Should not our great saints then be received with all possible
manifestations
of respect while on their travels ?
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
At this period, Carbrey held a Life of St.
Patrick, part ii.
, in Miss M.
F.
tract of country, called after his own name Cusack's "Life of St, Patrick, Apostle of Carbre, even to times less remote.
It was Ireland," p.
396.
Yet, he must have re- situated in the province of Connaught, and it
lay conterminous to the principality of Conall Gulban. He had another tract in the district of Teffia, near the bounds of
f^
only
Vita Tertia S. Brigidae, n. 38, p. 544.
9' See the account of this adventure in L. Tachet de Barneval's " Histoire Legendaire
de rirlande," chap, viii. , pp. 77, 78.
"
52 At A. D. 475, the
—changing the form of his name—note demise of McConaille, mc Cremthaine, meic Neill. See Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hiber- nicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , p. 3.
93 Again, in the hiatus, which supplies the ""
AnnalsofTigernach, asifaccordingwith
"
Chronicum Sco- torum," at A. D. 475, is noted the death of Conallus Crimthan, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages,from whom the Clan-Colman
the Four Masters and the
receive baptism, at St. Patrick's hands, and on whom a malediction was pronounced by the Irish Apostle. See William M. Hen- nessy's translation of the Irish Tripartite
pented at a subsequent period—probably he received baptism and became a Christian ; as otherwise, it is not likely he would have asked a blessing from St. Brigid.
Annals of Inisfallen"
the
138 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS [February i.
if they had been most devoted friends. 9s When this occurrence became fully known, God's holy providence and the fame of St. Brigid, as a peace- maker, were universally extolled. 9^
Again, a legend was in vogue, that on another occasion, when about to invade the country of the Picts,97 who often warred with the Britons,^^ this same Conall, accompanied by his soldiers, bearing their hostile emblems or
" O saint of God, we crave your blessing, for we are about to invade distant territories to defeat our
standards,99 came to St. Brigid. He then said
:
enemies. " The saint " I entreat the repHed :
Omnipotent Lord, my God, that, in this instance, you neither inflict injury on any one, nor suffer it your- selves,whereforelayasidethosediabolicalemblems. " Althoughshewasun-
able to prevent the war, God was graciously pleased to grant those prayers of the holy virgin. On hearing her words, the hostile bands sailed for the
^°^
invaders thought they had taken possession of a certain entrenched camp or
country of the Crutheni,^°° in the northern part of Britain.
Then, the Irish
'°^
castle, besieged by them,
had burned
and had killed many of
that
their enemies, who were beheaded. '°3 Afterwards, the leader and his
95SeeAbbateD. GiacomoCertani's"La ologyandPrehistoricAnnalsofScotland," Santitk Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida part i. , chap, iii. , p. 59.
Ibernese. " Libro Quinto, pp. 343 to 346.
'°' "
The geographical position of the
^ See " Trias Colgan's
British and Irish coasts accounts sufficiently
for frequent intercourse between the natives of Scotland and Ireland from the earliest
"
Thaumaturga. " Vita Quarta S. Brigidae, lib. ii. , cap. xxxvi,, p. 555. Also, Vita Tertia S. Brigidse, cap.
Scottish
The remarkable an- cient historical Gaelic poem, generally termed the Albanic Duan, written in its present form in the reign of Malcolm Canmore, about the middle of the eleventh century, thus re- fers to the first peopling of Scotland and
the Irish origin of the northern Picts :—
ibid.
97 A learned and
Ixvi. , p. 534,
periods. "
. . .
researchful
writer has observed, that the Pictish period of Caledonian history embraces a course of three hundred and ninety-seven years, viz. , from the date of the Roman abdication of the government of North Britain, A. D. 446, to the subversionof the Pictish government, A. D.
"" 843. He adds, there can be no doubt, that
Ye learned of all Albin,
Ye wise yellow-haired race, Learn who was the first
To acquire the districts of Albin.
Albanusacquiredthemwithhisrace,
The illustrious son of Isiscon,
Brother to Britus, without treachery, FromhimAlbmofshipstakesitsname.
the Picts were Celts, and that they were no other than a part of the race of the ancient Caledonians under another name. "—"A History of the Highlands and of the High- land Clans," by James Browne, Esq. , LL. D. , vol. i. , chap, iii. , p. 60.
^ For nearly forty years after the rule of Constantine III. , the Britons languished under a continual war, during the earlier part of the fifth century. See Sir Winston
''
Churchhill's
Remark upon the Lives of all the Kings of this Isle, from the year of the World 2855, unto the year of Grace 1660. " Sect. i. Class of Britones. Vortigern, p. 93.
"
Giacomo Certani
^°"
modern historian ha
Divi Britannici : being a
they
it,
*' The Cruithne acquired the western region After they had come from the plains of
Erin :
Seventy noble kings of them
A
asserted of Scotland: "The country crowded with hill-fortresses, small and great ; they may be counted by hundreds. They consist of mounds of earth or stone, o—r both, running round the crests of hills. "
The Picts were called Cruithne, by the
ancient Irish, in the idiom of this latter
people. They are also called Cruachna,
being the older Pictish or Ctltic race of
Scotland. See Daniel Wilson's "Archae- chap, viii. , pp. 80, 81.
