THE DEATH OF MUIRCHERTACH MAC ERCA 


This is a taie of the vengeance taken by a beautiful witch 
on the slayer of her parents and lier sister and the destroyer 
of her clan. It is now for the first time edited from two vel- 
lum mss. in the library of Trinity Collège, Dublin, the Yel- 
low Book of Leean (H. 2. 16), cols. 310-320, a ms. of the 
fourteenth century, and H. 2. 7, pp. 248-254, a ms. about 
a century younger. There is a lacuna in the Yellow Book, 
cols. 317-8, which I hâve filled up from H. 2. 7, p. 252b. 
And with the exception of fifteen quatrains, H. 2. 7 omits 
ail the verse. In other respects the mss. substantially agrée. 
The prose is, more Hibernico r, intermingled with verse, 
most of which I hâve left out as merely repeating what has 
been already told in clearer language. 

The death of Muirchertach (the first overking of the race of 
Eogan and the hero of our taie) is mentioned by Cinaeth 
hua hArtacain, who died in t)j<y,Rev. Celt., XXIII, 310, 333, 
in the Armais printed in the Rolls édition of the Tripartite 
Life, p. 512, and in the Dindsenchas of Cletech, Rev. Celt., 
XVI, 66. And two poems, from another recension now 
unknown, are quoted by the annalist Tigernach (-J* 1088) 
at the year eorresponding with the Chronicum Scotorum, A. 
D. 53i,Annals of Ulster, A. D. 533, and Annals of the Four 
Masters, A. D. 526. See also Petrie's Tara Hill, pp. 96,97, 
and d'Arbois de Jubainville, Essai d'un catalogue de la litté- 
rature épique de l'Irlande, p. 29. 

The following précis of our story is by O'Donovan (Four 
Masters, i. p. 173, note b) : 

« Muirchertach fell a victim to the revenge of a concubine 

1. See Rev. Celt., V, 364, XII, 319, note 2. 


396 Whitky Stokes. 

namcd Sin (Sheen), for whom he had abandoned his lawful 
queen, but whom he afterwards consented to put away at 
the command of St. Cairneach. This concubine having lost 
her father, mother, sister and othcrs of lier family..., by the 
hand of Mûirchertach in the battle of Cerb or Àth Sighi on 
the Boyne, threw herself in his way and became his mistress 
for the purpose of wreaking her vengeance upon him with 
the greater facility. And the story states that she burnt the 
house of Cletty over the head of the monarch, who, when 
scorched by the fiâmes, plunged into a punchcon of wine, in 
which he was sufïocated. Hence it was said that he was 
drowned and burned. » The tragedy is deepened by the death 
of his queen of grief for her husband, and by the death of Sin 
of remorse and love for the man she lias maddened by lier 
enchantments and then murdered. 

With the principal motif of our taie there seems to be a cu- 
rious coïncidence in a Japanese story. According to Aston, 


AIDEAD MUIRCUERTMG MAIC ERCA INSIN 

(YBL. col. 310, Facsimile p. 3 1 3 b) - 

1. Dia mbui Mûirchertach mac Muiredaig maie Eogain rig 
Erenn i tig Cletig os ur Boinne in Broga, 7 ba hi ba bancheli 
dosum, Duaibsech ingen Duach Tenga umai, rig Cownacht 
— tanic in rig sin amach oenda lai do milrad fa imell in 
Broga, 7 ro ihâgsat a lucht sealga a aenar he ina dunïa 
shelga. 

2. Ni cian dia raibe ànn co facaid oen ingen cruthalaind 
chennfind chnes[s]ol///5, 7 brat uaine impe, i suide 'na tho- 
chrâib isin fert fodmuigi, 7 dar leis nocon faca don droing banda 


The Dùith of Muirchertach mac Erca. 397 

Japanese Literature, p. 367, the novelist Tanehiko lias a he- 
roine of fifteen years of âge, who sets out to travel through 
Japan in quest of lier father's murderer, with the intention of 
making love to him and thus finding an opportunity of putting 
him to death. » 

The student of folklore and of ancient Irish manners and 
customs will be interested in Murchertach's prophétie dream 
§§ 36, 37 : the fear ot having one's name uttered §§ 4, 34, 36 : 
saint Cairnech's procédure in cursing the king § 10 : the account 
of the standards of Tyrconnel and Tyrone § 12 : the blood- 
covenant §§ 14, 15 : the magical powersof Sin, §§ 16, 17, 19, 
21, 31, 32; the practices of beheading foes and placing their 
heads on stakes § 27, ofwashing corpses in a river §43, and 
ofwomen going to battle § 49; and, lastly, the libération of 
Muirchertach's soûl from hell, §51. 

The glossarial index contains some interesting words, and 
will, I hope, be deemed a useful supplément to Professor 
Windisch's Wôrterbuch. 

THE DEATH OF MUIRCHERTACH MAC ERCA 


1. When Muirchertach son of Muiredach, son of Eogan1, 
king of Ireland, was in the House of Cletech2, over the brink 
ot Boyne of the Brugh>, — and lie had a spouse, Duaibsech 
daughter of Duacli Brazentongue4, king of Connaught — that 
king came forth onc day to hunt on the border of the Brugh, 
and his hunting companions Left him alone on his hunting- 
mound. 

2. He had not been there long when lie saw a solitary 
damsel beautifully formed, fair-headed, bright-skinned, with 
a green mantle about lier, sitting near him on the turfen 
mound ; and it seemed to him that of womankind lie had 

1. son of Niall ofthe Nine Hostages. 

2. sce the Dindsenchas, Rev. celt., XVI, 66. 

3. near Stackallan Bridge, Co. Meath. 

4. slain A. D. 499. 


39S Whitley Stokes. 

a comalaind na a comchuanna, g«ra linwrtar a cholann uile 
da grad, 7 a aicncd, uair dar leis re fégad doberad Eriu uile 
ar a hiasacht ôen-aidche, mar do char co hadbal hi re faicsin. 
Ocus ro fersom fàilti fria mar bud aichnid dô hi, 7 ro fhiar- 
faig scela di. 

3. Adersa frit, ol si, isam ieannansa do M///Ycht.vtach mac 
Erca, do rig Erani, 7 is da shaigid tinagus inso. Ba maith la 
Muirchenach sin, 7 atbfrt fria: in tabrai aichne ormsa, a in- 
gen ? ol se. 

Doberim, ol si, aair isam éolach i n-inadaib is diamru ina 
so, 7 is aichnid dam tusu 7 firu Eremi archena. 

IN tice limsa, a ingen? ol Muir chertach. 

Doragaind, ol si, acht comad maith mo chôma. 

DobeVsa mo chumang duit, a ingen, ar Mac Erca. 

Do brethir ris, ol in ingen. 

Ocus tue som (ochétoir, 7 adubairt si in rand : 

Ni lie in cumang nach eimech, 
acht tecttsca nacleireach, 71I. 

4. [Col. 312]. DobfVsa cet di cech crud duit, 7 cet cornd 7 
cet copan 7 cet falach oir, 7 fois cech dara haidche a tig 
Cletig. 

Ace her, ar in ingen, nocha n-amlaid sin bias, achl cen 
m'ainmsea do rada duitsiu co brath, 7 cen Duaibsig mâthair 
do claindi do beith im agaid, 7 cen na clerig do thoidecht i 
n-oenteach rium co brath. 

Ragaid duitsiu, ol in rig, uair tuais* brethir riut, 7 ropad 
usa limsa leath Erenn duitsiu ina sin. Ocus abair rium co 
fir, ol in rig, ca hainm fil fortsu iur, da fédmais a seachna 
gan a rada. 


b 


The Dcath of Muirchertach mac Erca. 399 

never beheld her equal in beauty and refinement. So that ail 
his body and his nature filled with love for her, for gazing 
at her it seemed to him that he would give the whole of Ire- 
land for one night's loan of her, so utterly did he love her at 
sight. And he welcomed her as if she were known to him, 
and he asked tidings of her. 

3. « I will tell thee », she said. « I am the darling of 
Muirchertach son of Ere1, king of Erin, and to seek him I 
came hère. » That seemed good to Muirchertach, and he said 
to her : « Dost thon know me, O damsel ? » saith he. 

« I do », she answers ; « for skilled am I in places more 
secret than tins, and known to me are thou and the other 
men of Erin. » 

« Wilt thou corne with me, O damsel ? » says Muircher- 
tach. 

« I would go », she answers, » provided my guerdon be 
good. » 

« I will give thee power over me, O damsel, » says Mac 
Erca. 

« Thy word for this ! » rejoins the damsel. 

And he gave it at once, and she uttered the stave : 

This is power that is opportune, 

but for the teachings of the clerics, etc. 

4. « I will give thee a hundred of every herd, and a hundred 
drinking-horns, and a hundred cups, und a hundred rings of 
gold, and a feast every other night in the House of Cletech ». 

«Nay »,says the damsel. « Not so shall itbe. Butmy name 
must never be uttered by thee, and Duaibsech, the mother of 
thy children, must not be in my sight, and the clerics must 
never enter the house that I am in ». 

« (Ail this) thou shalt hâve », says the king, « for I pledged 
thee my word; but it were easier for me to give thee halfof 
Ireland. And tell me truly », says the king, « what name is 
on thee, so that we may avoid it by not uttering it ». 

1. Muirchertach's mother. Hère, as in the names Conchobar mac Nessa, 
etc., we seem to hâve a trace of matriarchy. See the Martyrology of Oen- 
gus, p. 22, note 3. . 


400 Whitley Stokes. 

Ocus asben si; Osnad, Easnadh, Sin, Gaeth Garb, Gam- 
adaig, Ochsad1, lachtad2, Taet[h]ean*. Gwad andsin atbm 
in laid-sea sis : 

Abair rim h'ainm, a ingen, 
a bean rochaemda rindgeal, yrl. 

5. Ro gellad disi tra cech ni dibsin, 7 ro naisc aralaid. 
Dochuadar marôen iarsin co teach Cletig. Ba maith suidiugad 
in tige sin tra, 7 ba maith a muindter 7 a theglach, 7 mai- 
thi Cloindi Neill uile co m///Vneach mormmmnach, co su- 
bach sobronach ic caithem chisa 7 conaich cacha cuicid i tig 
comrwmach Cletig 6s ur na Boinne bradânaigi bithailli, 7 os 
ur in Broga barruaine-K 


6. O ro fég Sin immorro in teach cona muintir, aslvrt : Is 
maith in teach a tancanw, ol si. 

IS maith, ol in rig. 7 ni dernad do Themair, na do Nas, na 
do Craeb ruaid, na do Emain Mâche, na do Ailech Neit, na 
do Cleitech teach a leithéid. Ocus tabair teisi in tige sea, ol 
in rig, 7 atbtvt [si] : 

Ni dernad ic rig, dar lind, 

teach mar do theach, os Boïnd s, yrl. 

7. Cid dogentar ann îodesta. ? ol in ingen. 
Ani is maith latsu, ol Muirchertach. 

Maseadh, ar Sin, téigead Duaibsech corn, cloind asin tig 
amach, 7 ticed fer cecha cerdi 7 cecha eladan a n-Er/«» cona. 
mnai isin teach n-ôil. 

Doronad amlaidsin, 7 ro gab cach ic molad a cherdi 7 a 
ealadan fein ann, 7 doronad rand da cech duine cherdi 7 ela- 
dan do bi andsin uile. 


1. Cognate with ochfad Ir. T. III, 541. 

2. MS. iadad, but see Tigernach, 527. 

3. Taethen Tig. 527. 

4. Note the allitération in this sentence 

5. Hère, as elsewhere in Early Middle Irish, Bôind (ex Bo-vinda") is a 
disyllable 


The Deaih of Muirchertach mac Erca. 401 

And she said : « Sigh, Sough, Storm, Rough wind, Win- 
ter-night, Cry, Wail, Groan ». So then he uttered this lay 
below : 

Tell me thy name, O damsel, 

thou most beloved, starbright lady! etc. 

