Patrick relate, that this sermon lasted three days and three nights, at the hill of
Finnabhair
at Lemhuin.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
^s
Again, on the eve of a festival, a girl brought alms to St. Brigid. De- livering her gift, she said, it would be necessary to return towards her home,
as her foster-father, an old and a paralytic man, had been left alone, nor had he any person to care the house or milk his cows. Brigid counselled her to remain there, however, for that night. Her visitor did so, and returned home on the following day, after having received Holy Eucharist. The cows and calves were found feeding apart in the fields, nor did the former seem to suffer in the least degree, as a consequence of their not having been milked. The old man acknowledged, likewise, that during the night his foster-daughter dwelt with our saint, the cattle continued to feed on their pasturage, while he remained awake the whole time since her departure. ^*^ This did not seem to extend beyond the interval of a single hour. It was
a mystery, only known to the Almighty, who had thus miraculously disposed the result. ^7
On a particular day, certain insolent and idle ruffians approached our
a particular person. These miscreants asked—it is probable in mockery— a blessing from Brigid, and she, in her turn, requested them to put away their emblems. This, however, they refused to do. Seeing the form of badge adopted,ourpiousabbesswasshocked; nevertheless,shemarkedthemwith a sign of the cross, not for the purpose of blessing them, but to counteract those designs entertained against their fellow-creatures. The rufhans de- parted with their brutal instincts aroused. Finding a poor man on their
way, they attacked, murdered, and afterwards, as they thought, beheaded him. However, this turned out to be their phantasy, for that man escaped unhurt and through the midst of his enemies until he reached his own house. After a close investigation, these persecutors found neither his head, nor body, nor any traces of blood. Wherefore they said to each other " A
saint. Wearing diabolical badges on their heads, they intended the death of
'3 This account is contained in Professor
O'Looney's Irish Life of St. Brigid, pp. 27, 28.
:
Vita S. Brigidse, sec. 27, p. 516. Secunda Vita S. Brigidae, cap. xvii. , p. 520, ibid,
^^ When relating this occurrence, in his usual manner, Abbate D. Giacomo Certani stantially detailed in Abbate D. Giacomo compares the paralytic to those Northern
^* The foregoing narrative is very circum-
Certani's " La Santiti Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Quarto, pp.
people, mentioned by Olaus, lib. ii. , cap. 14, and whose eyes are accommodated to see throughout the night. See " La Santit^ Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Quarto, pp. 279, 280.
^7 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Quarta Vita S. Brigidae, lib. ii. , cap. v. , p. 551. Also, Vita Tertia S. Brigidae, cap. xlviii. , p. 552, ibid. In the Metrical Life, we are told, tnat the sun seemed to shine without cessation, during the whole time of
27s to 279.
®s See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga.
"
Vita Quarta S. Brigidae, lib. ii. , cap. iv. ,
PP- 550. 551- Vita Tertia S. Brigidae, . cap.
xlvii. , pp. 531, 532, ibid. Sexta Vita S.
Brigidae, sect, xxxvi. , p. 589, ibid. It is
likely enough, from the similarity of most
circumstances narrated, that the foregoing
narrative is only a different version of what
is related in our saint's acts, by the authors this girl's absence from home. See Sexta
of her First and Second Lives. See Prima Vita S. Brigidae, sect, xxxvii. , p. 590.
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 103
miracle hath taken place, through the providence of God, and St. Brigid's merits, for we have not killed this man, although the contrary seemed to be the case. " For a long time, the celebrity of this circumstance was noised about through that part of the country. Those vagabonds afterwards laid aside their emblems, and united in praising the Almighty, while magnifying St. Brigid's extraordinary prerogatives. ^^ The foregoing events, as related,^? apparently occurred before St. Brigid took her journey into Munster with Bishop Ere of Slane ;9o and therefore, we may deem it sufficiently probable, she had been living at Kildare, antecedent to this excursion.
The social relations of men were often disturbed by violence and treachery
at that early period. A chieftain, who lived in the plain of the Liffey, came
towards our saint, asking her blessing. This the holy virgin specially be- stowed on him. With great joy, the chief returned to his castle. But during the night, a daring and hostile man entered the fort, while its occupants wereasleep. Takingalightfromits candlestick,9^hesoughttheslumbering chieftain. He was found with a sword, laid on the pillow, beside him. Seizing this sword of the chieftain, his enemy plunged it with great force three several times, as he thought, into the owner's heart, and afterwards he fled. The castle inmates aroused soon discovered what had taken place. They sent forth loud cries and lamentations, supposing their chief had been slain. The latter, however, seemed to awaken as it were from sleep, and it was found the wound he received was not of a dangerous character. He
"
consoled his friends by saying :
Cease your lamentations, for St. Brigid's
blessing, which I obtained to-day, hath preserved me from this great danger. " The chieftain, to manifest his gratitude for that miraculous escape, visited St.
