seeing him a Widower his former Wife the Scythian Kings Daughter having died before he came to Egypt the gave him one of his own Daughters to Wife 4. Of his departure from Egypt by Sea and various adventures for some years roaming about all the Northern Seas and Isles of Europe 5. Of his return at last to his own Countrey of Spain and the five and forty Battels fought there victoriously by him and under his conduct by his near Cosins the Children of Breoghuin the Son of Bratha who founded Braganza in Portugal against the forein Enemies that invaded that Kingdom then 6. Of the destruction and utter extirpation at least for a good while of all those Foreiners out of Spain by his Valour and Wisdom and which was consequent of his possessing by himself and his foresaid Kinsmen the greater Part of this Kingdom 7. Of his two and thirty Sons part Legitimat but the most part Illegitimat 8. Of the great Dearth in his time all over Spain continuing six and twenty years thro want of Rain 9. And lastly how this Dearth together with several other reasons but particularly that of his minding now the Prophetical Prediction of him by his own Magitian Cathoir some years before That his Posterity should settle in Ireland made him and soon after his death eight of his Sons think upon invading Ireland Tho I say these are matters not wholly foreign to my purpose yet because they are unnecessary it sufficeth to have touch'd 'em lightly And so I proceed to what I intended as more material here to let you know Which is 1. That of those 8. Sons of that Great Milesius for no more of his two and thirty Sons ventured to Ireland who presently after their Fathers death setting forth from Breoghuin's Tower a place in Gallicia long after called Notium but of later years Compostella and putting to Sea with the first convenience and landing in Ireland then when the three Sons of Cearmada ruled there by turns and by their great Valour destroying all three at last in the Battel of Tailtinn and thereby subduing thorowly the whole Nation of Tuatha-De-Danann two only I mean of those eight Brothers survived to rejoyce in their Conquest finish'd by that Battel Eibhir and Erimhon alias Heber and Herimon as the Latins call them the other six being lost by various Chances 2. That Eibhir and Erimhon assuming now the sovereign power of the whole Island after partition made first to themselves then to their Cousins German then to their other Captains and last of all to the common Soldiers of convenient proportions of Land ruling severally over all that is Eibhir in the Southern and Erimhon in the Northern Division the first year in perfect peace together and then falling at odds through the Pride and instigation of Heber's Wife that put her Husband upon having all in both Divisions to himself alone to the end forsooth she might sit and strut upon the three chief Ardes or Heights of Ireland as the only Queen thereof and then coming to a pitch'd Battel and Heber kill'd in it and then Herimon remaining the only King without any Competitor until his death which hapned fourteen years after He was the first of a hundred fourscore and one that as Monarchs of all Ireland successively governed it and the Milesian or Irish Nation the only possessors of it for two thousand four hundred eighty eight years until the landing of Henry the second there in the year of Christ 1172. 3. Cambrensis himself tho Giraldus Camb. Topog. Hiber dist 3. c. xv 17. 36 37 44. otherwise no great favourer of the Irish does certifie so much by computing from Herimon the first King to Laogirius who was King when St. Patrick landed there Anâ— Christi 432. to preach the Gospel a hundred thirty and one from Laogirius to King Fedlimidius which contain'd 400 years of the flourishing state of Christianity among the Irish three and thirty more and from that period to Ruaridh O Conchabhair who was the Monarch when Henry II. landed as before the whole remainder of that number of a hundred fourscore and one who besides a far greater number of the Provincial Kings under them governed as Sovereign Monarchs of all that Island for so many Ages from the year of the World 2736. Argument enough I think for the Antiquity of the Irish Nation to be no where parallel'd if not peradventure by the Chineses only in the late History written of them by Martinus à Martinâ—s 4. That for their bravery in Martial Exploits to say nothing now of a thousand bloody proofs thereof given by them at home for much above 2000 years fighting almost continually either the Progeny of Heber in general against Herimon's for the Sovereignty or one Province or greater Division Leath Cuinn and Leath Mogh invading the other especially after the Provincial Kings had set up by the Authority of Eoghun Mor or Eugenius Magnus the Monarch about 600 years after the death of Herimon so that very few of their Monarchs in so large an extent of time died other than violent deaths and this in Battel commonly but to say nothing of these proofs given by them at home their manifest Invasions abroad their Plantations and at last even total Conquest of the Kingdom of Albain that part of Great Britain which in after Ages came to be called Scotland from their conquering and planting of it with Colonies of their Children for they themselves were in this part of the World the original Scots as their Countrey now called Ireland or in Latin Hibernia was then the only Countrey named Scotia is an argument which cannot be refuted 5. That the Nation which we call Picts but the Irish in their Language Cruinith having in the reign of Herimon the first Irish Monarch roam'd about by Sea from Scythia till they arrived at last in Ireland and there desiring to inhabit and being denied this request but however directed by Herimon to that part of the now Great Britain which lying Northeast of Ireland was called Albain then and is so still by the Irish and here seated themselves and then multiplying exceedingly for two hundred and fifty years at the expiration of this time upon some difference hapned Aonghus or Aenaeas Ollbhuadhach the VII Monarch of Ireland succeeding Herimon made so sharp and long a War upon them and not on them only but as well on the Northern Britains remaining still their Neighbours as upon the Inhabitants of the barren Orcades the Race of Fir Bholg long before expelled Ireland that in fifty fierce Battels given them he utterly broke their whole strength and made them Tributaries Nor was this the only Conquest made by the Milesian Irish either on the Heathen or Christian Picts and their Associats in Albain For to pass over those six or seven Invasions more of the Irish into Albain under several of their Monarchs from the Reign of the foresaid Aonghus or Enaeas to the
the other then Buchanan has before him nay wider from it as to the later Question than either Campion or Hanmer or any other follow'd by them These for so much had the good luck to yield to the Authority of V. Bede in his Eccles Histor l. 1. c. 1. where he expresly tells us to this purpose 1. That when the ancient Britons had possess'd themselves of the Southern Parts of this Noble Island which derives its name from them it happen'd that the Nation of Picts departing from Scythia entring the Ocean wind-driven to Ireland landing there desiring the Inhabitants the Scots to afford 'em Elbow-room for Cohabitation and being denied this but nevertheless directed by 'em to the Northern Tract of Great Brittain and withal promis'd their assistance if need should be to conquer it by force they by this direction and promise encourag'd put to Sea presently for that same Northern Tract and landing therein made it their habitation 2. That wanting Women and desiring Wives of the Scots they had 'em on this condition That whenever the succession to the Crown amongst their People should chance to be controverted the Female's line Royal should prevail and the King be chosen thence Which is even to this day observ'd among the Picts says Bede speaking of his own time 3. That they had a peculiar Language of their own For in the same Chapter he notes particularly how according to the number of the Five Books of Moses wherein the Divine Law had been written Brittain in his time praised God in five divers Languages viz. those of the English Britons Scots Picts and Latins this last made common to them all by their studying the Holy Scriptures Yet notwithstanding this plain account of the Picts given by V. Bede as to their great Antiquity or Time of their first appearance in these Western Islands and the Countrey whence they came to them being that of Scythia not only Buchanan but Cambden by little Criticisms and other weak conjectures would fain persuade us they had only been a part of the ancient Britons retired from the South and power of the Roman Legions in the same Island of Great Brittain c. into the more uncouth inaccessible Northern parts thereof That they were no earlier known by the name of Picts than the Reign of the Roman Emperours Diocletian and Maximian Herculeus And that their Language differ'd not in substance but only in a certain kind of Dialect from the Brittish Tongue spoken by the rest of their Countrey-men the other Brittons But the words of Bede are clearer and his authority greater than the arguments they bring are able to elude or impeach Nor indeed can any thing more be desired to end these two vexatious Questions concerning that Pictish Nation save only the particulars given by Keting out of the most ancient authentick Records of Ireland These are of such irrefragable authority that I am persuaded were they known to Cambden he had never disputed the matter At least I believe he should not if he had well consider'd of it The Irish were the Nation that by the confession of all sides from the beginning press'd longest and hardest of any upon that Northern Countrey inhabited by the Picts in Great Brittain They were the Nation that by degrees conquer'd so many of their Provinces planted so many Colonies in 'em establish'd a King of their own over the same Provinces long before the Romans attack'd either Yea they were the Nation that utterly subdued at last the whole Pictish Kingdom and extinguish'd in it the very name of Picts Wherefore it is plain that as the Irish were most concern'd so they had the best means of any to know both the time of their first appearance and Countrey too from whence they came as the Picts themselves were pleas'd to tell ' em And seeing it is no less plain out of what has been said elsewhere in these Discourses that the Irish Nation in all times had their publick Registers wherein with the greatest care and certainty could be all the Concerns of their People both at home and abroad together with all other matters they thought fit were recorded it must follow that their account of the Pictish Nation as to those two controverted points ought in reason to silence any other fancied by men of later days Now in that Irish account besides what you have seen already out of Venerable Bede there are many more particulars given at large by Keting out of the Psalter of Cashel whereof the chief heads are these 1. That in Thracia this People we call Picts serving Policornus the King of that Countrey in his Wars for pay but under a General and other Commanders of their own it happen'd that their General whose name was Gud understanding for certain how the King had design'd to ravish his beautiful Daughter if he could not otherwise make her his Whore prevented him by taking away his Life 2. That thereupon this Gud flying immediately with those of his Soldiery who were resolv'd to run his fortune put to Sea where he found convenience and roam'd up and down till he arriv'd in Gaule where being well entertain'd by the King of that Kingdom his Daughter's beauty prov'd the second time his bane after he had built or at least began the building of Pictavis from his People so called we call it now Poictiers For then observing that this Gaulish King also had the same design upon her that the Thracian had he saw there was no abiding there without sacrificing her honour to his Lust And therefore in all haste but as privately as he could he put to Sea again with his own People where he was toss'd so long till the occasion of all his woe his beautiful Daughter died and soon after he and his People arriv'd safe in Ireland at a place call'd in the Irish Tongue Inbher Slaine or the Mouth of the River Slane in Leinster which now we call the Haven of Weixford 3. That one by name Criomthann Sciatbheal being then Commander of Leinster under Herimon the First Milesian Monarch of Ireland hearing of their landing came to them and seeing them brave men entertain'd 'em willingly of purpose to assist him in fighting some Brittish Troops whom the Irish Books call Tuath Fiodhgha whose Lances and Arrows were poison'd to such degree that whoever was wounded by 'em could have no cure but Death 4. That after this League of Friendship made one of the Picts called Trosdan a great Magitian understanding of the common danger from those poison'd Weapons advis'd the said Leinster Commander to provide against the day of Battel a 150 white milch crumple-horn'd Cows to be milk'd all together when the Fight began the Milk put into a Hole prepar'd of purpose hard by and the wounded men to run presently and bath therein which being observ'd the effect prov'd answerable to expectation and the Brittains were quite overthrown with the loss of most of their Lives upon the spot 5.
years consumed by a Pestilence not one remaining of them A just judgment from Heaven without peradventure on him who had fled thither as it were from Heaven for having in his own Countrey in Scythia kill'd both his Father and Mother to make way for a Brother of his and their Son to come to the Royal Throne How in the end of 30 years more Nemedus another Scythian some of the Irish Chronologists say he was a son to Bartholanus left by him in Scythia when himself had departed thence with his four Sons Starius Gervale Annin and Fergus in a Fleet of 34 Ships and 30 Marriners in each of them arriving in Ireland overthrew in three Battels the remainder of those Affrican Gyants but was overcome in the fourth And how soon after this defeat Nemedus being dead his People rousing themselves put it to the issue of one great Battel sought at the same time both by Sea and by Land they having 30 thousand at Land and so many more at Sea and the Fight proved so mortal that albeit they had the victory yet they could reap no benefit by it the very Air being so corrupted by the stench of the Carcasses which lay unburied every where for they kill'd promiscuously in every place after that Victory Man Woman and Child of their Enemies that all over the Land there was an universal Pestilence which after seven years more made 'em depart and quit the whole Country leaving only ten Captains to defend those of their People that could not have Shipping against the remainder of the Gygantick Affricans How these Children or Posterity of Nemedus Clanna Neimheadh the Irish call 'em to avoid that dreadful and continual Pestilence departing in a thousand Vessels great and small under the Conduct of three Chieftains Simeon Breac Ibaath and Briotan the other two sailing to Greece Briotan with his adherents Landed in the North of that Countrey which we now call Scotland and with his and their Posterity remaining there gave the denomination of Brittain to this whole Island which is now called Great Brittain as holy Cormac the K. of Mounster and Bishop of Cashel in his Psalter of Cashel together with all the Chronologers of Ireland affirm Wherein surely they have at least much more probability of their side than any late Authors have that derive that name from Brutus or his Romantick History either in Galfridus or in any other For if from Brutus besides other reasons why not Brutannia rather than Britannia How the five sons of Dela viz. Gandius Genandius Segandius Rutheragus and Slanius being the 8th Generation from Simeon Breac and calied in Irish Fir-bholg after 217 years compleat from the former arrival of Nemedus there invaded Ireland with 5000 men of all sorts in their company and studing no great resistance won it entirely routed utterly out of it the remainder of that cursed Generation of Cham the Affrican Giants and divided it into five Provinces or Portions which Division continues till this day How they and four of their Children after them were in succession Monarchs of all Ireland after that Slanius who was the youngest of them all had by force and War upon the rest erected it to a Monarchy though he enjoy'd it but one year Death having given him no longer joy of his Conquest over his Brethren How none before them i. e. none of the former Invaders called themselves Kings they being the first Kings and Slanius among them too as I have now said the first Monarch that Ireland ever had Yet the Reigns of all the nine made not above 36 years in the whole How Eugenius or Eoghun as the Irish Books call him and so they have quite other terminations both for all these and all other Names too expressed by us with Latin terminations being the last of them and prosperously Reigning in peace and plenty over Ireland the Nation whom the Irish call Tuath-De-Danann under their King Nuathad Airgidlaimh as descending from the foresaid Nemedus or Nemeus or Neimh which you please to call him and therefore claiming that Kingdom as their right invaded it fought a great Battel in Connaught with Feramh-Bolg the Generation of Simeon Breac and Neimheadh or Nemedus kill'd a hundred thousand of them and thereby and without much loss to themselves conquer'd the whole kingdom the Reliques of Ferramh-Bolg retiring to the small Islands of Arrain I le Rachluinn and many other about Ireland and Scotland where they continued till such time as Ireland came to be govern'd by Provincial Kings under the Milesians How the Posterity of those Reliques of Ferraimb Bolg being forced away by the Picts had their refuge back again to Ireland and first to the King of Leinster turning Tenants to him for such Lands as he was pleased to lett unto them and next from Leinster because of the heavy rent there to Connaught shifting so in the best manner they could for themselves until by Co-Chulain and Connall Cearnach and the Inhabitants of Vlster they were wholly driven away the second time and quite Banish'd for ever only three Families Sur-names or Septs of them excepted which according to the judgment of some Irish Antiqnaries remain still in Connaght and Leinster as Dr. Keting who also names these Septs does write Adding thereunto this further animadversion as a necessary consequence that these three Families are not of Clanna Gaoidhel or Posterity of Gathelus from whom all the Milesians descended long before either Milesius himself or his Predecessors came into Spain Lastly how according to the Book called Psaltuir Chassil the aforesaid Colony or Nation of Tuatha-De-Danann held the Sovereignty of Ireland for 197 years under seven or rather indeed nine Kings for after Fiacha who was the 6th of them reigned the three Sons of Cearmada by turns yearly But neither to prosecute nor so much as to insert any of these Plantations or Conquests of Ireland by Ciocal or Partholan or Neimhe or Feara Bolg or Tuatha Dee Danann as the Irish names of them are can be much if any thing at all to my main purpose here And though perhaps it might be in some sort material to tell you what a famous man in his Generation nay in a great part of the World Milesius himself otherwise called Galathus in Latin but in Irish Galamh had been Or to tell you 1. Of his first adventuring from Spain to Scythia and serving there as General of the Army under his Kinsman Refloir the great Monarch of that Countrey 2. Of his marrying this Refloir's Daughter and Refloir's growing jealous of his greatness and preparing therefore to dispatch him and his preventing the King by taking away his life and then his quitting Scythia and passing to Egypt by Sea with a Fleet of sixty Sail and his being there employ'd by Pharaoh as General against the King of Ethiopia's Forces warring at that time on Egypt 3. Of the many over-throws given by him to them and Pharaoh's so great favour to him thereupon that
water to drink had all this rigour effectually put in execution against him and rejected even Columb-Cille's Petition for his release though come of purpose out of Scotland to obtain it And so I have done with my Instances nor have I more to say in reference to them Only that although I cannot tell what reasons either of these two Christian Monarchs had for such extream rigour towards Christian Princes of their own Nation though their Prisoners or at their mercy nor can tell as to particulars how considerably this cruel usage did add unto or inflame the former feuds Yet this much I can tell that neither of them had other than a violent death the former murder'd by Aodh Dubh mhac Suibhne the later kill'd in Battel by Brandubh King of Leinster as I have said before upon another occasion And so by consequence I have likewise done with all my special remarks on this large subject of the manifold bloody Feuds of that Nation both in the time of their Paganism and in that of their being under the Gospel of Christ for I intended no more such heer than I have given Which is the reason that now returning once more thither where I was before I conclude at last this long Section with one general remark on that People as they were under the Gospel in the more early Ages of it among them viz. That from the killing of their foresaid Christian Monarch Aodh mhac Ainmhiriogh the last we spake of here the Fate not only of the Milesians but other Gathelians whatsoever in Ireland and the Genius of their Kings Princes Nobles and other Martial men continuing for 300 years after him the very same it had been in the Age before him carried them on perpetually from time to time fighting and slaying and murthering one another at home until the four and twentieth of those Christian Monarchs of theirs who died violent deaths by the hands of their own Irish Subjects within the first 400 years of Christian Religion generally planted among 'em by name Aodh Ollann had been slaughter'd in the Battel of Seir by Domhnal mhac Murchadha that immediatly succeeded him Nay until that in this Domhnals Reign which continued 42 years and the Reign of his Successor Niall Frassach which lasted but four besides Colman the Bishop of Laosaine murdered by Vibh Tuirtre the Battel of Beallach Cro between Criomthan mhac Euno and Fionn mhac Airb the Battel of Beallach Gawran between Mac Conchearca King of Ossory and Dunghall King of Vibh Cionsallach kill d therein the Battel of Leagea betwixt Vibh Mbruine and Vibh Mainne the Battel of Corann betwixt Cinneal Gonnail and Cionneal Eoghuin and finally the killing of Combhasgach King of Ibh-Failghe by Maolduin mhac Aodha Beanainn King of Mounster whether in Battel or out of Battel I know not had fill'd up at last brim full the measure of their domestick unnatural slaughters happening within that term of time their first four Centuries of Christianity SECT IV. National sins Very slight causes of War Cormock Ulfada's beard Muireadhagh's Tiriogh's revenge and the three Colla's War on Ferghussa Fogha King of Eumhna Sundry warnings from God to the Irish Christians but not like the judgment at Magh-Sleachta or the other by Loch Earne on their Pagan Predecessors 1. The loss of all their Dominions abroad 2. Those two Epidemical Plagues at home called the Crom-Chonnioll and Buy-Chonnioll 3. Mortality of Kine and great Famil that follow'd 4. Those three or four Inroads made into their Country by the Saxons and Brittons 5. Prodigies with another extraordinary Famin. Notwithstanding all no amendment This instanc'd in the death of the Monarch's Loinnseach Conghall Cinn Fearrghall Foghartach and Kionaoth What of Flaithiortach The flood-gates of the North set open at last to pour Vengeance on this contumacious people Yet they amidst all continue their intestine feuds Witness the Monarchs Aodh Ordnigh Conchabhar mhac Donochadh and Niall Caille A sad Interregnum The particulars of their Bondage under Turgesius The glory of their Learning and Sanctity now gone for ever Scarce delivered from that Bondage when they relapsed again far more enormously than before This also instanc'd 1. In eight of those eleven Monarchs that Reign'd in the second Danish War 2. In the Reigns of those other six following that assumed the title of Monarchs though not allow'd for such by near at least one half of the Provinces Maolseachluinn the Second by his death put an end to the real Monarchy of Ireland among the Irish and Ruaruidh O Conchabhair saw in his own days not only the pretence or shadow of it gone but the very Being of this Nation any more a free People on Earth 24. SUch were the National provocations of Heaven peculiar to that People hitherto i. e. for two and twenty hundred years besides what we shall yet see did happen after above any other Nation of the whole Earth Immortal Feuds of death tyrannical oppressions of the Subject cruelty as well of justice as revenge Treason Conspiracies Rebellions Murders even of their Sovereigns effusion of human blood like water And this without pity without remorse without any cause sometimes but very slight and sometimes vain and ridiculous An arbitration between two religious Monks in a difference deciding against one of them must engage Families and Countrys in Arms to fight it out in Battel and cut one another in pieces A known Murtherer proscrib'd as unpardouable by their most sacred Laws and therefore justly put to death by the Monarch must nevertheless on pretence of his being seiz'd upon after he had been received into the protection of an Abbot be a just cause of rebelling and fighting that very Monarch and killing his whole Army to boot Nay one single Beast a Cow at most but very little worth taken away I know not how from the owner was the only cause of a great Battel fought between the same Monarch and the Provincial King of Connaught and a Battel wherein most of the Gentry of that Province and Mounster too were kill'd As if neither the Assailant nor Defendant tho Christian Kings both could find any other way to satisfie the poor Woman that was rob'd of that Cow or rather indeed as if they had sported so with the lives not only of their Subjects but of their Friends I say nothing of the Candle-snuff or of its firing the Monarch Cormack Vlfada's beard at an entertainment given him in Maig-Breag by Giolla King of Vlster who shuffing a Candle instead of throwing it aside threw it whether by chance or of purpose into Cormack's long beard which presently catch'd and burn'd up to his tresses Only I say That however this ridiculous matter happen'd or pass'd at that time it cost Vlster dear long after Cormack's death That Muireadhach Tiriogh the great Grand-child of this Cormack and sixth King of Ireland after him took it for a pretence to pour an Army of one and twenty thousand men under the command
