Nobilior
Harris observes: "He seems also to
44
have been the Author of a Description of Ireland, in Hexameter and Pentameter verse ; or rather the Life of St.
Harris observes: "He seems also to
44
have been the Author of a Description of Ireland, in Hexameter and Pentameter verse ; or rather the Life of St.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v7
32 Three other counterpart copies of thosesameActswereprocuredbyColgan.
OneofthemcamefromtheVatican Library, and another from the Library of His Eminence Cardinal Antonio Barberini, while a third was sent by the celebrated Franciscan Father, Luke Wadding.
All of these copies were diligently collated by the editor, who found them severally mutilated and worn, abounding in false emendations of copyists, as also deformed with verbal transpositions and changes, to such a degree, that the sense of some verses could not be discovered, while the proper number of feet, and the required syllabic measure, were wanting in
23 Ofthese,however,fewtracesnowremain. The Round Tower there is still very per- feet, while the accompanying illustration taken on the spot, by William F. Wake- man—now many years ago—presents a pic- ture from a different point of view from that already presented, at the 24th of March. This has been transferred to the wood, en- graved by Mrs. Millard.
24 Thus, " Seven Altars " are known to have been at St. Patrick's Purgatory. There were, also, according to a Cork tradition, "Seven Altars," at Gougane Barra,
25 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hibern-
cum," p. 48.
2C To this allusion has been made already,
in the Second Volume of this work, at the
1st of February, when giving the Life of St.
Brigid, Art. i.
- 7 This forms the Sixth Life of St. Brigid,
3° See the first note, postfixed to St. Brigid's Sixth Life.
3I See an account of this whole matter, in the Life of St. Brigid, vol. ii. , chap, i. , with marginal notes.
32 The great literary treasures, contained
in this celebrated and historic monastery
may be inferred from the admirable quarto
volumes, now being issued from the monas-
tic press, by the printing and artistic staff
there engaged, under the Benedictines' edi-
torial supervision. The partial result of
their labours in compiling the Catalogue of
their Manuscripts may be gleaned from
"
Bibliotheca Casinen. ds seu Codicum Manu- scriptorum qui in Tabulario Cassinensi as- servantur series cura et studio Monachorum Ordinis S. Benedicti Abbatire Montis Casini. " In the October of 1886, the writer had an opportunity for discovering several
That copy he edited was drawn from one
as published by Colgan, in his "Trias very curious codices, evidently traced by
Thaumaturga," pp. 582 to 596.
28 See " Trias Thaumaturga," Sexta Vita
S. Brigidre, pp. 582 to 596. Several expla- natory notes follow. See pp. 596 to 598.
29 Colgan has produced, what he considers a more correct text than had been found in his authorities.
Irish scribes, and the Opus Hioernicum in- terlacing ornaments—incorrectly called
Lombardic—by the e-iitors, are undoubtedly Irish in style and design. A short visit, however, scarcely allowed a sufficient inves-
tigation to be made of the vast Manuscript treasures there preserved,
5oo LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 29.
many other lines. But, to the collector's great industry, and by his observing closely the discrepancy of those copies, we are indebted for the publication of an old tract, which should have been very valuable, if it had not been
disfigured through such negligence or incompetency of commentators or copyists. The editor endeavoured to follow the authorities he considered
mostauthentic,inhisseveralcopies; for,heobserved,thatinmanyinstances, the just number and measure of the verse could be found in some particular
Manuscripts, while in others they were expressed, sometimes by abbrevia- tions, again by a transposition of words, and often by some closing and
arbitrary notation. The lines were frequently found so greatly mutilated, that theyboreaprosaicratherthanametricalappearance. Theeditordetected so many omissions and licences, on the part of copyists, that he felt obliged to affix various marginal annotations to this poem. Through their incautious- ness—a fruitful source of error in old documents—many transpositions of words were introduced, and certain synonymous terms were substituted for others j besides, many abbreviations of doubtful meaning were found, and these left the sense imperfect. Even unaccountable caprice and mutilations caused some of the chapters to be acephalous or truncated, while some were altogether omitted. 33 Certain lines are subjoined, from the Barbarini Manu- script, and which are wanting in that of Monte Cassino. Some breaks are discovered, likewise, in course of the narrative and structure of the poem. 3 *
33 This may be seen in the still imperfect
Life, as published by Colgan.
3-* This has been noted, by the editor, in a
Agmen pavit enorme viriim. Sedulius.
Lcgis in effigie scriptum per enigmata Christum. Prudentius. Cujus ad arbitrium sphera mobilis atque rotunda. Prudentius. Excidit ergo animus eremi sitis excidit illi. Prudentius. Nam tecum fere totus ero, quocumque recedam. Ausonius. Pignoribus spoliatque suos fames im- proba natos. Prudentius. Cuspis auaritios stupuit lues improba castis. Prudentius. Credite, vera fient, nee spe frustrabor inani. Arator. Quosque viros non ira frcmens, non idola bello. Prudentius. Suffragiis Christi et plausibus angc- licis. Prosper. Prostratus pedibus verccunda silentia rupi. Maximian. At po. -tquam tenerara rupit verecundia front em. Idem. Vestigiis calcare suis vencranter ado- rant. Sedulius. In qua per lauacrum fidsei viitute renatix. '. Prosper. Continuos gemitus agra sencctus ha- bet. Maximian. Ilaeretiei sensus, nullumque omnino
relictum. Aulanus. Quosque viros non ira fremens non idola bello. Prudentius. Pingere Philosophi victricem Laida
cepit.
Physica vel logico logicum, vel jungit
adethos. Sidonius.
