should take
possession
of it.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v7
i.
the Church of Christ had been founded, and when Christians wereredeemed his blood thenherillustriouschil-
AFTER
dren, whether as Martyrs, Apostles, Doctors, Virgins or Confessors, began to exhibit those virtues and labours, which served to extend her sway over the heartsofmen. Severalholymissionariesbandedtogetherforthispurpose, and left the shores of Ireland for more distant countries. Among those was Etto, and he became a saint illustrious for his apostolic zeal and miracles.
The particulars of his Acts are only to be gleaned from popular tradition, nor do we know that any very ancient written accounts regarding him are to be found. No doubt, there are several inaccuracies that have been incor- porated with the more authentic accounts, yet even for those incorrect state- ments, reasons may be assigned, and allowances must be made.
A Life of this saint has come down to us, but it does not appear to be a very ancient one. The date of its composition is uncertain, and it is supposed
to have been the
composition
of a monk at Liesse. 1 It has a of the Prologue
Article v. — Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxix.
2
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
190, 191. — Article vi.
Iberniae.
In Vita S.
Eloquii.
3 See "Catalogus aliquorum Sanctorum
through precious ;
Article 1. — In the Latin language, this town is written Lsetiae or Letia, in Han- 3 See O'Sullevan Beare's "Historice nonia or Nerviorum. It is generally known Catholicse Iberniae Compendium," tomus i. , at present among the French-speaking lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 54. people as Liessies or Liessy, in the diocese
8
182
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[July i o
Author, and then follows a narrative of public events, connected with the period of Etto's arrival on the Continent, as also the subsequent traditional accounts,regardinghismissionandcareer. HisofficesandtheMartyrologies hardly serve to throw any additional lights on his history. In French, this saint is called Z€ ; but, in the ancient Lives, his name is written Etto or Ethon. Sometimes, too, he is named Hetto. 3 It was Colgan's purpose to have published his biography, at the ioth of July. 3 In the " Natales Sanc- torum Belgii,"* there are some notices of St. Etto, as also in Miraeus. s The Bollandistshavespecialaccounts of this holy man. 6 Acommentary7 pre- cedes his Acts. These follow, with the author's prologue, in two chapters and seventeen paragraphs. His Acts have been published from a Manu-
8 to the
script, belonging Abbey
of Marchiennes. This has been collated with
two other Codices ; one of these having been in the hands of D. Prued-
homme, a Canon of Cambrai, and another belonged to the collection at
Alnensis. In the " Acta Sanctorum Belgii,"? Etto is particularly commemo-
rated. Some notices of him are to be met with, in the work of Bishop
Challoner. 10 The Petits Bollandistes also have an account of St. Etton or
Z£, at this date. " There is a notice of St. Etto, likewise, in Rev. S. Baring-
" 12 Gould's Lives of the Saints. ''
St. Etto was a native of Ireland ;*3 but, regarding his family descent, and earlier years, we have no account. He was probably born in the early part oftheseventhcentury. TherehewasinstructedinaknowledgeoftheScrip- tures, and trained in the principles of virtue. ** This holy person is said to have been in Britain, to confer with many saints, that then flourished in these Islands ; but, whether he joined St. Fursey I5 there or in Ireland is not known. 16 As we have seen, in the Life of St. 1 ? that a certain
Count named
Madelgarius,
18 surnamed Vincent, and who had to gone
of Cambrai. Here there was a celebrated Abbey of Benedictines. It is situated on the River Helpra, not far distant from Avesnes.
I3 See Bishop Challoner's " Britannia Sancta," part ii. , p. 31.
See Hadrianus Valesius, Notitia Gallia- rum," p. 260.
As by Mirseus, and byBaldericus, Bishop of Toumay and Namur.
3 This we find, from the posthumous list
of his Manuscripts.
4 In two paragraphs, at the loth of July,
pp. 147, ! 48.
s See "Fasti Belgici et Burgundici," pp.
to
391 394.
6 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Julii x. De S. Ettone Ep. et Conf. Leetiis in
Belgio, pp. 48 to 62.
? In five sections, and forty-three para-
graphs.
8 This had been sent to the Bollandists in
1636, by D. Christian le Roy. It has been composed in a diffuse and careless historic fashion.
9 See vol. iii. , at the loth of July. At Lrctiis, in Hannonia. There is a Historico- critical commentary, by Cornelius Smet, in three sections, pp. 666 to 682.
des Saints," tome viii. , x Jour de Juillet, p. 238.
IS See his Life, in the First Volume of this work, at the 16th of January, Art. i.
l6 Mabillon merely alludes to him in a
passing manner, and adds: " De beato
10
See "Britannia Sancta," part ii. , pp.
tomus i. , lib. xiv. , sect, iv. , pp. 411, 412.
' 7 See the First Volume of this work, at
January 16th, Art. i. , chap. v.
l8
According to the Acts of our saint, Madelgarius was born in Hibernia of noble parents, and he came to Fiance, where he married Waldetrude, daughter of the noble Walbert, and for a long time he served in the wars of King Dagobert. He had been urged by the pious Waldetrude, to separate from her, and to lead a religious life, which she most earnestly desired for herself. He affected to yield to her wishes, but leaving her, he returned to Ireland, where he in- tended to take another wife. Learning this purpose, Waldetrude followed her husband to Ireland, with some companions, where she exhorted him in such moving words, that he firmly resolved on returning with her to Prance, where both of them afterwards
31, 32.
