Electronic edition compiled by Elva Johnston, Beatrix Färber
Funded by University College, Cork and
Professor Marianne McDonald via the CURIA Project.
4. Fourth draft, with introduction and bibliographic details.
Proof corrections by Mavis Cournane, Donnchadh Ó Corráin
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Created: By unknown Irish cleric(s), and based closely on the Vernerable Bede, Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, III 19. Date range: 1200–1400.
Beatrix Färber (ed.)
Beatrix Färber (ed.)
Beatrix Färber (ed.)
Julianne Nyhan (ed.)
Peter Flynn (ed.)
Margaret Lantry (ed.)
Margaret Lantry (ed.)
Donnchadh Ó Corráin (ed.)
Donnchadh Ó Corráin (ed.)
Mavis Cournane (ed.)
Elva Johnston (ed.)
The following Life, now for the first time published, forms part of the rich collection of biographies of Irish saints, preserved in the Royal Library, Brussels. The ms. is in the hand writing of Michael O'Clery, one of the Four Masters, who died about 1644, and the Life is said in the colophon to have been copied out of the Book of the Muinter Duinnín in the year 1629. The date of that book, and whether it still exists, I have been unable to ascertain.
The Life is a tolerably close version of chap. XIX of the third book of Baeda's Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum.1 It seems worth publishing, first, as a further contribution to the eschatology of the Irish2, secondly, as being, in a Celtic shape, the earliest of the series of mediaeval visions3 which culminated in the Divina Commedia; and, lastly, as containing several words absent from Prof. Windisch's Wörterbuch.
Our saint's name appears in two forms, Fursa and Fursu.4 Fursa is a Middle-Irish corruption of Fursae, gen. Fursai, which occurs (as is proved by the rhyme) in the Martyrology of Oengus, Jan. 16. The latinised Furseus is from Fursae. The form Fursu is found in the Book of Leinster 349f, 372d, the Annals of Ulster, A.D. 647, and the Yellow Book of Lecan,
‘The Irish authorities’, says Mr Plummer (op. cit., II, 176) ‘differ widely as to Fursa's pedigree’; and indeed it is impossible to reconcile the genealogical statements in the Book of Leinster, p. 349f 38, with those in the same ms. p. 372d, and in the Martyrology of Donegal, p. 18, unless by the supposition that there were two or more saints of that name.6 Thus according to the Book of Leinster, p. 349f:
And according to the Book of Leinster, p. 372d 60: ‘Brónach ingen Milchon maic Buain ca mbáe Pátric i ndáire, máthair Mochae Noendromma oc Loch Cuan, & Colmain Chomraire oc Uisniuch ocus Colmáin Mulind oc Daire Chaechain i nDal Riatai & epscuip Maic Erca o Domnuch Mór Maige Coba & Damnatan Slébe Betha & Fursu Craibdig in Perona.’
‘Brónach, daughter of Miliuc son of Búan, with whom Patrick was in bondage, (was the) mother of Mochoe of Noendruim at Loch Cuan, and of Colmán of the Casket at Uisnech, and of Colmán of the Mill at Daire Caecháin in Dalriada, and of bishop Mac Erca of Domnach Mór Maige Coba, and of Damnatán of Slíab Betha, and of Fursu the Pious in Péronne.’
According to the Martyrology of Donegal, (Jan. 16), Fursa's father was Lochín, of Dalaradia and his mother was Gelgéis (‘Bright Swan’), who was, according to one authority, daughter of Guaire Aidne, (ob. A. D. 662), and, according to another, daughter of Aed Finn.
The very modern appearance of the text is probably due to the transcriber, who seems to have substituted cc for g, cch for gh, tt for d, ff for bf, (i. e. eclipsed f), ao for oe, aoi for ói, in accordance with the spelling usual in the 17th century. The presence of the infixed pronouns, t and n points to the Middle-Irish period as the date of the translation. But the absence of deponents, and the occurrence of the preterite passive in -it (ro calmaigit) and the 2d pl. in -bair (fedabair), prove that it cannot be older than (say) the thirteenth or fourteenth century.
In tan ro bái Sigbert h- i r-righe Saxan, is annsin do-chuaidh Fursa Craibhteach tar muir d' iarraidh luic & ionaid i n- gébadh, uáir bá h- edrocht o breithir ocus o ghniomh é, ocus rob ergna ó fertaibh ocus o miorbuilibh, ocus is aire-sin roba cubaidh lais teacht ar deoraidhecht & ionadh deoradh do ghabhail. O rainic an fer-sin co cennathaigh Airthir Saxan ro gabadh go h- onórach h- é ón rígh, & tuccadh ionadh do, ocus ro obair bréithir n- Dé do irrdercucchad ann, ocus tuccadh sochaide do daoinibh lais docum creidmhe, & ro calmaighit foirenn ele ina c- creidemh, & ro médaighedh iris & gradh Dé lais.
