Deed 10

MN 78

TCD MS H 6 28, no. 1 (f. 1r)

This deed records how Domhnall Óg Ó Cearnaigh made the transition from tenant to pledgee in possession, chiefly through the conversion of charges into pledges, on the understanding that the more pledges he aquired the less likelihood they would ever be redeemed.

TEXT

[Upper margin: Amen]

1. Ag so mar do cuir Donnall Og O Cearnad gell ar Baile in Motaidh .i. ar lethcethruman de .i. cethru mir Guirt in Imedh agus cethru mír in Lecain .i. Donnall Og ar gabail

2. mBaille [m possibly expuncted] in Motaig ó Tadhg mac Sioda agus óna mac agus mair Donnchaidh hI Brian ar techt cuic Donnaill [?Oig] agus tri lathracha graidh do breith leo ó Donnall Og a gell re corriact

3. do bi ocu ar Tadhg agus ar a mac. agus do cutar lucht molt [sic] atura agus dacutar cuic marg gu leth ag Donnall Og ar Tadhg mac Sita agus ar a mac agus tuc [an above] mac [g rubbed] lethru do Bhaille [do rubbed]

4. in Mota a gell fris na fiachuib sin do Donnall agus issiat na mair .i. Ruaidhri Ó Mulolluigh agus a mac agus in Gilla Dub Bregach Et issi [sic] na moltoiri .i. Muthgamain mac

5. Uilliam .i. in sacurt agus Tadhg mac Pilluib agus Maillsechlaind mac Seaan agus Muthgamain Ó Lighi. Tuilledh eile in uair do marbaigh Donnall Og Mac Namaradh

6. Sitad mac Tadhg Sita arna agbail re hucht a solarur agus a gell ferrainn do beith ag a brathuir agus ag a tirrna .i. ag Donnall Derg agus gac

7. fiacha da roibh ag Donnall Og Ó Cerrna air Donnall Derg da nic [agus above] in ferann do beith aige fein Tuilledh eile .i. marg tucc Donnall Og mar gell ar in ferann

8. cena sin .i. da muic gait Donnall Derg agus dis mac Lochlainn hI Comraigh o Donnall Og agus do cuatar cum molta agus do faca lethmharg i nait an da muca agus t

9. ri uinge mar fiacha faisneisi agus uinge aille deg agus tuc Donnall Derg in marg sin do mar gell ar in ferann cena sin. Tuilled eile tri undsa croit in ocht mbond

10. uib deg tuc Donnall Og do Donnall Derg agus do Sibáin do Nais [mar gell above] ar [sic] ferrann cena sin. Tuilled eile in uair [d]o cuir Donnall Derg gell Tadhg meic Donnall Maradh

11. a gell re .vii. nuing a Luimnech Donnall Og da fuaslug sin mar gell ar in ferann cena Tuilled eile in uair do bi Donnall Derg a gell re ocht marg

12. imiarta ag Aodh Ruagh mac Conchubhair Oig Me Clannadha agus ag Eogan in Airgait Tadhg m[a]c Donnall Mec Namaru ar tabuirt eich

13. maith tar eis dona cerachuib sin agus Donnall Og Ó Cerrna do reic cruaithe [? re T]adhg mac Donnaill Meic Namaru ar .vii. luil

14. iachaib. agus Tadhg mac Donnall ar tabuirt uinge dor agus .vi. marg a dilliacht tri luilliac[. . .tu]c Donnall Derg na se marg agus uinge dor sin

15. mar gell ar mBaille in Mota do Donnall Og agus ata Tadhg Mac Namaru rena comall in gill sin do Donnall Og ó Donnall Derg agus ata Siban do Nas

16. agus a clann re comall in gill sin agus ata Tadhg mac Piluib agus Donnca Mac Conmaru agus Muirruis Ó Maoil Conaire agus Una ingin Brian meic Muircertaigh agus Ruist

17. dert Ó Cerrna. agus issi ais in T[ir]na. in tan so .i. mile bliadhan agus cuic cead se bliadhan deg agus da fichit agus [in above] bliadhain testa Donnchadh Ó Brian tuca in gell so a

18. mach

NORMALISED TEXT

Ag so mar do chuir Domhnall Óg Ó Cearnaigh geall ar Bhaile an Mhóta .i. ar leathcheathramhain de .i. ceathramha mír Ghuirt an Ime agus ceathramha mír an Lecáin .i. Domhnall Óg ar ghabháil mBaile an Mhóta ó Thadhg mac Síoda agus óna mhac; agus maoir Dhonnchaidh hÍ Bhriain ar theacht chuig Domhnaill Óig agus trí láthracha graidhe do bhreith leó ó Dhomhnall Óg i ngeall re corraigheacht do bhí acu ar Thadhg agus ar a mhac.