Brigid. thanking her and offering her valuable presents, on the following day. Our saint established peace, afterwards, between the chief and that enemy, who sought his life, as also among their posterity. This too was continued for an indefinite period. 92 Thus her mediation, through God's blessing, was both effective and lasting. Can we doubt, therefore, as her protection over her people was so powerful on earth, that it will be less exercised in heaven, on behalf of those, who devoutly invoke her vigilant advocacy ? Too fre- quently, alas ! do we forget the powerful assistance our great national saints can render us before the throne of God.
^* See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Vita Quarta S. Brigidse, lib. ii. , cap. xl. , p. 556. From the manner in which this same occurrence is related, in our saint's Third Life, it would seem, that these dia- bolical emblems subjected the bearers to certain unchristian engagements or incanta- tions. The signs, borne by those vagrants,
in all probability, represented obscene or monstrous figures, typifying certain hea-
and died A. D. $14. "—Sir William Robert Wilde's "Beauties of the Boyne, and its Tributary, the Blackwater," chap, vii. , p.
175.
9' In these, and like incidental notices,
we have some idea given regarding the do-
mestic economy of our ancestors, at least, at the period, in which those documents relat-
ing to ancient usages were composed,
^2 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
thenish superstitions. See Vita Tertia S. Vita Quarta S. Brigidse, lib. ii. , cap. xli. ,
Brigidae, cap. Ixix. , and n. 41, pp. 535, 544, ibid. I rather think this is the miracle al- luded to, in St. Brigid's First Life, section xxxiii. , and in her Second Life, cap. xxiii. Colgan refers these latter accounts to the performance of a miracle, somewhat similar . in details.
^9 In the Third and Fourth Lives of the saint.
90 Ere "was consecrated hj St. Patrick,
p, 556. Our saint's Third Life states, that
thechief was accompanied bysome women—
—and a re- tinue, when he visited St. Brigid. It would seem, that the castle in which he slept was not his own, as it is said to have been situ- ated on the road to his own domicile. See
probably members of his family
Vita Tertia S. ibid.
Brigidae, cap. Ixx. , p. 535,
104 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i.
CHAPTER VII.
ST. BRIGID'S intimacy with ST. PATRICK—ARMAGH—FOUNDATION OF ST. BRIGID THERE—HER MIRACLES—VISION REGARDING ST. PATRICK'S LAST RESTING-PLACE— HER SPIRIT OF SUBLIME RECOLLECTION AND HER GREAT CHARITY—SHE DESIRES THE INTRODUCTION OF THE ROMAN RITE FOR IRELAND.
Although some doubts have been expressed, that St. Brigid could have taken a very distinguished part in Irish Church affairs, during the Hfetime of
our venerable Apostle ; yet, to us, it seems perfectly reconcileable, not only with our early narratives, but with received chronology, that the glorious daughter of Erin might have had interviews with her illustrious director, both before and after the time of her foundation at Kildare. To determine ex- actly dates for the following written incidents is, however, a matter of great difficulty. We must endeavour conjecturally to place them in their order of
occurrence, so far as probabilities will allow us to continue. Perhaps, the
arrangement, with better lights of view, might admit of various alterations
or adaptations. After certain miraculous occurrences, related in her acts,
took place—the date or locality unnoted—it is said our saint went towards
the northern of Ireland, accompanied St. Patrick. ' On a certain part by
day, while the great Irish Apostle in the plain of Lemhuin^ preached God's holy word from a hilP to the people there, at a place called Einnabhair,'^ or
"the- white field," St. Brigid slept. She was probably very young at this time. After his sermon had been concluded,5 St. Patrick asked her why she had fallen asleep while the sacred word of God was announced. ^ Then the
" O father, for- give me ; O most pious Lord, spare me, for during this hour, I have had a vision. " The illustrious missionary desired her to tell what she had seen.
"
I, your servant, have beheld four ploughs, ploughing the whole of Ireland, while sowers were scattering seed. 7 This latter immediately sprung up and began to ripen, when rivulets of fresh milk filled the furrows, while the sowers themselves were clothed in white garments. After this, I saw others plough, and those who ploughed
appeared black. ^ They destroyed, with their plough-shares, the growing
'
Chapter vii. — See Colgan's "Trias 150, and n. 11, p. 184.
humble virgin, on her knees, asked his pardon. She said
:
Whereupon, the devout virgin announced :
"
Thaumaturga, Tertia Vita S. Brigidae,
cap. Ivii. , p. 533. Quarta Vita S. Brigidae, lib. ii. , cap. xxvii. , pp. 553, 554.
