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 ••^,-«Tf»^j,;, 
 
 1^ 
 
 SECOND EDITION. 
 
 Montreal, yune, i8jy. 
 
 Manuscripts and Printed Books 
 
 In the Xmh ^Danguage anb Chisracttv, 
 
 AND FAC-SIMILES OF THE 
 1^ 
 
 ATioNAL Manuscripts of Ireland. 
 
 EXHIBITED BY 
 
 MR. EDWARD MURPHY. 
 OF MONTREAL. 
 
 JHontreai : 
 
 PRINTBD BT J. 8TARKB dk CO., 
 1 6 A St. JFrameoit Xavitr Str^tf^ 
 
 1877. 
 
 . 1 
 
SECOND EDITION. 
 
 Montreal, June, 1877. 
 
 Manuscripts and Printed Books 
 
 In the IriBh f aitguage ml Character, 
 
 AND FAC-SIMILES OF THE 
 
 Rational Manuscripts of Ireland. 
 
 EXHIBITED BY 
 
 MR. EDWARD MURPHY. 
 OF MONTREAL 
 
 / 
 
 
 JHontreal : 
 
 PRINTED BY J. STARKE &: CO.. 
 5J^ St, Francoit .Vavier Streti, 
 
 1877. 
 
/ 
 
 < 
 
 1 
 
/ 
 
 < 
 
 JS'OTE TO ^ECOND EdiTION 
 
 The first edition— published in connection with my exhibit at 
 the Caxton Memorial Exhibition, held in Montreal in June last- 
 has been exhausted, the supply not being equal to the demand. I 
 have, at the request of friends, and in response to numerous 
 enquiries to me personally, published another edition. To any 
 one interested in the Hterature of Ireland, and the purposes for 
 which the Caxton Exhibitions were celebrated, I shall be happy 
 to send a copy upon written application. 
 
 The present edition is the same as the first, with the exception 
 of a few additions and verbal alterations. 
 
 Montreal, Dcce?nler, 1877. 
 
^ 
 
 «la 
 
 
 
 c^ 
 
 MS, 
 
( 
 
 i.4-3 
 
 
 'i'- 
 
 L 
 
 Irish yVlANuscRiPTs. 
 
 l.-IRISH MS. DEVOTIONAL WORK-- The Three Shafts 
 OF Death. By the Eev. Geoffrey Keating, D.D. Circa, latter 
 part ot sixteentli century. 
 
 This work was evidently written by different persons, as the 
 hnnd-writmg will easily determine. It is a good specimen of Irish 
 penmanship of its day. Many quotations from Scripture are 
 given, witli chapter and verse. It is divided into three parts That 
 on page 108 begins with a verse from the 129th Psalm, in Latin • 
 JJeijroJmuhs clamavi ad te Domini" (Out of the depths have I cried 
 to thee, Lord). The leather co\ -r and fastenings to the back are 
 curious. Copied from the original about A.D. 1650. 
 
 2.-irjSlI MS. PEAYER BOOK. The penmanship and bindin- 
 are good, and the style of both is indicative of its a^^e ° 
 
 This is a curious and interesting book. It contains, amon.^ 
 otlier. thmgs, the Calendar of Saints' days, Feasts, Fasts. &c 
 1 rayers at Mass, the Seven Penitential Psalms, Psalter of Jesus' 
 1 rayers for Confession and Communion, the Litanies, Vespers and 
 other Devotions. Written about A.D. 1680. 
 
 3.--IRISII MS. A fragment (14 pages only) of an Irish Vocahu- 
 lary, or Focloir, to the word Coihio explaining the meaning of 
 obsolete words in the Irish language. Written A.D. 1706 
 
 4.— lEISII MS. LIFE OF ST. PATRICK, APOSTLE OF IRE- 
 LAND. 
 
 Afo^^^?r'''^^''^l^'??- ^^eatly written, date and signature at end of 
 MS. Written A.D. 1764. 
 
 5.— IRISH MS. THE MIDNIGHT COURT. 
 
 A satirical Poem of 51 pages, on the habits and customs of the 
 natives of the County Clare in the last Century. It is in the Irish 
 language, and is considered a beautiful specimen of modern writing 
 in the Irish character, &c. Written A.D. 1812. 
 
6 
 
 Book Printed in the Irish Language, and with Irish Tv^pe. 
 
 Illustrating Irish Type Printing. 
 