11 See "Vies des Saints," tome viii. ,
xe Jour de Juillet, pp. 238, 239.
12 See vol. vii. , July ioth, p. 261.
already Fursey,
I4 See Les Petits Bollandistes, "Vies "e
Etton—e nudum fere noraen nobis relictum "
est. " Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti,"
I
July io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 183
1
Ireland, ? waited upon that celebrated missionary in England, and succeeded
in persuading him to visit Gaul, where he afterwards founded the monastery
of Lagny. At this period, that country was just beginning to recover from the devastations of the Huns and Vandals, with other barbarous invaders. 20 With his brothers Foillan 2I and as also with a3 2*
includuntur. "
20
Ultan," Mimbolus, Eloquius, 2s262? and28 3?
Bertuin, Fredegandus, Adalgisus Gobban, disciples ofSt. Fursey,
Etto was one of those apostolic preachers, who, in the seventh century, went
forth to the on the Continent. 2* are said to have accom- spread Gospel They
panied Madelgarius 3I and his wife St. Waldetrude, 32 when these returned to
France. ThegreatdesireoftheholymissionarieswastovisitRome,inthe
first instance ; most probably to receive the necessary jurisdiction and
approval, for the tasks which they had proposed to accomplish. About the
middle of the seventh century, they arrived in France, and Etto thence made
a pilgrimage to Rome, but whether in company with St. Fursey or not seems
to be uncertain. While he was visiting the tombs of the Apostles, it is said,
that he received episcopal consecration. 33 By Molanus, he is styled
"3
Hiberniensis Episcopus. " * Afterwards, he returned to France. With St.
Fursey, it is stated, that Etto lived for a time at Lagny,35 and that he carried the word of God afterwards into the Low Countries. He passed into those parts with six other companions, and in the company of St. Waldetrude. Among the holy men, who went to preach in the Low Countries with St. Etto, or about the same time, was St. Bertuin, a Bishop. He built an oratory, at Maloigne,36 upon the Sambre. After his return from Rome, Etto chose for his abode a solitary place, near the little river Corbriol. Like many of the primitive saints, he had a Divine inspiration, that he was destined to evange- lizethepeople,inthatpartofthedioceseofCambrai. St. Ettosettledona little stream at Thierache, near the town of Avesnes. There he cleared away the brambles, and built a cell for his occupation.
At first, he experienced some difficulties and opposition, owing to a man named Jovinus, who laid claim to the land, he being unwilling that a stranger
entered the religious state.
x» The writer of St. Etto's Life thus de-
a6 On the 17th of July, his festival occurs s ? See his Life, at the 2nd of June,
28 His feast is not correctly known.
29 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," xvi. Januarii, Appendix ad Acta S. Fursaei, cap. vi. , p. 96.
scribes it positions and states
:
" Est autem
Hyberniaproxima Britannia? Insula, spatio terrarum angustior, sed situ fcecundior. Hsec
ab Africo in Boream porrigitur, cujus partes
3° We are not to take in a too literal sense the statement of some writers that all the At a. d. 407, Miraeus writes, "in- foregoing were brothers of St. Fursey, ex- numerabiles et ferocissimae nationes univer- cept in a religious sense. Even the writer
sas Gallias occuparunt. Quidquid inter of our saint's Acts, alluding to persons "
priores ab Hibernia et Cantabrico oceano
Alpes et Pireneum est, quod Oceano et named in the text, observes, licet de omni-
Rhodano includitur, Quadus, Vandalus, Sarmata, Alani, Gepides, Heruli, Saxones, Burgundiones, Alemanni et hostes Pannonii vastarunt. "—"Rerum Belgicarum Chroni- con, ab Julii Caesaris in Galliam Adventu,
usque ad vulgarem Christi Annum 1636," &c. Antverpiae, 1636, fol.
bus non simus certi, utrum fuerunt carnali nativitate germani," &c.
21 His feast occurs, at the 31st of Octo- Saints," tome viii. , xe Jour de Juillet,
ber.
22 At the 1st of May, his feast is com-
memorated.
33 His festival is held, on the 18th of
November.
3* His Acts are at the 3rd of December. 25 His feast is on the nth of Novem-
ber.
p. 238.
34 See "Natales Sanctorum Belgii," at
x.
35 See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , sect. x. , p. 462, and n. 98, p. 464.
3* Also called Maconia, in the territory of Liege.
3I See further notices of him, at July 14th
—his feast-day—
32 See her Life, in the Fourth Volume of
in the volume, present
this work, at the 9th of April, Art. i.
Julii
33 See Les Petits Bollandistes,
"
Vies des
i84 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July io.
should take possession of it. Jovinus railed at the holy man, nor would he enter upon any terms of compromise, until convinced by a miracle, that he shouldyield,andmakeanhumbleapologytoEtto. Thereoursainterected a church, under the patronage of St. Peter, chief of the Apostles. He used to visit the Abbey of Hautmont, where under St. Ansbert,3? Madelgarius lived j andtherehenietSt. Amandus,38St. Wasno,andSt. Humbert. 39 There,too,
1
met him ; as also St. and St. Gertrude/s Besides these, St. Foillan and St. Ultan came to meet him from the monastery of Fosse,*6 as likewise many other celebrated fathers of the Church, who were living in
France during his time.
