Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 3.djvu/199

Rh is not content to let the result of his own labours rest on the basis of probability, and a comparison with similar buildings in other parts of Europe of the periods to which he assigns several of these interesting structures. We may follow him safely as a guide to a great extent, but must draw back from some of his conclusions, especially when he endeavours to prove that the chevron and other well known ornaments usually considered as Norman, were in use in Ireland long and long before the conquest of England by the Normans. The evidence which he brings forward on this head is by no means conclusive, or satisfactory. In this particular Mr. Petrie seems not to have escaped from the usual prejudices of his countrymen, in no one instance will the evidence on this subject bear sifting; but as this is the only weak point in the book, it is not necessary to dwell upon it farther, and the examination of each particular instance would occupy more space than our limits will afford.

With this protest we pass on to the more pleasing task of shewing that Mr. Petrie has brought to light a large class of buildings in Ireland of a period more remote than any that are known to exist in England, and has established their date with much research and ingenuity, in a manner which leaves nothing to be desired, and upon evidence which appears quite irresistible. In other cases, where the evidence is of more doubtful character, he states it clearly and candidly, and though he has an evident leaning to one side, generally that which gives the greatest antiquity to the structure in question, he endeavours rather to lead than to drag his readers along with him.

"It must be admitted that the opinion expressed by Sir James Ware, as founded on the authority of St. Bernard's Life of St. Malachy, that the Irish first began to build with stone and mortar in the twelfth century, would, on a casual examination of the question, seem to be of great weight, and extremely difficult to controvert; for it would appear, from ancient authorities of the highest character, that the custom of building both houses and churches with oak timber and wattles was a peculiar characteristic of the Scotic race, who were the ruling people in Ireland from the introduction of Christianity till the Anglo-Norman Invasion in the twelfth century. Thus we have the authority of Venerable Bede that Finian, who had been a monk of the monastery of Iona, on becoming bishop of Lindisfarne, 'built a church for his episcopal see, not of stone, but altogether of sawn wood covered with reeds, after the Scotic [that is, the Irish] manner.'

"' . . . fecit Ecclesiam Episcopali sedi congruam, quam tamen more Scottorum, non de lapide, sed de robore secto, totam composuit atque harundine texit.'"—''Beda, Hist. Eccl.'', lib. iii. c. 25.

"In like manner, in Tirechan's Annotations on the Life of St. Patrick, preserved in the Book of Armagh, a MS. supposed to be of the seventh century, we find it stated, that 'when Patrick went up to the place which is called Foirrgea of the sons of Awley, to divide it among the sons of Awley, he built there a quandrangular church of moist earth, because wood was not near at hand.'"