Compar silicibus nunc hyacinthus erat. Eucheria.
of instances. 33 Colgan adds :
variety
"
Et quia ipsi vetusto authori videbantur posse attribui quaxlam quantitatis, vitia sajpe occurrentia, iila, at jacebant reliqui ; qualia sunt in adverbiis valde rite, publice, tarde et similibus ; in quibus ultimam syllabam passim corripit. Item in his ; frelum, prope, primam produ- cit : et in his iyai, eremi secundam corripit : Et mtapetibus primam producit, et secundam corripit : ultimam in salus, similibus contra- hit. Sed in his venia danda est antiquitati et usui, qui secundum tempora varius reperi- tur apud priscos optim cosque poetas. Unde ut censuris rudiorum in his occurratur pla- cuit hie subjicere similes contractioncs et productiones a priscis et inter Christianos priniee clasris poetis usurpata,*, qui verbi gratia in hisce dictionibits enecatts, eneruatus, fun! , enorme, enigma, sfhera primam sylla- bam ; et in his, enmits, fere, fames, vulpes, . t tin liits, lauacnttn, idolum, suffragia, vestigia, ultra, secundam ; et in Henectus, omnino, &c, tertiam corripiunt, contra ve- terum plerumque consuetudinem. Item simili licenti in his Silicibtis, tinea, idola, Philosophns, p/iysiea, primam ; in panicia'a et redimitus, secundam producunt. Quaint ad occulum pateant, placuit veterum, et inter Christianos priinae classis poetarum sunt S. Coelano nostro anti-
(quorum singuli
quiores) oslenderc exemplis sequentibus.
In cataclysmo cnecans pariter cum prole
Sidonius.
Tertullian. Corpus enerualum gercret sine laude pahestrae. Symmach.
parentes.
July 29. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 501
It was not possible always for the industry or research of either collator or
editor, to repair so many imperfections or to restore so many omissions. Wherefore, Colgan only endeavoured to place in due order those words which
seemed transposed, in certain passages, and cautiously to substitute others, in place of certain contracted words, doubtful in the reading, or which, through
the error of copyists, were put for terms having a supposed affinity. Nor did the editor alter the poem, in the slightest tittle, except in those instances, where notable and obvious omissions of copyists left discrepancies between certain parts and lines, or where copyists so crudely amended them, that it
could readily be conjectured, these emendations did not represent the original writer's words. For here and there, certain elegant and glowing phrases were
found—especially in descriptive and metaphorical passages ; then immedi- ately afterwards, verses were maimed in prosodial number and quantity, while they were disfigured with blots. Colgan tells us, he published the poem, as hefoundit, changingnothingtherein,butonlytheforegoingexceptionaland falseemendations. 35 InColgan'sestimation,theauthorofthisSixthLifemust have been this St. Coelan or Coelen. 36 The Bollandists hold a different opinion. 37 Although many particulars, relating to St. Brigid, are found in the five first Lives, as published by Colgan, and which are missing in the Sixth ; yet, the editor supposes this attributable to no other cause, than to the deplorable liberties taken by copyists with the original. Here and there, these have left many elisions and erasures ; and, it can scarcely be. doubted, but that they altogether pretermitted other matters. As that old and careful writer relates many of St. Brigid's Acts, omitted by others, and as it is indi- cated in the Prologue, according to Colgan's opinion, that he read her Lives, written by St. Ultan, Eleran, and Animosus ; can it be supposed, he could have passed over so many accounts, faithfully related by various other writers, or that he would not have included several accounts, not given by them? The charges of omission, therefore, seem rather attributable to incompetent scribes,thantotheauthorhimself. Thewriterofourillustrioussaint'sSixth Life is supposed to have been no other than Chcelian or Coelan, the monk of Iniskeltra. 3 8 In the Barberini Manuscript of that same Life, there are two additional metrical Prologues, which precede this one descriptive of Ireland. 39 These two Prologues consist of general observations, on the merits of the Saints, and extolling some great truths of religion, with prayers and fervent desires for future happiness, &c. 4c
Non mordax aerugo vorat, non tinea sulcat. Sedulius. Ipsa redimitos olea frondente capillos. Prudentius.
Cceteium hoec vita (scil. sexta) multa refert in aliis quinque prioribus desiderata. Viden- da supra, praesertim caput, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 24, 48, 50, 51, 55, et sequentibus. "
36 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Sexta Vita S. Brigidrc, nn. I, 2, 3, p. 597.
37 See "Acta Sanctorum/' tomus i. , Feb- ruarii i. Vita S. Brigidze. Commentarius Praavius, sect. 2.
:
38 In a note, Colgan observes " Quan-
tum ad hujus Vitre authorum attinet, ejus
Traciatus est de Vita Christiani, authore Possidio Episcopo Carthaginiensi. Secundus,
Vitajoannis Eleemosynarii, authore eodem Possidio. 7'ertius, Diaersce Epistola Am- brosii, et aliorum. Quarius et ultimus, Vita Bri§idoj Kill-daricnsis Virginis, a Chilleno Monacho Iniskdltraaisis Canobii versions edita. Hsec ibi ; sed unde ? Forte et verisimiliter ex Prologo aliquo vel in eadem, vel in alia Bibliotheca eidem Vita; pnefixo. Audio enim extare in Bibliotheca Barberi- niorum Romse, Prologum, seu Prrefationem huic vita? prsefixam, diversam a Prolego quern carmine elegiaco ex Codice Cassinensi supra exhibuimus. Sed quia illam Prsefa- tionem ssepius promissam et anxie expecta- tarn, nondum accepi, non possum de ea poferre judicium. "
It may be doubted, however, if these
nomen, professionem et patriam, posteritali
reservavit collector Catalogi librorum Bib-
liothecae Cassinensis, his verbis; In Codice
MS. litlera F. num. 232 signato phtteo 8 Prologus ad Sex tarn Vitun S. Brigidre, lecvam Serie Secunda, in ordine 73. Primus p. 582.