99 Extern to any evidence contained in the ancient Lives of St. Brigid, the Abbate D.
Acquired the Cruithen plains. "
—who records these inci-
See
— ibid. , part iv. , chap, i. , p. 468.
dents—asserts, that the standards were orna-
mented with the figures of some false Gods,
and that they were inscribed with magical
characters. See "La Santiti Prodigiosa.
Vita di S. Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Quinto,
pp. 346 to 348.
'°°
Hill Burton's "
distinguished
of
from Agricola's Invasion to the Revolution
John
History
Scotland,
of 1688," vol. i. , chap, iii. , p. 91.
'°3 See this account in L. Tachet de Bar-
neval's " Histoire Legendaire de I'lrlande,"
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 139
bands returned to their own country, with great rejoicing and in fancied
triumph. According to the legendary account, however, all this turned out
to be a complete illusion, and when they had landed at the port for which
they were bound in Ireland, it was only then dispelled. This was soon
learned from the report of trustworthy messengers. Connell is said to have
givenpraisetoGod,whenhelearnedthatnolossoflifehadoccurred. He
resolved on seeing the abbess. When he came to the place where St.
Brigid resided,'^-^ he related all that had happened. Then, he and his
forces laid aside their warlike emblems, at St. Brigid's request. She said to
Conall "Becauseyouhaverenouncedthesebadgesatmysuggestion,in :
whatever danger you may be placed, invoke my intercession, and the Al- mighty will defend you on my account, and you shall be preserved from danger. "'°s This promise of the saint was afterwards fulfilled. Some time subsequently, Conall, with a large army, invaded the territories of his ene- mies, when he obtained a great victory over them. ^°6 Afterwards, he re- turned in triumph, towards his own country. When Conall had nearly reached his own dominions, night came on, and he entered a deserted fort
or castle, by the way-side. There, his soldiers remarked to him, that they should incur great danger, by remaining so near the haunts of their enemies.
These, stealing on them unawares, would be likely to follow, and might kill
what she hath predicted must infallibly come to pass. On this night, I com-
mend myself and my forces, to God's Divine protection, through her holy invocation. " As had been suspected, their enemies stealthily came that night on their track. When his pursuers approached that fort where Connall^°7 lay, they sent forward three scouts to examine it. '°^ On entering, these only found a great number of persons sitting there, in clerical habits, '°9 withalightinthemidst,andwithbooksopenbeforethem. Thesoldiers had placed their enemies' heads in that order, now represented by the books, on the perusal of which the clerics seemed intent. "° On returning, his spies told their chiefs what they had seen, and again the leaders despatched three other scouts to return and report the result of their errand. As in the former instance, clerics were seen reading their books. Whereupon, the band of Conall's enemies returned to their homes. On the following day, ambassadors were sent to Conall,"^ and these asked him for those heads
them while sleeping. The prince replied :
I am fatigued ; yet know, that the pious Brigid hath promised she will de- fend me in every difficulty, whenever I invoke her assistance. I believe,
'°* This might have been at Kildare, if we accept the late period assigned for Conall's
"
Muircheartach Mac Ere were victors. Ard- gal was probably son to this Connall ; for again, at 522, the battle of Detnea (Conaill
death. The
487, enter, Mors Conaill. " See Dr, Chremhtaine mc Neill) is entered in the
D'Alton's "
of Ireland and the An-
**
"
Annales Buelliani," at A. D.
*'
Ulster Annals," as if this might be a more correct date. Seep. 13.
'°« See " The Life of St Brigid," an by
Irish Priest, chap, ix. , pp. 117, 118.
'°9 D. Giacomo Certani, who relates these adventures, calls those clerics— as in many other such cases— Canons Regular. This, The place where this victory was however, is but a phantasy of the author, See " La Santit^ Prodigiosa. Vita S. Bri- gida Ibernese. " Libro Quinto, pp. 351 to
Rerum Hibernicarum Scrip-
O'Conor's
tores," tomus ii. , p. 3. See, also, John
History
nals of Boyle," vol. ii. , p. 72.
^°s See Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's "La
Santita Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida
Ibernese. " Libro Quinto, pp. 348 to 351. '°^
gained is not recorded.
^°7 In Dr. O'Conor's Rerum Hibemi-
**
"
of Ulster" relate, at 519, the battle of Det- nea, in Drumbadh, or in the hills of Bregia, in which fell Ardgal, son of Conaill, son to Neill. Colga, King of the Easterns, and
carum Scriptores," tomus iv. , the
Annals
354.
""See L. Tachet de Bameval's "His-
toire Legendaire de I'lrlande," chap, viii. ,
pp. 81, 82.
"' From his great-grandson, Colman the
" The night is now at hand, and
I40 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS [February i.
which he had taken with him, that so they might be interred with the decapi- tated bodies. On deHvering this message, the petitioners obtained their de- mand, and returned to their chiefs. These learned, afterwards, how Conall and his army had been really in that place, where they remained invisible to their pursuers. The legend of our Saint's Acts relates, that such circum- stances, becoming known to the people on either side, caused them to glorify God'sname,andtoextolthatofBrigid. "^ Thus,whereiniquityandstrife abounded, her gentle and charitable soul desired that grace and peace should more abound.
