However, he was mainly instrumental, in directing the attention of his
associates
to that great work.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v4
, —446, 447.
pp.
Article vi. 'Edited by Drs. Todd
andReeves,pp. 108, 109.
° Her feast is placed, at the 22nd of
March.
5 See "Trias " Colgan's Thaumaturga.
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap.
historian are attributed the following lines
:
of ' records. It has been supposed, Donegal
as the
she was a daughter of Darerca," the sister of St. Patrick, and that she may be identicalwithAchea,whohadanothersister,St. Lalloca,aholyvirgin. She is said to have had seventeen brothers, who were virtuous transmarine bishops. 3 Among these was Bishop Mel of Ardagh, whose Life has been given already, at the 6th day of February.
Aicheach,
Martyrology
THE
remote from the
for his imperishable record. ^ From this Memoir, succeeding writers have
lived at a not
of the selected subject
iv. , pp. 227, 228. — scriptum, carmine heroico. *'
Article vii. Edited by Drs. Todd See Fol, cxxi. , cxxii.
smd Reeves, pp. 108, 109. «See "De Viris lUustribus Ordinis S.
—"
X.
Lucee tomus D'Acherii,
" Egbertus uscus,
digna
virtutum laude cor-
AstriferumOctavisveneranterscandit Olympum. "
Spicilegium"
Martyrologium sub nomine Bedae con-
April 24. ] LIVES OP THE IRISH SAINTS. 467
notice of St. Egbert, Monk ; and, Trithemius makes him an Abbot and a ruler, over the monasteries of St. Columban. s This mistake has been repeatedbyWion,MenardandBucehn. St. Egbert,abbot,appears,classed at this date, among the Irish Saints, whose biographies Colgan designed pub-
lishing. * Dean Cressy has published very fully an account of this holy man, in his Church History of Brittany. ' The Bollandists have published his Acts,* with a previous commentary,9 and notes. '" In Baillet's " Les Vies des Saints," the name of St. Egbert appears at the 24th of April. " Bishop Challoner," Le Comte de Montalembert. 'sLesPetits BoUandistes,'* and Rev. S. Banng- Gould. 's have historic accounts of this celebrated man.
St. Egbert was an Englishman by birth, and issued from a noble
race. It is thought, he was born, among the southern Saxons, owing to the rather ambiguous way, in which Bede introduces him to the notice of his readers. Some authors, he says, thus inform us. For some time, Egbert was brought up in the famous monastery of Lindisfarne, or Holy Island, and in the days, when Finan '* or Colman'' had been Bishops of Lindisfarne. At this time, likewise, it was very common for many of the Saxon students, to leave their native country, and to dwell in Ireland. Either to improve in sacred learning, or to embrace in that Island a more holy and continent life, was their chief purpose. Among these were Edil- hun »* and Egbert, two young men of great capacity, and belonging to the English nobility. The former was brother to Ethelwin,'s a man no less be- loved by God. Afterwards, he went over to Ireland for the purpose of study. Having been well instructed, Ethelwin returned into his own country. Hav- ing been made Bishop in the province of Lindsay, he governed most worthily, arid for a long time, that church, committed to his charge. *"
While Egbert and Edilhun were in a monastery," which in the language of
the Scots was called Rathmelsigi," and when all their companions were either
snatched away from this world, by that great mortality, which prevailed a. d. 664,'3 or when these were dispersed into other places, the two Saxon students werebothattackedbythesamepestilential disease. Theyweremostgriev- ouslyill,forsometime. Then,thinkingheshoulddie,Egbertwentoutinthe morning from the infirmary, and sitting alone, in a convenient place, he began
"
Benedicti," lib. iii. , cap. 130.
5 It seems probable, however, that he of February,
meant St. Columba.
' See "Catalogus Actuum Sanctorum
quse . MS. habentur, ordine Mensiumet Die- rum. "
'' He is venerated, at the 8th of August.
" In the English and Irish Martyr- ologies, his feast is assigned to the 21st of
September.
« St. Ethelwin had a feast, at 29th of
"
' See Book xvi. , chap, xxiii. , pp. 407,
408; Book xxi. , chap, xiviii. , pp. 551, July. See Sir Harris Nicolas' Chronology
552; and, Book xxii. , chap, xx. , pp. 575, 576.
of History," p. 147.
"° "
* See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Aprilis xxiv. De Sancto Egberto Presby- tero in Insula Hyensi, pp. 313 10315, and Appendix, p. 997.
See Venerable Bede's Historia Eccle- siastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. xxvii. , p. 241.
» In two
"See "Britannia Sancta," part i. ,
— les represente par ruinespit-
de Mellifont. " "Les Momes
'" This account is rable Bede's History.
paragraphs.
taken from Vene- "Seetomei. , pp. 323to325.
toresque
chiefly
259 to 265.
'1 See "Les Moines d'Occident," tome v. ,
liv. XV. , chap, iii. , pp. 16 to 22.
" -See "Vies des Saints, "tome v. , xxiv. .
Jour d'Avril, pp. 12,13.
'5 See " Lives of the Saints," voL iv. , pp.
337 to 331.
pp.
Colgan places it in the province of Con- naught, and there, he states, that a certain St. Colman was venerated. See " Acta Sanc- toium Hibernise," Index Topographicus. Another name for it was Rathmailsidhe. S*^^> ^^ ^'^ ""''• Martii, De S. Colmano Ijinnensi sive Linnensi Abbate, n. 3, p. 793. Itsexact locationdoesnot appearto be known.
See his Life, already given, at the 17th
" Montalembert hazards a strange asser- tion about when he " dont le site
it, est adjourd "hui
states,
d'Occident," tome v. , liv. xv. , chap, iii. ,
p. 17.
