See Lectures on the Manuscript
Materials
Ancient Irish History, Lect.
Life and Works of St Aneguissiums Hagographicus
He again recurs to examples found in the Old Testament He mentions the saving of David from Goliath's sword ; the saving of Susanna from her dangers ; of Nineveh from destruction; of the Israelites from Mount Gilba [Gilboa]; of Daniel from the lions' den; of Moses from the hands of Faro [Pharaoh] ; of the three youths from the fiery furnace ; of Tobias from his blindness ; of Peter and Paul from the dungeon ; of Job from demoniac tribulations ; of David from Saul; of Joseph from his brothers' hands; of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage ; of Peter from the sea-waves ; of John from the fiery caldron ; of Martin from the priest of the idol.
Again, he beseeches Jesus, through intercession of the Heavenly household, to be saved, as St.
Patrick had been, from the
drink at Teamhar [Tara], and as St Coemhghin
EKioeisvoine]dhad been at Gleann dalocha [Glendalough], from perils of the mountain. '
St. Aengus, we are told, resided at his church, in a place called Disert Bethech,2 which lay on the northern bank of the river n- Eoir--now the Nore--and a few miles above the present Mon- asterevan, in the Queen's County. This, however, must be an in correct topographical description of the locality. Aengus had then just finished his Festology. A friendship was here formed between our saint and Fothadh the canonist, who showed the poem he had composed for Aedh's decision. Before pre-
1 See Manuscript Materials ofAncient Irish History. Lcct. xvii. pp. 365 to 370. 1 We feel inclined to believe this place was not distinct from Dysart Enos.
S
22 The Life and Works of
senting it to the king, he desired and received the warm ap
proval of his brother poet. 1
" It is said, Aengus Ceile De first published or circulated his
Festology" that year when Aideus the Sixth, surnamed Oirdnidhe, undertook his expedition against the Leinster people, a. d. 804, according to the most correct supposition. At this time, Aedh encamped at Disert Bethech. Fothadius, the Canonist, accompanied him. This learned man is said to have received a present of the Feilire, which had been first shown to him, from our saint's hands. Fothadh solemnly approved and recom mended it for perusal by the faithful. * Thus, it would appear, that the poem nad not been issued, until after the death of holy Abbot Malruan, which took place a. d. 792, according to the best computation. } This fact appears still more evident, as in the Festilogy, the name of Tallagh's venerable superior is found recorded, with a suitable eulogy. Professor O'Curry says, that according to the best accounts, Aengus wrote his poem in or before a. d. 798 ; for, so far as can be ascertained, the name of any saint, who died after such date, cannot be discovered in it. *
According to Colgan, Aengus had resolved upon commenc ing another work, in which should be included the names of saints, omitted in his Feilire, that thus any doubt regarding the veneration due to them, and the intentional omission of their names in his poem, might in a measure be obviated.
In conjunction with St. Molruan, it is said, he undertook the compilation of another work, named usually Martyrologium ^Engussii filii Hua-Oblenii et Moelruanii, "the Martyrology of JEngus and Molruan". It is sometimes known as Martyrologium
Tamlactense, " the Martyrology of Tallaght". This work, which some consider prior to the Feslilogium, in the order of being composed, is prosaic and very comprehensive. * For every day,
1 See Ibid. , p. 364.
2 See Ibid. , p. 364; also Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi Martii. Vita S. Aenoussii, cap. xiii. p. 581.
3 Sucfc is the correction of Mr. O'Donovan, although the Four Masters place hit death at a. d. 787. See O'Donovan'g Annals of the Four Masters, vol. i. pp. 392, 393.
* See Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History. Lect. xvii. p. 362.
5 In the summer of 1849, Mr. Eugene O'Curry and Dr. Todd examined the MS. collections in the University of Oxford, for four days spent there; and during their stay, so far as time permitted, they extracted various readings, considered desirable and useful, from the Festilogium of jEngus. These were intended to further illustrate Mr. O'Curry's transcript of this poem.
other valuable documents, they discovered two fine copies of the Martyrology of iEngus the Culdee, and the Psalter-na- Rann, comprising five books on the Irish Saints, by the same author. During this year, also, Mr. O'Curry spent some months in the British Museum, London, having his transcribed copy of the Festilogy with him. It appears now, that this work was inaccurately noticed by Edward O'Reilly in his " Irish Writers", at the year 800; by Dr. O'Connor,
Amongst
St. ^Engusius Hagiographus. 23
a list of foreign saints was first set down, and then followed the names of our Irish saints. Colgan considers this work the most copious of all the martyrologies he had ever seen. 1 Yet, it would seem to have been extremely defective, in parts. The names of many saints, omitted in the Roman and other martyrologies, are to be found in the first part of the Martyrology attributed to JEngus and Molruan. However, a learned authority supposes, that -5? ngus composed a still more ancient Martyrology, which deserves to bear his name, and that this is the oldest Irish Martyr
'n hig " Stowe Catalogue", page 30, note 3 : and in Harris's Ware " Irish Writers", page 53. The Irish Archaeological Society has announced the inten tion of supplying a desideratum long felt in native literature, by publishing at
a future period " The Hagiographical Works of St. iEngus the Culdee". Wa fear, however, an indefinite postponement.
