Catalogue of Gaelic Manuscripts in the National Library of Scotland
© Ronald Black, 2012
Adv. LS 72.2.14
(Gaelic MS.LXIV). RELIGIOUS VERSE
Mackinnon 103 f. ; Mackechnie 241-5.
16th cent. Paper. 14 × 20 cms. Ff. 38. Early “pot” watermark. Scribe unknown, but his hand bears family resemblance to that of some Ó Siaghails, e.g. Eoghan Carrach. “Saltair” format, i.e. written along the page, 1 q. per line, with single unrelated qq. at foot of many pp.; at ff. 1v and 5v-10r these are followed by the date 1582. As MS. dating this appears consistent with text and watermark. There are many corrections to the text in what appears to be the scribe’s own hand at ff. 2v-5r. The following are added in a hand of a century or so later: “Be it knowen unto all” (3r), minor corrections to text (6r), “Tuileagna mac Torna cc” in place of a perished ascription (29v), “Hic est liber meus poss[ ] siquis me querit phile[ ] Be [ ] speake so [ speake and ] (f. 30v / Adv.MS.72.2.2, f. 50v). There is a further illegible scrawl at f. 1v.
The MS. is inscribed at f. 1r “14 JMcH 35”. First ref. to the MS. is probably in fact in Mackintosh’s list in Gaelic Ossian III 572: “The Society lately got another religious small paper MS. in the same character”. “Lately” probably means 1805, Cf. Ingliston MS. A.iv.2, p.13. It then appears as item 35 in the inventory (Ingliston MSS. A.iv.18, A.iv.21) of MSS. lent by the H.S.S. to Dr John MacLeod of Kilmarnock in 1813-4, viz. “A thin old MS. much defaced in prose & verse”. It next appears, unnumbered but following item 34, in Ewen MacLachlan’s list (Ingliston MS. A.iv.19) of MSS. lent to him by the Society in Oct. 1814, viz. “A long Ms, ls in Rags : 38 ls”. It then appears as item 14 in a copy (Ingliston MS. A.iv.13) of the inventory prepared by James McHardy of the MSS. left by Ewen MacLachlan at his death in 1822, viz. “Mutilated Manuscript marked No 35”. Deposited with Advocates’ collection in 1850. Contents listed by Quiggin, PBA 1911-12, p.138.
Condition of MS. is extremely delicate. Although now unbound, the stitching has held, and traces remain at the pine of a leather cover and thong and of about 13 excised ff. (about 7 at front, about 5 at back, and 1 between ff. 37 and 38 whose removal has left no lacuna). Taking gatherings into account, this implies an original MS. of 64 ff. or more. The MS. has at an early stage been folded down the middle, resulting in extra perishing and cracking of the paper; the outer halves of ff. 1 and 30-38 have indeed become detached. The missing half of f. 30 has been preserved, and is now Adv.MS.72.2.2, f. 50; the rest are lost altogether. The remaining half-leaves are badly torn, and the MS. in general is much rubbed and stained, with considerable textual loss. Foliation modern, pencilled.
The following single qq. appear marg. inf. 1r, Ca fiu [da] mairfe amarach. 1v, aceph. q. ending “croc fhallsa / loch re sruth an saogalsa”. 5r, Is lonn gach ri dia dheis. 5v, [Mairg[ cuinges ni air charait (Cf. Hennessy & Kelly, The Book of Fenagh, p.33). 6r, Dia gcara gach firinneach. 6v, [ ]r bios do somataibh. 7 r, Lubhair don aos an egnaoidh. 7v, Ni bhi clann neich a neart (Cf. Keating’s Trí Bior-Ghaoithe an Bháis, ed. Bergin, p.168). 8r, In ti benas a dhuithe do duine, Cf. RIA 23 P 26 (Bk. of Fenagh), f. 6v. 8v, [ ] gach n-innmus ad-chiú. 9r, Comradh in mairbh rimsa. 9v, Fer gan mnaoi no ben gan
