465 



supposing the inscription to contain the date a. d. 503. The 

 era of Anno Domini, as every chronologer knows, was not 

 adopted at so early a period to define dates, and the character 

 of the inscription would, of itself, even had there been no date, 

 indicate the latter part of the fifteenth or beginning of the six- 

 teenth century. The fact is, that the letter TO, the first letter 

 of the date, was mistaken by Sir William Betham for the 

 words Anno Domini, in the contracted form, and the real date 

 is mdxxxiii. or mdxxxiiii., for there is some doubt whether 

 there were originally three or four units. 



This is not said with any intention of detracting from the 

 honour which justly belongs to Sir William Betham of being 

 among the first to bring this, and other interesting Irish relics, 

 before the notice of antiquarians. His book, notwithstanding 

 such mistakes as that just noticed, was greatly in advance of 

 the time when it was published, and has done good service in 

 directing public attention to our Irish historical antiquities and 

 ancient manuscripts. 



The inscription contains a statement that the case or box 

 now before us was ornamented by Brian, son of Brian O'Muir- 

 guissan (or Moreesan), in the year 1533 or 1534. 



The inscription is as follows : — 



t>jncm macbpicm ua Tnuigmr-ran Oo cumOais me a m.ccccc. 

 ;r;t;cini. 



" Brian mac Briain ua Muirguissan covered me, anno m.ccccc. 

 xxxiiii." 



This connects it at once with St. Columbkille's country : 

 for it appears by an inquisition taken at Lifford,* county of 

 Donegal, quoted by Dr. Petrie in a letter containing an ac- 

 count of this Miosach, and now in the possession of the Col- 

 lege of S. Columba, that in the parish of Clonmanny, Donogh 

 O'Morreesen held certain lands as herenach of the bishop of 

 Deny, and coarb of the abbot of Derry, " which were given 



* Inquis. Rot. Cancell. Hib., vol. ii. (Ultonia) Append. No. V. 



