translated by Winifred Wulff
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The present text represents Wulff's Introduction; the Irish text, and the English translation. Footnotes are retained and integrated into the apparatus.
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Created: Irish translation: Date range: 15011600. English translation: (1928)
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The MS. classed E. 3. 30, [=1435] a late vellum (? 16th century) in the library of Trinity College, comprises a number of medical tracts, written by various hands (Abbott-Gwynn. Cat. p. 309). The names of the scribes do not appear. The following text, which deals with the plague, occurs on p. 200, and is in a clear well-formed script, with the contractions usual in Irish medical MSS. There is another version in H. 3. 7. [=1326] (p. 111113), a vellum of the same period, the variant readings of which are added here. For the opening passage cf. Isidor, Origg. IV, 6 sections 17, 18. I have not found the subject treated separately elsewhere in Irish medical MSS., but there are several theological dissertations on it. Although H. has the title Sillanus de Nigris in Almansorem on the back of the modern cover, this treatise is not included in the editions of Sillanus super nono Alman. op. expositionem that I have examined.
The tract appears to be translated from or based on a Latin treatise. It bears a close resemblance to the chapter De febribus pestilencialibus in the section on fevers in John Mirfield's Breviarium Bartholomei. The Breviarium exists in two MSS., one in the British Museum and one in Pembroke College, Oxford. There is also a fragment of a third copy in the British Museum. None of them has been printed (Moore: Medicine in the British Isles). John Mirfield was resident in the Convent of St. Bartholomew, with which the hospital of the same name was connected, in 1392 and 1393. He was a theological scholar as well as a physician and medical writer of repute. His famous treatise is particularly of interest on account of his association with the oldest London hospital. His account of the plague is based on the chapter on the same subject in Bernard of Gordon's Lilium Medicinae, written at Montpellier in 1305. Mirfield was a close student of the Lilium and was also acquainted with the writings of John of Gaddesden and Gilbertus Anglicus. Compare section 2 in the tract with the following description
Moore op. cit.; Lil. Med.. Part. I, Cap. X, de febribus pestilentialibus.
The language of the tract, which is early Modern Irish, is interesting, as it contains many unusual words: names of diseases, plants, and animals. The treatment of the subject illustrates the atmosphere which surrounded the study of mediaeval medicine. There is a certain amount of real medical knowledge, mingled largely with superstition and belief in astrology.
In H. 2. 15. TCD. [=1315] there is a marginal note mentioning the Great Plague of 1350, which was apparently raging in Ireland at the time: . . . & isi sin indara bliadain iar tichtain na plaga i nEirinn ro scribad sin. A later visitation of the plague is. mentioned in a note in H. 3. 17 [=1336]: . . . in fplaigh do beth ar lasad a Crichmhuill.
Plummer: Colophons and Marginalia of Irish Scribes.
The great Plague is recorded in the Four Masters under the year 1349: Plaigh mór in Erind. & go hairidhe i Muigh Luirg go ttugadh ár diarmhidhe ar daoínibh da bithin. Matha mac Cathail uí Ruairc décc don plaigh hisin. The same outbreak is recorded in the Annals of Clonmacnoise under the year 1348.PESTILENTIA est morbus contagiosus crescens de uno in alium et cetera .i. amail adeir Tolameus is edh is plaig ann .i. galur gabaltach neoch gabus da ceile neach . Et adeir Galen fos curob edh is plaig ann , in duil aerdha arna h-inntodh onna mesardacht dilis a morgadh & a truailledh. Oir is e is adbur di .i. aer bren truaillighthi morgaighthi neoch eirges o dethaigib reamra talmuide arna cumusc re rannaib seimhe an aeir. No ceo reamur eirges dusgi comnaidhi mar ataid diga cathrach & inaid {MS folio 200b} ana mbid lafain & natraca neime & bethadaig ele neimneacha ana comnaidhi. Et tic si fos o maidm thalman & uair ele o aer na corp morgaighti do marbadh a troid no a cath.
