Egerton 1782
Encyclopedia
MS Egerton 1782 is the index title of an early sixteenth-century Irish vellum
manuscript housed in the Egerton Collection
of the British Library
, London.
(anglicised: O'Mulconry), a learned family of lawyers and historians, known also for compiling MS 23 N 10
later in the century.
In spite of its relatively late date (compared to, for instance, the Book of Leinster
, Lebor na hUidre
or the Yellow Book of Lecan
), it is one of the most important documents for the study of early Irish literature
. Some texts, such as Aislinge Oenguso, are preserved nowhere else.
Vellum
Vellum is mammal skin prepared for writing or printing on, to produce single pages, scrolls, codices or books. It is generally smooth and durable, although there are great variations depending on preparation, the quality of the skin and the type of animal used...
manuscript housed in the Egerton Collection
Egerton Collection
The Egerton Collection is a collection of 67 manuscripts bequeathed to the British Museum in 1829 along with £12,000 by Francis Henry Egerton, 8th Earl of Bridgewater. To this was added £3000 in 1838 by Egerton's cousin, Charles Long, Baron Farnborough.The Collection is now in the British Library....
of the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
, London.
Overview
The compilation dates from c. 1517 and is the work of several scribes of the Ó MaolconaireÓ Maolconaire
Ó Maolconaire was the surname of a family of professional poets and historians in Medieval Ireland. It is now rendered Mulconry, Conroy, Conaire.-Overview:...
(anglicised: O'Mulconry), a learned family of lawyers and historians, known also for compiling MS 23 N 10
23 N 10
Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS. 23 N 10, formerly Betham 145, is a Gaelic-Irish medieval manuscript.-Overview:MS 23 N 10 is a late sixteenth-century Irish manuscript currently housed in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin...
later in the century.
In spite of its relatively late date (compared to, for instance, the Book of Leinster
Book of Leinster
The Book of Leinster , is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled ca. 1160 and now kept in Trinity College, Dublin, under the shelfmark MS H 2.18...
, Lebor na hUidre
Lebor na hUidre
Lebor na hUidre or the Book of the Dun Cow is an Irish vellum manuscript dating to the 12th century. It is the oldest extant manuscript in Irish. It is held in the Royal Irish Academy and is badly damaged: only 67 leaves remain and many of the texts are incomplete...
or the Yellow Book of Lecan
Yellow Book of Lecan
The Yellow Book of Lecan , or TCD MS 1318 , is a medieval Irish manuscript written no later than the dawn of the 15th century. It is currently housed at Trinity College, Dublin and should not be confused with the Great Book of Lecan.-Overview:The manuscript is written on vellum and contains 344...
), it is one of the most important documents for the study of early Irish literature
Early Irish literature
-The earliest Irish authors:It is unclear when literacy first came to Ireland. The earliest Irish writings are inscriptions, mostly simple memorials, on stone in the ogham alphabet, the earliest of which date to the fourth century...
. Some texts, such as Aislinge Oenguso, are preserved nowhere else.
The Texts of Egerton 1782
Here follow some of the texts found in the manuscript:- Necrology for Art Buidhe mac Domhnaill Riabhaigh, f. 3-4.
- Amra Choluim Chille (incomplete), f. 9b.
- Baile BricínBaile BricínBaile Bricín is a late Old Irish or Middle Irish prose tale, in which St Bricín, abbot of Túaim Dreccon , is visited by an angel, who reveals to him the names of the most important future Irish churchmen...
. f. 17a - Forfess Fer Falgae, f. 19ra-b.
- Verba Scáthaige, f. 19va-b.
- Echtra Chondla, f. 19vb-20rb
- Seilg Sléibhe na mBan "The Chase of Sliabh na mBan (Slievenaman)", f. 20 b 1.
- Tesmolta Cormaic 7 Aided Finn, f. 24rb-25rb
- Airem muintire Finn, f. 25rb-vb
- Imthechta Tuaithe Luchra ocus Aided Fergusa / Echtra Fhergusa maic Léti, f. 30va-34va.
