According
to the Rev.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v6
v.
, cap.
iii. , p. 75, 76.
15 See an account of him, in the Second
Volume of this work, at the 3rd day of
lxxxii. , p. 192.
2* See Hector Boece, " Scotorum Histo-
rue," lib. xi. , fol. ccxlv.
2S Fordun represents him to be the first
"
February, Art. iii. 16 "
bishop of St. Andrews. See
Four Masters," vol. ii. , n. (o), pp. 6S3, since Indulphus was not contemporaneous
with him, but rather with St. Fothad I.
18 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life "7 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's of St. Columba," Additional Notes (O), p. "Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes
684.
394, n. (k), ibid. 9 " Foihach
episcopus pausavit. "
— (O). p. 402.
28 This was a. d. to the 1093, according
Annals of Ulster.
2? See E. William Robertson's " Scotland
William F. Skene's and Scots," p. 10.
"
Chronicles of the Picts
20 See "De Origine, Moribus et Rebus under her Early Kings," vol. i. , chap, vii. ,
192.
21 See "Scotorum Historic," lib. xi. ,
fol. ccxliv.
22 The particulars of this quarrel are very minutely set forth by Hector Boece, in
Gestis Scotorum," lib. v. , cap. lxxxii. , p. p. 174.
30 "
It is
alsostated,
" Scotorum Historic, lib. xi. . , fol. ccxliii. to ccxlv.
23 See " De Moribus John Lesley, Orgine
On —
it were these words: Hanc Evangelii thecam construxit aviti. " The Legend of St. Andrew, in William F. Skene's "Chronicles of the Picts and S
p. 190.
records his Another and later
20
22 as the by proposing
June 4. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 137
of Fordun. 31 While the of the first of that name in the period Fothad, bishop
See of St. Andrews, is not indicated ; the Fothad or Fothach, who gave a superb case to the Gospels, has been entered under the year 1065, in the list of prelates belonging to this See. 32
Article XVI. —St. Breaca, or Breague, Virgin, in Cornwall. \_Fifth or Sixth Century^ A short account of this holy virgin is found, in
2 An
the works of Rev. Alban Butler x and of the Rev. S.
ancient Life of St. Breacha had been written, and from this John Leland, the antiquary, has taken short extracts. Her original Celtic name appears to have been Breague, which is Latinized Breacha. That old Life of—St. Breacca states, that she was born in the parts of Lagonia and Ultonia 3 rather an indefinite description. Some have it, that St. Breca was one of St. Patrick's disciples; but, this is more than questionable. 4 St. Breaca is said to have lived in a monastery, which St. Brigid founded in the plain of Breagh, after she had built an oratory. 5 St. Breacha must have lived in the fifth or sixth century, according to this account. From Ireland, she went to Cornwall,6 about the time, when Theodoric king of that territory reigned, and ascribed to the year 460. It is said, that his part of Britian was anciently called by
" the
while the Saxons afterwards called it Cornweales, interpreted to be " Cornish
Wales. "? St. Breagwasattendedbymanyholypersons,andamongthese were Sinninus alias Senanus, an Abbot who had been at Rome with St.
Patrick, Germmochus, said to have been an Irish king, and several others, according to tradition. 8 Marnanus a monk, Elwen, Crewenna, Helena and
Tecla are also named,9 as having accompanied her. She landed at Reyver, which was situated on the eastern bank of the Hayle river. At present, it is
its Kernouor people
Kerniw, signifying
horn,"
Latinized to Cornubia
;
called the Alan. It was situated in the hundredth of Penrith. 10 Theodorick or Tewder IX had his castle of residence, and he is said to have
church was built in that place to her honour. It was afterwards much fre- quentedbypilgrims,andmanymiracleswerewroughtathertomb. Beacca came to Pencair and to Trenewith, and she built a church in Trenewith and Talmeneth, as we read in the Life of St.
multitude who
led a solitary life at Reyver, and became renowned for her holiness. J 3 A
slain a of the great part
holy
accompanied
31 "
See Scotichronicon," vol. i. , lib. vi. ,
8 SeeWilliam
torical and Monumental of the County of
Borlase's "Antiquities His 32 See Rev. Dr. Mackenzie E. C. Cornwall," vol. i. , book iv. , chap, x. , sect.
cap, xxiv. , ed. Goodall, vol. i. , p. 339. Walcott's "Scoti—-Monasticon," pp. 84, 85.
iii. , p. 370.
