THE 'frith,' augury, was a species of divination enabling the 'frithir,' augurer, to see into the unseen. This divination was made to ascertain the position and condition of the absent and the lost, and was applied to man and beast. The augury was made on the first Monday of the quarter and immediately before sunrise. The augurer, fasting, and with bare feet, bare head, and closed eyes, went to the doorstep and placed a hand on each jamb. Mentally beseeching the God of the unseen to show him his quest and to grant him his augury, the augurer opened his eyes and looked steadfastly straight in front of him. From the nature and position of the objects within his sight, he drew his conclusions.p. 159
Many men in the Highlands and Islands were famed augurers, and many stories, realistic, romantic, and extremely curious, are still told of their divinations.
The people say that the Virgin made an augury when Christ was missing, and that it was by means of this augury that Mary and Joseph ascertained that Christ was in the Temple disputing with the doctors. Hence this divination is called 'frith Mhoire,'--the augury of Mary; and 'frithireachd Mhoire,'--the auguration of Mary.
The 'frith' of the Celt is akin to the 'frett' of the Norseman. Probably the surnames Freer, Frere, are modifications of 'frithir,' augurer. Persons bearing this name claim that their progenitors were astrologers to the kings of Scotland.
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DIA faram, Dia fodham, Frith rinn Muire d’a Mac, Frith Muire da muirichinn fein, Mac Muire min-ghil, Righ nan dul, |
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GOD over me, God under me, The augury made of Mary to her Son, The augury made by Mary for her own offspring, Son of beauteous Mary, King of life, |