Throughout all that region, St. Etto zealously laboured to spread the Gospel seed. As a light placed on a pedestal cannot be hidden, so did the- fame of his virtues spread on all sides. To the place of his abode came numerous visitors, to ask his counsel in spiritual affairs, as also to obtain the succours of religion. But, Etto was exceedingly humble in his own estima- tion, nor could he bear that others should think highly concerning him. One of the miracles recorded of our saint is that one day, and while walking in a
field, he saw a mute cow-herd sleeping. Touching him gently with a staff, 4 ? the man arose, and immediately found the use of speech. Fiscau or Fescau,48
afterwards a priory, and depending on the Abbey of Liessy, near Avesnes, in Hainault, was the place noted in connexion with St. Etto's demise. Here he
lived for a considerable time, constantly engaged in prayer, and crucified to the world. Daily did he offer the Holy Victim in Sacrifice to the Lord. He became a father of the poor, a protector of the widow, an aid of the orphan, a consoler of those in sorrow and tribulation, aransomer of captives, and an intercessor for all who were reduced in circumstances. Finding his last days on earth about to close, St. Etto called his disciples to him, and then gave them special instructions, to observe the precepts of charity and peace towards one another, as also to fulfil with great care the duties of a Christian and a religious life. Receiving from him an intimation, that he
St. Ursmar <° and his assistant bishop Erminus -*
2 St. St.
Wasnulph,* Gissen/3 Aldegunde,^
37 This holy bishop has a festival at the
9th of February.
38 His feast occurs at the 6th of February.
From him the town of St. Amand in Flan- ders has been Darned.
39 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of the Saints," vol. vii. , July 10, p. 261.
40 His feast has been assigned to the 18th
of April,
*' Hehasafeastatthe25thofApril,but
it does not seem probable, he could have been a bishop, during the lifetime of St. Etto. He died in the year 737.
42 His feast occurs on the 1st of Octo- ber.
43 His festival is at the 9th of October.
44 Her feast is at the 30th of January.
4s Her festival is held on the 17th of
March.
46 The fiollandists remark, that all the
holy persons named in the Latin Acts of oursaint,aspublishedbythem,maybecom- bined whether as contemporaries or as locals.
4? This anecdote is thus introduced, where related in St. Et—to's Acts, and in Latin hexameter lines:
"
Mutus ad haec coeptis instabat talia dictis :
Quid mirando stupes? metritis quid
vero perhorres,
Muta tuis tacitas si fudit lingua loque-
las?
Numne recordarisDominantis, Sancte fidelis
Angelecis tremefacta minis quia fatur asella
Sessori per verba suo ; linguaque rudenti
Edidit humanas animal pecualeloque- las?
Immemor es rerum, quoniam Sapien- tia mutum
Saepius os reserare solet, puerisque disertas
Efficiens linguas, cogit depromere laudes ?
Talia fante viro, gratulans venerabi- lis Etto,
Congrua pro facto referebat munia Christo. "
*'~ This
of Picardyand Artois.
place
is situated on the confines
July io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 185
should soon leave this world, his monks were moved to tears, and they
naturally gave way to sorrow. However, they felt consoled when Etto
impartedaspecialblessingonthem. Forimmediatepreparation,tomeet
death, the holy man redoubled his prayers and vigils, fasting with still greater
strictness and giving alms most bountifully. The night before his departure,
Etto had a vision regarding the place of his sepulture ; and, on waking, he desired one of his friends to meet another, who was then in an adjoining wood,
preparing a coffin, although he knew not for whom it was destined. This coffin that man was engaged in bringing away on a cart, drawn by a bullock. The coffin was brought to Etto, who had desired to see it. Afterwards, he devoutly received the Body and Blood of our Lord in the Holy Sacrament. Then, in the presence of his disciples, who were standing round, his soul passed away to the company of the Holy Angels and Saints. * He is said to have departed, in the sixty-fifth year of his age. His death has been assigned to about a. d. 670. 5°
On the 10th of July, various ecclesiastical authors commemorate St. Etto.
His feast has been noted, in the Belgian, Gallican and Benedictine Martyr-
1 52
ologies. Thus, Saussay,* Molanus, Miraeus,53 Ferrarius,** Wion, Dorgan,
6
Menard, Bucelin,55 Castellan,5
and Baldericus, have notices of him. In
Convaeus' list, at the same date, we find Etto set as " Fasciaci et down, Epis.
Laetiarum patronus. "57 He is noticed, likewise, by Thomas Dempster^8 His festival was celebrated on this day, with a proper office, in the church of Buinvilliers. 59 There is extant, likewise, an office with Eight Lessons,60 and these profess to give the Acts of St. Etto, but some of them are only foolish
legends.
The forty-second Bishop of Cambrai, Nicholas, in 1162, issued a diploma,
whereby certain possessions were confirmed to the abbacy of Leisse, with a provision for the maintenance of so many monks as might be required to serve
the church of Dompierre, and a prohibition against removing the body of
the saint from that 01 Other donations to are on record. 02 place. Dompierre
The monastery of Fiscau, was in the village of Dompierre. 63 There and in all the surrounding country, St. Etto's name was held in very special rever-
49 See the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto- rum," tomus iii. , Julii x. De S. Ettone Ep. et Conf. Lsetiis in Belgio, Vita, &c, pp.
