Benignus, and sour would be his face when he comes to judge us at the
Last Day, were we to spare an enemy of his when we had him under our
thumb! Brother, the bards and the gleemen are an evil race, ever
cursing and ever stirring up the people, and immoral and immoderate
in all things, and heathen in their hearts, always longing after the
Son of Lir, and Aengus, and Bridget, and the Dagda, and Dana the
Mother, and all the false gods of the old days; always making poems
in praise of those kings and queens of the demons, Finvaragh, whose
home is under Cruachmaa, and Red Aodh of Cnocna-Sidhe, and Cleena of
the Wave, and Aoibhell of the Grey Rock, and him they call Donn of
the Vats of the Sea; and railing against God and Christ and the
blessed Saints.' While he was speaking he crossed himself, and when
he had finished he drew the nightcap over his ears, to shut out the
noise, and closed his eyes, and composed himself to sleep.

The lay brother found Brother Kevin, Brother Dove, Brother Little
Wolf, Brother Bald Patrick, Brother Bald Brandon, Brother James and
Brother Peter sitting up in bed, and he made them get up. Then they
bound Cumhal, and they dragged him to the river, and they dipped him
in it at the place which was afterwards called Buckley's Ford.

'Gleeman,' said the lay brother, as they led him back to the guest-
house, 'why do you ever use the wit which God has given you to make
blasphemous and immoral tales and verses? For such is the way of your
craft. I have, indeed, many such tales and verses well nigh by rote,
and so I know that I speak true! And why do you praise with rhyme
those demons, Finvaragh, Red Aodh, Cleena, Aoibhell and Donn? I, too,
am a man of great wit and learning, but I ever glorify our gracious
abbot, and Benignus our Patron, and the princes of the province. My
soul is decent and orderly, but yours is like the wind among the