"
468 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 24.
seriously to reflect on his past actions. '* Filled with compunction at the re- membrance of his sins, the face of Egbert was wet with his tears, and from the bottom of his heart the penitent prayed to God, that he might not die as yet, but that he inight first have time to do penance for the past negligences of his childhood and youth, as also to exercise himself more abundantly in the practice of good works. He also made a vow, that he would live a stranger and pilgrim abroad, so as never to return to his native island of Great Britain : moreover, that besides the Canonical hours of the Divine Office—if he were not bodily sick—he would daily sing the whole Psalter to the Almighty's praise, and that every week he would pass one whole day and night in a rigorous fast. After these tears, prayers, and vows, he went back, and found his companion asleep ; and then, lying down upon his
bed, he also began to compose himself for rest
When he had lain quietly
"
O, what have you done? I was in hopes we should have entered together
"
However, be assured, that you shall receive what you have asked for. " Egbert had learned in a vision, what the other had prayed for, and that iiis request should be granted. In short, Edilliun died tlie next night ; but, Egbert, getting the better of his distemper,
recovered. He lived for a long time, afterwards, and gracing the degree of priesthood to which he was promoted, with actions worthy of his sacred
calling. Humility, meekness, continence, simplicity, and justice, rendered him a perfect man ; so that he did great service, to his own countrymen, and also to the nations, both of the Scots and of the Picts, among whom he lived in
exile,givingthemtheholyexampleofhislife. Owingtohislaboursinpreaching,
by his authority in correcting, and through his piety in relieving such as were in need, with what he received from the rich, Egbert effected great good. He added to the vows already mentioned, that during Lent he would eat but once in the day; and even then, nothing but bread and thin milk, and that doled out by measure. This fresh milk he used to put in a vessel the day before; and, the next day skimmingoffthe cream, he drank only what remained, and eat a little bread. This same method of abstinence he took care always to observe, for forty days before the Nativity of our Lord ; and likewise, for the same number of days after Pentecost. 's
awhile,
his
companion awaking
looked on
him,
and
said,
O,
Brother
Egbert,
into everlasting life. " Egbert then replied :
During his youth, for some time, St. Chad '* led a monastic life with our saint in Ireland. '^' Both lived in the exercise of prayer, of ab- stinence, and of meditation on the Divine Scriptures. The most reverend Father Egbert, being in conversation with Hygbald,'' a most holy and mor- tified man, who was Abbot in the ])rovince of Lindsey, and who had came out of Britain to visit him, their subject of discourse, as it became holy men, was upon the lives of the fathers that had gone before them, and with a desire to imitate them.
"Iknowa
man,"
•3 This was known as the Buidhe Connail. See, at this same year, Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 274to277,andnn. (q,r,s,t, u,w. x), ibid.
•• Bede says, he was informed about this matter, by a priest, venerable for his age, and of great veracity, who declared he had heard these from own
mouth.
°s See Venerable Bede's " Historia Eccle-
siastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. i. , cap. xxvii. ,
pp. 241 to 243.
" He died on the 2nd of March, A. D. 672.
Island,'* yet living
flesh, who,
Mention being made of the most reverend Prelate Chad,
said "in this Egbert,
inthe
tilings, Egbert's
Chronology
See his Acts in
Surius,
" De Probatis Sane-
torum Historiis," &c. , tomus ii. De S.
Ceadda Episcopo, pp. 43 1045.
'' See Venerable Bede's " HistoriaEccIesi-
astica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. iii. ,
p. 267.
"'
The feast of St. Hygbald, Abbot and Confessor, occurs, at the 22nd of September, See Sir Harris Nicholas' " of
History," p. 154.
'' Allusion is here made to Ireland,
30 gee his Life, at the 7th of January, See, also, that of St. Chad, Bishop of Lich- field, at the 2nd of March.
April 24. ] LIVES OP THE IRISH SAINTS. 469
when that man passed out of this world, saw the soul of his brother Cedda 3°
come down from heaven, with a company of Angels, and taking his soul along with them, they returned thither again. "3' Our saint admonished Egfrid,
King of tlie Northunibrians, to desist from his unjust expedition into Ire- land,3^ in 684, and not to hurt an innocent people, that had done him no harm. But, refusing to hear him, and laying waste that nation, which had always been most friendly to the English, and not sparing even the churches or monasteries, Egfrid was justly punished the following year. Leading his army against the Picts, and being drawn by them into some defiles among the mountains, all were destroyed, in that expedition. 33 One of the principal occurrences in the Hfe of St. Egbert is referable to the mission of Saints Wille- brord,3+ Swibertss and their companions, into Germany. Thither, the saint desired to have gone himself, but he was prohibited by manifestations from heaven, which induced him to alter his intentions.
However, he was mainly instrumental, in directing the attention of his associates to that great work. 3* There were people called Frisons,37 Rugians,3' Danes,39 Huns,*° Old Saxons,*' and Boructuarians,*' from whom the Angli and Saxons, dwel- ling in England during Venerable Bede's period, were known to have descended. " There were many other nations in these parts of Europe still fol- lowing their pagan rites, and to whom the soldier of ChristEgbert had designed to repair. Sailing about Britain, he resolved to try, if he could deliver any of them from Satan, and bring them over to Christ; or, if he could not effect this, he designed to visit Rome, where he might see and reverence the monuments of the Blessed Apostles, martyrs of Christ. However, he was hindered from performing any of these things, owing to the oracles and the power of heaven. When he had chosen companions, the most strenuous and fit, to preach the word, while excelling both in virtue and learning, and when he had prepared all things which seemed necessary for their voyage ; there came to him one day, and early in the morning, a brother, who was formerly a disciple and servitor to Boisil,*« that priest beloved of God. ^s That brother related to Egbert a vision
" I
bed, and had fallen into a slumber, there appeared to me my old master and
he had seen that " When after night.
down in
' Which, wliether he said this of himself, or of some other, we do not certainly know, adds Beile; but, we doubt not the trust- . worthiness of a narrative, and certified, by so holy a man.
