"^^ that thus I
may deprecate
The strange visitor responded : " You say, indeed, what is true; for you and many others have need, by the exercise of good works, to atone for past sins, and when ceasing from tem- poral labours, the more eagerly should you endeavour for spiritual benefits.
may deprecate
The strange visitor responded : " You say, indeed, what is true; for you and many others have need, by the exercise of good works, to atone for past sins, and when ceasing from tem- poral labours, the more eagerly should you endeavour for spiritual benefits.
O'Hanlon - Lives of the Irish Saints - v1
, pp.
canum," vol. vi. , part ii. , p. 1 149. The new edition, by John Caley, Esq. , F. R. S. S. A. , Henry Ellis, LL. B. , F. R. S. S. A. , and the Rev. Bulkeley Bandinel, D. D.
217, 218. As an Appendix to this work,
and of very great interest for the antiquary, is a republication of the following distinct
tract. Its title runs " The Breviary of *' See Gough's Camden's "Britannia," Britayne. As this most noble and renowned
vol. iii. , p. 301, for an account of this
place, in comiexion with the Merchia, Merch, or Mers.
*' She received the veil from St. Finan, an Irish bishop of Lindisfarne, according to her Life. This will be found in Capgrave's
"Legenda Sanctorum Angliae," at the 25th
Hand was of ancient time divided into three
Kingdomes, England, Scotland, and Wales. Contaynyng a learned discourse of the vari-
able state and alteration thereof, vnder diuers as wel natural : as forren Princes and Con- querours. Together with the Geographicall
description of the same, such as nether by
elder, nor later writers, the like hath been
of August.
"
*3See Rev. Alban Butler's Lives of the set foorth before. " Written in Latin by
Fathers, Martyrs, and other Principal Hunifrey Lhuyd of Denbigh, a Cambro-
Saints," vol. viii. , xxv. August.
**This account suggests a similitude be-
tween her foundation and St. Brigid's at Kildare. See, regarding this latter estab- lishment, remarks in Rev. P. J. Carew's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," chap. vi. , p. 240.
*5 The feast of St. Ebba, virgin, and Ab- bess of Coldingham falls on the 25th of August. See an account of her in Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 330. —
Britayne. And lately Englished by Thomas Twyne, Gentleman, M. D. Lxxiii.
** During the period of the Saxon hep-
"
History of the . Anglo-Saxons," vol. i. , book iii. , chap. 5> P- 3I9» regards the Bretwalda as a kind
of war-king, or a temporary military leader. The learned Saxon scholar and antiquary, John Mitchell Kemble, in his account re- garding the growth of the kingly power, considers the Bretwaldadom as being "a mere accidental predominance. " See "The
*^ This — man see his Life at the holy
Saxons in
a of the England, History Eng-
5th of August had been educated Ireland,
lish Commonwealth till the
Period of the
in and he was a convert to the Faith.
Norman Conquest," vol. ii. , book ii. , chap,
i. , p. 18.
'The of in Ber- Nunnery Coldingham,
' See an account of their respective reigns
in Dr. " of
Lingard's History England,"
chap, ii,, pp. 89 to 103. Also Mon. De wickshire, is thought to have been the oldest
" Histoire
tome i. , lib. iii. , pp. 164 to 168. Likewise
John Lewis' "History of Great Britain, from the first Inhabitants thereof, 'till the Deatli of Cadwalader, Last King of the Britains ; and of the Kings of Scotland to Eugene V. As also a Short Account of the Kings, Dukes, and Earls of Bretagne, 'till
in Scotland, as neither its founder, the time of its foundation, nor its order, are said to be known. See a further account of this nunnery, with three distinct copperplate
"
Antiquities of Scot- land," vol. i. , pp. 95 to 98.
s° See his Life at the 20th of March.
S' See a description of Coldingham, with
Rapin Thoyras'
d'Angleterre,"
tarchy. Sharon Turner, in his
engravings, in Grose's
:
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 591
herehadbeenfabricatedofwood. s' Coldinghamparishliesalongthecoast of Berwickshire, and on the German Ocean. 53 Not many years ago, the ruins there remaining were very extensive ; but those are now sadly dilapi- dated, by peasants having carried stones away for the erection of their cottages. 5+ During the middle ages, Coldingham was a priory of consider- able consequence,5s while its possessions and revenues were ample. s^ Not very long after the monastic foundation,57 our saint must have joined the
That term "
nan, s^ seems to imply his attainment of some dignity, in the monastery where
he lived, and accordingly he has been dignified with the title of abbot. ss It has been assumed to indicate, he was superior over that religious house, with which he was connected. However, Venerable Bede speaks of our saint in such terms, as might lead us to suppose, he was not elevated to any exalted ec- clesiastical dignity. ^" In like manner do John Capgrave^' and Harpsfeld^' alludetohim,asifoccupyingasubordinateposition. Mostrehableauthorities regardhimassimplyapriestandamonk. ^3 Weread,thatonacertainday, Adamnan going out from the monastery, in company with a religious brother, both again returned, having accomplished the object of their journey. While on their way back, Adamnan looked towards the ecclesiastical buildings of Coldingham, which reared their walls^* in the distance. A sudden grief overcast his soul, and to the surprise of his companion, Adamnan burst into tears. That brother demanded the cause for his sorrow. " All those public
said the " are about to be con- saint,
Coldingham fraternity.
prsepositus," applied
to the Adam- holy
and
s«med in a short time, and laid prostrate in ashes. " This being heard, the
private buildings,
which
you see,"
two magnificent illustrations of its priory, "
Antiquities
of England and Scotland," etc. , vol. i. In-
troduction, p. XXXV.