Et bidh a fis agad cach meid comaentaigid na cuirp sin risna corpaibh daenna curob moide thiadhaid eg . Et tig si o chathugad na corp neamdha re ceile . Et tig si o indeochadh Dia; uair eile o thortaib & o shilaib & o luibib in talman neoch do truailled on aer adubramar. Et doniter hi ona sinaib saeba amail adeir Tolameus, da mbia in geimredh te tirim gan ferthain & in samradh fuar fliuch & errach fuar tirim, & fogmar fliuch, beith plaigh mor in bliadain sin ann, fiabris gera amail ani causon & tersiana & causonides & sinocus & a cosmaili, maille re na ndrochaicidib. Et bidh a fis agad in plaigh doniter o dethagaibh truaillighthi fliucha, curob lugha marbus na an plaigh doniter o dethaigib tirma truaillighthi.
Fiarfaigter ann so cesa fhearr in t-aer seimh glan, oir adeir Galen curob aer seim solas is maith do comead na slainti, & go nglantur fuil & spiruda uadha; mas ead is aer glan is maith isan aimsir so. Item cach ni laigdiges & indarbus truailled na lennann arcena is inmolta he; mas ead o do-ni in t-aer glan & fuindeogach na neithi sin, is e is fearr ann. Item adeir Almusor cach aimsir a fagaid piasta in talman a fuachaisi & na h-inaid a mbid fo talam, mar atait lochaid & blathnada, esoga & bruic & coininedha, & na heoin bis fo talam amail ataid bonnain lena & caislain coradh , & fagaid a n-uighi & a nid & teithid o deathaighib truaillighthi in talman cum an aeir glain t-solais, amail muines in naduir doib; mas ead o thuiges naduir na n-ainmintid mbruidamail curob aer glan is fearr ann, tuigid in naduir daenna curob e is fearr ann; mas ead is aer glan is fearr annsan aimsir seo. Item adeir Gillibertinus, da mbia in t-errach fuar fliuch, maille re h-aer dorcha & re nellaib dorcha reamra duba gu minic gu signidi sin plaigh in bliadhain sin; mas ead is e a contrardha so is fearr ann. Item adeir Ipocras cach uili ni o comfurtachtaigter in craidhi, & indarbus a gallra mar ata singcopis & cardiaca pasio & a cosmaili is maith e; mas ead o do-ni in t-aer glan na cumachta so, is e is fearr isan aimsir seo. Item adeir Galen na cuirp bis arna glanad ona n-imarcrachaibh remhra, amail atait lucht lenna fuair & lenna duibh, bid slan annsan aimsir seo; mas ead iss e in t-aer glan o
Item adeir Magister Ricairdi gach ni medaiges in silni remraiges na lenna isin curp, amail ataid biadha fuara mar ata lactuca & melones & ubla grainnecha & finegra & finemain abaigh & cerrbocain & biatus & borraiste & bainne almont & a cosmaili, curob maith e. Mas ead o do-ni in t-aer remar na neithi sin do remrugad & do medugad is e is fearr ann. Item aderat na doctuiri co ndleaghthar a n-aimsir in tedma teidhid a nglenntaib & a cailltib dorcha & a n-inadaib fliucha da reir sin iss e in t-aer remar is fearr ann. Item cach uili ni o folmuigthear in corp amail ata lanamnus & saethar mor & obair ceardcha & fothrugudh tirim & betha tirim & a cosmaili is olc e isan aimsir seo; da reir sin is e in t-aer remur is fearr ann. Item gach uili ni remhraigis na spiruit & toirmiscus in codlad, amail ata boltnugad na n-uball cumra & pomum ambre & sitoni & blath lili & balad coindli & musgus & blath nenufar & uiola & duillebar soileach, & blath rosa gil & blath truim, is maith e isan aimsir seo; mas ead o do-ni in t-aer remar na neithi so iss e is fearr ann, amail adeir Iohannes Mesue.
Et adeir Auicenna sa cedlebar sa .uiii. caibidil dona sinaib saeba co fuilid da riaghail deg is infechsana a n-aimsir in tedma a sinaib na h-aimsire. An [ced]riagail dib, ma ta in geimreadh fuar fliuch & in gaeth anes co minic & in t-errach fuar tirim & in gaeth atuaigh co minic & in samradh fliuch gaethach, beidh plaigh mor ar lenbaib in fogmar ar cind; & beidh fos flux brond & fiabras terciana & crecta na n-indedh .i. disinteria & a cosmaili.
