Catalogue of Gaelic Manuscripts in the National Library of Scotland
© Ronald Black, 2011
Adv. LS 72.1.43
(Gaelic MS.XLIII). FORAS FEASA AR ÉIRINN
Mackinnon 122. Mackechnie 198.
17th cent. Paper. 16½ × 13½ cms. Ff. 40. “Sword” watermark. (Heawood 3911, dated 1647) with letters G R B; the text is in fact dated 1647 (f. 9r). Scribe: as that of Adv.MS.72.1.38, pp.29 f. , 193; Adv.MS.72.1.42, f. 26; Adv.MS.72.1.49; Adv.MS.72.2.1; and Adv.MS.72.2.2, f. 46. Adv.MS.72.2.1 is simply the concluding portion of the present manuscript. Also RIA Dil (1237) sect.VI. Together they evidently entered the possession of James Macpherson, becoming no.7 of the 19 items sent to the Highland Society of Scotland on 6th Jan. 1803 by Macpherson’s literary executor, John Mackenzie, Secretary of the Highland Society of London. “No.VII.” appears on f. 1r and “London, 5th January 1803 / John Mackenzie” on f. 3. F 1r was initialled by John Campbell, Donald Mackintosh and Donald Smith (members of the “Ossian Committee” of the H.S.S.) and by Lewis Gordon (Depute Secretary of the H.S.S.) when the manuscripts were inspected on arrival in Edinburgh on 10th Jan. 1803. In 1822 there were added the initials of James McHardy, Advocate, Aberdeen, and “No 4.”—a reference to the inventory, now Ingliston MS. A.iv.13, made by McHardy for the H.S.S. of papers left by Ewen MacLachlan on his death in that year. Deposited with Adv. collection in 1850. Bound 1914. There is a scribal pagination commencing at lib. 1. Foliation pencilled at foot of page. Condition: stained but otherwise excellent, there being virtually no loss of text.
f.
1 r Brief description of text by Rev. Donald Mackintosh. (f. 1v blank.)
2 r Keating’s FORAS FEASA AR ÉIRINN: Díonbhrollach. (Ff. 2v, 8 blank.) f. 9r, lib. 1. (f. 16v blank.) Ends deisiol Eorpa go hEsbán (ITS ed., vol.II 1. 589), continuing at Adv.MS.72.2.1, f. 1r.