# Scotish Descriptive Poems/Notes on the Day Estival

NOTES.
P. 201. The strictures of Hume on the fashionable literature of the 16th century, present us with a curious picture of the manners of that period, which frequently united in the same person the two extremes of rigour of principles, and laxity of conduct. But it was not in the Scotish Lowlands alone, that the votaries of religion condemned with asperity those who betrayed a fondness for romances and amatory poetry. It is curious, that about the same period, a similar system prevailed in the Highlands of Scotland. John Carswell, Bishop of the Isles, in his Preface to his "Foirm na Nurrnuidheadh," or Forms of Prayer, 1567, declaims vehemently against the Gaelic literati of that age, for being more addicted to their native poetry, than to theological investigations. Having been favoured, by the politeness of his Grace the Duke of Argyle, with the use of the only complete copy of this work known to exist, the editor is enabled to present the public with a correct specimen of the first book printed in the Gaelic language. For the accurate version subjoined to the original, he begs leave to acknowledge his obligation to the Rev. James Macdonald, minister of Anstruther-Wester, Fife. Having ​had occasion, in the course of his illustrations, to allude frequently to the Gaelic traditions and poetry, it is with peculiar satisfaction that he exhibits the following curious citation to the public; a citation which demonstrates undeniably, that the Gaelic was a language written, taught, and cultivated by composition, about the middle of the 16th century; that independent of the priests; or religious instructors, there existed a distinct order or profession of Bards, Historians, and Teachers, whose occupation it was to preserve their national poetry, history, and traditions; who were no strangers to the literature of that period; and who were held in estimation, and well rewarded for their labours. It also appears, that they were in possession of manuscripts in the Gaelic language, and that the popular compositions of that period, among other subjects, related to Fingal and his heroes. This accords exactly with the testimony of Boethius, about the beginning of the same century, who compares the popular poems concerning the adventures of Fin Mac Coul to the romances of King Arthur. It is probable, that when Celtic antiquities are more accurately investigated, many heroes will be found to be common to the Welch and the Gael. King Arthur is well known in Gaelic tradition; and the editors of the Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales, have discovered in their poetry, the name of Cuchullin, the Gaelic hero.
"Acht at a ni cheana is mor an leathtrom' agas an uireasbhuidh ata riamh orainde gaoidhil alban & eireand, tar an geuid eile don domhan, gan ar geanamhna gaoidh​eilge do chur ageló riamh mar ataid ag canamhna & adteangtha féin agcló ag gach vile chinel dhaoine oile sa domhan, & ata vireasbhuidh is mó iná gach vireasbuidh oraind, gan an Biobla naomhtha do bheith agcló gaingach teangaidh cile osin amach, agas fós gan seanchus ar sean no ar sindsear do bheith mar an gcedna agcló againd riamh, acht ge tá cuid eigin do tseanchus ghaoidheal alban agas eircand sgriobhtha aleabhruibh lámh, agas adtamblorgaibh fileadh & ollamhan, agas afleachtaibh suadh. Is mor tsacthair sin re sgriobhadh do laimh, ag fechain an neithe buailtear sa chló araibrifge agas ar aithghiorra bhios gach éa ni dhá mhed da chriochnughadh leis. Agas is mor an doille agas andorchadas peacaidh agas aineolais agas indtleachta do lucht deachtaidh agas fgriobhtha agas chumbdaigh na gavidheilge, gurab mó is mián léo agas gurab mó ghnathuidheas siad eachtradha dimbaoineacha buaidheartha bregacha saoghalta do cumadh ar thuathaibh dédhanond agas ar mhacaibh mileadh agas arna curadhaibh agas fhind mhac cumhaill gona fhianaibh agas ar mhóran eile nach airbhim agas nach indisim and so do chumhdach, agas do choimhleafughagh, do choind luadhuidheachta dimhaoinigh an traoghail dsaghail doibhféin, ina briathra disle Dé agas flighthe soirfe na firinde do sgriobhadh, agas do dheachtadh, agas do chumhdach. Oir is andsa leis an tsaoghal an bhreg go mor iná anfhirinde, da dhearbhadh gurab fiór an abruim dobh eirid deóine faoghalta ceandach ar an mbreig agas ni hail léo an fhirinde do chluisdin an aisgidh. Cuid mhor eilé dar naiubfios agas dar naineolas an drongsa ​adubhramar romhaind, dith teagaisg fhirindigh oraind, andas am briathruibh féin, agas as adteangaidh ghnathaidh ghaoideilge.