"
per aliquot annos ibidem haeserat, ML. F. " —Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 205.
to 62.
S9 A of this was sent to Father copy
59
50 See Les Petits Bollandistes,
e
John Boland by Rev. D. Luytens, sub-prior and master of novices at Liesse, in the month of
Vies des Saints," tome viii. , x Jour de Juillet, p.
239.
s* In " Martyrologium Gallicanum. " s2 In " Natalibus Sanctorum Belgii. "
November, 1637. This has been published in all its chief parts by Father John Pinius, who has edited the Acts of our saint, in his Previous Commentary, sect. ii.
These were copied from an old Manu-
script Codex belonging to the Monastery of St. Lambert, at Liesse, and they were sent to Father Rosweyde, by Father Peter Lorig- nairt, Librarian and monk of that place. See ibid. , sect. i.
53 In Fastis Belgicis et Burgundicis.
" 6o
54 In Catalogus Generalis Sanctorum. "
ss In their several Benedictine Martyrolo-
gies.
s6 In his Universal Martyrology.
"
57 See O'Sullevan Beare's Historic
Catholicse Ibernias Compendium," tomus i. ,
lib. iv. , cap. x. , p. 48.
s8 In his " Menologium Scoticum " thus :
6l
Chronicon Lretiense.
" 62 Laetiis Ettonis episcopi et confessoris,
Germanise infcrioris Apostoli, qui in Hiber-
niamad regenda monasteria concessit, et inde
in Belgium eductus per Maldegarum Han-
nonise comitem, qui Sanctorum albo ad- in the Department of Nord, canton of scriptus Vincentius dictus, et Hirlandiae Avesnes. See "Gazetteer of the World," gubernator destinatus ab aula a rege Pipino, vol. v. , p. 43.
Allusion is made to this charter in the
See the Previous Commentary to St. Etto's Acts in the Bollandists' "Acta Sane- torum," sect. iii.
63 Now a commune, and town of France,
1 86 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [J uly i o.
ence. 6« However, the disturbances occasioned by the new Reformation caused his body to be removed to a place of greater security. His relics were translated to Mons,6* with those of other saints, during the wars about the middle of the sixteenth century. They were temporarily placed in a house of to that
bishop
ofArras in a
letter,
written
its — June 16th, 1630; but, inauguration
66 when order had Abbey. Afterwards,
refuge, belonging
been restored, St. Etto's remains were removed to the Abbey of Liesse, or
6
Liessies, ? a suitable receptacle having been prepared for their reception,
while the coffin or shrine was newly decorated and restored, as time's effacing
traceshadbeguntoshowmarksoffadinganddecay. Othersmallerreliqua-
ries of the saint were repaired at the same time. To this resting-place, St.
Etto's body was translated, by Louis de Blois, then its Abbot, and placed in
the church of his on the 22nd of a. d. 68 This monastery, day June, 1559.
establishmentwassubsequentlyanabbeyofCanonsRegular. Therethebody was kept, with great veneration, and St. Etto's feast has become a great solem- nity, on the anniversary ofhis death, iothofJuly. In like manner is he com- memorated, in the priory of Fiscau. 6^ On that day, the people assembled in great numbers, and assisted at Mass, while a vast procession on foot and on horseback accompanied a shrine containing the relics of our saint. On that day, too, the people abstained from servile works, regarding it as a superior feast. The office of his Natalis was recited in the'parish, and it was sung in themonasteryofLeisse,duringtheentireoctave. ? However,inthechurch of Dompierre, the body of St. Etto is now preserved, and there is a tomb on which he is figured with a mitre, a cross in his hand, and clothed in episco- pal vestments. At some distance from the church, there is a fountain, which bears the name of St. Ze'. ? 1 In the parish of Dompierre, for many ages past, as also in that of Buinvilliers, diocese of Arras, a confraternity has been established in honour of St. Ze\ The latter was ordered to be erected, by the
was deferred, owing to the fact of two churches being in the same town
the congregation of each contending for their respective church as being the
parochial one. An arm-bone of St. Etto is preserved at Buinvilliers, near
3
Arras. ?
by cow-herds and cattle-drivers. 73 A copperplate engraving of this character has been inserted in his Acts, as furnished by the Bollandists. 74
Since the time St. Etto departed from this life to our Lord's happy inherit- ance, in the seventh century, the people who lived after him had great faith in his intercession. Those who had been afflicted with various diseases were taught to believe, that through a devout invocation of his patronage, the Almighty would be pleased to remove their ailments and to prolong their
6* See Les Petits Bollandistes, "Viesdes ? ° See the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto- Saints," tome viii. , xe Jour de Juillet, p. 239. rum," tomus iii. , Julii x. De S. Ettone Ep. 65 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's " Lives of et Conf. Laetiis in Belgio. Commentarius
St. Etto is represented with oxen at his feet, as he is invoked
the Saints," vol. vii. , July 10, p. 261. Pircvius, sect, iii. , num. 16, p. 53. 6""
•J
See Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des
n See Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des Saints," tome viii,, xe Jour de Juillet, p. 239.
? 2 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of the Saints," vol. vii. , July 10, p. 261.
