Catalogue of Irish Manuscripts in Royal Irish Academy
996
23 N 17
Medical.
16th cent. Paper. Ca. 7¼ × 4½. Pp. 189; these have been numbered regularly by a later hand, but are not always in their proper order. This MS. is the work of 3 scribes : pt. i, pp.1-66 (and perhaps pp. 159-160, 163-164, 171-172), were written by Conchobar Óg mac Maoltuile at Caraig an Eide in 1582, see p. 52 ; this scribe’s writing appears also in 754. Pt. ii, pp. 67-170, and pt. iii, pp. 173 ff., are by two other hands. Pt. ii was written, in part at least, "a mBaili an Airrséraigh," in 1567, see p. 83 i.; the date 1562 occurs in an obit at p. 121 i. Neither name nor date appears in pt. iii. Other names occurring in this ms. are : “Semus Úa Faolain, " p. 83; "Calbac mac Toirdealbhaigh," "Pádraigin Ciomhsog," "Laoiseach," "Cataoir Morcédach," p. 83 i.; "Donchadh Liath mac Gilla Phadruic mhic Gilla na Naomh," p. 121 i.; “Murchadh mac Domhnaill," p. 152. Scribal notes and other marginalia are given infra.
This volume contains fragments of several treatises on medicine ; they are translations, each section and paragraph being preceded by the opening words of the Latin original. All sections of this ms. are clearly written, but the leaves are very worn at edges and soiled. Rubricated capitals occur in pt. iii. Ms. has been interleaved with strong white paper and some leaves have been strengthened at the edge. Bd. in half-leather, inscribed in gilt on back : "Irish MS. Treatises on Medicine. 2." Betham MS., vol. lxiv ; see crest on back, bookplate inside front cover, and note on first flyleaf. MS. is numbered also 146 A. A pencilled note on flyleaf gives date of writing, with reference to p. 52.
pt. i.
p.
1 . Acephalous, A medical tract derived from Geraldus de Solo (see p. 52i., infra), in which “an Ros,” pp. 27, 39; Alibertus, p. 28; Johannes Epi Mesue, p. 48 i.; Diascordes, p. 50 ; are quoted. The sections are sometimes sub-divided into paragraphs dealing with cause, signs, prognostic, cure, and diet. A few corrections have been added later. The principal headings are as follows:—[E]mpyma, p. [1] m.; Asthma, p. 6 i.; pains in the eyes, p. [7] m.; syncope, p. 12 m.; jaundice, p. 13 m.; worms, p. 14 m.; drunkenness and poison, p. 15 m.; hydrophobia, p. 16 m.; smallpox, p. 16 i.; plague, p. 19 m.; rupture, excessive sweat, fevers, p. 21 ; tertian fever, p. 22 i.; Mulieri menstrua, p. 24 m.; pains in the ears, p. 27 m.; pains in the head, p. 29; frenzy, p. 30; eye troubles, pp. 31, 32; cures for mania, greyness, etc., p. 33 ; further paragraphs on diseases of the eye, pp. 35-39 ; anthrax, p. 39 i.; singultus, p. 41 ; vomiting, p. 42 m.; signs of death, p. 43 m.; cramp, p. 44 ; haemorrhage, followed by prayers to be used to effect a cure, p. 44 i.; morfia, p. 46 i.; cure of rash (?), p. 47 m.; diseases of the lungs, p. 48 ; flux, p. 49 ; strangury, p. 50 m. ; signs, prognostic, and cure of gout, p. 51, ending p. 52 m., followed by scribal colophon : “FINIT do Geraldus de Solo ag Caraig an Eide o Chonchobar Óg mac Maoltuile an dara la do mhí Augustus [ ] litir luaith lochtaigh droch-scriphtha droch-ordagraiphia. Aois Tighearna m.b.7.5.c.7.4.xx.7.ii.b. 7 nuimhir a .15. bo nuimhir óir an bliadain sin 7 .c. do bo litir Domhnaigh 7 an .13. bliadhan don chigal ghriannaigh ⁊ ag Ó Feargusa .i. Eoghan O Feargusa do b [ ] an chairt as a scripha an leabhar so ⁊ tabhra gach aon légfeas an leabhar so a beannacht ar anmuin Eoghain ⁊ an tí ro scriph."
36 i. (reversed and marg.). Abranadh (?) bog ni beag an mhaoin. 1 q. This and the following item were written by a later hand, which is responsible also for the few corrections to the text and the name (?), p. 57 i.
42 (marg.). [ ]rgead derb an dana. 1 q.
50 i. Scribal note : “As tinn ata ma shuile.”