History of Berwickshire, anciently termed Coldinghamshire. " This work, containing plates and many wood-cut views, was pub- lished at Edinburgh, in 1836.
in Robert William Billing's Baronial and Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. I, 2.
5* See W. H. Hunter's " of the History
5^ See Walter Scott's " Border
53
"
Priory of Coldingham, from the earliest date to the present time ; also the Rights of Property and Possessions of the Priory. " This work contains beautiful plates of views, and it appeared in Edinburgh, A. D. 1858.
57 We consider this house, mainly, if not altogethei-, embraced that rule of life pre- vailing in the institute at lona.
5* By Trithemius.
59 In this light Camerarius regards him.
in his
Wion, "Lignum Vitse," Appendix,
and Menard, in his Appendix to the Bene-
dictine of him almost Martyrology, speak
in similar terms.
*° See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Except a detached portion, about 5 furlongs long and 3^ broad, which is em- bosomed to ithe east in the parish of Eye- mouth, it is bounded on the north by the German Ocean ; on the east by the German
Ocean and the parishes of Eyemouth and
Ayton ; on the south by the parishes of
Chirnside and Buncle ; and on the west by
the of St. — Oldham- parishes Abbey Bathans,
stocks, and Cockburnpath. " FuUarton's
"
Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 288, 289.
Imperial
5« has been Lately
a
published beautfully
illustrated work, by the Rev. Mackenzie E. C. Walcott, B. D. F. S. A. , and Precentor of Chichester, intituled, "Scoti-Monasticon. The Ancient Church of a
Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 336. *" "
Scotland, History of the Cathedrals, Conventual Foundations, Collegiate Churches, and Hospitals of Scot- land. " Therein is contained a very com- plete and detailed description of the antiqui- ties now remaining at Coldingham, with notices regarding its foundation, and a chronological record of its priors, from the twelfth to the sixteenth century. See pp.
239 to 243.
55 See A. Carr's " History of Coldingham, containing a Survey of the Ecclesiastical
*" See "Historia Ecclesiastica. " Anglicana
Seculum vii. , cap. 32.
*3 Colgan appears to cite Trithemius and
the foregoing authorities, in confirmation of this opinion. See "Acta Sanctorum Hi-
bernian," xxxi. Januarii, n. 8, p. 226. **Bede applies the words "sublimiter
"
In Legenda Sanctorum Anglise. " Vita S. EabbK.
"
were on an elevated site, rather than of a
erecta
to them. This probably means, they
Historia Eccle- siastica Gentis Scotorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25,
special great height. See P- 337-
592 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
brother had no sooner arrived at the monastery, than he communicated to
the superioress Ebba,^5 what had been predicted by Adamnan. Greatly disturbed at this announcement, the abbess^^ held an interview with our
saint. Then she inquired from him, how it happened, that he had been able to ""predict such a misfortune. ^^ The holy man replied, on a late occasion, while occupied during night at his accustomed vigils, and in the recitation of psalms, a certain person, whose features were unknown, presented himself.
Then, feeling alarmed, our saint was desired by this strange visitor to allay ""
his fears. For," said the apparition, and in a familiar voice, you act rightly, who not only remain during night depriving yourself of rest, but,
moreover, you spend
it
and salutary vigils,
" I know well,"
replied
God's
monastery is composed,? " I have observed yourself alone occupied with the great affair of salvation. All other persons, men and women, are either buried in profound sleep, or are awake in the commission of some sin ; since those little houses,? ^ which were destined for prayer or study, are now con- verted into chambers where eating, drinking, idle conversation, or trans- gressions of some other kind, are committed. Even virgins, consecrated to God, in contempt of their sacred profession, apply themselves to weaving rich stuffs, often as they are at leisure. 7* With these they either clothe them- selves, with detriment to their holy state, or they prepare them for externs of the other sex, to procure their friendship. On this account, the place and its inhabitants are destined for Heaven's vengeance, which will be manifested by consuming flames. " The Abbess Ebba73 asked, why the saint had not
the " I have need of saint,
anger, for my previous transgressions. '''^^
*s There are notices of this holywoman
''
Historia Anglicana Eccle- siastica," Ssec. vii. , cap. 2, 7.