73 See Very Rev. Dr. F.
the Church of Christ had been founded, and when Christians wereredeemed his blood thenherillustriouschil-
AFTER
dren, whether as Martyrs, Apostles, Doctors, Virgins or Confessors, began to exhibit those virtues and labours, which served to extend her sway over the heartsofmen. Severalholymissionariesbandedtogetherforthispurpose, and left the shores of Ireland for more distant countries. Among those was Etto, and he became a saint illustrious for his apostolic zeal and miracles.
The particulars of his Acts are only to be gleaned from popular tradition, nor do we know that any very ancient written accounts regarding him are to be found. No doubt, there are several inaccuracies that have been incor- porated with the more authentic accounts, yet even for those incorrect state- ments, reasons may be assigned, and allowances must be made.
A Life of this saint has come down to us, but it does not appear to be a very ancient one. The date of its composition is uncertain, and it is supposed
to have been the
composition
of a monk at Liesse. 1 It has a of the Prologue
Article v. — Edited by Rev. Dr. Kelly, p. xxix.
2
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
190, 191. — Article vi.
Iberniae.
In Vita S.
Eloquii.
3 See "Catalogus aliquorum Sanctorum
through precious ;
Article 1. — In the Latin language, this town is written Lsetiae or Letia, in Han- 3 See O'Sullevan Beare's "Historice nonia or Nerviorum. It is generally known Catholicse Iberniae Compendium," tomus i. , at present among the French-speaking lib. iv. , cap. xii. , p. 54. people as Liessies or Liessy, in the diocese
8
182
LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[July i o
Author, and then follows a narrative of public events, connected with the period of Etto's arrival on the Continent, as also the subsequent traditional accounts,regardinghismissionandcareer. HisofficesandtheMartyrologies hardly serve to throw any additional lights on his history. In French, this saint is called Z€ ; but, in the ancient Lives, his name is written Etto or Ethon. Sometimes, too, he is named Hetto. 3 It was Colgan's purpose to have published his biography, at the ioth of July. 3 In the " Natales Sanc- torum Belgii,"* there are some notices of St. Etto, as also in Miraeus. s The Bollandistshavespecialaccounts of this holy man. 6 Acommentary7 pre- cedes his Acts. These follow, with the author's prologue, in two chapters and seventeen paragraphs. His Acts have been published from a Manu-
8 to the
script, belonging Abbey
of Marchiennes. This has been collated with
two other Codices ; one of these having been in the hands of D. Prued-
homme, a Canon of Cambrai, and another belonged to the collection at
Alnensis. In the " Acta Sanctorum Belgii,"? Etto is particularly commemo-
rated. Some notices of him are to be met with, in the work of Bishop
Challoner. 10 The Petits Bollandistes also have an account of St. Etton or
Z£, at this date. " There is a notice of St. Etto, likewise, in Rev. S. Baring-
" 12 Gould's Lives of the Saints. ''
St. Etto was a native of Ireland ;*3 but, regarding his family descent, and earlier years, we have no account. He was probably born in the early part oftheseventhcentury. TherehewasinstructedinaknowledgeoftheScrip- tures, and trained in the principles of virtue. ** This holy person is said to have been in Britain, to confer with many saints, that then flourished in these Islands ; but, whether he joined St. Fursey I5 there or in Ireland is not known. 16 As we have seen, in the Life of St. 1 ? that a certain
Count named
Madelgarius,
18 surnamed Vincent, and who had to gone
of Cambrai. Here there was a celebrated Abbey of Benedictines. It is situated on the River Helpra, not far distant from Avesnes.
I3 See Bishop Challoner's " Britannia Sancta," part ii. , p. 31.
See Hadrianus Valesius, Notitia Gallia- rum," p. 260.
As by Mirseus, and byBaldericus, Bishop of Toumay and Namur.
3 This we find, from the posthumous list
of his Manuscripts.
4 In two paragraphs, at the loth of July,
pp. 147, ! 48.
s See "Fasti Belgici et Burgundici," pp.
to
391 394.
6 See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus iii. , Julii x. De S. Ettone Ep. et Conf. Leetiis in
Belgio, pp. 48 to 62.
? In five sections, and forty-three para-
graphs.
8 This had been sent to the Bollandists in
1636, by D. Christian le Roy. It has been composed in a diffuse and careless historic fashion.
9 See vol. iii. , at the loth of July. At Lrctiis, in Hannonia. There is a Historico- critical commentary, by Cornelius Smet, in three sections, pp. 666 to 682.
des Saints," tome viii. , x Jour de Juillet, p. 238.
IS See his Life, in the First Volume of this work, at the 16th of January, Art. i.
l6 Mabillon merely alludes to him in a
passing manner, and adds: " De beato
10
See "Britannia Sancta," part ii. , pp.
tomus i. , lib. xiv. , sect, iv. , pp. 411, 412.
' 7 See the First Volume of this work, at
January 16th, Art. i. , chap. v.
l8
According to the Acts of our saint, Madelgarius was born in Hibernia of noble parents, and he came to Fiance, where he married Waldetrude, daughter of the noble Walbert, and for a long time he served in the wars of King Dagobert. He had been urged by the pious Waldetrude, to separate from her, and to lead a religious life, which she most earnestly desired for herself. He affected to yield to her wishes, but leaving her, he returned to Ireland, where he in- tended to take another wife. Learning this purpose, Waldetrude followed her husband to Ireland, with some companions, where she exhorted him in such moving words, that he firmly resolved on returning with her to Prance, where both of them afterwards
31, 32.