 6.— AN TEOMNA NUADH (The New Testament). Translated 
 into Irish about A.D. 1600, by William O'Donnell, Archbishon 
 of Tuam. ^ 
 
 This New Testament in the Irish language was first printed and 
 published in A.D. 1603, and re-printed in 1687, and in 1830, and 
 1835. The Old Testament was published in Irish by Bishop 
 Bedell in 1640. Other editions have followed since. 
 
 Books Printed in the Irish and English Languages with 
 
 Irish and Eoman Type. 
 
 7.-A PRIMER OF THE IRISH LANGUAGE, for the use of 
 the Students in the College of St. Columba. Dublin, 1845. 
 
 8.— AN ENGLISH-IRISH DICTIONARY ; by the Eev Daniel 
 Foley, B.D. Dublin, 1855. 
 
 9.— AN IRISH-ENGLISH DICTIONARY; by Edward O'Reilly, 
 with Supplement by J. O'Donovan, LL.D., T.C.D. Dublin' 
 1864. First published, 1817. 
 
 Books Printed in the Irish and English Languages on 
 Alternate Pages, with Irish and Roman Types. 
 
 10.— LEABAR NA g-CEART, or The Book of Rights. Trans- 
 lated by the eminent Irish scholar and philologist, J. O'Donovan, 
 LL.D., T.C.D., with Introduction and copious Historical Notes, 
 Published by the Celtic Society, Dublin, 1847. 
 
 This work is a treatise on the Rights and Privileges of the ancient 
 Kings of Ireland. It is translated from the original Vellum MS., 
 called the Book of Lecan, which was compiled from various older 
 MSS., by Duald McPhirbis, in the year 1418. A more ancient 
 Book of Rights was written by St. Benean (or St. Benignus, as his 
 name was Latinized), successor to St. Patrick, who died A.D. 468. 
 The work in its present form, however, was not written by that 
 Bishop, but was compiled and written by Corraac McCuilennan, 
 
 \ 
 
King of Munster, and Archbishop of Cashel, who died AD 
 JUS. It 13 an interesting fragment of Irish History, and of 
 undoubted authenticity, and was an authority amon^ the Irish 
 Kings for centuries. The text is in Irish and English, on alternate 
 pages. There is a valuable introduction, treatinrr on several 
 subjects ; one, on Chess among the ancient Irish, will be found 
 curious and interesting. (See engravings of Cliess men, Ta^e ix. 
 ot Introduction.) It is a beautiful specimen of Iri«h typography. 
 
 ^^OF^TPfT^^t? ^\^^^'nfr^^^ ^™ HISTORICAL POEMS 
 OF IRELAND ; l)y O'Diigan and O'Heerin. Published by 
 the Archeological and Celtic Society. Dublin, 1862. 
 
 1 o J^'^^! ?oT' ^""^ valuable illustrations of Irish History in the 
 12th and 13th centuries. They enumerate with minuteness the 
 principal lamihes and Territories of Ireland, and the Cluefs who 
 possessed and ruled over the country at the above periods The 
 work was commenced by O'Dugan, who gave a full account of all 
 the Uiiets and Clans ot the ancient kingdoms of Meath Ulster 
 and Connaught, in the 12th century (about the time of the Englisi; 
 invasion) ; but he died in 1372, before he could complete the 
 work. O Dugan commenced his work thus : " Let us travel over 
 Ireland. After O'Dugan's death, O'Heerin, another learned his- 
 torian, who died in 1420, wrote a continuation to the unfinished 
 work He gave an account of all the Chiefs and Clans of Leinster 
 and Munster, for the same period. O'Heerin commenced his part 
 thus : " An addition of knowledge on sacred Erin." 
 
 These Poems are valuable and authentic records, and furnish a 
 complete Topography of Ancient Ireland. Both 0'Du<-an and 
 O Heerm travelled over the country, and carefully noted their ob- 
 servations. The result of their joint labors is the above work 
 There are in O Dugan's Poems 880 verses of four lines each, which 
 occupy i9 pages, and in O'Heerin's 780 verses of four lines occu- 
 pying 5o pages. They are printed in Irish and English, on alter- 
 nate pages, and the type is very fine. 
 
 The Introduction and the Notes, which occupy 150 pat^es con- 
 tain a vast amount of valuable information relative to the ancient 
 and modern Topography of Ireland ; and a very interesting account 
 ot the origin and meaning of Irish family names, and the changes 
 
8 
 
 they have undergone during the last two or three centuries. There 
 is, also, much useful information collected by Dr. 0'J3onovan 
 during his researches in Irisli History. It is, probably, the most 
 complete and authentic Historical-Topographical record of its age 
 extant in Europe. 
 
