Charlemagne
had waged March.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v4
9 At that time, the Christian religion appears hardly to have penetrated the western districts north of Ardnamurchan ; but, the people seem to have been favourable to the little Christian colony established in t,he Island of
Egg,bySt. Donnan. Itisthoughttohavebeenreserved,asapasturagefor sheep, by the inhabitants of that district. However, the rule had passed into thehandsofaqueen,whowasstillapagan. Movedbyhatredtothemonks,she engagedpiratestodestroythem. WhileofTeringtheHolyEucharist,these miscreants burnt the wooden church, in which they were assembled. '" How- ever, the fifty-two "—or according to other authorities fifty-four"—martyrs obtameda short respite, until Mass had ended, when they were all slain, "3 on the 17th of April, a. d. 617. m The gloss on the Martyrology of Tallagh, already given in detail, at that day of this month, contains their various names,andthetaleoftheirmartyrdom. MarianusO'Gormanhastheircom- memoration entered, in his calendar ;'5 while the celebrity of these sufferers for the Faith has been preserved, in the early Scottish church.
rough bounds. " Early in the seventh century, St. Donnan went with his
"
Muintir, or
* However, Dr. Joha O'Donovan con- siders the Gall-Gaeidhil to be the Dano- Gaels of the Hebrides. See "Annals of the Four . Masters," at A. D. 1154, vol. ii. , n. (u), p|). U12, 1113.
5 . See William F. Skene's " Celtic Scot-
land : a History of Ancient Alban," vol. i. ,
Marianus O'Gorman, in whose account the exact number is not given.
" The commentator on the calendar of
St. y5£ngus has ** Dond. in ega . i. ega
ainm oilein fil in alpain 7 isannside ata
donnan no icattaib et ibi donnan sanctus
cum sua familia obiit . i. li'i. " It is thus
translated into English by Dr. Whitley
Stokes "' '
: Donnan of Ega t. e. Ega the
name of an Island which is in Scotland, and there Donnan is, or in Caithness. And there Saint Donnan di—ed with his
Uook i. , cliap. vii. , p. 345.
' In Annates Ultonienes, at a. d.
1190. See Rev. Dr. O'C'onor's " Rerum Hiberni-
" caruinScriptores, tomusiv.
' This is a bold and broad promontory at
the extreme north-west of the mainland of family, i. e. 54 (in number). " "Calendar
of and" Oengus," p. Ixxiv. , p. Ixxv. , Trans-
actions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i.
them. The cleric was then at M. tss. "Give truce to us till the Mass ends," saiih Donnan. "Itshallbegiven,"saythey,and thereafter all that were there weie killed.
'• -See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
" Life of St. Columba. " Additional Notes,
K, p. 307. There, it is calculated, that the
day fell on Sunday.
''" Asifto the of distinguish superior thb
Hebridean community, he is styled, 'Ooti-
"
According to the commentator, on with his monks," by this Martyrologist.
It is the most
of the mainland of Scotland. From the
time of Somerlid the Great, and until the
of
Argyleshire.
westerly ground
it constituted tlie
'^ The on the glossoyrapher
calendar of St. Oengus thus relates tlie dialogue, between the queen and those engaged to murder the monks: "Let them be all slain," quoth she. " That is not pious," social condition of this Island, will be found, said every one. Then people go to kill
James VI. ,
reign
cal division between the Northern and the
"
Southern Hebrides. See Imperial Gazet-
teer of Scotland," vol. i. , p. 70.
* An interesting account, regarding the
in Mackenzie's "Isle of Skye in 1S82-3," &c. Inverness, 1883, cr. 8vo.
' It would seem, that St. Columkille had warned . St. Donnan and his companions, that they should suffer "red martyrdom;" and probably, because they took little no- tice of this warning, he refused to become their spiritual director.
" See William F. Skene's "Celtic Scot-
land : a History of Ancient Alban," vol. ii. ,
Book ii. ,
" chap, iv,, pp. 152, 153.