1 This opinion he must have entertained, however, before the OClerys had prepared the celebrated one, now popularly known as " The Martyrology of Donegall". See Acta Sanctorum Mibernim, xi. Martii. Vita S, JEengussii, cap. xii. p. 581. At note 10, affixed to this passage we find the following interesting statement. Father Heribert Eoswede, a man deeply versed in ecclesiastical antiquities, had received from the Carthusians at Treves, or Triers, in Germany,
a certain very ancient codex, belonging to St. Willebrord's Monastery at Epter- nac, in Triers diocese, and in the duchy of Luxemburg. It contained an ex ceedingly old and most complete Martyrology. This included names of many saints for each day, not found in the Martyrologium Romanum, or in any other Martyrology hitherto edited. He thought this was the Martyrology of St Jerome, and that it should have been thus designated, owing to the prefixed title : Christe fave votis. Codex S. Willebrordi continet Martyrologium Hieronymi. Whether this had been the Martyrology ascribed to St. Jerome, or to St. Eusebius, or to St. Willebrord, in most particulars, Colgan says, it agreed with the Martyrology of St. ^ngus, or with the Martyrology of Tallagh. Only, in this latter, those places where the Martyrs suffered were more accurately noted, and it had the advantage of being more copious. The Martyrology of Tal lagh has also added at each day certain Irish saints, and frequently some other saints, wanting in the Epternac copy. Two reasons incline Colgan to believe that St. Willebrord brought that Martyrology --which is known as Coder S. Wilebrordi or Epternacensi-- with him, when he left Ireland on his way to Ep ternac. First, two copies had been preserved in Colgan's time, although differ ing somewhat in certain places. These belonged to Ireland. One of them had been transmitted to Louvain. It was written on old vellum, but it was not found in a perfect state. Each day, the other copy had been expected " ex quo Sanctos Hiberniae jam excerptos accepimus". No other copy of this work was known to be extant in any of the European libraries, that only excepted which belouged to the collection of Epernac MSS. Secondly, one of these copies seems to have its authenticity proved correlatively with the other. For St. Willebrord, whose Codex has his name inscribed, and whose very handwriting can be traced in part, with every appearance of certain proof, did not come from Anglia -- as- some writers say -- but he came from Hibernia immediately to Friesland or Frisia, and thence to Epternac. Willebrord had previously lived in Ireland, from the twentieth to the thirty-third year of his age, engaged in scholastic studies and in practices of piety, as Alovinus Flaccus states in hig Life, and as Venerable Bede has it in his Sistoria Ecclesiastica Gentts Anglo- rum, Lib. v. cap. 10, 11, and 12. For the truth of these statements, Colgan cites other authorities, in the Life of St. Suithbert, at the first day of March. It is not at all probable, that Willebrord found the aforesaid Martyrology in the territory of Frisia, or in other adjoining districts, in a great measure in habited only by unbelievers. Nor has any similar copy been there discovered. On the contrary, Colgan asserts that many such copies were to be found in Ireland when he wrote. As here mentioned, in the Life of St. -&ngus, tha
24 The Life and Works of
ology known. 1 As iEngus, in his metrical work, " The Festilc- gium", cites the martyrologies attributed to Jerome and Eusebius, it is highly probable, that he must have used these works, now supposed to be lost, while engaged at the compilation of his own writings. 2 Nay more, might it not be possible, that the first part of this Martyrology to some extent, transcript from that ascribed to Eusebius or to Jerome And what delight and inte rest would not the lovers of ecclesiastical history take in the dis covery of such identity, could only be proved If conjec ture of this kind should be well founded, the writings so much regretted by the learned as lost, because not hitherto discovered, might in part -- not altogether --be found among unpublished MSS. of an Irish saint, yet mouldering on the shelves of some Irish or continental library. In the latter supposition, probably
may be established that such Martyrology had been carried
from our island to its present place of preservation.
We feel inclined to believe, that the Martyrology of Tallagh
had been written-- but perhaps not in its completed state -- be fore JEngus had composed his FelirL Nor does follow, because Blathmac, who had been martyred for the faith at Iona on the 19th July, a. d. 823, and Feidhlimidh Mac Crimhthainn,
Martyrologies, ascribed both to Eusebius and to St. Jerome, were extant in his time, or before a. d. 787, when such testimony supposed to have been recorded. These martyrologies are considered to be oldest compilations of the kind. Sea Ibid. , p. 682.
See Professor Eugene O'Curry's Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History, Lect. xvii. pp. 362, 363, 364. Yet, in Father Michael O'Clery's preface to poem of Marianus Gorman, he states, that the Martyr ology of jEngus Ceile De had been composed from the Martyrology of Tam- lacht. In this latter, the names and dates for two holy men are found, and both died many years after iEngus himself. " These are Blathmac, the son of Flann, monarch of Erinn, who died for the faith, at the hands af the Danes, in the island of Hi, or Iona, on the 19th of July, in the year 823; and Feidhli midh Mac Crimhthainn, King of Munster, who died on the 18th of August, in the year 845, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, but whose festival
placed in the kalendar at the 28th of August". It supposed, according to the best accounts, that ^Engus wrote his work in or before a. d. 798, and so far as Mr. O'Curry ascertained, " no saint found in who died after that year". Wherefore, would appear, that ! >t. iEngus composed Martyrology, distinct from that known as the Tallagh Martyrology. However, seems to be the case, this Martyrology of St. ^Engus must have been identical with his Festilogy.
1t must be remarked that D'Achery in his Spicilegium, sive Collectio Veterum aliquot Scriptorum, has published " Martyrologium vetustissimum Sancti Hiero- nymi Presbyteri nomine insignitum". Tomus Quartus. This even imperfect, since he appends the following remarks -- " Castera legi non potuerunt in MS. ut- pote tineis corrosa; silicet ab hac die ad viii. Kal. Jan, quo incipit hocce Marty rologium". It must be confessed, if this Martyrology, for the most part, were written by St. Jeromj, has been interpolated by some one, who lived since his time, as the names of many among the more recent saints are contained in it. See the remarks of Henry Valeisius, in his Appendix to the edition of Eusebius's Ecclesiastical History, on this subject. The edition of the Martyr ology of Tallaght, published by the liev. Dr. Kelly, must have been prepared from copy, differing from that more complete one, described by Colgan
only contains the names of Irish, and omits the list of foreign saints.
since
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St. sEngusius Hagiographus. 25
King of Munster, who died on the 18th of August, a. d. 845, have been entered in that these names had not been intro duced in copies, transcribed after the death of JEngus. 1 Aa we are not likely ever to recover the original copy of the Tallagh
criticism must remain at fault, in reference to its real author or authors.
