Poor Thady, however, was in great trouble about the business; and said that it was best to take the priest's advice: accordingly all three went to father Bryan Byrne, and told him the whole story. Father Bryan was a sensible man, who would not give a rash judgment, therefore he told Joyce that he should not get Thady's wife, unless he proved his right to her, under the hand of the priest in the west, in the parish where they had lived together. Joyce was thus obliged to return to the county Galway for this letter, and Father Bryan wrote by him to his parish priest.

The answer which the priest returned was, "that he was himself at the funeral of Mary Rourke, the first wife of this man; 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 had 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 any thing 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 comnaig

comnaig mar mnaoi ag fear eile, lam le Dunpadtruic; agus gur còir a cur na baile leis."

Cuiread fiadnuise leis, on tsagart, a connairc ga bposad iad, agus a crutugad ceadnact na mna; agus do mionnaig an fear sin, gurb' i an bean ceadna sin a bi anois ag Tadg o hAod.

Cuir an teasboc fios orrta uile a teaċt a latair, ag an caibidil, ionar tugad an cùis cum cuaiste. Bhi an cliar uile anagaid an tatair Brian, cion gur pòs se Tadg le mnaoi an fir eile; agus naċ leigead se di dul leis, a ndiaiġ dearbad faġail gurb’ i a bean i. Agus dubairt siad gur còir baing a ċur air féin, is air Thadg, muna gcuirfid Maire air siubal.

"A daoine uaisle," arsa an tatair Brian, "na daoraid me, go gcluine sib deiread an sgèil. Cuirtear an Seoigeac cum a mionna.”

Do mionnaig an Seoigeać gur pòsad è fa do-go bfuair se an cead bean aig baile Ghoirt-go raib si bliadain aige, laim le cnoc Maga-gur imtig si uad as sin-nač raib fios aige cia leis-bi se fèin fan baile-ni faca se agimteact i-ni raib si fallain, andiaig cloinne breit-fuar se an dara bean san àit sin-saoil se gur eug an cead bean-saoil an sagart è-d'eug an dara bean.

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Anois, a daoine uaisle," arsa an tatair Brian, so litir a fuar mise, faoi laim sagairt paraiste an tSeoigig, a dearbuigeas gur eug a cead bean-go bfaca se fèin marb i---'s go raib se ag a torraṁgur pòs se an Seoigeac, na diaig sin, le cailin eile san àit;'s gur eug sise fòs o soin. Feucaid anois, go rinne me mo ditċioll an firinne faġail amaċ.”

D'eirig imreasan idir an cleir uime; dubairt cuid acagurb' i bean tSeoigig i, gan ċuntabairt, o fuaras a dearbad o sagairt Ghoirt, agus mionna an fir, a bi latair, ag an pòsad.”

left

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.

"Gentlemen," said Father Bryan, "do not condemn me until you hear the end of the business. Let 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, beside 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 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 dead-was 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."

Dubairt

Dubairt drean eile, "nac raib sin dearbta go sead; oir an fear tug an mionna, go bfaca se "g a posad i, go raib se fiaršuileaċ, lag-radarcać; agus go mbfeidir leis a beit meallta."

Masead," arsa fear aca, "teige sise go Connacta, fa dein sagairt Ghoirt, go bfiosfad sesear masi an bean ceadna a pos sè."

"Ni head," arsa duine eile," aèd teiġe si fa dein an tsagairt eile ag cnoc Maga, go bfiosa sẻsean, mas i an bean ceadnasa a d'eug faoi na ċuram."

Togad gaire na cuideaċta anagaid an fir sin; ionnas go dtainic an cùis a beit na adbar grinn na measg. Fa deiread, anuair do connaire Tadg o Haod, nać raib siad air ti reidtig deanam, no deiread cur leis, d'iarr se cead labairt leis an Easboc. "A tiarna easbuic," ar sesean, a gcreideann tusa gur tugad an beansa air siubal, leis na sigeoguib

"Ni dreidimse a leitid, go deimin," arsa an teasboc.

"O! Maisead beannact De go raib agad, fan sgeul sin; oir beid Maire ni Ruaire agam sa go sead."

Cionnas sin," arsan teasboc, "ma érutaigtear gur pòsad i leis an t Seoigeac romadsa?" "Cuma sin," arsa Tadg; "dar ndoig na gcuirfeasa dfiacuib uirrte, a beit na mnaoi aige, dèis a bàis."

Do maodaid an cliar uile a gcionn gaire, indiaig comraid Thaidg; agus dubairt caċ " gur mait a dubairt se è; agus gur b' aige bi an cuid do b'fearr san conspoid."

Ba deacair don easboc a ngiorc, sa meagair a cosg, no breit a tabairt; acd go dtug se comairle do Thadg, 's do Mhaire "a dol, leis an dìs eile, go Connaċta, latair an da sagairt, no go bfuigidis amac fios na fìrinne."

Others

Others said, "that was not yet certain, for the man who swore that he saw her married, was squinteyed and dim-sighted, and that he might be mistaken."

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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.

دو

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 you?" "No matter for that," said Thady, "surely she is under no obligation to be his wife after her` death."

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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."

With difficulty the bishop restrained their mirth and laughter; he then advised Thady and Mary to go, with the other two men, to Connaught, before the two priests, that the truth` might be ascertained.