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LONDON: Longmans,
(Srtett,
glnblitt:
ano Co., |1afcntoslfr 9 Capcl
filfooob,
gosion, IRS.
:
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Eofaj.
Stmt.
Jloirobor.
^uslralia: &. Robertson,
^clboitriu.
1871.
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Cist of Sfilustrattona.
Vn*
The
tfoice of the Irish; or,
of the
$ngcl appearing
Illustrated
Title
—
St. tfatrich
St.
The Baptism
*_,
vn -
13
Escape from Captivity, and
St. ffatrich Ifraying in
Food
11!
Convent,
tahen Captive in Boulogne,
I?atrich's
of
-
-
the Sailors calling
St. Ifatrich
to tfatrich,
Kenmare
bounty Kerry,
The Vision
him
to return,
the desert,
-
of St. tfatrich,
-
1-1
-
43
-
Si
procuring a miraculous supply for the Sailors,
-
DO
ifist of Illustrations
St,
St.
Patrick Taming; the
St.
Wolf had
Patrick obliges a the
Sheep which
f atrich's
it
Temptation,
St, ffatrich's Bell,
f atrich f reaching
The St.
entreating
him
to
-
at Tara,
ijealing of the lepers,
f atrich showing of the
eouer of
...
the People the
Four Gospels,
Booh
St. ffatrich's Bell,
St. fatrich blessing the Jflain of
The Vision St.
bach
stolen,
-
remain with them, St.
to bring
-
ffatricVs farents
St.
Wild 0x,
of the
Synod
Tara,
of Clerics,
Patrick Predicting the
Birth
of
Golumba, and HHuiding the Waters,
-
279
-
2$J
St. -
-^Ssg^nsT^
305
£ist of JUusfratiatts.
Patrick met by Virgins in the
St.
of Fochlut,
St.
321
Patrick sends the Chariot to St. Fiacc,
327
-
The JBunstermen going out Patrick,
im
St.
-
to
meet
St.
-
37J
Patrick and
for
St.
Wood -
-
Armagh
Bare— Offering
Cathedral,
-
the Site -
-
-----
393
Patrick marhing ©onall's Shield with the €ross,
Warning
the Sabhath-breahers at Trian,
Seath of an Impostor,
St. Jfatrich carried to
The Women
of
Grean
503
529
Eome by
Patrick's departure,
439
the &ngel,
bewailing
569
St.
571
Heath of
St.
-
St. ffatricfe,
f atficVs
f? urgatort}
-
*»S.),
-
609
-
(from a rnediseual -
-
621
-
t™
£-
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•»*•
II
E
be
]n
esent Life of St. Patrick, whatever
its defects,
5*7 being the
first
may
can at least claim the credit of Life of the great Apostle of Ire-
laud which has given
missionary labours
full details of his acts
— the
first
and
Life in which all
the existing material has been used.
The
con-
wearying labours of the Catholic
stant and
clergy of Ireland, and their evangelical poverty,
have hitherto hindered the production of any Life of the Saint. A few little pamphlets, tracing his career in outline, have been published from time to time; but, beyond yet been done.
and beyond thrown a
all,
The
this,
nothing has as
labours of some Irish priests
of the
flood of light
—
but.
Veiy Rev. Monsignor Moran
above
—have
on disputed questions of dates and opi-
nions, which only need
be utilized in order to remove
to
misapprehensions, which have been caused by the, no doubt, unintentional misstatements of Protestant writers.
But, although there has been as yet no complete Catholic Life of St. Patrick, two volumes have been written by Protestants, purporting to be Lives or
large is
volume of the
called, indeed,
Ireland
Todd
late Dr.
on the
—a Memoir of
title
Ilia
Memoirs of the is
Saint.
strangely misnamed.
The It
page, " St. Patrick, Apostle of
Life
amd Mission;" but even
the
c
v/
Preface.
up one
autlior has felt obliged to apologise for filling
volume with an introduction, the object that the Protestant
Church
Church
a statement
to prove
of the
the time of the Reformation.
common
sense could
make such
almost incomprehensible, yet this very writer ex-
is
connected with the
As
" at
of intellect and of
pects his readers to take his
ments
half of the is
and that the Catholic Church was intro-
of St. Patrick,
man
a
which
the real representative
is
duced from a " foreign source
How
of
life of St.
-ipse
dixit for proof on every subject
Patrick in which he finds any state-
in ancient records contrary to his pre-conceived opiuion. it
will be necessary to refer to Dr. Todd's
Memoir body
quently, not only in the Preface, but also in the
Work,
I
fre-
of this
bound, in justice to his memory, to express
feel
my
admiration for his avoidance of any kind of vulgar bigotry in his
remarks on Catholic customs
rare talents,
and the invaluable But a
to Irish archaeology.
bine to
9
I
make show
man was
led
The very
and
my
services
love of truth
high respect for his
which he has rendered
and
incumbent on a Catholic
it
freely, to
;
of the faith,
writer, boldly
the fallacies into which a learned
comand
and honourable
by early prejudice. fact of a writer
making a statement
so entirely
opposed to history, as admitted without question by Protestant historians of ability,
is
in itself sufficient evidence of his dis-
And, indeed, as might be expected, we find that the so-called " Memoir " of St.
qualification for the task he has undertaken.
Patrick's Life
and rejection
and Mission of,
that St. Patrick
is
simply a continuous criticism on,
every circumstance which would tend to prove
was a
Catholic.
Yet the writer
is
obliged to
admit, again and again, the authenticity of the documents from
which he quotes.
Thus we
find
him admitting,
he caunot well help doing, the authenticity of
St.
as
indeed
Patrick's
Confession, in which the Saint himself states that he invoked Elias.
But Dr. Todd cannot admit that
St.
Patrick invoked
:t
i_W J ifoP
-^
v r-prfrrrr"
'
*
*— -_
-
*
—
i
>wj j
«._!_•*
~
Preface the Saints, though
from the
it
was the practice of the universal Church
earliest ages.
He
is,
therefore, obliged to accept the
help of another Protestant writer, to try and explain
away a
who
also found
it
necessary
plain statement, or to substitute
This writer says
a pure conjecture of his own.
Patrick
St.
did not invoke Elias the prophet, but that he invoked Helios,
the sun.
seems a
was a
this
greater difficulty, for he believes St. Patrick
" true Christian,"
and does not
Why
have invoked the sun. torture language,
away
amusing candour, admits that
Dr. Todd, with still
plain facts
see, as such,
how he
could
must these writers twist and
and make the wildest conjectures to explain
?
and why do they prefer making
it
appear
that St. Patrick was an idolater rather than a Catholic
Dr.
?
own explanation is, that the transcribers of St. Patrick's manuscript made a mistake. But once more, why this extreme anxiety to explain away a word ? Why must St. Patrick be made a pagan, who invokes the sun 1 or why must his transcribers, in this one special instance, be supposed to make a mistake ? Then St. Patrick himself, in this same document, gives an Todd's
account of the vision in which the angel Victor appeared to
him
in
the night, and gave
written the words, "
But Dr. Todd
The
him the
again in a
is
vision are given in full
upon which were
letters
voice of the Irish." difficulty.
As the
details of this
by St Patrick himself, he cannot
as in the case of Elias, that the transcriber
made a
There are too many words, too many sentences, and the are altogether too plain to admit of contradiction.
the difficulty thus
:
— He says
St.
does not stop to explain or consider
how
it
it
Dr.
Todd
was possible
for
a Protestant, to have such very Catholic opiniona
Surely no good Protestant would ever
and surely
details
He
B Patrick " believed, no doubt,
that he had seen visions, and dreamed dreams."
St. Patrick, as
say,
mistake.
was quite as
"
make such
suppositions,
Popish" to believe in apparitions
Preface. of angels, in ecstacies, in divine revelations, as to invoke Elias.
The
a course never seems to have
of such
inconsistency
occurred to the acute intellect of the Protestant divine.
continues his explanation thus
:
—
"
He
Other well-meaning and
excellent men, in all ages of the Church, have in like
imagined themselves to have had visions of this kind
manner
— to have
been recipients of immediate revelations." Thus, when
St. Patrick's Catholicity
the mistake of a transcriber,
But what
right,
it is
cannot be credited
to
credited to his " imagination."
moral or divine, had Dr. Todd, or any other
individual, to accuse St. Patrick of having " imagined " he had
when he
a vision,
distinctly states, in a
solemn manner, and
ir
a carefully compiled document, that he had not merely one
but several visions of
?
What
men, however learned
right has any man, or any
solemn testimony, not of one, but of thousands
From
number
in earthly science, to disbelieve the ?
the hour in which the advent of the Christian Dis-
pensation was announced, by a vision of angels, to the poor
shepherds who watched upon the mountains at Bethlehem, visions,
and
revelations,
and angel
the Holy Catholic Church.
As
I
visits
have never ceased in
have given ample evidence
on this subject in the introductory chapter, no more need be said at present.
It is
shown there
fully that such "signs"
were promised by Christ, were expected by his believed by
Jerome,
St.
St.
Augustine,
St.
Ignatius
Anthony the Hermit, and
disciples,
the
Martyr
were St.
countless other saints.
any one bold enough to say that St. Augustine, St. Anthony, " the wonders which they have St. Ignatius " imagined If all the supernatural occurrences which have recorded ?
Is
and
been related were pure "
imaginations
" of
fictions,
which existed only in the
the relaters, what do such persons say to
Are they pure " imaginations ?" Can a man who ? has been blind suddenly " imagine " that he sees ? Can a
miracles
m
Preface.
man who Are
ill
been a cripple suddenly Imagine that be walks?
lias
the witnesses of the man's recovery of sight, or of the to their
power of motion, victims doubt, imagination of the
is
No
"imagination" also?
a very powerful and very wonderful faculty
human mind; but might it not be just possible that those who have declared themselves witnesses of such occur-
persons
rences, really did see them,
and that those who disbelieve them
imagine" they are right in rejecting all visions and miracles, and yet may be wrong ? Those who have seen visions,
may
"
performance of miracles, have, at
or witnessed the
least, as
good
a logical right to consider such persons victims to their imagination as they have to consider
But
is
it
man who
them
victims to theirs.
unnecessary to pursue this subject further.
will
not believe the sworn testimony of thousands
Ample
past argument.
authorities quoted,
testimony, with
full
A is
reference to the
given in the ensuing pages of the con-
is
stant recurrence of miracles, visions, and revelations, from the earliest ages to
the present day.
Those who
reject such
an
accumulation of evidence are either unwilling or incapable of In either case, they are subjects for the prayers
conviction. .(
(
'atholics,
and certainly not
When commencing
for their
contempt.
his brief account of St. Patrick's Life
and Labours, Dr. Todd expressly says that he confines himself " to the leading facts of his history, selecting those which seem most
likely to be true."
Todd does not believe
We
St. Patrick
be expected to believe
have already seen that Dr.
himself; how, then, could he
St. Patrick's
biographers
?
But even
made en the arbitrary principle of which Dr. Todd did not believe himself,
with this careful selection, rejocti
thing
S
the facts which are left after this elimination are that he
is
all
so Catholic
continually obliged to explain or excuse them.
The only other work be a "Life of
of
St. Patrick,"
any pretension,
purporting
to
has been written by Mr. Steele
Nicholson, and the object
the title-page, his
Patrick's] Mission,
[St
and
plainly and candidly stated on
runs thus:
—"The
Story
OOO
of
by Pope Celestine, in A.D. 431, Church of Rome, proved to
connection with the
his
mere
be a
is
part of which
This sufficiently describes the work,
fiction."
When
and makes criticism unnecessary.
mences with stating facts of history,
his disbelief in
a writer com-
of the best attested
work may be interesting
his
agree with him, but
some
is
In the body of the present entirely to the notes.
to those
who
simply valueless to others.
Work
been confined
criticism has
For general reading
it
would be both
unnecessary and uninteresting to break the narrative continually with statements of conflicting theories
and refutations
of misstatements, which have been offered again and again
without any appreciable
The Work
result.
also is written
principally for Catholics; the teaching of the Bible and of the
Church alike agree Saints,
and
in inculcating reverence for the Lives of the
in giving their histories as a subject to
mm
reverence for personal edification, as
Tiifiit
cloud of witnesses"
Hence
who surround
us,
members
and watch our
also criticism in the life itself would
Still it
must not be supposed
for a
be read with
of the " great actions.
be quite out of place.
moment
that Catholics
accept every detail of the Lives of Saints as literally true, or that they do not consider such works open There are some few subjects connected with
and
to fair criticism. St. Patrick's life
which demanded careful consideration, and which
acts
have received
critical
examination.
All such matters are fully
referred to in the notes appended to each page. rities for
The autho-
the Life and Acts of St. Patrick are given in the
introductory chapters, and these are admitted to be genuine
and of great antiquitv, even by Protestant
One
of the ancient Lives of
ancient,
is
given in
full,
historians.
St. Patrick, if
not the most
and has been translated expressly
for
B
W
I
this
work from the original
eminent Celtic
scholar,
The antiquity and value
by the well-known and
Irish
William Hennessy,
Esq.,
M.R.I.A.
of the original will be explained in
For the kindness of Mr. Hennessy
the proper place.
un-
in
dertaking such a work, the writer can never be sufficiently
The
grateful.
tions to
him
readers of this volume arc under deep obliga-
There are
also.
not, perhaps,
more than three
or
four other philologists in this country capable of such a task for the
language
in
which the original
is
written
;
differs so
completely from the Irish spoken at present as to be unintelligible to those
special study.
who have not made have
I
P.P., M.R.I.A., for
al.so
to
though
must
labour in a populous
rare,
is
not unfrequent
thank
also
Mr.
scholarly identifications
me
J.
O'Laverty,
valuable assistance, which he could only
have given by depriving himself of his day's
Celtic philology their
thank the Rev.
rest,
much needed Such
parish.
among
after
self-sacrifice,
the Irish clergy.
I
Hanna, of Belfast, for careful and of sites and facts, which have saved
considerable trouble.
But above
all
I
must express
Rev. Monsignor Moran,
my
of reading the proofs, and affording to a Catholic, is
obligations to the Very
who has undertaken
me
the anxious labour
the literary, and what,
more important, theological assistance The lamp of science is but an ignis fatuns, those who follow it into the quick-sands of still
which was needed.
which
may
lead
error, instead of the
narrow road of true philosophy,
not aided by the lamp of Faith.
would be a bold source of
all
man who made
knowledge,
If
it
the denial, that
He must
also
if it
is
be admitted, and he
God
is
be the source of
the all
Our very word science means literally (scio) to know, and who can know as God knows ? What are the most
true science.
wonderful discoveries in science but guesses
mations
to,
those truths which
He
at, or
approxi-
alone knows perfectly
?
Preface.
8
And
He
not
is
truth
the source of truth
—
-the unfailing
We
Let us not deceive ourselves.
?
fountain of
pride ourselves on
our increased knowledge, yet what do we really
know
We
'{
pride ourselves on discovering some of the laws by which the
One controls the universe, yet what do all our disamount to ? The little babe who was baptized, and died within the last half hour in its mother's arms, knows incomAnd why ? parably more than the wisest man on earth. Eternal
coveries
Because
There
it
has seen God, the source and fountain of knowledge.
no science of the truth of which we
is
as the science of theology, and yet there
which mankind are so ;
uwiniwipi' 9
leads
him
to prefer
revealed to
him by God.
himself, for the other
matters
it
to
him
the revelation of said
!
Alas,
if
The pride
indifierent.
his
own
may
be so sure
no science about
is
For the one he can take credit
he
is
true
What
?
matters
and a thousand times alas
it
!
it
to
What
indebted to his Creator.
is
his conjectures prove utterly false,
God
man
of fallen
guesses at truth to the truth
and
if
have
to him, I
may matter a whole
eternity of weal or woe. If
God has
revealed to His Church what
teach, then the science of theology
it
shall believe
physical science, the laws of which he has not revealed physical science [f
must submit
to be corrected
God has not made a revelation
would enable the human race to know how
which a malignant
unfortunate victim.
and suppose to
for
one
how we should
Who
spirit
serve
left
might
can think of
moment
Him
by
;
of
and
theological,
of the laws of theology which
worshipped and served, then are we error, in
and
must take precedence
that
He
shall
be
rejoice to ensnare his
God
has
in this world,
highest state of happiness in the next.
He
in a wild chaos of
as a
left
God
and attain
The
of love,
us in doubt as to the
Catholic Church
and the Catholic Church alone, has ever maintained the honour of God in this matter; and from the time in which I
MjH*H
the truths of revelation, as delivered to the apostles, were " signs,"
proved by
and the
"
shadow
" of St.
Peter worked
mi nicies, even to the present day, when a cure of Ars, and
many
known and unknown, have worked
saints,
like miracles
testimony to the truth of revelation and the authority of the Church has never been wanting. Yet it must be added, also, that since the time
when the
and "put in hold"
for
people, which
their
apostles were " laid hands on,"
performing a miracle before
all
the
persecutors admitted they " could not
deny," to the present day,
men have been
found fain to admit
the existence of an infallible Church, and yet unwilling to
make any
We to
sacrifice in order to
become members
may, perhaps, be allowed to
the style in which this
Work
believe that
no
such a work.
illustrations,
Britain,
and
by the
Irish publisher has ever
Now
that penal laws
pily things of the past, it is
it.
has been got out, and the
pains which have been taken both by the artist
and engraved the
of
the reader's attention
call
who designed printer.
We
attempted to produce
and confiscations are hap-
time that the Catholics of Great
America, and Australia should show that they are not
so indifferent to the highest style of art and culture as their
calumniators suppose.
For the sake both of our
religion
and
our nationality we should not allow those who differ from us on We should not the former subject to issue all our best works. forget that lic
it
spirit for
remained
for a Protestant publisher,
which he deserves national thanks,
with a pubto produce
the " Annals of the Four Masters." It
is
certainly most painful to read
subject constantly
painful to
know
made by English
the remarks on this
and still more some foundation.
writers,
that they are not without
Irish people seem to forget that Ireland was the insula doctorum when she was the insula sanctorum. The majority of our Irish youth of the upper classes are at present educated
in English schools
young men
of
and colleges
;
there was a time
when
England and of continental Europe came
taught in Ireland.
Make
the
to
be
the largest margin of allowance for
penal laws, disabilities, and disadvantages, and grant that
it
was
natural our youth should prefer English education until a recent period,
why
should this
still
continue
Why
?
should there
not be an Irish Catholic University from which the English Catholic
youth might consider
men
an honour to receive a
it
Such an university there never
diploma?
will
be until
Irish-
themselves show more respect to their national literature.
Irishmen have nothing to be ashamed of either in their *>;
tory or their religion, and yet in
what
his-
and depre-
qualified
some Irishmen in England will speak of both. The regeneration of Ireland is in the hands of the Irish clergy. If they ever take up the subject of Irish literature as a body, there can be no doubt that a new era will dawn upon our land. Knowledge is power in the widest acceptation cating terms
A
of the term. nation.
mighty
There in
its
powerful nation can never be a downtrodden is
a moral j>ower which
effects
often far
is
than mere physical
force,
power can only be wielded by a people of high
The high appreciation
of intellect evinced
the time of St. Patrick, and his education,
Let
it
own
efforts to
more
and such a
literary culture.
by the clergy
in
promote national
an example which should never be forgotten.
is
be again observed, that when Ireland was the insula
sanctorum she was
commanded
also
the insula doctorum;
youth by hundreds to her shores to scholars, she
when she
the respect of foreign nations, which brought their sit
at the feet of her
had herself manifested respect
for those scholars
by practical appreciation of their work. It is painful to see our best Catholic Irish writers obliged
to offer their
works to English Protestant publishers, and to
depend on English Protestant readers
for their success.
Some
~^r y^j^rri:
Pre/ace. of the ablest Irish writers of the present day are writing for
There can be no
English Protestant publications exclusively.
doubt that a great deal of good
is
done
in this
way
but
;
it
is
themselves to take the
moment two instances arc writer of gentlemen who were willing expense of publishing their own works
and the
and yet could not
At
scarcely a national credit.
known
to the present
risk of failure,
publisher
who would
this
issue them.
au Irish Catholic
find
In consequence of
this,
these gentlemen applied to an English Protestant publisher,
who
Thus, even
willingly undertook them.
sum
accrued, a considerable
of
if
no greater
money was spent
in
evil
England
which would otherwise have been spent in Ireland. Some of our best authors are also turning to Amei
A
preparing to have their publications issued there.
Magazine accounts
in the Carloiu College of
Mr.
De
Vere's
work
rican taste in poetry
is
in that country
by saying, that
is
too chaste and his
Ame-
"
undeniably superior to our own
adds, that " his versification
writer
for the publication
;"
and
poems too
Wo
polished for the ordinary run of readers in this country."
neither deny nor acknowledge the criticism
but, if it be a
should American taste be more cultivated
why
correct one,
;
Why
than Irish taste?
do not the educators of youth
in
Ireland take pains to cultivate the taste of those committed to their charge,
and
to
make
that taste national in the highest
and holiest sense of the word Irishmen of literature
least certain
may
or
— that ;
for, if
may
\
not be able to appreciate a high class
they do not practically appreciate they did, poems like Mr.
De
not be published in America and imported back to
by English Protestant booksellers.
If they did,
it
is
at
Vere's would
England
Denis Florence
Mac-Cart hy would not be occupied in editing a sixpenny book of ballads,
when he should and could give our
ture an additional glory in an original
work
;
national litera-
and a Protestant
writer would not say, " the indifference of the middle class on
no author, with a
this subject (Irish history) is so great that
reasonable prospect of success, attempts to publish an Irish
We
had
If the author of this statement
History."
instead of the middle classes,
it
said the upper,
would have been more
can ourselves vouch for the
"
middle
classes,"
been the most generous supporters of our literary regret,
correct.
who have
efforts.
We
however, to be obliged to add, that the upper classes in
England, and especially the upper class of liberal English Pro-
more generally interested
testants, are
own
our
those to it
all
It should not
people.
whom
in Irish history than It
so.
depends solely upon
the education of our youth
shall continue to else,
be
be
is
confided, whether
Our national Apostle
so.
should be our great example
;
in this, as in
and, as he diligently
distributed alphabets throughout Ireland, to assist the mental cultivation of our people, so let us
may
now
distribute books which
help to promote the same end.
The
immense
rapid and
how
at least a proof
by the educated
sale of " Essays
and Reviews"
is
largely semi-infidel opinions are held
And
classes.
been by no means confined
the perusal of these works has
to such persons.
In several largo
towns in England, before the cheap edition of that work was published, the large and expensive edition was carefully and
widely circulated, free of expense.
was taken that
it
another.
off,
In some places the binding
and the work divided into small portions, so
more quickly from one reader
could be passed
When
shall
we
find Catholics
moting the circulation of Catholic books pamphlets and children, but
appreciating
tracts
?
The
latter
may
as zealous
— something satisfy
above
women and
working men in the present day are capable
—and
intellectual effort.
do appreciate
—works which
to
in pro-
require
of
some
fffjc
Hifc of Saint JJalrtcft.
<£1)
M
I
St.
Patrick
Jh
and
the Miracles of Scripture-
of
a
OH
LIFE
saint
ordinary biography, and the
from
an
of a saint
who
differs
life
has been called to convert a nation, differs from
These differences life of an ordinary saint. should be remembered both by the historian and the reader, and it should be remembered also that
the
such
lives
require
more than ordinary care
their
compilation, and more
than ordinary
in
at-
tention in theii perusal
When the
our Divine Lord sent forth His disciples with
"teach
nations,"
He
in-
command
to
go and
them
in
the truths whirl, they were to impart
structed
all
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Patrick.
Even common reverence should shrink from
to others.
the idea of disciples being sent forth by a divine master to teach,
who were
to believe, or
left in
ignorance of what they were
what they were
to teach others to believe
That such was not the case with the twelve apostles chosen by
Christ
to
We
ample evidence.
places teaching the
establish
find
same
them
His Church we have
and
in all
find iu
Holy
at all times
We
doctrine.
Scripture an express statement that there faith, as
is
well as one Lord and one baptism.
only one Indeed,
unity of faith would be a logical inference from unity
We
of godhead.
can no more suppose that there could
be three or four different faiths or forms of belief on matters affecting the salvation of the
we could suppose
powerful and independent
equally
could
we suppose
and died
one
than
it
possible that the
deities.
Neither
God who
suffered
man upon the cross, left man to find out how this atonement should be used for his how he was best to worship the all-loving
—
who had
It
race,
for
for himself
salvation
human
that there could be three or four
offered this atonement.
might be supposed that there could not have been
any disputes or controversies about the time of the apostles. their
converts
instructions.
which
would It
It
articles of faith in
might be supposed that
might be supposed that the miracles
they worked would
be
considered
evidence of the doctrine which they taught
was not the
case.
all
have bowed humbly to their
sufficient ;
yet such
There were heretics even in apostolic
::;iini:"':'>l
times yel
;
whom
1
disciples to avoid faith,"
2
cautioned.
whom
against
even
St,
" some should depart from the faith of the
Epistles, St. Jude, in
their
some "who erred from
was prophesied that
It
There
Faith.
commanded
the apostles
there were
;
and
resisted the apostles,
to believe the Christian
were "heretics"
the
men "ho
there were
professed
Timothy was days
in the latter ;" 3
and in the
last
burning and sorrowful
words, predicts the future divisions of Christendom, and the
ravages
The
and exhorts the
heresy,
of
"contend earnestly
for the faith."
to
faithful
4
by word and by writing, had
apostles, then, both
confided to their disciples the knowledge of a definite faith,
which
depart from that
their
it
was heresy
—a
manded
were
disciples
earnestly" for to
its
to question,
and dangerous
to
which was of so much importance
faith
commanded
preservation,
"avoid'' those
"contend
to
and were equally com-
who
departed from
it.
It
was no mere matter of opinion, no mere form of pious belief, rin;
a
which might or might not be true
Faith taughl by Jesus Christ
command
that they should teach
with a prediction that
it
many would
;
it
was
His apostles, with
to
to the world,
and
refuse to believe
the heavenly message.
And
thus the apostles went forth, placing this de-
posit of faith in the
seeing
it
rejected -Titus, 1st
iii.
Timothy,
minds of men
—
fully prepared for
by many, mutilated by many, and 'Faith.— 1 Timothy,
10 Lv.
.'(
'.o
'/TittA.—Jade, L
:i.
v.
21.
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16
Z//e
denied by many.
i-;',.^>
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Patrick
o/' &£.
This gift of faith was offered to a
who was prepared
between the souls of
to raise clouds of unbelief
and the
victims
his
00
under the influence of the
fallen race, to a race already evil spirit,
,
light of
faith.
Heresies existed in the times of the apostles, and in the ages which immediately followed;
vast
number
still
there
was a
of the faithful doing missionary work,
extending the knowledge of the Divine revelation, or testifying their belief in
it
by holy
lives,
or painful
deaths; missionaries went forth, even as the apostles pjifi
had gone or
forth, in tears it
He who
but
staff,
might
be,
and without purse
and in whose name and new nations were
sent them,
they taught, blessed their
efforts,
added continually
Church.
to the
Pagan Rome adopted a cosmopolitan policy towards its
which at once advanced imperial and secured the adhesion, if not the attachhence, when pagan Rome became its colonies
dependencies,
interests,
ment, of
Christian,
;
there
were ample opportunities
To
sionary zeal
this
we owe
in part,
dence, the evangelization of Ireland
mis-
for
under Provi-
by our great
St.
Patrick.
But
there
is
and
another
most important con-
sideration in connection with the lives of
termed missionary authorised His
saints.
disciples
When
to teach,
what may be
our Divine
Lord
and taught them
that faith in which they were to instruct others, also assured
them that
He
their preaching should be con-
True 'ind False Miracles This
firmed and assisted by miracles.
is
a subject full
The miracles
of grave importance and of deep interest,
Patrick
are
of
very
a
by
performed
have been
to
which are related
character;
striking
St.
and
as
they have been recorded in their naked simplicity, and often in uncouth and ill-chosen language, by
they have scarcely
biographers,
early
his
been
re
ceived with the credit they deserve, even by Catholic writers.
There are several reasons, besides the reason mentioned, for this reticence. tury,
when
firsl
In this nineteenth cen-
the superhuman, as exhibited in the wonders spiritualists, is readily credited,
performed by so-called
be expected that the supernatural in the lives of the saints will be, as it has been, more than ever quesit
may
tioned.
The lying wonders of demonology
antagonism to the
devil's protest against
the power of the air counterfeit
to
time of
are in direct
They
facts of hagiography.
are the
The prince
God's miracles.
of
commenced, even in apostolic times,
apostolic manifestations.
Moses the magicians were able
Even
in
to imitate
the
many
of the signs which the old-world prophet performed. to a certain point they succeeded, as such persons
Up
do at the present day
—beyond
a certain point they
were simply powerless.
The wonders
effected
by the invocation of
evil spirits
tend to produce scepticism and contempt for true miracles, which, undoubtedly, is one of the object- of satanic malice in their exhibition.
Despite
fche
most
—
Life of St. Patrick.
ample testimony
1
to the contrary, the
majority, who,
like the Sadducees, neither believe in angel or
attribute all such occurrences to
majority
the
miracle,
utterly disbelieve
however
demon,
trickery, just as
the possibility of a
irrefragable the evidence on
To be
affirmed.
is
mere
consistent, such
which
persons
and
refuse to believe in the existence of another world,
of a Divine
it
should
power which both regulates and governs the
laws of nature as
He
Why
wills.
should not the devil
now to cause certain wonders to appear to performed, when we find in Holy Writ that the devil
have power be
had
this
power, and exercised
But modern scepticism
it
even in apostolic times 1
placed in this difficulty
is
admits that these manifestations may, in some
if it
instances, be the result of
superhuman agency, though
in the majority of cases they are effected
by simple
trickery, or sleight of hand, it is obliged to
admit that
we know them, may be may thus be altered they cannot in common fairness deny
the laws of nature, as far as
altered or suspended ; and, if they
or suspended,
the
possibility of
the
the
rairacles
of the
which are recorded by Catholic saints. When
miracles
as having been performed
Catholic Church
are
denied,
it
becomes easy and almost necessary to deny the miracles of 1
Scripture. Testimony.
The
Protestant
— Extraordinary accounts
of the
Church,
since
the
wonders performed by soThe Committee of the and
called spiritualists are at present before the public.
London
Dialectical Society have been taking evidence on the subject
men who would
;
not take the slightest trouble to inquire iuto the truth of a
Catholic miracle, are unwearied in their efforts in these investigations.
->WS
BSS
r
'^s^1
ct
19
7%e Miracles of Catholic Saints.
Reformation until the present century, has accepted the miracles of Scripture, while denying the miracles
oi
these miracles was a
To deny
the Catholic Church.
necessity at the time of the Reformation, or
how
could
the reformers consistent!)' separate themselves from a
Church which bad received
its faith
from Chrisl Himself,
ami by the power of Christ continued, even day, to give
power
to
to that very
teaching by the constanl
its
recurrence of miracles ?
Even
very time when Protestantism
the
at
was
rejecting the faith once delivered to the saints, saints
were teaching that
ind confirming
faith to
their
thousands in heathen lands,
teaching,
as
their
by the performance of
promised,
Master had Luther
miracles.
began his miserable career of crime and apostacy early and
in the sixteenth century,
and
at the
in the
very same period,
St.
very same century,
Francis Xavier was
converting thousands in Japan, and living a heroic virtue
and
self-sacrifice,
which has won
St.
him
This was also the
even the admiration of Protestants. age of
of
life
for
Ignatius Loyola, of St. Teresa, of St. Charles
Borromeo, and of holiness of
life,
many
and
other saints,
for the
all
remarkable
for
wonderful miracles which
they performed. But
Protestantism,
as
Calvin, and established
originated
in
by
Luther
England by Henry
and
VIII.,
began by denying the miracles of the saints and the efficacy of their prayers,
and ended
in
our
own day by
denying the miracles of Scripture; and though many
20
Life of St. Patrick.
pious
'V
members
of the Protestant Church express them-
shocked
selves
at
denial,
this
by that Church,
tolerated
it
since
nevertheless>
is,
either will not, or
it
cannot, prevent such teaching being given
by members
of its body. It
matters
little
whether the
If it will
not, it thereby consents deliberately to it; if it
In either case
consents passively.
that
if
such teaching
is false,
and
Church
Protestant
cannot or will not prevent this teaching.
if it is
it
is
cannot,
it
manifest,
tolerated,
from
whatever cause, the Protestant Church either has not the will or the power to prevent heretical teaching, and
consequently cannot be infallible,
his
own
obviously every opinion,
a safe guide.
member
of
it
If
be not
it
has a right to
and one bishop may declaim against
Catholic miracles as pure inventions, or clever tricks of priestcraft, while
another bishop, with equal consistency,
declaims against the miracles of our Divine Lord; yet the very same Bible which the former accepts, believes, and reverences, and on the testimony of which alone he bebeves that our Lord Jesus Christ healed the sick,
gave sight to the blind, and raised the dead to
*
equally
explicit
in
stating
that
life, is
our Lord gave his
and successors power to perform similar and that they did perform them. The promise of Christ is plain, and is not limited to "And these signs shall follow them apostolic times. apostles
miracles,
that believe
:
In
my name
they shall speak with
they shall cast out devils
new tongues
:
they
shall
:
take up
H
w
71, r
Berpents, shall
power
and
they shall drink any deadly thing
if
not hurt
thorn
:
Heme,
Church, we find these "signs" at in various states
it
they shall lay their hands upon
the sick, and they shall recover."
and
21
perform "Signs" promised.
to
in
the Catholic
all times, in all ages,
and conditions of
But the
life.
promise of being able to show such signs was especially Intended as a proof of the Divine origin of the Catholic faith
—
therefore, these gifts are
dantly on those
heathen
who were
nations.
bestowed most abun-
called to teach this faith to
After our
Lord's
apostles " preached everywhere," and told that their
ascension,
we
the
are expressly
words were confirmed with signs that
followed.
The " sign " of being able tongues
was given,
to
speak in unknown
immediately
ascension, to all the apostles in
after
common.
our
Lord's
The sign of
being able to heal the sick was manifested by Peter and
when the Then handkerchiefs and
John, at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple,
lame
man
leaped and walked.
aprons which had touched to the sick,
who were
St. Paul's
body were brought
instantly healed, and the inspired
writer of the Acts of the Apostles declared that " more
than
common
Paul."
1
miracles were wrought by the hand of
Perhaps no Catholic practice
bitterly scorned as the
lias
been so
custom of preserving rebes of the
garments which the saints have worn, or any objeel
which they have touched, yet here we find
this very
thing done in the earliest ages of the Church, from
whence
it
down to the present day. God has been pleased to honour the
has been continued
Then, as now, relics of
His
the " handkerchiefs and aprons,"
saints,
worn while waiting
the poor rags they have
wedding garment
;
and
for the
then, as now, the miracles have
been wrought by the mighty power of God, without
whose aid the
saint
would be as powerless
to heal as
the sinner.
Furthermore, we find that the very "shadow of Peter" cured those on
whom
it fell,
and that many were placed
on their couches in the
street,
shadow might reach them.
An
gates
1
so that this healing 1
angel opened the prison
and released St. Peter from
prison,
H
even as an angel
called St. Patrick to leave the place of his captivity,
The
that he might prepare for his mission in Ireland.
\mm
magician, Simon Magus, was converted by the miracles of St. Phihp, and was " astonished and wondered " to see the sights did.
Yet,
and exceeding great miracles which he and
although he remained with Philip
received holy baptism, he relapsed again into his old paganism, and was declared by the apostle to be " in
the gall of bitterness, and the bonds of iniquity."
Even
thus did some of St. Patrick's early converts return to their
former
superstitions,
preaching to those
casting
who were
discredit
on
his
so ignorant or so preju-
diced as to attribute to his teaching what they should
have attributed
to the frailty of his disciples. 1
Peter.
— Auts,
v. 15.
iDS
;
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Ui
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23
Scripture Miracles.
Many and
wonderful as are the miracles recorded
the " Lives of the Saints," there
may
no1
How, the
find a
parallel
them up
and a
if
after
would undoubtedly be
it
An
simplicity.
him
desires
by the
to send for St. Peter,
spirit to
"man
St.
in
which we
professes to believe St.
was rapt in ecstaey in
scoffed
the at
life oi
for
its
angel appears to a devout soldier and
and
St.
Peter
go and meet the messenger.
relates his vision to St. Peter,
and
who
a similar account had been recorded
saint,
of the
for
subjects of ridicule?
as
and soon
l'ctrr raised the dead,
not one
the Acts of the Apostles.
in
thru, can the Protestant
Bible hold
is
and
in white raiment,"
tells,
is
told
Cornelius
in simple words,
who appeared
to him,
Peter asks no curious questions as an unbeliever
would have done. a famine,
and
A prophet named Agabus announces
his prediction
is
Elymas, the
fulfilled.
sorcerer, is struck blind instantaneously
by
St. Paul, for
away the pro-consul from the faith, even as the magician, Lochru, was miraculously dashed to the ground and killed, at the prayer of St. Patrick, for trying to turn
ilaspheming the Catholic
As Paul and
Silas
faith.
prayed at midnight, a miraculous
light filled their prison,
and there was
quake, which shook the building to
opened
all
its
a great earth-
very foundation,
the doors, and unloosed the chains with which
the prisoners were bound.
The books
of the Ephesian
sorcerers are brought to St. Paul, who burns public, as St. Patrick
Druids.
St Paul
is
them
all in
burned the books of the
Irish
shipwrecked, and saves
all
the
Z(/e
24
o/"
Patrick
on board, who escape on planks
souls
When
to land.
safe
landed, another miracle occurs, and the saint
whose
seized
by a
fatal,
but he escapes unharmed.
St. Philip
viper,
bite to others
O<><0>
is
would have been
An
angel directs
where and when be should journey, even as
the angel Victor was continually directing St. Patrick.
Then, when
St. Philip's special
the spirit of the Lord catches
business
him up
is
accomplished,
into the
ah*,
and
he disappears from the wondering gaze of the eunuch
whom
he has just baptized, and
is
carried to Azotus.
While such "signs" are recorded in the holy
gospels,
how can anyone bearing the name of Christian presume to scorn or despise the miracles recorded in the " Lives
of the Saints 1" believe that
all
we
If
are Christians at all
we must
the marvellous records of healing, raising
from the dead, punishment by sudden death, ecstacy,
whether by being rapt into heaven, by suspension of the ordinary faculties while in prayer, or by mystic journeys
through space, are Protestants, Bible,
all
bterally
who unhappily
and yet
criticise
and verbally
talk so
true.
much about
and question
its
every
To the
detail,
perhaps some excuse for doubt, though on their
there
is
own
principles
they are self-condemned.
Catholics the case
is
entirely different
;
But with it must
and yet
be feared that Catholics are by no means as firm in then- faith on such subjects as they should be. It
must not be thought, however, that Catholics are
obliged to believe blindly
all
miraculous occurrences;
but theologians generally teach, that where miracles
m
V^
Ou> Divine Lord's Miracles.
25
-
have
been
formally
sanctioned
canonization, and arc accepted by
purpose, they ought to Indeed,
the
tin'
Church
for that
by the
faithful.
be believed
would seem more rash
it
process
in
to
of
deny such miracles
than to believe them, for they are proved with a care far
beyond what
given to criminal causes
is
A good
courts of justice.
<
iatholic will not
in
ordinary
doubt rashly
or easily question the miracles which the Church has
accepted as proved, neither will he believe rashly every
account of a miracle investigated.
It
until
it
has
been thoroughly
should be remembered that even the
miracles of Christ were disbelieved by some of those
who
actually witnessed
disciple expect
The Master has himself is
then, can
told the disciple,
nut greater than his master;
me, they
How,
them.
the
more consideration than the Masterl
will also
if
persecute you;
"The
servant
they have persecuted if
mv
they have kept
word, they will also keep yours."
Two looked
important facts seem to have been entirely over-
by those who refuse
to
believe
recorded in the " Lives of the Saints." gel th.it the
necessitate
mere
fact
belief in
and secondly, they
M
objections were
which they make
of witnessing
it
a miracle
miracles
they
for-
does nol
as a supernatural occurrence;
forget
made
the
First,
to
that the very same kind
of
our Divine Lord's min
to the miracles of his disciples.
Our
Divine Lord's miracles were witnessed by hundreds,
who were
perfectly
cognizant
perfectly capable of detecting
of
all
the
any imposture.
facts,
In
and
some
o
>>••>.
Xj
'
m
Life of St. Patrick.
— the miracle —they accused Jesus cases
as in
hand
of restoring the withered
of committing a sin in the very
On another occasion, when the lame and blind were healed, the Scribes and Pharisees were act of healing.
moved with
When
indignation.
the unclean spirits
were driven out of the man, and permitted to enter the
into
swine,
people
the
part
out of their coasts,
their
God.
"a
The
Pharisees
sign from heaven,"
refusing to believe
would believe
if
were
Jesus their
to
de-
goods to
continually
asking
and when the sign was given
And
it.
implored
preferring
thus do
men
say now, they
they saw a real miracle, and yet they
refuse to believe
when they do
see
one.
many
In
instances they admitted that miracles had been worked,
yet
it
only seemed to increase their anger and hatred
towards Jesus. cure
is
The
history of the blind man, whose
related in detail in the ninth chapter of St. John's
one of singular instruction and
Gospel,
is
modern
sceptic could
more rudely than the First
the
interest.
No
have questioned more closely and Pharisees.
" neighbours"
began to talk about the
and disputed with each other whether the man cured was really the well-known blind beggar. He
miracle,
himself said that he was; but, in such a case,
not only pardonable but justifiable to identity.
But when
competent testimony,
make
it
was
sure of his
was established on was neither pardonable nor
this identity it
to deny it, and yet many of the inquirers would only admit that he was " like him." The next
justifiable
.
-7
TT7*v tAe Pharisees denied Chrises Miracles.
Btep, after
disputing the man's identity, was bo dispute
They overwhelm
the miracle poinl by point.
with inquiries, they wish to
know
man
the
every detail.
Hor<
was both a justifiable and an unjustifiable TheChurch examined and tests everyalleged
again, there curiosity.
miracle with a scrupulous exactness, and does not admit
many, even when proved by evidence, which would be But accepted without hesitation by any court of law. there was something First, the
truth.
more here than
a
wish to ascertain
Pharisees accused the Divine healei
of sin, because the miracle had been performed on the
Sabbath, even as the saints had been accused again and again
of
committing some
Then
miracles.
when
sin
in
performing
their
the climax of indignation was reached
the miracle was proved
No
beyond question.
doubt, had there been a possibility of accusing the
man
of " imagining' himself cured, when he reallywas not, this 1
convenient charge would have been brought forward,
but the facts were [latent to
now
blind from his birth; he
all
— the
man had
been
saw.
Again, he was cross-questioned rudely, and almost the very words in which Protestantism rejects Catholic miracles are used, this
man
is a
•ration
phers!
"Give
Binner."
ill'
the lea rue,
We know
glory to God.
Oh, wisdom of the wise! 1
!
that
Oh,
Oh, profoundness of philoso-
Miracles could not be true; and
occurrence
if
by chance
emus
an undeniable
supernatural
their path, they
suddenly become pious, they suddenly
across
profess a wonderful veneration for the Almighty, while
_^^ ^y§j :
;
—
'?? denying His power to do almighty works
HP
discover that the sinless one
is
has come to deliver them from sin
And
poor creature
man is whom we
This
worker of miracles, of like
man
This mighty
a sinner.
hear so much,
is
but a
themselves, probably, in
their
opinion, far inferior to themselves.
This
He who
himself guilty of it.
is
thus the wise ones of the world have ever reviled
the friends of God.
a
and they
;
a sinner, that
Give God the glory!
of himself can do nothing.
He
has not the
Divine power of Jesus, who worked miracles by inherent
omnipotence
;
but what
if this
man
should be a friend
of the Great Master's, and one of those to
whom He
gave the power to work miracles in His name.
I,
when men dare His
saints,
to
they profess to give
His power and His word. the
Thus,
compliment God at the expense
Him
of
glory by denying
Thus did the Pharisees deny
power and the miracles of
Jesus.
But these philosophers had another arrow once more they wearied the
man
to launch
with inquiries, the
answers to which they were beforehand determined not
He had
to believe.
and asked
if
become
he might; disciples of
—
was not their object they wished to They inquired, not that they might get information, and by getting information know the truth, but that they might scoff at truth. And
Jesus.
Mas!
lost patience, as well
they, too, wished to this
dispute, not to believe.
then,
when argument
faded, they took
to
the
last
resource of a bad cause, " they reviled him."
The man bore
their personalities in
silence
;
but,
when they
thing" that they should from,
he could no longer restrain
reviled Jesus,
Well, indeed, mighl he say
himself
it
was a "wonderful
notknow whence Jesus came
Who
when Be had performed sogreal a miracle.
could perform such a wonder as to give sight to one
who had given man
born blind save only ITc
power
his
But again reviling toQk the place of argu-
of vision?
ment, and violence was substituted for inquiry. easl
him
Thcj
out.
The man went and
told Jesus
and
;
his
for
reward
obtained the gift of faith, the faith which enabled him to believe in t<>
now without sorrowful.
all
that passed, and they are not content
reviling Jesus. If
The Pharisees appeared
Son of God.
the
have heard
His answer
calm and
is
they had declared themselves blind,
they had been willing to admit
if
possible that they
it
might be wrong, there would have been some excuse for t
loin.
satisfied
But they were hardened
in
unbelief, they were
that they " saw," and that
Hence
from them were blind.
who
all
differed
their condemnation.
There are three classes of persons who refuse believe the miracles
of the
and who would,
Saints,"
almost every event
Ireland
which are recorded
These
in
the
classes
life
are,
in
to
the " Lives
therefore,
obj
ict
to
of the great Apostle of first,
Protestants
who
believe, as they say, in the miracles in the Bible, but in
no
other.-.
Yet,
if
they believe
in the
Bible at
all
as
an inspired book, they cannot deny that our Divine
Lord declared
that
his
disciples
should
be
able
to
perform the very miracles which they refuse to believe.
To doubt,
that miracles are performed,
therefore,
[<><><>
is
simply to disbelieve the solemn assertions of our Lord.
The second
class are Protestants
miracles of the
Bible.
This
who deny even
unhappily, rapidly on the increase, both at in
the
class of unbelievers
The present writer was assured
the colonies.
is,
home and not
long since, by a Protestant gentleman of more than
BMRHMUP
m
ordinary intellect,
who had
the colonies, that
all
spent a considerable time in
the educated
men
there held the
opinions of Dr. Colenzo, and the writers in "Essays and
Reviews."
A
devout Protestant, and there are
many
such, shrinks
back with horror from open denials of the inspiration of Scripture,
almost
and of the miracles recorded the
all
tion of the
Yet,
therein.
modern disputations about the
inspira-
Holy Scriptures have been grounded upon Dr. Colenzo, and the writers in
objections to miracles.
"Essays and Reviews," who unhappily have thousands of followers,
many
of
whom
England, have argued
are
members
strictly
of the Church of
on this principle.
Dr. Colenzo states, in the Preface to the of his
work on the Pentateuch, that
first
volume
his doubts,
which
always existed, were brought to a stand-point of delity
by the
cpuestioii
of a native,
who
asked
believed in the Mosaic account of the Flood.
infi-
if
he
With an
odd mixture of profanity and apparent truthfulness, which would be amusing were not the serious, he quotes the
ml
question
Prophet Zacharias to show
.!iS£^*
so
that.
j]™™™™^
i
Dr. Colenzo's theory about Miracles. according to Scripture, he could uol
calmly assures his readers,
"knew"
the
the
"
man
a
lie,
though he
upon the "general
discredil
of Scripture.
The present Wort
is
Dr. Colenzo's theories critical ]><>intd
thai,
account was untrue, he "satisfied"
P>il>li'
man, without throwing
veracity
the
tell
while he
•">]
uo place
that have been discussed and answered
and again, the whole force of
on the one point a miracle did
the discussion oi
for
but, with the exception of a few
;
—a
his
argument turns
miracle cannot happen
not happen
;
in
or,
therefore,
other words, certain
events are recorded in the Bible which could not have
happened ever
iu the ordinary course of nature,
but no event
happens out of the ordinary course of nature;
therefore, such events,
though they are recorded in the
Bible, are qo1 true.
God
help the unfortunate
religion in this fashion.
you come
own
to teach us at all if
Why
religion?
according to
natives
Well
come
your theory,
may
who
to tell
He
what you were
sent you,
to teach?
do
us of a
God who,
cannot interfere with the
world which he has created?
If
Why
you do not believe your
Is
He, then, any more
Who
powerful or any greater than our gods! to teach?
are taught
they ask,
sent you
why did He not tell you Are we to believe on your
word, and on your word only, that some parts of the
hook Life is
in
which
He
revealed Hi-
written, are false, and
will,
and
some parts
in
true
which His !
Why
not our word and our opinion as good as yours!
r<,
-
is
If
:
'
is so much doubt about the truths of your religion. why do you come and offer it to us in preference to our
there
own? If Dr. Colenzo
by many
may
be credited, his opinions are held
of the clergy of the
Church of England,
although they are afraid to express themselves openly.
In the Preface to the second part of his work he says "
without fear of contradiction, that there are
I assert,
multitudes
now
of the
more
intelligent clergy
who do
not believe in the reality of the Noachian Deluge, as described in the
Book
of Genesis."
And
in another
place he says he has promised " to help those similarly
circumstanced as best he can."
The writer on the Study of Evidences,
in " Essays
and Reviews," goes on precisely the same ground as Miracles cannot happen therefore, Bishop Colenzo.
—
they do not happen of both.
and
I
—
is,
in plain words, the
argument
should be, indeed, sorry to compare an acute
excellent clergyman like the late Dr.
Todd
to such
must be pardoned for saying that he argues precisely in the same way with regard to the writers
but
;
I
miracles attributed to St. Patrick.
All these writers, whether they deny the miracles in Scripture, or accept them, in the
and deny the miracles recorded
" Lives of the Saints," argue in the same way.
Once admit that our Lord and his Apostles performed and you must admit that what was done by
miracles,
the
power of God once can be done by the power of God
again.
Once deny the miracles recorded
in Scripture, or
i
'V'
»»..i
,
(
;
...
-
h it
"
nTJ^-
^^^
,--1 -" ,
''"*
1
Miracles
them
refer
any natural cause, or
to
33
nut always convert.
(Jo
to
any unknown
and you destroy the
"law,'' apart from the divine will,
whole credibility of the Christian Faith. There are several points of consideration
regard to
in
miracles which do not appear to have entered into the place,
and
does not follow, because a
man
In the
calculations of these objectors.
most important of
all, it
first
witnesses the performance of a miracle, that he should
This was
be thereby converted to a belief in revelation.
abundantly proved in the
The
Apostles.
of the
life ot
I
in the lives
our Divine Lord's
of
result
and
Ihrist,
many occasions, was simply to exasperate the What could have been more wonderful than the
miracles, on
m
people. raising
<
if
Lazarus from the dead 1
there could have been no
room
Here, unquestionably,
for the exercise of that
"imagination" to which Dr. Todd attributed the visions of St. Patrick;
yet the only effect
Pharisees, the learned
them kill
plot
men
of that
more eagerly than ever
Lazarus
purpose to
It
also.
kill .Jesus
had upon the
it
day, was to
to kill Jesus,
make and
to
would not have answered th
ir
only, they wished also to get rid of
Lazarus, for while he lived he was a continual proof of the reality of the miracle.
Why
was not such a miracle believed?
Lord Himself has told his miracles
us.
they would
i
not itself
rOSpel of St.
believe.
The mere
it is
xii.
87,
we
read: "
said that
fact of seeing
has no power whatsoever.
John,
fJ^^S^JH.
Our Divine
of the witnesses of
had not Faith, and of some
"•'.I
miracle in
Many
In
And whereas
a
the
he
^TnBrrracsi7T:,..iitrjjf-^h_^
34
Life of
had done so not in him." \c? tells
us
why
many And
St. Patrick.
them they
miracles before
whom
then the disciple
they did not believe.
believed
Jesus loved
was because God
It
himself had " blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts," as a
judgment
Again and again
for their sins.
our Divine Lord insisted on the necessity of Faith in
His preaching; and, when about to perform the miracle for
the centurion,
believed, be
When
it
He
said,
" Go, and
done unto thee."
—
inquired, before performing the miracle, "
touched their eyes,
faith,
be
thou hast
it
He
— Matt.
said,
done unto you."
Do you
ix.
believe
And
28.
"According
"When
13.
viii.
men He
asked to give sight to the two blind
that I can do this unto you?"
He
as
Matt.
St.
as
your
to
his disciples asked
why they
could not cast out the devil from the possessed child, Jesus replied, " Because of your unbelief." Matt,
—
xvii.
19.
When
withering of the
his
were amazed at the
disciples
fig-tree,
He
told them, if they
Faith they could perform, not only
had
similar miracles,
but even greater ones. It
would be
useless to multiply instances
—they may
be found almost in every page of Holy Writ; and they
we cannot
prove that without Faith that
we may
choose to do
reject that gift so.
Faith
is
the gift of
prayed for humbly and earnestly
may
V*
,
God
and
—a
it is
own
if
gift to
we be
a gift which
faidt.
It
is,
no matter of surprise that the miracles of the
saints are not credited,
i
;
be lost at any time by our
therefore,
please God, but
and refuse to believe
when
the miracles of Jesus were
When
disbelieved.
at the
men
the
by
miracle performed
St.
name
in the
him hath given all."
And that in
all
—Acts,
it is in
faith
soundness
It
was
it
which
is
by
in the sight of
16.
iii.
this
miracle,
this
"The
of Jesus.
this perfect
name, and by
the saints have
heaven-sent
this
faith,
miracles, from the time
worked
which the apostles were endowed with power from
on high to the present hour.
i
man
for theirsurpri.se.
was not he who had performed
you
at the
Beautiful Gate of the Temple, he explained to
them that there was no occasion
Faith
wondered
of [srael
Peter in healing the lame
that Protestants,
who
It is not a little strange
are so continually boasting that
the Bible and faith are their guides, should really be the only doubters of the inspiration of the Bible, and the only persons
ever
heard
of
who deny a
the
Catholic
power of
priest
Who
faith.
writing
essays
or
preaching sermons to prove that any part of the Bible was not true, or that the miracles recorded therein were false?
Yet Protestants of
denominations are doing
all
this at the present day.
One to
of the
miracles
many is,
the laws of nature.
intended to be. Catholic
—
it is
—
objections
they
that
But
For
a
made by modern
are
this
is
an
precisely
Bible,
which
with
what they are
Christian, or, at
for all these sceptics profess
sufficient that the
sceptics
interference
Least,
for a
to be Christians is
given to them
by the Church as God's Word, declares that miracles are an evidence of revelation,
and records them as such.
—
When
St.
John the Baptist sent
Divine Lord, to ask
if
his disciples to our
He
he was indeed the Christ,
at
once appealed to His miracles as an evidence that His mission Avas divine: " Go and relate to John what you
have heard and seen; the blind
lame walk, the
see, the
dead
lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the
rise again,
the poor have the gospel preached to them."
he adds sorrowful and suggestive words that shall not be scandalized in me."
Oh, words of grief and fear be scandalized at Jesus
but true.
the
Alas!
it is
And
Blessed
John,
then
he
is
ix. 5, 6.
then, possible to
His miracles
not only possible,
The Pharisees were scandalized, because the all things was pleased to suspend or alter of the
operations
"How
made:
it,
'
St.
— scandalized at
scandalized at His life?
Creator of
Is
!
—
' :
What, then, was not
He Himself had
laws which
man give this man the
can this
us his flesh to eat?"
Creator of flesh ? and
has not the Creator power to do what
what he has created?
"Thy
not lawful on the Sabbath V
He
with
will
disciples do that
which
is
What, then, has not He
who made
the law of the Sabbath, power to suspend or
alter that
law?
Son of
Is not the
world and of the Sabbath ?
Is
He
Man Lord
not the
of the
Maker
of all
laws of nature and of grace?
And
thus, from the very time of Christ to the present
hour, the world has been scandalized at miracles. will not allow that the Creator of
power
to interfere with
in simple words,
what he has created
the sole
It
ad things has any
sum and
—
for this is
substance of
all
whether couched
objections to miracles,
language
blasphemy and open
of
the
in
wild
or in the
unbelief,
crafty insinuation of the so-called philosopher.
To
of
evidence
as
miracles
his
upbraid the
to
done most of his miracles, penance."
Mat
Patrick. failed to
will
for
cities
wherein were
that they had not done
Thank Cod,
xL 20.
has wrought for
the faithful Irish
be their reward
the palaces prepared
them through
miracles
Who Who can
faith. ?
his servant
centuries of persecution
Thank God, shake their
his
to
would occupy
upbraided with rejecting the
can never be
which God
Lord's appeals
mission
more example may be given.
needless space, but one
"Then began he
our
of
instances
repeat
for
them
can tell
tell
how
have
glorious
how magnificent
in their Father's house?
can tell, as one by one they ascended to heaven with martyrs' crowns upon their heads, how they were received by their father Patrick, in the city where pain
Who
never cometh!
Martyred by the sword, martyred by
famine, martyred by the loss of tell
who can
conjecture,
all
things— who may the wl
how many amongst
in the robed army, whose praises the Church sings daily Te Dcum, will belong to the Irish racel
even nowtheir heavenly triumph is in some sort The majority of foreshadowed by a temporal victory.
And
the
English nation have proclaimed it unmistakeably. that sword, and famine, and
They have acknowledged bitter
persecution
induce the Irish
of cruel
laws,
to renounce their
have alike taith.
A
tailed
to
relentless
;
,^^p^^^p^^^^^^^^^ 38
Zi/e 0/
more or
persecution,
»SV.
Patrick.
less severe, and, at times,
a per-
secution to blood, lasting for several hundred years, ha?
ended,
us hope for ever, with this acknowledgement.
let
A more
glorious moral triumph never
we
the one side
was gained.
find helplessness, suffering,
On
and victory
on the other side we find power, wealth, and defeat.
And
those
who now
revile or question the miracles of
our most glorious saint will to their
shame and
grief,
know
at the last great day,
that
not the least of his
miracles was the favour which he obtained from
when
God
the Irish nation were given to his keeping in this
world and in the next. There
is
one other subject connected with miracles
which must be
briefly noticed, as it is specially
with the miracles of objection to miracles
St. Patrick. is,
connected
The grand modern
that they are " violations of the
to
Now, what is matter? According the common dictionary meaning of the word, matter
is
the substance of which
laws of matter." 1
bodies are constituted.
all
—
But who created matter ? If it created itself and this is precisely the point to which all modern scepticism is tending
—
then, no doubt,
it
has power in
cannot be interfered with from without.
moon,
stars, light,
itself,
and
If the sun,
and the elements in general, created
themselves, and arranged themselves into harmonious order according to certain laws, then, no doubt, they
cannot be
1
~~ '
-ii
interfered
Matter.
with.
But the
— " Essays and Reviews,"
p.
159.
~
apftMB
intellect
Cheap
edition.
of an
.-
Miracles no violation of the Laws of Matter.
39
Has
educated child could laugh such folly to scorn. not
Ho who
ordained the laws by which
power
to govern nature,
and
It really is
I
pleased
suspend or alter these laws,
to
he hurtful to their continued regularity
"
is
without causing an interruption which should
this
whose
JI<
faith
is
believe
how any man,
enable him to say truly,
sufficient to
God
in
!
to understand
difficult
Father Almighty, creator of
the
heaven and earth," can have any doubt on the subject
We
of miracles.
must remember
a miracle to God. It
power which
to
to ns,
differs
because
wood
suspend
is
its
He
axe
made
swim
it
gravity.
the sons of the prophets were cutting the purpose of erecting
building
a
make
— a clear suspension of the law of
Such miracles are not unfrequcnt iron
swim
;"
and
as to
Learned
men
effects;
they can only
How,
man
into the water; yet the
fall
" Lives of the Saints to
God
Hence, we
operation at any moment.
for
his
see.
has power
where they might dwell together, one of them head of
not
an exercise
on water, but iron does not.
floats
when
down wood,
it
from what we usually
the author of that law, and, therefore,
find that
is
In accordance with the law of specific
For example. gravity,
that a miracle
a simple exercise of His power.
only appears a miracle
of His
is
It is
cannot
tell
then, dare they
yet, is it
tell
God
specific
in
the
God
The mosl
certain laws have certain
you what
presume to
Author of these laws?
i
not as easy for
make wood swim?
why
1<
of
these effectB are.
limit the
If miracles
power of the
never occurred,
if
the laws of nature were never on ur altered, there
any occasion suspended
might be some excuse
for
supposing
process that man was nothing more than a complicated evolved universe the that and of electro-chemistry, itself
out of a speck of nebula.
one consideration, however, connected with Tbe importance. the subject of miracles, of the first continuous is a end, to begining narrative, from
There
is
Bible
record of miracles.
There were miracles under the old
they were of dispensation as well as under the new, and frequent occurrence.
There were miracles from the tianity to the present day.
It
earliest ages of Chris-
wovdd require a volume,
many volumes, to give details of the miracles and even if recorded in Catholic Ecclesiastical History,
or rather
would such volumes were written, we much fear they those that expect we can Nor fail to convince many.
who would
not believe the testimony of
and St Anthony the Hermit, would be the testimony, ample and authentic miracles performed
mt
by
Augustine
as
it
is,
of the
our great apostle, St. Patrick.
I 1Vvei^^f' A .HI
St.
likely to believe
"
i'
VJj
lJ
'
lllll l
WW" l
l
.
A
I
XT FIACC'S Hymn
Patrick
be
the
earliest
biography of the
saint,
Colgan
Life
appears
evidently considered
it
to
the most important of the Lives
which he has published, as he places a Latin version with the original. Saint Fiacc's
Eymn is
it first,
and gives
1
preserved
riorum of Trinity College, Dublin. a
or Pocin
of Saint
on the
Liber
Hy -
late Dr.
Todd,
in the
The
high authority on such questions, when religious
prejudice did not bias his judgment, pronounced the
manuscript to be one of the most venerable monuments
now remaining
of Christian antiquity
considered that
it
He
in Europe. 2
could not have been written later
than the ninth or tenth century.
The
greater
number
of the
hymns which
it
contains
have never been published, and are wholly unknown to
The Latin hymns are
the learned.
Latin and partly in
glossed partly in
The hymns
Irish.
in the Irish
language are of immense value both to the philologist, the hagiographer, and the student of Celtic literature.
The eminent
Irish scholar,
Hymn
St. Fiacc's
Eugene O'Curry,
considers
monument
of Celtic
the oldest extant
.v..
He
hagiology.
writes thus
:—" St.
Fiacc of Sletty
is
the author of a biographical poem, on the Life of St. Patrick, in the Gsedhlic language, a
most ancient copy of
and which bears
internal evidence of
which
still exists,
a high degree of perfection in the language at the time at
which
it
respects, a
was composed
;
it is
unquestionably, in
all
genuine and native production, quite untinc-
tured with the Latin or any other foreign contemporary style or idiom."
O'Curry
also gives St. Fiacc the
honour of being the
originator of the idea of writing the Lives of the Saints of Erinn.
:i
A
copy of the Liber Hi/mnorum
preserved in Eome, which appears to be the one to
Ware and Europe.
'
Usher,
who mention
—Liber Hymuorum,
p. 1,
Erinn
— O'Cuvry's Lectures,
[>.
also
as a vetustissimus
printed for the Irish Archaeological and
Celtic Society. *
it
is
known
313.
I
:
*
r^.j-'—r^n< ^|
Tile introduction to the
codex. in tlu>
poem
Dublin ami Roman copy.
Roman copy commences
varies considerably
The introduction "Fiacc of Sletty
thus:
to the
was
it
that composed this eulogy of Patrick." St.
Fiacc was the disciple of the poet Dubthach
Ui Lugair, who of
rose
monarch
the
Easter morning
up
Laeghaire,
when
St.
on the ever-memorable
him
own house
to find a person of
proachable morals
Dubthach
When
Patrick went to Tara.
the saint visited the poet at his
he asked
Mac command
in disobedience to the
whom
devout
in Lcinst.
life
and
r,
irre-
he might consecrate bishop.
knew such a person, but he As they conversed, Connaught.
replied that he
had gone on a
visit to
Fiacc entered with his companions, and the poet in-
formed
St.
Patrick that tins was the
had spoken.
St.
man
of
whom
he
Patrick repbed that Fiacc might not
wish to become an ecclesiastic. The poet answered " Set about tonsuring me that Fiacc may see it." Fiacc, as he expected, at once inquired
what they were doing,
and on being informed, exclaimed that for
there
was not
in
all
it
would be
a loss,
Krinn so great a poet as
Dubthach. St.
ia
Patrick assured him that he might exchange with
his friend,
which he at once offered to do, exclaiming,
nith true generosity, "Less
*Codex.
is
my
loss to
Erinn than
— We arc much indebted tn an admirable article in the
" In
fa
I
March, lMi\ for information on this and other subjects. The very low price at which this serial is published places it within tie If it of all, and it should certainly be in the library of ever)- Irish clergyman. were generously supported, we might hope that many valuable Irish manuscripts: would be published and translated in it from time to timeBiastical Record'' fur
"
that of Dubthacli."
Patrick then tonsured Fiacc,
St.
and " great grace came on him
after that;
and he learned
the ecclesiastical order in one night, or in fifteen days, as others say." 5
The
Tripartite
Fiacc,
Psalter in one day.
and sanctity was so stituted
him
him
first
also chief
Patrick baptized
Life adds, that St.
who had chumen, and gave him an own hand, and a blessing, so and tonsured
St.
hitherto been only a cate-
alphabet, 6 written
by
his
that he learned the whole
Fiacc's progress in learning
rapid, that the saint not only con-
bishop of the Leinster men, but
made
and supreme bishop of the whole pro-
vince.
In the Book of
Armagh
it
gave a reliquary, a crozier,
new
bishop,
and
left
were Muchatocc of
is
said, that St. Patrick
and a book-satchel
seven disciples with him.
Inisfail,
at
These
Augustin of Inisbecc, Tecan,
Diarmit, Nainnid, Paid, and
munity was established
to the
Their com-
Fedelmid.
Domnach
Fiacc, situated to
the east of the Barrow, in the county Carlow. St. Fiacc's disciples are all of
the early Irish Church.
note in the calendar of
Muchatocc
(the
same
as Cadoc)
honoured as an apostle in Wales and Britanny
is
;
—
In the Book of Armagh the narrative of the interview between Patrick and Fiacc is fully given. It says there that St. Patrick asked Dubthach about the materies of a bishop for the Laginians [Leinster men], and great was his piety. that he recommended Fiacc Finn, or the Fair ; for 6 Saij.
St.
'
'
— St.
Patrick was in the habit of distributing what his biograIt is very improbable that these alphabets were such as phers call alphabets. we ordinarily understand by that term. It has been suggested that tlicy c
Alphabet.
might have been some compendium of Catholic Faith, such as the alphabetical poem which St. Augustine composed against the Donatists or, perhaps, tha ;
Apoitles' Creed.
-
->
,S7.
4
4
frr-
^ ft^
*•-
^_
*•
Fiacc's Life of St. Patrick
Augustan was one of the
first
companions of Palladius;
Tecan and Diarmit arc commemorated respectively on
and the 10th of January
the 9th of September
Nennidh,
or
was
surnamed
administered the Holy Viaticum to
is
Kihnore, where his feast St.
St.
Brigid
and
;
Paul
is
St.
venerated as the patron of
kept on the 9th of August.
Fiacc must have remained a considerable time at
Domnach
Fiacc, as
reward from that monastery before
removal to Sletty.
plished
;
said that sixty of his disciples
it is
wenl to their eternal his
Nainnid,
where he was visited by
retired to a desert island,
Brendan; and Fedhelim
;
pure-handedj
the
Bis work was not yet accom-
and an angel appeared to him to inform him
that " his
resurrection" should be in another
place.
The heavenly messenger added, that he should build his refectory in the place
and
where they should find a boar,
their church in the place
doe.
The
manifested
all
where they should find a
devotion to his master
saint's
through his
life,
is
strongly
but especially so in the
present instance, for he replies to the angel that "lie
would not go until Patrick should come place with he from
The
him and to consecrate
him that he would receive
territory of Sletty
Fiacc's family, but they
of Hy-Kinsellagh,
were driven into
made
it,
when
exile.
to
measure his
and that
it
should
his place."
had originally belonged to St. had been expelled by the king his father
The
and four brothers
king, however,
profession of Christianity,
and had
had now
just received
holy baptism from the hands of the great apostle,
~
lie
was, therefore, ready to accede to any request which he
\p
EESTSJ^
At
might make.
" not only
his solicitation,
was the
a church granted to St. Fiacc, but also a grant
site for
was made
to
him
of all the surrounding territory, com-
prising a fifth part of his paternal possessions,
with
which he was enabled to endow that church which he
made
his episcopal see."
7
Crimthan, the king of Hy-Kinsellagh, died a.d. 483, therefore, the foundation of Sletty could not later
than a.d. 480.
Patrick, hill
of
it
where
Coblai, on every Shrove Saturday,
he spent the Lent in
he returned to celebrate the
On
festival
principal incidents in the
His
and prayer.
silence, fasting,
only food was five loaves of bread.
The
have been
Tripartite Life of St.
said that Fiacc retired to a cave, on the
is
Drum
In the
Easter Sunday
with his
life
disciples.
of this saint are
so intimately connected with events in the
of St.
life
Patrick, that they are referred to a future page.
present object
is
what ample and unquestionable authority record for the
life
and
was
court of
still
a youth
still
is
acts of our great apostle.
date of St. Fiacc's death has not been recorded lie
Our
the important one of indicating clearly
when
King Laeghaire,
it
St.
;
on
The
but, as
Patrick preached to the
has been conjectured, from
a comparison with other dates and incidents, that he died about a.d.
510, at a monastery called Minbeag,
near his great church of Sletty. s
ordained priest by for his sanctity,
St.
and
Patrick is
;
His son Fiachra was he also became eminent
commemorated
7
See.— Colgau, " Trias Tinmi m."
8
Ordained.
— Colgan,
I
it.
Trip.
in the ancient
p. 155. iii.
21.
—
>
•»
4
fe . .SV.
j>
^
'¥y
Fiacc'.* Moinistt
same day
calendars on the
Irish
*
»
*
".
jjp
40
ri/.
as
12th
Fiacc,
St.
October.*
Book
In the
of
Armagh
it is
recorded that his relics
were venerated in the district of Slctty
and the Vita
;
Tripartite mentions that he was interred in that church.
(EnghuB thus eulogises the father and son
:
" Proclaim Fiacc and Fiachrai,
Omne
The name of
-^J
m the
great
is
the treasure."
monastery
St. Fiacc's
preserved
is still
form of Slath or Slatey, the name of a church-
yard and parish in the barony of Slieveniarque, Queen's County, about a mile
NN.W.
the banks of the Barrow.
of the
town of Carlo w, on
There are two stone crosses of
considerable antiquity in the churchyard, and in the
neighbourhood the ruins of a small church are yet in This
existence.
is still
called SHeb-teach,
near the mountains, and
i. e.,
miribeag, or small church mentioned above.
There are
no remains of the once famous monastery of
Some
critics
the house
probably identical with the
is
have raised a question as
Slctty.
to the date a1
which the poem was composed, from a supposed or allusion to the desertion of Tara.
thought that
it
The
must have been written
late Dr.
after the
real
Todd
middle
of the sixth century, because the desolation of Tara
occurred 8 October.
in
— In the
" Fiacc, Bishop
reign
Martymlogy
of of
Diarmaid,
Donegal
a.d.
539-558.
his obituary is thus recorded
of Sletty. in Leinstcr, of the race of Cathoit
Hot
:
Fiachraidh,
same church as Fiacc, his father." In the Martyrology of Thf "'( "Fiacc, and with him his son Fiachra, of Sletty." name Sletty as equivalent to monies, " resit ad lucum qui vulgo, id est, montm, appelantnr."— (iii 23.)
his son,
Tallaght
of the
:
Trip, explains the fa
the
MWi
I
Life of St. Patrick.
50
Colgan evaded the
difficulty
by suggesting
that the
verses contained a prophetic announcement.
O'Connor
demise as late as a.d. 540.
There are
dated
St. Fiacc's
presumed references
two
The
first
to
of Tara.
the desolation
occurs in the tenth strophe.
The Tuatha
Erinn were prophesying that a
of
new kingdom
of faith
would
come.
That
it
would
last for
the land of Tara would be silent and
evermore
waste.
in the twenty-second
The second reference is contained strophe. In
A
Ardmagh
is sovereignty : it is long since Emain passed away Dun-Lethglasse I wish not that Tara should be a desert.
there
great church
A recent
is
;
:
writer, however, suggests, that the very op-
posite conclusions
may
be drawn, and that
neither announces in prophecy, nor fact the destruction of Tara,
St.
Fiace
commemorates
as a
but rather expresses the
alarm and fears of the Druids in the
first allusion,
and
a wish for the prosperity of Tara in the second.
The whole question
is
obviously one open to a variety
which will probably always be determined by individual bias to or for other opinions against which of conjecture,
pre-formed conclusions or prejudices
The which
title is
may
militate.
ardepscop, usually translated archbishop,
given to
St.
Fiacc, has been
also
brought
forward by the Bollandists as an objection to the early
by Irish authorities. But the old Irish word ardepscop by no means corresponds with the The Celtic comparatively modern archiepiscopus. date assigned
word had simply the meaning of
chief or principal, as
anl-jilr, chid' port, ard-unchoire, chief anchorite.
best
VI tic scholars are
(
The
agreed as to the antiquity of the
idiomatic structure of this most valuable and interesting
In the introduction to the poem, an indirect
poem. proof of
its
Romano
given by the allusion to tonsure
is
suos
capillos
expressly
is
age
beard according to the
of the
commanded
Roman
"more
usage,
tfi'
aut barbam tonderc," which in
one of the canons of St
Patrick.
In the Trias Thaumaturga Colgan places a Life of St.
\P
h
Patrick second in his compilation, which to a St. Patrick, junior, or to
who lived
in the
authorship and
is,
Brettan,
when
;
Colgan's reason for assigning the
that the author speaks of Loarne, Bishop of
now
Bright, near Downpatrick, as being alive
was
The words " ubi
written.
episcopus Loarne," however, might
were there.
in the very
whose remains (cujus
1
Com.
alive,
reliquiae)
of the
whom
were in Bishop
he would have used the samo
of expression in his case.i
—
There is said to have been a nephew of St. Patrick who bore his Colgan heads this Life "Secunda Vita S. Patricii authnre [ut vi.h tnr] Juniore alioGe magni Patricii Discii>nlo, ex rucmhranis monaster! Huberti in Arducnna."
name.
S. Patricio, S.
remains
St. Patrick,
It is therefore fair to argue, that if
Loarne had not been
mode
his
commencement
author speaks of a sister of
calls Lupita,
Armagh.
ii
But
est
mean that Bishop
Loarne was buried at Brettan, and that
he
attributes
date must remain a matter of consi-
the narrative
Life, the
lie
disciple of the saint
middle of the sixth century but both the its
derable uncertainty.
date
some
^W?§
'
-
m
—
The
third Life
much
is
fuller
than either of the
preceding biographies.
The authorship
Colgan says he obtained
it
is
doubtful but ;
from Father Stephen Vitus, of
a very learned man, that
the Society of Jesus
was
it
found at BiHirgensibus, in Bavaria, and he gives several reasons for attributing the authorship to St. Benignus,
and
the disciple of St, Patrick,
his successor in the See
Armagh.
of
The Fourth
Life
is
attributed
by Colgan to
St, Aileran,
and bears internal evidence 2 of having been written
As
before the year 774.
the saint died in 664,
if
the
authorship can with certainty be attributed to him,
would give the work a very high antiquity. or Aireran the
of Clonard,
is still
extant,
Professor O'Curry, in the
Yellow Book
Litany which discovered
by or
first
A
fragment of an ancient
been published by Fleming in his Collectanea
which was discovered in the monastery of
Sacra, Gall,
A
Leabhar Buidhe Lecain,
and was
of Lecain, preserved in the Library of
Trinity College, Dublin. tract has
it
AUeran,
Wise, was a teacher in the great school
and died of the plague.
he composed
St.
in Switzerland
3
It is entitled
"The
St.
Mystical
—
The author of the Vita Quarta mentions that the relics of St. companion to Silvester and Solinus, were carried to the island of Boethin, and were there held in due honour (et ibi cum digno honore habeutur). This island belongs to the townland of Inisboyue, near Arklow, and obtained 2
Evidence.
Palladius,
name from St. Boethin, who flourished early in the seventh century. The monastery was plundered and destroyed in the year 774, according to the annals of Ulster, or 770, according to the Four Masters. Hence this life must have been written before that event. The Vita Secunda also must have been written before the year 600, for it mentions that relics of these saints were honoured at Donard, where they had been kept before their removal to the island of its
Colgan, p. 38 and 13. Switzerland.— O'Curry's Manuscript Materials of Irish History,
Boethin. 3
p.
379.
m
of
Interpretation
the
Ancestry
our Lord
of
Jesus
Christ,"
The But
Fifth Life,
there
was written by Probus.
Vita,
name by whom
person of that
In the
Quinta
considerable difficulty in identifying the
is
chapter of this
last
it
life
hast now, brother Paulinus, from
was compiled. the writer says
me
the
"
:
Thou
humble Probus,
the required token of our fraternal regard, through which
you Bought
some record of the
for
holy father, Patrick, the bishop." us
i
he author's
name and
most
Colgau
his object in writing.
gives various reasons for believing that he was an Irish
Wi.
monk, who
lived in the sixth or seventh century.
The Sixth
monk
of the
Life
was written by Joeelyn,
Abbey
of Furness,
part of the twelfth century.
^
virtues of our
This at once gives
who
a Cistercian
lived in the early
This Life of
St.
Patrick
An
the only one which has been translated.
is
English
:
version
was published by Mr.
"elucidations
E.
Swift, in 1809, with
by David Rothe, some time bishop
Ossory," the principal object of which
to
is
show
of
that
the miracles attributed to St. Patrick, however wonderful,
were not therefore to be rejected
;
and that equally
wonderful miracles had been performed by other saints. The " Observations on the Acts of St. Patrick by the Translator," takes, as might be expected,
of this subject,
of Joeelyn, he apologizes
away
a different
view
and while the writer defends the veracity for,
and attempts to explain
the miracles which he records in a style which
woidd do Swift also
credit to a writer in " Essays call-
the reader'a
and Reviews."
attention to
«-S5-£N?<
the extreme
%
such works, which
difficulty of giving a translation of
would be at once correct and
Those who
scholarly.
have made similar attempts can well sympathise with his remarks.
4
The Seventh
Life
is
by
most important and
far the
valuable of these documents, and will able notice.
threefold division,
referred this
a
life
impressed with
and was written by
to the sixth century, its
demand
consider-
from
called the Tripartite Life
It is
St.
Evin.
and seemed much
value and authority, and
its
conse-
Colgan states
quent importance to the hagiographer.
had three different manuscripts him when occupied in translating
that he
of this
before
it
He
its
Colgar;
work
into Latin.
mentions that part was written in Latin and part in
Irish,
and that the
antiquity,
Irish
summam
and the
style
were of the highest
antiquitatem.
§s
After the issue of Colgan's work the Irish manuscript «:
appeared to have been its
existence
discredit
;
lost.
No
one had ever heard
and those who were inclined
to
on Colgan's labours made the most of
cumstance.
But even
as
of
throw
this cir-
modern research has tended
to
confirm the value and authenticity of the bardic annals of Irish history
and
Irish customs, so literary research
has tended to prove the value and authenticity of the
documents used by Colgan, and modern archaeologists are obliged to admit the critical accuracy
and care which
he exercised in the compilation of his works.
The 4
original
Remarhs.
document, or at least an original docu-
— The Life and Acta
of St. Patrick
:
by Edmund L.
Dublin, 1809, printed for the Hibernian Press Company,
p. 205.
Swift, Esq.,
I
111.
of equal value
it
l
Professor
by
ami authenticity, was discovered
O'Curry
in
the
.Museum, in May, 1S49.
until
yet,
we began
to prepare material for the
present work, no attempt was or use
it
in
Our
any way.
and
made;
discovery was
hagiographers, most important
and
of the British
years have passed
to Irish archaeologists
memorable and,
since this
library
Twenty
made
either to translate
readers are indebted, as
we
have already remarked, to the eminent Celtic scholar,
W. M. Hennessy, translation
which
we have already very ancient MSS.
Colgan, as
had three first
and scholarly
Esq., for the accurate
will be given at the
end of
this volume.
observed, says that he
The
of the Tripartite.
of these, and the chief, was the very ancient copy
of the
O'Clery's,
ex vetustis merabnotis Cleriorum
antiquariorum in Ultonia; the second was that of the the third was an unknown O'Devrans in Leinster Codex
;
— "One
one giving in I
what the other omitted, and what the other gave in Latin."
relating Irish
Igan adds that he followed the manuscript
gave the narrative
at the greatest
most Latin,
contained the
account of the antiquity of the
lie
Length,
also
style, the
by antiquarians (antiquariorum)
which
and which
states
that,
on
work was used
as a text-bunk
m
their
and hence that many glosses and observations foreign to the original may have been, and probably
schools
;
were, interpolated into the original text.
As
to the authorship, Jocelyn stated,
»
Text.
-Colgan, Trias Thaum.
when he wrute
p. 1G9,
Life of St. Patrick.
56
in 1185, that a Life of St. Patrick
by
St.
Eimhin or Evin
;
and that
it
He
had been written
was written partly
in Irish
and partly in Latin.
this life
from those attributed to SS. Benignus, Mel,
Lennan, and Patrick, junior.
same as those used by Jocelyn.
distinguishes
Colgan says, that he
which he used were
believes the copies
to the
also
essentially the
It is evident, according
same authority, that the work was written by a The author's exact knowIrishman.
monk and an
ledge of tribes, families, territories, and places, are a sufficient evidence of the former.
wrote
inferred
is
The age
in
when the work was written, whose known not to have occurred later than
living
are
century;
as, for
which he
from frequent allusions to persons as
example, where he says of
obituaries
the sixth St. Fiacc:
"But none of them rose up to the servant of God except Dubthach O'Lugair, arch poet of the king and kingdom; and one young man of
his disciples,
(hodie) in the church of Sletty."
who
is
to-day
O'Curry has observed,
however, that this mode of speaking in the present tense,
the
which was used by distinguished
fifth
ecclesiastics of
and sixth centuries, continued to be used in
the eighth and ninth, and cannot be absolutely relied
upon
to determine a date.
It should also
be observed,
that St. Columbcille, St. Ultan, St. Aileran the St.
Adamnan,
St.
Wise,
Kieran, St. Colman, and others, are
cited in the Tripartite as the writers of St. Patrick's miracles, while it
may
no mention
is
well be believed, that
in its original form,
and that
made of St. Evin. But we have not got the Life many additions were made
57
O'Curri/'s Discovery of the Tripartite.
to
The antiquity
by transcriber
it
the idiom of which to the date at
is
which
referred,
of the language,
by the best
philologists,
testimony of
St. Eviii lived, the
Jocelyn in 1185, and the opinion of Colgan, access to
documents now
assigning the Life to
its
lost,
who had
are the best grounds for
reputed author.
O'Curry 8 also remarks, as an incidental testimony,
John O'Connell of Kerry, who wrote a long poem
that
on the History of Ireland, " Life of of
St. Patrick,"
in 1G50, refers to St. Evin's
which evidences a general opinion
existence.
its
The
festival of St.
Evin occurs on the 22nd of Decem-
In the Festology of iEngus the Culdee, he be-
ber.
seeches the intercession of St. Eimhin, the white or
He was
from the banks of the river Barrow.
lair,
the
founder of the original church or monastery of Mainister-JSimhin,
now
anglicised Monasterevan.
was a Minister man, and descended from
"It 504,
Olium, King of .Munster,
Oilioll
is
St.
Evin
in a direct line
who
died a.d. 234.
probable," says O'Curry, "that he was living in
and
Patrick,
that he had seen and
who had
conversed with St
only died eleven years before this
time, or in 493."
The copy the
British
of the Tripartite, discovered
Museum,
contains
which indicates the precise year scribed.
One cannot but
in
by O'Curry
in
following notice,
the
which
it
was tran-
regret that the copier did not
give some account of the manuscript which he used,
* U'
Curry.
— Manuscript
M.itcri.iK
p.
860)
Life of St. Patrick. but, perhaps,
much
not
it is
have gained in
to our
and devotion with which our ancestors treated
piety
such subjects
:
"
The annals
of the
in the year that this Life of Patrick
1477, and to-morrow night will be it is
advantage that we
accuracy by losing some of the
critical
in Baild
an Mhoinim
of 0' Troighthigh this
am.
I
It
Lord Jesus
was
Lammas was
Christ,
written, were
Eve, and
in the house
was written by Domhnall Alba-
nach O' Troighthigh, and Deo Gratias Jesus."
The O'Troighthighs were
originally natives of the
county Clare, and were a clan of some note. however,
impossible,
memorandum. for there
ties,
the
name
to
identify
The place were
many
of Baild an
the writer
It is
of
this
also presents equal difficul-
by
places in Ireland called
Mhoinim
(the village of the little
bog).
The short sketch the
Book
of
Armagh
of the is
life
of St. Patrick givr cn in
taken from the Tripartite
;
and
the annotations of Tirechan on St. Patrick's Life, found in the
same book
in Latin, were probably derived from
the same source.
Tirechan says he obtained his infor-
mation from the books and from the oral instructions of his predecessor, St. Ultan,
who
whose
disciple
he was, and
died a.d. 656.
The date and authenticity of the Book of Armagh
is
a subject of considerable importance in estimating and stating the authorities for the Life of St. Patrick, especially as it contains extracts
from the Tripartite
Life.
These extracts record miracles which would be credited
by modern
sceptics to the imagination of the compilers,
m
._>
jy
--^-^
+...'>
.^..j^-.j,
>
.~»T^,^rr3^HflBl
«-
The Book of Armagh. bad they appeared
As it them
is,
to
.00
narratives written at a later date.
the only resource for such critics
by
to the imagination of the saints
is,
to credit
whom
they
were performed.
The date is
of the compilation of the
decided by the
Book of Armagh
of the scribe, Ferdomnach, which
name
His death
appears in several parts of the volume.
known
to
" the wise
way
in
have occurred in 845, and he
and very admirable
scribe of
is
described as
The
Armagh."
which the name of the scribe has been ascer-
and the date discovered,
tained,
is
identification in both cases
is full
The
of interest.
was made by Dr. Graves,
the present Protestant Bishop of Limerick.
Soon
after the
Book of Armagh was deposited
in the
library of the Royal Irish Academy, this gentleman observed that numerous erasures had been made in it,
and
in the precise place
at the
end of certain
where
Irish scribes usually inserted their
articles,
Alter
names.
—
careful examination, the words Pro Ferdomnach ores was discovered. The same words pray for Ferdomnach
—
could also be traced in several other places
;
and
this,
combined withthenniformilyof the handwriting, which distinctis of extreme elegance, and remarkable for its ness and regularity,
at once decided the question of
authorship.
The next point was and when he
lived.
to discover
Two
entries
who
the scribe was,
were found
in
the
Annals of the Four Blasters of the obituaries of Bcribes Armagh of the same name. The first date was
of
s
a.
i>.
727, the second date was A.D. 845.
Colgan bad
—
enumerated the names of thirty or forty persons who held the office ofscriba, or scholasticus, in Armagh, but there were only
weak
By
two Ferdomnachs.
the use of a
of gallic acid in spirits of wine,
solution
Dr.
Graves partly revived the traces of the original writing of an important glass,
memorandum,
and, with a magnifying
he read some portions of
it.
obtain the information that the scribe
with some Heres
The result was to was contemporary
Patricii, or successor of St. Patrick, in
the see of Armagh, whose
name ended with
There
ach.
were three archbishops of Armagh whose name ended '$
thus in the time of the second Ferdomnach.
names were Foenselach, Commach, and Torbach.
The
space in which no letters could be recovered,
only
sufficient
room
showed that the
" ach" was probably " b," that " 1" or an
it
letter
certainly
Torbach held the primacy
on the 16th of July,
e
and a
preceding
was not an
"m." for a
year only, according
to the Catalogues of the Psalter of Cashel,
Gospel of
left
the latter name,
for the letters in
careful examination
i
These
St.
a.d.
808.
and he died
The writing
of the
Matthew, contained in the Book of Armagh,
recorded to have been finished on his festival day,
the 21st of September.
cluded that
it
Dr.
The memorandum has Graves
Graves, therefore, con-
must have been written been
thus
in the year 807.
restored
:
f domnach e rvm
.
.
h v n c lib. e dictante herede pat
r Torbach rich scripsit .
.
.
.
.
by
Dr.
i
Value of (he Book of Armagh.
Gl
The importance and value of the Book of Armagh be too highly estimated. The certainty of the date at which it was written gives us at once an
cannot
authentic testimony which cannot be disputed regarding
the Life of our great apostle.
who wrote
that those
It
was quite impossible
so near the time at which he lived
could have been in ignorance, or could have been in any
way deceived as to the circumstances of his life. work is not less valuable as giving evidence
And
this
general belief of the age, the very to
it
are
beyond
that the allusions
only incidental and not dogmatical proves question what the general belief was.
all
for at present
we
fact,
of the
we must confine ourselves
find that in the year
to
Thus,
one example,
SOS the Bishop of Armagh
is
styled the
Heres Patricii, the successor of St. Patrick, indeed was the custom from the time of St. Patrick
as
We
to the present day.
h
command
find also that obedience to the
of the Heres Patricii
was esteemed as sacred duty then as now, when the dictante Hen de Patricii was the motive power which induced the wis.' and
a
learned scribe, Ferdomnach, to transcribe the Gospel of St.
Matthew contained
Two
incidental
Craves, which
in the
Book of Armagh.
circumstances
tend
to
are
throw further
question of date and authorship.
noticed light
by Dr.
upon
the
Dr. Petrie found a
tombstone at Clonmacnoise, with the inscription
:
OROIT OR FERDOMNACH. both the character of the inscription and e cross to the ninth century.
It is
not
-
improbable that this
when he may have
831,
he
may have
been the tomb of the
Armagh was plundered by
gifted scribe.
may have
fled
retired at a
the Danes in
from that place, or possibly earlier period to
still
end
his
days in the monastery by the banks of the Shannon, as it
was customary
for ecclesiastics to
Wherever he
remote places.
for his soul a requiescat in pace. be, as
we can
come
thither
from
sleeps let us breathe forth
And
scarcely doubt, in the
and in the presence of God, he
even should he
Land
will not be
of Peace,
unmindful
of our prayer.
The pedigree
of a Ferclomnach, twenty-third in descent
from Conary More, monarch of Ireland, A.n. 158, has also
been discovered in the Book of Lecain.
thirty years to a generation,
Ferdomnach clown
to the
it
Allowing
brings the time of this
middle of the ninth century,
which coincides with the probable obituary of the
At
scribe.
the end of the Gospel of St. Matthew, the scribe
has written a Latin prayer, of which a translation :
is
—
given below " God, whose mercy
is infinite,
and whose holiness
passeth speech, with humble voice I have boldness to
implore that, like as Thou didst
Matthew
call
to be a
chosen apostle, from being a receiver of custom, so of
Thy compassion Thou during this
life
wilt vouchsafe to direct
into the perfect
way
;
my
steps
and place me
in
the angelic choir of the heavenly Jerusalem, that, on the everlasting
throne of endless joy, I
may
be deemed
worthy to join with the harmonious praises of archangels in
ascribing
honour to Thee
;
through Thine Only
V ~v
?-$c
+
v--
Booh of Armagh
St. Patrick's Life in
who
Begotten Son,
Eoly
It is
Thee in the unity of the
liveth with
throughout
Spirit,
noteworthy,
Amen."
all ages.
also, that the
Gospel of
St.
John
is
written on finer vellum, and with more delicate penman-
This
than the other portions of the work.
ship
observable, also, in other copies of the Gospels, indicates a special tribute
by
disciple, styled
The Book
of
to the beloved
John of the bosom."
Armagh commences with
memoir Then the
the
His Confession follows next.
of St. Patrick.
New
of honour
Celtic writers, "
is
and
Testament, the Gospels being given in the usual
order.
Where
The Acts
of the Apostles follow the Apocalypse.
names
of the twelve disciples are recorded in
the
the Gospel, the
word
trorjan, wretch, is written in the
margin opposite to the name of Judas
The
life
Patrick,
is
Iscariot.
of St. Martin of Tours, the uncle of St.
placed at the end of the volume, and
is
introduced, says Dr. Reeves, partly in connection with St.
Patrick's history,
tion in
which
St.
and partly because of the venera-
Martin was held in the ancient Church
of Ireland.
For many centuries it was Armagh was written by St.
believed that the
Book
of
Patrick himself, and this
widely-spread opinion, no doubt, contributed not a to the preservation of the volume.
It will
little
presently
be seen that the authority for this opinion was the fad that the
form,
Book of Armagh, ancient
was a copy of a work
obtained the
name
tare of Patrick
;
of
and
as
still
it
is
in its
older.
present
The book
Canoin Phadraig, or the in
937 we are
told,
scrip-
by the Four
—
Masters, that the Canon
was encased by
of Patrick
Donough, son of Flann, king of Ireland.
was probably the leathern it,
and which
custom
in
is
satchel
still
This case
preserved with It
was the
charters
on the
of undoubted antiquity.
times to
ancient
enter
margins or blank pages of the most valuable books in monastic
libraries.
"When Brian Boru
visited
Armagh
and again in 1006, he made valuable presents Brian's the Church, and ratified its privileges.
in 1004, to
secretary
confessor, or " soul friend," as confessors
and
were gracefully termed by the writers of that age, made an entry in the Book of Armagh for Brian, which may still be seen there, and which is thus translated :
" St. Patrick,
when going
to heaven, ordained that
the entire produce of his labour, as well of baptism and decisions, as of alms, tolic city,
macha. Thus Scots
:
was
to be debvered to the apos-
which, in the Scotic tongue,
This
I
is
have found
my
it
is
called
writing, namely, Calvus Perennis, in
the presence of Brian, sovereign of the Scots I
have written he decreed
Calvus Perennis
is
Ardd-
[stated] in the record of the
the Latinised
friend," Maolsuthian,
;
and what
for all the kings of Maceria."
name
of Brian's "soul
and Maceria, the Latin equivalent
for Cashel.
This book was used frequently
when solemn
oaths
were administered, and those who forswore themselves
were believed to be subject to a special vengeance. There are records of the book having been used for this purpose in 1179 and in 1196. this valuable
A
document appears
keeper, or custodian, of to
have been appointed
;
Norman
soon after the
invasion, probably to secure
from falling into English hands.
came
surname by the name which
to be called as a
tinguished his
office,
ami
in
it
In time the keeper dis-
142 7 Primate Swayne granted
an indulgence of forty days to
who should
all
assist
Maor
na Canoine (Moyre Nakanany, the keeper of the Canon) This officer became exact, of the Diocese of Armagh. and in nig, and required repression at a later period ;
1455 prohibitions were issued against paying certain exactions i
lustos
Winn was
L'ajulator Canonis
and the
Sir -lames "Ware wrote in IGoG, the
volume
demanded by the
Campanse.
held
still
by the MacMoyers.
guardian, Florence
MacMoyer, has
on a blank page, thus 1
Its left
possessor or
autograph
his
Liber Florentini Muire, June 29,
:
He was the last hereditary keeper of the volume
G62.
ami thus
authenticity
its
is
guaranteed from the eighth
century to the seventeenth.
The next account of the Book was found amongst papers of Edward Lhuyd, the eminent "Welsh
the
philologist,
was one Dr.
who
Oliver Plunkett;
MacMoyer pledged went over
to
the
men who gave and
Hook
England, when
Arthur Brownlow. his
Florence
died in 1709.
of the wretched
When
this
paper mentions that
for five
came
it
MacMoyer
evidence against
pounds when he
into the
hands of
the Wretched traitor died,
tomb was deserted; and although there were then Armagh, called Balli Moyre, in
eight tn\vnl:inds near
possession of the family, there the
name
of
Moyer
zzzg&dt&Ci
living
is
or
not an individual of
remembered
in
;
Life of St. Patrick.
now.
district
name
It is said that the
M'Guire
to
family changed the
after the traitor's death, to remove, in
some measure, the reproach of even bearing
The Book
Armagh remained
of
his
name.
in possession of the
Brownlow family from 1680 until 1847. In 1853, it was purchased by Dr. Beeves, the present Brotestant In rector of Tynan, from Mr. Brownlow, for £300. 1858, it was purchased from Dr. Beeves, for the same sum, by the then Brotestant primate, and placed by
him
in the Library of Trinity College, Dubliu.
It
must
ever be a subject of regret that this heirloom of Catholic
and devotion should have passed
tradition
hands of Brotestants; yet satisfaction that
it is
highly, and preserve
But,
it
was
it
into the
a matter of no
is
little
hands of those who value
it
carefully.
has already been remarked, that great as
the antiquity of the it
in the
it
Book
of
Armagh, the
Batrick himself
in the handwriting of St.
is
tradition that is
founded on a statement in the Book which shows that
some portions of script
it,
from age.
conjecture;
the present
it is
This antiquity
copied from a
of
all
is
no matter of literary
Armagh was
cavil, to
manu-
as even then almost
a matter of fact.
Book
proved, beyond
wT ere
by Ferdomnach
described
illegible
at least,
The date
at
which
written has been
have been not
later
than
a.d. 807.
The
Life of St.
Armagh was and he
Batrick contained in the
written
states that
Book
of
by Muirchu-Maccu-Mactheni
he wrote this
life
at the
command
Aedh, Bishop of Sletty, who died in 692.
We
of
find
~7\~ *OES«
thus, that the original
from which
copied by the compiler of the
Book
this
of
two hundred years older than the copy It
in that
should be observed here that the Life of
by Probus, already mentioned Colgan's collection, is evidently
Book
in the
that
document was
Armagh,
of
fully
is
Book. 7
St. Patrick,
the Fifth Life
as
in
an amended version of
A
Armagh, by Mactheni.
com-
parison of these Lives will at once decide this important question.
been
lost
It
happens, unfortunately, that a
has
folio
from the Book of Armagh; but the discovery
of identity of subject
and composition enables us
to
supply the deficiency from the Life by Probus, while it adds considerably to the value of his work that it should so fully agree, in the remaining portions, with this
most
ancient authority.
But the Book of Armagh contains another most important and equally ancient
document.
This
is
and Dr. Graves has remarked that " The Annotations of Tirechan were evidently becoming illegible at the time that Ferdomcalled the Annotations
nach's copy of indicated
them was made.
by notes
found
scribe
it
of Tirechan
This
is
sufficiently
which show that the read the manuscript from
in the margin,
difficult
to
which he was transcribing." bered, that
;
Ferdomnach
Let
it
be again remem-
wrote in the year 807; and
if
the manuscript from which he copied was then old and following is the note occurring at the end of the summary of " H.xc pauca de Sancti Patricii peritia et virtutibus Muirchu MaccuThe Machtheni dictante Aiduo Slebtieusis civitatis episcopo, conscripsit." Life. summary has been, it is supposed, placed by miatakc at the end of the 1
Book.— The
contents
It is
:
headed Annotation t.s Aiw.
./A
$<>
Life of St. Patrick.
worn, the value of the copy which he made, and which remains, can scarcely be over-estimated.
still
command
Tirechan wrote by the Ardbraccan, 8
Ultan of
of St.
died at an advanced age, A.D. G57.
who
Tirechan speaks of himself as belonging to a family specially dedicated to
styled the
alumnus
God and
Patrick
St.
;
he
is
vel discipulus of St. Ultan.
also
The
work was written before the death of St. Ultan, so that the date of its compilation
This
is
ascertained
There
is
may
an ancient
also
be precisely ascertained.
by a statement
in the
tract
work
itself.
on the Life of
St.
Patrick in the Leabhar Breac, which Petrie describes as " the oldest history
and best
now
Irish
manuscript relating to Church
and which
preserved,"
is
characterized
by
O'Curry as of great interest and importance, and presenting "the chief collection of religious compositions
which are extant in the
The
Hymn
published in the
and, we much fear, the last, fasciHymnorum, can scarcely be classed
first,
culos of the Liber
amongst
Irish language."
of St. Sechnall in honour of St. Patrick,
his biographies.
recorded in
it,
panegyric on,
No
special historic facts are
and it is obviously intended merely as a or commemoration of, the virtues of the
saint.
We
now
have
authenticity,
given ample evidence of the value,
and antiquity of the material
that 8
sco
we may both
Ardbraccan.
"The
— For
for the Life
It
only remains for us to pray
write
and read that Life in the
of our great Apostle.
some account
of
the piety aud charity of this
Illustrated History of Ireland."
Sai;:t,
ll St. Piitrick's
bumble, devout, and loving
who
considered
it
Birthplace.
GO
spirit of those ancient saints
and
their greatest glory
their highest
r-ry
privilege to be children of Patrick
and children of Rome.
They were not of the number of those who adorned the sepulchres of the saints, and dishonoured their
by refusing to follow their example saints
own
who wrote
of saints, and so cast the halo of their
sanctity around each line which they penned, thus
speaking to the heart far
memory
rather were they
;
in a
way
in
which we, who are so
beneath them, cannot hope to do.
There
is
no question of the identity at
least
of
the general locality which claims the honour of being
the birthplace of St. Patrick.
The
portant authority on this subject
first is
and most im-
the saint's
own
Confession, the authenticity 9 of which has never been
doubted.
In this brief document he briefly states his
—"
Patrem habui Calphumium Diaconum, quondam Potiti Presbyteri, qui fuit in vico Bonavem TabernisB." "My father was a deacon, pornius, the son of the late Potitus, a presbyter, who The resided in the village of Bonavem Taberniae." parentage f
ilium
I
ancient Lives of St. Patrick, being this
9
Confession,
Authenticity,
all
founded upon
have added thereto whatever
— There are now in
infor-
existence four ancient manuscript copies
Patrick's Confeeeioo, One of these is contained in the Book of Armagh, the value and authenticity of which has been fully proved the second is in the two the Library of the British Museum, and is part of the <'..tt"ti MSS. ;
;
Ware, Usher, Tillemont, the The taut document. by the Bollandiata existed until the time of the French the famous French monastery of St Vedastus, but it has sine*
others arr in the Bodleian Library, at Oxford, Bollandists, to., all agree in their cstimi; 1
Revolution in disappeared.
i
have been able to obtain by research or
oiation they
The Book
personal knowledge.
Armagh, undoubtedly
of
the most ancient authority, adds that Potitius was the
son of Odissius, corresponding in other respects with the Bollandist version. first
Armagh
be remembered that the
It will
page of the Life of
St.
Patrick in the Book of
has been lost; but as that
corresponds so
life
closely with the Tripartite, the omission can be easily
supplied.
The
Tripartite,
translated
Hennessy from the " Patrick
commences thus.
was of the Britons of Alcluaid by
He was
Calphurnae was his father's name.
Conceis was his mother's name.
was a deacon.
was of the Franks, and a sister moreover, the person,
few
lines are
was born."
up
which
in Latin,
in
difference of expression, with a general
No
grandfather
is
:
1.
1
Tower.
some
slight
agreement of
is
is
an
said to
1
Britain,
which the
tions as the country of his parents
2
is
which
The whole question turns on the three places
Further
state that St.
mentioned, but there
explanation of the word Nemthur, celestial tower.
She
Nemthur.
In Colgan's Latin translation there
subject.
title
In Neinthur,
to Martin.
St. Patrick,
added
Patrick was brought
mean a
origin,
a noble
Fetid was his grandfather's name, whose
priest.
on, a
Work by Mr.
this
for
original Celtic,
2 ;
identification of
saint himself 2.
men-
Bonavem Taber-
— Colgan, 117. — " Ut iterum post paucos annos in Britarmiis eram cum parent!-
Parents.
bus meis," &c.
p.
m.
—
near which he says that his family resided
aire,
;
3.
Nemthur, which appears to be the name of the place where St. Patrick was captured. It has already been observed,
would but
that in
be,
the
will be necessary to
it
Work
present
all
controversy
as far as possible, restricted to the notes,
present case,
the whole
make an
exception in the
question being one of con-
siderable interest.
Those who have written on the subject, from Colgan's time to the present day, appear to have completely overlooked the distinct statement of Britain
was the country of
his parents,
St.
Patrick, that
though he does not
say that he was born there, and to have satisfied themselves with
more or
two other
the
less
places.
simply valueless, until
it
ingenious attempts to identify
But these has
first
identifications are
been ascertained what
Patrick himself indicated by the name of The most natural and obvious inference, at first sight, would be that some part of England was intended. A theory was at one time started that the
country
St.
Britain.
saint
might have been born
called Brittany this
;
in
name was not occupied by
middle of the
that part of France
but the province which at present bears
fifth
century.
Dr. Lanigan was the
the Bretons until the
3
first to
suggest that the birth-
place of St. Patrick should be sought for in the north of
France, and not, as Usher had so strongly urged, in 1
—
Lobineau says, in his ITistoire de Bretagnt^ Paris, 1707 "The about the epoch of the establishment of the Bretons in that part nf name of Bretagne." The Welsh Triads state that the Britons of Great Britain came from this district. Century.
year 458
:
is
ancient Armorica which at present bears the 1
*w®
]&l.
—
Colgan,
Britain.
was a
tradition
among
indeed,
acknowledged there
the inhabitants of Armorica
that St. Patrick had been born in their country, but
he passes
it
Dr. Lanigan,
over Lightly.
who devoted
special attention to the subject
which the Franciscan
monk
less
probably considered
clearly
cation of
A
of
importance,
has
established his theory, so far as the identifi-
Bonavem
Tabernise.
4 History of the Morini was published in 1639 by
the Jesuit Malbrancq, in which there are
on the subject of
Here
of Boulogne.
mained at Boulogne his Irish mission,
is
it
for
two chapters
connection with the see
St. Patrick's
stated that St. Patrick re-
some time before he
and that he was occupied
set out
on
in preaching
against the Pelagian heresy.
It is also affirmed that
he was bishop of Boulogne.
This
mistake
;
but
St.
Patrick
may
is,
undoubtedly, a
have remained there a
short time after receiving episcopal consecration,
when
journeying towards Ireland.
The country
was included 5
of the Morini
in the dis-
1 Published.— De Morinis et Morinomm rebus.—/. Malbrancq. 5 Included. "It will not, I think, be denied that under the name of Armoric Gaul was comprised the country of the Morini, or the tract in which Boulogne is situated ... in olden times the whole extent of the maritime district of Western Gaul was called Armorica?, in so much that even Aquitaia was distinguished by that name. Hirtius, the continuator of Csesar's Commentaries, tells us that cities near the ocean, in the extreme boundaries of The people, says Camden, which in old time Gaul, were called Armoricae. inhabited the sea-coast of Gaul nearest to Britain, were, in their own lan-
—
guage, called Morini.
Now mor
is,
in
British,
the sea.
The Britons
call
such as live upon the sea-coast Morinwyr as Aremorica in the old Gaulish, and now in the British, signifies by the sea-side. In process of time the name became gradually confined to the tract between the Seine and the Loire, and in after ages was still more limited, being understood of the ;
country
now
called Brittany."
Lanigan,
vol.
i.
p. 97.
'I
—
trict '-.
known
as
;
Armoric Gaul, and there was
statement of
and
Britain,
St.
Patrick
that
his
parents
in the tradition that the saint
that part of Gaul where there
in this
Hence we have
district a clan called Brittani.
was a
in the
lived
in
belonged to
known we may look
tribe or clan
as the Brittani, a fair presumption that
here for further identifications. ':,
Before
we proceed
some
to identify the localities,
arguments must be brought
to
show that North Britain
could not have been the place intended by St. Patrick
%
when he spoke
We
of Britain as his paternal home.
should thus strengthen considerably the proofs already
given that he indicated that part of France
known
as
the district of the Brittani.
In the saint's epistle to Coroticus, he states that he
was of noble father
birth according to the flesh,
was a
decurio.
quently to 410,
8
Now,
St. Patrick's father
a decurio in North Britain.
A
date 410, says
"Rome was
M
is
and that
his
clear that, subse-
could not have been
Bede, writing under the
:
sacked [fracta est] by the Got lis
and sixty-fourth year from
Romans
it
its
in
the ten hundred
foundation, and from that time the
ceased to rule in Britain.
From
that time the part of
Britain belonging to the Britons was entirely deprived of armed soldiers, military stores,
and the flower of
drawn away by the rashness and was thus exposed to hence for
many
its
youth, who, being
of the tyrants, never returned
home
rapine, being ignorant of the art of
war
;
years they groaned under the ravages of two fierce
—
Gibbon
also says
:
" Whilst Italy was ravaged by the Goths, and a succession of feeble tyrants oppressed the provinces
beyond the Alps, the British
body of the Roman Empire.
island separated itself from the
regular forces which guarded that remote province
withdrawn
dually
;
had been
The gra-
and Britain was abandoned, without defence,
the Saxon pirates, and the savages of Ireland and Caledonia." 8
to
Thus we have ample proof of a
fact of
which the most
ordinary scholar could scarcely be ignorant, that no
Roman
decurio could have held office as such in North
Britain at the time
that date there
when
was not a
Patrick was born.
St.
Roman
single
and even when the Roman power was
land,
At
legion in Engat its height
in that country, its authority scarcely extended north
the wall of Severus.
Roman
of.
It is therefore impossible that a
magistrate could have lived there in state, culti-
vating farms and attended by numerous domestics. It
Irish
may also
be observed as a collateral proof, that the
and Scots were on friendly terms
hence
it is
or pillaging expedition
the former against the that the
history
at this period;
most improbable that any extensive foray
Irish
would have been latter,
while
it
carried out is
by
a matter of
undertook several important
expeditions to Gaul, and carried from thence numerous captives.
St.
Ireland to his r
8
—
Patrick, in writing of his escape from
own
country,
North. Caledonia.— Decline and Fall
makes use
Bede's Ecclesiastical History, of the
1.
i.
Roman
of language
which
cap. xi-xii.
Empire,
vol. v. ch. Si.
Identification of St. Patricks Britain. his
would be entirely incompatible with the idea that
There can be no doubt*
family then resided in Scotland.
was the county Antrim
that the place of his captivity
now
;
he mentions that he had to travel two hundred
miles to reach the port from which he escaped, so that
He
he must have proceeded to the south of Ireland.
wai
thru three days at sea, and after landing travelled
twenty- eight days through a desert country.
It
is
for
clear
from this statement that the journey must have been to France.
Colgan remarks that the name Britain, as applied to part of Belgium and the north-west of Gaul, was well
understood not only in the time of later age.
In a
life
of St. Furseus
crossed the sea to go to
St.
Patrick but at a that having
it is said,
Rome, he
arrived in the pro-
vince of Britain, and proceeded through the district of
Ponthieu, a maritime tract in Picardy, near Boulogne. It is is
subsequently explained that this province of Britain
called
by the moderns Normandy.
that a portion of this country
Hence it is evidi was known for a cor
able period as Britain, and that the
name
referred to the province of Brittany,
The
lost its original appellation.
Britain referred to
by
St. Patrick,
at
could nol be
which has never
district of
which the
and by the biographer
of St. Furseus formed a part, eventually obtained the
name is
of Neustria.
called Neustria
Even
Sufficient evidence has
show that district
in
by Latin
modern times Normandy
writers.
now been brought forward
St. Patrick's Britain
in the
to
was undoubtedly some
north of France.
It
only remains to
WEH.
—
l
Mfiiil(iiii|i|(>i'ffl
BSw wBaiS
1
j
Life of St. Patrick. identify as far as possible the sites which he mentions.
One other
difficulty
which Dr. Lanigan has amplyIn his Confession
elucidated must, however, be noticed. St.
Patrick says that he wished to go into Britain to see
his family,
and as
far as
Gaul
to visit his brethren, so
From
that he might see the faces of the Lord's saints.
mention of Britain and Gaul as if they only distinct but distant from each not were places other, it has been argued that Britain could not be in this distinct
But Dr. Lanigan disposed of
France.
the simple
\'c-
remark that
this difficulty
by
:
"Belgic Gaul was quite distinct from the real and properlycalled Gaul,
thanged into Galli.
Maine and
Celts, the
which comprised only the country of the
name hy which they Seine, as
It it
and which the Eomans
called themselves,
was separated from Belgium by the was from Aquitain by the Garonne.
rivers
The
languages, laws, and institutions of these three countries were different."
Thus
it
would appear that the
Patrick
fact of St.
having distinguished between Britain and Gaul shows his intimate
acquaintance with that country, as
a distinction which a foreigner
make
obviously, also,
;
if
would not be
it
he wished to see " the faces of
make
his Gallic brethern, his Lord's saints," he should
a considerable journey southward from his truly, if
was
likely to
home
and,
;
he proceeded southward to Tours or to Lerins,
he would, indeed, have found his brethren, and those
whose names are enrolled in the glorious catalogue of the Church's triumphs.
The n W
|
l
J1
i
!
l
'
first site
53BW*"l" "l"Wff » W l
l
which we must identify
HW W "WM Wfl W l
l
l
Ya, ftim ii| jn
i
iii
, i
is
that
i.Miia*f i|Tpi
V^ZXvM SSKSS
|
w
men-
W
-'f
ii
i"m :
f
i ;
ii
;
T
o
#, ,CXi Identification of
by
tioned
words as
show the
An
if two
and
is
was one town and
Mer
is
It
but
it
would be
it
is
to maintain
as one
as Dr.
as
Boulogne
city
and
Lanigan has
identical with the present Boulogne.
The word Tabernise
Bonavem was
Bonavem
Bonavem,
Taberniae as another.
camp.
another, as
Patrick intended
;
mentioned by the saint9
himself should surely be conclusive, and
amply proved,
much
acumen
real critical
little
rational for a future archaeologist to insist that
that St.
of his
separate places were intended, with
which the name
in
commencement
attempt has been made to divide the
of learning,
way
at the
Patrick,
St.
Confession.
Bonavem-Tabcntur.
either refers to the district in
situated, or indicates that
was probably included
which
Bonavem was
in the district
a
which
surrounded the city of Taruanna, the modern Therouenne,
and which was
called
Tarvanensis regio.
The
authors of the most ancient Lives of St. Patrick concur in referring the
w/
severed
word
to the
proximity of a
Eoman encampment. In England the Roman camps were generally known as castra, whence we have so many names compounded with the word chester. In France the Roman stations were
Tabernce, the verbal distinction indicating
called
the fact that the
Roman power
in
England was rather
that of garrisons in a country of doubtful allegiance
while in France the Roman power was established, and merely required the ordinary support of its military. •
Saint.
will be
— Ut
shown
viilerem faciem Sanctorum Domini mei. The Breviaries, as generally favour the theory of St. Patrick's nativity in
later,
Brittania, but without
Uaul or Scotland.
any attempt to identify the Brittauia as either
in
:
Boulogne was an important
the principal
camp
of the
station.
Roman army
The country round
France.
Eoman
It
was
which Julius Csesar invaded England, and
the port from
still
" streets," or roads, which that people
The town
they formed a settlement.
in the north of
manifests traces of the
made wherever
itself
was
originally
designated Gessoriacum, but in the reign of Constantine the Celtic
name Bonavem, or Bonavan, was latinized and came into general use. The town
into Bononia,
was
so called from being situated on a river, Aur, Aven,
or On, signifying a river in the Celtic language.
1
Before investigating the identity of the other sites
mentioned by the biographers of the
saint, it
may
site is
thus described by Innes
—
chiales "
Of
2
in his
be
The
interesting to give a brief account of Kilpatrick.
Origines Paro-
the places in various parts of Scotland, including six parishes
in the diocese of
Glasgow, which derived their appellation from the
Apostle of Ireland, the most ancient and distinguished was certainly
Kylpatrick in Lennox. Clyde,
is
The
parish, lying
on the right bank of the
bounded on the north by the Kilpatrick
hills,
which
approach very near the river at the place where stood the old church and village of Kilpatrick. born.
Here,
it
is
said St. Patrick
was
His own words in the Book of Confessions' ascribed to him, '
Language. — The names of rivers are of special value in historical investiThey are the memorials of the very earliest races. A very large of French river-names contain the root a/en or aven. In England, the word, from a generic name, has become proper, thus we have the Avon as the proper name of a river in several countries. The word itself is coguate to the Sanscrit root ap, water. Thus we have the Punj-a&, or the land of five rivers. (See Philological Transactions for 1855. Astruc's Hist, de Lauguedoc, and Pott. Etymologisch Forsch.) 1
gations.
number
*
Innes.
— Origines Parochiales,
vol.
ii.
p. 20.
—
Description of Kilpatrich anil corroborated
by other accounts,
who was
a deacon,
are,
'
70
My father was
Calpurnius,
the son of Potitus, a presbyter, of the village of
Bonaven, of Tabernia.'
Jocelin of Furncs,
who wrote
about
his life
the end of the twelfth century, from several very ancient accounts, says that station,
'
the territory was called Taburuia, from
and that
The
the Irish Sea.'
being a
its
Roman
was by the town of Nempther on the shores of
it
best authorities agree in applying this descrip-
where the Roman wall terminated.
tion to Kylpatrick,
"St. Patrick was born about 372, and went to Gaul and Italy
about the end of the fourth century he continued there about thirty;
five years,
Ml
during which he studied for eighteen years under St.
Germanus, and afterwards visited St. Martin of Tours, the brother, or more probably the uncle of his mother Conquessa. He returned when past sixty to preach the Gospel in Ireland, to which country he had been carried captive said to have
and 3,000
'
in his youth.
A
saint so famous,
priests,'
would not be long without a memorial
place of his birth ; but the early history of this district
we have no
and who
is
founded 365 churches, and ordained as many bishops,
is
in the
obscure, and
transaction recorded in connection with the church here
until about the
end of the twelfth century
;
some time previous to
which Alwin, Earl of Lennox, had confirmed to the church of Kilpatrick all the lauds of Cochinach, Edinbernan, Baccan, Finbealach, Drumcrene, Graguentalach, Monachkenneran, Drunitechglunan, Cuiltebut, Dalcrenach, granted by his predecessors, and
had himself added the land of Cateconuen."
Begist. de
Pa
p. 157.
" Before 1227,
Kilpatrick, which
Maldoven, Earl of Lennox, granted the church of
had been
istery of Paisley,
The
benefice
so richly
endowed by
where he chose
continued
the
his
own
property of
his family, to the
place of sepultun-.
the
abbey
till
the
Reformation.
"The
site of
the ancient church seems to have been the same at
that of Old Kilpatrick in 1703, which '
a very ancient building.'
is
was described
in that
In the river Clyde opposite to
it
year as '
there
a large stone or rock, visible at low water, called St. Patrick's
|
jM
connected with a legend
stone,'
upon
it
struck
St. Patrick's vessel
that
'
in full sail on setting out to Ireland,
and sustained no
injury.'
"
as anciently belonging to the church
The lands mentioned above
were, at the end of the twelfth century, held
Beda Ferdan (who
large house of wattle),
by a person named
Monachkenneran, on the Clyde, in a
lived at
and three other persons, who were bound, and entertain pilgrims or strangers coming
for all service, to receive
to the
not
Church of
From some
St. Patrick.
defect of
which can-
title,
detected, these lands were the subject of continual
now be
disputes between the
monks
of Paisley and those claiming right
through the family of Lennox.
"Dumbarton must have been one sin
settlements in Scotland of
its
;
but
that
all
of
is
the earliest
known
Christian
of the constitution
church during the existence of the kingdom of Strathcluyd,
of which
was the
it
capital, is
bishop taking their style from
it
an intimation of a bishopric and in the sixth century.
The annals
of Ulster record the death of Cathal MacFergus, bishop of Alcluyd, in 554.
"
The
Dumbarton
parish of
is
distinguishable by
castle-rock rising abruptly from the level it is
joined by the Leven at
inland the parish
is fiat,
its
bank
southern extremity.
and then
rises into
its
remarkable
of the Clyde,
where
For two miles
high moorland at
its
northern boundary. " In 1296
it
was a
Dumbarton, swore the church, with
Kilwinning,
who
free rectory.
fealty to all
its
Allan de Dunfres, the parson of
Edward
I.
continued to
cure would seem to have been served chaplains. St. Patrick,
in
The chapel
In the following century
was given to the monks of possess it till the Reformation. The
pertinents,
of
Dumbarton
and the parish church,
by the monks or Castle
their
was dedicated
also a collegiate church,
to
founded
1450 by Isabella, Duchess of Albany and Countess of Lennox, was
dedicated to this saint also. chapel and an
were patrons.
endowed
It
had an hospital
for
bedesmen, with a
chaplainry, of which the Earls of
Lennox
"
The town of Dumbarton, the
Strathcluyd,
kingdom
capital of the ancient
of
one of the oldest towns of which wo have authentic
is
whose
site
can
Guivet, 'king of Alcluoith.'
In
historical record,
now be G93,
In G57 died
identified.
Donald M'Alpin, king
of
In 731, the Venerable Bede describes Alcluith as
Alcluoith, died.
the capital of the Britons of that district (civitas Britonum muni-
In 756, Eadberht and Unst, kings of the Picts,
tissima).
army
against
'
led an
the City of Alcluth, and there imposed terms of
submission on the Britons' (Ann. Uls. Chron. of pr. of Wales).
799
recorded the burning of Alucloith
is
following year,
pr. of
Stnithcluyd went to
Wales).
Rome
sovereigns or their kingdom. castle
In
and in 8G9 and the
was besieged and demolished by the Northern
it
Pagans (Chron. of
around the
;
;
In 974, Dunwallen, the king of
(lb.)
We
The
ancient
hear no more of these
town assuredly grew up
but the neighbouring and dependent port has
drawn the buildings of the modern burgh
in that direction."
It is evident that a respectable tradition
connected
Patrick with Alcluaith from a very early period,
St.
and there can be have existed
doubt that some reason must
little
for this.
A
very ancient Irish authority
will
be quoted presently which throws an important
light
on the whole question.
Some
conjectures 3 have been
a supposed
site
an interpolation are
called ;
father
Book
had of
St.
in reference to is
probably
hence, any attempts at identification
mere waste of
Confession,
made
Enon, but the word
In some versions of the
time.
Patrick
is
made
to
say
lived at a villa called Enon,
that
his
but in
the
Armagh, the Cotton MS. and the MS. of '
Conjectures.
— Essays on Religion and Literature.
-r
;'>',ii^.
St.
used by the Bolandists,
Veclast,
tioned at
had a
father]
Patrick's
is
:
[St.
[Bonavem
farm near
little
not men-
For he
was captured.
Tabernise] where I
The
name
this
and the passage runs thus
all,
Hymn of St. Fiacc
says expressly that St. Patrick
Nemthur, and
was born
at
demands
consideration.
which
this is the third place
It
should be remarked that
Patrick does not say that he was born at Bonavem,
St.
but merely states that his father resided there, and that he was captured in the neighbourhood.
Todd
evidently
inclined
to
Hence, Dr.
opinion
the
that
St.
Patrick might have been born in Scotland, although he
was captured in Gaul. But the fact power having already been overthrown indeed
it
of the
Boman
in Scotland,
if
could ever be said to have been established
there, militates against this view.
The
Tripartite,
simply that
4
and the
Hymn
of St. Fiacc
5
Patrick was born in Nemthur.
St.
Second and Third Lives give two
state
The
different places the
honour of being his native town, the writers having evidently compiled their narrative from several sources,
and with the utmost of each
4
—
In Nemthur, moreover, the person St. Patrick was born. Hennessy's translation from the original Irish, at the end of this
Tripartite.
(See Mr.
simplicity, giving the statement
without observing that they by no means
Work.) Fiacc. — Patrick was born at Emptur (his that history relates to — (Translated in the Irish Ecclesiastical Record, March, 186S.) Monsignor more accuadds, in a note — The name of our Apostle's birthplace — " In a village, the name rately given as follows in a very ancient Irish MS. 6 St.
it is
;
us.
Moran
is
:
:
of
which
is
Ilumia, in Britain, near the city of Empter," &c.
—
Scholiast on Fiacc's Ifi/mii. coincided."
the
The Fourth Life makes Nemthur a town
Campus Taberni;o,
tower,
interpreting
Nemthur
as a
in
eel. sstial
and adducing the frequently rejected idea that Roman encampmcut. Probus, in
Taberniae indicated a
the Fifth Life, asserts that St. Patrick was born in Britanniis, that his father was a native of the village 01
Bannave, of the region of Tabernia, near the western
sea.'
He
name
says also that the vicus Bannave
where giants once dwelt.
Xeutria,
was
in
Neustria was the
of the province which lay between the
Meuse and no doubt was the Neutria of Probus Indeed, there are numerous misprints in Colgan, and it is more than probable that the omission of the s may be the Loire,
and
this
referred to this cause. It is just possible that the Scholiast
on Fiacc's Hymn,
preserved along with the copy of that document in the College of St. Isidore, at Rome, gives the true version of the whole matter.
It
runs thus
:
" This was the cause of the servitude of Patrick
:—They
all
went
from the Britons of Alcluaid, across the Iccian Sea, southwards, on a journey to the Britons who are on the Sea of Icht— namely,
the Britons of Letha, because they had brethren [relatives] there at that time. Now, the mother of these children, namely, Conches,
was of the Franks, and she was a
8
Coincided.— Natus eat igitur
natus est in illo
y
in illo
Campo Taburne.— Vit-c
oppido Nemthur nomine.
sister to
Martin.
At
oppido Nemthur nomine.
2, p. 4.
Natus est
Patricias natus est in
that time
Patricks
igitur Patricius in
Campo
Tabernia?
— Vit
3, p. 6. '
Western sea,— "
occidentali."
De
vico
Jocelyn has
Bannave Tiburniaj
"mare Hibernicum."
regionia,
haud procul a mari
Life of St. Patrick. came seven sons of Sectmaide, king of Briton, Britons
;
from the
in ships
and they made great plunder on the Britons
—
viz.,
the
Britons of Armuric Letha, where Patrick with his family was, and
they wounded Calpuirnn there, and carried off Patrick and Lupait
with them to Ireland."
In this account
we have what
looks very like a clear
explanation of apparently conflicting statements. cpiite
It is
impossible not to give weight to the concurrent
testimony of the
saint's
having had some connection
with Alcluaid, the modern Dumbarton. has not mentioned his birthplace. that his father bad property at that he
was taken captive
It is evident,
from the
Patrick
St.
simply observes
Bonavem
Tabernise,
and
there. saint's
family were noble and wealthy. victorious over all nations,
He
own
account, that his
The Eoman
had obtained peace
people,
for their
empire, which might then, indeed, be almost described as the world.
They had given peace
to the
Church
hence Christian families were enabled to accumulate
also,
worldly wealth, though not always to their spiritual
There
advantage. Potitius for
is
no reason
several generations.
wife,
why
the property of
might not have been in possession of his family It is
past question that his
Conchessa, was the sister or near relative of
Martin of Tours.
Yet
all this
by no means
St.
militates
against the supposition that St. Patrick's father might
have resided
Roman
for a
few years at Alcluaid.
The great
wall terminates at Kilpatrick, the site which a
respectable
amount
of tradition assigns as tbe birthplace
rhNliI
i
1
5 '#
£ of St. Patrick.
Nor
is it difficult
If the family of Potitius
Bonavem,
Potitius, after his
may have gone
to Alcluaid
The
for
some years at
marriage with Conchessa,
on military business con-
nected with the withdrawal of the that place.
to account for this.
had resided
Eoman
forces
Scholiast expressly states
from
that the
family went
"from the Britains of Alcluaid to the Britons of Letha, 8 because they had relations there at
that time."
r^
This bears out our theory.
not given, resided for some time at Alcluaid but it ; was not their permanent abode. They had relatives among the Britons of Letha, and thither they came. Potitius
had
his family estates there.
her saintly relative, Martin.
home was
Conchessa had Without doubt the family
in Brittany, but there
is
a possibility that the
family, or at least St. Patrick's parents
p
The home and
paternal estates of the family were at Bonavem. St. Patrick's father and mother, for some reason which is
may have
resided
for a time at Alcluaid.
The
Scholiast also clears
up
all difficulty
place where the saint was taken captive, fold use of the
observed, go to
word
from
Briton.
is
let it
be again
the Britons of Alcluaid southward
the Britons of Letha.
of St. Patrick
The family,
about the
and the two-
related,
Farther on, where the capture
we have
the distinction clearly
drawn once more. 8
Letha.— The name Letha, or Latium, was applied by the early Irish writers to Armorica, or Brittany, as well as to Italy. Armorica was called Northern Letha ; Italy, Southern Letha 'Curry, p. 502.
fe'
" The king of Britain 9 came in ships from the Britons and they made great plunder on the Britons, viz. the Britons of Armurie ;
:
Letha."
We No
have
as yet.
If
was another name
it
barton, the difficulty Irish
MS.
in Trinity College, Dublin,
Britain,
in
been made
for Alcluaid or
it
is
Dum-
In an old
would be removed.
Patrick was born "in a village the
Hurnia,
Nemthur.
to deal with the place called
still
satisfactory identification of this site has
said that St.
name
of which
near the city of Ernpter."
is
An
attempt has been made to identify Nemthur by contra-
vening the high authority of Eugene O'Curry with regard
No
to the initial letter of the word.
doubt,
consonant might be used for any other,
no account, and
the syllables of words
if
Nemthur may be converted
who
prefer a
may
subject
into
is
no
is
'Britain.
solution.
indubitable.
being connected with Alcluaid
is
but those
is
a difficulty of
1
The evidence
of his
equally strong.
and simple statement of the Scholiast
— This
Factunichias.
;
in favour of St. Patrick having been
The evidence
some petty
any one
may be reversed,
Tournahem
prefer to admit that it
born at Nemthur
clear
if
vowels are of
more scholarly method of treating the
which, at present, there
The
if
is all
Colgan has translated "king" is called Sectmaide. The name cannot be identified, and probably was that
chief
who
it
of
led the plundering expedition.
— In
Essays on Religion and Literature, an attempt has been Any valuable remarks in the paper in this style. Patrick are taken, with scant acknowledgments, Colgan is mis-quoted, and the Second from Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History. 1
Solution.
made
to identify
Nemthur
on the birthplace of St. Life
is
called the First.
the more valuable from the absence of any attempt at controversy
;
for it
>.o>
merely states as a
fact,
Patrick was born at Alcluaid, that his family
that St. left
that
place and went to their relations in Britain, and that St.
Patrick was captured there.
The
real difficulty
has
arisen from the mistake of supposing that St. Patrick
was born where he was captured. If the Scholiast on Fiacc's Hymn, as preserved in the College of Isidore, can be proved to be very ancient, it
must, undoubtedly, carry considerable weight.
whole subject
is
which happily even
if
one open to controversy, and is
not of grave
importance.
But the it is
one
Indeed,
the Scholiast could be proved an unquestionable
authority, the question
might
still
be asked whether
Patrick might not have been born in Gaul, and taken, at an early age, with his parents to Scotland. St.
The
gelization.
Son of God, the
birth of the Eternal
mightiest of events, produced a chain of circumstances
which influence the destinies of individuals and of nations to the present hour.
The Creator
A
of
the
Adam came
first
himself to
second Adam, the fault of his creature.
repair, as the
new garden
of Paradise was brought into existence,
or rather should
we say
were re-opened.
.Man had refused the painless obedience
the gates of the old garden
He was now
of his primeval state.
to learn that
by
painful obedience only could he obtain the prize which he
had
to
remove these
own
and thorns had taken the place
Briars
rejected.
of the Tree of Life,
and men were needed brave enough
briars
and thorus, not only from
had created he not been
man was all-powerful how could the creature have been
so,
from the depths to which he had fallen
%
did more than cure.
new
food was given to
to eat,
It
renovated,
man which
so perfect that
renewed.
A
he was commanded
and by partaking of which he becomes one with
his Creator.
great reality.
Human
words must ever
man
this surpassing bles.sedne.~- can
that eateth me, even
Thus
as
with the
fall
short of the
The words of Him who conferred upon
"He
Christ,
it
raised
The remedy
?
The healing was
surpassed the disease. it
their
He who and all-loving. Had
path, but also from the paths of others.
lie
alone explain
shall live
it.
by me."
men became permeated more and more
I.
and they
i,
they desired to do the works of
thirsted,
in
their
m
He
>>>
Life of St. Patrick
impart the knowledge of this
thirsted, to
Humanity, weary of
"Unknown God," now pined
erected,
and there rays of
to
its
life
to others.
worshippings of the
which many an
for light,
its
and
and the
altar
had been
light came.
Here
eternal splendour were cast on lands
from those great shores where the True Light
far distant
shone in
itself,
its
pure refulgence.
To some, clear intimation was given that the light had come to others ever deepening shadows indicated the presence of light elsewhere. To a few that light was ;
and they knew the only Begotten,
shown
in all its glory,
full of
grace and truth
;
to a
few
also faint rays of its
blessedness shone across the darkness
by which they were
surrounded, and dim glimpses of truth radiated across the long night of error.
The coming of the true light made itself felt in many ways and in many places. Heathen oracles, where men had long sought that knowledge of the future, which is one of the deepest and most insatiable of human desires,
told
of a
coming One whose power should Even the very dispensation and
overthrow their own.
ceremonial appointed by
God Himself
which mankind might be educated
as a
means by
for a higher worship
spiritual form of religion, even this also by and portent declared that another dispensation had commenced. The veil of the Temple was rent at the
and more sign
moment when abolished
the sacrifices of the Temple were for ever
by the one
Sacrifice,
and mystic voices and
sounds were heard in that ancient fane on the day of
Mi sterious intimations of Christ's Advent.
"Let us go
Pentecost.
hence, let us go hence."
indeed, might the angels of that house depart
9:3
"Well,
when
Lord of angels had been crucified and denied by
the its
unfaithful guardians.
An unvarying tradition informs us that the mysterious when Jesus
darkness which covered the earth
died was
remarked even on the distant shores of Erin. Conchobar,
Mac
or Conor
Nessa, was king of Ulster at the time of
Fergus Mae Nessa was the
our Lord's Incarnation. rightful
monarch, hut Conor's father having died while
he was an
who
ther,
infant.
Fergus proposed marriage to his mo-
agreed, on condition that her son Conor should
be allowed to reign
made himself
for
But the young prince
one year.
that his subjects absolutely
so popular
refused to allow Fergus to
assume the
reins of govern-
ment, and the good Conor had a long and prosperous
A
reign.
rously thai
had been thrown
ball
by aConnaught man, and from
he should refrain
at his
all
excitement, as any
Budden movement mighi prove fatal in health until the
head treache-
his physicians ordered
Conor continued
day of the Crucifixion.
He
then
observed the strange darkness, and other atmospheric
phenomena, and inquired the cause.
if
Barach, his druid,
The druid consulted
his oracles,
knew
and then
informed the king that Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God,
was
of the Jews. r.
slaying
"Non
at
moment
that
"Wh .
him innocently
suffering at the
hands
has he committed?' said I
V
the druid.
"Then they
exclaimed the king.
"
are
They
This was more than the noble
said the druid.
are,''
He knew not life. He only
prince could bear. to be the source of
true heart
madly
how he
that this death
could avenge the wrong, and rushing
he hewed at the young trees until
to the forest
the sudden excitement ended in his
And
while the
mourned "
death.
wrong, the king
for
satisfaction
sorrows of his God.
the
in plaintive cries
Why," he
own
of Celtic chivalry manifested itself
fire
deeds of
these
in
was
thought in his brave
asked, " did not Christ appeal for help to a
valiant high king
1
he would have gone as a hardy
champion with quivering
the great valour of
lips, until
a soldier should be witnessed, dealing a breach of battle
between two
hosts.
Bitter
would be propitiated
there
my
should
assistance
I
be.
the slaughter free
relief
deed to the faithful host of noble
feats,
whose vigilant
God
Beautiful the overthrowing which I
being
is
defiled.
I
would not
rest,
heart to hear the voice of wailing for
that this arrest
arm does not come
the
Creator
;
sorrow of
because I
to ride in chariots." 1
Chariots.
— Mr.
Irish historians
am
to reach
death,
told that
it is
my
my
It crushes
God, and
with true
without
give.
for Christ
though
body of clay had been tormented by them.
my
to relieve
would
wage
Beautiful the combat which I would
who
Christ
would complain of the
beautiful aid should be with the merciful
Him.
by which
— with
relief to
avenging the
dangerous for
me
1
O'Curry says that this tale was always believed by the from a very early date. It is one of the Historic Tales, and
83
Druidical Prophecies of St. Patricks coming.
95
Unman
cen-
Book of Leinster named Altus visited
In the turion
it is
said that a
Ireland, and informed
Conor
of the death of Christ.
"And
they say, Centurion Altus, when he to Emania came, And to Home's subjection called us, urging Cesar's tribute claim; Told that half the world barbarian thrills already with the faith Taught them by the goddike Syrian Caesar lately put to death." 5
It is said also that as the
time of
St. Patrick's
mission
approached the druids gave warning of his coming. In the Ecstacy, or Prophecy of Battles,
it
is
Conn
of the
Hundred
said " with Laeghaire, the violent, will the
land be humbled by the coming of the Tailcenn, that Patrick
is
which
will
:
houses across, that
is
churches, bent
pluck the flowers from high places."
version of this prediction
runs thus:
"A
is
given in the Tripartite, which
Tailcenn shall come, he
will ereel cities,
many
churches, union-houses, with gables and angles;
kings will take up pilgrim
There
is
prophecy.
staffs."
no account of the cause or origin of It
has
been
translated
incorrectly by Colgan, but Professor in
staffs,
Another
into
Latin
this
very
O'Curry succeeded
obtaining the most undoubted authority for every
word from ancient manuscripts, and of that class known under the Tragedies or Deaths. It is found
his ability, as
generic appellation of
Oitte or
a
Aideadh,
in some of the most ancient and best authenMSS. ; and there seems no more reason to doubt its truth than to doubt the existence of Conor, who was an historical character of considerable importance. O'Curry, p. 276. For fuller details see ''The Irish before the Conquest*' I "•"', by M. Ferguson, and "The Illustrated History of Ire-
ticated
—
1
<
1
land,"
p.
Death.
-
'.
128.
— Lays of the
Western Gaul, by Samuel Ferguson, Bsq.
Life of St. Patrick. translator of the oldest forms of the Celtic tongue,
is
beyond question. It
was the opinion
of this eminent scholar that this
passage was an interpolation in the modern copies of the Tripartite.
But he
also observes that
Macutenius
introduces a druidical prophecy of the coming of the saint into his Life of St. Patrick
diction
;
hence some such pre-
must have been current and credited
as real
within a few centuries after the death of the apostle.
The
history of this prophecy
is
that the coming of St. Patrick
very
was
and Luchat Mael, king Laeghaire's
brief.
It is said
foretold
by Lochra
druids, in 429, three
years before the arrival of the saint. "
A
Tailcenn will come over the raging sea, his perforated garment, his crook-headed his table at the east end of his house,
With With
And
all his
people will
stall,
answer Amen, amen."
The perforated garment
is,
of course, the chasuble,
the crook-headed staff explains itself as the symbol of episcopal authority,
and the
house indicated the
altar,
worship and reverence.
table at the east
end of the
the great centre of Christian
ft
3
There can be no doubt that some knowledge of Christianity
and Christian practices preceded the advent of St.
Patrick to Ireland.
Although the Eoman legions never
crossed the Iccian Sea, as the English Channel 3
— The meaning of
the word Tailcenn is doubtful. The name Talchenn was descriptive of baldness and a term of reMr. O'Curry believes that the tonsure was adopted for this reason
Reverence.
or soubriquet of
proach.
was then
by the priesthood (MS. Materials,
p. 61S).
!
—
ii^
-
Christianity known early in Britain called, there
countries,
was
and
si ill
still
some intercourse between the two
more intercourse with France.
It is
ma-
true that this intercourse consisted principally in
rauding expeditions, but even thus some Christians must
have been brought to Ireland as
slaves,
and during
their
compulsory stay Celtic wit and curiosity could scarcely
have gion.
failed to
make many
Christianity had
made
the second century.
Church sent *Q
inquiries about the
The well-known passage
St.
into Britain
as early as
Verulam and SS. Aaron and
at
upon Usk,
and wear the martyr's palm British bishops
reli-
In a few years later the British
Alban
Julius at Caerleon
way
its
new
of Tertullian proves that
song
to sing the victor's
in heaven.
In 314 three
were present at the Council of Aries
Eberius of York, Restitutus of London, and Adelfius,
whose see has not been clearly ascertained, but who signed himself " Episcopus de civitate Colonia Loudim usium."
But before the middle of the of Pelagius had
made such
of Auxerre and St.
Lupus
Celestine to oppose
M
Germanus
is
its
fifth
Germanus
of Troyes, were sent by Pope
The mission
progress.
thus recorded by
a contemporary authority
century the heresy
progress that St.
St.
of St.
Prosper of Aquitaine,
" Agricola, a Pelagian, son
:
of Severianus, a Pelagian bishop, corrupted the churches of Britain the
by insinuation
instrumentality
of his doctrine, but through
of Palladius,
Celestine sends Germanus,
own
the
deacon,
Bishop of Auxerre,
I'
in
his
stead [vice sua] to root out heresy and direct the
"M
Britons to the Catholic faith."
Two
429.
informs us that
:
431, the same chronicle
" Palladius
was consecrated by Pope
later,
and sent as the
Celestine,
This was in the year
a.d.
years
first
bishop to the Irish
believing in Christ."
Thus we have evidence that there were Christians in numbers were few, and we have
Ireland, although their also the
interesting statement
equally
that the
first
From
bishop was sent to Ireland direct from Rome. 4 the earliest days of Christianity the
Roman
had
pontiffs
devoted their special attention to the conversion of
pagan
The mission given
nations.
to
them by
Divine Master was ever present to their minds. their
work when hidden
in the Catacombs,
work when the Church was undergoing of persecution.
It
it
was
its fiery
their
was
It
their
ordeals
was not forgotten when the peace
of
the Church was proclaimed, and from the day on which
Peter and the Apostles received the teach
nations
all
command to go and
the present hour, his successors
to
have diligently discharged their heavenly commission.
Innocent the
First, writing
century [a.d. 402] says " Is
it
not
vered to the
known
nothing
is
since,
4
Rome.
— Vetustiora
it is
very
which have been
deli-
Peter, the Prince of the Apostles,
should be observed by
to be introduced devoid of authority, or
where? Especially as
1787.
to all that the things
Roman Church by
and preserved ever
to Decentius, in this
:
all
;
and that
borrowed
else-
manifest that no one has founded churches
Latinorum Soriptorum chronica, T. Roncallius, Padua.
Mission of Palladius.
7Vjc
for all Italy, the Gauls, Spain, Africa,
and the interjacent
islands,
except such as were appointed priests (or bishops) [sacerdotes] by the venerable Peter and his successors."
The mission of Palladius was not little is
known
of his early career,
and
But
successful.
this little is also
He calls him and the Book of Armagh supplies the
gathered from the testimony of Prosper. the deacon,
further explanation that he
was chief deacon of
St.
Celestine. " This was a post of high honour and responsibility in the
Church.
Many
of the early pontiffs were elected to the
from being deacons of
Eome and ;
Roman
popedom
during the vacancy of the see or
the captivity of the pontiff, the whole administration of affairs
devolved on them.
which we now
treat,
Even two centuries later than the period of when Archbishop Fornian, of Armagh, and
other Irish prelates, addressed a letter to
Eome on
the Paschal
Question, the reply, which was written during the vacancy of the see,
bears the
name
of Hilary, archdeacon, guardian during the
vacancy of the Holy Sec, and John the deacon, over,
Pope
IV.
Thus, in this
elect,
and soon
to represent to the his solicitations
office
is
was, more-
of
Deacon of Eome, Palladius was
John
entitled
Pope the wants of the Christian Church, and
in
favourable response. of our island,
who
after ascended the papal throne as
favour of Britain were sure to meet with a
His subsequent mission, as
first
erangeluex
quite in accordance with his high dignity in
Eome,
and with the views of the Holy See, which ever attached the greatest importance to the bringing of the Gospel light to pagan nations." 5
6
Xatioru.
— Essays
Irish Church, l>y the in the library of
on the Origin, Doctrine, and Discipline of the Early Very Itev. Monsignor Moran, p, 5. This work should bo
every student.
> > >
Life of St. Patrick.
In the Providence of God
happens not unfrequently
it
t*
that while one sows in pain and tears, another comes,
and, as far as
field
human eye can
and bears away
harvest,
judge, reaps the golden
triumph sheaves from a
in
And
which he has never ploughed.
so
it
was
in
Palladius went forth to labour on the
this instance.
Irish coast, his mission failed, yet
even then another was
preparing in silence, in penitential exercises, and with
many prayers, whose
harvest will continue for centuries,
and only end when kingdoms and peoples have ceased to be. failure of Palladius is thus related
The attempt and
Book
in the
Pope
of
Celestine,
Armagh
:
—"
Palladius,
Bishop of Rome, and
Archdeacon of forty-fifth
cessor of St. Peter in the Apostolic See,
and sent
to
unsuccessful, for no one can receive
anything ti'om earth unless
heaven
;
lying under wintry
convert this island,
But he was
cold.
it
and neither did these
be given to him from
fierce barbarians receive
his doctrine readily, nor did he himself wish to
long [transigere tempus] in a land not his fore,
suc-
was ordained
who
he returned to him
however, after passing the
sent him.
first
sea,
remain
own whereOn his way, ;
having begun his
land journey, he died in the territory of the Britons."