CHAPTER X.
ANCIENT IRISH HOSPITALITY—BISHOP BROON'S VISIT TO ST. BRIGID—THE EIGHT BISHOPS OF TULLACH NA N-ESPUC—HOLY BRIGID'S LOVE FOR THE POOR—HER GENEROUS GOOD NATURE—HER GENTLENESS OF MANNER. —ILLUSTRATION OF SUCH CHARACTERISTICS—HER CHAPLAIN, NATFROICH—ST. NINNIDH—ST. CON- LEATH APPOINTED BISHOP OF KILDARE.
In Ireland of the olden time, hospitality -was a characteristic of her nobles and of her simple-minded people. Each tribe had its Biatach^ and its affini- ties f the stranger and wanderer were welcomed to friendly homes ; while the bard tuned his harp, when the generous host held forth his hand to the honoured guest.
Should not our great saints then be received with all possible manifestations of respect while on their travels ? More temperate than most others, they could partake of wine and metheglin without degene- racy ; while, their sources of wealth, like the faith which created it, seemed inexhaustible and bid defiance to prodigality. Kings, with their suite, and even with their army, often sat down at the table of a poor bishop, anchorite or religious, and partook of firugal fare, frequently supplied in a most Provi- dential manner. 3
Such was her respect for those men deserving it, that Brigid paid them every mark of attention and politeness ; while, her modesty was so great, that she never presumed to look fully on the face of any man. * Yet, she wasalwaysjoyful,whendistinguishedbishopscametoherhome. Froma circumstance hereafter related, it may be possible, that St. Brigid was living
Great, the Clan-Colman is derived. See find allusions to the biAccAij or "pur- *'
John D'Alton's History of Ireland, and veyors. " See Professor Eugene O'Curry's
the Annals of Boyle," vol. ii. , p. 72. »"See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Vita QuartaS. Brigidse, lib. ii. , cap, xxxvii. , xxxviii. , pp. 555, 556. Also, Vita Tertia
"Manners and Customs of the Ancient
Irish. " Edited by Dr. W. K. Sullivan,
vol. iii. Appendix, pp. 438, 442.
3 See the glowing account of L. Tachet
de Barneval, in " Histoire Legendaire de I'lrlande," chap, viii. , p. 79. He adds:
"
Quelquefois meme un saint voyageur venait au secours de son hote surpris au de-
pourvu, et les convives, apres un instant d'inquietude, voyaient les mets et la liqueur renaitre au fond des vases, et remonter aux bordsdescoupes. AlorsonbenissaitDieu,
et le festin reprenait, plus joyeux et plus Chretien. "
^ Such is t—he account contained in her
metrical acts
" Omnibus ilia viris dignos pra^bebat ho-
nores.
Nee tamen ipsa virum in faciem con-
spexerat ixllum. "
S. Brigidse, cap. Ixvii. , pp. 534, 535, ibid.
Chapter X. —'The biA-dcAch
or
Biatagh
was a public ofhcer, vi^hose duties were to
supply the king's household with provisions,
to furnish necessaries for the army, and to provide entertainment for travellers. See
"
Dr. O'Brien's
Bhearla, or an Irish-Enghsh Dictionary," in v. Also, "Tracts relating to Ireland," printed for the Irish Archaeological Society, vol. ii. "The Statute of Kilkenny," edited
by James Hardiman, n. (e), pp. 4, 5.
^ In that ancient Irish tract, known as
Focaloir-GaoWhilge-sax-
the "Tain Bo
Prey of Cooley," as found in "The Book of Lrcinster," class H. 2, 18, T. C. D. , we
Chuailgne," or,
" The Cattle
:
February l] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 141
near the shore of Leinster,s when the following recorded occurrence took
place. HolyBishopBroon,onwhosebehalfSt. Brigidwroughtawonderful miracle, came to visit the illustrious virgin. He brought with him horses, chariots, and a considerable following of attendants. ^ Approaching the monastery of our saint, night came on darkly around them, and they were exposed to inclement, wintry weather, in the midst of a thick wood. 7 Having a revelation regarding this circumstance, Brigid said to her virgins : " Let us pray, my daughters, for holy guests, who are approaching us, under great privations, that the Lord may compassionate their labours. " ^ Then Bishop Broon and his companions had a vision of St. Brigid's monastery, and of St. Brigid, with her companions, joyfully setting out to meet them. Our saint immediately led them into a large hall, prepared for their reception. Having taken oft their sandals, she washed their feet, and then refreshed them with abundance of meat and drink. 9 Scotic cups were placed before
'° The nuns also took care of their vehicles, as it seemed, and placed beds for them to lie upon, while supplying them with all things necessary for their maintenance. When morning dawned, St. Brigid addressed
the nuns" of her " Let us monastery :
the
strangers.
go
his companions, straying in a wood during the past night. " Then our saint
with her virgins went out and soon found their expected guests, sitting down
in the forest. The travellers thus learned, that God had wrought a miracle
in their favour, on St. Brigid's account ; for, they related what happened to
them, as if the abbess had been ignorant of it. Afterwards, they gave thanks to God, while joyfully proceeding with His illustrious servant to her monastery.