^' This raid was conducted under — Beorht,
"a warlike and sanguinary chieftain. "
"
Gibbon's
Rev. Dr. Lingard's
vol. i. , chap, iii. , p. 107.
my
the preceding day.
•' A very full account of these people and
their migrations will be found, in Edward
'*
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," vol. iii. , chap.
and vol.
xxvi. , pp. 30610 318, iv. , chap,
*' See Kemble's "Saxons in England,"
Matins,"**
said
he,
lay
xxx. , p. 44, chap. xxxii. , p. 160, chap,
pp. 191 to 219, chap, xxxv. , pp. 220to 248. Dr. William Smith's edition.
"
History of England,"
" This event occurred on the 20th ofJune,
A. D. 685, at the . Mire of Dunnichen. See vol. i.
Celtic Scotland," vol. ** See an account of these people, in the
William F. Skene's
i. , Book i. , chap, v. , pp. 265, 266. Life of St. Suitbert, at the 1st of March.
" See his Life, at the 7th of Novem- Also the BoUandists' " Acta Sanctorum,"
ber.
« See his Life, at the 1st of March.
* See Rev. John Lingard's "Antiquities of the Anglo-Saxon Church," chap, xiii. , p. 259.
" See an account of these people, in the Life of St. Suitbert, at the 1st of March.
* They dwelt near the opening of the Bal- tic Sea, and the Island ui Rugen, at the pre- sent day, preserves their denomination and locality.
^' About these people, we have said sufficient, in the Life of Bryan Boroimha, at
tomus iii. , Aprilis xxiv. De Sancto Egberto
Prcsbytero in Insula Hyensi, nn. (i, k, 1, m,
n, o), p. 315.
« See Venerable Bede's " Historia Eccle-
siasticaGentis Anglorum," lib. v. , cap. x. , pp. 400 to 403.
« See his Life, at the 23rd of February.
<s This happened, at the time, when the said Boisil was Piovost of the monastery of Mailros, under the Abbot Eata.
^^ In his religious commnnity, it seemi, these were recited or sung after midnight, and before the dawn of morning.
xxxiv. ,
470
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[April 24.
most
you
lovingtutor,Boisil,
whoaskedme,whetherIknewhim? I
'
said, yes;
are Boisil' He
replied,
' I am come to the answer of bring Egbert
the Lord our Saviour, which neverdieiess must be delivered to him by you.
Tell him, therefore, that he cannot perform the journey he has proposed, for
it is the will of God, that he should rather go to teach in the monasteries of Columba. '"" This illustrious Cenobiarch was the first teacher of the Chris- tian faith to the Picis, beyond the northern mountains ; and, he was the first founder of that celebrated monastery in the Island of Hy, which continued for a long time in great veneration, among the Scots and Picts. Having heard the words of this vision, Egbert ordered the brother that had related it to him, that he should say nothing about it to any other person, lest perhaps it might be an illusion. However, considering within himself, he apprehended the admo- nition was a real one ; and, he did not desist from preparing for his projected journeytoteachthegentiles. Afewdaysafterwards,thesamebrothercame to him again, stating that Boisil that very night, also, had appeared to him after matins, and that he had said, " Why did you communicate to Egbert in so negligent and in so tepid a manner, what I enjoined you to tell him ? Go now, and let him know, that willing or not willing, he must remain in the monas- teries of Columba; because their ploughs do not go straight, and he is to bring themtotherightway. " Hearingthisagain,Egbertcommandedthebrother not to reveal the same to any person ; and though he was assured of the vision, Egbert made another attempt, to begin his intended journey with the brethrenalreadymentioned. Whentheyhadputonboardallthatwasne- cessary for so distant a journey, and while they were waiting some days for favourable winds ; so violent a storm arose one night, that after having lost some part of the cargo, the ship ran aground, and was left upon her side amongthewaves; yet,whateverbelongedtoEgbertandtohiscompanionswas saved. ''^ Whereupon, he dropped the designed voyage, and he quietly remainedathome. However,oneofhiscompanions,namedWicbert,was remarkable for his contempt of this world, and for his great learning, having for many years lived a stranger in Ireland. There, he led an eremitical life in great perfection, and, afterwards, he went abroad. Arriving in Frisia, he preached the word of salvation, for two whole years to that people, and to Rathbod theirking. *' Yet,hedidnotreapanyfruit,fromallhislabouramongthese barbarous auditors. So, returning to the beloved place whence he proceeded, he gave himself up to our Lord, in his accustomed spirit of recollection ; and, since he could not profit those that were without, by bringing them to the
true faith, he laboured to be so much the more serviceable among his own people, by those examples of his virtue, which were given. 5°
When the man of God, Egbert, perceived, that he was neither permitted to preach to the gentiles, being withheld on account of some other advantage to holy Church, and regarding which he was beforehand admonished by the Divine Oracle, nor that Wicbert, who went into those parts, had met with any success, he still attempted to send to this work of the Word some holy and industrious
men. Amongthese,thatgreatmanWillebrordwasmosteniinent,bothasregarded his priestly degree and his merit. Those missionaries, being twelve in num- ber, visited Pippin, Duke of the Franks. s' and they were kindly received by him ; and, whereas, he had lately subdued the hither Frisia, from which he had expelled King Rathbod, the Duke sent them thither to preach. These missionaries are deservedly looked upon, as the Apostles of the northern
*' The great saint, whose Life is given, at
•*See Batavia Sancta," pars. i. . p. 32. « For an account of him, see the Life of
St. Suitbert, at the 1st of March.
