Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 09.djvu/224

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Chr. Scot. &c. for a slightly different date). The causes of this movement are hard to fathom, but it seems that the jealousy of a certain section of the clergy in Meath urged Blaithmac and Diarmit, the sons of Ædh Slane, to expel the whole community. Carthach now commenced a wandering life. From Rahen he passed to Fircall (in King's County), and from Fircall to Roscrea in Tipperary, where his former pupil, St. Cronan, entertained him. Thence he journeyed southwards to King Failbhe Flann at Cashel (633, A. F. M.), from which place he traversed the district of Decies in Waterford as far as Lismore, where Failbhe's son-in-law, Melochtrig, gave him a site for a new monastery (c. 632). Here Carthach seems to have dwelt for a few years, till at last, as age drew on, he retired to a neighbouring retreat to the east of his chief foundation, and here lived for eighteen months. At last, feeling that death was upon him, and pitying the older members of his flock whose weak limbs could hardly bear the toils of a journey to his secluded cell, he gave orders to be carried from the valley to a place of easier access. On the way he grew weaker, and called to his bearers to set him down in the valley. There he received the communion, gave his last injunctions to his brethren, and so died ‘by the fountain where the cross of migration (crux migrationis) has been erected’ (14 May 636; but cf. Tighernac, 637, and Chr. Scot. 636). Of Carthach's writings none seem to be extant now, excepting perhaps the rule for his monastery of Rahen, which Ussher saw ‘in codice antiquiore … Hibernico sermone antiquissimo exarato’ (Antiq. p. 476). A long poem, ascribed to this saint, is still preserved in the library of Trinity College, Dublin (MS. H. ii. 16; Reeves, Culdees, p. 8; with which cf. O'Curry's Lectures on Manuscript Materials for Irish History for an account of a verse ‘Rule’ ascribed to Carthach, pp. 374–5). Carthach is more generally known by the name of Mochuda, his real name having probably been Chuda ( = Cuddy), to which the endearing prefix ‘mo’ ( = my) has been added, as in the case of so many other Irish saints (Lanigan, pp. 350–1).

[Carthach's name seems to occur first in the so-called Catalogue of Tirechan, seventh and eighth century (Haddan and Stubbs, ii. part 2), the Stowe Missal, of perhaps the ninth century (Warren's Liturgy of the Celtic Church, p. 238), and the Martyrology of Œngus the Culdee (ed. Stokes), tenth century. His name is also to be found on the same day (14 May), according to the Bollandist editor, in the Tamlacht and other early Irish Martyrologies. Two ancient lives are printed in the Bollandist Acta SS., one from a MS. Salmanticense at Brussels, the other from an ancient Irish manuscript, which seems, if we may judge from Dr. Reeves's description of the latter, to correspond with that contained in ff. 94–100 of the so-called Codex Kilkenniensis (or Codex Armachanus) in Primate Marsh's library at Dublin. Of these two lives the second, which is by far the longer, appears to contain the larger amount of historical details, though mixed with much fable. It is noteworthy that the name of St. Carthach the younger does not seem to occur in the lives of any of the contemporary saints of Ireland.]

T. A. A.

CARTHEW, GEORGE ALFRED (1807–1882), antiquary, was born on 20 June 1807, being the only son of George Carthew, solicitor, of Harleston, Norfolk, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Isaack, gent., of Wighton in the same county. Owing to his father's straitened circumstances, Carthew had little school education. While yet a boy he was articled to his father, and from him he inherited not only the remarkable faculty for genealogical and historical research which he exhibited throughout a long life, but a rich collection of materials. He had access, while still in his articles, to a collection of charters once belonging to Mendham Priory in Suffolk, and with but little assistance he spent years in deciphering, copying, and analysing the large mass of ancient documents so as to completely master the contents. Carthew was admitted a solicitor in Hilary term 1830, and, after practising for nine years at Framlingham in Suffolk, though still in partnership with his father at Harleston, accepted a partnership at East Dereham, where he fixed himself for the rest of his life. At Dereham Carthew wrote the history of the hundred of Launditch, which, after nearly forty years of toil, interrupted by frequent illness and pecuniary loss, was published with the title of ‘The Hundred of Launditch and Deanery of Brisley in the County of Norfolk. Evidences and Topographical Notes,’ &c., three parts, 4to, Norwich, 1877–9. This admirable specimen of a county history, skilfully arranged and skilfully executed, illustrated by lithographs, plans, and facsimiles, is unrivalled for the completeness of the manorial descents.

Carthew was nominated one of the local secretaries of the Norfolk and Norwich Archæological Society instituted under the presidency of Bishop Stanley in December 1845, and at the first general meeting (1846) read a paper on the church of Great Dereham. His contributions to the ‘Norfolk Archæology’ were numerous and important, the most valuable being perhaps the notice on ‘North Creake Abbey’ in the seventh volume, pp. 153–68, and that ‘On the Right of Wardship