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HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF THE
IRISH BARDS. INTERSPERSED WITH
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CS.P
BI8U07V1ECA
j
Cormac .k taeis
Common, fus
83.
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF THE
IRISH BARDS. INTERSPERSED WITH
ANECDOTES
OF,
AND OCCASIONAL OBSERVATIONS ON, THE
MUSIC
IRELAND.
OF
ALSO, AN HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT OF THE
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF THE
ANCIENT
IRISH.
AND AN
APPENDIX, CONTAINING SEVERAL
BIOGRAPHICAL AND OTHER PAPERS, WITH SELECT IRISH MELODIES.
BY
JOSE MEMBER
Let us
now
praife famous
Men
:
P~H
OF THE
O
ROYAL
WALKER, IRISH
ACADEMY.
fuch as found out mufical Tunes, and recited Verfes
in
Writing.
All thefe -were honored in their Generations, and -were the Glory of their Times.
ECCLESIASTICUS, chap. 44. Mujica
e
Poefia fan
due
forelle.
MARINO.
DUBLIN: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR,
BT L U KE W H I T E, MDCCLXXXVI.
No, 86,
DAME-JTE*ET.
v.
i.
5. 7.
C.SP
T O
THE RIQHT HONORABLE
HENRY THEOPHILUS CLEMENTS, DEPUTY
VIC
E-T R E A
S
U R E
R,
AND ONE OF
HIS
MAJESTY
S
MOST HONORABLE PRIVY-COUNCIL
OF THE
KINGDOM OF IRELAND. THE FOLLOWING SHEETS
ARE INSCRIBED, IN
RESPECTFUL ADMIRATION OF THE
MANY AMIABLE VIRTUES WHICH ADORN
AND
HIS PRIVATE LIFE
AS A TRIBUTE OF LIVELY GRATITUDE FOR UNMERITED FAVOURS BESTOWED ON
THE AUTHOR.
;
(v)
PREFACE. TRUST prefent
Though
I
am
offering to-
my Countrymen
the gift has novelty, at
;
leaft,
Ireland has been long famed for
its
an acceptable
recommend
to
it.
Poetry and Mafic,
thefe fubje&s have never yet been treated of hiftorically.
I
do not pretend to have done completely, what has lain fo long undone no doubt many fources of information ftill remain :
unopened, and many documents unconfulted. have marked out a path which may thofe
who
fhall hereafter follow
However,
I
facilitate the
purfuit of
have arranged
my
me. f
It rials
was
my
original intention to
in a ftricl chronological
feries
;
but
I
mate
foon difcovered the
R
VI
E
A
F
C
E.
the impra&icablenefs of adhering fcrupuloufly to this plan.
Notices
of
illuftrativc
of fuch a
me
impatient ftep
I
;
order
obtrude proceeded, cafually
to avail myfelf
and then deviated into to
but out of the
fubjecl,
as
would,
feries,
themfelves upon
my
of thefe,
A
digrefllon.
traveller
I
who
is
Having taken up
my
or pluck a fruit.
fubject at an early period,
I
necefTitated to explore the dark regions of antiquity.
a few rays of light darted on me, the
O
darknefs
O
HALLORAN,
panions
;
vifible.
Le
De
may
This part of confiderably,
I
find
the
dudar."
Antiquary and the Lover of
fomething to
the kind
fall.
mas feguras
rnas fegura es
my Work by
I
Here
which only ferved to was not difmayed :
was content to ftand or
las cofas
my APPENDIX,
Anecdote,
But
was
CoNOR and VALLANCEY were my com
and with them "
In
not
reach the end of his journey, will fometimes
afide to gather a flower,
render
now
have
fuit
fwelled fo
their feveral taftes.
unexpeftedly, and fo
partiality of
my
literary friends,
that
R
E
was obliged
that I
would
to exclude from
not have difgraced
the Reverend Mr.
A
F
EVANS
it
;
I
to
lay
before
the
tlemen,
my
my
OUSLEY,
by
Trinity
a future
day,
I
my
feelings, omit this
thofe
to
their
Gen
countenance
of Dublin, and
RALPH
Efq; of Limerick, exerted themfelves with zeal in
my
The Reverend
directed
fpirit
of
refearchcs.
the promotion of
Strings-)
at
acknowledgments
The Reverend Mr. ARCHDALL,
Enquiry
a Student
who have honoured me with
and aid in
Tranflation of
Public.
cannot, without doing violence to
opportunity of making
a
vn
EfTay which
elegance and
This Tranflation,
Dublin.
little
mean
I
my requeft, and executed with my Brother SAMUEL WALKER, late hope
a
it
E.
Dtffertatio de Bardis, undertaken
at
College,
C
into
Dr.
YOUNG, Author
of the
the principal Phosnomena of Sounds
admirable
and
mufical
me
with feveral of our native Melodies,
enquiries,
and prevailed with the Heads of the
furnifhed
my
defign.
learned
REPACK.
Vlll
learned
Seminary
free accefs
to their
my
perufed
had
faults
which he belongs, to indulge me with He did more he valuable Library.
to
:
Manufcript,
and lefTened the number of
its
work
this
not his delicacy retrained his pen,
might have met the public eye with more confidence.
Should the mufical reader receive any edification from the perufal of to
WM.
thefe fheets,
he muft
BEAUFORD, A. M. of Athy.
fpeak fcientifically of mufic,
To
rally dictates.
pen,
I
Had
O
Ne I
work were
pour tous
have had reafon that
les
:
When
S
my
who gene
fome of the defigns which
the effufions of his tafte.
emplois,
il
a tous les
of Trinity College, Dublin, to regret,
happen to
I
pencil, as well as his
not been favoured with the kid of Mr.
FLANNAGAN,
ries,
Mr. BEAUFORD
indebted
himfelf
that gentleman
it is
have many obligations
embellifh this
"
hold
talens."
THEOPHILUS I
fhould often
in the profecution of
knowledge of the
Irifh
language
my is
enqui fo
very
confined.
SYLV.
R
E
A
F
C
SYLV. -O HALLORAN, Efq; Author of of Ireland, ufeful
information.
BURNEY The
to
IX
A General
learned
with feveral Letters replete with
Nor
did Sir
can
bell;
JOHN HAWKINS, nor Dr.
my
appreciate
EDWARD LEDWICH,
Colonel
to
obligations to the
CHARLES
O
CoNOR, Efq;
VALLANCEY.
Let me now befpeak the indulgence of the Public.
work would probably have had fewer
;
it
and by one unpraclifed
but
it
in the art of competition.
life,
Had
he kept the Manufcript by him a
perhaps, by frequent revifions,
But he wifhed that
;
it
was written amidft the diffracting fcenes of a
bufy
clofet,
This
imperfections, had
been produced beneath the calm fhade of retirement
was not
Hift
-
or meditation. 9,
M.
(k) for
Macpherfon,
r.
Mr. Mac
pherfon. 9,
i,
i6^
4,
18,
3,
for Ofin,
(0 // (0 (y)
3,
7,
8,
*4
3,
28, 34,
3,
37>
4*
(>),
(
/or dwell,
n)
(0 f
r. in
60,
3
164,
2,
r.
congratulatory. *4>
-
6, 5
(p)
far
Mr. Macpherfon
kept, r. Macpherfon has kept,
Mr.
/
6,
10,
163,
mufic.
4S
104, 109,
s
12, 4,
r. dwells.
r. Gentry. (b) for Genry, for the hands, r. the hand. for Fiann, r. Fian.
25,
7 i,
20,
.
/or congragulatory, for thole, r. thefe. /or FEA, r. FES.
4,
21,
i?4 136, 141, 146, 14*. 152, 1S 6 1
r. (f).
companions, r. companion. for fuperftitition, r. fuperftition. for werer egulated, r. were regulated. for inmufic,
( )
Page. Line. Note.
/or /
and determined,
effed
this,
at
grow very if
they fhook
the Chain of Silence, and flung themfelves amongfl the ranks, extollingthe fweets of peace, and the achievements of the combatants anceftors.
Immediately both parties laying down their arms, liftened with at tention to the harmonious lays of their Bards ; and in the end, re-,
warded them with precious
gifts,
This, circumftance has
been cele-
For thefe obfervations on Fergus Productions I am indebted to Mr. T. (r) FLANWAGAM, (a Student of Trinity College, Dublin), the brilliancy of whofe genius will, I predift, flied a luftre on feme of our Bardic Remains, which he is now about to tranCate.
O
(s)
O HALLORAN. brated
THE IRISH BARDS, brated. in an ancient
in the following
Legend
words
&c.
45
BRUIGAN BEAG NA H ALMUINE,
called,
Is an Jin do eirgbe an Fill fir-glie jatfoeal-geur, agus an deagh-fhear-duafmhar-Dana, ioghion FE ARGUS, Fili Mac Fin, agus aos Ealaidheana na Feine mar aonfris, agus do ghab(t)
:
hach>
hadar Duaine, agus Dreacht, agus deagh-Dbana dona Laochra Jin, cum a ceofg, agus a cceannfaidbe j agus an Jin do fguireadar dan oir leach agus
dan Athchuma
re cheile, agus re cantain na Filidhe do leagadar na b*
ar lar agus do thogbhadar agus reitigh eat or4
HAVING
IV".
Paganifm,
we
fident air,
which
Fjlidhe tad, agus do ghabhadar
no.
thus groped our
way through
the dark ages of
and con
will henceforth proceed with that fteady ftep a benighted traveller affumes,
airm
Greim Sithe
on obferving the
mifts
of the morning tinged with the glowing radiance of the riling fun.
(t)
A
copy of
this
poem
is
Bard
YOUNG, DRAYTON^ in
thus related by
is
reft) in fo
fimilar
:
great reverence had
Bards, which fung your deeds, that
With lifted hands to ftrike One Bard but comming in,
A
F. T. C. D. his Poljolbion
you were moft drad,
as
And, So yee (before the
Your
of the Rev. Dr.
in the pofleflion
inftance of the influence of a British
(in
whe
fterne hofts
have ftood
their inflamed blood)
their
murd
rous fwords had ftaid
j
In his moft dreadful voice as thundring Heaven had faid,
Stay Britans
:
when he fpake,
his
words fo powreful were. Song
We
find
the
O HALLORAN (u)
Biihop
Irifli S
Through
PERCY
Clergy
Hijl. this
of
in the
Irtl.
Legend,
v.
i
2.
ith century pofleffing the p.
to illuftrate
6.
influence on contending armies.
297.
(like Hi/I.,
ile
in his deleftable Reliques,
poems are interfperfed,
fame
and
las civiles
v.
i.
p.
guerras Je Granada, fo honourably notked by
337) a great number of heroic fongs and Ihort
diverfify the narrative.
hiftovic narratives in the Irifli language, conftrufted in the
There are
ftill
extant, feveral
fame manner.
like
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
4-6
When the light of the gofpel firft dawned on this ifland, the dark and their whole order melted, myfteries of the Druids were revealed, But the order of the Bards continued for like a vifion, into air (w). with
fucceeding ages, invariably the fame (x)
many
this difference,
however, that inftead of raifmg pssans to falfe Gods, they oftentimes attuned their Harps to the praifes of the Moft High. Dubthach Mac Ire Lughair, an eminent Bard, and Ard-Filea to Leogaire(y), Monarch of land, who was converted to Chriftianity from the errors of Heathenifm, "
"
"
"
turned (fays Jocelyn) (z) his poetry, which in his youth he had employed in the praifes of falfe Gods, to a better ufe, and now changing his the honour opinion and language, compofed more elegant poems, to of the Omnipotent God, and the praifes of his Saints." Feich, or
who had flourifhed at the fame period, (and had been Dubthach) was appointed Bifhop over the church of Sletty, Patrick, in whofe praife he wrote an hymn in Irifh, which has
Fiach, a Bard, difciple of
a
by
St.
In been publifhed with a literal tranflation into latin, by Colgan. an ancient MS. called the ROMANCE OF CE ARE HALL (a), we find "
(w) "
"
The
laft
they continued
place
in
we read
of them (the Druids) in the
full pofieflion
of
ail their
Patrick undertook the converfion of that
ancient
Britifti
till
power
BUCHANAN,
"
fpeaking of the Bards, fays,
there isalmoft nothing changed of them
in Ireland,
many of
in the
It
HARRIS
(a)
S
prefence of Leogaire that
Ed. of
WARES
In thepofleflion of Col.
Grecian
Agamemnon
St.
v. 2.
VALLANCEY.
as well as the Irirh. heroes,
legates fent by
Works,
S
Ant. of Cornwall, p.
where
when
St.
but only ceremonies and
rites
155.
remain
;
yea,
of religion. of
Scot/.
B.
2.
Patrick difputed with ihe Druids. p. 126.
Vide
Collefl.
de
re
ms. Hib. No.
13.
p.
fometimes folaced their private hours with the Harp.
to Achilles found
Amus d
Ireland,
their ancient cuftoms yet
Hijl.
was
(y) (z)
is
after Chrift,
432
ifland."
BOULASE (x)
dominions,
the year
him playing on that inftrument
at cafe, the godlike
Pleas d with the folemn
Harp
man s
37.
The
The de
:
they found,
harmonious found.
With
Th
this he foothes his angry foul, and fings immortal deeds of heroes and of kings.
POPE. this
THE IRISH
B A R
D
&c.
S,
47
agus ro boi Cearbhall an tan fin ag orphideadh Aofar cumthaidir anda codhlai \ that is, and at that time Cearbhall was playing
this -
"
"
paffage,
on
his
Nor
a"
Harp, to the Almighty Aofar (God)
is
to be
it
wondered
at,
after his firft
fleep."
that the order of the Bards fhould ef-
efcape the fate of that of the Druids, on this great revolution in re For, it was through the means of the Bards only that the ligion.
Prince or Chieftan could hope for immortality to his fame Without them too, the feaft, however luxuriously fpread, would prove inSo ftrong was the attachment of the Celtic nations to fipid (b). :
"
"
:c
"
"
"
tc
"
"
"
"
their poetry
their Bards (fays the elegant Blair) (c), that amidft
the Bards continued to flourifh; not as a fet of ftrolling fongfters, Greek Aoj/ or Rhapfodifts, in Homer s time, but as an
like the
order of
men
highly refpecled in the
eftablifhment.
lie
We
ftate,
and fupported by a pub-
find them, according to the teftimonies of
Strabo and Diodorus, before the age of Auguftus Caefar
j
and we
them remaining under the fame name, and exercifmg the fame functions as of old, in Ireland, and in the north of Scotland, almoft find
down
It
(b) a.
and
the changes of their governments and manners, even long after the order of the Druids was extinct, and the national religion altered,
all
Bard
to our
own
time.s."
was thus with the Greeks.
Amongft
that people there
was no convivial aflembly without
:
I
fee the finoke of facrifice afpire,
And
hear,
what graces
f
ecl
e
thofe times are continually renewed, habit will take place of nature, and that man s character will, to a certain degree, change (m)." So well convinced were the Grecian legiflators of the foftening power mtrfic
if
j
of mufic, that they employed foil, in it
(.C
de
MOMTESOJJH u,
1.
4. c. 8.
Chinris.
Ibid.
mufie
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
64
6th.
mufic was originally taught in Ireland. Contefts. 7th. Mufical
THE GENIUS OF THE
ift.
The War-Song.
And
LANGUAGE FOR MUSICAL
IRISH
MODULATION. The
fubfervient to
its
Now
language.
Raynal, muft
fays the eloquent
of every nation,
rmific
it
is
the opinion of Vallancey,
be that
modulated to mufic than any other language can be better conin Europe; becaufe, it not only poflefTes all the qualities lea plus
the
Irifli
attributes to the Italian language (q),
which Roffeau
venable au chant,
but, by a peculiarity of
its
own, the ad.
harfli
NOT AT
confonsnts can be ellrpfed.
ION.
The ancient Irifli had certainly no mufical much addided to the ftudy of mufic but it is like
Bards,
the
which ferved their
Chinefe
early
to regulate
(r),
the tones of the voice,
However, foon
art.
muficians
notation,
after
their
tho
fo
probable that their had fome charaders
;
converfion
while exercifmg
from
Paganifm,
introduced the poetical accents of the Greeks which they modulated the choral part of the
the Chriftian clergy
.
and
by
Latins,
church
fervice.
Thefe
accents
were foon
after
adopted by
our
fubfeBards, as appears from feveral of their poetical compofitions, About the eleventh century, it is thought, to that period (s).
quent
..
(q)
.
Lettre
fur
la.
Mttftque francoife.
(r)
VideZfc/. Geograph. Je
(s)
This fubjcft
is
/
This gentleman informs me, he
fmg the
Empire Je
lately
la Chine
far
D u HALDE.
by Mr. BE AUF b
F.D in No. III. of the Appendix. met with a perfon from Connaught who underftoodahd could
handled with great
ability
accents,
that
THE IRISH
B A R
D
&c.
S,
65
that the Iriihhad a mufical notation, which they derived from the fame
quarter
(t).
THE
3d.
CHARACTERISTIC
AND GENERA OF THE
FEATURES
IRISH Music.
The
wildnefs of
the ancient Irifh mufic, carrying it beyond precludes the poflibility of diftinguifhing it from the Yet an ear formed in Ireland, would early mufic of other nations.
the reach of
art,
inftantly recognize the native compofed in the Chromatic
from
its
is
fimplicity,
To
mufic of the country.
it
fay
was
giving little fatisfaclion, as that, the genus in which the early fongs of the Greeks
genus,
is
and of feveral other nations, were compofed (u). We muft therefore only endeavour to defcribe it, as we do the Sun, by its effects.
The Irifh mufic is, in fome degree, diftinguifhed from the mufic of every other nation, by an infinuating fweetnefs, which forces its way, irrefiftibly, to the heart, and there diffufes an extatic delight, that thrills
through every fibre of the frame, awakens
Whatever
tat^s or tranquillizes the foul.
to excite,
(t)
Mr.
it
O Halloran
could not furniih notes for
never
the
me
to effect
informed me, that the
with any of them. viz.
Harp,
fails
Van
fuaig/iel, "
FuaiJghilbfuag,
(little
harmony).
relate to the notes anfwering to our
Andante, and Allegro, or
have
little
(u)
am
Irifii
and
agi-
may be intended is
the
voice of
had technical terms for the Notes, but be I
obtained the Irifh names
of.
the
harmony) Fuaidhghel mor, (great harmony) and
not certain (fays
Minum,
it
It
purpofe.
But from Mr. Beauford (fmgle
fenfibility,
Crotchet, and
my
kind informant) whether thefe terms
Quaver
to different fpecies of Counterpoint
;
;
to the
but the
movements as Adagio,
Iriflv
Harp could of
itfelf
Counterpoint."