39 See Colgan's "Trias Thamnatuiga,"
502 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 29.
three Prologues had not been written at some time, subsequent to the com- position of the metrical Life itself. Perhaps, they had been prefixed by a differentwriter,orbymorethanonecomposer. Ifwesupposetheauthorof St. Brigid's Sixth Life to have been Coelanus of Inishcaltra, Colgan thinks he must have lived, towards the end of the seventh, or about the beginning of
1
the eighth, century. * Thus, from a metrical Life of St. Brigid, attributed to
him, and from his own words, it is supposed, we may discover the age in which this writer flourished. For, in a Prologue to it, he relates, that St. Brigid's Acts had been written before, by Ultan, by Eleran, and by Ammo- sus. * 2 An elegant metrical Prologue 4 ^ precedes those Acts of St. Brigid j but, it has been doubted, if both had been composed, by the same author. St. Donatus, the Irish Bishop of Fiesole, who flourished in the ninth century, is said to have written that Prologue. ** The beautiful opening descriptive lineshavebeenelegantlyrenderedintoEnglishverse,45 andmorethanone
40 See ibid. , p. 596.
41 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Sexta Vita S. Brigidse, nn. 1, 2, 3, pp. 596, 597, 598.
42 It is Colgan s opinion, that this is but
a Latinized form of that writer's name, who
was called' Anmchaidh, or more correctly Ainmire by the Irish. See ibid. , n. 7,
Scala parata viris, pueris excelsa, puellis.
Matribus, et Sanctis ; tendit ad astra poli.
Dubtacus ejus erat genitor cogno- mine d ictus ;
Clarus homo meritis clarus et a proa- vis ;
p. 598.
43 The Latin Lines run as follows
"
— Nobilis atque humilis, mitis pietate
:: repletus
propria conjuge prole pia. Scripserunt multi virtutes virginis
alma? ,
Ultanus doctor, atque Eleranus
ovans
Descripsit multos Animosus nomine
libros
De vita et studiis Virginis ac meri-
tis.
Ordiar a minimis : necnon majora
sequentur ;
Sed prato pleno floribus opta legam, Ordine, si cceli fulgentia sydera cer-
nens,
Altiuago cursu scire quis ilia queat ; Littore quis minimas numero discer-
nat arenas,
Turbida quas lerris sparserat unda
maris ;
Hie numerare potest virtutes rite puelkv,
In qua perpetuus manserat ipse Deus.
Finibus occiduis describitur optima tellus,
Nomine et antiquis Scotia scripta libris.
Insula dives opum, gemmarum vestis et auri :
Commoda corporibus, aere Sole, solo.
Melle fluit, pulchris et lacteis Scotia campis,
Vestibus atque armis frugibus, arte, viris.
;
Ursorum rabies nulla est ibi : leonum
szeva
Semina nee unquam Scotica terra tulit.
Nulla venena nocent, nee serpens
serpit
Nee conquesta canit garrula rana
lacu.
In qua Scotorum gentcs habitare me-
rentux :
Inclyta gens hominum, militc, pace fide.
De qua nata fuit quandam sanctissi-
ma Virgo.
Brigida, Scotorum gloria, nomen,
honor,
Turris ad ignifcri pertingens cul-
minacceli,
Lumen inexhaustum, celsa corona
Dei.
Fons benedictus ovans, Scotorum
corda reformans,
Recreat ipsa ipsos curat, alit, vege- tat.
in herba.
Nobilior
Harris observes: "He seems also to
44
have been the Author of a Description of Ireland, in Hexameter and Pentameter verse ; or rather the Life of St. Brigid, con- taining a Description of Ireland of which Colgan hath given as a Fragment, which is prefixed also as a prologue to the Life of St, Brigid, supposed to be written by St. Choe-
lian. " See Harris' Ware, vol. ii. ,
"
Writers
of Ireland," book i. , chap, vi. , p. 57.
45 Commencing with these lines, which arc
" tory of Irel—and," vol. i. , chap, xiii. , pp. 300,
301, note
introduced by Thomas Moore in his
His-
:
July 29. LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
5o3
5 St. Ultan47 is to have died a. d. s supposed 656,4
version has
and St. Aleran, a. d. 664 or 665. 49 I fence, Coelan must have lived after this latter year. In the Martyrology of Tallagh,s° the feast of St. Coelan of Inis- keltra is commemorated, at the 29th of July, and it must have been inserted after his death. St. Caolan is said to have lived contemporaneously with ^Engus Mac Tiprait, who died a. d. 745. 51 The circumstance of Chilien
2
ArticleIII. —St. Justan,ofLene,Manach. Venerationwasgiven,
appeared. *
the mother of St. " a countess " seems to indicate a Brigid
calling
tively late period for this his assumed composition. s
Donegal, 53 the feast of this saint is to be found, at the 29th of July. It is pro- bable, that he died, about the middle of the eighth century.
at the 29th of July, to Justan, Lene, Manach, according to the Martyrology 1
of Tallagh. Marianus O'Gorman also notes his festival. Among St. Patrick's
2 we find a St. a disciples, Justin,
whose feast has been
Colgan to this date. 3 He is thought to have been the son of Ferguss,* son
priest,
" Far westward lies an Isle of ancient fame,
Bynatureblessed,andScoliais her name.
Enroll'd in books—exhaustless is her store
Of veiny silver and of golden ore. Her fruitful soil for ever teems with
wealth,
With gems her waters and her air
with health ;
Her verdant fields with milk and
honey flow,
Her woolly fleeces vie with virgin
assigned by
snow.