—Vita Sexta S. Brigidse, § xv. , pp. 584, 585, ibid. The Scottish or Irish cups here alluded to were probably "methers," of which many specimens are still preserved. In Sir William R. Wilde's "Descriptive
5 Father John Boland, in treating about
the other religious establishments of St.
Brigid, seems to overlook the statement, that
she lived near the maritime part of Leinster.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i, Febru-
arii. Commentarius Praevius ad Vitam S. Catalogue of the Antiquities of Stone,
Brigidee Virginis Scotoe Thaumaturgse, Kil- dariae et Duni in Hibernia. Sec. V. Kil-
dariense, et alia S. Brigidse monasteria, 32, 33. 34, 35, 36, pp. 105, 106.
*
Earthen and Vegetable Materials in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy," there is an interesting account of ancient methers and drinking vessels, with characteristic illustrations, part i. , class iii. , pp. 214 to
Abbate D. Giacomo Certani, who relates
this adventure, makes his attendants Regular 218. Also part ii. , class iv. , pp. 264 to Canons, but without any vi^arrant. See 267.
" La Santita Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Bri-
gida. " LibroSesto,p. 481.
ists'
"
Acta Sanctorum," tomus i,, Februarii.
7 This adventure is related in the Bolland-
^° Most probably they were regaled vyith mead, a favourite drink of the ancient Irish, as with the Teutons of Northern Europe. This was quaffed from methers^ generally modelled from alder wood, crab- tree, sometimes from sycamore or sallow. They were quadrangularly formed, at the top, although usually rounded at the bot- tom. Those who used them drank from the angles. Sometimes two and sometimes four handles are found on specimens yet preserved. See an interesting article " On Methers and other ancient Drinking Ves- sels," by Thomas Joseph Tenison, J. P. , in *' The Proceedings and Papers of the Kil- kenny and South-east of Ireland Archaeolo* gical Society for the year i860," vol. iii. ,
modem ideas often lead him astray. See
Vita Prima S. Brigidoe. Auctore Anonymo,
cap. xiii. , p. 130.
8
The author of St. Brigid's Fourth Life
afterwards adds: "Mira multum, fratres "
charissimi, dicturus sum vobis, &c. These words seem to indicate, that the Life in ques- tion had been intended for monastic spiritual lectures. See Colgan's " Trias Thauma- turga. " Quarta Vita S. Brigidae, lib. ii. , cap. Iviii. , p. 559.
9 "When they arrived at St. Brigid's mon- astery, it is stated :
refecit,
undas Ilia sitim
'*
Postquam
New Series, to 61. pp. 54
rite cibo sanctorum membra
Praesulis et pedibus tepidas asperserat makes them canonesses. His local and
ponit. "
propter post
Scotica
pocula
"LaSantiti VitadiS. Prodigiosa.
Ibemese. " Libro Sesto, p. 483.
Brigida
forth to meet Broon and Bishop
part i.
" As usual, Abbate D. Giacomo Certani
142 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i.
St. Brigid had previously gone out to the wood, according to her knowledge of their case. There they supposed themselves enjoying her monastic hospi- talities. " The holy bishop remained with her for some days. Then, with his people, Broon returned to his own part of the country. On bidding him farewell, St. Brigid bestowed a Chrismal^3 on the bishop, v. hich he prized as a valuable gift. She was accustomed then to give many rich presents to pilgrims and to the poor. On a certain day, after the foregoing occurrences, while this bishop travelled by the sea-shore,^'^ his disciple, who bore St. Brigid's Chrismal,^s left it behind him, through forgetfulness. '^ Recollecting such omission, he came to the bishop, and told what had occurred, while his eyes were suffused with tears. The holy bishop assured the monk he ought not weep, for the devil should have no power to deprive him of a gift bestowed by St. Brigid. The disciple had left that Chrismal by the shore, near low water-mark. During his absence, the sea-waves passed over it, at full tide. The brother, on his return, saw the sea in this latter condition, and waited for its ebb. At length the waves receded to where the travellers stopped. There he happily found the vessel. '7 The disciple showed his ChrismaltoBishopBroon. ThenthelattergavethankstoGodandtoHis
^^ holy servant, Brigid.
On one occasion, eight bishops^9 came from a church, called Tolach na nEspuc,'° in the territory of Hi-Briun-chualann,^^ on a visit to St. Brigid. '* She then dwelt near the margin of a lake, thenceforward to be denominated Loch-leamhnachta. =3 The holy virgin felt rejoiced at the arrival of such a
" In the Sixth Metrical Life of our saint,
this miraculous occurrence is more poetically
described, and with those additional circum-
stances of the travellers entertaining some
illusion, that the night passed by them in
the woods seemed to have been spent with-
in the walls of St. Brigid's institution, while
her nuns appeared ministering to all their wants.
'3 See the BoUandists' " Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus i. , Februarii. Vita Prima S. Brigi-
dse, Virginis, cap. xiii. , p. 130.
'7 See Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's "La
Santitk Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigid a Ibernese. " LibroSesto,pp. 481to488.
