Electronic edition compiled and proof-read by Beatrix Färber
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1. First draft, revised and corrected.
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Created: By Risdeard Ó Conchubhair (Richard O'Connor). Date range: between 1589 and 1592.
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The following scribal note is from MS 3 C 19, a copy of an Irish translation of the Lilium Medicinae, the Decem Ingenia, and Prognostica of Bernard of Gordon (for whom see Ériu 11, 174 ff). The translation was made by Cormac Mac Duinn Shleibhe, one of a noted Ulster family of physicians, about the middle of the fifteenth century. The scribe, Risdeard Ó Conchubhair (Richard O'Connor), came of a well-known family of physicians in Ossory. For other notes by him in this manuscript see Cat. of Irish MSS. in the Royal Irish Academy, pp. 1167 ff., and Father Paul Walsh's Gleanings from Irish MSS., 2nd ed., 123 ff. The scribal notes in these medical manuscripts are often of very great interest for their valuable commentary on contemporary events and for the information they give us about the kind of people the writers were; the environment in which they lived, their family connexions, and their own personal views on matters of public and historical interest. The earlier scribes of medical manuscripts were physicians — outstanding examples of this are the O'Connors of 3 C 19; and another interesting question arises out of the matter and style of some of the notes: Is it possible that some of these physicians were also in holy orders? The extract quoted below reads as though it might be the utterance not of a layman, but of an ecclesiastic. Certainly it is that of a man with a strong moral sense and a high degree of piety. The period in which Richard O'Connor lived was a difficult one for Irish priests, and it is interesting to consider whether he and other medical men of the Middle Ages in Ireland were not priests, as were many of their professional colleagues in England and on the continent. Bernard of Gordon himself was a very devout man, e.g. in the Preface to the Lilium Medicinae, quoting Galen: No one can come nearer to God better than by study in the truth and for the truth. To the honour therefore of the heavenly Lamb who is the splendour and glory of the Father this book, entitled Lilium Medicinae. For in the lily there are many blooms and in each bloom seven white petals as it were
The note is inserted into chapter 14 (on the causes and cure of sterility), with a marginal warning that it is the scribe who is speaking (an sgribhneoir adeir so).
Na pisseoga uero is iongnadh lium nachar orduigh Bernard enni ina n-aghaidh annsa capidel so o dorinnidh iomrad orra ina chuisibh, & fós nachar chuir capidel specialta orra fén, & go mormhor is iongnad lium Cormac da dhenam, acht munab é a n-adhuar ar son nach fhedir a leghes, & do réir mo bharamhla fen is cosmail gurob fhedir a leghis mar gach aimsiugad & gach temptation ele da ttabhair in diabal & a mhuinnter arna daoinibh. Oir is muinnter don dhiabal & is diabhail fen go firinnech lucht a ndenta. Mas edh gid be uias aimrid, d'fhior no do mnaoi, na bith ina eretici & cetera, acht creidiodh mar credes in eglais & denad faoisidin mhinic & gabad sacramint naomhtha na h-egailsi & estidh briathra & tegusc diles Dé, & aisigidh na neithi fuair go h-olc & na bith smuainedh aigi in t-olc cedna do dhenam {MS fo. 222r b} aris, & denad derc & urnaighthi & aithrighe & treghenus, mad nech thuilnges a dhenam uias ann. Et iar sin guidhedh in t-Athair trocairech go minic fa chloinn d'fhaghail dó. Agus bith a fhios agad go ufuair Iachim & Anna & Elizabeth & Zacharia, noch dha roibh Dia buidheach & do bi glan o chair, clann o Dhia rena ghuidhi, & ni h-edh amhain, acht ni chuirim a g-conntabairt gidh be ar bith athcuinghidh dhiongmala shirfis in cristaidhi glan ar Dhia do ghnath go ufhuighe uadhi í. Ergo et cetera. Et tuig fos da mbedh gan pisseoga do ueit ann nach lughuidi is coir so do dhenam. Oir cuiridh Dia eslainti noch doni aimridecht mar dhioghaltas ar in b-phecach an uair nach den aithrighi. Mas edh no go n-díocharthar in pecadh ni leighesfaidher (?) in eslainti tainic trit, & no go leighestar in eslainti ni ginfidhir uadhi, ergo et cetera. Agus ni córa so do tuicsin isin eslainti so na in gach uili eslainti ele. Agus dlighidh in liaigh fós ueit glan o chair sul tionnsgnus a oibrecha.
Now as regards charms it is a wonder to me that Bernard did not prescribe anything against them in this chapter, since he mentions them in his section on causes, and moreover that he did not write a special chapter on them, and more particularly I wonder that Cormac did not1 do so, unless the reason was that they cannot be cured. And according to my own opinion it seems that they can be cured, like every other trial and temptation that the devil and his followers send on human beings. For followers of the devil and devils themselves are those who use them. If so, whosoever is sterile, man or woman, let him not be a heretic, etc., but let him believe as the Church believes, and let him make his confession often, and receive the Holy Sacrament of the Church, and hear the words and true teaching of God, and restore the things he got wrongly, nor have thoughts of committing the same wrong again. And let him give alms and pray and repent and fast, if he be one who can do so. And after this let him pray the merciful Father often that he may have children, for be it known to thee Joachim and Anna, Elizabeth and Zacharias, with whom God was pleased, and who were free from blame, received children from God through prayer. And not that only, but I have no doubt that whatever fitting petition a good Christian is wont to ask of God he will obtain it, ergo, etc. And understand, moreover, that even were there no charms, none the less is it right to do this. For God sends a disease which causes sterility as punishment on the sinner when he does not repent. Therefore until the sin be put away the disease which came by it will not be cured, and until the disease be cured there will be no generation from him,ergo, etc. And this ought to be understood in any other disease also. And the physician also should be pure from blame before he begins his works.