Some on
further information
St. Fiacc's
Hymn, and we
some churches, Romans,
viz.,
Killfine,
is
given in the Scholiast
are told that " he founded
Teach-na-Roman, or house of the
and
others.
Nevertheless he was
not well received by the people, but was forced to
"' .'
<\'
^1 Ilex
ll
sail
'liiI^l^(im?i
I
>~>
around the coast towards the north, until he was driven
by
tempest to the land of the Picts, where he founded
a
the Church of Fordun, and there he
name of Pledi." The Vita Secunda "The most
blessed
archdeacon of the
him
sent
known by
Pope Celestine ordained bishop the Church, named Palladius, and
into the Island of Hibernia, giving to
moreover,
and Paul, and other
him
saints
relics
and,
;
New
volumes of the Old and
the
the
gives fuller details.
Roman
of the blessed Peter
ment
is
Testa-
entering the land of the Scots, arrived at the
:
territory
of the
Garrehon was however,
men of Leinster, where Nathi Macwho was opposed to him. Others,
chief,
whom
the divine
mercy had disposed towards
name
the worship of God, having been baptized in the
of the sacred Trinity, the blessed Palladius built three
—one which
churches in the same district fine la
(?'.
vin),
>'•
in
which, even to the present day, he St. Celestine,
of SS. Peter and Paul, and other saints, and the
on which he used to write, which,
called
from his name, Pallere,
Palladius,
and
arc held
—that
is,
in veneration.
in
Irish,
are
the burden of
Another was
Teach-na-Roman, the house of the Romans
the third, in
left his
and the box of the
tallies
called
called Kill-
Church of Finte, perhaps the present Dun-
books received from relics
is
e.
;
and
Dumnach-Ardech (Donard, near Dunlavin),
which repose the holy companions of Palladius,
Sylvester and Salonius,
who
are
still
honoured
viz.,
there.
P
After a short time Palladius died at Fordun, but others
say that he was crowned with martyrdom there." In the Vita Quartet the arrival of Palladius recorded
also
is
:
"AVhen, therefore, Palladius arrived in the territory of the Lagenians, he began to preach the
But
Word
of God.
Almighty had not predestined the
as the
Irish
people to be brought by him from the errors of heathen-
ism to the faith of the holy and undivided Trinity, he
remained there only a few days.
some
Nevertheless,
few did believe through him, and in the same founded three churches, one of which
is
district
called
he
(Church
Finte Ecclesia Finte) in which, to the present day, are preserved his books, received from
box with the and other
relics of
saints,
and the
tablets
which are called from
write,
his
by the
Solinus,
relics,
the Island of Boethin,
But good
St.
in Irish, Pallad-ir,
Another church was
disciples of Palladius, viz.
whose
and a
on which he used to
name
and are held in great veneration. built
St. Celestine,
the blessed apostles Peter and Paul,
after
:
and are there held
in
carried to
due honour.
much
Palladius, seeing that he could not do
there,
was anxious
to return to
and
Silvester
some time, were
Rome, and migrated Others, how-
to the
Lord in the region of the
ever,
say that he was crowned with martyrdom in
Picts.
Ireland."
After carefully weighing conflicting evidence, pears there
is
a possibility that
St.
Patrick
it
may
ap-
have
103
St. Patrick's Relatives.
been born in Scotland, where his parents were at that time residing. Many legends are related of his early years,
and unless we are prepared to deny the miraculous
occurrences in the Lives of the Saints altogether, there is
no other reason why they should be questioned.
His
family were noble and wealthy, although, for reasons already given,
it is
have acted as a
scarcely possible that Potitius could
Roman
magistrate at Athcluaid
;
he
doubtless was there on some special mission, as this was
not the family homo.
His mother, Conchessa, the
sister
6
of the great St.
Martin, was of good family also, as the world reputes.
Her
father
army.
St.
was a pagan, and a tribune of the Imperial Martin was born in Pannonia, at a village
called Sabaria, but his parents to
Pa via,
in Italy, while he
removed from Hungary
was
still
become a monk.
him
The laws
that he might
of the Imperial
serve twenty campaigns,
to
a youth, and at
home
the age of ten he escaped from
and
assisted in capturing the fugitive, so that
pelled to
become a
we have no concern
in the
—
way
With
his further history
at present.
The word used by and often to sisters in
• Sister.
cousins,
soldier.
army obliged own father he was com-
his
Irish writers religion.
of supposing that Conchessa
is
shir
;
this is applied to neices,
There are chronological
was
385, when, according to the
St.
Martin's
sister.
difficulties
In the year
most probable calculation, St. Patrick was only a year old, St. Martin was sixty-nine, and Conchessa could be scarcely more than twenty years his junior. There can be no doubt, however, that St. Martin and Conchessa were nearly related and she may have been bis sister. The date is fixed by the fact that it was in this year St. Martin " Treves, where the Emperor Maximilian held his court, to arrange some ;
ecclesiastial affairs. 1
T"
MMnsmm
4 0$
Life of St. Patrick.
Many Like
legends are related of the saint's early Benedict, he had a nurse to
St.
appear, that he
attached,
Gormias,
and the
was baptized by a
priest,
It
named
who was blind. There was no water at hand, made the sign of the cross over the ground hands of the infant, when a spring immediately
forth.
man was sight
and they
priest
with the
gushed
and who was devoted to
Tripartite gives these details,
said that the saint
life.
would
it
mentioned in the Second and Third Lives.
are also is
was
The
her charge.
whom,
According to another account, the blind
a layman, but
by washing
all
in the
agree that he recovered his
water which had been mira-
He was
culously procured.
able also to read the office,
although he had been ignorant of letters hitherto. It was,
indeed, fitting that
occur at the birth of one
7
such a miracle should
who was
destined
by Provi-
dence to bring the light of faith to thousands, and great
i&
undoubtedly as the miracle of restoring or giving sight
may
seem, far greater and far more wonderful was the
exercise of Divine
power by which, through the
instru-
mentality of Patrick, spiritual sight was given to those
who
sat in darkness
and the shadow of death.
Those
' Hitherto.— \\\ the Second and Third Lives the person who baptized St. In the Fourth Life he is said to have Patrick is said to have been a priest. been a certain holy man, blind from his birth [Sanctum virum a nativitate Jocelyn states that St. Patrick had been baptized before, and that crecum], Gormias was told in a dream that he would recover his sight if he went to the newly baptized child, made the sign of the cross on the ground with the infant's hands, and bathed his eyes in the fountain which should spring forth. In the preface to the copy of the Hymn of St. Sechnall, preserved in the Leabhar breac, Gormias is called a priest, and the miracle is said to have
taken place at the baptism of the
saint.
All agree in describing Gormias aa
flat-faced (tabulata facie).
^W
r^^ •v^v;
.__'
^aVi*Ja!
St. Patrick's
Baptism
who are familiar with the Lives of the Saints will recal many instances in which the birth of those destined for some great end has been signalized by some characteristic miracle. Assisi, angels
were heard singing
the stable where he
On
was
A
laid
chapel, built
was born,
is
still
on a bed of
on the
shown
site of
at Assisi.
the day of his baptism a mysterious visitor appeared,
who took
the infant in his arms, and after caressing
some time, made the sign of the cross on his right shoulder. The mark remained thereon, and he returned him to his nurse, desiring her to have a special him
q
and
and by the command
;
of a pilgrim stranger, his mother
straw before his birth.
special
Before the birth of St. Francis of
for
care of her charge, as the devil,
whose power he would
so vigorously oppose at a future period,
means
Many
instances are recorded in which persons have
obtained the power of reading
taught
would use every
to injure him.
letters, or
who had never been
of the knowledge of languages of which
they had been hitherto ignorant.
Perhaps the best
authenticated and most wonderful account of the latter
power may be found
in the Life of St. Francis
the great apostle of the Indies.
Xavier,
In the report in the
cause of this saint, the auditors of the Rota thus speak
:
" Xavier was illustrious for the gift of tongues, for he
spoke the languages of different nations, which he had
never learned,
same
statement
with fluency and eloquence." is
made with
Bcrtrand and several other saints.
regard to
St.
The Lewis
The
many
Tripartite Life states that
wrought by
miracles were
Patrick in his youth, but that only a
St.
few of them are related.
There
is
some not very
clear
tradition about a stone or rock on which, according to
Jocelyn, St. Patrick
was born, which
also connected
is
with the legend that a leper made the journey from
Gaul to Ireland on Catholics
may
this stone.
being mentioned as even possible tion such miracles
must
first
be drawn between what God.
Him
If to
am
I
aware that even
smile at the idea of such a statement
question which remains
reject a miracle
but those
possible
is
who
ques-
or
impossible to
things are possible, the only
all
historical evidence for
;
say where the line should
whether we have
is
sufficient
any miracle, and we must not
merely because
pass our ideas of possibility
;
it
seems to us to sur-
nor should
we even refuse to
believe the accounts of such events if given to us on the
same evidence that we would accept termed ordinary incidents in the
for
life
what may be
of a saint.
In
Todd has well remarked if we cast out the rubbish
writing of another subject, Dr. that
we should
without
sifting,
which have 8 St.
Mass.
we
should cast out also precious stones
loner lain
— Memoir
Raymond
" beware, lest
concealed
of St. Patrick, p.
of Pennefort sailed
366.
in
the mass."
8
He
The reader may remember that
from Majorca to Barcelona on his cloak, a
King James had threatened with death any person distance of sixty leagues. wno should attempt to carry him out of the island. The saint, full of faith, exclaimed " An earthly king would deprive us of the means of withdrawal, but a heavenly king will supply them." He then went to the shore, cast his mantle upon the waves, and having tied up one corner of it to his staff to servo as a sail, he stepped upon the frail barque without fear, and was safely landed :
—
m
had found that statements of
fact,
which had heen
utterly rejected as purely fabulous, were, in one instance at least,
proved by subsequent research to be
true.
According to the account in Jocelyn, there was a rock near the place where St. Patrick was baptized, on which, according to some, he was born, and according
Here persons were brought was any controversy between neighbours,
to others, he said Mass.
when
there
and both parties placed
their
receiving the sacrament self,
;
if
hands upon the stone
after
any person perjured him-
water at once came forth where his hand touched
the rock.
9
The Vita Secunda gives the same account briefly. The Vita Tertia uses almost the same words. The Vita Quarta gives the narrative more distinctly that St. Patrick
autem
fertur super
briefly,
but also states
was born on the stone
lapidem qui
illic
:
natus
honorifice habetur:
Probus (Quinta Vita) does not mention
this rock,
does he give any of the miracles of the saint's early
The Sexta Vita
(Jocelyn) gives
the details
nor life.
already
His arrival was witnessed by hnndreda. about six honrs at Barcelona. This miracle was one of those which were accepted for his canonization, ami it If God could is well known how rigorously all such miracles are examined. in
permit such a miracle, it would be as easy to believe that St. Patrick's stone St. Raymond was could have borne the leper in safety from Gaul to Ireland.
born
A. D. 1175.
—
Colgan, p. 65. Jocelyn says that St. Mel is his authority for his Colgan appended a note in which he says statement about this rock. none of the Lives which he has given mentions this, but that it is taken from This appears to have been some Life of St Patrick written by St. Mel. known to Jocelyn, as he says St. Mel testified to having setn the stone. St. Longford. diocese of patron saint of the the is Mel *
Rock.
Z3
^ Vi~r^^5?*^fi?g^ jf
Vita) does not
The Tripartite {Septiina
mentioned.
even allude to the subject.
There
however, a vellum MS. in Trinity College,
is,
Dublin, of the fifteenth century, which throws additional
on the account given by Jocelyn.
light
and
is
very short,
It is
written in irregularly measured prose, in ancient
language, and with an interlined gloss.
It is
headed
:
"Finn, the grandson of Baiscne, cennit, foretelling of
when he
Patrick,
slipped off the flag on which he after-
wards came to Erinn." thirty lines,
" It
is
The MS.
and commences thus
not the path of crime
my foot has
It is not a decline of strength that has
But
it is
He is
®
come,
come upon me,
the warrior's stone this stone rejects
a distinguished
[A man] With
dignities
Professor defective
man
for
whom the
:
stone rejects me,
from the Holy Spirit
O'Curry
consists of about
:
the dignity of a bishop).
that
considers
by two words, and that
(i.e.
it
the
heading
should run thus
is
:
"Finn, the grandson of Baiscne, cennit, predicting of
when he
Patrick,
[Finn] slipped off the flag-stone upon
which [the leper] came afterwards
The legend
When
St.
come over
to
of the leper
to Erinn."
and the flagstone
and begged earnestly
to
still
:
man came on
the
be taken on board.
Patrick was willing to put back, and take him up
the crew refused, and the ships leper
this
Erinn on his mission, just as the ship had
cast off from the shore, a poor leprous
beach,
is
Patrick was leaving the coast of Britain to
moved
on.
;
but
The poor
continued his entreaties, whereupon, Patrick
®S5S
Tltc
Legend of the Leper and the Flagstone
took his altar-Stone (which, in the old writings,
and casting
the stone altar),
reach of the leper, desired
him
culled
is
on the water within
it
to sit
on
it
and he
quiet.
This the leper did, and immediately the stone moved, following the
ship
throughout
course until
its
they
reached the harbour of Wicklow, where the leper was
one of the
first
to land
;
after
which the saint again
took possession of his " Stone Altar."
spoken of as an altar
with the promise that Patrick's children g
This stone
in the text of this
as long as
it
lives
in
Erinn,
in Christ will live in his doctrines.
not improbable that there was an ancient legend,
It is
which
not
is
now known,
of the history of this stone
before Patrick consecrated
it
to holy purposes.
as in the former prophecies, Patrick
this,
is
prophecy, ami
Tailoenn.
From
1
was both a stone and a
rock.
doubt that the altar-stone which to Ireland
From
In
called the
the account of this stone, as given both by
Jocelyn and by this old manuscript, there
is
it
is
clear that
There can be St,
1'atrirk
little
brought
would be an object of especial venerate >n. Church it was customary to
the earliest ages of the
celebrate the Sacrifice of the saints,
and the
stone,
Mass over the
relics of the
honoured because a fragment of
their relics
was enshrined, became incomparably more
honourable
when
the
Body
it
of Christ.
had been used as a resting-place It
for
might, indeed, be expected that
the attention of a pagan people of peculiarly impressionable character should be
whom
drawn by some
special miracle
brought to Ireland by the saint to
to the altar-stone
thousands should owe their conversion.
almighty power of God, the leper might
upon the
altar-stone as St.
The question
By
the
sail as safely
Eaymond upon
his mantle.
would
not whether
for consideration
be,
the All Powerful could
work the one miracle or the other
but whether there
sufficient evidence to
He
did
work
is
In the case of
either.
prove that
Eaymond
St.
there
can be no reasonable doubt, the miracle having been one of those approved for the process of his canonization. In the case of our own saint there
is,
at least, sufficient
evidence to prove a strong traditionary belief that some
such miracle had happened.
The Rock of Cashel Rock but
Patrick's
;
is still
it
called Carraig Phatraic, or
was commonly
called
Leac
Phatraic, or Patrick's Flagstone, another evidence in
In the manuscript already
favour of the tradition. quoted, which
is
called a
Prophecy of
St. Patrick,
the
angels are said to wait for the coming of the saint in Core's city.
Cashel was founded by Core
who was king came
of
to Ireland.
Mac Lughadh,
Munster at the time when
And
here also
we
St.
Patrick
find another legend
of the great apostle.
When Flann was resided at Cashel,
neighbourhood. a
king of Munster, a.d. 622-633, he
and
St.
Mochaembrog
settled in the
This king sent some horses to graze in
meadow which belonged
to the saint,
who
expelled
the intruders.
went at once
Tlie saint
tained an interview with the king, peaceably. vision, in
and
to Cashel, ob-
settled mattera
Some nights after this the king had a which he beheld a venerable old man, who
took him to the southern battlements of the walls of lashel. Here he showed him a host of " white saints." Flann inquired who they were, and was informed that (
they were St. Patrick and the saints of Erinn,
come told
to the relief of St.
by
his guide that if he did not
the saint he St.
would soon
this
name
is
make peace with
die.
Patrick received the
name of Succat
Hymn of St.
In the Scholiast, on the
who had
Mochaembrog, and was further
at his baptism.
Fiacc,
it is
said that
English, and signifies the " god of war," or
" strong in war," an appropriate appellation for one
who
was
win
1
demon
to fight against the
of idolatry,
and
to
']
the victory for a whole nation.
him Cothraige, Quadriga.
we have ful
I
'a
trick's
as
it
who will
:
" Until comes the power-
heal everyone
who
shall believe
;
shall be perpetual as long as Coth rim/Ins,
Kock
shall live."
almost appear, from the it
mentioned in the MS. which
is
explained as another
tioned, as if
Irish masters called
written in some of the lives,
is
name
quoted thus
lately
Tailceann,
whose chddren
is
or,
This
His
2
In the Glossary Cothraighe
name for Patrick. It would way in which this name is men-
were used as a generic term to exp
servitude to four masters.
'
Live.
The author
— O'Curry's Lectures,
j>.
of the
Vita
0-3.
i^n^rMi
Secunda, which the late Dr. Todd considers a very ancient authority, says
:
Illic
Quadriga nomen
accepit,
Et erat quia equorum quatuor doinibus serviebat. est a servocatus Succet quadrinomius nam primum :
:
viendo vero quatuor doinibus
Quotirche
vocabulum
quatuor divitibus
cum omni
cordis devo-
sumpsit et
eis
tione servivit.
of the
name
St.
Fiacc gives a similar interpretation
:
"Colhraiye
lie
was
called, for as a slave
he served four families."
The word Cothraige being glossed thus of Cothraige attached to him,
i.e.,
:
" The name
four families
;
i.e.,
work of four tribes. that St. Germain gave him the name
he used to do the It is said
of
Magonius, and finally he obtained the name of Patrick, 3 by which he is best known, from Pope Celestine. family indiany of his mention The saint does not names of his sisters, but the father, his except vidually
and his sisters' sons have been preserved. of Patrick's coming to Erinn," sisters
it
is
In the " Cause
are told that his
were taken captive with him.
mentioned, Lupait, but sisters
we
added
two
Only one name after that his
is
two
were sold in Conaille Miurtheimhue, but that he
did not
know
it.
iEngus, the Culdee, in his book "
On
the Mothers of
the Saints in Ireland," has the following entry " Lupait, sister of Patrick, was the mother of the seven :
*
Celestine.
— See Historical Preface to the Liber Ilyiuuorum,
m>\
&%&M
p.
:
(^^r^^-^-^^^>^rm The Saints Relatives.
Ua Baird,
Bona of the
i.e.,
.
113
SechnaU, Nechtan,
1
tabonna,
Mogornan, Darigoc, Ausille, Priest Lugnatli. (
'olgan has
shown that Lupait is an error
The veracity of
many
for Liemania. 4
genealogy has been
this
verified, like
other facts in Celtic hagiography, which were long
disputed by the discovery of the tombstone where the
mortal remains of Lugnath were laid to
It
rest.
might
be expected that the sepulchre of any relative of
St.
Patrick would have special honour, and no doubt the
ravages
time and
of
barbarians,
both modern and
ancient, have conspired to deprive us of
some
of the
most important of our archaeological treasures in department.
this
This tombstone, in characters which may,
with almost certainty, be regarded as not later than the
beginning of the
century, bears the following
sixth
&1
inscription
LIE
LUGNAEDON
The Stone of Lugnaed, Son of Limania,
MACCLMENUE, Where
it
will
be observed
Celtic genitive of
Lugnad
or
that
Lugnaedon
is
the
Lugna, the name given
to
the youngest of the seven sons of Liamain or Limania.
The name on the
list
St. Sechnall's
as given
of
SechnaU
Hymn or Poem
by Colgan,
it is
I.Umania.
— Olgan,
]>.
V2~,
first
In the preface to
on the Life of
St. Patrick,
said that his father was one of
the Longobards of Italy [Italia *
be observed as the
will
of Limania's seven sons
1
],
and that
his
wherj the wholo subject of
name was St. Patrick*!
Life of St. Patrick.
114
In the preface to the same hymn, contained
Eestitutus.
length, thus
SecL nail,
made
details are given
Leabhar Breac, the
in the
this
viz.,
hymn
at
was he who
of Eestitutus,
the son
in honour of Patrick
disciple of Patrick, sister;
more
:
and he was
;
for
he was a
also the son of Patrick's
6 and he was of the Longobards of Letha, ut dixit
Eodhaich O'Flannagan. "
Sechnall, son of
The most
Ua
Baird, the gifted,
gifted of living men,
Of the race of the pure, Longobards of Letha."
Two
firm, white-coloured
other persons are also said to have been sons of
Limania, probably because they were sons of a
Ua
Baird f they were Comitius, Bishop of Cluain-sean-moil,
now
Clonshanville, co.
Roscommon, and Diarmaid, who
mentioned in the Tripartite as the nephew of
is
St.
Patrick Dr. Lanigan, with a mistaken eagerness to show that
he was above what the world 6
Letha.
— Liber Hymnorum, —
calls prejudice,
made
the
p. 29.
6 Ua Baird. It is a disputed point whether the Longobards were so called from the length of their beards, or from an ancestor named Bard. Then there is also a question about the origin of the Longobards, who are menDr. Todd tioned at a still earlier period than the present in Irish History. conjectures that Eestitutus may have been a Longobard of Armorica, or northern Letha, and adds on the whole, it is possible that there may be found more golden grains of true history in these rude and seeming blunders about Longobards of Letha, than woidd at first sight seem probable to the modern readers."— Liber Hym. p. 39. Perhaps, also, there might be found "golden grains" in the " rude" legends which the modern critic is so ready to reject without the slightest inquiry as to whether it is even possible that such things could be true, neither the legend in the history should be rejected merely for their "rudeness." :
m
»
» jJ> .^-.
V
4
+
?
'
1^ »— 4--^—
Golden Grains of Truth. rash
mistake of being above believing on the mere
evidence of early Irish historians bis day,
accounts of
has, since
Thus, while
hagiographers
as
to
tin-
of St. Patrick's relatives, he overlooked
the
the
rejecting
number
much which
been proved to be simple truth.
" golden grains " of truth on which these accounts wen-
founded.
The fact that
so
many
persons were mentioned led the
learned doctor to consider that none of them existed.
A
more thoughtful mind, or perhaps we should rather
say one more free from the fear of being thought too bigoted,
would have drawn precisely the opposite con-
The discovery
clusion.
which
may
still
of the tombstone of Lugnath,
be seen with
the island of Inis-an-ghoill, in
warning
to all
who
its
ancient Inscription on
Lough
Corrib, should be a
rashly refuse to believe
what they
are pleased to consider improbable.
And now we of legend.
It
return once more to the " golden grains"
would appear that the
saint, like St.
Francis of Assisi, and Blessed Martin Porres the Do-
minican, had been given, even from his earliest years,
a special power over nature and the animal creation. Adam and Eve forfeited the peace of Paradise for the
tumult of sin and the world.
But
in their primeval
power over all The world was full of life when Adam firsl The leopard and the lamb, the lion and L'azed upon it. Bui when he kill, alike under his control. were the
state of innocence they
were given
full
creatures.
rebelled against the control of the Creator of all things,
a
his power,
and
which had been only delegated, ceased
He was
for ever.
when he
at once
only ruler because he obeyed
ceased to obey his power to rule ceased
But the Eternal mercy had provided a remedy, and proportion as
man
in
availed himself of this remedy, he
Hence the
obtained some degree of his former power.
who
;
also.
most
saintly,
most
perfectly, obtained the
are simply those
who obey
God's will
most perfect control over
the lower creation. ':•<:
The lion-tamer goes
'/--.
:
-
ti
into the den of wild beasts with
his loaded
whip
the other.
If he falters for a
in one
hand and
By
a terrible fate awaits him.
some attempt His power
is
his deadly
moment
when he would tame
He
in
brute force he makes
to control brute force.
not his own.
weapon
or forgets a weapon,
Not
so the saint.
needs no earthly weapon
The
the wolf or the bear.
force
><',
lie
<*
uses
is
the Eternal
the Eternal will.
He goes forth,
but as a conqueror. cold has no others,
Power communicated
power
to
him by
not to attempt conquest,
Fire has no power to burn him, to chill him, the rain
may
fall
but he passes along dry shod, even across
on
rivers.
The wolf obeys his bidding, and forsakes his natural and the tree falls as he wills it to fall, and not
prey,
according to the ordinary laws of nature. Countless instances might be given of this glorious prerogative of true sanctity.
The man
of science
may
calculate the distance of the stars, the motions of light,
the disturbing cause of changes in our system
;
he
may
discover wise remedies which shall heal in time the
But the man
diseases incident to our earthly being.
God can
alone rule those elements.
most powerful and who the most wise conjectures about science, or he effects
and
alter those causes
Who, ?
then,
is
of
the
He who makes
who can
control those
?
There are few, even amongst non-Catholics, who are not in
some degree familiar with the acts of the early
martyrs.
Those acts have been transmitted to us
the most part with unquestionable authority.
for
In them
we find frequent instances, in which the ferocious and hungry animals refused to touch the saints, whom heathen philosophers, in their ignorance, were so anxious
And
to destroy.
themselves
it
was not unfrequently the martyrs
who were
obliged to arouse as best they
might the courage and natural desire of the Hon and the tiger.
In the acts of the well-known child martyr,
we
find that fire
had no power
St.
Agnes,
to hurt her, yet the
ilames were so fierce and the furnace into which she was cast so powerful, that several of the
around were burned to ashes.
pagans who stood
But Agnei stood
in
the
midst calm and peaceful, while the fiery element formed Again, we an arch of triumph around and over her. read of saints
whom
who passed dry shod
cold
was powerless
to hurt,
and
over rivers, and through torrents
of rain. It is related in the life of St.
a Franciscan
friar,
Leonard of Port Maurice,
lately canonized, that
he was often
exposed to torrents of rain in his journeys, and yet that
the garments he wore were not wet. tara
was known
St.
times without the water touching him.
performed by
Peter of Alcan-
have passed across rivers several
to
The miracle
Martin of Tours, when he by the
St.
Sign of the Cross caused the falling tree to turn in a direction exactly opposite to that to which is
it
inclined,
a matter of history.
Thus
it
be seen, that however wonderful
will
have been the miracles performed by are not
may they
more wonderful than those which have been
performed by other Life
St. Patrick,
observes,
Patrick, that "
Patrick
The
writer of the Tripartite
mentioning the baptism of
God performed
this
at
saints.
after
place
—
viz.,
St.
three miracles through
the
fountain
of
water
through the ground, his eyes to the blind man, and his reading the ordo of baptism without knowing a letter up to that time. 7
Several other noticeable miracles are related as hav-
ing happened while he was sion the house
even the
The
fire
child
—
still
was flooded where
a child.
On
one occa-
his nurse lived,
and
as
was extinguished no food could be cooked.
had asked
for food,
but the nurse replied
There are several instances of saints having learned to read miracuIn the Life of St. Catherine of Sienna we are told that she learned how to read without having been taught by anyone. She herself informed her confessor, Blessed Raymond of Capua, who has written her life, that after she had spent several weeks in fruitless efforts to learn even the alphabet, she prayed to our Lord to enable her to learn to read, so that she might at least be able to recite the Divine Office, if it was His holy will. " Before the end of her prayer, she was able to read every kind of manuscript as rapidly and as perfectly as the most highly educated person." See the Life of this saint, translated and published in America. 7
Time.
lously.
m
—
must have a
that they
could be attained.
kindled before his desire
fire
Patrick then went to apart of the
St.
house which the water had not yet reached
dipped
he
drops •
his fingers in
from his
fell
hanged into
and
five fingers
of
spai'ks
water rose
the
when playing with nurse
brought his
fire,
not.
five
they were miraculously
and the
On
home an armful
glowed,
fire
another
companions in
his
Here
some water, and as
of
occasion,
he
winter,
sheets.
ice
8
The intense cold of a severe winter had probably caused some difficulty in procuring fire-wood, and the nurse EJ
exclaimed that
some fagots should be so
made
Even
would be better
The boy
and then, casting the
ice
did, long streams of flame
gave light and heat to this
God
it
was easy
willed that
upon the
marvellous
fire
all
;
came
forth,
it
fire,
the sign of the cross and breathed over
he
as
;
he had brought her
if
replied that
to prevail over water, if
for fire
he
it
to burn.
it.
which
and as those who surrounded
looked and wondered, they beheld
flames of light' issuing also from the saint's face, ev< n as
8 Ice sheet*.
— In
similar nature into a
pond
is
the Life of St. Peter of Alcantara a miracle of a
recorded.
On one
somewhat
occasion, in winter, the saint had plunged
of ice, either through mortification or to cool the bodily heat whirl)
divine love caused
him
the
fire of
all,
the ice at once melted, and the (raters of the pond
to suffer continually.
To the amazement •( commenced to boil as
tiny had bean contained in a vessel placed over a large furnace. It was often remarked that snow melted at once when he came near it. L[h if
Peter of Alcantara ; by Father de Beavain, S.J., vol. ii. p. 63. Light. In the second Book of Machabees we find a remarkable instance in which water was sprinkled on the sacrifices, and a great fire was kindled at which all the people wondered. Jocclyn has remarked this in the chapter in which he relates the miracle of the ice being converted into fire. Colgan, c. v.
—
—
""".""'"
—
—
Moses was made radiant by the
of old the face of
light
of God.
may
It
be
the miracle was intended to be
that
emblematic of the flames of Divine love which he was to enkindle
It
Celts.
of his
enforced
mouth
in the icy hearts
would appear that
had been employed
as a boy, his
by the words
pagan
of the
Indeed in
servitude.
Patrick,
St.
in tending sheep before
those
primitive
ages such occupations were not considered a degradation
or
slaves.
a merely menial duty unless performed by Once, while he and his
came suddenly
the lambs
hastened with his ran the
received a fatal blow
made
;
were thus engaged
to all appearance she
the
young
had
saint at once raised
the sign of the cross on her over the
wound" remained
Only the "white Once,
to testify to the miracle.
was attacked by a
who
wolf,
The nurse reproached
sheep.
As they
and
1 wound, which was instantly healed.
their flock
and Patrick
them away.
sister to drive
little girl fell,
her up, and
sister
to their mothers,
St.
also,
carried off a
Patrick for
his
neglect in permitting this, but on the following day the
wolf appeared again, and brought back the sheep with is made in the Lives of the Saints of supernatural surround them, or to be emitted from them, when they were working miracles or absorbed in prayer. In the depositions made for the canonization of St. Paul of the Cross, it is said that on one occasion specially his countenance lighted up, and brilliant rays (lashed from his face.
p.
66.
Frequent mention
light or rays appearing to
Life of St, Paul of the Cross, p. 122. 1 Healed. This sister is called Lupita by Colgan,
—
of St. Patrick's nurse to her charge
so faithfully tended him, the West, vol.
ii.
p. 6.
reminds us of
aud even followed him
St.
p. 118.
The devotion
Benedict's nurse,
into the desert.
who
Monks of
^^_ 5
i^p
•
-
him.
^
ar
II<
Restores some Animals
Like the nurse of
wished never
to
St.
to Life.
Benedict, this good charge, and
Leave her
woman
was equally
and well she might be, when she saw him thus " magnified by God " in prodigies and miracles.
faithful to him,
At one time he killed
went
restored five
by a vicious cow
cows
some assembly with
to
the latter
fell
prayers of
St. Patrick.
to
life
his nurse
was restored
dead, but
On
who had been when he
another time,
at
;
and guardian, to life
reproached him because he did not bring
honey as other boys
wild
pliea of
returned to the well, it
when a
tribute
there
filled his
was changed
at once
was none
2
by the
another occasion, his nurse
did,
home
bucket with water, and
into the purest honey.
of curds
sup-
and Patrick Again,
and butter was required, and
to supply the
demand,
St,
Patrick
made
any
saint
curds and butter of the snow. It is scarcely possible to read the Life of
without finding a record of similar miracles
haps the most noteworthy of
may
all
;
but per-
be found in the
Life of Blessed Sebastian, of Apparizio, a lay brother of
the Order of St. Francis.
It
hearing a person was about to cause
it
like a lamb. Tribute.
related of him, that
one of his oxen be-
could not be tamed, he asked for
look tamed
'
is
kill
it
so completely that
it
it,
and by one
followed him
home
Several other incidents of a similar kind
— It will be remembered
tli.it
in those
times tribute was usually
The Book of Kights Lays down with great exactness the various tributes which were demanded by the Irish chieftains from their subjects the custom obtained also in other countries, though it was not carried out so [>aid in
kind.
;
systematically.
are
also
The power which
related.
St.
Francis of
Assisi possessed over the animal creation is almost too
well
known
to need
more than a passing
of his disciples, St. Joseph of
n
allusion.
One
Cupertino, restored a
number of sheep to life who had been killed by a hail storm, and whose loss would have proved a serious calamity to a poor man. performed in the
way
Many
in all ages of the Church.
a miracle, or rather saintly
miracles also have been
when necessary, own day such were performed by the
of procuring food
many
Even such,
in our
Cure of Ars, whose name will doubtless ere long
be added to the glorious catalogue of the Church's saints. 3 3 Saints. It is a common excuse when miracles are mentioned for people to say that miracles do not happen now. They do happen, and are quite as Those who question the frequent and as wonderful as they have ever been. possibility of a miracle happening in the nineteenth century, and those who question the miracles related in the Life of St. Patrick, are referred to the
Life of the
Cure of Ars, who died in the year 1859.
tiL&@fcm
€i)
Patrick's
A TNT
and
Captivity
PATRICK
Release.
has given us himself an
account of his captivity and subsequent trials.
commences
lie
his
Confession
withthe history of his captivity and the age at which he was taken from his father's
with a qualification.
The expressions
house.
he uses must
mility which
The
saints
of hu-
be taken
have ever considered
themselves the most unworthy and the most ignorant of mankind.
Hence, when
St.
Patrick says, that he
was ignorant of God (Deum verum ignorabam), we cannot for a
moment suppose
and practised the Christian
that he had not learned
faith.
Indeed, this could
be scarcely possible, since he himself informs us, that his father
was a deacon and
That such could not be
his grandfather a priest.
meaning,
his
also,
evident
is
from his account of the way in which he devoted himself to prayer
whde
The holy
in captivity.
les-
been
sons which he then practised could only have
learned in a pious household, and the value of such early training
was
proved by the
fully
saint's
subse-
quent conduct. Organized expeditions for the purpose of procuring slaves
from foreign countries were
then frequently
planned and effectively carried out by the This
is
legal enactments. fully
Irish princes.
proved by the twofold testimony of history and
According to the best and most care-
computed chronology,
a.d. 400,
and remained
St. Patrick
was captured in
in captivity until a.d. 406.
The
famous Nial of the nine Hostages was then king of Ireland,
and was devoted
the Britons and Gauls.
to hostile expeditions against
Indeed the
Scoti, or Irish,
were
almost as formidable and as celebrated plunderers in this age as the
the
Danes were
Latin poet Claudian
were sent by
1
at a later period.
Even
has mentioned that troops
Stilicho, the general of
Theodosius the
Nial was Great, to resist Mai's adventurous hosts. slain in one of these expeditions, at " Muir-n-Icht, the sea between France
and England," which
is
supposed
—
—
The Saint's Capture in Gaul, have been so designated from the Tortus Iccius of
to (
tesar.
There can be
little
doubt that
Patrick was capThe Book of Rights
St.
lured in one of these expeditions.
informs us that " foreigners," were especially required to be presented as slaves to certain princes,
amongst the "rights"
fact
to
and were
which they
laid
in
claim,
and which were sternly exacted.
The provincial kings, and even the chief monarch or Ald-Bigh, were not exempt from this obligation, and were bound to present vassals
their
find
with
also
certain
presents.
Thus we
:— The Btipend of the King of Burghrigh From the King of Eire without sorrow Ten tunics brown-red, Ten
And
the
King
foreigners without Gaedhealga [Irish].
of Cineal
Aodha was
entitled to
Five sheilds, five slender swords, Five bondsmen [brought] over the bristling surface of the Five fair hailed, truly line women. 2
In the Historical Preface to the the
Hymn
cause of Patrick's coming to Erin
"This
is
the
way
it
happened,
viz.
:
sea,
of St. Scchnall
is
thus related:
the seven sons of
Sechmaidhe, king of Britain, that were in banishment, ravaged Armoric-Leatha. They happened to come 5 11'onten.— Book of Rights, p. SO and 131. Burghrigh, now Brnree. The king of this district was called O'Donovan, and his country lay on the t side of the Shannon. The kings of Cineal Audha were of the race of Aedh [Anglicised Hugh] though the territory was called Baa Kuidh, DOW .A from the cataract of that name at Ballyahaonon.
w
—
Xi/e
12S
q/" $£.
Patrick.
upon a party of the Britons, of Ercluaide, on that Calpurn, son of Fothaid,
occasion in Armoric-Leatha. Patrick's father,
two
sisters
was
killed there,
were taken captive
and Patrick and
The sons
there.
his
of Secht-
maidhe went afterwards over the sea to Erin, and Lupait was sold there in Conaille Muirtheinihue, and Patrick was sold to Miluic, son of Ua-Buain, in Dal-
Araidhe, and to his three brothers, and they sold his
two
sisters in Conaille
know
Muirtheinihue, hut they did not
3
it.
In the Scholiast on Fiacc's
;'.,
the account ever,
is
Hymn,
that his mother
is
We
find,
how-
daughter of
said to be the
Ochmuis (mater Conchessa Ocmusii
by Colgan,
as given
substantially the same.
This agrees
filia).
with the narrative as given in the Tripartite, where, however, it is added that his mother was a " daughter of Ocbas of the Gauls, liast
i.e
,
of the Franks."
mentions a brother of the
Sannan, and
five
sisters,
main, Darerea, and
named
Cinnemun.
saint,
The Scho-
who
is
called
Lupait, Tigris, Lib-
These are not men-
tioned in the Tripartite. St.
Patrick himself states that thousands were carried
captive into Ireland, a statement which
firmed by
the history of the period.
The
is
amply con-
saint
was sold
men, who probably had united in procuring One of these eventually bought the slaves from Gaul.
to four
3 ]i_
Hymnorum, p. 27, 28. who inhabited that part of
Liber
of the tribe
Conaille Muirtheinihue was the name the present county Louth extending
from the Cooley mountains to the Boyne.
L
The Saint
129
in Captivity.
captive from the others, doubtless seeing that he would
thereby secure a faithful scrvaut for himself.
been no question
There has
as to the place where St. Patrick
spent his six years of servitude, or of the prisons
A
he served.
leaf is missing both
and British Museum MS. of the Tripartite Latin translation of Colgan is
no
is
;
but as the
remarkably accurate, there
supplying the details of the saint's
difficulty in
even were there not other
captivity,
whom
from the Bodleian
sources
of in-
formation.
The circumstances of the
saint's servitude are
related in the Preface to St. Sechnall's
fymn
J
thus
:
" Four persons purchased Patrick, and Miluic was one of them
and from
he had the name of Cothrighe.
this
not serve four houses servant he purchased
him alone the
to the
Hebrews
;
;
Afterwards he did
but when Miluic saw that he was a faithful him from the other three, so that he sea
;
\
end of seven years, according
and he
suffered
much hardship
to the
i
1
custom of
in the wilderness of
Sliabh Mis in Dal-Araidhe, tending the swine."
St.
Patrick has himself told us
pains of Ins servitude.
how
dreadful were the
The nights were passed
woods or on the mountains.
Iu the
he was
exposed to burning heat, in the winter to bitter
M
Yet
this servitude
Like
eternal freedom. his
cruel
Blaster.
and
was
masters
to
his vigour of
St.
(el
for
Vincent of Paul, he served
faithfully
mind
cold.
him but the preparation for
love
Like him also he prayed
and Divine love was
the
in
summer
of
the
Great
day and night,
spiritus augebatur) increa
his compensation
for earthly suf-
&
ire-
J '
e,.
T
.
".
-
Well might
feriiig.
say that the spirit was fervent
lie
within him (quia tunc in
me spiritus fervebat), when
one
day and one hundred times in the The snow, the rain, prayer to God.
hundred
times in the
night he
made
his
the frost, were alike powerless to injure him, for the divine fire within
This
was such that he
the saint's
is
own
felt
no harm.
statement, delivered calmly
years after the event, though
it
may
excite a smile of
contempt from the would-be philosopher. But Patrick had learned another philosophy and a higher science. now.
harm him
could
Such contempt
as
little
then
as
4
There were two
known by almost
districts
in
the
similar appellations.
North of Ireland These were Dal-
The former obtained
Riada and Dal-Araide.
from Carbry Riada (long arm)
or,
as
Bede
its
calls
name him,
Reuda, one of the three Carbrys, whose names are
famous in the pre-Christian history of Erinn.
He
esta-
blished a colony in Scotland, in connection with the
head-quarters of his clan, which were established in the present county of Antrim. the
name
of
into Argyle.
4
Noio.
The
district of
—It will bo remembered
by African
The Scotch colony obtained
Airer Gaedhil, which has been modernized
pirates.
At Tunis
lie
Dalaraida was that in which
that St. Vincent of Paul was taken captive
was
sold to a fisherman, who, fiuding he
could not bear the sea, sold him to a physician. On the death of this master he was sold to a renegade Christian, whom he converted by his piety and prayers, aud with whom eventually he escaped across the Mediterranean to Marseilles.
In his captivity, and while working laboriously for his hard
masters, he consoled himself, like St. Patrick, with reciting or singing the
Psalms
of David.
The Place of the St. Patrick
Saint's Captivity.
spent his six years of servitude.
It took its
name from Fiacha Araidhe, who was king 23 G.
131
of Ulster
is
This district extended from the present town
Newry, county Down, to Sliabh Mis, now Slemish,
of
in the county Antrim. 5 St. Patrick's is
master was king of North Dalaraida
thus mentioned in the Annals of the Four
a.d.
38S, Milchuo, son of
Dalaraida.
Buani
Hua
:
Buain, king of North
In the Tripartite Life he
Princeps Dalaradiae."
filius
he
;
Masters
called
is
"Milcho
Dalaraida,
as Dr.
Reeves has well observed, not only enjoyed a succession of chieftains from a very early date, but also held an
important place amongst the Irish principalities. 6
The writer
of the Scholiast on St. Fiacc's
Hymn states
that Milcho dwelt in Arcuil, a valley in the north of
Dalaraida,
mar Mount
Mis,
now
Slemish.
Hence, the
very place where St. Patrick spent his years of lonely servitude can he accurately identified even at the present day.
This district
is
now
called
the valley of the
from a river of that name which flows through site wdiere St.
commanded
to fly
from his master
r—
The
The
is still
marked by
the
valley through which
Braid flows, divides the parishes of Skerry and
Rathcavan, and the whole is
Braid,
Patrick had the vision in which he was
ruins of an ancient church.
the
it.
rich in
district, as
memorials of the
saint.
— Reeves, Down and Connor,
6
Antrim.
e
l'rincipalitki— Visitation of
W
p.
Down and
might be expected,
It
334.
Connor,
should be visited
Book p.
of Rights, p. 21.
339.
—
Life of St. Patrick.
by the pilgrim, after a previous noting down of each site, and the subject which it commemorates. Skerry was anciently called Sciric (rocky). Tradition assigns the foundation of this church to St. Patrick.
The present ruins are not of very great antiquity, but close beside them there are traces of a smaller building, which was probably erected at an at least,
on
all
earlier date.
Such,
the opinion of Dr. Eeeves, a high authority
is
matters of antiquarian investigation.
The present
ruin measures 64 feet by 18 feet 10 inches.
There
is
a
rock close to the north-east angle of the church, where a faint impression of a footmark called St. Patrick's footmark, but
perly termed St. Victor's, since
may it
be seen.
This
is
should be more pro-
all tradition 7
avers that
mark when he visited St. Patrick. Colgan informs us that when he wrote (in 1647), this
the angel
place
left this
was a famous pilgrimage. 8
There
a holy well in the neighbourhood, a
is
the south of the
Ordnance
1
Tradition.
Map
hill
of Skerig.
It is
as Tubernacool holy well.
—Dr. Todd
says that as
St.
little
to
mentioned on the There
is
a
Patrick himself does not mention
Had St. the apparition of an angel, therefore no angel could have appeared. Patrick mentioned an angel, no doubt Dr. Todd woidd have attributed the vision to the saint's imagination.
In either case he would have disbelieved. mention it, but St. Patrick was not
It is quite true that St. Patrick does not
He does life or a complete record of his spiritual experiences. elsewhere mention the apparition of Victor hence there is no reason why his may not have appeared to him here also. The Tripartite Life expressly writing his
;
angel
mentions that Victor assisted him while in captivity. So does St. Fiacc. 8 Pilgrimage. Hodie hie locus Schire Padruic appellator et in hunc usque diem plurima peregratioue, maguoque populi concursu et dovotione frequen-
—
tatur.
Colgan,
p.
171.
'"3
Vision
— Tubcrnacool Ilohj
11
townland called BaUytigpatrick, in the valley of the Braid, between Blemish
While
dream or
St.
and Skerry.
Patriek was with Milcho, this king had a
vision, in
which he saw his servant come into fire appeared to
the house where he was, and flames of issue
from his head.
Milcho thought that " the flame
broke upon him to burn him," but he drove it from him and it did him no harm. His son and daughter were with him, and
and
seemed as
it
their ashes
if it
were scattered
consumed them all
and told him his The interpreted to him thus
called Patrick at once
saint
:
sawest on
me
Milcho
which the
vision,
which thou
fire
the faith of the Trinity which burns
is
within me, and
entirely,
over Erinn.
it
is
this faith
which
I shall
hereafter
Thy
preach unto thee, but thou wilt not believe.
son,
however, and thy daughter they will believe, and the fire
of grace shall
St.
came
Fiacc
tells
9
consume them. us when and by
to St. Patrick to escape
indeed in this part of his
life
patience and humility.
It
made
whom
was
his
Nor can
;
it
was
is
his
crown him the duty to
the duty to the neighbour be separated
the earthly duty
who
We have
faithfulness that
his heavenly master
with the reward of special graces.
God and
summons
an admirable example of
his earthly master secure his sen-ices
faithfulness which made
those
the
from servitude.
;
and
ever most faithfully performed by
serve not unto
man but
unto God.
Patiently
for six long years the saint suffered hardship in the wil-
Them.— Libtr
Hyranoruui,
p. 2S.
derness of Dalaraida
but the time of release had come.
;
whom
Patrick had learned the language of those
St.
win
hereafter he
was
eloquence.
He had
to
might be the better evil,
God by words
to
of burning
learned their customs, so that he
reform what was not entirely
fitted to
and might know how best
what was bad.
to abolish
His own soul had been trained to lessons of humility, he had been purified by suffering, he had learned to com-
mune more
God and now he has other make for his glorious mission, and God him to his new work.
closely with
;
preparations to
himself calls
" Victor said to Milcho's slave
He
:
go thou over the
placed his foot upon the Leac [stone],
sea.
trace remains,
its
it
wears not
Mi
away."
Patrick himself thus relates his
St.
escape
— On a me
:
saying to
"
Thou
And
thy country.
fastest well,
after a short
me Behold thy ship :
near, but perhaps
I
whom
I
I fled
had been
who
;
1
heard a response
And it was
ready.
know anything
immediately after this
of the Lord,
is
thou shalt soon go to
time
two hundred miles
been there, nor did
with
his
certain night, as I slept, I heard a voice
:
saying to
and
call,
off,
and
my way
nothing, until I arrived at the ship
my
arrival the ship
Do
not think that you can go with
;
left
not
had never
of the people.
and having
for six years,
directed
I
the
And man
power
in the
to good, I feared
and on the day
of
had left her place, and I spoke to them and asked that I might go with them. And the master was displeased, and replied sharply with anger :
us.
When
I
heard
St. Patrick's
this I left
Escape from Captivity.
them, and wont to a cottage, where
received hospitality, and
and before
had finished
I
began
I
are calling thee
pray as I
I
I
had
for these
men
returned to them,
me Come, we receive you in us, as you may wish. So on :
be friends with
that day I ceased to fly for the fear of God. I
I
went along,
heard one of them
come quickly,
and immediately
;
and they began to say to faith,
to
my prayer
calling out loudly after me,
good
135
However,
hoped of them that they might say to me,
'
Come, in
the faith of Jesus Christ,' for they were Gentiles."
Although the various manuscripts of
more or
points of difference, of
version of the Confession, as
Cotton collection, volume.
But
this
will
it
less
St.
Patrick's
some
slight
importance.
The
Confession agree in the main, there are
still
stands at present in the
be given at the end of this
copy has been carefully collated with
the other versions, and each difference will be noted
and the authority
given.
A
translation
is
given of the
notes as well as of the text, so that the ordinary reader
can judge for himself of the various copies.
One
version of the
distance which he (cc.
milia passus).
suum.
The
had
Book
Armagh
of
says that the
was two hundred miles
to travel
Probus has also duccenta milia pas-
Tripartite quotes the Confession.
there can be bttle doubt as to the distance,
probable that the saint was
Indeed,
and
obliged to traverse
it
ig
the
whole of Ireland before he reached the port of embarkation.
It is
not surely too
had commanded
his flight,
much
to suppose that
Be who
and told him that " the ship
tffeSf^*3>r H>|
136
Life of St. Patrick.
was ready," guided him on his journey, and made known It to him the port from whence he should escape. would have served Peter little to have had his chains struck off in prison
if
the gates had not been opened
also for his deliverance.
The
Bollandists read veni
ad Benum
in the place
where the Book of Armagh reads Diregabat ad bonum. It will
be observed that
St.
Patrick avoids
all
mention
of places in his Confession, either intentionally, or
probably by accident, hence the only
localities
there were those where his family resided.
considers the Bollandist version correct,
and
more
named
Dr. Lanigan says, indeed,
what is obviously true, that a transcriber meeting with the word benum, which he did not understand, would be more likely to write bonum, than to write the former word
embark
saint
Il
1
Bollandists, therefore, make the mouth of the Boyne. But both Dr. Lanigan and Dr. Todd have shown that this argument is untenable. The Boyne is always Latinised for the latter.
Boindus,
word
is
or,
according to Ptolemy, Bovinda.
a proper
to Bantry.
The
name
it
may more
The ancient name
If the
correctly be referred
of the district
was Ben-
traighe, the shore of the Ben, so that Ben, Latinised into
Benum, was the Bay.
If this theory be correct
with the almost universal reading, that
neyed two hundred miles to the 1
Latter
2
Ship.
ship.
St.
it
agrees
Patrick jour-
2
Lanigan, Ec. Hist. vol. i. p. 149. Todd thinks bonum the correct reading, Memoir oj Si. Patrick, Dr. Lanigan has suggested also that if bonum were a proper name, it p. 308. might signify the river now called Bandon, which falls into the sea at Kinsale.
— Dr.
V
at the
ill
PZace of the Saint's Embarkation.
5>'
The
V
137 at land
saint informs us himself that he arrived
This
exactly the time which
after a three days'
sail.
would he required
iu those days for a
is
voyage from a
southern Irish port to the northern part of Gaul.
must he conjectured from
It
narrative that
was some considerable
dis-
tance from the place where his family then resided.
He
the
r
own
St. Patrick's
place where he landed
writes thus
:
Alter three days
we
landed, and fur twenty
days we wandered through a desert. In some copies of the Confession there
$
from which,
if it
be correct,
we must
The Bollandists have
endured a second captivity. inserted the paragraph, after a
few years
I
Book
A
version.
of
is
Armagh, though
it is
It is
decidi)."
made about
the
made some
Patrick does write of a second captivity, that
Mr. Joyoe'l admirable work
:
dants of Beann, one of Conor's sons, were called from him [Bantry],
£.«.,
first
doubt that
little
great
evident from the whole context, that
I find the following paragraph in
-Ji
again
iterum
given in the other
the transcribers of the Confession have
I
(et
sentence follows in which the saint refers
•
St.
And
capturam
in
captivity in such language as to leave
mistake.
"
not contained in the version
to the statements he has already
i
:
was again taken captive
This sentence, however, of the
which runs thus
non multos adhuc
post annos
a paragraph
is
infer that the saint
the Race of
Beano
a part ol
;
them
settle! in
it
if
must
" The descenI
Wexford, and
another part in Cork, and the barony of Bantry, in the former county, mil the town of Bantry, in the latter, retain their names." The Origin and History This of Irish names of places; by P. W. Joyce, A.M., If. R. I. A., page 11G. valuable work should be in the han
man who has
i
the least interest iu his national
li
scholar,
In itory.
and
of
every
Irish-
have occurred during the time which intervened between from Milcho and his arrival at home.
his escape
If this
the correct interpretation, the words post annos non
is
multos must be an interpolation.
words occur two or the
speaks
saint
How
Britain after a few years. transcriber in the
known
Two
to all
who have had any
experience in such
headings of chapters in the Book of
of the
are as follows
:
voyages with the Gentiles and his
his
trials in
and the supernatural supply of food
and the Of
and repeat them again without
place,
3
Armagh desert,
easily the eye of a
observation where they really should stand,
matters.
Of
where
might catch the words and write them
wrong
further is
on,
being with his parents in
his
of
Indeed these very
lines further
three
the
for himself
Gentiles.
which he suffered
his second captivity
for three
score days from bis enemies. It will
be remembered that although the early portion
of this valuable Life
manifestly an
yet the Life by Probus
is lost,
amended
text of Mactheni
Probus gives
omission can be easily supplied. of
a second
captivity
clearly distinct
question 3
Matters.
Bollanclists,
is
from the
one which
—The
in
text iu the
but makes
first captivity. is
it
Book
full,
of
the narrative of the
of the narrative of first,
have simply
it
details
to be
Hence the
obviously impossible to
Armagh
is
seeing the apparent discrepancy which
By the introduction
is
hence the
;
manifestly corrupt. is
made
in
The
some copies
a second captivity into the middle of left
out the last paragraph.
Escape from Captivity
Tlie Saint's
decide, It is
and
it is
not a subject of any greal importance.
just possible that the lessons of the
Rheima
The
furnish the key to the whole question.
on
St.
Fiacc's
Hymn
this gives
a second and
According to this account,
authority.
after St. Patrick fled
treviary
was, probably, the source from
which they were taken, and
more ancient
I
Scholiast
from Milcho he was captured by a
man named Kienan, who sold him to some sailors. He afterwards repented of what he had done, and procured the saint's liberation,
journey southwards.
It
is
who then continued
very probable
that
his this
statement contains the correct explanation of the second
sel
captivity,
and
and
it
explains
why
St.
Patrick introduced
same paragraph with the account of the
into the
why
he continued the narrative of the
after he bad
first
it
first,
captivity
mentioned the second. 4
The desolation of the country through which St. At the commenceis easily explained.
Patrick journeyed
ment of
the fifth century
European society was
in a state
The world and the Church, were engaged in deadly and
of chronic dismemberment. the Church
and
desperate conflict. of
hi resy,
Faith alone could enkindle the eye
Hope with a glimpse
of future peace.
The mighty
empire of Rome, which had served unconsciously the Divine purpose in extending the knowledge of Christianity,
was now
falling to pieces, as
human
Kienan was afterwards baptized by
St.
empires must
Patrick,
and founded
tbe church «r monastery of Daimldiac- Kienan, now Doleek, in the county Meath. He is commemorated in the Martyrology of Donegal at 'J4 Nov.
^
7 <^-
sooner or
The barbarians were about
surely
clo
to
another service to the Church, though equally
clo
later.
unconscious of their mission.
Christians,
when
perse-
cutions ceased, began to forget that the end of their existence
was
to prepare for
eternal kingdom, rather
arj
They
than to seek the enjoyment of temporal goods.
needed the purifying
them
to
a better
purification
fire
life
was given
of suffering once
more
to recal
and holier purposes, and
this
Spain was ravaged by a
to them.
who called themselves Christians by creed and barbarians by nature. France was invaded on the north by the pagan Franks, and on the south by the Arian Burgundians. Everywhere there was war, and the desolation consequent upon its ravages. Hence vast tracts of country
host of half-savage men,
in name, yet were Axians
were depopulated
:
for,
though
cities
1 v
might escape, the
poor were sure to be the victims of either or of both 1
>
<•
parties of combatants.
As
St.
Patrick and the sailors or merchants journeyed
through tbe desert, two remarkable events occurred,
which he has the
men
left
on record in
his Confession.
Many
(multos ex Mis) had fainted, and were
dead of hunger upon the road. to the saint,
them from
they
would
and powerful God. be
sincerely
He
converted,
with
that
if
whole hearts, God would send them food,
Him
all
things
were
possible.
Even
for
replied
thento
m
The master appealed
and asked could he not obtain help
bis great
of
left half
as
for
he
spoke a herd of swine appeared on the road before
¥
M
them
and they gave thanks
:
Patrick.
to
God and honoured
1
"When they had rested
for
two
and were
nights,
The
thoroughly refreshed, they continued theirjourney.
men now
discovered some wild honey, and one of
offered a portion to St. Patrick, saying at the
that
it
fused
was
offered in sacrifice.
His doing so
it.
received
full
is
it
may
same time
saint at once re-
as evidence that he must have Christian
instruction in
father's house, or
The
them
doctrine in his
be that the holy instinct of
extraordinary sanctity prevailed over natural mclination.
Those who are familiar with early will
remember how many martyrs
we should
say, entered
ecclesiastical
history
perished, or rather,
on immortality during the severe
Roman emperors, merely because they would not honour even the " genius of Caesar," when
persecutions under the
by
so doing they
must perform an act of
Men who were
ready, to
sacrifice
their rulers, dared not preserve their
condition trifling
of
act
So, also,
performing
idolatry.
twenty
own
lives for
lives
which could give a suspicion of
and on the same
on
the.
even the most apparently idolatry.
principle, in the centuries
which followed the so-called Reformation, thousands
were found
in Ireland,
and hundreds in England, who
sacrificed their lives, or their
whole worldly
sooner than listen even for a few moments to the
estates,
new form
of prayer, which had taken the place of the ancient Sacrifice of 6
the Mass.
The same causes have produced the
Patrick.— Et ego honorificatus sum sub oculis eorum.
Life of St. Patrick.
142
same results in all ages of the Church. In pagan Rome, heathen Gaul, in once Catholic England, the " honey" has been rejected, and the demon has been
And when
foiled.
6
most unreservedly
souls give themselves
and generously to God, they not unfrequently receive in
Even the powers
return the reward of special suffering.
work
of darkness are allowed to limits of
desert
;
Divine permission.
and in the
their will within the
Christ
lives of all
who
was tempted
in the
are called to a special
ever some desert into which
nearness to Christ, there
is
they are driven for their
souls' greater purification,
wherein they are refined and purified by special ing.
The very night
refused the honey
of the
day on which Patrick had
was the time chosen
assault of diabolic malice.
and
suffer-
How
for a
remarkable
terrible this assault
must have been we may judge from the words which the saint himself uses in recording that he could never forget tentavit
me
Satanas,
it
it
;
for
while he lived.
he declares
Et
fortiter
quod memor ero quamdiu fuero
in
— In
the Acta of the well-kuowu martyr, St. Polycarp, we read that as his captors were conducting him on an ass towards the city, Herod and his father, Nieetas, took him into their chariot and asked him what harm could there be in saying Lord C;esar, or even in sacrificing, to escape death ; 15
Foiled.
and when he refused they flung him from the chariot. When brought before the Proconsul he was offered a discharge if he would swear by the genius of It is well known that Similar instances are too numerous to record. Ca;sar. during the persecutions of Catholics which followed the so-called Reformation both in England and Ireland, men sacrificed their lives and property willingly, sooner than even listen to the Protestant prayers. Yet, strange to say, there are Protestant clergymen, in England at least, who try to persuade themselves and others that the service to which these martyrs would not even listen is the same as the Catholic Mass. In the appendix to C'halloner's Missionary Priests, he mentions an instance in which the Protestant Archbishop of York attempted to entrap fifty-three Catholics to hear him preach, but they all shut their ears, though compelled to remain in the place by armed men.
p?"
*
-3"
"
&'
<
When
*
»
? fcr*
Temptation
77d' Saint's
hoc corpore.
»
*
^
*T
in the Desert.
\\.\
remembrance of that night of
the
temptation was so strong, after the lapse of seventy or eighty years,
"On
how
must have been the
terrible
the same night," Bays the saint,
"as
reality.
I slept,
Satan strongly tempted me, and he appeared to
me
my
But how
limbs.
it
came
invoke [invocareni] Elias I the sun arising Elias,
sun
with
fell
in
t
In
•
into
I
CJ
not
;
and then 1
I
saw
called Elias,
behold the splendour of the
upon me and removed
believe that
my mind that I should
know
heavens, and whilst
my might,
all
on
fall
that I had no strength in
a great rock, so
like
was succoured by
Spirit even then cried out for
all
my
my
heaviness.
Christ,
me, and
I
and that
hope that
I
his
I will
be so also in the day of my adversity, as the Lord testifies
For
in the Gospel.
Spirit of
it
is
not you that speak, but the
your Father that speaketh
in you." 7
In the Second Life the words in reference to the invocation of Elias are given in Irish, but the chapter consists only of a few lines
;
and Colgan says
note to this chapter that the rest et 7
Hubertino et Alnensi." 8 You.
— St.
controversy.
Math.
Even
x.
if
20.
St.
is
The
in his
wanting, " in a Irish sentence runs
This passage has been the subject of much useless Patrick intended to say Eli, and to pray directly
lies lose nothing by the admission. There is ample evidence that the practice of invoking the saints was customary from the earliest agea of Christianity, and that it was a general devotion in Ireland
to our Diriin
I
l
past denying. Bat if all the transcribers were mistaken, and w n where they should have written Eli, how comes it that St. Patrick should have said he knew not how it came into his mind to do so ? Surely he who was so constant and fervent in prayer to God could not have wondered that he should pray to Him. The most simple interpretation is, that St Patrick v.l> not in the habit of invoking iat and did not know how the saint's name occurred to him at the moment. »Alneiui.— Tris. Tha. p. 17, n. 22. is
:
/.'
In the Third Life the person invoked Patriciua
Eli.
vocavit
the Irish version of the Tripartite are missing,
only
gather
from
Colgan's version
bably contained on this subject.
called
is also
As the leaves
&c.
Eli,
translated
doubtless
is
is
it
faithfully
supposing that by the word used by
fa
meant
There
Elias the Prophet.
is
expressly 8
Armagh.
Indeed,
it is
The
from the
authority' for
St.
Patrick he
also the authority
of the version of the Confession contained hi the of
not some few persons found
it
saint's
meaning had
difficult to reconcile
the
fact of his invocation of a saint with their anxiety to
make
it
appear that the early Irish converts were not
Catholics. 9
Probus informs us that B
Prophet.
St.
Patrick preached to the
— Colgan, 121, xxiv. — Invocavit Heliam Prophetam. — Personal assaults and temptations of the evil one are frequently c.
p.
9 Catholics.
Sulpicius Severus recorded in the lives of the saints, as well as angelic visits. informs us, in his Life of St. Martin of Tours, that he was frequently assailed altars he had which the form of the gods whose phantoms, took by frightful
broken, appearing to him in the shape of Jupiter or Mercury, oftener still of Venus or Minerva and making the air resouud with their clamours and reproaches.
The
Life of the Cure of
Ars gives mauy
details of sufferings
on the holy servant of God by satanic malice. For many months he could not get even a brief rest, so terrible were the noises with which his midinflicted
night hours were disturbed.
and laymen, who were at Life of the Cure of Am.
—
They were heard by many
last obliged to
Burns
&
Al
Book
probable there would never
have been any question about the
£
waft-
what they pro-
Here
Hence we have very ancient
original.
i
we can
stated that St. Patrick invoked Elias the prophet.
passage
of
Co.,
othars, both priests admit that they were supernatural, London, p. 121.
S> f
m
^S±&^1
'ff^^C^ Patrick in Gaul.
St.
which we may well
Bailors <>n their journey,
have done.
to
There can be
little
believe
him
doubt thai he had
already determined on his apostolic mission to Ireland it is
for
at least manifest, that he lost
and
it,
this
may
preparation
have consisted in prayer,
The portion of the
no time
be said
of the
is
It gives
us,
in
briefly
to
and study.
self-discipline,
history of St. Patrick which records
Gaul
his education in the monasteries of
mission,
;
preparing
in
deepest
fact,
for bis Celtic
and importance.
interest
epitome of the ecclesiastical
an
history of the period, and a glimpse into the lives of
men who laboured
the noblest and holiest
A
the Catholic Faith in Europe.
on the continent of Europe
Christian
life
essential
introduction
residence there; and
to
to extend
brief description of is
an account of
this description
almost an
the
saint's
can scarcely
fail
to be full of interest.
We Bociety It
have already glanced at the at
the
was imt
commencement
satisfactory
:
revolt
of
state of
the
European century.
fifth
and schism were the
normal state of continental nations.
Heresy and schism were sanctioned,
by
if
not upheld,
But however evil the there was hope, and more
so-called Christian emperors.
state of the
world might
than hope
in
he,
the Church.
Even while the
power proclaimed the triumph of heresy, the
power was establishing those
institutions
ever been the best safeguard against
The name of Roman
It!
Ji-^i
citizen,
secular spiritual
which have
it.
which
until
now had
been a into
title
of the highest honour,
contempt
;
the
name
of saint
was rapidly falling was daily honoured
more and more. When a nation falls, she rises no more. There is no power of national vitality within her she ;
has accomplished her purpose vidence are civilization,
fulfilled
and
is
she
;
—the
designs of Pro-
barbarism to
from
rises
subdued by barbarians,
or amalga-
mated with a more powerful race her special identity is lost, and in the history of nations, her record is only a ;
record of the past. nations,
who
But
orders, her standing full of
young
it is
not so with those spiritual
The
exist within the Church.
recruits,
army
religious
of brave soldiers, are ever
ardent and eager for the battle.
If in
one place these soldiers seem to be vanquished,
it is
only that they
may
new
appear with
force
and
The Fathers of the Desert had The monks of Gaul took accomplished then- work. up the arms which they had laid down, or had died in vitality in another.
defending, and
compared the
carried
isles of
on the
religious, to a collar of pearls
the value
conflict.
upon the
Ambrose
He knew
sea.
and importance of these armies of
secrated to God, and at the gates of his city he established a convent of
His
St.
the Mediterranean, peopled with
souls con-
own
episcopal
monks.
well-known work on Virginity was written at
the request of his sister Marcellina,
and he answered
therein the old accusation, so often reiterated, as
were new.
He
defended the virgins,
liberty to choose the service of
God
who
if it
only asked
in preference to the
*..".
>
5=
^>
r
^r
,
"
77ie
?
»
J
--*•-
-
*•
'.';.
Monks of Gaul.
147 >
service it
of a husband,
need not be anxious
and
lie
the
lest
assured the world that
human
race should
fail
for lack of progenitors.
was at the
It
close of this century also that the great
Augustine, vanquished by the grace of God, obtained
him by the prayers of
for
God without
reserve,
his mother,
gave himself to
and learned that there was some-
thing greater than to be the friend even of an emperor.
Thus, while
and
Augustine was writing
St.
liis
Confession
which has been the guide of so many
his Rule,
religious orders, St. Patrick
was preparing
work which he has recorded
in his Confession also,
by penitence and
obtaining, the
spiritual
for the great
and
prayer, the grace of being
father of thousands
who
should hereafter
follow the rule of the great Doctor of the Church.
St.
Augustine, indeed, went to his reward almost at the
when
very time
on
But more
Patrick, in middle age,
St.
his apostolate.
went
forth
1
there were others
directly on the
life
whose influence was exercised
The unvan
of our saint.
ing
testimony of his biographers show the connection of his family with that of stance,
St.
monastery of Tours,
This circum-
Martin of Tours.
combined with the
fact
that he
after his release
went
to the
from captivity, to
prepare himself for his apostolic labours, must satisfy
but those
who
are wilfully incredulous.
cise relationship 1
Apostolate.
— St
was
is
43'2.
all
the pre-
another question, and one which.
Augustine died at Milan, Iged
•rrived in Ireland, a.d.
What
7G,
ad.
430.
St Patrick
> >
148
Life of St. Patrick.
we have
as
before observed, will probably never
be
settled.
We
have already said something of
parentage and
early
history.
for
heaven.
his
most
painful,
still
a
reward saw the garment taken up to
When
freed from the terrible servitude of a
which must have been
life
Martin's
St.
while
cloak with the poor beggar,
soldier that he divided his
and
was
It
him
to
he sought for one
in every respect
who might
guide his
course in the heavenly army, in which he had so long
He
desired to be enrolled. instructor St.
chose for his leader and
Hilary of Poictiers who, like the great
Athanasius, had been honoured by banishment for his
Martin remained at
fidelity to the Catholic Faith.
St.
Milan whde his friend was in
exile,
him
in
:->G0
monastery of Liguge, which
most ancient in Gaul. an important work
and returned with
Here Martin founded the
to Poictiers.
said to have been the
is
But God had destined him
in the Church,
yet deeper lesson in the spiritual
and he had life
by
sacrificing his
His special
love of retirement for the good of souls.
warfare was with the powers of darkness,
sway over the great mass
for
to learn a
who
stdl held
Later he
of the populace.
defended the truth in the courts of princes, and opposed the harsh cruelty of the Spanish bishops, eager to shed
blood
—the blood
the
ardently
cloister,
of heretics. for
pined.
from public
duties
AVhen
But
his heart
from youth,
which, a
permitted
brief his
was
he had
interval
return
of
still
so rest
to Tours
m
he at
commenced
once
the
foundation
of
a
mo-
nastery.
The
site
which he selected was ahout half a league
from Tuns, and was then a desert enclosed on one side by the tight hank of the Loire, and on the other by
Here
rocks.
St.
Martin was the
first
exam-
to give the
ple of these austerities which he invited others to practise,
and he made
branches of bial as
%
for himself a cell of the interlaced
His
trees.
words have hecome prover-
last
an aspiration of perfect sanctity
still
necessary for thy people,
But
his
I
work was accomplished, and
reward surrounded by holy
"Lord,
:
if I
am
refuse not to labour."
souls,
he went to his
who were
ready
to
continue the work which he had begun, until they also
should be no longer necessary.
The exact year of
St.
Martin's death
is
not known, but
dates have be n given varying froni a.d. 400 to a.d. 404.
Hence
it
seems doubtful
if
St.
Patrick could have been
present at his death-bed, yet the writers of the hives of
the Saint are unanimous in then- testimony of Lis having i
>
had personal intercourse with
St Ninian of Scotland was
I
the
same
period.
his saintly relative.
also at Marnioutier about
He had journeyed
to
Home,
then, as
now, the great centre of Christian unity, and Lad passed twenty-four years in that city preparing for his mission.
He
received episcopal consecration from Pope Siricius,
and, accompanied by some of the
monks
monastery, proceeded to Scotland, also
On
of St. Martin's his
arrival
he
founded a religious house, and as he heard of the
ML
Life of St. Patrick.
death of cated
Martin before
St.
which
very year in
he dedi-
completion,
its
under his invocation.
it
Ninian died the
St.
Patrick arrived in Ireland,
St.
A.D. 432.
biography
Martin's
St.
In
Severus.
brought to the
which a
more with
he had been a lawyer, and
cloister
refined and cultivated tastes, and prayer enhanced more and
of penance
life
spiritual
his legal career
was written by Sulpicius
life
early
When
brightness.
he renounced
he sold his patrimony, and chose for his
dwelling one of his villas in Aquitain, where he lived as a brother with his converted slaves. life
was one
persevered in
of the it
most extreme
with wonderful
Their
austerity,
fidelity.
It
retreat that Sulpicius Severus wrote the
Martin, a work so treasured copied
with his
it
own
him wherever he went. biography
is
by
St.
mode
of
but they
was in
this
Life of St.
Patrick, that he
hands, and carried
it
with
This remarkable and beautiful
contained in the Book of Armagh, and
is
one of the most interesting portions of that important relic of early Irish history.
It
would be impossible, and indeed apart from our
subject,
to give details of all the
ments in Gaul
monastic establish-
at this period, or of all the saints
who
illumined the darkness of pagan and military barbarism,
but there are two of them, heroes of peace and sanctity,
whom we
cannot pass over.
Both Lerins and Auxerre
were places honoured by the presence of
and
for this reason, if for
no
other,
St.
we must
Patrick
desire
;
some
:
Dr. The Monastery of Lerins,
mode
information regarding their founders, and the life
of those
Lerins
is
who dwelt within
an island in the Mediterranean, not far from
In 410, the very year in which
Toulon.
of
their cloisters.
Patrick
St.
who
escaped from captivity, a young noble
preferred
poverty to riches, and asceticism to pleasure, made for himself a home.
The
by serpents
infested
island all
;
was
The barrenness soon disappeared, of the
and
barren, deserted,
the more reason for his choice.
was one
for labour
most important duties of the monk, and
it
scarcely an exaggeration to say that one-half of
wft
marshes of Europe were reclaimed, and made by these patient as
tillers
of the
soil.
These
men
is
the
fruitful
laboured
none others could labour, for to them labour was not
undertaken to procure the meat which periaheth, but in obedience to one of the of our
human
first
laws of the eternal author
A monk
life.
who
ceased to
A monk who
ceased to be a true monk.
labour
laboured
negligently would almost surely be a negligent monk.
The
desert also soon ceased to be such.
the
attract
spread abroad never
given the rich fled
and
saintly,
fails to
gift of
win those to
loving
it.
away, or ceased to exist
Patrick, had special
The
saintly
odour of virtue once
the
—
whom God
has
The noxious animals for
Honorat, like
St.
power of control over the animal
creation.
The account transmitted
to us of the
has some features of peculiar beauty. scribed
monks
of Lerins
It is thus de-
by a pen more gifted and eloquent than ours
ifiSfci
Life of St. Patrick.
152 "There
perhaps, nothing
is,
more touching
by one
annals than the picture traced
in monastic
of the
most
illustrious sons of Lerins, of the paternal tenderness of
for the
Honoratus
m
He
He
neglected no
banish every sadness, every painful recollection
of the world. their food,
He watched
their
sleep,
their labours, that each
their health,
might serve God
they
them with a
said,
"
we
more than
" In him,"
filial.
m
find not only a father, but an entire
family, a country to
love
-,
Thus he
according to the measure of his strength. inspired
he
could read the depths of
their souls to discover all their griefs. effort to
whom
numerous family of monks
had collected round him.
— the
whole world."
any of those who were
When
he wrote
absent, they said, on receiving
his letters, written, according to the usage of the time,
upon
tablets of
wax
:
" It
is
honey which he has poured
back into that wax, honey drawn from the inexhaustible In that island paradise, and
sweetness of his heart,"
#1
under the care of such a shepherd, the perfume of life These monks, who had sought breathed everywhere. happiness by renouncing secular that they had found
it;
and proclaimed
life, felt
to see their serene
joy, their union, their gentleness,
and
and modest
their firm hope,
one could have bebeved oneself in presence of a battalion of angels at rest.
The churches Troyes,
Kietz,
of Aries, Frejus,
Avignon,
Valence,
Lyons,
Metz,
Nice,
Vienne,
Venee,
Upt, Carpentras, and Saintes, borrowed from the happy isle,
as
it
was everywhere
called, their
most
illustrious
:
W
77je
Monastery o/Lerins.
Honoratus, taken froin his monastery to be
bishops.
elevated to the metropolitan see of Aries, had for his successor, as abbot of Lerins,
and
of Aries, his pupil
owe
Hilary, to
whom we
the admirable biography of his master.
whom the gentle and worldly
the penitent
He went
Hilary,
tender Honoratus had drawn from a
after a
life,
entreaties, caresses,
desperate resistance,
and
by
force of
tears, retained in the episcopate
and laborious
life
of the cloister of Lerins.
through his diocese and the neighbouring
country always on q
and afterwards as bishop
relative,
foot,
and barefooted even
in the
snow.
Celebrated for his graceful eloquence, his un-
wearied
zeal, his
ascendency over the crowd, and for the
numerous conversions which he worked, he was once
w ith
variance
him of
r
the Pope, St. Leo the Great,
his title of metropolitan to
punish him for certain
uncanonical usurpations; but Hilary
and
after his death, the
at
who deprived
knew how
to yield,
Great Pope did him justice by 2
him Hilary of holy memory." Such was Lerins, and such were the men with whom
calling
St.
Patrick dwelt, from
we may
most perfect
But
whom
he received, and to
whom
well believe he gave in return, lessons of the
there
sanctity.
was one of the inmates of
monastery of whom,
for special reasons,
this
holy
we must make
whde all others may be passed by in The name of Vincent of Lerins has been handed down to posterity as pre-eminent amongst those
special mention, silence.
*
Mem»ry.— The Monks
of the
We,t, v
.1.
i.
pp. 4G5-6.
who have
written most boldly and effectively in defence
He was
of the holy Catholic faith.
the companion of
and we cannot doubt that he was
Patrick,
above
Vincent,
others,
all
also his friend.
sympathise most
would
deeply with tbe aspirations and desires of the apostle of a whole nation
;
and
in that
abode of sanctity
may have
well believe that there
we may
been some who foresaw
with prophetic light the future glory of the holy and stranger
monk who,
Again,
for a brief space,
dwelt with them.
from the description of
shall quote
I
of the
West
:
" Holding the
monks
of Lerins]
Lcrins,
who was
first
rank amongst these [the
was the great and modest Vincent de the
first
controversialist of his
name,
and who has preserved to posterity the name of the which had been the cradle of his genius.
He composed
this
Monks
monastery, as given by the fervent author of the
the short and celebrated
isle
work which
has gained him immortality in 434, three years after the Council of Ephesus, and on occasion of the Nestorian
He would humbly, " Eemarks
heresy which that Council had condemned. not put his
name
of the Pilgrim"
to
it,
and
entitled
it
—Commonitarium
Peregrini.
In this
he has fixed with admirable precision, and in language as decisive as faith,
by
it is
simple and correct, the rule of Catholic
establishing
Scripture and tradition, definition
it
on the double authority of
and originating the celebrated
of orthodox interpretation
:
— Quod
quod ubique, quod ab omnibus creditum
semper,
est.
After having thus established the immutability of
m
155
Vincent of Lerins.
St.
Catholic doctrine, he demands, "Shall there then be no
Church of Christ
progress in the
who would
and
and not chance.
centuries, there
intelligence, of
man
as for
shall
In:
for
;
be so envious of the good of men, or so
cursed of God, as to prevent gress,
"There
i"
answers, " and even great progress
progress," he
all
must
But
it 1
With
it
will he pro-
the growth of the ages
necessarily be a growth of
wisdom, and of knowledge, for the Church.
But the
each
religion of souls
must imitate the progress of the human form, which, developing and growing with years, never ceases to he the same in the maturity of age as in the flower of
youth."
Vincent has inscribed at the head of his masterpiece a testimony of his gratitude for the sweet sanctuary of
which was
Lerins,
when,
ligion,
after
he says, the port of
for him, as
re-
having been long tossed about on the
sea of this world, he
came there
to seek peace,
and Btudy
that he might escape, not only the shipwrecks of the it
life,
but the
fires
3 of the world to come.
Let us pass from Lerins to Auxerre, and from Ilonoratus to St. Germain.
we must ration
Indeed
it
is
to the
St.
1
specially look for testimony as to the prepa-
which
St,
Patrick received for his apostolate.
It
Germanus that he learned the Canons it must, therefore, he full of interest and all important to inquire what Canons St. Germain taught. It was to St. was from
St.
Germanus
r_'"
;
that he looked
*Come— The
for
spiritual
Moults of the West, voL
i.
i>.
guidance for 486.
"TT
rt*mft»
we should know Even had we no other source of information as to the doctrines taught by St. Patrick than a knowledge of the doctrines taught by St. It is all essential that
thirty years.
how Germanus
himself lived.
Germanus, our information would be complete. years of spiritual guidance
must have reverenced the spiritual
teach
guidance
St.
years.
Thirty the son
father.
Thirty years of
how much
the father had to
which he could
Germanus was born
He
how deeply
us
and how the son desired
instructions
378.
us
tell
tell
to
treasure
all
the
obtain.
Auxerre about the year
at
was, therefore, St. Patrick's senior by ten
But while the Apostle of Ireland was enduring
the hardships of slavery,
and deprived of every oppor-
tunity of increased mental culture, St.
Germanus was
pursuing a liberal course of education, and excelling in
more than one branch of human
science.
that his parents were noble, but
little
them than
their names.
It is believed
more
is
known
of
The future bishop was destined
by his family for a legal career. They were Christians, and he had the benefit of a Christian education. As they were desirous that he should excel in the course of
was sent
life
Rome
which they had chosen
for him, he
complete his studies.
Here, at this period, regular col-
legiate education
parts of the
was
carried out,
to
and the youth of
to
all
continent flocked thither to obtain the
benefit of superior instruction.
The students were assigned officers called
special lodgings,
and
Censuales were appointed to look after
5^g^ :kJgKs3Btew^
;
St.
None were permitted
their morals.
-v
after the
U
GermanuA ofAuxerre.
age of twenty,
lest
attachment to their native place
that
eminently desirable for a good After St.
which
Germanus had returned
ing step by step, he became at last
birth
He had
to
3
Duke
Gaul, he rose
of both parties,
While holding which town
Advanc-
or Governor of
previously married a lady of high
and considerable wealth, from
by consent
so
is
citizen.
rapidly in the profession which he had chosen.
Armorica.
Rome
remain in
to
they should lose or weaken
whom
he separated,
when he became a
priest.
his legal office he resided at Auxerre, of
St.
Amator was
the bishop.
Paganism
still
prevailed even in those parts of Gaul where Christianity
had been long preached and fervently practised, and the Christian bishops of that age were obliged with the one
hand
to repress
idolatry.
heresy and with the other to put
They were,
rave exceptions, riously. lization
St.
in truth, apostles,
fulfilled their
and
apostolic missions
Amator had to contend
also with the
and misery which ever follows
but miracles evidenced his it is
faith
and
glo-
demora-
in the train of
war
assisted his mission,
related of this holy bishop that he restored,
the Divine power, sight to the blind,
power caused the lame
became
wealthier class of
a
by
and by the same
to walk.
Such was the bishop under whose auspices
manus
down
and with some
saint.
Eoman
It
was
citizens to
the towns where they resided.
have
St.
with
villas
Gerthe
outside
To these country places Hunting was the
they retired for rest or amusement.
£fe£&
usual
Goth and Eonian, and Ger-
favourite pursuit of both
manus was chase.
especially devoted to the pleasures of the
There was a large tree of great antiquity in the
centre of the
town
of Auxerre,
whereon the nobles were
wont
to display trophies of their skill.
been,
and indeed was
tion,
This tree had
an object of pagan venera-
still,
and the custom of thus exposing the
chase was pagan
also.
spoils of the
Germanus, as a Christian, did
not believe the superstition, but Christians then, as now,
were not always perfect— he did from motions of vanity
what was done by others from motions of
Whatever
his motives
superstition.
might have been,
it
was a
great scandal for the Christian governor of the province to countenance
in
any way a pagan custom.
St.
Amator expostulated with him, as in duty bound. Germanus still continued the obnoxious exhibition. Amator appealed to him again and again, but he would not
listen.
As
the scandal could not be repressed in
any other way, Amator took the bold and wise course Germanus was furious, and of destroying the tree. vented his indignation in angry words and
angry threats.
Yet, in
all
this
still
more
Providence was work-
ing secretly for the eternal welfare of the future saint
and the Church. his soldiers,
Germanus
collected a large
awe, or perhaps to seize and imprison the
body of
and proceeded to Auxerre, either to overSt.
Amator.
In
meantime the holy bishop was favoured with a
revelation, in
earthly course
which he was informed that
was nearly
at
its close,
his
own
and that the
man who was coming
to attack him with his armed band was the person chosen by God to succeed him in his office.
Amator, on receiving
St.
this divine
communication,
did not wait for the arrival of the angry governor, but
Autun, in order to obtain an interview with
set out for
who was then
the Prefect of Gaul,
The Bishop
place.
was expressed by
character
meet
of Autun, St.
his episcopal brother,
vied with visitor.
him also in Amator soon
his
staying at that
whose
Simplicius,
name, came forth
to
and the Christian prefect showing honour to their
—
explained his object, he wished to inform the prefect of the revelation which had been made to him, and to obtain his permission to confer
St.
the tonsure on Gcrmanus.
The
whose intercourse with
St. Amator is marked by the deepest reverence for his episcopal character and his great sanctity, at once complied. Germanus, he said, was indeed neces-
prefect,
described
sary
4
the
to
Caesar
as being
republic
demanded
sanction.
but
;
when one
higher
than
his services, he dared not refuse his
5
Amator returned
Auxerre, and on
to
his
arrival
Described.— Tillomnnt, vol 0, p. 114. There were three dstinct ranks in the government of the Poman provinces above the many inferior grades and subdivisions. The highest office was that of prefect the next below that of governor. The prefect had the administration of the whole province. Hence no change Could be made in the administration without the permission of the pp *
* Sanction.
—
;
it
was
therefore, absolutely necessary that
tion for the retirement of St.
Germanus from
Amator should
obtain his sanc-
office.
&*?
wrm.
Life of St. Patrick.
many
assembled as
own as
flock,
far
as
the
He
concerned.
that period, to to succeed bim.
He
as he could collect quickly of bis
and informed them of the divine fact
of his
exhorted them, as was customary at
wbo was the fittest person The people were amazed and silent.
consider
then desired them to proceed to the church.
manus and
his
party had joined
the bishop imperatively
down all
revelation,
impending departure was
their
the
demanded that
arms on entering the sacred
Ger-
and
crowd,
all
should lay
When
edifice.
bad entered, he ordered the doors to be fastened
m
;
then proceeding to where the governor stood, he seized
><.
him by the mantle, took front him his secular robes, clothed him in ecclesiastical garments, and solemnly invoking the name God, ordained him priest.
How human
complete and glorious a feeling
solemn hour
?
there
Naturally
St.
mere
sacrifice of all
must have been
most
at that
Amator might have
felt
angry at the obstinacy of the governor in refusing
comply with
his wishes
about the pagan tree
with such natural feelings saintly to
—
if
;
to
and
indeed he were not too
have entertained them
judiced against him, and, above
—he
would be pre-
unwilling to admit
all,
him to any ecclesiastical office. But God had spoken God knew best who was it was enough for Amator.
;
most
fit
to govern His
vanity or obstinacy in
Church
and the one
;
Germanus,
served to humble him, and thus
more
to
suitable for so exalted a position.
fault of
may have make him
only still
Wi
-,.
^ y^r
'-''
---- -
;.^- '^
X~
-
Patrick at Aitx*
St.
->>
L63
rre.
The holy bishop died immediately
'>
alter the ordination
>>
of St. Germanus, but not until he had impressed on the
people again and again predictions of his future sanctity
and implored them last
him as
to elect
St Amator, when he
his successor.
or probably
felt
knew that
hia
hour had come, desired his attendants to carry him
into the church,
and
here,
on his pontifical throne, and
surrounded by a vast multitude of the peacefully breathed his
last.
Even
faithful,
he
as his blessed soul
ed away, a choir of saints "were seen descending
from heaven and bearing away his
spirit in the
As they
a dove to the eternal throne.
form of
bore forth his
mortal remains to the cemetery, the procession was met by a paralytic,
who had been thus
He came
years.
and he was not disappointed. present,
the
afflicted for thirty
hoping to be cured by
St.
Amator,
Germanus, wdio was
gave orders that his limbs should be bathed
water which had been used
remains of the
An
saint.
fco
in
wash the mortal
instantaneous cure was the
result. St.
Germanus was consecrated Bishop of Auxerre on it was in this very 7< ar St. Patrick came to place himself under his
the 7th of July, a.d. 418, and that
No
guidance. death, and
all
doubt, the fame of St. Amator's holy
the supernatural circumstances connected
with the elevation of
St.
Germanus
were widely known, and
St.
to the episcopal Bee,
Patrick
may have
beer
of the
most
Bp daily attracted by them.
Ml-;
And now
St.
Germanus commenced
a
life
7TT
164
Life of St. Patrick.
extraordinary austerity, of such austerity as even the fathers of the desert found difficult after long years of
From
trial.
the day on which he began his ministry
day of
to the
his
death, a period of thirty years, he
never touched wheaten bread, nor did he allow himself the
common
seasoning of salt with his barley, the only
None
food which he permitted himself. in
Gaul ate meat at
Germanus
this period
refused even
oil,
monks
of the
on any occasion.
St.
His
vegetables, or wine.
biographer, Constantius, informs us that the
food
little
which he allowed himself was only taken twice in the
week
at
evening,
and more frequently he abstained
until the seventh day.
had not much since even
an
to learn ano-el
It is probable that St. Patrick
from him in the way of austerity,
had commended
in his lonely captivity in Dalaraida
;
his fasting while
but the
men who
accompanied Sulpicius Severus into his retreat had found
They
even abstinence from meat very hard to bear.
reminded him that they were Gauls, not angels, and that as such they could scarcely be expected to live like angels.
Indeed, an abstinence from animal food must
have been most trying to those northern
customed to
live exclusively, if
races,
ac-
not abundantly, on the
spoils of the chase.
The
saint's clothing
was
ecrually penitential
and winter he wore the same tunic.
As
description
this
may
was probably adopted by be interesting.
garment of coarse wool, or
— summer
dress, the cuculla
and the
St. Patrick,
a
The tunic was a long
serge,
which covered the
wffir~fWFii
' ;
finvi~inw
^i^i'^Til^^^^^^i'! WrfK^A
^''
Austerities practised by St. G< rmanus,
whole body, and reached quite to the
was
the cuculla
feet,
small hood for the bead, which ended
a
in a point,
and when not drawn up bung over the neck and
At
His iniur garment was a hair cloth.
shoulders.
But
night he lay on four planks strewn with ashes.
he had one treasure from which he never
parted,
treasure for which, after his death, an empress
made
most earnest
entreaties,
relics of the apostles
rermanus and of several mart vis. to his chest ly a leathern (
day and night fastened
it
belt
and obtained as the greatest
This treasure was a small hox, containing the
favour.
wore
a
the
Patrick bad already learned to venerate the
St.
relics of the saints,
devotion
hut we
may
well believe
was increased by the example of
how St.
his
Ger-
manus.
The
saintly Bishop of
for his miracles.
Let
Auxerre was also distinguished
it
be remembered by those
who
condemn
the lives of Irish saints, because the super-
natural
continually manifested therein, that there arc
other
is
quite as marvellous,
liv s
ticity there
and of whose authen-
has never been any question.
A man may
altogether refuse to believe in miracles, just as a
man
may refuse to believe the Bible, or to believe history, but no man should condemn the biographers of St. Patrick as credulous, and discard their testimony as untrustworthy,
simply because they record his very wonderful miracle-.
They may
settle this
question with St. Jerome,
the Life of Paul, the
who
first
wrote the Life of
St.
Hermit
;
Anthony
with
St.
who wrote Augustine,
of the Desert, and
166
who
Life of St. Patrick. believed and recorded miracles as wonderful as
we
any, which
shall presently relate.
There was one devotion practised by with which
St.
St.
Germanus
Patrick had loDg been familiar.
It is
recorded of the Bishop of Auxerre that he, like our saint,
was frequently accustomed prayer,
and
it
to
spend the entire night in
was remarked that
his
most wonderful
miracles were generally performed after these vigils.
We have now described
the religious houses which St.
Patrick visited, and the persons with ciated
;
it is
time, therefore, that
immediate histoiy of our St.
Gemianus
and of
his
again,
saint.
We
Patrick's bell.
he asso-
return to the
shall
and hear more of
most blessed end.
st.
whom
we should
meet with
his holy life
*
^
'
-^
*
'*
**
—
7
=r
Off-
~W
:
*-
1
~ »--|p:
> >
St. Patrick at Tours,
Avxerre, and Levins.
"'".
ire
informed by
St.
Patrick himself
that his parents were most earnest in their
entreaties that
main with them. clear
we relations of father
he should It
is
re-
not quite
whether by the word parents
are
to
understand the nearest
and mother, or merely
his kindred.
Ac-
cording to some accounts, St. Patrick's parents were both killed
when he was taken
that he 1
ami
Urgtd.— Probus says his
captive.
was strongly urged
1
distinctly that " he
mother Conche«8a."— Coljjan,
confusion in the whole narrative.
c. xii.
It is at least certain
by some persons nearly waa with his father Oalpamina, But there i» consi.leraUu
p. 48.
>
him
related to
remain
to
step
by
step
— thus
and that he
them,
with,
Thus
generously resisted the temptation.
another for the great and glorious work which
To renounce
him.
one of the
all is
after
trial lies
before
and most impe-
first
rative conditions for the Christian priesthood is
he led on
is
he prepared by one
is
and
;
if it
necessary for the ordinary exercise of this most sacred
office,
how much more
missionary
himself from
frees
necessary
He renounces
1
all
that he
home
forsakes a paternal
for the Christian
is it
that he
all
may
may gain all, he all. He
possess
to find a still better
and
Such
ministers.
is
holier
whom
portion in the devoted love of the people to
he
the Christian priest, and such was
Had he in that moment of trial listened to human inclination, his crown might have
Patrick.
the voice of
been given to another
God we do not
;
for if
we
fail to
do the work of
injure his work, for another will obtain
the favor which
we have
rejected.
would appear probable that favored with the well-known vision
St.
It
in
Patrick
which
was
his Irish
mission was specially revealed to him, immediately after his
return from
captivity.
recorded at length
happily
In the ;
Confession
it
is
and though that work
cannot be used exactly as an historical narrative, yet there
is
a certain sequence of events in the whole
composition. to the
Some authors have
time of his residence with
referred the vision St.
Germanus, but
the words " post paucos annos in Britannia vidi,"
&c, can only be explained
in the
.
.
.
.
one way.
ct ibi
Mri
=*£i^
B 77a' Cltristiiin Missionary.
It
169
Bhould ever be remembered that the exterior work is but a small portion of his real life, and
of a saint
that the success of this
work
shain of providences,
of which the
and thinks
is
connected by a delicate
with his interior
Less,
world sees
life.
arc ever
art,
but they
soul,
yet this
searching for the beautiful in nature and rarely search for the beauty of a
beauty
is
immortal.
Something of
at times even to mortal sight,
-
by
the majesty, or
of
God
even as
but
:
human
won by
its
little
Men
radiance appears
and men arc overawed
the sweetness of the saints
needs saintliness to discern sanctity,
it
needs cultivated taste to appreciate art. thing of beauty is only a joy to those who can discern its
A
it
beauty, and
it
needs the sight of angels to sec and
appreciate perfectly
Thus, while some
all
men
the beauty of a saintly soul.
scorn as idle tales the miracles
recorded in the Lives of the Saints, and others give scant and condescending praise to their exterior works of charity, their real life, their true, nobility is
hidden
and unknown. trials
God and
the angels only
and the triumphs of holy human
know
the
souls.
had the human hopes and fears and affecwhich would naturally incline him to be influenced
St. Patrick
tions
by the earnest entreaties of his parents.
$
another and a
mightier
influence
at
But there was work, and
the
Divine Spirit was calling him to sever these holy ties for those which were still holier, to renounce the service of his father on earth for the yet more binding service of his Father in heaven.
And
then
when
St. Patrick s
*
;
170
Life of St. Patrick.
had made the is
sacrifice,
the special consolation came.
after the lonely wrestling with
It
temptation that the
In the visions of the
angels are sent to comfort us.
night the angel brings the message to the apostle
;
He
appears to come from Ireland, perhaps because he was clothed as the saint had seen his captors clothed, and he
bore with
him innumerable
and then,
hilibus),
letters (ejristolis
saw written thereon the Voice of of the Irish
innumera-
as he presented one to Patrick, he the Irish.
The voice
Truly from that hour to this that voice has
!
not ceased to resound in the ears of our great apostle. father, our friend, listen to us
Ah, our
also send thee letters once
pray that we so willingly
may
come
still.
We
would
more by angel hands, and
ever be faithful to what thou didst
And
to teach us.
while he read the
many who made this
beginning of this mystic communication he heard voices, united
earnest request
:
We
and walk amongst It
one holy
as in
was enough.
strain,
entreat thee,
holy youth, to come
us.
The
voices
from the western
sea,
borne upon the midnight breeze, had thrilled the heart of the great-souled apostle.
He
could read no more
had read enough. The message was given, though the words were few. It needed only that he should know who called him it was the voice of the in truth, he
—
Irish— it needed only that he should know why they they would have him come and walk amongst called
—
them. holy,
The holy youth should teach them
also to be
and he came and taught them, and they have
learned
and
:
if fidelity
to the lessons taught
the best
La
proof that the scholars were indeed earnest desire for instruction,
we may
dixy the
Patrick
did
in
their
surely say that not in vain
midnight
from over the
call
Western Sea.
Thanks be years asked,
to God, exclaims the saint, that after many He hath granted to them that for which they And again, in another part of this Confession, he
returns to the
same
subject,
and thanks God once more,
with burning words, that through his ministry so
many
people should have been born again to God, and that so
many
priests
should have been ordained for these faith-
ful converts.
The testimony of the various Lives of the Saint scarcely needed to prove his intercourse
how
with heaven.
some
There
we may
the Confession in which
is
frequent and sublime was
not a page of
is
not find a record of
Yet
vision or supernatural favour.
all
is
told
with such pure simplicity that the reader hardly realizes
how wonderful
is
Immediately after the
the record.
relation of the vision in
heard the voice of the
which he saw Victoricus, and
Irish,
in which, like St. Paul, he
he mentions another night,
knew
not whether the favour
Then
granted to him was within him or nigh to him. it
was that he heard words of mystic import which could not understand,
he
ice,
me
' :
when, adds the
He who
rejoicing
:"
gave His
life
Blessed, indeed,
until saint,
the
"He
for thee
was
it
for
:'
close
of
their
thus addressed
And
him
to
so
I
awoke,
have heard
'"'>'>'>
the voice of
tlie
Irish,
but how incomparably more
blessed to have heard the voice of Jesus.
gave His
for thee."
life
Yes,
it
"
He who
was Jesus Himself who
condescended to speak to His favoured servant, and
who had given His
life
that Patrick should give his
Him.
life for
Greater love
there could not be than that friend should give his for friend,
and
if
He
mioht well ask
for Patrick,
we cannot give our lives
for our
life
Friend
He no more needs such personal devotion, He counts as done to Himself that which we do for those whom He calls friends, even though the world may scorn and despise them. Jesus, since
how happy
One
for us that
other favour also
is
recorded by our saint as
having been granted to him at
this period.
He
heard
one praying within him and above him, so that he was, as it were,
encompassed by prayer.
And
as he mar-
it was him that it was the Holy Ghost who was thus making intercession for him. Thus was he enlightened, comforted, and strenghtened
velled at this strange and unusual manifestation,
«:
revealed to
for the great
work
to which he
was
called.
M\
But while
he was thus favoured with divine communications, he did not neglect the necessary preparations for his mission.
He knew, as only saints can know, that however great may be the favours granted to us by God, we are none the less bound to use every plish
what we
means
ourselves to accom-
believe to be his designs.
There have been instances in which
God
to
u^» *i
it
has pleased
impart the knowledge of theological science
..ejirni,
,'u
,
;
;:f nu
..ifi.i
n
..%.!
St.
Patrick at Tours.
rapernaturally to holy men. of Providence
But
knowledge
all
173
in the ordinary
costs us labour,
and
ways
were presumption even for the saints to expect that God would grant such favours, and to neglect the ordinary it
duties of a student.
h
wil!
'"'
remembered that St Patrick was
from captivity in
He went
his
freed
twenty-second year, a.d. 410.
Auxerre in 418. It would appear that the eight years which intervene,! between thesauri's release
and his
to
his visit to St.
Germanus were spent
family at Boulogne, hut
the
Vita Quinta
we
are
principally at
partly with Tours.
In
told that he rested [requies-
cens] for a few years with Ids parents.
After this there
an account of another captivity, and then some not very clear details follow, which are not given in the Tripartite. According to this Life, St. Patrick then came is
to St. Martin,
Tours,
and remained with him
receiving the
instructed by
him
in science
Tn the Tripartite
Tours to
visit
tonsure
St.
we
from
and
doctrine.
are informed
.Martin,
for four
him,
years at
and
being
2
"he
set out for
that he might receive the
mona>tie tonsure, for hitherto he had only the tonsure of servitude; and receiving then the monastic tonsure from St, .Martin, he abandoned all the cares and pleasures of the world, and devoted himself entirely to prayer and abstinence, so that he made the resolution
nevermore
*
to taste flesh meat." 3 In the
Doctrirw.— Colgan,
p. 48.
3
Rheims Breviary
Meat.-Ib.
p.
121.
his visit to St.
Martin
time [four years]
which
Patrick visited
is
Martin, and with
St.
St.
said that " on a certain occasion
it is
remained with him There
and the same
Usher mentions an ancient Life of
remained there. Patrick, in
also recorded,
is
given as the period during which he
is
due reverence
for forty days."
an accumulation of evidence in favour
in fact
of this four years' visit to Tours,
and
it
must
also
be
observed that in each instance the authors of these Lives
wrote as
if St.
Martin were living at the time of the This certainly cannot be reconciled
arrival.
saint's
with what appears to be the most correct chronology of the
life
either of St Patrick or St. Martin.
one of these historical dated with ease
if
we had
It is
also,
eluci-
the key, but which, wanting
that key, presents a formidable appearance.
be remembered
simply
which might be
difficulties
It
the Saints in early ages
must
who wrote the Lives were much more anxious
that those
of
to
record their virtues and to relate their labours than to attend to those critical details which modern writers consider so essential.
The
austerity of the
monks of Tours, and the sanctity by some interesting detads 01
of Patrick, are evinced
his residence in this monastery.
observed that the food,
and that
monks
trial.
inured to a most severe
life,
It has already
been
Gaul abstained from animal
this abstinence
without considerable
had not as yet
of
St.
but
was not accomplished Patrick had long been it
would appear that he
entirely renounced the use of flesh meat,
m
St.
Patricks Pittance followed by a Miracle,
nor was he
any way bound
in
l
7:>
to this strictness, since his
vocation as apostle might require (bat he should live as others did under certain circumstances.
While at Tours
he probably wished to conform, as far as possible, to the nil.'
a
whom
of ili"-f with
ami
brief period,
have been as
he had taken
up
abode for
his
there, at least, his abstinence
would
strict as theirs.
Once, however, he had procured a small portion of
meat
bis
lor
ami
repast,
this,
probably to avoid any
scandal, he carefully concealed.
he saw
Wa
a
him thus
dressed face
man am a
vision of a :
"
I
servant of
I
be discovered."
Patrick
Then
is
ad-
left,
grief for
make
excuses for
conduct of the sinner.
as he
is
it
the in-
But He who had
saint supematurally thai
slight degree
he was c.dled,
be was departing
from the high profession
to
which
now comforted him supematurally
wept prostrate on the ground,
Victor, appeared to him, bis fault
self-in-
perchance, he should
the special characteristic of a saint, even as to
warned the some
lest,
what appeared to To know a fault and to weep
a fault and to
variable
Kveii
with one
;
the vision disappeared, and
overwhelmed with
him a grievous crime.
in
who
God
view a monk who, yielding to
dulgence, conceals some meat,
know
as he did so
faces,
contemplate the ordinary actions of man, but
I
with the other
for it
But even
with two
and desired him
also
his an
to arise, lor
was pardoned.
But, although the
Divine pardon, he
saint
still
was thus
desired to
assured of the
humble himself
fur
men, as one who, loving much, could not
his euilt before
do too
much
beloved.
was
It
make
Church, to
usual,
from the
to be observed in a
where
all
earliest ages of the
public accusation of faults and to do
public penance for them. fail
having offended his
to manifest his grief for
This holy custom could not
monastery
like that of St. Martin,
were in earnest in seeking perfection.
men who had
Thus
any degree become degraded by
in
sin,
became ennobled by penance, and, whde the worldly and the pagan thought that they proclaimed
their
degradation by such acts of humiliation, they were, in
proclaiming their greatness
fact,
greatest of
all,
be exalted
V
said
"
:
He
—
for
has not He, the
that humbleth himself shall
and has not He Himself given the
ex-
ample of the lowliest humility and the most perfect subjection to obedience
1
And
sometimes pleases
it
Him
that His servants should be glorified in their humiliations
on earth as a
slight foreshadowing of the glorifica-
them in heaven. Thus To humble himself, and to atone for his fault, he brought forth the meat before all the By the brethren, and confessed what he had done. tion it
which they
was with
command
shall receive for
Patrick.
of his superior he threw
and even as he
was crowned by a
miracle, for the
changed into innumerable
to
eat or drink in itself that
Him, but the
into
it is is
some water,
and obedience
meat instantly became
fishes.
would our Lord teach us that
we
it
did, his act of humility
Thus
figuratively
not so
much what
pleasing or displeasing
act of self-sacrifice which
we perform
vim
St. Pa. trick's Visit to
in abstaining from inclinations. It is
Tours;
what naturally
Islands.
our fleshly
gratifies
4
said that this
tJte
Patrick remained four years at
St.
would bring us
to the year 414,
supposing
the sainl to have proceeded to Tours immediately after his
arrival
in
But
Gaul.
have remained a year with date a.d. 415, and before the
known
still
if
we
allow that
his parents,
it
may
he
would give the
leave an interval of three years
date of his visit to St. Germanus.
was probably during
this interval,
It
whether of three or
four years, that the saint visited some of the places
vaguely mentioned
in the various Lives,
not be accurately identified.
from captivity was at
Tours,
and
his
His residence
two-and-twenty. visits
and which can-
His age at his release
to other
places,
all
occur
between the twenty-second and the thirtieth years of his age.
Jocelyn says but
with
Germanus.
— Colgan,
little
He
of St. Patrick's intercourse
simply
mentions: This
"The
saint
mentioned l>y Jocelyn. He strongly condemns a superstition practised in his time by the Irish, who need to plunge meat in water on St. Patrick's Day, and when dressed eat it, and call it St Patrick's fishes. Such superstitions, or rather It is very sinful evasions, are always severely condemned by the Church. usual now, however, to give permission for the use of meat on St. Patrick's Day, which always occurs in Lent. As an evidence of the similarity of the miracles recorded in the Lives of the Saints, it may be observed that a somewhat similar circumstance is men: In consequence of ill health she in the Life of St. Agnes of Montepulcianno. was required to eat flesh meat, from which she had abstaiued for years. She obeyed the commands of her superior>>. but at the moment when the meat was placed before her it was miraculously changed into fish by the same power which caused the water to become wine at the Feast of C'aua in Galilee.— fl e *
Inclinations.
tht Life
p.
121,
Tripartite.
of St. Agnes of Montepulcianno,
p.
-II.
is
also
»
by the
desired that all his acts should be sanctioned
Apostolic
and
authority,"
therefore he
closed his purpose to Germanus,
named (Vita
for his
Sergetius.
the
to
upon a Rock, and that he
chair of Peter, founded
gave him
went
who approved
of
it,
dis-
and
companion a holy servant of God Probus
very
gives
Quinta), but either he
full
details
has himself strangely
confused the accounts from which he compiled his narrative, or his transcribers
for
the whole
rent.
of his
have disarranged his history,
life
Indeed, so hopeless
at
period
this
is
incohe-
the confusion, that Lani-
is
gan well observes, we must look
for
some more con-
sistent authorities to guide us as to this part of our saint's history.
There can be no doubt that
St.
islands in the Tyrrhene sea during
Patrick visited the
some part of the time
of his preparation for his apostolic mission to Ireland. It
was here that he received
here also he was favoured with
To
the present writer
it
the.
Staff of Jesus, and
many divine
revelations.
appears most probable that
this visit took place after St. Patrick's introduction to
Germanus, and before his
visit to
Rome.
It
must be
observed once more, that the biographers of the saints in the early Christian centuries were
much more
intent on
giving correct accounts of the favours granted to
them
by God, and on the correspondence with grace which they manifested in their
lives,
than
in giving critical
details of their history.
The evidence
of St. Patrick's
connection with
St
m
:
;
Records of the Book of Armagh.
179
Germanus is ample and beyond controversy. llymn of St. Fiacc it is briefly stated thus
In the
" He [the angel Victor] sent liim across the Alps over the sea marvellous was his course, In- stayed with Germanoa in the smith, in aouthern Letha. :
Until
In the Islands of the Tyrrhene sea he stayed : therein he meditated He read the canon with IJeruianus : it is this that history p
Iii
the
Book
Patrick one "
The
of
Italy,
From
Armagh, amongst the sayings of
St.
preserved, which runs thus:
fear of the
Gaul and
TV
is
Lord was the guide of
my
journey tlirough
and to the islands which are in the Tyrrhene
sea."
the titles of the lost chapters of the Life of St.
we
Patrick contained in this Book,
find that
tin.:
sixth
chapter contained an account of St. Patrick's journey
Gennanus, he remained
into Gaul, where, having found
with him, and proceeded no further for a time. ....
part of the
Book
of
Armagh which
is still
In that
preserved,
the circumstances of the visit of St. Patrick to
Germa-
nua are fully detailed. "The him
angel Victor came to him and declared thai
to go forth with tin- evangelic net,
nations to
the
fit
whom
the mercy of
God had
time had come he set out
name was witness,
fish for
sent
work
Germanus sent an ancient
was time
for
him; therefore when
for
which he had long
priest with him,
Segetius, that he might be both a
for the holy master,
it
those barbarous
strengthened by the divine
assistance to undertake the missionary
prepared, and
and
whose
companion and a
Germanus, had not yet conferred
episcopal consecration on him."
In a treatise on the Irish Liturgy, which
mwr
Spelman < '\
—
"']&'
\
—
:
^"^^^g^y^r^JV:^!7
Life of St. Patrick. refers to the seventh century, the connection
our saint and "
Germanus
St.
between
thus recorded
is
They [Lupus and Germanus] subsequently preached to the St. Germanus of Auxerre and the
Bi items or Scots, as the Life of Life of
Lupus
St.
testify
and they
;
spiritually trained
up and
nourished with sacred learning the blessed Patrick, whom, being
they by their commendation elevated him
consecrated bishop,
to the chief episcopate of the Scots
The biographer of
and
Britons.'* 5
Germanus,
St.
Eric, or, as his
name r&r t
more generally
is
on
Latinized, Hericus, has written fully
this subject also. •.V
"
As the
father,
I
discipline of children
have deemed
commemorate one
whom
I
it,
redounds to the glory of their
have considered
he [Germanus] had instructed in
who, as
well,
it
briefly to
many sons in Christ) religion 1 mean Patrick
of the most famous of the
his Life records,
was the
—
special apostle of Ireland,
and spent
eighteen years under his most holy instruction, and drank in no small draughts of learning and the Sacred Scriptures from this rich fountain." 6
The important with Germanus
Indeed the subject questioned
be what 6
Britons.
;
St.
Canon
fact that St. Patrick read the
is
also is
mentioned in the Irish Nennius.
one which
and the only matter
Germanus taught
is not,
and cannot be
for investigation
St.
would
Patrick with regard
— Essays on the Early Irish Church, by the Very Rev.
At page 246 he gives the original of this treatise. The Life of St. Germanus of Auxerre was monastery whose name was Constantius, and is well
Monsignor
Moran. e
Fountain.
of his
—
the reign of Charles the Bold, the church, 16th January, S59.
It
body
of the saint
was about
monk
authenticated.
was transferred
to
a
In
new
this period that Hericus republished
the Life of the Saint, with a commentary. xv. p. 24
written by a
See
Tdlemont. Hist. Ec,
vol.
$4
r-n Catholic Teaching the same to doctrine and discipline.
and
interest
This
1S1
a subject full of
is
We
of importance.
full
Ages.
in all
have already
sketched the Life of the Bishop of Auxerre up to the period of his consecration as bishop.
was precisely
It
then, A.D. 41S, that St. Patrick placed himself
under
his
spiritual direction.
There can be no doubt that our saint had fully and deeply "weighed the importance of the Divine
call
which
he had received, to be the apostle of a nation.
The
Catholic missionary, while relying absolutely, or rather I
should
because
say,
relying
on
absolutely,
the
Divine Spirit promised to the Church for his guidance, does not neglect
the ordinary
all
means supplied by
Providence which might avail for the furtherance of his work.
to go
would be presumption
It
forth
without a
of the country to which he
has been pleased to in
some
taught,
was
sent,
impart the
gift
cases supernaturally.
dare go forth
and
differences
teach
to
this
is,
for a missionary
knowledge of the
unless
Thus,
language
God
because
languages
of also,
no
man
he has been himself
marked
indeed, one of the most
between the apostles of truth and the
dis-
seminators of error.
The "What
faith St.
of the
Catholic Church
Germanus taught
taught at Milan, and
St.
is
unalterable.
in Auxerre, St.
Peter at Rome.
Ambrose
As each new
missionary went forth to convert pagan nations,
he
took with him a definite creed which
to
reject,
and heresy
to deny.
'
it
He knew
was perilous
that each
dogma
^v
1S2
Life of St. Patrick.
which he should teach had been taught
who
to
hhn by those
received the sacred deposit, of Divine truth in an
unbroken sequence of theology. first necessity, it
tial
was
rather,
Hence it was we should say, the
duty of the Christian missionary to learn
he should teach
;
and thus
it
is
of the essen-
fully
what
that years of study are
considered now, and were considered then, the duty of the candidate for the priesthood.
And,
if
such study
is
important and essential for the
how much
ordinary exercise of the sacred ministry,
more important
is it
for the apostle destined
by Divine
How
Providence to convert a whole nation to the Faith. could such a one go forth and ask the to give
up
men
had something
their old beliefs, unless he
more than mere conjecture to his creed could be
offer
of that nation
them in exchange 1
modern
creed of a Protestant bishop has been shaken in times,
why
If
shaken by their arguments, as the
should he attempt to teach them at
all %
But, happily for Ireland, St. Patrick learned his canon
from one who had authority to teach, and from one
whose creed could not be shaken by the conjectures or questions of his
convert.
first
was
It
also
that the saint should be fully instructed on of
Church
discipline.
teaching and ordaining
mitted to him.
and
necessary that he
—and
details
The
awful responsibility
many
priests
of
would be com-
His advice would be esteemed a law,
his very opinion
decision
essential
all
an obligation
should
be
;
hence
it
was most
able to give a correct
decisions in accordance with the princi-
of canon
plea
by the Holy Catholic Thus was it well that he
law, as taught
Church, on every Bubject.
should have read the ('axon with Germanus. It is also
more than probable
that the subject of civil
Though
law would have been considered. it
was
not, he
Patrick
knew
to assist in Christianizing the laws of
ancient Erinn, and Providence prepares each instrument for the
work
strument
A
tion.
for
may
when
a
designed, though the in-
some of the
difficulties that
would
arise
pagan nation began to renounce their national
customs.
Roman
is
it
person of ordinary prudence could scarcely
to foresee
fail
which
not be always conscious of the prepara-
Germanus, from his previous study of
St.
law, and from his loug
and
brilliant career as
governor of a partly pagan and partly Christian pro-
must surely have had considerable experi
vince,
on
this subject
—another reason why he
was
specially
fitted to instruct St. Patrick.
We was
informed in the Tripartite that Germanus
are
distinguished
ministry,
reason
by
and miracles.
why
was a
it
birth,
dignity,
life,
Here again we
find
special grace for St.
have been favored by his guidance.
wurking miracles, which
to
Learning,
another
Patrick
t'>
The power of
our want of faith appear
more than ordinarily wonderful,
is
frequently granted
The lands. Germanus were frequent and marvellous,
to those appointed to evangelize heathen
miracles of St.
and we can scarcely doubt that they were special consolation
o
and instruction
;.-'
4£'^
a Bubject of
to St. Patrick.
184
Life of St. Patrick.
Germanus was consecrated Bishop
St.
and
visited
by
saints
remained together
Patrick,
St.
of Auxerre in
In the course of this very year he was
July, a.d. 418.
Scholiast on St.
Fiacc's
it
probable that the two
is
for
several
Hymn
that St. Patrick accompanied St.
In the
years.
expressly stated
is
it
Germanus
to Britain,
and that he afterwards
to root out the Pelagian heresy,
There can be no
returned with his companion to France. reason for questioning this statement
even Usher gives
;
high authority to these scholia, and considers them as
an independent and valuable addition to our information concerning the
The history
known the
of St. Patrick.
need more than a passing
to
unhappy
originator of this
He went
Briton.
life
of the Pelagian heresy
of the time
but
;
to
it
Eome,
as
almost too well
is
allusion.
sect,
Pelagius,
was by
birth a
was indeed the custom
must be feared he
scarcely
made
his
pilgrimage in the spirit of devotion and humility which generally characterized such undertakings.
time he remained in obscurity, with
Augustine, with
St.
whom
he had some
himself to the education of youth.
man
though
it
edifying. five
years
corre-
After a time he appears to have devoted
spondence.
edly a
For some
although acquainted
of considerable learning
is
said that
He
first
He was
undoubt-
and apparent
his private life
piety,
was not very
gave publicity to his errors about
before St.
Germanus was elevated
to the
Two young men, who had been his pupils, were now his warm supporters and in the history of
episcopate.
;
—
Brfsefe
The Pelagian Heresy. one of these we trace the bistoiy of
185
heresy; for Bede
all
informs us, that Julianus of Campania was an ambi-
man, ami was mortally disobliged by the
tious
bishopric.
loss of a
7
The heresy of Pelagius consisted in
declaring, con-
trary to the teaching of the Catholic Church, that the sin of
Adam
the
aid
way
does not in any
and that man
divine
of
Africa, in 41
this heresy
Pope Innocent was appealed their decrees,
God without
were
Councils
grace.
where
G,
affect his descendants,
able to fulfil the law of
is
held
in
was condemned, and
to for a confirmation of
which he granted.
He
condemned
also
Pelagius and his followers, and declared them excom-
municated,
they renounced their
unless
St.
errors.
Augustine, in noble and memorable words, evinced his (
'atholicity "
Rome
and
his loyalty to the See of Peter
has spoken
:
the judgment of the bishops of Africa has
been sent to the Apostolic See arrived,
question error
may
at rest
— discussion
error
God
;
Valentinian
did not cease.
In
— the
grant that the
issued another
;
;
and, in 425,
Agricola then fled from
promulgate Pelagianism in Britain.
probably quotes
from
Honorius
418,
condemning the heresy
issued an edict
to
Ronie has spoken
has ceased
cease likewise."
But the
Gaul
the letters of the Pope have
;
and confirm that judgment. is
:
Bede,
Prospers Chronicle,
who
informs
us that the English bishops, finding that these false
gaining ground, and
doctrines were 1
HialiOjiric.
— IJcdu,
lib.
i.
cap.
that
they were
vii.
-^$«:
BaSte
k
fe'
unable to oppose them effectually, requested the
Rome
brought a report to
assist-
Palladius had already
ance of the bishops of Gaul.
of the
state of Britain,
and Prosper
manus
as
and
making in its Church that Pope Celestine sent Ger-
the ravages which heretics were relates,
;
his representative to direct the Britons to
The probable
the Catholic faith.
position
and dignity of
Palladius, the deacon, has already been fully explained. St.
Germanus paid two
during the
him St.
first
(a.d. 429).
Patrick
to Britain
visits
;
and
it
was
of these that the saint accompanied
The
came
interval from the time in
Germanus
to
this
until
which
date,
was
spent in study at Auxerre, and in visits to the islands of the " Tyrrhene Sea," of which many curious and interesting details
are
whatever view
may
given.
indeed quite
It is
clear,
be taken of the accounts given
by the sairjt's biographers at this period of his that some portion of it was spent at Lerins. have already given
details of
full
that monastery and of
its
inmates.
life,
We
the foundation of It
only remains to
record the events which are said to have occurred there, at least, in some of the Mediterranean islands visited by our apostle. Lanigan has well observed that St. Germanus could not have selected a better school than that of Lerins for St. Patrick, since it was the abode of or,
so
many men eminent
also observes that there St.
for sanctity
was an
Marguerite, close to
Lerins,
brated as the place chosen
by
and
learning.
island called Lero,
St.
which became
He now cele-
Eucharius of Lyons
M
»
»
1
ft-
'
.+.'
"+
»-^.xiSB^
fr.'^f
Patrick receives the Staff of Jesus.
>S7.
for his
-^
Those islands
retreat.
were
indeed,
at
thie
second Theliias, and their inhabitants
time, a
were
persons wholly devoted to religion and separation from the world. 8
was daring
It
mentioned
in
The
life
rejected.
is
gift of this relic is
the Tripartite, and
authenticity of this
legend
Lerins that he
St. Patrick's visit to
received the Staff of Jesus.
must
It
the
and
antiquity
should be recalled before the
remembered, as
also be
cumulative evidence of great weight, that this staff was supposed, from a very early date, to have been a heavensent
gift,
and as such was venerated and preserved with
extraordinary care until the very time of
its
wanton
destruction,
According
to
the
account in the Tripartite,
by the
Patrick and his companions were cast
an
(
!hrist
One
had
men
explained to
visited their family while
made
that they had
those
of the
much
Him.
a feast for
who thus honored Him
St.
upon
where they found a strange family,
island,
children being apparently very parents.
tide
the
older than the St.
Patrick that
upon
earth,
He had
and
blessed
according to the best of
and had promised that they should be " without age and without decay to the judgment day."
their power,
The who,
blessing, however, did not reach to their children, it
would appear, grew aged
in appearance,
in the
ordinary course of nature as years went on.
The man then declared that they had long expected •
2±d!
H'-r.y.
- Ec.
Hist, ry, vol.
i
,
l>-
179.
^ V'
y
i'
i,)ni
|i
j
^wi
|
: i i'.i ii?ff Mi
i
,i i
ii|*
i
"
w
'
' i
'i
>
:^-^i
i
i
i'i
188
i
.1
'
i
.'.f
i
'|
.
i !
f,
!
;
,y
T^fl^&s^ajrj^
Life of St. Patrick,
the coming of St. Patrick, which
had been
foretold to
with the further information that he was to
them,
preach to the
staff,
But
his arrival.
St.
take the staff until Himself.
A
Irish.
namely, a bent
token was
left for
the saint,
which was to be given to him on Patrick replied that he would not it
was given
to
him by our Lord
Patrick remained with this family for three 9
days and nights, and then went to Mount Hermon, in
Here our Divine Lord
the neighbourhood of the island.
appeared to him, and gave him the Staff of Jesus, desir-
him
ing
to go
and preach
In the Scholiast on
mentioned that
St.
on Mount Hermon. to have staff,
to the Irish.
U'.'i
Hymn
St. Fiacc's
it
is
simply
Patrick received the Staff of Jesus
In the Vita Tertia the saint
is
said
met with a hermit from whom he received
this
but no place
is
mentioned.
It
is,
however, added
that the staff was then [at the time the Life
was written]
But the
writer, in a
in the city of Patrick [Armagh],
subsequent chapter, mentions that our Lord appeared to St. Patrick
we
on Mount Arnon.
find an account
In the Vita Quarta
similar to that given in
Probus does not mention the
the Tripartite. this
somewhat
mysterious
staff,
but
Jocelyn
gives
gift of
very
full
details.
According to his account,
way
to
Rome,
visited a holy
works was just [nomine ac opere he received the Staff of Jesus •
Hermon.
— Of
when on his name and justum], and from him
St. Patrick,
man, who in
—
this
the identification of this place,
his
solitary more
having
hereafter.
J
informed him that he had received the
hands of the Lord Jesus. in this island,
some of
staff
from the
There were other
solitaries
whom
others aged and decrepit
appeared to be youths, and
men
and Patrick
;
informed,
is
men who Lord while He
as already stated in the Tripartite, that these
retained their youth had seen our Divine
was on
earth,
and that He had blessed them
for their charity in receiving
k'
The legend, material
1
it
will be observed, is told without
by the
variation
regard to the staff
itself,
was transmitted by treasured
St.
different
if
any
With it
Patrick to his successors, and
by them with a veneration which can only be
we
adduced
writers.
there can be no doubt that
attributed to their firm belief in
Nor,
specially
Him.
its
believe in miracles at
why
to our saint.
such a favor
may
supernatural origin.
all,
can any reason be
not have been granted
His mission was a special one
;
it
was one
which required the exercise of more than ordinary power, in dealing with the
demons
of darkness
centuries held a whole nation in thrall.
have
converted
countries,
tribes
of
continent
al
disciples.
St.
Patrick was called to
— Dr.
Todd, ever unhappily anxious to discredit anything which in the least approached the supernatural, has remarked sharply on the circumstanoe that the Tripartite mentions "women," and Jocelyn "men," as the persons who preserved their youth. But there is nothing cither in the Tripartite to lead one to suppose that there were no men, or in Jocelyn to lead one to suppose that there were no women. A man who had made up his mind not to believe the details of the Life of Wellington would have no business to write his memoir. Careful and scholarly criticism is one thing to have a predetermination not to believe certain facts is not scholarly. 1
\
districts
but generally they have been assisted by
numerous bands of tj
and
who had for Many apostles
itat'rial.
;
190
Life of St. Patrick.
convert a whole nation, an entire and isolated country,
and he had few,
if
any, helpers in his work.
needed special graces and
What, indeed, could prove
been so necessary to others.
more
effectual in
subduing the visible power of the
demon than such a Himself?
If the
Hence he
which might not have
helps,
staff,
staff
blessed
of a
and given by Christ
prophet could
effect
a
how much more efficacious would be the Staff And we shall find that it was precisely for Jesus ? of miracle,
the purpose of subduing
and expelling the powers
of
darkness that this staff was used. 2
The legend their
of the
men and women who
youth cannot of course be
we suppose
that
it is
still
retained
literally true,
nor can
intended to be so understood.
It
may have
been a vision by which the saint was told
that those
whom
young
in truth
Christ Himself
and beauty
—
it
had blessed were ever
may have been
to
show
that the redeemed ones grow not old in Paradise, and that, there,
age
is
as beautiful as youth.
— The present writer has seen a small cross of
wood which was said by our Divine Lord, who appeared to a nun in Italy, and number of these crosses that He might bless them. It must, however, be distinctly understood by non-Catholic readers, that Catholics are not in any way obliged to believe this or similar statements, which are merely given on the ordinary testimony of human information. A Catholic knows that such favors may be granted by God to His saints, and therefore will be guided as to his belief or disbelief in such occurrences by the *
Used.
to have been blessed
desired her to procure a
weight of evidence for or against such statements. A Protestant at once without taking the trouble of further inquiry. A Catholic says, hears that a miracle has been performed, or that a supernatural event has occurred, "It may be true j" a Protestant says, " It is not true." If all the marvellous discoveries of science had been treated thus, and rejected without further investigation, we may doubt if civilization would have been rejects them,
when he
greatly advanced thereby.
Our Divine Lord appears
191
Saint.
to the
All the ancient Lives of our Saint concur in stating that
our Divine Lord appeared to
this
time
on a mountain.
This mountain
called
is
llermon, Arnon, and Morian, and the identification
must always remain
the site
i
0'><>
Patrick ahout
St.
Indeed
doubtful.
it
of is
confused
some of the events of
Patrick's
life
this
portion of St.
with the history of Palladius.
tirely different sites are indicated in the
place.
It is also stated in
Two
en-
Lives for this
one of these Lives that
St.
Patrick was ordained priest by a bishop
named Senior, who dwelt in a city with seven walls, near Mount Hermon. Colgan thinks that the real name of this bishop was Senator, not Senior, and that he may have been a friend of St. Germanus, who lived in Italy, and who is mentioned by
his biographer, Constantius.
suggests that Senior
may
Dr. Lanigan
not be a proper name, but
only an epithet indicating that the bishop was aged.
Todd thinks
Dr.
priest's orders
that Palladius
may
have received
from this prelate preparatory to his con-
Rome as first bishop of the Scots. 8 ILrmon Mount is variously described as being on
secration at
" the south side of the ocean," " on the sea of Letha,"
"on a rock
in the
and "near the all
' Scot*.
p.
Capua."
(
lapua,"
It is epiite clear that
these statements cannot be correct, as they are in
man, i.
Tyrrhene Sea," "in the city of
city of
ii.
— For all
references on these subjects sec Coiulantiu*, Vit. S. Gerami the Hollamlists. Colgan, p. C2, n. 17. Lanigan, voL ami Dr. ToJJ's Memoir, p. 337.
cap. n. 6,
ICC,
' i
—
All the conjec-
cases absolutely contradictory.
some tures
which have been made
fail to
the subject, and
we can only
of the Tripartite
is
throw any light on
believe that the account
the most probable.
Here
it is
stated
Mount Hermon was near the island where St. Patrick met the man or men who had the Staff of Jesus. that
Thus, without being able absolutely to identify the place, we have something like certainty that it was near Lerins, or possibly a hill on that island.
present writer
is
name
that the
of
from devotional reasons, to some the monastery of Lerins
;
The opinion
of the
Hermon was
given,
hill
that the
or eminence near
name
remembered, because it ceased to be used
had
left
the locality,
and hence that
all
monks
attempt
The unanimous
identification will be useless.
mony
ceased to be
after the
at
testi-
of the writers of the various Lives of St. Patrick
leave no doubt of the existence of some elevation bearing that name.*
The
Lives, however, agree in their accounts of the
visions
with which
mountain.
St.
Patrick was favored on this
Here our Divine Lord appeared
to him,
and
commanded him to sit upon His right hand. He then conversed with him as a friend with his friend, even as Almighty God conversed with our first parents in the Our Lord then commanded St. Garden of Edeu. Patrick to " go to Ireland and preach therein the word
—
* Name. Dr. Lanigau conjectures the site to have been the celebrated Mount St. Michael, in the bay of Cancale, near Avranche, but he founds his
conjecture p. 166.
oil
a Celtic derivation which
is
quite untenable.
Ec. His. vol.
i
fcfc
—
—
18 88^
'
N^
77c
<>t
FiisioN
Then
eternal life."
OTi
Mount HI
the saint
rich in gold
and
made
men
our Lord, and asked that the
rmo?i
three petitions to
Inland might be
of
he might be the judge of
silver, that
the Irish in the day of judgment, and that he might
have a place on His right hand
in the
kingdom of heaven.
This remarkable vision and the requests of the saint perhaps, amongst the most widely
We
records of the saint.
known
cannot suppose for a moment
that he asked earthly riches for the people to
was going
to preach the gospel of poverty
tion, so that
we must
believe the gold
some mystical meaning. this
symbol the
and
silver
desire, that
bad in
;
and
surely,
this conjectural interpretation be a true one, it cor-
nent
among
all
Preemi-
people for charity, preeminent amongst
people for devotion to the one true Faith, surely in
this at least the
prayer of Patrick has been answered.
Nor can we doubt
them
at
that he
the last day,
may have
who
terrors.
A
stewardship of
many
cities
himself was
faithful
many
be placed with the
talents
and
the
blessedness and
chosen ones
what more can we ask
whom
the
governance of
Bis one petition for
simplicity and love
Jesus in the heavenly kingdom. desire,
its
servant was he to
should be confided. full <>f
desired to judge
humanly speaking,
wire,
indebted to him for the knowledge of its
he
they should be rich in the
responds with the history of the Irish nation.
all
whom
and humilia-
Perhaps he would convey
gold of charity and the silver of a pure faith if
are,
traditional
a1
that he mighl
the right
hand of
What more could we hand
to be on the right 2
\
^ITht^t
«_,^
T355 j*oV
194
Life of St. Patrick.
day of
in the
fear,
when
so
many
most sweet Jesus, grant to us
and with
all
thy
may
saints,
shall be
upon the
also that we,
left
?
with Patrick,
attain to this most
happy
5
state.
It is also said that the saint
banished a furious beast
from the islands while he was residing there, to the great comfort and relief of the inhabitants.
A
Pro-
testant writer has called this legend " a childish story
;"
but surely he could never have read the Lives of the Fathers of the Desert, as recorded by Augustine, or he would have
St.
to
St.
known
Jerome and
that the power
subdue or destroy noxious animals was no uncommon
gift
;
and that the
exercise of such
power has been
re-
corded again and again' upon the most ample testimony.
We v-
must observe once more, that the Lives
of the
Saints were written for edification, and not with the
view
to critical accuracy,
which
is,
in
some respects
very justly, considered necessary in the present age.
The
writers of the various Lives of St. Patrick
had many
ancient manuscripts before them, and they have con-
tented themselves with copying these documents as they stood, or taking certain paragraphs
ap the 6
— There
latter course
from each to make
was adopted by the
a remarkable family likeness, if we may use the expresthe Lives of the Saints. In the Life of St. Francis of Assisi, we find
State.
sion, in
That the
Life. is
a record very similar scarcely ever
knew of
to the above.
The biographers
of
St Francis, probably,
the existence of St. Patrick, hence even ingenious scepno ground to suggest a plagiarism of idea. In 1224 our Divine Lord appeared to this saint, and conversed familiarly with him, sitting on a stone which Francis had used as a table. He then promised him certain favors, one of which was that the Order should continue uutil the Day of
ticisim can find
Judgment
Guided by
Germanus for Thirty
St.
writer of the Life attributed to Probua
Years.
must be
even to the most cursory examination of Hence, in our
own
narrative
its
i9.j
evid( at
contents.
we have followed what
seems the most correct sequence of events
in
the Life of
our Apostle, after a careful examination of the various authorities.
Much
confusion and difficulty have been
caused by the supposition that thirty years with St.
St.
way
purely gratuitous, and in no
is
Patrick resided for
But
Germanus.
That he looked
to
as his spiritual guide for thirty years,
is
statements of any of those writers. St.
Germanus
this supposition
indicated by the
undoubtedly true
and
;
this
simply means
that St.
E Patrick, having placed himself under the direction of the saint,
continued to look to him for advice during the
remainder of his
This would be a period of pre-
life.
from the year of his consecration as
cisely thirty years
Bishop of Auxerre.
We
can scarcely
fix
any
definite
number
of years for
the time during which St. Patrick remained at Lerins
and
in the islands of the "
Tyrrhene Sea," but there can
be no doubt that he returned to the year 429.
undertook his
was
It
first
in
Germanus before St. Germanus
St.
year that
this
expedition to Britain to assist the
bishops of that country in checking heresy,
and there
was accompanied can one
fail to
is
ample evidence
in his journey
reflect that this
by
the to
ravages
St. Patrick.
seems
a
of
prove that he
happy
Nor antici-
pation of the services which English Catholics should hereafter receive from the priests of
Gaul and Ireland.
—
Life of St. Patrick
During the long ages of persecution which followed the rejection of the Catholic Faith
by that
and the
nation,
ascendency of heresy, France was the nursery where careful nurture
men who
was provided
and devoted
for the saintly
served the English mission
;
whde even
at the
present day the ministrations of the Catholic Church in
England are principally sustained by
Irish priests.
on
It is expressly stated in the Scholiast
Hymn,
that St. Patrick accompanied St.
The
England.
Fiacc's
St.
Germanus
writer thus relates the circumstance
to
:
" It happened that St. Germanus came to Britain to root out the
Pelagian heresy, and he came accompanied by Patrick, and others
;
many
and he unceasingly labored to root out that heresy, until
intelligence
was brought
infected with
it.
to
him that
his
own
city
had begun to be
Then he and Patrick returned
to France, and
they applied themselves to combat the same pestilential errors."
Probus also mentions that
Patrick evangelized
St.
both in Britain and Normandy.
bury mentions on the
this also
and
;
"William of Malmes-
in the curious old tract
Irish Liturgy it is at least implied,
tinctly stated.
The
if
not dis-
Bollandists do not admit
it,
but
this is solely because it interferes with their chronology,
which has long since been proved
to be
very incorrect.
Dr. Lanigan thinks, with some appearance of probability, that St. Patrick
Germanus and
St.
was met
Lupus.
officiated there in
some way.
was sent
by
thither
St.
which the people of that
There
at Boulogne is
by
St.
evidence that he
Malbrancq says that he
Germanus district
to
repair the loss
had sustained by the
removal of
St. Victrieius,
who had been made
llishop
of Rouen. St.
to
Lupus,
who was chosen by
accompany
St.
Germanus
the Council of Troyes
most distinguished men of the
some time
known
He
age.
in the monaster}' of Lerins,
tual direction of
was one of the
to Britain,
bad
under the
Bpent spiri-
St Honorat, and was thus probably
personally to St. Patrick.
St.
Lupus was con-
two years before the
secrated Bishop of Troyes about
expedition to Britain, and he was distinguished for his
and
holiness, his learning,
no records of
shall only briefly notice
with
in
this
mission,
are
we
the principal events connected
it.
The two
saints
Auxerre direct to
I
Ae then
his eloquence.
St. Patrick's share
and
companions journeyed from
their
Paris.
As they journeyed,
abounded, and the record of their travel
is
miracles
simply a
At Metrodoruxn, Germanus met and blessed the
record of supernatural manifestations. the present Nauterre, St. little
Genevieve,
and predicted the sanctity of the
future patroness of Paris.
vH
Her
was then but seven years of as that of an angel
her vows,
;
fair
age,
young
seemed
and by her own
and consecrated her young
to
face, for she
him radiant
desire he received life
irrevocably to
the service of Heaven.
While malice,
at sea a terrible storm
was evoked by
and Germanus was loudly
the sinking ship.
A
called
upon
diabolic to Bave
few words of prayer, and a few
drops of oil sprinkled on the raging waters, in the name of
the
Most Holy
Evil
medium
produced an instantaneous calm.
Trinity,
gave notice
spirits
of
approach by the
their
of the possessed, and the faithful everywhere
A
received the bearers of gospel peace with joy.
con-
ference, or synod, followed, where the propagators of error
were allowed to state their convincingly refuted
case,
which was fully and
by the Gallican
bishops.
St.
Germanus preached wherever he went, and we cannot doubt that he was assisted by
have had special
The triumph
of truth
was confirmed, and,
An
enhanced by a miracle. post in the
Eoman
service,
She was
to the bishops.
who must
St. Patrick,
convincing eloquence.
gifts of
official
who
brought his
blind,
if possible,
held a high
little
daughter
i
and he asked that she
might be cured. The bishops who had been led astray by Pelagianism were present, but they declined to attempt the miracle, and joined with the multitude in asking St.
Germanus
to obtain this favor
from God.
be remembered that the saint always carried a of relics with
him
;
this
he applied to the
It will little
box
invoking the name of the Most Holy Trinity, and the cure was granted
instantaneously.
wonder at the devotion of saints,
when he was thus
and that
he,
St.
We
can scarcely
Patrick to the relics of the
a witness of so
Hke the master from
whom
many
marvels
;
he learned his
Canons, should have brought with him on his mission a similar store of holy treasures.
After the conference, or synod, the saints proceeded to St. Albans, to
honor the
relics of
the
m
child's eyes,
first
English
f
Here
martyr.
St.
German us
that, as Constantius
deposited
some of the
which he had brought with him,
relics of the Apostles,
has touchingly observed, he might
thus unite the bones of those who, in distant parts of the earth,
had lived the same saintly
action
was
at once explanatory
great Cathoiic doctrine of the
And
life.
truly the
and emblematic of the
Communion
of Saints,
which teaches us that time and space form no barrier to heavenly intercourse tually,
— that
more
nay, even
we may be
so,
by the
assisted as effec-
saint
who
died
a
thousand years ago, as by those who are most willing
and best able
Nor were
to help us on earth to-day.
who God the more by dishonoring the God a saintly soul. The ground
there wanting heretics then, as now,
professed to honor
work of
noblest
whereon
—
Alban had been martyred was
St.
with his blood.
St.
Germanus,
still
stained
like a true apostle, took
with him only one treasure from the English shores,
and
this
was a handful
on
his return,
of the dust reddened with the
This he carefully enshrined at Auxerre
martyr's blood.
where he
built a church in
the Church's devotion to those tude, rites,
honor of
St.
Already the heretic Vigilantius had condemned
Alban.
and had compared
it
who had
in bitter
mocking those who could
so
attained beati-
words to Gentile reverence a
little-
But he was answered, and though the answer
dust.
has remained on record some thousand years and more, the
same objection continues
to be repeated
:
—"
We
do
not adore," replied St. Jerome, "even the sun and the
1
—
'
jmm^-iu '
'
"'
"Ly
»
ifr—r
.__$-..
.
.l^hjiJ^:.
200
1,
4
~-F
' '
*-
&•
».
1
'nfcj
'
Life of St. Patrick.
moon, or the angels, much
we do honor the
Him
whom
for
less the relics of
they are martyrs."
apostolic times, they
No
doubt,
and aprons
that they might be used as relics,
condemned the people who are favored
to
Paid
St.
and they would have
by God with the
But
gift
to those
of working
by a miraculous
the contempt and disbelief of thousands
is
cure,
a matter
scarcely worth a thought. It
was while
or illness.
He met
and was obliged
He
Germanus met with him any bodily suffering
in Britain that St.
the only accident which caused
www
Vigi-
touch his body
so used them.
miracles, or have been favored
if
lived in
would have condemned
for allowing handkerchiefs
wm
;
and those who agreed with him had
iantius
who
martyrs but
of martyrs in order to adore
relics
to
with a serious injury in the
resided in a thatched cottage, and
culously saved from
fire,
For the further
cured.
foot,
remain stationary for some time.
was here mira-
and afterwards miraculously of his mission, and an
details
account of the famous Alleluiatic Victory, the reader
must be
The
referred to the Life of the Saint. 6
Gallican bishops returned to Auxerre in about
a year, and
it
was then that
immediate preparation
manus returned
in
St.
Patrick
commenced
for his Irish mission.
430.
It
was
his
Ger-
late in that year, or
early in 431, that St. Patrick set out for
—
St.
Rome
to re-
8 Saint. See Tillemont, Ecc. Hist., vol. xiv. p. 50. Also a very beautiful English Life of St. German, republished recently by Kelly, 8 Grafton -street. Dublin. It is one of the series edited by Dr. Newman before his conversion.
HMMH
I
Si. pafruh prtrubinq nt
lam
—
J-
.
^
>
.J
^-
'
4
-
;
fr. *
+-
and mission
from the Holy See. those
who have
+~
*
*
Roman
Proofs of St. Patrick's cexve jurisdiction
^
Mission.
for his
Irish
apostolate
with what eagerness
It is strange
separated themselves from the Catholic
Church attempt
to explain
away
deny
or
yet there are few details in the saint's
The reader
better authority.
judge
shall
this visit
life
given on
for himself on
this subject.
The from
and perhaps the most important evidence,
first,
unquestioned antiquity,
its
saint's
Eome
journey to
When
"
knew
apostleship of Erinn, he ;
and
it
was
that
it
[i.e.,
was
the failure of the mission for
him God designed the
went subsequently
him
;
to
Rome
to receive
Rome, who read grada Germanus and Amatho, king of the
Celestinus,
(orders, degrees) over *
that contained in
:
Patrick heard this thing
of St. Palladius], and
grade
is
Here we have a detailed account of the
the Tripartite.
Abbot
of
Romans, being present." 7
Some
folios are
Tripartite,
missing from the Irish version of the
but Colgan's translation
essentially accurate,
is
admitted to be
and we can supply further
details
from that source. In compliance with the admonition of the angel, and the
command
Peter, the
of God, he determined to visit the seat of
head of our
apostolicity,
faith,
and the fountain of
all
and through such authority to strengthen
and consecrate
his apostleship
and
his journey.
On
disclosing his idea to his master, St. Germanus, he not 7
Present.
—This extract
is
from Mr. Hennessy's translation of the Irish ver-
sion of the Tripartite, from which, unfortunately,
some
folios are missing.
—
l||l ([^li|lll'|lUi|il| ' l
Jy
l i
,;
|l, li l
J|#l V:4|fl 1l|IM
| j
204
Life of St. Patrick.
only approved of his holy intention, hut assigned him Segetius the Priest, his
own
vicar in spiritual matters,
and
as a companion on his journey,
holy conversation.
as a witness of his
8
Another extract on the same subject can scarcely to interest the reader
and
" Patrick having set out for
with devout
the apostles Celestine,
who was
to satisfy the
Rome,
most
found
:
Pope
favor with
the forty-fifth from St. Peter.
by
fail
after visiting the shrines of
veneration,
the conversion of nations belongs
sceptical
This Pope, as
right to the successors of St.
Peter (cum successori Petri jure incumbat conversio gentium), had already sent the illustrious Deacon Palladius, with the apostolic
number
God
of twelve companions, to preach and announce the
word
of
to the Irish." 9
In the annotations of Tirechan, contained in that part of the
Book
of
Armagh which,
as Dr.
marked, was evidently becoming
Graves has
illegible
when
re-
the
the
made from it, more than a thousand we find the following express testimony to Eoman mission of our saint :—
"
In the thirteenth year of the Emperor Theodosius, the Bishop
present copy was
years ago,
Patrick was sent by Celestine, Bishop and Pope of Rome, to instruct
Bishop Palladius was
the Irish.
first
sent,
who was also among the
Patrick by a second name, and he was martyred 8
Conversation.
tion
which
— Colgan,
It is difficult to give an English translap. 122. convey the spirit and letter of the original hence, " Angelicis monitis, divinoque acquiesceus mandato scdcm Petri fidei nostra; magistrum, et omnis apostulatus
shall clearly
we append an
extract
Patricias, statuit
fontem adire
;
ejusque apostolic!
— Colgan, p
;
:
roborare et consecrare." 9 Irish.
called
Scots,
123.
authoritate,
suum
iter
et Apostolatutn
—
Proofs of St. Patrick's Then
as the old saints have said.
the angel of God, Victor, and by lieved,
Of
and nearly
who
Patrick " St.
is
died in A.D. 664, the also attested thus
Germanus sent the
ezigebat),
received
and
;
Patrick,
St.
Roman
all
Ireland be-
Eileran the
mission of St.
