No More Learning

"• See "Acta Sanctorum,," tomus iii. , Aprilis xxiv. De Sanctis Martyribus The- bais, Mauritio, Georgio et Tiberio, Pinarolii in Pedemontio, p. 266.
R. Townley's
among the pretermitted saints, ibid. , p.
April 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 479
writers have ascribed the first Christian fruits there gathered,* among the aboriginal inhabitants-^ We are further informed, that being regarded as first
founder of and
missionary
* of the Manx Church,? St. Patrick left Germanus,*
in 447, to rule as bishop over the people he converted, in the Isle of Man. 9
He is to have been one of St. Patrick's own '° He settled the
said, disciples.
matter of religion so firmly in this Island, that it was said, the people never after-
wards relapsed into paganism. He is stated to have died, during the lifetime of
St. Patrick. " ThecathedralchurchofManwasdedicate—d,however,toaSt.
Germanus. It is said, St. Patrick afterwards consecrated it some think Conin-
drus and others Romulus ;" while Jocelyn make them contemporaries, and
living together on the Isle of Man, having been placed there, by the Irish
Apostle,afterthedeathofGermanus. Theiraccessiontotheepiscopatehas
been assigned, to a. d. 474. '' However, this chronology has been contested ;'
for, many writers believe St. Patrick to have died, before the period named. '*
The early Lives of the Irish Apostle, although they mention Conindrus and
Romulus, are quite silent on this subject of St. Patrick having preached there.
They give us no hint, about the propagation of Christianity in Man, except on the occasion of Maccaldus' voyage thither. The Manx very generally give
the name of Maughold to him, whom they regard as a special Patron. He is also called Machella and Manchold. '*
The chief accounts remaining, to illustrate the Acts of St. Machaldus, are to be found in some of St. Patrick's Lives, and especially in those of the Tri- partite ' and of Jocelyn. '* By Probus,"' he is called Macfail, and Maguil
St. Patrick," at the 17th of March, the date for his festival, chap, vi. , xxii.
5 on his from Jocelyn pretends, returning
Germanus to have been St. Patrick's disci- ple, as also a Bishop in the Isle of Man. See " Britannicarum Ecclesiarum "
an excursion to Great Britain, that St. Patrick pp. 643 to 842.
undertook the conversion of those " See Rev. inhabiting J.
various small islands, particularly Eubonia or Mannia.
'
The Tripartite Life throws out a hint, that the mission of St. Patrick had some in- 6uence on the Gospel prc^ess within that island. Thb exhibits Man as having be- come famous, after the arrival of St. Patrick, by serving as a retreat for monks.
' In Richard Gough's Camden's " Britan- nia," vol. iii. , it is said, St. Patrick converted the Isle of Man to the Christian faith, about 440, when the bishopric was first erected. See p. 701.
Cumming's Man," Appendix P, p. 342.
•
His (east is referred to the yd of July,
by Colgan, in " Trias Thaumaturga," Sexia Vita S. Particii, n. 103, p. 113.
' Germanus is not spoken of, however, in
any of St. Patrick's Lives, except in that Life
by Jocelin. Neither is he mentioned in the
Chronicle of Man. He is thought to have
been a fictitious personage, introduced in con-
sequence of the cathedral of Man being dedi-
cated to a . St. German, who was no other
than the great St. German of Auxerre. He,
too, was highly revered by the ancient Irish.
'See Keith's " of Catalogue
Ussher had seen into the mistake of
sending
Scottish
one Germanus from Rome with St. Patrick.
See Wood's " Account of the Isle of Man,"
chap, vil
Bishops," p. 298, Russell's edition.
'' See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. iii. , cap. Ix. , Ixi. , pp. l6o, 161, and n. 87 to 91, p.
185.
" See SexUVitaS. Patricii, cap. cli. , dii.
""
beenaCanonoftheLateranChurch. Ussher, depending on Jocclyn's statement, admits
Some have incorrectly stated, thathe had
" Isle of
" The Tripartite Life of St. Patrick states, that the bishops Conderius and Romailus were persons, who disseminated and propa- ^ted the faith and doctrine of Christ, in that island.
3 See Ussher's "Index Chronologicus," at A. D. , CCCCLXXIV.
'* According to the Tripartite Life, those two bishops were in Man, before the founda- tion of the See of Armagh. Wherefore, if they lived there, it must have been prior to A. D. 455, as Rev. Dr. Lanigan computes the period.
'5 The Rev. Dr. Lanigan concludes, that there is no sufficient foundation for the state-
ment of St. Patrick having preached in Man ; that its first bishop was not the pretended Germanus ; and that, although it may not be improbable, that Conindrus and Romulus had received their appointment from St. Patrick, we have no decisive testimony on that subject. See " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," vol. i. , chap, vi. , n. 118, pp. 305 to 307.
