No More Learning

these, having disturbed the tranquillity of Ireland, but not as holding permanent rule over the
this Northman freebooter are related, in his
Topographia Hibernise," xlvi.
Ussher — also, the name of St. introduces,
Celestine meant for St. Celsus— his prede« cessor in the See of Armagh. See " De Primordiis Britannicarum Ecclesiarum," cap. xvii. , p. 916. St. Celsus and St. Celestine have a festival, at the 6th of April, in the Roman and Irish Martyrologies.
*" See Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. clxxv. , pp. 103, 104, and nn. 164, 165, p. 116.
^ His festival occurs, on the lOth of May,
While most of our Irish historians admit only of an Irish succession of monarchs, on the throne of Ireland, with partial conquests by the Danes and Norwegians ; Dr. Jeofifrey Keat- ing asserts, that Turgesius, the Dane, usurped the sovereignty of Ireland, from A. D. 866 to 879, when he was slain, by Maolseachlain, the succeeding monarch.
The warlike exploits and tyrannical reign of
Ireland," part ii. ,
^' His feast occurs at the 3rd of Novem-
756 LIVJSS OF TBE IRISH SAINTS. [March t;.
teries, and he was the father of numberless holy monks. He built the famous Monastery of Luxovium,'»5 in France, and of Bobbio,''^ beyond the Alps, where
his days ended, most gloriously and happily. Jocelyn declares, it would be quite superfluous to dilate more, on the splendour of this church, at Bangor, since it has received a sufficient description, in the Acts of St. Comgall, first
abbot of the place, and in those<7 of St. Malachy,-! ^ Archbishop, and Legate of the Apostolic See, in Ireland. '•9
. Envying the progress of the Christian Religion, and our saint's glory, some wicked man suborned a woman, that used to beat and to dress flax, and who lived by that path the saint was to pass. She was engaged to hide a quantity of flax in a hollow tree, not far off, and when the saint passed that way, they wished her to cry out against him and his holy company, and to accuse them of having stolen the flax. That woman did as she had been directed, by those wicked men, who rushed out of their hiding-places, when the woman began to cry. Flocking about the saint, and his companions, they were accused as guilty thieves, and worthy of torments and of death. Near that place, where such a tumult was excited, a person had been buried. Him the saint revived, and this man gave testimony, clearing the saint, and his companions from that slander, by showing where the flax had been secreted. The contrivers of mischief, owing to this miraculous event, were reclaimed from idolatry, to the acknowledgment of a true God, so that they found mercy in his sight, while the holy servants of their Divine Master miraculously escaped, Irom the plots of their enemies. 5° Oftentimes did the glorious saint see our Saviour, with the heavens open, and our Lord Jesus, standing in the midst of multitudes of Angels. This sometimes happened, when he said Mass, and at other times, as when he devoutly sung St. John's Revelations. Besides,theAngelVictor,sooftenmentionedinhisActs,was wont to appear thrice every week, to refresh his mind, with Divine colloquies and discourses. When souls had departed from this life, our Blessed Patrick saw full often some go to endure the pains of hell, while others were sent to enjoy the delights of heaven. One example of a very remarkable kind, and which the saint himself, for the sake of edification, was wont to relate, may
here be mentioned. A great nobleman, who lived in much prosperity, and who died with no less fame, was accounted, by those that knew his life and end,tohavelivedmosthappily,andtohavebeenpleasingtoGod; whereas, a poor, despised lazar, who passed all his life in great misery, who wanted even the honour of burial, after his death, and whose body had become a prey to fowlsoftheair,wasesteemedamostwickedman. But,theBlessedBishop knew the blindness of human judgment, and told several persons, that he saw the rich man's soul buried in hell, while the poor man's soul had been carried uptoheaven. Thisthesaintsaw,inavisionconcerningthesetwomen,and he was wont to recite something similar, regarding many other persons. ^^ While St. Patrick, and a holy man, called Winnoc,52 sat together, and were engaged in conversation, about religious matters, one day, a cloak descended
*< The feast of St. Luan, or Moluan,
occurs, on the 4th of August. *5 Or Luxeu.
*' Allusion is made to St. Bernard's " Vita S. Malachide. "
s° See Tertia Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixviii. , pp. 26, 27. Also, Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. cxlvi. , p. 97.