whole Irish Nation had the ambition or lust or heart or valour now to entitle himself to that Soveraignty which had cost their Fore-fathers so many hundred Battels and such Rivers of blood to conquer it from one another he now usurps the title as he had before the power of King of Ireland though not acknowledged for such by the Irish at least not otherwise than by the meerest Galley-slaves their cruel unjust tormentors may be In fine that how long or how short soever it continued after this although it was indeed unsupportable to any human Creatures not wholly devoid of sense or feeling nevertheless it was no other than the most eminently prophetical Saints of that Nation Columb-Cille and Berchane observing even in their own time the detestable Pride Ambition Injustice Violence Licentiousness Aveâ—sation from all good Government so common and so ingrafted in their great Lords and Chieftains had 200 years before it happen'd fore-told should happen as a just judgment from God upon so sinful a Generation of men And which is very remarkable that Columb-Cille particuly foretold how in that very Monastery which in his time had been founded at Ardmacha such a Heathen powerful Stranger from beyond Seas and such in all respects as Turgheis was should make himself Abbot of it as verily he did upon his chasing away Foranan the Christian Abbot long before he had assum'd the Title of King of Ireland Yea and which I am sure is no less if not more remarkable yet that Berchan in express terms prophesied how under such a Forreign Tyrant every Church or Cili in Ireland should be possess'd by an Abbot of his Gang. 27. Besides I can inform you that altho in regard of the extraordinary mortifications offered and prayers incessantly pour'd out to God by the small remainder of the Irish Clergy who had hitherto saved themselves in uncouth horrid Wildernesses he was mercifully pleas'd as Keting says about this time i. e. after some few years of the universal Bondage to inspire that counsel to Maolseachluinn mhac Mhaolruanuidh the Irish King of Meath which as we have related before destroy'd both the Tyrant himself and all his Armies and Fortifications too on a sudden and consequently set all the Irish Nation free being now restored every private person to his former possessions as the Lords and Princes and Provincial Kings were each of them to his own respective jurisdiction at large and the said Maolseachluinn by common consent made Monarch and so their Policy and power of Dominion at home fully recovered Yet so were not their Riches their Treasures their Gold Silver and Jewels those former spoils of so many forreign Provinces for so many hundred years gathered home to Ireland by their Pagan Predecessors During so many strong impressions of the late conquering Heathen Foe into the very heart and all the most secret recesses of Ireland all were taken by them and carried away by their several Fleets some to Norway some to Denmark and the rest to other Eastern Borderers on the German or Baltick Sea And which was a greater loss to the Learned their Libraries their Books were never recover'd Only the few Religious men that preserv'd themselves preserved also a few of their Books But the greatest loss of all was not only of Learning in the Mart of Litterature but of Sanctity in the Island of Saints Neither the one nor the other was ever at any time after this restor'd in Ireland at least not near the former degree of eminence The only thing the only virtue indeed that after so many great losses revived illustriously and continued eminently conspicuous in that People was their Military prowess their Valour Bravery Fortitude in the second Danish War to say nothing more of their destroying Turgesius and all his Forces by help of that stratagem which ended the first And yet I must confess that all their Martial spirit in that very second War did exert it self in was only in defending themselves at home without any design or thought for ought appears to us of imitating those former Heroes among their Ancestors that carried the terror of their Arms both far and near abroad The truth is they were no sooner enfranchiz'd from the Tyranny of Turgesius than they resign'd themselves wholly to ease and rest and a life of extream unworthy unmasculin laziness Insomuch that they not only neglected all kind of Navigation and provision for it tho they might have considered that the like neglect formerly since they became Christians had been at least one of their greatest banes and that which gave their Invaders the opportunity of attacking them without fear on every Quarter of their Island whether with great or small inconsiderable Fleets but were so far besides blinded that having slighted all the Danish Fortificacations throughout the Land they made none at all in their stead nor indeed in any place not even on the Sea Ports for their own defence from abroad And which was yet more strange would not themselves be at the trouble of guarding so much as any one of all those very Ports but entertain'd in pay some of those very Forreigners their late vanquisht enemies for that employment of greatest trust whom therefore that is from their being hired for pay they call'd Buannacidhs In a word they gave themselves over to Luxury and full enjoyment of the good things of the Land which naturally of it self without much labour was a Country flowing with Milk and Honey and all things else necessary both for life and pleasure But the greatest of Curses expecting them was that by the time and it was but a very short time when they had surfeired on plenty and wantonness they presently says Keting return'd to their old vomit again They renew'd their fatal Feuds divided were at cruel discord fell a persecuting one another like mad as in former times with all kind of hostility This kindled anew the wrath of God against the Nation in general to such an extream that notwithstanding his mercy prevail'd with him still so far as not to bereave them of their Martial Fortitude tho they had so long and so often and so freshly now again abus'd it so mightâ—ly but to expect for a much longer time even two or three Ages yet their amendment and repentance before he would utterly destroy them nevertheless he did without delay permit his justice to set open once more the Flood-gates of the North to pour in the second time upon them those Ministers of his Vengeance the Norvegians Danes and their other barbarous Heathen Associats known to us only by the name of Oostmans or Easterlings and to continue their â—â—undations in Ireland to Plague a Rebellious ungrateful Generation of Christians and plague 'em now for a hundred and fifty years more compleat For as I have already noted elsewhere so long at least did this second Danish War continue heavy upon 'em only some few lucid intervals it had excepted And yet neither
half So that by this time I think the Reader has no reason to complain of want of Instances to purpose out of this Reign of Muirchiortach mhac Neill Who as we have seen was the saddest of them all himself as having by his own Vassals been set upon unprovided fought overcome and kill'd In the last place Ruaruidh O Conchabhar King of Connaght e'n that very same Ruaruidh who contended for so many years before with Muirchiortach mhac Neill and submitted to him at last appears now his Successor on this long tottering Theatre of Irish Monarchs Keting delivers a very imperfect account of him saying That besides Cannaght he had only the Kings of Breithfne and Oirghillac to acknowledg his Sovereignty and giving scarce any thing else happen'd in his Reign but what relates to Diarmuid na Ngall the Leinster Kings Rape and to the Brittons invited in by this Diarmuid nothing I am sure of those warlike Actions and great Contests of this Monarch with other Irish Princes But this defect in Keting is elsewhere abundantly supply'd I mean by Gratianus Lucius in his Cambrensis Eversus In this Author grounding himself on the Annals of Inis Faile you may read that this Ruaruidh not only bore the Title of King of Ireland but was so indeed But without any peradventure the Relation given by him shews this last Irish Monarch's fatal Reign to have been fruitful enough of those and they the very last of those Instances I purpos'd to recount Immediately on the death of his Predecessor kill'd by Eochadh he march'd his Connaght Army to Assa Ruah subdued all Tirconel and received their Hostages From thence both with his own Connacians and the Legions of Breithfne Teamhfna and Meath led on by Tighernan O Ruairk King of Breithfne and Diarmuid O Maolseachluinn King of Meath he march'd to Dublin enter'd it was entertain'd in it by the Danes Easterlings and other the Inhabitants of that City and Territories belonging to it with all demonstrations of honour was proclaim'd their King and they presented by him according to the custom then with a royal Gift of 4000 Beeves From hence but joyning first all the Militia of those Citizens to his former Legions he goes directly so accompanied to Droghedagh the Irish call it Droighid At h is received there by Donochad O Cearbheoil King of Oirghiallae has Hostages whom he pleas'd of that Countrey put into his power and then causes a present of 2000 Beeves more to be in his name given that King From thence returning back to Leinster he advances to Findorf gives Battel there to Mac Murcho King of Leinster defcats him pursues him forces him at last to submit and give Hostages then abridges him of his jurisdiction leaves him only Cionsallach and bids him be content with that or he should lose that too From thence he made his progress to Mac Gille Phadruic the King of Ossory who delivering Pledges was royally treated and presented by him And now he enters Mounster has the submissions of all the Province bestows North-Mounster on Muirchiortach O Brien his own Brother by a Mother commands pledges from Diarmuid mhac Cartha King of South-mounster and so passes on in triumph to Connaght his own home having well nigh surrounded the whole Island in this very first year of his Reign After which circuit and either in the same year of our Lord 1166 as Gratianus insinuates it to have been or at furthest in the next as the Annals of Ireland in Cambden expresly say it was that Diamuid mhac Mhurrchadh alias Mhurchu and Diarmuid na Nghall having committed the famous Rape if it was a Rape on Tighernan O Roirk King of Breithfn's Wife the same Tighernan to be reveng'd on Diarmuid by the Monarch's Authority heading both his own Breithne Forces with those of Meath and most of Leinster too march'd into Ibh-Cionsallach made Diarmuid fly beyond Seas destroy'd his Castle at Ferns divided his said Countrey of Cionsallach between Mac Gille Phadrick King of Ossory and one Murchadh the Son of Murchadh and then return'd with seventeen Hostages for the Monarch And now this revenge or justice on Diarmuid being executed the Monarch himself An. 1167. attended on by all the Kings and Nobles of Mounster Leinster Meath Breithsne Comhaicne Orghiall and Vlidia or Vlla which I take to have been then but a part of the now large Province of Vlster with all their Troops consisting of Nine and thirty thousand Foot and one and twenty thousand Horse march'd to Ardmach From thence of one side with those great Land Forces and from Doire now by us call'd London-derry on the other where his Fleet of a hundred and ninety Sail had landed he attacks Tir-Eoghain so furiously on every side that after the stubborn Forces of that Countrey being first retired into their Woody Fastnesses had not only in vain attempted to fall by Night on his Royal Camp but instead thereof by a great mistake had fallen fouly on one another in the dark they found it necessary on the fourth day to submit and deliver him Hostages This Expedition being ended so he breaks up his Camp dismisses his great Army the several Troops and Legions to their respective Countreys returns himself by the way of Assa Ruagh to Connaght with the two Mounster Kings in his Company entertains them nobly at his own Palace there and at their departure presents them richly But he had not rested above one week at home when he had intelligence brought him of Diarmuid mhac Mhurchadh the Leinster King's being landed in Cionnsallach with forein Auxiliarics possess'd already of Wexford Master besides of a great part of Leinster and a terrour to all the rest Those call'd the Annals of Ireland in Cambden which yet began no earlier than four years before this Monarch Ruiruidgs O Cenchabhar's Reign say these forein Aaxiliaries landed An 1168. But the right Irish Annals that record their landing in the former year 1167. are sollowed by Gratianus Lucius and him I follow However presently on the news Ruaruidh O Conchabhar the Monarch heading his Conacian Troops and joyning in his way the Militia of Meath and Dublin marches to Findorch finds out fights and defeats Diarmuid An atonement between them follows Diarmuid giving the Monarch seven Hostages for his future fidelity and paying a hundred ounces in Gold to Tighernan O Ruairck for the injury done him by the Rape And yet Diarmuid by new Tumults the very next Year giving new jealousies the Monarch marches against him the second time and fights and foils him again Though after all he was wrought upon to accept this second time of Diarmuid's submission promises and base Son for Diarmuid had none at this time remaining that was Legitimat as a new addition to the former Hostages In the same Year 1â—68 Ludos Taltinos dedit says Lucius That is he gave and held with great solemnity the publick famous ancient Games at Tailtean What these were and who ordain'd them first
three men That after some time being weary of their Habitation a ship board they landed again and quitting their ships cross'd many Countreys by Land from this Caspian Sea to the Pontic That here they shipp'd the third time but ere long meeting with an Island by name Caronia they put in and remain'd in it fifteen months where Eibher mhac Taith and Lamghlas mhac Adhnoin died That from hence departing under the Conduct of four Chiefâ—â—ins whereof Caichair the Magician or Druyd was one they arrived at the North end of the Riphean Mountains where the same Caichear prophetically told them * Hereby you are to correct what is otherwise said by a mistakâ— page 13. l. 〈◊〉 and 8. as if this prediction had been made by Caicheir to Milesius himself and but some years before whereas indeed it was made to his Predecessors many Agâ—s before he was born that neither that place nor any other was design'd for their lasting abode or Habitation till they came to the Western Island which we now call Ireland and that not themselves but their posterity after them should come to it That hence again but under the Command of Eibher Gluinfhiann they removed to Gothia where they contitinued a hundred and fifty years even to the eighth Generation from Eibher to Bratha For Bratha who led them hence first of all to Spain was the son of Deaghatha son of Earchadha son of Elloit son of Nuadhath son of Neinuill son of Eibhric son of Eibher Gluinfhionn and consequently was the eighth Generation from this Eibher Gluinfhionn That all the Travels of the Progeny of Gaodhel were first from Egypt to Creet from thence to Scythia from thence to Gothia from thence to South-Spain whether the foresaid Bratha led them and back again in the person of Galamh alias Mileadh Espain or Milesius the Spaniard great Grandchild of this Bratha to Scythia as before we have seen page 12. and thence also again to Egypt and so to Thracia and once more to Gothia and thence to Spain till at last the sons of this Galamh or Mileadh ventur'd for Ireland where they set up their prophesied Rest and long abode ever since to this present day Finally that Galamh alias â—ileadh in Latin Milesius who married the Daughter of Pharaoh Nectonibus king of Egypt and her name also or at least surname Scota for the same or like reason to that which gave so long before to their great Ancestor Niull's Wife Daughter to Pharaoh Cingeris the self-same denomination That I say this Galamh was the nineteenth Generation from Gaodhel Glas and the four and Twentieth from Noah the Builder of the Ark as appears by his Pedigree thus Mileadh son of Bile son to Breoghuin son to Bratha son to Deagatha son to Earchadha son to Alloid son to Nuadhadh son to Neanuill son to Eibhric or Eibherglas son to Eibher Gluinfhionn son to Laimhfhionn son to Adhnoin son to Taidh son to Ogamhuin son to Beaomhuinn son to Eibher Scot son to Sruth son to Easruth son to Gaodhel Glas son to Niull son to Feianusa Farsa son to Baath son to Magog son to Japhet son to Noah or as the Irish call him Naoih 43. And this in substance is the account which Keting has of these matters Though I confess there may be read in him a great deal more of that Scythian King Feinusa Farsa Father of Niull and Grandfather of Gaodhel Glas particularly of his great Learning and the most celebrated School kept in those days on the Plain of Sennaar and of his having studied the Sciences and Languages full twenty years in that place and of his having then employ'd another most skilful man by name Gaodhel but his surname was Ethoir to compose or at least to refine adorn and render copious that Language which ever since from his name is call'd Gaodhelc or Gaodhlec I mean the Irish Language And so likewise it may be found in D. Keting how it was in remembrance and honour of this Gathelus or Gaothel Ethoir the Author or at least Refiner of the Irish Tongue that Feinusa Farsa's foresaid Brother Niull in Egypt gave his first-born Child the self-same denomination or name of Gaodhel alias Gathelus tho sufficiently distinguish'd after by the addition of his surname Glas. But enough of these profound remote Antiquities as Cambden calls ' em And yet I am confident they may be far more easily believed by some and pass'd over by others than oppos'd at least disprov'd by any yea notwithstanding the names of Capacyront in Egypt and Caronia in the Pontick Sea and the Fleet of Pharaoh in the red Sea seized by a thousand of the unarmed Israelits * See Josephus 3. Book of Antiqu c. 6. Where he tells us expresly that all the Israelites were disarmed when Pharaoh pursued them though after that his six hundred Chariots and fifty thousand Horse and two hundred thousand armed Faotmen were drown'd in the Red Sea and the Tide had thrown up their Arms on the other Bank where the Israelites were saâ—ely arrived they armed themselves sufficiently and put under the Command of Niull That I may say nothing at all or scruple or boggle either at the two Scotas Daughters to those two Kings of Aegypt as already you have seen or at the two Scythian Kings of the same name Refloir and both kill'd by the Progeny of Gaodhel Glas the first of them by Taith mhac Daghnon and the second at least two hundred years after by Milesius himself as may be remembred out of the 12th page before But leaving the judgment hereof to the Reader 44. I proceed to my next Reflection which must be on page 8 and 9. There you are told How the children or posterity of Nemedus the Irish call 'em Clanna Neimheadh to avoid a dreadful and continual pestilence of many years departing in a thousand Vessels great and small under the Conduct of three Chieftains Simeon Breac Ibaath and Briotan the other two sailing to Greece Briotan with his adherents landed in the North of that Countrey which we now call Scotland and with his and their posterity remaining there gave the denomination of Brittain to this whole Island which is now called Great Brittain as holy Cormac the King of Mounster and Bishop of Cashel in his Psalter of Cashael together with all the Chronologers of Ireland affirm You are also told that surely in this particular these Irish Chronologers have at least much more probability of their side than any late Authors have that derive that name of Brittain from Brutus or his Romantick History in Galfridus or in any other Lastly you find this Question immediately follows For if from Brutus besides other reasons why not Brutannia rather than Britannia Though in this whole passage I follow'd my Author Keting and particularly for this Question put in the last place or at least for the reason involv'd therein I might also have alledg'd Polydor. Histor Ang. l. 1. Polydore Virgil who
