No More Learning

" See Dean " Church of Cressy's History
Brittany" book x. , chap. xxiv. , pp. 223 to 225. 13 See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and
after-ages
their Education in all learned sciences. Who would have thought to have found Helicon amongst the Bogs, as indeed it was at that
See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii
De S. Petroco Abbate, in Cornubia time? "
—"The of the Worthies of History
iv.
Britannioe Provincia, pp. 399 to 402.
England :" endeavoured by Thomas Fuller,
D. D. , first printed in 1662. A new edition
with a few explanatory Notes, by John Nichols, F. S. A. , Lond. , Edinb. & Perth,
other principal Saints," vol. v. , June iv. 14 "
" Petrocus
it, genere
See Vies des Saints," tome vi. , ive. Jour de Juin, pp. 401, 402.
I9 There we have Camber. " See vol. viii. , p. 52.
15 See " Lives of the Saints," vol. v. , June 4> P- 35*
20 In the Itinerary of William of Worces- ter, it is stated: "Sanctus Petrocus, rex patriae Cumborum id est partis borialis regni
16
17 This writer
See Father Godefrid Henschen's n. (a). quaintly adds, "according
Anglise," p. 101. 2I See Borlase's
of
"History Cornwall,'
vol. ii.
The Worthies of Wales Generall,
p. 563. l8 See
of the Institution of Royal
"Journal
Cornwall, 1868," No. ix. , Chronicles of Cor- nish Saints, No. ii. , S. Petrock.
II
ii4 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 4.
In consequence of this resolution, he retired from the world. He left the
royal inheritance to his younger brother. 23 A hermit, who lived in a very
holymanner,hadbeenatfirst aninhabitantofBosmanach. Hisnamehas
been Latinized Guronus. 2* This solitary, named also St. Gorran, or Guron,25
had an humble abode in a small hut, which he left to St. Petroc. 26 It is stated,
that he lived in a valley. He settled afterwards, most probably in Gorran
parish, perhaps, at Polgorran, or Gorran's Pool, a little northwards from the
2 28
church. ? It is said, that St. Petrock professed a monastic life, under the
Rule ofSt. Bennet,2? at Bodmin, then called Brosmana, that is, the "mansion oftheMonks. ''3° Withsixtyothercompanions,St. Petrocembracedamonas-
tic life, in his native country. There, he remained, for some years ; yet, it is not known, where that monastery, in which he dwelt, had been located. After the lapse of those years, he left his hermitage, resolved on going else- where to study theology. When St. Petrock reached the age of an adult, 31 with favouring winds he passed over into Ireland, there to improve himself in theknowledgeofHolyScripture. Helefttheshipinaharbour,whereitsafely remained. 32 Several excellent Masters then flourished, in that Island. Here, he became a great proficient in Sacred Letters, "reading good Authors there,"35andinthescienceofthesaintsheadvancedtoperfection. Inturn, he became a teacher. It is said, St. Finian ? 4 had previously spent thirty years of his life in Britain ; and, when returning to his native land, that he was accompanied, by many British Christians, who were afterwards held in great veneration for their sanctity, by the Church in Ireland. As the time of his return corresponds with the time of Petrock's migration to Ireland, we may suppose, that our saint was one of the companions of that Finian alluded to, or, at all events, that he was attracted to our Island by him, there to pursue his studies under such guidance, at Clonard, in Meath. This was the most famous school in the Island, established at that time. It was founded by St. Finian, about a. d. 520. This institution soon became a kind of university, for the whole country. The fame of the founder's good works, it is said, drew many great men to him from divers parts of the land, as to an admirable sanctuary ofallwisdom. TheydesiredtolearninhisschoolthesacredScripturesand theecclesiasticalinstitutes. 35 ThemonasteryatClonard,atthattime,boasted of many teachers and students. These were famous, in their generation, for sanctity and learning. It is said, that no less than 3,000 scholars studied there, during the course of St. Finian's presidency. 36 The account in the old
sect, i. , p. 380.
3° We know, that a conventual establish- ment, which was associated with his name, existed in subsequent times, near the site of thepresentparishchurch. Perhaps,wemay conjecture, that the scene of his retirement must have been at that place. Besides the copious fountain, which still flows in that
33
John of Tinmouth, in the Bollandists' '"Acta Sanctorum,"tomusi. ,Juniiiv. ,p. 400.
