Colgan thinks it was at least a
document
old as the tenth century.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v2
—Reputed Festival of St.
Fursey.
at the 1 6th of January.
He of royal countenance, most highly gifted, a famed just man, a prudent battle-prop.
The heroic king of heavy blows, even to the sea-shore he won the wage ;
Alas, that the generous Maelfinnia is not a son over the battle of Niali. "
*8 In a note to this passage, Mr. O'Dono-
van says: "Dr. O'Conor adds here two
quatrains more, from a totally different
poem, but as these are not found in the
Dublin copies, and, as they relate to a chief
of Laeighis, not to Maelfinnio, the editor has
p. xiv.
thought proper to omit them, as a blunder
40, 41.
3 The nearest local denomination, I can
find, is that of a townland called Drum- cramph, in the parish of Aghalurchar,
barony of Magherastephana ; while, there is another Drumcramph, in the parish of
Cleenish, and b? rony of Tirkennedy : both are in tlie county of Fermanngh. See those places represented on the "Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Fer- managh. " Sheets 27, 28.
< See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish MSS. series,
i. , pp. 108, 109. According to William M. Hennessv's note appended, Druim Crema has not been identified.
Article vii. —' Edited by Rev, Dr.
Kelly, p. xiv.
» Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
40, 4
of Dr. O'Conors. "
—"Annals of the Four
vol.
i. , part
Masters," vol. i. , pp. 556 to 569 and n. (i),
ibi(^-
<9 In the " Annals of Ulster," at the year
Dccccii. , we read: "Maelfinnid, mac
Flannagan, Rex Breagh, religeosus laicus, mortuus est. "
Article vi. —' Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
Kelly,
1 .
»
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
We find an almost
February 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 375
Article IX. —Festival of a Reputed St. Ronan or Ronanus.
[Supposed to have lived in the Seventh Century. '] With some degree of hesi-
tancy, we place the following notices of Ronan, here, because we find a pre- cedent for such an arrangement in the works of other writers. At the 6th of February, Camerarius' has entered the feast of St. Ronan or Ronanus, who, it is stated, had been mentioned by Venerable Bede. ^ Ronan is said3 to have gone from Scotia into England. He took a leading part in the Paschal con- troversy. We have already referred to this matter, in the Life of St. Finian,* Bishop of Lindisfarne, and Apostle in Northumbria. The Ronan there mentioned, who took a part in opposition to him, regarding the Paschal cele- bration, was a Scot, by birth. Yet, in Gaul, or in Italy, did this Ronan learn the true Roman computation respecting Easter, and in Britain he la- boured strenuously to introduce it. It is said, that the Scottish St. Ronan, after the Synod at Streneshealh was over, retired to Scotland, and lived in one of the Hebride Islands, called Ronan's Isle, at a later period. s Yet, whether the Ronan, who defended the Roman Paschal observance, had been registered among the saints or not, has not been proved to the satisfaction of the Bollandists. ^ Colgan states,^ that the latter had been venerated, at the ist of June. * He cites a Life, which Albertus Magnus Morlaix edited; yet, the Bollandists do not consider, that it proves Ronan to have been en- rolled as a saint. The Ronan, who is mentioned, by Venerable Bede, is said to have died a. d. 778. S This, however, is considered to be a period too late, for the prolongation of his life. '° It seems doubtful, likewise, if the present be identical with a St. Ronan, venerated in the Scottish Calendars, at the 7th day of February.
ArticleX. —St. Merinus,aMonk,inScotland. Somedifficulties are presented, while analyzing statements made, in reference to this holy man,supposedtobeveneratedunderdifferentformsofname. Obscurities have likewise shrouded his history. Thomas Dempster has a notice, at the 6th of February, of a supposed Basilian monk, who came to Scotland, bear- ing the precious relics of St. Andrew, the Aposde and Patron of Scotland. ' This monk is said to have been a man of distinguished piety,* and to have lived at the time, when St. Regulus came from Achaia into Britain. Merinus either followed him when coming, or having found him in Scotland, it is said he laboured to imitate so great a master in the monastic state. 3 Ferrarius, citing a Scottish Martyrology, places his festival at the 6th of February.
But, as the Bollandists cannot find any authority for such a statement,* they
Article ix. —* See "De Statu
Veteris simul ac novae Ecclesise, et Infide-
tomus i. , Februarii vi. , p. 764.
' At the 8th of January,
® To this date, likewise, the reader is re-
hum
sec. 2, p. 143. * '•
lib.