"The fort of Augher and the village of
s The Acts of St.
Patrick relate, that this sermon lasted three days and three nights, at the hill of Finnabhair at Lemhuin. It was in the county of Tyrone and d. ocese of Clogher. The River Blackwater ran through it. Finnabhair is now corrui)tly called Fin-
Ballygawley are in it. Clogher lay on its
western and the church of Errigle-Keeroge
on its northern boundary. Its other name, dermore, a townland in the parish and ba-
'*
Clossach, is frequently mentioned in O'Mel- rony of Clogher. See
lan's Irish "Journal of the Wars of 1641 ;" Townland Maps for the County of Tyrone,"
"
in Colton's Visitation," p. 126 ; in the Sheets 58, 64.
••Book of Rights," p. 152 ; in the "Irish ^ To Brigid, it is said, the time of the
Topographical Poems" of O'Dugan and sermon did not seem to be more than one
O'Huidhrin, p. xxi. , n. (119). See Miss hour. "
M. F. Cusack's Life of St. Patrick, 7 In the Sixth Metrical Life of St. Brigid, Apostle of Ireland," p. 451, n. 2. it is stated, the white sowers came from the
3 So the Seventh Life of St. Patrick East,
states. *See
In her Sixth Metrical Life, in Colgan's
"Trias
Joceline's or Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap.
Trias— St. is made Thaumaturga," Brigid
Colgan's
Thaumaturga,"
to say xcvi. ,pp. 86,87,andn. 105,p. 113. This ,, ^. . , ^
place was situated in the ancient territory of Liemania, sometimes called Magh-Lemna,
or Clossach, by others. See ibid. , Septima — Vita S. Patricii, pars, iii. , cap. iv. , pp. 149,
, ^ , . . Conspexi populos septem de parte trioms,
*
8
**
:
^'S"^ ,? ""^ atns.
\^oy^\^^x^ vementes vultibus
Sexta Vita S. Brigidae, sec. Ixv. , p. 595,
Ordnance Survey
February i. ] LTVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 105 corn ; and, they sowed tares, which filled the furrows. "^ The Irish Apostle
then said to our saint
:
" O holy virgin, you have beheld a true and wonder-
ful vision. This is its interpretation. We are the good ploughers, who, with the shares of the four Gospels, cultivate human hearts, and sow God's
words, while those rivers, containing the milk of Christian faith, proceed from our labours. But, towards the end of this world, bad teachers shall preach to depraved generations, who will receive them. *° Those teachers" shall destroy our instructions, and shall seduce nearly the whole human race. "" Brigid also had a vision regarding the two sons of Eochaidh,'3 son of Crim- thann,'* at the same place. 's The elder of these, named Bressal, was re- presented by the figure of a large stone, wasting away under falling showers ; while, the younger, Carbre, svirnamed Damhairgid, was denoted by a smaller stone, which increased, and sent forth bright sparks, as the rain fell. '^ St. Patrick interpreted this to mean, that the rain represented the shower of celestial grace, falling in vain on the unbeliever Bressal, while, its dews, de- scending on the believer Carbre,^? signified an increase to him of blessings for the future. '^ Hereupon, those who were then present, with St. Patrick and St. Brigid, praised Almighty God. '9 A synod had been convened at this place. ^° The degeneracy of Christian feeling and practice, during sub- sequent times, as also the efforts of heretical and false teachers to pervert the
9 In the Acts of St.
following additional particulars described in
her vision —" And after I saw : that,
Patrick,
^4 Crimthann was son to son of Fieg,
Deadad, son to Rochad, son of Colla Dach-
to the " Ge- spotted rioch, according Sanctilogic
Pastores cupidi, qui plus sua lucra se-
quentur,
Non frumenta satis, sed lolia subdere
sulcis Curabunt," &c.
^'' " See Colgan's
395. Colgan's
Trias Thaumaturga. " This
S. Brigidce, sec. Ixv. , p.
and n. 12, pp. 150, 184.
'7 Among the posterity of Carbry,
blessed by St. Patrick, we find enumerated there, St. Endteus of Aran, St. Fanchea,
St. Teganus, St. Darenia, and St. Lochina, sisters to St. Endseus, St. Beg Mac De, with many other saints. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xxi. Martii, Ap- pendix ad Vitam S. Endaei, cap. iv. , pp. 713, 714.
^«Only the writer of St. Brigid's Sixth Life mentions this vision of the saint in her
*'
Trias
Vita Sexta S. Brigidse, sec Ixvi. , andn. 17,
pp. 595. 598.