•^She must not be confounded with St.
Ebba, virgin and martyr, who was abbess, at a later period, over this same nunnery of Coldingham. Thelatterreceivedhercrown of martyrdom at the hands of the Danes, on
? « Bede calls them " domunculoe. " See ibid. These were probably fashioned after the early Irish cells.
^^ See Father Innes' "Civil and Eccle-
siastical History of Scotland. " Chonolo-
gical Memoirs, p. 273.
"Prefixed to Rev. Mackenzie E. C.
Walcott's account of the Abbess Ebba and
the at —are cited the nunnery Coldingham,
in Harpsfeld's
watching
praying.
"^^ that thus I
may deprecate
The strange visitor responded : " You say, indeed, what is true; for you and many others have need, by the exercise of good works, to atone for past sins, and when ceasing from tem- poral labours, the more eagerly should you endeavour for spiritual benefits. These things, however, are done by very few persons. For, even now, whilst I have in succession visited all the cottages and beds of which this
the 2nd of
A. D. 870,
according
to the
April,
English Martyrology, Matthew of West-
minster, and other authorities. In his
" Martyrologium Benedictinum," Hugh Menard places her festival at the foregoing date.
following appropriate lines
" There was an ancient house not far away Renowned throughout the world for
^ tany,'. '
' ' Church
of Brit-
sacred lore,
And so pure, unspotted life,
^
book xviii. , chap, xv. , p. 456. ''
say,
It governed was and guided evermore,
Through wisdom of a matron grave and
hoar,
Whose only joy was to relieve the
See Cressy's
History
well, they
See Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica
Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 338. ^See Father Innes' " Civil and Ecclesi-
astical History of Scotland. " Chronological Memoirs, p. 273.
needs
Of wretched and souls,
7° Bede uses the words, "
singulorum
help
the
helpless
casas ac lectos inspexi," which give us an
idea, that this monastic institute consisted
of detached huts, grouped together over
some considerable space of ground. See
poor.
All night she spent in bidding of her
beads,
And all the day in doing good and " Godly deeds. "
"
lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 338,
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," —
See
Scoti-Monasticon," p. 376.
:
JANUARY 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 593
heretofore revealed his vision ; and she was answered by Adamnan, that he did not wish to disturb the venerable lady's repose. He declared, moreover, she might be consoled, since the destruction of Coldingham should not happen during her life-time. 74
The vision being made known to that community, its monastic inmates
were justly alarmed. A visible reformation in the manners of most took
place. But, after the death of their saintly abbess, many relapsed into former courses, or even into a state of life still more objectionable. The punish-
mentpredictedbyAdamnanfellupontheirmonastery. Thiswasconsigned to the flames, in the year 679. 75 Venerable Bede obtained his information from a fellow-priest, named Edgils,? ^ who had lived for some time in Cold- ingham, and who died afterwards in that house, to which the illustrious writer was attached. ^? Thus, in the exercise of great austerity and penance, Adamnan spent the remainder of life^^ endeavouring to atone for his youth- ful irregularities. Distinguished, as we have already seen, by the gifts of a prophetic spirit, as also by those merits and virtues which become a saint, he passed out of this life to enjoy the rewards of the just, in Heaven, about or after a. d. 680, and on the last day of January,79 according to the English Martyrology. ^° Thislatterrecordandotherauthoritiesplacehisdemiseat A. D. 690. ^' In his conclusion of the foregoing narrative, the Venerable and pious Bede observes,^^ regarding the terrible and mysterious judgments, visitedsofrequentlybyGodonthechildrenofmen; whilethosedispensa- tions ought to warn us concerning the wrath to come, and the temporal calamities, which often befall persons led away by evil illusions. Above and before all, it is a grievous calamity to pass out of this world, and to meet without sufficient preparation the award of inflexible justice.
Article IV. —St. Sillan of Cill-Deilge, or Kildalkey, County OF Meath. It. has not been at all clearly determined when this holy man flourished. The Martyrology of Tallagh^ mentions, that veneration was given on the 31st of January, to St. Sillan, of Cill Delge. This place was identicalwithKildalkey,intheCountyofMeath. ^ Wefindrecorded,like-
have ah-eady noticed at that day.
**" At this he is set down in the date, also,
''' See Cressy's
Church History of Brit-
tany,"
book
"
xviii. , chap, xv. , p. 456.
75 See Maitland's " and History
of Irish published by O'SuLivan Beare, in " Histo- rise Catholicse Ibernije Compendium," tomus Anno 1437. And from that Period to the i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 49. Also in Henry
Antiqui- ties of Scotland, from the earliest account of Time to the Death of James the First,
Accession of the to the Crown James Sixth,
of England, Anno 1603, by another Hand.
