The Song of Créde, Daughter of Guaire
Harl. 5280, fo.25^b

Crede the daughter of Guaire sang these quatrains concerning Dinertach the son of Guaire, the son of Nechtan, of the Húi Fidgenti. She had seen in the battle of Aidne that seventeen wounds had wounded him upon the breast of his tunic. Thereupon she fell in love with him. ‘Tis then she said:

1. “These are arrows that murder sleep at every hour in the bitter-cold night: pangs of love throughout the day for the company of the man from the side of the land of Roigne.

2. Great love of a man of another land has come to me beyond all his mates: it has taken my bloom, no colour is left, it does not let me rest.

4. Sweeter than songs was his speech, save holy adoration of Heaven’s King’; a glorious flame, without a word of boasting, slender mate for a maid’s side (?).

5. When I was a child, I was bashful, I was not used to go to a tryst; since I have come to an untried age, my wantonness has beguiled me.

6. I have every good with Guaire, the king of cold Aidne; (but) my mind has fallen away from my people to the meadow at Irluachair.

7. There is singing in the meadow of glorious Aidne around the sides of Cell Cholmain: glorious flame, lovely, mantled, (flow) sunk into the grave, the name of whom is Dinertach.

8. It wrings my pitiable heart, O chaste Christ, what has been sent (to me): these are arrows that murder sleep at every hour in the bitter-cold night.”

SOURCE
Meyer, Kuno. "The Song of Créde, Daughter of Guaire". Ériu 2 (1905), 15-17.