5. Each of those things was promised to her, and thus he 
plcdged (himself). Then they went together to the House of 
Cletech. Good was the arrangement of that house, and good 
were its family and its household, and ail the nobles of the 
Children of Niall cheerfully and spiritedly, gaily and gladly 
consuming the tribute and wealth of every province in the 
trophied House of Cletech above the brink of the salmonful, 
ever-beautiful Boy ne, and over the border of the green-top- 
ped Brugh. 

6. Now when Sin saw the house with its family she said : 
« Good is the house \ve hâve corne to! » quoth she. 

« It is good », says the king; « and never has there been 
built for Tara1 or for Naas2, or for Craeb ruaid 5, or for Emain 
Mâcha 4, or for Ailech Neit*, or for Cletech a house the like 
of it. And give thou a testimony as to this house », says the 
king. So she said : 

Never has been built by a king over flood 
a house like thy home above the Boyne, etc. 

7. « What shall be done there now ? » demands the damsel. 
« That which thou desirest », replied Muiredach. 

« If so », saith Sin, « let Duaibsech and her children go 
forth from the house, and let a man of every craft and art in 
Ireland corne with his wife into the drinking-hall. » 

Thus was it done, and each began praising his own craft 
and art, and a stave was made by every craftsman and artist 
who was therein : 


1. Dindsenchas. Rev. célt., XV, 277. 

2. Dinds. Rev. ait., XV, 518. 

3. a palace in Emain, Wind. Wtb., p. 880. 

4. now the Navan fort, near Armagh. Rev. celt., XVI, 283. 

5. Sue infra § 12. 


402 Whitley Stokes. 

Aibind, aibind rigi nin 
tire Ere»», mor a grad, yrl. 

8. [Col. 312]. O thairnic in t-ôl aslvrt Sin fri Muirchef- 
tach : Is mithig foàesta in teach do légud damsa, amaz/ ro gel- 
lad dham. 

IS annsin do chuir-si clanna Neill 7 Duaibsech coin claind 
a Cleitech amach, 7 is é lin ro batar, iterfiru 7 mna, da cath1 
comrriora rc/;/aclacha. 

9. Dpchuaid Duaibsech çona cloind o Chleitech co Tuilén 
do shaigid a hanmeharad .i. Cairnech naemespw. O ro siacht- 
si co Cairnech atbtrt na brlathra sa : 

A clerig, k'/maig ino chorp, 
is eagail lim bas anocht, yrl. 

Erig fein, a clérig ann 

co hEogan is co Co»all, 71'L 

10. Tanic Cairnech iarsin co hEogan 7 co ConaW, 7 docua- 
dar maroen doridisi co Cleitech, 7 nir' leic Sin a légud i far- 
rad in dûine uile. Badfl/' dubaig toirsig clanna Neill don gnim 
sin. Fergaigt/vr co mor Cairnech annside, 7 ro eascain in 
baile, 7 dorigne leacht don rig, 7 asbm : Tairnic inti isa 
leacht so, 7 is âeread da rigi 7 da flaithemn»j co fir; 7 do- 
chuaid (or mullach in lecta, et dixit : 

Duma na clog so co brath 
fodesta. ro fînnfa cach, 
leacht in trenfhir maie Erca 
nirba tlaith a imthechta. 

Mallacht (or sin tulaig-si 
{or Cletiuch cétaib cuana. 
narap maith a ith na a blicht 
gwrop lan d'fuath is d'anricht. 


t. A cath, according to Zimmer, KZ. XXVIII, j57,consisted in peaee 0 

500 men. 


The Dcath of Muirchertach mac Erca. 403 

Delightful, delightful the noble realm, 
of Erin's land, great is its rank, etc. 

8. When the drinking ended Sin said to Muirchertach. 
« It is time now to leave the House to me, as hath been pro- 
mised. » 

Then she put the Clans of Niall, and Duaibsech with her 
children, forth out ofCletech ; and this is their number of them, 
both men and women, twoequally great and gallant battalions. 

9. Duaibsech went with her children from Cletech to Tui- 
lén, to seek her soulfriend, the holy bishop Cairnech '. When 
she got to Cairnech she uttered thèse words : 

0 cleric, bless my body, 

1 ara afraid of death tonight, etc. 
Go thou thyself, O cleric there 

to (the Children of) Eogan and Conall2, etc. 

10. Thereafter Cairnech came to the Children of Eogan 
and Conall, and they went back together to Cletech, but Sin 
did not let them near the fortress. At this act the Children of 
Niall were distressed and mournful. Then Cairnech is greatly 
angered, and he cursed the steading, and made a grave for 
the king, and said : « He whose grave this is hath fînished ; 
and truly it is an end to his realm and his princedom ! » And 
he went on the top of the grave, and said : 

The mound of thèse bells 3 for ever 

henceforward every ont will know, 

the grave of the champion Mac Erca : 

not slack hâve been his goings. 

A curse upon this hill, 

on Cletty with hundreds of troops ! 

may neither its corn nor its milk be good, 

may it be full of hatred and evil plight ! 

1. Cairnech of Tuilén (now Dulane), a British saint. His day is May 
iô.See Mart. Gorman, pp. 98, 99 : the Latin Life in Vesp. A. XIV, f° 90, 
Cambro-British saints, pp. 97-101 . Tech comairci Erenn .i. tech Cairnich 
for sligi Assail, H. 2. 17, p. 183e. 

2. i. e. to Tyrone and Tyrconnell. 

3. For another instance of the use of bells in ecclesiastical cursing, see 
Rev. celt., XX, 427. « The ancient Irish saints were accustomed to curse 
the offending chieftains while sounding their bells with the tops of their 
croziers », O'Donovan, Banquet of Dùn na nGéd, 387. See also O'Davoren's 
glossary, p. 62, s. v. cimbal. 


404 Whitley Stokcs. 

Narab ann rig na rcwrech, 

ni dig neàch ass co buidech, 

bid cumain limsa rem la 

lccht rig Erenn 'sin duma. Duma n. 

ii. Ro escain Cairnech tra in dûn annsin, 7 ro bennach 
locc1 ann, 7 tainic ass iarsin fo brôn 7 fa thoirsi. Ro raidsct 
immorro clanna Neill fris: Bmnaig sinne, ol siat, anosa, a cle- 
rig, co ndigsium dâr tir fcsin, uair ni eintach sinne riut. 

12. Ro bennaig Cairnech iat 7 ro ragaib2 fagbala doib .i. 
do Clandaib ConaWl 7 Eogain, in uairnach biad ùrecU us Erenn 
nô a rige acu, a spraicc (or cach côiced 'na timchell, 7 comar- 
bus Oilig 7 Temrach 7 Ulad acu, 7 cen tuar/^tal do gabail o 
neach, ar is e a ruidles fesin, rigi nErenn, 7 cen glas îor giall, 
7 meath for na giallu dia n-elâd, 7 buaid catha acu acht co 
tucad fa adbar coir, 7 co rabat tri mergi acu .i. in Chathach 7 
in Clog Padraic (.i. in Udachta), 7 in Misach Cairnig, 7 no 
biad a rath sin uili ar ôen minddib re hucht catha, amrt// ro 
fdgaib Cairnech doib, ut dixit 3 : 


Mo bennacht forai b co brath, 
a clanna Ncill co rognath, 7rl. 

[Col. 315]. Docliuaid cach dib ina dunad 7 ina degbaile 
fesin. 

13. IbAihusa. Cairnig, tanic side renie d'innsaigid a mainis- 


î. What is this locc"i 

2. MS. fhâghaib 

?. This paragraph is citcd and translatcd in Reeves' Columba, p. 329. 


The Death of Muircherîach mac Erca. 405 

May neither king nor prince be in it, 
may no one come out of it victoriously ! 
during my day I shall remember 
the king of Erin's grave in the mound ' . 

11. So then Cairnech cursed the fortress and blessed a place 
therein, and thereafter he came forth in grief and sorrow. 
Howbeit the Clans of Niall said to him. « Bless us now, O 
cleric, that we may go to our own country, for we are not 
guilty as regards thee ». 

12. Cairnech blessed them and « left leavings » to them, 
namely, to the clans of Conall and Eogan, that whenever 
they had not the leadership or the kingship of Ireland, their 
power should be over every province around them ; and 
that they should hâve the succession of Ailech 2 and Tara and 
Ulaid ; and that they should take no wage from any one, for 
this is their own inhérent right, the kingship of Ireland; and 
that they should be without fetter on bostage', and that 
there should be decay on the hostages when they abscond ; 
and that they should gain victory in battle provided it is de- 
livered for a just cause, and that they should hâve three stan- 
dards, namely, the Cathach and the Bell of Patrick (i. e. of 
the Bequest), and the Misach Cairnig4, and that the grâce of 
ail thèse reliquaries should be on (any) one of them against 
battle, as Cairnech left to them, saying : 

My blessing on you till doomsday, 
O Children of Niall wontedly, etc. 

Each of them went into his stronghold and his own good 
steading. 

13. Touching Cairnech: he came on towards his monas- 

1. For another spécimen ofthis kind of indignant cursing, see The Ban- 
quet of Dûn na nGèd, pp. 18, 20, where part of Cairnech's curse is translated 
by O'Donovan. 

2. Also called Ailech Neit (§ 6), now Elagh or Greenan Ely in the ba- 
rony of Inishowen, see the dindsenchas, Rev. celt., XVI, 41. 

3. Thus paraphrased by O'Curry, Lectures, 600: that no hostage of 
theirs should require to be locked (up). Compare saint Féchfn's blessing 
on the fort of Naas, Rev. celt. XII, 348. 

4. As to thèse reliquaries see the Glossarial Index. 

Revue Celtique, XXIII. 27 


406 Whitley Stokes. 

treach, 7 tarladar do sloig mora 'na agaid .i. s'il Taidg maie 
Cein maie AiMla Oluim, 7 tuesat sein leo Cairnech do de- 
nara a coraigechta1 7 a codaig îr\ Mitirehenach mac Erca, 7 6 
ro hinnisead eiséin don rig tanic asin baile amach 7 ro fer 
failti friu. 

14. O'tconnaixc immorro yi.uirzherta.ch in cleirech acu tainic 
loisi mor de, 7 asbf/'t: Cid fa tanagais chugaind, a clerig, ol 
se, 'arnar n-eascaine duit ? 

Do denam shida lier sil Taidhg maie Cein 7 sil Eogain 
maie Neill tanac, ol se. 

Dognithir iarwm codach annsin ctitrru 7 cumaiscid Cair- 
nech a fuil i n-oenleastar diblinib, 7 scribais amail doronsat 
in codach annsin, 7 asbsrt M/wrchertach : 

Erig, a clerig, do chein, 

na bf i (ocus 'gâr n-aimreir, jrl. 

15. O doronad iarsin in oentu, 7 o ro bennaig Cairnech 
iat uile, 7 ro facaib gairdi saegail 7 ifernn don ti ro millfed in 
codach co fis dô, ro facaib iat iarsin, 7 luid renie da mainistir. 
Teit immorro in rig da dûn, 7 na sluaig sin leis dia choimed 
dareis Cloindi Neill. 

16. Suidid 2 in rig ina righsuidi 7 suidid2 Sin ior a deis, 7 ni 
thànic i talmain mndi 3 bud îcrr delb na tuar/wcbail ina si. O ro 
fég in rig iiiirn ro bûi ic iarraid eolais 7 ic fiarfaigid cheast di, 
uair dar leis ropa bandéa o morcwmachta hi, 7 ro iarfaig di 
créd in eumachta ro bi aice. Conïd ann asb^rt soin 7 ro fregair 
si : 


M.J Abair, a ingen eimech, 
in creidi Dia na cleirech, 
nô cia 6r' genis i bus, 
innis dûn do bunadus. 