The whole compiled from the most authentic nus Abbas. See ibid. , cap. xii. , p. 52.
vouchers," vol. i. , book ii. , chap, xx. , p. 255. 7^ He is called " Reverendissimus meus
conpraesbyterEdgils. " Colganwonderswhy this priest was thus designated, when he was neither an abbot over the Venerable Bede, nor is his name found among English bishops or saints. See "Acta Sanctorum
HibernisE," xxxi. Januarii, n. 7, p. 225.
77 See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 339.
"
Civil and Ecclesi- asticalHistoryofScotland. " Chronological
Memoirs, p. 273.
79 Camerarius, however, gives the date of
his feast, at the 27th of this month, as we Vol. L
There, too, a second festival seems assigned for him, at the 2nd of September. Yet, this may have been intended for St. Adamnaii of lona.
*' The death of St. Ebba is referred to A. D. 683. See Father Innes' " Civil and EcclesiasticalHistoryofScotland. " Chrono- logical Memoirs, p. 270. It is probable, St. Adamnan survived her some
^2
lib. —
Anglorum," iv. , cap. 25, pp. 339, 340.
Articleiv. by Rev. Dr. 'Edited the
Kelly, p. xiv.
* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (l), pp. 320, 321. 2 ^
7^ See Father Innes'
anonymous "Catalogue
Saints,"
Fitzsimon's " Sancto- Catalogus aliquorum
rum Ibernise," where he is called Adomna-
years.
g^g "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
594 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
wise, in the Martyrology of Donegal,3 as having a festival at this same date, Sillan of Cill Deilge. A commentator on this latter work, in that table
superadded, suggests, his synonymn is possibly Stlvanus, which name occurs in St. Paul's Second Epistle to the Thessalonians,-* and in the Life of Livinus. s The old church of Cill-Deilge gave name to a parish, situated between the parish of Trim, in East Meath, and the eastern boundary of Westmeath County. ^ It was dedicated to St. Damhnat,? or Dymphna, whose festival wastherecelebratedonthe15thofMay. ^ Nearthechurchsitewasaholy well,calledTober-Damhnata. Itwasnearlydriedup,whenDr. O'Donovan examined this locality. 9 Kildalkey is a parish in the barony of Lune, county of Meath. ^° The earliest historical notice, regarding this place, as found in the Annals of the Four Masters," is at a. d, 721, when Cuanan of Cill-Delge died. Next, Fidhbhadhach, of Cill-Delge, died, a. d. 753 ; Cill-Delge was burned, a. d. 774; Suibhne, of Cill-Delge, died, a. d. 794. " Again, Fedach, Abbot of Cill-Delge, died a. d, 836 ; and Egnech, of Cill-Delge, bishop, abbot, and scribe, was killed, with all his people, by the Gaileanga,^3 in 837^4 Conghal,sonofFeadach,AbbotofCill-Dealga,andadistinguished scribe, died a. d. 866. 'S A battle was gained over Flann, son ofMaelsech- naill, A. D. 885, by the foreigners of Athcliath,'^ when Donnchadh, son of Maelduin, Abbot of Cill-Delge and of other churches,^? was killed, with many people. Amongallthepropernamesinourannals,andconnectedwiththis
that of St. Sillan is ^^ He was a or an abbot place, missing. probably bishop
at Kildalkey. After the year 885, we lose sight of the monastery here, when consulting ancient annals. '9 We do not find any allusion to this old church,
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
32, 33-
* There called Sylvanus.
dently the same place. " See County of
5
adds a note. " We must understand this, not as suggesting that Siollan of Cill Delgge was a contemporary of SL Paul, but that the Latin form Silvanus occurs in 2 Thess. , i. , I, and in the Life of Livinus. " Dr.
See ibid. , pp. 468, 469. Dr.
error, regarding identifica- tion of Westerloo as will be seen in the Life of St. Dympna, at the 15th of May. This latter place was in a more northern
part of Belgium, nor far from Gheel.
Reeves again remarks. "Molanus styles '
9 See
''
Annals of the Four Masters," vol.
S. Livinus Archiepiscopus Scotorum,' and
i. , n. (1), pp. 320, 321.
'" The townland and of
parish Kildalkey,
cum
no fructu administrasset, reliquit Syluano
archidiacono. ' Indiculus Sanctorum
(Lovan, 1573)-"
*The Irish called this church, Cill
TJcaIja. See John O'Donovan's Letter,
" containing Information relative to the An- tiquities of the County of Meath, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey
in 1836," p. 174.
7 John O'Donovan was doubtfiil if the
patroness of this place were or not the same
adds,
Quod munus,
aliquot
mag- Belgii
'
annis
dated Trim, Aug. 6th, 1836, in
Letters
County of Meath," Sheets 29, 30, 35, 36. The site of Kildalkey old church and of its graveyard is marked on Sheet 29, a little to the north of Kildalkey village, shown on Sheet 35.
" See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i.
"See ibid. , pp. 320, 321, 356, 357, 378, 379, 402, 403.
'3 They were seated in the present barony of Morgallion, county of Meath.
as Davnat of Slieve He Beagh.