We find more accurate description of what has been called the Hieronyman Tallagh Martyrology, than had been furnished either by Colgan or Bollandus. 2 This comes from the pen of Father John Baptist Soller. 3 It does not appear that Bollandus had ever seen Colgan's copy; but Soller, however, inspected and describes as containing ten vellum folia of large size, with nearly half leaf, and covered with another leaf of similar mate rial and appearance. In the commencement of this Codex, some modern hand has inscribed Martyrologium Tamlactense et Opuscula S. engussi Keledei. In two different places noted, as having belonged to the convent of Donegal! . Those leaves were not clearly traced nor well arranged. Many names in
this Codex were almost illegible. It was defective from iv of the Kalends of February to the iv of the Ides of March; so that the months of January and March were not perfect. The whole of February was missing. The April month was alone com plete. May ran on to the 20th day, or to the xiii of the Ka lends of June. June and July were wanting. August began from the iv Nones, but its remaining days were preserved. In September were missing the'xii, xi, and x days of the October Kalends. October continued to the iii of the Kalends of No vember. The whole of November was missing. December commenced only at xv of the Kalends of January. Soller de clares, after diligent examination, he could easily observe that this Codex had been over-rated by the members of his society. Papebroke had frequently mentioned to him that Colgan or the Irish Minorite Fathers at Louvain had merely sent extracts of this copy to Bollandus. Besides the insertion of Irish proper names in this Martyrology, there were found other festivals, added by comparatively modern hand. Among these, he no tices the feast of St. Joseph, the Revelation of St. Michael the Archangel, the festival of All Saints, and many other solemni
Mr. O'Curry, from circumstances already alluded to, seems to doubt if Aengus had anything to do with its authorship.
See Lectures on the Manuscript Materials Ancient Irish History, Lect. xvii. p. 362. "
Bollandus has published some extracts from Colgan's copy, sub nomine Martyrologia Hieronymiani Tamlactensis", at the last days of the January month in his Acta Sanctorum.
See Acta Sanctorum, tomus vi. , in his learned Preface to new edition of Usuard's Martyrology. In this he treats regarding various copies of the Martyrology ascribed to St. Jerome, cap. art
Martyrology,
1,
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26 The Life and Works of
ties of a like description. After this Martyrology, Soller found a list of what he conjectures to be Irish names, running through three leaves. In fine, there were opuscula or fragments of tracts in the Irish language, of which he was entirely ignorant. This
Soller declares to be a complete description of the Codex. 1
Of the Martyrology, attributed to JEngus and Molruan, Oolgan appears to have possessed two copies. Even these were not
entire. The names of saints are simply set down in this work, which, for stated reasons, he preferred calling the Martyrology of Tallagh or Tamlacht. In the first place, it had been com posed by joint labour on the part of JEngus and Molruan, at Tallagh. Secondly, because it could not be cited as the work of both saints, without tediousness and confusion; the more so, as he had been obliged frequently to quote another Martyrology, . the sole production of iEngus. Thirdly, because it is reasonably conjectured, that ancient writers called it the Martyrology of Tamlacht. Thus, Marianus Gorman, who lived more than five hundred years before Colgan's time, in the preface to his Martyr ology remarks, that St. JEngus composed his metrical Festilogy, from the Martyrology of Tamlacht, which had previously been written. The latter work, therefore, was supposed to differ in no respect from the Martyrology of ^ngus and Melruan, which had been composed at Tallaght. There was no other Martyr ology known to be extant in Colgan's time, and that could better deserve the title of the Tallagh Martyrology, or which, in fact, was distinguished by this latter appellation. Fourthly, the work entitled, " Martyrology of iEngus and Mcelruan", con tains the names of its reputed authors and other saints, who were their contemporaries, but who departed this life after their time. Among others, we find recorded therein the name, St. Corpre, Bishop of Clonmacnoise, who died a. d. 899 ; but we do not find the name of St. Cormac Mac Cuileannan, king and bishop, who departed this life in the earlier part of the tenth century, nor, in fact, of any saint, who died after a. d. 900. Hence, Colgan is under an impression, that certain subsequent additions were made to the joint work of ^Engus and Melruan, by some monk belonging to the monastery of Tallagh, who lived towards the close of the ninth, and who died in the beginning of the tenth century 2
An opinion was entertained by some ancient writers, that this Martyrology and the Feilire had been composed by ^En- gus at Tallaght, whilst engaged in following the humbler
1 See ibid. , ? 2, . Til.
1 Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Biberniae, xi. Marlii. Vita S. jEngussii, cap. xii.
p. 581. In Harris' Ware, a similar opinion has been adopted. See vol. iji. Writers of Ireland, book i. chap. v. p. 62.
