that he married him again to another woman, who was since dead; and whatsoever woman she was, who said that she was Joyce's wife, ought not to be believed." When Father Bryan received this letter, he advised Mary to remain as she was. Notwithstanding this, Joyce went to the priest who married him to Mary, in the place where she was born and bred. This was thirty miles from the place where they lived. He told this priest that Mary Rourke had left him about two years before; that he sought for her until he found her married to another man in the county Down; and that the priest of that parish would not allow him to get her, unless he got a testimony, under his hand, that she was his wife. He said not a word of Mary's death, nor did that priest know anything of it; for Mary's friends were dead before she was married, and she was not much mentioned in that place. This priest sent a letter by him to the Bishop of Down," that he had married a girl called Mary Rourke, of honest kindred, in his own parish to a decent young man, called John Joyce, who lived near Knock Magha; that he was informed she had left him, and was now living as wife to another man, beside Downpatrick; and that she ought to be sent home with him." A witness was sent with him, by the priest, who saw them married, to prove the identity of the woman; and he swore that she was the same woman who now lived with Thady Hughes. The bishop ordered them all to appear before him at the chapter that the case might be investigated. All the clergy blamed Father Bryan, because he married Thady to the wife of another man; and would not allow her to go with him, after having received evidence that she was his wife. And it was their opinion that both he and Thady should be excommunicated, unless Mary were sent away. "do not condemn me unLet Joyce be sworn." Joyce swore that he was married twice-that he got his first wife at Balygort-that she lived with him one year, besides Knock Magha-that she then left him, he knew not with whom -he was at home himself-did not see her depart-she was not healthy after childbirth--he got his second wife in that place— bean san áit sin – saoil se gur éug an ċead bean—†aoil an sagart é, d'éug an dara bean. 66 Anois, a daoine uaisle,” arsa an tadair Brian, “so litir a fuar mise, faoi laiṁ sagairt paraiste an tSeoiġiż, a dearbuigeas gur éug a ċead bean—go bfaca se féin marb j—'s go raib se ag a tómraṁ—gur pós se an Seoiżęć, na diaiż sin, le cailín eile san áit ;— ́s gur éuz rise fór o roin. Feucaid anois, go riñe me mo ditcholl an firine Fazail amaċ." D'eiriġ imreasan idir an ċleir uime; dubairt cuid aca "gurb' i be an tSeoigis í, gan ċuntabairt, o fuaras a dearbad o sagairt Ghoirt, agus mioña an fir a bi ladair, ag an pósad.” Dubart dream eile, “naċ raib sin dearbża go sead; oir an fear tug an ṁioña, go bfaca se 'g a posad í, go raib se fiartúileaċ, lag-radarcaċ; agus go mfeidir leis a beit meallta.” 66 ·Masead,” arsa fear aca, “ teiżęd sise go Coñaċta, fa déin sagairt Ghoirt, go bfiosfad sesean mas í an bean céadna a pós sé. “Ni head,” arsa duine eile, “ aċd teiżęd si fa deín an tsagairt eile ag cnoc Maża, go bfiosad sesean, mas í an bean céadnasa a d'eug faoi a ċúram.” Togad gaire na cuideaċta anażaid an fir sin: joñas go dtainic an cúis a bejt na adbar griñ na measg. Fa deiread, anuair do coñairc Tadg o Haod, naċ raib siad air ti reidtiż deanaṁ, no deirid ċur leis, d'iam se cead Labairt leis an Easboc. "A Thiarna Easbuic," 4 serean, “ a gcreideañ tusa gur tugad an beansa air siubal, leis na sigeoguib ?” 66 Ni creidimse a leitid, go deiṁin,” arsa an tEasboc. "O! Mairead beañaċt De go raib agad, fan sgeul sin; oir beid Maire ni Ruairc agam sa go sead.” 66 66 Cioñas sin," arsan deasboc, ma ċrużaiżżear gnr pósad í leis an tSeoiżeać roṁadsa ?" 66 66 Cuma sin,” arsa Thadg; dar ndoiż na gcrirfeasa dfiaċrib rimte, a beiż na ṁnaoi aige, déis a báis.” Do maodaid an cliar rile a gcioñ gaire, indjaiż ċoṁraid Thaidg; agrs drbairt cać "grr mait a drbairt se é; ‘grr agrs grr b’aige bi an crid do b'feam san conspoid.” Ba deacair don easboc a ngiorc, 'sa meagair a cosg no breit a żabairt; aċd go dtrg se coṁairle do Thadg, 'r thought that his first wife was dead-his second wife died. "Now, Gentlemen," said Father Bryan, "here is a letter which I received, under the hand of Joyce's parish priest, who asserts that his first wife died-that he himself saw her deadwas at the funeral—that he married Joyce afterwards to another girl in the place, and that she also was since dead. You see now that I endeavoured to discover the truth." A contest arose between the clergy on this; some said, "that she was Joyce's wife undoubtedly, since the assertion of it was obtained from the priest of Gort, and the oath of the man who was present at the marriage. Others said, "that was not yet certain, for the man who swore that he saw her married, was squint-eyed and dim-sighted, and that he might be mistaken." "Well," said some, "let her go to Connaught to the priest of Gort, that he may know if she is the same woman whom he married." "Not so," said the others," but let her go to the other priest, at Knock Magha, that he may know if she is the same woman who died under his care." The laugh of the assembly was excited against the latter, so that the business produced considerable mirth among them. At length, when Thady Hughes saw that they were not about to decide or terminate the affair, he asked leave to speak to the bishop. My Lord Bishop," said he, " do you believe that this woman was carried away by the fairies ?" "Indeed I believe no such thing," said the bishop. "Oh! God bless you for saying so, for I shall keep Mary Rourke still." "How can that be," said the bishop, "if it be proved that she was married to Joyce before p" you "No matter for that," said Thady, "surely she is under no obligation to be his wife after her death." The clergy all burst into laughter after Thady's speech, and said unanimously, "that he spoke well, and that he had the best part of the cause." 