makes use of the same reason against the derivation of Britannia from Brutus yet having since consulted the learned Cambden's most accurat search into these matters though he has not a word of the Irish History of Briotan nor seems ever to have heard thereof I find nevertheless there may be very probable answers given out of him to that question put by me after Polydore and Keting And therefore I now decline it tho not the History it self of that Scythic Briotan's giving the denomination of Brittain to this whole Island otherwise and whether before or after his time first of all it matters not called Albion As for Abraham Wheloc's Saxon Annotations on Bedes Ecclesiastical History l. 〈◊〉 c. 1. pag. 25. where it is observed that this Island was called Brutaine and Brutannia from the name of Brutus I am not moved thereby because the Saxons had that name from the Britons themselves and the Britons though they write it Brutaine with u yet pronounce it Brittain with an i. as I am told by men skilful in their Tongue they commonly do in other words written with u. pronounce i. However I am content to acknowledg here that in putting the foresaid question I suppos'd more than I ought and that I pass'd over in silence for a worse the far better and more probable reasons nay the convincing reasons indeed What these are you may see at large in Buchanan and before him sufficiently enough for some part of them in Polydore who both the one and the other demonstrate the whole story of Brutus to be a meer Fiction though Henry of Huntingdon and the Author of Polychronicon otherwise reputed good Historians thought fit to recommend to all posterity the Fable out of Gâ—ffrey of Monmouth as an undoubted Truth However we are told I am sure by Geffrey for I have him by me That rutus was son to Silvius the son of Ascanius whom undoubted Monuments of Antiquity assure us to have been son to Aeneas and Founder of Alba on Tiber and Third King of the Latius That this very Brutus at the Age of sixteen having by chance in hunting the Deer kill'd his said Father King Ascanius and being therefore banish'd Italy went to Greece That here assembling together seven thousand Trojans descended from those who had been brought prisoners thither when Troy was burn'd and heading them he made War on Pandrasus the King of Greece defeated his Armies forc'd his Towns and took himself Prisoner and kept him so till by mutual agreement Ignoge the Princess Daughter to this King was given him to Wife and for a Portion with her besides a great mass of Gold and Silver a strong Fleet of three hundred and four and twenty sail well provided of all kind of necessaries That now putting to Sea with his Trojans and so great a Fleet to seek his Fortune elsewhere and coming to a desert Island by name Largecia the Oracle of Diana there admonish'd him to steer his course for Albion That in his way thither besides destroying a Fleet of Pirats that set on him at Sea and spoiling all Mauritania in Afric from end to end landing in France he first overthrew in Battel Groffarius the Pictish King of Aquitain plunder'd his Towns over-run his whole Countrey and theâ— again in a second mighty Battel defeated both the same Groffarius and all the other eleven Kings of France with their Forces That having perform'd these Wonders there he set sail for Albion which was inhabited then by Giants These were a prodigious Race of See Buchanan l. 2. page 43. Impres Amsterd anno 1643. where he gives an account of this no less ill-contrived than Monstrous Fable added by some later Author than Geoffrey of Monmouth as if Geoffrey himself had not store enough of indeed very stupendious Lyes Monsters some of them twelve Cubits high and all of them or at least their Predecessours before 'em begot by Incubi i. e. Fayery Devils on the thirty Daughters of Dioclesian King of Syria and his Wife Labana who the first night of their marriage kill'd their thirty Husbands and for that cause being forc'd to Sea by their said Father in a ship without Mariners or Pilot after long wandring and hovering arrived at last in Albion a meer Desart then Where it seems notwithstanding they were provided for by those wicked Aery Daemons that lay with them and procreated of them this horrible Race of Giants That upon his landing here at a place called Totnes where all the Giants were in a body to hinder his descent he fought them overthrew them pursued 'em all over the Island destroyed them utterly every where That having done so he divided the whole Countrey among his Followers gave them the name of Britons and to it that of Brittain from his own name both then begot Children especially three by name Locrinus Albanactus and Camber then built the famous City of new Troy since called London by corruption of the word Luds Town because one of his posterity King Lud not only repair'd it but strengthened it with a Wall and Towers and Bulwarks and then last of all before his death making three Royal Divisions of Brittain and erecting each into a Kingdom bestow'd the first of them together with the supreme sovereignty of the other two in some cases on his eldest son Locrinus called then from his name Loegria by us now England the second on his second son Albanactus from whose name 't was called Albania though Scotland after and on his third son Camber the third of those Divisions termed likewise from his name Cambria comprehending at that time not only the Countrey now called Wales but whatever is on that side of the Severn That by these brave Princes and their issue after 'em the Noble Cities of York Edenburg Carlisle Canterbury Winchester Shaftsbury Bath Leicester the Tower of London Westchester and Caer-Leon upon Vsk were from the foundations built and finish'd and the Brittish Nation and Kingdom most gloriously maintained at home and enlarg'd abroad even in the very Continent well-nigh all over Europe That not only Ebrancus the V. King of Great Brittain after Brutus and Builder of York with a numerous Fleet invaded France ransack'd it all over and return'd home triumphantly with the richest spoils thereof nor only his twenty sons which he had by twenty several Wives conquer'd all Germany under the command of one of themselves called Assaracus and possess'd it a long time after but Belinus and Brennus sons to Dunvallo Mulmutius the Nineteenth King as Belinus himself was the XX. made an absolute Conquest first of all the Kingdom of Gaul now called France and soon after of all Italy not Rome it self excepted which they took and burnt to ashes That Cassibellanus the Lxv. of the Brittish Monarchs when Julius Caesar invaded them at two several times fought him defeated him both times and the second time made him fly to France in such despair that he never more return'd That
none at all mention'd by Keting who yet makes it the chief business of his History to mention the Battels fought in the Reign of every Monarch That the Battel of Gowra was occasion'd by a difference happening and continuing some years betwixt the family or Sept of Baoiskin whereof Fionn mhac Cuuail was one and the Sept of Morna meer Irish of the Milesian Conquest both and both contending for the command of the standing Militia of the Countrey and Caibre Lioffechair the Monarch favouring one side and others of great power the other the contention at last came to a Battel called from the place where it was fought the Battel of Gowra where this Monarch was kill'd by one Kirbe Which is all the account Keting has of it but without mention of any other Fight in this Monarchs Reign Though by his telling us the quarrel and the Parties that fought you see they were no Danes nor Danish Bowny's but meer Irish Bowny's and these neither of one side but some of one and some of the other the quarrel requiring it should be so These are the particulars and many more I might add which together with the general reason before them given moved me to pass by so many ill-contrived stories as I have mention'd here besides many other out of Hanmer But for his relation of the Battel of Clantarff being it is not only almost in every particular so contrary to all the Irish Chronicles but indeed as to the White Danish Knight and his injur'd Bed and Sword and Scabbard and thirty thousand Danes landed with him c. a meer Romantick story there needs no more be said of it Nor am I moved at all by Hanmers quoting the Book of Houth for himself both in this Relation and several other 1. Because for many reasons needless to be given here I take not the Book of Houth as neither indeed any English or other Foreign Author to be of any credit in such matters of Irish Antiquity as preceded the English Conquest in Ireland if otherwise in themselves either improbable or contradicting the whole current of the genuine Monuments of that Nation extant still and written in their own Language That is to say in a Language which neither the Authors of the Book of Houth nor other English Writers nor any Foreiner whatsoever could understand without the help of a very skilful perfect Scholar in it even such a one as among ten thousand Irish Natives cannot be found at present nor could for many Ages past 2. Because having never seen that Book of Houth I cannot rely on Hanmers quotation of it as whom I have manifestly found in several places to make too bold with several other Authors For having these Authors at hand perused and compared them with his quotations of them I have reason to persuade my self that either he never read 'em or which must be worse wilfully impos'd upon them against his own knowledg 53. Where I distinguish page 95. the present Scottish Nation into Irish and English Scots you are to suppose that very many among these must of necessity be Descendants partly of the more ancient Britons who sometimes inhabited the Northern Parts of Great Brittain and partly too of the Pictish Nation For the Irish that conquer'd both ' were not so numerous then as to plant the one half nay nor a third part of all those Countreys now comprehended under the name of Scotland though they became Lords of all by that Battel wherein they destroy'd utterly the Pictish Kingdom So that you may conclude the present English Scots as they are commonly call'd but not those other who go by the name of Scoti Albini * George Bu-l 2. Rer. Scotic page 54. tells us That in the beginning as well the colonies sent by the Irish to the North of Great Brittain as those that sent them went by the common name of all their Nation to wit that of Scoti or Scots But soon after to distinguish the one from the other those in Ireland were called Scoti Jerni that is Irish Scots and these in Brittain Scoti Albini i. e. Albanian Scots So says he And the distinction is proper and significant enough But that other which the Irish make even to this day in their own Language 'twixt an Irish and an English Scot is no less observable For the former they call Albanach Gaodhleach denoting both the Countrey of his Birth Albania and the Stock of his Extrnction Gathelus but the latter they call Albanach Gallda i. e. a Saxon or English Albanian are a mix'd People descended part from Britons Picts and part from Saxons and Normans whether any be remaining still of Danish posterity there I cannot tell nor is it necessary in this place I should What may be of more advantage for understanding somewhat better those affairs of Scotland is I doubt not this following passage out of Cambden After that the Scots were come into Brittain and had joyn'd themselves unto the Picts albeit they never ceas'd to vex the Brittons with skirmishes and inroads yet grew they not presently into any great State but kept a long time in that corner where they first arrived not daring as Beda writes for the space of 127 years to come forth into the Field against the Princes of Northumberland Until at one and the same time they had made such a slaughter of the Picts that few or none of them were left alive and withal the Kingdom of Northumberland what with civil Dissentions what with Invasions of the Danes sore shaken and weakned fell at once to the ground For then all the Northern Tract of Brittain became subject to them and took their name together with that hithermore Countrey on this side Cluyd and Edenborough Frith For that it also was a parcel of the Kingdom of Northumberland and possess'd by the English Saxons no man gainsayeth And hereof it is that all they which inhabit the East part of Scotland and be called Lowland-men as one would say of the lower-Lower-Country are the very off-sping of the English Saxons and do speak English But they that dwell in the West Coast named Highland-men as it were of the upper Countrey be meer Scots and speak Irish as I have said before and none are so deadly Enemies as they be unto the Lowland men which use the English Tongue as we do Hitherto Cambden in his Britannia Tit. Scots pag. 126. Holl. Translat But as well to give the true reason why as to particularize more exactly that period of time during which the genuine Scots had ceas'd from acts of hostility against the Saxons I add out of V. Bede in his Eccles Histor of England l. 2. c. ult That Anno Dom. 603. Edan King of those Scots that inhabited Brittain at that time moved by the success of the Northumbrian King Ethelfrid against the Britons drew to the Field cum immenso exercitu with an exceeding great Army against him but was overcome and fled with a
of Wales 56. Of Aonach Tailltinn the most celebrated Irish Fair both for Antiquity and resemblance of the Olympic Games of Greece exhibited therein which I only mention'd in my foresaid 95 page the Author was Lugha Lambfhada the Twelfth King of Ireland after Slanius but Third of the Nation called Fir-bholg e'en so long since as betwixt two and three hundred years before the Milesians conquer'd that Kingdom The occasion this When the Ninth and last Fir-bholgian King of the Posterity of Dela by name Eoghan was kill'd in Battel and the Kingdom seiz'd by new Invaders the Nation of Tuadedainin it happen'd that Tailtinn Daughter to Madhmor King of South-Spain but Widow and Queen to the said Eoghan having married Eochadh Garbb a Nobleman of the new Conquerors bred the foresaid Lugha with great care and kindness in his youth Wherefore he when he came to the Crown retaining thereof a most grateful remembrance and holding himself bound to requite her love in the best manner he could thought fit to ordain as accordingly he did for a perpetual memory of her one and thirty days in all viz. the fifteen immediately preceding our first day of August and the other fifteen next following it to be solemnly kept in all Ages both by a general concourse of the bravest men out of all parts of the Kingdom at a place in Meath called Tailtinn from her name and by all sorts of manly Games and Exercises there as those of Running Hunting Wrestling Leaping Vaulting Tilting c. and by prizes also given to the Victors That so lately before the English Conquest as the year 1168. Ruaruidh O Conchavair the last Irish Monarch held this great Fair of Tailtinn and exhibited those Olympick Games with much solemnity For so Gratianus Lucius has told us in his Roman phrase Ludos Taltinos dedit as we have seen elsewhere And the same Author adds That the Calends or first day of August though in after-times among Christians at least those of the Roman Church dedicated to the Chains of St. Peter and therefore in the Roman Calendar call'd Petri ad Vincula has nevertheless in all Ages been as it is at present in memory of the foresaid King by all the Irish Nation call'd in their Language Lugh-Nasa which imports in English the Remembrance of Lewis for Nasa is remembrance and Lugh the same with Lewis or Luis But Keting says that Queen Tailtinn whom he honour'd so much had been his own Wife though whether in a third Venture or no he does not say 57. There is mention made page 122 and 213 of the Monarch Ollamh Fodhlas's having ordain'd in every Town a Receiver and Entertainer of Strangers But the particulars of that Ordinance and practice of it as I find them in Keting and Lucius being very singular I thought fit to give here the rather because the Character of Gens inhospita that is an inhospitable Nation is given the Irish by Gerald of Wales Top. dist 3. cap. 10. so much against Truth And certainly for what concerns the more ancient times it will appear out of what here follows of their extraordinary care to provide entertainment for all Comers that their Hospitality in those days of yore was unmatchable in Europe I am sure it was so in any place or Countrey that ever I have read of The dignity of an Entertainer says Lucius no where else used was among the Irish bestow'd only on those descended of Noble Families Nor was any capable of it that was not Lord Proprietary of seven Towns I mean Feeding Towns as Keting says the Irish call in their Language all towns whatsoever properly such Bailte Biatha each Town consisting of twelve Plow-lands of Irish Measure which is three or four times twelve of English He must besides have had seven Ploughs continually going and withal been Master of seven Herds of Cows each Herd consisting of a hundred and twenty full His Mansion House so seated as to have been accessible by four several ways A Hog a Sheep a Beef always ready in the Pot or on the Spit to the end that every hour without delay whoever came might be instantly fed The like number of Beasts ready kill'd and fley'd to be put to the fire as the former was taken up Every order and degree of men according to their quality had their Entertainment both meat and drink assign'd by Rule so as the Entertainer if he defrauded any was certain to be fined for it by the proportionable lessening of his immunities and other Priviledges Sundry sorts of drinks were serv'd in sundry sorts of Cups In Glass Wine in Brass Water in Silver Whey in white Cups of Ash Beer and in brown ones made of Fig-tree Milk Hitherto Lucius in his Camb. Evers page 130. Who yet farther adds in the same place out of Keting what you will peradventure no less if not much more wonder at the exceeding great number of those Free-cost entertaining Towns or Houses deputed in such Towns by the publick throughout Ireland In Connaght 900. in Vlster the like number in Leinster 930. in Mounster a 1030. 58. In my 217 page there is likewise upon a far other occasion some little mention made of the victorious Monarch Tuathal Teatchtmhor though much more elsewhere before in one or two places However this place is that which as I was reviewing it has brought to my remembrance what follows here out of Keting As 1. That before his time Ireland was equally divided into Mounster Leinster Connaght and Vlster each of these Divisions meeting at a place and of the sides of a great stone fix'd in that place called Visneach which is in the Countrey that goes now by the name of West Meath 2. That when he had after twenty five years war totally subdued the Plebeian Rebels and restor'd both the Gentry to their Estates and the true Royal Blood and Heirs to their respective Provincial Kingdoms he thought fit to take as he accordingly did with their consent from each of those Divisions a considerable Tract of ground which was the next adjoyning to Visneach one East an other West a third South and the fourth on the North of it and appointed all four under the name of Meath but as comprehending our Counties now of East and West Meath to belong for evermore to the Monarchs own peculiar Demain for the maintenance of his Table 3. That on those four several portions he built four several Kingly Pallaces for himself and his Heirs viz. Tleaghtghae on that of Mounster side Tailltin House on Vlster's an other at Tarach on Leinster's portion and the fourth on the West of Visneach taken from Connaght ordaining withal great Solemnities at each of them to be kept on certain days yearly for ever At Tlaghtghae the sacred but Idolatrous Fire to be kindled on our All Hallows Eve All Magitians of the Kingdom to come thither that night and sacrifice to their Deities in that Fire All the other Fires throughout the Kingdom to be
and marching confidently in the head of his Troops against an infinite number of Enemies who in one terrible Host came to fight him obtain'd that miraculous Victory over them which is recorded by Metaphrastes and Glycas Annal. Part. 4. and Baronius too ad an 388. Even that very same wonderful Victory which the Winds and Tempests fighting for him and 〈◊〉 their own Darts upon his Enemies he obtained against Maximus the Tyrant and which Claudian the Christian Poet has so divinely celebrated in heroick Verse part whereof speaks thus to Theodosius himself O nimium dilecte Deo cui fundit ab antris Aeolus atratas hyemes cui militat Aether Et conjurati veniunt ad Classica venti Besides that pious learned Bishop of Ossory desires it be considered that the former History of the Staff of Jesus has no less illustrious famous approv'd Authors than those of the later History of the Staff of Senuphius are But whether it be or be not so my design here is not concern'd For I have already let the Reader know what is written of and has been deliver'd all along and what is believed at present among the Roman Catholick Irish of that religious Relique the Staff of Jesus What remains either of Reflection or Addition are these few Notes that follow I have indeed forgot to give them in their due place according to the order of pages observ'd hitherto in this Section But that will not hinder the understanding them where they are given here 66. The first is a◠very material Animadversion upon my 146 page Where because following the authority of D. Geoffrey Keting I suppos'd and accordingly told of an Interregnum in Ireland that by reason of the over-ruling power of the Danes and their great Commander Turgesius had succeeded immediately upon the drowning of the Monarch Niall Caille I must here let the Reader know that Gratianus Lucius page 297 and 298. brings several arguments to evince not only That there had never been any Interregnum at all of the Irish Monarchy at any time during either of the two Danish Wars nor consequently Turgesius the Dane had ever succeeded not even by usurpation any of the Irish Monarchs but that Keting was led into Errour in this particular by Gerald of Wales Among which arguments are these two 1. That Sir James Ware in his Catalogue of the Kings of Ireland lately publish'd makes no mention at all of Turgesius 2. That the Annals of Ireland place both the end of Niall Caille's Reign and the beginning of Maolseachluinn I. in the year of our Lord 844. But as to the Interregnum neither of these arguments nor any other which I have yet seen evince more than that the Interregnum was very short and concluded with one year 67. The second Note must refer to p. 222 c. where the Subject treated is the true Christian religious great Vertues indeed of as many Irish Monarchs or Kings of all Ireland as I have remembred there but the addition to them here is only of two more viz. Ainmirus the son of Sedna and Donnaldus the son of Aidus For so they are call'd in Latin by Gratianus Lucius though in Irish their names and surnames are Ainmhire mhac Seadhna who was the XI and Domhnall mhac Aodh Slaine who was the Xviii Christian King of all Ireland The former com to the Sovereignty in the year of Christ 563. but parted from it and his life too by a horrible murther committed on him in the fourth year of his Reign was so Christianly zealous for the purity of Religion Rites Discipline Church that he could not abide the least blemish spot or wrinkle in any of them In so much that in the Irish Histories it is specially recorded of him to his great honour how when he had observ'd some things amiss in the Rituals i. e. some Errours crept in or some deviation from the Rules prescrib'd them though but so lately before by their great Apostle St. Patrick and when about the same time he had heard by fame of the excellent knowledg integrity sanctity wisdom of Gildas in Great Brittain he sent his own Letters to invite him to Ireland towards the reforming there whatever had been so amiss But why Gratianus Lucius here gives the surname of Badonicus to Gildas for he calls him Gildas Badonicus I confess I do not know nor can conjecture unless perhaps that Northern Mountainous Countrey in Yorkshire now call'd Blackemere in English but formerly in Latine Mons Badonicus has been the native Countrey of this ancient Father This I know that in Bibliotheca Patrum he is surnamed Sapiens or Gildas the Wise And moreover that Polydore Virgil l. 3. Hist Angl. writes how Gildas himself has told us his little Book de excidio Brittannico that himself was born that very year wherein the Britons had obtain'd against the Saxons the famous Victory at Mons Badonicus which was the forty fourth year after the first landing of Hengistus and Horsus being the year of Christ 492. Unto which if we joyn what the same Polydore had said before l. 1. Hist Angl. of Gildas viz. That he flourish'd about the year of Christ 580. we may conclude that certainly the time set down in the Irish Books for his going to Ireland as invited thither by the foresaid Monarch Ainmhire mhac Sedhna agrees full well with this time and age of Gildas then The later of these two Monarchs namely Domhnal son to Aodh Slaine who not only came with pure hands without blood to the Crown but after fourteen year's glorious Reign first and then eighteen months sickness parted with Crown and life together peaceably on his Bed which was in that Nation a very singular blessing of God This Domhnal I say besides his other great Vertues is most deservedly celebrated for a very great Exemplar of Christian humility and contempt of himself He had through human frailty committed some fault which though I do not find express'd or specified what it was I find notwithstanding the rarest instance of Repentance submission and humiliation of a King in him that could be to procure the forgiveness of it from his own Subject tho a holy man of that Nation call'd St. Fechinus For after earnest humble entreaties to this man of God for pardon when he had found him backward still and hard to relent he prostrated himself on the ground at his feet and suffered him to tread on his bare neck 67. My next additional Note although of another Subject tends nevertheless very much to the magnifying of the Ancient Irish as to that natural heroick Vertue which next to the favour of Heaven preserv'd them for so many Ages a Free Nation Martial courage and Valour I mean And therefore this Addition must relate to those pages where from 25 to 40. I treated before of the Danish Wars in Ireland However it is such an addition to the brave performances of the Irish in those Wars that I know not whether