IS annsin ro gab treabhlaid & aimhnerte cuirp eisidhe, & ro airiltnigh tréna dhegháirilledh go f- faccaidh sé aingle nimhe ina fiadhnaisi & co f-facaidh fís ann; ocus as h- í-so físi ro forchanadh-somh gomadh gresadh h- é i m- breithir n- Dé d' foircetal, uair roba cinnte lais bás d' faghbhail & ní fidir cuin fogebadh, amal at-bert Crist:
Matt. 25:13
‘Frithairidh, uair ní fedabair an lá no an uair i n- gebthar lamh foraibh’. Ocus as triasan fis-sin do fuair-siumh cudhnodh & tinnisniuccudh a mhainistrech do chumhdach ocus a h- orduccudh o foircetlaibh riaghaltaibh. Ro baí immorro mainistir aoibhinn ann, & sí cumdaighthi i c- coicrích na cailledh ocus an mhara i n- araile longport ann, & rob é a ainm 'san m- bérla, Cnomberbrug .i. cathair dianid ainm Cnobere; & ro tuillestairRo bái tra Fursa do cenel na n- Gáoidel, acht cena gérbho soicenelach h- é iar c- colainn ro bai soichenelcha iar menmain, uair ó aimsir a naidhentachta ro bai deithitte aicce dona leabhraib coisriocthaib ocus dona forcetlaibh naomhaibh, & anní as mó maisighis na naomha .i. gniomha sochraidhe do dhenamh, is íad sin do-ghniodh-som.
Cidh fil ann tra acht ro cumhdaigh sé an ecclas adubhramur, ocus ro ghabhustar galar mor h- é innte ón t- satharn go 'roile, amal innisess {folio 50b} leabhar a bethad fein; ocus ruccadh asa curp h- é o fesccur go gairm an choiligh, & ro cuala se cantairecht aingel nimhe, ocus at-connairc íatt ina fiadhnise. Ocus issedh so no chandais .i.
Ps. 83:8
‘ ibunt sancti de uirtute in uirtutem’ .i. raghait na naoimh do nirt for nirt. Ocus is edh fós at-bertis .i.Ps 83:8
‘uidebitur Deus deorum in Sion’ .i. at-cífider Dia na n- día h- i Sleibh Sioin.Ro leiccedh iarsin h- e ina corp co cend tri lá, ocus isin tres lá ruccadh suás doridhisi, & at-connairc se annsin ni ba lia d' ainglib ag cathuccud fri sluagh mor do dhemhnaibh, ocus issedh do thairgdis, slige nimhe do gabáil & d' iadhadh fri Fursa, & olc & aithis do rádha fris. Arái sin tra ní ro fetsat-somh sin, uair ro bháttar aingil nimhe aga imdíden-somh isin t- sligidh.
INtí immorro, ar Béda, dia m- ba h- áil an fís at-connairc-siumh do innisin co comhlan legadh féin leabhar bethad Fursa.
Ata immorro, ar Béda, énní ann is áil dúinne d' faisnéis
Ro foirbriter dano & ro métaighset na teinnte, & ro comraigset co n- dernta an teine dermair dib. O ro chomhfoiccsigh tra Fursa dona teinntibh ron-gabh eccla & ro raidh risan aingeal: A thigerna, ar sé, ag sin an tene chugainn. Ro freccair an t-aingel annsin & iss edh ro raidh: uair nach tusa ro fadáidh iatt, ol sé, nit-loisccfither ionntu, uair gidh mór & gidh uathmar an tene úd, ol se, ni loisccfe nech acht do réir a áirillteo féin: uair accobhar gach duine, or sé, iss é loiscces h- é isin tene út, uair cech duine loisgither ima curp o thoil indilmain & urchóidigh bódéin loisccither h- e tall iar n- deiliuccudh a chuirp fria anmain tria péin dleistionaigh.
IS annsin at-connairc Fursa áon dona tri h- ainglibh ro bhattar maille fris ina fís, & sé ríasan teinidh, & an da aingel ele immaccuairt 'mon teinidh. Ocus at-connairc sé na demhna ar foluamhain triasin teine, & síatt ag cathuccudh frisna fírénchaibh & aga t- tarraing isin tene ar éiccin. Ro bhattar na demhna dano ag aithisiuccudh Fursa. Ro bhatar immorro na h- aingil aga diden. At-connairc sé dano sluagh d' ainglibh ann & sochaide dona daoinibh naomhaibh don chinedh Ghaoidhelach féin do neoch roptar aithenta dó féin dona saccartaibh do lucht na h- Erenn. At-cualaidh-sein dano beccan do briathraib slánaighibh na 'thaibh-siumh. Ocus o thairnic doibh na bríathra becca-sin do rádh do-cúattar maráon risna h- ainglibh docum nimhe, & ro fansat na tri cedaingil maille frisium dia thabairt dochum an chuirp.