TiAn
tnop )-A mo,nAi5,
Donmin the Great,
politi-
April 30. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 573
Article VLII. —St. Suitbert, Bishop of Verden, Lower Saxony. It seerijs a disputed topic, as to wlietlier or not the present holy prelate had been connected with Ireland," where his education may have been received, as was the case with his namesake St. Suitbert, or Suibert,'' Bishop, and Apostle of the Prisons and of the Boructiuirian—s. St. Suibertus, the first bishop of Verden, is made by Dempster 3 a Scot of course belonging to his own nation. At the 30th of April, tlie Bollandists devote fifteen paragraphs to elucidate his Acts. < This dissertation has been written, by Father Daniel Papebroke. WiththeelderSt. Suitbert,thepresentholymanhasoftenbeen confounded. 5 The prelate of whom we treat was born in the eighth century. *
He wasan Englishman by birth,? and we are told, by Dempster,* that Sigebertus was the father of St. Suitbert. ' He became a monk by profession. It is doubtful, whether his place of education and religious retreat had been in England or Ireland. '" According to one account," St. Suitbert was com- jjanion of St. Boniface," when this latter Apostle left England, '3 to prosecute hismissionarycareerinGermany. Thishappened,intheearlierpartofthe eighth century, and about the year 716. '* However, according to the most correct calculation, it seems most probable, the present St. Suitbert was hardly born, or, at least, he must have been quite a child, at that time. When the Saxons "s were subdued,'* Charlemagne,'' who had founded churches, monas- teries and convents in their country, also established bishoprics. Among these latter were Osnabriick,'' Miinster, Paderborn,'? Minden, Bremen, Ver-
Article vm. — In his work, " Metro- '° Colgan thinks, that all the early mis- polis sen Historia Ecclesiastica Saxonise," sionariesofSaxonyengagedbyCharlem. igne Albert Crantz states, tliat Waltherus was to pre. ich the Gospel there came from Ire- the first bi-hop of the Saxon nation, in the
of these belonged by birth to the English nation.
" See Wernerus Rolevinck, " De Situ et "
See of Venlen. He adds
decessores fere omnes . Scotici aut Aiiglicani generis fuere, quod lituli testantur Abb. ^tia- rum, a quibus sunt translati, et ipsa vo<. abula, et nomina virorum judicio sunt, quod non nostise fuerint gentis. "—Lib. ii. , cap. xxx.
See also what Colgan says, in Acta Sanc-
torum Hiberniae," Februarii xvi. De S.
Tanchoiie Episcop. Verden, pp. 348, 34. 9, with notes.
'
His Life has been given already, in vol. iii. of this work, at . March i. Article ii.
' See Hisioria Ecclesiastica Gentis Scoto-
rum," tomus ii. , lib. xvii. , num. 1036, p.
576. *"
See ActaSanctorum,"tomusiii. , Ap- rilis xxx. De S. Sviberto Ep. Verdensi in Saxonia Inferiori, pp. 802 to 805.
5 See L'Abbe Kohrbacher's " Histoire
Universelle de I'Eglise Catholique," tome xL, lib. liv. , p. 258.
'
755. See Mabillon's Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , p. 90.
appear to be known.
" ut Marcellinus
• He adds for apud Surium auctor. "
authority,
' Moreover, Dempster writes : " Henricus Sinclarus putat Sigebertum non ortu Scotum, sed exulem in Scotia haesis-ie, ibique ex Scota uxore Suitbertum genuisse. "
tores," tomus ii. , will be found, Erdwini "
:
" Nam prac-
land, even although it be admitted, that some
Moribus Westphalorum, lib. ii. , cap. viii.
" His feast occurs, at the 5th of June. He
the a. d. Prisons,
'Lately has appeared, in the "Irish Ecclesi. istical Record," Third Series, vol.
v. , a very interesting communication, from Most Rev. Patrick F. Moran, Archbishop of Sydney, "Was St. Boniface an Irish- man? " See No. 3, pp. 181 to 190.
'* See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. vi. , June v.
'5 An account of these people will be found in vol. ii. of this work, when treating about St. Erlulph, Bishop of Verden and Martyr in Saxony, at February 2nd, Arti- cle iii.
suffered marljT^ciom, among ""
Dempster appears to have confounded
the present St. Suitbert, *ith the saint so
named, and who is venerated, at the 1st of until A. D. 785.
