122 



NOTES AND QUEKIES. 



C2»d S. VII. Feb. 12. '59. 



sides, each page containing about sixty lines. A 

 considerable portion is wanting at the commence- 

 ment, and a small portion at the end of the work ; 

 besides which there is left blank in the middle a 

 blank space of three pages and a half, which the 

 translator did not render. The original Latin 

 work is divided into seventeen chapters, but of 

 very unequal lengths. What remains of the MS. 

 version want the entire of the first seven, and 

 about a half of the eighth chapter. The lacuna of 

 three and a half blank pages occurs in the six- 

 teenth, and there is a small portion, about two 

 leaves, deficient at the end of the seventeenth, the 

 concluding chapter. Altogether the parts which 

 have perished amount to about a fifth of the entire 

 work. 



The version is exact, but often too literal to be 

 intelligible without reference to the original. 

 What is chiefly remarkable, and what gives it 

 most value, is that the poetical quotations are 

 almost all rendered metrically. Of these metrical 

 versions, as well as of the prose translation, it may 

 be not superfluous to give specimens. 



The Latin epitaph of St. Modwenna, which 

 Ussher gives in his 15th chapter, consists of six 

 lines, and is thus rendered by the anonymous 

 translator ; — 



" Modwen in Ireland born, in Scotland dj^es 

 England her tomb, God gaue her the skys, 

 the first land gaue her life, the second death 

 the third the land of lands to her bequeaths, 

 Lamfortim takes what Conalls country gaue 

 and happy Burton is the Uirgins graue." 



In his 14th chapter, Ussher quotes the florid 

 description of the paradisiacal Glaston, or the Isle 

 of Avalon, given by the ancient metaphraser of 

 the British history who has been, perhaps incor- 

 rectly, designated Gildas. As that author and his 

 work are little known, I transcribe the version 

 verbatim et literatim : — 



" The sea imbraceth round a happy He 

 where all tli' Indulgencys of nature smile, 

 nor theeues lurk there, nor uiolence of foes," 

 noe heat nor cold intemperancy knows, 

 eternall spring, the lilly and the rose 

 reign there, and what's more sweet than they, repose, 

 blossoms & fruit upon one shady green, 

 are in perpetuall succession seen. 

 Uirginity Hues safe, Age is unknown 

 noe sicknesses torment nor sorrows frown 

 Content, that quiet Godess, gouerns all, 

 none doe there own, but all things coihon call. 

 A princely maide rules in this sacred place, 

 guarded by maides whom she excells in grace 

 a Nymph whom noble birth & decent forme 

 Prudence & medicinall art adorne 

 When Arthur did the royall crown dispose, 

 Sc on a substitute the weight impose, 

 in^th' year of Christ fiue hundred forty two 

 imoderately wounded he did goe 

 to Auallons Pallace, where this Royall dame 

 his wounded limbs restor'd, & tis the fame 

 if to such fame we may a credit giue, 

 that she & Arthur still together Hue." 



In the same chapter, a little farther on, Ussher 

 quotes some Latin verses concerning the Welch 

 Saint Patern, with the metrical translation of 

 which I conclude my specimens of this portion of 

 the work : — 



" Seeing how fraile the world was & how uain, 

 he wholy bent his mind heauen to gain, 

 wholy to Christ himself he dedicates, 

 & rigorously his body macerates, 

 in inexhausted labour perseueres, 

 in pra3'ers & fasting, watching & in tears 

 the hungry, thirsty, Prisoner from him gaines 

 relief, & he the stranger entertaines. 

 the naked he doth death, & the sick heal 

 wisly he all things doth, doth all things well 

 & soe attain'd unto that kingdom bright 

 where all the Saints are bless'd, & cloath'd with light." 



One more specimen, to exemplify the general 

 style of this translation, will be sufficient. I take 

 it from the seventeenth chapter, where Ussher, after 

 relating the conversion of the Prince and people of 

 Dublin by St. Patrick, proceeds thus : — 



" Dublin has two Cathedrall Churches, one without the 

 walls of the City, known by the name of St. Patrick ; the 

 other in the midst of the City dedicated to the holy Tri- 

 nity, within the bounds whereof the house of the Arch- 

 bishop of Dublin was heretofore seated as we learn out of 

 Giraldus. Within the limitts of the Church of S. Patrick, 

 not farr from the Bellfry, we see that Well (late inclosd 

 & stop'd up in. priuate houses) att which the new con- 

 uerts of Dublin were baptiz'd bj' him, near the city 

 Southward as we hane heard before out of Jocelin. The 

 other consecrated to the holy name of the Trinity comonly 

 called Christ Church is built upon subterraneous uaults, 

 whereof in the Black Book of that church wee read thus. 

 The Arches or Uaults were founded by the Danes before 

 the coming of S. Patrick, & att that time Christs Church 

 was not founded nor built as it is now, therefore S. Pat- 

 rick celebrated Mass in one of the Uaults, which to this 

 day is called, S. Patricks Uault." 



In the translation of proper names this MS. has 

 several manifest errors, and some variations, con- 

 cerning which I do not know whether they may not 

 have been intended as corrections of the originnl 

 text. Thus in one place " Josephus Exoniensis " 

 is rendered "Joseph of Oxford." In another I 

 find " Wigorniensis " is translated " of Winches- 

 ter." Ussher's "juxta urbem Pontanam " becomes 

 " near the city Pontana." It should have been 

 translated "near the town ofDrogheda" to which 

 the Latinised equivalent Pontana exactly agrees. 

 Again, where Ussher says " in Killenensi Martyro- 

 logio invenio," the MS. has, " I find in the Mar- 

 tyrology of Killkenny" a variation which I would 

 submit to the investigation of the Kilkenny Ar- 

 chajological Society. 



Perhaps there is no work connected with our 

 early ecclesiastical history which stands more in 

 need of a competent editor than this of Ussher. 

 As to Dr. Elrington's edition, it is at most but a 

 reprint, without a line of annotation or reference 

 to the many additional sources of information 

 which have become accessible since the time of 

 Ussher. Au English translator would require as 