^9 See ibid. . Vita Quarta S. Brigidse, lib.
metrical account was supplied from a MS.
in the library of his Emmence Cardinal
Antonio Barberini, p. 1062, being wanting
in the Monte Casino MS.
^*
They are called deluders and hypocrites in Professor O'Looney's Irish Life of St. Brigid, pp. 29, 30.
'^ The Rev. S. Baring-Gould, a clergyman of the Anglican Church, calls the foregoing a remarkable prophecy regarding "the
miserable— of the so-called Refor- apostasy
Actb. See
Colgan's
Thaumaturga,"
"
mation. " Lives the Saints," vol. ii. ,
of
February I, p. 21.
^3 Eochaidh was prince of Oirgallia. Thus,
we find the
and motley-coloured oxen, then wild and
black animals. After these I saw sheep
and swine and wolves and dogs contending
with one another. " See Rev. S. Baring- on each of them. The little stone increased Gould's "Lives of the Saints," vol. ii. ,
February I, p. 21. '°
at the 'drop,' and silvery sparks burst from it. The large stone withered, more- over. " These words of Brigid, St. Patrick
interpreted to mean Cairpre Damhairgit, who believed and was blessed with his seed,
and Bresal, who refused to believe, when a malediction was pronounced against him. See Miss Mary F. Cusack's "Life of St.
Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 452.
—St. Patrick describes the evil teachers as
**
—See Vita Sexta "
de Vere alludes to him, in the — xxvii. , Vita Tertia Aubrey poem, ii. , cap. pp. 553, 554.
*'
**
king
—Northward in Clochar. "
"Legends of St. Patrick," p. 149.
Saint Patrick and King Eochaidh"
Eochaidh, son of Cruimther, reigned, a
S.
ibid. According to some accounts, St. Patrick is said to have held nearly sixty synods in
"
Ireland. See Villaneuva's Sancti Pa-
tricii, Ibernorum Apostoli, Synodi, Ca- nones, Opuscula," &c. , pp. 7, 8.
:
BrigidiE, cap. '°
Ivii. ,
p. 533,
nealogy," chap. xiii.
'5 " I saw subsequently two stones, one
little and the other big. A drop was shed
Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vila S. Patricii, pars, iii. , cap. vi. ,
lo6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[February j.
minds and principles of the faithful in Ireland,^^ have been popularly be- lieved to furnish the correct interpretation for this remarkable Brigitine vision.
It is probable, Lemhuin and Finnabhair are the places alluded to, where St. Patrick and St. Brigid, with their religious, are said to have been assem- bled at a time the holy Apostle of Ireland did not cease giving instructions to the people, for three whole days and three nights. ^*^ The sun continued shining, as we are told ; however, during this protracted sermon, the auditors supposed, that not more than an hour had elapsed. One man only had a knowledge regarding what length of time had been spent in this place. On approaching, he asked the holy Bishop, why he had remained there for so long an interval. The Apostle asked him what time had elapsed, and was then told a duration, equal to three days and as many nights. Then said
the holy father
:
" For forty days and nights, we should have remained here,
had not a stranger warned us about our delay, nor should we have experi-
enced fatigue nor hunger, through the Divine clemency. " Afterwards, St,
Patrick and St. Brigid returned to their respective districts. =^3 Those are
not specified ; but, it may be, St. Patrick proceeded on his missionary career through Ulster, while Brigid returned to her home or convent in Meath or Leinster. '4
It is related, that Brigid visited Armagh, most probably after she had
established her parent house at Kildare. She always desired the wise counsel
of St. Patrick. ^5 it may not be unlikely, this journey was undertaken at
the special request of the Irish Apostle himself He intended Armagh to be
the seat of ecclesiastical rule ; and, here he is said to have built, not alone
several other houses. ^'^ What religious
his cathedral ^"^ but church,
likewise,
could be more desirable, than founding a holy institute, where his fervent
female converts could find a happy retreat and a career of Christian useful- ness ? Who could be chosen more capable of teaching nuns, both by word and example, than the zealous and energetic Abbess of Kildare ? ^^ If we aretobelieveamoderncompilation,St. PatrickfoundedTempleBrigidin thiscityofArmagh. ^s Itseemsmorelikely,thattheRegiesBrighde,orSt. Bride's Church, if founded during his lifetime, had been also the joint con- cern of St. Brigid, to accommodate some religious daughters, belonging to her order. Long after her decease, the coarbs. of the Regies Brighde,3° are men-
"
Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's "La Santit^ he died at Saul or Sabhal, A. D. 493. See
p. 555.
saint,
See the foregoing narative produced in this place, A. D. 455, to St. Binen ; and that
Prodigiosa, Vitadi S. Brigida Ibernese. " chap, i.
