No More Learning

VitaS. Patricii, cap. lxxxix. , p. 85. Prince Ma- n s ODonnell increases the numberto three hundred, including churches and monasteries in Ireland and in Britain
of these one hun- dred were said to have been on the coast, See ibid. , Quinta Vita S. Columba;, pars iii. ,
cap. xlii. , p. 438.
2-
His name was subsequently communi- cated to Taghmon, " the houseof Munnu,"
;
Truly our
536 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9
Fintan embarked without delay, and soon he reached the Isle of Hy. There he was entertained with great charity, as an unknown guest; for his name and distinction had not been discovered, by the holy residents in the religious establishment at Iona. The next day after his arrival, however, Fintan made known to Baithan, that he had a desire to confer personally with him. Ever kind and courteous to strangers, Baithan presently sent for him. Being brought into Baithan's presence, Fintan fell down upon his knees. But, the saint made him rise, and then sit down, until the Abbot might learn the object for his voyage. Then did Fintan recount to the saint his name, his family, his country, his conversation, and what had moved him to undertake that perilousnavigation. Lastly,heclosedthisdiscourse,withanhumblerequest to procure his admittance. Baithan understood all that God had decreed con-
: cerninghim,andheknewSt. Columba'sprophecy. Hethensaid "Mychild,
I am bound to render many thanks to the Almighty for your arrival, but know this for certain, that you cannot become our monk. " 2 ? On hearing this sen- tence, Fintan appeared very thoughtful, and he said : u Perchance, I am
unworthy
tobecome
your
monk. " TowhomtheoldAbbot "Itis replied :
not, as you say, for although I had rather detain you with me, than otherwise,
yet can I not profane the commandment of my patron, St. Columba, through
whose mouth the Holy Ghost hath prophesied concerning you, in the manner following. Being alone with him one day, among other things, he said to me,
a certain brother, named Fintan, son of Tulchan,28 of the Macumoie 29 family,
shall come to you out of Ireland, and beg earnestly to be received among the
monks. He shall be renowned for his religious morals and proficiency in
sacred studies. But this is not pre-ordained for him, in the presence of God,
that he become a monk or be subject to any Abbot ; since he is pre-elected
by the Almighty, for being an Abbot of monks, and for becoming a captain to
leadmanysoulstotheheavenlykingdom. 30 Therefore,detainnottheafore-
said man with you in our Isle, but send him back again into Ireland, that he
may build a monastery 3I in Leinster, near the sea-shore, where feeding a
flock of Christ's sheep and lambs, he may conduct innumerable souls to the
"
' O Baithan, must listen to these you
words, with
sently, after my wished-for and long-desired departure out of this life to Christ,
joys of Paradise. '
The young saint, on hearing this discourse, poured out
abundance of tears, and with thanksgiving to God, he said
:
" Be it done to
my
great
attention, for
pre-
me, according to the prophetical and marvellous prescience of St. Columba. "
So taking with him St. Baithan's benediction, this Fintan returned back into Ireland. 32 Adamnanstates,thatheheardtheforegoingaccount,fromthelips
^The Breviary of Aberdeen perverts the
earlier authorities that St. Fintan — by stating, —
ibid. , cap. xviii. , p. 342.
30 From these Father Flem- expressions,
Munnu who is there called Mundus took ing infers, that St. Fintan Munnu wrote
"
the habit of St. Columba, in Iona. See a special Religious Rule. See Collectanea
Pars /Estivalis, fol. l$ib b. Reprint of Sacra," p. 437.
1852.
3> This was at a place, called from him Teach Munnu, or "the house of Munnu," and now known as Taghmon situated about seven miles west of Wexford. It gives name to a prebend in the diocese of Ferns. There,
28
Tulchan is stated to have been of the
family of Conall, son of Neill, in the Vita
S. Fintani, cap. i. , in the Codex, containing
Lives of the Irish Saints, preserved in
he was buried. See " Acta Colgan's
Marsh's at fol. Library, Dublin,
127.
29 Here Colgan suggests an emendation, that this patronymic should rather be Mocu Maine, as Fintan's mother is called Fedelyn, of the race of Mann, the son of Neill. See
too,
Sanctorum Hibernice," Januarii xxxi. , Vita S. Maidoci, cap. xxxii. , pp. 211, 212.
"Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Vita S. Co-
lumbse, lib. i. , cap. 2, p. 373. But, we find also Quinta Vita S. Columbre, lib. hi. ,
therewasalsoaLaisranusMocumoie. See
cap. lxv. , pp. 442, 443 .
3a See Colgan's "Trias Thaumaturga," Quarta Vita S. Columbse, lib. i. , cap. ii. , p. 339, and nn. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, p. 373 ;
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 537
ofanagedanda. piouspriest,whowasasoldierofChrist,andnamedOissin,33 son of Ernan, belonging to the family of Mocu Neth Corb. 3* This priest testified, that he had received the foregoing remarkable narrative, from the very words of St. Fintan Mac Tulchan, who was his own Abbot. 35
The term of that already mentioned four years of respite on earth now
drawing on, being laden with old age, and knowing that the period of his wearisome pilgrimage was near its close, the true prophet Columba went
forth in a waggon 36 one day, during the May month, to visit the brothers, who were then at work. He found them at the western side 37 of Iona Island, 38
:
and to them he said " I conceived an earnest desire 39 of going during the
last month of April, to our Saviour, and this he granted to me, if I desired it myself. The Easter solemnities,* which we have lately celebrated were at first selected ; but, because I would not have the joy of such festivities con- verted into mourning, I chose rather deferring my departure out of this world foralittlewhilelonger. " Thissadannouncementfilledthemonkswithgreat affliction of soul ; yet, their pious father began to animate them with very consolingwordsandwithwholesomeexhortations,sofarashecould. Then,
1
turning his face towards the Orient/ while still seated in his chariot, he
blessed the Island of Iona, with all the inhabitants. From that time forward,
the Island was never molested, through the annoyance or deadly stings of vipers. 4 2 Nor was man nor beast ever after known to suffer from their bite. 43 Afterwards, St. Columkille was carried back to his monastery. Within a few days after this benediction, and while Mass was celebrating as usual on a Sunday, the saint elevated his gracious countenance 44 towards Heaven. It was suddenly suffused with a most exquisite and lively blush. At that hour, he saw the Angel of our Lord flitting up and down, within the walls of the oratory. ts As the admirable and tranquil aspect of holy Angels instil exul- tation and comfort into the hearts of the elect, St. Columkille therefore abounded with joy on that occasion. When some who were present enquired
33 There are several Ois<ins, in the Irish 4I An ancient Irish Life
Calendars. Dr. Reeves thinks, he was the that he turned his face in a contrary direc- one venerated at the 1st of May. See a no- tion, i. e. , westwards, when blessing the
tice of him at that date, in the Fifth Volume of this work, Art. vi.
34 The family to which St. Kevin of Glen-
dalough and St. Conlaeth of Kildare be-
Island.
42 No live snakes or vipers have ever been
seen in Hy, while many of a very venomous nature are found on the opposite coast. The Rev. Dr. Reeves saw one dead and preserved
longed.
35 See Rev. Dr. Reeves' Adamnan's in a bottle at Iona, however, but it had been
"Life of St. Columba," lib. i. , cap. 2, pp. killed in the Ross of Mull, at a stream which
1 8 to 23.
36 The Comte de Montalembert has it,
"
—il se faisait trainer sur un char a bceufs. "
overflowed the road. See his Adamnan's "Life of St. Columba," lib. ii. , cap. 28, and n. (d), pp. 142, 143.
referring viperarum venena trisulcarum linguarum," we have an indication of the classic source, whence they were borrowed, In the Georgics of Virgil, we read concern- ing the snake " Ardu—us ad solem, et Unguis micat ore trisulcis. " Lib. iii. , 1, 439. It is remarkable that without the slightest altera- tion, the same line occurs in the Aineid,
lib. ii. , 1. 475.
44 " A glad heart maketh a cheerful coun-
tenance. " Proverbs, xv. , 13.
" Les Moines d'Occilent," tome
iii. ,
43 In those words of Adamnan to
liv. xi. , chap, vii. , p. 278.
37 An Irish Life states, that he went to
visit the ploughmen, who were in the north part of the Island.
38 Adamnan relates that the monks were
"
in occidua insula; Ionre laborantes parte. " It is now called the Machar, and it is known to be the most fertile part of the island of Iona.
39 Adamnan uses the words " desiderio desidervi," borrowed from St. Luke, xxii. ,
15.
most probably died
of
14th April.
the snakes,
"
——when St.
