PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE.

"There existed, indeed, war and hostility for a long time between the Conacians and Ultonians, when Mevia held the sovereignty of Conaught, and Conor* was king of Ulster. In order, however, reader, that you may know the cause of this enmity, I will here relate how the children of Usnach were put to death, against the guaranty of Fergus son of Roy, of Cormac Conlingas, and of Dubthach Dael of Ulster.

66 On

tach and Cormac, which latter was so designated, as coexile with the other two after the breach of their Guaranty.

They had a solemn promise from the king, that he would not treat the children of Usnach with violence if they would induce them to return; but, contrary to the usage of the time, he procured their assassination; and it is traditionally handed down, that this was the first breach of public faith in Ireland. CEO brjażan bréige Eireann. Cormac Conlingas was Conor's own son; Fergus and Dubthach, his near relations, and two of his principal courtiers. Fergus was even his tanist, or heir elect to the crown of Ulster. Dubthach was called the Chafer of Ulster by the enemies of the province, from his black hair or armour, and from his prowess rendering him hateful, as the reptile called the Chafer, which is odious, as supposed to be emblematic of the evil spirit.

“La̸ naen, jmorro, dá nteĉad Cončubar, Rjog Ulad go tec fhéilime mac Dajll, scêlajòe Choncubajs, do čajċeṁ fleda, acaf pe linn na fleda sin, rug ben Fhéilime inġen alujmn, azas do rine Cażyad dpa', ¿ápla fan сcombájt an tan sin, tuas agaf tapnGajrę Don Inġjn, go ttjucfa jomad Toćajr Dan Chóigiò dú Toyt. Jap na člos sin don laećrajd, to żogradar amarbad do lá. zajn. Nidencas, ajr Conćubas, ačt bếpaġ mish liom I agar cuirfiod Dá h-oile-mujn í go pajb na haen ṁnaj agam féjn.

Deirdre do

ġajpm an draj, Cażɣad, Dj. Do cusp Concubar a los air lejċ í; acas oidE AGAF BUIME dá hojleṁajn, acaf ný láṁad neać don Choj·GED Dol na láċajp ačt a hojde AGAF A BUIME, agas benćajnte Chonćubajr dá ngojpċj Lebarcam. Dobj ajr an ÓμDúÿÁDHIN GO BEJĊ JONUAĈAIN DI ACAF GUN ¿jnn ajr ṁnájʊ a cóṁajmsire I scējṁ. Thápla, jmorro, d'á hojDE LAEŻ DO ṁarbaĎ

* This was a post of high distinction in those early times. It is evident from this tale, as well as numerous others in our language, that the druids acted as priests and soothsayers; and we discover that they were considered as the heads of all the scientific professions; and they were also considered as necromancers.

I

know

"On a certain day that Conor, King of Ulster, went to partake of an entertainment at the mansion of Feidlim son of Dela, Conor's Story-teller,* Feilim's wife lay in of a fair daughter, during the entertainment; and Caffa the Druid, who was then of the company, foreboded and prophecied for the daughter, that numerous mischiefs and losses would happen the province on her account. Upon hearing this, the nobles proposed putting her to death forthwith. Let it not be done so, said Conor, but I will take her with me, and send her to be reared, that she may become my own only wife. The Druid, Caffa, named her Deirdri.† Conor put her into a retired fort, and a tutor and nurse to rear her, and no one of the province dare go into her presence but her tutor, her nurse, and Conor's conversation woman, who was called Lavarcam. She continued under this regulation until she was marriageable. It happened then, on a snowy day,

that

know no other term for necromancy in the Irish language but Drujbećt, i. e. Druidism, except gentljdečt, i. e. Gentilism, which, in regard to the former term, is comparatively modern.

+ This name is explained in an old Irish manuscript, to be hereafter introduced, as signifying Alarm.

❀a pʊaŎre projnn d'ollṁúġad Djfi lá fnečta agaf jar ndorta fola an laejġ fan Tfnęċta, cromaf fjać Dub đá hól; agas mur ¿ug Deirdre sin d'á hajre, adúbajrt te Lebarcam 50 mưa mac le xe Yeap to be face ajr a mbeDJj na TrÍ Daża ad čonajpc. Nup a Tá, daje an fhejć ajr a fholt, dajć fotá an. Laejġ ajr a ġruajó, azas daċ an tfnećta ajr a ćnojs. A tá a jam̃ajl sin d'fjor, ne pújdTer Nasi mac Ujfneać, a ffoćajr Chonćubajr fan teġlač. Najed a lebapčajm, (an SÍ,) Gujōjms) zusa a ćup Dom accalam Kejn gan phos. Noćtaf Lebarćam DO NAISI an nj sin. Taf sin čanjġ Naisi óf Ifel a ndáj Dhéjrorë, acas cujpes a Fujm mējƊ a fejnce do, acaf japus ajp Í féjn do brej¿ ajr eloo ó Choncubar. Tuz Naoh) AÈNTA PIf fiŃ, ZE3μ LEIFG LEIF é 'D'egla Chonéubajr. Tpjalluf xéin agus a dá brájčjr, jodon, Ajnnle, agas Ardán, agaf Déjɲdre, agaf trj ĉaogat laeć mup a̸en pju, go 1o Albajn, ájt a ffuapadar congban

That is, they and their followers were received into the king of Alba's army, and were assigned an appanage, or Land of Maintenance, to be held for service, as was usual in those ancient times. It must be concluded that the youthful fame in arms of Naisi and his brothers, was not unheard of by the sovereign to whom

he

that her tutor killed a calf to prepare food for her, and, on his spilling the calf's blood in the snow, a raven came to drink of it; and as Deirdri noticed this, she said to Lavarcam, that she would be glad herself to have a husband possessed of the three colours which she saw; that is, his hair of the colour of the raven, his cheek of the colour of the calf's blood, and his skin of the colour of the snow. There is such a man, named Naisi son of Usnach, of Conor's houshold, said Lavarcam. O then, said Deirdri, I beseech you to send him privately to address me; and accordingly Lavarcam discloses the circumstance to Naisi, and Naisi secretly pays a visit to Deirdri, and she communicates the greatness of her affection for him, and desires of him to take her by stealth from Conor. Naisi consented to this, though reluctantly, through fear of Conor. He himself, and his two brothers, Ainli and Ardan, and Deirdri, accompanied by one hundred and fifty warriors, made their way to Alba, where they obtained maintenance of quarterage* from the king

of

he resorted with such prompt confidence. In fact, the greatest intimacy and most familiar intercourse existed between the Picts, or old inhabitants of Alba, or modern Scotland, and the Scots, or old inhabitants of Eirè, or Ireland. Our own history truly informs us, and the

venerable