or bosses of rendered lard upon the head of each epistle of them".(66) XXIII. this dress; I shall not at present follow Mac Conglinde's humorous des- analysis of cription farther. Let us stop to analyze the doorkeeper's dress, so precisely and minutely noted, and, abstracting from it the absurdities of the fanciful materials mentioned, we can very easily call up the image of a man in the costume of the time. And in fact it happens, most singularly, with the exception of the sandals, the girdle, the garlands, and what is called the Epistle or necklace, there is still in existence in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy an ancient and most faithful сору of the doorkeeper's dress: that is, as regards the principal articles of which it consisted, namely the trews, the frock, and the cape. Of these last three articles of dress it is quite unnecessary to say any more here, as they come within the knowledge of every one. We all know that the Cochall is the ordinary cape the Cochall; or short cloak for the shoulder, such as is worn at this day. Secondly, the Inar, or tunic, is almost identical with the tight, the Inar ; military frock of modern times, but without a collar of any The third article of the dress, the Mac Cong dress; kind as far as we know. Ochrath, or trews, was a very graceful fashion of tight-fitting the Ochrath; pantaloons, reaching from the hips to the ankles These three, it will be remembered, were the principal articles of Mac Conglinde's doorkeeper's dress, and they are sufficiently explicit. Not so, however, with Mac Conglinde's own dress, as described analysis of at the opening of the tale. There we are told that the night linde's own before his departure for Roscommon, our young poet made for himself a pair of Cuarans, or shoes, of brown leather of seven doubles. He arose in the morning, and of course dressed himself. The particulars of the dress are not given, but we are told that he tucked up his Leinidh over his hips, and wrapped his Leinidh. his white cloak around his body. Here we have no account of the pantaloons, nor of the frock, because they were close fitting articles, that required no tucking up to facilitate the traveller's motion. The white cloak does not demand any particular attention; but the Leinidh which he tucked up above his hips, is an article that has not hitherto attracted the notice of any writer on Irish antiquities. (66) [original:-Ba cain delb inóclaig sin, acas ba hé a čómáinm 1. maelsaille mac Mailimme mic blongi, cona assaib slemna senfaille ima bunnu; cona ochraib do biud scaibline imalurgib; cona h-inar bo-saille imme; cona cris do lethar firésc taris ; cona ¿och all ditascaid imme; cona uíí. cor- XXIII. between the Léine and the Leinidh, -the latter was a kilt. The word Leine, though written in two different ways, and Distinction signifying two different things, is and must be invariably pronounced the same way. When it signifies a shirt, as it does at the present day, it is witten Léine; but when, as in the present case, it signifies a sort of petticoat or kilt, it is then written Léinidh; but I am not able to explain the reason of the difference in orthography. I am very well aware that these words have been often thoughtlessly and carelessly written, one for the other, even in very old manuscripts; whenever we find a person described with a Léine of some beautiful stuff placed upon his white skin, we may, however, be certain, whatever the orthography may be, that the article spoken of is a shirt. And again, when we find a person described with a Léinidh having a costly border or fringe, and descending to his knees, we may be equally certain that the article spoken of was a kilt or petticoat. I happen to have met two references to the word in its latter signification, that leave no doubt of its distinctive character and its assigned place on the human body. In the ancient tale called Loinges nMac n Duildermaita, or the Exile of the Sons of Duildermait, we are told that on a certain occasion as Ailill and Medbh, the king and queen of Connacht, were in their palace of Cruachan, the warder of the castle came out and informed the queen that he saw a body of men coming towards them from the south: and then the story says that, as they were looking out then, they saw the cavalcade upon the plain; and they saw a champion leading them, having on a crimson four-folding cloak, with its four borders of gold upon it; a shield with eight joints of Findruine at his back; a Leinidh reaching from his knees to his hips; fair yellow hair upon his