No More Learning

19 " This is scrupulously observed to the
present day ; and it is performed by lower-
the main-sail a little, three times. The custom is supposed to have originated with some pious boatmen, who probably in the life-time of the saint, first adopted that mode of salutation on sailing by the Island. That
precedent a few times repeated, and a wreck
a boat which would be suffi- cient to establish the ceremony. But,
' '
Borne on the tide or driven before the
And as I passed Mac Dara's Sacred Isle, Thrice bowed my mast, and thrice let
ing
gale;
Article ii. —' "Fursaeus anno Episcopus
or other accident
befalling might happen to neglect it,
Constantis qui & Constantinus, in iiibernia claruit ut dicit Sigebertus. Hie
pattern"
is held in his
18
respect to St. Mac Dara. " — Roderick ""
'7 Moyrus, an Anglicised form of the Irish
max; Uuip, meaning the plain or field of O'Flaherty's Chorographical Description the point or promontory"; and this is a of Iar or West Connaught," p. ioo, note c,
parish
stands.
palmata,
— downmysail. " Part ii. , stanza io.
5.
Sep r ember 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 625
Maurolycus Felicis, Ferrarius, and Wion. 2 The latter writer supposes this to have been the Feast for the finding of St. Fursey's relics. The particulars of St. Fursey's life will be found at the 1 6th of January. 3 which is the day for his chief festival. * Colgan refers to the Lives of various Irish saints, for testi- monies regarding the miracles and virtues of St. Fursey, besides giving those special Acts, which he has published, at the 16th of January, and at the 9th of February. Among those we are referred to the Life of St. Cronan,5 to the
6
close of St. Cuan's Acts, to the Life of St. Molaga, to the Life of St. Barr,7
&c. St. Cumineus alludes to our saint in his treatise, intituled, u I)e
Virtutibus sive •" 8 and there he Elogiis
Sanctorum
aliquot
mentions the extraordinary practice of austerity whilst reciting the Psaltery.
singularibus
St. ^fCngus, in his Litany, alludes to our saint,9 while his ancient scholiast treats about Fursey's miracles, and his spiritual friendship with Magnennus10
11 12 and St. Meldan, both Irish saints.
According to the account of
1 Venerable Bede, St. Fursey descended from a noble family of the Scots, *
nobilis genere sed nobilior fide, ab infantia feast of the Finding of his Relics, or some
sacris litteris eruditus, dum inter parentes other special commemoration, is assigned to suos sacri verbi seminaret eloquium quadam the 28th of September. The eleventh
Chapter forms an epilogue of the preceding chapters. See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae. "
die &c," lib. viii. , cap. 126. 2"
See Lignum Vitse," at the 28th of Sep- tember.
xvi. Januarii. Vi'a S. Furssei, Appendix, cap. i. to xi. , pp. 92 to 98.
3 On this day, Colgan presents the saint's
Acts, in three different Books or Tracts,
with notes and a valuable Appendix, in
Eleven Chapters. In the last of these
chapters, he gives a summary of the contents
of previous ones, while showing certain
incidents, that serve to illustrate the Acts of
St. Fursey, and which partly concern the
honours referable to him. In the first
chapter is described the number and distinc-
tion of those writers, who have treated his
Acts in their various tracts. In the second
Chapter are to be found important testi-
monies relating to his sanctity. The third
Chapter proves his country not to have been
Scotia Minor or Albania, as some Scoto-
Britons pretend, but Scotia Major or gelido ; stans, Psalt—erium landesque divinas Hibernia, and in like manner are his mis-
sionary companions to be regarded as Irish.
In the fourth Chapter he is set down as of
Munster and his is traced to origin, pedigree
its proper source. In the fifth Chapter he is
thought probably to have been of the Bene-
dictine and episcopal order. In the sixth
Chapter are enumerated his twenty-one those who appeared to him, as may be seen
disciples, illustrious for their sanctity, and all,
in our Life of St. Fursey, Abbot of Lagny,
in France, chap, iv. , at the 16th of January. " The latter saint is associated with saints Nasad and Beoain, in the Feilire of St. Fursey was in Ireland. The eighth Chapter ^Engus, at the 26th of October. At that
with the single exception of King Sigebert, were Irish. The seventh Chapter shows, that from his infancy to about the year 635,
states how he went to England in 636, and
thence went to Gaul about the year 648 or
649. The ninth Chapter relates his death
at A. D. 652. The tenth Chapter places the
observance of his Natalis at the 9th of
February, and the day of his Deposition at
the 4th of March, the first Elevation or Fursey ab ipsa quoque insula patria dis- Translation of his Relics at the 1 6th of cessit. " We see, that the term Scotia can January, the second at the 25th of February, only apply to Ireland, which is an island. the third at the 17th of September, while the The British Scotia is not by itself so
4 See also at that date his Life, in the First Volume of this work, Art. i.
5 We are told, that our saint was a bishop
in Vita S. Cronani, cap. xvi. See the Life
of this saint at the 28th of April, in the
Fourth Volume of this work, Art. i.