9 See Leland's
*
Article xvi See "Lives
Fathers, Martyrs and other principal saints," vol. vi. , June iv.
2
See "Lives of the Saints," vol. vi. ,
p. 5.
IO See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of the
Fathers, iMartyrs and other principal saints,"
vol. vi. , June iv. " " I:
of the
"Itinerary," vol. iii. ,
p. 36.
3 See The Itinerary of John Leland, So is he called in The Itinerary of
vol. iii. , p. 5. John Leland, vol. iii. , p. 5. " I2
4 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's Lives of See William Borlase's "Antiquities the Saints," vol. vi. , June 4th, p. 36. Historical and Monumental of the County of 5 See "The Itinerary" of John Leland, Cornwall," vol. i. , bookiv. , chap, x. , sect,
vol. iii. , p. 5.
6 See William Borlase's "Antiquities
Historical and Monumental, of the County of Cornwall," vol. i. , book iv. , chap, x. ,
sect,
iii. , p. 370.
7 See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary
of England," vol. i. , p. 687.
iii. , p. 370.
I3 See Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of the
Fathers, Martyrs and other principal saints," vol. vi. , June iv.
I4 See "The of Itinerary
vol. iii. , p. 5.
I5 Quoted by Leland.
'
Baring-Gould.
Elwin. 14 According to the ancient
St. 12 She Breag.
""
John Leland,
There,
138 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 5.
Exeter Martyrology of B. Grandison, 1 * this saint was formerly venerated on
the 4th of June, in the diocese of Exeter.
According to the Rev. Alban
" 16
Butler's Lives of the Saints," Breaca, now Breague, a Virgin, was honoured,
at the 4th of June. This holy Irish virgin is entered for the same date, in
1 the Circle of the Seasons. ''
Article XVII. —St. Burian, or Buriana, of Cornwall. In Rev.
Alban Butler's 1 and in the Circle of the work,
Seasons;
woman, is mentioned, at the 4th of June. She appears to have left her native
country, and to have passed over to Cornwall. 3 There she had an oratory, in which she is said to have been buried/ Going into Scylly, and thence return- ing, King Athelstan made a vow to build a college where St. Buriana's oratory stood. 5 Accordingly,withinsightoftheScillyRocks,hefoundedacollegiate church in her honour. 6 The church of St. Buryens enjoyed the privilege of asanctuary. InthetimeofJohnLeland,theantiquary,notmorethaneight dwelling-houses were there. 7
jftftl) Bap of Suite.
ARTICLE I. —ST. BONIFACE, APOSTLE OF GERMANY, AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARTYRS.
[SEVENTH AND EIGHTH CENTURIES. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—ANCIENT AND MODERN LIVES OF ST. BONIFACE—HIS ORIGIN AND PLACE OF BIRTH—HIS EARLY TRAINING AND RELIGIOUS DISPOSITIONS—HE CHOSES A RELIGIOUS STATE OF LIFE—HIS TEACHERS AND STUDIES—PROMOTED TO THE PRIESTHOOD—SELECTED TO ATTEND A SYNOD AMONG THE WEST SAXONS—HE RESOLVES ON BECOMING A MISSIONARY AMONG THE PEOPLE OF FRISIA—HE LEAVES ENGLAND FOR THIS PURPOSE.
illustrious Apostle of Germany, St. Boniface, has been classed
THE our Irish
among Saints, resting
on those testimonies adduced in the present effort to evolve and epitomize his biography. No doubt, a very general impression prevails, that England had been the country of his birth ; and accordingly, several modern writers have advanced statements, resting on very credible sources, to accept such a conclusion. Scotland has claimed the honour of his nativity, likewise, on the ground, that some early and ex-
16 See vol. vi. ,
June
iv.
4 See Lewis' " of Topographical Dictionary
England," vol. i. , p. 437.
syee Gough's Camden's "Britannia,"
vol. i. , p. 12.
6 He placed a Dean and Three Prebends
in the College. See William Borlase's
" Historical and Monumental of Antiquities
the County of Cornwall," vol. i. , book iv. ,
chap. xi. , sect, iv. , p. 383.
* See p. 156. — Article xvii.