40 In the year 597 Columba Vita Prima S. Columbre, cap. xvii. , p.
Easter Day fell on the
323.
46 As Adamnan states
" rursum
4S See "Trias Colgan's
Thaumaturga,"
incorrectly states,
it,
per
538 LIVES OF THE IRISHSAINTS. [June 9.
about the cause for his exultation, our holy Abbot looking aloft answered : " I. o ! an Angel of our Lord, sent to require a certain deposit very dear to God, came into the church. After looking down over us and blessing us, he
6 the roof of the departed again/ through
and without
church,*?
On the next 8 the Abbot and his faithful attendant Diar- Saturday/ holy
mit went out to bless a farm which was near. On entering it, and seeing'two
" I con- gratulate my beloved monks, for if I must needs depart this year, they have been left a sufficient annual provision. " Hearing this sentence, Diarmit
:
became very sorrowful, and he observed " You have very often afflicted us
this year, dear Father, because you speak so frequently, regarding your depar-
:
ture from this world. " The saint then said " I will acquaint you with a
secret and that unreservedly, touching my death, if you promise faithfully, not to disclose it before I depart. " Diarmit gave him his faithful word and promise of secrecy on bended knees. Then the glorious saint replied : "This day, in the Sacred volume, is called the Sabbath, which is interpreted the day of rest, and truly this day is a Sabbath s° to me, because it shall be the last
rest. The next ensuing midnight of holy Sunday,* I shall be gathered to our fathers ; for even now, our Lord Jesus vouchsafes to invite me. I shall depart to him at midnight, as himself hath revealed to me. " After this sorrowful communication, he returned back towards the monastery, having left the barn. His attendant Diarmit wept bitterly ; but, the saint endeavoured toconsolehim. Whilegoingtowardsthemonastery,StColumkillerested
parasticiam ecclesiae reversus," &c. About the meaning of this term "parasticiam," commentators have held various conjectures, bat there can hardly be a doubt but it means " the roof," as shown in the subse-
quent note.
4 ? In Vita Secunda S. Columbae, the Angel
is said to have vanished through the roof of thechurch. Seeibid. ,cap. xxi. ,p. 329.
48 By Adamnan, and by other ancient
writers, adopting the Jewish term, it is ex- pressed in Latin by the term " Sabbatus. " A tliousand years after his time, the Reformers of the sixteenth century applied the term to the Lord's Day or Sunday. In the Roman Breviary, and Missal, the Saturday is invari- able called Sabbatus, and Sunday, Domi- nica.
49 These were probably reserved as a sur-
leaving any sign of his egress. Wonderful and incomparable, therefore, is the subtility of the Angelic nature.
" None of those that were present understood what deposit it was the Angel came to demand. But, the holy patron called his own soul, which God had committed to his charge, by the epithet of "a deposit. " This precious pledge Columba rendered to his Maker, within six
days after such announcement.
heaps of winnowed grain 49 within, Columba gave thanks, and said
:
day of my laborious life, and after the fatigue of my labours, on it shall I 1
halfway,
spot. s
plus from the preceding year.
50 Bowden's
SI " " The meaning of Dominica nocte is,
according to the Rev. Dr. Reeves, the night preceding Sunday. See his Adamnan's
"
Life of St. Columba," lib. ii. , cap. 45, and n. (1), p. 181, lib. iii. , cap. 12, nn. (d, e), pp. 210, 211, lib. iii. , cap. 23, n. (d), p. 230.
S2 No doubt, this had been a station of holiesttraditions,inAdamnan'stime.
53 The first cross erected there was proba- bly a rude one.
54 According to Cosmo Innes, it was per- haps that of a quern. See "Origines Parochiales Scotia;," vol. ii. , part i. , p. 299. However, the Rev. Dr. Reeves thinks it was more probably a mill-stone of larger dimensions,
S5 See Le Comte de Montalembert's " Les Moines d'Occident,"tome iii. , liv. xi„ chap,
vii. , p. 280, and n. 1.
In Graham's "
See Plates iv. and xliii. , with the Descrip-
2 where a cross was afterwards and to be erected,53
at a certain
seen fastened into a mill-stone,54 on the way side. It is said to have been known as Maclean's cross,s5 in the course of time 56 the latter have
5<s
See Rev.