'^
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Vita Quarta S. Brigidae, lib. ii. , cap. Iviii. , lix. , Ix. , p. 559. See also. Vita Tertia S. Brigidae, cap. Ixxxv. , Ixxxvi.
lay conterminous to the principality of Conall Gulban. He had another tract in the district of Teffia, near the bounds of
f^
only
Vita Tertia S. Brigidae, n. 38, p. 544.
9' See the account of this adventure in L. Tachet de Barneval's " Histoire Legendaire
de rirlande," chap, viii. , pp. 77, 78.
"
52 At A. D. 475, the
—changing the form of his name—note demise of McConaille, mc Cremthaine, meic Neill. See Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hiber- nicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , p. 3.
93 Again, in the hiatus, which supplies the ""
AnnalsofTigernach, asifaccordingwith
"
Chronicum Sco- torum," at A. D. 475, is noted the death of Conallus Crimthan, son to Niall of the Nine Hostages,from whom the Clan-Colman
the Four Masters and the
receive baptism, at St. Patrick's hands, and on whom a malediction was pronounced by the Irish Apostle. See William M. Hen- nessy's translation of the Irish Tripartite
pented at a subsequent period—probably he received baptism and became a Christian ; as otherwise, it is not likely he would have asked a blessing from St. Brigid.
Annals of Inisfallen"
the
138 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS [February i.
if they had been most devoted friends. 9s When this occurrence became fully known, God's holy providence and the fame of St. Brigid, as a peace- maker, were universally extolled. 9^
Again, a legend was in vogue, that on another occasion, when about to invade the country of the Picts,97 who often warred with the Britons,^^ this same Conall, accompanied by his soldiers, bearing their hostile emblems or
" O saint of God, we crave your blessing, for we are about to invade distant territories to defeat our
standards,99 came to St. Brigid. He then said
:
enemies. " The saint " I entreat the repHed :
Omnipotent Lord, my God, that, in this instance, you neither inflict injury on any one, nor suffer it your- selves,whereforelayasidethosediabolicalemblems. " Althoughshewasun-
able to prevent the war, God was graciously pleased to grant those prayers of the holy virgin. On hearing her words, the hostile bands sailed for the
^°^
invaders thought they had taken possession of a certain entrenched camp or
country of the Crutheni,^°° in the northern part of Britain.
Then, the Irish
'°^
castle, besieged by them,
had burned
and had killed many of
that
their enemies, who were beheaded. '°3 Afterwards, the leader and his
95SeeAbbateD. GiacomoCertani's"La ologyandPrehistoricAnnalsofScotland," Santitk Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida part i. , chap, iii. , p. 59.
Ibernese. " Libro Quinto, pp. 343 to 346.
'°' "
The geographical position of the
^ See " Trias Colgan's
British and Irish coasts accounts sufficiently
for frequent intercourse between the natives of Scotland and Ireland from the earliest
"
Thaumaturga. " Vita Quarta S. Brigidae, lib. ii. , cap. xxxvi,, p. 555. Also, Vita Tertia S. Brigidse, cap.
Scottish
The remarkable an- cient historical Gaelic poem, generally termed the Albanic Duan, written in its present form in the reign of Malcolm Canmore, about the middle of the eleventh century, thus re- fers to the first peopling of Scotland and
the Irish origin of the northern Picts :—
ibid.
97 A learned and
Ixvi. , p. 534,
periods. "
. . .
researchful
writer has observed, that the Pictish period of Caledonian history embraces a course of three hundred and ninety-seven years, viz. , from the date of the Roman abdication of the government of North Britain, A. D. 446, to the subversionof the Pictish government, A. D.
"" 843. He adds, there can be no doubt, that
Ye learned of all Albin,
Ye wise yellow-haired race, Learn who was the first
To acquire the districts of Albin.
Albanusacquiredthemwithhisrace,
The illustrious son of Isiscon,
Brother to Britus, without treachery, FromhimAlbmofshipstakesitsname.
the Picts were Celts, and that they were no other than a part of the race of the ancient Caledonians under another name. "—"A History of the Highlands and of the High- land Clans," by James Browne, Esq. , LL. D. , vol. i. , chap, iii. , p. 60.
^ For nearly forty years after the rule of Constantine III. , the Britons languished under a continual war, during the earlier part of the fifth century. See Sir Winston
''
Churchhill's
Remark upon the Lives of all the Kings of this Isle, from the year of the World 2855, unto the year of Grace 1660. " Sect. i. Class of Britones. Vortigern, p. 93.
"
Giacomo Certani
^°"
modern historian ha
Divi Britannici : being a
they
it,
*' The Cruithne acquired the western region After they had come from the plains of
Erin :
Seventy noble kings of them
A
asserted of Scotland: "The country crowded with hill-fortresses, small and great ; they may be counted by hundreds. They consist of mounds of earth or stone, o—r both, running round the crests of hills. "
The Picts were called Cruithne, by the
ancient Irish, in the idiom of this latter
people. They are also called Cruachna,
being the older Pictish or Ctltic race of
Scotland. See Daniel Wilson's "Archae- chap, viii. , pp. 80, 81.