Charlemagne had waged March. See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gen- war with them for thirty years. See L'Abbe tis Scotorum," tomus ii^, lib. xvii. , num. Fleury's "Histoire Ecclesiastique," tome ix. ,
1036, p. 576.
' The exact place of his birth does not
liv. xliv. , sect. XX. , p. 453.
' A Life of this celebrated Emperor, by
B. Haureau, will be fonnd in M. Le Dr. Hoefer's "Nouvelle Biographic Univer- selle," &c. , tome ix. , cols. 745 to 766.
* In the " Rerum Germanicarum Scrip-
' They were not completely conquered
Erdmanni Chronicon Episcoporum Osna- burgensii. "
574 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 30.
den and Halberstadt,^" and he desired that these should be governed by worthybishops. ^' ThoseSeesweretheseparatecentres,whenceChristianity
and civilization spread in expanding circles. ''^ According to Denipster. ^s not only St. Suitbert, tlie first bishop of Verden, but all the other eight succeeding bishops were Scots, and were translated from tiie monastery of Amarbari- cense to that See. The erection of Verden into an episcopal See lias been
assigned to a. d. 785. ' We are informed, by Thomas Dempster, that Charle- magne, having a special affection for the Scots, on account of their fidelity, zeal, and bravery, manifested towards him during his Spanish war, advanced them to positions of dignity, after the Saxous had been subdued. =' Hearing that the illustrious Emperor Charlemagne, after long continued efforts,'^ had effected the conquest of the pagan Saxons,'' and had desired, moreover, their conversion to the Christain faith ; Swibert, filled with missionary zeal, left his
own country, to preach among that people. It was already known, that the Emperor was a great protector of learned and religious men. '^ Especially did he favour the Scots, who came to him in great numbers, and who readily enlisted in his service. ^' So pleased was Charlemagne with his labours and virtues, that after the selection of Verden as a bishopric, he had Swibert con- secrated, and set over that See. 3° As generally supposed, the year for this promotion was 786. 3' If we are to believe Dempster,^' St. Suitbert wrote "
" Ad Ecclesiam Verdensem," —lib. i. , and "CanonesSacros,"lib. i. ;but,whencethisstatementhadbeendrawn itseems simply an invention of his own—the reader of his work receives no enlighten- ment. St. Swidbert,styledtheyounger—todistinguishhimfromtheearlier St. Swidbert, Apostle of the Prisons and of the Borutuariahs33—is stated to have been appointed as the first bishop of Verden, in Westphalia. Having a dear regard for the salvation of souls he desired to gain for Ciirist, the holy bishop laboured much in his province, and soon a plentiful harvest was
Ad fratres Amarbaricenses," lib. i. ,
'9 The
the " Monumenta Germanise " Historica,
edited by Georgius Henricus Pertz, to- mus ii.
=' The Monk of St. Gall who wrote " De
Gestis Karoli Imperatoris," in Two Books, has a curious account of two Scots from
Hibernia, who visited Gaul, in company with some British merchants. These were Clement and Albin ; the former was kept in Gaul to teach, and the latter was sent to Italy. See ibid. , lib. i. , cap. i. , p. 731.
of this See has been treated of in Geifer's work, on the origin of Pader-
born See, printed A. D. i860.
°° This was probably transferred from
Heiligenstadt, also known as Osterwick. "'See Rev. John Alzog's "Manual of Universal Church Histoi-y," translated into
English, by Rev. F. J. Pabisch and Rev. Thomas S. Byrne, vol. ii. , Second Period, Epoch i. , Part i. , chap, i. , sect. 160, p. 90. Dublin edition.
" See Dean Henry Hart Milman's " His-
history
tory of Latin Christianity," vol. ii. ,
Book v. ,
'^ " Ut est, sub Carolo Magno nuUi Angli, Scoti plurimi militarunt ; et octo sequentes loci antistites Scoti ut hie Anglus videri
222.
»3 See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
—;
non possit. " "Historia Ecclesiastica Gen-
chap, i. , p.
Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xvii. , num. 1036,
tis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xvii. , num.
p. 576.
»* See L'Abbe Rohrbacher's Ilistoire
Universelle de I'Eglise Catholique," tome xi. , liv. liv. , p. 258.