St. yEngusius Hagiographus. 27
duties of a farm servant. Sufficient evidence can be adduced, however, to prove, that the Feilire could not have been issued until some years after St. Melruan's death. The " title prefixed to the Martyrology is couched in those terms: Incipit Mar- tyrologium iEngussii, filii Hua-oblenii et Melruanii". It shows, that both saints must have been joint labourers at the work, previous to the death of Melruan, in the year 792, although some additions were undoubtedly made in the succeed ing century. Wherefore, Marianus Gorman, in the preface to his Martyrology, has rightly observed, in Colgan's opinion,
that St. iEngus took the saints, named in his Festilogy, from the Martyrology of Tallagh, which had been first composed. '
1 See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii Vita S. JEngussii, cap. xiii. p. 581. Dr. Ledwich strives to show, that this Martyrology was first written in the ninth century, because it has the names of Moelruan, Aengus, and other later saints. See Antiquities of Ireland, p. 365. " It is true that, considered in its present state", says Dr. Lanigan, "it was not completed until even the end of that century; but does it follow that Aengus and Moelruan had no share in drawing it up ? He adds, that in its second preface, it cites the Martyrology of St. Jerome. Here the doctor is wrong ; for this martyrology is quoted, not in any preface to the Martyrology of Tallagh, alias that of Aengus and Moelruan, but in the second preface to the Feslilogium of Aengus (See AA. SS. p. 581). He then tells us that the Martyrology called of St. Jerome, was not known until about the ninth cen tury ; but might not about the ninth century, be implied to take in part of the eighth, prior to Aengus having been engaged in any of these works? The Doctor says that Launoy has proved, that this martyrology was fabricated about the ninth century. Now in the passage, which he refers to, Launoy has not even attempted to prove it ; and all that he says, is that the martyro logy called of St. Jerome cannot be proved to have been written by that saint on any authority prior to the reign of Charlemagne. But the Doctor cares nothing about inaccuracies and misquotations, provided he could make the reader believe, that martyrologies are not to be depended upon. Yet Launoy was, in the little he has said, mistaken ; for the martyrology ascribed to St. Jerome, or rather to Eusebius and St. Jerome, as quoted by Aengus, is men tioned more than once by Bede, who lived many years before Charlemagne. Thus he cites (L. 2 in Marcum, cap. 26) Martyrologium Eusebii et Hieronymi vocabulis insignitum ; and {Retract, in Act. Ap. cap. he states, that Eusebius is said to have been the author, and Jerome the translator (See more in Bollan- dus' General Preface, cap. 4. at January). That Eusebius compiled sort of Martyrology considered certain (ib. , cap. 3); and the learned Bollandists, Henschenius and Papebrochius {Prolog, ad Martyrol. Bed. at March, Tom. were inclined to think, that was not only translated, but likewise augmented
by St. Jerome. Be this as may, well known, that what
the Martyrology of St. Jerome was not written by him but,
have been originally compiled, not long after his time, and
many very learned men to be the oldest extant. D'Achery has published it
Spicileg. Tom. 4), and in his Monitum states from Henry Valois, that was used by Gregory the Great, and existed many years earlier. Since those times some names have been added to such as that of Gregory himself, which D'Achery has marked in Italics. Among these that of St. Patrick, and perhaps the Doctor had heard so, on which account he wished to deny its anti quity. Much more might be said on this subject, were this the place tor doing so. Meanwhile the reader may consult also Tillemont, Hist. Eccl. torn. xii. at St. Jerome, art. 44". See Dr. Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History ofIreland, vol, iii. chap. xx. x. n. 102, pp. 249, 250,
now called supposed to considered by
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28 The Life and Works of
Mr. O'Curry appears to attribute this preface to the pen of Father Michael O'Clery. The Martyroiogy of Tallagh is ge nerally believed to be the oldest Martyroiogy of our Irish saints known to be extant; and with their festival days it often records the immediate fathers and churches of our national
saints. The Martyroiogy of Tallagh has been published by the late Rev. Professor Matthew Kelly, D. D. , of Maynooth
College. In the year 1847, he procured a copy, partially de fective, from the Burgundian Library at Brussels, and this he published in 1857, just before his lamented death. Its defects
have been supplied, in parts, from other Irish Martyrologies. It contains valuable historic notes and additions. 1 However, it is to be regretted, that the learned editor had not been able to obtain a more complete --yet still deficient --copy for publica tion, which Colgan had once procured. Indeed, a number of similar copies, had they been available, must have greatly en hanced the value and accuracy of such an interesting work.
VI. --St. ^Engus was probably ordained Priest at TallagJd. -- Treatise of St. JEngus " De Sanctis Hiberniae". -- The " Sal- tair-na-ranri'. -- Pedigrees of Jrith Saints attributed to his authorship.
Although Aengus is said to have become a professed monk in Clonenagh Monastery, and to have concealed the fact of his en rolment in the ecclesiastical order, when he sought admission to Maelruan's Monastery at Tallagh,2 it is probable, our saint had only received clerical tonsure, or at most minor orders, when he first left Dysartenos. Were Aengus advanced to the priesthood at this period of life, a necessity for celebrating the holy sacrifice of Mass very frequently,3 with the performance of other peculiar sacerdotal functions, must soon have revealed his rank to Abbot Maelruan, and to the members of his community. Even were those solitary or strictly private Masses, formerly permitted to be
1 In 1849, the Rev. Dr. Todd likewise procured from the Belgian govern ment the loan of a MS. containing this, as well as O'Gorman's and Aengus' Martyrologies, all in Father Michael O'Clery's handwriting. Professor O'Curry made accurate transcripts from it, for Dr. Todd's private library. See Lec tures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History, Lect. xvii. pp. 362, 363.
2 Regarding the first statement, Colgan says of him, " Monnchum professus in nobili monasterio de Cluain-edhneach", and in the second instance, " cleri- c. ile institulum occultans". See Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Marlii. Vita S. Aengussii, cap. ii. v. , pp. 579, 580.
3 See that very learned treatise of Cardinal Bona, Rerum Lilurgicarum de his quae ad Missam generatim speclant, Lib. i. cap. iv. pp. 203, 204, for proofs of frequently offering the Holy Victim of propitiation, and from the earliest ages of the Christian Church. Opera Omnia Emin. Dom. D. Joannis Bona, & R. E. Card. Pres. Ord. Cis. Antwerp edition, a. >>. 1723, folio.
St. ^Engusius Eagiographus. 29
celebrated in many ancient churches,1 allowed as a practice in our early religious houses, the secret of our saint's priestly ordi nation could not long be concealed. It is more difficult to com prehend how, as a monk, he had not been questioned on the subject of his having already received the peculiar and noticeable ecclesiastical tonsure. However, there can hardly be any doubt, after Abbot Maelruan discovered the real name, virtues, and learn ing of his highly-gifted disciple, with his dispositions for the office, Aengns must soon have been raised to the sacerdotal dignity. For want of more complete records, referring to our saint's biography, not having seen many early copies of his works, and with little serving for autobiography in his own writings, our present imperfect lights, regarding his private acts, occasionally require us to launch upon a sea of conjecture.
