IRISH EXTRACTS.

CONTAINING A CONCISE DESCRIPTION OF SOME OF THE PRINCIPAL PLACES IN IRELAND; WITH THE ANTIQUITIES, CUSTOMS, CHARACTER, AND MANNERS OF THAT COUNTRY.

BY THOMAS STRINGER, M.D.

(Continued from page 118.)

ANTIQUITIES OF IRELAND CONTINUED. TILITARY

ANTIQUITIES.

called Daingean, expressing a close secure place. This the English styled a Bawn, from the Teutonic Bawen, to construct and secure with branches of trees. Such seems to have been the principal warlike constructions of the Irish and their defences previous to the arrival of the English in 1169, when large and strong castles of lime and stone were erected.

Let us next consider the military weapons of this period. Antecedent to

are of different dimensions, some not measuring more than ten or fifteen yards in diameter, others contain eighteen or twenty English acres. They were always proportioned to the property and power of the Toparch. Round these the clan resided, and within these they retreated from danger: many of them are artificial, with subterraneous chambers and sally ports. These raths or hills were, according to the dialect of the foreign tribe that possessed them, named motes. Mota, in the Icelandic, is a place of meeting. The Mote of Monacoghlan, in the pa rish of Aghaboe, is an high artificial hill, surrounded by entrenchments, and defended by outworks, the residence of a Toparch subordinate to Maeguil Phadruig, or Fitzpatrick, Prince of Ossory. A place of judicature, or talk-motes, as well as the residence of the Chief. These raths, or earthen mounds, are thas constructed:

1st, A mound of earth formed in the shape of a cone, and finished in a point at top, eucircled generally by a slight ditch. These are sepulchral.

2d. A large circle, surrounded by a raised agger of earth and a slight ditch: frequently I observed two near to each other. These cannot be sepulchral, probably raths for conterences and meetings

3d, High raised circular tumulus with more than one fosse. These are evidently military works; as likewise are, 4th, Those with ramparts and outworks The most common plan is a high circular mound, with a square or oblong work attached to it, the whole surrounded by one or more ditches.

The Dun, or Din, was another sort of fort, and the same as the Welsh Dinas. This originally was an insulated rock, as is proved by the application of it to Dunamase, Dundunolf, and others. Smith and O'Connor confound the Dun with the next kind of Irish fortress Europ. Mag. Vol. LXXIII. Mar. 1818.

probably during some subsequent ages, stone hatchets, and spears and arrows headed with flints or stones, were only in use. The Celtes, from practice, having acquired a dexterity in using the stone hatchet, the Firbolgs made brass ones of the same shape. When such instruments as brazen celts were fabricated, it was not difficult to make brazen swords, and they have been discovered, at different times, in great numbers in this isle.

Giraldus Cambrensis, who with his countrymen bore a part in the Irish wars towards the end of the twelfth century, is our best authority for the military weapons of the ancient Irish. He tells us, they had long lances, two darts, broad axes, and threw stones with great quickness, force, and effect. -The battle axe was a weapon which Cambrensis expressly declares we adopted from the Ostmen and Norwagians. The Irish and Britons, who fought with darts and lances, were unable to resist the long swords and axes of the AngloSaxons.

This axe, or hatchet, they carried constantly about with them, and used it as a walking-staff, and they ofteu used it treacherously. Bows, arrows, and swords, were of later introduction. They did great injury with stones, to prevent which the English placed archers in the ranks with the heavy-armed infantry. In the age of Cambrensis, the Irish had bridles, but no stirrups, boots, nor spurs; even in 1584, when Staniburst writ, they were without spurs, as was Mac Murrogh in 15.99.

The Irish cavalry were styled Hobillers. The Kerns, or infantry, do not seem to have received this appellation till some time after the arrival of the English.

The other foot soldiers of the Irish were termed Galloglasses. Our Skene is evidently a contraction of the Anglo Saxon Segene, a short sword. The Skene was sometimes a

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foot and a half long, sometimes shorter, and was a Firbolgian instrument. William the Conqueror was the first that encouraged archery; it soon became the strength of the British army. The ancient how was six feet long, and the arrow two feet three inches: so that the small Irish bow and arrows, which seem to me lately introduced by the Scots, were very inferior to ours.