'Miniature Lives of the Saints for every
Day in the Year," vol. i. , June 9, S. Co- tion at pp. 6, 24,
lumba, Abbot, p. 321. 57 Or cow-house. The word used by
Henry
Sebastian
pictured.
; but, may
"
Iona it is
June 9. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 539
occupied the site of an earlier and a less elaborate monument. While sitting there to obtain a little rest —for age had left its traces upon him—a white draughthorse,thatusedtocarrymilkvesselsfromthebyres? tothemonas- tery, came towards the holy abbot. On approaching its venerable master, the poor animal placed his head on the Abbot's bosom. As if directed by some providential instinct, the horse seemed to know, that the holy abbot must soon leave this earth, which so long had been blessed by his presence. That animal then poured forth plaintive neighings and winnings, also foaming at the mouth, while even shedding copious tears on the saint's bosom. Its motions and sensibilities almost resembled those of a rational being. Witnessing this moving incident, the attendant sought to drive away that poor mourner ; but,
"
the saint restrained his efforts. Columba said : whichissofondofme,topourouthissorrowonmybosom. Behold,you a man and endowed with reason could know little of my departure hence, had I not told you, in some strange and mysterious manner. Our Creator has manifested to this poor irrational brute, that his master is about to leave him. " Saying these words, Columkille blessed the horse, and the animal afterwards moved away in evident sadness.
A little to the west of Reilig Odhran on Iona, and nearly opposite the
westernfrontofthecathedralchurch,thereis anaturalhillockofrock. s8 This
knoll,calledCnocnan-Carnan,5^ musthavebeenafavouriteplaceofresort
for the abbot, and for the monks of Iona, since it commanded a magnificent
view of objects near, and also of the monastery, on the eastern side, of the
sound, of the opposite coast, of the swelling ocean, and of the distant moun-
tains. We can doubt, it is " the little hill"6° which Adam- hardly respecting
nan relates that most remarkable anecdote, in his account of Colurnba's life. 61 On the way homewards, the saint ascended a little hillock overlooking the
62 and
on the 63 for some few short top
moments,
He then said "The kings not only of Scotland with their subjects, but even the kings of foreign and barbarous nations, with their vassals, shall honour much this placets though it be now humble and confined ; while the saints of other
Adamnan for it is " bocetum. " This epithet tic site.
seems to have puzzled his interpreters and 6) Allusion is thus —made to it, in the
translators, who have rendered it "field," following poetic lines:
monastery,
standing
Columkille elevated his hands and blessed his 6* monastery.
:
or "pasture. " But this mediaeval Latin word seems to to have • been derived from the Irish buaiLiTJ.
s8 Many of the hills in Iona were regarded
by the islanders as Sithenns or ''fairy
eminences. " The largest of these is the
Collicnhis Angelorum, or " Hill of the
Angels. "
59 This hill, as also Blar Buidhe and Cnoc
Mor, form a chain extending southwards.
to His words are " monticellum monas-
terio supereminentem. "
61 However in his "Iona," the Duke of
" Then climbing to the peak, the holy man
Invoked God's smile on mountain, lake and shore,
Man, beast, and bird, church, school,
and granary ;
And spoke with outstretched hands,
the Torr Abb or Abbot's knoll, opposite the west entrance of the cathedral, to have been the spot. See
chap, ii. , pp. 87 to 90.
62 The Rev. Dr. Reeves remarks, that it
cannot have been the Torr Abb or Abbot's Tower, on which a cross formerly stood ; since it is too far north, and it does not com- mand a view of the former probable monas-
•
and kneel Besides our graves. '
Argyll supposes
"
'
this prophecy :
The day shall come when saints
Permit that dear animal,
from distant lands
Shall flock with reverence here; kings
too shall seek
This shore with gifts, to honour God,
Rev. John Adams' "St. Malo's Quest, and other Poems. " The death of St. Columba, p. 71.
6* See Father John Mabillon's " Annales Ordinis S. Benedict]'," tomus i. , lib. ix. , sect, xix. , p. 249.