improving by a fervent zeal for truth and generous love to his Countrey made Father Keting undergo the laborious task of writing the History of Ireland at large from the very first Plantation of it after the Deluge to Hen. II's time and 17th year of his Reign being the year of Christ 1152. And this History besides which there is no other full compleat or methodical one extant of all the Ages Invasions Conquests Changes Monarchs Wars and other considerable matters of that truly ancient Kingdom be lived to finish in his old Age that is a little after Charles I. of glorious memory had been proclaimed King Nor did he only finish it but prefix unto it a very judicious large and learned Preface to the Reader It is in this Preface he declares those two special motives of his writing which you have seen already Where also he declares who those Authors are that gave him the occasion and refutes them one after another at large namely Strabo Solinus Pomponius Mela S. Hierom against Jovinian Cambrensis Stanihurst Campion Hanmer Cambden Hector Boethius John Barclay Morison Davies Buchanan All these in particular as to some passages of theirs he disputes against in the same Preface with the clearest evidence of Authority matter of Fact and Reason grounded on both As likewise he does in the Body of his Work against other passages not only of some of these same Authors especially Cambrensis Hector Boethius and Buchanan but Nicholas Sanders too in his First Book de Schismate Anglicano Besides in the same Preface he discourses five or six other Particulars which I think worth the while not to pass over wholly in silence The first is That although in his History he has not seldom made use of some Collections out of Foreign Writers yet the main Body of it all along is compos'd out of the most undoubtedly ancient and authentick Monuments of Ireland viz. Psaltuir Ardemach Psaltuir Chaâ—sil Psaltuir na Rann written by Aonghuis Ceile De and then Leabhar na Huacongmhala Leabhar Chluaino Huighnioch Leabhar Fiontain in Leix Leabhar Ghlinne Da-Loch Leabhar Bâ—idhe Mholing Leabhar Dubh Mholaige Leabhar na Gceart written by S. Benignus and Ubhdir Chiarrain writ at Cluain-mhac-Noise in all Thirteen Books For you are to understand here not only that Leabhar signifies a Book and Psaltuir we call it Psaltor a Book in Verse but as he says That from the beginning it was the custom of the Irish to have their Chief Antiquities done into the choisest severest strictest Meeter without any redundance or want as to sense and point of truth and this as well for the more safe preserving of them from corruption as the more easie getting them by heart And consequently you see the true reason why their chief Records of Tarach Cashel Ardmagh c. are called Psalters But if you would further know the heads of these thirteen Books he answers in the same place They are these 1. The several Invasions and Conquests of Ireland 2. The Division of its Provinces and lesser Countreys 3. The Reigns of their Kings 4. Their Annals 5. Their Computations and Concordances of Times 6. The Genealogy of their Male Gentry 7. The Pedigree of their Females 8. Their Vocabulary Where also is a large account of the great School in the Plain of Sennaar and three first Teachers of it soon after the Confusion of Tongues at Nimrod's Tower 9. The Visions of Columb-Cille with sundry other Antiquities of Ireland The Second Particular gives in effect four Reasons or at least one compos'd of so many Heads to persuade the credibility and truth of these Irish Books It tells us of above two hundred chief Chronologers together from very early times conttinuing a Succession in the same Families and all Ages in that Nation while their Kingdom stood whose peculiar and only Office it was to record faithfully all memorable Concerns It tells us how these Antiquaries had sufficient Estates in Land entail'd on themselves and Issue for ever on that Condition It tells us of the publick Schools they had purposely and continually kept for the Education of their Youth in the knowledge of their Antiquities and how these Schools were kept in the Countrey of Breifthne as they call in Irish That which now we call the County of Letrim It tells us of a Triennial search into and Revision of all their Records by a select Committee in the Publick Assembly of all the Estates of that Kingdom And lastly it tells us of the Deposition of fair Copies of the same Records in the hands of the Bishops from time to time ever since the Nation believed in Christ 1200 years since Whereof you may see more at large in my 46. page following in this Former Part. A third Particular answers the Objection of some discordance among the Irish Books concerning the number of years from the Creation of the World to the Birth of our Saviour It desires the Objectors to consider the far greater discordance * Because I was not sure that my Copy of Keting was right in every of the particulars or Discordances noted here I consulted of purpose the most learned Sixtus Senensis l. 5. Bibl. S. pag. 440. Imp. Colon. an 1626. whither I remit you to see many more discordances that is Six and Twenty in all in stead of these 15 here given by Keting though most of these are among ' em betâ—ixt as well the Hebrews as the Greek and Latin Chronologers each apart on the same Subject How for Example 1. among the Hebrews Paul Sedecholim counts 3518. years the Talmudists 3784. the New Rabbins 3760. Rabbi Naasson 3740. Rabbi Moses Germidisi 4058. Josephus 4192. Among the Greek Authors Metrodorus 5000. Eusebius 5199. Theophilus 5476. And among the Latins S. Hierom 3941. S. Augustin 5351. Isidorus 5270. Orolius 5190. Beda 3952. Alphonsus 5984. Now says Keting if so great a discordance on this very Subject impair not in other matters the credit of either Greek Hebrew or Latin Authors why should it the Irish Where also he acquaints his Reader that because himself is of opinion that such Irish Antiquaries or Books as count for this Period from the Creation to the Incarnation 4052. * This is the Computation follow'd by Augustinus Tornlellius in his Annales Sacri ab Orbe Condito ad Christum passum Sext. M. Aetat ad an 4052. whether Keting had him for his Master though I know not yet I know he might because Torniellius came out in Print at Francford an 1611. come nearest the Truth he follows them in his History or computation of times therein either precedent or subsequent to the Birth of Christ And farther in the some place he acquaints us with his purpose to give at the end of his History an Appendix or a Table of Synchronism shewing what Monarchies Monarchs Great Kings of the World in other parts and since Christianity what Popes and general Councils were contemporary with the various Revolutions and Kings of Ireland Whether
Records if no knowledg at least of two Thirds of their Countrey if hunting collecting and hudling together the vainest and falsest and most ridiculous hear-say stories and this forsooth of purpose to gain immortal fame by telling stupendious things not heard before if Satyrs of the people in general so virulent and frequent that in very deed the publishing of 'em may be justly suspected to have been at least a great part of the Authors chief design if a licentious humour and immoderate passion transporting him to the strangest exorbitancy either of praises or dispraises or flatteries or injuries as he stood affected in writing even of his own Party and his own King for company among 'em if his acknowledgment in Usher and the Censure of him by Sir James Ware in a word if so many excellent Qualifications as are enumerated here can render him an Author of Credit or to be follow'd or believ'd in any passage of his foresaid Books that is to any degree of prejudice either against the Irish Nation or contrary to their Chronicles or vain or exotick in it self and not warranted by better authority than his only word I say that if the matter be so indeed then for my own part I must be of opinion that no Author at all how idle or vain or unwarrantable or incredible or false or injurious reproachful and satyrical soever his Relations of any People or Countrey are is to be rejected Tho in all contingencies it must be also confess'd that wherever Cambrensis has delivered any thing to the advantage renown or credit of the Irish Nation his testimony is doubtless above all exception for so much For the confession of an Adversary is valid in all Tribunals and both Bodin and Reason requires it should be so in History Thus having sufficiently inform'd you both of Cambrensis and the true original grounds of the Quarrel of Gratianus Lucius to him I return to the finishing my account of Lucius himself And this I shall dispatch by a little farther addition first of those more special considerations that put him on writing his Cambrensis Eversus and then of his performance therein Those himself gives at large but I shall contract ' em 1. He had often consider'd that altho soon after the coming out of Cambrensis in Germany from the Press two Learned Irish Gentlemen Richard White a Jesuit and Philip O Suillevan a Soldier to undeceive the World and right their injur'd Nation had most exactly and convincingly written each of them at large against his impostures yet through ill fortune their several Books on that subject were lost and no body since had put Pen to paper to retrive this loss 2. By daily conversation among Foreigners he had found That because in so many years since that Francford Edition of Cambrensis nothing appear'd against him in Print his very vilest Relations of Ireland were taken for confessedly true 3. Having read a great number of Books and he thinks all whatsoever written of that Kingdom by English other Brittish Authors and observing how as many of 'em at least as came out since the change of Religion were so unjust to the Irish Nation that amongst all there was not so much as any one Individual who does not either report Fictions or conceal Truths or exaggerate the bad or extenuate the good Things of that People he considered at last that Giraldus Cambrensis was their first pattern 4. And which to him was more grievous yet he considered that ever since the aforesaid German Edition there was not a Book written nor a Cosmographical or Geographical Table drawn there was not I mean a Map or a Card as they are call'd describing the customs or manners of Nations come forth in any part of Europe which was not replenish'd with ugly base reflections on the Irish In so much that in all Countreys and Languages they were on all occasions become a Fable to the Vulgar and object of scorn to others These were the considerations that prevail'd with Lucius to exert his zeal for Truth and Love to his Countrey in taking all the foresaid Books of Cambrensis to pieces laying open the most material of his Errors and Calumnies for it had been endless to pursue him in the more immaterial convincing him every where and therefore when he had finish'd his Work publishing it for the satisfaction of Europe in Latin under the Title of Cambrensis Eversus which may be English'd The Cambrian overthrown How justly it deserves this name others may judg seeing the Book is extant and has been since the year 1622. when it was printed For my own part I can do no less than acknowledg what I think of it my self which is That the Author shews himself very conversant in those Letters we call Polite That above all for knowledg in History both Domestic Forein Sacred and Profane he appears excellently well qualified to write on the Subject he undertook That every where and whatever matter is treated he is very exact in quoting his Authors and where the allegation must depend on Irish Books or Writers he never omits to give 'em by name in the Margin among which are the Annals of Inis Fail the Common Annals the Annals of Anonimus the Annals of Tigernacus the Continuer of Tigernacus the Books of Reigns O Duuegan O Donel Colgan Philip O Suillevan Peter Lombard Archb. of Ardmagh Keting Primat Usher Sir James Ware That in a word his performances in this Book against Cambrensis are accurate absolute full and therefore not unworthy the Dedication they bear prefix'd to the Sacred Majesty of Charles II. of Great Brittain our gracious King I say against Cambrensis Because I do abstract wholly from his occasional or incidental Reflections any where on the State of Ireland since the Year 1640. To deliver my thoughts of them is no part of my business here What more concerning Lucius must be directly to the purpose of this place is to let you understand that although Cambrensis Eversus be not a History of Ireland yet because it is in many places fraught with choice Collections out of the Irish Antiquities and in the VIII Chapter occasionally gives together with a Catalogue of all the Monarchs of Ireland under the several Conquests even from Slanius the first of them a brief account of their Reigns and Years of the World or Christ respectively when each King began finish'd his Reign therefore next to Keting I have made the greatest use of him in the Former Part tho no where before page 130. for till I came so far I had him not And out of him particularly it is That in some places I add to such or such Monarchs the Year of the World or of our Saviour Christ's Incarnation Now what Computation is follow'd by him in giving the former Years I mean those of the World albeit he does not himself expresly inform us we may notwithstanding most certainly know by his fixing
what I had almost forgotten That I have more than once or twice either quoted Geoffrey of Monmouth himself I hope no man will be scandalized that considers besides the occasion what use I make of him Nay I do persuade my self That to see * Former Part from page 3 5. to pag. 347. And again p. 363 364 369. in five or six leaves of this little Form a pretty just Abridgment of his famed Work i. e. his Seven Books of the ancient History of Great Brittain or supposed Posterity of Brutus cannot be displeasing to those who never saw nor knew where to find the Author himself or his History at large nor perhaps were it lying by them and in their own Language too would have the patience to read it over And now That I gave given what I would say in this Place concerning any of those other Authors whom besides Keting and Lucius I either follow or examine or e'en utterly reject in the Former Part of my Prospect there remains but little more to be Prefac'd to it For to the Latter Part I shall therefore prefix an other Preface but one by so much the shorter by how much it must be proper to that Part alone In which other Preface I mean to observe the same Method I have in this by giving an account of the Writers who shall direct me in that Later Part and how and the reasons why I must therein be guided partly by some of those very men whose testimonials in other matters I slight in the Former What more I would give for Preface here to the same Former Part only are these Particulars 1. That wheresoever I annex to any of those Irish Monarchs treated of by me Capital or other Letters or Figures of Numbers whereby I would signifie what rank they held in their Catalogue for example whether of the Tenth or Twentieth or so forth there I related only to the Catalogue of Milesian Monarchs not to any other containing both Milesian and the other 18. Monarchs of the several Conquests that preceded theirs 2. That although I have endeavoured with all diligence to extract in order those Milesian Monarchs out of Ketings voluminous History which no where adds to any of 'em the number i. e. any such Letters Figures or Words importing it after all I cannot be sure I have not mistaken and this perhaps more than once in adding my numbers But the best on 't is that the errour if any such be is not material 3. That where I speak of 2988 years or sometimes of a year or a few years more or less from the first of the Milesian Conquest in all such places I follow the Account of Keting Who to reduce the Irish Chronology to an agreement not only with his own Computation of the years of the World but with the Relation also of Cambrensis and Polychronicon where they tell us of the Milesians having conquer'd that Kingdom 1800 years before S. Patric's death purposely cut off of the Reigns of several of their Kings so many years as make in all 491. But elsewhere that is p. 496 c. and in the Catalogue I have strictly follow'd Gratianus Lucius and consequently the Irish Book of Reigns as to the number of years the Milesian Kings reigned or Kingdom lasted 4. That for want of Irish Books or Antiquaries to consult with I confess it remains a difficulty with me still How the six Sons of the Ulster K. Muredus as Cambrensis calls him in Latin who in Irish is call'd Muiridhach by Keting even those very six famous Brothers that invaded Tâ—ath-Chruthnigh for so the Irish by a proper name in their Language call'd the Countrey of the Picts which now we call Scotland How I say those very six Brothers go sometimes by the name of the Six Sons of Muiridhach and sometimes again by that of the Six Sons of Eirck Vnless peradventure the same person had those two names of Muiridhach Eirck or that Keting derived their being the Sons of Muredus from Girald of Wales only 5. That if any where in these Discourses of Ireland you meet with some Relations either of Miracles above Nature or Antiquities hard to believe I must beg that you will notwithstanding be so just as at least to believe I have no design to impose either upon your reason or upon your freedom 6. That besides it will be no more than Justice requires of you to persuade your self That no Relatour of matters so far beyond our ken is accountable for his own belief or disbelief of them much less for their objective truth or untruth being or not being in themselves Provided he relates no impossibilities nor absurdities nor contradictions of all other Histories that are esteemed true nor any thing whatsoever out of other Records than Authentick or other Authors than Classick or at least other than such as have been among their own People reputed men of Probity and Reason and acknowledg'd so in such matters as they write of 7. That I have commonly chosen to give the Irish proper Names and Surnames though not in Irish Characters yet in such Italick Letters as answer them because by having them so the Reader may be much better assured that he sees before him the true genuine names whether he can pronounce them rightly or not than he could be if according to the custom of others I had transform'd 'em into the English or Latin either syllables or terminations And yet withal my Copy of Keting being very bad in many places and which I do willingly acknowledg my own skill to correct the Irish Orthography of it very small I must in reason suspect my performance in this matter But neither can the Errours herein be either material or any way considerable 8. That I confess I have taken a quite contrary course to the late Brittish Writers in magnifying so far as good Authority did warrant me the Ancient Irish Nation which they a man would think made it their business to lessen and vilifie all they could But nevertheless I doubt not all judicious impartial men will acknowledg how much more it must redound to the honour of the English Nation to have conquered an ancient civil warlike brave People in the days of Yore than such an obscure barbarous vile hideous generation of men as partly the Cambrian Author partly others that follow'd the pattern left by him represent those Old Inhabitants of Ireland in their time Besides if without any relation to others but on the naked sole contemplation of some excellencies in that ancient People I have suffer'd some transport who can blame me None I believe that considers attentively the import and consequence of this Saying of the Roman Sage though delivered by him on an other subject Some acts of Liberality some of Humanity some of Fortitude had astonish'd us and we began to admire them as perfect Under 'em lay many vices which the appearance splendor of some conspicuous Fact did
signifying much of either side at least as to Ireland in general by any of these Invasions there was nothing more heard of them or of the Invaders Much less was there ever in any Chronicle or Book that I could see either in English Irish or Latin before Cambden's Britannia came forth any mention made of Edgar King of England how puissant soever he was his having conquered a great part of Ireland and Dublin withal or indeed so much as one foot of Land there nay or so much as his having attempted any such thing And therefore I take no notice of Cambden's old Charter of King Edgar wherever he found it And so I do as little of Buchanan's relation where he writes that Gregory the Great King of Scotland who began his Reign Anno Christi 875. and ended it with his life Anno 902. invaded Ireland with a puissant Army during the minority of Donogh King of Ireland and Tutorship of this young King by Brien and Conchuair beat these Tutors in two several great Fights took Dondalk Droghedagh and Dublin visited here the young King assum'd his Tutorage to himself placed Governours in the strong Towns receiv'd threescore Hostages for their fidelity and with them return'd victorious to Scotland Certainly Ireland never had at any time since the very beginning not even since the first Monarch Slanius who reigned above three thousand years ago any King that was a Minor as Doctor Keting well observes and may be seen by any that reads over in his Chronology and History all the Reigns of the several Monarchs who during that vast extent of time successively govern'd Ireland or had the Title to govern as Monarchs there until it came under the English Power in the year of Christ 1172. There was not one of them all that came to the Soveraignty but either by election of the people or power of the Sword as there was not one in seven but came to it by this latter way that is by killing of his Predecessor Keting in the life of Brian Borumha and this commonly too in Battel Besides their very fundamental Law of Tanistry did exclude a Minor What then must we think where so many thousands descended of Heber and Herimon were at hand to claim their Titles rather than a Minor should have it But to say no more to this feigned Invasion from Scotland nor any thing other than what I have already of those former true however inconsiderable ones from elsewhere in Great Britain and to return back where I was to the Invasions both true and terrible and lasting indeed of the Danes what I would say is that notwithstanding those cruel Heathens had from the year of Christ 820. when they first invaded Ireland in the Reign of Hugh in Irish Aodh surnamed Ordnighe Monarch of Ireland and Airtre mhic Caithil Provincial King of Mounster and after that year all along in the Reigns of both that Monarch and his two Successors Conchauar mhac Donchadha and Niall Caille as likewise of Feilimidh mhic Griomthaine the Latins call him Feidlimidius successor to Airtre in the Kingdom of Mounster in several Fleets the two first one after another landing in Mounster the third in the North the fourth in vibh Cinsallach in Leinster fifth in the Harbour of Limmerick sixth of 60 Sail at the River Boyne seventh of forty Sail on the River Liffy eighth and ninth extraordinary great mighty ones at Lough-Foyle in Vlster poured in continually from time to time for above forty years together those almost incredible Numbers of men related by Hanmor yet the Irish fought 'em still and foyl'd 'em too in eight or nine Battels And although being too much overpowred by the continual supplies of new men coming to their Enemies who were absolute masters of the Seas they after a tedious cruel and continual War became at last for some little season Tributary to their Captain General Turgheise for so the Irish call him by us called Turgesius who now stiled himself King of Ireland lived in the middle thereof at Lough Ribh near the place where now Athlone is had both there and all over the whole Kingdom in every Province and Countrey and almost nook of it his Dane-Raths and other Fortifications made and strong Garrisons planted in 'em yet very soon after the generality of their Princes and people I say the generality for some of them held out still in some inaccessible places of Rocks and Bogs ' and Woods had so yielded to him their wisdom valour enfranchiz'd them most wonderfully in little above one Months time by their utter destruction of this Tyrant all his Heathen Crue For upon his lusting after the beautiful Daughter of Maolsechluin King of Meath and his desiring her of her Father to be his Concubine and the Fathers seeming of purpose to consent and then sending her privately at the Night appointed but attended with fifteen resolute Youths in Womens attire with short Swords under their Gowns and instructions what to do and then when it was very late at Night and all the rest of the leacherous Tyrants great Commanders withdrawn each to his own Apartment their seizing him so soon as he began to be rude with her and the Armour too of all the rest laid together in one heap on a Table in the Hall and then her Fathers rushing in at the same time and killing all those Commanders every one when they expected other Company each one of them one of the young beautiful Damsels as the Tyrant had promised them hereupon I say and upon the word given by Messengers who were ready of purpose flying into all parts the Irish to a man throughout the Kingdom are presently in Arms fall upon the astoâ—ish'd Danes attack and carry their Forts fight their Troops wherever they embody rout 'em kill 'em and pursue the remainders of them to their very Ships getting now away out of the Roads as Wind Weather serv'd ' em As for Turgesius himself Maolseachluin reserv'd him in Fetters for a time and then drown'd him at last in Lough-ainme So that after much about forty years bloody continual and general War at home in all the Provinces and several years most miserable and general thraldom under the yoke of such powerful barbarous and fell Tyrants who left not a Monastery or Church or Chappel standing where ever they came who placed a Lay-heathen Abbot in every Cloyster and endowed Church to gather the Revenues who layed so many times all their Countrey in Ashes who no less than four several times in one Month burnt Ardmagh the most holy See and Metropolitan City then of all Ireland who slew indistinctly for so many years both Priests and Clerks and Laicks and mean and great and rich and poor without mercy and who at last having subdued the miserable remainder imposed those burdens of Bondage on them which were such that if as to the particulars they were not attested by all the Irish Chronicles in