Her waving furrows float with bended the
"
Chronicum Scotorum," his death is
corn,
And arts and arms her envied sons
adorn. '
46 Dr. Sylvester O'Halloran gives an
English metrical translation in his " General
History of Ireland ;" but a later one still is
that found, in a projected work of Patrick
Lynch, Esq. , secretary to the Gaelic Society,
"
Hibernia Sancta ; or, Lives of the Irish
Saints j" illustrated by a complete system of
curious and useful Notes, subjoined to each
Life, for elucidating the History, Antiqui-
ties, and Ecclesiastical State of Ireland, History of Ireland," vol, i. , chap, viii. , both Ancient and Modern, Embellished with
Portraits, Views, Maps, &c. The only por- tion of this work printed was the commence- ment of vol. i. , issued by Thomas Haydock, 17 Lower Ormond-quay, Dublin, 1817, 8vo. It presents a General Introduction of forty pages, with the beginning of a Life of St. Bridget, Abbess of Kildare, foundress of the Order of Bridgetine Nuns, and Patroness of all Ireland, but this portion seems never to have extended beyond eight pages in print.
commencing :
sect, ii. , n. 18, p. 381.
53 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves,
Froma ofthis copy
See the Life of St. Patrick, at the 17th of March, in the Third Volume of this work, Art. i. , chap. xvii.
3 See "Trias Thauniaturga," Quinta
Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p.
267.
4 to the " ofthe According Genealogies
Saints," chap. xx.
s
in
of the writer i—s an English translation, thus
fenilleton
possession
compara- In the Martyrology of
" Far westward lies a Land of ancient fame,
Bynatureblest,FairSCOTIA,known
by name ; — An Island rich,
exhaustless in hei-
st ore
Of veiny silver, and of golden ore," &c.
47 This St. Ultanus Mac Concubar was
Bishop of Ard-bracain in Meath ; he died
A. D. 655, on the 4th day of September, but in a. d. 556, according to other writers. See
Sir James Ware, " De Scriptoribus Hiber- nian," lib. i. , cap. hi. , pp. 22, 23.
43 In William M. Hennessy's version of
placed, at A. D. 653. See pp. 94, 95.
49 St. AleranuSj'who is said to have writ- ten the Life of St. Brigid, and also a Life of St. Patrick, is thought to have departed this life, A. D. 664 or 665. See Sir James Ware, M De Scriptoribus Hibernioe," lib. i. , cap.
iii. , p. 27.
5° It is said to have been compiled by St.
y£ngus and St. Moelruan, before a. d. 800.
st See Harris' Ware, vol. ii. , chap, iv. ,
p. 47.
52 See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's Ecclesiastical
pp. 204, 205. Article iii.
Kelly, p. xxx.
2
—
r
Edited
Rev. Dr.
He was one of the Leinster
Kings.
"
by
504 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 29.
6
of Enda Niadh,s son of Bressal Belacb. St. Patrick is said to have placed
St. Justin over a church at Biletortain. This place was near Ardbraccan,?
and,atafutureperiod,thechurchwascalledDomnach-Tortan. 8 Theplace
denominated Bile Tortan 9 is much celebrated in connexion with the birth IO
of the king, known as Conn of the Hundred Battles, regarding which are
related 11 At first, the is said to have been called many strange legends. place
12
Domnachtortain,andlaterDonoghmore, in the county of Meath.
Yet, it may
be questioned, if the present St. Justin flourished so early as the time of St.
Patrick. There was a Juis or Justus, a Deacon, placed by him over the
church of Fidhart, J 3 now a parish church, in the diocese of Elphin, and in
Priesthood. He is said to have lived to an extreme old age ; for, it is related, 1*
the one hundredth and fortieth 16 In a year.
the old of 1 * The Irish had converted all the
territory Hy-Many. Apostle
people of that region to the faith ; and, he had no priest probably to leave as their pastor. He might have conferred certain powers on that virtuous ecclesiastic, in reference to the administration of sacraments, and in serving the flock as a missionary. St. Patrick also left him certain ritualistic books, which should guide him in the order of his ministrations. It seems not unlikely, St. Justus afterwards advanced beyond the grade of Deacon to the
thathebaptizedSt. Kieran, thecelebratedfounderofClonmacnoise,using the very ritual St. Patrick had given him. At this time, Justus had attained
strange,
tradictory manner, Colgan attributes to St. Justus of Fidhart, the very same
and a con- apparently,
the ofBileTortan. 18 Botharesaid priest
J7 he
to have flourished in the time of St. Patrick, and both are classed among his disciples ; yet, it would seem, their places, and their ecclesiastical office, had been different. Therefore, it is probable, we must draw a line of personal distinction between them. It has been conjectured, that this holy man may have been identical with an Erlomham, rescued from captivity by St. Feehin. '9 As the celebrated abbey of St. Feichan of Fore or St. Fowre, in
20 thebaronyofDemifore,countyofWestmeath,laynearLoughLene, perhaps
it might not be amiss to conjecture, that the present saint belonged to the
establishment there situated. In the of 21 the name is Martyrology Donegal,
entered simply Justan, Lene, at this same date. 22
parentage
gives
toSt.
Justin,
6 He flourished a short time before St. Patrick's arrival in Ireland. See "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii,
n. 25, p. 184.
7 Here St. Ultan, Bishop and Patron of
the place, was venerated on the 4th of Sep- tember.
Art. i. ,chap. xi.
*3 We are referred by Colgan to " Vita S.
Kierani Cluanensis," cap. iv. , for confirma- tion of this assertion.
l6
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars ii. , cap. xlix. , p. 136, nn. 93, 94, p. 177. Ibid.
''Thus Illand and Ailill, sons to Dunlaing, son of Enda, and converted by St. Patrick at Naas, are ranked as cousins of this St. Justus. Here we can detect many strange and confused statements, which we find it impracticable rightly to solve.
