The following are extracts from a MS. volume of the sixteenth century,
containing, _inter alia_, notes of the Manners and Superstitions of the {5}
Celtic Irish. Some of our readers may be able to elucidate the obscure
references:
"The Irish men they have a farme,
They kepp the bread,
And make _boyranne_.
They make butter and eatt _molchan_.
And when they haue donne
They have noe shamm.
They burne the strawe and make _loisbran_.
They eatt the flesh and drinke the broth,
And when they have done they say
_Deo gracias is smar in Doieagh_."
The next appears to be a scrap of a woman's song:
"Birch and keyre 'tis wal veyre a spyunyng deye a towme.
I am the geyest mayed of all that brought the somer houme.
Justice Deyruse in my lopp, and senscal in my roame," &c.
John Devereux was Justiciary of the Palatinate Liberty of Wexford in the
early part of Henry VIII.'s reign. That Palatinate was then governed by a
seneschal or "senscal." The justice would seem to have been a gallant and
_sensual_ man, and the song may have been a little satirical. Among the
notes of the "Manners" of the Irish, it is declared that--
"Sett them a farme--the grandfather, father, son, and they clayme it as
their own: if not, they goe to rebellion."
Will any antiquary versed in Celtic customs explain whether this claim of
possession grew out of any Celtic usage of tenancy? And also point out
authorities bearing upon the customs of Celtic agricultural tenancy?
The next extract bears upon the communication at Vol. vii., p. 332.:
"An _Ultagh_ hath three purses. He runneth behind dore to draw his
money: one cutteth the throte of another."
Now, was an _Ultagh_ an Irish usurer or money-lender? Your correspondent at
page 332. requests information respecting Roger Outlaw. Sir William Betham,
in a note to the "Proceedings against Dame Alice Ugteler," the famous
pseudo-Kilkenny witch, remarks that "the family of Utlagh were seated in
Dublin, and filled several situations in the corporation." Utlagh and
Outlaw are the same surnames. The named Utlagh also occurs in the Calendar
of Printed Irish Patent Rolls. William Utlagh, or Outlaw, was a _banker_
and _money-lender_ in Kilkenny, in the days of Edward I. He was the first
husband of the witch, and brother of Friar Roger Outlaw. In favour of the
latter, who was Prior of Kilmainham, near Dublin, a mandamus, dated 10 Edw.
II., was issued for arrears due to him since he was "justice and
chancellor, and even lieutenant of the justiciary, as well in the late
king's time as of the present king's." He was appointed Lord Justice, or
deputy to the Lord Lieutenant, by patent dated Mar. 15, 9 Edw. III.
Many of the Irish records having been lost, your correspondent will do an
obliging service in pointing out the repository of the discovered roll.
Perhaps steps might be taken for its restoration.