"5 For this statement, Dempster quotes Philip Belforest, Hist. Carolor, lib. i. , a work not accessible to the writer.
SeeL'AblieFleuiy's HistoireEcclesias-
tique," tome ix. , liv. xliv. , sect, xx. , p.
454-
3' See tbid.
3' See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Sco-
torum," tomus ii. , lib. xvii. , num. 1036, p. 576.
1036, p. 576. "3° ''
°' See "CEuvres Completes" de Bossuet,
Eveque de Meaux, tome x. " Abrege de
I'Histoire de France," liv. ii. , cols. 1 193, sians, we are told, that in modern times, they
1 194. L'Abbe Migne's edition. °' See an account of this war in
were known '*sous le nom de duche de Berg
et de comte de le Mark"—" Les Petits or Einhard, who wrote " Vita Karoli BoUandistes Vies des Saints," tome iii. ,
Eginhard
Magni. " See sect. 7, 8, pp. 446, 447, in Premier Jour de Mars, p. 93.
33 Regarding these progenitors of the Prus-
April 30. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 575
gleaned. Numbers were converted from idolatry to the true faith. 'I'heir
prelate by example, even more than by his preaching, pointed the way to heaven. During the reign of Cliarlemagne, Suitbert ruled over this See. He is said to have wrought many miracles. 3* Little of detail regarding this holy manisgiven,intheearlyannalsofSaxony. 35 Heflourisliedin788,according toThomasDempster. 3^ EvenafterthedeathofSt. Suitbert—thereliableyear for which we do not find on record—many great miracles were wrought through his intercession. The remains of St. Suitbert, with the relics of Saints Tancho,37 Patto,38 Cerilon, Cortyla, Nortrila, Erlulph Martyr,39 and Harruch, were found <° in the same tomb, and under the floor of an old
cathedral, at Verden. '*' In the year 1630, Francis William, Bishop of Verden, had these collected, and placed in a new tomb, which was situated, at the back of the high altar, with that Bishop's seal attached. Afterwards, to avoid the fury of the Swedes, who made an irruption into that part of the country, the Bishop Francis William brought those relics with him to Ratisbon, in 1659, and there he kept them in the episcopal palace, which belonged to him. The feast of St. Suitbert, of Verden, is mentioned, in the Martyrologies, at the 30th of April ; and, this is the date given for it, in tlie Officia Propria <= of Osnaburgh diocese, when under a semi-double rite « St. Suitbert was com- memorated, and even allusion is made to the finding and transfer of his relics. This is all, which seems to be known, regarding this holy missionary and bishop.
Article IX. —Fe. 'VSt of Quirinus' Cross. Such was the description of a festival celebrated in Ireland, although it had more special reference to Rome, as we learn from the " Feilire " of St. . i^ngus," at the 30th of April. Several ancient calendars call St. Quirinus a bishop, and he is classed among the Martyrs. His period does not seem to be known ; but, it was probably in the earlier ages of the Christian church. His remains were deposited, in the Roman cemetery of St. Praetextatus. '
Article X. —Feast of St. Eustasius, or Eustace, Abbot of Luxeu,
France. {Sixth atid Seventh Cmturiesl\
At the 29th of March, the Life of
** See Albert Crantz, in "
Metropolis,
seu
<A ancient to very Book, belonging
this
Historia Ecclesiastica Saxoniae,' lib. i. ,
alludes. See ibid. , lib. i. , cap. xxi.
* " Florebat anno DCCLXXXViil. Adi ad Gasparem Bruschium Centur. Monasterior. Germanicor. Albert. Crantz, lib. 11. , Metro- pol. cap. XXX. Suffrid. Petr. lib. I. de Ori- gine Frisior. cap. xv. "— "Historia Ecclcsi- astica (Jentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib.
xvii. , num. 1036, p. 576.
" His festival occurs, at the l6th of Feb-
church, is the authority for the foregoing statement.
cap. vi.
'5 This is
who wrote about the end of the fifteenth century, but he does no' quote those Annals to which he
*' This collection was
" The Fourth Lesson in it is taken from
stated, by Cranti,
printed, A. D. , 1622.