Ireland built the famous Monastery of Beannchuir in Vlster had 20000 Monks cloistered in several Monasteries under his own government Which is the more credible because S. Bernard six hundred years agoe in his life of S. Malachias Archbishop of Ardmagh and sometime Abbot and Restorer of Beannchuir who died with him at Clara Vallis in France reporteth * Cap. 5. that this Monastery under the first Founder of it the blessed Comghall or as the Latins call him Congellus was the most noble head of many Monasteries and fruitful Mother of many thousands of holy Monks That one by name Luanus a Son of that holy Congregation of Beannchuir was himself alone Founder of a hundred Monasteries in other places That from thence flowed such a prodigious inundation of Saints all over Ireland Scotland and other foreign Nations in those days as we have spoken of before out of Cambden That Columbanus who came to France being another Son of that holy place founded the Cloyster of Luxeu in Burgundy in which the number of Religious men was so great that both day and night the Quire was replenish'd with Singers praising God perpetually by turns even all the 24 hours throughout the whole year without intermission of one sole moment of time That Beannchuir it self the happy Mother of so blessed an Issue had likewise of her own peculiar Conventuals at home constantly praising and serving God such a number that on a time some foreign Pirats Landing there unexpectedly for't was upon the Sea-side to spoil and burn it as they did both found nine hundred Monks in the place whom they slew and burnt altogether most inhumanely as the Histories of that Countrey tell Which Martyrdom and first destruction of this Monastery happen'd says Keting in the Reign of Ceanfolae Monarch or King of Ireland That is as I take it about a hundred and fifty years before the the first Invasion of the Danes Finally that Malachias about 400 years after this first destruction of Beannchuir and a second too by the Danes restored it once more to its ancient religious dedication to God tho not to the like number of Monks and was himself Abbot of it before his being Bishop either of Connor Ardmagh or Down I add in the last place Down because this wonderful Servant of God Malachias against the will of all others resign'd Ardmagh and chose the poor Bishoprick of Down to retire unto of purpose to cultivate the Barbarous Inhabitants hereof as he had successively those of the two former To illustrate with a few more particulars this relation given of the memorable Abbot Congellus I Hanmer p. 62. and 53. can out of Hanmer's Chronicle add passing over his vain attempt to challenge him for his own Countreyman and make him at least of British blood and birth But he soon gives over his claim in the very next page where on better grounds he confesses that Congellus not far from Westchester founded the Monastery of Bangor which then among the Brittons was call'd the Colledg of Christian Philosophâ—rs and was himself the first Abbot of it in the days of King Arthur An. Christi 530. That he also founded the famous Monastery of Benchor as he calls it but the Irish Beannchuir in the Ardes alias Altitudo Vltonum in Vlster which had 3000 Monks and bred and train'd up many singular and eminent men of Learning not only Irish but Brittons Saxons and Scots who dispers'd themselves far and near into foreign Countreys and converted and confirmed thousands in the true faith of Christ That seven years after the founding of this Abbey in Vlster he founded the other near Chester but then return'd again to his former in Vlster where he resteth in peace And besides other particulars to conclude all and acknowledg indeed both the Native Countrey of Congellus and Countrey also of his breeding in holiness that he was born in Dal-Naraidh in Vlster of honourable Parents bred under Abbot Fiontan in Mounster and then at last under Kieran at Cluain-mhac-Noise c. 15. I might here enlarge on the Conversion of many Infidel Nations especially in the North of Great Britain and the Lower and Higher Germany by the power of the words and Example of the lives of those wonderful Irish Monks But having said enough already on this Head of their Sanctity I will dilate no further on it I will not recount any thing not so much as of St. Aidam that holy Bishop of Lindisfarn and great Instructor of King Oswald's Saxon Subjects in Christianity g Beda Histâ—r Eccles l. 3. c. v. vi nor much neither of Columb-Cille himself Only of this later give me leave to deliver a few things As 1. That he was born in Vlster and the Son of Feilimidh the Son of Fergus the Son of Conal Gulbhann the Son of Niall the Great surnamed also Naoighiallach Monarch of Ireland Which I note against some Scottish Authors that contrary to all known truth would make him a Scotchman 2. That his proper name received in Baptism was Criomhthan and the name of Columb-Cille was given him by Children his Play-fellows who because of his Dove-like simplicity and because when he came to them upon a certain day once every week where they with great longing expected him he always came to them immediatly out of the Church or Monastery wherein he was educated at Dubghlaissa in Tirconel therefore they so soon as he appear'd to them cried forth unanimously with one voice Columb ne Cille Whereof his Instructors taking notice at last thought it the will of God he should be so called thence-forward by all others too even as the innocent Children had already and constantly once a week by their joyful acclamations begun to do those three distinct Irish words importing in English the Dove of the Church For in that Language Celumb is a Dove and Ceall or Cill is a Church Monastery or Cell And hence it was that Criomhthan came to be generally called no more Criomhthan but Columb-Cille the middle word at first used by the Children being left out of the composition for brevities sake 3. That having in his youth dedicated himself to a Monastick life and having by stupendious mortification arrived to the highest pitch of holiness he founded the Monastery of Ardmagh otherwise Dear-magh in Latin Campus Roborum as Beda notes He pass'd from thence over to Scotland in the 43 year of his age but of Christ 565. He Preach'd the Gospel Beda l. 3. c. 4. there with so great power that he converted to Christianity all the Picts then inhabiting the more Northern parts of Great Britain He founded here another no less famous Abbey in the Isle of Hy in Latin Iona on which Abbey Connall mhac Conghvill King of Dal-Rheuda not a Pict but an Irish Scot bestowed that Keting in the Reign of whole Island with the Soveraignty thereof to be transmitted to all future Abbots of it for ever He was held in such
of the Danes I find but three only Aodh Slaine Colman Rimhigh and Swine Mean that were not in Arms against any at all Subjects or Foreigners who nevertheless were all three murdered by some wicked Irish men their own Subjects and besides them Blaithmhac and Diarmuid Ruannigh two Brothers in like manner joyntly enjoying the Soveraign Power and then Seachnasach immediatly succeeding in all three more that although they were in Arms at home it was not against any of their own People but the two former against the Saxons and Brittons invading them under the leading of their General Brit or Berthus and the third against the Picts Landing in Vlster whom the Forces of that Province overthrew presently and yet he also was murdered by his own People All the rest of the three and thirty Monarchs had their Swords drawn whether justly or injustly I dispute not here against their own Rebellious Subjects at home and these against them So that besides infinite depredations wastings burnings of the Countrey besides the endless harrassing of the poor Peasants and even sometime the violating of Sanctuaries and burning of Churches and killing of Clergy men and Priests and Bishops too for company besides lesser Fights and skirmishes without number you may read in Manuscript in the several Reigns of those Kings Keting above 58 main Battels fought between their Princes Kings and Monarchs within that period of time a period that wanted seven or eightyears of 400. 18. And that you may understand how bloody how destructive indeed those greater Battels might have generally been I will instance here in two of them First in that which they call the Battel of Allmbain wherein about the year of Christ 920. the Monarch Ferghall mhac Maolduin with an Army of one and twenty thousand men invading and fighting Murchoe mhac Bruin King of Leinster who had but nine thousand one hundred and sixty men to oppose him was himself kill'd and together with him seven thousand of his Army on the place besides 269 persons more of them so strangely frighted that they fell into that kind or heighth of frenzy which the Irish call in their Language Dubhghealtacht flying over ground like frighted Fowls from all People they met or saw This ill fortune of this Monarch Fearghall was thought to have happend him because a Party of his men in their march to this Field had spoild a Sanctuary call'd Cillin and the Anchoret there living had curs'd the Monarch and his whole Army Secondly in that which they call the Battel of Seanaigh and Vchaidh fought between the Monarch Aodh Ollan and Aodh Colgan King also of Leinster yea sought with that fury on both sides that besides this Monarch himself mortally wounded and a very great slaughter of his Army and besides Aodh Colgan kill'd together with Bran Beg the petty King of half Leinster nine thousand more of the Leinster men alone remained dead on the Field tho the said Monarch died not of his wounds received here but was kill'd sometimes after in the Battel of Seir. But what I cannot here but particularly take notice of as worthy of special remark are two things The one that this fury of pursuing one another with Battels and Slaughters and Murders even all along from their conversion to Christianity for the extent of 400 years had been so strangely violent that it gave them no leasure at all to think of preserving much less enlarging their former Conquests In their time of Paganism how bloodily soever the several Factions had been commonly bent to mutual destruction yet the prevailing Parties now and then had such generous publick resolutions as to give over at home and employ their Warlike spirits abroad to enlarge their Dominions We have formerly seen their brave exploits in subduing the Orcades Hebrides Isle of Man and then all Scotland and then making the rest of Great Britain tributary and last of all enterprizing on France it self in the decay of the Roman Empire till Niall the Great was no less treacherously than revengfully murder'd there amidst his Army camping on the River of Loyrc as has been said before I might also have added another adventure and enterprize of theirs on France with a resolute Army under the leading of their Monarch Dathi alias Fearadhach who as in the Sovereignty of Ireland so in his design on France succeeded immediatly to the foresaid Niall the Great tho having Landed there and march'd through till he came near the Alps he was here struck dead by a Thunderbolt from Heaven for so the Irish Chronicles deliver his death As they do also the cause of it according to the conjectures of men to have been that he suffered the Cell of a Christian holy Anchorite by name Parmenius to be ransack'd who thereupon cursing this Heathen Sacrilegious King and calling to Heaven for Vengeance that exemplary punishment shewed his prayer was heard by God But whatever the cause of it was the place where it happen'd shews how vigorously he pursued the brave adventures of so many other Pagan Kings and Princes of Ireland to enlarge their Dominions abroad 19. And because peradventure it may be worth the while take here in short a Catalogue of those Irish Monarchs Princes and other chief Nobles who by their first subduing and then planting of Albain as they call it gave it the name of Scotland 1. Aongus Ollbhuathach not the VII Monarch nor Monarch of any number at all but Son to Fiachae Labhruinne the XIV Monarch or King of Ireland for so you must correct what is said of him otherwise before pag. 17. I say this Aongus entred Albuin to recover of the Picts the chiefry due to the King of Ireland his Father Wherein finding them refractory he gave them and the Britains or Aborigines inhabiting at that time the Northern parts of Great Britain so many overthrows that he reduced them at last to his own conditions making them not only Tributarles but Subjects to the Kings of Ireland which happen'd about 250 years after the arrival of the Iberians there from Spain that is well nigh 2800 years since 2. Aongus surnamed Ollmhucuidh from his extraordinary great Hogs for Muc in their Language signifies a Hog in English the XVI King of Ireland of the Milesian Conquest fought the Picts and Firr Bholg inhabiting the Orcades and other Islands of Scotland and utterly subdued them in 50 Battels For it was he and not the foresaid Aongus surnamed Ollbhuathach or the Victorious that fought them and subdued all those Islanders And therefore by this observation also be pleased to correct what you find otherwise in the foresaid 16 page 3. Many centuries after the sixtieth Monarch of Ireland Reachta Righdhearg crossing the narrow Seas and Landing in Albain as the Irish call that Country still which we call Scotland once more established on the Picts what those other Princes did before him This Reachta Righdhearg was the first of three Irish Monarchs born in Mounster that
only pursued but exceeded them as being wholly intent upon destroying one another at home he thought it now high time to warn them as his Children And that he did so both early and loudly and often by laying his hand upon them wâ—th smart enough though not to their extermination or destruction as yet 25. It was within the first Century of Christian Religion among them he warn'd 'em with the loss of all their Dominions abroad The Orcades and the Hebrides and all the Islands not Mannuinn â—or Isle of Man it self excepted nay the Terra Firma of Scotland and all their Conquests and Plantations there both ancient and late those very Descendants of their own loyns renounced utterly in that very Age any further payment of Tribute or Chiefry or other duty of Allegiance or subjection to them And I think any indifferent looker on would esteem so great a loss then both an early and loud warning indeed given them to amend But they did not regard it as not touching them yet in their sensible Being at home And therefore God proceeds thenceforwards by other i. e. by nearer and keener methods touching 'em to the quick where they should have more feeling Such undoubtedly were those two dreadful Plagues the one in the Reign of Diarmuid mhic Ferghussa mhic Ceirrbheoil which they call'd Crom-Choinnioll in English the Fading or Falling Candle that swept away infinit numbers of them yea very many of their most admired Saints and among others Mac Dail the Patron of Kilcullin the other call'd by them an Bhuidh Choinnioll or the Yellow Candle no less contagiously mortal whereof even their very Sovereigns in whose Reigns it happen'd the two Brothers Blaithmhac and Diarmuid Ruannigh died Such also were those three or four several Invasions and inroads made into their Country by the Saxons and Brittons either in conjunction or apart close one after another The first of them in the joynt Sovereignty of the foresaid two Brothers when the Irish who had so long and so unnaturally fought one another were now constrain'd to fight a forein and common Enemy at their own doors at home and give them Battel at a place call'd Pancti The second in the Reign of Fionachta Fleadhach when Egfrid King of Northumberland sent an Army under the conduct of one Brit or Berthus to Invade ' em Who as Venerable Beda * Anno Dominicae Incarnationis 684. Egfridus Rex Northanhymbrorum misso in Hiberniam Scotorum Insulam cum exercitu Duce Bertho vastauit misere Gentem innoxiam Nationi Anglorum semper amicissimam ita ut nec Ecclesiis quidem aut Monasteriis manus parceret hostilis l. 4. c. 26. relates it in the year of Christ 684. so miserably wasted the Irish Nation though a Nation most harmless to others and always most friendly in particular to the English that he spared neither Church nor Chappel nor Monastery His Army says Keâ—ing in the Reign of the foresaid Firnachta spoil'd and burn'd all the Sea-coasts of Leinster without any difference put between sacred and profane And either a little before or after this devastation it was that in the same Reign they or some other Forces Landing out of Great Britain fought the Irish in the Battel named Cath Rath Moire in Moghlinne where besides a great many of the latter Comhusgach a Pictish King was lost Lastly in the Reign of Loinnsioch mhic Aonghussa the Brittons prey'd harras'd ransack'd the whole Country call'd Magh-Mhuir Theimhne until the fortune of a Battel I mean that of Cullinn or Muigh Cullinn which the Vltonians were compell'd to at last made them retire Besides these several Inroads touching them pretty near the quick at home in divers parts of their Country the mercy of God seeing not their amendment yet was pleas'd in this very Loinnsioch's Reign to try other means more general to the whole Nation of Ireland by afflicting them all with such a Mortality of their Kine and Famin thence ensuing and continuing for three years in such extremity that men ate one another as Keting writes But neither was this kind of warning any whit more effectual to work a Reformation For Loinnsioch himself their Monarch was kill'd in Battel by Ceallach King of Connaght And after his immediate Successor Conghall Kinn who most sacrilegiously rob'd and burn'd as well all the Churches and Sanctuaries as all the rest of the Town of Kildare before he was seiz'd upon by a sudden death the just reward of his Sacriledge as all men thought in those days the very next three Monarchs Fearrghall Foghartach and Kionaoth were all of 'em one after another kill'd in three Battels fought by their own Coutrey-men and Subjects against them And though Flaithiortoch immediate Successor to the last of these three escaped violent death by making himself the only happy man of all the Irish Monarchs at least of all until his time except Maolchoba in putting off voluntarily his Royal Robe changing it for a Religious Weed and both living and dying in peace a profess'd Monk in the Monastery of Ardmagh yet he that succeeded him next in the Sovereignty Aodh Ollan was kill'd in Battel by Domhnal mhac Murchadha as we have seen before All which notwithstanding the patience and goodness of God to them still was such that he would warn them yet and warn 'em indeed now even by prodigies and wonders both in Heaven above and in the Earth below In the Reign of this Domhnal mhac Marchadha who both kill'd and succeeded Aodh Ollan the form of a hideous horrible Serpent appear'd a long time moving over their heads in the Firmament And in his next Successor Niall Frassach's Reign the Earth under 'em throughout Ireland shut up her fruitful Womb in such extraordinary manner that she deign'd them no return at all of their Seed but instead thereof brought upon them a second and it a most cruel most universal Famin through all their Quarters Then follow'd in the Monarch Aodh Ordnighe's Reign that Prodigious Thunder and Lightning which in one little nook of the Land between Corca Bhaisgin and the Sea kill'd in a trice a thousand and seven persons dead What shall I say of that wonderful threefold and peradventure greatest prodigy of all pour'd down from Heaven in a tripartite division at the Birth of the foresaid Niall Frassach I mean those three stupendious showers fallen at that time on three several Fields in Ireland the one of Honey on Fothanbeg the other of Silver on Fothain mhor and the third of blood on Maigh-Laightonn Indeed according to Keting they fell in the Reign of the above Fearrghall the seventh Monarch in order ascending up from this Niall surnamed Frassach in Irish in Latin Nimbosus or Imbricus from those wonderful showers happening at his Nativity And though I am no Diviner to interpret what they portended for certain yet taking the shower of blood in conjunction with those other Prodigies that one after another so closely follow'd in
divine things continual exercise in all good works made his memory pleasant and fragrant and sweet and precious after his death The debt of Nature that open'd for him the passage into a blessed immortality he paid in his Father-in-law's Reign over Ireland that is between the Years 918. when this Monarch Donochadh mhac Floinn be gun his reign and the year 942. when he ended it I might on this occasion peradventure call to mind what Keting has of Scanlan mor mhic Cinfoala a former King of Ossory his grateful devout liberality in applotting and enjoyning three pence a smoak throughout his Countrey to be paid yearly for ever to Columb-Cille's Abbey there at a place call'd Durramh And I might withal remember how great how beneficial yea how wonderful even to this very Scanlan himself the inducement he had to this Devotion was For it was no less than his miraculous delivery from the very extreamest rigours of a most cruel imprisonment and twelve chains of Iron loading him and no drink at all allow'd him to quench his thirst when at Colum-Cille's instance for him in prayer to God he was on a sudden by an Angel of glory from Heaven rescued the Prison at midnight enlightned his chains unloosed his Keepers thrown down the Gates open'd he led forth and then presently as it were in another instant of time both conducted and presented to his Wonder-working Patron Columb-Cille that expected him at that very hour But as I have partly before touch'd upon the extraordinary Obligation laid by this miraculous favour on Scanlan so let it suffice here to have only mention'd so much of his grateful acknowledgment thereof And yet perhaps it may not be amiss to let the Reader know what Lucius on the foresaid occasion hath observ'd of the Kings of Ossory in general or indeed rather of the Irish Historians in relation to them viz. That these Writers do seem all of them to have some peculiar esteem for the Kings of Ossory above any other of the Lesser Kings of Ireland For when they give a Catalogue of those Provincial Kings of the Pentarchy that is of those of South-Mounster North-Mounster Connaght Leinster and Vlster that were contemporary to the Monarchs whose Reigns Lives Acts they principally write it may be seen in all their Books that then also they give a particular account of the Kings of Ossory though on that occasion they take no kind of notice of any other of all the Lesser Kings of Ireland What the reason hereof may be I cannot divine if not that peradventure they valued as Lucius says these Ossory Kings not upon the extent of their Dominion which yet was not contemptible but on their bravery and Martial courage like that of Eumenes in Plutarch who when he had but one Castle remaining in his possession would not otherwise capitulate with Antigonus but upon equal terms of honour as not esteeming any man better than himself whiles he had a Weapon in his hand But be this conjecture as you please I return back to the Subject I was on before I now give the only two remaining of those Lesser Kings that are celebrated for their prudent piety in their abandoning all they had on earth taking up their Cross and following Christ in the poverty habit and mortifications of a religious Life These were Maolmordha Huadomhnail King of Cionsallach who paid his tribute to Nature Anno 1022. and Vadah O Conchanain King of Huadiarmada above a hundred years after for he ended his days Anno 1167. Nor have I any other to add to them but only Conchabhar O Cealla surnamed of the Battles King of Mannech in Connaght whose Christian vertues are wonderfully admired by all the Irish Historians Though he was a man that not only till the last continued in his station of a Prince and Governour of his People but a very notable Warriour too as you see that surname of his imports cui cognomento à Proeliis says Lucius In short they write of him 1. That he maintain'd in Clothes and Diet 3â—0 Clerks Monks and poor Women founded twelve Churches in Moanmaigha endow'd them with Lands render'd them exempt from all publick Duties built the Cathedral Church of St. Brandan at Cluainfert and the other of St. Kieran at Cluain-mhac-Noise gave these two Cathedrals large possessions furnish'd them with Ecclesiastical Books Chalices costly Palls Vestments and all other necessaries for the holy Ministery 2. That he tyth'd his whole Estate three several times bestowed the Tenth of it on the Churches the Ninth on the poor and the Eighth part on the Clerks and others that came for assistance and relief to his House 3. That after all being warr'd upon by Conchabhar Moinmhuigh son to Ruaruidgh the last Irish Monarch by the Mac Teigs also and other great Lords associated against him and an agreement made between both sides to put the quarrel to the issue of a pitch'd Battel with this caution and mutual promise that neither should come unto it nor fight in it with Armour i. e. with breast or back or Habergion or any coat of Maile and he for his part most religiously out of meer conscience of his word keeping to that caution but they on the other side without any regard of theirs having dealt perfidiously by covering themselves with Armour under their Cassocks the issue was the slaughtering of a great number of his Army the routing of the rest and killing of him among others in the Field which they call the Field or Battel of Srugheal fought in the year of our Saviour Christ 1180. 4. That upon the news thosE 360 Pensioners above mention'd of his though not living together in one place but far and wide distant in their several Habitations yet in all the hast they could arriving all of them on the third day where his Body was and there upon the sight of it first giving way to Nature by venting their extream grief in abundance of tears groans and lamentations for him but more especially because he that maintain'd so many Ministers for God had not so much as any one of them or any other such to assoil him or comfort him in the last hour then taking his head for it was cut off and sowing it to his body and this done laying themselves on their knees they prai'd c. crying to God mightily and with wonderful Faith beseech'd him to return back the Soul of their dear Benefactor into his Body while he prepar'd himself by repentance and reconciliation and the Sacraments of Christ for a more quiet and hopeful departure 5. Lastly That their prayers were so efficacious and the mercy of God so extraordinarily propitious to Conchabhar that he revived presently confess'd his sins received the holy Viaticum but then as he told them chose rather to die than live any longer Adding withal that the true cause why God would have him defeated and kill'd in that Battle was that he had not incontinently punish'd some