CASTLES.-In obedience to Henry's commands, his great feudatories erected castles in their respective possessions. About 1180, Lacey castellated Leinster and Meath. Cox is the most copious on this head; he says, Ardfinuan, Nenagh, Lismore, Tyrbrack, within two miles of Carrick, and Limerick, were built by King John. Castledermot, Castlederwagh, Kilkea, and Leighin, by the Lacies. Ferus, Sligo, Tralee, Geashill, Adare, and Askeaton, by the Fitzgeralds. The Grey Friars at Leighlin, Ballymarter, Ardtully, Lixnaw, and Macrome, by the Carews. Phillips town and Maryborough, by Bellingham. Athenry, by Bermingham. Green Castle, Castle Carberry, Athassel, Carlingford, Castle Connell, Loughrea, and Portumny, by the De Burgos. Kil kenny, by Ranulph Earl of Chester. Castle of Kilkenny, by the Earl of Ormond. Thomastown, by Thomas Fitz Anthony. Ross and Carlow, by Isabel, daughter of Strongbow. Carrickfergus, by Sir Henry Sidney. Castle Island, in Kerry, by Geoffry de Marisco. Timoleague, by Barret. Trim, by William Peppard.

Insulated rocks adopted as a place of safety, probably from the Firbolgian invaders, a warlike race: Dunamase is situated in the Queen's County, about four miles east from Maryborough. Its name, which imports the fort of the plain, evinces it to have been considered and used as a place of strength in the earliest ages: the plain is what is called the Great Heath, nearly sur rounding it.

The Castle of Ley, near Portarling ton, one of the oldest structures made by the English in this kingdom. The Castle of Ley was erected on a lofty hill. Its length externally is sixty feet, its breadth forty-six. The walls are eight feet thick, in some places sixteen. It was three stories high. The arches are all circular, except one pointed leading from the causeway into the Bawn, probably a later construction. On the north ran the river

Barrow, the other sides were secured by a ditch twenty-five feet broad, which could occasionally be filled with water from the river. Within the ditch was a wall, the foundations of which only remain. The approach to this fortress was by a causeway one hundred feet in length; the outer hallium from north to south, including the Bawn, three hundred and fifty feet in diameter, from east to west four hundred and ten feet. The inner ballium from north to south is one hundred and forty, and from east to west one hundred and thirty feet. The Bawn was a common appendage to castles. Stanihurst describes it as connected with castles, and being a large area surrounded with great difches and ramparts; within these cattle were protected from an enemy or thieves.

It was not before 1584 that the Irish became reconciled to the fire and explosion of guns.

The Earl of Essex, in 1599, tells Queen Elizabeth, that the Irish were unable to force any walled town, or castle, or house of strength; but they used a military engine called a Sow, which was used at the siege of Sligo, A.D. 1689, and is thus described: "It was made hollow to contain men, and was composed of very strong whole timbers bound with iron hoops, and covered with two rows of bides, and as many sheep-skins, which rendered it proof against musket-balls or steel

arrows.

The back part was left open for the men to get in and out at pleasure, and in front were doors to be opened, when the sow was forced under the wall, which was done with little labour, the engine being fixed on an iron axle-tree."-" The Irish," says Stafford, "besieged Liskaghan Castle in 1600, and placed a sow to the walls thereof, to sap the same; but the defendants did so well acquit themselves in a sally, that they tore the sow in pieces, made her cast her pigs, and slew twenty-seven of them dead on the place.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF THE ANCIENT IRISH.-O'Carrol, about 1830, and Cruise, two eminent harpers, were most probably the first who tuned their harps on the true diatonic harmonie principles. But even this improvement seems to have been confined to those. residing within the English pale.

With the state of the ancient Irish melodies of the middle ages we are not acquainted, few having reached our

time. The native music at present found among the descendants of the aboriginal inhabitants is extremely characteristic, and strongly expressive of the language and genius of the people. During the middle ages, the harp appears to have beed an universal instrument among the inhabitants of this isle; and, in consequence, their musicians became expert performers, and superior to their brethren in Britain, and in a great measure merited the high encomiams given them by Cambreusis, who observes, that the attention of these people to musical instruments is worthy of praise; in which their skill is, beyond comparison, superior to that of any other nation which we see. For in these modulation is not slow and solemn, as in the instruments of Britain, to which we are accustomed; but the sounds are rapid and precipitate, yet sweet and pleasing. It is extraordinary, in such rapidity of the fingers, how the musical proportions are observed, and the art every where unhurt, among the complicated modulations, and the multitude of intricate notes; so sweelly swift, so irregular in their composition, so disorderly in their conchords, yel returning to unison and completing the melody. Whether the chords of the diatesseron or diapente be struck together, they always begin with dulce and end with the same, that all may be perfect in completing the delightful sonorous melody. They commence and quit their modulations with so much subtlety, and the tinkling of the small strings sport with so much freedom under the deep notes of the bass, delight with so much delicacy, and soothe so softly, that the excellency of their art lies in concealing.

