No More Learning

v Whde the royal descent of St. Magnus
September 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 129
So far as he could form an opinion from the materials available for the
Life, Father Suysken thinks St. Magnus was born about the year 582. If he
lived not previous to that date, it does not seem probable he accompanied St. Columban, when the latter left Ireland for France, about a. d. 590. Nor do we find any record to give us an account of his early training and acts. Even his original name may have been Celtic, and different from Magnoaldus, or Magnus, which he bore in after life.
He became the disciple of St. Columbanus, according to the old Acts, but it must be allowed there are mistakes and obscurities of statement to be corrected or explained, in
8
reference to matters as related/
when the holy Abbot of Luxeu had resolved on leaving France, and had taken his voyage from Nantes for Ireland, a. d. 610, or soon after he had
been driven back by contrary winds, and then went to Clotaire II. ,49 King ot Neustria, that Magnoaldus preferred his petition to St. Gall, to be received among the company of the religious subject to so great a master of the spiritual life. For his probation as a postulant,' Columban sent St. Gall,
with another young man, named Sonarius or Soniarius, 51 and our saint, 52 into a desert place, with only a single loaf to refresh them. At the end of the third day, not a morsel of it remained, and then St. Gall despatched his companions through the wilds to search for food. —This was found most
—ally in a river called Ligno, or Lignona 53 now the Loignon or providenti
a
Lougnon in Burgundy, There they found great many fishes. These
were brought to their superior, and gratefully partaking of this most seasonable food, which had been so miraculously provided, they again returned thanks to God. Then repairing to St. Columban, our saint made
: hisvowsofobedience,andheardinreturnthesewords "Magnustefaciat
is contended for by various writers, their
arguments are examined by Father Suysken, who supposes it probable, that oUr saint had been confounded with a St. Magnus, Prince of the Orkney Islands, who is mentioned by the Scottish writers, Hector Boetius, John Lesley, and Thomas Dempster. In the Fourth Volume of this work, we have in- serted his Acts, at the 16th of April, Art. ii.
48 After the title of Vita Auctore, ut
iertur, Theodoro Monacho Campodunensi, ab Ermenrico Elewangensi aucta, et ab alia interpolata, the Acts open with the follow- ing sentence : "Tempore illo, cumbeatissi- mus simul cum beato Gallo nepote suo diversa loca perlustrarent, et ad diffamandum verbum Dei, et peregrinandi causa in Hiber- niam pervenirent, quidam frater, nomine Magnoaldus ex proefata patria Hibernia pro- creatus, pulsare ccepir aures beati Galli,
the tutelage of his mother, Fredegonde, who placed him under the protection ofGontran,
King of Burgundy. In 613, profiting by the dissensions of the sons of Childebert,
and by their death, he next overcame Brune- haut and the Austrasians, in 614, when he becameKingofNeustriaandAustrasia. He waged war against the Saxons, who invaded his territories, and he died A. D. 628, leaving his throne to Dagobert I.
50 Father Suysken remarks, that the phrase
It seems probable enough, about the time
52 Father Suysken supposes, that to one Autiernus, a monk of Luxeu, should be quens : &c. This passage, however, has attributed what is here related of Magnoaldus.
discipuli sanctissimi Columbani, ita allo- "
been thus emended by the anonymous monk of St. Emmeiam. Katisbon : "In tempore illo quo beatus Columbanus sanctusque Gal- lus virtutibus magnificis pollentes, in Hiber- nia clarissiini habebantur, frater quidam, nomine Magnoaldus, ex eadem Hibernia oriundus, ad beatum Galium accedans, ita eum alloquiter," &c.
4' He was born in 583, and on the death
of his father, Childeric, in 584, he was under Vol. IX. —No. 3.
Autiernus had asked permission from St.
Columban to visit Ireland, and had been
brought into the desert, that he might learn the will of God in his regard.
