tivals, to be found in the Church Kalendar,
commences
each day of the month and year; besidesageneralreferencetothebest hagiographicalandhistoric worksservesto
INIRODUCTION.
INIRODUCTION.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
1758, aged eighty-three years.
314
for the " A Memorial of hagiographer is,
A work of some
Ancient British Piety, or British Martyrology, giving a short account of all such Britons as have been honoured of old amongst the saints. " This was pubHshed at London, a. d. i76i. 3'5 it seems to have been the production of a Catholic writer. Francis Philip Messenguy was born at Beauvais, a. d.
importance
314 See Aikin's and Enfield's "General
Biography; or, Lives, critical and histori-
cal, of the most eminent persons of all ages, countries, conditions and professions, arranged according to alphabetical order," vol. ii. , pp. lOl, 102.
3>sini2mo. ItincludesIrishaswellas Scoto-British saints.
31* See William a Beckett's " Universal Biography," vol. iii,, p. I la
xcvi INTRODUCTION.
Saints,afterwardspublishedbytheAbbeGouget. 3*7 Messenguywroteon many other doctrinal and historical subjects. He died on the 19th of Fe-
bruary, A. D. 1763. 3^8 Peter Claude Gouget was bom at Paris in 1697. He became a Canon, and among other learned works, he produced a valuable
" Les Vies des
tous les de I'Anne'e. " This work Jours
Saints, pour peared at Paris,3's a. d. 1730. 3=°
one,
ap-
Gouget died A. D. 1767. 3='
Nicholas Charles Joseph Trublet was bom at St. Malo, in 1627. 3== He
became a canon and an archdeacon, connected with that see. Among his
*'
other greatly admired works, he \\Tote
PanegjTiques des Saints. "3=3 These
compositions are thought to be in a pure, but frigid French style ; yet, they are preceded by some excellent thoughts on sacred eloquence. 3=4 The writer was a man of solid talents, and of estimable qualities. 3=s He died March 14th, 1770. Antoine Touron, bora in 1688, was a Dominican. Besides his well-known Lives of St. Thomas d'Aquin, and of SL Dominick de Guzman, and of St. Charles he a valuable " Histoire
Boromeo, produced very work,
des Hommes lUustres de I'Ordre de Saint Dominique," in Paris,3=6 be- tween A. D. 1743 and 1749. He died there on the 2nd of September,
About the year 17 10 was bom the justly celebrated, and most popular
English hagiologist, the Rev. Alban Butler. This learned man, among other
admired works, produced that sterling contribution to Catholic literature,
which, for depth of emdition, and happy selection of subjects or mode of
treatment, must ever be regarded as a masterpiece of sacred biography. It
this work, in almost every possible form of typographic and illustrated pro- duction. Some notices of Irish saints are included ; but, for the most part,
" The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints,
is intituled
compiled from original Monuments and other authentic Records, illustrated withtheRemarksofJudiciousModernCriticsandHistorians. " Thiswork was published in twelve volumes, but in the first edition, the author's valu- able notes were omitted, to render the printing less expensive. In subse- quent editions these were restored ; and numerous indeed were the issues of
:
3'' Messengui's part of it only reached to the I2th of March.
3'* See " Memoire sur Lequeux's Abrege
la Vie et les Ouvrages de I'Abbe Messen-
guL" This 8vo volume was published at
Paris, A. D. 1763.
3'9 In six i2mo volumes.
Biographic Generale," tomexlv. , col. 676, 677.
^23 This work appeared at Briasson in one 1 2mo volume, A. D, 1755. A second edition, in two volumes, was issued a. d. 1764.
324 See Watts' "Bibliotheca Britannica," vol. ii. , p. 917, i.
2^3 gee " Universelle, Anci- Biographic
enne et Modeme," &c. Redige par une 1740. An abridged edition of this work Societe de gens de Lettres et de Savants,
^'o A new and an
edition issued
enlarged
there, in two quarto volumes, A. D. 1734,
has often appeared since, in two volumes, or in a single volume.
3»' See Watts' " Bibliotheca Britannica,"
tome xlvi. , pp. 599 to 601.
3=* in six 4to volumes.
327 See M. le Dr. Hoefer's " Nouvelle
Biographie Genei-ale," tome xlv. , col. 547,
vol. i. , p. 429, n, and vol ii. , p. 666,0, p.
3'= See M. le Dr. Hoefer's " Nouvelle for a more extended account.
INTRODUCTION. xcvii
too briefly or carelessly written. 3^^ The illustrious author died, on the 15th
of May, A. D. i773. 3'5>
Among a great many learned and interesting works, of which John Pinker-
ton33o was author or editor,33» stands a book, " Vitae Antiquse Sanctorum qui habitaverunt in ea parte Britannise, nunc vocata Scotia vel in ejus insulis. "
Quasdam edidit ex MSS. , quasdam collegit Johannes Pinkerton, qui et vari- antes lectiones et notas pauculas adjecit. This work was published at Lon- don, A. D. 1789 ;33» and it contains ancient maps of Ireland, in the middle ages; aslikewisemapsoflonaandofCaledoniaorPikia,fromtheyears A. D. 500 to 800. This is a truly useful and critical production. A very learned work, comprising the acts of Belgian saints, was published at Bruxelles and Tongerlo, in six quarto volumes, ranging in dates of issue from the year
:
1783 to 1794. The following is the title of the first volume " Acta Sanc-
torum Belgii Selecta, quae tum ex Monumentis Sinceris nudum in Bollendiano opere editis, tum ex vastissimo illo opere, servata primigenia scriptorum
phrasi," collegit, chronologico ordine digessit, commentariisque ac Notis, il- lustravit, Josephus Ghesquierius, Presbyter. Tomus I. Complectens Acta Sanctorum Belgii ab exordio Ecclesise Christianae usque ad annum Christi Dxxxii. cum figuris. This work was at first carried on, under the editorship of Joseph Ghesquiere, who was afterwards assisted by Cornelius Smet and
Isfridus Thysius. It is verj' correctly printed, and illustrated with many in-
teresting copper-plate engravings. These represent shrines and other ob- jects of antiquity. As many of our native-born Irish saints were connected
with Belgium, during their missionary labours, the valuable work in question admirably illustrates their acts.
