The general history of Ireland, tr. with amendments by D. O'Connor. With an appendix, collected from the remarks of A. Raymond, Volume 1

Geoffrey Keating

1809

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Page 74 - And hospitably lodg'd them from the cold. But when they saw their necromantic art, How they had fiends and spectres at command, And from the tombs could call the stalking ghosts, And mutter words, and summon hideous forms From hell, and from the bottom of the deep, They thought them gods, and not of mortal race ; And gave them cities, and ador'd theJr learning, And begg'd them to communicate their art, And teach the Danish youth their mysteries.‎

Page 410 - Fionn, was obliged, before he was enrolled, to subscribe to the following articles: the first, that, when he was disposed to marry, he would not follow the mercenary custom of insisting upon a portion with a wife, but, without regard to her fortune, he should choose a woman for her virtue, her courtesy, and good manners. The second, that he would never offer violence to a woman, or attempt to ravish her The third, that he would be charitable and relieve the poor, who desired meat or drink, as far...‎

Page 201 - ... passed the approbation of the assembly, and inserted in the authentic chronicles that were always preserved in the king's palace, and the book wherein they were written was called the Psalter of Tara. This ancient record is an invaluable treasure, and a most faithful collection of the Irish antiquities ; and whatever account is delivered in any other writings repugnant to this, is to be esteemed of no authority, and a direct imposition upon posterity.‎

Page 413 - The eighth condition was, that none should have the honour of being enrolled among the Irish militia, that was not so active as to leap over a tree as high as his forehead ; or could not, by the agility of his body, stoop easily under a tree that was lower than his knees. The ninth condition required was, that he could, without stopping or lessening his speed, draw a thorn out of his foot. The tenth and last qualification was, to take an oath of allegiance to be true and faithful to the commanding...‎

Page 197 - By these methods, either out of fear of scandal or disgrace, or of losing their estates, their pensions and endowments, and of suffering some corporal correction, the historians of those ages were induced to be very exact in their relations, and to transmit nothing to after times but what had passed this solemn test and examination, and was recommended by the sanction and authority of this learned assembly. In this parliament of Tara, that wise prince, Ollamh Fodhla, ordained, that a distinction...‎

Page 173 - Fionn, aud he received the profits of them ; but his wife, being a woman of great pride and ambition, envied the wife of Heremon the enjoyment of one of these delightful valleys, and therefore she persuaded her husband to demand the valley of Heremon, and upon a refusal, to get possession of it by the sword ; for she passionately vowed she would never be satisfied till she was called the queen of the three most fruitful valleys in the island.‎

Page xviii - ... the planting of Christianity in that kingdom ; and they give this reason, because it is not adorned with a cross, which was the common ensign of Christian Princes. However, it is a valuable piece of curiosity, and would unavoidably have been melted down, had it not been preserved by Joseph Comerford, Esq., a curious gentleman, descended from a younger brother of Comerford, in the county of Stafford, who attended King John in his expedition into Ireland, and there married the niece of Hugo de...‎

Page lv - ... this History with candour, and with such proportion of allowance as seems due to the obscure and unfrequented track I have pursued, may find satisfaction; and if he will farther give himself the trouble of searching into the ancient chronicles of Ireland, he will be convinced that I have been just and faithful in the use I have made of them; but if it should so unfortunately happen that my labours should be despised, and the following history be esteemed of no value, I must confess that it exceeded...‎

Page 200 - ... by the coat of arms that was curiously blazoned upon the outside of them ; and thus the whole assembly were seated regularly without any dispute about precedency or the least disorder. No person was admitted beside the attendants that waited, who stood on the outside of the table. One end of the table was appointed for the antiquaries and the historians, who understood and were perfectly skilled in the records and ancient monuments of the kingdom; the other end was filled by the chief officers...‎

Page 423 - ... nations yet to come ; Daily he worships at the holy shrine, And pacifies his gods with rites divine, With constant care the sacrifice renews, And anxiously the panting entrails views. To touch the harp, the sweet musician bends, And both his hands upon the strings extends ; The sweetest sounds flows from each warbling string, Soft as the breezes of the breathing spring.‎

Bibliographic information

• Title: The general history of Ireland, tr. with amendments by D. O'Connor. With an appendix, collected from the remarks of A. Raymond, Volume 1; The general history of Ireland, tr. with amendments by D. O'Connor. With an appendix, collected from the remarks of A. Raymond, Geoffrey Keating
• Author: Geoffrey Keating
• Editor: Dermod O'Connor
• Published: 1809
• Original from: Oxford University
• Digitized: May 17, 2007