G 36

Verse; Religious Tracts

19th cent. Paper. 24.5 × 19.3 cms. (pp. 1-134), 23 × 18.5 cms. (pp. 135-166). Pp. 166+[8]. Although there is no scribal signature the hand is undoubtedly that of James McQuigge - the scribe of B.M. Eg. 156, 157, the interleaved translation in Eg. 662 and R.I.A. 24 K 45. He was an inaccurate scribe. A note in 24 K 45 (p. 6) says "he was a forward ignorant man and was a native, I believe, of the County of Mayo. He was a Catholic but recanted and became a Methodist and was selected to superintend or rather edit ! ! an edition of the Protestant Bible in Irish but in English characters printed in thick 8° Dublin about 1821 a task for which he was utterly incompetent. But they could get no other". Hardiman in a note in Eg. 156 adopts a similar view (see B.M. ii, p. 366).

The religious tracts in this ms. (pp. 75-163) were transcribed by McQuigge from a 15th cent. vellum ms., which was formerly no. 9754 of the Phillipps collection and is now G 9 supra. For remarks by McQuigge on G 9 see first fly-leaf thereof, and pp. 75, 163, infra. G 9 previously belonged to Dr. Adam Clarke (? 1762-1832) and while it was in Clarke's possession McQuigge provided him with the transcript and translation which form the major part of the present ms., G 36. His translations on the whole are untrustworthy (see p. 109 where a D. Murphy supplied the translation of Sruth Orthanáin [i.e. River Jordan]). McQuigge's efforts at English verse can be seen in R.I.A. 24 K 45.

The ms. is bound in half-leather, the binder inserting one blank leaf after the front cover and three before the back cover. The shelf no. CLXXI of the Clarke collection appears in gilt on the spine (which is now partly worn); Phillipps Ms. 9751 and the following pencilled numbers 5/15/6, 729, 509 are on the inside of the front cover. There is a scribal pagination but at it is not always accurate the modern pagination is adopted in this catalogue. The following pages are blank, pp. 1, 14-15, 18, 70-74, 91, 164, 166-end. The lower half of pp. 13-14 has been cut away.

Page

1 Blank.

2 Aithrighe in tSoidheach. Beg. As traom m'osnadh 's ni gan fa 27 stt. with English rendering Joyce's Repentance beg. (p. 3) My sigh is heavy, nor is it without cause. See ed. Hyde, The Religious Songs of Connaught, vol. ii, p. 86.

12 At the end of above poem is the following: Peter Joyce, the Author of this Poem, was much talked of in that part of Ireland, in which, I think, the Irish Language was least subject to corruption, viz. Connaught. Criticks in the Language wonder at his knowledge in ancient Stile; but as he lived when the Language was in its strength, likely knowing McCurtin Keating and O Flaherty - and lived to be very old - we need not wonder that he knew it well. There is a wonderful Collection of very hard, ancient Words in this Poem; and the ran mhór is well exhibited, where ever we are sure we have it in his own form of it purely handed down. I was forced to write it from the Mouths of the People, and the Language being hard, they differed in many words. I took it chiefly from aged People. His character is venerable - and he died holding sentiments probably superior to those of either J. Scotus ro Berengerius.

14-15 Blank.

16 An Oghaimh Inscription found on a stone in the Mountains of Wicklow (Wicklow has a stroke through it and Callon is written beside it).

17 Interpretation of the above Ogham inscription beg. Faí an séadchomhartha adhnacalach si ata na loídhe Conán an fhíadháin an lúthmhar chosach and followed by a translation in English.

18 Blank.

19 Carolan's Receipt for dring (sic) Uisge na beatha. Beg. Whether sickness or health thy lot may be, 3 stt.

20 Seaghan Ó Connuill. Beg. Anúair smaoinm air shaoithaibh na hÉirionn, 123 stt. with English rendering beg. (p. 21) When I reflect on the various fates of Ireland. See ed. C. O'Rahilly, Five Seventeenth-Century Political Poems, 1952.

70-74 Blank.

75 Expulsion of Mochuda from Rahen. Headed The following being the Life of Mochana (sic) was so dark and defaced, it could not be read, therefore omitted here. What here follows shall be translated and sent next year with the other manuscript. Beg. here (p. 76) do ronudh is tir. Ro foillsiged doibhsin sin (corresponding to G 9 supra fol. 1 v a l. 1 and Plummer's Lives of Irish Saints i, p. 301, l. 15). Ends top of p. 90 (= Plummer op. cit., p. 307, l. 17). The rest of the page is blank.

91 Blank.

92 St. Ambrose. On the religious efficacy of tears. Beg. Briathar and so ó Amr=brosius .i. ro leigheas ar se (corresponding to G 9 supra fol. 3 v a); with English translation.

94 Homily on Penance. Beg. Penetencia .i. an péannádh agus is on péin adeorur í (corresponding to G 9 supra fol. 3 v b); with English translation.

96 Homily on Death. Beg. Tuic leat co fuilan (sic) drong dainibh iarus Dia agus nach duiginn e (corresponding to G 9 supra fol. 3 r a); with English translation.

97 Beg. Ise in teug crich beadha gach aein (corresponding to G 9 supra fol. 4 r b); with English translation. On the administration of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction (see Gwynn: Proc.R.I.A., vol. xxvi, p. 24).

102 Legend of the decapitation of St. Paul and the miraculous recovery of his head. Beg. Dia mbuí Pol apstal a cuibhreach ┐ a ceangal cruaidh ag rinn (sic) Sheasair isin roimh (corresponding to G 9 supra fol. 5 r b; see B.M. ii, p. 556 for other copies); with English translation.

106 Beatha Muire Egipta. Beg. Muire Éigiptach do bhí na baintreabhthaigh ar tus ┐ do bhí sí seachd mbliadhna ┐ da .xx. a bhasach (corresponding to G 9 supra fol. 5 v b); with English translation.

112 Anecdote of St. Brendan. Beg. An ecail lat ecc ol a dhalta fri Brenuinn (corresponding to G 9 supra fol. 7 r a); with English translation.

113 An Teanga Bhithnua. Beg. Dia mbadur ecnaidhi na nEabhregh ar mullach sleibhe Oilifeit (corresponding to G 9 supra fol. 7 r b); with English translation. This is the second recension; see B.M. ii, pp. 556-558. Cf. also G 32 supra p. 1.

121 l.5 A Story of Solomon and the power of women. Beg. Bui ri amhro aireda do grecaibh Salemon a amue (sic) (corresponding to G 9 supra fol. 8 v a); with English translation.

123 Homily on the life of St. George. Beg. Feacht naon dar ghabh Dacsianus impiri flaithus ┐ forláinnus (sic) (corresponding to G 9 supra fol. 9 r a ; see B.M. ii, p. 439); with English translation. Ends p. 163.

163 Scribal entry: Here the Manuscript [i.e. G 9 supra] ended, except one word and it cannot be read. I am sure the Life is nearly ended. This Life I find in a large folio Manuscript I have - and when I shall have time to peruse it I shall send you an Account of anything I find [in] it, not in this.

164 Blank.

165 An Index of the subjects translated in this Book. The remainder of the ms. is blank.