Towards the saints of his country, iEngus seems to have en tertained an extraordinary veneration. According to Colgan'a account, he wrote five distinct books, " De Sanctis Hiberniae", which treat, in a particular manner, about their several lives, or on matters pertaining to them.
drink at Teamhar [Tara], and as St Coemhghin
EKioeisvoine]dhad been at Gleann dalocha [Glendalough], from perils of the mountain. '
St. Aengus, we are told, resided at his church, in a place called Disert Bethech,2 which lay on the northern bank of the river n- Eoir--now the Nore--and a few miles above the present Mon- asterevan, in the Queen's County. This, however, must be an in correct topographical description of the locality. Aengus had then just finished his Festology. A friendship was here formed between our saint and Fothadh the canonist, who showed the poem he had composed for Aedh's decision. Before pre-
1 See Manuscript Materials ofAncient Irish History. Lcct. xvii. pp. 365 to 370. 1 We feel inclined to believe this place was not distinct from Dysart Enos.
S
22 The Life and Works of
senting it to the king, he desired and received the warm ap
proval of his brother poet. 1
" It is said, Aengus Ceile De first published or circulated his
Festology" that year when Aideus the Sixth, surnamed Oirdnidhe, undertook his expedition against the Leinster people, a. d. 804, according to the most correct supposition. At this time, Aedh encamped at Disert Bethech. Fothadius, the Canonist, accompanied him. This learned man is said to have received a present of the Feilire, which had been first shown to him, from our saint's hands. Fothadh solemnly approved and recom mended it for perusal by the faithful. * Thus, it would appear, that the poem nad not been issued, until after the death of holy Abbot Malruan, which took place a. d. 792, according to the best computation. } This fact appears still more evident, as in the Festilogy, the name of Tallagh's venerable superior is found recorded, with a suitable eulogy. Professor O'Curry says, that according to the best accounts, Aengus wrote his poem in or before a. d. 798 ; for, so far as can be ascertained, the name of any saint, who died after such date, cannot be discovered in it. *
According to Colgan, Aengus had resolved upon commenc ing another work, in which should be included the names of saints, omitted in his Feilire, that thus any doubt regarding the veneration due to them, and the intentional omission of their names in his poem, might in a measure be obviated.
In conjunction with St. Molruan, it is said, he undertook the compilation of another work, named usually Martyrologium ^Engussii filii Hua-Oblenii et Moelruanii, "the Martyrology of JEngus and Molruan". It is sometimes known as Martyrologium
Tamlactense, " the Martyrology of Tallaght". This work, which some consider prior to the Feslilogium, in the order of being composed, is prosaic and very comprehensive. * For every day,
1 See Ibid. , p. 364.
2 See Ibid. , p. 364; also Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi Martii. Vita S. Aenoussii, cap. xiii. p. 581.
3 Sucfc is the correction of Mr. O'Donovan, although the Four Masters place hit death at a. d. 787. See O'Donovan'g Annals of the Four Masters, vol. i. pp. 392, 393.
* See Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History. Lect. xvii. p. 362.
5 In the summer of 1849, Mr. Eugene O'Curry and Dr. Todd examined the MS. collections in the University of Oxford, for four days spent there; and during their stay, so far as time permitted, they extracted various readings, considered desirable and useful, from the Festilogium of jEngus. These were intended to further illustrate Mr. O'Curry's transcript of this poem.
other valuable documents, they discovered two fine copies of the Martyrology of iEngus the Culdee, and the Psalter-na- Rann, comprising five books on the Irish Saints, by the same author. During this year, also, Mr. O'Curry spent some months in the British Museum, London, having his transcribed copy of the Festilogy with him. It appears now, that this work was inaccurately noticed by Edward O'Reilly in his " Irish Writers", at the year 800; by Dr. O'Connor,
Amongst
St. ^Engusius Hagiographus. 23
a list of foreign saints was first set down, and then followed the names of our Irish saints. Colgan considers this work the most copious of all the martyrologies he had ever seen. 1 Yet, it would seem to have been extremely defective, in parts. The names of many saints, omitted in the Roman and other martyrologies, are to be found in the first part of the Martyrology attributed to JEngus and Molruan. However, a learned authority supposes, that -5? ngus composed a still more ancient Martyrology, which deserves to bear his name, and that this is the oldest Irish Martyr
'n hig " Stowe Catalogue", page 30, note 3 : and in Harris's Ware " Irish Writers", page 53. The Irish Archaeological Society has announced the inten tion of supplying a desideratum long felt in native literature, by publishing at
a future period " The Hagiographical Works of St. iEngus the Culdee". Wa fear, however, an indefinite postponement.