,8 He also seems doubtful, whether to refer the—feast of St. Justus to the 10th of There is an engraving, from a view January thus confounding him with taken by Lieutenant Daniel Grose, a. d. Naoimh Dhiarmuit, also called the Latin
1792, of Donoghmoie round tower and Justus—or to the present date, July 29th.
8
See ibid. , pars iii. , cap. xiv. , p. 151.
9 Colgan calls it in Latin
"
arbor procera
in Media. " See ibid.
23 Ofthese,however,fewtracesnowremain. The Round Tower there is still very per- feet, while the accompanying illustration taken on the spot, by William F. Wake- man—now many years ago—presents a pic- ture from a different point of view from that already presented, at the 24th of March. This has been transferred to the wood, en- graved by Mrs. Millard.
24 Thus, " Seven Altars " are known to have been at St. Patrick's Purgatory. There were, also, according to a Cork tradition, "Seven Altars," at Gougane Barra,
25 See Archdall's " Monasticon Hibern-
cum," p. 48.
2C To this allusion has been made already,
in the Second Volume of this work, at the
1st of February, when giving the Life of St.
Brigid, Art. i.
- 7 This forms the Sixth Life of St. Brigid,
3° See the first note, postfixed to St. Brigid's Sixth Life.
3I See an account of this whole matter, in the Life of St. Brigid, vol. ii. , chap, i. , with marginal notes.
32 The great literary treasures, contained
in this celebrated and historic monastery
may be inferred from the admirable quarto
volumes, now being issued from the monas-
tic press, by the printing and artistic staff
there engaged, under the Benedictines' edi-
torial supervision. The partial result of
their labours in compiling the Catalogue of
their Manuscripts may be gleaned from
"
Bibliotheca Casinen. ds seu Codicum Manu- scriptorum qui in Tabulario Cassinensi as- servantur series cura et studio Monachorum Ordinis S. Benedicti Abbatire Montis Casini. " In the October of 1886, the writer had an opportunity for discovering several
That copy he edited was drawn from one
as published by Colgan, in his "Trias very curious codices, evidently traced by
Thaumaturga," pp. 582 to 596.
28 See " Trias Thaumaturga," Sexta Vita
S. Brigidre, pp. 582 to 596. Several expla- natory notes follow. See pp. 596 to 598.
29 Colgan has produced, what he considers a more correct text than had been found in his authorities.
Irish scribes, and the Opus Hioernicum in- terlacing ornaments—incorrectly called
Lombardic—by the e-iitors, are undoubtedly Irish in style and design. A short visit, however, scarcely allowed a sufficient inves-
tigation to be made of the vast Manuscript treasures there preserved,
5oo LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 29.
many other lines. But, to the collector's great industry, and by his observing closely the discrepancy of those copies, we are indebted for the publication of an old tract, which should have been very valuable, if it had not been
disfigured through such negligence or incompetency of commentators or copyists. The editor endeavoured to follow the authorities he considered
mostauthentic,inhisseveralcopies; for,heobserved,thatinmanyinstances, the just number and measure of the verse could be found in some particular
Manuscripts, while in others they were expressed, sometimes by abbrevia- tions, again by a transposition of words, and often by some closing and
arbitrary notation. The lines were frequently found so greatly mutilated, that theyboreaprosaicratherthanametricalappearance. Theeditordetected so many omissions and licences, on the part of copyists, that he felt obliged to affix various marginal annotations to this poem. Through their incautious- ness—a fruitful source of error in old documents—many transpositions of words were introduced, and certain synonymous terms were substituted for others j besides, many abbreviations of doubtful meaning were found, and these left the sense imperfect. Even unaccountable caprice and mutilations caused some of the chapters to be acephalous or truncated, while some were altogether omitted. 33 Certain lines are subjoined, from the Barbarini Manu- script, and which are wanting in that of Monte Cassino. Some breaks are discovered, likewise, in course of the narrative and structure of the poem. 3 *
33 This may be seen in the still imperfect
Life, as published by Colgan.
3-* This has been noted, by the editor, in a
Agmen pavit enorme viriim. Sedulius.
Lcgis in effigie scriptum per enigmata Christum. Prudentius. Cujus ad arbitrium sphera mobilis atque rotunda. Prudentius. Excidit ergo animus eremi sitis excidit illi. Prudentius. Nam tecum fere totus ero, quocumque recedam. Ausonius. Pignoribus spoliatque suos fames im- proba natos. Prudentius. Cuspis auaritios stupuit lues improba castis. Prudentius. Credite, vera fient, nee spe frustrabor inani. Arator. Quosque viros non ira frcmens, non idola bello. Prudentius. Suffragiis Christi et plausibus angc- licis. Prosper. Prostratus pedibus verccunda silentia rupi. Maximian. At po. -tquam tenerara rupit verecundia front em. Idem. Vestigiis calcare suis vencranter ado- rant. Sedulius. In qua per lauacrum fidsei viitute renatix. '. Prosper. Continuos gemitus agra sencctus ha- bet. Maximian. Ilaeretiei sensus, nullumque omnino
relictum. Aulanus. Quosque viros non ira fremens non idola bello. Prudentius. Pingere Philosophi victricem Laida
cepit.
Physica vel logico logicum, vel jungit
adethos. Sidonius.