11 See "Vies des Saints," tome viii. ,
xe Jour de Juillet, pp. 238, 239.
12 See vol. vii. , July ioth, p. 261.
already Fursey,
I4 See Les Petits Bollandistes, "Vies "e
Etton—e nudum fere noraen nobis relictum "
est. " Annales Ordinis S. Benedicti,"
I
July io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 183
1
Ireland, ? waited upon that celebrated missionary in England, and succeeded
in persuading him to visit Gaul, where he afterwards founded the monastery
of Lagny. At this period, that country was just beginning to recover from the devastations of the Huns and Vandals, with other barbarous invaders. 20 With his brothers Foillan 2I and as also with a3 2*
includuntur. "
20
Ultan," Mimbolus, Eloquius, 2s262? and28 3?
Bertuin, Fredegandus, Adalgisus Gobban, disciples ofSt. Fursey,
Etto was one of those apostolic preachers, who, in the seventh century, went
forth to the on the Continent. 2* are said to have accom- spread Gospel They
panied Madelgarius 3I and his wife St. Waldetrude, 32 when these returned to
France. ThegreatdesireoftheholymissionarieswastovisitRome,inthe
first instance ; most probably to receive the necessary jurisdiction and
approval, for the tasks which they had proposed to accomplish. About the
middle of the seventh century, they arrived in France, and Etto thence made
a pilgrimage to Rome, but whether in company with St. Fursey or not seems
to be uncertain. While he was visiting the tombs of the Apostles, it is said,
that he received episcopal consecration. 33 By Molanus, he is styled
"3
Hiberniensis Episcopus. " * Afterwards, he returned to France. With St.
Fursey, it is stated, that Etto lived for a time at Lagny,35 and that he carried the word of God afterwards into the Low Countries. He passed into those parts with six other companions, and in the company of St. Waldetrude. Among the holy men, who went to preach in the Low Countries with St. Etto, or about the same time, was St. Bertuin, a Bishop. He built an oratory, at Maloigne,36 upon the Sambre. After his return from Rome, Etto chose for his abode a solitary place, near the little river Corbriol. Like many of the primitive saints, he had a Divine inspiration, that he was destined to evange- lizethepeople,inthatpartofthedioceseofCambrai. St. Ettosettledona little stream at Thierache, near the town of Avesnes. There he cleared away the brambles, and built a cell for his occupation.
At first, he experienced some difficulties and opposition, owing to a man named Jovinus, who laid claim to the land, he being unwilling that a stranger
entered the religious state.
x» The writer of St. Etto's Life thus de-
a6 On the 17th of July, his festival occurs s ? See his Life, at the 2nd of June,
28 His feast is not correctly known.
29 See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hiber-
niae," xvi. Januarii, Appendix ad Acta S. Fursaei, cap. vi. , p. 96.
scribes it positions and states
:
" Est autem
Hyberniaproxima Britannia? Insula, spatio terrarum angustior, sed situ fcecundior. Hsec
ab Africo in Boream porrigitur, cujus partes
3° We are not to take in a too literal sense the statement of some writers that all the At a. d. 407, Miraeus writes, "in- foregoing were brothers of St. Fursey, ex- numerabiles et ferocissimae nationes univer- cept in a religious sense. Even the writer
sas Gallias occuparunt. Quidquid inter of our saint's Acts, alluding to persons "
priores ab Hibernia et Cantabrico oceano
Alpes et Pireneum est, quod Oceano et named in the text, observes, licet de omni-
Rhodano includitur, Quadus, Vandalus, Sarmata, Alani, Gepides, Heruli, Saxones, Burgundiones, Alemanni et hostes Pannonii vastarunt. "—"Rerum Belgicarum Chroni- con, ab Julii Caesaris in Galliam Adventu,
usque ad vulgarem Christi Annum 1636," &c. Antverpiae, 1636, fol.
bus non simus certi, utrum fuerunt carnali nativitate germani," &c.
21 His feast occurs, at the 31st of Octo- Saints," tome viii. , xe Jour de Juillet,
ber.
22 At the 1st of May, his feast is com-
memorated.
33 His festival is held, on the 18th of
November.
3* His Acts are at the 3rd of December. 25 His feast is on the nth of Novem-
ber.
p. 238.
34 See "Natales Sanctorum Belgii," at
x.
35 See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's "Ecclesiastical
History of Ireland," vol. ii. , chap, xvi. , sect. x. , p. 462, and n. 98, p. 464.
3* Also called Maconia, in the territory of Liege.
3I See further notices of him, at July 14th
—his feast-day—
32 See her Life, in the Fourth Volume of
in the volume, present
this work, at the 9th of April, Art. i.
Julii
33 See Les Petits Bollandistes,
"
Vies des
i84 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July io.
should take possession of it. Jovinus railed at the holy man, nor would he enter upon any terms of compromise, until convinced by a miracle, that he shouldyield,andmakeanhumbleapologytoEtto. Thereoursainterected a church, under the patronage of St. Peter, chief of the Apostles. He used to visit the Abbey of Hautmont, where under St. Ansbert,3? Madelgarius lived j andtherehenietSt. Amandus,38St. Wasno,andSt. Humbert. 39 There,too,
1
met him ; as also St. and St. Gertrude/s Besides these, St. Foillan and St. Ultan came to meet him from the monastery of Fosse,*6 as likewise many other celebrated fathers of the Church, who were living in
France during his time.
