Catalogue of Irish Manuscripts in Royal Irish Academy
1235
C ii 2
Devotional Verse
15-16th centt. Vellum. Ff. 35 in entire ms. Flyleaves (paper) bear watermark "1807." The ms. consists of two distinct sections:—A. Ca. 8⅕ × 6. Ff. 25, foliated consecutively, partly in ink partly in pencil. This late numeration ignores all chasms in the ms. An earlier foliation, which is that referred to in table of contents, infra, reads: 8, 10-15, 17-22, 24-29, 37-42. B. Ca. 9½ × 6½ (first folio clipped somewhat smaller). Ff. 10, numbered 43-52, partly in ink and partly in pencil. There is no indication of scribal provenance in A or B. A is defective at the beginning. Ff. 1 (8), 2 (10) recto, 20 (37) are stained; fo. 2 would seem to have served for some time as an outer folio of a ms. On fo. 19 verso occurs a curious whitish stain (not mildew), observed by the present cataloguer on other vellums. The handwriting in A is in single column, ruling by dry point. To the zoomorphic capitals, executed in blacker ink than rest of ms., have been applied inferior colours— vermilion, chrome, carmine, ochre, blue, green and a destructive aluminium paint. On ff. 1 (8), 2 (10), 3 (11) verso, 15 (25), 20 (37) to end of section the handwriting has been retraced so skilfully as to deceive the reader. Wherever the ink (faded on the whole) shows up freshly, retracing may be suspected, but can be detected only where aspiration marks or other details have escaped the retracer's pen. A second, wholly obvious, retracing is carried out in a blue-black ink on portions of ff. 3 (11), 7 (15). Ff. 8 (17) to end have inferior corners gnawed by rats, with damage to text. Ff. 43 recto, 52 verso of section B are very dark and stained. The capitals are omitted from B, but a quaint pen-and-ink sketch of Tondal adorns fo. 45 recto, (see below). The ms. is at present bound, and the composition of the gatherings cannot therefore be determined with accuracy. They appear to be constituted as follows:— A: Ff. 1 (8)-7 (15) (fo. 1 (8) being a single leaf which has lost its conjugate); 8 (17)-13 (22); 14 (24)-19 (29); 20 (37)-25 (42). B: Ff. 43-52. Chasms in the ms. are noted infra at their place of incidence. On f. 18 (28), between text sections, occurs a signature, "Cormac O Higgin," in what appears to be a late hand. Bd. in leather, blind-tooled; gilt-lettered on spine, "Irish MSS., No. vii. On front of cover stands, "Irish MS. No. vii. Carmina Hibernica de religione Christi et de Vita Christi." Stowe ms. (Ashburnham Collection), Press 1, no. 7 (see flyleaf). A numbered label "75," possibly that of a sale catalogue, is affixed to spine.
A.
Ff. 1 - 7 , wanting.
fo.
8 (later foliation 1). [Maith 7 maithfidir, see end of poem.] Acephalous, beg. here, Dober doit, a dhuine; 12 qq. remain.
8 (1) m. Teit an maith amugha, 31 qq. Ends fo. 10 m. The number '9' is skipped by foliator; there is no chasm between ff. 8, 10.
10 (2) m. Olc tuillim mo tuarastal, 32 qq.
11 (3) Creidim mar creides an eglus, 20 qq.
11 v. m. Bennacht a mhathar ar Mac nDe, 38 qq.
12 (4) v. m. Mairg nach isligheand é fein, 40 qq.
13 (5) v. m. Fada gur haitigheadh Eire, 52 qq.
15 (7) v. m. San Dominic's a duthracht, 26 qq. here.
There is a chasm in the ms. after fo. 15. Fo. 16 is missing.
17 (8) Toccbam croich a ndegaid De, 49 qq.
18 (9) v. i. Dlighthear don bhrathair beith umhal, 37 qq.
20 (11) m. Rugad bairi air in mbochtacht, 38 qq.
21 (12) v. m. Do geinedh inghen on Umhla, 42 qq.
There is a chasm in the ms. after fo. 22. Fo 23 is missing.
24 (14). Maith an, scelaide an Scribhtúir, 39 qq.
25 (15) i. Cara mna an tighe ag an teinid, 50 qq.
27 (17). Ataim a n-esbhaidh amhairc, 41 qq.
28 (18) m. Icadh Crist cumain a maithar, 35 qq.
29 (19) v. m. Cia do fhechfadh ar m'éicin, 12 qq.; incomplete.
Seven folios are wanting after fo. 29. Ff. 30-36 missing.
37 (20) Acephalous poem on the Day of Judgment, beg. here Deileochaid re Dia Athar; 16 qq. remain. End of poem imperfect, owing to damage to ms.
37 (20) v. Tugas gradh egmaisi d'Eoin, 42 qq.
38 (21) v. m. Secht dtroighthe mo thir duthchais, 35 qq.
38 (22) v. Gengu carthar caraidh siur, 48 qq.
41 (24) i. Gabhfhar danacht ó dhalta, 40 qq.
42 (25) v. m. Deired cairdessa comaireamh, 14 qq. Incomplete, owing to a chasm in the ms. at this point.
B.
This distinct section of manuscript is written in double column. Some leaves are missing from the beginning here.
fo.
43 . Fragment of Irish version of the Pseudo-Bonaventura, Meditationes Vitae Christi. Opening words here illegible. Breaks off, fo. 43 v. b, at beginning of the section headed, "De fuga [ ] Egiptum." Cf. 762, supra.
There is a chasm in the ms. after fo. [43].
44 . Text resumes here, "De pulcritudine Iesu.?? Ends fo. 45 b.
45 b. Aisling Tunndail. Beg. Incipit Aisling Tunndail andso .i. gaiscedach amra urramanta o Caisiul na Rig. Text is preceded by a quaint sketch of Tondal himself, in pen and ink, inscribed "Mese Tundal bocht ar bfaicsin na pian uile co hadhmar." Ed. K. Meyer, La Vision de Tondale, Paris, 1907, from this ms. and T.C.D H. 3. 18. The illuminated Latin ms. R.I.A. 23 G 46, ff. 7-18 (recte 19) contains an imperfect Latin text of this work, headed: "De visione Tundali" and beg. (acephalous) unaque manus digitos vicenos habebat.
52 v. blank, save for later scribbling.