'< See ibid. ,
'SSee tbid. , pp.
canum," vol. vi. , part ii. , p. 1 149. The new edition, by John Caley, Esq. , F. R. S. S. A. , Henry Ellis, LL. B. , F. R. S. S. A. , and the Rev. Bulkeley Bandinel, D. D.
217, 218. As an Appendix to this work,
and of very great interest for the antiquary, is a republication of the following distinct
tract. Its title runs " The Breviary of *' See Gough's Camden's "Britannia," Britayne. As this most noble and renowned
vol. iii. , p. 301, for an account of this
place, in comiexion with the Merchia, Merch, or Mers.
*' She received the veil from St. Finan, an Irish bishop of Lindisfarne, according to her Life. This will be found in Capgrave's
"Legenda Sanctorum Angliae," at the 25th
Hand was of ancient time divided into three
Kingdomes, England, Scotland, and Wales. Contaynyng a learned discourse of the vari-
able state and alteration thereof, vnder diuers as wel natural : as forren Princes and Con- querours. Together with the Geographicall
description of the same, such as nether by
elder, nor later writers, the like hath been
of August.
"
*3See Rev. Alban Butler's Lives of the set foorth before. " Written in Latin by
Fathers, Martyrs, and other Principal Hunifrey Lhuyd of Denbigh, a Cambro-
Saints," vol. viii. , xxv. August.
**This account suggests a similitude be-
tween her foundation and St. Brigid's at Kildare. See, regarding this latter estab- lishment, remarks in Rev. P. J. Carew's "Ecclesiastical History of Ireland," chap. vi. , p. 240.
*5 The feast of St. Ebba, virgin, and Ab- bess of Coldingham falls on the 25th of August. See an account of her in Bishop Forbes' "Kalendars of Scottish Saints," p. 330. —
Britayne. And lately Englished by Thomas Twyne, Gentleman, M. D. Lxxiii.
** During the period of the Saxon hep-
"
History of the . Anglo-Saxons," vol. i. , book iii. , chap. 5> P- 3I9» regards the Bretwalda as a kind
of war-king, or a temporary military leader. The learned Saxon scholar and antiquary, John Mitchell Kemble, in his account re- garding the growth of the kingly power, considers the Bretwaldadom as being "a mere accidental predominance. " See "The
*^ This — man see his Life at the holy
Saxons in
a of the England, History Eng-
5th of August had been educated Ireland,
lish Commonwealth till the
Period of the
in and he was a convert to the Faith.
Norman Conquest," vol. ii. , book ii. , chap,
i. , p. 18.
'The of in Ber- Nunnery Coldingham,
' See an account of their respective reigns
in Dr. " of
Lingard's History England,"
chap, ii,, pp. 89 to 103. Also Mon. De wickshire, is thought to have been the oldest
" Histoire
tome i. , lib. iii. , pp. 164 to 168. Likewise
John Lewis' "History of Great Britain, from the first Inhabitants thereof, 'till the Deatli of Cadwalader, Last King of the Britains ; and of the Kings of Scotland to Eugene V. As also a Short Account of the Kings, Dukes, and Earls of Bretagne, 'till
in Scotland, as neither its founder, the time of its foundation, nor its order, are said to be known. See a further account of this nunnery, with three distinct copperplate
"
Antiquities of Scot- land," vol. i. , pp. 95 to 98.
s° See his Life at the 20th of March.
S' See a description of Coldingham, with
Rapin Thoyras'
d'Angleterre,"
tarchy. Sharon Turner, in his
engravings, in Grose's
:
January 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 591
herehadbeenfabricatedofwood. s' Coldinghamparishliesalongthecoast of Berwickshire, and on the German Ocean. 53 Not many years ago, the ruins there remaining were very extensive ; but those are now sadly dilapi- dated, by peasants having carried stones away for the erection of their cottages. 5+ During the middle ages, Coldingham was a priory of consider- able consequence,5s while its possessions and revenues were ample. s^ Not very long after the monastic foundation,57 our saint must have joined the
That term "
nan, s^ seems to imply his attainment of some dignity, in the monastery where
he lived, and accordingly he has been dignified with the title of abbot. ss It has been assumed to indicate, he was superior over that religious house, with which he was connected. However, Venerable Bede speaks of our saint in such terms, as might lead us to suppose, he was not elevated to any exalted ec- clesiastical dignity. ^" In like manner do John Capgrave^' and Harpsfeld^' alludetohim,asifoccupyingasubordinateposition. Mostrehableauthorities regardhimassimplyapriestandamonk. ^3 Weread,thatonacertainday, Adamnan going out from the monastery, in company with a religious brother, both again returned, having accomplished the object of their journey. While on their way back, Adamnan looked towards the ecclesiastical buildings of Coldingham, which reared their walls^* in the distance. A sudden grief overcast his soul, and to the surprise of his companion, Adamnan burst into tears. That brother demanded the cause for his sorrow. " All those public
said the " are about to be con- saint,
Coldingham fraternity.
prsepositus," applied
to the Adam- holy
and
s«med in a short time, and laid prostrate in ashes. " This being heard, the
private buildings,
which
you see,"
two magnificent illustrations of its priory, "
Antiquities
of England and Scotland," etc. , vol. i. In-
troduction, p. XXXV.