Hominis, rum," i. , pars ii. , cap. iii. ,
Conversione,"
See Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis An-
ferred for further notices.
9 See Camerarius. Also, Bishop Forbes'
"Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 44I.
glorum," lib. iii. , cap. xxv. , p. 233.
3 By Camerarius.
4 See "Lives of the Irish Saints," vol. i. ,
January ix. , Article ii. , S. Finan, chap. i.
5 The gneiss Isle of Rona lies a little to
"
»° See the Bollandists' rum," tomus i. , Februarii vi. et in alios dies rejecti, p. 764.
Acta Sancto- Prsetermissi
"
the north-east off Benbecula, and it belongs cum. " Bishop P'orbes' Kalendars of
to the Skye group. See FuUarton's
Im-
Scottish Saints," p. 191.
"^ See Hector Boetius* ••Historiae Scoto-
rum," lib. vi.
3 Such is the opinion of GeorgeusConseus
in " De Statu Religioso Scotorum," lib. i.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Feb-
perial 57.
Gazetteer of Scotland," vol.
^ See their notices of him, among the saints passed over, and deferred for some other possible day, in the "Acta Sancto-
"
ii. , p.
' Article x. — See
Menologium Scoti- "
376 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [February 7.
defer further notices of him, to the 15th of September, where they sufficiently show, that he was an Irish Saint. 5 To this date, likewise, we prefer reserving more detailed notices regarding him.
Article XL—Reputed Feast of St. Alto, Abbot of Alt-Munster,
IN Bavaria. \Eighth Century. \ A manuscript copy of Florarius has the feast of St. Alto, Confessor, set down at this date ; but, the Bollandists
promise to treat concerning him, at the 9th of February. ^ For a later day. we reserve the particulars of his Acts. =
^ebentt) Bap of jFebruarp^
ARTICLE I. —ST. TRESSAN, OR TRESAN, CONFESSOR, AT AVENAY, FRANCE.
[FIF7H AND SIXTH CENTURIES. }
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—nationality OF ST. TRESSAN—ACTS AND LIVES—BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF ST. TRESSAN—HE LEAVES IRELAND FOR FRANCE—HIS FIKST HUMBLE OCCUPATION THERE—OPPOSITION TO THE SAINT, AND VINDICATION OF HIS INNOCENCE.
by revealed truth, the mind of man should be
in its
religion, dogmas and tendencies, is essentially spiritual. The Catholic Church is the great and only successful defender of the distinction between spirit and matter. By her teachings and practices she has rendered the soul of man
more spiritual, and consequently more beautiful. ]iy awakening him to a consciousness of the diviner and more ethereal part of his nature, she has
developed in him the instincts of piety and self-culture, which are essentially spiritual, because the soul is ever aspiring to perfection. Njr does the soul discover this until God "hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. " ^
St. Tressan is classed with his brothers and sisters, among the saints of Scotland,byHectorBoetius,^Lesley,3Dempster^andCamerarius. s Avery serious charge is brought against the latter writer, by Colgan, who asserts,
ruariivi. ,p. 765. Heretheyplacehim ArticleI. —ChapterL—*Heb. x. 14.
left to uncertain and weary caprices. The Christian UNENLIGHTENED
among the pretermitted and deferred saints.
5 Among the pretermitted and deferred saints these notices are again to be found, in
their great work, ibid. , tomus v. , Septembris XV. , pp. 2, 3.
Article xl—' See *• Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus i. , Februarii vi. , p. 765. Here, he
is placed among the pretermitted saints,
whose festivals are reserved.
= *•
See Hystorise Scotorum," lib. ix. , p.
158,
3 See " Historia Scotiae," lib. iv. , cap. 2.
^"
See Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Sco-
torum," tomus ii. , lib. xviii. , num. HI2,
"
See his Life at the 5th of September.
609, 610.
s See "De Statu Hominis, veteris simul
ac novae Ecclesiae, et Infidelium Conver- sione," lib. i. , pars ii. , cap. iii. , sect. 2, pp. 143 to 146,
11 13,
pp.
February 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 377
that although Camcnirius had access to an original manuscript, in which Tressan is said to have been a Scot by race, and from t—he island of Hibernia, the latter fact is omitted, with an additional invention wholly unwarranted bytherecord—thathewasbomofhonestandholyparentsinScotia. ^ But, all sensible writers remark, that he was a holy Irish priest. 7
The Acts of Tressan are compiled from a MS. , which belonged to the monastery of St. Remigius, at Rheims.