Compar silicibus nunc hyacinthus erat. Eucheria.
of instances. 33 Colgan adds :
variety
"
Et quia ipsi vetusto authori videbantur posse attribui quaxlam quantitatis, vitia sajpe occurrentia, iila, at jacebant reliqui ; qualia sunt in adverbiis valde rite, publice, tarde et similibus ; in quibus ultimam syllabam passim corripit. Item in his ; frelum, prope, primam produ- cit : et in his iyai, eremi secundam corripit : Et mtapetibus primam producit, et secundam corripit : ultimam in salus, similibus contra- hit. Sed in his venia danda est antiquitati et usui, qui secundum tempora varius reperi- tur apud priscos optim cosque poetas. Unde ut censuris rudiorum in his occurratur pla- cuit hie subjicere similes contractioncs et productiones a priscis et inter Christianos priniee clasris poetis usurpata,*, qui verbi gratia in hisce dictionibits enecatts, eneruatus, fun! , enorme, enigma, sfhera primam sylla- bam ; et in his, enmits, fere, fames, vulpes, . t tin liits, lauacnttn, idolum, suffragia, vestigia, ultra, secundam ; et in Henectus, omnino, &c, tertiam corripiunt, contra ve- terum plerumque consuetudinem. Item simili licenti in his Silicibtis, tinea, idola, Philosophns, p/iysiea, primam ; in panicia'a et redimitus, secundam producunt. Quaint ad occulum pateant, placuit veterum, et inter Christianos priinae classis poetarum sunt S. Coelano nostro anti-
(quorum singuli
quiores) oslenderc exemplis sequentibus.
In cataclysmo cnecans pariter cum prole
Sidonius.
Tertullian. Corpus enerualum gercret sine laude pahestrae. Symmach.
parentes.
July 29. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 501
It was not possible always for the industry or research of either collator or
editor, to repair so many imperfections or to restore so many omissions. Wherefore, Colgan only endeavoured to place in due order those words which
seemed transposed, in certain passages, and cautiously to substitute others, in place of certain contracted words, doubtful in the reading, or which, through
the error of copyists, were put for terms having a supposed affinity. Nor did the editor alter the poem, in the slightest tittle, except in those instances, where notable and obvious omissions of copyists left discrepancies between certain parts and lines, or where copyists so crudely amended them, that it
could readily be conjectured, these emendations did not represent the original writer's words. For here and there, certain elegant and glowing phrases were
found—especially in descriptive and metaphorical passages ; then immedi- ately afterwards, verses were maimed in prosodial number and quantity, while they were disfigured with blots. Colgan tells us, he published the poem, as hefoundit, changingnothingtherein,butonlytheforegoingexceptionaland falseemendations. 35 InColgan'sestimation,theauthorofthisSixthLifemust have been this St. Coelan or Coelen. 36 The Bollandists hold a different opinion. 37 Although many particulars, relating to St. Brigid, are found in the five first Lives, as published by Colgan, and which are missing in the Sixth ; yet, the editor supposes this attributable to no other cause, than to the deplorable liberties taken by copyists with the original. Here and there, these have left many elisions and erasures ; and, it can scarcely be. doubted, but that they altogether pretermitted other matters. As that old and careful writer relates many of St. Brigid's Acts, omitted by others, and as it is indi- cated in the Prologue, according to Colgan's opinion, that he read her Lives, written by St. Ultan, Eleran, and Animosus ; can it be supposed, he could have passed over so many accounts, faithfully related by various other writers, or that he would not have included several accounts, not given by them? The charges of omission, therefore, seem rather attributable to incompetent scribes,thantotheauthorhimself. Thewriterofourillustrioussaint'sSixth Life is supposed to have been no other than Chcelian or Coelan, the monk of Iniskeltra. 3 8 In the Barberini Manuscript of that same Life, there are two additional metrical Prologues, which precede this one descriptive of Ireland. 39 These two Prologues consist of general observations, on the merits of the Saints, and extolling some great truths of religion, with prayers and fervent desires for future happiness, &c. 4c
Non mordax aerugo vorat, non tinea sulcat. Sedulius. Ipsa redimitos olea frondente capillos. Prudentius.
Cceteium hoec vita (scil. sexta) multa refert in aliis quinque prioribus desiderata. Viden- da supra, praesertim caput, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 24, 48, 50, 51, 55, et sequentibus. "
36 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Sexta Vita S. Brigidrc, nn. I, 2, 3, p. 597.
37 See "Acta Sanctorum/' tomus i. , Feb- ruarii i. Vita S. Brigidze. Commentarius Praavius, sect. 2.
:
38 In a note, Colgan observes " Quan-
tum ad hujus Vitre authorum attinet, ejus
Traciatus est de Vita Christiani, authore Possidio Episcopo Carthaginiensi. Secundus,
Vitajoannis Eleemosynarii, authore eodem Possidio. 7'ertius, Diaersce Epistola Am- brosii, et aliorum. Quarius et ultimus, Vita Bri§idoj Kill-daricnsis Virginis, a Chilleno Monacho Iniskdltraaisis Canobii versions edita. Hsec ibi ; sed unde ? Forte et verisimiliter ex Prologo aliquo vel in eadem, vel in alia Bibliotheca eidem Vita; pnefixo. Audio enim extare in Bibliotheca Barberi- niorum Romse, Prologum, seu Prrefationem huic vita? prsefixam, diversam a Prolego quern carmine elegiaco ex Codice Cassinensi supra exhibuimus. Sed quia illam Prsefa- tionem ssepius promissam et anxie expecta- tarn, nondum accepi, non possum de ea poferre judicium. "
It may be doubted, however, if these
nomen, professionem et patriam, posteritali
reservavit collector Catalogi librorum Bib-
liothecae Cassinensis, his verbis; In Codice
MS. litlera F. num. 232 signato phtteo 8 Prologus ad Sex tarn Vitun S. Brigidre, lecvam Serie Secunda, in ordine 73. Primus p. 582.