wickedness committed by his Brother Which yet he had not forgiven but only delai'd to judg as having never once heard of it before that very morning when he was preparing for Battel and consequently his Soul taken up wholly with other cares Whereby says Gratianus Lucius relating this matter at large and quoting O Duvegan for it we may guess at the condition of those Governors that wilfully and deliberately not only delay the punishment of so many horrible crimes they see daily committed even against all Justice and Religion but resolve never to punish them Neâ— enim injuria quis dixerit eum saevire in bonos qui parcit-malis But if you be of an other judgment as to this Maxim I mean That he is cruel to the good who spares the wicked or if peradventure you boggle at the miraculous part either of this Relation of Conchabhar O Cealla's death or of the former enumeration of such Irish Christian Monarchs Provincial and other Lesser Kings who have been famous in their time for piety you may pass it over and leave it to the devotion and credulity of other men that have not the same apprehensions doubts or scruples as they have not the same soul with you I am sure that laying all such matters aside there is among those great Examples of Virtue enough still remaining to edifie any good Christian or any sober man alive Though I must tell you withal that as no Writer holds himself accountable either for the verity or falsity of any other matters of Fact whatsoever written by him out of ancient History so much less for those of Miracles And yet further I must acknowledg that I know not whether any man writing purposely of a Nation or People that both firmly do believe such miraculous works to have been wrought by God among their Predecessors and would perhaps hold it a very invidious malevolent diminution of their glory for such a man to pass them over wholly in silence it were just or prudential in him to do so However I have avoided the two extreams I have not been wholly silent as to such matters nor have I given but a very few of them Besides I do not interpose a syllable of my own judgment Though I would nevertheless be as free either to assent or dissent or even to suspend as any other upon sufficient ground But enough of this and together with it of all I intended to give in the second Point 35. The third is an Appendix to what has been hitherto said of the personal piety of those Princes For I am now to give in order what was done partly by some of the very same partly by other Irish Kings Princes Lords as well to reform the Commonwealth regulate the Church restore Learning to the Nation as to promote Christian religious piety among all their Subjects no less than in themselves And all this I mean acted by them after the general calamity of the Danish Wars yea and acted by them notwithstanding their own so frequent relapses at this very time into their old Feuds again Brian Boraimh so often mention'd but never enough praised must be the first Instance in this place He set all men free from the exactions of the Danes All the spoils gained by him from the Danes he bestow'd on others All the Lands and Territories of the Kingdom he restor'd to the ancient Proprietors and lawful Heirs not retaining to himself or any Relations one foot of Land belonging to others He conferr'd on each Temporal Lord great Priviledges and Immunities according to his degree He restored to each Bishop his own Diocess to each Priest his Church throughout Ireland He founded built endow'd many Churches Schools Colledges and with Royal munificence care solicitude gave a new beginning again to the destroy'd Universities He bestow'd on every person that would learn money to bear his charges competently He built at his own proper cost the Cathedral of Cill-da-Luagh the Church of Inis Cealtrach and re-edified the Steeple of Tuaim-Ghreine He built many Bridges made many Causeys mended many High ways before not passable He erected many new Forts strengthened the old ones with new Bulwarks and in particular fortified Cashel the usual mansion of the Mounster Kings He re-edified all the Royal Houses or Palaces in Mounster that before his time had been either utterly ruin'd or wholly neglected in particular thirteen of them His Government was so rigid that under it a young Woman travail'd all alone from Toruidh to Cliodhna the length of Ireland with a gold Ring hanging on the top of a Wand in her hand without meeting any that attempted to rob or ravish her Besides he enter'd not on the Sovereignty by murdering or killing his Predecessor as so many others did who nevertheless were not tax'd with Usurpation because of their descent from the Royal Line and yet Brian was undoubtedly of the Line from Heber Moreover he was gloriously magnificent in his Port. No man could carry Arms in his Court where ever it chanc'd to be except only Dal-Gheass that were his own peculiar Guards All the Provinces of Ireland every one and some lesser Countreys too besides the Danes inhabiting Dublin and Limmeric lay under a considerable Boraimh or Tax which they paid yearly for the maintenance of his House at Ceann-Chora viz. Connaght 800 Beeves and so many Hogs Tirchonail 500 Mantles and 500 Beeves Tir-Eoghuin 600 Beeves 600 Hogs and 60 Tun of Iron Clanna Ruidhruidh in Vlster 150 Beeves and so many Hogs Oirghilluibh 800 Beeves Leinster 300 Beeves 300 Hogs and 300 Tuns of Iron Ossory 60 Beeves 60 Hogs and 60 Tuns of Iron Danes of Dublin 300 Pipes or Buts of Wine Danes of Limmerick a Tun of Claret for every day in the Year what Mounster paid I do not find In short his Hospitality at Ceann-Chora in every degree was such that excepting the Monarchs Cormock mhac Airt and Conair mor mhac Eidrisgceoil no other King of Ireland ever did an near it Maolseachluinn II. in his Second Reign especially towards the middle of it when he gave himself to Devotion and thoughts of an other life did as well in good Government and care of the Publick as in Piety shew himself both a great and good King He reedified many Schools repair'd many Churches maintain'd 300 Scholars out of his own Revenue laid the foundation of S. Mary Abbey in Dublin built and endow'd it An. 1039. * Vnderstand this according to Ketings Computation that gives Clantar Clantarâ—â— Battel fought on the 16th of April 1036. but not according to Gratianus Lucius or others that deliver it fought earlier by 20 years viz. Anno. 1014. the very first Abbey we read of built in Ireland since the universal destruction by the Danes For the Monarch Toirghiallach mhac Teaidhg mhic Brian Boraimh that he was not only a good man but excellent King you may read in Lucius very convincing Arguments 1. That during his twelve years Reign there was
consequence would not be govern'd not even in Ecclesiastical affairs but by some of their own without dependance on any other except only the Prelat of that See which from the beginning of Christianity had prescribed some right over them all But enough on this Subject relating to Malachias the former of those two extraordinary Saints rais'd by God in the decrepit Age of the Irish Monarchy The later of them was a Leinster man of Noble Descent his Irish name and sirname Laurace O Tuathil in English Laurence Tool his Father Muirchiortach O Tuathil Lord of Imaile and peradventure some other small adjoyning Tracts in the County of Wickloe his Mother Inghin J. Bhrian i. e. one of O Brian's Daughters and he the youngest of all their Children But for the name of Laurence a name so unusual in that Countrey then 't was given him on this occasion Being born his Father sent him to be Christened at Kildare by Donachadh Lord of that Countrey of purpose to let him know by this Gossipred he was reconciled to him for before they had been at some distance and therefore those that carried the Child were commanded by the Father to Christen him Conchabhar this being that Nobleman's surname who was to be Godfather But a person reputed in that Countrey then such an other as Merlin had been of old among the Brittans meeting them in the High-way charg'd them to call him Laurence assuring them he would himself that night excuse them to their Lord and then adding prophetically in Irish Verse This Child shall be great on Earth and glorious in Heaven he shall command over great multitudes both of rich and poor and Laurence shall be his name When he was but ten years old his Father delivered him an Hostage to Diarmuid the King of Leinster In which condition notwithstanding the innocency of his Age he suffer'd incredible miseries even to extream want of Raiment and Food in a desert place among barbarous people where he had been for two years confined At the expiration of which being return'd back in exchange of other Prisoners though not delivered to the Father himself but to the Bishop of Gleann-da-Logh and his Father coming on the twelfth day not only to see him but to desire the Bishop to learn of God by Lot which of his children he should dedicate to an Ecclesiastick Life and he taking this opportunity and telling his Father That with his leave he himself would be that Child the Father surpriz'd with joy takes him presently by the right hand and offers him up perpetually to God in that holy place dedicated to St. Keuin both Cathedral Church and Abbey the one govern'd by a Bishop the other by an Abbot Where Laurence proves in a little time so singular a proficient in all Virtue that the Abbot dying the unanimous consent both of the Monks and Nobles of the Countrey Voted him Abbot and forc'd him to accept of it in the 25th year of his Age. And now it begun to appear more eminently what spirit he was of For the more he was honour'd the more he abased himself the stricter guard he kept on all his senses and the more intent he was upon his holy ascetick Exercises Above all that Virtue which is the bond of perfection that Virtue which shall never be evacuated but after Faith and Hope are ended shall remain that Virtue which by relieving the afflictions of other mortals makes the Reliever a God to them as Pliny speaks in his Panegyrick to Trajan Charity I mean did at this time shew what power she had over the Soul of Laurence He was no sooner made Abbot than a general Famine oppressing all that Countrey four years continually he no less continually employ'd himself in relieving all that were in want especially the poorer sort with corn and cattel and all the Revenues of his Abbey Revenues that were very great yea far surpassing those of the Bishoprick Nor must we admire they should be so It was one of the most famous ancient Monasteries of the Kingdom founded at first by St. Keuin as we call him but the Irish Ceaghin the Latins Coenginus a person though illustrious for his Royal extraction yet much more celebrated as well for the admirable austerity of his Life as for his manifold prodigious Miracles which made him after his death be assumed Patron both of the Town Abbey Cathedral Church and whole Diocess of Gleann-da-Loch where he lived and died Besides none but Noblemen's children were elected Abbots and the Noblemen themselves of the whole Diocess had by ancient custom their Voices in the election of them as well as the Monks However the large Revenues of the Abbey as they came short of the necessities of the poor in that long and general Famine so they did of the charity of Laurence as may be well concluded out of what follows hereafter Much about the time this Famine had ended the Bishop of Gleann-da-Loch dying he was chosen to succeed But notwithstanding all the importunity of the Electors he declined it though pretending only his un-Canonical Age. Yet so he could not soon after the Archbishoprick of Dublin For Gregory the First Archbishop of this See being dead Laurence by the unanimous consent of the Clergy and People of Dublin says Waraeus was elected Commentar de Praesul Hiber Archbishop and being at last by continual importunities drawn to yield was consecrated at Dublin by Gelasius Primat of Ardmagh and other Bishops Anno 1162. just fourteen years after the death of Malachias in France What more Waraeus thought fit to record of him is That presently after consecration he changed the secular Canons of his Cathedral Church into Regular of the Order of Aroasia whose habit and rule of Life himself also took upon him now That about eleven years after he built the Choire and Steeple with an other addition of three new Chappels to Trinity Church in that City That in the Year 1179. he went to the General Council held then at Rome under Alexander III. That according to the Author of his Life he was there made Legat of Ireland by that Pope soon after return'd back and exercis'd his Legatin Authority in Ireland That Gerald L. 2. expugn Hib. c. 23. Barry commonly call'd Cambrensis seems to intimate he never had been permitted to return to Ireland sed ob privilegia aliqua zelo suae Gentis impetrata but for some priviledges obtain'd from the Pope in that Council for his Countrey prejudicial to the Royal power of Henry II. was detained a long time partly in England partly in France until at last falling sick in his Journey he died at Auge in Normandy the 14th of Novemb. 1180. or as others have it 1181. Finally that in the Year 1225. he was canonized by Pope Honorius III. and his Relicks translated to Trinity Church in Dublin Which being the brief account given by Waraeus of this great Servant of God he leaves us for the rest that is
Contemporaries so soon as it came out Which notwithstanding and whatever else I have given any where in this Reflection on my own foresaid eighth and ninth page I desire may be understood by the Reader as I intended it i. e. without any prejudice or diminution of the great and known both Antiquity and bravery of the Brittish Nation whencesoever they have truly derived the name of Brittons for themselves or that of Brittain for their Countrey Of the former I mean their Antiquity Julius Caesar is a witness beyond exception where he speaks in his Commentaries L. v. of the inland people of Brittain as if they had been Aborigenes without any derivation from elsewhere abroad quos natos in Insula memoria proditum dicunt says he Of the later both Tacitus and Beda Writers no less unexceptionable have recorded to Posterity very considerable Instances The one in his Annals and History and Agricola's Life telling their fierce Fights and sometimes their successes too against the Roman Generals in their own Countrey Great Brittain The other in his Ecclesiastical History of England acknowledging several great Victories had by them both in the same Island their own Countrey over his Countreymen the Saxons that invaded them nay particularly telling us in the 16th chap. of his First Book of two very special Victories the first under the leading of Aurelius Ambrosius the second in Black more about that place where Scarborough Castle is now called by Polidore in his History Mons Badonicus adding withal that after the first overthrow given by them although sometimes worsted yet they continued the War with great resolution worsting also not seldom their Foes until at last they hem'd them in about the said Hill or Mountain Badonicus and made a mighty slaughter of them there Which happened says Bede in the forty fourth year after the first landing of the Saxons Above all the Defence made by the Reliques of them in Wales after their Kingdom had been utterly destroy'd upon Cadwallador's withdrawing to France yea made and continued by them for seven hundred years and their fighting so long for their Liberty against the Saxons first and Normans after till they obtain'd honourable Conditions at last from Edward I. are sufficient arguments of their Martial Spirit and brave Souls however Fortune frown'd upon them And as I ought to be so ingenuous in acknowledging what I have now done concerning that Nation in general so likewise in reference to Jeffry himself I will be so just as to acknowledg what he says of the hand of God that lay so heavy upon them at last even to their utter destruction by the mortal Feuds and cruel Famine and most destructive of all the Pestilence that follow'd For besides this one particular of those three heavy scourges from God which I must confess are attested by V. Bede himself l. 1. cap. 12 14. there is little else of truth to be acknowledg'd in the whole Summary given before of that Romantick History of Galfridus Tho Richard White of Basingstoke has in our days written and printed a Latin History of his own pursuing in most particulars the good Example given by him and to make it the more known has prefix'd unto it an Epistle Dedicatory to Albertus Arch-Duke of Austria c. 45. In my 13. page I spake somewhat of the causes moving the eight sons of Milesius after his death to think seriously of invading Ireland But I might have added How their consultation about this matter was held in Breoghuin's Tower in Gallicia How it was from thence they employ'd Ith or Ithius their Uncle on the Father's side as being son to Breoghuin their great Grandfather in a ship well provided and man'd with a hundred and fifty stout Soldiers to discover the state of Ireland How Ith having landed in Mounster and there understood that Cearmada's three sons who as three Kings ruled Ireland alternatively were together at Oileach Neidh in the North but at some difference among themselves about the Jewels of their Ancestors went thither by Land accompanied with a hundred of his men the ship failing about with the rest to meet him there How being come to Oileach and honourably received by the sons of Cearmada and because he was a stranger and consequently indifferent in their dispute being chosen Arbitrator of it he decided their quarrel to all their satisfaction first by dividing the Jewels equally betwixt them and then exhorting them to mutual love and peace adding withal very much in praise of their delightsom plentiful Countrey How when he had taken leave of them to return to his ship for Spain the eldest of the Three reflecting on the high praises he gave the Land and fearing his design should be to bring others to invade them breaks his jealousie to the other two and with their consent and some armed Troops pursues Ith overtakes him fights him routs his men wounds himself deadly and leaves him in that condition of a dead man groveling on the Earth at a place called from that Fight and his Name Magh Ith. How the few survivers of his men headed by his own son carried away his body a shipboard where he died of his wounds but they nevertheless arrived in Spain and coming to their Cousins the eighth Brothers exposed it before them all of purpose to excite and hasten their revenge And in the last place how that although as well these as those i. e. all the Milesians in general and their Cousins and adherents made this killing or this murder which you please to call it committed on the said Ithius and his men the pretence of their Invasion and War and consequently of the justice of their quarrel and following Conquest of that Countrey by them yet the whole History makes it plain That 't was no other indeed but a meer pretence being Ithius went thither as a meer Spy to discover the Countrey and that they were resolved to invade it upon their return whetâ—er he had or had not met with any injury or pretence of injury there All which I note of purpose here because it may be usefully in the second Part of this Treatise on another occasion related to again 46. In the mean while and in this very place the Reader will give me leave to observe a thing that may prevent some question or some admiration about the sons of Cearmada chusing Ithius their Arbitrator For it may be peradventure ask'd how they understood one another or what Language did he or they speak their sâ—ntiments in or was it by Interpreters they Discours'd c. But the Irish Historians prevent such demands by telling us that all the several Invasions of Ireland only the first plantation of it by Ciocal which properly was no Invasion excepted whether by Partholan or Neimhedh or Feaâ—a-bolg or Tuath-Dâ—-Danan were by Scythians descended from Japhet who for their Language had the Irish Tongue Gaodhlec as 't is called originally by it self common to them all no