5° See Venerable Bede's " Historia Eccle-
siastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. v. , cap. x. , p. 403,
the 9th o( June. "
April 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 471
countriesofEurope; which,underGod,owetheirChristianitytotheApostles' zeal, and to that of St Egbert, the great promoter of this mission. St. Wilfrid,^'
Bishop of York, had laboured successfully to introduce the discipline of the Roman Church into his diocese, in opposition to the Scottish usages ;53 but, still great opposition was manifested to that reform by the monks, who had retained the Irish custom, to the time of Egbert. The holy man next took into hands that other great work, for which he was reserved. His chief task was inducing the monks of Hy, with the other subject monasteries, to observe the canonical celebration of Easter. Coming from Ireland to the monastery of Hy, in 716, Egbert was honourably and with much joy received by the monks. Beingmostpersuasiveinhisteaching,andmostdevoutinpractis- ing what he taught, Egbert was very willingly hearkened to by all ; while, owing to his godly and frequent exhortations, he brought them away from their tenacious adhesion to that tradition of their ancestors. To them might be applied the words of the Apostle, that they had the zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. However, Egbert soon taught them to celebrate the principal solemnity of Easter, after the Catholic and Apostolic manner. This appears to have been the result of a wonderful dispensation in the Divinegoodness; for,sincetheIrishpeoplehadbeencarefultocommunicate to the English, willingly and without envy, the knowledge they had of God's truths, it was even just, that they should afterwards, by means of the English, be brought to a perfect rule of life, and in such things as those, in which they had been defective.
On the death of Conamhail,''* in 7 1 o, Dunchadh,55 became Abbot over lona, which monastery he governed, and his death is recorded, at a. d. 717. 5* Under Abbot Dunchadh, and about eighty years after they had sent Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne, to preach the Gospel to the English nation, those monks of Hy adopted that generally received rite, for the mode and time of observing Easter. s? Theyabandoned,inlikemanner,theformerIrishstyleoftonsure, by shaving the head from ear to ear, and they adopted the CV'/vz/a/ shape, on the top of their heads. The man of God, Egbert, remained thirteen years in the aforesaid Island, which he had, as it were, consecrated to Christ, by the light of a new grace. He there promoted ecclesiastical society and peace, among the fraternity. 58 This is the Egbert, so called Abbot of lona, who is men- tioned by Colgan, with a festival for the 24th of April, a. d. 729 ;59 however, he seems to have had no authority, for assigning the holy man so high a posi- tion in the . \bbey. A record of his death, by Tighernach, only styles him, the soldier of Christ. *"
5' Also called Pepin d'Heristal.
5» His feast occurs, at the 24th of April, and his Life, by Eadmar, is published on this day, by the BoUandists, with learned
* See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes (O), pp. 378 to 381.
" The Annals of Ulster, according to Ussher, have this change recorded, at a. d. 716, on Saturday, the fourth daybefore the Kalends of September. However, the date
"
rum," tomus iii. , Aprilis xxiv. De S. Wil-
notes and illustrations. See
Acta Sancto-
frido Primo, Archiepiscopo Eboracense in
Anglia, pp. 292 to 312. A feast for the is 715, as Rev. Dr. O'Conor shows, in the
translation of his relics is placed, at the I2th
"
Apostolatus Benedictinorum in Anglia, sive Disceptatio Historica de Antiquitate Ordinis Congrega- tionis que Monachorum Nigrorum, S. Bene- dicti in Regno Angliae. Tractatus Primus.
Sectio i. , sect. 8, p. 31. Duaci 1626 folio. 5' See notices of him, at the nth of Sep-
tember.
55 See his Life, at the 25th of May.
" Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus
iv. "Annales Ultonienses, p. 74, and n. 2.
58 See Dean Cressy's "Church History
of Brittany," Book xxi. , chap, xxviii. , p.
of October.
5' See Clement Reyner's
552.
59 "
See "Trias Thaumaturga, Quinta
Appendix ad Acta S. Columbje," cap. iii. ,
sect, v. , p. 501.
'"
Thus, liroitxe C]\i]X is the appellation given.
473 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 24.
Egbert had now attained the ninetieth year of his age, and the time for his release approached. In the year 729, Easter Si:nday was celebrated on the 24th of April. Having performed the solemnities of his Mass in memory of the Resurrection of our Lord, Egbert departed thatverysamedayfromthisworld. Hepassedtoheaven,theretocomplete,or rather, there to celebrate, without end, with the Lord, with the Apostles, and with the rest of its happy citizens, the joy of that great festival. This he had begun upon earth, and with those brethren, whom he had converted to the
state of unity. It was a wonderful dispensation of Divine Providence, that this venerable man did not only pass out of this world to the Father on Eas- ter-day ; but, also, while Easter was kept that very day, on which, heretofore it had not been observed, in that place. The brethren, therefore, were glad, because of their having now the assured and Catholic knowledge regarding thetimeforobservingEaster. TheyrejoicedinthepatronageofthatFather, nowgoingtotheLord,andbywhomtheyhadbeencorrected. Herejoiced, likewise, that he had been kept so long in the flesh, until he saw his hearers receive and celebrate Easter with him, on that very day, which before they always avoided. Thus, this most Reverend Father, being assured of their correction, rejoiced to see the day of the Lord. He saw it and was glad. ''
It has been stated, that Egbert was venerated, at Dorn, in Sutherland;'^ and, this is recorded, in the Scottish Menology of Thomas Dempster. "3 His oftice,''' as a semi-double,'s was formerly recited in the Diocese of Utrecht ; because he was regarded, as having been instrumental in bringing the Chris- tian Faith to the Low Countries. In the Irish as in the English Martyrologies, this holy man is commemorated. According to the Martyrology of Tallagh,** veneration was given, at this date, to Echtbricht, a Saxon. '' The Roman Martyrology and Father Stephen White '^ commemorate this saint, at the 24th of . A. pril. Ferarius, in his General Catalogue of Saints, and Ghinius, in his Natal Days of Holy Canons, have a record of his feast. In Henry Fitz- simon's " Catalogus Aliquorum Sanctorum Ibernise," this Abbot Egbert is also classed among our national saints, and Venerable Bede's authority is given, for placing his feast at the 24th of April. Mirseus '9 and Molanus '° have enteredit, amongFestivalsofSaintsbelongingtotheNetherlands,becauseof the interest felt by Egbert, in promoting the establishment of the Gospel in that country.