65 No fewer than four Irish
kings, eigh-
54© LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 9.
churches shall pay no small veneration to it. 66 After he had bestowed his sacred benediction, the Abbot descended that hill and returned to his monas- tery. There he sat down to write the Psalter, and he just came to that verse
" autem Dominum non deficient omni Inquirentes
" Here must I pause at the end of this page: let
of the
bono. "6? Then he said
Baithan write what follows. " The last which the saint 63
in
was just past, and the existing portion of the night belonged to Sunday. The office which he attended was that commonly known as the Vigilia neeturrue. " We should think rather the First Vespers of the ensuing Sunday is
here alluded to.
? ' Alluding to the House of St. Columb
at Kells, and describing its upper chamber,
and Round Towers of Ireland," part ii. , sect, iii. , subs. 4, p. 431.
Thirty-third Psalm, :
verse, wrote, espe- cially applied to himself, since he shall never be deprived of the immeasura-
ble riches of Heaven. That subsequent verse
:
" Come children, hear me,
I will teach you the fear of our Lord,"f9 also become his successor, Baithan,
who not only succeeded in the office of teaching, but also in the charge of
writing. After St. Columkille had set his pen aside, at the aforesaid verse,
he entered into the church to hear the office of Sunday evening,? which he
finished and then came back to his cell. There, instead of a straw bed, he
had a bare stone 1 and another stone served for a 2 in
flag,? pillow. ? Sitting that place during the night, he bequeathed to his spiritual children these his
: lastprecepts,butinthehearingonlyofDiarmit "Icommendtoyou,mychil-
dren, these my last words, to preserve true charity and peace among yourselves. If you observe this precept, according to the example of the saints, God the comforter of the good will help you, and being with him, I shall intercede for you. He will afford you not only all you want in this life, but likewise he will bestow those joys of eternity, which are prepared for them that keep his com- mandments. " These were the last words the holy Abbot spoke upon earth, ? 3 and then he longed for the termination of his pilgrimage towards the heavenly
kingdom.
Having finished these sacred instructions, the glorious saint held his peace ;
for the hour of his departure fast approached. At midnight,? -* when the bell ? 5
teen Norwegian, and forty-eight Scottish ]<ings were buried afterwards in I una. See George Buchanan's " Rerum Scoticarum Historia," lib. i. , p. 26.
65
This prediction was literally fulfilled. The monastery and churches on Iona were
Cathach copy of the Psalter ascribed to St. Columkille, as the writer, since it contains
from Psnlm 31 to 106, in thesamehandwriting. See Sir William Betham's "Antiquarian
Researches," vol. i. , pp. 109 to 121, and the fac-simile at p. 112.
69 The Latin of Adamnan is " Venite aurlite me, timorem Domini docebo vos. "
the
care of Scottish monarchs and
special
people for ages after his departure.
filii,
6? "They that seek our Lord shall not fail
'° The Rev. Dr. Reeves observes, in a "
every good. "
passage
:
Midnight
—v. 11. The same Latin
comment at this
version, as that given by Adamnan, is in
Cummian's Life of St. Columba. But, the
Vita Secunda S. Columba;, cap. xix. , p. 327,
the Vita Tertia S. Columbse, cap. xxxiv. , p.
329, and the Vita Quinta S. Columbce, lib.
iii. , cap. liii. , p. 440, substitute •'minuentur,"
for Adamnan's "deficient. " This latter
word is found also in the Cathnch copy.
The Rev. Dr. Lanigan remarks, at this pas-
sage : "In the present Vulgate edition we
read minuentur, instead of deficient, as it
stood in the old Vulgate or Italic, before tential bed. "
some emendations from St. Jerome's revision
(not version) were introduced into the text
of the psalms. Minuentur is one of them. ?
Hence it appears, that down to the times
not only of Columba but of Adamnan, the near his grave. See William F. Skene's
Irish continued to read the old Vulgate, as
it existed before the introduction of tho—se
corrections borrowed from St. Jerome. "
"Celtic Scotland : a History of Ancient
Alban. " vol. ii. , book ii. , chap. iv. . p. 143 .
'•
Ecclesiastical History of Ireland, "vol ii. ,
chap, xii. , sect, xiv , \\ 225.
6S This cannot have been the Caah or
•' In this chamber there is a flat stone, six feet long, and one foot thick, no—w called St. Columb's peni- Ecclesiastical Architecture
Dr. George Petiie adds
:
3
In Adamnan's time, these objects were preserved as a monument, and exposed
" See Le Comte de Montalembert's Les
Moines d'Occident," tome iii, liv. xi. ,
chap. \
? 4 The Rev.