The " Lives of the English Saints," written by Anglican divines belong- ing to the University of Oxford, first popularized this species of pious study amongEnglishreaderswithouttheCatholicChurch. TheVenerableand Very Rev. John Henry Newman, D. D. , and Father Faber—afterwards con- verts to the Catholic Church—wrote biographies embraced in this series, which is contained in fourteen thin and elegantly-printed volumes,333
3=® To supplement omissions, a small i2mo Account of the Life and Writings of the volume was published at Dublin, in the Rev. Alban Butler ; interspersed with ob- year 1823. It is intituled:—"The Lives servations on some subjects of sacred and of the Irish Saints, extracted from the
Writings of the Rev. Alban Butler, and
now placed in order, with a prefixed Calen-
dar ; to which is added, an office and litany
in their honour, with a defence of the Mo-
nastic Institute. " By a Cistercian Monk. 1758. See R. Chambers' Book of Days," In some instances the compiler has altered
the dates of saints' festivals, as found in Butler. This little work is preceded by an original Preface and Calendar of Irish Saints, pp. iii. to xviii. Some appendices are found, in addition to the text of the Rev. Alban Butler.
vol. i. , p. 266.
33« See Knight's "English Cyclopaedia. "
a. d. 1844, 1845. "The Virgin Saints" 3'' Long after his death appeared " An followed, as a supplement to this serial.
profane literature mentioned in his writings. " By Charles Butler, Esq. , Barrister-at-Law, and the Divine's nephew. This biography
usually precedes modem editions,
330 gom at Edinburgh, February 17th, '•
Biography. Vol. iv. , pp. 836, 837.
332 in 8vo. See Watts' "Bibliotheca
Britannica," vol. ii. , r.
333ini2mo. These issued at London,
xcviii
INTRODUCTION.
In the
year 1853
a work was " Lives of the CambroBritish published :
Saints of the fifth and immediate centuries, from ancient Welsh and Latin
MSS. in the British Museum and elsewhere, with English translations and
explanatory notes ;" by the Rev. W. J. Rees, M. A. , F. S. A. , Rector of Cas-
cob, Radnorshire, Prebendary of Brecknock, and Member of the Cambrian
Archaeological Association, &:c. It appeared at Llandovery, under the
auspices of the Welsh MSS. Society. 334 This work contains a lithograph of
St. Illtyd's Cross, Lantwit, with fac-similes from ancient MSS. In it are
to be found, also, pedigrees of the saints, from a MS. of the thirteenth cen-
tury, with pedigrees of the Welsh saints, both in Welsh and English. 335 It
also comprises the acts of some saints, having a connexion with Ireland.
During the present century have appeared in Germany a work by Abban
Stolz, on " The Legends of the Saints," a translation by the Abbe Dacas,
" La Fleur des Saints," extracts from the Church History of Rohrbacher,
""
Les Vies des Saints," the Benedictines of Solesmes' translation, Les Actes
"
Les Vies des Saints de France," by Charles Barthd- lemy,336 and the unfinished but magnificent work of Le Comte de Monta-
lembert, so popularly known as " Les Moines d'Occident. "337
Besides the foregoing productions, L'Abbe C. Martin has published a
des Martyrs," as also,
very useful and instructive work at Paris
:
" Vies des Saints a I'usage des
Predicateurs, comprenant : 1° La Vie du Sainte de chaque Jour ; 2° Son
Pandgyrique ; 3° Des Materiaux appropries a chaque sujet pour Panegy-
riques, instructions familieres et colloques. " Mon. L'Abbe A. Vaillant pub-
lished an octavo volume, " Vies des Saints des Families Chretiennes et des
Communantes Religieuses. " It appeared at Paris, in 1865. A very interesting
and important work, by the Abbe J. Corblet, appeared in two large
volumes, and it was published338 both in Paris and Amiens, a. d. 1870.
"
It is intituled,
Hagiographie du Diocese d'Amiens," and the learned author
has added notices of the saint's relics, under the heading of each biography,
together with an account of the veneration, liturgy, monuments and traditions,
iconography and books referring to each individual subject. This work has allusion to some of our Irish saints. 339
A voluminous and highly interesting work has been projected in France,
"LesActsdes
Louis Gauthier, Editeur. The first volume was published at Lyons, a. d.
334 In one volume, royal 8vo. 33* gee "Les Bollandistes et I'Hagio-
335 In addition, it has an account of Bry- graphic Ancienne et Modeme," p. 128. chan of Brycheiniog, Latin and English— 337 A second edition of this work ap- Hymns of the Martyr St. Curig, Welsh peared at Paris in five 8vo volumes, ex-
andona It is very comprehensive plan.
intituled,
Saints,'"*
and English—an Epitome of the His- tory of Britain, Latin and English, with Preface, Index and Supplementary Notes totheLiberLandavensis, by ThomasWake-
man, Esq. , of Graig House, Monmoutli- slurc
tending from A. D. 1863 to 1867, and ele-
gantly printed.
338 in gvo shape.
339 See "Revue des Questions Histo-
riques," tome vii. , p. 699, and tome ix. ,pp. 510, 511.
3<° This edition has been wholly revised,
carefully corrected, and considerably aug- mented.
tivals, to be found in the Church Kalendar, commences each day of the month and year; besidesageneralreferencetothebest hagiographicalandhistoric worksservesto
INIRODUCTION.
1865, in royal quarto size, and in double columns. This promises to be a
collection of the highest importance. Its erudition is manifest. Another
collection of saints' lives, by Mgr. Paul Guerin, has appeared in France.
