308 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 
It is an interesting example of an ecclesiastical term which is not 
a loan-word. 
The loss of its meaning in Ireland illustrates a remark of Professor 
Zimmer that, on the cessation of the Danish invasions and the revival 
of learning, the knowledge of old Irish had to a great extent died out. 
It is strange to find such scholars as the Four Masters entirely un- 
acquainted with the word. In one passage of their work taken from 
the Annals of Ulster, a.p. 1034, they divide it into two words, 
cu lebadh, translated ‘‘ with the bed” (¢.e. of St. Columba) by Dr. 
O’Donovan, who was not aware of the mistake. 
The recovery of its long-forgotten meaning is an instance of the 
value of those glosses which have been so fortunately preserved 
abroad, and in the present case of those on the Soliloguca in particular, 
for which, as for many other services to Irish literature, we have to 
thank Professor Windisch. 
NOTE ADDED IN THE PRESS. 
“My clar and my cuilefadh.” 
Mr. O’Carry, in quoting the stanza from the poem of St. Evin, 
leaves the word clar untranslated. It means a board or table; and the 
article which St. Evin here leaves, together with his copy of the 
Gospels and his Fan, seems to have been one of the portable altars 
made of wood, which were in use, especially by missionaries, until 
the close of the eighth century. 
The earliest existing example is that which was found in the 
cathedral of Durham, with the bones of St. Cuthbert, who died a. p. 
687, and which doubtless belonged to him. It is now preserved in 
the Chapter Library. The material of which it is composed is wood, 
covered with very thin silver; its size being 6in. by 53. A similar 
portable altar was found on the breast of St. Acca, bishop of Hexham 
(who died a. p. 740), when his bones were exhumed more than 3800 
years ago. It was composed of two pieces of wood, joined by silver 
nails. 
The word is, therefore, another instance of a vernacular ecclesias- 
tical term. 
