It is stated, that there were two saints,
respectively
named Swibert, and that both were Englishmen.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v3
Encouraged by his example and emulating his piety, while cultivating their natural mental faculties.
Almighty God was pleased to reserve them for a career of further usefulness, when returning once more to their native Isle beyond the waves.
ing illustration was drawn on the wood by
William F. Wakeman, and engraved by
" ,
"O. k. i.
tTop IcaI-aiito mi]' niA]\CA, riic mo|\'DA f|\iA figuioe, SenAn, moinent), ITlyye, OAbi"6 Chille muine.
On the Kalends of the month of
March,
Not proud to be invoked ;
Senan, Moinend, Myse (Moyes), David of Kilmunney.
George A. Hanion.
*' See, Harris' Ware, vol. ii.
Antiqui- ties of Ireland," chap, xxxviii. , p. 262. For a fuller account, the reader is referred to
Archdall's "Monasticon Hibernicum," pp.
317 to 321.
*' See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap, xix. , p. 497.
5° See "Letters containing Information, relating to the Antiquities of the County of Wexford," vol. i. 1. 0. S.
5' So early as the eighth century the vene- ration for St. David was well established in Ireland. The following Irish stanza, and its English translation, have been obligingly furnished by Professor O'Looney, from the copy of the "Feilire" of St. . ^ngus the Culdee, contained in the "Leabhar Breac :"—
The Moyses here noticed seems to have been the great Legislator and Leader of the Jews,
and whose festival "
*'
Moyses hominis Dei
Hence, in life, St. David
depositio is marked, at this date, in a Lsetiensian MS. His chief feast is held on the 4th of September. See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii i. Among the pretermitted Saints, p. 4.
5= In the Trinity College, Dublin, MS. , ClassedE. 3. 8. , wefindanotice,DeVita David Menevensis.
54 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March i.
was honoured and venerated by some of our most distinguished saints, and it is only just, therefore, when he has passed from Hfe to the happiness of
immortahty, that in our Island, as within his specially privileged principality, the name of this great and good bishop should be well remembered and in-
voked. Throughhisministry,blessingsdescendedonourforefathers,andso may his protection secure other spiritual favours for those people, who have
adopted him as their special patron.
Article II. —St. Swibert or Suitbert, Bishop, and Apostle of the Prisons and of the Boructuarians. \Sevetith and Eighth Ce? ituries. '\ Our illustrious national hagiologist, Father John Colgan, in presenting the
how in accordance with the
number, several holy missionaries went from Ireland to evangelize distant nations, in bands of twelve. This peculiarity of blessed adventure, he illustrates by many examples and incidents, recorded in our ecclesiastical Annals. =^ It was the fortune of St. or Suidbert to
glorious Swibert, Suitbert,
travel abroad in such holy companionship, and to unite his labours with truly great men. This celebrated missionary was born, sometime in the seventh century. The most authentic particulars, regarding him, are to be found written,bytheVenerableBede. 3 TheBollandistshavepublishedActsof St. Suibert, at the ist of March, and these are very complete, so far as the obscurities of early history permit their elucidation. ^ It is said, the actions of this holy missionary had been early recorded by the companion of his labours, the priest St. Marcellinus, and by St. Lutger, the first bishop of Munster. Mirseusthoughtsomemodernadditionshadbeenunauthorizedly made to the narrative of St. Marcellinus, and he expresses a hope that more genuine Acts should be found in old codices and published. Much more might be added to the present narrative, if we could rely upon the account of this saint's life, published under the name of Marcellinus, who, it is pre- tended, was Marchelm, a disciple or colleague of our saint. Modern critics are of opinion, however, that a pretended biography of Marcellinus was com- piled by an impostor, and that it was a forgery of the fifteenth century. s Not suspecting its authenticity, Surius has included it, in his Acts of the Saints. ^ Other modern writers, likewise, have too readily adopted the said statements of Marcellinus, as being genuinely contemporaneous records regarding St. Suit- bert. Among those may be noticed Dean Cressy. 7 Nor are the Acts,^
Acts of this "^ has saint,
remarked,
Apostolic
Article il—'See "Acta Sanctonim Hibernise," Martii i. De S. Suitberto Epis- copo Tiesterbandise Apostolo, pp. 433 to 437.