The latest, or sixth edition, is kno^vn as " Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des
Saints, d'apres les Bollandistes, Lipoman, Surius, le P. Giry, les hagiologies
et les propres de chaque diocese et les travaux hagiographiques les plus
recents. "34o This series appeared in fifteen large octavo volumes. Among
later books, which treat on saintly history, may be mentioned one containing
a variety of interesting and reliable facts. The Rev. S. Baring-Gould, M. A. ,
Protestant Rector of East Mersea, near Colchester, commenced in 1872
the of a " The Lives of the Saints. " publication beautifully-written series,
This work is to be completed in twelve volumes. S'ii While historic and chronologic accuracy has been well preserved, the style is very attractive and picturesque. 34" Many Irish saints find place among the biographies ; nor are these the least interesting in the author's collection.
The lives of various saints, published in English by the Very Rev. F. W. Faber, and by other Fathers of the Oratory, are distinguished for a felicity of style and a devotional cast of thought, worthy these accomplished writers, who undertook the editorship of this series of volumes. 343 But they con- tain little reference to the subject of our national hagiography.
A truly erudite and elegant quarto volume has lately appeared at Edin- burgh. It must prove a work of inestimable value to the Irish and to the
Scottish hagiologist. As a collection, its uses towards illustrating the history of Ireland and Scotland are most obvious. Materials for this volume have
been selected from many different sources, and by processes involving long-
"
continued labour and research. It is intituled,
Saints. With Personal Notices of those of Alba, Laudonia, and Strathclyde. An attempt to fix the Districts of their several Missions and the Churches where they were chiefly had in Remembrance. " By Alexander Penrose Forbes,
D. C. L. , Bishop of Brechin. The opening part of his book is occupied with aseriesofKalendars. 344 ThesearetakenfrombooksreadintheScottish Church, at different periods. The first of these collections is a Celtic Ka- lendar, found in the Drummond Castle Missal, with a fac-simile illustration. This work is ascribed to the twelfth century, and it is of Irish origin. Here, we find saints' commemorations referring to the east and west, while the
34'Crown8vosize.
34^ The iconography, symbols and mot- authenticate the acts, which are at once
toes of the saints are faithfully reproduced from medals, statues, pictures and scrolls ; while those serve to inform and direct popular and intellectual tastes, in the con- templation and study of mediaeval and Christian art. A heading of the chief fes-
gracefully and learnedly compiled.
343 The prospectus of this series was is- sued in 1850, when some of the volumes had already appeared, at London and Derby,
in 8vo shape.
344 Preceded by an Introduction,
Kalendars of Scottish
INTRODUCTION.
Irish saints are largely represented. It is given in Roman capitals. The Hyrdmanstown Kalendar follows, in a beautiful Gothic lettering. This is of the thirteenth century, when it was used in East Lothian, In general, it followstheusageofSarumChurch. ThethirdKalendaristhatofCulross. This may belong to the fourteenth century, and it is in Gothic lettering. Here,onlyafewoftheCelticsaintsaretobefound. Inthis,weobser\'ean Anglicising of the Scottish Church, resulting from that policy introduced by QueenMargaretandhersons. WarsbetweenEnglandandScotland,however, soon obliterated this feeling. In the Kalendar of Nova Farina or Feme, which next occurs, more of the Scottish and Irish saints appear in Gothic letters. A Celtic Kalendar, preserved in the Advocate's library, succeeds. It is in small Roman letters. The saints there given are mostly those held in esteem on the Scottish western coast. Followed by the Kalendar of the Arbuthnott Missal, in Gothic letter, and by the Kalendar of the Aberdeen Breviary, given in Gothic letter, the Scottish saints are extracted from the "MartyrologiumAberdonense. " TheKalendarofAdamKingfurnishesex- cerpts, which are printed in small Roman letters. The " Menologium Sco- torum" of Thomas Dempster follows, with his Preface and an Index. Next areScottishentries,fromtheKalendarofDavidCamerarius. TheScottish Kalendar of the Prayer Book, used in the time of Charles I,, concludes this valu- ablearrayofauthorities. Themostgenerallyinterestingportionofthevolume, however, is not that referring to the Kalendars, but to the historical notices of saints. With these, this portly volume ends in an alphabetical and a bio- graphical list. Personal biography and topography are here blended. It is thus we realize more thoroughly the ecclesiastical history of different districts in Scotland. Over 200 closely printed and double-columned pages are under thisdivisionofthework. AmongtheScottishsaints,itmustbepremised, that very many are Irish by birth. The biographical sketches, translated and selected from many sources, both printed and in manuscript, number
over 400 special articles.
The foregoing enumeration and description only present a curtailed and meagre synopsis of universal hagiographical literature. Additional authors, and their various works, relating to individual saints, w^ill be quoted in notes,
which accompany succeeding pages.
Section VII. —Materials for Irish Saints' Lives, in Irish Libraries.