53 . Acephalous. Cure (for strangury?) ; p. 54m.., on gout. Pp. 53-66 belong to preceding tract, and pp. 53-56 should probably precede p. 51.
57 - 64 . Articles on sterility, imperfect at beginning and end. At p. 57 i. is name (?), “Mg Doir[eann?],” written by a later hand.
65 - 66 . Imperfect. Treatment for lung trouble, quoting “G. sa 5.1.”
pt. ii.
67 - 172 . This section of our ms. is in a very fragmentary condition ; few items are complete, and many leaves appear to be misplaced besides being badly damaged. The paper is soiled and crumbling. The writing, which is small and fine (except pp. 159-160, 163-164, 171-172, which belong probably to pt. i), appears to have been inked over, either by the scribe himself or quite possibly by the scribe of pt. i. Pp. 165, 166 appear to be by another hand ; the numerous marginal notes are in the same hand as the main text.
Marginalia, pp. 67 - 170 : A number of notes occur on these pages above and below the principal matter ; some are pious ejaculations, as at pp. 81, 87, 89, etc.; in others, the scribe complains of his pen (pp. 135, 157, etc.); some are fugitive medical notes, but the majority are Latin aphorisms derived from Aristotle and other authorities, and usually followed by an Irish version, but owing to the worn condition of the leaves very few of them are entirely legible. The more important of these marginalia follow, scribal notes other than colophons or dates (which are given with the main text) being included here.
P.
67 . On the colour of urine, quoting Theophilus.
67 i. [M]ateria prima non est aliquid . . ., with quotation from “An Feall [samh?].”
68 . Aristotle : Necesse est hunc mundum inferiorem superibus actionibus esse subjectum . . .
68 i. [Primal?] est medium inter ens ⁊ non ens.
69 . On vomiting.
70 . De hiis qui semper sunt aut frequenter accidunt est scientia (Aristotle).
71 . Clima est spatium terrae inter duas aequas distantes . . . Quoted from Johannes de Sacro Busco.
72 . Vaccuum est locus non repletus . . .
73 . Nebula est grossitudo aeris . . .
74 . Quando ratio concordat sensui . . . Quoted from Johannes de Sancto Amando.
75 . Oportet reliquam parte medicinae pro conservatione complionis innate . . .
76 . A quotation from Avicenna.
78 . Scribal note : "[ ] isin mar fpean. Inmhe an ti as fearr inmhe ui biad mar ceann gcostile (?)."
79 . A charm for epilepsy, beg. Iaspar fert myrrham, Melchior thus, Balthasar aurum . . . Written by a later hand, perhaps by the scribe of pt. i.
80 . Scribal note: "A gille thug aoibhnaoi (?) aniugh do bfearr lead fen na punt lossa (?) com beidh aninn."
83 . Scribal note : "Do berim mo bhriathar a hSemuis hI Fhaolain [ ] ge nach fínealta hí do sgian go ro fearr lium na 5 mharg comad lium a sealbh."
114 . [N]ullum plenitudinem in parte aliquid . . .
117 i. "Lex discretiochta." Beg. Iudicio constans regula . . .
135 . Nihil est saporabilis . . . Scribal : “A Deus cionnus ata tu mar fpeann,”
136 . On the origin of the word "natura."
137 . Locus idoneus esse quo naturalis consimilis cum suo locato.
138 . Ex non substancis non fit substantia.
139 . Scribal note (?) : “Amharos rob olc a chiall ort a ciab cladh solus clíen,” Followed by invocation of the Trinity.
140 . [Qu]isque in prava doctrina recta sit altus . . . Irish on p. 141.
142 . Aristotle : Ars est recta ratio rerum.
143 . Urgentiori sucurrendum est altero non nelecto.
144 . Mesue dixit : Hic sunt quatuor quae attrahunt .i. calidtas . . .
145 . Quando duo concurrant ad unam propter tertium sunt unam.
147 . Scribal : "Misi [ ]mas fir damh fen flicc[ ]."
150 . Egritudo (?) est disposisio innata impedimenta natura [ ] laborantus . . . Also "Da fecha an maith an feann . . . "
151 . [S]anitas est humani corporis . . . and Sanitas est forma innata . . .
151 i. A quotation from Bernard.
152 . Scribal : “M’olc sin a Mhurchadh mhic Domhnaill duine tusa ata gan bod leannan.”
153 . Quando membrum est sensibile tanto multiplicatur passio maior.