^
Ang- lorum," lib. v. , cap. x. , xi. , pp. 257 to 260. See that edition, published with notes and various readings, in the " Monumenta Histo- rica Britannica," or Materials for the His- tory of Britain, from the earliest period to
the end of the Reign of King Henry VII. , vol. i. Extending to the Norman Conquest. This work, so very valuable for purposes of historic enquiry, was at first prepared and
illustrated, with notes, by Henry Petrie,
Thomas Duffus Hardy, and it was published by command of her Majesty, in line large folio, A. D. MDCCCXLViiT.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii i. De S. Suiberto Episcopo Friso-
num et Boru9tuariorum Apostolo Ctesaris- Werda; ad Rhenum. Commentarius histo-
i-icus, viii. sections and 65 paragraphs, Avitli
St. Radbod's Sermon and " Car- Allegoric
men," relating to St. Suibertus. See pp. 67 to 86.
s Colgan and the Bollandists take care to
point out the self-contradictions and anachro-
"
nisms in this Life. See Acta Sanctorum
Hibemias," Martii i. De S. Suitberto Epis- copo, &c. , n, 3, p. 436. Also, "Acta
Seeibid. , n. 2,p. 436.
3 See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentts
the Rev.
* See"DeProbatisSanctorum
assisted
Sharpe, B. A. It is ably edited by Sir tomus ii. , Martius i. Vita S. Suiberti, Wcr-
Esq. , F. S. A. ,
by
John
Historiis,"
De S. Suiberto Episcopo, sect, ii. , iii. , iv. , pp. 70
Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii i. to 75.
densis Ecclesice primi Episcopi et Confesso-
ris Saxonum Frisiorumque Apostoli: Scripta a B. Marcellino presbytero. This Life is
'
March i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 55 ascribed to St. Lutger,9 more authentic. By several authors and in their
St. Suitbert is to be found commemorated. in the old " Thus,
^°
works,
torie plurimorum Sanctorum,"
Albertus Miragus," as also in the " Acta Sanctorum Belgii," appear the Acts of
preceded by a Prologue of the writer, ad- dressed to Gregory, Bishop of Utrecht ; and, it contains 32 chapters. See, pp. 5 to 28.
7 See his " Church History of Brittany,"
16 to 18.
book
xxii,, chap, ii. , pp. 556, 557.
'° His feast
occurs,
at the
of
30th April.
^ will be found in These, too,
*' He was of
Bishop Utrecht,
Surius, "De Probatis Sanctorum Historiis," tomus
and he died A. D. 917 or 918. See Rev, Alban
''
Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol, iii. , March i. , and vol, xi, , November xxix. At the last date, he is commemorated in the Calendars.
'^
Tacitus, Pliny and Ptolemy have re- spectively accounts of this ancient people.
^3 The Boructuarii are said frequently to have changed their settlements. At one time, they dwelt between the Rivers Rhine and'Weser ; again, they lived between the Lyppe and Ems Rivers, and afterwards be- tween Cologne and Hesse. See the BoUan- dists'"ActaSanctorum,"tomusi. , Martii i, De S, Suitberto Episcopo, sect, i,, num, l» 9, PP- 67, 70-
^•* See Bishop Challenor's "Britannia Sancta," part i,
^s According to Marcellinus, our saint was of noble birth, his father being Sigebert, Count of Nortingram, and his mother Berta was also of a distinguished race. See Surius' " De Probatis Sanctorum Historiis," tomus ii. , Martius i. Vita, cap. i. , p, 7,
ii. , Martius i. They appear, in the shape of an Epistle to Rixfrid, the seventh Bishop of Utrecht, and in response to his request. They are given, with a Preface, in 12 chapters. See pp. 28 to 40.
9 His festival has been assigned to the
26th of March ; and there, too, Surius has
published his Life, which professes to have been written by monks of the Monastery at
Verden, who were almost his contempora-
ries. Besides two respective Prologues, the First Book contains 35 chapters, and the
Second Book has 9 chapters. See ibid. , pp. 412 to 436. Lutger lived contemporaneously with the Emperor Charlemagne.
"* There he is called St, Suebertus, Con- fessor. See fol. xxxiiii. , xxxv.
" See " In Natalibus Sanctorum Belgii. "
" See " In Fastis Belgicis. "
'3 See vol. vi. , pp. 152 to 196. The matter is all to be found in the Bollandist collection.
'» See Baillet's " Les Vies des Saints,"
Butler's
Tome 8 to ii. i. , pp.
himfrom
called
Hys- as also in the works of John Molanus," and of
St. Suidbert, Bishop and Apostle of the Prisons, and of the Boructuarii, at the istof March. '3 At this samedate,wefind mentioned, by AdrienBaillet, St. Swid- bertorSwibert,aregionaryBishopandtheApostleofFrise. ^* TheRt. Rev.
Bishop Challenor,^5 Rev. Alban Butler,^^ and Rev. S, Baring-Gould'? have notices of his life and labours. The Irish Cistercian Monk ranks him among
the Irish Saints, as a Bishop and a Confessor. '^
He is also designated the
the ^° A younger.
to
sermon on St, Suitbert, by the Blessed Radbod,"*' and also a Latin poem, in his praise, are to be found in the great Bollandist collection.