53 The Bollandist editor assumes, that the
interpolator of our saint's Acts had absurdly placed this river in Ireland ; whereas the proper inference to be drawn from the con- text is, that he wrote concerning the country near Luxeu.
in this narrative,
"
utrum propositum animi isbonowed from a passage
arripias, an non,
"
:'
Pergentes in eremum voluntatem Dei probemus, utrum desideratum iter arri-
in Jonas :
pias, an in ccetu Fratrum permaneas. "— Sancti Columbani. "
Vita
51 The Bollandist editor remarks, that treating about this incident, Jonas in his Vita S. Columbani calls him Soniarius.
130 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [September 6. Dominus in sapientia et astutia, a cujus magno nomine Magnoaldus
vocaris. "54 Again he added
:
" Cognita tibi sint omnia ministeria monastica,
a quibus cognomen habes Magnoaldus. "ss Then having become a monk, he was entrusted by St. Columban with care of the monastic cellar, or in other words, he became the bursar or econome of the entire establishment at Luxeu.
Again, the accounts of St. Magnoald state, that while acting in that
capacity, his assistant, having brought a vessel,56 and tapped a cask of beer to serve for the refectory, Soniarius heard the Master's voice calling him. In
the spirit of ready obedience, he ran with the bung in his hand, forgetting to close the vent, and appeared before Columban, Gall and Magnoald. Reminded of his neglect, Soniarius ran back to the cellar, thinking that no liquor could have remained in the flowing cask. However, it was otherwise, and a miracle caused its stoppage, to reward the cellarer's and assistant's exact observance of monastic discipline. 57 On returning, Soniarius related what
8
Winigozus,* to accompany him to the cellar, both saw the wonder, and agreed that it should be reported to St. Columban, A contest of humility ensued between Soniarius and Magnoald, each seeking to ascribe the miracle to the other's merits. 59 However, it was endedby Columban declaring, that he had seen
the angel of the Lord making a sign over the vessel, and preceding Magnoald,
60
when he had called the boy Soniarius.
There are legendary accounts in his Acts, of how St. Magnoald sought
apples in the wilderness, for the refreshment of Saints Colunibanus and Gallus, and of how a bear allowed him to take a share of what had been
found. 61
Again,
food, by an order from the holy abbot, Magnoaldus procured a number of birds, which allowed themselves to be taken by him and by the monks. 62
54 Thus rendered into English: "The 59 The Bbllandist editor observes, that this Lord make you great in wisdom and pru- contest is not to be found in the account o$ dence, from whose great name you shall be Jonas, from whom he supposes it to have called Magnoaldus. " The Goldast edition been borrowed, nor does he mention Mag*
of the Acts, and another MS. has "voceris. " noald in connexion with the narrative. In
to and the latter a named happened Magnoaldus, asking priest,
it is told, that while the community had been in want of
"""
To thee be entrusted all the monastic services, from which you
have the name Magnoaldus. "
56 It is called a Typrus or a Tybrus, by
ss Thus translated
:
Fleming's lowing:
Collectanea Sacra is the fol-
Hujusmodi olim in monasterio
ancient monastic writers ; the exact form or
capacity of which does not now seem to be
we'll understood. Compare the account sua imperfecta relinquit. "
given in the text with what is related in
6o The writer of our Saint's Acts then
" Collectanea Sacra. '. ' Vita S.
continues " O magnum divinss ;
Fleming's
Columbani, Abbatis, cap. xv. , p. 227.
potential donuin, qui adhuc neophitO SUO Servo tantam
57 Thus is the event related : "At ille,
viso seraculo, recordatus negligentiae, velo- citer ad cellarium rediit, a>timans nihil in
vase, de quocerevisiadecurrebat,remansisse.
Intuitu* ergo vidit, supra tiprum cerevisiam
crevisse, quatinus, qualis et quanta rotun-
ditas infra tipri inerat coronam, talis in ascribed to Chagnoaldus, and a. -, having
ahum crevisse urna videretur, et ne mini- mam stillam foras cecidisse. "
s8 Goldast's version and that of another
manuscript read Winiachus, while Canisius
" Vita
S. Columbani," he mentions a " Winnocus buit. "—"Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti,"
has the name Winniacus. In
Jonas'
presbyter," who was a familiar of St. Columban. Perhaps he was identical with the priest mentioned in the text.
