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II. 



OX THE LIGNUM CONTEKSIONIS. By THE EIGHT KEY. 

 CHAELES GEAYES, D.D., Lord Bishop of Limerick. 



[Read April 24, 1893.] 



Those amongst us -sviio study the early history of Christianity in Ireland 

 have reason to set a high value on the records of the Life and Acts of 

 St. Patrick, contained in the Book of Armagh. Their antiquity is un- 

 questionable. The Memoir by Muirchu and the Annotations by Tirechan 

 were almost certainly written before the end of the seventh century ; 

 and Eerdoninach, the Scribe of the Book, appears to liave executed his 

 task in the beginning of the ninth, copying from a MS. "which was then 

 becoming obscure, as is plainly indicated by marginal notes in his 

 handwriting. It is also apparent that there are in the existing texts 

 omissions for which either he was answerable or those who went 

 before him. In dealing with such ancient documents, we must 

 expect to meet occasionally with difficulties — words which have 

 become illegible, and others, or even whole passages, the meaning of 

 which cannot be determined with certainty. Fortunately these 

 documents have been made available for our use by two editors of 

 great learning and critical capacity, the Eev. E. Hogan, S.J., and 

 Dr. Whitley Stokes. After their labours upon the text and its 

 elucidation, not much remains to be done by future editors or 

 commentators. Still, however, the value of these materials is 

 questioned by critics. A learned German writer has lately taken 

 pains to analyse the contents of the Patrician documents, throwing 

 doubt upon their genuineness and antiquity, though he seems forced 

 to admit that the MS. was written in the beginning of the ninth 

 century. (Die neue Heidelberger Jahrbiicher, 1893. Die Schriften 

 S. Patrichs. von J. v. Pflugk-Harttung.) 



I now propose to lay before the Academy a few remarks upon a 

 passage, the reading and interpretation of which deserves some atten- 

 tion, as it suggests inquii'ies relating to the language and usages 

 prevailing in the time of St. Patrick. 