*
See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal saints,"
vol. vi. , June iv.
9 See p. 156.
3 See William Borlase's "
Historical and Monumental of the County of Cornwall," vol. i. , book iv. , chap, xi. , sect, iv. , p. 383.
Antiquities
7
See his
"
Itinerary," vol. vii. , p. 108.
2 St. an Irish Burian,
Jqne 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
139
1 cellent authorities have pronounced his father and mother to be Scots, while
2
St. Boniface himself is expressly denominated a Scottish Archbishop; in one
instance, he is called a Scot by birth. 3 It is easy, however, to show, that these applications of such terms can only have reference to Ireland. 4 Hence,
Ave may regard the controversy on this subject, as being practically narrowed totheclaimsofIrelandandEngland. WhileweofIrelandshouldrejoiceto have the matter of evidence for the birth of St. Boniface decided in our favour; far be it from our intention or desire, in the interests of historic truth, to de- prive England of the credit to which she is justly entitled, by having an addi- tional great name added to the bead-roll of her illustrious sons. In any case, it seems more than probable, that some of St. Boniface's missionary aids and companions in martyrdom were from Ireland; while, a knowledge of his apostolic career must be necessary, to illustrate the lives of many holy and learned Irishmen and Irishwomen, who flourished during his age and after his time on the Continent of—
ful matter. From this
Epistles,
These sources we have chiefly relied upon, to
natu. " "
Ecclesias-
the accounts of men who lived con- religious
temporaneously with St. Boniface ; and, he even appears to intimate, that these accounts had been committed to writings, which he had used. Among others, he tells us, that Bishop Lull was one of his authorities.
by
to — Scottus, referring him,
of St. Boniface.
pie But,
"patie atque etiam matre Scottum. "
Pertz's " Monumenta Germanise Historica,"
tomusv. , p. 545.
2
Again, at a. d. 723, in the same work, Marianus calls him—"Sancti Scotti Archi- episcopi Bonifacii. " See ibid.
Europe.
niface dedicated to Lullus and
TheLifeofSt. Bo— temporaneous bishops
tract,
their most reliable accounts.
furnish matter for the present biography; but, they are supplemented,
also, from other ancient and modern documents and records. There is a "Vita Sancti Bonifacii Episcopi Moguntini et Martyris," auctore Willibaldo secun-
con- is said tohavebeenthediscipleofoursaint, althoughthisseemstobeaverydoubt- 10 and from his own writers have taken
was written by a priest, named Willibald. 8
7
He
dum priorem, ut videtur, conscriptionem, very lately edited.
Including a
11 It seems doubtful
are in possession of Willibald's genuine text of the Vita S. Bonefacii ;
if we
Prologue,
although various editions of it have been published. Thus, Henricus Cani-
it contains
Forty-two chapters.
enough,
Article 1. —Chapter i. — * In his
ia
Father Godefrid Henschen, that the work is not from the pen of Bishop Willibald, disci-
"Chronicon," at a. d. 737—715, it is en-
tered
Marianus
the Priest who wrote it probably derived his name from that Bishop. The two great German histo- rians of our own day, Pertz in " Monu- menta Germanise Historica," and Jaffe in "Monumenta Moguntina," have adopted
the opinion of the Jesuit Henschen.
9 The writer declares, that his narrative writes,—that St. Boniface was Scottus had been drawn up in a simple style from
3 See Abbot John of Trittenheim, who "
Catalogus Scriptorum ticorum," fol. li.
4 Marianus, well known to be an Irish- man, yet calls himself Scottus.
5 He succeeded St. Boniface, in the See of
Mayence, A. D. 755.
6 I0""
Also called Mengoz, Mengosus and In the Annales Ecclesiastici of Car- Megiugaudus. Several years btfore the dinal Baronius, we find copious illustrations martyrdom of St. Boniface, he had been of the historic character and acts of St. Boni-
bishop of Wurzburg in Franconia.