39 With difficulty the bishop restrained their mirth and laughter; he then advised Thady and Mary to go, with the other two men, N do Mhaire "a dul, leis an dir eile, go Coñaċta, latair an da sagairt, no go bfrigidis amaċ fios na fíriñe.” “A triat;” arsa Tadg, “níl mise a ngeall air a dol leis a tSeoigeaċ; aċd, mas í do ¿oilse, teiże sesean na baile, agrs raċfriñse féin agrs Maire, agcioñ seaċtijain eile, fa dein sagairt ċnoic Maža; agrs ma ċrrtaiżean an Seoigeaċ añ sin gur b’í so a bean, d'ar ndoig naċ séanfad an drine rasal kn an litir a ċrir se faoi na laiṁ, gur érg ri.” Toċt, a drine gan ċeill,” a drbąt an tesbog, “imċiż uaim, ni heistiom leat nios faide.” la air na ṁaraċ, ċuir Maire a hearrad imirce uile air a muin; air ti dol go Connaċta; agus 's é an reidteaċ a riñe na coṁarsain eatorra, na doirse a bei& araon fosgailte, a Seoiżeaċ seasaṁ amuig, seaċt gcoisceim ó dorus na sráide, Tadg beiż na †easaṁ sa ngarda, seaċt gcoisceim on dorus cúil, agys isi a rażan a leanṁuint, 's beit aige o fn amaċ. Bhi an leanb na ċodlad sa gcliabán; bi Maire go direaċ triall, go ndeaċaid si fa déin a leinib, čum slán fagbail aige, agus go dtug si Póg do, agus fil si deor. D'imtiś si uad añ kn, no go raib si a dtaoib amuiż don dairseać, g0 gcuala si sgread an leinib na diaż; filleas Máire air ais, agus d'fan si gan ṁairg, gan buaidread o sin amaċ aige Tadz o haod, go bás. D. U. Is taitheaṁać, greanṁar an sgeul sin a d'airis tu dúiñ, a maiġistir Mhic Gaban; aċd a ċuala tu gur creid an cléir mioña an Fir sin, go bfaca se an bean céadna sin 'ga pósad ? Mac 5. Niar creid an datair Brian é, zo hairid; oir, ag cur aċ-ċeist air an óglaċ, d'aidmead se, "nac baca se ariaṁ í, roime an oidċe pósad í; aċd go raib se dearbża grrb’í bi añ, oir d'aidmead si do féin, a reir gurab í an bean céadna j.” 66 : " D’fiafraig an tatair Brian, “ a gcuala se riaṁ, go raib an Seoiżeać suiġriż le mnaoi air biù eile, fan áit hn Dubairt, "go gcualaid go raib se ruigris le cailin fa ċill Tartain-naċ bfaca sesean ariaṁ í, aċd go raib se deimin naċar pós se isi ;—gur imtiż si as an ait hn, agus go raib had za rad go m'feidir go raib si domac, oir nior fill 4 ais ariaṁ." Dubit an tatą Brian, “gurb' í an cailín fn, o ċill Tartain, a &ainic ċum Tadg o haod; agus gur ċum si an sgeul fn, a folaċ a náire.' Acd do faoil Tadg, a gcoṁnuiż, agus go leór eile, gurb í bi pósda aig an Seoigeaċ agus go raib s añ sna bruiżnib. to Connaught, before the two priests, that the truth might be ascertained. 66 My Lord," said Thady, "I do not wish to go with Joyce; but if it please you, let him go home, and I will go with Mary, after a week, to the priest of Knock Magha; and if Joyce then. proves that she is his wife, I hope that gentleman will not deny his own letter, that she is dead." 66 Silence, you foolish man," said the bishop: I will hear you no longer." go from me, Next day Mary took her travelling apparel on her back, in order to go to Connaught: and their neighbours made this arrangement between them, that both the doors of the house should be set open, that Joyce should stand without, seven steps from the street door, and Thady in the garden, seven steps from the back-door, that she should take her choice, and abide by it thenceforward. The child was sleeping in the cradle; and as Mary was about to depart, she went to the child to take leave of it, and shed a tear. She went then, until she was without the door, when she heard the child cry after her presently she returned, and remained, without murmuring or uneasiness, with Thady Hughes, till her death. G.-Mr. Smyth that is a pleasant and entertaining story that you have told us. But did you hear whether the clergy believed the oath of the man, that he saw the same woman married? S-I am convinced that Father Bryan did not believe it; for in cross-examining the young man, he confessed, "that he never saw her before the night on which she was married; but he was certain it was she, as she acknowledged to him the preceding evening, that she was the same woman." "that Father Bryan asked, "if he had ever heard that Joyce had courted any other woman about that place?" He replied, he had heard that Joyce courted a girl at Kiltartan-had never seen her himself, but was certain he was not married to her—that she had left that place, and it was said that she was probably pregnant, for she never returned again." Father Bryan asserted, "that this was the girl from Kiltartan who came to Thady Hughes; and that she had invented that story to hide her shame." However, Thady and many others always thought that she had been married to Joyce, and that she was in the fairy castles. (18.) |