History of Berwickshire, anciently termed Coldinghamshire. " This work, containing plates and many wood-cut views, was pub- lished at Edinburgh, in 1836.
in Robert William Billing's Baronial and Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. I, 2.
5* See W. H. Hunter's " of the History
5^ See Walter Scott's " Border
53
"
Priory of Coldingham, from the earliest date to the present time ; also the Rights of Property and Possessions of the Priory. " This work contains beautiful plates of views, and it appeared in Edinburgh, A. D. 1858.
57 We consider this house, mainly, if not altogethei-, embraced that rule of life pre- vailing in the institute at lona.
5* By Trithemius.
59 In this light Camerarius regards him.
in his
Wion, "Lignum Vitse," Appendix,
and Menard, in his Appendix to the Bene-
dictine of him almost Martyrology, speak
in similar terms.
*° See " Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Except a detached portion, about 5 furlongs long and 3^ broad, which is em- bosomed to ithe east in the parish of Eye- mouth, it is bounded on the north by the German Ocean ; on the east by the German
Ocean and the parishes of Eyemouth and
Ayton ; on the south by the parishes of
Chirnside and Buncle ; and on the west by
the of St. — Oldham- parishes Abbey Bathans,
stocks, and Cockburnpath. " FuUarton's
"
Gazetteer of Scotland," vol. i. , pp. 288, 289.
Imperial
5« has been Lately
a
published beautfully
illustrated work, by the Rev. Mackenzie E. C. Walcott, B. D. F. S. A. , and Precentor of Chichester, intituled, "Scoti-Monasticon. The Ancient Church of a
Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 336. *" "
Scotland, History of the Cathedrals, Conventual Foundations, Collegiate Churches, and Hospitals of Scot- land. " Therein is contained a very com- plete and detailed description of the antiqui- ties now remaining at Coldingham, with notices regarding its foundation, and a chronological record of its priors, from the twelfth to the sixteenth century. See pp.
239 to 243.
55 See A. Carr's " History of Coldingham, containing a Survey of the Ecclesiastical
*" See "Historia Ecclesiastica. " Anglicana
Seculum vii. , cap. 32.
*3 Colgan appears to cite Trithemius and
the foregoing authorities, in confirmation of this opinion. See "Acta Sanctorum Hi-
bernian," xxxi. Januarii, n. 8, p. 226. **Bede applies the words "sublimiter
"
In Legenda Sanctorum Anglise. " Vita S. EabbK.
"
were on an elevated site, rather than of a
erecta
to them. This probably means, they
Historia Eccle- siastica Gentis Scotorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25,
special great height. See P- 337-
592 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
brother had no sooner arrived at the monastery, than he communicated to
the superioress Ebba,^5 what had been predicted by Adamnan. Greatly disturbed at this announcement, the abbess^^ held an interview with our
saint. Then she inquired from him, how it happened, that he had been able to ""predict such a misfortune. ^^ The holy man replied, on a late occasion, while occupied during night at his accustomed vigils, and in the recitation of psalms, a certain person, whose features were unknown, presented himself.
Then, feeling alarmed, our saint was desired by this strange visitor to allay ""
his fears. For," said the apparition, and in a familiar voice, you act rightly, who not only remain during night depriving yourself of rest, but,
moreover, you spend
it
and salutary vigils,
" I know well,"
replied
God's
monastery is composed,? " I have observed yourself alone occupied with the great affair of salvation. All other persons, men and women, are either buried in profound sleep, or are awake in the commission of some sin ; since those little houses,? ^ which were destined for prayer or study, are now con- verted into chambers where eating, drinking, idle conversation, or trans- gressions of some other kind, are committed. Even virgins, consecrated to God, in contempt of their sacred profession, apply themselves to weaving rich stuffs, often as they are at leisure. 7* With these they either clothe them- selves, with detriment to their holy state, or they prepare them for externs of the other sex, to procure their friendship. On this account, the place and its inhabitants are destined for Heaven's vengeance, which will be manifested by consuming flames. " The Abbess Ebba73 asked, why the saint had not
the " I have need of saint,
anger, for my previous transgressions. '''^^
*s There are notices of this holywoman
''
Historia Anglicana Eccle- siastica," Ssec. vii. , cap. 2, 7.
•^She must not be confounded with St.
Ebba, virgin and martyr, who was abbess, at a later period, over this same nunnery of Coldingham. Thelatterreceivedhercrown of martyrdom at the hands of the Danes, on
? « Bede calls them " domunculoe. " See ibid. These were probably fashioned after the early Irish cells.
^^ See Father Innes' "Civil and Eccle-
siastical History of Scotland. " Chonolo-
gical Memoirs, p. 273.