The melody
that pleafes in one country does not equally pleafe in another,
certain general principles tries."
I
its
pafllon
GREGORY s
which univerfally regulate
it,
the fcale of mufic being the
though there are fame in a coun l
Comfarative View.
K
Nature,
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
66
We
the ancient fpeak of the mufic of mufic, like language, the nearer we remount to its rife aa natural expreflion. mongft men, the more it will be found to partake of And though mufical notation was not known amongft the Aborigines Remains of their mufic have been handed down to us by of this
Nature, and will be heard (w). Iriih
for
j
illand,
tradition, in
of the
its
This
original fimplicity (x).
Irifh for their national peculiarities
we owe
to the fondnefs
for the great Irifh families,
:
laft century, entertained in their houfes Harpers, who were Thefe remains, which the depofitaries of their beft pieces of mufic. we confider as claffics, have obtained for Ireland the honourable title
even to the
of
A SCHOOL FOR MUSIC. Perhaps the
is
CEANAN,
(or
IRISH CRY,
as
it is
commonly
called)
the moft ancient of thofe remains extant, as from frequency of ufe,
had the beft chance of prefervation. Indeed its high antiquity is the circumflance of its obftinately refuting the tmqueftionable, from No kind of bafe accompaniment (fays accompaniment of a bafe.
it
"
"
(w)
and the
Moft of the modern
Irifli
a greater
mufic reaches the
infenfibility
Italian competitions only trifle
ARMSTRONG
heart."
a very fine one, but believe
it
to be of
"
I
know
known by modern
mired only amongft the Canaille, in England.
ages,
This, to a fceptic in
Irifli
hiftory,
of no
Irifli airs
the vulgar
the
The
may be
Yet,
inimitable it
to a
much
fo
name of
compofition."
a ragged ballad-finger fqualling (Plate 3) introduces
is
;
Welch, the Scotch Nothing can argue
153.
p.
:
as the Scotch have been, excepting that
when ho
v. 2.
melody in the Englifli, than their difreliili for Irifh mufic amongft admired by foreigners, are hardly known. Sir JOHN HAWKINS, in
a letter with which he honored me, fays,
ceafe
with the ear
Works,
to pure
that people our beft airs, fo
(x)
S
celebrated in England
the Black Joke,
fine
an air as
HOGARTH,
company of
which
this
in his
is,
it
I
:
but his aftonilhment muft
reminded, that the Chinefe preferved feveral of their ancient melodies for
without the aid of mufical notation
;
and
that
fome of thofe
marks) dt quoi pluire mime aux
oreilles
Europeans.
airs
I
many
which were taken down by
Du HALDE,
Defc. Geog. de
ad
harlots.
a matter of furprize
Father Pereira while a mufician fang them, and are given by
think
is
Rakes Progrefi,
ont (as that
Emf. de
author re
la Chine par
Du
HALDE.
Dr.
T HE
I
R
I
H BARD
S
was known to the
Dr. Burney)
&c.
S,
67
Each province had
ancients."
Ceanan, differing from thofe of the other provinces according genius of the people inhabiting each (y).
The
to
a
the
ancient Irifh cultivated three fpecies of mufical compofition,
anfwering to the three mufical modes (z) which the Greeks bor rowed from the Egyptians. Thefe were, the Gollttraidheacht, the Geanttraidheacht and the Suanttraidheacht.
The GOLLTTRAIDHEACHT was either to elevate the foul
more humane
action,
calls
were wholly inclined
Irifh
The GEANTTRAIDHEACHT
feftive entertainments,
or excite therein the
and Dance.
This is pro the fprightly Phrygian, to which,
difpofitions to Love, Mirth,
bably the fpecies which Selden
he fays, the
adapted to
martial
to
(a).
wherein was
included the dolorous,
of active virtue, in the deceafe of great men, or the bad fortune of unfuccefsful heroes, once the ornaments of fociety.
lamented, the
lofs
After the invafion of the Englifh, the Irifh were very much con fined to this fpecies of mufic, for reafons which will appear elfewhere.
The SUANTTRAIDHEACHT was reft,
corporal
(y)
intended for compofing the foul to
and fufpending the mental labours which might fucceed the of the day.
toils
Mr.
BEAUFORD
century, which
is
thinks that the Ceanan (perhaps
probably too modern an
sera for
it.
land Scots pretend to give their moft ancient mufic. the Scottish popular airs Rcnttifh Rallads.
(2)
The
v.
is
fo ancient as
anno
i
548.
more properly
Yet
it
is
an
sera,
the G.I)
much
Mr. PINK.ERTON fcems
Vide
the Diff. an
is
fo old as the gth
earlier than the
Low
to think, that not one
Comic BulluJ, prefixed to
of
Sfletf
2.
Scots too have three fpecies of mufic, viz. Marchal, Pajioral,
and
Fejlive.
Vide Ency-
chp. Brit. Art. Mufic. {a)
Notes on
DRAYT o N
Polyilb.
Song
6.
K
2
Mr.
.
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
68
O Conor
Mr.
(in a letter
now
me
before
(b),
which
I
have followed
above explanation of the nature of our mufical modes) obferves, In every concert the ABHRAM or fong, accompanied the inftrumen-
in the "
"
;
"
"
mental mufic, and the Ode was invariably adapted to the fpecies whether the heroic, the dolorous, or the fomnife-
intended rous.
"
this loofe
.C
effects, on^
"
cur
that
u and modified, It
learned Hiftorian)
defcription, (continues the
far from being Grangers to the powers of harmonized found, in direding, as well as exciting, the human Sounds were therefore cultivated paffions.
find
you "
;
By
fo
ancients
in
Ireland
were
to
produce extraordinary
the minds of
men whom we account
as
civil
and
political
barbarous, becaufe,
they held no intellectual commerce with the more polifhed people of Greece and Rome."
4th.
THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF THE
IRISH,
WITH THEIR
PROGRESSIVE IMPROVEMENTS.
HARP
The
had four
deferves the
fpecies, viz.
nar Cruit.
4.
i.
ISH
HARP,
place.
Of
this
inftrument the Irifh 2.
Keirnine.
3.
Cio-
Creamhtine Cruit.
The CLAR-SEH
ift.
firft
Clar-feh, or Clar-feach.
or
CLAR-SEACH, commonly denominated
the
of fo remote antiquity in this country, that Vin. Gallilei (c) does Jubal (d) the injuftice to afcribethe invention of it to the Irifh.
(b) (c)
(dj
is
But though the
To the Rev. Mr. Archdall. HAWKINS ^, of Mufic. v.
A
Irifh
did not invent this inftrument, they
3.
grave writer, ludicroufly enough, calls Jubal, Father of the Fidlers. to tell us, that he was the inventor of mufkal inaruments, as the harp T. ELL wo CDS Sacred ffifl. p. 8.
Then he and
proceeds
organ.
Vide
enjoyed
THE IRISH BARDS, enjoyed the ufe of
much
&c.
69
than any of the other weftern na tions. The Clar-feach (fays Mr. O Conor) was introduced hither by the Celto-Phosnician colony called Milefians, which arrived from it
earlier
"
"
"
This affertion of the venera Spain before the Chriftian ^Era hiftorian it would not be fafe to controvert j nor do we mean to (e)."
ble
attempt to controvert
,
it
:
to his authority
we
are ever willing to yield.
However, having no fyftem to fupport, and being deflrous to let in light on my fubject from any quarter whence I think a pure ftream might proceed, I received moil thankfully from my learned friend Dr. Ledwich, INQUIRIES CONCERNING THE ANCIENT IRISH HARP, in which he brings down the introduction of this inftrument into
much
Ireland, to a period
thefe Inquiries I
later
than the invafion of the Milefians.
affigned a place
I
No.
will refer the mufical antiquary.
I.
in
my Appendix
At the fame
time,
I
;
and
to
To them
will promife the
much fatisfadion, from the pernfal of an ESSAY ON THE CONSTRUCTION AND CAPABILITY OF THE IRISH HARP, IN ITS PRISTINE AND PRESENT STATE, by the ingenious Mr. Beauford, mathematical reader
which ftands No. VIII.
in
my
Appendix.
difcuiTion of the antiquity
Committing the
to thofe gentlemen,
I
will
and powers of our Harp it paiTed from this
proceed to Ihew, that
kingdomjnto the neighbouring nations. Caradoc
affirms,
that
the
Welch had
this
inftrument from the
This fome writers will not admit, becaufe the Welch do not, But the Welch the Irifh, firing their Harp with brafs chords.
Irifh (f;.
like
Auth.
Lett,
(f)
WYNNE S H
Ireland.
A
to
(e)
tjl.
A
late
Gent. Tour in
of Wales,
p.
159.
The Harp
traveller fays, that the only
Wain.
p.
1
has fallen into difufe in Wales, as well as in
Harp he heard
in the
principality,
was
at
Conway.
60.
Harp
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
70
Harp has not been always ftrung with gut. It appears from the firft Book of THE INTRODUCTION OF KNOWLEDGE, publifhed by Borde, a Welch poet, A. D. 1542, that the Welch Harp, at that period, was ftrung with horfe-hair.
For
my Harp
is
made of a good mare s ikyn horfe heare, it maketh a good dyn.
Thejlrynges be of
Now
it is
very probable, that the firft innovation which the Welch made of the Harp, on their receiving it from this country,
in the ftringing
was the fubftituting "
doubt. "
hair for wire.
But Vallancey brings an argument
muft bear down every rifing pronounced Tealoin or Telin, is cera word I can find tainly the etymon of the Welfh Teylin, a Harp no derivation of, in that language ; and I think, proves from whence
in fupport of
Caradoc
The
Irifh
affertion, that
s
Teadhloin,
:
"
"
.
they borrowed both the inftrument, and If
it
nians,
its
name
(g)."
be allowed that the Harp was in ufe among the ancient Caledo can hardly be denied that they borrowed it from the Irifh.
it
The fame
paflion for harfti warlike-mufic
which induced them
to adopt
the bagpipe of the Romans, would urge them to reject with fcorn, the the melting Cythara of that adventurous people. "
Probably
mufic, (fays Mr. Robertfon) (h) was at firft, as in chiefly of a warlike kind ; and the Harp may have
duced
in
the courfe of a barbarous
fupported by Maitland among the Gael if ever
"
:
;
Je rehis Hib.
(g)
Coiled.
(h)
Inquiry into the
fm
No.
Arts. v.
1
it
3.
civilization."
all
Highland rude nations,
only been intro This conjecture is
The Harp, it is faid, was anciently in ufe was, I am of opinion it could not be long j
p.
36.
i.
for
THE IRISH BARDS, for
that being an inftrument only
were
ill
fit
for the
adapted to the martial genius of
&c.
chamber,
its
foft ftrains
people as our anceftors j whofe delight being in war, (continues the hiftorian) they would naturally chufe the bagpipe (i), as more fuitable to the field, and their warlike inclinations for the mufic of the was an en fo fierce a
Harp
;
tertainment only fit for the effeminate and voluptuous (k)." Let us then fuppofe, and furely there are good grounds for the fuppofition, that the Harp, an inftrument always found in the armies of the ancient Irifh,
was introduced amongft the Gael (or ancient two nations
intercourfe took place between the ferocity of the latter,
was a
j
Scots) foon after an
when
at leaft,
the
tempered by their connexion with In fad, the Scots have never affe&ed extraordinary {kill
the former.
on the Harp
:
in the practical
fo fenfible
little
were they of their
knowledge of
inferiority to the Irifh, in
this inftrument, that their Princes
and
Nobility were content to invite Harpers from this kingdom, to ferve them in the capacity of chief Mufician (1). Thefe
Harpers generally
repofed in the chambers of their patrons, in order, we prefume, to tranquilize their minds, when difturbed with the vifions of the night ; or to lull
them
to reft
with their melting
ftrains,
That
opiate
charm which
corporeal fenfe (m).
lulls
for they beft
knew,
2d.
KEIR-
very extraordinary, that the bagpipe, the favourite martial inftrument of the Scots, neither mentioned nor alluded to in the Erfe Poeius published by Mr. Macpherfon. (i)
(k)
It
is
H-ft.
is
of Scotland.
Ethodius, the twenty-fifth King of Scotland, was killed by an
Irifli Harper, who lav in hi? BUCHANAN. Even in modern days, Irifli Harpers are favourably received, ard the Scots. rewarded Vide of Anec. O Kane, the famous Irilh Harper, in Bo SWELL S munificently by entertaining Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, p. 393. Dub. ed. (m) MA s o M S Caraflacuf. We find the Caliph s Minftrel s fimilarly employed in TH o M P o N .
(1)
bed-chamber.
Cajlle of Indolenct
:
When
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
72
KEIRMNE.
is tranflated by Vallancey, a fmail inftrument was facred to Karneios or Apollo, (whence Granneus, an Irifh name for our favourite Deity) and borne In by the Dancers at the Kearnaire, or facrifice to that Deity (n)
2d.
Harp.
This word
this
Perhaps
Arabic, keren implies the rays of the Sun, with which the
was always ftrung.
lute
us, Apollo
s
in poetry,
Apollo
s
Thefe rays
or
Thus Shakefpeare
golden hair.
Poets
beams are
tell
called
:
As fweet and mufical As
The
bright Apollo
s
with his
lute ftrung
hair, (o)
Keirnine, according to Vallancey, was the Kanun of the Perfpecies of Dulcimer, Harp or Sackbut, the firings of which,
fians, a
from
fifty
to fixty in
number,
reft
upon two
bridges,
and are touched
with both hands, without making ufe of any kind of plectrum or bow.
As
this conjecture refts folely on etymological authority, pretend to fay how far it is to be depended on.
When
flecp
was coy, the Bards
in
BifliopGRQSTHEAD
mufic lends
new
fhall
not
waiting there,
Cheer d the lone midnight with the mufe s Competing mufic bade his dreams be fair,
And
we
gladnefs to the morning
lore
;
air.
informs us, that
Next hys chamber, befyde hys ftudy, s chamber was faft the by
Hys Harper
:
Becaufe
The Wyll de relus Hib.
(n)
Colletf.
(o)
Loves Labour Lofl.
No.
virtue of the
Harp, through
(kill
and
righr,
deftrye the feruiys might.
12. p.
528.
Aft. 4.
3d.
The
THE IRISH 3.
The CIONAR CRUIT had
ten
B AR D firings,
S,
&c.
73
and was played on with a
bow or plectrum (p). As no drawing of this inftrument has reached us, we can only fuppofe it refembled the Hafhur of the Hebrews, of which in the Pfalms by the name of the tengood thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to fing praifes unto thy name, O moft High upon an inftrument According to Don Calmet, the of ten firings, and upon the pfaltery." of the Hafhur was pretty nearly that of the capital Delta [A] of
fuch frequent mention
"
ftringed inftrurnent.
is
made
It is
a
figure
the Greeks (q), which bears fome refemblance to the form of our ClarIn the Cionar Cruit, we have the Canora Cythara of the Latins
feh.
of the middle Ages, and the origin of the modern Guitar.
4,
The CREAMTHINE CRUIT was
the
Crwth of the Welch.
con
It
four only, however, could be termed fymphonic, and thefe were ftretched over a flat bridge, on a finger board the
tained fix
firings,
:
beyond the finger board, and were not touched by the bow or plectrum, but occafionally with the thumb, as a bafe accompaniment to the notes founded on the other firings (r). of the violin was ufed as a tenor accom This inftrument the
two lower
firings projected
parent
Creamhtine paniment to the Harp at feafts and convivial meetings Crut or Cream Crutin, by the name (fays Vallancey) imports the Harp or caroufals whence Creamh-nual anoify (or Cruit) ufed at potations "
:
;
The Viol in the times of early mufic drunken company Poet France, was fimilarly employed. Thus an old French
in
(s)".
(p)
BEAUFORD.
(q)
Did. of the
Lett, to
Auth.
Bible.
(r)
BEAUFORD.
(s)
Collet!,
derebm
Lett,
Hib.
tt
Auth.
No.
IJ, p. 35.
L
Quand
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
74
tables otees furent
les
Quand
Cil jugleour in pies efturent
S ont viols
&
harpes prifes
Chanfons, fons, vers et reprifes Et de geftes, chante nos ont (t). Colonel Vallancey difputes with Mr. Barrington and Mr. Evans, Welch to the origin of the Crwth (u) ; in fad, two
.
the claim of the
of their
own
confefs, that
hiftorians
Gruffydh ap Conan brought
it
The Colonel is even inclined to over into Wales from this kingdom. rob them of the invention of playing on this inftrument with the bow. "
"
I believe the only honour they can have, (fays he) is the invention of playing on this inftrument with the bow yet this feems to have been known to the Iriih alfo, for in our common Lexicons we find :
"
Cruit, a Harp, a Fiddle, a
"
Crowder
(w).."
But the Welch were not the only people who, we imagine, bor rowed the Crwth from the Irifh Our neighbours the Scots were in all :
under the fame obligation to us, though a trace of that inftrument cannot be found in any of their hiftorians (x). The in probability
genious and learned Mr. Barrington informs us, that there is a reprefentation of an inftrument, which bears an exact refemblance to the
Welfh Crwth, amongft the outfide ornaments of the Abbey of Melrofs (t)
(u)
BuRNE Y
S
Hiji. of
v.
M"fic.
Cdlea. de rebus Hib. No.
As
(x)
it i:
in
fuch general ufe
of Lewis, fays,. 4
2.
j,
not denied that the Creamhtine Cruirwas the parent of the violin,
admitted, that the Scots borrowed
being
I
Ibid.
(w)
of eighteen
;
They
he
p.
Weft,ern Ifks.
14.
it
only remains to be
ftrument from the Irifhj in order to account for the Violin
MARTYJJ, fpeaking of the ; and when I was there,
are great lovers of mafic
men who could play on
Wijlern I/lands of Scotland, every iik
in the
this in
the violin pretty well, without being
This entertaining
inhabitants of the
taught."
traveller found players
Me
they gave an account
on the
Defcript.
of the
violin in alinoft
vifjted,
in
THE IRISH BARD in Scotland,
been tion
built
on
which, to the beft of
&c.
S,
his recollection,
about the time of Edward the Second
is
(y).
7S fuppofcd to have
From an
infcrip-
Abbey, (which was founded A. D. 1136) it appears that the archited was a Parifian who, it is natural to fuppofe, borrowed his ornaments from his own Mr. Barcountry (z). this
;
.Perhaps, then, rington has miftaken a French Viol for a Crwth ? As a French Viol is not unlike a Crwth, it might beguile the fudden view of a Welchman. But however that may be, as the Scots had little intercourfe
with the Welch, but frequent with the Irifh, it is more confonant with reafon to fuppofe, they derived the Crwth from the latter than from the former.