tomus i. , lib. xii. , sect, xxix. , p. 355. 62 " "
"
Sancti-gallensi exemplum contigit ; cujus rei
testes usque in nunc diem remanent versus
aliqui in porta capituli, ubi turn loci cella vinaiia fuerat, appensi. I'erfecta obedientia
gratiam conferre dignatus est, ut jam Magnus inter fratres voceris. Ad hate conticuit beat us
6l
occurred near Brtgantium in Rhsetia, after St. Columban had been expelled from Luxeu in6lo. Mabillon states : '• Incautus lectores fefellit Pseudo-Theodorus in Vita Magno* aldi, cum Chagnoaldi facta Magnoaldo tri-
Magnoaldus, giatias agens Deo in corde suo de tanta miseiecordia sua. "
It has been observed that this miracle, related in the Life of St. Magnus, iias been
In the Vita S. Columbani of Jonas, he relates this miracle before the former one,
September 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 131 This supply was sufficient for three days ; at the end of which time, those
63 who lived in the
Columban's Monastery, through the ngency of Saints Gall and Magnoald. 6*
At one time, a thought possessed the mind of St. Columban,65 that he should open a mission among the Sclaves 66 and Veniti/7 j n order to
withdraw them from 68 and paganism
good people
adjoining
cities food to St. brought
open
the true and living God. Wherefore he consulted St. Gallus and St.
Magnoald. The former said to the latter : "Brother, what think you of this journey for our abbot? " Magnoald answered : "Master Superior, first ask for Divine direction ; and afterwards, if you deem it proper to set out, let us depart. " On hearing this, Columban ordered a fast for three days, imploring light from above on that subject. The third night, an angel appeared to all
three, and showed them a small tracing of the world's map, saying
:
" You
see, that the whole world is a void ; say ye to Columban, go to the right and
left, that you may reap the fruit of vour labours, but it is not expedient for
you to go thither. " Tin's admonition was enough for the holy abbot, that he was not to be the apostle of those nations ; and. therefore, he resolved on resting where he was, content with the services of Magnoald alone, until
6 the way was opened for his departure to Italy. 9
To the rule of St. Columban, Masnoald seems to have conformed, while he was under the protection of King Theodebert,? and engaged on
1
missionary labours near the Lake of Zurich. ?
had been declared between the brothers Theoderic ?
a time of ' famine, "cumque jam triduo jejunio fessa corpora essent. " Here, however, there is
no mention of Magnoaldus.
63
related from that in the "Vita S. Columbani" of Jonas is the account contained in the text: "Quarto deinde die quidam pontifex ex vicinis urbi- bus frumenti copiam, divina admonitus aspiratione, ad B. Cohmibanum direxit ; sed
mox
Omnipotens, qui y. enuriam patientibus aligeros prxbuerat cibos, ut farris adeps advenit, alitum phalanges imperavit abire. "
64 In Fleming's "Collectanea Sacra," Vita S. Columbani Abbatis, we find the name of Magnoaldus introduced into the text, and in the margin Chagoald is a different reading. See cap. xxvi. , p. 239.
65 Thus stated by Jonas, in his " Vita S. Columbani :" " Interea cogitatio in mentem ruit, ut Venetiorum, qui et Sclavi dicuntur, terminos adiret," &c. See ibid. , pp. 239, 240.
the other for evil. The former was known as Biel Bog, or the "white god," from whom all benefits proceeded, and the latter was
and states, that it
happened during
66
For a very complete account of the
l'Abbe Migne.
7 1 "The situation of the Lake of Zurich in
many respects resembles that of Con-tance ;
no part of it can be said to be within the
Differently
Sclaves, their origin, tribal division, and mountain zone, though the neighbourhood
history, the reader is referred to the Articles
headed Slavonia and Slavonians, in Charles
Knight's "Penny Cyclopaedia," vol. xxii. , pp. 100 to 128.