:
blessed Patrick to (licentia) of the
See to go forth and preach,
3
the second Patrick was sent by
Pope Celestine
were baptized by him."
might receive the sanction
l"
Mission
In the Vita Quarta, attributed to Wise,
r
all
Roman
Rome, that thus he
Bishop of the Apostolic
for so order requireth (sic
enim ordo
having come to Rome, was honorably
by the holy Pope Celestine
and
;
relics
of the saints
being given to him, he was sent into Ireland by the same Pope." 1
Perhaps the simplest and best evidence on ject is that of the saint himself.
this sub-
In the Life of
St.
Patrick by Probus, he records the following prayer of St.
Patrick
now,
I
:
—"
Lord Jesus Christ
.
.
.
me Roman
conduct
beseech Thee, to the See of the Holy
Church, that receiving there the mission to preach with confidence,
the
Irish
tribes
may become
Christian
through me." In truth,
St.
Patrick could not have undertaken such
a mission without the express sanction of the See of
n
Rome, and without obtaining reigning Pontiff, so that even
jurisdiction from the then if
the various writers of
1 Pope.— Colgan, p. 39. It was unworthy of Dr. Todd, both intellectually and morally, to try and discredit the Roman mission of St. Patrick, with all this evidence before him. He admits the authority of the three Lives for any
purely indifferent matter, but
advanced he discredits them. most gifted intellects.
when
the supernatural, or Catholic doctrines are
So much influence has prejudice even on the
—
206
Life of St. Patrick.
his Life
had not alluded to the
no question raised about
subject, there could be
by those who were even
it
cursorily acquainted with the ecclesiastical history of
the period.
Happily, however, as the subject
great interest,
and
one of
is
which, for controversial reasons, it is
important to prove beyond
cavil,
we can
give extraneous
evidence that the accounts of the early Irish biographers of St. Patrick were substantially correct.
St.
Eric, or
Hericus, of Auxerre, the biographer of St. Gennanus,
an independent and credible authority. of the connection between St.
Germanus and
and the Roman mission of the And
"
as
latter
St. Patrick,
:
Germanus saw him magnanimous
for virtue, strenuous in the sacred ministry,
that so strong a
is
He writes thus
eminent
in religion,
and thinking
it
unfit
husbandman (robustissimum agricolam) should be
inactive in the culture of the harvest of the Lord, he sent
him
to
holy Celestiue, the Pope of the city of Eome, accompanied by his
own
priest, Segetius,
who might
probity at the Apostolic See.
ment, supported by
its
bear testimony to his ecclesiastical
Being thus approved by
authority,
and strengthened by
its
judg-
its blessing,
he journeyed to Ireland, and being given to that people as their chosen apostle, he enlightened the whole nation then by his preach, ing and miracles, as he continues to do at the present day, and will so for ever continue to do,
by the wonderful
privileges of his aposto-
late." 2
In S22 Bishop Marcus wrote his Historia Brittonum, in 2
which he introduces a short sketch of the Life of our Apostolate— Bollandists, Julii vii. See also, for a careful and scholarly on this subject, Essays on the Early Irish Church,
collection of all the authorities
by Monsignor Moran,
p. 22-38.
—
which, \vc cannot doubt, was taken carefully
apostle,
from the most authentic sources then extant. be says "
In this
:
Under
Scriptures,
divine guidance Patrick was instructed in the Sacred
and then he went
time studying, and being
Rome, and remained there a long
to
filled
with the Holy Ghost, learning the
Holy Scriptures and the Sacred Mysteries.
And
whilst he
there applying himself to these pursuits, Palladius
Pope Celestine
as first bishop to convert the Irish to Christ
God, by some storms and
signs,
was
was sent by ;
but
prevented his success; and no one
can receive aught on earth unless
it
be given to him from above.
This Palladius, returning from Ireland to Britain, died there in the
jEE
land of the Picts.
The death of Bishop
Palladius being known,
the patricians Theodosius and Valentinian being the
Roman
rulers,
Patrick was sent by Pope Celestine, the angel of God, Victor, ac-
companying, guiding, and assisting him, and by Bishop Germanus, to convert the Irish to the belief in the
Further evidence might
still
has been said to satisfy those
being
satisfied, for
Holy Trinity."
be adduced, but enough
who
are not incapable of
other additional evidence would not
have additional weight.
We
can
well picture to ourselves
shrine of Peter.
We
which he knelt before the aged
Kingdom
Patrick at the
can imagine the devotion with Pontiff, to
whom
Heaven had been
the
Keys
of the
Tu
Pctrus he would exclaim, perhaps from depths of
es
of
confided.
emotion, rather with the voice of the heart than with the voice of the tongue.
Thou
fromthce,and thee alone, can
I
art Peter,
Celestine,
and
receive the right to exercise
the powers delegated to thee from Christ through Peter.
rr~
Thou art Peter.
An
been shown to me,
Him,
all
angel has called me, visions have
have seen the Lord and spoken to
I
unworthy
as
am, upon the mountains
I
;
and
may not be obeyed unless thou
dost
in the islands of the sea, but
even an angel's voice
Thou art Peter
sanction and bless the obedience ; nay, even the Lord of
angels Himself requires that I should obtain from thee the right to undertake the mission to which
Himself vouchsafed to
And
thus,
call
Tu
exclaimed with voice and
Taught by Patrick the one
es Petrus.
true Catholic Faith, taught that of Christ, they
have
said,
by
must also be
Holy Catholic Church have never swerved Temptations,
if
they would be children
children of
Rome
;
taught, I
Patrick, but I should rather have said
taughtby God Himself, since
I
has
from that hour to the present day, have the
faithful children of Patrick
intention,
He
me.
;
for
He it was who instituted this
—the
Irish nation, ever faithful,
one hour from their allegiance.
sufferings,
conflict,
death, have been again and
contempt,
poverty,
again their portion, but
they have never ceased to exclaim
Tu
es Petrus.
All
the world might be in tumult around them, the horrors of earthly storms might threaten to engulf them, but
they rode in the Bark of Peter, and riding thus they
were protected by Peter's God.
What
to
them was
when they knew that they were gaining heavenly crowns 1 What to them were trials and persecutions, when they knew that this was none other than earthly
the
loss,
King's highway of the holy cross, the Faith in
;
+
7%e Irish faithful which to
all
?
-t-
to St.
>
h^-j
•»
+..,
Patrick's Teaching. 209
the successors of Peter have walked
them was death
had the Keys of
itself,
Life,
since they abode
What
?
by those who
and the harsh grating of the doors
was
of their earthly dungeons
scarcely heard in the
anticipation of the opening of heaven's golden portals.
And
one by one as they passed to the Land of Peace,
and were welcomed by their glorious apostle, how they rejoiced that they
lias
had remained true
Heresy
he taught.
desolated Christendom from
Patrick
came
to the Faith
which
after heresy, schism after schism,
to tell of the
the
time when
One Lord, One
Faith,
St.
One
Baptism, to the Celts by the Western Sea, and the
What
Faith which he taught alone remains unchanged. Celestine then taught
even
now
obey the
is
taught by Pius to-day, and
the faithful successors of Patrick hasten to call
exclaiming also
of that most saintly of Pontiffs, and,
Tu es Petrus,
link together the past
and
the present in the golden chain of an unbroken unity of doctrine, in a magnificent sequence of varying, yet
harmonious
discipline, suited to
each clime and century
harmonious, because springing from unity; harmonious, because manifold are the
peoples contained
therein
without discord or division.
r—
Ol.l4^^^>! 2c
—
"The
;
death of Palladius being made known, the mission pre-
ordained by God, and the conversion of the nation of the
by the
often promised by the angelic oracle, were given
Irish,
apostolic
so that Pope Celestine, in the presence of St. Germanus and Amatorex, the Roman, ordained him bishop, and
authority to Patrick
:
gave to him the name of Patrick
At
the same time were
ordained Auxilius, Esserinus, and some other companions of Patrick
and then the three harmonious choirs mingled rejoicings
:
the
first
of the heavenly
Romans, the third of the
who
come and
live
Here we have
:
'
second of the
All the Irish pray you,
amongst us and
it
and
their chants
the
Irish infants of the region Caille Fochladh,
cried out to Patrick, saying
priest, to
spirits,
liberate us.'
holy
"*
distinctly stated that St. Patrick
was ordained by Pope Celestine and some person
called
Amatorex, the Roman, and that
in the
this
was done
presence of St. Germanus.
In the Scholiast on the that
Hymn
-'~'j
of St. Fiacc,
it
is
said
:—
" St. Patrick was consecrated in the presence of Celestine and of
Theodosius, the younger,
who was king
of the world.
It
was
Amatorex who consecrated him."
In the Life of the saint by Probus (Quinta Vita) we find the following
"
As
yet,
:
however, Patrick had not received the epis-
copal degree, for he
knew
that Palladius,
" Therefore his [Palladius] disciples, Britain,
that
is,
....
who were
in
Augustine, Benedict, and the others,
hearing of the death of the chief deacon Palladius, came 3
Liberal* ui.
—
Colg.111, p, 50,
—
212
Life of St. Patrick.
to St. Patrick to Euberia,
death of Palladius.
and announced to him the
But Patrick, and those who were
with him, turned aside from their journey to a certain
man
of wonderful
sanctity,
named
a chief bishop,
Amator, living in a neighbouring place, and there
St.
knowing what things were destined for him, was exalted to the episcopal degree by the same ArchPatrick,
Also some other
bishop Amator. to the office of
on which
St.
clerics
were ordained
But on the same day
minor degrees.
Patrick was consecrated by the sacred
blessings, the canticle of the Psalmist
was appropriately
sung by the choir of the
chanters
clerical
' :
Thou
art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech.'"
4
This special mention of the psalm which was chanted
on the day of
St. Patrick's consecration,
to suppose that the account
was present on tbe no
mention
Eoman
either
occasion.
of
would lead us
was written by one who Here, however, there
Celestine,
is
Germanus, or the
emperor.
In the Vita Secunda
St.
Patrick's consecration
very briefly recorded, the writer merely saying that
is
:
" Patrick also turned aside from his journey to a certain wonderful
man, a chief bishop, by name Amator; and from him
St.
Patrick
received episcopal consecration."
The whole
narrative, however,
is
given in a series of
paragraphs rather than in a continuous detail of dents, but again, it will be observed, the 4
Melchisedech.
— Colgan,
p. 40.
name
of
inci-
Amator
—
—
St. Patrick's
Consecration an Bishop.
appeals as the ecclesiastic
who
Marianne Scotosj an eminent
ordained
Patrick.
St.
Irish writer of the eleventh
century, chronicles the mission of St. Patrick thus
:
" In the eighth year of Theodosius, Bassus and Antiochus being consuls, Palladius
bishop
to
the
was ordained by Pope
Irish
believing in
Patrick, who, being a Briton Celestine,
and sent
to
the
by
Celestine,
and sent as
was consecrated by Pope
birth,
archiepiscopate
of Ireland.
and converted the whole island to the
Dr. Reeves has pronounced this fiTTi
St.
There,
during sixty years, he confirmed his preaching by signs miracles,
first
After him was sent
Christ.
and
faith of Christ."
work
to
be the most
elaborate historical production of the middle ages, which
has
always enjoyed
learned.
the
highest
The autograph of
this
signature of the illustrious writer,
encomiums of the chronicle, is
with the
stdl preserved in
the Vatican Library, the guardian of so
much
that
is
valuable to literature.
Prosper also mentions
who ordained
St. Patrick,
"'Whilst that
St.
thus
Celestine as the person :
Pope [Celestine] labored to keep the Roman
island [Britain] Catholic, he caused also the barbarous islands to
be gathered to the fold of Christ by ordaining a bishop for the Irish."
There are four names mentioned by
common
in connection with the ordination of St. Patrick
Pope Celestine
;
second, a bishop, variously
consent :
First,
named
as
Amator, Amotus, Amatorex, Amathus, Amathrex, and
Amatheus:
it is
obvious to the least critical reader that
wm •
%?xm_
;
names
these
synonymous
are
third,
;
Roman emperor
and, fourth, the
St.
Germanus With
Theodosius.
regard to the place where he was consecrated bishop, it is
Ebmoria
called
in the
they do not directly bishop by
state,
of
Armagh, Euboria
Record
is
though
was made
subject has been
critically considered in the Eccle-
for October, 1866,
and we
an epitome of the opinions advanced ject
infer,
that the saint
The whole
St. Celestine.
very carefully and siastical
Book
Jocelyn and other writers
by Probus.
obviously one
still
shall give
there.
open to research and
Ussher was of opinion that
St.
The subcriticism.
Patrick was con-
secrated in Italy, though he hesitated to decide whether it
was by a
certain Bishop
Ware
tine.
Amator, or by Pope Celes-
inclined to the opinion that St. Patrick
was consecrated by
Celestine.
Cotton expressly asserts
was consecrated a bishop
that he
at
Rome.
Colgan being of opinion that the saint was consecrated
and in the town of Eboria, and
in Gaul,
finding that
corresponding to conjectures,
was no town there with a name he was obbged to briug forward that the word might be a corruption
there
first,
this,
of the ancient Bononia,
that
it
might
refer to
now Boulogne
tory of Liege in Belgium, which
Eburones.
Dr.
;
and, secondly,
some town in or near the
Lanigan
terri-
was inhabited by the
agreed with Colgan, but
suggested that the town might be Evreux in Normandy,
which was known by the name Ebroica.
Dr.
Todd
thought that the bishop Amatorex might be an
acci-
—
TheJPlace where
St.
Patrick was Coisecrated. 215
dental sojourner in a place near Ebnioria, wherever that
was, and evidently inclines to the opinion that
Some
in France.
it
was
mediaeval writers were of opinion that
Amatorex was the well-known
St.
Amator
of Auxerre
;
but clearly this was impossible, since he died before the elevation
St German us to the episcopate. The name alone could have suggested this
of
similarity of
theory.
The
solution of the writer in the Ecclesiastical
much
has
recommend
to
difficulty of finding either
to correspond with
He
accounts.
the
He
it.
first
a bishop or a town in Gaul
most ancient and authentic
next mentions a town in Italy and an
Italian bishop, as the probable place
and by tion.
whom
We
own words
Record
points out the
St.
and person where
Patrick received episcopal consecra-
shall continue
the account in the writer's
:
"John of Tinmouth writes that St. Fatrick dcclinavit iter quemdam hominem mirabilem, summum Episcopum et sanctum Amotum nomine et ab illo gradum episcopalem accepit.' Probus '
ad
says that he was
'
and Maccuthenus, bilem hominem, "
"J,
Now,
a
man
of wondrous sanctity,
Book of Armagh,
in the
summum
it is difficult
his contemporaries,
and a chief bishop;'
also styles
him
to conceive a bishop so remarkable
and
many
'
mira-
Episcopum.'
so
famed
for his sanctity,
among
and yet uncom-
records of the French Church about the
memorated
in the
year 430.
Neither in the synod then held in France, nor in the
Lives of St. Germanus aud of the other great ornaments of France at that time,
" But
is
if in
there found any mention of his name.
Gaul, neither a town can be found to correspond
fffoSiBmr&aSQl
with Eboria, as
Italy
all
acknowledge, nor a bishop
who might answer
Amator, can such a town and such a bishop be found in
for St,
We
t
the town
unhesitatingly answer that they can.
in
which
we
death of Palladius,
Indeed, as to
Patrick received the intelligence of the
St.
precisely find at the foot of the Alps
an
Eboria or Eporia, also styled Iporia and Eporedia, lying on the route from to
Ravenna (where probably
Gaul and Ireland.
merly
is
the
travellers generally passed
Italy to Gaul.
It
in olden times, as
What
century. relics
This
is
was the route
by the more
of St. Germanus,
pomp from Ravenna they were
first
first
St. Germanus then modern town of Ivrea.
lived)
For-
when journeying from pursued by the army of Hannibal through
it
Napoleon in the beginning of
when they were
to Auxerre.
this
was the road hallowed by the
striking, it
We
translated with solemn
learn that from
Ravenna
conducted to Vercelli, and there the presence of the
angelic choir around the
saint's relics
the newly built cathedral.
From
along the Alps, the triumphal route
was said to have dedicated
Vercelli to Ivrea, is
and thence
marked by the many churches
dedicated to St. Germanus, each of which was erected on the spot
where
his precious relics
were deposited
town and small diocese of
in the
for
Ivrea,
a
little
while.
Thus,
there are at present
seven chapels bearing the name of St. Germanus, and marking the route taken in this sacred procession.
" It was also this road that St. Malachy pursued to
Rome and ;
when
travelling
during his short sojourn in this town he performed
one of his most striking miracles, raising the son of his hospitable host to
life,
saint of Italise.'
and
is
as
recorded by
is
St.
Bernard in
his Life of this great
Transalpinas quum venisset Iporiam civitatem Armagh The memory of this miracle remains to the present day, :
'
mentioned in the lessons for the
are used in the diocese of Ivrea. St. Udalric,
who made
We
this his route
towards Gaul, and dying in Ivrea,
feast of St.
Malachy, which
read also of another saint,
when
is still
returning from Italy
venerated as
its
patron.
Indeed this passage over the Alps was the most frequented down
^a
;
Piece where St. Patrick was Consecrated. 217
Tin-
to
our
was
own
and from Cloyne
t
The famous Mount
times.
Bernard Monastery
St.
purpose of assisting travellers on that route
built for the
ho Life of the blessed Thaddeus O'Maher,
we
in 1492,
Bishop of
learn that he, too, whilst journeying on this
road from Koine towards Ireland, enriched Ivrea with his sacred remains.
"It
is,
perhaps, no small confirmation of the opinion that Iporiaov
was the town thus referred to by our ancient writers, that it brings together in one harmonious whole all the elements of their, at
first
We
Bight, discordant narrative.
our apostle
understand
way from Pope
said to be on his
is
why
once
at
Celestine
when he
received in Eboria the intelligence of the death of St. Palladius;
we understand how in
it
is
that St. Patrick's consecration is so
empha-
having been performed in a neighbouring town.
tically described as
conspeciu Theodosii, in amspectu Cclestini, and, again, in cms}
Gcnmini.
being
There
literally
is
nothing, indeed, to prevent these accounts from
The
true.
Germanus
history of St.
justifies tho
conjecture that he was then actually at the court of the emperor,
which often journeyed city Turin,
to
and
too, are often
met
from Ravenna to the imperial
fro
xmim
the./
have come down to
us, visiting
western empire, and other
cities
Ravenna, the head-quarters of the of North Italy.
"Thus, again, another point becomes
^n
The Popes,
of those times.
with, even in the scanty records of that age that
intelligible
on which our
ancient writers are agreed, and which, nevertheless, was wholly
in-
explicable on the supposition of St. Patrick's consecration having
been celebrated lestine
>:?<
in Gaul, viz
that at the time of his consecration
,
gave to him the name of Palri
was a name commonly assumed
Gibbon assures
'
Patricius was his
highest order or consecration), Peter,
who gave
it
to
him'
and
(ap,
Oolgan, ZVrh Thavmal., page
4).
it
name was
Todd,
Si
.
i
Italy in
Now, the Book of Hymns,
as.
attests that
in
the
century, as
Celestine, the
J
£_»
fct
St.
his
comarb of
1
.
ami
.Marcus, in his
2 D
±J_
on
(i.e.,
in its Scholia
at his degrees
The holy Bishop
This
Patrick
fifth
Life of St. Patrick.
218
notice of St. Patrick, also mentions this fact
he
says,
he was
that
when
:
consecrated,
by Amatheorex, he received the name Patrick, Maun.
called
Ussher mentions
the
for before
chroniclers,
Florence of Wigorn, Ralph of Chester, and Henry of Marleburgh,
Pope Celestine
as referring to
The
change of our apostle's name.
this
Vita Tripartita also attests
it
St. Celestine
'
:
ordained him
bishop in the presence of St. Germanus and Amatorex, the
and gave him the name
Patricius,'
plicable in all the Gaulish theories
dicens
ad
Domino
Some one
will,
perhaps, say that there was no saint at that time
whose name corresponds with Amator or
Amatheorex, remarkable
for his learning
and
which
city, in
Maximus
is not more distant The name Maximus in the old
form would be precisely Amator, and the transition from
that to the various Latinised names given above
Maximus, Bishop of Turin, flourished
Gennadius assures in
reply
ruling the
a straight course,
than a few miles from Ivrea.
St.
We
sanctity.
that there was at this very time the great St.
Celtic
wholly inex-
1
in the north of Italy
see of Turin,
is
Sanctus ergo Patricius vole-
'
Apostolico suscepto itiuere versus Hiberniam venit
fines Britannise.
"
and adds, what :
Eoman,
us,
and he was
still
is
as
easily explained.
early as 425,
as
bishop of that see in 451,
which year he assisted at and subscribed the Acts of the Synod
of Milan.
" His fame for learning and eloquence, and justifies
the epithets which are added to his
Lives of St. Patrick, and even the
title
still
more
name
for sanctity,
in the ancient
Komanus, which they some-
times add, has reference, perhaps, to the tradition mentioned in the Life of St.
Maximus, that he was a native of Eome, and a near
re-
lative of the great Pontiff, St. Leo.
"From all
this
we may conclude that
St. Patrick,
intelligence of the death of St. Palladius,
was
still
when he
with the Pope Celestine, as also with the emperor and
manus
;
that the
intelligence
town Eboria,
at
was brought to him,
received
in close relation St.
Ger-
which he had arrived when that is
no other than the modern
:fe8
I\ Tea, hallowed l>y the memory of two other ornaments of the Church— St Malachy and the blessed Thaddeus, and, in fine, that
was from the great Doctor of Turin, the
it
illustrious St.
Maximus,
that our apostle received his episcopal consecration." 5
Patrick has himself
St.
left
us some details of great
regarding this important period of his
interest
life.
Then, as now, the most rigid inquiries were made as to
who were about to be advanced and such caution was expressly and
the previous life of those to the priesthood,
most justly used in regard to those who were to receive the awful responsibility of ruling the Church of God.
E
It
I
would appear from
St. Patrick's
Confession that
he had committed some fault in his boyhood, which,
with
all
why
This was brought against him as a reason
he should not be consecrated bishop, and he
the charge it
humility, he could only attribute to his
his
ignorance.
and the humiliation very deeply.
was just one of those
infinite
before he
He had
himself
made
was made a deacon, and
aggravation of the
trial
ment should be brought 4
which God
wisdom not unfrcquently appoints
favored souls.
little
special trials
it
that his
against
No
in
for the
this fault
seemed
to
felt
doubt
His
most
known him no
own acknowledg-
him
after a lapse of
Consecration.— Articlo in the Irish Ec. record, Oct. 18G6, pp. 16-18.
By
Monsignor Moran. It should he observed that the expressions which might he taken as assertions of Pope Cclestine's presence at the consecration of the saint do not necessarily require this interpretation. The \v. r.l i "ordinatns episcopus a Papa Celcstino," as Malmeshtiry and other! write, may not mean more than that he was appointed bishop of tlic Irish by that If these expressions were used in regard to an ordinary prelate, tho Pope. literal meaning would of course be the one intended by the writer. the Rev.
.
^w^Wic H ftiiyrf t
i
220
Life of St. Patrick,
So great was the anguish he endured that
thirty years.
he declares he was tempted to
and
and made
corrected him,
better for the great
Again he
was
short,
that,
is
fall
away both
Yet he thanks God
for eternity."
work
his trial a
to
means
which he was
of fitting
its
anguish was keen
;
time
him
called.
consoled by a heavenly vision.
though
for
having thus
for
The
and he
trial
tells
us
on the very night of the day on which he was
thus charged with his boyish vision
and writing upon the
fault,
wall,
he saw a heavenly
and he heard a divine
from which he learned that what had afflicted him had also touched the Heart of Jesus, for the word " we " was used to show that what afflicted Patrick afflicted Christ also to show the blessed union of the voice,
—
saint with the
Lord of Saints
when even good men
—
to show, perchance, that
afflicted their brethren, as, alas
!
they wall sometimes do, that they also grieve their
common
Lord, to
whom
each
is
precious as the apple of
an eye. 7 6
Eternity.
— "Utique in
illo
die fortiter impulsus
sum ut caderem
hie et in
aeternum." 7
Eye.
— There
some obscurity
is
in
the passage in which St. Patrick relates
After mentioning the writing which he saw opposite to him, he adds that he heard a divine response which said " We have seen with dis"Male vidimus faciem pleasure the face of a designatus without name" designati nudato nomine." Several conjectures have been made to explain It is quite clear from the context that St. Patrick understood these words. the words to have been said by our Divine Lord, for he enlarges on the word thou hast seeu,' but we have vidimus, and adds "He did not say thus, He that seen,' as if He therein joined Himself with me, as He hath said
this vision.
:
V^$l
:
—
'
'
:
'
i. 8]. The word desigtoucheth you, toucheth the apple of my natus was applied by the Romans to those priests who selected the victim for sacrifice, and perhaps the words implied that the person who accused St. Patrick was as it were a designatus choosing the saint as a sacrifice. The
eye.' " [Zach.
s^=
——
—
irf;!Si&=£
There can be no doubt as to the time of Ireland,
arrival in
with B
i
The date
it.
of his arrival, a.d. 432,
oncurrence of events
—
Lanigan are agreed upon
upon other
differ
points.
The ninth year
The
apostle's mission thus
of Theodosius, king of the world, the
the reign of Leoghair6.
Rome
it
was
however they may
Life of St. Patrick in the
of the episcopacy of Sixtus, coarb of Peter,
of that year;
proved by
Both Colgan, Ussher, and
this subject,
Leabhar Breac records our "
is
Patrick's
connected
assigned by historians as
it is
by hagiographers.
well as
St.
or of the circumstances
first
year
and the fourth year of
iEtius and Valerius were the two consuls
in this
after Celestine.
:
year Xystus assumed the supremacy of
This was the fourth year of the reign of
LaeghaireV'
An tise
ancient proverbial quatrain preserved in a trea-
on the Brehon Laws confirms
this statement
:
"Patrick baptized with glory, In the time c.f Theodosius Ho preached the Gospel, without falsehood. To the worthy people of the sons of ;
I
Tn the
same
recorded thus
"The coming faith, in if
tract the
coming of the
saint
further
is
:
of Patrick into Ireland to propagate baptism
and
the ninth year of the reign of Theodosius, and in the fourth Laeghairo, son of Nial of the Nine Hostages."
it was an allusion to some hook written against tlio mission of St. Patrick, but this seems most improbable. The word di uadated the "elect," ana the word bishop (applied oonjecturally
Bollandists think that
before
it,
in
nan.
a very excellent translation of the Confession by a
1
—
The
arrival
Four Masters
and mission of St. Patrick :
recorded by the
Patrick was ordained to the episcopacy
St.
by the holy Pope
him
is
Celestine, the first
who commissioned
come to Ireland and preach, and give
to
;
the precepts of faith Innisfallen, Patrick
and
came from Eome bishop
and devoutly preached here the
to the Irish
In the Annals of
religion.
into Ireland,
In the
faith of Christ.
Annals of Ulster— in the year 432 Patrick came to Ireland, in the ninth year of Theodosius, the younger,
and
first
Sixtus was the
of the episcopacy of Sixtus.
forty-second Bishop of
and Fridra, reckon
Rome,
and Marcellinus,
as Bede,
This was in the
in their chronicles.
twelfth year of Laeghaire, son of Nial. Petrie oldest
has described the Leabhar Breac as
and best Irish manuscript relating
history
now
possessed." this
to Irish
preserved, or which, perhaps, the Irish ever
8
We
have already given a brief extract from
important document, and we
now append
account given therein of the saint's mission
"We
the full
:
ought to know at what time Patrick, the holy bishop and
chief instructor of the Irish, began to
and baptize, and and
" the
Church
to banish all the
consecrate,
and
come
to resuscitate the dead,
demons from
to ordain
for the Apostle says
:
therefore that Patrick
'I
and
bless,
Ireland,
and
all diseases,
to sanctify
and
and to contest and triumph
have fought a good
came
to Ireland to preach
and to cure
to Ireland
fight,' etc.
The year
was the four hundred and
thirty-third from the Incarnation, in the ninth year of the reign of
Theodosius, king of the world, and in the
8
Possessed.— Essay on Tara,
first
p. 85.
year of the episco-
— —
Date of pacy of Sixtus, the coarb
St. Patrick's Mission.
successor) of Peter,
(i.e.
year of the reign of Laeghaire sixtieth year of his
instructed the '
men He
here
and
in the,
he baptized and
:
crucifixion of Christ to the tribes of the FenL'
of
him
to
Clonard
:
great was the son of Cal[ihurn, vine-branch laden with fruit.' ....
Palladius was sent by to the Irish.
Pope Celestine with a gospel for Patrick to This was the four hundred and first year
from the crucifixion of Christ. to preach in Ireland, JEtius this year Sixtus it
for sixty years
Meek and
A
and
in the fourth
the character given by Heleran of Patrick, at the time
is
'
it
and
of Erinn, as Fiacc says
when he brought an account
preach
;
and
Niall at Tara,
preached for three score years
The
And
own age
Mac
•2-2A
In the year after this Patrick went
and Valerius being
resumed the supremacy of
consuls.
Rome
It
was
in
after Celestine,
was the fourth of the reign of Laeghaird, son of
Niall, at
Tara."
Indeed, the only objections which have been
made
to
the clear statements of our annals as to the year of St. Patrick's arrival in Ireland,
who wished
to
have come from persons
uphold some special theory, and found
necessary to dispute the date in order to
make
it
their
view of other matters consistent. 9 A\
Inn
St.
Patrick had received the Papal authorization
for his mission, he hastened to fulfil
speed of holy • Consistent.
— Dr.
zeal.
Lanigan says, "
It
proofs of this being the true date."— Ec.
"There
is
it
with the untiring
Again we find some touching and
no discrepancy amongst
would bo a waste //;
i.
p.
of
20BL
time to adduce (Tsahet
Irish writers as to the year of St. Patrick's mission into Ireland. "- Primordia, p. 880. Those who wish fur further information on this subject are referred once more to Manmgnor Moran's E>sai/s
on the Early Irish Church.
—
F^W
Life of St. Patrick.
224
beautiful legends of the circumstances which attended
The miraculous voyage and arrival in Ireland. been mentioned; perhaps,
his
transit of the leper has already
which such a miracle would show that Patrick had come to the most wretched and the most sinful, and that those who might be rejected by man would not be rejected by besides the deep impression
make,
him
it
was intended
to
—the servant of the great Master who came
and save the outcast
came near the
sailed
to behold the
be opposed. if to
defend
it
ones.
As the
vessel in
Irish coast, the saint
to seek
which he
was permitted
demon foes by whom his mission would They appeared to surround the island, as against his approach.
But the powers of
darkness were unable to do more than show their malice
;
the all-powerful sign of the cross dispelled their
angry hosts
;
and the
saint informed those
who were
with him of their presence and their defeat.
There are two of being the place
sites,
each of which claims the honor
where
St.
Patrick landed.
According
mouth of town of Wicklow. Here, it is said, he was repulsed by a chief named Nathi, and he re-embarked and sailed' north
to one account, he touched at Inver Dea, the
the present Vartry river, on the strand near the
Probus says
wards. "
Then
[after he
:
had obtained the authorization of the Holy See] and came into
Patrick, the venerable priest of the Lord, took ship Britain,
and avoiding any delay, with the utmost speed and a proshe entered our sea in the name of the Holy
perous passage Trinity."
fjagg&issB^ jhz^l T:
—
—
Site where St. Patrick Landed.
A
digression then follows on the vices
government of Laeghaire" "
The holy
and general
and the writer continues
;
:
Patrick, the bishop, with his ship laden with spiritual
treasure, that
is,
dicationis), is
with the armour of holy preaching (sancts pne-
borne into the wished for port of the region of
Evolein, which on that account
is
celebrated amongst us.
.
.
dually he directed his course to that pagan king Milcho, to
.
Gra-
whom
formerly he had been sold a captive, carrying to him the price of in merchandise, both heavenly
and earthly, that he
from eternal captivity the man by
whom he had formerly
his release
might
free
been kept in earthly bondage." 1
'
T
It is
any
evident from this that Probus was not aware of
tradition of St. Patrick's having landed further
The
south.
Tripartite to Leinster
saint's visit
thus "
II
the great authority for the
is ;
and
arrival
his
is
recorded
:
When
Patrick came from Pome, where he arrived was at
Inbher Dea, in Leinster.
Xathi, son of Garrahan, came also against
him."
Iii
the Vita Secunda,
is
it
simply recorded that
St.
Patrick landed at the "port of the same river Dea,"
probably alluding to that at which Palladius had landed. 1
r
.
The Vita TertiaaaA Jocelyn agree with and, indeed, the authority of the latter
make
it
more than probable that
stantially correct. it
was
^^
-
a
^
Bondage.
•
,,
^
sufficient to
their account is sub-
should also be remembered that
probable the saint 1
..
It
the Tripartite, is
would make
— Colgan,
Trias Thaum.,
p.
for
125
the
neanM
226
Life of St. Patrick. there, instead of proceeding at once to
and land
port,
Dalariada, though, no doubt, he intended to visit that part of Ireland as soon as possible.
The place where the was the
accounts,
saint landed, according to these
territory of Cualann,
been thus named by Probus. that Evolein
work.
A
a misprint, as there are
is
and should have
It is probable, however,
many
in Colgan's
2
remarkable and significant miracle occurred when
He had applied
the saint landed in Wicklow. fishermen,
a few
who were drawing But they refused
fish.
to
in their nets, to give ;
and
to the
some
him
un charitable-
ness of their refusal added words of injury and con-
Like his Divine Master,
tempt.
barren
fig-tree,
not because
what He sought, but
as an
who had
He had
cursed the
failed to obtain
example and warning to
sinners, Patrick also cursed the river,
and henceforth
the churlish sailors were obliged to seek for fish elsewhere.
The miracle was, "undoubtedly, one
fitted to
convert these rude and barbarous men, and to
specially
show them that there was a God who ruled the elements which the pagan Irish worshipped and that the priests ;
of this
God
did and could exercise miraculous control
even over the lowest of God's creatures. 3
—
- Wm-h. The present barony of Kathdown, in the north of the county Wicklow, corresponds to the ancient Cualann. The name is still preserved in that of Glencullcn, a valley near Bray. The Sugar-loaf mountain was
anciently called Bliabh-Cualann. 3
I'atriuk
— Dr.
Todd has commented,
T had almost said bitterly, on this seem to have occurred to him that, in condemning St. as uncharitable, he was also condemning our Divine Lord, who
Creatures.
miracle.
It does not
St.
Patrick
in
Wicklow.
The author of the Vita Secunda, which, iu the main, Book of Armagh, informs us that St.
agrees with the
Patrick
made one convert
in
Wicklow notwithstanding
According to this account,
the opposition of Nathi.
son of Finncadh, was converted and baptized by
Sinell,
But the same Lives
the saint. is
was the
first
what,
person converted and baptized by him in
It is quite possible, as
Ireland.
also mention,
the generally received opinion, that Dicho
indeed,
Colgan has suggested,
that both accounts
may
have been the
convert in the south, and Dicho in
first
may
be true, and that Sinell
the north.
Todd has observed
was of the
race
of the kings of Leinster, of the clan Hy-Garchon,
and
Dr.
that this Sinell
a cousin of the Nathi who repelled list
(of
which more
as the saint's bell-ringer
by O'Donovan, he
is
hereafter), Sinell ;
is
registered
in another authority, quoted
called St.
Patrick's door-keeper.
It is quite possible that this fervent convert
may
followed our apostle, and have held these two
offices.
There
is
which still bears the name of St. Patrick's
Island; the parish in which Patrick.
have
a small island on the coast near Dublin, and
close to Skerries,
it is
included
It is said that the saint
cursed the barren 6g-trce.
It is not
a
little
is
called
Holm
stopped at an island
on the east as he journeyed northward, and
r—
by the Four
of St. Patrick's household, as given
Masters
In the
St. Patrick.
this,
no doubt,
remarkable, though
it is
only
what might be expected, that the miracles of the fiaints so closely resemble those of the Lord of Saints, and that persons who object to Uie former, wo must hope unconsciously, condemn the latter.
—
the one which
is
still
said that St. Patrick
is
came
cuchor attended by a large
may have been
the
In the Annota-
bears his name.
Book
tions of Tirechan, contained in the
name
of
Armagh,
also to the islands of
staff of ecclesiastics.
it
Mac-
4
This
of the Skerries islands at that
But the word Macchucor
signifies the islands of
the sons or descendants of Corr,
and the appellation
period.
Hence
belongs properly to the islands of Arran.
most probable that Tirechan
when they may have been
visited
must again remark that
early
much more critical
by
"We
St. Patrick.
thought
biographers
the
in
whose Lives they wrote than of
5 accuracy in then details as to time and place.
It is also recorded that the saint sent
some of
his
panions to Inbher-n-Ainge, the mouth of the "Water, to seek for provisions,
was
the arrival of Patrick and those
and
satisfactory.
" Patrick
6
Probus
at
account
is
Tripartite find
went afterwards from Innis
it
recorded that
Patrick, past Conaille
past the court of Ulster, until he stopped at Inver Brena.
4
Ecclesiastics.—" Venit vero Patrioius
cum
Gallis
ad
insolas
:
and
He
Maccuchor
et
Lnsola orieutali qua? dicitur insola Patricii." 6
Place.
—Jocelyn mentions the landing
the coast, which
is
called to this
day
of the saint in a small island near
St. Patrick's
Island
:
" Qiue non longe a
terra distans, insula S. Patricii usque in pra;sens nominatur."
Jfilchon.
— "Hodie Milchon vocatur." — Colgan,
S
<
'Si
I
merely records
who were with him
The
Here we
cursed.
He
does not mention these incidents.
an island caUed Mdchon.
com-
Nanny
and that as they faded to
find a supply, here also the river
clear
it is
later period,
circumstance
every
of inserting
history of the saints
some
refers to
p. 49.
— Colgan,
p. 71.
m
:
;
St. Patrick's
went afterwards to
Landing-place in Ulster
Iribher Slant,
and they went ashore to put there
it
to
'
Ne
had their
and to
is
to-day.
rest
ships,
so that
;
"When he saw the divines and
whereupon Dichu came and
his lord,
tell
clerics
their fatigue
he thought they were ladrones or thieves, and he went
clerics
Then
tlerics.
where the
was the swine-herd of Dichu, son of Trichim, found them,
where Sabhall Patrick tin-
oil'
tradas bestis
.
set
his
dog at the
was that Patrick uttered the prophetic
it
.
.
amis
et
obmutuit.'
When
verse,
Dichu saw Patrick
he became gentle, and he believed, and Patrick baptized him, so that he was the Patrick.
r
—
Then
ratricius dixit
first it
in Ulster
who
received faith and baptism from
was that Dichu presented the Sabhall
—
to Patrick
i '
God on Dichu, gave to me the Sahhall He shall be hereafter Heavenly, joyous, glorious. The
blessing of
Who
'
The blessing of God on Dichu, Dichu with full folds (flocks) ;
No
one of his sept or kindred
Shall die except after a long
It will
partite rf-
life
'
"
be observed bore that the author of the Tri-
mentions two places in connection with
Patrick's landing in Ulster.
and Inver-Slani: be "stopped" at Inver-Brena,
"went afterwards"
to Inbher-Slani,
identity Inbher-Brena, St.
we
St.
These were Inbber-Brena
Thus,
if
he
we can
at once find the site
where
Patrick landed in Ulster.
Conailie Mwrtheimhne, which we
are told St. Patrick
"passed," was a territory comprising that part of the
county Louth extending from the Cuailgne (Cooley)
mountains to the Boyne.
ward
f<>r
the
site.
Thus we must pass
far north-
Happily the identifications have been
made with
and
great clearness
Two
success.
places
have been mentioned as the probable locality indicated
by the words Liver Brena, these Strangford Lough.
Harris,
in favor of the former
suggest the
lieve, to
that
;
Dr. Lanigan was the It
latter.
much depended upon
Slani,
we
first,
be-
was obvious, however,
the identification of Inver-
and that the places should be found near each
other.
Harris said that a river Slain
end of the Bay of Dundrum. favor the view that
into the north
fell
Dr. Lanigan declares that
he cannot find any trace of such a
who
Dundrum Bay and
are
Ware, and Lynch concurred
river.
7
Those writers
Dundrum Bay was
the land-
ing-place of the saint support their arguments
by
local
of the parish of Ballykindar
The inhabitants
tradition.
point out a nook in Middle Ballykindar where they say
that St. Patrick landed. called after the saint,
Dundrum Bay unpublished
is
There
also called
map
in
a holy well there
is
and the ruins
of a little church.
Holy Bay
the library
in a very ancient
of Trinity College,
Dublin.
But the contra argument
site in or
near this locality which has ever been
to bear a
There
name is,
is,
that there
is
no
known
at all similar to Brena.
however, very strong evidence in favor of
Strangford Lough.
The Four Masters have the
ing record under the year 2,546 a.m. tion of the sea over the land
at
:
"
An
Brena in
follow-
inunda-
this year,
which was the seventh later eruption that occurred in the time of Parthalon, »
River.— Ec.
and
this is
Hist., vol.
i.,
named Loch Cuan." p.
214.
".'Sstfer" iaLJ Wg 5 ?
eT~
Identification of St. Patriots Landing-place. 2:u
O'Donovan observes
Dr.
" This
:
called
is
Brennesse in the Second and Fourth Lives of
St.
Fretum Patrick
pul dished by Colgan (see Trias. Thauni. pp. 14, 19, 39).
was evidently the ancient name of the mouth of
It
Strangford
Lough
in the county of
Down,
as the lake
formed by the inundation was Loch Cuan, which the Irish
still
An
The circumstances
are too long to detad
but the result has been the complete identification
of a river which enters Strangford
mouth
the
Sabhal is
is
of Strangford Lough."
apparent accident has led to the discovery of the
rivev Slani. here,
name
still
which
of
(Saul),
is
Lough
at Ringbane,
not two miles distant from
where the saint met Dichu.
by the people
called the Slany
This river
of the district.
the landing of our saint and his
Thus, the exact
site of
companions
been ascertained beyond question.
lias
Dichu, the saint's
first
convert,
monarch of
Ireland.
His
on the 29th November.
The
of the race of Fiatach Finn, festival
was held
at Saul
calendar records six brothers of Dichu
Irish
8
was son of Trichem,
:
Laeghaire
—
8 Question. See a very interesting paper called "An inq-iiry into the true landing-place of St. Patrick in Ulster," by Mr. J. W. llanna, privately
printed.
He remarks
of a well or fountain
"In Slan,
that in the
named
Hymn
Slan, thus
of St. Fiaco there is
mention made
:
in the territory of Bentvi Bairche,
hunger and
thirst possessed
him
not."
In the gloss on the word Slan, it is said to be at Saul. The word itself signifies health, and the well appears to have been given this name became a was cured by the use of its waters. Benna Bairche, or " the peaks of They had obBairche," was the ancient name of the Mournc mountains. tained their distinctive Appellation from Bairche, the shepherd of Ilos, Kin^ leper
of Ulster,
who herded
the king's cattle there in the third century.
now
of Deen, Ailill of Magh-bile,
Movilla, Duirthech of
Aendrium, now Island Magee, Eoghan and of CUlcleitba,
now
both
Niall,
and Eoss (wbo met
Killcleif,
St.
now Bishop of Armagh, who
Patrick at Brethon, or Bright) of Dundalethglass,
Downpatrick.
St. Jarleth,
was appointed by
third
Patrick himself, was son of Trien,
St.
brother of Trichem, and consecpiently cousin to
St.
Dichu. All the annalists agree in visit to his
trick's
the
of St. Pa-
details
He
master Milcho.
old
left
his
boat with Dichu on the river Slani, and hastened on his mission of
recollections
mercy and
traversed each well-known site elapsed since his fligbt
had made that changed
little
as he
Full thirty years had
!
memorable
are
scarcely
of tbe stately basaltic
and then
countless
memory,
yet the place was
;
even yet the natural features of that
part of Dalaradia
name
his
and the angelical vision which
flight so ;
What
forgiveness.
must have crowded upon
SliabJi Mis, bears the
The very
altered.
now
hill,
called Slemish,
same sound
;
while
its
outward appearance remains the same.
As
the saint turned to gaze on the woods where he
had tended Milcho's
flocks,
he saw the house of his
and on approaching
master surrounded with flames, nearer he learned that the chief, arrival
and
its
object,
worldly possessions on
had fire,
set
to
his house
and then
the flames to perish with them.
him
who had heard and
of his all
his
cast himself into
Pride would not allow
submit to his former slave
;
and he must have
had some apprehension that an interview with Patrick
V
would result
in his submission, voluntarily or involun-
tarily, to his spiritual
It is quite possible, also,
rule.
that he
had heard of the supernatural powers exercised
by the
saint
;
he
only exercised
little
in
knew
that these powers were
judgment on
rare
occasions,
in
way
for
order that such judgments might prepare the
incomparably greater mercies. It is said that St. Patrick predicted the
r
ti
temporal
fall
Milcho's family, and that none of his sons should
of
succeed him in his Uttle kingdom.
was
in store for at least three
son,
But a better portion members of his family his :
Gnasacht, was subsequently ordained Bishop of
Granard," and two of his daughters consecrated their virginity to
the
King
of virgins in the neighboring
monastery of Clon-Bronaigh.
The
saint's
prediction
that the children of Milcho should not succeed him,
and that they should always be been thoroughly misunderstood.
how
appears perplexed
But surely the
many
to reconcile these circumstances.
difficulty is
instances
purely imaginary.
Scripture
in
has
subjection,
in
Even Dr. Lanigan
and
in the
We
find
Lives of
the Saints, where punishment was averted, or after a
time withdrawn, -when those it
repented sincerely
episcopacy was those
still
;
who had
and surely the
subjection,
Granard.
and the
though the devotion of
who consecrated themselves thus •
suffered from
cloister
to
God
obtained
— " Martyrulogy of Donegal," 24 Jan. i'
r
—
them the happy exchange from temporal slavery 1
for
to
the sweet and peaceful servitude of Christ.
We
must remember the various
times, places,
and
circumstances, in which St. Patrick ''Discoursed of the things to be
When
He
way
could not speak to
different address,
to eternity."
alike
all
each required a
;
and went through a
different process
Well might the poet add
:—
While he spoke, men say that the highest
tide
of conviction. "
time gives
On the shore beside Colpa ceased to sink And they say the white deer by Mulla's side ;
O'er the green margin bending forbore to drink
That the Brandon eagle forgot That no
leaf stirred in the
Such stupor hung the island
to soar
;
;
wood by Lee
;
o'er,
For none might guess what the end would
he." 2
To understand perfectly the mission of St. Patrick his acts, we must also understand something of the customs, habits, and dispositions of those whom he
and
evangelized.
Differences of character require
differ^
ences of treatment, both individually and nationally. 1
Slavery.
— "Nemo
do
tiliis
ejus sodebit rex super
ratioue in generatiouem, insuper et
semen
sedem regni
ejus a gene-
ejus serviret in sempiternum.''
There is the remains of a large rath, of Cyclopean constructhe townland of Killycarn, parish of Brury, and barony of Lower Antrim, which is said to have been one of the residences of Milcho. — See Ordnance Maps, 2S-29. ' Be. " lunisfail, and other poems," by Aubrey de Vere.
Book of Armagh. tion, in
—
St. Patrick's
A
people
Return
quired such teaching as should
Even
ou their senses.
we
He
find that
Dichu,
through
impressed
easily
to
make
senses,
re-
in the life of our divine
Lord
acted at different times with sternness
and with gentleness, with mercy and place water
the
a vivid impression
was turned
a few guests at a
severity.
In one
into wine for the satisfaction of
wedding
;
in another place a
whole
drove of swine were dashed to pieces, and the swineherds put to the loss of
we
find
Him who
fallen sinner with
lation
;
is
much valuable property. Again, Wisdom receiving a
the Eternal
words of gentleness,
not of conso-
if
while on another occasion he could use a scourge
of cords to drive out the intruders from His temple, and
who would
let
We saints office
pick up their merchandize
find similar differences of action in the lives of ;
and where men are called
to the high
and glorious
of being the apostle of a nation, such differences
will be
more manifest, because more necessary.
Patrick returned without delay to his faithful con-
The
vert at Saul.
-
.
"
Ho
Tripartite says
:
turned dckcl (right-hand-wise), and went back again into
the territory of Uladh, until he arrived at Magh-inis to Dichu, son of Trichina,
and he remained there
faith, so that
he brought
Gospel to the harbor of
The
saint
;
for
a long time disseminating
the Ulidians with
the net of the
life."
had arrived
the year 432
Dichu,
all
in Ireland in the
autumn
of
he remained during the winter with
preaching in the surrounding
districts
with
""""
T
r ti
im
i,!i ;| ;
!
|^5^
V.
l
i
'i
t 3| j 1 i
ii
ijii|. i
(1
i
iii',
rjujTiU
i .il
236
i~
T li W'i '
i
i
|
wn ,
^>^ W. '
' j
lT4'.
'r
'i
|1| Tr7fe:iv^.
Life of St. Patrick.
Many
wonderful success.
Again we
winter.
are
details full of interest
work during
related of his missionary find
like
that,
this
memorable
the Apostles, he
labored not only by the exterior works of an evangelist,
but also by the
far
more
a saint.
proved so
efficacious.
speech
;
and self-denying aus-
difficult
And
terities of
thus
it
was that
his
words
His actions were as elocpient as his
he had and he exercised that sublime charity
which gives even
its
very
life for
the brethren.
If he
taught others to pray, he also excelled them in prayers. " Hymns, 2 and the Apocalypse, and the thrice fifty Psalms, he was wont to sing." And " from the praise of
God he
If he taught
ceased not."
mortification, he
was the
first to
others to practise
give the example
;
for
even the bitter cold of winter could not prevent him from passing the night in the frozen
day " he preached upon the §"
While in the
we
rivers,
while by
hills."
territory of Benna-Bairche with Dichu,
are told in the
Hymn
m
of St. Fiacc that he sang each
night a hundred psalms to adore the King of angels.
His bed was on a stone, and a rock his pillow, and all
covering he wore
would not allow
we '
his
for
only a wet sackcloth, for he
body
to be in
warmth
;
and then
are informed that he wrought great miracles, that he
Hymns.
Audite."
—This word
We
is glossed thus: "Immuim, i.e. the hymn of Ambrose or frequently read in the Lives of the Saints of their having prac-
and notably that of remaining for a considerable time in half-frozen ponds or rivers. St. John Climacus relates the austerities of the monks of the desert in his Ladder of Perfection, and specially mentions exposure to heat and cold. tised similar mortifications,
s&&8
t-i
healed the lame and the lepers, and that he restored the
dead to
And we marvel
life.
since Christ Himself
not that
it
should be
had promised these powers
successors, since Patrick
had
so faithfully
so,
to ffia
subdued and
kept under his body, that he might well merit to obtain a more than ordinary power of relieving the spiritual
and temporal
necessities of others.
Jocelyn gives the fullest details of the events which occurred during the winter of 432-3.
Probus and the
Tripartite pass over this period of the saint's history
3
very
:
1
One miracle
briefly.
special record.
related
by the former deserves
Dicbu had a brother named Rius, who
opposed the mission of the saint as ardently as forwarded by Dichu.
appear that he had asked him
if
it
aged man, and
lost the use of his limbs.
St.
it
it
was
would
Patrick
he would believe in the Christian faith
Christ restored
formed,
He was an
him
to health
and
would appear, than some
if
Better in-
vigor.
so-called Christians
from whence the apostle received power, the
man replied, me such a
" If thou canst through Christ perform on miracle,
forthwith will
I
believe in
Him."
Then
St.
Patrick prayed to Christ, and laving his hands upon Rius, he blessed him,
and the aged and infirm man
obtained once more the vigor of manhood. •
y
miracle followed.
The
saint, after his
But another
convert had been
baptized, and had brought many into the fold, asked him whether he would wish still to remain on earth, or to depart immediately to the God of love, whose power
had been so
lately exercised
on his
behalf.
Rius chose
heaven instead of earth
;
and receiving the sacraments
Church from the Apostle of Erinn, he commended
of the
his spirit to the Lord,
and was taken
to eternal rest.
3
The famous monastery of Saul was founded at this The site whereon it was built was given to St.
time.
Patrick by Dichu. It large barn,
is
probable that
where the saint preached
was
of the Vita Tertia
state
St.
to be erected north
was It
usual,
was
suitable
Padruic, which was Latinised Horreum
The author that Dichu asked
Patricti.
as
originally a
more
This church was called in
building could be erected. Irish Saball
it
until a
and Jocelyn
Patrick to allow the church
and south, instead of east and west,
and that he complied with
also at this period that St.
received the grace of conversion. related in the Tripartite, but not also gives full details.
As
this request.
Mocha
or
Mochao
This circumstance
by Probus.
4
is
Jocelyn
the saint journeyed towards
Durlas, the present Bright, he saw a youth herding cattle,
and preached
no doubt by some
special
— Colgan, 125. —Jocelyn gives a mystical interpretation, which he honestly states
3
Rent.
4
Request.
to be his
to him,
p.
own
conjecture, as to the reason for this departure from the accus-
usage. Dr. Reeves suggests that the name Sabhal or Horreum was a some peculiarity, such as a deviation from the ordinary rule of position, and mentions several churches called Sabhal; but there is no ground for this conjecture, for the word Sabhal [pron. Reeves' Down Saul] means a barn hence the origin of the name is obvious. and Connor," pp. 40 and 120. Dr. Todd, in referring to the account of Dichu's grant of the Sablial, states, that it "has been foisted into the Acts of St. Patrick in later times ;" and also there says, " We are told [of it] in the later Lives," Dr. Todd Memoir, p. 409. Another evidence how prejudice distorts truth. must surely have known that this grant is mentioned in all the Lives, early and late, and notably in the Tripartite, the best authenticated and earliest
tomed
technical term for a church possessing
'
;
of
all.
'
St.
The young man at once obeyed the divine
inspiration. call,
Mochae's Staff or Bachall.
and, no doubt, received with
needed
for the ministry.
priest,
having learned
it
the special graces
Ee was baptized and ordained that
all
was necessary with a
rapidity which could only be attributed to a supernatural
The
gift.
some
relics,
saint gave
him a copy of the Gospels and
but the Tripartite also mentions a backatt
or staff which
was given
to
aco rant of this mystical staff Tripartite account runs thus
:
him by God. A fuller given by Jocelyu. The " And he gave him also,
is
another time, a bachall which had been given them by
God
;
viz., its
head into Patrick's bosom, and
Mochae's bosom."
Jocelyn says that
a
its
end
year
in
after
Mochae's conversion, while he and Patrick were eonversing together on holy things, a staff
fell
from heaven
between them, and the head thereof rested upon the
bosom
of Patrick,
Mochae.
and the end thereof on the bosom of
6
Immediately
after
the
festival
of
Christmas
St.
Patrick prepared for the most important event in his
—
Colgan, j>. 125. Reeve* "Down and Connor," pp. 188-9. Moa grandson of Milchos, and subsequently Abbot of Aondruim, now Mochae was also Mohee Island, so oalled bom Btoehae, its patron saint He died a. ii. 497. In the Life of St. Fimiian he is spoken of called Coelan. 4
Mochae.
chae
1
mi
thus: " Kt misit eum [St. Kiuanum] ad venerabilein senem Ccelanum Noeudrumenseni Abbatem, et ut corporis illius ac auim;u curam habaret diligeuter
commendavit." His monastery was very famous both for the learning and sanctity of its members. St. Kinnian of MoviUa, and St. Colman of Dromore, were both •d there. Jocelyn says that the staff was called the Flying Staff, and was preserved in the church. A somewhat similar incident is related in the said that she also received a It Life of St. Agnes of Montepulciano, p. 50. small cru&s from heaveu, which was long preserved as a relic in her convont. is.
&u&i ^mm.
0'>*>
Life of St. Patrick.
He
mission.
determined to
stronghold, and
paganism in
assail
by one bold and decisive
to effect,
its
action,
His residence in the
the conversion of multitudes.
north of Ireland had doubtless been of considerable value
knowledge of the language and customs
in reviving his
His companions,
of the people.
become
time to
tongue to
assist
of
blessing
sufficiently
more
also,
would have had with the
familiar
efficiently in the great
God had
Celtic
work. The
already crowned his labors in
Dalaradia with wonderful success, and he might well
hope
for a still greater harvest in the future.
The Paschal season was approaching, for Easter It was a time at fell early in the year of grace, 433. which the Church looked for special graces it was a ;
time at which the powers of darkness were believed to be more
There
than ever subject to the powers of
were
triumphs
glorious
early festivals.
celebrated
The Eed Sea had
been, as
light.
in
those
it
were,
passed victoriously, and as the overthrow of ancient idolaters
was commemorated, might
gested that the same idols of a later age.
have conquered
it
not well be sug-
God was powerful The powers
for a
moment
Passion, but the light
to cut
down
of evil might
to
in the darkness of the
and glory of the Resurrection
showed how powerless were
their
mightiest
efforts.
There was to be a resurrection for ancient Erinn
and a new spring-tide of
faith
Celt— what more appropriate porally, could be chosen
the
seem
?
and love
also,
for the ardent
time, spiritually or tem-
v
a
—
—
—
The devout biographers of our saint, writing in an when piety was not scorned as weakness, or faith
age
in the
I
supernatural as credulity, have given, as might
be expected, glowing and eloquent accounts of this gnat event. "The Paseh," writes Probus, " was approaching."
was to be celebrated
It
as the
time in Erinn, and
for the first
Son of God and His
disciples agreed together to
celebrate the Pasch, so did Patrick also
companions, where they should
his
Paschal time in the nation to which
The writer
5ET
"
As
first
consult with celebrate the
God had
of the Tripartite says
sent them. c
:
the solemnity of Easter approached, then Patrick considered
was no place more
that there
solemnity of the year,
i.e.,
suitable
to
celebrate the
the Easter, than in
Magh
high
Brcgh, 1 the
place where the head of the idolatry ami druidism of Erinn was, viz., in
Teamhair [Tara].
They afterwards bade
farewell to Dichu,
son of Trichim, and put their vessels on the sea, and they proceeded until they anchored in Inblier Colpa. 8 in the Inbhre,
and went by land
and Patrick's tent was fixed
They
left their vessels
until they reached Ferta-fer-fec,°
in this place,
and he
lit
the Easter
fire."
Two
circumstances are mentioned as having occurred
during the saint's journey to Tara. •
Tliem
ejus,
Colgan, Quinla T'i7a,p. 48.
One
of those
" Et consilium Patricius
ubi prim hoc ipsuin Fascha in gentibus ad qiias
illoa
is
the
et discipuli
mint Deal
celebrarcnt." 7
Magh
Breyh.
— A plain in the east of
Meath.
The name was afterwards Book of
applied to the country lying between the Liffey and the Boyne. Riglds, p. 11. ' Inbher Colpa. 8 Ferta-fer-fte.
— The mouth of — the graves of
thi-
i.e.,
Four Masters, at A.D. 51
'-.
I
the
men
of
Fog or
Fiacc,
now
Slane.
conversion of St. Benignus, one of the most celebrated of his converts
;
the other event was the foundation
When
of the church of Trim.
Patrick and his
St.
companions arrived at the mouth of the river Boyne, he
left his
nephew or
disciple
which they had
vessel in
Lomman
sailed,
in charge of the
and proceeded by land,
probably with the view of preaching on his journey.
The
first
he rested, probably at or in
place where
the neighborhood of the
town
^
site
now
occupied by the
was received by a man named
of Drogheda, he
Seschnen, and passed the night with him. of
his
attached
host,
fascination
the
to
saint
by
The son that
holy
which good men exercise unconsciously, cast
His parents desired him to refrain mark of respect lest he should awaken their But Patrick guest, who was weary with his journey. had heard their conversation, and was, no doubt, interiorly urged to claim the young Benen for his Creator's flowers over him.
from
this
1
The boy was baptized immediately, and hencefollowed the saint, to whom he was bound by more
service.
forth
than ordinary
1 ties of devotion,
and eventually suc-
ceeded him as Archbishop of Armagh.
According to the Vita Tertia, which gives the 1
Devotion.
—The
fullest
anecdote of his strewing the saint's couch with flowers is There this interview is made to take place before St.
told in the Tripartite.
Patrick's visit to Dichu, but, as
we have
already remarked, the sequence of the
narrative in the early part of this most valuable compilation, is very irregular. In the Tertia Vita fuller details are given, which are evidently the ground of
Jocelyn's narrative. Tripartite.
WJ
h.
— Colgan,
But the incident Vita Tertia,
p. 24,
of the flowers is only
and Sexta
mentioned in the and the Book of
Vita, p. 73,
V^ ••:!'
i
Foundation of
Church of Trim.
Benigntta insisted on going with St.
details,
whom
the
S^aBai
Patrick,
he called bis true father, and clung to him so en-
him up
treatingly that the saint took
in the
chariot,
in which, according to this Life also, he travelled.
should be remembered that in Ireland in the
summer
delay to the north
;
of 432
and even
It
Patrick probably arrived
St.
if it
he went with
;
little
be supposed that he
did not prepare for his visit to Tara untd after Christ-
mas, there would be ample time for the events recited in the
Book
of
Armagh concerning
church of Trim.
was
left at
the
mouth
of the
Boyne
vessel in
which the saint had
Lough.
He was
to
delayed for
received.
row
It is
is
next told that he desired
Boyne
to
until
where Ath-Truim (Trim)
by no means
Lomman
wished to preach
we cannot doubt
that he
many weeks wherever he was well
his vessel against the
at the place
from Strangford
sailed
If St. Patrick
the people on his journey,
may have
Lomman
to take care of the
"take care of the ships during the
forty nights of Lent." to
the foundation of the
According to the Tripartite,
clear
whether
St.
is
Lomman
to
he would arrive to-day.
Patrick
But
it
desired
row down the stream at the end of
forty
days, or whether
he returned to him and gave the
command. 2
details,
These
however, are immaterial.
Command.— The Book
of Armagh says that he remained another period of Jocelyn follows this narrative. With regard to the whole narranothing improbable, or even unlikely. Why, then, should it have excited the ire of Dr. Todd ? Surely his Memoir should have been en" A narrative of events recorded as having happened to St Patrick, titled 1
forty days.
tive, there is
:
tew of which arc true."
The
story,
he
says,
was "avowedly
of late origin
"
>
;
_.
246
Life of St. Patrick.
Lomrnan arrived
" against
Trim
at
the
stream,
under the guidance of the Lord," at the door of aras
Feidilmidh [the house of Feidilmidh], tite
has
Laeghaire
dun
at the
it,
Mac
In
Neill.
the Tripar-
or, as
of Fedhlimiclh,
the
son of
morning Fortchern,
the
Fedhlimidh's son, found him with " his gospels before him, and he wondered Then the mother came
at
the precepts
to
seek
and believed
it
and welcomed the
Britons,
who had
message of peace, and
tarried so long listening to the
she also heard
he heard."
her son,
She was "of the
it.
clerics
;"
her
and she was daughter of the King of
name was Scoth,
When
Britain.
she had heard, she sought for her husband, and told
him all things that had happened
to herself
and her
son.
Like the other Irish chieftains, the good Fedhlimidh received the missionaries joyfully, and " forthwith believed" (statingue credidit), with
all his
The
family.
seldom gives himself to any undertaking with
He must
heartedness. furious rebel
(p.
413, n.)
;
he must be
Celt half-
be an enthusiastic loyalist or a all for
good,
or, alas
!
and that
and then he coolly quotes from the original in the Book of Armagh " serotinis temporibns invents ;" yet he himself translates " Here begin some few p. 257, thus
;
to prove his opinion,
these very words fairly and correctly at other things discovered at later times."
:
Mow
no ordinary scholar could be at Such criticisms are worse a loss to know the meaning than unfair and only respect for the memory of the dead can prevent ona of the
word
inventa.
;
The writer of the Book of Armagh narrates The author of the Memoir tries to them " avowedly of late make If all history were treated in this way, and new discoveries of hisorigin." torical events were to be cast aside as modern inventions, because the documents had not been discovered until a century or two after the events to which they referred, we might give up literary criticism altogether. from calling them dishonest.
some things discovered
at later times.
his readers believe that this writer considered
—
*
Pf77
o-
Foundation of the Church of Trim but rarely,
all for evil
and
;
this national characteristic
notably manifest in the lives of St. Patrick's converts.
is
They gave themselves without a thought they gave their possessions without reserve and that this devotion was no mere evanescent feeling, has been proved ;
;
by long centuries
of fidelity and suffering.
According to the account in the Book of Armagh, Scoth, or, as she
is
there called, Scothnoe,
was the mother
of Fedhlimidh, and consequently grandmother of Fort-
Lomman
chern.
also
and
was "of the Britons;"
is
called Gollit,
to
have been his mother.
St. Patrick's sister,
his father
Darerca,
Thus they were
is
said
able to con-
srai verse
in
saluted
the
British
Lomman.
tongue,
the former, he devoted substance,
and race
to
all
Fedhlimidh
which
in
Immediately
after
the baptism of
his territory,
Patrick,
possessions,
Lomman, and
and
Fortchern his son, unto the day of judgment (usque in
diem
judicii).
Lagen, leaving Trim.
He then crossed the Boyne to Cloin Lomman and his son at the Fort of
Here they remained
until Patrick
and
built a church with them.
"When
visit
took place
it is
was sometime
is
not stated, but
to them,
St.
Patrick's
probable that
these events
The age of Christ 432, the fourth year of Laeghaire.
:
Patrick
came
to Ireland this year,
Irish,
men, women, sons, and daughters, except a few who did not
and proceeded to baptize and
bless the
consent to receive baptism from him, as his Life relates.
Trim was founded by
___
it
after his visit to Tara.
The Four Masters thus recorded "
came
Patrick,
it
Ath
having been granted by Fedhlim,
—
son of Laeghaire, son of Niall, to God, and to him, Lornau, and
Flann Mainistreck
Fortchern.
cecinit
3 :
—
Patrick, abbot of all Ireland, son of Calpkrann, son of Fotaide,
Son
of Deisse, not
Cormac Mor, son of
to be dispraised, son of
fit
Lebrintb,
Cockinas was kis modest motker
Of numbers, not small
;
Nemtkor 4
kis skare,
town
kis native
;
which Patrick redeemed from
sorrow."
m
There can be no doubt that the saint had companions with him when he came to Ireland, and that he was
accompanied by these persons and by some of his converts
when he
visited Tara.
we
Before
•4
relate the great
and important events which occurred
we must
there,
—
Flann of the Monastery. He was abbot of Hainister-Buithe, Monasterboice, in the county Louth, and died December, 105G. Nemthor. Four Masters, vol. i., p. 131. Since the first Part of this work was issued, Mr. P. J. Kennedy, author of "Legendary Fictions of the 3 Cecinit.
now 4
—
Celts" (Macmillan & Co., London), and other valuable works, has called my attention to the occurrence of the word Nevtur in the Black Book of Caermarthen. This book was written, or rather compiled, in the twelfth century, by the religious of a priory near the old Welsh city from which it takes its
name.
It contains several of the old
poems attributed
poem a dialogue occurs between Merlin and name Nemthur occurs thus first
In the
to Taliessen.
Taliessen,
in
which the
:
" Before two men in Nevtur will they land, Before Errith and Gurrith, on a pale white horse."
The
original
is
:
" Rae deuur ineutur
Rae
ytirran,
errith a gurrith
y ar welugan."
Mr. Skene, the editor of this work, observes, in a note, vol. ii. p. 321, "Neutur or Nevtur is probably the same place mentioned by Fiech, in his ,
Nemthur
Life of St. Patrick, written in the eighth century, as
by
with
Alclyde
or Nevtur.
Dumbarton."
This appears to be the only trace of the word which has been found, independently It is clear that the reference is tc a seaof its use in the Lives of the saint. port town, from the expression, "in Nevtur will they laud." It
is
identified
his
scholiast
^.
or
|
'
'"^V^tT^'l'nj'^iin"^ '**^\si <£
.
—
;
St. Patrick's
give
249
Household.
names of those who were considered the special and some of whom, at least, were
tin'
disciples of the saint,
with him at Tara. In the Four Masters,
the most important
and the
most carefully compiled of our ancient annals, we find the following account of St. Patrick's disciples "
The age
of Christ,
18,
1
:
the twentieth year of Laeghaire,
The family 5 of Patrick of the prayers, who had good Latin, I remember no feeble court [were they] their order, and ;
their
names. Sechnall, 6 his bishop, without fault
;
Mochta
Bishop Ere, 8 his sweet-spoken judge caeirthinn
;
his
T
after
;
Sinell, 2 his bell-ringer
6
Family.
;
and Aithcen, 3
4
Mescan, without
priest
—A
his great
;
Benen, 9 his psalmist, and Coemhan, 1 his chamberlain
The
him
champion Bishop Mac-
list of
evil, his
his true
friend
cook
and
his
;
;
brewer
the principal persons of St. Patrick's household
is
given
and also in the Book of Lecan. Sechnall or Secundinus, nephew of the saint, and author of His history has already been related, ante, p. 68. in his honor.
in the Tripartite (Colgan, p. 107), *
the
Sechnall.
Hymn
7
Mochta
8
Ere.
— St. St.
— The
Mochta, whose conversion has also been recorded. Bishop of Slane. He is termed in the Tripartite
lirst
" Cancellarius." * Benen. His conversion has just been recorded. 1 Coemhan, Not easily identified. He is called Coemhan of Kilready. * Sinell. He is called Sinell of Killairis, hi3 Ostiarius. In the Tripartite he is called Sinell of Kildare. * Aitheen. The patron saiut of the church of Badoney, in the valley of Gleann-Aichk, near Strabane, county Tyrone. 4 Metcan. He is called Sanctus Meschanus de Domnach juxta Fochmuine fluvium, Cerviciarius (Colgan, p. 88). Dr. O'Donovan, in his notes on this portion of the Fuur Masters, supplies the word [Mescain] from the prose list in the Book of Lecan. I wish especially to call the attention of the reader to the fact, that whenever Dr. O'Donovan quotes the Tripartite, be quotes it as St. Evin's work, thus "Evinus, as edited by Colgan," " Evinns names them as follows." This is high authority for the belief that we may certainly attribute the Tripartite Life to St. Evin. St Mcacan's church was
—
—
—
—
—
:
2 n
;
Life of St. Patrick
250
priest Bescna, 6 sweet his verses, the chaplain of the sou of
The
Alprann.
His three smiths, 6 expert at shaping, Macecht, 7 Laebhan, and Fortcheru artificers, 8
His three
of great endowment, Aesbuite, Tairill, and
Tasach.
His
embroiderers, 9
three
not
despicable,
Lupaid,
and
Erca,
Cruimthiris.
Odhran, 1
his charioteer
without blemish
;
Kodan, 2 son of Braga, his
shepherd. situated near the river Fochinhuine,
but the
now
the Faughan, county Londonderry;
has not been identified.
site
— His church, Domhnach-Dula, was in the plaiu of Magh-dula, county Londonderry, through which the river Moyola flows. Macecht and Smiths. — The Tripartite only mentions two smiths, 6
Bescna.
6
St.
St.
Fortchern, but Dr. O'Douovan thinks the omission was a blunder of Colgan's, Colgan, howcorrects his text by the prose list in the Book of Lecan.
aud
ever,
may
have had other authorities which he preferred to follow.
I
have
availed myself of Dr. O'Donovan's notes on this passage in the Four Masters,
but
I
have
also consulted every other available authority.
—
He was of Domhnach Arnoin, and the maker of the famous bell, used by the saint, which is still in Laebhan, according to Colgan, had his church in the present diocese of Clonfert it was called Cill Loebhain, and is probably the church now designated Killian. Fortchern, whose father founded the church of Trim, has already been mentioned. He had a second church at Cill-Fortchern, in Idrone, county Carlow. 8 Artificers. In the Tripartite they are called SanctusEssa, Sanctus Bitens, Only the last has been accurately identified. His history ac Sanctus Tassa. is well kuown. He was a native of Rathcolptha, now Baholp, near Down. St. Tassach is meutioned in the notes of St. Fiacc's Hymn as having been the first who adorned the famous Staff of Jesus with a suitable covering. He also administered the last sacraments to his holy master, as we shall record mora fully hereafter. Colgan thinks that Essa should be Ossa or Ossan, as St. Patrick had a disciple of that name, whose memory was venerated at Trim. 9 Embroiderers. Colgan has Tigrida for Erca. Lupaid was the saint's sister, already mentioned ; Ere was the daughter of Dairi, who granted Armagh Of Cruimthiris it is only recorded that she was of royal birth, to the saint. 7
Macecht.
Fimi-faidheach, or sweet-sounding existence.
;
—
—
and 1
life.
a
lived a solitary
Odhran.
Rodan.
life.
— He will also be mentioned hereafter as having saved St. Patrick's
He was
of Disert-Odhran, in
— Not identified.
Hy-Falgy.
$
;
Patricks Ilonxcltohl.
St.
Ippis,8 Tigris, ami Erca, and Liamhain, with Eibearlta; For them Patrick exceeded in wonders, lor them he was truly
miraculous.
Carninch 4 was the priest that baptized him
;
German
his tutor
without blemish.
The
priest Maisach, of great
endowment, was
his
man
for supply-
ing wood.
His
sister's
son was Bauban, of fame
;
Martin, his mother's brother
Most sapient was the youth Mochonnoe6 Cribri
1"'
,
his hospitaller.
and Lasri of mantles, beautiful daughters of Gleaghrann
Macraith the wise, and Ere, he prophesied in his three Brogan, 7 the scribe of his school not a thing unsung,
It is
Good
the
man whose
— and
whom
the priest Logha, 8 his helmsman,
Machin, 8
liis
true fosterson
great family they were, to
a crozier without sorrow Chiefs with
;
;
wills.
;
whom God
gave
;
the bells are heard, a good family was the family
of Patrick.
' 4
—
These are said to be the names of five sisters of the saint. Caminch. In the copy of Flann's poem preserved in the Book of Leuan
Ippis.
— —
the reading is Gornias. 6 Mocfionnoe. The Tripartite
mentions two hospitallers, Catanns and Trim has Caalan and Brogan. Mochonnoe lived boot 492, according to Colgan, and founded the monastery of Gnllen, in the Lanigan King's County. He is said to have been of Welsh extraction, makes him later.— Be. //;.'., vol i., p. 424 St. Cadan or Catanns is venerated in the parish of Tamlaghtard, and barony of Reenaght, county Lon-
The Book
Ocanotns.
of
donderry. t"~>,
'•
<
'ribriand Latri.
—They were the daughters of Glerannus, son of Ciunincus,
and lived at the church I
Hi
•
of Kill-Forchann, near Killala.
Brogan.— A nephew of St, Patrick. Loglia. The same as Lngna, whose tombstone has already been men-
—
tioned. » Mtirliin.
— St.
Mochin
of
Endrom.
in
Loch Cuan
who gave him a gospel and a reliquary. many other names and offices are mentioned.
Patrick, )K.ern
;
he was baptized by St. In the copy of Flann's There can be no doubt
that some of these offices were exercised by the persons who are mentioned as holding them, but St Patrick's mode of life was too simple to admit of his
having a numerous retinue or any kind of
^-iii
1
£-C>4^-~
state.
252 May
Life of St. Patrick. the Trinity, which
boon of great love
is
powerful over
distribute to us the
all,
;
The being who, moved by soft Latin, redeemed by
Patrick's prayer."
In order to understand this account of household,
and
it
St. Patrick's
should be remembered that the Irish kings
chieftains
had
officers
to fulfil certain duties, or
who were regularly appointed who held their offices by right
Thus the biographers
of inheritance.
of the saint
would
naturally assign to his immediate followers the occupa-
which they might bebeve most suitable
tions
is
no are
doubt that they
named
as
Auxilius and
Tassach, there
fulfilled.
who
Iseruinus,
ordained priests
when he was
are
said
St.
are
to have been
consecrated bishop.
The famous Laeghaire was holding
when
to each,
The only persons who having accompanied the saint from Rome,
or which, as in the case of St.
his court at Tai*a
Patrick arrived in that neighborhood.
The
Tripartite says that " This
was the time
in
which the great
chieftains
were wont
to
celebrate this festival.
wont
to
come
come
festival of the Gentiles,
to Laeghaire
Mac
Neill to Tara, to
The druids and the magicians were
to prophesy to them.
The
fire
the
fire
of Tara
;
that no
fire
it,
There have been some precise
object
of this
was com-
silver
would be accepted
but he should suffer death for
warm
festival.
O'Connor considered that
it
should be lighted in Erinn before
and neither gold nor
from anyone who would light
also
of every hearth in
Erinn was usually extinguished on that night, and
manded by the king
i.e.
The kings and princes and
the Fes of Tara, was usually celebrated.
it
it."
discussions as to the
Dr.
Petrie
and Dr.
was the Beltinne, but Dr.
—
>Si.
Patrick at Tara
U' Donovan has proved
that there
on the
hill
of Usneach, in Westnieath
not stated to have been the Beltinne Lives of the saint.
much
value, that
"
probability
The
eve, A.D. 433,
1
we is
no authority for
is
was always
this opinion, because the Beltinue
and
;
lighted
further, it is
any of the
fire in
Dr. O'Donovan's opinion prefer giving
that the
was nut the
fire
it
lighted at Teamhair,
T,uiJUnini\ but
is
of so
own words
in his
some other
:
on Easter
lire;
and
it is
stated in the Second Life of St. Patrick published by Colgau, that it
was the Feis Teamhrach, or Feast of Teamhair, that Laeghaire
and
his satraps
were celebrating on
of the Life of St. Patrick in the
this occasion
Book
;
while the author
own
Laeghaira was then celebrating the festival of his
which appears to have been the truth, and regular septennial Fait, which to celebrate the king's
There can be
own
little
met
ever, that
ground
It
universally called
this
any of our
nativity,
was not the
but one convened
is
the true account
on the 1st of .May
La Bealltaine
for the lighting of
annals, is,
and that the
that this day
it is
is
Even grant-
in Irish.
ing this to be the date of the festival, that an arbitrary
it
should be observed, how-
no time has been specified
for dating it
so
after Samhain,
doubt that
these Bealtinnc fires in
if
birth-day." 2
of the convention at Tara.
quite possible
and proud, monarch, such as
all
history
represents Laeghaire to have been, might have celebrated the Bealtinne on his birth-day, and for the time being
antedated, the usual period.
— —
1 For O'Connor's opinions see R
~TT
IZ3
of Lismore asserts that
vol.
i.
For
Petrie'a,
-
254 It
Life of St. Patrick.
was Easter
Paschal
fire
eve,
knew
it, it
would not prevent him."
illuminated
fire
was
divine love
Magh-Bregh, even as the
all
And
The Paschal fire
of
so soon to illumine the western isle from
The king and
shore to shore.
his
of the
graphically, "
what he had done, and adds
against
he
The author
Slane.
was not aware of the royal prohibition
Tripartite says he
if
and Patrick had kindled
upon the Hill of
light flashing over the plain,
his chieftains
saw the
and he demanded who
had dared to violate his commands. His druids, better informed than himself, replied, " that they knew who had made
morning
before
that the
and
this fire, it
--.
if
it
were not extinguished
would never be extinguished
man who had
kindled
it
Well might the old pagan tremble
and princes."
and burn with indignation
his throne,
and
;
would surpass kings for
at the apparent
insult.
"That
we It
will
is
not
how
it
shall be,"
go until we slay the
he exclaimed, "but
man who
lighted the
fire."
was the old boast which the angels have heard, and
smiled
at,
not once, but often, before and since the days
of Laeghaire
subdue
men
—who
Mac
Neil.
We
that they should oppose us
One mightier than Laeghaire's wrath of a pebble
fell
full of
warned him not
1
%
Who
we
wfll
are these
Yes but there was !
these men, against whose
power
harmless as the rivulet, as the
upon a mountain of
His druids,
will conquer,
shall dare to resist us
fall
granite.
dreams of magic and incantations,
to enter the house
where Patrick was.
.•V
—
He respected their advice, and when his chariots had dashed across the plain he alighted in front of the Ferta. Here he seated himself in state, surrounded by his attendants,
As in
and Patrick was "whispered out" to him. came forth, he saw the horses and chariots
the saint
which the king and his companions had arrived, and
his thoughts turned froin
ness to the
this display of earthly great-
Power which ruled over
all,
and then, says
the Tripartite, he sang the prophetic stanza
"Hi in
3
curribus et hi in eirus [«juis]
Xos, auteni, iu nomine Domini Dei nostri ma."
As he entered
the place where the king and his atten-
dants were awaiting him, grim,
silent,
saluted him, and none dared to rise
commanded them
strictly
only, "
to
—
and
for
stern,
remain seated
—save
whose heart was touched by divine grace
man was
called Ere, the son of Diga,
none
Laeghaire had
:"
one this
and he rose up and
saluted the saint respectfully.
A strange scene followed. many
questions
insolently
;
The king asked
St. Patrick
the druids contended with him, and
denounced
trine of the Trinity.
his preaching, especially the doc-
These rude men, accustomed to
decide arguments by blows rather than
by words,
re-
quired some extraordinary evidence of the power of this
God, of
whom
they were
they had never heard before, and
little
inclined to reverence.
whom
The names
of
two of the king's druids are mentioned, Lochru and '
Starua.— Colgan reach incocabimut
after noetri.
Trias Th.
p. 120.
256
Life of St. Patrick.
Lucat Mael
the former was especially oltd urate and
;
blasphemous in his language, and the saint prayed that he might be
lifted
out and
even as
die,
obtained the death of Simon Magus.
Lochru was raised up into the
ah-,
St.
Peter had
In an instant,
and then dashed upon
the ground, where he died, falling upon a stone.
was only hardened
king, like Pharaoh, this miracle,
Patrick.
and commanded
But the
— Let God
mies be scattered, &c. place,
The
more by
his people to seize St.
saint, for all
psalm Exurgat Deus
still
4
defence, entoned the
and let His eneThen an earthquake shook the arise,
a mysterious darkness surrounded the pagans,
and a storm arose which
terrified the
horses so that
they dashed across the plain, and the chariots were
The men who had followed Lochru
overturned.
upon each other in the confusion, mistaking for Patrick's
companions.
The
fell
their friends
king, at last, terrified,
but not convinced, made a " false peace" with the saint;
and
his queen,
who had accompanied
him, knelt at his
feet for his blessing.
Laeghaire, however, was
He wished
to kill the
still
meditating treachery.
man whom he
could not silence,
but God had revealed the intended treachery to the
In order to accomplish his wicked purpose, Laeghaire asked him to return with him to Tara, " that
saint.
he might believe for him before the
men
of Erinn."
In
the meantime, he had desired
men
to be lying in
bush between Ferta-fer-feic [Slane] and that
The
saint set out,
am-
place.
accompanied by eight companions cast " a
But God
and the young Benignus.
garment
of invisibility [dicheltair] around them, so that not one of
them was
As
seen."
the Gentiles watched for them,
who
they saw only eight wild deer, and the mountains, and a
On
towards
fled
after them.
1
the following day, Easter Sunday, Laeghaire held
high safe
young fawn
festival
at
he thought himself
Possibly,
Tara.
from further trouble, as he had not heard anything
more of
Mass
St.
to say,
Patrick.
But the
saint
had
his
Easter
and we may well imagine with what
fer-
vor he offered the adorable sacrifice for the people to
whom
he had devoted his
life.
Even
joys he could not forget his mission closed, while the chiefs, magi,
;
in the Easter
and, as evening
and bards kept
old Tara's banquet hall, the grave
and
revel in
terrible apostle
appeared suddenly before them, the doors being closed." '
—
Them. Colgan, Quinla Vita, p. 51. This is also recorded in the Triand in the Book of Armagh. Indeed, the account is almost verbally
partite,
similar in each. •
—
Dr. Todd has treated the whole account of St. Patrick's visit to with unconcealed contempt. One part he stigmatizes as a " manifest
Cloned.
Tan
Another part, Moses with the magi like good Catholics, and
imitation of Daniel's explanation of Nebuchadnezzar's image."
?:
he of
"intended to imitate the contest Pharaoh." Because these Catholic writers, says,
is
especially like
religious to
whom
of
the language of Scripture
familiar, write in this style, he thinks tin y
is
peculiarly
nmst necessarily be guilty of the
knew to be absolutely false. According him the whole narrative "is reduced to the single fact, that St. Patrick, some Jicriod of his mi— iimajy labon, appeared in the court of King Urc." But Dr. Todd has not told us, if all the rest of the narrative is false, on what grounds he proves tliis one part of it to bo true, and why he
miserable crime of writing what they to
at I
2
I
258
Life of St. Patrick.
Again we are guests paid
the
told that one only of the assembled
him any
astonished
honor.
courtiers,
king's chief bard, rose
up
As he appeared
before
Dubhtach Mac Lugair, the to receive him,
and he
obtained the grace of conversion to the Faith.
poet was attended by a youth
we have The
named
whom
Fiacc, of
already given some account.
druid, or magus,
Luchat Mael, now proposed to
enter into a trial of his powers
We
possessed by St. Patrick.
whole history of
against the
cannot
this eventful Easter,
authority.
These men,
powers
fail to see,
marked
in the
indications
of the workings of a Providence at once full of
and of
also
The
who had
wisdom
until then
worshipped the elements, were to learn that there was a
God who
controlled
and thus to be
these elements,
taught that there was an almighty Creator of
all
things.
These magi had exercised certain powers by their cantations
;
under the absolute control of a God of believes the Lorica or rity.
in-
they had to learn that these powers were
Hymn
whom
they had
genuine on the same authobrought against the Scripture narrative
of St. Patrick to be
This very Line of argument
is
and they also " reduce " the whole account of the Exodus to the " simple fact" that such an event may have happened, while denying absolutely as "impossible" all the miraculous circumstances which attended With regard to the miracle of the " closed doors," such occurrences are it.
by modern
sceptics,
We
read in the life of St. comparatively frequent in the Lives of the Saints. Anthony of Padua, that he was seen several times in different places at the same moment. Once, while he was guardian of the convent of Limoges in Aquitaine, he was preaching the Passion in the cathedral on the night of Maunday Thursday. His religious were at the same time singing matins in When it was time to read the lesson which should have come to their choir. his turn, he suddenly appeared, and having sung it, again vanished, although,
during this interval, he was not perceived to be absent from the pulpit, or to have discontinued his discourse.— S<. Francis and the Franciscan*, p. 154.
.IS
Patrick and the
St.
never even heard.
Magi
They were
259
at Tara.
also to learn, that
what-
ever might he effected by the powers of darkness wen' evils to he avoided,
not henefits to be sought
and much more, did
St.
This,
for.
Patrick teach the chieftains of
old Erinn at Tara on tins Easter Day.
The magus doubt,
first
attempted to poison
seemed to him the
it
easiest
St.
Patrick
way
;
no
to avoid all
chance of a defeat. But the saint, like St. Benedict, 7 was divinely warned of his danger, and he blessed the vessel of ale, so that the poison
became congealed
33
more, he restored
like it
ice.
fell
from
it,
ami the
Then, blessing
to its natural state.
ale
it
once
Luchat
.Ma el
then proposed that the " hosts " should go out into the
open plain, and that he should show there what he could do.
Patrick agreed to the proposal, and
St.
came
forth,
when they
and a vast multitude had assembled, the
druid "began the druidic poetry and the demoniacal arts,
greatly."
snow
the
until
girdles of
men
;
fell
so that
et viderunt omncs,
it
would reach the
and they wondered
8
—
The monks of the monastery of Vico Varo, attracted by Benedict had Baked him to be their Birperior. He refused at first, but at They were not prepared, however, for length yielded to their importunity. Like 8b the cbictneaa of his rule, and at last attempted to i>"i*"ii him. Patrick, he made the sign of the cross upon the vessel, which instantly broke Butler's Lives of Saint*. as if a stone had fallen upon it. • tlreathj The power of the devil to effect su|>ernatural wonders is abun"
St.
his fame,
—
—
dantly evident both from Scripture anil the Lives of the Saints. We give one instance out of many. It is related in the Life of the recently canonized St. Pan] of the !rosa, that when he was preaching out of doors at Santatiora, <
a sudden and most violent storm came on, which he at once dispelled by He told the people that the storm had blessing the air with his crucifix.
been caused by the
devil.
— Lift of SL
I'avl of the Croju, p. 69.
him
Patrick then asked
St.
magus
the
Then the
next day.
exclaimed
tion,
and not
in
to
remove the snow, but do so until the
replied that he could not
:
good
"
with a holy indigna-
saint, fired
By my
9
debhro, in evil
is
thy power,
and turning towards the four points
;"
of the heavens he blessed the plain,
and the snow
dis-
The druid now brought darkness over the Patrick once more plain, but was unable to remove it prayed to the Lord, and the sun shone forth. Various appeared.
other trials followed, and trial
by
St.
fire
it
was
at last agreed that a
should decide the question.
Patrick offered to allow one of his people to be
shut up in a house with the magus, and then to building be fired also
;
let
the
provided one of the Celtic magi
remained in the building and stood the same It
test.
was
further
agreed that the worshipper of
heathen gods should be clothed in the casula or tunic of the saint, and the Christian in the tunic of the druid. St.
young Benen,
Patrick chose the
fresh from the
baptismal waters, and thus purified from sin
;
Luchat
Mael, with a heroism worthy of a better cause, was his
A
own champion. side filled
Benen
hut was then erected, and at one
with dry faggots, in the midst of which
or Benignus
druid's tunic
;
was
and there the magus 8
Dehhro.
— This
placed,
the other side was
word
is
with green wood,
stood, covered with the tunic of
translated by O'Donovan, in his supplement to
O'Reilly's Dictionary (in voce Modtbroth), as
ment (from Cormac's
and covered with the filled
Glossary).
my God
Judge, or
God
of
Judg-
1
tbe saint.
A
was then applied
light
to
the
hut, while
the great multitude watched outside for the result, with
eager faces and beating hearts.
was soon proclaimed. the
God who had
It
The triumph
created the elements, to
His
Again and again
will.
when
natural office
r
had refused
obedient to
do
its
Christians were subjected to the
flames in the arenas of pagan
marvel was
fire
for
make them
who were
obedient to the will of the creatures to
of Faith
was indeed nothing new
manifested.
Rome and now ;
a similar
That portion of the house
which should have burned most rapidly under ordinary
—
was not consumed, the fair young came forth unharmed, but the mantle of the magus, with which he was surrounded, was burned to ashes. The side of the hut where the magus circumstances,
acolyte Benignus
had rashly ventured to place himself, was entirely con-
sumed
;
of
he was burned to death, but the tunic of the
with which he was surrounded, bore no trace
saint,
1
fire.
The only was
effect
which
this miracle
had upon the king
to increase his hatred of the apostle
trines.
And
such, indeed,
is
and
his doc-
usually the result, while,
as in this instance, special graces have been offered and
i
1 Fire.— This ia mentioned in the Tripartite (Colgan, p. 12"), by Probus Indeed tho (Colgan, p. 51), by Jocelyn (Colgan, p. 75), and the other Lives. incidents connected with the saint's visit to Tara are most fully detailed by all. It if observable that the trial by water, as proposed by Laeghaire, il
mentioned in the Book
of
Armagh, though not
in the Tripartite,
other respects coincides so clearly with the former. St. Fr.incis of Assissi that in
Egypt
We
which
in
read in the Life of
he offered to undergo a somewhat similar
test
wheu
If those are
rejected.
blessed
who
believe
without
seeing,
how
whom
" signs and wonders" are manifested, and
still
must be the condition of those
fearful
refuse to believe.
In the Life
of St.
Patrick as related
(Quintet Vita), a curious is
to
who
mentioned.
by
trial
and
by Probus
significant circumstance
It is said that the
king
first
proposed a
and suggested that the books of both
water,
parties should be
thrown into the water, and declared
that he would adore
him whose books should come out
The magus objected
unhurt.
to this test, saying that he " would not go to the judgment of water with him (Patrick), for he
that he
fear of this test.
in connection is
had water
had heard of
baptisms
hence his
;
There are several noteworthy subjects
with
this part of the ancient
Lives.
It
evident that the Catholic doctrine of baptism was
fully taught
by
St. Patrick.
had so much fear of
The magus would not have
his use of water if the saint
had
mere ceremony.
It
treated the sacramental use of is
Probus observes
for a god."
St. Patrick's
also
it
as a
remarkable that the "books" (libros vestros) should
be spoken of
by Laeghaire
in
the
plural
number.
Evidently the writers of the Lives believed that the Irish
had books as well as the
saint.
The words quoted
above are found in the Vita S. Patricii contained in the
Book
The
of
Armagh
king, terrified
also.
by the prodigies he beheld, simula-
ted a conversion which the rest of his
been insincere.
life
proved to have
It is related also that St. Patrick pre-
WL
St. Patrick's
Hymn
or Lorica.
dieted the extinction ofLaeghaire'a family, and that terrible
judgment, probably a sudden pestilence,
fell
some upon
the people, by which thousands perished.
As
St.
Patrick journeyed toTara on Easter morning he
composed a hymn, some portions of which are
still
repeated at bed-time by the Irish-speaking peasantry, so true
have
apostle.
the}-
been to the memory of their great
This remarkable composition was sometimes
Feth Fiatlha, or instruction of the deer, in
called the
consequence of the escape of the saint and his companions when they
appeared to Laeghaire like deer
fleeing to the mountains.
The hymn Lorica of
is,
however, more generally
The name
St. Patrick.
to such compositions because they
known
of Lorica
were used as a
tual breastplate or corslet, to protect those
them from
spiritual or
temporal dangers.
in fact, used as prayers.
The Lorica
composition of singular poetic
as the
was given spiri-
who recited They were,
of St. Patrick
beauty,
is
a
and of such
ardent devotion as one might well believe our great
Thus
apostle to have possessed.
it
was that he invoked
the divine protection as he traversed the vast plain of
Magh Breagh; of
all
thus
it
was that he appealed
Wind and Water, might great
*
to the
Lord
things that those creatures of Fire and Cold, of
be
made
work which he was about
—
to serve
him
in the
to undertake.
Undertake. This hymn lias been translated by Dr. O'Uonovan and Dr. It was also transand published in the Essay on Tara by the latter. gnat care by the eminent Celtic scholar, Mr. Whitley Stokes,
Petrie,
lated with
Life of St. Patrick
st.
I
Patrick's lorica.
bind to myself to-day
The strong virtue of the Invocation The Faith of the Trinity in unity, The Creator of the elements. I
I
of the Trinity,
bind to myself to-day
The The The
virtue of His Eesurrection with His Ascension,
The
virtue of His coming to the sentence of judgment.
virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
bind to myself to-day
The
virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels, In the hope of resurrection into reward, In prayers of Patriarchs, In predictions of Prophets, In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors, In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men. I
bind to myself to-day
The power
of Heaven,
who
pointed out the mistake made by O'Donovan in translating the word Atomring, with which the hymn commences, as an obsolete form of the dative of Temur or Tara, and rendering it "at Tara." The word is a verb;
ad-dam-ring; composed thus: ad-ring, adjungo, with the infixed pronoun dom, to me, and the verb ring, to join. To a Catholic the meaning is at once apparent; the saint invokes, or prays for, the help (virtute) virtue of the Blessed Trinity, the angels, and the saints in his great undertaking. In the well-known Litany of Jesus the virtue of our Divine Lord's Incarnation, Life, Passion, and Death are invoked in a similar manner. The latest trans, lation of the Lorica is that made by Mr. Crowe for the Kilkenny Archeological '
'
Journal," October,
lSti9.
$
The light of the sun, 8 Tho whiteness of snow,
The force of fire, The flashing of lightning, Tho swiftness of wind, The depth of sea, The stability of earth, The hardness of
1
rocks.
bind to myself to-day
The power of God to guide me, The might of God to uphold me, The wisdom of God to teach me, The eye of God to watch over me, The ear of God to hear me, The word of God to give me speech, The hand of God to protect me, The way of God to lie before me,
The
God to shelter me, God to defend me,
shield of
The host
of
Against the snares of demons, Against the temptations of vices, Against the lusts of nature,
Against every
Whether
man who
meditates injury to
rac,
far or near,
Whether few
or with
many.
—
Sun. Some singular misapprehensions have been made about this vente. has been thought that the saint invoked the power of the sun as he had invoked the power or virtue of the angels, apostles, and virgins. But, apart from the fact that no Catholic missionary who had come to convert a nation from idolatry could be supposed to be himself a worshipper of false gods, thu obvious meaning is that he had, as indeed he proved, full power over these 3
It
elements, lie
and he bound them to himself on that occasion
necessary for his Master's work.
~?=r==z»>&^t
tjL,-
'»
ir
*•
to serve
him
as might
Domini
est salus,
Domini
est salus,
Christ i est salus,
Salus tua
Domine
sit
semper nobiscum. 5
Dr. Todd has well observed that the Hymn of St. Patrick " notices no doctrine or practice of the Church that
is
not
tury."
how
known
to
have existed before the
This observation
is
educational prejudice bbnds
men
to truth.
one can doubt that Dr. Todd intended by to
convey the idea that the
Catholic doctrines, for he
though in a
Hymn
is
the
fifth
It
far different sense to that
practice
does not " notice
It
which had not existed before
century."
the
Three
adorable
of the
One, co-equal and co-eternal.
in
This doctrine had been
impugned by the Arians, and
and consequently before the
Patrick accepted then,
is
which
was defined by the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, \V2r>,
No
remark
did not contain any
commences with an invocation
Trinity,
this
fain to believe that such
he intended to convey thereby.
any doctrine or
cen-
But Dr. Todd's observation
doctrines are modern. literally true,
fifth
another remarkable evidence
its definition,
and does now.
as the
fifth <
century.
!atholic
a.d. St.
world did
But the Arians refused
to sirm
—
* Nobiscum. The last four lines arc in Latin, as given above. Dr. Todd has observed a coincidence of expression between the latter part of the Lorica of St. Patrick and a passage in Bishop Andrew It is more than probable that the Protestant bishop copied from St. Ignatius, and there is
a most singular and marked similarity between the well-known of that saint and a part of St Patrick's hymn.
prayer
Anima mea
•
Life of St. Patrick.
268
the Nicene creed then
;
and how many members of the
Church to which Dr. Todd belonged are there now really believe the Divinity of Christ
with
St. Patrick,
and say
boldly,
Next we
—
who would, invoke the " virtue of the Crucifixion,"
who
God
has died for
find St.
me
\
Patrick invoking the virtue
or
power of the seraphim, the prayers of the fathers, the purity of virgins, and the good deeds of the faithful generally before
;
the
a practice which was unquestionably in use century, as
fifth
martyrs in the catacombs of
the
very tombs of the
Eome
testify to this day.
And then we find him placing the virtue of these men and their good works between him and the restless
powers of
evil,
and concluding with the
tion of his invocation of the Trinity
our V,-
^
faith.
And
thus
it
is
— the
holy ever
repeti-
keystone of
that Catholic litanies, and
even the Sacrifice of the Mass, commence with the invocation of the Three in One, and conclude with the
Three in One
also,
whose divine assistance
is
implored
either in prayers or blessings.
"When Tirechan wrote
his Annotations on the Life of
our saint in the Book of Armagh, this believed to have been composed its
by
authority has not been questioned.
three days
St.
and churches in Ireland
was that the
saint's festival
and three nights
as
if
Patrick
—another
The first of was kept for Patrick himself had
evidence of the antiquity of the Lorica. these honors
was
Indeed,
Tirechan informs
us that in his time four honors were paid to in all the monasteries
Hymn
St. Patrick.
M
—
.
Misconceptions about (he Lorica. been present
Mass
his
time
;
The
latter is
Hymn
was sung
and of which we have given a
Hymn
honor by
St.
Hymn
was the Latin
Dr. Petrie has
f
He
transla-
composed in
Seconal] or Secundums, which will be
giveu at the end of the present volume.
which
whole
was sung always. undoubtedly the Lorica which he com-
Irish,
His
tion.
for the
Hymn
and, fourthly, his Irish
posed in
his
secondly, there was a proper preface for
;
thirdly, his
;
2fi9
made
8
a suggestion about the Lorica,
founded on a most curious misapprehension.
is
thinks, because St. Patrick prays in
it
to be protected
:i
"women,
list
smiths, and druids," that the com-
was not considered orthodox, and hence was
position
passed over by Colgan and others. forgot that St. Paul,
whose orthodoxy
But Dr. Petrie would
he, at least,
never have questioned, had akeady declared that the Christian should be
armed against many
and that our wrestling blood, but
is
also against "principalities
is
and the "spirits of wickedness
3-
We
have
spiritual foes,
not only against
already
explained
and
the high places."
in
Dr.
flesh
and powers,"
Todd's mistake in
i
supposing that
The
'Volume.
St.
Patrick invoked the elements.
Part of the Tripartite concludes with the
first
—Tirechan writes
of the feast of St. Patrick as the
dormitationis ejus in medio veris," to distinguish
td
saint.
The
third
and fourth honors were
iii
iiii
Ymnuin
it
from other
:
ejus per totum tempus cantare. Cauticum ejus Scotticum semper canere.
" solemi>nitas
festivals of the
£
;
270
Life of St. Patrick.
prophecy of
St.
Patrick that none of Laeghaire's children
should succeed him on his throne. ever tempered by mercy, even
But
when
justice
was
the spirit of the
times required that stern judgments should be passed
on those who rejected the message of peace.
Laege-
womb
queen begged that the child then in her
aire's
exempted
should be
from
the
malediction
husband's race, and her petition was granted.
of
her
Lugaidh
ascended the throne in A.D. 479, according to the Four Masters, and died in a.d. 508.
His death
is
briefly
and
not very clearly alluded to in the Tripartite, but no other event of his history
Book
of Lecan there
is
it is
said that St. Patrick
but
it
is
now
came
him
in
the
which
to Ireland in his reign
generally admitted that the paragraph
refers to Laeghaire,
written the
In
specified there.
is
a paragraph about
name
and that the transcriber must have
of the son in mistake for the
name
of
the father. " These miracles," says the writer of the Tripartite, " live to this day.
These are the miracles which the
divines of Erinn knew, and
thread
Memoir
of
which they put under a
The writer
narrative."
of
Patrick's
St.
exemption
says, that the account of Lugaidh's
from the malediction of his race
is
inserted in
the
Tripartite to account for the fact of Lugaidh's having
reigned after his father.
whatever of proof that
its
it is
Yet there
is
no appearance
having been an interpolation, and no
except Dr. Todd's conjecture
arguing on his
own
;
and then,
conjecture, he states that " this
mode
of meeting the
sidered satisfactory." this
mode
difficulty
can scarcely be con-
Surely
may
it
reason whatever,
There can be
little
fur
Patrick performed failed to convince
false,
without any
not satisfactory either.
is
Be was overawed
;
doubt that Laeghaire died a pagana time by the miracles which St.
but even the miracles of Christ
many who
beheld them.
could not deny the power thus fear
made
Yet they
visible to
produced a temporary submission.
them,
The year
before Laeghaire's death he had attempted to enforce
Hi
the Boromeau tribute, and he was taken prisoner by the Leinster men, at a place called Ath-dara, a ford on
the river Bartow.
Here he was obliged
to take the usual
oath of the ancient Irish Celt, and to swear by the sun,
and the wind, and the elements, that he would never again come against them. his oath,
The following year he broke
and renewed the war.
He
died soon after, ap-
parently by a stroke of lightning, or some such visitation, for the
the
wind
> >
of selecting certain circumstances as true,
and rejecting other circumstances as
and
>
'
be retorted that
pagan annalists declared that the "sun and
killed
him" because he had
violated his oath. 7
—
1 Oalh. Once more I am obliged, with great regret, to refer to Dr. Todd's Memoir. He most unjustly charges the " Franciscan friars," who wrote the Annals of the Four Masters, with "paganism," for representing the sun and wind to have taken vengeance upon Laeghaire. Yet even in the very sentence in which he makes the charge he disproves it unconsciously, by saying One should have thought that the th it " this is the language copied," 4c.
most ordinary intellect would have seen that people do not necessarily believe what they " copy." No one would have been more severe on the same friars than this writer if they had not " copied," and copied faithfully, every reliable document they could get
mmm
FT^S?
tSSSfW
.
ti
—
Even
the fashion of his burial proved
He was
veterate pagan he died.
what an
buried,
in-
by his own " armor of
desire,
on
valor,"
with his face turned southwards, towards the
ramparts of Tara, in his
the
Leinster men, as St. Patrick's
meet the people assembled
was
;
and
if
at public places,
wisdom.
It
is
where multitudes were
this in a country
so scattered,
accomplished,
he were fighting with them.
great object appears to have been to
where the population
and where so much work had to be
one of the
was with
many
evidences of his great
this object in
view that he pro-
now Tell town, in the county Honday. 8 An annual fair was held
ceeded to Aonach Tailtenn,
Heath, on Easter here, at
which multitudes assembled,
mid-way between Navan and an ancient
V
,( !
tradition, in
The
celebrated here. torical evidence,
number
to assist at, or to
This town
be entertained by the games.
is
situated
Kells, and, according to
pagan times tradition,
marriages were
all
however, wants his-
and probably had
its
origin from the
of matrimonial engagements contracted at the
public festivals held here.
3
Monday.
—Tripartite.
" Prima
feria venit Patricias
ad Taltenam."
—
The
Lanigan observes "That given in Latin in the Irish manuscript. this was Easter Monday is clear from a passage lower down, which, after the account given of the saint's transactions with Carbri and Conall, runs thus : These two passages 'Paschaj quoque clausula finita, prima feria exiit,' &c. sentence
is
appeared as quotations from some old Latiu work, and are therefore entitled Good Dr. Lanigan to a certain degree of credit." Ec. Hist. vol. i., p. 236. probably was entirely unacquainted with ancient Irish MSS., and hence did not know that what he conjectured to be a quotation was a usual fashion of All our ancient Irish MSS. are interspersed with Latin writing at that period. sentences.
E
St.
Patrick
Carbri and
now
two of Laeghaire's
visited
Conall.
The famous
Hostages had eight sons, four of
Hy
genitors of the Northern
the Southern
Hy
given below, as
labors
n
were the pro-
Nialls, the other four of
Their genealogical table
Nialls.
is
will be a matter of interest in con-
it
nection with our
whom
brothers,
of the Nine
Niall
Patrick's missionary
of St.
record
:— Niall of the
Ill Northern
Hy
Nine Hostages.
Nialls.
III
Southern Hy
|
I
Eoghan, Enna Finn, Carbri,
I
Conall Gulban,
Nialls.
Lakciiairk, Conall Crlmtlmn,
Maine.
Klac,
I
Attempted
St
Patrick's
M
Founder of Donagh
life. |
Culumba and
St.
Adamnau
l'atrick.
were descended from him. Lugaldh, who was spared from |
St.
Patrick's
malediction, and was king a.d. 433.
Carbri attempted, or at least wished, for clear
whether the attempt was made or
Patrick and his followers, by throwing river Sele,
now
it
not
is
not, to kill St.
them
the Blackwater, in Meath.
into the
For
this
crime the saint pronounced a solemn malediction on him, and, as a punishment, deprived the river of
salmon.
its
Such judgments were of absolute necessity in
an age of violence, and where striking examples were
needed to produce an impression on the multitude. Patrick then proceeded to Conall Crimthan, whose resi-
dence was at Donagh Patrick, and here he was favorably received, aud the site of a church was granted to
him.
2l
K
It
was on the Easter Wednesday of
week, that what was called
this
memorable
Baptism took
St. Patrick's
which was kept anciently on the
place, the festival of
Those who are familiar with the
5th of April.
siastical history of the early
eccle-
Church, will remember that
week was specially chosen as a time for public The neophytes were clothed in white gar-
Easter
baptism.
ments the paschal rejoicings, and the memory of ;
resurrection, to a
new
life
reliable St.
virtue of which
we
Christ's
also are raised
made the we had not
in the waters of regeneration,
peculiarly
season
that
by the
appropriate.
tradition for the fact,
Even
if
we might
Patrick would wish to
well suppose
have a public and
solemn administration of the Sacrament of Baptism.
He
had probably baptized but few of his converts publicly, and only those whom he knew were enlightened and prepared by some very special grace.
These,
we may
him to instruct those who had received and some his teaching at Tara and at Telltown thousands of those thus assembled were now to receive believe, helped
;
the grace of regeneration.
In the waters of the historic Boyne the
first
public
baptisms were celebrated in ancient Erinn.
The 5th of
April, a.d. 433, fell
upon a Wednesday,
according to the calculation of Dr. Lanigan
somewhere about Thus,
we have
this date there can be
;
that
it fell
no question.
the very day, and, almost to a certainty,
the very date of this great event.
It is probable that
1 3®
the baptism took place not far from the present Kells.
Before
we
proceed further with the Life of
must be remembered that from
it
town
of
9
St. Patrick,
this date there
is
considerable difficulty in following the regular sequence of events.
Can
I
be pardoned for once more calling
attention to the fact that the writers of the Lives of the
Roman
whether Celtic or Saxon,
Saints,
or Frank, were
incomparably more anxious to give details of their
y
good works, and the
miracles
than to afford their readers a
attributed
to
them,
critical analysis of their
lives'?
Huw
great
was the pains which they took
accurate in their statements,
is
be
to
acknowledged even by
enemies. They bebeved that the saints were endowed with " power from on higlr' to work miracles their
;
hence they did not find
it
necessary to refer
"natural causes," or to question them.
This
is
them
to
especially
the case with the Life of St. Patrick written by Probus.
He
has divided his work into two parts.
The
contains a well connected narrative of St. life,
from his birth
to this
first
part
Patrick's
memorable Easter week.
It is
quite evident that he considered this the culminating
event of his apostleship, as well he might.
The King of
Erinn, though not converted to the Faith, had at least been so far 8
subdued as to submit exteriorly
— Usher,
power of
quoting from the Book of Sligo, mentions "the three and death." The baptism was, fii>t public celebration of that sacrament which was commemorated iu the early Irish Church. K-U*.
Wednesdays
of Patrick, his birth, baptism,
undoubtedly, not his own, but the
r—~
to the
mw\
mm
—
His queen bad followed his example, and
the apostle.
obtained even for her unborn child an exemption from
The
malediction.
earnest convert
multitudes
example could not
and the two principal magi
;
men who had
nation was an
chief bard of the
his
;
fail to
influence
of the laud
—
the
hitherto been accredited with supernatural
power, and revered as the teachers of the nation in their comparatively pure worship of fire
and elements
they also had fallen beneath the power of these very elements,
making
it
evident that their gods could not
protect them. It is true that the great majority of the people
pagan.
still
should
we
But
were
consummate
Patrick, with
St.
not rather say with heavenly
—wisdom, had
commenced boldly by preaching to the ard-righ, the princes, and the chiefs, knowing that through their influence
and example the multitude could be most
easily reached.
Henceforth, wherever he journeyed on
fame of
his apostolic mission, the
of his miracles,
obtain for
him
bis success, the prestige
and the submission of the
rulers,
would
at least a patient hearing.
Probus apparently thought that in his second book it
would only be necessary
to collect together the prin-
cipal incidents of the missionary life saint.
He
concludes the
first
" These things being accomplished
book thus [his
of our glorious
:—
Ma gestis], the holy Patrick,
according to the precept of our Lord Jesus Christ, resolving to teach
all
nations in the
name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost, departed from Themoria [Tara], and preached
i
/
Coincid*
-y -/•.•>•.
Various
in
-J77
Lii>\
everywhere throughout Ireland; the Lord co-operating with him,
and confirming his words by the signs following.'
The second book then commences, and
I«
The writer begins by to
relate
headed,
Of
and death
to compile his
Various miracles and circumstances of the
of the saint, are then recorded with
life
" Father,
of our
and with God's assistance
work.
little
stating that he purposes herein
the miracles
St. Patrick,"
touching simplicity.
-
is
Miracles and Death of St. Patrick.
the
we
These
a rare and
shall also record pre-
sently.
r
The there
narrative of the Tripartite
some attempt
is
events
and, on the whole,
;
is
also irregular, but
at relating the regular order of it
may
A
be taken as a guide
for the
biography of our
MS.
missing, but Colgan's translation
is
saint.
folio of is
the original zo faithful,
that the loss can easily be supplied from his version.
The arrangement of the of
Armagh
Life of St. Patrick in the
closely resembles the Life
by Probus
no doubt, was the model on which the written.
Here,
as that which
also,
we have
we
tant events of Easter
was
same paragraph
states, after relating the
week
at Tara, that St.
and
impor-
Patrick
forth to preach according to the precept of our
divine Lord,
and that
signs which followed. 1
mr -^^^ 3
and,
latter
translated above from Probus;
Miarchu-Maccutheni also
went
find the very
Book
;
his
words were confirmed by the
He
then also proceeds to give
Following.— Culgnn,
p.
51.
278
Life of St. Patrick.
an account of these " of a Life
of our
Jocelyn, the last writer
signs."
has continued his narrative
saint,
without any division of books relating St.
Patrick's
miracles without
The which
much
;
and, apparently, after
to Tara, has
visit
hymn
First Life in Colgan is the is
related his
regard to chronological order. of St. Fiacc,
rather a panegyric than a biography.
The
Second Life [Vita SecundaJ concludes abruptly with Patrick's visit to Tara
that
some history of
;
St.
and
I
am
St.
strongly of opinion,
Patrick was written during his
was used
lifetime,
and that
the
part of the Life by Probus. and the Tripartite.
first
this history
'
/;^?\
1'KICK.S
BKLL
as the basis of
ONALL
presented his house
at
Rath-Airthic to St. Patrick for a church, and the saint in return o-ave
some
special
hlessing
to
this part of the plain of Tara, so
that there."
At
I
" none
should
be
slain
left be conclusion of Easter week, the saint
and on the first feria, i.e., the Monday after Low Sunday, he went to a place called the Ford of the Tivo placed Tribes, which Colgan says was in Meath. Here he a devout woman, three of his disciples, and a nun
Conall,
—
whose innocence and purity
is
said to have given her a
,17%
Life of St. Patrick.
280 singular
power over the animal
creation.
A
then founded at Druim, Chorcorthri? where
church was St.
Patrick
placed his nephew, Diarrnid, the son of Eestitutus.
Again we find mention of
St. Patrick's altar stone,
as an object of miraculous intervention,
and a subject
Lower
After St. Patrick's visit to
of special veneration.
he returned to Conall, who was one of his most
Kells,
beloved disciples. special
mark
Here he
left
his altar
stone as a
of his favor to the good prince.
he promised, from thence
But, as
"the stone of the
altar,
t
moving through the air, without any person touching it, followed him to the place where the cross is now (ubi
The
crux),
saint,
however, brought
placed it,
the
nunc
it
and
at
mill
near
the stone
river."
3
and
back,
again at Domhnach-patric, where he fixed left
it
" importable,"
predicting
miracles should be performed there
He
Christ, the true corner-stone.
special
the
judgment should
befall
that
many
by the power
of
also declared that a
any person who should -
attempt to move the altar stone, or who should violate the sanctuary which he established in that church.
In a.d. 722, Cinaeth, the son of Irgalach, King of Tara, slew a person
who had
fled here for protection,
and the stone emitted three streams of pure
blood,
2 Druim Cliorcorthri, now Drumconrath, the barony of Lower Slane, county Meath. Arehdall, "Mon. Hib.,"p. 532, observes tliat Chorcothrai is a small terThe name, ritory not far from Tara, but gives no clue to the exact locality. however, is preserved in the townland of Corcarna, parish of JUoylogue, and barony of Lower Kells, some four or five miles west of Drumconra. 3 River. This portion of the Tripartite is missing from the Colgan, p. 130. original Irish MS., which wants several folios.
—
I
rsion
and Baptism
>>f
Ere.
which ceased not to flow until reparation had been
made
for the sacrilege.
1
number
Patrick founded a great
>St.
the translation of the Tripartite,
them
to give
When ;^o '
of churches
al
but as the names and particulars are given
tins time,
it
in
will not be necessary
here.
relating the particulars of the conversion
and
baptism of Ere, the son of Digo, Tircchan mentions
some curious and singular
>: :
details.
why he had
of his convert
risen
St.
Patrick inquired
up when
the
Book
of
Armagh,
replied,
see sparks of fire going
of the Lord,
which
I
have with
Loigles, or the
Calf of
called in
know
I
lips to
not
my
—
lips."
He
answered,
to the fountain
the Cities;' a well within the fort
and here the
or enclosure of Tara,
book," ami baptized
me V
Then they went
will receive it,"
A
Why,
is
the saint asked, " Wilt thou receive the baptism
Then
"1
"
up from thy
the rest
all
remained seated, and Ere, or Hercus, as he
Eire
saint
"opened
his
and many thousand men.
court had assembled to see the
new ceremony
;
some of them mocked, and others conversed together as men would at a public meeting in which they felt more
curiosity than devotion.
Patrick overheard the
conversation of two of the chieftains
him 1 '2.').
;
Sacrilege. It
who
stood near
one was inquiring from whence the other had
— Tliis
would
fix
is
also told
the date of
by Lynch, "Cainbrcnsis Eversus," toL
tlio
transcription of this copy of
tin;
should be observed also that the writer mentions the whi.h had been placed where the altar stone stopped. • Cities.—From Luny, a calf, and La, a fort, or city.
after 722.
It
ii.,
p.
Tripartite
Life of St. Patrick.
284
come, and the one who was thus questioned replied " I am Endeus, son of Amalgaid, son of Fiacha, son of :
Eochaidh, from the western regions, from the plain of
Domnon, and from the wood of Fochlut." What recollections were The wood of Foehlut It was from this wood, from the aroused by the name western sea, that Patrick had heard the voices of the Celtic children yet unborn, who called him to come and He had come, and we may well imagine help them. that he "rejoiced greatly," as Tirechan records, when !
!
m
he heard these words.
The
saint had,
no doubt, intended to
visit this part
and now a
special oppor-
of Ireland as soon as possible,
He turned to Endeus at tunity seemed offered to him. " I will go with thee if I be alive, for once, and said :
me
the Lord hath said unto
made some
objection
;
to go."
Endeus, however,
he probably knew that some of
the Irish princes were unfavorably disposed towards Patrick,
and he feared
But the
him.
his
own
saint assured
safety if he accompanied
him
that he
had come
to
Tara on his account, even as Joseph was providentially sent before the children of Israel into Egypt,
and that
his safety
would be insured by having him
panion.
Endeus consented, but requested that Patrick
would baptize
his son,
who was
that he and his brother
went
to their
mocked St.
own
as Ere
for his
com-
of tender years, saying
would not " believe"
until they
country, because they feared being-
had been.
Patrick baptized Conall and " pronounced a bless-
—
,
ing upon him."
The boy was confided then by
saint to the care of Cethire,'"' the bishop,
him
up.
St.
however,
probable,
It is
done until
sons
King
Nadfraich,
.Mac.
by another
wife, Erca,
With such
of Lchister.
that this
a
his wife Tresi, sister of
and seven
of Munster,
daughter of Eochaidh, King family
it is
a matter of
was the •„
eldest son,
six brothers to get
Ard-righ.
with
St,
It
and he had gone
some dispute had asked
Tara with
settled there
would appear, that
Patrick, he
to
little
Endeus
surprise that contentions arose about property.
'
was not
Patrick came to Tirawlcy.
Amalgaidh7 had eight sons by .l'-n-iis
the
who brought
his
after
his
by the
interview
his intervention
also,
and that the king and the saint concurred in desiring the lirothers to divide the property
to recognize the claim of
But Endeus promptly sons " to the
God
Endeus
between them, but
to the chieftainship.
offered his portion as well as his
of Patrick,
reason," concludes Tirechan,
and
"For this we are the From these
to Patrick."
"some say
that
servants of Patrick to the present day."
— Commemorated in the Martyrology of Donegal on the 16th June, Amalgaidh (pronounced Awlcy). The barony of Tirawley, in the county Mayo, takes its name from him. Dr. Todd, in despite of Tircchau's plain statement to the contrary, says that St. Patrick " must " have mci Endeus after the year 449, because Amalgaidh died iu that year, and it is " difficult to * Cethire. 7
imagine" that any dispute could have taken place in his lifetime. A cursory acquaintance with Irish it would be wisest not to imagine at all. belli was seldom wanted cither for public or private I
history proves that a casus fends.
Tirechan expressly states that
St.
Patrick visited Fochlut iu tho
"second Easter " "Pasco, secnmla;" and the Tripartite says that Amalgaidh So much for Dr. Todd's "imagiteas baptized by St. Patrick, with his eons. nation."
words,
it
appears probable that Tirechan himself was a
descendant of this family of
;
but nothing definite
him except that he was the
disciple of St.
is
known
Ultan of
Ardbraccan.
noteworthy that the same authority informs us
It is
of an agreement
Amalgaidh,
made by
for his safe
paid," says Tirechan,
St.
Patrick with the sons of "
conduct to their country.
"a sum
money
of
in gold
He and
the price of fifteen souls of men, as he
silver, erpial to
himself in his writings declares [ut in scriptione sua affirmat], that
passage across
no violent men might hinder them in Ireland."
all
This
is
their
if
I
a clear allusion to
the passage in St. Patrick's Confession, where he says that " he gave presents to the kings, besides the cost of
keeping their sons
who walked with me,
they should not seize >a
And
fifteen
As
think
I
I
me
with
my
in order that
companions.
.
.
.
paid them the price of not less than
men," &c.
this passage is not in the
copy of the Confession
contained in the Book of Armagh,
it
roboration of the Confession as given
a valuable cor-
is
by other
authori-
s
and of the value of Tirechan's annals. But the saint had a great work to accomplish before
ties,
8 Annals. — Dr. Todd has tlie following note in reference to this subject. " The foregoing passage is not in the Book of Armagh but as it is so plainly by Tirechan, it must have been in his copy of the Confession in the seventh century, when the original autograph was in existence. We must, therefore, be cautious in rejecting the evidence of what I have, for convenience' interpolations, that is-, the passages not in the Book of sake, called the Armagh." "Memoir," p. 446, n. 6. What a pity that Dr. Todd was not ;
referred to
'
'
—
always equally cautious
!
\^
CJ^
s
—
r
St.
rthrows /he Id
The
his departure Gram Tara.
as
->.-^~
'"
rr-'.<<5v
might be expected, not
Tiemmashad
idols, as early as B.C.
which
stood,
Magh
practised
Tiernmas died
there,
i
for
in
was connected with the
site
This,
there.
by the Four
stated
w.i
it
Slceht, or the plain of adoration,
showed that even the idolatry
introduced
and
;
idol
veneration. it
1620
Crom Cruach was set up The very name of the plain
then that the greal public
government was,
Beat of
from the chief druidical
far
lishmenl in the country.
worship of
tlie
•!
indeed,
who
-Master.:,
also
expr
is
record that
with three-fourths of the
men
of
Erin about him, on the night of Samhain9 precisely.
According
to the
Dinnsenchus, this was the principal
idol of all the colonics to time,
who
settled in Ireland
and they were wont
of animals
and other
was situated
in
to oiler to
The
gifts.
the presenl
yel
it
was all-important. God was the ma
that his
bipped and feared
:
of
from time
the firstlings
Magh
Slecht
county Cavan, and in the
barony of Tullyhaw; and here de-troy this famous idol
plain
it
St.
Patrick journeyed to
a bold deed and a brave one,
;
He had proved i<
c
of the elements,
to the Celt
which they
he needed also that he should
prove his power over the idols which they had believed all-powerful for centuries. Ii
is
by no means certain what was the form or exact
appearance of the
The name
Crom Cruach.
the bent or stooping
monument.
It
is
signifies
called the
Cenn
"Sum/min.— All Hallows' Eve— so allied by the Irish to the present (lay. " oomponnded of Skint rammer, and bain, end. Ft oli., p. 43
It is
g£
j
—
Life of St. Patrick
Cruach in the Tripartite
— and there
was made of gold and
silver,
rounded by twelve other
idols,
Todd evidently stone,
which
it
said that
is
and that
it
it
sur-
formed of bronze.
Dr.
was a
pillar
inclines to the idea that
it
A stone
by no means improbable.
is
was
was
long preserved at Clogher which had been dedicated to
an
Kermand
idol called
with plates of gold. of destiny, '/N
avers
was a
that there
town which used
Fail, or stone
not exactly worshipped as an
if
certainly held in considerable veneration
sent
was covered
Kelstach, which
The celebrated Lia
of
certain rock
Kdmacthomas,
;
idol,
was
and tradition
near the pre-
m
Cloch-Lobhrais,
called
pagan
to give forth oracular responses in
times.
The destruction in the Tripartite
" Patrick, after that,
went over the water
stood the chief idol of Erinn,
gold and with
silver,
around him.
brass,
Crom Cruach
of the
is
thus related
:
i.e.,
and twelve other
When
to
Magh
Slecht,
where
lii
Ceun Cruaich, ornamented with idols,
ornamented with
Patrick saw the idol from the water '
named Guthard [loud voice] (i.e., he elevated his and when he approached near the idol, he raised his arm to which
is
Staff of Jesus
from face
Pi I
on him, and
it
did nut reach him.
attempt upon his right
his
was
;
side, for it
and the mark of the Staff
;
lay the
went back
was to the south
lives in his side
the Staff did not leave Patrick's hand
lie
V'i
voice),
still,
his
although
and the earth swallowed
the other twelve idols to their heads, and they are in that condition, in
commemoration of the
the people
And
all
cum
rege Laeghaire
the people saw him
their dying if Patrick
And
miracle. ;
(i.e.,
they
it
he called upon
was that adored the
all
idol.
the demon), and they demanded
had not sent him to
hell."
W!i'i: r
r :
'''
,
, i
f';
r irr l
»ariBikJUil^^^
—
'
'-
-"T5B^
~^1
^«
"
-=al
Tr Cromdubh Sunday.
A great and the
battle took place on this very plain in 1256,
has been described bo carefully and accu-
site
O'Curty remarks
rately that Mr. " It
is
fully clear, that, if
ancient native documents,
monuments
ruined
289
of our country
—
if,
any man
:
acquainted with our
fairly
and practised
the excavation of the
in
of an Utility so thickly scattered
such a
I say,
man were
hand, and an extract from the Life of
in his
over the face
to go with this article St. Patrick,
he may.
perhaps, discover the identical Oram Cruach himself with his twelve
buried
down
where they
satellites,
l>y St.
and were interred when Btruck
fell
Patrick with his crozier, the
Bachail Iosa, or sacred
Staff of Jesus."
This idol was also called Crom-dubh, and
it
is
re-
markable that tbe next Sunday before All Saints called is
by Irish-speaking people Cromduff Sunday.
more than probable that the day was
commemoration This
is precisely
the date at which
it is
was held en the
festival of the idol
likely
before
in
mosl probable that :
and as the greal
1st of
that he would have effected
that
named
of St. Patrick's destruction of the idol.
the miracle of its destruction occurred
is
so
is
It
Such
event.
a
miracle
November, its
it
overthrow
would be long
remembered by the people, and they would naturally remember the day on which it occurred by some such significant appellation. St. in
Patrick having
Meath and
now
accomplished his greal work
the adjacent
~
districts,
prepared for his
journey to that western shore which he had so long desired to visit
Irrr.
It
is
probable that the saint travelled
7T
A
in a straight
plain of
line
Magh
or from Tara,
across the
country, cither from the
where he had destroyed the
Slecht,
may have
which he
revisited
idol,
before
leaving that part of Ireland for his distant mission.
The
Tripartite states that he
went over Snamh-da-en,
where he forded the Shannon miraculously, and that charioteer,
his
Buadmael, died, and was buried here imme-
diately after his landing.
It is remarkable,
and a matter
of great interest both to the archaeologist and the hagiographer,
how
accurately nearly every site mentioned in
the ancient Lives
of
St.
Patrick
can
be identified.
and coherence of narrative and known facts of topography and history, which render the details of the Life of St. Patrick of the most
There
is,
in fact, a coincidence
unquestionable authenticity.
Snamh-da-en? was the ancient name of that part of Shannon which lies between Clonmacnoise and
the
Clonburren. that noble
Thus we can point out the very part of At Cill where the saint crossed.
river
Buaidh he founded a church, probably on or near the site of
the present church of Killemry, to the west of
Lough Ree.
The
saint then proceeded to
Magh-nai,
a plain in the county Roscommon, wishing, as usual, to
proceed direct to Cruachan," the ancient palace of the kings of Connaught.
This plain was situated between
the towns of Roscommon, Elphiu, Castlerea, and Strokes-
1
Snam7i-da-en.
—The swimming or passage
no van, " Hy-Many," p. 5. Cruachan.— Top. Poems,
p. xxxiii.
oE
the two birds.
See O'Do
St.
•>>.**
Patrick meets Ethna and
i< thlema.
town.
Here be was met by two brothers who were
druids,
Mael and
('a plait, and who were said to have two daughters of King Laeghaire, Ethna the
fostered
and Fethlema the Ruddy.
Fair,
Tims,'
druids
tried
and brought darkness
to exercise their magical arts,
He
over the plain, which was dispelled by the saint.
then visited Elphin and other places in Connaught,
As
where he founded churches.
are recorded fully in the Tripartite,
these it
foundations
will he
unneces-
sary to mention them here.
There was a well or fountain, called Clebach/' on the slope of the royal fort or palace of Cruachan, where the
women were accustomed
bathe at
to
Ethna and Fethlema arrived
sunrise
when
:
at this place one morning,
tiny found the saint there with a "synod of clerics with white garments and their hooks before them."* The maideus were amazed at what tiny deemed a heavenly apparition and one, more courageous than ;
the rest, began
to question
asked, had they
eome
of the earth, or a
phantasm
?
the saint
Were
:
— whence,
she
they sidhes, 1 or gods
?
: 3 Clebach.
— This word
signifies a tux or wolf. There is still .1 well at tlio surrounded by a doablo fosse. For details of this most enrious and interesting remaiD, see O'Donovan's note under the year 1223. 4 Tlicm.— So in the Book of Armagh and the Tripartite, lint Probus expressly says that Patrick hail three bishops ami many clerics with him. Colgan, pp. 53, Si in our oopy of Colgan, 54 is misprinted 5S.) 6 Sidhc— This was the name given by the Irish to fairies who inhabited the
Bath, which
is
:
hills.
It is doubtful
r with
the Celtic
daughters and pa-lite.
whether the word ride,
a blast.
St. Patriate will
i;
oognate with the Latin root softs
The conversation between Laeghaire's
be given in
full in the translation of
the Tii-
"
Then they inquired where the God of these strange lived % was he beautiful 1 was he rich 1 and then
men
they asked whether he was in the elements which they worshipped, " in the sea or in rivers, in mountains
V
or in valleys
The
last of all
He told them
than
He
is
was not slow
saint
tioning. ful
But
and how
to be loved,
they asked,
to be
how
earth,
and
—the Light And
One.
seas,
of all
then,
and
He
to reply to their eager ques-
more power-
He
all.
rivers
the Life of
;
was who
it
had created these elements, who was the God
and
is
1
of the one true God,
more beautiful than
all,
found
of heaven, all
things
things— the ever blessed Three having instructed them as fully
in
as
might be in the Church's Creed, he added, with that inimitable excel
:
"
grace,
But
which
in
I desire to
unite
souls
saintly
you
to the
so
often
Heavenly King,
inasmuch as you are the daughters of an earthly king."
Then
how
Him
see "
And
them Heavenly Kmg, that they " might
the virgins implored the saint to teach
to believe in this
face to face."
Patrick said
:
'
Believe ye that by baptism you put off the
of your father and your
sins
They answered, 'We
mother?
believe.'
"
'
Believe ye in repentance after sin V
"
'
Believe ye in
at the
Day
of
life
after death
Judgment V
'
1
'
We believe.'
" Believe ye the unity of the Church T° '
6
Church.
in the is
'
We
believe.'
— This is from
Book
omitted.
We believe.'
Believe ye the Resurrection
Dr. Todd's translation of the original as it stands In the Irish version of the Tripartite this question of Armagh. It is observable, however, that Probua has it (Quinla Vita
Colgan, p. 58, rccte 54)
—
:
" Creditis unitatem sancta: Ecclesioe
?"
They desire
ancient
["hen, writes the
them, and
to see the
put a white
Face of(
chronicler, Patrick baptized
garment upon their heads, and
they "asked to see the face of Christ." the fervor of
these
nothing but the Most you,
293
'hrist.
So great was
young and noble
Beatific Vision
converts,
could
thai
them.
satisfy
blessed ones, pray for as also, that we, too, with
may
see the face of Christ ere long
!
But Patrick told them they must pass through the dark portals of death before they entered the gates of Life,
and that they must
also
"receive the Sacrifice,
if
They answered, " Give us the Sacrifice, that we may behold the Son our Spouse." How many holy virgins have asked and obtained this they would see their Lord."
same grace, both before and since not been granted to did, ....
many
!
and, though
from earth to heaven, the
moment
known
in ecclesiastical history. 7
Then the holy maidens wen; was indeed most garment.
fitting, in
And
their
laid to rest together, as
one bed, and covered with friends
wept
for
them, even
while they rejoiced, virgins, following the Virgui 7
History.
has
after receiving
the Sacrament of Love, yet such instances are
and recorded
it
to pass, as those noble ladies
— In or about the year
Lamb,
Dominican, died on Holy Thursday, with two of his novices, one at each side, who had served his Mass, The whole narrative is far too long to insert here, but it may be read at length in Catholic ]. published by Burns and Co., London, p. 37. The fact that their death was a sjiccial favor granted to them by our Divine Lord, and foretold by Him, seems to be well authenticated. Dr. Lanigan, always inclined to be sceptical, has endeavored to explain away this passage by saying that probably it only
after celebrating the
^
1
bat this
Holy
1277, Brother Bernard, a
Sacrifice of the Mass,
to tho religious profession of the virgins (h'c JIUl., vol. is
obviously impossible.
i.,
p. '211)
;
—
Life of St. Patrick
294
in white raiment, in the heavenly
kingdom.
"When the
days of mourning [ululationis] for the king's daughters
were accomplished, they were buried near the well Clebach, where they had
was made according
pagan custom
but, adds Tirechan, with us is,
seen the saint.
first
to the
it
the remains of the virgins.
the ground
is
called
The grave
like a Fcrta, Reliquiae, that
Nor can we doubt
was consecrated wherein these holy
that
relics
were placed, for the writer states expressly that the F&rta, with the bones of the holy virgins, was granted to Patrick and to his heirs for ever, and that he built a
church of earth near the place.
In
doing
this,
in-
would only follow the usual custom of the
deed, he
Holy Catholic Church, which ever loved
to offer the
Adorable Sacrifice in or near the place where the saints reposed.
How
few ever give a thought to the memory of the
virgins as they pass the old rath of the chieftains
!
Yet there
is
whole of Ireland which saintly memorial.
Heremonian
scarcely a spot throughout the is
not consecrated by some
Here some great miracle was
per-
formed, there some church was founded by Patrick himself river
;
in this place he preahced to thousands, in that
he baptized thousands.
Why
do not our people
—
4 Reposed. The Tripartite says, " And Sen-domlmagh of Magh-al was presented to Patrick in sternum." And others say the relics of the maidens were brought to Ard-Macha, and there they await the resurrection, el ibi
raurrcctionem expectant. The plain of Magh-ai, now Mochaine, extended from the town of Roscommon to the barony of Boyle, and from the bridge of Cloonfree, near Strokestown, to Castlerea. Book of Ili'jhts, p. 104.
Z^L His
Visit to the
Wood
up these holy memories
treasure
qfFochlut.
Why
\
taught them, and reminded of them
are they not
memory memo-
Better the
!
of holy deeds and saintly lives, than the angry ries,
too long cherished, of oppression and wrong.
remembered that
It will be
naughl the
St.
the "second Easter."
in
death
Patrick went to Con-
So
it is
probable that
holy virgins took place
of these
between
Easter
and
verted,
and the circumstances attending their conver-
The two magi were con-
Whitsuntide.
sion led to the use of a proverb, Calvus is like Caplait,
because the one was shaven after the other.
Patrick
St,
remained seven years in Connaught, according to Tircchan, and the author of the Tripartite. useless to give a there, in
given
list
of the churches
It
the present part of this work, as
fully,
would be
which he founded it
with careful identifications of each
There
the translation of the Tripartite.
are,
will
be
site,
in
however,
some points of
interest
noticed here.
Nbl the least remarkable of these
visit
and importance, which
wood
of the saint to the
town of
Bcnl
Killala.
It
shall be is
the
of Fochlut, near the prewill
be
remembered how
deeply moved he had been by even the very mention of the name, while at the court of
Tata
;
how great,
then, his emotion
he beheld the very
site,
King Laeghairc
at
must have been when
and walked
in
the
wood from
which he had been called "to come over and help the Irish Celt."
by two Gleran,
As be approached
virgins,
who
the place he
was met named
the daughters of a chieftain
are said
to
have been the very children
whose voices
the
veil,
founded.
Their names were
had heard in Gaul.
lie
Crehrea and Laissair, and
St. Patrick, after
them over a
placed
giving them
which he
religious house
Their relics were preserved at the church of
Kil-fhorclarm, on the
1
west of Cross-patriek.
tanks of the
Moy, about a mile
9
This being accomplished, the saint proceeded to the
Amalgaidh usually assembled,
place where the clan
order to
his
fulfil
dividing the
and
promise to Endeus,
Here
inheritance.
crowned with wonderful
success,
his
and
in
assist in
preaching assisted
was
by won-
One of these miracles was the resusciAengus named Feidelm, who had died some time before. The prince had promised to believe if Patrick would restore her to life. As soon as the derful miracles.
tation of a sister of
saint arrived at
1
Forrach-nec-Amalghaidh, he went with
Conall to the grave by the lower road to Citt-Alaidh.
Aengus, however, went by the upper road, reason for so doing
is
not mentioned.
When
but his the saint
had reached the grave, he resuscitated the woman, who
was pregnant.
After her baptism she preached to the
—
Cross-patrick. The Tripartite says " It was they that called upon Patrick from their mother's womb, when he was in the islands of the Tyrrhene Sea." They are patronesses in Cill-Forglainn, to the west of Muahlli. 1 Forrach-nec-Amalghdidh. The assembly grounds of the tribe of Amal:
—
gaidh.
Dr. O'Donovan has identified the
mouth
site.
It is in the present parish of
Moy, between Balliua and Killala. The name even is yet to be found in the townland of Farragh, in that parish, and there are two hills in the neighborhood, either of which may have been the very site whereon St. Patrick preached to the princes and people of Tirawlcy One hill is called Mulloch Fharraidlt, the Hill of the on this occasion. Assembly the other Cnoc-a-tirrol, the Hill of the Meeting. Ballisakeery, near the
;
of the
Woman
a
His Restores
Life
to
people of the " pains of hell and the rewards of heaven,"
and brought her brother with tears to believe "
and Patrick."
of Regeneration,
day
that
Patrick
for
God
He, then, also received the Sacrament
and 12,000 people were baptized on
in the
well
Aen-Adharrac. 1
of
Manchen
left St.
Here St
govern the church which he
to
founded.
Probus records
St. Patrick's visit to
Cruachan Aighle
3
as having taken place immediately after these events.
The
says Patrick went to
Tripartite
Cruachan Aighle is men-
on the Saturday of Whitsuntide, but the event
tioned quite apart from the circumstances related above.
Jocelyn has not attempted any very regular sequence in his history,
and the account comes near the end
the Life, but he this
mountain.
lema.
* is
Tirechan,
the
in
Book of Armagh,
Cruachan Aighle immeafter the baptism and death of Ethna and FethAll the accounts of this remarkable and impor-
mentions diately
of
says St. Patrick passed the Lent on
St. Patrick's visit to
Aen-Adharrac
—The one-horned
called Tober-en adare.
the dead, granted by
God
In the
hill.
A remarkable to the saints,
Book
of
Armagh
the well
instance of the power to resuscitate
is
mentioned
in the Life of St.
Co-
where we are told that she restored a nun to life who had been dead and was lying in her coffin in the church when the miracle touk place. A picture was long preserved at Poligny, where the miracle occurred. "St Clare, St. Colette, and the Poor Clares," pp. 229-233. s Cruachan Aighle. The Hill of the Eagle, now Croagh Patrick, or Patrick's There is a singular and very Hill, in the south-west of the county Mayo. lette,
for several days,
—
—
Thus we hud in the Life of Francis of Assisi that he spent a " Lent" on the mountains of Alvernia,
beautiful family likeness in the lives of the saints. St.
before the Feast of St. Michael, in the year 1224, where our Divine Lord
appeared to him several times, and promised special favors for his order.—
M St Francis and
the Franciscans,"
p.
190,
Life of St. Patrick.
298
tant period of his history are, however, substantially the
same indeed
it is
;
not a
little
remarkable that so
many
authors, writing under such different circumstances, in different countries,
and
cumstance in
itself is
have
at different periods, should
This one
coincided so accurately in every detail.
cir-
strong confirmatory evidence of
the authenticity of what they have related. It is probable the Tripartite gives the
account of the time during which forty days
St.
and nights of fasting and
mountain.
If
Book
of
vigil
upon
this
he visited Tirawley during the second
Easter after his arrival in Ireland, as the
most correct
Patrick kept his
we gather from
Armagh, he would have been occupied until
Pentecost with his mission there.
He may
have desired some weeks of retirement
then well
for prayer
and
special penitential exercises, which, after the sacraments,
are the great source of strength for the Catholic missionary.
may have made him wish who had witnessed his and who might ignorantly refer
His humility,
also,
to retire for a time from
wonderful miracles,
them
those
to his power, instead of to the
power of God.
Alone upon the mountain, the saint watched and prayed and wept for forty days and
many
How
foi'ty nights.
may we owe
graces and blessings
even
now
to the
intercession of our great apostle during that period of
penance and intercession
came
!
At
its
close,
to torment him, in the shape of birds,
the
demons
whose black
forms kept from him the fight of heaven and the sight of earth.
He
prayed, saying the Psalms of holy David,
He Prays and Weeps
upon Croagh Patrick. 299
which the maledictions of heaven were invoked upon
in
Then he rang
the powers of darkness. hell
which he appears
to
his hell
—the
have carried with him every-
where, and which, no doubt, was specially blessed, " To drive
Then he threw the that a piece
demons from the upper
all
4
amongst them
bell
was broken from
it.
air."
in holy anger, so
But God,
wise purposes, permitted all these efforts to to
show the
saint that no efforts,
His
for fail,
own
perhaps
however holy, could avail
against the powers of darkness, as
long as
God was
pleased to permit that he should be tried by them.
Patrick
now began
front of his casula to him.
Thus
weep
to
so abundantly that the
was wet, and then the angel came
also
do the angels come to us
—
not, in-
deed, always in visible form, as they appeared to our
great apostle and father, but not less surely and truly,
danger
when God's providence
rescues us
from the
which has caused us
many
and many anxious
also
fears
hours.
The angel was probably
Victor,
who
so constantly
attended the saint, and appeared to him on so occasions.
He
many
cleaned the casula, and brought white
birds about the mountain, and they sang " sweet melodies 1
"6
Bell.
bell.
for the apostle,
— This
is
now freed from
oalled in the Tripartite
Prohus does not mention
this,
the attacks of the
Bernan
nor does
Bright*, Brigid's gapped he give any details of St.
Patrick's visit to Cruacltan Aighlt, *
marked
tP^i
also, in the Life of St. Francis of Assisi, we are told freThere are some the birds surrounded him, and sang for him. resemblauces between the Lives of St. Patrick and St. Francis; and
Melodies.— Thus,
quently
how
300
Life of St. Patrick
powers of darkness. victory
was
The
attained, the
In the Lives of the Saints
cumstances
:
we
many
find
suffered,
in this world, of nearness to
of His divine approbation.
favors follow,
spiritual
soul, the true life, gains
similar cir-
and penance in
after a period of prayer
which the body has
and the
had been borne, the
trial
reward was about to follow.
a thousand-fold, even
God, and of special tokens
How could
be otherwise,
it
when such persons have but followed the example the Son in
^"
A
whom He was
well pleased
of
1
conversation between St. Patrick and the angel
is
recorded in the Tripartite, which reminds us of Jacob's " / will not let thee go unless declaration to the angel :
thou bless
me
6 ;
and of the conversation between
M
St.
Francis of Assisi and his guardian angel, as recorded in the annals of the Order.
I
1
"
asked for it is also
souls,
and
St.
Patrick, like St. Francis,
so great, so ardent, so
consuming was
observable that the Franciscans have been specially devoted to
recording both the history and hagiography of Ireland. were Franciscan friars ; Colgan was a Franciscan friar
;
The Four Masters and many of the
Irish annals were compiled by Franciscans. 9 Me, Gen. xxxii., 25. As the conversation between the angel and St. Patrick will be given in the Tripartite in full, it has uot been considered
—
—
Since the first part of this work was issued, a necessary to insert it here. very absurd theory has been ventilated by a person, to whose position, for the It is that the Lives of St. credit of Catholicity, I will not even allude.
made up by students, who wrote essays on this and Irish history and who, when they could not get sufficient material for their All I can say is, that they were wonderfully essay, invented a miracle. No doubt, anyone could invent a miracle but how does it happen gifted. that all these inventions hang so well together that places and dates and that they are confirmed by modern research and public events all coincide what becomes of the veracity of the compilers of these Lives, who used these " essays." I am pained thatany Irishman should have propounded such a theory; I am grieved that it was proposed for the acceptance of a large audience of voung men. Patrick were generally,
;
;
;
;
1H
Favours Promised
to
him by God. (
his desire for the salvation of his
he could not easily be
satisfied.
adopted country, that It
was on
this occasion
that he obtained for his faithful ones the privilege of releasing
"seven every Thursday, and twelve every
Saturday, from
pains
;"
and that Erinn
covered by the sea seven years before the
Then he was promised
ment.
who should should at the Day those
recite his
of
;"
fire shall
for all
and that he
" seven persons for
and that on the "clay when the
twelve royal seats shall be on four rivers of
daily,
be
of Judg-
special graces
hymn
Judgment save
every hair in his casula
should
Day
Mount
Sion,
and the
be about the mount, and
when
the three peoples shall be there, namely, the people of
heaven, and the people of earth, and the people of that he should be judge over the
"When
day."
went
to
St.