Again, on the eve of a festival, a girl brought alms to St. Brigid. De- livering her gift, she said, it would be necessary to return towards her home,
as her foster-father, an old and a paralytic man, had been left alone, nor had he any person to care the house or milk his cows. Brigid counselled her to remain there, however, for that night. Her visitor did so, and returned home on the following day, after having received Holy Eucharist. The cows and calves were found feeding apart in the fields, nor did the former seem to suffer in the least degree, as a consequence of their not having been milked. The old man acknowledged, likewise, that during the night his foster-daughter dwelt with our saint, the cattle continued to feed on their pasturage, while he remained awake the whole time since her departure. ^*^ This did not seem to extend beyond the interval of a single hour. It was
a mystery, only known to the Almighty, who had thus miraculously disposed the result. ^7
On a particular day, certain insolent and idle ruffians approached our
a particular person. These miscreants asked—it is probable in mockery— a blessing from Brigid, and she, in her turn, requested them to put away their emblems. This, however, they refused to do. Seeing the form of badge adopted,ourpiousabbesswasshocked; nevertheless,shemarkedthemwith a sign of the cross, not for the purpose of blessing them, but to counteract those designs entertained against their fellow-creatures. The rufhans de- parted with their brutal instincts aroused. Finding a poor man on their
way, they attacked, murdered, and afterwards, as they thought, beheaded him. However, this turned out to be their phantasy, for that man escaped unhurt and through the midst of his enemies until he reached his own house. After a close investigation, these persecutors found neither his head, nor body, nor any traces of blood. Wherefore they said to each other " A
saint. Wearing diabolical badges on their heads, they intended the death of
'3 This account is contained in Professor
O'Looney's Irish Life of St. Brigid, pp. 27, 28.
:
Vita S. Brigidse, sec. 27, p. 516. Secunda Vita S. Brigidae, cap. xvii. , p. 520, ibid,
^^ When relating this occurrence, in his usual manner, Abbate D. Giacomo Certani stantially detailed in Abbate D. Giacomo compares the paralytic to those Northern
^* The foregoing narrative is very circum-
Certani's " La Santiti Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Quarto, pp.
people, mentioned by Olaus, lib. ii. , cap. 14, and whose eyes are accommodated to see throughout the night. See " La Santit^ Prodigiosa. Vita di S. Brigida Ibernese. " Libro Quarto, pp. 279, 280.
^7 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Quarta Vita S. Brigidae, lib. ii. , cap. v. , p. 551. Also, Vita Tertia S. Brigidae, cap. xlviii. , p. 552, ibid. In the Metrical Life, we are told, tnat the sun seemed to shine without cessation, during the whole time of
27s to 279.
®s See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga.
"
Vita Quarta S. Brigidae, lib. ii. , cap. iv. ,
PP- 550. 551- Vita Tertia S. Brigidae, . cap.
xlvii. , pp. 531, 532, ibid. Sexta Vita S.
Brigidae, sect, xxxvi. , p. 589, ibid. It is
likely enough, from the similarity of most
circumstances narrated, that the foregoing
narrative is only a different version of what
is related in our saint's acts, by the authors this girl's absence from home. See Sexta
of her First and Second Lives. See Prima Vita S. Brigidae, sect, xxxvii. , p. 590.
February i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, 103
miracle hath taken place, through the providence of God, and St. Brigid's merits, for we have not killed this man, although the contrary seemed to be the case. " For a long time, the celebrity of this circumstance was noised about through that part of the country. Those vagabonds afterwards laid aside their emblems, and united in praising the Almighty, while magnifying St. Brigid's extraordinary prerogatives. ^^ The foregoing events, as related,^? apparently occurred before St. Brigid took her journey into Munster with Bishop Ere of Slane ;9o and therefore, we may deem it sufficiently probable, she had been living at Kildare, antecedent to this excursion.
The social relations of men were often disturbed by violence and treachery
at that early period. A chieftain, who lived in the plain of the Liffey, came
towards our saint, asking her blessing. This the holy virgin specially be- stowed on him. With great joy, the chief returned to his castle. But during the night, a daring and hostile man entered the fort, while its occupants wereasleep. Takingalightfromits candlestick,9^hesoughttheslumbering chieftain. He was found with a sword, laid on the pillow, beside him. Seizing this sword of the chieftain, his enemy plunged it with great force three several times, as he thought, into the owner's heart, and afterwards he fled. The castle inmates aroused soon discovered what had taken place. They sent forth loud cries and lamentations, supposing their chief had been slain. The latter, however, seemed to awaken as it were from sleep, and it was found the wound he received was not of a dangerous character. He
"
consoled his friends by saying :
Cease your lamentations, for St. Brigid's
blessing, which I obtained to-day, hath preserved me from this great danger. " The chieftain, to manifest his gratitude for that miraculous escape, visited St.