There
fome old
are
been conftrucled
for the
Irifh airs
ftill
extant,
which appear
to
have
Creamthine Cruit.
The BAGPIPE
is certainly an inftrument of high antiquity in Ire and mentioned by feveral of our hiftorians under different names. Mr. O Conor informs us, that one of the inftruments in ufe
land,
amongft the Scots or ancient Irifh, was the ADHARCAIDH CUIL is, a collection of pipes with a bag, or rather, a mufical
that
bag.
(a),
He
alfo informs us, that the
Rinkey or field dance, of the ancient Irifh, was governed by the CUISLET CIUIL (b), perhaps a more fimple kind of Bagpipe than the former; which he confiders as having been mofl it was a loud inftrument, and confined to a bare In the defcription of the Hall of Tamar, (tranflated from an ancient MS. and publifhed in the I2th No. of COLLECT. DE fit
for the purpofe, as
octave.
(y)
Arch.
(z)
P NN ANT
(a)
Diff. on Hift. of Ire!, p. 71.
(b)
Lett, to
v.
3. S
Tour
in Scotland,
v. 3.
p.
266.
Auth.
L
2
-REBUS
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
^6
REBUS HID.) we
find a
for
allotted
place
the Cuifiinnaigh
a
;
word
At etymologically confidered, evidently implies Bagpipers. na Cuijli, the bellows of this day the Pipers call their bellows, bollog and as the firft joint the Cuifli, or veins of the arm on the infide, at
which,
;
on the outfide
this joint
is
Elbow), one and the
denominated Ullan or Uilean
(i.
e.
and Cuifli Pipes are Vallancey concludes that Ullan Pipes of In Ullan Pipes we have, perhaps, the woollen Bagpipe fame. attributes an extraordinary effed (c). he which to Shakefpear,
But let us endeavour the
Irifli
Danes
The
:
(d).
to in veftigate the antiquity of the
This opinion
fafely controvert
of
invention
it,
civilized people (e),
we
Bagpipe amongft
inftrument has been given to the nor can we affent to cannot this
j
implicitly
an un Bagpipe has been lately found amongft never had any connexion with the Europeans,
for the
who
muft be an original inftrument and why confequently with them it relievo of not with the Danes ? But there appears on a fine baffo now in Rome, a man playing on an inftrument exGrecian fculpture
the ancient Highland Bagpipe, which feems Grecian origin (f). Now Mr. Pennant has determined, by means of an antique found at Richborough in Kent (g), the iniroducto
adly refembling evince
(t)
its
And
when
others,
Cannot contain
A late MASON S
it
is
:
if
PENNANT
(e)
M. SONNERAT
Ju buffon. fait feffet
(g)
th nofe
Mersh. ef Ven. Act 4. Sc,
does not, therefore, preclude conjecture.
Remarks on Text nxd Notes of
(d)
(f)
i
We got
it,
hiftory of this inftru
ment
in Scotland, is inveloped in the mift that hangs over the dark ages. According to Ariftides Quintilianus, it prevailed in the very firft times in the Highlands of Scotland. The genius of the Highlanders feems
to favour this opinion.
Ever a warlike people, ardent
in the
field
of battle, and impatient of control in times of peace, the found of the Bagpipe muft have been peculiarly grateful to their ear, Hence their hafty adoption of it, on its introdu&ion amongft them by the Romans.
A Scottish
writer fpeaking of this inftrument, fays,
"
it
is
the voice of
tproar and mifrule, and the mufic calculated for it, feems to be that of Even in very late times, the Scots real nature and of rudepaffion (j)."
ufed (h)
thinks (i)
tells "
"
"
"
"
Sir
WILLIAM HAMILTON
was intended
to
defcribes an inftrument found in the ruins of Pompeii, which he
produce a fpirited Clangor Tubarum.
ROBERTSON.
Inquiry into the Fine Arts. v.
an humorous ftory of a Scotch Piper, which refleds
As a Scotch Bagpiper was hunger-ftarv d
Iriili
wolf.
Arch. v. 4.
The
i.
little
161.
honor on the mufic of
he traverfing the moutains of Ulfter, In this diftrefs, the poor
p.
learned author of the Divine Legation his
inflruwent.
was one evening encountered by
man could
a
think of nothing better than to
and the favage fwallowed all that open was thrown him with fo improving a voracity, as if his apetite was but juft coming to him. The his only recourfe was to whole flock of provifion, you may be fiire, was foon fpent, and his wallet,
and
his hofpitality try the effefts of
:
he did
fo,
now>
"
tie.
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
78
ufed the Bagpipe to roufe their courage to
and
fecure,
them when
to alarm
battle,
to which purpofes, mufic of the Irifh Kerns, in the
them when
to colled
fcattered (k)
;
they taught the Irifh to apply it. The which, as Aulus Gellius reign of Edward the Third, was the Bagpipe, informs us, was alfo that of the Lacedemonians
(1).
the Bagpipe was the folace of the Scotch Chieftain (m), and
Though
education in a College though the Scotch Piper received his mufical of Pipers (n), yet this inftrument never received any confiderable for the Irifh to It was referved from the Scots.
improvements it from the mouth
take
and to give
(o),
its
it
prefent complicated
form "
"
"
the virtue of the Bagpipe the
fame
precipitation
;
which the monfter no fooner heard, than he took
that he
The poor
had come down.
Piper could not fo perfectly enjoy his
deliverance, but that, with an angry look at parting, he {hook his head, and faid,
"
your
Had I known jour
?
tricks
PENNANT
regiment
On
his trial
that
S
Tour
in the rebellion
in
Scot.
v.
i.
in his defence,
York on
the I5th of
(1)
SMITH
S
Hift. of Cork.
are thefe,
!
Scots v. 2.
as
occajion.
Reflefl.
Piper to a rebel as a rebel.
November, 1746, But the Court obferved,
that he had not carried arms.
a Highland regiment never marched without a Piper , and therefore
law, was an inftrument of war,
feIo.
CAMDEN
He i.
S
Irifii,
Brit.
p.
held the Bachla at
among
the Welch"-^-and,
I
may
add,
among
the
Iriili,
fongs of our Bards are replete with the praifes of the
1043. fealis,
BACGHAL, BACHLAMHAL fo. ed.
as
of 1695, and Def.
was cuftomary
in
Wales.
this
or
Cup Bearer, was an ofTamar Hall in Called. Vide
EVANS
S
Sfec. of
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
86
the Danifh hunters do their beverage at this day their s in the time of Chaucer
Janus
And In order to
make
fit
by the
fire
y
and the Englifh did
with double berde,
drinketh of his bugle horn the wine
thefe
(1).
inftruments retentive of liquor,
a lid
muft
have been fattened by an hinge to the embouchere^ to open and clofe at Mr. Pennant defcribes one of thofe ox-horn-cups, (as he pleafure. terms
which he faw
it,)
When
at
Dunvegan
(m).
the Bugle-horn ceafed to be ufed in the armies of the Irilh
and the other European powers, it was either flung, as an ornament, at the fide of domeftics, or employed at hunting matches, to call toge ther a fcattered pack of hounds. While Ariofto s Angelica is cheering the vanquilhed Sacripant, the attendant of Bradamant appears with a crooked horn at his fide.
Mentre coftei conforta il Saracino Ecco col corno e con la tafca al fianco ;
Galoppando venir fopra un ronzino
Un In Shakefpear tell
renzo,
with
(J)
we
s
MefTaggier, che parea afHitto e ftanco (n).
MERCHANT OF VENICE,
him
his horn full
(i. e.
of good news
Frank. Tale, v. 2809.
find
Lorenzo) ther
him bequeathing
(o)"
s
blind Lancelot fays to
a poft
The
come from my
elegant author of
In the will of Prince ^Ethelftan, the eldeft fon of
his
Lo
matter, "
THE
King Etheldrcd
drinking horn, along with his martial accoutrements.
See
II.
GROSE
S
Treat, an anc. Jirmour.
(m)
Tour in
Scot.
v. 2.
p.
296.
See alfo Dr.
JOHNSON
S
Journey
to the
Wejlern IJlands.
p. 108.
Dub. ed. (n)
Orl. Fttriofo. Canto,
(o)
Aft
5.
S,
i.
i.
HERMIT
HERMIT OF
THE IRISH
B A R D
WARK WORTH"
is
&c.
87
remarkably faithful to the man Henry in an hunter s garb, and gives
(who
ners of the times) difguifes his
him
S,
a horn
The youth was clad in foreft green With bugle horn fo bright (p). In Ireland fome few centuries fince, Cuthcaire and Cracoire no Cornaire
(huntfmen and horn-blowers) were united characters In the Gothic Romances,
we
(q).
fometimes find the Bugle-horn break
Sometimes we difcover it ing an enchantment with a fingle blaft (r). hanging over the entrance of caftles, on the blowing of which, by an hafty courier or a wandering Knight, the porter appears on the battle errand and the nature ments, and enquires, whence the ftranger >his
of his bufinefs.
He
hies him inftant to the gate, And, as the horn did found, Lord Gal van s porters us d their fpeed,
And
inftant gather
d round.
Soon to the courteous queflion they An anfwer courteous gave, &c. (s).
May we
was fometimes fuffuppofe that the Bugle-horn the entrances of thofe ftately caftles which are now
not
pended over
(p)
Fit the Firft.
(q)
Collefl.
(r)
Farie Queen. B.
Jt rebus Hil. No. i.
12. p.
533.
ch. 8.
the Rev. Mr. (s) Ed-wy and Edilda, a beautiful Gothic tale, by See alfo DOUGLAS Poem of King Hart. C. i. St. 33.
WHALLEY,
of Briftol.
Part. 2.
"
nodding
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
SS Ci
to
nodding
their
in
fall"
many
parts of this
kingdom? For
the
fidions of romantic chivalry, have for their bafis, the real manners of and fuch times undoubtedly there were in the feudal times (t), Ireland.
The DUDAG, Vallancey fuppofes from its name, Was a very fhrill the Trumpet of brafs, dud fignifying the tingling of the ear, whence the noife of Horns and Trumpets (n). poetical compound dudatreachd, called Perhaps the Dudag was a fpecies of Clarion or odave Trumpet, is all very by the Latins, Lituus, and ufed by the cavalry (w). This But the want of a reprefentation of this inftrument, leaves fpecious.
wide room a
Now, O
for conjecture.
Trumpet, or Horn Pipe
the Pibgorn, or
Brien tranflates the word Dudag, then not fuppofe it to have been
Why
(x).
ufed in the ifland of Pipe, once fo generally
Horn
?
Anglefey (y)
GALL-TROMPA
the foreigners
implies
Trumpet, probably the
fhould properly, therefore, be placed in a which We had later period in this work ; as fhould alfo the either from the Englifh, or from the Holy Land, by means of fome of
Englifh
Trumpet
It
(z).
DRUM,
Quixote-like adventurers, who turned their arms againfl the was an Oriental invention ; Pagans. The Drum, according to le Clerc, a circumftance which feems to make for the latter conjedure.
our
(r)
Europ. (u)
Vide Seft.
Left, on Chival.
Colha.
tie
rebus
(w)
BURNEY
(x)
Iri/h Difl.
(y)
Vide BAR RI
Hit.
S //(/?.
Colic 8.
d
No
.
R.OBE RT so N
S
Hift. of
Char. yh.
View cf
the State of
13.
of Mu/ic. v.
NOT o N
Relics of the Welch, p. 4 (z)
and Romance.
i.
S
Memoir
i.
p.
on the
518.
CKWTH
Crtuth in Arch.
v. 3.
JONE s
Muf. znd Poet.
1 .
rebus Hib.
No.
13.
The
THE The CIBBUAL
R
I
S
I
H
BARD
S,
&c.
89
CORABAS, was compofed of feveral fmail plates of brafs, or fhingles of wood, faftened with a thong, that was held in one hand, and ftruck on the palm of the other now vulgarly or
;
a
called
Clapper or Rattle.
Syftra of the Egyptians,
the
"
named
This
(fays Vallancey)
was the ancient
in
Scripture menahnabim, agreeable to idiom, CignifymgtheJhakittg-Jbafa ng mRruments, tranflated
Hebrew
This inftrument, among others, was by LXX xi/XxAa, Cymbals founded by order of David, before the ark of the Lord, when he fetched it from Keriath Jearim And David, and all the houfe of (a)."
"
:
played before the Lord,
Ifrael,
y.i all
manner of inftruments made of
even on Harps, and on Pfalteries, and on Timbrels, and on Cornets, and on Cymbals (b)." The Cibbual was ufed by the Irifh
fir-wood,
in their choruffes, fions; as
at feftivals, at
was the bafe inftrument
CORN AN anan a bafe
CRONAN,
or
They had
(c).
a
funerals,
and on other public occa-
called,
word formed of
cor
mufic, and an or
alfo another inftrument of a fimilar
na
ture named,
IACHDAR-CHANNUS, (a)
Colka. de rebus Hib.
(b)
Sam.
facrifices
;
2. ch. 6.
(SANDYS
by the
v. i.)
Travailes. p. 186. Farad. Loft. b.
(c)
alfo fo to
named. laft
to
drown
the cries of
(BARON DE TOTT
human S
Mem.
No.
1
3.
v.
At
7. p. this
!
facrifices
were offered
in
this
kingdom, during the
91. and 317.
day, a tune
hummed
in
a low key,
is
called a Cronan
and the monotonous purr murmurred by a cat, while watching for her prey, The Iriih Cronan feems to anfwer to the Englilli Drumble. Vide MALONE S
parts of Ireland
is
Supple,
Vide Archxobg.
Colled, de rebus Hib.
many
Hebrews
by the Turks,
(Bo RL A SB S Hijt. of the Druids] and, I fear I muft add (and I write it Both Lady MOIRA and Mr. LEDWICH Druids, for a fimilar purpofe
Druidic hierarchy.
in
the
i.)
Britifh Druid?,
!) by the Irifh be decidedly of opinion, that human
to
Baflus.
13.
Cymbals were employed by
v. 5.
with horror
feem
No.
which was the Latin Cantus
:
Ed. of Shakefpear
s
Works.
V. Z-
p.
687.
N
The
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
90
The CORABASNAS
.
likewife,
was
a
inflrument of the
chorus
It confided of two circular plates of a complex form. of brafs, connected by a wire of the fame metal twitted in a wormlike manner, which jingled round the ftianks, when the plates were
ancient
Irifh,
of keeping upon by the ringers. It was ufed for the purpofe The word Corabafnas is compounded of cor mufic, b&fnas of i. e. an inftrument exact, keeping time, and nafc a ring, a circle,
ftruck time. 6es,
wherewith
.
to
mark the time
When ORGANS firft
in
mufic
(d).
this country, we have not learned friend thinks they were introduced
found their way into
been able to difcover.
A
foon after their invention.
They were
certainly in general ufe
in
and 8th centuries, about which time the Italy had frequent intercourfe. Religious of Ireland and of thofe countries, Yet we find no mention of an Organ in our Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, till the year 1641 i at that time, indeed, we are informed, there was an and France,
in the 7th
Organ and a Choir in the Friary of Multifernan, in the county of Weftmeath (e). According to Maitland, Organs were hardly known in Scotland before the reign of James I. who introduced them into the churches of that
It
is
kingdom
(f).
not recorded that the Flute was
known
to the ancient Irifh,
though an inflrument, with the model of which we are prefented in Yet it is highly probable, that this inftrument, the fhepherd s reed. or one of the fame nature, was in ufe amongft them. For in no na-
Ibid.
(d)
Six of thofe inftruments
the feat of the Right
Mufeum
were found (1781,)
Hon. Mr. Conyngham
j
in
digging up part of the Park of Slane,
one of them (reprefented
in the
Trophy)
is
in the
of Trinity College, Dublin.
ARCHDALL
(e)
Vide
(f)
Hift. of Scot.
S
Mwafl. Hib.
p.
737.
tion
THE IRISH BARD tion did mufic
how
could
on the
fway the
more
paflions
&c.
S,
that placid fucceffion of lengthened tones,
and infmuate themfelves
fenfe,
9
defpotically, than in this
into
our inmoft
:
and
which fwell feelings
(g),"
be
produced, but by means of the human voice, or fuch an inftrument ? This could not have been wholly effected by the Harp, the Horn, or the Bagpipe. Befides, the was always a favou
TABOUR
inftrument amongft the Irifh, of which the Flute, or an inftrument of the fame fpecies, has ever been the affociate. Perhaps then the rite
Irifh
READAN, FIDEOG
rather
which
Recorders,
LONLO1NGEAN
or
are
more fimple
ftill
were Flutes
in
(h), or
the conftruclion,
We
but extremely foft and fweet (i). find Hamlet calling Recorder, and thus encouraging Guildenftern to play on it
for "
:
;
"
"
a
Tis
Govern thefe ventages with your fingers breath with your mouth, and it will difcourfe moft eloquent mufic (k)." As Shakefpear was a religious obferver
as eafy (fays he) as lying.
and thumb, give
it
of coftume, it may be conjectured from the foregoing quotation, that And as the Danes remained the Recorder was a Danifh inftrument. awhile in
this country,
we may
infer
from thence, that they intro is unnoticed (at leaft
duced the Recorder here, though that inftrument under that name) by our hiftorians, and though amongft It
is
however more probable,
(g)
WEBB
now
in ufe
on Poetry and Mufic.
p.
16.
to
We
Dub.
them the
BLAOSG,
or
Concha
are inclined to think, that
the
ed.
VALLANCEY. "
(i)
not
that the Irifh had the Recorder from
the Danes, than that they owed Marina, as has been advanced.
(h)
it is
us.
Flutes
and
foft
Recorders."
MILTON. (k)
Hamltt.
Aft.
3.
N
2
Concha
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF as well as the Bagpipe, came to Ireland from the bleak regions of Scotland, where the Romans might have left it in
Concha Marina, fome of
their
hoftile
The
vifits (1).
Buccina, which,
according
to
Cafaubon, was the fhell of the Murex, was certainly one of the martial inftruments of the Romans for many ages (m) and as Virgil gives this ;
inftrumentto
his Triton,
to the Italian feas or in
our
j
not unlikely that the it is
indubitably
Now
feas.
it is
Murex was
peculiar
never found either in the Northern,
our Concha Marina, and that of the Scots, anfwer made of the fame
and appear to be exactly to the form of the Buccina, kind of
fhell.