Patrick
made
men
hell,
of Erinn on that
this request, the angel
heaven until the evening, and then he returned
to the saint to tell
him
that his prayer
command him to ring kneel down and bless the to
was granted, and
his sweet-sounding bell,
and
people of Erinn.
After St. Patrick's descent from the mountain, he visited the country of the
four churches,
He
also
Corco-Themne, where he founded
and baptized many thousand persons.
visited
a
well
called
Tobar-Finn-maujhc,^
Lanigan("Ec. History." vol. i., p 227) says that this To>«ir-Finnmaight In the Book of Arma-h, Ftnn-itagh, in Mayo, but gives no authority. White Plain, is said expressly to be in Hy-.Many, which shows that he was wrong. Dr. O'Donovan has identified the district in the barony of Athlone, County Roscommon. The history of St. Patrick's visit to the well is »
was
or the
given very fully in the Book of Armagh.
/'I
;
where the pagans believed that a god had
his resi-
This well was covered with an immense stone
dence.
which the saint removed, and thus destroyed the devowhich the people had for it. The veneration which the saint had and always manifested for the cross is specially dwelt upon by his tion
early biographers.
was
It
his custom, as
it
was
also the
custom of the early Christians, to sign himself frequently with that sacred symbol the cross of Christ over
day and night." special faith in,
which the
It
is
;
and,
we
and veneration
Irish Celt has
from our great apostle.
are told, " he placed
him one hundred times each more than probable, that the for this pious
ever manifested,
So exact was the saint in the
practice of exterior reverence to the cross, that
he passed a wayside
custom
inherited
is
cross,
even
if it
whenever
were at some con-
siderable distance, he at once dismounted from his horse
or chariot in order to
pay due respect
to the
symbol of
our salvation.
On it,
one occasion he passed by a cross without noticing
but in the evening his charioteer,
asked
why
While praying before
exterior mark, or
told which, that
inquired the
tomb
who :
it
by a divine
it,
intimation,
it,
saint
to the
by some
he knew,
some one had been buried
seen
The
and went back
at once rose from his dinner, cross.
who had
he had omitted his usual custom.
we
are not
there.
He
was, and a voice answered him from
"I am a poor pagan, and
whilst living, I was injuring
my
soul
I
was buried here untd
I
died,
and
The Saint Illuminates the Plain.
I
The
waa buried here afterwards."
why
the sign of Christianity
The
grave.
spirit
foreign lands,
answered
;
this
through
his
my
grief,
it
to
lands,
She thought
grave.
was placed, recognize
in
country
and she came from foreign
this cross over
able,
inquired
"A certain woman was
was over the grave of her son
was not
saint
had been placed over
and her son was buried here in
during her absence
and placed
:
30:3
it
for she
her son's
grave." 8
The to
saint, after this,
caused the cross to be removed
The writer of the
the grave of the Christian.
partite then abruptly relates
3Eti Patrick's charioteer find
them
the
saint
Tri-
how, on one occasion, when
wanted
his horses,
and could not
in consequence of the darkness of the night,
illuminated
Hfted up all
his
hand,
the plain as
if
and
his
five
fingers
they were five torches,
so that the horses were immediately found.
Probus,
however, gives a fuller account of this miracle, and says that
it
occurred on the night of Sunday, after a stormy
day, during which St. Patrick had been exposed to the fury of the tempest, which came on suddenly, and inun-
dated the whole province
—the
place where the saint
was, however, remained dry."
—
8 Grave. The account of this miracle as given by Probus, differs in detail from that given in the Tripartite and the Book of Armagh.— See Colgan, p. 55. * Dry. In the Life of St. Hilarion, we rind a curious account of his having blessed some horses which were to run in the public games at Gaza. They were the property of a Christian, and their owner assured the saint that he was obliged to join in these public games on account of his office, and not from inclination. He also informed him that his pagan opponent had bewitched his horses by ma. gical incantations, so that he was continually reproached by the non-Christian population with being unable to defeat them. Under these circumstances, the
—
St.
Patrick remained seven years in Connaught
then, having established Christianity in
;
and
that remote
region, returned, through the north of Ireland, to his
The
old converts in Meath.
the narrative of his
Tripartite thus concludes
Ireland
in that part of
labors
:
" Thrice Patrick went across the Shannon into the land of Connaught.
Fifty bells and fifty altar chalices and
fifty altar cloths
of
them
to the
he
left in
in his church.
men
the land of Connaught, each
Seven years was he preaching
of Connaught,
and he
left
them a
blessing,
and bade them farewell." him water to bless the horses the result was a triumphant victory, and the conversion of many of the pagans, who declared that Manias, the God of Gaza, was defeated by Christ."
eaint gave
;
'
'
ry i;v '
,n„.|i,yi
i
—
and the sea into Crick-
wards between Es-Euaidh Conaill.
Here he " fixed a
an abode
for seven bishops,
and said
stake,
he predicted the birth of Conall and Fergus
upon the head
3
Mac
is."
Who
sliall
this place
As he placed
Neill.
be born of his
will be a sage,
Near
Columba, when blessing
St.
of the latter he said
" A youth
would be
it
and there Bite? the bro-
son of Aisicus, from Elphin,
ther's
—
his
hands
:
tribe,
a prophet, a poet."
After the saint had left a blessing on the towns, and
and churches, in
forts,
Magh
A
this part of
Donegal, he went to
Itha.
curious
and
characteristic conversation
is
recorded
4
have taken place at Fidh-mor, between
to 2
Bite.
3
Patrick
—This was Beoadh, Bishop of Ardcarne, in the county RoscomAsieus, Bishop of Elphin. of — Son of Conall Gulban he was married to Erea, daughter of Loam St.
He was nephew
mon.
St.
Fergus.
St.
;
whom
he had a son Felim, the father of St. Columba. In relating this circumstance Dr. Lanigan throws a doubt upon the Tripartite, saying "If we are to believe the Tripartite." I have been blamed for a want of
Mor, by
respect to Dr. Lanigan's
memory and
services in calling attention to these
but surely it is the first duty of a writer to explain, as far as may be, the mistakes of those who have written on the same subject. The remark was indeed only made by one person, strongly prejudiced against the present writer's view of St. Patrick's Life ; but as others may possibly also misapprehend our criticisms, it has seemed advisable to explain them. Predictions are frequently found in the Lives of the Saints, and only an unwise prejudice could induce anyone to discredit the Tripartite narrative because this prethings
;
diction
is
contained iu
Magh tical
rence
Itha,
it.
—
NowVeagh; it lies between the church of Donaghmore, of and the royal palace of Aileach. I fear that those who are scep-
* Fidh-mt,r.
about miracles will question this incident. is
related in the Life of St. Colette,
A
which at
somewhat least
may
similar occur-
prevent
it
from
being attributed to the " imagination" of
St. Patrick's biographers, or rele.
We
are told, in the Life of St. Colet'je,
gatod to the invention of a " student."
The Miracle performed for Eoghan.
and Eoghan, Eoghain.
son of Nial, and ancestor of the Cine!
He complained
to the saint that his brother
took precedence of him on account of his ugliness, prob-
ably in accordance with the Celtic law, which required chieftain to be free from
The
personal blemish.
all
a
saint
and when inquired what form he would wish to have Eoghan expressed a desire to resemble the appearance of his "satchel-bearer," Moo, of Inix-bo-fuide, who was St Patrick's nephew, and son of his sister, Darerca, he ;
covered both with the one garment at night, and in the
morning Eoghan's
desire
had another wish, and be increased
;
was
this
this, too,
But Eoghan
gratified.
was that his stature should
he confided to the
saint,
who
obtained for him also the increase in height which he desired.
Patrick then blessed
and journeyed on
to the
Eoghan and
his sons,
royal palace of Ailcach of the
Kings. I
am
prepared for scorn
not only from those
who
—
I
am
prepared
for laughter,
power by which He
utterly disbelieve in the
which God has delegated
to
His
saints,
has enabled them to work miracles, but even from those
whose
faith should teach
them
better things.
It
mat-
when she was fourteen years of aire, her stature was so remarkably dimi. nutive, that her father taunted her with it on many oceaaionB, and declared she would be of no U9e in their little household. After one of these painful scenes, the young saint, deeply grieved at her real <>r supposed inca] acity t'> a chapel dedicated to our In dp her parents, res. that
'
i
Her praj Blessed Lady, and to ask the favor of an increase in stature. 'it, a miraculous growth; and, in heard, and Bh addition, a social dignity and majestic sweetness in her whole carriage which
m
remained her sjucial characteristic through the Poor Clares," p. 186.
life
—"
St.
'
'lare,
St
<
"I,
^jMi
l i ii O ij
ilff ii
H^ifl ^^^TPBr^ Wh
'
i
'
l
l'
i
"
i
l-''i;
l
'
>lu^vP Hi tli f i
l|l
l
|
Life of St. Patrick.
Truth
ters little.
is
not
because
less truth
disbe-
it is
by many. A miracle is none the less true because modern scepticism finds in it some special subject of lieved
criticism
—some
happened.
I
special reason
why it
" could not" have
have already said so much on the subject
am No amount
of miracles in the introductory chapters, that I
unwilling to enter upon the subject again. of arsTiment will
convince a
man
Those who have not received the able
and there are metaphysical
;
against
his
will.
gift of faith are excus-
connected
difficulties
with the whole subject of evidence, which would need
more space others,
who
to explain than can be given
here.
in the Life of St. Patrick,
and who,
nevertheless,
possibility of a miracle, I
by the power
place, St.
why
Patrick
%
some other
also, in
—
if
a miracle
any time or in any
of God, occur at
reject the miracles recorded in the Life of
There
Patrick for which of
can only say
would
deny the
not, perhaps I should say dare not, altogether
can,
To
are pleased to discredit the miracles recorded
saint.
common
It should,
is
no miracle in the Life of
we may not If
you
St.
find a parallel in the life
discredit the one,
you must
consistency, discredit the other.
however, be well and clearly understood,
that miracles which have not received the special seal of the Church's approbation,
by acceptance
for canoni-
zation, are to be received as true or rejected as false
the ordinary evidence of
who
human
may
be said by those
that
some of the miracles related
testimony.
believe a miracle
is
Now,
on it
possible,
in the Lives of our
aI
111:1
bui
admit that
L
to be drawn. historical
same
and others may not
v be true
saint
here.
testimony
—
all
are supported
Deny one
historical evidence.
1
that
and
any
by
it
we can say
is,
;
do occur by God's permission, these
have occurred
;
and, again, let fact,
me
earnestly re-
that there is not
single miracle recorded as having been
the life
true.
that such miracles are recorded
by St. Patrick, for which you
that
you
for believing the
does not therefore follow
quest attention to the important
in
is
precisely the
miracle, and
single miracle must, of necessity, be
that, as miracles
o.
so,
select certain miracles as true,
reject others as false,
All that
may
be
The process of " natural selection" will not avail But though it would be impossible to make any
line of demarcation,
and
may
All are recorded on precisely the same
have no reason or rational trround rest.
It
cannot sec where the distinction
I
may
of some other saint.
performed
not find
a parallel
Hence, the theory
the miracles attributed to St. Patrick are to be
discredited, because they
were frequent, or because they
were extraordinary, at once There
is
falls to
the ground.
5
also a peculiar fitness in these miracles.
We
need go no further than the one at present under consideration to prove this.
L8
"What more bkely to impress
—
Ground. I am almost ashamed of so frequently returning to this subbut it seems of urgent necessity— a recent writer having suggested tli.it the legends of the Irish saints should bo " related as Livy does the legi Koman history." Thus would a German inlidel relate what In- would Ball We do not doubt that the "legends" of the life of our Divine Lord. this theory wis put forward thoughtlessly but it is, nevertheless, injurious to Catholic treatment of the lives the saints. of a true 4
ject
;
;
310
Life of St. Patrick.
the Cinel Eoghan, than a miracle which showed respect
and which was same time a supernatural intervention, of which
for their prince, regard for their laws,
at the
they could not
fail
to be continually
reminded
1
These
brave and rude, but earnest men, with a cultivation peculiarly their own, with the deepest reverence for nobility of appearance, were best influenced
such a miracle as
The sons
of
by
precisely
this.
Eoghan were
to future greatness
;
and
such a miracle could not
all
destined
their personal
by Providence knowledge of
to react powerfully for the
fail
future advancement of Christianity. If
we had not evidence
in the lives of other saints
of similar miracles having occurred, this miracle might
be relegated to the same class as the legends told by
Livy of Eoman history; all
it
might be explained away, and
the supernatural element, which
term
chaff,
might be threshed
sons would call the wheat of
out,
common
But we dare not pursue such a process of sifting,
by can
sense left behind.
course, lest, in the
we might unhappily
wheat of truth had been intellect, or
some writers would and what such per-
an unworthy
cast aside
find the pure
by the pride
stating boldly our belief in the supernatural. I
for a
of
desire not to shock prejudice
moment admit
that
such a
Nor
course
is
the wisest, even from a consideration of expediency. Protestant readers are far more likely to respect those
who adhere
firmly to then principles,
the moral courage of those
who
and
will
honor
boldly admit, even in
!»^^V //<
this
Aileach of the Kings.
r/.v/As'
ago of Bcepticiam, that they believe miracles have
happened and do happen, and who do not to apologize for
find
it
necessary
them, or to explain them away.
Honesty
thebesl policy, in theology and in literature, as well as
is
in social
proved
A
life.
110
temporizing policy has,
gain in the
Catholic truth
:
way
has unhappily done no
it
we
believe,
of convincing Protestants of
undermining the faith of Catholics;
little evil in
andmanya youth of
promise and of early piety becomes a sceptic in after life,
because his respect for his faith has been lowered
by the injudicious, though unintentional, questioning of miracles,
scarcely St.
which he has heard from those who, perhaps,
mean
all
Patrick's
was
partite, fortified
that they have thoughtlessly said.
next journey,
to Aileach
residence
of
according to the Tri-
of the Kings.
the
6
This was the
Northern Hy-Nial
kings.
Here he prophesied that kingship and pre-eminence should be over Erinn from Aileach, and the prophecy
was amply fulfilled.
The Northern Hy-Nialsheld sway
over the country for centuries this race
;
and the
chieftains of
were the most powerful opposors of foreign
invasion until the flight of the Earl of Tyrone.
The
saint then visited
Eoghan of the 6
Magh-dala,
1
where he built
Erom thence he proceeded
seven churches.
Islands,
8
to Tir-
where he built a hermitage.
—
The remains of this celebrated fort are near the town of Londonderry. For drawings and description, Bee the Ordinance Memoir of Templi n 7 Mwjh-dala. — The name is still preserved In the river Moyola, which fall-' into Lough Neagh. Aileach of the Kings.
present
8
Tir-Euyluin of the Islands.
— Now
Inishowcn.
'
:
WWW
I
'|T
|^U- JWf" v» »
j'
ll
!l
' i',
l1
rni W f fi/y i^ffi|TW i T^ ,
r
ii/b
312
MICTMWI fl yrM.
l
iw
q/"
^^P^??!^
^
St. Patrick.
At Bredaeh he met " the three Deachnans, the sons of Patrick's sister, in the country of Ailell, son of Eoghan,
and he ordained Oengus, son of and he remained there on Sunday
Ailell, in
that place,
—Domhnach-bile
is its
name.
That the custom of erecting seven churches
in the
same
neighborhood was prevalent in Ireland from the time of St. Patrick to the seventh or eighth century, there
Hence
can be no question. ",y
it
is
difficult to see
Dr. Lanigan should seek to throw
discredit
why
on the
frequent mention of the erection of seven churches by St.
Patrick in various places.
an able writer and a pious
It is to
be regretted, that should have ex-
ecclesiastic
pended so much argument, and used such contemptuous terms, in alluding to this matter.' If,
indeed,
mary
it
could be proved that
same neighborhood, 8
Matter.
—
I
lar
view
if ;
it
would be a
was not
custo-
churches in the
sufficient
argument
have already alluded to the remarks made by one person
as to the present writer's
grieved
it
in ancient Erinn to erect seven
criticism of Dr. Lanigan.
I should be deeply
anyone, whose opinion was worth consideration, should take a simihowever, I think few are likely to do so. Any person accustomed to
historical investigations, would
simply characterize a writer as utterly incapable who did not thoroughly investigate every point connected with his subject, and show the errors of former writers. telling the truth, or propagating error out simply between The question lies the latter course would seem to the of respect to the memory of the dead preseut writer the more disrespectful, as it would imply that the dead had wilfully misrepresented facts, instead of doing so merely through inadvertence. In the present instance Dr. Lanigan writes thus : " Not to dwell on some stuff about seven churches said to have been founded in that neighborhood by "Ec. Hist.," vol. i. p. 265. Yet Dr. St. Patrick in as many weeks," &c. Keeves, who has translated the passage where these churches are mentioned,
of compiling an ordinary narrative of facts
;
—
from the Tripartite, gives identifications of the disciples to whom the churches belonged.
sites,
and names
of the saint's
;
//.
DalrAraidhe and Dal-Riada.
visits
313 >'>•>
against the
of
recurrence
statement
the
theso
[f
churches were originally erected of costly materia],
might be objected that no wealth could
effeci
is
no
lies
on
buildings in seven weeks, and here there
of such
But the burden of proof
question of a miracle.
We
the other aide.
many
have too
it
the erection
authentic remains
of groups of churches in sevens to allow a denial that
many more such groups may have been erected ami that the material of which these earlier is well known it
;
churches were
dimen-
their extremely small
and
built,
sions,
were such as to allow of their being erected in
a
days.
\'<'\v
lie,
Then.' are, however,
a certain class of persons
who
convince, and
are
ase of prejudice,
ami there always
whom
afflicted
will
no argument can
with a certain moral
which makes argument, however
convincing, simply valueless to them. Tiie saint
next
and Dal-Riada.
whom
to
who was
a
druid hail given the
afterwards
Erc's twelve
that he
of the church if he
brethren.
ami
St.
Patrick in their district
Tripartite
for the
before his brothers.
would be king eventually,
was
esteemed
than
his
expressly mentions that
St.
less
The
appelhjtiOB tin- Icing to
Ob-an. bod."
i
— Tbe name
1
originated in tbe circumstances of tbe birth, which were said by
1
"-rJ -r-
he
that time he
The
child,
of ((lean,
would offer some land
was preferred
Patrick predicted that at
posthumous
a
name
a bishop.
sonswi lcomed
and Fergus promised
though
the districts of Dal-Araidhe
visited
Here he baptized
is
the diminutive
<>f
ole, bail
or evil.
Patrick
" cells
many
left
and establishments in Dal-
Riada;" for the names and identifications of these places
we must
refer the reader to the latter part of the present
work.
In Dal-Araidhe he found a well at Lathrach Patraic,
and there Daniel, Patrick's angel and dwarf,
name
preserved, almost intact, in the
still
is
and
Glenavy,
is
Patrick
The
modern
but one of a thousand instances in
which the minutest of St.
is.
2
by
details recorded
have been
recorded
the biographers
with the most
scrupulous care, and an accuracy which fully stands the test of
modern research.
facts before
One should suppose, with such
them, that Catholics, at least, would cease to
question the miracles of the saint recorded by the same
and accurate
careful
writers.
We
believe
that this
questioning has simply been the result of the centuries of discredit,
turbed
;
stituted, as to fact,
which discredit has accumulated undis-
and there are some minds
whatever proof there
Some very
so unhappily con-
be unable to take a new view of an old
may
be of
its
accuracy.
interesting details of St. Patrick's visit to
Dal-Riada and Dal-Araidhe are
given in Tirechan's
Annotations in the Book of Armagh.
1
Lathrach Patraic— that
is,
Patrick's
swamp.
Colg.in,
After he had
however, has trans-
lated it thus "In alio cjusdem regioni3 loco Lcttir-phadruic it posteritate appellate " (Septima Vita, p. 147). He also says, Daniel was called Abliac, a dwarf, :
from his short stature, and that from him the church was denominated LannAbhaic, the church of the dwarf, being then a parish in the diocese of Connor. It is now called Glenavy, the letter G having been prefixed by the English settlers. In Pope Nicholas's Taxation, a.d. 1306, it is simply called Lenneuvy. Peeves' " Down and Connor," pp. 47 and 236.
m
ordained
Mac Erca
bishop,
at
Axdstraw, in the pn
county l^nrone,-he crossed the Bonn, and blessed the
n
place where
is
the
had erected many
little cell
of Cuil-Raithen.
a
When
he crossed the Buas,
cells,
4
he
and, at
Duin-Sebuirgi, 4 sat upon a rock, and consecrated Olcan
\
bishop.
erected
The
He then returned into the plain of Eilrie, and many other churches, which the Coindiri possess. saint at this time also revisited the scene of his
many
here, however, pass over
details which,
interesting,
would unnecessarily increase the
work
we do
will
;
but
find
them
We
mountain of Slemish.
early captivity on the
must
however
size of
our
so with the less regret, as the reader
in
the Tripartite.
All the more im-
portant acts of the saint, however, shall be carefully
recorded here.
what time
It is not certain at
a bishop for Cloghcr
;
St.
Patrick consecrated
but the details of that event are
One of his comwho appears to have attended him on all his journeys, and who is emphatically denominated his very curious, and are fully recorded. panions,
"strongman," was carrying him over a stream. exclaimed in a fashion which indicated that he did find
it
so easy a task as
3 Cuilliititliat.
it
had once been.
St.
Ee nol
Patrick
—
The present Coleraiue. Dr. Lanigan (" Ke. Hist.," vol. i., p. was not acquainted with the valuable contents of the Book of Armagh, and very naturally wonders where Harris got the information given above. 267] *
Bum. — The
5
bu'm-Schuinji.
present river Buch.
— Dunsevcrick.
The whole
of this
passage
is
a clear indi-
cation that there were strictly defined territorial dioceses in Ireland
Book of Armagh was compiled, annexed to Ihe See of Connor.
mk
in the
J &}
eighth century, aud that
I
when
tlio
observed that this was not usual with
he was getting old now, that the
settled all his
companions in churches, whilst
Carthainn saint
had
he was
still
The
left to travel.
found a church
sufficiently near
prelate
up
for intercourse,
that
he
who governs
it
thus the
to-day can trace his succession
very time of St. Patrick.
Mac Carthainn was
left
And
to
and
Clogher was founded, and the esteemed
of
to the
him
saint desired
him
yet not so near as to cause inconvenience. diocese
Mac
him.
replied, that
It
would appear
a favorite with the saint, for
him the Domlinach Airgid, which was sent to when he was on the sea, coming
Patrick from heaven,
Bishop
to Erinn.
Mac Carthainn
died a.d. 506.
Preaching was the great means used by for the conversion of Ireland
St.
and hence we
;
Patrick
find frc-
quent mention of the places and circumstances where he
poured forth that eloquence which
The
Faith.
the
Tripartite
won thousands
mentions a
to
remarkable
sermon, or series of sermons, which lasted " three days
and three
during which, such was the holy
nights,"
fascination exercised
by the
no longer than an hour. Cloak er,
St.
Brigid
fell
into
saint, that
When an
each day seemed
preaching thus near
ecstatic state, in
which
she had a vision which was afterwards interpreted
by
St Patrick.
A
remarkably detailed and characteristic account
is
given of the resuscitation of Eochaidh," son of Crimthann. •
Eochaklh.
— This jinnee
of the Orgillians
book
iii.
ch.
"(3.
from
is
mentioned by O'Flalierty, in tracing the history O'Flalierty, three Collas were descended.
whom the
'&r-''
r^r:
+
*
Eochaidh reston d This prince had a daughter
many
her to
met the
3he
a
man
_
t
517
named
Ee wished
Cinne.
In the meantime
companions, and
his
If
*•
to Life.
of noble family.
and
saint
*•
*-1f?
he, as usual,
began at once to instruct her in the Christian doctrine.
She listened
him, was convinced of the truth, and
to
When
baptized.
give her to the
she
now
him
to
her father sought her, that he might
young prince
in
desired another alliance,
permit her to
"wed
marriage, he
found
and Patrick implored
the
Eternal
Spouse."
Eochaidh had evidently some knowledge of the Faith,
and
He
yet, withal, a not
unusual pagan dread of baptism.
promised to do as Patrick wished, on two conditions:
him heaven
if
the saint would promise
if
he would promise also thai he would not compel him
to be baptized.
tradictory this as
went
The conditions seemed strangely con-
many
to live
occasions,
"united
agreed to to
res! in
peace.
passed on, and Eochaidh ;
still
remained amongst
but the pure and holy incense of
daughter's prayers were ascending for him day and
night before the eternal throne, and
he,
like
another parent, was to reap the rich reward of the fice
which he made.
comes to pared.
all
—
At
last
many sacri-
death came to him, as
it
prince and peasant, prepared and unpre-
The dying
around him
1HE
his
and
Christ,"
with another holy maiden, near Clogher,
the unbaptized ones a
other
Cinne was then
where both virgins V
and
but Patrick, no doubt divinely inspired on
;
on so
request.
as a reward,
to take
|IJfr f
chieftain desired care
»
that
those
who
si
1
he was not buried until
St.
Patrick was then in Ulster at Saul,
Patrick came.
and here the death of Eochaidli was him by a supernatural communication.
his favorite retreat;
made known
He
to
at once set out for Clogher, and, on his arrival, found
had been dead for twenty-four hours.' The saint desired that he might be left alone with the corpse, and, after spending some time in prayer, he comthat the
chief
manded him
to arise in the
name
of God.
The dead
7 Hours.— There are few canonized saints who have not at some time or other obtained the power of restoring the dead to life but, perhaps, one of the most remarkable of those resuscitations was that performed by the instrumentality of St. Colette, at Poliguy, in the early part of the fifteenth century. A religious, whose life had not been very edifying, died in that convent. ;
was then at Besancon, but the departed soul appeared to her, and was permitted by God to appeal to her for help, that she might be saved from eternal reprobation. Her great misery was caused by the The saint at once sent an express suppression of grave faults in confession.
'
'
St. Colette
said that she
all haste to Poliguy, desiring that the religious should not be When the messenger came, the unhappy nun was buried until her arrival. Colette arrived on the evening of the third in the choir. cofBn, in her lying day, but so absorbed in ecstacy, as to appear unconscious of the crowds who thronged around her, and who, having heard of her message, expected some They only dispersed when assured that the nun would not be great event.
messenger in
prayer. buried uutil the following morning. The saint passed the night in The office was said as usual in the morning, aud at its conclusion she went to Thousands religious. several of the the sanotuary, attended by the confessor and had assembled in and around the church, and there was an awful stillness of
The saint, after praying before the Most Holy Sacrament, approached the bier, aud commanded the dead to arise. The nun arose, and was led by the saint to the altar. She made her confession to the priest, aud said the penance enjoined her with tears and sobs of anguish, which moved the awe-struck assembly to their very inmost hearts. Then she arose and told them, with a clear and firm voice, that she had owed her salvation, under God, to the merits of her holy abbess ; and that an angel had protected expectation.
her soul from the demons who claimed it as their lawful prey, until the With tears aud miracle of her restoration to life could be accomplished. burning words she implored those who surrounded her to pray for her, since she must now return to God, to pay the heavy debt still due to his divine Then she prostrated at the feet of her superior, justice for her careless life. and, after imploring her blessing, placed herself on the funeral bier, and calmly
expired."— "St. Clare,
St. Colette,
and the Poor Clares,"
pp. 230-233.
as
man obeyed
him
sary to urge tion
it
was no longer neces-
He was
value and importance.
and then he declared, as
> > •>
sacrament of regenera-
to receive the
had learned, as only the dead can
for he
;
and then, indeed,
;
Learn,
it-;
instructed and baptized
one
;
could
thus restored
indeed do, the pains of hell and the bliss of heaven.
he was to be
Still,
" chief
the
in
free
his
on the part of God,
offered him,
kingship of
his
brave old chieftain
desire.
St.
country,
or
knew now
he could understand
;
Bat
heaven."
the difference be-
tween an earthly kingdom and a heavenly.
was quickly made
Patrick
fifteen years in the
daughter had chosen the heavenly alliance
His choice
now why
his
in preference
an earthly; and he declared, almost in the words of
to
countless holy virgins, that
sovereignty of the
the
if
whole world were given to him he would renounce
and count tilings"
him
to
it
which he had
Then
seen.
— oh
indeed, else should
Oh
we
and
to undertake
it
as soon
?
many Domhnach Maighen, 8 a
the saint continued his journey southward,
wonderful miracles occurred. At
man, named Victor, concealed himself, probably
8
most
"What,
seek for or desire on earth,
as the will of our Creator shall permit
like
!
most happy departure.
!
to prepare for this journey,
As
the saint desired
go in peace, and "journey to God."
blessed voyage
it,
comparison of the "good
as nothing in
many
Domnach
others,
itaighen.
ties, see Tripartite.
that
— For
fearing,
he should be asked to make
notes identifying thil and the following locali-
mm m
some
which
sacrifice
be painful to his natural
avouIcI
But Divine Providence intended that he should
feelings.
hereafter rule the
Church
as a bishop,
and his place
of
concealment was miraculously illuminated, and thus
was made known
the
to
At Enach-Conglais him but the
saint.
some wicked men attempted
to poison
;
aware of their design, turned the curds which
saint,
At Naas he baptized
contained the poison into stones.
and Ulan, the two sons of the king of Leinster
Ailill
;
and then baptized Moghain and Feidelm, the daughters of the former,
who
consecrated their virginity to God,
and were anciently venerated on the 9th of December.
The
saint then sent messengers to call the steward of
the fort of Naas, to be asleep,
when he heard prised
if it
when
for
him
who was named exclaimed
it,
were his
last sleep
:
;"
the servants went to
dead.
He pretended
Fallen.
from enmity and contempt.
This,
and
St. Patrick,
" I should not be sur-
and
him
so, in truth, it
was;
again, they found
similar interpositions of Provi-
dence, which seem to some would-be critics a blot on
the character of the saint, were manifestly the of
many
conversions, and of great good to others.
people were awe-struck, as were the Jews
means The
when they
heard of the sudden and awful death of Ananias and Saphira.
The
into a proverb
fearful
end of Fallen, we are
—an evidence of
and they often reverted Naas." love,
Thus, those
its effect
told,
passed
upon the people
;
to " Fallen's sleep in the fort of
who
could not be
were subdued by divine
fear.
won by
divine
BE He It to
would appeal that the saint wont direct from Naas He had visited Dricrin, who was king of
Wicklow.
the
>:
Plain of Magh-Lifd.
Visits the
Hy-Garehon, and who had married a daughter of
King Lacghaire.
This prince,
however,
saint
on
of his
hospitality,
the
plea
refused the
father-in-law's
Patrick, an evidence that Laeghaire's con-
dislike to
we have
version had not been sincere, as
already sug-
gested.
Another member of the family, however, received the saint willingly.
ri
His name was
Cillini,
and Patrick
prophesied that his son should be king of the l.i
(
rchon. It
is
of the acts of our saint,
were made.
Hy-
remarkable, in reading the ancient records
how
frequently such predictions
In ancient Erinn, where the succession
was
not hereditary, but depended upon the will
of the
people and the qualifications of the candidate,
it
was
manifestly the intention that the best man, according to
opinion of the age, should succeed.
St. Patrick
simply
followed out this line of action, though in a different
probably to impress upon
sense,
a very impressible
people the one great end of his ministry,
was always the
holiest
nwards
And
that
the
as only temporal
could influence the opinion of the multitude,
for their Bakes, at least,
to be given for St.
best.
he allowed a temporal reward
a spiritual
act.
Patrick once more turned northwards, at least as far
as the plain of Magh-Lifi, from which the present river Lifl'ey
takes
oratories,
its
and
name.
left
Here, as usual, he built
some of
cells,
or
his disciples to instruct his
J
wn y V
ii
iifff
iij
!.
, !
i
n
i
i
i |
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,-
,>w
ii
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i! ,
|i
»-.l[i
IBS'!
Z«/e
324
o/* $£.
p
a
'
i
illlTfl-
H
il
.
'I
f
fe^
VS^jSs^g^,
Patrick,
9
converts.
He
and Mac
Fail
Usail at Cil-Usaille, and Iserninus1
left 2
As
in Cella-Ciulinn.
lie
went
into the
western Life, the sons of Laighis attempted to entrap
him
some
into
water-pits.
As a punishment
for this
act of treachery, the saint declared that none of their
descendants should be either a king or a bishop. writes
the author of the Tripartite,
Cholium
3
This,
where Moin-
to-day.
is
According to the Tripartite, visited
is
the saint
must have
Tara at this time, as the author of that Life says,
" Patrick went from Tara, until he met Dubtach Mac Ui Lugair, in Hy-Ceinnsellagh." As we have already given the history of the vocation of St. Fiacc at length,
we
refer the
here
recorded.
4
The
reader to
saint
what has been -already
erected
churches in this part of Ireland.
a
great
number
From want
sideration, the writer of the Tripartite has
been accused
of gross exaggeration, in saying that "in thirty forties are the
of
of con-
and
churches which he [Aengus] gave to
—
9 Usail. This was the Irish name for St. Auxilius. According to tin Four Masters, he died August 27, a.d. 454, on which day the Calendar of the O'Clerys has, " Usaille, son of Ua Baird, Bishop of Cill-Usaille, in Lemster." His church is now called Killossy, or Killashee, and gives its name to a parish There are no remains of the church, but in the barony of Naas, Co. Kildare. there is part of a round tower with a square base. 1 Iserninus. It will be remembered that Iserninus was ordained with St. Patrick, and came to Ireland with him. He died A.D. 4G9. Trias. Th., p. 19. - Mac Fail was of the race of Lughaidh, king of Muuster, and brother to of Cill-Cleitghe. St. Colmau He succeeded Iserninus, and died of the plague, 11th June, A.D. 048. He was patron of Kilcullen, county Kildare. 3 Moin Cholium. This is now the old church of Moone, giving name to a parish and barony near Tiruolin, in the south of the county Kildare. See, for further details, Beeves' " Adamuan," p. 280.
—
—
4
Recorded.
— Ante,
page 40-50.
Explanation of
the
number of Churches. Churches
Patrick in the cast of Leinster." fortiea certainly
writer of a crime which It
sixth century,
in thirties or
Bounds a gross exaggeration
;
wc
but
we accuse an ancient
should bo very careful before
ginations.
'-i-l
may only
exist in our
own ima-
must be remembered,
that a church in the
and a church
nineteenth century,
in the
were very different structures
church or oratory,
a
;
such as was then usual, was built roughly of wood or stone,
and
its size
might not exceed ten
probable, that each family had
is
feet
by
It
six.
some such church or
oratory in their forts, and a priest to minister to their spiritual
by "
Hence,
necessities.
thirties
and
forties," it
if
churches were erected
would only prove, what
already know, that a very great
were converted to the Faith by
number
St.
Patrick
v.c
of families ;
and that
these converts were extremely zealous, and prized very
highly the privilege of assisting at the Sacrifice of the
New Law, and
We
of receiving the rites of the Church.
have, indeed, a most satisfactory evidence of this in that very part of the Tripartite which relates the erection of such a
number
of churches.
The
writer,
who
is
generally admitted to have been St. Bvin, states, that St. Patrick was " a Sunday in Domnach-mor of Magh-
Reta 6
;"
3
and that the people of the
Domnach-mor of Mayh-Hcta.— O'Donovan
iu Lcix, following
Offaly,
and
is
Ifeati ng
;
places Magh-Bechet, or Kiada,
bat, according to tlio
called Morett, a
mauur
in the
were buildin"
district
Feilire-Aengna,
barony
of
it
is
in
Portnaliincli, in the-
Queen's county, containing the church of Cuil-lieannchoir. An old map of Lcix has Murct, near the border of Lcix, in that part «if Otfaly called Claninalii-r,
of which the O'Dcmpscys wcro chiefs.
205, 210.
"Book
of
Uights," pp. 193,
The
a fort there.
saint
them
sent
Avord
that
Mass was
building would be impossible, unless
its
offered
there every day.
The saint left a blessing upon the Leinstermen also, and went through Bealach Gabhran, into Ossory, where he founded many churches and establishments, and predicted that the clerics and laics of this part of Ireland
he left them "relics of holy men," and some of his people " in the place where should be distinguished
Martrech
is
;
to-day in Magh-Eoiglme."
There was
still
one province in our island which had
not been evangelized by the saint. Ulster
first,
He had
evangelized
and, after seven years spent in that province,
he went by slow journeys, into the wild
still
and beautiful
"preaching and teaching,"
districts of
Connaught.
he returned from thence he naturally desired to first
converts,
to
see
how they
strengthen them in the Faith.
>.:-5
progressed,
As
visit his
and
to
This accomplished, he
evangelized Leinster; and then, even following his usual
plan
commencing
of
his
mission
journeyed to Cashel of the Kings. is
at
A
the
court,
he
notable miracle
recorded as having taken place on the night of his
would appear
that, after the introduction of
idol-worship into Ireland
by Tiernmas, they were wor-
It
arrival.
shipped in other places besides the famous plain of Slecht. •
"T^J'T
'.rc.
'liT
T
Bealach Gabhran, now Gowran, county Kilkenny.
W'P
'
,"
-~arn-F
nnm
Magh
1
1
E Tripartite records
were idols
at
that
there
and
Cashel,
that
they were found prostrated on the
morning
of the
after the arrival
He was
saint.
welcomed
Aengus, son of Nadfraech, and his people, by
he was conducted into the sons of Nadfraech and
upon
whom
ceremony, of
fort.
many
lie then baptized the
of the
men
he invoked a special blessing.
St.
Patrick inadvertently
Aengus with the point of
by
whom
of Munstcr,
During the
pierced
his crozicr.
the foot
The brave
V
::~?K~ (l?*V.
328
Life of St. Patrick.
young prince bore the pain saint inquired afterwards
he replied that he thought "
it
stance of devotion could special benedictions his race.
rule of Faith,"
Such a noble
not pass unrewarded,
were bestowed upon him and upon
left
And
says that St.
a stone here on which the Kings of Cashel
were crowned afterwards. "
in-
and
7
Jocelyn, in mentioning this incident,
Patrick
the
not complained,
was the
a part of the usual ceremony.
or
when
and,
in silence,
why he had
The writer
of the Tripartite
:
twenty-eight kings of the races of Alell and
Acngus reigned
in Cashel,
This Ccnngegain (Fin-
ghinne) was King of Cashel until a.d. 897 observation, evidently
made by
;
and
this
the transcriber, would
— Dr. Todd,
for some reason by no means apparent, has rejected the mentioned in the Book of but there are many other circumstances not mentioned in the same compilation which he has accepted. There is, in fact, quite as much evidence for St. Patrick's visit to Cashel and the circumstances attending it as for any King Aengus was a well-known historical other event in the life of the saint. Cashel of the Kings was a famous fort from an early period of character. The only objection given by Dr. Todd is a few lines in the Irish history. Tripartite, which states that "no man shall be King of Cashel until the comarb of Saint Patrick has confirmed him." Now, this appears to be merely a remark of the writer of the Tripartite; and when we recollect how great was the moral power which St. Patrick exercised in Ireland, there is noMoreover, Dr. Todd says that the passage thing very wonderful about it. above quoted is not to be found in Colgan's translation of the Tripartite this is a grave mistake, and it seems most extraordinary how one so accurate as Colgan has " Nee nomen Dr. Todd could have made such a statement. juraque obtinebit Regis, donee a moo successore coronabitur et consecrabitur." Dr. Todd was beyond all suspicion of Colgan, Seplima Vita, cap. 30, p. 15G. wilful suppression, and it seems very strange how lie could have overlooked It would appear from some other circumstances also that he had this passage. not studied Colgan carefully. 7
fiaee.
whole
H
ordained with the crozier,
until the time of Cenngegain."
P I"
.;.'•
of this account, apparently because it is not
Armagh
;
:
:
M
& g>r^ fits 17n'7 fo CasheL
the date of the transcription
fix
this
at
period pre-
cisely.
A^
history of Aengua
tin-
is
sowell known, this incident
an important and interesting data
affords
the date of the saint's visit to Cashel.
for
Keating says
in the battle of Cill-Osnadh, a.d. 489.
that he reigned for thirty-six
place the
commencement
years,
of his
and
Usher
has
conjectarally
Patrick's arrival in Minister,
f'-ii
places the date a.d. 445.
tween the two,
is
the
fixed
453
his
;
not known of
date
;
8t
Dr. Lani
a.d. 449.
The truth probably
for it is clear that
would
this
reign, a.d.
age at the time of his death unfortunately lmt
determining
Aengus was killed
lies
be-
only conjectural argu-
ments can be brought forward with regard
to the chrono-
logy of the principal events in the mission of the saint,
Much
unnecessary argument, however, has arisen in this instances, in consequence of false premises
and in other being
made
the ground of argument.
does not say that Aengus was
King
The
Tripartite
of Minister
:
he
is
merely spoken of as the son of Nadfraech, and his brother Ailill is
spoken of in precisely the same terms
this simple foundation, a
;
yet,
on
whole structure of controversy
has been raised up, and refuted.
It should
first
be
shown that any really ancient authority had clearly stated that Aengus was King of Minister at the time
M
of St, Patrick's
visit,
before
any attempt
is
made
to
discredit the narrative of St. Evin.
The
saint
now
continued his journey towards the
south, until he arrived in the present county Limerick.
"
i
i
i
r- < M»rvfa iiii irt*<
''
After passing through Aradha-Cliach, he "went on to Jochtar-Cuillen,
had been
9
killed
where he restored a child
by
He
pigs.
to
a Cele-De of his people, to resuscitate him
man had
;
who
life,
Malach
desired
Britt,
but this
2
not the faith or the obedience necessary for so
great a work,
and another gained
uow commanded Bishops
his crown.
and he prayed with them.
the miracle,
Patrick
Ibar and Ailbhe to perform
expected, after such a notable event,
all
As might be the people of
Ui-Cuanach believed. 3
At Groan a number
women came
of
to the saint,
aud
bewailed his departure, and he gave them a special
Many
blessing.
the
Limerick and cident
is
connected with his
A
neighborhood.
its
very curious
Aradha-Cliach.
Mac
Ere,
made a banquet
—This
territory, according to
Jochtar-Cuillen.
—This
is
now
1
Malach
iu the east
the parish of Cullen, barony of Clanwil-
liam, county Limerick, formerly extending into Ui-Cuanach. states (Top.
for
O'Donovan, comprised the
and the entire barony of Ui-Cuanach (Coonagh), Limerick, mentioned iu the next note.
9
in-
of Cae, a mountain in Hy-Figente. 4
parish of Kilteely of
in
visit to
about three miles south-west of
lies
Lonan, son of
him on the top 8
most remarkable incidents
are
related about the foundation of the church of
Mungret, which the city.
of the
the saint
of
life
Dr. O'Donovan
Poems) that Ui-Cuanach was part of Ara-CKach. Britt.
— See note to this passage in the Tripartite.
—
Obedience. It will be remembered that St. Benedict ordered his disciple, Maur, to walk on the water and draw out the child Placidus. The miracle was performed, aud, as Bossuet has well observed, it is difficult to say whether -
St.
it
should be attributed to the obedience of the disciple or the faith of the
master. 3 Oi-ean.
— Now the church and parish of Grean, containing the town of Coonagh and Clanwilliam, in Limerick. — This territory adjoined Ara-Cliach, from which was
Pallas-green, in the baronies of 4
Hy-Figente.
it
A
deacon,
named Mantan, 5 who
Patrick's people, feast,
\v;is
described as one of
is
assisting in the preparation of the
and a troop of jugglers came
to the saint to ask
He sent them Lonan and Mantan, hut they refused to give them food, which was an act of contempt to the order of the food,
for
and -would take no excuse.
to
saint,
A
and was punished as such. youth now came up the mountain, attended by
his mother, with a wether,
the
banquet.
animal to the
which had been cooked
The
saint
men
to save his honor,
for
begged of him to give the
and he at once
complied cheerfully, though his mother was unwilling that he should do so, fearing the
king's
displeasure.
The whole of this scene is singularly characteristic of The welcome of the saint by a banquet, the times. the
arrival
of
a
troop
importunity, the charity
of
jugglers
of the
offering to the prince of the
or
saint,
magi, the
their
primitive
wether ready dressed, the
refusal of Patrick's disciples to give the food, consider-
ing themselves wiser than their master, and the prompt
rewards and punishments, of the customs and
all
form a graphic picture
manners of past
ages.
Mantan, the deacon, was informed that
church
his
eparated by the river Samhair, now the Morning Star. It lay 1.1 the Boutli O'Donovan writes, under the year 1500 "It was Df the county Limerick. bounded on the north by the Shannon, on the south by Slicvo Luchra. ea.vt by the rivers Muguc and Morning Star, and on tho west by Kerry. Cat is the mountain called Knock-cac, in the south of Ardpatrick parish, not far from Sctlin." 6 Mantan. Colgan says this was the presbyter who was venerated on tho 2nd March, and that his church was Cill-Mantain, near Wicklow. Magi. Colgan says tin-re were magi and druids. :
—
—
m
»m|ij i# i
i
Wf
i'p.|ii
i
i
ji|..iiii j| i
i
i
4
S
,
i
|#f!'i'i»
l i
'j
fH
l
ff!
Life of St. Patrick.
332
would never be held
in honor.
Nessan was instructed
the saint, and baptized, and eventually established
by
His mother was informed
in the church of Mungarret.
that she should not be buried in her son's church,
says the writer, came to pass, for her grave
this,
and is in
the west of Mungarret, and the bell of the great church is
not heard in that place.
Nessan and his church were to be " honored among the nations
;"
and
it is
not a
remarkable that the
little
Limerick people have ever manifested not only an un-
wavering
fidelity to the true faith,
but have also been
amongst the most gallant defenders of the sacred deThey still cherish posit then bestowed upon them. the
memory
of St. Patrick with tender devotion, and
point proudly to the various sites in their county where
memorials of the saint are found in the names,
still
preserved, of the places which he visited.
The north Munstermen now came their curraghs across the glas,
in
crowds in
Shannon, as far south as Tir-
the present Terryglass, in the barony of
Ormond, where they were
baptized.
Lower
After the cere-
mony, the saint ascended the hill of Finnime, and blessed the north Munstermen who had come out in such multitudes to welcome him. Brian
An
ancestor
of
Boru, Cairthenn Finn, son of Blait, eighth in
descent from
Olioll
Oluim,
and progenitor of the
O'Briens of Thomond, "believed in Christ," and Patrick baptized
him
in the well of Sangul.
in the Tripartite reveal to
A
few short
lines
us a most interesting circum-
stance
was a verse
saint's own inner life. word Sangul, Sain-aingel ;
The writer
the
<>f
explains the
he says
for
it
from Victor who came to con-
different angel
with him here.
Perhaps, like the glorious St.
Franeesca of Rome, an angel of a higher grade was
now
We
sent tu him.
and
close,
its
read thai as her
as her duties
life
approached
the foundation of her
in
order and her exterior cares were multiplied, that the
angel
n
who had
so long
and
so constantly appeared to
informed her thai
her in visihle form,
bis
charge of
her had ceased, and that a yet more exalted spirit was
now
appointed to assist and comfort her.
archangel, bright earth
and
was
who appeared now glorious, radiant
darkest,
constantly
This was an at
her
side,
with heavenly light when
and making
earthly light seem
all
lmt as an evening twilight, faded even in the burning
summer
Such an angel, we may
noon.
believe,
was the
one who now came to Patrick by the well of Sangul. If
any of
my readers
to that well in
?j
breathe an
Ave
a pilgrimage
his angel, will they
in his honor for her
records his blessed
Here
make
are induced to
honor of Patrick and
who unworthily
life.
also the saint
performed a notable miracle, by
caring Cairthenn's son, Ecchu Baldearg (Eochy of the le
'1
Spot),
lessly
who had been
disfigured
and
born, to
diseased.
all
appearance, hope-
This was the
first
miracle worked at the well of Sangul. 7 mguL — Mr. Lenihan, "the holy
well, stony bed,
in his
and
admirable " History of Limerick," says that day existing
altar of >t. Patrick, are to this
The
saint uttered several remarkable predictions at
this period
non
;
;
he blessed the lands and islands of the Shan-
and prophesied the
birth of St.
and of Brennan of Hy-Alta.
He
Senan of
Iniscalach,
then went into south
and commenced the church of Ard-Patrick,
Desi,
A
present barony of Coshlea, county Limerick.
in the
curious
evidence that even a miracle will not convince those
who
A
are determined not to be convinced, was given here.
man, named Dervall, declared that he would believe
if
the saint would remove part of a mountain, so that he
might
see
Cnoc Longa
to the south over
mountain
dissolving, he declared that "
ders he might do, he
would not believe
St.
it.
performed the miracle, but, although the
Patrick
man saw
the
whatever won-
it."
At Patrick's Well, near Limerick, which still retains its name and holy traditions, the prince of the Desi came
He
late to the
assembly for which Patrick was waiting.
excused himself on account of the rain, but the ex-
cuse did not satisfy the saint,
who
predicted that
all his
meetings for the future should be attended by showers. Singland " is situated in the parish of St. Patrick,
about an English mile from the city of Limerick in the
;
and,
Cromwellian and Williamite wars, was frequently
the headcpiarters of the invading forces.
It
was from
the heights of Singland that the canons of Ireton, in
iu Singland."
We
take this opportunity of recommending Mr. Lenihan's
valuable work to Limerick men, and, indeed, to
all
lovers of Irish literature
Orders from America and Australia may be and nationality. Maurice Lenihan, Esq., J.P., Limerick.
sent
to
1651, and of 'William
ami Ginkle,
forty years
after,
played upon the 'Black Battery,' and citadel of Limerick.
" But by far
tin-
most interesting
relics of the past con-
Dected with Singland are St. Patrick's Well, and the adjacent large layer of
unhewn
marked with the
limestone,
impress of the saint's knees and body, and believed, from
time immemorial, to have prayer, atant
M
been
— handed
the tradition
is
down from
sire to
of
— con-
son by the
both Catholic and Protestant, of Limerick. Both
unwrought monuments of
St. Patrick's presence in
Limerick are situated on the slope of the St. Patrick's
Church once
stood,
cemetery that surrounded
"^"^
place
St. Patrick's
Such
nut his very bed.
and ampli
citizens,
these
if
it
on which
hill
and where the ancient
still
exists,
and
is
daily
used as a place of interment, though in close proximity to the beautiful
Laurence.
Two
new
Catholic cemetery of
Mount St. Young
of the Bishops of Limerick, Drs.
and Tuohy, arc buried
in the
same grave in
though the name of Dr. Youn<;' alone
is
St. Patrick's,
inscribed on the
Of the old church was destroyed during the
tombstone that covers their remains.
m
>t
a vestige
now remains
:
all
Confederate wars, 1641-51. "St. Patrick's Well
is still
held in the highest possible
veneration by the people of Limerick pedestrians
;
and crowds of
—men, women, and children—may be daily way
seen wending their
along
'Council's
boherecn,'
which leads from world-famed Garryowen, to the sed well,' either to
'
pay
'bles-
their rounds,' or laden with
o'.i
G
Life of St. Patrick.
vessels full of
Patrick's-well water,' for the use of
'
invalid relation confined to •well
known both
bed at home.
to the Catholic clergy
and dispensary
when
sick, will rarely
doctors of the city, that the poor,
drink anything but simple faith in
'
Patrick's-well water,' such
holy patron.
its
The stone impressed with the
well polished shippers, is
by the knees and
still
when
in 1853, that,
saint's knees,
'
and
it is
Great Munster
to the fair-green,
which adjoins
as the cemetery
is
called,
'
highlycredi-
Fan-,'
opened
new approaches
constructing the
still
though
footsteps of fervent wor-
carefully preserved;
table to the trustees of the
the
is
in that of the
efficacy, or rather
its
prayers and intercession of "
some
It is a fact,
St. Patrick's
Church,'
they directed their en-
gineers to so construct one of the boundary walls as to
mark, by a lateral arch indented therein, the very spot
where tradition
states that our saint
was wont
prayer some thirteen hundred years ago footprints are, with loving belief, well,
which
is
to kneel in
and where
pointed out.
his
The
supplied with water from several crevices
in the solid rock, is
structure
still
;
covered over with a
of very simple
masonry
;
little
and
is
protecting exteriorly
decorated with framed prints and images, and such like offerings of the poor.
vessels are also left
use of other comers.
"Wooden cups and other drinking
by pious
An
votaries for the gratuitous
outer and special portion of
the stream which flows from the well ablution of persons
And
the whole
is
afflicted
is
set apart for the
with opthalmic diseases.
shaded by a large and venerable
tree,
rM
He
Visits
Or maul.
.1:?;
which adds considerably to the general appearance of 8 the well audits surroundings."
St.
Patrick's next journey
was
where he met three brothers,
men
Muscraidhe Tire,8
into
of note, sons of Forat
whom, Munechus, believed To him special temporal
MaeC'oula, one of
and was baptized.
at
once,
blessings
were promised. It is
remarkable here that
mention
a special
for the first time in the Tripartite of the
the Irish Church on a diocesan basis.
the
The
made
is
modelling of
known
tribute
Brehon law as the Cain Patrick
said
to
have been now formally granted to the saint and
his
in
have been regularly paid
successors, and to
But
years. to
this subject is
demand a
is
one of
separate chapter,
and
sufficient
will
for
many
importance
be fully treated
of in the concluding part of this work.
The time at last came when the mission of our was accomplished in Minister, and he must
apostle
wmk
leave that faithful people, to do his master's
where amongst the devoted
them
farewell,
and
left
men
a blessing with them
could not bear to part thus from the saint,
had learned to revere so deeply.
;
bid
but they
whom
Patrick
else-
He
of Erinn.
they
went
to
* Surrountlinn*.— T am indebted to my friend, the Rev. If. Malono, of Limerick, for the interesting description given above. This learned clergyof Diocese Limerick. History of the man is preparing an Ecclesiastical u Muscraidhe Tire.— This was the ancient name of the district now oompi iaed in the baronies of Dpper and Lower Ormond, in the north of the comity Tipperary, and contained tho churches of Cilleheire (Kilkeary, near the town of Xcnagh) and Leatraicha (Latteragh, about eight miles south of the above .
afterwards
it
was
called Miiskrykeary.
o
f
1
Brosna, but crowds
still
followed
him from
The very
hills
seemed in motion,
multitude
who
hastened along, heedless of
more glimpse of
ties,
to get one
and
their friend.
When
all quarters.
was the
so great
all difficul-
their venerable father
they saw him they made the
mountains re-echo with their shouts of joy, and then another miracle was granted to their faith and fervor,
Munsterman who
for they beheld the resuscitation of a
had been dead bishop,
son
named
Frion,
who
is
gave a banquet to the assembled
of devotion,
all
who were
present
;
by another
and then, once
more, and for the last time on earth, he blessed the of Munster, saying "
holy
graphically described as a
multitudes, which St. Patrick blessed, and
miracle satisfied
A
seven-and-twenty years.
for
:
men
—
A blessing on the men of Munster. A blessing on the land which gives A blessing on whatever is produced A blessing on each chief. A blessing on the men of Munster. A blessing on their woods, A blessing on their sloping plains,
them
food.
for its farmers.
—
1 The Brosna. Colgan wis mistaken in placing Brosna in Munster. whole text goes to show that the Munstermen followed the saint after he had left their country. There are two rivers and a small village named Brosna in the King's County ; the larger river rises at Buubrosna, in the county Westmeath, and flows into the Shannon at Shannon Harbor the smaller river rises at the village of the same name, in the parish of Kilmnrray, east of Shinrone, and runs a few miles north of Parsonstown, forming the boundary between the King's County and Tipperary. The village is said to derive its name from the Irish word Broxna, a faggot or bundle of sticks ; but the author of the Tripartite, as will be seen above, derives it from the word ;
Brosnugael, an incentive or excitement.
m
>
>
-•*
?
fcr.
~*
"E
2.-^^'
?•
Blessing on the Munstermen.
I
A
blessing on their glens,
A
blessing on their
A
blessing of sand beneath their ships.
A blessing A A
*
339
hills.
of numerous homestead*.
blessing on their slopes
and
levels.
blessing on their slievesand peaks.
A The blessing of sand characteristic
and
beneath
poetical, since
Kerry there are so find hidden rocks
many
blessing."
dangers for mariners,
where they
very
their ships is
upon the wild coast
least
of
who may
expect them, and
where "sand beneath their ships" would be the greatest
boon they could
The
into the territory of
A
occurred.
chieftain of this tribe,
his
named Berraidhe,
boasted publicly that he intended to kill Patrick
met him,
if
he
revenge for his destruction of the idols at
in
The
Magh-Sleacht. this threat,
secret
Hy-
where one of the best known incidents of
Failge, 2 life
desire.
now journeyed
saint
.vhieh,
saint's charioteer,
Odran, heard of
according to the Tripartite, was kepi
from Patrick by
his people.
The
faithful servant
proposed to his master that he should take his place in the chariot, and, with the instinct of true charity,
appear as
it
'
lly-FaUge.
if
it
— Before
made
were to be done in compliment to
English invasion this territory comprised the county Kildare, and parts of the King's and name from Ross Failgo (Ross of tho Cathair Mor, King of Leinster, and Ard Righ of Ireland, the
present baronies of Offaly, Counties.
Kings), eldest son
who was
slain
>S
1
<>f
obtained tho
The great families of O'Conor Faly, O'Dempseyof O'Dunn of Regan, were descended from him Book of Rights,
a.d. 122.
Clanmalierc, and pp. 193 an
It
81ft
—
—
himself, so as to conceal Lis real motive
from his master.
Patrick willingly complied with his request, and
St.
Odran was
slain
Another member of
by Berraidhe.
the same family, however, would appear to have repudiated this treachery partite, that the
;
for
we
are informed
by the
Tri-
wicked Failge died at once, and "went
to hell ;"
but that Patrick blessed Failge Ros, whose descendants were rulers of that district " for ever."
A
careful consideration
little
some
serious mistakes
relation of this incident
would have prevented
which have been made in the
by several
The name
writers.
Berraidhe does not occur in the direct line of the O'Conor
Faly pedigree
battle of
;
but he
is
mentioned by the Four Masters,
having slain Fiachra, son of Nial, at the
a.d. 501, as
Freamhain,
now the
hill of
Frewin, in the town-
land of Wattstown, parish of Portlennon, county West-
meath.
Berraidhe was probably the Bruaidhe of the
O'Conor pedigree, the great grandson of Ros Failge. >S: 3
Bos
Failyc.
— I must
be (pardoned
for again
blaming Dr. Lanigarj
stantly undervaluing the authority of the Tripartite,
agree with his truth,
own
and not
notions.
What we want
favorite theories, or prejudice.
when
it
says,
for con-
does not precisely
in historical
He
3
"
investigations
i3
It is plain that
was brought on the stage in compliment to some illustrious It may have been plain to Dr. Lanigan, but it certainly is not Colgan seems to have clearly seen the truth, which was that there were two Failges one Failge Berraidhe, who tried to kill St. Patrick, the Both the Tripartite and Colother Failge Kos, who received him willingly. gan distinguish the two by name. Of course, if all historians aro to bo accused of prejudice because they mention certain circumstances which do not agree with our preconceived notions, we may give up history at once. Thero were many otberfamilies besides this one in which brothers took different sides, and in which one brother obtained the blessing of the saint and the other his malediction. Dr. Todd, in a note on this subject, has made a curious mistake also: he says, "Tho chariot, it seems, was capable of holding but one person." this second Failge
families," &c.
plaiu
tome.
—
wwyr wifflTT
^v
^M^^^mwi
The martyrdom of CM ran is mentioned in the Fourth and by Joeelyn but the other Lives have no
Life,
;
record of
account of laws by
The subject has an additional
it.
its
St.
interest
on
connection with the revision of the Brehon
Patrick and others
;
but this will be fully
treated of elsewhere.
As
the saint was journeying on the great northern
road leading to Tara, he met some laborers, cutting
down yew
trees for the
masts of
who were Their
vessels.
hands were bleeding, and the saint inquired who they
The men
were.
replied
that they were the slaves of
and brother toTrichem, and that
Trian, son of Fee,
their
master would not allow them to sharpen their axes, in order to at uiicc
make
their
labor
more
severe.
The
saint
blessed the axes, so that they cut easily, and
But the chief would not listen and so he " fasted upon him " a curious
then went to Trian's fort. to the saint,
and beautiful
—
illustration of St. Patrick's charity,
and of
the universality of the functions of the Brehon law in
The
Ireland.
creditor used to fast at the door or gate
of the debtor, to
compel him, from motives of common
The
humanity, to pay his debt.
saint
have claimed from Trian the debt of
which he tle,
'•
to
failed to
pay
to
charily,
his slaves, and, like the apos-
to
have made their cause
Mi moirof
would appear
common
St. Patrick, " p. 465, u. 1.
literally his
Now
own.
But
the Tripartite plainly states that
it
two, for Oilian Bays to Patrick "Long havo I been your driver From the reading of the Fourth tako tho chief beat for thi3 day." Life (Colgan, p. 44), however, it might be iufcrred that there was only one seat
helil at least
let
me
in the chariot.
:
;
342
Life of St. Patrick.
Irian was
still
obdurate in revenge
last,
by
;
he treated his un-
more cruelly than before
fortunate dependents
was drowned
a just judgment, he
;
and at
own
in his
dashed wildly, while he was
lake, whither his horses
His wife, however, submitted to
driving in his chariot.
the saint, and obtained a special blessing for herself and
her offspring, and her sons, Letna and
became bishops.
But the
saint's
opponents did not always perish so
we find
In some cases
miserably.
Jarled, both
4
that a true conversion
followed the most violent persecution, and there were
some, doubtless, who, like
and yet open
zeal,
false
St.
Paul, were actuated
to conviction
when
by a
truth
was
presented to them.
Such was
and
St.
and a
saint.
MacCuil, described at
The account of
cumstances attending in the
Book
of
first
as a
wicked
man, who in the end became a bishop
irreligious
it
his conversion
and the
cir-
are given at considerable length
Armagh, and
are mentioned in nearly
all
the other Lives as being evidently considered a subject of considerable importance.
As the saint passed through
the country of the Ultonians, to his
people to
man who
kill
deceived everyone.
abandoned
for another,
testing the saint's
MacCuil at
first
proposed
him, asserting that he was a false This plan, however, was
with the obvious intention of
power with God, and ascertaining
whether he could indeed work the marvels which were
—
We
everywhere recorded of him. in the graphic
tive
Armagh "Ami
continue the narra-
words of the writer of the Book of
:
they tempted the
man; they tempted him
hoi)-
way: they placed one of themselves under
agony of death, that they might
i" be lying in the
kind of deception;
this
they
disciples,
on the
were having
practising witchcraft •
so,
Behold I one of us
now
is
him
try the saint by
arrival of St. Patrick with his
and
muttering prayers,
recourse,
and incantations
the heathen said to him,
:
sick; approach, therefore,
some of the incantations of your
this
in
feigning
a cloak,
and chant
may
he
sect over him, if perchance
be healed,'
" St. Patrick, knowing their stratagems and deceits, with firmness
and intrepidity and
his
would be no wonder
said, it
sickness,
saw that he was now dead
;
among
man
evil in
from God
we have done
;
themselves,
;
tempt
me V The
done
whatever you command
cruel tyrant answered,
me
I
'
I
sins,
and be baptized
and of the Son, and of the Holy
St.
I
have
I
deliver
preach
and
;'
God, the Lord Jesus,
in the
Spirit.'
and now
;
whom you
my
the saint said: 'Believe, therefore, in
But
did you seek to
am sorry for what
myself into the power of your supreme God,
and confess your
Why
'
perform
will
'Truly this
tempting him.'
Patrick, having turned to Maccuil, says,
;
he had been sick
and the heathens, amazed and
astonished at such a miracle, said is
if
companions, uncovering the face of him that was feigning
And
name
of the Father,
he was converted in
that hour, and believed in the Eternal Cod, and, moreover, was
baptized; and then Maccuil added this, saying holy lord, Patrick, that
how much
I
to judge,
but God
unarmed,
owe
I
proposed to
for so great a
to the
sea,
!'
Do
:
'I
you
confess to thee, ;
Patrick said
: '
I
am not
may
able
you, therefore, depart now, this
you of your substance, except
garment, with which you
my
judge, therefore,
and pass over quickly from
Ireland, taking nothing with
common
crime
will judge.
kill
country, a small
be able to cover your body,
;
344
Life of St. Patrick.
eating nothing and drinking nothing of the fruit of this island,
having a mark of your sins on your head; and when you reach the sea, bind your feet together with an iron
and
into the sea, oar,
set out in a boat of
and wherever the wind and sea
remain
and
;
to
and
fetter,
cast the
key of
it
one hide, without rudder or
shall lead you,
whatever land Divine Providence
be prepared to
shall carry yon,
be prepared to live there and obey the divine commands.' " And Maccuil said, I will do as you have said but, respecting '
the dead man, what shall
and
rise
;
And Patrick said, He And Patrick restored him
we do
again without pain
!'
?'
'
shall live
to
life
in
that hour, and he revived quite sound.
"
And Maccuil
departed thence very speedily to the sea.
right side of the plain of Inis
unshaken
in the faith,
key into the
him
and
shore, casting the
commanded
to
him,
and north wind arose and bore
him on the island called Evonia were converted by his doctrine.
cast
and the men of the island
more condensed,
Tripartite narrative, although
gives precisely the
The
having his confidence
;
and binding himself on the
in a little boat,
to the south,
The
reached
according to what was
sea,
he then embarked
is
same account of the occurrence, with
man who
the additional information that the
feigned
death was called Garban.
In the
Romulus Cuil
Vita Quarto, the names of Coindrius and arc also mentioned,
was chosen
and
it
is
stated that
the narrative at considerable length, and he
had
Mac
Jocelyn also records
their successor.
must have
special opportunities of being well acquainted with
every local tradition, as
well as
with
all
important
written records, for his monastery at Furniss had a celebrated filiation in the Isle of
The
Man.
Irish annalists record the death of St.
MacCuil
M\
Vocations in the
to the
345
Religious Life.
year 554, after an episcopate of sixty years
the British Martyrology mentions \\\re erected
under
his invocation.
many
and
;
churches which
8
63
It is impossible to read the ancient records of the life
of our saint without remarking to the sanctification of the
Another instance of
of the Cross.
Sabbath ('nil's
is
his
devotion
special
Seventh Day, and to the sign his reverence for the
Mac Some nun were building a rath at and the saint heard them at work on a lie warned them to desist, but they only related immediately after the account of
conversion.
Drombo, Sunday.
He
mocked him.
then predicted that their labor would
be useless, and his words wennight the building
Vocations to the religious
more or
verified.
On
the same
was destroyed by a temp
less opposition,
life
have always met with
not only from the irreligious,
From
hut unfortunately even from Christian parents. incidental statements in e\ Ldent,
6
that a very great
Invocation.
— For
the Lives of the
number
saint
it
is
of Irish maidens con-
we
farther information on this interesting subject
refer
'I Record for the reader to an exhaustive article in the Tri March, 1860, on the " Early Relations of Ireland with the Isle of Man,"
by Momignor Moras. c Drombo. Colgan,
—
beside the sea.
it
In a
hill,
on this
the church of Druim-bo, or Collum-bovia,
the frequent mention of this place in the Lives was the hill between Saul ami Quoile or
quite plain that field
fe' p. 1G1, calls it
From
I
to the north of the castle, several fragments of
and human remains, as
of a
Armagh, and hereafter
notii
li
it is
I
masonry
church and cemetery, have frequently been found. It also overhangs the Coyle river, which Dr. Tod L{ St. l'atrick '') truly conjectured to be the strait named Collum-bovis, in his description of St. Patrick's funeral. This hill also lies adjacent to the " Salt l.'ii^'h," the scene of ono of our saint's miracles, described in the Bo I
1
sccrated themselves to the divine service immediately
Two
after their conversion.
women were
of these holy
by Eochach, son of Muredach, 7 and drowned,
seized
although the saint remonstrated earnestly with the tyrant.
As a punishment,
with the
loss of his
Cairroill should
of the apostle,
unborn
Domangart The Boss,
of
have heirs who would rule instead of
and obtained holy
his blessing for herself
who was
child,
now
saint
eventually
known
feet
and
as St.
life.
men
turned back towards the
and commenced a church in Drom-mor.
calls these
him
his brother
His wife, however, cast herself at the
Eochach.
for her
the saint threatened
kingdom, and said that
people the
men
of
Colgan
of Fer-ross, a territory
which
extended into the barony of Farney, in the south of the county Monaghan.
The name of
holy interest,
preserved in the parochial
is still
this
so full of
site,
title
of
Maghcross and the well-known town of Carrickmacross.
But while thus engaged an angel appeared told
him
it
was not " good "
saint inquired
for
where he should
him go.
The angel
towards the north, to Mara (Armagh).
seem as
if
But
our apostle had even yet some
clinations, for fairer.
to him,
to stay here.
and
The
replied,
it
would
human
in-
he replied, that the cluain below was
Thus has
it
happened again and again in the
—
' Eochach, son of Muredach. Muireadhach Muinderg, ninth in descent from Fiatach Finn, monarch of Ireland, reigned over Uladh twenty-eight years, and died a.d. 479, when he was succeeded by his son, Eochaidh, who died a.d. 503, after a reign of twenty-four years. Keevea' "Down and Connor," p. 323.
—
An know not," poor human for their
Saul.
to
the saints, that they arc led "whither they
of
lives
Angel directs him
and, for reasons incomprehensible to our thoughts, are
made
select places
and
sites
work, to which naturally they had no inclina-
tion whatsoever.
The
aite
which
St.
Patrick had selected was destined
who guided and God now informed him.
heavenly messenger
for another, as the
directed this favorite servant of
For
"Deogratias ago
reply the sainl replied,
all
merely with submission, hut
and
;"
—not thankfulness —not
thus do the saints ever answer the call of
with
God
;
merely with resignation, but with joy. E
They, and they
i
only, seek the fulfilment of the will of God, as perfectly as it is given to
will accomplished, they
they have
true, that
own human
their
them only alas
!
to
still
and
all
likings
to do
;
and, His
that they desire.
own
their
It is
natural inclinations,
and aversions
;
but they have
triumph over them, while we have them,
Ah
only to yield to them.
our blessed father, Patrick, ness and in
man
mortal
have
and
health,
adversity,
in
in
!
us also say with
let
joy and sorrow, in sick-
what we
Deo g ratios ago
!
call
And why
prosperity
should we
not give thanks with him and like him, since the filling of
and
if
the will of
is
the perfection of our
that will be fulfilled, in opposition to our
natural inclination, rejoice
God
:
all
the more reason
to sacrifice then
we can add
our offerings the rarest incense. occupations, or the friends that
*
own
why we should
sacrifice,
The
ful-
life
and
to
places, or the
we may
choose,
may
mm*m:Wih
riM
Life of St. Patrick.
348
seem to
when we
but we also will reply, Deo gratias ago,
;
are called " northward "
to forsake that
The
cluain of the saint, the fair places
us, like the
of the earth
which we
desire.
—when we
are asked
6
saint journeyed through Ard-Phadraig, about a
mile to the south of the present town of Louth, where
The people
he built a church.
him
in crowds,
and he
left
of Dal-Runter followed
them a special
held frequent intercourse with
now
St.
blessing.
He
Mocbta,
who
had been appointed by Providence to carry out his mission in the " fair place " which the saint had desired.
The close,
life
of the saint
and angelic
was now drawing towards
visits
Soon he would go to
frecpicntly vouchsafed to him. live
amongst the
that he j
was
angels,
and we can scarcely marvel
so familiar with
them
here.
iow desired him to go to Rath Dare, to a rich
had given site for
his
name
its
length by nearly
and
to ask
man who him
for a
fulfilment, are related at considerable
the writers of the Lives of our saint.
all
—
Many instauces might be quoted from the Lives of the saints, Desire. which they received special directions from heaven to alter their plans, and what to human reason would seem most imprudent I cannot help refer-
8
in
to the fort,
His angel
This event, and the details which
a church.
accompanied
its
appeared to have been more
to do
ring to a remarkable instance of this recorded in a work just published, " Pilgrimages in the Pyrenees and Landes, " by Deuys Shy no Lawlor, Esq. p. 597. We are all too much inclined to think that the age of miracles and miraculous and a work such as this, which gives details of interventions has passed by the miracles daily performed even at the present time, and of the holy and of the men present age, cannot fail to convinco all except supernatural lives of ,
:
those
who
are wilfully sceptical.
//
and
Visits Derive
was a descendant
Daire
asks for a Site.
and was
of Colla-da-Crioch,
distinguished as Dairc Dearg, or the Red; and, from the
manner
which he received
in
bable that he was a Christian
;
St.
Patrick,
or,
perhaps,
pro-
is
it
many
like:
pagans of that period, half convinced, and yet unwilling
make an open
to
The
site for his
Book
of
wished
Baint
1
him
the angel, asked
>y
for a
church, and Daire, according to the Tripar-
desired
tite,
the
profession of his faith.
saint, as desired
or hill called
him
The
for.
Dorsum
first
St.
Patrick erected a church,
and remained
sent a horse'
The
church lands.
pressing strongly
some
for
what he probably knew were
Daire
this,
Here
plain.
While thus principally occu-
disciples.
pied in giving instructions,
ground
But Dairc refused
aferta or rath on the
offered instead
to
inquired what place the
saint asked for the high Salicis.
and
time with his
According
to choose for himself.
Armagh, he
saint
to
his
last
graze upon
the
was always desirous of im-
upon the people
whom
he had con-
verted the sacredness of church property, and that gifts B
Some
time.
qua multi8
—Tho Tripartite reading
is
"along time." Colgan has "in The Book of Anna
ipse postea habitavit diebus," p. 1G2.
" ct bahitavit ibi Sanctna Patricias cum suis;" but in the next sentence has " After some time the cques of Dairc came," to. Proboa agrees almost ver'
bally with the
Book
of
'
Armagh
[Quinia Vita, liber
ii.
cap.
iii.
Colgan,
iv.
p.
The weight of evidence is in favor of the saint's having remained for some time on tho "low ground." 1 Hotte. — " Kquum suum iniraculum." Dr. Todd doubts whether this should l>e construed as the proper name of the horse or as an adjective. There seems but little question that it is an adjective. Betham (" Ant. & 52),
part
ii.
in the
p.
331) puzzled over the
original at
p. xii.
Tripartite says there
word Christianonnn, and yet gives
appendix.
Probu3 only speaks
of
it
correctly
one horse.
The
were two horses.
'f^
S5S
""^ »*
TT
—
350
Life of St. Patrick " Daire,"
once offered to heaven could never be recalled.
"has acted
lie said,
foolishly in sending brute animals
which he gave to God."
to disturb the small holy place
The
horse, however,
was
left for
the night on the grassy
but on the following morning, when Daire's servant
field,
came
to look after
it,
he found
it
dead.
The
chief
was
enraged, none the less so because he had committed
an
injustice,
by
Him
and he commanded
But he had
Patrick.
in
to
his people to slay
do with one who was protected
whose hands are the
issues of life
and death,
and he had hardly issued the order when he himself was
seized with mortal illness.
His wife at once sent to recal the
men who had been
ordered to martyr St. Patrick, and messengers were dispatched to
him
for his blessing
;
in all haste, with earnest intreaties
men were
but the
what had happened.
They came
ordered to conceal to the apostle, and
asked for something to heal their master, who, they
was
ill.
The
saint well
knew
said,
the cause, but he blessed
some water and desired them to sprinkle Dane and the The horse was restored to life, and Daire horse with it. at once recovered. little
Still, it
idea of Christian
life.
would appear, he had very In gratitude for his recovery
he brought St. Patrick a present of a large cauldron.
2
The remainder
of the narrative
give in the graphic words of the author of the
brazen
we
shall
Book
of
Armagh: 5
Cauldron.
Book
—A
cauldron was a royal
gift.
We
read frequently, in the
of Eights, of cauldrons being often given as tribute to certain kings
princes.
and
—
. -~ -,--,
_j—3f"
+
"
•*•
*
-Vr
&
»
*-
*•
-~
Dairo came
-r
^^
grants the Site of Armagh Cathedral.
"Then
.
85]
after these things to honor St Patrick,
bringing with him a wonderful brazen cauldron, from beyond seas wn),
Daire said unto the saint,
'
said,
'
The man
is
They went, and
cauldron.'
away said,
the cauldron.' '
his people, saying,
'
Daire answered, and I
this
take away.
said,
time
is
so
'
We
also,
most take St.
said Graizacham again. I give,
'Thy cauldron
shall
which
which thou didst desire before
have
it,
Daire
and dwell thou
there.'
now named Ardd-machaa. 3
And
St.
remain with thee; for
thou art a steady and imperturbable man. Moreover,
fully as 1
G\
And
time and brought back the cauldron to
this
Patrick, saying to him,
tion of land
Gra':
good that with those
chams his cauldron shall be brought back to him.' himself went
Patrick
Then Daire asked when ye took away
'Graizacham when
His saying
Then
bring us back our
it.
said the Christian
Put they answered, 'He
the cauldron?'
when
Go and
So they took
it.'
What
'
said unto Patrick,
Nevertheless,
Graizacham, take
own
his
except Graizacham.'
firkins,
added, and said to his servants,
re
'
to
a fool, for he said nothing good for a
wonderful cauldron of three 1
And And St.
firkins.
thine.'
is
Then Daire returned
Patrick said, 'Qratxa ham.'
home and
which held three
Lo, this cauldron
I
now
And
also, that por-
give thee as
this is the city
St. Patrick
and Daire
both went forth to view the wonderful and well-pleasing
gift of the
is
oblation
;
and they went up to that height of land, and they found
there a roe, with her
little
fawn, which -was lying in the place
Ardd-machse now is and the companions of Patrick wished to catch the fawn and kill
where the
3
altar of the northern church in
Ardrtnachcs.
— This
word
signifies the
;
high ground or elevation of Macha.
It is is call il Altitudo Macho, and Altimachie, in the Book of Armagh. not clear whether Macha was the name of the district, or whether it was called
It
after the celebrated
give at
first,
was
ham was
Queen Macha. The high ground which I 'aire refused to Druim-SaUteh, the ridge or hill of the sallow tree.
called
a corruption of Gratiaswjo. The ferlaor place which Daire at first gave to St. Patrick, is explained by himself to be a stony rath whero da/erta (the two graves) are.
><><>
tjj^H^r
But the
it.
saint
would
not, nor did he permit
took up the fawn, carrying
it
;
nay, he himself
on his shoulders, and the
it
roe, like
a
very pet lamb, followed him until he had laid down the fawn in another
situated at the north side of Ardd-machse, where to
field,
this day, as the learned say, virtutis) still
The
some
signs of the miracle (signa qucedam
remain."
resided
saint
some
for
time
at
the ferta
which Daire had bestowed on him, and a curious and very interesting account this place
was
laid out,
The angel headed the
is
given of the
and
its
way
which
in
various measurements.
we
procession, but
are only left to
conjecture whether this was the angel Victor, or that other blessed spirit
who had
saint held in his
hand the
new
Munstcr and
staff of Jesus.
He will
abode, and uttered a warning to those
who
should transgress in
it.
all
Thus,
did
also,
Assisi speak of his beloved Porziimcola
where he
in
who should do God's
pronounced a blessing on in this
him
Patrick and his people followed,
at the well of Sangul.
and the
visited
also
was
visited
by
St.
Francis of
—that favored spot
angels,
and in which he
gave an especial charge that none should be permitted to live
who were not
Seven score
feet
distinguished for holiness of
were to be in the
seven feet in the tigh
mor
feet in the cuille (kitchen),
(oratory 4 ).
According to
4
Oratory.
— Dom va conghala,
this
literally
(fort),
(great house),
and seven
churches were built afterwards.
this ancient Celtic
less
aregal all
Here we have a
house of the churches.
evidence of the authenticity of this tradition.
seventeen
feet in the
measurement
word, says Dr. Todtl ("Memoir,"
p. 477), is
life.
twenty-
The
the clear use of
a remarkable
It,,
—
Gfreat
-
how easy
proof
>f this
1
was
it
a;
Narrative
for the saint to
have erected
churches by scores, ami in populous districts by thirties
and
forties, since
oratories,
they were in most instances simply
where there was
more than space
little
priest to offer the holy sacrifice.
Mass knelt outside, in Ireland.
as
for the
Those who assisted at
many do even
at the present
day
5
Dr. Todd, in alluding to this passage, has observed that there can be no doubt of
its
great antiquity, since
the terms which are used in describing the building are
now
obsolete,
and would be
unintelligible to the best
them preserved
Celtic scholars but for the explanation of •-
He
in ancient glossaries.
"
continues
:
The arrangement described consisted of a
kss, that is to say,
an earthen circular fort or enclosure, for the protection of the whole settlement
a great house, for the residence of the ecclesiastics
;
;
the cuile (culina), or kitchen, which was probably also the refec-
tory
;
and the
logists,
aregai,
but which
is
a word which has greatly puzzled our philo-
probably the mediaeval Latin oraailum, used in
the sense of an oratory or place of worship. is
As one dimension only
given, these structures were probably circular. "
No remains
be found.
of the buildings at the Fertsa
Martyrum
are
nery, and so continued to the period of the Reformation,
was suppressed, under the name of Temple has recently determined 6
now
to
In the fifteenth century the place had become a nun-
Ireland.—
its
fcrtagh.
exact site in the present
'
when
it
Dr. Reeves
Scotch-street,'
C >lgan probably thought seven feet entirely too small for a church II difficulty by making the Uss or fort the church. ccclesia ;" probably he was ignorant of the meaning of the Irish
and bo he evaded the calls it
words. I
" mums
He calls the oratory " argyrotheca sen vasarinm ," now written lios, still remains in such names as
fort,
p. 1 G4.
The WOW
Lismoro, Listowel,
&c. -
X
Thus was the church of Armagh founded if it
;
and, truly,
had not been founded upon the Rock of Truth, no
human power
could have preserved the
One Faith
therein to the present day.
There are only two theories by which Protestant antiquarians doctrines in
and
can account for the mention of practices
those
which they consider innovations,
works of such high antiquity as the Tripartite Life
of our saint.
They
either boldly assert that these state-
ments are absolutely
false,
were interpolated at a
or they suppose that they
later
period.
A
remarkable
how this kind of reasoning leads the most men to palpable self-contradiction is before us
instance of
learned
now.
We
have just given a long quotation from Dr.
Todd, in which he argues strongly the authenticity and antiquity of the Tripartite.
He
and convincing reasons
support his opinion.
turn a page, and find
to
all this
brings forward weighty
We
argument overthrown, with
utter unconsciousness of the inconsistency of the pro-
ceeding
;
and what
foundation of
is
recorded " immediately after the
Armagh "
is
stigmatized as utterly un-
worthy of any attention, simply because
it
contains an
account of St. Patrick's having been taken to
Rome
miraculously, and of his having obtained some relics there. "
Obtained.— Todd's " Memoir
of St. Patrick," p. 479.
//.
The
to,
infidelity.
is
Rome
on precisely the same ground, by modern
The
admit — indeed, he — that the narrative of the New Testainfidel
can hardly deny
ment
to
Record of the Lives of the Saints bas been
oldest
objected
Carried by Angels
is
true, so far as
certain persons
;
is
it
willing to
is a
record of the existence of
but when he reads therein of miracles
or cures worked by
relics, lie
at once, with
the most
unconscious inconsistency, denies what he had admitted.
In
fact,
own
he
is
what agrees with
willing to believe
his
opinions of what the saints ought to have done
;
but when he finds something recorded which, in his opinion, they ought not, or could
way
not have done, he
Now
refuses to accept the narrative.
this is
not the
to conduct historical investigations.
The
Tripartite
Life
immediately
relates,
after
the
account of the division of the ferta, that an angel came to St. Patrick in
Armagh, and
told
him that the
of the apostles were being distributed in
day, and then he bore
him away through the
Todd has very justly estimated
relics
Rome on
that Dr.
air.
the preceding passage
very highly on account of the greal antiquity of the description.
We
can give a description
still
and
older,
of the authenticity of which there can be no question, to
prove that veneration of
relies
and supernatural
motion were no superstitions of the
men
of
loco-
Erinnand
the
writers of the Lives of Patrick.
We
read in the Life of St. Paul, as recorded in the
AtCta of the
Apostles,
that handkerchiefs and aprons
were la-ought from his body to touch the
sick,
and that
wwrfl-ifliTWTW
(•ffvi^
356
Life of St. Patrick.
these relics effected not only the cure of diseases, but
What
also drove out evil spirits.
Patrick desired
Rome, and
if
wonder, then,
to obtain relics of
if St.
the apostles from
an angel assisted him to do so
Is it
?
not in and by the power of the Lord of Angels alone that all miracles are
worked
I
1
know
that there are
some persons who admit, and who would indeed be shocked and pained
they were accused of denying
if
the miracles of the apostles,
and yet they
believe the miracles of St. Patrick.
can they give for this
will not
But what reason
Our Divine Lord expressly
1
declared that His disciples should do "greater things"
He Himself had
than
was amply
done, and this declaration Ecclesiastical history
not limited to the apostles.
proves that miracles continued to be practised in the
Church from the days of the apostles to the present hour.
made
If the objection be
different
from other men,
inherent to themselves,
we
that the apostles were
and had
spiritual
powers
at once reply that this
was
what they themselves expressly denied. They were simply saints, and God alone can know which of all His saints Thus,
had
may
that our great St.
Patrick
at least Scriptural authority for venerating relics
and desiring
how
be the holiest.
we must admit
The
them.
to possess
to revere the saints,
and how
delegated to them by the
King
saints
knew
to estimate the
of Saints.
best
powers
Let us not
condemn the Celtic writers of the Lives of Patrick, Brigid, and Columkille, until we have read the Lives
m
of St.
Germanus of Auxcrrc, of St. Benedict of Suabiaco, St. Antony of the Desert.
and of St.
Germanus, one of the most celebrated prelates
of the age,
had
at least given St. Patrick the
of preserving and venerating relics;
7
example
we mnsl blame and, in common
if
the one, let us also blame the other;
consistency, reject all ecclesiastical history as fabulous.
That portion of the Tripartite which extraordinary event to
worded
so
as to
understand whether the angel bore
Rome,
the air to
supernatural i
is
w
r
as far as
him Aonach Maca.
until his return.
away a
great quantity of
appear as
if
men
"When the saint arrived
upon the inhabitants, and
fell
in this
IIow-
been, the writer states that he
Seclmall in the episcopacy, with the
sleep
it difficult
Patrick through
or whether he only took
manner
may have
this
St.
refers to this
make
relics.
St.
Left
of Erinn, in
Rome,
Patrick brought
From
this
it
would
the saint had been, indeed, borne through
the air at night to Pome, and that he had thus obtained
what he
so highly prized.
8
—
Relics. "After the death of St. Germanus, bis relics were esteemed worth other riches, ami each one endeavored, out of the little the saint had to Placidia (the empress) got the little box which leave, to obtain something. 7
all
enclosed the relics of the apostles and martyrs, which Germanus wore at bis breast, and with which he had performed miracles. St. Peter Chrysi took for himself the monk's hood and his haircloth. The other bishops divided the garments which remained."— "Idle of St. German," p. •J.v.t, edited by Dr. Newman. Truly, our saint could scarcely fail to bo a great lover of relics when he had been the disciple oi St rermanas. Those who are not familiar witb the lives of the saints are Prised. naturally very much amazed at this miraculous transit, and really credit this and the other extraordinary incidents in the lives of the saints to the <
—
invention of biographers anxious to glorify their master at the expense o«
E&3l*
—
Indeed,
if
we
some
explains
accept this as
apparent
puzzled modern writers. the
Hymn
the
account,
which
it
have
The author of the Preface
to
of St. Sechnall in the Liber Breac, states
him
that St. Patrick sent
to Koine for relics,
" these are the relics which are
the shrine of Paul and Peter."
who appeared
the angel
true
contradictions
four chariots, as
if
now
in
and that
Ardmacha,
in
According to Jocehyn,
him with
to Patrick provided
sent from heaven ("quasi ccelitus
destinatos"), for his journey; this
but not clearly, in the Tripartite.
is
also
mentioned,
But Jocelyn makes
no mention of the appointment of Secnndinus, neither does the author of the states that the relics
the advice of the Abbot of
them
the
Rome was
future.
care
of
truth.
Unless, as I have said before,
for
The
Vita Tertia.
went back to Letha
we
9
In
Tripartite
(Italy),
to
and
take better
the gloss of the
are prepared to
deny
all miracles,
In cannot refuse to believe that he may have been thus carried to Home. Mary of Agreda a whole chapter is devoted to an account of her being carried in a similar manner from Agreda, in Spain, to America, where she instructed a number of people, and distributed rosaries amongst them.
we
the Life of
after, when the province of Mexico was visited by Franciscan they found a colony of Indians, who earnestly requested to be and said that they had been instructed, some time previously, by a After some years, when lady who appeared and disappeared mysteriously. one of these missionaries returned to Spain, he found out that it was Mary of Agreda who had converted them "Vie de la Venerable Mere Marie de Jesus," I might multiply examples of this kind from the Paris, 1857, pp. 1 13-126.
Some years fathers,
baptized,
the saints. Even in our own century Anne Catherine Emmerich, who died in 1821.
lives of
a similar fact
is
recorded of
remember Holy House of
Catholics will also
that the Church keeps a festival in honor of the removal of the Loretto.
Future. — It is quite clear that Colgau "doctored" the whole narrative. Probably he could hardly credit the account of the Tripartite, aud, instead of translating it verbally into Latin in this part, as he had done most carefully up to this chapter, he really makes a version of his own, which does not agree '>
^m?~
5
3^~
vriot
Felire
-
~~F~
Si
nt
Leabhar Breac, there
is
*
to St.
I
Acngus that
the Culdee, in the
these
and
are,
it
is
Rome
and brought back the inn he sent
While
St.
St.
relics,
is
It
Ard Macha
It is possible
miraculously the
first
that
time,
and that on the second
Sechnall to recover them.
Patrick was absent from
period which
at
was Seconal! that
it
brought them together into Ireland." the saint was taken to
o^
a note in Latin and Irish.
runs thus: "Others say relies
£
1|rr-'
miraculously
ltfartyrology of
or
:-
Armagh,
at
some
not defined, Sechnall saw two chariot
horses with his people, and he said that they ought to
The saint was informed of this on and ordered the horses to be yoked to the chariot, and to go to Fiacc, who was at Slctty. According to the account in the Book of Armagh, they were guided by an angel. The account of St. SechnaU'a
be given to Fiacc. his return,
visit
to
Koine,
in
the Introduction to his
praise of St. Patrick, occurs
Hymn
somewhat abruptly.
in
It is
him that bis end was and then he wrote the Hymn. The whole narrative so full of interest, and gives such an admirable pic-
Baid that the saint intimated to near, is
ture of the practice
Church, that
I
and teaching of the early
give the extract in
differences in the statements
made
preceded the composition of the lowing, which
is
full.
Irish
There are some
as to the events which
Hymn;
but the
fol-
from the Leabhar Breac, agrees in the
with any account. lie speaks of Patrick's having got the relics by a " and then adds that some Bay the Pope know of it. Sorely when recorded miracles of raising from the dead, and others equally wondei
theft,"
I
•
ive
recorded
ti
mom
3
—
main with the statement of the compared with it by the reader " Vel hrcc est causa [this
hymn],
i.e.,
[when he viz.,
is
—
the cause or reason of composing the
from the attack that Sechnall made upon Patrick, viz said],
Patrick
'
is
a good man, except in one thing,
that he preaches almsgivings so
this,
and can be
Tripartite, :
When
little.'
Patrick heard It
Sechnall had finished the Mass, except taking the
Body
when
that he
was in great wrath against
fore, leaves the oblation
upon the
Sechnall, there-
Sechnall.
altar,
and prostrates himself to
Patrick.
Patrick, however, drove the chariot over him, but
raised the
ground around him, hinc
injured.
'
Why
almsgiving
—
am
I
come
'
it is
after
have need for
said Sechnall,
who
me V
said Sechnall.
that
its it
was not from :
'
'
all.'
life,
laxity thou didst
And
whose beginning
that,
Then
hymn
at the
and what they chanted was the hymn
is
'
So
so.'
They made
as they were going round
the cemetery, they heard a choir of angels chanting a Offertory, in the church,
and they
I did not know,'
All these shall be thine.'
peace then, Patrick and Sechnall.
my
not, because
it
into this island children of
being exercised by
the angel said to Patrick
Who,
But God,
1
for charity that I preach
me
'
said that I did not preach,
the enemy of God's testament
knoweth that
there shall
'
God
he should not bo
et hide, that
hast thou done so to
then, is the man,' said Patrick,
judge,
of
heard that Patrick had arrived at the place, and
Christ, that he
shall
was
he went to Sechnall, and he was in great wrath.
Saucti vonite, Christi corpus,' etc.
from that time to the present, that
Erinn when the Body of Christ is received. " And Patrick, after this, sent Sechnall to
hymn
Eome
is
chanted in
for portions of
the relics of Paul and Peter and other martyrs, in consequence of
the accusation he had
made
against him.
And
these are the relics
which arc now in Ardmacha, in the shrine of Paul and Peter.
Now, when Sochnall had finished tin- hymn, he went to show it Patrick and when he had reached Patrick, he said to- him:
to
j
have composed a hymn
'I
the praise of a
man
that Patrick should
had finished
namqne
in
'
life
1
welcome
I
:
But the beginning that
But when Sechnall repeated,
it.
Maxinms
'
1
regno coalorum, Patrick moved from place to place, and
'How
Sechnall said great
Patrick answered
hymn was, 'Bcata Christi custodit,' in order not know in whose honor the hymn was made
until he
said:
it.'
of the people of God.'
Sechnall gave to the
,?
honor of a certain child of
in
that thouwooldst listen to
wi.sli
man
can a :
'
numbers of
own
his
kingdom of heaven?
be greatest in the
Pro positivo
est hie race.'
'
because he excelled
or, it is
;
The answer
said
good,'
is
Patrick.
When
" a
Sechnall had finished reciting the hymn, there came then
man and
and
a
butter.
woman, having food with them,
woman.
of the
to Patrick, viz., cheese
Bera was the name of the man, and Bright the name
Then Patrick
said,
'
The
hymn is sung before dinner, there it.' And the new house in which it
house,' said he,
this
shall
in
is
'
in
which
be no scarcity of food
sung before occupation,
the watching of Patrick and of the saints of Ireland shall be there
about
it
same was revealed to Colinan
as the
;
with him; and as
it
monks, when he came out of
and sang
refectory,
this
foolish
one said:
Cocmhghin disciples,
" said it,'
were
When :
'I
said
this
'Why
do we sing
not good,' said he,
is
visible to us so long as
'
Patrick, with
three times.
That
must have the reward the
number
this
'
it,'
'
little,
I will
thusl'
praise
And
singing this hymn.'
concluded, Sechnall
said he.
'Thou
shalt have
of days that are in a year, the
not accept that,' said Sechnall,
and the
fathers,
then a certain
for Patrick, with his
we were
hymn was
for
many
And hymn
of souls of sinners shall go to heaven, for the
hymn.'
that too
it
the recitation of the
said Patrick;
number
'
:
to
And
hymn.
appeared to him, and he sang
and to others
Ela,
Cocmhghin (Kevin) and his the church on Sunday into the
was revealed
is
good.'
'Thou
'
making of
for I
think
shalt have, then,'
:, :*.
M
—
said Patrick,
'
the
number
of the hairs that are on the easula of
thy cowl, the same number of sinners to go to heaven for the
hymn.'
'I
not accept
will
who would not
believer
Sechnall,
said
it,'
were not praised by myself, nor by anyone, shalfc have,' said
'
who
for
Patrick,
'
'Thou
said Sechnall.
heaven who sings
to go to
not accept
said Patrick, gratias,' said
"The viz., it
'
shall
down and
lying
it
it
'
for the
hymn
to memory.'
be upon the
rising up.'
long,
is
three stanzas of
last
I will
not
it is
whole grace,
Its
'
'
and
it.'
then,' '
Deo
angel promised the same thing to Patrick upon the C'ruach,
at lying
down and
shall sing the last three stanzas of
at rising up, as
" 'A hymn, which,
if
(said
is
sung when
life
close.
of this great saint
by the poet)
was at
it after
"'
1
all.
drawing to
last
Well, indeed, might he desire
did he merit
:
alive,
Will be a protecting Lorica unto
life
too
is
Sechnall.
heaven to every one who
The
'It
shalt have,' said Patrick, 'everyone
that,' said Sechnall,
everyone that can commit
'Thou
thou art?
as
seven every Thursday, and twelve every
Saturday, to go to heaven, of the sinners of Erinn.' little,'
the
is
take that number to heaven, although he
rest,
its
and richly
the labors of a century,
and a
which, from his very childhood, had been one of
unceasing
Once
toil.
hundred years ago
him with
again,
his
angel
Victor,
the
who had summoned him more than
blessed spirit
to
come and help the
a special message from God,
dient saint hears but to
fulfil
wished to die at Armagh.
and
the divine
He was
Irish,
a
appears to
still
the obe-
command.
He
setting out for that
—
place for even the saints have their holy partialities; he knew that the " time of his going to heaven was at 1
AU.— Liber llymnorum,
pp. 30-33.
—
—
T
"*r_ His Death hand
;"
foretold by an Angel
is
but the angel told him to (urn back
to Saul,
should be the place of his resurrection.
for there
Then the heavenly messenger informed him that power should continue as
if
in
Armagh
to future ages,
how
he were there alive himself;" and
prophecy has been
verified,
truly this
the present hour
Even those who have taught a
bear ample testimony. different creed
facts to
his
"even
from that of the saint have been unable to
continue their
efforts,
and
in
own
our
time have ceased
to be established, because their teaching,
by the power of
the intercession of Patrick, has failed to supersede
bis.
Directions were also given to the saint concerning his
E
/
funeral; and he was told to give orders that his
body
should be placed in a cart to which two young oxen
from the herds of Conall should be yoked, and these being
left to
guide themselves, that he should be buried
wherever they stopped. It is
probable that St. Patrick died immediately after
his arrival in Saul,
and
that, like
many
saints, his illness
was but a gentle and quick severing of the earthly bonds which had held his love.
spirit captive
from the land of
"We only know that he received the
his
last sacra-
ments of the Holy Catholic Church from the saintly bishop, '
Tassach f and then for twelve days
Tassach.
—lie was commemorated on the 13th
all
the
of April, as
"The
kingly bishop Tassach, Who administered, on his arrival,
The Body <>( Christ, the truly powerful And the Communion, to Patrick." With regard to the four favors announced ti reserve a consideration of them fnr the present.
St,
king,
Patrick
l>y
the angel,
wo
who
Ireland
clergy of
could be assembled watched
around him, with "hymns, and psalms, and canticles."
The music light
3
of the angels
was heard, and a supernatural
illuminated the place.
unusual
in.
Nor was this manifestation
the lives of the saints
;
for
God has
often
been pleased to manifest His approval of their devoted ness
by such
exterior tokens.
Even
own day
in our
and time, we have personal knowledge of instances iu
which a
light,
not of earth or earthly, has been seen to
surround the dying, or has given warning to those
hundred miles
many
distant, of the departure of saintly souls.
And why, indeed, Do not our angels
should
we marvel
at these things
ever attend us, and are
we
%
not only
prevented from seeing the brightness which ever sur-
rounds them by the darkness of earthly light
1
After the death of the saint a dispute arose as to
should possess his remains.
£0 ».
who
The Hy-Nial and the peo-
ple of Orion were the combatants in this holy dispute.
body to Armagh, the Down. The prophecy or the angel Victor was now fulfilled, for two
The former wished latter
to carry the
wished to bury
direction of
it
at
—
3 Liijht. Dr. Todd, to whose adverse comments I am obliged to refer once more, has strongly condemned the accounts of this supernatural light ("Memoir," Dr. Lanigau has tried to explain it away ("Ecel. Hist." vol. i. p. p. 4S9). He has a very confused note at p. 366. When a person sets himself 364). to explain away a clear statement, or series of statements, he generally
involves himself in a series of contradictions. Germanus, that the house where the head of of Auxerre,
read, in the Life of St. Just,
the child martyr
was deposited, was filled with light, and it was so brilliant, was saying matins, perceived it, and sent to inquire
that St. Amator, who Surely, if the cause. iii^lit,
We St.
may we
God thus honored the relics of a holy child for oue not easily believe that for twelve nights, or for a year, He
would thus honor our great
apostle.
TO
H
oxen were yoked
to
a chariot
human
without
forth
by the
guidance,
and
clergy,
sec whither
to
.sent
they
would go. They rested at Dun-da-leth-glaissc (Down), on the spot now occupied by the cathedral, and here the saint was buried. The Hy-Nial, however, were not satisfied (
they met the Ulidians at a place called
;
'olhtmrbovis in the
rose,
A
Book
of
Armagh.
Here the
tide
through the "power of God," and separated them.
now
miracle
each party saw
occurred which decided the dispute
a bier carried
what he saw, thinking that he had
at last secured the
Thus they separated without bloodhad seemed a reality disappeared
coveted treasure.
and what
shed,
:
by oxen, and each followed
before their astonished gaze at last, so that they were
convinced
it
was a miraculous intervention
From
further dispute.
these circumstances
followed that some doubt arose as to the saint
was
But we
interred.
this subject
hereafter,
shall
to prevent
necessarily
it
site
have more
when recording
all
where the to say
on
known
the
traditions of the various relics of our saint.
There are points of coincidence between the saints
and the
lives of those
guishes as great at
which there
men; but
is
work of
is
there are also
for time,
and
the saints, God's heroes,
lives of
the world distin-
the widest divergence.
the world's heroes the
whom
it is
many
points
The work
of
ends with time for eternity,
:
and
continues through time, even after they have ceased to
belong to future.
it,
The
and have entered upon the never-ending saints are as brave as the bravest heroes;
Life of St. Patrick.
3G6 and, in truth,
many
holy
men have
faced dangers from
which the most valiant of earthly warriors might shrink
The
without charge of cowardice. blessed
apostle,
goes forth to
saint,
who, like our a heathen
evangelize
nation, encounters all the dangers of
war without any
human means of defence. It is true that he is defended by the God of Battles but that God does not always ;
him from
interfere to protect his person or to defend
On
suffering.
the contrary,
He
a soul
who knows no
self.
Patrick invades Ireland
fear,
because he has no thought of
Eternal King, and he succeeds
countering the of a soldier.
perils,
conquer
to ;
it
for the
but not without en-
the sufferings, and the privations
If a general is justly called brave
he leads a gallant band of
men
opposing and more powerful not less brave nation.
loves to sec the valor of
who comes
He knows
when
to fight against
an
force, surely the saint is
single-handed to conquer a
not, as he sets out
on
his glorious
mission, whether that mission will succeed or
fail.
He
knows that many of God's bravest generals win their victories when they lie cold in death, since torture and martyrdom are
often their portion.
But they have greatest hero
is
a few centuries.
The fame of the
this advantage.
but for time
;
at best, he
God's heroes get
little
is
forgotten in
share of earthly
fame, but they are more than compensated in eternity.
To
love the temporal interest of our country,
for
it, is
interest,
indeed a noble work
and to give our
;
but to love
lives for
it,
is
and to
die
its
eternal
still
nobler.
i 5?
r
Work
Ilis
When we
*lEr
*-&-
*-
in Ireland.
teach our children the names of our country's
heroes, let us not forget to tell
them
first
of the saints,
as the greatest heroes.
We If
and, above
estimate the all, if
what
results,
describe for
work most
estimate a man's
we thus
its
we
work
fairly
by the
results.
by
results,
of the saints
estimate the work of St. Patrick
by
Words almost fail to magnitude and its importance. The country we say of
shall
it 1
which he prayed, and which he evangelized, has
mained more
faithful to
nation upon earth
and
re-
the Church than any other also has
been a nation of
heroes in the best and truest sense.
France had her
;
it
Goddess of Reason, Italy persecuted her Popes, Spain overturned her
altars,
England chose a king
Germany
revolted as a nation,
for her spiritual
to the Vicegerent of the
King
head in preference
of kings
;
Ireland alone
remained faithful as a nation, and never, even for one denied
hour,
This is <
is
no
the Faith
flight of fancy,
taught
to
simply an undeniable historical
lod, to
what can we attribute
The
of Patrick
1
until the
Day
of
her by Patrick'.
no boast of one's country
Irish race
this,
And,
ing, the
Irish nut inn
it
save to the prayers
were confided to his keeping
Doom, and well has he guarded
charge.
—
And, under
fact.
after centuries of persecution
and
his
Buffer-
are the teachers, throughout the
world, of the Catholic faith.
In America,
in Australia,
we find the old Celtic names in overwhelming majority when we read the catalogue of bishops and priests who minister to these peoples nay, even in England,
;
,^3,
—
? #i<
and we are the pence
'
i
,'fflj j iiiiiiB j
told,
and
by unquestionable
shillings of the
authority, that
it is
poor exiled Celt which
have enabled these bishops and priests to erect some of the most beautiful and costly temples, in which the
Faith
taught as
is
adorable Sacrifice
whom ;
offered
he taught to revere
may we
Well Celt
was taught by Patrick, and the
it
is
by the descendants of those
its
awful mysteries.
claim Patrick as the hero of the Irish
and unite with the writer of the
self also
a saint,
who
Tripartite,
him-
thus sums up our apostle's glories,
m
enhanced during the centuries which have passed since
m
these lines were penned
:
I " His
greater
body still
is
here in the
will it
his preaching will
be in the
earth,
Day
and though great
of Judgment,
his honor,
when the
fruit of
be committed to him as to each other high
apostle, with the apostles
and
disciples of Jesus, in the
union of
the nine choirs of angels, in the union of the Divinity and the
Humanity of the Son all
unity
—
Holy
is
nobler than
Trinity, Father, Son,
and Holy
beseech mercy through the intercession of Patrick.
Spirit.
I
ask that
we may
Amen."
of God, in the unity which
in the unity of the
ail
We
ourselves obtain this uuion in soccula sceculorum.
TRIPARTITE OF Saint OAINT P, TATRICK,
IFE
APOSTLE OF IRELAND.
Translated from the Original
TT.
M.
HENNESSY,
ESQ., M.R.I.A.
Trish.
w
;
MwrpnTi
1
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
31
1
Patrick, then,
was
his father's
was of the Britons of Alcluaid by origin. Calpumn name. He was a noble priest. Potid was his
whose title was a deacon. Conceis was his She was of the Franks, and a sister to Martin. and the moreover, the man St. Patrick was born
grandfather's name,
mother's name.
In Nemtur, 2
;
Patrick was born would give forth water when anyone swore a false oath upon it, as if it were lamenting the If the oath was true, however, the stone would false testimony.
flag (stone)
on which
continue in
its
When flat-faced
the
St.
3 natural condition.
man
St. Patrick
was born, he was taken to the blind,
man, to be baptized.
Gornias 4 was the priest's
name
and he had no water out of which he could perform the baptism, the until he made the sign of the Cross over the ground with infant's
washed
hand,
when a
his face,
and
fountain of water burst forth.
his eyes
were opened to him
and
he,
m
who had
God wrought
three miracles
this place, viz., the fountain of
water through
learned no letter, read the baptism.
through Patrick in
;
Gornias
the ground, his eyesight to the blind man, and his reading the ordo And of the baptism without knowing a letter up to that time of each of the three parts of the Tripartpages of Latin, which form a sort of introduction to few Life. the subject these are omitted, having no connection with the title page, which lines from this introduction will be seen on the illustrated 1
Patrick— At the commencement
ite Life, there are several
A
;
represents St. Patrick blessing the Munstermen, and raising a dead
man
to
life. Nemtur— himdentur (in Emtur), MS.— "Natus igitur in illo oppido NemColgan, thur nomine Patricius natus est in Campo Tabume."— Vita Secunda, 4.— "Natus est igitur Patricius in illo oppido Nemthur nomiue."— Vita p. See pp. 84-89, ante. In the Annals of Ireland [Three FragTerlia, p. 0. MacFirbis, ments, edited by O'Donovan], copied from ancient sources by D.
Cluathe signifying Dumbarton "Obsessio Ailec Cluathe a Nordmannis, i.e. Amlaiph et Imhar duo reges Nordmannorum obsederunt arceui Also ilium & distruxerunt in fine iiii. mensium arcem ilium et predaverunt." Annates Cambrix, A.v. 870 " Arx Altclut a gentilibus fracta est." Brut y Tywysogvm, a.d. 870: "Acy torret Kaer Alcluty gan y Paganyeit"— " and
there
is
—Entry
a note at in
p.
Annals
192 as follows
of
:— Ailech
Ulster, a.d. 870:
:
Caer Alclut was demolished by the Pagans." 3 Condition. See ante, p. 107. • Gornias. Sec ante, p. 101.
— —
'':,:''
was
Patrick
well
and
at the altar,
is
A
subsequently baptized.
moreover, over this well
was founded,
church
which Patrick was baptized
in
and the
;
has the form of the Cross, as the learned
it
report.
Mutritus est igitor in
Nemthur
puer crescens in bonis operibus
ille
Deos per
et in virtutibus quas egit
ilium,
namqae
puerita gratia
Dei preditus erat antequam inter bonum et malum nosset discernere, et
viam
veritatis posset indagare, sicut ipse in libro
inquiens
dic.it,
epistolarum
misertus est adolescentisa ignorantim mesa, et
et
mo antequam scirem cam (sic), et antequam distinguerem bonum et malum, ct munivit me ct consolatus est mei (sic)
custodivit inter
ut pater nlium.
Many
prodigies
his youth, but
and miracles were wrought through Patrick
we
shall only relate a
One time Patrick was great flood and rain
in his nurse's house, in
filled his
children is
when
do than to prepare food
When
Then
desiring food. ;
there
his nurse said to
something
is
even the
for thee;
the)'
in the water,
and
drops
five
were suddenly changed into
and the water rose magnified thereby.
not.
fell
him
"
:
we would
fire is
That
rather
extinguished."
Another time,
of
nurse.
Then
his nurse said
us withered brambles, to
have brought." because
God
is
:
and he dipped
and the
Cod and
as Patrick
collected his armful of pieces of ice,
;
from Patrick's
five sparks,
The names
his companions, in the time of winter
burn
else
with
Patrick heard these words, truly, he sought a certain spot in
the house to which the water had not reached
hand
a
was
fire
then, cried to his nurse, as usual
Patrick,
not what troubles us
when
winter time,
nurse's residence, so that the vessels
and furniture of the house were floating about, and the extinguished.
in
few out of many of them
fingers, fire
his
and
glowed,
of Patrick were
was playing amongst
and cold
in particular,
which he brought home to
ho his
" It would be better for you to bring
warm
ourselves with, than
Thereupon he said to
his nurse
:
what you
" Believe thou,
powerful thereto, that even the sheets of ice will
like faggots
;"
and no sooner were the
pieces of ice placed
on
£2
»
the
fire,
and he had breathed on them, than they burned
The names
faggots.
of
God and
like
Patrick were magnified through
this miracle.
One sheep,
time,
when
Patrick and his sister
Lupait) 5 were herding
{i.e.
the lambs came suddenly to their dams, as
When
with them, to drink milk.
customary
is
Patrick and his sister saw
this,
The girl fell, and her head struck against a stone, so that death was nigh unto her. As soon as Patrick perceived that his sister was lying down, and that death was nigh unto her, he wept loudly; and he raised her up immediately, and made the sign of the cross over the wound, and it they ran quickly to prevent them.
healed without any
had happened
(Nevertheless, the signs of the " white
illness.
wound" would appear
And
there.)
they came
home
as if no evil
Another time, Patrick was with the sheep,
to them.
when a wolf took away a sheep from him. His nurse reproved him greatly therefor. The wolf brought the sheep whole to the same place on the morrow and the restoration in this way was :
wonderful,
When
viz.,
the wolf's dislike regarding the habitual food.
Patrick's nurse, therefore,
and
prodigies
saw him magnified by God
miracles, she used to love
not wish to go anywhere without him.
He went with
milk the cow.
cow [became mad] nurse was
He
much
grieved,
One
time, his nurse
and
new
went to
milk.
The
killed five other cows.
The
her to get a drink of
in the hoolcy,
in
him very much, and would
and asked him
to resuscitate the cows.
resuscitated the cows, then, so that they were quite well, and
he cured the
mad cow
;
and the names of God and Patrick wen?
magnified through this miracle.
There was a great assembly held by the Pritons. the assembly, with his nurse and his guardian. his guardian died in the assembly.
thereat said,
"
;
and
his relatives cried,
Why, thou
6
Lupait.
— See ante,
6
Became
mail.
ijillu,
p.
He went
to
happened that
All were hushed into silence
and
his
friends wept,
didst thou let the
113, for curious
It
and they
man who was
and interesting
carry-
identifications.
— Defect in MS. A gloss adds that " a demon entered into her.'
Trip
irtite Life
A
ing thee diet'
n
the
ird
375
St. Patrick.
of
moreover, he ran to
gitta,
hie
guardian, and placed his hands about his neck, and said to him,
"Arise, and
The boys of
Ho
us go home."
let
word, and they went tlio
home
forthwith, at Patrick's
arose,
safe afterwards.
was nursed were wont
place in which Patrick
Then
bring honey to their mothers from the bees' uests.
"Although every other boy brings honey
said to Patrick,
you bring none
nurse,
bucket to the water, and
filled
changed into honey; and
which
it
his
and blessed the water,
it,
the
King
command
of Britain's steward went to
Then
Patrick and his nurse went.
angel came, and slid to Patrick, " Pray, and
you
it
Patrick
nurse to go and clean the hearth of the royal house in
Al-Cluaid.
for
so that
healed every disease and ailment to
it
was applied
One time and
to his
Patrick afterwards carried off a
me."
to
to
his nurse
to perform
work."
that
it
Patrick
will
Tho angel Though all the
prayed.
Then Patrick said,
afterwards cleaned the hearth.
was that the
it
not be necessary
"
firewood in Britain were burned in that fireplace, there would
no ashes of
it
And
on the morrow."
Another time the King of
this,
Britain's steward
indeed,
is
went
demand
to
lie
fulfilled yet.
tribute
of curds and butter from Patrick's nurse; and sho had nothing
Then
that sho would give for the rent.
was that Patrick made
it
curds and butter of the snow, and they were taken to the king;
and the moment they were exhibited to the king, afterwards, they
The king thereupon
changed into the nature of snow again. forgave the rent to Patrick for ever.
cause 7 of Patrick's coming to Erinn was as follows
The
seven sons of Feohtmad,
via.,
the seven sons of tho
were on a naval expedition, ami they went Letha visit
j
—The
plunder
Armaria
in
and a number of tho Britons of Sratb-Gluaidh were on a
with
their
n. .-on
,,f
kinsmen,
the
of
Britons
Potit, Patrick's father,
daughter of Ocbas of the Galls, 7
to
:
King of Britain
i.e.
ami
Armoric-Letha,
his mother,
and
Conches,
i.e.
of the Franks, were killed in the
Cause — Sso titract from the Scholiast on
I
.
Bj DH,
.
p.
8fi.
slaughter in Armorica.
Patrick and
two
liis
sisters, viz.,
Lupait and
The seven Fechtmad went afterwards on the sea, having with them The way they went was Patrick and his two sisters in captivity. around Erinu, northwards, until they landed in the north ; and they Tigris,
were taken prisoners, moreover,
in that slaughter.
sons of
sold Patrick to Miliuc, son of Buan,
They
to the king of Dal-Araidhe.
i.e.
sold his sisters in Conaille-Muirthemhne. s
know this. 9
Four persons,
was Miliuc.
It
was from
truly, that
And
they did not
One
purchased him.
He
Cothraige, 1 for the reason that he served four families. indeed, four
them is
had,
names
[Here a leaf
Museum MSS. fill
of
he received the name that
this that
is
missing from both the Bodleian
of the Tripartite Life
and British
the contents of which would
;
eight pages of similar size to the foregoing.]
When
V
Patrick had completed his sixtieth year, and had learned
knowledge, his auxiliary angel, Victor
him when he
[Patrick]
was
in
(for
he was of assistance to
bondage with Miliuc, and regarding
everything besides which he might wish), went to him, and said "
to him,
You
commanded from God to go to Erinn, to that you may bring the people, by the net the harbor of life for all the men of Erinn call
are
strengthen faith and of the gospel, to
belief,
;
out your name, and they think
should come."
seasonable and
that
fit
you
Patrick afterwards bids farewell to Germanus, and
gave him a blessing
Germauus, to guard Segetius,
it
;
and a trusted senior went with him from him, and testify for him;
and he was by grade a
priest
;
and he
it
his
name was
was who usually
kept the Ordo of the church besides Germanus. 2 Patrick went subsequently on the sea, his company being nine. Then he went upon an island, where he saw a withered old woman
on her hands at the door of a house. 1
'
"
Whence
is
the hag
1"
U uirlhemhnc. — The level part of the present county of Louth. — Patrick and his sisters did not know their mutual — See, on the meaning of this name, Dr. Todd's paper in the
Conaillc-
8
This.
1
Colhralje.
fate.
Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy," : Germanus. Ante, p. 156.
—
vol. vi. p. 292.
A young man
Patrick; " great is her infirmity."
and
"She
said,
a descendant of mine," said the
ia
yon could see the mother of l-
still."
In what
way
difficult to tell," said
He came
Christ.
blessed ourselves
when
;
We
"
coming was foretold
He
"Not
come
to preach to the Gaeidhel
it
with us'
And it young man
said Patrick,
' :
and
;
long
is ;
"
and
prophesied to usj that thou wouldst
[/ .(.
hall (crozier), to
;
blessed our house, and
to us," said the
'left
if
are here since the time of
but this blessing reached not our children
dud
"
was on earth amongst men
lie
him, and
for
;
more infirm
is
here without age or decay for ever.
shall be
since thy
young man.
to visit us
feast
she
cleric,
did this happen?' inquired Patrick,
the
and we made a
we
this girl,
answered,
young man
;
and He
left
be given to thee."
until lie himself gives
a token with u
"I
me His
.
will not take lachall." 3
remained three days and three nights with them
;
and
it."
Patrick
went
lie
afterwards into Sliabh-IIermoin,-near the island, where the Lord
appeared unto him, and commanded him to go and preach to the Ihelj
I
and
He
gave him the
him
would be of assistance
to
which he would
And
viz.
(1) to
;
be.
Judgment; and
and said that
and every
in the
kingdom
of heaven; (2)
might be the judge of the Gaeidhel on the Day
(3)
a.s
it
difficulty in
Patrick besought three requests of Him,
be at His right hand
that he (Patrick)
Bachall-Isa,*
in every danger,
much
a->
of
the nine companions could carry of
gold and silver, to give to the Gaeidhel for believing.
The Airchinnech that was the forty-second
in Borne at that tin
man from
deacon, with twelve men, to
Peter.
He
instruct
sent
as
When
a
the Gaeidhel (for
comarb of Peter belongs the instruction of Europe),
way
binus,
I
Palladium,
to
in the
high the
same
Barnabas went from Peter to instruct the Romans, &c.
Palladiua arrived in the territory of Leinster,
i.e.
at
lubber-
Dea, 5 Nathi, son of Garchu, opposed him, and expelled him. 3
And
Bacholl.— See ante, p. 1S9. All the details which can be discover about this interesting relic will be given later. * Im. See the account of this in O'Curry's Lectures. 6 Mhar-Dea. The mouth of the Yartry river, county Wicklow.
—
—
3
A
<1
Palladius baptized a few there, Cill-fine (in
of Paul
which he
and founded three churches,
and Peter, and the
which he used to
tablet in
and Tech-na-Koman, and Domhnach-Airte,
On
Solonius are.
God
turning back, afterwards, sickness seized him in it.
knew
Patrick heard this thing, and
that
it
was
for
him
designed the apostleship of Erinn, he went subsequently to
Rome, to
who
write),
which Silvester and
in
the country of the Cruithne, and he died of
When
viz.,
books, and the casket with the relics
left his
receive grade
and
;
it
was Celestinus, Abbot of Rome, 8
read grada (orders, degrees) over him
King
of the
;
Germanus, and Amatho,
Romans, being present with them.
"When Patrick came from Rome, where he arrived was at InbherDea, 7 in Leinster.
the it
first
who
Sinell,
also against him.
came
Nathi, son of Garchu,
Patrick cursed him.
moreover, the son of Finnchadh, was
believed in Erinn through Patrick's teaching.
was that Patrick blessed him and
On
his seed.
Hence
the same day,
Auxilius and Eserninus, and others of Patrick's people, were or-
dained
;
and
was then,
it
also,
that the
name
power with the Romans, was given
of
liberating
man.
It
was
he, moreover,
to
who
i.e.
him
a hostage-
viz.,
the choir of the
i.e.
;
loosened the hostage
And when
ship and bondage of the Gaeidhel to the devil.
were reading the grada
a name
Patricius,
they
(orders, degrees), the three choirs responded,
men
of heaven,
and the choir of the Romans,
and the choir of the children from the woods of Fochlnd,
whom
cried out, " Hibernienses omnes," &c.
gesta sunt in predictis
king in Erinn,
i.e.
was
In the
in Tara.
fifth
he died. 6
Neill, 8
and
his seat
fierce
pagan
and royal hold
year of the reign of Laeghaire
The eighth year
The eighth year
Rome.— See
Mac
all
diebus autem
illis
In that time there was a
ita.
Laeghaire
Patrick came to Erinn.
In
Mac
Neill
of the reign of Lughaidh
of the reign of Theodosius, the forty-
pp. 203-207, for full evidence
of
St.
Patrick's
Roman
mission. 7
—
Inhher-Dea. For identification, see p. 225. 8 Laeghaire Mac Neill. He was son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, and monarch of Ireland from 428 to 463 a.d.
—
w
—
:
TK~-
379
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. fifth
man from
Augustus, Patrick came
;
eight years Celestino was
then prince, as Gelaeiua said.
This valiant king, then,
i.e.
and enchanters, who used
Laeghaire
Mac
Neill, possessed droida
Lochru
through their paganism, what was in the future for them.
and Luchat Mael 9 were their
chiefs
of that art of pseudo-prophecy.
and these two were authors
;
They prophesied,
then, that a
mighty, unprecedented prophet would come across the
unknown code
an
whom
multitudes
and
to foretell through their druidism,
instruction,
of
with
a
few
sea,
with
companions,
would obey, and who would obtain dignity
and reverence from the men of Erinn; and that he would expel kings and princes from their governments, and would destroy all the idolatrous images; and that the faith which would arrive would live for ever in Erinn.
what they used
Patrick,
"
A
Tailcrml
{i.e.
Two to
years, or three, before the arrival of
prophesy was
Patrick) shall
come
[as follows]
:
across the stormy sea,
His garment hcad-[>ierce
Baile-Cuinn (the Ecstasy of Conn, a rhapsody so called) dixit "
A
Tailcmd shall come, who will found cemeteries, make
and pointed music-houses, with conical caps : priuces bearing croziers. "
9 I
'
Mael.— Luchat
"
When
[bencopar]
;
cells
new,
and have
these signs shall come," said
Calvus.
— Glossed, "ie, the Bachall-Isa connected with Croziert. — "Conn's name
(staff of
Staff.
is
delivered by himself,
and
entitled
tip'
lliilc
Jesus) in his hand."
tun
distinct prophecies; one
Chilian, or Conn's Kostasy
;
the.
and entitled the Baile an Scail, or the champion's The word Baile, which means madness, distraction, or ecstasy, is
other delivered t> lam, Ecstasy.
the ancient Gacdhelic name for a prophecy. " Of these two ' prophecies,' nothing seems to have hecn
known to Gaedhclic
and historians, for some centuries back, more than the quotation from the Baile" Chuion found in the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, as published by Father John Colgan, in his Trio* Tfinuinaturgas in the year 1647 (a quotation which was reprinted by Dr. Petrie, in his 'History and Antiquities of Tara,' published in 1S39, in the eighteenth volume of the 'Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy'). Even at the time that Dr. Petrie wrote his important scholars
,
m*M>i
they,
and
" our
faith
adoration and our gentility (paganism) will vanish,
and
belief will be magnified."
and represented, so
When
it
happened and was
As
it
was foretold then,
fulfilled.
Patrick completed his voyage, and his ship entered the
essay on Tara, the serious examination of our ancient Gaedhelic manuscripts was but in its infancy ; and when this Baile Chuinn was discovered in the Tripartit was not known who Conn, the author of it, was, nor nor whether it contained any more than what is was only believed that he must have been some ancient Neither could the most minute research among our extensive collection druid. However, on my of manuscripts in Dublin throw any light on his history. visit to London in the summer of 1S49, I had the good fortune to discover an ancient copy of the entire prophecy, of which an extract only is quoted in the
Patrick,
ite Life of St.
at
what time he
there quoted
;
flourished,
it
Tripartite Life.
" The piece '
entitled
It is is a short one, filling but one column of a small folio page. Baile Chuinn Ched-Ghatairjh / that is, 'the Ecstasy (or Prophecy)
Conn of the Hundred Battles.' The manuscript is written on vellum, and was compiled or transcribed in Burren, in my native country of Clare, by of
Donnell O'Davoren, about the year 1590. It will be found in the British Museum, classed Egerton, SS.' The transcript appears to have been made from some ancient, decayed manuscript, and with some carelessness, many words being carelessly spelled or contracted. The style of the composition is affectedly irregular and obscure, and cannot be taken as evidence of the remote antiquity to which it is referred. It will appear, from what follows, that the piece professes to have been originally written forty nights before Conn's death. The 'prophecy,' which is written in prose, has reference to the succession of the kings of Tara and Conn commences with his own son, Art will succeed Art, of whom he disposes in the following few words at the end of forty nights, a powerful champion, who shall die at MucCon, the successor ruimhe.' The prophecy then runs rapidly down to Mac of Art ; Cormac, the son of Art, and successor of Mac Con ; C'airbre, the son of Cormac, killed at the battle of Gabhra ; Fiacha-Sraibhtine, the son of Cairbre; Muiredhach, the son of Fiacha; and, passing over Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin, the son of Muiredhach, it comes down to his son again, Niall of the Nine Hostages, and then to Laeghaire, the son of Niall, who was monarch when St. Patrick arrived. Here the prophet foretells the coming of our great apostle, in words which stand as follows, with their ancient explanations 'With Laeghaire the violent will the laud be humbled by the coming of the Tailcenn, that is, Patrick houses across, that is, churches ; bent A somewhat different staffs, which will pluck the flowers from high places.' and better version of this prediction is given in the Ancient Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, where it is quoted, without gloss, from the Baile Chuinn. " The word Tailcenn (or Tailgcnn), which occurs here and in various places in our ancient writings, means the reverend person to whom all men would bow the head in reverence. For the precise meaning of every word in this '
;
:
:
;
—
'
•^AlTi.-— Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. harbor at Inbher-Dea,'' in the territory of Leinster, he brought
Then
his ships to tlio shore.
instruct
He
Miliuc
his body, that
to shore, 4
was that
it
thought
fit,
lie
decided to go to
ho labored
as
he should labor for his
at
first
Be then put
soul.
and proceeded on a prosperous voyage, past the coast
of Erinn, eastwards, until he stopped in Inbher-Domnand. 6
found no
for
stick
and cursed
fish there,
He went
it.
He
to Inis-Patrick
;
and
'
Ho
he sent to Inbher-Nainge, 8 where nothing was found for him.
Then
cursed this also, and both are unfruitful.
came into all
his
\
was that Beneo
Patrick slept awhile, and
after
the odoriferous flowers that the youth could find, he would
put them into the
4
Soon
company.
it
••
Stop doing that,
"
He
will
Patrick's people said to Benen,
thou shouldst awake Patrick."
be the heir of
where he found
bosom.
cleric's
lest
my kingdom."
He
fish.
blessed
Patrick blessed the ground, and
it
Patrick said,
to Inbher-Boindi,'
and the Inbh
who denied
found druids in that place,
went afterwards from
it,
He went
swallowed the druids.
Inis-Patrick, past
He
r is fruitful.
the virginity of Mary.
Conaille, 8
Patrick
and past the
I have succeeded in procuring from ancient manuscripts tho most undoubted authority and this is rather remarkable, since the version of it given by Father John Colgan, in his Latin translation of the Tripartite Life, It runs as follows: 'Adveniet cum is inaccurate and incongruous.
ancient strain,
;
tonsus in capite, cujus e;des ad ii^tar tedium Etomanarutn future sint in pretio et lustimatiuiic. .Eles ejus eruut an
efficii
qu
t
I
dntoet
—
fans mueta pedum pastorale domnabetur.'" O'C'urry," Manuscript Mat J Inbher-Dea. The mouth of the Vartry river, near Wicklow, in the t. rritory of UiGarchon, which contained Glenealy and, Kathnew. " Four
—
Masters " 4
a. p. 430,
—
43 L and 835
;
also Todd's
"St. Patrick,"
n. p. 3'1S.
Sho'e.—i.e. pushed off his boat.
Inhber-£>omnar>d.—Dr. Todd ("Life of St. Patrick," note r>, p. 405 thisisuow M-vlahide river, on the authority of Dr. Beeves' " Adamnau," in Sftddoumey. p. 31, who says it is now 6 Inbher-Naingt, now the mouth of the Nanny river, which, running past Duleek, county Meath, empties itself into the Irish sea, at the parish of Julians6
.
,
writes,
I
*
r
-1
i
- _;
i
1
1
1
town, called otherwise the parish of
Nanny
in Usher's
"lieturuof
Afi
1622.
— Mouth of the Boyne. — A territory
7
Boindi.
8
ConaiUc-Muirthcmlmc.
comprising that psrt of the county " Book to the Boyne.
Louth extending from the Cuailgne (Cooly) mountains of Rights," pp. 21 and 160.
—
—
;
coast of Ulster, until he stopped
at
Inblier-Brena. 9
He went
afterwards to Inbher-Slani, where the clerics hid their ships
they went ashore to put it
off their fatigue,
and
to rest
;
and
so that there
;
was the swine-herd of Dichu, son of Trichim, found them, where When he saw the divines and the is to-day.
Sabhall-Patrick clerics,
he thought they were robbers or thieves
tell his
lord
Then
;
whereupon Dichu came, aud
was that Patrick uttered the prophetic
it
bestis,
&c,
became
gentle,
he was the Patrick.
Patrick.
canis obmutuit."
efc
When
;
set his
and he went to dog
at the clerics.
verse, "
Ne
Then
it
Ulster
who
tradas
Dichu saw Patrick, he
and he believed, and Patrick baptized him
first in
m
;
so that
received faith and baptism from
was that Dichu presented the Sabhall 1 to
Patrick said
:
" The
God on Dichu, gave to me the Sabhall May he be, hereafter, Heavenly, joyous, glorious. blessing of
Who
" The
blessing of
Dichu with
No
God on Dichu 1
full folds (flocks)
—
;
one of his sept or kindred
Shall die, except after a long life."
Patrick went to preach to Miliuc, as
we have
gold with him, to prevail on him to believe, for he •
Inhker-Brena.
—The mouth
of Strangford river.
six miles distant, inside Strangford
said,
and took
knew
that he
Inbhcr-Slani was about of the Slaney
Lough, being the mouth
water, which rises iu Loughmoney, and passes through Kaholp, emptying itself iuto Strangford Lough, between Ilingbane and Balliutogher. 1
Snbellum.
2
Dichu.
— Saul, county Down.
— He
was son of Trichim, of the race of Fiatach Finn, monarch and brother of Eochaidh Gunait, who was also monarch of Ireland. His festival was held at Saul, on the 29th November, The Irish Calendars Ailill, of Magh-bile, now record six brothers of Dichu Laeghaire, of Dun Eoghan and Niall, Movilla Duirtheet, of Aendruim, now Island Magee both of Cillcleithe, now Kilclief aud Kos (who met St. Patrick at Brettau, or Bright), of Dundaleithglass, now Downpatrick all churches, in the county Down. St. Jarlath, third bishop of Armagh, to which he was appointed by •St. Patrick himself, and who died, a.d. 481, was sou of Tneu, brother of Trichim, and therefore cousin of St. Dwhu. of Ireland,
;
;
;
;
;
—
I
^J
>
>•
n>
?
Jjf^z
/
=f
^
5
Jfe-'
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. (Miliuc)
was covetous regarding
Bat when Miliuc hoard that
gold,
Patrick had arrived, he wished not to believe for him, and to
abandon the pagan for his servant,
religion.
and
taught him was this:
and
silver;
and he
his treasures,
and
He thought
He went went
on
fire,
and he saw the
fire
afar
it
That
the
is
lire
it
all
was that Patrick
He remained
off.
space of two or three hours, thinking what "
demon
and was burned with
Then
to hell.
proceeded past the northern side of Sliabh-Mis (there that place),
to believe
that a
3 into his royal house, with his gold
set the house
his soul
unbecoming
it
The counsel
to submit to him.
is
a cross in
silent for the
could be, and he
sai
I,
of Miliue's house," said Patrick, "after bis burning
himself in the middle of his house, that he might not believe in
God
in the
thereto,"
end of
his
life.
added he, "there
his family,
and
his seed
As
regards the
shall
and race
man who
persuaded him
not be a king or righdamhna4 of be
shall
'
in service
'
for ever,
and
his soul shall not return from hell to the judgment, nor after judg-
ment." wise)
After he had said these words, he turned
and went back again into the
deistH (right-hand-
territory of Uladb, 6 until ho
arrived at Magh-inis, to Dichu, son of Trichim, and he remained
there a long time disseminating faith, so that he brought
Ulidians with the net of the gospel to the harbor of
the
all
life.
Patrick went subsequently from Sabhall southwards, that he
might preach to Ros, son of Trichim.
He
it
was that resided
Derlus, 6 to the south of Dun-leth-glaise (Downpatrick).
There
in is
—
* Royal house. In the townland of Ivillyc.irn, parish of Sherry, barony of lower Antrim and couuty Antrim (ordnance sheets, Nos. 28 and 29), is a large rath, under which are some beehived erections constructed in cyclopeau manner. This is said to have been one of the residences of Miliuc. But there is no cross standing there at pr. *
' *
— The elected successor to the king. —The eastern part of Down. Derlus. — Derlus and Mreachtain were ancient names of Bright, Righdamhma. Uladh.
Anglo-Normans
built a castle, part of
where the which is still standing. It was formerly were taken by Bishop Leslie to recover
bishop*! land, and in 1610-1 proceedings
from the Earl of Ivildare. An account of the proceedings will be found in the Journal of the Irish House of Commons. The church of Brich is mentioned it
in the taxation of
r~-
Down and Connor. — See
Reeves' "
Down and
Connor,"
p. 35.
.';.::'_
i
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. a small city (cathair, there this day, est increpare
As
youth herding
pigs.
Mochae
his
And
Patrick preached to him,
name.
his hair,
and a reliquary.
and
and gave him a copy of the
he gave him
And
shorn pig every year.
another time, a
also,
head into
viz., its
end in Mochae's bosom
its
Detech-Mochae of Noeudruim
When
see)
qui ausus
pueri ludentis justa Ee-
which had been given them from God,
Patrick's bosom,
Loam
Patrick was then on his way, he saw a tender
and baptized him, and cut
baeludl
manum
Patricium tenentem
clesiam suam.
gospels,
but also meaning a bishop's
civitas,
i.e.
Brett ain, ubi est Episcopus
i.e.
;
and
this is the
and Mocha promised Patrick a
7 ;
indeed,
this,
is still
given.
the solemnity of Easter approached, Patrick considered
that there was no place more suitable to celebrate the high solemnity of the year,
i.e.
the Easter, than in Magh-Bregh, s the place
where the head of the idolatry and druidism of Erinn was, viz,
They afterwards bade
Temhair.
and put
their vessels
on the sea
and went by land tent
;
and they proceed ed
They
anchored in Inbher-Colptha.
left their vessels in
until they reached Ferta-fer-fec, 9
was fixed in
this
place,
in
farewell to Dichu, son of Trichim, until they
the Inbher,
and Patrick's
and he cut the Easter
fire.
It
happened, however, that this was the time in which the great festival of the Gentiles,
The
and
kings,
the
i.e.
princes,
and
Ifes
of Tara,
chieftains,
was usually celebrated.
were wont to come to
Laeghaire MacNeill to Tara, to celebrate this
and the magicians were
The
fire
night,
also
wont
to
come
festival.
The druids
to prophesy to them.
of every hearth in Erinn was usually extinguished on that
and
it
was commanded by the king that no
lighted in Erinn before the
fire
of Tara,
fire
should bo
and neither gold nor
silver
—
Mochae of Noendrinm. See ante, p. 239, for note on Mochae, and similar incident in the life of St. Agnes of Monte Pulciauo. 8 Magh-Brer/h, See ante, p. 243, n., and the same for Inbher Colptha. 9 The present Slane. See note, p. 243, ante, and a very Ferta-fer-fec. interesting chapter in "The Diocese of Meath, Ancient and Modern," by the 7
— —
Rev. A. Cogan, vol.
i.
p. 58.
It is to
be wished that the clergy in other dioceses of this learned priest, and give us
would follow the excellent example histories of their districts.
BBBBBB jifritr
l
:V,iHi|li,|.|l»|p'||i|-'
.P
$•'
—
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick would be accepted from any one who would Buffer
death for
As
a distance, which Patrick
lire at
Then the king
Magh-Bregh.
prohibition and law
;
If it
"it will
is
had
lighted.
"That
said,
hat
never be
"and we know
yoked
not how it shall man who lighted
for the king,
"
fer-ftc.
You must
lighted
that he
it
;
be
is
lighted
prevented."
Then
it
will
When
the
the king said,
His chariot and horses were
end of the night, to
in the
was made,
fire
may know you
to be a king,
"
shall
" It
Pel
i
Patrick was " whispered" out to
them that no one should
rise
you worship the man
lest
let
him be
called out to you,
and himself a subject
chariots
them
;
;
and we
it
;
afterwards, until
front
in
and
up before him,
Patrick rose and went out
;
good counsel," said the king
is
They proceeded
be done as you say."
they unyoked their horses and
him.
it
but we will go," said he, " until we lire."
but stay outside, and
argue in your presence."
in
I
take care," said the druids, " that you go not
will it
;
the
and they went,
the place wdiere the
to
who
which
the night in
The man who
extinguished.
is
slay the
consecrate
It illuminated
a violation of mv " We see it."
is
king heard this thing, he was much infuriated. '1
knew
he
it'
not extinguished before morning," added they,
surpass the kings and princes, unless he
"
and
and do you ascertain who did
said the druids,
fire,"
made.
is
but he should
it,
;
the people of Tara were thus, they saw the
Easter
the
light
this thing
would not prevent him.
it, it
all
knew not
Patrick
it.
of the
Fata..
was commanded by
lest
he should believe
and when he saw the chariots
and horses unyoked, he sang the prophetic stanza
:
" Hi in curribus et hi in corns (cquis),
Xoh nntcm,
in
nomine Domini Dei nostri mS."'
They were then before him, and the rims of their shields against chins in
;
and none of them rose up before him, except one man
whom was
a figure from God,
Bishop Ere who
is
/.<•.
[commemorated] '
?-kg^r.a
Ms.
Ere, son of in Slaine of
—Oolgra has invoeahimut.
&^j£L
Dega.
He
their
alone, is
Magh-Bregh
the to-
•v
Patrick blessed him, and he believed in God, and confessed
day.
the Catholic faith, and was baptized "
Your
Patrick's (comarh) successor
bound
is
and Patrick
;
on earth
seat (cathair, chair or city)
Each then questioned the other fiercely,
against Patrick
;
his
2 .
—
viz.,
Patrick and Laeghaire.
and
enviously, with contention
questions,
and then he began to denounce the Trinity and the Patrick looked severely at him, and cried out to
Catholic faith.
God with
and
bend the knee before
to
comarb in consideration of his submission
Lochru went
said to him,
shall be noble,"
a loud voice, and he said
:
"
Domine
qui omnia potes et
in tua potestate consistit quidquid est, quique nos misisti
hue ad
nomen tuuni gentibus prcedicanduin hie impius qui blasphemat nomen tuum, elevator nunc foras, ct cito moriatur. Et his dictis elevatus est magus in ae'ra et iterum desuper cito dejectus sparso ad lapidem cerebro comminutus et mortus fuerat coram eis." 3 The pagans became afraid at this. But the king was much infuriated
He
against Patrick, and he determined to kill him.
When
to slay the cleric.
told his 2>eople
Patrick observed this thing, the rising
up against him of the pagans, he cried out with a loud said
:
"
odcrunt
Et exurget Deus
eum
a facie
sicut fluit caera
mini."
a
ejus, sicut defecit
facie
Immediately
ignis
:
sic
fumus
went over the
darkness
frightened,
off,
and all
all
fell
upon the earth
and the wind blew the
;
attacking each other, so that
fifty
sun,
facie
They thought
men
of
The
;
and they were
them
fell
-
Submission.— See
ante,
p.
:
See Colgan,
p. 120.
and
all
his
et timuerunt valde, venienscpie
243, for identification of
pp. 253-255, for further details of St. Patrick's visits. 3
in this
Gentiles fled in
directions, so that only three remained, viz., Laeghaire,
of his people
it
chariots across the plains,
commotion through Patrick's malediction.
man
Do-
and great
and the horses started
rose against each other in the assembly
queen, and a
and
deficit sic deficiant
pereint peccatorus
shaking and trembling of the earth occurred.
was heaven that
voice,
et dissipentur inimici ejus, et fugiant qui
Magh-Breg
M
TrypartiU Patricium
ad
i
Liathan), dixit, q to thee,
(i.&
Angass,
and
"false peace."*
beckoned
aside,
Patrick
O
me,
men
to
cleric,
and
will
Tara, that
of Erinn ;"
and he
may
I
then
after this the king
he meditated was to
God had
Laeghaire said to
Patrick. to
kneel,
will
Not long
and what
but this happened not, because
intention
of
regem. The king
Laeghaire went then and knelt before Patrick,
and gave him a
;
>n
Bubmit to thee, and
will
:;^7
daughl
"Eihomo juste ebpotensneperdas
believe in God."
him
St. Patrick.
of
Lif\
Patrick,
believe
men
placed
'.'
thee
in
kill
manifested this
Come
ambush
in
alter
before
the
before
Patrick in every pass from Ferta-fer-fec to Tara, that they might kill
But God did not permit
him.
Patrick
it.
went, accom-
panied by eight young clerics (maccleirech), and Bcncn as a
gilla
along with them; and Patrick blessed them before going, and a tUchcItair5
of
(garment of
was
tlu-iii
invisibility)
went over them, so that not one
The Gentiles who were
seen.
in
ambu
the
C
however, Baw eight wild deer going past them along the mountain,
and a young fawn
and
Patrick,
hi.s
after them,
and a pouch on
eight [clerics],
and Benen
(Patrick's) pohire (satchel, or epistolary) '
shoulder, viz.,
his
after them,
and
his
on his back.
Laeghaire went afterwards, about twilight, to Tara, in sorrow and
shame, with the few persons who escaped the to
in his company. On day succeeding, Easter Sunday, the nun of Erinn went to Tara drink the feast, for the Fes of Tara was a principal day
with them.
When
they were banqueting, and thinking of
conflict
they waged the day before, they saw Patrick,
in the
middle of Tara, januis clausis ut Christu
because Patrick meditated: readiness
may be
"
1
will
men
not make a candle under a bushel of myself.
who
will believe in
the
arrived
alum:
go," said he,
manifested before the
who
"so
of Erinn. I
that
will see,"
me, and who will not believe."
my
I shall
No
said
one
—
'e peace. Brietilh (acted with hypocrisy). Tirechan, iu his Annotations, says that Laeghaiiv never became a Christian. in
in illy's Iriah Dictionary.
ualuicnt or enclosure, a deer park,'
-
""""H
388
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. up before him
rose
king's
royal
name was
his
Mac Ua
inside but Dubhtach
and a tender youth of
poet,
Fiaec
he who
it is
:
that day in Tara.
was then
and to prove him did not refuse
the
to
called
man who
believed
his seed.
Patrick
in Venturis rebus).
{i.e.
to drink with him, for
food,
Patrick
knew what would come
because he
this,
The druid Luchat Mael went
(viz.,
in Slebhte
bed that he might eat
king's
in prophecy
first
him and
Patrick blessed
people
[commemorated]
is
This Dubhtach, truly, was the
to-day).
Lugair alone, the
his
of
it.
he wished to
revenge on Patrick what he had done to his (the druid's) com-
The druid Luchat Mael put a drop
panion the day before.
of
poison into the goblet which was beside Patrick, that he might see
what Patrick would do and he blessed the
in regard to
goblet,
and the
Patrick observed this
it.
ale
adhered to
the goblet upside-down afterwards, and *':
druid put into
and the
it
fell
out of
changed into
ale
its
the poison which the
The names of God and The hosts then went and took Let us work miracles," said Luchat
natural state.
"
their station outside Tara.
Mael, " before the multitude in this great plain." "
What
are they
V
The druid
plain, so that the plain
Patrick asked,
"Let us bring snow upon the
said,
may be white
before us."
Patrick said to
him, " I do not wish to go against the will of God." said, " I will bring the
He
not."
:
the snow
and
see this
;
snow upon the
plain,
•'.
The druid
though you
like it
then began the druidic poetry, and the demoniacal
arts, until
man
act,
and he turned
Patrick blessed the goblet again,
it.
Patrick were magnified thereby.
up
it,
so that
fell,
saw and wondered
all
send
it
away,
if
it
would reach the
greatly.
We
The druid answered, "
you can."
cannot do that thing until this
girdles of
Patrick said, "
time
to-morrow."
