muir) Lethe supra petram maris Tyrreni, in
civitate
quae voca- tur Capua.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
Patricio Apostolo Hibernian.
Com- mentarius prtevius, sect, v.
, p.
522, sect, ix.
, p.
528.
But, this difference may have been caused, by the circumstance of various
-—"Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. iv. ,
English :
— likewise,Tamarensis bywhichtheymean
over
:
Thaumaturga," h& 20, pp. 30, 31.
n.
27, p. 17,
pp. 284, 285.
'ofi See the Hymn of St. Fiech. For readings occurring for the same place, as
Alpes, which Colgan's translation has, at
found in different MSS.
'" To find the respective places, in which
so many years were spent, proves no easy task.
"3 See his " Trias Thaumaturga," n. 27,
stanza he tells us, in a note 5,
appended, that we are to read Albion, according to an
old marginal remark.
'°7 In the Second Life, cap. xvii. , the
voice, announcing to St. Patrick his liber- ation from captivity, is made to say, that a ship was ready for him that he might go to Italy. Dr. Lanigan thinks the author, or, perhaps, his translator, mistook Letha for Latium, and imagined, it has been assumed, his text should have been better vmderstood, by his writing Italy.
'°^ Dr. Lanigan thinks, likewise, that translating the Letha of St. Fiach's Hymn, for Latium, confused Colgan's calculations, in reference to St. Patrick's time spent with St. Germanus. See "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap.
xiii. , pp. 241 to 245.
'°9 It is rather curious to find, what con-
p. 17. " "• See Carolus Stephanus,
"
Diction-
arium Geographicum.
"5 In certain stories, concerning St.
Patrick's insular proceedings, there occur circumstances, that have a sort of similarity with some, which are said to have taken place at Lerins.
"* The feast of St. Honoratus, Arch- bishop of Aries, occurs on the i6th of Ja- nuary. He died, A. D. 429, and from Aries, his remains were translated to Lerins, now called St. Honore, A. D. 139 1.
"' See Ussher's " Primordia," cap, xvii.
p. 836.
"^ See also Tillemont's " Memou-s pour
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 515
Most probably, his building at Lerins may be referred, to the beginning of
thefifthcentury. Atanyrate,bymanyyears,itmusthavebeenpriortoa. d,
418, when St. Patrick is supposed to have visited this island, for the first
time. "9 There and learned men had received their "° many holy training.
The authority of Probus and his description are cited, by the BoUandists, for
the of such an '^^ The Island of Lerins lies near the probability opinion.
coast, and the mountains ; while, it may be regarded, as situated in the Tyrrhene Sea. AVhile St. Patrick was in the island, he is said to have banished a huge beast, that used each year—the month of May excepted— to hinder the islanders, from getting water, at a certain fountain. "^ This is somewhat like a story, concerning St. Honoratus having driven a dragon out ofLerinsIsland. '=^3 Yet,morethanoneislandissaidtohavebeenhonoured, by St. Patrick's presence. '^'* Near Lerins, there was another, known as Lero,
He might have wished, even, to hold intercourse with holy recluses, who inhabited someislands,lyingnearhim. "^ Bysomewriters,theislandofSt. Patrick's residenceiscalledTamerensis. ^^7 Thishasbeenincorrectlyidentifiedwith
Capraria,nowCapraia. "^ But,Ussherindulgesaconjecture,thatTamaria wasCamaria,orCamargue,'^? nearArles. ^^o AndProbus,whenrelatingthe angel's message, intimates, that island, in which St. Patrick's instructors dwelt,'3i lay between the mountains and the sea. ^32 But, although many monasteries had been established, in other parts of Provence,^33 we are not
aware of any religious house having been founded at Camargue. '34 The BoUandists start an absurd conjecture, that the " insula Tamerensis" was no
other than Ireland itself. ^3S Opposite the mouth of a river, Tamar, that flows in England, into the Irish Sea, this Insula Tamarensis has been placed, by another writer. '^e Yet, this river, at Plymouth,^37 does not enter the sea in-
now Sainte Marguerite. ^^s The pious student might have visited it.
servir a I'Histoire Ecclesiastique," tome xii. , at St. Honorat. Art. vii.
"9 Persons of various nations and tongues lived at Lerins. See ibid.
'^ See ibid. , tome xv. , p. 395.
'"See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Martii xvii. De S. Patricio Episcopo, &c.
dia," cap. xvii. , p. 836; but, he does not identify it with Tamaria.
"' An island, formed by the mouths of the River Rhone.
'3o gee " Index Chronologicus," at A. D. ccccix.