Brigid. thanking her and offering her valuable presents, on the following day. Our saint established peace, afterwards, between the chief and that enemy, who sought his life, as also among their posterity. This too was continued for an indefinite period. 92 Thus her mediation, through God's blessing, was both effective and lasting. Can we doubt, therefore, as her protection over her people was so powerful on earth, that it will be less exercised in heaven, on behalf of those, who devoutly invoke her vigilant advocacy ? Too fre- quently, alas ! do we forget the powerful assistance our great national saints can render us before the throne of God.
^* See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. " Vita Quarta S. Brigidse, lib. ii. , cap. xl. , p. 556. From the manner in which this same occurrence is related, in our saint's Third Life, it would seem, that these dia- bolical emblems subjected the bearers to certain unchristian engagements or incanta- tions. The signs, borne by those vagrants,
in all probability, represented obscene or monstrous figures, typifying certain hea-
and died A. D. $14. "—Sir William Robert Wilde's "Beauties of the Boyne, and its Tributary, the Blackwater," chap, vii. , p.
175.
9' In these, and like incidental notices,
we have some idea given regarding the do-
mestic economy of our ancestors, at least, at the period, in which those documents relat-
ing to ancient usages were composed,
^2 See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga. "
thenish superstitions. See Vita Tertia S. Vita Quarta S. Brigidse, lib. ii. , cap. xli. ,
Brigidae, cap. Ixix. , and n. 41, pp. 535, 544, ibid. I rather think this is the miracle al- luded to, in St. Brigid's First Life, section xxxiii. , and in her Second Life, cap. xxiii. Colgan refers these latter accounts to the performance of a miracle, somewhat similar . in details.
^9 In the Third and Fourth Lives of the saint.
90 Ere "was consecrated hj St. Patrick,
p, 556. Our saint's Third Life states, that
thechief was accompanied bysome women—
—and a re- tinue, when he visited St. Brigid. It would seem, that the castle in which he slept was not his own, as it is said to have been situ- ated on the road to his own domicile. See
probably members of his family
Vita Tertia S. ibid.
Brigidae, cap. Ixx. , p. 535,
104 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [February i.
CHAPTER VII.
ST. BRIGID'S intimacy with ST. PATRICK—ARMAGH—FOUNDATION OF ST. BRIGID THERE—HER MIRACLES—VISION REGARDING ST. PATRICK'S LAST RESTING-PLACE— HER SPIRIT OF SUBLIME RECOLLECTION AND HER GREAT CHARITY—SHE DESIRES THE INTRODUCTION OF THE ROMAN RITE FOR IRELAND.
Although some doubts have been expressed, that St. Brigid could have taken a very distinguished part in Irish Church affairs, during the Hfetime of
our venerable Apostle ; yet, to us, it seems perfectly reconcileable, not only with our early narratives, but with received chronology, that the glorious daughter of Erin might have had interviews with her illustrious director, both before and after the time of her foundation at Kildare. To determine ex- actly dates for the following written incidents is, however, a matter of great difficulty. We must endeavour conjecturally to place them in their order of
occurrence, so far as probabilities will allow us to continue. Perhaps, the
arrangement, with better lights of view, might admit of various alterations
or adaptations. After certain miraculous occurrences, related in her acts,
took place—the date or locality unnoted—it is said our saint went towards
the northern of Ireland, accompanied St. Patrick. ' On a certain part by
day, while the great Irish Apostle in the plain of Lemhuin^ preached God's holy word from a hilP to the people there, at a place called Einnabhair,'^ or
"the- white field," St. Brigid slept. She was probably very young at this time. After his sermon had been concluded,5 St. Patrick asked her why she had fallen asleep while the sacred word of God was announced. ^ Then the
" O father, for- give me ; O most pious Lord, spare me, for during this hour, I have had a vision. " The illustrious missionary desired her to tell what she had seen.
"
I, your servant, have beheld four ploughs, ploughing the whole of Ireland, while sowers were scattering seed. 7 This latter immediately sprung up and began to ripen, when rivulets of fresh milk filled the furrows, while the sowers themselves were clothed in white garments. After this, I saw others plough, and those who ploughed
appeared black. ^ They destroyed, with their plough-shares, the growing
'
Chapter vii. — See Colgan's "Trias 150, and n. 11, p. 184.
humble virgin, on her knees, asked his pardon. She said
:
Whereupon, the devout virgin announced :
"
Thaumaturga, Tertia Vita S. Brigidae,
cap. Ivii. , p. 533. Quarta Vita S. Brigidae, lib. ii. , cap. xxvii. , pp. 553, 554.
"The fort of Augher and the village of
s The Acts of St.