It is not to be supposed, that the foregoing writers and their
special volumes remotely exhaust authorities, even yet available for the study of Irish hagiology. Numerous other tracts in manuscript and in print re- main, the authors and periods of many being known, while in a vast num- ber of cases, the writers and dates of composition cannot be clearly ascer- tained. It will be requisite, however, to make some brief allusion to the
INTRODUCTION. . d
chief of those libraries and archives, both at home and abroad, which con- tain acts of our national saints, or documents illustrating their history. In Ireland,itsmetropolisnotablyholdsthemostextensivecollection. Among
those manuscripts in Trinity College Library, Dublin, which materially serve to illustrate Irish hagiography, national ecclesiastical history, with the liturgy
and rites of our primitive Church, these following deserve particularly to be
enumerated. ^ In Dr. John Barrett's catalogue of the Trinity College ma-
nuscripts, these are found classed and described in detail, yet frequently with
very inaccurate notices, as a personal and minute examination of all the
originals has assured the present writer. ' I. On press B. shelf or tab. i,
"
No. I, we find,
Breviarium Romanum, continens Officia et Cantica in Fe- riasetDominicastotiusanni,cumRubricis,mutiluminitioetfine,"&c. A calendar of saints3 is found in this manuscript. It likewise contains pane- gyrics of several persons named, with dates of their deaths, generally re- ferring to the sixteenth century. * Some of these entries are extraneous to the subject-matter. 5 There is an account, referring to grants of land and of churches, founded a. d. 1170, by Dion O'CarroU, Lord of Ergall. ^ This manuscript is incorrectly called a " Roman Breviary,"^ while it appears to have been written about the fifteenth century. In reality, it is an " Anti- phonarium,"^ beautifully traced in black and red characters. It is a large vellum folio and impaged. It is said, formerly to have been in the posses- sion of Culdees, attached to the metropoHtan church of Armagh, II. B. i, 2. "Proprium Sanctorum per anni circulum secundum Ritum Romanas Eccle- sise, cum omnibus Antiphonis. " This is also a large vellum folio, and an
" It to resemble in character and date unpaged Antiphonarium. " appears
the previously noticed one. A part is missing towards the end. ^ III. B.
Section VII. —' The following list is
confined to the chief manuscripts, illustrat-
ing our present theme.
' During this process, the writer had fre-
quently the advantage of the late learned
librarian's opinion, on matters which re-
quired special enlightenment. The Rev. James Henthom Todd, and his obliging library assistants, were always most kind in affording all facilities for research.
3 The names of many Irish saints and their festivals are there given.
* These entries are in the Irish and Latin character. The MS. also contains a de- scription of certain lands, which formerly
entries are more recent, and in a different
character, from that found in the original or
proper text.
* These notices are written in the Irish
character.
^ In Dr. Barrett's Catalogue. Another
manuscript catalogue has been compiled, by H. J. M. Mason, LL. D. , to correct mis- takes in the former. Even in this latter, the MS. in question has been incorrectly set down as " Missale Romanum. " The Rev. James Henthom Todd, S. F. T. C. D. — whose labours as librarian were so incessant —has corrected various errors of both com- pilers. Dr. John O'Donovan commenced the compilation of a Catalogue Raisonniy relating to those MSS. , purely Irish ; but,
belonged to the see of Armagh, and which,
it is stated, were afterwards unjustly ac-
quired and retained by Con O'Neill. The unfortunately, this work was never com-
latter restored these to Archbishop Dowdall
pleted.
* Or an OfSce Book to be used in choir. ' This MS. contains anliphcns and mu-
sical notation for the feast of St. Patrick,
and to his successor in
s The latest date of an obit, I could dis-
cover in it, refers to A. D. 1596. Many other
perpetuity.
cii INTRODUCTION.
" Breviarium Romanum. " This, too, is described, for it I, 3. incorrectly
should be called an " Antiphonarium. " It is a large vellum unpaged folio, very much defaced by stains and imperfect, especially at its commencement andattheend. Thisappearstohavebeenwritteninthefifteenthcentury. It is said, to have formerly belonged to Clondalkin Church, in the county of
^°
Dublin. It contains a calendar of saints,
with notation of their offices, lessons and dates of their festivals. " IV.
" Iterum, cum Psalterio," &c. " This MS. should be called an " Anti-
B.
phonorium. " Itisalargevellumunpagedfolio,withsomepageswanting inthecommencement. Formerly,itissaidtohavebeenkeptintheChurch of St John the Evangelist, Dublin. It contains a calendar of saints, many of whom are Irish. '3 Nine lessons of an office for St. Patrick, written in a different character and by a more recent hand, than in those of the original text, are found prefixed. ^* All of those lessons are short, and contained on one page, within two columns. V. B. i, 5. "Iterum. "'s Like the pre- ceding manuscripts, however, this should have been noticed as an " Anti- phonarium. " Thecharactersareratherstainedanddefacedbyage,orthey have not been written in good black ink. It is imperfect at the beginning and at the end, as also in other places. It is paged at the bottom margin throughout,butinarathermodemhand. ^^ Thisappearstobeamanuscript of the fourteenth or fifteenth century. It contains only one page of a ca- lender, including saints' names and festivals—some Irish—for the months of
I, 4.
May, June, July and August. Other pages of it seem wanting. ^7 All the preceding manuscripts, for the most part, are written in black and red ink. At the musical notation parts, the notes are traced in black, and the lines in red, while many capital letters are curiously ornamented and variously co- loured : in some instances these are gilt. A few curious figures are traced, inmanyplaces,throughoutthosemanuscripts. Thepagesareallwritten
bishop and confessor. Nothing else, speci- calendar. Comparatively recent annota-
ally referring to an Irish saint, is included. '^ The deaths of many persons, written within unoccupied spaces and margins of
the calendar, with other unimportant anno-
tations, are found in different parts of its
calendar. These are traced in a compara- logue, by which we are to understand he lively recent hand from that which formed
theoriginalfineGothiccharacters.
" Within the leaves of this MS. a very correct and beautiful transcript of January
InMason'sCatalogue,onthecontrary,it is noted as a " Missale Romanum. "
The figures on the last leaf are 180, al- month, taken from the calendar, is to be ternate pages only having been numbered,
found. It is on an unfastened page, and in
Dr. Todd's handwriting.
" " Id est, Breviarium Romanum. " Thus
On a leaf, pasted to the cover at its com- mencement, I find a title, "The Breviary of Kilmoon," with notices of its containing
noticed, in Dr. Barrett's catalogue. Mr. St. Brigid's office, at fol. 114 b. , and St.
Mason inaccurately describes it as, "Missale
Patrick's office, at fol. 122 a.
'7 It contains some obits, scattered through-
out its pages.
" '3 There are various obits entered in the
Romanum, cum Psalterio et Antiphonis.
among whom many are Irish,
tions, also, are here noticeable.