Article vi. 'Edited by Drs. Todd
andReeves,pp. 108, 109.
° Her feast is placed, at the 22nd of
March.
5 See "Trias " Colgan's Thaumaturga.
Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap.
historian are attributed the following lines
:
of ' records. It has been supposed, Donegal
as the
she was a daughter of Darerca," the sister of St. Patrick, and that she may be identicalwithAchea,whohadanothersister,St. Lalloca,aholyvirgin. She is said to have had seventeen brothers, who were virtuous transmarine bishops. 3 Among these was Bishop Mel of Ardagh, whose Life has been given already, at the 6th day of February.
Aicheach,
Martyrology
THE
remote from the
for his imperishable record. ^ From this Memoir, succeeding writers have
lived at a not
of the selected subject
iv. , pp. 227, 228. — scriptum, carmine heroico. *'
Article vii. Edited by Drs. Todd See Fol, cxxi. , cxxii.
smd Reeves, pp. 108, 109. «See "De Viris lUustribus Ordinis S.
—"
X.
Lucee tomus D'Acherii,
" Egbertus uscus,
digna
virtutum laude cor-
AstriferumOctavisveneranterscandit Olympum. "
Spicilegium"
Martyrologium sub nomine Bedae con-
April 24. ] LIVES OP THE IRISH SAINTS. 467
notice of St. Egbert, Monk ; and, Trithemius makes him an Abbot and a ruler, over the monasteries of St. Columban. s This mistake has been repeatedbyWion,MenardandBucehn. St. Egbert,abbot,appears,classed at this date, among the Irish Saints, whose biographies Colgan designed pub-
lishing. * Dean Cressy has published very fully an account of this holy man, in his Church History of Brittany. ' The Bollandists have published his Acts,* with a previous commentary,9 and notes. '" In Baillet's " Les Vies des Saints," the name of St. Egbert appears at the 24th of April. " Bishop Challoner," Le Comte de Montalembert. 'sLesPetits BoUandistes,'* and Rev. S. Banng- Gould. 's have historic accounts of this celebrated man.
St. Egbert was an Englishman by birth, and issued from a noble
race. It is thought, he was born, among the southern Saxons, owing to the rather ambiguous way, in which Bede introduces him to the notice of his readers. Some authors, he says, thus inform us. For some time, Egbert was brought up in the famous monastery of Lindisfarne, or Holy Island, and in the days, when Finan '* or Colman'' had been Bishops of Lindisfarne. At this time, likewise, it was very common for many of the Saxon students, to leave their native country, and to dwell in Ireland. Either to improve in sacred learning, or to embrace in that Island a more holy and continent life, was their chief purpose. Among these were Edil- hun »* and Egbert, two young men of great capacity, and belonging to the English nobility. The former was brother to Ethelwin,'s a man no less be- loved by God. Afterwards, he went over to Ireland for the purpose of study. Having been well instructed, Ethelwin returned into his own country. Hav- ing been made Bishop in the province of Lindsay, he governed most worthily, arid for a long time, that church, committed to his charge. *"
While Egbert and Edilhun were in a monastery," which in the language of
the Scots was called Rathmelsigi," and when all their companions were either
snatched away from this world, by that great mortality, which prevailed a. d. 664,'3 or when these were dispersed into other places, the two Saxon students werebothattackedbythesamepestilential disease. Theyweremostgriev- ouslyill,forsometime. Then,thinkingheshoulddie,Egbertwentoutinthe morning from the infirmary, and sitting alone, in a convenient place, he began
"
Benedicti," lib. iii. , cap. 130.
5 It seems probable, however, that he of February,
meant St. Columba.
' See "Catalogus Actuum Sanctorum
quse . MS. habentur, ordine Mensiumet Die- rum. "
'' He is venerated, at the 8th of August.
" In the English and Irish Martyr- ologies, his feast is assigned to the 21st of
September.
« St. Ethelwin had a feast, at 29th of
"
' See Book xvi. , chap, xxiii. , pp. 407,
408; Book xxi. , chap, xiviii. , pp. 551, July. See Sir Harris Nicolas' Chronology
552; and, Book xxii. , chap, xx. , pp. 575, 576.
of History," p. 147.
"° "
* See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Aprilis xxiv. De Sancto Egberto Presby- tero in Insula Hyensi, pp. 313 10315, and Appendix, p. 997.
See Venerable Bede's Historia Eccle- siastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iii. , cap. xxvii. , p. 241.
» In two
"See "Britannia Sancta," part i. ,
— les represente par ruinespit-
de Mellifont. " "Les Momes
'" This account is rable Bede's History.
paragraphs.
taken from Vene- "Seetomei. , pp. 323to325.
toresque
chiefly
259 to 265.
'1 See "Les Moines d'Occident," tome v. ,
liv. XV. , chap, iii. , pp. 16 to 22.
" -See "Vies des Saints, "tome v. , xxiv. .
Jour d'Avril, pp. 12,13.
'5 See " Lives of the Saints," voL iv. , pp.
337 to 331.
pp.
Colgan places it in the province of Con- naught, and there, he states, that a certain St. Colman was venerated. See " Acta Sanc- toium Hibernise," Index Topographicus. Another name for it was Rathmailsidhe. S*^^> ^^ ^'^ ""''• Martii, De S. Colmano Ijinnensi sive Linnensi Abbate, n. 3, p. 793. Itsexact locationdoesnot appearto be known.
See his Life, already given, at the 17th
" Montalembert hazards a strange asser- tion about when he " dont le site
it, est adjourd "hui
states,
d'Occident," tome v. , liv. xv. , chap, iii. ,
p. 17.