Christ 498. the time of Fergus Mor as they call him son to Ercho Nephew to Eochadh Muinreamhar and of his five Brothers with him invading the North of Brittain And Tigernacus who commonly delivers in Latin what was done abroad as what was done at home in Irish has of the present subject this following passage Fergus Mor mhac Ercha id est Fergusius Magnus Erci filius cum Gente Dalrieta partem Britanniae tenuit ibi mortuâ—s est c. That is Fergus Mor the son of Erch with his people of Dal-Riada possess'd himself of part of Brittain and died there about the first year of the Popedom of Symmachus Which was the year of Christ 498. as Primat Vsher has rightly observed Besides the old Irish Book containing the Synchronism or if I may so speak the contemporariness not only of the Monarchs and Provincial Kings of Ireland but of the Kings in Albania too expresly relates how it was in the twentieth year after the Batâ—â—l of Ocha that the six sons of Ercho viz. the two Enguses the two Loarns some Copies have Coarns and the two Ferguses whereof one was this Fergus the Great pass'd over into Albania I say nothing how Nennius translated into Irish among O Duncgans Miscellanies says it was in the sixth Age of the World 〈…〉 〈…〉 the Dal-Riadans had conquer'd part of the Countrey of the Picts and the Saxons enter'd on other parts of Great Brittain Nor do I insist on O Duucgan himself though he most minutely prosecutes this Adventure of Ercho's Children telling the Families issued from them in Scotland which he calls Albain what Lordships or Lands each of them was possess'd of there and what Forces by Land or Sea they usually raised But what I am particularly to observe is that of all hands among the Irish Annalists and Historians it is without any contradiction admitted That this Fergus the Great son to Ercho is the same with Fergusius I. King of the Scots though in Boethius Major Buchanan c. called in Latin the son of Ferchardus That the foresaid Battel of Ocha wherein the Irish Monarch Oillioll Molt perish'd was fought in the year of Christ 478. And that from this year to the year 498. there is no man but sees the just interval must be those twenty years on expiration whereof the foresaid Book of Syncâ—ronisin relates the passing of Fergus Mor to Brittain And the issue of all must be that certainly as to this particular either all the ancient Irish Annals and Monuments besides the late Histories of Keting and Lucius are extraordinary false or Buchanan and Hector Boethius and all other Scottish Authors follow'd by them are extreamly out Even so far out as to have at least inverted the whole succâ—ssion descent line and genealogie of their Kings by giving us a Catalogue with the Lives and Reigns of two or three and forty Kings as descended Lineally from Fergusius I. before he had been existent on Earth For Congallus is the Xliiii King in Buchanan c. and yet the eighteenth year of this very Congallus according to Buchanans computation must have been the year of our Lord 498. in which all the Irish Records place the landing of Fergus Mor in Scotland tho the very first of the Catalogue in him and other Historians follow'd by him Moreover and which yet is no less considerable than any of the former Arguments we may take notice that Buchanan and his Authors make Reuda the sixth King of those in his Catalogue descended from Fergus Then which nothing can be more plain against all the Irish Antiquities To say nothing of V. Bede in his Eccles Hist l. 1. cap. 1. whom you may consult at leasure But for the Irish Chronicles I am sure they tell us particularly that the Monarch of Ireland Conaire mhac Mogha Lauae had three sons call'd the Three Carbry's viz. Cairbre Muisck from whom the Tract of Musckry and Cairbre Baisckin from whom the Land of Corca bhaiskin both in Mounster has denomination and Cairbre Riada alias Riadhfada That this last of the Three was the first Irish Conqueror of the Countrey in Albania which bore his name being called in Irish Dal-Riada in English the Part of Riada and by Latin Writers Dal-rieta Dal-Reuda and the Inhabitants Dal-Reudini as Bede calls ' em And that his foresaid Father the Irish Monarch Conaire mhac Mogha Lauae having reign'd in Ireland eight years was kill'd in the year of the World 5364. being the year of Christ 165. Whence it must follow that his said son Cairbre surnamed Riada in Irish though by V. Bede and others called Reuda must have invaded the Picts and possess'd himself of that part of their Countrey named from him at least three hundred years before the time of Pergus the Great who as we have seen before invaded not Albania till the year of Christ 498. So wide in this very particular of Reuda is the Irish account and History from the Scottish in Buchanan How to reconcile the difference in either particular being it is so great and concerns so great a succession of Kings and Ages too for at least 819 years I leave to such as shall please to concern themselves in it more than my purpose in this place requires I should my self But let them withal take these further Animadversions to thought 1. That the Father of this Fergusius the Great however you call him Erck Ercho Ercha or either as Buchanan has it Ferchardus or any other name whatsoever was never King of Ireland as no more was Fergus Mâ—â— himself notwithstanding Buchanan's intimation to the contrary but only a Brother to Muirchiortach the Irish Monarch that reign'd over all Ireland from the year of Christ 503 to the year 527. wherein he was murder'd 2. That Joannes Major himself though a Scotchman has in his little History of Great Brittain cap. X. reflected on that Vulgar Errour in the Annals of Scotland where they place Fergusius I. before Reuda's time 3. That Hollingshed in his English Translation of Hector Boethius professes himself to be of Opinion That very many of those Kings related by the Scottish Histories to have reigned successively one after another in Scotland were such as neither successively nor in Scotland but together at the same time reigned part of them in Ireland and part in other adjacent lesser Islands 4. That Gratianus Lucius in his Camb. Evers page 93. adds moreover Himself to think not improbably that the Scottish Authors borrowed a great number of their Kings from those indeed that were Pictish Kings Where to ground this Opinion of his he produces an old Irish Translation of Ninnius I mean as to the Catalogue of Pictish Kings in that ancient Author and fixes in particular on eighteen of them by name among which is one Gregory albeit Gregory be the Lxxiii King of Scots in Buchanan's Catalogue and that King too in whom Buchanan glories so much as to record him to posterity by the
Reign of Charles the Great that then Classis Normannorum Hiberniam Scotorum Insulam aggressa commisso praelio cum Scotis innumerabilis multitudo Normannorum extincta est turpiter fugiendo domum reversa est the Norman Fleet having attack'd Ireland the Island of the Scots and given them Battel and an innumerable multitude of the Normans being kill'd in that Fight was forc'd at last to run away shamefully and return home See Gratianus Lucius in his Cambrens Evers page 13. 47. I have insinuated page 57. that they were the Irish who gave a beginning abroad even to the Schools at Oxford And now I add that as Polidore Virgil says King Alfred having in the year of Christ 895. by his Royal Authority approved of Oxford for a place of general studies sent Joannes Scotus Erigena thither ut omnium primus ibi bonas literas doceret the very first publick Professor and Teacher of good Letters there says Pitsius page 162 who further gives this Encomium to Erigena that in Learning or knowledg of the Learned Arts he had scarce his match throughout the World in that Age qui in omni meliori doctrina vix sui similem quenquam in illa Aetate per terrarum orbem habuerit Now it is clearly demonstrable both out of History and the surname Erigena that this very Joannes Scotus Erigena was an Irish man and that not only by Education and breeding as Harpsfield grants he was but by extraction and birth The proofs at large may be seen in Lucius page 148. where he quotes Nicolaus I. the Pope Anastasius Malmsbury Hoveden Westmonasteriensis Vsher and last of all Edward Matthews de Scriptor Angl. Bened. page 166. who particularly notes That this Joannes Scotus was in Latin surnamed Erigena because of his birth in Eriâ— For so Ireland has been always call'd by the Natives to this very day and was then by others too Erigena therefore being the same with Hibernigena you may conclude that if Angligena and Francigena import the one an English man the other a French man born so must Erigena an Irish man by birth Nor is any thing said here of Erigena in any wise inconsistent with Cambden's relation out of the old Annals of the Abbey of Winchester Wherein after telling how King Alfred had recall'd the Muses to Oxford and built three Colledges there one for Grammarians another for Philosophers and a third for Divines 't is further said that in the year of Christs Incarnation 806 being the second year of St. Grimbald ' s coming into England the first Regents and Professors in the Divinity Colledg were St. Naoth an Abbot and holy Cambden translated by Hol. page 378. Grimald a right excellent Professour of the most sweet written Word of holy Scripture All this might be true and yet Erigena be and continue still the first Professour of the Learned Arts and good Letters at Oxford Where I relate page 34. the famous Battel fought at Clantarff by the brave Brian Boraimh I Hanmer pag. 91. pass by Hanmers relation of it Even as I have all along pass'd by many ther of his stories concerning Ireland As for Example 1. That of Gurguntius the son of Belinus King of Great Brittain to have met at Sea about the Isle of Orkney as he return'd from the Conquest of Denmark a Fleet of sixty Sail of Spaniards with Men and Women commanded by the Governour of Baiona seeking some Countrey to inhabit or live in and to have assign'd them Ireland c. 2. That other yet more ridiculous one out of Harding and Mewinus a Brittish Chronieler quoted by Harding * Harding lived in the Reigns of Henry V. Henry VI. and Edward IV. How Gathelus and Scota came to these Northern parts anno Christi 75. 3. That of Fredelenus King of Denmark in the Reign of Augustus Caesar to have invaded Ireland and taken Dublin though not by force but by the help of Swallows firing the City with fire tied to their wings though himself was presently forc'd by the Kiâ—g of Leinster to depart and run away to his Fleet. 4. That of Frotho III. King of Denmark when our Saviour was born to have made all Ireland tributary and been Monarch thereof As also that other in him out of Saxo Grammaticus and Albertus Krantzius concerning Frotho IV. thirty years after the former his having sent the Giants and the huge Monster Startucerus to invade the same Kingdom 5. That of King Arthur of Great Brittain and Gillomar King Hanmer page 50 51 and 52. of Ireland Mark King of Cornwall Sir Tristram and La Bel Isod c. though besides the Books of Houth he quotes also Florilegus and Fabian Caxton Holinghed Flemming and Harding for 'em 6. That of his genealogy of Fionn mhac Cuuail and his making this Fionn and his Associats both to have been Giants and of Danish birth whereof I have spoken before page and therefore need not say any more in this place 7. That of his three vast Armies of Foreigners invading Ireland by combination in several Provinces at one time and this to have been the time of Constantine the Great 's Empire at Rome The first of thirty thousand landed at Derry in Vlster and their Navy fired and themselves too in one Battel slain by Conn Ceadchathach one of the Princes of that Province as he calls him The second of a greater number landed at Skerries not far from Dublin but destroy'd in one other Battel by Diarmuid Lambdhearg King of Leinster who says he kill'd six and thirty thousand of them on the spot The third and it much more numerous yet landed in Mounster and utterly destroy'd at Fentra when the Forces of all Ireland encountring them slew seven score thousand of them in that one Field 8. That where ever he had it for he tells not where of the Battel of Garistown and Arcath or as the Irish call it Ardchath fought as he says in the reign of Cairbre Liffor Monarch of Ireland by the seven Kings of that Nation and their Army 65000 Horse and Foot against the Danish Bownies who had been formerly entertain'd by those Princes to defend their Coasts but now rebell'd being 28700 hardy resolute Warriours and fought well-nigh a whole day with equal Fortune so mortally that Horses were up to their bellies in blood until at last Fortune favouring the righteous Cause of the Princes they put these rebellious forein Bownies to a total rout and edg of the Sword all of them although it cost their side also very dear even the lives of four of their Kings and nineteen thousand seven hundred and sixty others All these Relations though given as true ones by Hanmer at large I have pass'd by First because of their manifest repugnancy to all the Irish Chronicles Nay because there is not one word or syllable of any of them in Doctor Ketings Irish Chronicle which yet is an ample Summary of all the Authentick or esteemed Chronicles and Histories of
few That in the most famous place call'd Degsestan i. e. the stone of Degsa almost his whole Army was slain That nevertheless in the same Fight Theobaldus Brother to this Ethelfride with all the Force headed by him was in like manner kill'd And that from that time forward to this very day says Bede meaning the day when he writ this none of all the Scottish Kings had been so daring as to give Battel to the English Nation Which being the words of Bede truly rendred in English and the years of his Age being 59. when he ended all his Works and consequently this History as himself says and seeing also that he was born Anno Dom. 677. it follows That so long at least as 136 years after Degsestan Fight the Scots engag'd not against the English But whether after this term expir'd they attack'd them again before they had ruin'd the Pictish Kingdom and at the same time seiz'd so great a part of the Northumbrian I know not 54. What you might have perus'd already page 129 as derived either from Cambrensis or Cambden or both viz. of the original eruption of the great Vlster Lake call'd in Irish Loch Erne and cause thereof is abundantly refuted by Gratianus Lucius in his Book entitled Cambrensis Eversus page 132 and 133. Which having not seen before my own foresaid 127 page had been wrought off the Press makes me give now this other which as it is much fuller so I doubt not a much better and truer account in every respect of that matter The Relation of Cambrensis Topograp Hib. d. 2 c. 9. may be rendred thus in English There is in Vlster a Lake of vast extension thirty miles long and fifteen broad unto which as they say a wonderful chance gave beginning In that Countrey which is now the Lake there was in very ancient times a most vitious Nation but chiefly and incorrigibly above all other People of Ireland given over to that sin we call Bestiality And there was amongst them a Prophetical saying That so soon as a certain Well of that Countrey were at any time left uncovered for out of reverence to it proceeding from barbarous superstition it had both a covering and signature or lock it should presently overflow so prodigiously as to drown the whole Countrey thereabouts Which accordingly happen'd on this occasion One of the Countrey Women having open'd it to bring Water home it chanc'd that before she had throughly done she heard her Child a little distance off crying and going in haste to still him she forgot to cover the Well Whereupon it overflow'd on a sudden so strangely that not only the Woman her self and her Child with her but all the People universally and all the very Cattel too of the whole Countrey for very many miles were as by a particular and Provincial Deluge covered overwhelmed perished utterly in the Waters As if the Author of Nature had judg'd that Land unworthy of Inhabitants which had been conscious of such enormous turpitude against Nature And indeed that such had been the original of this Lake it is no improbable argument that the Fishermen upon it do manifestly in fair serene weather see under them in the Water Church Turrets which according to the fashion of those in that Land are not only narrow and high but round withal and that they often shew them to passengers wasted over this Lake who are strangely astonished at the sight and cause You are also to note That the River which abundantly flows out of the same Lake being one of the nine Principal Rivers of Ireland namely the Ban did even from the beginning that is ever since the time of Bartholanus though in a much smaller stream flow from the foresaid Well all along that Countrey other Waters falling into it still as it went farther off Hitherto Gerald of Wales But to this Relation of his it will not be amiss to add what Cambden says applying it and interpreting and making this nameless Pool to be the famous Loch Erne of so many miles in length and breadth and the People destroy'd to have been some Hebridians got thither Beyond Cavan says he Cambden's Ireland in Hollands Translation of it page 106. West North Fermanach presenteth it self where sometimes the Erdini dwelt a Countrey full of Woods and very boggish In the midst whereof is that famous and greatest Meere of all Ireland Loch Erne stretching out forty miles bordered about with shady Woods and passing full of inhabited Islands whereof some contain a hundred two hundred three hundred acres of ground having besides such store of Pikes Truots and Salmons that the Fishermen complain oftner of too great plenty of Fishes and of the breaking of their Nets than they do for want of draught This Lake spreadeth not from East to West as it is describ'd in the common Maps but as I have heard those say who have taken a long and good survey thereof first at Bel Tarbet which is a little Town farthest North of any in this County of Cavan it stretcheth from South to North fourteen miles in length and four in breadth Anon it draweth in narrow to the bigness of a good River for six miles in the Channel whereof standeth Iniskellin the principal Calste in this Tract which in the year 1593. was defended by the Rebels and by Dowdal a most valiant Captain won Then coming Westward it enlargeth it self most of all twenty miles long and ten broad as far as to Belek near unto which is a great downfal of Water and as they term it that most renowned Salmon's Leapue à common speech among the Inhabitants thereby is That this Lake was once firm ground passing well husbanded with Tillage and replenish'd with Inhabitants but suddenly for their abominable buggery committed with Beasts overflown with Waters and turn'd to a Lake Though Almighty God says Giraldus Creator of Nature judg'd this Land privy to so filthy Acts against Nature unworthy to hold not only the first Inhabitants but any other for the time to come Howbeit this wickedness the Irish Annals lay upon certain Islanders out of the Hebrides who being fled out of their own Countrey lurked there So he Against these Relations the one of Giraldus Cambrensis and the other of Cambden though the later as to the original of this Lake is wholly grounded on the former Gratianus Lucius opposes many Reasons 1. That all the Irish Annals and Histories who treat of Loch Ern attribute the original of it not to the overflowing of any Well or River but to a meer eruption of Waters out of the very entrails of the Earth without any kind of mention of Bestiality or other sin of the Inhabitants which might at all any way deserve it 2. That this Eruption happened in the Reign of Fiacha Lauranne * But Keting says it happen'd under the Reign of Tighermhais alias Tightermhuir forty six years before Fiacha Labhraina came to be King King of Ireland
hand but by stooping and putting down his mouth like a Beast on all sides of the very bathing Cistern or Cauldron at large wherein he had wash'd Which being over the whole Rite and Solemnity of his inauguration was ended and he compleatly install'd in his Kingship of Tirconel So says Cambrensis intimating hereby as if this filthy custom held in that Countrey even in his own time But Keting has abundantly refuted this no less filthy abominable Fiction where he shews at large in the Reign of Brian Boraimh the known solemn decent and significant Rites yea and places too of Inaugurating every King and Prince in all the Provinces of Ireland and who were the Lords or which were the Families that bore the chief Offices at the respective Inaugurations Particularly as to the Prince of Tirconel namely O Donel of whose creation this Fable of Cambrensis must be understood the same Keting shews that the place both of his Election or Inauguration or Investiture was Cill-mhic-Creunain and the chief Officers at it were O Fiorghaill who carried before him and solemnly put into his hand the White Rod which was his Scepter and O Gallechuir who was his Marshal But Gratianus Lucius page 316 of his Cambrensis Eversus takes a little more pains in this particular He tells in the first place how when any was to be created O Donel all the Estates of the Countrey met together upon a certain Hill And how the Assembly being full one of the greatest Peers amongst them rising up and standing in the middle of the multitude with a pure white streight un-knotty Rod in his hand address'd himself to the new Elect in this manner and words Receive Sir the auspicious Ensign of your Dignity and remember to imitate in your Life and Government the whiteness and streightness and unknottiness of this Rod to the end no evil Tongue may find cause to asperse the candour of your Actions with blackness nor any kind of corruption or tye of friendship be able to pervert your Justice Take therefore upon you in a lucky hour the Government of this People and exercise the Power given you hereby with all freedom and security And how these words spoken he deliver'd the Rod into the Prince's Hand and so the whole Solemnity was perclosed In the next place Lucius desires it may be consider'd that the whole controversie in this matter with Cambrensis may be in short reduced to these Queries Whether we ought to believe one Hear-say-mans denial before the affirmation of very many both ear and eye-witnesses Whether Domestick Writers especially those whose peculiar employment calling charge it is are not more likely to deliver the truth of matters to Posterity than a meer Foreigner that not only never was in the Countrey he speaks of as Cambrensis was never in Tirconel but shews himself in too too many Instances a perfect Enemy even to all that wish it well And whether we owe belief rather to publick National Records and Monuments than to the Narration of a private man which was not more purposely invented by some Bard or Ballad-monger than desirously taken up by an invidious Writer Thirdly to these and after these Questions Lucius in effect answers and reasons thus That without question the Irish Chroniclers wrote of these matters to discharge the duty of their place but Girald both in his Topographical and Historical Books of Ireland such as they be yielded so far to passion even that of extream hatred as made him not only obscure the Truth but suppress it even with manifest Lyes and Fictions That no indifferent considering Person can believe that St. Patrick who accurately surveying this Countrey of Tirconel converted all the People of it and together with them instructed so their Prince Conall Gubhan in the austerest principles of Christianity that in a secular habit he lived an Hermits Life would have permitted such filthy dregs of Pagan superstition to remain Jocelin c. 138. had there been any such and this not only among the baser obscure sort of Plebeians but among the very most illustrious the very Princes themselves of the People That if such obvious and conspicuous turpitude had which is not credible escap'd the knowledg of St. Patrick who lived among 'em threescore years assuredly it could by no means have escap'd either the notice or reprehension of those many other Saints who in the succession of so many after-Ages of Christian Religion lived in that very Countrey of Tirconel That above fifty eminent Saints are upon Record of those descended from the Loins of that Conall Gubhan alone whereof the greatest part fix'd their dwelling there and built also there above twenty Monasteries That the two Episcopal Sees of Doire and Rapoth were constituted in those early days in the same most Northern Tract of Vlster wherein as many Bishops and Abbots succeeded one another so many religious Watchmen must be acknowledg'd to have been viewing far and near about them in such manner as it was morally impossible so hideous and withal so publick notorious a blemish could all along even for six hundred years compleat till the time of Cambrensis escape their animadversion That betwixt many of the Bishops and Abbots of those two Dioceses and the Lords or Princes or Kings which you please to call 'em of Tirconel there was often both very great familiar friendship and near kindred too That if the reverence of the Princes did awe other Prelates from reprehending this nasty bestial ceremony of their creation undoubtedly at least among their kinsmen Prelates some would have been found that out of Nature and for the sake of consanguinity would have admonish'd them and procured the reformation of it That no man can believe that the Saints Columb-Cille Bathenus Lasrenus Fergnaus Suibhneus Adamnanus and other most holy men who had both their extraction and birth and their Education too in all Piety in Tirconel and been such fearless undaunted tramplers under foot of all Vice and superstition would not have cut off by the root so hideous loathsom brutish a custom if any such in their days had been That in case these great servants of God had wanted power enough to do so yet surely the more powerful Saints Moelbridius and Malachias Primats of all Ireland who derived their extraction from that Countrey of Tirconel would not have suffer'd the example to continue That hesides it is beyond belief That the very Princes themselves of Tirconel whereof so many were famous for Humanity Liberality Piety Religion would have enter'd on their Princedom by so inauspicious and execrable a Rite Lastly that without any peradventure if they or their People had prov'd herein pertinacious yet so many pious excellent Monarchs of Ireland as we have before seen who had supream Authority over them would not have connived at it So in effect Lucius against this equally injurious vain ridiculous filthy Fiction vented first of any Mortal as the former of Loch Ern by Girald