'* Each lesson varies in length, occupying
from five to seven lines of that column, in which it is found.
»s Thus it is noted, in Dr.
for the " A Memorial of hagiographer is,
A work of some
Ancient British Piety, or British Martyrology, giving a short account of all such Britons as have been honoured of old amongst the saints. " This was pubHshed at London, a. d. i76i. 3'5 it seems to have been the production of a Catholic writer. Francis Philip Messenguy was born at Beauvais, a. d.
importance
314 See Aikin's and Enfield's "General
Biography; or, Lives, critical and histori-
cal, of the most eminent persons of all ages, countries, conditions and professions, arranged according to alphabetical order," vol. ii. , pp. lOl, 102.
3>sini2mo. ItincludesIrishaswellas Scoto-British saints.
31* See William a Beckett's " Universal Biography," vol. iii,, p. I la
xcvi INTRODUCTION.
Saints,afterwardspublishedbytheAbbeGouget. 3*7 Messenguywroteon many other doctrinal and historical subjects. He died on the 19th of Fe-
bruary, A. D. 1763. 3^8 Peter Claude Gouget was bom at Paris in 1697. He became a Canon, and among other learned works, he produced a valuable
" Les Vies des
tous les de I'Anne'e. " This work Jours
Saints, pour peared at Paris,3's a. d. 1730. 3=°
one,
ap-
Gouget died A. D. 1767. 3='
Nicholas Charles Joseph Trublet was bom at St. Malo, in 1627. 3== He
became a canon and an archdeacon, connected with that see. Among his
*'
other greatly admired works, he \\Tote
PanegjTiques des Saints. "3=3 These
compositions are thought to be in a pure, but frigid French style ; yet, they are preceded by some excellent thoughts on sacred eloquence. 3=4 The writer was a man of solid talents, and of estimable qualities. 3=s He died March 14th, 1770. Antoine Touron, bora in 1688, was a Dominican. Besides his well-known Lives of St. Thomas d'Aquin, and of SL Dominick de Guzman, and of St. Charles he a valuable " Histoire
Boromeo, produced very work,
des Hommes lUustres de I'Ordre de Saint Dominique," in Paris,3=6 be- tween A. D. 1743 and 1749. He died there on the 2nd of September,
About the year 17 10 was bom the justly celebrated, and most popular
English hagiologist, the Rev. Alban Butler. This learned man, among other
admired works, produced that sterling contribution to Catholic literature,
which, for depth of emdition, and happy selection of subjects or mode of
treatment, must ever be regarded as a masterpiece of sacred biography. It
this work, in almost every possible form of typographic and illustrated pro- duction. Some notices of Irish saints are included ; but, for the most part,
" The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints,
is intituled
compiled from original Monuments and other authentic Records, illustrated withtheRemarksofJudiciousModernCriticsandHistorians. " Thiswork was published in twelve volumes, but in the first edition, the author's valu- able notes were omitted, to render the printing less expensive. In subse- quent editions these were restored ; and numerous indeed were the issues of
:
3'' Messengui's part of it only reached to the I2th of March.
3'* See " Memoire sur Lequeux's Abrege
la Vie et les Ouvrages de I'Abbe Messen-
guL" This 8vo volume was published at
Paris, A. D. 1763.
3'9 In six i2mo volumes.
Biographic Generale," tomexlv. , col. 676, 677.
^23 This work appeared at Briasson in one 1 2mo volume, A. D, 1755. A second edition, in two volumes, was issued a. d. 1764.
324 See Watts' "Bibliotheca Britannica," vol. ii. , p. 917, i.
2^3 gee " Universelle, Anci- Biographic
enne et Modeme," &c. Redige par une 1740. An abridged edition of this work Societe de gens de Lettres et de Savants,
^'o A new and an
edition issued
enlarged
there, in two quarto volumes, A. D. 1734,
has often appeared since, in two volumes, or in a single volume.
3»' See Watts' " Bibliotheca Britannica,"
tome xlvi. , pp. 599 to 601.
3=* in six 4to volumes.
327 See M. le Dr. Hoefer's " Nouvelle
Biographie Genei-ale," tome xlv. , col. 547,
vol. i. , p. 429, n, and vol ii. , p. 666,0, p.
3'= See M. le Dr. Hoefer's " Nouvelle for a more extended account.
INTRODUCTION. xcvii
too briefly or carelessly written. 3^^ The illustrious author died, on the 15th
of May, A. D. i773. 3'5>
Among a great many learned and interesting works, of which John Pinker-
ton33o was author or editor,33» stands a book, " Vitae Antiquse Sanctorum qui habitaverunt in ea parte Britannise, nunc vocata Scotia vel in ejus insulis. "
Quasdam edidit ex MSS. , quasdam collegit Johannes Pinkerton, qui et vari- antes lectiones et notas pauculas adjecit. This work was published at Lon- don, A. D. 1789 ;33» and it contains ancient maps of Ireland, in the middle ages; aslikewisemapsoflonaandofCaledoniaorPikia,fromtheyears A. D. 500 to 800. This is a truly useful and critical production. A very learned work, comprising the acts of Belgian saints, was published at Bruxelles and Tongerlo, in six quarto volumes, ranging in dates of issue from the year
:
1783 to 1794. The following is the title of the first volume " Acta Sanc-
torum Belgii Selecta, quae tum ex Monumentis Sinceris nudum in Bollendiano opere editis, tum ex vastissimo illo opere, servata primigenia scriptorum
phrasi," collegit, chronologico ordine digessit, commentariisque ac Notis, il- lustravit, Josephus Ghesquierius, Presbyter. Tomus I. Complectens Acta Sanctorum Belgii ab exordio Ecclesise Christianae usque ad annum Christi Dxxxii. cum figuris. This work was at first carried on, under the editorship of Joseph Ghesquiere, who was afterwards assisted by Cornelius Smet and
Isfridus Thysius. It is verj' correctly printed, and illustrated with many in-
teresting copper-plate engravings. These represent shrines and other ob- jects of antiquity. As many of our native-born Irish saints were connected
with Belgium, during their missionary labours, the valuable work in question admirably illustrates their acts.
