427 



broad and short sword with a plain crossguard, and a very massive 

 semicircular pomell, quite resembling in outline those iron swords said 

 to be Danish, and which were found in the old burying ground at 

 Bully' s-acre near Islandbridge, Dublin. Prom the evidence afforded 

 by the sculpturings on most of oar tenth, eleventh, and twelfth century 

 decorated crosses such swords are clearly Irish, though others similar 

 in shape were no doubt used by the Danes during the lengthened pe- 

 riod they held possession of Dublin and the eastern coast of Ireland. 



The figure of St. Colman represents him as a young, smooth-faced 

 man, attired in a round, narrow-rimmed hat ; a short cloak with a large 

 hood hanging behind ; a long gown reaching to the ankles, and fringed 

 with a row of disks between two narrow bands ; and his feet are pro- 

 bably bare. 



The cross is covered with the veilum, or scarf, and, with the staff, 

 reaches to the full height of the figures, which grasp it with the right and 

 left hands alternately. 



rTo. 17. The next illustration affords a still further insight into the 

 regal and secular costume of that period. It represents King Fland, who 

 can always be recognised by his broad plaited beard, standing on the 

 right hand side of another king or chieftain, and joining hands with him. 

 On this occasion the king is enveloped in a long mantle, bordered by pel- 

 lets, and fastened on his right breast below the shoulder by a large 

 fibula, pierced with four circles to form a cross ; the lower portion of the 

 figure is enveloped in a long garment, reaching to the ankles, and belted 

 round the waist; the sword belt is thrown over the left shoulder out- 

 side the cloak, and the sword hangs in front over the cloak, as if ready 

 for immediate use. The adjoining figure to the left of the king is, like 

 him, bare headed, with the hair curled over the ears ; the moustache 

 is heavy, with the ends curled up, the beard is bi-forked, with the ends 

 curled up like those of the moustache; his dress is in all respects similar 

 to that of the king, but that a portion of the inner garment is looped up 

 in front and caught by the waistbelt, so as to form a sort of philibeg ; 

 the sword is exterior to the cloak, and is either attached to the waist- 

 belt, or held naked in the left hand, just below the crossguard — the latter 

 being the most probable explanation. 



It would appear that the sculptor miscalculated the length of the 

 space to be occupied by the figures, and was obliged therefore to omit the 

 feet of both effigies. 



No. 18. This and the following four illustrations, no doubt, record 

 some remarkable events in the life of King Fland, and I thus venture to 

 explain them: — 



There came up the Shannon to visit the court of King Fland, at 

 Clonmacnoise, a wandering minstrel from Greece, or perhaps from Eome ; 

 his special instrument was the triple flageolet, and he played before the 

 king and his assembled courtiers; the tones which he produced by much 

 physical effort, as his inflated cheeks and swollen eyes attest, though 

 pleasing to himself, were by no means appreciated by the Irish audience ; 

 and the witty sculptor, while he recorded the remarkable fact of the ad- 