Agus do chuadar lucht molta eaturra, agus do fhágbhadar cúig mharg go leith ag Domhnall Óg ar Thadhg mac Síoda agus ar a mhac. Agus tug an mac leathcheathramha do Bhaile an Mhóta i ngeall frisna fiachuibh sin do Dhomhnall.

Agus is siad na maoir .i. Ruaidhrí Ó Maolalaidh agus a mhac, agus an Giolla Dubh Bréagach.

Et is siad na moltóirí .i. Mathghamhain mac Uilliam (.i. an sagart), agus Tadhg mac Pilib, agus Maoil Sheachlainn mac Seaáin, agus Mathghamhain Ó Laidhe.

Tuilleadh eile: an uair do mharbhaigh Domhnall Óg Mac Con Mara Síoda mac Taidhg, Síoda arna ágbháil re huacht a sholáthar agus a gheall fearainn do beith ag a bhráthair agus ag a thighearna .i. ag Domhnall Dearg. Agus gach fiacha dá roibh ag Domhnall Óg Ó Cearnaigh ar Dhomhnall Dearg dá n-íoc, agus an fearann do beith aige féin.

Tuilleadh eile: .i. marg tug[adh do] Dhomhnall Óg mar gheall ar an fhearann céadna sin .i. dá mhuic ghait Domhnall Derg agus dís mhac Lochlainn hÍ Chomhraighe ó Dhomhnall Óg; agus do chuadar chum molta, agus do fágadh leathmharg i n-áit an dá mhuca, agus trí uinge mar fiacha faisnéise, agus uinge aille déag. Agus tug Domhnall Dearg an marg sin dó mar gheall ar an fhearann céadna sin.

Tuilleadh eile: trí undsa croidh i n-ocht mbonnaibh déag tug Domhnall Óg do Dhomhnnall Dearg agus do Shiobháin do Nais mar gheall ar [an] fhearann céadna sin.

Tuilleadh eile: an uair do chuir Domhnall Dearg geall Taidhg mheic Domhnaill [Mac Con] Mara i ngeall re .vii. n-uinge i Luimneach, Domhnall Óg dá fhuaslughadh sin mar ghell ar an fhearann céadna.

Tuilleadh eile: an uair do bhí Domhnall Dearg i ngeall re ocht marg imearta ag Aodh Ruadh mac Conchubhair Óig Meic Clannchadha agus ag Eóghan an Airgid, Tadhg mac Domhnaill Mheic Con Mara ar thabairt eich mhaith tar éis dona cearrbhachaibh sin. Agus Domhnall Óg Ó Cearnaigh do reic cruaiche re Tadhg mac Domhnaill Mheic Con Mara ar .vii. loilgheachaibh. Agus Tadhg mac Domhnaill ar thabhairt uinge d’ór agus .vi. mharg i ndíolaidheacht trí loilgheach[. . .Tu]g Domhnall Dearg na sé mharg agus uinge d’ór sin mar gheall ar Bhaile an Mhóta do Dhomhnall Óg.

Agus atá Tadhg Mac Con Mara rena chomhall an ghill sin do Dhomhnall Óg ó Dhomhnall Dearg; agus atá Siobhán do Nais agus a clann re comhall an ghill sin; agus atá Tadhg mac Pilib agus Donnchadh Mac Con Mara agus Muiris Ó Maoil Chonaire agus Úna inghean Bhriain mheic Mhuircheartaigh, agus Ruisdeart Ó Cearnaigh.

Agus is sí aois in Tighearna in tanso .i. míle bliadhan agus cúig céad sé bliadhan déag agus dhá fhichid agus an bhliadhain teasta Donnchadh Ó Briain tugadh in geallso amach.

TRANSLATION

This is how Domhnall Óg O Cearnaigh took a mortgage on Baile an Mhóta i.e. on a half Quarter of it i.e. the quarter part of Gort an Ime and the quarter part of An Leacán i.e. Domhnall Óg having rented Baile an Mhóta from Tadhg mac Síoda and from his son, and the stewards of Donnchadh Ó Briain having come to Domhnall Óg and having taken away with them three stud mares from Domhnall Óg as a pledge for a surety for which Tadhg and his son were indebted to them. And arbitrators intervened between them and they awarded 5½ marks to Domhnall Óg from Tadhg mac Síoda and his son; and the son gave the half Quarter of Baile an Mhóta to Domhnall as a pledge for those debts. And the stewards are Ruaidhrí Ó Maoil Allaigh and his son, and An Giolla Dubh Bréagach. And the arbitrators are Mathghamhain mac Uilliam (i.e. the priest) and Tadhg mac Pilib, and Maoil Sheachlainn mac Seaáin, and Mathghamhain Ó Lighe.