It is stated, that there were two saints, respectively named Swibert, and that both were Englishmen. OnewastheApostleoftheFrisons^*andoftheBoructuarians. ^3 The other is reputed to have been the first bishop of "VVerden. ^+ The present holy man is considered to have been a native or an inhabitant of Northumbria, in his earlier years ; and, from the name, we may infer, that he was probably of Anglo-Saxon origin. ^s He is said to have been educated near the borders of Scotland, and to have lived for some time, under the direction of that holy and learned priest and monk, St. Egbert,''^ whom he accompanied into Ireland. ^7 We find it stated, likewise, that this saint re- ceived his education at Armagh. =^ It is not so well known, if such be the case ; but, in Ireland, he probably conceived the wish, with other distin-
Ancient,'?
distinguish
another,
Swibert,
=* See his ""
'5 See Britannia Sancta," part i. , pp. 14s, 146.
*^
See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. iii. March i.
'7 See " Lives of the Saints," vol. iii. , pp.
Life,
'^ See Rev. Alban Butler's Lives of the
'*
See "Lives of the Irish Saints," pp.
286, 287.
'9 See " Circle of the Seasons," p. 61.
at the of
24th April.
Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol, iii,, March i.
'^
p. 140.
"3 See Venerable Bede's " Historia Eccle-
See J. B, Doyle's "Tours in Ulster, /
56 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March i.
guished men, to spread the faith among the old Saxons. ^s Towards the close of the seventh century, the apostolic labours of St. Suitbert and his fellow- missionaries commenced among the Frisons. 3° Following the directions of St. Egbert, St. Willibrord^' and twelve missionaries, among whom was our saint, sailed for Frisia or Friesland, about the year 690, according to the very general opinion of historians. These apostolic men departed immediately from Ireland, and landed at Katwyck, at the mouth of the Rhine. ^^ Pepin d'Heristal,atthistime,wasacelebratedcharacterinFrenchHistory. 33 His power and influence even extended into the Netherlands. He was at first married to Plectrude,34 whom he divorced, and then he married Alpaide ;3S but, the former was restored to his favour, and she assumed the direction of affairs after the death of Pepin, who was Maire in the Royal Palace of the French Kingsfortwenty-eightyears. PepinhadcompelledRadbod,abouteighteen months before their arrival, to pay an annual tribute. 3S He had lately sub- dued some of the Netherland provinces, and he desired, moreover, to have the inhabitants won over to Christ Radbod, sovereign in the northern provinces, dared not oppose the preaching of those missionaries, who found so powerful a protector and so zealous a benefactor in his celebrated rival. The former had sued for a peace, which he obtained, by ceding his most im- portant possessions, to the Mayor of the Palace. Among these was that whole basin, between the Meuse and the Rhine, where now stand the towns of Leyden, Delft, Gouda, Brill, and Dordrecht, as also the city of Utrecht. 37 Here was found an admirable field for their labours, and soon the missioners' success answered Pepin's desires. In a short time, those apostolic men made great progress in the conversion of idolaters. To proceed more regularly and with higher authority, in so great a work, St. Willebrord went to Rome, where he visited Pope Sergius I. ,^^ to obtain his licence and blessing, for preaching the Gospel among the Gentiles. 39 Willebrord was ordained Arch- bishop of Utrecht, about a. d. 696, and he then returned to prosecute his labours. The ministry of St. Suitbert was exercised, chiefly in the southern parts of the present kingdom of Holland, in the northern parts of Brabant, in the countries of Cleves and Gueldres. The territory of the Frisians was formerly of great extent, reaching from the mouths of the Rhine and the Meuse, so far as Denmark and ancient Saxony. The zeal of St. Switbert was most untiring. He drew an incredible number of idolaters away from their pagan superstitions, and he reclaimed them from indulgence, in the most shameful vices and disorders. '*" For his modesty of behaviour and meekness of heart, Suibert was distinguished among the Frisian preachers of theWord. Hewasthereforeselectedtobecometheirbishop,andhewas
siastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. v. , cap. x. — " Monumenta Historica Britannica," vol.
i. , pp. 257, 258.
3° See ibid. , cap. xi. , pp. 258, 259.
3' See his Life, at the 7th of November. 3^ See Rev. S.
3S By her, Pepin had two sons, also, while one of these was named Charles Martel, and the other Childebrande.
^s xhe death of this Frisian king has been
variedly placed at a. d. 717, 718, or 719. See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctormii," tomus 1, Martii L De S. Suitberto Epis- copo, sect, v. , num. 37, p. 76.
Baring-Gould's the Saints," vol. iii. , March i.
*' Lives of
33 See an interesting account of this
monarchand his achievements, by the writers
of " The Modem Part of an Universal His-
tory, from the earliest Accounts to the
present Time," vol. xix. The History of
France, chap. Ixviii,, sect, i. , pp. 257 to p. 211.