Throughout all that region, St. Etto zealously laboured to spread the Gospel seed. As a light placed on a pedestal cannot be hidden, so did the- fame of his virtues spread on all sides. To the place of his abode came numerous visitors, to ask his counsel in spiritual affairs, as also to obtain the succours of religion. But, Etto was exceedingly humble in his own estima- tion, nor could he bear that others should think highly concerning him. One of the miracles recorded of our saint is that one day, and while walking in a
field, he saw a mute cow-herd sleeping. Touching him gently with a staff, 4 ? the man arose, and immediately found the use of speech. Fiscau or Fescau,48
afterwards a priory, and depending on the Abbey of Liessy, near Avesnes, in Hainault, was the place noted in connexion with St. Etto's demise. Here he
lived for a considerable time, constantly engaged in prayer, and crucified to the world. Daily did he offer the Holy Victim in Sacrifice to the Lord. He became a father of the poor, a protector of the widow, an aid of the orphan, a consoler of those in sorrow and tribulation, aransomer of captives, and an intercessor for all who were reduced in circumstances. Finding his last days on earth about to close, St. Etto called his disciples to him, and then gave them special instructions, to observe the precepts of charity and peace towards one another, as also to fulfil with great care the duties of a Christian and a religious life. Receiving from him an intimation, that he
St. Ursmar <° and his assistant bishop Erminus -*
2 St. St.
Wasnulph,* Gissen/3 Aldegunde,^
37 This holy bishop has a festival at the
9th of February.
38 His feast occurs at the 6th of February.
From him the town of St. Amand in Flan- ders has been Darned.
39 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of the Saints," vol. vii. , July 10, p. 261.
40 His feast has been assigned to the 18th
of April,
*' Hehasafeastatthe25thofApril,but
it does not seem probable, he could have been a bishop, during the lifetime of St. Etto. He died in the year 737.
42 His feast occurs on the 1st of Octo- ber.
43 His festival is at the 9th of October.
44 Her feast is at the 30th of January.
4s Her festival is held on the 17th of
March.
46 The fiollandists remark, that all the
holy persons named in the Latin Acts of oursaint,aspublishedbythem,maybecom- bined whether as contemporaries or as locals.
4? This anecdote is thus introduced, where related in St. Et—to's Acts, and in Latin hexameter lines:
"
Mutus ad haec coeptis instabat talia dictis :
Quid mirando stupes? metritis quid
vero perhorres,
Muta tuis tacitas si fudit lingua loque-
las?
Numne recordarisDominantis, Sancte fidelis
Angelecis tremefacta minis quia fatur asella
Sessori per verba suo ; linguaque rudenti
Edidit humanas animal pecualeloque- las?
Immemor es rerum, quoniam Sapien- tia mutum
Saepius os reserare solet, puerisque disertas
Efficiens linguas, cogit depromere laudes ?
Talia fante viro, gratulans venerabi- lis Etto,
Congrua pro facto referebat munia Christo. "
*'~ This
of Picardyand Artois.
place
is situated on the confines
July io. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 185
should soon leave this world, his monks were moved to tears, and they
naturally gave way to sorrow. However, they felt consoled when Etto
impartedaspecialblessingonthem. Forimmediatepreparation,tomeet
death, the holy man redoubled his prayers and vigils, fasting with still greater
strictness and giving alms most bountifully. The night before his departure,
Etto had a vision regarding the place of his sepulture ; and, on waking, he desired one of his friends to meet another, who was then in an adjoining wood,
preparing a coffin, although he knew not for whom it was destined. This coffin that man was engaged in bringing away on a cart, drawn by a bullock. The coffin was brought to Etto, who had desired to see it. Afterwards, he devoutly received the Body and Blood of our Lord in the Holy Sacrament. Then, in the presence of his disciples, who were standing round, his soul passed away to the company of the Holy Angels and Saints. * He is said to have departed, in the sixty-fifth year of his age. His death has been assigned to about a. d. 670. 5°
On the 10th of July, various ecclesiastical authors commemorate St. Etto.
His feast has been noted, in the Belgian, Gallican and Benedictine Martyr-
1 52
ologies. Thus, Saussay,* Molanus, Miraeus,53 Ferrarius,** Wion, Dorgan,
6
Menard, Bucelin,55 Castellan,5
and Baldericus, have notices of him. In
Convaeus' list, at the same date, we find Etto set as " Fasciaci et down, Epis.
Laetiarum patronus. "57 He is noticed, likewise, by Thomas Dempster^8 His festival was celebrated on this day, with a proper office, in the church of Buinvilliers. 59 There is extant, likewise, an office with Eight Lessons,60 and these profess to give the Acts of St. Etto, but some of them are only foolish
legends.
The forty-second Bishop of Cambrai, Nicholas, in 1162, issued a diploma,
whereby certain possessions were confirmed to the abbacy of Leisse, with a provision for the maintenance of so many monks as might be required to serve
the church of Dompierre, and a prohibition against removing the body of
the saint from that 01 Other donations to are on record. 02 place. Dompierre
The monastery of Fiscau, was in the village of Dompierre. 63 There and in all the surrounding country, St. Etto's name was held in very special rever-
49 See the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto- rum," tomus iii. , Julii x. De S. Ettone Ep. et Conf. Lsetiis in Belgio, Vita, &c, pp.