Both
and in Ireland, Mead was formerly ferv-
in Scotland
hence, probably, the frequent and the feaft of Shells the Erfe and Irifh poems, of the Hall of Shells." This cuftom is not yet entirely exploded in Scot When Mr. Bofwell and Dr. Johnfon were at Mr. land. Sweyn s,
round
at
in this inftrument
feafts,
:
"
"
epithets in "
M
whifkey was ferved round in a Some of thofe Blaofgs ftill remain in Ireland one of them {hell (n). feen in the hand of a exaclly refembling a Triton s ihell (o), was lately
in the Ifle of Col, in the year 1773,
:
If Virgil does not exaggerate Waterford. peafant in the county of too much, the found of this inftrument muft be terrific :
ccerula Concha
Exterrens
freta.
^n.
10.
1.
209.
Frowning he fcems his crooked fiell to found, And, at the blaft, the billows dance around.
DRYDEN. (1)
Mr.
after the
BARE TT
i
makes
manner of Dante
;
Stewards.
Mr EDGEWORTH, This Advertifement naturally awakened
was a
revival of an ancient one
able event.
But
my
;
my
curiofity.
then, I concluded that
curiofity at length inciting
me
it
At
firft, I
thought that
was intended
to
to write, for information
of Granard, ingenious gentlemen in the neighbourhood
I
this
mufical conteft
commemorate fome remark on the
fubjeft, to
two
received from them ample fatisfaction.
Mr.
THE IRISH BARDS, While
treating of the mufic of the ancient
SUPERNATURAL SOUNDS,
the
were
heard
often
fo
&c.
Irifh,
not forget
Poets
inform us,
their
which,
99
we muft
Thefe founds were emitted
amongft them.
in plaintive cries or loud fhrieks, by Spirits conjured up by fuperftition, in the darknefs of Paganifm. Sometimes thofe Spirits were heard foftly fighing along vallies fometimes roaring through
either
;
Now
they were feen in the fancied forms of departed Bards or fallen Heroes, failing on clouds j at another time, they were obforefts
:
ferved, riding on tempefts.
from natural
But
as thefe airy Beings were generated only confult for fatisfadion on this SEASONS, whofe eye not only glanced from
we need
caufes,
THE
head, the Author of
Earth to Heaven, but penetrated into the inmoft
Along the woods, along the moorifh
reccfles
fens,
Sighs the fad Genius of the coming ftorm And up among the loofe disjointed cliffs,
And And
fical
;
fraftur d mountains wild, the brawling brook cave prefageful, fend a hollow moan,
Refounding long
To
of Nature.
in liftening
a mind weak from ignorance, and
and melancholy found,
Fancy filled
s
ear (n).
with
idle tales, this
fo like the fwell of an
mu-
^Eolian Harp,
Mr. Dungan, a native of Granard, fettled in Denmark ibme years ago, where he realized a large which he determined to employ, annually, in charities to the country which gave him
fortune, part of birth, or
in
fome other way
that
might contribute to
its
welfare.
About two years
fince,
he
an Engli/h paper, an account of a prize having been offered in Scotland to the bed He was pleafed with the idea, and immediately wrote to a friend Player on the Highland Bagpipe. him to offer the prizes fpecified in the above Advertifement, to the bed in obferved
in
Ireland,
empowering
Performer on the large and (ri)
brilliant
Irifti
j
Harp.
The
conteft
was held
at the appointed
time.
The company was
but the performers were only mediacres, and the mufic common, and
ill
felefted.
Winter,
O
2
might
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
ico
might feem to be the voice of a Spirit, to which the creative ima gination would foon give a form (o). Spirits of a lefs gentle nature, were likewife often fuppofed to be heard, when
round the rocking dome, For entrance eager, howls the favage blaft, Then too, they fay, thro all the burthen d
Long groans
are heard, Jhrill founds
and
air,
diftant Jigbs,
That, utter d by the Demon of the night, Warn the devoted wretch of woe and death,
On
the deceafe of an Hera,
mournful founds
it
This
was
faid, the
Harps of
(p.).
his
Bards emitted
for the
Bards, while forrowing for their Patron, ufually fufpcnded to trees their negleded Harps, from whofe loofened firings, the patting gales might brafh foft (q).
plaintive tones.
very probable
Here we have the
which
vifible Being,
is
alledged to be
;
origin of the
BENSHI, an
in-
heard in this country, and in the Highlands of Scotland, crying moft piteoufly, on the death of the Defcendant of an ancient Houfe (r).
(o)
SANDYS
Sirens took
its
of the billows
his Notes on OvitPs Metam.) tells us, from Archippus, that the fable of the from the delightful harmony caufed by the finging of the winds and the beating
in a certain
Winter.
(q)
OVJD
ftill
(Vide
rife
(p)
is
feigns that
Bay.
the
Harp of Orpheus, after he had been it floated down the Hebrus :
torn to pieces by the female
Bacchanals, founded mournfully as
A
doleful tune founds
from the
floating lyre.
GARTH * OoW. (r)
PENNANT
S
Tour in
Sett. v. i.
p.
vol.
2. p.
162*
186.
VI.
BUT
THE IRISH BARDS,
&c.
BUT
VI.
101
to refume the thread of our little From the Hiftory death of that great Monarch Brien Boiromh to the invafion of the Englifli, the page of Irifh hiftory is defiled with domeftic blood. The dogs of war were let flip in every part of the kingdom. Chieftains re belled againft their Princes, or quarrelled amongft themfelves ; and hoftilities were carried on with The favage ferocity on both fides. :
Sun of Science again withdrew
his beams, the darknefs of ignorance over the face of the country, and the people once more relapfed into barbarifm. During this period, the pious intention of refcuing Jerufalem from the hands of the Infidels, was conceived in
fpread
itfelf
The Irifh not lefs fuperftitious, nor lefs adventurous than the other European nations, crofled for this wild expedition feveral of their Princes and Chieftains, who failed for the Land at
Chriftendom.
Holy
We
the head of their fubjedls and vafTals (s). find TafTo enume rating them with the forces of Goffredo, but in a manner not very flattering to
their country
:
Quefti de
1
La
alte felve irfuti
divifa dal
mondo
manda
ultima Irlanda
(t).
Yet Fuller fpeaks doubtfully of the Irifh having been concerned in the War but endeavours, at the fame time, to do away his doubts, by an inference very honourable to the mufic of Ireland Yea,
Holy
;
"
:
we may
"
(fays he) "
"
in this
well think, that
all
the concert of Chriftendom
Warre could have made no muiick,
been wanting
(s)
CARTE
(r)
Geru. Lib. Canto,
(u)
Hift. of the
S
if
the Irijh
Harp had
(u)".
Hifi. of
Ing. vol.
i.
i.
K/j Warre.
B. 5. ch. 23.
Amidft
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
io2
Amidft
this
were drowned.
voices of poetry and mufic clang of arms, the fwect The fhrill tones of the Corna, alone, were heard, to
reverberate from
hill to
hill,
and from rock
to rock,
through every
However, the Mufes were courted in fecret. part of the kingdom. The votaries of mufic, in particular, were affiduoufly attentive to this attention, fhe fometimes ventured to warble Soothed her. by
Thus, though fhe made no refponfive to her Harp. her voice and hand retained their fkill (w). proficiency in her art, This is evinced by the ftate of mufic in Ireland, when Giraldus
foft
ftrains,
Cambrenfis vifited
it
in the train of
Henry
II.
He
fpeaks with rap
and fcruples not to His words are too re
ture of the inftrumental mufic of this country, prefer
it
to that of
invenio
"
**
quam
iftius
all
other nations around.
omitted
markable to be
gentis
"
:
In muficis inftrumentis, commendabilem in quibus, prae omni natione ;
diligentiam
vidimus, incomparabiliter
eft
inftruda.
Non enim
in
his,
fumus) inftrumentis, tarda & verum velox et praeceps, fuavis tamen et morofa eft modulatio tam praecipiti digitorum jucunda fonoritas. Mirum, quod in tanta ficut in
"
"
Britannicis (quibus
afifueti
;
"
mufica fervatur proportio,
"
rapacitate,
inter crifpatos modulos,
"
tam
"
velocitate, "
"
cc
difpari
et
arte
organaque multipliciter paritate,
tam
difcordi
per omnia indemni, intricata, tam fuavi concordia,
confona
redditur et completur melodia, feu DiatefTeron, feu Diapente chordae in idem redeunt, concrepent, femper tamen ab molli incipiunt, et Tam ut cunda fub jucundse fonoritatis dulcedine compleantur. et exeunt ficque fub obtufo groffioris degracilium tinnitus licentius ludunt, latentixis ledant, laffiviufque demulcent, ut pars artis maxima videatur^ artem fubtiliter
modulos intrant
:
chordae fonitu,
(w)
Brompton
in
the reign of Hen.
II.
fays, that the Iriih
Harpers taught
in fecret,
and com
mitted their leflons to memory. "
velare,
THE IRISH BARDS, "
;
all
;
;
It
It
It
"
*
"
"
"
"
"
"
103
attention of this people to mufical inftruments
worthy of commendation ; in which their fkill is, beyond comparifon, fuperior to that of any nation I have feen For in :
thefe, the
modulation
of Britain, to which and precipitate, yet
wonderful U
&c.
I find
:
"
The
velare (x).
fical
out,
how
not flow and folemn, as in the inftruments
is
we
are accuftomed
at the
but the founds are rapid
It pleafing. in fuch precipitate rapidity of the fingers, the
is
mu
proportions are preferved
the midft of
in
;
fame time, fweet and
j
their
and by
their art, faultlefs through
complicated
modulations,
and moft
arrangement of notes, by a rapidity fo fweet, a regularity fo irregular, a concord fo difcordant, the melody is rendered harintricate
monious and
perfect,
whether the chords of the Diatefieron or
Diapente are ftruck together, yet they always begin in a
and end
in the fame, that all
may be
foft
mood,
perfecled in the fweetnefs of
They enter on, and again leave their modulamuch fubtilty, and the tinglings of the fmall firings fport with fo much freedom under the deep notes of the bafe, delight with fo much delicacy, and footh fo foftly, that the excellence delicious founds.
tions with fo.
of their
art
feems to
But fuch was the
lie
in concealing
it."
celebrity of the Irifh mufic in the century preceding
the arrival of Cambrenfis, that the
Welch Bards condefcended
ceive inftru&ions in their mufical art, from thofe of Ireland.
to re
Gruf-
fydhap Conan, King of North Wales, when he determined to regulate and reform the Welch Bards, brought over with him from Ireland
many "
4C
Irifh
Bards for
"
this purpofe.
Gruffydh ap Conan, fays Powel,
brought over with him from Ireland divers cunning muficians into Wales, whoj (he boldly afferts) devifed in a manner all the inftru-
(x)
Tefwg. Hit. diftinel. 3.
c.
n. "
mental
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
104
mental mufic that
"
now
is
there ufed
as
:
the apneareth, as well by
bookes written of the fame, as alfo by the names of the tunes and This affertion of meafures ufed among them to this daie (y
"
"
.."
Their Powell receives fupport from the learned and amiable Selden came mufique (fays he, fpeaking of the Welch) for the moft part (C out of Ireland with Gruffydh ap Conan, Prince of North Wales, "
:
"
ct
about King Stephen
The
Irifh
s
time
(z)."
Bards had not been long in Wales,
an opportunity of difplaying their
was made
when
there occurred
At Chriftmas,
fkill.
in the year
of Cardigan by Rhys ap Gruffydh, to which all the Poets, or Bards of Wales, were invited. Here poetical contefts were held, in which the Bards of North Wales 1176, a great
feaft
(amongft
whom
eminent)
won
It
was
it
is
in the Caftle
natural to fuppofe our
countrymen were pre
the prizes (a).
in a
Congrefs of Matters of Mufic, held by Gruffydh ap
the reformation of abufes amongft the Welch Minflrels, that the Welch tunes in the collection of the late Mr. Morres, of
Conan, the
for
Tower, (London), were
this
Congrefs
we may
fettled in their prefent notation (b). As conclude, confifted principally of the cunning
we may hence
Muficians brought over from Ireland into Wales,
the notation of the mufic then fettled, was afforded cians, they time,
having been already faid
all the
to
have devifed in a manner at
injlrumental mufic of the Welch.
have arrived gradually, even to the rude
191. edit.
(y)
HiJltfCatob.
(z)
Notes on
DRAYT.
(a)
WYNNE
S
(b)
Bu RNEY
p.
Palyolb.
Hi/f. of Wales,
S Hiji.
of Mufic.
infer, that
by thofe Mufi-
As
this
fiate in
this
notation muft
which we
find
it,
1584.
Song.
p.
LYTTIETON
200.
v.
2.
S
Hijl.
of Hen.
II.
p.
and
THE IRISH BARDS, and
as the tunes
which
it
&c.
105
has been the means of preferving, are fet
in full harmony for the Harp (c), we may venture to affert, that the Irifh had been long in pofTeffion of mufical characters, and of a flight
knowledge of Counterpoint
;
for
both of which,
it
will appear
elfewhere, they were probably indebted to the Greeks (d).
But we are in poffeflion of an irrefragable proof of our claim to the notation of the Welfh tunes above-mentioned that is, a Pfalm tune ; in the fame notation, which we will here exhibit.
PIfilm
ii
in 31 1 s 3
v
dirt f
-
^N H *
i
i
v
M M j
>
/
)
77
5
J
-* j
^-,
This mufical curiofity was given to Mr. Beauford, (the kind commu nicator) by a Popifh Prieft, who took it from a MS. perhaps a MifTal,
which had been
for
many
generations in one of the
families of the
Cavanaghs. Mr, Beauford accompanied this communication with the This is evidently fet for the Cruit (or Pfaltery, following remarks : "
"
ct
name
as the ters in
"
ages, (c)
(d)
The characimports), and appears to be a pfalm tune. it is written, are the Latin or Etrufcan of the middle
which
found
BUR KEY
S
at this
day on a number of fepulchral monuments in
Hift. of Muftc.
See Appendix. No.
v.
2.
II. "
Britain
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
io6
and were ufed in this ifland in the i6th from a variety of inscriptions on tombs, &c. The century, anmufical notation therefore before us, can probably claim no higher be a fpeand or i6th the centuries, than perhaps, might, ijth tiquity Nor doth cies of notation ufed by fome Monk in his private hymns. and the WelSh notation given by Dr. Burney appear to be older neither of them are the aboriginal characters of the Bards." Perhaps
Britain and
<e
"
"
1C
"
"
"
Ireland
;
as appears
;
Mr. Beauford brings the ^Era of this notation a little too much ward ; yet Dr. Burney feems to favour this opinion. But we
mufical anti
leave this controversial point to the difcuifion of future quaries,
and
"
d purfue our purpos
THOUGH
VII.
for
will
theme."
the Englifh during the Middle Ages (the period to
which we have now brought down our enquiries) kept the natives in a ftate of abfolute anarchy, refufed them the privileges of fubjeds, and only left them the lands they could not fubdue yet did our mufic and poetry ftill flourish. So deeply rooted in the minds of the Iriih was the paffion for thofe arts, that even the iron hand of tyranny :
could not eradicate lofs
it
:
the defpondency, indeed, occafioned by the its ardour.
of their liberty, damped, in fome degree,
On fion
the revival of Literature in the iith century, after the conver-
Norman
of our
reftore things
eftablifhed
;
(e)
O CoicoR.
(f)
The
Duald Mac v.
Jail
former
Iriih
attempted, ineffectually, to Filean Colleges were re-
The
ftate.
but their endowments were not
pline ftrid (e) Charles II. (f).
of Eo -tius
enemies, the
their
to
however they
:
of thefe Schools was kept in
Mac Egan,
in
Firbit ftudied.
the reign
were
the
of Charles
Remarks on Ejfay
I.
liberal,
fupported
nor their difci-
till
the
reign
of
county of Tipperary, under the Profeflbrfliip
and
on the
it
was
in that
Ant. of the Jr.
Seminary that the celebrated
Langu, in CollcS
de
rebus
a-
The
THE IRISH BARDS, The
order of the Bards was
OLLAMH RE SEANACHAS
now and
107
divided into two
viz.
claffes,
OLLAMH RE DAN
OLLAMHAIN RE SEANACHAIDHE
The
&c
(g).
were Hiftorians and
Their office was confined to certain families and Antiquaries. ; they held their properties Of this clafs were by. hereditary right. Maul-
O
conry and
Mac
The former wrote a chronological Liag. with the Monarch Logaire A. D. 428, and
mencing 1014: the latter was author of the EIRON, which clofes with the abdication of year
The
OLLAMHAIN RE DAN (whom
we
Poem, com
ending in the
ANALA
CHOGAIBH
or
Donogh A. D. 1064 (hall in
(h).
future diftinguifh
by the fimple appellation of BARDS) were Panegyrifts or Rhapfodifts, in whom the characters of the Troubadour and Jougleur of Proven$e (i) feem to have been united. Each Chieftain entertained in his Caftle one of thefe Rhapfodifts, who, while he, his family and guefts were afM fembled in the great Hall, around the recited in groaning board verfe, to the accompaniment of his Harp, the praifes of his Patrons "
whom
Anceftors, or the compofitions of the ancient Bards from
he
was himfelf defcended.
many
(g)
of *
of
Homer s
Sometimes the fubjecls of his fongs, like narrations, were founded in hints taken from ex-
O CoNOR. STANIHURST
this period, (vide
HOLIN SHED
S
in
his
Defcriptioti
of Ireland compiled
Ch.onicle} fpeaks thus of our language
from feveral Authors
and Bards
"
:
The toong
ftiarpe and fententious, and offereth great occafion to quicke apophthegms and proper allufions. Wherefore their common jefters and rimers, whom they terme Bards, are faid to delight paffinglie thefe that conceive the But the true Irifh indeed differeth fo grace and propertie of the toong. is
"
"
"
much from
that they
or underftand
if.
commonlie fpeake, that fcarfe one
Therefore
it
is
preferved
Ire.
v.
2.
among
in
five
hundred can either read, write,
certeine of their
poets
and antiquaries.
"
p.
(h) (i)
12."
O HALLO RAM Vide Mrs.
S
HiJI. of
DOB SON
S
deleftable Hift. of the Troubadours.
P
2
travagant
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
io8
fometimes they were before his time travagant tales propagated long and often extemporaneous effufions of wit and founded in fads It was the mirth which from him flowed ,
:
humour,
abundantly
prevailed
adage
on the
latter
(k).
occafion, that
to this
rife
gave
well-known
:
In
Hall
the
Beards
wag
all.
fome
deemed
facred, thefe Rhapfodifts, whofe perfbns were ftill Nobles in times indulged in fatire and invedive, they held the
As
awe (1) and gifts were occafionally beftowed on them mufe in good humour."
to
;
much
keep their
"
The influence we will illuftrate
:
of their rhymes too was aftonifhing. This pofition When the Earl of Kildare, while Lord Lieutenant
of Ireland, was fummoned by the King (Henry VIII.) to England, to anfwer certain charges brought a^inft him, he entrufted the AdmiA rumour, foon after the Earl s niftration to his Son, Lord Thomas. departure, being fpread,
Mr.