'3' The matter was thus understood, by
Commentarius Pisevius, sect, ix. , pp. 528, the compiler of the Tripartite Life. After 529. mentioning, that St. Patrick was "in mari
'"
See Probus' or Quinta Vita S. Pa- Tyrrheno," or rather in an island of that
tricii, lib. i. , cap. xvi. , p. 48.
"3 See Tillemont, in the Article already
sea, the writer says, that there he went to certain persons, who dwelt in a cavern, be-
"
tween a mountain and the sea. See
tima Vita S. Patricii," lib. i. , cap. xxxiv. ,
quoted.
"*• See Fiech's Hymn, strophe 6.
Sep-
chan has a similar statement.
"S See Tillemont's " Memoires pour
servir a I'Histoire Ecclesiastique," tome XV.
p.
122.
'3= " Vade ad illos, qui sunt in insula
Art. S. Eucherius.
"* "
St.
Ambrose,
liexam. lib.
'33 See Histoire Ecclesiasti- Fleury's
Tire-
See,
cap. 5. Also, St. Jerome, Epist. 30 ad que," liv. xxiv. , sect. Ivi.
Oceanum. '34 Patroclus was Bishop of Aries, about
'=7 See, "Tertia Vita S. Patricii," cap. this period. See Tillemont's "Memoires
xxii. , p. 23. The same name occurs, in pour servir a I'Histoire Ecclesiastique," "
Ussher's Tripartite. See Britannicarum tome xv. , p. 54.
iii. ,
'35 seem to a clerical error They think,
has here occurred, and that for Tamerensis
may be read Temoriensis, because Temoria nn. 19, 20, pp. 30, 31. But, it is quite was the capital of Ireland. See "Acta evident, Colgan misapprehended a passage Sanctonim," tomus ii. , Martii xvii. De S. in Ussher. This writer, however, when Patricio Apostolo Hibernise, sect, viii. ,
speaking of certain islands, inhabited by the num. 52, p. 527.
monks, mentions Capraria in his " Primor- '3^ This conjecture has been offered, by
Ecclesiarum 435.
Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p.
"'^ See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
inter montes et mare. " See " Quinta Vita
S. Patricii," lib. i. , cap. xvi. , p. 48.
5i6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
dicated, nor is there an island at its embouchure. The period, spent by St. Patrick in those islands, and elsewhere, during his studentship, has been
variously estimated, by different compilers of his Acts. Yet, it cannot be discovered, from his own writings, how long he lived in the chief island,
although, the contrary has been asserted. ^38 The Tripartite Life states, that three other Patricks^39 received him, and that they lived in a solitary cave, on the Tyrrhene Islands. Our saint there miraculously banished a monster, from a fountain, that was near ; and, loaves of bread were sent to the four Patricksfromheaven. Thesealsoestablishedabondofholyfriendshipand alliance. The period for our saint's dwelling there has been stated as seven years. '40 Anotheraccount^t'dividestheseyears,betweentheTuscanIslands, and other localities of Gaul and Italy, as also, to make up the interval, in- cluding his journeys by land and sea. ^'*^ During this time, the fear of the Lord was ever before his mind, as related in the Book of Armagh,'43 and it was the guide of all his proceedings. ^'*'' This account,'''^ as found in Tire- chan, is rendered absurd, however, by the immediate announcement,^^^ that Patrick lived for thirty years,'''^ in Aralanensis. It is to be regretted, that we have not clearer lights, regarding the places named, about this period of his career, such as the Thyrrene Sea,'4^ the Tuscan Sea, Letha, Capua,'''^ Latium and Hermon. 'so The Tripartite Life has no account of Capua, but it retains the name Hermon. 's' Colgan knew not what to do with a moun- tain, or rock, called Hermon, Arnon, or Morion. He could make out no
such that place, bearing
*'
name,
in
'S^
Compendium Annalium Ec- clesiasticorum Regni Plibernias," p. 123.
'^7 Dr. Lanigan suspects, that "thirty" ""
Porter, in his
'37 See Camden's " col. Britannia,"
had been inserted for three years, which,
Italy.
formed a of the total " perhaps, part seven,"
spent at his studies, and on his travels.
'•* It is " Et duxit eum ad said, Angelus
montem Arnon ar mair (?
muir) Lethe supra petram maris Tyrreni, in civitate quae voca- tur Capua. "— "Tertia Vita S. Patricii,"
cap. XXV. , p. 23.
'^9 Dr. Lanigan states, that aft—er the word
petram, in the Life by Probus—he should
1 6th of March
Nola, venerated on the 17th of March ; and had been added, by a bungler, who was
25. See, likewise, Lewis' Maps of Cornwall and
Devonshire.
'38 It is not defined, in the Hymn of St.
Fiach, in the Second Life, in the Third Life, in the Fourth Life, in the Fifth Life, in Jocelyn's, nor in the Tripartite Life.
