, are some curious Ecclesiastical Documents. ^'? Those Records, preser\'ed
in Birmingham Tower, Dublin Castle, in custody of the Ulster King-at-
Arms, although of importance for genealogical purposes, as serving to throw a great deal of light on the social and political history of the centuries
immediately preceding our time, are not of a character materially to aid the hagiographer's researches. The King's Inns' Library contains few Manuscripts, and none of ecclesiastical consequence f'° but the admirable selection of its books, and their most convenient arrangement for the student's purpose, were found of especial utility, while the writer had been engaged on the present work. ='' The Dublin Library Society and Hiber- nian Athenaeum was established in 1791. It contains some fine historical works,butnoManuscripts. ^'* SeveralreligioushousesinDublinpreserve very rare and valuable books.
Dublin, composed by Archbishop Allen, A. D. 1532.
"* This remarkable Manuscript is a vel- lum folio, bound in wood, and written in court-hand. It comprises nearly 500 pages,
ments of Ireland, from the Archives of the City of Dublin, &c. , 11 72-1 320. This work is a cullection of original documents, eluci- dating mamly the history and condition of the municipal, middle, and trading classes, under or in relation with the rule of Eng- land over Ireland,—a subject hitherto left in almost total obecurity. Extending over the first hundred and fifty years of the Anglo-
closely written, with many illuminated capi-
tals, about the year 1340. Its contents are
very miscellaneous : Charters, Statutes,
Norman-French Poems, Leonine and Latin
verses, Registries of Writs, Calendars, Normarf settlement, this series includes Chronicles, Chronologies, Martyrologies,
Legends, Grants, Letters, Historical and Empirical ; Memorandums, Lists of Ten- ants, a curious Treatise of Arithmetic, ex- hibiting the state of that science before the introduction of Arabic numerals, with sun- dry articles, relating to the Antiquities of Christ Church.
"^ This is a vellum folio, bound in wood, written by Thomas Tyche, about 1490. It contains statutes, grants, and other docu- ments, relating chiefly to this Cathedral, its Lands, Immunities, and Rights. Almost every article it contains has been copied into the " Registrum Novum. "
charters, municipal laws and regulations, rolls of names of citizens and members of merchant-guilds, lists of commodities with their rates, correspondence, illustrations of relations between ecclesiastics and laity ; together with many documents, exhibiting the state of Ireland, during the presence there of the Scots under Robert and Edward Bruce. It is published in 8vo. shape.
"° See Report of Bartholomew Thomas
pp. 321, 322.
^^ To the unvarying courtesy and kind-
ness of the accomplished Chief Librarian, Joseph M. La Barte, Esq. , and of his learned associate officers, Messrs. Martin Haverty and John David O'Hanlon, must his grate- ful acknowledgments be made, in a special manner.
218 " See
Duhigg,
Commissioners, appointed by his Majesty to execute the measures recommended in an . Address of the House of Commons, respect- ing the Public Records of Ireland," vol. i. ,
Reports of the Commissioners
appointed by his Majesty to execute the Measures recommended in an Address of
the House of Commons, respecting the Public Records of Ireland," vol i. , p. 307.
='9 In 1870, some of these first saw the
light, under the editorial supervision of John
T. Gilbert, Esq. , F. S. A. , and Secretary of
the Public Record Office of Ireland, with
"'In was "
1S57 printed, Catalogue
the title,
"
Historic and Municipal Docu-
of the Lil)rary oftheDubHn Literary Society
Librarian, " of the among Reports
"3 The " Rotulorum Cancellariie Calen-
darium in Hibeinia," in two folio vo- 1659.
a. d. Grants 1828, comprises
-^'i These commence a. d. and con- 1703,
tinue to A. D. 1829 ; they contain certificates
of conformity to the Protestant religion.
-^=' These commence a. d. 1778, and con-
tain the qualifications of Roman Catholics. ^^^ The pleadings filed in that court com-
mence in 1662 and end in 1714.
-'= These e. xtend from 1568 to the present
time.
^^3 These commence in 1796, and continue
lumes, printed
of Land, Deeds, Cliarters, &c. , from the time
of Henry II. , to that of James I. volumes are of historical and
These
topogra- Chartse, Privilegia, et Immunitates," from a. d. 1171 to a. d. 1399, were printed, and many of these re-
great phical interest. Some
"
INTRODUCTION. C? (XV
The Irish Public Records may be classed under the headings of Chancery Enrolments,^^3 commonly known as the Patent"* and Close Rolls,'^5 the Parliament,^^^ Recognizance,"? CromwelFs,"^ the Convert,"? Roman Catholic"3o and Palatinate Court of Tipperary Rolls -p^ the Pleadings, Bills, Answers and Decrees in the Court of Chancery f^^ Letters of Guardian- ship ;^33 Warrants -p^ Inquisitions •p''> Transmises of Public and Private Acts of Parliament, from the Reign of Henry VII. to the Union f^^ with several original and miscellaneous Records. ^37 Many of our ecclesiastical,
civil and legal documents, having been badly placed, were destroyed, owing to the effects of fire, water, damp, and want of care in their arrangement and use. The fullest account of the state of our Irish Records, at the
"
Commissioners appointed by his Majesty to execute the Measures recom-
commencement of the present century, is that given in
Reports of the
and Hibernian AtheniEum," in 8vo. , Dublin.
the reign of Charles I.
^^^
These contain chiefly deeds and memo- randa ; they date from A. D. 1653 to a. d.
late exclusively to ecclesiastical maUers.
^-'* These commence in the reign of Ed-
ward I. , and continue to the present time,
with various chasms in the series. Especi-
to the present time.
^3+ These commence with the
are during the reigns they incomplete,
twenty-first of Henry VIII. 's reign, and continue to the
ally
of Henry VIII. , Edward VI. , IMary, Elizabeth, and James I.
present time.
=^35 The "
"5 These commence in the twentieth year
of the reign of Edward II. , and end in the
thirteenth of Charles I. , but they were never
continued in regular succession. A "Ca-
lendar of the Patent and Close Rolls of
Chancery in Ireland, of the Reigns of
Henry VIII. , Edward VI. , Mary, and It contains the inquisitions for Ultonia or Elizabeth," in two octavo volumes, has Ulster, with Indexes. These volumes show been edited by James Morrin, and published the tenures of Irish lands and their received A. D. 1S61, 1862. These volumes greatly names, at various periods, from the time of serve to elucidate the ecclesiastical and civil
history of that period included.
"* These comprise both the public and private Acts of the Irish Parliament, begin- ning with the reign —of Henry VI. , and end-
inquisitions for Munster and Connaught are not yet published.
of
a legislative Union.
^-^ These commence with the reign of
Henry VIIL, and end in the tenth year of
^3^ These documents are very numerous, and were transferred from the Parliamentaiy Office to the Rolls Office, at the time of the Union.
=37 These consist of Surveys, Charters, Rentals and various other instruments.
ingintheyear1800 thatlamentableera
Inquisitionum
in Officio Rotu-
lorum Cancellari^ Hibernite asservataram
Repertorium,"vol. i. , in folio, was published
A.