1 This opinion he must have entertained, however, before the OClerys had prepared the celebrated one, now popularly known as " The Martyrology of Donegall". See Acta Sanctorum Mibernim, xi. Martii. Vita S, JEengussii, cap. xii. p. 581. At note 10, affixed to this passage we find the following interesting statement. Father Heribert Eoswede, a man deeply versed in ecclesiastical antiquities, had received from the Carthusians at Treves, or Triers, in Germany,
a certain very ancient codex, belonging to St. Willebrord's Monastery at Epter- nac, in Triers diocese, and in the duchy of Luxemburg. It contained an ex ceedingly old and most complete Martyrology. This included names of many saints for each day, not found in the Martyrologium Romanum, or in any other Martyrology hitherto edited. He thought this was the Martyrology of St Jerome, and that it should have been thus designated, owing to the prefixed title : Christe fave votis. Codex S. Willebrordi continet Martyrologium Hieronymi. Whether this had been the Martyrology ascribed to St. Jerome, or to St. Eusebius, or to St. Willebrord, in most particulars, Colgan says, it agreed with the Martyrology of St. ^ngus, or with the Martyrology of Tallagh. Only, in this latter, those places where the Martyrs suffered were more accurately noted, and it had the advantage of being more copious. The Martyrology of Tal lagh has also added at each day certain Irish saints, and frequently some other saints, wanting in the Epternac copy. Two reasons incline Colgan to believe that St. Willebrord brought that Martyrology --which is known as Coder S. Wilebrordi or Epternacensi-- with him, when he left Ireland on his way to Ep ternac. First, two copies had been preserved in Colgan's time, although differ ing somewhat in certain places. These belonged to Ireland. One of them had been transmitted to Louvain. It was written on old vellum, but it was not found in a perfect state. Each day, the other copy had been expected " ex quo Sanctos Hiberniae jam excerptos accepimus". No other copy of this work was known to be extant in any of the European libraries, that only excepted which belouged to the collection of Epernac MSS. Secondly, one of these copies seems to have its authenticity proved correlatively with the other. For St. Willebrord, whose Codex has his name inscribed, and whose very handwriting can be traced in part, with every appearance of certain proof, did not come from Anglia -- as- some writers say -- but he came from Hibernia immediately to Friesland or Frisia, and thence to Epternac. Willebrord had previously lived in Ireland, from the twentieth to the thirty-third year of his age, engaged in scholastic studies and in practices of piety, as Alovinus Flaccus states in hig Life, and as Venerable Bede has it in his Sistoria Ecclesiastica Gentts Anglo- rum, Lib. v. cap. 10, 11, and 12. For the truth of these statements, Colgan cites other authorities, in the Life of St. Suithbert, at the first day of March. It is not at all probable, that Willebrord found the aforesaid Martyrology in the territory of Frisia, or in other adjoining districts, in a great measure in habited only by unbelievers. Nor has any similar copy been there discovered. On the contrary, Colgan asserts that many such copies were to be found in Ireland when he wrote. As here mentioned, in the Life of St. -&ngus, tha
24 The Life and Works of
ology known. 1 As iEngus, in his metrical work, " The Festilc- gium", cites the martyrologies attributed to Jerome and Eusebius, it is highly probable, that he must have used these works, now supposed to be lost, while engaged at the compilation of his own writings. 2 Nay more, might it not be possible, that the first part of this Martyrology to some extent, transcript from that ascribed to Eusebius or to Jerome And what delight and inte rest would not the lovers of ecclesiastical history take in the dis covery of such identity, could only be proved If conjec ture of this kind should be well founded, the writings so much regretted by the learned as lost, because not hitherto discovered, might in part -- not altogether --be found among unpublished MSS. of an Irish saint, yet mouldering on the shelves of some Irish or continental library. In the latter supposition, probably
may be established that such Martyrology had been carried
from our island to its present place of preservation.
We feel inclined to believe, that the Martyrology of Tallagh
had been written-- but perhaps not in its completed state -- be fore JEngus had composed his FelirL Nor does follow, because Blathmac, who had been martyred for the faith at Iona on the 19th July, a. d. 823, and Feidhlimidh Mac Crimhthainn,
Martyrologies, ascribed both to Eusebius and to St. Jerome, were extant in his time, or before a. d. 787, when such testimony supposed to have been recorded. These martyrologies are considered to be oldest compilations of the kind. Sea Ibid. , p. 682.
See Professor Eugene O'Curry's Lectures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History, Lect. xvii. pp. 362, 363, 364. Yet, in Father Michael O'Clery's preface to poem of Marianus Gorman, he states, that the Martyr ology of jEngus Ceile De had been composed from the Martyrology of Tam- lacht. In this latter, the names and dates for two holy men are found, and both died many years after iEngus himself. " These are Blathmac, the son of Flann, monarch of Erinn, who died for the faith, at the hands af the Danes, in the island of Hi, or Iona, on the 19th of July, in the year 823; and Feidhli midh Mac Crimhthainn, King of Munster, who died on the 18th of August, in the year 845, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, but whose festival
placed in the kalendar at the 28th of August". It supposed, according to the best accounts, that ^Engus wrote his work in or before a. d. 798, and so far as Mr. O'Curry ascertained, " no saint found in who died after that year". Wherefore, would appear, that ! >t. iEngus composed Martyrology, distinct from that known as the Tallagh Martyrology. However, seems to be the case, this Martyrology of St. ^Engus must have been identical with his Festilogy.
1t must be remarked that D'Achery in his Spicilegium, sive Collectio Veterum aliquot Scriptorum, has published " Martyrologium vetustissimum Sancti Hiero- nymi Presbyteri nomine insignitum". Tomus Quartus. This even imperfect, since he appends the following remarks -- " Castera legi non potuerunt in MS. ut- pote tineis corrosa; silicet ab hac die ad viii. Kal. Jan, quo incipit hocce Marty rologium". It must be confessed, if this Martyrology, for the most part, were written by St. Jeromj, has been interpolated by some one, who lived since his time, as the names of many among the more recent saints are contained in it. See the remarks of Henry Valeisius, in his Appendix to the edition of Eusebius's Ecclesiastical History, on this subject. The edition of the Martyr ology of Tallaght, published by the liev. Dr. Kelly, must have been prepared from copy, differing from that more complete one, described by Colgan
only contains the names of Irish, and omits the list of foreign saints.
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St. sEngusius Hagiographus. 25
King of Munster, who died on the 18th of August, a. d. 845, have been entered in that these names had not been intro duced in copies, transcribed after the death of JEngus. 1 Aa we are not likely ever to recover the original copy of the Tallagh
criticism must remain at fault, in reference to its real author or authors.
