ART. XIV.-The Annals of Ireland, from the Year 1443 to 1468, translated from the Irish by Dudley Firbisse, or, as he is more usually called, Duald Mac Firbis, for Sir James Ware, in the Year 1666.

OF

F this translation there are three copies extant, one in the Library of the British Museum, Cod. Claren. tom. 68, Ayscough, 4799, Plut. cxv. E, which is in Mac Firbis's own hand, and commences P. 47.

The second copy is preserved in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, Class F. 1, 18. This seems to have been made for Daniel Molyneux, Ulster King at Arms, by a very incompetent scribe, who has mistaken many of the proper names of men and places, and even corrupted the text in various ways. The third copy is preserved among Harris's Collections in the Library of the Royal Dublin Society: it is in Harris's own hand, and appears to have been made from the Trinity College copy, but Harris has evidently corrected some obvious blunders of the transcriber.

It is now difficult to determine from what compilation of Annals Mac Firbis has made this translation, as it does not agree in matter or arrangement with the Annals of the Four Masters, or any compi lation of Annals accessible to the Editor in Dublin or in England. Harris, in his edition of Ware's Bishops, at Tuam, under John [de Burgo], has the following observation on this translation, p. 612:

"One John was consecrated about the close of the year 1441. [Sir James Ware declares he could not discover when he died; and adds that some called him John de Burgo, but that he could not answer for the Truth of that name.] But both these particulars are cleared up, and his immediate successor named by Dudley Firbisse, an Amanuensis, whom Sir James Ware employed in his House to translate and collect for him from the Irish Manuscripts; one of whose pieces begins thus, viz. 'This Translation beginned was by Dudley Firbisse in the House of Sir James Ware, in Castle-street, Dublin, 6th of November 1666,'

which was 24 Days before the Death of the said Knight. The Annals or Translation, which he left behind him, begin in the year 1443, and end in 1468. I suppose the Death of his Patron put a stop to his further progress. Not knowing from whence he translated these Annals, wherever I have occasion to quote them, I mention them under the name of Dudley Firbisse."

Again under Richard [O'Ferral], Ardagh, p. 253, he writes:

"In certain Manuscript Annals intitled The Annals of Firbissy (not those of Gelasy Mac Firbissy, who died in 1301, but the Collection or Translation of one Dudley Firbissy), I find mention made of Richard Bishop of Ardagh, and that he was sone to the Great Dean Fitz-Daniel Fitz John Galda O Fergaill, and his death placed there under the year 1444.”—p. 254.

Here Harris refers to Annals by a Gelasy Mac Firbissy, who died in 1301. These are probably the Annals of Lecan, now unknown, but referred to by the Four Masters, and often quoted by Roderic O Flaherty in the margin of the Trinity College autograph copy of the Annals of the Four Masters [Class H, 2. 11], under the title of "MS. L." But we learn from Duald Mac Firbis himself, that he had various MSS. and Annals of the Mac Firbises; and it is quite evident that the present translation was made from some of them.

The following memorandum prefixed to a list of Bishops, collected for Sir James Ware, and now preserved in the MS. already referred to, in the British Museum, will enable the reader to form some idea of the sources from which this translation has been drawn :

"The ensueing Bishops' names are collected out of severall Irish ancient and modern manuscripts, viz. of Gilla-isa mac fferbisy written before the yeare 1397 (it is he that wrote the greate booke of Leackan Mac fferbisy, now kept in Dublin), and out of others the Mac fferbisys' Annals, out of Saints' Calendars and Genealogies also, for the Right worshipful and ever honoured Sir James Ware Knight, and one of His Majestie's Privie Council and Auditor Generall of the Kingdome of Ireland.

"This Collection is made by Dudly Ferbisie 1655."-p. 17.

The

The text of the present edition has been obtained from the autograph of Mac Firbis already noticed, compared with the Dublin transcripts. The Editor is indebted to the Rev. Richard Garnett and to Mr. Grabham of the British Museum, for the collation of these sheets with the original.

Ex Annal. ferbissii.

Annals of Ireland.

J. O'D.

This translation beginned was by Dudly fferbisie in Sir James Ware's house at Castle streete vi°. Novembris 1666.

1443. Malruany (Thady ô Carole's sonn) King of Ely died. Mac Ægan of Ormond a happy rich man, and a greate Author (.1. learned in the Irish law) of the Irish lawes died. Fingin Mac Gilly Patrick and Dermott Mac Gille Patrick, Mac Gille Patrick King of Ossory his two sonns (the said Fingin being well worthy of the Kingdome of Ossory as sole Lord through his vertuous qualities and conditions both in princely person, wealth, liberality and martiall ffeates), were both murthered in Killkenny by Mac Richard Butler's direction. Walter the Siccy his son and Alexander Croc and John Begg O'Conallay, by these three Fingin was beaten to death, and afterwards Richard Buttler's sonn cruelly ransacked Ossory.