39 See Colgan's "Trias Thamnatuiga,"
502 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 29.
three Prologues had not been written at some time, subsequent to the com- position of the metrical Life itself. Perhaps, they had been prefixed by a differentwriter,orbymorethanonecomposer. Ifwesupposetheauthorof St. Brigid's Sixth Life to have been Coelanus of Inishcaltra, Colgan thinks he must have lived, towards the end of the seventh, or about the beginning of
1
the eighth, century. * Thus, from a metrical Life of St. Brigid, attributed to
him, and from his own words, it is supposed, we may discover the age in which this writer flourished. For, in a Prologue to it, he relates, that St. Brigid's Acts had been written before, by Ultan, by Eleran, and by Ammo- sus. * 2 An elegant metrical Prologue 4 ^ precedes those Acts of St. Brigid j but, it has been doubted, if both had been composed, by the same author. St. Donatus, the Irish Bishop of Fiesole, who flourished in the ninth century, is said to have written that Prologue. ** The beautiful opening descriptive lineshavebeenelegantlyrenderedintoEnglishverse,45 andmorethanone
40 See ibid. , p. 596.
41 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Sexta Vita S. Brigidse, nn. 1, 2, 3, pp. 596, 597, 598.
42 It is Colgan s opinion, that this is but
a Latinized form of that writer's name, who
was called' Anmchaidh, or more correctly Ainmire by the Irish. See ibid. , n. 7,
Scala parata viris, pueris excelsa, puellis.
Matribus, et Sanctis ; tendit ad astra poli.
Dubtacus ejus erat genitor cogno- mine d ictus ;
Clarus homo meritis clarus et a proa- vis ;
p. 598.
43 The Latin Lines run as follows
"
— Nobilis atque humilis, mitis pietate
:: repletus
propria conjuge prole pia. Scripserunt multi virtutes virginis
alma? ,
Ultanus doctor, atque Eleranus
ovans
Descripsit multos Animosus nomine
libros
De vita et studiis Virginis ac meri-
tis.
Ordiar a minimis : necnon majora
sequentur ;
Sed prato pleno floribus opta legam, Ordine, si cceli fulgentia sydera cer-
nens,
Altiuago cursu scire quis ilia queat ; Littore quis minimas numero discer-
nat arenas,
Turbida quas lerris sparserat unda
maris ;
Hie numerare potest virtutes rite puelkv,
In qua perpetuus manserat ipse Deus.
Finibus occiduis describitur optima tellus,
Nomine et antiquis Scotia scripta libris.
Insula dives opum, gemmarum vestis et auri :
Commoda corporibus, aere Sole, solo.
Melle fluit, pulchris et lacteis Scotia campis,
Vestibus atque armis frugibus, arte, viris.
;
Ursorum rabies nulla est ibi : leonum
szeva
Semina nee unquam Scotica terra tulit.
Nulla venena nocent, nee serpens
serpit
Nee conquesta canit garrula rana
lacu.
In qua Scotorum gentcs habitare me-
rentux :
Inclyta gens hominum, militc, pace fide.
De qua nata fuit quandam sanctissi-
ma Virgo.
Brigida, Scotorum gloria, nomen,
honor,
Turris ad ignifcri pertingens cul-
minacceli,
Lumen inexhaustum, celsa corona
Dei.
Fons benedictus ovans, Scotorum
corda reformans,
Recreat ipsa ipsos curat, alit, vege- tat.
in herba.
Nobilior
Harris observes: "He seems also to
44
have been the Author of a Description of Ireland, in Hexameter and Pentameter verse ; or rather the Life of St. Brigid, con- taining a Description of Ireland of which Colgan hath given as a Fragment, which is prefixed also as a prologue to the Life of St, Brigid, supposed to be written by St. Choe-
lian. " See Harris' Ware, vol. ii. ,
"
Writers
of Ireland," book i. , chap, vi. , p. 57.
45 Commencing with these lines, which arc
" tory of Irel—and," vol. i. , chap, xiii. , pp. 300,
301, note
introduced by Thomas Moore in his
His-
:
July 29. LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
5o3
5 St. Ultan47 is to have died a. d. s supposed 656,4
version has
and St. Aleran, a. d. 664 or 665. 49 I fence, Coelan must have lived after this latter year. In the Martyrology of Tallagh,s° the feast of St. Coelan of Inis- keltra is commemorated, at the 29th of July, and it must have been inserted after his death. St. Caolan is said to have lived contemporaneously with ^Engus Mac Tiprait, who died a. d. 745. 51 The circumstance of Chilien
2
ArticleIII. —St. Justan,ofLene,Manach. Venerationwasgiven,
appeared. *
the mother of St. " a countess " seems to indicate a Brigid
calling
tively late period for this his assumed composition. s
Donegal, 53 the feast of this saint is to be found, at the 29th of July. It is pro- bable, that he died, about the middle of the eighth century.
at the 29th of July, to Justan, Lene, Manach, according to the Martyrology 1
of Tallagh. Marianus O'Gorman also notes his festival. Among St. Patrick's
2 we find a St. a disciples, Justin,
whose feast has been
Colgan to this date. 3 He is thought to have been the son of Ferguss,* son
priest,
" Far westward lies an Isle of ancient fame,
Bynatureblessed,andScoliais her name.
Enroll'd in books—exhaustless is her store
Of veiny silver and of golden ore. Her fruitful soil for ever teems with
wealth,
With gems her waters and her air
with health ;
Her verdant fields with milk and
honey flow,
Her woolly fleeces vie with virgin
assigned by
snow.
Her waving furrows float with bended the
"
Chronicum Scotorum," his death is
corn,
And arts and arms her envied sons
adorn. '
46 Dr. Sylvester O'Halloran gives an
English metrical translation in his " General
History of Ireland ;" but a later one still is
that found, in a projected work of Patrick
Lynch, Esq. , secretary to the Gaelic Society,
"
Hibernia Sancta ; or, Lives of the Irish
Saints j" illustrated by a complete system of
curious and useful Notes, subjoined to each
Life, for elucidating the History, Antiqui-
ties, and Ecclesiastical State of Ireland, History of Ireland," vol, i. , chap, viii. , both Ancient and Modern, Embellished with
Portraits, Views, Maps, &c. The only por- tion of this work printed was the commence- ment of vol. i. , issued by Thomas Haydock, 17 Lower Ormond-quay, Dublin, 1817, 8vo. It presents a General Introduction of forty pages, with the beginning of a Life of St. Bridget, Abbess of Kildare, foundress of the Order of Bridgetine Nuns, and Patroness of all Ireland, but this portion seems never to have extended beyond eight pages in print.
commencing :
sect, ii. , n. 18, p. 381.