260. 39 See Bishop Challenor's "Britannia
3'» By her, he had two sons, Drogon, whom Sancta," part i. , p. 146.
he made Duke of Burgimdy, and Grimoalde, who was Mayor of the Palace to Childebert.
See Fredegarii Scholastic! , "Epitome et Chronicon, cap. loi.
*° These are accounts contained, more in detail in the Life, attributed to Marcellinus ; yet, how far they are genuine has been questioned.
37 See Rev. S. Baring- Gould's "Lives of the Saints," vol. iii. , March i. , p. 17.
38 j^e g^t from A. D. 687 to 701. See Sir Harris Nicolas' "Chronology of History,"
March i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
t^>i
sent over to be consecrated in Britain. At this time, St. Theodore,'*^ Arch-
bishop of Canterbury, had died/^ His successor, Berthwald, or Brihtwold,
He had
he sought fellow-helpers, during the time he was in England. *? Having obtained the Pontiff's permission, he retm-ned to the work of his ministry, furnished with holy reHcs. These he desired to make use of, when dedi- cating such churches as he should erect for the use of his new converts. ^^ The zealous Swibert, having been consecrated bishop, returned from Britain, and went over again to the Continent. Again he visited that flock, com- mitted to his care, but, desiring a wider field for missionary enterprise, he asked St. Willibrord to take charge of his people, while he went in search ot newconquestsfartheruptheRiverRhine. Notlongafterwards,hewentto the Boructuarians,'t9 or Boructarians, inhabiting that country, afterwards calledtheDuchyofBergandthecountryofLaMarck. 5° Thesepeople lived below Cologne, and near the Lower Rhine. Owing to his preaching, Suibert brought many among them to the way of truth. The Boructuarians, however, having been attacked and subdued by the ancient Saxons, those who had received the Word of God from Swibert were dispersed, after their territory had been subjected to horrible devastations. In Plectrude, Suibert found a zealous patroness, and her influence was specially directed, to second his eflbrts, with her powerful consort. ^^ The bishop repaired to Pepin, who
gave him a place of residence in a certain Island, formed by different channels of the Rhine. It was called Keiserswerdt, or " The Emperor's Island. " s^ It is situated, six miles below Dusseldorp, but the Rhine channel having changed its course, the place is no longer an island. There he built a monastery, and the place was for a long time called St. Swidbert's Isle. This religious site his successors afterwards possessed. The monastery flourished for many ages, but it was subsequently converted into a collegiate church of secular canons. s3 Although called, by many writers, the first bishop of Werda or Werden ; yet, it only appears, that he was consecrated as a regionary bishop,withouthavingbeenattachedtoanyfixedsee. Hewasaccustomed,
had gone beyond the sea, for the purpose of being consecrated. 43
not returned, when Suitbert reached the shores of Britain. Bishop Wilfrid^* then lived in exile among the Mercians, having been banished from his own see/s Byhim,Suitbertwaselevatedtothedignityofbishop,beforeAugust 31st, 693. '*^ As the fields were now white for the harvest, it seems probable,
4' His festival occurs on the 19th of Sep- tember.
4' After a rule as bishop of twenty-two years, he died A. D. 690, according to the " Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. " See " Monu- menta Historica Britannica," or Materials for the History of Britain, from the earliest Period to the end of the Reign of King Henry VH. Edited by Sir Thomas Duffus
Hardy, vol. i. , p. 323.
43 He was chosen Archbishop on the ist
of July, A. D. 692, and he was consecrated Archbishop, by Guodun, or Godwin, Bishop of the Gauls, on the 29th of June, a. d. 693. See ibid.
44 His festival is held on the 12th of
October. The greatest part of his remains
were translated from Ripon to Canterbury
in 959 by St. Odo : these were enshrined by
Lanfranc, and deposited on the north side
of the altar by St. Anselm. St. Wilfrid ryda or Bliththrude. See Historia Eccle- died on the 24th of April, A. D. 709. siastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. v. , cap. xi. ,
45 See an account of these transactions in p. 259.
Rev. Dr. Lingard's "Antiquities of the Anglo-Saxon Church," chap, v. , pp. 109 to 116.
'»* Marcellinus states, A. D. 695, but the Bollandists seem to give better reasons for the account, contained in the text. See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii i. De S. Suiberto Episcopo, sect, v. , num. 35, p. 76.
'•^ See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of the Saints," vol. iii. , March i. , p. 17.