'39 Colgan conjectures these were probably St. Patrick of Auvergne, venerated at the
St. of Patrick, Bishop
rather have said the Third I-ife
something
;
St. Patrick Senior, venerated at the 24th of
August. See his note 22, on the Hymn of
striving to interpret the Irish words ar muir Lethe. According to Dr. Lanigan, the scribe mistook Lethe for Latium. Hence
St. Fiach, p. 7.
'•'° Colgan thinks this arose, from a was introduced the Tuscan Sea, and,
copyist's error, by writing srucn for nine. wonderful to tell, Capua. This greatly
"
See Tertia Vita S. Patricii," n. 28, p.
puzzled Colgan. Knowing that Capua lies several miles distant from the sea, he con-
jectured, that for Capua we might read Caieta. See " Trias Thaumaturga. " Vita
Tertia S. Patricii, cap. xxv. , p. 23, and nn. 25, 26, p. 31. Jocelyn has copied this ac- count, about the Tuscan Sea and Capua, but
"
Septima Vita S. Patricii,"
30. Also, see
lib. i. , cap. xxxiv. , p. 122, and n. 16, p. 171.
'•' That of Tirechan.
'^^ This account, as found in Tirechan,
"
laborum suorum. " See also Ussher's mordia," cap. xvii. , p. 835.
adds,
ut ipse dixit in commemoratione
'^3 According to "Dicta S. Patricii," in
of Tara," p. 35.
'^5 It is said to have been received, from a
Bishop Ultan, by some thought to have been over the See of Ardbraccan, in the
seventh century.
'^^ After "laborum," as seen in Ussher's
allusion, "Primordia," cap. xvii. , p. 835,
" Erat autem in una ex
Vita S. Patricii," cap. xxvi. , p. 70.
'5° Probus mentions the interference of an
the
Liber Armacanus," fol. 9.
"
'•** See Dr. Petrie's "Essay on the Hill
the text thus runs
insulis, quae dicitur Aralanensis, annis xxx.
'5' See the Seventh Life, pars, i. , cap. xxxvii,, p. 122.
'5= The Bollandists seem to have shelved
this difficulty, by changing the mountain into a river ; most probably, by understand- ing Arnon, as in the Third Life, to mean the River Arno. On it, the city of Pisa is
:
"
Pri-
he calls the mountain Alorion. See
"
Sexta
angel, in sending St. Patrick to Hermon, a "
walled city near the sea. See Quinta Vita S. Patricii," lib. i. , cap. xvii. , p. 48.
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 517
According to some of St. Patrick's Acts, the holy man had determined to visit Rome, in order to be better instructed, in the ecclesiastical Constitutions, and Canons. He felt desirous withal, that his journey for Ireland might be approved, and ratified by Apostolic authority. This determination he mani- fested to St. German, who well approved of it. Germanus joined with St. Patrick a servant of God, named Segitius,^53 or Segetius,^54 also called Serge- cius,'ss the Priest, as a comfort in his trials, and as a faithful witness to his holy conversation. ^56 Then, as we are told, he had an angelic revelation, that he should seek out a holy solitary, called Justus,^37 living in an island of
the Etruscan S—ea. It is
certain bacichis or as called in Irish bachul
for — puic philologists
differ as to which is
while our who were then small, children,
have now become as observe. " decrepit, you
There is a different rendering of this story,
in Colgan's Latin Tripartite Life, and in Miss Cusack's Irish version of it.
'^^ Probus speaks of a staff, with which St. Patrick struck a certain grave. See
in old —that St. Patrick received there a stated, accounts,
a bishop's staff, a crozier.
the original root
Of these Bachul Phadraig, St. Patrick's crozier, was the most celebrated. " See n. //. , pp. 117, 174, of that admirable and elegant Poem, " The Monks of Kilcrea. "
" Vita S. lib. ii. , Quinta Patricii,"
'59 See a monk of Hunt- Henry, Saltrey,
cap. xxi. , p. 58. Still, he does not call it " the Staff of Jesus. " Neither does he tell how the
ingdonshire, in his book, " De Purgatorio S. Patricii," cap. i.
''°
See the Seventh Life, pars, i. , cap. xxxvii. , pp. 122, 123.
saint came to possess it. "
'5^
the Staff of Jesus," because our Saviour
afterwards regarded with great
religious veneration. It was called
is thought to have given it himself 'S9 to a hermit of the place. In turn, he was directed to present it to St. Patrick, when he should arrive there. '^° After charitable salutations and some spiritual conference passing between them, the holy man, Justus, delivered to Saint Patrick that staff, which he said he received out of our Saviour's own hands, and destined for him alone.
