Page:Chronicles of the Picts, chronicles of the Scots, and other early memorials of Scottish history.djvu/76

Ixviii PKEFACE. Tract on the Scots of Dal- riada. Tract on the Picts. Tract on the Picts. 41. Tract on the Scots of Daleiada. — This very- curious document is to be found in three different Irish MSS., viz., the " Book of Ballimote," the " Book " of Lecain," and the Trinity College MS. (h. 2. 7). The two former pretty nearly correspond ; the latter is somewhat different. Lynch, in his " Cam- " brensis Eversus," published in 1662, quotes this tract without hesitation as the work of John O'Dugan, a well-known Irish Sennachy. He was one of the compilers of the " Book of Hy Many," and died in the year 1372. As the Trinity College MS. is a transcript of part of the "Book of Hy Many," and the text of this tract contained in it appears to the Editor to be the most correct, he has selected it for the text. 42. Tract on the Picts. — This tract is contained in the " Book of Lecain," and the latter part of it was printed by Dr. Todd in the Irish Nennius. Why the whole was not printed the Editor does not know, but the Editor has found an older copy of it in a MS. in the Bodleian (Eawlinson, B. 506). This MS. is stated to have been written by John O'Cianan for his brother Adam O'Cianan. The latter was a well- known Sennachy, who died in the year 1373, and this copy has therefore been taken as the text. This tract contains an entirely different form of the Pictish legend, and is mainly valuable for the account which it gives of the districts in Scotland conquered and occupied by them. 43. Tract on the Picts.— This little fragment is