•s See Bishop Challenor's "Britannia
Sancta," part i. , p. 146. 49 See Venerable Bede's
"
siaslica Gentis Anglorum," lib. v. , cap. xi. ,
p. 259.
so See Rev.
ing illustration was drawn on the wood by
William F. Wakeman, and engraved by
" ,
"O. k. i.
tTop IcaI-aiito mi]' niA]\CA, riic mo|\'DA f|\iA figuioe, SenAn, moinent), ITlyye, OAbi"6 Chille muine.
On the Kalends of the month of
March,
Not proud to be invoked ;
Senan, Moinend, Myse (Moyes), David of Kilmunney.
George A. Hanion.
*' See, Harris' Ware, vol. ii.
Antiqui- ties of Ireland," chap, xxxviii. , p. 262. For a fuller account, the reader is referred to
Archdall's "Monasticon Hibernicum," pp.
317 to 321.
*' See Rev. A. Cogan's "Diocese of
Meath, Ancient and Modern," vol. ii. , chap, xix. , p. 497.
5° See "Letters containing Information, relating to the Antiquities of the County of Wexford," vol. i. 1. 0. S.
5' So early as the eighth century the vene- ration for St. David was well established in Ireland. The following Irish stanza, and its English translation, have been obligingly furnished by Professor O'Looney, from the copy of the "Feilire" of St. . ^ngus the Culdee, contained in the "Leabhar Breac :"—
The Moyses here noticed seems to have been the great Legislator and Leader of the Jews,
and whose festival "
*'
Moyses hominis Dei
Hence, in life, St. David
depositio is marked, at this date, in a Lsetiensian MS. His chief feast is held on the 4th of September. See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii i. Among the pretermitted Saints, p. 4.
5= In the Trinity College, Dublin, MS. , ClassedE. 3. 8. , wefindanotice,DeVita David Menevensis.
54 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March i.
was honoured and venerated by some of our most distinguished saints, and it is only just, therefore, when he has passed from Hfe to the happiness of
immortahty, that in our Island, as within his specially privileged principality, the name of this great and good bishop should be well remembered and in-
voked. Throughhisministry,blessingsdescendedonourforefathers,andso may his protection secure other spiritual favours for those people, who have
adopted him as their special patron.
Article II. —St. Swibert or Suitbert, Bishop, and Apostle of the Prisons and of the Boructuarians. \Sevetith and Eighth Ce? ituries. '\ Our illustrious national hagiologist, Father John Colgan, in presenting the
how in accordance with the
number, several holy missionaries went from Ireland to evangelize distant nations, in bands of twelve. This peculiarity of blessed adventure, he illustrates by many examples and incidents, recorded in our ecclesiastical Annals. =^ It was the fortune of St. or Suidbert to
glorious Swibert, Suitbert,
travel abroad in such holy companionship, and to unite his labours with truly great men. This celebrated missionary was born, sometime in the seventh century. The most authentic particulars, regarding him, are to be found written,bytheVenerableBede. 3 TheBollandistshavepublishedActsof St. Suibert, at the ist of March, and these are very complete, so far as the obscurities of early history permit their elucidation. ^ It is said, the actions of this holy missionary had been early recorded by the companion of his labours, the priest St. Marcellinus, and by St. Lutger, the first bishop of Munster. Mirseusthoughtsomemodernadditionshadbeenunauthorizedly made to the narrative of St. Marcellinus, and he expresses a hope that more genuine Acts should be found in old codices and published. Much more might be added to the present narrative, if we could rely upon the account of this saint's life, published under the name of Marcellinus, who, it is pre- tended, was Marchelm, a disciple or colleague of our saint. Modern critics are of opinion, however, that a pretended biography of Marcellinus was com- piled by an impostor, and that it was a forgery of the fifteenth century. s Not suspecting its authenticity, Surius has included it, in his Acts of the Saints. ^ Other modern writers, likewise, have too readily adopted the said statements of Marcellinus, as being genuinely contemporaneous records regarding St. Suit- bert. Among those may be noticed Dean Cressy. 7 Nor are the Acts,^
Acts of this "^ has saint,
remarked,
Apostolic
Article il—'See "Acta Sanctonim Hibernise," Martii i. De S. Suitberto Epis- copo Tiesterbandise Apostolo, pp. 433 to 437.
^
Ang- lorum," lib. v. , cap. x. , xi. , pp. 257 to 260. See that edition, published with notes and various readings, in the " Monumenta Histo- rica Britannica," or Materials for the His- tory of Britain, from the earliest period to
the end of the Reign of King Henry VII. , vol. i. Extending to the Norman Conquest. This work, so very valuable for purposes of historic enquiry, was at first prepared and
illustrated, with notes, by Henry Petrie,
Thomas Duffus Hardy, and it was published by command of her Majesty, in line large folio, A. D. MDCCCXLViiT.