Patrick relate, that this sermon lasted three days and three nights, at the hill of Finnabhair at Lemhuin. It was in the county of Tyrone and d. ocese of Clogher. The River Blackwater ran through it. Finnabhair is now corrui)tly called Fin-
Ballygawley are in it. Clogher lay on its
western and the church of Errigle-Keeroge
on its northern boundary. Its other name, dermore, a townland in the parish and ba-
'*
Clossach, is frequently mentioned in O'Mel- rony of Clogher. See
lan's Irish "Journal of the Wars of 1641 ;" Townland Maps for the County of Tyrone,"
"
in Colton's Visitation," p. 126 ; in the Sheets 58, 64.
••Book of Rights," p. 152 ; in the "Irish ^ To Brigid, it is said, the time of the
Topographical Poems" of O'Dugan and sermon did not seem to be more than one
O'Huidhrin, p. xxi. , n. (119). See Miss hour. "
M. F. Cusack's Life of St. Patrick, 7 In the Sixth Metrical Life of St. Brigid, Apostle of Ireland," p. 451, n. 2. it is stated, the white sowers came from the
3 So the Seventh Life of St. Patrick East,
states. *See
In her Sixth Metrical Life, in Colgan's
"Trias
Joceline's or Sexta Vita S. Patricii, cap.
Trias— St. is made Thaumaturga," Brigid
Colgan's
Thaumaturga,"
to say xcvi. ,pp. 86,87,andn. 105,p. 113. This ,, ^. . , ^
place was situated in the ancient territory of Liemania, sometimes called Magh-Lemna,
or Clossach, by others. See ibid. , Septima — Vita S. Patricii, pars, iii. , cap. iv. , pp. 149,
, ^ , . . Conspexi populos septem de parte trioms,
*
8
**
:
^'S"^ ,? ""^ atns.
\^oy^\^^x^ vementes vultibus
Sexta Vita S. Brigidae, sec. Ixv. , p. 595,
Ordnance Survey
February i. ] LTVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 105 corn ; and, they sowed tares, which filled the furrows. "^ The Irish Apostle
then said to our saint
:
" O holy virgin, you have beheld a true and wonder-
ful vision. This is its interpretation. We are the good ploughers, who, with the shares of the four Gospels, cultivate human hearts, and sow God's
words, while those rivers, containing the milk of Christian faith, proceed from our labours. But, towards the end of this world, bad teachers shall preach to depraved generations, who will receive them. *° Those teachers" shall destroy our instructions, and shall seduce nearly the whole human race. "" Brigid also had a vision regarding the two sons of Eochaidh,'3 son of Crim- thann,'* at the same place. 's The elder of these, named Bressal, was re- presented by the figure of a large stone, wasting away under falling showers ; while, the younger, Carbre, svirnamed Damhairgid, was denoted by a smaller stone, which increased, and sent forth bright sparks, as the rain fell. '^ St. Patrick interpreted this to mean, that the rain represented the shower of celestial grace, falling in vain on the unbeliever Bressal, while, its dews, de- scending on the believer Carbre,^? signified an increase to him of blessings for the future. '^ Hereupon, those who were then present, with St. Patrick and St. Brigid, praised Almighty God. '9 A synod had been convened at this place. ^° The degeneracy of Christian feeling and practice, during sub- sequent times, as also the efforts of heretical and false teachers to pervert the
9 In the Acts of St.
following additional particulars described in
her vision —" And after I saw : that,
Patrick,
^4 Crimthann was son to son of Fieg,
Deadad, son to Rochad, son of Colla Dach-
to the " Ge- spotted rioch, according Sanctilogic
Pastores cupidi, qui plus sua lucra se-
quentur,
Non frumenta satis, sed lolia subdere
sulcis Curabunt," &c.
^'' " See Colgan's
395. Colgan's
Trias Thaumaturga. " This
S. Brigidce, sec. Ixv. , p.
and n. 12, pp. 150, 184.
'7 Among the posterity of Carbry,
blessed by St. Patrick, we find enumerated there, St. Endteus of Aran, St. Fanchea,
St. Teganus, St. Darenia, and St. Lochina, sisters to St. Endseus, St. Beg Mac De, with many other saints. See Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum Hibemise," xxi. Martii, Ap- pendix ad Vitam S. Endaei, cap. iv. , pp. 713, 714.
^«Only the writer of St. Brigid's Sixth Life mentions this vision of the saint in her
*'
Trias
Vita Sexta S. Brigidse, sec Ixvi. , andn. 17,
pp. 595. 598.
^9 See ibid. . Vita Quarta S. Brigidse, lib.
metrical account was supplied from a MS.
in the library of his Emmence Cardinal
Antonio Barberini, p. 1062, being wanting
in the Monte Casino MS.