Egg,bySt. Donnan. Itisthoughttohavebeenreserved,asapasturagefor sheep, by the inhabitants of that district. However, the rule had passed into thehandsofaqueen,whowasstillapagan. Movedbyhatredtothemonks,she engagedpiratestodestroythem. WhileofTeringtheHolyEucharist,these miscreants burnt the wooden church, in which they were assembled. '" How- ever, the fifty-two "—or according to other authorities fifty-four"—martyrs obtameda short respite, until Mass had ended, when they were all slain, "3 on the 17th of April, a. d. 617. m The gloss on the Martyrology of Tallagh, already given in detail, at that day of this month, contains their various names,andthetaleoftheirmartyrdom. MarianusO'Gormanhastheircom- memoration entered, in his calendar ;'5 while the celebrity of these sufferers for the Faith has been preserved, in the early Scottish church.
rough bounds. " Early in the seventh century, St. Donnan went with his
"
Muintir, or
* However, Dr. Joha O'Donovan con- siders the Gall-Gaeidhil to be the Dano- Gaels of the Hebrides. See "Annals of the Four . Masters," at A. D. 1154, vol. ii. , n. (u), p|). U12, 1113.
5 . See William F. Skene's " Celtic Scot-
land : a History of Ancient Alban," vol. i. ,
Marianus O'Gorman, in whose account the exact number is not given.
" The commentator on the calendar of
St. y5£ngus has ** Dond. in ega . i. ega
ainm oilein fil in alpain 7 isannside ata
donnan no icattaib et ibi donnan sanctus
cum sua familia obiit . i. li'i. " It is thus
translated into English by Dr. Whitley
Stokes "' '
: Donnan of Ega t. e. Ega the
name of an Island which is in Scotland, and there Donnan is, or in Caithness. And there Saint Donnan di—ed with his
Uook i. , cliap. vii. , p. 345.
' In Annates Ultonienes, at a. d.
1190. See Rev. Dr. O'C'onor's " Rerum Hiberni-
" caruinScriptores, tomusiv.
' This is a bold and broad promontory at
the extreme north-west of the mainland of family, i. e. 54 (in number). " "Calendar
of and" Oengus," p. Ixxiv. , p. Ixxv. , Trans-
actions of the Royal Irish Academy," Irish Manuscript Series, vol. i.
them. The cleric was then at M. tss. "Give truce to us till the Mass ends," saiih Donnan. "Itshallbegiven,"saythey,and thereafter all that were there weie killed.
'• -See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's
" Life of St. Columba. " Additional Notes,
K, p. 307. There, it is calculated, that the
day fell on Sunday.
''" Asifto the of distinguish superior thb
Hebridean community, he is styled, 'Ooti-
"
According to the commentator, on with his monks," by this Martyrologist.
It is the most
of the mainland of Scotland. From the
time of Somerlid the Great, and until the
of
Argyleshire.
westerly ground
it constituted tlie
'^ The on the glossoyrapher
calendar of St. Oengus thus relates tlie dialogue, between the queen and those engaged to murder the monks: "Let them be all slain," quoth she. " That is not pious," social condition of this Island, will be found, said every one. Then people go to kill
James VI. ,
reign
cal division between the Northern and the
"
Southern Hebrides. See Imperial Gazet-
teer of Scotland," vol. i. , p. 70.
* An interesting account, regarding the
in Mackenzie's "Isle of Skye in 1S82-3," &c. Inverness, 1883, cr. 8vo.
' It would seem, that St. Columkille had warned . St. Donnan and his companions, that they should suffer "red martyrdom;" and probably, because they took little no- tice of this warning, he refused to become their spiritual director.
" See William F. Skene's "Celtic Scot-
land : a History of Ancient Alban," vol. ii. ,
Book ii. ,
" chap, iv,, pp. 152, 153.