"
I
By my :
debhro," 6 said Patrick, " in
evil is
thy power, and not in good."
— O'Donovan,
Supplement to O'Reilly's Dictionary, translates or "God of Judgment," adding that it was variously explained by the writers of the Lives, but that he gave the above interpretation from Cormac's Glossary, which was supported by the reading of Jocelyn. Sir William Betham absurdly translated it as "Proud Slave," or " Slave of Pride." 6
Debhro.
this phrase,
"my
God Judge,"
•\^n
wwrpfijp
:.'
:
"=
^T"i^C^^
Patrick blessed the plain ln-fore him towards the four points, and the snow immediately disappeared, without rain, without sun,
without wind, at Patrick's word.
Darkness afterwards went over
the face of the earth, through the incantations of the druid.
multitudes cried out thereat.
The druid answered, " Lord, and blessed the
am
I
all
et ait rex ad
ilium cujus libri
Patrick prayed the
and the darkness was expelled, and gave thanks.
time contending thus before the king,
and Peter,
The
" Ezpelli tenebras."
said,
not able today."
plain,
the sun shone out, and
Patrick
illos,
i.e.
They were as
long
for a
Nero said
to
Simon
" Libros vestros in aqua mittite, et
evaserint adorabimus."
Bespondit Patricius, magus, " Nolo ego ad judicium ire aqua? cum ipso; aquam etdam Deum hahet ;" because he heard that it was " Faeiam ego
;
illesi
" et dixit
through water Patrick used to baptize. igitur in igne ;" et ait Patricius, "
"Hie homo versa ignem deum veneratur." dixit,
Pati ick, " for since
Et respondit
Promptus sum
vice in alternos annos
"It
is
you say that
rex, " Mittite
" at
;
magus nolens
nunc aquam nunc
not this that shall be done," Baid the
adore, go you,
if
you
wish, into a house apart, and well closed, and a student of
my
people along with you, and let druidic tunic about
my
it is
my
firo I
casula be about you,
student 7 (mae
clcircch)
;
and
and your
fire
will
be
God may decide between you there." to by the men of Erinn, including Lae-
applied to the house, that
This counsel was agreed ghaire.
The house was then made, one half of dry faggots, and the The druid was put into the fresh
other half of fresh materials. part,
•4
and Patrick's
casula about him.
Benen, however, was put
into the dry 8 part, with the druid's tunic about him.
The house
was afterwards
before the
multitude, and
closed, fire
and fastened on the
was applied
there through Patrick's prayers.
to
it.
The
A
outside,
great prodigy occurred
fresh part of the house
was
burned, as well as the druid under the casula, and not a bit of the T it
Student.— The student was St Bcnignus. As he wore the druid's tunic, would appear an argument in favor of his being more than a mere child at
the time. *
Dnj.—Crin,
i.e.
withered, or easily ignited, brambles.
Pr^— J>
7'
;
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
31)0
casula
The dry
was destroyed.
portion,
in
which was Benen,
preserved Benen under the
God
however, was not burned, and
d raid's tunic, and the tunic was burned, so that ashes.
The king was
He
killing of his druid.
God
but
did not permit
The anger of God
fell
arose, it,
it
and would
like to slay Patrick
through the intercession of Patrick.
afterwards on the impious multitude, so that
thousand in one day. Patrick
greatnumbersof them
died, viz., twelve
said to Laeghaire, " If
you do not believe now, you
for the anger of
God
was reduced to
enraged against Patrick for the
greatly
will
heard these words he was seized with great
shall die quickty,
When
come upon your head." fear.
the king
The king went
into a house afterwards, to take counsel with his people.
" It
better for me," said he, " to believe in God, than [to suffer]
threatened to me,
is
knelt to
Patrick,
my
death."
It
was
is
what
after this that Laeghaire
and believed in God, and
many thousands
believed in that day.
Then
it
was that Patrick said to Laeghaire, " Since you have
believed in^God, and have submitted to me, length of
sovereignty will be given to thee.
As
ago, however, there will
some time
life
in thy
a reward for thy disobedience
be no king nor roydamhna
from thee for ever except Lughaidh," 9 the son of Laeghaire 9
for
—
Lughaidh ascended the throne, according to the Four Masters, according to the Chronicon Scotorum, in 4S0. The Annals of
Lughaidh.
in 479, or,
;
Ulster give 484, and O'Flaherty, in the "Ogygia," 483
;
which date Dr. Todd,
" Life of St.Patrick," tables 252 and 256, adopted. His death is generally placed at 50S, but it will be observed that the Irish Life passes over all the The following notice incidents of his reign, from his accession to his death. in his
of his reign
and death
" Tara," p. 86
is
taken from the Book of Lecan, as quoted in Petrie's
:—
"Lughaidh, the son
of Laeghaire,
assumed the government
of Ireland for
" and he sent messengers to demand the Born, and he did not receive it without a battle. And he assembled the nobles of force Chuinn to the Boru and the Lagenians came to Magh Ailblii." Lcath [Moy-alvy, in the south of county Kildare.] "The battle of Magh Ailbhi was fought between them, in which a victory was gained over Lughaidh, and Muircheartach Mac Earca, and Cairbri Mor, the son of Niall and in revenge of this battle Muircheartach and Cairbri did not desist from [attacking] the Lagenians as long as they lived. The learned state that Lughaidh never forced the Boru but once, aud [that] imperfectly. live years" [recte fifteen years],
;
;
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
391
mother implored Patrick that he would not curse the infant that
his
was
her
in
womb, when Patrick
said, " I will
not, until he
comes
Lughaidh then assumed the sovereignty; and he " Is not that the went to Achadh-farcha. There he said against me."
:
church of the
cleric
who
said that there
roydamhna from Laeghairef
would be neither king nor
After this darts of bghtning de-
scended from the heavens on his head, which killed him, and hence [the
is
name] Achadh-farcha. 1
These miracles
live to this day.
These are the miracles the divines of Erinn knew, and through which tiny put a thread of narration. I
ltan,
Columcille, son of Fedhlidhmidh.
the grandson of Conchobhar,
Adamnan, the grandson
of
Tinne, Eleran the Wise, C'iaran of Belach-duin, Cruimther Collait
" It is in the time of Lughaidh that Patrick came to Ireland, and he went to Temur, where Lughaidh was, and offered him wheat without tillage, constant milk without kiue during hu time, and heaven at the end of his life, and success of hounds and horses, and of a queen upon him, and Lughaidh did not assent to that and because he did not Patrick cursed him, and also his queen, ie. Aillinn, the daughter of Aengus Mac Kadfraich, King of Munster, so that thenceforward there is an ill luck of queens on Temnr, neither has it success of hounds. \ud Lughaidh, the son of Latghaire, died at Achadh Farcha, in consequence of the curse of the Tailginn [aunt], I.e. a flash of lightning struck him dead from heaven for having rejected the ;
I
Tailgirm." It is quite plain that there are
such as 5 for
15,
and the name
some mistakes in the preceding paragraph*, Lughaidh is probably a mistake for Lae-
of
ghaire. '
Ai-hadh-farclta
—
i.e.
"the field
of lightning."
O'Donovan (" Four Masters,"
at 503) states, on the authority of a Life of St. Patrick in the Leabhar Brcac, that this place was in the territory of Ui-Cremhthainne, DOW in the baronies of Slane, county M. ah. but was unable to identify the locality. Colg fixed Ui-Cremthainne, in Slane,
and the confines of the diocese and county Heath ; but OTlaherty (" Ogygia," iii. ch. 70) tells us that in his time was an inconsiderable district on the conlines of South Oriel, belonging
of East it
to the
barony of Slane
in
M.ath, though he leads us to infer that anciently
it was much more extensive. In the barony of Lower Slane and the adjoining barony of Kells, is the parish of Enniskeen, being the most northern part of Meath diocese, in which is absorbed the old district or parish of
and which contained, according to the Down 8 carnane, the entire district having been the property of Christopher
I'.allialticknaffe,
('mice,
an Irish Papist,
innocent Papist.
~^
r
and granted by decn
t*
Lawrenoe Croioe,
an
from Druim-Railgecli, knew Patrick's miracles in the
first
place,
and composed them. 2
A
man
of truth, indeed,
was
heart like Moses
wisdom
like
Abraham;
Ghost
a
;
;
like
gentle and forgiving of
a praise-singing psalmist like David
;
Solomon
Paul the Apostle
man, with purity of mind
this
the Patriarchs; a true pilgrim like
;
a shrine of
a chosen vessel for proclaiming truth like
man
of grace and knowledge of the Holy
full
John
;
the root of a holy herb-garden towards the
children of faith
;
a vine branch with fruitfulness
fire,
like
warm
with power to heat and
dispensing charity.
A
regard to good ungentle, for Christ
:
in strength
lion
gentleness and humility.
A
serpent in
life,
;
a sparkling
in founding
and might
;
A
and
a dove in
wisdom and cunning
gentle, humble, mild, towards sons of life
towards sons of death. ;
slave
in
in
;
dark,
work and
labor
a king in dignity and power, for binding and releasing,
for enslaving
and
freeing,
for
quante autem hora obitus sumpsit quod viaticum et deinceps post
Deum
the sons of
killing
vita? aiternre
mortuos
and reviving.
sacrificium
sui,
Appropin-
ab Episcopo Tassach
ex consilio Victoris acceperat,
suscitatos,
post
multum populum ad
conversum, et post Episcopos et presbyteros in
ecclesiis
ordinatos, et toto ordine Ecclesiastico conversa tota Scotia ad fidem Christi, 5
anno
setatis sua? cxii.
obdormivit in vitam feternam.
Composed them.— We have evidence here at what an early period the The names given above are the
miracles of the saint were placed on record. best evidence
how
generally they were
known and
believed.
ii
;
When
Patrick came with his
Gaeidhel, and went to Tara, he
fleet to left
Erinn, to preach to the
Lomman
3 in Inbher-Boinne,
to take care of his ships, during the forty nights of
Patrick
commanded him
to
row
the Lent.
his vessel against the [current of the]
Boyne, until he would arrive at the place where to-day Ath-Truini [Trim]
is
— at that time the dun of Fedhlimidh, where he (Lomman)
found the son of Laeghaire MacNeill,
i.e.
And in the
at Ath-Truim.
morning, For tchern, Fedhlimidh' s sou, went and found Lomman, and
He wondered at the precepts he heard. and was baptized by Lomman. And Fortchern was listening to the instruction, until his mother went to seek him. She welcomed the clerics, for she was of the Britons, viz. Scoth, Lis gospels before him.
He
believed,
;
daughter of
the king of
Britain.
Fedhlimidh himself came
Lomman; and he believed, and presented AthGod and Patrick, and to Lomman, and to Fortchern.
to converse with
Truim
to
Patrick himself went and founded Ath-Truim [Trim], twenty-five years before
the
foundation
moreover, was the origin of
Of the
Ard-Macha.
of
Lomman, and
his
Britons,
mother was the
sister of Patrick.
Lomman's in Cuircne, 4
(Inny) 3 4
;
brethren, were, moreover, Bishop i.e.
Munis
in
Forgnidhe
in the north of Meath, to the south of the
Ethne
Broccaidh in Imlech-Achaidh, in Ciarraighe 5 of Connacht
— Month of the Boyne. — O'Donovau ("Book of Bights," p. 181) writes
Inbher-Boinne.
"This territory is still so called iu Irish, and comprises the entire of the harony of Kilkenny West, in Westmeath, and that part of the parish of Forguaidhe (Forgney) lying on the south of the river Eithne (Inny), county Longford." 5 Ciarraighe. There were three territories of this Dame in Connaught, viz., Ciarraidhe-Aei, in the west of the county Boscomruon; C-Loeha na n-Airneadh, in the barony of Costello, county Mayo and Ciarraidhe-Airtich, also in Boscommon ("Book of Bights," p. 101). Archdall (p. 610) places St. Broccaidh's church in county Boscommon, calling it Imleach-each, or Imleacb-orocaiM, but does not point out its situation. But we are able to discover it, by means of a grant from the Crown to Richard, Earl of Clanrickard, dated Sth April, 1CG2, granting him several parcels of land and tithes, formerly belonging to the absorbed parish of Termonkelline, alias Termonbqg one of those was Imlaghbrocowa, now in the present parish of Kilkeevan, which contains tho town of Castlerea, county Boscommon. It is now called Emlagh on the Cuircne.
—
;
:
:
Brocoan in Brechmagh, in Ui-Dortliain
and instruction
;
possessed, land
when Lomman's
went
and Fortchern opposed
to
it,
who gave
said, "
shall not receive
my
the death of
moreover,
and baptism,
faith,
his
church."
But, after some
Lomman and
converse
with
his
his
my
brother,
God and
Patrick.
to Fortchern, viz.,
and Imghae, 8
;
But Lomman
Fortchern took upon him the abbacy after for three days,
when he went
to
Trim
These are the
ings of Fedhlimidh, son of Laeghaire, to St. Patrick, and to
Bregia,
i.e.
benediction unless you assume the
afterwards gave his church to Cathlai, a pilgrim.
and
time, foster-
church to Patrick and Fortchern
the placo to
Lomman,
ever.
nigh,
that he might not inherit his father's
possessions,
abbacy of
for
drew
death
and he committed
You
in Uill-Duma-
relatives,
and they prejented to Patrick whatever they
and churches,
Fortchern,
i.e.
Broccaid,
Mughenoc
dear to Patrick by consanguinity and
who were
son,
6 ;
They were the
gloin,T in the south of Bregia.
;
and
offer-
Lomman,
Ath-Truim, in the territory of Laeghaire of
in the territory of Laeghaire of
Meath.
The
Ordnance sheets Xos. 26 and 27, county Roscommon. See O'Donovan's Supplement to O'Reilly's "Irish Diet. ," voce Imleach ; and Pat. Roll, 35th Ehzab. part 2, grant to Turlough 0' Byrne, where Einlagh-brochadha is incorrectly written Elmagh-brocho. Dr. Todd was wrong ("Life of St. Patrick," p. 2G0) in placing it in county Mayo, having beeu led astray by the Martyrology of Donegal, at 9th July. • Ui-Dorthain.— This territory was in the present county of Meath, and Ardbraccan was situate in it ("Book of Rights," p. 151). 7 Cill-Duma-gloinn. This church is now KUglinn, in the parish of Balfeaghan, barony of Upper Deoea, county Meath ; as identified by Dr. Todd ,
—
(•'
Life of
.St.
Patrick,"
p.
260).
—
Dr. Todd was unable to identify this, nor is there any placo of name on the Ordnance or Down Surveys of the county Meath. In Dr. Butler's " Notices of Trim" (p. 71), there is an entry from the Patent Rolls, under date of 20th of June, 1425, where the king, Henry VI., "ordered payment to be made to John Swayn, Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of Ireland, ,,[ £4 Ss. rSJtl. being one half-year's rent due to him for the site of the castle, town, and Orid'jc of Trim " (the bridge being the same as the ford of Trim, 8
fmgliae.
the
,
granted to St. Patrick), "belonging to the Archbishop, in right of his church of Armagh." This order shows that so late as 1125 the Primate's right was maintained. When the rent ceased to be paid, Dr. Reeves, in a paper annexed to the Report of the lato Ecclesiastical Commissioners (p. 101). was unable In the Down Survey, 1G53, the Archbishop of Armagh is returned to say.
P
way
which
in
all
these offerings were presented to Patrick,
Loniman, and to Fortchernd, per minoribus usque in diem
Prima
judicii.
and to
omnibus regibus niajoribus
(sic)
feria venit Patricius
et
ad
Taltenam, 9 where the regal assembly was, to Cairpre, the son of
was he who desired the murder of Patrick, and who drove him
It
Niall.
1 Patrick's people into the river Sele, wherefore Patrick called
the
enemy
of God, and said to him, "
brother's seed,"
and there
shall not
Patrick
Patrick's malediction.
Thy
seed shall serve thy
be salmon in that
went afterwards
to
river,
through
Conall, 2
3 son of Niall, whose residence was where Donagh-Patrick
who
day,
received
and confirmed
him
:
"
him with great joy royal seat for
his
Thy brother's
Then
it
my
may be
and Patrick baptized him,
;
ever.
;
And
Patrick said to
successors after me,
perpetual subjects to
was that Conall measured a church
sixty feet in extent
the this
seed shall serve thy seed for ever ; and strive to
exercise charity towards
thy sons, that they
is
and Patrick
said
:
for
and the sons of
my
sons of faith."
God and
Patrick,
" Whichsoever of your race
diminishes this church shall not have a long reign, and he shall not
be prosperous."
*
Airthir, 4
They went
early
on Sunday morning
to Eath-
Ciuaed and Dubhdaleithe, the two sons of Cerbhall, son of
as holding Causestown, in the parish of Athboy, county Meath, 211 acres
(now
and this may be the Imghae granted to St. Patrick. It appears by the late Report of the Irish Ecclesiastical Commissioners that Primate Beresford holds, as Archbishop of Armagh, in the county Meath, the Castle lands of Cawestown, 404a. 3r. 32p., at annual rent and fines of £S7 ISs. 4d. ; Julianstown, Carricklickle, and Drumgill, 1525a. 2r. 2Sp., at annual rent and fines of £2S4 ISs. Cd. ; messuage in Duleek, 10a., at animal rent and fines of £10 16s. ; Argill, parish of Nobber, 110a., at annual rent Tenements in Trim, 3a. lr., at annual rent and and fines of £31 7s. 2d. fines of £2 ISs. 5d., held in perpetuity by the tenants. • Taltenam, Tailte, now Telltown, county Meath. 1 Sele. Now the river Blackwater, in Meath. 2 This was Conall Crinithan. Conall. 3 Donagh-Patrick still retains the name, in the barony of Upper Kells,
GC9), liable to uo rent
;
;
—
—
county Meath. 4 Rath-Airthir.— Colgan (p. Ill, note 62) writes, Bath-Airthir was beside the Church of Donough-Pairick, and this is evident from the Latin Tripartite.
mi mil
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick Maalodhra, sou of Aedh-Slaine, when they saw a young
down,
i.e.
man
lying
One of tlieui plunged a sword into him, The murderer then went past Tailten, up,
tho sou of BreaaL
and then throttled him.
on his straight road, and the other went to Domnach-Patrick.
was then that Patrick blessed that part of the plain of that dead bodies are never borne off from
[A few
lines of the
The Pasch being to
MS.
therefore finished, on the next day Patrick
and founded a church there, and sister,
Catnea, the
Druim
to
viz.,
sister,
it.
at this place are damaged.]
vadwn duarvm forcarum (Ath-da
their
laarg, near Kells,
left
came
county Meath),
the threo brothers there, with
Cathaceus, and
Cathurus, and
who used to milk
the deer.
Corcortri,
It
Tailte, so
and founded a church
there,
and
Catneanj
Ho went
afterwards
and he
left in
it
Diarmaid, son of Restitutus.
When
Patrick was going eastwards to Tara, to Laeghairo (for
they had formed a friendship), from Doruhnach- Patrick, he blessed Couall, son of NialL
stone
(/it)
When
he was going away, he threw his
behind him eastwards into the [A
folio of
tho original
MS.
is
hill, i.e.
flag-
where
missing here.]
And Maine kuelt to Patrick and performed penance, and Patrick and thy injunctions shall said, "Bex non erit qui te uon habebit ;
be the longest that will live in Erinn. blessed also shall be a king,
[Tuathal]
assumed
the
i.e.
The person whom
Tuathal [Maelgarbh]."
sovereignty
afterwards,
Diarmaid MacCerbhaill, so that he was on Dcrc, 6
u
Lvch-lii, b
and
have
I
And
he
banished
and on Dcrj-
and on Luimnech."
— — —
Lough Itee, an expansion of the Upper Shannon. Loch-Ri. Denj-Derc. Now Lough Derg, another expansion of the Up[>cr Shannon. Luimnech. The ancient name of the Lower Shannon (" Book of Rights," See also Mr. Lenihan's " History of Limerick," pp. -' and '!, for tho p. 260). Antiquarians would lind much that is very valuable in origin of those names. this interesting volume. The learned author gives an extract from some written in x.l>. 6(31, which show the early use of tho names, and tho familiar and frequent intercourse kept up between Ireland and Hume at tin *
•
i
|
(p. 5).
One day
as
Diarmaid went
in his boat past the shore of Cluain-
mic-Nois, Ciaran heard the noise and motion of the craft, and called
him
ashore,
and Ciaran
Come
said, "
to me, for thou art a king's
and mark out the Eecles [a church] and the Eclais-bec [a little He said, "I am not a king." church], and grant the place to me."
son,
To whom Ciaran
said, "
You
will
be a king to-morrow." In that
the king, Tuathal, came with great bands to banish Diarmaid,
day,
when
Maelmor (of the Conaille), Diarmaid' s foster-brother, killed him and Maelmor was immediately slain. Hence the old saying, " the ;
feat of
Diarmaid afterwards assumed the sovereignty
Maelmor."
when Diarmaid was marking
of Erinn, through Ciaran's blessing the site of Eclais-bec, and
and gave Ciaran an raithe. 8
He went
thrice.
offering for every lairlim, along with
nobis
Ocurrit
bowed down hie
virtus
etsi
to Tara,
Druim-
per ancificatione [rede
anticipationem].
Another time Patrick heard, through the malice that Bishop
Mel had sinned with
of the vulgar,
his sister, for they
be in the same house, praying to the Lord.
were wont to
When
Bishop Mel
saw Patrick coming towards him to Ard-achadh [Ardagh] to reprove him, Bishop Mel went out to a hill to fish in the pools and furrows.
When
it
was told
to Patrick that he
had caught a salmon
in this way, Patrick uttered the famous saying
seorsim fceminse, ne occasionem dare infirmis
:
" Seorsim viri et
inveniantur et ne
nomen Domini per nos blasphemetur, quid absit a nobis ;" for God does not assist any unjust, false man i.e. non temptabis Dominum ;
Deum
tuum.
Patrick then
Bishop Mel's
knew
sister
then went with
fire
in her casula.
there was no sin between them, dicens, "Seorsum
feminis ne occasione dare infirmis inveniamur et ne
nos blasfemaretur quod absit a nobis, et
non Domini pel
sic reliquit eos ;"
i.e.
Bri-
• Druimraithe.— This does not appear among the possessions of Cluaiumic-Nois, in the registry of that house published by O'Donovau in the "ProIt may have been the ceedings of the Kilkenny Archaeological Society."
Druim-raithe in We3tmeath now Drumrany, where St. Enan was venerated on the 19th of August (Martyrology of Donegal at that date). It lay about pix miles north-east of AthJone.
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. Leith between
Leith
them: she
in
Druim-Cheu 9 to the west of
he (Bishop Mel) to the east of it,
;
Patrick
in
went afterwards into northern Tethbha,
territory of Cairbre,
where Granard was presented
sons of Cairbre, and he his foster-brother,
left
is
are joined to each other;
> •> >
1
to
i.e.
to tlio
him by the
there Bishop Gnassacht, son of Milchn,
and the two
Cluain-Bronaigh; 2 and this
Bri-
Ard-Achadh.
sisters
the reason
and
it
is
Emir, who first put up at why the sides of the churches
the airchinnech (superior) of
Granard that always ordains the head nun in Cluain-Bronaigh.
The moment
that Patrick blessed the veil on the aforesaid virgins,
their four feet sank
into
the
rock,
where the arch-idol of Eriun was, and
silver,
When
9
and the
traces exist in
it
Patrick went afterwards across the water to Magh-Slechta, 3
always.
i.e.
Cenn Crunch, made of gold
surrounded by twelve other idols formed of bronze.
Patrick saw the idols from the waters called Guthard
DruimClttu—Bri-Leith.—'DT. O'Donovan (" Book of Rights,"
that Bri-leith was the ancieut
name of
p. 9)
4
(i.e.
states
Slieve Golry, to the west of Ardagh, in
Longford, founding his opinion on Colgan's statement in the Life of Bishop Mil (' Acta ffonct," p, 261), which is precisely the same as in the text but there is no place called Druni-cheu to the west of Ardagh, though there is a Drumnacooha somewhat north, in the pariah of Killoe, barony and county of Long. til. Archdall {"Hon. /lib.," p. 4.'{9) gives the nunnery of Drumichco, founded ;
by
Lupita, quoting Colgan's works, but being unable to identify it. Tutlia was divided into two parts by the river Inny, called north and south Teffia— the former comprising nearly all the present county of Long1
St.
Tetlil./fi.
—
—
tlie western half of Westmeath. " Book of Bights," p. 180. in-Bronaigh.—A famous nunnery, now called Clonbroney, in tho barony of Granard, county Longford, lying between the towns of Longford and Granard. - M<")h-SUchta.—T>r. Laniganfvol. i. pp. 229 and 239) places this near Fenagh, iu the county Leitrim, grounding his opinion on O'Conor's Map of Scotia
he latter •
He
Antigua.
considers the idols referred to as circles of great standing stones.
Todd ("Life of St. Patrick," pp. 127 and "404) concurs in this view, but places the plain in the county C'avan. O'Donovan agrees with Dr. Todd, or
Dr.
Todd agrees with him, in placing this plain near Ballymagauran, Monty Cavan, and extending into county Leitrim. 4 Cutlmrd. There was Bath-Gutliaird, also signifying high voice, where
rather Dr.
—
the Sencha3
Mor
is
alleged to have been partially coni]K>sed.
LL] reface,
p.
xxx.
— See
" Sencluit
h":
j
—
he raised his voice it,
he
lifted his
guth, voice
hand
;
and when he approached
ard, high),
on
to lay the Bachall-Isa
it
;
but he could not,
as the idol inclined over to its right side (for towards the south its
was turned), and the mark of the
face side,
bachall lives yet in its left
although the bachall did not leave Patrick's hand.
ground swallowed the other twelve
idols as far as their
And
heads
And he
they are in that condition in commemoration of the prodigy. cursed the demon
(idol),
and banished him
who worshipped
people, with king Laegha-ire,
him
§k.
His graif
taining the conflict
idol.
graif,
that place, nor in the plain besides.
And
i.e.
ford, viz.
under Patrick in the Patrick landed
ford, (i.e.
immediately, and then
and was buried
church),
When brothers, Fair,
and
and
all
the
saw
all
away
cut
all
the
and no heath grows in
it is
it
:
;
there Mabraii
and Patrick's well
is
will yet find that esker.
on the Connacht side of the Shannon)
was that Buadmael, Patrick's
there.
Cill-Buaidhmael
is
the
charioteer,
name
(of the
appropriate to Patrick.
Laeghaire
who had
Mac Neill's
druids
fostered Laeghaire's
and Feidelm the Eed) heard
brought thick darkness over
all
(i.e.
Mael and
Caplait,
two
two daughters, Ethne the
that Patrick had done, they T
all
Magh-2\ ai, c through the power of the
—
6 Snamh-da-en. " The swimming or passage of the two birds." O'Donovan ("Hy-Many," note to page 5) writes " This was the ancient name of that part :
Shannon lying between Cloumaenoise and Clonburren, in the parish of Moore, barony of Moycarnen, and county of Roscommon." 6 Mayh-Nai, also called Machaire C'honnact, a plain in the county of Roscommon, in which was Cruachan, the ancient palace of the kings of Connaught. It lay between the towns of Roscommon and Elphin, and Castlerea and Strokestown. — O'Donovan's notes to "Irish Topographical Poems," p. xxxiii. and "Book of Rights," p. 104, where it is called Magh-Aei of the
1 \
left
the land (bed of the river) rose up
and the learned
j2i "111
he founded a church in
Connacht, over Snamh-da-en, 6 across the Shannon,
where he found a
died,
;
Patrick went afterwards into the
there, ubi baptizavit multos.
And
He
Domhnach-Maighe-Slecht, and
Barbaras, Patrick's relative and prophet
territory of
the idols
from Patrick's garment whilst main-
(fibula) fell
and valor against the
heath in the place until he found his
that place,
and hecalled
;
and feared death unless Patrick would banish him
(the demon),
to hell.
to hell
the
and
;
I
—
mon,
di
for the space of three
upon prayed to God, and bent was darkness
And
his knees,
for the drnids,
he gave thanks to God, and
Magh-AL
days and three nights.
and
J
in
light for all others.
And
the darkness was banished from
all
they went past the Shannon to Dtuna-graidh,
where he ordained Ailbhe, a noble rated
Patrick there-
andblessed theplain, so that
Senchua
in
Ui-Ailella;'
who
priest,
is
[commemo-
and Patrick instructed him
regarding a stone altar [which was] in the mountain of Ui-Ailella,
underground, and four glass chalices at c
avendum ne frangerantur orae
fuit,
et baptizavit
Bronus
four corners
Mainemn sanctum quern
Iccni qui est
filius
its
i
:
ct dixit
fossurae. Inter nepotes ctiam Ailello
ordinavit Kpiscopus
Dei socius
Caisel-Irra, servus
Patricii.
Patrick went to Magh-glas 8 where he founded Cill-mor of Magh-glaa
and he
left
;
two of
his people there, viz.,
in fines
Corcu-Achland, 9 to the south of Ui-Ailella, and
Deinde venit
to the north of
LI and Hono,
Badhghna. 1
who were
Conleng and Ercleng.
There were two brothers
Hono asked
there, viz.,
Patrick, "
What will me for this land?" Patrick answered, " Eternity." Hono said, " You possess gold give it to me for it." Patrick replied, " I have given much, but God will give more." He afterwards druids.
you give
:
found a mass of gold in the place where the pigs had been rooting, and Patrick gave the mass of gold to him (i.e. to Hono) for his
—
in Ui-Ailella. Now the pariah church of .Shancoe, in the barony county Sligo. The Four Masters record the death of St church at a.i>. 646. A St. Ailbhe (n.it the patron of Knily), son of Bonan, of the race of Conall Gulban, son of >"iall, waa venerated on tin of January. 8 ITagh-gtas.—There isaMoyglaaa in the barony of Ballintobber North, county Roscommon, in which there is also a church called Kilmore, giving name to a parish. The church was otherwise called iill-morODithrnibh. • Corcu-Achlaml. Called in the Irish annals CorcaAchlann (.>r Seaohlann),a T
Senchua
of Tirerrill, •
I
—
Roscommon, comprising the
territory in the cast of
parishes of Bnmlinn, Kil-
and the western portion of the parish of Lissonnffy. or M.ic Branans, of this territory are descended from tho
trustan, Cloonfenlough,
The Cbmn-Branain,
noble druid Una, who granted Imleach-Ona, now Elphin, to St. (/Donovan's " Irish Topographical Poems," p. xl. 1
BaiUightm.—
Now
Slieve Baune,
Ballintobber North, county
a
Roscommon.
mountainous range
— " Ify-Mauy,"
in the
Patrick.
barony of
p. 90.
D
;
land. Tir-in-brotha 2 is its
name now.
Dixit Patrieius, " Nee rex
nee de semine tuo regnabit in aeternum."
Illius
T inisertus est Patrieius, dicens, " ]S on erit rex quern tua progenies
jurabit,"
&c, quod impletur.
most powerful [sept]
Cenel Maic Eree
in Connacht, but they
is
ersi
vero lacrimis
non
the strongest and
do not govern
like
Ona, son of Aengus, son of Ere Derg (Ere the Red),
high-kings.
son of Brian, de quo Ui-Honach, presented his house to Patrick
and Imlech-Onon was name]
[is its
day
this
its ;
name
which was made by Patrick brink
of the well,
Patrieius
and
:
"
Thy
clerics shall
place
shall
filiuni fratris
at that time
from the
Ailfinn, moreover,
:
(rock) taken out of the well
in the fair green,
and which
Et
the place has been named.
on the
be of thee for ever, and the inheritance of
Et posuit
belong to them." Assicus
(Ajssici
1)
Cipiam matrem
et
rereus
Assicum
ibi
Bitei.
Patricii
:
;
on the
in Ailfinn,
of
altar
and another
in
the holy bishop
Briuin-Seola, far westwards from Ailfinn.
this
Bite
Episcopus
dishes, in
and a four-cornered dish of them was
Macha, and another
et
illi
laics
and he made
and four-cornered book-cases, and four-cornered
honor of Patrick
Magh-Seola,
is
dixit
seed shall be blessed, and the palm of
Assicus sanctus episcopus, faber altars,
ail
in
Ard-
Domnach-mor 3 of Felartus in Ui-
Assicus, however, fled
northwards to Sliabh-Liag, in Tir-Boghaine, 4 where he was on an island 5 for seven years.
=
And
his
monks sought him, and found
—
Bruth, gen. brolha, a mass [or ingot]. Colgan. Domnach-mor. Hardiinan, in liis edition of
—
O'Flaherty's " Iar-Connaught," p. 148, gives tbis narrative from Colgan'a Tripartite, and says : " Tliis church is now called Dumnaeh-Patruig, on the banks of Loeh-Sealga [rede, Loch-Cime, and now Lough-Hackett]. It is in the barony of Clare, county Galway." 4 Tir-Boghaine is now the barony of Banagh, Sliabli-Liag in Tir-Bor/haine. 3
—
and Slieve League is a precipitous mountain the parish of Glencolumbkill, which commands, in clear weather, a view of Ci'Oagh Patrick on the south-west. in the
west of the county Donegal
;
in that district, in
—
An Island. The Book of Armagh, in narrating this, calls the island It is now called Rathlin O'Birne, contains about fifty acres, and, although lying adjacent to the parish of Glencolumbkill, has been ecclesiastically ulaced in the parish of Kilbarron, upwards of twenty miles distant, 6
Eochuil.
-
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
much
him, after
trouble, in the
him away with them and they buried him
mountain glens
;
and they brought
and .Wieus died with them
;
in
in Seirthe. e
Rath-Cunga,
that country gave to him,
and to
Ids
monks
in
And
the
d
the king of
after his death, the
pasture of one hundred cows with their calves, and twenty oxen, as perpetual offering
a
;
for lie said that
lie
would not again go
to
Magh-Ai, cm account of the falsehood which had been said there of His remains are
him.
in
Rath-Cunga, and to Patrick belongs the
church, upon which the people of Colum-Cilleand of Ard-Sratha 7 have
encroached
Patrick went from Elphin to
of Ui-Ailella, and built a church there,
and he
Maehet
left
in
Mathona, Benen's
it,
and
sister,
(the
mounds)
>Senchell-Dumaighe, s
and Rodan, a noble
C'etehcii,
who
Dumacha i.e.
priest,
and
received the veil from Patrick and
from Rodan, and who was a servitor to them.
When
Patrick was at Dumha-graidh,'-' ordaining the great multi-
tude, ho smiled.
monk
"
What
is
that
Olcau," said Patrick, "
!"
asked Pencil.
'•
Bran, and the
who came towards me
along Traig-
owing to some old connection of the rcligiou3 houses in Kilbarron, whi Columba founded this church near BaUyahannon. • Rath-Cunga in Seirthe.— O'Donovan ("Irish Topographical Poenis,"' p. x.\x) writes: " Magh-Seiridh was a plain in the north of the barony of Tirhugh, " Here in the , unity DonepaL" l>r. Beeves, in " Adamnan," p. .'is, writes -.
Druuihome, and townland of Ballymagroarty [rish, is a conical hill, locally known by the name of Kacoon, the apex of which is entrenched like a rath, and contains an ancient cemetery, now used only for the interment of unbaptized children. This is the Rath-Cunga iu Campo-Sereth of p.irish of
'
'
Tirechan." "
Aril-Sratha.—y<>\v the parish church, formerly cathedral, of Ardstraw,
near Strabane, iu the county Tyrone, i''••.— This is tho church of Shan kill, barony and county
amnion, immediately south of Elphin. Colgan was wrong in his Index church in Kierrag-Amensi, which was in the barony of CosMayo, instead of Ciamidhe-Aei, which wa3 iu the west of county tello, mmon, having in it the parish of Kilkeevan, near Castlerca. "Book of What probably led him astray is that Maehet, whom St. Rights," p. lnl. of Ailell (Ui-Ailella), he took it for 'I'u Patrick pie .1 b< re. Ailell, confounding the descendants with their country. Dumha-uraidli.— There aro six places named Doogary in county May., in placing the
—
•
i
I
and two
in
Roscommon.
> > >
Tripartite Life of St. Pat) and
Eotbaili, 1
sea
made
my
foster-sou,
Mac-Erca, with them; a wave of the
a great dash, and tried to carry off the youth."
He
prophecy.
(Patrick)
went through the
founded the church eastwards in Tamhnagh, 2 and
and men
et ipsa fecit amicitiam
:
was
it
built
and
by God
ad reliquias Assici Kodani
eorum epulabantur invicem.
successores
This was a
territory of Ui-Oilella,
;
et
Post hoc autem possue-
runt epiiscopuin Cairellum juxta sanctam Ecclesiam in Tamhnagh, quern ordinaveruntEpiscopumPatricii, viz., BronusetBiteus. Patrick
went afterwards to the fountain, Cruachau, 3 at sunrise.
&
Mac
Laeghaire
Neill's
The
i.e.
clerics
Clibech, on the
down
sat
two daughters,
at
slopes of
the fountain.
Eithne the Pair, and
viz.,
Feidelm the Bed, went early to the fountain to wash their hands, as they
i
were wont to
when they found
do,
the synod of clerics at
the well, with white garments, and their books before them.
wondered
at the appearance of the clerics,
They questioned
or phantoms.
fir-sidhc,
you, and whither have you
in
daughter
God than
said,
"
Who
heaven or in earth 1 seas, or in
"
Patrick.
from the
Whence
are
Are you
sidhc ?
to ask regarding our race." is
is it
streams, or in
in his
how is he
kingdom
to be loved,
1
The
your God, and in what place
is
elder he, in
under the earth, or on the earth, or in hills,
or in valleys
daughters? has he gold and silver
good
Is it
1
Patrick said to them, " It would be better for you to
gods 1" believe
come
They
and imagined they were
1
!
Tell us plainly
and how is he
to
1
Has he sons and
Is there a profusion of every
how we
be found.
shall see him, Is
and
he young or old
i
many fostered his son, St. or is his daughter handsome, and dear to men of the world 1" Patrick, full of the Holy Spirit, responded, " Our God is the God of all, the God of heaven and earth, the God of the seas and or
is
he ever-living
1
Is
he beautiful, or have
—
1 Now Trawhohelly, a famous strand near Tonrego, on Traig-Eothaili. " Hy-Fiachrach," the east boundary of the barony of Tireragh, county Sligo.
—
p. 499. 3
T'amhnagh.— Now the church
3
of
Taunagh, or Tawnagh, in the barony of
county Sligo. Cruachan. See ante, pp. 290, 291, for identification and different ver-
Tirerrill,
—
sions of this narrative.
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
God
rivers, the
the
God
oi"
and moon, and
of tha sun
heaven, and under heaven
and the earth, and the spireth
things.
all
He
qnickeneth
i.e.
;
in
heaven, lie in
He enMndleth all
things.
all
ba
over heaven,
things that are in them,
all
and to the moon.
lie giveth light to the sun,
things,
God
and Ho has a mansion,
:
and
sea,
the other plant
all
the high hills and low valleys;
He
<
fountains in the dry land, and placed dry islands in the sea, and
He
stars to minister to the greater lights.
and co-equal with Himself; and the Son Father, nor
is
And
Ghost are not divided.
And
I desire,
And
the daughters said, as
shall
we come
Patrici
— teach "
:
They answered,
repentance after sin?"
'•
Inly
daughters of an earthly king."
us,
and we
Do you
We
do as you will
will
believe that through bap-
"Do
believe."
And
"Yes."
How
Teach us duly, that we
1
tism the sin of your mother and of your father shall be put
from you?"
I
with one mouth and one heart, "
if
the Lord face to face dixit,
(
moreover, to unite you to the Son
to believe in that king
Et
the Holy
the Father, and the Son, and the
of the heavenly King, for ye are
say to us."
not younger than the
the Father older than the Son.
breatheth in them.
may see
hath a Son, co-eternal
is
away
you believe
they were baptized.
in
And
Patrick blessed a white veil upon their heads; and they desired
And
to see Christ face to face.
cannot see Christ except that yon receive the
Patrick said to them: first
body of Christ and His blood." And the daughters "Give us the Communion, that we may bo
able to see the Prophesied One."
Communion, and
in
believed,
and having gone
to heaven,
fostered the second daughter.
and he cut
off
and ;
Patrick
and
plao
1
their friends
The druids then entered
on account of the daughters having
came crying against Patrick,
believed,
they after this received
one bed [grave]
great lamentation over them.
into conflict with Patrick,
lait
And
asleep in death,
full
them under covering, and
made a
- 5Tou
and unless you
saying:
replied,
the
taste death,
i.e.
for
Mae] and Caplait. it
Cii>-
was he [Capiat] who
Patrick preached to him, and he
his hair.
After this the other druid
—
;
came,
i.e.
Mael, and said to Patrick, "
thee," said he
" it shall
;
him
will again lead
Patrick
;
God and
brother has believed for
into paganism."
And he was
;
"I
thus insulting
but Patrick preached to him, and the druid believed in And Patrick shaved him ; and hence " Mael is
Patrick.
like Caplait " is a
And
My
not serve nor strengthen him," said he
proverb
for it
;
was together that they
believed.
the day of weeping was finished, and the maidens were
interred there
and Seu-Domhnagh of Magh-Ai 4 was presented to
;
Patrick for ever.
And
others say the relics of the maidens were
brought to Ard-Macha, where they await the resurrection. Patrick went afterwards to Tir-Caireda, and he founded a church at Ard-lice, i
And
Sen-Domhnach, 5 and he
e.
Patrick
left
Deacon Caeman
erected Ard-Senlis, 6 ubi posuit
tenuit locum in
Campo Nento Of the
ech to his country.
;
in
it.
Lalloc sanctam et
and they went with Bishop Ceth-
race of Ailill
was
his
mother
;
of Cenel-
Sai [nigh] of Cianacht, from Domhnach-Sairigi at Damhliac-Cianain
and
it
was Bishop Cethach's custom
in Domhnach-Sairigi i
;
and
to celebrate the great pasch
in Ath-da-lorg, in Kells, 7
Sen-Domhnagh of Magh-Ai.
—The
plain of Magh-Aei,
he celebrated
now Machaire-
Connaught, extended from near the town of Boscommon to the verge of the barony of Boyle, and from the bridge of Cloonfree, near Strokestown, "Book of Bights," p. 104. There is no church of westward to Castlerea. this name in the neighborhood of Batheroghan. 5 Ard-lice, i.e. Sen-Domhnach. There is Ardleckna, in the parish of Aughrim, barony and county of Boscommon, and we have the parish of Kilkeevan, containing the town of Castlerea, county Boscommon (" Book of Bights," question, the name being changed p. 101), which, perhaps, is the church in to that of the church of Caeman the deacon, whom St. Patrick placed here
—
—
Kilkeevan. This plain is called Magh-Nenda in the Ard-Senlis in Campo Nento. It contained the hill anciently called Sidh-Nenta Tripartite, p. 13G. Latin (now Fairymount, in the barony of Ballintobber South, county Boscommon^ in Irish,
—
6
celebrated in Irish fairy legends.
—
i Ath-da-lorg in Kills. Colgan, in his Index, considering there was oulj one Ath-da-lorg, " The ford of the two forks," in Ireland, namely, the present Boyle ("Four Masters," at A.r>. 937), lays down this place as formerly a O'Donovan, at 937, in his note on a battle fought in bishopric in Coimaught. that year, states the second Ath-da-lorg was in Mcath, but that its situation,
or
modern form, was unknown
tions Ath-da-laarg as being
i
to him.
The Mart,
of Donegal, at 1st
Dec, men-
taobh Ccnannsa, "at the side of Ceuannus " (Kells).
—
.in;
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. the
little
paaoh, with Comgilla; for Cethech'a people used to say
Patrick wont afterwards
Comgilla was Oetheeh'a Bervitor.
that
to the territory of Ui-Maine,
and he
left
there an arch-priest (or ."
:
and he erected Fidharta books of orders and baptism with him and ho Deacon
deacon) of his people, L«
and Patrick
left his
;
baptised the Di-Mainc
Ciaran
mac
Juis,
;
and Deacon
Juis, in his old age, baptised
Ciaran baptizavit, ut aiunt peritissimi.
and Hernials,
Ililurniiiiis,
many
between Hy-Maine and Magh-Nai.
them the
fnit
sister, viz..
of
these
is
And
Imgoe
of
Patrick described to
Pabririum ut obiaret
illis
de locis quos invenerent,
Patrick also founded Cill-Garad, where Cethech [was
Ferta-gethich together. is
Berxdciua
1 likeness of the place with his finger, from Cill-i farad, quia
venetuut ad
which
quando
Nitria, the sister.
One
to them.
places were given
Baislic,*
and
etc.,
anni
Patrick's Franks, morc-
and one
ot«p, left him, viz., fifteen brothers
and
ed
from Patrick's book, quia
int-sair,
it
left],
and
was that Patrick made the well
L'arangarad, and he loved this water very much,
called
at ipse dixit
Then
:
" Uaraii-jjar— [I'aran-gar]— which I have loved, which loved mc well !
Alas
That
!
my cry, my drink
;
dear God not from the pure well." !
is
Patrick went afterwards to Magh-Selcae, it. to Dumha-Selca,3 "
— Now
Forty, in the parish of the same name, barony of Atlinoseommon. For some notices oi thia place, bob a paper Kelly, Esq., in the " Proceedings of the Royal Irian Ax idemy,"
ftdharta,
]"iir,
and county
of
by Denis II. VOL viii. p. 495. Imgoe of Baitlie. —The word [mgoe is very obscure it occurs on p. 38 in connection with Trim. The church of Baslick is in the It continned a mono tic house for many centuries — St. "uuty lloscommon. " Bom Masters." t'ormac, its abbot, having died a. ft 80ft 1 OUl-Oarad. NowOran, county Roscommon (Lanigan, vol ii. pp. 244-C). It lies between Roscoinm u and Castlcrea. "Dumha-Selca. Dumha-Selca, or the "mound of the chase," was tl name of a mound which still exists in the towuland of Cams, a little to the south of the village of Tulsk, in the county of Roscommon. The mound (or moat* lies due cast from the celebrated mound of C&imfree. ''
;
I
i
—
—
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
40S
where there were young men, the
six sons of Brian, viz., Bolcderc,
Derthaeht, Echen, Cremthann, Caelcharna, Echuid
wrote three names there in three stones,
and Patrick
;
viz., Jesus, Soter,
Salvator.
Patrick blessed the Ui-Briuin from Dumha-Selca, and Patrick's seat is
there between the stones in quibus scripsit literas, et nona
episcoporum cum
illo
fuerunt,
illic
of Baislic-mor in
Sachelus
(brother to
Lomman
Bronus of
viz.,
Brocaid of
Ciarraighe,
(sic
Caisel-Irra,
Imlech-ech,
of Ath-truim), Bronaclms, presbyter, Eodan,
Cassan, Benen, comarb of Patrick, and Benen, brother of Cethech,
and
Felartus, bishop,
his sister, a
nun
insola in mari Conmaicne,
and another
there,
sit
And
he founded a church on Loch-Selca,
i.e.
sister,
Croch-Cuile-Conmaicne. 3
qure
i.e.
Domhnach-mor
Magh-Selca, 4 in quo baptizavit Ui-Briuin et benedixit.
of
Patrick
went to Gregraidhe of Loch-Techet, 5 and founded a church there in Drunima, and dug a well thereat, and no stream went into or 13
^1
came out of
it,
ever
full).
He
and
[left] Talan's
And
hand.
but
he
it
was always
full,
and
its
name
is
Bithlan
(i.e.
afterwards founded Cill-Atrachta in Gregraidhe, 7
daughter in
left
a
teisc
it,
who
received a veil from Patrick's
chalice with Atracht, the daughter of
and
Talan, son of Cathbadh, of the Gregraidhe of Loch-Teched, sister
Caemhan
of
of Airdne-Caemhain. 8
Patrick blessed a veil on her
—
3 Croch-Cuile-Conmaicne. This island of Connemara is now called Cruaghnakily or Ouauakeely. At present it has no remains of a church, though it had in O'FIaherty's time. Hai'dimau's " Iar-Connaught," p. 102. 4 Domhnach-mor of Magh-Selca. Now called Donagh-Patrick, on the banks
—
of Loch-Sealga,
—
now Lough-Hackett.— " Iar-Conuaught,"
p.
148.
—
Gregraidhe of Loch-Techet. A district in the south of county Sligo, supposed to be co-extensive with the barony of Coolavin, but originally more "Book of Eights," p. 99. Loch-Techet is now Lough-Gara, on extensive. " By-Fi.ichthe frontiers of the counties of Mayo, Sligo, and Roscommon rach,"
p.
493.
6
Drumma. — In
7
Cill-Atrachla in Gregraidhe.
barony
that part of the county of Sligo to the east of Lough-Gara The church and parish of Killaraght, in the
of Coolavin,
—
county Sligo.
—
Caemhan of Airdne-Caemhan. Colgan by mistake placed this church or monastery in Connaught. The Martyrology of Donegal, at 13th June, shows " Caomhan of Ard-Caomhain, by the side of Lough Garman in its position. Loch Garman is now Wexford Harbor, alongside of which is Lcinster," &c. 8
;
I
w^3^^^^
^^-^^'^:^
-%T J ^---»-
^
4
,
^
f
-
^
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick
Drnmmana waa
head.
Maehaire
its
is
the
name
name
heaven on Patrick's breast.
"
of the place in which they were
A
to-day. 9
You
" No," said she, " not to
said Patrick.
waa sent down from
casula
have this
shall
me was
it
nun,"
casula,
given, but to thy-
self."
He
then went to the sons of Ere
;
and Patrick cursed them, saying
horses,
the seed of your brother for ever."
and blessed a
Airtich,
And
cloch. 1
place,
i.e.
they carried off Patrick's " Your seed shall serve :
Patrick went into
Ailech-Airtigh,
he went afterwards into
in
Drnmmut
Magh
Telach-na-
of Ciarraighe-
Airtigh,1 lather's
two
where he found two brothers fighting regarding the laud atur his death, viz., Bibar and Lochru, Tamanchend's
sons.
Patrick stretched out his arms, and their hands became
fixed to the swords, so that they
" Sit ye," said Patrick
were not able to
be-
they gave the land to Patrick for their father's
And Patrick
founded a church there, where Conu the artiiVx
the brother of Bishop SechnalL
is,
or lower them.
lift
and he blessed them and made peace
And
tween them. 60ul.
;
Ciarraighe-Airne, 3 where he
Patrick went subsequently to
met Eruaisc and
his son
Loam
under a
still called Ardeavau. The true position was long since pointed out by O'Flaherty (" Iar-Couuaught," p. 90), and O'Donovan, in the "Four Masters," at A.D. 1055, where the death of Ua Buarcain, airehinneach of Airdne-Caetnhain, is recorded.
this church,
—
Drammana
MacJtairi
it itt
name to-day.—These names arc now
obsolete.
a townlaud called Magbera in the parish of Emlaghfad, baron; of Corrao, county Sligo, a little north of Ooolavin, but whether the place in on is undecided. There is the parish of Drum or Dniuimouaghan in the barony of Cam, county Mayo.
There
1
is
Miiijk-Airtich—Ttlach-na-duch.— O'Donovan ("Book of Rights,"
confines Ciarriadhe-Airteeh to the pandits of Tibohiue
the north-west of county
Roscommon
p.
103)
and Kilnamanagh
in
but it is evident from this entry that Airtech extended into the adjoining barony of Costello, county Mayo, for in the parish of Kilcolman in that barony, in which lie the town of Ballagh.ula;
reen, and Coolaviu, the residence of the MacDerniot family, is the townlaud of Tullaghnarock, a partially anglicized form of "Telach-na-cloch." '
Drummut
of Ciarraiyhe- J irtiyh.— This '
is
very possibly
parish of Tibohiue, barony of Frcnchpark, county 1
Ciarraighe-AirM
—
Drummad,
in tho
Roscommon.
According to O'Donovan (" Be
.
102),
^W '
H
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. tree,
and Patrick wrote an alphabet
with them, with his twelve men. there, 4 et tenuit ilium
abbatem
for him,
And
(sic),
and stayed a week
Patrick founded a church
et fuit
quidem
spiritu sancto
plenus.
And chill,
est
Patrick went to Tobar-Mucno, 5 and advanced to
siguum
Sen-
Secundinus solus sub ulmo frondosa separatim, et
et fuit
And
usque in hunc diem.
crucis in eo loco
he
after-
wards went into the country of Conmaicne, into Cuil-Tolaigh, 7 and he founded four-cornered churches in that place.
He went
Ard-Uscon, s &c. Corra, 1
and
founded
a
to
One
of these
is
Magh-Cera, 9 and stopped at Cuil-
church in that
place,
et
baptizavit
lis
multos. this district comprised the whole of the barony of Clanmorris, county Mayo, except the Tearmon of Balla (consequently the parishes of Crossboyne, Kil-
and Taugheen, with parts of Knock and Mayo), as also the Aghamore, Bekan, aud Armagh, barony of Costello, in the diocese Tuam. * Founded a church there. The name is not given, but there can be no doubt it was Aghamore, as the Martyrology of Douegal has, at 30th August, " Loam, priest, of Achadh-mor." The church is at present in ruins, but the coleunan, Kilvine,
parishes of of
—
cemetery is still used. 6 Tobar-Mucno. Bishop Mucna's church was in Donaghmore, in the parish " Hy-Fiachrach, " note a, p. of Killala, barony of Tirawley, county Mayo. There is Tober-makee, parish of Drumaternple, barony of Ballymoe, 466. and counties of Galway and Roscommon, but whether it is the right place is Here it was, accordiug to the Martyrology of Donegal at 27th uncertain. November, that St. Seachnall or Secuudinus, the nephew of St. Patrick, used to pray under a leafy tree. 6 Senchill. Near Elphin, in the barony and county of Roscommon. ? Cuil-Tolaigh of Conmaicne. There were three territories of the Conmaicne in Connaught, that of Cuile-Toladh being the now barony of Kilmaine, It contains the parishes of Kilcommon, Kilin the south of county Mayo. mainbeg, Kilmainmore, Kilmolara, Moorgaga, Robeen, and Shrule, and parts of Ballinrobe, Cong, Mayo, and Ballincolla. 8 AralUscon. In the Index, Colgan writes that this church was in Kierragae-Arnensis in Connaught, which is contrary to the reading of the which places it in Cuil-Tolaigh. text, ' Magh-Cera. Now the barony of Carra, county Mayo, containing the
—
—
—
—
—
—
parishes of Aglish, Ballyhean, Baliyovey, Breafy, Burriscarra, Rosslee, Tenlough,
and Towaghty, and parts
1
{'>/il-Corra
was probably
Drum, Minola, aud
of Balliutober, Islaudeady,
Kiltacomoge. in the parish of Burriscarra.
i
—
—
to
Afterwards Patrick proceeded
met two brothers,
u
Patrick, hut
Bervant to kill
Magh-Foimsen, 8 where he
Luchtre and Derclam.
viz.,
Derclam sent
Luchtie prevented
liim,
his
whom
to
Patrick said: ''There shall he priests and bishops of thy seed,
and the race of thy brother
And
he
shall
be cursed, and shall be few."
that place Cruimther Conan, and
left in
went afterwards
and he was two Sundays
3 to Tobar-Stringle in the desert,
[living]
on that well.
Men
Patrick went to tho
5 of Umhall, 4 to Achadh-Fobhair,
Bishop Senach was ordained.
And
was " Aguus Dei." of Patrick,
viz.,
he
whero
The name Patrick conferred on him it
was who asked the three requests
that he should not oppose
him
as regards order.-,
that the place should not he called alter him, and that what was
wanting to complete his age should be added Aenghusa.
was
It
for
alphabet the day that
to the age of
Mac
him (Mao Aenghusa) that Patrick wrote an Bishop Senach was ordained. Patrick de-
sired truly to erect usee at
Achadh-Fobhair, when he
said, " I
would
remain here, on a small plot of land, after circumambulating churches
and fastnesses to Patrick
for I
;
am
infirm, I
would not
go."
The angel
said
:
" Everything you select shall be yours Every land, whether plain or rough, Both
hills
and churches,
Magh-Foimsen.— In the Iudex Colgan writes that Magh-Foimsen was in There is a place called Funshinaugh in the present the region of Cera. parish of CoDg,barony of Kilmaine, county Mayo, in the ancient district of *
Partry. 3
Tobar-Stringle.
called
—Now
Ballintober, barony of Carra, county Mayo, also On the site of the church erected by 8t.
Baile-Tobair-Phadruig.
Patrick, Cathel Crovdearg, king of Connaught, founded a magniticent
abbey
1216.— "Hy-Fiachrach," p. 191. < Mat of Umhall This territory of Umhall comprises the baronies of Burrishoole and Murrisk, county Mayo, called "The Owles " by English writers.— "Book of Rights," p. 5G, and "Hy-Fiachrach." in
6
Achadh-Fobhair
spring,
now
called
—
St
i.e.
"field of the spring," so
Patrick's Well.
named from a
It is a village
the ruins of an ancient church and round tower, in " Hy-Fiachrach, " p. 150. county Mayo.
—
V~^i
17?* « fm« m
ir <
^*T
'H
celebrated
and parish, containing the barony of Murrisk,
giTTiiHrrrnrtfrffi^iW-
—
"The two inseparable trout, Which would advance against
perpetual streams,
Without obligation, without transgression Angels will be along with them in it."
Patrick went to Cruachan-Aighle, 6
oil
the Saturday of Whitsun-
tide.
The angel went
to converse with him,
and
"
will not give thee
what thou demandest
for
God
demands weighty, and immense, and "It
cision?' said Patrick.
my
is,"
;
said to
He
the
demands
afterwards with illness of
from
food,
Shrove
shall
mind
Saturday
"This
Moses, son of Amra, for they were alike in accosted
each
;
them both out of the
Patrick was
be given."
Easter
fire
;
Saturday,
many
six score years
the place of sepulture of both
is
is
Cruachan
in Cruachan, without drink to
:
" Is that His de-
great."
answered the angel.
decision, then," said Patrick, " I shall not leave this
until I die, or all
him
thinks the
just
things.
or like
God
was the age of
uncertain.
At the end of him was
those forty nights and forty days, the mountain around filled
with black birds, so that he could see neither heaven nor
He
earth.
sang cursing psalms at them, but they went not
away from him. bell at
flung
He
then became angry with them
them, so that the it
men
at them, so that a
of Erinn heard
its
;
he rang his
sound.
gap was broken out of
it,
And
he
and that
[bell] is Benian-Brighte. 7
—
6
Cruachan-Aighle. See note at p. 57. Benian-Brighte. The following is given in the notes of Dr. Reeves.' of Columba, by Adauinan," p. 206: " Cruachan- Aichle, now Oroagh Patrick, a mountain in Mayo, is famous in legendary record as the scene
—
7
1
—
"Life
of
St.
Patrick's
final
conflict
with
the demons of Ireland.
From
its
—
—
j
_
4
^
•*
Tripartite Life of St. Putrid-. Patrick afterwards cried until hie face and the front of his easu&i
No demon came
(cowl) were wet.
after this to Erinn for the Bpace
and seven months, and Beven days,
of seven years,
:» ti
•
I
Beven
nights.
The angel subsequently went
your eye could reach on the
me," vud Patrick shall
" not far can
;
lie ;
cleaned
and they
" I will bring so
used to chant sweet melodies for him. souls from pain," said the angel, " far as
and
to protect Patrick,
and brought white birds about the Cruachan
his eaiuia,
many
and as many as would cover sea."
my eye
"
That
is
no great boon
reach over the sea."
"
You
have between sea and land, then," added the angel.
there anything
'•There
is,"
more granted
to
hell
" Is
besides that? asked Patrick. 1
"you ran bring seven every Satur-
the angel;
said
day from the pains of
me
as for
for
ever."
" If anything be granted
me have] my twelve men." " You "and depart from Cruachan." " I
to me," observed Patrick, [" let shall
have
.'hall
not depart," said Patrick, " because
it."
am
until I
granted to
said the angel,
recompensed.
me ?" asked
Is
there
Patrick.
I
have been tormented,
anything
else,
" Yes," said the angel
then, ;
to
be
" you shall
have seven every Thursday, and twelve every Saturday, from pains,
and depart from Cruachan."
"I
will
not depart,"
answered
drove them into the ocean, and completed their discomfiture by bell— the Beanian-Brighde among their retreating ranks. 7V. 77;.,' p, 13S, a. Passing northwards, they emerged Pit Trip.,' ii 04 from the deep, and took np their abode in the savage wilds of Seanon the south-west of Donegal. Here they remained unmolested,
summit
lie
—
flinging his
'
'
;
.
"was directed by an angel to rid the f'»il inhabitants. After a violent struggle with the demons, he completely routed them, and with the help of the Dubh-Dnaibseach. his His name was henceforward hell, drove them once for all into the sea. till
our Titconnellian saint" (Colnmba)
place of it*
; and the wild parish of Olencolnmbkill preserves in topography and traditions a living commentary on the legend of Columba's Vit. 8. Columbce,' i. 89 to it, as told by Mantis O'Donnell in 1520. /V. 77i.,'p. 40:!, Sliabh Liag, commonly called Slievo League, aprecipitous clear weather a view of Croagh Patrick mountain in this region, commands in on the south-west." Dr. Reeves, p. 330, same work, writes that the DubhDnaibseach was probably preserved in the parish of Glencolumbkill, formerly S-anglcann. See also Sir W. Wilde's " Lough Comb," p. 96.
associated with the tract its
—
lirst visit •
'
;
!,.
^1
;
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. Patrick,
" because
pensed.
Is there
"There
is,"
have been tormented, until
I
anything
else
am
I
recom-
granted to me!" asked Patrick.
answered the angel; "the great sea to come over
Erinn seven years before the Judgment
;
and depart from the
Cruachan." " I will
not depart," said Patrick,
mented, until
demand
]"
am
I
shall
"
"
asked the angel.
Saxons may not
" since I have been tor-
"Is there anything more you
gratified."
There
is,"
answered Patrick, " that
by consent or
occupy Erin,
whilst
force,
I
" It shall be granted thee," said the angel
be in heaven."
and depart from Cruachan."
"I
will not depart," said Patrick,
Is there I am gratified. me T asked Patrick. " There is," said " every one who repeats thy hymn from one day to the not suffer pains." " The hymn is long and difficult,"
" since I have
been tormented, until
anything more granted to the angel
;
other shall
"
said Patrick. lim, " Christ
Every one who repeats from
name, and every one shall
Crist ilium" (recte Crist
with me,") "to the end, and every one
not go to hell
who ;
who
repeats tho
observes penitence in Eriu, their soula
from Cruachan
and depart
[said
"
the
angel],
" I will not depart," said Patrick, " for I have been tormented, until
I
am
your
casula,
Is there anything more'!" asked Patrick.
gratified.
" Yes," said the angel,
"you
shall
have one
man
for every hair in
"
from pains on the Day of Judgment."
who
the other saints
Which
of
labor for God," said Patrick, " that would
not bring that number to heaven
?
I shall not accept that," said
Patrick.
"What is,"
mm
;
" that I should bring from hell on the
Judgment seven persons "
I
tormented, until
demand
1"
will I
the angel
;
"
and depart from
not depart," said Patrick, " for
am
gratified."
asked the angel.
" There
that the twelve royal seats shall be
" Is there is,"
I
;
this
have been
anything
said Patrick
it
of
" It shall
for every hair in this casula."
be granted to you," said Cruachan."
"Here Day
you accept, then]" asked the angel.
will
said Patrick
else
you
" the day
on the Mount, and when
rtite
the four rivers of
fire
three peoples shall
l>e
men
about the Mount, and when the
shall be
there, viz., the people of heaven, the people
ever
me
will not consent to leave
1
and even
;
after
my
may
myself
I
be judge over
"This thing cannot be obtained
of Erin on that day."
" Unless this
from the Lord," said the angel.
Him,
417
Patrick.
Sfe.
and the people of hell, that
of earth,
the
••.'
/.;/.'
this
obtained from
is
Crnachan from
death there shall
day
this
for
from
a caretaker
be
answered Patrick.
there.''
The angel went angel came in the
Patrick went to his offering.
to heaven.
evening.
answered the angel
:
"How
" all
the
now?" asked
creatures,
The
Patrick.
" Thus,"
and
invisible,
visible
including the twelve apostles, entreated, and they have obtained.
The Lord
said that there
man more
apostles, a
request which
the
angel that
" thou art
;
it
may
Patrick
;
not,
and would not come,
were
granted thee.
Strike thy bell," said the
commanded from heaven
blessing
alter the
not for the hardness of
it
be a blessing to the people of
A
"
dead."
is
came
illustrious,
to
fall
all Eriu,
on thy knees,
both living and
on the bountiful king that' gave,"
"the Cruachan
said
shall be left."
Patrick proceeded afterwards until he was in Achadh-fobhair,
where he celebrated the ordo of Easter. • keepers " of Patrick's people
from him
in Cruachan-Aigle.
[the bell]
it
ban-Guirt
s ;
is
not found.
Iraird, 9 together
A
Mac
same
is
age.
And
with his wife.
There
a
Neill,
still.
The sound of there
a
is
and the third man from him
reign of Laeghaire
There
in Eriu living
is
are,
moreover,
There
his bell
is
a
is
man from him
in Gul-
to the east of C'luain-
Both entertained Patrick
and they
man from him
are,
in
man
heard, but
and
will
in tho
be for ever, the
Dromanna-Bregh
1 j
there
• GnUxinGuirl.— Beann-Gulban, or Binn-Gnlban, now Binbnlbm, a re. markablc hill in the pariah of Drumcliff, barony of Carbi.ry, county of Sligo. -/).'.,./. — lonard, county Mcath. •':. Dr There 13 a townland of Drummnn in the parish of Doleek, county Meath, within the ancient Breipa; but the place her* III in the n"rth of hi" county of Meath, adjoining the county tl U rred t" <
—
1
gy>.
^p^ tZ&s££&*Sk
is
man from him
another
Eocliaidh.
the Judgment.
His
Slainge; and there
a pitcher of
Domangart, son of
i.e.
relics a little before
Rath-Murbhuilg, 3 at the side of Sliabh-
cell is
always a shin (of beef) with
him every
Monday
people on Easter over,
is
before
ale,
in Sliabh-Slainge, 2
he that will raise Patrick's
It is
Easter,
its accessories,
which
and
given to Mass
is
Patrick's charioteer died, more-
always.
and was buried between Cruachan and the
Patrick went
sea.
afterwards into the country of the Corco-Themne, 4 and baptized
many thousand viz., in
persons there, and he founded four churches there,
the three Tuagha. 5
Patrick went then to Tobar-Finnmaighe,
The well was over
its
four-cornered,
mouth, and the
dead prophet made dealbaret
de Deo
2
ossa
it,
vivo, dicens
Sliabh-Slainge
now
is
well
It
as
was
a god.
and there was a four-cornered stone
bibliothecam
sibi
in
dictis
quia
Slieve Douard, the highest
bay
aqua sub petra ut
quia timuit ignem,
non vere
of the
a well.
foolish people believed that a certain
sua semper,
Down, on the margin
i.e.
the pagans honored this
told to Patrick that
Duudrum.
of
et
zelavit
Pat.
rex aquarum fona
mountain
in
the county
— See Reeves' "Down,"
pp. 154
and 207.
—
Rath-Murbhuilg. Now Maghera, county Down, so called from the St. adjoining townlands of Murlough, on the margin of the bay of Dimdrum. Donard's church of Maghera, as it is now called, is a ruin, with the remains of a round tower. It is about nine miles from Downpatrick, and near the foot There was, however, a church of St. Donard's half way of the mountain. up the mountain, where patrons were held so late as 1744. See Reeves 3
—
"Down," &c,
pp.
27 and
154.
— Colgan writes,
This was a region in Connaught, " but It was probably the present parish of Robeen, gives no clue to its position. barony of Kilmaine, county Mayo, which formed part of the ancient Ceara. See The Fourth Life, by St. Eleran, says: "St. note on Kill-tog further on. Patrick founded three churches in this region, and the churches of Taghkeea and Kilcommon, as well as Robeen, all lie near the Robe." 4
Corco- Themne.
5
Three Tuagha.
—This was
an
'
'
alias
name
for the three districts called
Partraighe (Partree) in Mayo. •
Tobar-Finnmaighe.
Mayo," but Mayo.
— Lanigan
assigns no authority.
ancient pagan
name
(vol.
i.
p.
227) writes, "
Fiumagh was
in
Tobar-Finnmaighe seems to have been tho barony of Ceara (or Carragh), county
of Ballintober, in the
m
—
^^w
;x
::
* -9&
*
+•
Ttojparft'fo Life
cum
hoc necnon
erat
petram
alivari
419
St. Patrick.
haboit rex aquarum,
eia
»
et dixit
One
l'atiicius, et dixit erit
semen tnumbene-
Corco-Themne 7
time, as Patrick
was travelling
t
,
in length.
The brothers
it
the sepulchre, and questioned
quo nomine
asset.
viz.,
/...
120
man might be man who was in
desiring that the dead
resuscitated, Patrick thereupon "
et
—
in the plains of Mac-Ercae,
Dichuil and Erchuil, 8 ho saw a largo sepulchre there,
i
Patridaa
church that Bishop Oainnech, Patrick's monk, founded.
this
fi
of
Cill-Tog, in the territory of
in Becula.
was
i
*-
*-
non potuerunto elevavit autem earn petramj
et
Cainnech, quern baptizavit
dictum
^s?^gjj&r »-^ |p
awoke
"
the dead
him quando,et quomodo, et quo genere, sibi, dicens, "Ego sum Cass, filius
Respondit
of Glassi, qui fui subulcus Lugair Iruatae, and Mac Conn's fiann 8 killed me in the reign ofCaiipre Niafer, in the hundredth year. lam
Patrick baptized him, and he went again into his
here until to-day." sepulchre.
Quia comprehendere valet modi jmnes,
namque psalmos,
et
ymnos
(sic)
diligentiae orationis
et Apocalipsi, ac
ejus
omnia cautica
Corco-Themne. —In the Book of Armagh, fol. 1">, as quoted " Essay on Tara" ("Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy," p. corresponding entry reads: "And he" (Patrick) "went to Moy47), the " Donagh, in Inishowcn, county Donegal (a plain in Cohan's "Visitation, '0t-'(i7"), "and he built a church there; and in that in Petrie'a
I
place a certain hishop came to him of the race of Coron Thnimnft, of the littlo church of Toch, in the regions of Temenrigi i Cera, towards the setting of It thence follows that Cill-Tog was in Ceara, now Cam, in the sun," 4c.
Mayo.
—
This plain is called MagPlains of Mac Ercae, i.e. in Dichuil and Erchuil. in the Latin Tripartite, being so called from the tribe Kinel-mao-Erca, whomColgan("2V. Th." p. 176, n> -t- 7 *. states) were represented by O'Hai 8
mae-Erea
•
and MacBrannan.
The latter were chiefs of Oorca-Aoblan ; O'Hanly, of Kin
Einel-Dofa was on the w< rtof the Shannon, county Koscommon, to the north of Lough l!ir and O'Donnvau ("Four Masters," at 1210) gives the descent of the tribe from Ere the Red, grandi o by Muidhmhcdhoin, monarch of Ireland. This exactly answers the Slieve-Baone.
;
topography of chap, xxvii.
—
as given in the Latin Tripartita,
p. 13-4,
of the old Irish writers
Cairpre Niafer. C'airbre Niafer is stated by some have been monarch of Ireland about the beginning of the Christian era ; but name is not in any of the genuine lists of kings, nor in the " Annals of the
•
to
St. Patrick's travels,
his
Foot
Ms
'k
£
>>>
r-Jhy^i-^*^
1*7
decantabat seu in uno
spiritualia scripturarum cotidie (quotidie)
until tierce
be.
One Sunday Patrick was on the earth, but
it
damp
a cold,
in
when
place,
great rain
rained not in the spot where Patrick was,
concha et vellere Gideoni accederat.
sicut in
on Sunday night
vespers
on Monday, Patrick would not come from the place
where he might
fell
From
seu in itinere gradiens.
loco
It
was a custom with
Patrick to place the cross of Christ over himself one hundred times
each day and night
and he would go aside from
;
his path, even
though the cross were one thousand paces away, provided that he
saw
knew
or
it,
to be in his vicinity;
it
whether he was in a chariot
One day
or on a horse, he would proceed to each cross.
omitted to not that "
You
it
left
Patrick
visit
was
a cross which was on your
left his
sepulchre,"
guest-house,
and
Patrick was
said
Patrick;
was buried here; whilst living
I
died;
"a
buried
woman
voice
" and
my soul, until "What was the i.e.
the
"This," answered the voice;
this cross over
was over the grave of her son
it
my
The
grave of a pagan."
.said
was placed
cross
Patrick, "
and she came from
;
grave.
through grief to recognize her son's grave." cross,"
She thought
for she
;
" This i.e.
its
it
was not able the reason
is
being over the
was afterwards raised by Patrick
over the Christian's grave.
One time Patrick's charioteer wanted his horses he could Patrick find them owing to the darkness of the night. his rive lingers illuminated all the place lilted up his hand ;
not
;
m
a
that was in foreign lands, and her son was
and placed
that I missed the
it said,
is
was injuring
buried here in this country in her absence foreign lauds
A
here?"
poor pagan,"
to the
" This
" that the sign of Christianity,
was placed over thy grave V
certain
I
cross,
was buried here afterwards."
reason," asked Patrick, cross,
and went back
his dinner,
:
:
to-day, without visiting.''
praying at the
I
I
way
"who was " I am a
answered out of the sepulchre
and
knew
His charioteer said to him in the evening
there.
When
cross.
Patrick
a cross which was on his way, but he
v
Tripartite Cafe of St. Patrick.
they were five torches, and the horses wero immediately
if
:i
£21
found. :> the Patrick went across the MuaiJh to Hy-Amhalgh aidh twelve sons of Anihalgaidh, son of Fiachra, son of Eoehaidh,- came Fedhlimidh, Enna Crom, Enna to meet him, viz., Aengus, Fergus,
Cullom, Cormac, Cairbre, Echui Dianimh, Oena, EogbanCoir, DubThe sons of Amhalghaidh were chonall, Ailill of the rough face. disputing about the sovereignty
:
tweuty-four tribes
(i.e.
old tribes)
and they objected that they would Dot admit any man as king over them with an additional [nick] name. This Aengus then imposed additional names upon his brothers. that were in the country;
Aengus was the proudest of Amhalghaidh's sons. Laeghaire, son his brother Eoghan, of Niall, son of Eoehaidh, king of Tara, and The sons of Amhalghaidh went son of Niall, decided the dispute. inventus, to Tara in twelve chariots, sicut in libria Patricii
exirent in judicium
tameu
vii fratres
de
eis.
quod
They were welcomed
by the king at Tara. Aengus was foster-son to Laeghaire. He got door-keepers that a special welcome there. Aengus prayed tho brother, i.e. the son they would not admit Conall, the son of his Enna Crom, into the fort for Aengus feared his wisdom in
of
;
arguing his right. keepers.
As
Aengus obtained
this request
Conall was outside the
lis,
from the door-
ho heard tho sound
barony of Leyny iluaidh to Hy-A mhalghaidh. -The river Moy rises in the in Mayo, and, passing county Bligo, Hows through the barony of GaUen Killala, formof bay the into itself dischargee through Foxford and Ballina, between the counties of Mayo and Shgo ing for some miles the boundary on the r~Uy-Fiarhrach,"p. 2). It baa Tireragh on the east, and Tyrawley near its embouchure, was vest From the river, the district ou the west, i
in the
called
"the Moy."
.
Ftaehra, ton . 405. The names of fifteen whom *•" descended many noble families in Connaught, of Piacfaraoh," from which province he wa« himself king
that
hu
U
conversion took
place
in
i D.
-m.
the F..ur Masters record his death at
*^&6
The lives indicate which he reigned fifteen
for thirty-two years.
after
A.I'. 44'J.
£
from Tobar-Patrick, 3 at the
of Patrick's bell to
and
liim,
know
which
this expression
"
him.
saluted
I
O
cleric
womb
refers to," said Patrick
— which " I
in our country." "
;
and
Conall went
fort.
said
I
of the Tyrrhene Sea, et nescivi
heard
it
utrum
when
in
tuam
sunt verba, et ibo tecum in regionem
I
two
am
do you '
i e.
Hiber-
uttered
girls
he
was
meam
"
he,
have in commemoration,
nenses omnes clamant ad te pueri,' &c. in their mother's
!"
whom
that
in the islands
vel extra locuta
baptizare, docere, evan-
Interrogat autem Patricius qua causa venit Conall, and
gelizare."
Conall related the reason to Patrick, and he said that he was not
allowed to enter Tara doors are open
who
will assist you, if
his little finger, jvas
which
it is
to
whom Patrick said " Go in now, as the my faithful friend, Eoghan Mac Neill, :
to
you lay hold,
next
secretly, of the finger
And
always a sign between us."
is
so
it
done.
" Welcome," said said,
;
and go
;
"That you
Eoghan
assist
;
" what
is
Conall
me."
Patrick's wish
afterwards
1"
Conall
observed,
according to youth precedence in a king's house or land
be given,
Cromni
I
is
am
the youngest
the oldest."
;
if
"If is
to
Euna Honor to
according to mother's age,
To which Laeghaire
replied, "
the senior, truly," said he, " and converse with the learned
;
but
if
jewels and treasures are given to anyone, however, I will not
deprivehim of them."
and Patrick gave thirteenth
chariot.
was not good Patrick.
He
to kill Patrick
will
his
They came away, and Patrick with them, chariot to Conall, so that it was the
They went
their
way
afterwards,
and there
with Aengus for his brother's son and for
told his
two brothers,
and Conall,
as
viz.,
Fergus and Fedhlimidh,
he had agreed on parting Laeghaire,
—
3 Tobar-Palrlch This well was at Tara, and there are several mentioned in the prose and poetic descriptions of that place, as given in Dr. Petrie's essay ; was the well also called Laegh and Loigleas, in the likely, but this, most
Armagh, which lay to the west of Rathna-Riogh, the great royal and in which Tirechan records that St. Patrick baptized St. Ere after his conversion, and many thousand men the same day. Petrie's "Essay on Tara," p. 16',
Book
of
residence,
—
423
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
The place which
wards towards their country. upon
They went
Laeghaire had instigated him thereto.
after
was
for the fratricide
in
Corann. 4
Fergus simalated sleep.
His
We
kill
"
brothers refused what they had promised. the innocent," said they,
"and
not commit murder upon
will
It is
Patrick saw the
the place whence
viz.,
loon
"It
This was related to Patrick.
When
Patrick.
said
him up
•
will
I
He
half alive.
up and
and
lire
There
is
let
until he
believed,
down,
is
shall
Bechred was
a church there.
Corann.
—The
first,"
The
Cross Patrick6
Telach-na-Druadh
Aengus
fell
down
also lifted
head was broken against the rock,
is
druid's rock
is its
the
name,
name
"I
said:
will
now
there.
Glas I'onaigh
believe
greater part of this territory
is
to the east ol
of the place where
the pagans were, to the west of Cross-Patrick.
4
see him.
him
was above the winds, and he
and was baptized.
until his
between them.
see
saw him, the ground swallowed The said he, " if I am rescued."
from heaven burned him.
Coill Fochlaidh.
who
I
Patrick
believe,"
ground Hung him up
said that the
on the place where he would
1'atriek
him,
kill
1
from the cross to
enemies,
the west of Cross-Patrick, to Cill-Forc!ann.
ground would swallow
to
and Rechred, R not more than a mile from
accompanied by two bands and two druids, of the race of Faelan the warrior.
not
will
Aengus went towards him (Patrick)
our brother.''
north-
A.engus had fixed
if
my
sister
is is
forms the barony of
Corran, nearly in the centre of the county Sligo. 6 Crots-Putrirl;, /,
//•. I
— Dr. O'Donovan has printed at
length (" I [y-Fiaclir.vIi,"4iil, to.), EromColgan, st. Patrick's travels and acts in Tvr.iwlty. he writes "The situation of these two places can be determined with sufficient accuracy at the present day tor Crux Patricdi or 'hadruio still retains its original name, and is that of ;i towuland OOntaining :
;
an ancient churchyard and some ri^lit of the road as you go bom Ballina to
traces of the ruins of a church, situated Killala,
the church are
and about one mile south
The name Kill-forclaini is now obsolete, and removed but the natives of the district state that
of the latter jilace.
;
all traces of
parts of the
walls of a church, originally so called, but then Killybmnc, were extant in 1831,
—
when they were
totally levelled.
The site i* pointed Out OD S and about sixty perches to the
ground, about half a mile from Killala, the road leading from Killala to Palmerstown."
I
424
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
resuscitated,"
Feidelm, daughter of Amhalgaidh,
i.e.
who
died long
before.
One time
man went
a blind
to
meet Patrick; he went in
haste with the desire of being healed.
"My
laughed at him.
you were the blind person." The blind
was made
blind,
Donnmall was the
Cucnamha, Amhalgaidh's Kuain
is
the
name
is
the
charioteer, that
They complained
Caerthin. it
was healed
difficult to
to
He met two him
fit
that
the hale
name
of
Patrick's
the well
Euan, son of
other.
of the place where the blind
belonged to Patrick afterwards.
found
Mignae
est.
;
Cross-Patrick, and
at
would be
man was healed, and
quod utrimque factum
people
of Patrick's
who was blinded and he is the second man of who remained in Disert-Patrick, which is near
the person
people
One
debroth," said Patrick, "it
was
Roi-
there.
healed,
and
it
bacachs in Ochtar-
of their infirmity, for they
What
proceed through mountain or plain.
They were healed. He went to Domhnach-Mor, where Bishop Mucna is. 6 He went afterwards to Cross-Patrick, where Aedh Fota, son of Eochaidh, son of Oengus, came to him more
shall I say
?
;
>l
and he healed him from lameness at the fountain to the west of Cross-Patrick there,
;
and he (Aedh) presented
where he founded a residence, and he
there, viz., Teloc
wishing to
kill
and Nemnall.
them, and ethereal
He
fire
him."
i.e.
Bishop Muiredhach.
—
Domhnach-Mor, where Bishop Mucna is. That the townlaud o£ Donaghmore, in the parish
now
Tyrawley, county
Mayo.—"
—
is,
"
Go and
Patrick perceived
burned them, to the number of left
his family
druids (magi)
his son Conall,
kill
then founded Cill-Alaidh, 7 and he
of his family there, 6
magi may not
plot of land
two of
Enna saw the
and he said to
Patrick,
protect Patrick, that the
him a
to left
nine.
an illustrious
man
Patrick baptized where he was buried and barony of
:
of Killala,
Hy-Fiachracli, " p. 466.
Now Killala, barony of Tyrawley, county Mayo, where an was founded by St. Patrick, over which he placed St. Muredach, The see was also called Kilmore-Moy, sometimes TirAmalgaid or Hy-Fiachra-mui. The Calendar of the O'Clerys has, at 12th August, "Muiredhach, Bishop of Cill-Aladh, of the race of Laeghaire, son of Is'iall," who was king of Ireland. 7
Cill-Alaidh.
episcopal see
one of his
disciples.
_*.
i£
2M
.
Trvpa/rtiti
women,
viz.,
It
mother's woml>,
They
425
Life of St. Patrick.
Crebriu and Lesrn, the two daughters ofGlorann, son
Cummen.
of
.^\^^—
waa they that called upon Patrick from
when be was
in the islands of the
are patronesses of Cill-Forglainn,
in
thcit
Tyrrhene Sea.
Hy-Amhalghaidh or
Tirawley, to the west of Muaidh.
He went
to
Forrach-mac-Amalghaidh f seven sons of AiualEnna and the king. It was then he
gaidh believed, including baptized the pregnant Patrick
another.
dead pregnant
woman and
her offspring, and resuscitated
and Conall went to the grave where
woman
was, by the
Aengus, however, went by the upper road. grave,
They reached
and Patrick resuscitated the woman, and her son
womb; and both were the
little
the
lower road to Cill-Alaidh. the
in her
baptized in the well Aen-adharcae'' (from
hillock of land that
is
near
it
the well was named).
Being resuscitated, she preached to the multitudes of the pains of
and the rewards of heaven, and with tears prayed her brother God and Patrick, which was done, and he was baptized. And in that day twelve thousand were baptized in the well of Aen-adharcae, at dicitur: " On one day were baptized six hell
that he would believe for
great thousands, with the seven sons
the number."
Twelve thousand,
Amliaighadha, and of those of Caille-Fochladh.
I'i
And
Patrick
Manchen1 with them. He went southwards to Loch-Daela. 2 The place was the property of Aengus.
Magister of
left
the ford Patrick
—
This waa the ancient name of Mullaghfarry, Forracli-mac-Amnl
»
near Killala.
is
ti
This was
of Amhalgaidh.
truly, that believed for Patrick in
—
Todd's "St. Patrick," 19). There arc eleven saints Mainchen mentioned in the Dr. Todd, therefore, had no ground for mmimatin g that this was the St. Mainchen who lived to 652, and who oonld not have heen a contemporary of St. Patrick. h (see
1
Magitter Manchen. i
ir
1
—
of the O'Clcrys.
Loch-Da* to.—Now Bally-Loughdalla, south-we.t of the barony of Tyrawley. -
name.
— " Ey-Fiachrach," pp. 2S1,
4C7.
in the parish of
The lough
Ballyaokeery, in tho still retains the
itself
—
Aengus came
intended to found a residence for himself there.
when he saw him (Patrick), for it was not from his he believed when ho was baptized and confessed the
quickly
heart
that
faith.
"My deiroth,"
said Patrick, "'twere right that thy houses should
Thy
not be exalted, nor thy descendants after thee. shall
successors
be seldom just, and there shall be fratricide through
He went
to the east, to Lec-finn
:1
,
in the stone over Cill-mor-uachtair-Muaidh,
Lia na-manach 5 (Mean's church
name
is its
it."
where Patrick made the cross
at this 'day,
1
to the
but there was no church there at that time.
;
But
west.
Cruimther Monach's, or
i.e.
And
he baptized Eochaidh, son of Nathi, 6 son of Fiachra, and resuscitated his wife Echtra, at Ath-Echtra, the
And
door of Cill-mor. ford.
this grave.
where the
church
his back,
He
north, to Lec-Balbeni,
3
Thus he came
to-day.
is
in their history to
with
an axe
and Patrick told him that he should put up fall
where Cill-mor-uachtair-Muaidh
;
stream at the very
on the margin of the
(Patrick) sent Bishop (Mean to build
the place where the axe would
Amhalgaidh
little is
knowledge with them
It is a sign of
remember on
Echtra's grave 7
off his
is.
back
He went
;
quod factum
at est
afterwards to the
where he found and blessed the sons
and ho went out of the country from
of
[the western]
Lcc-fnn, called in Colgan's Latin Leac-fionnbailo.
—
Cill-mor-uacldair-Muaidh. "The great church of the Opper Moy," now Kilmorc-Mny, a parish extending into the baronies of Tireragh, county Sligo, ami Tyrawley, county Mayo, containing the towns of Ballina and Arduaree, 4
i.
c.
' '
the hill of executions."
—
5
Lia-na-manach. This name is now shortened to Liag, and the place is situated on a hill, a short distance to the south of the old clinch of Kihnorc-Moy. The name is applied to a rock on which a cross is sculptured within a circle, and to an ancient churchyard, but all traces of the church have disappeared. " Hy-Fiachrach," p. 46S. 6 Naihi another form of the name of Dathi. Eochaid, his son, was called Eochaidh Brcae, and was ancestor of the O'Shaghnessys, O'Scanlans, O'Clcrys,
—
and O'lleynes. 7
Echtra's grave.
— Colgan's Latin
the same signification
;
edition calls
and the grave
is still
it
Fcart Echtra, which has
to be seen in a field lying a short
distance to the east of the old church of Kilmore-Moy, and nearly opposite a
holy well called Toberpatrick.
— " Hy-Fiaehrach,"
p. 4GS.
~
^"
+
•i~^pi-
v-
>;
-
Bertlacha8 to the eastern Bertlacha, and passed
S
it
eai
estuary of the -Muaidh. towards the
mouth of tho
woman was drowned
;
there before
him
jip"
Pa
Tripartite Lift of St.
said that
»
*
'-'
tward
and he blessed tho
no person should be drowned there
to the
•
A young
sea.
place,
for evermore.
and
Patrick
prophesied that the eastern Bertlacha should be with him, as
it is
day of war the king of that region
v, ill
*T
and
in their history;
bo victorious,
if
in the
true to Patrick.
was
It
there, at the stream, the
"My
Gregraighe9 flung stones at Patrick and his people. said Patrick, "
you
may be and you ;
shall
do
so."
"
"Arise,
be."
bacludl."
That
shall
Conall
!"
not be," said Patrick
thou shalt be the Conall Sciath-bachall. 1 clerics shall
be from thee
Patrick,
.said
Conall said, " If
The palm
it
phase
" but I
;
race,
and
of laics and
.
and every ono of thy descendants
;
whose shield tho sign of
in
debroth,"
every conflict in which you
support thy valor, and will give comarbs to thy
will
J
may
you may assume the
thee, I shall
in
bo subject to insult and contumely in every
assembly in which you " that
be beaten
shall
my
bacludl
shall
be,
not bo
will
6ubdued." All this Patrick did
to
territory of Hy-Fiachrach, 2
passage,
On
it.
little
i.e.
by the
He went
eastwards into the
A
water opposed his
sea.
there was an unusually large rock in
the water there
mound, with a
1 Bertlacha.
him.
— This
ia
is
a place, Puaile-Patrick
cross there,
it,
and he cursed
is its
name,
i.e.
a
where Patrick rested a short time.
tho Bcrtrigia of tho
Book of Armagh, and now
Bertrach,
Hady
island in the nirth-west of the parish of Castleconor, county Sligo, on the cast side of the riser Moy.— " Ify-Fiaehrach," p. 250. " (•'rvjraiijlie. This district was in tho county Sligo, and supposed to bo
a
—
co-extensive with the barony of Coolavin. 1 Sciath-bacliall. " Shicld-Crozicr." -
— " Book of Bights,"
p. 90.
— Hy-Fiachrach. — There wire two tribes of this name inConnaught, descended
tlie Fiachra, so often mentioned in the Lives of St Patrick, brother of tho famous king "f Ireland, Niali of the Nine Hostages. The Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne were locator! in Qalway, their territory being exactly co-extensive with the diocese of Kilmacduagh. Tho northern and more powerful tnl districts, now baronies, of Carra, Erris, and Tyrawley, in Mayo, and the district "Book of of TirFiachrach, now the barony °f Tircragh, county Sligo.
bom
—
Bights,"
H~
p. 108.
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. Then the holy
bishop,
of Cill-Corcaraidhe I
;*
Bron of
Caisel-Irra, 3
and the holy Mac Fame
and there he wrote an alphabet for him; and
have heard from another that in the said place he gave a tooth
from
jaw to Bishop Bron,
his
he was
for
dear
to
Patrick.
Immediately on coming from the west, across the Muaidh, into Gregraighe, he
who were
met
would be wanting of
Mac
him
this people a
Erca. the son of Draighen,
territory of
druids at Bath-Kighbhaird, 5
three virulent
able to do nothing to
Hy-Amhalgadha.
and he
;
man who
Bishop Bron to be fostered, for far
Cill-roe-mor, 6 in the
in
is
Patrick baptized the seven sons of
Mac
Draighen, 7 and he selected of them
Uc
said that there never
of such magical knowledge.
it
Erca, and gave
him
to
would not be easy to take him
away, in consequence of the love of his father for him. 8
—
3 CaUel-Irra. The Calendar of the O'Clerys lias, at Sth of June, "Bron, Bishop of Caiseal-Irrae, in Ui-Fiachrach Muaklhe, a.b. 511." Caisel-Irra
was the ancient name
of a stone fort in the district of Cuil-irra, in
the church of Killaspugbroue, near the
— " Hy-Fiachrach," Cill-Corcaraidhe. — Now the
with sand. 4
town
of Sligo,
now
which stood
nearly overwhelmed
p. 470.
courath, county Westmeath, a
church of Conrigh, iu the barony of Rathsouth of the present barony of Corkaree,
little
and lying west of Lough Annen, now Lough Ennel. It is near the celebrated Usncach. The old church measures fifty-nine feet by eighteen feet two ; two of its old bells were discovered some years ago, and sold in Dublin. Archdall's " Monaslicon," p. 720 : Cogan's " Meath," ii. 424. 6 Sdth-Bighihaird. According to the Four Masters, at A.M. 3501, this rath was in Muirisc. There were two districts so called, otic now represented by the barony of Murrisk, county Mayo, and the other in the barony of Tireragh, county Sligo, which latter is the one iu which Rath-Righbhaird stood, to the west of Killaspugbrone. See O'Donovan's "Hy-Fiachrach," p. 470, note, and bill of
inches
—
the
maps
—
prefixed to that work.
—
Now Kilroe, a very ancient church in ruins, in a townland of the same name, parish of Killala, barony of Tyrawley, county Mayo. It stands on a rocky hillock, about one mile to the east of the town of Killala. It is built of very large stones, in the primitive Irish style, being twenty-four 6
Cill-roe-mor.
—
by eighteen feet in breadth. " Hy-Fiachrach," p. 470. Draighen. The locality in which he resided is now called Drynaghans, namely, Drynaghanbeg and Dryuaghanmure, two townlands in the parish of Kilglass, barony of Tireragh, county Sligo, to the north-east of Ballina. 8 Him. Immediately after the baptism of Mac Erca, the Book of Armagh feet in length
—
7
irv>
—
records the following incidents veil at his
:
" And two
girls
came
to Patrick
and took the
wood
of Fochloth.
hand, and he blessed for them the place of the
TOlJ
'
42 'J
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
marked out the
Patrick
tooth
Patrick's
banded
fell
is
Bite
of Cajsel-Irra, and the flag on which
the middle of the
in
deserted by Gentiles, quod factum
the river,
i.e.
in Sligech. 9
They
ever," said the fishermen,
and caught
salmon
large
;
:
we
will
caught in
it
;
do
but as you desire
They placed
so."
is
him
A salmon
is
in
nut
how-
it,
their nets,
and they gave them to Patrick
blessed the river, so that Sligech for fish is
set their nets for
said to him, "
taken in this period of the winter
;
and ho
the most fruitful river of Erinn,
every quarter (of the year).
Bishop Bodan, the herd,
I
Bron
Bishop
est.
Then Patrick desired the fishermen to
'.v
lis.
the place, and Patrick prophesied that the place would be
— Patrick
left
him
in Muirisk, 1 in Cill-
His calves would only do what he counselled
cspuig-llodain.'-'
<4
And
;
went up to the land which is called Foirrgca.of the sons of among the sons of Amolngid, and he built there a church wood was not at hand and they brought to him a sick woman, having an infant in her womb, with the water of baptism, ipta •il aqua cotnmunio liniUcrvs ; and they buried her in at the head of the church end upon the grave is the seat of the saint, in the church, even to the present day ; and he built a certain church at Boss, among the family of Caitru, on an island of a bay of the sea." O'Donovan (" Hy -Fiachrach, " p. 409, note) calls the place, here mentioned Forrach mac n-Ambalgaidh, which (p. 31">), he says, is Mullaghfarry, Killala, and where the church was built, Boa Bliorum I'aitni, not Citlriit, as in Betham. In Lewis's " Topographical Dictionary of behold, Tat rick
Amolngid, to divide
it
of moist earth squared, because
;
;
M
Irelaud," it is stated that the parish of Ross, on the west of Lough county IJalway, was formerly known by the name Faghery, and that Dear the house of UosshiU, in that parish, are the ruins of an ancient church and a burial ground, called by the people of the neighborhood Buss the Faghery, to distinguish it from the abbey of Koss, near Headford, which is called Kuss I
llela,
u
—
town
1
('
oonectly Etoas-errely. This was the ancient name of the river Citly, which flows through of Sligo, to which it has given name.—" Hy-Fiachrach," p. IT".
SUy A.
9
the.
Mtdriik.
— [q Colgan's Latin oopy it is called
Crnaohan
Aigle,
p.
471) writes,
it
O'Donovai
is
it is not the Muirisc in Tireragh, county Sligo, referred to in p. '-'.">7 Hy-Kiachrach," But O'Donovan was misled by L'olgan, who wrongly
that '•
'
now Mnrresk, an abbey at the foot of now Croaghpatrick, about four miles from West port, and
Hy-Fiachrach,"
I
f
M ui rscsk- Aigle.
—
5 C'MtApui'j-Rodain. It woidd appear from the above that the name Muirisk superseded C'Ul-cspuig-Bodain. The Calendar of the O'Clcrys has Bishop August, without naming any place. Itodan at 24th
' i'
i,
"n'fr
r,
,iQb
The
wherefore the harpers and musicians had a proverb.
Call-
3 raighe of Cul-Cernadhan were in a secret place before Patrick, and
they brought their spears close to their shields to assault Patrick and his people.
"
My dcbiolh,"
Every battle and every
Patrick said,
against you, though
all
what you did
is
not good.
which you wage, and your children
They forthwith knelt
be gained over you."
after yon, will
Patrick, except five.
won
said Patrick, "
conflict
" In any battle that
Connacht be
after you,
may
to
be
no greater
number than five shall fall of you." Aud so is it observed. One time he was after going by Bernas-TJi-Oilella4 to go to MaghLuirg, 6 when he fell into water, i.e. a river that goes into (reck from) Ath-carpait 7 is the name of the ford, near to Ess-micLoch-Techet. Eirc. 8
" Aud the why do you spare it?" asked his come who will set up there hereafter,"
Patrick cursed the eastern half of the water.
half from the ford westwards, people.
"
A son of life
said Patrick, " Cille,
who
will
will like fruitful
the lake, the best fishing in Erinn the ford down, not 3
much
is
garvan.
is
From
i.e.
Colum
the ford up to
found there by
all.
From
taken there.
—
Now Coolcarney, a district in the barony county Mayo, comprising the parishes of Attymas and Kil-
Callrahjhc of Cul-Cernadhan.
of Galleu, anil
still retained as the name of a parish Coolcarney was situate, there was another in West,
Besides the territory of Calry,
in Sligo, in
which
district
nicath.— " Hy-Fiachrach," 4
water at his place,"
son of Fedhlimidh, at Ess-mic-Eirc.
Bernas-Ui-Oildla.
p. 471.
—A remarkable pass
in the
barony
of Tirerrill,
county
of Sligo.
—
Matjh-Luirg. This plain ami territory, of which the M'Derinotts were chiefs, is comprised in the barony of Boyle, county lloscommon. Loch- Techet.— Now Lough Gara, county Sligo. 7 Ath-Garpait. This was a ford on the Boyle river, to the east of Assylin. 8 Ess-mic-Eirc i.e. the cataract of the son of Eire, i.e. Dachonua, son of Eire, whom St. Columba placed over a church in this place. The Four Masters, at A. ij. 74S, state that it was on the Buill (Boyle river, county lloscommon), and when they wrote it was called Eas-TJi-Fhloinn, now Assylin, about a mile west of the town of Boyle. The chaugo of name to Assylin appears to have 6
—
—
been taken from Flaherty O'Flyuu, who was comarb of Dachonua, lirst abbot The parish is called of the religious house in this place, aud who died 1209. St. Dachonua or Mochonna was venerated ou the Assylin, otherwise Boyle. 8th of March.
Life of St. Patrick
Tripartitt
Patrick went afterwards into the territory of
hones were
liis
carried off by Cenel
the people of that country
who prayed 1
'at
and cleaned
low,
said, "
There
m
and
And
tears,
their hoofs in
Bishop Maino washed and drove the horses into a
and there
; '
sacula sacui
And
honor of Patrick.
Patrick
and wailing, and mournini; with
shall be weeping,
inhabitants of that country then'
but Bishop Maine of the Hy-Ailella, 1
;
modified the malediction.
rick
Magh Luirg, when And Patrick enrsed
Patrick regarding forgiveness for his kinsmen, and
Patrick's feet with his hair
una
Mic Erca.
fur.
tin'
will not be neighborship
And
Patrick also said that
a great part of that country should afterwards belong to him
which was
Maine
is
fulfilled in
the case of Nodain of Loch-Uama. 2
also of Patrick's people,
and Geintcne
in
;
Bishop
Echainech
in
Hy-Ailella.
Patrick went after that into the territory of Druira-dara, where Druim-lias 4
Mac Caerthinn 1
'atrii:k
;
is
to-day.
It
Callraidln,
to
was then he baptized
and that place was presented to Patrick
for ever.
afterwards established himself on the offering in Druim-dara,
Druim-lias to-day,
named.
Patrick
i.e.
from Patrick's
seats,
and from the sheds,
Bencn there
left his dalta?
it
was
in abbotship during tho
—
Ccncl-Mic-Erca, A tribe and territory in tho north of the county of Knscommon. 1 Bishop Maine of the Hy-AUeUcu Bishop Maine, of the race of OHUM, R.in of Eochsidh Mnighmedhoin, of tho seed of Heremon, was vent-rated on the 2nd of September, according to the Calendar of the O'Clcrys. Nodakt of Loch-l'ama A lake near Cavestown, parish of Estcrsnow, barony of Boyle, county lloscommon. Tho name of the pariah is a corruption
—
—
-
of Ath-discrt-Xnadhain. 3
—There were several
territories named Calry In Wrstmoath, That of Sligo occupied the parish of Calry, barony of and extended into Leitrim. * Druim-lias. The parish of Drumlease is in the barony of Dromahaire, county Leitrim. A St. Colman was venerated here on 19th June. The see lands were formerly attached to the archbishopric of Armagh, but were passed to the see of Kilmore, and are now leased in perpetuity. The charter of tho church lands to Armagh is in the Cook of Armagh.
CaUraidhc.
Breftny,
and
SligO.
Carlniry, county Sligo,
—
6
of
Dalla.
— A pupil or foster-child
St Patrick,"
;
Dr. Todd explains
it
as foster-Bon, "l.ii'o
note, p. 177.
t
He journeyed into the glens eastward, where
space of twenty years.
C'enel-Muinremur 7
to-day.
is
His two nostrils bled on the way. Pa-
s trick's flag (Lec-P.atrick) is there,
a
little
and Patrick's hazel
distance to the west of the church.
He
Domhnach-Patrick was
Patrick 9
it
name.
Patrick remained there one Sunday
is
named
day
;
;
et
hwc
est
Srath-
its
former
una
ccdesia
Patrick went afterwards past Druim-cliabh, from
illius rcgionis.
by the Rosses 1 eastwards, along Magh-Eni, and founded
Caisel-Irra,
of Magh-Eni. 2
Domhnach-mor
Dubh 3
this
(Coil-Patrick),
put up there.
river, for the refusal
Then
it
was that he cursed the
He
which the fishermen gave him.
blessed Drobhais, 4 however, on account of the kindness which the little
boys
who were
fishing there did to him.
Thrice Patrick went across the Shannon into the land of Connacht. 6
Fifty bells,
Eastward.
and
— Glenkeel,
fifty altar
Gleuaniff,
chalices,
and
fifty altar
Glenade, and Glennauns,
lie
cloths, east
and
north-east of Drumlease, county Leitrim.
—
Cenel-Muinremur. This was probably in that part of county Cavan in which is situate Lough Ranior, anciently called Loch Aluin-reamhair. See Four Masters, at a.m. 2859. 8 Lec-Palrick. There is a townland called Leckaun, north of Drumlease, in the same parish. 9 Srath- Patrick. There is Sraud, in the parish of Bossinver, barony of Bossclogher, county Leitrim, still further north. 1 Boss Cette was the ancient name of a point of land lying between Rosses. the river of Sligo and that of Drumcliff in the barony of Carbury, county 7
—
—
—
name to the parish of Bossinver, lying in both counties. now called the Rosses, differing from that in the north-west of Donegal. Sligo, giving
It is ' '
Four
Masters," at a.m. 3790.
—
= Domhnacli-mor of Magh-Eni. It was sometimes called Magh'Cedne, and Moygene, and is now called Moy, a plain lying between the rivers Erne and Drowes, in the south of the county Donegal. It is in the parish of Inishmaesaiut, where, in the vicinity of Carricklake, are the ruins of an ancient church. It is often mentioned in the " Four Masters." 3 Dubh. Now the Duff or Bunduff, i.e. the foot of the Dubh river, giving name to a village in the barony of Carbury, county Sligo, where the river empties itself into the bay of Donegal. It is about four miles west-south-west of Bundoran. 4 Drobhais is still called the Drowes or Eundroes river, i.e. the foot of the Droes. It rises in Lough Melvin, and empties itself into the bay of DoneA village at its foot, taking name from it, gal, about a mile from Bundoran. is in the parish of Eossinver, barony of Eossclogher, county Leitrim.
—
^^^^iL ^NakiJ^
^,/N
ho Kit
the land of Connacht, oach of them in his church. Boven
in
was he preaching to the men of Connacht a blessing,
and bade them
Patrick wont to Es-Rnaidh. 6
where Disert-Patrick'
and sont two of
hi.s
people,
with r
its
to
and he
Tiher running through it
Cairbre opposed him,
is
what yon
it,
would he
my
Kome
if
1
establishment with
Thereupon
Cuangns struck the dog
Patrick said that Cairbre's race should not exceed a
with a rod. ;
and that the palmoflaics or
him, quod impletw. Patrick's
;
of Leth.i,
and your descendants would he comarhs
;
Cairbre incited a dog to attack Patrick.
small band
"
do," Baid Patrick
Cairbre declined then, as Patrick had foretold.
in it."
them
desired to establish himself there,
found a place here, the second to
IN Ruaidh tfarongh
left
whose names were Carbacc and Goal
to seize his hands. " Nut good
wore permitted
He
and Leo-Patrick. 7
is,
;
farewell,
hands
But
clerics
would not be from
as to Cuangas, since, he
agreed to seize
for Cairbre, 8 Patrick said that his race
should not
—
6 Ea-Rua'ulh. A cataract on the river Erne, nigh Rallyshannon, county Donegal; now called Assaroe. & celebrated abbey wag afterwards founded hero. St. Conan of Eas-Kuaidh was venerated on the 8th of March for salmon in the Erne river. abbot had the liberty of fishing ' DiscrC- Patrick. This was at Assaroe, as the following extract from the ic shows: "Patrick, accompanied by Brigid, proceeded in the Ruaidh, and commcnccil the erection of a charoh and eoi IJnt Cairpre, the son of Nial, set bis place at this day called Disert-Patriok. him, and sent two of hi, pe iple, Carbaoo and Cuangua, to take him prisoner. " What yon have done is not good," said Patrick "if yon would permit to erect a cony'i/mn! here, it would become a second Kome of Italy."
—
I
.
;
The name Disert-Patrick is now oh 7 There is no place called !>y this name in the neighborhood I.' c- Patrick. of Assaroe, but by an inquisition taken in the thirty-first year of Queen II inquire into the lands of this abbey, it was found to have been amongst others of theballyboe of Cashill, atku Lack, nowthe townlandof lashel, (Uolton's "Visitation," p. 70.)
—
'
i
<
There is the parish of Lcckthe cornty of Tyrone, between Strabane and Londonderry, but it
adjoining Ballyshannnn, containing t>S7 acres.
Patrick in
he place referred to.
—
He was son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, who died in 405 and was brother of E ighan, ancestor of the Cine] Eoghain; Buna Finn, anoestorof nel Enna Conall Gnlban, ancestor of the Snel Oonaill; Laoghaire, King "Cairbre.
;
;
<
from 428 to 403; of Conall (Jrimlhann, of 1'iae, and Maine. From descended the Cinal-Oairbre of Carbory, county Sligo, and of Gaara,
of Ireland I
i
a
n
;
bo more numerous than a company, and that be of them,
impletum
qimcl
est.
seizing Patrick's hands, as
When
Sliabh-Cise. 9
much
illustrious
men would
Cairbre promised to Ouangus, for as he could see to the north of
he turned to take a view about him, a dark
cloud closed around Cuangus, so that he only saw to the sea west-
wards, and to the ash eastwards. you, Cairbre," said Patrick fish "
as regards
" This river, which
" your share of
;
it
shall not
God gave be
fruitful
(i.e.
the northern half of the river in length was
i.e.
the half next to Cenel-Conaill, 1 for Crich-
Cairbre's share;
Conaill belonged to Cairbre at that time as far as Rath-Cunga)
" but Conall's share (the southern half ) will be fruitful
tum
est,
until
;" sic
Murghins, son of Maelduiu, 2 son of Scannal, an
trious king of Cairbre's race, presented the unfruitful part to Cille
;
He
and
now
it is
(Patrick)
fruitful
impleillus-
Colum-
with Colum-Cille.
went afterwards between Es-Ruaidh and the where Eath-Chunga
into Crich-Conaill,
stake there, and said that for seven bishops
;
it
is
at this day.
He
sea
fixed a
would be an abode and establishment
and there Bite 3
is
now, the brother's son of
Aisicus from Elphin.
was then
It
of Ainmire,
also that
viz.,
he foretold of Domhnall, son of Aedh, son
he fixed a pole in Ard-fothaidh, 4 and on the mor-
or North Taffia, county Longford.
Tuathal Maolgarbh, his grandson, was from 533 to 544. Th." note 155, p. ISO) writes, that Kisse was the name of a mountain, as also of a river, in Tirhugh, county Donegal, near the river Erne. From this description it would appear to be the mouutaiu
King u
of Ireland
Sliabh-Cise.
now
— Colgan (" TV.
called Breesy-Hill, in the parish of Kilbarron.
—
Crich-Conaill. The present county of Donegal. Murghins, son of Maelduin. This Muirghins was lord of the Cinel-Cairbre (who were seated in the barony of C'arbury, county Sligo), and died, according to the Four Masters, in G9G. See note on Cairbre. See " Hy-Fiachrach," p. 278. 3 Bite. This was St. Beoadh, Bishop of Ardcarue, in the county of Roscommon, of the race of Lughaidh, son of Ith. He was nephew of St. Asicus, Bishop of Elphin, who was also buried in Itathcunga. St. Beoaidh died on the Sth of March, 524, on which day he was venerated. The Chronicum ftcotonim has his death at 518. 1 This is Ardpattan, a small town near Ballyshannon, in the Ard-fothaidh parish of Kilbarron and barony of Tirhugh, county of Donegal, contiguous to 1
Cenel-Conaill.
2
—
—
1
row
it
was bent
and Patrick
;
would be tho seat
said, that the place
of a king, which was fulfilled in Domhnall.
On
Sith-Aedha8 Patrick
dGouall Mac Neill, when Patrick's hands would Gonall wondered at this thing,
of Fergus.
"
when
A youth (i.e. Colum Cille) shall be born of Who will be a sage, a prophet, and poet, A glorious, bright, clear light, Who will
his tribe,
and had
After Patrick had blessed the Ceuel-Conaill,
and
where he
left
and
to
"
Take
a
Niall,
across Bernas of Tir-
Domhnaeh-mor of Magh-Itha,
Dudubae,'-' son of Corcan, of his people. :
left
and churches, he went into
rivers,
Eoghan, the sun of
Aedha' into Magh-Itha,' said to his people
on the head
not utter falsehood."
blessing on their forts,
the country of
fall
Patrick said:
care that
And
Patrick
you meet not with tho
lion,
Muiredhach, the son of Eoghan, who was in
Eoghan, sou of NialL" 1
BaUymagroarty, in which was Hathcunga. Tho Latin Tripartite, " Tr. Th." It was the royal Ill, states they were in tho vicinity of each other. residence in the time of St. Columba. 5 Sith-Aedha. the north of Ballyshannon, a little to Now Mullaghshee,
p.
—
county Donegal.
— Thi^
Fergus was son of C'onall Gulban, ancestor of tho Cinel Coand son of Niall of tile Nine EostagBS, and married to Erca, the daughter Mor, King of Scotland, by whom he was father of Felim, tho father of Loaru Ere had l>een previously married to Murcdach, his cousin, of St. Columba. on of Eoghan, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages. * Bernas of Tir-Ai dha.- Now Barnesmore mountains, in the northern part of the barony of Tirhugh, county of Donegal. I Magh-Itha. An extensive plain in the barony of Haphoc, in which is tho iltlia, church of Donaghmore, near the town of Castlcliim. It v. from Ith, the uncle of Mil' -;o-, who, according to bardic tradition, was buried This church subsequently adopted the rule of St. Columba, and is now here. annexed to Deny, in place of Kaphoe. " Book of Bights," p. 1-4, and ,.;„.,.
naill,
—
—
.
p.
60.
Duduljae.— Called Dubdubanus in the Latin Tripartite. him as tho Dubanus venerated at 11th November. ''
—
Colgan
identities
ho had, according to Boghan, son qf Niall. Ancestor of the tho "Ogygia," at least live sons (I) Muireadhaeh, father of Muirchcartach Mac Erca, King of Ireland, the ancestor of the O'Neills, and who gave sixteen monarchs to Ireland ; (-) Fergus, ancestor of tho O'Conors of Moyitli 1
I
i
:
;
ki^L^^^^>i
m
IM\\
43 C
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
the front of the youths, met on the
the rear of the host of
"
You would have
father
a reward from me,
believe."
to
"What
way
Sechnall,
Sechnall
clerics.
if
who was
in
Muiredhach
said to
:
you would persuade your
"The
reward?" asked he.
sove-
reignty of thy tribe shall for ever belong to thy heirs," said Sechnall. " I will," answered Muiredhach.
In Fidh-mor 2
met with
Patrick,
in your
country," said Patrick,
would come
where the
flag (lee)
it
was that Eoghan
" If you would believe
is.
" the hostages of the
Gaedhil
to you."
" I am not good-looking," said Eoghan " my brother precedes me on account of my ugliness." " What form do you desire ?" " The form of the young man who is under (i.e. asked Patrick. ;
who
SN
is
your satchel
bearing)
i.e.
;
Rioc of Inis-bo-finde," 3 said
Patrick covered them over with the same garment, the
Eoghan.
hands of each being clasped round the other.
They
slept thus,
and
afterwards awoke in the same form, with the difference of the " I don't like
tonsure.
you desire to be
1"
my
"I should
his sword.
height," said Eoghan.
like
this
mediately grew to that height.
"Which
with his sons. Patrick.
"
said Patrick.
answered
"
he.
him?" asked
And
height,"
size
do
hand with
he; and he im-
said
he.
is
dearest to you?"
asked
"Sovereignty from him 4 forever,"
next to him
?"
" Fergus,"
asked Patrick.
Dignity from him," said Patrick.
Patrick. "
What
his
Patrick afterwards blessed Eoghan,
of your sons
"Muiredhach," said
"
Eoghan reached up
asked Patrick.
"
And
after
Eocha Bindech," said Eoghan. "Warriors
from him," said Patrick.
"
And
after
him
?"
asked Patrick.
(4) Fedhlim, ancestor of the O'Duibh(3) Oilill, from whom Muiutir Kelly dhiorma of the Bredacb, in Inishowcn ; (5) Eouhy Binne, from whom the Ciuel Bhniy near the Foyle. 1 Fidh-more. Now Veagh, in the parish of Raymochy, anciently called Rath-maighe-h-Aenaigh, of which Brugach, the bishop, was veuerated on 1st November. Veagh lies between the church of Donaghiuore of Magh-Ith, and the royal palace of AUech. 5 Eioc of Inis-bo-finde. Colgan saya St. Rioc was nephew of St. Patrick, and son of his sister Darerca. ;
—
—
*
From him— i.e.
the right of sovereignty was to be attached to his race.
—
437
rick.
"They
are
alike
all
to me,"
"They
answered Eoghan,
shall
have united love," said Patrick. Patrick went to Ailech of the kings, 5
and
left his
when ho
eminence should be over Erinn from Ailech. your foot out of your bed to approach yon," said Patrick-, " the
He
blessed the fort
Hag there; and he prophesiod that kingship and pre-
men
it,
"
When you
and your successor
life
after
of Erinn shall tremble before you."
blessed the whole island (Inis-Eoghain) 7 from Eelach-ratha
and he gave a blessing of valor to Eoghan.
Then
it
8 ;
was that
Patrick said:
'
My I
blessing on the tuatlia (territories.)
give from Belach-ratha,
On
you, yon
mdants
'1
of
Eoghan,
Until the day pf judgment. ;
Whilst plains are ntul.i The palm of battle shall he on their men. The armies of Fail (Ireland) shall not bo over your plnins;
Yon '
shall attack every telac/t (tribe).
The race Kless,
O
of
Eoghan, son of Niall,
fair
Brigid
Provided they
Government
<1"
!
goo
shall be
1,
from them for ever.
Lag of ns both
Mae NVill, who may be born from him.
U[>on Eoghan
On
all
Provided they are obedient.'
1
Bochaidh, son of Fiachra, son of Eoghan, was baptized with
and Patrick's covenant was made between them
—
;
and
of llw. Lillys. Now Grenan-EIy, in the barony of Inishowen, Donegal Bee the Ordnance Sarvey Memoir of the parish of Tei more, county Londonderry, p. 217. 6 H—i.r. the Bag. 7 InU-E-i'jhnm. Now the island or barony of Inishowen, comity Donegal, * Belack-rxUJia. NowBallogh, in the parish of Clouca, near Maliu Head, the '
.li?.;c/i •
— —
•rthern part of Inishowen.
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick
438
whosoever transgresses
it shall
not have children born to him, and
will not rot in the clay.
body
his
Where Patrick went after this was into Daigurt in Magh-Dula. 9 1 built seven Domhnachs (churches) about Fochaine (i.e. flumen),
He
Domhnach-Dola, 2
namely,
Domhnach-Seinlis,
Domlmach-Minchluane, 3
Domhnach-Senchua,
Domhnach-Dara, Domhnach-Catte, -5
Both-Domhnaigh. 4 Patrick proceeded into Tir-Eoghain of the Islands, namely into
the territory governed by Fergus, and he took to build a a certain place
;
disert at
Achadh-Driman 5 was the proper name of the land
which he built it. But Coelbhadh, son of Eogkau, drove him from thence, and Patrick said that in consequence thereof his race should never have a goodly house there. Quod probatum est
in
Comman, son
super by
who
of Algasach, of the race of Coelbhadh,
was at Eas-nac-Eire, who made a house there, but before he had the roof on it it was broken down by a young cleric of the family of Domhnach-mor-Maighe-Tochair. "
Thou
it
xl,
shalt receive
welcome from me," said Aedh, son of Fergus.
bank nor wall between him and the
aforesaid,
and
was there that he erected Domlmaeh-nior-Maighe-Tochair,
ribi
There
is
neither
dubas mansit et
Patrick
Mac
Cairthin reliquit.
proceeded from
Domhnach-mor-Maighe-Tochair, into
and there he met the three Deaehans, the sons of Patrick's sister, in the country of Ailell, son of Eoghan, and he Bredach,
a
Magh-Dula.
— This
name
is
partly preserved in that of Moyola, a river
that passes by Castiedawson, and flows into Lough Neagh. 1 The Faughau river, which flows into Lough Foyle. Forhaine.
—
-
Domhnach-Dola.— The site it was near the Moyola.
bably
—
of this church has not been ascertained
;
pro.
Domhnach-Minchluane. This is the old church of Clooney, in the parish mentioned in Colton's " Visitation," pp. 31 and 32. Both-Domhnaigh. This is now Bodoney, in the north of the county of Tyrone aud diocese of Derry. In 932, Muireacan of this place was abbot or corbe of Armagh, and in that year crowned Aodh, son of Donnell, King of Ireland. 5 Achach-Driman. Dr. Reeves (Colton, p. 120) writes there is a townlaud called Magheradrvunman, in the parish of Douagh in Inishowen, probably the ;:
of Clondermot, near Derry, 4
—
—
place here mentioned.
439
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. ordained Oengus, the son of
Aileli, in that place,
Sunday; Domhnach-Bile
there on
When
Tat rick was at Ailech-Airtich in Sonnacht, inCSnel Ends,
Hnda came to him. "Da mini hunc locum,"
"Quasi non
said Patrick,
On the morrow venil
babussemus dericos," saidEnda. tilius
and he remained
name.
is its
Endaet buus
Patrick had turned off to pray, and his
secum, Kchu Caech.
and
p.-oplo to baptize, to confer orders,
to
propagate the
•
llochar et qui est at
Domhnach-mor-Maighe-Tochair.
my
upon
the degree of bishop
est at
qui "
" Lei
son," said Knda.
The
faith.
Maecairthinns were there at the time, namely,
Confer ye P " It
consulted," said Patrick's champion, Maccairthinn of Clochar.
isour duty," said the other; "I will confer the order." "
id,
I3E£
Wolf .-hall
;
i
my
in
one for ever
committing murder,
shall profane
>
.
there
;
Quod impletur:
Clochar; Domhnach-mor-Maighe-Tochair, poverty
The sun upon whom the degree was
Patrick,
absence on the son
Inn. b of the
he poverty in the church of the other."
strife at
•
Ye have conferred orders
there shall be strife in the
When
conferred,
is
there.
two persons,
after
One hundred and
his relics.
twenty years until a son shall be born in the southern parts [who
and
shall reconsecrate his church],
Quod totum impletum
The
est.
was a high and beautiful
shall
it
first
spot, but they
short time to a lower place
and the
;
be restored to
me
again."
place where his relics were
were caried thence
first
place
ail
where they were
is
and robbers and murderers are accustomed to dwell there, through Patrick's curse. And his church was ceded to Ciaran
deserted,
Mac-an-tsair, of Enda,
As
is
but was restored
at this
day
calle
1
to Patrick I'i
again.
Patrick was in Tir-Knda-Airtich
at Tulach-liag, in
stuck [wattles for] a church there, which bush. ul
ii
This
Kchu, son
hop Echan. Leitir,
he
afterwards became a
After this he went to the Lei. on the east of the Bann,
non capiebant homines piscesnisi
Deinde imperavit
ens
in
node usque adillud tempus.
Patricius ut in die caperent, et sic erit in
linem seculi. Patrick
—'
went afterwards
into
Dal-Araidhe
and
Dal-Biada.
of St. Pati
rvpcuf Lite Life
he proceeded to Kori, 5 to Carn-Setna, southwards, where heard the screams of an infant from out of the ground. The n was demolished, the sepulchre was laid bare, and a smell of arose around
them out of the
They saw the
sepulchre.
A woman that
with the dead mother.
died of ague
was born
irought across the sea to Eriu, and the child
and seven days,
it is said, it
the king.
(olc),"° said
" That shall be his
Patrick baptized him
druid.
community of Airther-Maighe,'
Mac
and he
;
name
after death
" That
lived in the tumulus.
living
she was
;
:
bad
is
(Olcari)," said
the
Bishop Olcan, of the
is
And
in the district of Dal-Eiada.
Nisse, of Condere, read his psalms with Patrick.
.
.
.
Patrick received welcome in the district from Erc's twelve sons.
And
Fergus
before
said to Patrick, " If I
Mor Mac Erca
to you."
And
Maighe.
Patrick sail to Fergus,
brothers
am
preferred
brothers in the division of our land, I will offer some
my
is
Patrick gave to Bishop Olcan this part,
not great to-day,
i.e.
Airther-
"Though thy esteem with thy
it is
thou that shalt be king.
This
kings of this land, and of Fortren, shall be from thee for ever
and
this is
sessed Alba
what was
by
force.
fulfilled in
Patrick
Aedan Mac Gabhrain, who
left
many
;"
pos-
and establishments
cells
8 in the territory of Dal-Riada.
He founded
Fothraidh, and
Presbyter Cathbadh, and the
Mudhain, 9 and
6
To
Ror'i
Do
left
rori
left
two of
Kath-
Bishop
Nem 1
the reading of the
1
Olc, evil ; olcan, diminutive of olc. Airthcr-Malghe—i.e. the eastern plain,
it
MS.
and includes some wrong form of the name appears to have been present on the occasion lleeves' "Down and Connor," p. 24,'!. G
viz.,
it,
;
Presbyter Erclach in
is
his people in
monk Dimman and he founded
;
he
;
but
of the
left
it is
King
probably corrupt,
of Dal-Riada,
who
of the finding of the child.
— See
now Annoy, county Antrim.
See
Reeves' " Down," pp. 80, 2S7.
Now the Route, in the north of county Antrim. See Reeves' Dal-Riada " Down," pp. 52, 72, cl seq. " Rath-mudhain. Now Uamoan, in the north of Antrim. St. Ereclacius was venerated on the 3rd of March. Reeves' " Down," p. 79. 1 Nem. Col
—
—
—
Telach-Ceniul-Aenghusa;9 Dachennindan in Domhiiach-Cainri,
in (
Enan
krthraighe;'
And
trainn. 1 there,
is
Druim-Iiidich; 4 and Bishop Fiachra
in
Patrick blessed Dun-Sobhairce
and he
a blessing
left
upon
He
'nil
in
-Ech-
and Patrick's well
He found Caelbadh's twelve
proposed to found a place where Cill-glas
h.
He was
repelled from
left
two of
bis people
it
;
and
belongs to him yet; and he
it
and Presbyter Labor. he determined that he would found a place where Lathrach-
And
'
(
it.
Be went afterwards to Dal-Araidhe.7 sons 8 before him.
s ;
in
there, viz., Glaisiuc
Tclach-Cemul-Acnghwia.—Vr. Reeves ("Down," p. 125) considers this to Ramoan, county Antrim, having an
l»e the Orange of Drumtullagh, adjoining ancient burying-ground called Kilnioyle. J
Domhnach-Cainh in CatAriffica.— Cathrigica is the modern baron] the north of Antrim. Uolgan conjectured this church to be Kill-Domnach, but both names are obsolete. The festival of St. Nehcmias was celebrated on the 3rd of May, when the Martyrology of Donegal styles him Nem, Bishop o in
Drum
Dallain. In the townlaud of Big House, parish of Cailfeightran, barony of Carey, are the remains of an ancient church called DrumnakiU, which may be the church of the text.— Beeves' " Down," p. 282. i
Eiian in Druim-Jiulich.—'Sov.- Kilcena, in the townland of Drumeeny, Ramoan, county Antrim. Reeves' "Down," p. 284.
—
parish of
inn.—Now Cnlfeightran, barony
"Down,"
Reeves' e
of Carey,
county Antrim.—
7'.'.
p.
ZHm-£obAa*rc&—Now Danseveriok, three miles
east of the Giant's
(
i
way, on the northern coast of county Antrim. For an interesting account of place, and its identification by Dr. O' Donovan, sec " Dublin Fenny Jour-
Una
'
i.
::r>l
p.
;
alao Reeves'
— This
"Down,"
largo region
p,
286.
the cast of Ulster extended from Ni wry, in the Bontb of the county Down, to Slemish mountain in the barony nty ..f Antrim. The portion of Antrim north of this was (allliada.— in
I
-
Rook
of Righto," p. 23.
«*. —Caelbadh had been King of
I'ladh, or circumscribed
fifteen yean, and of Ireland one year, and was slain in ''">'. Of the twelve ned in the Life—Saran, Connla, and Nad-Si 3aran succeeded lu3 father as King of Oladh, whioh be held for twelve or twenty-six yean, and was Marartans of Kinalarty, county .
Down.
Connla was ancestor of Magi
his desi
who
also kings of
died in 583,
was
the celebrated
'
Aengv
J i
1
1
h,
same
county.
Several of
st. Fergus, Bishop of Down, Nad-Sluagh was grandfather Coleraine, hereafter mentioned, and from him alao
Cairbra, Bishop of I
ol
Oladb, and
his great-great-grandson.
i
^
®
—
442
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
Patraic 9
It
is.
there Daniel, Patrick's angel and dwarf,
is
there Patrick's well
is
;
is
its
name
—which
It
is.
Patrick disco-
Saran, the son of Caelbad, 1 seized his hand to expel
vered there.
him
Slan
is
and Patrick took heaven and land from him.
Coimla, the
son of Caelbadh, however, received Patrick with humility, and gave
him Domhnach-Combair
2 ;
and Patrick blessed him, and declared
And
that kings and chieftains should be of his race for ever.
founded
many
churches in Dal-Araidhe,
viz.
Magh-Damhairnc, and Kath-Sithe 4 (and he there),
Laisre
'>
and Telach-Conadain, 5 and Gluaire is
in
it).
He founded
Lathrach- Patraic.
—That
is,
:
Domhnach-mor
left
in
two of
3
ho of
his people
Latharna
(and
Mac
Glenn-indechta, 7 and Imlech-[cjluana, in
" Patrick's
but the Latin Tripartite note(" Tr.
site ;"
calls it Lettir-Phadruic, signifying "Patrick's slope." Colgan, in his
Th."
p.
IS.*!),
was called from his short stature " Abhac,'' and that from this the church was denominated Lann-
writes that this Daniel
signifying a dwarf,
Abhaic, "the church of the dwarf," being then a parish in the diocese ol Connor. It is now called Glenavy, the letter ;y having been prefixed by the English settlers, though in Pope "Nicholas's Taxation (1300) it is simply called
—
See Reeves' "Down," &c, pp. 47, 236. Saran, the son of Caelbadh. Saran succeeded his father as King of Ulidia, and reigned twenty-six years. "Battle of Magh-Rath," p. 330.
Lennewy.
— —
1
—
Domhnach-Combair. Now Comber, in county Down, at the north end of Strangford Lough. See Reeves' "Down," pp. 197, 338. 3 Domhnach-mor. The Latin Tripartite reads, "Domnach-mor in agro de Mag-damorna." Colgan, in another place, calls the latter Machairc-Morna, now Magheramorne, a territory to the south of the town of Larne, in the couuty Antrim. It was in this district the celebrated St. Comgall of Bangor was born. The name Domhnach-mor is obsolete. See Reeves' " Down," pp.51, -
—
l
2G9, 338, 346. 1
Kath-Sithe.— Now
Rashce,
barony
annals record the death of several of
its
of
The county Antrim. Reeves' " Down," pp. OS,
Belfast,
bishops.
258, 263.
—
6 Telach-Conadain. Dr. Reeves conjectures this to be the chapelry of St. Cunning, now merged in the parish of Carncastle, near Larne. (Reeves' " Mown," pp. 53, 338.) The Calendar of the O'Clerys has a St. Conaing, sou of Lacunan, at 23rd Sept. "Gluaire in Lathama. This is the church of Glenarm, or Tickmacrevan, ounty Antrim, on the old territory of Larne, and is still called Glore. Reeves'
—
" Down," pp. 7
—
87, 264, 33S.
Glenn-indechta.
county Antrim.
—Now the church of Glynn, in the barony of Lower Belfast,
— Reeves'
"Down,"
pp. 56, 329, 339.
m
Tripartitt
Semhne8 [where Caemhan was t< rritorj of Ui En a chein.
443
St. Patrick.
of
Lift
and Rath Escuip Indich, 9
left),
After some time the aforesaid Saran bore off some tivity
the
from the r
i
district of Dal-Eiada.
was of no
it
"I cannot Jo
Saran. thee of
"I
it."
said he, ''and
avail, unle
lie
Mm
would
Olcan
,
inter-
heaven to
as are
"for Patrick has deprived
thy people about thee, but thee alone,"
will kill
will slay all
I
;
ind< ed," said he,
.so,
in cap-
Bishop Olcan met him, and
people were grievously complaining to
ceded, but
mea
in the
these captives;
and wherever
him under the edge
find a priest (tailcend), 1 shall bring
I
shall
of the
sword."
Whereupon
Olcan promised him heaven.
Bishop
afterwards from the north to
heaven to the person to
whom
1
had promi ed baptism and
Patrick that Bishop Olcan
tj"
He came
ion to Patrick.
i
he had denied them.
They met
to
the north of Cluain-Fiachna, 1 on the way,going indifferent directions.
•The
chariot over him," said Patrick.
the charioteer, "that
8
would be
it
He told him (Bishop
;
Caemhan,
whom
St.
Patrick
;../. dieh.
I'i
Audi rken and Blathenderki
j J,
Lough
e.
Si
Patrick, but vary
whom
little is
this
known
of
Brca-chein, called varionsly, in E lay in the
pi
— arc
in
about
ime name, which
a town] is
Dal-rieda.
-tranglias
alwaj
now Clonfcclc, barony of Dungannou, county Armagh ; thi old obnreh orerhangin
five miles north of
river Blackwater, opposite Blackwatertown, county
>5K
bland M
corruptly " Down," Eti evi
— lying in a large rath on thejwi
This ,
f or
of
name
adjoini iiich
ford
char
its
Endich, [nnoc, or Winnoo, from l.
The district
of
Down,
may have
left in
church derivi his history.
fulfilled, for it
county Antrim,
Carrickfergus,
of
— Bishop
/.'•''•/:'-
was afterwards
as
Shevny was the ancient name
ur
north-east
'•
on earth would not be high, and
one of which (Kilkenane)
six churches, St.
not allowable," said
thrice destroyed
Semhne.— Seinhnc
lying to the
from
It is
should go over a bishop."
his establishment
Olcan) that that
it
Armagh.
It is a
mistake
> •> >
w
yir
ii ,
i|c-,i.
i^^S^feayr^q
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. was ruined by Scandal, 2 King of Dal-Araidhe, and by Cucuaran, 3 " Laoclidich, son of Bresal, and his land, shall fire also.
and by
belong to the young boy bearing the satchel," said Patrick, " one
own
of thy yet,
people,
Senan 5 of
i.e.
i.e.
Mac
IS'isse
Inis-Altich.
of Condere, 4 and to one not born
Thy
merit in heaven will be
illus-
trious."
Saran's guilt
it
was that was here
brother, Nadsluagh,
on Patrick's
tivity site of
"
On
your
"
upon Bishop Olcan.
to Patrick
and he was
;
Sarau't,
in cap-
"
You shall have from me," said he, "the Where will you give it me V asked Patrick.
arrival.
regies."
laid
was submissive
the brink of the Bann, in the west," said Nadsluagh, " where
the boys are burning the ratha (ferns)."
"a descendant
said Patrick;
of mine
" It shall be mine, truly,"
and thine
shall
be there,"
he that
i.e.
Bishop Coirpre, 6 son of Deggell, son of Nadsluagh;
it is
Cul-rathain, 7
Bishop Brugach,
who
is
on the eastern brink of the Bann.
in Ratha-Maighe-Aenaigh, 8 in Crich-Conaill,
ferred orders on Bishop Coirpre.
orders on Bishop Brugach
;
Patrick, also,
Saran.
2
It
Scandal.
it
in
was that con-
was that conferred
so that he (Bishop Coirpre) is a de-
scendant of Patrick in this wise.
any of the twelve sons
it
is
Patrick gave no malediction to
of Caelbad, except to the king alone,
was he that had acted disobediently
to him.
—This was Scaunlau of the Broad Shield, father of
It
i.e.
was on
Cougal Claen,
who was
slain at the battle of MaghKatb, near Newry, county Down, A.D. 634, according to the chronology of the Four Masters; a.d. C3G, Annals of Ulster and Chronicon Scotorum; and A.D.
King
of
Ulidia, or Dalaradia, ten years,
G37, according to Tigernach.
—
3 Cucuaran. He was also King of Ulidia and the Cruithtii, and was slain by Fiunchu O'Ronan, a.d. 70G, according to the Four Masters. Mac Kisse. See Reeves' "Down and Connor," p. 237, et seq., for a full account of Bishop Mac Nisse and his church. 6 Senan. Colgan, in the index to his " TV. Th." writes this was in Ulster, but gives no clue to its locality. 6 Bishop Coirpre. Bishop Cairbre. His festival was held ou the 11th of November. Sec note at Caelbadh's twelve sons. " Cul-ralliain. Now Coleraine, on the river Baun. It was for some time the See Reeves' ''Down," p. 247. seat of a bishop, and also a monastery. 8 Ratha-Maighe-Aenaigh. Now Raymochy, in the barouy of Ranhoa " county Donegal. See Reeves' Adamnan," p. 192.
—
''
—
—
—
—
^ Q^—^.^ Tripartite Life of St. Patrick this occasion that Patrick
brought with him Bishop Guasacht, 8 son
Milchu, from tho territory of Dal-Araidhe
of
Patrick
loft
daughters
:
in
Granard, and the two Emirs
;
was he
it
they that are in Cluain-Bronaigh, 1 ut diximus.
it is
The way Patrick went was across Fertais-Tuama, 2
into the territory of Dal-Araidhe,
T
to
Ho was
l i-Tuirtre.
forty nights
— Loch-Xechach being on one side of ordered him
He
off.
Cairthend Peg,
and Sliahh-Calland on
(Patrick) deprived
afterwards
Patrick
the sovereignty.
it,
king of the country, went to
Cairthen Mor,
who was
in exile
him and
gave
the
in
its suitability 4
Finnobair,1 and determined to build a city there for
other.
whom
Milchu' s two
also,
tin'
him and
his children of
sovereignty
from his brother
;
to
and Patrick
baptized him, and blessed his wife, and the being that was in her "
womb.
My
ck
tin- bung that is in thy womb God and it is I that will bless a veil The woman was slogan,1 daughter of Fergus
broth" said Patrick, "
shall be full of the grace of
upon her head."
Mor Mac
King
Nissi,
J
Dal-Riada
of
;
and Trea,' daughter of
— —
nilhop Guasaclit. His festival was held on Hie 24th of January. Chtain-Bronaigh. Now Cloubrouey, to the west of Granard, county Longford. It became a famous nunnery, and was largely endowed with lands. ' Fertais- Tua m
1
—
but tho tribe was afterI'iTuirtre was then on the west side of the Bann wards expelled to the cast or Antrim side by the O'Neills. Colgan, not knowSlieve and position of inverts the Gallien change, Longb N the ing ;
'
Finnobair.
which,
— There
now caned r,
of this name Magh-Lemna, or
were several places
Findermore,
county Tyrone
m
(" Tr.
in
ZVk."
p.
1S4)
;
in
Inland, one of
the Cloasaoh, near
but from the text this
appears to have been Tuirtre, between Lough Neagb and slieve Qallen, occupying nn -ci-ely the position of the church of Ardtrea, barony of LoughinThe ancient church of Ardtn a is in Ballyeglish, "tho holin, county Kerry.
town
of the church." i
1
eves'
"
Mogan.— Kerens Mor was
Moinreamhar, Monarch
P
and Connor,"
'.vn
p.
203.
and grandson of ESochaidb In 503 he and his brothers conquered the
Kin;; of Dal-Biada,
of Ireland.
greater part of Alba, and founded thero the kingdom of Scotland. • Trea. Cairthen Mor was descended from Colla I'ais, Monarch of Ireland, It was from his grandfather, Piacbra Tort, that Di-Tuirtre was named. St.
—
Trea's festival was held on the 3rd of August.
who
died
ad.
024,
was
w^^
of
her family.
? »,^ *L^
St Macdhog, Bish
>p of
!
— ;
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
446
Cairthend, was the daughter
Patrick
who
who was
angels, moreover, that brought the veil
on her head, down over her eyes
"Why " It
is
in her
womb
;
and
it
from heaven, and placed
and Patrick began
;
was
The
blessed a veil on her head, as he prophesied.
to raise
it
it
up.
it
was placed?" asked Trea.
good, indeed," answered Patrick.
She never saw anything
not good to leave
is
during her
life
as
except what she saw through that
Patrick had seven Fainre, s
it
Domhnachs7
Domhuach-Riascad, 9
Righduinn, Domhnach-Brain, 1
veil.
in Ui-Tuirtre, viz.,
Domhnach-Fothhbe, Domhuach-Maelain, 2
DomhnachDomhnach-
Domlmach-
Libuir.
Where
Patrick went afterwards was to Feara-Gabrae, 3 and they
were not obedient to him.
wards with tribute tribes
would get
Patrick said that they would go after-
to his church in winter time,
their country; quod imspletum
and that extern
est.
Patrick went
afterwards to Fera-Imchlair, 4 and ho baptized and blessed them 7 8
—
Domhnachs. Churches, the names of which began with " Domhnach." Domhnach-Fainre. Now Donaghenry, at Stewartstown, county Tyrone.
—Reeves' "Down," '•>
far
—
p. 294.
Domhnach- Siascad.
— Now
Reeves'
"Down,"
p.
Donaghrisk, in the parish of Desertcreat, not Catholic burial ground.
It is still used as the
from Stewartstown. 294.
1 Domhnach- Brain.— Br. Reeves' ("Down and Connor," p. 294) suggests this was Donnabarau, erenagh laud, in the deanery of Tullaghoge, county Tyrouc, to the west of Lough Neagh. - Domhnach- Madam. This is probably the old church of Desertlynu, county Derry, adjoining Artrca, so called from the O'Lynn family, who also gave name The ruins of the old to the barony of Loughinsholin, in which it is situate.
—
church are in the townland of Ballymully. 3 Feara-Gabrae. Dr. Reeves conjectured this territory to lie between TJiTuirtre, on the west of Lough Neagh, and Donaghmore, county Tyrone. 4 Feara-Imchlair. Dr. Reeves, on the authority of Colgan, places MaghThe festival of Imchlair around Donaghmore, to the west of Dunganuon. was celebrated here on the 4tli June, as also at 6th SeptemCruimther Colum "Colum of Ros-Glandai, ber, at which day the Calendar of the O'Clerys has i.e. Glan is the name of a well which was there before Patrick, and Domhnachmor-Maigh-Imchlair is its name at this day, siuce Patrick blessed it. Iu Tir. Eoghaiu it is situate. And this Colum is of the race of Laeghaire, son of
—
—
:
Niall."
There
is
a fine old sculptured cross at the Catholic church, orna-
mented with Scriptural subjects.
Tripartitt
and he
Patrick.
.
17
•I
with them Cruimther Colum, and Patrick's book of
left
and
as,
5
hia bell therewith
unto
they are miracu
;
this day.
When life1 ,
Patrick concluded his triumphant career in the
as the Apostle Paul said, "
my
hare finished
then
is
up
laid
course;
for
me
regarded
Though will
with
great his
they be
ing will
In-
and
honor
which the Lord the just
justice,
that day,"
in
he
veneration
communion
received
His remains and
from Bishop Tassach.
sacrifice
here
relics are
by the earthly Church.
honor and veneration on the earth, greater
in the
Day
committed
when
of Judgment)
him
to
I
have kept the faith; as i" the
crown of
a
me
judge will render to
and
I
pri
hare fought the good fight;
I
still
the fruit of his preach-
as to eacli other high apostle, with
the apostles and disciples of Jesus, in the nnion of the nine choirs
->'»'
of angels, in the union of the Divinity and the
Son of God, unity of
which
in the unity
the
nobler than
is
Humanity all
Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy
all
the
Spirit.
I
We
ask that
ourselves obtain this union in scecula sccculorum.
Amen. 6
beseech mercy through the intercession of Patrick.
we may
of the
unity—in
should be observed that, at the commencement of each of
[It
the three parts of the Tripartite- Life, there are several pagi Latin,
tion
which were intended
or preface to
the author as a sort of introduc-
b]
what follows
in
each part.
They
made
are
up principally of Scriptural ([notations strung loosely together.
Tension the second part
•Hit
mis
virtiitiinnjiio
ile
virtutibua
i
ac prodi
mi
:
consummavit cursnm ut
ito
Paolo potnerit recto dixissc; de c
liiiem Bervavi
onclndes thus
i
—
I
'
Ronum certamen t
'
:
certavi, cursuin
mini corona
justitia-,
cum Apostolo consamma\
qnam
die jnstoa judi x.'
"Appropinqnante antem bora mortis curavit advocari Foasachnm I'tiin,
susceptoquc ex ejus
Kjus sacra; exnvis, ac
—
:
mane ejoa
I
laviterobdormivit in Domino. vencratione asservantnr in Be
Balotariviati
reliquffi in
ran gaudiis
i.
reddi
Bomma
anima trinmpnai
'
<\ux nobis conccl.it Pater, et Filing, et Spiritoa Sanctus.
nltana
Amen.
These quotations have general reference to the establishment of Christ's
kingdom upon
earth, anil are obviously intended to bear
upon the happy introduction of Christianity into Ireland, through the labors of our glorious apostle. parts, in like
At the end
devoted chiefly to the praises of the great the greater part of an unusually long
by the regeneration of our pagan prefaces
of each of the
manner, are some paragraphs, by way of peroration,
life
ancestors.
saint,
who
dedicated
to the service of
The language
God,
of both
and perorations, whether corrupted by the copyists
transcription, or originally so written, is a
For the reasons indicated,
it
in
most barbarous Latin.
has been deemed better to omit the
pages alluded to, merely giving a few words of the commencement of each.
In the Irish original,
was usual in early Irish number of Latin quotations
also, as
manuscripts, there are a considerable
or sentences, which in some cases have been translated, and in others given as they stood, without any attempt to correct the style.]
I
v.nn\~-
."
'
.V
!
f.»
^^^m4
Patrick
left
Presbyter Conaedh in Domnach-Airther-Maighe, in
He
the territory of Hy-Briuin of the north.
rested there on Sun-
day, and then went after Patrick from that place as far eastwards as the
"What
wood.
brought
youf
asked Patrick.
bear your absence, holy man," said he.
Patrick
;
" the place around thee
but a place for pig-eaters
reddened
"
;
is
"
— (which we have
men moved
off
He was beheaded
;
from a
"I cannot
wonder," observed
not the place of a son of
life,
the soil of the place shall never be
proved when Connacan, 6 son of Col-
man, son of Niall Frossach, went into the nine
No
tree,
district
with an army,
which Artifex, a pilgrim,
selected.
eight were liberated, however, in his land).
Patrick went afterwards to Telach-Maine, 7 and received a welcome
from Maine, son of Conlaedh, who humbled himself to him Patrick blessed him, and blessed his wife, so that she was
and brought forth two daughters.