Colgan thinks it was at least a document old as the tenth century. ^ Flodoard, a writer, who lived in that century, treats of this holy man and of his brothers, in the history of Rheims. 9 He seems also, to have read these Acts. Besides, an office of this saint, printed a. d. 1600, one Petrus Viellius compiled a Life of St. Tressan. Another was written in French, by Renatus, a Benedictine. Guilielmus Diviatius, a Regular Canon, seems to have compiled a separate Life, for the
work of Nicholas Belfortius. The Bollandists had another copy ; while, Camerarius procured one from the monastery of St. Remigius, at Rheims. '° St. Tressan's old Life is included in Colgan's work," and this is followed by
anappendix,comprisingthreechapters. '^ TheBollandistsprecedetheActs of St. Tressan, in sixteen paragraphs, with a historic commentary of eight paragraphs. ^3 Various other authorities have reference to this holy man. In the Circle of the Seasons'^ and in Rev. Alban Butler's Lives of the
Saints,'s we find mentioned St. Tresain, a priest, at February the 7th. He is also duly noticed, by Rev. S. Baring-Gould. '^
St. Tressan had six holy brothers, viz. : Saints Gibrian,^" Helnn,^^ German,'9 Veran,^° Aleran,^' Petran,'^^ and three sibters,^3 Fracla, Promptia, and Posemna. ^4 All of these were very devout persons, who despised the
things of earth, that they might aspire only to those of Heaven. ^s Elsewhere, the names of those brothers and sisters are spelled in a different manner.
'^^
They are mentioned, also, by Flodoard.
where Tressan heard the voice of God proclaiming to him these words, formerlyaddressedtoAbraham•? ^ "Goforthoutofthycountry,andfrom
^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernige," vii.
Februarii. Appendix ad Vitam S. Tressani,
cap. i. , p. 274.
^ See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of the
tomus vi. , vii. Feb. De S. Tresano Presby- tero, Aveniaci in Campania Gallica, pp. 52 to 55.
"» See p. 38.
'^ vol. Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal See
Saints," vol. ii. , February vii.
"See **Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," vii.
Februarii. Vita S. Tressani, n. i, p. 273,
and Appendix, cap. i. , p. 274.
' Allusion is made to this manuscript,
also, by Sir Thomas buffus Hardy, vi^ho thus describes it, Vita S. Tresani, Presby- teri, ex Hibernia, ad an. circiter 550. Ex
"
'^
ii,, Februaryvii.
See "Lives of the Saints," vol. ii. ,
'° See notices of him at the 3rd of De- MS. Monast. Sancti Remigii. See De- cember.
scriptive Catalogue of Materials relating to the History of Great Britain and Ireland,"
vol. i. , part i. , p. 127.
"Seethe Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
His feast day does not seem to be
tomus ii. , Februarii vii. De S. Tresano. known.
"
" This has been re-issued and corrected nise," vii. Februarii. Vita S. Tressani,
Commentarius historicus, num. i, 3, p. 53.
*»
See Colgan's
Sanctorum Hiber-
by the Bollandists, who complain that it abounds in errors committed by the copyist
and by the printer
" See •' Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," vii.
=** " Februarii. Vita S. Tressani Confessoris, In
pp. 271 to 275. ix. *3 See •• Acta Sanctorum Februarii,"
They were natives of Hibernia,
February vii. , pp. 192, 193.
'^ See his Life at the 8th of May.
^^
See notices of him at the 7th of Oc- tober.
'« See some notes regarding him at the 30th of Jmy and at the 3rd of 1 December,
"' known.
=^
His festival is not known.
'3 Their feast days do not appear to be
Acta
cap. i. , p. 271.
"s The copy of our saint's Acts, published
by Colgan and by the Bollandists, have a
few immaterial discrepancies at this passage.
Hisioria Rhemensis,'' lib. iv. , cap. =*' See Genesis, xii. i.
378 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [February 7.
thy kindred, and out of thy father's house, and come into the land, which I shall show thee. " Afterwards, Tressan sought a secret place for his dwell- ing, where he might more freely serve God in solitude ; but, whether this was in Ireland, or in France, his Acts do not render sufficiently plain.