 Interest is added to this work because the learned Editci- and 
 Translator, Dr. O'Donovan, died just as it was ready for press, 
 
 12.— THE SEXCHUS UOll, generally called the BREHON 
 LAWS. Tlie Ancient Laws and Institutes of Ireland. 
 
 This work is completed in tliree Volumes. It was translated 
 from the original MSS, by Dr. O'Donovan, Professor O'Curry, and 
 other learnetl Irish scliolars, and published by order of the Eritish 
 Governinent, under a Commission composed of tlie Lord Chancellor 
 of Ireland, and other einineut men, appointed to superintend its 
 publicatif^n. The Volume now exhibited is the second, and is 
 illustrated by fac-similes of three pages of Ancient Vellum I\1SS., 
 two from the collection of Trinity College, Dublin, and one from 
 the British ]\Iuseum. These fac-similes are beautiful and interest- 
 ing, and should bo carefuHy examined. 
 
 Tlie Brchon Laws f^xe very ancient, dating from before the 
 Clvristian era. They were collated, revised, and transcribed from 
 old manuscripts in St. Patrick's time by a Commission composed of 
 nine persons, viz : — Three Bisliopy, of whom St. Patrick was one, 
 three Kings, and three Doctors and Poets, appointed by St. Patrick 
 to adapt the ancient Pagan Laws, then in force, to Christianized 
 Ireland. This Commission took three years to their work, which 
 was completed in A.D. 438. These Bnhon Laws uce a very en- 
 lightened Code, and prove that the inhabitants of Ireland in those 
 relnote times (1500 years ago) were a highly civilized and educated 
 people Their publication is a valuable addition to our knowledge 
 of the social habits and the customs of the ancienu inhabitants of 
 Ireland, and they incidennally throw light upon the cotompo- 
 raueous History of Europe in such matters. 
 
 The following summary will give some idea of the contents of 
 the three volumes : — 
 
 A learned and exhaustive introduction to the Brchon Laws, 
 giving their history and other interesting circumstances -yjnnected 
 
 •^ 
 
 ttK. 
 
with them. The text is in Irish and English, giving the Law 
 
 Auj •^®^^' ""^^^^ ^°^ ^^^ punishment of Murder, Wounding, 
 Abduction, and for all offences against Persons and Property, 
 Hostage Secuntias, Fosterage, Saer-Stock, and Daer-Stock Tenures. 
 Laws defining with great minuteness the relative positions of Land- 
 lord and Tenant. These laws prove that even in those remote 
 times the maxim, " that property has its duties as well as its 
 rights, was well understood." The rights of women, married and 
 single, and of minora, are minutely defined. These ancient laws 
 show that nearly two thousand (2,000) years ago, the Irish laws 
 relating to them were nearly, if not entirely, in accord with those 
 plans now recommended by advanced thinkers in Encrland as 
 
 ?« ^^^^.^^ legislation to do justice to women and minors. 
 f oec Preface,.) 
 
 These Volumes were published in Dublin, by order of the Gov- 
 ernment, respectively in the years 1865, 1869, and 1873, and 
 together contain over 1650 pages of printed matter, Irish and 
 Lnghsh on every alternate page. They are beautiful specimens of 
 Irish Typography. The fac-similes of Irish MSS.. with which 
 they are illustrated, deserve careful examination. 
 
 Fac-Similes of Irish Manuscripts. 
 
 13.— FAC-SIMILES OF THE NATIONAL MSS. OF IRE- 
 LAND ; made by command of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. 
 Photo-zincographed from the original Vellum MSS., under the 
 direction of Major-General Sir Henry James, R.E., F.R.S., 
 Director-General Ordnance Survey, England, end issued from 
 the Public Kecord Office, Dublin, 1874. 
 
 Sir Henry James, in his Preface, says : — 
 
 " The Irish Scries, .ns will b.- scon, is remflrkahle not only for tlie groat anti- 
 quity of many of the MSS. coniprispcl in it, )nit also for the splendid examples of 
 pictona nrt which it contui-..s, of which the highly colored drawings and the letters 
 on the litle-])ag(! will giv(! an idea." 
 