;
and
fruitful,
Patrick baptized them, and
blessed veils on their heads, and left a senior with
them
to instruct
them. Patrick did not visit Ard-Macha on that occasion, but went into the territory of Hy-Cremthand, 8 where he founded churches and
One
residences.
time, as Patrick
was coming from Clochar, from
—
8 Connacan. This and some other passages were evidently added at a later period by the coypist to show the fulfilment of the prophecy. Niall Frossach,
who was King on
of Ireland seven years, resigned in 7C5,
and died
at I-Coluim-
The Four Masters record son Colnm, by the Cinel-Conaill, at a.d. 810, and of Connegau, son of Colum, in a hosting made into Ulidia, in S53. 7 Telach-Maine. There are some parishes and townlands called TnUamain in the counties of Kilkenny and Tipperary, but it is obvious from the context the place here referred to was in northern Ulster, where we only find one, in the parish of Faughanvale, county Londonderry. It probably was the place Cille,
his pilgrimage, eight years afterwards.
the death
of
his
—
indicated. 8
IIij-Cremthand.— This territory, according to Colgan, was in the barony Meath. It was so called from Creamhthann, a descendant of Iiochadh, son of C'olla da Chrioch. It and its chiefs are frequently mentioned in the " Four Masters."— See " Book of Eights," p. 152. Colgan ("Ada SS."
of Mane, county
p. 235) traces
Crimthan's descent thus Kochad, son of C'olla da Crioch.
:
son of Fieg, son of Dcodatus, son of
man,
north, his strong
tin'
i.e.
Bishop
Mac Carthend, 9
carried
him
up Patrick, he
said, "
Uch,
across a difficult place; and, after lifting
/\ f
\
I
"My
uch."
dtbroth," said Fatriek,
say that word." " and you have
am
still
" I
"you were not accustomed to said Bishop Mac Carthend,
am old and infirm,"
left all
on the road."
my
early companions in churches, whilst
I
"I will leave thee in a church," said Patrick,
that shall not be too near us for familiarity, that shall not be too
••
And
distant for intercourse between us."
Bishop liim,
Mac Carthend
left
to Erinn.
3 Patrick went after that to Lemhuin.
the
Patrick afterwards
and the Domhnach-Airgid 1 with
which was sent to Patrick from heaven, when ho was on the
coming
sea
in Clochar,
hill
was he
on which Fatriek preached. at the preaching,
Then
than one hour.
it
Finnabhair
is
the
name
of
Three days and three nights
and each day did not seem was that Brigid
to
them longer
slept at the preacbin
Patrick asked her after-
Fatriek did not allow her to be awakened.
B Bishop Mac Carthend.— His proper name was Aodh or Aidus, the other He was fust Bishop of Clogher, being derived from his father, Chaerthann. Clocharthe ancient name of which, as recorded in the "Four Masters," was mae-n-Uiiinhue. According to Sir James Ware, he died on the 24th of March, 506, on which day Ids festival is still held. The Calendar of the
race of Eochaidh, son of i'i Ii-rys states, under Oct. Oth, that he was of the Muircadh, of the seed of Heremon, and that he was called "Patrick's champion." His life is given in Colgan's " Acta SS." I Domhnach-Airi/ul.— This highly ornamented reliquary, enclosing Latin is now in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy. copies of thefo Royal Irish Academy," It has been described in the "Transactions of tho (
I
Lectures, p. 822, xviii, from which extracts have been made in O'Curry's nith a translation from this Life of the passage relating to St. Mac Carthend.
vl.
note, p. 64.)
{<..-
mltuin.— Lemhuin or Liamhain was, according to Colgan, in the county Tyrone and diocese of Clogher, and was otherwise called Clossach. Thi lilackwater ran through it, and the tort of Augher and the village of Ball] of Errigalv were in it, having Cloghet on its western, and tho church m, boundary. As Clossach it is frequently mentioned ;" " " «i Bights," Wars of 1641 Book p. 162 Journal of the Mellan's Irish in Coltou's "Visitation, " p. L26. Irish To K)graphical Poems," p. xxi. note L19 linnabhair is now corruptly called Pindermorc, a townland in the parish and barony of Clogher, county Tyrone.— Ord lance sheets, 58 and 64, county :
/..
i
,
1
1
'•
;
(
Tyrone.
;
i^^N; Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. wards what she had seen.
She said
oxen, and white corn-fields
;
oxen after
these.
:
" I saw fair synods, and white
behind them spotted oxen, and black
I afterwards
saw sheep and
wolves, fighting amongst themselves. I
A
one
little
and the other
The
little
stone increased at the
from
it.
The
big.
pigs,
drop was shed on each of them. '
and
drop,'
large stone withered, moreover."
silvery sparks burst
"
They were the two
sons of Eochaidh, son of Crimthann," 3 said Patrick. airgit 4 believed,
and dogs and
saw subsequently two stones,
Cairpre
and Patrick blessed him, and blessed
Bresal, moreover, refused,
and Patrick cursed him.
Damh-
his seed.
Patrick also
explained the whole vision of Brigid in an admirable manner.
—
3 Eochhaidh Mac Crimthainn. He was son of the G'rinithainn mentioned under the note " Hy-Cremthand." O'Flaherty (book iii. chapter lxxvi.
Hely's translation, vol.
ii.
p. 10), in
tracing the history of the Orgiellians, the
posterity of the three Collas, writes as follows
:
"
Achy, Prince
of Orgiellia,
died in the time of St. Patrick, and was by his mediation restored to baptized.
He had two
sons after this
:
Bressal, the elder,
who
life
and
obstinately
opposed the Gospel, on which he with his whole race were extirpated and extinguished, in consequence of the dreadful imprecations denounced on them by St. Patrick his other son was Carbry, surnamed Damhairgid, who most willingly embraced the principles of truth, and enjoyed the blessings imparted ;
to
him and his posterity, from which a numerous succession of Orgielliau and many saints are descended." Cairpre DamhairgU. Froni this Cairpre or Carbry, who had seven sons,
princes 4
—
according to O'Flaherty, were descended the noble families of Maguire, Mac Mahon, and O'Hegny ( " Ogygia," iii. ch. G7). Colgan only mentions two sons,
Natsluagb, from whom Udhir sprung Maguire.
MacMahon, and Cormac, from whose descendant
Colgan ("Ada SS." pages 235 and 713) enumerates him St. Enda, Abbot of Arran, off Galway, whose mother, accordiug to the O'Clerys' Calendar, was Aibhfinn, daughter of llonan, King of the Ards in county Down (venerated 21st March) ; St. Libeus of Arran, his brother (18th Feb. or 16th Dec.) ; their two sisters, St. Carecha Dergain of Cluain-Boirinu (7th Feb.), St. Lochima (12th June); SS. Fergus (29th March), Muredach (12th August), Mochoemoc (13th April), all of Inis-Caoin, now Iuishkeen, in Lough Erne, county Fermanagh, and their sister St. Nessa (4th Sept.) St. Tegan or Tecce (9th Sept.) St. Dimina, or Damnada, or Damhuat (13th June) ; St. Fanchea, St. Mugau or " Moghain Og, of Cluam-Boirinn, mentioned in Adamnan's " Life of St. Columba (Dec. 15), and St. Darfroechea, alias Darerca, mother of St. Tighernach of Clones, and sister of St. China of Druim-Dubhain, softer mentioned (11th Nov. ur 23rd March). the following saints as descended from
:
the coast of
;
-•.LJ.^
ijpartiti
Be •
;
marry
to a
CairpreMac
son of
man
a daughter,
/.<\
of noble family,
Patrick.
St.
y
Eochaidh,
resuscitated
Eochaidh possessed to
I
i.e.
from
Crimthann,
Cinnu, 5
whom
death.
her father wi
to the son of
hi
I
Cormac, son of
walking along, met Patrick with hiscompa
Neillj she,
Patrick preached to her, that she unite herself
nions on the way.
to the spiritual prophet
;
and she believed, and Patrick instructed
and baptized her afterwards.
When
her,
her father was subsequently seek-
ing for her, to give her to her man, she and Patrick went to con•
with him.
Patrick requested that he would permit her to
the Eternal Spouse
him
iven to
thought •
i.e.
Eochaidh agreed to
it
hard.
these
wed
heaven would be
this, if
and he himself not be compelled
therefor,
Patrick then promised
tized.
T
:
to
I"
two conditions, though ho
The king afterwards consented
that his dan
Cinnu, should be united to Christ, and Patrick made her a
female disciple to him, and her,
i.e.
commanded a
Cechtumbar of Druim-Dubhain, 7
certain virgin to instruct in
which place both
vir-
gins rest.
6
Cinnu.
— The Calendar of the O'Clerys
lias,
at 1st Feb., " Cinne, Vil
and Col W." lias her life at that day. After receiving the VI il, she was placed under St, Cechtumbria in a nunnery at Druim-Dubhain (aee where she was living about -IS-, and was there inb raoich, was mother of St Tighernach, Bishop of Clones, in county Muuaghau, according to O'Clerys' Calendar at 1th April. 8 Cormac. He was called Cormac Cacch, and was father of Tnathal Maelgarbh, who was King of Ireland eleven years, and was slain in 638, by Mai IDiannaid Mac Cearbhaill, whosuccecdcd. The Annals of of mor, tutor i
.
—
;
Tuathal's death at 54.3
;
authority of Tigernach, says 544 .
547 but O'Douovan, on the the true year; with which agre<
of Clouniacnois at
U
;
Scotorum.
—
OecJUumbar of Druim-Dubhain. Colgan ('.1 Cechtumbar is varion this was a church beside Clogher. beris and Cectamana or Ethembria, and is stated bj Colgan f
!
to
L Cethuhave hcen the
the Irish virgins who r believed to have been the person to whom St Patrick refers, in his Confession, when he says, alluding to the conversions he had effected " The sons of Scoti and daughters of chieftains appear now as monks and virgins of Christ first of all
:
Especially one blessed Scottish lady, of noble birth and of great beauty, who was adult, and whom I baptized." According to Colgan, she was interred in
her
own
church, with
many
other holy virgins, and .seven bishops.
many
After
end of
his
years, moreover, the aforesaid ;
and when
his friends
Eochaidh reached the
would remain by him, he
not be buried," said he, " until Patrick comes."
me
" Let
life
said,
And when
Eochaidh finished these words his spirit departed. Patrick, moreover,
was at
time in Ulster, at Sabhall-Patrick
this
;
and the death of
Eochaidh was manifested to him, and he decided on going to Clochar-mac-Daimhin, where he found Eochaidh,
When
inanimate twenty-four hours.
who had been
Patrick went into the house
where the body was, he sent out the persons who were about the
He
bent his knees to the Lord, and shed tears "Eise,
and he King Echaidh, in the
name of Almighty God ;" and immediately,
at the voice of the servant
body.
prayed, and said in a clear voice
When he had
of God, he arose.
:
composed himself, he spoke, and the
and lamentations of the people were changed to
grief
;
joy.
And
forthwith Patrick instructed the king in the rule of faith, and bap-
He
tized him.
commanded him,
also
describe the pains of the impious,
before the people, that he would
and the joy of the
saints,
that he would speak to the people, that they might believe is
said of the pains of hell
And
offered
him a
country, if
and the joys of the
blest to
he spoke of these things, as he was commanded.
if
choice,
i.e.
fifteen years in the chief
And
all
and that
be true. Patrick
kingship of his
he would live piously and truthfully, or to go to heaven,
he preferred
But the king said
it/
:
"
Though the sovereignty
of
the entire globe were given to me, and though I might live for
many
years, I
would count
good shown to me.
may be
Hence
it all
as nothing in comparison with the
it is
that I pray more and more that I
freed from the miseries of the present
life,
and sent to the
To whom Patrick said, " Go peace, and journey to the Lord." Echu (or Eochaidh) gave thanks God in the presence of his people, and he commended his soul eternal joys exhibited to me."
in 1
1
>
to
the Lord and Patrick, and his spirit departed to heaven.
Where
Patrick went afterwards was to the territory of Ui-Meith-
Tire, s to Tech-Thalain 8
Ui-Meith-Tire.
—
;
and he
left
Bishop Cilline there, and other
There were two tcnitoricB
iu Ulster
named Ui-Meith,
men
holy
ofhia people, and the relics of saints which
with him across the sea from the robbers of
wont
a
to
Then
oast. 9
Oi-Meith-Tire carried off
it
brought
lie
was that three that was
the second goat
be bringing water, and they came to swear Falsely to
••
Patrick
Patrick,
him,
respecting
of the three
who had
goat cried from
but the
acted
treacherously.
"the goat himself announces you as
day
forth, goats shall stick to
lias
been
"
the
bodies
My debroth,"
said
From
this
thieves.
your children and kindred:" which
fulfilled.
Eoghan, 1 son of Brian, son of Muiredach, son of Imchadh, son of Colla fo-Crich,
was King of Ui-Meith when
his grandfather,
Muiredach.
<..-.
this people believed,
Eoghan besought Patrick to
he (Patrick) blessed them.
Patrick afterwards resuscitated
him, and buried him again in the Erende, 9 on the borders of
orna and Ui-Meith
;
and
resuscitate
TT"
MughThen
but the place belongs to Mughorna.
from Muircdhach Meth, mentioned afterwards, viz. :—TJi-Meith-Mara, Lough, and now known as O'Meathin Louth, opposite Warrenpoint ; and the other southern portion as Cuailnge (Cooly), adjoining the town of Carlingford. The Ui-Meith-Tire of the text was sometimes i-Meith-Maoha, from its contiguity to Armagh, and was situate in tin: nt barony and county of Monaghan. It comprised the parishes of Tchal] called
tag on Carlingford
_^.
i
lao (thcTech-Tnahvtaofthetext), Monaghim, Kihnoie, Tullyeorbet, Clontibret, "Book of Rights," p. MS, Jto. Tho and Mnckno, Dear Caatleblayney Calendar of the O'Clerys commemorates, at 2nd November, Aedhan, Cill-Mor-Aedhain ; at 20th January, Crnimther Calbh, of of iua, Telach-Carpait, botli in Ui-Meith-Maeha and at 27th May, Cillin, liishop of These churches are all in county Monaghan. Jain, in OirghiaLla. ,r of the O'Clerys commemorates, at 27th May, "Cillin,
—
;
i
i
Bishop of Tech-Talain, in Oirghialla."
Now
the pariah of Teballan, in the
north-east of county Monaghan. 1
JBoghan.— The Muiredach, grandson of Colla da Crich, here mentioned, was whom the I'i Meiths were designated.
generally called Muiredach Meth, from
See preceding note but one. 'Brende. Colgan, in the Latin Tripartite (" Tr. 77*. "p. 151), calls this place It is probably the present Omra, or Oram, in the pariah of Borne. Mnckno, barony of Cri morne, county Monaghan, where there is a large mound. It with a circlo of stones, on the top of a mountain called Mullyash.
—
I
the county of
Armagh, and
is
called, iu the (Hater Inquisitions,
Owramlia-
donny.
v
I
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
45G
Patrick went into the district of Mughorna, 3 to Domhnach-Maighen, especially.
When Victor, 4 who was in
had come to
it,
that place, heard that Patrick
Victor went, to avoid Patrick, from the residence
to a thorny brake at the side of the town.
digy for Patrick. that
He
lighted
up the brake
everything therein was visible.
Patrick,
and gave him
his submission
God performed
Victor went afterwards to ;
and Patrick gave him the
church, and imposed the degree of bishop on Victor, and
Domhnach-Maighen.
in
And
left
him
Patrick blessed Mudhorna, and said
that the most illustrious of laics and clerics should be
And
a pro-
dark night, so
in the
he bade farewell to them, and
left
of them.
a blessing with them.
Afterwards Patrick went to Fera-Kos, 5 to Enach-Conglais, where
—
«
3 Murjhorna. The Irish form of this territory was Crioch-Mnghdhornas which Colgan latinized into "regio Mngdornorum." It is now called the barony of Cremorne, the parish of Douaghraoyne (the Domhnach-Maighen of Adamnan, in his the Life) having been transferred to the barony of Farney. " Life of Columba," calls it " proviucia Maugdornorum," on which Dr. Reeves writes, the name was derived from Mughdorn Dubh, son of Colla Mean [are. 340), and that in Columba's time the Maugdorni might be considered co-extensive with the modern baronies of Cremorne and Farney, the latter of which was formerly called Donamaiue from this parish. Shirley ("Farney," p. IG'2) writes that St. Lasserius, or Lasser, was one of the patron saints of Donaghmoyne, whose festival was held on the ISth of April, and that his well, called TubberLasair, in the townlaud of Aghavilla, adjoined the church but, in O'Clerys' Calendar, the entry at ISth April is, " Lassar, Virgin, daughter of Eoghan, ;
Maighin."
of
Shirley also writes that St. Ciera was patroness, of
whom
the
O'Clerys, in their additional notes ("Martyrology of Donegal," p. xlv), write, "Ciar and Lasair, Virgines, tutelares in the parish church of Domnach-
Moin, in an impropriate parish, diocese of Clogher," Sc. There was preserved here a shrine of St. Adamnan, which (the "Four Masters," at S30) was carried away by the Danes ; as also Tuathal, son of Feradach, who was Abbot of Rechra (now Lambay, near Dublin) and Durrow. * Victor. Colgan ( u Acta Sanctorum," p. 424) gives a short life of Bishop Victor, at 2Sth February. The Calendar of the O'Clerys has no St. Victor at but Colgan, in his notes to Jocelyn, suspects he was that or any other date
—
;
one of the Buadhbeos mentioned in the Martyrologies at 17th November, both of -whom were of the Clauna Ruadhraighe of Ulster the name Buadhbeo " Villancnva," p. 376. signifying victorious. The territory of Feara-Ros lay in the south of the county F, ra- Ilus. Monaghan, and, according to O'Donovan ("Book of Rights," p. 154), contained the church of Eanach-Couglais, which, on Colgans authority (" Trias. Th." p. ;
—
1
—
''
;
There
he remained a Sunday.
/'
/.;/>'
ZWparft'ft
i
N'.
was that the Ui-Lilaigh gave the
it
poison to Patrick in the lumps of curds.
and made stones of
When
Monday
Patrick went on
across the ford southward
went with
slay him.
Patrick turned towards
fifty
horsemen upon the ford
ford; ami he raised
tlic
Patrick blessed the pieces,
tin. -in.
Ui-Lilaigh
south of
Patrick.
after him, to
them upon tho bank to the his left hand and said: "You
way but The water immediately wen! over them. Ath-O'Idlaigh6 is the name of tin- ford for ever, and "no lumps are at Bnach Conglaise, in commemoration of the shall neither
you
come out of the
shall be in that
ford here, nor go the other
;
water for ever."
miracle to this present day.
Be
afterwards went to Etath-Cuile, 7 where he blessed the Fera-
Cuile, 8
i.e.
of
<
it
to Bile-Tortan after that,
and
now Killaney and lie writes that it is almost absolutely rcomprised the parish of M.ichaire-Los (Magheroes), with the town
1S4, note 21), is
tain that
He went
the Ui-Seghain.
arriekmacross.
I
;
The Poor Masters
•
Maenach, son of and, at S45, Ceallach, son of Mae] l'ahave,
at
a.i>.
825,
Cruumacl, Trior of the Fer-Koss, died I'rior of Fer-Ross, dud. The parish of Killaney extends into the oonnties of Monaghan and Louth, and the ruins of the old church are in the .Mr. Shirley (" Farney," p. 179) latter county, on the borders of the former. writes that in the townland of Aunahean, in the Monaghan portion of the parish, is an old place of sepulture, a small Btone cross marking the consecrated spot, and (p. 205) he states that, according L665, there was in this townland a Wood Hill called Ariuagh-Solish, which is absurdly lentlya translated as if Atk-na-g-coih. the Ford Marsh corrupt form of the old church of J rivulet, the river Lagan separating this part of the parish from Louth.—See ;
I
!
I
i
f
i
"
Adamnan,"
p.
81.
Alk-O'Lllaigk.— This name is now obsolete, nor is the tribe name mentioned It was evidently a in their topographical poems. r I. igan, in some [art of the parish of Killaney, on the borders of Monaghan and Louth. 1 Bath-Cuile. There are named Rathooole in Ireland, of which one is in the parish and barony ol Ratoath, county Meath, but quite re. mote from the barony of Sells, in v. ile, according to O'Donovan, (See next note.) It was, most probably, the place HOW called was situate, *
by O'Dugan or O'Heerin f
id on the ir.
—
i
Coole, in the parish of t
Kilmainham Wood, adjoining Moybolgue
he barony of Lower an,
hence
it
was occasionally
call
to the south-
I
under
GO."!,
was in Bregia and appear- to have been
writes this territory
Breagh,
$>
—
n constructed a church for Presbyter Justin, near Bile-Tortan, which
is
near the community of Ard-Breccan.
When
Patrick was journey-
ing to the territory of Leinster from Domhnach-Tortan, he reat Drum-Urchaille. 1
mained a night
The
Naas. a
of the road,
site of his tent is in
and
his well is to the
Patrick went afterwards to
the green of the fort, to the east
north of the fort (dun), where he
3 baptized Dunlaing's two sons, Ailill and Illann, and where he
conterminous with the present barony of Kells, county Meath, comprising, inter alia, according to O'Clerys' Calendar, the parish of Moybolgue, where St. Siric was bishop, and venerated on 26th November ; also Emlagh-Fiaich, where St. Becan was venerated on the 5th of April. The chiefs of this O'Dugan, iu territory are mentioned in the " Four Masters " thirteen times. his topographical poem, writes,
"
h-Ainbhith, of no stubborn meeting, Is lord over noble Ui-Seaain,"
which O'Donovan, in
his notes, states should correctly be,
" UiSeghain
a people situated to the north of Ardbraccan, in the county of Meath," thus taking in Upper and Lower Kells baronies. After the introduction of surnames, we frequently liud the h-Ainbhiths, afiglice O'Hanvey, lords of
and Ui-Meith, as also of Farbill in Westmeath. O'Donovau (" Book of Rights," p. 151) was unable to state further concerning the Ui-Dortaiu or Ui-Tortain than that they were seated in that part of Meath in which was the celebrated old tree called Bile-Tortan which stood near Ardbraccan, as stated iu the Life. 1 Drum- Urchaille. Colgan ("Trias. Th." pp. 151 and 272) writes this was a church iu Meath. At S37 the Four Masters record the death of Domhnall, its abbot and, in a note, O'Donovan explains the name as the " Bidge of the Greenwood," conjecturing that it might be Cnoc-Urchoille or Spaniel Hill, in the county Clare— a surmise indisputably wrong. 2 Naas. The present town of Naas, in county Kildare. The great rath or dun still stands in the centre of the town. 3 Dunlaing's two «o»?.?, Ailill and Illan. Dunlaing was King of Leinster, iu which he was succeeded by these sons, Illan dying in 500. From Ailill, alias Oilioll, descended many kings of Leinster, as also the great St. Lorcan or Laureuce O'Toole. At A.D. 489, the Four Masters record that Ailill and Illan assisted Muircheartach Mac Earca at the battle of Cill-Osnadha, now Kelliston, in the barony of Forth, county Carlow, where Aengus (son of Nadfraech), first Christian King of Minister, was slain. The desceut of the O'TooIes, subsequently lords of Feara-Cualann, now Powerscourt, is traced by O'Donovan at A.D. 1590. Oirghihllia 9
Bile-Tortan.
—
—
;
—
—
*
tt
Tripartite Life of St. baptized
~^~~
+
*
^
Pat rid.
^ -w
459
AMl's two daughters, Moghain and Feidclm. And their them to God and Patrick, from their consecrated 1
Esther dedicated virginity,
and
lie
(Patrick) blessed the veil on their heads.
-Messengers went from Patrick to call the steward of the fort of Fallen. He avoided Patrick and he pretended to he through enmity and ridicule of Patrick And Patrick was told that the steward was asleep. " My debroih," said Patrick, " I
Naas,
/.<.
;
asleep,
should not be Bnrprised
if it were his last sleep." His people went awake him, and they found him dead, through the disobedience he showed to Patrick. And hence is the proverb amongst the
to
Irish
:
" Fallen's sleep in the fort of Naas."
was the King of Ui-Garchon at Patrick's coming, and
Dricriu"'
Moghan and h\idelm.— They were venerated at 9th December, according t>
ing Darinnill and three other virgins also venerated in this church, describes it by the side of Tamhlacht (now the village of Tallaght, barony of Upper
as
Cross, county Dublin), to the south.
Two
to the daughters of Leinin, of the race of
other entries at Cth March, referring
Aenghus, son
of
Mogh Xuadhat,
call
and Cill-na-ningeu, and as lying in the territory Of t"i-Briuin-Cnalaun, which O'Douovan (" Four Masters," 837) places in the barony of Rathdown, county Dublin, and the northern part of county Wick" [ow, and identifies Cillinghenl.. inin as Ivilliney. From the foregoing we consider it lay nearer Tallaght. This territory was so called from Brian, brother of Xiall of the Nine Hostages, whose descendants settled in the round Sliabh Caalann, now Sogarloaf Mountain (" Wars of the it
variously
I
'dl-inghen-Leinin
I
I
with the Gaill"). Colgan {"Acta. S3." p. 104] states that St. daughter of the Leinin before mentioned, who was honored here on the Cth of March, was sister of the great St. Colman of Cloync. 6 Dricriu.— This king's name does not appear in the Annals, but he was doubtless a near connection of Nathi, who opposed St. l'alla.lius and Patrick GaedbJII
Brighit, a
in the same country, and a jierson of considerable importance, being memh r same family as the Kin^s of I.' insb r, and married to the daughter of the Irish monarch, as appears by the text This territory took its name from Garchn, a descendant of Qgaine More, King of Ireland; and we lean
of the
the Boholi art on the Hartyrology of
Aengus the Cede Dc, that it was in one Fotharta of Leinster (Todd's "St. Patrick," pp. Wt, 286, 200, 338). of the O'Clerys shows that it comprised Qlenn-faidhle, now Glenealy parish, near the town of Wicklow, where St Morahernog n of the
The Cal end ar tied,
i
r
30th January; Cill-aird, where St. Tartinna was venerated, 3rd
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. the daughter of Laeghaire
Mac
Neill
was
And
his wife.
he refused
Patrick regarding his feast, at Eath-Inbhir, 6 on Laeghaire's account.
But
gave him welcome, and killed his
Cilline 7
and gave to Patrick the quantity of
flour that
own cow
for him,
he brought for his
support from the king's house, whereupon he (Patrick) prophesied that Cilline's son should be king of Ui-Garchon.
He went there
afterwards to Magh-Lii'6, s and founded
and he
;
left
cells
and houses
Mac
Usail in Cill-Usaille, 9 and Iserninus 1 and
July ; Eath-uoi, now Rathnew, the parish in which Wicklow town is situate, where St. Eruin, or Mernog, was venerated, 18th August, and who was also patron of the two Kilmarnocks, and Inch Marnoc in Scotland (Reeves' " Adamnan," p. 25). It was iu this country that Palladius erected his three
wooden churches,
The
Cell-Fhine, Teach-na-Romhan, and Domlmach-Arta.
admitted to be Tig-Roney, in the parish of Castlemacadam, county the third to be Donard, near Duulaviu, in the west of the same county and Cell-Fhine has been conjectured to be au adjoining church, about three miles west of Duulaviu, called Killeen Cormac, situate in the townland of Colbiustown, parish of Davidstown, in the county Kildare.— See paper by the Rev. J. F. Shearman, " Irish Ecclesiastical Record," second
is
Wicklow
;
;
June, 1S68. 6
Rath-Inbher.— O'Donovan ("Four Masters," a.d. 776 and 953) believes be the rath at the mouth of the river Dea, near Bray, county
this to
Wicklow. 7 Cilline — According to the pedigree of the Ui-Garchon given by Dr. Todd ("St. Patrick," p. 253), his name was Marcan. A Leinstcr chief of It should, howthe same name is mentioned by the Four Masters at G47.
ever, be observed that the pedigree appears to be incorrect 8
Narjh-Life.
and
defective.
— The plain of the Liffey in the counties of Wicklow,
Dublin, but principally in Kildare, from
and and not the plain from the
river.
— " Book of
which the
Kildare,
river took its
Rights ;" Todd's "
St.
name,
Patrick."
—
9 Usail in C'ill- Usaille. AcUsail was the Irish name for St. Auxilius. cording to the Four Masters he died 27th August, 454, on which day the Calendar of the O'Clerys has, " Usaille, son of Ua-Baird, Bishop of Cill-Usaille, It is, therefore, a mistake of the writer in the "Irish Ecclein Leinster." siastical Record " for March, 1868, p. 275, note 5, that St. Auxilius was the "Cobhair,"or "Cobuir, son of Goll," commemorated iu the Irish Martyr-
ologies
giving
on 30th July.
name
His church
is
now
called Killossy,
or Killashee,
to a parish in the barony of Naas, couuty Kildare.
The deaths
two of its abbots, Maeldobharchon, and Loiugseach, son of Faellen, are O'Donovan writes, at 454, that " no part of the old recorded at 827 and 870. church now remains, but there is a part of an ancient round tower, with a
of
square base." 1
Iserninus.
—Bishop Iserninus, who was one of the coadjutors of
St. Patrick,
Tail in Cella-Cuilinn,
'J
Life,
and other
the sous of Laiylii
-
boys, "drive on your horses."
is
to-day
and Patrick
;
where
Laighis, son of Find),
there
said that
from them, and that
a bishop
going into Western
But no injury was done
your horses," said Patrick. (/.<..
hi-
way
b
"For God's Bake," said the "Drive on, then, for God's
him, and a covering over thorn.
he cursed Laigbis
On
.-aim.-.
prepared water-pita in the
them
to
Mom
little
;
and
Gholuim9
would be neither a king nor should
a foreign lord
them
ver
1
for ever.
Brig, 3 the daughter of Fergnad, son of Gohtach, of the
went to report to Patrick the eumity that was
in
I
Ercain,
i
store for him.
Patrick blessed her, and her father, and her brothel-, and the
l'i-
Ercain altogether, and he said that they would never be without distinguished laic- and clerics of them.
Then Patrick
alighted on the hillock which was then called Bile-
Mac-Cruaichj to-day, however,
it
is
called l'orrach Patrick
;*
and
he said that there would never be a foreign king or steward over
and was ordained with him, founded Cualann
(see
tin,
church in the district of Oi-Briuinlie died -107 (" 'J'rias
note under AiliU'e daughters, supra).
whose prop c name wa3 Aengus, of the race of Lnghaidh, King of Minister, ami brother of St. Colmau of Cill-Cleitighe, sucHe was nation of ECilculli ", ceeded, ami died 11th .lime, ."its., of the plague. county Kildare. Several of it- abbots and bishops, and other incident- in its history, are recorded by the Four U holuim. This is now the old church of Moone, giving name to a Tho |>arish and barony near Timolin, in the south of the county Kildare. at 1014 call it Maein-Choluim-Chille, when recordii Masters, Four. death of its abbot Colnm rJa-Flannagain, Tiny also mention it and eventually It has a fragm plundered in loll). "Four Masters," and Been " Adamnan," it became a Franciscan house. Tli." p. 19).
St.
Mao
Tail,
—
•
..
'
—
;..
i'
280. 3 Br'vj.
— The
mother of l.arne,
name Brig was different Comghall of Bangor, who was horn
St.
county
Ann
B
•
mentions four person
'
if
whom
we in
find
that the
Magheramorne, near ndar of the O'Clerya
u.
ted at
Coirpre (Carberry), 7th January, and another at Cill-muine (now Kib
county Meath). *
t'orraclt- Patrick.
— This means
"Patrick's scat."
It
was the nam
old church in tho south of tho county Kildare, the site of which
is still
knon
n.
;;
them
and when the King of Leinster would be distributing the
;
he would have one shin
house,
royal
his
in
feast
and the king of Ui-Ercan6 the other
;
Patrick's forrach (seat), the dignity of laics
respect,
wealth, and immortality.
(of
beef),
they should have Patrick's
and
clerics,
Eight princes they had up to the reign
of Conchobhar, son of Donnchadh, 6 in Tara.
Laighis, moreover,
was the tribe-name of the youths who committed the misdeed and neither king nor bishop shall be from them but strange lords ;
shall
govern them, and they shall never have rest from persecution
and complaints. Patrick went
from
he
Tara until
met Dubhtach Mac Ui-
Lugair at Domhnach-mor 7 of Magh-Criathar, in Ui-Cinnselaigh,
who
believed for Patrick.
Patrick requested from
him a handsome
—
not be of low family a man of one wife, for but one son was born. " Hem," said Dubhtach, " that is
who would
youth,
whom
Fiacc, 8 son of Ere, I
am
afraid
— the
man
of those qualities,
who
went from me to the territory of Conuacht, with poems for the At these words he (Fiacc) came. " What are you kings." considering "
Patrick. "
why
V
asked Fiacc.
That
" Dubhtach for the crozier,"
will be a blemish to
should not
I
be taken in place of him
He was
received, indeed," said Patrick.
said
many, indeed," said Fiacc 1"
"
You
will
be
tonsured, baptized, an
alphabet was written for him, and he read his psalms in one day, as has been related to me.
He was
ordained in the grade
and the bishopric of Leinster was given to him by and his only son, Fiachra, 9 was also ordained. This Fiacc
of bishop,
Patrick 5
;
Ui-Ercan.
named couuty
— This tribe seems to have been seated (Kildare). —
in the south of the last
Donnchadh. Dounchadh was son of Domhnall, Monarch of Ireland, and Conchobhar his son ascended the throne in 818, and died in 831. 1 Domhnach-mor.— O'Donovim (" Book of Rights," p. 208) places Domhnachmor near Sleaty, in Ui-Cinnselaigh. Sleaty is in the barony of Slievemargy, 6
in the Queen's 8 o
Couuty.
— See ante, p. 40. Fiachra. — He was venerated on
Fiacc.
the 12th of October, the same day as his was of the same church
and, from the entry in O'Clerys' Calendar, He received orders from St. Patrick. (sleibhte).
father
;
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
4G3
was, therefore, the Bret bishop ordained in Leinster.
Patrick gave
Fiacc a case, viz., a bell,
and he
left
:i
reliquary, a crorier,
seven of his people with him,
viz..
and a booh
Batchel
Mochatoc1 of
;
Inis-
August in of Inia-Bec, Tecan, and Diarmait, and Nainnid, Paul,
Fail,
and Fedilmidh. 3
He
(Fiacc) afterwards resided in Domnach-Feic,
until threescore of his people died with him.
to him,
and said to him
thy (place
:
"It
of) resurrection
is,
is
and
lie
was there
Then the angel went
on the west of the river (Harrow)
in Cul-maighe
;" 3
and he
said
where they would meet a hoar, there they should build their tory
hut where they would meet a hind, there they should place the
;
church.
Fiacc said to the angel that he would not go until Patrick
would come to mark out the boundary of ceate
that refec-
it,
his place,
and that he might get the place from him.
and
to conse-
Patrick went
then to Fiacc, and marked out his place with him, and fixed his site.
And Crimthan
was
;
there, afterwards, Fiacc
They
(the Ui-Ercan)
were
and
them
>f
(
hs in Ulster,
it is in
Sleibhte he
is
was It
was ordained. at that time persecuted
Leinster, Crimthann, 4 son of
into exile.
it
buried.
presented that place to Patrick, for
Patrick that baptized him
Enna
by the King of
Ceinnselach, so that they went
are the manachs in Hy-Crimthann, 4
and Cenel-Enna c
Munster.
in
Of them
and the is
Fiacc,
—
1
Mtycliatoe. See ante, p. 47. See ante, p. 4O-.r>0, for all these names. Oui-maighe. This signifies "the back of the plain," and would now lw On the same Ordnance sheet with Sle&ty, the called Culmoy, or Coolmoy. present name of Sleibhte, are several townlands having the prefix ' '<•', namely, Coolanagh, Coolhenry, and Coolrain. -
—
3
1
Crimihann.-
It
was from the
King
of
Laighin, or
latter,
who was
fourth in descent from
i-Ceinnselach was named. He was Leinster, about the year 35S (" Book of Bights," p.
Cathaoir Mor, Monarch
oi Ireland, that
but his death, the date of which
1
is
not recorded, must have been
much
later. -
lhiCrhntltann.
— This territory,
from that of the same na in included in the present barony of East
distinct
Meath, was a part of Laeighis, and is Maryborough, in the Queen's County. " Book of ltights," p. 216. * Cenel-Knna.— There was Cruel-Buna in the barony of Raphoe, county
—
whom we
of
have spoken before.
Fiacc,
Conall, and Etirscel were five brothers.
Aengus, 7
Ailill
Mar,
Their father was the son
of Ere. 8
Through the action of Patrick, the king granted him the
fifth
(Fiacc) land,
it
was that he
in question afterwards killed the king,
Crimthann,
part of his father's possessions, and thereon
built Sleibhte.
The Aengus
son of Enna Ceinnselach, to avenge his forties
are the churches which he
of Leinster,
and
Inis-Fail, 9
and Erdit and Augustin
In thirties and
gave to Patrick in
in Ui-Cennselaigh, including
Magh-Criathar and
the
cast
Domnach-mor
where Mochonoc and Mochatoc
of
are,
in the smaller island (but their shrines are
in Sleibhte, since the place
mor 2
exile.
was occupied by Gentiles) 1 Domnach(i.e. in Domnach-mor j
of Magh-Eeta. Patrick was a Sunday here
ill Donegal, and another sept of the same name near the Hill of Uisuech in Westmeath, but none is mentioned as in Munster except in this Life. 7 Aengus. This Aengns was brother to St. Fiacc, and is called in the "Four Masters," at 4G5, Eochaidh Guineach, when they record that Crimthann, son of Enda Censelach, King of Leinster, was killed by the son of his
—
own
daughter, i.e. Eochaidh Guineach, one of the Ui-Bairrche. The true year, however, was 470, when the entry shows that Eochaidh was assisted by the
Eochaidh was alive in 489, as in that year he assisted Muircheartach Mac Earca at the battle of Cill-Osnadha, where Aengus, King of Munster, was slain. 8 Ere. From an entry in the "Four Masters," at 4G5, it appears Mac Ere was married to a daughter of King Crimthann, and consequently grand-
people of Ara-Cliach, a place in Idrone, county Carlow.
—
father to St. Fiacc. u
Inis-Fail.
— Now
Begery, otherwise Beg-Erin,
a small island,
close
to
Wexford haven. Neither Colgan nor O'Donovan appears to have known it was anciently called Inis-Fail, which was discovered by O'Curry ("Lectures," vol. i. p. 4S0, note 22). St. Jobhar, its bishop, was venerated on the 23rd of April, at which day the Calendar of the O'Clerys states that he died, The Abbot Diarmaid died in SS4, and CrunnA.D. 500, when 104 years old. mhael in 9G4. It was plundered in 819. " Four Masters." 1 Oentiles. — The paragraph in parentheses was evidently added by the lecturer or transcriber, after S19, when Inis-Fail, or Beg-Erin, was plundered,
—
as stated in the preceding note.
—
= Domnach-mor. Magh-Rechet, alias Magh-Riada, is stated by O'Donovan A.M. 3,529, to be, according to Keating, in Laoighis, or Leix ; but, according to the Preface to the Feilire-Aenguis, its position is in Offaly ; and
:/;<
"«:;
—
Tripartite Idf* of Magh-Beta), ;
cain,
if St.
Patrick
and they were on tbat Sunday building Rat]
the royal fort of the district.
troublesome, unless
'
Patrick Bent to prei enl
t
his,
but
Patrick said, " Its building shall be
no notice was taken thereof. offering'
is
done
tin-re
every day."
1
te
also said
that the fort would not be inhabited, until the wind (gaeth) would
come from the lower part of
who in
This was Gaithini, son of Cinaed,
hell.
rebuilt the fort in the time of
Fedhlimidh/ and of Conchobhar
Tara,
After that Patrick bad founded churches and establishments Leinster, moreover, he left a blessing
in
upon Di-Cennselaigh, and
upon the Leinstermen all j and he afterwards ordained Fiacc Find bishop of the province.
in Sleibhte, as
He
then went along Bealach Qabhran,* into the
district of
and founded churches and establishments there; and he said that distinguished laics and clerics should be of them, and that ory,
no province should have command over them, whilst they remained obedient to Patrick. Patrick took leave of them afterwards, and he left
the relics of holy
place
men
where Martar-tech6
Conchind,
in
this
day
in
Magh-Boighne,
A.1
Druim-
Mairge, the cross-beam of Patrick's chariot broke,
when he was going the Jniini.'
with the n, and some of his people, in the is
It
to
broke
He made another of the wood of He made one again, and
Munster.
immediately.
English Morctt, a manor in the barony of l'ortnahinch, in the church of Cnil-Beannchoir, afta* White Church. The ol.l Map of Leis, in the "Kilkenny Journal," shows that Murct was near the border of Leis, in that part of Offaly, called L'lamnaiicr. ..: which the O'Dempseys were chiefs. See " Book of Rights,* notes, pp. 192, 3 -lo. There is no place in (Jlanmalier now incorporated in the hi tnahinch, Queen's comity, named Domnach-mor, though, no d
DOW
called
in
the Queen's county, containing
1
.
it
lay in that territory.
a
There is no place called Bath-Baccain or Beggan in the which was gran! to the earli ol KiM-.ii-; but therein townland named Hathmore in tin- adjoining pariah ami barony of Stradbally.
a
little
manor
4
of Morett,
1
to the south.
Fedhlimidh, son of Crimthann, Rang
—
"
p.
of
Munster, oh. 847.
Citron. Scot
326.
of relies"
r
:
~>
9tH^sdP&^L,> .
M
—
it
broke
Patrick said that there should never be any imple-
also.
ment made of the timber for even a pin is not is
made
of that wood, which has been fulfilled,
of
Patrick's Disert
it.
there, but it
is
waste.
Patrick went afterwards to the territory of Munster, to Cashel of
When
the Kings.
morning,
came to the
Aengus, son of Nadfraech, got up in the
their idols
all
were prostrate
and took them into the
And
day.
men
the
of
and Patrick and
fort, to
the place where Lee-Patrick
Munster
besides,
and
he blessed the
left
fort,
The learned
in Munster.
calculate
Cashel,
and said that only
And he was that
on every seventh ridge that he traversed through Aengus's
in Munster.
cessors 8
King
"
from
Patrick asked,
' :
Why
of the crozier
was
"Because," said he, " I thought
me?"
the faith."
foot.
You shall have
this
day forth
its
seven years
he made an offering
When Patrick was baptizing Aengus, the point tell
is to-
a blessing and prosperity upon
i.e.
one race should be there for ever.
not
his people
Patrick after that baptized the sons of Nadfraech, and
And
them.
;
and he (Aengus) bade them welcome,
side of the fort,
it
it
was the rule of
reward," said Patrick
shall not die of
went
that you did
wounds."
;
"
your suc-
No one
is
of Cashel until Patrick's comarb ordains him, and imposes the
grade on him.
Patrick said
:
" The sons of Nadfraech, of sounding fame Of them shall be kings and chieftains Aengus, from the lands of Feimhen,
;
;
And
And
Ailill, his
brother."
twenty-eight kings, of the race of
Ailill
and Aengus, reigned
in Cashel, ordained with the crozier, until the time of Cenngegan. 9
Patrick went after this to Muscraidhe-Breogain, 1 and founded
churches and establishments there. 8
—
i.e. the descendants of Aengus and Ailill, sons of Nadfraech. Cenngegan—i.e. Finghuiue. King of Cashel, slain, a.d. 897. Muscraidhe-Breogain. —This territory, otherwise called MuseraidheChuirc, from the family of O'Cuire, now Quirk, with that of the west of
9 1
Successors
Our day he was washing his hands iu a ford there, when a tooth Patrick went upon the hillock oat of his mouth into the ford. to the north of the ford j and persona went from him to look for
fell
the tooth
and
:
the name of the ford, and
is
the church where Patrick
.
the tooth,
left
son
;
isthenai
and four of his
people!
Cuirethe
.
luillenn in
i
Cill fiacla5
aud Loscau, Cailech and Bedan. lie hade them the Muscraidhe) farewell, and left them a blessing. Be went afterwards to Aradha-Cfliach,8 until he was in [ochtar-
viz., .
in the lord like a
and forthwith the tooth glistened
Atli fiaclais
I
i
Cuanach; 4 and
sou of Cathbadh, son of
Ailill,
l
His wife Eoghanacht of Airther-Oliach, met him. went on the hillock where they (the clerics) were, and said " The piga have eaten our Bon Ailill, through savageness," said she.
aidh. of the
:
And r
Ailill said,
Patrick
"
will
1
commanded D(
the
i
to
1
of his people,
i.e.
Malach
will not offend the Lord," said he.
Patrick said,
"That
-hall not be high
Feimhin, arc
;
O
pitiful,
is
son for me."
Britt, to resuscitate him.
(He was
seized
now included
in the
barony
"
1
with doubt.)
Malach; thy house on earth
thy house shall bo the house of one man."
nty of Tipperary.—" Book
of Clanwilliam, in the
of Rights," p. 4G.
fiachii— OUlrfiada.—Now Kilfeacle, .
my
be collected, and he din
in the
His
south-west of
" Topographical rooms,"
barony of Clanwilliam,
Tipperary.
O'Donovan, comprised the Ui-Cuanach (Coonagh), in tho
rding to pariah of Kilteely, and the east o£ Limerick, mentioned in next
of
i
*Iochtar-Cu
i
Cullen,
'
1
county Limerick, formerly extending into Qi-Cuanaoh, now O'D novas "Topograonty, lie barony of Coonagh, in the east of same phical Poems") writes that Ui-Cuanach was part of AiaCliach.
of Clanwilliam,
i
•De.- Dr. Reevi Cnldeea" ("Transactions
.
in
of
his essay
"On
Royal
[riah
tlie
the Celi-de, commonly called Academy," vol xxiv. p. 121),
name Cele'-De was equivalent to tl Dti, conferred on those, in the early Church, who adopted the This i- the earliest known application of of tho monastic life. observes, inconw lent C'elcdc, which C explains that the
I
in
Latin by
"'
p]
the
[riah
™
-T-Tffl
i,
^j f^iv.
;
i
r
farfi vYrfHi
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
!68 house is
w^
in the north-eastern angle of the southern Deise
is
Cill-Malaich. 6
its
;
name
Five persons can never be supported there.
commanded Bishops Ibar and Ailbhe to resusThe boy was The boy subseresuscitated through Patrick's prayers.
Patrick afterwards
boy
citate the
afterwards
and he prayed the Lord with them.
;
quently preached to the hosts and multitudes in Patrick's presence.
and
Ailill
and were baptized
believed, four,
wife thereupon believed
his
in that place.
of Patrick, Ailbhe, Bishop Ibar,
i.e.
by the hand of the physician."
cures
Patrick forgave
whose name was Caencomhrac fc;
was a bondman
And
the seat of the
Four persons it.
One
of
is
said, "
His father
in
God
stole Patrick's
them was a
another was a carpenter
;
leech,
another
but the fourth was a groom, whose name was
Patrick called the latter, and blessed his hands, and told
Aedh.
him that him
;
;
the Ui-Cuanach
and the young boy,
the place where the boy was resuscitated.
horses southwards.
all
and
;
name should be Lamaedh from
his
that day
and from
;
are the Lamhraighe.
It
was then that disease seized
that death was nigh unto her.
The woman answered, " An herb the like of
it
shall die, or
on the earth
we
shall
;
both
AiliU's wife,
woman.
I
saw
in the air,
;
and
and
;
it
after is
and
I
saw not
my womb
die, unless I taste that herb."
Patrick
" Like rushes," said the
Patrick thereupon blessed rushes,
with whole Patrick
encknte, so
I shall die, or the being in
and
asked her of what kind was the herb.
apparently the same.
who was
Patrick asked what was the matter.
so that they were
The woman then ate them, and was forthsome time she gave birth to a son, and blessed
reported that Patrick said that
all
women who
should eat of this herb would be healed.
He s
desired to remain
Cill-Malaich.
by the
side of Clar, 7 at the fort of Coirpre
—There are several Kilmallocks in Limerick, and three
Kil-
south of Tipperary, but this appears to be Kihualoo, in the parish of Kinsalebeg, in the south of the barony of Decies-within-Drum, county Waterford, marked oil old maps as South Decies. It is in the diocese
maloges
in the
of Lismore. •'
Clar.
— " Sliabh-Claire,
a considerable
hill,
ou which stands a remarkable
^
and Brocan, but he was nut permitted and Patrick said that there never would be a king or bishop of the race of Colman, who ;
opposed him.
He
afterwards, and
[eft
would belong
also said that the place
a
man
to himself
of his people there, alter a long period,
i.6.
iVmhanof Cill-liath. 8 9 [bar then selected a place of residence in Grian, in Aiadha-
Cliach.
Dola opposed him.
if
there should be,
only for (the lives of) two or three. (Dola's descendants)
removed
m
Patrick said that there would
a house of his (Dola's) there, or
to
This was
it
would bo
They
fulfilled.
1 Airther-Cliach, and Dal -Modola
name until this da)'. Nena went to him (Patrick), who
is
their
said that he
refused to receive him, and
would not be prosperous. No successors of
his occupied
5 the place there since, but they are enslaved byMuscraighe Mittane.
"
Menraighe" they are
called.
As Patrick was leaving
this place, the
the
that
children they
women
of Grian
came
to
Patrick blessed them, and said
bewail his departure from them.
would bear to extern
tribes
would be
illustrious.
h, the tomb of Oilioll Olum, King of Minister in the third century, situated a short distance to the east of the church of Dnntayleagne, in the lianiny of Coshlca, and county of Limerick, and about three miles to tlio
north-wart of the village of Galbally."
— O'Donovan,
"Four Masters,"
at A.D.
1600. s Caemhan of Cill-Hath.— This is probably Raheen, in the pariah of BallyIt is scaddan, adjoining Knocklong, barony of Coshlca, county Limerick. convenient to Sliabh-Claire, mar winch O'Flaherty, in his MS. notes to Archdall, " lion. H3>." p. 1JI. Colgan. wrote that Kilrath was situated.
—
» Qriatt.
Now
Pallas Green,
of
the in
church and pariah of Grcan, containing the town
the
baronies
of
Coonagh
and Clanwilliam,
i
Limerick. i
There are two towulands named Dal-Modola of Coshma, county Limerick.
Delias, lurisb. of
Croone,
barony
Mittine. — There
Muscraidhe, all in Mi that of Mitainc, otherwise Muscraidlic-t'i Tliloinn, comprised fifteen pal " ' In the B of Right ." p. 42 in the north-west of the county Cork. it it was in the barony of "
were six
territories called
—
ry.
the county Cork.
Colgan
calls this place
alenrighe,
and says that
it
waa
in
/<
—
;
Patrick was in Aradha-Cliach, at TediP (the
When
"
was told to Patrick.
left
is
by
there]
Here
provided a banquet for him.
artists
no excuse.
"
;
is
:
where Lonan, son of Mac
and a man of Patrick's people was
pre-
Deacon Mantan.
came up
A
Go
to
blessed."
i.e.
to Patrick, to solicit food,
and would have
Lonan, and to Deacon Mantan, that they
relieve me," said Patrick.
banquet
he
are] in Cill-Tidil [were
Mullach-Cae, over against Carn-
paring the banquet along with the king,
band of
This
Patrick.
after this to Hy-Fidhgente, 4
Feradhaigh 5 on the south
may
hill).
their resurrection will be," said
Muin and Lomchu [who
true.
He went Eire,
of a
sent for, and found asleep under a bush there.
They were which
name
he was bidding farewell, two of his people remained behind.
Who
Then Patrick
said
answered, "No, until our :
" The youth who comes from the north,
To him is vouchsafed the triumph To Cothraige he comes, With his little wether on his back."
—
3 Now the church and parish of Kilteely, in the baronies of Coonagh Tedil. and Smallcounty, in the east of county Limerick, forming part of the ancient Ara-Cliach. Colgan says SS. Mumis and Lomchuo were buried there, as also seven bishops. Archdall ("Mon. Bib." 425) writes that the Knights Templars had a church on an eminence in this place. 4 Hy-Fidhgente. This territory adjoined Ara-Cliach, from which it was separated by the river Samhair, now the Morning Star. It lay in the south O'Donovau, at 1560, writes that it was bounded on of the county Limerick. the north by the Shannon, on the south by Slieve Luachra, on the east by the rivers Maigue and Morning Star, and on the west by Kerry. 5 Carn-Fcmdhaiyh. Sliabh Cua, now Slieve Gua.-a. range of mountains in the parish of Sheskinan, barony of Decies-without-Drum, county Waterford, which county they separate from Tippcrary. The range is sometimes called Knockmeilidown ("Four Masters," at 3790). O'Donovan, at a.m. 3656, writes that Carn-Feredaigh is referred to in the Book of Lecan as on the southern boundary of the territory of Cliu-Mail, and conjectures it to be the ancient name of Seefin, barony of Coshlea, in the south of Limerick. If this is correct, Slieve Gua is too far distant, and Cae should be in or near Coshlea. It is, possibly, the mountain called Knock-Cae, in the south of Ardpatrick parish, not far from Seefin.
—
—
** >
'
te
>
*
--
Tr^.urdt,
+
T=
»y7
*
life of St. Patrick.
4 :
i
At that vary time came another youth, attended by his mother, her back a oooksd wether to the king's Bupper!
carrying on
Patrick begged of him to giro him the wether, to
The son
at
once gave
it
cheerihlly,
saw
bis honor.
though the mother was unwill-
ing to do so, through Fear of the king. Patrick gave the food to the pavers; and immediately the earth swallowed them. Derc, son of Scirire, of the southern Desi, was their chief; and Patrick there would not be a king, or heir apparent, or bishop of his famih
Lonan for ever j and he assured Mantan,the deacon, that
of
his
church would not be exalted on earth, but should be the abode of Iregs of the people, and that swine and siheep would ti
on his ,,wn remains
but to Neesan,
who had Baved bis hon he should be honored among the nations. And
promised that he baptised him, ordained him deacon, and founded for him a church, i Mnngarit." His mother excused herself, and he said she Bhould not be buried in her son's church. This came to pass, for .
her
grave
is
to the west of Mungarit,
and the
bell of the great
church
not heard in that place; they arc almost together, only separated
is
by
a wall.
The men of north fleets
mor
.Minister, to the north of Luimnech, went in of boats to meet Patrick, southwards as far as Domhnach-
of ofagh-Aine,
».«.
and he baptized them
to Dun-Nocfene, then and in
Tir-glass, 8 to
now
bo called;
the south-east of
it.
II
Family.—Ltmat
is added in a gloss, .19 the tribe name of the family. Mungarit.— Now Mungrett, about three miles south-west of Limerick. an, who died a. 1.. 651, was venerated hero on the 2oth of July; St Toman, on the 26th of same month and 8t. Mblua, on the 21st of December « I
;
m
and
ol
its
Masters record the death of several of its abbots and devastations by the Danes. A portion
remains. • Tbr gbu$.~ XowTerrj-.pl.-i-. on the east side of
still
Lough Dcrg, in the barony Lower Ormond, county Tipperary. The abbey here was founded by st Colum, son of Xinmdh, of the race of king Oathaoir Iffor, who died 13th lb -r, 548, on which day his festival was kept as also the abb Nathcheimhe, brother of St. Kevin of Olendaloch, who died and st. Aidhbe, who was aUo bisho,., on 24th May. The of
;
~
I
1
deaths of
their successors,
and tho burnings
w
of the abbey, arc given in the Annalists
afterwards went to Finnine, to the north-west of Domhnach-mor, a
from which he could see the country to the north of Luimnech,
hill
when he gave
men
a blessing to the
gone with a profusion of
gifts to
of north Minister,
who had
meet Patrick.
Cairthend, 9 son of Blat, the senior of the Glann-Toirdhelbhaigh,
him
believed in the Lord, and Patrick baptized
No
Victor).
It
1
(i.e.
which was on
;
and he formed a
clot of
his (Eochu's) body, as a sign of that miracle.
Patrick himself did not go into the country, but he saw from
about Luimnech to the west, and to the north
and
listrict
a
was then that Eochu Ballderg2 was born
Patrick that procured this
to Cairthenn. gore,
Sangul
children were born to Cairthenn, except deformi-
up to that time.
ties,
at
went to converse with him that day, and not
different angel that
its islands,
;
and prophesied of the
him
and he blessed the saints
who would
appear in them, of their names, and the time in which they would "
come.
mouth
who
it,
s
The green
of the sea will
island in the west," said Patrick,
the lamp of the people of
;
be the head of counsel to this
Inis-Cathaigh, 3 six score years from this."
He
son of Dubhthach.)
He
west Munster.
was
to be born
God
shall
district,
i.e.
" in the
come into Senan of
(Senan, son of Gerrgenn,
did not go across Luachair, 4 indeed, into
prophesied of Brenainn, son of Ua-Altae,
120 years
after,
which was
who
fulfilled.
Patrick then went into the southern Desi and set about building •
Cairthend.
— Cairtlien
Finn, son of Bloid, eighth in descent from Oliol]
Olum, was ancestor of Brian Boroimhe and the O'Briens of Thornond. 1 Sangul. A play upon the words Sain-aingel, "particular angel."
—
See
ante, p. 333.
Eochu BaUdcrr/.—~Eocha.h\h Balldearg (Eochy of the Bed Spot) was Eochy was father of St. Brecan of Ara, who, eldest son of Cairthenn Finn. Colgan says, was venerated on 12th October; but the Calendar of the O'Clerys Dimma Dubh, Bishop of Connor, whose assigns 1st May as his festival. festival was held on the 6th of January, was son of Aenghus, brother of this 5
Eochy, the son of Cairtlien Finn. 3 hm-Catliaigh, Now Scattery island, in the river Shannon. 4 Luachair. Now Slieve-Logher, a range of mountains, which divides the county of Limerick from Kerry, and extends into Cork. For a full descrip-
—
—
tion, see O'Curry's 5
Dcsi.
— This
is
"Battle of Magh-Lena,"
p. 24.
Deis-Beag, mentioned in the "Four Masters" at 1500 and
^M-r/a
s^b *§£
cam
..^~
.
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. a
church
and the
in
Ard-Patrick
Dsrball said to
l'era
and Lee-Patrick (Patrick's
;«
that
Patrick,
.Maighe Peine, 7
the mountain, and the pass which
"If you would
would
I
to the south, in
'
was melted
When
there.
is
is
the
the
name name
of of
the mountain began to
whatever he (Patrick) did would be of
Patrick said to Derball, "There shall be no king nor
use.
bishop of your family, and ster to
it
Cenn-Ablirat s
lielie\ e."
Belach-Legtha (melted pass)
dissolve, Derball said that
no
remove that mountain
could sec l.nch-Lunga across
1
flag) is there,
Derball, son of Aedh, opposed him,
limits of his church.
there, |0
47:1
plunder you
all
it
be allowable to the
will
men
of Mini-
every seventh year for ever, as bare as a
leek."
As Patrick was the country, his arrival,
in
the district of the Desi, awaiting the king of
Fergair, son of Rossa, Patrick said to him, after
i.e.
"How slowly you come!"
you
for ever.
What
delayed you to-day
rain delayed us," said the king. for ever," said Patrick.
of
"The country is rough"
Mac
"
[said
" There shall be no king from
"True, indeed," said Patrick.
he].
'('
asked Patrick.
Your meetings
Patrick's well
is
Clairidh, one of Patrick's people.
there,
shall
and
And
"
The
be showery
also the church
assemblies are not
and which O'Donovan showa to be a territory lying nrouml the hill of Knockany, and containing Brugh-na-DeUe, now the town of Bruff, barony of Coshma, county Limerick. He quotes an extract from a historical tale in the Book of Leinster, where the hero Cuchullin is introduced as standing on the top of Knockany, near Bruff, and thus points out the mountains and other features of the country to his tutor, Laigh " Say, my tutor Lnigh, dost thou know what territory we are in 1" " I know not indeed." " I know then, " said Cuchullin: " Ceann-Abhrat Sleibhe-C'aiu, this [mountain] to the south mountains of Eibhlinni, these to the north the river of Luimncach is that bright river which thou seest Druim-Collchoilli is this on which wo are, which is called AiniCliach, in the territory of Deis-Beg; to the south of us is 1580,
:
;
;
the
army
in
Cliu-Mail-mic-Ugaine,
in
the land of Curoi,
son
of
Dari."
Slieve Eibhlinni extended from near Roscrea to the north-eastern boundary of
Limerick: •
Aril-Palri-k.—'Sow a church and parish in the barony of Coshlca, south It has » round tower. Frra-Mn-jht-Feine. Now the barony of Fermoy, county Cork. Q nn-Abhrat. One of the Ballybowra mountains, county Cork.
of county Limerick. '
8
—
—
:
—
;
held by the Dcsi except at night, because Patrick
upon them, for
it
;
left
was towards night they went
that sentence
Patrick
to him.
then cursed the streams of that place, because his books were drowned in them, and the fishermen gave his people a refusal. Patrick said that they would not be fruitful, and that there would never be any mills upon them, except the mills of strangers, not-
He
withstanding their great profusion up to that time. the Suir, moreover, and the country around fish,
except the places where those streams
;
and
(glaise)
it
is
blessed
fruitful in
flow into
it.
9 Patrick went into Muscraighe-thire, to baptize, and to preach
and plant the
men
faith there.
of power, Furic,
Forat, son of Conla.
He met
three brothers of that nation,
and Muinnech, and Mechar, the sons of Muinnech believed at once, and Patrick
baptized and blessed him, and said that illustrious heroes and clerics
should descend from him for ever
;
and that the chief king-
ship of his country should be [filled up] from
him
for ever, as the
poet said
"Muiunech
the Great believes In Patrick, before all That there might be over his country Chieftains of his race for ever.
" Mechair believed, For he was a true, just man. Patrick gave him a lasting blessiug The companionship of a king. ' '
Fuirec, the furious
man,
Opposed, though he was hoary and old His ultimate fate, after this world, Is not to be deplored.
" When Cothraige imposed
A tribute
(cain)
upon noble
Eri,
On the host of this island He conferred a lasting blessing. 8 Muscraighe-thtre.
— This was the
ancient
name
Upper and Lower Ormond
of the district
now
coin-
north of the county of Tipperary, and contained the churches of Cill-Cheire (Ivilkeary, near the town of Nenagh), and Leatracha (Lattcragh, about eight miles south of the prised in the baronies of
same town).
in the
m
^i^ra| Tripartite Life of St. Patrick
475
'Choice was this bleating Which he oonferred seven-fold ( In each one who would olwervo His plain rale, liis law. •
Whoever would disobey The noble, just rale, Should not see him, he In the region of the
•
said,
.saints.
Patrick's coin in great Minister
Was
imposed on each family,
Until Dnngalach violated
[Who '
was]
thi
ol
it,
e of r'.ull.h
1.1.
Elans.
Dungalaoh, son of Faelghus, Grandson of just Nadfraech,
Was
the
who
first
transgressed
Patrick's cain from the beginning.
liR 71',', '
It is related in histories,
know
All ages
That
it,
his Buccessorship is not found
Iu Cashel of the Kings. '
'
'
'
There is not of his progeny (Though he won battles)
A
noble bishop, or herenagh,
A
prince, or a sage.
Saergns the Young, also
—
Violated the
COM he had adopted, For the vehement Dnngalach,
"
It is
seen that illustrious mi a
Arc not If
of his
Be found
Now, ster,
after that Patrick
Judgment oon
till
had founded
and had ordained persons
persons,
wondrous family;
there are now, they will not
and resuscitated the dead,
his blessing with them.
He telcha)
and churches
lie
and healed
in
if
Mini-
all
bade them farewell, and
then went to Brosnacha, and the
of .Minister followed after him, as
households (hillocks?
cells
for every grade,
sick left
men
with one accord: and their
followed them, to go alter Patrick.
—
—
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
476
Patrick thereupon blessed the households (hillocks
?),
and they
remained in their places.
Where
the
women, was seeing
him
;
resuscitated
men
of Munster overtook Patrick, men, youths,
at Brosnacha,
hence
it
when they
called Brosnacha. 1
is
was here Patrick
It
Fot, son of Derad, a Munsterman,
twenty-seven years dead.
It
was
and
raised great shouts of joy at
here, too,
who had been
he blessed the banquet
2 of the youth at Craibhecha, with Bishop Trian, a pilgrim of the
Komans, by which the men of Munster were
He
saints of Eri besides. ster,
and gave them ' '
satisfied,
again bade farewell to the
his blessing, saying
men
and the of
Mun-
:
A blessing on the men of Human, Men,
A
sons,
women.
V
blessing on the land
That gives them food. A blessing on all treasures Produced upon the plains. A blessing upon Munster. A blessing on their woods,
And
on their sloping
plains.
A blessing on their glens. A blessing on their hills. As
the sands of the sea under ships So numerous be their homesteads,
In slopes, in plains, In mountains, in peaks.
A blessing."
—
Brosnacha. This shows that Colgan was wrong in placing Brosna in Mun There are two rivers and a small village named Brosna, in King's county, the larger one rising at Bunbrosna, in Westmeath, and traversing the latter fitteen or sixteen miles in a westerly direction to the Shannon, which it joins at Shannon Harbor. The little Brosna rises near the village of that name, in the parish of Kilmurray, to the east of Shinrone, runs a few miles northwards to Parsonstown, forming the boundary between King's county and Tipperary to 1
ster.
entrance to the Shannon. The village is said to derive its name from the Irish word brosna, a faggot, or bundle of sticks, but this Life gives a different and more ancient derivation from the word brosnugad, an incentive or excitement. its
5
Bishop Trian.— He
is
said to
have lived at a place called Craibhech.
There
a place called C'reevagh in the parish of Clonmacnois, King's county, and a Creeve in the parish of Ardnurcher, or Horseleap, in the south of Westmeath, both of which lie near the northern Brosna river.
is
|
,ii(
iiiii,ii(i|i|i|i,i|.ip,iP|.iii
|
i
|
»ii'i^r
i*i-*»rm
4>i
Patrick afterwards went to the territory of ll\ Failge, and Foilgo 1
Berrad 4 boasted that, '•V
he met Patrick, he
if
revenge of the idol Genn Ctuaoh; for
it
was
would
this that
him, in
kill
was a god to
Foilge.
This boast of Foilgo was kept back from Patrick by his
people.
One day Odran, 5
charioteer, said to Patrick, " Since
liis
have been B long time driving for you, chief seat
Patrick
for
did
this
through Odran, Patrick.
"
in
Upon
replied Patrick.
*Hy-fuUge.
the
you the
15c
this
of
charioteer,
()
came,
Foilge
guiso
mo
Patrick.
who "
dealt
My
the tree of Bridatn,"' said Odran.
died at
Foilge
Foilge Ross, indeed,
rs
day.
After
so.
Patrick, let
—This
it is
his children
territory,
present baronies ol Ophaley
King's and Queen's counties.
once,
before
and went to
who
It
father!"
a thrust
curse,"
"Be
said
it
hell.
so,"
As
to
arc in the district at this
English
the
(Ui-Failge), county
I
take the
invasion, comprised th-
and parts of the obtained the name from Ros Faiigo (Ross of ECildare,
King of Lainster and Monarch of Ireand from him ware descended the great families O'Conor Faly, O'Dempsey of Claumalier, and O'Dnnne of Regan. "Book Rights" pp. 198, 21i>.
the Kings, eldest son of Cathaoir Mor, land, of of
I
who was
Fotigt
II-
slain A.n. 122),
md. — Colgan,
—
in his Latin edition, writes, otherwise Fail
being his intention to show that ho was of the race of Ros Failge, as li tions his noble descendants the O'C'onors in his note. The name Failge Berrad it
does not occur in the right line of the O'Conor Faly pedigree, but he is mentioned by the same name by the Funi- Blasters, at a.i>. 501, as bavin Kiacha, son of Xiall, at tho battle of Freamhain, now tho hill of Frewin, in the townland of Wattstown, parish of Portlenou, county Westmeath. was probably the Bruidhe of the O'Conor pedigreo, the great grandson of Failge
:
II
Boa
a.d. 648, Cillene, son of Forannan, the fourth in descent from Bruide,
and lord of Ui-Failge, was
— Eviu,
slain.
the saint, calls him St. Odran, of D There are nine Saints Odran in O'Cler in, in his note on the parallel lendar, but none of them refer to II B« of a passage in the Fourth Life, quotes a passage from Fen iran, martyr and disciple Of St. Patrick, as venerated on the 9th of the 6
Odran.
Odhrain, ot
1!
in his Life of i.
I
kalends of November. Archdall conjecturei-i rti Idhrain to lie Tir-Oanaiohs in the Queen's county, where his festival was held on the 10th February. ' Britlam.— Called by Colgan, Bridamh, signifying "the hill of the oxeD," the name of a hill over a stream called the Bnainin, in tho parish and baron} of Oeshill, Queen's county. It was the site of several battles, recorded by tho I-Miir Masters, at a.m. ,'i"jn| and v.p B98; and Reeves' "Adamnau," note r, 1
p.
42.
mu.
day
;
and Patrick blessed him, 7 and from him
the district
On
the sovereignty of
is
filled for ever.
©ne occasion, as Patrick was going the way of Midluachair, 8 in
order to come to Uladh, he met carpenters cutting
down trunks
of
yew.
Patrick saw their blood ooze from their palms in the opera-
tion.
"
Whence
are ye
?"
said Patrick.
to Trian, 9 son of Fiac, son of
and
are in subjection
sharpen our axes
and more
Amalgad,
affliction, so
(irons), in
difficult, so
much
order that
"
We
are slaves belonging
who we are not allowed to our work may be the heavier i.e.
brother to Trichem,
so that
that blood flows from our hands."
Patrick
blessed the irons, so that they could easily cut with them; and he
went
He
morrow from the
returns on the
the rock which was there on his way, so that
— See ante, 340. — The Four Masters, at
'
Blessed him.
8
Midluachair.
He
Patrick fasts on him. 1
to the king, to Trian's fort.
obeyed.
fort. it
He
dis-
spat on
broke into three
p.
A. D. 123,
record that in that year were
discovered five principal roads leading to Tara, of which Slighe-Midhluachra was one. O'Douovan, in his note, writes that it is often mentioned as a road leading into the north of Ireland, but that its exact position has not been
determined.
It is also
mentioned at a.d. 1101; and from several writers it Down. In the " Ulster Journal of
plainly extended into the present county
Archaeology, " there
where Kiluasagart is
really the *
Trian.
— This
Amalgad appeals
is
is
Moyra
an
article
pedigree agrees with to be a
1
Fasts on him.
others given
mistranscript for Imchadh.
brother of Dichu, St. Patrick's tion to the
on the Kiluasagart stone aud inscription,
said to be close to the Slighe-Midluachra.
The
Slighc
Pass, between Dundalk and Newry.
first
—This curious statement
Brehon Laws
of
Ireland"
by Colgan, only that Trian was therefore
convert.
(vol.
i.
is
fully explained in the
p. xlvi).
" The
"Introduc-
plaintiff or creditor,
having first given the proper notice, proceeds, in the case of a defendant or debtor not of chieftain grade, to distrain. If, however, the defendant or debtor were a person of chieftain grade, it was necessary not only to give notice, but also to 'fast upon him.' This fasting upon him consisted in goiug to his resiIf the plaintiff did dence, and waiting there for a certain time without food. not within a certain time receive satisfaction for his claim, or a pledge therefor, he forthwith, accompanied by a law-agent, witnesses, and others, seized The distress when seized was in certain cases liable to a 'stay' his distress. (anadh), which was a period varying according to fixed rules, during which the debtor received back the distress, and retained it in his own keeping, the The further proceedings up to and iu case of creditor having a lieu upon it." forfeiture are also fully explained.
z^^$m> ? t~
?
*
+
«
g-.g?
Tripartite Life of s7. Patrick, -
pieces
;
one third part was
cast to a distance of
one thousand paces.
Patrick Baid, "Two-thirds of the fast on the rock, another third ou the fort and king, and on the district.
There
roydamhna of the children of Trian.
He
go down to a bitter
hell."
himself,
and
shall
womb, and the beings
blessed her
and
afterwards.
c
who
the slaves chariot,
Trena
is its
that lake
death,
name.
till
On
i.e. i.e.
and Patrick
it,
said that he
Patrick
would be
His horses bore him
This was his last
the vespers of judgment
went
his suc-
fall. ;
and
Cuill, 3
that time
at
who was
;
off
in
He it
will not arise
will
the
Loch-
into the lake.
There was a certain wicked man
Magh-lnis,
Mac
knelt.
Setna, 2 son of Trian,
i.e.
Trian himself proceeded to bind and maltreat
reported him.
ness even then.
Uladh,
in
his driver, so that they
and
wife of the king
Sechnall that baptized Setna, Patrick
Iarlaid, son of Trian.
that baptized Iarlaid.
The
She performed penance and
following r.itiick.
King nor
will not be a
shall die prematurely
out of
not he to happi-
in the
country of
an impious man, and a son
of
plundering and killing the people.
one occasion Patrick and his companions passed by him a
certain day,
(Mac
and he desired
to
Cuill) said to his followers:
kill
Patrick.
"Behold the
This
is
taiicenn
what he and
false
became a biihop, and, according to the Calendar He an.l his twin-brother, was venerated on the Kith June. whose life Colgan given, at February 11, .St. Jarlath, were born at Rath/Frena, Dal-Fiatach. Colgan writes St. Jarlath r.f the noble and ancient family of the was born in the eastern parts of Ulster, and quoting Jocelyn. who writes it i Mi'l-rnia, he corrects it to Mudorna, which Karris, in his edition Ware's "Bishops,' writes Was tie- present barony of Motirne, in the South of not obtain that says barony did name till that O'Donovan the county Down. the twelfth century, and that St. Jarlath was bora in Oemorne (Crichmudhorna), county Monaghan but there is no record of the Dal -I-'iatach beiug their country being tho present county Down. chiefs or lords in Monaghan Dimdrine is at present in [veagh, but that name was not imparted to that territory till long after St. Patrick's time ; but the name of the district iu which it lay was TJacthar, as appears by the grant of James I. to Phelnmy IS* of the Castlewellan estate, and which shows that Oachthar-Thire extend .as S1k veiialioley, and was not confined to the districts from Magheracat (now Clough) to Maghera, as supposed by U'Douovan in his note at A.D. 104& •
in
Setna, son of Tren,
of the O'Clerys,
<
1
;
;
•.
~~
r
•
Mae
I'avl.
-
Bei
ante, \
*Wti
jm*l
who
prophet,
everyone
deceiving
is
an attack on him, to see
what they planned afterwards
This
is
on a
bier, as if dead, to
P&tri&k
God
" Cure," said they to Patrick, " our
and make
arise
will assist him."
to bring one of their people
:
his
body and over
companion
for us,
My debroth," said Patrick,
would not wonder
Garban was the name
man and ;
lie
it is
of
from
him Patrick
will
be under
his face, so that
and then
mute,
believed at once. in
he were dead." said
the covering of a dead body
Garban who
said,
a cot of one hide,
covering of Garban shall tell
you more,
a
is
man
believed also
by the command of
however, went that very day on Magh-Inis, until he reached
of
God
in
Manann
Manann, and
and
sea,
persons before him on the island.
word
;
of God."
it is
;
It
they took him
off
When
the sea;
They
all
and he went on sea
his right
Mac Cuill,
hand towards
and he found two venerable was they who preached the
through their teaching that the
those
;
men saw Mac
their
names are
Cuill in his cot,
they received him kindly; and he
learned the divine knowledge with them, and spent his whole time
with them, until he got the episcopacy of the place after them. This
is
Mac
Cuill, of
holy favor assist
Mann, famous bishop and abbot.
May
his
us.
One time Patrick slept on a Sunday, on a hill over the sea, at Drombo, when he heard the noise of gentiles digging a rath on the Sabbath. He called them, and told them to cease. They heeded him not, but began to mock him. And Patrick said, " My debroth, your labor
shall not profit you."
M I
Garban was
Patrick.
people of that island wore baptized, and believed
Coninnri and Eomael.
it is
They afterwards became
it so.
" Truly this Quill
"The
" I
of the
His friends removed the covering
it."
they found
Mac
:
but I shall
;
awakened from death through the prayers of Patrick.
'*.
his face.
and beseech
your God to awake him from death." " if
\
be resuscitated by Patrick, and to deceive
and they threw a cover over
;
us
let
;
perhaps his
if
]
This was
fulfilled
;
for
following night a great tempest arose and destroyed their
on the
wor
,
according to the word of Patrick. Patrick said to Eochaidh, son of Muiredach, that there should
m ill
'Ms
I
king from him, nor enough of his race to constitute an
W
or
army
and dispersed meet a
tragic
but that his tribe would be
in Ulster,
own
that his
;
fate.
life
would be
short,
and that he would
This was the cause
Patrick
had against
Two
who had
offered their
Bochaidh, as the learned say
:
virgins,
virginity to the Lord, he bound and sent on the waves to be drowned, as they refused to adore idols and to marry. When
Patrick vain.
me
heard this, he besought the Icing regarding them, but in '-Your brother Cairell' has got thy luck since he granted
a good request," said Patrick,
your disobedience,
"and you have
lost it tin
and there
lie (C'airell) shall be a king,
shall
be kings and chiefs of his race over your children, and over
him sprung the
lister;" so that of
Deman, 6 son of
E
of Patrick.
race of kings,
son of Muiredhach, according to the words
Cairell,
illustrious son,
whom
*
Patrick
Cairell.
womb,
i.e.
He
the excellent
He
Domangart, the son of Eochaidh.
left in his
—Cairell,
all
his son
ichaidh's wife cast herself at the feet of Patrick.
baptized her, and blessed the child in her
and
and of
it
body, and he will be there for ever.
brother of Eochaidh, reigned over Uladh, and died
was
He
A. n.
when he was succeeded by another Eochaidh, of the Clanna Bury, from whom descended St Fergus, Bishop of Down, who died 30th March, 683 626,
"Ada
88."
p.
7'M), the
Deman. — He reigned
founder of Cill-m-Bian.
and was slain a.d. 665, by the either the Burren near Dromon, or adjoining death was he succeeded wullan. by his brother Baodan, who n twenty years, and died 4.1). 5S5. Reeves' " Down." p. 353. 6 Domangart, the son of Eochaidh. This was St Domangart, or tonard, from whom Slieve Donard, county Down, is named, where he had a church, as also 6
rds of Boirinn
On
fourteen years,
;
I
his
—
comity Down,
of
gives his cairn
marks the
D
1
Castlen
which he was bishop, the entire parish being still sec lands. life at 24th March, he having died on that day, a.d. 606. a
site ol
of the other, "with the
also
—
now Maghera, between Newcastle and
at Bath-Mnrbhuilg,
li,
stump
of a
The remains Maghera. 8t, the Culdce, she was
about half-way up.
i
are
still
in
therwaa Derinilla, and, accord mother of St. Mura, of Pahan, in rniahowen; St Mochumma, '
and, besides others, •in,
St
BaHykinler strand, and
of Druiinlc ;
Cillen, of Achadhcail, in Lecale, besido the estuary of
the site of whose church in Ballykinlcr is
now
called nollyglinny.
]-=£bi£^: *Z~—-~Zrv£i—S ^L?0
is still
to be seen, adjoining
£
482
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
turned back to the Fera-Boss, 7 and commenced a church in Druim-
Mor, 8
in the territory of Eoss, over Cluain-Cain.
angel went to him, aud said,
"It
is
It
was here the
not here you have been
" Pass on " Where shall I go 1" said Patrick. " The cluain below is Macha northwards," said the angel. " Be its name Cluain-Cain " (fair cluain), fairer," replied Patrick.
destined to stay." to
"
answered the angel.
and
occupy there,
A
pilgrim of the Britons shall come and
shall
it
be yours afterwards."
" Deo graUas
Where Patrick went then was to Ard-Phadraig, 9 on the east of Lughmadh, and he proposed to build an establishment there. The Dal-Eunter 1 went after him, to keep him, as one presented him to another. He blessed them afterwards, and proago," said Patrick.
phesied that distinguished chiefs and clerics should be of them, and that they should have possessions outside their territory, because
they went forth out of their
own country
after him.
Patrick used
—
7 Fera-Iioss. Colgan calls them the people of Fer-ross, a territory which extended into the barony of Farney, in the south of county Monaghan, and part of the present county Louth (Shirley's " Farney," p. 2). An abbey was founded here, called Kill-Rois, by Adamnan, the obits of two of -whose priors are recorded at a.d. S25 and S45 ; and a church called, in Pope Nicholas's Taxation of 1306, Ecclesia de Eos, the name of which is preserved in the parochial title, Magheross, and the town of Carrickmacross lying in it. s
Druim-Mor.
— Colgan,
Druim-Mor was The Four Masters, at A.D. SOS, call this Druim-Caradh of Ard-Oianachta, which O'Donovan, in his notes, writes, is now Drumcar, a townland in a parish of the same Lruitn-Ckaradh,
in his notes, p.
in the diocese
of
185, writes that
Armagh aud county Louth.
name, in the barony of Ferrard, county Louth. tifies
O'Donovan, at A.D. S36, iden-
meadow," as does Dr. Beeves 47), as Clonkeen, in the barony of Ardee, county
Cluain-Caein, "the beautiful lawn or
("Adamnan," note
c,
p.
Louth.
—
9
Ard-Phadraig. Ardpatrick lies about a mile to the east of Louth, where St. Mochta afterwards founded his monastery. It was afterwards annexed to St. Golumba (Reeves' "Adamnan," pp. 7 and 4C1), and was a ruin in Usher's time.
—
s Dal-Runter. This family is called Mocuruntir, rccte Mac-TJi-Runtir in " Adamnan," ch. xviii., where it is stated St. Golumba ordered one of his monks, named Trenan, of this tribe, to proceed on a mission to Ireland. The Book of Armagh states that the three magi who opposed St. Patrick were members of it, and it appears the locale of the family was at Clonkeen, in Fer.
Ross.
—Reeves'
"Adamnan,"
p. 47.
m
1
I
to
1
come every day from the
east,
from Axd-Phadraig, and Mochta5
used to oome from the west, from Lughmadh, that they might contogether every day at Leac-Moctae. placed an epistle between them.
what was
in it
was
:
One day
"Mochta, the devoted, the
be in the place he has taken."
the angel
read the epistle, and
Patrick
believing, let
him
Patrick goes by the order of his
king to smooth Maeha, and he assigned the twelve lepers
left in
Axd-Phadraig to Mochta, and their food used to bo given to them Patrick went afterwards to the
each night by Mochta.
by order of the angel, to a place where Kath-Daire
m
this day.
is
There was a certain prosperous and venerable person there.
was
his
name,
/.<
.
1
>aire,
Patrick asked for a site for his regies from him.
What
place do
Patrick,
you
1
sou of Finchad, son of Eogan, son of
desire
where Ardmacha
N iallan,
Daire answered,
" In this great hillock below.
?"
" I will not give
to-day.
is
it,"
said
Daire, " but I will give you a site for your regies in the strong
rath below,"
where the ferta are to-day.
1
aire's
were brought to him, to his
Patrick became very angry. told this to Daire, saying
:
expel
this,
and ordered
him from
his place,
regies, for
The horses died
"That
was
the
at once.
>teeds of
was
rclig
grassy.
His servant
in his regies."
his servants to
the ferta.
ije.
founded a
Christian," said he, "killed your
use they ate the grass that
angry at
Patrick
One day two
church there, and remained a long time.
A
immediately, so that death was near him.
J >aii
plunder the colic seized
i
cleric,
and
on Daire
His wile recalled the
plunder of Patrick, and told Daire that the cause of his death was the attack on Patrick. for Daire,
She sent messengers
from Patrick.
Patrick
said:
to
beg prayer-water
"Only
for
what the
— lie was a
native of Britain, ami landed at Oimath, on the lie founded tin ibfcey of of Louth, witli twelve followers, 0*1 bishop in called a :
Mochta.
I
The Annals of the episcopal order. doubt as to w record his death at a.d. 534, and Colgan has his acts incorrectly at 24th March. Before his death he received the Holy Viaticum from St. Daigh of lni.-k.ecii, in note under Druim-Mor. Reeves " Alamnan." p. 7, and Lanigan. 3 Daire.— Sec ante, [>. 349, for identifications and other details. I
—
?53
M
1
—
woman
has done, there would never be any resurrection from
death for Daire."
Patrick blessed the water, and gave
servants, with orders to have
Daire. 4
They did
death.
A
servants little
all
" Deo gratias," said Patrick.
what Patrick
said.
to the
returned from
offering,
offer-
Daire asked his
They answered, " Graizicum."
reward for a good
He
Daire.
and immediately they
so,
it
sprinkled over the horses and over
brazen cauldron was brought to Patrick, as an
ing from Daire.
is
it
" This
and a good cauldron," said " Deo
ordered his cauldron to be brought to him.
Daire asked what Patrick said when they
gralias," said Patrick.
The servants answered " It when we were bringing it away from him Graizicum." " This is a good word with them, this Gratzicum," said Daire ; " Graizicum, when giving it to him, and Graizicum when taking it away from him." Daire and his wife then went with were bringing the cauldron from him.
was the same thing he
his submission to Patrick,
back again, and the cepted,
hill
in the place kill
and consecrate
to-day,
ibi
;
and Patrick
ac-
in that place called
hill
magna
mark out
They found
it.
where the Sabhall
out of the
it is
it,
Prohibuit
it.
is
to-day,
and
its
boundaries,
a doe, with
its
his people
Patricius, et dixit, " Serviat sibi poslea,"
fawn,
went
to
and sent
northward, to the place where Telac-na-licce 5 mirabilia fecit.
—
4 Daire. The upper part This is the subject of the illustration at p. 393. in represents the donation of the land for the church of Armagh by Daire. the next compartment is shown the site marked out where the fawn was
found
•
and below Daire
is
seen lying on his death-bed, and about to be
sprinkled with the holy water sent by the saint.
ground outside.
The dead horses
are
oil
—
the
In an Inquisition taken at Armagh, 9th September, 1G33, now absorbed in the corporation, and being placed group with the Desert, as parcel of Knockadreeiue, the ancient in the same name of the hill on which uow stands the new Catholic cathedral it was most liVely the hill a little further north, over which the old road passed to 5
this
Telac-na-licce. is
If,
Patrick and his divines, and Daire, with the nobles
of Airther besides, came to the hill to to bless
if
and gave Patrick the cauldron willingly
which he before asked
and blessed them, and founded a church
Ard-Macha.
and
:
said
called Tullyleckeny,
;
I » :?
X*®*.
-
•l-'-
...
4S5
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. Daire's daughter4 loved the person
Bound of died of
his voice in chaunting.
Benen
;
sweet to her was the
Disease Beized her, so that she
Benen carried mini to her from Patrick, and she She is alive, and loved him spiritually.
it.
suddenly afterwards arose
Ercnait, the daughter of Daire,
One time
there
who
is
in
Tamlaght-ho.
7 came nine daughters of the King of tho Longhards,
and the daughter of the King of Britain, on a pilgrimage
iIk (alien or Geary's bridge,
to Patrick
between Tullyelmer and Drumcairn, leading
to
a townland named Longstono adjoining the right of tho lunatic asylum, a little to the north of Armagh, which may be the place here called Tclae-na dicce, "the hill of the stones." • Daire s daughter.— Met name was Ercnait. Alter a long li (
There
harlemont
devotion,
is
she died, and
was buried
now Tamlaght,
at Tamlaght-bo,
in
the
church which Bhe had founded, and where her memory was observed on her festival, the 8th of January (Beeves' "Churches of Armagh," p. 12). So Dr. R< evi writes but the Calendar of the O'Clerys gives Eargnat, Virgin, of Dun-da-en, in DalAraidhe, signifying, according to Joyce (" Origin and History of Irish Names,'' p. 266), "the fortress of the two birds," now the parish of Duneane, county A trim. Her story is thus told in the Calendar of the 0'( lerys, when ti of St. Benignasor Benen, at 9th November: "The holy Benen was Irenign, WM devout ; he was a virgin, without ever defiling his virginity for * was psalm-singer at Ard-Macha, along with his master, St Patrick, Ercnait, daughter of Daire, loved him. And she was seized with a disease, so that she died suddenly; and Benen brought consecrated water to her from Patrick, :,,
I
to the north wi
I
oi
Armagh,
in the
•
;
ii
:
alive and well, and she loved him ; and she subsequently went to Patrick, and and she olfcred her virginity afterwards to God, so that heaven and the name of God, of Patrick, and of Benen was mag-
and he shook
it
upon her, and she arose
spiritually afterwards all
her sins to him
she went to
I
i
;
;
through it" Longbards. Montssin was the name of the King of Britain's daughter. Tho question of the Longobards having settled in western Europe as early as lol in and O'Flaberty the time of Patrick, has been much di they were in Leatha or Italy at this time, in which latter country, BOC0 till Oolgan grounds did settle 668. they not Sabellicna and Baronios, to his view on the opinion of Kranztius that they migrated from their primitive Scandinavian settlements as early as 3S2. But Leatha, with ancient Irish authors, signified Letaria, or Armorica, on the eastern coast of Plana writing on this very passage (p. 40), Colgan says that the connection of the Longobard virgins with the daughter of the King of Britain givee nance to the conjecture that Britanny or Armorica may have been known, nified
—
7
I
i
I
\
in ancient times, as
a
sea
>-
;{.-..
:.L
°;:s-i
1
1.
;
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
486
they stopped at the east side of Ard-Macha, where Coll-na-ningean 3
There came messengers from them to Patrick, to know
is
to-day.
if
they should proceed to him.
Patrick said to the messengers
that three of the maidens would go to heaven, and in that place (i.e.
Coll-na-ningean)
their
sepulchre
maidens go to Druim-fenneda, 9 and as that hill in the east."
And
let
"
is.
And
let
other
the
one of them proceed as
far
was done.
so it
Cruimthir went afterwards, and occupied Cengoba
1 -,
and Benen
used to carry fragments of food to her every night from Patrick.
And
Patrick planted an apple-tree in Achadh-na-elti, which he
took from the
fort, in
hence the place
is
the north of the place,
i.e.
Cengoba
called Abhall-Patrick, in Cengoba.
It
;
and
was the
milk of this doe, moreover, that used to be given to the lap-dog that was near the maiden,
i.e.
Cruimthir.
Another time, when Patrick was
at rest in the
Tiprad-Cernai, in Tir-Tipraid, the angel went to
him.
Patrick said to
offended God, or
is
him
:
" Is there
end of
night, at
him and awoke
anything in which I have " No," said the angel
His anger upon me?"
and you are informed from God," added the angel, " if it is it you desire, that there shall be no share for any else in Eriu, but for you And the extent of the termon of your see from God is to alone. "
Droma-Bregh, 2 and to Sliabh-Mis, and to Bri-Airghi."
Patrick
8 Coll-na-ningean.— " The hazel tree o£ the virgins," called by Joeelyn, Ferta Minor, but the name is now obsolete. There was the denomination Fertamore, portion of the priinatial lauds of Armagh, in the territory of Dounagh-MuuterCullen, alias Cloufeaele, which adjoiued Blackwatertown, in the comity of
Armagh. "Druim-fenneda.— The ridge of the declivity. The name is now obsolete. 1 Cengoba. Dr. Reeves explains this as "the hill of grief." In Colgan it ia called a mount, in the eastern vicinity of Armagh. Dr. Petrie (" Round Towers," and that some of its ruins remained in p. 345) writes it was a stone oratory, his time, which, however, Dr. Reeves was unable to discover, but writes that
—
the tradition of the country connected the
memory
of the nine pilgrim virgins
with Armagh-Breague, in Upper Fews. The latter, however, is eight or nine nor can it be the great fort of Kiuuigo, which lies miles south of Armagh four miles north. A religious cell was founded hero by Crumtheris, one of the ;
pilgrim virgins.
'Droma-Bregh.— Droma Bregh was part
of
the territory of Breagh, or
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick replied
"My
:
after
me, and
after
me." ill
debnth, truly." said Patrick, " sons of
The
angel
Erin to you,"
be in Eriu shall belong to you."
" Deo gratias," said Patrick.
Patrick was enraged against his the
sin
'When
came
went to meet him, her," said
-
•-.
Lupait, 9 for committing in
consequence. Bide,
Lupait
until she prostrated herself before the chariot,
The
Patrick.
in the north of
and " Book
i
was pregnant
into the church from the eastern
where the cross
in the place
at 513,
Bister,
of adultery, so that she
Patrick-
come
life will
may have honor from God in the country And God responded: "That is manifest. said the angel, "and every noble that will
wish they
I
is
in Poth-Archall.
"
The
chariot over
chariot passed over her thrice,
tor she
the county Month, adjoining Cavan (" Pour Masters," Sliabh-Mifl was the well-known mono-
of Ilight.s," p. 11).
county Antrim. But Sliabh-Breagh, now Slieve Brey, in the south of the county Louth, was mentioned by the Synod of Rath-Bra the southern boundary of the diocese of Armagh; CuailL Ciannacia, now the mountain top of Coolkenagh, in the parish of Errigal-Keerogue, county /.' Tyrone, being then, as now, the northern boundary. lied by b, in
Colgan, Brigraidhc, lay to the west.
Bri, signifying
a hill or
rising ground,
pronounced Bree, which is the name of a townland in the parish of M county Monaghan, on the west of the county and diocese of Armagh. Tresuming the identifications to he correct., it would appear that at this period the church of Armagh had a territorial jurisdiction over what now COU tth and Connor, and the entire of Down and 'roniore. This is an additional evidence of dioc opacy to that afforded by the synod of Uisnech, held in 1107, at which the " :ordj the division of the old diocese of Nfeath between the Bishops of Clnain-mac-Nois and Clonard. According to the theory of Bong, is
:
:
1
l
l
i
episcopacy, in its ]iresent acceptation, was not introduced into Ireland until Ills. * Lupait. There is much obscurity and contradiction about this story ol
—
St. Patrick's alleged
Bister—Colgan, in his notes, arguing that the woi
must lw taken to mean relative In another part of the Tripartite, Lnpait is stated to have been placed over the nunnery of Druimoheo, Ardagh, county Longford, of which her nephew. 3b Mel, was bishop; and from a note ol it appears she was bnried in the Ferta, beside Armagh. Ser festival, not given by the O'C'lerys, was held on the 27th of September. [nnis-Lothair now Iuish-lirroo, in Lough Erne, county Fermanagh, or rnish-Lougher, in the pariah of Devenish, in same county. The Calendar of the st. Caasanof lomdual, at 28th Mi, I,, but The ituation. <
I
i
only place of that name in [reland Drumballyroney, county Down.
now known
is
[mdei, in the parish of
mm
t&i
;
Ik 488 used
Tripartita Life of St. Patrick. still
come
to
was at the Ferta
;
in front of it
so that
;
where she went to heaven
and she was buried by Patrick, and her Colman, 4 grandson of
(requiem) was sung.
that fixed his attention
Ailill,
i
ecnaire
of the Ui-Bresail,
on Lupait at Imduail.
Aedan, son of
Colman, saint of Inis-Lothair, was the son of Lupait and Colman. Lupait implored of Patrick that
would not take away heaven
lie
from Colmau with his progeny.
Patrick did not take
but he said they would be sickly.
Of the
it
away
children of this Colman,
moreover, are the Ui-Faelain and Ui-Dubhdara. 5
One time Patrick's people were cutting corn in Trian-ConchoThey were seized with great thirst, whereupon a vessel of whey was taken to them from Patrick, who persuaded them to obbhair.
serve abstinence from tierce to vesper time.
of
them died
i.e.
Colman
What
;
and he was the
Itadach,
Patrick said
man
first
that was buried by Patrick, Patrick's house.
was told to him was, "
it
[?.
happened that one
by the door of
at the cross
when
It
My
debroth,
there will be abuudance of food and ale and prosperity in this city after us."
Once the angels went, and took from which was before the
was from that
place,
chariot,
i.e-
people,
i c.
its
off
name
is
the road the stone Lec-na-naingel.
It
from Druim-Chaile, that Patrick with his
The way
two hands blessed the madia. the rath,
and
in
which Patrick measured
the angel before him, and Patrick behind, with his
and with the holy men of Eriu, and the Bachall Isa
Patrick's hand.
And
iu
he said that great would be the crime of any
—
4 Colman. Colgan, in his text and notes, writes Colman, son of Aid, of the family of Hi-Bressail. This territory, afterwards called Clanbrassil, lay to the south of Lough Neagh, iu the counties of Armagh and Down, being in the
latter called Clanbrassil
Mae Coolechan
Bressal, great grandson of Colla
:
the former obtained
da Crioch
;
its
m
name from
the latter from Breasal, son of
Aedh Eoin.
—
5 Ui-Faelain and Ui-Dubhdara. Ui-Faelain was the name of a tribe, and of a territory containing about one-half of the northern part of the present county of Ivildare ("Book of Rights," note, p. 2I).">). The Ua-Dubhdaras were ancient
Fermanagh, and sometime of Faruey. and 1118. Colman Itadach. That is. Colman the thirsty.
chiefs of
L076, 1007, 6
—
See
"Four Masters,"
at
wfci
one who would transgress in Buck as
fulfilled
The way
in
hundred and
would be great of
as the reward
it,
God
in
it.
which Patrick measured theferla was thus,
forty feet in the
and seventeen and
the will of
{is,
and twenty feet and seven
feet in the kitchen,
feet in the
" the relics of the apostles are distributed in
the four parts of the globe
At
and
;
was that Clod manifested
Day
^El
of Judgment.
And
to
e,
he,
Rome, throughout,
would be becoming
in
you
the angel bore Patrick in the
the southern cross, in Aenach-Macha,
chariots were brought to Patrick it
it
And
that you should go there."
ono
chamber;
was thus he always constructed the establishment. angel went to Patrick in Ard Macha. "This day," said
it
The
air.
viz.,
in the great lion
it
was that four
at the northern cross,
;
him the form he
moreover,
have in the
will
he went in one day to Comur-tri-nuisce. 7
lie left Sechnall8 in the episcopacy with the
men
of Erin, until the
would come which would bear him from the shore of Letha. Patrick went subsequently, and arrived at Pome and sleep came over the inhabitants of Rome, so that Patrick brought away ship
;
These relics were afterwards taken to Ard-Macha with the consent of God, and with the consent of the a sufficiency of the relics.
men of Eriu. What was brought was
the relics of three hundred and sixty-five
martyrs, and the relics of Peter and Paul, and Laurence, and
Stephen, and of Christ)
many more; and
Armagh, according
in
men
a cloth in which was the blood of
and the hair of the Virgin Mary. to the will of
Patrick
left this collection
God, of the angel, and of the
of Eriu.
His
— the
of
Letha
— were
stolen
from Patrick.
Messengers went from him to the Abbot of Rome.
They brought
relics
:
tic
from him, directing that they should watch the
wr-tri-futltee.
(Leinster),
relics
— Colgan,
where the three
relii
was a place in Lageni Foot (the Noro), aud liarbha (thy
in hia notes, writes this
rivers,
Suir,
i
Barrow), met near Watcrford. 8
Sic/mall.— Otherwise
T
St.
Secundums.
f
;
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
492
with lamps and torches by night for ever, and with Mass and psalmody by day, and prayers by night, and that they should elevate
them every year
Two
Patrick's
Dubhan and Dubhaedh, stole to the east of the Nemhed They carried them off into the
two garrons from the land
(Tir-suidhe-Patrick
moor
(for multitudes desired to see them).
brothers of the Ulstermen,
is its
name).
Dubhan
to the south.
Dubhan went and
did penance.
He
good one," said Patrick. said
"
Your comrade's journey
got a
fall,
so that
not a
is
head was
r
" Here thy resurrection
:
his
Dubhan became a disciple, and w as ordained
broken, and he died.
time, in carrying a bag of
Patrick, the
" I will not take what belongs
:
" I will take what comes to me," said Dubhaedh.
to the tailcenn."
and Patrick
said
(tir)
shall
be."
Another
wheat from Setna, son of Dalian, 9
manna which dropped from
over Druim-mic-Ublae, 1 Patrick's horse
to
heaven, in a desert place, [fell]
under
it.
A grain
of
the wheat dropped out of the bag, and the horse could not rise '• This is the reason," said Patrick until there came from Patrick. through prophecy, " a grain of wheat that fell out of the sack, in
the spot where the cross "
is
on the way southwards
to the
Nemhed."
then will be the name of the place where the horse
Nemhed 2
stopped," said Patrick
;
and so
it is.
Another time Sechnall went to Armagh, and Patrick was not
He saw
there.
he said Fiacc."
chariot
:
" It
before
were
When
him two
fitter to
of Patrick's horses unyoked,
send those horses to the bishop,
Patrick returned, this thing was told to him.
was attached
—
to the horses
;
to
The
and he sent them on without
Dalian. The Calendar of the O'Clerys mentions that mac-Ublai, was venerated there on the 9th of March.
St.
Sedna, o£ Druim-
—
1
Tmi
and
i.e.
Druim-mic-Ublae. Colgan, in his notes, describes it as in Crimthain, in Oirgiell, which was comprised in the baronies of Upper and Lower Slane ; but O'Donovan, in his notes, at A. D. 830, where its plundering by the foreigners is described, writes that there is no church of the name to be now found iu these baronies.
—
'Nemhed. Dr. Petrie ("Round Towers," p. 61) translates Nemed, or Neimheadh, as a sanctuary, or glebe land, a holy wood, or wood of the sanctuary or glebe.
I
acSflfe Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
man with them,
a
until
tiny were
493
the disert with
in
.\!
went right-hand wise on the morrow to Domhnaoh-SeohnailL liny then ireni eastwardly to Cill-Auxili. to Cill-monach
then, after that, to
;
for giving the chariot
Whit-Saturday as cave.
come
Druim-Coblai, where he had a
gnawed
hafer had Eh ihiia.ll
for thee
f
and used
to Sleibhte,
-aid to thee,
You '
Shall
knew
[arrived], for he
chariot to Fiacc
When
shall I
make
a
it
be done t" said Sechnall, " for
that
was the
is
time
it
would not be long
it
tir.-t
was that a
hymn "
are not required." observed Patrick.
truly." " .My debroth," said Patrick, "it
for Patrick
Easter Saturday
with him a bit of
death was nigh unto him.
his leg, so that
said to Patrick, "
"
On
to faring
The cause of giving the
his five cakes.
q
far as the hill of
to Sleibhte.
Five cakes with him, as report says.
led to
i
They went afterwarda
The reason was because ho used to go every
Fiacc
to
Race
bishop
it
of praise
I
have nut
will
be done,
were finished now
;"
until Seehnall's time
who went under
the clayofEriu.
When
he was composing the hymn, they were holding an assemIt was commanded to them from him that they bly near him. should go away from the place. told
them
that the
They began
twelve chariots of them at once. at Ferta-Marta, "
to
A good
man
He
mock him.
ground would swallc v them; and
it
swallowed
Sechnall said to Patrick's people,
is
Patrick, but for one thing."
When
he heard these words with his people, he asked Sechnall for the previous message, and Sechnall said, " said
it is
because
Baid Patrick, "it
did preach
I
is
O my
do you preach of
md
lord, the reason •'
charity."
have
for charity that I preach not charity; for
;
for all
to
if
I
any
h
them."
Sechnall went with his
hymn
to Patrick,
and Patrick went along
Belach-Midhluachra into the territory of Conaille. 3 3
I
Young man,"
would not leave a stud of two chariot horses
the saints, present or future, in this island
if
-
it,
little
Conaille.
— Crich-Conaille,
Masters," was another
name Boyne
He returned
according to O'Donovan's Index to the for Conaille Muirtheimhno, the plain win
'
tended from the river to the mountains of Cooly or larlingford, and ii an additional proof that thegreat road .f M idluachar traversed the county Louth. (
•
^7 ^ w.
""
-
"
**
-OTl
.11.
Ill,
li-.
fea
He met Sechnall. They saluted along the mountain westwards. one another. " I should like that you would hear a [hymn of] have made for a certain man of God," said Sechnall. God is welcome," answered Patrick.
praise
which
"
praise of the people of
The
I
Sechnall thereupon began "Beata Christi custodit," fearing that
Patrick would prohibit
him
at once if
he heard his name.
When
he sang " Maximus namque," Patrick arose. The place where he sang so far is called Elda. " Wait," said Sechnall, " until we reach a secret place
which
is
near us
;
there the remainder will be re-
it is
cited."
Patrick inquired on the
way how "Maximus
coolorum
"
Sechnall replied
is
could be said of a man.
:
in regno
" It [maximus]
put for the positive [magnus,]" or because he excelled the men of They came then to a place called
his race of the Britons or Scoti.
Dal-Muine, 4 where he, Patrick, prayed and sat
wards sang the remainder of the name, and thereupon thanked him.
hymn
;
;
and Sechnall
after-
and Patrick heard
his
Three pieces of cheese, and
were brought up to him from a religious couple, viz., Berach and Brig. " Here is for the young men," said the woman. " Good," A druid came there, whose name was Gall-drui said Patrick.
butter,
(" foreign druid "),
who
said, " I will believe in
the pieces of cheese into stones," which "
Patrick. vert
them
you
if
you convert
God performed through
Again convert them into cheese ;" and he did. " Con" Convert them again." ;" and he did.
into stones again
Patrick said, " No, but they will be as they are, in commemoration, until the servant of
here."
God, who
The druid (magus)
is
Dicuill of the Ernaidhe, 6 shall
come
believed.
—
The territory called in Irish Dal-in-Bninne, Latinized DalAnglicized Dalboyu and Dalvanie, embraced a tract of country on either sides of the river Lagan, from Spencer's Bridge, near Moira, to Drum Bridge, near Belfast, in which lay the churches of Tullyrusk, Glenavy, and 4
DallNuine.
intinia, anil
Muckamore, aud those adjoining. For a full description see Beeves' "Down and Connor," pp. 41 and 164-233. It derived its name from Buinn, son of Fergus Mae Roigh, King of Ulster, who was dethroned in the year before Christ 12. 6 Dicuill of Ike Ernaidhe. Colgan writes that Dichuill, from being Abbot of Ernatiensis was the Latinized Ernatiensis, became Abbot of Louth, a.d. 700. form of Bruaidhc or Urnaidhe, which in the original Irish primarily signifies a
—
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. Patrick flung his
grew through ;,
Patrick's hell
And two
of Dicuill.
—a
This little
was that
it
iron hell
of the atonea
made
— which
is in
the Ernaidhe
of the cheese are there;
Lughmagh, when
Gort-Conaidh. 8
It is to-day in
SechnalF asked something
found, the
Dicuill
the third one was, moreover, carried by Dicuill to
he was abbot there.
A birch
under a dense bush there.
little bell
handle.
its
for the
hymn.
"As many
as there
are hairs in your casula," said Patrick, "if they are pupils of yours,
and violate not
rules, shall
be saved.
The
has also been sanctified by God," said Patrick. "
ceived," said Sechnall.
clay of your abode
"That
will
be
Whosoever of the men of Eriu,"
re-
said
Patrick, "shall recite the three last chapters, or the three last lines,
or the three last words, just before death, with pure mind, his soul
be saved."
will
prayer, but in
rium.
It is
.1
now
t'olman
secondary sense a prayer-house, the same as the Latin OratoAnglicized L'rncy, Xnrncy, and Furney (Joyce's "Irish Names
Places," p. 294,
of
" Deo gralias ago," said Sechnall.
CT
Ela 8
and Colton's "Visitation," by Reeves,
Colgan
17).
p.
Tli." p. 11.5) conjectures it to have been the same as Cluain-braoin, beside the church of Louth, probably from the fact that a St. Dichuill was
("7V.
venerated in that church on the 1st of May. Archdall ["Man. Bib." p. 452), adopting Colgan'a view, placed Cluain-braoin in county Loath, but writes it was unknown. But the "Inquisitions," printed by Archdall himself, in his account of the abbey of Louth, afford* the proper clue to where Ernaidhe it is probable Dichuill on his translation to that abbey an Inquisition, 4th James I., it was found that the king Louth and its possessions, inter alia the rectory of Paghart, including with others the tithes of Orney, alias Nurney. Another Inquisition of 2nd August, thirteenth year of the same king, there was found belonging to the same priory, inter alia, fifteen acres of glebe in the Urney and accordingly we find, in Lewis's "Topographical Dictionary," that there are still some remains of the ancient church of l'rncy in the [present small parish of Faughart, a little north of Dundalk, county Louth. • Qorl-f'onni'lh, " Field of the fire-wood," was the name of amonastcry in the barony of Cremorne, and county Monaghan.— O'Donovan's note under a.d. n eord tin' death "f Flann Feahhla, abbot of (!ort7.15, where the Four hfaatei Conaigh, in Mughdhorn-Maighcn. There is a tmvnland called Qorteens, in the pariah of Donaghmoyne, in Farney barony, likely to have been the site of
was, the church of which
annexed thereto.
I5y
ized of the priory of
;
this monaster)-. 7
The
1 '
original of the three following sentences is very corrupt.
hnan
Ela.
— The Calendar of
tala, abbot of Lann-Klo
the
1
in FirCcall, in
>''
l(
rya thus notices
Westmeath,
him
He was
:
" Colman
of the race of
nsrs^ssrisi
..Hi
; ;
49G
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick.
recited
Patrick stood in the middle of
in his refectory thrice.
it
prayer that
when a certain plebeian asked, " Have we no other we could recite except this V And Patrick went out
afterwards.
Cainnech, on the sea, in the south, saw the black
the house,
"
cloud of devils passing over him.
meet the soul of a certain Patrick
chapters of the it
more a
here on your way," said
satire
hymn
of Patrick
The hound
;
We
ate,
went to
and he sang two or three
and, by your dignity,
than praise of Patrick as they sang
The miracles
have been vanquished."
"
stating,
rich rustic observing the festival of
but his sons and people
;
Come
The demons subsequently came,
Cainnech.
in the territory of Gailenga,
it
;
we thought it we
but by
of Patrick are these, viz. at Telach-Maine
;
:
the buck
speaking out of the bodies of the thieves in the territory of Ui-
Meith
the travelling of the garron without any guide to Druirn-
;
mic-Ublae, riot,
when he
lay
down
beside the grain of wheat
without a charioteer, [going] from
Armagh
;
the cha-
to Sleibhte
;
the
appearance of the King of Britain in the form of a fox, in his country,
an ever-living miracle thing dead ing,
is
taken
;
;
a part of Aenach-Tailten, from which no-
the King of Cashel not to be killed by wound-
provided that he be of the race of Aenghus, son of Nadfraech
these bare residences not to be demolished,
viz.,
Sen-domhnach of Magh-Ai ("Eccor Sendomhnaigh" Dun-Sobhairce charmed to the herenaghs, Forbraige
Macha
;
;
viz.,
Eath-Airthir, and is
an old saying)
an altar-sop with the
and the dominica of Naas, and Magh-itir-da-glas1
in
the navigation from Bertlach to Bertlach of Calry-Cuile-
Eochaidh, son of Muireadh, of the race of Heremon, by the father's side, and Cille's sister was his mother, i.e. Mor, daughter of Feidhlimidh, son of Ferghus Ceunfada, son of Conall Gulban, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, as Colman's own Life states. Fifty-two was his age when he resigned his spirit to heaven, a.d. CIO." Lann-Elo is now called Lynally. 9 Gailenga. From the allusion to the Hill of Maine, this was evidently the
Colum
—
territory of Gailenga, or Luighne, in the counties of
description of which see
—
"Book
Mayo and
Sligo, for
a
of Rights," notes, pp. 103, 104.
two streamlets. This place is mentioned in the " Four Masters" at 879, and the death of its erenach Flann, son of Maelfiachrach, at a.d. 950. O'Donovan conjectured it to be Moy county Tyrone, near Charlemont, tut its ancient name was quite different. 1
Magh-itir-da-glas
i.e.
the plain between the
'-,
k2fi& Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. (
Vrnadha
the streams which the giUa blessed at Drobhais
;
take [offish] at Eastern* Bann the year] sea
—
part,
its
a ;
the
the take at Sligo every quarter [of
the Samer, 8 which goes from the loughs of Erne to the
;
towards Cenel-Cairbre, 8
aachni
h
;
eastern half, against Cenel-Conaill, 4
Finn-glas, (
49;
the
at
;~
is
is
fruitful
;
its
we word.
unfruitful, through Patrick's
martyr-house
Druiin Cain, 8
of
and Druim-
the taking of his kingship 8 from Laeghaire, from Cairbre,
from Fiacha, from .Maine
;
the grant of his kingship to Eoghan, to
ConaH, to Crimthann, to Conall Erballj the smiths making the bells,
i.e.
Mac
Cecht, and Cuana, and
Mac
and Essa, and
llitiu
;
making the
the nuns
mak-
Tail;" the artificers
ing the dishes and reliquaries, and the altar chalices,
viz.,
Tassach, 1
altar cloths, viz.,
Coch-
mass, and Tigris, and Lupait, and Darerca.
After these great miracles, however, the day of Patrick's death,
and of
his going to heaven, approached.
was to go to Armagh, that
The angel Victor came
be.
" It
is
What he
to him.
—
4
Cenel-Conaill.
6
Cenel-Cairbre.
is
now
called the Erne river,
would
said to Patrick ;
—The river Drowes, in the north of Lcitrim.
Samer. The Samer Erne to Ballyshannon. 3
he began to do
his resurrection
not there thy resurrection has been decreed
Drobhais.
*
What
might be there
it
v.
— Now county Donegal. — The descendants of Cairbre, third
e
:
See before.
bicfa
11
was
go back to tha
Bows from Lough
of N'iall of the
Nino
Hostages, who settled in the barony of Carbury, iu the north of county Sligo. ' Book of Bights," note u, p. 130. * Druim-Cain. Dromeain was one of the ancient names of Tarn.
—
Druim-Cruachni. Connanght.
'
of
8
Kingship.
—The Ridge of
— Several
instances of
Patrick.
Cruaghan or Croghan, the royal palace this
are
stated
in the
Lives of St.
—
Mac Cecht is given in the list Ctchtatld ('nana and Mar Tail. Patrick's household in the " Four Masters," at 1 IS, as one of hi) smiths, but Coana and Mi: Tail arc not mention.. 1. They are, however, in Tirechan's list '>
Mac
in the
Book
of
Armagh, and republished from Usher
in Lanigan, vol.
i.
p.
337. 1
who
Tassach.
—This
was not Bishop Tassagh
administered the Viatieum to ID.
i.
I>.
340,
and Book
St. Patrick,
of
of Raholp, near Downpatrick,
but Assaeh, Bishop of Elphin.
Armagh, Betham'a
translation.
Tripartite Life of St. place from
whence you came
(i.e.
has decreed that you shall die
to the Sabhall), 2 for
— not
in
thee," said the angel, " that thy dignity
teaching,
be in Ard-Macha, as
shall
it is
God
there
Macha.
God
and
thy devotion and
rule,
has granted
thou thyself wert alive
if
there."
The angel saying
how he would be buried, oxen be brought," said he, " of the
advice with Patrick as to
left
" Let
:
two young,
active
herds of Conall, from Finnabhair,
body be placed
wagon
in a
after
from Clochar
i.e.
them
;
;
and
young oxen go by themselves, and the place where they be there your interment shall be
let it
let
;
and
let
will stop,
there be a man's
cubit in your grave, that your remains be not taken out of
was
so
done
your
and what way soever these
it,"
It
The oxen carried him to the place Dun-da-leth-glas and he was buried there with all
after his death.
where to-day
is
;
And
honor and respect.
for a space of
twelve nights,
i.e.
whilst
the divines were waking him with hymns, and psalms, and canticles, there was no night in Magh-inis, but angelic light there
and some
;
say there was light in Magh-inis for the space of a year after Patrick's death, quia nulli adanti viri
dubium
est, et ita
non
visa
nox
meritum declarandum
in tota ilia regione in
luctus Patricii, qualiter Ezechia? langenti in horologio strato sanitatis indicio, sol per
xv
first
night, the angels of the
watching Patrick's body with of the divine grace
stetit.
Lord of the elements were
spiritual chants.
The
fragrant odors
which issued from the holy bodjr and the ,
music of the angels, gave tranquillity and joy to the chief the
men
ing
;
him,
of Erin
who were watching
so that the blessing of Jacob i.e.
" Ecce odor
tempore
Achaz demon-
lineas reversus est, et sic sol
contra Gabon, et luna contra valient Achilon
In the
accidisse
filii
mei
sicut
clerics of
the body on the nights followto his son
was kept regarding
odor agri pleni,
quem
benedixit
dicens," etc.
There was, moreover, a great attempt at -
Sabhall
That
is,
conflict
and battle
to Saul, where he died, after having lived there, accord-
ing to his bardic testament, thirty years.
*fr^+
+
+
••---
*
499
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. between the provinces of Erin,
ami Airghialla, contending
Ui-Ncill were trying to take For
keeping
it
via.,
The Aiighialla and Ard-Macha the Ulidians were Then the Ui-Neill went to a certain
to
it
with themselves.
when
water [river] there,
When
power of God.
left
God
the river, the hosts proceeded
and the Ulidiana.
It
appeared then
were bringing the body to their
to each party of them, that they
country, so that
;
the river rose against them, through the
the flood
to quarrel, viz., the Ui-Neill
own
the Dlidiana and the I'i-Neill
fox Patrick's body.
separated them iu this wise through the
grace of Patrick.
The miracles
They
so far shall be unto to-day.
are the miracles
which the divines of Eriu heard, and which they put into order of
Colum
narration.
the son of Fedhlimidh,
Cille,
and compiled the miracles of Patrick
Conchobhar
Adamnan,
;
A just
man, indeed, was
of heart
A thine
Ermedach
like
;
man with Abraham
this
;
a true pilgrim like
Eleran the wise
;
of Cloghcr;
;
Colman
truth like the Apostle Paul. ledge of the
purity of nature like gentle and forgiving
;
Moses; a praiseworthy psalmist
emulator of wisdom like Solomon
Holy Ghost
A
;
full
of grace
A
and
illustrating charity.
life,
fair flower
A
fruitful vine-branch.
with force of warmth and heat to the sons of
sparkling
for instituting
A lion in strength and power a dove in A serpent in wisdom and conning to do ;
Gentle, humble, merciful towards sons of
A
towards sons of death.
David j an
and of the know-
beloved John.
fire,
gentleness and humility.
like
a chosen vessel for proclaiming
man
like the
garden to children of grace; a
A
narrated
and Cruimther Collaith of Druim-Poilgech.
;
the patriarchs
good.
firstly,
Ultan, the descendant of
the grandson of
Ciaran of Belach-Doinj Bishop
Uamach
;
life
;
dark, ungentle
servant of labor and service of Christ,
king in dignity and power for binding and loosening, for libera-
ting
and convicting,
for killing
and giving
After these great miracles, therefore,
dead
;
after healing lepers,
lame, and
all
diseases
;
and the
life.
i.6.
blind,
after resuscitating the
and the
after ordaining bishops,
deaf,
and
and the
priests,
and
deacons, and people of
men
the
of
Eriu,
orders in the Church
all
and
after
them
baptizing
churches and monasteries; after destroying
and druidical
He
arts
;
of Christ from the bishop, from Tassach,
He
according to the advice of the angel Victor. spirit
founding
and images,
idols,
the hour of death of St. Patrick approached.
Body
received the
after teaching
;
after
;
resigned his
afterwards to heaven, in the one hundred and twentieth year
of his age.
His body
reverence.
Though great
be to him in the
Day
here
is
his
and
in the earth, with honor
still
honor here, greater honor which will
of Judgment, when
judgment
will
be given on
the fruits of his teaching, like every great apostle, in the union of the apostles and disciples of Jesus
;
in the union of the nine orders
of angels, which cannot be surpassed
and humanity of the Son of God thau
all
unions
—
;
May we
I beseech
in the
Holy
which
is
higher
Trinity, Father, Son,
mercy through the intercession of
arrive at that union
all
union of the divinity
in the union,
in the union of the
and Holy Ghost. Patrick.
;
;
may we
enjoy
it
for
Amen.
ever and ever.
These miracles, then, which we have related, the Lord performed
Though one should attempt
for Patrick.
not.
memoration
And
there
;
is
for there is
them, he could
to recount
many
Nevertheless, they are but a few of
related in com-
no one who could remember them
no writer who could write
all
all.
the prodigies and
miracles he wrought in the countries he reached. After the foundation, then, of numerous churches
consecration of monasteries
;
after baptizing the
men
;
after the
of Eriu
;
after
great abstinence and great labor; after destroying idols and images after degrading
raising
and
up those who obeyed him
fifty
or three
;
and
after
and prayer
;
after
all
his neighbor;
after ordaining
other orders in the Church
showing mercy and mildness
gentleness and sweetness towards sons of
God and
he had throe hundred
hundred and seventy bishops; and
three thousand priests and persons of after fasting
;
numerous kings who would not obey him, and
life
;
;
;
after
after the love of
he received the Body of Christ from the
r^gw" *LL^i>3ifc2Si_l23
7^1;"-^"
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. and he afterwards resigned his Bpirit to is here on earth still, with honor and
bishop, from Tassach;
His body, however,
heaven.
And though
reverence.
great his honor here, his honor will be
Day of Judgment, when he will ahine like a sun and when judgment will bo given regarding the fruit
greater in the
heaven,
his teaching, like
He
Peter or Paul.
union of the patriarchs and prophets
and virgins of the world
;
in the
union of the saints
union of the apostles and disciples
in the
of Jesus Christ; in the union of the Church, both of
earth
;
of
be afterwards in the
will ;
in
in the union of the nine orders of heaven,
heaven and
which cannot be
surpassed; in the union of the divinity and humanity of the Sun
God
of
which excels every union
in the union
;
—
the union of
in
the Trinity, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for ever
and
ever.
Amen.
I
it
;
may we
inhabit
beseech the mercy of God, through the inter-
May we
cession of Patrick.
it,
reach that union
all
and
for ever
;
may we
deserve
ever.
These are the four-and-twenty who were in orders with Patrick, Mochta his priest Bishop Ere his brehon ;
viz ., Sechnall his bishop;
Bishop MacCairthen
;
man
his strong
of Cill-Kuada his youth
;
;
Benen
Athgein of Both-Domhnach his cook
Domhnach-Mescan Domhnach-Dala,
Ocan, his two waiters his
;
;
Caemhan ;
;
Cruimther Bescna, from
Cruimther Catan, and Cruimther
Odhran, from Disert-Odhran,
in Ily-Failghe,
Cruimther Siahach his wood-man;
charioteer;
;
Cruimther Mescan, from
;
at Fochan, his brewer
his mass-priest
his psalmist
from Cill-Daresis, his bell-ringer
Sinell,
Rodan
hie
shepherd; his three smiths, MacCecht, Laeban from Domhnach-
Liebhan (who made the Findfaithnech), and Fortchern Adine.
Essa,
and
Bite,
and Tassach, were
in
Rath-
his three artists.
His
three embroiderers were Lupait, and Ere, daughter of Daire, and Cruimthiris in Cenn-Gobha.
And
the company of Joseph; and at the
table
of the
King
<>f
Fedhlimidh, son of Crimthann, of Munster, etc.
it
this is
Cashel, he.
is
the
the number that were in Dumber that is allowed
down from
the king of the
the
time of
two provinces
£
Maynooth, to avail myself of
Church of Ireland. It
bis treatise
on the Ancient
3
appears to the present writer, that
much
of the
dispute between Catholic and Protestant antiquarians,
on the subject of diocesan jurisdiction in Ireland before the eleventh century, might have been avoided little
by a
consideration as to the state of the country in
the early Christian ages. ble for the limits of
We, who
defined.
has become a institution,
It
would have been impossi-
any diocese live in
science,
to
have been
strictly
an age when mensuration
when Ordnance maps
are an
and when the very boundaries of a parish
are defined to a hair-line,
may
easily forget that there
—
a Ireland. This pamphlet is entitled "The Ancient Church of Ireland few remarks on Dr. Todd's 'Memoir of the Life and Mission of St. Patrick.'" I may, perhaps, remark that one cannot open a page of this excellent treatise without rinding the sharpest animadversion on Dr. Todd's work, couched in the severest language. Yet a person, writing in an Euglish Catholic paper, has attacked the present writer, in language which we would be sorry to use under any circumstances, for having shown the errors of previous writers. The attack was evidently written by an uneducated person, and the paper is not one of any literary repute, so that it scarcely 3
%.
:
We are at a loss to know what would be the use of writing such a work as the present unless we had taken every pains to ascertain truth and sift it from error. The ignorance of the writer was curiously shown by the only remark he makes about St. Patrick's life, whom he describes as " the meekest of men :" the fact is, as our readers will have seen, that St. Patrick's merits notice.
•
was fiery and energetic to the last degree. It was this lire, tempered by divine grace, which gave him the zeal of an apostle and it was this energy, checked by divine fear, which caused the holy severity with which he denounced and so repeatedly cursed the evil-doer. It is a pity that a Catholic paper, however insignificant, should allow an opinion to be expressed All this is deeply injurious in its columns by the prejudiced or the ignoraut. to the interests of true religion, and that apirit of charity, which, according to natural character
;
the present statements of so
many
of the English Catholic papers, is so
wanting amongst some English Catholic writers. happily free from this disgrace, which
from our English
serials.
much
Ireland and America are
we must hope
will be soon
removed
^fifeto State of the Early frisk Church
was a time of impa
sable
morasses, of impenetrable
when trigonometry was nol an "applied science," and when theodolites were unknown. The real quesforests,
then,
tion,
is
not whether
St.
Patrick
established
a
diocesan system in Ireland, with exactly defined boundbut whether he instituted a diocesan system in
aries,
any form. Todd,
is
The, Protestant theory, as
diction existed
The
£
adopted by Dr.
that neither archiepiscopal nor diocesan juris-
historical
that there
Ireland before the twelfth century.
in fact,
was such
precisely in the
as ably
shown by Dr. Gargan,
jurisdiction,
same form as
The existence
is
though not carried out
at the present day.
of a class of ecclesiastics
known
chorepiscopi, appears to have been the original
as
ground
on which the doubt was founded as to the arrange-
ments made by
Patrick.
St.
This order was
first
instituted in the east, about the
end of the third century, and was probably originated to
supply the necessities of monastic houses.
mentioned fifth
in the
century.
It is
not
Church history of the west until the It
disappeared
altogether
about the
twelfth century, at which time the topographical defirily better became The exact grade of the chorepiscopi has m w i By some it is held that been accurately ascertained.
nitions of ecclesiastical sees
defmed.
they were simply priests
;
by
others,
that they were
ishops.
The next question the
is,
early Irish Church;
whether the order existed in since, if it did, this would
sufficiently
account for the great number of ecclesiastics
without fixed sees Ireland.
It
who
are
known
this order existed in that country
time of
to
have ministered in
would be quite impossible now
St. Patrick's
mission
but
;
to prove that
immediately after the it
can be proved that
there were chorepiscopi in Ireland in the year 1 152, leav-
ing a strong presumptive evidence that their establish-
ment
there
had been many centuries anterior
to that date.
In the year 1152, a great Council was held at Kells,
under the presidency of Cardinal Paparo, which enacted, that upon
the death of chorepiscopi and of bishops
Avho governed small sees in
arch-presbyters
Ireland,
should be appointed by the diocesan to succeed them.
Here we have an indisputable evidence both of the existence of chorepiscopi,
We
bishops.
of the Acts of St. Patrick
the writers of his so
many
and the undue multiplicity of
have already observed that those
life,
who
critics
question the veracity of
because he
is
said to have built
churches, arc simply ignorant of the necessities
of the times. Christians,
The
early Celtic converts, like the early
had each a church
own house and, who had not a son who ministered in
in his
probably, there were few families
consecrated to the priestly
office,
these
primitive oratories.
It
times
when homesteads were
was a
;
necessity of the
scattered far
and wide
over mountainous tracts of country, separated by vast plains of unreclaimed land. affords
ample evidence of
The
life
of St. Patrick
his practice
priests in almost every family, so that
it
of ordaining
would occupy
unnecessary space the
to
But
quote particular instances.
same necessity which required
a
numerous
pri
hood required also a numerous episcopacy; while the rapid increase of religious houses, and the extraordinary
number
God
of those -who consecrated themselves to
these abodes of peace
and
holiness,
duties of ecclesiastieal superiors.
our careful observation
how
added daily
And
worthy
of
the Church ever providi
the
for the necessities of her children in
these necessities can be best met, and, sity ceases,
is
it
in
to the
way
when
in
the
-
which
m
removes what might then be a hindrance
rather than a help.
Thus, although
it
cannot be ascertained
chorepiscopi were introduced
how
into Ireland,
early the
it
can bo
proved that they were an institution in that country
There
the middle of the twelfth century. great deal
of incidental
evidence
is,
in
indeed, a
of clearly
denned
diocesan jurisdiction in the Acts of St. Patrick, and
notably in the well-known instance
MacCarthen over the church not be too far from him for
when he placed
in Clogher, so that
St.
he might
friendly intercourse, or too
near him for interference in ecclesiastical arrangement-.
And, although the term archbishop was not used in the early Irish Church, there were certainly some bishops possessed of higher rank and jurisdiction than others.' *
ijui,
Others.
— "At
pise qui alii s
veto, esti quidem inter Siberian Episcopos semper oiiqni, qnid unplioria dignitatii ant jurisdictions ecclesiastics bah
ii tamen non prfan, qaam ad xvii Junii diem in oommantario, nensis EpUcopi pram, num, viii Jam docuimus, appcllari cupcrunt embiepia-ActaS.*;." 12th Oct
roathineqae rccte dici posscnt primatof, cxtitcrint, Kei-, circitcr xii, uti
The stock arguments in Ireland are
—
for the non-diocesan jurisdiction
a letter from St. Anselm, Arch-
first,
bishop of Canterbury, a.d. 1109, to Murtagh O'Brien,
The archbishop
nominal King of Ireland. "It
is
also
said (item
elicit ur)
writes thus
:
that bishops in your
country were elected at random, and appointed without
any fixed place of episcopal jurisdiction." This vague charge, made on hearsay, which might or might not be true,
can scarcely be called evidence, and at best can
only be taken to prove that some irregularities had
We
occurred.
have already shown that even before the
synod of Rathbreasil, a.d. 1118, when a decree was passed for the regular division and clearer definition of the boundaries of the various sees, such divisions existed
and were
distinctly recognized.
The next argument
known complaint complaint
also
is
taken from
of the state
made
on
St.
Bernard's well-
of the Irish Church, a
second-hand
information,
though probably in some degree founded on in the very accusation, as quoted
proof that the irregularity irregularity,
normal
and that
it
—
if it
fact. Yet by Dr. Todd, there is
existed
—existed as an
was an infringement of the
state of ecclesiastical society,
and as such
cer-
have been the rule. St. Bernard's statement was that " bishops were changed and multitainly could not
plied at the pleasure of the metropolitan
—a
thing un-
—without
heard of since the beginning of Christianity order, without reason,
so
that one bishopric
was not
content with a single bishop, but almost every church
1
"
had jfe'
its
In commenting on this Gargan has well observed: "Dr. Todd
separate bishop."
Dr.
.
unfortunate in having brought only
dries doI
forward a witness,
prove his point* bul
l»'
regarded as proving the contrary,
in
tin*
vny
passage
metropolitical
cited,
who may For
3umes the
a
is
who
fairly
Bernard,
St.
existence of
and diocesan jurisdiction, and takes
it
for
granted that the irregularities which he deplores arc not incompatible with that very form of hierarch govern-
ment, the absence of which, Dr. Todd conclude?,
f--
may
be clearly inferred from his highly colored animadver"ii
the -late of the trish Church.
'metropolitan,'
of
rate bishops
'bishoprics,'
of
II
peaks of a
having
the very constituent element of that
;'
form of ecclesiastical government which rily
i
'churches
opposed to Dr. Todd's
'
is
contradicto-
non-diocesan theory.'
The third and last of the objections which ha\ made to Catholicity of discipline in the early [rish Ihurch,
^
(
is
founded un the
a.d. 816,
lit'ih
canon of the Synod of Cealcythe,
which prohihitcd Scottish
[Irish] ccclesia
from ministering in English dioceses without the license of the ordinary.
This was simply an enforcement of a
well-known canon. lly
g rr.<
From
this
argued, that the trish
at
it
has been
not very
home acted in a similar
manner, and preached, baptized, and administered ments, regardless of epi
pervisioD.
whole Ecclesiastical History of Ireland in proof of the contrary theory. of this canon
is
may
The
he adduced
Indeed, the enactment
a subject deserving of the highest con-
sideration
Church
;
it
shows the care and caution used by the where the sacred ministry
in all cases
is
con-
cerned, and that proper authorization and indisputable
testimonials of a man's ordination were required, before
But
he could be allowed to administer the sacraments.
even unimpeachable testimonials are not
sufficient with-
out the permission of the bishop in whose diocese the
might wish to perform
priest
his sacerdotal office,
the Irish ecclesiastic of the ninth century was as
bound
obey this rule as the Irish
to
and
much
ecclesiastic
of
to-day. It is probable that
troubled times
some unworthy persons in those
may have
feigned themselves priests, in
order to secure the respect and attention which the true
was
religious
certain to receive.
It
may
be, also, that
amidst the unavoidable relaxation of discipline which followed the incursions of the barbarous Northmen, some ecclesiastics preferred
an unsettled
life,
and, instead of
trying to restore the monastic houses from which they
had been banished life
at the point of the sword, chose a
of comparative ease in other lands.''
It
not unfrequently happens that ignorance
source of
much
historical
writers are charged,
by
misapprehension
critics
;
is
the
and that
who know nothing
of the
—
" Lands. I have entered into the subject of the discipline and doctrine of the early Irish Church at some length, partly because a Life of St. Patrick would be very incomplete without a full account of the doctrine which he taught, and partly because, as some lifteen or twenty thousand copies of this
it is important that this subject should be clearly Religious controversy is the order of the day, and Catholics cannot be too well provided with weapons of defence.
work, will be in circulation,
understood.
Bubject of which the writer has treated, with or
false
exaggerated statements, when a
making
little
more
knowledge on the part of the accuser would enable him to discover, if not to
The
own
acknowledge, his
ecclesiastical student is
singular in having a large episcopacy.
the
ignorance.
aware that Ireland was not
The Acts of
Council of Jerusalem, a.d. 53G, were signed by
45 bishops, and Palestine, with an area of only 1G0 miles,
in
had 48 bishopries. In the territory of Latium, which was not above 60 miles in extent,
Italy,
there
were between 20 and 30 bishopries.
are now," says
Bingham,
quities,"
224,
p.
iii.
Italy, in the
"a
in his
great
"There
"Ecclesiastical Anti-
many
such dioceses
in
realm of Naples, where the whole number
147; 20 of which are archbishoprics, and some of so small, as not to have any diocese beyond the
is
them
In Asia Minor, which extended G30
walls of the city."
210
miles in length, and dioceses.
Thus,
Christianity,
existed for
we
in
breadth, there were 400
find that, in the
where both a moral and
it,
there
was quite
earliest ages
of
spiritual necessity
as great a multiplication
of the episcopacy in other countries as in Ireland. It is scarcely
necessary to allude to the establishment
of religious houses
by our
saint, since his Life contains
such frequent mention of the holy virgins, whose vows of virginity he received in his Master's
name, and
whom
he assisted by his ministrations to consecrate themselves to
"—
God.
We
doctrine taught
Sri
.
must, however, say a few words of the
by the
saint.
<•£"'
Enough has been
written
r
U
•>
>•>
—
already to prove his
Roman
mission
draw the attention of the reader acts as prove that the Faith
remains only to
it
;
documents or
to such
which he taught, was the
unchangeable Faith of the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic
Church of Rome. also, I
Happily, as regards this subject,
have the assistance of a work devoted
illustration of this matter, for his learning as for
privileged to call
my
gious belief taught necessity,
holy
by a
and whom I am happily Even were not the reli-
life,
friend.
by
St.
to the
priest as distinguished
Patrick a matter which, of
should find place in his Life, I gladly avail
myself of the opportunity of making this work very
widely known, and of affording those able
to procure
Our
contents.
very
it,
who may not be
some knowledge of
its
valuable
synopsis, must, however, necessarily be
brief.
That the Irish continued the practice of devotion
Rome,
if I
may
from St. Patrick,
to
use the term, which they had learned is
amply proved
the early Irish Church,
—
first,
One
pilgrimages to the shrine of Peter.
which Monsignor Moran gives ful translation of the
by the hymns
and secondly, by
of the
hymns
at length, with the grace-
Rev. Mr. Potter, a convert to the
old Faith, contains the two following verses Elaboravit ubiquo
of
their frequent
Nor clime nor
:
space might
bound
his zeal,
Curse datus historiae.
Fundamentum
dominicso
Ecclesira Catholicre.
And pages writ his deeds reveal. On him, the rock, so strong, so sure, Christ's
Church
endure.
shall ever firm
—
;
"--
'-
— ——
i
Hymns <
-1
i
—
i/n Vl, i
•••
'
—..m-m^_j'-Ttr.*i J^^
^-.*~
.
i
—
C
of the Early Irish Church.
And now,
rloriosom apostolum
513
deathlea
in
crowned,
Deus ornavit
The earth
gloria,
with his prai
>lli
le
resound
Roma
And
1
arbia qua in
Vint cum
victoria.
Hi.;
Br
thou, the
ther,
t,
sweet mo-
ll'olllr.
his
see,
his
battle-field,
homa
A hymn by
Cummian
St.
In
!.
apostles, ia
and the verse
sufficient
St
Fota,
in
which he
Patrick, on that subject.
Apostolorum cxultans memoria,
laviculaii Petri,
primi pastoris,
In apostolic
memory And chief
nun, rete evangelii, captoris.
Of
this writer
prayed gift
to
I
of
it
is
rod that cacli
said,
-
that
Jerusalem
f<>r
of Peter, key-bearer,
ii
in the
herman, who draws I
kwpel name.
when he and
St.
which was
in the early
Althelm,
Church,
others
The
ancient
Juda
word claviculari
a characteristic
Thus,
St,
coelestis clavicularii
grace,
jpe< ial
wisdom was bestowed on him.
calvicularii,
P< tei
exult—their
pastor of the flock,
might obtain som<
the Church, and that the
!
celebrate;
proclaim,
on the verse quoted above Bays, thai '
by
:
now
praise
still
The mystic net
the
O new
Rejoice,
Peter
St.
!
as follows
is
It
first i
a.d. 590,
Ireland,
in
Christ's saints
Pi
elebrab
i
evidence of what waa taught
Celebra, Jiula, fostaChristi gau-
<
who was bom
he commemorates each of the
if
name
Clement
primus
is
indiis
put
for St.
Btyled
s iccessa.
v. ;,,
»:'
I
—
514
Life of St. Patrick.
In the
Hymn
of
pendix, he
Sechnall,
St.
praise of St. Patrick,
which
or
Secundinus, in
will be given in the
Ap-
specially extolled as being "constant in
is
the service of God, and immovable in the faith of Peter,
upon
whom
the Church
built,
is
and whose apostolate
he received from God, against whose gates the assaults of hell cannot prevail."
It
would require a separate and
a large volume to enter fully into this subject
Our
present object is, from necessity, though not from choice, to give only such brief notices as
letter
from
may serve to
illustrate
Usher has published a very interesting
our subject.
Cummian on
St.
the Paschal question, in
which he strongly urges the Catholic doctrine of submission to the see of Peter
remarkable words "
Can anything more pernicious and
be conceived, than to say, errs,
in one place he uses these
;
:
Antioch
alone are right
errs,
Rome
errs,
injurious to
Jerusalem
the whole world errs
— the
Mother Church errs,
Irish
Alexandria
and Britons
?" c
St. Patrick's
canon, which requires that
causes should be referred to
all
important
Rome, has been already
A glance at any Irish History is sufficient show how frequent pilgrimages to Rome were in the
mentioned. to
Right.
— "Essays
on the Early Irish Church," by the Very
Itev.
Mon-
signor Moran, p. 3. Curiously enough, what almost reads as a parody on these words may be found in the Articles of the Frotestant Church. The
nineteenth Article runs thus:
and Antioch have erred their living and manner
"As
the Churches of Jerusalem, Alexandria,
Church of Rome hath erred, not only in but also in matters of faith." It is remarkable that this profession of faith, or of the want cf it, has been condemned a thousand years before it was written. ;
so also the
of ceremonies,
S
m
—
ages of the Dational conversion, and in wrhal a
earliesl
reverence ami devotion these pilgrimages were
spirit of
performed.
We
shall now briefly show, from authentic and known documents, what St Patrick taught re-
well
A
garding the sacraments.
missal
and of which Dr. Todd has said
which
exists
" :
It
is
by no means
MS. may have been the
impossible that the
is
to the sixth century,
by the beat authorities
referred
original
Buadhan himself, the founder of tli.monastery of Lothra, who died a.d. 584." Dr. Moras thus describes the Mass of
missal
St.
:
"
the litanies of the saints, which are pre-
The Mass begins with
ceded by the antiphon -
/
•
.
Then
Deo, with the collect or prayer,
follows the Glori
and the
lesson
from the
Epistle to the Corinthians, chapter xi, relating to the blessed
Eucharist.
In the versicle which follows, the blessing of salvation
who
those
are present at the sacrifice.'
is
asked for
is
that of St. John, in the sixth chapter.
'
part of the Mass, which
:
d in the
Church
most important
for
too,
forms
a remarkable peculiarity of this missal
is
the use
at so early a period, for
The Gospel
The Creed,
until
many
of the Creed did not
years later.
become
What, however,
i*
our present purpose, not only are the words of
consecration given as used at the present day, but also the 6ubse
quent prayers, 'agreeing the
memento for
so in the
the dead
literally witli ;'
and
the
Roman canon down
to
thus, as in the nineteenth century,
Church of our sainted fathers of the sixth century, was Almighty 'Humbly we beseech tine,
thai beautiful prayer,
Cod, command
this offering to
holy angel into thy heavenly Majesty, that
all
of us
who
be carried by the hand- of thy
altar, in the
receive,
presence of thy divine
through the participation
—
;
most holy body and blood of thy Son, may be
of this altar, the
idled with every heavenly blessing
Such
Christ our Lord.'
is
and grace, through the same
the language of this venerable monu-
ment, whoso writing, to use the words of Dr. Todd, guarantee that
sufficient
—
;
it
'
is
is
of itself a
century.' ' ;
In addition to the every-day Mass, the Missa Colidiana,
Missal presents to us a Missa Apostolum, a Missa
Sanctorum and, in
ct
line,
Mass pro
This surely
is
this
©„
Martymm, a Missa
Sanctorum Virginum, also a Mass pro pecnitcntibus a
IF
certainly not later than the sixth
vivis,
mortuis."
ample and most
of the pure Catholicity taught
satisfactory evidence
by our
saint to his faithful
if
converts.
A Communion Hymn is preserved in the Antlphonarium Benchorensc, which commences thus :
Sancti, venite,
Oh
Christi corpus sumite
Christ's
Sanctum bibeutes
Come, drink the Sacred Blood,
come, ye holy ones,
!
body receive
Quo redempti sanguiuem.
For
Salvati Christi
Saved by
Corpore
And
A
quo
et sanguine,
will give.
Christ's
1
Body,
saved by His Blood,
Refreshed
refecti,
Laudes dicamus Deo.
And
life it
nowand
strengthened,
m
Sing praises to God.
then this strophe, which
is
one of rare poetic
beauty, concludes with these words, which none but a Catholic could write
:
V&/V >.'.&* <
Alpha
et
omega,
Ipse, Christus
Domiimm,
Ho
comes, the
first,
the
last,
Himself, the Christ our Lord,
who
come
Venit, venturus
Ik'
Judicare hominus.
For every act and word.
shall
to judge us
•hto
it is Btatedin the preface to St. Sechnall's hymn, when he and St. Patrick approached the church "they heard a choir of angels chanting a hymn at the
X.'v.
.
that
offertory in the church,
hymn whose
chanted in Erin when the body of Christ
is
Thus we have the most
direct
is
the Mass, as taught pressions through the
Rambach,
a
by
In
Patrick.
St.
hymn
received."
and unimpeachable
dence on the subject of the doctrine of the
.Mr.
hymn
bo that, from that time to the present, that
tc.,
i
and what they chanted was the
beginning is, 'Sancti.vcnite, Christi Corpus,'
evi-
sacrifice of
fact,
the ex-
are bo purely Catholic, thai
Protestant writer,
his "Anthologia," suppressed
who
published
it
one of the verses on
in
this
account. It
has been remarked that there
between
this
hymn and an
is
a great similarity
antiphon which was used
in
the early church of Gaul, during the time of the Paschal
Communion. phon
St.
(
Iregory of Tours mentions this anti-
in his "Treatise on the Miracles of St. Martin,"
and thus we can see how brought the France, or his is
it
St. Patrick may easily have hymn from his old conventual home in may have been the composition of some of
companions.
The
similarity of sentiment
and
w<
certainly suggestive of a .similarity of origin.
An Mass
we
interesting is still
treatise
on the ceremonies of the
extant in the ancient
(
find the Catholic doctrine fully
Here also the holy Eucharist
is
-eltic
tongue, in which
and clearly explained. declared to be
"the
very body that was born of the Immaculate Virgin, and
rj^i
n wi. ..
rr
J—v
w
—
Life of St. Patrick.
was are
crucified still
by the unbelieving Jews
some Protestants who would
less the trial, to
and
yet, there
however hope-
persuade our people that the Irish Celt
was taught Protestantism by
St. Patrick.
The teaching of the Church subject of penance was not less respect, except, perhaps,
no
;"
try,
of St. Patrick on the explicit,
an excess of
and
differs in
severity,
from
the teaching of the Catholic Church of the present day.
In the eleventh canon of the Penitential of banus, he enacts as follows
St. Colurn-
:
" Special diligence must be used in confessing our sins
and imperfections before the celebration of Mass,
lest
with an unclean heart we should approach the holy
altar."