"
468 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 24.
seriously to reflect on his past actions. '* Filled with compunction at the re- membrance of his sins, the face of Egbert was wet with his tears, and from the bottom of his heart the penitent prayed to God, that he might not die as yet, but that he inight first have time to do penance for the past negligences of his childhood and youth, as also to exercise himself more abundantly in the practice of good works. He also made a vow, that he would live a stranger and pilgrim abroad, so as never to return to his native island of Great Britain : moreover, that besides the Canonical hours of the Divine Office—if he were not bodily sick—he would daily sing the whole Psalter to the Almighty's praise, and that every week he would pass one whole day and night in a rigorous fast. After these tears, prayers, and vows, he went back, and found his companion asleep ; and then, lying down upon his
bed, he also began to compose himself for rest
When he had lain quietly
"
O, what have you done? I was in hopes we should have entered together
"
However, be assured, that you shall receive what you have asked for. " Egbert had learned in a vision, what the other had prayed for, and that iiis request should be granted. In short, Edilliun died tlie next night ; but, Egbert, getting the better of his distemper,
recovered. He lived for a long time, afterwards, and gracing the degree of priesthood to which he was promoted, with actions worthy of his sacred
calling. Humility, meekness, continence, simplicity, and justice, rendered him a perfect man ; so that he did great service, to his own countrymen, and also to the nations, both of the Scots and of the Picts, among whom he lived in
exile,givingthemtheholyexampleofhislife. Owingtohislaboursinpreaching,
by his authority in correcting, and through his piety in relieving such as were in need, with what he received from the rich, Egbert effected great good. He added to the vows already mentioned, that during Lent he would eat but once in the day; and even then, nothing but bread and thin milk, and that doled out by measure. This fresh milk he used to put in a vessel the day before; and, the next day skimmingoffthe cream, he drank only what remained, and eat a little bread. This same method of abstinence he took care always to observe, for forty days before the Nativity of our Lord ; and likewise, for the same number of days after Pentecost. 's
awhile,
his
companion awaking
looked on
him,
and
said,
O,
Brother
Egbert,
into everlasting life. " Egbert then replied :
During his youth, for some time, St. Chad '* led a monastic life with our saint in Ireland. '^' Both lived in the exercise of prayer, of ab- stinence, and of meditation on the Divine Scriptures. The most reverend Father Egbert, being in conversation with Hygbald,'' a most holy and mor- tified man, who was Abbot in the ])rovince of Lindsey, and who had came out of Britain to visit him, their subject of discourse, as it became holy men, was upon the lives of the fathers that had gone before them, and with a desire to imitate them.
"Iknowa
man,"
•3 This was known as the Buidhe Connail. See, at this same year, Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the Four Masters," vol. i. , pp. 274to277,andnn. (q,r,s,t, u,w. x), ibid.
•• Bede says, he was informed about this matter, by a priest, venerable for his age, and of great veracity, who declared he had heard these from own
mouth.
°s See Venerable Bede's " Historia Eccle-
siastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. i. , cap. xxvii. ,
pp. 241 to 243.
" He died on the 2nd of March, A. D. 672.
Island,'* yet living
flesh, who,
Mention being made of the most reverend Prelate Chad,
said "in this Egbert,
inthe
tilings, Egbert's
Chronology
See his Acts in
Surius,
" De Probatis Sane-
torum Historiis," &c. , tomus ii. De S.
Ceadda Episcopo, pp. 43 1045.
'' See Venerable Bede's " HistoriaEccIesi-
astica Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. iii. ,
p. 267.
"'
The feast of St. Hygbald, Abbot and Confessor, occurs, at the 22nd of September, See Sir Harris Nicholas' " of
History," p. 154.
'' Allusion is here made to Ireland,
30 gee his Life, at the 7th of January, See, also, that of St. Chad, Bishop of Lich- field, at the 2nd of March.
April 24. ] LIVES OP THE IRISH SAINTS. 469
when that man passed out of this world, saw the soul of his brother Cedda 3°
come down from heaven, with a company of Angels, and taking his soul along with them, they returned thither again. "3' Our saint admonished Egfrid,
King of tlie Northunibrians, to desist from his unjust expedition into Ire- land,3^ in 684, and not to hurt an innocent people, that had done him no harm. But, refusing to hear him, and laying waste that nation, which had always been most friendly to the English, and not sparing even the churches or monasteries, Egfrid was justly punished the following year. Leading his army against the Picts, and being drawn by them into some defiles among the mountains, all were destroyed, in that expedition. 33 One of the principal occurrences in the Hfe of St. Egbert is referable to the mission of Saints Wille- brord,3+ Swibertss and their companions, into Germany. Thither, the saint desired to have gone himself, but he was prohibited by manifestations from heaven, which induced him to alter his intentions.
However, he was mainly instrumental, in directing the attention of his associates to that great work. 3* There were people called Frisons,37 Rugians,3' Danes,39 Huns,*° Old Saxons,*' and Boructuarians,*' from whom the Angli and Saxons, dwel- ling in England during Venerable Bede's period, were known to have descended. " There were many other nations in these parts of Europe still fol- lowing their pagan rites, and to whom the soldier of ChristEgbert had designed to repair. Sailing about Britain, he resolved to try, if he could deliver any of them from Satan, and bring them over to Christ; or, if he could not effect this, he designed to visit Rome, where he might see and reverence the monuments of the Blessed Apostles, martyrs of Christ. However, he was hindered from performing any of these things, owing to the oracles and the power of heaven. When he had chosen companions, the most strenuous and fit, to preach the word, while excelling both in virtue and learning, and when he had prepared all things which seemed necessary for their voyage ; there came to him one day, and early in the morning, a brother, who was formerly a disciple and servitor to Boisil,*« that priest beloved of God. ^s That brother related to Egbert a vision
" I
bed, and had fallen into a slumber, there appeared to me my old master and
he had seen that " When after night.
down in
' Which, wliether he said this of himself, or of some other, we do not certainly know, adds Beile; but, we doubt not the trust- . worthiness of a narrative, and certified, by so holy a man.
^' This raid was conducted under — Beorht,
"a warlike and sanguinary chieftain. "
"
Gibbon's
Rev. Dr. Lingard's
vol. i. , chap, iii. , p. 107.
my
the preceding day.