67 See Dean Millman's " History of Latin
is almost everywhere hilly, and the moun- tains are not far from its eastern end. The
Christianity," vol. ii. , 293.
book
goodly
houses and
68
According to the early Christian mis-
iv. , chap,
v. ,
p.
thriving villages. " "Picturesque Europe," vol. v. Eastern
Switzerland, pp. 87, 88.
f Known as Theoderic II. , son of the
sionaries among the Sclaves, they worshipped
various idols. It is said, that those who aforementioned Childebert, who succeeded lived on the shores of the Baltic admitted to his father's Kingdom of Burgundy, A. D.
two different principles
—one for
good
and
596.
their minds to a of knowledge
called Chemi Bog, or the
black god," who
given by Jonas, in his
"
Vita S. Columbani. '
While in Switzerland, war
2
and Theodobert, with
"
caused all sorrows, and misfortunes. How-
ever, the Sixth Synod of Constantinople (a. i). 680) enumerates Slavonians among the Christian nations.
69 The foregoing account varies from that
70 Known as Theodebert son ot II. ,
Childebert, King of Austrasia, and who succeeded to this Kingdom of Austrasia, a. d. 596, after his father's death. His brother Theoderic II. was assigned the Kingdom of Burgundy. Both were left under the
tutelage of their grandmother Brunehaut. "
See Abrege de l'Histoire de France," liv. i. CEuvres Completes de Bossuet, Eveque de Meaux, tome x. , col. 1 1 77. Edition de
scenery is diversified, bright and sunny, rather than grand. Its shores in many parts are richly cultivated, and studded wi—th
132 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September6,
varied fortune j*3 and, at that very time, when the decisive battle of Tolbiac i*> was fought, both Coluniban and Magnoald had a revelation regarding its results. 75 This they communicated to each other. 76 Theodobert being defeated was treacherously delivered up by his own men to his brother, who sent him to their grandmother, the wicked Bt unehault. ? ? Having sided with Theodoric, she obliged the vanquished prince to receive holy orders, and not many days afterwards, she put him to death. Finding his enemy, Theodoric, to have become master of that country in which he then lived,
Columban resolved on leaving it, and with many disciples, he went into the 8
territories of Agilulf,? King of the Lombards. However, his disciples, Gall and Magnoald, remained behind, and after some time settled near Lake Constance. ? ' Being seized with a fever, St. Gall could not prosecute his
purpose of accompanying St. Columban into Italy. Thinking his desire was to remain in that country, and to avoid further missionary labours in a far-off
"
I know, brother, it will be disagreeable for you to be fatigued with other duties on account of me ; however, now that we are about to part, I pronounce on you a prohibition to celebrate Mass, so long as I live. " On hearing this, Magnoald, who was present, threw himself at the feet of the holy abbot, and cried out, " My father
region, the latter said reproachfully,
73 According to Fredegarius, in his chroni- cle, A. D. 6l2, the first battle fought between Theoderic and Theodobert was at Toul, where the latter was defeated with great slaughter.
Having collected fresh forces, Theodobert attacked his brother at Tolbiac, . where the issue was still more unfortunate for him, as he was there thoroughly defeated.
' 4 Tulpiacum, or Tolbracum, formerly a town of the Ubii, a people of Germany, who in the time of Claudius Caesar lived beyond the Rhine, but who mo\ ed to the left bank,
vos me interim vocantem audivi. " Then is introduced the name of one Eunuchus, for
Chagnoaldus, as given by Jonas, and for what in substance refers to the same incident,
"
in his
77 Also called Brunechild, daughter to
Athanagild, a King of the Spaniards, and wife to Sigebert I. , King of Austrasia. She
was an ambitious and unprincipled woman, who met her fate in the year 613, by orders of Clotaire. " She was tied by the leg and the arm to the tail of an untamed hone,
in the succeeding reign. It is now known which, running full speed, quickly dashed
—"The Modern Part of inOccasum,ut—ixviaBonna,Aquisgranum UniversalHistory,"vol. xix. TheHistory
as Zulch "x mil. pass, a Colonia Agrippina out her brains. "
versus xviii. " Bodrand's "Novum Lexi- con. "
of France, chap, lxviii. , sect, i. , p. 238.
78 At first he was Duke of Turin, but on the death of Aniharis, the third King of the Lombards, at Pavia, A. D. 590, his widow, " Eo igitur tempore vir Dei in eremo mora- Theodelinde, married Agilulf. At first he batur, contentus ta—ntum unius ministri Chag- was an Arian, but afterwards he embraced noaldi famulatu. " "Vita S. Columbani. " the Catholic Faith. This warlike prince
75 In a copy of Jonas' Life, Chagnoald is substituted for Magnoald, in this narrative :
76 In the Acts of St. Magnus is the follow-
ing narrative of the vision, which is not to
be found in the Life of St. Columban by
"
reigned twenty-five years, and he died, a. d.