"Prefixed to Rev. Mackenzie E. C.
Walcott's account of the Abbess Ebba and
the at —are cited the nunnery Coldingham,
in Harpsfeld's
watching
praying.
"^^ that thus I
may deprecate
The strange visitor responded : " You say, indeed, what is true; for you and many others have need, by the exercise of good works, to atone for past sins, and when ceasing from tem- poral labours, the more eagerly should you endeavour for spiritual benefits. These things, however, are done by very few persons. For, even now, whilst I have in succession visited all the cottages and beds of which this
the 2nd of
A. D. 870,
according
to the
April,
English Martyrology, Matthew of West-
minster, and other authorities. In his
" Martyrologium Benedictinum," Hugh Menard places her festival at the foregoing date.
following appropriate lines
" There was an ancient house not far away Renowned throughout the world for
^ tany,'. '
' ' Church
of Brit-
sacred lore,
And so pure, unspotted life,
^
book xviii. , chap, xv. , p. 456. ''
say,
It governed was and guided evermore,
Through wisdom of a matron grave and
hoar,
Whose only joy was to relieve the
See Cressy's
History
well, they
See Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica
Gentis Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 338. ^See Father Innes' " Civil and Ecclesi-
astical History of Scotland. " Chronological Memoirs, p. 273.
needs
Of wretched and souls,
7° Bede uses the words, "
singulorum
help
the
helpless
casas ac lectos inspexi," which give us an
idea, that this monastic institute consisted
of detached huts, grouped together over
some considerable space of ground. See
poor.
All night she spent in bidding of her
beads,
And all the day in doing good and " Godly deeds. "
"
lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 338,
Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum," —
See
Scoti-Monasticon," p. 376.
:
JANUARY 31. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 593
heretofore revealed his vision ; and she was answered by Adamnan, that he did not wish to disturb the venerable lady's repose. He declared, moreover, she might be consoled, since the destruction of Coldingham should not happen during her life-time. 74
The vision being made known to that community, its monastic inmates
were justly alarmed. A visible reformation in the manners of most took
place. But, after the death of their saintly abbess, many relapsed into former courses, or even into a state of life still more objectionable. The punish-
mentpredictedbyAdamnanfellupontheirmonastery. Thiswasconsigned to the flames, in the year 679. 75 Venerable Bede obtained his information from a fellow-priest, named Edgils,? ^ who had lived for some time in Cold- ingham, and who died afterwards in that house, to which the illustrious writer was attached. ^? Thus, in the exercise of great austerity and penance, Adamnan spent the remainder of life^^ endeavouring to atone for his youth- ful irregularities. Distinguished, as we have already seen, by the gifts of a prophetic spirit, as also by those merits and virtues which become a saint, he passed out of this life to enjoy the rewards of the just, in Heaven, about or after a. d. 680, and on the last day of January,79 according to the English Martyrology. ^° Thislatterrecordandotherauthoritiesplacehisdemiseat A. D. 690. ^' In his conclusion of the foregoing narrative, the Venerable and pious Bede observes,^^ regarding the terrible and mysterious judgments, visitedsofrequentlybyGodonthechildrenofmen; whilethosedispensa- tions ought to warn us concerning the wrath to come, and the temporal calamities, which often befall persons led away by evil illusions. Above and before all, it is a grievous calamity to pass out of this world, and to meet without sufficient preparation the award of inflexible justice.
Article IV. —St. Sillan of Cill-Deilge, or Kildalkey, County OF Meath. It. has not been at all clearly determined when this holy man flourished. The Martyrology of Tallagh^ mentions, that veneration was given on the 31st of January, to St. Sillan, of Cill Delge. This place was identicalwithKildalkey,intheCountyofMeath. ^ Wefindrecorded,like-
have ah-eady noticed at that day.
**" At this he is set down in the date, also,
''' See Cressy's
Church History of Brit-
tany,"
book
"
xviii. , chap, xv. , p. 456.
75 See Maitland's " and History
of Irish published by O'SuLivan Beare, in " Histo- rise Catholicse Ibernije Compendium," tomus Anno 1437. And from that Period to the i. , lib. iv. , cap. xi. , p. 49. Also in Henry
Antiqui- ties of Scotland, from the earliest account of Time to the Death of James the First,
Accession of the to the Crown James Sixth,
of England, Anno 1603, by another Hand.
The whole compiled from the most authentic nus Abbas. See ibid. , cap. xii. , p. 52.
vouchers," vol. i. , book ii. , chap, xx. , p. 255. 7^ He is called " Reverendissimus meus
conpraesbyterEdgils. " Colganwonderswhy this priest was thus designated, when he was neither an abbot over the Venerable Bede, nor is his name found among English bishops or saints. See "Acta Sanctorum
HibernisE," xxxi. Januarii, n. 7, p. 225.
77 See "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
Anglorum," lib. iv. , cap. 25, p. 339.