1 . MS. coraidechta 

2. MS. suidig 

3. Note the accusative hère for the nom. (heu) 


The Death of Muirchertach mac Erca. 407 

tery, and there met him great hosts, namely, the race of Tadg1 
son of Cian, son of Ailill Ôlomm2. And they brought Cair- 
nech with them to make their arrangement and their treaty 
with Muirchertach mac Erca; and when the king was told of 
this, he came forth from the steading and bade them wel- 
come. 

14. Howbeit, when Muirchertach espied the cleric with 
them, there came a great blush from him, and he exclaimed : 
« Why hast thou corne to us, thou cieric, after cursing us ? » 

« I hâve came », he answered, « to make peace between 
the race of Tadg son of Cian and the race of Eogan son of 
Niall. » 

Then a treaty is made between them, and Cairnech mingles 
the blood of both of them in one vessel, and wrote how 
they had made the treaty then. And Muirchertach said (to 
Cairnech) : 

Go, thou cleric, afar, 

be not near, against our will 3, etc. 

15. Then when the treaty had been made, and when Cair- 
nech had blessed them ail, and left shortness of life and hell to 
him who should knowingly infringe the treaty, he quitted 
them and fared forth to his monastery. Howbeit the king 
went to his stronghold, and those hosts with him, to guard 
him against the Children of Niall. 

16. The king sits on his throne, and Sin sits on his right, 
and never on earth has there corne a woman better than she 
in shape and appearance. When the king looked on lier, he 
was seeking knowledge and asking questions of her, for it 
seemed to him that she was a goddess of great power; and 
he asked her what was the power that she had. So then he 
spake and she answered : 

M. Tell me, thou ready damsel, 

believest thou in the God of the clerics? 

or from whom hast thou sprung in this world, 

tell us thy origin. 

1. See Four Masters, A. D. 226. 

2. Rev. celt., XIII, 434. 

3. Or « in opposition to us ». 


408 Whiilcy Stokes. 

S.] Credimsi in firDia cedna 
dom churp ar amus eca : 
ni dernaid mirbail a bus 
nach dingnind-si a cosmailw5. 
Misi am ingen mna ocus fir 
do sil Eua ocus Adaim, 
am dingbala duit i bus. 
na rot-gaba aithrechw. 
Dogenaind grein is esca 
ocus renna roglesta, 
dogenaind daine co lond 
ica tachur i comlond. 
Dogenaind fin, nocha brég, 
don Bôinn mar ata fa m'éd, 
ocus câirig do clachaib, 
is muca do raithneachaib 
Dogenaind airged is ôr 
i fiadnaisi na morshlog, 
dogenaind fini co mblaid 
anosa duitsiu, is abair. Abair. 

17. Demi dûn, ol in rig, ni dona mirbuilib mora sin. And- 
sin ro erig Sin amach 7 do chôraig da cath commora com- 
nerta «wwaclacha, 7 indar leo ni thânic i talmain da chath bud 
croda 7 bud cwrata ina siat ic airlech 7 icc athchuma 7 ic 
dianmarbad a cheli i fiadnaisi chaich. 

18. IN faici siud ? ol in ingen, 7 indar-lim ni brég mo 
c/wmachta her. 

Atcim, ol se, Muirchenach, co rc-ebairt : 

Atciu da cath croda cain 
ar in leirg ag imargail, 71-1. 

19. [Col. 314]. Téit in rig com muindt/V isin dûn iarsin. 
O ro badar seal ag fégad in cathaigthi tucad ni de uisci na 
Boinde chuca iarsin, 7 atbtrt in rig f/isin n-ingin fin do de- 
nam de. Linais in ingen tri dabcha don uisqm iarsin, 7 cuir- 
id bricht indtib, 7 nocho tâinic for talmain fin rob fearr blas 
nabrigdarleo inas. Dorigne didu mucca doilbthi druidechta 
don raithnig, 7 dorad in fin 7 na muca don tslog iarsin, 7 ro 


The Dcath of Mairchertach mac Erca. 409 

S. I believe in the same true God 

(helper) of my body against death's attack ; 

ye cannot work in this world a miracle 

of which I could not work its like. 

I ara the daughter of a man and a woman 

of the race of Eve and Adam ; 

I ara fit for thee hère, 

let no regret seize thee. 

I could create a sun and a moon, 

and radiant stars: 

I could create men fiercely 

fighting in conflict. 

I could make wine — no falsehood — 

of the Boyne, as I can obtain it ' 

and sheep of stones, 

and swine of ferns. 

I could make silver and gold 

in the présence of the great hosts : 

I could make famous men 

now for thee — and say ! 

17. « Work for us », says the king, « some of thèse great 
miracles. » Then Sin went forth and arrayed two battalions 
equally great, equally strong, equally gallant; and it seemed 
to them that never came on earth two battalions thaï were 
bolder and more heroic than they, slaughtering and maiming 
and swiftly killing each other in the présence of every one. 

18. « Seëst thou yon? » says the damsel; « and meseems 
that my power is in no wise a fraud. » 

« I see », says Muirchertach, and he said : 

I see two battalions bold and fair 
on the plain in strife, etc. 

19. Then the king with his household cornes into the fort- 
ress. When they had been a while seeing the fighting, some of 
the water of the Boyne was brought to them, and the king 
told the damsel to make wine thereout. The damsel then 
filled three casks with the water, and casts a spell into them ; 
and it seemed to the king and his household that never came 
on earth wine of better taste or strength. So of the fera she 


*&* 


1. literally, as it is under my obtaining. 


410 Whitley Stokes. 

caithedar co rabadar saitheach dar leo. Ro gell-si immorro co 
tibred a comméit cétna doib cech lai tria bithu sir, coma, ann 
asbert Muirchertach : 


Ni thanic sunna co se 

biad mar in mbiad atcîthe jr\. 

20. Dogniat didu sil Taidg maie Céin faire in rig in aidchi 
sin o thairnic tôchaithem na fledi draidechta sin. O ro erig 
in rig iarnabarach is amlaid ro bôi, mar do beith i seargga- 
lar, 7 is amlaid ro bhui cech oen archena ro caith in fin 7 in 
fheoil dolbthi draidec/;/a ro ordaig Sin doc/;//m na fledi sin, 7 
atbert in rig : 

A ingen, ro scaich ] mo nert, 
sûail nach tâinic mo tiuglecht, "]r\. 

21. Asbm in rig riasi annsin : Dena ni dot ealadain dûn, 
a ingen, ol se. Doghen immorro, ol in ingen. Docuawramach 
.i. Muirchertach 7 na sloig uile 'na fiadnaisi. Dorigne Sin im- 
morro annsin fini gorma dona clochaib 7 fir eli co cennaib 
gabur, co rabatar cet/;ri catha mora fon armgaisc/W 'na fiad- 
naisi for faichthi in Broga. Gebid Muirchertach a armgaisc^i 7 
a trealam catha iarsin, 7 luid fuithib mar tharb ndian ndiscir 
ndasachtach, 7 nos-geib foc/;c/oir for a n-airlech 7 for a n-ath- 
chuma, 7 cech fer no marbad som dib no eirged focMoir dia 
eis, 7 ro bui si»m'ga marbad marsin thar2 in chaemla chaidh- 
chi. Ger'ba mor luindi 7 ferg in rig ro scithaiged hé mar sin, 
7 attart and : 


Atciusa ingnad anall, 

for doslinntib na habann, jr\. 

22. O ropa scith immorro in rig ag in cathugad ic slaidi 
na slog teit co toirsech isin dun, 7 tue Sin fin draider/;/a 7 


1. MS. roscaith 

2. MS. char 


The Death of Muirchertach mac Erca. 41 1 

made fictitious swine of enchantment, and then she gave the 
wine and the swine to the host, and they partook of them 
until, as they supposed, they were sated. Howbeit, she pro- 
mised that she would give them for ever and ever the same 
amount; whereupon Muirchertach said : 

Hitherto never has corne hère 
food like the food ye see, etc. 

20. So the race of Tadg son of Cian, when the partaking 
of the magical feast had ended, kept watch over the king that 
night. When he rose on the morrow he was thus : as if he 
were in a décline, and so was every one else who had partaken 
of the wine and the fictitious magical flesh which Sin had ar- 
ranged for that feast. And the king said : 

0 damsel, my strength has departed, 
my final grave has almost corne, etc. 

21. Then the king said to her : « Shew us something of 
thine art, O damsel !» « I will do so, indeed », quoth she. 
They[fared forth, that is, Muirchertach and ail the hosts in his 
présence. Then Sin made ofthe stones blue men, and others 
with heads of goats1 ; so that there were four great battalions 
under arms before him on the green of the Brugh. Muircher- 
tach then seizes his arms and his battledress, and went among 
them like a swift, angry, mad bull, and forthwith takes to 
slaughtering them and maiming them, and every man of them 
that he killed used to rise up after him at once. And thus he 
was killing them through the fair day till night. Though 
great were the rage and wrath of the king, he was wearied 
thus, and then he said : 

1 see a marvel on that side 

on the bushy pools of the river, etc. 

22. So when the king was weary fighting and smiting the 
hosts, he cornes sadly into the fort, and Sin gave him magical 


1. As to the gobitrcbinn see LU. 2*45. Atkinson, The Yclloiv Book of 
Lecan, Contents, p. 17, strangely misunderstands the Irish of this passage. 


412 Whitley Stokes. 

muca àraidechta do. Caithid-siwm sin cona muintir, 7 codlaid 
œ trom 'na diaid œ matain, 7 ni raibi nert na tracht ann 
'arnabdrach ic ergi, ut dixit : 


Atu gan nert, a ben blaith, yrl. 
Tabair, ar in cleirech câid, 7H. 

23. Mar do bawr ian/m fiwsna briathraib sin co cualatar 
tromgair na slog 7 na sochaidi ic togairm [col. 31$] Muir- 
cherta'ig amach 7 'ga greannugad dodwm in catha. Is ann ro 
badar da cath commora isin Brug 'na fhiadnaisi .i. fir gorma 
isind-ara cath 7 fir cen chind isin cath ele. Ro fergaiged im- 
morro Muircbertach fa greannugad na slog, 7 ro erig co ho- 
punn, 7 ro tuit co héneirt ar lar, co n-ebairt in laid : 

Gair trom tairm donîat sluaig 

cath fer ngorm rind atuaid. 

Fir cen cind fobrus treass 

isin glind rind an[d]eas. 

Fand mo n^rt dochum sluaig, 

ba nior fecht rugus buaid. 

Mor in sluag tenn a ndâil 

borb a n-ainm garb a ngdir. Ga;>. 

24. Luid-sium iarsin isin mBrug, 7 teit fana slogaib, 7 ga- 
bais îor a n-airlech 7 for a n-athchuma co foda do lo. Tanic 
Sin iarsin chucu, 7 dobeir rigi îorro do Muircbertach, 7 anaid 
dia cathugud, 7 tic in rig rcme iarsin co Cleiteach, 7 delbais 
Sin da cath mora etwrru 7 in dûn. O ro feg s//m iat-sein teit 
fuithib, 7 ro gab for cathugad friu. 

25. INtan iar/mi ro bi-sium ac cur in catha sin, is ann ro 
chuir Cairnech Masân 7 Casan 7 Cridan diasaigid-sium ardaig 
fwrtachta Dé, uairdo ûter in naem uasal in t-anforlann ro bi 
fair in uair sin. Comraicit na clcrig fris isin Brug iarsin 7 se 
ag leadrad na cloch 7 na fôd 7 na nguisén archena, coma ann 
atlwt : 


1. MS. leagai 


The Death of Muirchertach mac Erca. 41 3 

wine and magical swine. He and his household partake of 
them, and at the end he sleeps heavily till morning, and 
when rising there on the morrow he had neither strength 
nor vigour : as he said : 

I am without strength, thou gentle lady, etc. 
Give, says the chaste cleric, etc. 