(k)
MA CP HERS ON "
not reaching us "
follies
it
:
The
reprehends
Grecian Bards at
accounts very plaufibly for the ludicrous competitions
ludicrous
is
local
are loft in length
feftivals
had been executed in the Tower,
that he
of
and temporary time."
were often extempore
The Bard
;
and
panegyric, turned libeller immediately
dm ck
he
V.-.
commanded .f
my
filence in the
prince the
moon
;
mo ft
us,
and
that the
if his
Irifh.
the
fong.
Bard,
if
b.
8.
he was not well paid for his
audience was not attentive to his mufic and poetry,
imperious manner.
as a prefent,
when
fongs of the
:
advancing, meditates the
fomewhere informs
The
Great Brit.
.
HOLING SHED
(1)
of the Bards
ceafes to pleafe,
fatire
Intro, to H,ft. of
A
Welfli Bard boafts that
he would certainly bellow
it
on
me."
"
fhould
EVANS
I
Spec.
of Wtlfli Poet.
and
THE IRISH BARDS, and
&c.
109
whole family were threatened with the royal vengeance, this raih young Man, by the advice of his affociates, determined on re venging the injuries of his family. While Cromer, who was both Primate and Chancellor, was pathetically to him the that his
reprefenting
weaknefs and iniquity of
intended enterprize, in a Council aflembled in St. Mary s Abbey, (Dublin), Nelan, a Bard who waited in his train, inftantly began to chant forth the praifes of Lord
rafhnefs,
his
Thomas, in his country rhymes extolling his greatnefs, chiding his delay, and calling upon him to take immediate revenge in the field for the The effufions of this ignorant and heated injuries of his family. ;
"
"
"
Rhapfodift (continue my Authors) had unhappily a greater influence than the fage Counfels of the Prelate, and the
young
"
Geraldine rufhed forth
But Nelan too.
s
at the
head of
his Irifh train
powers lay not merely in perfuafion
He prefumed
beftow on the
:
(m)."
he was a
jefter
to interrupt the Chancellor in his exhortation, to
young Nobleman the
appellation of Silken Tbomas> were embroidered with iilk (n). Perhaps the Irifh Bards in thofe days were privileged to jeft with their Patrons ; and occafionally aflumed, like the French and Englifh Minftrels, the At an early period, indeed, the CLEASAMHcharacter of Buffoon.
becaufe his domeftics
NAIGH
or Jefters,
liveries
muft have conflituted
a diftind clafs of the officers
belonging to the State in this Kingdom, for in the Hall of Tamar (o). place for them -
Several of the
exploits of
Poems
Fin and
his
Hift. of Irel.
attributed
by the Authors of the Modern Univ*Y\
(n)
HOLINGSHED.
(o)
Celled, de rsbus Hib.
No.
difcover a particular
to Oifin, in which the feigned fubordinate officers are celebrated, were the
productions of the Bards of this period,
(m)
we
few of them being more *
12. p. 529.
ancient
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
no
ancient than the
nth
or I2th centuries, as
may
eafily
be proved from
fome terms of language, unknown to the Iriih in the earlier times. Thefe poets, in general, gave to their Finian Heroes, a ftature and mufcular ftrength more than human. In this, however, they have been furpaffed by the Erfe Poets, who have made Fin the fon of cubits ! Many of thefe compofitions were Cumhal, a Giant of fifteen
intended for the amufement of the vulgar, (who delight in the mar at entertainments, weddings vellous) and were recited, or rather fung And on fuch weak foundations, fays the venerable and wakes (p).
O Conor,
TEMORA
and
they are, in
(q).
general,
that
in
fliort
Vide Tale of
Englifli Minftrcls.
by the
feveral other old Englifli Ballads
;
to be fung to the accompaniment of the Harp; meafure which was formerly fung to that instrument
Ode
on the
Grave of Arthur.
Sir Topas, Sir Eevis of Southampton,
of which, according
all
Of
to the Harp. they were compofed, in his
FIN GAL
Thefe poems were evidently calculated
(p)
for
has Mr. Macpherfon ereded his gorgeous Fabrics of
this
Many
meafure
of thefe too,
to
Guy of Warwick, and
^r. Warton, were fung, at the time
Doctor has given us a fpirited imitation
the
like the
old Engli/h Ballads juft mentioned,
Another proof that they were intended to be were of the nature of the Romance Perhaps the Irifh poems in queftion fung or recited in public. and his Squire, in the of Roncefvalles, which the peafant was fmging as he pafled Don Quixote Eftando los dos en eftas platicas vieron, que venia a paflar por donde eftavan of Tobofo.
an introductory addrefs begin with
to
an auditory
:
"
ftreets "
"
"
el ruydo que hazia el arado, que arraftrava por el fuelo, juzgaron atria madrugado antes del dia a yr a fu labranca, y affi fue que devia de fer labrador, que mala la huviftes Francefes en venia el labrador cantando aquel Romance, que dizen la verdad
uno con dos mulas, que por
:
:
"
effa
de
Rocnefvalles."
SHAKESPEAR Englifli.
p.
a. lib. 5. c. 9.
alludes to the cuftom of fmging to
In the Fir/I Part of Hen. IV.
Glen.
I
the
Owen Glendowcr
Harp
amongft the
:
can fpeak Englifh, lord, as well as you,
For
I
was
train
d up
in the
Englifli court
Where, being young, / framed
Many an (q)
at a very early period
thus addrefles Hotfpur
Englifh
ditty.
to
the
;
harp
Aft. 3. Se. i.
Lett, to the Author.
In
THE IRISH BARD In the LAOI
.
NA SEILGE,
alluded to above, tranfcribe to
;
ferve as
fictions
there
is
S,
m
&c.
one of the moft celebrated of the poems which we will here
a beautiful epifode
not only for the gratification of the Irifh reader, but alfo a fpecimen of the metre, di&ion, and prevailing poetical
of thefe ages.
Frivolous as
fuch Reliques of ancient poetry may appear to the faftidious antiquary, it is by means of them, alone, that we can trace the rife and progrefs of national poetry or illuftrate the hiftory of the human mind. ,.
The POEM
opens with an exclamatory interrogation from Oifin to concerning a Chace performed by Fin, unaccompanied by any of the Fenii. The Saint declares he never heard of this chace, and requefts that Oifin will narrate the particulars of it. Oifin wanders from St. Patrick,
the fubjecl, to dilate on the bravery of the Fenii, the poetic powers of Fergus, and the prowefs and munificence of Fin. A kind of reli gious controverfy then enfues. in which the venerable Bard fpeaks ra
At
ther too irreverently of the Deity. to
commence
his tale,
and he proceeds
APHADRUIG Dhamh
length
da
Patrick urges
manner
him
:
gidh adbbhur caol
bbeith riomh ancachtatbh
Auhreofad,
St,
in the following
ard ;
taolm fo bhron,
donnas arinneadh
leo
an
tfealg.
La
ii2
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF La da Ar
ralbh Finn Flaith,
an ffalcV an Alnihaln utrt
Co ffacaldh
An
chuige fo ro,
Ellld og, ar aleim luth.
Glaodhas air Sgeolan agus air Bran.,
Sdo
Can
leig
Gur
lean
Nt ralbh
A Ar
lorg
san
fa Toir an
leis
dha
Go
Ar
fead orra araon
fhlos do chach
;
61,
Eilid mhaol.
ach
chain, agus e fein ;
na h Eilide go dian,
Sliabh Guilinn na rlan reidh.
n dol don Elid an fa
/
Sliabh,
{Finn na diaigh fa dha chain, )
Nir ffios
do
da
Do ghabh an Do gabh
folr no fiar,
Fia an fa chnoc,
Finn fair fan
Sa dha
chain fiar,
/
Sa Phadruig na r Vole
Mar
hug an
Chualaigh Finn,
triar
Sliabh
ar luth le
;
Dia,
a dha
ccul !
Snior chian uadh y
Gul ar bhruach Locha Sheimh
;
San do bhi ann macaoimh mna
Bo fearr
call
da ffacaidh
fe.
Do
THE IRISH BARDS, Do
Agus a Beol ar dhath na ccaor
Do
bhi acnels
Sa
Ar
leaca
mar am
;
blatb
do bhi a Folt,
oir
realt aeir
Sa Phadruig da
Do
113
bhdn mar an Aol.
dhatb an
Mar
&c.
mar an R6s,
bhi agruaidh
arofg do bhi;
a dreach
ffeiceadb
bhearfa do Shearc don rnhnaoi !
Druideas Fin aigiarradh
Sgeil,
Air mhnaoi Sheimh na ccuach n
oir ;
dubhairt, a Rioguin na ngruaidgh ngil,
Is
An An
do Jheilg ni ni
Is
A
bhfaca tu mo chain fa
l
mo
tolr ?
fpeis,
fhacaidh me do dha choin
;
Ri na Feine gan Tar,
As meafa
An
ghoil.
bhean bhlaith, no do mhac
No da
?
he an neach fa bhfuil do chaoi ?
Ainnir mhfn as
No
fath mo
do cheile fuair bas,
e
A
learn
cadas
fa
aille
dreach.
bhuil do bhron ?
Ainnir og na mbos min,
No an
feidlr ffurtacht
As dubhach
(ar Finn}
Horn thu bheith
mar
chim.
Fail
ii
4
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF Fail oir do bbi fo
Do Do
mo
gblaic,
raidh ainnir na mbos reidb
;
,
uaim an fa tfreabh,
thuit
Sin adhbbar mo bheith abpein.
As
geafa nar
fh idling Laoch fa a Ri na
Cbiiirim do cheann
Mar Do
m fainne
dtugair huit
Cur na
caoin
heas na fruth
le
ngeas ni
,
6
n dian.
cbneis chaoimh
bruach an Locha Jhndmh
Le furall mna na mbos
Do
Ffian ;
ais
/hulling Finn,
Tra bhain Eadach da
Go ndeacha
ar
;
;
reidh.
chuartaigh an Loch fo chuig,
Snior /haig ann cluld no cearn,
bh/uair an fainne caoin ar ais,
Go
Do
huit o Rioguin
na ngruaidb ndearg.
fuair Fin an Fainne caoin,
Ni
An
rainig
Do Ri
Do
athabhairt go
no,
bhian ge taoim truagb.
bhimairne Fiana Finn,
An Ag
leis
tra do rinneadh Seanoir Hath,
Almhain Jhlim, na Jluagh feimh,
imirt ar eunlaigh, ag
A
cloi/iean ceoil,
61,
fo bronnadh fead ! Eirghios
THE IRISH BARDS, Eirgbios Caoilte
As
An
diafraigh
&c.
ameafg chdicb,
drd do gacb Fear,
os
bhfaca ftbh mac-Cubhail fbeil ?
Abhuidhean feimh na Jleagb feang.
Detrghe Conan-mac-Morna, Sni chuala riamb
Ma
ceol dob* aoibbne,
ata Finn ar iarraidgb,
Go
Mac
raibh ambliadbna a chaoilte.
Cubhaill,
ma
theajiaigb
Abbaoilte chruaidb na ccos ccaoil;
Gabbaim cbugam do laimb, Os ceann cbaich abheith mo Ri.
Do
bbimalrne an Fhian fa bhr6n,
Fa cheann ar Jioigh do
bheitb da r n ditb
;
No gur mhaoith oruinn gion ghdir, As dhuinne Vadhbhar bheith a caol.
Gluai/lear linn as Almbain amacb,
Buidhean cbalma na ccatb critadb
;
Andeigb adbd chain agus Finn, Triur grinn
le
am
bearthaidhe buadh. *
Bhi mlfe
is
Caoilte air ttuis,
San Fbian
idle
Go JJiabb Guilinn
Mar
go dlutb o
nar ndall
;
huaigb,
a rugamar buadb ar cbdcb.
n
2
Ambarc
ii
6
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF Amharc
beg da
dugamar uainn,
Andelgh na tuag, cead chi an Fhian,
Ar
bhruach an Locha fa bhron,
Acb
Seanoir
Do chuadhmar Is
nile
e crien?
na dhall,
chuireadh fe grain ar gach fear
Cnamha loma
Ar
M6r, agus
air ceileamh gnaol agus gean,
Do mhearfamarne gur dith Do thug ar an Laoch a No gur an
Bt, bheith
gan chruth
iafgalre do bhi fe,
Thairiig accein
an fa ? Smith.
Fiafralghim do nfhear chrion fgeul,
An Is
j
do bki crion,
bhfaca tu laecb an-ghoil,
iad ro tmhe ar Eilid
og-,
is
feoil,
dim
chain ?
Nior raidh Finn ar bhagbail na fgeul,
Gurab
No gur
e fern
lelg le
An fear
Ri na
e
\
ar luth fdo bhi dian.
Tra d aithnamairne, an Gurab
Ffian
Caoilte arun,
fin,
Finn feln do bhi ann,
Do kigeamar tri gdrtha go bruid, Do chuiread Buic as gach gleann.
;
THE IRISH BARDS,
&c.
117
Dcirghe Conan maol go garg y Sdo nocht acholg go dian,
Do
mhallaigh fe go bcacht
Da
mbeltb fhios
Do Os
tu
Mo
y
d Fhlnn
mballaigh fo feacht don Fheln.
Is
agam gur
lu Finn,
bhaimfinn an fean chknn Hath Jin diof,
nar mboidh
no riamb,
anois,
ghoil ariamh, no
mo ghniomh*
Se mo aon-locbt air do chruith,
Can an Fhian wle Go n
do bheith martair
deargain orra mo gbaltb
is
Sgo ttigidb Horn bbur leactht
Eirghios
Ofcar, fear fa
;
mo Lann,
is
bhur
la.
1eann>
Sgnir dod cbaint ni fa mo,
A
Chonain mhaoil ata gan
Nach rug
Mar am As gur
A
cbeill,
beim anagbaidh gleoidh.
bladb okas ata Finn ditbbach Horn e bheith
Chonain mhaoil ata gan
mur
taoi
5
cheill,
Bhrisfinn do bheal go di an frnaois,
Js
ii8
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF As
beag mo fpeis an do ghlbr,
Amhic
Oi/in,
ba mor baois
;
Snacb rajbh do neart an Fhionn fein,
Ach acagnomh amheir
O
go di an S?naois.
n la far torchradh Cubhall na cellar, Sgiath n oir
Le Mac-Moirne na
Ta fibh
o
fholn aig ar
Sa Maircan d inne
rfdibirt ni
;
;
da bhur
n
deoin.
As fmne fcln do niodh an gniomb,
As
ni fibhfe clanna
Baoifgne bog
;
Beidh do mhac Oiftn ad dhiaigh,
Ag
iomchar leabhar ban agus
Ach fguirmuid dar
O
"
Is
nglor fann,
nach caint do dhearbhas ach gniomb
feach am
anois
a
ffioch.
thug Ofcar fitheadh prap, do theith Conan ameafg chahh
Is
Do
;"
lath air cbdich,
Neart ar lamb as ar
Do
clog.
j
ghlac Comairce ag an hhfein,
Fuafgailt do as pein bhais.
D eirghidear Do Idir
an Fhian, go garg,
chofg Ofcair
nan arm
n aigh
;
mo mhac agus Conan Maol
Cur cheangladar fith
agus Pairt. Fiafraigheas
THE IRISH BARDS,
&c
.
jj
Fiafraigheas Caoilte an dara feacht,
Do
da
mhac-Cubhaill nar chleacht
tar,
haca do thuathaibh de
Abbeir do ghne ariocht mar ata
?
Gluilinn, do raidh Finn,
hghean
Geafa mo cheann gur chuir
si,
Dhol do Jhndmb ar an Loch iarraidh an fhainne do fgar
Ag Nar
thigeamaoid ne Jlan on ccnoc,
Do Go
raidh Conan nar bholc mein,
niocfaidh Guillin
Mar
a
D eirgbe ->
Go
ji.
mhoill,
an fhian anoir fa nidr,
rhuireamar ar fgiathe faoi go deas
;
Gulllnn o huaidh,
-:>h
Ar feadb No
gan
cculrfidh ft Fionn ina cbruth fein.
Go rugamar
A
le.
Fionn ar ghuailllbh fear.
chuig naoidhche, ar fcadb ccuig /,
tocbailt
an chnuic, gan
tlds
dar Jluagb,
go dtainig chugnmn, do pbreib,
Guilleann amach as an uairnh,
Cuach chearnach do bhi Se bhi
Do mhac Gur
i
Idn,
laimh Ghiillinn
coir,
Cubhaill na lann ngear,
thoirbhir si
an tofgar
oir.
Ar
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
120
Ar
dighe dbo as an cconi,
61
na luighe ar fhod go fann
e
Is
Cur jhas na Rigb na
Feine,
;
na gbne,
is
cbriitb,
fna rfeach feang.
(r)
Oifin concludes his relation with an acccount of the extravagant
joy of the
Fenii,
on
their
Fin
beholding
to
reftored
his
priftinc
form.
But It
is
prevail, to
return from this excurfion
to
obferved by the elegant Percy,
and Hiftory affumed a more
plain
fimple profe
more amufing than bufmefs chiefly
;
the fairy fields of poefy
that after Letters began
ftable form,
by being committed
ufeful.
and
And and
in
proportion as
it
delight, they gave
became
off their recitals with fuch
fet
marvellous
were calculated to captivate grofs and ignorant minds This, we find, was precifely the cafe in Ireland at the period For verfe ceafed to be ufed in our
before us.
2th or
1
1
3th century, and confequently
their
more and more
fictions, as
about the
:
to
the fongs of the Scalds or Bards began to be
to entertain
into embellifhment,
to "
hiftorical it
(")."
now
writings
was no longer
fubfervient to truth.
(r)
In page
was certainly
"
57 of the Appendix, (note framed
to the
harp
:"
it is
e,)
in the
I
have given an epitome of
common
this epifode.
ballad-meafure, and fung at
this
This poem
day by our
Fin-Sgealaighthe. (s)
Ejfry on anc. metric. Romances.
Rtliques.
v.
2.
We
THE IRISH BARDS, We Ages
have
faid that
;
121
Mufic flourished
in Ireland during the Middle affertion, a cloud of authorities could
In fupport of this
(t).
be adduced
&c.
we will make a few fuffice. John de Fordun, a who was fent over to this kingdom in the I4th cen
but
Scottifh Prieft,
tury to colled materials for an Hiftory of Scotland (u), exprefsly fays, was the fountain of mufic in his time, whence it then in his began to flow into Scotland and Wales. John that Ireland
Major,
ric
on James
I.
of Scotland,
touched the Harp
While mufic and poetry were
(t)
in
flourifhing
Ireland, indelicate Ballads fet to rude mufic,
were the delight of the Nobility and Gentry of England.