6
7 Vita S. Barsei, cap. xxiv. See his Life,
In the Vita S. Molagae, cap. xix. See his Life at the 20th of January, in the First Volume of this work, Art. i.
at the 25th of September, in the present Volume, Art. i.
8 These are his words: " Hoc in more habuit S. Fursseus mire devotus, (nee auditur quid rarius) quod in puteo, ad instar nivis
semper persolverit. " Num. 25.
9 Thus " Hodie S. Fursaeus cum 27. :
millibus astra ascendit. "
10 We can find no saint with a
11
correspond'
ing name in our Irish Calendars.
However, in the Vision of St. Fursey, Saints Beoan and Meldan are mentioned as
date, more may be found regarding them, in the present work.
13 That the Irish and Scots are the same people, and Hiberniaand Scotia are the same nation, would appear from many passages in
Bede, and especially in the instance, where "
IR
626 LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAINTS. [September28.
being son to Finlog, a king of Munster. He is also said to have come from Hibernia, and to have lived many years in Scotia. In John Capgrave's Lives
of the Saints, Fursey is stated to have been a native of Ireland, and sprang from a noble race, but rendered still more noble on account of his Faith, and
although distinguished in his family circle, Divine Grace made him yet more illustrious. He was beautiful in external appearance, chaste in his actions, devout in disposition, affable in discourse, amiable in his looks, and abounding in good works. From his infancy, he was addicted to sacred
supposes him to have been advanced to the episcopal dignity. If we are to
6
credit the statement of Desmay,' both Fursay and his brother Foillan were
ordained bishops in Rome,17 by Pope Martin I. This account, however, is not only fabulous but unchronological, since his brother Foillan did not
and trained to monastic
Mabillon has been derived from old Acts of St. Fursey, by an anonymous author. '5 Numbers of other writers, that have flourished in France, Belgium and various Continental counties, at a more recent date, have treated On the life and virtues of St. Fursey. The old writer of St. Fursey's Acts
studies,
discipline.
by
In the Life of St.
1 ? He is thus designated in the Annals of Ulster at a. d. 627. Also, in the Index
at the same
2* of whom there were in his in days many
leave Ireland for the Continent until after Fursey's death.
Cronan,
18 who was a
contemporary
of
Fursey,
the latter is
styled Bishop.
of
that lie was not a bishop, although improperly called so, like Richarius of Centula and some others, on account of his having been a great preacher of the Gospel. Nevertheless, five hundred years before Mabillon wrote,22 Fursey's figure on the larger door of his church at Perrone was represented in episcopal insignia ; while an old writer of his Life23 makes him a bishop. The opinion of Dr. Lanigan is, that perhaps he was a chorepiscopus, or one of
Chronologicus
Archbishop Usher,
year.
those without bishops
regular sees,
Ireland. Yet, he thinks, although the matter is uncertain, that the supposi-
tion of some writers regarding Fursey being a bishop to be not quite unfounded. According to the testimony of Molanus, such also had been the
constant tradition of people living in the neighbourhood of Cambray. In the
latter diocese he is revered as a bishop, not so much because he reached that
dignity, but that he had been recognised as the Apostle of various places in
its
vicinity.
2*
When about neither the Venerable Bede nor treating Fursey,
accordance with the testimony of Venerable
Bede. See "Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti,"
tomus i. , lib. xiv. , sect, i. , p. 410.
l6
In the Fourteenth Chapter of our saint's Life.
' 7 Even Colgan rejects this story, and
J 5He is
Feirarius, who
,8 Vita S. Cronani, xvi.
history
"
cap.
Acta Sanctorum Iliber-
"
See Colgan's Acta Sane-
circumstanced.
torum Hibernire, xvi. Januarii. Vita S. Furssei, lib. i. , cap. i. , p. 75, lib. iii. , pp. 87, 88, and num. 4, 5, p. 91.