Suspicions are entertained by Colgan,^^ that the present saint, his brothers and sisters were the children^9 of a certain Goill or Gallus. It is mentioned,
in the Life of St. Ailbhe,3° that when returning from Rome to Hibernia, he left some of his disciples, the sons of Guill, in a monastery he had erected in Gaul. 3» Now, the time is thought well to accord ; for, St. Ailbhe was a contemporary with St. Patrick, and he is calculated to have lived, from a. d. 450 to 520. He was also contemporaneous with St. Tressan, his brothers and sisters. These holy persons, too, settled in Gaul. Another circum- stance is somewhat remarkable; for, one of these brothers was named German, and we actually have a German, son of Gaill or Goill, noticed in ourCalendars. 32 Yet,althoughthosebrothersandsistersweredistinguished for their sanctity, all are not noticed separately, in our Irish Martyrologies.
Wishing to lead the life of a pilgim, Tressan went to France, taking
along with him six brothers and three sisters,33 whose names have been
already given. But, being simple-minded and ignorant to a degree, this pious man was regarded as an idiot ; and, when resolved to earn his liveli-
hood, by some kind of menial service, he retired to a village, supposed to be Murigny, in the Duchy of Rheims, on the banks of the River Marne. 34 Here, a native of the place, finding him to be an Irishman born, and quite ignorant of the Frankish language, set him to the humble occupation of tending swine. According to Sigebert's chronicle, Tressan was in France A. D. 509 35 Faithful to his charge, and mindful of the Apostolic mandate, "Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear," 36 the lowly swine- herd carefully governed all the movements of his soul. This happened, it is stated, while St. Remigius lived in that part of the country. 37
The period of the present holy man, ot his brothers, and of his sisters, is usually assigned to the close of the fifth, 3^ or towards the beginning of the sixth, century. The date for their births probably fell within the former age. 39 In one passage,'»° St. Tressan is said to have had for his companions, Veran, German and Floquius, who were, likewise, the disciples of St. Fursey,
'^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," vii.
Februarii. Appendix ad Vitana S. Tressani,
cap. iii. , pp. 274, 275.
=9 These are alluded to, in our Irish Ca-
lendars.
^ See his Life, at the I2ih of September. 3*Thisisrelatedinthesixteenthchapter
of his Life.
3» At the 30th of July, as may be seen at
patre D. G. Paruo doctore theologico, confessore regio : nunc primum in lucem
emissum, cum privilegio," fol. 23. This edition was published m Paris by Henricus
Stephanus, on the Calends of June, 1513, as a colophon states, 4to small.
36Seei. Peterii. 18.
3? See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus ii. , Februarii vii. De S. Tresano
that date, the Martyrologies of Tallagh and Presbytero, &c, cap. i. , ii. , iii. , iv. , pp.
33 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's Lives of
properly it should be Matrona.
35 " Gibrianus Scoius cum fratribus et
Sigeberti
of Marianus O'Gorman have such a record.
" *'
the Saints," vol. ii. , February vii. , p. 192.
3^ In the Acts it is called Materna—more 3'
great
error has been committed a by
peregrinatus
114$.
4°
—vrbe Re- :
sororibus in Gallia
mensem vita et morte illustrat. "
Gemblacensis Coenobita; "Chronicon ab at the 3rd of December, as found in Miraeus anno 381 ad 1113, cum insertionibus ex
Historia Galfridi et additionibus Roberti
Abbatis Montis centum et tres sequentes
annos complectentibus, promovente egregio
53, 54.
38 Vernerus, In Fasciculo Temporum,"
A
continuator of Sigebertus Gemblacensis, when making these saints to flourish a. d.
has their period at 494.
Taken from the Life of St. Eloquius,
and Molanus.
^' See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia, ;
Appendix ad Acta S. Furssei, cap. vi. , p. 96.
February 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 379
Abbot of Laguy. ^^ Yet, this is clearly inconsistent with a statement after- wards made, that they flourished in the time of King Clovis I. ''' Following
an old Life of St. Eloquius, Molanus joins with him, St. Foillan, St. Ultan, St. Tressan and other holy companions,^3 as missionaries and contemporaries in France. Were the Tressan there mentioned identical witli the present saint, his period should be assigned to the seventh century. The Bolla—ndist editor. ^** who prepared the Acts of our saint, is angry with the author or, perhaps, the interpolator—of St. Eloquius' Life, for having made Helan, and others there named, contemporaries with Eloquius. 's He thinks it strange, likewise, that Molanus*^ has followed it, as an authority. But, it is certain, that no mistake was committed in drawing up the Acts of Tressan, upon which mainly depends the opinion of these persons, regarding his having flourished in the time of Clovis L. and of St. Remigius.
at the 1 6th of January.
He of royal countenance, most highly gifted, a famed just man, a prudent battle-prop.