It is probable that the holy Eucharist
was adminis-
tered to infants immediately after baptism, as
was
cus-
tomary in many churches on the continent in the early
We
ages of Christianity. tions
were made
Viaticum,
and
repose
the
of
penitential
for
for
the
souls of
exercises
also find that strict regula-
the administration of the holy offering
the
Masses
of
enjoined
for
for
departed.
faithful
offences
the
The against
rebgious discipline on notorious sinners, were exceedingly severe.
This,
indeed, might be
expected, not
unly because penance was severe in the early Church, but because there was undoubtedly a strong element of sternness in the character of St. Patrick.
commission of a sinful sinner,
was
act, or to
sutficient to
To behold the
witness an impenitent
excite his hatred of the evil,
Early Irish Litanies
and
heavy punishment of the
a
arc so lax
in discipline,
and
bo
Mary.
to
how
little in
compensate
Bui
-tern.
us,
who
thoughtful of
;i
God
all
of hive, and
comparison the most severe penance the
for
may
justice, it
To
offence. little
the Buffering which sin has caused to
519
let
slightest
scorn as
remember that
us
keenly alive than
duty of making
we
divine
against
offence
his conduct
if
waa
at
limes too
farmon
the saints were
are to the evil of iniquity, and the
the atonement in our power for
all
Nor was devotion
Mother of God, or the
to the
it.
Bainta
od, less fervent or less frequent in the early agi Irish
than
Christianity
is
it
A
to-day.
hymns, which combine the most gifted highest devotion, arc of the
saints
A
invoked. of Jesus
is
litany
and
;
their
of
which the pra power with God
remains in which the .Mother the tenderest epithets
in
"
worshippers cry out blessed
still
invoked
love could devise.
extant, in
still
sung,
are
number
taste with the
O great Mary!" "(>
which
these old Celtic
Mary! greatest of Marys I No modem saint has
and must Lhsscd!"
ever accorded her higher attributes, or invoked her with
more confidence. earthly Church!
of the sins
!
"
Mother of
washing of the souls
tossed emigrant,
the
who
sails
!"
over the stormy billows from cries
from the
of the sea," does but and Bung by his ancestors in honor
depths of bis soul to the" echo the words said
cleansing
And thetem]
an Irish port to the western shores, and
of the
heavenly and
temple of the Divinity!
St<>
<•
Mother of Jesus more than a thousand yean
iH^>I
.
ago,
Life of St. Patrick. in
that Faithful
friends,
if,
as I
Land which he has
the hands of voyagers outward let
me
left
'*.
Ah,
my
doubt not, these pages shall come into
bound
pray yon not to forget, amidst
to a
its
new home,
prosperity, the
Faith of your fathers and the Mother of your God.
There can be no doubt whatever that the ancient practice of honoring the rebcs of the saints obtained in
Ireland from the very
We
first
find St. Patrick bringing relics from
were held
Rome
might well be expected,
after his death, as
if
introduction of Christianity. ;
and
his relics
in the highest veneration. J?!
There
is still
" the Obits
Holy
in existence the original manuscript of
and Martyrology
Trinity, Dublin."
It
is
of the Cathedral of the at present preserved in
the library of Trinity College, Dublin, also
is
in the
hands of Protestants.
and the cathedral
But
this valuable
and important work was published some years ago by two Protestant clergymen. In this work a
list
is
given of the principal
relics
which were venerated in the then Catholic cathedral. of these was a crucifix which had spoken The next was the Bacillus Jhesu, " which the The next was the angel had given to St. Patrick."
The
first
twice.
super-altar, or altar-stone,
on which the leper followed
the saint to Ireland. It is probable that all these relics
the same time.
burning of the Baculus, which highly
it
were destroyed at
There are two separate accounts of the is
sufficient to
show how
was venerated, and how deeply the nation
felt
—
—
the wanton barbarity which
provoked
The
a
pn
account
first
erved
is
the
in
given
in
The following entry occurs '•
Tlie
at
the year
people
Irish
all
of annals, Dulilin.
College, 1
f>:i8
most miraculous imago of Mary, which was
Truim, and which the
destruction.
MS. volume
Trinity
library of
its
;
:
at Baile-Atha-
honored lor a long timo
before that, which used to heal the blind, the deaf, the lamp, ami
every disease in like manner, was burned by the Saxons.
which was
staff of Jesus,
womlors and miracles
in Ireland since the
that time, and which was in the
by the Saxons
in like
And tinmany
Dublin, and which wrought
in
time of Patrick
hand of Christ
And
manner.
himself,
down
to
was burned
not only that, but there was
not a holy cross, nor an image of Mary, nor other celebrated image in
Ireland over which their power had reached, that they did not
Nor was
burn. their
there one of the seven orders which came under
power that they did not
in the east
And
ruin.
the Tope, and the Church
and at home, was excommunicating the Saxons on that
account, and they not paying any heed or attention unto that, &c.
And
I
am
not certain whether
it
was not
in the
above year that
these relics were burned."
second account
is
given in the "Annals of the
Four Masters" under the year 1537 " A.U. 1537.
—A
heresy and a
new
:
error broke out in England,
the effects of pride, vain-glory, avarice, sensual
desire,
and the
prevalence of a variety of scientific and philosophical speculations, so that the people of
England went into opposition to the Tope and
Home.
At the same time they followed a variety of opinions, and the old law of Moses, after the manner of the Jewish people t<>
ami they gave the rei
n, to
the king.
new laws and
title
of head of the
Church of God, during
his
There were enacted by the king and council
statutes after their
own
will.
They ruined the orders
;1
who were
permitted to hold worldly possessions,
viz.,
monks,
and the four mendicant Preachers, Carmelites, and
and brethren of the
canons, nuns,
cross
;
Minor order, the The possessions and livings of all these were taken up for the king. They broke the monasteries, they sold their roofs and bells, so that there was not a monastery from Arann of the Saints to the Iccian sea that was not broken and shattered, except only a few in Ireland which escaped the notice and attention of the orders,
the
viz.,
Augustinians.
They
English. shrines, in like
and
and broke the famous images, After that they burned
further burned
relics of
Ireland and England.
manner the celebrated image
was
of Mary, which
at Ath-
Truim, which used to perform wonders and miracles, which used to
and the
heal the blind, the deaf, the lame,
and the
Staff of Jesus,
which was
in
sufferers
from
all
diseases
;
Dublin performing miracles
from the time of Patrick down to that time, and which was in the
hand of Christ while he was among men.
They
also
made
arch-
bishops and sub-bishops for themselves; and although great was the
Eoman
persecution of the
emperors against the Church,
it is
not
probable that so great a persecution as this ever came, even from
Eome
hither.
So that
description, unless
How Church
it
is
it
impossible to
should be told by him
tell
or narrate
who saw
its
it."
highly this Bacillus was honored in the Irish is
shown by the frequent mention in the Annals and of the calamities which
of its use as a test of truth, befel those
tions
it,
who swore
in his
insignia of the see of in
falsely
by
it.
St.
Bernard men-
" Life of St. Malachy," as one of the
unsettled times,
Armagh
;
and hence those who,
strove to obtain the revenues of
that see without being canonically appointed to govern it,
possessed themselves
by
force or fraud of the time-
honored and sacred Staff of Jesus.
)/ St. Patrick's Bones,
Giraldus Cambrensis mentions thai was believed that St. Patrick had used
noxious animals out of Ireland safety,
it
;
and
was removed from Armagh
hie
in
time
it
><> >
to drive all
it
that, for greater
There
to Dublin.
however, two different accounts of the removal of
are,
The
this relic.
first
of Cambrensis, and
account agrees with the statement
is
Book of
contained in the Black
Christ Church, Dublin.
This account
further con-
is
firmed by an entry in the manuscript annals of Innis-
where
fallen,
it is
Adclm."
recorded that " the Staff of Jesus was
Armagh
from
brought
According
to
Dublin by
William
Fitz
Baculus
to the other account, the
was removed by Strongbow, who died a.d. 1176; but is mention of several staffs or croziers which
as there St.
Patrick
left in
and may
true,
different
refer
places, the
account
to one of these less
maybe
celebrated
relics.
The
list
of relics also mentions, amongst
-urcs of the cathedral,
one of
the holy
St. Patrick's bones.
This was probably obtained at the time of the discovery of his
body
interesting (
riraldus,
who
Earl John,
and
St.
Downpatrick.
in
The
first
account of this
and probably miraculous event states that, " in the year in
first
is
given by
which the
lord,
cam'' into Ireland, they [Patrick, Bridget,
Columba] were found, as
it
were, in a triple
tomb [quasi in spelunca triplici], Patrick lying in the This threefold middle, and the others at either side. ore having been discovered by divine revelation, the relics were translated under the direction of
T-,
p^r
John
7"~
s
—
—
De
Hence
Courcey, then governor of that province.
the verse In
;
:
In the city of Down, beneath the
burgo Dono, turnulo tumulantur in uno
same mound, atque
Patricius,
Brigida,
lumba
The
Bridget, Patrick, and pious Co-
lumba were found. 7
pius.
Irish
Malachy
Co-
Church was indebted to the piety of
for the discovery
of those relics.
St.
It is said
that he used to pray frequently and earnestly that the spot where the saints were interred might be discovered
and that one
was offering this petition Down, he beheld a ray of light traverse
night, whilst he
in the cathedral of
the church, which stopped at the place where the bodies
On
were.
digging in the place thus miraculously indi-
cated, the bones of three bodies
were found, and placed
again under ground, in separate cases.
A
message was
then despatched to Home, in order that fitting arrange-
ments might be made
for the translation of the bodies.
The following year, a.d. 1186, Cardinal Vivian, whose previous knowledge of Ireland gave him a special interest in the country,
was sent
to Ireland to
perform
the office with all solemnity.
Before his return to Rome, however, the Cardinal selected
some
these relics I
Pope, Urban
relics for the
am
able to give an interesting
III.,
and of
and authen-
tic description. 8 7
Found.— Oainbrensis, " Topographia
8
Description. —The
Hibernica," cap.
xviii. p. 742.
Very Rev. Monsignor Kirby writes thus
inquiries " On receipt of your esteemed letter I
iu reply to our
:
went
to St. Mark's,
where
I
had
-A
Account of
lu's
Relics in Rome.
It is generally believed that
the hand
and arm of
Patrick were enshrined, and placed on the high altar of the cathedral by the Cardinal. When Edward Bruce •St.
invaded Ireland, he plundered the cathedral of Down, a conversation with some uf tho leading members of tho chapter, (torn whom I learned that they had no documents in their archives relating to the relic of St. Patrick which they possess, or to any miracles or other supernatural favors obtained in connection with its veneration. Before initios to yon, however, I thought it better to confer with Monsignor Bartolini, formerly a canou of the same church, aud now secretary of the Congregation of Kites a prelate justly esteemed by all for his erudition, especially in what appiT;
tains to the veneration of the Saints,
His impression
is
that the Papa] legate,
Cardinal Paparo, on his return to Home after bis Irish legation, brought it with him, and deposited it in his title, St. Mark's. Hue, as yon know (the period of his legation), was about the middle of the twelfth century. When Home fell into the hands of the French republicans, towards the eL.se of tho last century, the relic of St. Patrick, with others of the church of St. Mark, were removed, to avoid their profanation, and deposited iu a place of security B mtigaoufl to the sacristy. An interval of several years having elapsed before full confidence in the re-establishment of public order was restored, the place was completely forgotten. And it was only about thirty years ago, on tho occasiou of some repairs being made near the sacristy, that the concealed treasures were again brought to light, with the seals unbroken, which verified their identity. Monsignor Bartolini told
of the concealment of these relics
mo
that he himself had tho good fortune to be one of the number who ma This is all the information which I have been able to obtain discovery. 1
M
with
the relic of our holy apostle at St. Mark's. A The portion we possess received as a gift from the chapter of St. Mark's. placed it afterwards in the magnificent reliquary in which it is at present venerated, the gift of some pious Irish ecclesiastics.
we
We
"I congratulate you on your most useful labors to promote God and Uis saints. I trust that St. Patrick will reward you
tho honor of well.
With
sincere esteem,
Believe me, dear Sister,
"Sincerely
in Christ, 44
"Pome,
Irish College, llh
P.
IvlKIIV
March, 1S70."
I have thought that it would be moro satisfactory to the reader to give the account of Monsignor Kirby himself, though I am bound to Bay that Iih letter was only intended for our own perusal. In all such matters it is ono of the first duties of tho historian to give testimony either from personal knowledge or from the direct evidence of reliable witnesses.
Life of St. Patrick.
526
and the is
was
relic
known
of
off.
But nothing further
came
into the possession of
carried
until
it
it
Magennis of Castlewellan, possibly from some of his family, who were at various times Abbots of Down. In the early part of the eighteenth century George Russell, of Rathmullen, county Down, married one of the Magennisses, and the relic passed into the custody of their only child, Rose,
who married Rowland Savage, Lord of the
styled, in the Ulster Inquisitions,
Ards.
He
Margaret,
Little
died in June, 1G19, leaving one daughter,
who married Thady O'Hara, of Crebilly, Upon the failure of male issue, the
county Antrim.
estates reverted to the descendants of
Rowland, uncle
Rowland who married Rose Russell. The family continued Catholics till 1725, when Edward, the then of the
owner, died at Bath on the ISth of March that year,
when they descended
to his uncle,
James Savage,
of
Ballyvarley, who, being a Catholic, declined to accept
them under the then less
existing laws
;
but his son,
being-
conscientious, entered into possession as next in
remainder, and conformed to the Establishment.
John
died 25th April, 1736, and James, his infant son, the following year
;
whereupon the
estates vested
hi his
Andrew, who married Margaret, daughter of He was succeeded by his son, Governor Nugent. uncle,
Patrick,
who
died in March, 1797
;
and he by
Andrew, who assumed the name of Nugent. >
Nugent.—I am indebted
Uolywood,
Belfast,
and
to
to the Rev. J. O'Laverty, P.P.,
Mr
Hauna,
of
his son,
Colonel M.R.I.A.,
of
the same place, for the abovo
^^ Shrine of
n
St.
Nugenl obtained the
relic
ami as he was the
firsl
kindly gave tli.n
Patricks Hand. through the Savage family
who
Protestanl
into the custody
it
T~
«•
» ice
<>f
beld
if,
;
he
the Elev. Mr. Taggart,
parish priest of Portaferry, in the
Ards.
After
Father Taggart's death, about a.d. 1765, Mr. Savage of Porjtaferry,
the next
hereditary guardian,
over to Mr.
M'Hemy,
of Kerstown, in the
It
remained
in the
handed Upper Aids.
it,
custody of this family, although they
were frequently offered large sums of
money
for
it
and Connor, obtained
WK
"The of
reliquary
Down and
is
from them.
it
uow
deposited
among
opened by the
Denvir
late Dr.
O'Laverty, P.P., saw
contained
in
the archives
Connor, which are under the special cus-
tody of the Most Rev. Dr. Dorrian.
J.
by
Down
Protestants, until the late Dr. Denvir, Bishop of
the
it
in 1N.">0,
The rase was when the Rev.
examined, and found
ulterior a
that
it
yew wood, about
piece of
nine inches long, which was bored lengthwise with a •
\
\
hole
sufficiently
human
large
to receive
the
This was smeared ever
arm.
at
wrisi
bone of
a
both ends with
wax, obviously the remains of the episcopal seals which account.
The latter observes that there I
ject in the
on the same subject
in the
are several mistakes in the an article which appeared "n the subThi3 article is quoted by Mr. Smith in a paper
bis relic in
" Dublin Review."
" Ulster Archteological Journal," and
b<
n
two curious inaccuracies. It states in one place that the shrine contains " the mouldering Remains of a human arm, if not of the patron s.iint of Ireland, doubtless of some person of reputed sanctity j" and a fen further on the statement of the writer in the "Dublin Etc view" quoted, who says correctly that the case is empty. From the fact of the account
there are
i
given above being that of a priest
communicated « u.rthy account.
examined the ease, and open having now a trust.
illy
v.
ith as directly, the
!
reader
may
rely
mm
;
had been impressed on the inner wooden receptacle, to have been merely intended for the
which appeared
purpose of preserving the bone in venting
its rattling
its
place,
and preIt
against the outer silver case.
contained no bone when examined by Dr. Denvir. The case had been despoiled of some of the Irish
diamonds with which
had been ornamented, whilst
it
being lent out as a judicial minna, on which voluntary
exculpatory oaths were taken.
being used for that purpose in Lecale, in cases where
it
I
myself recollect
its
some family disputes in
was considered inexpedient
to bring the disputed matters before a
and improper
After
legal tribunal.
session, in 1840,
on
it
its
came
pos-
into Dr. Denvir's
purchase by the Rev. James
M'Aleanan, then P.P. of Portaferry and now of Castlewellan, he
had new stones replaced
in the matrices
from which the originals were stripped, by Mr. Donegan, the eminent jeweller, in Dublin."'
As tance,
this relic is
The shrine ship
;
one of the greatest interest and impor-
we have given is
a
full
page engraving of the shrine.
of massive silver
represents the hand
it
and antique workman-
and arm of an
ecclesiastic
of rank, covered with the embroidered drapery of a sleeve,
and wearing a jewelled
glove.
It
stands
1
foot
3^ inches high, but there is no inscription except the I.H.S., shown by our artist, so that it is difficult to estimate 1
and
Dublin.
its
probable age.
— The above account hag been written for this worlc by Mr.
Itev. J.
O'Laverty.
JTanni
.
Patricks
A
celic,
said
be
to
the
Relics.
531
jawbone of
Patrick,
St.
A
also at present in Dr. Dorrian's possession.
from
was placed under the
it
1S2D.
in
Dr.
Dorrian
altar
purchased
Derryaghey
of
this
whose family
the sons of Mrs. Cullen, in
is
tooth
from
relic it
had been
kepi
The Four s
Blasters
(voL
i.
p.
553), under the yeai
"The foreigners were on Loch-Eathaeh on the calends of January, and they seized on Etach-Padraig " (Patrick's raiment). O'Dono'.>
have the following entry:
!.
that this was probablya garment preserved some old church near Lough Neagh. With a brief notice of the influence exercise. by St
van observes in
Hi
1
Patrick on the laws
and customs of the
Irish Celt,
must conclude a subject which has been with
condensed into a volume, which, however large >,
might
easily
have been expanded
we
difficulty
to fully
may
it
double
present dimensions.
its
That our saint should have exercised an important influence
Erin
is
on the pagan laws and customs of ancient
only what might be expected from the circum-
stances of his
life.
The unexampled power which ho
obtained so speedily, and exercised so wisely, could not fail
to culminate in his holding a position of
poral superiority.
We
find that he
some temwas appealed to on
id occasions about the settlement of property, and that he not unfrequently himself interfered in the
-
matter also by pronouncing Btern judgments on offem against equity.
H^n
v^^KI
We
cannot here enter into the important and inter-
esting history of the
pagan laws of ancient Erin
subject would require,
and
and ought All that
special treatment.
;
the
to receive, a separate
we now purpose
is
to
give a brief outline of St. Patrick's share in the compilation or revision of the code
and which
is
known
as the
Brehon Law,
now, happily, in course of translation and
publication.
According to the account given in the Seanchus Mor, the immediate occasion of
its
compilation was the death
of Patrick's charioteer, Odran. siderable attention, as
This event excited con-
might be expected.
was pronounced on the
case
Judgment by Dubhtach Mac Ua
Lugair, chief of the royal poets and chief brehon of
Erin
come
;
and the saint then requested the men of Erin to to one place to
bold a conference with him.
"When they came to the
conference, the Gospel of Christ
was preached to them all and when the men of Erin heard all the power of Patrick since his arrival in Eri, ;
and when they saw Laeghaire, with
come by the great presence of the
signs
men
all
his druids, over-
and miracles wrought
in the
bowed down in God and Patrick. It was then
of Erin, they
obedience to the will of that
the professors of the sciences in
Erin were
assembled, and each of them exhibited his art before Patrick, in the presence of every chief in Erin.
It
was
then that Dubhtach was ordered to exhibit the judg-
ments and
all
the poetry of Erin, and every law which
prevailed amongst the
vV
men
of Erin, through the
law of
h
His Compilation of
Brehon Laux
the
nature and the law of the seers, and in the judgments 1
(^
and in the
of the island of Erin,
"Now Spirit
poets.
judgments of true nature which the Holy had spoken through the mouths of the brehons the
and great poets of the men of Erin, occupation of this island Faith,
wore
What
did not clash
all
down
to
Dubhtach
by
exhibited
New
consciences of the believers, of the brehons by Patrick,
the chieftains of Erin
;
in
the
Testament, and with the
was confirmed
and by the
for the
laws
in the
ecclesiastics
and
law of nature had been
quite right, except the Faith and of the
first
Patrick.
to
God
with the word of
written law and in the
harmony
from the
the reception of the
its
obligations,
And
Church and people.
and the
this is the
Seanchus."
According to the Seanchus, the work was compiled in the reign of the
Roman emperor
the Irish monarch Laeghaire.
"Annals of the Four
Theodosius, ami of
There
.Masters''
ia
which
an entry
in the
states that
the
Seanchus and Feinechus of Ireland were purified and written in the Christ 438.
/
year of Laeghaire, the
tenth
There
is
not,
age of
however, any date given
in the Seanchus.
As almost every
date and event
the
in
saint has been a subject of controversy,
it
life
may
of
our
be sup-
posed that his influence on and connection with the
embodying of the national code would Prejudice so blinds those
argument
is
who
also be disputed.
arc afflicted
useless; and anyone
who
will
by
it
that
deny the
truth
of historical
which
conflict
records because they
with his private theories,
prove facts
may
be
left to
enjoy his pleasaut dream of self-confidence in peace. Truth, however,
is
none the
less truth;
and
-the Irish
Celt has ample historical ground for honoring his great saint both as a moral
We
have thought
and it
religious lawgiver.
well to add here a
successors of St. Patrick in the See of
seems to us a suitable conclusion to
list
of the
Armagh, as
it
this part of our
subject.
The Successors of
St.
Patrick in the Sec of Armagh.
The names and dates
in the following
pally taken from Ware, entries in the
and the Chronicum Scotorum, so cession is concerned
;
but
it
is
list
are princi-
"Four Masters,"
far as the early suc-
almost impossible to
reconcile several of the dates of accession and periods
of sitting, as the annalists followed different tations,
and Harris frequently
compu-
altered Ware's dates.
Other differences arise from the contentions for the
abbacy
—some writers
counting the legitimate sittings
in their integrity, while
facto sittings.
been used
others only reckoned the de
There are four early
— one
was taken from the Psalter
who republished
lists
which have
published by Colgan, which he states
it
of Cashel,
which Dr. Todd,
from a manuscript in the Bodleian
Library, calls the
Mac Richard, and which
Psalter of
>
>
>
appears to have been transcribed in 1454.
The other The second
three
list-;
have been printed by Dr. Todd.
from the Leabhar Breac, a manuscripl of
is
the fourteenth or fifteenth century,
The
Academy.
Irish
third
is
Lecan, written about 1390, and
The
fourth
now
in the
Royal
from the Yellow Book of
now
in Trinity College.
preserved in the Book of Leinster, corn-
is
idled l>y Finn
MacGrorman, Bishop of Kildare,
in the
middle of the twelfth century, and now also in Trinity (
!ollege.
TH
s
Armagh, according to the Annals of Ulster, was founded by St. Patrick A.n. 444, equal to our 445, which date has been adopted
^
by Usher and Ware
;
founded
a date
which
is
of the death of St. Scchnall,
whom
they
it
Aa>.
1">7,
while, according to the
call
at A.D. 447, ten years prior to their entry of
1.
St. Patrick.
Four Masters, ho
inconsistent with their entry
Bishop of Ard-MadiM, its
erection.
— Resigned, according to Ware,
in 455, in favor
of Benignus. 2.
Sechnall
St.
or Secundinus.
— He was
one of the sons of
Parerca, sister of St. Patrick, and Bishop of Dunshaughlin, county
The
Meath.
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, the
Four Masters, and
the O'Clerys, in the Martyrology of Donegal, style him
l'.ishop
of
Armagh and he is so entered in the four lists mentioned in the introductory note. They differ, however, as to the period he governed ;
the see
—the Psalter giving
which may be the entire of 1 College.
M -earthy he
^~
—This
c -mill spare
Manna
li*t
of Maynootii,
yean, and the other three, thirteen,
his episcopate.
has been carefully examined by the Very K.v. Dr. and !>y nfonaignor Mono, in the few momenta whieli
daring his short absence compiling it.
for the labor of
T
six
f, oin
Home.
lam
indebted to Mr.
3.
Benignus or Benen, succeeded
a.D. 455.
— He
was son of
Sescnen, descended from the Cianaclita of Glenn Gemhin, county
Londonderry, and when a boy became a favorite disciple of
Probus and Tirechan write he was
Patrick.
Usher quotes
diate successor.
St.
imme-
St. Patrick's
anonymous biographer, who
ail
wrote that St. Mocteus, of Louth, immediately succeeded
St.
Patrick in the See of Armagh, which he held for a few days, and
then enthroned St. Benignus. for a 4.
few days,
is
Mocteus, having only held the chair
not reckoned.
St. Jarlatii, succeeded A.D. 4G5.
of Saul, St. Patrick's
first
the Dalfiatachian race,
who resided
According to the Irish Life of
and became styled
as
was cousin of Dichu chieftain of
at Eath-Trena, in county
St. Patrick
In the
his disciple.
— He
and son of Trena, a
convert,
list
Down.
he was baptized by him,
in the Leahbar Breac,
he
is
having been of Cluain-Fiacla, a church mentioned in
the Lives of St. Patrick as having been on the banks of the river
Dabhal,
feacle,
now
the Blackwater, where a tooth of our saint was pre-
and of which
served,
St.
Lugud was abbot
in 580.
the Catholic parish church stands on the old •:•
It is
now
Clon-
on the margin of the counties of Armagh and Tyrone, and
Bishops
the other three
:
lists
List "
site.
which Harris adopts
assigns eighteen years to his sitting,
in
P
"
Ware's
Ware
allow only fourteen years.
gives his death at 11th February, 482. 5.
Cormac, succeeded
Laeghaire,
by
whom
him
Monarch
A.D. 482.
—He was son of Enda, brother of
of Ireland, and
was baptized by
St. Patrick,
The Four Masters call Chrioch-in-Ernnidhe, which O'Donovan thought was a
of
he was appointed to this
see.
corruption of Crioc-Loeguire, a territory near Trim, county Meath, of which place
and
his
where
Cormac had been
body was preserved
St.
;
but
also bishop, it
and where he
Mochta, of Louth, had been abbot, and
now
the old
cemetery of Urney, in the parish of Faughart, county Louth.
gan gives his died in 497.
life
at
died,
was more probably of Ernaidhe Col-
17th February ("Ada. SS." p. 358), and says he
The Four Masters have
49G.
The
lists
in "
P" and
pss
—
^^8*^^ // \
"
B"
I.
•
•
mors
in ih'
See of Armagh
yean for his sitting, the other two only four* modes of computation easily account for this
give fifteen
The
teen.
Sm
different
diversity.
Dui'.HT.u/ii
0.
by some
I.,
The Four Masters record
called
DuACH, succeeded a.i>. 497. and style him of Druim-
his death at 512,
Dearb, which O'Donovan, in his note ou that passage, thinks
is
probably Derver, a parish church in Louth.
The life of his successor, Ailill (••./•'.<. $8." p. 62), states that Duach governed this see sixteen years, and died in 612, which is Ware has 513. In a list of the date given by the Four Masters. the kings of Ireland in the Book of Leinster, he is styled Abbot of Ardmach, being the
and abbacy are stated 7.
St,
Ailill
I.,
first
succeeded a.d. 513.
13th January ("Ada. SS." held,
and
him
style
Gl),
— Colgan gives
on which day his
his
He had
been converted, with
at
life
festival
was
was of
live brothi
i
»,
his death at 525,
as of Ui-Breasail, which Dr. O'Donovan, in his notes,
was a
states
p.
The Four Masters, recording
Patrick.
St.
the bishopric
states that he, like his predecessor, St. Jarlath,
the Dalfiatach family.
by
known where
instance
to be conjointly held.
territory co-extensive with the
East, county
mistook the
But
Armagh. tribe, as
it
is
barony of O'Xcilland
quite evident that O'Donovan
he traces our bishop
to Urcasal, great-grand-
son of Colla da Chrioch, whereas Colgan expressly writes lie was descended from Bressal, grandson of Fiatach Finn, from whom the
There were territories in county and the Book of Leinster states that Ailill
Dal-Fiatach derived the name.
Down and
called Ui-Brcasal,
his successor
were both of Drumchad
in
Hi-BreesJL
are the remains of the church of Drumcath, alias
Drumca, near Clough, in question, lists state
in that county,
though the other name
which
is
is
There
Drumcad, now
obviously the church
obsolete.
Ware and
all
the
that he sat thirteen years, and that he died 13th January.
52G, for which the Martyrology of Donegal has 525. 8.
Ailill
II.,
succeeded a.d. 52G.
— He was of the same family
as his predecessor, sat ten years, and, according to
—
-
j-
j*
^^fca^^B^^^
_
Ware, died
u
538
Life of St. Patrick. which the Four Masters and Marian Gorman
1st July, 536, for
have 535. 9.
Dubhthach
or
race of Colla Uais,
Duacii
King
II.,
succeeded 536.
—He was of the
The Book
of Leinster adds
of Ireland.
that he was of the Ui-Tnirtre, a tribe descended from Fiachra Tort,
grandson of Colla Uais, originally seated on the west of Lough Neagh, and afterwards on the east of the Bann, where they
He
and
died,
according to the Four Masters and Colgan, in 547, for which
Ware
assumed the name of O'Flyn.
sat twelve years,
gives 548.
Fiachra, succeeded A.D. 548.
10.
of Colman, son of
Eogan
of
and Four Masters, at 550,
whom
the
Irish
lists
have
call
the
him David, son
Armagh and Legate
nan, Bishop of
—All
Book of Leinster calls son Enuch-Senmail. The Aunals of Ulster
Fiachra as Duach's successor,
of
all
of Guaire Ua-Foran-
Ireland,
whom
Colgan
(" Tr. Th." p. 293) contends are the same.
Feidlimid Finn,
11.
Hy-Niallan, a ing to the
succeeded a.d. to
territory
Book
the
east
of
551.
— He
was of the
Armagh, and,
of Leinster, grandson of Faelan of
accord-
Domnach-
Nemaind.
Two
him sitting twenty years, the Book of LeinThe Four Masters record his death at 577, as Armagh, and Ware, at 578.
of the lists have
ster only fifteen.
Abbot of 12.
Caerlan, succeeded
A.d. 578.
of Leinster only four.
— He was of Domnach-mie-hu-
give him ten years, the Book The Four Masters record his death on the
Garba, of the Ui-Niallain.
Three
lists
24th of March, 587 (rede 588). 13. calls
Eochaid,
him son
succeeded
A.D.
588.
—The
Book
of
Leinster
of Diarmait, and as of Domnach-Big-Druing.
The
him sitting ten years, the Yellow Book of The Four Lec'an fifteen, and the Book of Leinster only three. Masters record his death at 517 (rede 59S), and call him both Lcahbar Brcac has
bishop and abbot. 14. Senacii,
succeeded a.d. 598.
— The
Book
of Leinster calls
—
/.JlE?
*
J
» //
-
»
r-
S
--'/•.>.
the
i»i
See of Armagh.
him Senach-Garb, of Cluain-hu-mic-Gricci, of the Ui-Niallain (».«. the smith whd was in orders of Cill-mor). Kilmore ohnrch is in i
I'Neilland, about tour miles to tho east of
returned as sitting
fifteen,
are too long, as the Four .Masters record his death
and Ware 15.
at the
Mac
same
him bishop and abbot, and the
Two
Book of Leinster
16.
which
009— recle
610
—Tho Four Masters
state his death at
of the
632
(recte
have him fourteen years
lists
call
623), which sitting,
eighteen.
623.— The Four Masters call Hunan, and record his death at 6G0 (rcclc 661) the ;
Chronimm Seolorum describes him gives his a.ts at
10th January
from Venerable Bede the
640
variously of
St. T.'MiNK, succeeded a.d.
hiin son of
in
is
all
date.
Laisrb, succeeded a.d. G10.
agrees with Ware.
He
Armagh.
twelve, and thirteen years,
— during
as abbot
{"Ada
and bishop.
SS." p. 53), and quotes
letter written
by the clergy of
Holy See
the vacancy of the
Colgan
— to the
I
bishops and
abbots of the north of Ireland, on the Paschal controversy—among others, to this
Bishop Tomine
Cronan, Bishop of
Xendrum
;
;
Columban, Bishop of Clonard
Abbots of Moville, Bangor, and Ard-mae-Nasca, now Ilolywood, the county of
;
Dima, Bishop of Connor; and the in
Down.
17. St. Segene, succeeded A.D. 661.—The Book of Leinster calls him the son of Breasal of Achadh-Chlaidib, or Aghaclive, as the old
translation of the Annals of Kilclooney has
Armagh, and
it,
to
the south of
states that he held the Bee twenty-seven years,
which
agrees with the time of his death on the 24th of May, 687, the true year being 688, as corrected by Ware.
All the annalists style
him Bishop of Armagh. 18.
St. Fi.ann Fekiila, Bucoeede
1
A.D.688.
eighth in descent from C'olla-da Ciiorli.
—Son of Scanlan, and
He presided
over a synod
held in 695 or 697, where were present thirty-nine other ecclesis
among whom were St. Adamnan of lonaj St. Killen, Abbot of B Kyran; Cenn Faelai.lh, Abbot of Bangor; and Murrhu Mac G-MacTeni, writer of a Life of St. Tatrick in the Book of Armagh
:
Life of St. Patrick.
540
Monarch
Loingseach, son of Aengus, the Picts ; are
now
and forty-seven
him the
places his
and the
;
of
synod
Chroni-
702 (reck 70G); the Leabhar Breac and Psalter have
Assuming
of Leinster twenty-six.
and that he
Ware
sat twenty-seven years,
("Life of St. Patrick,"
Colgan ("Ada SS." is
Ware
the Four Masters at 704
;
King
acts of this
twenty-seven years, the Yellow Book twenty-four, and
sitting
Book
at
Bruide,
;
The
Burgundian Library, Brussels.
in the
death at 24th April, 715
cwm Scotorum
of Ireland
chiefs of territories.
p.
his accession at 688,
Dr. Todd
is correct.
481) adopts 704 for St. Flann's death.
24th July for his
p. 713) gives
festival;
but he
Tho
not mentioned in the Martyrologies of Donegal or Tallaght.
Leabhar Breac states he was the pupil of Berchan, son of Michan.
—
The Four Masters, as also him son of Crunmall, son of Konau of the Ui-Niallain. The Leabhar Breac calls him In-Sui, i.e. His death is set down at 21st June, 729 (rede 730), on the sage. 19. St.
the
list
Suibhne, succeeded A.d. 715.
in the
which day All the
Book
of Leinster, state
his festival is
lists
mentioned in the Martyrology of Donegal.
have him sitting
but that in the Yellow
fifteen years,
of Lecan, which assigns only twelve.
20. list
Book
Congus,
the
called
Book
of the
Scribe,
of Leinster he
is
son of Ainmire of Cuil-Athgoirt. Allan,
King of Ireland
and
;
it
succeeded A.D. 730.
— In
He was
appears that
it
confessor
was at
Hugh
to
on account of some
slain,
Hugh
sacrilegious act
committed by some of his people at Kilcooney, county Tyrone, a church belonging to the Bishop of Armagh. that he sat twenty years.
He
All the
lists
agree
died in 750, being styled Bishop of
Armagh. 21. styles
him
of
—The
Book
of Leinster
Druhn-Chetna, in Ui-Bresail, which
O'Donovan
Cele-Petaik, succeeded a.j. 750.
thought was the Ui-Bresail-Macha, where a branch of the race of Colla-da-Crioch had settled
which the
Ailills
belonged.
;
but
it is
more
Three of the
likely the lists
&'
his instance
that king fought tho Ulidians at Faughart in 732, where
Boin, their king, was
tho
called grandson of Dasluaig,
Drumchad
have him
to
sitting
\
i
—
i
years.
ighl
Pout
Yellow
Tlic
Book
Lccan only seven.
of
The,
Masters record his death at 757 (rede 758) as Abbot of
Armagh. S3.
him
Ferda-Crioch, succeeded
call
and assign years, ive
him sou
n
Omnnmael,
— Ware to 708, which,
Foendalach,
which first
might
it
to
defect-
i
illustrate this difficulty.
succeeded A.n. 7G8.
is
only ten
if sitting
Unfortunately, the Chronicum Scotoivm
23. Foeniul.U'ii, sat,
li
of Suibhne, son of Ronan, son of
from 71S to 804, otherwise
time he
—Three of the
The Four
Book
his death to 771
correct.
is
a.d. 758.
of Leinstei being silent.
sitting ten years, the
—The
lists differ
as to the
be accounted for by the contention
b
with Dubhdaleth, and afterwards with GtormghaL
The Psalter and Book of Leinstei have him
sitting only
thn
which agrees with Ware, that he succeeded in 768, and resigned in The Four .Masters have his death at 794 (reek 799). The 771. Vellow Book of Lccan has him sitting ten years, most likely count-
Gormghal
ing part of his successor's time.
is
not in any of the
lists,
though the Four Masters record his death at 805 (rede 810) as Abbot of Armagh and Clones. Perhaps he had retired to the latter.
24.
Dubhdaleth, succeeded
778.
a.m.
— He was son of Sinach,
according to the " Ogygia," the founder of the Claim Sinach,
The
so long held the see.
Psalter
list
has him sitting
who
fifteen years,
which agrees with Ware; the Leabhar Bread and Book of Leinster
The Four Masters
eighteen, taking three years from his predecessor.
have his death at 792 25.
;
Ware
at 793.
Airechtach, succeeded
A.D.
793.— All
tach as successor of Dubhdaleth, and
Ware has
••
lists
the same sitting.
Alliat as successor, with
at 793-798, record that
.
the
ha\
that he sat only one year.
Alliath,
The
Pour
Bishop of Aid Mai
ha,
and Aireachtach Da Paelain, Abbot of Ard-Macha, died on the same night."
of
The deaths
whom
been suffragans.
e-
of
many Bishops
of
Armagh
are styled successors o f Patrick.
-j.
are recordi
They appear
I,
none
to
have
Cudiniscus, succeeded a.d. 794.
26.
Conasuiehus
;
Book
the
All the
Cathbad, son of Eocliad.
Ware
— Ware
calls
him son
of
of Leiuster sou of Concas, grandson of lists
gives 798 for his death, the
have him sitting four years.
Four Masters 795
;
but
it is
altogether impossible to reconcile the chronology of the annalists
with Harris, the translator of Ware.
Conmach, succeeded
27. cessor,
a.d. 798.
—He
was son
of his prede-
Dubhdaleth of the Claim Sinach, so severely condemned by
Bernard, in his "Life of St. Malachy," for usurping the see for 208
St.
years
;
and the
list
Book
in the
of Leinster observes this
was the
son in succession to the father, as was prophesied by Bec-mac-De. It
was at
the clergy were exempted from warlike
his solicitation
expeditions.
The
and sixteen years
have him variously
lists
— that
cessor of Foendelach
in the
sitting fourteen, thirteen,
of Leinster
Ware, counting from
;
giving his death at 807
Four Masters, he
Book
but
;
making him
suc-
his dates, only nine,
we accept the chronology of the the period fixed by the Book
if
—
sat sixteen years
of Lecan, counting from the death of Cudiniscus, 790 (rede 795), to his
own sudden death
28.
in
806
Toebach, succeeded
811).
(rcctc
A.d. 807.
— Son of
Gorman, who had
been Abbot of Louth, of the Ui-Ceallach Breagh, of the same family with the celebrated Conn-na-Mbocht, of Clonmacnois. ted in the
one year.
He is
omit-
Book of Leinster list. The others assign him as sitting Ware and the Chronicum Scotorum have liis death at
808, the Four Masters at 807-812.
—
Nuad, succeeded a.d. 808. Had been Abbot of Loch Uarnh, now Lough Nahoo, in the parish of Drumlease, county The Book of Leinster omits him ; the other lists assign Leitrim. him three years' sitting. Ware writes, he died in 812, agreeing with 29.
in Breffny,
the Chronicum Scotorum 816.
Colgau has his
p. 373).
811-S16.
Ware The
has lists
ception of that in the
;
the Annals of Ulster and Four Masters,
life
at the 19th of February ("Acta SS."
his
death
at
812, the
Four Masters
at
have him sitting three years, with the ex-
Book
of Leinster, where he
is
omitted, like
M
bSI
>-
m.
~w_ the
)rs in
S
'/Armagh.
e
The Four Masters have,
his predecessor.
543 ath of
al
Toictheach (Ja-Tighearnaigh, Abbot of Armagh, but bis name
not in any of the
Mac
30.
Loing
of Loingsech, in .
.
-i.
succeeded a.d. 812.
thi
— He
is
called Fergus, son
Scotorum, where his death
i
and record
his
Book
him
sitting, variously, thirteen
in the
Ware
death at 825.
list
gives
of Leinster omits him
822 as the
the other
;
and seventi en
yeai
ice,
Cumnscagh, King of and confessor of
Niall Caille,
.Minister on primatial business, and,
Mac Loingsi,and on
his death
presumptive King of
visited
Connaught and
we may presume, was coadjutor
assumed the office
the protection of his powerful family. in
who was
and Eogan, Lector of
Oriel,
had on sever.d occasions
Airtri
have
s.
— Upon the death of Mac Loingsf,
31. Airrrru, succeeded a.d. 822.
half-brother to
date.
lists
great contention arose for the primacy between Airtri,
to
Btated
is
while the Four -Masters call him Flannghus, son of Loing-
The
Ireland.
is
lists.
He
absolutely, under
was, however, deposed
825, after the battle of Lethi-Cam, where his brother was slain.
All the lists assign
of the annalists his accession 32.
till
;
him but two
his death, 833.
back
the
all
with his death in 834.
and
It
have
lists is
— Ware
Iras
him
which exactly
eight,
1
sitting tallies
probable he had an assistant abbot,
829, the Four Masters record the death of Suibbne, son of
Fainneach, Abbot of Leinster
33.
A.D. 825.
Airtri's death, in 833,
till
only one year; but
force,
which agrees with the dates
EOOAN, of Monasterboice, succeeded
his succession
as, at
years,
whereas Ware gives him eleven, counting from
list
Armagh
states there
— perhaps tanist abbot.
and were not commemorated
Fobahnah,
The Rook of
were three erenaghs,who took the abbey by in
the
of K.ith-n.ic Mulais succeeded a.d. 834.
— All the
lorannan as immediate successor of Eogan, instead of 1
lermaidt >Tighernach
j
though
it
of the Four Masters, at 834, that
they state Forannan became abbot
;=5
might be inferred from the entry
Dermaid was in place of
first in
possession, as
the other. At B38 they
T~"
record another change,
when Dermaid succeeded.
these statements, and maintains that
all
O'Flaherty rejects
Forannan held the
without competition until 848; which agrees with two of the
which have him
He was
teen.
the Book of Leinster, sevenArmagh by Turgesius the Dane, resided
sitting fourteen years
driven from
;
in Minister four years, where, in 843,
Cluain-C'omharda,
now Colman's
He
he was taken prisoner at
Well, county Limerick, by the
Danes, and carried to their shipping,
wards released.
see
lists,
resigned in
from which he was
848, and died
after-
851 or 852;
according to the Four Masters, in the same year as Dermaid, his successor.
Dermaid O'Tighernach,
34.
35. St.
Fethgna, succeeded
calls
him son
lists
have him
He
five.
succeeded a.d. 848.
He
he was sitting four years.
state
—All the
A.D. 852.
—The
Book
sitting
twenty-two years, the Lcahhar Breac twenty-
according to the
Four Masters,
872; to the
Chronicum Scotorum, 874, which O'Donovan writes
The Martyrology
year.
of Leinster
Three of the
of Nechtan, of the Claim Eochadh.
died,
lists
died 851 or 852.
of
Donegal has his
is
the true at 12th
festival
February. 36.
Ainmire, succeeded A.D. 874.
<*
the
Book
Niallain,
of Leinster, he
—According
list
in
was grandson of Faelan, sovereign of
and one of the priesthood of Armagh.
ters write that
to the
The Four Mas-
he had been a priest thirty years, and only held
the see nine months, dying in 870.
Ware
fixes his
death a year
earlier.
37.
Cathasach, son of Robhartach, succeeded
Annals of Ulster, recording
Ardmach.
The
to seven years.
lists
his
vary as to the period of his
The Book
A.D. 875.
—The
death at 883, style him Prince of sitting,
from four
of Leinster states he was grandson of
Moinach, of the Clann-Suibhne. and that he died in pilgrimage in the name being illegible. Maelcobha, son of Crunnmhael, succeeded A.D. 883. He was taken prisoner by the Danes of Lough Cuan (Strangford), with
the island of 38.
,
—
V
S
Z7ts
in the
The Book
Mochta the Lector.
of
Sec of Armagh. was of the
I
family of Cill-mor, ami makes him precede Cathasach, conti
*o>
ther
lists,
and to the Four Masters. All the lists have him Ware only two, and dates liis death at 885 but
Bitting five years
the
;
;
Dr. B
Columba"haa
of
and which appears to be
itnviiatm Scolorum,
(
888, the date given also by
and recon
correct,
the differences.
cilea
39. St.
and a
—
Maelbrigde Mao Dornan, succeeded
aj>. 888. The him " a man full of the grace of God, of the wisdom and knowledge of his time," and
Martyrology of Donegal vessel full
calls
Hates he was of the race of
He was Abbot
Gulban.
('..nail
of
Raphoe, and in S91 succeeded Flann as Abbot of Iona, retaining
Two
Armagh.
of the
lists
have him
sitting thirty-nine years
Book of Lecan and Book of Leinster omitting the '.:
Colgan did
in transcribing
ary, 927,
who has him
mistake,
from
on which day
tie.
obits,
40. Joseph, succeeded a.d. S27.
him a
his death at 93G, call
is
was
:
and as he died 22nd
The Four Masters
of four of his coadjutor
—The Four
scribe, bishop,
According to the
the
held, this corrects Ware's
sitting forty-two years.
and Chronicum Scolorum have the bishops in Armagh.
wisest of the Irish.
Psalter
his feast
:
ten, as
first
Masters, recording
and anchorite, and the
list in
the
Book
of
Leu
son of Fathach of the Clann Fathgaeta of the Dalriattl
I
They were nine
\
41.
only
county Antrim.
located in
All the
lists
make him
sit
i
MaelpATBIOE, succeeded AD. 93C— Son of Mailtuile, sat months, and died in 936 the same year as his prede-
—
five
cessor. 42.
U
Cathasach
Dolgen, by
II.,
Ware and
937.— He is Book of Leinster, and son
succeeded a.d.
the
son of
called
of Fergus in
the Yellow Book of Lecan. lie is described as of Drnim-Thorraidb, otherwise Drumtorraig, the mo
MuntKADHACH,
son of
I",
rgus, succeeded
A.i».
057.—All
the
^^^^aas^g-
^
fes
lists
He
have him sitting nine years, and as then removed.
described as of Glinn-Arind, in Sliabh-Cuilenn,
now
is
one of the
glens in Slievegullen Mountain, in the south of county Armagh.
He
died the following year.
Dubhdaleth
44. list
in the
tuile,
was
Book
son of Cellaigh, succeeded A.D. 9G5.
II.,
—The
of Leinster states that Deolaid, daughter of Mail-
The place should be Inis-Cain-Dega, now a monastery taking its name from its
his mother.
Inishkeen, county Louth
—
founder, Bishop Daigh,
commemorated
at
Ware
18th August.
places his election at 9GG; but Dr. Beeves' "Life of Columba,"
396,
p.
at
9G5, which
the corrected date in the Chronicum
is
2nd June, 998, number assigned by three of the
Scotorum, tallies w-ith the date of his death,
after
sitting thirty-three years, the
lists,
and in 45. is
his eighty-third year.
Mukechan,
of Both-Domnaig,
variously called in the
Three of the
lists
lists
succeeded A.D.
998.
— lie
son of Eathach and son of Ciaracan.
have him sitting three years, the Yellow Book of
Lecan nineteen, computing most likely from his appointment as assistant to as 992,
Dubhdaleth, for as such we have him acting so early
when he
visited the
Kinel-Owen and the
rest of the north
of Ireland, and inaugurated Aedh, sou of Domhnall O'Neill, as king.
He
resigned in 1001, and died in 1005, in the seventieth or seventy-
second year of his age. 46.
Maelmuire, son
succeeded A.D. 1001. visited
Armagh
of Eochaidh, of the race of Colla da Chrioch,
— During
in 1004,
his prelacy the celebrated Brian
Bom
and presented a golden ring of twenty
ounces as au offering on the high altar of the church, at the same time he caused
by
an
entry to be
made
in the
Book
of
Armagh,
his confessor, Maolsuthain, ratifying the ancient privileges of
the see, of which the following
when going to heaven, ordained as well as of baptism,
and
is
a translation
decisions, as of alms,
was
to the apostolic city, which in the Scotic tongue
macha.
Thus
I
have found
it
" St. Patrick,
:
that the entire produce of his labor, to be delivered
is
called
in the records of the Scots.
ArddThis
is
//
my
Successors
namely, Calms Perennis, in the
wriiinur,
sovereign of the Scuts
and what
;
Maolsuthain, whose death
ally
is
the Latin
the
:
/'
'ah
I
i
recorded at 1031
is
of
Brian,
have written he decreed
equivalent for Cashel.
body of Brian and
.
nnu
— as the
After
the
for
is liter-
word battle
his sou,
Murchadh,
to
Armagh,
Maelmuire died 3rd June, 1020, having
where they were interred. sat
presence
547
23rd April, 1014, Maelmuire with his clergy con-
Cloiitarf,
of
1
The Latin form
the terms of Maceria."
all
See of Armagh.
in the
nineteen years.
Amalgaui, succeeded
•17.
In 1021
predecessor.
1020.— Son
a.d.
made
lie
of Maelmuire, has
a visitation of Minister, the first
by any of the successors of
St.
Patrick,
attended the death-bed of King Malaehy.
and the next year
The Psalter has him
thirty yean, the other lists only twenty-nine, agreeing with
.
the record of his death in 1019. After his death some writers havo for his successor Giila Patrick, son of
was merely
distinctly state he
Dubudaleth
48.
predecessor,
succeeded
III.,
Donald, but the Four Mastera
prior. a.
k KM.
i.
— Was brother of his
and had been chief lector of Armagh.
According to
the annals, he assumed the abbacy the day of his predecessor's death,
and the next year made a
visitation of the Kind Owen, In between Dublulaleth and Cumuscagh the abbacy and it appears certain, as Dr. Lani-
10G0 there was great I
>'ll.
rudan, as to
strife
;
oought, that he resigned about that time in favor of his com-
The
petitor.
four
havo him sitting twelve yean, thereby
lists
fixing his resignation in 1261, his successor,
Cumuscagh,
to
ing this, allows on]
All the
have
favor
fixing Dubhdaleth'e resignation at
He penance. cessors,
40.
died
I
both unfortunately
Si
BJJ
bis
lists
allow three years for
Ware, though acknowledgpeculiar chronology; but
1261- _ reconciles the app
September, 1Q64, alter praiseworthy of Ireland,
and a history of
his prede-
lost.
O'llrui 1;AN, succeeded A.D.
stated, sat three years,
"4,
I
He wrote Annals
OUMUBOAGH
sat.
1061.—As above
and resigned on the death of
his prede-
—
Life of St. Patrick.
He
cessor.
according to the Annals of Ulster, in
died,
1071, .;
Head
being there called 50.
of the Irish Poor.
Maelisa, succeeded a.d. 1064.
decessor,
and
sat,
according to the
— Son
lists,
of Amalgaid, his pre-
twenty-seven years, though
by the computation of the Four Masters he
died, after penance,
20th December, 1091. 51.
Domhnall, succeeded
his predecessor,
made
visitations of Ulster
endeavored to
a.d. 1091.
— Was
brother of Maelisa,
on whose death he was immediately
effect
and Munster.
installed.
He
In 1099 and 1105, he
a peace between the southern O'Briens and
northern M'Loughlins, both claiming the sovereignty of Ireland.
In the latter year he took to Swords, Duleek,
ill
in Dublin,
and was conveyed thence
and Armagh, where he died on
St.
day, 12th August, in his sixty-eighth year, and was buried in
The Books
of Lecan and Leinster have
him
Laisren's
Armagh.
sitting fourteen years,
the Leabhar Breac only eight, an obvious mistranscript. 52. St.
•*;•'
Cellach, otherwise Celsus, succeeded A.D. 1105.
Grandson of Maelisa, and nephew of Domhnall, his immediate predecessor ; was immediately consecrated on St. Adamnan's day (23rd September), in his twenty-seventh year. tions through Ulster, Munster,
He made
visita-
Connaught, and Meath, and, in
1111, presided over the synod of Fiabh-mic-Aenghusa, in West-
meath, where were assembled
fifty
bishops, three hundred priests,
and three thousand students. In 1126 he consecrated the great Jlcglcs Church of SS. Peter and Paul, which had been erected by Imar O'Hagan.
The Four Masters record
in county Limerick,
having spent a
life
body being buried
At
1st April,
his death at Ardpatrick,
1129, in
his fiftieth year,
of fasting, prayer, and mass-celebration
after
—
his
in Lismore. lie wrote several theological works.
his death, deploring the miseries
and
sacrilege
which arose
from the hereditary succession in his family, he, by his
will,
directod that he should be succeeded by his vicar, the great St.
Malachy, and enjoined the kings of Munster to have this object carried out.
His
festival is placed
in
the
Roman and Donegal
J
His Successors
m
See of Armagh
the
Martyrologiea on 6th April, having been transferred from the
Isfc.
(Mi tho death of Celsns, notwithstanding his dying directions,
and
and people of Ireland,
the wishes of the clergy
Ml QtCHKRTAOH or Maurice, tho son of Donald, who
died in
1106, assumed the abbacy, through the influence of his powerful family,
and had himself immediately
intrusion existed for five years, 1
74>
and was then continued
134,
brother of St. Celsus.
till
in the
This uucanonical
installed.
his death,
17th September,
person of his cousin, Niall, the
Niall died in 1132, after intense penance.
Malaciiy, otherwise MaelmabDOG (Ja-MoRGATB,
53. St.
ceeded a.d.
— He
1132.
suc-
was a native of Armagh, and had been
Abbot of Bangor and Bishop of Connor, and was electnl Primate in 1132, at a synod convoked by Malchus, Bishop of Lismore, and Gillebert,
Bishop of Limerick, Legate of the Apostolic See. In 1136
he resigned the see, having accomplished tho peace of the see, and retired to the bishopric of
On
Down, which he separated from Connor.
tho 12th of June, 1138,
his
brother,
Christian O'Morgair,
Bishop of Clogher, died, and was interred under the great altar in
Armagh.
In
Down
the palls for
at Clairvaux,
November
afterwards proceeded to Rome, to
Armagh and
Cashel,
in
the arms of St. Bernard, on the
that year, in
His
his fifty-fourth year.
been transferred to 3rd November. life
solicit
and was then appointed Legato
In 1148 he again set out for Rome, but died on his
for Ireland.
way
he founded several monasteries, and restored
He
Bangor and Saul.
A
2nd
festival
valuable and exhaustive
of this eminent saint has been written by the Rev.
O'Hanlon, which embodies the great .">!.
1136.
St. Gklasius, otherwise
— The Yellow Book of
of Rory, and the
He had been
sixteen
years
secrated
to
this
sec.
by
St.
John
Bernard.
Cii.i.a-Mac-Liag, succeeded a.d.
Lecan
name Mac-Liag
appointment to Armagh by
life
of
has
calls is
him son
of Diarmaid, son
explained as son of the poet.
Abbot of Derry, previous to hie Malachy, by whom he was con-
St.
His visitations of different parts of the
kingdom, and the synods which he held, are noticed in tho
£
—
Life of St. Patrick.
550
his death at 27th
March,
festival is held), in the eighty-seventh
year of
The Four Masters record
Annalists.
1173 (on which his
his age, as a son of chastity, filled
with purity of heart towards
all
mankind. 55.
Cornelius
Mac
family of
Mac
Concalede, succeeded
1174.
a.d.
—The
Concalede appear to have been Erenachs of Deny,
though the Chambery Life makes our bishop a native of Armagh,
and
to have,
The Book
been born there 17th September, 1120.
of
him the Bishop Hua Muireadhach. He succeeded Mochaibeo in the abbacy, and the same year became
Leinster calls Gilla
St.
Having proceeded
Primate. see,
to
Rome on
matters relating to the
he died on his return home, at the church of
St. Peter's,
Lemenc, near Chambery, in Savoy, 4th June, 1176, where his
body
is
still
preserved, on which day his festival
church as St.
the late Primate Dixon, 50.
Gilbert
A
Concord. is
portion
now
O'Caran,
of his
in the church of
succeeded
He was
moted from the bishopric of Eaphoe. by the English St.
at
Down, with
Patrick and other
canon and
the
procured by
Armagh.
117G-7.
a.d.
held in that
is
relics,
— Was
Jinitj'a'ulhcch
He
but afterwards released.
relics,
pro'
taken prisonel of
died
in 1180. 57.
Thomas
or
Tomaltagh O'Conor,
The Four Masters record tion at
1184,
succeeded a.d. 1181.
his consecration at 1181,
when Maelisa
O'Carrol
and
his resigna-
was consecrated.
After
Maelisa's death in 1187, he resumed the Primacy, and died in 1207,
ami was buried in Mellifont.
He was son of Hugh, son of Torlogh He assisted with Cardinal Vivian
O'Conor, King of Conuaught.
at the translation of the relics of SS. Patrick, Columba,
and Brigid,
in Downpatrick, in 1184. 58.
Maelisa O'Carrol, succeeded
a.d.
had been previously Bishop of Clogher, correct he
Armagh
was only
1184.
bift if
—Ware
states
he
the Four Masters are
bishop-elect, as they record his consecration to
in 1184, and, at 1187, his death, as
has for his successor in Armagh,
Bishop of
Oriel.
Ware
Amlavo O'Murid; but the Ordnance
His S
in the See
of Armagh.
Memoir of Derry shows that be was Bishop Kind Firry in Tyrone, and not of Armagh. 59. Figexe, otherwise Eohdoun Mac (in.r,.\ A.n. 1202.
—Appointed
by the Pope, who
and was
of three other claimants,
authority.
He
finally
Ardstraw and
of
T
ii>m
I
551
BttO
i;,
set aside the preten
acknowledged by the royal and died
assisted at the Council of Lateran,
in
Rome
in 121G.
GO.
Luke Netterville, Archdeacon
of
Armagh, succeeded
A.D.
1217.— Having been confirmed by the Pope, he was consecrated by Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury, and died 17th April, 1227, Gl.
and was buried
according to his request.
in Mellifont,
NICHOLAS, a canon of Armagh, succeeded
A.n. 1227.
— He
was unanimously elected by the chapter, confirmed by Pope Gregory
and consecrated by the Iiishop of Tusculum, but resigned
IX.,
favor
of his successor,
who during
in
his absence
had received royal
succeeded A.D. 1227.
— Translated from
institution.
G2.
DONAT O'FlDABKA,
Clogher, which he had governed nine years.
Died
in
England,
returning from Rome, October, 1237. G3. friar,
Albert of Cologne, succeeded
1240.— A Franciscan
A.D.
consecrated at Westminster, 30th September, 1240, by the
Bishop of Worcester, the Pope's
in presence of
He
legate.
Archbishop of Livonia.
resigned
King Henry
III.
121G, and
in
De Burgo (Mb. Dom.)
provincial of the Dominicans, as appointed in
and Otho,
was appointed
has one Henry, a 1245, but the Bull
must have been issued under a misconception of Albert's death. G4.
Reiner, succeeded
A.d. 124G.
— On the resignation of Albert,
the Annals of Ulster state that the Bishop of Rath-Luraigh,
now
Maghera, county Derry, was elected, but Reiner, a Dominican friar of Irish birth
—
in the opinion of
had been sent into England by
St.
De Burgo, one of twelve who
Rome, was appointed by Pope Innocent
He
returned to
Rome
in
r
1 2.
>.'5,
— being then at
Dominic himself IV.,
and there consecrated.
and died there
in
1
25G, having sepa-
rated the old see of Louth from Clogher, and annexed
it
to his
own.
I
Co.
Abraham O'Connellan,
succeeded a.d. 1257.
—Was
Arch-
Presbyter of the church of Armagh ; confirmed by the Pope in Rome,
He
same time receiving the pallium.
at
GG. friar,
Patrick O'Scanlain, succeeded
1270-1.
Mac
Nicholas
1299, calling
" the
him
1293,
it
— A Dominican
his being honorably received
in 1270.
Molissa, succeeded a.d. 1272.
he died 10th May, 1303
;
was revealed
—Ware writes
but the Four Masters record his death at
most godly and devout
While he
time in Ireland."
a.d. 12G1.
died at Dundalk, 16th March,
The Four Masters record
by the King of England G7.
He
and Bishop of Eaphoe.
died 21st December, 12G0.
to
sat,
ecclesiastic of his
She Four Masters relate that, in
him wh^re the
relics
of St. Patrick,
Columba, and Brigid, were deposited, at Saul, near Downpatrick,
and that he had them taken up, whereby great miracles were In his annotations on this passage, Dr. O'Donovan most
wrought.
unwarrantably and
illogically argues against the
of the same relics in
1 1 85,
former translation
under the supervision of Cardinal Vivian,
Thomas O'Conor, Bishop of Armagh, and Malachy, Bishop of Down, and about forty other bishops, because not recorded by the Irish annalists,
and only by English
historians,
and in the
Ofiice of
theTranslation, published in Paris in 1G20, andreprinted byColgan; asserting that
Down, then
was a scheme of De Courcey
it
in his possession.
proves nothing, for his
argument that
many it is
to
add dignity
But the omission by our
to
annalists
other important events are unnoticed; and
hard to believe that the
been deposited in a costly shrine, could be
relics, after
having
lost in the course of the
next century, betrays great ibrgetfulness of the disturbed state of Ulster in that period; that in 12G0 Brian O'Neill effort to drive the
1220, as
Bymer
English from
Down; and
states, the prior
and monks of
mitted, or iutended to transmit, to
feretnm
him a
in
which those
relics
resting-place in England.
made
a desperate
that, previous to this, iu
Henry
St. Patrick trans-
III. of
England, the
were enshrined, and sought from It
was perhaps about
the relics were secretly buried in Saul.
this period
-
—XJ
„r^=^ Q&~~~.
kSfl&s
Efts Successors in the
Miohabl, 1303.
v
— A Franciscan
See of Armagh,
friar of
Armagb, was
elected by
the dean and chapter, and received the royal assent and certificate for the Pope's confirmation,
John Taafe,
C8.
but died before consecration.
succeeded A
Clement V., and consecrated
D.
1306,
— Was appointed by Pope
Rome, where he died
in
in 130G, the
business of the see having been transacted by his Vicar-General,
Reginald Taafe.
Walter de
69.
Jorse, succeeded a.d. 130G.
and brother to Thomas Jorse, Cardinal of
friar,
—A St.
Dominican
Sabina; was
appointed by the Pope, and consecrated by Nicholas, Cardinal of
He was an eminent writer, and resigned the see, accordDe Burgo, in 1307; but according to Ware, ou lGth Novem-
Ostium. ing to ber,
1311
which Harris shows to have been too
;
late, as in
Pope's letter appointing his successor, the church of
the
Armagh
is
stated to have been long vacant. 70.
Roland de Jorse,
and brother of
succeeded a.d. 1311;
his predecessor;
November, 1311, and consecrated
He
Tusculum.
—A
in
Rome by
Berengar, Bishop of
resigned 20th March, 1321-2.
De Burgo
several authorities, showing that Martin of Bologna
successor to Walter in 1307, possibly on to the latter's death 71.
;
Dominican,
was appointed by the Pope, 13th quotes
was appointed
some misapprehension
as
but this appointment wasnot carried out.
Stephen Segrave, succeeded a.d. 1322.— Dean
of Lichfield,
appointed by Pope John XXII., died 27th October, 1333.
—
72. David MacOirechtoigh, succeeded a.d. 1334. Dean of Armagh; elected by the Chapter, and confirmed by Pope John
XXII., the 4th of July, 1334, and consecrated at Avignon.
^
V
cording to the Four Masters he died in 1343
134G as the true year, and Ware gives lGth 73.
May
;
Ac-
but O'Flaherty has
from the Annales NenaghUnscs,
in that year.
Richard Fitzralph, succeeded
a.d.
1347.
—A
native of
Dundalk, and successively Chancellor of Lincoln, Archdeacon of Chester,
and Dean of
Lichfield
;
appointed by Pope Clement VI.,
31st July, 134G, and consecrated at Exeter, 8th July, 1347. Several
«i«,.-rirr7
fc"
\-i,
-"fC'M*
;
;
of his works have been published, and some remain in manuscript.
He
died at Avignon, 16th November, 13G0, and in 1370 his body-
was removed
to his native
town by Stephen deValle, Bishop of Meath.
Milo Sweetman, succeeded
74.
kenny
A.D. 1361.
cathedral, in diocese of Ossory, to
He
elected.
—Treasurer of
Kil-
which see he had been
proceeded to Avignon for the Pope's confirmation
but the Pope, having already conferred Ossory on John of Satenale,
He
appointed him to Armagh.
died at Dromiskin, county Louth,
11th August, 1380. 75. in
John Colton,
succeeded A.D. 1382.
—A native of Norfolk, In 1374 he
England, in which country he held several livingsn
was
elected
Dean
of St. Patrick's, being then treasurer of Ireland.
In 1379 he became lord chancellor, and in 1382 was advanced by
Pope Urban VI. years.
to this see.
He was lord
justice of Ireland
some
Early in 1404 he resigned Armagh, and, dying 27th April
that year, was buried in St. Peter's, Drogheda.
—
A secular priest; 7G. Nicholas Fleming, succeeded a.d. 1404. was appointed by Pope Boniface IX, and consecrated 1st May, 1404 died in June, 1416, and was also buried in Drogheda. 77.
John Swayn, succeeded
Meath, and a prebendary of
St. Peter's,
78.
III.;
was consecrated
Dublin.
Appointed by
He
in
Drogheda.
John Peene,
succeeded A.D. 1439.
was appointed by Pope Eugene 1439.
—Rector of Galtrim, in
Pome, February, 1417. Re1439, and, dying a few years afterwards, was buried in
Pope Martin signed in
A.D. 1417.
St. Patrick's,
IV.,
—Archdeacon of Armagh;
and consecrated November,
died at Termon-Fechin, county Louth, 13th June, 1443,
and was there buried. 79.
John Mey,
succeeded A.D. 1444.
—
Official of
vicar of Delvin and Kilmessan in that diocese
;
Meath, and
appointed by Tope
Eugene IV., and consecrated 20th June, 1444. He died 1456. Appointed Abbot of Navan 80. John Bole, succeeded A.D. 1457.
—
in
1
450
;
was advanced to
secrated June, 1457.
He
this see
by Pope Calixtus
died 18th February, 1170.
III.,
and con-
John Foxallb, Boooeeded a.i>. Ho died
81.
1475.
pointed by Pope Sixtoa IV.
in
—A
Franciscan, ap-
England, 1476-7, having
never visited the sea En.MiNi) CouNKsnuRGii, succeeded
B8.
by Tope Sixtus IV.
1477.—Appointed
a. p.
Resigned, 10th November,
1
178.
iavian de Palatio, sneceeded ah. 1480.—A native of Florence, who had been Apostolic Nuncio and Administrator to the -
ii.
\.
see to his predecessor;
was appointed by Pope Sixtus
He
ted, -March, 1480-1.
St. Peter's,
died, June, 1513,
and conin
Drogheda,
84 Joiin KITS, became chaplain
to
ad. 1513.— A native of London,
succeeded
Henry
VIII., sub-dean of the Chapel
September, 1510, rector of Weyhill,
and, in
IV.,
and was buried
in
the
Royal,
diocese
of Worcester, from which he was appointed to the primacy by Pope Leo X. In February, 1518, he went as ambassador to Spain with
John Lord Pernors, from which lie returned in 1519. In 1521, he resigned the primacy was subsequently appointed Archbishop of ;
Thebes in Greece, and commendatory Bishop of
He
Carlisle in
England.
died 18th June, 1537, and was buried in St. Margaret's church
Westminster.
George Cromer,
85.
byter
;
1522. 86.
succeeded a.d. 1521.
— An
English pre
was appointed by Pope Leo X., and consecrated
He died 16th March, 1542. Robert Waucop, succeeded a.d.
appointed bishop by Pope Paul this see.
He
1510.
—A Scotchman
;
was
with right of succession to
took an active part in the negotiations of the Irish
princes with the French king
Worms, and
III.,
in April,
;
was present at the conference of
assisted at the Council of Trent,
He
died 10th No-
vember, 1551. 87.
George Dowdall,
county Louth; had been
succeeded a.d. 1553.— A native of the
official
to Dr. Cromer,
schismatically appointed to the see, 28th
then
full.
and on
his deal
November, 1543, although
He, however, warmly opposed the Reformation, and
obliged to go into exile.
After Waucop's death he was canonically
«
Life of St. Patrick.
556
appointed in consistory, 1st March, 1553.
He
died in London,
15th August, 1558. 88.
of
Donatus Teige Fleming,
the diocese of Limerick
;
succeeded a.d. 15C0.
was appointed
—A
priest
7th
in consistory,
February, 15G0; shortly after consecrated, and received the pallium
He
27th March following.
rick
;
died in 1563.
—A native of Lime-
Eichard Creagh, succeeded
a.d. 1564.
was appointed
22nd March, 1564, and
89.
enduring
much
in consistory,
persecution and imprisonment,
was poisoned
after
in the
Tower of London, 14th October, 1585. 90.
Edmund MacGauran,
succeeded A.d. 1587.
— He
was
ap-
pointed Bishop of Ardagh, 1584, and translated to Armagh, 1st
He was
July, 1587.
killed near Tulsk, county
Roscommon, June,
1593. 91.
Peter Lombard, succeeded
a.d. 1601.
—A native of Water-
ford and an eminent Franciscan; was appointed in consistory, 9th July, 1601, 92.
and died 1625.
Hugh MaoCaghwell,
Saul, near
Downpatrick; was
He
appointed in 1626.
succeeded a.d. 1626. also
—A native
of
an eminent Franciscan, and
died 24th September, 1626.
When young
he was selected by Hugh, Earl of Tyrone, as tutor for his sons, Hugh and Henry. Several of his works have been published. 93.
Hugh
O'Reilly, succeeded a.d. 1628.— Promoted from the
bishopric of Kilmore, 21st August, 1628; died, 7th July, 1651, or February, 1653 94. priest
Edmund
;
was buried
in Trinity Island,
O'Reilly, succeeded a.d. 1654.
county Cavan.
— Had been a parish
and Vicar-General of the diocese of Dublin.
Was
on 15th March, 1657; consecrated in the following year. 1669. 95.
Oliver Plunket, succeeded
Crew, county Meath.
A.d. 1669.
appointed
Died
in
—A native of Lough
Appointed in consistory, 9th July, 1669,
and consecrated by the Bishop of Ghent, 30th November following. Suffered martyrdom in London, 1st July, 1681. 96.
Dominick Maguire, succeeded
A.D. 1681.
— A native of Fer-
His Successors managhj was appointed
in
See of Armagh.
the
After the Revolution he was
in 1681.
obliged to Beek exile in France, where he died in 1708, and was
buried in the College des Lombardes.
Hugh M'MAHON,
97.
Buooeeded a.d. 1715.
— Had been appointed
Bishop of Clogher in 1707, and translated to Armagh,
2nd of August, 1737, and buried
Bernard M'MAHON,
98.
in
succeeded A.D. 1738.
— Had been ap-
pointed Bishop of Clogher in 1715, and translated to
Died 27th May,
1738.
1717,
Died
17ir>.
Drogbeda.
and buried
in
Armagh
Ematria,
i:
in
county
bfonaghan.
Ross M'Mahon, succeeded
99.
Had
decessor.
lated to
100.
a.d. 1747.
—Brother of his
pre-
been appointed Bishop of Clogher, 1738, and trans-
Died 29th of October, 1748.
Armagh, 1717.
Michael O'Reilly, succeeded a.d. 1749.- Had been Vicar-
General of Kilmore
and translated
to
;
consecrated Bishop of
Armagh, 1749.
1
(erry, tth April,
1739,
Died 1758, and was buried
in
Drogheda. 101.
Anthony Blake,
of Galway, are. 1750,
succeeded a.d. 1758.
— Appointed Warden
and Bishop of Ardagh, 1751
;
translated to
Armagh, 1758, and died in Galway, December, 1787. Was consecrated 102. Richard O'Reilly, succeeded a.d. 1 787.
—
coadjutor to Dr. O'KeetTe, Bishop of Kildare, and thence translated to
Armagh 103.
in 1782, with full powers.
Died 31st January, 1818.
A
Patrick Curtis, succeeded ad. 1819
native of county
Month, and had been President of the College of Salamanca, Spain, for thirty years.
Consecrated 2Sth October,
181'J,
in
and died
2Cth July, 1832. 104.
Thomas Kelly,
succeeded a.d. 1832.
— A native ofEscragh,
Maynooth.
was junior Dean and Professor of Theology in Consecrated Bishop of Dromore, 27th August, 1826
translated to
Armagh 23rd December,
county Tyrone
Curtis,
105.
;
;
whom
he succeeded in 1832.
William CbOLLY, succeeded
lykilbcg, near Downpatrick, county
5S
v^Li
1828, as coadjutor to Primate
Died 13th January, L8S5. A.D. 1835.
Down.
— A native of
Was
Bal-
a Professor in
ibt.
!
>
Life of St. Patrick. Maynooth, and Parish Priest of
Belfast.
.
Consecrated Bishop of
Down and Connor 1st May, 1825, and translated May, 1835. He died at Drogheda, Cth April, buried in the 106. sistory,
new
Armagh, 8th
1819, and
was
Armagh.
cathedral,
Paul Cullen,
to
succeeded A.d. 1850.
—Appointed
in con-
8th January, and consecrated at Eome, 21th Februry, 1850,
and translated
15th August, 1852.
to Dublin,
—
Joseph Dixon, succeeded a.d. 1852. A native of Killyman, county Tyrone was Professor of Hebrew and Sacred ScripAppointed in consistory, 1th October, and tures in Maynooth. Died 29th April, consecrated in Maynooth, 21st November, 1852. 107.
;
18G6. 108.
Micuael Kieran, succeeded
A.D.
186G.
—A
native of
Darva, county Louth, and Parish Priest of Dundalk.
Consecrated
Died at
Forthill, near
3rd February, 1SG7, by Cardinal Cullen.
Dundalk, September, 1SG9. 109.
Daniel M'Gettigan, succeeded
May, 1856, and translated
Si. Fiacc's
As wc
a.d. 1870.
—A
native of
Consecrated coadjutor Bishop of Eaphoe, 18th
county Donegal.
Hymn
to
or
Armagh, 8th March, 1870.
Poem on
the Life of St. Patrick
arc anxious to include in the present
every document relating to
St. Patrick, in
volume
order to put
the reader in possession of a complete repertory of Lis life
and
the
Hymn
acts,
we append
the
Hymn
of St. Fiacc and
of St. Sechnall or Secundums.
lation of the
"Ecclesiastical
Hymn
of St. Fiacc
Eecord"
lished from the O'Curry
for
is
The
trans-
given from the
March, 18G8, and was pub-
MSS.
in the Catholic University.
—
^
FT //
n
n
•;/'
559
Fiacc.
.S7.
has also been translated by Mr. Whitley Stokes in his " Goidilica." For further information as to the authen-
It
and probable date of
ticity
position,
present 1.
we
volume
chapter
ii.
p. 43, of
the
:
Patrick was born at
A
most interesting com-
this
refer the reader to
Emptor
this it
:
that history relates to us.
is
child of sixteen years (was he)
when
lie
was taken
into
bondage. 2.
Succat was his name,
He was
it is
said
who was
;
his father
is
thus told
son of Calpurn, son of Otidus, grandson of Deochain
Odissus. 3.
He was
six years in slavery
Cothndge he was
5m. t.
Victor said to Milcho's slave
He
human
;
called, for as slave :
food he ate
Go thou
"
it
not.
he served lour families.
placed his foot upon the leac (stone):
over the sea its trace
:"
remains,
it
wears not away. 5.
lie sent
him
across all the Alps
over tho sea marvellous was
;
his course,
Until he staid with Germanus in the south, in southern Letha. C.
In the islands of the Tyrrhene Sea he staid tated
;
therein he medi-
:
He 7.
read the canon with Germanus: it is this that history relates. To Ireland he was brought back in visions by the angels of God
:
Often was he in vision solicited to return thither again. -
Ireland was the coming of Patrick to Fochlaidh
Ivatiuii to
Afar was heard the sound of the
call
of the youths of
;
(.'aill-
Fochladh. 9.
They prayed that the
saint
would come, that he would return
from Letha,
To 10.
convert tho people of Erin from error to
The Tuatha faith
That
it
life.
of Erin were prophesying that a
new kingdom
of
would come, would
waste and
last for
evermore
:
the land of Tara would be
silent.
J«
'
;
11.
The druids
of Loegairo concealed not from
Patrick
him the coming
of
;
Their prophecy was verified as to the kingdom of which they spoke. 12. Patrick
walked
in piety
extirpation of sin
13.
till
his death
:
he was powerful in the
:
He raised his hands in blessing upon the tribes of men. Hymns, and the Apocalypse, and the thrice fifty (psalms) he was wont
He
to sing;
preached, baptized, and prayed
;
from the praise of God he
ceased not. 14.
The
cold of the weather deterred
night in ponds
By heaven on the I4£j'
15.
his
him not from passing the
:
kingdom was protected ; he preached by day
hills.
In Slan, in the territory of Benna-Bairche, hunger or thirst possessed
him
not.
Each night he sang a hundred psalms, to adore the King of angels. 16.
He
slept
A bare
on a bare
stone,
and a wet
rock was his pillow
;
sack-cloth around
him
;
he allowed not his body to be in
warmth. 17.
He
preached the Gospel to
all
;
he wrought great miracles in
Letha
He 18.
healed the lame and the lepers
Patrick preached to the Scoti
With him to the 19.
The sons
will life
come
:
the dead he restored to
judgment everyone
to
toil in
whom
life.
Letha
:
he brought
of faith.
of Emer, the sons of
To the abode
;
he endured great
of Satan
Eremon,
all
went to
—they were swallowed up
Cisal,
in the deep
abyss, 20. Until the apostle
tempests
He
came
to
them: he came despite the raging
:
preached, for three-score years, the cross of Christ to the tribes of Feni.
;
:
5G1
flywwi
On
the land of Erin there was darkness
;
theTuatha adored tho
sidhi
They believed not
Armagh away
In
in the true
there, is
Deity of the true Trinity.
sovereignty
;
long since Email] passed
it is
;
A
great church
is
Dun-Lethglasse
wish not that Tara should
I
;
be a desert. Patrick,
An
when he was
in sickness, desired to
go to Armagh
:
angel went to meet him on the road in the middle of the day.
Patrick came southwards towards Victor to
meet him
The bush
in
;
he
it
was that went
:
which Victor was, was in a blaze
;
from the flame
;
return thanks
he (the angel) spoke.
He
said
Thy
:
Armagh
dignity (shall be) at
to Christ
To heaven thou shalt come thy prayer is granted thee. The hymn which thou chosest in life shall be corselet of ;
26.
tection to
Around for
pro-
all.
Day
thee on the
of
Judgment
the
men
of Erin will
como
judgment.
Tassach rcmaincth after him
communion
to
him
(in Sabhall),
having given tho
:
i
He
said that Patrick
not
would return: the word of Tassach was
false.
i
He (St. !
L J.
To At
Patrick) put an end to night; light ceased not with
a years' end there was radiance
;
it
him
:
was a long day of peace.
the battle fought around 13eth-horon against the Canaanites
by the son of Nun,
The son stood
still
at
Gaboon
;
this
it
is
that the Scripture
tells us.
30.
The suu It
lasted with Josue unto
tho death of the wicked
:
this indeed
was
was more
befitting that there should be radiance at tho
befitting
death of the saints
vj
;
;
31.
The
went from every part to watch around
clergy of Erin
Patrick
The sound
harmony
of
fell
upon them, so that they
slept
enchanted on the way. 32. Patrick's
body from
The angels
his soul
God on
of
the
was severed first
after pains
;
night kept choir around
it
unceasingly.
When
33.
Patrick departed (from
Patrick
life),
he went to
the other
visit
;
Together they ascended to Jesus, Son of Mary. 34. Patrick,
without arrogance or pride, great was the good which
he proposed to himself,
To be
in the service of Mary's
Son ; happy the hour
in
which
Patrick was born.
The
Hymn
The hymn of published
in
the
friend,
" Catholic ;
and
I
we
Layman,"
am
believe, vol.
indebted to
Mr. Hanna, for a copy of this
serial,
first
ii.
No.
my
kind
long since
was published again in 1855, in the Fasciculus of the Liber Hymnorum, or Book of
out of print. first
Hymns the
Sechnall, was,
St.
1853
24, December,
of St. Sechnall or Secunclmus.
two
It
of the ancient Irish Church. sets
notes are added St.
Sechnall
In this edition
of glosses are published,
by the
late Dr.
was the son
and valuable
Todd.
of Eestitutus, one of the sister of St. Patrick.
He
was, consequently, nephew of our glorious apostle.
For
Longobards, and Limania, a
m
—
;
; ; ;
+
Hymn
of
> » y^r
***
+ St.
Seek nail.
563
circumstances connected with the composition of
the
his alphabetical
hymn,
append the Latin
We
translation.
see ante, pages 359-362.
original,
with a metrical
have had some
difficulty in preserving
the alphabetical character of the lation,
but
attempt
it
hymn
seemed desirable at
the trans-
in
least
make
to
Deum,
omncs amantes sancta merita
Patricii episcopi
Simulatur angelis,
hear
To Christ ever near Who, like unto angels, And,
Beat! Christi custodit
found,
is
like the apostles,
For ever
apostolis.
in
now
praises
Patrick, the bishop,
In glory
rerfectamque propter vitain
Mandata
The
;
Quomodo bonum ob actum
^Equatur
AH yc who love God Of
Viri iu Christo beati,
is
crowned.
Brightly his light shines,
omnibus
He Of
Cujus opera refulgent
keepeth the word
Christ, ever blessed,
And
Clara inter homines
so like his
Lord
;
Sanctumque cujus sequuntur
Then
Exemplum mirificum Unde et in ccelis Patrem Magnificant Dominum.
The good he hath done, To the Father give glory,
Constans
Christ's fear
fide
in
Dei timore
immobilis
Super quern
a3dificatur,
Ut Petrum, oedema Deo
sortitus est
;
;
In cujus porta) adversus Infcrni
follow him, praising
And
unto the Son. still
upholds him,
In faith he stands
;
Cujusque apostolatum
A
the
:
Aii'lito,
Et
We
English
non prevalent.
With
fast,
the Church he will conquer
And triumph
at last,
Liko Peter, whose mission
From God cannot For
hell's gates shall
Airainst
him
fail,
never
prevail.
;;; ;
;
;
;
Life of St. Patrick.
Dominus ilium elegit Ut docerefc barbaras
Divinely
Nationes, ut piscaret
With
Per doctrinaj
Ut de
A
the net of the Gospel
He
retia
seculo credentes
Traheret ad gratiam,
he's chosen
fisher of souls
gathereth shoals
Dominumque sequerentur Sedem ad ajtheriani.
Who
Electa Christi talenta
Iliach talent
Quro Hibernas inter gentes
And
Turn opera pretium Christo regni celcstis
Possessurus traudium. ITidelis
Apostolicum exemplum praibet bonis
Qui tam verbis quam
et factis
quern dictis non convertit
Actu provocet bono. Grloriam habet
Honorem
cum
Christo,
Qui ab omnibus ut Dei
Ad Ut
misit, ut
Eternal reward,
his actions
So that
What
Paulum
Gentes, apostolum,
homiiiibus ducatum
Praiberot regno Dei.
all
ho preaches,
men may
see
a faithful apostle
In his conduct should be.
By
deeds thus he winneth
So great
Of a
words cannot gain, is
life
the grace
without
stain.
Grreat glory Christ gives him., still
As an angel
He
Veneratur angelus
Quern Deus
;
And usury tenfold, From Jesus, his Lord.
By men
in seculo
of Erin
the evil of sin
When
Plebi prajdicat Dei,
Ut
he uses,
he gets for his labor
Erom
Dei minister,
Insignisque nuntius,
Formamque
The people
From
usuris exigit
Navati hujus laboris
Cum
in heaven hereafter
Shall be crowned by His grace
For God he would win
Vendit evangelica,
Cum
;
From barbarous nations He wins God a race
is
To the
Ho
of
;
honored and feared
Gentiles, like Paul,
is
sent to proclaim
The kingdom
And
revered
God
to
of heaven,
preach in God's name.
;;
;
:
lluinilis Dei ob mctuui
lie
Super quern bonnm ob actum Requiescit
And
Christi portat stigmata
Still
pascit
celestibus,
cum
Christo
In
While giving
Verba evangelica,
The word
To
manihus.
Kastani qui custodit carnem
Ob amorcm Domini Quam carnem templum
His paravit
cum mundis
A
Ingens, evangelicum,
In candelabro levatum,
Supra montem
qua
est
posita,
multa
Quam Dominus
he will teach. pure, for God's sake,
flesh undefiled,
evil ensnared,
possidct.
beguiled
;
sacrifice true,
offers to
God
Each moment anew.
Like To
He
a candlestick placed diffuse
A
Gospel
light,
shines through the world,
Dispelling
;
Civitas regis munita
in
Ho
Domino.
Liumenquo mundi accensum
Copia
to each,
holocaust living,
A
ut hostiam placentem,
Toti fulgens seculo
;
of the Gospel
By no tempter
Possidetur actibus
offert
no
liy
Spiritui,
A quo constantur
all
Keeping
;
Yivam
things like his master,
all
lie ever will seek
In cujus multiplicantur,
Quam
he'll seek.
Liko the manna increasing,
Quibus erogat ut panes
Sanctoque
humble and meek,
He teiideth the weak, And the faint and the weary
In via deficiant
in
:
of Christ bearing,
In each action
Impiger credentes
Ut manna,
grace places,
blesses his zeal
God's glory alone
Gloriatur cruce.
qui ridentor
Spirit, a seal
The marks
In eujus sola sustcntans,
Ne
on each action
Of heav'nly
Dominus
Cujusquc justa in earns
Dapibua
sets
God's
Spiritu et corporo
its
night
;
city established
Un a hill ever suro, Ho keepeth Christ's riches In his fortress secure.
.4
;
;
;
]\laximus uamque in regno
Ccelorum vocabitur,
Qui quod verbis docet
sacris
;
Meetly honored in heaven, The greatest is he Whose words and whose actions In virtue agree
Factis adimplet bonis.
Bono prrecedit exemplo Formaque fidelium,
Good example he giveth, With heart ever pure,
Mundoque
A pattern
in corde liabet
Ad Deum
To
fiduciam.
Nomen Domini
Now
audenter
Of
salutis
Ad Deum
Omnem
too,
;
he prayeth,
offereth each
day
A holocaust worthy All evil to stay.
hostias.
spernit gloriam
God's holy word
And
quotidie,
Opposing things
pro divina lege
Muudi
salvation's pure laver,
For them,
delictis
Pro quibus, ut Deo dignas
Immolatque
to Gentiles he preaches,
And
^Eternam dat gratiam Pro quorum orat
of virtue
and to poor.
In the name of the Lord,
Annuntiat gentibus,
Quibus lavacri
rich
;
Qui cuncta ad cujus mensam ^Estimat quisquilias,
earthly,
For God's holy law,
As the pure wheat is severed From chaff and from straw
Nee ingruenti movetur Mundi liujus fulmine,
Unmoved by affliction, He heeds no rebuke,
Sed in adversis
Nor the threats of the sinner, Nor the scoffer's proud look.
Cum
lsetatur,
pro Christo patitur.
Pastor bonus ac
fidelis
Gregis evangelici,
Quem Deus Dei
elegit
Custodire populum,
Suamque
pasccre plebem
Divinis dogmatibus
Pastor most
He
faithful,
guards Gospel sheep,
Whom God
in His
Hath given him
He
tradit
animam.
;
hopes, like his Master,
That
his life
Pro qua, ad Christi exemplum, For the souls
Suam
wisdom
to keep
And
may be
whom
given
he teaches
guides on to heaven.
;
Quern pro
;
meritis Salvator
Ut
Cclestem quibus annonam
Erogat cum vestihus,
Qui ornatur vcstimento
He *
vinum
In vasis celestibus,
Propinansque Dei plebem
invenit thesaurum
emit Sanctis
Perfectisquc meritis «
;
Israel vocatur hujus
Anima
videns
Deum.
T c stis Domini fidelis In lege Catholica,
Cujus verba sunt divinis Condita oraculis
No humanas
putrent carnes
Esaeque a vermibus,
—
Scd
celesti saliuntur
Sapore ad victimam.
herald,
to the nuptials
In vessels
all
pure
hxP!—
;
celestial
He gives heavenly wine, And pledges the people
Scripture's rich mine he openeth,
And
came
Deitatem pervidit
Quem thesaurum
To come
fed.
and poor
Well taught in
Sacra in volomine, Salvatorisqne in
calls rich
must bo
In a chalice divine.
Spiritali poculo.
Sacrum
Christ's flock
In raiment
Nuptiali indutus;
its lore,
daily he g.iineth
Of merit yet more ; As an Israel counted, For His
in all things
God and
And
The
from
he sees
his Saviour, evil
he
flees.
witness most faithful,
All truth he'll unfold,
And the Catholic Faith By his preaching is told No human taint ever
;
His words shall profane,
The
M
they learn from his teaching
Raised up as a
Credentes ad nuptias,
side;
them in vestments, gives them true bread)
How
Regis nuntius invitans
.-
clothes
And
in divinis impletur
celeste haurit
Ho
lie
Sacrisquc affatibus.
Qui
plain are his merits
a bishop, he'll guide
The clergy to conflict, With truth on their
in cclcsti nioneret
Clericos militia,
Quod
Quite
As
Provexit pontificem,
salt of true
Shall keep
wisdom
him from
stain.
;
V erus
cultor et insignia
fields tilling,
sows the good seed
Cujua scmina videntur
Of the Gospel
Christi evangelia,
Without
Quas divino
Quorumque corda ac mentcs Sancto arat Spiritu.
Xvs
Qui de gemino captivos Liberat servitio
Plerosque de servitute
hominum,
redemifc
Innumeros de Zabuli Absolvit dominio.
Ymnos cum
Apocalypsi
Psalmosque cantat Dei,
Quosque ad ajdificandum Dei tractat populum ;
Quam
legem in Trinitato
Sacri credit nominis,
Tribusque personis
unam
Docetque substantiam.
Zona Domini pwecinctus Diebus ac noctibus Sine intermissiono
Deum
orat
Dominum
Cujus ingentis laboris Percepturus proemium,
Cum
weed
apostolis regnabit
Sanctis super Israel.
Audite omncs.
he speaks
In the cars of the wise, In a rich crop of grace
From
their hearts shall arise.
Xt. Jesus hath
ilium sibi legit
In terris vicarium,
Quos
of Christ,
tare or
And the words which
serit ore
In aures prudentium,
1
Vast Gospel
He
Agri cvangelici,
>*l
;
:
That here
He
chosen,
in His place
should liberate captives
From two-fold disgrace From slavery some, But from Satan
still
I
;
I
more,
freed from all chains
Thus
Which
in
bondage they wore.
Yet hymns
and Apocalypse
This great chanter sings, »'/«
And
with psalmody sweet
To his Lord honor brings The people thus teaching The God One in Three,
Ho
;
worships Three Persons
In one Unity.
Zoned with God's
cincture,
By
night and by day,
With
fervor unceasing,
He fails And with
not to pray, the apostles,
As reward
A saint
for his pains,
over Israel
In glory he reigns. All ye, &c.
^
i^j- .»
.
-
-^w^-
•>
-->
+
jfc^
-t-
S<. FairieHs Confusion.
HE
? set'
^
-~
v -
.:..-
— Introductory Remarks.
Confession of St. Patrick
is
undoubtedly one of the most an-
and important of our early
cient
writers have
documents.
has
never been
the
most
Its authenticity
ascribing
it
illustrious
Protestanl
learned
Catholic
pen of our
to the
saint
however, their opinions diverge.
Protestant, or, at Least, a certain cla
whose idiosyncracy
consists
in
a
and
questioned,
agreed with the mosl
archaeologists in
at this point,
Irish
3
of
:
The
Protest
morbid
Popery, can sue nothing in the Confession
horror but
of
Pro-
testantism pure and undefiled. afflicted
Happily, individuals
with this peculiar mode of viewing historical
documents are becoming dady more and more
The Catholic pected
finds
it
just
rare.
what he would have ex-
though even Catholics have, perhaps, scarcely
;
given the attention to this important document which it
merits.
There are four ancient copies of sion
known
to exist at present,
St. Patrick's
and
Confes-
in order to secure
1
reader the immense advantage of having an
for the original,
we have procured
carefully executed copies of
Former
these four documents.
editors of St. Patrick's
1
Confession have, for the most part, contented themselves
with second-hand information, or have compiled a copy of the Confession from the versions given in
point of fact, however good
reader has not had the original. this
by
others
so,
;
the
their intentions,
To
the present writer
seems a most unsatisfactory method of procedure.
It is the
duty of an author to spare no pains to procure
for his readers the
most accurate information regarding
may
whatever subject he question of documents,
it
treat
of.
seems to us
Where little less
some
it
stands, not as
cases, indeed,
we fancy
it
is
than an
and the
ori-
ought to stand.
In
injustice to give anything but the original,
ginal as
there
more particularly in dealing with
may suggest a word, or the outwhich may be useful but where the
palimpsests, an editor line of a sentence,
MS.
exists complete,
expert,
;
and can be
no tampering with
it
read, at least
can be justifiable.
by an
1
to'
m
MS
The
Patricks Confession.
f St.
'
known
Tlif lour .MS. copies of St. Patrick's Confee ion to txi.-i
at
Armagh
;
presenl
in
present
(2)
the copy
are, (1)
Book of
the
in
the copy in the Cottonian collection, at
the
British
Museum; ami
(3
and
4)
two
copies contained in the Bodleian library at Oxford, and
known
as Fell
1, 3.
the copy contained in
Afi
Book
the
Armagh
of
undoubtedly the most ancient, we have used text,
is
this as the
without making the slightest alteration, believing
be the arrangement which would prove most
this to
satisfactory
A
our readers.
to
tolerably
version
fair
has already been published by Betham, in his "Irish
Antiquarian Researches," part
and as we make
editor,
it
ii.
;
but as this could
known inaccuracy
not be relied on, from the
of the
a rule never to take docu-
ment- on second hand, we applied to the Rev. Dr. .
the'
ologist, for
from
tlie
present Tlii--
well
known and
original,
in
distinguished Irish archae-
permission to have an accurate copy mule
the
which
is
Library of
copy was made
for
his property,
Trinity
although at
College,
Dublin.
us by the Rev. T. O'Mahony,
Professor of Irish in that University, with a kind prompt-
ness for which
we must always
feel grateful to
him.
In
order to secure the most perfect accuracy, he has also
Lei
been so obliging as to compare the proofs word by word with the original; the reader of a copy of the Confession as
it
is
thus put
is
in pos
believed to have
script in
the
be< a
The copy of the manuCotton collection was made for as by a
written by the saint himself.
,o.
—
gentleman connected British
Museum.
officially
with the Library of the
For the copies of Fell
the Bodleian Library,
we
the librarian, the Eev. H. 0. Coxe, services of an expert,
of the
and
1
3,
from
are indebted to the courtesy of
when he found
who
obtained the
that the collation
two manuscripts would occupy
so
much time
that he could not himself attend to the matter as he
had most kindly wished
to do.
The copy of the Confession given by the Bollandists, and by Villaneuva from the Bollandists, is said to have been taken from a MS. preserved in the library of the celebrated Abbey of St. Vaast, at Arras, in the province of Artois, in France.
This abbey was destroyed at the
time of the French Revolution
Bollandist writers, however,
general accuracy.
;
hence
it is
impossible
The well-known accuracy
to verify this version.
is
a
sufficient
of the
guarantee for
Villaneuva gives various readings,
but does not say from where they were taken, which is
unsatisfactory.
In his preface to the Confession, he observes " Leland, in his book on Irish writers, has
Journal or Itinerary, entitled fession," first
frequently quoted
book of the Life of
—
I
St.
my
why
—a
Patrick.'
" Conin the
Leland's manuscript
is
Ballaces, referring to British
and says that the Journal and the
Itinerary were different works. easily, in
Patrick wrote a
by William of Malmesbury
to be found in the library at Oxford. writers, contradicts Leland,
' :
cannot conceive
:
Ware,
in reply, says
:
'
A
matter
opinion, disproved, not only from the passage quoted
above from William of Malmesbury's book, but even from the very Confession
itself,
in
which
St.
Patrick frequently refers to his two
^—
- :•" H +
>^
?
may have
the benefit of
always in the Lord," form of an
it
epistle.'
i*
"The
my
presence, and that
pretty clear that
Ami Ware
Life of St. Patrick praises
the
it
it
1
"That
may
was sent
you
enjoy you
to the Irish
adds that an old writer of the
highly as such.
texts of Scripture quoted in the Confession, as well as in
l'.pistlc
to Coroticus, being taken from the Septuagint, and nol
from the then recent version of St. Jerome in
various pas-
the Confession, especially from the words,
iu
in
Prom
perogiinations, his trials, &c.
his
»~
<-...
MSS.
Autliority for these .iiios,
*-
the time of St. Patrick
quity of these
— would
— not generally accepted
of themselves prove the anti
works"
As many
of the variations in the readings of the
four ancient manuscripts arc merely orthographical, and
and do not
as others are merely constructive,
Hence,
them.
of real value
The
we have simply
and
collations have, 15.
affect the
would occupy valuable space uselessly
it
,
interest.
The MSS. from which the
been taken are distinguished
copy in
Cotton
the
to give
selected such as seemed
tints:
collection,
British
Museum. F.
1
or 3, the copies in the Bodleian library, Oxford.
V. Villancuva, which,
it
will
lie
remembered, coin-
cides with the Bollandists.
Ware's version.
\V.
The
text being that
of the
refer the reader to pages
a MS. for
(
full description It will
Book of Armagh, we
5S-G7 of
the present
of this important
and
be seen that, although the copy of the
lonfession contained therein cannot be said to
written
l»y
St.
work
interc
have been
Patrick himself, yet that there can be
H
doubt, from the inscription at the end, that
little
it
was
copied from the very autograph of the saint himself.
The copy
of the
supposed,
by
Book
Armagh,
of
at present extant,
is
the most competent authorities, to have
been written before the year 845. should be observed, however, that a considerable
It
portion of the Confession as given the copies in the British Library,
Book
is
of
by the
Museum and
writers of
the Bodleian
not contained in the version given in the
Armagh.
It
is
impossible to
quite
decide
whether these portions are interpolations or part of the original.
certainly
is
would appear probable that the copy
It
Book
in the
of
Armagh
the oldest
is
the most, authentic, as
but the
;
critical
it
reader need not
be reminded that the oldest copies in point of date are
not necessarily the most
Still it
reliable.
would seem
very improbable that an Irish writer in the ninth century
I
should have curtailed or should have been ignorant of so important a document.
any portion of
Be
this as
it
may,
for the satisfaction of the reader, we
have supplied the portions not contained in the Book of
Armagh from
These portions are
the Bodleian copy.
enclosed in brackets. It
w'm
and
remains only to draw attention to the whole tenor As a literary style of St. Patrick's Confession.
composition the
it
has been very
circumstances of
St.
much
criticized
Patrick's early
membered, avc cannot suppose that possible for
^iL;frT*T~'
i
a
,
)
i
him
[.:?,^.",y
i i
|"yi'
,,. i-
i
i
to have devoted
f
i
nvjflf
fi i
r
i|!
it
;
but when
life
are re-
would have been
more time
to the study
-,!
»
Spirit of
111'-,*..!
Vlff
I
_>—^—^*
tfo
of languages or composition than was absolutely necessary for the ecclesiastical
What
state.
he
wrote
is
more importance than how he wrote, and the whole tone and style of his Confession
certainly
is
of infinitely
as purely Catholic as
might be expected from
training under St. Germaiius of Auxerre.
As this
his
subject
has been already discussed in the early part of the present work, a few words here will be sufficient.
haps the most notable point
is
Per-
the strong and earnest
language in which the saint inculcates reverence and obedience towards ecclesiastical superiors.
In the com-
mencement of his Confession he attributes the captivity and sufferings which he and others endured, to their disobedience to their priests.
He
writes several times
of his zeal in ordaining priests to baptize Irish,
any Catholic
priest would
do under similar circumstances
in the present day) given to the I
aptize
all
nations.
Church
And even while
with the utmost humility, he never
He
office.
as
and teach the
and quotes the divine command (precisely as
to teach
and
speaking of himself fails to
magnify
his
speaks of the constant repetition of prayer
an act most pleasing to God, aud of good works as
meritorious.
But those
his heart
seems to go out most especially towards
who had been
Perhaps
it is
consecrated as virgins to Christ.
through his prayers, which must, indeed,
be all-powerful with God, that there of the world where the Irish
is
scarcely
any part
maiden may not be found
consecrated as a virgin to Christ, even as her ancestors
y
f'^
<"
578
Life of St. Patrick.
wire
in the
In every part of America,
days of Patrick.
in Australia, in the burning sun of Indian climes, in
the cold north, in the sunny south, go where you will,
you can never vent,
and
if
travel
you
far
without hearing of a con-
you are
visit it
many
one, and frequently very
to sure find
more than
Irish nuns.
But perhaps that part of the Confession which has is the account which the saint
obtained least attention
gives of the supernatural favors granted to him.
have already discussed his invocation of
Elias,
"We
and that
he intended the prophet Elias there can be no possible doubt, from his statement that he
knew not how
it
occurred to him to invoke him, an expression which he could not have used had he applied the
our Lord
;
name
Elias to
thus he showed, what, indeed, no unpre-
judiced person can doubt, that he not only invoked the saints,
but also believed that he did so by a special
inspiration of God.
divine prediction
We
made
to
which was subsec[uently
next find that he mentions a
him
in the silence of night,
verified.
Such heavenly com-
munications were evidently frequent, and there can be no
doubt that the saint had attained a most blessed state of sublime contemplation, even before his escape from slavery.
It
warned, like \v;is
was St.
commended
in the night, in a dream, that he
was
Joseph, to seek his ship, and that he for fasting.
It
was
in the night that
he saw the vision of Victorious coming from Ireland,
and heard the voices from the wood of Fochlut. was
in the night also that he heard
an
It
interior voice,
fes
Patricks
St.
after thai
which he awoke the
"sleep"
I
rejoicing.
from which
It
he
is
quite
possible
was thus blessedly
i.wakened was not the sleep of nature, but the mystic sleep of ecstacy in which the saints, even iii out own
day and time, have been abstracted from earthly things,
and only conscious of heavenly communications. It was in the night also that he was favored with that re m arkable vision to console him for the charges made against
him by
those in whose friendship he had
merly confided.
There are some
details of this vision, hut its
scope and intention.
saint
gloried in in his
difficulties
enough remains is
It
clear to
show
indeed evidenl that
those revelations,
as
well
for-
about the
he
the
might,
deep humility he refers them wholly to the
grace of God, and takes no merit to himself.
In one
place he declares that he will not conceal the wonders
which God had wrought for him, and in him, no matter who might deride or insult him for his manifestations: a plain evidence that then, as now, while the
multitude were credulous enough as to practices, the favors granted
objects of contempt to St. Patrick's
by God
to
all
superstitious
His saints were
many.
Letter or Kpistle to Coroticus has been
given from the text of the Cotton MS. in the British Museum. I have not thought it necessary to give
any
collations, as there are only
copies extant, Fell
1
and
variation in the readings.
:;.
two other manuscript
There
is
no important
;-
temptibilissimus
apud plurimos,
patreni habui Calpornium Diaco-
num,
1
byteri
quendam
filium 3 :
Potiti Pres-
qui fuit vico Bannaveni
enim 5 prope
temptible to very many, had for
my
father Calpornius, a deacon,
the son of Potitius, a priest,"
Annorum eramtunc ferexvi. Deum
had a small country house where I was taken captive when I was nearly sixteen
vcrum ignorabam,
years of age.
Taberuia3 4 villulam
habuit ubi ego in capturam dedi. et Hiberione in
captivitato adductus millia
nostra
1
F.
sum cum
tot
hominum, secundum merita quia a Deo recessimus, et :
1,
3,
close by,
I
knew not
the true
was brought captive to Ireland, with many thousand men, as we deserved, for we had forGod, and
I
and B. agree with the above. Fell 1 is headed thus quod est xvi. Kal. April." Fell 3
;
:
"
Incipit
"Incipit
confessio Sancti Patricii Episcopi, xvi. Kal. Aprili." a The student of early ecclesiastical history need not be reminded that, although priests were never allowed to marry, persons who had been married were sometimes ordained priests, if they separated from their wives. It may be observed that the purely Catholic tone of St. Patrick's teaching is manifest in the very beginning of his Confession, in his strong reprobation of the crime of not
being "obedient to priests." 3 All agree but the Armagh copy has filii odissi in margin. It is not given by Ware or Villaneuva. 4 F. 1, 3, Banauem ; B. and W. Banavem ; V. Benaven. 5 F. 1, 3, Villulam enim projte ; W. enon ; V. cairn (own) ; B. enim. It is difficult to ascertain how the enon was introduced it is not in any of the oldest ;
;
See ante,
p. 83.
I
he
coufessio Sancti Patrici Episcopi
MSS.
83
who
lived in Bannaveni Tabernire, for
a
M
{&— St,
pr.iaptaejus
aBaaVvQ
Patricks Confession.
noil custodivinius, et
sacerdotibus nostris non oboedion-
581
saken God, and had not kept His commandments, and wcro dis-
tea fuimus, qui
nostram salntein
obedient to our priests,
admoncbant
Doniinus induxit
monished us
ct
:
super bob* irain animationis 7 ct dispersit
nos in gentibus
sua',
niultis,
usque ad ultimum terne, ubi nunc parvitis inca videtur esso
ctiain
£t
inter alcnigenas.
ibi
Dominus
aperuit sensuin incredulitatis mea3
And lis
for
our
the Lord brought
who
ad-
salvation.
down upon
the auger of His Spirit, and scat-
tered us
among many nr.tions, even now
to the ends of the earth, where
may be seen amongst And there tho Lord
ray littleness strangers.
utsero remomoraremdilictamea,ut
showed me ray
confirmarem toto corde ad Donii-
my iniquities, and strengthen my whole heart towards tho Lord my God, who looked down upon my humiliation, and had pity upon my youth
num Deum ineum, qui respexit meam,
militatem
adoliscentiae et ignorantia:
cam,
mew,
me antequam
costodivit
liu-
ct missertus est et
scirem
antequam saperem vel disbonum et malum, et
unbelief, that
at
length I might remember
inunivit me, et consolatus est mei
and ignorance, and kept me, lefi ire I knew him, and before I had wisdom, or could distinguish between
ut pater nlium.
good and
et
tinguerem vel
Unde autem
1
evil, and strengthened and comforted me as a father would his son.
non possum,
Therefore, I cannot and ought
ncque expedit quidem tanta bene-
not to be silent concerning the
fuia, et
tacero
tantam gratiam quam
niihi'
dignatus in terra captivitati3 meae
:
great benefits and graces which the
Lord has bestowed upon
me in
the
quia haec est retributio nostra, ut
land of
my captivity, since the only
post correptionem vel agnitionem
return
we can make
Dei, exaltare et confiteri mirabilia
fits is,
ejus
coram omni natione, qua
sub omni
fuit,
hoc, prater
*
The
est alius Deus, nee urn-
nee ante, nee
erit
post
Dominura Patrem
six foL
to extol
God
for such bene-
has reproved us,
and confess His wonders
before every nation under heaven.
caelo.
Quia non
quam
est
after
words omitted 8
in-
For there
no other God, nor
except the Lord, the unbegotteu
in B.
Dominiu prcularc,
is
ever was, nor shall be hereafter,
'
B. F.
1, 3,
Indignationia, V.
and V.
Life of St. Patrick
582 genitum, sine
tem
a quo est omnia tenen-
principle),
omne priucipium (ut diximus)
:
filium
et ejus
;
Jesum Christum qui cumpatre scilisemper fuisse testamur, ante
cet
originem soeculi spiritualiter apud
genitum ante
I'atrem iuerrabiliter
omne priucipium, etper ipsum facta sunt
liominem factum
vissibilia,
morte devicta in illi
cselis.
1
Et
dec!
it
oranem potcstatem super omne
nomen
crelestium, terrestrium
et
infernorum, ut omnis lingua confiteatur
ei,
Dominus et Deus est
quia
Jesus Christus quern credimus et ex-
mox futurum udex vivorum atque mortuorum
pectamus 2 adveutum j
:
qui reddet imicuique secundum facta sua et effudit in nobis
donum
Spiritum Sanctum
habunde et
pignus
inmortalitatis, qui facit credentes et oboedientes, ut sint
coheredes
Cliristi,
Deum
et
per prophetam
in Trini-
Ipse enim dix-
tate Sacri nominis. it
Dei 3
quern confitemur
adoramus unuin
et
filii
:
" Invoca
me
in die tribulationis tua;, et libera-
bo
te,
et
magnificubis me."
iteruni inquit
9
:
"
Et
Opera autem Dei
without
Father,
whom
all
beginning,
by
things have their being,
who upholds all
things, as
we have
and His Son, Jesus
Christ,
whom, together with the we testify to have always
Father,
said
;
existed
before the origin of the world, spi-
with the Father, ineffably
ritually
begotten before every beginning
Him
and by
made
things
;
were
the
was
made
;
visible
man,
death^being overthrown, in the heavens.
And He hath
given
Him all
power over every name of things in heaven, and earth, and hell, that every tongue should confess to
Him that Jesus Christ is Lord, and whose coming we expect ere long to judge the living and dead who ;
will render to every
to his
works
;
one according
who hath poured
forth abundantly on us both tho gift of
His Spirit and the pledge
who makes the and obedient to become the sons of God and co-heirs with of immortality
;
faithful
Christ;
one
whom we confess and adore
God
Name.
in the Trinity of the holy
For he Himself has said
means " unerringly ;" perhaps it was intended for " ineffably." T. O'M. Patrem reception, B. F. 1, 3, W. and V. 2 Between the ex and the p of this word there is what seems to be ce the whole looks like excepectamus. T. O'M. 3 Patris, W. The reading in V. varies very much here, but as there is no authority given for it, we do not insert it. B. and F. 1,3, have Patris also, but Inerrab'diler literally
innarrabiliter, 1
—
Ad
—
lead as above
—
ivul.nv.
it
by the prophet
honorificum
confiteri,
Upon
< ''ill
:
/ will
est." 1
Ami
!/,
m
shalt
again he say 8
and
to reveal
:
m
li is
liver
/<
•
me
'[in//;/
%
honorable
confess the works of
God. 1
Tamenetsi
Although
multis imperfectua
in
opto fratribus et cognotatia
Mini,
things,
requalitatem meam, ut pos-
votum animaa
perficere
.-int
am
speak
rationemdeeoindie jadiciL'" (Jnde autem vehementer cum tiat
tremore metaera hanc sen-
I
tentiam in die
ilia,
abtrahere,
ubi
vol
senemo
po-
I
IS
And
word
thai
men
/' /i'/i
r
I
abscondere,
a Oathal
declares in the
wilt destroy nil
lie.
'!
Day
again
t/i
Th-
:
shall speak,
an account for
of Judgment.
they it
in
Therefore
ought, with great fear and tremto
bling,
that day,
dread this sentence in
when no one
shall
be
able to withdraw or hide himself,
— The quotations from what Protestants
i.
Patrick, as
who
shall the
edomnea omnino reddituri euiqus tationem etiam minimorum pee-
St.
I
soul.
mouth thatbelieth, kiMeth the soul. And the same Lord: Every i'il>
otiossum
homines red-
i,uod locuti fuerint di
Lord,
Psalm: Thou
:
"Verbum
my
not ignorant of the testimony
my
of
" Os, quod menEt idem titur oceidit aniinam.' 7
Dominns :'
brothers and ac-
derstand the desire of
loqnuntni mendacium,'
iterum inquit
et
my
know my disposithey may be able to un-
tions that
mete.
mei,quiinPsalmotestatur: "l'erdes cos* qui
am imperfect in many
quaintances to
testimonium Domini
ttoro
I
wish
1
call the
Apocrypha, but what
part of the canon of Scripture, have becu
perplexity to those who are anxious, for controversial reasons, to make out that the early Irish Church was not taught the same faith by him as it is taught now by his successors. All the quotations from Scripture are given
from the translation of the Bibb- published by Dolman, with the approbation of My aon-Catholin readers, and I am happy to the late Bight Kcv. Dr. Denvir. say many such have expressed and shown great interest in tlii - v. .rk, will
rem mber
kindly 6
I'
v.
.
Sap.
Z3\
this.
B. has perdes qui locunler
i.
and
"
1'..
'
Matt
7.
;
F.
1, 3,
eos qui
lot
<
The Vulgate has pcrdes omnes.
11.
P.
1,
.'i,
m
BoangeUo
inquit
:
W,
in
Bvangelis
dixit.
xii. 86.
• !
:
'
l
but
must give an account, even
all
of the least sins, before the judg-
ment-seat of the Lord Christ.
Quapropter ollim cogitavi
Therefore, although
scri-
timui onim ne incederem in
guam hominum: quia non cut et
eaiteri,
si-
learned
as
the
who
others
stu-
qui optime itaque jure
died the sacred writings in the best
modo
way, and have never changed their language since their childhood, but
utroque pari
ct sacras literas
combiberunt et sermones illorum ex infantia
thought
censure of men, because I had not
lin-
dedici
I
of writing long ago, I feared the
sed usque nunc hessitavi
bere,
numquam
motarunt, sed
continually learned
it
more per-
while I have to translate
my
niagis
ad perfectum semper addide-
fectly,
runt
nam scrmo
words and speech into a foreign
:
translata est in
et loquela nostra
linguam alienam,
sicut facile potest probari ex salive
sum
scriptural meaj, qualiter
ego in
sermonibus instructus, atque eruditus
;
quia inquit sapiens
guam
:
" Per lin-
dignoscetur sensus et scientia
et doctrina veritatis."
1
Sed quid
prodest excussatio juxta veritateru,
cum prsesumptione ] quomodo ipse adpeto in senecmea quod in juventute non
proesertim
tinus tute"
tongue
;
and
from the I
am
it
can be easily proved
style of
instructed
my in
writings
how
speech and
Wise Man says wisdom is discerned, and understanding and knowledge and learning by the word of tlie wise. But what avails an excuse, however true, especially when accompanied with presumption 1 for learning, for the
By
I,
:
the tongue
in
my
old age, strive after that
quod obstiterunt ut confirmarem quod ante perlegeram. Et si Sed si quis mihi credit
which I was hindered from learning in my youth. But who will believe me 1 And if I say what I
dixero (quod ante prrefatus sum),
have said before, that as a mere
comparavi
"!
adoliscens,
immo pene
puer in ver-
capturam dedi, antequam scirem quid peterem vel quid adpeter-
bis
em vel quid vitare debueram. Undo ego hodie erubesco,
et
vehemen-
Eocl. iv. 29.
1
B. omits four words,
ami
reads,
hibite.
P I'l
TIH,it
|
!
jB li>'
," |
I
'
ll
.'i^l'l'
i
~'«j*W
|i|
was taken captive, before I knew what I ought to seek and to avoid. Therefore, I blush to-day and
!"®Evi
I
greatly dread to expose
my
igno-
differently, but this is the sense. non compnri que ; F. 3 lias them after pro
The Vulgate reads
1
youth, nay, almost a boy in words,
Ml
;
mon.
.
u
protimeo* denudare imperitiam
i
quia non possum de decritia
Bermone explicare aeqne euiius) intus ges&t,et an' mas
brevitate
i et
ut
Sed
sensus monstrat adfeotus.
si
datum mihi roisset, ^i<-ut et ceteris; verumtamen aonsUerem itaque
propter retributionem,
et
me
videtur spud aliquantos
proponere
ram men
tardiori lingtta
"Lingua?
;
in
inseientia
hoe 1
et
sed scriptum est,
balbutientea
quanto
noa adpetere debemus, qni
Bnmoa noe Bepiatola Christd in salutem usque ad ultinmm terra? et si non deserta, sed ratum et fortissi;
muiii
myself
am
briefly,
not able to with clear
and well-arranged words, as the, spirit desires and the mind and out
intellect point
I
But
me
been given to
as
if
to
had
it
other-,
would not hare been silent tor and although it
the recompense
may seem
;
some who think thus
to
that I put myself forward, with
my
ignorance and too slow tongue
"The
written,
is
it
tongues of stammerers shall speak readily and plain;''
how much more who are
ought we to undertake this
the epistle of Christ for salvation
— scriptum in cordibusvestris,
unto the end- of the earth, written in pure heart, if not with eloquence,
sed
yet with power and endurance, not
"non
atramento
Si>iritii
Del vivi
•tatur,
:"
testatur et
iterum Spiri-
" Rusticationem
Altieatmo crests
est."
Unde ego primus
ab
6
rusticus per-
posterum providere
qui uescio ;
Bed illud
scio certissime, quia utique, prius-
quam
humiliarer, ego eram
Lapis,
qni jacet in Into profundo;
velut
veniens* qui potens est in sua mis-
3
F. 1, 3,
*
F.
'
ha.
1, 3,
written with ink, but with
of
thing God
tli-
Spirit testifies,
fuga, inductus BcOicet in
because I
rpi
i
nevertheless
vel
pacem:"
loqui
discent
forte
si
rance,
585
H.
and again the "Husbandry, it was ;
ordained by the Most High." Therefore I undertook this work
though a rustic and a fugiand not knowing how to pro-
at first,
tive,
videfor the future: but this for
certain,
humbled in
1
that
was
before
1
know
1
deep mire, until
He who
and B. ptrtimeo, and V. pertimeteo. reads as above. B. and W. have hudtia. Readl as above in alt the copies, but the Vulgate reads
xxxii. 4.
was
like a Btone lying is
dif-
ferently. « Ec. vii. If,. Pot V'ni'n*, which was written down at suggested a change, which would make tie in •
and
B.
have n
first,
the scribe seems to have F.1,3, T. o'M. '
:
sericordia sustolit me, et
quidem
sursum adlevavit,
et collo-
scilicet
cavitmein sua parte
;
powerful came and in His mercy
num, qu»3 mens hominum aestimare non potest. Unde autem admira-
;
tum
man cannot
rhetoriei 8 et vos dominicati,
excitavit de
me
who
God
fear
medio eorum qui
aroused me, a
and ye and inquire who
rhetoricians,
;
of the Lord, hear
stul-
from the midst
fool,
of those
who seem
periti et potentes in sermone, et in
skilled
in the law,
re et
me quidem
detestabilis
in speech,
Lujus mundi de ceteris inspiravit,
essem
si
talis
ut
cum metu
querella,
;
such)
me
ad quani
with fear
ut
cum
humilitate
veraciter deservirem
and and powerful all things, and
to be wise,
in
me
indeed I be
(if
though I
others,
am
by this world, so that, and reverence and with-
out murmuring, I should faithfully
in vita mea, si vivus f uero
denique
beyond
despised
et reverentia, et sine
charitas Christi transtulit et donavit
and
hath inspired
dummodo autem
fideliter genti,
Therefore,
estimate.
videntur esse sapientes, et leges
omni
His
in
;
be amazed, both great and small
et pusilli, qui timetis
audite et scrutamini quis
me
and therefore I ought to cry out loudly, and thank the Lord in some degree for all his benefits, here and after, which the mind of part
tantis beneficiis ejus, hie et in seter-
Deum
up, and indeed again
succored and placed
debueram exclamare ad retribnendam quoquo aliquid Domino, pro
mini magni
me
raised
et inde fortiter
whom
serve this nation, to
the
charity of Christ hath transferred
et
illis.
my
me, and given
me
shall survive
and that
;
for
humility and truth
I
life, if
I
with
at last
should serve
them.
In mensura itaque tatis
fidei
In the measure therefore of the
Trini-
oportet distinguere sine repre-
hensione
donum
notuni
periculi
fiducialiter
nomen ubique expandere, post obitum
meum
danger, and to
3,
Dei
gift of
ut etiam
ex a Gallias 8
rclinquere fratribus, et
filiis
F.
1,
meis,
ex Gallias;
behovesme to the
solation, and, without fear,
confi-
dently to spread abroad the
name
of
3,
make known
God, and everlasting con-
God
everywhere, so that after
and B. have nethorki.
B. has Gallia.
it
distinguish without shrinking from
facere
Dei, et consolationem reter-
nam, sine timore
F.
faith of the Trinity
ex Gallicis.
quoa
in
millia
Domino ego baptuavi, tot t-t nun cram hominum ;
neque
dignus,
talis,
hoc
ut
Dominna servo suo coucederct
my
deatb
may
many thousands
et
;
I
leave
1
of
in the Lord.
to
it
Galilean brethren and to
my
whom And
my
sons,
have
I
I
was
post aaromnaset tantas moles, post
neither worthy nor deserving that
captivitat m, post annos multos, in
the Lord
gentem illam tantem gratiam mihi
his servant, after such
donaret, quod aliquondo in juven-
and great
difficulties, after
vity, after
many
mea nuniiiuam
tnte
speravi,
neque
me
cogitavL
should
cotidie itaque pecoj
Bui after I I
i
capti-
years, as to grant
still
had neither hoped
Sed postquam Hiberione devc-
afflictions
such grace for this nation,
thing which,
mram,
mc,
favor
so
was
my
in
;i
youth, I
for nor thought
had come
to Ireland
daily tending Bheep, and
I
die orabam,
prayed frequently during the day,
amor
Dei, et timor ipaius et fides auge-
and the love of God, and His faith and fear, increased in me more and
batur, et spiritus agebatur, ut in
more, and the spirit was stirred
bam,
frequens in
et
magis ac magis accedebat
die
ana usque ad centum orationes
et in nocte
prope similiter, ut etiam
in silvis et
monte manebam, ante
lucem exeitabar
a«l
orationeni per
nivem, per gelu, per pluviam,1 nihil mali sentiebam,
erat
me,
in
et
nequo ulla sed
modo me
so that in a single as
many
as a
day
in the night nearly the same, so
remained in the woods, and on the mountain, even before the dawn, I was roused to prayer, that I
in
snow, and
ice,
and
fervebat
no injury from there any slothfulness
nocte in
see now,
quia tunc spiritus in
Et ibi scilicet quadam somno audivi vocem dieen-
tcm sibi mihi
:'
"Benejejunas,
cito
;
have said
I
hundred prayers, and
felt
because the
then fervent in me.
rain,
it,
in
and
1
nor was
me, as
spirit
And
1
was there
Ma—
Pluiiwi in T. O'M, Sibi has two dots over it, marks which usually indicate an erasure. T. O'M. Adhering to our rule of giving the version of the Book of Armagh as it is, and not as wo think it ought to be, we give the version as it stands thus the rc]>e1
—
'
:
tition of
jrjunans
is
obviously a mistake of the BOribe, MorMVl r, t! « t r. that the work was copied from _; evidence
takes, to our thinking, aro I
'i
i
some older MS.; such mistake* would scarcely occur
in an original composition.
^^i
^
i
^ij'
!i
\i'
T
iii T
i'ii
tifM 'ifi,i'
f >,ii4S M u i ;i
i
f|i
«
'
l
i ;
| i ,
'/^P^
;iii i i
'ii
l
^f
i!
J|i »i »i i
|
Life of St. Patrick. jcjunans iturus iteruni 3 post
Et
.id
patriam tuam."
paullulum tempus
audivi responsum dicentem mihi
navis tua
ecce
non
parata
Et
est.
erat prope, sed forte liabebat
numquam
millia passus, et ibi
cc.
:
fueram, nee ibi
notum queraquam
de hominibus habebam.
one night I heard a voice, while I
saying
slept,
dost fast well
;
soon go to thy country."
thy ship
is
the
man
nem cum fueram
six
years,
vi annis
:
et veni
Domini, qui viam
meam
dirigebat, et nihil
me-
tuebam, donee perveni ad navem
Et
illam.
ilia
die
fecta est navis
qua perveni pro-
de loco suo,
et lo-
sum ut abirem unde navigarem cum illis, et gubernatori displicuit illi et acriter cum interroga" Nequaquam ut tione respondit Et cum nobisoum adpetes ire." cutus
>1
:
audiissem, separavi
litec illis,
me ab
ut venirem ad tegoriolum ubi
liospitabam
:
et in
itenere
ccepi
antequam orationem consummarem, audivi unuru ex illis et fortiter exclamabat post me "Veni orare
:
et
:
*
And again, :
ready."
was not near, but perhaps about two hundred miles distant, and I had never been there, nor did I
:
bonum4
Thou
me " Behold, And the place
response, saying to
know any one who
ad
"
after a very short time, I heard a
Et deinde postmodum conversus sum in fugam et intermissi honiiin virtute
me,
to
fasting thou shalt
Soon
lived there.
after this I fled,
with
whom
and I
I
and
left
had been
came in the
strength of the Lord,
who
my way
and I feared
good
for
nothing until
And place
and
;
I
moved out asked
displeased,
angrily us."
:
"
Do
to
the
.and
of her
go
and
master replied,
not seek to go with
And when
heard this
I
I
went from them to go thither where I had lodged and I began ;
to pray as I
went
;
but before I
had ended my prayer, I heard one of them calling out loudly after me, "
Come
quickly, for these
men
B. has terrain.
have here a curious evidence of how the wildest theories may bo built When writing on this subject, ante, p. 136, up upon the purest conjecture. we had not got the collations of the Cotton and Bodleian MSS.j they quite set the subject at rest, all giving the same version, qui viam meam ad bonum diriWare has this also but V. on pure conjecture, qui viam meam dirigebat, 01 bat. veni ad Benum. 4
We
;
fflfiBiH
I
arrived at that ship.
with them, but
was
directed
day on which I came
the
ship had
the
sail
I
;
m
"
quia vocanl te homines
cito,
Btatim ad
it
•;-• .
il'oo
q-.ruiu mihi theere
ex
recipimua
fide
cum Et
nun
amiin
\
.
are calling you ;" and returned to them immediately, and they beI
ct
;
gan saying
[Uiv
in,
fac nobis-
te,
quomodo
m
J
friendship with us as you w ish"And
then that day
reppuli
I
disdained to suppli-
cate them,
Jesu Christi,' quia genteserant ;ct
JesusCbri.-t, for they were Gentiles;
obhocobtinui cum
and and
God
;
illis;''
et
post
pi r
disertam
derait
iter
tri-
land,
cibus
el
fames invaluit super
ct
illis,
fecimus,
uipotens
1
tifficile
vertdmini
Ileum
in-
fide7
ex ii
ad
rinum
1
.-ibile,
ut cibuni
viaru
vestram, usque
niini,
quia nbique liabundat
lit
mittat
adjuvante Deo, rrex
Ion-
in
Lord
in
IV
anl
P.
3,
1.
have
et
days we
and
from hunger
my God,
fied, for
est,
Him."
via ante
protinus
;
days we reached
for twenty-eight
tl
;
and one v to
to
whom
me,
nothing
Ee may send
food on your way until ye are
illi."
it
abounds everj «
And
so done, for
nculos nostros apparuit* et multos
6
and
impassible, that
satia-
factum
ita
porcorum
nobis
dam
obtained from them
I
cui nihil est inpos-
in.
I
since we are perishing with hunger, and may never see the man again ]" And said to them plainly, " Turn Bincen ly to the
videamus." illis: "(
m. that
tie
"What sayest thou, Christian 1 your God is great and all-powerful why canst thou not then pray for us,
enim umquam
imevidenterdixi
of the fear of
of
day the mastei
quare ergo pro nobis
aliqnem hominem
ut
this
reatly
orarenon potest Quia nosfamepericlitamur
Imped
after three
:
est,
1
their provisions failed,
"Quid Christ iane tu Dens tnus magnus et om-
dicisl
but
;
journeyed through a desert, and
die ccepit gubernator
alio
mihi dicere
on account
they would come into the faith of
dunm terrain ca3pimus;etzxviii dies
y
l
:
mammellaa eoram propter timorem lei Bed rerumtamen it lihs Bperaii venue m hdem !
n
me
to
ceivethee in good faith;
volueii
itaque
die
ilia
:
isti
sum
reversus
;
satis-
I
with God's help lo,
is
us
it
was
a flock of swine ap-
n
very obscure; it would make nonsense to translate tuyere mammellcu literally. It was, probably, some proverbial <\pression. If any one acquainted witht VI tie colloquialism! knows any correspond-
The whole
ing one,
of
I shall
and Not in I
J.
F.
P.
1,
1,
passage
is
be obliged for information. The expression
is also difficult to 7
this
render. .'),
.'!,
have
et et
toto eorde.
or B., but \V. lias
^Ui
it
;
V. real-
I
' ante,
tc
Life of St. Patrick.
.WO
exillisinterficerunt: etibi
manserunt bene
eorum illis
1
uoctes
ex
repleti sunt, quia multi
secus
viam semivivi
relicti
summas
gratias
Et post
sunt.
ii.
et canes'J
refecti
ha?c
egcrunt Deo, et ego honorificatus
way
before our eye^,
left
exhausted
by the wayside.
After this they gave the greatest
oculis eorum. 3
sum sub
peared in the
and they killed many of them, and remained there two nights, much refreshed and filled with theii flesh, for many of them had been
thanks to God, and I was honored in their eyes.
Etiam mel silvistre invenierant, mibi partem obtulerunt, et et onus ex illis dixit " Immolaticum :
Deo
est,
exinde
gratias,"
Eadem
gustavi.
miens, et
vero
3
nihil
eram dor-
tcmptavit
fortiter
me
quod memor ero quandiu
Satanas, f uero
in hoc corpore, et cicidit eniin
super
me veluti saxum ingens, et membrorum prevalens. Sed
nihil
unde mibi venit 4 Heliam vocarem, solem
caelum
in
in
spiritum ut
et in oriri
hoc vidi et
;
dum
Heliam, 5 viribus meis
clamarcm,
ecce splendor solis illius decidit
super me, et
me
bat pro
discussit
me
et spero
a
Et credo quod
Domino meo 6
Christo
a
statim
gravitudinem.
quod
:
as long as I shall be in this body),
and there fell as it were a great stone upon me, and there was no strength in
came
into
the same rising
upon
and at saw the sun in the heavens, and while
how, to
I
my limbs. And then it my mind, I know not
cried
call
moment
out
Elias
Elias,
I
with
all
my
clama-
might, behold, the splendor of the
sic erit in
sun was shed upon me, and imme-
die pressuane mere, sicut in ^'Evan-
8 B.
They also found wild honey, and offered me some of it, and one of them said " This is offered in sacrifice, thanks be to God," But after this I tasted no more. the same night, while I was sleeping, I was strongly tempted by Satan (of which I shall be mindful
diately shook
from meall heaviness.
has carries eorum.
ami B. have defeccrunt et. 1, 3, have Et e.c lute die abundantur cibum habuerunt. and B. have nocte. 4 have ignarum. B. and F. 1, 6 B. and F. 1, 3, have Heliam Heliam. ' B. and C. 1, 3, have (jubvenlus sum, el spiritus ejus jam tunc) clamabar. 4c, and give the whole of the text, non vos cstis, &c, Matt. x. 20. 1
F.
1
2
B.
and
,
3,
3 F. 1, 3,
P.
And
believe thai
1
cried out for
mj
Ihrist
<
and
;
I
hope thai
1
be so in the day of
will
it
mi.'
adversity, as the
Lord
the Gospel
is
It
:
my
testifies in
not
ijuu
that
speak, Sec
adhuc captnram dedi
Miiltns
nocte prima itaque manai
i;i
eris
illis :"
Xocte
eravit
O"
" Duobus autem mensibus
:
cum
est,
<•
autem divinum
responsam
illis,
audivi
rum.
:
cam
ilia
quod
ita
factum
sexagensiraa lib-
mo Dominus de manibns Edam in itenere prcevidit
nobis cibum
et
ignem, et siccitntcm
donee decimo die perveni-
cotidie
mns omnia.
Sicnt saperina insinn-
avi, viginti et octo
disertum iterfe-
Some time
after 1 was taken and on the first night I remained with them I heard a
captive,
divine response, saying: "
You
shall
be two months with them;" and so
it
On
was.
the sixtieth night
the Lord delivered
hands, and on the
me out of mad lie
vided for us food, and
fire,
their
pro-
and dry
weather daily, until on the fourteenth day
have
we
all
came.
As
I
above mentioned, we jour-
cimns, et ea nocte qua perrenimua
neyed twenty-eight days through
omnia de cibo
a desert, and on the night of our
habaimus.
nihil
arrival
Et itenim post pancoa annoa,' in Britannia eram cum parent ibus
me
meis, qui et
ox
tuk-
modo ego quas ego
ut filium susciperunt,
rogaveront me, ut vel post tantaa tribulationes
pertuli,
Et
discederem.
muu de
noctiv*
ibi
illis
in
scilicet
virum venientem qoasi
I/iberione,
toricus,
nnscraam ab
cum
cui
nomeu
tepiBtolia
\*i<-
-
innuuura-
And
we had no provisions again, after a
was with
who
my
received
at least, after I
many
I
relations in Britain,
me
earnestly besought
so
left.
few years,
as a son,
me
and
that then,
had gone through
tribulations, I
nowhere from them.
would go
And
there
I
saw, in the midst of the night,
a
man who appeared to come from whose name was Vic-
Ireland,
: B. and F. 1, 3, have Et itcrum pott annot ; B. has non multoi ; V. 1, 3, We tuuuM mult'u. It is evident both B. and F. copied from very similar MSS. here tlio first great variation from the version of the Book of Armagh, whi re have the Et iUrum pott paucoa annot 'vt only given once, and comes alter nihil
habvimut. a 8ixu nortis— Literally, the
J"""
"bosom
of the night."
;
i^SsfS^^SS,
Life of St. Patrick. bilibus vidi, et dedit mihi his
principium
et legi
;
dum
aepistola?,
toricus, letters
Vox Hiberionacum.
continentem
Et
unam ex sepistolae
principium
recitabam
putabam enim
in
ipse
mente audire vocem ipsorum, qui erant juxta sylvam Focluti, 9 quae
;
as I read aloud the beginning of
the
Et
my mind
sic
exclamaverunt, "
te,
who were
Rogamus
punctus plius
sum
corde,
non potui
Et valde comet vald [e]- am-
legere
tus sum.
Deo
plurimos
annos
:
et sicexper-
quia post
gratias,
praestitit
illis
Dominus secundum clamorem
illo-
rum.
Et alia nocte, nescio, Deus scit utrum in me, an juxta me, verbis quos
peritissime
non
potui
ego
audivi,
intellegere,
nisi
expertus
sum
gaudi-
Et iterum vidi in me ipsum orantem et eram quasi 4 in:
meum,
et audivi
hoc
est,
super interiorem hominem, et ibi f ortiter
orabat gemitibus.
•
B. and F.
3,
1
B. and F.
1, 3,
is
near the
western
cried out
:
entreat thee, holy youth, to
"
We
come
and walk still amongst us." And my heart was greatly touched, so that I could not read any more, and so Thanks be to God that, I awoke. after very many years, the Lord hath granted them their desire. in
And on another night, whether me or near me God knows, I words which
could not understand until the end
bundus.
tra corpus
and they
;
of Foc-
heard
suam, 3 pro te ipse est qui loquitur sic
which
sea
those
of
wood
near the
luti,
heard in
I
voice
et
:
Et
the
ad
postremum orationis sic efficiatus " Qui dedit pro te animam est in te."
I thought
letter,
prope mare occidentale.
ambulas inter nos."
*
me and I read the commencement of the epistle containing "The Voice of the Irish ;" and gave to
est
sancte puer, ut venias, et adhuc 1
M\\
and he had innumerable
with him, one of which he
E t inter
eloquent
of the speech,
when
it
was
said
1
:
He who gave His life for thee is He who speaks in thee;" and so I awoke full of joy. And again I saw "
one praying within me, and I was, as
it
were, within
heard, that
is,
my
body, and I
above the inner man,
and there he prayed earnestly with groans. And I was amazed at
have viryulti ; F. 1, sylvam virgultique. have quasi ex uno ore.
This valde has marks of erasure over it. The scribe had written raid, when he seems to have discovered his error.— T. O'M. 3 B. and F. 3, have qui pro te animum suam posint : F. 1, the same, except -
posuil. 4
B. omits quasi
:v-|
St. Patini hoec stupebam, et
bat
el
this,
and marvelled and ecu
ora-
who
this could be
admirabam,
cogitabam quia asset qui In
me
ad postremum orationia
Soil
expertns
it
sumet recordatus sum
and
" Spiritna adju-
that
Apostolo dicente
:
in
awoke, and
I tin:
remembered
apostle said
:
Liketoist
the
sed ipse Spiritna postulat
nho helpeth OUT infirmity, far uk know nut what we should pray for as we "»;//
pro nobis gemitibna inerrabilibus,
himself atketh far us with unspeak-
qua: verbis exprinii non possunt.' '"
able groaning*.
infirmitates orationia nostra
v:it
Spirit
:
nam quod oremus sicut oportet nescimus
:
Et iteruin noster
est [
lit
:
"Dominus advocatus
is
senioribus
sum ab meis,
I
Utque
in
episcopatum illo
die
who also maketh
(And whi n
us.
was tried by some of
im-
Bed Dominus pepercit
my
an objection to
mourn,
pulsus sum, ut caderem hie et in ceternum.
,
for
who came and spoke
qui
fortiter
And again, 77e Lord
advoc'tti ision
win-runt, et peccata mea, contra
laboriosum
our
pro nobis." 7
postulat
quando temptatus
aliquantis
.
I
of
my elders, my sins as
laborious epis-
was on that day, some-
fall away But the Lord spared a proselyte and a stranger
times, strongly driven to
here and for ever.
His name's sake, and mercifully
proselyto et peregrino propter no-
for
men suum, benigne
assisted me greatly in that affliction,
mihi
et valde
Bubvenit in hac conculcatione, quod in labe
deveni pi
et
opprobrium non male
Deum
oro ut non
illia
in
ccatum reputetur occasionum
;
post anims triginta invenerunt me, tt
adreraua verbumquodconfessus
fueram antequod essem diaconus
A
who prayed
But at the end of the prayer came to pass that it was a bishop,
me.
sic efficuttus est at sit epiacopus,' et sic
593
I
6
All read thus except F.
was thus mistaken * Rom. viii. 2G.
3.
P.
1
;
because
I
was not entirely deserving
of reproach.
may
an occasion of after thirty
against
sin
;
years,
me words
fessed before I
has ep$.
pray God that they
I
not be found guilty of giving
they found
and
me
brought
that I had con-
was a deacon
Probably the original had
;
from
sp*,
and
fur
7 B. has The paraDeus. Probably a loose quotation from Rom. viii. 34. graphs from Et quando to xupra dictis arc wanting in the Rook of Armagh. I give them above, in brackets, bom the Cotfam 1638. mint Banff myself very doubtful of the value of anything pur|>orting to be a part of theCanfesHowever, as the above is rion which, is not contained in the Booh of Armagh. found in all the three versions, give it. 1
1
I
K
Life of St. Patrick.
594
anxiety, with sorrow of
propter anxietatem mcesto animo insinuavi amicissimo meo qure in
pueritiameaunadiegesseram,immo in
Nescio,
I told
one hour, because I was not then
necdum prrevaDeus scit, si habe-
hora, quia
una
lebam.
mind
my dearest friend whatl had done in my youth, in one day, nay, rather in able to overcome.
I
know not, God
sed in morte et in in-
knows, if I was then fifteen years of did age, and from my childhood I not believe in the living God, but
crudelitate mansi, donee valde cas-
remained in death and unbelief
tigatus sum, et in veritate lramilia-
until I
bamtunc annis quindecim, et Deum vivum non credebam neque ex in
mea
fantia
sum
tus
;
et nuditate;
a fame
;
now
sponte pergebam, donee prope deficiebam. Sed hee [sic] potius bene
mihi fuit
sum a Domino,
me
et aptavit
mc
ut ego curas
erat,
to Ireland of
will, until I
was nearly
But this proved a blessing to me, for I was thus corrected by the Lord, and he made me fit to be to-day that which was once
worn
ut
hodie essem quod aliquando longe a
come
I did not
my own
quia ex hoc emendatus
:
chastised, and,
have been humbled by hunger and nakedness and even
non
Hiberione
contra
cotidie
was severely
in truth, I
et
haberem
far
aut satagerem pro salute aliorum, quando etiam de me ipso non co-
out.
from
my
thoughts, so that I
should care for the salvation of others, for at that time I had no
gitabam.
thought even for myself.
And
quo repiobatus sum A memoratus supra dictis ad Igitur in
noctem
die
illo
scriptum erat contra faciem meam,
Et
sine honore.
the night.]
:
Male
"
;"
sed
:
"
male vidimus
"Qui tanguit
8
F.
9
Zach.
pupillam
1, 3,
oculi
have del signati.
ii.
8.
Not
-vs
;" :
J
me\.'"
F.
1, 3,
saw
in a vision of
to me,
"We
have
but " we have badly seen," as if he had there joined himself to me, as
qui
quasi
tanguit,
vos
the
heard with displeasure the face of the elect without a name." He did not say "thou hast badly seen,"
:
quasi ibi se junxisset, sicut dixit
I
answer saying
audivimus faciem designatr* nudato nomine," nee sic prasdixit " male vidisti
day in
for
the night a writing without honor before me. And then I heard an
inter lirec audivi
rosponsum dicentem mihi
was reproved
things above mentioned, I saw in
Vidi in vissu noctis
illam].
in the night of the
which I
and B. read mate vidbmt*.
in the Vulgate.
.
ago
gratias
[dciroo
me
omnibus
in
non mo
inpediret
qua statueram, (|iio
opera,
qui
ei,
confortavit,
ut
profeetdone
a
de mea quo-
el
am virtatem non paxvam, fides mea probata est coram
et
hominibua
give thanks to
I
who comforted
ii
that Hi-
Bed magis
:
i
me
in
all
not binder
ili«l
from the journey
which
work which no
my
[earned
of
But from this thing I
felt
I
approved
my
faith
God
and
ami
strength,
little
w.h
had
me had
I
proposed, and also as regards
Christ.
is
toueheth the appl
Therefore
eye. 1 1 i
thai touehelh you,
//•
:
to/to
Do
quod a Christo
minus meo dedideiam
he said
atht
before
man, l'n.lo
me
antem audeuter
reprahendil
hie et in futuruni
Bennonibus [.Sod
l:>is.'
teste
;
tale
cradidi
et
quos ego
retuli
non
interfui,
mea
in
vo-
nee
me
in
ego
fratribus
me now
Britanniis
me
pulsaret. :
"Eccedandus eatu adgradumEpiscopatua,* quod non eram dignus. Sed unde venit illi poatmodnm ut coram cunctis bonis et malis in me 1
od
or for
ante
that
more
grieved
whom my
to
friend,
occasioned
I
defence,
have
should have
And
when
the
dearest
would
lifo,
this.
fool
I
my
from certain brethren this
I
God now,
[But
that
I
I
that, before
v
I
nor even in Britain, and with win
-h
I
had nothing to do.
me in my absence. to me with his "Thou art going to
that he defended I
[e
had even said
own be
lips:
given
the
rank
of
bishop,"
was not worthy of it. Bow, then, did it happen to him
though
I
Et
that,
afterwards,
Dominus qui major omnibus
est?
sons,
good
1
future.
have not lied in the words
I
have told you.
sponte et Istus iudulseratf
of
the
have the testimony of
1
say that
to
conscience does not reproach
orietur, ut et ille
ipse ore suo dixerat
puplice dehoni
Therefore, I dare
my
trusted even
El
quod ego
illain,
absentia pro
Etiam mihi
cni
auimam.
aliquantis
ante defensinnem
cram, nee a
in
meruimus
responsura,
etiam
ab
compeii
Deo ab
magis doleo pro ami-
ciBsimo meo, cur hoc
audire
ine;i
sum mentitus
non
da
non
dico,
conecientia
and
before bad,
In-
all
per-
should
The paragraphs from ted magu down to ultra est are wanting in the Book Armagh, but arc giveu from the Cotton M33. for the reasons stated above.
Life of St. Patrick Sed tamen non debeo
Satis dico.
donum Deo, quod
abscondere
lar-
me]
mea?, quia tunc fortiter inquisivi
than
eum, et ibi inveni ilium, et servavit me ab omnibus iniquitatibus, sic
I
credo propter inhabitantem Spiri-
my
in
ejus,
qui operatus est usque
hanc diem in me audentur rurSed scit Deus, si milii homo
when he had
publicly,
And the Lord who
gitus est nobis in terra captivitatis
tum
me
detract
before this freely and gladly praised
all 1
ought not to hide the
He
which
me
gave
greater
gift of
Him
captivity, for I sought
earnestly there,
and found him
then,
and He preserved me from
all iniquity, I believe,
hoc effatus fuisset forsitan tacuis-
indwelling of
sem propter charitatem
worketh within
His
were
mc
I
through the
Spirit,
me
which
unto this day
But God knows
more and more. if it
God
in the land of
6us.