- Aided Diarmata meic Fergusa Cherrbeóil, f. 37ra-40vb
- Miscellaneous prose material, f. 40b2, 41a1.
- "Trí túatha fuilet i nhÉrinn" (prose), f. 44a.
- "Eol dam aided, erctha gním" (poem), f. 44a1.
- "Cormac and Ciarnat" (prose introduction and poem), f. 44 b.
- Suidigud Tige Midchuarta, f. 45v.
- Fulacht na MorrígnaMorríganThe Morrígan or Mórrígan , also written as Morrígu or in the plural as Morrígna, and spelt Morríghan or Mór-Ríoghain in Modern Irish, is a figure from Irish mythology who appears to have once been a goddess, although she is not explicitly referred to as such in the texts.The Morrigan is a goddess...
, f. 46a. - The Colloquy between Fintan and the Hawk of Achill, f. 47a.1-49b1.
- Cinaed húa hArtacáin, poem, f. 52a.
- Cinaed húa hArtacáin, poem, f. 53b.
- Eochaid Eolach ua Céirín, Apraid a éolchu Elga, f. 53va-54rb.
- Two Middle Irish poems, f. 56a.
- Egerton Annals: Mionannala, f. 56-64.
- Cath Cairn Chonaill, f. 59v-61r
- Longes mac n-Uislenn / Longes mac Uisnig, f. 67r-69v.
- Tochmarc Ferbe (including episode 'Togail Duin Geirg'), f. 69v-70r.
- Aislinge Oenguso, f. 70r-71v
- Echtra Nera / Táin Bé Aingen, f. 71v-73v.
- De Chophur in dá Muccida, f. 73v-76v.
- Táin Bó Regamna, f. 76v-77v.
- Compert Chonchobair (version 2), f. 77v-78v.
- Compert Chon CulainnCompert Con CulainnCompert Con Culainn is an early medieval Irish narrative about the conception and birth of the hero Cú Chulainn. Part of the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, it survives in two major versions.-Manuscripts:...
/ Feis Tige Becfoltaig (two versions), f. 78v-80r. - Táin Bó Dartada, f. 80r-81r.
- Táin Bó Regamain, f. 81r-82r.
- Táin Bó Flidais, f. 82r-82v.
- Táin Bó Fraích, f. 82v-87v.
- Do Faillsigud Tána Bó Cúailnge, f. 87v.
- Táin Bó CúailngeTáin Bó Cúailngeis a legendary tale from early Irish literature, often considered an epic, although it is written primarily in prose rather than verse. It tells of a war against Ulster by the Connacht queen Medb and her husband Ailill, who intend to steal the stud bull Donn Cuailnge, opposed only by the teenage...
(Recension II), f. 88r-105v, with a gap at f. 98. - Tochmarc ÉtaineTochmarc ÉtaíneTochmarc Étaíne , meaning "The Wooing of Étaín", is an early text of the Irish Mythological Cycle, and also features characters from the Ulster Cycle and the Cycles of the Kings. It is partially preserved in the manuscript known as the Lebor na hUidre , and completely preserved in the Yellow Book...
(middle part, introducing Togail Bruidne Da Derga), f. 106ra-108vb - Togail Bruidne Dá Derga, f. 108vb-123vb.
- Imram Curraig Maíle DúinMáel DúinMáel Dúin is the protagonist of Immram Maele Dúin or the Voyage of Máel Dúin, a Christian tale written in Old Irish around the end of the first millennium. He is the son of Ailill Edge-of-Battle, whose murder provides the initial impetus for the tale.Máel Dúin is the son of a warrior and chieftan....
(fragments from the prose text), f. 124r-125v. - Eachtra an Mhadra Mhaeoil "The Adventures of the Crop-eared Dog."
- Seacht n-Urgarta Rígh Temruch "Seven prohibitions of the king of Tara"
Sources
- Flower, Robin (ed.). Catalogue of Irish manuscripts in the British Library, formerly the British Museum. 2 vols: vol 2. London, 1926. 259-98.