•' A very full account of these people and
their migrations will be found, in Edward
'*
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," vol. iii. , chap.
and vol.
xxvi. , pp. 30610 318, iv. , chap,
*' See Kemble's "Saxons in England,"
Matins,"**
said
he,
lay
xxx. , p. 44, chap. xxxii. , p. 160, chap,
pp. 191 to 219, chap, xxxv. , pp. 220to 248. Dr. William Smith's edition.
"
History of England,"
" This event occurred on the 20th ofJune,
A. D. 685, at the . Mire of Dunnichen. See vol. i.
Celtic Scotland," vol. ** See an account of these people, in the
William F. Skene's
i. , Book i. , chap, v. , pp. 265, 266. Life of St. Suitbert, at the 1st of March.
" See his Life, at the 7th of Novem- Also the BoUandists' " Acta Sanctorum,"
ber.
« See his Life, at the 1st of March.
* See Rev. John Lingard's "Antiquities of the Anglo-Saxon Church," chap, xiii. , p. 259.
" See an account of these people, in the Life of St. Suitbert, at the 1st of March.
* They dwelt near the opening of the Bal- tic Sea, and the Island ui Rugen, at the pre- sent day, preserves their denomination and locality.
^' About these people, we have said sufficient, in the Life of Bryan Boroimha, at
tomus iii. , Aprilis xxiv. De Sancto Egberto
Prcsbytero in Insula Hyensi, nn. (i, k, 1, m,
n, o), p. 315.
« See Venerable Bede's " Historia Eccle-
siasticaGentis Anglorum," lib. v. , cap. x. , pp. 400 to 403.
« See his Life, at the 23rd of February.
<s This happened, at the time, when the said Boisil was Piovost of the monastery of Mailros, under the Abbot Eata.
^^ In his religious commnnity, it seemi, these were recited or sung after midnight, and before the dawn of morning.
xxxiv. ,
470
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[April 24.
most
you
lovingtutor,Boisil,
whoaskedme,whetherIknewhim? I
'
said, yes;
are Boisil' He
replied,
' I am come to the answer of bring Egbert
the Lord our Saviour, which neverdieiess must be delivered to him by you.
Tell him, therefore, that he cannot perform the journey he has proposed, for
it is the will of God, that he should rather go to teach in the monasteries of Columba. '"" This illustrious Cenobiarch was the first teacher of the Chris- tian faith to the Picis, beyond the northern mountains ; and, he was the first founder of that celebrated monastery in the Island of Hy, which continued for a long time in great veneration, among the Scots and Picts. Having heard the words of this vision, Egbert ordered the brother that had related it to him, that he should say nothing about it to any other person, lest perhaps it might be an illusion. However, considering within himself, he apprehended the admo- nition was a real one ; and, he did not desist from preparing for his projected journeytoteachthegentiles. Afewdaysafterwards,thesamebrothercame to him again, stating that Boisil that very night, also, had appeared to him after matins, and that he had said, " Why did you communicate to Egbert in so negligent and in so tepid a manner, what I enjoined you to tell him ? Go now, and let him know, that willing or not willing, he must remain in the monas- teries of Columba; because their ploughs do not go straight, and he is to bring themtotherightway. " Hearingthisagain,Egbertcommandedthebrother not to reveal the same to any person ; and though he was assured of the vision, Egbert made another attempt, to begin his intended journey with the brethrenalreadymentioned. Whentheyhadputonboardallthatwasne- cessary for so distant a journey, and while they were waiting some days for favourable winds ; so violent a storm arose one night, that after having lost some part of the cargo, the ship ran aground, and was left upon her side amongthewaves; yet,whateverbelongedtoEgbertandtohiscompanionswas saved. ''^ Whereupon, he dropped the designed voyage, and he quietly remainedathome. However,oneofhiscompanions,namedWicbert,was remarkable for his contempt of this world, and for his great learning, having for many years lived a stranger in Ireland. There, he led an eremitical life in great perfection, and, afterwards, he went abroad. Arriving in Frisia, he preached the word of salvation, for two whole years to that people, and to Rathbod theirking. *' Yet,hedidnotreapanyfruit,fromallhislabouramongthese barbarous auditors. So, returning to the beloved place whence he proceeded, he gave himself up to our Lord, in his accustomed spirit of recollection ; and, since he could not profit those that were without, by bringing them to the
true faith, he laboured to be so much the more serviceable among his own people, by those examples of his virtue, which were given. 5°
When the man of God, Egbert, perceived, that he was neither permitted to preach to the gentiles, being withheld on account of some other advantage to holy Church, and regarding which he was beforehand admonished by the Divine Oracle, nor that Wicbert, who went into those parts, had met with any success, he still attempted to send to this work of the Word some holy and industrious
men. Amongthese,thatgreatmanWillebrordwasmosteniinent,bothasregarded his priestly degree and his merit. Those missionaries, being twelve in num- ber, visited Pippin, Duke of the Franks. s' and they were kindly received by him ; and, whereas, he had lately subdued the hither Frisia, from which he had expelled King Rathbod, the Duke sent them thither to preach. These missionaries are deservedly looked upon, as the Apostles of the northern
*' The great saint, whose Life is given, at
•*See Batavia Sancta," pars. i. . p. 32. « For an account of him, see the Life of
St. Suitbert, at the 1st of March.