The heroic king of heavy blows, even to the sea-shore he won the wage ;
Alas, that the generous Maelfinnia is not a son over the battle of Niali. "
*8 In a note to this passage, Mr. O'Dono-
van says: "Dr. O'Conor adds here two
quatrains more, from a totally different
poem, but as these are not found in the
Dublin copies, and, as they relate to a chief
of Laeighis, not to Maelfinnio, the editor has
p. xiv.
thought proper to omit them, as a blunder
40, 41.
3 The nearest local denomination, I can
find, is that of a townland called Drum- cramph, in the parish of Aghalurchar,
barony of Magherastephana ; while, there is another Drumcramph, in the parish of
Cleenish, and b? rony of Tirkennedy : both are in tlie county of Fermanngh. See those places represented on the "Ordnance Sur- vey Townland Maps for the County of Fer- managh. " Sheets 27, 28.
< See "Proceedings of the Royal Irish
Academy," Irish MSS. series,
i. , pp. 108, 109. According to William M. Hennessv's note appended, Druim Crema has not been identified.
Article vii. —' Edited by Rev, Dr.
Kelly, p. xiv.
» Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
40, 4
of Dr. O'Conors. "
—"Annals of the Four
vol.
i. , part
Masters," vol. i. , pp. 556 to 569 and n. (i),
ibi(^-
<9 In the " Annals of Ulster," at the year
Dccccii. , we read: "Maelfinnid, mac
Flannagan, Rex Breagh, religeosus laicus, mortuus est. "
Article vi. —' Edited
by
Rev. Dr.
Kelly,
1 .
»
Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
We find an almost
February 6. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 375
Article IX. —Festival of a Reputed St. Ronan or Ronanus.
[Supposed to have lived in the Seventh Century. '] With some degree of hesi-
tancy, we place the following notices of Ronan, here, because we find a pre- cedent for such an arrangement in the works of other writers. At the 6th of February, Camerarius' has entered the feast of St. Ronan or Ronanus, who, it is stated, had been mentioned by Venerable Bede. ^ Ronan is said3 to have gone from Scotia into England. He took a leading part in the Paschal con- troversy. We have already referred to this matter, in the Life of St. Finian,* Bishop of Lindisfarne, and Apostle in Northumbria. The Ronan there mentioned, who took a part in opposition to him, regarding the Paschal cele- bration, was a Scot, by birth. Yet, in Gaul, or in Italy, did this Ronan learn the true Roman computation respecting Easter, and in Britain he la- boured strenuously to introduce it. It is said, that the Scottish St. Ronan, after the Synod at Streneshealh was over, retired to Scotland, and lived in one of the Hebride Islands, called Ronan's Isle, at a later period. s Yet, whether the Ronan, who defended the Roman Paschal observance, had been registered among the saints or not, has not been proved to the satisfaction of the Bollandists. ^ Colgan states,^ that the latter had been venerated, at the ist of June. * He cites a Life, which Albertus Magnus Morlaix edited; yet, the Bollandists do not consider, that it proves Ronan to have been en- rolled as a saint. The Ronan, who is mentioned, by Venerable Bede, is said to have died a. d. 778. S This, however, is considered to be a period too late, for the prolongation of his life. '° It seems doubtful, likewise, if the present be identical with a St. Ronan, venerated in the Scottish Calendars, at the 7th day of February.
ArticleX. —St. Merinus,aMonk,inScotland. Somedifficulties are presented, while analyzing statements made, in reference to this holy man,supposedtobeveneratedunderdifferentformsofname. Obscurities have likewise shrouded his history. Thomas Dempster has a notice, at the 6th of February, of a supposed Basilian monk, who came to Scotland, bear- ing the precious relics of St. Andrew, the Aposde and Patron of Scotland. ' This monk is said to have been a man of distinguished piety,* and to have lived at the time, when St. Regulus came from Achaia into Britain. Merinus either followed him when coming, or having found him in Scotland, it is said he laboured to imitate so great a master in the monastic state. 3 Ferrarius, citing a Scottish Martyrology, places his festival at the 6th of February.
But, as the Bollandists cannot find any authority for such a statement,* they
Article ix. —* See "De Statu
Veteris simul ac novae Ecclesise, et Infide-
tomus i. , Februarii vi. , p. 764.
' At the 8th of January,
® To this date, likewise, the reader is re-
hum
sec. 2, p. 143. * '•
lib.