call'd Leabhar na Geart i. e. the Book of Rights or Dues a Book beginning with these words Dligh gach Riogh O Riogh Cassil and a Book written wholly by S. Benignus himself 1200 years since that the particulars of that stately Progress are set down as here they follow Bestow'd by him that is by the King of Cashel when he went that Progress on the King of Cruachain a hundred Swords a hundred Cups of Plate a hundred Horses and a hundred Mantles Receiv'd from this Cruachain or Connaght King half a years entertainment and the Rising out as they call it of all the Countrey waiting on him to Tirconail Bestow'd by him on the King of Cineal Gonuill twenty Rings twenty pair of Tables which they call'd Fithchioll and twenty Horses Received a months entertainment and the rising out of that Countrey along with him to Tir-oghain Bestow'd by him on the King of Oileach fifty Silver Cups and fifty Swords Receiv'd a months entertainment and the waiting of the Countrey on him to Tullenoge Bestow'd by him on the Lord or Chieftain of Tullenoge thirty Silver Bowls and thirty Swords or Lances Receiv'd twelve days entertainment and waiting on as elsewhere to Oirgialluibh Bestow'd by him on this King I mean of Oirghialluibh eight shirts of Mayle sixty Coats and sixty Horses Receiv'd a months entertainment at Eambaine with the rising out into Vlster against Clanna Ruidhruidh Bestow'd by him on the King of Tarach 30 shirts of Mayle thirty Rings a hundred Horse and thirty Harpers Receiv'd there a months entertainment and the four chief Families accompanying him thence to Dublin Bestow'd by him on the King of Dublin ten Women ten Ships and ten Horses Receiv'd a months entertainment and this Kings Company into Leinster Bestow'd by him on the Leinster King thirty Cows thirty Ships thirty Horses and thirty young Maids which they termed Cumbhall Receiv'd two months entertainment i. e. one months from Vpper Leinster and another from the Lower which they call Jachter Laighion Finally to the Tanist of the same Low-Leinster thirty Horses thirty shirts of Mayle and 30 Swords And this was the costly splendour of that general Progress of the Mounster Kings over Ireland in former Ages when they thought fit to make or undertake it Which Feidlimidius alias Felim mhac Criomthain King of that Province did in his Reign and this no longer since then the 845 year of Christ for he enter'd upon that Kingdom An. Dom. 818. and retir'd from it to lead an Eremitical Life in the 27th yearafter What the Original or Rise of it was or what right a Provincial King of Mounster could pretend to such a Progress I do not find Nor do I know what moved Keting to desire the Reader not to account him the Author of the Relation Or why so contrary to his custome elsewhere generally throughout his whole Chronicle he quotes here the Author It had been indeed very well and much to be wish'd that he had done so all along for his other Relations But here perhaps he thought fit to do it of purpose to decline the invidious Censure of those of other Provinces for magnifying so much his own Province of Mounster without so good a warrant as Benuin's Book Whatever his motive was the Relation it self puts me upon some occasional observations here which shall be in all three First Observation That Dublin must have been a considerable place in the days of Benuinn seeing it had then or at least before his time a King and was a Kingdom of it self different from that of Leinster And therefore that however or whenever it was first after that time destroy'd yet surely none of those three Norvegian Brethren Amelacus Sitaracus Juor was the first Founder but only the Repairer and Fortifyer of it a little before the second Danish War In which persuasion I 'am fix'd by considering that in the Chorographical Tables of Ptolomy who flourish'd under the Emperour T. Aurelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius in the year of Christ 153. the People Eblani and the City Eblana is placed where Dublin has always been And therefore Eblana in Ptolomy is the very self-same Town we now call Dublin the Latin Writers Dublinium and Dublinia the Welsh Britons Dinas Dulin the English Saxons in times past Duplin and all from one of the two original Irish names of it The first of them was Dubh-linn which imports a black Depth of Water that was there And the second not only was but is still among all sorts of Irish not as Cambden has it Bala-Cleigh but Bala-Ath-Cliath importing not the Town upon Hurdles but the Town of the Ford of Hurdles Which nevertheless is consistent enough with the Tradition that when Dublin was first built the foundation was laid upon Hurdles by reason the place had been deeply moorish I could here add out of Cambden not only that Saxo Grammaticus writes how it was pitifully rent and dismembred in the Danish Wars but also that in the Life of Griffith ap Synan Prince of Wales 't is read that Harald of Norway when he had subdued the greatest part of Ireland built Deuelin I could likewise add my own animadversions on both the one other passage viz. That the Irish Chronicles make no mention of any Harald either conquering any part of Ireland or building or so much as repairing Dublin That neither does the Author of Polichronicon agree in the one or other point deriv'd from that Life Nay that according to him Sitaracus or Sitric was the Noruegian Builder of Dublin And yet I could further add that what Cambden has next out of the foresaid Life may be very true For after telling us his own opinion of the above Harald to be That he was Harald surnamed Harfager i. e. of the Fair Locks or Tresses who was the first King of Norway he adds that his Lineal descent goes thus in that Life Harald begat a Son named Auloed alias Abloicus Aulafus and Olauus Auloed begat another Auloed this had a Son by name Sitric King of Dublin Sitric begat Auloed whose Daughter Racuella was Mother to Griffith ap Synan born at Dublin whilest Tirlough reign'd in Ireland And all these matters and much more relating to them I could dilate upon were they to my purpose here But they are not because my purpose here is only to trace up the antiquity of Dublin as far as I can And this I have done before out of Ptolomy by shewing that City to have been famous in his time which was above 1510 years since But how long before is a thing wholly buried in oblivion for want of Records And therefore I pass to my Second Observation Which is to give the original of those Clanna Ruidhruidgh against whom the King of Oirghillaedh alias Vriel with his People was bound to wait on the Mounster Kings in their Progress And this I do because their name is very frequent both in the Irish Histories and in all the Provinces of Ireland among the
a Roman Council Much less would their fierceness and resolution in that matter have been so unalterable as to occasion the slaughter of eleven hundred and fifty of their Brethren Monks of the very same Bangor Abbey at one time and place Whereof you may see the particulars in Venerable Bede l. 2. Eccl. Histor c. 2. and in Whelock's Notes upon this Chapter So that Yepez in making Beannchuir a Benedictin Abbey knew not what he said or at least what could be objected against him 65. Why the Staff of Jesus mention'd in my 273. page was so called you may read in Jocelinus an English Monk that five hundred years since at the instance of two Irish Bishops and Sir John Curcy whom he calls Prince of Vlster because as I suppose he was the first Conqueror of it under the English Crown digested the Life of St. Patrick out of many former Lives written of Him by several Authors but written by them in such manner and stile as did not invite Readers It is therefore this Jocelinus that in his Life of St. Patrick cap. 24. gives a pretty large account of that Staff of Jesus Which is in substance That when St. Patrick after a long abode of many years with St. German Bishop of Altissiodorum in France had with his leave at last departed towards Rome in his journey thither he either by divine instinct or Angelical instruction diverted to a certain Island in the Tirrhene Sea of purpose to visit a certain holy Anchoret of great same living there whose name was Justus 2. That upon his arrival after holy salutes and spiritual conference Justus gave him a Staff saying he had receiv'd it from the very hand of our Lord Jesus Christ himself but to be given him 3. That after this St. Patrick discoursing with other men who lived in the same Island at some little distance from the Cell of Justus whereof some appeared brisk and young others old even to decrepit age and understanding that those extream old men he saw were the very genuin sons of those other that appear'd young and enquiring how that could be One of the same young men both to remove his admiration which was great and to satisfie his demand gave him this answer We says he from our childhood through the mercy of God have been always given to works of mercy and our door was open to every Traveller that for Christ's sake desired either Victuals or Lodging On a certain Night we received a stranger with a Staff in his hand and according to our best ability treated him with all necessaries and kindness Next Morning upon his departure he blessed us nor only blessed us but moreover spake these words unto us viz. I am Jesus Christ whom in person you have this Night receiv'd into your House who so often before have receiv'd me in my servants And then he delivered the Staff he had in his hand to the man of God our spiritual Father commanding him to keep it for a certain Pilgrim by name Patrick who after many days should arrive here and upon him to bestow it Which command given he presently ascended into Heaven and we have ever since remained in the same state of youthful countenance briskness and vigour of body we were in at that time But our sons that were but little children then are now according to their age come to be decrepit as you see them 4. That when St. Patrick had heard all he gave God thanks and after a few days longer conversation with Justus proceeded on his Journey carrying in his hand that holy Staff appointed by God himself to be an instrument for his servant Patrick to work therewith prodigious things in Ireland as the Rod of Moses had formerly been for effecting the famed Wonders in Egypt the greatest difference betwixt them being that this of Jesus brought health and life to the Irish Nation but that of Moses death upon the Egyptian So in effect Jocelinus mostly concerning the original of that Staff Unto which he addeth cap. 170. concerning also the powerful Virtue of it That by lifting it up on high and threatning with it St. Patrick after a long Fast of forty days and forty nights join'd with continual fervent Prayer forc'd together out of all parts of Ireland all venomous Animals whatsoever to the Mountain call'd in Irish Cruachain Ailge in the West of Conaght and from thence precipitated them into the Western Ocean lying under this Mountain and this with such a blessed riddance to the whole Island as to have left or have rendred it ever since incapable of harbouring any creature alive that were Poisonous though brought into it from other Countreys How Keting understands this later point we have seen before And for Gerald of Wales though he acknowledg both the Vertue and name of that Staff calling it Virtuosissimum baculum Jesu the most powerful Staff of Jesus yet he says withal that the Origin of it is as uncertain as the Virtue is most certain Adding immediately in the same place That in his own time and by his own Countrey men the Brittish Conquerours that noble Treasure for so he calls it was translated from Ardmagh to Dublin What became of it since I cannot tell But this I find in St. Bernards Life of Malachias that this Staff of Jesus and the Text of the Gospel that was St. Patrick's own Book or that used by himself were the two most precious Jewels not only of the Church of Ardmagh but of any in the whole Kingdom of Ireland That they were held by all the Irish in the greatest veneration above all other holy Reliques whatsoever but more especially the Staff as being that which our Saviour Christ himself had both carried in his own divine hand fram'd by his own peculiar workmanship and recommended in such a special manner to be given to his Apostolical servant Patrick I find moreover in David Rooth the late Roman Catholick Bishop of Ossory's Elucidations upon Jocelin whatever may be objected by Criticks against this History of the Staff of Jesus answer'd For if their Exception be against our Saviour's appearing on Earth after his Ascension to Heaven from Mount Olivet he remits then to St. Ambrose where he tells in his Oration against Auxentius how very long after that time our Lord appeared to S. Peter at a Gate in Rome entring that City And if it be against any such Wonder-working power in the Staff it self though by divine Ordinance or consecration of it for such uses he desires them to consider not only the Rod of Moses in Egypt and brazen Serpent in the Desart nor only the brazen Statue of our Saviour erected at Caesarea Eusebius l. 7. Hist c. 18. and Sozomen l. 5. c. 21. Philippi otherwise called Paneas by the Woman in the Gospel cur'd by our Saviour of an Issue of blood but also the torn Cloak and poor Staff of the Egyptian Anchoret Senuphius wherewith Theodosius the Great arming himself
it be not the greatest of them all I am sure that as it was very great indeed so the Irish Nation is beholden to a Foreiner namely Adolphus Cypreus for transmitting the remembrance of it to Posterity in his Annals of the Bishops of Sleswick a City in Denmark For these are his own Latin words in the sixth page of that Work Reynerus Rex Danorum LVI potentissimus qui tamen ab excitata fortuna quae ipsi in subjugandis Regnis Sueciae Russiae Angliae Scotiae Norvegiae Hiberniae plurimum favit ad inclinatam pene jacentem descivit Namque ab Hella Hiberniae Rege captus in carcere expiravit sub an 841. In English these Reyner the LVI most powerful King of the Danes who nevertheless from the height of Fortune that favour'd him so mightily in subduing the Kingdoms of Swedland Russia England Scotland Norway Ireland was thrown down as low For being taken by Hella King of Ireland he died there in prison about the year 841. And yet I must observe here with Gratianus Lucius 1. That Cypreus mistook both the name and quality of him that took Prisoner this great Danish King 2. That no King of Ireland nor Provincial nor even other lesser King in Ireland was ever call'd by the name of Hella nor was that name of any body at all known among the Irish 3. That the right Irish name in all likelihood was Oillioll which because hard of pronuntiation Foreiners mistook or chang'd it to Hella 4. That since Christianity planted in that Countrey not even any Oillioll was King among 'em save only the Monarch Oillioll surnamed Molt who was next successour to Laoghaire mhac Neill in the year 458. and was killed in Battel An. 478. And lastly therefore that he must have been some great General of an Army and his name Oillioll that took this great Reynerus and kept him in Prison till he died 68. Another is of the Fatal Stone as they call it and refers to page 378. where I ended my Animadversions on the Scottish Histories concerning Fergus I. Of that famed Stone Keting in his Relations of the People call'd Tuath De Dainainn gives this account 1. That this Nation who were the last possessors of Ireland immediately before the Milesian Race had on their arrival there from Norway brought with them four special Jewels of extraordinary use namely a Sword Lance Pot and the Enchanted Stone which in Irish they call by one name Liath Fail by an other Cloch na Cineamhna this later importing in English the Stone of Destiny or Fortune 2. That after the Milesiaus had conquer'd those Tuath-Da-Danan and consequently got possession of this Stone and after they had not only plac'd it at Teambhuir our Tarach where all their Nobles and people did usually meet to chuse the King of Ireland but ordain'd that the new Elect should sit thereon as son as he did so the Stone under him by vertue of some Magical or Diabolical Charm gave such a mighty loud ecchoing astonishing sound that presently the Election was known thereby far and near 3. That this Oraculous Vertue of it ceased as some say when the Pentarchy was set up in that Kingdom by the Monarch Eochadh Feilioch or as others say about the time of our Saviours birth when throughout the World all the sallacious Oracles of the Gentiles became mute 4. That for its name of Cloch na Cineamhne or Stone of Destiny or Fatal Stone the reason was an old Prophesie deliliver'd of it by Tradition which Hector Boethius rendred thus in Latin Verse Ni fallat Fatum Scoti hunc quocumque locatum invenient Lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem But in Irish Meeter it is in Keting thus Ciniodh Scoâ—t saor an Fine man baâ—breag an Faisdine mar a bhfulghid an Liath Fail dlighid flaitheas do ghabhail Importing in both that where-ever the Seottish Nation did find that Stone they should have Dominion Power and Regal Majesty 5. That because of this prophetical Prediction and reputation of it when Fergus that famous Invader of the Picts I mean Fergus Mor mhac Ercho mhic Eochadh muin reamhair as the Irish call and genealogize him from his Father and Grandfather whom the Scottish Historians call Fergus I. would be created K. over hisown conquering Nation the Scots of Pictavia or Albania in Great Brittain he sent to his Brother Mairchiortach Mor mhac Ercha then Monarch of Ireland for this fatal Stone and had it over into Scotland of purpose that by sitting on it when he was created King he might assure the establishment of his Crown and power of his own People in his new conquer'd Kingdom 6. That for many ensuing Ages it remain'd there for a monument either of Religion or Superstition being in the same manner and to the same purpose sate upon by the succeeding Kings of Scotland till Edward I. of England in the current of his Victories had it brought away out of the Abbey of Scone to the Abbey of Westminster Where ever since it has been kept placed under the Royal Chair which the Kings of England usually sit in at their Coronation 7. That in the memory of our Fathers that prophetical Prediction of it and the ancient Scots which you have but now seen was fulfill'd in England too when James VI. of Scotland was crowned King of England at Westminster and has ever since continued to be more and more verified in the succession of Charles I. of glorious memory and Charles II. our present most gracious King For by the line of Maine mhic Cuirek mhic Luighc they are descended through a World of Generations of ancient Scots the Milesian Irish from Heber who as has been already noted elsewhere being the son of Milesius and in a joint Sovereignty ruling with his Brother Herimon was three thousand years since King of all Ireland And this is the account which Keting where he treats of Tuath-De-Danainn gives of that fatal Stone Save only that he makes no express mention of Charles II. nor could indeed as who died himself in the Reign of Charles I. But nevertheless he express'd his mind sufficiently as to the purpose of that Fatal Prediction by naming his Father and Grandfather both I am sure his expression of joy in the same place for their having successively come to be Kings of England Scotland France and Ireland must have involv'd the concomitant wishes of his heart for their posterity after them to attain and continue the same glory while time shall be And therein he has me to join with all my very Soul 69. The Fifth may be referr'd to page 155. where I treated briefly somewhat of Cormock O Cuillenain that excellent pious holy man who was at the same time both Arch-Bishop and King of Mounster and continued so for seven years together that is even all along till he lost his life in the Battel of Mughna For to this rare Example of the same man's being both King and Priest may be added
That upon this success at least not long after it the Picts looking big growing unruly and even aspiring to the Command of that whole Province of Leinster but the Monarch Herimon made acquainted with it drawing together a greater Power then they dared fight they were compell'd to accept of his Terms and hye them away out of hand with his directions and assistance for the Northern parts of Great Brittain 6. That nevertheless before their departure they obtain'd of Herimon three Irish Ladies by name Beanbhreasi Beanbhuais and Beanbhuaisdhne who had been the Widows of three of Herimons Commanders and taken these names from 'em kill'd in the late War with Tuath-De-Danann and these were all the Women they could obtain at least then though upon that very condition told us by Bede The first of 'em married to Cathluan the chief Commander now of the Picts for it seems his Father Gud was before this time departed the World the other two married to two more of their Nobles Nor could any of them obtain leave to stay in Ireland but only six viz. Trosdan the foresaid Magitian Soilean Vlpre Neachtan Nar Aongus and Leatan who had possessions given them for ever by Herimon in the Countrey of Breagh Mhoigh now call'd by us East and West Meath 6. That the foresaid Cathluan was the first King of the Picts in Cruithin-Tuath or Tuath Chruinigh for by both these compound names indifferently the Irish Books call that Countrey in the North of Brittain which the Picts erected to a Kingdom and call it so properly enough as importing in English the Lordship Lordship or Dominion of the Picts the simple word Tuath signifying in Irish a Lordship and Cruinigh the Picts themselves 7. That after him in a succession reign'd in the same Countrey at least in some part of it and of the same Pictish Nation Threescore and Ten Kings more to Constantine the last of ' em And these being the Heads of those particulars that concern them in the Psalter of Cashel written by the Holy Cormock O Cuilenain Arch Bishop and King of Mounster eight hundred years since and by consequence written either immediately before or immediately after I am sure much about the time of their last fatal overthrow by his Countrey men the Irish and their Issue in Scotland we need no longer question either the time of that Pictish Nation 's first appearance or the Countrey they came from to the Western parts of Europe As neither indeed whence they deriv'd the custom of painting themselves They might have learn'd this from the Agathyrsi in Thracia if themselves had it not before yea they might be the first that us'd it in Great Brittain and the Brittons might have only had it from them for any thing said to the contrary And they came as early to Ireland and Scotland both as the Reign of Herinton the first Milesian Monarch of Ireland after he had kill'd his elder Brother Heber to whom he was but joyn'd in Sovereignty while Heber lived Nay we need not question how long this Pictish Kingdom lasted For seeing it began at least as early as Herimon's death I mean by this account in the Psalter of Cashel and that by Primat Vshers account it continued to the year of Christ 840. then we must conclude that according to Gratianus Lucius's computation of the years of the World and years also of all the several Irish Monarchs Reigns the Pictish Kingdom lasted 2623 years in all For this Author fixes the death of Herimon in the year of the World 3516. and the Birth of Christ in the year 5199. as Eusebius Caesariensis one of the Fathers of the first General Council of Nice did long before him What more I have to say in reference to the Picts their Kingdom or Kings is That as I was writing this Reflection Mr. Langhorn's Introduction to the History of England being brought me by chance and looking it over I observ'd That altho the ingenious Author gives no more light therein concerning the Countrey whence those Picts came first to Ireland and thence to Scotland nor of their Leaders name nor of the time of their arrival amongst us than other late Writers especially Campion and Hanmer did before him who call that Leader King Roderick and say this Roderick came to Ireland from Scandia alias Scandinavia which goes under the name of Scythia Germanica or the German Scythia yet he gives therein page 197 a Catalogue of the Brittish Kings and years of their several Reigns partly out of John Fordon's M. S. Scoto-Chronicon and partly out of Hector Boethius who adds to the 76 Kings in Fordon five more So that both numbers put together make just the very same number of Pictish Kings which the Psalter of Cashel has Though I must confess there is no other agreement in any point between that Psalter these Authors either as to the names of those Kings or years of their Reigns or total sum of these years Neither is there in that whole Catalogue any Roderick either as first or last or any at all of them nor any thing near his name The very same you may assure your self of Cathluan whom nevertheless you have seen before out of the Psalter of Cashel to have been the first Pictish King As for the total sum of the years of their Reign which by casting it up out of the several Reigns every body may see is 1165. it plainly comes short by 1452 years of the former account derivable from the Psalter of Cashel and Vsher Lucius Besides it necessarily must suppose the Pictish Kingdom began in Scotland e'en four hundred years full before any Picts landed in Scotland or came from Scandinavia to Scotland or Ireland which does not stand with the time of their coming set down by our new Historians and last of all by Langhorn himself As for the names express'd in that Catalogue all I can say is that if we give credit to Nennius a Brittish Author that liv'd as himself writes an Christi 830. under Anaraugh King of Anglesey and Guinech if besides we suppose his Book rightly translated into Irish in O Duvegans Miscellanies and if withal we believe that Gratianus Lucius quoting both would not impose upon us nor I on you or my self what follows must be That we give no kind of credit to the foresaid Catalogue drawn out of Fordon and Boethius not even I mean as to those names of the Pictish Kings contain'd therein For the same Gratianus Lucius after letting us know in his Cambr. Evers page 93. That himself had a Copy of those Miscellanies and among 'em the Catalogue of all the Pictish Kings written by the said Nennius then presently though upon another occasion names five and forty of 'em and I am sure that of this very number tho only a part of Nennius's Catalogue there are at least six and twenty names that have no affinity with no resemblance at all nor imitation of any in the whole Bedâ—oll