259 



of this MS. from the word Emanuel, which happens to be 

 written at the top of the first page. It was usual for scribes 

 to place some sacred name at the top of a page, by way of 

 hallowing the work which they were commencing. Thus we 

 frequently meet ' Jesus,' ' Maria,' ' In nomine Sanctse Trini- 

 tatis,' ' Amen,' &c. 



" III. The Glen Masan manuscript, consisting of twenty- 

 five large folios, written in double columns. 



" In this are contained the story of the Sons of Uisneach, 

 and a series of tales arising out of the wars consequent upon 

 their death. It concludes with a copy of the Tain Bo Flidais, 

 a tale of a cattle spoil connected with the Tain Bo Cuailgne. 

 If this be a complete copy of the tale, it is of no small value. 

 We have as yet seen only a fragment of it in the manuscript, 

 H. 2, 16, in the library of Trinity College. 



" On the first folio of the Glen Masan manuscript is a me- 

 morandum in a recent handwriting, which states that it was 

 transcribed in the year 1238. Examining it hastily, as I did, 

 I failed to discover any memorandum or signature of the scribe 

 confirming this. The writing is not unlike that of the Book 

 of Leinster, in the library of Trinity College, Dublin, which 

 was written in the middle of the twelfth century. 



"IV. A volume containing at its commencement a Ca- 

 lendar, written on vellum. It begins with directions for finding 

 the dominical letter or golden number for any current Julian 

 year. By the aid of an entry which states that there was anew 

 moon at midnight, on the 26th of January, we may calculate 

 the year for which this Calendar was intended. 



" The scribe has signed his name in cipher. It appears to 

 have been Diapmaio O Pioejiollais. The remaining part of 

 the volume is on paper. I noticed a copy of O'Duvegain's 

 celebrated poem on the calendar, commencing 



" 5lia5ain po folup a oac 

 " Slige aiseanca na n6olac. 