John Baldwin,
of Solomon, phraftly declared in Engli/h
A. D.
to the reader, "
"
Would God
of lecherous love, that
Vide
houfes."
AMES
panegy
Prince another Orpheus, who more exquifitely than either the Highlanders, or calls that
metre,
that fuch
published
The
in
Canticles or Balades
1549, thus concludes
Songes might once drive out of
his
addrefs
the
baudy balades commonly are indited and fung of idle courtyers in princes and noblemens This depravity of Typ. ant. v. i. p. 55z. fee alfo p. 636 and 666. office
which Mr. Baldwin fo coarfely reprobates, muft have been gradually dealing on his coun Henry Lawes, (if we may take a Poet s word for it), was the firft improver of the fecular trymen. tafte,
mufic of the Engli/h.
MILTON
S
elegant Sonnet to this favourite mufician, begins thus
:
Harry, whofe tuneful and well-meafur d fong Firft taught our Englifh mufic how to fpan
Words with juft note arid accent, not to With Midas ears, committing ihort and So much for the Secular Mufic of the Mufic, which
we
ftiall find in
Englifli.
Now we
a very fimple, unimproved
will turn for a
ftate.
A. D. 1550, which contains fo publifhed by John Marbecke, to be fung in Churches, but three or four forts of notes are ufed, viz.
The whole
red
lines only.
But
their
filled
(U)
the
to their
Church
In The Booke of common praier, noted,
much of
the
Common
Prayer, as
is
with chanting notes on four
p. 531 knowledge of harmony quickly encreafed "which
may
be
fung
to all
in proportion as their practical (kill encreafed calls
&c.
moment
Ibid.
in foure parts,
Pfalmes
is
fcan long,
Church Mufic of
his
day the
:
;
for in the year
mufical inflruments.
For Prinn
in
his
1 563 was printed The whole Yet their tafte did not refine
Hijtrio-maftix,
publimed
in
1663,
bleating of brute Beajts.
O CONOR.
R
the
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
122 the
who were the moft eminent Harpers then knoivn (w). Such are men who never difcovered an inclination to flatter
lrifi>
the praifes of
Let us
Ireland.
now
hear our countryman John Clynn, the Annalift,
O Carrol, the Harper, and his pupils, not only ihews the flourifhing ftate of mufic in this kingdom at the time he wrote (A. D. 1340), but gives us ground to believe the exwho
the merits of
in extolling
of a School of Harpers.
iftence
&
"
Tympaniftam
&
praerogativa citer
viginti
virtute
cum
etfi
non
omnium tamen
inventor, "
Camum O
Carvill,
famofum
Cythariftam, in arte fua Phcenicem
qui
$
"
aliis
fuifTe
ea pollens
;
Tympaniftis, difcipulis ejus, cirartis muficag chordalis primus
fuerit
&
praecedentium ipfe ac praedecefforum et Director extitit."
contemporaneorum Corrector, Doctor
On
this
That
1.
His
me
with the following
:
O Carrol,
this
allowed to be the 2.
a learned friend favoured
pafTage
obfervations
abilities
Carolan of more modern days,
like
was
mufical performer of his age.
firft
were difplayed on two inftruments, the
Tympanum
This feems the obvious meaning and yet what great execution could be expected on the Tabour, fo as to merit fo high an
and the Harp. eulogium (x)
"
Jate
Even
?
Le Comte de
(w) 3.
;
day
HOGHENSKI
inftrument,"
among
Mr. PE
(the
L art.
Harp)
NNANT,
and to be, univerfally held. beggars by finging, both get faftiioned
like
bourines
but our traveller
;
fives."
Tabour
Harfe en
fpeaking of the
the ignoble performers.
Pipe and
fpeaks thus of the practical knowledge of the
Les Irlandois font ertre tous
:
"
(x)
he played on Tabours of different
if
Tour
in
les 1
Ency
Welfo
Wain.
SANDYS,
peuples ceux qui palfent pour jouer
in
v.
his
and comfort
fizes,
Irifli
le
of
Harpers at
inieux de cet
lop.
Muficians, fays, that the Tabourers were reckoned i .
p.
440.
In
this light
they feem to have been,
account of the Egyptian Moores, fays,
that"
the
their poverty
; playing withal upon drums, which are Thefe drums, from their form, feem to have been tarnp. 85. knew not how to name them. Amongft the Continental the
relief,
Travails,
Peafants,
are the favourite inftrument
,
and are confined to that happy
clafs
of people.
which
THE IRISH BARDS,
&c.
which we have no intimation, the merit muft come praife.
3.
I
am
123 fhort
of the
therefore inclined to think
That by Tympanifta, Clynn would underftand a mafter of who beats time with a baton, which in Latin
mufic, or the perfon could not be more
concifely exprefled than by Tympanifta, the baton
and the board making a drumming 4.
This interpretation
Cangc, voc.
Tympanum
is
noife.
fupported by GlofTographers, (fee Du and by the context, where ;)
and Medius
we find though his twenty fcholars were Tympanifts, that is, matters of the fcience, yet they were his inferiors he excelled his predeceffors and contemporaries in touching the mufical chords. He does not :
fay thofe fcholars were Harpers, for that they were in perfection ; they were more, they were Compofers and Matters of mufic, or
Tympanifts.
The mentioning the number of his difciples, calls to mind the 5. Welfh School of Bards, in Pennants Wales. There the Teachers and Students are accurately diftinguifhed, and feem to confirm what is
advanced
(y).
Of poor O Carrol and his pupils the fate was melancholy. We are informed by our Annalift, that they, together with their patron, Lord Bellingham, were cruelly mafTacred by an armed multitude, which rofe to oppofe the oppreffive meafures of the Nobles.
While mufic was pofe,
flourishing in Ireland,
(y)
Tour in Wales,
R
its
profefTors,
we may
fup-
This appears to have been the
were honoured and refpecled.
v.
2
i.
p.
441. Ciife
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
124 cafe from a
paffage in
As the paiTage in
the
Hiftorian
L HISTOIRE ET CRONIQUE
own
s
de FroiiTart (z).
unabridged, and Richard Seury, an ancient
we
extremely curious,
is
fhall give
iimple didion.
it
who had accompanied Richard II. to Ireland, and was fent by that Prince to ftudy the cuftoms and manners of the four Irifh Quand Kings who had fubmitted to him, informed FroifTart, that Knight
"
"
"
"
ces
Roys eftoyent
afis
a
&
"
referue
eftoyent tous
"
faire trois iours
"
"
"
le
ordonner
&
licl,
ils
:
tables,
1
communs.
& (continues the & courrir en la
"
Ie leur foufFri tout ce
falle,
"
:
&
quatre Roys feoir a haute table, les varlets d autre part dont une table (a), bien enfus d eux, regardoyent 1 un 1 autre par femblant ils furent tous courrouces fei les
&
&
ne vouloyent manger
:
:
&
difoyent
&
:
qu on
leur vouloit ofter leur
bon ufage auquel ils auoyont efte nourris. tout en fouriant, pour les appaifer, que leur honnefte, n honnorable, a eftre ainfi
tC
Ie
fait,
&
qu
il
le
comme
leur conuenoit laifler,
&
eftat
:
fouffrirent (pourtant
(z)
Tom.
4.
p.
202. of SA
WAGE
nominates FroifTart a faithful Chronicler.
The Duke
(a)
was
as little
by him
Vide
que mis
S^
/.
V ide
s
Mr.
eftoyent en
HAYLEY,
"
&
1
refpondy,
eftoit ils
me ils
1
it
was penal,
to entertain
Difcoverie. p. 214. qu. ed.
1
ufage
auoit le
ou irent
the darling
of the
ce,
Roy
Mufes,"
de
EJJay on HiJIory. Ep. 2.
of Clarence, while Lord Lieutenant of this kingdom, in the reign of
at Kilkenny,
point
auoyent
obeifance du
inclined to treat our Minftrels with refpeft as Chevalier Seury.
DA VIES
n
eux mettre a
Angleterre, car de ce faire i eftoye charge Roy et fon Confeil bailie par ordonnance. Quand ils
leur
au-deuant
d
,
ie fei
comme il appartenoit les MENESTRIERS a
ainfi
:
4t
&
qu en toutes chofes,
hoary Knight) au quatrieme
:
"
fai-
ils
:
&
ufage du pai s,
eftoit
"
du premier mets,
feruis
foyent feoir deuant eux leurs MENESTRIERS et leurs prochains me boire a leurs hanaps varlets, et manger a leur efcuelle, difoyent que bel
"
&
la table,
any of the
Irifti
Edward
III.
In a Parliament held
Minftrels, Rimers or News-tellers.
161 2. "
d An-
THE IRISH BARD d
&
Angleterre)
"
fu auecques
ie
que
Thus we even
perfeuererent en celuy
after
&c.
125
doucement,
tant
eux."
mufic maintained
that
fee
the
S,
eflat afTez
its
of the Englifh.
invafion
ground But its
in this ftyle
country,
fuffered
a
For the fprightly Phrygian (to which, fays Selden, the change Irifh were wholly inclined) gave place to the grave Doric, or foft Lydian meafure. Such was the nice fenfibility of the Bards, fuch was :
tender affection for their country, that the fubjeclion to which
their
kingdom was reduced, affeded them with the
the
heavieft fadnefs.
Sinking beneath this weight of fympathetic forrow, they became a For prey to melancholy. Hence the plaintivenefs of their mufic (b) :
the ideas that arife in the
mind
are always congenial to,
tindure from the influencing paflion. concurred with the one juft mentioned, of our mufic.
ftyle
The
Bards,
and receive a
Another caufe might have in
promoting a change in the together with their
often driven,
the bufy haunts of men, patrons, by the fword of Oppreflion from were obliged to lie concealed in marfhes, in gloomy forefts, amongft rugged mountains, and in glyns and vallies refounding with the
of falling waters, or filled with portentous echoes (c). Such fcenes as thefe, by throwing a gloom over the fancy, muft have conSo that when they fiderably increafed their fettled melancholy. it was not to be wondered, that their voices, thus to noife
fmg,
attempted
weakened by rife
(b)
rather
Mufic too being "
lancholy
Nat. (c)
ftruggling
by Minor
;
for
mufic
at
(fays
this
an heavy mental depretfion, (hould which confift but of four femitones,
againft thirds,
time their only folace, muft have ferved to increafe their
BACON)
feedeth
that
difpofition
of the
fpirits,
which
it
me
findeth."
Hift.
Vide
Sir
JOHN DA VIES
Difcrjent.
p.
160.
than
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
126
than by Major thirds, which confift of five (d). Now almoft all the of this period are found to be fet in the Minor third (e), and to
airs
be of the fage and folemn nature of the mufic, which Milton requires in his Penferofo :
Vide BE ATT
(d)
That
(e)
IE
have over the Greeks
in
much refemble
of the native caufe of
Effay on Poet,
this
our minor fc ale
,
the advantage we Jo NE 5, felicitates the prefent age on which enables us to adapt our mufic fo admirably to fuhjefts
ElTay 2. prefixed to Tranf. from the Aftatic Lang.
to
my
refemblance,
ALEXANDER MARS DEN,
I
them, a
like
confulted Mr.
Efq; of Lincoln
It is
s
Sharp or Major key
is
art.
it
Accordingly, if
ever,
all
The Sumatran
tunei
of Sumatra)
thofe
Hifl.
Being very defirous to difcover the by means of his brother,
third."
on the fubjedt,
friend.
The
refult
of
this
permitted (and proud) to infert.
in the
leifure to the
Minor
key.
doubtlefs the will
See
Hifl,
of Sumatra.
HA LH ED
more obvious, and muft prefent
be found that people
in
a very favage
Bengal Grammar, &c.
S
itfelf to ftate,
is
The
the rude eflayers of the
as the negroes
of Africa,
Their fhort fongs, or modu and footh the irkfomenefs of their labor,
demonftrate any acquaintance with the former.
Major key, which likewife accords
In countries where,
better with the natural vivacity of their difpofition.
from incidental circumftanees, the inhabitants are encouraged to devote their
improvement of their mufical flcill, they catch at length the fucceflion of tones with and finding this more expreflive of paflion, and more calculated to awake the
a Flat interval feelings,
am
in his
my much efteemed
by which thej regulate the motions,
lated fentences,
are
Inn, I
MAR SDK N
obferved that the popular mufic of moft nations, within certain limits of civilization,
confined to the Flat or
feldom,
flat
MARSDEN
enquiry was the following curious paper which "
Mr.
ear (fays the ingenious
and have ufually,
Irifh,
and Mufc.
WILLIAM
"
of grief and affliftion.
very
s
great Orientalift, Sir
which
;
is
the great end
and objeft of mufic, amongft people whofe genuine fenfations are it ; and the other key, being
not blunted by the poli/h of refinement, they attach themfelves to
comparatively deficient perfection, as variety,
in
pathos, falls into
difufe.
Where
the art
is
carried to
it
laft
ftage of
the
European nations, and where the objea of the mufician ii to entertain by and furprize by brilliancy of execution to captivate the ear, rather than the hearts of
among
his auditors there, both keys are indifferently employed, or fo managed as to produce that fpecies of jjleafurc which arifes from fudden tranfitions and contrafts." :
ut in clavichordiis vidimus turn hinc et illinc, duplici chordarum ordine collocato, :
"
Lyram
was
fuaviflimae modulation!
accommodatiflimum
fecit (o)
:"
this
For in cenfequence of this, which were ftretched along each fide of the trunk,
certainly a valuable improvement.
double row of
firings
two
Ib that two parts might be played firings to each tone on the inftrument at the fame time, the treble with the right hand,, and the bafe with the left befides the tones, were rendered more fulfr
there were
:
i
and
fonorous..
Henry
VIII.
ftill
continued to play the tyrant in England,
Finglafs propofed, in his to
BR EVI ATE, fome
the Irifh Bards and Minftrels. (p)
"
Item,
when Baron
fevere regulations in relation
That noo
Irifh
Minjlralh,
Grat. Lucius,, p.. 3 7.. "
Rymers,
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
34
i
"
Rymers, Sbannagbs, (i. fire goods of any
"
any
be Meffingers to deGenealogifts) ne Bards, dwelling wythin the Englifh pale, upon ther goods, and ther bodys to be imprifoned
e.
man
of all pain of forfeitur at the King s will." (p)
tc
"
the ha In the 28th year of this reign, an ad was made refpeding were reand drefs in general of the Irifh, whereby all perfons and from wearing ftrained from being Ihorn or (haven above the ears, bits
on the upper lip Glibbes or Coulins (long locks) on their heads, or hair On this occafion a fong was written by one of our called a Crommeal. Bards, in which an Irifh Virgin
is
made
to give the preference to
COULIN, (or the youth with the flowing locks), the Englifh were meant) or thofe who wore which (by
dear
this
fong the
The
air
alone has reached us, and
is
fallen ftate,
"
Bardes,
In this defcription at the
We
There which
amongft the
is
are to
we
which
are
had
them
in
fhall find
fame time, doing Irifh,
fo
the poet lafhing
juftice to
their
a certain kind of people called whofe profeffion is to
of
men
in their
poems or rithmes
eflimation high regard and
(r)
HARRIS
(q)
BEAUFORD.
(r)
Sir
Ireland "
Hihrnica.
p.
PHILIP SIDNEY
about the
s
them,
98. Oft. Ed.
the Bards bears evidence to the high eftimation in which
commencement of Elizabeth
v/here truly learning goe
j
amongft "
(p)
them
produc
inflead of Poets,
fet forth the praifes or difpraifes
the
Of
s
without mercy, yet,
*
Irifli,
as
M p B E L.L
well as the Welch, to this day, call S
Survey.
SA M.
WAL K E R
S
the Englifli,
Saxnut and England
Tranf. of Diff. de Eardis.
Yes?
THE IRISH BARDS, Yes
we
the plunderer hath refitted you for his
!
new-molded
are
for his
wretched inhabitants of
this
-Ye
p-urpofes.-
foreign land
!
is
&c
141
.
own habitationand
Ifraelites
there
no
of Egypt relief for
ye
you
?
there no Hedtor left for the defence, or rather for the recovery, of Troy is thine, my God to fend us a fecond Mofes : Thy and unlefs the children of the difpenfations are juft Scythian Eber Scot, return to thee, old Ireland is not doomed to ante Is
?It
;
;
O
!
!
out
of the
;
Of the
aflies
of modern Saxony
Bards
who
(a);"
flourifhed at this time, a
have been preferved by Mr. O Conor. Teige Mac Bruodin of Thuomond Teige O Gnive of Clannaboy ; Teige Mac dotes,
;
few names, but no anec "
In latter times (fays he}-
dall
O Higgin
of Leyney
Dary of Thuomond
;
;
Lugad
O Clery of Tyrconnell, and O Heofy of Origall, had noble talents ; but diverted, in moft inftances, from the ancient moral and political ufes, to the barren fubjetfs of perfonal panegyric Some of the (b)."
fongs of thofe Bards, favouring offweet wit and good invention, but often clothed in a ferocity of language, are ftill extant (c) j the reft are loft in
"
the dark flood of
But Mr.
who Mac
is
O Conor
time."
has omitted,
in the foregoing
well entitled to a nich in the
lift
of Bards, one,
Temple of Fame
;
we mean
Ollamh of North Munfter, and Filea to Donough Earl of Thomond and Prefident of Munfter. This Noblemart, was amongft thofe who were prevailed upon to jom Elizabeth s forces, Curtin,
hereditary
(a)
O Co N o R
(b)
Ibid. p. 73.
(c)
Mr.
S
Dif. en
O Halloran
Hi/},
of Irel. p. 92.
informs me, that he lately got,
the moft eminent Bards of the two
laft
centuries.
fearched, perhaps feveral of our records and
in
a collection from
Were
much of our
Rome,
feveral
poems of
the archives of the Vatican feduloufly
poetry would be found in them.