Christi.
is
I have said enough. Still
man who
spoke this to
would perhaps be
silent for
the love of Christ.
Unde ego indefessam gratiam me fidelem ser-
ago Deo meo, qui
vavit in die tentationis mese
;
ut liodie confidcnter offeram sacrificium,
I
me
temptation, so that J can, to-day,
my
vel quae est in-
Ita ut hodie
?
uecnon
fuero,
in
secundis, sed etiam in pressuris
ut quicquid
bonum, debeo
sive
mihi
evenerit,
malum,
suscipere,
et
:"
sive
sequaliter
Deo
gratias
semper agere, qui mihi ostendit, ut
eum sine me audierit
indubitabilem
crederem, et qui
fine
ut et
ego inscius sim in novissimis die-
Lord,
day of
the
sacrifice confidently, the
omnibus
magnificarem nomen tuum ubiloco
him
servavit ab
in gentibus constanter exultarem
cunque
offer
in
living sacrifice of
vocatio mea, qui mihi tantam divi-
et
faithful
Domino
nitatem cooperuisti
my
me
Christo
Domine]
unceasing
give
God, who preserved
ita
augustiis meis, ut et dicam: " Quis
ego sum,
my
illi
ut hostiam viventem
animam meam meo, qui
I
Therefore,
thanks to
my soul
to Christ
me from I may say
who
preserved
my troubles, so that Him " Who am I, O Lord ? or what is my calling, that divine grace
all
to
:
should have so wrought with
me
1
So that to-day I can so rejoice amongst the nations, and magnify
Thy name, wherever
I
am, not only
in prosperity but also in adversity;''
and I ought to ever happens
receive equally whatto me, whether
good
God thanks in all who hath shown me that
or evil, giving things, I
should, undoubtingly,
ceasing, believe in
heard
me though
without
Him who hath I am ignorant,
Patrick
St.
bus hoc opus tam piom
tain
et
mirificum adire aggredet
ita
ut
imitaram quispiom iUoa, ([ins ante 1
'•'minus
jam olim prsdixerat prav
nuntiaturos Evangeliuni suuin in
testimonium omnibus gentibus an8 finem mundi.
te
Quod
ita ergo
ut vidimus itaqne Buppletum est
Ecoe testes sumus, quia Evangclium pnedicatom
nemo
ubique ubi
per
partes.
qualiter pissimus
sin-
meum,
laborcm
enarrare
gula
per
totuin
est
prater
we
Behold,
are witnesses that the
Gospel has been preached to the
But
my
human
habitation.]
too
is
it
from
and by which
et
qua
exprimere non valeo,
ncc
Sed auctorem qui novit omnia
me
etiam antequani hunt' [ut
pau-
Ideo tamen
perculum pupillum.
long
to
labors particularly,
God
annua una
that
;
the good
est
whom
old
of
the end of the world which baa been accomplished, as we have seen.
Deus de
servi-
in
they should preach His Gospel to all nations for a testimony before
I
injuriam legentibus faeiam.
Deum
our Lord predicted
partially.
niultas,
insidias
3
a work, and imitate those of
Breviter dicam
tute sepe liberavit, ct de pcriculis
xu qua pen: hiata
should undertake,
I
those days, so holy and wonderful
limits of
ultra est.]
Longum vel
est
and that
even
will briefly say
often delivered
from
slavery
dangers
detail
or
my
twelve
soul
many
threatened, besides
how me was
snares,
and what in words I cannot express, and with which I will not trouble my 'readers. But God knows all things, even before they come to pass fas
he does me, a poor creature.
responsum divinuin creberrinic ad-
Therefore the divine voice very often
moneret, 6 unde mihi hasc sapien-
admonished me to consider whence came this wisdom, which was not
tia,
qua; in
me non
qui nee
erat,
numerum dierum noveram, neque Deum sapiebaml Unde mihi postmodum donum tam magnum tam
salubro
vel diligere,
Deum sed
agnoscere
ut patriam
et
in me,
the
who
knew God nor Whence
neither
number
of
my
days.
did I obtain afterwards the great
and salutary God,
and
gift to
to
leave
know
or love
my
country
!
8 A reference to St. Matth. xxviii. 20. It is evident that St. Patrick was very familiar with Scripture there are many indirect references to it throughout the Confession, which it seems scarcely necessary to verify. 5 F. 1, .1, and B. read dum authorem. * 9. 1, 3, and B. have the paragraphs inclosed in brackets. i B. crcberrime admonuit, and V. ;
Life of St. Patrick.
59S amitterem,
parentes
munera
et
multa mihi ofl'erebantur cum
Et
lacrimis?
et
modo
Deo, nullo
illis
me
many
with sor-
row and tears. And! offended many
consensi neque
Deus,qui vincitiu me,et
although
illos
offendi
non mea
:
relations,
were offered to
gifts
necnon contra votum aliquantis de scnioribus meis. Sed gubernante adquievi
my
and
fletu
gratia sed
resistit illis
my seniors then
of
against
my
will.
by God, I yielded no way to them not to me,
But, guided
—
in
God be
but to
the glory,
who
con-
quered in me, and resisted them
came
omnibus, ut ego veneram, ad Hi-
all
bernas gentes Evangelium prsedi-
people to preach the Gospel, and
ab incredulis contumelias
bear with the injuries of the un-
care, st
ut
perferre,
aurem
obprobrium
pevegrinatiouis mere, et persecutionis
multas usque ad vincula,
meam
ut darem ingenuitatem
Et
utilitatem aliorum. fuero,
animam meam
etiam
ut
incunctanter
nomine
libentissime pro ibi
pro
dignus
si
promptus sum
et
ejus
;
si
Dominus
renascerentur,"
que
illis
nuper
ut clerici
et
venientem
extremis
ad
falso
nostri
uni-
sumsit
terrse,
crcdulita-
Dominus ab
sicut
olim
pro-
7
" Si-
miserat per profetas suos cut
Deum
in
ordinarentur ad plebem
quam
tem,
me
:
comparaverunt patres
idola,
et
non
est
in
and
eis
Irish
to the reproach
and endure
persecutions, even to chains,
to give
benefit
of
worthy, I
up
my
freedom for the
And
I
be
ready to give up
my
others.
am
if
unhesitatingly and most cheer-
fully for
qui mihi tantam gratiam, donavit ut populi multi per
many
life
Deo,
and listen
to the
of being a stranger,
et
iudulgeret.]
Quia valde debitor sum
believing,
et
opto inpendere earn usque ad
mortem,
so that I
;
His name, and thus,
if
the Lord permit, I desire to spend it
even until
For
I
am
my
death.]
truly a debtor to God,
who has given me so much grace, that many people should be born again to God through me, and that for
them everywhere should be
or-
dained priests for this people, newly
come
to the faith,
which the Lord
took from the ends of the earth, as
He
promised formerly by His Pro-
phets idols,
:
"Our fathers falsely prepared and there
is
no
profit
in
and F. 1, 3, have el jiorlmodum consummarenlur. aud F. 1, 3, have ad gentes venient ab extremis terra et iHcent, sicut, &c. The text seems to be taken from Jer. xvi. 19 ; but is more a paraphrase than a 8
B.
7
13.
quotation.
-K5T
—5- —C-
-7
Patrick's
St.
ad togentesveniunt
utilitas,
iterum: " Posui
I'.t
ad extremum terwe.*8
promisaum
expectare
uumquam
utique
:il>
ipaius,
qui
" :
Venient
Jacob
:'
unto the
vation
And
ih.
Tin
Mint credentea
Dominua
piscare, sicut
pramionet
docet dicens: " Venite
et
post me, et faciam vos
hommum."
catorea
Unde autem nostra
ita
turba Deo caperetur:
et
ubique essent
zarent,
ut multitudo
clerici
ezhortarent
et
tum indegentem
et
popu-
dissiderantem
:
Dominua in Evanguelio amonet et docet dicens: "Eunergo nunc docete omnes tes sicut
baptizantes
mine tus
v
:
'
Patris,
B.
xiii.
and
V,
47 1,
:
.1,
1
Matt, vitt 11.
-
B.
and
K.
1,
.'*,
ad
no-
in
eas
Filii,
usque
sancti
Acts,
et
et
Sj.iri-
<
fails,
lospel
•
the north and from and shall sit down with Abraham,and Tsaac,and Jacob. So we believe that the faithful shall all
parts of the world.
Therefore we ought
and
diligently, as the
and said iritl
And
:
'ome
(
r
again:
11<
means,
of
hold, saith
men.
t
and many hunwe should, by
fishers
set
well
1.
hers
I send many
all
fish
t<>
Lord taught
"/>
U(
in,'
our nets
in
manner that a great multitude and a crowd may be caught then in
qui baptisic
never
the
in
of
wait the
I
Him who
&&'
valde oportebat retia
tendere,
copiosaa et
venatores
et
Dominus,"
dicit
pis-
Et iterum, 1
"Eccemitto piscatores multos,
fieri
utmost j«iris
[from
come from diligentei
1
south]
th,
itaquc oportet bene et
Ideirco
1
s/
11
the west
credimus ab omni nunulo vcnturi
.,/
thus
He promises
as
again, / have
ligM
that thou mayest be for sal'
promise of
aicut
'
be th*
1.1
in
sicut
And
say."
will
tli.,
lilet,
recumbent cum
et
Isaac et
et
volo
occidente, ab austra
et
aquilone
Abraham
set
il>i
fallit,
pollicetur
lio
ab oriente et
Et
5^
vnfession.
(
and
salutem usque
in gentibus, ut sis
£
T=
them, to thee the (untiles come
el
lumen
te
^w-
^T
~f
1.
may
and that everywhere there
be priests win) shall baptize
and exhort and
it
a people
desire
and (
lospi
I,
it
who as
;
'
teach y< all nations,
I
;
r,
9.
I
andofthe
Qhost, even
omit the following word?.
.
the
iptiaing them
nearly as in Vulgate.
have dkii per propheta*
in
oing, tlierefore,
in the name of the Fatht
terminum
the Lord
admonishes
bsmpeeeatores farj
to
secnli."
3
ergo in
Et
iterum
mundum
"Euntes
:
consummation
the
And
universum, pre-
again
:
Go ye
and preach
of the world into the whole
dicate
Evanguelium omni creaQui crediderit, et baptizatus fnerit, salvus erit, qui vero non
v:orld
tura?.
every creature ; he that'believeth
credideret condemnabitur." 4
that
liqua sunt exempla.
is
Re-
[Et iterum
mundo
:
meo super
carnem, et prophetabunt vestrse, et
ves-
filii
vestri,et
tri
visiones videbunt, et seniores
filire
filii
not
believeth
dom
in testimoni-
iinis." Et item Dominus per prophetam prsenuntians, inquit " Et erit in novissimisdiebus,dicit Domi-
omnem
baptized shall be saved, but
shall be preached in the whole
And again, the Lord,
come.
ing by the prophet, says shall
come
saith the Lord, that I will
my
spirit
upon
conseeutam
dictum ibi
est
" Vocabo non plenon misericordiam
:
et
et
;
erit
Non
:
vocabuntur
in loco ubi
plebs raea vos,
filii
Dei
vivi."] 6
pour out
and your
all flesh,
servants
;
it
sons and your daughters shall pro-
de Spiritu meo, et prophetabunt." 5 dicit
speak-
And
:
to pass in the last days,
phesy, your old
bem meam
lie
con-
be
worldfor a testimony to all nations, awl then shall tlie consummation
Et somnia somniabunt. quidem super servos meos et ancillas meas in diebus illis effundam
vestri
Et Osee
shall
The rest are examples. [And again: ThisGospel of the king-
um omnibus gentibus et tuncveniet
nus, effundam de Spiritu
to
ami
demned.
:
"PraxlieabiturhocEvangeliumregni in universo
Gosp>el
the
men
shall
dreams, and your young see
and handmaids
I will
pour forth
was
not
people
And
And I will say to
:
:
my
Osee
that which
people: Thou art
and
to
my
in those
my spirit and
they shall prophesy. saith
shall
Moreover, upon
visions.
days
dream
men
my
her who hath noi
found mercy ; and they shall say: Thou art my God. Andin the place where I said to them, You are not
my people, Ye are
3
Matt.
4
B.
rolls
:
6
F.
1, 3,
have sancii docentes eos observare omnia quaeungue maud"! sum omnibus diebus, usque ad consummationem seculi
xxiii. 19.
Mark,
xvi.
iterum to Dei 6
shall be said to them,
ego vohiscum
et ecce
— Matt,
it
sons of the living God.]
18.
iv.
and
tlie
Joel,
ii.
1(5.
viri ig
18.
The
four following words are not
wanting
in
Book
of
Armagh.
ill
B. or P.
Prom Et
Sap
:
V
b
St. Patrick's Coi<>
I'nde
1 1
i
-
notitiam'
qui
habuerant,
bimunda usque nunc
idula et
i
Hiberione,
.lutein
numquam
Bempei coluerunt, qaomodo nuper efiecta est pleba Domini, et filii Dei nuncupabuntur torum*
i'ilii
i
Scot-
Regulorum monachi
et filise
et virginea Christi ease videntur.'
Wherefore behold how land they led
'
worshipped
utiva, nobilis,
pulchemma, adul-
[And
quam ego baptism
:
et
pauOOB dies una causa venit nos
ail
sum
insinuavit nobis respon-
:
accepisse
monuit
a
etiam omnes virgines Dei fa riant)
quod
ita
hoc
patiuntur,
;
et
inpropria falsa apparentibus suis,
nihilLominus plus augetur nu-
et
merus
;
Data
sunt,
et
nescimus
Sed
nentcs.
borant,
»
Os.
illas
and
after a
whom
baptized,
I
few days she came to
informed that she was' to become
and
to
draw
Thanks be
to
God,
a virgin of Christ,
near to God. six
days after this she most ex-
cellently this state
virgins of
and eagerly entered on of life, which all the
God now
adopt, even
nunieruin
even enduring reproaches and per-
conti-
secution from them, and notwith-
et
maxime
la-
qua; servitio detinentur
ii.
very beautiful,
against the will of their parents,
viduas
et
blessed Irish
ibi
de gencre nostro qui
eonim, pneter
there was one
maiden, of adult age, noble and
understand that she had received a command from God, and was
non sponte patrum caruin
pcrsecutionem
Bed
i
us for a reason, and gave as to
die uptime
et avidissime arripuit illud,
ai
virgins of Christ
et
proximaret.
Deo gratias, sexta ab hac
monks and
virgo
Dei,
esset
Deo
ipsa
Christi, et
nutu
ut
etiam
have
idols,
the daughters of princes to be
crat,
unclean
become the people of the Lord, and are called the God. The sons of the Scoti and
benedicta Sotta,1
ta
[re-
lately
[Et etiam una gi
'/
in
who never had the kuow<: /, and hitherto only
standing they increase in
and as
for those
who
number
;
born
are
l.eti. 10.
have Dei habuerant. Scottornm and in Scnlla has been erased. On the first word in the Hook of Armagh the Kcv. T. O'Mahony gives mo tlio following not e "It is doubtful whether tho word hero should bo Scottorum— the MS. has Scurum only but there is a small mark not unlike an inverted comma over the c, which may have been intended a-s a contraction." 1 From Et etiam to anima&i/.i veiltis i* wanting in tho Book of Armagh. In the Cotton MS., from which the text is taken, the letter c iu Sootta has been
and F.
•
B.
9
In B. the
1, 3,
c in
:
;
It is
probable that caiua, thrco lines further on, is a mistake for text, to a letter, as it stands.
However, we prefer giving the
—".'' ~
-'-t^ ^
f-
'*'
""
-
»
-C
-
;
again in this way,
we know not
number, except the widows
their
and those who observe continency. But those who are in slavery are most severely persecuted, yet they persevere in spite of terrors and threats.
But the Lord has given
grace to
many of my handmaids, for
Him
they zealously imitate
as far
as they are able.
Unde autem tanniis,
ad patriam
non id solum, sed Gallias
visitare
Brit-
wished to leave them, and had been
paratus
ready and very desirous to go to
in
libentisaime
et
erani, quasi
et parentes
usque
etiarn
fratres,
:
ut
et
viderem faoiem sanctorum Domini rnei
:
scit
optabam.
Deus quod ego valde Sed alligatus spiritu qui
mihi protestatur,
futurum reum
hoc
si
esse
; et non Dominus, qui
vanirem, esse ajtatis
mere
;
et custodierit
fecero, ut
designat,
et
quem
in-
timeo pendere laborem, choavi
ego, sed Cliristus
me cum
Therefore, though I could have
voluero amit-
etsi
tere illas, et ut pergens
iniperavit illis
ut
residuum
Dominus voluerit, me ab omni via mala, si
ut non peccem coram
illo.
Spero
Britannia, as
my
to
if
and parents, and not that
country
alone, but
to go even to Gallia, to visit
and
brethren,
my
and God knows But I the spirit, and He who
Lord's saints
that I desired
am bound in
;
it greatly.
witnesseth will account I
do
it,
which I,
and
I
me guilty if
I fear to lose the labor
have commenced
but the Lord Christ,
— and not
who com-
manded me
to come and be with them for the rest of my life if the Lord grants it, and keeps me from ;
every evil way, that I should not
autem hoc debueram sed memet ipsum non credo, quamdiu fuero in
sin before
hoc corpore mortis
trust not myself as long as I
:
:
quia fortis est
qui cotidie nititur subvertere
me
a
who
strong
from the
Christo
Domino meo
:
vita; lneai
sed caro
ini-
mica semper trahit ad mortem,id ad inlecebras in das, et scio
est
inlicitate pcrficien-
ex parte ququare vitam
cere
my
But
I
to
body of death,
in this
non
usque in fincni
Him.
am bound
which I
fide etpropositacastitate religionis ficte
my
to see the face of
hope that do,
but I
daily tries to turn
faith,
religious
am
for he is
and from the chastity to
me sin-
Christ
Lord, to which I have dedi-
cated myself to the end of
but the
flesh,
which
is
my life
in enmity,
Patrick's Confession.
perfectamego non meo,
non erobesco
et
quia nun
ejus,
agi sicut etcetcri
Bed confiteor Domino
credentea
in con
ex quo
mcutior,
cum in iuventuto in me amor Dei, ct
mea,
i
merit ipaioB,
et
Domino,
usque
nunc,
tinior
fovente
always draws
me
to
unlawful
be
unlawfully
know a
led
to death, that
gratified,
that
perfect
I
havo not other
like
life
is,
must and I
that
desires,
part
in
But I confess to my and do not blush before Him,
believers.
Li
'rd,
because I
tiilem servavi.
G03
the truth, that from
tell
knew Him in my youth of God and His fear in-
the time I
the love
creased within me, and until now,
by the favor of the Lord, I have kept the
Rideat nutem
non
ego
voluerit,
abscondo signa a
milii
Domino
qui
ncque
silebo,
mirabilia, ansa
et
ministrata
ante multos annos
™
iusultet
et
quam
sunt
fuerunt,
faith.
Let him who pleases insult and laugh at me, I will not be silent, neither do I conceal the signa and wonders that the Lord hath show n
to
me many
before
years
they
He who knew
quasi qui novit omnia, etiam ante
took place, as
Unde autem tempora s;ecularia. debuero sine ccssatione Deo gratias
things
even
began.
Therefore I ought to give
agere, qui stspe
thanks to
tiaj
insipien-
in.lul.-it
mea?, negligentia; mere do loco
who
before
God without
often pardoned
my
all
world
the
ceasing, nncalli d-
for folly
and negligence, who did
vehementer irasceretur, qui adjutoi
not
His anger turn
datus sum, et non cito adquievi,
against me,
secundum quod
work with Him, though I did not promptly follow what was shown
non in uno quoque, ut non
milii
ostensum
milii
fuerat ct Spiritus suggerebat, et niiscrtuscst milii
millium
:
Dominus
paiatna cram
;
scd quod mini pro
his nesciebam de statu
facetem,
quia
bant
mittit in
qui
tergum
et dioebant
:
meo quid banc lega-
nmlti
tioncm prohibebant, sc ipsos post
ininillia
me quod
quia vidit in
et
jam
meum
oana-
"Iste quare se
periculum inter
Deum non
inter
noverunt
i"
let
who
Non
me
to
me, and what the Spirit suggested; and the Lord had compassion on
me among
thousands and thou-
sands, because will
;
do, because
my hind
He saw my good
knew not what many were hii
but then I
to
mission, and were talking be-
my back, and saying
does he run into dangi
'•
fiercely
allowed
enemies who know not
i
"Why
r
God !"
This
Life of St. Patrick. ut causa
propter rusticitatcm
tclligi
et
sed non sapiebat
rualitise,
sicut et ego ipse testor,
illis,
non
in-
mcam
;
agnovi gratiam, qua?
cito
tunc erat in rue
nunc miki
:
sapit
was not
said with malice, but be-
cause they did not approve of
now testify, because
but, as I
rusticity,
you understand
did
at
not
once
;
it,
my
of
and
I
the
recognize
grace which was then in me, but
quod ante dcbuerain.
now I know I
should have known
he/ore.
Nunc
ergo
fratribus
mihi
lated to
quod
servants
ad roboran-
confinnandam
et
fideni ves-
Utinam utimitcmininiajora,
tram.
et potiora faciatis.
Hoc
mea
sapiens
quia
;
patris
filius
Vos
est.
erit gloria
cordis
sinceritate
geutes
ego fidem
prajstiti
illis
Deus
stabo.
scit,
lorum
circumveni,
propter
Deum
ne excitem
ad
et
prse-
neminem nee
il-
cogito,
Ecclesiam ipsius,
et
illis
etiam
;
et nobis
persecutioneni, et ne per
Nam
matur."
sum tus
imperitus
etsi
nominibus, tamen cona-
in
sum quippiam
also
servare
me,
Would
might aim at
This shall be
a wise son
is
my the
You know
glory of his father.
and God knows how I have lived among you from my youth up, both faithful in truth and sincere in heart
;
also I
to the people
have given the faith
among whom I
dwell,
and I will continue to do so. God knows I have not overreached any of them, nor
blasphe-
and conthat you higher things and
strengthen
to
firm your faith.
cause of
blas-
:
Domini
preach
omnibus
:
nomen
me, still
me
quia phematur nomen Domini " Vse homini per scriptam est
quern
believed
glory, because
quas habito,
inter
illas
who have
have preached and
Deus
a juventute mea, et fide veritatis et
I
re-
brethren and fellow
succeed better.
et
scitis
why
have simply
I
my
gloria
apud vos conversatus sum
qualiter
Therefore,
meis qui
propter
credidcrunt,
prasdixi et prsedico
dam
insuavi
simpliciter
conservis
et
I
do I think of
it,
God and His Church,
should excite
them and
all
be-
Sw
persecution
of us,
and
for
lest the
name of the Lord should be blasphemed through me for it is ;
written,
whom
"Woe
the
to the
name
of
man
through
the Lord
For though
is
am
etiam et fratribus Christianis et
blasphemed."
virginibus Christi, et mulieribus
unskilled in names, I have endea-
religiosis
;
munuscula altare
quaj
mihi
donabant,
jactabant
ex
ultronea et
super
ornameutis
to
lest
I
vored to be careful even with
my
Christian brethren, and the virgins of Christ,
and devout women, who
:
Ik,
—
^«J_i
W.
Sit.
illis :et
nie scandalizabantur cur
ego facicbam.
spem
I
Scd ego propter
perennitatis, ut
me
omni-
in
bus caute proterea conservare
me
ut
:
ita
in aliquo titulo infidcli car-
pcrent, vel ministerium servitutis
mrae, ncc etiam
in
minimo,
locum darem
credulis
|-«—
f
-
'
•
Patricks Confession,
iterum rcddebam
suis, et
adversum
'
'•»
in-
infamare
me
freely gave
and
gifts,
cast of
ornaments upon the
their
altar,
but I returned them, though tiny were offended with me because I did of
But
so.
cautiously in
for the
I,
guarded
immortality,
things
all
they could not find
me
hope
myself so that
;
unfaithful,
even in the smallest matter, so that unbelievers could not defame or
sivc detractare.
detract from
my
ministry in the
least.
Forte autem quando tot millia
baptism hominum, speravcrim ab
But when baptized so
aliquo illorum vel dimidio scriptu-
did
reddam vobis ; ant quando ordinavit ubique Dominus clericos per modicitatcm
from them? return
meam
lity
la?.
Dicitc mihi, et
et
ministerium gratis
distri-
bui illis ? Si poposci ab aliquo illorum vel pretium vel calceami nti
me et reddam Ego impendi pro vo-
mei, dicitc adversus
vobis magis. bis,
et
me
ut
caperent
:
et inter vos
ubique pergebam causa vest ra. in
multis periculis, etiam usque ad partes, ubi
extras
ubi
eras, et
numquam
nemo
ultra
aliquis per-
veucrat qui baptizaret, aut clericos
populum consumdonante Domino, dili-
ordinaret, aut
maret
3 :
genter et libentissime pro salute
I
it
happened that
expect even half a "scrcpall"'
it
and
Tell me,
to you.
I
will
Or when the Lord
ordained clergy through
and ministry, did
grace gratuitously
any
I
many thousand men,
my
If I
1
humi-
I confer the
asked of
them even the value of my tell me, and I will repay you
of
shoe,
more.
I rather spent for you, as
far as I
was able
and among you you I endured in distant places, where
and everywhere
many
perils
;
for
none had been further or had ever
come
ordain
the
clergy, or confirm the people.
By
to
baptize,
or
the grace of the Lord I
labored
freelyand diligently in all things for
your salvation.
At
this
time also
This was an ancient Celtic coin, ralue about three pence, weighing twentyThere is an obvious See l'etric's "Round Towers," p. 214. allusion hero to I. Kings, xii. 3 Protestant version, I. Sato. xii. 3 The word coiunimmare was used for the sacrament of Confirmation, as by St. Cyprian, L't s'njnaculo Domini consummentur, quoted by Potter, p. 190. *
four grains.
.'!.
;
omnia
vestra
Iuterem
generavi.
dabani
prremia
regibus,
propter
quod dabaui mercedeni filiis iprnecum ambulant qui sorum, nihil 4
ct
cum
comprehenderunt meis et
comitibus
cupiebant
die avidissinie cere
me
nerat
sed tempus
;
et
;
;
ferro vinxerunt
die absolvit
eorum,
ta
fuit,
ilia
et
wished to
ve-
meipso potes-
quicquid nostrum
et
est
nobis propter
et necessarios amicos,
and who understood [to protect] me and my
companions.
quarto decimo
me Dominus de
redditum
Deum
et
:
me,
nothing but
me
omnia qurecunique no-
biscum rapuerunt,
whose sons I hired, who travel with
ilia
iuterfi-
nondum
I used to give rewards to kings,
kill
not come yet
And on one day they me but the time had but they put me in ;
;
and carried off all we posBut on the fourteenth day the Lord released me from their power, and what was ours was restored to us through God, and irons,
sessed.
through the friends
we had
before
secured.
quos
ante previdimus.
Vos autem erogavi
omnes
experti estis quanta
You know how much I expended
qui iudicabant per
on the judges in the districts which I visited most frequently. For I
illis,
regiones, quos ego frequen-
Censeo enim non minus quam pretium quindecim tius visitabam.
hominum
distribui
illis
ita
ut
me
fruamini, et ego vobis semper fruar
Non me
Domino.
in
satis est
mihi
;
pcenitet, nee
adhuc inpendo,
et
superinpendam, pro animabusvestris.]
Ecee testem
animam meam,
in
tior,
neque ut
sit
Deum
invoco
quia non men-
occassio vobis ne-
que ut 5 honorern spero ab aliquo vestro. Sufficit
mentitur.
enim honor qui non G
Sed video jam
in pive-
think
I
paid them not less than the
hire of fifteen men, that
you might
have the benefit of mypresence, and that I might always enjoy you in the Lord.
and
will
do not regret
I
it sufficient
for me.
it,
still
nor
is
spend,
spend, for your souls.]
still
Behold, I
I
call
God
soul that I do not
to witness lie,
on my
neither that
you may have occasion, nor that I hope for honor from any of you ;
sufficient for
truth.
But
me
is
the honor of
I see that
now
in the
V. reads correctly nihilominus, and two lines above prater. B. F. 1, 3, and V. read ut sit ocasio adulalionU vel avarilice scripserim vobis neque ut, &c. 6 B. and F. 1, 3, read non videtur sed corde crcditur, fidelis autem qui promisit 4
5
nunquam
mentitur.
me supra modnm Domino et non
BBonlo
.-inti
sum
ezaltatoa
nam
a
neque
digitus,
milii pnestaret
talis
dam
:
scio'
conyenit p&apertas et
quam
by the Lord
ut hoc
nor
melius
know
Sed
Dominus pauper
I
greatly exalted
was not worthy
that poverty and calamity
more suitable for me than But even and luxury. Christ the Lord was poor for us. riches
et
pro
fuit
am
be thus exalted, for I
to
fit
I
and
;
are
calamitaa,
divitisa et delicix.
luistus
(
present world
:
nobis.
Ego vero miser
Truly, I a poor and miserable
ct infelix, et si
opes voluero jam non habeo, neque
creature,
meipsum
judico,
wealth, have
Bpero aut
internicionem, aut
quia
quotidie
even
wished
I
if
not
it
judge myself, because
cir-
for
neither do I
;
I daily ex-
cumveniri, aut redigi in servitutem,
pect either death, or treachery, or
sive occassio cujuslibet. 8
slavery, or
[Sed ni-
horum vereor propter promissa coalorum: quia jactavi meipsum in manus Dei omnipotentis, quia unique dominatur (licit
:
;
on
relying
of these things,
the
have cast myself into the hands of the omniheavenly promise, for
sicut Prophcta
"Jacta cogitatum tuum in
Domiiium,
an occasion of some kind [But I fear none
or another.
hil
potent God,
a
who
rules everywhere,
as the Prophet says
et ipse te enutriet."
upon
the Lord,
I
Cast thy care
:
and
lie shall sus-
I
commend my
tain thee.
Ecce nunc commeudo
mcam;
fidelisaimo
Behold now
an imam
Dun meo, pro
soul
officium,
unus cssem de
ut
"
minimis minister. retribuam r.
me ad hoc
illi
tiilmat milii
pro omnibus !"'
suis
Undo KUtem qtu-e
Sed quid dicam,
promittam Domino meo 1 Quia nihil video, nisi ipse mihi
and F.
certissimc
B.
8
From Sed
»
Psalms,
1
Psalms, cxv. 12.
1, 3,
nihil
liv.
quod
to vix evaserum
23.
He
unworthiness
to be one of
me
to
Him
the
for
all
the
that 11' hath rendered to
what
shall I say or
me
wanting
in the
Book
of
I
Armagh.
of
ren-
things 1
promise to
milii. is
for this least
W/tal shall
His ministers. der
but
;
does not accept per-
and has chosen
sons, office,
vel quid
7
because
God,
faithful
I perform, notwith-
my
standing
:
accipit, et elegit
most
whose mission
quo legationem fungor in ignosed quia personam bilitate mea
non
my
to
But
my
1
dederit
Lord
scratatur corda ct
sed
;
He He
renes, quia satis et minis cupio, et
paratua erani ut donaret mihi bibcre calicem
ejus,
amantibus
ceteris
i
//
me
to
to
He
should
His cup,
drink
as
in ulti-
Lord never permit me
whom He
people
ut reddam
ends of the earth.
testem fidelem us-
meum
propter
therefore, that
perseverance, and
mihi utcum illisproselitisetcaptivis pro nomine suo effundam sangui-
God
nem meum,
etiam caream
etsi ipse
mo
my
whom
God,
I love, I beseech
me
proselytes and captives I
out
mihi hoc
Certissime
incurrsit, lucratus
sum animam cum
corpore
meo
;
quia sine ulla dubitatione in die ilia
hoc
resurgenius in claritate est,
in gloria
Christi
redemptoris nostri quasi coha;redes
Christi, et
futuras imaginis ipsius. a
filii
I
my
Him
that with those
aut bestiis asperis, aut volucres
si
if
have done anything good for
ver per singula dividatur canibus,
reor
my
And
death.
to grant to
ut comederunt illud.
to give
testimony for
faithful
until
give me He may
that
vouchsafe to permit
Him
His
I pray God,
sepulturam, et miserrissime cada-
cceli
has
to lose
He may
Deum meum. Et si aliquid boni umquam imitatus sum propter Deum meum, quern diligo peto illi det ;
He
has gained in the
mihi persevcrantiam, et dignetur illi
am me
who have Wherefore, may my
loved Him.
acquisivit
Oro Deum ut det
give
because I ardently desire and
ready that
meam, quam terraj.
but
;
searches the heart and reins,
permitted others to do
que ad transitum
ity,
see
meo, ut nunrpiam amittam plebem
mis
re-
indulsit
Quia prop-
non contingunt mihi a Domino
ter
,
sicut
se.
For I
1
gives Himself
may pour
my blood for his name, even if my body should be denied burial,
and be miserably torn limb from limb by dogs or
fierce
beasts, or
that the birds of heaven should de-
most certainly
solis,
vour
Jesu,
happen to me, I have gained both soul and body;
Dei,
conformes
that
it.
if
I believe
this should
for it is certain that
we
shall rise
one day in the brightness of the
sun
— that
is,
the glory of Christ
Jesus our Redeemer, as sons of God, but as joint heirs with Christ,
and
to
become conformable
to
His
image.
-
81(1)1
R. US.
and
C. 3 read hero qtioniam ex ipso, ct per ipsum, el in ipso, rerjnalur
St. Patrick's Confession.
Nam
sol
oritur
ejus
noa
ootidie
nomqnam
regnabit,
rule or continue
splendor
for ever,
sed et omnes, qui adorant
;
cum, in posnam miseri male deveniont. Nos autem qui credimus et
adoramus solem verum Chris-
nunquam
qui
tum,
neque
qui
com
omnipotente, Sancto, et per
voluntatem
fecerit
regnat
qui
interibit,
manebit iu tstenram,
ipsius sed
sun
tliat
rise3 daily for us,
permanebit
sed
:
neque
et
For
videmus,
qucin
iste,
proptor
jobeote,
ante
omnia
et
Deo cum
srecula
all
we
but
will not
in
who
it
its
see
splendor
adore
it
shall
But we who
suffer very miserably.
and adore the true sun,
believe in
who will never perish, he who shall do His will,
Christ,
neither
but even as Christ shall abide for
who
ever,
with
reigns
Father Almighty, ami
Patre
Holy
Spiritu
in rw,
et
soecula,
and
which
God
the
with
the
and Amen.
Spirit, before the ages,
and
for ever
and
ever.
nunc,
saiculorum.
Amen. Behold, again and again, I shall
Ecce iteruni itemmque breviter exponam verba con/essiotiis mea?.
briefly
Tcstincor in veritatc, et in exulta-
Confession.
tione cordis
coram Deo et Sanctis
Angclis ejus, qui
numquam
habui
aliquant occasionem, prater Evan-
gelium, et promissa
illius,
quam redderem ad gentem onde
autem
prius
vix
ut un-
declare the words of
my
I testify in truth
and
Cod and Bis
in joy of heart, before
holy angels, that I never had any occasion, except the Gospel
and
its
promises, for returning to that peo-
whom
had before with
illam,
ple from
evase-
difliculty escaped.]
I
ram.]
Sed precor credentibus et timenDeum, quicumque dignatus fuerit inspicere, vel recipere hanc tibus
scripturam, tor,
quam
iudoctus
conscripsit, ut
Patricius pecca-
scilicet,
Uiberionc
nemo umquam
quod mea ignorantia
si
dicat
aliquid
demonstraverim
pussillum
egi, vel
secundum.
Sed arbitramini, et credatur, quod donum
ine
Et base est mea antequam nioriar. Dei
fuisset.
confessio
in
But I beseech those who believe and fear God, whoever may con-
descend to look into or receive this writing,
which Patrick, the igno-
rant sinner, has written in Ireland, that no one
may ever
say, if I
have
ever done or demonstrated anything,
my
however
ignorance.
little,
that
it
was
But do you judge,
and let it be believed firmly, that was the gift of God. And this
it
is
my
Confession before
I die.
Life of St. Patrick
612 Hue3
usque quod Patricius sua
conscripsit
:
manu
septima decima
Thus
what Patrick wrote he was transheaven on the seven-
far is
with his own hand
Martii die translates est Patricius
lated
ad
teenth of March.
ccelos.
ST.
ad Christianos
Tyranni SubditosJ
ATKICIUS
peccator
St. Patricks Epistle to the
PATEICK,
in-
id
quod sum.
Deo
Inter bar-
baras itaque habito proselitus et
parfuga ob amorem Dei. est
ille,
tabam
tarn
dure
ob-
tam aspere
et
meo
aliquid ex ore
Testis
Non quod
si ita est.
effundere, sed
a sinner
and
unlearned, have been ap-
episcopum me
constitutis
esse futeor certissime reor, a
Christian
subjects of the tyrant Coroticus.
doctus, scilicet Hiberione
accepi
:
PATRICK'S EPISTLE TO COROTICUS.
S. Patricii Epistola
Corotici
to
pointed a bishop in Ireland,
and
I accept
from God what
amongst barbarians as a proselyte and a fugitive for the love of God. He will testify that I dwell
I am.
it is so.
forth so
things
;
It is not
many but I
my wish
to pour
harsh and severe
am
forced
by zeal
for
excitavit pro dilectione proximo-
God and the truth of Christ, who raised me up for my neighbors and
rum atque
sons, for
cogor zelo Dei ac veritatis Christi
tradidi
filiorum
patriam,
pro
quibus
et parentes,
et
animam meam usque ad mortem, sum, vovi Deo meo si dignum docere gentes,
etsi
contemptior a
quibus manu mea scripsi atque con-
whom
I have forsaken
my
country and parents, and would give
up even
were worthy.
God
my I
life
itself, if
have vowed to
to teach these people,
I should be despised
1
my
though
by them, to
3 This sentence is separate from the text in the Book of Armagh, but seems writWare does not give it, but quotes it in a note. ten by the same hand. T. O'M. Fell 3 : " Explicit Fell 1 concludes " Explicit liber primus ; incipit secundos." The Bodleian MS. : " Explicit liber i. ; incipit ii." liber i. incipit liber ii."
—
:
;
This is the title given by Villaneuva. It will be remembered that the Epistle not in the Book of Armagh, though it might be inferred from the title of the Confession there, " Incipiunt libri," that it was the intention of the scribe to add more. The title in Fell and the Bodleian have been given already above. 4
is
St.
didi verba ista
militibus
Patricks Epistle
danda
et tradenda
mittenda Corotici
— non
Coroticits,
to
whom hand
given to the
dico civibus meis, ncquo civibus
to be sent to Coroticus
sanctorum luimanorum, sed
say to
civi-
bus dssmoniorom ob mala opera
ipsorum
ritu
In morte
hostili.
my own
hare written with
I
to be
—I
my fellow-citizens,
do not
nor to the
pious Romans,
fellow-citizens of
but to the fellow-citizens of the
through their
deeds and
vivunt, socii Scotorum atquc Pic-
devil,
torum apostatarum, qua; sanguen-
hostile
practices.
death,
companions of the apos-
sanguinarc
alentos
de
sanguine
innoccntium Christianorum, quos ego
inmimerum Deo
genui, atque
evil
They
and Picts, bloodmen, ever ready to redden
Scots
tate
thirsty
themselves with the blood of inno-
in Christo confirniavi
cent Christians, numbers of I have begotten to
ri
whom
God and
con-
firmed in Christ Postcra die, qua erismati (iti
in veste Candida,
in fronte
dum
neo-
flagrabat
ipsorum crudeliter
truci-
dati atque mactatigladio supra dic-
Et
tis.
inisi
presbytcro, docui,
cpistolam
quam
cum
sancto
ego ex infantia
cum clericis,
ut nobis aliqtrid
indulgerent de pra;da, vel de captivis
baptizatis,
quos
cacbinos fecerunt di nescio
On the day following that in which they were clothed in white and
they were cruelly cut up and slain
with the sword by the above mentioned
from
I sent a letter
whom infancy,
his
by a
I have taught
with
some
clerics,
begging that they would
Idcirco
restore
some
illis.
;
an
the
vel quos graviter zabulus inlaque-
know
avit perhenne poena gehennam pari-
most
ispo mancipabunt.
Quia
utiquc qui facit peccatum servus
nuncupatur.
plunder or
the
of
but
baptized captives,
laughed
est et filius zabuli
and
;
holy priest,
coeperunt,
quid magis lugebam
cum
re-
neophytes,
ceived the chrism of
qui interfecti vel quos ceperunt,
tcr
ii
in
live
at
them.
they
Therefore,
I
not whether I should grieve for those
for those
whom
who were
slain, or
the devil insnared
into the eternal pains of hell, where
they will be chained like him. For
whoever commits sin of sin,
and
is
is
the slave
called tho son of the
devil.
Quarc propter sciat omnis homo tuuens Deum, quod me alieni sunt, et a Christo Uco meo, pro quo
Wherefore,
who
fears
let
God
every
man know
that they arc es-
tranged from me, and from Christ
.-;
fea
legationemfimgor, patricida,
fratri-
ray God, whose ambassador I
cida, lupi rapaces, devorantes ple-
these
bem Domini
ravening wolves,
ait
ut cibum panis
sicut
;
" Itiiqui dissipavorunt legem
:
tuaui,
"
Domhie
quoniam insupre-
:
am
;
fratricides,
and
who devour
the
patricides,
people of the Lord as
if
they were
bread; as it is said " The wicked have :
mis temporibus Hiberione optima
dissipated thy law
benigne plantaverat atque instructa
these latter times Ireland has been
erat favente Deo non usurpo partem habeo cum his, quos advocavit at prasdestinavit Evangelium pra> dicare in persecutionibus non par-
well and prosperously planted and
vis,
usque ad extreinuin
Deum non
qui
veretur,
nee sacerdotes ipsius, quos
summam
et indulsit illis
sublimam
etsi
:
per tyrannidem
invidet inimicus Corotici,
terra?
potestatem, "
elegit,
divinam
Quos
liga-
wherein in
"
Thanks be
instructed.
usurp nothing
whom He
;
;
to God, 1
I share with these
hath called and predes-
tinated to preach the Gospel in
much
persecution, even to the ends
But the enemy hath
of the earth.
towards
me
through the tyrant Coroticus,
who
invidiously
acted
fears neither
God, nor His
priests,
rent super terram, ligatos esse et
whom He
in ccelis."
mitted to them the high, divine
hath chosen, and com-
"Whomsoever they
power,
shall
bind on earth shall be bound in heaven."
Unde sancti et talibus
potum,
qureso
ergo
plurimum,
humiles corde, adulari
non licet, nee cibum, nee sumere cum ipsis, nee
I beseech you, are the holy ones of
who God and hum-
therefore,
you will not be by them, and that you
ble of heart, that flattered
drink with
elemosynas ipsorum recipere de-
will neither eat nor
bere donee crudeliter poauitentiam
them, nor receive their alms, until
effusis lacrymis,
Deo Dei,
faciant, et
zatas, pro
crucifixus.
pcenitentiam satis liberent
servos
Cristi
bapti-
et
ancillas
quibus mortuus est et "
Dona iniquorum,
probat Altissimus
:
re-
qui offeret sa-
crificium ex substantia pauperem,
quasi
victimat
filium
spectu patris sui." quit,
in
con-
" Divitie, in-
quas cougregabitinjuste, evo-
they do penance with
many
tears
and liberate the servants of Godand the baptized handmaids of Christ, for whom he was crucified and died.
lie that offcreth
of the goods of
one that sacrificeth
sacrifice
poor,
tlie
tlie
is
as
son in
ilia
" Riches, he which the unjust accumu-
presence of the father. saith, late,
shall be
vomited forth from
,
> Sic.
Patricks Epistle
mental de ventre ejus, trahit ilium angelem mortis, ira draconnm mucrabitai interficiet ilium lingnam coluris comedit
cum
Ideoque
guibilis."
ignis inextin-
:
" Va; qui rc-
plent se qui non sunt sua."
Vel,
...
«
615
to Coroticus.
bia belly, the angel of death Bhall
drag him away, lie shall be punished with the fury of dragons, thetongue of the adder Bhall slay him, inextin-
consume
him.'
"Woe to those who (ill
them-
guishable
Hence,
fire shall
"quid prodest homini, ut totum
selves with things
mundum lucretur,ct animoe sua; de-
their own."
trimcntum patiaturl" Longum
fit
est
!
a
man
which are not
And wliat
doth
if he gain the
whol
/ //< loss
it
of his soul
pro-
It
per singula discutere, vel insinuate
mi'/
per totam legem carpcrc testimo-
were too long to discuss one by one, or to select from the law, tes-
Avaritia de tali cupiditate. mortale crimen. " Non concupisces ni.-v
rem proximi tui." " Non occides." Eomidda non potest esse cum " Qui odit fratrem suum, (liristo :
linmicida adscribitur."
non
diliget fratrem
Vel,
"Qui
suum, in morte qui
manct." Quanto magis reus
est,
menus suas coinquinavit
in san-
fuj!',
against
timonies
Avarice is a mortal
such sin.
?
cupidity.
"Thoushalt
not covet thy neighbor's goods." "Thoushaltnotkill." Thehomicide
cannot dwell with Christ. If* who hateth his brot/ter is a murderer,
and he who
loveth not his brother
dbidt th in di nth.
he
How much more
who hath
defiled bis
guine filiorum Dei, quos nuper ad-
guilty
quisivit in nltimis terra; per exta-
hands with the blood of the sons
tionem
of
[sic]
parvitatis nostras
!
is
God,
whom He hath
recently ac-
quired in the ends of the earth by
Numquiil sine Deo, vel secundum caraem Eiberionem venil Quia
our humble exhortations Did I come to Ireland according to
God
or according to the flesh)
compulit alligatus Bpirita ut vidcam aliquem de cognatione
Who compelled me, I was led by the Spirit, that I should see my relatives
a me piam miquod ago crga gen-
towards that nation which formerly
me
Numquid
mea.
scricordiam,
tem
illam, qui
me
aliquando cepe-
runt ct
devastaverunt servos et
ancillas
domus patrcs mei 1 Ingcsecundum carnem De-
nuus
fui
;
Vendidi a rione patre nascor. enim nobilitatem meam non erubesco, ncquc me pcenitet pro utili-
no more ] took
1
lave I not a pious mercy
me captive? According to the am of noble birth, my father
flesh I
bein g a Decurio.
Mush
for
I
do not regret or
having bartered
my
no-
a servant in
good of others. I am Christ unto a foreign
people, for
the ineffable glory of
bility for the
r~ 3
ci
:
Denique servus sum
aliorarn.
t;ite
in Ghristo genti extere
ob gloriam
ineffabilom perennis vite, que est
Domino
in Christo Jesu
nostro ; cognoscunt, " Pro-
mei non
etsi
pheta in patria sua honorem non habet."
unus
Non
destruit,
quasro quas
Qui non
Non alter
mea
est
convenit cedificat."
country. Are we not from one stock, and have we not one for our Father :
and he
against me, not
As He has me is
1
lie that is not with
me
that gathereth
scattereth.
Is it not
agreed that one pulleth
down and
ti'ith
another buildeth
sunt.
me
own
said
"
:
propJiet is without honor in his
God
:
"
A
unum Deum patrem
bemus sicut ait mecum, spargit."
which is in Christ Lord though my own
life,
my
people do not acknowledge
Forte non sumus ex uno
neque
ovili
eternal
Jesus
I seek not
?
my
own.
Non mea gratia, sed Deus quidem banc sollicitudinem in corde
Not to me be praise, but to God, who hath put into my heart this
meo, ut unus essem de venatori-
desire, that I
bus, sive piscatoribus, quos olim
hunters and
Deus
Invidetur mihi
prenuntiavit.
quid faciam, Domine
dictis
:
Valde des-
me
norum
in the last days. I shall I do,
O
despised.
Lo
Christia.
traditor
the soldiers of Coroticus
and Scots are
Lupi rapaces deglutierunt gregem Domini, qui utique
the charity
Pictorum.
cum summa
optime crescebat: filioe
et
filii
diligeiitia
Scottorum,
regulorum monachi
et
of
God.
diligence,
land
;
was increasing
and virgins
te
inferos
placeat,
non
etiam usque ad
Ire-
who
are
monks many
of Christ, are too
to enumerate.
Therefore, the op-
pression of the great
placabit.
in
the sons of the Irish, and the
daughters of kings,
non
from
Puivening
wolves have scattered the flock of
Quamobrem
justorum
hands
far
the Lord, which, with the greatest
virgines Ckristi enumerare nequeo.
injuriam
the be-
:
trayers of Christians into the of the Picts
et
1
thy sheep are torn
above-mentioned robbers, aided by
mauus Scottorum atque
Hiberione
!
around me, and plundered by the
Dei in
am reviled —what I am greatly
Lord
deprajdantur et
Corotico hostile mente longe est a caritate
whom, of old, God hath announced should appear
latrunculis, jubente
atque
lauiantur,
supra
?
Ecce, oves tuee circa
picior.
4-
diebus ante
novissimis
in
should be one of tha fishers,
is
not pleasing
and never shall be. Who of the saints would not dread
to thee now,
Quis
sanctorum
jocundare, vel
non
convivium
horreat fruere
to share in the feasts or
"i^H'i
1
amuse-
:
cum
talibus
l>e
(
spoliis dcfunc-
i
They
such persons?
till
spoils of the
with the
tonim Christianorum repleverunf
their houses
domus sua
Christian dead, they live by rapine,
qi
de rapinis vivunt
:
jciunt misered
venenum,
they know not the poison, the deadly food which theypweent to
letale
al '.um porngunt ad amicos et bhos
Eva nun intcllcxit quod mortem perenuem, pcenam
and children
Baos,sicat
their friends
lnorteiu
did BOt understand that
:
offered
.-he
death to her husband, so are
operantur.
those
who work
evil
they labor
;
11
to
eternal pun-
work out death and ishment.
I
Consuetudo Romanorum Gallorum Christian' >rum, niittunt viros Banctoa idoneoa ad Francos et
of
cum tot mil solidorumad redimeodoa oaptivoa baptiTu interfkis, ct vendis illos zate.
to
caeteras gentes
ti.
Deum quad
esters ignoranti
u'uiiti
in
i
lupanar tradis membria Chris-
Qualeni spcmhabes in
aut qui
te consentit,
Vel qui
communioat
verbis
Deum
I
te
adulationial
Deus judical lit. Nescioquid dicam, velquidloquarampliuadedafunctia filionim
modum anim
Dei, quos gladius
dure
tctigit.
supra
Scriptum
est
cum nentibus :" et Bidolat unum ineinbruni,
" Flere
!
iteruin
" :
Rome and Haul to send holy men to the Franks and other nations, with many thousand solidi, redeem baptized captives. \ ou, slay them, and sell them to foreign nations ignorant of God,
who
deliver the
et
filias
aondum
suos,
in
•
Who
God1
in
vet agrees vvith you, or
com-
mands you God will judge him. know not what 1 can say, or what in speak more of the departed I
1
I
i
sons of sword.
God It
IS
by the
slain cruelly
written
them thai we&. suffers
:
II
•
And again
:
If one
anything, all the
suffer with
it.
Therefore,
it.scdpro-
her sons and daughters, not slain
tonga
ter-
bU
:
by the sword, but sent away to i- more
distant countries, where sin
Bhamelees
veuundati inganxu iiomiiu sChristiani in servitute redacti sunt, DBSsertiffi
wolves.
of
What hope have you
the Church laments and bewails
peooatnm manifesto graibi vetur iinpudeiitcr habundat
rarum
a den
adhuc
quas
intsrfi
Eportati
i
of Christ, as
members
into
were,
it
condoleant omnia membra." Quapropter Eccksia ploiet et planget films
custom of the Christians
It is the
indignissimorum pessimo-
i,
and
abounds.
Christian
nun
and enslaved amongst
There are sold
the wicked,
abandoned, and apostate Piota
rum apoatatarumque Pictoram.
Jgp&MgilBSSSmSS. ''
=p-r-T?..— *..
rrC«ai'
—
:
Life of St. Patrick Idcirco
cum
tristitia et
vociferabo.
O
amantissimi
fratres, et
mcerore
speciosissime, atque filii,
quos in
Christo genui, enumerare nequeo,
Non sum
quid faciam vobis ?
dig-
nus Deo neque hominibus subvePrrevaluit iniquitas iniquo-
nire.
rum
supra nos.
facti
sumus.
Quasi extranei
Forte non credunt
Therefore, I cry out with grief
O
and sorrow.
beautiful
beloved
brethren
whom
have
I
and
and well children,
brought forth
Christ in such multitudes,
do for you?
shall I
am
I
in
what not
worthy before God or man to come The wicked to your assistance. have prevailed over
We
us.
have
would seem
unum baptismum percepimus, vel unum Deum Patrem habemus. In-
become
dignum
one baptism and one Father, God.
Hibernia nati su-
est illis
mus: sicutait: " Nonne unum
Deum
habetislquiddereliquistisunisquis-
que proximum suum leo
1"
Idcirco do-
pro vobis, doleo carissimi mei
outcasts.
that they do not think
They think
:
Therefore, I grieve for you,
bor?"
I grieve,
mea
contigit effabile.
tizati
sum.
vacuum non fuit et scelus tarn horrendum inDeo gratias, creduli bapin
:
de celo recessistis ad paradiCerno, vos migrare ccepistis
an indignity that
it
:
non tio
wo have
we have been born in Ireland as He said " Have ye not one God ] why do ye each forsake his neigh-
sed iterum gaudeo intra meipsum, gratis laboravi, vel peregrina-
It
O my beloved
ones.
But,
on the other hand, I congratulate myself I have not labored for nothing my journey has not been in
—
This horrible and amazing
vain.
crime has been permitted to take
luctus,
place. Thanks be to God, ye who have
sed " exul-
believed and have been baptized
tabitis sicut vituli ex vinculis reso-
have gone from earth to paradise.
conculcabitis iniquos, et
Certainly ye have begun to migrate
" ubi
nox non
erit,
neque mors amplius
luti,
et
neque :"
erunt cinis sub pedibus vestris."
where there
no night, nor death,
is
nor sorrow, but ye shall exult,
Vos ergo regnabitis cum Apostolis et
Prophetis atque Martyribus
asterna regna capietis
;
sicut ipse
" Venient
ab
ori-
ente et occidente, et recumbent
cum
testatur inquit
Abraham,
et
:
Isaac,
et
Jacob, in
like
from their bonds, and tread down the wicked under your feet as dust. Truly you shall reign with the apostles and prophets and martyrs, and obtain the eternal kingdom, as
young
He
bulls
hath
testified,
shall come west,
and
loosed
from
shall
sit
saying:
tJie
east
Tliey
and
the
doim ivithAbra-
"
:
.V. Patrick's Epistle to Coroticus.
i
m
i
bua
perjuris
et
stagnum merito
ham and
homicidffi et mendaci-
sos et
;"
"pars eorum in
Non
ignis seterne."
ait
Apostolus
"
:
in-
Ubi Justus
vix s.ilvuserit, peccator, et impius, el
transgressor legjs ubi se recog-
noscit
Uhde enim
1 '
cum
suis
ton
Crista ubi se
a
Coroticus
scelcratissimis
mulierculas
rebella-
videbunt qnam
baptizatas,
praamia
distribuuntur ob
misere reguum
temporale, quod
utiquc
mento transeat imis, qui uiique
sicut
mo-
in
nubes vel fu-
vento dispcrgitur.
and Jacob,
Isaac
in
th>-
kingdom of heaven. Without are and sorcerers, ami murderers, do and liars, and perjurers, and they .
shall
have their part in the ever-
lasting lake of
Nor
lire.
den
i
thi
Apostle say without reason: "If the just are scarcely saved, where shall the sinner, the impious,
and
the transgressor of the law appear 1
W
here-n
rebels l
elves,
ill
<
loroticusandhiswicked
against Christ find them-
when they
shall see
rewards
distributed amongst the baptized
women 1
Ita peccatorcs et fraudulent] a facie
his
Domini peribunt justi autem epulentur in magna constantia cum
shall
:
619
What
will
miserable
away
pass
he think of
kingdom, in
which
moment,
a
et
clouds or smoke, which are dispersed by the wind t So shall
regibus iniquis dominabuntur in
deceitful sinners perish before the
Cristo,
judicabunt
natioues,
Amen.
secula seculorum.
like
face of the Lord,
and the just
shall
with great confidence with Christ, and judge the nations, and feast
rule over
and
quo
inperitia
coram Deo
et Angelis
I testify
ita erit, sicut intimavit
angels that
Testificor suis,
mere.
Non mea
verba
sed Dei, et Apostolorum, atque
Prophetarum, quod ego Latinum cxposui qui
sunt
:
"
Qui
numquam enim mentiti crediderit salvus erit
bitur."
kings, for ever
before
These aro not have set forth
God and who
of
apostles, '•
that
my
my
words that
be
I
but those
in Latin,
the
lie
ignorance.
and
prophets
never lied:
shall
believeth
God and His
shall be BO, as
it
hath intimated to
qui vcro non crediderit, condemna'
>njust
Amen.
ever.
saved,
not shall
He
li,
but be
U he
con-
demned.
Deus locutus
est.
Quae-o plu-
riimim ut quicuinque famulus Dei ut
promptns
fucrit,
ut
sit
gernlua
God hath whosoever
is
said
it.
I
entreat
a servant of
God,
that he be a willing bearer of thi>
".' 1
Life of St. Patrick.
620 litterarnm harum, ut
nequaquam
letter,
drawn aside
that he be not
subtrahatui a nemine, sed magis
by any
potius legantur coram cuuctis ple-
it
bibus, et prsesente ipso Corotico.
presence of Coroticus himself, that,
Quod
si
Deus
inspiret
illos,
ut
quandoque Deo resipiscant, et vel sero poeniteat quod tarn impie gesserunt honiicidas erga fratres Domini et liberent captivas baptizatas, q'uos ante ceperunt ; ita ut mererentur
Deo
vivere, et sani effician-
if
read before
C4od
some
all
inspire
time
repent,
and repent
the people in the
them, they
late
may
God, and
return to
though
may liberate
that
;
they
the baptized captives, for their homicides of
the Lord's brethren
may
he shall see
one, but that
deserve of
;
God
so that they to live
and
and
tur bic et in seternum.
to be whole here
et Filio, et Spiritui
The peace of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Pax Patri, Sancto. Ameu.
hereafter.
vv
%
A XT PATRICK'S I
of the
Purgatory was one
most widely spread devotions of
the middle ages, though to ascertain originally
established.
doubt that i
u
i
before
Henry
it
impossible
There
was known
for
it
was
is
contributed so largely to a
there,
and thus
fame.
its
Purgatory,
or, at least, to
a place
of pilgrimage and devotion to the saint, which, howevi
he places on Croaga-Patrick, is
certainly
~t
do
no
many
of Saltrey wrote the account of the
wonders which the knight Owen saw
Jocelyn alludes to
it is
now when and how
ground
£&£&
in the
for
county Mayo,
supposing that
r,
TJ
the .saint
—
Life of St. Patrick. established the devotion personally
and there are some
;
serious discrepancies in the statements of the earliest
writers
who
notice
show that very
which are at
it,
little
was
really
least sufficient to
known, even then, as
by some that it was established by others that it owed its origin
to its origin.
It is stated
by
St. Patrick
himself
to
an abbot Patrick in the eighth century
added, that St.
it
Augustine,
;
was entrusted
;
and
it is
to the care of the canons of
who were not established
in Ireland before
the twelfth century.
Under
these circumstances
we have no
choice but to
leave the early history of the Purgatory shrouded in the
mist of ages, and to describe
it
as
it
was described by
who wrote of it as an established fact. year 1152, a monk of the English Bene-
the earliest writers
About the dictine
abbey of Saltrey, in Huntingdonshire, wrote an
account of this Purgatory, stating that he had obtained
Owen Miles, an who served in the army of Stephen, King of Sir Owen wished to revisit his native land, and
the material for his narrative from Sir ]
rish knight,
England.
obtained the royal permission.
While
in Ireland, per-
haps touched by the revived recollections of the teachings of his childhood, he
and anxious
became penitent
act of severe penance. to
make
for a life of crime,
to repair the past, as far as possible,
The
result
by some
was a determination
a pilgrimage to St. Patrick's Purgatory.
It
would appear that he then returned
to England,
Henry
knowledge of the
of Saltrey thus accounts for his
knight's visions
:
^^
and
—
—— ^
St. Patrick's
••
It
happened
in Lincolnshire],
Purgatory,
at this time that Gervasius,
623
Abbot of Luda [Louth,
had obtained from Stephen, King of England, a
grant of land on which to build an abbey in Ireland, and he sent
one of
monks, named Gilbert, to the king, to take possession of
his
the land, and to build on
it
But
the abbey.
country
to
;
;
and
calling
bade him go with Gilbert and remain
agreeable to faithfully
the language of that
which the king replied that he would, with God's
soon find him an able interpreter lie
coming before
Gilbert,
know
the king, complained that he did not
Owen, who gladly went with but
;
Owen
help,
before him,
This was
in Ireland.
and served him
Gilbert,
would not assume the habit of a monk,
he
They
because he chose rather to be a servant than a master. crossed
into Ireland,
Owen, acted
as the
and
an abbey, wherein the knight,
built
monk's interpreter and
faithful servant in all
he did. "
Whenever they were alone together the monkasked him minutely
concerning Purgatory, and the marvellous modes of punishment
which he had there seen and
felt
;
but the knight,
who
could never
hear about Purgatory without weeping bitterly, told his friend, for his edification,
and under the
seal of secrecy, all that
and experienced, and affirmed that he had seen eyes.
By
the care and diligence of this monk,
it all
he had seen
own
with his
that the knight
all
had seen was reduced to writing, together with the narratives of the bishops and other ecclesiastics of that country, who, for truth's sake, gave their testimony to the facts.
" Lately, also, I did speak with one
who was nephew
of Patrick,
name
the third of that name, the companion of St. Malarhius, by
Plorentianus, in whose bishopric, as he said, that Purgatory was of
whom
having curiously inquired, he answered
that place
gatory
;
is
within
my
bishopric,
:
'
;
Truly, brother,
and many perish
in that Pur-
and those who by chance return, do, by reason of the
extreme torments they have endured, ever look pale and languid.' 'I
he aforesaid narrative the said Gilbert did often repeat
hearing, according as he had often heard
IT"'-
it
in
my
from the knight,"
S
As might be supposed,
Protestants,
and even some
Catholics, entirely discredit this account. ever, clear that
was
written,
Saltrey
was believed
it
we cannot suppose
for
made up
The way
Owen
narrative of
Henry
it
of
which he writes of per-
in
and of having
informants,
as his
that
how-
is,
which
a purely imaginary narrative like the
vision of Dante.
sons
It
at the time at
verified
the
Miles by reference to others, to test
any idea of voluntary decepThe question remains whether he was
his accuracy, quite forbids tion
on
his part.
not deceived by the knight of
tradition
;
yet there was the constant
country iu favor of
the
supernatural
occurrences of this kind having taken place.
A Protestant will,
of course, credit the whole matter
to the imagination of Miles or the
Ucs will consider not be true
made
;
CathoIt
But before we condemn
would be well
may
undoubtedly Henry of Saltrey has
the most of the original story, even gi'anting
be true. it
Many
a mere poetical legend.
it
—and
monks. 5
to
it
it
to
as altogether false,
remember that there
are
many
instances on record in the Lives of the Saints which
show that
God
it
has, at certain times,
to manifest to
of purgatory,
them the
and the
pleased Almighty
terrors of hell, the pains
bliss of
heaven, and this by no
merely imaginative impression, but by a vision seen
We
with the corporeal eyes. G
Monks.
— Mr. Wright
gives
n.
might
fill
a chapter with
long account, iu his "St. Patrick's Pur-
gatory," London, 1844, of thff various works, ancient and modern, which have been written on this subject. But, of course, not being a Catholic, he quite misunderstands the subject, and unintentionally misrepresents
it.
—
?'~<~
St. Patrick's
instances
but
;
if
r
Purgatory.
G2. )
one example would not convince,
examples would be of
&
-
little
We
utility.
many
only wish to
show that there is no reason why the knight may qoI have seen the vision described by Sal trey, if God was pleased to bility of
show
to him.
it
Those who deny the possi-
such miraculous interventions have the burden
of proof thrown on them,
and
are
bound
to
show why
they discredit the testimony of those who, at different periods of the Church's history, have manifested such revelations.
}
We
read in the " Life of St. Catherine of Sienna," as
written by her Confessor, what she said to occasion,
when he was asking
him on one
her to give an account
what had happened to her during an ecstacy of four which her soul appeared to be, and, as she declared, actually was separated from her body. Her of
hours, in
words are thus recorded "
Know,
father, that
my
:
soul entered into an
unknown world,
and beheld the glory of the just and the chastisement of sinners. But here also memory fails, and the poverty of language prohibits a
full
description of these things.
be assured, that
s
much
in
I tell
you, however, what
saw the Divine Essence
;
and
remaining enchained in this body.
for the love of
My
I
God and
great consolation
can
Were
I
not retained
love of the neighbor, I should die of grief.
is
suffering I shall obtain a
to suffer, because I
more
perfect view of
lations, far
from being painful to
delight.
saw the torments of
I
I
for this I suffer so
words can describe them.
Had
my hell
soul, are,
am God.
aware that by Hence, tribu-
on the contrary,
and those of purgatory
;
its
no
poor mortals the faintest idea of
them, they would suffer a thousand deaths rather than undergo the il
G2G
Life of St. Patrick.
it
Whilst
torments during a single day
least of these
contemplated these things, possessed for ever, said
:
who
torments they suffer
its '
Celestial Spouse,
Thou
it
my
soul
believed lose
and
Return, therefore, to
life,
what glory they
seest
offend me.
whom
and show them how they have strayed, and what appalling danger
my
menaces them.'
And
turning to
the Lord added
demands
it
life, ;
as
thou shalt no longer
thou must renounce thy in order to save souls.'
was
soul
:
'
horrified at the idea of re-
The
live as
many
salvation of
thou hast done
:
souls
henceforth
and continually pass through the
cell,
city
"
The explanation which our divine Lord condescended to give to St. Catherine as to His reason for
her this vision, manifestations. of eternity ;
and
is
the
We are for the
explanation
showing
of other
similar
slow to realize the great truths
good of the many, as well as
for
the sanctification of the individual, God, in His infinite
mercy, from time to time, permits,
or,
perhaps,
we
should rather say, ordains certain supernatural occur-
and these occurrences, we must
believe, since
they are directed by Infinite Wisdom,
are precisely
rences
what
;
are
most suitable to the age and time in which
they occur.
Thus, the Protestant theory, that these
visions are due to the peculiar
century in which they occurred,
tone of is
mind
of the
simply begging the
question.
We
cannot but think
it
probable that the account
given by Miles of his vision was a true one, and that vision actually took place. rein to lawless passions,
what touched these
At a time when men gave easily moved by
and were most
passions, so vivid
an account of the
other world must have made, and, indeed, whether true not, did make a strong impression on those who
or
most needed
it
What was needed
fourteenth century, was not
less,
Italy
in
St Catherine was
the twelfth.
If
Lord Himself
to manifest to the sinners of
appalling dangers of their state,
it
told
was not
that a similar manifestation should be
another age.
in
the
indeed, in Ireland in
by our divine Sienna the
less
made
necessary
to shiners of
It should,
however, be remembered, that Owen's vision was not written by would be eleariy impossible for any
the narrative of Miles himself,
that
it
other person to give an accurate description of
had
true, it it
is
and
what he
that,
even admitting the vision to be
by no means
follows that the account given of
seen,
verbally correct.
There is one important point connected with the whole subject, which seems to the present writer to have
been
entirely
overlooked.
Those who
have
written about the Purgatory, wrote merely from second-
hand information, and, consequently, the accounts they give cannot be considered perfectly reliable.
Henry of Saltrey and Giraldus were the two
prin-
and undoubtedly the continental fame of the Purgatory (of which more hereafter) is due to the
cipal writers
former*
many
;
Now, they obtained their information from and we all know, even in our own day
sources
;
and time, that accuracy of information is aoi always insured by multiplicity of witnesses. Neither of these writers
had
visited the
Purgatory, and, therefore, they
could not
tell
what was taught about the Purgatory by
who had
the ecclesiastics
the charge of
This should
it.
be remembered before a sweeping accusation of credulity or imposition
is
made
against them.
follows, because Miles
every one
who
Owen saw
by no means
It
a vision there, that
entered saw visions.
It is true, that
both Giraldus and Saltrey state that this was the popular belief;
but, as
we have
accurate means of knowing this existed, it
may have been
they had no
said,
belief,
and
if
the belief
spread, as popular fictions
are spread, without the concurrence of the clergy.
Again, the very misapprehensions.
name It is
name was used only clear,
from
all
of Purgatory led also to grave
more than probable that the
in a generic sense.
It is cpuite
the testimony on record, even from what
appears most fanciful, that the devotion to visiting
Lough Derg was simply to do penance in a very severe manner for the sins of the penitent's past life and there was nothing whatever contrary to Catholic doctrine ;
Even
or practice in such a proceeding.
day, the pilgrimage continues, and
the same spirit in which most probably Catholics will not need to be told
what
in our
carried
is
it
own
on in
originated
their catechism
teaches them, that " prayer, fasting, and alms-deeds, are
the
most useful temporal
cancelled
"by
to Christian people ;" a.id
punishment due indulgences, or
to
by
also,
our cins
that
may
be
acts of penance, or
other good works."
Both Giraldus and Sal trey have
left
descriptions of
as of the
as Well
the
Purgatory,
was
visited.
are
some discrepancies
"any
says that true
faith,
and day in whole
As might
life,
in
shall
and
their
pit,
which
Saltrey
and armed with
all
the sins of his
even as he passes through
behold not only the torments of the wicked, but
he has constantly acted through blessed."
<>r
it,
also, if
joys of the
who
spent
cave would be tormented by evil
but he says nothing of their seeing the joys of
spirits,
heaven.
He
adds, that "
ments once by the
any person
more grievous
Henry
suffering these tor-
injunction of his confessor, will
never incur the pains of
hell,
unless he relapse into
sins." 6
of Saltrey, however, distinctly states that "it
was a custom approved by sors,
faith, the
Giraldus merely says that those
the night in the pit
it
there
and spending one night
be cleansed from
shall,
in
expected,
statements.
person truly penitent
entering this it,
manner
naturally be
St, Patrick
and
his succes-
that no person should be allowed to enter that
Purgatory without the licence of the bishop of the diocese ; the bishop ordinarily dissuaded him from the project; but
if
he persevered, the bishop gave a letter
which the penitent carried
to the prior of the place
again, the prior, after reading the letter, dissuades •
Sim.
— There are a number of
;
him
very valuable notes on this subject in the
Cambrtruu Boermi published by the Celtic Society, and edited, with notes and translation, by the late Rev. M. Kelly, at St. Patrick's College, Maynouth. Dr. Kelly says that, for reasons which he gives, and which in t long for insertion here, " it is not rash to conclude that Lough l>erg owed its fame and its connection with St. l'atrick to the soldier Owen and his con-
edition of
.
temporaries "—vol.
i.
i
p. 144, n. 6.
:.'r-^n..i >rvi*s»5r^rrr')nii
i*
Tits*
iti~
—
from bis project
;
but
be persevere be
if
is
conducted to
tbe cburcb, where be devotes fifteen days to prayer and Dr. Lyncb, tbe author of Cambrensis Eversus,
fasting."
was an ample proof of the care and by tbe Church in this matter. He cerbelieved that the Purgatory was a holy insti-
considers that this
caution used tainly
he condemns Giraldus for censuring
tution, for
says
:
"He
and
it,
[Giraldus] rashly points his sneer against a
pilgrimage instituted by Christ Himself, strongly
commended by
St.
re-
and confirmed by many
Patrick,
the approbation of several writers, and tbe
miracles,
7 usage of centuries."
Lough Derg, the
site
of St.
Patrick's
Purgatory,
must not be confounded with the lough of the same name on the Shannon. Tbe small lake, of mediaeval fame,
situated
is
in the county Donegal,
and
is
no
way remarkable except
for tbe historical circumstances
connected with
contains two islands,
down on was
it.
It
accessible
There
is
still
Station Island,
called
one laid
as Saint's Island,
which
from the mainland by a wooden bridge,
the stone piers of which is
map
the Ordnance
remain.
Tbe other
island
and contains the Purgatory.
a tradition amongst the people that the Pur-
—Dr.
Kelly says that Dr. Lanigan insinuates that the monks of to establish their Purgatory as a rival to that on Croagh "The Bollandists and Feijoo suppose that St. Patrick, Patrick. He like many other saints, spent some days of retreat in the solitary cave that his example was followed by the monks, who used the cave as a duirtheach; that some had visions, others imagined they had, and others still, according This is precisely our own to Feijoo, pretended they had been so favored." view of the case, and we are glad to support it by such respectable authority. 7
Centuries.
Lough Derg conspired adds:
;
—
•^^E^?*¥^ gH T
Patrick's
fife.
G:il
Pwgatory.
How-
gatory was originally situated on Saint's Island. ever this
was not
may have
been in remote
ages,
certainly
it
so in Lombard's time, for he says
s
"
:
On
the
a convent of Canons Regular of St. Augustan, subject to the abbot and monastery of the
other island
is
Apostles Peter and Paul, situated in the sec of
he
yet
who on
this
honored with the
Two
title
of these monks,
island
of the
lake
is
Purgatory,
always reside on the
turn, to
;
is
Purgatory.
of the
Prior
of
in
Armagh
chief of the monks,
and
instruct as
who come
here to ex-
receive
spiritual fathers those pilgrims
piate their sins."
Allowing for possible exaggerations,
much more severe
should say, for the
of the early ages of the Church, there
much
difference between
and that which "
The order
tially
is
or,
was not
so very
the penance practised Dr. Kelly says
now customary.
of penance in the sixteenth century
the same as at the present day.
of pilgrimage, during which a rigorous
and oaten bread, was observed.
perhaps we
religious discipline
Nine days
fast,
then :
was substan\vas the
term
on the water of the lake
The pilgrim was
first
conducted,
barefooted, to thechurch of St. Patrick, around win. ih he moved seven
number outside, in the cemetery, n ingsome prayers of the Church. The same ceremonies were observed at each of the penal beds or oratories of the saints on the island
times inside and the same
— the pilgrim moving
on his knees inside the churches. He next prayed around a cross in the cemetery, and another which was Thence he proceeded over a rough fixed in a mound of stones. '
8 Say*.— " Commentariiu de Segno Hibcrnia:," edited by Very Bar. M. signor Moran.
m^w^mmmi
n-
and rocky path to the border of the believed St. Patrick had prayed
;
lake, a spot
on which
it
was
and there he recited the Lord's
Prayer, the Angelical Salutation, and the Apostles' Creed, which closed the station.' " This station
was repeated three times each day
noon, and evening
— during the
the stations were doubled
first
seven days.
on the ninth,
;
communion, and an admonition from the
—morning,
On
the eighth,
after confession
and
prior, the pilgrims entered
the cave, where they remained fasting and in meditation during
twenty -four hours
;
some, however, did not enter the cave, but
spent the twenty-four hours
of solitude
in
some of the
little
This exceedingly painful penance was regarded then,
churches.
as it is this day, as a
means of obtaining a remission of the temporal
punishment which the Catholic Church believes may remain due, in the other
life,
to venial sin, or to mortal sin after the mortal guilt
Neither Rothe nor Lom-
has been remitted by the sacraments.
bard had visited Lough Derg
but in modern times
it was visited by Dr. Burke, author of the Hibernia Dominicana,' according to whom there was not a more severe penance in the Catholic world. ;
'
So highly did Benedict XIII. approve the penitential
1-
austerities of
Lough Derg that he preached a sermon on the subject, while he was yet cardinal, which was printed and indeed well might Dr. ;
Burke exclaim that
it
was a most
rigid penance, for
— exclusive of
preparation for confession, attendance at Mass, sermon, fasting, vigils,
morning and night prayer
— the
pilgrims repeat each day
the Lord's Prayer and Angelical Salutation nearly three hundred times,
and the Apostles' Creed about one hundred times, together
with the entire Rosary three times. " In Dr. Burke's 1
time the pilgrims kept
the prison,' during twenty-four hours
on the
first
days.
As
night of the station, which
;
vigil in the chapel called
but at present
may be
it is
in pilgrimages to other places, a prayer is repeated
the lake comes in view, and a popular hymn, 'Fare thee well, Derg,'
is
kept
three, six, or nine
sung when the boat pushes from the island.
As
when
Lough to the
St.
stations
around the penal beds where
the reader will find
gous institutions
by
St.
Patrick'8 Purgatory.
Gregory
much
in the
little
633
churches formerly stood
interesting information regarding analo-
Bollandists—namely, stations established
and cemeteries of Rome, which were
in the basilicas
frequented in Lent, Advent, Rogation days, and the four great fee tivals of our Lord; also in Martene, 'de Ritibus Aniiquis,' where he publishes, from the archives of Lyons, Strashurg, .Milan. Vienna,
&c,
rituals
more than nine hundred Tears
from the
1st of
July to the
June to the 15th of August.
close,
1,200 or 1,400.
is
i'200 or
£300
old,
At Lough Derg
celebrated at each station.
giving the offices
the Btation continues
From
the middle of
number on the island, each day, The boatman pays the landlord of the place
the average
a year, which
is
levied
oft'
Saltrey wrote his narrative in
the pilgrims."
Latin prose, ami his
account of the knight's vision was soon spread all over Europe. It was subsequently translated into various languages in the metrical style then popular. Two English metrical versions
tire still
in existence.
contained in the Cotton collection, and date from the fifteenth century.
is
One
supposed
The other
is a
MS. of
the fourteenth century, in the Auchinleck collection Scotland.
The narrative was
France,' the
celebrated
There
twelfth century.
y
versions in the British
The
vignette
at
also versified
Anglo-Norman are, besides,
Museum.
the head
is
to
in
by Marie of
poetess of the
twu other metrical
1
of
this
chapter
is
taken
from an illuminated MS. of the fifteenth century
in the
3 xiii. 1
France.
— "Poesies
de Marie dc France' polh Auglo-Nonnuid du Par Roquefort Paris, 1820. Museum.— Cot. JJoro. A. i\\, and Harleian, No. L'T.'i. Mielc.
:
•
Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, No. 7588, A. F.
commence
le
:
" Ici
Purgatoire de Monseigneur St. Patrice."
It represents a pilgrim
entering the
Purgatory, and
monks chanting psalms. metrical version of Owayne Miles
attended by the In the is
thus described
:
his entrance
—
man Went with hym, yn processyoun, And as lowde as they myghte crye For hym they songe the letanye, And browte hym fayre ynto the entre,
" Every prest and every
Ther
as
Syr Owayne wolde be."
Here the Prior of the Purgatory gives the pilgrim
into
which the pilgrim has entered.
description of his adventures
must condense
met by
his
and then he shuts the door of the cave
last instructions,
is
A
most graphic
then given, which
into the briefest possible form.
fifteen venerable
He
we
is first
men, clothed in white garments,
him that he must soul, as, when they leave him, he will be assailed by a number of demons, who will torment him, and try to terrify, or persuade him to turn back, and if he does turn back he will perish. The moral in this part of the legend
who
receive
him
kindly, but inform
act manfully, or he will perish,
is
obviously the
The English
necessity
body and
of persevering in
virtue.
metrical version has the following very
beautiful words,
which we have given precisely as they
stand in the original, only altering the orthography for
y$
—
—
—
^jBL+^^r^al '%='
*
*
'!£ =''
•*
*
may
such of our readers as
to old English
G35
nol be
accustomed
:
" But
if
they will thee boat or bind,
Look thou have these words '
-*-
^
'Tfe f'
Patrick's Purgatory.
,sv.
the sake of
""+
4
Jesus, as thou art
Have mercy on me,
sinful
And evermore
in
have
mind
in
:
of might,
full
knight
!'
thy thought
Jesus, that thee so dear hath bought."
There certainly ful verses;
took
it
and those
no superstition
who
an actual narrative of
fact,
instruction from
spiritual
to obtain greal
feil
beauti-
these
in
read the legend, whether they
as an allegory, or
could not it.
is
"We could wish that there was no worse reading
circulated
amongst learned or unlearned
enlightened century. people than dictine
this,
What
in this so-called
hitter could
we
teach our
which wastaughl them by the Bene-
of the twelfth century:
monk "
And
evermore have in thy thought
Jesus, that thee so dear hath bought."
The knight wlmle object
is
tead&st, and
then attache,! by the demons, whose make him turn hack. But he is
to
is
then seized by them, and Hun-- into a
is
furnace, where he calls upon "
'
Jesus,'
he
said,
-Testis to
'
full
of
help him
pit}',
Help, and have mere)- en me.'
He
t^
name.
at once rescued
is
He
M
is
then
taken
by
:
tints
"
invoking the holy
through differenl places of
_™ £i*
—
;
;
:
is delivered by invoking the At last the demons fling him into hell, and down deeper and deeper, forgetting, in his This he rememcall on God for deliverance.
punishment, and in each he holy name.
he sinks terror, to
bers at
last,
again.
He
ntters the usual
narrow, and so
human being
cross
prayer
is
safe
so slippery, so
It is called the bridge " of
it.
But the knight has recourse
the three impossibilities." to
is
seems impossible for any
lofty, that it
to
and
aspiration,
has to pass a bridge which
:
vV " Sir
Owayno then kneeled him down, to God his oraison
And made '
Lord God,' he
said,
'
full of
might,
Have mercy on me, sinful knight Send me, Lord, thy sweet grace, That
I
may
this bridge pass
Help, Lord, I
For to
may
my
lose
not
labor
fall,
" all.'
The bridge was then crossed
safely,
and the good
knight comes to a wall, bright as glass, in which was a
Here he was met
gate adorned with gold and jewels.
by a procession of the
wearing crowns and
blessed,
carrying golden palms in their hands, and they
him
their beautiful garden,
flowers,"
where there "
This place
who
informs
is
shown
is
to
him that
where
Adam and
dwelt,
and where there
Eve,
which
is
"green and
mirth and never
Owen by it
is
show
full of
strife."
a venerable bishop,
" the earthly paradise,"
"who were not wise," once are many souls detained who
have
hut
purgatory,
left
beaven.
1
At the conclusion of this strange interview, the bishop
shows him the celestial paradise and the hill which leads
up
to
Owen
it.
desires
wry
ardently to remain in the
earthly paradise, hut his companion
tells
him
it
must
not be, that he must return to the world, and
"other
his flesh
left
comed
and that when he has
and bones on earth
his soul will be wel-
he has Been
there.
Owen
Sir
-i
then returned easily 1" the door of the cave
where he had entered, and found the
He
him.
them
all
remained
Land.
fifteen
priests waiting for
days with them, and told
he had seen, " to make them
took cross and
tine,
tell
;"
men what
He
staff in
some years
lived
but at
wise."'
hand and went
Then he Holy
off to the
after his return
from Tales-
last
'
He
died,
and went the bright way
To the bliss that lasts for aye ; To that bliss may He us bring That of
And
u
all is
Lord and King."
thus ends the legend of the knighl Owen.
— In
the last century a Spanish monk, the general of the BeneGeronymo Feijoo, published a scries of essays He treati of popular errors, which have obtained a European reputation, • v> Paferii I. I'm ! itory," and in particular notices this heretical statement,
dictines Fray Benito
.
for
which
-
it is certainly difficult to
account.
Dr.
Lynch,
in his note
on this
" r«t»," saya : " Fei of Saltrey and Matthew Pari*, on the ground that they lived before Council of Lyons— an answer which cannot extricate Colgan, who attempt
subject, in bis edition of
solve the difficulty
^.v
(
by saying that the non-possession
^&
the I
of the beatific vision
to
by
—
There are some curious similitudes between the vision
and that of the knight Owen
of Dante
;
but no one
can carefully peruse the wrapt poetry of the Italian, and comjtare
it
with the quiet prose of the Englishman, with-
out seeing at once that the former was pure
resume of the legends of
in fact, a
fiction,
centuries,
and,
and that
the latter bore some probability of being founded on fact,
least to those
at
who do
not pride themselves
on disbelieving everything which does not agree with their
own
limited experience.
There can be but
little
doubt that Dante was ac-
quainted with the legend of the knight
;
and we
find, in
" Orlando Furioso," a passage in which Ariosto plainly 3
mentions the Purgatory, about half a century after the narrative of Owen's descent or vision
was made
public.
Caesar of Heisterbach, in his dialogues on the miracles of his time, says
him go St.
:
"If any one doubt of Purgatory,
to Scotia [Ireland],
and
Patrick,
doubts will be dispelled."
his
earliest record of a pilgrimage to
lished in
Rymer's " Fcedera
let
and enter the Purgatory of
Lough Derg
;" it is
is
The pub-
found in the Patent
the souls in that earthly paradise as saying
:
'
A
pcenis liberi
was a punishment. But they are represented sumus ;' and, moreover, the idea that Adam's Lough
terrestrial paradise is a part of purgatory, is as strange in theology, as
Derg's being the gate of paradise is in Irish topography." "Cam. Ev." p. 146, d. The fact is, there seems to have been some confusion in the mediaeval popular traditions on this subject even Dante, after leaving Purgatory, is conducted to the terrestrial paradise before he enters heaven. * Purgatory. *'E vide Ibernia fabulosa, dove 11.
;
—
II
santo vecchiarel fece la cava
In che tanta mercO par, cho
Che l'uom
vi
si
trovo
purga ogni sua colpa prava."
UolLs of the Iiiyit, under the date L358, letters
granted by Edward
Rimini,
and Nicholas de
that they
III. to
and
consists of
Malatesta Ungarus of
Beccariis, a
Lombard, to
certify
bad performed the pilgrimage.
Lough Dcrg
described in the Registry of John Bole,
is
Primate of Ireland, who died
in
1170.
celebrated English Jesuit, mentions
it
Campion,' the
in his " Historic
and wrote most shrewdly
of Ireland," written about 1570,
and sensibly on the subject, condemning popular superbut declaring that he "saw no cause but a
stitions,
Christian
man,
heaven and
assuring himself that there
may, on
hell,
persuaded that
it
be for
wisdom known,
by miracles the vision of joyes and paines
who wrote
popular opinion, that
saw visions
;
in
I
to reveale
eternal."
1586, also condemned the
who
all
entered the Purgatory
but admitted, with the saintly and mar-
may have
tyred Jesuit, that such visions to some.
regret very
which remains
at
the
much
been given
that the limited Bpaa
work
conclusion of this
not admit of a fuller discussion of this subject
the bishop of this diocese, this
and other
a Life of it
St.
that, if
1
;
will
but as
and several of the clergy of
dioceses, are desirous that I should write so,
and
St. Patrick's Purgatory,
and
Owen
I
Brandon,
an account of
nriiji u'il
both
might please God, at some time,
considerations to His infinite
Stanihurst,
is
information,
sufficient
I
legend of Miles
had not
hope
to
do
in full.
this plan in view,
it
to
add
to
to give the
must admit
would cause me
considerable regret to give so imperfect a sketch of a
—
subject so full of interest,
and
to omit so
many most
valuable and interesting details.
In concluding this Life of glorious apostle, I
of the vision of
would
Owen
say,
Miles,
St. Patrick,
our great and
with the devout chronicler
who
described the bliss of
heaven and the joy of the blessed ones
$o
iliat bliss
W,^a
of all
man
$jc
is foi'fl
vis
ut
bring "iiing.
Adamnan, the miracles known to, 891.
Patrick
of
Annals
Four Masters,
of the
9, 222,
230.
Aen-Adharrac, baptism at, 42.". Aengus, brother of St. Fiaec, 404, Aliens, property "'• "'-'"' Aengus, ion oi Nadfraich, Bung of Monster, 2S5 baptism of, .'ii'T, 400 daughter of, 391.
Annals of Ulster, .172. Annotations of Tin .Inn, ,'!S7, n. Antony, St., visions appearing to, 4. Antrim, the saint's captivity in, 75.
^gabna, the prediction of, '-''!. Agreda, Mary of, miraculously carried t.i Mexico, 368. Agricola, the Pelagian, 97. Ailbhe, St., ordination of, 401.
Archbishop not the same as Ardep-
j
;
Ailliun, Lughaidh's queen, 391. Aitbcen, St. Patricks cook, 249.
Alban, SL, aud
St.
Aaron, martyrdom
'.'7.
of,
of, 110.
Alcluaiclh, traditions of connected with, S3.
Patrick
St.
398.
at, .
mcilof,
1
.
360.
,n,
.1
St. Patrick's visit to,
ii,
Armagh, Book
434
'J7.
Life of St. Patrick erasures contained in the, 44, OS in, 59 ; probable date of, 59 ; proofs great importance of, of date, till 01 annotations on bishops o life of successors of St. Patrick, 61 of,
;
;
Patrick
St.
;
chan
287.
Alphabets, St. Patrick's distribution of, 46, h. G, 412, 413,428. Doninach-Patrie, stone at Altar county Meath, emits streams of blood, 2S0. Altos, the centurion, his visit to Ireland, 95. Amalgaidh, the children of, 2S." agree;
ment made by St Patrick with the sons
of,
286
;
Amatho King
twelve Bona of the
of,
421.
Romans, 378.
Amator.St., lnsiniracles, 157; journey to Aiitun, 159; .loath, 163, Amator or Amatorex, the consecrator of St. Patrick, 213.
Ambrose, ,
;
Martin of Tours in, 63; Brian Bora's inscription m. in hereditary keepers of, 65 ; now in Dr. Keoves' possession, 66 ; annotations of TireSt.
Allan dc Dunfres, an account of the Fealty of, 80. All 11 dlowa' Eve, ancient name of,
1
scop, 50.
Ardagh,
;
Alcantara, St. Peter
1
Blessed Sebastian
Life of
123.
of,
name, 492,
"f the
i
Apparurio,
.
St.,
comparison made by,
atholic teaching
i
of,
181.
marks out the site of the church at Armagh, under Victor ; carries St. Patrick to
in, 67,
Armagh, :.
B 0.")
go
tu's ;
remains
d by
Danes, 02
tin-'
340
of, ''">{
;
;
51
in, ;
;
Brian
04 townlands near, - St. Patrick to foundation of the church
visit to,
thi
to,
314,
Lupita's
;
relics in, 358.
Asicus, St.. Bi ihopof Elphin, 306. Assaroc, St. Patrick's visit t 433. Assicus, an altar-maker, 402; death of, 40.1.
Augustine Augustin
of [nisbec, 46. I
i
isions,
1
;
iporary with St. Patrick, 117; his declaration of papal infallibility, 185.
AnxilinB, St. Patrick's companion, 378.
Dgol
mveraation with on c Borne, ^"'7 Patrick, 414. ;
.
BackdU lso,
Iosa, or Staff of J« 190; destruction of idols with, S also Staff "f Jesus ; CoHall
of the,
1J7. i
L
»
;
Jiaile Chuinn, Conn's Ecstacy, 397. Ballyshanuou, St. Patrick's visit
to.
of St. Patrick, 104, 372 ; of l>ichu, his first Irish convert, 229 of Conall, son of Endeus, 284 ; of the princesses Ethna and Fetldema, 292 ; at the well of Aen-Adliarrac, 297 ; of Aeugus at Cashel, 327, 46G. Barach, Connor Mac Nessa's druid,
Baptism
;
93.
British Museum, documents in, 3S0, v. Britons, the, plunder made on, SG ; of Alcluaid, S5 ; of Letha, 87 ; an assembly held by, 374. Brogan, St. Patrick's nephew, 251. Brosna, St. Patrick blesses the Ministermen at, 338. Buas, the river, now Buch, crossed by St. Patrick, 315.
Cadoc, the same as Mnchatoce, 40 honored in Wales and Brittany, 47. Cairbre opposes St. Patrick, 305. Cairpre Niafer, Monarch of Ireland, .
Bauban,
St. Patrick's
nephew, 251.
Bealltaine, the, 253.
Beda Ferdan bound
to entertain pil-
grims to St. Patrick's church, 80. Bede, quotations from, 73. Bell, St. Patrick's, the sweet sounding, rung on Croagh-Patrick, 250, 299 ;
301, 495.
Benen, St. Patrick's psalmist, 249. Benignus, St., conversion of, 244
419, n. Cairpre, son of Nial, desires the murder of Patrick, 396. Cairthenn's son, cure of, 333. Calphrann, 248. Calpurn, St. Patrick's father, 70, 372 ; the murder of, 128.
Cambrensis Eversus, quotation from,
miracle at Tara, 2G0, 3S9.
Benum
a mistake for bonum, 136. Bernan Brighte, the bell called, 299, 414. Berraidhe, the chieftain, 339; Odran slain by, 340. Bescna, son of Alprann, 250. Birds appearing to St. Patrick, 29S. Bite or Beoadh, Bishop of Ardcarne, 306, 402. Black Book of Caermarthen, 248.
Blind man, curing of the, 29. copy Bollandists, opinion of the, 50 of Confession used by the, 09, 136, ;
221.
Book Book
of Orders, St. Patrick's, 407. of Eights, 123, 127, 253.
Boulogne, the saint's connection with the see of, 72.
Brehon Laws,
St. Patrick's assistance
in the compilation of, 5S1.
Brenainn, St., prophecy of, 472. Brendan, St., visits Paul, 47.
murder of, 397. visit to Armagh, 64 ; inscription of in Book of Armagh, 64 ; ancestors of, 332.
Bresal,
Brian Born,
Brigid, St., the administration of the Holy Viaticum to, 47. St. Patrick's arrival in, 75;
Britain,
St. Patrick
manus manus
to,
accompanied 184;
visit of
St. St.
GerGer-
to, 196.
Britanniis, assertion was born in, 85.
that
St.
Patrick
283.
Canoiu Phadraig,
63.
Patrick taught the, by 159, 180 to 1S3. Captivity, St. Patrick's, 91 ; the date of, 126; cause of, 375. Oarrickmacross, the saint's visit to
Canons,
St.
Germanus,
346. Cashel, vision on the walls of, 111 destruction of the idols at, 327. Casula, St. Patrick's, cleansed by an angel, 299 ; of Bishop Mel's sister, 398. Catau, St., 251. Cathal Mac Fergus, death of, 80. Cauldron, a, given by Daire to St. Patrick, 351. ,
Abbot of Mainister-Bmthe. county Louth, 24S. Cele De, disobedience of Malach, 467. Celestine, Pope, St. Patrick sent by, 98 ; gave St. Patrick his name, 112, St. Patrick ordained by, 211, 378. Cethire, the bishop, 2S5. Ciaran of Belach-Duin, the miracles of Patrick known to, 391. Cill-Garad founded by St. Patrick, Ceciuit,
407. (
'inaeth, son of Irgalach, violates sanc-
tuary, 2S0.
Cinel-Eoghain, miracle performed for the ancestor of, 307. Cinne, daughter of Eochaidh, a virgin at Clogher, 317, 453.
m
the three, at st. Patrii
Conor Mac Neasa, the
!.
I
death
ii.itH'n, :>ts.
Cmi
Christopher
Patrick's episcopal,
St.
ion,
210.
Constantius, the life of St, tiermanus written by, 180,
Clebaoh, conversion oi the princ .
l
.
292.
of,
:.
imi'
-
9,
ss
celebrated in
.
Btone preserved at, 288 founded by St Patrick, 316. idoJ
.
county Meath, Si.
117.
saint, 251.
Mr,
249. Dr., theories on miracles, 30. r to, 315,
.
•1
11.
miracle perfon
St.,
.
Colgan, his second Life of St. Patnok, alters the narrative of St. Patrick's being carried to Home miraculously,
.'SoS
Cornelius, Coroticu
,
Patrick, 306. Colomcille, the miracles of St. Patrick known to, 391; prophecy of his SI
birth, 436. is,
Bishop of Clonshanville, inmon, 114.
Consll-Sciath-bachall, 127. baptism of, Conall, son of Niall, 280 28 1 measures a church for Patrick, ;
sister of St.
Conches,
Martin
24a St. Patrick',,
four
MS8,
59; ancient lives four 70; important remarks on the parts a
the
Book
of
Arms
original from the Book
and
original
;
transla-
t
I
King of Hy-Kinsel b
.
destruction
of,
399
idol,
- s7
;
probable sito
;
399
Cross, St. Patrick's revereuccfor, 302 ; miracle at, 420. rowe, translation of the Lurka by, (
264. Crozicr, Aengus' foot pieroi
Cruachan, meeting the princesses
by, 327.
.1
of st. Patrick with
40 I. Crucifixion, Irish legend at,
of, 93.
Cruimther Collait knew Patrick's miracles, 391.
Culleu, county Limerick, child restored to life at. 830. Daire, St. Patrick's visit to, 348 ; ho 19 his illness and offers him a rath, miraculous cure 350, s -i. Dalaraida, St. Patrick's servitudein, 131, 104; visits to, 313, 441. Dal-Kiada, St Patrick's visit to, 313, .'!
;
l
::| >
'
;
I.
.Minuter, the people
follow tho
of,
saint, 348.
Danii 1
1,
Winagh plundered bj Patrick's angel and dwarf, 314,
12.
247, 307.
Dauglit'
i
Deachnaus, the three, 312.
ancient palace of the kin,; visit
Patrick remained seven left crosses (
Patrick's
in St.
Ci imthann,
I
of
collations of it Armagh, 5S0 with other versions, 581. Conn, prophecy ofj 95. Connanght, visit of St. Fiacc to, 45;
Patrick'*
-'.':.
of Tours,
and St. Patrick's mother, 86, 372. Conchessa, another form of her name, 86. 103; Cochinas, another form, ...n,
son of Lebrinth, 24S. lion of,
Cothraige, a name for St. Patrick, 111. Cows, miraculous cure of, 374 r, 403. Crimthann was
:
390.
i
letter to, 7;! tion of letter
of,
Caiman, St, of Dromore, 239. Columba, St. bis birth predicted by
\
...
remarks ou his
;
to,
301.
Cormac, King of Ireland, 453. Cormac, the priest who baptized tho
the bishop of, 114. Patrick's cham
nville, i,
Controversy on miract Corco-Thcuiuc, St. Patrick's visit
;
and
unell's bobcrecn.
he Etonian
j
bells in, 304.
I
b
Death, St. Patrick's, at Armagh, 363, 497.
.
G44 Edward Lhuyd, Welsh
Deisse mentioned, 248. Vere, Aubrey, his poems, 11.
Dc
power
Devil,
of the, 259. Mae Cerbhaill,
Diarmaid
marks out the 397 macnoise church,
of,
;
banishment site of
Clou-
sou of Eestitutus, St. Patrick's nephew, 1 14, 280. Diarmid left by St. Patrick at DoniDiarrnid,
nach Fiacc, 46. Diehu, the saint's first convert, 231, 382 St. Patrick's visit to, 235. ;
St., blessed by St. Patrick before his birth, 340. Donegal blessed by St. Patrick, 30G.
Domangart,
Donegal, Martyrology of, 49. encaseDorjough, son of Flanu, G4 ment of the Canon of Patrick by, 04. ;
ItaJ'
Dounchadh, Monarch of Ireland, 462. Downpatrick, Loarne Bishop of, 51. Dr. O'Donovan, (opinion of the late), 253. Dricrin, King, the saint's visit to, 323. Dricriu, King of the Ui-Garchon, 459. Drogheda, St. Patrick's arrival at, 244. Drombo, building the rath at, 345. Dromore, St. Colman of, 239.
—
A
Druids Barach, 93 Lochra and Luchat Mael, 90 names of the king's, 252, 254 at Tara, 25S, 379 ; burned ;
;
;
Drumconratli, county Meath, a church
s
there,
280
;
visit to,
313,
314.
Dublin,
Book
of
Lecain preserved
Dubhtach Mac Lugair, the king's
in,
chief
bard, 258.
Dubthach Mac Ui-Lugair, the 45
;
he asks
St.
poet,
Patrick to tonsure
Fiacc, .45. Dun-da-leth-glaisse, county Patrick buried at, 365.
Down,
Eadberth, an account of the army
St.
142, a.
Eochach, son
of
Muredach, cruelty
of,
346.
Eochaidh, resuscitation of, 316, 453. Eoghan, sonofNial, miracle performed for, 307, 430 ; blessing on the race of, 437.
Episcopal jurisdiction in the early Irish
Church, 503. St. Paul burning the book?
Ephesians,
Ere, daughter of Daire, 250. Ere, marriage of, 464. Ere, prophecies of. 251. Ere, son of Dega, first Bishop of Slane, St. Patrick's judge, 249 ; his conversion and baptism at Tara, 2S3, 3S5. Ere, twelve sons of, 313. Erca, daughter of Loarn Mor, 306. Erin, lives of the saints of, 44 ; the cause of Patrick's coming to, 112, 127, 375. St. Patrick's visit to, 305. Essays, Monsiguor Moran's, great value of, 99 quotations from, 206 opinion about St. Patrick's conse-
Es-Ruaidh, of,
83.
Faster, St. Patrick's visit to Tara at, 243, 385, 387. Ecchu Baldearg cured at the well of Sangul, 333. Ecclesiastical Record, valuable articles in, 45, 215. Eohtra, resuscitation of, 426 ; her grave still known at Kilmore Moy, 420, n.
Ecstacy, the, of Conn, 379.
;
of the, 23.
in the lire at Tara, 390.
founded
philologist, 05.
Eileran the Wise, author of the Vita Quarta, 205 ; the miracles of Patrick known to, 391 Eimhin, St., or Evin, Life of St. Patrick written by, 54, 50, 249. Elias, St. Patrick invoking, 2, 143. Elphin, in Conuaught, plain near, visited by the saint, 290. Ely mas struck blind by St. Paul, 23. Embroiderers, St. Patrick's, 250. Emptur, St. Fiacc states St. Patrick's birthplace was at, 84. Endeus, son of Amalgaid, 284 ; his visit to Tara, 285. England, MacMoyer's visit to, 65 ; a theory that St. Patrick's birthplace might be in, 71 ; Roman legion in, Refor74 ; Roman camps in, 77 mation in, 141 ; strange misconception of Protestant clergymen in,
;
;
cration, 215.
Essays and Reviews, immense circulation of, 12; arguments against miracles
Ethna the
in, 32.
Fair,
conversion
of,
291,
404.
Etymologisch Forsch, 78. Europe, a description of Christian in,
145.
life
Safe Index
to
death of, 840. on the necessity of, •>» Faith of the Irish, 87, 209. his sleep at Fallen, proverb about
Franco, a suggestion ol St. Patrick s of, 71, bit thpl ice being in the north
Failge,
Faitn
7.");
320
Fedhkmidh,
rceeives Fedhlimidh, sonof Ueghaire,
Mt
Feidelm. the resuscitation of, H», 306. Felim, St. Oolumba's father, in Ferdomnaoh, important inscnption 61.
Gaeidhil, St. Fatrick loosens the bon-
dageof
Garment
Fergus, son of iiromised donation of, 313. the ConFerguson's, Mrs., Irish before
j;,i,i, the, at
.
,
quotations
Ins
from
,
Cruachan, 294; at Ar-
,
Gaul, journey of the leper from, 106 the
monks
of,
v of
:
146.
Null's sons, 273.
the saint's voyage with the,
.
138.
German, St. Patrick's tutor, 251. Germanus, St., St. Patrick's rtudy and under, 79; mission of, 97; birth return to Gaul education of, 156 ;
15S; rehis teaching, 157; velation of, 158; austerities pracSt. Patrick's intert, ed by, 164 course with, 177 ; amiable qualities the miracles of, 183 ; conof, 183 secration as Bishop of Auxerrc, 1S4;
of
magh, 353. 2,253.! St. jEngus, the Culdee 57of st. Batnck, 2.".
/•,,,,?„, ofETara,
v of
the, :i78. of invisibility, St. Fit
387
Conall Gulban, 31-,
95Dr.,
to,
Frion, Bishop, 338. Furscus, St., Life of, 75.
w.
,n,
inter-
boFrancis, St., of Aaaissi, similarity tween, and St. Patriok, 194, 297. of, 340. battle the Freanihain,
Fedelnud, nach Fiaco, 46. Fedhlidhmidh, Columcille son ot, the dun of, at Trim, 394.
t,
77;
Patrick's return
St
|
Qermanua' return
196.
297
poems, 95.
St.
Franceses, St., of Rome, 333.
341. Fasting, St. Patriok, on Irian, Doinleft by St. Patriok at
Annul..
stations in, '.17
ith,
.
184;
to,
to, 846. irney, visit of St. Patriok Patack, Fast, St, Patriot's, oaCroagh
of
Roman
?
F
Book
645
Persons, Events, etc
;
;
70.
.
Fethlema the Buddy, conversion 291, 404. Fiacc, St., Life of St.
_ Tatnck by,
_
of,
43;
interview bethe baptism of, 46 an tween St. Patrick and, 46, n. 47 ; retirehim, to appears ancel ;
3
;
death
oftti
Patrick sends
him
cnloasly, 359, 493 his hymn, 559.
;
;.f,
«;
St.
a chariot miratranslation of
Fiachra, ordination of, 48. Finn-faidheach, the swect-souuding 1,11, 250. Finnian, St., of Moville. from the Munstcrmcn blessed
Vinninv. the hill of, 332. Funes, St, Patrick'!, "7. Patrick by Flowers strewn over St. Benignus, 24 1, 381. Foohlot, the saint's visit t<>, 296. .
Fotaide, 248.
Fonr
M
ist
re,
.
re
-
ord the arrival of St.
222; foundation of Trim s from, reoardedby, 217; nuotat on Strangford Though. 230, 381. Patrick
great devotion
Britain, 190;
visits
.„
.
.
to relics of, 199.
Glcaghrann.Cnl.ri and Lasn daughters
meetingof St. Patriok with of, 251 at Foohlnt, 295. Gnasacht, ordination of. 233. Goat, miracle of the, 455. Gormias, the saint baptized by, 104. Gospels, Lomman reading the, 394, Grada (orders) read over Patrick, ;
from Qraif, St. Patrick's fell destroying the idols, 400. hop
Grananl im wln-n
I
him when of,
233.
give, 351.
Crav.s, Dr., identilieations
made
by.
59; important discovery of, 60. Qregraighe, stones Hung at St. Patrick by, 429.
H md II
SI
Patrii k's,
i
brine
of,
526
sites and an,., Mr., identifications of riven by, 7 ; paper on St lauding place by, 231.
Patrick's
—
;
au eminent Celtic scholar, 7; translation of the Tripartite by, 369. Henry VIII., establishment o£ the Hennessy, W.,
Protestant religion by, 19. St. Patrick receives Staff of Jesus on, 18S ; description origin of name, 192. probable 191 of, Hibernia, visit of Palladius to, 101. Hilary, St., of Poietiers, the instructor of St. Martin, 148. Historic tale of Conor Mac Nessa, 95. History, details of miracles in Catho-
Hermon, Mount, ;
lic,
40.
Hono, a mass Honorat,
of gold given to, 401.
St., his
power over animals,
Horses, St. Patrick helps his charioteer to lind, 303.
Household, St. Patrick's, 227. Hungary, removal of St. Martin's parents from, 103. St. Patrick's Loriea, 204 ; preface to St. SeehnalPs, 360 ; original Latin and translation of St. Sechnall's, 563 ; St. Fiacc's, 559. Hymns of the early Irish church, 512. Hy-Nialls, prophecy of the, 311.
Hymn,
larlaid,
Ireland continued. St. Patrick's altar-stone brought to, 109 ; saints in, 112 ; Reformation in, 141 ; command given to St. Patrick to go to, 192 St. Patrick's jouruey to, 206 ; Palladius returning from, 207 ; date of St. Patrick's arrival in, 221 ; banishment of demons from, ;
222
;
Fiatach Finn, Monarch
son of Trian, blessing
of,
479.
Ice changed into tire, 373. Idols, the destruction of, 2S8. Ignatius, St., similarity between his prayer, Anima mea, and St. Patrick's
Loriea, 267. Imagined, visions not always,
Inishowen, county Donegal, blessed by St. Patrick, 437Innes, a description of Kilpatrick by,
Annals
of,
231
founded by,
80.
St.
Patrick's
companion,
bishop in county Kildare, 460. Isidore's, St. College at Rome, copy of St. Fiacc'.s hymn preserved at, 85. Italy, ravaged by the Goths, 74 Longobards of, 113 ; called Letha, 358.
321
;
,
;
Jarleth, St., third Bishop of 232.
Armagh,
Jocelyn, his Life of St. Patrick, 53 ; details given by, 237 ; mystical interpretation of, 238, n. John of the Bosom, 63.
John
of
John,
Tinmouth, 215. miracles performed by,
St.,
21,
22.
John the deacon,
99.
Julianus Campania, character of, 1S5. Joyce, Mr., his Origin of Irish Names, 137.
4.
Indies, the Apostle of the, 105. Inis-an-ghoill, discovery of tombstone on the island of, 115.
78. Inuisfallen, the
of,
faithfulness of, 367. Irish Celt, form of oath by the ancient, 271. Irish liturgy, treatise on, 179. Irish, the faith of the, 37. Isabella, Duchess of Albany, church
Iserninus,
151.
,
222.
Innocent, Pope, his letter to Decentius, 98. Ireland, evangelization of, 16; poem written on the history of, 57 ; pedi-
gree from Conary More, Monarch of, 62 ; Flanu, King of, 04 ; journeying of the saint towards, 72 St. St. Patrick's escape from, 74 Patrick's return to, 79 ; St. Patrick carried off to, 80 ; visit of Altus to, 95 ; the advent of St. Patrick to, 96 ; evidence of Christians being in, 98 ; ;
Kells, first public baptism in Ireland at, 275. Kermand-Kclstach, idol at Clogher,
288.
Kerry, O'Connell of, 57. Kienau, St. Patrick captured
by,
139. Kilcullen, Mac Fail patron of, 324. Killala, episcopal see founded by St. Patrick, 424.
Kilinacthomas,
pagan
remains
at,
2SS.
Kilmore, Fedhelim venerated as patron of, 47. Kilpatrick, description of, 7S ; termination of the Roman wall at, 86. Kirby's, Mpnsignor, account of St. Patrick's relics in Rome, 524. Knock-Cae, miracles performed on, 331.
1
,;
z
Zncft
i
prophecy
.
Evt nte,
to Pi rsons,
Conn about,
of
;
etc.
Lngnath, discovery
iland, 221, 384 taki a prisoner by the Leinstermen, 371 mode of burial, 272; conversion ol the two daughters ..i, 292.
I
the tombstone
of
!
\
i
Lnpita,
I
miraculously from
M
,m
i
\i
i !
larthy,
M
nl.
'
his His.
the lioyue du-
rand of the, and the flagstone, 108. Lcrins, St. Patrick's visit to, 1S7. the, or stone of destiny, 288. .
preserved in Rome,
it.
Limerick, identifications made l>y Dr. 59 St Patrick's arrival piety of the people in, ."529 :". y Mr. Lenihan, 397. Lives of .St. Patrick, ancient, 50, 53. Lives of the saints, miraculous occurrences in, 25. ;
,
I
p of Bright,
now Down-
natrick, 51. Lol.in.au, Hiatoin
deBretogn ,71. the air and killed, 250.
St. Patrick's
helmsman, 251.
Lomman
114.
Sech-
i.
96. 259.
342 death of,
;
:
324.
Mocbin baptized by St. Patrick, 251, Mac Moyer visited England, he Book of Armagh, 05
.
ti.~>
i
betrayed Dr. Plunk,
MacNessa,
•
t,
;
65.
!onor, 93.
Macraith, the « ise, 251. Ma. I. thedruid, 291, 40G. Magh-Dala, the saint's visit to, 31 1. Magh-Life, the river Liffey takes its 323. M;i. h-Slecht in Cavan, description of, 288 idols destroyed at, 399. Magus, Simon, the conversion of, "2. .
:
the saint's
I,
wood
supplier,
Malone, Rev. A., of Limerick,
St Patrick's Manchen, St., left tion of
•_'.">!
di scrip-
well by, 337, to govern the
church at Aen-Adharrae, '">'. Mantan's disobedience, 331, 171 mi
St..
-nti
Mi.
household. Martin.
•_'.")
1
v
in
at 31
the
[50
;
Patrick's of his
.
list
I.
Patrick to. 7'.' miracles by, IIS, tea bins of, Patrick journeyed to Tour
visit of st.
,
1
St. .
Lnchat Maet and Lochra,
M
St.
1
St. Patrick.
Mac Eroa ordained bishop. 815. Mac Fail, Bishop of CSll-tJsaile,
perfon
,,.
l.uchat
hi
;
264 ;
of
poems, 1. character and at-
!'..
hi,
aversion, 343, 479
Martin.
left at the Boyne, 245, S94 found by Fortchcrn, 394. I7n. Lonan's banqoi Loogobar.l-, on the origin of the,
Lorica, St. Patrick's, nall's, 362.
of, 431.
15.
i
in
1>.
St.,
3
ring, 394.
.
consecration
186.
,
;
Hymnornm
;
baptism
rtliinn,
tempt to impose on
left at
'J7
Mac Carthainn consecrated Bishop
;
Mr, quotation from
Lommaii
Logha,
r
I
religion by, 19.
;
Lochrn raised
mothi
;
I
thend, Bishop of Clogher, 451.
;
•
5]
an
when a child,
refer, n
Rom
Lcinstcr, Book of, 95. Leinster, O'Dcvr.ms in. 5fi Palladium' arrival at. 10] St, Patrick's labors in, 305 great number of ofanrches erected in, 325 St. Patrick's arrival in. 377.
.
;
of,
19; organization of the Protestant
of,
.
Liber
12
1
oare
;
St., of Troves, as bishop, 1!>7.
of,
Luther,
sceptical, 293; unintentional mistakes of, 340. raising from the dead Life of St Patrick in, 03, 104; on St. Patrick's obtaining
nit,
13
1
Lupus,
.
I.
Kurd,
i
374.
!
Lenihan,
ter,
Limania,
finding puce of St. Patrick, 230. Languedoo, Aatruc'a Hist, de, 78. Dr., on St. Patrick's birthplace, 71, Bccletiatlicai History of
relics
- 1.
17.'{.
Martyi
lit,
49, of Done-
gal, 4!>, 233, 285.
Lughaidh, the son of Laeghaii Matter, miracles not a violation of the •J7"
;
assumed the sovereignty, 391.
law
,,f,
39.
;
fltl^gp^«^p^^ tis,
Events,
etc.
St., of Turin, probably St. Patrick's consecrator, 218.
Moran, Very Rev. Monsignor, his important literary labors assist-
Moath, St. Patrick in, 272, 394 ; St. Patrick leaves, after destroying the idols, 2S9 St. Patrick's return to,
ance give by him to the author of this work, 7 ; his Essays, 99, ISO, on the history of St. Mac279
Maximus,
;
304. St.,
;
249.
Mexico
visited
by a Franciscan nun
in ecstasy, 358, n.
Milelio purchases St. Patrick, 129, 131 ; vision of the servant in flames of fire by, 133 ; St. Patrick's escape from, 138; St. Patrick's visit to, prediction on the family of, 232 233 ; remains of his rath, 234. Miliuc, Patrick sold to, 3715. Miracles, St. Patrick's compared with those of Scripture, 13 ; performed by the saints in all ages, 19 ; by the Apostles, 21 ; performed by the use of relics, 21 Christ's miracles questioned by the Pharisees, 2G ; careful examination of all alleged miracles by the Church, 27; objections made by modern sceptics to, 35 ; occur at the present day, 124 ; peculiar litnessinSt. Patrick's, 310. Miracles of St. Patrick ice changed to lire, 119 ; cure of his sister, 120 ; taming the mad ox, 123 ; changes snow into curds and butter for tiibute, 123; tames a wolf, 125; restores the use of Rius' limbs, 237 ; destruction of the druids at Tara, 258 finding the horses, 303 known at the time of writing the Tripartite, 391 ; known by Columcille, &c, 392. Mnchac, St., description of the staff of, 239, 384. Mochaembrog, St., of Cashel, 110. ;
;
—
;
;
Mochonuoe,
the
saint's
hospitaller,
251.
Mochta,
conversion of, 249, n. ; left at Louth by the saint, 348. Mouasterevin founded by St. Evin. Monastery, a description of St. Fiacc's, St.,
49.
Monks of the West, Montepulciano, cles,
;
cuil, 345.
patron of diocese of Longford, 107 bishop, 39S. Merlin, a dialogue between Taliessen and, 248. Mescan, St. Patrick's particular friend,
Mel,
;
177.
quotations from, 154. Agues of, her mira-
St.
Mount Hermon, our
divine Lord appeared to St. Patrick on. 18S. Moville, St. Finuian of, 239.
Muchatocc, of Inisfail, 4G. Muirchu-Maccu-Maetheni, the writer of St. Patrick's Life in the Armagh, CO, 138.
Book
of
Mungret, county Limerick, foundation of the church of, 330. Munis, brother of Lomman, 394. Minister, Oilioll Olnim, King of, 57 Flann, King of, 110; Aengus Mac Nadfraicb, King of, 391 blessing ;
;
of the people of, 475.
Munsterman, resuscitation of a, 33S. Munstermen, St. Patrick's blessing to the, 332, 338.
Naas, baptism at, 320 in the fort of, 320.
;
Fallen's sleep
Nainnid left by St. Patrick at Domnach Fiacc, 40. Nathi, St. Patrick repulsed by, 224. Nemthur, opinions about the meaning of, 70 ; various readings of the name, 372. Nessan instructed by the saint, 332. Nevtur mentioned in the Black Book of Caermarthen, 248. Niall, Cairpre son of, 396. Nicholson's, Mr. Steele, Life of St. Patrick, 5, G. Ninian, St., of Scotland. North of Ireland, the saint's residence in the, 240. Nurse, St. Patrick's, 120, 373; St. Benedict's, similarity between, and St. Patrick's, 123.
O'Briens, their ancestor baptized by St. Patrick, 332. Obsequies, St. Patrick's, 3G5. O'Clerys, Calendar of the, 427. O'Connor, Dr., opinion of, 252. O'Curry, E. , remarks on the hymn of St. Fiacc by, 44; Manuscript Materials of Irish History by, 52, «. discovery of Tripartite by, 57 ; on the prophecy of Conn, 95.
;
'
0'Dodo\
.ui,
notes on the
(r.,
I
list
i
of
st. Patrick'! h St. Patrick's
Odran, 339;
liia
v, '
charioteer, 250, death, 340, 177. Rev. .'., assistance given
221;
;
his household, list
of,
249
"
three
;
313, 440.
of,
Mo
athighs, the, of Clare, 58.
monks
Paisley,
of, 80.
county
the Patrick's de-
parton Paris, journey of St. Patrick and lermanua to, 197. Paschal lire lit by St. Patrick, 254 Patricias, a name of power, 378
i
•_'ins,
St.
-,
two
the
instructing con'
vir
.
of, ::.;l
-
."I ;
eof
i
memoir
of,
341
;.'.
his disciples ;
charity
of,
341; Dare presented a cauldron to, 351 Dr. Todd's memoir of, 354; Bera and Bright* visit to, 361 the rings made by
ESliaa in2 voked by, --, tlie angel Victor appearing to, 3 an account of the visions of, 3 an accoo of,
;
'2'.l'2
<
i
life
from
^.">7;
angel and, 31 r Fochain and, .""7; jonrney to Ail each. 'ill; prophecy of, 311, angel
-
mission and
bin baptized by,
gadh b it. 285
Limerick,
St
bewail
of,
lives
.
;
;
100.
\
green,
five sist
I
sent by 07 dluro of his mis-
!.
women
Ins
:
the king commands Ins people to seize, 257 Magna attempted to poison, 259; re's wish to kill, •J7.'i; visit to Cairbre and missionary labors of, 273 273 churches found' i by, 283
ParockuUes, 78.
'
r.-. t )i
.
;
Rome, 252
of,
of
I
Dibroiderers, 250 ancient r of, 2. ).'t ; his companions
Patrick's, 378.
I
the
poem on
;
i
Ordination of Aengus, 312; accouutof St.
landing place
land,
229 249
by, 7.
tism
;
;
;
i
;
i
;
l 16 the ma -':: hymn or poem on the 43; St. Place's lifeo baptized by, 46; ordination of Piachra by, 48; Jocelyn's life of, 53; observation on thi of, ancient lives of, 53; unity about his birthpl the parents of, 7' baptism of, 81, 104; birthplace, disputes about, 85 capture of, 86, 1-0 the early life of, 90; dmidical prophecies of
of,
;
killed by,
by, at,
426
;
'
St.,
;
of,
;
69
performed
cles •
ix
tamed
l>y.
by, 120 to life
119;
mira-
tl
-.,
I
:
"Jl
Blymas struck
;
'
of,
181.
miracles per
i,
formed by, h,
i
;
n opted by, '.'7. formed by, 9; the angel releasing from pi his miracles, 35; authority of the mi see of, at Rome
19
1
his joui
189; our divine Lord app 19] the teaching of, 'J<>9; episcopal :•> n of, 217; on the trials of, 219; date of hi< arrival in Ire;
.">71
23.
;
.
on,
i
lo7; Satan tempting, 143; visit to the mon 147: bell of, 166 Irish viai four years in Tours, 177; viait to of,
|s7
Its
i
1
I
barkation
n mai
;
Paul's retirement to a desert island, 17
by, 123; escape from servitude of,. 133, of aiii'n da
135
».,
body,
memoir
relatives of, 113;
;
431. junior, 51.
580, Paul, St., miracles performed bytouch-
t
.
n.
'.
i
<
;
l'J7
.">.')
;
413
by, 412,
.
1
Ona present alphabets written episcopal see founded the Iregraighe nun seven sons of 1
Tethbha, 399; house to, 402;
I
:
life of,
ill
;
date of Book opinion
I about i
ol
Lori
miracles denied by the, 26 Simon Macom gna by, 22; caught up by apgi I, 24. -.
Philip, St.,
I
M
—
Index
Persons, Events,
to
Philological Transactions for 1S55, 78. P. J. Kennedy, author of Legendary Fictions, liS. Plunket, Dr. Oliver, Mac Moyer's betrayal of, Co. Poetry, proverbial quatrain on St. of St. Mace, Patrick, 221 ; of St. Sechnall or Se558; St. Patrick's blesscundinus, 562 ing on Diclm, 229, 3S2 ; quotations from Aubrey de Vere's, 234. Poly carp, St., the acts of the martyr,
Hymn
Hymn
;
142
h.
Potid, grandfather of St. Patrick, 372; Prayer-water, 483. Probus, Life of St. Patrick by, 07, 138, 275. Promises made to St. Patrick, 300. Psalms, St. Patrick's devotion to the, 236.
of,
from heaven,
fire
235, 383.
423.
Record, the Irish Ecclesiastical, 45, ». Reeves, Dr., his Down and Connor, 131, 238; Adamnan, 324; Report of late Ec. Com. 395. Relatives, St. Patrick's, 395. Ktlics, miracles performed with, 21 given to St. Patrick by Pope Celes;
tine,
205
;
brought miraculously by
Patrick from Rome, 357, 491 destruction of, 521 kept at present in Rome, 524; of St. Patrick's hand, 526. Rioc of Inis-bo-fuide, St. Patrick's nephew and satchel-bearer, 307. Rius cured by St. Patrick, 237. Rodan, St. Patrick's shepherd, 250. Roman mission, St. Patrick's, 223. St.
;
;
Rome, Liber Hymnorum preserved
in,
44 we should be children of, 69 Palladius, Bishop deacons of, 99 of, 100 the the empire of, 139 Pelagius' saint's journey to, 149 visit to, 184 St. Patrick receives his visit to, authority from, 203 mentioned by Tireehan, 204 prayer of St. Patrick that he might be con;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
;
continui
<>.
ducted there to receive authority, 205 ; St. Patrick's return from. 222 the angel took St. Patrick to, 355
;
;
Patrick desiring to obtain relics the saint's arrival in, from, 356 357 ; St. Sechnall's visit to, 359 ; St. Patrick sent Sechnall to, 360. St.
;
Roscommon,
plain near, visited the saint, 290. visited by men of, Ross, the Patrick, 346. Ross, sou of Trichim, 383. Rothe, David, elucidations of, 53.
now
Dichu
at,
astery
at,
by St.
Saul, St. Patrick meets foundation of mon; presented to him by ;
231 238
Dichu, 282. administered to St.
Vila, 53, 178, 257.
Rechred burnt by
etc.
Sacraments
621.
Rath, Milcho's, remains
Rome
Sabhall,
by St. Public penance performed Patrick, 176. Purgatory, St. Patrick's, history of, Quinta
;
Pa-
trick, 363.
Sadducees, disbelief in angels and demons, 18. Saints, on the miracles of, 117. Samhain, All Hallows' Eve, 287. Sanan, St. Patrick's brother, 128. Bangui; couuty Limerick, description mi, 334-tp337. the Cross Santafiora, St. Paul of preaching at, 259. Scholiast on St. Fiacc's hymn, 85, S9. Scothnoe receives St. Patrick, 246, 394. Scotland, St. Patrick's journey to, 147. Sciibes, indignation of the, 26. Sebastian, Blessed, his miracles, 123. hymn of, 68, 113, Sechnall, St.,
495
;
St.
Patrick's
bishop,
249
;
nephew, 249, n. ; his visit to Rome, 359; preface to his alpha-
his
betical hymn in praise of the saint, 360 ; original Latin and translation of the
hymn,
562.
Sectmaide, plunder tons by, 86, 127. Segetius, sent with
made on the St.
Bri-
Patrick by
Germanus, 179, 376. St., of Iniscalach, prophecy of his birth, 334. Senell, St. Patrick's bell-ringer, 249.
Senan,
church of, near Elphin, founded by St. Patrick, 403. Shannon, Ferdomnach probably retired to a monastery on the banks of, 62 Shankill,
miraculously forded by 290.
St. Patrick,
'
3-T
^>
~J&
*fci
Persons, Events,
to
sis i" the,
meaning
siillii,
o
379
Simon Magus, death of, 206. sini'll, the first who believed in
ESrinn,
;
',
prophi
Tailcenn,
-1.
291.
.
etc.
i
St.
;
49
;
in,
meaning
of,
49; bishop
Sliabh-Hermoin,
of,
of,
i
.
i
of,
19.
Patrick
to,
I
by
;
to,
66.
St. Patrick's tin
Smiths,
256; banquet
hall of,
Brine it, 259; SI concluat, 274 sion of St. Patrick's vi it to, 278 the plain of, 279, St. Patrick ble sin Endi n baptised at, 283 to, 285; the saint's departnn 287j the men of Erin feasting at, ;
I
r
burned by
;
;
i
i,
ham, and Fori Soldier, the angel appearing
I
chieftains of old
Patrick,
St.
books Tassach, St. Patrick's artifi. administered the last sacrament, to the saint, 363.
tb
I
name
Soul-friend, Irish
for confessor,
Spain, the Ariano traversing, 140. Sparks of fire Been by lire on St. 1'atriek's lips, 283. to St. Patrick, Staff ol 178, 186, 190; .1. -traction of the i
rith, 288,
Teach-na-Roman founded by Palladia trick's disciple, 46.
Patrick at the
Tell town, St. 272, 396.
I
St. Patrick's, 149.
Temptation,
377.
»'..
I
I.:
LOS
of,
;
of
108
ne
J
left by St. Patrick at fashcl, 32S; thrown behind him, 397. St. Patrick writing names on,
408
Aitchen
patron saint
of,
town, plain near, visited by the •.
St. Patrick landed in Ireland, 221. Tiernmas, worship of idols introduced by, -287; death of, 287.
Tillemont, 159,
290.
//
/.' .
'imitations from.
'..
180, 200.
Patrick preaches to the
St.
cross on,
;
Strebane,
332,
when
:
an altar-sb
flight of
;
at,
471.
Patrick's, in the CI
predictions
.
100.
iptism St.
de;
|
St. Patrick's visit to,
liver blessed
|
;
ng
.
-1")
49 prophi ey about, 50 St. Patrick preaching at, 201 iall at, 223 of Lai .ut. at, 252 aire requested the saint to return
7,251. Mr., identifications of, 248. Skerry, famous pilgrimage at, 132. 3t Piacos monaster; in, 47
111.
mi
Tirawley, people of, 296. Tirechan, Annotations of, their antimention of St. Patrick's quity, 07 .! •, -jul quotations from, ;
I
i
:
;
.
-
116.
Patrick, 111. Successors, list of St. Patrick's, in the of see
Poi hint,
285
important quotation
;
onl
286
Patrick's visit
'
'
Snlpicii
Martin's
bio-
Todd,
grapheri 150. I
to. 301.
nion condemned by theChurch,
Dr.,
ferred to, i
177.
Swift,
Edmund,
his
I
theory
trail
rks on the
life
icts of St. Patrick by, 53.
Memoir 1
ion
his saints
Roman
stations in
Patrick re
anew
i
Romai
brick's
n
on St
grave miastati t!
of
St.
i
;
of
bach, 291, 404.
TabenuB, name
of
•
91
the elements, 269.
Patrick
invoked
;
Vico Varo, the monks
Tours, life of St Martin of, 63; St, Patrick's visit to the monastery of, 147 ; St. Patrick's visit to St. Martin at, 173 ; the austerity of tlie
monks of, 174. Tresi, sbter of Aengns
Mac
of, 259. Victor, the bishop, consecration of, 319, 450. Victor, St. Patrick's angel, apparitions of, 134, 179, 299. 379. Vincent, St., of Lerius, his Catholia teaching, 154.
Nadfraicb,
2S5.
Trian's slaves, St. Patrick's charity to, 341, 478. Trian, Bishop, 47G. 7'rias Tltaitmaturgas, 379. Trim, ancient name of, 245 veneration of St. Patrick's disciple at, 250 dun at, 394 ; notices of by Dr. Butler, 395. Tripartite, quotations from, 49 ; three ancient MSS. of, 55 ; discovered by O'Curry, 55 ; antiquity of, 56 translated by Mr. Hennessy for this work, 70 ; commencement of the
Visions, St. Patrick's, 134, 170, 175, 192, 221. Vita Quartet, quotations from, li 2, 107 1SS, 205, 344.
Vita
;
in,
173.
2S7.
as Pvtrus, 207.
Tuoby, Dr., grave
335. of, 311. Patrick's visit to
of,
Wales and Brittany, Mochatocc hon-
Tyrone, night of the Earl
Tyrrhene Sea, the islands
St.
ored as an apostle in, 46. Sir James, his works, 65 ; opinion of St. Patrick's Confession, 69, n. 9 ; opiuion about his con-
Ware,
of, 195.
Ua
Bairds, or Longobards, 114. Ui-Ercau, a tribe iu county Kildare,
secration, 215. into honey, 375. of, 80. Well at Tobar-Knn-Maighe, 301, 41S ; at Aen-Adharrac, 297 ; at MaighcSlecht, 400 ; at Uarau-Gar, 4i!il at Tara, 42Z. Whitsuntide, St. Patrick spends, at Croagh Patrick. 414. WicklowJ tin.' leper's arrival at, 109;
Water changed
462.
I
quotations from,
107, 212, 225 ; compared with Book of Armagh, 227 ; abrupt conclusion of, 27S. Vita Sexto, quotations from, 225 244. Vita Tertia, quotations from, 107, 144, 1SS. Voice of the Irish calling St. Patrick, 170, 211.
translation, 372 Tullyhaw, barony of, important events
Tu
Quinta,
17S, 243.
Vita Secunda, quotations from, 101,
;
Wattle, house
UKdians taught by St. Patrick, 235. St. PaUlster, Annals of, SO, 222 ;
trick's landing in,
229
;
St.
Patrick
;
in, 319. Ultan, St., bis charity to the poor, GS.
name for
Auxilius, 324. Usher, opinion of St. Patrick's Confession, 69 ; ancient Life of St. Patrick mentioned by, 174 opinion about his consecration, 214. Usail, St., Irish
St. Patrick landed the saint to, 323.
;
Xavier, St. Francis, Japan, 19.
Veagh, remarkable miracle at, 306. Vedastus, St., the monastery of, 69. Vetuatiara Latinorum Scriptorum Chronica, 98.
I
Young.
Dr.,
m, 226
his
tombstone
of,
;
visit of
missiou in
3S5.
.
s& Sliulcx to
Achailh-farcDa, field of lightning, 391. well of, iu county May. 413. Aen-Adharrao, the well of, 297. Aileaoh, royal palace of, 31 6.
Achadh-Fobhair,
Airdne-Caemhan, in Connaught, 498. Al-Cluaid, 372; the royal palace at,
Itocalititf.
Braid, the river, 131. county Meath, 461. Bright, ancient name for Downpatrick, i
51, 385.
Bri leith, in Longford, 399, Britain, country of St.
n.
Patrick's
parents, 71.
375.
Aottach Ifacha, near Armagh, 357.
Ardd-Maohte, city of, 51 Anl-Patrick, county Limerick, 334. Ard-Phadraig, in Louth, .Ms. Ard-senlis, county Raacouuni Ardsratha, a church in Tj rone, 193. Ardstraw, in c. unity Tyrone, 315. •'
%
Atli carpait, a ford "ii the river Boyle, 439. Ath-da-lorg, in Kells, 406", Ath-O'Lilaigh, a ford bordering Monaghan, 457. Ath-Trim, ancient name of Trim, 245.
Badhghna North, county Roscommon, 491. Ballina, 29G. Ballintober, well of, 413. Ballisakeery, parish of, 296. Ballybrindar, holy well at, 230. lughdalla, 426.
BaMymagaaran, count™ Cavan,
laiael-Irra, Sli
(
Callraighe, in Westmeath, 431. Callraigbe, in Sligo, 131 '!
in
Cashel, the rock i,
I
Bantry, ancient name of, 137. Barrow, the river, celebrated monasn, 40.
church of, Roscommon, 407. h-Gabhrau, ancient name of Qowran, 326. Bertlacha, an island belonging to Sligo, ,
W.
Place's
of,
monastery
county
119.
Itoscommon, 299,
394, n.
Cechtumbar, a church beside
I
453.
m
.1, Bnna, in count] Doni 46 !. Ciarraighe-Airne, in comity Mayo, '<
i
]
411. Ciarraighe, in Connaught, 394, n. Cill-Alaidh, county Mayo, 296, 424. Cill-Buaidh, 299. Cill-Corcaraidhe, in county Westmeath, 428. Cill-Oarad, now Oran, county ltoa-
common, ."09.
Ballytigpatrick, townland of, 133.
i:;n.
,-St.
in. 46, 49.
-In7.
Cill-roe-mor, now Kilroc, 428. Cill-Tog, in Mayo, 419 Clebacb, the well of, 291.
in
Mayo,
C-Locha-na-n-Airneadb, in Mayo, 394 Clonord, county Meath, -117. Clonbroney, nunnery "f, 300. lonbnrren, 290. Clonmacnoise ford, near where St. Patrii cro Bed the Sh innon, 299. C'luaiii Bronaigh, county \. (
I.
Bile-Tartan, in Meath, 458. Binbulbin, county Sligo, -117. Blaokwatarin Meath, 396.
B doney, church i
.
of,
394
n.
Quain-Iraird, county Meath. t
i
77.
incieut nam.- <;", 130. ancient' name of, 2 13; of the,
-
300,
!hoc a-tirrol, the bill
117.
ol
296.
county Louth,
mouth
128,229; 376.
Coram*.
.
123.
Index
654
to Localities.
G'orco-TJiemne, comity Mayo, 418. Corcu-Achland, east of Roscommon, 40]. Coshlea, county Limerick, 473. Costello, county Mayo, 411. Coyle river, ancient name of, 345. Croch-Cuile-Conmaicne, in Connaught, 408. Cross-Patrick, in Killala, 296, 423. Cruachan, Cruachan-Aighle, a mountain in Mayo, now Croagh-Patrick, 297, 414. Cruachan, palace of the kings of Con-
naught, 290.
Emlagh, county Roscommon, 395. Emptur, see Nemtor. Erende, in county Monaghan, 455. Es-Ruaidh, in Donegal, 305. Feidelm, a church in county Dublin, 4.39 Fenagh, county Leitrim, 399. Fera Bfis, south of Monaghan, 456. Fera-Cuile, in Kells, 457. Ferta-fer-fec, ancient 257.
Fidharta, county
hill of,
Domhnach,
wood
of,
in Killala, 2S4,
295.
in Killala, 424.
stone
at,
altar-
325,
in
Queen's
county,
n.
Domnachs, the seven, 446. Donagh- Patrick, conuty Meath, Dorsum Salicis at Armagh, 349.
Ford
tribes, in
280.
Drumanna-bregh, in Meath, 417. Drummana, county Sligo, 411, n. hummut, county Roscommon, 411, n. Drum-Urchaille, a church in Meath, I
Meath, 279. in West-
hill
Glenarm, church of, 442. Glenavy, in Down, St. Patrick's church 314.
Glynn, church
of,
442.
Gowran, ancient name
Druim-lias, in county Leitrim, 431. Druim-raithe, in Westmeath, 39S. Drmnconrath, county Meath, 2S0. Drumma, in Sligo, 408. Drumnacooha, in Killoe, 399, n.
of. .T_V>.
Grean, county Limerick, 330, 469. Gregraighe, in Sligo, 427. Grenan El}', anciently Ailech, 437Gulban-Guirt, a hill in county Mayo, 417. Gullen, in King's county, 231.
Hy-Cremthand,
in county Meath, 450,
463.
Hy-Failge, county Kildare, 250, 339.
Hy-Fiachrach, in Connaught, 427Hy-Figeute, county Limerick, 331.
Hy-Garchon, 227, 323.
45S.
Drynaghans, in Sligo, 428. Dubh, river in Sligo, 432. hililin, Library of Trinity College,
two
of the
Freamhain, now Frewiu, a meath, 340.
at,
396.
Drobhais, a river in Leitrim, 432. Druirn-Choroorthri, in county Meath,
I
Forraeh-Patrick, a church in county Kildare, 461.
280.
Domnach-Bile, 312. Domnach-Fiacc, 4G. Uomnach-mor, barony of Clare in Gal-
way, 402. Domnach-mor,
near Kil-
425.
lala, 296,
miraculous
407.
472.
Forrach-Mac-Amalghaidh, Romhnach-Patric,
of Slaue,
Fidh-mor, 307. Finnine, the Fochlut, the
Cuil-Tolaigh, in county Mayo, 412. Cuircne, in Westmeath, 394, n.
name
Roscommon,
Hy-Kinsellagh, the, 47
King
of,
;
Crimthaun,
48.
66.
Duin-Sebuirgi, now Dunseverick, 315. Duleek, Kierau's church at, 139. Dumbarton, S3, SG, 372. Dumha-graidh, in county Mayo, 403. 1 Kimha-Selca, in Roscommon, 407, n. Dunlaing, King of Leiuster, 458. Dunseverick, Patrick's well at, 441.
Inbher-Boinue, month of the Boyne, 394, ».
mouth of a river near Wicklow, 224, 381. Idrone, county Carlow, church at, 230. Imgoe, in Castlcreagh, county Roscommon, 407. Inisfail, an island in Wexford harbor, 461. [nishowen, St Patrick's hermitage at, 311. Inbher- Dea,
Inia-Patrick, 228, 1
881.
.
[nver-Domnand, Malalmle nv. [nver-Nainge,
]
Nanny nur,
r,
Du-
left, 381. St.,
Island.
.['
Roscommon,
401.
... 3B1
n.:ir
north, county
.,
ot,
nver-Brena, probable ulentitication
Patrick's, near Skerries, Maccuohor identification
donbtl , „„, [sland-Magi e, ancient name [vrea, probably the same a conwas Patrick when St.
Magh-Life, a plain Magh-Luirg,
m
Ma "li-Nai,
:a
'
I
a plain in
Mach-Slecht,
Wicklow, W0.
in
nnrt -'.«<
Roscommon,
county
-•..
Leitnm,
Magh-Slecht, in county Cavan, 287. Mantao, county Wicklow, 331, »• 279.
J is.
in county Dublin, 4.V. Moin-Choluim, church south of Kil-
Mohan, a church
Kerry, coast of, Kilfeaole, county Tipperary,4G7. anciently Cill-Loebhain, 250. Kilkenny, barony of, 394, ». Kilkenny, 200. Killala, church near, 261 ; 200. Killaragbt, county Sligo, 408. Killemry, church founded by St. iaI
.
dare, 324, 46L Morning Star, the river, 331. Mount Hermon, 191.
Mourne of,
mountain'!,
tlio
ancient
231.
390,
Kildare,
south of couuty
Moy-alvy,
name
„.,,
>'>.
parish ot 280. Mughorna, near Dublin, 466. MuTrisk, in county Sligo, 429. Mruloch-Fharraidh; the Hill of t,
290. Killfhorclann, church of, 296. '>- 1, n. KiUoasy, county Kildare, t.
ICHpatrick, id Lennox, 78. Kiltecly, parish of, county Limerick, 330. Kisse, a mountain in Donegal, 434.
sembly, 296. t, county Limerick,
Mun !
Ihe-Tire, in
I.athrach-Patraic, well at.
Xaas, county Kildare, 458. Nemthur, the native town of
314
Latteragh, county Tipperary, 337.
therockofCashel,
Lee-Patrick, 432,
county Tip
337.
Knock-Cae, 331.
.
As-
:
Nenagh, church
I.;::.
Lemhuin, a church
in
county Cyrone,
451. Lerins, the monastery of, 151. Letha. or Latium. Brittany so called 1
Limerick^ Aradha-Ghacn
in.
330
;
St.
Patrick's Woll near, 334; st. Patrick's church. Loch-Fii, expansion of the Shannon, 307. LoclbTechet. in south of Sligo, 408. at Tara, 2S3.
Mac-Ercac, plain in Roscommon, 421. Magh-Ai, OSnnajght, LOG n. II 1. Magh-Airtich.oountyRoscom Magh-Bregh, plain of, in Month, 2d 3. >W (,'arra, county Mayo,
U-2.
Magh-Dala, 311. -Eni, south of Donegal, 18
•
St
i a-
trick, 248.
110.
NeUBtria, name Nevtur, 248.
near, 337. of a province, S5.
Newry, county Down, commencement of
the ancient district of Dalariada,
131.
Nodain, a lake in county Roscommon, 433.
Normandy
called Neustria,
.
•>.
Northern and Southern Letha,
i
87.
nty Roscommon, 407. Ixford, Bodleian Library at, 00.
Dallas-green, county Limerick, 330. at, Pannpnia, St. Martin's birth-place 11 13.
l'artree,
county Mayo, 418.
Rashee, church Rathcolpa, now Baholp, county Down, 260.
.
'^MMs^mi, Index
65 G
to Localities.
Rafch-Cuilo, in county Month, 457. Rath-Cuuga in Seirtlie, Donegal,
Sugar-loaf Mountain, anciently called iSliabk-Cualunn, 226.
403.
Rath-Murbhuilg, now Maghera, Down, 4 IS. Ratk-Noi, in Wieklow, 4G0. Rath-Righbhaird, in Sligo, 428.
Rock
of Cashcl,
in
called also Patrick's
Rock, 110. Rosses, iu Sligo, 432.
Taltenam, county Meath, 396. Tamhnagh, a church in Sligo, 404. Telach-Maine in Londonderry, 450. Telach-na-cloch, in i;oscommon,41 !-,». Telltuwn, in Meath, 272, 391'). Tethbha, partly iu Longford and Westmeath, 399, n. Timolin, ancient
Sangnl, well of, 333. now the Blackwater in 273, 396.
Meath,
Sele,
Senchell-Dnmaighe, church in county
Roscommon, 403. Senchill, county Roscommon, 412. Senchua, in Ui-Ailclla, now Shancoe, county
Sligo, 401.
Sen-Domnach, a church in Roscommon, 40G. Singland, county Limerick, 334. Slan, well of, 231. Slane, ancient name of, 243 ; hill of, 254, 384. Sletty, 44, 47, 49, 6G. Sliabh-Liag, in Tir-Boghainc, a mountain in county Donegal, 402. Slieve-Mis (Slemish), place of St. Pa-
1
mountain
324.
of,
Ui-Cremhthainne,
county Meath,
in
391.
Ui-Dorthain, in Meath, 395. Ui-Meith-Tire, in Monaghan, 455. Ui-MeitU-Mara, bordering on Longford, 455.
Uisneach,
hill of, in
Westineath, 253,
464.
trick's captivity, 129, 131.
Sliabh-Slainge, a 418.
name
Tirawley, in county Mayo, 285, n. Tir-Eoghan, hermitage at, 31 1 Tirglass, now Terryglass, 332,471. Tobar-Finumaighe, Mayo, 418. Tobar-Mucno, county Mayo, 412. Tobar-Patrick, a well at Tara, 422. Tobar-Stringle, county Mayo, 413. Traig-Eothaili, in county Sligo, 404. Tuberuacool holy well, 132.
in
Down,
Slievemargy, Queen's county, 49. Sligech, ancient name of the river that
Uladh, territory
of,
235
;
the eastern
part of Down, 3S3, n. Uinhall, county Mayo, 413. Uran-Garad, well of, 407. Usail, in county Eildare, 4G0.
flows through Sligo, 429. Suamh-da-en, ford on the Shannon, county Roscommon, 290, 400.
Vartry River, ancient name
Srath-Patrick, in Leitrim, 432. Strangford Lough, probable site of St. Patrick's landing, 230, 3S2.
Wexford Harbor, 408. White Plain, the, 301.
>
DY P.ALI.ANTYNE
AND COMPANY
EDINBURGH AND LONDON
of,
377-
BW5326.P3C98 The
life
of Saint Patrick, apostle of
Princeton Theological Seminary-Speer Library
1
1012 00035 3385