 "A great number of the MSS. arc pojucs of the Gospels and Psalters, whirli ex- 
 hibit in their ilhmiinations the devotion lo their work of Artists of the highest skill 
 [the Irish Monks of the period J, both in llmciful design and colour." 
 
 , .„ "7\*^ production of Fac-siniiles of such higlilv ornamented work has tested the 
 Hkil ot the draughtsmen and ].rinlers of this JJepartnient [Ordnance Survey Office, 
 Southampton], the selection of the various tints of colours requiring great taste and 
 judgment, and the • register' of the plates the greatest nicety and care." 
 
10 
 
 These Fac-similes are produced in perfect accordance with the 
 original MSS., in dimensions, colourS; and other features ; not a 
 line added. So faithfully has the Sun copied these MSS. that the 
 leaves of the ancient documents appear as if they were stretched 
 and pasted on sheets of card board, and then bound up in the 
 Volume. The plates, before the work was issued, were examined 
 and certified to by Mr. Saunders, Assistant- Keeper of the Public 
 Eecords, England. 
 
 Mr. Gilbert, Secretary of the Public Kecord Office, in his report 
 to the Eight Honourable the Master of the EoUs and Keeper of 
 the Public Eecords of Ireland, describes this great work as fol- 
 lows : — 
 
 " The work is in imperial folio size, and the present part contains 45 coloured 
 plates. The written matter of each specimen has been printed opposite to it, in the 
 original language, line for line, without contractions : such translations and elucida- 
 tions have also been given as will, it is hoped, effectively assist those who may desire 
 to examine or critically study any of the manuscripts." 
 
 The original manuscripts are remarkable for their great anti- 
 quity. They are probably the most "ancient Christian MSS. in the 
 world, as those copied into this Volume date from the fifth century 
 (temp. St. FatricJcJ to A.D. 1137. 
 
 These Fac-similes are most interesting, and to the Biblical stu- 
 dent invaluable, as nearly all the MSS. represented in this 
 Volume are portions of the Holy Scriptures, copied from the 
 Gospels, 
 
 The Eev. J. H. Todd, D.D. (Church of England clergyman), in 
 recommending to Sir Henry James the publication of the entire 
 Book of Kells, says : — 
 
 " I wish you would consider .whether it would be possible to do the entire of the 
 Book qf Kella; it is, 1 believe, the most sphnidid specimen of a Latin Evangeliata- 
 rium in the world. It would be of immense importance to Biblical Literature to 
 have such a MS. in fac-simile." 
 
 There are several hundred figures, letters, &c., copied on 45 
 folio plates in this book (which is the first of a series of three 
 Volumes publishing by order of the British Governmert). They 
 are splendid examjjles of ])ictorial art, as the magnificent illumi- 
 nations, especially the nnique compound and single letters from the 
 £ook of Kells, show. (See plates XIU. to XVII.) 
 
 mt- 
 
I 
 
 I 
 
 11 
 
 Mr. Gilbert, in his report to the Master of the Rolls on these fac- 
 similes, in referring to the Booh of Kells, which Professor O'Curry, 
 R.I.A., believed was written in the sixth century, says : — 
 
 " The Book of Kells is the chief paleographic alicl artistic monument which has 
 descended to us from the ages in wliich Ireland, under the name of ' Scotia,' was 
 renowned for her schools, whence religion and letters were carried to various parts of 
 Europe. This manuscript is a copy of the Gospels, and received its present name 
 from having belonged to the Columh;>n Monastery of Kells in Meath. (See Plates 
 VII. to XVII,, inclusive, for illustrations *'rom this ancient and beautiful MS.)" 
 
 " It has been (continues !Mr. Gilbert) conjectured that the Book of Kellt is the 
 Volume so highly eulogised in the twelfth century by Geraldus Cambrensis, as the 
 marvellous book exhibited to him at Kiklare, and popularly believed to have been 
 executed under the direction of an Angel." 
 
 Of this work, Professor J. 0. Westwoocl, of Oxford, in his 
 important work on the miniatures and ornaments of the Anglo- 
 Saxon and Irish MSS., writes as follows : — 
 
 " Ireland may be justly proud of the Book of Kells — a Volume traditionally 
 asserted to have belonged to St. Columba, and imquestionably the most elaborately 
 executed MS. of so early a date now in existence ; far excelling, in the gigantic 
 size of the letters at the commencement of each Gospel, the excessive minuteness of 
 the ornamental details crowded into whole pages, the number of its very peculiar 
 decorat'ins, the fineness of the writing, and the endless variety of its initial capital 
 letters, the famous Gospels of Lindisfarne, in the Cottonian Library. But this MS. 
 ia still more valuable on account of the various pictorial representations of different 
 scenes in the life of our Saviour, delineated in the genuine Irish style, of which 
 several of our MSS. of St. Gall, and a very few others, otfer analogous examples." 
 