An tan tra ro comhfoiccsighettar don teine remráite ro fodhail an t-aingel an teine. Fursa, immorro, an tan do-riacht sé an dorus do-rinne an t-aingel{folio 51b} tresan teine, ro gabhsat na demhna duine dona daoinibh ro bháttar aga loscudh isin teinidh, & ro dhiubhraicset dochum Fursa, co ro loiscc a formna & a slinnén & a lecain. Ocus do-rad Fursa aithne forsan duine ro diubraiccedh dó, & do cuimhnigh co t- tarat ní dia édach dó reme. Ro gabh immorro an t-aingel naomh an duine ainnsein, & ro chuir isin teinidh doridhisi. Adubairt an Demon ainnsein: Na cuiridh uaib h- é i n- daírsi, uair mar do gabh sibh crodh an duine pheacthaigh útt, as amhlaidh dlighthi cuidiuccudh dia píanaibh. Ro freccair an t-aingel & is edh ro raidh: Ni h- ar saint an t- saogail ro gabh se crodh an duine útt, acht ar dháigh slainte a anma. Ocus ro thoirn an teine amlaid sein. Ocus do-chuaid an t-aingel le Fursa & is edh ro raidh: An tene ro fadáidhis is h- í rott-loiscc, uair muna ghabhtha-sa, ar se, ní do deolaid an duine pheacthaigh
Tuccadh tra Fursa iarsin ina corp, & ro bai ina churp iartain comhartha an loisccthi tuccadh for a anmain, gur uo follus d' feraibh domuin do neoch at-connairc amal ro baí 'na sdlinnen & ina gualainn & ina lecain. Ocus roba sgel iongnadh le gach n- duine comhartha in neich tuccadh ar in anmain do bhith h- i fiadhnaisi caich isin churp.
Ro bí immorro a betha-somh 'na diaidh-sin foircettal d' feraib an talman & briathra Dé do irrdercucchudh, amail do-nídh reme. Ocus gach ní no errdercaiged do cuiredh fein i n- gníomh.
Ord immorro a físi as doibh amháin nó innisedh h- í .i. don lucht nó iarradh ar daigh congaine cridhe. Ocus maraidh fós, ar Béda, araile senóir do lucht ar mainistrechni, ocus is h- é-sin innises gur' aigill féin araile duine craibhthech fírebertach, ocus is é-sin ro innis co f- facadh féin Fursa ocus gur' aigill i n- Airthir Saxan, ocus co c- cualaidh féin ag an c- cleirech an fís sin, & conidh i n- aimsir geimhridh{folio 52a} ro h- innisedh. Ocus co raibhe sioc mor ann maille fri snechta, & nach raibhe acht edach tana fóill uime, ocus co t- tainic allus mor dhe tre cuimhniugudh na h- eccla romhoire ro bhai fair ina fís amhail bidh i medhón in t- samradh no innisedh.
Cidh fil ann tra, an tan ro fulaing Fursa Craibhthech séselbhe na morshluagh ticcdís ar a ammass ina tír féin .i. i n- Erinn, ro fáccaibh an tír sin .i. Ere, & táinic go Saxanu amail ro raidhsiomar, & úathad do braithribh maille fris, iar fágbhail a charat uile & gach neich ele ro baí aicci, & ro cumdaigh sé mainistir sochraidh ann, & ro errdercaigh bhreithir n- Dé ainnsein.
O thairnic dó tra na neche-sin tainic fái a mhainistir
O' t-connairc dano Fursa iarsin geinntlidhi & aimhirisigh ag lot na mainistrech & na cennaithche uile, iar fagbáil cech reda do reir uird isin mainistir, do-cuaidh tar muir soir i f- Frangcoibh, ocus ro frithailedh é, co h- onorach ó rígh Frangc .i. Clouis Ercinbald 'san ait darbh' ainm Latiniacum, & ro cumhdaigedh mainistir leis; ocus nirbó cían tra 'na diaidh-sin co ro gabh galar a báis eissiumh, & co riacht co deiredh a bethad.
Corp immorra Fursa rucc an righ Clouis Ercinbald leis é, & ro coimhéitt é i n- erdomh na h- eccailse cen co tairnic an ecclas do choisreccadh. IN tan immorro tuccadh an corp asin erdomh dia adhnacal h- i farradh na h- altora in uair rob ullamh an ecclas, as amhlaidh frith é, mar nó dheachsadh d' écc in uair-sin .i. a cinn seacht laithe fichet iarna ég, ocus ro h- adhnaicedh co h- oirmidnech onórach é 'san ecclais .i. isin c- cathraigh dianid ainm Perona, & ro h- ardaigedh é co h- onorach and .i. bhaile i n- déntar{folio 52b} ferta ocus miorbaile iomda ar Fhursa cech dia.
A c- cinn ceithre m- bliadan immorro iarsin ro cumdaighedh teghdhais fo leith dó, & tuccadh a corp indte, ocus frith a chorp fós gan acht amhail ro baí an tan at-bath.
Ni fil tra acht becc do sccelaibh Fursa sunn, & ant i dia m- ba h- ail ni bús mó dibh feghadh Bethaid Fursa & fo-gheba iatt. FINIT.