head, falling down both flanks of the steed he rode; a bunch of thread of gold depending from it of the weight of seven ounces; and it was hence he was called Edchu Rond [that is, Edchu of the gold thread or wire]. A gray blackspotted stallion under him, [having] a golden mouthpiece in his mouth; two spears with ribs of Findruine in his hand, and a gold-hilted sword upon his side" (67) This splendid champion was the king of Ui Maine in the present counties of Galway and Roscommon, and one of the Firbolg race. (67) [original:—Amail robatar and iar sin, condfacatar insluaiġ san mag; acas conacatar 111 Loec remib, acas brat corcra cethar dia bail immi, cona ceoteoraib oir [recte oraib] fair; sciath coroċt naislib findruine fora muin; Lene cona clar argait immi o aglun cofodbrunn; mong findbudi fair combid for dib slesaib indeich; rond oír eifrice poibe cointrom .ui. nuingi, ba de ro hainimniged Edċu Roňd fair. Gabair brec glasa fofuidiu, conabellic oir friae; dagai cona nasnadaib findruine inalaim, cloidib orduren for a criss.-H. 2. 16. col. 961, line 6.] Here, I think, there can be no doubt of the precise character and use of the Léinidh; and the following passage from the ancient Gaedhelic Triads, gives us even the very law which regulated the wearing of the Leinidh, as well as of the Ochrath, or trews; and the length of the hair (or beard). Thus speaks this Triad: XXIII. ting the "Three legal handsbreadths, that are, namely a hands- Law regula. breadth between his shoes and his Ochrath, or pantaloons; a wearing of handsbreadth between his ear and his beard (or hair); and a handsbreadth between the border of his Leinidh and his knee.(68) the Ochrath the Leinidh or kilt, and or panta I need not, I think, say another word to show what the Och- loons. rath and the Leinidh were, but it would appear from the absence of the Leinidh in the description of the fat doorkeeper, that that article of dress was not worn by the inferior people, but that it appertained to the higher classes and to the professions. The identification of this article of dress is, I must confess, a late discovery, and time has not allowed me to pursue the subject farther at present; but I have no doubt but that I shall be able hereafter to add to these descriptions some more striking illustrations from some of the illuminations to be met with so often in our ancient books and from our sculptures.(69) bas eitir curtar aleine agas a glun (68) [original:—Tri basa teċta (.1. dligteaċa). Bas eitir a ussa (.1. assain) acas na hailt agas a oċraċ (.i. alt), bas eitir a u (.1. a cluas) 45མ་ a berrat (.1. mullaċ a činn), (69) [ Vide postea, Lecture xxv. vol. ii. p. 143, where a striking illustration of the nature of the Leinidh is given from the tale of the Bruighean Da Derga] LECTURE XXIV. [Delivered July 10th, 1860.] (VIII.) DRESS AND ORNAMENTS (continued). Constant references to fringes of gold thread; mention of this ornament in the account of Medbh's visit to her chief Druid in the commencement of the Táin Bo Chuailgne,—description of Fedelm the prophetess weaving a fringe; the fringe sword or lath mentioned in a poem of Dalian Forgaill (circa A.D. 560). Ancient laws relating to the pledging of ornaments, etc.; law relating to the pledging of a needle; the pledging of a queen's work bag; the work bag of an Airech Feibhe. The legal contents of a work bag formed only a small part of a lady's personal ornaments. References to dyeing, weaving, embroidering, etc., in the ancient laws regulating Distress; objects connected with those arts for the recovery of which proceedings might have been taken under those laws. Objects connected with the textile arts mentioned in other ancient laws. Coloured thread and wool paid as rent or tribute. The dye-stuffs used were of home growth. Legend of St. Ciaran and the blue dye stuff called Glaissin. Summary of the processes in the textile arts mentioned in the extracts quoted in the lecture. Reference to embroidery in the tale of the Tochmarc nEimire, and in the Dinnseanchas. Coca the embroideress of St. Columcille. The knowledge of the Gaedhils about colours shown by the illuminations to the Book of Kells. Reference in the Book of Ballymote to the colours worn by different classes. Cloth of various colours formed part of the tributes or taxes paid as late as the ninth and tenth centuries. Tributes to the king of Cuiseal according to the Book of Rights from: Ara; Boirinn; Leinster; Uaithne; Duibhneach and Drung; Corcumruadh; the Deise; Orbraidhe. Stipends paid by the king of Caiseal to the kings of