** An
seated on the River Treba, in Northern Italy.
si See Sexta Vita S.
episcopal town,
Patricii, cap. clxxx. ,
puic Innech, who is venerated, at the 29th * His festival is held, at the 3rd of No* of August. He is said, likewise, to have
vember, as already stated.
^' See Sexta Vila S. Patricii, cap. xcviii. , p. 88.
been connected with the churcii of Teagh.
neatha, or Tynan, in the county of Armagh. 53 See Tertia Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxi. ,
clxxxi. , pp. 104, 105.
s^ Said to have been Bishop of Rath-Eas-
March 17. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
757
"
that cloak, sent thee, because thou hast left all things for God's sake. " In
from Heaven.
our Irish
the
holy
man
Thereupon,
Apostle
out,
Winnoc,
cried
" This cloak is rather sent from God to
take
who
said,
hath made thyself poor, while possessing many things, and who remaineth
reply,
thee,
unclothed, while thou hast covered many persons. " While this contest of humility prevailed, the cloak ascended before their sight, towards the clouds ;
but, soon, two cloaks were seen descending, and these respectively alighted on the holy men's shoulders. 53 While St. Patrick was resting one day, on the landsS4 of a certain plebeian, his horses were grazing in the fields, belong- ing to that man. 55 Being of an avaricious disposition, he upbraided the saint, by using contumelious words, and taking up stones to cast at the horses, they were driven away from his pastures. But, a just retribution fell upon the owner, for his former fertile field became barren, and no crops could be raised there, in after times. s^ Another miracle is related, regarding a certain good man, who loaded two waggons with rods, at the request of St. Patrick ; and, for some necessary reason, he brought these to a spot designated. A fire took place there, and one of the waggons immediately rolled to a dis- tance, while the other remained ; but, although it was completely surrounded by the flames, not a single twig was destroyed. ^? We find it related, that at one time, St. Patrick was passing a place, where a great number of men laboured, yet in vain, to raise a large stone. The holy man approached them, he prayed and blessed that stone, and immediately it was raised in the place designed for it, to the great admiration of all, who were present. The labourers were converted to the Christian faith, and they received baptism, at the hands of our saint. s^ At a place, called Tedna, which, in the time of Jocelyn, belonged to the Metropolitan See of Armagh, the holy Apostle placed the veil, on the heads of four virgins, consecrated to God, and there were shown marks of their feet, where they stood upon a stone. These re- mained, even to the twelfth century. 59 The Latin and Irish Tripartite Lives, towards the close, briefly recapitulate various miracles of St. Patrick, which they had previously counted, more in detail. The fame of St. Patrick's great virtues and works excited a holy man of distinguished merit and virtue, who was named Vinualocus,^° and living in Brittany, in France, to leave his native soil, and to visit Ireland, there to become St. Patrick's disciple and scholar. The night before he was to begin this journey, in a vision, he saw a most
venerable man, attired in episcopal robes. This man said to him " Know,
:
my dearest Vinualocus, that I am Patrick, to whom you repair. Know that the time of my dissolution is near, so that before you can come where I am, I shall have departed from life. It is the will of God, that you forsake not this place. " Then, the vision disappeared. The holy Vinualocus obeyed the Divine admonition, and he remained in Lesser Britain. ^*
p. 27, and n. 69, p. 34. Also, Sexta Vita S, Patricii, cap. cxlix. , pp, 97, 98, and n. 154, p. 115.
5* Jocelyn relates, that this occurred, near Roscommon, in Connaught.
55 The Fifth Life, lib. ii. , cap. xxviii. , re- lates this matter, with some variations. It states, that the animals, in question, were oxen, unyoked trom St. Patrick's chariot.
"
in campo Hanyr," and, it is said, the sea covered them. The
et infructi- fera eadem terra facta est a die, qua male- dixit earn S. Patricias, usque_"in hodiernum
diem. "
ss See Tertia Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxiv. , p. 27. Also, Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. cliii. , p. 99.
i^ See Tertia Vita S. Patricii, cap. Ixxv. ,
p, 27. Also Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap.
civ. , p. 99.
ss gee Tertia Vita S. Patricii, cap. 11. , p.