G.
Antiquitates,
48o LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 25.
is another appellation given to him. The Third Life of St. Patrick has a brief account regarding him, under the latter name. ^° In the Fourth Life, he is called Ciclops,andafterwardsDemana. "' ThefestivalofSt. Magil,Maccaldus,or Maccalleus, has been assigned to the 25th of April, by Colgan,'^^ who strangely- enough confounds Maccaleus with Maccaldus, in one passage,'3 while else- where he makes a distinction between them. ^* It was Colgan's intention to have published a Life of St. Machaldus, at the JSth of April. ^s The Bollan- dists have the accounts of St. Machald, chiefly drawn from the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, and from Jocelyn, when recording his Acts, at this date. '* It is generally assumed, that the present saint may not be confounded with St. Machaille, who gave the veil to St. Brigid. The names are similar, how- ever, and the festivals appear to refer, as supposed, to this same day. The
Rev. Alban Butler registers St. Macull, or Maughold, confessor, at the 25th of April, =' and whose name is Latinized, as he supposes, Macallius. At the 25th of April, there is an account of St. Machalus, who had then a festival. ^' We may consider him, as not distinct from St. Machaldus. In his Life of St. Patrick,
Jocelyn has an interesting but a very legendary account of St. Machaldus -p and, this seems to have been drawn, in a great measure, from an earlier nar- rative, to be found in the Irish Tripartite Life of our great Apostle. From this we mny glean, that Machaldus belonged to the northern parts of Ireland ;3° and, the particular district was Mag-inis, in Lecale. s' We are obliged to fol- low the legendary narrative of his acts, without any possibility of correcting what may be supposed the fiibulous portion. In one of St. Patrick's Lives, he is called Ciclops ;3' and, it is said, that he lurked in a rough and mountainous part of the country, as also, that he was a wicked and cruel tyrant, who killed men and took spoils from them. 33 It is—stated, likewise, that hi—mself and
34
his impious companions had a Diberch some diabolic sign on their
heads. 35
While travelling into IJlydia, we aretold St. Patrickfound one Magiul, a hea-
then, also called Machaldus. He was eminent in wickedness, and notorious for
hiscruelt}'. Aslikealwaysaccordswithlike,hegatheredtohimnosmallcom-
pany, well practised in theft, in rapine, and in blood. It happened, on a time, that the blessed Patrick was journeying with his people through that place,
pp. 98, 99, and nn. 156 to 159, pp. 115, 116.
'' See Quinta Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. ix. , X. , xi. , pp. 52, 53, and nn. 6, 7, 8, p. 63.
'" See Tertia Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxiii. , p. 27, and nn. 71, 72, p. 34.
" See Quarta Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxxi. , Ixxxii. , pp. 45, 46, and nn. 60 to 65, p. 50.
"See "Trias Thaumaturga," pp. 265, 266.
"3 See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," xiii.
are distinct, in the Irisli language. Seethe Life of St. Brigid, at the 1st of February, chap. iii. , andnotes82,83.
°5 See " Trias Th. iumaturga," Tertia Vita
S. Patricii,n. 77. p. 34.
"' See "Acta Sanctorum," toraus iii. ,
xxv. Aprilis. De Sanctis Episcopis Hibernis Macalleo in Cruacliadia, et Machaldo in In- sula Mona, pp. 366 to 368.
=? See " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. iv. , Aprilis xxv.
°* "
See Bishop Forbes' Kalendars of
Scottish Saints," p. 380.
"See " Trias Th. iumaturga," Sexta Vita
S. Patricii, cap. cli. , clii. , pp. 98, 99. — 3° He lived " in regionibus Vliorum. "
Quarta Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxxi. , p. 45.
De S. Connano, n.
^2 He was called so,
from a
=• As elsewhere mentioned, both names posed resemblance to Polyphemus, cele-
Januarii.
7, p.
60.
probably
sup-
"
^i See ibid. Sepiima Vita S. Patricii, lib.
iii. , cap. Ix. , p. 160. In this region lay Down and Saul. See n. 87, p. 187.
brated for his cruelties and robberies. ^^SeeiiiJ. Quarta Vita S. Patricii, n. 60,
p. 50.
^4 'j'his may have been a badge of con-
federacy,orit mayhavebeenintendedto frighten travellers.
^^ See iiid. Tertia Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxiii. , p. 27.