23 This is stated in William of Worcester's
Itinerary, p. 101.
24 See John Leland's " Commentarii de
See the Life of our saint, attributed to
Scriptoribus Britannicis," tomus i. , cap. pleasant valley, we may picture to ourselves
xxxv. , p. 61.
25 He is probably the same as St. Guier,
or Guerir, to whom a church was formerly dedicated, in Cornwall, not far from Padstow.
" De
the young recluse, deepening his religious ardour by devotion, and acquiring day by day a firmer establishment, in the love of our Lord.
3I See Leland's "Commentarii de John
26 See Lelandi Joannis
Antiquarii
Rebus Britannicis Collectanea," vol. i. , p. 75. Scriptoribus Britannicis," tomus i. , cap.
37 The parish seems to have derived its denomination from him. See Whitaker's "Cathedrals of Cornwall," vol. i. , p. 36.
38 By Dugdale.
=9 We are told, that the Monks followed this Rule, until the time of Athelstan. The rule of St. Bennet, however, was not known in Cornwall, so early as the sixth century.
xxxv. , p. 61.
3a According to the narrative of John of
Tinmouth.
» See Dr. Thomas Fuller's "History of
the Worthies of England," vol. ii. , p. 563. M This saint is venerated at the 23rd of February, where in the Second Volume of
this work, at that date, Art. ix. , some no-
June 4. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 115
Life of St. Petrock states, that he studied twenty years in Ireland. 37 St. Petrock's character and reputation were soon well established there. In the Life of St. Coemgen,38 one of the most illustrious among the Irish Saints, we read, that his parents, who were Christians and of princely birth in Lein- ster, committed their son to St. Petrock for instruction. Then Coemgen was only seven years of age, and he remained with that master for five years. The selection, therefore, of Petrock, to be the teacher of such a pupil, stamps him as a man of mark, and as a most capable instructor, among his contemporaries in Ireland, It seems most probable, that Petrock lived chiefly, in the pro- vinces of Meath and of Leinster, while sojourning in our Island. At length, having attained a lengthened experience, our saint resolved on returning to Britain, and several disciples were ready to accompany him, from Ireland. Having with great care and diligence laid up in Hibernia a good store of Divine wisdom and learning, St. Petrock went to where his bark remained, and thence he returned to Britain, after a favourable passage. There he desired to impart like treasures to his countrymen, 39 as those he had received in our Island. Great calamities had befallen his native land, during Petrock's long absence. Saxon armies had well nigh quenched the independence of the British chiefs. The invading hordes ravaged the country, from the banks of the Tweed, to the borders of Dartmoor.
renowned Arthur 4 ° King
kept
the
pagan
hosts at
bay,
and in some he degree
restoredthesupremacyofBritishpower. Thisherohaddeparted,however,
1
and his successor, Constantine II. ,* was obliged to wage war, with the two
sonsofMordred. Thesenowclaimedthethrone,andtheyhadinducedthe Saxon invaders to espouse their cause. Still, the stronghold of British power,
Cornwall, was beset, and invaded on all sides, by the foe. During his long residence in our Island, Petrock had seen the great value of monastic institu- tions there. St. Patrick's famous establishment at Armagh, as well as St. Finian's at Clonard, must have been examples to him of their wonderful power and success. Having disembarked, with those disciples, who accom- panied him from Ireland, he was asked by certain reapers to procure water to assuage their thirst/2 Before the barbarians, who lived in that part of the country, where they landed, he struck the living rock with his staff, and im- mediately, a clear stream of pure water began to flow. 43 The pagans no less than the Christians surrounding him admired the wonders of God's mercy in this miracle. When returning to his native country, with a band of fellow- labourers, Petrock's object was to establish a Monastery in Cornwall.
Inquiring of these people there, if any Christian remained in the province, they told him of one Sampson,44 who dwelt in a hermitage, not far distant, and
tice of him will be found. However, we shall treat of him more in detail, at the 1 2th of December, which is regarded as his chief festival.
3S See his Life in this volume, at the pre- vious day, June 3rd, Art. i.
"
39 See John Leland's
Scriptoribus Britannicis, tomus i. , cap.
De 61. Petroco, p.