The " Lives of the English Saints," written by Anglican divines belong- ing to the University of Oxford, first popularized this species of pious study amongEnglishreaderswithouttheCatholicChurch. TheVenerableand Very Rev. John Henry Newman, D. D. , and Father Faber—afterwards con- verts to the Catholic Church—wrote biographies embraced in this series, which is contained in fourteen thin and elegantly-printed volumes,333
3=® To supplement omissions, a small i2mo Account of the Life and Writings of the volume was published at Dublin, in the Rev. Alban Butler ; interspersed with ob- year 1823. It is intituled:—"The Lives servations on some subjects of sacred and of the Irish Saints, extracted from the
Writings of the Rev. Alban Butler, and
now placed in order, with a prefixed Calen-
dar ; to which is added, an office and litany
in their honour, with a defence of the Mo-
nastic Institute. " By a Cistercian Monk. 1758. See R. Chambers' Book of Days," In some instances the compiler has altered
the dates of saints' festivals, as found in Butler. This little work is preceded by an original Preface and Calendar of Irish Saints, pp. iii. to xviii. Some appendices are found, in addition to the text of the Rev. Alban Butler.
vol. i. , p. 266.
33« See Knight's "English Cyclopaedia. "
a. d. 1844, 1845. "The Virgin Saints" 3'' Long after his death appeared " An followed, as a supplement to this serial.
profane literature mentioned in his writings. " By Charles Butler, Esq. , Barrister-at-Law, and the Divine's nephew. This biography
usually precedes modem editions,
330 gom at Edinburgh, February 17th, '•
Biography. Vol. iv. , pp. 836, 837.
332 in 8vo. See Watts' "Bibliotheca
Britannica," vol. ii. , r.
333ini2mo. These issued at London,
xcviii
INTRODUCTION.
In the
year 1853
a work was " Lives of the CambroBritish published :
Saints of the fifth and immediate centuries, from ancient Welsh and Latin
MSS. in the British Museum and elsewhere, with English translations and
explanatory notes ;" by the Rev. W. J. Rees, M. A. , F. S. A. , Rector of Cas-
cob, Radnorshire, Prebendary of Brecknock, and Member of the Cambrian
Archaeological Association, &:c. It appeared at Llandovery, under the
auspices of the Welsh MSS. Society. 334 This work contains a lithograph of
St. Illtyd's Cross, Lantwit, with fac-similes from ancient MSS. In it are
to be found, also, pedigrees of the saints, from a MS. of the thirteenth cen-
tury, with pedigrees of the Welsh saints, both in Welsh and English. 335 It
also comprises the acts of some saints, having a connexion with Ireland.
During the present century have appeared in Germany a work by Abban
Stolz, on " The Legends of the Saints," a translation by the Abbe Dacas,
" La Fleur des Saints," extracts from the Church History of Rohrbacher,
""
Les Vies des Saints," the Benedictines of Solesmes' translation, Les Actes
"
Les Vies des Saints de France," by Charles Barthd- lemy,336 and the unfinished but magnificent work of Le Comte de Monta-
lembert, so popularly known as " Les Moines d'Occident. "337
Besides the foregoing productions, L'Abbe C. Martin has published a
des Martyrs," as also,
very useful and instructive work at Paris
:
" Vies des Saints a I'usage des
Predicateurs, comprenant : 1° La Vie du Sainte de chaque Jour ; 2° Son
Pandgyrique ; 3° Des Materiaux appropries a chaque sujet pour Panegy-
riques, instructions familieres et colloques. " Mon. L'Abbe A. Vaillant pub-
lished an octavo volume, " Vies des Saints des Families Chretiennes et des
Communantes Religieuses. " It appeared at Paris, in 1865. A very interesting
and important work, by the Abbe J. Corblet, appeared in two large
volumes, and it was published338 both in Paris and Amiens, a. d. 1870.
"
It is intituled,
Hagiographie du Diocese d'Amiens," and the learned author
has added notices of the saint's relics, under the heading of each biography,
together with an account of the veneration, liturgy, monuments and traditions,
iconography and books referring to each individual subject. This work has allusion to some of our Irish saints. 339
A voluminous and highly interesting work has been projected in France,
"LesActsdes
Louis Gauthier, Editeur. The first volume was published at Lyons, a. d.
334 In one volume, royal 8vo. 33* gee "Les Bollandistes et I'Hagio-
335 In addition, it has an account of Bry- graphic Ancienne et Modeme," p. 128. chan of Brycheiniog, Latin and English— 337 A second edition of this work ap- Hymns of the Martyr St. Curig, Welsh peared at Paris in five 8vo volumes, ex-
andona It is very comprehensive plan.
intituled,
Saints,'"*
and English—an Epitome of the His- tory of Britain, Latin and English, with Preface, Index and Supplementary Notes totheLiberLandavensis, by ThomasWake-
man, Esq. , of Graig House, Monmoutli- slurc
tending from A. D. 1863 to 1867, and ele-
gantly printed.
338 in gvo shape.
339 See "Revue des Questions Histo-
riques," tome vii. , p. 699, and tome ix. ,pp. 510, 511.
3<° This edition has been wholly revised,
carefully corrected, and considerably aug- mented.
tivals, to be found in the Church Kalendar, commences each day of the month and year; besidesageneralreferencetothebest hagiographicalandhistoric worksservesto
INIRODUCTION.
1865, in royal quarto size, and in double columns. This promises to be a
collection of the highest importance. Its erudition is manifest. Another
collection of saints' lives, by Mgr. Paul Guerin, has appeared in France.