Other old and men resided on that young
"
island, apart
Patrick, after living some days with that servant of God, went on his journey
to Rome, being enriched with that holy staff, which the Almighty had so miraculously sent him. However, no mention of this circumstance occurs, in St. Fiach's Hymn, nor in his Commentator, nor in Probus. ^^^ Yet, the Tripartite Life of our saint^^3 and Jocelyn'^4 relate some wonderful miracles.
situated, and here its Bishop Senior lived,
according to their supposition. See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Martii xvii. De S. Patricio Apostolo Hibemise. Commenta- rius praevius, sect, viii. , num. 34, p. 527.
'33 In the Second Life in the Third ;
Life ; in the Fourth Life. In Probus, by an
apparent error, the name is written Regirus. 'S* In the Tripartite Life.
'55 By Jocelyn.
'5^ See the Sixth Life, cap. xxiv. , p. 70. '57 In a Synod held at Aries, about A. D.
450, a bishop called Justus assisted, and it is remarkable, that the Synod was mainly composed of prelates, educated at the School
"
of Lerins. See Tillemont, Memoires pour
servir a I'Histoire Ecclesiastique," tome
XV. , p. 407. —
'5* "Bachul a staff. Either, hence the
— Baniliim or from it Bachal Eas- Latin, ;
'*3 See Septima Vita S. Patricii," lib. '*' The following curious and legendary i. , cap. xxxvi. , xxxvii. , pp. 122, 1 23. The
particulars are related, in addition, by Jocelyn : When St. Patrick had conferred
with the youthful-looking persons, he learned from them, that the apparent seniors
Irish version has an account, differing from
that in the text, regarding the reception of this celebrated staff. See Miss Cusack's
were the sons of those
when he enquired how this wonder hap-
" Life of St. Patrick," p. 377. "
apparent juniors,
and
'^-^ See Sexta Vita S. xxiv. , p. 70.
Patricii," cap.
from ^^^ Saint Justus.
; but, night, pilgrim bearing a staff sought refuge at their house, andhewasmostconsideratelytreated; in the morning, he blessed them and said,
'
You have received Jesus Christ, this time
in person, whereas formerly you only served his members. " Then, leaving his staff with the chief of those holy men, he was ordered to keep it, until a pious pilgi'im, named Patrick, should in lapse of time come to their island. Giving these orders, Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, and we con- tinued in the same state of youthfulness,
beauty and vigour, to the present
time
;
" From our for- youth
pened, they replied :
ward, through the Divine mercy, we were all intent on performing charitable works, while our doors were always open to every traveller, asking for food and hospitality, in Christ's name one a
5i8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
wrought through it, and they compare it for efficacy to the rod of Moyses. '^s As by it, says Jocelyn, God wrought many prodigious wonders, in bringing the IsraeHtes out of the house of bondage, so by that holy staff, which the Lord had sent to his true servant Patrick, did he work wonderful miracles, in the conversion of many nations. St. Bernard'^" and Jocelyn allude to it, as
having been held by the Irish, in great veneration, at that time, when they respectivelywrote. IfSt. PatrickbroughttheStaffofJesusfromthatisland,
where he had been educated, it may have been a keepsake given to him, by some dear friend. Perhaps, at first, it was merely a plain walking staff,
although subsequently it served the purposes of an episcopal crozier. ^^? However this may be, it was transferred from Armagh to Dublin, by William Fitz-Adelm De Burgo, and deposited in Christ's Church, about the year 1180. "^^ With many other relics, it was publicly burned, in High-street, by the Protestant Archbishop Browne, soon after the Reformed doctrines had been brought into Ireland. '^9
Thus, after receiving the Staff of Jesus, from the hand of our Lord Him-
self, according to the Irish Tripartite Life, and at a place, called Sliabh-Her- moin, near the island, St. Patrick was commanded to go and preach to the Gaeidhel. Hewastold,likewise,thattheBachall-Isashouldproveofgreat assistance to him, in all his difficulties and dangers. Then are related, three special requests, made by the favoured of heaven ;^7o but, as these appear to partake of a legendary cast, the reader may well be spared an enumeration of those specific petitions preferred. Nine companions, according to some accounts, journeyed with the saint, at this period of his life ; but, the order and variety of incidents recorded are greatly confused, by his different bio- graphers.
CHAPTER VI.
ST. Patrick's reception of holy orders—his supposed missionary labours at BOULOGNE—HIS MISSION WITH SAINTS GERMANUS AND LUPUS TO GREAT BRITAIN— THEIR RETURN TO GAUL—ST. PALLADIUS IN IRELAND—ST. PATRICK PROCEEDS TO ITALY—HIS CONSECRATION AS BISHOP—ST. PATRICK SAID TO HAVE BEEN AN AUGUS- TINIAN—DESTINED FOR HIS MISSION TO IRELAND, BY THE POPE.