7 It has been incorrectly thought, by
Canisius, Serarius, and Mabillon, that he
had been the same Willibald, whom Boni-
face appointed to the See of Eichstadt, about
the year 750. See "The Irish Ecclesiastical
face, tome ix. , from A. D. 716 to A. D. 755-
" See " Analecta Bollandiana," ediderunt Carolus De Smedt, Gulielmus Van Hooff, etjosephus De Backer, Presbyteri Societa-
tis Jesu, tomus i. , pp. 51 to 72.
u It has been ably edited by Jaffe, who
" Est veto cognitum opusculum hoc non integrum usque ad nos remansisse . . Life of St. Boniface was undertaken in a ut maxime verisimile sit, jam primum vitae
Record," Third Series, vol. v. , No. 2, p. 115.
states
exemplar detrimenta cepisse hiatusque et —ri- mas postea levi brachio oblitos fuisse. "
" Monumenta p. 424.
8
spirit of obedience, while humbly protesting his inability to do proper justice to the sub-
ject. It has been proved to evidence,
by
In the Prologue, he intimates, that this
:
s6 Megingozus,
Moguntina,"
140 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 5.
J1
sius 3 has copied from different Manuscripts, * that Life which he issued.
Again, Laurence Surius has given us a version. A History of the Passion of St. Boniface I5 was written at an early period, yet it does not seem to have been published. From various records are the Acts of this holy Apostle capable of receiving illustration ; thus, from the Chronicle of Marianus Scotus, l6 from the Martyrology of Bede, of Usuard, of Hraban, of Ado, as also fromtheRomanMartyrology. Tomakeclearerwhathasbeenrenderedobscure,
in the Life ofour saint 1? Otho or a by VVillibald, Othlo,
1 of the twelfth century, wrote his Acts, in two Books. ^
priest
and monkl8
manywritershavetreatedaboutthiscelebratedApostleofGermany. Johnof
Trittenheim 2° and Petrus de Natalibus have a short account of Bonifacius,
Archbishop of Maguntinum. 21 The Religious Benedictines of the Congregation
ofSt. Maurhave
learnedly
illustratedhisLifeand 22 HisActsarecon- writings.
15 Allusion is made to
it,
in a
supplement
of compilation Surius,
2^ ofThomas
2* andofCanisius. 25
tainedin the
The Bollandists have treated exhaustively the Acts of St. Boniface, in their
great work. 26 According to their usual method for giving particulars regard-
ing the biographies of illustrious saints, they commence with a previous com- 2 28
mentary ;
by
the Acts of St. Boni- face, as written by WT illibald and by Otho.
13 In "
tomus vi.
19 Surius has
?
the
20 See " Catalogus Scriptorum Ecclesias- ticorum," fol. li.
21 See " Catalogus Sanctorum et Gesto- tum eorum ex diversis voluminibus collec- tus :" editus a Reverendissimo in Chiisto Patre Domino Petro de Natalibus de VenernsdeiGr. itiaepiscopo. Equiiino. See Nonus Junii, lib. vi. , fol. cxlvii.
22 See" Histoire Literaire de la Fiance,"
tomeiv. , Siecle viii. , pp. 92 to 120. New edition.
23 See " De Probatis Sanctorum Vitis,"
Nonus — He has
vi. , Junii. published
then,
their first Life is that
Willibald this is fol- ;
Antiquse Lectiones,"
14 He used, Manuscripts belonging to
Rebdorff, near Eichstad and Windberg, in Bavaria, as also a Manuscript belonging to Albert Hunger.
published
to Willibald's Life of St. Boniface, which has
been published by the Bollandists.
x° "
See his Chronicon," edited by
Waitz.
17 His Life of St. Boniface is stated to have
been written in a chamber, or cell, at the church of St. Victor, situated without the
The Archbishops of that of the church, in which Lullus and Raban prayed. Willigisus also establish ei there a great monastery and a chapter of twenty Canons in honour of St. Victor, and he presided from a. d. 977 to 1011. In memory of St. Boniface a church was there dedicated, and Otho III. ,
walls of Mayence.
were
city patrons
tomus
oneofthoseLives saidtohavebeenwrit-
torum," tomus i. , lib. ii. , num. 130, pp. 71 Emperor of Germany, was present. The to 74.
latter confirmed by deed a farm belonging to himself in Thuringia as an endowment. Willi- bald wrote that Life at first on waxen tablets, so that it be submitted to
Lullus and to Me^ingaudus, and thus re-
ceive their approval, lest anything had been
inserted through mistake or misstatement,
before it should be transferred to parchment,
in a more permanent shape. See Supple-
ment to the Life of St. Boniface, cap. iii. ,
sect.
iii. , p. 75, 76.