23. As they were saying this, they heard the heavy shout 
of the hosts and the multitudes, calling 'Muirchertach forth and 
challenging him to battle. Then in his présence in the Brugh 
were two battalions equally great, to wit, blue men in one 
of the two and headless men in the other. Muirchertach was 
enraged at the challenge of the hosts, and he rose up sud- 
denly, and fell strengthlessly on the floor, and uttered the lay : 

A heavy shout, a noise which hosts make, 

a battalion of blue men to the north of us, 

Headless men who begin battle 

in the glen to the south of us. 

Weak is my strength : unto a host, 

'twas many times that I hâve brought victory, 

Great the host, stark their division, 

rude their name, rough their shout. 

24. Then he went into the Brugh and charged through the 
hosts, and took tô slaughtering and maiming them lengthily 
for the day. There came Sin to them and gives Muirchertach 
kingship over them, and he rests from battling. There after 
the king fares forth toCletech, and Sin formed two great bat- 
talions between him and the fortress. When he saw them he 
charged through them and began to do battle against them. 

25. Now w7hen he was delivering that battle, then Cair- 
nech sent Masàn and Casan and Cridan to seek him, so that 
he might hâve God's assistance, for the high saint knew of 
the oppression which he sufïered at that time. Thereafter the 
clerics meet him in the Brugh, while he is hacking the stones 
and the sods and the stalks besides, so then (one of the 
clerics) said : 


414 Whitley Stokes. 

[Clérech] Cid fâ lecai ' na clocha 

a Muircbertalg gan fotha ? 

is truag lind do beith gan nert 

doréir idail ic draidecht. 
[M.] An cleirech ro ataig rim, 

tanag i comlann da chind, 

nocha nfeadar armotha 

nachat croda na clocha. 
[Clérech] Tabair cros Crût co rûinib 

anosa dar do sûilib, 

toirind fri head do brotha 

cid fa lecai na clocha. Cid. 

26. Airisid ferg in rigmiled iarsin, 7 tic a chiall dô, 7 do- 
beir sigean na croiche dar a ngaid, 7 ni facca ni ann iarsin 
acht clocha 7 fôid in talman archena. Ocus iarfaigis scela dona 
clcrchib iarsin 7 atbért; Cid 'ma tancabar ? ol se. Tancamar 
arcenn do chuirp siu, ol siat, uair is ïocus bas duit. Ut 
dixit : 

Cid ma tancabar on chill, 
a macu légind lanbind ? 

27. Doronsat na clerig tôraind chilli andsin isin Brug, 7 
asb^Ttadar frisium a clad do thachailt i n-anôir in Choimded 
moir na ndûl. Dogentar, ol se. Ro gabswtn ic tachailt in cluid 
annsin, conid annsin do cAmilled foichthi in Broga ariûs riam. 
Ocus ro boi s'ium oc innisin a scel fesin dona clerchib 7 oc 
aithrigi ndic/;ra fri Dia, ut dixit: 

Atlochur do Mac Maire, 
tairnic sunna mo luinne, 7rl. 

O thanac Erind dar 1er 

cumain lim in lfn bliadan : 

ni raba la, buan in blad, 

cen cheann curzà 'sa choscar, 7rl. 

Da bliadain me i n-Albain tair 
ro marbus mo senathair, 
lucus slog a sni'maib ann, 
dom gnimaib dothuit Loarnd. 

[col. 316] Da bliadain damsa iarsin 
i rigi for Danaraib, 


The Death of Muirchertach mac F.rca. 41 $ 

Cleric : Wherefore dost thou fell the stones 

0 Muirchertach, without ground ? 
we are sad that thou art strengthless 

according to the will of an idolater working magie. 
M. The cleric who attacked (?) me 

1 came into conflict with him : 
I know not furthermore 

that the stones are not alive. 
Cleric. Put Christ's mysterious Cross 
now over thine eyes : 
abate for a time thy furies : 
wherefore dost thou fell the stones? 

26. Then the royal soldier's wrath ceases, and his sensés 
corne to him, and he puts the sign of the Cross over his face, 
and then he saw nothing there save the stones and sodsofthe 
earth. Thereafter he asked tidings of the clerics, and said : 
« Why corne ye ? » « We came », they answered, « to meet 
thy corpse, for death is near thee. » As he said : 

Why came ye from the church, 

0 sons of full-melodious study ? etc. 

27. The clerics marked out a church there in the Brugh, 
and told him to dig its trench in honour of the great Lord 
of the Eléments. « It shall be donc », quoth he. Then he 
began digging the trench, so that it was then for the first 
time that the green of the Brugh was injured. And he was 
telling the clerics his own tidings, and making to God a fer- 
vent repentance. As he said: 

1 give thanks to Mary 's Son, 
my wrath has ended hère, etc. 

Since I came over sea to Erin, 

I remember the number of years, 

I hâve never been a day — lasting the famé — 

without a hero's head and triumph over him, etc. 

Two years I was east in Alba : 

I hâve killed my grandsire : 

I hâve brought a host there into troubles : 

by my deeds Loarn fell. 

Two years I was afterwards 
in kingship over Danes ' : 

1. a noteworthy anachronism. 


4i 6 Whitley Stokes. 

ni raba aidche risin 

gan chind desi (or cuaillib, yrl. 

28. A haithli na faisite immorro ro bennachsat na clerig 
uisq//i dô iarsin, 7 ro caith corp Crist, 7 dorigne aithrigi ndi- 
chra co Dia. Ocus asbert friu a innisin do Chairnech ama/'l do- 
rigne a faisite 7 a aithrigi, coma, and asb<?rt : 


Hidan, idan corpan criad, 

cuman, cuman crutli na ndael, yrl. 

29. Anait na clerig in aidche sin a cill in Broga, 7 teit in 
rig do Cleitech, 7 suidis îor deis a mna ann. Fiarfaigis Sin de 
créd ro toirmisc a chomlann uime isin lo sin. Na clerig tan- 
cadar chucum, ol se, 7 doradsat sigen na croiche Crist darm' 
agaid, 7 ni faca ann 'arsin achi m ad raithnech 7 clocha 7 bolca 
belcheo 7 gasana sanais. Ocus o nach raba ann neach in chom- 
laind damsa xAnzcus ass. 

30. Et dixit Sin: 

Na clerig na creid co brath, 
uair ni chanait acht anfath, 
na len a rann cen bindi 
uair ni adrait firindi. 

Na hadair do clerchib cell 
mad âil leat beathu cen feall : 
ferr do charait misi i bus 
na ticed duit aithrechMj. 

[M.] Biatsa caidche malle rit, 
a ingen find cen anricht, 
is dochu limsa do drech 
ina cella na cleirech. Na. 

31. Ro saeb tra Sin a menma. som annsin, 7 tanic eturru 

7 tecosca na cleirech, 7 dorigne fin draidechta doib in aidche 
sin, 7 ro bi Sin in sechtmaà aidche doib forsin draidecht 7 
adaig mdirti iar samain do sunnrud sin. O robdar mescda na 
sloig tic osnad gdithe moire ann. Is osnad gemaidche so, ol 
in rig, 7 atbm Sin inso : 


The Death of Muirchertach mac Erca. 417 

there has been no night there at 
without the heads of twain on stakes, etc. 

28. Now after this confession the clerics blessed water for 
him, and he partook of the Body of Christ, and made to God 
a fervent repentance. And he told them to relate to Cainnech 
how he had made his confession and his repentance. So then 
he said : 

Faithful, faithful, a poor body of clay, 
remember, remember the for m of the stag-beetles. 

29. The clerics remain for that night in the church of the 
Brugh, and the king goes to Cletech and sat on there on his 
lady's right hand. Sin asked him what had interrupted his 
combat on that day. « The clerics came to me », he answer- 
ed, « and they put the sign of the Cross of Christ over m y 
face, and then I saw nothing save fern and stones and puff- 
balls and sprigs of sanas(J). And since there was no one there 
to right me I came away. » 

Then Sin said : 

Never believe the clerics, 
for they chant nothing save unreason : 
follow not their unmelodious stave, 
for they do not révérence righteousness. 

Cleave not to the clerics of churches, 
if thou désire life without treachery : 
better am I as a friend hère : 
let not repentance come to thee. 

M. I will be always along with thee, 
O fair datnsel without evil plight ; 
likelier to me is thy countenance 
than the churches of the clerics. 

3 1 . Then Sin beguiled his mind and came between him and 
the teachings of the clerics, and on that night she made a 
magical wine for the king and his troops. The seventh night 
she was at lier magie, on the eve of Wednesday after All-saints- 
day precisely. When the hosts were intoxicated there cornes 
the sigh of a great wind. « This is the sigh (osnad) of a 
winter-night » (gem-adaig), says the king. And Sin said : 


4i8 WhitleySlokes. 

Is misi Gaeth garb ingcn airech fn]ael 

is Gemadaig m'ainm ar cach airm maraen. 

Osnad ocus Gaeth Gemadaig imne, yrl. 

32. Asa haithle sin tra ro delb-si snechta mor ann, 7 ni 
thainic riam tairm catha bud mô inas in cith dlaithsnechta ro 
fear ann in uair sin, 7 iniartuaid do sunnrad tanic. IS annsin 
tanic in rîgamach isin teach n-inclethi, 7 dochùaid is' teach 
doridisi, 7 ro gab for tathair na sine, coma, ann asbert: 

IS olc in adaig anocht, 

ni thanic riam a comolc, ~jr\. 

33. O thairnic in fledugad immorro ro laigset na sloig iar- 
sin, 7 ni raibi tien mna seola a nduine dib. Laigid in rig ina 
imdaid iarsin 7 tuitid suan trom fair. Dogni d'ulit iachtad 
môr tren asa chodlud 7 musclais asa sûan. Créd sin iter ? ol 
in ingen. [Sluag] siabra môr rom-tarfâs, ol se. Conïd ann 
asben : 

Domarfâs recht ruadtheined, jr\. 
[col. 317] teach Cletig 'na tromthenid 

im chenn chaidche ar comlasad, 
clanna Neill a n-étualang 
tre upthaib ban ndraidechta, 7rl. 
gair morsluaig fa dergthenid 
is ed tarfâs dam. Domarfâs. 

34. Ergid in rig suas 7 nir' leic in taidbsi atro/mairc tinda- 
brad dô, 7 tanic asin tig amach, 7 atchi tenid mbic i cill isin 
Brng oc na clerchib. Tanic siwm chucu iarsin, 7 atlwt friu: 
Ni uil nert na tracht innumsa anocht; 7 ro innis a thaidbsi 7 
a aislingthi. Ocus is decair damsa, ol se, degengnum anocht 
cid sloig eaehtrand tisad dom indsaigid trena anfaindi a tâm 7 
tre olcus na haidche, ol se. Ocus ro gabsat na clerig 'ga tecosc 
iar«m annsin. Tanic s/wm isteach îochéto'ir, coma ann asbtvt : 


[Muirchertach) IS ldnolc in tsin-sa anocht 
dona clerchib 'na longpbon, 


The Death of Muirchertach mac Erca. 419 

Tis I am the Rough Wind, a daughter of fair nobles: 
Winter-night is my name, for every place together. 
Sigh and Wind : Winter-night thus. 

32. After that she caused a great snowstorm there; and 
never had corne a noise of battle that was greater than the 
shower of thick snow that poured there at that time, and from 
the northwest precisely it came. Then the king came forth 
into the hidden house, and went into the house again, and 
began reproaching the storm ; whereupon he said : 

Evil is the night tonight, 

never came one equally bad, etc. 