Kerry; Raithlenn; Ara. Tributes to the king of Connacht from Umhall; the Greagraidhe; the Conmaicne; the Ciarraidhe; the Luighne; the Dealbhna Ui Maine. Stipends paid by the king of Connacht to the kings of: Dealbhna; Ui Maine. Tributes to the king of Aileach from: the Cuileantraidhe; the Ui Mic Caerthainn; Ui Tuirtre. Stipends paid by the king of Aileach to the kings of: Cinel Boghaine; Cinel Eanna; Craebh; Ui Mic Caerthainn; Tulach Og. Stipends paid by the king of Oriel to the kings of: Ui Brea sail; Ur Eachach; Ui Meith; Ui Dortain; Ui Briuin Archoill; Ui Tuirtre; Feara Manach; Mughdhorn and Ros. Stipends paid by the king of Uladh to the kings of: Cuailgne; Araidhe; Cobhais; Muirtheimne. Tributes to the king of Uladh from: Semhne; Crothraidhe; Cathal. Gifts to the king of Tara. Stipends paid by the king of Tara to the kings of: Magh Lacha; Cuircne; Ui Becon. Tributes to the king of Tara_from: the Luighne; the Feara Arda; the Saithne; Gailenga; the U Beccon. Stipends paid by the king of Leinster to the: Ui Fealain; the chief of Cualann; Ui Feilmeadha; king of Raeilinn; Ui Criomhthannan. Tributes to the king of Leinster from the: Galls; Forthuatha; Fotharta; men of South Leinster. Gifts from the monarch of Erinn to the king of Emain Macha. Stipends of the king of Emain Macha to the kings of: Rathmor; Ui Briuin ; Conmaicne. Gifts bestowed on the king of Leinster by the monarch of Erinn whenever he visited Tara. Gift of the king of Leinster on his return from Tara to the king of Ui Fealain. Gifts of the monarch of Erinn to the king of Caiseal when at Teamhair Luachra. Stipends given by the king of Caiseal at the visitation of the monarch of Erinn to the: Deise; Ui Chonaill. Stipends paid by the king of Connacht to the kings of: Ui Maine; Luighne. Colours of winds, according to the preface to the Seanchas Mor. In the last lecture, I brought together a considerable number of general descriptions of the costume of kings and warriors armed for battle, taken chiefly from the historic tale of the great war between Connacht and Ulster in the time of Conchobar Mac Nessa, about one thousand nine hundred years ago. I purpose in this lecture to give as detailed descriptions of the manufacture of ornamental dresses, as the accounts preserved in our old books will enable me to do. We have seen, and shall see hereafter, in the description of the clothes of men and women, constant reference to borders, or fringes of thread of gold and other materials and of various colours. And in fact we find a very circumstantial, and therefore most interesting, reference to the actual manufacture of this beautiful ornament at the beginning of the tale of the Táin Bo Chuailgne. XXIV. visit to her great Táin: When the three great parties already spoken of, consisting of Medhbh's queen Medbh's seven sons, their cousins, the seven sons of Mag. chief druid hach, Cormac Conloingeas, the exiled Ulster prince, and their before t followers, had arrived at the palace of Cruachan and quartered themselves for the time on the surrounding territory, queen Medbh herself began to entertain serious thoughts on the probable results of the great war on which she was about to enter. To satisfy herself as far as possible, the queen ordered her chariot and drove to the residence of her chief Druid, and demanded. knowledge and prediction of the future from him. "Numbers", said Medbh," shall separate from their companions and from their friends this day, and from their country, and from their lands; from father, and from mother; and if they do not all return in safety, it is upon me their groans and their curses shall be poured out; however, there goes not forth and there remains not at home any one more precious to us than ourselves, and ascertain thou for us", said she, "shall we return or shall we not". And the Druid answered: "Whosoever returns not, you yourself shall return", (70) The story then goes on as follows: of Fedelm "The charioteer then turned the chariot, and Medbh returned description back. She saw what was a surprise to her, namely, a single the prowoman sitting upon the shaft of the chariot beside her in her phetess who presence. What the woman was doing was, weaving a border her when with a sword [that is, a lath or rod] of Findruini (or white (76) [original :-Soċaide scaras fria coemu acas fria ĉairdiu sund indiu, ar medb, acas friá ¿riċ, acas fria serand; fria athair, acas fria matair, acas meni tiset uli in imflar, ti formsa co m-benfat an osnaid acas a mallachtain. ar ai sin ni teit immad acas ní anand ifus as appeared to returning; |