An .ii. riagail .i. ma ta in geimhridh gaethach fliuch & in gaeth anes & errach tirim & gaeth anairduaigh co minic beidh togluasacht & gallra imda ele ar mnaib torrcha in bliadain sin; & beidh fos galar sul, flux fola .i. disinteria & cretan & esbadha & cumgacht srona & na huili galar do-niter o rema co h-airiti. An .iii. riagail .i. ma ta in geimread tirim & in gaeth aniar tuaid & errach fliuch & in gaeth anes co minic beidh fiabrais gera & galar sul & flux brond & indrum fola sa t-samrad ar cind biaid flux epaticus .i. flux doniter ona h-aeib & is mor tegmaid na tedmanna so do mbnaib & d'fheraib ana tigernaighind complex fliuch, amail adeir Galen corub ona h-imarcrachaib fliucha do-niter na dunti & corub ona duntib do-niter in morgad isna lennaib remra nar h-indarbadh ana n-aimseraib dilsi fein. An .iiii. riagail, ma ta in samradh gaethach fliuch o mi Mai co tindscnaid na laethi re n-abur cainculares & annsein in gaeth do dul & a beith ann co cend tricha la .i. co fhuineadh na laethidh cedna, leigister uadha sin na h-uili galar fuar, amail ata fiabras cartana & idroipis & galar seilge & duinti na n-ae & gallra fuara na h-incinde, amail ata epilencia & catalepcia & analepsia & apoplexia & subeth & a cosmaili. An .u. riagail, ma ta in samradh tirim & in gaeth atuaidh & fogmar fliuch & in gaeth anes beidh galar cind & cosachtach maille re brisidh & re gairbten in gotha & re siubal rema cum na sron & cum na mball arcena isin geimridh ar gind. An .ui. riagail, da mbia in samhradh tirim & in gaeth anes & in fogmar fuar & in gaeth atuaidh beidh isin geimridh ar gind teindis cind, torman a cluasaib & gairbi in gotha, & siubal in rema cum na mball. An .uii. riagail, ma ta in samradh fuar & in gaeth anes, & in fogmar tirim & in gaeth atuaidh, beidh isin geimridh siubal in rema {MS folio 201b} maille re pascadh re cumgudh ar in incind & nescoid & cnuic arna scamhanaib & moran do drocaicidib ele. An .uiii. riagail .i. da mbia in samradh & in fogmar go fliuch & in gaeth anes co minic, beidh plaig mhor & eslaintidh imdha ele isin geimrid ar gind. An .ix. riagail in tan bis in samradh & in foghmar co tirim & in gaeth atuaidh & fognaidh co maith do mbnaib & do lucht lenna fuair & urcoidighi do lucht lenna ruaid & lenna duib & tegmaid galar sul tirim & obtalmia & fiabrais gera, frenisis & a cosmaili.
An .x. riagail, ma ta in samradh & in fogmar tirim & in geimridh fuar fliuch beidh galar fuail isin bliadain sin .i. surria & disuria & sdranguria & loscam & tirmacht na slaiti fearrdha & crecta isin les & ar slithib in fuail. An .xi. [riagail] ma ta in samrad & in fogmar co fuirtill a tesaidacht & a tirmaidacht & in gaeth anes do gnath, bidh scinantia & bolgach & bruitineach & docamlacht fuail & fastod na fola mista & cumgach anala & a cosmaili isin bliadhain [sin]. An .ii. riagail deg, ma ta in geimridh & in t-errach tirim, budh olc in bliadhain so, & beidh dith ar dhainib & ar ainmidib & ar crannaib in talman or digbaiter & indarbtur fliche in talman, neoch da budh coir buige & oilemain & mesardacht do tabairt don talmain tre tirmacht na h-aimsire adubramar, & tegmaidh gallra imda ele in bliadain sin.
Is follus ann so co fuilid tri turgabala ag gach redlaind & ag gach corp neamdha ele .i. osmicus & cronicus & eliacus. Et is ead is osmicus ann, in tan turgabtur redla no airdrindach fe grein don taib shair & t-siublaiges le grein co fuinigind grian don taib siar don doman. Cronicus immorro an tan turgabas thiar & gluaisis siar a coimidecht grene le siubal na sbere nadurtha noch timcillis in cruindi idir talam & usgi co fuinigind thoir & is uada aderar cronicus on fhocal is cronon & is inann cronon asin greig & contrarda asin gaedilg .i. tiar thurgabas & thior crichnaiges. Eliacus immorro in tan turgabas redla no corp neamdha a circaill na sbeire nadurtha no adhburda co h-imellach & gluaisis le grein isin circaill re n-abar sdodiacus & bidh a fis agad curob eadh is sdodiacus ann .i. in t-inadh a mbi grian re fedh na bliadna & roindter in sdodiacus a tricha ceimend & bidh grian tricha la & .x. n-uairi & leth uair in gach ceim dib so.