99 Extern to any evidence contained in the ancient Lives of St. Brigid, the Abbate D.
Acquired the Cruithen plains. "
—who records these inci-
See
— ibid. , part iv. , chap, i. , p. 468.
dents—asserts, that the standards were orna-
mented with the figures of some false Gods,
and that they were inscribed with magical
characters. See "La Santiti Prodigiosa.
Vita di S. Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Quinto,
pp. 346 to 348.
'°°
Hill Burton's "
distinguished
of
from Agricola's Invasion to the Revolution
John
History
Scotland,
of 1688," vol. i. , chap, iii. , p. 91.
'°3 See this account in L. Tachet de Bar-
neval's " Histoire Legendaire de I'lrlande,"
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 139
bands returned to their own country, with great rejoicing and in fancied
triumph. According to the legendary account, however, all this turned out
to be a complete illusion, and when they had landed at the port for which
they were bound in Ireland, it was only then dispelled. This was soon
learned from the report of trustworthy messengers. Connell is said to have
givenpraisetoGod,whenhelearnedthatnolossoflifehadoccurred. He
resolved on seeing the abbess. When he came to the place where St.
Brigid resided,'^-^ he related all that had happened. Then, he and his
forces laid aside their warlike emblems, at St. Brigid's request. She said to
Conall "Becauseyouhaverenouncedthesebadgesatmysuggestion,in :
whatever danger you may be placed, invoke my intercession, and the Al- mighty will defend you on my account, and you shall be preserved from danger. "'°s This promise of the saint was afterwards fulfilled. Some time subsequently, Conall, with a large army, invaded the territories of his ene- mies, when he obtained a great victory over them. ^°6 Afterwards, he re- turned in triumph, towards his own country. When Conall had nearly reached his own dominions, night came on, and he entered a deserted fort
or castle, by the way-side. There, his soldiers remarked to him, that they should incur great danger, by remaining so near the haunts of their enemies.
These, stealing on them unawares, would be likely to follow, and might kill
what she hath predicted must infallibly come to pass. On this night, I com-
mend myself and my forces, to God's Divine protection, through her holy invocation. " As had been suspected, their enemies stealthily came that night on their track. When his pursuers approached that fort where Connall^°7 lay, they sent forward three scouts to examine it. '°^ On entering, these only found a great number of persons sitting there, in clerical habits, '°9 withalightinthemidst,andwithbooksopenbeforethem. Thesoldiers had placed their enemies' heads in that order, now represented by the books, on the perusal of which the clerics seemed intent. "° On returning, his spies told their chiefs what they had seen, and again the leaders despatched three other scouts to return and report the result of their errand. As in the former instance, clerics were seen reading their books. Whereupon, the band of Conall's enemies returned to their homes. On the following day, ambassadors were sent to Conall,"^ and these asked him for those heads
them while sleeping. The prince replied :
I am fatigued ; yet know, that the pious Brigid hath promised she will de- fend me in every difficulty, whenever I invoke her assistance. I believe,
'°* This might have been at Kildare, if we accept the late period assigned for Conall's
"
Muircheartach Mac Ere were victors. Ard- gal was probably son to this Connall ; for again, at 522, the battle of Detnea (Conaill
death. The
487, enter, Mors Conaill. " See Dr, Chremhtaine mc Neill) is entered in the
D'Alton's "
of Ireland and the An-
**
"
Annales Buelliani," at A. D.
*'
Ulster Annals," as if this might be a more correct date. Seep. 13.
'°« See " The Life of St Brigid," an by
Irish Priest, chap, ix. , pp. 117, 118.
'°9 D. Giacomo Certani, who relates these adventures, calls those clerics— as in many other such cases— Canons Regular. This, The place where this victory was however, is but a phantasy of the author, See " La Santit^ Prodigiosa. Vita S. Bri- gida Ibernese. " Libro Quinto, pp. 351 to
Rerum Hibernicarum Scrip-
O'Conor's
tores," tomus ii. , p. 3. See, also, John
History
nals of Boyle," vol. ii. , p. 72.
^°s See Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's "La
Santita Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida
Ibernese. " Libro Quinto, pp. 348 to 351. '°^
gained is not recorded.
^°7 In Dr. O'Conor's Rerum Hibemi-
**
"
of Ulster" relate, at 519, the battle of Det- nea, in Drumbadh, or in the hills of Bregia, in which fell Ardgal, son of Conaill, son to Neill. Colga, King of the Easterns, and
carum Scriptores," tomus iv. , the
Annals
354.
""See L. Tachet de Bameval's "His-
toire Legendaire de I'lrlande," chap, viii. ,
pp. 81, 82.
"' From his great-grandson, Colman the
" The night is now at hand, and
I40 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS [February i.
which he had taken with him, that so they might be interred with the decapi- tated bodies. On deHvering this message, the petitioners obtained their de- mand, and returned to their chiefs. These learned, afterwards, how Conall and his army had been really in that place, where they remained invisible to their pursuers. The legend of our Saint's Acts relates, that such circum- stances, becoming known to the people on either side, caused them to glorify God'sname,andtoextolthatofBrigid. "^ Thus,whereiniquityandstrife abounded, her gentle and charitable soul desired that grace and peace should more abound.
CHAPTER X.