TiAn
tnop )-A mo,nAi5,
Donmin the Great,
politi-
April 30. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 573
Article VLII. —St. Suitbert, Bishop of Verden, Lower Saxony. It seerijs a disputed topic, as to wlietlier or not the present holy prelate had been connected with Ireland," where his education may have been received, as was the case with his namesake St. Suitbert, or Suibert,'' Bishop, and Apostle of the Prisons and of the Boructiuirian—s. St. Suibertus, the first bishop of Verden, is made by Dempster 3 a Scot of course belonging to his own nation. At the 30th of April, tlie Bollandists devote fifteen paragraphs to elucidate his Acts. < This dissertation has been written, by Father Daniel Papebroke. WiththeelderSt. Suitbert,thepresentholymanhasoftenbeen confounded. 5 The prelate of whom we treat was born in the eighth century. *
He wasan Englishman by birth,? and we are told, by Dempster,* that Sigebertus was the father of St. Suitbert. ' He became a monk by profession. It is doubtful, whether his place of education and religious retreat had been in England or Ireland. '" According to one account," St. Suitbert was com- jjanion of St. Boniface," when this latter Apostle left England, '3 to prosecute hismissionarycareerinGermany. Thishappened,intheearlierpartofthe eighth century, and about the year 716. '* However, according to the most correct calculation, it seems most probable, the present St. Suitbert was hardly born, or, at least, he must have been quite a child, at that time. When the Saxons "s were subdued,'* Charlemagne,'' who had founded churches, monas- teries and convents in their country, also established bishoprics. Among these latter were Osnabriick,'' Miinster, Paderborn,'? Minden, Bremen, Ver-
Article vm. — In his work, " Metro- '° Colgan thinks, that all the early mis- polis sen Historia Ecclesiastica Saxonise," sionariesofSaxonyengagedbyCharlem. igne Albert Crantz states, tliat Waltherus was to pre. ich the Gospel there came from Ire- the first bi-hop of the Saxon nation, in the
of these belonged by birth to the English nation.
" See Wernerus Rolevinck, " De Situ et "
See of Venlen. He adds
decessores fere omnes . Scotici aut Aiiglicani generis fuere, quod lituli testantur Abb. ^tia- rum, a quibus sunt translati, et ipsa vo<. abula, et nomina virorum judicio sunt, quod non nostise fuerint gentis. "—Lib. ii. , cap. xxx.
See also what Colgan says, in Acta Sanc-
torum Hiberniae," Februarii xvi. De S.
Tanchoiie Episcop. Verden, pp. 348, 34. 9, with notes.
'
His Life has been given already, in vol. iii. of this work, at . March i. Article ii.
' See Hisioria Ecclesiastica Gentis Scoto-
rum," tomus ii. , lib. xvii. , num. 1036, p.
576. *"
See ActaSanctorum,"tomusiii. , Ap- rilis xxx. De S. Sviberto Ep. Verdensi in Saxonia Inferiori, pp. 802 to 805.
5 See L'Abbe Kohrbacher's " Histoire
Universelle de I'Eglise Catholique," tome xL, lib. liv. , p. 258.
'
755. See Mabillon's Acta Sanctorum," tomus iv. , p. 90.
appear to be known.
" ut Marcellinus
• He adds for apud Surium auctor. "
authority,
' Moreover, Dempster writes : " Henricus Sinclarus putat Sigebertum non ortu Scotum, sed exulem in Scotia haesis-ie, ibique ex Scota uxore Suitbertum genuisse. "
tores," tomus ii. , will be found, Erdwini "
:
" Nam prac-
land, even although it be admitted, that some
Moribus Westphalorum, lib. ii. , cap. viii.
" His feast occurs, at the 5th of June. He
the a. d. Prisons,
'Lately has appeared, in the "Irish Ecclesi. istical Record," Third Series, vol.
v. , a very interesting communication, from Most Rev. Patrick F. Moran, Archbishop of Sydney, "Was St. Boniface an Irish- man? " See No. 3, pp. 181 to 190.
'* See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. vi. , June v.
'5 An account of these people will be found in vol. ii. of this work, when treating about St. Erlulph, Bishop of Verden and Martyr in Saxony, at February 2nd, Arti- cle iii.
suffered marljT^ciom, among ""
Dempster appears to have confounded
the present St. Suitbert, *ith the saint so
named, and who is venerated, at the 1st of until A. D. 785.