Pestilens est morbus contagiosus etc. As Ptolemy says, plague is a contagious sickness that people take one from the other. And Galen says also that plague is the aerial element turning from its proper moderation to corruption and putrefaction. For this is the cause of it: the evil-smelling putrescent air that rises from gross earthy vapours mixing with the thin parts of the air, or gross mist that rises from stagnant water such as ditches of the city and places
It is asked here why pure thin air is best, for Galen says thin bright air is good for the maintenance of health, and that the blood and the spirits are purified by it; therefore pure air is good at this season. Item, everything that lessens and evacuates the corruption of the humours in general is to be recommended, therefore since pure transparent(?) air does these things, it is best. Item, Almansor says whenever the beasts of the earth leave their lairs and the places where they dwell underground, such as mice and weasels, stoats(?) badgers and rabbits; and the birds that are under the ground, such as bitterns and stonechats(?) leave their eggs and nests and flee from the corrupt vapours of the earth to the pure bright air, as Nature teaches them; hence since the nature of brutish beasts understands that pure air is the best, so human nature understands that it is best, and therefore pure air is best at this season. Item, Gilbert says if the spring be cold and wet, along with dark air and often with heavy, dark, black clouds, this signifies plague that year, therefore the contrary is best. Item, Hippocrates says everything that comforts the heart and expels its diseases such as syncope, cardiaca passio and the like is good; therefore since pure air exerts these powers it is best at this season. Item, Galen says the bodies that are purging themselves from their gross superfluities, such as phlegmatic people and melancholics, will be well at this season, therefore as it is pure air from which these powers are derived, it is best. Item, Galen says in the same place, everyone who has a complexion contrary to the complexion of the
Item, Magister Ricardus says everything that increases the sperm increases the humours in the body, such as cold foods like lettuce, melons, pomegranates, vinegar, ripe grapes, carrots(?) beet root, borrage, almond milk and the like, is good. Therefore since gross air fattens and increases these things, it is best. Item, the doctors say it behoves in time of plague to fly to glens and dark woods and other damp places, so according to this it is gross air that is best. Item, everything by which the body is purged, such as coition, hard labour, work at a forge, a dry bath or dry feeding (?) is bad at this season; according to this gross air is best. Item, everything that increases the spirits and prevents sleep, such as the smell of fragrant apples, ambergris, quinces, and lily flowers, the smell of mullen, and musk, nenufar flowers, violets, and sally-leaves, white rose flowers, and elder-blossoms, is good at this season; therefore since gross air does these things, it is best, as Johannes Mesue says.
Avicenna says in the first book, in the eighth chapter of perverse seasons that there are twelve rules that should be regarded in time of plague, concerning the seasons of the weather. The first rule: if the winter be cold and wet, and the wind frequently north, and the summer wet and windy, there will be a great plague amongst children the following autumn, and moreover flux of the belly, tertian fever, and ulceration of the guts i. e. dysentry, and the like. The second rule: if the winter be windy and wet, and the wind south, the spring dry and the wind NE there will frequently be abortions and many other diseases among pregnant women that year; and there will also be disease of the eyes, bloody flux i. e. dysentery, and ague, scrofula, constriction of the nose and every sickness that comes from rheum particularly. The third rule: if the winter be dry and the wind NW, the spring wet and the wind frequently south, there will be acute fevers, disease of the
It is clear here that every star and every other heavenly body has three risings i. e. (C)osmicus and (A)cronicus and (H)eliacus. This is Cosmicus: when a star or heavenly body rises under the sun to the east, and goes with it (the sun) until it sets on the west of the world. Acronicus moreover is when it rises to the west, and proceeds in company with the sun to walk the natural sphere which encircles the universe both land and sea, so that it sets to the east. And it is called acronicus from the word cronon, for cronon in Greek is the same as contrary in Gaelic, that is to say it rises in the west and finishes in the east. Heliacus moreover is when a star or heavenly body rises in the circle of the natural or material sphere on the horizon(?) and proceeds with the sun in the circle which is called Zodiac. And know, that this is Zodiac: the place where the sun is throughout the year, and it is divided into thirty degrees, and the sun is in each degree for thirty days and ten hours and a halfhour.