15 See an account of him, in the Second
Volume of this work, at the 3rd day of
lxxxii. , p. 192.
2* See Hector Boece, " Scotorum Histo-
rue," lib. xi. , fol. ccxlv.
2S Fordun represents him to be the first
"
February, Art. iii. 16 "
bishop of St. Andrews. See
Four Masters," vol. ii. , n. (o), pp. 6S3, since Indulphus was not contemporaneous
with him, but rather with St. Fothad I.
18 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's " Life "7 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's of St. Columba," Additional Notes (O), p. "Life of St. Columba," Additional Notes
684.
394, n. (k), ibid. 9 " Foihach
episcopus pausavit. "
— (O). p. 402.
28 This was a. d. to the 1093, according
Annals of Ulster.
2? See E. William Robertson's " Scotland
William F. Skene's and Scots," p. 10.
"
Chronicles of the Picts
20 See "De Origine, Moribus et Rebus under her Early Kings," vol. i. , chap, vii. ,
192.
21 See "Scotorum Historic," lib. xi. ,
fol. ccxliv.
22 The particulars of this quarrel are very minutely set forth by Hector Boece, in
Gestis Scotorum," lib. v. , cap. lxxxii. , p. p. 174.
30 "
It is
alsostated,
" Scotorum Historic, lib. xi. . , fol. ccxliii. to ccxlv.
23 See " De Moribus John Lesley, Orgine
On —
it were these words: Hanc Evangelii thecam construxit aviti. " The Legend of St. Andrew, in William F. Skene's "Chronicles of the Picts and S
p. 190.
records his Another and later
20
22 as the by proposing
June 4. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 137
of Fordun. 31 While the of the first of that name in the period Fothad, bishop
See of St. Andrews, is not indicated ; the Fothad or Fothach, who gave a superb case to the Gospels, has been entered under the year 1065, in the list of prelates belonging to this See. 32
Article XVI. —St. Breaca, or Breague, Virgin, in Cornwall. \_Fifth or Sixth Century^ A short account of this holy virgin is found, in
2 An
the works of Rev. Alban Butler x and of the Rev. S.
ancient Life of St. Breacha had been written, and from this John Leland, the antiquary, has taken short extracts. Her original Celtic name appears to have been Breague, which is Latinized Breacha. That old Life of—St. Breacca states, that she was born in the parts of Lagonia and Ultonia 3 rather an indefinite description. Some have it, that St. Breca was one of St. Patrick's disciples; but, this is more than questionable. 4 St. Breaca is said to have lived in a monastery, which St. Brigid founded in the plain of Breagh, after she had built an oratory. 5 St. Breacha must have lived in the fifth or sixth century, according to this account. From Ireland, she went to Cornwall,6 about the time, when Theodoric king of that territory reigned, and ascribed to the year 460. It is said, that his part of Britian was anciently called by
" the
while the Saxons afterwards called it Cornweales, interpreted to be " Cornish
Wales. "? St. Breagwasattendedbymanyholypersons,andamongthese were Sinninus alias Senanus, an Abbot who had been at Rome with St.
Patrick, Germmochus, said to have been an Irish king, and several others, according to tradition. 8 Marnanus a monk, Elwen, Crewenna, Helena and
Tecla are also named,9 as having accompanied her. She landed at Reyver, which was situated on the eastern bank of the Hayle river. At present, it is
its Kernouor people
Kerniw, signifying
horn,"
Latinized to Cornubia
;
called the Alan. It was situated in the hundredth of Penrith. 10 Theodorick or Tewder IX had his castle of residence, and he is said to have
church was built in that place to her honour. It was afterwards much fre- quentedbypilgrims,andmanymiracleswerewroughtathertomb. Beacca came to Pencair and to Trenewith, and she built a church in Trenewith and Talmeneth, as we read in the Life of St.
multitude who
led a solitary life at Reyver, and became renowned for her holiness. J 3 A
slain a of the great part
holy
accompanied
31 "
See Scotichronicon," vol. i. , lib. vi. ,
8 SeeWilliam
torical and Monumental of the County of
Borlase's "Antiquities His 32 See Rev. Dr. Mackenzie E. C. Cornwall," vol. i. , book iv. , chap, x. , sect.
cap, xxiv. , ed. Goodall, vol. i. , p. 339. Walcott's "Scoti—-Monasticon," pp. 84, 85.
iii. , p. 370.