14 See " Nova Legenda Angliae," Vita S. Furssei, fob cliii.
Venerable Bede, and his words are almost literally given in the
that St.
was a bishop, but consecrated in Ireland,
praised by
joins
says,
Fursey
of this latter writer. We are told,
also, by Mabillon, that another anonymous
wi iter issued the Acts of St. Fursey, in two niae," xvi. January. Appendix ad Acta S.
Books ; and that after his time, Arnulfus, Furscei, cap. v. , p. 96.
quitates," p. 537.
Abbot of Lagny, towards the close of the
eleventh century, wrote two books on this
same subject. One of these gave an account
of the saint's Life, and the other of his
miracles. In a book, formerly belonging to
Christina, Queen of Sweden, it is said, that
these memoirs were written at special re-
quest of the inhabitants of l'errone. Those vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , sec. x. , n. 96, pp. 463, Acts of our saint contain an account of his
was descended from a royal Scotic race, in censes ut episcopum colunt, non quod
464.
pilgrimage to Rome. They state, that he *s The words of Molanus are : **Camara-
1 * The account of our saint
'» See Colgan's
20 Mabillon 21 states,
20 "
See Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Anti-
2I
At A. D. 645.
See at a. d. 650.
*3 This had been written before the
biography by Arnulph.
J * See " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland,"
September 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 627
the writer of the Saint's ancient Acts styles him Bishop. We have no sufficient evidence' for Fursey having been the author of" De Vita Monastica," HI), i. ,
attributed to him 26 This is by Dempster.
stated
but without attaching credence to a statement depending on such, doubtful
authority; moreover,hiseditor,WalterHarris,adds,thataProphecywrittenin
the Irish has also been ascribed 10 him. 2? Tne of Wion language writings Ado,
and other authors have been cited by Mabillon to show, that St. Fursey had
been at first interred in Lagny, and that afterwards his remains had been
removed to Perrone. Arnold Wion 28 has published laudatory Hymns in
praise of St. Fursey. Besides various old authors, in whose writings eulogies
and notices of St. Fursey occur, and whose testimonies may be found in
previous portions of this work, there are many others, that make honourable
mention of and whose words are 29 In his him, quoted by Colgan.
Martyrology, at the 16th of January, Notker Balbulus has alluded to a passage from the old life of the Hibernian St. Fursey, who was taken from this world to Heaven, whence he returned to relate many miraculous and admirable Visions he had there to other mortals. Afterwards, Fursey led an austere life and departed to bliss, in the village of Manden, at Perone. The Blessed Rabanus Maurus 3° more fully describes the life and miracles of our
1
Florence of Worcester has an account of St. Fursey in his Chronicle at the year 636, when the holy man is said to have come from Hibernia to King Sigebert, who ruled over the East Angles, and by whom he was reverently received. . There he preached the word of God, and converted many' Gentiles to the true Faith. After- wards the King founded a noble monastery, into which himself entered, having resigned his kingdom and all secular and governmental affairs to his relative Egric. Again does Vincentius Belluacenis relate his actions, by stating that Fursaus was of noble birth, but still more noble in Faith, having been com- mitted through the disposal of Divine Providence to the care of priests, and
2 instructedaswellinsacredstudiesasinmonasticdiscipline^ TheChronicon
saint in his Martyrology, at the 16th of January. 3
proprii nominis episcopus fuerit, sed quia quorundum locorum Apostolus fuit. Hac enim de causa plures ut episcopos coli, sparsim a me est annotatum. "—" Natales Sanctorum Belgii," Decima-sexta Januarii, Num 2, p. 13.
3I Thus, "In pago vero Mandinse in Perona Monasterio depositio S. Fursaei con- fessoris, qui in Hibernia natus, & nutritus,
patriam parentesque relinquens, sacrae scrip- turae studiis, aliquot vacabat annis : unde monasterium in quodam, construxit loco ;
26 Indeed, we may take it for granted, sed dum patriam parentesque visitare pro-
that it is but one of his many inventions;
and especially as in the very same article, he accuses of error the early and most reliable authorities, Notker Balbulus and Raban Maur, who state that Fursey was born in Hibernia. Contrary to the well- known acts of his life, Dempster in mala fide impudently states: "S. Fursaeus Scotus, non Hibernus, licet ex Hibernia cum sociis in patriam venisse scribatur. "— See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum," tomus i. , lib. vi. , num. 517, pp. 283 to 285.