Acht chena do fhosgail Dia na nuile chumhacht, agas Rí nan dal & na narchaingeal róid agas slighthe suaithenta & doirsi dhúine anois, da chur ag ceill dúinn go bsuil ceadaighthe againd an sgriobhtuir diadha do léghadh agas do thuigsin agas do chur ag ceill do na poibleachaibh. Agas'sós go bsuill foirm agas bridh na nurrnaidheadh agas modh freasdail na Sacramuinteadh & foirceadal an chreidimh Crisdaidhe arna chur ancagar dúinn o na braithreachaibh crisdaidhe dobhí sa chathraidh dara comhainm Geneua. Acht ata ní cheana dabsaicind duine éigin do thaobh ghaoidheal Alban no Eireand, do ghebhadh do láimh an uireadsa do chuidiughadh do dhenamh re heagluis Dé, an leabhar beagsa do chur ag canamhain ghaoidilge asad tuigsedis cach é, do badh maith lium é. Agas ni rachaind féin aseilbh an tsaothairse do dhenamh. Agas onach bfuaras sin, & mátá fé and nach aithnidh dhamhsa é fós, do ghabhas féin do laimh ar grádh Dé agas na heagluise meisneach is mó ina mhac faind, agas mo chumhachta do dhenamh. In dochas go geuideochadh Dhia lium im uireasbhuidh agas im aineolas.
Acht cheana. Saoilim fós nach bfuil imarcaidh no easbhuidh andso acht mar tá fé agclé na laidne & anghaillberla, Acht mura bsuil vireabhuidh no imarcaidh and do reir dheachtaidh no cheirt na bsileadh ar an ngaoidheilg. An ni ar nach bfuil feidhm no foghnamh agan sgribhtuir dhiadha air, agas is teare neach aga bfuil ​ceart canamhna na gaoidheilge, agas ni Nalbain amhain acht An eirind féin acht mara bfuil'sé ag beagan daois caladhna mhaith re dán agas re seanchus agas ag mèid eigin do mhacaibh maithe leighind agas ar na adhbhrasin da bfaghadh faói re healadhain locht sgriobhtha no deachtaidh sa leabhar bheagsa, gabhadh se mo leithsgelsa, óir ni dhearrna mé saothar ná foghluim sa ngaoidheilg, acht amhain mar gach nduine don pobal choitcheand. Acht cheana do gheibhid na daoithe, agas na bromanaigh lochta imarcacha is na neithibh bhios gan locht gan vireasbhuigh & leigidh siad an égoir tharrsa gan an locht bhios go follas indte dfaicsin. Agas ni hád sa cho ir bhios anlocht adeiridsean do bheith indte acht iondtasan féin ar an adhbharsin ni ghebha mé cumairce na buidhne sin, acht ge lionmhar iád, agas ni dhena mé cothughadh lé hainb fios do reir mo thoile no mo mhiana féin, agas ni mó do bhéra mé tarcaisne no toibheim do neach oile ne ghebhas tnuth no formad mhé ris da ndenadh'sé ni is fearr iná mar ta im chumhachtaibh féin do dhenamh: óir atáim ag admhail go bfuil sin sodhenta, acht cheana madhail lé dia so do dhenamh maitheasa no tarbha don eagluis, agas mise do mharthain, do dhena mé tuilleadh saothair do chur na dhiadh so . Diá na nuile chumhacht do deonughadh a sbiraidi naomhta féin dúinne agas daoibhse abhraithreacha agas atseathracha inmhuine, agas dar dteagasg do dhénamh a thoile diadhasun, agas dar seachna ar anemhthoil do dhenamh, tré impidhe, agas tré fhuraileamh Crisd ar dtighearna agas ar náon Tslanaighthoir agas ar naon aidhne agas agas naon teachtaire.