fhir , Cf. RIA 23 P 26 (Bk. of Fenagh), f. 7r. 10r, Ri na slogh / do righne an bith buithnech buan (Cf. RIA D iv 2, f. 51 m. sup.). 10v,Dursan, a Chríst, ro creitis (Cf. ibid., f. 50v, m. sup.). 11r, Ni tualuing neach mo mharbhadh. 12, [Gofraidh Fionn Ó Dálaigh]. Mairg meallas muirrn an t-saoghail. 12v, Ni mé in duine adeir an sheannguth. 13r, [Cinaed Ua Hartacáin]. Doman duthuin a loinne. 13v, D[‘aoin]leth do crich Rois. 14r, Ni fhuilsi ach ‘na tuile ar dtus. 14v, Fechadh gach duine a corp criaidh. 15r, Bruach(?) is mo chaem ro mealladh. 15v, (?) Is rian riain man rugadh. 16r, Is doigh tír nDe uir oifid goid. 16v,Is ferr fele ina ór. 17r, Duine lasa bec mo brigh. 17v, [ ] madh ail. 18r, Ni chual[ ] se. 18v,Ar techtaidh an doman serc nDé. 19r, Inar damadh ail aines. 19v, Madh ar Dia deach fo gradhaibh. 20r,D’eis bais nib era eol. 20v, Ad-conarc na h-esbosa. 21r, Maoir is righ rachtairidh. 21v, Ad-connarc na breithemhuin . 22r,Do-conarc na caintighir. 22v, Guil is faidhe is fedgaire. 23r, Glor Muir ear n-inmes a mic (pub. Knott, TD ii, p.288). 23v,Truadh sin, a leabhrain bhig bhain. 24r, Do chuala mé la sruithibh. 24v, Dia do beir dhamhsa ar mo dhan. 25r,Fuil De ara dtathstar, 25v, Da mbeith d’eis sil Aduim uile. 26r, Saor do chuaidh gan cheanntughadh. 26v, Na leig fum gaoth a tsaibris. 27r, A Dhé dhein, ón a Dhé dhein.
TEXT
f.
1r1 (Half-folio). Last 2 qq. of unidentified poem. Beg. Gu gcreidir mar is cor damh.
1r3 Triur righ tanic go tegh nDé, 10 qq.
1r13 Ni mairg dar ba chara an ogh, 25 qq.
2r1 Deirbhthsiur don egna an eigsi, 59 qq. metrical glossary. Cf. ed. Stokes, TPhS 1891-4, p.22.
3v1 [Móidi] gac maith a moradh, 80 qq. incl. 2 half-qq. Metrical glossary. Substantial corrections and additions (incl. 2 of the complete qq.) inserted by scribe in different ink. An earlier version is in the Book of Uí Maine (RIA D ii 1; publ. facs.), of which the present text corresponds to ff. 151rb, ll. 13 & 31-59, 151va, ll. 1-9 & 56-66, 151vb, ll. 1-66, and a detached folio, now Eg. 90, f. 17ra. Detached portion printed Stokes, TPhS 1891-4, p.31. Only 1 q. (f. 4v8) of present version is absent from this.
5v1 Marthuin duit, a croch an Coimdheadh, 48 qq., incl. 2 qq. added by scribe at f. 6v marg. sup.
6v7 Pilip Bocht Ó Huiginn. Fuigheall bennacht brugh Muire, 37 qq.
8r1 Iiem. Tuar feirge foighide Dhé, 46 qq. Headed “Duan anso o fPhilip mac Cuinn Crosaigh ann a dtaispentar tuarusgbhail uathmhar laithe an braich, agus an modh ar a dtiocfa Criosd do cum an bhretheamnais 7 na briathra adera ann”.
9r18 Tadhg Óg [Ó Huiginn]. Ataid tri comraig am chind, 29 qq.
10r3 idem. Aithin me dod t’oide, a Eoin, 19 qq. After the ascription the scribe inserts an emendation to q. 2c.
10v1 idem. Cia gabus m’anamain re ais, 28 qq.
11r8 idem. Bec nach tainic mo terma, 44 qq.
12r9 idem. Gabh mh’egnach, a Eoin Baisdi, 30 qq.
12v16 idem. Cairt a sichana ag siol Adhamh, 32 qq.
13v5 idem. Ag so bragha det, a Dhe, 34 qq.
14v1 idem. Mairg danab soirbh an saeghal, 36 qq.
15r17 Namhadh da caraid clan Adhaim, 38 qq.
16r11 Gabham dechmaidh ar ndana, 74 qq.
17v20 Donnchadh Mór [Ó Dálaigh]. Aitrige sunn duit, a Dhé, 32 qq.
18v6 Tadhg Óg [Ó Huiginn]. Teine arna fadodh fearg De, 40 qq.
19v1 Ceangel sodenta siogh Dé, 37 qq.
20r16 Pilip Boch [Ó Huiginn]. Bennachd a mathar ar mac nDé, 38 qq.
21r14 Ferghal Óg. Ben glas dom croidhi, a Choimghe, 4 qq.
21v1 [Tadhg Óg Ó Huiginn]. Teachdaire dileas go Dia, 26 qq. Cf. ed. McKenna, Dán Dé, p.25.