2? See Harris' Ware. " Writers of Ire-
peraret, ut inter illos sacri verbi semina spiritualibus seminaret eloquiis, quodam
die corporis aegrotantis molestia corripitur, ac post subito in extasi raptus, jacuit quasi
exanimis a vespertina hora usque ad galli- cantum. Sed dum ad se rediret, agnovit
Angelicam esse visionem, & sumpto corpore & sanguine Christi, jacuit infirmus ipso die & altero : tertia vero nocte iterum ab Angelis sublatus mirabiles vidit visiones, sicut liber vitae ipsius testatur. " Then it is stated, that after his Ecstasy, he spent twelve years in preaching the word of God, and that he became renowned for the working of miracles. Laterstill,hismeritsculminating, he built monasteries in Gaul, whence he departed to Christ. His body was honour- ablyburiedbyDukeErcenwaldandbythe
land," vol. ii. , book i. , chap, iv. , p. 35. 23 "
In Lignum Vitae," lib. iii.
29 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernise," xvi.
Januarii, Vita S. Fursaei, Appendix, cap. ii. , pp. 92,93.
30 — of
See an account of his Life and writings faithful in the Church St. Peter the
of when his festival occurs in the Second Volume of this work,
at Perona
32 See lib. iii. , cap. 81, 82, 83.
near the
at the—
4th February
Apostle Altar.
Monastery,
Art. v.
merely
by
Sir
James Ware,
and
62S LIVESOFTHEIRISHSAIATS. [September28.
Generalc Mundiss celebrates St. Fursey's virtues, assigning his festival to the 4th of March. In the time of Mabillon, the Benedictine monks at Lagny
preserved a chasuble and stole belonging to St. Fursey. They had also bestowed a maniple upon the canons of Perrone, in exchange for a portion of the saint's cranium, which had become petrified. Mabillon remarks, that to
the ninth century, St. Fursey's church belonged to the monks, at Perrone, as this establishment then received the name of a monastery. Such name was used only to distinguish the domicile of monks, up to that period, as will be seen
denomination monastery wasusedtodesignateacollegeofsecularcanons, which the house at Perrone was known to be. Having first founded Lagney monastery, through his respect for St. Fursay, Erchinoald afterwards built another religious house at Perrone, on the mountain called de Cygnes ; so that, if the holy man found this latter more agreeable, for a place of residence, he and his monks might inhabit it, and select it, as a place for their sepulture. 3* At the 28th of September, Thomas Dempster^ mentions the Finding of St. Fursey's Relics, on the fourth year after his death.
Article III. —St. Fiachrach or Fiachra, Bishop of Ctjil Each- TRANN, NOW CULFEIGHTRrN PARISH, COUNTY OF ANTRIM. A festival is
by recurring to this confessor's old life ; but from the age mentioned, the ""
set downin the
in honour of Fiachrach or
feightrin was originally founded by St. Patrick ; and was then known as
"
Cuil-Ectrann, Anglicised,
the corner of the strangers. " It was situated in
published Martyrology Fiachra, Bishop.
2 The church of Cul- parish
the territory of Cathrigia, now the barony of Cary. Over this church he placed Fiachrius, as its bishop. 3 The festival of this holy man was observed
most probably on the 28th of September. *
church of Cowlefeghraine is said to have been dedicated to St. Fechtany. It belonged to the diocese of Connor. 8 The present Protestant church is in the townland of Ballynaglogh, about half a mile north of the townland, called
3} " Fursanis quoque Hiberniae Regis filius, rebus suis facile condonaverit,"—" Annaies per id tempus cum duobus germanis con- Ordinis S. Benedicti," tomus i. , lib. xiv. ,
O'Gormans is entered Fiachra at this
In the Martyrology of Marianus
with an 6 The commentator eulogy.
day,
adds, that he was an Epscob or Bishop. 7 In the year 1524, this parish
temptis regni sui pompis, monachalem sect. I, 2, pp. 410, 411.
habitum susceperunt, & in magno pretio 35 See Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of evaserunt. Is Monasterium in loco quern Scottish Saints. " Menologium Scoticum, vocant Latiniacum construxit, nee multo p. 213. —
post ordinatis fratribus migravit ad
Dominum. Post quatuor autem annos ab
Hujus Mariii. "
Natalis celebratur
quarto
Nonas
Thaumaturga. " Vita Tripartita S. Patricii, pars ii. , cap.
& Ausberto immaculatum Episcopis
Eligio
corpus, sine ulla putredine transfertur.