9 See Leland's
*
Article xvi See "Lives
Fathers, Martyrs and other principal saints," vol. vi. , June iv.
2
See "Lives of the Saints," vol. vi. ,
p. 5.
IO See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of the
Fathers, iMartyrs and other principal saints,"
vol. vi. , June iv. " " I:
of the
"Itinerary," vol. iii. ,
p. 36.
3 See The Itinerary of John Leland, So is he called in The Itinerary of
vol. iii. , p. 5. John Leland, vol. iii. , p. 5. " I2
4 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's Lives of See William Borlase's "Antiquities the Saints," vol. vi. , June 4th, p. 36. Historical and Monumental of the County of 5 See "The Itinerary" of John Leland, Cornwall," vol. i. , bookiv. , chap, x. , sect,
vol. iii. , p. 5.
6 See William Borlase's "Antiquities
Historical and Monumental, of the County of Cornwall," vol. i. , book iv. , chap, x. ,
sect,
iii. , p. 370.
7 See Lewis' "Topographical Dictionary
of England," vol. i. , p. 687.
iii. , p. 370.
I3 See Rev. Alban Butler's "Lives of the
Fathers, Martyrs and other principal saints," vol. vi. , June iv.
I4 See "The of Itinerary
vol. iii. , p. 5.
I5 Quoted by Leland.
'
Baring-Gould.
Elwin. 14 According to the ancient
St. 12 She Breag.
""
John Leland,
There,
138 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 5.
Exeter Martyrology of B. Grandison, 1 * this saint was formerly venerated on
the 4th of June, in the diocese of Exeter.
According to the Rev. Alban
" 16
Butler's Lives of the Saints," Breaca, now Breague, a Virgin, was honoured,
at the 4th of June. This holy Irish virgin is entered for the same date, in
1 the Circle of the Seasons. ''
Article XVII. —St. Burian, or Buriana, of Cornwall. In Rev.
Alban Butler's 1 and in the Circle of the work,
Seasons;
woman, is mentioned, at the 4th of June. She appears to have left her native
country, and to have passed over to Cornwall. 3 There she had an oratory, in which she is said to have been buried/ Going into Scylly, and thence return- ing, King Athelstan made a vow to build a college where St. Buriana's oratory stood. 5 Accordingly,withinsightoftheScillyRocks,hefoundedacollegiate church in her honour. 6 The church of St. Buryens enjoyed the privilege of asanctuary. InthetimeofJohnLeland,theantiquary,notmorethaneight dwelling-houses were there. 7
jftftl) Bap of Suite.
ARTICLE I. —ST. BONIFACE, APOSTLE OF GERMANY, AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARTYRS.
[SEVENTH AND EIGHTH CENTURIES. ]
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—ANCIENT AND MODERN LIVES OF ST. BONIFACE—HIS ORIGIN AND PLACE OF BIRTH—HIS EARLY TRAINING AND RELIGIOUS DISPOSITIONS—HE CHOSES A RELIGIOUS STATE OF LIFE—HIS TEACHERS AND STUDIES—PROMOTED TO THE PRIESTHOOD—SELECTED TO ATTEND A SYNOD AMONG THE WEST SAXONS—HE RESOLVES ON BECOMING A MISSIONARY AMONG THE PEOPLE OF FRISIA—HE LEAVES ENGLAND FOR THIS PURPOSE.
illustrious Apostle of Germany, St. Boniface, has been classed
THE our Irish
among Saints, resting
on those testimonies adduced in the present effort to evolve and epitomize his biography. No doubt, a very general impression prevails, that England had been the country of his birth ; and accordingly, several modern writers have advanced statements, resting on very credible sources, to accept such a conclusion. Scotland has claimed the honour of his nativity, likewise, on the ground, that some early and ex-
16 See vol. vi. ,
June
iv.
4 See Lewis' " of Topographical Dictionary
England," vol. i. , p. 437.
syee Gough's Camden's "Britannia,"
vol. i. , p. 12.
6 He placed a Dean and Three Prebends
in the College. See William Borlase's
" Historical and Monumental of Antiquities
the County of Cornwall," vol. i. , book iv. ,
chap. xi. , sect, iv. , p. 383.
* See p. 156. — Article xvii.