33. When the feasting ended, then thehosts lay down, and 
in no one of them was the strength of a woman in childbed. 
Then the king lies down on his couch, and a heavy sleep falls 
upon him. So he makes a great screaming out of his slumber 
and awoke from his sleep. « What is that ? » says the damsel. 
« A great host of démons has appeared to me » : he answers; 
whereupon he said : 

A Form of red fire has appeared to me, etc. 

The house of Cletech as a fatal fire : 

round my head blazing for ever, 

the Children of Niall in wrongful suffering 

through the spells ofwitches, etc. 

The cry of a mighty host under red fire; 

this is what appeared to me. 

34. The king risesup, for the vision which he beheld did 
not let him sleep, and he came forth out of the house, and in 
the church in the Brugh he sees a little fireby the clerics. To 
them then he came and said : « There is neither strength nor 
vigour in me to-night. » And he related his vision and his 
dream. « And 'tis hard for me », quoth he, « to shew prowess 
tonight even though hosts of outlanders should attack me, 
because of the weakness in which we are and the badness of 
the night. » So then the clerics began instructing him. He 
came in at once and there he said : 

M. Full evil is this storm tonight 
to the clerics in their camp : 

1. « a great sand-storm », Atkinson, op. cit., 17. 


420 Whitley Stokes. 

ni lamait codlud chaidche 

d'aggairbe sin na haidche. 
[Sin:] Cid fa n-abrai m'ainm, a fir, 

a maie Erca is MuzVedaig, 

fogeba bas, lith cen ail, 

a tig Cletig na cotail. 
M. Abair ruim, a ben cen br6n, 

cia lin tuites lim don tslog? 

na ceil orra, innis cen chain, 

ca lin dofaeth dora deslaini. 
S. Ni thuitfi neach leat ar lar, 

a maz'c Erca na n-ardgrad, 

tairnic tû co becht, a ri, 

dochuaid do nen ar nefni'. 
M. Esbaid mor mo beith gan nen, 

a Shïn uasal na n-ilreacht, 

menic ro marb«5 laech lonn 

ge tû anocht i n-ecomlonn. 
S. Sochaide ro tuit dot spairn», 

a maie ingine Loairnd, 

tucais ilar sluag i socht, 

monûar ge tâi co lanolc ! Is lânolc. 

35. IS fir tra, a ingen, ol se, is îozus bas damsa, uair do bi 
a tairng/ri dam com[b]ad chosmail m'aidid 7 aidid Loairnd 
mo seanathar, uair ni a comlann iter dorochair, acht a loscad 
cena doronad. 

Codail tra anocht, ar in ingen, 7 leic damsa h' thoraire 7 
h' fhorcoimet îor na slogaib, 7 mata a ndan duit ni loiscfit/w 
anocht drumsa in teach. 

Dofil îor ar ri et/V, ol se, Tuathal Maelgarb r mac Cormaic 
Caich maie Cairpn maie Neill MVgiallaf^. 

Ce raib Tuathal com slogaib uile ar do thi, ni heacail duit- 
siu anocht tarumsa he, ol in ingen, 7 codail-siu festa. 

36. Dochôid sium 'na lebaid iarsin, 7 do chuindig dig ior- 
sin ingin, 7 do chuir-si bricht suain forsin fin mbréci ûd, g« 
fa ib-sium dig de, co nderna mesc aimn^rtach é cen sûg cen 


1. slain A.D. y}8, according to the Four Masters 


The Death of Muirchertach mac Erca. 421 

they dare not ever sleep, 

from the roughness of the night's storms (sîti). 
Sin : Why sayest thou my name, O raan, 

O son of Ere ' and Muiredach ? 

thou wilt find death — feast without disgrâce — 

sleep not in the House of Cletty. 
M. Tell nie, thou griefless lady, 

what number of the host falls by me? 

hide it not from me, tell without commandaient, 

what number will fall by my right hand ? 
S. No one will fall by thee on the floor, 

O son of Ere of the high ranks : 

thou, O king, hast surely ended : 

thy strength has gone to nought. 
M. A great defect is my being without strength, 

O noble Sîn of the manv forms, 

often hâve I killed a fierce warrior, 

though tonight I am in oppression. 
S. Many hâve fallen by thine effort, 

O son of Loarn's daughter ! 

thou hast brought a multitude of hosts to silence, 

alas, that thou art in evil case ! 

35. « That is true, O damsel », says he : « death is nigh 
me; for it was foretold that my death and the death of Loarn 
mygrandsire would be alike; for nowise in battle did he fall, 
but no doubt he was burnt alive. » 

« Sleep then tonight », says the damsel, « and leave to 
me to watch thee and to guard thee from the hosts ; and, if it 
is thy fate, the house will not be burnt over me to night. 

« Truly there is coming with designs upon us Tuathal Mael- 
garb son of Cormac the Blind-of-an-eye, son of Cairbre, son 
of Niall of the Nine Hostages. » 

« Though Tuathal with ail his hosts be coming with de- 
signs upon thee, hâve thou no fear of him tonight2 », says 
the damsel, « and sleep now. » 

36. Then he went into his bed and asked the damsel for a 
drink, and she cast a sleep-charm on that deceptive wine', so 
that lie drank a draught of it, and it made him drunk and 


1. daughter of Loarn, king of Alba, O'Mahony's Keating, p. 424. 

2. literally : no fear to thee tonight over me (is) he. 

3. Cf. the deog suain in Tochmarc Emire, Rev. celt., XI, 448, 450. 

Revue Celtique, XXIII. 28 


422 Whitley Slokes. 

xiert ann. Codlais co trcn iarsin 7 atchi aislingthi ann .i. tccht 
i lunga for fairgi, 7 a long do bâdud, 7 in grib ingnech de 
thoider/;/ chuigi 7 a breith-sium lé ina nead, 7 in nead do 

loscad ime-sium iarsin, 7 in grib do tuitim leisium. 

37. Musclais in righ 7 atlvrt a fis do breith dochum a chc- 
malta, co mac Saignen druad .i. Dub dâ rind, 7 rue sein a 
breith: Is i in long i rabadais, ol se, .i. long in flaithiwja for 
muir1 in tsaegail, 7 tusa ic sdiurad in flaithiwja, 7 is i in long 
do bâdud, tusa do taircsin 7 do saegal do tholdecbt. Is i in 
grib ingnech rot-fuc lée ina nead, .i. in beau fil it fharrad dot 
chur for mesci 7 dot breith le in a kbaid 7 dot fhastôd a tig 
Cletig com[b]a he loiscfit/;/V fort. [An gnbh immorro do toitim 
letsa .i. in ben do éc tret fochaind-si. IS i sin tra breath na 
haislingi sin, ar se. H. 2. 7, p. 252'']. 

[H. 2. 7, p. 2)2b]. 

38. Colla id in ri iarwm co t(rom) iar cur in brer/;/a suâin 
do Shin fair. An fat tra ro bi-sin isin collud sin, eirgid Sin 7 
coirgis gâe 7 slegha na sluag ar indillaigh i ndoirrsibh in tighi 
7 a renna uili cum an tighi iarsin. Delbaidh si tra ilimud [p. 
253] 7 sochaidi a timcill an dûnaidh. Teitfein istech 7 scailid 
in teine ar gach aird fon tech 7 fona fraightibh, 7 teit isin le- 
baid. 

39. Ba handsin doiio do muscail in ri asa colW. Créd sin? 
ar an ingen. 

Tarfas dam, ar se, slûag siabra ic losgudh in tigi form 7 ic 
orleach 1110 muindttri fon dorus. 

Ni fuil olc duidsi de sin, ar an ingen, acht chena ro tarfas. 

40. Antan immorro ro b:\dar ar an comradh sin, do chuala- 
dar breasmaidm ic a loscudh 7 gair na slnag siabra 7 ndrâi- 
dechta 2 imon tech. 


1 . MS. muig 

2. MS. ndrsàgechtta 


The Death of MuircherUch mac Erca. 423 

feeble, without sap or strength. Then he slept heavily and he 
sces a vision there, to wit, that he went in a ship to sea, 
and his ship foundered, and a taloned griffin came to him and 
carried him into her nesf, and then he and the nest were 
burnt, and the griffin fell with him1. 

37. The king awoke and ordered his vision to be taken to 
his fosterbrother, Dub dâ rind, the son of the druid Saignén, 
and Dub dd rind gave the rede thereof (thus) : « This is the ship 
wherein thou hast been, » quoth he, « to wit, the ship of thy 
princedom on the sea of life, and thou a-steering the prince- 
dom; and this is the ship that foundered, thou to be offered(?) 
and thy life to corne (to an end). This is the taloned griffin 
that lias carried thee into her nest, the woman that is in thy 
company, to make thee intoxicated, and to bring thee with 
her into her bed, and to detain thee in the House of Cletech 
so that it will be burnt upon thee. Now the griffin that fell 
with thee is the woman who will die by reason of thee. This 
then is the rede of that vision. » 

38. The king then sleeps heavily after Sin h ad cast the 
sleep-charm upon him. Now while he was in that sleep Sin 
rose up and arranged the spears and javelins of the hosts in 
readiness(?) in the doors, and then (turned) ail their points 
towards the house. She forms (by magie) many crowds and 
multitudes around the fortress. She herself goes in and scatters 
fire in every direction throughout the house and the side- 
walls, and then she enters the bed. 

39. 'Twas then the king awoke from his sleep. 
« What is that? » asked the damsel. 

« A host of démons lias appeared to me, burning the house 
upon me, and slaughtering my people at the door. » 

« Thou hast no hurt from that », says the damsel, « save 
that it bas appeared » . 

40. Now when they were thus in converse they heard the 
crash of the burning house2, and the shout of the host of 
démons and wizardry around it. 


1. For another example of the prophétie dream,see Laud 610, fo. 

2. literally « a crash buiuing it » (or them). 


424 WhitUy Stokes. 

Cia fil 'mon tech ? ar an ri. 

Tuathal Maelgarb rruzc Cormaic Caich maie Cairbri maie 
Neill corn slwd^aibh, ar Sin. Ata ann ic digailt cathz G/-anaird 

ortsa. 

Ocas ni fitir sin nachar fïr sin 7 nachar sluag corpo/'dha do 
bi 'mon tech. 

41. Eirgidh sein eo dian iarsin, 7 tic d'iarraid a airm, 7 ni 
iuair nech da freagra. Teit in ingen amach asin tigh 7 teit sin 
ina degaidh iochétoir, 7 ncraid s\uag ina ucht co ndechaid trit 
co comtrom. Impoidh on âorus aris docum a leptha. Do- 
c[h]uadar na ûuaig amach fâi sin, 7 ni terno nech dib gan 
guin no gan \oscud. 

42. Tanic in ri iarum docum in dorais dorisi, 7 batar na 
smola 7 na casracha teinedh etair é 7 an dor/tf. O ro lin an 
teine in dorwj 7 an tegh uili 'macuairt^ 7 nflch fuair din uirre, 
teit isin àabaigh fina, 7 baiùv innti é ac dul fuithi gach-re 
n-uair ar omun na teined. Tuitid^in tech ina cenn iarsin, 7 
loisct/;er .u. troighti de, 7 aincidh in fin a corp gan loscud 
o sin amach. 

43. O thanicc in maiden 'arnamarach, tiaguid na clâ'ich 
'na agaid .i. Masan 7 Casan 7 Cridan, 7 berid in rig leo gusin 
mBoin[dJ, 7 dogn[i]at a thonach indti. 

44. Doroich doao Cairnech corla. manchaib cuca faisin, 7 
dorighne féin toirrsi môr ica écaine, 7 bui ac tabairt a thesta, 
[7] atb'.rt : Esbaid môr do [p. 25 3b] Erian aniu mac Erca .i. 
in cethramad nech is ferr ro ter/;/aidh Ere gan clesaiger/;/ 7 
gan cumachta .i. Muirchertach mac Erca 7 Niall Nôigiallach 7 
Corni Cétchathach 7 Ugaine Mor. 