" Acta Sanctorum Iliber-
35 See
niae," xxiii. Februarii. Vita S. Finniani sen Finenni Abbatis Cluain-Eraird, cap. xix. ,
xxxv. ,
4° He was son of Uthur
p. 395-
30 From the
Hymn
"Ad
in the
Laudes," Warrington's
"
of
Wales,"
vol.
Colgan's
office of St. Finian
Book
4I See Charles Wilkins' "Wales, Past and
Present," chap, x. , p. 61.
42 Jam loca ilia occupaverat Saxo, Britan-
nosque inde fugaverat ; vel qui cum Parto
nuper, vel qui cum Cerdicio venerat prius unde sequitur in Capgravio ; Egressis de
—
" Trium virorum millium
Flistory
i. ,
:
ii. , pp. 104
to 1 18.
Sorte fit doctor humilis ; Verbi his fudit fluvium, Ut fons emanens rivulis. "
—ibid. , p. 401.
37 "
Thus, —Petrocus 20 annis studuit in
;
Hibernia. " vol. viii. . p. 52.
Leland's "
messo—res illic
discipulis, operantes
John
Itinerary,"
nave
amare illis locuti sunt.
" Alford's " Annales
It is true, during many years, the
and his eventful reign, from A. D. 517 to a. d. 542, will be found related in the Rev. William
"
Commentarii de
Pendragon,
it6 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [June 4-
who was in great repute, for his zeal and sanctity. 45 Here he lived, as a soli-
tary, in great abstinence, labour, watching and prayer, for many years. He used only barley bread for his subsistence. Petrock had a great desire to
visit this neighbour, and to have the happiness of holding a spiritual confer- ence with him. Our saint also wrought a miracle on his behalf. We gather fromthememoirs,thatSampson*6 wasmuchaddictedtothelifeofarecluse; and, there is local evidence, confirmatory of this incidental mention, regard- ing his residence in Cornwall. *? Petrock betook himself to St. Sampson's hermitage, where he found that holy man living, in great poverty. He was labouring with his own hands, in an adjoining field. Giving and receiving the kiss of peace, when they were about to part, Petrock had resolved on settling somewhere in the neighbourhood, with his disciples. It has been sup- posed,48 that Coemgen *9 accompanied Petrock, and that he is the saint from whomtheChurchofKeverneinCornwalltakesitsetymon. Thename,in fact, is sometimes written " Keivin. " Leland 5 ° and Whitaker 5I assert, that the patron was identical with Piran ; but, Dr. Borlase 52 argues, that he must have been a different person, and, chiefly on the ground, that different parents are ascribed to them. " Many Irish disciples, illustrious for learning and sanctity, were associated with Petrock's arduous work. Among these, the names of only three have been handed down. They were Credanus, Medanus, and Dachanus. 54 It seems very likely, they were natives of Ireland. In a brief memoir of" Dechanus" or " Deganus," Colgan states, 55 that he was born at the end of the sixth century, within the borders ofLagenia, in the east of Ireland,thathewasamanofhighrepute,first asanAbbot,andafterwards as a Bishop, in Ireland, and that he was a nephew of Coemgen, St. Petrock's pupil. 56 In order to effect the good work he meditated, Petrock settled in Cornwall. His residence is said to have been fixed some miles off the Severn Sea, and at a place, then named Loderic,57 or Laffenac. 58 It stood, on the
North Sea, and at the mouth of a river. Ecclesise Anglo-Saxonicse," vol. ii. , p. 10.
That locality was called the Heile-
48 By the Rev. John Adams.
4' See his Life, at the previous day, Art. i.
"
hodicrnum diem manare non desinit. "
"
Quassitus hac laboriosa scientise thesaurus cura, tandum est inuen- tus : qui jam ne deliteret, inventor Hiber- nicas gazas in Coriniam seu Cornubia—m
transtulit, et videndas omnibus exhibuit. "
"
Scriptorum Illustrium MajorisBritannice," &c, Centuaria Prima, num. xl. , p. 56.
44 In the opinion of Alford, this Sampson was, no doubt, the famous disciple of St. Iltutus, who became Bishop of Menevia, and who afterwards presided over the See of
"
Dol, in Brittany. See
tannica, sive Annales Ecclesise Britannicoe," tomus i , a. d. 505, num. 3.