We find more accurate description of what has been called the Hieronyman Tallagh Martyrology, than had been furnished either by Colgan or Bollandus. 2 This comes from the pen of Father John Baptist Soller. 3 It does not appear that Bollandus had ever seen Colgan's copy; but Soller, however, inspected and describes as containing ten vellum folia of large size, with nearly half leaf, and covered with another leaf of similar mate rial and appearance. In the commencement of this Codex, some modern hand has inscribed Martyrologium Tamlactense et Opuscula S. engussi Keledei. In two different places noted, as having belonged to the convent of Donegal! . Those leaves were not clearly traced nor well arranged. Many names in
this Codex were almost illegible. It was defective from iv of the Kalends of February to the iv of the Ides of March; so that the months of January and March were not perfect. The whole of February was missing. The April month was alone com plete. May ran on to the 20th day, or to the xiii of the Ka lends of June. June and July were wanting. August began from the iv Nones, but its remaining days were preserved. In September were missing the'xii, xi, and x days of the October Kalends. October continued to the iii of the Kalends of No vember. The whole of November was missing. December commenced only at xv of the Kalends of January. Soller de clares, after diligent examination, he could easily observe that this Codex had been over-rated by the members of his society. Papebroke had frequently mentioned to him that Colgan or the Irish Minorite Fathers at Louvain had merely sent extracts of this copy to Bollandus. Besides the insertion of Irish proper names in this Martyrology, there were found other festivals, added by comparatively modern hand. Among these, he no tices the feast of St. Joseph, the Revelation of St. Michael the Archangel, the festival of All Saints, and many other solemni
Mr. O'Curry, from circumstances already alluded to, seems to doubt if Aengus had anything to do with its authorship.
See Lectures on the Manuscript Materials Ancient Irish History, Lect. xvii. p. 362. "
Bollandus has published some extracts from Colgan's copy, sub nomine Martyrologia Hieronymiani Tamlactensis", at the last days of the January month in his Acta Sanctorum.
See Acta Sanctorum, tomus vi. , in his learned Preface to new edition of Usuard's Martyrology. In this he treats regarding various copies of the Martyrology ascribed to St. Jerome, cap. art
Martyrology,
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26 The Life and Works of
ties of a like description. After this Martyrology, Soller found a list of what he conjectures to be Irish names, running through three leaves. In fine, there were opuscula or fragments of tracts in the Irish language, of which he was entirely ignorant. This
Soller declares to be a complete description of the Codex. 1
Of the Martyrology, attributed to JEngus and Molruan, Oolgan appears to have possessed two copies. Even these were not
entire. The names of saints are simply set down in this work, which, for stated reasons, he preferred calling the Martyrology of Tallagh or Tamlacht. In the first place, it had been com posed by joint labour on the part of JEngus and Molruan, at Tallagh. Secondly, because it could not be cited as the work of both saints, without tediousness and confusion; the more so, as he had been obliged frequently to quote another Martyrology, . the sole production of iEngus. Thirdly, because it is reasonably conjectured, that ancient writers called it the Martyrology of Tamlacht. Thus, Marianus Gorman, who lived more than five hundred years before Colgan's time, in the preface to his Martyr ology remarks, that St. JEngus composed his metrical Festilogy, from the Martyrology of Tamlacht, which had previously been written. The latter work, therefore, was supposed to differ in no respect from the Martyrology of ^ngus and Melruan, which had been composed at Tallaght. There was no other Martyr ology known to be extant in Colgan's time, and that could better deserve the title of the Tallagh Martyrology, or which, in fact, was distinguished by this latter appellation. Fourthly, the work entitled, " Martyrology of iEngus and Mcelruan", con tains the names of its reputed authors and other saints, who were their contemporaries, but who departed this life after their time. Among others, we find recorded therein the name, St. Corpre, Bishop of Clonmacnoise, who died a. d. 899 ; but we do not find the name of St. Cormac Mac Cuileannan, king and bishop, who departed this life in the earlier part of the tenth century, nor, in fact, of any saint, who died after a. d. 900. Hence, Colgan is under an impression, that certain subsequent additions were made to the joint work of ^Engus and Melruan, by some monk belonging to the monastery of Tallagh, who lived towards the close of the ninth, and who died in the beginning of the tenth century 2
An opinion was entertained by some ancient writers, that this Martyrology and the Feilire had been composed by ^En- gus at Tallaght, whilst engaged in following the humbler
1 See ibid. , ? 2, . Til.
1 Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Biberniae, xi. Marlii. Vita S. jEngussii, cap. xii.
p. 581. In Harris' Ware, a similar opinion has been adopted. See vol. iji. Writers of Ireland, book i. chap. v. p. 62.