25. Also Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. xlii. , p. 78,
59 See Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. ciiL, p. 89.
It also places the lands,
"
account adds: Arenosa
ergo
'5° His festival March,
occurs,
at the
3rd
of
''
p, 105. Surius relates the foregoing
See Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. clxxxii,,
758 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March 17.
The glorious Bishop, with indefatigable labour and preaching, and with mar- vellous miracles often repeated, converted the whole kingdom of Ireland to the Christian Religion. He consecrated or ordained bishops, priests, and other clerics, in all places, that he thought convenient for his purposes, and the numberofthoseecclesiasticshasbeenvariouslyestimated. Insomeancient accounts, we have no defined number, as in the Third,^' Fourth^s and Fifth^^ Lives of the saint. According to Jocelyn, no less than three hundred and fifty bishops^s he consecrated with his own hands ^^ five thousand^? did he
; ^^
but, the number of those, that were ordained in minor orders, as also of monks and of nuns professed, wassoincalculable,thatGodaloneknewtheexactenumeration. ^9 Asifto accommodate the number of bishops to the days of the year, Nennius, and other writers after him,7° have 365. 7^ Again, the Latin Tripartite Life tells us, that no less than 370 bishops received consecration from him. ^^ How- ever, Dr. Lanigan does not think it probable, that such a number of bishops
could have been consecrated for the Irish Church,73 during the lifetime of St. Patrick ; and, it is probable enough, the appointment of many, whether
as bishops, or as chorepiscopi, must be referable to a period succeeding his Apostolate. The old Catalogue, published by Ussher, does not give the number of three hundred and fifty bishops, only for St. Patrick's time ; but, for the whole period, of about one hundred years,74 that extended to near
the end of the reign of King Tuathail, that is, to near a. d. 554. Hence, for such an interval, between bishops, properly so called, and chorepiscopi, about 350 in all might be a very credible number. 75
invest with the holy functions of the priesthood ;
miracle, in Vita S. Winwalloci, Martii iii.
See "De Probatis Sanctorum Vitis," tomus
ii. , pp. 49 to 54.
^^ See Tertia Vita S. Patricii, cap. xciv. ,
Patricii, cap. xcv. , p. 47.
^ Probus, when about relating the death
of our Apostle, says, that after St.
Patrick had converted a great number of people to the
true Faith, he ordained bishops and priests, for their service. We thus read, "post
Episcopos et Presbyteros in Ecclesiis ordi- natos, post totum Ecclesiasticum ordinem
bene ae perfecte compositum," &c. See Quinta Vita S. Patricii, lib. ii. , cap. xxxv. , p. 60.
*s To the first order of Irish saints, begin- ning with St. Patrick, 350 holy bishops are assigned, in an old Catalogue. See Ussher's
'•Primordia," cap. xvii. , p. 913.
^ The " Martyrology of Donegal," edited
"
Seven times fifty holy learned bishops This holy man consecrated,
With three hundred virgin presbyters. Upon whom he conferred orders. "
p. 29. " '3 It states,
*'
This, too, is the number given, in the
post Episcopos, Praesbyte- res, Diaconos, reliquosque ordines Ecclesias- ticos constitutos," &c. See Quarta Vita S.
Latin Tripartite Life.
^^ An Irish Franciscan ot learning and
genius, Father Bonaventure Baron, in an
elegant Latin Panegyric on St. Patrick,
by Rev. Drs. Todd and Reeves, states : Three
bundled and fifty holy bishops, and three
hundred priests, was the number, on whom
he conierred —orders. Thus is it given, in an hundred and fifty, or three hundred and
Irish stanza
:
SeAcVic CCA05A fAficc i'^\ui6 cAfpuce Ro oifone in ca'6,
Itn C]\1 cet) c]\uinite]\ n6§,
j:oT\f co|\mA5 5T\At).
—
seventy bishops ; and, that he ordained three thousand priests and persons of all other orders, in the Church.
73 A general ecclesiastical rule prevailed, that bishops were not to be appointed, unless there had been a necessity for their creation.