The Irish harps every where seem to have supported their credit, by agree able and able performers, even to the middle of the sixteenth century. From which period the whole island becoming subject to the laws, and adopting the manners, of the English, the Bardic order became extinct.

ANCIENT IRISH DRESS.-It may be safely affirmed, the most ancient Irish dress, of which we have any account, was barely a skin mantle, which the Welsh also used; this was afterwards changed for a woollen one; the rest of the body was entirely naked. Sagum, or Saic, was the name of the mantle.

The Irish, continues Cambrensis, are but slightly clad in woollen garments,

barbarously shaped, and for the most part black, because the sheep of the country were of that colour. Cambrensis then proceeds to an accurate description of the Irish dress, as it was at the arrival of the English:-" They usually wear moderate close capuchins, or hood mantles, covering the shoulders, and coming down to the elbows, composed of various colours and stripes, for the most part sewed together, under which they have Fallins or Jackets, and breeches and stockings of one piece." In latter ages, the Irish detached the hood from the mantle, and formed it into a conical cap, and gave it the name of Birred. Cambrensis observes, the capuchin, or hooded mantle, had various colours and patches of cloth, for the most part sewed together; that is, it was striped either in the loom or with the needle. The Falang, or Fallin: It is plain from Cambrensis, Brompton, and Camden, this was the jacket. Cluverius calls it

the doublet, or pourpoint, a habit covering the back, breast, and arms. The Braccæ, or browsers, were breeches and stockings of one piece.

Cambrensis describing the appearance of Shane O'Neil at the court of Elizabeth, A.D. 1562, attended by his galloglasses, says, "the latter bore battleaxes: their heads were bare, with locks curled and hanging down; their shirts stained with satiron, or human urine, and the sleeves of them large; their vests rather short, and their cloaks shagged. A vest scarcely reaching the elbows was well calculated to display the barbarous finery of monstrous sleeves, which Spenser assures us hung down to the knees.

According to Spencer, the women wrapped great wreaths of linen round their heads, and brought their hair over them, which, as he remarks, was rather unsightly. Morrison resembles this head-dress to a Turkish turban, but that the latter is round at the top, whereas the former is flat and broader in the sides. This is nearly the same as the Ossan preassagh, or the great plaited stocking of enormous length, worn about the head of the women of Breadalbane. Lynch declares it was a German custom. The same was the adorning their necks with chains and carknets, and their arms with bracelets.

Many and unequivocal circumstances tend to prove, that during the barbarous ages, when the rest of Europe was in

"He sent as much cloth, of fine French-Tawney, as would make him a gown, to a taylor in Norwich. It happened one John Drakes, a shoemaker, coming into the shop, liked it so well, that he went and bought of the same as much for himself, enjoyning the taylor to make it of the same fashion. The Knight being informed thereof, commanded the taylor to cut his gowu as full of holes as his sheers could make; which purged J. Drakes of his proud humor, that he never would be of the gentleman's fashion again."

We are indebted to the same author for an anecdote of Dr. Soames, Master of Peter-house, Cambridge, towards the close of the sixteenth century, whose whimsical perverseness deprived the college, over which he presided, of a handsome estate. It seems that Mary, the widow of Thomas Ramsey, Lord Mayor of London in 1577, after conferring several favours on that foundation, actually proffered to settle five hundred pounds a-year (a large income at that period) upon the house, provided that it might be called "The College of Peter and Mary.”—“ No!” said the capricious Master, "Peter, who has lived so long single, is too old now for a female partner."-" A dear jest," says Fuller, "to lose so good

