The history of the secret origin of John Mac Patrick,[235]
Why should I conceal it?
What belongs to his race is not feeble,
The bearing of that race we love.
Seldom of a feeble race it is,
Among the Gael of purest fame,
That inquiry of their origin is made,
By the men who read in books.
Firm the belief to them and me,
During the evening time so dark,
That in the blood of noble kings
Were the rights of true clan Gregor.
Now that I’m by thy green dwelling,
Listen, John, to thy family story:
A root of the very root we are,
Of famous kings of noble story.
Know that Patrick was thy father,
Malcom father was to Patrick.
Son of black John, not black his breast,
Him who feasts and chariots owned.
Another John was black John’s father,
Son of Gregor, son of John the lucky.
Three they were of liberal heart,
Three beneficent to the Church.
The father to that learned John,
Was Malcom, who his wealth ne’er hid,
Son of Duncan, surly and small,
Whose standard never took reproach.
His father was another Duncan,
Son of Gillelan of the ambush,
Noble he was, giving to friends,
Son of the famous Hugh from Urquhay.
Kennan[236] of the pointed spear,
Of Hugh from Urquhay was the father.
From Alpin,[237] of stately mien and fierce,
Mighty king of weighty blows.
This is the fourth account that’s given
Of thee, who art the heir of Patrick.
Remember well thy back-bone line,
Down from Alpin, heir of Dougal.
Twenty and one, besides thyself,
John the black, not black in heart.
Thy genealogy leads us truly
To the prosperous Fergus M’Erc.
Of thy race, which wastes not like froth,
Six generations wore the crown.
Forty kings there were and three,
Their blood and origin are known.
Three there were north and three to the south,[238]
After the time of Malcom Kenmore.
Ten of the race did wear the crown,
From the time of Malcom up to Alpin.
From Alpin upwards we do find
Fourteen kings till we reach Fergus.
Such is thy genealogy
To Fergus,[239] son of Erc the prosperous.
How many are there of thy race,
Must have been from thee to Fergus!
Noble the races mix with thy blood,
Such as now we cannot number.
The schools[240] would weary with our tale,
Numbering the kings from whom thou’rt sprung.
The blood of Arthur[241] is in thy bosom,
Precious is that which fills thy veins;
The blood of Cuan, the blood of Conn,[242]
Two wise men, glory of the race.
The blood of Grant in thy apple-red cheek,
The blood of Neil, the fierce and mighty.
Fierce and gentle, at all times,
Is the story of the royal race.
The history.
[234] This author is one of the writers of the MS., and a Macgregor.
By referring to the genealogy at p. 143 of the MS., we find him
designating himself as Dunchadh daoroglach, Mac Dhughaill, Mhic Eoin
riabbaich--Duncan the apprentice, son of Dougall, son of John the
grizzled.
[235] John dow M’Patrick M’Gregor of Glenstrae, who died in 1526.
[236] This is manifestly a mistake for Kenneth. The person meant is
Kenneth M’Alpin, King of Scotland. In the genealogy given in p. 144 of
the MS., this Kennan is said to have been high King of Scotland, to
distinguish him from lesser chiefs, whom the Celts called kings.
[237] Alpin, King of the Scots, who flourished in the beginning of the
ninth century. Several of the links in the Macgregor genealogy must be
wanting in this poem. Even the name of Gregor, from whom the clan is
called, does not appear at all.
[238] Both sides of Loch Tay, the ancient Macgregor territory, are
still called “Tuaruith” and “Deasruith,” _north and south sides_.
[239] First king of the Dalriadic Scots.
[240] The schools of the bards, which abounded in Scotland and Ireland
at this period, chiefly in Ireland, as may be discovered from this
collection, for most of the composers were undoubtedly trained there.
Poetry and genealogy were the chief branches studied.
[241] Arthur, King of the Strathclyde Britons, from whom the Campbells
also are said to be descended.
[242] “Conn ceud catha,” _Conn of the hundred battles_, King of
Ireland.