"
Civil and Ecclesi- asticalHistoryofScotland. " Chronological
Memoirs, p. 273.
79 Camerarius, however, gives the date of
his feast, at the 27th of this month, as we Vol. L
There, too, a second festival seems assigned for him, at the 2nd of September. Yet, this may have been intended for St. Adamnaii of lona.
*' The death of St. Ebba is referred to A. D. 683. See Father Innes' " Civil and EcclesiasticalHistoryofScotland. " Chrono- logical Memoirs, p. 270. It is probable, St. Adamnan survived her some
^2
lib. —
Anglorum," iv. , cap. 25, pp. 339, 340.
Articleiv. by Rev. Dr. 'Edited the
Kelly, p. xiv.
* See Dr. O'Donovan's "Annals of the
Four Masters," vol. i. , n. (l), pp. 320, 321. 2 ^
7^ See Father Innes'
anonymous "Catalogue
Saints,"
Fitzsimon's " Sancto- Catalogus aliquorum
rum Ibernise," where he is called Adomna-
years.
g^g "Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis
594 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [January 31.
wise, in the Martyrology of Donegal,3 as having a festival at this same date, Sillan of Cill Deilge. A commentator on this latter work, in that table
superadded, suggests, his synonymn is possibly Stlvanus, which name occurs in St. Paul's Second Epistle to the Thessalonians,-* and in the Life of Livinus. s The old church of Cill-Deilge gave name to a parish, situated between the parish of Trim, in East Meath, and the eastern boundary of Westmeath County. ^ It was dedicated to St. Damhnat,? or Dymphna, whose festival wastherecelebratedonthe15thofMay. ^ Nearthechurchsitewasaholy well,calledTober-Damhnata. Itwasnearlydriedup,whenDr. O'Donovan examined this locality. 9 Kildalkey is a parish in the barony of Lune, county of Meath. ^° The earliest historical notice, regarding this place, as found in the Annals of the Four Masters," is at a. d, 721, when Cuanan of Cill-Delge died. Next, Fidhbhadhach, of Cill-Delge, died, a. d. 753 ; Cill-Delge was burned, a. d. 774; Suibhne, of Cill-Delge, died, a. d. 794. " Again, Fedach, Abbot of Cill-Delge, died a. d, 836 ; and Egnech, of Cill-Delge, bishop, abbot, and scribe, was killed, with all his people, by the Gaileanga,^3 in 837^4 Conghal,sonofFeadach,AbbotofCill-Dealga,andadistinguished scribe, died a. d. 866. 'S A battle was gained over Flann, son ofMaelsech- naill, A. D. 885, by the foreigners of Athcliath,'^ when Donnchadh, son of Maelduin, Abbot of Cill-Delge and of other churches,^? was killed, with many people. Amongallthepropernamesinourannals,andconnectedwiththis
that of St. Sillan is ^^ He was a or an abbot place, missing. probably bishop
at Kildalkey. After the year 885, we lose sight of the monastery here, when consulting ancient annals. '9 We do not find any allusion to this old church,
3 Edited by Drs. Todd and Reeves, pp.
32, 33-
* There called Sylvanus.
dently the same place. " See County of
5
adds a note. " We must understand this, not as suggesting that Siollan of Cill Delgge was a contemporary of SL Paul, but that the Latin form Silvanus occurs in 2 Thess. , i. , I, and in the Life of Livinus. " Dr.
See ibid. , pp. 468, 469. Dr.
error, regarding identifica- tion of Westerloo as will be seen in the Life of St. Dympna, at the 15th of May. This latter place was in a more northern
part of Belgium, nor far from Gheel.
Reeves again remarks. "Molanus styles '
9 See
''
Annals of the Four Masters," vol.
S. Livinus Archiepiscopus Scotorum,' and
i. , n. (1), pp. 320, 321.
'" The townland and of
parish Kildalkey,
cum
no fructu administrasset, reliquit Syluano
archidiacono. ' Indiculus Sanctorum
(Lovan, 1573)-"
*The Irish called this church, Cill
TJcaIja. See John O'Donovan's Letter,
" containing Information relative to the An- tiquities of the County of Meath, collected during the Progress of the Ordnance Survey
in 1836," p. 174.
7 John O'Donovan was doubtfiil if the
patroness of this place were or not the same
adds,
Quod munus,
aliquot
mag- Belgii
'
annis
dated Trim, Aug. 6th, 1836, in
Letters
County of Meath," Sheets 29, 30, 35, 36. The site of Kildalkey old church and of its graveyard is marked on Sheet 29, a little to the north of Kildalkey village, shown on Sheet 35.
" See Dr. O'Donovan's edition, vol. i.
"See ibid. , pp. 320, 321, 356, 357, 378, 379, 402, 403.
'3 They were seated in the present barony of Morgallion, county of Meath.
as Davnat of Slieve He Beagh.
'< See ibid. ,
'SSee tbid. , pp.