Among the whims of great men, may be reckoned the reason which Philip the Second gave for not eating fish-" They are," said he, nothing but element congealed, or a jelly of water."-The value of that species of food had, however, been fully known by a Queen Aterbatis, who is said to have forbidden her subjects ever to touch fish, "lest," said she, with an uncommon degree of calculating forecast, "there should not be enough left to regale their Sovereiga." It is pity that this cautious epicure had not visited some of those inlets from the sea, in Scotland, where the piles of fish obstruct the tide's return; it might have set her royal mind at ease, and might have afforded her subjects many a pleasant meal.

the last age, we may reckon that of Among the most eccentric whims of

one of Queen Ann of Denmark's maids of honour, which is recorded by the following patent, which passed the Great Seal in the fifteenth year of James the First, and is to be found

* L'Estoile, in his "Journal de Henri III." relates other strange fancies of that wretched imitator of Heliogabalus in his vices as well as his follies. Sometimes' would traverse his capital, with a basket hanging by a girdle from his neck, out of which peeped the heads of half-a-dozen puppies. But here the Editor must say, with Persius, "Ah! si fas dicere !" For the story of the "Sarbacane," and other adventures with which the annals of that reign abound, as reported in the "Confession de Sancy, "The Isle des Hermaphrodites."" Le Baron de Fæneste," &c. would furnish another Procopius with an ample magazine of scandalous anec dotes.

Nothing can exceed the followers of cabalistical mysteries in point of fantastical conceits: the learned Godwin recounts some of them. Abraham," they say, "wept but little for Sarah, probably because she was old." They prove this by producing the letter Caph," which being a remarkably small letter, and being made use of in the Hebrew word which describes Abraham's tears, evinces, they affirm, that his grief also was small.

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The. Cabalists have discovered likewise, that in the two Hebrew words signifying "man" and "woman" are contained two letters, which, together, form one of the names of God." But if these letters be taken away, there remain letters which signify fire." "Hence," argue the Cabalists, " may find, that when man and wife agree together, and live in union, God is with them; but when they separate themselves from God, fire attends their footsteps" Such are the whimsical dogmas of the Jewish Cabala.

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In the Thuana, we read of a whimsical, passionate old Judge, who was sent into Gascony, with very considerable powers, to examine into many abuses which had crept into the administration of justice in that part of France. Arriving late at Port St. Mary, he asked," how near he was to the city of Agen?"-They told him, "Two leagues." He then determined to proceed that same evening, although they told him that the leagues were long, and the roads very bad. In consequence of his obstinacy, the Judge was bemired, benighted, and almost shaken to pieces. He reached Agen, however, by midnight, with tired horses and harassed spirits, and went to bed in a very ill humour. The next morn he summoned the court of justice to meet; and after having opened his commission in due form, his first decree was," That, for the future, the distance from Agen to Port St. Mary

should be reckoned six leagues." And this decree he ordered to be registered in the records of the province before he would proceed to any other business whatever.

Sir Kenelm Digby, in a discourse delivered by him at Montpellier, on Sympa thy (which, by the way, swarms with whimsical positions), affirmas, that the venison which is in July and August put into earthen pots, to last the whole year, is very difficult to be preserved during the space of those particular months which are called fence months, but that when that period is passed, nothing is so easy as to keep it gustful (as he words it) during the whole year after. This the eccentric discourser reasons on, as a fact, and endeavours to find a cause for it from the sympathy between the potted meat and its friends and relations who are courting and capering about in its native park.

"I have read of a bird," says Dr. Fuller, in his Worthies of England, "which hath a face like, and yet will prey upon, a man, who coming to the water to drink, and finding there, by reflexion, that he had killed one like himself, pineth away by degrees, and never afterwards enjoyeth itself.”

We have in our possession a whimsical instance of a literary caprice. It is a parody (as the author terms it) of Horace, by a German, David Hoppius, who had interest enough to have his book printed at Brunswic, in 1568, under the particular protection of the Elector of Saxony. He has, with infinite labour, transformed the Odes, and Epodes, of Horace, into pious hymns, preserving the original measure, and, as far as possible, the words of the Romau poet. The classical reader will at one glance comprehend the amazing difficulties which such a parodist must undergo, and will be surprised to bad these heterodox productions not wanting in pure Latinity: however, that be may judge for himself, a specimen or two are annexed.*

We have given no translation of the following Odes and Parodies, since, notgood Hoppius (which he copiously set forth withstanding the pious intention of the in his preface), the appearance of the versions in English, answering to each other, would be apt to convey irreverend ideas.