*
See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal saints,"
vol. vi. , June iv.
9 See p. 156.
3 See William Borlase's "
Historical and Monumental of the County of Cornwall," vol. i. , book iv. , chap, xi. , sect, iv. , p. 383.
Antiquities
7
See his
"
Itinerary," vol. vii. , p. 108.
2 St. an Irish Burian,
Jqne 5. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
139
1 cellent authorities have pronounced his father and mother to be Scots, while
2
St. Boniface himself is expressly denominated a Scottish Archbishop; in one
instance, he is called a Scot by birth. 3 It is easy, however, to show, that these applications of such terms can only have reference to Ireland. 4 Hence,
Ave may regard the controversy on this subject, as being practically narrowed totheclaimsofIrelandandEngland. WhileweofIrelandshouldrejoiceto have the matter of evidence for the birth of St. Boniface decided in our favour; far be it from our intention or desire, in the interests of historic truth, to de- prive England of the credit to which she is justly entitled, by having an addi- tional great name added to the bead-roll of her illustrious sons. In any case, it seems more than probable, that some of St. Boniface's missionary aids and companions in martyrdom were from Ireland; while, a knowledge of his apostolic career must be necessary, to illustrate the lives of many holy and learned Irishmen and Irishwomen, who flourished during his age and after his time on the Continent of—
ful matter. From this
Epistles,
These sources we have chiefly relied upon, to
natu. " "
Ecclesias-
the accounts of men who lived con- religious
temporaneously with St. Boniface ; and, he even appears to intimate, that these accounts had been committed to writings, which he had used. Among others, he tells us, that Bishop Lull was one of his authorities.
by
to — Scottus, referring him,
of St. Boniface.
pie But,
"patie atque etiam matre Scottum. "
Pertz's " Monumenta Germanise Historica,"
tomusv. , p. 545.
2
Again, at a. d. 723, in the same work, Marianus calls him—"Sancti Scotti Archi- episcopi Bonifacii. " See ibid.
Europe.
niface dedicated to Lullus and
TheLifeofSt. Bo— temporaneous bishops
tract,
their most reliable accounts.
furnish matter for the present biography; but, they are supplemented,
also, from other ancient and modern documents and records. There is a "Vita Sancti Bonifacii Episcopi Moguntini et Martyris," auctore Willibaldo secun-
con- is said tohavebeenthediscipleofoursaint, althoughthisseemstobeaverydoubt- 10 and from his own writers have taken
was written by a priest, named Willibald. 8
7
He
dum priorem, ut videtur, conscriptionem, very lately edited.
Including a
11 It seems doubtful
are in possession of Willibald's genuine text of the Vita S. Bonefacii ;
if we
Prologue,
although various editions of it have been published. Thus, Henricus Cani-
it contains
Forty-two chapters.
enough,
Article 1. —Chapter i. — * In his
ia
Father Godefrid Henschen, that the work is not from the pen of Bishop Willibald, disci-
"Chronicon," at a. d. 737—715, it is en-
tered
Marianus
the Priest who wrote it probably derived his name from that Bishop. The two great German histo- rians of our own day, Pertz in " Monu- menta Germanise Historica," and Jaffe in "Monumenta Moguntina," have adopted
the opinion of the Jesuit Henschen.
9 The writer declares, that his narrative writes,—that St. Boniface was Scottus had been drawn up in a simple style from
3 See Abbot John of Trittenheim, who "
Catalogus Scriptorum ticorum," fol. li.
4 Marianus, well known to be an Irish- man, yet calls himself Scottus.
5 He succeeded St. Boniface, in the See of
Mayence, A. D. 755.
6 I0""
Also called Mengoz, Mengosus and In the Annales Ecclesiastici of Car- Megiugaudus. Several years btfore the dinal Baronius, we find copious illustrations martyrdom of St. Boniface, he had been of the historic character and acts of St. Boni-
bishop of Wurzburg in Franconia.