3 See " Trias Colgan's
:
34 He adds " Denique annaies Mtttenses exxx. , p. 146.
sjeculo nono diserte habent, Tex- * See n. 182.
scripti post tricianam Pippini contra Theodericum regem
vietoriam, quae paullo post Fursaei mortem accidit, multos ex Theodericianis ad beati Quintini martyris limina nonnullos ad Per- ronam Scottorum monasterium, in quo beatus Fursaeus requiescit, confugium fecisse: quibus, interventu abbatum locorumillorum,
mitissimus princeps Pippinus, acceptis ab his tantum sacramentis, cunctis vitam cum
ibid. , 204, p.
5 See Dr. Whitley Stokes' " Feilire Hui
Gormain," pp. 186, 187.
6
? See ibid. , n. 1.
of 1 at the 28th of
Tallagh September,
Article III.
Kelly, p. xxxv.
2 Also in the Book of Leinster at copy
this date is pAchrtaich epf.
'
Edited
Rev. Dr.
Thus:
pachpA,c&\x>mctepech
" Fiachra, chaste was the cleric. "
8 of Register
Cromer, p. 453.
by
September 28. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 629
10
Church-field. 9 Here the ancient church formerly stood.
excepting the east gable which is nearly entire, has been demolished. Yet, sufficient traces of the old foundations remain, to show that its dimensions
2 Aighne.
It calls him the son of Lucnaid, and names his Cluain place
In the Martyrology of Marianus 0'Gorman,3 his name is men-
Article iv.
—
l
Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly,
Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i. , part i.
On
p. xxxv.
Gormain," pp. 186, 187. 4 Thus :
by the editor, and it seems to express a great doubt regarding the meaning and applica-
tion. " ' The Two Findias? i. e. , two saints, and in Aran are they. Or it is one name. Or Findia Gillda, i. e. , Findia of Clonard, is
Survey
The area of this old church and of its adjoining
In the Martyrology of 13 at this pasturage. " Donegal
had been very large.
Article IV. —St. Diarmait, Bishop of Cluain Finn-Aighne. At
1
the 28th of September, according to the published Martyrology of Tallagh, veneration was given to Diarmait, son of Luchradh, Bishop of Cluain Finn
are now in
same date, we find the simply entry of Fiachra, Bishop.
cemetery
Fidnaighi.
tionedwithaspecialeulogy,*atthepresentdate. Theglossographerfurther distinguishes him as the son of Luchraid and a bishop from Cluain Finn
Aighne. s TherewasaFidhnacha,inWestConnaught,whereagreatbattle had been fought, a. d. 1094. There was also a Fiodhnacha-Maighe-Rein, now
6
those be the place here mentioned. The Martyrology of Donegal? also
enters the feast of Diarmait, son of Luchradh, Bishop of Cluain Finn-Aighne, at this date.
Article V. —The Two Findias and Lobhar. In the Feilire of
12
^ngus, at the 28th of September, two Findias are commemorated. It is
not easy to determine the saints to whom this entry is referred. Together
with another holy man bearing the same name, St. Finian, Bishop of Clonard, is said to be commemorated at the 28th of September, in the Martyrology of St. ^Engus the Culdee, as also in the annexed commentary of Cathal Maguire. 3
Fenagh, in the County of Leitrim.
It is not certain, however, if either of
9 Called Magheratemple, in the Down Survey.
Maps
1nt>A ptroiAcet/oAi 1u5Cf1 uncech cobaiyv
m umail Cleipmop AfvciLl
1nmtt LaLich tob<M|\.
10 See " Ordnance
Townland for the County of Antrim," Sheet 9.
11 See Rev. WiUiam Reeves' " Ecclesias-
tical Antiquities of Down, Connor, and Thus translated by Dr. Whitley Stokes : Dromore," n. (s), p. 79. Also Appendix, " The two fair Findias are to be sought for
T, p. 251, and Appendix LL, p. 3S0.
12
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp. 260, 261.
every aid. Humble Marcellus' great trai—n, with infirm Junell's (Julianus ? ) festival. "
the Calendar of Oengus, p, cxxxix. 22
In the Book of Leinsler copy we read There is a note appended, partly in Latin
"OiAjunaic mAc luchp. Ai'o o Cl p-o nAige. and partly in Irish, on the words 1nt)A 3 See Dr. Whitley Stokes' "Feilire Hui ptvoia. It is thus translated into English
"OiAnr'Aim. Exceeding gentle Diarmait. "
OiAj\mAic "
5 See ibid. , n. 2. 6"'
See Dr. O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters," vol. ii. , pp. 948, 949, and vol. vii. Index Locorum, p.