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
J4.2
Soon
as
it
was known
that he had bafely
abandoned the
Mac
Curtin prefented an adulatory country, Chief of South Munfter, and of the Eugenian
O Donnel,
Lacy and
Mac Carthy, who with O Neil,
were deeply engaged in protecting
others,
violated country. In this
poem line,
interefts of his
to
their
poem he dwells with rapture on the courage and
Mac Carthy but the verfe that fhould (according to an efpatriotifm of Brien, tablifhed law of the Order of the Bards) be introduced in praife of am I afflicted (fays he) that the dehe turns into fevere fatire. :
O
"
How
fcendant of the great Brien Boiromh cannot furnifh
worthy the honour and glory of his on the ing this, vowed vengeance
exalted
race!"
me with
a theme
Lord Thomond hear
to fpirited Bard, who fled for refuge the county of Cork. One day, obferving the exafperated Nobleman and his equipage at a fmall diftance, he thought it was in vain to fly, and feized with the pangs of death ; directing his pretended to be fuddenly wife to lament over him, and tell his Lordfhip, that the fight of him, awakening the fenfe of his ingratitude, had fo much affected
by
him, that he could not fupport it and defired her, at the fame time, to tell his Lordfhip, that he entreated, as a dying requeft, his for;
Soon
givenefs. related to him.
Lord Thomond arrived, the The Nobleman was moved to
as
well-feigned tale was
compaflion, and not only declared he moft heartily forgave him, but opening his purfe, pre This inftance fented the fair mourner with fome pieces to inter him.
of
his
Bard, praife
more
s pity and generofity, gave courage to the trembling fuddenly fpringing up, recited an extemporaneous Ode in
Lordfhip
who
of Donough, and,
re-entering into his fervice,
became once
his favourite, (d)
Under the prefent
reign
we
find Bards of an inferior rank, or rather
Minftrels, ftrolling in large companies amongft the Nobility
(d)
Comm.
of Mr.
and Gen-
O HALLORAN. try.
THE IRISH BARDS, probable that
It is
try.
to
it is
&c.
143
thofe itinerant Minftrels, Spencer al
ludes, in his account of our Bards
"
:
Their verfes
up with a general applaufe, and ufually fung
(fays he) are
at all feafts
by certain other perfons, whofe proper function that
who
,
taken
and meetings
alfo receive for
the fame, great rewards and reputation amongft them." When this order of mufical vagrants arofe, we cannot determine ; however, it
muft certainly have had an
earlier origin
than the reign of Elizabeth j it In Cithara, Hi-
John Major, who died A. D. 1525, notices
for
bernenfes &itjfoe/lres Scoti, qui in
ilia arte
"
:
funt."
prascipui
(e)
To a company of thofe itinerant Muficians, an invitation was given, by Turlogh Luineach O Neill, chieftain of Tyrone in the prefent reign, On their arrival he fent to enquire what they brought him. The query was odd, and new to them. After fome hefitation, one flood We aflure our up, and anfwered in the name of his brethren "
:
Prince, that
we have brought him
honour on him
Poems,
:
to
O Neill,
which fhew his defcent from anThis being kingdom ever produced
(fays he)
ceftors, the worthieft that this
reported
a prefent that muft fhed the highefl
!"
he exclaimed,
u
What
!
fo
much
faid
of
my
and nothing of myfelf. Acquaint thofe gentlemen, that not want any accommodation that Tyrone can afford while
forefathers, fhall
they
Strolling Muficians of this
(e)
Mem.
Je Liu. torn 15.
Our
kind abounded
notes annually difturb our repose in this great city.
them
tion of
Drama. Paris, I
in
in
France fo early as the time of Charlemagne.
vagrant Minftrels were the forerunners of the
WAITS, whofe
Waits are very ancient
in
England.
HAWKINS Origin Vide MERCIER French.
an old comedy entitled The Return from Parnaffus.
Our Waits anfwer
to the Miifique ambulante of the
difcordant
See
men
of the Englijk S
Tableau Je
torn, 5.
ihould have obferved, that our Waits are always attended by a
man who
bears about with them
on a long pole, a fpherical Lantern, which they call their MOON ; as if they were to fay withFalftaff,, It is Hen. 4. p. i. a. i. f. 2. let us be gentlemen of the fliade, minions of the moon." probable
"
that thiscuftom,
which
is
certainly very ancient,
had originally
a mythological allufion..
they
i
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
44
and afTure them, they remain here. Me, however, they fhall not fee I fhould rather throw luftre back on my family, than receive any from ;
This was no doubt a high
it."
ftrain of pride, obferves
(the communicator of the anecdote)
noble in
it
O Conor,
Mr.
but furely there was fomething
!
While that puiillanimous and pedantic Monarch, James I. filled the throne of England, two eminent Bards of this country entered into a PA PER WAR, in order to determine, whether the race of Heber or that of
Heremon
cha to the
power and fplendour of
excelled moft in
Milefian ^Economy (f). behalf of the fouthern
action,
during the
The queftion was ftarted, and ably fupported in line, by Tiege Mac Bruodin, hereditary Seana-
O Briens, and of North Munfter Luagha O Clery, O Neal and of South Munfter, oppofed Mac :
heredita
Broudin.
ry Annalift to
The
was long and fharp wit and invective were liberally dealt by each party. Poem followed Poem, till the refult was an huge volume in which, fome fads are admitted that cannot be fupported, and fome contefl
:
;
will be
found
to contradict the beft
documents we have
probably each champion, obflinately partial to
his
own
So that
left.
opinion, retired
unconquered from the
field, glorying in his ftrength, and a few lau At this intellectual combat, the whole nation fhading his brow. Florence Conery, titular were not idle fpectators Archbifhop of
rels
:
Tuam, and
O Donall s
fon, both
celebrated poets^ but not
profefTed
Bards, took each a decided part.
Barnaby Rich, a gentleman
who
vifited Ireland
during
has the following paffage in his "NEW DESCRIPTION refpecting the ftate of our Mufic and Poetry at that time. Irifh) have Harpers, and thofe are fo reverenced
"
among
that in
the
this reign,
OF IRELAND,
They
(the the Irifh,
time of rebellion, they will forbear to hurt either their (f)
O CONOR. "
perfons
THE IRISH BARDS, 1C
1C
perfons or their goods,
cVc.
but are rather inclined to give
they are very bountiful either to Rhymers or
145 them-, and
Fools."
Stanihurft thus celebrates the praifes of Crufius, an eminent Harper 1 6th Vivit hac noflra century, refiding within the pale.
of the
"
ad
astate Crufius, "
ab
Lyram
poft
incondite ftrepitu, qui incontentis, fecumque difcordantibus fidibus fit, plurimum abhorret contraque eo modoinfignis
"
hominum memoriam, quam maxime
:
is,
illo
:
"
"
"
rum
fonorum compofitione, muficum obfervat concenturn, quo auditorum aures mirabiliter ferit, ut enim citius folum, quam fummum Cythariftam judicares ex quo intelligi poteft, non muficis ordine,
;
"
"
Lyram, fed Lyras muficos haclenus
In thefe days defuiffe moft remarkable Harper within the memory of carefully avoids that jarring found which arifes from un-
He
man.
"
(g)."
the
lives Crufius,
and untuned firings ; and on the contrary, by a certain re gulation of modes, and feleclion of tones, he preferves an harmo nious concord which has a furprifing effect upon the ears of his auditors, fo that you would confider him rather as the only, than ftretched
"
"
the
greateft
Hence we may conclude,
Harper.
that performers
have not hitherto wanted the Harp, but the Harp performers." The Mufic of this century has received a rude eulogium from John Good, a popifh prieft, (who had been educated at Oxford, and was "
mafter, for
many
at Limerick, years, of a fchool
and) who,
Cambden, wrote
celebrated William queft of the
a
at
the re-
DESCRIPTION OF
THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE WILD IRISH jc66 "
"
"
They
and of
love mufic mightily,
cularly taken with the Harp,
and beaten with crooked
(g)
in the year inftruments are parti-
which being ftrung up with
nails,
De
all
is
very
rebus geft
U
s
in
brafs wire,
melodious."
Hil.
Before
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS
146
O,F
4
Before
we
leave the i6th century,
we muft
take notice of an extra
to prove, that the fongs of the ordinary mufical incident, which ferves The Irifh Harpers, in latter times, were fometimes founded in fad.
whofe words we will borrow. is given by Bifhop Gibfon, Near Ballyfliannon (fays his Lordfhip) were, not many years ago, a method very remarkable. dug up two pieces of Gold, difcovered by
relation "
there came in an Irifh Bifhop of Derry happening to be at dinner, his harp ; his Lordfhip, not underHarper, and fung an old fong to know the meaning of the fong. But ftanding Irifh, was at a lofs to That in fuch a of it to be this fubftance the found he upon inquiry a man of a gigantic ftature lay buried ; and place, naming the very fpot, that over his breaft and back were plates of pure gold, and on his fingers
The
:
that an ordinary man might creep through them. rings of gold, fo large, that two perfons there prefent, place was fo exactly defcribed,
The
were tempted to go in queft of the golden prize, which the Harper s had dug for fome time, they fong had pointed out to them. After they found two thin pieces of gold." (h) It was thus the grave of Arthur was difcovered lucid
Of
(h)
}
which ^JrJTWarton and in glowing lines
a circumftance
amber of
his
(i)":
has enfhrined in the
"
this
manner was the
thefe pieces of gold his Lordfhip gives an engraving exaftly of the
fame form and
publiflied \vhichthereadermay find in the folio edition of CAMDEN There wns a recent inftance (in 1785) of the grave of an Irifh hero being difcovered S
Britannia
in
fize,
1695, p. 1022.
in a
manner fome-
It is related in the poem of Caih Ga^hra, (the battle of Gabhra) that Canan, while fa-. Sun on one of the mountains of Clare, was treacheroufly murdered ; and that his body interred near a Druids altar, under a ftone, infcribecl with an epitaph in Ogham characters. So mi
wbat
fimilar.
the CTificing to v/as
O
T. is the Flannagin, (already mentioned) was tempted, fpot defcribed in the poem, that Mr. on reading the paflage, to propofe to the Royal Iriih Academy to feek for the monumental ftone un \Ade his Memoir given His propofal was acceded to. He went and fucceeded.
nutely
der their aufpices. into the
(i)
Academy. OJe
on the
the Alphabet of Obfer*u. on
tti;
Pagan
Irijh^
in ,\rchaeal.
V.
7.
No.
31.
grave of Arthur.
fliame
THE IRISH BARDS, fhame of the of a
Donalds of Glengay brought
to
&c
i
47
light in the prefcnce
learned Traveller, (k)
late
Still
Mac
does the i6th century detain us.
Sir
William Temple informs us t
that in this century each Irifh Noble entertained in his family a Poet, (or Bard) and alfo a Tale-Teller or (an order of
DRESBHEARTACH,
Minftrels anfwering to the Conteours (1) or Story-tellers of the French) an officer of whom we find no mention before. The Great Men of "
their Septs,
among
the
many
officers
of their family, which continued
always in the fame races, had not only a Phyfician, a Huntfman, a Smith, and fuch-like, but a Poet and a Tale-Teller : The firft, recorded
and fung the adions of their anceftors, and entertained the company at feafts the latter, amufed them with tales when they were melancholy ;
and could not
fleep
:
and a very gallant gentleman of the North of
land has told me, of his
own
Ire
experience, (continues this elegant writer)
that in his Wolf- huntings there,
when he
ufed to be abroad in the
mountains three or four days together, and lay very ill a-nights, fo as he could not well fleep, they would bring him one of thefe Tale-Tellers,
when he lay down, would begin a ftory of a King, or a Gyant, Dwarf and a Damfel, and fuch rambling fluff, and continue it all
that,
a
night long in fuch an even tone, that you heard it going on whenever you awaked ; and he believed nothing any phyficians give, could have
(k) (1)
Dr.
JOHNSON
Vide Notes on
Neivs-Tellers,
by
Sir
S
yowrwj
PERCY
S
to
the Weftern Ijlands
P.
76.
the anc. Eng. Mins. Effay on
JOHN DA VIES,
(in his Difcovery,
p.
Dub. Edit.
Our
Dreifbheartaigh are denominated
214) from
Z>/,
(news)
I
fuppofe.
The
have feveral appellations fer Tale-Tellers, viz. SGEALAIGHE, FIN-SGE ALAICHE, SCEAMr. O Conor thus men LAIGHE, SGEALAICHE, SCEALAICHE, and DRESBHEARTACH.
Irifh
tions this order of Minftrels in
one of
"
his letters to
of Finn, Oifin, Ofcar, Goll, Conan, &c. vulgar at wakes and
I
me,
Of
Irifh Story-Tellers,
have known many
in
my
youth.
n the
exploits
They amufe
the
wedtiings."
U
2
fo
i
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
48
make men fleep, in any pains or good and fo innocent effeft (m), to This rambling fluff, as Sir William or mind, (n) diftempers of body fo
calls
it,
is
fo happily ridiculed
that
PERI-NESO-GRAPHIA,
THE Not
I
Guefts,
in
an humorous poem, entitled HES-
am tempted perceiving
like to their
s,
to tranfcribe the pafTage
GILLO
S
:
mind
to mirth inclin d
;
And
finding that his penfive breaft, With grief and care was much oppreft,
(For he by intervals
And
and
figh,
fob,
Struck up with
To
drive
away
all
wou
d groan,
and cry O-hone !) their Harps and Trumps^
his doleful
dumps
Which,
in great meafure,
And
thofe paffions to afTuage,
:
might deftroy Their dancing, mufick, and their joy i And us d all means they could invent, T incline him to fome merriment j all
Which in his troubled foul did rage, And play*d the cruel tyrant there, As forrow, difcontent and
fear,
And hope
fucceeded by defpair.
Romantic
tales
they to him told,
Of giants in the days of old, Whofe legs by much are longer, than The height even of the talleft man.
(m) ture >.
(n)
Mijccllanea, EfTay 4.
The
even tone of which Sir William fpeaks, was probably of the na
of the monotonous chant of the Church
For Memoirs of
a
Tale-Teller
ftill
in the
living, fee
infancy of
its
mufic.
Append. No. V.
Whofe
THE IRISH BARD
&c.
S,
Whofe monftrous teeth, with which Were long as tufks of any boar.
How one With
And on
them did break the
of
of a robuflious bull
s fift,
149
they tore,
fkull, :
his fhoulders bore the beaft,
Twice fourteen furlongs at the leait, Unto his cave, and as fome fay, Did
eat
him ev
ry bit that day.
The
next flrange ftory, which his ears Receiv d, was of fome wolves and bears,
Who once were men of worth
and
fame,,
But, by enchantment, brutes became;. And wou d (if tales fing truth) obtain
Their former human fhape again.
That then through all the Weftern ground^ The crooked Harp with joy fhould found And that a monarch of their own ;
Should
And
fit
upon the Weflern throne,
drive from thence, by force,
That would
his
all
powerful arms oppofe.
As Giants, Dwarfs, and Damfels
are topics in
thofe (o)
which the Runic Poetry
faidto be very converfant, the learned *B^TWarton concludes, that the Irifh Bards owed their fictions to the Scandinavian Scalds, whofe
is
an Oriental tincture from the followers of Odin (p). poetry received frefh game is ftarted for the Antiquary ; but we confefs our-
Here
felves neither capable nor
(o)
Canto
4.
This admirable
Right Hon. Theo. Jones, (p)
Wft.
/E
"g-
Poet.
fatire fell
now (1786) Difl".
inclined, to
purfue
from the pen of the
it.
late
Howeve_r
we
will
Jones, Efq; father of
tl-C
Collector of the Port of Dublin,
i.
obferve,
1
HISTORICAL MEMOIRS OF
50
obferve, without
p
oetry, like
new
acquired a
our
s opinion, that have Englifh Minftrels, might Land, by means of thofe
to oppofe the Doctor
meaning
metrical tales of the
the
of fidion from the Holy
caft
who joined the army of Godfrey. not indeed improbable, that the Scalds who accompanied the Danes to this kingdom, might have tinctured our poetry with their Chieftains, or their followers,
Irifh
Yet
it is
own
We
fictions.
find
HawlifTe,
a
while he wore an Irifh
Dane,
Crown, affuming the character of Minftrel, in order to explore the his camp of Athelftan, King of the Anglo-Saxons, againil whom We father-in-law, Conftantius, King of the Scots, had waged war. therefore fuppofe, that in Hawlife
may
at poetry, mufl,
like
Every nation,
s
Court
whofe inhabitants
Ireland,
has a Dance, as well as a fong, peculiar to
are ftriclly natives,
The
(q)
is
ftory
Briemftuire on
related by
to Adelftane
went
money the
s
tent,
ground, and went
(Chron. of Irel.) in his fimple manner.
the
Humber with
Hawliffe (or Anliffe)
away."
faved from the confequence of
Our author proceeds this
POWELL
on the anc. Eng. Minft.
which he was, Dublin.
Elf.
in faft,
(////?.
when he aided
on Iri/h Coins,
p, 9.
a ftrong navy,
Conftantine and
encamped themfelves
took a Harper, and in Harper
their diet,
to
inform
us,
ftratagem by one of his foldiers,
The foldier happened to efpy him in the adl A difcovery enfued. The Biftiop of DR o M o RE
Hawliffe. fon.
"
difpofition
calls
money
that Adelftane (Athelftan)
who had ferved
in the
in
was
army of
Hawliffe (Anliffe) a Danifh King.
of Wales, p. 48.) and
DUANE
at
attire,
of burying the money, and recognifed his per-
HAMMER
Conftantine againft Arhelftan.
Mr.
s
and behaviour, took
he difdayned, he fecretly, as he thought, hid the
in heart
fo
*
where he harped and viewed
which
for his muficke,
HAN ME R
mouth of
Then
banks.
its
Thefe are
itfelf (r),
*
Hawliffe, having entered the
Scandinavian
(q), the
have been in fafhion.
leaft,
informed Mr.
ftile
SIMON
AST LE,
Effay
him, King of Ireland, calls Anlaffe,
that he
King of
faw Coins ftmck
in
Writ, and Mr. Simon defcribes one of thofe Coins. Ireland by Anlaffe. Orig. arJProg. of and native tafle for This muft have been peculiarly the cafe in Ireland, for fuch a natural "
( r)
mufic
as
I
includes in
of the one the Effay on
Les
have fpoken of it
a fimilar
(to
borrow an ingenious writers words)
one for Dancing
:
They
are kindred arts
;
is
ufually accompanied by, or
the tender
and harmonious accents
and produce the agreeable and expreflive motions of the othei-." NOVERRES See the origin of the Dance prettily traced in a poem entitled Art of T)
S
5.
conje&ures on
different people inhabiting is
more
pag.
1 1
8.
pag. 308. this fubjeft:
Hiflory of Mujic. vol. i. pag. 308.
Gaul were early remarked
;
fully opened by the learned Tranflator of MALLET
Du CANGE.
Voce
by Diodorus S
Sic.
particularly,
Northern Antiquities. Preface.
Hat-pa.
Eucherius,
APPENDIX.