St. yEngusius Hagiographus. 27
duties of a farm servant. Sufficient evidence can be adduced, however, to prove, that the Feilire could not have been issued until some years after St. Melruan's death. The " title prefixed to the Martyrology is couched in those terms: Incipit Mar- tyrologium iEngussii, filii Hua-oblenii et Melruanii". It shows, that both saints must have been joint labourers at the work, previous to the death of Melruan, in the year 792, although some additions were undoubtedly made in the succeed ing century. Wherefore, Marianus Gorman, in the preface to his Martyrology, has rightly observed, in Colgan's opinion,
that St. iEngus took the saints, named in his Festilogy, from the Martyrology of Tallagh, which had been first composed. '
1 See Colgan's Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Martii Vita S. JEngussii, cap. xiii. p. 581. Dr. Ledwich strives to show, that this Martyrology was first written in the ninth century, because it has the names of Moelruan, Aengus, and other later saints. See Antiquities of Ireland, p. 365. " It is true that, considered in its present state", says Dr. Lanigan, "it was not completed until even the end of that century; but does it follow that Aengus and Moelruan had no share in drawing it up ? He adds, that in its second preface, it cites the Martyrology of St. Jerome. Here the doctor is wrong ; for this martyrology is quoted, not in any preface to the Martyrology of Tallagh, alias that of Aengus and Moelruan, but in the second preface to the Feslilogium of Aengus (See AA. SS. p. 581). He then tells us that the Martyrology called of St. Jerome, was not known until about the ninth cen tury ; but might not about the ninth century, be implied to take in part of the eighth, prior to Aengus having been engaged in any of these works? The Doctor says that Launoy has proved, that this martyrology was fabricated about the ninth century. Now in the passage, which he refers to, Launoy has not even attempted to prove it ; and all that he says, is that the martyro logy called of St. Jerome cannot be proved to have been written by that saint on any authority prior to the reign of Charlemagne. But the Doctor cares nothing about inaccuracies and misquotations, provided he could make the reader believe, that martyrologies are not to be depended upon. Yet Launoy was, in the little he has said, mistaken ; for the martyrology ascribed to St. Jerome, or rather to Eusebius and St. Jerome, as quoted by Aengus, is men tioned more than once by Bede, who lived many years before Charlemagne. Thus he cites (L. 2 in Marcum, cap. 26) Martyrologium Eusebii et Hieronymi vocabulis insignitum ; and {Retract, in Act. Ap. cap. he states, that Eusebius is said to have been the author, and Jerome the translator (See more in Bollan- dus' General Preface, cap. 4. at January). That Eusebius compiled sort of Martyrology considered certain (ib. , cap. 3); and the learned Bollandists, Henschenius and Papebrochius {Prolog, ad Martyrol. Bed. at March, Tom. were inclined to think, that was not only translated, but likewise augmented
by St. Jerome. Be this as may, well known, that what
the Martyrology of St. Jerome was not written by him but,
have been originally compiled, not long after his time, and
many very learned men to be the oldest extant. D'Achery has published it
Spicileg. Tom. 4), and in his Monitum states from Henry Valois, that was used by Gregory the Great, and existed many years earlier. Since those times some names have been added to such as that of Gregory himself, which D'Achery has marked in Italics. Among these that of St. Patrick, and perhaps the Doctor had heard so, on which account he wished to deny its anti quity. Much more might be said on this subject, were this the place tor doing so. Meanwhile the reader may consult also Tillemont, Hist. Eccl. torn. xii. at St. Jerome, art. 44". See Dr. Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History ofIreland, vol, iii. chap. xx. x. n. 102, pp. 249, 250,
now called supposed to considered by
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28 The Life and Works of
Mr. O'Curry appears to attribute this preface to the pen of Father Michael O'Clery. The Martyroiogy of Tallagh is ge nerally believed to be the oldest Martyroiogy of our Irish saints known to be extant; and with their festival days it often records the immediate fathers and churches of our national
saints. The Martyroiogy of Tallagh has been published by the late Rev. Professor Matthew Kelly, D. D. , of Maynooth
College. In the year 1847, he procured a copy, partially de fective, from the Burgundian Library at Brussels, and this he published in 1857, just before his lamented death. Its defects
have been supplied, in parts, from other Irish Martyrologies. It contains valuable historic notes and additions. 1 However, it is to be regretted, that the learned editor had not been able to obtain a more complete --yet still deficient --copy for publica tion, which Colgan had once procured. Indeed, a number of similar copies, had they been available, must have greatly en hanced the value and accuracy of such an interesting work.
VI. --St. ^Engus was probably ordained Priest at TallagJd. -- Treatise of St. JEngus " De Sanctis Hiberniae". -- The " Sal- tair-na-ranri'. -- Pedigrees of Jrith Saints attributed to his authorship.
Although Aengus is said to have become a professed monk in Clonenagh Monastery, and to have concealed the fact of his en rolment in the ecclesiastical order, when he sought admission to Maelruan's Monastery at Tallagh,2 it is probable, our saint had only received clerical tonsure, or at most minor orders, when he first left Dysartenos. Were Aengus advanced to the priesthood at this period of life, a necessity for celebrating the holy sacrifice of Mass very frequently,3 with the performance of other peculiar sacerdotal functions, must soon have revealed his rank to Abbot Maelruan, and to the members of his community. Even were those solitary or strictly private Masses, formerly permitted to be
1 In 1849, the Rev. Dr. Todd likewise procured from the Belgian govern ment the loan of a MS. containing this, as well as O'Gorman's and Aengus' Martyrologies, all in Father Michael O'Clery's handwriting. Professor O'Curry made accurate transcripts from it, for Dr. Todd's private library. See Lec tures on the Manuscript Materials of Ancient Irish History, Lect. xvii. pp. 362, 363.
2 Regarding the first statement, Colgan says of him, " Monnchum professus in nobili monasterio de Cluain-edhneach", and in the second instance, " cleri- c. ile institulum occultans". See Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae, xi. Marlii. Vita S. Aengussii, cap. ii. v. , pp. 579, 580.
3 See that very learned treatise of Cardinal Bona, Rerum Lilurgicarum de his quae ad Missam generatim speclant, Lib. i. cap. iv. pp. 203, 204, for proofs of frequently offering the Holy Victim of propitiation, and from the earliest ages of the Christian Church. Opera Omnia Emin. Dom. D. Joannis Bona, & R. E. Card. Pres. Ord. Cis. Antwerp edition, a. >>. 1723, folio.
St. ^Engusius Eagiographus. 29
celebrated in many ancient churches,1 allowed as a practice in our early religious houses, the secret of our saint's priestly ordi nation could not long be concealed. It is more difficult to com prehend how, as a monk, he had not been questioned on the subject of his having already received the peculiar and noticeable ecclesiastical tonsure. However, there can hardly be any doubt, after Abbot Maelruan discovered the real name, virtues, and learn ing of his highly-gifted disciple, with his dispositions for the office, Aengns must soon have been raised to the sacerdotal dignity. For want of more complete records, referring to our saint's biography, not having seen many early copies of his works, and with little serving for autobiography in his own writings, our present imperfect lights, regarding his private acts, occasionally require us to launch upon a sea of conjecture.
Towards the saints of his country, iEngus seems to have en tertained an extraordinary veneration. According to Colgan'a account, he wrote five distinct books, " De Sanctis Hiberniae", which treat, in a particular manner, about their several lives, or on matters pertaining to them.