* See "Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii i. De S. Suiberto Episcopo Friso-
num et Boru9tuariorum Apostolo Ctesaris- Werda; ad Rhenum. Commentarius histo-
i-icus, viii. sections and 65 paragraphs, Avitli
St. Radbod's Sermon and " Car- Allegoric
men," relating to St. Suibertus. See pp. 67 to 86.
s Colgan and the Bollandists take care to
point out the self-contradictions and anachro-
"
nisms in this Life. See Acta Sanctorum
Hibemias," Martii i. De S. Suitberto Epis- copo, &c. , n, 3, p. 436. Also, "Acta
Seeibid. , n. 2,p. 436.
3 See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentts
the Rev.
* See"DeProbatisSanctorum
assisted
Sharpe, B. A. It is ably edited by Sir tomus ii. , Martius i. Vita S. Suiberti, Wcr-
Esq. , F. S. A. ,
by
John
Historiis,"
De S. Suiberto Episcopo, sect, ii. , iii. , iv. , pp. 70
Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii i. to 75.
densis Ecclesice primi Episcopi et Confesso-
ris Saxonum Frisiorumque Apostoli: Scripta a B. Marcellino presbytero. This Life is
'
March i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 55 ascribed to St. Lutger,9 more authentic. By several authors and in their
St. Suitbert is to be found commemorated. in the old " Thus,
^°
works,
torie plurimorum Sanctorum,"
Albertus Miragus," as also in the " Acta Sanctorum Belgii," appear the Acts of
preceded by a Prologue of the writer, ad- dressed to Gregory, Bishop of Utrecht ; and, it contains 32 chapters. See, pp. 5 to 28.
7 See his " Church History of Brittany,"
16 to 18.
book
xxii,, chap, ii. , pp. 556, 557.
'° His feast
occurs,
at the
of
30th April.
^ will be found in These, too,
*' He was of
Bishop Utrecht,
Surius, "De Probatis Sanctorum Historiis," tomus
and he died A. D. 917 or 918. See Rev, Alban
''
Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol, iii. , March i. , and vol, xi, , November xxix. At the last date, he is commemorated in the Calendars.
'^
Tacitus, Pliny and Ptolemy have re- spectively accounts of this ancient people.
^3 The Boructuarii are said frequently to have changed their settlements. At one time, they dwelt between the Rivers Rhine and'Weser ; again, they lived between the Lyppe and Ems Rivers, and afterwards be- tween Cologne and Hesse. See the BoUan- dists'"ActaSanctorum,"tomusi. , Martii i, De S, Suitberto Episcopo, sect, i,, num, l» 9, PP- 67, 70-
^•* See Bishop Challenor's "Britannia Sancta," part i,
^s According to Marcellinus, our saint was of noble birth, his father being Sigebert, Count of Nortingram, and his mother Berta was also of a distinguished race. See Surius' " De Probatis Sanctorum Historiis," tomus ii. , Martius i. Vita, cap. i. , p, 7,
ii. , Martius i. They appear, in the shape of an Epistle to Rixfrid, the seventh Bishop of Utrecht, and in response to his request. They are given, with a Preface, in 12 chapters. See pp. 28 to 40.
9 His festival has been assigned to the
26th of March ; and there, too, Surius has
published his Life, which professes to have been written by monks of the Monastery at
Verden, who were almost his contempora-
ries. Besides two respective Prologues, the First Book contains 35 chapters, and the
Second Book has 9 chapters. See ibid. , pp. 412 to 436. Lutger lived contemporaneously with the Emperor Charlemagne.
"* There he is called St, Suebertus, Con- fessor. See fol. xxxiiii. , xxxv.
" See " In Natalibus Sanctorum Belgii. "
" See " In Fastis Belgicis. "
'3 See vol. vi. , pp. 152 to 196. The matter is all to be found in the Bollandist collection.
'» See Baillet's " Les Vies des Saints,"
Butler's
Tome 8 to ii. i. , pp.
himfrom
called
Hys- as also in the works of John Molanus," and of
St. Suidbert, Bishop and Apostle of the Prisons, and of the Boructuarii, at the istof March. '3 At this samedate,wefind mentioned, by AdrienBaillet, St. Swid- bertorSwibert,aregionaryBishopandtheApostleofFrise. ^* TheRt. Rev.
Bishop Challenor,^5 Rev. Alban Butler,^^ and Rev. S, Baring-Gould'? have notices of his life and labours. The Irish Cistercian Monk ranks him among
the Irish Saints, as a Bishop and a Confessor. '^
He is also designated the
the ^° A younger.
to
sermon on St, Suitbert, by the Blessed Radbod,"*' and also a Latin poem, in his praise, are to be found in the great Bollandist collection.