ANCIENT IRISH HOSPITALITY—BISHOP BROON'S VISIT TO ST. BRIGID—THE EIGHT BISHOPS OF TULLACH NA N-ESPUC—HOLY BRIGID'S LOVE FOR THE POOR—HER GENEROUS GOOD NATURE—HER GENTLENESS OF MANNER. —ILLUSTRATION OF SUCH CHARACTERISTICS—HER CHAPLAIN, NATFROICH—ST. NINNIDH—ST. CON- LEATH APPOINTED BISHOP OF KILDARE.
In Ireland of the olden time, hospitality -was a characteristic of her nobles and of her simple-minded people. Each tribe had its Biatach^ and its affini- ties f the stranger and wanderer were welcomed to friendly homes ; while the bard tuned his harp, when the generous host held forth his hand to the honoured guest.
Should not our great saints then be received with all possible manifestations of respect while on their travels ? More temperate than most others, they could partake of wine and metheglin without degene- racy ; while, their sources of wealth, like the faith which created it, seemed inexhaustible and bid defiance to prodigality. Kings, with their suite, and even with their army, often sat down at the table of a poor bishop, anchorite or religious, and partook of firugal fare, frequently supplied in a most Provi- dential manner. 3
Such was her respect for those men deserving it, that Brigid paid them every mark of attention and politeness ; while, her modesty was so great, that she never presumed to look fully on the face of any man. * Yet, she wasalwaysjoyful,whendistinguishedbishopscametoherhome. Froma circumstance hereafter related, it may be possible, that St. Brigid was living
Great, the Clan-Colman is derived. See find allusions to the biAccAij or "pur- *'
John D'Alton's History of Ireland, and veyors. " See Professor Eugene O'Curry's
the Annals of Boyle," vol. ii. , p. 72. »"See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Vita QuartaS. Brigidse, lib. ii. , cap, xxxvii. , xxxviii. , pp. 555, 556. Also, Vita Tertia
"Manners and Customs of the Ancient
Irish. " Edited by Dr. W. K. Sullivan,
vol. iii. Appendix, pp. 438, 442.
3 See the glowing account of L. Tachet
de Barneval, in " Histoire Legendaire de I'lrlande," chap, viii. , p. 79. He adds:
"
Quelquefois meme un saint voyageur venait au secours de son hote surpris au de-
pourvu, et les convives, apres un instant d'inquietude, voyaient les mets et la liqueur renaitre au fond des vases, et remonter aux bordsdescoupes. AlorsonbenissaitDieu,
et le festin reprenait, plus joyeux et plus Chretien. "
^ Such is t—he account contained in her
metrical acts
" Omnibus ilia viris dignos pra^bebat ho-
nores.
Nee tamen ipsa virum in faciem con-
spexerat ixllum. "
S. Brigidse, cap. Ixvii. , pp. 534, 535, ibid.
Chapter X. —'The biA-dcAch
or
Biatagh
was a public ofhcer, vi^hose duties were to
supply the king's household with provisions,
to furnish necessaries for the army, and to provide entertainment for travellers. See
"
Dr. O'Brien's
Bhearla, or an Irish-Enghsh Dictionary," in v. Also, "Tracts relating to Ireland," printed for the Irish Archaeological Society, vol. ii. "The Statute of Kilkenny," edited
by James Hardiman, n. (e), pp. 4, 5.
^ In that ancient Irish tract, known as
Focaloir-GaoWhilge-sax-
the "Tain Bo
Prey of Cooley," as found in "The Book of Lrcinster," class H. 2, 18, T. C. D. , we
Chuailgne," or,
" The Cattle
:
February l] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 141
near the shore of Leinster,s when the following recorded occurrence took
place. HolyBishopBroon,onwhosebehalfSt. Brigidwroughtawonderful miracle, came to visit the illustrious virgin. He brought with him horses, chariots, and a considerable following of attendants. ^ Approaching the monastery of our saint, night came on darkly around them, and they were exposed to inclement, wintry weather, in the midst of a thick wood. 7 Having a revelation regarding this circumstance, Brigid said to her virgins : " Let us pray, my daughters, for holy guests, who are approaching us, under great privations, that the Lord may compassionate their labours. " ^ Then Bishop Broon and his companions had a vision of St. Brigid's monastery, and of St. Brigid, with her companions, joyfully setting out to meet them. Our saint immediately led them into a large hall, prepared for their reception. Having taken oft their sandals, she washed their feet, and then refreshed them with abundance of meat and drink. 9 Scotic cups were placed before
'° The nuns also took care of their vehicles, as it seemed, and placed beds for them to lie upon, while supplying them with all things necessary for their maintenance. When morning dawned, St. Brigid addressed
the nuns" of her " Let us monastery :
the
strangers.
go
his companions, straying in a wood during the past night. " Then our saint
with her virgins went out and soon found their expected guests, sitting down
in the forest. The travellers thus learned, that God had wrought a miracle
in their favour, on St. Brigid's account ; for, they related what happened to
them, as if the abbess had been ignorant of it. Afterwards, they gave thanks to God, while joyfully proceeding with His illustrious servant to her monastery.