I. MS. Tuiti. 


The Drath of Muirchertach mac Erca. 425 

« Who is around the house ? » asked the king. Says Sin : 
« Tuathal Maclgarb, son of Cormac the Blind-of-an-eye, son 
of Carbre, son of Niall, with Iris armies. He is there taking 
vengeance on thee for the battle of Granard1 ». 

And the king knew not that this was untrue, and that 
no corporeal host was surrounding the house. 

41. Then he rises swiftly and cornes to seek his arms, and 
found no one to answer him. The damsel goes forth front the 
house, and he follows lier at once, and he meets(?) a host 
in front of him, so that he went heavily through them. From 
the door he returns to Iris bed. The hosts thereupon went 
forth, and no one of them escaped without wounding or bur- 
ning. 

42. Then the king came again towards the door, and be- 
tween him and it were the embers and the hailsof fire. When 
the fire had filled the doorway and ail the house around, and 
he found no shelter for himself, he got into a cask of wine, and 
therein he is drowned, as he went under it, every second 
hour, for dread of the fire. Then the fire falls on his head, and 
five feet (length) of him is burnt; but the wine keeps the 
rest of his body without burning. 

43 . The day after, when the morning came, the clerics, 
Masan and Casan and Cridan, go before the king, and carry 
him to the Boyne, and wash his corpse therein 2. 

44. So Cairnech with his monks thereupon visits him, and 
the saint himself made great grief in bewailing him, and bore 
witness of him, and said: « Agréât loss to Ireland today is 
Mac Erca, one of the four best men that hâve gained posses- 
sion of Erin without trickery and without force, namely 
Muirchertach mac Erca, and Niall of the Nine Hostages3, 
Conn of the Hundred Battles-^, and Ugaine the Great ^. » 


1. This was the battle of Granard, A. D. 480 (or 497, or 492), see 
Four Masters, éd. O'Donovan, i. 151, note h., where « Granard » is 
said to be a mistake for « Graine », now Grane in the north of Kildare. 

2. See Rev. Celt., XIII, 38, I2^and Ir. Texte, IV, 310. 

3. slain A. D. 405 (F. M.). 

4. slain A. D. 157 (F. M.). 

5. slain A. M. 4606 (F. M.). 


426 Whitley Siokes. 


[YBL., col. 318, 1. 14]. 

45. Togbtf/thir in corp le Cairnech iarsin da breith co Tui- 
lén dia âdnacul ann. 

46. Dorala Duaibsech .i. ben Muirchertaig, dona elerchib 
iarsin, 7 in corp eturru, 7 dorigne sein nuallguba môir toir- 
sig, 7 ro buail a basa, 7 àobeir a druim iarwm tVisin mbile i 
n-Oenach Reil, 7 ro mebaid crômaidm dia craide 'na diab, 7 
fuair bas fochétoiï annsin do chumaid a fir. Tucsat na derig 
corp na rigna iarsin maroen 7 corp in rig. G'//id ann asbm 
Cainnech : 


Duaibsech ben maith maie Erca 

claittr lib sunn a lechta, yrl. 

47. Adnaicthir in rigan iarsin 7 claittr a fert. Adnaictbir 
d'ulit in rig i fa i 1 in tempuill ailatuaid, 7 ro bi Cairnech ic ta- 
bain teasmolta in rig, co w-ebairt in laid-si : 


Feart rig Ailig biaid co brath 
a Tuilén atcluinfe cach, etc. 

48. O tairnic dona elerchib in t-adnacul [col. 319] do de- 
înim, co facadar chucu in oenmhndi n-alaind n-edroicht, brat 
naine cona chimais orshnaith inipe. Léine do sida shoinemail 
impe. Doriar/;/ ian/m ma rabadar na clerig 7 bmnachais doib, 
7 Lv;/nachsat didu na clerig disi. Ocits ro airigset gné mbroin 
7 toirsi (uirrij 7 doratsad aichne (uirrl comd hi ro mill in rig 
7 ro bi Cairnech ic iarfaigid scel di, 7 atbévt : 


INnis dun do bunad, 
a ingen gan dubad, 
dorignis ar pudar, 


The Death of Muirchertach mac Erca. 427 


45. The body is afterwards lifted up by Cairnech, to be 
carried to Tuilén1 and there interred. 

46. Then Duaibsech, the wife of Muirchertach, met the 
clerics while the corpse was among them, and she made a 
great, mournful lamentation, and struck her palms together, 
and leant her back against the ancient tree in Oenach Reil ; 
and a burstofgore broke from her heart in her chest, and 
straightway she died of grief for her husband. Then the 
clerics put the queen's corpse along with the corpse of the 
king. And then said Cairnech : 

Duaibsech Mac Erca's noble wife, 

let her grave be dug by you hère, etc. 

47. Thereafter the queen is buried and her grave is dug. 
Then the king is buried near the temple on the north side, 
and Cairnech was declaring the king' s character, and uttered 
this lay : 

The grave of the king of Ailech will abide for ever, 
in Tuilén, every one will hear it, etc. 

48. When the clerics had finished the burial, they saw co- 
ming to them a lonely womari, beautiful and shining, robed 
in a green mantle with its fringe of golden thread. A smock 
of priceless silk was about her. Then she reached the place 
wherein the clerics were, and saluted them, and so the clerics 
saluted her. And they perceived upon her an appearance of 
sadness and sorrow, and they recognised that she it was 
that had ruined the king. Cairnech was asking tidings of her, 
and said : 

Tell us thy origin, 

O damsel without darkening, 

thou hast wrought our shame, 

1. now Dulane, near Kells inMeath. 


428 Whitlcy Stokes. 

cid alaind do chorp, 

ro marbais rig Temracb 

co n-ilar a theaglach, 

tria gnim n-uathmar n-olc, 71-I. 

49. Ro batflr na clerig iarsin ica iarfaigid di cuich hi fein 
nâ cia a hathair //<» a mâthaiv, 7 cia cuis do bi aice don rig 
in uair ro mill-si mar siûd he. 

Sin m'ainm-si, ol si, ocus Sighi mrtc Déin maie Triuin 
m'athair, 7 Muirchertach mac Erca, ol si, ro marb m'athair 
7 mo mâthair 7 mo dcrbshiur iccatb Chirb ior Boinn, 7 ro 
dicenn sentuatha Temrach 7 m'atharda uilc isin cath sin fos. 
conad ann aslvrt : 

[Cairnech:] Abaîr, a Shi'n, râd gan chair, 
tacair co fir cia h'athair, 71-I. 

Nirb annsa duit t'athair fein 
ina Muirchertach hua Neill, yrl. 

[Sîn:] Atbelsa fein diachumaid, 
rig uasal iarthair domain, 
i cinta na n-imned tenn 
tuctti for airdrig Ere////. 

Dorigni».y neim dô, monuar, 
do forraig rig na saersluag, 7rl. 

50. Dorignc a fàiside iarsin do Cairnech, 7 dorigne aithrgii 
ndichra co Dia, zmail ro tecaisced di, 7 dochuaid dôrèir 
Cairnig, 7 fuair bas iochétoir andsein do c/;/nnaid in rig, 7 
attart iarwm Cairnech fert do denum di, 7 a cur fo tuind 
lalmaii. Dorigne iannn amail asbert in cleirech, etdixit: 


Sin nirb inmain a dâla 
gwsin laithi sea a tâma, 7 ri. 

51. IMth/^a Cairnig immorro, dorigne sein f/ichnam mor 
for anmain Muirchertsàg, 7 ni tue a hifernn he. Dorigne im- 


The Deajh of Muirchertach mac Erca. 429 

though beauteous is thy body : 
thou hast killed the king of Tara, 
with many of his households, 
by an awful, evildeed, etc. 

49. Then the clerics were asking her who she herselfwas, 

or who was her father or her mother, and what cause she 
had from the king when she ruined him as aforesaid. 

« Sin », she replied, « is my name, and Sige1 son of Dian, 
son of Trén, is my father. Muirchertach mac Erca killed my 
father, my mother and my sister2 in the battit' of Cerb on 
Boyne, and also destroyed in that battle ail the Old-Tribes 
ofTara and my fatherland ». So then Cairnech said : 

Say, O Sin, a say without question, 
tell truly who was thy father, etc. 

Not dearer to thee was thine own father 
than Muirchertach, Niall's descendant, etc. 

Sin. Myself will die of grief for him, 

the high king of the west of the world, 
(and) for the guilt of the sore tribulations 
that I brought on the sovran of Erin : 

I made poison for him, alas ! 

which overpowered the king of the noble hosts, etc. 

50. Then she confessed to Cairnech, and to God she made 
fervent repentance, as had been taught her, and she went in 
obédience to Cairnech, and straightway died there of grief for 
the king. So Cairnech said that a grave should be made for 
her, and that she should be put under the sward of the earth. 
It was done as the cleric ordered, and he said : 

Sfn, not dear were her doings 

until this day irrwhich ws-are, etc. fnJLf d&#Jk> 

51. Touching Cairnech, now, he shewed great care for 
Muirchertach's soûl, but he did not bring it out of hell. How- 


1. Hence Âth Sigi on the Boyne, now Assey, a parish in the barony 
Deece and co. of Meath, Four Masters, A. D.,'524. Vadum Segi, Bk of 
Armagh, fo. na 1. 

2. Until the time of Adamnan (f 704) Irish women used to go to 
battle: see the note to the Félire Oengusso at Sept. 23, and Reeves, Co- 
umba, p. 179 n. 


450 Whitley Stokes. 

morro in irnaigthe dianad ainm da tosach, Parce mi/;/ Domine, 
Dtus Pater omnipoténs, Dais anime egrotanti, 7 ro gab co 
gresach îor anmain in rig hi, co tucad a hifernn do ainim in 
rig. Ccwad annsin tainic in t-aingel doebum Cairnig 7 atbtrt 
fris cip é no gabad co gresach in irnaigthe sin c/mi[b]ad nime- 
dach cen chunntab.//rt he. Gwid ann asbt-rt in t-aingel na 
briat/;ra sa : 

Cipé not-gaba co dur 
irnaigthi Cairnig na run 
Iudas is measa ro gein 
ropad lor dâ forithin, yrl. 

52. [Col. 320, 1. 6]. Conid aided Mwcfortaig maie Erca 
comee sin, nmail ro indis Cairnech 7 Tigernach 7 Ciaran 7 
Mochta 7 Tuathal Maelgarb, gît ra scribait 7 g«ra lesaigit ' 
oc na clercib naema sin ica chuimniugad do chach o sin 
ille. 

FINIT. 

1. In Middle-Irish the passive forms in -ait, -il are regularly plural, 
Zimmer KZ. XXVIII, 352. Strachan C. Z., II, 482. Hère, however, ra scri- 
bait, ra lesaigit are singular. 


The Deatli of Mairchcrtach mac Erca. 43 1 

beit lie composée! the prayer which from its beginningis named 
Parce mihi Domine, etc., and he repeated it continually for sake 
of the soûl of the king, so that (at last) the soûl was given 
to him out of hell. Whereupon the angel came to Cairnech 
and told him that whoever should sing that prayer continually 
would without doubt be a dweller in heaven. So then said 
the angel : 

Whoever should sing strongly 

the prayer of Cairnech of the mysteries 

'twould be enough to succour 

Judas, who was the worst ever born, etc. 

52. So far the Death of Muirchertach, as Cairnech related 
it, and Tigernach l and Ciaran - and Moehta> and Tuathal 
Maelgarb-*; and it was written and revised by those holy 
clerics, commemorating it for every one from that time to 
this. 

It endeth. 


1. bishop of Cluain Eouis (Clones), whose day is April 4. Ob. 548. 

2. probably Ciarân mac in tsaeir, abbot of Clonmacnois. Ob. 548. 

3. bishop of Louth, ob. 534. 

4. slain A. D. 538. 