It is stated, that there were two saints, respectively named Swibert, and that both were Englishmen. OnewastheApostleoftheFrisons^*andoftheBoructuarians. ^3 The other is reputed to have been the first bishop of "VVerden. ^+ The present holy man is considered to have been a native or an inhabitant of Northumbria, in his earlier years ; and, from the name, we may infer, that he was probably of Anglo-Saxon origin. ^s He is said to have been educated near the borders of Scotland, and to have lived for some time, under the direction of that holy and learned priest and monk, St. Egbert,''^ whom he accompanied into Ireland. ^7 We find it stated, likewise, that this saint re- ceived his education at Armagh. =^ It is not so well known, if such be the case ; but, in Ireland, he probably conceived the wish, with other distin-
Ancient,'?
distinguish
another,
Swibert,
=* See his ""
'5 See Britannia Sancta," part i. , pp. 14s, 146.
*^
See "Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol. iii. March i.
'7 See " Lives of the Saints," vol. iii. , pp.
Life,
'^ See Rev. Alban Butler's Lives of the
'*
See "Lives of the Irish Saints," pp.
286, 287.
'9 See " Circle of the Seasons," p. 61.
at the of
24th April.
Fathers, Martyrs and other principal Saints," vol, iii,, March i.
'^
p. 140.
"3 See Venerable Bede's " Historia Eccle-
See J. B, Doyle's "Tours in Ulster, /
56 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [March i.
guished men, to spread the faith among the old Saxons. ^s Towards the close of the seventh century, the apostolic labours of St. Suitbert and his fellow- missionaries commenced among the Frisons. 3° Following the directions of St. Egbert, St. Willibrord^' and twelve missionaries, among whom was our saint, sailed for Frisia or Friesland, about the year 690, according to the very general opinion of historians. These apostolic men departed immediately from Ireland, and landed at Katwyck, at the mouth of the Rhine. ^^ Pepin d'Heristal,atthistime,wasacelebratedcharacterinFrenchHistory. 33 His power and influence even extended into the Netherlands. He was at first married to Plectrude,34 whom he divorced, and then he married Alpaide ;3S but, the former was restored to his favour, and she assumed the direction of affairs after the death of Pepin, who was Maire in the Royal Palace of the French Kingsfortwenty-eightyears. PepinhadcompelledRadbod,abouteighteen months before their arrival, to pay an annual tribute. 3S He had lately sub- dued some of the Netherland provinces, and he desired, moreover, to have the inhabitants won over to Christ Radbod, sovereign in the northern provinces, dared not oppose the preaching of those missionaries, who found so powerful a protector and so zealous a benefactor in his celebrated rival. The former had sued for a peace, which he obtained, by ceding his most im- portant possessions, to the Mayor of the Palace. Among these was that whole basin, between the Meuse and the Rhine, where now stand the towns of Leyden, Delft, Gouda, Brill, and Dordrecht, as also the city of Utrecht. 37 Here was found an admirable field for their labours, and soon the missioners' success answered Pepin's desires. In a short time, those apostolic men made great progress in the conversion of idolaters. To proceed more regularly and with higher authority, in so great a work, St. Willebrord went to Rome, where he visited Pope Sergius I. ,^^ to obtain his licence and blessing, for preaching the Gospel among the Gentiles. 39 Willebrord was ordained Arch- bishop of Utrecht, about a. d. 696, and he then returned to prosecute his labours. The ministry of St. Suitbert was exercised, chiefly in the southern parts of the present kingdom of Holland, in the northern parts of Brabant, in the countries of Cleves and Gueldres. The territory of the Frisians was formerly of great extent, reaching from the mouths of the Rhine and the Meuse, so far as Denmark and ancient Saxony. The zeal of St. Switbert was most untiring. He drew an incredible number of idolaters away from their pagan superstitions, and he reclaimed them from indulgence, in the most shameful vices and disorders. '*" For his modesty of behaviour and meekness of heart, Suibert was distinguished among the Frisian preachers of theWord. Hewasthereforeselectedtobecometheirbishop,andhewas
siastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. v. , cap. x. — " Monumenta Historica Britannica," vol.
i. , pp. 257, 258.
3° See ibid. , cap. xi. , pp. 258, 259.
3' See his Life, at the 7th of November. 3^ See Rev. S.
3S By her, Pepin had two sons, also, while one of these was named Charles Martel, and the other Childebrande.
^s xhe death of this Frisian king has been
variedly placed at a. d. 717, 718, or 719. See the Bollandists' "Acta Sanctormii," tomus 1, Martii L De S. Suitberto Epis- copo, sect, v. , num. 37, p. 76.
Baring-Gould's the Saints," vol. iii. , March i.
*' Lives of
33 See an interesting account of this
monarchand his achievements, by the writers
of " The Modem Part of an Universal His-
tory, from the earliest Accounts to the
present Time," vol. xix. The History of
France, chap. Ixviii,, sect, i. , pp. 257 to p. 211.