Biodh amhlaidh.
​But we Gaels of Scotland and Ireland suffer peculiar loss and inconvenience above any other part of the world, in not having our literature and language printed, as other tribes of men have: And we suffer a greater than all other losses, in not having the Holy Bible printed in the Gaelic, as it is printed in Latin, English, and many other tongues. And besides, we have never had, in print, the history of antiquity, or of our ancestors, although a certain portion of the literature of the Gaels of Scotland and Ireland exists in manuscripts, in the possession of Bards and Teachers, and their Patrons.
Great is the labour of writing by the hand, in comparison of printing, which shortens, and speedily finishes whatever is done by it, however great. And great is the blindness and sinful darkness, and ignorance and perverseness of those who teach, and write and compose in Gaelic, in exhibiting much more attention, and showing more anxiety to preserve the vain, extravagant, false, and worldly histories of the Tuath-de-Danans and Milesians, and of the heroes ofFingal, the son of Cumhail, of the Fingalians, and of many others, which I shall not here mention nor name, nor attempt to examine; for the purpose of obtaining the vain rewards of the world for themselves, than they display to write, and to teach, and to compose the sincere words of God, and the perfect ​way of truth: For the world loves falsehood more than the truth; and as a proof of it, worldly sinful men will pay for falsehood, and will not listen to the truth, though they have it for nothing.
A great portion of the darkness and ignorance of such persons, arises, too, from the foresaid truths pot being taught in good books, understood by all who {peak the general language, or habitual Gaelic tongue.
Already has the God of all power, and King of mercies, and of archangels, opened to us a path to the everlasting ways, by revealing that we are permitted to read and to enforce the Holy Scriptures among all people. And in like manner, the forms and substance of prayers, the dispensation of the sacraments, and the confession of the Christian religion, are transmitted to us by our Christian brethren of the church (chair) called Geneva. But, with regard to the Gaels of Scotland and Ireland, certain persons have wished the good office to the church of God of translating this little book into the Gaelic language, understood by the people, to be undertaken for their use; a circumstance which I rejoiced at. I myself could have wished not to have attempted the performance of this labour; but since it has not been done, as far as is consistent with my knowledge, I have undertaken, out of love to God and the church, a task which requires so much courage, and have exerted myself in it to the utmost, in hopes that God would assist me in my deficiency and ignorance. I am also of opinion, that there is no essential error or defect here, but what is in the Latin or English ​print; unless there be some want or error in the opinion of those who are learned in the Gaelic; a thing not of material consequence with respect to the Holy Scriptures. And rare is the man who knows the true orthography of the Gaelic, not in Scotland only, but in Ireland also, unless it be found among a few excellent and eloquent bards, who attend to poetry and history, and a certain part of the distinguished men of learning. And on this account, if a learned man find errors in the writing or diction of this little book, let him excuse me, for I do not arrogate to myself a more comprehensive acquaintance with the Gaelic than is possessed by the common run of the people. Those bards and learned men, however, find many errors in things without error or deficiency; and they commit the injustice of passing over, without notice, the real faults that occur. The errors too mentioned by these people, exist not in the work, but in themselves; and on this account, I shall not procure the assistance of that set, however numerous they may be; and neither shall I contend with them ignorantly, according to my own will or passions; and neither shall I give insult or offence to any other person, nor feel spite or envy, though he may succeed much better than I have been able to do; for I confess that this is very possible. But if it please God that this shall prove advantageous to the church, and that I be spared, I shall, after this, bestow more labour and add to it. May almighty God grant his holy Spirit to us, and to you, brethren and elect; and may we be taught to do his will, and to avoid what he forbids, through the mediation and sufferings of Christ, our Lord ​and only Saviour, and our only knowledge, and our only messenger.