67 . Acephalous. An anatomical treatise derived from Galen, ending p. 83 i.: “Finis ort a Anathomia Galeni an.22.la do mí iulius ⁊ a mBaili an Airrséraigh (?) dam anossa ⁊ is fan n-aimsir sin tugad [ ] Srutrach idir Ghaoidhilibh ⁊ Gallaibh ⁊ is ar hSaxannuibh ro[ ] an f [ ] sin [ ] rdhibh do [ ] ann.sin. an Calbac mac Toirdealbhaigh ⁊ Pádraigin Ciomhsog [ ] an 14.1a do mhí Iunius do ronad sin. ⁊ isi sin aimsir in ar cuireadh Laoiseach [ ] ⁊ Cataoir Morcédach cum bais le Saxannuibh. Anno Domini 1567 (?).” Cf. A.F.M. sub anno 1570. Some very faint illegible words follow.
84 . A short article ending imperfectly at foot of page : derived from G[alen?] : "De morbo." Beg. Syncope cum cholica phrenisis . . .
85 . [Aegidius’ "De Urinarum Judiciis."] Beg. [D]icitur urina quoniam fit in renibus una : adhon isedh inatio an fhocailso una aoiní amhain. Pt. I ends p. 114 m.
114 i. Pt. II of preceding : "Incipit capitulum de contentis." Beg. Circulla, ampulla, granum . . . Ends p. 124 m. A marginal note , p. 121 i., reads: "Anno Domini an [ ] testa (?) Donnchad Liath mac Gilla Phadraicc mhic Gilla na Naomh. 1562. ⁊ an oidhche feil Mhuire adbath."
124 i. A short note, beg. Quare est necesse poni in gradu medicinas . . . Followed by Irish version and by scribal note : "Anocht oidhchi Lughnasa ⁊ dam (?) doicc ní [ ] chod a n-innsin (?) againn oidhchi úacht [ ] tanncónu (?)."
125 . A list of the words used to describe the colours of urine with their connotation and the significance of these colours in diagnosis. At foot of page is a scribal note : "Anocht oidchi Feil Christ ⁊ a mBél Atha Luain an Chalaidh (?) dhamh ar bruach na Sinan."
126 . [Lab]rum anois don mhaidhm . . . This article ends imperfectly at foot of page. "R" quoted.
127 . Acephalous. Beg. [ ]talis ut elememtalitas .i. isedh is foirm dhuilenta and an ni leanus caili an . . . Ends p. 129 i.; this page is much defaced.
130 . Short article, beg. Medicina est scientia causae communis . . . Concluding with notes on the humours.
131 m. An article on the elements, etc., beg. Ignis consumit . . .
135 . Medical aphorisms, beg. In sompno fit propulgio caloris naturalis . . . These end p. 138 i., and are followed by scribal note: "Dar ndóith dam beadh aigis (?) daoine sa mbaile adeir (?) don (?) neithe mhaith sin."
139 . From Galen's anatomy, beg. Adeir G. gurab iad so na boill oireda . . . Ends p. 144 i.
145 . Further aphorisms, beg. Materia distinguitur . . . ending p. 154 m., followed by a note on the pulse. The following pages (pp. 155-158) appear to belong to this tract ; p. 158 was possibly the first page.
158 . Actio creatoris su[per] aliquid fundatur . . .
159 . Acephalous. A short article introducing the following tract, Constantinus is quoted.
159 i. Geraldus de Solo (author's name is given in foregoing article). [F]ractura cranii est causa doloris c[apitis] . . . Breaks off p. 160 i., but appears to be continued at pp. 163-164, 171-172 ; possibly all these leaves belong to pt. i.
161 . [LILIUM MEDICINAE.] Beg. [Fe]bra est calor innaturalis . . . Breaks off p. 162 i.
163 . Acephalous, on pains in the head. Breaks off p. 164 i.
165 . On wine, "G" is quoted. Ends p. 166 i. These 2 pp. are written in double columns ; they appear to be in a different hand from any other occurring in this MS.
167 . Acephalous, medical tract. Treatment of colic, quinsy, etc., quoting "an Lili."
169 . Numbered medical definitions. From Hippocrates (?).
171 . Acephalous, apparently a continuation from p. 164 i.pt. iii.
173 . Acephalous. A tract on doses, beg. here Labrum anois do doisis purgaide. Ends, p. 176 i., imperfectly.
177 . Medical aphorisms, beg. [D]octrina est pronocita rei . . .
179 . Acephalous. On food. Ends p. 180 i.
181 . Medical aphorisms derived from "An Feall [samh?]."
185 m. On the mutual influence of the soul and body, ending p. 186 m,; lower half of page is blank.
187 . Acephalous. A few definitions.
187 m. [M]orbus est comembra accionis. Ends imperfectly, p. 188 i.
189 . Some lines from an anatomical tract ; Avicenna quoted.