See Colgan's
Trias Thaumaturga. "
April 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 481
where lurked this band of evil-doers, waiting for any traveller, on whom they
might rush forth, either to destroy or to despoil him. Beholding the saint, they thought at first to slay him, as the seducer of their souls, and the de-
stroyer of their gods ; but, suddenly, their purpose being changed by the Divine will, they thought it a shame to shed the blood of a peaceful, weak,
andanunarmedoldman. Counsellingoneanothertoprove,orratherto
mock, the power of Christ, and the holiness of Patrick, they placed one of
their companions, named Garban, on a couch, and though he was in perfect
health, they feigned him to be dead, thinking thus to impose on the Irish Apos-
tle. 3' They covered their accomplice with a cloak, and offering prayers, in-
tended to deceive, they besought the man of God, that he would provide the
funeralrites,or,ashewaswont,restoretolifethedeadman. But,through
revelation of the Holy Spirit, he understood what they had done, and pro-
nounced, that these scorners ha^ deceivingly, yet not falsely, declared their
companion to be truly dead. Therefore, disregarding their entreaties, he
prayedtoGodforthesoulsofthederiders,andthenwentonhisway. The
saint had not journeyed far, when they uncovered the cloak, from their com-
panion;andlo! theyfoundhimnotapretendedcorpse,butreallydead. Affrighted at this fearful event, and dreading lest the same fateshould happen
tothemselves,theyfollowedPatrick,andfellathisfeet. Acknowledgingtheir offence,throughtheircontrition,theyobtainedpardon. Then,theyallbelieved in the Lord; and, in his name, were they baptized. Afterwards did the saint, at their humble entreaty, revive the dead man, and regenerating him in the holy font of baptism, Patrick associated him to the faith in Christ. 37 Machal- dOs, their chief, falling at St. Patrick's feet, confessed his sins, and entreated with many tears, that a life of penitence should be imposed upon him, whereby he might attain the life of eternity. The saint inspired by heaven enjoined, that the penitent should renounce his native soil, and give all his substance to the poor. Afterwards, he clothed Machaldus, it is stated, in a vile and rough garment, and chained him down with chains of iron, casting the key, which secured them, into the ocean. Likewise, St. Patrick commanded him to enter alone, and without oars, into a boat made only of hides. 3' The Irish Apostle further enjoined, that on whatsoever country NIachaldus should land, under the guidance of the Lord, there should he eerve the Church of Christ, even to the end of his days. Truly repenting, Machaldus did as his great pastor had enjoined ; for, bound with iron chains, and bearing on his head the tonsure, as token of penitence, he entered alone into that boat, Unedr the protection of God, committing himself to His mercy and to the waves,
Machaldus was borne by them onwards to the Island Eubonia. 3» It was called Mannia, or Man, even so early as the twelfth century ;•'' while another form of the name is Manain. *' A northern wind caused the bark to be wafted southwards to the Island luuonia, as another account states. *' The ancient arn)orial bearings of the See of Man and Sodor were represented by azure, St. Columba<3 at sea in a rock-boat, all proper in chief, and overhead a
** See his Life, chap, xxi. , in the previous vatum, poslea, ah adventii sancti Patricii, volume. Chrisli niystarum et Monachorum secessu ; ". See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," et sede nobilem, claramque insulam," &c.
Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. iii. , cap. Ix. , pp. 160, 161.
'•The Fourth Life calls it " culleum," or what the Irish were accustomed to call a
currach, being formed of twigs woven thir, and covered with leather or skins.
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Sep- timaVitaS. Patricii, lib. iii. , cap. Ixi. , p. 161. '"SeeiiiJ. Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap.
» of Machaldus, the
Speaking Tripartite
Quarta
Vita S. Patricii,
cap.
:
Life states " Venit autcm in Manniam
Ixxxi. ,
'^ See his Life, at the 9th of June.
sive Euboniam, ohm Druydum et gentilium
toge-
clii. , p. 98.
*' . See ibid.
lxxiii. ,p. 27. *' See ibid.
Tertia Vita S. Patricii, cap.
p. 45.
HI
48i LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 25.
blazingstarinor. « Itseemsprobable,however,thefigurewasnotintended for St. CoKnnba, but for St. Maughold, as it bears so closely a resemblance to the legend concerning his arrival on the Island. Moreover, the latter was the senior saint, and he was held, by the Manx, in especial repute. '*'
At that time, in Eubonia lived the two bishops, named Conindrius and Romulus,^^ whom St. Patrick himself had consecrated and appointed to rule over the people of that island, and to instruct them in the faith of Christ, afterthedeathofGermanus,thefirstbishop. Thesesaintlyprelates,behold- ing Machaldus, marvelled much, pitied his misery, but when they understood hiscase,tiieyreceivedhimkindly,andretainedhimwiththemselves. Inthe Fourth of St. Patrick's Lives, Machaldus is called Uemana. 't? During the epis- copacy of Romulus, St. Maughold was cast ashore in his little corrach or leather- covered boat, and at that head of land, which now bears his name. '*' Here was Kirk Maughold founded, in after times, and it was dedicated to our saint. *'
Kirk Maughold, Isle of Man.