7* There can be no doubt, that after St. Patrick's death, the number of bishops in-
Thus is it rendered into
English :
Apostle of Ireland, refers to this extent of "
his labours. See Opuscula, Prosa et Metro, Argumento etiam Varia," tomus ii. , p. 177.
*9 See Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap. clxxxv. , p. 106.
'" See Archbishop Ussher, " De Primor- diis," cap. xvii. , p. 950.
7' This is a favourite number, as Bishop Lloyd has observed. See " Historical Ac- count of Church Government, as it was in Great Britain and Ireland, when they first received the Christian Religion," chap, iv. , sect. 3, p. 92.
7' See Septima Vita S. Patricii, lib. iii. , cap. xcvii. , p. 167. The Irish Tripartite version states, that he consecrated three
creased rapidly, and still more so that of the choi-episcopi. However, in our old Irish documents, these are usually included, under thegeneraldenominationofbishops.
*^
Most probably, Olcanus, or Bolcanus, venerated at the 20th of February, or on the 2nd of October.
^OrIbarus. Probably,thatbishop,vene-
rated on the of
23rd April.
5° He is not known. or Perhaps, Odrinus,
Odranus, venerated, at the l8th of February. 5' Little is known regarding him. Per- haps, however, he was Nazarius Brito,
venerated at the 26th of October.
5^ to Rev. Dr. Miser- According Lanigan,
neus is probably only another name for Isseminus or Esserenus, and made up in the customary manner by prefixing the en- dearing letter m. It would appear very
strange, if having particularly mentioned Secundinus and Auxilius, Tirechan would have omitted their venerable colleague, Misserninus, or Isseminus.
53 Several saints are called Senach, or Sinach, in our Irish Calendars.
54 Or Seachnall, Bishop of Dunshaughlin, venerated on the 27th of^November.
53 Colgan says, this is intended for Guas-
actus, Bishop of Granard, venerated at the
24th of January.
"^ His history is not known. Perhaps,
Caimlacus, or Caimlucius, venerated on the 3rd of November.
97 Bishop of Killossy, venerated, at the 19th of March, or at the 27th of August.
s^ According to Colgan, this name is in- tended for Victor. Perhaps, he was the saint, whose festival is assigned to the 28th of February ; or, perhaps, to the 17th of No- vember, as being identical with Aenghus, i. e. Buaidhbheo.
99 His identity has not been discovered.
A St. Bressalus is venerated, on the i8th of
May, and another so called, at the 30th of
September, according to Colgan.
"°
" Ecclesiasti- cal History of Ireland, vol. i. , chap, vii. ,
sect, v. , and nn. 30, 31, 32, pp. 334 to 337. 7* See " Primordia," cap. xvii. , p. 950. This again has been reproduced, by Colgan,
in "Trias Thaumaturga," and corrected, in
"See Rev. Dr.
Lanigan's "
Quinta Appendix xxiii. , p. 268.
ad Acta S.
Patricii, cap.
'7 According to Rev. Dr. Lanigan, he was not raised to the episcopacy, during the lifetime of our Apostle. His feast is at the
9th of November. It is extremely doubtful, at what particular time others had been made bishops. The places, with which many were connected, or other particulars referring to them, seem to have eluded in- vestigation.
'^ Bishop of Caisel-iorra, venerated at the 8th of June.
T^ He has not been identified.
^° He is not kno^^^l.
*' Who Charthacus was, we cannot well
discover ; for, it is hard to believe, that he was the celebrated Charthach, grandson to
King Aengus of Cashel, and who, having flourished in the sixth century, was master to the still more celebrated Carthach, or Carthage, of Lismore. Unless we should admit, that there is an error in the list, it may be concluded, that he was a still older Carthach, probably belonging to the same illustrious family, and venerated at the 5th of March.
*^ More correctly Carthennus, or Maccar- thennus. Bishop of Clogher, venerated at the 24th of March, and 15th of August.
®3 Several saints, called Conon, or Con- nan, are found, in our Irish Calendars.
Bishop of Sletty, venerated at the I2th of October.