Brian fitz Edmond fitz Thomas, fitz Cathal O'Feargail being killed and drowned he endeavoring to goe forcibly to [from, Dubl. MS.] Port-Ingortin after he was two yeares and a halfe kept prisoner by Daniel boy O'Feargail. Thady O'Dowda the King of O'Fiachra-muay his son being cast and killed with a speare by his owne brother. Edh fitz Feargal mÆgan chiefe Judge of O'Fiachra and Baethalach his brother both died. The son of Taithlech boy O hara was killed in his owne house by East ô-hara his son, and by his own kinsman. A preying army made by Ædh fitz Brian O'Kelly King of O-many and by Corc O-mailechlyn

O-mailechlyn & by Art fitz Conn O-mailechlyn in Corcaroy in Meath, and by the sons of Dermot ffitz Art O-Mailechlyn in Corcaroy in Meath so that they gathered thence innumerable preyes of cowes, & they burned Muny-na-fedey. Another preying army was made by Macgille-Patrick King of Ossory, and by O-mordhaes sonn, and by ConnO-conner, so that their forces reached westwards beyond Sliavardachy, and they gathered very many Cattles, vntill Richard Butlers sonn overtooke them, and they being defeated lost some scores of their horses, and there was killed William the sons son of Thomas son to the Earl of Killdare, and Caher o-Conners sonn, & John Renan fitz Murris Oridh his sonn, and Malechlyn Roa mac Gille Patrick his son, and Donnagh sons son to John O-Carole, & others of their footmen, and the most parte of their horseboyes alsoe.

Greate preyes taken by Edh boy O-nell from his elder brother Mortagh roa O-nell, so that he obeyed for his preyes, and both they concluded full peace afterwards. A greate army made by Mac-William Burk viz. by Edmond fitz Thomas Burk, and by his confederates both English and Irish, to joyne in Battle against Mac-William of Clannrickard viz'. Ullick oge fitz Ullik fitz Richard; but God hindered them from fighting, so that Mack-William of Clanricard came then to Mack-William Burks house (.1. obeyed him) for he had not a competent number of fighting men for battle, nor to defende his country at that season, so that he receued as meanes 400 cowes, a horse and armour, and then they both made full peace as well in their owne behalfe, as in the behalfe of their friends, English and Irish on both sides. Johnyne son to Cuconnacht O-Feargail, Lord of Firlaeghaghan, died a penitent death, he being annointed according to the churchs rites. O-Mordha his sons gave a defeate to the county of Killkeny, where Piers the sons son of Piers Buttler was killed, and two or three of the murtherers that has [had] beaten Fingin Mac Gille Patrick.

IRISH ARCH. SOC. MISCELL. VOL. I. 2 D

The

The Abbot of Muirgeas son to the Abbot Mac Donaghy was killed (per dolum) by his own kinsmen to wit by the sonns of Edh mac Maelruany, viz'. Bricksliav-men, and that, for taking from them certaine hereditarie lands, and it is said, that he was son to the Abbot mac-David, though he endeuored to depose him forcibly.

A rainy tempestous yeare after May, so that very many fishes multiplied in all the riuers in Ireland, and much hurted both bees and sheepe in Ireland also.

One of the streets in Ath-boy-tlachta being burnt whose losses were innumerable.

A confederacy of warr made by the Berminghams, and by Calwagh ô-Conner against the English, so that they preyed and burnt a greate part of Meath by that warr, & that alsoe they haue obtained what they sought for according to their own wills, to wit, the said Calwaghs challenges, that is, his duties (as their Lord) from the English during his life, and the Berminghams pledges that has [had] beene then in the custodie of the English in consideration of many challenges due into them, to wit, satisfaction for blood and preyes, the said pledges to be freely restored without further satisfaction giuen for them, and not that onely [but] they obtained all conditions as they demaunded for holding peaceable quietnesse with the English. That warr, was called, the warr of Caimin, that is, an abvse that was giuen to the son of the Chiefe of the Berminghams (hibernice, to mac ffeorais his son) in the greate court in the town of Ath-truim by the Thresurer of Meath, .. the Barnwalls sonn, so that he did beate a Caimin (.1. a stroke of his finger), vpon the nose of mac mec ffeorais or Berminghams son, which deede he was not worthy of, and he entering on the Earle of Ormond safe guard, so that he stole afterwards out of the town and went towards O-Conner ffaly and joyned together, and it is hard to know, that ever was such abuse better revenged then the said Caimin, and thence came the notable word (Cogadh an Caimin).