The latest, or sixth edition, is kno^vn as " Les Petits Bollandistes, Vies des
Saints, d'apres les Bollandistes, Lipoman, Surius, le P. Giry, les hagiologies
et les propres de chaque diocese et les travaux hagiographiques les plus
recents. "34o This series appeared in fifteen large octavo volumes. Among
later books, which treat on saintly history, may be mentioned one containing
a variety of interesting and reliable facts. The Rev. S. Baring-Gould, M. A. ,
Protestant Rector of East Mersea, near Colchester, commenced in 1872
the of a " The Lives of the Saints. " publication beautifully-written series,
This work is to be completed in twelve volumes. S'ii While historic and chronologic accuracy has been well preserved, the style is very attractive and picturesque. 34" Many Irish saints find place among the biographies ; nor are these the least interesting in the author's collection.
The lives of various saints, published in English by the Very Rev. F. W. Faber, and by other Fathers of the Oratory, are distinguished for a felicity of style and a devotional cast of thought, worthy these accomplished writers, who undertook the editorship of this series of volumes. 343 But they con- tain little reference to the subject of our national hagiography.
A truly erudite and elegant quarto volume has lately appeared at Edin- burgh. It must prove a work of inestimable value to the Irish and to the
Scottish hagiologist. As a collection, its uses towards illustrating the history of Ireland and Scotland are most obvious. Materials for this volume have
been selected from many different sources, and by processes involving long-
"
continued labour and research. It is intituled,
Saints. With Personal Notices of those of Alba, Laudonia, and Strathclyde. An attempt to fix the Districts of their several Missions and the Churches where they were chiefly had in Remembrance. " By Alexander Penrose Forbes,
D. C. L. , Bishop of Brechin. The opening part of his book is occupied with aseriesofKalendars. 344 ThesearetakenfrombooksreadintheScottish Church, at different periods. The first of these collections is a Celtic Ka- lendar, found in the Drummond Castle Missal, with a fac-simile illustration. This work is ascribed to the twelfth century, and it is of Irish origin. Here, we find saints' commemorations referring to the east and west, while the
34'Crown8vosize.
34^ The iconography, symbols and mot- authenticate the acts, which are at once
toes of the saints are faithfully reproduced from medals, statues, pictures and scrolls ; while those serve to inform and direct popular and intellectual tastes, in the con- templation and study of mediaeval and Christian art. A heading of the chief fes-
gracefully and learnedly compiled.
343 The prospectus of this series was is- sued in 1850, when some of the volumes had already appeared, at London and Derby,
in 8vo shape.
344 Preceded by an Introduction,
Kalendars of Scottish
INTRODUCTION.
Irish saints are largely represented. It is given in Roman capitals. The Hyrdmanstown Kalendar follows, in a beautiful Gothic lettering. This is of the thirteenth century, when it was used in East Lothian, In general, it followstheusageofSarumChurch. ThethirdKalendaristhatofCulross. This may belong to the fourteenth century, and it is in Gothic lettering. Here,onlyafewoftheCelticsaintsaretobefound. Inthis,weobser\'ean Anglicising of the Scottish Church, resulting from that policy introduced by QueenMargaretandhersons. WarsbetweenEnglandandScotland,however, soon obliterated this feeling. In the Kalendar of Nova Farina or Feme, which next occurs, more of the Scottish and Irish saints appear in Gothic letters. A Celtic Kalendar, preserved in the Advocate's library, succeeds. It is in small Roman letters. The saints there given are mostly those held in esteem on the Scottish western coast. Followed by the Kalendar of the Arbuthnott Missal, in Gothic letter, and by the Kalendar of the Aberdeen Breviary, given in Gothic letter, the Scottish saints are extracted from the "MartyrologiumAberdonense. " TheKalendarofAdamKingfurnishesex- cerpts, which are printed in small Roman letters. The " Menologium Sco- torum" of Thomas Dempster follows, with his Preface and an Index. Next areScottishentries,fromtheKalendarofDavidCamerarius. TheScottish Kalendar of the Prayer Book, used in the time of Charles I,, concludes this valu- ablearrayofauthorities. Themostgenerallyinterestingportionofthevolume, however, is not that referring to the Kalendars, but to the historical notices of saints. With these, this portly volume ends in an alphabetical and a bio- graphical list. Personal biography and topography are here blended. It is thus we realize more thoroughly the ecclesiastical history of different districts in Scotland. Over 200 closely printed and double-columned pages are under thisdivisionofthework. AmongtheScottishsaints,itmustbepremised, that very many are Irish by birth. The biographical sketches, translated and selected from many sources, both printed and in manuscript, number
over 400 special articles.
The foregoing enumeration and description only present a curtailed and meagre synopsis of universal hagiographical literature. Additional authors, and their various works, relating to individual saints, w^ill be quoted in notes,
which accompany succeeding pages.
Section VII. —Materials for Irish Saints' Lives, in Irish Libraries.
It is not to be supposed, that the foregoing writers and their
special volumes remotely exhaust authorities, even yet available for the study of Irish hagiology. Numerous other tracts in manuscript and in print re- main, the authors and periods of many being known, while in a vast num- ber of cases, the writers and dates of composition cannot be clearly ascer- tained. It will be requisite, however, to make some brief allusion to the
INTRODUCTION. . d
chief of those libraries and archives, both at home and abroad, which con- tain acts of our national saints, or documents illustrating their history. In Ireland,itsmetropolisnotablyholdsthemostextensivecollection. Among
those manuscripts in Trinity College Library, Dublin, which materially serve to illustrate Irish hagiography, national ecclesiastical history, with the liturgy
and rites of our primitive Church, these following deserve particularly to be
enumerated. ^ In Dr. John Barrett's catalogue of the Trinity College ma-
nuscripts, these are found classed and described in detail, yet frequently with
very inaccurate notices, as a personal and minute examination of all the
originals has assured the present writer. ' I. On press B. shelf or tab. i,
"
No. I, we find,
Breviarium Romanum, continens Officia et Cantica in Fe- riasetDominicastotiusanni,cumRubricis,mutiluminitioetfine,"&c. A calendar of saints3 is found in this manuscript. It likewise contains pane- gyrics of several persons named, with dates of their deaths, generally re- ferring to the sixteenth century. * Some of these entries are extraneous to the subject-matter. 5 There is an account, referring to grants of land and of churches, founded a. d. 1170, by Dion O'CarroU, Lord of Ergall. ^ This manuscript is incorrectly called a " Roman Breviary,"^ while it appears to have been written about the fifteenth century. In reality, it is an " Anti- phonarium,"^ beautifully traced in black and red characters. It is a large vellum folio and impaged. It is said, formerly to have been in the posses- sion of Culdees, attached to the metropoHtan church of Armagh, II. B. i, 2. "Proprium Sanctorum per anni circulum secundum Ritum Romanas Eccle- sise, cum omnibus Antiphonis. " This is also a large vellum folio, and an
" It to resemble in character and date unpaged Antiphonarium. " appears
the previously noticed one. A part is missing towards the end. ^ III. B.