 " The text itself is far more extensively decorated than in any other now existing 
 copy of the Gospels." 
 
 After describing other wonders of this book, Prof. Westwood 
 continues : — 
 
 " Another artistic peculiarity jf the Book of Kells arises from the decoration of 
 the initial letters of each of the sentences or verses, so that each page presents us 
 with several of these letters, varying in size and design, as well as from the introduc- 
 tion of colored representations of men, ar.iinals, birds, horses, dogs, &c. • • • 
 The introduction of natural folirige in this MS. is another of its great peculiarities ; 
 whilst the intricate intertwining of the branches is eminently characteristic of the 
 Celtic spirit, which compelled oven the human figure to submit to the most impos- 
 sible contortions."— (Pages 31 and 32). 
 
 Again, the characteristics of the Celtic, or early Irish school. 
 Prof. Westwood thus refers to further on in the same work : — 
 
 "First, in one or more ribbons diagonally but symmetrically interlaced, form- 
 ing an endless variety of patterns ; 2nd, one, two or three slender spinal lines coiling 
 one within another till they meet in the centre of the cin le, their opposite ends 
 going off to other circles ; 3rd, a vast variety of lacertine animals and birds, hideously 
 
12 
 
 attenuated and coiled one within another, their tails, tongues and top-knots f.ming 
 long, narrow ribbons, irregularly interlaced ; 4th, a series of diagonal lines, forming 
 various kinds of Chinese-like piittsms. These ornaments are generally introduced 
 into small compartmeats, a number of wliich are arranged so as to form the large 
 initial letters and borders, or tessellated pages, with which the finest MSS. are 
 decorated." 
 
 " Especially deserving of notice (continues Professor Westwood) is the extreme 
 delicacy and wonderful precision, united with an extra ordinaiy minuteness of detail, 
 with which many of these ancient MSS. were ornamented. 1 have examined with a 
 magnifying-glass the pages of the Gospels of Lindisfarue and the Book of Kella, for 
 hours together, without ever detecting a false line or an irregular interlacemeut ; and 
 when it is considered that many of these details consists of spiral lines, and are so 
 minute as to be impossible to have been executed without a pair of compasses, it 
 really seems a problem not only with what eyes, but also with what instruments 
 they could have been executed. One instance of the minuteness of these details will 
 suffice to give an idea of this peculiarity. I have counted in a small space, measur- 
 ing scarcely three quarters of an inch, by less than half an inch in width, in the 
 Book of Armagh, 'not fewer than one hundred and fifty-eight (158) interlacements 
 of a slender ribbon pattern, formed of white lines edged by black ones upon a black 
 ground.' " (Illustrated on Plates XXV. to XXIX.) 
 
 Mr. Gilbert, the learned editor of these fac-similes, concludes 
 the publication of this first Volume by promising that in the next 
 issue, now nearly ready, the series will be continued from the 
 early part of the twelfth to the end of the thirteenth century. There 
 are in my possession many other works, on historical and educa- 
 tional subjects, illustrating Irish type printing. The above will, 
 however, show what has been done, and is now doing, for the pre- 
 servation of the ancient language of Ireland — a language in which 
 there is found an ancient and extensive literature, original and 
 peculiar to herself — a language which is valuable for elucidating 
 her own annals — a language which is the key for unlocking much 
 that is occult in the ancient history of Europe. This language is 
 still a living one, spoken by a large number of the inhabitants 
 of Ireland. Chairs have been established in the Catholic Univer- 
 sity of Ireland and in many of tlie Irish Colleges for its cultiva- 
 tion.* These, with the special efforts now making by " The Society 
 for the Preservation of the Irish Language," will, it is to be hoped, 
 successfully perpetuate and preserve a language, not only so 
 ancient — so expressive — but so dearly cherished by the Irish 
 people. 
 
 Edward IMurphy. 
 
 A 
 
 •A Gaelic Professorship has been founded in the University of Edinburgh 
 through the exertions of Professor Blackie, to whom great credit is due.