Expergefactus ministrum vocat
Magnoaldum qui et Magnus, cruentamque
regum pugnam indicat, et humanum Ban*
guinem multum fundi suspirat. Respondit Wirtemberg and Baden. At its lower ex-
"
interritu ignis. Illico evigilans festinabam days of Imperial Rome. See Picturesque
hue ad vos venire, et narrare hanc visionem, Europe," vol. v. Eastern Switzerland, p. 82.
Jonas :
pp. 225, 226.
79 Also known as the Boden See, dividing
Magnoaldus, qui et Magnus prostratus ad
pedes ejus : Et ego pater domine, sopore
oppiessus jacebam subter unam arborem
abietis, et videbatur mihi, simul eos conflic-
tum inter se habere ; arreptoque baculo, were known all over Europe. Although on volebam percutere Theodericus, et liberare the left bank of the Rhine, it forms part of Theodebertum : sed prohibuit me species the Duchy of Baden. About the beginning quondam dicens: Non est tibi necesse emu of the Christian Era, a fortress, called percutere, quoniam Dominus cito vindicabit Valeria, had been built on that site, and it magistrum tuum Columbanum de eo in was rebuilt by Constantius Chlorus, in the
Vita S. Columbani. "
615 or 616. See Michaud,
"
Biographie
Universelle, Ancienneet Moderne," tome i. ,
the north-eastern corner of Switzerland from
tremity is the town of Constance, at the head of the Unter See. It" has declined in popu- lation since the Middle Ages, and also in commercial importance, when its linen stuffs
September 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 133
superior, what will you that I do? If I leave Gallus without attendance, he shall be forlorn and perish ; nevertheless, if you require me, him I shall leave, as Peter followed our Lord, having parted with his nets. " Whereupon,
"
Columban answered
:
I know Magnoald, that a great future is open for you,
oftheEastern totoGod. Therefore,I people
andthat shall you
gain many
am not willing you should come with me, but I leave you and our faithful
Theodore to obey Gallus in all his requirements, and endeavour by all means to restore his health. Moreover, Magnoald, I tell you what I desire, and how you should dwell with him. Having spent some days, you shall receivetheorderofDeaconshipfromtheBishopofConstance. SoIdecide, that you remain with Gallus, until the time comes when I am about to die. Then, if it happen, that the Holy Spirit reveal to thee the fact of my last illness, I shall feel grateful, should you come to me ; otherwise, if I die, and
that you are divinely admonished, hasten to my tomb, and to my religious. 81
ThenshallyoureceivemyEpistleandmyCambuta, whichyoushallbear to Gallus, and which shall release him from my interdict. But, I tell you,
8a after the death of 83 and Theodore shall witness Gallus, you
that three
his tomb destroyed by spoilers ; and this being done, with his tomb restored, hasten to a place, where we have heard the holy bishop Narcissus 84 commanded the devil to kill a dragon, and there with Almighty aid, you shall convert many to the Faith, and gain their souls to the Lord. 85 There, too, shall you bear the name of Magnus,86 imposed on you by God, as He desires to exalt you; and received by the people of that region, because of the doctrines you shall preach, you shall convert them from the folly and worship of demons to the faith of Christ. For the demons shall bring upon youmanycalamities; butdoyoubecomfortedintheLord,whohathdestined
years
you there to dwell and remain. "8? out on his journey to Italy.
80 By these are to be understood the Suevi.
Saying these words, St. Columban set
84 His festival has been assigned to the
i8tb of March, and to the 29th of October.
