Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition

Life of Naile (Author: [unknown])

section 15

So then Naile said:

p.138

1. Luan above every child (luan)
   Till doom, though it be difficult;
   King over these clans,
   Until thou shalt oppose me.

As he said:

1. I grant grace of kingship
   And lordship of land
   To thee, O Luan, henceforth,
   Until thou oppose me by withholding (my dues).

And the youth flushed at this, and said: 'Wherefore should I oppose thee, O holy clerk? ' And Naile said: 'In the withholding of my baptism-penny (fee) from my holy clerks by thyself and thy descendants. ' And Luan said joyfully: 'Set forth thyself diligently whatever is due for good baptism; and let the holy clerks be sureties and witnesses of the tribute from now till doom without contradiction.'

And Naile spoke these words while enumerating the tribute:

1. Here is the price of thy tending,
   O youthful Luan of the crimson weapons,
   For thy rescue from the rude devil
   To the excellent Trinity;
   And for the kingship of thy mighty race
   Over the borders of many-harboured Erne.
2. Of thyself and thy descendants
   The bright bell of Naile claims
   At the beginning of every battle
   (To go) before you in very deed.
3. Your enemies shall not prevail
   Against you in battle or strife for mastery,
   If there be (on you) without contention
   The ringing of my valiant bell.
4. It will be safe from newly-whetted weapons,
   I myself and my miracles will interpose
   Between you and every blow
   Which is discharged against you from red arms.

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p.139

5. Maintain my valiant tribute
   To me duly and zealously,
   And your great dominion will not be ruined
   Till the end of this bad age.
6. Here to thee is the compact tribute
   Which I claim of thy kindreds:
   The first foal of every mare;
   The first pigling of every sow;
   The first calf of every smoothe-horned cow;
   The first lamb of every single sheep;
7. A full-grown beef of every lasting capture
   In the raids on your neighbours;
   Or if its heavy capture be in (your) land,
   It is a beef of three handfuls which I am wont
   To receive from thee and from thy descendants;
   The fun of a hand in its fair horn,
   The full of a fist in its lasting hoofs,
   The full of a palm in its lasting tail.
8. I claim also justly
   A (drinking) horn for every stout hoop
   Of vat and compact tun,
   And a sheaf of every (kind of) flourishing wheat;
   A share of distribution thereafter
   To everyone of our noble clergy;
   I claim also with strong evidence
   A roll of butter from every great churning.
9. I claim a scruple of fair puberty
   From every member of thy families,
   Whether boy or grown maiden;
   A gold penny at the naming of it (i.e. baptism),
   Or six (pence) of refined silver;
   A triumphant marriage scruple
   Is due to me from every good marriage
   Of the seed of Luan the rapid ravager.
10. I claim an Easter(-due) valiantly
    From every chief of a stalwart nine
    Of thy seed, O youth of the deadly arms;
    Decay and shortness of wretched life

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    p.140

11. If they refuse this sacred Easter(-due).
    I take Christ as my guarantee,
    O Luan of the swift weapons,
    To thee and to thy children right after thee.
12. May your great prosperity be greater
    In food and soft clothing,
    In flocks and treasures,
    If my tax is not withholden.
13. I declare after this,
    If this great tax be annulled,
    I will bring weakness on you
    Throughout the neighbouring territories;
14. I will bring sharp-threatening hunger,
    And murrain on good herds,
    And dangerous short life
    To women and to youths,
    Unless thou maintain this fair tax
    Which I claim of thy great race.
15. O Luan, son of Irgalach,
    Here is the price of thy tendance.