Charlemagne had waged March. See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gen- war with them for thirty years. See L'Abbe tis Scotorum," tomus ii^, lib. xvii. , num. Fleury's "Histoire Ecclesiastique," tome ix. ,
1036, p. 576.
' The exact place of his birth does not
liv. xliv. , sect. XX. , p. 453.
' A Life of this celebrated Emperor, by
B. Haureau, will be fonnd in M. Le Dr. Hoefer's "Nouvelle Biographic Univer- selle," &c. , tome ix. , cols. 745 to 766.
* In the " Rerum Germanicarum Scrip-
' They were not completely conquered
Erdmanni Chronicon Episcoporum Osna- burgensii. "
574 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 30.
den and Halberstadt,^" and he desired that these should be governed by worthybishops. ^' ThoseSeesweretheseparatecentres,whenceChristianity
and civilization spread in expanding circles. ''^ According to Denipster. ^s not only St. Suitbert, tlie first bishop of Verden, but all the other eight succeeding bishops were Scots, and were translated from tiie monastery of Amarbari- cense to that See. The erection of Verden into an episcopal See lias been
assigned to a. d. 785. ' We are informed, by Thomas Dempster, that Charle- magne, having a special affection for the Scots, on account of their fidelity, zeal, and bravery, manifested towards him during his Spanish war, advanced them to positions of dignity, after the Saxous had been subdued. =' Hearing that the illustrious Emperor Charlemagne, after long continued efforts,'^ had effected the conquest of the pagan Saxons,'' and had desired, moreover, their conversion to the Christain faith ; Swibert, filled with missionary zeal, left his
own country, to preach among that people. It was already known, that the Emperor was a great protector of learned and religious men. '^ Especially did he favour the Scots, who came to him in great numbers, and who readily enlisted in his service. ^' So pleased was Charlemagne with his labours and virtues, that after the selection of Verden as a bishopric, he had Swibert con- secrated, and set over that See. 3° As generally supposed, the year for this promotion was 786. 3' If we are to believe Dempster,^' St. Suitbert wrote "
" Ad Ecclesiam Verdensem," —lib. i. , and "CanonesSacros,"lib. i. ;but,whencethisstatementhadbeendrawn itseems simply an invention of his own—the reader of his work receives no enlighten- ment. St. Swidbert,styledtheyounger—todistinguishhimfromtheearlier St. Swidbert, Apostle of the Prisons and of the Borutuariahs33—is stated to have been appointed as the first bishop of Verden, in Westphalia. Having a dear regard for the salvation of souls he desired to gain for Ciirist, the holy bishop laboured much in his province, and soon a plentiful harvest was
Ad fratres Amarbaricenses," lib. i. ,
'9 The
the " Monumenta Germanise " Historica,
edited by Georgius Henricus Pertz, to- mus ii.
=' The Monk of St. Gall who wrote " De
Gestis Karoli Imperatoris," in Two Books, has a curious account of two Scots from
Hibernia, who visited Gaul, in company with some British merchants. These were Clement and Albin ; the former was kept in Gaul to teach, and the latter was sent to Italy. See ibid. , lib. i. , cap. i. , p. 731.
of this See has been treated of in Geifer's work, on the origin of Pader-
born See, printed A. D. i860.
°° This was probably transferred from
Heiligenstadt, also known as Osterwick. "'See Rev. John Alzog's "Manual of Universal Church Histoi-y," translated into
English, by Rev. F. J. Pabisch and Rev. Thomas S. Byrne, vol. ii. , Second Period, Epoch i. , Part i. , chap, i. , sect. 160, p. 90. Dublin edition.
" See Dean Henry Hart Milman's " His-
history
tory of Latin Christianity," vol. ii. ,
Book v. ,
'^ " Ut est, sub Carolo Magno nuUi Angli, Scoti plurimi militarunt ; et octo sequentes loci antistites Scoti ut hie Anglus videri
222.
»3 See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
—;
non possit. " "Historia Ecclesiastica Gen-
chap, i. , p.
Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xvii. , num. 1036,
tis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib. xvii. , num.
p. 576.
»* See L'Abbe Rohrbacher's Ilistoire
Universelle de I'Eglise Catholique," tome xi. , liv. liv. , p. 258.