85 St. Narcissus, Bishop of Girone, in
Catalonia, during the persecution raised by Diocletian in the commencementofthe fourth
century, accompanied by his Deacon, Felix,
passed the Pyrenees into Gaul, and arrived been determined. The former, however, at Augsburg, where he baptized Afra,
Hilary and their servants. He conferred orders on Denis, and returned to Spain, at theendofninemonths. Therehegoverned his church for about three years, and with his Deacon, Felix, was crowned with martyr- dom, about the year 306 or 307. See Les Petits Bollandistes, " Vies des Saints," tome
Suysken,
notices here the contradictions of statement
81 calls it
it
In his "VitaS. Galli," WalafridusStrabo
" "
cambotta ;" Goldast's version has camboca ;" while Babenstiiber writes it " cambatta. " The meaning is " a staff," but whether a pastoral or a walking staff has not
seems the more probable, as seen under the "
words Cambuta, Cambutta, Cambuca, Gambutta," in Du Cange, where it is
" Baculus incurvatus, virga pas-
rendered
toralis Episcoporum. Adrevaldus de Mira-
cul. S. Benedicti, lib. i. , c. 22. Baculo,
quod gestabat, incurvo, more veterum Antistitum. "—" Glossarium ad Scriptores xiii. , p. 11. Mediae et Infimae Latinitatis," tomus
col. 72.
:
Acts of St. Magnus, whether printed or in
manuscript.
Hi In the "Vita S. Galli" of VValafridus
Strabo, this desecration of the holy abbot's
introduces him as bearing originally the name
Magnoaldus, and then having had the name
of Magnus bestowed on him,by Columbanus,
the same holy abbot now proclaiming in the
ii. ,
• ^ The Bollandist editor, Father
fa This is to be found in all the known by the writer of St. Magnus' Acts, who first
tomb is said to have occurred forty years spirit of prophecy, that the people of his
afterthetimeofhisdeath. Mabillonwrites: futuremissionshouldbestowonhimsucha
"
nem hoc loco esse viri docti existimant. "
" Annales Ordinis Sancti Benedicti/' tomus dist version—chap. i. and ii. , with accom- i. , lib. xiii. , sect, xxxiii. , p. 393. panying notes.
QuamquamneeWalafridumerrorisimmu—- name.
B? See the Vita Pseudo-Theodori—
Boilan-
134 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September6.
CHAPTER II.
ST. MAGNUS BECOMES THE ATTENDANT OF ST. GALL—HE IS SENT BY THE LATTER TO BOBBIO—HK BRINGS BACK AN ACCOUNT OF ST. COLUMBAN'S DEATH, AS ALSO HIS EPISTLE AND STAFF, TO ST. GALL—MAGNUS ASSISTS AT THE OBSEQUIES OF ST. GALL- OUTRAGES OFFERED TO THE REMAINS, AND RESTORATION OF HIS TOMB BY ST. MAGNUS AND THE MONKS—ST. MAGNUS AND THEODORE LEAVE ST. GALL'S MONASTERY AND JOURNEY EASTWARDS—THEY VISIT KEMPTEN, WHERE A DRAGON IS DESTROYED BY A MIRACLE—ST. MAGNUS GOES TO FUSSEN, WHENCE DEMONS ARE EXPELLED—THERE HE FOUNDS A MONASTERY.
Thus had St. Columban prophesied, that St. Magnoald should convert the
'
people of the Julian Alps to the faith of Christ j and, full of tenderness for
the helpless condition of his new superior, after the departure of St. Columban
2
into Italy, Magnoald attached himself to St. Gall.
holy priest, named Willimar,3 lived at a place called Arbon, of which he had pastoral charge and direction. About the year 612, and during the summer or autumn season, St. Gall appears to have sought his protection. 4 Magnoald and Theodore s had then become the faithful disciples and servants of St. Gall, so that their cares were employed with those of Willimar, to procure their beloved superior's restoration to health. This was happily effected after some time, when St. Gall resumed his apostolic labours among the people, and by his preaching to them the words of truth, he also brought
Chapter ii. —* The are well known Gall, has edited, in a Vita S. Galli, and Alps 1829,
as the dominant chain of European moun- for nearly 900 years previous, it had been tains. The highest of those is Mont Blanc, noted as a codex, in the Catalogue of St. 15,732 feet above the sea-level. From tiie Gall's books, as "VilaSS. patrumColumbani knot or culmi. ating points, in which meet et Galli, in vol. II. antiquitus dicata. " This the St. Gothard, the Vogelsberg, the is much more ancient than the Life of St.