43 John of Tinmouth adds,
et usque in
5° See Leland's " vol. Itinerary,"
John Bale says:
p. 24.
5 ' See Whitaker's " Cathedral of Corn-
wall," vol. ii. , p. 10.
52 See William Borlase's History of
Cornwall," vol. i. , Book iv. , chap, xi. , p. 388.
53 He adds, also, that in Domesday, Per- ranzabulse is called Lanpiran ; whereas St. Keverne is called Lannachebran, i. e. , Lan-a- Chebran, the Church of Chebran. There were formerly considerable ruins to be seen, near the parish church of St. Keverne, at a place, called Tregonin. According to tradi- tion, these were the remains of an old chapel
45
he was "nedans le South-Wale. " "His-
toire de Bretagne," tome i. , liv. i. , sect. xxxii , p. 10.
40 His feast occurs, at the 28th of July, where notices of him maybe found.
47 The parish of Golant, in ancient times, was called by his name. There was formerly
an old chapel, called St. Sampson, standing on the spot, now occupied by Place House, at Padstow. This chapel was no doubt built on the site of his Oratory, and it was pro- bably that spot to which Petrock had been
directed, by the Saxon pirates.
54
at Bodmin. " Extat Petroburgi libellus de
SepulturA sanctorum An^lorum ; ex quo
liquet Credanum, MeJanum, et Dackunum, viros sanctitate vitre illustreis, et Petr—oci im\' tatores, Bosmanach fuisse sepultos. " Corn- mentarii de Scriptoribus Britannicis, tomus i. , cap. xxxv. , De Tetroco, p. 61.
55 See "Acta Sanctorum Hibernue,"
Martii xii. De S. Degano, Abbate et Epis-
cop. cap. i. , p. 584.
s« John Bale states
Fides Regia Bri-
toDomGuiAlexis— and According Lobineau, prioiy.
Leland tells us, that they were all buried
" In coenobio uero apostolici ordinis, quod in Cornubia aliquot
:
"
iii. ,
June 4. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 117
muth,byRogerWendover; and,byWilliamofMalrnsbury,itisnamedthe
Hegelmith. 5^
Petrock is said to have built a monastery, on the north coast
about a. d.
Cornwall,
520.
60 For St. Petrock is stated to have thirty years,
of
lived, where he had selected the site for his religious establishment, in inno- cence and seclusion. He crucified the flesh, by remaining immersed in cold water,duringaconsiderablepartofthenight; hisfastingandabstinencewere so rigorous, that he only permitted himself to eat a morsel of bread for his meals ; he was incessant in vigil and prayer : solely on the day of the Lord's Resurrection would he take some pulse, as a refreshment, and in honour of thatgreatfestival. Thisholymanissupposedtohaveoccupiedahermitage,
City of Jerusalem.
and to have lived a monastic life, under the rule of St. Benedict at Bodmina,
in the at Bodmin. 61 We are valley
informed,
that St. Petrock had resolved
on avisit toRome 2
making f although, first, disciples sought
at his todis- suade him from this purpose, as the weather seemed to be foul and stormy. But, Petrock promised, that the day following should prove more favourable. However, his hopes were frustrated, and he began to think the Almighty had deemed him presumptuous ; but, on the third day, the tempest abated, and he set out on his journey, with an assured conscience. Following the me- moir, attributed to John of Tinmouth, Capgrave and Ussher place this visit to Rome, after Petrock had returned to Cornwall, and had spent thirty years
passuum millibus a Sabrino littore redificabat,
discipulos habuit, Credanum, Medanum, et Dachanum—, uiros doctrina et uitae sanctiiate
the Monks. "—Borlase's " History of Corn-
wall," vol. i. , Book iv. , chap, xi. , sect, i. ,
illustres. " " Illustrium Scriptorum
P- 379-
Majoris Britanniae," &c. Centuaria Prima, num. lx. ,
59
See " De Primordiis, Ussher,
cap.
p. 56.
57 This is rendered '* the Creek of Rob-
bers," by Borlase.
58
See Sir William Dugdale's Monasti-
"Laffenac, quasi Lan-manach, the nicis Collectanea," vol. i. , p. 75. Editio Church of the Monks ; as Bodvenah (now Altera, with the preface, notes and Tndex of Bodman) from Bodmanach, the House of Thomas Hearn.
xvii. , p. 1014.