6
Eucherius, Bifliop of Lyons, in the fame age, informs us, that the(f) Nablium This is the like the barbarian Cithara, and fliaped like the Greek Delta.
was
we have
only defcription
barian (g) inftrument
and refided
diftinguiming
;
Venantius Fortunatus,
of the ancient Harp.
flourifhed in the 6th century,
it
alfo in
who
France, makes the Harp a bar
Roman
from the Greek and
Lyres, and
France was then poffefied by Romans, Goths, Burand Armoricans; fome of them Celtic, but moft Teutonic na gundians, Franks, the Teutonic The national inftrument of each is accurately marked tions.
from the
Crwth.
Britifli
;
This their Crwth, and the Romans their Lyre. people had their Harp, the Celtic uifcrimination is decifive evidence of the difference between the Harp and the
warm
deceived by a Lyre, and of VoiTms being
The Teutonic
tribes
of the Sannatians
were noted
for
imagination.
harm and brutim
voices
Ovid thus fpeaks
:
:
Omnia Omnia
barbaricas loca funt, vocifque ferinre, funt Getici plena timore foni.
The affefted hoarfe enunciation of the Germans is mentioned by Tacitus (h), and the croaking German fmging by the Emperor Julian (i). The Harp, in its primitive ftate, was not calculated to correct fuch harm and difagreeable melo dies
;
was incapable of a pleafmg fucceffton of founds, or agreeable confonance,
it
Du GAUGE.
(f)
Voce Nablium.
Romanufque Lyra, plaudet
(g)
tibi,
barbarus Harpa,
Graecus Achilliaca, Crotta Britanna canat. Lib. 7, carta. S. It
the
add
is
aftonifliing
Romans
how BARNES, it
calling
by the
Prologom. in Anacreon. could fay, the
latter,
the Barbarians
Harp
by the former name.
Nonnulli putent, Venantium Fortunatum inter
"
:
Harpam & Lyram
arid
He
Lyre were the fame
diftinguere."
Eucherius could not be miftaken, but our modern Editor, totally ignorant of the fubjeft, (h)
Affeftatur prsecipue afperitas foni,
barbarians (i;
a,puHx.o?
A>pia
(MEAH
*j
*-
Mifopag.
p. 56. Edit.
by crows
;
and
it
t.ftiyjytyum,
& fra&um murmur.
3.
Diod.
Capella and eafily
might,
Sic. calls the
lib. 5.
Trewoin^if* Trapa-nrA^ffiK TO,?? KM*
Pttwii.
Germ. cap.
:
has candour enough to
Inftead of
Ct??
-ruv
xwwls fome MSS.
rpA^J CwvT&iy
read
xp^o?f,
opviOav
cl
iTovTrtf.
or that found emitted
feems the beft reading,
fo
A
P
P
N
E
D
X.
I
? fo that
it
ar
produced neither melody nor harmony.
T^f ^ ^^
C
H"^ and had the ,
,
effeft
ICON
;
a concert of fuch bar-
UndS
already noticed by Capella.
That the Harp was confined from the
f
Hence
filence of Ifidore
to particular northern
Hifpalenfis in his
had us ufe been general,
it
O R ic INES
tribes,
may be
and Suidas in
,
would not have been
inferred
his
Lsx-
parTed over by them.
From m
the Teutonic derivation of the Harp, it is eafy to account for the national inftrumcnt of the The Englifh.
and introduced the Harp
:e,
eager to poffefs alone that
and admirers: ca
m the laft
j
becom-
into Britain. fertile Ifle,
Inflamed with a third of conqueft, they almoft exterminated the natives
:otally erafed every veftige of Roman and Britiih Nations and fofter harmony of the Crwth were s
its
Anglo-Saxons were of German
civility.
The
gentler
equally defpifed with
its
mo-
perfor-
this
inftrumcnt was banimed to Wales, Cornwall, and Arcounty Venantius found it in the 6th century.
The Roman 1
Miffioners kept alive and augmented the enmity between the BriAnglo-Saxons : the former would not adopt Popery or its fuperflitions, the latter were devoted : every temporal and fpiritual motive which
logical malignity could invent,
was conjured up to make the refentment of and perpetual, and with too good fuccefs. Hence the triumph of the Harp over the Crvvth, and hence its ufe all ranks th people implacable
of people until the
general
Norman
among
invafion.
This reafoning may perhaps account for the introduftion and practice of the in England, but willnot The apply, it may be faid, to Ireland. I
Harp
Irifli,
think, received
in the
4 th and 5 th centuries from their clofe connexion with the Saxons, and other rovers from the Baltic mores, who conjunftly ravaged the coafts of Britain and Gaul in thofe I know Mr. ages. Macpherfon (k) has ingenioufly combatted the opinion of this connedion ; but it is impoffible to inva lidate
all
it
the arguments fupplied
by antiquity in
its
favour.
Giraldus
Cambren-
I
(k)
In his Introduction
ti
the
Hijlory of Great Britain
and Ireland flS
E
P
P
8
N
D
X.
I
on Legends, fpeaks of St. Patrick s Harp, which, if any faith is to be placed he might have brought from Tours, where he ftudied ; and where, no doubt, it was cultivated by the Barbarians. The Harp is mentioned by Ifo (1), in the he was a monk of St. Gall. The founder of this abbey being an
fis
pth century
;
Irimman (m), and the monks, for the moft part, of the fame nation, who from the Danifh tyranny, they could be no ftrangers to this inftrument. It
may be no improbable
conjecture,
and
will
certainly
fled
meet the ideas of
Crwth was primarily ufed by the Irifh, but gave on the eftablifhment of the Danifti power in this kingdom. place to the Harp The Harp was the delight of the northern nations, and their Princes and Scalds
many,
to fay, that the Celtic
eminent performers on it. The monument at Nieg, exhibited by Mr. Cordiner, (n) The bird at top was their fa has every appearance of being a Danifh work. vourite raven, of which their fagas and fcaldic poetry are full, as may be feen in Wormius, Bartholine, and Mallet. The obliterated figure, taken by Mr. Cordiner for an angel, may or may not be one ; it is obvious, there are no concomi Mr. Cordiner tant fymbols to evince the fculpture to be by a chriftian ardft. obferves, that this monument, which gives an Irifh Harp, belongs to the nth
century confirm
;
in this
I
perfectly agree with him,
and was
this
the place, could fully
it.
From fome drawings
of the Davidic Lyre in Montfaucon, Calmet, and others, Harp, it has been fuppofed our inftrument is derived. It has been (hewn from Eucherius, that the Barbaric Cithara, or Harp, was a tri
which
referable our
What the origi gonal figure, and fimilar to what was then called the Nablium. nal Nablium, or Jewifh Nebalius, mentioned in the Pfalms were, or what the Chinnor, Neginot, and other inftruments occuring in Scripture, were to the Septuagint
tranflators, as
(m)
Du CANGE, in Harpa. WARE Writers. CAVE
(n)
Remarkable Ruins
(o)
Prologom. in Pfalmos. pag.
(1)
S
Bifhop Hare (o) has fully proved.
unknown Of what
tiifioria Litteratia.
in Scotland.
75.
No.
I.
They
1784. did not
know how
to
tranflate the titles
of the Pfalms,
but gave the moft abfurd and incongruous interpretation of them,
weight
APPENDIX.
9
weight then can the dreams of modern Rabbins, or the fanciful drawings of Kircher (p), their blind follower, be on this Eucherius makes the Nafubjeft ?
blium a triangle, in Kircher it is a fquare. Bifhop Lowth, who has with great elegance and learning treated of Hebrew poetry, never touches on the mufical inftruments of the Jewifh people, nor contefts Bifhop Hare s fentiments, though he criticifes him on other points (q). An argument much in favour of what is advanced.
Whether affumed
Harp was an
the
imitation of the ancient Lyre (r), or at what time
form or number of
The firings, is not eafy to determine. monument at Nieg, if of the age before allowed it, mews what it was in the nth century, and therefore I mufl decline from the opinion of Lord Pembroke and Bifhop Nicolfon (s), who imagined the triangles on fome of our old
it
its
prefent
An
coins, referred to the Irifh Harp.
indeed
it is
moft probable
it
obfolete figure
was buried in
would
total oblivion.
fcarcely be revived
;
The heads of our Kings
Church, and its recipro by the French coins of Philip IV. Lewis X.
infcribed in triangles exprefled their attachments to the cal fupport of
them
this
:
is
verified
Philip V. Charles IV. and John. (*) object of this Inquiry is, at what time the Harp became the armo Though coats armorial were not unknown to moft of bearing of Ireland. the nations of antiquity, yet gentilitial arms undoubtedly were until the middle
The fecond
rial
of the
ith century
i
A learned
;
the latter were hereditary, the former (t) perfonal or cafual.
German (u)
writer fays, the romantic expeditions to the
introduced the diflin&ions of armories and the jargon of blazonry
(p)
(q)
MARTIN
(s)
Irlfh Hiftorical Library,
As
1
1
cap. 4.
Lexic. Philolog. in Lyra.
is
this triangle
pofuig the triangle
lib. 2.
Holy-Land the faltiers,
Sub finem.
Proeleft. Poet.
(r)
(t)
torn. i.
In his Mufurgia Uniruerf.
;
to
EDMONDSON
pag. 158
159.
feen in the coin of our
King John,
I
adopt
this
opinion
in
preference to fup-
be a fhield. S
Body of Heraldry.
word IhvTfovut. lib. 5. pag. 307. BIEL FIELD, UErudition Comflette. (u)
DIODORUS torn.
B
3.
Sic. with
much
propriety applies to thefe the
pag. 291.
the
APPENDIX.
10 the
fufils,
the girons, and lozenges of this fcicnce being parts of the harnefs arof the Chevaliers. Bifhop Kennet agrees, that armorial
mour and ornaments
The arms, bearings were not fo early as the reign of Edward the Confeflbr (w). therefore, on the Harp of Brien Boiromh, and the Harp itfelf, can neither be of the age, nor belong to the perfon, that an anecdote delivered in the i3th
COLLECTANEA DE REBUS HIBERNICIS, would
of
perfuade us.
than pofitive proof will convince the heraldic antiquary, that the
neighbours in
their
He&or and the
Number
Nothing Irifh
lefs
preceded
gentilitial armories.
Boethius (x) relates, that on a treaty concluded between Charlemagne
A. D. 791, it was granted, that the latter prince counter-charged border of fleurs-de-lis. As the Irifh were equally favourites with that great Monarch, he might have conferred the fame honour on our Kings ; though, from what has been advanced, there Scottifh
mould bear
not the
is
King
.Achaius,
a red lion in a
probability of this being fo. Befides, had the tafle for heral been then fafhionable, fome fpecimens would have been difplayed coins, whereas they exhibit nothing but fimple monograms. leaft
dic pageantry
on
his
An gives
ancient roll of arms, preferved by Leland (y), of the age of Henry the bearings of moft of the European Princes, and of moft of the
III.
En-
glim and French Nobility. Among thefe we find the arms of Wales, of Scot and the little Ifle of Man, but not a word of Ireland. It is a
land,
flrong prefumption, that Ireland then had no arms : Quartering, it may be faid, was not introduced till the (z) reign of Edward III. half a century later ; but when it was introduced, no notice was taken of Ireland. Harold, King of Man, came to this
Henry, did homage
was dubbed a Knight, and received arms, which Maurice Fitzgerald, an anceftor of the Duke of Leinreceived Knighthood and arms, and they are alfo in the roll.
are recorded in the fter,
(w)
(a),
roll.
Parochial Antiquities,
(x)
Pag.
i
(y) (z)
CAMBDEN
(a)
CARADOC.
pag. 52.
NICOLSON
88.
Colleftanea.
vol. 2. S
S
Scottijh Hljl. Library,
pag. 46.
pag. 616.
Remains,
pag. 163.
pag. 318.
It
APPENDIX. .
ii
was Henry VIII. who, on being proclaimed King of Ireland, firft gave us The Englifli allowed us eminence in Harp. nothing but mufic, as I have elfewhere fhewn He therefore felecled this inftrument as being our favourite one, and to perpetuate the celebrity of our performance on it in former times. Such a bearing was a judicious compliment ; it neither reminded us of our prefent dependance, nor upbraided us with our former rebellions. James I. quartercd it with the arms of France and England ; and may it long continue the orna ment and fupport of the Britifh Crown will You, It
:
!
equal patriotifm and loyalty in the words of Horace
Dii
Commoda
tibi,
my
friend,
anfwer with
:
qua^cunque preceris,
dent.
Aghaboe, i ft
February, 1786,
B
a
[ No.
II.
3
[No.
E
T
II.]
T
R
E
T
JOSEPH
C.
WALKER, MEMBER
OF THE
ROYAL
IRISH
ACADEMY
;
ON THE
STYLE
OF
THE
ANCIENT
IRISH
MUSIC.
FROM THE REV. VICAR OF
AGHABOE>
EDWARD
W
I C H, L. L. B. L E D AND FELLOW OF THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES, LONDON.
APPENDIX.
LETTER,
A
S
IW
I
&c.
R,
H
my reading or knowledge enabled me to affift your ingenious en or elucidate the curious fubject which fo laudably engages your atten Your patriotifm is eminent in recovering from oblivion the veftiges and
I
S
quiries,
tion.
fragments of our ancient Mufical Art exhibited of
it,
no
;
demonftrate your
Icfs
and the valuable fpecimens you have and judgment.
tafle
In treating of the hiftory of the Church of Ireland in the examine and refute an aflertion of St. Bernard,
neceflary to
we were
the primacy of Malachy, this
gave
rife to
How plain from and
its
foever
in Ireland.
2th century, that
to
ignorant of Pfalmody and Church MufiC
it
may yet
Bifhop
appear, that Mufic exifted in
fome induftry
is
Stillingfleet (a) has
requifite
been able
the Gallican or Britifh offices,
to to
the Chriftian difcover collect
it
in
:
Church England
but few mufi-
contra-diftinguimed from the paucity of records, and the bare hints of writers as
Gregorian or Roman the forming very uncertain data from whence to deduce pofitive conclufions. fame obfcurity clouds the remote periods of Mufical Hiftory in Ireland. muft be an apology for the imperfection of the hints now offered on this :
(a)
was
it
antecedent
the following notices and conjectures.
foundation,
cal traits of
1
In his Antiquities of the Eritt/h Churches,
chap. 4, pag.
The This topic,
237.
which
APPENDIX.
i6
which however
lies
improvement from fuperior
to future
open
abilities
and more
extenfive erudition.
It
was
in the year
pal chair of
1
1
Armagh.
deceafe, the latter,
other particulars
O
Morgan (b) afcended the archiepifco34, that Malachy He was the beloved friend of St. Bernard, after whofe
in a high (train of panegyric,
he informs
there recorded,
compofed that
us,
his life, (c)
Among
the Irifh, through
the
were brought to a conformity with the Apoflolic conftitutions and the decrees of the Fathers, but efpecially with the cuftoms of the Holy Church of
Primate
s
Rome.
They then began to chant and fmg the canonical hours, which before was not done even in the metropolitical city of Ar in his Malachy had learned fong in his youth, and enjoined fmging
zeal,
as
places,
magh own monaflery, when ;
or
Thus
diocefe.
as
far St.
it
yet
was unknown,
in other
or not pradifed in the city
Bernard.
This citation fuggefls two fads ; the firft incredible and certainly far from that the Irifli Church had fubfifted for feven hundred years without
truth,
Mufic or Pfalmody
:
the other
more probable,
that
Malachy exerted the
influ
ence of his ftation to oblige the Irifh to relinquifti their old ritual, and adopt His efforts were in vain, the Roman manner of celebrating divine offices.
even allowing a temporary acquiefcence ; for, in thirty years after, we find, the Council of Camel decreeing an uniformity of public worlhip, according to the
model of the Englifh Church. The Irifh received, very reluctantly, in nor was it before their princes were in dodrine and difcipline
novations
;
that they embraced foreign expatriated and the people reduced to extreme mifery, and obeyed the dictates of the Sovereign Pontiff. fuperflition,
That the Chriftian Fathers adapted notation and modes, admits
(b)
WARE
(c)
Inter S.
(d)
The
Mif:t:ll.
Sac.
S
Bifhops.
BERNARDI
ufe of thefe
of the
their (d)
Pfalms and
fulleft proof.
Hymns
to
the
Greek
Accuflomed from infancy
page 54. Opera, in
cap. 16.
the earlieft ages
is
clearly proved
byHoRNBECK,
Je Pfalmtdia t inter
cap. 2.
to
APPEND to the Choral Service
mufical ideas, but
X,
I
j;
of Paganifm, the convert naturally retained his former
applied
them
more
to
fanftified
compolitions, and a purer determine of what kind the Ecclefiaftical Modes were, or what the difcipline of the Singers, I cannot believe the whole fervice (e) of the Primitive Church was irregular ; or that the people fang as their inclination led them, with fcarce any other reflridion than that it fhould be to. the praife of God. For early in the third century, Origen (f ) informs us, that chriftians fang in rhyme, that is, with nice regard to the length and fhortnefs of the fyllables of the and in tune
Though
objeft.
it
impoflible to
is
and harmony. The poetry, good terms he ufes are taken from the Greek Mufic, and evince that Chriftians in
their church-performances, were fcientific and correft. The definition of a Pfalm (g) by Gregory Nazienzen, by St. Bafil and Chryfoftom,. in the 4 th cen tury, is an additional proof of what is advanced. I have infifted on this point the more, in order to fubvert the groundlefs affertion of St. Bernard ;
and
to
made
dernonflrate, that fmging
a part of the chriftian fervice,
where-
ever the gofpel was eftablifhed.
About the year 386, Pfaltns and Hymns were ordered to be fung after the Eaftern manner ; and about 384, the Ambrofian Chant was formed of the Do Lydian, Mixolydian and Phrygian tones, which were called authentic modes, and to which Pope Gregory in 599, added four Weftern plagal. Europe had been evangelized antecedent to Gregory s Pontificate, and the Am brofian Chant admitted into churches I be-
rian,
many
caufe
there
reafon
is,
to
principal
many
believe,
:
fay
principal,
and diocefes
preferved the the (h) offices and fmging introduced by the firft miflionaries, and which more clofely adhered to the eaflern, that is, the ancient Greek Mufic,, than the Chant of the Cathedral of Milan. And this feems countenanced a,
Curfus,
that
biftiops
is,
by
very curious M.S.
fuppofed to have been written by an
{e)
HAWKINS
(f )
Evfufyu; % tnntwf,
(g)
faA^.o:,-
S
Hijlory of Mu/ic. KJ
Vol.
iw.we
K,
i.
HASIL. (h)
in pfalm 29.
USHER
S
y