Bernardine, the Splugen and the Sep- timer—that group known to the ancients under the name of Mom Adtila—a. ? , in a common centre, branches are divergent, and by which a connection is established with the Apennines, the Pyrenees, the • Vosges, the Hartz, the Sudetes, the Car- pathians, and the Balkans. The highest summits are in Switzerland. The Julian, or Panonian, Alps send one branch north- wards into Sclavonia, separating the basins of the Save and of the Drave ; while the other branches or southern Alps form a
range of bare and rocky mountains, rising
almost perpendicularly on the north-wc^i
shores of the Adriatic, and stretching thence
to the confines of Servia and Macedonia.
The course of the Julian Alps is very sinuous,
Gall by Walafridus Strabo, who describes it
to his own biography.
3 So is he called in the Vita S. Galli, by
Walafridus Strabo. By Canisius he is named Willimacus.
in many cases ; but, it lies generally to the excited, that the missionaries were expelled
south east, and along the shores of the from that neighbourhood. See Dr. Dun-
""
Adriaiic. See Gazetteer of the World,"
vol. i. , pp. 180 to 185.
"Mud] o! what here follows is omitted from
Europe during the Middle Ages," vol. ii. , chap, ii. , p. 185. London, 1833, l2mo.
5 According to Walafridus Strabo, at first, they had been clerics of Willimarus. In the from Walafridus Strabo's Liie of St. Gall. more ancient Vita S. Galli, they are
the Acts of St. Magnus, as given by Gokiast, and the substance appears to have been taken
However, in Georgius Heinricus Pertz's "Monumenta Germanise Historica," tomus ii. , Udephonsus von Arx, Librarian of St.
designated Maginoldus or Maginaldus and Theodorus. See Pertz's " Monumenta Ger-
maniae Historica," tomus ii. , pp. 5, 13, 14.
as rude in style, as wanting a
ham's
At this time, a very
division into chapters, as incorrectly writing Alamanniam by the term Altimaniam, and as not having the Miracles which he added in the Second Book of St. Gall's life. Nevertheless, as Walafridus Strabo evidently used the more ancient Life in compiling his Vita S. Galli, it has an authenticity for particulars, superior
4
idolatry, St. Gall had thrown the offerings of the pagans to their idols into the Lake of Zuric, and by even burning their temples, the indignation of the idolaters was so
In the excess of his zeal to extirpate
September 6. ) LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 135
salvation to their souls. A certain deacon, named Hiltibold,6 knew all the passes of that rough country, and in the wilderness he selected an open and a spacious plain, with a circle of mountains around, and a river running through it—most beautiful and suitable for a religious establishment. But, it was infested with wild beasts and serpents, as also by demons who haunted the place. Thither St. Gall brought his disciples, Magnoald and Theodore, to a mountain called Himiiinberg. ? Through their united exertions and prayers, the noxious animals were banished. Then a cell was there built.
While they were living in that place, a messenger came to the priest,
announcing the death of the Bishop of Constance,8 named Gaudentius,? and
this caused them great sorrow, but they unitedly offered up prayers for the
repose of his soul. After a short time, a letter was sent from a magnate
named Gunzon, 10 who besought St. Gall to visit his only daughter " possessed
by a malignant spirit, and to release her from such an evil. The holy
superior, thinking very humbly of his own powers, refused to go ; but, pressed
repeatedly by the noble, and on being told, that for three days his daughter
could not take food, St. Gall betook himself to earnest prayer. Trusting in
God's mercy and goodness, he set. out with the Duke's messengers for his
12
The
and Theodore as his
of Magnoald and the order of St. Gall caused the energumen's restoration to a sound state of mind, to the great joy of her parents. The father then offered St. Gall rich presents, and also prayed him to accept episcopal conse-
having Magnoald
house,
cration. ^ Whereupon, the holy man answered
this incident here, for my beloved Magnoald is aware that my blessed superior Columban has interdicted my offering at the altar while he lives, and I dare not accept such an office without his permission. Wherefore, I cannot assume the weight of such government. But, if you greatly desire this to be accomplished, wait awhile, until I shall have sent my present companion with a letter to my abbot the blessed Columban, and if I learn his will, and have his permission, then shall I undertake the burden of
care
you have said.