LYNCH, John D.D. Cambrensis Eversus, seu potius Historica Fides in Rebus Hibernicis Giraldo Cambrensi Abrogata; in quo Plerasque Justi Historici Dotes Desiderari, Plerosque Naevos Inesse, ostendit Gratianus Lucius, Hibernus, qui etiam aliquot res memorabiles hibernicas veteris et novae memoriae passim e re nata huic operi inseruit.

Edited by Matthew Kelly. Three volumes. Dublin: For The Celtic Society, 1848-1852. pp. (1) xvi, 515, 1 [plate], (2) 793, (3) 575, [1]. Original olive-green cloth, new green buckram spines, titled in gilt. Some light browning to covers. A very good set.

John Lynch (1599-1673), a scion of one of the Tribes of Galway, was educated at the Irish College at Rouen and at the Sorbonne. The son of Alexander Lynch, a famous Galway Schoolmaster who was forbidden by the Establishment to teach without conforming, and without special licence of the Lord Deputy.
After his ordination in 1622, John returned to Ireland, and like his father taught school in Galway where he acquired a wide reputation for classical learning. A Royalist, he took no part in the Civil War, was bitterly opposed to the policies adopted by the Nuncio, Rinuccini, referring to it as: ""that ill-omened, insensible, fatal war"". During the war he lived most of the time secluded in an old castle that had once belonged to Roderic O'Conor. On the surrender of Galway to the Cromwellians in 1662 he fled to France. Residing at St. Malo he wrote some of the most sought after of all the 17th century Irish books. Top of the list was this great historical work on Ireland, and his eloquent defence against the calumnies of Giraldus Cambrensis (Gerald Barry, the Welsh monk).
Love of country, a desire to clear the way ""for treading with more secure step the almost trackless field of Irish history"", and to check the pernicious influence of Cambrensis on other writers, were the motives which impelled him to write. His plan involved examination of his adversary's character and credentials, a refutation of slanders against Ireland's soil and climate, its kings and people, prelates and clergy, and a presentment of the main features of Ireland's history as a set-off to the garbled version of the slanderer. Lynch is at his best when he takes up this, the positive and constructive side of his work, and with the ease and ability of a master, summarises the story of centuries. He was indebted to his contemporaries, those other great western scholars, Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh and Roderick O'Flaherty who supplied him with several manuscripts including 'Leabhar Breac' and 'Triallau timcheall na Fodhla'.
Its enormous value however lies in the extensive number of sources consulted embracing a great variety of well-digested and accurate information on every period of Irish history. Lynch dedicated his 'magnum opus' to Charles II." LYNCH, John D.D.

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