Catalogue of Irish Manuscripts in the Royal Irish Academy
537
LEBOR GABÁLA
14th (?) cent. Vellum. Ca. 12 × 8. Ff. 10, numbered consecutively in pencil. fo. 10 is a single folio from a Latin liturgical text in black letter. With its conjugate, fo. 25 of the MS. D. IV. 1, it may have formed at one time a rough cover for the section of Lebor Gabála contained in these two MSS. The scribe's name is not given, but his handwriting appears again in D. IV. 1 and D. 1. 3, which are merely sections of this text of Lebor Gabála (see Description of D. IV. 1 below). The MS. is well preserved, with the exception of the first folio, which is badly torn, with resultant loss of text. The handwriting is in double column, and appears to have been re-inked in places. The MS. ends imperfectly with fo. 9, but resumes on fo. 1 of D. IV. 1, without a break in the text. The initial capital is illuminated, and the principal sections of the text are indicated by interlaced capitals of zoomorphic design. The colours used in the washing in of capitals throughout have faded; they were scarlet, green, and a dull yellow. Bound in calf, blind tooled. On front of cover occurs in gilt lettering: “Irish MS. No. II. Leabhar Gabhaltas. Fragment. Sæc: XIII.” The binder's flyleaves bear the watermark “H Willmott 1812.” Formerly in Stowe and Ashburnham Collections. The number “994” (Ashburnham Collection) is pasted on back of cover. Press No. (in Stowe Collection) ½ (see front flyleaf, verso. Beneath stands in pencil “24d”). On fo. 8 v° inf. marg. occur the letters “M.C.M.D.M.T.M.D.”
A typewritten note by Professor R. A. S. Macalister is affixed to front flyleaf stating that the first leaves of D. IV. 1 follow on, and complete the book, and commenting on the fragment of a liturgical text which occurs on both MSS. (see Van Hamel, ZCP 10, 99).
A detailed note in English on the contents of the MS. (in the hand of Dr. Charles O'Conor) stands on front flyleaves. The handwriting is certified by an initial, “W.J.S.”
fo.
[1] r° a. [LEBOR GABÁLA.] Beg. In prindcipio fecid Deus celum et terram. Copy of the B-version of the text (Van Hamel's Ba, Thurneysen's B1). Arrangements of sections are as follows:—
[1] r° a. Biblical preface.
[1] v° a. Introduction on the Gaidil. Includes:
[1] v° a m. Pedigree if Gaidel Glas.
[1] v° b. Athair caich coinsind nime, 52 qq.
2 v° b i. Doluid Milid assin Scithia, 24 qq.
3 r° a i. [CEASAIR.] Includes:
3 r° a i. Findtan Find mac Bochna. Heriu gia iarfaiger dom, 11 qq.
3 r° b m. Cappa Laigne luasat grind, 8 qq.
3 r° b i. Cessair cid dia tanic-si, 5 qq.
3 v° a m. Findtan. Cain raind doraindsemar etroind, 4 qq.
3 v° b i. Cethracha trath din tuir thind, 13 qq.
4 r° a m. GABHAIL PARRTHOLAIN. Beg. Ba fass tra Eriu iar ndilind. Includes:
4 r° a i. Partholon canas tanic, 26 qq.
4 v° a m. Maith rocuala in muinter, 17 qq.
4 v° b m. Sechtmud gabail rodosgab, 7 qq.
5 r° a i. A choemu Clair Chuind coemseng, 25 qq.
5 r° b m. Account of the division of Ireland by Partholan's four sons.
5 r° b i. Ceathrar mac ba gribdha glor , 7 qq.
5 v° a. Synchronisms (“Comaimser Gabala Parrthaloin”)
5 v° b. [NEMED.] Beg. Ba fas tra Hereo iar sen. Includes:
5 v° b i. Note on the lakes which burst forth in the time of Nemed.
6 r° a i. Names of the thirty Nemedian leaders who escaped from the Tower of Conaing.
6 r° a i. Togail Tuir Conainn co ngail, 15 qq.
6 v° a m. Heriu oll ordnit Gaidil, 36 qq.
6 v° b i. Synchronisms (“Comaimsiradh Gabala Nemidh”)
7 r° b m. GABAIL FER MBOLCG. Beg. Ba fass tra Eiriu fri re .cc. mbliadan. Includes:
7 v° a i. Fir Bolc batar sunda sel, 13 qq.
7 v° b i. Findaig in sencas dia tá, 26 qq.
8 r° a i. Prose tract on the divisions of Éire.
8 r° a i. Coic coicidh Erenn áne, 7 qq.
8 r° b 12. Synchronisms of the Kings of the world with the Fir Bolg Kings.
8 r° b i. [TUATHA DÉ DANANN.] (“Gabail T. D. D.”) Beg. Batar clanda Bethaich. Prose and verse. Includes the following poems:—
8 v° a m. Cinaed Ua Hartacan. In cloch forstait mo da sail, 1 q.
9 r° a. Hethur ard fouair midh, 4 qq.
9 r° b m. Heriu co n-uaill co nidhnaib, 18 qq.
9 v° a m. Gabail Herend nert nar fand, 3 qq.
9 v° a i. Tuatha Dé Donann fo diamuir, 11 qq.
9 v° b m. Synchronisms of the Kings of the world with the Tuatha Dé Danann Kings.
This fragment of Lebor Gabála is continued (without a break) in D. IV. 1, for which see infra.
Here follows one defaced folio from a Latin liturgical MS. in black letter. The recto is barely legible. A further defaced folio from the same MS. (possibly the conjugate of the folio here) occurs D. IV. 1 (see below).