260. 39 See Bishop Challenor's "Britannia
3'» By her, he had two sons, Drogon, whom Sancta," part i. , p. 146.
he made Duke of Burgimdy, and Grimoalde, who was Mayor of the Palace to Childebert.
See Fredegarii Scholastic! , "Epitome et Chronicon, cap. loi.
*° These are accounts contained, more in detail in the Life, attributed to Marcellinus ; yet, how far they are genuine has been questioned.
37 See Rev. S. Baring- Gould's "Lives of the Saints," vol. iii. , March i. , p. 17.
38 j^e g^t from A. D. 687 to 701. See Sir Harris Nicolas' "Chronology of History,"
March i. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS.
t^>i
sent over to be consecrated in Britain. At this time, St. Theodore,'*^ Arch-
bishop of Canterbury, had died/^ His successor, Berthwald, or Brihtwold,
He had
he sought fellow-helpers, during the time he was in England. *? Having obtained the Pontiff's permission, he retm-ned to the work of his ministry, furnished with holy reHcs. These he desired to make use of, when dedi- cating such churches as he should erect for the use of his new converts. ^^ The zealous Swibert, having been consecrated bishop, returned from Britain, and went over again to the Continent. Again he visited that flock, com- mitted to his care, but, desiring a wider field for missionary enterprise, he asked St. Willibrord to take charge of his people, while he went in search ot newconquestsfartheruptheRiverRhine. Notlongafterwards,hewentto the Boructuarians,'t9 or Boructarians, inhabiting that country, afterwards calledtheDuchyofBergandthecountryofLaMarck. 5° Thesepeople lived below Cologne, and near the Lower Rhine. Owing to his preaching, Suibert brought many among them to the way of truth. The Boructuarians, however, having been attacked and subdued by the ancient Saxons, those who had received the Word of God from Swibert were dispersed, after their territory had been subjected to horrible devastations. In Plectrude, Suibert found a zealous patroness, and her influence was specially directed, to second his eflbrts, with her powerful consort. ^^ The bishop repaired to Pepin, who
gave him a place of residence in a certain Island, formed by different channels of the Rhine. It was called Keiserswerdt, or " The Emperor's Island. " s^ It is situated, six miles below Dusseldorp, but the Rhine channel having changed its course, the place is no longer an island. There he built a monastery, and the place was for a long time called St. Swidbert's Isle. This religious site his successors afterwards possessed. The monastery flourished for many ages, but it was subsequently converted into a collegiate church of secular canons. s3 Although called, by many writers, the first bishop of Werda or Werden ; yet, it only appears, that he was consecrated as a regionary bishop,withouthavingbeenattachedtoanyfixedsee. Hewasaccustomed,
had gone beyond the sea, for the purpose of being consecrated. 43
not returned, when Suitbert reached the shores of Britain. Bishop Wilfrid^* then lived in exile among the Mercians, having been banished from his own see/s Byhim,Suitbertwaselevatedtothedignityofbishop,beforeAugust 31st, 693. '*^ As the fields were now white for the harvest, it seems probable,
4' His festival occurs on the 19th of Sep- tember.
4' After a rule as bishop of twenty-two years, he died A. D. 690, according to the " Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. " See " Monu- menta Historica Britannica," or Materials for the History of Britain, from the earliest Period to the end of the Reign of King Henry VH. Edited by Sir Thomas Duffus
Hardy, vol. i. , p. 323.
43 He was chosen Archbishop on the ist
of July, A. D. 692, and he was consecrated Archbishop, by Guodun, or Godwin, Bishop of the Gauls, on the 29th of June, a. d. 693. See ibid.
44 His festival is held on the 12th of
October. The greatest part of his remains
were translated from Ripon to Canterbury
in 959 by St. Odo : these were enshrined by
Lanfranc, and deposited on the north side
of the altar by St. Anselm. St. Wilfrid ryda or Bliththrude. See Historia Eccle- died on the 24th of April, A. D. 709. siastica Gentis Anglorum," lib. v. , cap. xi. ,
45 See an account of these transactions in p. 259.
Rev. Dr. Lingard's "Antiquities of the Anglo-Saxon Church," chap, v. , pp. 109 to 116.
'»* Marcellinus states, A. D. 695, but the Bollandists seem to give better reasons for the account, contained in the text. See " Acta Sanctorum," tomus i. , Martii i. De S. Suiberto Episcopo, sect, v. , num. 35, p. 76.
'•^ See Rev. S. Baring-Gould's "Lives of the Saints," vol. iii. , March i. , p. 17.
•s See Bishop Challenor's "Britannia
Sancta," part i. , p. 146. 49 See Venerable Bede's
"
siaslica Gentis Anglorum," lib. v. , cap. xi. ,
p. 259.
so See Rev.