Having received the various grades of clerical Orders, and even priesthood
under St. Germanus ^ it has been that before St.
-—"Irish Ecclesiastical Record," vol. iv. ,
English :
— likewise,Tamarensis bywhichtheymean
over
:
Thaumaturga," h& 20, pp. 30, 31.
n.
27, p. 17,
pp. 284, 285.
'ofi See the Hymn of St. Fiech. For readings occurring for the same place, as
Alpes, which Colgan's translation has, at
found in different MSS.
'" To find the respective places, in which
so many years were spent, proves no easy task.
"3 See his " Trias Thaumaturga," n. 27,
stanza he tells us, in a note 5,
appended, that we are to read Albion, according to an
old marginal remark.
'°7 In the Second Life, cap. xvii. , the
voice, announcing to St. Patrick his liber- ation from captivity, is made to say, that a ship was ready for him that he might go to Italy. Dr. Lanigan thinks the author, or, perhaps, his translator, mistook Letha for Latium, and imagined, it has been assumed, his text should have been better vmderstood, by his writing Italy.
'°^ Dr. Lanigan thinks, likewise, that translating the Letha of St. Fiach's Hymn, for Latium, confused Colgan's calculations, in reference to St. Patrick's time spent with St. Germanus. See "Trias Thaumaturga," Quinta Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap.
xiii. , pp. 241 to 245.
'°9 It is rather curious to find, what con-
p. 17. " "• See Carolus Stephanus,
"
Diction-
arium Geographicum.
"5 In certain stories, concerning St.
Patrick's insular proceedings, there occur circumstances, that have a sort of similarity with some, which are said to have taken place at Lerins.
"* The feast of St. Honoratus, Arch- bishop of Aries, occurs on the i6th of Ja- nuary. He died, A. D. 429, and from Aries, his remains were translated to Lerins, now called St. Honore, A. D. 139 1.
"' See Ussher's " Primordia," cap, xvii.
p. 836.
"^ See also Tillemont's " Memou-s pour
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 515
Most probably, his building at Lerins may be referred, to the beginning of
thefifthcentury. Atanyrate,bymanyyears,itmusthavebeenpriortoa. d,
418, when St. Patrick is supposed to have visited this island, for the first
time. "9 There and learned men had received their "° many holy training.
The authority of Probus and his description are cited, by the BoUandists, for
the of such an '^^ The Island of Lerins lies near the probability opinion.
coast, and the mountains ; while, it may be regarded, as situated in the Tyrrhene Sea. AVhile St. Patrick was in the island, he is said to have banished a huge beast, that used each year—the month of May excepted— to hinder the islanders, from getting water, at a certain fountain. "^ This is somewhat like a story, concerning St. Honoratus having driven a dragon out ofLerinsIsland. '=^3 Yet,morethanoneislandissaidtohavebeenhonoured, by St. Patrick's presence. '^'* Near Lerins, there was another, known as Lero,
He might have wished, even, to hold intercourse with holy recluses, who inhabited someislands,lyingnearhim. "^ Bysomewriters,theislandofSt. Patrick's residenceiscalledTamerensis. ^^7 Thishasbeenincorrectlyidentifiedwith
Capraria,nowCapraia. "^ But,Ussherindulgesaconjecture,thatTamaria wasCamaria,orCamargue,'^? nearArles. ^^o AndProbus,whenrelatingthe angel's message, intimates, that island, in which St. Patrick's instructors dwelt,'3i lay between the mountains and the sea. ^32 But, although many monasteries had been established, in other parts of Provence,^33 we are not
aware of any religious house having been founded at Camargue. '34 The BoUandists start an absurd conjecture, that the " insula Tamerensis" was no
other than Ireland itself. ^3S Opposite the mouth of a river, Tamar, that flows in England, into the Irish Sea, this Insula Tamarensis has been placed, by another writer. '^e Yet, this river, at Plymouth,^37 does not enter the sea in-
now Sainte Marguerite. ^^s The pious student might have visited it.
servir a I'Histoire Ecclesiastique," tome xii. , at St. Honorat. Art. vii.
"9 Persons of various nations and tongues lived at Lerins. See ibid.
'^ See ibid. , tome xv. , p. 395.
'"See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Martii xvii. De S. Patricio Episcopo, &c.
dia," cap. xvii. , p. 836; but, he does not identify it with Tamaria.
"' An island, formed by the mouths of the River Rhone.
'3o gee " Index Chronologicus," at A. D. ccccix.
'3' The matter was thus understood, by
Commentarius Pisevius, sect, ix. , pp. 528, the compiler of the Tripartite Life. After 529. mentioning, that St. Patrick was "in mari
'"
See Probus' or Quinta Vita S. Pa- Tyrrheno," or rather in an island of that
tricii, lib. i. , cap. xvi. , p. 48.