Hominis, rum," i. , pars ii. , cap. iii. ,
Conversione,"
See Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis An-
ferred for further notices.
9 See Camerarius. Also, Bishop Forbes'
"Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 44I.
glorum," lib. iii. , cap. xxv. , p. 233.
3 By Camerarius.
4 See "Lives of the Irish Saints," vol. i. ,
January ix. , Article ii. , S. Finan, chap. i.
5 The gneiss Isle of Rona lies a little to
"
»° See the Bollandists' rum," tomus i. , Februarii vi. et in alios dies rejecti, p. 764.
Acta Sancto- Prsetermissi
"
the north-east off Benbecula, and it belongs cum. " Bishop P'orbes' Kalendars of
to the Skye group. See FuUarton's
Im-
Scottish Saints," p. 191.
"^ See Hector Boetius* ••Historiae Scoto-
rum," lib. vi.
3 Such is the opinion of GeorgeusConseus
in " De Statu Religioso Scotorum," lib. i.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Feb-
perial 57.
Gazetteer of Scotland," vol.
^ See their notices of him, among the saints passed over, and deferred for some other possible day, in the "Acta Sancto-
"
ii. , p.
' Article x. — See
Menologium Scoti- "
376 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [February 7.
defer further notices of him, to the 15th of September, where they sufficiently show, that he was an Irish Saint. 5 To this date, likewise, we prefer reserving more detailed notices regarding him.
Article XL—Reputed Feast of St. Alto, Abbot of Alt-Munster,
IN Bavaria. \Eighth Century. \ A manuscript copy of Florarius has the feast of St. Alto, Confessor, set down at this date ; but, the Bollandists
promise to treat concerning him, at the 9th of February. ^ For a later day. we reserve the particulars of his Acts. =
^ebentt) Bap of jFebruarp^
ARTICLE I. —ST. TRESSAN, OR TRESAN, CONFESSOR, AT AVENAY, FRANCE.
[FIF7H AND SIXTH CENTURIES. }
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION—nationality OF ST. TRESSAN—ACTS AND LIVES—BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF ST. TRESSAN—HE LEAVES IRELAND FOR FRANCE—HIS FIKST HUMBLE OCCUPATION THERE—OPPOSITION TO THE SAINT, AND VINDICATION OF HIS INNOCENCE.
by revealed truth, the mind of man should be
in its
religion, dogmas and tendencies, is essentially spiritual. The Catholic Church is the great and only successful defender of the distinction between spirit and matter. By her teachings and practices she has rendered the soul of man
more spiritual, and consequently more beautiful. ]iy awakening him to a consciousness of the diviner and more ethereal part of his nature, she has
developed in him the instincts of piety and self-culture, which are essentially spiritual, because the soul is ever aspiring to perfection. Njr does the soul discover this until God "hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. " ^
St. Tressan is classed with his brothers and sisters, among the saints of Scotland,byHectorBoetius,^Lesley,3Dempster^andCamerarius. s Avery serious charge is brought against the latter writer, by Colgan, who asserts,
ruariivi. ,p. 765. Heretheyplacehim ArticleI. —ChapterL—*Heb. x. 14.
left to uncertain and weary caprices. The Christian UNENLIGHTENED
among the pretermitted and deferred saints.
5 Among the pretermitted and deferred saints these notices are again to be found, in
their great work, ibid. , tomus v. , Septembris XV. , pp. 2, 3.
Article xl—' See *• Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus i. , Februarii vi. , p. 765. Here, he
is placed among the pretermitted saints,
whose festivals are reserved.
= *•
See Hystorise Scotorum," lib. ix. , p.
158,
3 See " Historia Scotiae," lib. iv. , cap. 2.
^"
See Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Sco-
torum," tomus ii. , lib. xviii. , num. HI2,
"
See his Life at the 5th of September.
609, 610.
s See "De Statu Hominis, veteris simul
ac novae Ecclesiae, et Infidelium Conver- sione," lib. i. , pars ii. , cap. iii. , sect. 2, pp. 143 to 146,
11 13,
pp.
February 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 377
that although Camcnirius had access to an original manuscript, in which Tressan is said to have been a Scot by race, and from t—he island of Hibernia, the latter fact is omitted, with an additional invention wholly unwarranted bytherecord—thathewasbomofhonestandholyparentsinScotia. ^ But, all sensible writers remark, that he was a holy Irish priest. 7
The Acts of Tressan are compiled from a MS. , which belonged to the monastery of St. Remigius, at Rheims.