The latter is built on a lofty promontory, and in the middle of a most extensive cemetery, 5° while near it are many Runic inscriptions, cut upon long flat stones. '"
" See Keith's " Catalogue of Scottish
Bishops. "
*5 See Rev. Joseph George Cumming's
"Isle of Man," Appendix P, p. 340.
*' These are the names given them in the Fourth Life, and by Jocelyn. liy Probus, one is called Conindrus, and in the Tripartite Life, they are styled Conderius and Romai- his. Accordin'4 to Colgan, one is more cor- rectly called Condirius, venerated in our Irish Calendars, on the 17th of November, and the other Romulus or Romanus, vene- rated on tlie l8tli of Novembi-r. See ''Trias
*' Colgan suggests, that this seems to be an error, for de Mona, or de Mannia. How- ever, the Irish language has Denihan as the
"
ordinary at. pellation of the demon. " See
ibid. ,n. (X). Thistermmayhavebeenapplied
to his ]iast life ; yet, the former interpretation seems to be most probable.
*' Underneath some moss-covered rocks, there is a spring called . St. Maughold's well, and an oliject called St. MaughoM's chair.
The waters are supposed to produce super- natural effects. See George Woods' "Ac- count of the Past and Present State of the
Thaumaturga," Quarta Vita S. Patricii, nn. Isle of Man," chap, xiii. , p. 172. London, 63, 64, p. 10. i8ii,8vo.
April 25. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 483
The truly penitent Machaldus applied his bodilyand mental powers, tofollow the counsel and rules of both those holy bishops, until at last, throuijh Divine appointment, he deserved to succeed them, in the episcopal office. 5' By the universal consent of the Manx, he was chosen, in due course, as their bisiiop. This is said to have occurred, about five years after St. Patrick's death, i. e. in 498. 53 How long he sat as bishop is uncertain ; but, he is said to have succeeded, immediately on the death of Conindrius and of Romulus, ascribed to the year just noted. = However, the BoUandists are of opinion, that his succession should be assigned to an earlier period. ss After he had for some time there abided, one day a fish happened to be taken in the sea, and brouglit unto their dwelling. When the fish was opened before them, a key was found in its belly, as tlie legend runs, and Machaldus being thus released from his chains, gave thanks to God, and went the—nceforth free. It has been
supposed,*' but incorrectly, that St. Machaldus confounded
with Macca-
—
received it from the former Bishop, in the Isle of Man. Increasing in holiness, after the deaths of the pious bishops named, Machaldus attained the episcopal degree ; while, he is said, to have been an illustrious prelate, and to haveruledoverArd-Ebranensis. ^s Beingeminentforhismiraclesandfor his virtues, there did he rest, and there, too, is he held in special veneration. In that island there was a city after him named, of no small extent, the re- mains of whose walls might long ago be seen. In the cemetery of its church, there was a sarcophagus of hollow stone, whereout a spring continually exuded, in the twelfth century. This was sweet to the draught, wholesome to the taste, and it healed divers infirmities. *" It is added, whosoever drinketh thereof, either receiveth instant health, or instantly he dieth. And in that stone are the bones of St. Machaldus said to rest; yet, therein is nothing found save only clear water. Though many oftentimes endeavoured to remove the stone, and especially the King of the Norici,*' who subdued the island, that he might at all times have sweet water ; yet, have they all failed in their attempt, for the
deeper they have delved to raise up the stone, so much the more deeply was it found fixed in the earth. '' The Annals of Ulster state, that M'Caille, Epi Mannensis died, a. d. 489. '3 However, there may be some confusion
* The accompanying illustiation, from a toriae," lib. ix. , fol. 158. Other writers have '
leus 57
gave the veil to St. Brigid,*' Patroness of Ireland, and
that
she
photograph furuislied by Rev. E. C. iffrey, when statroned at Douglas, was drawn on the wood by William F. Wakeman, and it was engraved by Mrs. Millard.
5° See "A Description and Historical Account of the Isle of Man," &c. , p 138.
plates, with descriptions, 4to, 1857.
5' Thisstatcraent of Probu^cnds with the
since copied his statement,
5' AIsd a Bishop, and venerated on this
5' See Rev.
and other Monumental Remains of the Isle of Man," containing fourteen interesting
J. Gumming.
quotation,
from an older work, in the Tripartite Life of
" Hie est Macfail
St. Patrick,
^ In the time of Jocelyn.