225 



« 



thy of adapting to song, " quae ad cantum sunt digna."* The author 

 of the ancient Life of Saint Kieran says, that the King of Munster, in 

 the year 489, had the best collection of harpers, who used to accom- 

 pany their own singing, while they celebrated the achievements of 

 heroes in his presence. -f- In the Life of Kentigern, who lived in 580, 

 it is stated that the King of Ireland sent a joculator or jongleur to the 

 Welsh court for political purposes, who, being admitted, sang and 

 played on the harp, and delighted the king and his nobles during the 

 Christmas. J Mr. Warton indeed asserts that the Welsh received 

 instructions in the bardic profession from Ireland. § Iso, a monk of 

 S. Gall, an establishment which, as has been shewn, was founded by 

 an Irishman, and supplied with Irish monks, speaks particularly of the 

 harp. II From Ireland its use seems to have passed to the sister island, 

 for Bede writes of Cedmon, who died in 680, that he was remarkable 

 for composing sacred songs that inspired the minds of his auditors 

 with a contempt for this world, and a longing for eternal life.** He 

 did not, however, relish the frivolous and lighter music of the festive 

 scene, "unde nonnumquam in conviviis, cum esset laetitiae causi decre- 

 tum, id omnes per ordinem cantare deberent, ille, ubi appropinquare 

 sibi citharam cernebat, surgebat a media caen^, et egressus ad suam 

 domum repedabat." The interview between Columba and Cronan,"!-!- 

 and the desire expressed to hear him sing, " modulabiter ex more 



* Ante, p. 200. 



f " Regem Momoniae CEngusium citharistas habuisse optimos, qui dulciter coram eo, 

 acta heroum in carmine citharizantes canebant.'' — Vita S, Kierani, edit, a Capgravio, c. 17. et 

 Acta Sanctor. p. 489. 



X See Anthol. Hibern. vol. 3. p. 9, See also ante, p. 162, as to Joculatores. 

 § Hist. Eng. Poet. Dissertat. 1. || Du Fresne Glossar. tit. " harpa." 



** " Carmina religioni et pietati apta, ***** quibus multorum saspe animi ad 

 contemptum seculi etad appetitum sunt vitae caelestis accensi." — Eccl. Hist. lib. 4. c. 24, 

 ft Ante, p. 224. 



VOL. XVI. G G 