—Vita Sexta S. Brigidse, § xv. , pp. 584, 585, ibid. The Scottish or Irish cups here alluded to were probably "methers," of which many specimens are still preserved. In Sir William R. Wilde's "Descriptive
5 Father John Boland, in treating about
the other religious establishments of St.
Brigid, seems to overlook the statement, that
she lived near the maritime part of Leinster.
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i, Febru-
arii. Commentarius Praevius ad Vitam S. Catalogue of the Antiquities of Stone,
Brigidee Virginis Scotoe Thaumaturgse, Kil- dariae et Duni in Hibernia. Sec. V. Kil-
dariense, et alia S. Brigidse monasteria, 32, 33. 34, 35, 36, pp. 105, 106.
*
Earthen and Vegetable Materials in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy," there is an interesting account of ancient methers and drinking vessels, with characteristic illustrations, part i. , class iii. , pp. 214 to
Abbate D. Giacomo Certani, who relates
this adventure, makes his attendants Regular 218. Also part ii. , class iv. , pp. 264 to Canons, but without any vi^arrant. See 267.
" La Santita Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Bri-
gida. " LibroSesto,p. 481.
ists'
"
Acta Sanctorum," tomus i,, Februarii.
7 This adventure is related in the Bolland-
^° Most probably they were regaled vyith mead, a favourite drink of the ancient Irish, as with the Teutons of Northern Europe. This was quaffed from methers^ generally modelled from alder wood, crab- tree, sometimes from sycamore or sallow. They were quadrangularly formed, at the top, although usually rounded at the bot- tom. Those who used them drank from the angles. Sometimes two and sometimes four handles are found on specimens yet preserved. See an interesting article " On Methers and other ancient Drinking Ves- sels," by Thomas Joseph Tenison, J. P. , in *' The Proceedings and Papers of the Kil- kenny and South-east of Ireland Archaeolo* gical Society for the year i860," vol. iii. ,
modem ideas often lead him astray. See
Vita Prima S. Brigidoe. Auctore Anonymo,
cap. xiii. , p. 130.
8
The author of St. Brigid's Fourth Life
afterwards adds: "Mira multum, fratres "
charissimi, dicturus sum vobis, &c. These words seem to indicate, that the Life in ques- tion had been intended for monastic spiritual lectures. See Colgan's " Trias Thauma- turga. " Quarta Vita S. Brigidae, lib. ii. , cap. Iviii. , p. 559.
9 "When they arrived at St. Brigid's mon- astery, it is stated :
refecit,
undas Ilia sitim
'*
Postquam
New Series, to 61. pp. 54
rite cibo sanctorum membra
Praesulis et pedibus tepidas asperserat makes them canonesses. His local and
ponit. "
propter post
Scotica
pocula
"LaSantiti VitadiS. Prodigiosa.
Ibemese. " Libro Sesto, p. 483.
Brigida
forth to meet Broon and Bishop
part i.
" As usual, Abbate D. Giacomo Certani
142 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i.
St. Brigid had previously gone out to the wood, according to her knowledge of their case. There they supposed themselves enjoying her monastic hospi- talities. " The holy bishop remained with her for some days. Then, with his people, Broon returned to his own part of the country. On bidding him farewell, St. Brigid bestowed a Chrismal^3 on the bishop, v. hich he prized as a valuable gift. She was accustomed then to give many rich presents to pilgrims and to the poor. On a certain day, after the foregoing occurrences, while this bishop travelled by the sea-shore,^'^ his disciple, who bore St. Brigid's Chrismal,^s left it behind him, through forgetfulness. '^ Recollecting such omission, he came to the bishop, and told what had occurred, while his eyes were suffused with tears. The holy bishop assured the monk he ought not weep, for the devil should have no power to deprive him of a gift bestowed by St. Brigid. The disciple had left that Chrismal by the shore, near low water-mark. During his absence, the sea-waves passed over it, at full tide. The brother, on his return, saw the sea in this latter condition, and waited for its ebb. At length the waves receded to where the travellers stopped. There he happily found the vessel. '7 The disciple showed his ChrismaltoBishopBroon. ThenthelattergavethankstoGodandtoHis
^^ holy servant, Brigid.
On one occasion, eight bishops^9 came from a church, called Tolach na nEspuc,'° in the territory of Hi-Briun-chualann,^^ on a visit to St. Brigid. '* She then dwelt near the margin of a lake, thenceforward to be denominated Loch-leamhnachta. =3 The holy virgin felt rejoiced at the arrival of such a
" In the Sixth Metrical Life of our saint,
this miraculous occurrence is more poetically
described, and with those additional circum-
stances of the travellers entertaining some
illusion, that the night passed by them in
the woods seemed to have been spent with-
in the walls of St. Brigid's institution, while
her nuns appeared ministering to all their wants.
'3 See the BoUandists' " Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus i. , Februarii. Vita Prima S. Brigi-
dse, Virginis, cap. xiii. , p. 130.
'7 See Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's "La
Santitk Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigid a Ibernese. " LibroSesto,pp. 481to488.
'^
See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Vita Quarta S. Brigidae, lib. ii. , cap. Iviii. , lix. , Ix. , p. 559. See also. Vita Tertia S. Brigidae, cap. Ixxxv. , Ixxxvi.