So be it.
This curious work, the Foirm na Nurrnuidheadh itself, consists chiefly of a Gaelic version of Knox's Scotish liturgy, adapted in some circumstances to the peculiar manners of the Highlanders, as in the form of prayer intended to be used by the islanders at sea, which is quoted by Martin in his Description of the Western Isles, p. 127. It is inscribed to Archibald the 5th Earl of Argyle, Lord High Chancellor, and Lord Privy Seal of Scotland. From its extreme rarity, the work would deserve to be reprinted for the use of the curious, as exhibiting an authentic document of the state of the Gaelic language in Scotland about the middle of the 16th century. The editor flatters himself, however, that it will not be considered as averse to the object of this publication, to exhibit some of the most curious passages. The Address of Carswell to his Book is curious, as it exhibits a specimen of Gaelic versification, the numbers of which are the same that are employed in many of the Ossianic fragments. The Legitimate Apology, as he terms it, gives an account of the process observed in editing the first book published in the Gaelic language.
"Adhmad Beag And so do rinde. M. Séon Carsuel. Do chum an leabhair bhig se féin.
A Little Address, composed by Mr. John Carswell, to this same little Book.
"Atá a shios agamsa, g o ndénaid daóine cúirialta édtroma, sgige agas fochuidmheadh, agas fanamhad fan tsaótharm beag sa, ar son gan snas fileadh do bheith ar na briathraibh, agas gan chruás do bheith isna foclaibh, agas ma tá vireasbhuidh shoclorachta no chearta scribhtha, nó litre aninadh litre sa leabharsa, ní hingnadh sin do bheith amhluidh, ar son nach raibhe én shocal gaoidhelce ag fear bhuailte an chló, acht do thuairim no do bharamhail an cló do chur fiós. Agas atá fós a dheirbhshios agam, go ndénaid na Papanaigh, agas go specialta na sean Tsagairt scaiteacha, sgeth ascandaile am adhaigh séin, agas gurab míchlu, agas masla mó luaidhidheacht vathadh ​arson mhoibre, gedheadh nimesde sin, agas adeirim do réir póil, da ndenaind toil na ndaóine nachar shearbhonta díleas do Chriosd mé, agas fós ni meste an shìrinde na daóithe dá dimoladh, agas mar tá ruún agam cuidiughadh les na Criostaidhibh simplidhe ghébhas mo dheaghthoil lé gean maith, agas nach geuireand mhutreasbhadha an athais oram, mar fin don taoibh cile budh fadogh fúm, cáineadh na pápanach dom bhrosnughadh do tfiór labhairt, agas do tfiór scriobhadh na fíriude, agas do tsiór nochtadh a nurchoidesean ar fad mo bheathadh go himlan, óir ni dheachaidh fáith nó easbal no Mac De féin as, gan toibheim dfaghail ó na fagartaibh, agas ó naimhdibh na fírinde, gedheadh rugadar buaidh lé fóighide, tré chumhachtaibh Dé, do naon dia shirindeach sin ad tri pearsandaibh. 1. An Tathair trén trócaireach, agas an Mac maiseach mirbhuileach, agas an Soioradneartmhar náomh, biodh gach vile orraim onóir agas ard ghlóir anois & a saoghal na faoghal. Amen.
Do Criochnvigheadh an leabhrán beag so, lé Heasbug Indseadh gall, an. 24. lá do Mhí Aprile sa feachtmhadh bliadhain tar thrí fithid agas ar chnig céd, agas Mhile bliadháin dandaladh ar Dtighearna Iosa Criosd, Sa geuigeadh bliadháin tar shíthid do Ríghe na Rioghna ro chumhachtaighe Marie Banrighan na Halban.