Colgan thinks it was at least a document old as the tenth century. ^ Flodoard, a writer, who lived in that century, treats of this holy man and of his brothers, in the history of Rheims. 9 He seems also, to have read these Acts. Besides, an office of this saint, printed a. d. 1600, one Petrus Viellius compiled a Life of St. Tressan. Another was written in French, by Renatus, a Benedictine. Guilielmus Diviatius, a Regular Canon, seems to have compiled a separate Life, for the
work of Nicholas Belfortius. The Bollandists had another copy ; while, Camerarius procured one from the monastery of St. Remigius, at Rheims. '° St. Tressan's old Life is included in Colgan's work," and this is followed by
anappendix,comprisingthreechapters. '^ TheBollandistsprecedetheActs of St. Tressan, in sixteen paragraphs, with a historic commentary of eight paragraphs. ^3 Various other authorities have reference to this holy man. In the Circle of the Seasons'^ and in Rev. Alban Butler's Lives of the
Saints,'s we find mentioned St. Tresain, a priest, at February the 7th. He is also duly noticed, by Rev. S. Baring-Gould. '^
St. Tressan had six holy brothers, viz. : Saints Gibrian,^" Helnn,^^ German,'9 Veran,^° Aleran,^' Petran,'^^ and three sibters,^3 Fracla, Promptia, and Posemna. ^4 All of these were very devout persons, who despised the
things of earth, that they might aspire only to those of Heaven. ^s Elsewhere, the names of those brothers and sisters are spelled in a different manner.
'^^
They are mentioned, also, by Flodoard.
where Tressan heard the voice of God proclaiming to him these words, formerlyaddressedtoAbraham•? ^ "Goforthoutofthycountry,andfrom
^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernige," vii.
Februarii. Appendix ad Vitam S. Tressani,
cap. i. , p. 274.
^ See Rev. Alban Butler's " Lives of the
tomus vi. , vii. Feb. De S. Tresano Presby- tero, Aveniaci in Campania Gallica, pp. 52 to 55.
"» See p. 38.
'^ vol. Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal See
Saints," vol. ii. , February vii.
"See **Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," vii.
Februarii. Vita S. Tressani, n. i, p. 273,
and Appendix, cap. i. , p. 274.
' Allusion is made to this manuscript,
also, by Sir Thomas buffus Hardy, vi^ho thus describes it, Vita S. Tresani, Presby- teri, ex Hibernia, ad an. circiter 550. Ex
"
'^
ii,, Februaryvii.
See "Lives of the Saints," vol. ii. ,
'° See notices of him at the 3rd of De- MS. Monast. Sancti Remigii. See De- cember.
scriptive Catalogue of Materials relating to the History of Great Britain and Ireland,"
vol. i. , part i. , p. 127.
"Seethe Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
His feast day does not seem to be
tomus ii. , Februarii vii. De S. Tresano. known.
"
" This has been re-issued and corrected nise," vii. Februarii. Vita S. Tressani,
Commentarius historicus, num. i, 3, p. 53.
*»
See Colgan's
Sanctorum Hiber-
by the Bollandists, who complain that it abounds in errors committed by the copyist
and by the printer
" See •' Acta Sanctorum Hibemiae," vii.
=** " Februarii. Vita S. Tressani Confessoris, In
pp. 271 to 275. ix. *3 See •• Acta Sanctorum Februarii,"
They were natives of Hibernia,
February vii. , pp. 192, 193.
'^ See his Life at the 8th of May.
^^
See notices of him at the 7th of Oc- tober.
'« See some notes regarding him at the 30th of Jmy and at the 3rd of 1 December,
"' known.
=^
His festival is not known.
'3 Their feast days do not appear to be
Acta
cap. i. , p. 271.
"s The copy of our saint's Acts, published
by Colgan and by the Bollandists, have a
few immaterial discrepancies at this passage.
Hisioria Rhemensis,'' lib. iv. , cap. =*' See Genesis, xii. i.
378 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS, [February 7.
thy kindred, and out of thy father's house, and come into the land, which I shall show thee. " Afterwards, Tressan sought a secret place for his dwell- ing, where he might more freely serve God in solitude ; but, whether this was in Ireland, or in France, his Acts do not render sufficiently plain.