"3 See Tillemont, in the Article already
sea, the writer says, that there he went to certain persons, who dwelt in a cavern, be-
"
tween a mountain and the sea. See
tima Vita S. Patricii," lib. i. , cap. xxxiv. ,
quoted.
"*• See Fiech's Hymn, strophe 6.
Sep-
chan has a similar statement.
"S See Tillemont's " Memoires pour
servir a I'Histoire Ecclesiastique," tome XV.
p.
122.
'3= " Vade ad illos, qui sunt in insula
Art. S. Eucherius.
"* "
St.
Ambrose,
liexam. lib.
'33 See Histoire Ecclesiasti- Fleury's
Tire-
See,
cap. 5. Also, St. Jerome, Epist. 30 ad que," liv. xxiv. , sect. Ivi.
Oceanum. '34 Patroclus was Bishop of Aries, about
'=7 See, "Tertia Vita S. Patricii," cap. this period. See Tillemont's "Memoires
xxii. , p. 23. The same name occurs, in pour servir a I'Histoire Ecclesiastique," "
Ussher's Tripartite. See Britannicarum tome xv. , p. 54.
iii. ,
'35 seem to a clerical error They think,
has here occurred, and that for Tamerensis
may be read Temoriensis, because Temoria nn. 19, 20, pp. 30, 31. But, it is quite was the capital of Ireland. See "Acta evident, Colgan misapprehended a passage Sanctonim," tomus ii. , Martii xvii. De S. in Ussher. This writer, however, when Patricio Apostolo Hibernise, sect, viii. ,
speaking of certain islands, inhabited by the num. 52, p. 527.
monks, mentions Capraria in his " Primor- '3^ This conjecture has been offered, by
Ecclesiarum 435.
Antiquitates," cap. xvii. , p.
"'^ See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga,"
inter montes et mare. " See " Quinta Vita
S. Patricii," lib. i. , cap. xvi. , p. 48.
5i6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
dicated, nor is there an island at its embouchure. The period, spent by St. Patrick in those islands, and elsewhere, during his studentship, has been
variously estimated, by different compilers of his Acts. Yet, it cannot be discovered, from his own writings, how long he lived in the chief island,
although, the contrary has been asserted. ^38 The Tripartite Life states, that three other Patricks^39 received him, and that they lived in a solitary cave, on the Tyrrhene Islands. Our saint there miraculously banished a monster, from a fountain, that was near ; and, loaves of bread were sent to the four Patricksfromheaven. Thesealsoestablishedabondofholyfriendshipand alliance. The period for our saint's dwelling there has been stated as seven years. '40 Anotheraccount^t'dividestheseyears,betweentheTuscanIslands, and other localities of Gaul and Italy, as also, to make up the interval, in- cluding his journeys by land and sea. ^'*^ During this time, the fear of the Lord was ever before his mind, as related in the Book of Armagh,'43 and it was the guide of all his proceedings. ^'*'' This account,'''^ as found in Tire- chan, is rendered absurd, however, by the immediate announcement,^^^ that Patrick lived for thirty years,'''^ in Aralanensis. It is to be regretted, that we have not clearer lights, regarding the places named, about this period of his career, such as the Thyrrene Sea,'4^ the Tuscan Sea, Letha, Capua,'''^ Latium and Hermon. 'so The Tripartite Life has no account of Capua, but it retains the name Hermon. 's' Colgan knew not what to do with a moun- tain, or rock, called Hermon, Arnon, or Morion. He could make out no
such that place, bearing
*'
name,
in
'S^
Compendium Annalium Ec- clesiasticorum Regni Plibernias," p. 123.
'^7 Dr. Lanigan suspects, that "thirty" ""
Porter, in his
'37 See Camden's " col. Britannia,"
had been inserted for three years, which,
Italy.
formed a of the total " perhaps, part seven,"
spent at his studies, and on his travels.
'•* It is " Et duxit eum ad said, Angelus
montem Arnon ar mair (?
muir) Lethe supra petram maris Tyrreni, in civitate quae voca- tur Capua. "— "Tertia Vita S. Patricii,"
cap. XXV. , p. 23.
'^9 Dr. Lanigan states, that aft—er the word
petram, in the Life by Probus—he should
1 6th of March
Nola, venerated on the 17th of March ; and had been added, by a bungler, who was
25. See, likewise, Lewis' Maps of Cornwall and
Devonshire.
'38 It is not defined, in the Hymn of St.
Fiach, in the Second Life, in the Third Life, in the Fourth Life, in the Fifth Life, in Jocelyn's, nor in the Tripartite Life.