4 5 2 Whitley Stokes 

GLOSSARIAL INDEX 

The bare numbers refer to the paragraphe). 


adaigira = Lu. adig», prêt. sg. 3, ro ataig 23 : adagar « adigitur », Ir. 

Texte IV, 375. 
adaraim do I cleave to, Ir. Texte IV, 375, imperat. sg. 2 na hadair do 

clerchib 30, lenfaid 7 adéra do chomairle Diabuil, Rev. eût. II, 384, 

where the translation is wrong. 
ael, 31 = z6\\, pleasant, fair, O'R., and cogn. with ioileanda .i. alainn 

O'Cl., « excellent, fine, charming », O'Br. 
aggairbe (acairbe from ad + gairbe = Cymr. garwedd), 34, roughness: cf. 

acarbaigte(gl. asperantia) Ml. 87b 14. 
aided = O. Ir. oided (gl. interitus), oidid gona, Trip. 230, 3. 
aim-nertach, 36, strengthless, feeble. âmnertach, Meyer Contrib., a deriva- 

tive of aimnert (ria n-amniurt, Rev. celt. XX, 2S0). 
aire a noble, gen. pi. airech, 31. 

airissim / remain (O. Ir. airissiur), près. ind. sg. 3 airisid 26. 
alla tûaid, 47, on the north side, Mart. Gorra. p. 256, alla ex an-leth, cf. 

allathair. 
an-fainde 34, great weàkness, anbandi, L. B., 1 i4b. 
an-fath 30, unreason, cf. drochfâth, Ir. Texte IV, 398. 
an-forlann 25, Lism. Lives p. 384 = oppression, overwhelming force, Meyer 

Contrib. anborlan, Ir. T. IV, 378, forlann force, P. O'C. 
an-richt 10, 30, an evilplight, = ainreacht, Meyer Contrib. ce dorât (su in 

anrecht, LU. 40b. 
ard-grâd, bigh rânk, gen. pi. 34, 
armothâ 25, for iarmothâ, LL. 32-» 54. 
ro-atrig rim, 25. 

atlochur 27, I give thanks, atlochor LU. 403. 

barr-ûaine 5, green-lopped, Ir. Texte, IV, 38'J, n. pi. barrûani, LL. 89-» 10. 
becht, co becht surely 34, LL. 129» 19. 
ben secla a woman in childbei, gen. mn.i seola 53. pi. n. mna siuil, Ir. T., 

III, 195- 
bith-âlaind 3, ever-beautiful. 

bolg bélcheo, puffball (bofist), pi. bolca b 29, bolg belchi(or belce) Corm., 

bolc belce LL. 186', et v. Meyer Contrib., 237. 
bratânacb salmonful, gen. sg. fem. bradânaigi 3. 
bres-maidm 40, a crash. 
bricht suain 36, a sleep-cbarm, gen. brechta suain 37, bricht (gl. carmen), 

Ml. 76a 21. 


The De,iih of M uirchertach mac Erca. 433 

caem-la 21, afair day. 
câin 34, cotnmandment. 
cair (gl. numquid) Wb. >b 11, .i. cinnas, O'Dav. 64, cair hc biit(gl. quani 

obrem .. fiunt) Sg. 242b, from Lat. quaere, radgan chair 49. Cf. is maith 

a clann can chaiti, Aided Crimthainn 1 1 (YBL). 
casair bail, pi. n. casracha 42. 

Cathach 12, a standard, O'Curry, Lectures, 327, 330. 
cenn-find 2, fair-headed, Ir. Texte, IV, 387. 
cest a question, gen. pi. 16. 
cethramad 44, otie of Jour, in cethramad cath one of the four battalicns, Rev. 

célt., XIII, 56 (where it is wrongly rendered). For like use of other or- 

dinals see Rev. célt., XXII, 434, Celt. Archiv., I, 322, and Sg. 71* 5, 15, 

where ochtmath rann in insci means one of the eight parts in speech. 
cét-millini I first destroy, prêt. pass. do céttnilled 27. 
cintach 11, guïlty, deriv. cf. «m, gen. cinad, pi. ace. tinta. 
clad 27, trench, dvke, gen. cluid 27, dat. clud LL. 302* 17. 
clessaigecht 44, trickery, deriv. of cless for cliuss (ex kli^l-tu), which Thur- 

neysen connects with Skr. krîdati « plays ». 
Clocc Pâtraic (in Udachta) 12, O'Curry, Lectures, 336, 337; Annals of 

Ulster, cited by Reeves, Cohnnba, p. 326. 
cnes-solus 2, bright-skinned : cf. cnes-bân Trip. Life, 545. 
coma 3, guerdon, bridegijt, Lism. Lives, p. 388. Aisl. p. 167. 
com-aclach 8, 17 equally gallant (com-ad-galach). 
com-alaind 2, equally beautiful. 
com-arbus 12, héritage, successorship, Rev. celt., II, 89, gen. comarpsa, 

Trip. 138, 13. 
com-chuanna 2, equally refined. 
com-lasad 33, blating. 
com-olc 32, equally bad. 
com-tromm 41, equally hearx, heavily. 
con-maiscim / mingle, près. ind. sg. 3 cu[n]maiscid 14, imperat. sg. 2 cum- 

maisc âel air, Rev. celt., VIII, 62, prêt, pass., conmescad uisci airi, Rev. 

celt., X, 70, ro cumaisethea na bérlai, LU. ib 14. 
copân cap, gen. pi. 4. 
côraigecht 13, arrangement: cf. do chôraig 17, coirgis 38, côirigim, Ir. T., 

IV, 389, rachôraig LL. 238b ro coraigit LL. 1 1 ia 48. 
corpàn 28, a poor body, Fél. Apr. 19, dimin. of corp. 
corporda 40, corporeal, based on Lat. corporeus. 
cotach 13, 14, i), a covenant, treaty (con-tog...) Trip. 154, 21, gen. co- 

daig 13 = cotaig, Rev. celt., XX, 286 ; cf. com-luga. 
cré clav, gen. criad 28, also in Fél. Ap. 19, where it isdisyllabic. Cymr. priai. 
crod cattle, dat. sg. crud 4. 
crô-maidm 46, a burst ofgore. 
cros a cross, ace. sg. cros 25. So in the Sg. Incant. dobir cros dit sailiu for 

ochtar do chinn. 
cruth-âlaind .2, having a beautiful for m. 


454 Whitley Stokes. 

cuana 10, seems gen. pi. of cuan « a troop ». 

cuimniugud J2, commémoration, Trip. Life 258, 27, cumnigud LU. 53», foi/. 

r<7/., XX, 406. 
dJla 30, doings. 
dan 35,/afe, destiny: cf. ftw. a>//. XIV, 65 na nethe aurdhalta bis a cin- 

ded ocus a ndan doib, Book of Fenagh 38. 
danar rt Daiie, dat. pi. danaraib 27. 
dara 4, second, a corruption of ind-ara, ind ala. 
dcg-baile 12, agood homestead. 
deg-engnam 34, engnam prowess, Trip. Life, 648. 
des-lâm 34, righl hand. 

dian-marbad 17, a sivift hilling. Ir. Texte, IV, 396. 
di'-cennaim, lit. I behead, but in § 49 / destroy. 
digailt 40, act of uvenging, for digail, with excrescent t, Rev. celt., XIX, 

388. 
dlûith-snechta 32, dense snow. 
dofil 33, cornes, dolil na fini, YBL col. 767. 
dôss-linn a bushy pool, pi. dat. doslinntib, 21. 
drong banda 2, féminine sex. 
drumsa = tarumsa 35. 

dubad 48, blackening, darkening, dubad erlama, Rawl. B. 512, fo. 37b 1. 
dutna selga i, a huniing-mound. Ir. Texte, IV, 398. 
ecail (eagail), 9, ^6,fear. 
éimech 3, 16, opportune, ready, Lism. Lives, p. 391 : cf. isnaib emechaib 

(gl. in oportunitatibus) Ml. 27^ 3. 
éneirt slrengtbkss, 23. 
escainim I curse, prêt. sg. 3 ro escain 10, 11, ro eascain, Rev. celt. XX, 

427, verbal noun eascaine 14. 
esnad 4, cogn. with esnam « music », Trip. xxxvii, xxxviii. Or = asnadh 

.i. osnadh, O'Cl. 
et 16, act of obtaining : du et (gl. ad petrandum) Ml. 1 i8a 16, du eit(gl. ad 

inpetrandum) Ml. ii8J 5, verbal noun of étaim, Trip. Life 649. 
étualang 33, wrongful. suffering, 
fàcbala 12, (a saint's) leavings, i. e. blessings or curses, Three Fragments 186 

n. Rev. celt., XII, 319, 348. Faccbais Molling annsin faccbala maithe 

do righ Caisil, Betha Molling, c. 10. 
fail ring, gen. pi. falach 4 : coica falach LL. 2o6b 31. 
fâi-sin 41, 44, fdi = bizai, fôisin « darauf », Ir. T., III, 575, foisin, LU. 411 
festa 35 = fodesta q. v. 
fin bréce 36, lit. wine of falsebood, cf. fin drâidechta 31, and for bvëce, cf. 

for scél mbréci, Tog. Troi, 181 7. 
fochunn (gl. occassionem) Wb. i^d 2, fochond LU. 39b, msc. or neut. but 

tret fochaind-si 37, shews that in Mid. Ir. this word became fem. see 

Meyer Hib. Min., p. 97. 
fodesta 7, 8, tiow, benceforward, KZ. XXX, 20, « for tbe future ». 
for-raigim I overpower, 1 overcome, prêt. sg. 3 do forraig 49, see Tog. 


The Dejth of Muirchertjch macErca, 43$ 

Trôi, pp. 160, 161; ra forrged Cuchulainn cach caur, LL. 86a 47, denom. 

of forrach .i. foirncart, O'Cl. 
fotha 25, ground, reason. 

frichnam 51, for fritli-gnam : cen frithgnam a duiniu oca, YBL. col. 762. 
gach-re-n-ûair 42, every second hotir = cach ra n-ûair LU. 30bi3. 
gam-adaig 4, gem-adaig 31, winter-night, one of Sin's names, gen. 
gemaidche 3 1 . 

gasana sanais 29, sprigs of sanas (?), some plant, 
genis 16, thon hast been born : sg. 3 nir gein, co ngein, Ir. Texte, III, 542. 

Kev. celt., XX, 400. 
grennugud 23, act oj bearding, chaïlenging, verbal noun of grennaigim, Ir. 

T. IV, 408, Rev. celt. v. 200. 
grib 36, gen. gribi, Sait. 921, from grypbus, Lism. Lives, p. 394, a grib in 

gascid, Ir. T. III, 508. 
guisén 25 = guiseog a straw, slalk, O'R., cogn. with gass. 
iachtad 33, crying, yelling. 
iasacht 6en-aidche 2, a loan for one nighl : cf. lenn.an aidche, Ac. na Sen. 

5687. As to iasacht v. Lism. Lives, p. 394, gen. iasachta LL. 54b. 
ibus, abus 16 in tins world = i fuss, dat. of foss. 
idal idolater, KZ. XXXVII, 252, gen. sg. idail 25. 
il-imud 38, many crcnvds. 
ilrecht 34, many j omis, gen. pi. 
imne 31 thus, ra fetarsa tra imne bid forderg in sluagsa de, LL. 5611 38, ed 

imne, Ir. Texte, III, 526, for amne, Asc. Gloss. XL 
indellach adfustment ? readiness ? ar indellaigh 38, deriv. oiindell. 
isa 10, whose is. O. Ir. asa. 
lân-bind 26, full-mehdious. 
lân-olc 34, fuïl-evil. 
lecaim I lay low, Ifell, près ind. sg. 2 lecai 25 : cf. leagaim / throïc down, 

CVR., Se. Gaelic leagail a throiving down. 
lechta 46, a by-form of lecht « grave », 10. 
lenn.in 3, darling (liebling), Togail Troi2 1674. 
lethéit 6, for leth-séit : cf. do loitt do letheit LL. 84a 19. 
lfth cen ail 34, lith = -Àt,0j;, Thurneysen. 
locc 11, a place, from Lat. locas. 
loise 14, blush, loisse, Mart. Gorm. p. 280. 
longphort 34, a camp. 
lucht selga 1, huntsmen, huniers. 
lunga dat. sg. 36, a by-form of long « vessel » : or a loan from longa 

(navis)? dat. ace. lunga LU. i26au, 12, dat. longai, ace. lungai, Ir. 