60 "
con Anglicanum," vol. ii. , p. 459.
61 See John Leland's " De Rebvs Biilan-
118 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
[June 4.
there. 63 When he arrived in Rome, his great consolation was to visit the holy places. The old writers of St. Petrock's Acts speak also of his making
a
to 6* at the same time of when he had accom- pilgrimage Jerusalem, life,
plishedhisjourneytoRome. Hisdeepestreflectionsandwarmestreligious
sympathies in Palestine were profoundly and most sensitively moved ; for, when he visited the sepulchre of our Divine Lord, pouring forth the most fervent prayers, he burst into tears. Thence, he is said to have travelled to India, where encountering great dangers, in crossing rivers, and from the plots of robbers, he came at last to the extreme Eastern Ocean. There, over- come with fatigue, he lay down on the shore, and soon he fell into a pro- found sleep. On awaking, according to the Legend of his Life, Petrock saw a vessel approaching him from the sea, and it was all lightsome within, but it could only contain a single person. However, with great confidence in God, he went on board, when without oar or boatman, the sea wafted it onwards and towards an Island. Here he landed, and led the life of a contemplative, apportioning certain hours to prayer. It is said, that when he reached that part of Indians he spent seven years on the solitary Island already mentioned. During all that time, he fed only on a single fish ; but, when this period had elapsed, and while in his sleep, an angelic vision warned him, that the vessel on which he came was now to take him 66 the narra-
ready away. However,
tive of this remote journey is so blended with improbable and supernatural stories, that nothing historical can be deduced from it, besides the fact, that he was absent a long time, and that he travelled beyond Palestine. Having obeyed the direction of Heaven, and finding all things prepared for his voyage homewards, the holy man directed his course to Western Britain. At the time of Petrock's return, that country, in the immediate neighbourhood of Padstow,6? seems to have been in the hands of pirates. It is stated, more- over, that serpents and noxious animals infested the lakes and places, in that part of the country. By his miraculous gifts, Petrock succeeded in banishing the last of those pests beyond the seas. According to some accounts, our or a of Britain. 6?
saint flourished a. d. 68 under 560,
Maglocum, Malgon, King
Taking twelve companions with him to a solitary place, where no water was
to be found, Petrock struck the ground with his baculus, and water was pro-
duced from the earth. He there founded a college or monastery of the
Apostolic Order. From him, this place was afterwards called Petrockstow,
which has been contracted to Padstow ;'° although, Borlase thinks Padstow,
to have have been so called by the Saxons—from St. Patrick—viz. , Patrick-
12 stow. ? About this period, Tendurus, or as also called Theodoras,? and
Constantine,? 3 were chieftains of renown, in Cornwall. Rapacious bands hovered about the fords of the Tamar, and piratical ships kept the coasts in
62 The ancient Life quoted by John Leland
the year m. dc. xlviii. , Cent, i. , Book i. , sect. II, p. 42.
states,
"
Petrocus Romam prfiit"
63 it is
However, altogether
£6
more
ble, that Pel rock should have undertaken this long journey in middle life, and soon after his withdrawal from Ireland, than in his old
ofTinmouth'sLifenddsthisdirec-
prob. i-
in Corn-
John
from the Angel :
''
liqueras, assistentr-m lupum reperies. quern
"
was called by the Saxons Petrockstow; but by the Britons Bodmanna—.
that is the Habitation of the Monks. " allusion to this narrative, "are Enst Indies William Borlase's "History of Corn-
andafter a
age, thirty years' sojourn
tibi Dominus
vium, donee notas in paites pervenias. "
" Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Junii iv. Vita suspecta auctore Joanne Tinmouthensi, ex MS. et Capgravio, sect, iv. , p. 401.
wall, whenhemusthavebeenseventyyearsold. 64 The accompanying illustration, drawn on the wood by William F. Wakeman, and engraved by Mrs. Millard, presents a view of this celebrated city, from without its
walls.
6; This town
05 "All far countries," says Fuller, in
—"Church of History
Book
to ignorant people. "
Britain ; from the Birth of Jesus Christ, until
wall," p. 381.
vol.
i. ,
iv.