Suspicions are entertained by Colgan,^^ that the present saint, his brothers and sisters were the children^9 of a certain Goill or Gallus. It is mentioned,
in the Life of St. Ailbhe,3° that when returning from Rome to Hibernia, he left some of his disciples, the sons of Guill, in a monastery he had erected in Gaul. 3» Now, the time is thought well to accord ; for, St. Ailbhe was a contemporary with St. Patrick, and he is calculated to have lived, from a. d. 450 to 520. He was also contemporaneous with St. Tressan, his brothers and sisters. These holy persons, too, settled in Gaul. Another circum- stance is somewhat remarkable; for, one of these brothers was named German, and we actually have a German, son of Gaill or Goill, noticed in ourCalendars. 32 Yet,althoughthosebrothersandsistersweredistinguished for their sanctity, all are not noticed separately, in our Irish Martyrologies.
Wishing to lead the life of a pilgim, Tressan went to France, taking
along with him six brothers and three sisters,33 whose names have been
already given. But, being simple-minded and ignorant to a degree, this pious man was regarded as an idiot ; and, when resolved to earn his liveli-
hood, by some kind of menial service, he retired to a village, supposed to be Murigny, in the Duchy of Rheims, on the banks of the River Marne. 34 Here, a native of the place, finding him to be an Irishman born, and quite ignorant of the Frankish language, set him to the humble occupation of tending swine. According to Sigebert's chronicle, Tressan was in France A. D. 509 35 Faithful to his charge, and mindful of the Apostolic mandate, "Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear," 36 the lowly swine- herd carefully governed all the movements of his soul. This happened, it is stated, while St. Remigius lived in that part of the country. 37
The period of the present holy man, ot his brothers, and of his sisters, is usually assigned to the close of the fifth, 3^ or towards the beginning of the sixth, century. The date for their births probably fell within the former age. 39 In one passage,'»° St. Tressan is said to have had for his companions, Veran, German and Floquius, who were, likewise, the disciples of St. Fursey,
'^ See "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae," vii.
Februarii. Appendix ad Vitana S. Tressani,
cap. iii. , pp. 274, 275.
=9 These are alluded to, in our Irish Ca-
lendars.
^ See his Life, at the I2ih of September. 3*Thisisrelatedinthesixteenthchapter
of his Life.
3» At the 30th of July, as may be seen at
patre D. G. Paruo doctore theologico, confessore regio : nunc primum in lucem
emissum, cum privilegio," fol. 23. This edition was published m Paris by Henricus
Stephanus, on the Calends of June, 1513, as a colophon states, 4to small.
36Seei. Peterii. 18.
3? See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum,"
tomus ii. , Februarii vii. De S. Tresano
that date, the Martyrologies of Tallagh and Presbytero, &c, cap. i. , ii. , iii. , iv. , pp.
33 See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's Lives of
properly it should be Matrona.
35 " Gibrianus Scoius cum fratribus et
Sigeberti
of Marianus O'Gorman have such a record.
" *'
the Saints," vol. ii. , February vii. , p. 192.
3^ In the Acts it is called Materna—more 3'
great
error has been committed a by
peregrinatus
114$.
4°
—vrbe Re- :
sororibus in Gallia
mensem vita et morte illustrat. "
Gemblacensis Coenobita; "Chronicon ab at the 3rd of December, as found in Miraeus anno 381 ad 1113, cum insertionibus ex
Historia Galfridi et additionibus Roberti
Abbatis Montis centum et tres sequentes
annos complectentibus, promovente egregio
53, 54.
38 Vernerus, In Fasciculo Temporum,"
A
continuator of Sigebertus Gemblacensis, when making these saints to flourish a. d.
has their period at 494.
Taken from the Life of St. Eloquius,
and Molanus.
^' See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernia, ;
Appendix ad Acta S. Furssei, cap. vi. , p. 96.
February 7. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS 379
Abbot of Laguy. ^^ Yet, this is clearly inconsistent with a statement after- wards made, that they flourished in the time of King Clovis I. ''' Following
an old Life of St. Eloquius, Molanus joins with him, St. Foillan, St. Ultan, St. Tressan and other holy companions,^3 as missionaries and contemporaries in France. Were the Tressan there mentioned identical witli the present saint, his period should be assigned to the seventh century. The Bolla—ndist editor. ^** who prepared the Acts of our saint, is angry with the author or, perhaps, the interpolator—of St. Eloquius' Life, for having made Helan, and others there named, contemporaries with Eloquius. 's He thinks it strange, likewise, that Molanus*^ has followed it, as an authority. But, it is certain, that no mistake was committed in drawing up the Acts of Tressan, upon which mainly depends the opinion of these persons, regarding his having flourished in the time of Clovis L. and of St. Remigius.