Texte, II, 1, 137. 
mainistir monastery, dat. sg. 15, gen. mainistrech 13. 
mar siûd 49, cf. asiût LL. 2o6b 20, ann-siut Ir. Texte, IV, 378. 
merge standard, pi. n. mergi 12. O. N. maki. 
meseda 31, intoxicaled, cf. so-meseda, Ac. na Senôrach 420. 
milrad 1, hunting. 


436 Whitley Stokes. 

Mîsach (« menstruum ») Cairnig 12. O'Curry, Lectures, 536, where he 
says that this reliquary was « probably a calendar ». Its case is now in 
the Collège of S. Columba, near Dublin, Reeves, Cohunba 328-9. 
monûar 34, 49, alas. 
muirnech 5, cheerfuïl 
musclaira / awake, do muscail 39, musclais 37, Ir. Texte, IV, 419. Zimmer 

Kelt. Bèitr. II, 185. 
nech 44, in cethramad nech. 
nefni 34, nothing = nephni Sg. 95» 3. 

nemidach 51, a dweller in beaven (nem) = nimidech, Trip., p. 304, 1. 23, 
deriv. of nemid « heavenly », Mart. Gorm. p. 284, and opposite of ifer- 
nach. Rev. celt., X, 82. 
nocha-n feadar = no con fetar LL. 56* 37, where no cou is frora ni-con. 
ochsad 4, cry, oxad leoman LU. 106*40, dat. co n-ochsaid moir 7crieit 7 

accaini LB. 1441. 
ôenda lai 1 , an unique day ? 
orleach slaughter, for airlech 39. 
osnad 4, sigh. Rev. celt., xiii, 122. 
pudar, 48, shame. From Lat. putor. 
raithnech 2(),fern, dat. raithnig 19, pi. dat. raithnechaib 16, deriv. ot 

raith, Cymr. rbedyn. 
rind-gel 4, starbrigbt. 
ro-chaemda 4, most bchved. 

ro-gléstu 16, very bright, cogn. with glési « brightness », Fél. Oeng. ep. 454. 
ro-gnâth 12, very usual. 
ruad-thene red jire, gen. ruadtheined 33. 
ruidles 12 (= ro -+- diles) inhérent right, a ruidles LU. 51*23, inad is 

ruidles do rig, LL. 196*. Hence rudilse LU. 35* 2. 
scithaigim I grow weary, prêt. pass. ro scithaiged 21, pi. ro scithaightea 
iat ar romet a n-ingrema forsin popul pectach truagh sin, Laud 610, 
fo. 226 2. A déponent in Old Ir. ni cou satbigfar (gl. neque in eo de- 
fetiscar), Aug. Soliloquia nd). 
sen-tûath an old tribe, pi. .\cc. sentuatha 49. 
serg-galar 20, a décline, consumption, cf. serg galair Lism. Li\es, p. 399, ro 

sercai Trp. 176, 21. 
siabrae an evilelf, a démon, 33, LU. 1 1 5*3 1 , gen. pi. 39, 40, dord siabrai, LL. 
Il4ai, il-siabrai À. sithaigi, Rawl. B. 512, lo. 102*2. Cf. the verb ro 
siabrad iinmi, LL. 73a2i sia[ba}rtha, LU. 70*23. Is the Cymr. name 
(Gweti-) biL'vfar cognate? 
sigen na croiche 26, 29, Trip. 484,8, signum crucis, in tsigen satuirn, LL. 

230», from signa regarded as nom. sg. of a fem. a-stem, 
sin (= Cymr. /;/;/) 4, 34, storm, gen. sine, 32. Rev. celt., XIV, 40. 
smôl ember, pi. n. smola 4:, perhaps cogn. with Eng. smoul-der, Dutch 

smeulen . 
so-brônach $,cheerful, cf. Cymr. hyfrwyn): opp. ofdobrônach sad, Ir. T., 

IV, 397- 


The Death of Muirchertach mac Erca. 437 

socht silence, tucais i socht 34, cf. tue socht for sluag, Cinaeth hua 

hArtacan. Rev. Celt., XXIII, 314, last line. 
sôer-sluag a noble host, gen. pi. 49. 
spairnn 34, effort, from O. N. sporna « to spurn ». 
spraicc 12, poiver, from O. N. sprakr « sprightly ». 
stiurad 37, act of steering, directing. Ir. Texte, IV, 428. O. N. stjôma. 
sûail Utile, sûail nach almost, 20. 
sûg ]6, juice, sap, cf. sûg bis isnaib ballaib, Ml. 44d8, cin seg, cin sûg, 

LB. 163b 8. Like Welsh sug, from Lat. sïicus. 
tacair (= to-ad-gair), 49, te// thon. 
tachur 16, fighting, an affray. Ir. Texte, IV, 428-9. .i. deabaidh no comrac, 

O'Cl. = tochar Aisl., p. 197. 
tacraid 41, leg. tachraid « meets »? Lism. Lives, 1. 4305. Or is it for to- 

ebraid, près. ind. sg. 3 of tochraim « I fight », Aisl., p. 197? 
taethen 4, groan. Cf. toethinach, gestôhn, Alex. 267. 
taircsiu an offering} dat. taircsin, 37. 

talam earth, gen. sg. in talman 26: so Ml. 2 >a 8, enaird in tahnan. 
tathâir 32, Wb. 16*24, reproach. 
tech inclethe 32, a hidden bouse} a privy} 

*techtaigim I get possession, prêt. sg. 3 ro techtaidh (leg. -taigh) 44. 
teist in tige 6, testimony as to tbe house. 
tesmolta char acier istics, peculiarities, qualifies, gen. teasmolta 47, pi. n. 

(pn'm-) thesmalta iffirn, LU. 33b 24, tesmolta tigernais, B. of Moira 116. 
tf design, intention, for ar ti, ar do thi 35. Ir. Texte, IV, 130, ba himda 

gilla... for tî in mie sin, Rev. celt., V, 198. 
tindabrad 34, sleep, tionabhradh, Four Masters A. D. 1 178 and O'R. 
tiug-lecht 20, last grave, do thiglecht, LL. 84a 12. 
to-chaithem 20, act of partàking, consuming. 
toirind 25, hiver thon, àbate, imperat. sg. 2, cf. * dorindim : with infixed 

pron. do-n-rind, Fled Bricr. 36, Eg. 
tonach 43, a washing, verbal noun of do-nigim, LU. 119b 14, 20. 
tonn talman tbe surface of tbe carth, tbe sward, fo tuind talman 50, arna tu- 

daich tond talman torut, LU. ii)a 29. 
tôrand F. verbal noun of doforindim « I mark out » (prêt. sg. 3 dororaind 

Trip. 70, 236), ace. tôraind 27, but the dat. toorund, Tirechan 13, 

shews that tôrand must hâve been msc. or neut. in Old-Irish. 
traeht 22, strengtb, Aisl. p. 198. 
tromm-gâir 23,3 heavy shout. 
tromm-thene 33, a serions fire. 

tuarascbail 16, description, appearance, bâ ingnada tuarascbail 7 a delb,LU.4ia. 
ucht breast, re hucht catha 12, ina ucht 41. 
udacht for aidacht, edocht a bequest (from Lat. ëdictum, Vendryes), gen. 

udachta 12. Lism. Lives, p. 402-3. 
usa 4, easier, ussa fa chach, Ac. na Senôrach 6980, usa .i. coir, O'Cl. 

usacbd facilitas, O'Gr. Cat. 274. 

Whitley Stokes. 

Revue Celtique, XXIII. 29 


ADDENDA AND CORRIGENDA 


Revue Celtique, t. XXIII. 


P. 303, 1. 6, after heroes insert most of which are embodied in sagas still 
extant. The verses are therefore of some importance for 
the history of Gaelic literature. 
304, delete note 4. 

308, 1. 29, Strachan would correct romed into rôined « he used to rout »: 

rôined cech roen would then resemble phrases like u-i/rtv 
iaâyovTO, pugnam pugiiabaiit. 

309, 1. 9, for disgrâce rend treachery. 

310, 1. 27. Fr. Henebry connects goutach with goimh « pain, anguish, 

hurt », Three Shajts, p. 388. 
314, 1. 28, Strachan would correct i n-ecin to in n-écin « the need ». 
316, 1. 14, romm-ain a scribal error for nomm-ain (Strachan). 
319, note 1, delete leg. IM. 
327, 1. 16. Fr. Henebry thinks that daela should be completed to 

daeîame = doe lame (gl. lacertus), Sg. 68a. 
341, 1. 3, from bottom, after Windisch insert Berichteder philol.-histor. 

Classe der Kônigl. Sachs. Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften, 

1884. 

W. S. 


TABLE 


DES PRINCIPAUX MOTS ÉTUDIÉS DANS LE TOME XXIII 
DE LA REVUE CELTIQUE'. 


I. Gaulois ou vieux-celtique, 

ET OGAMIQUE. 
(Voir pp. loo, ioi, 105, 105-107, 210, 

217, 2l8, 221, 227, 363, 366, 367). 

-a, nom. sg., 1 42, 143 . 

Abuco, 115. 

-aco-s, 75 , 79, 80, 2 16. 

ADDILONA, 112. 

Adminius, 76, 78. 
Aduatuci, 139. 
Aedui, 1 39. 
Agedovirus, 1 36. 
-agni, 112. 
-al-, 78. 
Albiorix, 100. 
Albonica, 78. 
Albonius, 78. 
Aleba, 77. 
Alisanu, 138. 
Alobriga, 81 . 
Ambimogidus, 80. 
Amminius, 78. 
•an, ace. fém. sg., 1 44. 
Andecamulos, 137. 
Anokopokios, 136, 146. 
Anvalonnacu, 1 38. 


Arabriga, 78. 

Arcobriga, 76. 

Ardunnus, 78. 

Aremoricos « maritime », 151. 

Argentovaria, io$. 

Arotrebae, 8 1 . 

Artabri, 81. 

Arverni, 139. 

-as, ace. pi., 168. 

Ateknati, 1 37. 

Atepa, 142. 

Ateporix, 100. 

Atespatus, 224. 

Ateula, 142. 

-atis, 1 50. 

Atrebates, 1 54. 

Augustobona, 100. 

Augustodunum, 100, 218. 

Aù"foj7Tovip.s70v, 100, 138. 

avi « du petit-fils », 147. 

-avo-, 2 10. 

Avobriga, 107. 

A vota, 107. 

avotis « directeur de fabrication »?, 

106, 107. 
Bandua, 8 1 . 


I. Cette tabk a été faite par M. Ernault. 


440 Table des principaux mots étudiés dans le tome XXIII . 


Banvabi, 224. 

Bedunus, 81. 

Belatoni, 1 1 5. 

Belenos, 210. 

B^Xr)aa[xt, 144. 

Belga, 142. 

Belinia, 149. 

Beliniccus, 1 ! $. 

Belisama, 144. 

Bergussa, 115. 

Biatucco, 115. 

[b]idani, 112. 

Bi;i.;j.o;, 137. 

bitu- « monde », [51. 

Bitudaga, 151. 

Biturigas, 168. 

Bituriges, 151, 168. 

Bocca, 115. 

Bwxdr]yo;, 100. 

-bona, 76, 2 10.