Section VII. —' The following list is
confined to the chief manuscripts, illustrat-
ing our present theme.
' During this process, the writer had fre-
quently the advantage of the late learned
librarian's opinion, on matters which re-
quired special enlightenment. The Rev. James Henthom Todd, and his obliging library assistants, were always most kind in affording all facilities for research.
3 The names of many Irish saints and their festivals are there given.
* These entries are in the Irish and Latin character. The MS. also contains a de- scription of certain lands, which formerly
entries are more recent, and in a different
character, from that found in the original or
proper text.
* These notices are written in the Irish
character.
^ In Dr. Barrett's Catalogue. Another
manuscript catalogue has been compiled, by H. J. M. Mason, LL. D. , to correct mis- takes in the former. Even in this latter, the MS. in question has been incorrectly set down as " Missale Romanum. " The Rev. James Henthom Todd, S. F. T. C. D. — whose labours as librarian were so incessant —has corrected various errors of both com- pilers. Dr. John O'Donovan commenced the compilation of a Catalogue Raisonniy relating to those MSS. , purely Irish ; but,
belonged to the see of Armagh, and which,
it is stated, were afterwards unjustly ac-
quired and retained by Con O'Neill. The unfortunately, this work was never com-
latter restored these to Archbishop Dowdall
pleted.
* Or an OfSce Book to be used in choir. ' This MS. contains anliphcns and mu-
sical notation for the feast of St. Patrick,
and to his successor in
s The latest date of an obit, I could dis-
cover in it, refers to A. D. 1596. Many other
perpetuity.
cii INTRODUCTION.
" Breviarium Romanum. " This, too, is described, for it I, 3. incorrectly
should be called an " Antiphonarium. " It is a large vellum unpaged folio, very much defaced by stains and imperfect, especially at its commencement andattheend. Thisappearstohavebeenwritteninthefifteenthcentury. It is said, to have formerly belonged to Clondalkin Church, in the county of
^°
Dublin. It contains a calendar of saints,
with notation of their offices, lessons and dates of their festivals. " IV.
" Iterum, cum Psalterio," &c. " This MS. should be called an " Anti-
B.
phonorium. " Itisalargevellumunpagedfolio,withsomepageswanting inthecommencement. Formerly,itissaidtohavebeenkeptintheChurch of St John the Evangelist, Dublin. It contains a calendar of saints, many of whom are Irish. '3 Nine lessons of an office for St. Patrick, written in a different character and by a more recent hand, than in those of the original text, are found prefixed. ^* All of those lessons are short, and contained on one page, within two columns. V. B. i, 5. "Iterum. "'s Like the pre- ceding manuscripts, however, this should have been noticed as an " Anti- phonarium. " Thecharactersareratherstainedanddefacedbyage,orthey have not been written in good black ink. It is imperfect at the beginning and at the end, as also in other places. It is paged at the bottom margin throughout,butinarathermodemhand. ^^ Thisappearstobeamanuscript of the fourteenth or fifteenth century. It contains only one page of a ca- lender, including saints' names and festivals—some Irish—for the months of
I, 4.
May, June, July and August. Other pages of it seem wanting. ^7 All the preceding manuscripts, for the most part, are written in black and red ink. At the musical notation parts, the notes are traced in black, and the lines in red, while many capital letters are curiously ornamented and variously co- loured : in some instances these are gilt. A few curious figures are traced, inmanyplaces,throughoutthosemanuscripts. Thepagesareallwritten
bishop and confessor. Nothing else, speci- calendar. Comparatively recent annota-
ally referring to an Irish saint, is included. '^ The deaths of many persons, written within unoccupied spaces and margins of
the calendar, with other unimportant anno-
tations, are found in different parts of its
calendar. These are traced in a compara- logue, by which we are to understand he lively recent hand from that which formed
theoriginalfineGothiccharacters.
" Within the leaves of this MS. a very correct and beautiful transcript of January
InMason'sCatalogue,onthecontrary,it is noted as a " Missale Romanum. "
The figures on the last leaf are 180, al- month, taken from the calendar, is to be ternate pages only having been numbered,
found. It is on an unfastened page, and in
Dr. Todd's handwriting.
" " Id est, Breviarium Romanum. " Thus
On a leaf, pasted to the cover at its com- mencement, I find a title, "The Breviary of Kilmoon," with notices of its containing
noticed, in Dr. Barrett's catalogue. Mr. St. Brigid's office, at fol. 114 b. , and St.
Mason inaccurately describes it as, "Missale
Patrick's office, at fol. 122 a.
'7 It contains some obits, scattered through-
out its pages.
" '3 There are various obits entered in the
Romanum, cum Psalterio et Antiphonis.
among whom many are Irish,
tions, also, are here noticeable.
'* Each lesson varies in length, occupying
from five to seven lines of that column, in which it is found.
»s Thus it is noted, in Dr.