Further: on the occasion when Domhnall Óg Mac Con Mara killed Síoda mac Taidhg, Síoda had bequeathed the land he had acquired and the land he held by mortgage to his kinsman and lord Domhnall Dearg, and all the debts that were owed to Domhnall Óg Ó Cearnaigh by Domhnall Dearg were to be paid and the land to be his [sc. Domhnall Dearg].

Further: a mark [was given to] Domhnall Óg as a pledge on the same land in this way: Domhnall Dearg and the two sons of Lochlann Ó Comhraigh stole two pigs from Domhnall Óg, and they submitted to arbitration and a half-mark was awarded for the two pigs and three ounces for witness fees and an ounce for the judge’s fee. And Domhnall Dearg gave that mark to him as a pledge for that same land.

Further: Domhnall Óg gave three ounces of payment in eighteen groats to Domhnall Dearg and to Siobhán do Nais as a pledge for the same land.

Further: when Domhnall Dearg gave the pledge belonging to Tadhg son of Domhnall Mac Con Mara as a pledge for seven ounces in Limerick, Domhnall Óg redeemed that as a pledge on the same land.

Further: when Domhnall Dearg owed eight marks in gaming-debts to Aodh Ruadh mac Conchubhair Óig mheic Clannchadha and to Eoghan an Airgid, Tadhg mac Domhnaill Mac Con Mara gave a good horse after that to those gamblers and Domhnall Óg Ó Cearnaigh sold a cruach to Tadhg mac Domhnaill Meic na Mara for 7 milch cows, and Tadhg mac Domhnaill gave an ounce of gold and six marks as payment for [?thirteen milch cows] and Domhnall Dearg gave the six marks and that ounce of gold as a pledge on Baile an Mhóta to Domhnall.

And Tadhg Mac Con Mara is to guarantee that pledge for Domhnall Óg from Domhnall Dearg and Siobhán de Nais and her sons are to guarantee that pledge and Tadhg mac Pilib and Donnchadh Mac Con Mara and Úna daughter of Brian mac Muircheartaigh and Ruisteard Ó Cearnaigh.

And the age of the Lord at this time is 1556, and the year that Donnchadh Ó Briain died [1553] this pledge was given.

NOTES

1. gabail 'rented', literally 'taken' as in current Hiberno-English.

2. cuic (chuig) An example of the use of the derivative of chuige as a simple preposition, synonymous with (do)chum and governing a following genitive, a feature noted by Dinneen (s.v. Chuige) as being usual is Co. Clare. Note that it is the person who rented the land who is distrained, not the person who owes the debt.

2. corriact [= corraigheacht] The surety in question was the annual tribute that was owed to Ó Briain, it being the duty of the maoir to collect this.

6. Sitad mac Tadg This Síoda is probably the un-named son of Tadhg mac Síoda mentioned in lines 2 and 3.

6. tirrna [= tighearna] Domhnall Dearg is clearly not the 'Mac Con Mara', head of the tribe, but rather the lord, or ceann fine, of his own particular sept or sliocht.

7. tucc As the next sentence records the handing over of a mark from Domhnall Dearg to Domhnall Óg, emendation from tucc to tuccadh do appears to be required.

7-9. The calculation in this clause consists of a leathmharg or half-mark [= 4 uinge] + 3 uinge for information + 1 uinge for legal fees = 8 uinge = 1 mark. The uinge [d'airgead] was valued at 1s 8d (20d). The second mark that Domhnall Dearg pays as a pledge on the land derives from the requirement that stolen property be subject to double compensation, known as cion and aithchion.

9. fiacha faisneisi Anglicised as 'fastness money', money paid for information.

9. aille deg (oile dég IGT II.3) construed as deriving from aile 'other' in substantive usage (DIL s.v.). 'A twelfth', in other words 'a legal fee', as such fees were calculated as a twelfth of the amount involved: see Kelly, Guide to Early Irish Law, 53. KN asserts that what aile déag involved was a twelfth + the award itself = a thirteenth.

9. croit was construed by Mac Niocaill as representing cróich gen sg. of croch ‘saffron’; here it is taken – tentatively – as representing the gen. sg. of crodh.

9-10. ocht mbonduibh deg i.e. 6s (4d x 18).

11-13. The 'each maith' seems to have been valued at 8 marks.

12. imiarta for imearta (gsg of imirt)

13. cruaithe possibly for cruaiche 'a stack [of corn etc.]' or cruaidhe (g.sg. of cruadh 'steel'), though it is difficult to see in either case how this might have been valued at seven milch cows.

17. Donnchadh Ó Briain, 2nd Earl of Thomond, died in 1553.