'39 Colgan conjectures these were probably St. Patrick of Auvergne, venerated at the
St. of Patrick, Bishop
rather have said the Third I-ife
something
;
St. Patrick Senior, venerated at the 24th of
August. See his note 22, on the Hymn of
striving to interpret the Irish words ar muir Lethe. According to Dr. Lanigan, the scribe mistook Lethe for Latium. Hence
St. Fiach, p. 7.
'•'° Colgan thinks this arose, from a was introduced the Tuscan Sea, and,
copyist's error, by writing srucn for nine. wonderful to tell, Capua. This greatly
"
See Tertia Vita S. Patricii," n. 28, p.
puzzled Colgan. Knowing that Capua lies several miles distant from the sea, he con-
jectured, that for Capua we might read Caieta. See " Trias Thaumaturga. " Vita
Tertia S. Patricii, cap. xxv. , p. 23, and nn. 25, 26, p. 31. Jocelyn has copied this ac- count, about the Tuscan Sea and Capua, but
"
Septima Vita S. Patricii,"
30. Also, see
lib. i. , cap. xxxiv. , p. 122, and n. 16, p. 171.
'•' That of Tirechan.
'^^ This account, as found in Tirechan,
"
laborum suorum. " See also Ussher's mordia," cap. xvii. , p. 835.
adds,
ut ipse dixit in commemoratione
'^3 According to "Dicta S. Patricii," in
of Tara," p. 35.
'^5 It is said to have been received, from a
Bishop Ultan, by some thought to have been over the See of Ardbraccan, in the
seventh century.
'^^ After "laborum," as seen in Ussher's
allusion, "Primordia," cap. xvii. , p. 835,
" Erat autem in una ex
Vita S. Patricii," cap. xxvi. , p. 70.
'5° Probus mentions the interference of an
the
Liber Armacanus," fol. 9.
"
'•** See Dr. Petrie's "Essay on the Hill
the text thus runs
insulis, quae dicitur Aralanensis, annis xxx.
'5' See the Seventh Life, pars, i. , cap. xxxvii,, p. 122.
'5= The Bollandists seem to have shelved
this difficulty, by changing the mountain into a river ; most probably, by understand- ing Arnon, as in the Third Life, to mean the River Arno. On it, the city of Pisa is
:
"
Pri-
he calls the mountain Alorion. See
"
Sexta
angel, in sending St. Patrick to Hermon, a "
walled city near the sea. See Quinta Vita S. Patricii," lib. i. , cap. xvii. , p. 48.
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 517
According to some of St. Patrick's Acts, the holy man had determined to visit Rome, in order to be better instructed, in the ecclesiastical Constitutions, and Canons. He felt desirous withal, that his journey for Ireland might be approved, and ratified by Apostolic authority. This determination he mani- fested to St. German, who well approved of it. Germanus joined with St. Patrick a servant of God, named Segitius,^53 or Segetius,^54 also called Serge- cius,'ss the Priest, as a comfort in his trials, and as a faithful witness to his holy conversation. ^56 Then, as we are told, he had an angelic revelation, that he should seek out a holy solitary, called Justus,^37 living in an island of
the Etruscan S—ea. It is
certain bacichis or as called in Irish bachul
for — puic philologists
differ as to which is
while our who were then small, children,
have now become as observe. " decrepit, you
There is a different rendering of this story,
in Colgan's Latin Tripartite Life, and in Miss Cusack's Irish version of it.
'^^ Probus speaks of a staff, with which St. Patrick struck a certain grave. See
in old —that St. Patrick received there a stated, accounts,
a bishop's staff, a crozier.
the original root
Of these Bachul Phadraig, St. Patrick's crozier, was the most celebrated. " See n. //. , pp. 117, 174, of that admirable and elegant Poem, " The Monks of Kilcrea. "
" Vita S. lib. ii. , Quinta Patricii,"
'59 See a monk of Hunt- Henry, Saltrey,
cap. xxi. , p. 58. Still, he does not call it " the Staff of Jesus. " Neither does he tell how the
ingdonshire, in his book, " De Purgatorio S. Patricii," cap. i.
''°
See the Seventh Life, pars, i. , cap. xxxvii. , pp. 122, 123.
saint came to possess it. "
'5^
the Staff of Jesus," because our Saviour
afterwards regarded with great
religious veneration. It was called
is thought to have given it himself 'S9 to a hermit of the place. In turn, he was directed to present it to St. Patrick, when he should arrive there. '^° After charitable salutations and some spiritual conference passing between them, the holy man, Justus, delivered to Saint Patrick that staff, which he said he received out of our Saviour's own hands, and destined for him alone.