"5 For this statement, Dempster quotes Philip Belforest, Hist. Carolor, lib. i. , a work not accessible to the writer.
SeeL'AblieFleuiy's HistoireEcclesias-
tique," tome ix. , liv. xliv. , sect, xx. , p.
454-
3' See tbid.
3' See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Sco-
torum," tomus ii. , lib. xvii. , num. 1036, p. 576.
1036, p. 576. "3° ''
°' See "CEuvres Completes" de Bossuet,
Eveque de Meaux, tome x. " Abrege de
I'Histoire de France," liv. ii. , cols. 1 193, sians, we are told, that in modern times, they
1 194. L'Abbe Migne's edition. °' See an account of this war in
were known '*sous le nom de duche de Berg
et de comte de le Mark"—" Les Petits or Einhard, who wrote " Vita Karoli BoUandistes Vies des Saints," tome iii. ,
Eginhard
Magni. " See sect. 7, 8, pp. 446, 447, in Premier Jour de Mars, p. 93.
33 Regarding these progenitors of the Prus-
April 30. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 575
gleaned. Numbers were converted from idolatry to the true faith. 'I'heir
prelate by example, even more than by his preaching, pointed the way to heaven. During the reign of Cliarlemagne, Suitbert ruled over this See. He is said to have wrought many miracles. 3* Little of detail regarding this holy manisgiven,intheearlyannalsofSaxony. 35 Heflourisliedin788,according toThomasDempster. 3^ EvenafterthedeathofSt. Suitbert—thereliableyear for which we do not find on record—many great miracles were wrought through his intercession. The remains of St. Suitbert, with the relics of Saints Tancho,37 Patto,38 Cerilon, Cortyla, Nortrila, Erlulph Martyr,39 and Harruch, were found <° in the same tomb, and under the floor of an old
cathedral, at Verden. '*' In the year 1630, Francis William, Bishop of Verden, had these collected, and placed in a new tomb, which was situated, at the back of the high altar, with that Bishop's seal attached. Afterwards, to avoid the fury of the Swedes, who made an irruption into that part of the country, the Bishop Francis William brought those relics with him to Ratisbon, in 1659, and there he kept them in the episcopal palace, which belonged to him. The feast of St. Suitbert, of Verden, is mentioned, in the Martyrologies, at the 30th of April ; and, this is the date given for it, in tlie Officia Propria <= of Osnaburgh diocese, when under a semi-double rite « St. Suitbert was com- memorated, and even allusion is made to the finding and transfer of his relics. This is all, which seems to be known, regarding this holy missionary and bishop.
Article IX. —Fe. 'VSt of Quirinus' Cross. Such was the description of a festival celebrated in Ireland, although it had more special reference to Rome, as we learn from the " Feilire " of St. . i^ngus," at the 30th of April. Several ancient calendars call St. Quirinus a bishop, and he is classed among the Martyrs. His period does not seem to be known ; but, it was probably in the earlier ages of the Christian church. His remains were deposited, in the Roman cemetery of St. Praetextatus. '
Article X. —Feast of St. Eustasius, or Eustace, Abbot of Luxeu,
France. {Sixth atid Seventh Cmturiesl\
At the 29th of March, the Life of
** See Albert Crantz, in "
Metropolis,
seu
<A ancient to very Book, belonging
this
Historia Ecclesiastica Saxoniae,' lib. i. ,
alludes. See ibid. , lib. i. , cap. xxi.
* " Florebat anno DCCLXXXViil. Adi ad Gasparem Bruschium Centur. Monasterior. Germanicor. Albert. Crantz, lib. 11. , Metro- pol. cap. XXX. Suffrid. Petr. lib. I. de Ori- gine Frisior. cap. xv. "— "Historia Ecclcsi- astica (Jentis Scotorum," tomus ii. , lib.
xvii. , num. 1036, p. 576.
" His festival occurs, at the l6th of Feb-
church, is the authority for the foregoing statement.
cap. vi.
'5 This is
who wrote about the end of the fifteenth century, but he does no' quote those Annals to which he
*' This collection was
" The Fourth Lesson in it is taken from
stated, by Cranti,
printed, A. D. , 1622.