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
March
17. ]
The list of St. Patrick's disciples, as furnished by Tirechan, may aid, in some measure, to distinguish some of those primitive bishops, consecrated at this early period. Tirechan's list has been published by Ussher,76 and their names run as follows : Benignus,? ? Bronus,? ^ Sachellus,79 Cethiacus,^" Car- thacus,^^ Cartenusj^^" Connanus,^3 Firtnanus,^^ Sigeus,^5 Cetennus,^^ Seneati- cus,87 Olcanus,^^ Iborus,^9 Ordius,9° Naziarius,^^ Miserneus,? ^ Senachus,93 Secundinus,94 Gosachus,9S Camulacus,96 Auxilius,97 Victoricus,? ^ Bressialus,99 Fiecus,'°o Menathus,'°' Cennanus,'°« Nazarus,'°3 Melus,'°+ Maceleus,'°5 Mac-
** His identity has not been discovered.
Colgan suggests, that F—innanus might be
the more correct reading probably Bishop
Finnan or Finnbarr Hua-Bar-dene, who to be mentioned in the Latin Tripartite died A. D. 439.
'5 He is unknown. Colgan says, pro- bably he was Sigenus, venerated on the 2 1st
of January.
" His history is not known. Perhaps he
was the Cethenus, mentioned in the Latin
Tripartite Life, part ii. , chap, xli,, p. 135. *' His identity has not been traced. Per- haps, Senchadhus, who is venerated at the
17th of December.
Life, part iii. , chap. xciv. However, this is a mistake. Or, he supposes Menathus, to have been a Manchan, venerated on the 14th
of February.
"' He is not known. Perhaps, Bishop
Kianen of Duleek.
'"3 His history is not known.
'04 Or Mel, Bishop of Ardagh, venerated
on the 6th of February.
'°5 Colgan says, perhaps he was Macetus,
"^ He is otherwise unknown. Colgan thinks, he may have been Monachus, said
759
760 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [March 17.
taleus,'°^ Culeneus,'°7 Asacus,^°^ Bitheus,'°9 Fa]ertus,"° Seseneus,*" Muireth- chiser,"' Temoreris,"3 Daigreus,"* Justianus mac hua Daimene,"^ Oltcanus,"^Domnallus,withmanyothers. "7 ItdoesnotappearfromTire- chan, that all of these were bishops ;"^ since, he only calls them disciples of St. Patrick. "9
A list"° of the twenty-four persons, who formed the household of St. Patrick, is found among our ancient Irish Manuscripts. Thus, in the Book of Ballymote,"' as also in that of Lecan,"" a list of the chief persons of St. Patrick's own family is contained. "3 The Book of Lecan contains, likewise, the names of converts to the preaching of St. Patrick. "4 Again, do we meet with a Poem,"s on the office-holders in the household of St. Patrick.
The Officials and Members of St. Patrick's
in the translation of an Irish Poem,"^ as set forth in the following terms
or Maccectus, about whom the Latin Tri- partiteLifetreats,atpartii. , chap,xli. ,p. 135, and at part iii. , chap xcviii. , p. 167.
'°* Some of St. Patrick's disciples were
not advanced to the episcopacy, until after
theirillustriousmaster'sdeath. Forirstince,
Mactaleus, who was Bishop of Kilculien,
must have been very young, when St.
Patrick died. It is related, that he lived according to Dr. Lanigan, read, Justinus until A. D. 549. His feast is at the nth of
June. Even supposing he had not lived so
long, he could not have been bishop there,
imtil after the death of Isseminus, in the ""
year 469. See Ussher's Index Chronolo- gicus," ad A. D. ccccxlix. and cccclxix.
ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p. 268. "*OrOlcanus. Whetherhediffersfrom of February. Might Culeneus, have been the former so named, or not, is unascer-
"7Colganthinkshisfeastwasatthe18th
the same as St. Mac-Culindus, asks Dr. tained.
Lanigan, and who is said to have been "7 There is a St. Domhnall, at the l6th Bishop of Lusk, where his memory was of April. Afterwards, is added, "et alii
celebrated, on the 6th of September, and he
is said to have died, in 497 ? See Butler's
"Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other
Principal Saints," vol. ix. , at the 6th of Patrick's particular disciples. September, and Archdall's " Monasticon
Hibernicum," county of Dublin, at Lusk. Also " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,"
these disciples, as if they were all bishops, and living in St Patrick's time. See " De
vol. i. , chap, vii. , sect, v.