The Enumeration of Finn’s People
Egerton
MS 1782
Translated by Standish O'Grady, Silva Gaedelica V.II.
This
is the enumeration [and description] of Finn’s people:
their strength was seven score and ten officers, each man
of these - having thrice nine warriors, every one bound (as
was the way with Cuchullin in the time when he was there)
to certain conditions of - service, which were: that in
satisfaction of their guarantee violated - they must not
accept material compensation; in the matter of valuables or
of meat must not deny any; no single individual of them to
fly before nine warriors.
Of such not a man was taken into the Fianna; nor admitted
whether to the great Gathering of Usnach, to the Convention
of Taillte, or to Tara’s Feast; until both his paternal and
his maternal correlatives, his tuatha and kindreds, had
given securities for them to the effect that, though at the
present instant they were slain, yet should no claim be
urged in lieu of them: and this in order that to none other
but to themselves alone they should look to avenge them. On
the other hand: in case it were they that inflicted great
mischiefs upon others, reprisals not to be made upon their
several people.
Of all these again not a man was taken until he were a
prime poet versed in the twelve books of poesy. No man was
taken till in the ground a large hole had been made (such
as to reach the fold of his belt) and he put into it with
his shield and a fore arm’s length of a hazel stick. Then
must nine warriors, having nine spears, with a ten furrows’
width betwixt them and him, assail him and in concert let
fly at him. If past that guard of his he were hurt then, he
was not received into Fianship.
Not a man of them was taken till his hair had been
interwoven into braids on him and he started at a run
through Ireland’s woods; while they, seeking to wound him,
followed in his wake, there having been between him and
them but one forest bough by way of interval at first.
Should he be overtaken, he was wounded and not received
into the Fianna after. If his weapons had quivered in his
hand, he was not taken. Should a branch in the wood have
disturbed anything of his hair out of its braiding, neither
was he taken. If he had cracked a dry stick under his foot
[as he ran] he was not accepted. Unless that [at his full
speed] he had both jumped a stick level with his brow, and
stooped to pass under one even with his knee, he was not
taken. Also, unless without slackening his pace he could
with his nail extract a thorn from his foot, he was not
taken into Fianship: but if he performed all this he was of
Finn’s people.
A good man verily was he that had those Fianna, for he was
the seventh king ruling Ireland: that is to say there were
five kings of the provinces, and the king of Ireland; he
being himself the seventh, conjointly with the king of all
Ireland.
Finn’s two poll-wards were Noenalach, and Raer grandson of
Garb; the two stewards of his hounds: Crimthann and Connla
Cas; his dispenser: Cathluan son of Crimthann; his master
of the banquet: Corc son of Suan; his three cupbearers:
Dermot grandson of Duibhne, and Faillin, and Colla son of
Caeilte; the two overseers of his hearth: Caeilte and
Glanna; his two makers of the bed: Admoll and mac Neri; his
twelve musicians: Fergus True-mouth, Fianu, Bran, two
Reidhes, Nuada, and Aithirne Aghmar, and . . . . Flann and
Aedh, Cobthach of the high strains, and Cethern; his
physician: Lerthuile; his two keepers of the vessels: Braen
and Cellach Mael; his barber: Scannal his comber: Daelgus;
his charioteer: Rinnchu; his two masters of the horse: Aena
and Becan; his strong man: Urchraide grandson of Bregaide;
his six door-keepers: Cuchaire and Bresal Borr, Fianchad
and Mac-dá-fer Imchad and Aithech son of Aithech-bal; his
carpenter: Donngus; his smith: Collan; his worker in metal:
Congaran; his horn-players: Culaing and Cuchuailgne; his
two soothsayers: Dirinn and Mac-reith; his carver:
Cuinnscleo; his candle-holder: Cudam; his two spear-
bearers: and Uadgarb; his shield-bearer: Railbhe, and so
on.
Finis.