5° See Venerable Bede's " Historia Eccle-
siastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. v. , cap. x. , p. 403,
the 9th o( June. "
April 24. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 471
countriesofEurope; which,underGod,owetheirChristianitytotheApostles' zeal, and to that of St Egbert, the great promoter of this mission. St. Wilfrid,^'
Bishop of York, had laboured successfully to introduce the discipline of the Roman Church into his diocese, in opposition to the Scottish usages ;53 but, still great opposition was manifested to that reform by the monks, who had retained the Irish custom, to the time of Egbert. The holy man next took into hands that other great work, for which he was reserved. His chief task was inducing the monks of Hy, with the other subject monasteries, to observe the canonical celebration of Easter. Coming from Ireland to the monastery of Hy, in 716, Egbert was honourably and with much joy received by the monks. Beingmostpersuasiveinhisteaching,andmostdevoutinpractis- ing what he taught, Egbert was very willingly hearkened to by all ; while, owing to his godly and frequent exhortations, he brought them away from their tenacious adhesion to that tradition of their ancestors. To them might be applied the words of the Apostle, that they had the zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. However, Egbert soon taught them to celebrate the principal solemnity of Easter, after the Catholic and Apostolic manner. This appears to have been the result of a wonderful dispensation in the Divinegoodness; for,sincetheIrishpeoplehadbeencarefultocommunicate to the English, willingly and without envy, the knowledge they had of God's truths, it was even just, that they should afterwards, by means of the English, be brought to a perfect rule of life, and in such things as those, in which they had been defective.
On the death of Conamhail,''* in 7 1 o, Dunchadh,55 became Abbot over lona, which monastery he governed, and his death is recorded, at a. d. 717. 5* Under Abbot Dunchadh, and about eighty years after they had sent Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne, to preach the Gospel to the English nation, those monks of Hy adopted that generally received rite, for the mode and time of observing Easter. s? Theyabandoned,inlikemanner,theformerIrishstyleoftonsure, by shaving the head from ear to ear, and they adopted the CV'/vz/a/ shape, on the top of their heads. The man of God, Egbert, remained thirteen years in the aforesaid Island, which he had, as it were, consecrated to Christ, by the light of a new grace. He there promoted ecclesiastical society and peace, among the fraternity. 58 This is the Egbert, so called Abbot of lona, who is men- tioned by Colgan, with a festival for the 24th of April, a. d. 729 ;59 however, he seems to have had no authority, for assigning the holy man so high a posi- tion in the . \bbey. A record of his death, by Tighernach, only styles him, the soldier of Christ. *"
5' Also called Pepin d'Heristal.
5» His feast occurs, at the 24th of April, and his Life, by Eadmar, is published on this day, by the BoUandists, with learned
* See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes (O), pp. 378 to 381.
" The Annals of Ulster, according to Ussher, have this change recorded, at a. d. 716, on Saturday, the fourth daybefore the Kalends of September. However, the date
"
rum," tomus iii. , Aprilis xxiv. De S. Wil-
notes and illustrations. See
Acta Sancto-
frido Primo, Archiepiscopo Eboracense in
Anglia, pp. 292 to 312. A feast for the is 715, as Rev. Dr. O'Conor shows, in the
translation of his relics is placed, at the I2th
"
Apostolatus Benedictinorum in Anglia, sive Disceptatio Historica de Antiquitate Ordinis Congrega- tionis que Monachorum Nigrorum, S. Bene- dicti in Regno Angliae. Tractatus Primus.
Sectio i. , sect. 8, p. 31. Duaci 1626 folio. 5' See notices of him, at the nth of Sep-
tember.
55 See his Life, at the 25th of May.
" Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus
iv. "Annales Ultonienses, p. 74, and n. 2.
58 See Dean Cressy's "Church History
of Brittany," Book xxi. , chap, xxviii. , p.
of October.
5' See Clement Reyner's
552.
59 "
See "Trias Thaumaturga, Quinta
Appendix ad Acta S. Columbje," cap. iii. ,
sect, v. , p. 501.
'"
Thus, liroitxe C]\i]X is the appellation given.
473 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 24.
Egbert had now attained the ninetieth year of his age, and the time for his release approached. In the year 729, Easter Si:nday was celebrated on the 24th of April. Having performed the solemnities of his Mass in memory of the Resurrection of our Lord, Egbert departed thatverysamedayfromthisworld. Hepassedtoheaven,theretocomplete,or rather, there to celebrate, without end, with the Lord, with the Apostles, and with the rest of its happy citizens, the joy of that great festival. This he had begun upon earth, and with those brethren, whom he had converted to the
state of unity. It was a wonderful dispensation of Divine Providence, that this venerable man did not only pass out of this world to the Father on Eas- ter-day ; but, also, while Easter was kept that very day, on which, heretofore it had not been observed, in that place. The brethren, therefore, were glad, because of their having now the assured and Catholic knowledge regarding thetimeforobservingEaster. TheyrejoicedinthepatronageofthatFather, nowgoingtotheLord,andbywhomtheyhadbeencorrected. Herejoiced, likewise, that he had been kept so long in the flesh, until he saw his hearers receive and celebrate Easter with him, on that very day, which before they always avoided. Thus, this most Reverend Father, being assured of their correction, rejoiced to see the day of the Lord. He saw it and was glad. ''
It has been stated, that Egbert was venerated, at Dorn, in Sutherland;'^ and, this is recorded, in the Scottish Menology of Thomas Dempster. "3 His oftice,''' as a semi-double,'s was formerly recited in the Diocese of Utrecht ; because he was regarded, as having been instrumental in bringing the Chris- tian Faith to the Low Countries. In the Irish as in the English Martyrologies, this holy man is commemorated. According to the Martyrology of Tallagh,** veneration was given, at this date, to Echtbricht, a Saxon. '' The Roman Martyrology and Father Stephen White '^ commemorate this saint, at the 24th of . A. pril. Ferarius, in his General Catalogue of Saints, and Ghinius, in his Natal Days of Holy Canons, have a record of his feast. In Henry Fitz- simon's " Catalogus Aliquorum Sanctorum Ibernise," this Abbot Egbert is also classed among our national saints, and Venerable Bede's authority is given, for placing his feast at the 24th of April. Mirseus '9 and Molanus '° have enteredit, amongFestivalsofSaintsbelongingtotheNetherlands,becauseof the interest felt by Egbert, in promoting the establishment of the Gospel in that country.