7 It has been incorrectly thought, by
Canisius, Serarius, and Mabillon, that he
had been the same Willibald, whom Boni-
face appointed to the See of Eichstadt, about
the year 750. See "The Irish Ecclesiastical
face, tome ix. , from A. D. 716 to A. D. 755-
" See " Analecta Bollandiana," ediderunt Carolus De Smedt, Gulielmus Van Hooff, etjosephus De Backer, Presbyteri Societa-
tis Jesu, tomus i. , pp. 51 to 72.
u It has been ably edited by Jaffe, who
" Est veto cognitum opusculum hoc non integrum usque ad nos remansisse . . Life of St. Boniface was undertaken in a ut maxime verisimile sit, jam primum vitae
Record," Third Series, vol. v. , No. 2, p. 115.
states
exemplar detrimenta cepisse hiatusque et —ri- mas postea levi brachio oblitos fuisse. "
" Monumenta p. 424.
8
spirit of obedience, while humbly protesting his inability to do proper justice to the sub-
ject. It has been proved to evidence,
by
In the Prologue, he intimates, that this
:
s6 Megingozus,
Moguntina,"
140 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 5.
J1
sius 3 has copied from different Manuscripts, * that Life which he issued.
Again, Laurence Surius has given us a version. A History of the Passion of St. Boniface I5 was written at an early period, yet it does not seem to have been published. From various records are the Acts of this holy Apostle capable of receiving illustration ; thus, from the Chronicle of Marianus Scotus, l6 from the Martyrology of Bede, of Usuard, of Hraban, of Ado, as also fromtheRomanMartyrology. Tomakeclearerwhathasbeenrenderedobscure,
in the Life ofour saint 1? Otho or a by VVillibald, Othlo,
1 of the twelfth century, wrote his Acts, in two Books. ^
priest
and monkl8
manywritershavetreatedaboutthiscelebratedApostleofGermany. Johnof
Trittenheim 2° and Petrus de Natalibus have a short account of Bonifacius,
Archbishop of Maguntinum. 21 The Religious Benedictines of the Congregation
ofSt. Maurhave
learnedly
illustratedhisLifeand 22 HisActsarecon- writings.
15 Allusion is made to
it,
in a
supplement
of compilation Surius,
2^ ofThomas
2* andofCanisius. 25
tainedin the
The Bollandists have treated exhaustively the Acts of St. Boniface, in their
great work. 26 According to their usual method for giving particulars regard-
ing the biographies of illustrious saints, they commence with a previous com- 2 28
mentary ;
by
the Acts of St. Boni- face, as written by WT illibald and by Otho.
13 In "
tomus vi.
19 Surius has
?
the
20 See " Catalogus Scriptorum Ecclesias- ticorum," fol. li.
21 See " Catalogus Sanctorum et Gesto- tum eorum ex diversis voluminibus collec- tus :" editus a Reverendissimo in Chiisto Patre Domino Petro de Natalibus de VenernsdeiGr. itiaepiscopo. Equiiino. See Nonus Junii, lib. vi. , fol. cxlvii.
22 See" Histoire Literaire de la Fiance,"
tomeiv. , Siecle viii. , pp. 92 to 120. New edition.
23 See " De Probatis Sanctorum Vitis,"
Nonus — He has
vi. , Junii. published
then,
their first Life is that
Willibald this is fol- ;
Antiquse Lectiones,"
14 He used, Manuscripts belonging to
Rebdorff, near Eichstad and Windberg, in Bavaria, as also a Manuscript belonging to Albert Hunger.
published
to Willibald's Life of St. Boniface, which has
been published by the Bollandists.
x° "
See his Chronicon," edited by
Waitz.
17 His Life of St. Boniface is stated to have
been written in a chamber, or cell, at the church of St. Victor, situated without the
The Archbishops of that of the church, in which Lullus and Raban prayed. Willigisus also establish ei there a great monastery and a chapter of twenty Canons in honour of St. Victor, and he presided from a. d. 977 to 1011. In memory of St. Boniface a church was there dedicated, and Otho III. ,
walls of Mayence.
were
city patrons
tomus
oneofthoseLives saidtohavebeenwrit-
torum," tomus i. , lib. ii. , num. 130, pp. 71 Emperor of Germany, was present. The to 74.
latter confirmed by deed a farm belonging to himself in Thuringia as an endowment. Willi- bald wrote that Life at first on waxen tablets, so that it be submitted to
Lullus and to Me^ingaudus, and thus re-
ceive their approval, lest anything had been
inserted through mistake or misstatement,
before it should be transferred to parchment,
in a more permanent shape. See Supple-
ment to the Life of St. Boniface, cap. iii. ,
sect.
