424 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 
LYII.—Own some SrxteEentH Century Inscriptions In LereHur CatuE- 
DRAL, Co. Cartow. By Jonn Risron Garstiy, F.S.A., M.R.1.A. 
(With Plates XX & XXI.) 
[ Read, December 8, 1884. ] 
Wortny ‘John Weever” [it was a nom de plume.| published in 
1631 his work, entitled ‘‘ Ancient Funerall Monuments within the 
United Monarchie of Great Britaine, Ireland, and the Islands adjacent,” 
but Ireland found no place in his 871 pages, which, in fact, relate only 
to four English dioceses. Nor did any other writer supply what Weever 
omitted for Ireland, and such monumental inscriptions in this country 
as have been printed (except those in the Irish language, which Miss 
Stokes published in a collected form) have to be sought in several dis- 
connected books. 
The inscriptions in the ancient, but unpretending cathedral at Old 
Leighlin, in the county Carlow, were indeed known to Mr. John Ryan, 
who, in 1833, published a history of that county, but though he had 
the will he lacked the skill to decipher those which are the subject 
of this Paper. I am assured by persons familiar with the antiquities 
of the neighbourhood, that no full account of them has appeared in 
print since Ryan’s time. 
[1 have however learned, since this Paper was read, that an accu- 
rate notice of one of these inscriptions—that of 1569—was laid before 
the Academy by J. Huband Smith, Esq., m.R.1.4., some years ago 
(see Proceedings, vol. i. p. 729), and an account of them has been 
published by the Rev. Denis Murphy, s.J., m.r.1.a., in the Zrish 
Ecclesiastical Record for May, 1885, while this Paper was awaiting 
publication. | 
A few weeks ago rubbings of some of these inscribed tombstones 
at Old Leighlin were taken, and forwarded for presentation to the 
Academy by Colonel Philip D. Vigors, a gentleman whose family has 
long been seated in the neighbourhood, and has given to Leighlin a 
bishop and a dean. They were accompanied with descriptions, in- 
cluding the readings of the inscriptions, so far as they had been 
deciphered by Ryan in his county history. Colonel Vigors himself 
succeeded in adding to the very meagre and misleading readings given 
by Ryan; but one of his motives in presenting these fac-similes to the 
Academy was that the portions still obscure might, if possible, be 
deciphered and translated. In complance with a suggestion of the 
President, I undertook to examine the rubbings, and this Paper is the 
result of the investigation. 
Three of the tombstones present features of special interest, deserv- 
ing the attention of those interested in Irish archeology and history. 
They are similar in size, general form, and design. The inscriptions 