53 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves,
Froma ofthis copy
See the Life of St. Patrick, at the 17th of March, in the Third Volume of this work, Art. i. , chap. xvii.
3 See "Trias Thauniaturga," Quinta
Appendix ad Acta S. Patricii, cap. xxiii. , p.
267.
4 to the " ofthe According Genealogies
Saints," chap. xx.
s
in
of the writer i—s an English translation, thus
fenilleton
possession
compara- In the Martyrology of
" Far westward lies a Land of ancient fame,
Bynatureblest,FairSCOTIA,known
by name ; — An Island rich,
exhaustless in hei-
st ore
Of veiny silver, and of golden ore," &c.
47 This St. Ultanus Mac Concubar was
Bishop of Ard-bracain in Meath ; he died
A. D. 655, on the 4th day of September, but in a. d. 556, according to other writers. See
Sir James Ware, " De Scriptoribus Hiber- nian," lib. i. , cap. hi. , pp. 22, 23.
43 In William M. Hennessy's version of
placed, at A. D. 653. See pp. 94, 95.
49 St. AleranuSj'who is said to have writ- ten the Life of St. Brigid, and also a Life of St. Patrick, is thought to have departed this life, A. D. 664 or 665. See Sir James Ware, M De Scriptoribus Hibernioe," lib. i. , cap.
iii. , p. 27.
5° It is said to have been compiled by St.
y£ngus and St. Moelruan, before a. d. 800.
st See Harris' Ware, vol. ii. , chap, iv. ,
p. 47.
52 See Rev. Dr. Lanigan's Ecclesiastical
pp. 204, 205. Article iii.
Kelly, p. xxx.
2
—
r
Edited
Rev. Dr.
He was one of the Leinster
Kings.
"
by
504 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [July 29.
6
of Enda Niadh,s son of Bressal Belacb. St. Patrick is said to have placed
St. Justin over a church at Biletortain. This place was near Ardbraccan,?
and,atafutureperiod,thechurchwascalledDomnach-Tortan. 8 Theplace
denominated Bile Tortan 9 is much celebrated in connexion with the birth IO
of the king, known as Conn of the Hundred Battles, regarding which are
related 11 At first, the is said to have been called many strange legends. place
12
Domnachtortain,andlaterDonoghmore, in the county of Meath.
Yet, it may
be questioned, if the present St. Justin flourished so early as the time of St.
Patrick. There was a Juis or Justus, a Deacon, placed by him over the
church of Fidhart, J 3 now a parish church, in the diocese of Elphin, and in
Priesthood. He is said to have lived to an extreme old age ; for, it is related, 1*
the one hundredth and fortieth 16 In a year.
the old of 1 * The Irish had converted all the
territory Hy-Many. Apostle
people of that region to the faith ; and, he had no priest probably to leave as their pastor. He might have conferred certain powers on that virtuous ecclesiastic, in reference to the administration of sacraments, and in serving the flock as a missionary. St. Patrick also left him certain ritualistic books, which should guide him in the order of his ministrations. It seems not unlikely, St. Justus afterwards advanced beyond the grade of Deacon to the
thathebaptizedSt. Kieran, thecelebratedfounderofClonmacnoise,using the very ritual St. Patrick had given him. At this time, Justus had attained
strange,
tradictory manner, Colgan attributes to St. Justus of Fidhart, the very same
and a con- apparently,
the ofBileTortan. 18 Botharesaid priest
J7 he
to have flourished in the time of St. Patrick, and both are classed among his disciples ; yet, it would seem, their places, and their ecclesiastical office, had been different. Therefore, it is probable, we must draw a line of personal distinction between them. It has been conjectured, that this holy man may have been identical with an Erlomham, rescued from captivity by St. Feehin. '9 As the celebrated abbey of St. Feichan of Fore or St. Fowre, in
20 thebaronyofDemifore,countyofWestmeath,laynearLoughLene, perhaps
it might not be amiss to conjecture, that the present saint belonged to the
establishment there situated. In the of 21 the name is Martyrology Donegal,
entered simply Justan, Lene, at this same date. 22
parentage
gives
toSt.
Justin,
6 He flourished a short time before St. Patrick's arrival in Ireland. See "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii,
n. 25, p. 184.
7 Here St. Ultan, Bishop and Patron of
the place, was venerated on the 4th of Sep- tember.
Art. i. ,chap. xi.
*3 We are referred by Colgan to " Vita S.
Kierani Cluanensis," cap. iv. , for confirma- tion of this assertion.
l6
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vita S. Patricii, pars ii. , cap. xlix. , p. 136, nn. 93, 94, p. 177. Ibid.
''Thus Illand and Ailill, sons to Dunlaing, son of Enda, and converted by St. Patrick at Naas, are ranked as cousins of this St. Justus. Here we can detect many strange and confused statements, which we find it impracticable rightly to solve.
,8 He also seems doubtful, whether to refer the—feast of St. Justus to the 10th of There is an engraving, from a view January thus confounding him with taken by Lieutenant Daniel Grose, a. d. Naoimh Dhiarmuit, also called the Latin
1792, of Donoghmoie round tower and Justus—or to the present date, July 29th.
8
See ibid. , pars iii. , cap. xiv. , p. 151.
9 Colgan calls it in Latin
"
arbor procera
in Media. " See ibid.