Gras Dé is na thós atámuid ni réauie sé fós sinid.
Do bvaileadh so agelo an Dunedin le Roibeart Lekprevik, 24. Aprilis, 1567.
Legitimate Apology.
I am very sure that men of ingenuity and levity, will sneer, and ridicule, and treat with contempt this little work, because poetical neatness is wanting to the expressions, and precision to the single words: And if there is a deficiency in the orthography or arrangement, or some letters substituted in place of others in this book, we need not be surprised, for the man who printed the book had not one word of Gaelic, but printed as his fancy chanced to direct him. And well do I know that the Papists especially, and above all, the old satirical priests, will vomit malice against me, and that my work will procure me, from them, only scandal and reproach: But notwithstanding, I am not the worse of that; and I say with Paul, If I do the will of men, I am no faithful servant of Christ. And surely the truth is not injured by the dispraise of the unjust; and as I am resolved to assist the plain Christians who receive my good-will with gratitude, and will not reproach me with my defects; so, on the other hand, it is far from my wish to provoke abuse from the Papists, in honestly speaking and writing the truth, and establishing its authority during the whole course of my life: For neither prophet nor apostle, nor the Son of God himself, escaped the abuse of the priests and enemies of the truth; and yet the victory was obtained by patience through the power of God. To that one true God in three Persons, the Father, powerful, merciful; and the Son, beauteous, miraculous; and the Spirit, strong, holy; be all superiority, ​honour, and high glory, now and through eternity, Amen.
This little book was finished by the Bishop of the Isles on the 24th day of April, in the year of Christ 1567, in the 25th year of the reign of the moft potent Queen Mary of Scotland.
The grace of God was with it from the first, and brought it to a conclusion.
This was printed at Edinburgh by Robert Lekprevik, 24th April 1567.
In editing these curious passages, no other freedom has been used with the original, than separating or uniting the words, which were improperly divided or joined by the ignorance of the printer. It is curious, that in Lekprevik's title-page, Dunedin, or Edinburgh, is also denominated Dun Monaidh, or the City in the moors.
The following account of Bishop Carswell is extracted from Keith:
"John Carswell, chaplain to the Earl of Argile, rector of Kilmartine, and minister of the New Reformation, and superintendent of Argile and the Isles (he had the title also of dean of the chapel royal at Stirling; Keith's Hist. App. p. 188.), was presented by Queen Mary to the bishopric of the Isles, March 24. 1566 (Pr. Seal), and to the abbay of Ycolumkill. The words of the ​presentation are worthy of a place here: "Per presentes facimus, constituimus, et creamus dictum Magistrum Joannem, episcopum dicti episcopatus insularum, et abbatem diée abbatie dictae abbatiae de Yeolumkill———simili modo, et adeo libere in omnibus respectibus, causis, et conditionibus, ac si dictus Magister Joannes, ad dictum episcopatum et abaciam in curia Romana provideretur (Pr. Seal)." All this provision has no doubt been with a view that he might dilapidate the temporality to the family of Argyle. He was censured by the General Assembly for assisting at the Queen's Parliament, anno 1567. He was dead before the 20th of September 1572. (Register of Gifts, Pensions, &c."). The memory of Carswell is still preserved, in Lorn, by tradition, especially in the vicinity of Carnaffery Castle, in the parish of Kilmartin, where he chiefly resided. It is by no means popular. The bards, whom he affected to despite, made him the subject of their satirical verses and invectives, some of which are still preserved. Many proverbs expressive of his rapacity and niggardliness are still current in that country.
* ↑ Often called Finn, or Fionn, according to the verse or taste of the author.
* ↑ Keith's Catalogue of Scots Bishops, p. 175.
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