Other old and men resided on that young
"
island, apart
Patrick, after living some days with that servant of God, went on his journey
to Rome, being enriched with that holy staff, which the Almighty had so miraculously sent him. However, no mention of this circumstance occurs, in St. Fiach's Hymn, nor in his Commentator, nor in Probus. ^^^ Yet, the Tripartite Life of our saint^^3 and Jocelyn'^4 relate some wonderful miracles.
situated, and here its Bishop Senior lived,
according to their supposition. See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus ii. , Martii xvii. De S. Patricio Apostolo Hibemise. Commenta- rius praevius, sect, viii. , num. 34, p. 527.
'33 In the Second Life in the Third ;
Life ; in the Fourth Life. In Probus, by an
apparent error, the name is written Regirus. 'S* In the Tripartite Life.
'55 By Jocelyn.
'5^ See the Sixth Life, cap. xxiv. , p. 70. '57 In a Synod held at Aries, about A. D.
450, a bishop called Justus assisted, and it is remarkable, that the Synod was mainly composed of prelates, educated at the School
"
of Lerins. See Tillemont, Memoires pour
servir a I'Histoire Ecclesiastique," tome
XV. , p. 407. —
'5* "Bachul a staff. Either, hence the
— Baniliim or from it Bachal Eas- Latin, ;
'*3 See Septima Vita S. Patricii," lib. '*' The following curious and legendary i. , cap. xxxvi. , xxxvii. , pp. 122, 1 23. The
particulars are related, in addition, by Jocelyn : When St. Patrick had conferred
with the youthful-looking persons, he learned from them, that the apparent seniors
Irish version has an account, differing from
that in the text, regarding the reception of this celebrated staff. See Miss Cusack's
were the sons of those
when he enquired how this wonder hap-
" Life of St. Patrick," p. 377. "
apparent juniors,
and
'^-^ See Sexta Vita S. xxiv. , p. 70.
Patricii," cap.
from ^^^ Saint Justus.
; but, night, pilgrim bearing a staff sought refuge at their house, andhewasmostconsideratelytreated; in the morning, he blessed them and said,
'
You have received Jesus Christ, this time
in person, whereas formerly you only served his members. " Then, leaving his staff with the chief of those holy men, he was ordered to keep it, until a pious pilgi'im, named Patrick, should in lapse of time come to their island. Giving these orders, Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, and we con- tinued in the same state of youthfulness,
beauty and vigour, to the present
time
;
" From our for- youth
pened, they replied :
ward, through the Divine mercy, we were all intent on performing charitable works, while our doors were always open to every traveller, asking for food and hospitality, in Christ's name one a
5i8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
wrought through it, and they compare it for efficacy to the rod of Moyses. '^s As by it, says Jocelyn, God wrought many prodigious wonders, in bringing the IsraeHtes out of the house of bondage, so by that holy staff, which the Lord had sent to his true servant Patrick, did he work wonderful miracles, in the conversion of many nations. St. Bernard'^" and Jocelyn allude to it, as
having been held by the Irish, in great veneration, at that time, when they respectivelywrote. IfSt. PatrickbroughttheStaffofJesusfromthatisland,
where he had been educated, it may have been a keepsake given to him, by some dear friend. Perhaps, at first, it was merely a plain walking staff,
although subsequently it served the purposes of an episcopal crozier. ^^? However this may be, it was transferred from Armagh to Dublin, by William Fitz-Adelm De Burgo, and deposited in Christ's Church, about the year 1180. "^^ With many other relics, it was publicly burned, in High-street, by the Protestant Archbishop Browne, soon after the Reformed doctrines had been brought into Ireland. '^9
Thus, after receiving the Staff of Jesus, from the hand of our Lord Him-
self, according to the Irish Tripartite Life, and at a place, called Sliabh-Her- moin, near the island, St. Patrick was commanded to go and preach to the Gaeidhel. Hewastold,likewise,thattheBachall-Isashouldproveofgreat assistance to him, in all his difficulties and dangers. Then are related, three special requests, made by the favoured of heaven ;^7o but, as these appear to partake of a legendary cast, the reader may well be spared an enumeration of those specific petitions preferred. Nine companions, according to some accounts, journeyed with the saint, at this period of his life ; but, the order and variety of incidents recorded are greatly confused, by his different bio- graphers.
CHAPTER VI.
ST. Patrick's reception of holy orders—his supposed missionary labours at BOULOGNE—HIS MISSION WITH SAINTS GERMANUS AND LUPUS TO GREAT BRITAIN— THEIR RETURN TO GAUL—ST. PALLADIUS IN IRELAND—ST. PATRICK PROCEEDS TO ITALY—HIS CONSECRATION AS BISHOP—ST. PATRICK SAID TO HAVE BEEN AN AUGUS- TINIAN—DESTINED FOR HIS MISSION TO IRELAND, BY THE POPE.
Having received the various grades of clerical Orders, and even priesthood
under St. Germanus ^ it has been that before St.