"
per aliquot annos ibidem haeserat, ML. F. " —Bishop Forbes' " Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 205.
to 62.
S9 A of this was sent to Father copy
59
50 See Les Petits Bollandistes,
e
John Boland by Rev. D. Luytens, sub-prior and master of novices at Liesse, in the month of
Vies des Saints," tome viii. , x Jour de Juillet, p.
239.
s* In " Martyrologium Gallicanum. " s2 In " Natalibus Sanctorum Belgii. "
November, 1637. This has been published in all its chief parts by Father John Pinius, who has edited the Acts of our saint, in his Previous Commentary, sect. ii.
These were copied from an old Manu-
script Codex belonging to the Monastery of St. Lambert, at Liesse, and they were sent to Father Rosweyde, by Father Peter Lorig- nairt, Librarian and monk of that place. See ibid. , sect. i.
53 In Fastis Belgicis et Burgundicis.
" 6o
54 In Catalogus Generalis Sanctorum. "
ss In their several Benedictine Martyrolo-
gies.
s6 In his Universal Martyrology.
"
57 See O'Sullevan Beare's Historic
Catholicse Ibernias Compendium," tomus i. ,
lib. iv. , cap. x. , p. 48.
s8 In his " Menologium Scoticum " thus :
6l
Chronicon Lretiense.
" 62 Laetiis Ettonis episcopi et confessoris,
Germanise infcrioris Apostoli, qui in Hiber-
niamad regenda monasteria concessit, et inde
in Belgium eductus per Maldegarum Han-
nonise comitem, qui Sanctorum albo ad- in the Department of Nord, canton of scriptus Vincentius dictus, et Hirlandiae Avesnes. See "Gazetteer of the World," gubernator destinatus ab aula a rege Pipino, vol. v. , p. 43.
Allusion is made to this charter in the
See the Previous Commentary to St. Etto's Acts in the Bollandists' "Acta Sane- torum," sect. iii.
63 Now a commune, and town of France,
1 86 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [J uly i o.
ence. 6« However, the disturbances occasioned by the new Reformation caused his body to be removed to a place of greater security. His relics were translated to Mons,6* with those of other saints, during the wars about the middle of the sixteenth century. They were temporarily placed in a house of to that
bishop
ofArras in a
letter,
written
its — June 16th, 1630; but, inauguration
66 when order had Abbey. Afterwards,
refuge, belonging
been restored, St. Etto's remains were removed to the Abbey of Liesse, or
6
Liessies, ? a suitable receptacle having been prepared for their reception,
while the coffin or shrine was newly decorated and restored, as time's effacing
traceshadbeguntoshowmarksoffadinganddecay. Othersmallerreliqua-
ries of the saint were repaired at the same time. To this resting-place, St.
Etto's body was translated, by Louis de Blois, then its Abbot, and placed in
the church of his on the 22nd of a. d. 68 This monastery, day June, 1559.
establishmentwassubsequentlyanabbeyofCanonsRegular. Therethebody was kept, with great veneration, and St. Etto's feast has become a great solem- nity, on the anniversary ofhis death, iothofJuly. In like manner is he com- memorated, in the priory of Fiscau. 6^ On that day, the people assembled in great numbers, and assisted at Mass, while a vast procession on foot and on horseback accompanied a shrine containing the relics of our saint. On that day, too, the people abstained from servile works, regarding it as a superior feast. The office of his Natalis was recited in the'parish, and it was sung in themonasteryofLeisse,duringtheentireoctave. ? However,inthechurch of Dompierre, the body of St. Etto is now preserved, and there is a tomb on which he is figured with a mitre, a cross in his hand, and clothed in episco- pal vestments. At some distance from the church, there is a fountain, which bears the name of St. Ze'. ? 1 In the parish of Dompierre, for many ages past, as also in that of Buinvilliers, diocese of Arras, a confraternity has been established in honour of St. Ze\ The latter was ordered to be erected, by the
was deferred, owing to the fact of two churches being in the same town
the congregation of each contending for their respective church as being the
parochial one. An arm-bone of St. Etto is preserved at Buinvilliers, near
3
Arras. ?
by cow-herds and cattle-drivers. 73 A copperplate engraving of this character has been inserted in his Acts, as furnished by the Bollandists. 74
Since the time St. Etto departed from this life to our Lord's happy inherit- ance, in the seventh century, the people who lived after him had great faith in his intercession. Those who had been afflicted with various diseases were taught to believe, that through a devout invocation of his patronage, the Almighty would be pleased to remove their ailments and to prolong their
6* See Les Petits Bollandistes, "Viesdes ? ° See the Bollandists' "Acta Sancto- Saints," tome viii. , xe Jour de Juillet, p. 239. rum," tomus iii. , Julii x. De S. Ettone Ep. 65 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's " Lives of et Conf. Laetiis in Belgio. Commentarius
St. Etto is represented with oxen at his feet, as he is invoked
the Saints," vol. vii. , July 10, p. 261. Pircvius, sect, iii. , num. 16, p. 53. 6""
•J
See Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des
n See Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des Saints," tome viii,, xe Jour de Juillet, p. 239.
? 2 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of the Saints," vol. vii. , July 10, p. 261.
73 See Very Rev. Dr. F.