22r8 Fada mé ar merughadh slighedh, 39½ qq.
23r13 Mac-con Ó Cléirigh. 3 qq. in different metres, the first beg. Ar thech nDé ni durcennach. Preceding this is “Roim na bp”, see next item.
23r17 Tadhg Dall [Ó Huiginn]. Roim na bpecthach uaim Padraig, 2½ qq. First 2 words erased, but see last item. Ed. Knott, TD ii, p.288.
23v1 Pilip Bocht [Ó Huiginn]. Do geineadh inghean on umla, 44 qq.
24v5 Tri gluine ginelaigh mic Dé, 38 qq.
25v4 Tri mic do Muire mac Dé, 37 qq. Saighin: “Tri glun”, Cf. last item.
26v1 Do chodail ar bfear faire, 27 qq.
27r10 Suntach sin, a cholann criadh, 15 qq.
27v4 Fearghal Óg Mac an Bháird. Na dena diomus, a duine, 11 qq. Ed. D. Dána 134. Actually by Aonghas Fionn Ó Dálaigh.
27v16 idem. Saor misi, a mhic an Duilimh, 4 qq.
27v21 Solamh Mac Con Midhe. Cionta na colla is cuis truaighe, 3 qq.
28r1 Tadhg Dall mac Mathghamhna Uí Huiginn. Teach lega leaba fPadraig, 13 qq. Ed. Knott, TD ii, p.289.
28r15 Fearghal Óg Ó Huiginn. Linn fPadraig na bpurt solas, 9 qq. Pub. Leslie, St. Patrick’s Purgatory, p. 179.
28v1 [ ? Ó Huig]inn. Muna beadh cruaidi croidhe, 20½ qq. Mixed metres. Pub. Leslie, op. cit., p.176.
29r1 Fearghal Óg Mac an Bháird. Slan uaim ag oilen Padraig, 8 qq. Authorship doubtful. Pub. Leslie, op. cit., p.172.
29r10 Aonghus mac Aodha Ruaidh Uí Huiginn. Mo chen teid i dteghais fPadraig, 13 qq. Pub. Leslie, op. cit., p.174.
29v1 Tuileagna mac Torna [Uí Mhaolchonaire]. Loch Dearg aenRoim na hEirind, 10 qq. Pub. Leslie, op. cit., p. 168
29v12 Tuileagna. Tugais damh, a Dhe nimi, 5 qq. Qq.2-5 = Leslie, op. cit., p.169, qq.17-20.
29v18 Fregair aithfrinn an Domnaigh, 11 qq.
From f. 30 on, the outer half of each leaf is detached. The outer half of f. 30 is now Adv.MS.72.2.2, f. 50. The rest is missing.
30r6 Tugadh mo choiméad do choigear, 15 qq.
30v11 and Adv.MS.72.2.2, f. 50v11. [Do]nnchadh Mór [Ó Dálaigh]. Bí fum, bi, a mhic, ar mo muin, 7 qq.
31r1 A Muire, tar am chuinde, 5 qq.
31r6 Fada an suan so ar Righ na nDúl, 7 qq.
31r13 Mael Duin, Mael Dúin, 9 qq.
31v1 [Aoidhe meise ag máthair Dé], 29 qq. Cf. ed. McKenna, Dán Dé, p.2.
32r10 Do mheall an saoghal sibhse, 12 qq.
32v5 [ ? Sío]ghraidhe Buidhe. Gabh, a Phap[a, ], 15 qq.
33r1 Donnchadh Mór Ó Dálaigh. Lochrann soilisi ac siol Aduimh, 45 qq.
34r6 Tainig bhur gcairde, a clann Adhamh, 38 qq.
35r11 Dena Criosd comhairle a mhathar, 31 qq.
36r6 Cóir foigidi ré feirg nDé, 26 qq.
36v17 Historical verse, 30 qq. Beg. missing. 1st q. ends “gach cas a cabhar . do thuair ar fas d’urcradhaibh”. Last q. ends “Fodla a n-inad mo thagar . os inann do foireadar”.
37v7 “[Cormac mac Cui]lenain .i. Rí dha choigeadh Mumhan 7 Airdescub Caisil .cc.” [Mithid teacht tar mo thiomna], 22 qq.
38r8 Creachtach sin, a Righ, 24 qq. On Christ’s wounds.
38v11 Elegy on (?) a son of Aodh Ó Néill, 13 qq. Beg. missing, end illeg.; 1st q. ends “is luaimnigh mo cridh am chlí . na tenguidh an chluig at-chluind”.