^*
They are called deluders and hypocrites in Professor O'Looney's Irish Life of St. Brigid, pp. 29, 30.
'^ The Rev. S. Baring-Gould, a clergyman of the Anglican Church, calls the foregoing a remarkable prophecy regarding "the
miserable— of the so-called Refor- apostasy
Actb. See
Colgan's
Thaumaturga,"
"
mation. " Lives the Saints," vol. ii. ,
of
February I, p. 21.
^3 Eochaidh was prince of Oirgallia. Thus,
we find the
and motley-coloured oxen, then wild and
black animals. After these I saw sheep
and swine and wolves and dogs contending
with one another. " See Rev. S. Baring- on each of them. The little stone increased Gould's "Lives of the Saints," vol. ii. ,
February I, p. 21. '°
at the 'drop,' and silvery sparks burst from it. The large stone withered, more- over. " These words of Brigid, St. Patrick
interpreted to mean Cairpre Damhairgit, who believed and was blessed with his seed,
and Bresal, who refused to believe, when a malediction was pronounced against him. See Miss Mary F. Cusack's "Life of St.
Patrick, Apostle of Ireland," p. 452.
—St. Patrick describes the evil teachers as
**
—See Vita Sexta "
de Vere alludes to him, in the — xxvii. , Vita Tertia Aubrey poem, ii. , cap. pp. 553, 554.
*'
**
king
—Northward in Clochar. "
"Legends of St. Patrick," p. 149.
Saint Patrick and King Eochaidh"
Eochaidh, son of Cruimther, reigned, a
S.
ibid. According to some accounts, St. Patrick is said to have held nearly sixty synods in
"
Ireland. See Villaneuva's Sancti Pa-
tricii, Ibernorum Apostoli, Synodi, Ca- nones, Opuscula," &c. , pp. 7, 8.
:
BrigidiE, cap. '°
Ivii. ,
p. 533,
nealogy," chap. xiii.
'5 " I saw subsequently two stones, one
little and the other big. A drop was shed
Trias Thaumaturga," Septima Vila S. Patricii, pars, iii. , cap. vi. ,
lo6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[February j.
minds and principles of the faithful in Ireland,^^ have been popularly be- lieved to furnish the correct interpretation for this remarkable Brigitine vision.
It is probable, Lemhuin and Finnabhair are the places alluded to, where St. Patrick and St. Brigid, with their religious, are said to have been assem- bled at a time the holy Apostle of Ireland did not cease giving instructions to the people, for three whole days and three nights. ^*^ The sun continued shining, as we are told ; however, during this protracted sermon, the auditors supposed, that not more than an hour had elapsed. One man only had a knowledge regarding what length of time had been spent in this place. On approaching, he asked the holy Bishop, why he had remained there for so long an interval. The Apostle asked him what time had elapsed, and was then told a duration, equal to three days and as many nights. Then said
the holy father
:
" For forty days and nights, we should have remained here,
had not a stranger warned us about our delay, nor should we have experi-
enced fatigue nor hunger, through the Divine clemency. " Afterwards, St,
Patrick and St. Brigid returned to their respective districts. =^3 Those are
not specified ; but, it may be, St. Patrick proceeded on his missionary career through Ulster, while Brigid returned to her home or convent in Meath or Leinster. '4
It is related, that Brigid visited Armagh, most probably after she had
established her parent house at Kildare. She always desired the wise counsel
of St. Patrick. ^5 it may not be unlikely, this journey was undertaken at
the special request of the Irish Apostle himself He intended Armagh to be
the seat of ecclesiastical rule ; and, here he is said to have built, not alone
several other houses. ^'^ What religious
his cathedral ^"^ but church,
likewise,
could be more desirable, than founding a holy institute, where his fervent
female converts could find a happy retreat and a career of Christian useful- ness ? Who could be chosen more capable of teaching nuns, both by word and example, than the zealous and energetic Abbess of Kildare ? ^^ If we aretobelieveamoderncompilation,St. PatrickfoundedTempleBrigidin thiscityofArmagh. ^s Itseemsmorelikely,thattheRegiesBrighde,orSt. Bride's Church, if founded during his lifetime, had been also the joint con- cern of St. Brigid, to accommodate some religious daughters, belonging to her order. Long after her decease, the coarbs. of the Regies Brighde,3° are men-
"
Abbate D. Giacomo Certani's "La Santit^ he died at Saul or Sabhal, A. D. 493. See
p. 555.
saint,
See the foregoing narative produced in this place, A. D. 455, to St. Binen ; and that
Prodigiosa, Vitadi S. Brigida Ibernese. " chap, i.
